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Friday, September 17, 2010

Budapest World Championships

So another big race week. In the very beautiful and interesting, but grey and slightly neglected feeling Budapest. It rained for most of the week. Luckily for the Elite Women and AG Olympic Distance racers, not on our race day though, which was the only day it cleared from rainy to overcast.

The elite men and sprint distance AG racers competed in pouring, cold conditions on Saturday. In the elite male field that raced that day there was a fair bit of carnage on the bike course with a number of crashes. In the end though, it was the Brownlee's, Alistair and Jonathan that had the best day of it, showing their class and winning their respective races. In the elite women, Emma Snowsill showed the champion she is taking the final of the series by running away from the best in the world to finish with a 2 min lead. Emma Moffatt, her training partner, then finished the double by outsprinting Lisa Norden and Jessica Spiring to come second and win the overall season.

A brief moment when shadows graced the streets of Budapest
I was racing on the Sunday in the Olympic Distance World Championships (Age Group) for Australia. I was nervous as I wanted to do well but was not sure what was possible. It is not a great distance for me just now as my primary focus races this season are longer courses, Immenstadt 6 weeks ago and the Barcelona Challenge (ironman distance) in three weeks. Also I had been getting some knee pain in the weeks between Immenstadt Long Course World Champs and this race. It seemed to be finally resolving with lots of good yoga/stretching, massage, and some specific balancing strengthening exercises but I hadn't run much in training and very little high intensity running.

So racking the bike in the ankle deep mud of transition on the Sat afternoon I really was not sure if my goal of top 10 and desire to top 5 or better was realistic or not. It really depended on a decent swim as mine can be pretty variable (!?) and a trouble free fast run. I was pretty confident of my bike being solid. I really would have loved to podium but knew it would be a long shot. I was aware of two very strong athletes both coming with this race as the focus of their season; Steph from Vancouver who won last year and Sophie from the UK who was keen to top the podium after finishing 2nd three times in recent years. Besides these two I had 60+ others I didn't know of who would also all have their own strengths and goals.
My race plan went something like this
  • Swim straight, hard to first buoy, settle into solid rhythm then kick up again at the end as really cold water (15oC or so) so get blood in legs before the exit
  • Bike hard as possible < 178 HR. Take in nutrition and fluids in aero position on the straights. Be wary of drafting as busy course.
  • Run hard as possible, from fast but good form (no injuries!) to absolute max last 2.5k lap
  • Transition fast and direct to my spot but short balanced steps (really muddy!)
  • NO INJURIES!!!! If really sore, pull out.
Overall, I followed my race plan, the knee held up well with no pain and I did okay. I came 5th in 2:05:35. So, in summary, the best three things about the race were;
  1. PB for an Olympic Distance race (although the bike I think was a bit short)
  2. Fastest run of the day in my category at 40:30
  3. Top 5 I achieved my goal (just by outsprinting the USA team member Steph Popelar through the finish)
But as always there are lots of learnings from the race. My top three from this race were;
  1. Start the race at the start of the race. I have let my dissapointment with recent swims make me accept that I am not a great swimmer so I almost mentally start the race at the end of the swim not the start of it. It is a bad attitude that doesn't help me swim as well as I can. I think I could have swum harder in Budapest. I rode and ran at absolute max given the distance I was racing. I know that. I am just not convinced I did the same in the swim. 
  2. Sighting and feet. I was so concerned about swimming straight after going off track in Passy I kept looking up and resighting fully rather than eyes just above water level when swivelling back down, slowing me a little each time. The buoys at Budapest were huge so I probably didn't need to. Also no great feet found to draft behind for any long stretches. It was hard in the grey, brown murky water of the Danube (as even the best, Andrea Hewitt found when she missed the lead pack in the water later that afternoon) but I need the additional assistance and I didn't get it for long. I need to get better at this!
  3. Preparation. A good positive learning was my preparation for this race was really good. It was a big event, tightly managed with 1000s of entrants and a new city, with a seperate start and finish area which all made it a bit challenging. My prep was solid and smooth. Physically getting my legs sorted in the weeks prior and not overstressing about them but trusting that keeping on with the right interventions would get them there and getting the body race ready in the last few days before the event meant I felt that I turned up with the body as well prepared as I could have. Mentally I had ridden the bike and run and swum in the race area so knew the course and transitions. I had a decent race plan that did anticipate the challenges of race day to ensure I could give it what I had (except see learning 1). Also just the travel and basic prep like getting my bike and gear sorted, there and together in the right spot in the right condition for the day all went very smoothly. After a summer of travelling and racing I am getting better at doing the basics.  
The Danube, prettier when backlit than swimming through it!
So overall, I am not sure how to feel. A little dissapointed as I think I could have swum better and made it to the podium if I hadn't screwed around with my swimming so much this summer trying to improve it and also better leveraged that which I had on the day in the swim. Earlier in the summer I posted a swim time on a similar course that would have got me into 2nd place if I could have replicated it here. I have been trying to change and improve since then which seems to have just sent me backwards! A great comment on this comes from a book I have been reading lately,

I was in no man's land, no longer good at doing it wrong, but also not yet able to consistently get it right .

Well it gives me a clear focus for the off season. So moving past the swim, I transitioned smoothly and fast, rode the third fastest bike split and ran the fastest. I competed hard, eventually outriding a Canadian lady who drafted for a fair bit of the bike course and finally catching the lovely US lady on the run that took me every cm of the 10k to get.

So learnings on board, ready for my next race and now it's time to go get on my bike. I'm now into my final big week prior to Barcelona!

Train well, race hard, enjoy and recover easy! Time for some training here.
A bientot
Christine

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Mt Blanc race report

So this week I'll not tackle the wonderful topic of women's differences regarding training, as we leave tomorrow to go to Budapest so I can race at the Olympic Distance World Championships. It is 6 weeks since I raced in Immenstadt at the Long Course Worlds. I am only just getting my tiggerishness (bounce) back so the time between the two has been good. I am looking forward to the opportunity to race in a big field of fantastic athletes from around the world, including a big contingent from Australia.

I have only raced once between the two world champs, at the Mont Blanc Tri in Passy 10 days ago. That was a really beautiful olympic distance race in the Chamonix Valley with Mt Blanc at 4,808m providing a perfect snow capped backdrop.
Although I would have only given myself about a 6/10 for my race performance, it was great fun as it was a stunning place and day, there were lots of Team Mermillod Triathlon (my French club) folk there, as well as the one and only Crew Chief (my husband, Rob) who had his first Northern Hemisphere race experience, and my parents who were visiting from Oz so they had a chance to see what racing here was all about and hang out with the boys in the great playgrounds by the lake on a warm summer's afternoon.

So I guess my thought for this week is about fun vs performance in racing. I love racing as it is a chance to push myself harder than in training and see what comes out against a field of peers and my own expectations. I love the atmosphere of race day and the challenge it provides everyone which drives that great individual feeling of achievement and the comraderie afterwards when everyone has overcome whatever challenges they faced on the day, and mostly feel good about their efforts.

But what if you have a bad race, or like I did, just a so so one? Do you let it ruin your day, or worse threaten your enjoyment of your next block of training or the sport more generally? I hope not.

Rudyard Kipling had a great quote my grandfather loved from the poem "If" about this
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 impostors just the same
I read this to mean, it is good to dream big, aim high and set challenging goals for yourself, but not lose the enjoyment of what you do either to achieve success, or as a result if you fail to achieve it. Triathlon is an excuse for a great journey and the outcome that it provides, good, indifferent or bad is very much secondary to the fun of getting there. Let's be real, very few athletes in this sport make a real living out of it, so the outcome is more about personal satisfaction and validation of the effort than anything else.
So, in practice... I really had a pretty average race at Passy, going off course in the swim and not really hitting rhythm in it anyway, having a solid bike (finally strong on the descents where I outpaced the guys around me as well as on the one steep climb each lap) and an ok but not great run given I had been having some knee trouble leading up to it. But it didn't really matter all that much as I was happy coming 4th overall given I wasn't feeling ready to race again in the week leading up to it. I still won the veteran femme category and although it would have been nice to be in top 3 which was my goal, I really admire all three athletes who beat me and they well earned their place in front that day.

So performance vs fun. An ex coach of mine used to sneer at the "fun" word regarding training or racing. I disagree. I love triathlon because it is fun for me, even when I am hitting the red zone at the end of a race, I enjoy the challenge and the atmosphere. That is why I do it. I loved that Rob got to race with me that day and excelled himself in it. He had a fantastic race on far more limited training time than I get. He loved the opportunity to be out there amongst it again. His race report is linked here if your are interested.

http://thecrewchief.blogspot.com/

I meanwhile had to manage my head after a poor swim to reset and enjoy tackling the field as usual from behind. I am not as strong a swimmer as bike / runner so tend to do this every race anyway. I joke that I am like Pharlap, the famous Australian racehorse that raced better when held back at the start of the race to then fly through the field from the back. Well, ok, I am just not a very good swimmer so don't really hold back by choice, but riding and running through the field is kinda fun! I just gave myself a bit more of a starting handicap that day. Not getting frustrated by what has already past is a necessity in enjoying racing. This is particularly true in longer courses where there is more time for stuff to happen, lulls, flat tyres, cramps ...

Enjoying the run
So I reset the head after my swim and by the end of the first descent on the bike, was loving being on course and taking my usual approach which is, if I can keep up with the majority of the guys I am racing with, and overtake more overall than I let pass me, then I will find the girls up there in front. It worked and I slowly moved through the field from 12th to 4th through the bike and run. I often try and find someone to pace with on the run, going just a bit faster than I comfortably would go by myself. I did for just over a lap at Passy. A lovely guy who chatted amiably in French to me when he had the spare breath, some of which I understood and much of which, in my tired and focussed race state, I missed. Apologies! The lead on the first three strong girls was too much to close though. So, 4th and and ok race, but plenty to enjoy and learn from.

I managed to win some flowers that I could give
to Mum for being, well, my Mum!
After the race I really enjoyed the time with Rob, the other girls I knew from previous races, TMT club members, my boys and parents. Triathlon is really just a great excuse for bringing together lovely people. We relaxed for a few hours by the lake and by then I was ready for some more. So I took the option to ride the 50k home via Megeve and Col de Aravis and enjoyed the early evening in the mountains.

So lots of learning to take to the next race at the World Champs this weekend to be even better mentally and physically prepared and of course, enjoy even more!

So, enjoy your day too, whatever the outcome.
A bientot!
Christine

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Women's Topic 1: Nutrition and hydration differences

Everyone knows that race cars use high performance fuels to go faster. We are no different. You can train your body, building technique and spending lots of time out completing a training program, but if you are not refueling effectively (nutrients and hydration) you won't get the full rewards of the work you are doing. You will either deplete specific elements required for short term recovery and optimal performance or longer term health and wellbeing.

So no need for me to recover here all of the great writing on a good base diet, the potential benefits and risks of supplements or effective hydration, as that is equally true of all men and women who wish to achieve good physical performance from their bodies long term. The book in the links below, Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes is great though if you want more. What I am looking for is what is more or less relevant to us because we are women.

Personally I have always had a pretty good, sustained base diet that is nutrient rich, interesting to eat (I love food!) and a good start from which to make substantial demands on my body.

Are you confused yet by all the products on offer?
Get some good advice before jumping into supplements
I am naturally pretty lean so for me having enough calories in the system during and after longer sessions to ensure I don't burn into my hard earned muscle has been important. In training I use electrolytes and water (one of each on the bike) and protien enriched electrolytes if it is a long session. I also take bars / gels to refuel in motion. A pocket picnic! Living in France, I have been known to stop in a village for a baguette and coffee too! When I get home I try and refuel and rehydrate fast. Usually I have either protien powder or made up chia with juice, yogurt and a banana to as soon as I get back and then a meal soon after showering (where I drink the warm water to keep rehydrating) and stretching.

I notice that relative to guys I train with, I need less food or liquid to keep feeling good. This is true of race nutrition and hydration too. I am 2/3 the size of my husband so this is not surprising as I am smaller, but as a woman also probably more efficient in glycogen access and generally sweat less. I also don't seem to "hit the wall" in the same way they can when they run out of energy. I have always got something left in reserve to get home even if I have gone out inappropriately prepared.

As I have got more serious in my training and racing over the past year, I have changed from skeptic to convert around supplements as they have been able to fill gaps that may otherwise impact my health and capacity either short term or longer term. Iron supplements work for me as otherwise I tend to have lower than optimal iron levels as showed up through blood tests. I use a good one that is based on beetroot, comes with zinc and vit C and is therefore pretty absorbable. I also use a good endurance athlete specific multivitamin that assists replace required vitamins and minerals that I burn through at a higher rate of knots while in full training.

Generally this seems to work for me. I am in the veteran category (yes over 40 this year!) have been in solid training for two back to back summers with limited time out between seasons and don't feel that I am running myself down physically. My only real weakness that I am aware of is my love of coffee. I blame it on the years on self enforced deprivation while pregnant and breastfeeding my kids. I love coffee but I try and limit my intake to 2 expressos a day, although I am known to have 3 occassionally. Before a key race I limit myself to one a day. Besides impacting sleep, caffiene can impact iron and calcium absorption. It can also provide adrenal highs and lows that if abused too much can lead to adrenal exhaustion. However it also aids training (and racing) by increasing endurance capacity in the hours following intake.

So what are the physiological nutritional demand differences for women? The strong endurance capability of women is supported by to our smaller average size and better ability to metabolise fat to produce ongoing glycogen stores relative to men. The second research paper noted below on energy balance showed that women tend to improve average race performance with higher carbo intake in the bike leg of an Ironman race, but not for increased intake in the run leg, while men's final performance improved with more energy intake in both. This is likely due to these two differences. This doesn't suggest that you don't ensure adequate nutrition while racing long, just that timing is important and the averages set for men and made into neat little summaries on High 5 gel boxes etc may not be the same that you require if they are set for the standard 75kg average male athlete. A basic rule of thumb I have used is 1g carbohydrate per 1kg body weight per hour.

Other research has shown carbohydrate loading prior to an endurance event is less effective for women than it is for men, but still has a positive impact. Whereas carbo intake in recovery is equally efficient in men and women. This comes from a study by the McMaster University in the US. Testing your own body in training and under race conditions is the only way to really get the energy balance right for you.

Hydration needs are also different for women due to smaller average body size and lower average sweat rates. Hyponatremia, or low blood sodium levels from overdrinking of low or no sodium drinks such as water is more common in women than men. The best way to avoid the risk of this potentially lethal nasty is to weigh yourself before and after solid training sessions and measure your fluid intake during your training so you get to know your own sweat rate. Then increase or decrease your intake to try and return close to your weight prior to the session. Once you have the volume understood, also consider the quality. Hydrate with appropriately made up sports drink (check sodium content on label). There is no benefit and some risk in overhydrating prior to a big event too. Just remain hydrated appropriately both before and after.

One other major female difference is we don't achieve the same level of leanness for same level of exercise as men. We are designed to have shape, even if we are fit. If women get too lean from insuffient calories relative to energy expenditure out training they can be at risk of hormonal inbalances and longer term calcium deficiencies and bone density diseases such as osteoperosis. A good indicator of wether you are at risk of this is if you have irregular or no periods. If this sounds like you, consider supplement options and changes to your diet to increase your calories.

Iron deficiencies are also higher in female athletes due to monthly cycles and food preferences. Increased tiredness, headspins and faintness can indicate anaemia. Regular blood screening makes it easy to pick up before it has impacted your energy and training too much. Diet changes and supplements can both be used to address it. Vitamin C assists iron absorption so have a lime juice to go with your steak, or diced tomato with your beans! Iron supplements vary greatly in the body's ability to absorb them, so get some advice before you go buy the one that happens to be on sale this week.

Generally though as women we can learn to listen to our bodies changing needs as we change the pattern of our training and physical demands on it. If you have a good base diet and exercise well you will probably find your body tells you what it wants and how much it needs to refuel effectively. Occassional blood testing of all the key indicators can then identify any remaining gaps and allow you to develop a specific dietery or supplement plan to effectively address them.

So enjoy eating, drinking and being merry as you find what you need to excel in your chosen training and racing goals!


Some sources for additional reading if interested

Three good books

- The Woman Triathlete, Christina Gandolpho
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/the-woman-triathlete

- Triathlon for Women: A Mind-Body-Spirit Approach for Female Athletes, Lisa Lynam
http://www.amazon.com/Triathlon-Women-Mind-body-spirit-Approach-Athletes/dp/1841261084/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283181649&sr=1-1

- Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, Monique Ryan
http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Nutrition-Endurance-Athletes-Monique/dp/1931382964/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Some good Sports Science Articles

- Maximising performance in triathlon: Applied physiological and nutritional aspects of elite and non-elite competitions, David J. Bentley, Gregory R. Cox, Daniel Green, Paul B. Laursen
http://www.jsams.org/article/PIIS1440244007001557/abstract

I like this article as it is very readable and practical. I have been in contact with the main author who is a current elite triathlete coach and sports physiologist and phsiotherapist based in Australia. It is a very practical sumary of what the scientific research has identified that may assist your race performance.
Eg "The timing of fluid consumed may be an important consideration for triathletes competing in Olympic distance triathlon events as a recent study demonstrated that athletes had faster run times when fluid was consumed early during the cycle leg of a simulated triathlon event."

- Energy balance during an ironman triathlon in male and female triathletes
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11993622

Some online articles
- Women and men compete in ultrarunning, Runners Magazine
http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-238-511-0-13593-0,00.html

-Caffiene and adrenal impacts, Natural Health Newsd
http://www.naturalnews.com/012352.html

Kids and triathlon: involvement, integration and fun for all!

Guilt was a concept redefined for me once I became a parent. I am always feeling that I could/may/should do something that I haven't done to be a better parent to my two lovely boys. As a triathlete in the middle of a demanding ironman training schedule, I am very aware of the time I lose with them while out on the bike, at the pool/lake or out running.

In order to best manage this balance I am learning to try and integrate the kids into my training and racing where possible and manage my schedule to ensure good quality time each day with them. It is challenging to integrate kids into a 6 hr bike ride, or long lake swim, but some of the things we do, to make it easier include;

Long bike ride
I tend to start after lunch on the weekend so we have a really active / fun morning time together. We often go picnicing somewhere interesting to the kids (and us) a good drive away. Then I ride home or go out further before heading back. This gives me fun rides too as I get to cover a greater range of the region if one way. Otherwise a pick up and dinner together somewhere interesting at the end works too.

Runs
The boys having fun at the lake while Mum or Dad swim
Jackson and Liam sometimes join me for the first few minutes of my run as I warm up before heading off for a long run, or after getting off the bike. Liam and I run to the corner of the road down the hill together and back to the house (about 700m) and Jackson and I then run up the hill together and back (a further 800m) before I head off alone. They get to be part of it and I get paced for a good warm up.

The boys also both love riding their bikes. The bike path around the lake at Annecy it is perfect for us all to head out together. Jackson's pace on the bike is perfect for a good, solid run for me at a relatively steady 13-14 kph as there are no hills on that route. He has recently started pacing me on my tempo runs too. Liam and Rob are well matched and after an hour out we are all happy and have had a bit of 1:1 time with one of the boys.

Swimming
We all enjoy going to the pool or lake together on a warm afternoon and the boys swim with one or other parent, or dive off boards, or slide down slides, or just generally run around and have fun, while the other parent trains. This summer the boys also started paddling in a kayak with one parent while the other swims in the lake alongside. Rob and I then swap at the turnaround.

Yoga/strength work
The kids have their own yoga mats so they can either do the yoga or stretches I am doing along with me or follow along in a great kids yoga book we have (Babar's Yoga) and do their own thing. For sit ups the boys often fight for the right to sit on my feet and collect kisses each repetition. I split the reps in two so they both get a go. Liam, who loves anything mechanical is particularly fond of ropes, whether skipping ropes or stretch cords. He now has his own of each to follow along in his way when I am using mine. He tends to spend most of the time clipping or tying them on or off things, but that keeps him happy so all is good!


Races
A serious HT session for 2
Liam now "motorpaces" me from the scooter while I train
We are lucky in France that generally the races are held at great areas near lakes with playgrounds or at minimum good play areas. So taking swimmers, a ball or frisbee etc and some good snacks/lunch can make cheering Mum or Dad on during an Olympic or Long Course tri a really fun day out. There are always options for fun kids play between laps if you are looking.

When we were in Nice supporting at Ironman France on a hot day we ended up spending an hour with the kids at one of the fountains there as it was in the shade and lots more fun than the rocky beach for their soft feet. Race day treats like an icecream or dinner out on the way home make them look forward to being an integral part of the race experience too.

From my perspective I love having the kids and Rob at races. I look forward each lap to seeing them always acknowledge them with a big hello, high 5 or at least a wave if not possible. It lifts me for the few kms both going into where they are and out again. Rob meanwhile is developing a great ability to multitask, taking photos, managing the kids and sharing vital information with me as I pass, like how many women are ahead and how many seconds/minutes forward they are.

Back at home the kids also do their own triathlons complete with transitions and gels etc! These don't even need water as swimming can be done running with arms windmilling around your head, transitions can be completed with completely imaginary gear and sometimes the bike leg includes a real bike, sometimes a scooter, and sometimes just a run with arms forward in the TT position! Gels and bars are provided with muesli bars and fruit squeezes. It gives them a go in their way to do as we do. Next year Jackson may start the Minimen tris if he is still as keen as he is now. Until then, running around different trees and back three times can provide three times the fun for them too!

A bientot!
C

Girls bits

Women are different. We know this. We enjoy this. We have more shapes to our bodies and often our attitudes, we get cycles (not talking of the TT type this time) and have different metabolism and natural endurance / physical strength balances to men.
What we don't really know is how much of the training, nutrition, race prep, race day and recovery tips that are generally written by and for men are equally relevant to us.
There is some interesting research I found about this. I was intrigued by the concept recently after I read a blog that nicely highlighted the issues of male dominated studies and a few specific points about nutrition specific to carbo loading and recovery protien that it noted may not be as relevant to women.

http://amateurtrigirl.blogspot.com/2010/07/science-thursday-exercise-physiology.html

The 'girls' catching up after a race - Mt Blanc Triathlon 2010.
Tri - a great excuse to get good positive people together!
Women are physiologically and psychologically different on average to men. We were designed to be collecting berries not hunting the kangaroos! Men generally build strength to generate power more easily than women. Our endurance tends to be higher though, some studies showing it improving with age and childbirth.

Of course I would agree. My view is that a 6 hour bike ride before children could be deemed to be hard work, whereas a 6 hr bike ride now with a busy home full of never ending jobs and two adventurous, troublesome, fun and cheeky boys to manage, is almost relaxing time out, especially in the beautiful mountains around our home!

In extreme endurance racing the gap betweeen women and men shortens. In fact, in ultrarunning women can compete head to head with men, such as at the 2002 Badwater where Pam Reed won the race outright. In comparison in the 100m sprint, where power is key, the difference between current world records is 9.58s vs 10.49s (men 9.5% faster). In triathlon the percentage difference between men and women victors Alistair Brownlee and Emma Moffatt at the Olympic Distance ITU final last year was 13.7% versus last year's Ironman World Championships in Kona where the difference was 6.7%. Now we all know that Chrissy Wellington is an incredibly gifted female athlete, but then Crowie ain't too bad either!

There is always plenty of research to confuse by offering alternative / opposing views on the same subject. So without offering another view into this topic, I will provide some links if you are interested, note some major differences between genders in relation to triathlon to consider and mention a few things I have noticed in my own nutrition, training, racing and recovery.

Look for and listen to many opinions, try out those which you trust and / or sound reasonable and then look to your body for the feedback on whether it works for you or not over a sensible trial time. This is particularly true of women in the male dominated field of triathlon, but not uniquely so. Everyone's body is different, so listen to, and respect the feedback it gives you when you try something new.

Apologies for a long blog, but I have loved researching this topic. Really interesting! As it is such a big topic, I have split my thoughts into four areas: relevant differences in nutrition, training, social preferences and psychology. I will start to tackle each of them over the next few weeks so I can do them justice. Of course this is also a topic I will continually learn about so will add more over time too.