Tips for Training and Racing in the Heat - #5 Strategies for Post-Race!

You've successfully crossed the finish line!  Congratulations!  Now what?  Be sure to rehydrate and refuel as soon as possible.  Here's how:

Tip#1 - Grab a big bottle of water to drink at the finish.

If there isn't any water available, have a big bottle chilling in  your cooler, which you can quickly access by stashing in your car, strategically placing behind a tree or held by your significant other.

Tip #2 - Don't rely on post-race food.

I've been offered everything from nothing at the Six Gap/Three Gap Ride in Dahlonega, GA to BBQ Pork Sandwiches at the Kansas 70.3 in Lawrence, KS to gourmet salads at the Tri The Mountains Sprint in Blue Ridge, GA.  Since we are not able to place an order for a nutritious post-race meal, my suggestion is to pack one for yourself!  It can be as simple as a chocolate milk and peanut butter and jelly sandwich, packed in a cooler.

Tip #3 - Continue to rehydrate and nourish yourself throughout the day.

Keeping yourself hydrated and nourished right after your big race will make a big difference in how quickly you are able to recover.  

You are now armed with everything you need to know about training and racing in the heat!  There is no time like the present to get out there and embrace it!

Check out my past posts:

#1 Get Acclimated 

#2 Stay Hydrated

#3 Prepare for Your Race 24 - 48 Hours in Advance

#4 Strategies for Race Day 

Happy Training and Racing...in the Heat!

Tips for Training and Racing in the Heat - #4 Strategies for Race Day!

You've done all the right things leading up to race day.  Now, you are up and at 'em first thing in the morning...don't blow it!

Tip #1 - Bring an extra fluid* bottle to the race venue!

*Fluid means water mixed with electrolytes and carbohydrates.

If you like to be early to the race site on race day, you still might have two hours until the gun goes off to start your wave.  Bring an extra fluid bottle to sip while you set up transition and while you wait for the start.

Tip #2 - Wear a hat, not a visor!

A hat is perfect for holding ice.  What?!?!  For a lot of us, when we start the run, the sun is bright, the temps are higher and we are hot and tired.  Most aid stations will have ice.  When you approach the station, pull off your hat, ask the volunteers to help you fill your hat about halfway with ice, then place the ice-filled hat on your head.  The ice will melt and run down your head keeping you cool.  Another benefit if you have enough ice, your brain freezes and you forget what crazy feat you are trying to accomplish!  You can also dump your hat in cold water to get a similar affect.  One last benefit of a hat is the shade the bill provides.

Tip #3 - Use the rags and sponges provided at the race!

Again, many aid stations will have rags and/or sponges soaking in a tub of cold water.  Don't pass them up!  These icy rags can be tied around your neck to keep you cool.  Sponges can be placed near the neck and chest to cool your core.  You can also stuff one in your hat.  Then, these can be exchanged at the next aid station for a cool replacement!

Tip #4 - Keep shoes dry!

Wet shoes and socks cause blisters.  Also, no one likes sloshing through the run leg of a triathlon.  If you decide to dump water on your head, try bending forward so you don't soak your shoes.  Avoid running through sprinklers and/or hoses.  As much as I would love to have the kid in the neighborhood drench me with his Super-Soaker, I say "No, thank you".  Also, keep those rags and sponges toward the top of your body.

You now have four tips to help you have a fantastic race!

Happy Training and Racing...in the Heat!

Tips for Training and Racing in the Heat - #3 Prepare for Your Race 24 - 48 Hours in Advance!

It gets hectic the week leading up to a big race.  Athletes are wrapping up loose ends at work, buying last minute supplies and getting packed to go to the venue.  After all the training you just put in over the past several months, your race result could be sub-par if you show up at the start line tired, dehydrated and low on energy.  What a shame!

For your next triathlon this summer, prepare for the race at least 24 - 48 hours ahead by following these easy steps:

#1 Be sure to get extra sleep throughout the week.

#2 Eat nutritious meals at well timed intervals (ex. consume more calories before, during and after workouts, consume less calories during the times you are not exercising, etc.).

#3 Pay attention to your hydration and be sure your are drinking water and/or fluid with electrolytes and carbohydrates throughout the 24 - 48 hours leading up to your race.

If you can stick to these easy steps, you will be poised for the race result you deserve!

Happy Training and Racing...in the Heat!

Tips for Training and Racing in the Heat - #2 Stay Hydrated!

Unfortunately, The Most Interesting Man in the World has it all wrong!  He should be telling athletes to "Stay Hydrated"!

Getting acclimated to the heat and staying hydrated is more important now more than ever!  The temperatures are starting to rise and we'll be in the thick of summer before we know it.

If you are an athlete who will be training and racing over the summer, it's best to think of hydrating as a continuous cycle.

First thing in the morning, grab a glass of water and start drinking.  If you brew coffee at home, take the time to drink a glass of water while you prepare your morning pot of coffee.  If you stop by a local coffee shop for your morning caffeine fix, take a bottle of water and drink it on the way! Then, re-fill that bottle and drink from it throughout the day.

Water is totally fine to use for daily hydration.  If you are not thrilled with the taste of plain water, just add some juice from a lemon, lime, orange or your other favorite fruit.  You can also add a little bit of salt and sugar to your water for some calories and electrolytes.  Or, try a vitamin powder like Emergen-C.

During the summer months, limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol.  Both will negatively affect your ability to stay hydrated.

For workouts, plan to actually start the workout hydrated!  Then, stay hydrated by consuming at least one 20 - 24 ounce bottle of fluid per hour of exercise.  For long workouts, plan to do loops where you can circle back around to your car or secret bottle hiding place to re-load your bottle.  You might also want to carry a hand-held water bottle or a waist-belt hydration system.

Be sure to hydrate post-workout!  It can take 24 - 48 hours to rehydrate after a long, hard workout.  If you are driving to your workout location, pack a cooler with a snack and fluid with electrolytes and carbohydrates to consume immediately after your workout.  Keep up with the cycle of continuous hydration!

Follow these suggestions and you will be feeling strong all summer long!

Happy Training and Racing...in the heat!

Wait a Second!

The sun starts to rise in Jekyll Island, GA!

Going in to the Turtle Crawl Olympic Distance Triathlon, my only goal was to have a good, solid race.  I wasn't thinking about a PR or even winning my age group.  I simply wanted to go hard and finish strong.

As I gathered with the other women in the start corral, I definitely took note of almost all the women wearing a wetsuit.  I decided against wearing mine.  I swam the day before without my wetsuit and was happy as a Loggerhead being released back to the ocean!  I knew I might be a bit slower overall for the swim and might use more energy than my co-racers, but I would definitely save time in transition.

The buzzer went off I swam as fast as I could to the first buoy.  Once I made the turn, I settled down and swam at a pace well outside my comfort zone.  I knew we were swimming with the current, however I also knew swimmers were getting pushed toward the shore a bit.  I decided to sight as little as possible.  Yep, I got off course a bit a couple of times as I was pushed toward the shore, but I felt good about keeping my head down and keeping a good rhythm.

As I exited the water, I took a glance at my Garmin and was quite happy with my time.  I felt like I kept a good pace and didn't let up.

Swim: 25:30

I ran up the beach across the firmly packed sand.  Then, I hit the loose sand and everything shifted to slooowww mooootion.  Ugh.  I ran up the steps, across the boardwalk, down the steps, down the sidewalk, along the outside of transition, around transition, into transition and finally to my bike. 1st goes the sunglasses, 2nd the helmet, 3rd the shoes, 4th grab my bike and I head out to the bike course.

Okay, it was only .25 miles, but it seemed like a 10K!

T1: 2:16

Did I mention the bike course was 29 miles?  Did I mention I felt like I ate a big bag of Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips when I exited the water?  Did I mention I only decided to bring one bottle of my fluid?  Well, not that I've mentioned these things, I'll get on with the bike leg.

Jena* and I started crankin' out of the gate!  Whoa Jena!  Let's settle in and not get too excited.  The 22 mph I saw during the first 3 miles didn't last long.  I needed to make sure I was staying strong on the bike all the while ensuring strength for the run.

*For those of you who haven't met Jena, she is my Kestrel Airfoil Tri Bike.  We've been together for 8 years!

The two-loop bike course is extremely picturesque!  We could see the ocean, Spanish moss and historic landmarks along the way.  We rode by my favorite attraction at Jekyll Island, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, which I visited the day before.  Oh, we also went by the lame-o water park.  Do kids still like water parks?  I'm not really sure why this area needs a water park when there is a fabulous ocean and beach just steps away.

As I approached the end of the island to turn back toward the race site, I noticed a woman ahead of me with a "41" on her calf.  Okay, time to make my move.  I passed her.  Woo Hoo!  My "woo hoo" is also because she was the first woman I spotted in my Age Group (40 - 44) on the bike course.  She and I played leapfrog for the next 8 miles or so before I decided enough was enough.  I accelerated around her and never saw her again.

Because I was feeling like a salty dog and because the bike course was 29 miles, I took a water bottle from the aid station and drank it down for a total of 1 bottle of Ironman Perform and 1 bottle of H2O.  I normally I would only use one fluid bottle for a race like this, but I needed that extra hydration.

Coming into transition was fun.  For the first time, I felt great!  When I say "great" I mean strong!  My legs were ready to start the run!

Bike: 1:28:16 (Did I mention the bike course was 29 miles?) <smile>

T2 was easy: 1st put on shoes and socks, 2nd clip on race belt, 3rd grab water bottle and hat and head out to the run course.

T2: 1:03

The run starts on a path next to the ocean so it was beautiful.  This is an out-and-back course which I love because you can see fellow racers coming and going.  It wasn't long before I saw Dennis R. a strong triathlete I've known for several years who lives in Canton, GA.  He looked strong and I knew he would be on the podium later that day.  It was super-cool to see all the fast guys coming back from their run on the way to the finish.

After I passed the Sprint turn-around at mile 1.5ish, I realized it was time to start checking out my competitors.  So far, I hadn't seen any women.  Hmmmm...this was a very strange feeling.  One in which I've never had before.  At around mile 1.75ish, I heard one volunteer say to another, "I haven't seen very many women come through yet."  Wait a second!  WHAT did she say?  I decided to chalk it up to the 80 degree temps, sun beating down on my head and fatigue setting in.  Regardless, I started keeping my eyes peeled for a woman.  Then, there she was!  Looking strong in her yellow Team FCA Endurance kit!  Okay, then.  Who's next?  I made the turn-around and realized I was next.  Wait a second!  Either I'm in 2nd place or there are some mighty fast women who have already finished.  This is unbelievable!

I was keeping a steady 9 minute mile pace which is really good for me on a race of this distance.  I thought if I could keep it up, I would be super-pumped with my finish time.  <smile>

Okay, back to looking for women!  The next woman I saw was about .5 - .75 miles behind me.  I needed to keep my pace and hope I didn't get run down, which has happened to me before.  The run is my weakest of the three and I typically drop several places among my peers because of my slower run times.  All good today, though!  I turned on my "game face" and stayed *looking* strong as I made my way back down the course and through the finish chute.  

Run: 54:40

Total Time: 2:51:14

When the results were posted, I was pleased to see that I placed 2nd Overall among the Females.  I was thrilled to stand on the podium for the first time in my 10-year triathlon career!

Another highlight of this short trip to Jekyll Island included a Loggerhead Sea Turtle named Sandy Hook.  Sandy Hook was found stranded on Fernandina Beach, Florida on March 11, 2013.  She was rehabilitated at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and released back to the sea on the same day as the race.  It was very moving to experience this with the rest of the folks on the beach.  It was a fantastic way to end my stay at Jekyll Island!

Sandy Hook goes home!

Happy Training and Racing!

Tips for Training and Racing in the Heat - #1 Get Acclimated!

We seem to on a bit of a delay with the heat moving in to Atlanta, however it is coming and you can bet on the fact that it will hang around for several months!  Are you ready to train and race in the heat?  If not, that's okay because I have some tips for you to deal with the high temps in Atlanta.

One of the best things you can do is get acclimated to the heat!  This can best be done by...you guessed it...actually training in the heat!  It takes anywhere from 10 to thirty days to acclimate to the heat, depending on how many consecutive days you are willing to expose yourself to training in the warm weather.  Read this article for more information and tips on how to acclimate: PowerBar Training Tip: Dealing with Heat and Humidity

Be smart by building the time you spend in the heat and the intensity in which you are exercising.  Gradually build from a conservative level to your regular duration and pace.

Hydrate during these workouts by following this guideline: Consume 20 - 24 ounces of fluid* for every hour of exercise.  Plan to consume fluid* even if your workout will last less than 60 minutes, especially as it warms up.

*Fluid should consist of water mixed with electrolytes and carbohydrates.      

Quick tip for a homemade fluid mixture: In your water bottle, combine 20 - 24 oz of water with 1 tsp of salt, 1 Tbsp of sugar and juice from your favorite citrus fruit.

Happy Training and Racing in the Heat!

30 Years...Then and Now!

I'm still on a bit of a high after completing my first triathlon of the year on Sunday, March 24th and I wanted to share my experience with you!

Signing up for this year's Great Clermont Triathlon Olympic Distance Triathlon last year was a no brainer.  I love having an early season race on the calendar to keep me motivated over the winter.  I love racing in Clermont, Florida for three reasons: #1 - The area is beautiful, #2 - The bike course is hilly and #3 - Sommer Sports offers low-cost registration fees and Clermont is an inexpensive place to stay.  The fact that it was the race's 30th year made it that much more sweet!

Enjoying our visit to the National Training Center

30 years ago I was 12.  The chances are good you could have caught me in front of the TV watching People's Court, eating a package of Soft Batch Cookies and drinking a bottle of Pepsi.  You would NOT have seen me running, unless it was from the police when my friend Kar-Dog and I were caught tying toilet paper across the street around a street sign and stop sign.  My Middle School and High School friends think it is fascinating that I'm involved in the sport of triathlon based on the cookie-eating, pop-drinking pre-teen and teenager they once knew.

Okay, enough reminiscing...on with my race report!

On the beach, I lined up in front with the first buoy directly in front of me.  My plan was to get to the first buoy as soon as possible, then settle in to a hard, slightly uncomfortable pace.  I was also not planning on doing a lot of sighting.  It was quite cloudy in the morning and during my warm-up swim, I could tell I wouldn't easily see the yellow buoys.

The gun fired and we were off!  I'm not sure how many women were in my wave, but it didn't seem like more than 80.  I was definitely in with several fast women who quickly left me behind.  It was *all good* because before I knew it, I already passed a guy in the wave before mine.  I kept on trucking through the swim, seeing the buoys when I needed to and keeping my head down for the majority of the time.

At the first turn, the water started getting choppy due to the increasing wind speed.  I was struggling to get a breath because water was washing over my face just about every time I turned my head to breathe.  Luckily, I love hypoxic breathing swim workouts so I knew I was in good shape.  A few times, I flipped on my back to get  a breath, but immediately got back in my rhythm.

As I exited the water, I started to unzip my wetsuit and immediately realized my zipper was stuck.  I ran right up to the burly, red-headed, male wetsuit stripper, (who, by the way, told me his name was Cinnamon and he was only stripping to earn money for college!  <wink>  LOL!) told him my zipper was stuck and I turned around so he could help me.  He told me it was down and I started working my arms out of the wetsuit.  I had some trouble getting out of that thing, so I started jumping up and down.  It was actually pretty funny!  I finally got my arms out.  I pulled it down as far as I could, laid on the ground and "Cinnamon" did the rest.  He handed me my wetsuit and away I went in to transition!  

Swim Split: 25:27 (Fastest 1.5K swim ever!)

NOTE: After unpacking my gear, I noticed my wetsuit zipper was indeed stuck because it was still stuck when I pulled it out of my bag.  

TI was smooth sailing.  I guess this is where my experience comes in to play.  I got to the race early and snagged an end spot on the rack.  Also, I try to keep my items in transition to a minimum: Bike, Bottle to Rinse Feet, Helmet, Bike Shoes, Sunglasses, Running Shoes, Socks, Fluid Bottle, Race Belt w/ Number and Hat.  One of these days, I'll go sockless on the run.  <sigh>

T1 Split: 3:02

My race buddies, Kristi, Angela, race supporter Vanessa and I drove the bike course the day before so we knew what was ahead.  Hills.  Some short.  Some long.  Some steep.  All good!  Bring 'em!  That was what I thought until the wind became a factor.  It wasn't terrible, but enough to slightly change my bike strategy.  I kept my head down, cadence high and I didn't let my heart rate go above the top of Zone 4.  I wanted to have the best bike split I possibly could while setting myself up for a good run.

The hills came and went.  The lake was ahead so I knew we were done with the hills.  However, when biking around a lake, the wind tends to be stronger, especially in the areas where there are very few trees.  I crossed over a bridge and felt my bike wobble a bit as the wind picked up.  There may have been a slight heart rate spike at that point, but nothing serious.  <smile>

As I came in to transition, I was happy because I felt like I was smart on the bike, even if I was a bit slower than my goal.

Bike Split: 1:23:14

T2 was a bit of a comedy.  I have this lightning-fast strategy of racking my bike, taking off my helmet and shoes, grabbing my hat, race belt and putting them on as I run out of transition.  Ooops...I forgot I also was planning to carry my fluid bottle.  Since I don't have a third arm and hand, I realized my lightning-fast strategy was going to be more like a slow-drizzle.  I grabbed all three items, started to run out of transition, stopped at the end of transition, dropped my fluid bottle, but on my hat and race belt, grabbed my fluid bottle and the run was underway!

NOTE: As I mentioned earlier, I have a lot of experience.  With that, I'll admit...the Olympic Distance is the distance that is the HARDEST distance for me to nail.  Why?  You go hard for 3 hours!  The truth is that I haven't done an Oly Distance race since August 2010.  Clearly, I could have used a little bit more practice in a few areas (ex. T2).

T2 Split: 1:12 (I'llllllll take it!)

My goal was to have a strong run with 9 minute per mile average splits.  I knew this would be tough, but I wanted to push more than I ever had in this distance race.  As I started the run, I realized how much humidity was in the air (89%).  I also realized the temperature was warm (75 degrees).  I knew I must stay on top of my hydration.  I stayed on top of my hydration SO MUCH, that I finished my 20 oz bottle before I hit the 4 mile mark.  Luckily the aid stations were in the right places and I continued to drink and dump water on my head at every opportunity.

During the run, I practiced the form tips Kyle O'Day gave me during our Run Videotaping Clinic last month:   "Lift your knees a bit and bring your foot down like you are crushing a can."  As I began to fatigue, I was still able to "crush the can", but "lifting the knees" became challenging.  I continued on and crossed the finish line with a big ol' grin on my face!

Run Split: 57:32 (9:16 minutes per mile average pace)

Overall Time: 2:50:25^, 5th Place in my AG (Women 40 - 44) out of 14, 38th Place Overall Women out of 106

^Technically this is not a true PR because I did 2:40 at Turtle Crawl in 2009 when the swim with SO FAST with the current.  With an 18 minute swim at that race, I put an "*" by that finish time.  Bottom Line = This is my fastest non-"*" Olympic Distance race!

Angela and Kristi finished strong and Vanessa was an excellent race supporter!  A big "THANKS" goes out to these ladies for coming down to one my favorite race venues and putting up with all my quarkiness!  We had a really fun weekend and I'm looking forward to racing in Clermont again, possibly in 2014!  Maybe in another 30 years and I can look back on all the funny things that happened 30 years ago!

Next up: Turtle Crawl Olympic Distance on Saturday, May 18th!

What is your next race and what are your goals?

Happy Training and Racing!