Whats on my iPod?

Earlier this week, I got a question pertaining to what music I run to.  The request was for songs which might enhance their running - OR - "pump them up."  So here is a list of 20 songs on my iPod Nano which I use as motivation to push my boundaries!

1. Steve Aoki & Laidback Luke Ft. Lil Jon - Turbulence
2. Black Eyed Peas - Someday
3. Swedish House Mafia Ft. Pharrell - One (Your Name)
4. LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It
5. Chris Brown & Benni Benassi - Beautiful People
6. Benni Benassi - Cinema
7. Black Eyed Peas - Rock Your Body (Skrillex Remix)
8. LMFAO - Champagne Showers
9. Adelle - Rolling in the Deep (Tiesto Remix)
10. Jason Derulo - Don't Wanna Go Home
11. Swedish House Mafia - Save The World
12. Lil Wayne - 6 Foot 7 Foot
13. David Guetta Feat Taio Cruz & Ludacris - Little Bad Girl
14. Dev - In The Dark
15. Ellie Goulding - Lights
16. Three 6 Mafia ft. Tiesto - Feel It
17. LMFAO ft. Lil Jon - Shots
18. Cobra Starship ft. Sabi - You Make Me Feel
19. Deadmau5 - Ghosts n Stuff
20. Bloody Beetroots - Warp 1.9

If you have any songs that 'pump you up,' feel free to post them in the comment section below!

Interview: Adam Kourakis

August 29th, 2011 - Interview via email with Adam Kourakis, an athlete who was sustained countless injuries but wishes to overcome his setbacks and complete an Ironman distance triathlon!

Little bit about yourself?


My name's Adam Kourakis and I'm a third year Human Kinetics student at the University of Ottawa. I've always been very active and have had a lot of success in many different sports up until now. On September 3rd, 2011 I'll be competiting in my first Iron Distance Triathlon - The Canadian Tri 226.


What previous events have you conquered in the endurance field?


Throughout highschool I played several sports including soccer, track & field and cross country. After having tried a handful of sports, I realized that I enjoyed and excelled at endurance events. I found myself doing "long run" (as long as a 16 year old can run) and building my fitness that way. I was fortunate enough to make the Gee-Gee's volleyball team in my year, but I replaced all my endurance training with strength training because of the practice schedule/workout plans that were imposed on me.
After a few musculoskeletal injuries that forced me to withdraw from competitve sports, I started running again. At first I ran and biked because it was a part of my rehab programs, but I continued to train because I enjoyed it. I've been swimming, biking and running ever since.

Why have you chosen to complete in the Canadian Iron 226 Triathlon?


I got injured on March 18th, 2010 and was forced to take a 3 month leave of absence from all forms of physical activity. After the 3 months were up, I was worried about getting reinjured, so I didn't make a return to competitve sports. In October of 2010, I had a mental breakthrough and decided that I couldn't stand being inactive anymore. I decided to go for a run on my treadmill, which is in a small room in my basement, facing a white wall. Desite the usually discouraging setting, the lack of training, and the mental blocks, I was able to complete 21 km without stopping. This was my first time running a half marathon without stopping. Once I got off the treadmill, I realized that I could do anything I put my mind to (as "disney" as that sounds) and that I've been handicapping myself mentally for the past 5 months. I hopped off my treadmill and sat down in my office chair. I signed up for the longest and most difficult sporting event I could think of - an Iron Distance Triathlon. If there had been a longer or more challenging event, I would have signed up for that instead.

Do you have any past experience in triathlons?


To this day, I have never completed an official triathlon.


What discipline (swim/bike/run) do you feel most confident about? why?


The bike. I have a bike that I absolutely love and I'm very comfortable with. When I ride, I feel like the bike is an extension of my body. I enjoy cycling more than any other form of exercise and I think that's translated into success. I look forward to my rides and I think that's really helped me excel.

What discipline do you feel least confident about? why?

The swim. I've had minimal experience with open water swims, mainly due to facility availability and lack of conviency. Seeing as I have the least experience in this discipline, I would consider myself least prepared for this part of the race.

Have you had any setbacks?

To say the least, yes. Before starting University, I was healthy and injury-free. I had a fairly clean injury history (broken clavicle, minor concussion, a few minor strains, strains, etc.). I started university in September of 2009 and pulled my hamstring in October 2009. I took 3 weeks off of sports to heal but it wasn't long until I got injured again. On March 18th, 2010 I injured my left foot and ankle. I had one break (head of 5th metatarsal), three fractures (1st metataral, head of tibia, head of fibula) and a partially torn tendon. I took the whole summer off of training and exercise. It wasn't until October 2011 that I started getting back into shape and training for my Iron Distance Tri. However on Mothers Day 2011, I fractured my right foot (head of 5th metatarsal). I was forced to take another 3 weeks off training and began fresh again in June 2011. From there, I began training at a more intense pace. I found myself increasing volume and intensity to make up the lost time. However, I don't think the quality was there and I didn't improve as well as I wanted to.

How have you been training for the Canadian Iron 226 Triathlon?

I used to run more than anything else, but after purchasing my new road bike I decided to increase the amount of time I spent on the bike. I did minimal weight training after my injury in May, but had lots of lots of gym time prior to that. I also didn't spend a lot of time in the water.


What is are your goals for such an event?

I only have 2 goals for this event. In order, they are:
1) To finish within the time requirement
2) Not to get injured during the event

Any future endeavors you have after conquering this Ironman on September 3rd, 2011?

I'd like to complete an official Iron Distance Triathlon some day. I'm also traveling to Brazil in July 2012 to race in the Rio marathon. I think I'll be competing in local runs + cycles for the next few years while finish my undergrad. I'd like to focus on my time and techinque for a little while, as opposed to doing volume and pushing the endurance limits. I think I'll enjoy finding an event that I train competitively for and work towards mastering something that I enjoy.

Words to the Wise?

Train, train, train. Make sure you're physically and mentally prepared for any event you're competing in. Without proper training and preparation, you expose yourself to all kinds of injury risks - which will only cause more harm to you and training schedule. I can't stress enough how important it is to start every workout session with a warm-up, end with a cool-down, and increase your intensity/volume over time, as you get stronger and more confident in your sport.

Thank you Adam for your time and I wish you all the best in your race this coming weekend!

Dualthon quickly approaching...

Where has the time gone?  I cannot believe a week from today I will be lining up with fellow athletes to take part in the sprint duathlon held by Somersault Events.  I have been really slacking in my bike training for this event since all my focus has been on the half-marathon I have slated for the 18th.  With that in mind, this past week I have put my nose to the grindstone and really tried to incorporate both disciplines into my workout routines.  Unfortunately the weather has not been cooperating as I would hope (many windy days this week) so I have neglected my biking and taken to the road with my shoes.  I do not feel save riding in 20 km/h winds, especially since I live on such a busy road, a chance I will happily avoid.

My goals for the Duathlon?  Well finishing would be nice, but I have definitely given myself some pretty decent time goals.  The race consists of a 2km run, followed by a 30 km bike on Colonel By (1 loop done twice), topped off with a 5km run.  I would like to finish the 2km run in under 7 minutes as this would give me a very decent start into the bike.  I have biked along Colonel By before and I am familiar with the roadway so I am hoping to finish the bike portion in under 55 minutes.  I am going to really push myself to finish in under 50 minutes because this would give me a great advantage in the final 5 km.  I have a Cat-Eye Wireless odometer on my bike which I will watch like a hawk for the bike portion.  I really do not want to fall under 35 km/h during the bike portion so I can stay on track with my goal.  As for the final 5km, I want to finish it under 20 minutes which I have done twice before.  I know I can do it, whether or not I can do it after a 30 km bike will be the true test.

I have put in the time training and I am really anticipating this to be a decent race.  Overall, I want to finish in under 1hr 30 min - including my transition times.  I have practiced my transitions and are quite familiar with the technique so I feel I can easily switch disciplines efficiently.  September 3rd - here I come!

BTW - My good friend, Adam Kourakis, is taking part in the Canadian Iron 226 Triathlon that day as well.  It is hosted by the same organizers and they enter the water no later than 7am.  I will hopefully see him on the bike course as I do my 2 loops and he does his 12... Click the image below to see the full event details!

Physical Activity Benefits as we Age

For years, both and out of school, I have been told of all the benefits of physical activity (and the consequences).  A study published by Cooper et al., which was conducted over 53 years (monitoring the leisure and physical activity time of men and women over their lifetime), concluded that adherence to physical activity at a younger age helped decrease health risks later on in life.  This study may be too late in being published since the chronic benefits of physical activity have been understood for years, but this is simply a good read.

A Lifetime of Physical Activity Yields Measurable Benefits as we Age

ScienceDaily (2011-08-24) -- The benefits of physical activity accumulate across a lifetime, according to a new study. Researchers examined the associations of leisure time physical activity across adulthood with physical performance and strength in midlife in a group of British men and women followed since birth in March 1946.

Is Hydration An Indicator For Performance?

This is some very interesting and conclusive evidence which further supports my previous article on the importance of hydration, especially during long exercise bouts:

A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CORRELATION OF PRE‐COMPETITION HYDRATION LEVELS IN TRIATHLETES AND PERFORMANCE IN AN IRONMAN

Stay hydrated!

Riding at Night - 5 Safety Tips

If you find yourself riding your bike at night because it is the only time available, here a five tips and ideas which can save you from the inevitable!

1. Be Visible

Do not go out in all black or dark clothes once the sun goes down, you are asking for trouble.  It takes approximately 2 ms for the average (sober) driver to react once they initially see you, which may be too late.  By wearing bright colours, your presence is known which allows drivers to see you better.

2. Saddle Bag

If you don't already have one, it would be a great investment.  A saddle bag can run you anywhere from $10-$40 dollars depending on the size and brand.  Its benefits?  You can put either your wallet or a cellphone in it just in case you run into a problem and need help.

Saddle Bag - Aeropack - Pure Iron Athletics - $16.99 CAD

Saddle Bag - Aeropack - Pure Iron Athletics - $16.99 CAD

3.  Stay Close to Home

Its best to not venture onto streets you have never been down before if you are going out at night.  By staying with familiar grounds you will not be surprised by sharp corners or even gravel roads.  This may not be as entertaining as going through adventurous country roads, but if you stay close to home, you will (hopefully) know your way back.

4. Light up your Bike

Nite Duo X2 Spot Light - Pure Iron Athletics - $44.99 CAD

Bright battery operated LED lights can be bought for both your helmet or your bike.  You may look a little weird with this red flashing light on the back of your helmet, but you are making your presence known so that traffic will be able to react effectively.  Safety is of your utmost importance, especially when biking at speeds of 25-35km/h along the side of a busy roadway.



5. RoadID

If the inevitable does happen, this bracelet will let the first responder know who exactly to contact immediately.  This bracelet allows you to put up to three emergency contacts on the ID tag, your name and where you are from.  In addition, the bracelet itself is reflective so it also allows you to be visible as well!

Wrist ID Sport - RoadID - $19.99

Enjoy and safe riding!

Study Finds Triathlon Athletes Have Twice the Risk of Sudden Death

Study Finds Triathlon Athletes Have Twice the Risk of Sudden Death - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News - FOXNews.com

This may be a little old... but it is still shocking enough.  These are still statistics and if you are smart about your training and understand your limits, risks will decrease.  Know your boundaries and play within them.


here is a little excerpt from the article:

"ORLANDO, Fla. —  Warning to weekend warriors: Swim-bike-run triathlons pose at least twice the risk of sudden death as marathons do, the first study of these competitions has found.

The risk is mostly from heart problems during the swimming part. And while that risk is low — about 15 out of a million participants — it's not inconsequential, the study's author says.

Triathlons are soaring in popularity, especially as charity fundraisers. They are drawing many people who are not used to such demanding exercise. Each year, about 1,000 of these events are held and several hundred thousand Americans try one."

Why did I bring this up?  Earlier this month a Triathlete died at the New York City Triathlon, the second one in the events 11 year history.  To read the full story, click the link below:

Second Triathlon Swimmer Dies, Prompting Review of  Race Protocol

By: Jeff Klein

... I guess I should start a waiting list for people who want to be my life insurance beneficiary....

Minimalist Shoes

Do I need added support? What if I have a high arch? What about a raised heel? Should I get a shoe with extra ankle support such as a high top basketball shoe? Did you know that running shoe companies make billions of dollars each year? In addition, they have to market shoes year after year, when most of the changes they make are cosmetic. As with the seasons, the same holds true for the norms of running shoes - they change constantly.

The US shoe companies combined made almost $27 billion in revenue during 2010. They make this sum of money through lucrative and enticing advertisements.  They sell their products effectively through the use of key words - Stability, Cushioning, Fit Styles, Pronation, Flexibility, Smooth, etc.... The list goes on.  Throughout the years, we have become a materialized society, buying items because they are the latest and greatest in today's technology and this holds true for running shoes.  Attractive advertisements with vibrant colours and appealing vocabulary lead the way for consumers.  But do we really need the latest and greatest shoe technology?

Lets go back about 2000 years ago, what kind of shoes were employed at the time?  Handmade, flimsy, uncomfortable sandals.  Delve even further back and we will find ourselves back in a time where bare-feet was all the rage.  Why today have we suddenly decided to cover our feet with shoes that offer added cushioning and extra stability?  We seemed to do just fine over 2000 years ago without anything on our feet... but now, especially with the increase in hi-top basketball shoes that 'protect' against ankle sprains, why do we so many feet problems?  One simple answer - our feet and accessory muscles become lazy.

When we are not wearing shoes, our feet must call upon many muscles arising from the lower leg to maintain stability.  This constant stimulation will fully develop these muscles and strengthen the ankle joint.  By wearing a shoe, we assist these muscles which take care of the stability, ultimately making a weaker ankle joint.  This weakness can lead to an increased risk of injury... not what an avid runner would like to hear...

I am not implying that you should throw out your shoes and run barefoot, heck I don't even run barefoot.  I like to know that there is something between my foot and the pavement because stepping on a rock barefoot - especially while running since you will hit the ground with more force - will suck.  However, I am a big advocate of minimalism shoes, which are a class of footwear with barely any material supporting your foot.  This lack of support allows your foot to fully develop its intrinsic and accessory muscles around the ankle to increase your stability.  Through the use of minimalist shoes, you can decrease your prevalence of injury (if you train smart).

If you are wishing to make the transition from high cushioned shoes to minimalist shoes, you will notice a difference immediately.  The best thing is to take it slow and cut back on your mileage since your feet muscles are not fully developed.  Over time you can gradually increase your mileage and actually feel stronger.  Below is a video which shows a comparison of various types of running shoes:



Thank you for reading! :)

How to Fix a Flat

Today was eventful... I was out on a wicked bike ride today, planning to do over 40 km of riding today.   At approximately 15 km .... my back tire popped.  Stranded with no where to go, I was glad to have purchased a bike bag (small and sits under my saddle) where I store my phone for long rides just in case something happens. Lucky I got a hold of someone who could pick me up and drive me home... beats walking home with cycling shoes on, which would have been a 10km trek.

One of the most beneficial and cost effective skills one can have when owning a bike is knowing how to change a bike tire.  It takes a lot of arm strength but can save you money since you can do it yourself!  No special tools required, but some people use tire 'plyers' to facilitate the install, but not required - just some elbow grease!  Below is a video to show you how to do this install, which takes about 30 minutes in total.

The 'Endurance Gene'

ScienceDaily (2011-08-09) -- Researchers have identified a gene for endurance, or more precisely, its negative regulator. Not having the gene relates to greater endurance in the knockout mice that were studied. The investigators also showed that the gene is linked to Olympic-level athletes in endurance sports such as swimming compared to athletes in sprint sports such as the 100-meter dash. The work has implications for improving muscle performance in disease states including metabolic disorders, obesity, and aging.

The mice who did not present the gene (since the gene is a negative regulator - inhibits actions when present) were able to run approximately 6 times the distance than mice expressing the gene.  The fast twitch muscle fibers in the mice lacking the gene showed an increased fiber count, more active transcription factors, more mitocondria, and more machinery to better process calcium (in a future post I will explain the role of calcium in muscle contraction).  These mice were made with the proper components to succeed, essentially created to be efficient at oxidative (aerobic) metabolism.

To read the full article, click here: 'Endurance gene' for Olympic-level athletes: Genetic basis for muscle endurance discovered in animal study

20 km 3 Minutes Faster... But...

Yesterday I ran the same course I ran over a week ago which had a total distance of 20 km.  I finished it this time around in 1 hour 23 minutes 12 seconds and managed to rehydrate at the 10 km mark.  Unfortunately, ever since I got back yesterday at 3pm, my body has been having a hard time recuperating from the excessive loss of electrolytes and water from the run.  It was hot and humid yesterday and I didn't realize just how bad it was until I remained lethargic for several hours after the run.

I am happy that I decreased my time by 3 minutes in just over a week which is practically unheard of, but with adverse consequences.  Lets just say the bathroom and I spent some very good quality time together last night and early this morning.  So how did I replace my loss of water and electrolytes? Well initially I attempted to drink water but that would not stay in me for long... I began eating to refuel my loss in glycogen and glucose from the run.  Then I upped my game by adding table salt to my water to gain some electrolytes back in the process.  That seemed to take the edge off but still this morning I was feeling like my intestines were burning from the inside.  This morning I drank 2 Litres of Gatorade G2 (yep, 2 litres), and I have never felt better.  It allowed my body to replace the lost electrolytes in my excess sweat and excrement's.  I will live by G2 for quite some time for post workout replenishment of my electrolytes, plus it tastes good too.

These past 24 hours have been eventful for myself and I really want to make sure this doesnt happen to anyone else.  If its too hot or humid outside to exercise, wait until the sun goes down.  In addition, be sure to replace your electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and calcium mainly) after a workout.    Below are two videos I found on YouTube which illustrate different techniques for rehydrating, refueling, and replacing electrolytes post workout:

DOMS Day

Today is a much needed day off since I woke up with an athletes ever popular syndrome - DOMS, which stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.  On Saturday I conducted a very rewarding workout consisting of running, plyometrics and resistance training, and then topped that off with 1.5 hours (or 46km) of biking Sunday.  Lets just say my legs are a little sore today...

So how do I prevent DOMS from occurring? Well, it usually occurs when one changes or adds to their training program but goes away after time as the muscle begin to adapt.  So the solution to decreasing DOMS is by continuing my training program as it will decrease gradually over time (provided that I maintain a proper diet).  

How do I tackle the soreness now? I enjoy a hot bath since it increases blood flow to the tissue promoting more nutrients to circulate and potentially fix all the micro tears which have occurred.  DOMS can last anywhere up to 72 hours after the exercise and subside completely after 5 days.  This means I can enjoy baths for the next 5 days to promote healing!  I could also do low-intensity exercise to increase blood flow as well such as walking or jogging.

What shouldn't I do?  High intensity exercise...duh!  By doing high intensity exercise while feeling symptoms of DOMS, one can increase their pain tolerance. Yes, increasing ones pain tolerance can allow an athlete to preform better and not feel DOMS, but if you increase your pain tolerance, you may become more susceptible to overtraining in my opinion.  

So if I still feel symptoms of DOMS tomorrow, I may either take another day off or do some low intensity exercise.  Kinda hoping the pain is gone though!

Plyometrics!

Plyometric training has many benefits for the endurance athlete, especially when resistance training seems to almost plateau.  Plyometrics can add a bit of variety into your training regime while also increasing your power and strength.  Power is necessary in biking as running because speed ultimately depends on the amount of force you can produce.  If you can increase the amount of force you contact the ground with, you will go faster.  Plyometric training is very sports specific and due to the increased risk of injury, I should mention that if you wish to conduct such complex training, you should have a very good muscular base.

Plyometrics are based on the understanding that a muscle in the eccentric phase (lengthened) can produce a greater force due to stored elastic energy.  So as an athlete goes rapidly from the eccentric phase (lengthened) to the concentric phase (shortening), which is also known as the stretch shortening cycle, the stored elastic energy produces greater force.  Imagine a spring, if you stretch the spring and then let it go, its stored elastic energy causes the spring to shorten quicker depending on the length it is stretched to.  The longer the initial stretch, the faster the contraction.  This is one of the basic concepts of plyometric training.

Plyometric training also increases the efficiency of the neuromuscular junctions.  Just like resistance training, the neuromuscular junctions and the motor units become faster and more effective in telling the muscles to contract.  Overtime, the physiological adaptation occurs and the muscles increase in power output by increasing speed of contraction and force produced.  In addition, our Golgi Tendon Organs (receptors in our  tendons that inhibit hyperextension or hyperflexion about a joint) become habituated to the increased force output and allow the muscles to produce even more force.

Very few studies have shown an increase in upper body force production when plyometrics are incorporated into a workout regime, but lower body plyometrics have been proven to be very effective, especially in increasing ones vertical jump.  Since in a triathlon, 2 out of the 3 sports involve your lower body, plyometrics can be very effective in increasing your athletic potential.  In creating a plyometric workout, a few things need to be considered:

• Adequate rest and recovery is required afterwards
• Be sure to have a good muscular base
• Start slow to work on proper form and landing
• Be injury-free, especially in the major joints being used during plyometrics (knee, ankle, hip)
• Do not do more than 75-100 repetitions per exercise
• Do not do more than 3 plyometric sessions a week since this has been known to cause muscle degeneration

So what are some lower body plyometric exercises?  Well essentially they are hops, leaps and bounds.  Some very popular plyometric exercises involve hoping down from a box and immediately jumping onto a box of equal or greater height than the previous.  But there are countless plyometric exercises and you can let your imagination soar with all the possibilities.  Just be safe and if you doubt something to be hazardous, do not do it.  Its better to be safe than sorry since plyometrics has a greater risk of injury than basic resistance training.

Furthermore, an even more complex form of plyometric training involves doing an exercise such as squats initially, and then following it with a plyometric exercise which targets the same muscle groups, such as a box jump.  As this increases the intensity, be sure to build a solid base before attempting this as risk of injury is far greater since you have fatigued the muscles from the squats initially.

Incorporating plyometrics into your training program can be fun and a great change up.  It will help you produce faster muscle contractions and increase your power.  Enjoy!

Proper Technique = Gains

Today at the gym, it made me realize something... a lot of people assume that they are doing exercises right, but in actuality, they are not!  I myself know that there are some exercises where my technique is poor, but I strive to make form my up most importance.  I see people attempt to do triceps extensions with the cable machines but swing their upper arms, bicep curls where they arch their back and use its momentum to pull up the weight just so that their friends can see them curl 50 lbs.  Simply put, poor form will not increase your muscles size and strength effectively.  In reality, poor form can cause muscle imbalances, injury, decrease potential gains, and be a little embarrassing...

When performing an exercise poorly, for example the biceps curl, most people tend to swing their back to facilitate the lifting of the dumb bells or barbell.  This may allow you to lift a heavier load, but you are defeating the purpose of the exercise.  Since you begin to activate other muscles to perform the task, your biceps get a smaller portion of the load, which will not allow them to increase in strength.  To perform a biceps curl properly, the only movement that should occur is around the elbow joint.  Unfortunately, too many people make this mistake which can cost them in the future with probable muscle imbalances.

How do I do a proper lat pulldown?  How do I perform a proper seated lateral raise?  Whats a military press and how else can I work my shoulders?  Scott Hermans Fitness channel on YouTube can help you.  He has a substantial library of how to videos for many exercises and he breaks them down so people can learn the proper technique.   Not only can it be helpful in developing technique, it can also increase your exercise knowledge base.  Seriously check out his YouTube channel, anyone can learn something from it!

Music + Run = ?

I, along with many other runners, love to listen to music while we go on long distance excursions.  Heck even for my 5km warmup runs I love to have music so that my mind has something else to focus on besides the constant, repetitious strides.  Unfortunately, studies have shown that when listening to music, an athlete can increase their performance by 2.4%.  This increase in productivity lead to the banning of music devices for elite athletes, but recreational runners can use them still which I agree on completely.  A lot of recreational runners depend on their mp3 players since it keeps them company and motivated during their run.  Music has also proven to increase adherence to physical activity and further stimulate a positive attitude towards exercise.  These are two huge benefits that most running events are trying to promote... so why is there a debate regarding the use of musical devices during events?

Essentially it stems around your safety and the safety of other runners.  If your music is quite loud, you cannot be aware of your surroundings and if someone is trying to scream your name - you won't hear.  This also goes for when you are running in general - if your music is loud, you will not hear sirens, cars, or even people trying to warn you of possible eminent danger.  At Somersault Events, they do allow music devices, but you are only allowed to have one ear piece in, allowing you to still be able to listen to fellow runners or event coordinators. I remember at the last event, an attendant was trying to get the attention of a runner, but they had their music blaring with both ear buds in use.

How do you maintain your safety? Be smart.  Do not go out at night, wearing all black and have Lady Gaga blasting into your ears.  Save that for the middle of the day, and if possible, try to wear only one ear bud because then you can also be aware of your surroundings.  A company, One Good Earbud, offers 3 safe choices for athletes which fit securely and can withstand vigorous exercise!

Check out One Good Earbud for more information!

What should I eat post-exercise?

You just finished a high intensity workout lasting 1-2 hours and you are starving. Your body is craving something for energy because you have depleted its glycogen stores.  Your muscles are lined with micro-tears and you require the protein to reconstruct.  What are the best things to have?  Here is what science proves is best!

In a study conducted by Rowlands et al. (2008), they tested the effect of dietary protein intake after high-intensity cycling.  Their findings suggested that within 4 hours after exercise, the athlete should consume a meal high in protein and carbohydrates with some lipids.  In addition, the benefits of such a meal will not be seen within the first 15 hours, but in the 60 hours after the exercise bout. This finding is astonishing since many studies have not tested endurance and rate of fatigue almost 3 days after initial endurance trial.  This goes to show that it takes 3 days to fully recover and INCREASE your athletic potential.

Stevenson et al. (2005) conducted a study which illustrated which carbohydrates were beneficial to consume within 24 hours after exercise.  They concluded that a diet consisting of low glycemic index carbohydrates provided better recovery and increased endurance performance the next day while the high glycemic index carbohydrates did not.  They also further mention that the athlete should not solely concentrate on muscle glycogen resynthesis, but also protein resynthesis.  Roy et al. (2002) found similar findings which indicated that consuming adequate macronutrients after exercise can lead to less of a reduction in body mass and can also increase endurance performance the following morning.

Nasoko, Sacco, & Mawatari (2005) investigated the effects of amino acid supplementation on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).  When amino acid supplementation was taken prior endurance exercise, and during the recovery period lasting 4 days, the supplementation seemed to attenuate DOMS.

So to answer the original question - what should I eat? By using the findings presented, one should attempt to consume a 'low glycemic carbohydrate rich - protein rich - moderate lipids' balanced post exercise meal.  This will allow for your body to resynthesize your muscle protein and your glycogen stores so that you will be ready for your next training session.  In addition, you need to rest and let your body recover as well (read my article on R & R here) so that these metabolic processes have enough time to occur. 

Here are a few examples for your post-exercise meals:

• Sandwich consisting of whole wheat bread, butter, ham and swiss cheese
• Whey protein powder mixed in milk with fruit (banana and berries are my favorites to add)
• Scrambled eggs with toast (Use peanut butter for added protein and healthy fats)
• High Fibre cereal (All Bran) with Milk
•  Cottage cheese with fruit
• Trail mix consisting of fruits and nuts.

If you have any more to add to this list - place them in the comment section below! 

References

Nosaka, K., Sacco, P., & Mawatari, K. (2006).  Effects of amino acid supplementation on muscle soreness and damage.  International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 16(6), 620-635.

Rowlands, D.S., Rossler, K., Thorp, R.M., Graham, D.F., Timmons, B.W., Stannard, S.R., & Tarnopolsky, M.A. (2008). Effect of dietary protein content during recovery from high-intensity cycling on subsequent performance and markers of stress, inflammation, and muscle damage in well-trained men.  Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism, 33(1), 39-41.

Roy, B.D., Luttner, K., Bosman, M.J., & Tarnopolsky, M.A. (2002).  The influence of post-exercise macronutrient intake on energy balance and protein metabolism in active females participating in endurance training.  International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 12(2), 172-188.

Stevenson, E., Williams, C., McComb, G., & Ora, C. (2005).  Improved recovery from prolonged exercise following the consumption of low glycemic index carbohydrate meals.  International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 15, 333-349

20 km Run Today

Since my half marathon is soon approaching (just over a month away), I thought it was a grand idea to attempt the distance.  I really just wanted to test the waters and see if I could sustain a run for that duration because I have yet to do a run that long.  My first attempt at such a run proved to be a real learning curve to myself and how I need to be prepared mentally to battle my goal of finishing the half marathon in under 1:30:00.

Firstly, I need to ensure that I do not go out guns blazing at the start.  I have learnt from previous attempts in distance running that the fastest out of the gates usually doesn't finish first.  I came to this training session today with the same mentality, going out strong but steady because this isn't a 5km distance - more like 4 times that.

Secondly, I really gotta make sure that I am plenty hydrated before i go out, especially in such hot and humid weather.  I feel that my hydration status throughout the run served a negative outcome.  I never drank anything during my run (even though I planned to swing by my house with 6km to go to grab a quick swig).  I feel the next investment I have is a fuel belt so that I am not relying on my current hydration status to maintain myself through the run.  after the 14km mark, I started to notice my sweat rate decrease significantly and my mind began to wander more than usual.  I also felt slight pains in my chest because my heart was working overtime to distribute blood because its volume had probably decreased.

Finally, I need to make sure that I eat something substantial about 60-90 minutes prior to my long runs.  Today was an exception because I was at work and all I could eat was a quick handful of trail mix about 5 minutes before I left for the run.  This ended up causing me to have some serious indigestion for the first half of the run.  Thankfully it stayed down, but I was prepared to let it all out...

I really think that if I eat something 60-90 minutes prior to a long run, and purchase a fuel belt so that I can maintain hydration, I can significantly drop my time. For the course I ran today, its length was 20.04km and I managed to finish it in 1:25:58.  That is quite decent but I know if I get my nutrition under control, I can bring that number down.  In addition, I wasn't fully exerting myself, this run was at a totally aerobic condition since I run with a heart rate monitor.  Only at the end of the run did my heart rate skyrocket since I was entering cardiovascular drift (heart rate increases since blood volume decreases in hot/humid weather... and my lack of liquid intake).  All in all I feel very confident in the results of my run, just wish I stopped at home before the last 6km... may have made it more enjoyable. Here is the elevation during my course as provided my Training Peaks:

It's a little bit of a flat course but with some decent elevations at the end.  Trust me, those uphills really suck after 18km of running... Hopefully I can make the next attempt under 1:24:00

Overtraining? What?

  Some of us train daily and constantly push our limits everyday. We go by the concept, "no pain no gain." Some of us even look past minor irritations in our body to workout. These minor irritations could be anything from slight pain in the foot to inflammation about the knee, but we are so motivated to workout and get better that we fail to realize what these problems may be. If one continues to train through the pain, these acute injuries may become chronic. Something which can be detrimental to our health.

  At BeginnerTriathlete.com, they have hosted a 2 part video lecture done by Dr. Mark Klion, NYC Triathlon co-medical director, on Training and Overuse Injuries. He explains perfectly how the body requires rest so that we are not constantly stressing our limbs and joints. He also gives insight as to how we can prevent overtraining through the use of our training logs.  Dr. Mark Klion suggests rehabilitation options as well and how we can manage our injuries for long term health.  The lecture is approximately 1 hour long but is well worth the watch!  Here is a list of the topics presented in his lecture (as stated by www.beginnertriathlete.com):

• Gradual onset of overuse injuries
• Equipment as a cause
• Rest as a treatment option
• Mechanisms of injury
• Weight training as rehab and prevention
• Injuries of bones, tendons, muscles and ligaments
• Acute vs chronic injuries
• R.I.C.E for injury management
• Activity and equipment modification
• Stretching and injury prevention
• Rest and recovery
• Overtraining syndrome
• Short and long term rest and recovery
• Rest and preventing sickness
• Sleep deprivation
• The breakdown of cartilage
• Glucosamine
• Chondroitin
• Supplementation
• Importance of a training log
• Massages, ART Therapy
• Bracing and Taping
• Activity modification
• D.O.M.S - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
• Iceing to reduce inflammation
• Calf Strains
• Iceing
• Gentle stretching when there is no pain
• Modifications (heel lifts)
• Alternate activities to allow healing (spin bike)
• Achilles tendonitis
• Shin Splints
• Non steroidal anti-inflammatories
• Physical therapy to treat muscular imbalances
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Runner's Knee - Patellofemoral syndrome
• IT Band Syndrome
• Rotator cuff impingement
• Stress fractures

Lecture:

Dr. Mark Klion - Training and Overuse Injuries

Part 1

Part 2

Healthy Hydration

To maintain proper function and metabolic reactions throughout the body, you need to ingest adequate amounts of water.  The human body is composed of approximately 75% water, which is accounted for differently between the various tissues.  Water is crucial for the body to:

•           Regulate body temperature
•           Produce saliva (maintain moisture)
•          Protect organs and tissue
•           Excrete waste
•           Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells
•           Lubricate joints
•           Moisturize the air in lungs
•           Assist in liver and kidney functions
•           Maintain blood volume

Water is very important so that your body can continue to function properly.  Minimal reductions in water ingestion can have serious consequences in your training and competition.   When you become dehydrated, your blood volume decreases as well, which can cause adverse effects for an athlete.  These consequences include:

•           Decreased amount of red blood cells going to the muscles
•           Decreased transportation of oxygen and nutrients (glucose, fats, amino acids)
•           Decreased removal of carbon dioxide and byproducts of metabolism
•           Deceased removal and transportation of lactic acid to the liver
•           Decreased transportation of circulatory hormones
•           Reduced cardiovascular function
•           Elevated heart rate
•           Improper sweating response
•           Decreased force and/or speed of muscle contraction

Another consequence of decreased blood volume is a decrease in blood flow to necessary organs such as the brain, heart, lungs and muscles.  Due to decreased blood flow to these major areas, athletes can suffer from moodiness, impaired cognitive function, decreased hand-eye coordination, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, and muscle cramping.  If you feel any of these symptoms, you may be suffering from dehydration.

Evaluate Hydration Level

Initially, if you can relate to one or more of the symptoms listed above, you probably are dehydrated.  Your body will also alert you when you are becoming dehydrated through the sensation of thirst.  Unfortunately, the body will not relay this message until you are 2% dehydrated which is late.  Your kidneys also respond to dehydration by reducing your urine output so that it can retain as much water as possible, which is a much faster response than your brain saying you’re thirsty.  So if notice that you are urinating less or notice a reduced volume of urine excreted, then you may be dehydrated. 

A simple way to evaluate your hydration level is to monitor the colour of your urine.  The lighter the colour of your urine, the better.  If your urine is anywhere from dark yellow to a brown colour, this can indicate that you are dehydrated.  There are two exceptions to this rule however. Firstly, if you take a multivitamin with high levels of B2, it can cause your urine to be bright yellow for the proceeding couple hours after ingestion.  Secondly, do not evaluate your urine colour in the morning since you have gone all night without ingesting water.

Maintaining Hydration

Most people take large volumes of water only a couple times a day, but still get the recommended total volume for the day.  This method of water intake is bad because by taking large volumes of water, you impair the thirst centers of the brain and induce a diuretic response.  You can test this yourself anytime, simply ingest anywhere from 500 mL – 1000 mL of water quickly and you will immediately have to urinate a few minutes after.  In actuality, you lose more water with this method of ingestion.  Ideally, its best to maintain water ingestion throughout the day in smaller doses.  Here are a few pointers to maintain proper hydration throughout the day:

•  Carry a water bottle with you and take sips, not gulps
• Try to avoid carbonated beverages (may cause  bloating and intestinal cramps)
• Do not include coffee or tea into your daily water intake, these are diuretics which make you lose water
• Drink plenty of water before AND after workouts.

Exercise and Water

During exercise, how much water do I actually need?  You can perform a simple test to find this out.  Weigh yourself before and after your workout and find the difference.  Be sure to wipe off any excess sweat with a towel before taking your weight after your workout.  What you are doing is measuring the amount of sweat loss which will give you a good indication as to the amount of water you should ingest during your workout.  For best results, ingest more water than what your test shows.  Furthermore, I like to add a bit of sodium to my water after workouts because as you sweat, you also lose sodium.  Simply add a dash or two of table salt to your water post workout can enhance your hydration levels since salt also makes your thirsty (IE: beer nuts and nachos make you thirsty due to high sodium content).  For workouts lasting longer than 1-2 hours, you should add salt to your water intake during as well to avoid too much sodium loss.

IN Conclusion - water is the best nutrient your body needs, is essential for life and the majority of our body is composed of it.  best of all - its does not contain calories!  I hope this review of water helps you all understand why water is so crucial for our performance as athletes.

Another Brick in the Wall

You just swam the fastest 1.5 km and are dead tired as you exit the water. Your legs are having a hard time understanding why you are trying to run to the transition zone. You stagger into the area and haphazardly find your bike while feeling a little dizzy. Your legs start to come to life as you mount your bike and fasten your feet into the clips. After a couple minutes on the bike your legs are alive!

You make your way back to the transition zone after a hard bike ride and a sore behind since your seat is made of practically no fabric. You dismount and your legs feel like your favourite snack as a kid – Jell-o. Your lower back is stiff and your legs seem almost as if they are not a part of your body. After a few minutes of easy running, your legs seem to be acting normal.

If this sounds like you when you are attempting to complete a triathlon, you are missing on essential component in your program. Your missing link is ‘brick’ workouts. Brick workouts are where you complete two or more disciplines immediately one after the other. The two most common brick workouts are swim-bike and bike-run since they are the specific transitions encountered in the sport.

Why are these workouts important and how will they help me during transitions? Simple. A pianist didn’t just pick up sheet music and play Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 the first time perfectly. It took time and progression to have his brain almost ‘go through the motions.’ After years of practice, the pianist is capable of playing the piece without the assistance of sheet music; his fingers making the keystrokes instinctively. By doing brick workouts, you are teaching your brain how to adapt to the new requirement.

As you make the transition from swim to bike, your body needs to direct the blood to the lower extremities. During the swim, most of your blood is allocated to your upper body since it is doing most the work while your legs are fluttering. As you exit the water, you are telling your legs to run to the transition, but the nutrients you require to do such a task are all situated in your upper body. This delayed time to shunt blood to the working tissue is when you feel the most discomfort.

The second transition, bike to run, is most excruciating. Even though roughly the same muscle groups are active in each discipline, posture and gravity play a significant role in why your legs feel like rubber. In a study conducted by Haworth et al. (2010), they noticed that the range of motion about the knee joint during running was less in individuals who didn’t do brick workouts. Furthermore, you arch your back while on the bike, therefore once you straighten out for the run, it seems stiff.  Your breathing rate and depth of breath increases as you go from cycling to running because you are working against another factor – gravity. Running is the most demanding component of the triathlon and requires increased oxygen uptake (nutrients) to accomplish the goal. Many athletes who do not perform brick workouts hyperventilate during transition since their bodies do not adapt efficiently.

By incorporating brick workouts into your training program, you can make your body more efficient and effective during transitions. Your training needs to be sport-specific to obtain your greatest personal performances. By doing brick workouts, you facilitate your bodies adaptation process since it learns through experience. You will be able to shunt blood faster to necessary tissue, you will increase range of motion about your joints, you will decrease your chance of hyperventilation, and your body will not feel the same amount of discomfort when it completes transitions.

The biggest thing for effective brick workouts is the keep the transition between disciplines short.  Do not take a long rest period between the two sports because that will cause your body to return a physiological state similar to after a warm up.  My suggestion is to have everything setup for your next sport (IE bike, helmet and cleats prepared, or shoes and hat) and do not spend time changing clothes.  Try to keep the transition between sports under 10 minutes in duration, with 5 minutes being optimal.  In a race setting it will be much quicker depending on your goals or fitness, but the objective with brick training is to teach the body to adapt.  This takes time, so your first few brick workouts will result in discomfort, but as you progress it will be less.

Remember, practice makes perfect. Adding another brick to the wall may even allow you to accomplish personal bests.

References


Haworth, J., Walsh, M., Strang, A., Hohl, J., Spraets, S., Wilson, M., & Brown C. (2010). Training for the bike to run transition in triathlon. International Symposium on Biomechanics in Sports: Conference Preceedings Archive (January 2010).

Learn to Swim with Mr. Smooth

Do you need help with your freestyle technique when swimming? Do you have a problem controlling your breathing?  Are you afraid of the water?  I have a solution for you!

Mr. Smooth is the perfect swimming template for a beginner trying to learn the basics.  He is also great for intermediate and advanced swimmers trying to perfect their technique.  Swim Smooth, creators of Mr. Smooth, have a huge collection of ‘know-how’ articles filled with tips and tricks… but that’s not all.

The real deal is in their free application which shows you a proper technique for freestyle swimming, demonstrated by none other than Mr. Smooth himself.  This application shows a constant animation of Mr. Smooth swimming freestyle, but it does more.  You can choose between 7 different viewing angles and vary his stroke rate to see the technique fast or slow.  Mr. Smooth demonstrates proper arm movements and one of the most difficult techniques to master (in my opinion) bilateral breathing.  One more thing, did I mention it was FREE? They do offer a Pro console version which has more views, extra clarity, and kick timing, but is designed for coaches wanting to further explain techniques to clients.  The free version is a good starting point for anyone and I have obtained much useful information from the application and their easy to understand 'know-how' articles.

Visit Swim Smooth now to download your free application and become a more efficient swimmer today!