Sometimes things don’t go exactly to plan and sometimes things just go catastrophically wrong.

I had a bit of both of those over the last 6 months; from the death of my partner’s sister, my Father’s passing, the loss of my running buddy, Bailey, a sad trip to Italy that signaled the end of my relationship of 8 years and ended with me falling down the stairs and separating a rib, to the final end of that relationship, a broken heart, and a DNF at my A race for the year at Ironman St. George. But, I am still standing- albeit a bit wobbly- thanks to all the support from my friends and my very patient clients/athletes.
I chose IM St.G for two reasons: it is a lake swim (which I need because, as silly as it sounds for a tri coach, I get seasick in the ocean) and because it was supposed to be one of the top 5 toughest races in the world. Careful what you ask for, Wittenberg…..
Living in the true flat lands of south Florida, I was suitably nervous about the hills out west, but diligently went up to Clermont to train, rode big gears into the wind down south and when I got out to Utah was pleasantly surprised to see the hills were not any harder than I had anticipated. I swam in Sand Hollow Lake prior to race day, and while there was a little more chop than I expected, it was not too bad and the “balmy,” 62 degree water actually felt rather nice. I ran on the course, and even those inclines were not bad and all those damn bridge repeats I did in training seemed to have paid off.

Seven of my clients and friends came out to support me- which made me feel like a million dollars and was a tremendous relief. Thank you so much to Bonnie Bar, Kristy and Ralph Breslaw, Franny and Nathan Nachlas, and Melissa and Scott Wu (in alphabetical order!).  Any iron-distance race can feel more than a little overwhelming with no support and when they found out I was going out there alone they rallied and came out to be with me. Little did I know it, but therein lay my true race day victory.

My ironman training had been my refuge and my therapy over the last 6 months and race day would be cathartic and confidence building. I had trained harder than ever before for this race; through all the deaths, through all the sadness and loss, through my separated rib and a niggling knee issue, and I imbued race day with all kinds of significance. It was going to be all about toughing it out and proving to myself and the world that I can handle it all, that I can do anything, that my mind and my body can deal with the toughest course and difficult times, and finish strong and feeling good.

And then came race day.

The pros went off, in glasslike water, 20 minutes before us age groupers. Not being the fastest swimmer, I got in the water and swam to the inside front of the pack, aiming to drift back through the pack as the swim went on. We were about 5 minutes late getting started, so I had been treading water for about 10 minutes or so and slowly starting to get cold. Teeth chattering, the gun went off and I experienced the usual punching, fighting, and jockeying for position that makes Ultimate fighting look rather lame. My swim was going well and rather than drifting back, it felt as though I was holding my position in the pack fairly well. As I rounded the first turn I thought I noticed a slight swell, which turned into a big swell, and by the time I hit the halfway point I turned and looked up course and I thought I was swimming directly into a snowstorm. The wind had picked up and was violently tossing 4-5 waves with whitecaps in our faces with so much force it stung. I made the halfway point in 37 minutes which was actually a little ahead of my predicted race pace. It took me another hour and 25 minutes to complete the second half of the course. I kid you not, nor do I embellish upon the facts, when I tell you that I could hear screaming all through the swim; the lifeguards rescued nearly 300 athletes that morning and I honestly can’t believe no one died. I am not the world’s most impressive swimmer, yet neither am I a nervous swimmer, but there were a couple of times during this swim that I had to control mounting panic, as even with my wetsuit on I was still going under. And of course, I was seasick. Between swimming head on into the waves and wind, throwing up in the water, not having a lifeguard anywhere near me, and swimming as hard as I could yet not getting any closer to that damn red rock in the middle of the lake, there were times when I doubted I would make it out of the swim. Franny Nachlas had given me a copy of my Mother’s favorite poem, “If,” by Rudyard Kipling before the race, and I kept reciting the lines:

“If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”.

Getting out of the water, I was already more tired than I have ever been starting the bike leg, and when they stripped off my wetsuit and that 45 mph wind combined with the 55 degree air, I was instantly cold and became hypothermic- shaking uncontrollably. I don’t mean shivering, I mean bouncing on a chair I was shivering so hard.

The volunteers were lovely, but had no idea what to do with me- they were holding my hands and looking very concerned, when Bonnie Barr sprang into action to save me and get my ass out of transition before I missed the cut off. Bonnie, The Breslaws, and the Nachlas’ were all volunteering at the swim start. Bonnie came tearing into transition because I was taking so damn long to get out of there- I was shivering so hard I could not dress myself! She took off her top right there and gave it to me, took me over to the heater (which had run out of propane so was simply blowing cold air unfortunately) and proceeded to dress me. I had 3 long sleeve tops on which I did not remove for an hour and a half. When I left transition, close to two hours and 20 minutes after the start of the race, there were still hundreds of bikes in transition. When does that happen?

The rest of the crew had my bike ready and were yelling for me to get moving. What a team effort! The Wus were waiting for me at the end of bike out and said I looked a little shell shocked. Yep! I headed out of transition straight into those 40 -45 mph winds, uphill. NOW those hills don’t look so do-able. Ruh roh.

I don’t even remember my speed, but I am pretty sure it was around 7 mph for a good while as I climbed and the winds whipped across the open plains of Hurricane, Utah. Who knew it was so aptly named? I kept thinking about two of my athletes, Orlando and Eric, who had done this race under different, but equally hard conditions and they toughed it out- I could too! I kept repeating Kipling’s lines, and thinking about how much I wanted to finish this race and all that it represented. I kept thinking about my clients who had come all the way out here to support me and I could not let them down, and all the people who had face-booked me, called me, and emailed me with support prior to the race, and all the people who were watching my progress- from Michigan, N. Carolina, and Florida, to London and Wales. I could not understand how all my preparation could leave me feeling so slow and weak as I climbed straight into a head wind.

All that preparation and I had never looked at the cut off times…. But I had a feeling I was going to be cutting it close.

When I get motion/sea-sick it stays with me for many hours, and so I was dealing with two issues on the bike: the need to be sick and the need to take in calories. I was very successful with the sickness, and not so good with the calories. After 6 hours of racing, I had taken in 300 calories. Heading up to the Wall in Veyo, there were a couple of descents into a head wind when I saw 14mph (going DOWNHILL!!!WTF!!!), but on the back side of the course as we descended back into town with the wind at our backs I saw a high of 57mph with an average of 40 mph. And I thought the wind in Florida would prepare me for the winds in Utah. Silly me.

As I neared the start of the second loop on the bike I saw my cheering section (this photo is missing a couple of them) and I stopped to say hello and thank you, and headed off. I turned the corner, went about 500 yards and was told I had missed the bike cut off my 2 minutes. Had I been thinking clearly I would have gone on anyway (without my timing chip as they had removed it) as I had been catching people all morning and would have stayed ahead of them opening the roads and closing the aid stations. Had I continued it would have only been a matter of time till I bonked, given my lack of calories, but still… I was thinking of Orlando, who during last year’s race (his first ironman) had the stomach flu and he still finished. But not I. Not this time.

I met two finisher athletes the day after the race and we were all joking about the conditions and they stated it perfectly: they were waiting for the locusts to arrive and to be set on fire in T2- that’s how hard it was out there. You could be hypothermic in the morning and hyperthermic in the afternoon. What fun!

I could make all kinds of “what if” statements; what if the water had not been so bad (the race director said he would have called off the swim had the race started 15 minutes later), what if I had not had to stay in T2 for so long (they would not let me out till I stopped shaking- but hell, I could hardly move, never mind ride my bike), what if we had not had such hellish winds, what if I had not had to stop at EVERY bloody porta potty to be sick, what if I could have taken in more calories? Well, then it would not have been an ironman, would it? THAT is what we sign up for, and we get what we ask for and there is no guarantee of ladylike weather and perfect conditions. I gave race day my all, and I came up two minutes short, but I gained so much more.

Finishing IMSt.G was supposed to symbolize my phoenix rising, but where my phoenix really rose was in the support, love, kindness and compassion of my friends and clients.
Thank you!

If
Rudyard Kipling.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

Athlete Race Update:
*John Planz finished his first 100 mile run at the Keys 100, after only 5 months of training. You are THE MAN, John! It was an honor to be on your crew.
*Both Breslaws raced strong and hard at the Florida Challenge in Clermont: Kristy: 2^nd AG, 5:53 & Ralph: 6:04
*Catherine Trejo also raced strong at the Florida Challenge: 3^rd in AG (whoo hooo!), 6:52
*Ruben did his first sprint of the year in 1:23 at Key Biscayne. Way to go, Ruben!
*Tracey had a great time at St. Anthony’s on a relay team. I am sure there was a little too much wine sipped post race. Don’t even talk about the chocolate.
*Franny did a memorial day 5k and hit 8:12’s in the heat!
*Sue had a great time at the Down and Dirty race in Miami. She did, indeed, get pretty dirty.

*Carol put on her Half Mary and completed it solo- so proud of you!
*Julia is in Italy as I put this blog together. We want pictures of the food and the country!

Upcoming Races:
*A gang of athletes are doing the Motivation Man: Bonnie, Franny, Joe, Sue, and Mark.
*The Breslaws are going up to Canada to do the Half Iron event at Mt. Tremblant.
*Ruben is doing the Mack Cycle international distance at Key Biscayne.
*Liz and Sandy are getting ready for the Half Mary Trail race at Amelia Earhart park in Miami.
*I’m doing 3 mountain madness in N. Carolina.

How do vegans get their protein?
10 Protein-Packed Plants
by Alisa Rutherford-Fortunati

The continuing debate over how much protein the average person needs has done little to change our hunger for it. And who can blame us? Protein is one of the basic building blocks of life.

When most people think about protein, images of cheese, eggs and a leg of lamb pop into their head. Did you know though that every – yes, every – whole food contains protein? From your morning banana to your evening salad, finding plants packed with protein is easy to do. And not only is it easy to do, it’s easy for your body to use.

Plant-based foods are free from cholesterol, tend to be high in fiber, and are often alkalizing to the body. All animal products, on the other hand, are devoid of fiber, and are acidifying to the body, which causes calcium to be leached from your bones, as well as decreasing oxygen levels in the blood, and negatively impacting the digestive/lymphatic system.

You may have heard the ongoing debate about “complete” or “incomplete” protein and “food combining”, but be wary; these topics are steeped in misinformation and myth. Here’s what I’ve discovered thus far:

The term “complete protein” refers to foods that have all nine essential amino acids present in the correct proportion for our bodies to build protein with. The term “incomplete protein” refers to foods which have all the essential amino acids, but are simply low in one or more of them. This is called the “limiting amino acid”. While it’s true that most whole plant foods have one or more limiting amino acids and are thus “incomplete”, this shouldn’t send you running for a steak. Our bodies are brilliant, and every food that goes into your system must be broken apart and its nutrients absorbed. During the digestion process, amino acid chains from all sources are broken down and made ready for our bodies to use. If you’re eating a good mix of fruits, veggies, grains and legumes, then your body simply collects what it needs from the “amino soup” that your digestion system has absorbed. There are a growing number of vegan bodybuilders, ultra marathon runners and award-winning athletes out there to prove that meeting your protein needs on a plant-based diet is simple and successful.

Since every whole food has protein in it, you have literally millions of great options to choose from when it comes to creating a balanced diet with the right percentage of protein for your body*. I’ve selected ten nutritious plants to get you started, for both their protein content and other health benefits. You may be surprised at some of the veggies, nuts and grains that made it onto my list.

*More is not necessarily better when it comes to protein. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for the average, sedentary adult is only 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Some healthcare professionals argue that this level is too high. No matter whose recommendation you choose to follow, the fact is that each person’s protein needs are different, but all can be met with a plant-based diet.

Health Benefits of High-Protein Plant Foods:
Pumpkin Seeds
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Peanuts
Mung Bean Sprouts
Almonds
Spinach
Broccoli
Quinoa

If you’re like me, pumpkin is one of your favorite fall foods. The last time you steamed up some squash or pumpkin, did you have the seeds though? One ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 9.35 grams of protein! That’s over two grams more than the same quantity of ground beef. Their high protein content and level of nutrients makes them a wonderful addition to any salad or snack.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds:

• Tryptophan: Helps fight depression (converted into serotonin and niacin).
• Glutamate (needed to create GABA): Anti-stress neorochemical, helps relieve anxiety and other related conditions.
• Zinc: Boosts immune function and fights osteoporosis.
• Phytosterols: Reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and up HDL (the good kind); may also be effective in the prevention of cancer.

Pumpkin seeds are also full of manganese, phosphorous, copper, vitamin K, vitamin E, B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), folates, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium and more!

If pumpkin seeds aren’t your thing, don’t worry – there are plenty of seed-based protein powerhouses out there.

Grilled asparagus with a balsamic vinegar drizzle is enough to make my mouth water. Eight spears of this delectable veggie has 3.08 grams of protein, which is pretty potent for such a slender fellow.

Health Benefits of Asparagus:

• Vitamin K: Asparagus is the number one plant-based source for Vitamin K, which is indicated in preventing osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
• Vitamin A and Folate: Anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, heart healthy, and indicated in the prevention of birth defects.
• Diuretic: Reduce water retention.
• Aphrodisiac: Oh là là!

Asparagus is also a good source of potassium, glutathione, vitamin C, antioxidants (glumatic acid, glycine and cysteine) and more.

For years, I wasn’t a big fan of cauliflower. I mean, how healthy can an off-white vegetable be? But once I started learning about the health benefits of cauliflower and all its cruciferous plant family members, I started to give this veggie its due respect. One cup cooked = 2.28 grams of protein and a truckload of nutrients to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer!

Health Benefits of Cauliflower:

• Carotenoids (beta-carotene and Phytonutrients): Including kaempferol, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid and caffeic acid. These nutrients help protect your body against free radical damage.
• Sulforaphane: Strong indications as a cancer fighting agent.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Reduce inflammation.

Cauliflower is also a good source of vitamin C, manganese, glucosinolates (glucoraphin), vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 (folic acid), phosphorus and potassium, indole-3-carbinol (strong cancer fighting indications) and more.

If you grew up in America you’ve probably had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or two, but I doubt you knew how healthy this favorite snack really is. One ounce (approximately 28 peanuts dry roasted without salt) = 6.71 grams of protein.

Health Benefits of Peanuts:

• Co-Enzyme Q10: Protects the heart during times of low oxygen.
• Resveratrol: Bioflavonoid believed to improve blood flow in the brain and lower your LDL cholesterol.
• Niacin: Assists in recovery of cell damage, and protects against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive problems.

Peanuts are also a good source of calcium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, folates, copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, vitamin E, antioxidants (polyphenols p-coumaric acid) and more.

Oats have gotten a bad rap over the years as a breakfast moosh fit for little orphan Oliver or old school prison inmates, but truly they are a food fit for kings. One cooked cup has a whopping 6.08 grams of protein along with being a great source of fiber and helpful for stabilizing your blood sugar levels. I enjoy mine in the morning with a bit of banana and cinnamon mixed in – yummm.

Health Benefits of Oatmeal:

• Selenium (antioxidant combined with vitamin E): Boosts immunity and mood, as well as having indications as a cancer-fighting agent.
• Weight loss: Keeps blood sugar levels even. The high level of fiber keeps you full longer.
• Magnesium: Helps with energy production, maintaining strong bones and possible relief of PMS.
• Phosphorus: Assists with bone health, boosts energy and is important for healthy digestion.

Oatmeal is also a good source of tryptophan, Iron, calcium, B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and niacin; vitamin E, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and more.

You may have seen this little bean hiding in your stir-fry (sprouted) or perhaps in a fresh wrap, but it hasn’t gotten much cred over the years. Most beans are a great source of protein and water soluble fiber, and while mung beans aren’t at the top of the bean protein list they make a good showing. With one cup containing 3.16 grams, it is low in calories, but high in content.

Health Benefits of Mung Bean Sprouts:

• Lecithin: Lowers blood cholesterol levels, reduces liver fat.
• Zinc: Along with the protein and other vitamins in mung beans, Zinc can help strengthen your nails.
• Phytoestrogens: Contain many anti-aging components for the skin. These phytoestrogens act on estrogen-receptors found in the skin, stimulating the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin, which are all essential components of the skin’s structure.

Mung bean sprouts are also a good source of vitamin A, many B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc and more!

This is a wonderful snack to have around at all times, both for its protein content and nutrient density. Almonds are at the top of the nut chain when it comes to nutrient density, which means they will keep you full longer. With one ounce (approximately 24 nuts) containing 6.03 grams of protein they are a wonderful addition to any snack or meal.

Health Benefits of Almonds:

• Phenylalanine: Aids in the development of cognitive function.
• Nutrient Rich: Keeps you full longer which can aid in weight loss.
• Vitamin E/Magnesium: Important for heart and muscle health.

Almonds are also a good source of calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, niacin, managese, riboflavin, folic acid and more.

We all know spinach is a special green. From Popeye to the posh salads you’ll find in fine dining restaurants, spinach has gotten some good press and with due reason. One cup cooked = 5.35 grams of protein. It is also filled with flavonoids (a phytonutrient with anti-cancer properties). Spinach is good for your skin, your eyes, your brain and your bones!

Health Benefits of Spinach:

• Neoxanthin and violaxanthin: Anti-inflammatory epoxyxanthophylls.
• Lutein and zeaxanthin: Protect the eyes against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
• Vitamin K: Ensures a healthy nervous system and brain function, healthy bones (1000% of the RDA of vitamin K in each full cup of spinach!)
• Vitamin A: Strengthens immunity and promotes healthy skin.

Spinach is also a good source of vitamin C and other antioxidants, flavonoids, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium and more.

Broccoli has many of the same amazing compounds as cauliflower, which is logical due to the fact that they are both in the cruciferous plant family. As a child I remember enjoying broccoli simply for the fact that the pieces looked like tiny trees. Now, as an adult, I enjoy their impressive nutritional profile AND the fact that they look like tiny trees. One cup of chopped broccoli = 5.7 grams of protein and a heap of child-like enjoyment.

Health Benefits of Broccoli:

• Glucoraphanin (which the body processes into sulforaphane): Helps the skin to detoxify and repair itself, along with ridding the body of H. pylori which increases the risk of gastric cancer.
• Beta-carotene, zinc and selenium: All work to strengthen the immune system.
• Indole-3-carbinol: A powerful antioxidant and anti-carcinogen, which may hinder the growth of breast, cervical and prostate cancer along with boosting liver function.

Broccoli is also a good source of folic acid, vitamin C, calcium (more calcium in fact then most dairy products), lutein and zeaxanthin, B6, folates and more.

All of the plants on my list that have preceded this one fall short in comparison to quinoa’s potential. On its own it is a perfect protein and the king of all grains. It has the highest percentage of protein content at 16 percent per volume! This means that a measly ¼ cup (dry) quinoa has 6 grams* of protein. If you paired this grain with a couple of spears of asparagus and a beautiful cauliflower, broccoli and sprouted mung bean stir–fry, you would have an easy meal with 30 grams of protein or more!

Health Benefits of Quinoa:

• Magnesium: Relaxes muscles and blood vessels, which can help regulate blood pressure.
• Manganese and copper: Both work as antioxidants to protect the body from free radicals.
• Lignans: A phytonutrient found to reduce the risk of heart disease as well as certain types of cancer.

Quinoa is also a good source of iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, vitamin E, selenium, manganese, tryptophan copper, phosphorus and more.

It’s never too late to get started (& to kick butt)!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/02/sports/runner-kathy-martin-60-is-speeding-through-records.html?_r=1&hp

A bit scary but useful info regarding triathlon swimming
http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/acsm/active3-6.htm

Need some inspiration?
http://zenpencils.com/comic/30-dean-karnazes-theres-no-struggle-in-our-lives/

Monthly Recipe:
Red Grapefruit, Avocado and Fennel Salad

This recipe works equally well with oranges in place of the grapefruits. Blood oranges, if you can find them, are especially pretty. The recipe calls for macadamia oil, but feel free to use another cold-pressed nut oil or olive oil. Cilantro or basil substitutes nicely for the mint. The cracked coriander is not necessary, but we recommend it for extra flavor.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 large ruby red grapefruits or 5 oranges
• 1/4 cup macadamia oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Course sea salt
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, sliced thinly
• 1 very small handful mint leaves, julienned
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds (optional)
• Fennel fronds for garnish

Preparation:

1. To section the grapefruits or oranges, cut the peel from the top and bottom and stand each upright on a cutting board. Cut down from top to bottom along the peel to remove it and expose the flesh. Cut along each side of the membranes to separate the segments, and place the segments in a large bowl, along with any juice that you can squeeze out of what remains (sometimes it helps to carefully cut the grapefruit directly over a bowl). Set aside a few tablespoons of the juice to mix with the oil.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the oil with the lime juice, a few tablespoons of the grapefruit juice, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Place the sliced avocado in a bowl and pour some of the dressing over it, tossing very gently to coat.

3. Add the fennel, the remaining dressing, and the mint to the grapefruit and toss well. Gently combine the avocado with the grapefruit and fennel and divide among serving plates. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with cracked coriander, if using, and garnish with fennel fronds.

Always time for a quick laugh:

Join me at my Spring Speed Group!
The next running speed group I’ll be coaching starts June 7th and goes through July 12th. We’ll meet every Thursday at 6pm at the Red Reef Park Golf Course parking lot in Boca Raton. If you’re a member of Boca Raton Triathletes, the price is $75.00. If not, it’s $94.00. You can bring a check to the first meeting or use the link below,
http://www.bocaratontriathletes.com/training.html. Looking forward to seeing you!

Wow- April has been a huge month for you lot- John finished his first ultra marathon (50 miles!), Franny raced her first Boston marathon in record heat, the Breslaws had great races at the Nautica and Clermont Intimidator Half Iron, Nathan went to the Himalaya, and Sue had a super race at Nautica. You all inspire me on a daily basis and that helps me to train hard too. I can’t wimp out if you guys are working so damn hard and racing great!

My race, Ironman St. George, is just over a week away and I am feeling strong and ready cos I have to be able to keep up with all my clients! I had a little something obnoxious going on with my knee so I missed my training race at Clermont and it has meant that my taper started a little early. We all get a little nuts at this point and worry that the taper means we will lose fitness, but as one of my professors said- “at this stage the hay is in the barn,” so just make sure you get to race day healthy. I am staying calm and trusting the training that I have done and taking inspiration from the best group of athletes a coach has ever had the honor of working with. Thank you all for your support and for leading by example. I will be thinking of you in Utah and you will all carry me over that finish line.

The final installment in the series on Mental Skills Training
This month we’re going to focus on the element of mental skills training that the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) has found to be important for consistent, optimal performance:

Confidence enhancement
How athletes think and talk to themselves can either enhance or hurt their performances (Bandura, 1997; Feltz & Lirgg, 2001; Short & Sullivan, 2003; Weinberg, Grove, & Jackson, 1992; Voight, 2002). As this research has shown, those athletes who are more aware of their thoughts and self-talk, and who develop plans for dealing with inappropriate and damaging thoughts and negative self talk, perform better and more consistently in pressure situations. The following fundamental strategies may be used to enhance confidence:

• Acknowledge your own good performances.
• Combine critical feedback with appropriate encouragement (e.g., “I’ve been feeling stronger on my long runs, but I still need to work on my pacing.”)
• Use vivid visualization: make a mental movie of all your best training and racing experiences. The movie should be in the first person, utilize all your senses (smell the ocean, taste the sweat, hear the announcer, feel your feet hitting the pavement, see the road ahead), and you should have control of the movie (if something goes wrong in the clip, stop the movie and figure out how best to deal with the issue and then restart the movie with you handling the situation effectively and without panic. Watch this movie daily- for 2 to 5 minutes.
• Mental training with this type of visualization and imagery of successful training and racing is a consistent source of confidence. It helps you to BELIEVE what you can do.
• Stress to yourself the importance of putting in quality practice sessions throughout the week.
• Focus on the fact that you have done the training and all the race specific sets and you can deal with anything.
• Have a ready-made replacement sentence for when negative self talk arises. Something short that rings true. You can’t talk yourself out of negative self talk, so simply replace the negative thoughts with the replacement statement.
• Use a race plan to help you stay focused and stop your mind from wandering.
• Stay focused on yourself, not other racers.

It is vitally important that you are aware of and in control of your inner dialogue. Positive self talk can go a long way toward improving your ability to be a consistent performer. Your internal dialogue will direct your attention and can help you to feel confident and capable.

Negative self talk can also direct your attention, but not in a positive way. If you are focused on not making a mistake, you are not focused on the right thing! We need to stay focused on being present and swimming, biking and running in the best way we can.

Negative self talk will undermine all your training: “I am a choker”, “I can’t do this”, “I don’t perform well in the heat”, “I hate this wind.” Statements like this will increase anxiety levels (which leads to tight muscles and poor form) and adversely affect confidence levels.

There are common negative self-talk and thoughts that athletes who lack appropriate confidence use, and these are listed below (Bunker, & Williams, 1998). Being aware of the use of thoughts and dialogue such as these is the first step in becoming mentally tougher and more consistent.

Common thinking distortions (or the language of crazy-making)

Confidence refers to the inner belief that a task can get accomplished. Top performers from all types of settings, from sport to business to the performing arts, have been found to be very confident about their performances. They do not doubt their abilities, but rather believe that every time out on the course (or in whatever setting), they can and will perform well. Confident athletes also do not let their performance dictate their level of confidence. Some athletes who are performing well will feel good about themselves, yet if they start to struggle, they will begin to question themselves and their abilities. Truly confident athletes let their consistently high level of confidence dictate their performance, so when they are temporarily off, they stay positive and productive, and will eventually return to form.

Athletes can improve their awareness of their thoughts and self-talk, and how these may interact with their performances, by first listing the most common negative thoughts and self-statements that enter their head before or during games, and then listing positive, productive thoughts and self-statements that can replace the negative ones. The purpose of this exercise is to become aware of the negative thought or statement and then replace it with a more positive or productive thought or statement. The more the athlete practices this exercise, the better he or she will get at staying more productive “inside,” which should translate into a more confident, consistent performance “outside.”

There are four steps in dealing with the internal dialogue: Recognize, asses, replace and habituate.

1. Recognize your self talk.
2. Assess when it is negative.
3. Replace it with a positive/productive statement.
4. Habituate that behavior and eventually the negative self talk will fall away.

Five Fast and Healthy Ways to Start Your Day By Monique Ryan.
I used to skip breakfast all the time, but since I have added it consistently to my training regimen I am stronger, have more energy at the end of long morning workouts, and recover faster. When Monique (below) suggests milk or yogurt, remember you can use soy, almond, coconut or rice alternatives. Timing of your pre-workout meal is important too: either eat 90 minutes or longer before your workout or eat within the 15 minutes before you head out the door. (This is so that the insulin response does not negatively impact your blood glucose levels. 90 minutes gives your system long enough to process the insulin and 15 minutes before the workout means that the insulin response won’t have occurred before you begin the workout and your glucose levels will be optimal.)~Dara

You can tweak your training plan, invest in the best gear, and push yourself harder than ever this year in triathlon, bike racing and running. But if you’re not eating the right breakfast, you’re not getting the most out of your morning workouts, or the rest of the day. Breakfast provides morning training fuel, post-workout recovery fuel, and sets up the day for proper fueling before an evening workout. Research also indicates that regular breakfast eaters do a better job of maintaining their weight, and manage hunger better throughout the day- especially when that fiber filled breakfast contains some protein as well.

Here are five menus to get you out the door fast and fueled.

1. The No-Brainer Breakfast
Works for non-workout mornings. Start a rest day right with a meal that includes whole-grain, low-sugar cereal (no more than eight grams of sugar per cup), an antioxidant-rich fruit like berries or cantaloupe, and enough protein to keep you satisfied until lunchtime.

3/4 cup granola
6 oz plain lowfat Greek-style yogurt (or soy yoghurt)
1 cup strawberries
12 almonds

530 calories, 20 g protein, 85 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat, 9 g fiber

2. Quick-Energy Breakfast
Best before an easy workout — with a bit of digestion time. Save the big meal for after your workout. But a light meal before training can provide the energy you need to sustain blood glucose levels and have a better quality workout. The key is to have easily digested foods and liquids of mainly carbs and some protein. If you have a very sensitive stomach, or the timing is just too close, opt for just the liquid smoothie.

2 slices of whole-grain toast with1 tbsp peanut butter (all natural, no salt or sugar added- this is not your Mother’s Jiffy!).
12 oz skim or soy milk blended with 1 cup frozen blueberries

460 calories, 23 g protein, 70 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 9.5 g fiber

3. Recovery Breakfast
Perfect for after a cardio workout. This one is also built around fresh fruits and whole grains — but it’s higher in quick-burning high glycemic carbs, for faster recovery.  The protein also aids in the recovery process.

1 hardboiled egg or 1 oz string cheese
1 cup bran cereal with 1 tbsp raisins and 8 oz skim/soy or almond milk
1 banana

560 calories, 24 g protein, 97 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 12 g fiber

4. Power Breakfast
Perfect for before and after resistance workouts. To maximize muscle building, down 15 to 25 grams of high-quality protein 30 to 60 minutes before you begin resistance training. Repeat this breakfast after particularly intense resistance workouts — it aids in recovery, too.

4 egg whites, scrambled
1 cup cooked oatmeal
1 peach, sliced
8 oz lowfat chocolate milk/soymilk
4 Tbsp protein powder

525 calories, 41 g protein, 77 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 9 g fiber

5. Portable Breakfast
Perfect for hurried mornings. Eat this portable breakfast in the car, on the train, or once you get to your desk. It will leave you feeling better than that Danish from the coffee cart.

One large whole-wheat tortilla containing:
1 egg or 3 egg whites, scrambled
1–2 oz low-fat cheese
1 sweet red or green pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced

400 calories, 31 g protein, 52 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 8 g fiber

Training Tidbit
Nutrition and Athletic Performance
Regarding the above PDF: This is the position stand of the ACSM, and it covers just about everything you need to know about the amounts of macro-nutrients you should eat daily and for recovery post workout. It is not exactly thrilling reading, but it IS vital reading for us endurance athletes. It explains energy requirements and metabolism, body composition, our vitamin and mineral needs, what we need in the way of hydration and electrolytes, and special considerations for extreme environmental challenges.

Athlete Race Update: Fantastic performances all around!
John finished the Croom Fools Run 50 mile trail race in 10:34!
Franny finished her first Boston marathon with a heat index of 95!!
Kristy took second in her AG at Clermont HIM, and raced really strong at Nautica.
Ralph had a great race at both Clermont and Nautica.
Cat took 3^rd in her AG at Clermont.
Sue had a super race at Nautica too.

Upcoming Races:
Sue, Sandy and Liz are doing a 5k this month
John will be doing the Keys 100 in May
Jim is going out to California to do the Swami ride
Ruben will do the Sprint tri on Key Biscayne
Tracey is doing St. Anthonys
And I will be doing IMSTG.

Featured Athlete – John Planz
John recently completed his first 50 mile, ultra distance run at the Croom Fool’s Run on the trails in the Withlacoochee forest. It was a lot more technical than either of us had anticipated, but he made it (which is more than we can say for his big toe nail). John made the race look easy and finished in 10:30- AMAZING man!

He is training for the Keys 100 in May of this year. John never does anything by half. J

What do you feel helped you the most in your preparation for the Croom Fool’s run?
I didn’t have much experience as Trail Runner so it was important for me to find some local trails and spend some time getting acclimated to the challenges of uneven terrain, ducking under branches and watching out for tree roots.
Past history of sports participation:
I played a lot of the typical American sports growing up baseball, football and wrestling. Baseball got me a scholarship to college so I normally say I was a baseball player.
What was your first running race?
I can’t really remember what year it was maybe like 1987, I ran a Jingle Bell 10K run in Syracuse, NY in a snow storm.
First Marathon?
My first Marathon was the Inaugural Disney Marathon I think that was 1993.
How many marathons have you done? 
Counting the 26.2 miles I do during and Ironman–I think about 47.
What was your first triathlon & what made you do it?
I did the Loggerhead Triathlon in Jupiter, FL. I wanted to do it only to add some biking as cross training for my running.
How many Irondistance races have you done? 
I have done 17 Iron distance triathlons so far.
What was your first Iron distance race and when was it?
I did the Great Floridian in Clermont in 1994.
Any tips for newbie Irondistance athletes in training?
Break your event into smaller manageable pieces.  Think things like, this is only three things a swim a bike and a run.  Break those three things down even further. For instance I never feel like I am on a 112 mile bike ride I am always thinking 10 minutes then I drink, then 20 minutes more and I eat or 10 more miles until I turn north it becomes really manageable that way and before you know it 3 or 4 hours have already passed.
What do you love about training and racing?
There is really nothing about it that I don’t love.  But of all the things I love probably the fact that it is personal and spiritual, it is just me against me many times in the silence of the dark when it is completely peaceful.
Favorite training or racing experiences:
My absolute most favorite race experience was when my wife, Anna, and I both did the White Lake ½ Ironman.  It was her first and watching her cross the finish line was the coolest experience I ever had in a race.
Races/events completed last season:
Last season I did not do any events, I got in a bike wreck 3 weeks before IM Louisville which ended my season.
Favorite race/s (all-time):
I was lucky enough to live in Italy for a couple of years.  I did IM Switzerland in 2005, it was an amazing event. There are some bike climbs that you are bumping shoulders with crazy fans cheering you on, ringing cow bells the whole works.  
Athletic achievement/s you are most proud of:
Not sure if proud is the right word but I do smile when I think back to 2005 when I did IM Switzerland and 2 weeks later I did IM UK.
Goals for the 2012 season:
I have only one this year, finish my first 100 Mile Ultra event the Keys 100.
Favorite running route:  I had a Sunday run loop in Italy that I can only say I was blessed to have experienced.  I ran down Via Dei Fori Imperiali staring at history and I knew not many people are as lucky as I am.  Here is South Florida I love my runs along the intra-coastal on Flagler in West Palm Beach.
Favorite racing and/or training tip (what would you tell a newbie, and not necessarily something Dara told you!):
Every year I find something new, in vogue or really cool but I always come back to one thing that I call my favorite.  I say or think to myself “find a way”…….Training or racing over long distance in usually hot conditions is always more mental than physical.  The physical stuff is kind of easy to control with hydration, nutrition and training.  When it comes to the mental part prepare yourself with the knowledge it will be a long day with many ups and downs.  Make yourself KNOW hard spots will pass, KNOW you will get through it.  I always know by one simple thing, I look at the start of a race I see the many physically challenged athletes some who will pedal with their hands, then do the same with their wheelchairs…there will always be someone who has it harder than you do and they find a way, so you do the same, find a way.
A favorite “Dara-ism”:
What is your mantra this year…..?

Monthly Recipe:
Tempe and Broccolini Stir-Fry
Hands-on time: 30 minute
Total time: 30 minutes
Streamline your stir-frying process by prepping all ingredients before you start cooking. For a whole grain base, use brown rice.

• ½ pound broccolini
• 6 tablespoons chopped green onions, divided
• 4 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1 (8 oz package) of organic Tempeh cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 cup diagonally-cut snow peas
• 2 2/3 cup hot cooked long-grain white rice
• 3 tablespoons chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

1. Cook broccolini in boiling water for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge broccolini into ice water; drain. Squeeze dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
2. Combine 3 tablespoons green onions and the next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) into a bowl.
3. Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add tempeh; stir-fry for 5 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Remove tempeh from pan; keep warm. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add broccolini and snow peas; stir-fry 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tempeh and vinegar mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons green onions and peanuts.
   Serves 4.

Always time for a quick laugh:
http://isweatpretty.com/2012/01/24/shit-runners-say/

Poll:

When cycling, the key metrics to pay attention to are heart rate and cadence and RPE- just turn off the mph when heading into a wind as it will make you want to work harder than you should. And on race day that can have disastrous effects- more so the longer the race. Ideally we would all have power meters on our bikes – as this effectively removes wind from the equation- your watts are absolute, versus the relative status of speed. Since I got my power meter I no longer fight the wind, as I simply focus on the target watts I need to produce.  Remember, on race day we are all dealing with the same weather, so don’t stress out that the wind is slowing you down- it is slowing us all down. But those of us who manage our energy output sensibly and according to a well thought out plan will be the ones who can run strong at the end of the race, versus those who blasted away into the wind or up the long hills and have nothing left to give for the run.

When running, pace can also be misleading on the hills or in the heat. If we did our time trials in cool weather or on flat terrain, we will be sorely challenged to hold those same paces in the hills or when the temps rise above the ideal running temps of 43-48 degrees farhenheit and 40-50% humidity. So, again, the focus should be more on HR and RPE than on actual pace. Of course, by race day, we should know how we perform in the heat and hills as we will have done specific training to mimic race conditions, so we can take an educated guess at our running paces.

Speed and pace are seductive and misleading channel markers, so pay attention to power, HR, RPE, and Cadence (to save the fast twitch muscle fibers and utilize the slow twitch fibers that take a long time to fatigue, recover quickly and are oxidative so they can  use less of our finite glycogen – carbohydrate- stores and more of the fat energy stores.)

Train smart, race hard, stay happy!

Mental Skills Training:
Part five of the series in six techniques for better mental power –This month we’re going to focus on the element of mental skills training that the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) has found to be important for consistent, optimal performance: intensity regulation.

Intensity/arousal Regulation

Gaining control over the level of intensity is one of the most important things that athletes can do to improve their competition and race preparation. Levels of intensity/arousal are very specific to each athlete. Some athletes perform better when they have low levels of intensity (very relaxed), while others need a moderate level (a composed intensity), and still others need a high level of intensity (wired, pumped up). For consistent performance, it is important for athletes to have a keen awareness of their preferred level of intensity, because being at the wrong level will cause less than optimal performance (from being too casual to being too revved up). Once in a state of optimal arousal, athletes feel motivated, confident, focused, and ready. It is part of a coach’s responsibility to help an athlete identify and reach their ideal arousal level. Sometimes this will include “pep” talks and motivating feedback, but for some athletes this might add to anxiety levels. So it is up to both athlete and coach to help identify what the optimal state is and how to achieve it pre-competition.

Being in the wrong state of intensity will cause motivational, confidence, concentration, and physiological problems. The key for athletes is to determine what works best for them. Coaches can give valuable assistance to athletes by asking them the right questions. Begin by having them ask themselves the following questions:

* How do you usually feel before your best races? Your worst races? Are your muscles tense? Rapid breathing? Rapid heart rate? What did you do before those games to arrive at those states?
* What are your behaviors before your best races and worst races? Do you prefer to sit by yourself and listen to tunes? Do you prefer to be among the throng in the transition area or early in the corrals talking and laughing? Do you prefer to buzz around (pacing)?
* What do you think about before playing? Are you worried about how you will play? What do you do to calm your nerves?

It is also up to the coach to teach the athletes relaxation methods to help deal with pre-competition anxiety (deep breathing, mantra meditation, positive self talk and managing the internal dialogue).

Once athletes know what their ideal intensity level is and what it feels like, they can ensure that they are in their “zone” by applying specific techniques designed to achieve that goal. For those athletes who find themselves consistently too intense, begin by having them ask themselves how these feelings of overintensity affect them the most? Some athletes tend to get “too much into their heads” (mental) by getting  negative about the race, themselves, and/or the  conditions, while others tend to get overly “tight and tense” (physical tension) in places that can adversely affect performance (tight shoulders or low back, for instance, which will negatively affect form) . Still others experience a combination of these. To maximize effectiveness at lowering intensity to optimal levels, those who are “too much into their heads” (psychological barriers) are in need of mental strategies like positive self talk and managing the internal dialogue. Those who are too “tight and tense” (physical barrier) should practice physical relaxation strategies like deep breathing. And everyone can benefit from a little mantra meditation as it will have both positive psychological and physiological effects, as well as positively affect emotions. Those who experience a combination of the two need to practice mental and physical strategies, but truly everyone can benefit from a combination of the two.

Of course, these mental skills must be practiced on a regular basis so that they are actually effective on race day. Remember, we do nothing new on race day. These mental skills will positively affect all your training and racing, and once developed can improve concentration, focus, relaxation, anxiety levels, confidence, and overall well-being. Just a few minutes a day can save many more minutes on race day as you will be able to reach optimal arousal levels pre-competition that will allow you to perform at your best during the race.

Barefoot or shod?
Whether it be your Vibram 5 fingers, your Innovate, or the truly brave and actually barefoot runner, there is a constant hum at the moment about low profile running (with less of a drop from heel to forefoot).

Running barefoot does not give a metabolic advantage
http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/publishahead/Metabolic_Cost_of_Running_Barefoot_versus_Shod__.98716.aspx

This goes against the bare foot running fad. Orthotics can be your friend.
http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/acsm/active2-14.htm

The Footstrike Debate
http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/multisport-lab/articles/footstrike-debate-022812.aspx

My take
I think barefoot running is an excellent tool when used correctly. A runner new to barefoot running should introduce that style of running very conservatively with short bouts done at a very comfy pace. This will allow the ligaments, tendons, and musculature to adapt to the new stresses without risking injury. Barefoot running will reduce vertical oscillation, which in turn reduces the stresses encountered by all the joints from the metatarsals (in the feet) on up to the sacroilliac joint (low back), and beyond. Think about it: you run much more carefully and without an excessive heel strike when you run without shoes on.

For me the problems arise when newbie barefoot runners start running in that state for all their runs: long, short, fast and slow, and right from the get go, with no adaptation process. I think this will almost always lead to an injury of one sort or another, and is especially risky for athletes with less than perfect biomechanics (over pronators or people with flat feet, for example).

So, please do try out the new barefoot craze, but do so carefully. And do NOT do it if you are only a month away from your A race. We will save experimentation for another base phase when we are focusing more on form.

Athlete Race Update:
New Orleans Marathon: Bonnie & Franny both qualified for Boston!! Wowee! I am so proud of them both!!

Let me say how totally impressed I am with how hard they both worked, and all this coming rather quickly off their first Ironman last November, which they both did INCREDIBLY well at.

I thought I would write up a little synopsis of how they did it (the key training factors) and what their experience was of this whole process.

Bonnie
After racing an Ironman, the human body is really not in any kind of shape to start training for a Boston-qualifying marathon attempt and I was concerned about Bonnie getting right back into hard training again. However, after a short 3 weeks off, she was raring to go and my task was to keep her healthy, be super conservative in the training, and be sure to stave off over-training (from starting too soon) and injury. We wanted to chose an early season marathon, so that Bonnie could train AND race when the weather was cool, and of course we wanted a flat course. That narrowed it down to Nola, a Wrightsville, North Carolina race, and the Shamrock marathon and we went with Nola as there were not the turns or the risk of winds we had heard about for the other races (and I think Bonnie just wanted to get it over with). I might have preferred a later race, but we figured if she did not qualify at Nola we could attempt a later marathon and that would take some mental pressure off the race for her.

Everyone recovers at different rates, and I think Bonnie was a little surprised that she did not feel more zippy early on in the training. Perhaps she forgot that she travelled 140.6 miles all under her own steam only one month before …. She honored me by trusting the process I had designed and attacking her greatest weakness- her mental training. This allowed us not to focus on the fact that her paces were a little off, and instead really build her mental strength. I asked Bonnie if I could write about her mental training and how this has really been her only stumbling block since we started working together. She agreed.

Despite having a truly stellar year last year, where she PR’d, podiumed and qualified for the Multi-race Championship Triathlon AND finished her first Ironman, Bonnie consistently beat her self up and was dissapointed in her performance. Early in the year, Bonnie was not consistent enough in her training to see significant improvements, but once she applied herself she improved vastly in all 3 disciplines and each race was better than the last, as was each Time Trial we did. Yet still, she would mentally beat herself up, and every day was filled with rather brutal negative self talk and a lack of confidence.

Last year we had done some work on her mental skills training, but I don’t think I gave it enough attention so when we began marathon training I asked her if she was ready to dedicate herself to this process. Mental training is difficult and takes some courage actually, but Bonnie said she was willing and so the process began. Bonnie was tasked with working on: her internal dialogue, staying focused on the process and the task at hand (not the outcome), anxiety reduction with deep breathing, and to come up with some mantras to help her during tough parts of racing and training and to continue to use some of the visualization skills we had developed last year.

For the internal dialogue management skills, Bonnie had to recognize when she was talking negatively to herself and then assess whether it needed addressing (I suggest she test it by asking if her best friend would talk to her that way). Then come up with a replacement sentence- short, believable and something she won’t argue with- she will simply replace the negative self talk. And of course the last step is to habituate this process.

I also sent Bonnie some articles on how important the mental aspects are of training and she diligently read them all and took them to heart.

On the physical training front, training for a BQ marathon is very different than training simply to finish the race; we have to work on tempo, threshold, and of course actual marathon pace runs. Initially Bonnie was not hitting the paces I knew she could if she was fresh (and not recovering from an IM), but she hung in there as I promised it would come around. And around it did come. I had used Dr. Jack Daniels’ prediction tables to estimate her marathon paces and knew she was capable of an 8:25 to 8:34 pace for the marathon (she needed 8:34′s to qualify), and on race day, Bonnie consistently ran 8:25′s. FanTASTIC.

Below are Bonnie’s own words about what she felt were the most important aspects of training (slightly edited in case there are minors reading this…..)

DW: What do you think was the most important part of your training for this race?
BB:  Hmmm, it was all important! For me the biggest was speed work and the long runs at race pace that really helped and most of all was the positive mental training you drilled into my head. I still went down that dark road but didn’t stay there!

DW: What was the biggest key to being able to push it when you were hurting at the end?
BB: I went back to those articles u sent me about how we really never tap into our reserve. (See the articles below.) I also thought about Chrissie Wellington, Lance Armstrong and how much pain they have endured and it has never stopped them, nor killed them. I told myself that “I’m gonna hurt whether I run fast or slow so I’m gonna run fast.” “The faster u run the faster u get done.” Lastly I told myself that I did not come here to wuss out, so take the pain and it will be worth it in the end!! Nevertheless,  I threw in the towel at mile 22-23 because I temporarily allowed the pain to take over [Bonnie had a piriformis issue that caused her to have to stop and stretch a lot at this point] but I didn’t want to surrender to it!! I had worked too hard for too long and wanted this really badly and no way was I going home to tell my kids I didn’t make it because of butt pain…they wouldn’t understand and I’d regret it. What an amazing range of emotions u go thru in a marathon…1 mile u feel like a rockstar and the next mile u wanna lay down and cry. In the end it comes down to which person in ur head is gonna win the battle: the negative one or the positive one. This can be a monumental battle when your body is shot… There’s not much physical left so it’s that mental drive u have to tap into to get u home. I owe all that to the mental training we did, because if we had not done that work I would have still been walking back from mile 23. U can share anything – even the fact that I peed about 6 times in my shorts as I wasn’t about to stop!

Thank you, Bonnster!

Franny
Franny had done Ironman Florida also, but we were training her for Boston, which gave us longer to build up the mileage and gave her more time to recover from that amazing accomplishment in November of last year. Franny is always pretty upbeat and positive, but was feeling a little funky that her running was not where she wanted it, so we were working on keeping her expectations realistic. We all recover at different rates. Of course, Bonnie and Franny are best friends and Frann wanted to qualify for Boston again next year so she could do it with Bonnie. I had to keep talking her out of the tree so she would not race Nola with Bonnie and we would focus on Boston, where I thought she would actually be capable of qualifying for Boston AT Boston.

Franny, however, had other ideas. Despite the fact that we had not done enough long training runs to do her best marathon, she was not tapered, and had explicit instructions to race the half in Nola, she decided she was going to race it anyway. All the time worrying about how mad I was going to be. WEll, she qualified again, and I am mad (because of the injury risk of running 32% longer than her most recent long run on a history of niggling injuries from last year that we staved off…), but how can I not be astonishingly proud and happy for her? Imagine what Franny and Bonnie could do totally healthy (Bonnie) AND tapered and thoroughly trained (Franny)?

With Franny, I had been focusing on getting the distance back up, as well as the threshold and pace intervals that Bonnie had been doing. Franny had had some trouble hitting those paces, yet on race day she pulled it out! AMAZING!

Here is Franny’s take on the training and racing.

DW: What do you think was the most important part of your training for this race?
FN: “Definitely my longest run (18m), and also the time you had me push my pace on the last 3 miles of a long run meant I KNEW I could do it on race day, and also knew that I would regret not trying. My left ankle and quad were shot at the end, not to mention I had a horrible burn from my sports bra and also my ankle brace.”
DW: What was the biggest key to being able to push it when you were hurting at the end?
FN: “In the last couple minutes, I knew I was gonna barely make it. I was mad at myself for taking about 4 (10) second walk breaks, especially if it meant that was gonna blow it for me. I was TOO close not to give it everything I had left.. I pictured my mom yelling for me at the finish line that she knew I could do it.. That image got me to push it to my limit at the end to make it in time. Also want to say that the #1 reason I was there was to support Bonnie in her endeavor to qualify. I knew she was going to do it- had no doubt! But you put in my plan for the race “help keep Bonnie on pace.” [and the plan also said "for the first 13.1 miles...."] so from the start that was my goal. As far as my own race, I didn’t even know until right up to the point where I chose to go left at the fork in the road (that was the separation point for the full and the 1/2), what I was gonna do that day. Qualifying was nice, but being with Bonnie when she achieved that goal was awesome Note to self: no more of Bonnies glycerin suppositories!!!!”

I had to add this, as Franny had, as she put, explosive poop issues. See? you can qualify for Boston even with a 4 minute porta potty stop.

Thank you, Ladies. I am immensely proud of you. And as always thanks for putting your trust in me and working so damn hard all the time.

Upcoming Races:
Nothing in March, but plenty coming up in April! See next month’s blog (out in two weeks).

Sweet Talk Your Governor!
Even if you have to tell yourself little white lies, keep sweet talking yourself through the pain. You probably have more left in you than you realize!
http://bicycling.com/blogs/fitchick/2012/02/21/talk-nice/?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-Bicycling-_-Content-Blog-_-FC-talk-nice
Two fascinating, related studies:
http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2012/03000/Influence_of_Competition_on_Performance_and_Pacing.20.aspx
and
http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2012/03000/Effects_of_Deception_on_Exercise_Performance__.23.aspx

Featured Athlete:  Sue Caplan
Past history of sports participation: Basketball and track in high school, recreational running and yoga
What was your first tri & what made you do it: FAU Wellness Triathlon – My brother dared me to do it!!!
What do you love about training and racing? I love the connection of the mind and body in training. It forces you to lose yourself and live in the moment! I also love the experience of getting stronger while prepping for a race. Racing is like an amusement park after the grind of training! It is fun and painful and brings a HUGE sense of accomplishment after crossing the finish.
Favorite training or racing experiences: A calm day at the beach for an open water swim is always a favorite training day. Racing with friends are the best experiences.
Races/events completed last season: Texas 70.3, Tradewinds Park Sprints, PAL Half Marathon, JCC Turkey Trot, Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half Marathon, Spanish River 5K, Miami Half and A1A Half
Favorite race/s (all-time): New York City Triathlon
Athletic achievement/s you are most proud of: 3rd Place at Miami Man
Goals for the 2012 season: Return to racing triathlons, complete a hilly triathlon and run a marathon
Favorite running trail and/or bike route: Running: 13.1 Panera through South County Park Loop, Catawba Falls hilly run in North Carolina Biking: A1A for the bike in Florida, Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina
Favorite racing and/or training tip (what would you tell a newbie, and not necessarily something Dara told you!): Dive under the waves, don’t try to go over them!
A favorite “Dara-ism”: You have to train in the rain and inclement weather because they aren’t going to cancel the race if it’s raining!

Marathons Pose Little Risk to Heart

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/AcuteCoronarySyndrome/30621?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&email=erg1500@yahoo.com&eun=g310117d0r&userid=310117&mu_id=

My take:
These incidence rates are lower than the general population, so don’t worry about doing your next race. However, we all need to get a yearly medical check up and monitor our health and response to training. Exercising sensibly is not risky, but inadequate training and then racing hard (or long) can be risky, especially in an individual with pre-existing risk factors.

Monthly Recipe:
Blue Cheese and Butternut Squash Polenta Lasagna
1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan and whisk in 1 ¼ cups coarse ground polenta, 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, 2 minced cloves of garlic, and ½ tsp of grated lemon zest (optional). Stir for 5 minutes over medium-low heat before pouring onto a 9 by 18 inch baking sheet brushed with olive oil. Cool for an hour in the fridge.
2. Bake 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
3. Grease a nine-inch-square baking dish with olive oil. Transfer half of the polenta into the dish and brush with olive oil. Evenly spread squash, ½ cup blue cheese, one diced tomato, and 4 ounces shredded mozzarella over the polenta. Cover with remaining polenta and brush with olive oil. Add 4 more ounces of shredded mozzarella on top.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Finish by removing foil and baking until top is golden brown (10 to 15 minutes).
Garnish with chopped walnuts and a drizzling of olive oil.

Always time for a quick laugh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMCkuqL9IcM

Poll:

I know how my athletes feel – I am trying not to panic that it is already the end of February and I am only 10 weeks away from race day in Utah! I am working harder than I have ever worked for a race and starting to feel like I will deserve to toe the start line on May 5^th. Yes, even the coach gets nervous

I have been focusing more on mental training for athletes this year as I believe it is a vital, and often overlooked, component of training and racing. Never being one who likes to put my clients through something that I don’t practice, I have been working harder on that aspect of my training also and as a result my workouts have been more consistent and of a higher quality with more positive and directed mental training as a dedicated part of each session.  Every hard session I am talking to myself (of course, as an only child that is not that unusual) and coaxing myself through all the tough bits- reminding myself that all this hard work will  pay off on race day and make me capable of finishing with a smile on my face. I am tough enough, I am strong enough and I am fit enough for this race. While there is some pain involved in many of my workouts, I am not suffering through them- I am loving each one and feeling stronger week by week. And even better than that, my athletes are saying the same things. We work hard at this game, on so many levels, and though we are not getting paid to do this we often work just as hard as some of the pros, all the while balancing family, careers, and all the other things that life throws at us. The training itself so often is therapy to help us deal with stress, but the mental training enriches more than just the physical training: it also helps us deal with other life stresses and to stay positive and dedicated and strong.  So, my friends, train hard, train smart, and live and race happy.

Mental Skills Training:
Part four of the series in six techniques for better mental power –This month we’re going to focus on the element of mental skills training that the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) has found to be important for consistent, optimal performance: Concentration Training.

Attentional focus is the athlete’s ability to pay attention to the most relevant information during training and racing, and quite a few athletes struggle to keep their attention focused on the important performance cues. The athlete must be able to switch attentional focus as needed to an internal or external perspective and a broad or narrow perspective, depending on the situation. As endurance athletes we need to be able to pay attention to form, HR, RPE, power, hydration and nutrition, road hazards, other athletes, pacing, and tactics and it is not as automatic as you would think. It is easy to get distracted (especially in very fast, short races or long, grueling ones) and this can lead to poor performance, or worse –accidents, injury or illness.

The following strategies are fundamental ways that athletes can implement attentional and concentration training:

• Learn to pay attention to specific performance cues.  For example: monitoring and recognizing RPE, HR, cadence and power.
• Learn how to address performance problems by focusing on particular technical or tactical cues (e.g., “listen to your pedal stroke” or “Lean forward from the ankles as you run”).
• Focus on form points during practice so that it is second nature during competition which will free up mental resources for something else. (this will also make you more efficient!)
• Focus on specific aspects of performance in training to make it rote behavior on race day so it takes less mental energy and will be easier to focus on as it is so familiar: for example hydration and nutrition, or form points, or optimal cadence.
• Review workouts after the fact to figure out what went right or wrong in order to highlight specific performance elements and then purposefully focus on those in the next training session.
• Simulate race conditions by competing with friends so you are used to the pressure and can stay focused. If race day is the first time you actually compete, nerves can have a negative effect and really through you off your game. You must “emotionally inoculate” yourself against the stresses of race day by training in race like conditions. You can also use “throw-away” races for this purpose.
• Apply these four phases to your workouts: assess, analyze, rehearse, and execute. Assess each workout, figure out what you did right and what needs work, practice that in your training sessions, and then execute as you have practiced on race day.

Athletes can improve their awareness of what they are focusing on, but these skills need continuous practice. Make mental training a part of every session!

Training and racing are all about what we do with our minds.  Train your mind to work with you, not against you, and to help you deal with the things you have control over…the rest is just dust and garbage.

Barefoot Running – the debate continues.
http://www.wired.com/playbook/2012/01/more-evidence-supports-barefoot-running/?utm_source=Contextly&utm_medium=RelatedLinks&utm_campaign=Interesting

Do you truly love it (of course you do)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bu60n_v5lZI

Ultra-marathons – who actually does these?
Do you ever wonder what makes a person actually do an ultra-marathon? C’mon, that’s anywhere from a 50k to 135 mile run people! Who in their right mind would even attempt that, right? Well, a new study from Martin D. Hoffman & Kevin Fogard (2012), actually reveals the type of person who runs these and the stats might surprise you.

Their findings indicate that 161-km ultra-marathon participants are largely well-educated, middle-aged, married men who rarely miss work due to illness or injury, generally use vitamins and/or supplements, and maintain appropriate body mass with aging.

Let’s break it down some more: Around 80% of the participants in 161-km ultra-marathons are men and the average age is in the mid-forties. They tend to have had 5+ years of education beyond high school. They’ve only lost around 2 days of work or school in the previous year due to illness or injury. Over 75% of these runners reported using vitamins and/or supplements. And their Body Mass Index values were around 23% for women and 20% for men.

The full study can be found here, http://www.ws100.com/medresearch/Hoffman-&-Fogard.-Res-Sports-Med-2012.pdf.

Athlete Race Update:
Miami ING half marathon results — Everyone did awesome especially considering it was a hot & humid morning and there were bridges! (Bonnie: 1:48, Franny: 1:55, Nathan: 1:49, Sue: 2:11 and Dara: 2:12)
Fort Lauderdale full and half marathon results — Another hot and humid morning! Sue (half): 2:07, Catherine (full): 4:22, Nathan (full): 4:38

Upcoming Races:
New Orleans Marathon: Go Bonnie!

Progressive Muscle Relaxation – reduces stress & a whole lot more.
This is a great technique to help you sleep and relax and deal with stress. Don’t use it before a race though as it will make you too relaxed!
http://www.familyhealthguide.co.uk/progressive-muscle-relaxation-and-how-it-can-help-reduce-stress.html

Featured Athlete:  Kristy Breslaw
Past history of sports participation: Prior to triathlons, I did Boot Camp for 4 years when I 1st moved to Florida. That is where I met my husband Ralph.  Other than that I was not athletic at all and never worked out until I turned 25.
What was your first tri & what made you do it: Ralph and I did a Duathlon in 2002 on mountain bikes.  We weren’t so crazy about it and certainly didn’t like getting creamed riding mountain bikes so we bought road bikes and started riding for about a year.  We had some friends we rode with that did triathlons so in 2003 we did our 1st Triathlon Publix Family Fitness sprint in Deerfield and we were hooked The rest is history!
What do you love about training and racing? I love the discipline, the challenge and the focus that is required to both race and train.  I love that I can do it all with Ralph and my friends.  The social aspect, the people, the friends is just as great at the physical aspect of it.  I love the exercise and to see what my body is capable of doing. 
Favorite training or racing experiences: We started traveling to races a few years ago so I have a few favorites for races.  Hawaii 70.3, Timberman 70.3, Vegas 70.3  World Championship’s and Ironman Florida are my favorite race experiences so far.  Training, we are lucky to have A1A but I love going up to Clermont to train in the hills too.
Races/events completed last season: Nautica, FAU, Hawaii 70.3, Vegas 70.3 and Ironman Florida
Favorite race/s (all-time): Tie between Hawaii 70.3 and Vegas 70.3 for course and experience but nothing beats IRONMAN
Athletic achievement/s you are most proud of: PR at Ironman Florida last year by 45 minutes and making it to VEGAS
Goals for the 2012 season: Get FASTER and stronger to be more competitive at 70.3′s and one day hopefully get back to Vegas
Favorite running trail and/or bike route: Local I guess favorite bike ride is Clermont.  I don’t run too many trails but I like running on the Levee
Favorite racing and/or training tip (what would you tell a newbie, and not necessarily something Dara told you!): Be patient and positive.  Triathlon has a steep learning curve and it takes many years to really see results.  Have fun and enjoy the journey! It’s the hard/bad days that help you learn and grow as an athlete!
A favorite “Dara-ism”: hmmm tough one as I haven’t had the honor of hearing many of them yet   Stay positive, focus on the process not the outcome (I think that is it lol). That’s right, Kristy!

Monthly Recipe:
Mushroom Veggie Burger
Makes 4 large or 6 larger mushroom veggie burgers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2lb mushrooms, roughly chopped (combo of crimini, shiitake & portobello)
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan or an equal quantity  of nutritional yeast
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten or No Egg (vegan egg substitute)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Preparation:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in large pan. Saute the mushrooms, onions, garlic  over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid boils off, and the mushrooms begin to sauté. In a large bowl, add mushroom mixture to oats, parmesan, breadcrumbs, eggs, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Allow to sit for 15 minutes to develop the flavors. Shape into patties. Heat 2 tbsp oil in large non-stick skillet, over medium heat. Fry patties, cooking about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite burger toppings.

Are your legs dead? Try these poses to get some life back into your pins.
Post-Run Yoga Routine to Restore Your Legs from Active.com

Always time for a quick laugh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5KrktnXG1Y&list=UUPESImTjeGwmoxfDRDhYPmg&index=1&feature=plcp

Lance is back! Here’s a pretty cool video of his debut:
http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/02/news/video-highlights-from-panama_48011

Poll :

The end of 2011 was a tough one for me and for quite a few of those near to me: my father, Franklin, and my partner’s sister, Amy, passed away, one of my clients also lost her father, and many of us lost our very special companion animals. Bailey left Jan and I, and Scooter, Scooby, and now sweet Lulu have left Scott and Melissa (who helps me write this blog).

So I dedicate this blog to those we have lost and remind us all that we can find them in our hearts, along the trail as we run, when we see a squadron of pelicans surf the air just above the waves as we ride our bikes down A1A, or when some stunning element of nature takes our breath away.

Weight training and cardio- which comes first?
Chris Carmichael’s Q and A in the Jan/Feb issue of Bicycling Magazine dealt with the following question:

Q. Sometimes I ride and lift weights on the same day. Which activity should I do first?
A. Carmichael: Start with the higher-intensity workout. If you’re doing intervals, you’ll want to ride first but you might choose to lift before an endurance-paced ride. If you’re trying to maximize your cycling performance in the fewest number of hours, I recommend strength training no more than twice a week after rides or on days when you’re not riding.
A. TriCoachDara: do the workout that matters most first. In the off-season that will be strength training, but as the season gets going, the cardio will matter most and by that time you should have progressed passed the really hard weight training sessions and be on the strength maintenance wagon.

A Goal without a plan is just a dream. (Thank you for that, Dad.)
It’s the end of January. Have you set your athletic goals for 2012?

Planning and goal-setting are closely intertwined: you decide on the goals and then you plan for the best way to meet them.

First, decide on your goals for the year and that will help you determine the objectives you need to hit in order to achieve those goals. Do you want to finish your first Ironman 70.3 in July? Then certain mileage targets need to be laid out. Do you want an age-group podium at Kona in October? Then a progression of race simulation test- sets at specific paces are required, among other things. Workouts need to simulate the terrain, race conditions, and performance intensities once the base training has been done.

Next you will decide on the races that will both serve as training and as the ultimate target. For example, I am doing Ironman St. George, in Utah in May, so a good training race is the Clermont half in April.

Your goals can be as simple or as complex as you want, but if you don’t feel fired up and motivated thinking about them, you are probably looking in the wrong direction. Effective goal setting must ultimately lead you back to the present moment – the place from which you begin; an end goal of competing in an Ironman will have many process goals to get you there, whether it be pacing benchmarks, targeting threshold or hill workouts, or a certain number of miles you want to hit by a certain date. But you have to start where you are, and take small bites out of the larger goal. Every 4-6 weeks, evaluate how training is going and check that your training is heading in the right direction.

Below are a few goal-setting questions I always ask my athletes when we first start working together:

•What are your most important goals this year? (Example: “I want to do St. Anthony’s in under 3 hours”, “I want to break 3:30 on my next marathon,” “I want to improve my functional threshold power –FTP- by 15% on the bike”.)

•What are the races that you want to have your best performances at? There should only be 2 or 3 at the very most of these A priority races. Even the pros can’t manage to peak more than 3 times a year. Twice a year, at least 6 months apart is best.

•What are your specific goals for these A priority races? Use smart goals: 1. specific, 2. measurable, 3. attainable, 4. relevant, 5. timely.

1.Specific: I want to improve my FTP by 15% so that I can bring my bike time down to 2:30 hours for the A race half ironman.

2. Measureable: I want to run a 1:50 half marathon.

3. Attainable: it should be based on where your abilities are currently. My IM time is 14:30 on a flat course, so it is unlikely that I will qualify for Kona at St. George. BUT, I might be able to swim a 1:20 there.

4. Relevant: the goals should get you where you are going. If I want to qualify for Kona, then competing in a kayak race in 2 hours is not relevant.

5. Timely: set dates for each of the goals. I want to improve my FTP by 5% by March 20th, another 5 % by June 6th, so that ideally I am at 15% by August 19th for my second half IM of the year and I can hit 2:20 on the bike.

•What other races are you doing? You will use these as training races, or just for fun as long as they fit with your overarching goals.

What is it you want to accomplish this season, and how are you going to get there? Could you write it down, or explain it to a friend? As the saying goes, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else. If you need help setting your goals for this year, I’d be happy to help. Just shoot me an email or give me a call.
Some items taken from Lava magazine, December/January 2012

Now that’s fast!
25.99 miles per hour…American Chris Lieto’s average bike speed at the Hawaii Ironman. His 4:18:31 split was only eight seconds shy of Normann Stadler’s bike course record. Lieto was first off the bike but struggled on the run and finished 29th among the pro men.
Source: Ironman.com

Interesting Factoid:
60% increase in post-exercise muscle repair among study subjects who ate protein right after working out, compared with when they ingested it over 3.5 hours.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Mental Skills Training
Part three of the series in six techniques for better mental power –This month we’re going to focus on the element of mental skills training that the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) has found to be important for consistent, optimal performance: Pre-performance routines.

Pre-performance Routines
At the elite level, where athletes possess similar sport-specific and physical abilities, the way athletes engage their thoughts and emotions before a competition could make the difference between winning and losing. But it is not just the elites that need to develop effective pre-race routines- we all do. When athletes think about negative things and get down on themselves, they usually perform poorly. On the flip side, those who keep themselves thinking productively, and who find ways to feel good end up having better performances. One of the most important factors contributing to top performances is the ability to generate and maintain optimal readiness before competition (Burton, Naylor, & Holliday, 2001; Gould, Dieffenbach, & Mofett, 2002; Orlick & Partington, 1988; Taylor, 1995). One method to improve physical, mental, and emotional readiness is through the use of pre-performance routines.

Pre-performance routines typically consist of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and energizing components.

*The cognitive components include concentration cues, positive thoughts, and self-talk.
*Behavioral components include walk-throughs and individual rituals.
*Emotional components can consist of making confidence-enhancing affirmations, dealing in a positive, pre-planned way with parking frustrations and negative feelings or anxiety, and using a social-support network (if that works for you).
*Energizing components include adequate rest, recovery activities, proper nutrition, and hydration (Beauchamp, Bray, & Albinson, 2002; Orlick, 2000; Weinberg & Comar, 1994). You should look back atprevious races and evaluate your level of arousal: when were you too aroused? What did that feel like?

When was your level of arousal too low or just right? How did that feel? Try to mimic the appropriate level of arousal each time.

What follows is a list of items you should incorporate into your pre-race plan. Make it rote behavior for every race and you will eliminate stress, stay positive and set yourself up for a great race.

•Decide, based on past experience, what is most needed as part of your race preparation at various time intervals: 48 hours before race time, 24 hours before, the morning of the race, two hours before the start of the race, one hour before, and at race time.
•Establish a schedule for pre-practice and pre-race activities: meals, dressing, transition area set up, body marking, porta potty, etc.
•Set aside some time before practice and race starts to work on your mental preparation (to control your level of arousal, to do some visualization, breathing exercises, whatever works for you). Mental preparation can include use of imagery, repetition of mantra, listening to a play list, etc.
•Establish specific warm-up activities to ensure effective execution. How long are they and what do they consist of).
•Review your goals for workouts and races before you begin.

Upcoming Races:
*There is a gang of us doing the Half Mary in Miami on January 29th: Bonnie, Franny, Sue and Dara and a ton of the WEBE training group too. It will be fun!
*Mark and Jim are doing the Bill Bone race on Feb 4th!
Go get em everyone!

Featured Athlete:
This month, we’re going to learn more about Jeff Dell:

Past history of sports participation:
I grew up in Southern California primarily doing board sports (skateboard, surf and snowboard). When I went to college at Arizona State University I got very involved in running and mountain biking. I ended up racing almost every weekend doing either running, mountain biking, or off-road duathlon. After college I moved to Florida and felt really discouraged with the trails here, so I primarily ran doing a couple of marathons and a few shorter distant races, but not nearly as serious as work took over and exercise was put on the back burner.
What was your first tri & what made you do it:
My first tri was a sprint on Key Biscayne in 2009. A few friends and I were drinking beer trying to figure out how we could get into shape for the summer. Someone said “Hey a triathlon sounds like fun”. I had swam only a few laps in my life and I didn’t own a road bike, but a few months later we did one as a team. I did the bike leg and it was hilarious how clueless we were, but I was hooked. A month later I did a sprint as an individual and I haven’t stopped training since.
Favorite training or racing experiences:
My favorite racing experience was getting under 4 hours on the marathon @ Ironman Arizona 2011. My previous PR was 4:42 on an open marathon in college and ever since then I said I wanted to break 4 hours someday in a marathon. I think I was more excited about this accomplishment then completing the Ironman. It topped off a perfect day.
Races/events completed last season:
Last year I did 3 events. Florida 70.3 where I broke my old PR by 45 minutes, REV3 Portland which was a really nice location and was a very solid event, but I had huge GI distress and Ironman Arizona, where I had an amazing experience.
Favorite race/s (all-time):
My favorite race of all time was Hawaii 70.3. Having the opportunity to race on the Queen K was a lifelong dream. Seeing Tim DeBoom (two-time Ironman World Champion) fly down from Hawi while I was riding up to Hawi was a memory I will never forget. The water was also incredibly clear and the run was pure torture in the lava fields.
Athletic achievement/s you are most proud of:
Completing an Ironman is something I dreamed of from when I was a kid watching ABC Wide World of Sports in the 80′s and seeing Mark and Dave race in Hawaii. I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to do one and to do it in Arizona made it really special because I did so much training over the years on this course. My primary goal of the day was to finish strong and I had the most amazing day. Thanks to all the training Dara put me through, I had such an amazing experience and crushed every goal for the day with an 11:18 time.
Goals for the 2012 season:
To get under 5 hours in a 70.3 race. This is a bit of a stretch as I have to knock off 30 minutes from my PR, but if goals were easy, they wouldn’t be as exciting.
Favorite running trail and/or bike route:
My favorite running trail is the Deschutes Trail in Bend, Oregon. It is one of the most scenic and fun trails I have been on. You are inches from a flowing river and the nice rolling hills add a bit of diversity.
Favorite racing and/or training tip (what would you tell a newbie, and not necessarily something Dara told you!):
Don’t look at each training session as an individual effort. Everything you do from the first day of the season to race day effects your outcome. The next time you push really hard because it feels good, remember that tomorrow might suffer because of your actions today.
A favorite “Dara-ism”:
Dara has a way of motivating me in such an amazing way. It really helped me excel in all of my goals. Having her by my side through the training process was invaluable. She knew how to push me to the edge and has helped me accomplish something I never knew was possible. One of my favorite was “You, my man, are ready for race day!!! Whoo hooooo!!!”

Monthly Recipe:
Vegetarian Potstickers
It’s hard not to love a good potsticker. What a yummy treat when it’s a bit chilly outside.

Ingredients:
•1 red onion , sliced
•1 tablespoon minced ginger
•1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom
•1 cup white cabbage , shredded
•1 cup carrot , shredded
•1 cup chopped garlic sprouts or 1 cup chives
•1 teaspoon white pepper
•1 teaspoon sesame oil
•1/4 cup chopped cilantro
•1 package wonton skins , also called gyoza
•salt
•canola oil

Directions:
1. In a wok or large saute pan, add a little oil and saute onions and ginger.
2. Add the mushrooms and stir.
3. Add the cabbage, carrots and chives.
4. Season.
5. When mixture is soft, place in colander to drain.
6. Add the sesame oil and cilantro when mixture is cooled.
7. Check for seasoning.
8. Using the gyoza skins, make half moon dumplings keeping the bottom flat.
9. In a hot non-stick pan, coat with oil and place dumplings.
10. When bottom gets brown, add 1/4 cup of water and immediately cover.
11. This will steam the dumplings.
12. Carefully watch the dumplings and completely evaporate the water so that the bottom gets crispy again and sticks to the pot.
13. Serve hot with soy sauce and vinegar for dipping.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes

Post-Ironman “Blues” – Seriously.
http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2011/10/06/the-physiological-impact-of-an-ironman-on-the-human-body/

Poll:

The end of the season is nigh.  And a long season it was! So many of you have been working hard towards your goals since November of last year, and I think you all hit most of them! Well done to you! I am so very lucky to work with you all and I am SILLY amounts of proud of each one of you.

What a journey it has been; in training for endurance sports, there is so much more than simply getting the workouts done and logged into training peaks. I feel like training for this stuff makes us stronger in so many ways and really teaches us what we are made of. We learn more about ourselves every time we challenge ourselves with some crazy long workout, or hard bridge intervals at the end of a long week. I know it sounds like hyperbole, but this kind of training makes us feel like heroes and yet it can humble us too. We have a greater appreciation for our friends and those who support us in our dreams, and to see those faces as you race and cross the finish line fills you with emotion that is hard to access in the rest of our lives.

I want to congratulate all of you on all the hard work you have done this year, and on sticking with it even when life, the weather, and a sundry other things make it hard. For all the mornings you got out to run at 4:30 and rode your bike through 25 mph winds and ridiculous downpours, for the days you ran off the bike even though it was already 95 degrees, for all the times you peed (or more) in the bushes, for all the times you got to workout with your best friend or had to slog it alone, you achieved your goals and it feels damn good.

So now it is time to rest, recover, and take some time off from the hard training so that you will have the energy you need for next season. It is during this transition phase that your body and mind can refresh and you don’t become stale or over-trained. Many athletes find this time challenging as they fear losing fitness and they feel they can get stronger without any time off. It is true, you might lose a bit of fitness from this time off from purposeful training, but what you gain in rest, freshness, physiological and psychological rest are priceless. You will come back stronger and ready for next season.

This time off is not time spent on the sofa eating bonbons, of course. Take the time to do the activities you don’t normally have time for- try kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, climbing (there is a climbing wall in Lauderdale and Boca- FAU), or if you do swim, bike or run, do it for the hell of it and because you love it; not because you are trying to hit a certain power or HR zone to get a jump on next year’s training.

Enjoy the holidays, celebrate your successes from this year, think about your goals for next year, and get ready for another great season!

Monthly Recipe:
Baked Polenta with Provolone, Roasted Peppers and Mushrooms
Polenta:
8 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups polenta
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, well dried and diced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Mushrooms:
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups (8 to 10 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms, e.g. mixture of portobello, cremini, shitake
1 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parsley, minced
Salt and pepper
 
10 to 12 thin slices (8 ounces) Provolone cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. For Polenta: In deep saucepan, bring water, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme to rolling boil. Add polenta in slow, steady stream, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring 5 minutes. Add diced red pepper. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Parmesan, 2 tablespoons butter and red pepper flakes. Stir well; set aside.
3. For Mushrooms: Melt butter in skillet. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add heavy cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook at gentle boil until cream reduces and thickens, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Butter 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spread half the polenta over bottom. Cover with half the slices of provolone, tearing slices to fit when necessary. Spread mushrooms over. Spread remaining polenta over and top with remaining provolone slices.
5. Bake about 15 minutes or until cheese melts, browns slightly and casserole is hot.
6. Let sit until the polenta sets and can be cut in servings (it will still be quite soft).

Delicious served as is, or with a marinara sauce or other complimentary-flavored sauce. Serves 24 as an appetizer, 8 to10 as an entrée.

Event Recap:
The Sandoway House Nature Center’s  first annual 5k and 1k Doggie Dash on November 12th went well and feedback was good! Only about 140 runners, but more to come next year!

Athlete Race Updates:
*Bonnie, Franny and Orlando raced IM Florida (11/5) and they were AWESOME! Bonnie: 12:18:42 and Franny: 14:17: 33. This was their first Ironman and they did SO great and I think they even want to do it again! It was SO fabulous to be there to see them (and the rest of the BRT-ers) race! Orlando (in his second Ironman and second this year!) got a huge PR. He did IM Utah in May which is a ridiculously hard race anyway, but he had food poisoning and STILL finished. He came back to IM Florida and busted out an 11:38:55.

*David, Jeff and Melissa raced IM Arizona (11/20) and they were AWESOME as well! They endured CRAZY cold water and BIG wind this day! David, completing his fourth IM, got a PR and had a very strong race! 13:44:28. Jeff got a marathon PR during Ironman Arizona (his first IM)! His previous marathon best time (not in an Ironman) was 4:42 and he did the IM marathon in 3:59:44! He had wanted to do a road race to get sub 4, and he never thought he would pull it out in an Ironman. His total time: 11:18:54. Melissa, on her second IM, had a very strong race despite enduring some bad cramps. She finished in 12:07:27. You have no idea what a feat of mental toughness it was for Melissa and her husband Scott to even make it to the start line this year! (Scott also did his first IM this day, and despite having to hit the med tent to stop severe total body cramps, he still pulled out 12:17!).

*Adam did the Horrible Hundred with Dara (11/20) and of course he handed her her butt on the hills! Way to go, Champ! We had a great day!

*Carol did the Outerbanks Half Mary (11/7) and finished strong! You are amazing, Carol!!

Upcoming Races:
A bunch of crazies are doing the Tough Mudder on December 3rd, Bonnie, Franny, Kevin, Nate, and Dara among them….

Featured Athlete:  
David Droste, who just did Ironman Arizona for his fourth Ironman and scored a 25 minute PR (in his own words)!
——-
Dara has walked me (I mean swam, biked and run me) through each of my four Ironman races. Some have asked me why I need coaching after all of the training I have had. I say that I love the accountability that she provides, and the expert advice that she gives, but even though those are true, I just enjoy working with Dara…she is a truly an excellent coach and encouragement!

Past history of sports participation:
While I have been active my entire life; playing baseball as a youth, excelling at skateboarding since age 13, and hiking, etc. it has been primarily since turning 40 that I have taken sports more seriously. I really enjoy running marathons and have run 35 (I think), with many other half’s and 10k’s, and one Ultra (50 miler). I have also completed 4 Ironman races, and more than 50 other triathlons.
What was your first tri & what made you do it:  
I remember hearing about the first Ironman in 1978 and often wondered if I could ever complete one. After adding some cross training to my running in my early 40’s, I began to entertain the idea of completing a triathlon. After completing my first one, I was hooked and have been triathloning ever since!
Favorite training or racing experiences:  
I think that the ultra I did was an amazing experience. The race is called, Man against horse, and you literally run against the horses…although I was mostly running in what they left behind;) The race was incredible, mostly because of how it unfolded. I found myself cramping and truly unable to move on the side of a mountain (about 7000 feet) at mile 31. The cramping was so bad that I couldn’t release the cramps to get relief! I would try and stretch one muscle and another would seize up…this happened for almost an hour. I was lying in the middle of the path, on the side of a mountain, being assured by the few runners behind me that they would pass along my plight to the people at the next station. While I lay there, I heard a still small voice inside say, “you are going to finish this race.” I said, “all I want to do is get to the next station.” My attitude was solid, I realized I was in over my head, but thought, “I gave it my best shot today.” I sent out a couple of pleas for prayer on facebook and to family. At just about an hour, I got up and was no longer cramping. I continued to climb the rest of the mountain and arriving at the next aid station, I asked, “how far to the next station?” One mile, then another six after that…you get the picture. I thought, “I am not cramping, so just keep drinking and moving forward and see what happens.” At one point I found out that I needed to run 3 miles at an 8 minute mile pace to be allowed to continue the race. In that moment, the lag vehicle was passing with the only runners left on the mountain. Trusting in the small voice inside, and praying and giving thanks for the ability to still move, I began to run the trail. I made the final cut off point by seconds and then had an hour and a half to make the final 7 miles, which I did with 10 minutes to spare. I chose this race as the most fascinating experience because I came completely to the end of myself, and in the moment of greatest need, I felt like God gave me the gift of completing it!
Races/events completed this season:
I ran the Whiskey Row Marathon in Prescott, Arizona in May, a half-iron distance race in Show Low, Arizona called Deuceman in June, a trail 10k in July, and then Ironman Arizona in November. Don’t tell my coach that I have one more marathon coming up soon, because I am supposed to be recovering from Ironman Arizona!
Favorite race/s (all-time):  
I think that I would say that my first Iron distance race was the highlight. The people in Idaho put on the most amazing race, and the venue was so beautiful…or maybe it’s just that it was my first. A close second was my only Boston Marathon opportunity on my 50th birthday that I qualified for on my 30th marathon.
Athletic achievement/s you are most proud of:  
The events that I am most proud of are those that I competed in to raise money for worthwhile causes, i.e. an orphanage in India, a missionary in Hungary, MS, Cancer Research, etc. I love running for causes that are bigger than me.
Goals for next season:  
Well, if I get chosen in the Kona Ironman lottery, than I would love to do that. Otherwise, I will seek to do three marathons, a couple of tri’s, including the half-iron distance in Show Low, and continue to enjoy the training.
Favorite running trail and/or bike route:
I love the Peavine Trail in Prescott. It is a 7.25 mile (one-way) long course through the incredibly beautiful Dells (rock formations), hosting mountain lions and rattlesnakes.
Favorite racing and/or training tip (what would you tell a newbie, and not necessarily something Dara told you!):
Plan your race, and race your plan! Don’t get caught up in keeping up with others, either in your training or your races, and enjoy becoming healthier while reaching your goals! 
A favorite “Dara-ism”:
Dara has such unique and fun ways to motivate me. I think one of my favorites is “use your best training memories to get you through the tough bits.”

David, it is ALWAYS a pleasure working with you! I have been in awe of all that you have accomplished and the Man against Horse race was truly impressive. Amazing what the mind can do and then the body will follow.

Now, when is that marathon…?

Mental Skills Training
This month we’re going to focus on the second method of training mental skills that the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), has found to be important for consistent, optimal performance: Goal setting.

Goal Setting
Goal setting is an effective way to enhance motivation and process-oriented behavior. And it is the best way to actually achieve your goals! We establish the major goals for the year, then develop stepping stone goals to incremental achieve those major goals.

Goal setting ranges from the micro to the macro in scope.
Micro examples:

• The goal of a specific workout- what are we trying to accomplish today?
• The race plan: how will the athlete stay on track on race day? This will cover every aspect of the race, from what the athlete eats for breakfast and the logistics of race morning, to HR, RPE, cadence and power targets during the race, to mental skills employed, and hydration and nutrition plans for the race.

Macro examples:

• What are the overarching goals for the season? For example to race a 40k TT in under an hour, to qualify for the Boston Marathon or Hawaii for example.
• What are the goals for each race? Some races we train through (no taper and no peak) just for the experience. Some races are the target races where we have pace goals or finish time goals.
• Based on the athletes strengths and weaknesses (specific to the target races), what are the performance areas that need improvement?  I might be weak on hills, but if I am doing a flat race, then hill climbing is not actually a race specific weakness. However, if I am racing a windy course, then I do need to develop more power on the bike.

Research and reports from elite athletes prove that setting goals improves performance as this enhances motivation, self-confidence, commitment, effort, and mental readiness. Pursuing and attaining specific short-term (micro) goals on the way to achieving longer-term (macro) goals conveys reliable information to the athlete about their capabilities and their progress. Setting goals provides the road map for a long journey; you have to map out the route before a trip if you want to arrive at the destination! Of course, without clear goals you don’t even know the destination!

Some goal setting guidelines: SMART: specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, timely.

• Specific: Goals should be stated in the positive and well defined. “I want to get faster,” is not a good goal. “I want to do the Bigsville Turkey Trot in 24:38” gives the athlete a specific goal to work towards.
• Measureable: Again, “faster” is not measureable. But my finishing time for the Bigsville Turkey trot is. Or one could have a power goal, a pace per 100m, a running pace, or a body fat target, etc.
• Attainable and realistic: goals should be under your control like times to shoot for, nutritional habits to adapt, mental skills training to incorporate. Realistic: goals should be based on reasonable expectations. Goals should be a stretch, but not impossible. If I currently run a 10 minute mile, then it is not realistic to think that I can qualify for Boston this year. But if I want to run a 9:30 at a half marathon in 6 months, that might be doable. It is a stretch, but realistic.
• Relevant: if my overarching goal is to qualify for Ironman World Championships, then the goal needs to put me on that road. Learning to mountain climb is not a stepping stone to qualifying for Kona.
• Timely: set target dates for accomplishment of progressive, short term goals based on the long term goals. For example, “ I will swim 1000m in 18:46 by February 6th”.  You can adapt as you go along and have small victories more often and gradually attain your goals!

Goals must be reinforced with appropriate training and testing. It is no good setting goals and then not checking in to see how you are progressing.

Some samples:

• Annual (overarching/macro) goals.
• Qualify for Kona at IM St. G , May 7th.
• Qualify for Boston at Humboldt marathon (10/4)
• Break 60 mins for 40k cycle TT by (11/4)

All the other goals listed are the stepping stones to annual goals.

• Training goals/objectives (tasks) physical and mental (based on what the athlete needs to do to reach the annual goals.
• Increase biking FTP to 250 watts by April 20th.
• Increase running lactate threshold by 5% by March 9.
• Test monthly/6 weeks.
• Do hill/group ride workout once/week.
• Implement mental training skills (MST) in every workout.
• Break 25 mins on 1500m swim TT by Feb 20th.
• Racing skills:
• Decide on the appropriate gear
• Figure out how to fuel during races
• Practice transitions
• Racing knowledge:
• Drive/ride/run the course, or at least download the profile
• Come up with a pre-race routine
• Have a back up plan. “A” race, “B” race, “C” race.
• Racing risks:
• How do you minimize the risks during a road race?
• Bike in good order, body in good order!
• Know your strengths and weaknesses: (cornering, downhills, etc).

Poll:

Happy Holidays to you all!   Dara.

For all of you who trained hard all year, the fitness gains, the friends you trained with , the races you did, the stories you can tell, and that amazing body that you have honed make all the sweat, tears, laughter, frustration, and joy worth it. Each one of you is an amazing and dedicated individual who somehow finds the time in this crazy busy world to train somewhere between 5 and 20 hours a week and make it look easy. Each one of you has accomplished things this year that 99% of Americans can only dream of and watch on TV. And it has been my absolute pleasure to watch and for some of you be a part of that. Thank you all, and here’s to you all having great end of season races. I will be watching and thinking- MAN! You guys are AWESOME!!!!

Training Tidbit:
Want to mountain bike faster? Learn how from the pros!
http://www.bicycling.com/mountainbikecom/skills/how-mountain-bike-faster#.TqHCwlYuK6M.email

Monthly Recipe:
Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
•1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•1 onion, chopped
•1 clove garlic, minced
•1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
•3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
•3 tablespoons sliced black olives
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
1. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.
Prep Time:
15 Min
Cook Time:
30 Min
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 147 | Total Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 17mg, Serves 6

Special Upcoming Event:
I’m proud to be one of the sponsors of The Sandoway House Nature Center’s first annual 5k and 1k Doggie Dash on November 12th at 7AM in Delray Beach (at the Sandoway House, surprisingly enough). All participants will receive a t-shirt and a medal upon completion of the race. There will also be a post race celebration with refreshments provided by Caffe Luna Rosa of Delray Beach. Participants will also be allowed to tour the nature center for free by presenting your race number. Please join us. You can register through www.accuchiptiming.com. See you there!

Athlete Race Updates
Results:
• Adam came in just barely over an hour at the State TT and is determined to break the hour mark next year. SO close!
• Jim Redgate had a great inaugural race at the same 40k TT on a brand new bike and only about 2 weeks of TT specific training. He can’t wait for the next one!
• Carol did the Ramblin Rose Half Mary (NC) and did great, despite having severe pain in both her feet. She has now figured out the cause and can’t wait till her next Half- she will CRUSH it!
•Julia went up to Vermont and kicked some New England butt- she is riding stronger than ever, she reports, and is hanging tough and tight with people who used to beat her soundly.

Upcoming Races:
•Bonnie, Franny and Orlando are racing IM Florida (11/5)
•David, Jeff and Melissa are racing IM Arizona (11/20)
•Adam is doing the Horrible Hundred with Dara (11/20) I have a feeling Dara is gonna have her butt handed to her….
•Carol is doing the Outerbanks Half Mary (11/7)

Taking a multi-vitamin & not sure if it’s working? Here’s some insight
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/29054?
utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g310117d0r&userid=310117&email=erg1500@yahoo.com

Featured Athlete:
A Q & A with Franny Nachlas
Q. Past history of sports participation (kid to adult): I was a gymnast from age 6-12, then took up ballet and dance. Continued that thru my years at Atlantic High in Delray by being a member of the Eagle-Ettes dance team. Also on swim team at Atlantic for 2 years. Miami Dolphin Cheerleader 1997-98. Ran first 1/2 marathon in 2009.
Q. What was your first tri & what made you do it: My first tri was in June, 2010. Honestly, not really knowing what I was in for made me do it. ALL of this started when my BFF Bonnie Barr said to me over breakfast in May ’10 “Do you want to do a half ironman with me in October?” having no clue what it entailed, or what would be in store for me in the future, I blurted out “YES!!”
Q. Favorite training or racing experiences: Favorite training would have to be a tie between finishing my first century with Catherine Trejo, and a gorgeous 20 mile run on the NYC marathon course with hubby Nathan. Favorite racing experience also a tie. Finishing my first 1/2 ironman with Bonnie, and qualifying for the Boston Marathon after running in my first marathon ever in Miami last January.
Q. Races/events completed this season: This season I ran Miami Marathon, did Tradewinds sprint, Southbeach Nautica International , and Augusta 1/2 Ironman.
Q. Favorite race/s (all-time): Again, the Miami 70.3 and Miami Marathon.
Q. Athletic achievement/s you are most proud of: Miami Marathon.
Q. Goals for next season: Well, before NEXT season, my goal is to finish Ironman Florida on November 5th! Then, have some fun doing Tough Mudder. I’d love to qualify for Boston again when I race Boston in April. Be lucky enough to get into NYC triathlon. Then finish up with NYC marathon next November .. Is this asking too much?!
Q. Favorite racing and/or training tip (what would you tell a newbie): I’m a newbie!! But I would tell anyone to relax, have FUN, stay positive, get fitted properly for your shoes and your bike, join Boca Raton Triathletes because when you start complaining about various chafing-rashes-and all the new aches and pains you’re going to have only a triathlete/duathlete is going to sympathize with you! Finally, and most of all, find an amazing coach like I did!!
Q. A favorite “Dara-ism”: “Don’t worry about things you cannot control, just focus on what you can.” “If you don’t enjoy it, why do it?” ” You are SO ready, Franny!”

Love you, Dara!! You’re truly the reason I have made it this far!!! Xo, Franny

Love you RIGHT BACK, Franny! Athletes and people like you are the reason that I LOVE what I do!!! I am SO LUCKY!

How do I Qualify for Kona?
Just weeks after the Ford Ironman World Championship race in Kona, some of you may still be wondering, “How can I qualify for Kona?” Triathlete Magazine just came out with an article entitled, “The Easiest Places to Qualify for Kona.” I’m sure many of you have seen it but just wanted to present the highlights.

The best places to qualify based on course difficulty and % of slots/participants are:
• Lanzarote
• UK
• Korea
• St. George
• Brazil

Another interesting fact is that this season, the most Kona slots for men went to the 40-44 AG and for women the 35-39.

You can also try to qualify at one of these 70.3s:
•St. Croix
•Philippines
•Buffalo Springs Lake
•Hawaii
•Eagleman
•California

You never know!

Six techniques for better mental power – focus on imagery
According to findings from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), six methods for training mental skills have been found to be important for consistent, optimal performance: imagery, goal setting, pre-performance routines, concentration training, intensity regulation, and confidence enhancement. Each monthly issue of Step Up and Tri will focus on a method. This month, we’ll take a look at “imagery.” Coaches and teachers who engage in any of the following practices are already using imagery:

* Use videotape.
* Use scouting reports.
* Walk through the competition site before play begins.
* Use creative language to teach complex sport skills.
* Walk through plays and strategies during practice or during shoot-a-round.
* Mentally rehearse plays, routines, or technical strokes before physically doing them.
* Mentally picture the running course, playing field, or playing venue the night before.
* Model technical execution.

All of these eight coaching strategies incorporate the use of imagery to aid in learning skills and tactics, in preparation for competition, and in performance execution. Imagery has been found to be effective in improving several mental skills, including sharpening concentration, reducing competitive anxiety, and enhancing confidence and motivation, while also improving pregame readiness and one’s ability to refocus. Imagery has also been used to effectively improve the learning of sport skills and strategy. Imagery can be used to increase one’s confidence via the recreation of past positive experiences or the recreation of negative experiences that are then altered to a more positive outcome. Imagery also can be used to aid in one’s preparation by previewing new or future events, such as mentally picturing the racecourse or a 90,000-seat coliseum packed with screaming fans. In addition, injured athletes have incorporated imagery to improve how they cope with the pain and discomfort of rehabilitation, treatment, and retraining.

Imagery specifically helps performance by producing muscle activity, providing a mental blueprint for future action, and assisting in the use of additional mental skills. Imagery can be used at any time, before or after training and match play, during breaks in competition, during free time, or while recovering from injury. The most important point to remember is that the more imagery is practiced, the more skilled one becomes and the greater the benefits derived from it.

Bicycling’s Golden Rules
According to Bicycling Magazine, cycling definitely has some golden rules – “must-dos” that have stood the test of time. Here are 10:
1. If your knee hurts in the front, raise your saddle; if it hurts in the back, lower the seat.
2. To corner, enter wide and exit wide.
3. Play the terrain. Go hard on climbs and take it easy on descents.
4. Wait to eat and drink until you’re at the back.
5. Warm up.
6. Always carry cash.
7. Race, at least once.
8. Ride hard. To become faster, you need to ride faster.
9. Wash your bike.
10. Drink before you are thirsty; eat before you are hungry.

Do you agree with these rules?

The truth about broccoli
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011112501.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fhealth_medicine%2Fnutrition+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Health+%26+Medicine+News+–+Nutrition%29

Poll :