“Racing on Effort not Expectations”
April 18, 2012Hey Runners, Cyclists, and Triathletes!
Spring has sprung and summer racing is now upon us! Hope everyone has had a great base building early season and you are ready to roll out some peak performances this year! Coach here decided to dibble in a 10k a couple weeks ago and relearned a fine lesson that I think all us could stand to hear before toeing the start line this season. My family and I headed down to Charleston SC for the Cooper River Bridge Run where many years ago I was able to set my personal best 10k time. Now many years later and just a few year shy of the Grand Masters division, Yikes! I set my sights on a time goal after training fairly well for the last few weeks. Big Mistake 
As an athlete most of us have a certain level of competitive spirit and will most likely look at past race results to see where we might fall in the ranks. It’s a natural thing and we inevitably predict our time and where we will finish. Immediately this gets branded on our brains and we never begin to think about the physical side of the race. Goals are important sure, but in attaining them we should show patience and let the right day present itself.
In my opinion, 99% of the time forcing your body(effort) to match your expectations will most certainly produce mental and physical exhaustion. For me that day it was mile 4 of 6.2 . Seeing the mile splits fail to match up with my predicted time I continued to try harder. With heart rate soaring through the roof, mentally I was pushing harder but my body was saying ease back.
Each time you toe the line, the race will present you with a different scenario. Temperature, wind, hills, nutrition, hydration, stress; these are just a few variables that should help me convince you to ”Race on Effort not Expectations.” Leave pressure by the waist side and just feel happy to run in the moment. After all, aren’t we all blessed just to be able to compete? Sure we are and we must remind ourselves continuously to just do your best. Besides, how much more can you ask than that? I would take the results of that effort every time
Try this ”4 R you Ready” thought process and before every race you’ll be Race Ready!
# 1 Remove: Remove any thoughts of a time goal from your head.
# 2 Relax: Say to yourself, all I expect today is to perform my best.
# 3 Remind: Remind yourself to be grateful for competing.
# 4 Race: Focus on your effort for the distance and do not focus on your competitor. Besides, they’re focused on YOU so you NOW have the advantage !
“Running Free!”
March 6, 2012Hello Everyone!
I hope everyone’s early season training is going well and you’re getting fired up for some racing! March is here and the temperatures will soon be warming up. It’s time for some fresh air and more outdoor training, “Whew” you say! Treadmill running, bike trainers, and gym work can all be fun and exciting as the Winter begins, but as the weeks add up you start to wear down and feel the need to travel. There’s something about actually going somewhere when you run, bike, or swim that offers motivation and reward to your training. Too much time breathing hard in one spot, sooner than later, will begin to make you feel like a lab rat ! For some of us, there is also a need to leave the constant information feedback you get from treadmills, compu trainers, and lap pools behind! The industry of training and fitness in the 21st century has become technology information overload. We are losing the “Rocky” approach to our training! Garmins, heart rate monitors, wattage meters are all very valuable tools for feedback and proper training, but if you’re like me, sometimes you feel like just dropping the watch and “Running Free!” As my oldest daughter Josie puts it, ”Daddy, when we’re at Nana’s and Papa’s ( in country) I just feel free! There are no ‘gates’ like at our house.” She’s 6 ! Her “Gates” to me are like the heart rate monitors and treadmills that sometimes damper your fire for training! As you train in sport you begin to learn your body and can distinguish or perceive what’s easy, comfortable, or hard efforts. If you do need a break from the “information world” of training, learn how to “Run Free” to faster times, more enjoyment, and NO Gates!
Here’s how and why!
The how is easy when you keep these three things in mind. To improve as an athlete you need to do consistent work, hard work, and easy work.
Consistent work is Aerobic work. Aerobic means “in the presence of oxygen” which seems like a good thing right? For our Tech folks it’s an effort level of 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. But if you’re trying to “Run Free”, it’s that comfortable to comfortbly hard effort of swimming, biking, or running. A good checkpoint is that while working out, if you’re able to talk in complete sentences but not prefer to carry on a long conversation, then you’re at that aerobic effort. Word of caution, don’t try the talking test while you’re swimming ! At this effort level you are producing the most valuable results for building strength, endurance, and even speed. For athletes of all abilities and for all distances this area is your “Bread and Butter”. You are building a V-8 engine versus a 4 cylinder! You should spend the majority of your miles in this zone and I would suggest 75% of weekly mileage or time be spent at this effort level.
Next up is the Hard Work! this effort moves into the category of uncomfortable plus! It’s anaerobic for the lab rate, meaning oxygen is getting used up more quickly than the body can replenish it! Ouch ! This zone is above the 80% max HR level and you move into a state of labored breathing. Don’t be afraid to go here as long as you’re overall health is good. Training at this level in the right amount will produce a more efficient heart muscle (VO2) , a better flushing of the leg burn (Lactate threshold), and a more efficient stride or stroke due to power and strength! Notice that I mentioned the right amount, which should be in the range of 10-20% of weekly mileage depending on the athlete and time of the year. This 10%-20% range can be a tricky balance, so if in question, lean towards the 10%! An under trained and healthy athlete will out perform an over trained and injured athlete 100 % of the time. This may not seem like much but once you’ve done a few hard workouts the week will fly by and you’ll be facing mile repeats once again! Make sure before attempting hard workouts that you precede them with a 10-15 minute warm up and 5-10 minute cool down and stretch session. This is very important as hard working muscles need extra attention in the stretching department.
Last up is the Easy Work and certainly not the least important! Easy work is active recovery of below that 70% Max heart rate range. I call this perceived effort Easy to Comfortable! Now you can go out and enjoy that long conversation with a friend and enjoy the scenery. These workouts should make up 10-20% of your weekly mileage as well and best fall after your hard workout sessions. They will aid your muscles by getting nourishing blood flow to the damaged tissue (muscles) and help flush any build up of that mean ole lactic acid. These workouts are trifold, as they also help with endurance for longer events and provide a much needed mental recharge!
If you guys are like me and have a family, a day job, and training to balance, take the time you have and break down your week with these three perceived workout levels. You’ll “Run Free” of science and put a little “Rocky” back in your step!
Isn’t it nice to have both options! In all, find what makes You tick and use whatever it takes to get the job done!
Coach J
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February 6, 2012
Triathlon is the sport of swimming, biking, and running, and it can’t get much better than this for testing athlete against athlete in a competition of strength, speed, and endurance! The sport was invented by a group of guys sitting around chatting about who was the better athlete. Was it the runner, the cyclist, or the swimmer? They discussed some distances, threw them together into a one day race and triathlon (Ironman) was born. Millions of people around the world now call themselves triathletes as races of all distances attract people of all ages and abilities. But the real attraction is I R O N M A N. So many people are desiring the 140.6 Ironman Finisher! How could you not with all the awesome inspiring TV programs showing average people doing the seemingly impossible. People are spending thousands of dollars buying the best bikes & equipment, hiring coaches to schedule workouts, and traveling all around the world to compete in destination races. In my 25 years in the sport I have seen a growing trend of people entering Ironman as their first triathlon event! Wow, now this is a big undertaking, and a very challenging one at that! As a coach I find myself in this situation more times than many and having to design training programs that will help athletes reach their IM goals quickly and stay injury free in the process. The very 1st thing to remember if THIS IS YOU, is that endurance sports such as IM requires big time Physical Strength! And in my humble opinion the best way to develop this kind of strength is through the perfect combination of aerobic and anaerobic training. Many first time triathletes find them themselves concerned with the distance and therefore get caught in the trap of long slow distance aerobic training 100 % of their time. This kind of training is commonly called LSD and is a low heart rate / easy effort training that great for base building and active recovery. But for the 140.6 miles of an IM, which does seem a bit daunting, quality over quantity has won out every time! Your main objective is to have a slow continual improvement in Strength which will come by adding variety in your training. You will stay mentally inspired and get to that finish line faster than you ever thought possible!
Adding Anaerobic training to your weekly routine is very simple. After an 8-12 week period of aerobic development (easy base workouts), a new triathlete is ready to start incorporating small amounts of high intensity efforts in their routine. The term anaerobic means “without oxygen” which can seem a little bit scary or confusing to the new triathlete. For the most part anaerobic just means putting forth an effort that causes an uncomfortable increase in breathing rate caused by an elevated heart rate. There are scientific ways to measure these efforts through heartrate monitors and testing but for the average person a good rule of thumb is that if your breathing rate elevates and the effort seems uncomfortable, you are entering the anaerobic zone! This challenging workout is training your body to “deal” with the stress of moving faster and will therefore adapt to it for a future episode. Your body is saying “Hey, what is this new stress? I better build a stronger heart for this increased breathing and stronger muscles for this faster running!” Think of this… What happens to your skin after repeated friction or irritation? Well, after the difficult part & discomfort of a blister a Callous is produced! Your body has adapted to the stress and strengthened itself. Your body in all aspects is a miracle maker! God’s design of this human body in incredible if you just pause to imagine what goes on beneath skin level. Capillaries, nerves, cells, veins, arteries, latic acid, organs, etc. etc… There are so many fascinating things, that as a normal athlete training to run faster, we don’t think of. Stressing the body through anaerobic work will cause a strengthening of your heart muscle and your sports specific muscles. This new hard/easy approach is going to contnue to build your body into a strong resilient machine
As a rule of thumb, change 10% of your weekly training mileage to anaerobic work. So if for example you are running a comfortable 30 miles a week then switch out 3 of those miles for high intensity running.. This may not seem like a lot but once you perform these hard efforts you’ll welcome your aerobic workouts 90% of the time. Do keep in mind that this is 10 % in all three disciplines so the stress on your heart will be more than the sport’s specific muscle groups. This is a good thing as your heart is your most valued possession and can grow and adapt just like your bicep. It will start pumping more oxygen rich blood to those working muscles when you most need it and make your life a lot easier!
* Here are a few examples of some anaerobic workouts for your 1st week getting to know and feel Mr. Anaerobic!
Swim: Broken 1650: Warm up an easy 5-10 minutes before swimming 4 x 200, 6 x 100, and 5 x 50 (Swim each of the 15 intervals at an 85% effort level or Max HR) (Rest 15 seconds after each one)
Bike: Broken 10 mile Time Trial: Warm up 10-15 minutes easy spinning, Ride 4 miles at an 80% effort level or Max HR, 3 minute easy spin recovery, then 3 miles at 80-85% effort or Max HR, 3 min. rec., then 2 miles at 85% effort or Max HR, 3 min. rec., then 1 mile at 90% effort or Max HR!
Run: Broken 3 miler : Warm Up 10-15 minutes, Run 1.0(1600) miles at 80-85% effort or Max HR, 2 min. easy jog recovery, Run 2 x .5(800) miles at 85% (pace should slightly increase), 2 min. rec., Run 4 x .25(400) miles at 85%-90%(pace should slightly increase again)!
As you can imagine, training for triathlon can get VERY scientific and become Information Overload with the increase in technology (Heart rate monitors, wattage meters, garmins, etc.) If your interest or wallet does not lend to gadgets don’t fret! Simplicity can sometimes be your best approach when trying to balance training and normal life! Let’s face it, how many of you are getting paid to compete in a triathlon? So if you’re like the 99% of us who want to set goals, train, compete, and improve overall wellness, enjoy a simple substitution of the 10% anaerobic rule and see the improvements. All while enjoying the process with family and friends!
Have a great Day and puts some Life in your training!
Coach Yon
www.facebook.com/triyonperformance
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Burning the Fat Flame!
January 16, 2012
NOW that the the New Year is in full swing and your training is following suit, you might be feeling a bit full in the boots! The Holiday season was a great time to kick back, enjoy family, and put training on the side burner. For some of us anyway Now, with goals in mind and a record year planned ahead, you need to start melting the extra pounds and gaining lean muscle once again! So what’s the best way to get back into race shape and become leaner and faster than ever before? Well, the first is obvious… a well thought out training program, of course! Another way, and the one I’d like to help you with today is how to develop a better lean muscle to fat ratio. Gaining lean muscle while shedding extra body fat. I think of it as becoming the “body builder” of endurance sports if you will. Everyone likes to look and feel strong, but the most important thing is to help you move your body forward faster by fighting gravity more efficiently. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it? How to cover a race distance as fast as can while maintaining the exertion level you’re capable of mentally and physically. For the most part your exertion level is always going to be the same, your “Best Effort” for the prescribed distance. Therefore, we look for other factors you can control like body weight in the form of fat. A coach once told me, ”1 less lb of body weight equals 3-5 secs of faster running per mile.” We’ll if that’s true, which I believe is, there’s a Personal Record just waiting to happen! Keep in mind, I’m speaking of 1 lb less weight in fat, not muscle!
So how do we start? First, we need to make sure you accomplish two things when beginning an approach to eating for athletic performance. They are to sustain your energy for training & racing and at the same time, burn excess stored body fat. As most of us already know, total calories is what you consider for weight lose or gain. It’s pretty much cut and dry when it comes to gaining weight versus losing weight. Eat more calories than you burn and you will gain weight. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you will lose weight. However it’s not that simple and it can get very complicated because calories come in three different forms; protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Hmmmm…. now what?? Well the truth is, if you eat too many calories in one form or too little of another you may hinder muscle gain and actually gain body fat. What!? In the last 30 years there have been hundreds of books written on the subject. The author of every book you read is going to tell you a different opinion of the percentages of Protein, Carbs, and Fat you need to eat to lose weight and/or maximize performance. In the 1980′s it was low fat/ high carb diets and in the 90′s it became Low carb/high fat diets! So how do you figure all this out? We find ourselves questioning what to do or where to start. I personally have survived each decade’s approach and have found an easy way to help you get strong and lean and then prepare yourself for race day. In January, I do find that a training diet hovering around the percentages of 25 % protein, 25 % fat and 50% carbohydrates is a great early season approach. You’re able to build lean muscle tissue, melt away excess body fat, and still have enough carbohydrates to sustain your energy for training. You’re also teaching your body to recruit fat for energy and therefore start tapping into your fat stores. Anytime you can use fat storage for energy and spare the carbohydrates you’re going to become a faster endurance athlete. Why is that? Because you’re able to go farther with your carbo load and not have to ingest as many carbs in your race as your competitor. By not having to ingest extra carbs for fuel in a race situation, you’re allowing your blood volume to remain in the working muscles where it is needed, instead of moving to your stomach to help with digestion. Blood is your oxygen carrier and your muscles require it to go fast, especially at higher heart rates!
So if you’re a calorie counter and know how to figure calorie percentages do a 3 day food log and see where you stand. If you’re Not a calorie counting expert and don’t know how to interpret a nutritional label here are some key tips to get you moving in the right direction and burn some body fat.
#1 Train in the morning on an empty stomach. Helps promote the burning of fat stores. If training session is over an hour but less than two, add a Fluid replacement drink.
#2 Eat only when you’re hungry! Eat smaller meals and snack 2-3 times per day to keep your metabolism cranking. Note: Don’t let yourself go past the hunger pain during the day b/c your metabolic rate will decrease.
#3 Eliminate wheat and flour products as much as possible. In other words eat meals rich in lean meats and vegetables as much as possible. Products that contain Gluten are being proven to hinder performance. Save high carbohydrate meals for 2-3 days out from a race.
# Avoid sugar as much as possible! It’s an empty calorie, promotes fat storage, and contributes to numerous health problems.
# 5 Make sure you’re eating healthy fats daily, unsaturated fat (Almonds, seeds, olive oil, etc). They provide sustainable energy, help ward off hunger, and fight heart disease!
These tips should help you get you started down the right path and as you learn to figure out calories percentages, test out your plan and see if you’re close to the 25%, 25%, 50% TRiYON Performance approach!
Here’s an example of how to calculate a nutrition label!
Your key is:
1 g of Protein counts for 4 calories
1 g of Carbohydrates counts for 4 calories.
1 g of Fat counts for 9 calories.
Example: A NOW Energy bar is 284 calories.
11 g of protein
42 g of carbs
8 g of fat
Therefore do the math: ( 11 x 4 = 44 + 42 x 4 = 164, 8 x 9 = 72)
44 + 164 + 72 = 284
Good luck with training and make sure to Training Smart and Eat Healthy!
Coach Yon
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Part 3 of “Fending Off the Fever”
January 3, 2012Happy New Year Everyone!
Welcome back to “Fending Off the Fever” Part 3! In the last couple weeks we’ve discussed getting stronger in two different areas, physical and mental. We now have a strength program in place and a tight hold of a stronghold! (Read last weeks blog if you need to know what a stronghold is ) Our minds and body are in a good place and we’re ready to tackle the last key ingredient to a successful upcoming season. This one I call being a “spirit filled athlete.” Let me begin by saying that being spirit filled is not something you try to do. It’s an action or reaction that comes from within that other’s will see in you as one who is different and special. Someone that others look to for leadership and direction. A person who attracts others to themselves because they have something that others are missing. That’s it in a nut shell. I want to be around this person or athlete because I need what they’ve got! So how do you get there? How do you become spirit filled?
Personally, I battled this one for a long time! Always assuming that it must be attained by your own efforts, by trying harder. I’d observe those athletes that seemed to have it all and I wanted to be like them. Each year trying to better myself through getting stronger and faster. Trying to train harder than anyone else and by doing all the extra things that I knew others weren’t. Well from years of experience, I can tell you this will only get you so far. Pulling yourself up by the boot straps day in and day out will wear you down to the core. Your energy tank will be on empty and your achievements will seem oh so so.
Where does this leave you? Standing at a cross road. Turn left and follow the wide road or turn right and follow the narrow road? The wide road leads you the way of the world and the path everyone takes because it’s easy, comfortable, and proven to provide commonality. To be like the rest, travel down this fast and wide straight road! On the other hand, NOW try the straight and narrow road as the way. >>>>> Here’s the hardest and best choice you’ll make! Choose it and you will find a road full of challenges, ups and downs, and lessons beyond compare! If you didn’t already know, God’s Word says, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there will go. But because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth into life, few will find it. My advice is be one of the few! Trust God and release all control and follow Him. Your life in this world and in athletics will be “Spirit Filled”, always sharing in the battles and leading others to glory! From the words of Robert Frost in “A Road Not Taken”
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverge in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Hope everyone has an awesome start to the New Year & I’ll see you next week!!!!!
Coach Yon
Part 2 of “Fending Off the Fever”
December 21, 2011
Hey Gang!
Hope everybody had a great week and started to seek out how to get their strength training program started!
Remembering last week, I had us start thinking about how to make it through this off season physically stronger and mentally charged up for your best season ever!
This week our topic is how to Energizing your Mind!
One way and maybe the best way I’ve found to energize your mind is to conquer a stronghold! A stronghold is basically an addiction 
It’s something that’s tying you down and limiting your potential! What is it that you struggle to overcome and maybe not willing to give up because you think that it’s not important? Is it too much coffee or soda, too much social media, too compulsive about training/exercise? Be honest with yourself, what is holding you back? What is it that gets in the way of you being constructive in everything that you want to accomplish? Here’s a 4 step process that I’ve used that might help you “Kick that Habit!”
Step One: Most important! Find an Accountability Partner! To do this takes strength in itself because you are admitting your weakness! This takes guts! Most athletes will disguise their weaknesses because they are generally perfectionists to the core and don’t feel comfortable exposing their glitches!
Step Two: Once you have your partner, set a plan of action. Set daily goals for yourself and make it through small time hurdles before planning a whole week of cold turkey! Once you make it through one day, share your success with your accountability partner and get some much needed words of affirmation. Then move to day two! In other words, one day at a time. Stay in the moment and don’t get ahead of yourself!
Step three: This is not really a step but just a check note instead. Be careful not to substitute ANOTHER Stronghold in the place of this one! This is the most common occurrence and will only lead to a similar or worse situation!
Step Four: Once you’ve made it a week moving day to day, use the time or mental energy gained to engage in an interest not related to athletics. Something that stimulates your brain and builds heart at the same time. What I mean is be creative, take a talent that you’ve been gifted with to influence a situation or person in a positive way. Maybe you’re great with kids then take a moment to teach what you know. All of us were created by God with certain talents that we should use in a way that would be pleasing to Him.
Step Five: If you made it to his step then nice work! However, stay on your toes! It’s tuff to stay tuff! You can now take your new interest and hold it into and through your race season. You’ve increased your motivation, opened yourself to new and exciting opportunities, and protected yourself from burn out!
Everyone have a Merry Christmas & we’ll finish up “Fending off the Fever” next week before the New Year!
Talk to you soon!
Coach
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Fend Off the Fever!
December 14, 2011Fending Off the Fever!
As triathletes we are in the middle of our off season. The Holidays are upon us and our minds are already gazing into next year’s racing. From my experience, it takes only 3-4 weeks after a season ending “A” Race before you are chomping at the bit to start training again! Your mind feels lazy, your mid section feels soft, and the house projects have gotten old. What should you do? Well, in my opinion there are three ways to “Fend off the Fever!” Three ways to make it through the cold winter months physically stronger, mentally energized, and healthier in spirit!
# 1 Get Stronger! Most importantly, if you want to grow stronger as a triathlete you must add resistance training to your routine. Continual aerobic exercise, 12 months out of the year, without resistance training will eventually stagnate your lean muscle growth. Therefore you limit your potential to get faster and stronger each upcoming year! If you don’t have access to a gym, no worries, your body weight can act as your resistance weight in sports specific strength movements. Consult your local Personal Trainer and stress to him or her that the key areas you want to strengthen are the Core, Glutes, Hip flexors, and lower back. All these areas are typically weakened throughout the triathlon race season and need 90% of your focus Dec- Feb! My favorite exercises for Triathletes are Squats, leg press, Planks, Lat Pull Down, Spin Class (high cadence, 110 plus), and Deep water Running. Each week add 2 weight room sessions and at least 1 Spin Class and 1 30 minute Deep water run. You’ll be glad you did! Give it a month and you’ll feel the difference. 3 months and you’ll clean up your competition next year!
Remember! Form is the single most important factor in Strength Training! Make sure to consult the personal trainer at your local gym, and in EVERY Movement your Core must be contracted and protecting your lower back! Now get Started and become the best triathlete you can be! And Until next week……
Train Smart then Train Hard!
Here’s a sneak peek at next week! It’s Mental! :)
#2 Energize your mind! The best way to energise your mind is to conquer a stronghold! What is it that you struggle to give up or overcome? Is it too much caffeine, not enough sleep/too much TV…………………..See you next Week!
Coach Yon
www.triyonperformance.com
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What’s your Reason for TRi…ing?
December 8, 2011- To Get Healthy?
- To Accomplish the Impossible?
- To Face a Fear?
- To Be your Best?
- To Lose Weight?
- To Celebrate the Gift of Health?
- To Become a Stronger Runner?
- To Release Stress?
- What is Your Reason????????
As a coach, the first thing I ask a person is why do you train to compete? Why do you run a race or compete in a triathlon? Why do we all choose goals and then never think of the reason why? First and foremost, I challenge you to find the purpose in your goals that you have set. At this point, there is no question you will find the strength and motivation to accomplish them. Failure will not be an option! What is completing a challenge without a purpose? I think the answer is a completion of time wasted. Today’s Training Tip is for you to first find your purpose and then choose the road to get there. Take it one day at a time and then look to those in your life that want to help and most importantly, allow them to. A champion doesn’t get the top by flying solo or without a purpose! He or she relies upon a mission and on the everyday heroes in their life to support and carry them through the ruts in the road. So remember, Choose your Challenge, Choose your Purpose, Choose your Path and then Choose to Succeed! As NOW Energy Bar would say, No Opportunity Wasted!
Have a great week and I’ll talk to you soon!
Coach Yon
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