Tri4Him Coaching with Kirk Nelson

Big Announcement: Tri4Him Elite Team and Coaching Staff

2011-12-05T20:58:00.001-08:00

I am super excited to announce that I have joined the Tri4Him Elite Triathlon Team and Coaching Staff!

Tri4Him is a Christian Triathlon organization that offers a full range of coaching services and will soon be offering camps and clinics as well. In addition, Tri4Him has an Elite Triathlon Team and Age-Group Elite Team. Read about the mission of Tri4Him here.

Tri4Him serves a variety of ages and abilities. With youth and junior teams, community groups, Elite and amateur teams, and a host of individual members, Tri4Him offers two types of membership: "Community" and "Performance".

Community membership is essentially a Club membership, complete with sponsor discounts, online training support, training tools/tips, and access to local groups (depending on area). Community membership is for those looking to join a USAT-recognized Club, that want to be part of a team with access to various team benefits and discounts.

Performance membership is available for those desiring a customized training program, coaching, or both, in addition to a greater sponsor discount, and more expansive online training tools/support than what you'll find with Community Membership. My coaching services are available at both the Silver ($198) and Gold ($248) levels of Performance Membership. In addition, the Platinum level is also available (pricing TBD).

All Tri4Him coaches utilize the TriDot Training System to coach our athletes. The TriDot system is a unique way of quantifying training intensities and helps us create a unique training program to develop your personal weaknesses and build upon your strengths. I've worked under a variety of coaches utilizing a variety of methods, and I can honestly say the TriDot system is the most effective I've experienced, because of its ability to target precise training intensities and bring about desired training effects. You will be able to watch your fitness grow as your performance test times and race times drop.

You'll be hard-pressed to find greater value than what our Gold Performance Membership offers. Huge sponsor discounts, online training tools, community support, the TriDot Training System, and a talented, experienced coaching staff.........we are here to serve you!

Why the change?
Joining Tri4Him is truly an answered prayer for me. I absolutely love coaching and I absolutely love training and racing. What I don't love is the substantial amount of administrative work associated with operating a "one-man-show" coaching business. The extra administrative work each week put a squeeze on available training time, recovery time, and more importantly, time with my family and time with God.
By joining the Tri4Him coaching staff, I can focus my time/energy/efforts on what I do best -- coaching. It also affords me some extra time each week to invest in my training/recovery, wife Charity and daughter Selah, and my relationship with Jesus.

Furthermore, Tri4Him shares my faith and values, and provides additional support and encouragement for living out my faith through my coaching and racing career.

What about TriKirk Racing/Coaching/Camps?
All of my triathlon endeavors will now be done under the Tri4Him brand.
That includes my racing, coaching, and any clinics/camps I am a part of.

All of my personal racing/life adventures will be posted at my personal site, www.kirknelson.net. Any Tri4Him camps I am a part of will be posted at kirknelson.net as well as the Tri4Him site, www.tri4him.com

Thanks for your support over the years of TriKirk Racing, Coaching, and Camps. Please consider joining me as I transition to the Tri4Him Elite Team and Coaching Staff.

Running for HIM!
Kirk

TriKirk Athlete shout-out

2011-09-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

We've had a lot of athletes in action racing their "A" race of the year over the past several weeks and this post is devoted to those athletes. I swear I get just as excited race weekend COACHING these athletes as they do RACING the event!

Ursula Bowling -- IM Lake Placid. Not far off her IM PR-time, but probably her strongest/best IM effort on this tough course! -- 14:40

Jake Cooley -- IM 70.3 World Championships @ Las Vegas. Solid day for Jake in just his second season of racing! 5:00:26

Laura Coyle -- Boulder Divas Sprint Triathlon and Oktoberfest Sprint Triathlon -- 1:31:12

Chris Wolff -- Seattle Triathlon. Between Sprint/Olympic Distance. 18th Overall -- 1:13

Derek Garcia -- Coeur d'Alene Olympic Triathlon -- 1st Overall and 3rd overall win of the season. Upper Northwest Region Sprint/Olympic 2011 Champion!

Matt Tigchelaar -- IM Canada. First-Ever Ironman, solid finish on a hot day! -- 10:43:56

Andy Bohart -- Big Kahuna Half Iron. First-Ever Half Iron. 2nd Clydesdale and super fast time of 5:18:43!

So proud of you guys! Most of our athletes are done racing for the 2011 season, with the exception of Derek racing Kona October 8 for the 2nd consecutive year.

Coach

Know when to say when

2011-09-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

Over the past 6 or so weeks I've been training specifically for my next race, Rev3 Full (140.6) Cedar Point, September 11. Prior to training "specifically" for this race, I was most concerned with getting my L achilles completely healed, and spending the extra energy on particular weaknesses of my swimming and biking (namely threshold).

I had a little bit of a late start (mid-July) getting into ironman-type volume, so I've really tried my best to make the past 6-7 weeks count. And by "count" I mean getting in bigger volume, maintaining some quality, all while building my long runs and bikes to 2:15 and 6:00, respectively.

Anyone that's ever trained for an ironman, or even half for that matter, and has other things going on in life (wife, kids, work, etc.) knows that training does not always go to plan. Nor does sleep, eating, resting, etc., etc.

That's where I pick up the title of this post, "knowing when to say when."
Ironman training is about consistency over the long haul. A solid amount of volume sprinkled with quality, day after day, week after week, month after month. The temptation to go out and "kill" it in one heroic training session is trumped by stringing together a series of solid workouts day in and day out.

At least half a dozen times over the past 6 or so weeks I've headed out the door with a time/mileage/intensity/pace goal in mind for that particular session, and made the tough decision to say "when", and cut the session short, cut out intensity, or both. Saying "when" at mile 85 when you have 115 miles planned is hard on the ego and can diminish your confidence............ if you let it. But pulling the plug at just the right time can make the difference between staying on track or completely derailing your training program for the next 2-3 days.

I can think of one ride, specifically, during my buildup where I decided I was going to push well beyond what I had in the tank that day. My training partner Brad was feeling good (or at least decent, does anyone feel good during ironman training?) and started pushing the pace about 30 or so miles from home. I started the day fatigued, low on sleep, and low on energy, and I knew it. Had I been on my own, I would have shut it down the last 30 miles and taken it easy. Instead, I decided to match his effort and finished the ride on nothing but fumes, completely smashed, and extremely fatigued.

The next day, the day after, and the day after that were spent recovering from those last hard 30 miles of riding. I felt like complete garbage and had no energy for anything long or quality in any of the three disciplines.

So when should you say "when"? My general rule of thumb I give athletes and use myself is to end the mainset and long sessions in general feeling like you have another 1-2 repetitions or at least 10-15% time at the same effort level remaining when you actually stop the workout.

This gives you a chance to recover adequately and do it all over again tomorrow, albeit in another discipline or two (or three).

Being a smart self-coached athlete DURING your training session requires experience, wisdom, humility, and patience. It can be a very difficult decision to make but one your body will appreciate when you attempt to do it all over again tomorrow, next week, next month, etc. Consistency will ALWAYS trump knocking it out of the park in just one session, esp in longer endurance events.

I don't have it mastered, but I am getting better at it with hopes of it showing in my next ironman in 10 days. We'll see!

Coach Kirk

Matt Tigchelaar Loveland L2L RR

2011-06-29T09:22:00.001-07:00

First triathlon done in CO... and Wow!! Turns out this race was the regional qualifier for the US National Age Group olympic distance championship in August, so not only did a ton of CO talent show up, but from other states as well. 900+ signed up, 800+ finished. I stayed with my coach the night before, and we were on the road to the race at 4:40 the next morning. Ugh!

SWIM - water temps were good, water was clear, first race since late Sept so a little apprehensive about the swim, since it is my weakness. My wave was the very last of 6 waves and waves went off every 4 minutes, so aside from fighting people in MY wave, we had all the slow swimmers in the waves in front of us to go around. Started to get tired with about 500 meters to go, but kept a decent pace for me, and was out of the water in 25:50 ish. Good for 160-something place. Then the long run to T1...

BIKE - the Parlee was looking and feeling fast with the new Firecrest Zipps. Felt very good early (which was encouraging as I had dead legs all week). 1500+ft of climbing during the 30 mile ride. Tons of people to pass. Got passed by only one guy the whole way. Climbed well, descended well. Didn't quite know how to pace myself since I didn't know the whole course, but was shooting for 1:20 or under as my coach said that would be a really good time on this course. Had plenty left in my legs when the end of the bike came, time 1:22, good for 21.9+ mph over a pretty hilly course.

RUN - quick transition and on to the run. Was feeling fleet footed and was not keeping track of my mile pace so just let it go. Still passing a lot of M40-44. Ended up with 12th fastest run overall and only 1.5 minutes slower than my coach and another famous pro, time 37:43 for 10k or 6:05 pace.

Total time 2:29:30 something, good enough for 40th place overall... can't believe it wasn't higher, but there were just some serious fast dudes here, and I gave up 2-4 minutes on the swim to a lot of them, and that alone would move me up 15-20 spots. All in all happy with it, as my goal time was to break 2:30.

My coach was second overall, just 20 secs behind another pro who has won several Ironman races. Good stuff, fun race, lots of lean bodies and hard core athletes, and a few slow ones too!

Matt

Camp Coeur d'Alene - 5 spots remaining!

2011-05-06T00:10:00.000-07:00

We are putting the final touches on the 2011 TriKirk Camp Coeur d'Alene 5/19 - 5/22.

As of today, 5/5, there are 5 spots remaining -- Cost for this 4-day camp is $550.

See all the details including registration at www.trikirkcamps.com

It's sure to be an awesome, fun-filled, informative and challenging camp so come join us!

Kirk

5 Improvement Categories -- which are for me?

2011-05-04T17:32:00.001-07:00

Regardless of your triathlon ability, chances are you are trying to get faster at triathlon.

As I write this on the fly, there are essentially 5 different Improvement Categories in triathlon (that I can think of at least), as it relates to lowering overall race times.

Improvement Categories:

1. "Lighter/faster/stiffer" Equipment -- Better, lighter, stiffer, more aero. requires more money.

2. Fitness -- Increase in actual physical fitness at the cellular level, in the heart, lungs, and muscles. Requires patience, time, and consistency.

3. Mechanics/Position -- Increase in efficiency, power, or both based on a biomechanical or positional change. Requires coach and/or knowledge of good mechanics and devotion to practicing/incorporating better mechanics.

4. Body Care/Maintenance/health/Recovery -- Preventing injury, healthy eating, massage, vitamins, sleep, etc. Requires more time and/or more energy and/or more money.

5. Coaches and Training Tools -- Incorporating the usage of people or equipment that allow you to train smarter and more effectively by allowing you to optimize your available training time and be more objective and quantify zones, intensities, and effort. (power meters, pace watches, pace clocks, workoutlog, etc.)

Depending on your available time, budget, goals, goal range (short term vs. long term), and resources, you may be able to make improvements in one or more of the above Improvement Categories.

Here I discuss those improvement categories and what it takes to obtain improvements via the different categories.

***(The 5 Improvement Categories themselves are not arranged in any particular order)***

1. "Ligher/Faster/Stiffer" Equipment. This category generally requires spending of more money but not always. Most items in this category are described by retailers that sell them as being "lighter, faster, stiffer, and more aero". (different from equipment that allows you to train smarter, that is Category #5)

This category includes the purchase and utilization of equipment that makes you instantly faster without any gains in fitness, just spending some (oftentimes) BIG BUCKS!

Starting with the *generally* most effective and working down (will depend on the individual athlete)

1. Aero Bars or Clip-on Aero Bars. $50 - $1,000. For those of you currently using regular road or mountain bike handlebars. Aerobars get you lower and "tighter", reducing your frontal area to the wind.

2. Aero Helmet. ~$100 - $200. Lots of BANG for your buck when it comes to aerodynamics. Selection of the proper helmet depends on your bike position and specifically your head position while cycling in aero position. For example, LG Vortice and Rocket Air fit me very well, while Rudy Project Aero helmets do not fit me.

3. Comfortable Saddle. $50 - $200. one that allows you to be comfortable and STAY in aero position rather than sitting up or standing often because your butt hurts or anatomy is numb.

4. Aero Wheels. $800 - $3,000. A good investment if your riding speed in no-wind, flat conditions is 18+ mph. any slower, and the wheels don't make much of an impact.

5. Lighter Wheels. $400 - $3,000. A good investment anytime you go uphill or have a race that involves a lot of climbing. (oftentimes, carbon race wheels are BOTH lighter and more aero)

6. TT bike frame. $1,000 - $6,000. can be quite expensive here, but not necessarily. TT frames generally allow you to get into a more powerful and aero position than a road bike for the purposes of triathlon racing. the important thing is that you are on a TT frame that allows you to get into a very aero position (see Category #3 efficiency/position as well)

7. Comfortable cycling-specific shoes with clipless pedals. $150 - $350. Cycling or triathlon specific cycling shoes and clipless pedals. ones that keep your feet comfortable the entire ride. reduces or eliminates numbness, and has a stiff sole for cycling power transfer. Especially important if you are currently using "rat-traps" platform pedals, or cycling in running shoes.

8. There are TONS of others we could talk about here -- wetsuits, upgraded components, aero bottles, etc., just wanted to give you a general idea)

2. Hard-Earned Fitness. Talking about physical adaptations and changes that occur inside the body, namely in the muscles, lungs, heart, blood, and blood plumbing (capillaries and such). You need time to build this kind of fitness. Fitness is cumulative and that's why the winners of endurance sporting events are athletes that have trained consistently and effectively for a long period of time. Even if you have bad mechanics and technique, you may still get fit by just plain training hard and for a long time. (In fact, you might become really "fit" at BAD mechanics, which just means you have practiced and mastered a certain muscle pattern over time, even if it is not an efficient motion you have mastered) Most triathletes don't have the patience or available training time to reach their potential as far as fitness goes. You have to wait for this one, and that's where you can beat someone that has more talent than you by outlasting them in years of training by avoiding burnout, injury, illness, etc. You can get a certain amount "fit" within the span of a few months, but the dedication to consistency is key -- day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.........

3. Mechanics, efficiency, technique. Increase in efficiency, power, or both based on a biomechanical or positional change. Bike fits, running/swimming video analysis sessions, and training camps that teach good mechanics. Requires knowledge of good mechanics and devotion to practicing/incorporating better mechanics.

This is "Free" speed. A simple arm motion change, or body position change in swimming can result in instant speed increase at the same or even reduced effort. Likewise for the bike and run. Simply learning and putting into practice efficient technique can make you faster nearly instantly. The key is to learn good mechanics and focus on keeping good mechanics throughout every session. This is often what separates good amateur athletes from elite athletes. Elite athletes *generally* have learned good (or at least decent) mechanics and it's evident when you watch them swim, bike, run. They make it look "easy" by staying relaxed, smooth, and being as efficient as possible through the usage and practice of good mechanics. This is where most amateur athletes have MUCH to gain and why I stress it so much!

4. Body Care/Maintenance/health/Recovery -- Preventing injury, healthy eating, massage, vitamins, sleep, etc. Requires more time and/or more energy and/or more money. It's easy to lack in this area especially if you are a type A athlete. Forcing yourself to recover, nap, or get a massage when your body needs it can be hard, but necessary for adaptation to training. One part this is tools and gadgets related -- massage sticks, foam roller, self-massage tools, Compression apparel, Compression equipment (Recovery Pump, etc.). The other component is time and money -- massage therapist, naps, relaxation, etc.

Very important and often overlooked. Here is an example: Suzy Triathlete is given Sunday off completely to recover from a hard week of training and long Saturday brick workout. To her, a "day off" means an opportunity to clean the house, plant a garden, wash clothes, catch up on bills, and wash windows. While this stuff must get done and she might be the only one to do it, this is NOT a recovery day by any stretch and won't allow her body the type of recovery needed to repair and strengthen itself. I don't have the answer to this dilemma as triathlon is not the only thing in our lives and certainly not the most important thing. I just wanted to point this out for illustration purposes.

5. Training Tools and Coaches -- Incorporating the usage of coaches, training camps, and/or equipment that allows you to train smarter and more effectively by allowing you to make better usage of your available training time, be objective and quantify zones, intensities, and effort. (power meters, pace watches, tempo trainer, pace clocks, workoutlog, RaceDay, etc.)

This falls under the category of training smarter, not necessarily harder.

A coach or group of advisers can help you make informed decisions about how to train, when to work hard, when to rest, when to take nutrition, what nutrition to take, etc. Likewise, tools such as powermeters, pace watches, and software like Workoutlog, RaceDay, or Training Peaks, help you to quantify your training so that you can be objective in your training. Say you want to run an 8:00/mile average in your next 10k. A Garmin pace watch can help you achieve that goal by telling you how fast you are running during your training runs. You can then practice running 8:00/mile in training to prepare your body to do it on race day. Likewise a powermeter can do the same by keeping you "honest" in training and staying in the wattage range you need to achieve your goals. By combining coaching with training tools, you can now have someone optimize your training time AND your intensities/zones, the best of all worlds! Unfortunately, these things (and us coaches) require spending money, but the results and outcome can be very worth the investment when compared to the cost of new wheels, race entry fees, and a new bike frameset.

Take a look at the 5 different improvement categories and make notes on where you think you can make improvements. Now, take out your budget and look at what will give you the most bang-for-your-buck. Maybe you need better recovery habits? A little massage? Perhaps, you would stand to benefit from a Pace watch or powermeter and train smarter. Or maybe your technique stinks and it's time to hire a knowledgeable coach to help you become more efficient and/or more powerful. We all want to make improvements in our respective sport, just a matter of deciding where to invest our resources of time, energy, and money.

As always, don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, we'd love to help out!

Kirk and Derek

TriKirk Camp Coeur d'Alene spots still available!

2011-04-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Our May 19 - 22 spring camp in Coeur d'Alene Camp still has a few spots remaining, so act soon if you want to join us!

The camp is geared toward long-course multisport athletes focusing on half/70.3 and full/140.6 distance multisport events.

Registration cost is $600 and sign-up is available until camp is sold out or 5/18/11.

All training sessions are fully-coached and fully-supported. Unlike most other camps, we have specific, A/B/C-level workouts for each training session sure to challenge every athlete's current fitness/ability level. In addition, each athlete will receive individual feedback and attention throughout the weekend, including personal video analysis of both running and swimming form.

This is a great opportunity to get on the Ironman Coeur d'Alene course and train hard for 4-days straight without any distractions or worries! We will guide you through the course and give you valuable race strategies that apply to long course racing in general and IM CdA in particular. Combined, TriKirk Coaches Kirk and Derek have a TON of long course racing and coaching experience including top Age-Group and Pro finishes, Kona qualifying on IM CdA course, and numerous 70.3 and full IM PRs by our athletes and clients.

Even if you are not racing IM CdA in 2011, you are sure to learn a ton from the camp, get quality training in, and enjoy some of the most beautiful training grounds in the country!

Feel free to contact us using our contact form to ask any questions you may have regarding camp.

We hope you will consider joining us!

TriKirk Coaches,

Kirk Nelson

Derek Garcia

www.trikirkcamps.com

Running Form, Multi-angle

2011-01-19T09:02:00.000-08:00

Multi-angle Running form on Treadmill.
Light, "hot-coals", Mid-foot strike.
Tall through the upperbody
elbows driving back
cadence of upper 80s/lower 90s
heel comes straight up toward butt for combination high-knee/Butt-kick recovery
relaxed shoulders and arms

Description of running form with pre-run muscle activation via Tiger Tail.

Workout Videos: Homemade Vasa and Muscle Activations

2010-12-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

Video #1: Swim-specific resistance dry-land training -- Homemade Vasa and Real Vasa exercises

Video #2: Preventing Run Injury -- Lower body Muscle Stabilization Exercises and Muscle Activation Methods

Nutritional info for endurance athletes

2010-12-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

I wrote these thoughts (not particularly organized) down recently for a client with a weight loss goal of ~30 pounds before mid-season, 2011.

I've decided to share with the rest of you as well.

These are unorganized points that can be used regardless of what goals you may have, whether its losing weight, gaining weight, changing body composition, etc.

I apologize as these are all over the map, but they do pertain to active multisport endurance athletes. most of this was written with a goal of overall weight loss in mind.

I will probably add to it down the road, and will post the updated version. maybe a book someday :-)

Healthy eating for Multisport athletes. A lifestyle not a diet!

Limit Calorie dense foods (cheese, caramel, ice cream, deep fried, heavy desserts, etc.)

Substitute Avocado for cheese. it's creamy, good, and has healthy fats vs. bad, saturated fats found in cheese.

Drink Skim or 1% milk. yogurt instead of ice cream. mustard instead of mayo.

don't try to lose more than 1-2 pounds a week. you need to exercise to lose weight (fat) and you need energy to train! if you starve yourself you will not be able to train and you will tell your body to conserve the few calories you do put into it.

if your goal is body composition change (less fat %, increased muscle %), then be patient. muscle weighs more than fat. you can lose fat, gain muscle, and overall gain weight or stay even initially.

running will lean you out more than biking or swimming.

biking alone will make your legs/buttocks bigger due to increased muscle mass.

swimming will make your shoulders/chest/arms bigger due to increase muscle mass.

running will make you leaner all-around. it is a full weight bearing activity, meaning lighter is faster and less impact. the body will respond by losing overall muscle mass and total body mass.

also, running is more calories burned per hour.

calories burned per hour, approximate:

130 pound woman, moderate intensity:

running = 700-800

biking = 575-675

swimming = 500-600

170 pound man, moderate intensity:

running = 950 - 1,050

biking = 800-900

swimming = 700-800

consider supplementing with whey protein, casein, and/or amino acids. as endurance athletes you cause tremendous damage to your muscles and need the proteins/amino acids to rebuild and repair. some comes with food, but rarely is an long course athlete during the middle of their big build able to get enough quality protein from food alone. Consider supplementing with 1-2 servings per day of 20g women, 25g men of whey protein. 2 servings on long, hard days. 1 serving on easier days. before and/or after training session.

use amino acids/protein DURING training as well. when it's already in place in the body, your body will use it to repair itself immediately after the training session is over.

about 4-6 g of amino acids per 300 calories in a drink. or up to 10 g per 200 calories in a bar.

amino acids are better than whey protein but probably more expensive. amino acids don't have to be digested, they are absorbed immediately. protein takes longer.

casein is a protein, it is slowly digested and absorbed. Ideal for taking before bed as part of a chocolate shake or fruit smoothie.

whey protein is more quickly absorbed and better for taking in the morning prior to working out.

50/50 combo of whey protein and casein proteins are great for recovery. The whey helps immediately, while the casein comes into play later.

Soy protein is a vegan alternative, but much less quality than whey protein and casein.

don't ever starve yourself. this tells body to go into conservation mode and cling tightly to all calories. result is decreased metabolism.

don't drink too much juice out of a carton. processed and lacks fiber and nutrients originally found in the fruit itself.

if you like juice, then get a Juicing Machine! this is the healthy way to drink juice and a good juicer will keep the nutrients and healthy stuff you want.

better yet, get a vitamix or Health Master. these powerful machines leave the pulp from fruits and veggies in, making sure you get all the healthy fiber. The pulpy consistency may be hard to swallow.......

avoid creamy dressings like ranch and ceasar. try vinegars, light oils, but nothing artificial.

eat immediately following workouts. if you starve yourself after working out, your body goes into conservation mode and you feel like crap later because you didn't recover well.

Training is more about recovery than it is going hard. ANYBODY can go hard in training when they feel good. the REAL question is: CAN YOU RECOVER SMARTLY AND QUICKLY AND CAN YOU BACK OFF ENOUGH IN SUBSEQUENT WORKOUTS TO ABSORB THE TRAINING?

get good sleep. try to NOT set the alarm clock and wake up naturally at least 2 times each week and preferably up to 5 times a week. take a nap if you have time and are fatigued.

use caffeine sparingly for training purposes ONLY. When you do use caffeine, be careful not to go TOO hard, or the recovery cost will be TOO high and take too long!

start with 25mg of caffeine and take small doses over the course of a long ride or long run.

While training, always STOP before you are completely SMASHED. the recovery cost is too high and too long. triathlon training is more about consistency over the long haul.

Increase size of meals prior to 5pm. this helps avoid over eating at 6pm dinner time. when you over eat 2 things happen:

1. you stretch your stomach, now it takes more food to make your body feel full

2. you store the extra, un-needed calories as fat. doesn't matter if it was carbs or protein going in your mouth, if you eat 2,000 calorie dinner, you'll store it as fat.

When to eat

5-6 smaller meals a day

for example, 6 meals a day, with biggest meals (calorie wise) at 7am breakfast and 1pm lunch.

7am pre-workout breakfast, 10am post-workout, 1pm lunch, 3pm pre-workout, 6pm post-workout, 8pm light snack

If you want to lose weight, Drink 1-2 glasses (8-16 oz) of water before taking first bite of food. you will stop eating when you "feel" full. Trick your body into thinking you are full by putting something in your stomach that is not calorie dense -- things like water, veggies, lettuce, rice, oatmeal, etc.

Have a sweet craving? Don't ignore it, satisfy it in moderation and with substitutes/alternatives.

supplement with protein. increased protein intake curbs desire for sweets

substitute sweet fruits, popcorn, lightly sweetened cereal, peanut butter and jelly toast, almond butter + apples, for heavy, fat-and-sugar loaded desserts.

mix chocolate milk with regular white milk -- still tastes good, but less fat/sugar.

When (not if, but when) you do give in to sweets cravings, eat it with a meal rather than by itself. This will limit the blood sugar spike effect of having sweets alone by themselves. for example, eat the ice cream or cookies with your meal. literally, one bite of cookie, then one bite of chicken, then a bite of rice/veggie mix.

the other time to eat sweets is when you are training! Your blood sugar level rises naturally while training and your body will process a snickers bar or coke while you are actively working out better than just sitting at work.

Avoid frozen meals, and food that comes in boxes, bags, or cartons with nutritional labels half a page long. Food in boxes, bags, and cartons generally means processed and preserved with chemicals and extra stuff.

Cooking is a pain -- cleanup, time, energy, etc. When you do make a good, healthy meal from scratch, make a lot of it!

Make good, healthy meals in large quantities. Freeze or refrigerate the leftovers. Re-heat the leftovers in toaster oven, skillet, or oven (food does not taste good reheated in the microwave!!)

Avoid artificial colors and sweetners. Avoid soda (diet and regular), sweetened tea, coffee with fat/sugar, energy drinks, etc.

drink green tea or another non-sweetened tea. Add Agave nectar to sweeten tea.

Don't eat right before bed. if you get to bed at 10pm, stop eating by 8pm.

Eat right when you wake up, don't wait. your body has already been starving, it needs food NOW. if you're not hungry when you wake up, it's probably because you are use to starving it by making a habit of not eating breakfast in the first place. if you don't eat now, you will OVER eat later.

don't OVER EAT. this stretches the stomach, requiring greater volume of food to make you feel full. if your goal is to lose weight, all the body wants is to feel full, then you'll stop eating. foods that are calorie low-density will do the trick and give you less calories per volume of food. starving yourself earlier in the day will increase the chances of you over-eating later in the day. like mom always said, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

coffee/caffeine increases fat oxidation. will help you burn fat while exercising. use it sparingly and don't go too hard! you'll know if you've gone too hard later, when you come down from the caffeine high and you feel like you've been run over by a truck!

Use Agave Nectar and honey in place of sugar/artificial sweetner, to sweeten things.

Use Olive Oil in place of butter.

There is no rule saying you have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast. Try eating leftover lunch/dinner meals for breakfast, it's not that bad!

There is no rule saying you can't eat veggies for breakfast! veggies are naturally basic (pH > 7) which balance out the acidity of sugary, sweet foods and fruits which are acidic (pH < 7). too much of our diet is acidic and our body must be more basic in order for immune system and digestive system to function properly.

Salt your foods to taste, not before trying! use minimal amounts of salt. Reserve your salting for training and racing, and only when you NEED it!

if you over salt your food in meals, you will sweat more salt and increase your chances of cramping in training and racing.

Your body will learn to become more efficient in its usage of salt if you use it sparingly in regular eating.

Don't go grocery shopping when you are starved. make a list and stick to it.

shop the perimeter of the grocery store -- produce, dairy, etc. occasionally go down a center isle but only for stuff like oatmeal, nut butters, salsa, pasta, rice, beans, etc.

go on the internet to find new recipes to try: allrecipes.com is one of Charity's favorites.

Out of site, out of mind. if there's a certain unhealthy food or snack you can't help but indulge yourself in, then hide it! or don't buy it in the first place.

Don't rationalize at the store. if you buy it and bring it home, you will eat it. if you have a particular weakness to soda or candy and you buy it, you will probably eat too much too quickly. have a spouse hide it or don't bring it home in the first place.

Good things to eat for multisport athletes:

Fruit smoothies -- banana + berries/tropical fruits, yogurt, whey protein powder (no more than 25 g for men, 20 g for women), juice (OJ, grape, apple), and blend in The Magic Bullet!

meals that combine raw, lightly steamed, or lightly cooked veggies, lean meat like chicken, fish, buffalo, carbohydrate like pasta, rice, potato with skin. side of grapes, clementine, apples, etc.

Avoid CREAMY sauces. use soy, asian, rubs, marinara, pesto sauces.

egg bagel sandwich. egg + spinach, tomato, onion, mushrooms, avocado, turkey, bagel. can even add small piece of swiss cheese (yay!)

tuna salad on a bagel

egg salad on a bagel

celery + almond butter

non-sugar jelly + almond butter on sourdough or bagel or bread

oatmeal sweetened with almond butter and agave nectar

apple + almond butter

raw or roasted mixed nuts or almonds.

breakfast burritos: egg, tortilla, tomato, onion, spinach, bell peppers, jalenpeno, curry spice, salsa, avocado, and a tiny bit of well-done bacon (drain extra fat/grease with paper towel)!

fajitas: tortilla, rice, beans, bell peppers, jalepenos, tomato, onion, mushrooms, avocado/guacamole, beef or chicken

chicken pesto pasta: pasta, fresh basil, pine nuts, spinach, mushrooms, tomato, sun-dried tomato, onion, bell peppers, chicken breast.

Coach Kirk

TriKirk Camp St. George, March 14/17 - 20, 2011 OFFICIALLY OPEN!

2010-12-10T00:40:00.000-08:00

Visit the TriKirk Camps website for more info and to register for the camp.
We hope you will consider joining us!!!

TriKirk Coaching Staff,
Kirk
Derek

Off-Season tips and Myth Busting

2010-12-06T14:17:00.001-08:00

Off-Season Tips:
It's officially the off-season, and now is the perfect time to focus on improving your weaknesses as an athlete, especially refining your form/technique and doing the type of training you are not so good at. If you lack top-end speed/power, then do some sprints! If you're not good at hills, then ride/run some hills! Get a variety in of the areas/intensities you are not good at and become better at them! If you live in an area where running and especially cycling becomes limited during the winter months, increase the intensity of your workouts to get more "bang" for your training "buck." Additionally, if you lack strength in any of the three disciplines, now might be the perfect opportunity to increase sport-specific functional strength by doing some very specific strength exercises and drills. Finally, the proper execution of "block-training" can allow you to make new jumps in fitness by focusing more on just one or two disciplines while putting the other(s) into maintenance mode. If you are currently a client of ours, then you already know what I'm talking about!

Here's the point: Don't waste your off-season logging long, slow, "base-building" miles and doing the same things you have been doing every other off-season! While aerobic (base) training is important, there are several more benefits to reap from doing a variety of intensities that include aerobic intensity. Let us help you insert the right kinds and quantities of intensity and sport-specific strength to help you get faster and get the most out of your precious, often limited, training time.

Myth Buster: Cross-Training

Contrary to what you may have read or what your training partners may have told you, Cross-training (use of non-triathlon activities to improve overall fitness) is probably not doing what you hope it will. Cross-Training (P90X, Cross-Country Skiing, yoga, kick-boxing, etc.) will help improve your overall health and may even improve/maintain your aerobic (cardiovascular) conditioning. The problem lies in the fact that fitness has two components: fitness of the muscles, and fitness of the heart and lungs. Muscle "fitness" can only be trained (improved) by doing sport specific activities, which are limited to 1. the sport itself, and 2. sport specific strength/resistance movements that mimic the sport in question or provide stabilization to the muscles involved. Fitness of the heart and lungs is trained by doing anything that gets your heart rate up for a prolonged period of time. For non-couch potatoes (most triathletes), our heart-and-lung-fitness (cardiovascular conditioning) is fairly good, meaning that cross-training isn't very helpful in terms of making you a faster triathlete. Assuming your goal is to become a better triathlete, cross-training is not going to magically make us faster at swimming, biking, or running.

Cross-Training has its place:

-- Staying active during vacation or the winter months when swimming, biking, running are either not available or difficult.

-- overcoming an injury (for example, doing stair-stepper or elliptical when getting over a running injury)

-- getting the family involved in endurance activities

-- variety during the off-season to avoid burnout and take a break from triathlon training

-- limited training options due to weather, travel, or location

-- your goals with triathlon are more health and recreational-oriented, rather than being competitive, time, or results-based

Here's the point: Specificity Rules! To improve at X, you have to practice X! Don't do Y or Z if your goal is to improve at X. To get REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good at X, you have to practice X consistently, frequently, intelligently, and for a long time (~10,000 hours to become world class)!!

Helping you get faster,

TriKirk Coaches,

Kirk and Derek

SC TriKirk Athletes Successful at 2010 IM AZ

2010-12-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

Santa Clarita TriKirk Racing Athletes David Vied and Ursula Bowling overcame. Not only did they overcome obstacles on race day, but in just getting to the start line!

Unbelievably hectic weekly work travel and a recurring back injury made the thought of completing IM AZ at times seem very bleak for David, and perhaps out of reach. In prior years, injury and work travel have kept David from being able to start the IM's he was registered for. Not giving up on his goal of completing an IM, David was determined to start and more importantly, finish, 2010 IM AZ.

Meanwhile, Ursula has experienced a little bit of everything life can bring over the past year, including highs and lows: loss of a loved one in the family; recurring shin splints; an Ironman PR at 2010 IM Wisconsin in September; and a hard fall during her final pre-race training ride just 2 days before IM AZ! Not certain if she would even be able to start the race, Ursula found the courage to begin with the hope that she could overcome a deeply bruised thigh and hip that made walking alone exceptionally difficult!

With the SC Support Crew (made up of family members, friends, and training partners) there to cheer them on, David and Ursula arrived at the start line ready to conquer the IM AZ course on what was to be a cold, windy, and challenging day. With the help of her friend, TriKirk Racing teammate, and PT professional, Suzanne Hawson, Ursula was able to reduce much of the swelling and come up with a way to better support her injured leg on race day.

Water temp around 60F, gusty winds ranging from 20-40 mph, and periodic rain showers, the 2010 IM AZ was not your as-advertised, sunny, warm, relatively calm, flat, and fast race course! Regardless of the challenges they faced to get to this point, David and Ursula put everything behind them and focused on the task at hand -- swimming 2.4 miles, riding 112, and running a full 26.2 mile marathon.

Following a successful, yet challenging swim, David and Ursula began the bike with a plan of riding steadily and conservatively. Keeping up with nutrition, they executed well on the bike and overcame howling, gusting winds and periods of rain showers. Feeling the effects of her hard fall just two days prior, Ursula was forced to alter her run/walk race plan in favor of more walking. David, meanwhile, came off the bike in a good position, but was feeling the pain and fatigue of Ironman racing starting to creep into the body. Feeding off energy the SC Support Crew was radiating, these two athletes finished off the marathon in strong fashion!!!

Rarely does training or racing ever go ideally for any athlete, but these two had exceptional challenges they had to overcome just to arrive at the start, let alone going the full 140.6 miles on race day!

I am extremely proud of David for battling the back issues and work travel schedule that would have defeated the majority of us from even making it to the start line. He did not lose hope of completing his first IM when things were looking rather bleak just two-three months ago. On race day, he raced smart, within himself, and without backing down or giving in. Congrats David, you are an Ironman!

Likewise, I am very proud of Ursula for even suiting up on race day! After seeing her bruised leg, cuts, and scratches, I know I would have had a difficult time making the decision to attempt a full IM. She remained positive and hopeful following the crash which allowed her to start that race. Once in the race, she was determined to finish no matter how much pain or suffering she was experiencing. While it may not have been her fastest IM to this point, it may certainly have been her most challenging and one that she can be most proud of!

Congratulations David and Ursula!

And Congratulations to David's wife, Johanne, as she too, has overcome some very difficult challenges from a serious bike accident to get to this start line and go on to finish the race in an impressive time!

That wraps up the 2010 TriKirk Racing Season! Hope to see you out there in 2011!

Coach Kirk

New TriKirk Coaching Packages and Pricing

2010-10-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

We have been BUSY lately! In addition to training our butts off, over the past few months we have spent several hours revamping our websites, reconstructing our coaching packages and pricing, and worked hard on planning workshops, camps, and clinics for the upcoming winter off-season and spring 2011.

TriKirk Coaching Packages:

Full-Service Personal Coaching is our hallmark TriKirk Coaching package. We are known for our knowledge of, and ability to teach the sport of triathlon, and we love to share it! This package is perfect for the athlete that is truly a "student of the sport" and wants to get the most out of all the time, energy, and money they have invested in training and racing. This package includes unlimited on-the-fly adjustments, unlimited coach contact, nutritional planning/strategies, training zones and adjustments, completely personalized training plan that is continually refined and optimized, discounts on all TriKirk Camps/Clinics, discounts from awesome TriKirk Racing Team Sponsors like Infinit Nutrition, Zeal Optics, and Colorado Multisport, and the option to add 1-1 Training sessions to learn proper mechanics and improve efficiency. We even offer a 30-day Full-Service Coaching "fit" Guarantee.

Custom Coaching is essentially a custom training plan plus monthly coach contact. This is the perfect option for the athlete on a limited budget but still wanting a made-from-scratch training plan, made to fit the individual athlete. A monthly phone/email/skype coach contact is included to make sure you are staying on track and answer your questions. Access to TriKirk Racing Team Sponsor discounts and TriKirk Camp/Clinic discounts are also included with Custom Coaching.

Click the Tabs above for more details and pricing information.

We know triathlon and we want to help! We are here to help you stay motivated and improve this off-season. Contact us to get started right away!

Coach Kirk
Coach Derek

TriKirk Coaching FREE Winter Workshop Series

2010-10-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

TriKirk Coaching Winter Workshop Series:

Hosted by Colorado Multisport in Boulder, CO on the first Thursday of the months Dec, Jan, Feb, March.

I will be leading a series of triathlon workshops over the upcoming winter months. The workshops will focus on off-season training, improving your limiters/weaknesses, improving technique, etc. After an intro lecture/demonstrational period we will break up into smaller groups to discuss topics, learn new techniques, answer questions, and address specific questions.

All workshops will take place at Colorado Multisport in Boulder, beginning at 6:30pm, on the First Thursday of each month, December, 2010 through March, 2011.

Colorado Multisport

2705A Spruce St.

Boulder, CO 80302

(303) 865-4604

Totally FREE to the public!! Bring your friends and training partners!

#1. 6:30pm, Thursday, December 2, 2010:

"Off-Season Training: Turning Weakness into Strength"

#2. 6:30pm, Thursday, January 6, 2011:

"Mastering Mechanics: Improving Technique and Efficiency in Triathlon"

#3. 6:30pm, Thursday, February 3, 2011:

"Running Fast off the Bike: Position, Pacing, Practice"

#4. 6:30pm, Thursday, March 3, 2011:

TBA

Hope to see you there!!
Kirk

New Websites!!

2010-10-13T11:10:00.001-07:00

I've COMPLETELY redone all TriKirk websites!

My original site, www.trikirk.com, has grown into three distinct sites:

1. TriKirk Racing -- this page. homepage for my racing: results, schedule, sponsors, pics, blog, media, contact, etc.

2. TriKirk Coaching -- my Coaching Page. Homepage for all things related to Coaching: philosophy, packages, pricing, camps, clinics, current athletes, contact

3. TriKirk Racing Store -- Online store for men's and women's TriKirk Racing apparel and accessories, lightly used triathlon gear and equipment like wheels, components, saddles, shoes, etc.

If you're into twitter and/or facebook, I have those too:
Twitter: twitter.com/kirknelson
Facebook Fan Page: TriKirk Racing

Everything is current and I plan on keeping it that way!

Drop me a line if I am missing something important!

Kirk

IM Training Tip: even-split power/pace vs. even-split effort

2010-10-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

The longer the race, the more important pacing is. Go out too hard in a long course race (esp full IM) and the second half will suffer (not to mention any disciplines that follow).

If you have a power meter or pace device, even-splitting is pretty straight forward. Pick a very carefully selected goal # you want hold (coach will help you with this), watch the number and try to hold the same # throughout (+/- upper and lower limits stated below below).

Full IM bike perceived exertion if no power/pace device:
In a full IM race, in terms of perceived exertion on the bike, the first third should feel moderately ez, the middle third will feel moderate, and the last third should feel moderately hard.

The run should go something like this: First third is moderately ez, middle third moderate to moderately hard, last third moderately hard to very hard, on the verge of excruciating!

upper/lower limits on IM pacing/effort:

Set upper limits for uphills and headwinds:
bike power -- never above Half Iron power # or effort. too many athletes ride uphills and headwinds closer to threshold power without even knowing it and suffer severely the last part of the bike and the marathon.
run pace -- will slow depending on the grade. try to keep the same effort it took to maintain your goal Pace on flat terrain, and perhaps slightly more effort.

Set lower limits for downhills and tailwinds:
bike power -- unless coasting due to severe tailwind or downhill, never more than 20% below goal IM power # or effort level. the goal is a mostly steady effort with few interruptions.
run pace -- will increase depending on the grade. try to keep the same effort it took to maintain your goal Pace on flat terrain, or perhaps slightly less effort.

Half iron/70.3 bike perceived exertion if no power/pace device:
In a half iron/70.3 race, in terms of perceived exertion on the bike, the first half should feel moderate to moderately hard, and the last half should feel moderately hard to hard.
The run should go something like this: First half is moderately hard, miles 7 - 10 hard, and last 5k hard to excruciating!

upper/lower limits on Half Iron/70.3 pacing/effort:

Set upper limits for uphills and headwinds:
bike power -- never above Threshold power # or effort. too many athletes ride uphills and headwinds well above threshold power without even knowing it and suffer severely the last part of the bike and the half marathon.

run pace -- will slow depending on the grade. try to keep the same effort it took to maintain your goal Pace on flat terrain, and perhaps slightly more effort.

Set lower limits for downhills and tailwinds:
bike power -- unless coasting due to severe tailwind or downhill, never below full IM power #/effort. the goal is a mostly steady effort with few interruptions.
run pace -- will increase depending on the grade. try to keep the same effort it took to maintain your goal Pace on flat terrain, or perhaps slightly less effort.

Coach Kirk

TriKirk Athletes excel at Kona!

2010-10-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

TriKirk athletes Derek Garcia and Steve Richard had a phenomenal day at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii!!!

Steve Richard placed 6th in the Male 18-24 age-Group, crossing the line in a IM PR time of 9:36:24. Steve qualified at the 2010 IM CdA in 9:45:43.

Derek Garcia set a 20 minute IM PR finishing in 9:48:37 and placing 39th overall in a competitive Male 25-29 age-group.

So awesome to see you guys cross the tape online tonight! Congratulations and can't wait to hear all about it!!

Kirk

TriKirk Athletes at IM Wisconsin

2010-10-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

TriKirk Athletes, Ursula Bowling and Suzanne Hawson, raced and completed IM Wisconsin, 9/12/10.

Training partners and friends, the two have been training together the past few years. Up until this season, however, Suzanne had only accompanied Ursula during Urs' full IM training without ever actually attempting the distance herself. Suzanne chose IM Wisconsin as her first full distance event, a very hilly and challenging bike course with a moderately rolling run course.

In Suzanne's first full IM distance event, she was not sure what to expect, but had a very solid day and never slowed as she broke the tape in 13:58.

Ursula, on the other hand, was racing her 4th full IM distance and came into the race with a previous IM PR of 15:00 at 2009 IM Canada. She improved greatly upon that time, coming in at 14:24.

Ursula, a slightly better swimmer than Suzanne, exited the water with about a 7-minute lead over her BFF and training partner.

Once on the bike, Suzanne, caught up with Urs about mid-way through the bike. The two rode together (within sight of one another, not side-by-side) for a portion of the ride, until Ursula encouraged Suzanne to ride off ahead.

Onto the run course the two saw one another a few times during the out-and-back sections. Both in good spirits, they cheered one another and encouraged one another each time they passed by.

Not wearing a watch, Suzanne was unaware of the fact that she was very close to breaking the 14-hour barrier! Ursula told her she was close and Suzanne kept pace and managed to break 14 hours.

Way to go Ladies!!

Coach Kirk

TriKirk Athletes prepare for Kona

2010-09-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

TriKirk athletes, Steve Richard and Derek Garcia are in the final stages of Kona preparation. Steve will be competing in the Male 20-24 age group and qualified by winning his age group at 2010 IM Coeur d'Alene (IM CdA) in 9:45. Derek also earned his Kona spot at IM CdA, but competing in the Male 25-29 age-group.

The two of them have both been training extremely hard and consistently over the past 12 weeks. We will be rooting for them as we track them online at ironman.com Athlete Tracker.

Have a great race and remember we are rooting for you!!!

Coach Kirk and Coach Eric

TriKirk Running Clinic- Blog post from a participant

2010-08-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, TriKirk Coaching put on a run clinic at Skyline High School in Longmont. A participant from the clinic and Blue Sky Velo member had something to say about it..check it out..

http://blueskyvelo.blogspot.com/2010/08/if-gazelles-could-talk.html

If gazelles could talk

Tuesday evening, 4 intrepid soles and I joined Kirk and Eric of TriKirk Coaching (www.trikirkcoaching.com) for a running clinic at Skyline High School in Longmont. They started us out by describing the various stages we go through as we progress from walking to jogging to running and how those different activities ingrain bad mechanics in our running style that make us slow and injury prone. On the track infield they led us through a progression of 5 simple drills to help us learn various aspects of good form. After that, while we practiced as a group running around the track, they met with us one-on-one for personal coaching. We ran a little ways, received tips on things to focus on, and ran again until we got it dialed in. The drills were simple to do and easy to remember so we can incorporate them into our workouts as needed to focus on various aspects of our form.

During various points in the clinic, Kirk and Eric would demonstrate good style to give us concrete examples of what to shoot for. We often use the term ‘buttuh’ to describe something super smooth but that doesn’t even begin to describe how these two guys run. Absolutely fluid and effortless. What was most inspiring, was that they both got to this point after earlier points in their careers where they had the same running flaws we all go through like over striding, heel striking, and the injuries those create.

Later that night, after riding home from the clinic, my whole body from my hips down was absolutely screaming at me. I knew I had asked my muscles to operate in a mode it wasn’t used to but I wasn’t prepared for how sore and out of sorts I felt. But then the most amazing thing happened, next morning I woke up absolutely pain free. My body was initially traumatized by the new motions, but everything we did in the clinic emphasized good style such that I had none of the normal next day soreness. Sorry Advil, I won’t be needing you today.

So to our initial premise, yes gazelles can not only talk, they can be very gifted coaches and instructors as well. If you are not 100% happy with your running form, give these guys a call, they can get you on a path to the best running you’ve ever done.

Kevin Graboski
Blue Sky Velo

Next Free run clinic is tonight, 8/26, 6:30 p.m. at Skyline High School Track.

Cheers,

Kirk
Eric

Recovery between workouts

2010-07-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

Training 2-3 times daily, I realize how important recovery BETWEEN workouts is. If you are doing multiple workouts each day or on some days of the week, recovery between workouts is crucial to optimize the quality of the 2nd/3rd workouts of the day. Here are some things I incorporate into my day to help my recovery:

1. Maximize the time period between workouts: this is obvious and oftentimes easier said than done because of scheduling and work, etc.

2. Supplement with protein before and after workouts. Protein is essential for muscle repair. Especially if you are doing longer/higher volume training, protein is crucial for muscle repair. Get 10-20 grams protein in your system before you train, use nutritional products that contain amino acids and/or protein at a rate of ~2-6 g/hour, and get 10-20 grams protein in afterward. How much is determined by your training volume, body size, and the rest of your diet.

3. Eat protein rich foods like beans, chicken, beef, buffalo, fish, spinach, lentils, yogurt, nut butters, etc.

4. Eat plenty of carbs, esp carbs high on the glycemic index immediately following a workout. Use carbs low on the glycemic index before training. Consume quality carbs during the workout -- a variety of different length carbohydrates is best. Beware of companies that say you cannot mix carbohydrate sources -- it simply does not make sense.

5. Hydrate before, during, and after training. Most athletes I know drink far less than what they should be consuming while training on hot days and especially in dry conditions. A lack of sweat on the skin in dry conditions does not mean you are not sweating. The sweat is evaporating so quickly it does not form sweat first. Personally on days above 80F here in dry CO, I'll drink 35-45 ounces of fluids per hour just on an average aerobic training ride. Increase the intensity and that number goes up to 45-60 ounces. While racing in the heat I'll do as much as 55-70 ounces on the bike alone!
It's difficult to bounce back from dehydration so make sure you stay hydrated (no more than 1-2% loss of body weight in water) while training in the heat.

6. Take a nap if you can. This really only applies to athletes with extremely flexible schedules -- pros, students, retired folks, etc.

7. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, esp ones that contain antioxidants.

8. Put your feet up, invert on inversion table, stick your muscles lightly, wear compression socks, and don't stretch. If you feel you have to stretch then do it really lightly and not at all exceeding a normal range of motion that can be achieved by the muscle contracting and lengthening alone.

9. Eat lots of small meals rather than a huge 1500+ calorie meal.

Infinit Nutrition is a customizable sport drink that allows you to dial in the amount of amino acids, protein, flavor strength, electrolytes, carb mix, caffeine, etc. It works well for recovery by creating a formula that maxes out the amino acids and proteins in each serving. I also move the carb blend to "Sprint" distance for a higher glycemic carb mixture.

Stop reading and go train!

Coach Kirk
Coach Eric
TriKirk Racing Coaches

TriKirk Racing athletes ROCK the early season!

2010-06-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Mike Guzek raced IM St. George 5/1/10. For a big guy, Mike raced this super challenging, hilly course like a seasoned champ in 10:50:58, placing 14th in M35-39 and 56th Overall amateur.
See his race report here

Josh Shadle raced Summer Open Sprint Triathlon 5/23/10 and placed 4th Overall in 58:27, finishing only behind Coach Kirk (54:42) and 2 Boulder "neo-pros"

Mike Guzek raced Tri for Your Cause Olympic Triathlon 6/05/10, placing 6th Overall in 2:10:50, and won the M35-39 age-group!

Steve Richard raced Kansas IM 70.3 6/12/10, placing 2nd in M18-24 age group, in 4:14:39, good enough for 15th Overall INCLUDING THE PROS!!! Steve was an impressive 5th Overall Amateur in the race!!!

Rene Frauenknecht raced his first-ever half iron triathlon, Kansas IM 70.3 on 6/12/10, in
5:29:25. Congrats Rene!!!

Steve Richard raced the challenging IronMan Couer d'Alene (IM CdA) 6/27/10 and QUALIFIED FOR KONA, finishing first in M18-24 age group in 9:45:53. This was Steve's first-ever full IronMan, simply amazing!!!!

David Vied raced the San Diego International Triathlon 6/27/10 in 2:14:51 taking 8 minutes off his 2008 time!

Josh Shadle raced again at Loveland Lake to Lake Triathlon 6/26/10, placing 3rd Overall in 2:14:10, improving on his 2008 finish of 7th Overall!

Congratulations to you all for working so hard in training and racing "til you can't see straight" :-)

I can't wait to see how things go in the second half of the season with Rene racing Boulder 70.3, Josh, Eric, and Mike racing Boulder Peak, Ursula and Suzanne (and Kirk?) racing IM Wisconsin, Kirk racing Rhode Island 70.3, David racing IM Arizona, Steve Maddick racing Vineman 70.3, and Steve Richard racing IM Hawaii (Kona) in October, among others!

The long and short of long and short workouts

2010-04-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Long Workouts

I often get asked, "How long should my longest _____ ride/run/swim be when training for a__________full/half/Oly/Sprint triathlon?" The question "Should my long workouts always be easy" often accompanies the first.

When considering the first question, "How long", there are a lot of "it depends........." factors that weigh in.
1. What are your goals?
2. How much time do you have before the race?
3. How experienced are you?
4. What is your current fitness level?
5. Are you coming off any injuries?

Ideally you'd like to work up to at least the race distance for your long workouts a minimum of 2-4 weeks prior to the race. For sprint, Olympic, and sometimes half, this is a relatively easy feat.

This might be more of a challenge for Full Ironman (and perhaps Half Ironman) events and that's where the "it depends" factors come in. You might worry more about getting your anticipated race "time" done in training as opposed to completing the full mileage.

The more interesting question is whether or not to mix intensity in with your long endurance workouts.

This question can be answered with the rhetorical question, "Is the race going to be long AND hard or just long?" Rhetorical because yes, triathlon racing requires going long and hard. Therefore you must add intensity to your long workouts to get the most value out of your training time. This can be done in intervals, and the intervals should be completed at or around your predicted race effort/power/pace.

For example, a half iron-specific 3.5-hr long ride could be:

60 min aerobic/ez

6x:
12 min @ half iron effort/power
3 min @ aerobic/ez

30 min aerobic/ez

30 min @ half iron effort/power

followed by a 30-minute brick run with the first 10-15 minutes at half iron goal effort/pace.

Short workouts.

Short workouts should either be short and hard (with intensity that is equal to or greater than race pace) or extremely ez with the goal of recovery in mind.

For example, you are training for Olympic distance race and have just 25-35 minutes for a quality run.
5 min aerobic/ez

4x:
30 seconds build to 90%
30 seconds ez walk/jog

mainset:
6x:
90 seconds _____
60 seconds ez walk/jog
odds: @ race pace (80-85% effort)
evens: @ 90 - 95% effort

finish with ez aerobic cooldown for remainder of time.

Finally, a recovery workout has to be easy, and most likely easier than you think or feel it should be. If true recovery is the goal, you have to be disciplined in keeping the intensity super low, perhaps even walking if necessary. Avoid hills for bike/run, avoid paddles for swim, and keep it super low, super ez.

Now stop reading and go out and train!

Coach Kirk
Coach Eric

TriKirk Training Camp a SUCCESS

2010-03-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

A long over-due blog post!

The 1st ever 3-Day training camp put on by TriKirk Coaching LLC has come and gone. Way back in February (12-14), we were privileged with putting on a triathlon extravaganza camp for 19 AWESOME triathletes. Having this be our first camp, we were excited to see how it would turn out. In the end, the camp was a huge success and more camps are in the planning stages. Day to Day operations during the camp went smoothly with only one mishap that nearly spoiled the grand plan. Eric, being slightly in a hurry, accidently locked the car keys in Kirk’s car right before a drive to a swim workout at the beautiful Santa Clarita Aquatic Center. With luck on our side, Elke, one of our campers, had AAA on her team and that saved the day. Thank you Elke!

The campers were immersed in triathlon and for 2 ½ days as they learned about proper swim technique, bike technique, and run technique. They were also treated with lectures on nutrition, bike handling skills, swim skills, and run skills.

Thank you to all the athletes that attended. It was a very pleasant experience that we wish to do again in the future. We hope all the triathlon knowledge you got from the camp will help you be even speedier in this seasons races!

Thank you to TriKirk sponsors that donated merchandise for the raffle. ISM SADDLES, GU, INFINIT, ZEAL OPTICS. THANKS!

ALSO, to Jeremy Stepan for hooking us up with a conference room at Adage IT and being a ride leader for the group on Friday. Thank you for your help!

Below are pictures from the camp.

2 spots left for TriKirk SC Training Camp

2010-01-31T23:16:00.000-08:00

18 spots are filled, with just 2 remaining!

We are 2 weeks out and everything is set to go for the first annual TriKirk SC Training Camp.

Learn from a seasoned pro and coach how to Tri Faster. In addition to 7 fully supported, structured training sessions, we are also doing video analysis of both swim and run for each athlete, giving personal feedback on technique and form, as well as teaching on a variety of triathlon topics.
The camp is geared for beginner up to intermediate-level triathletes.

Check out the camp webpage for more details and registration info.

outdoor swimming, beautiful, challenging rides, 68F avg temps, Wahoos Burritos.......... what could be better in mid-February?!?!

Don't wait, sign up before we are completely filled!

Coach Kirk
Coach Eric

TriKirk Coaching Client shoutouts

2010-01-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

Tony White -- Ran the "Goofy" Disney Half AND Full marathons January 9 and 10th, 2010. That's 39.3 miles in ~27 hour time period. Tony finished the weekend feeling great and brought home some serious hardware, a big Goofy medal. Nice going Tony! How many roller coasters did you ride afterward?

Mike Guzek -- Mike and Melanie had their first child, Maxon, back in November. Since then, Mike's training has been understandably sporadic. When he does find time to train between changing diapers and work, he makes sure to get the quality work done. I gave Mike the task of doing a 30-minute all-out power test on the bike 1/13/10, his first since mid-season 2009 when he threw down 350W for 30-minutes! (yeah, that's a big number. At 6'5", Mike's a former D-I UNC b-baller, and currently an IM force to be reckoned with!)

Here are Mike's comments from his Training Peaks Log 1/13/10:

Athlete Comments: "One of my best efforts in a while. Horrible night's sleep. Two cups of coffee couldn't shake the tired/sickish feeling. Heading out I was thinking of targeting 320-330 and doing the math to figure out what % regression that would be (7%-9%). Not great, but whatever. My legs were dead. The hill workout yesterday killed them. I decided to bag the TT. I wasn't there mentally or physically. The wind was also pummeling me. But shiz man, I am out on 36, might as well crank up 350 and hold it until it hurts and then come home. 5 mins....ok, this isn't bad....10 mins....ok, just a little further....15 mins....340 avg....wow, I think I can hold this.....20 mins....342...getting better....23 mins my jacket flies out of my jersey pocket!!! Quick uturn to pick it up then ride 8 mins (adding on a extra min as punishment for the jacket) averaging 353. So I got that 60 sec-ish break in there. I esitmate 345 because that 342 at the 23 min mark was inching up and I was gonna open up the tanks with 2 mins to go so I most certainly would have gotten that up to 345 or better. And yeah, that 60 secs helped, but my spot of failure wasn't my lungs, it was my legs. I could have rested for 10 minutes and not gone much faster...the legs were dead. I snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. That's down only 5 watts from this summer despite some pretty spotty training. I'll take it. If I am even close to this level when it's time to ramp up, you just look the f*&% out, that's all I'm saying.....look the f*&% out."

Rene Frauenknecht -- Rene started working with Eric Dorsch (TriKirk Associate Coach) back in October, 2009. Rene was just making a return to the sport after taking 10+ years off from doing his last triathlon. Prior to starting working with Eric, Rene had a goal of running his first-ever half marathon. He chose the PVHS half marathon, 11/07/09. Never having run over 10k prior to October '09, both Eric and Rene had their work cutout, trying to get Rene into shape for a race that was more than double his previous long run, and with less than 6 weeks to do it!!! Rene broke the tape of his first half marathon in 2:04:48. As Rene recalls at mile 10, "Legs turned to jello." Certainly not shabby, but............

Fast forward 2 months, and Rene just ran his second-ever half marathon, the Rock n Roll half in Phoenix, AZ, 1/17/10. Healthy (for the most part, Rene and Eric had to keep a close eye on some knee pain in the weeks leading up to the race), fit, and running well, Rene dropped over 20 minutes from his previous half, maintaining a sub-8:00 pace, and finishing in an impressive 1:44:13!! Since becoming a TriKirk athlete, Rene has made huge improvements in his running fitness through dedication, improved mechanics, and a training program tailored specifically to him. Rene was able to exceed his own half marathon expectations all while continuing to train the bike and swim for the upcoming 2010 triathlon season! Congrats Rene! You've proven that goals can be realized through smart, consistent training!

This concludes our early 2010 TriKirk Coaching Client Shoutout.

There are still a few spots available for our February 12-14, 2010, TriKirk SC Training Camp. It will be a great way to get a jump start on the 2010 triathlon season under the guidance of experienced coaches, and in great training conditions (68F avg).

Kirk and Eric

TriKirk Coaching Presents "Get the Rust Out" Spring Training Camps

2009-12-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

What: Learn to Tri faster with TriKirk Coaching “Get the Rust Out” Spring Triathlon Training Camps. Choose from advanced/experienced (Camp 1) or beginner/newbie (Camp 2) options. Join coaches Kirk Nelson (accomplished 5th year pro triathlete and experienced coach) and Eric Dorsch (top AG-er-soon-to-be pro and USAT Certified Coach) for a training intensive camp in beautiful Santa Clarita, CA. In addition to fully-supported training sessions, Kirk and Eric will be providing full swimming and running video analysis for each athlete, including critique and a CD of your video footage, as well as 1-1 personal instruction and feedback throughout the weekend.

When: Camp 1 = Intermediate/Advanced Camp -- February 5-7, 2010
Camp 2 = Beginner/First-timer Camp -- February 12-14, 2010

Where: Santa Clarita, CA -- Swim Sessions at Santa Clarita Aquatic Center, Track Session at Saugus High School Track, rides on fun and challenging routes in Santa Clarita Valley, and general meeting room for meals and clinical sessions on Grace Baptist Church campus
Not from California? Escape the cold and snow and join us! Just 45 minutes NW of LAX!

Who: Beginners and First-timers up to intermediate and advanced triathletes, Males and Females, ages 16+.

What you get with Registration:
1. Personal instruction and feedback from top-notch triathlon coaches (not to mention super-fast triathletes), Kirk Nelson (5th yr Pro) and Eric Dorsch (top AG athlete) -- (www.trikirkcoaching.com)
2. Full Video analysis of swimming (under/above water) and running, with yours-to-keep CD. Includes viewing/critiquing session with coaches.
3. Catered dinner Friday evening, Saturday evening, and Sunday Lunch.
4. Six fully-Coached, fully-supported, organized Training sessions! 2 swims, 2 bikes (option for a 3rd ez ride), and 2 runs.
5. Free entry into the TriKirk Racing Sponsor Raffle giveaway!! We have some amazing products we will be giving away that have been generously donated by my sponsors!
6. Complimentary snacks and full lineup of nutritional training products to use during training sessions
7. Informative talks on training, nutrition, strategy, technique, racing, as well as great opportunities to ask an experienced coach and pro anything you want!
8. Camp Goody bag with an assortment of complimentary goodies donated by TriKirk Racing Sponsors

How to Sign up:
Click here
Camp Registration is limited to 20 athletes per camp, so sign up soon!

Hope you will consider joining us. Email me or Eric with any questions.

Coach Kirk

TriKirk Coaching Video Series, #2

2009-11-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

Eric and I are back, and this week's topic is Barefoot/Minimal footwear running.

Christopher McDougall's book, Born to Run, has many people talking about barefoot and minimal running. I recently listened to the book on CD while driving from CA to TX on my way to racing Longhorn IM 70.3. In addition to telling an amazing story about a secret ultra-marathon race, the author discusses the concept of barefoot running in great detail. He even goes to the extent of making the case that humans were literally "born to run." It's a fascinating read (listen in my case) and I highly recommend it to anyone with a passion for running (or looking to become passionate about running).

Having had some experience with barefoot running in college, I was intrigued about taking it a step further. Since mid-October I have done 75% of my running in Nike Lunar Racer shoes, a ~6 ounce, neutral, minimal support, minimal cushioning, lightweight racing flat. The other 25% of my running has been either completely barefoot or in Vibram Five Finger (VFFs) KSOs (basically a thin strip of rubber with a mesh upper, secured to each foot by a single strap of velcro). I have completely ceased all running in "normal" training shoes, and have thrown away the last of ~7 pairs of shoe inserts and custom orthotics I had laying around. Why you ask? My feet literally feel trapped now while wearing supportive shoes and correctional orthotics/inserts. More specifically, my lower leg and foot muscles are becoming more strengthened (because they are finally doing the job they were designed to do, rather than letting corrective footwear try to do the task), my nagging plantar fasciitis has disappeared completely (unsupported, my arches have actually become more pronounced), my legs and muscles fatigue less during long runs (I'm more efficient), and my muscular fatigue/soreness is minimized following long/hard runs (my recovery time seems to be much shorter).

The following videos are footage of my first run in the VFFs, followed by my immediate response to running in them the first time.

Since this first run in the VFFs, I have added a significant component of barefoot/VFF running to my program. I am running ~2-3 times per week either barefoot or in VFFs, and have built my single, sustained runs to 6 miles (today in fact). I am still doing the majority of my total running miles in the Nike Lunar Racers, and have built up to 20-mile long runs (11/14/09 was the first) in them.

Having been a forefoot striker now for 4 years, the transition to running in minimal footwear (racing flats) and barefoot/VFFs has actually been easier than I first thought it might. This does NOT mean, however, that it will be easy for most athletes, and I suspect it will be especially difficult if you have been a long-term heel-striker running in highly cushioned, supportive shoes and orthotics.

Interested in going barefoot/minimalist? BE CAREFUL AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!!

I believe the payoffs and benefits will be well worth the effort to make the switch as I have seen some amazing changes in my running and technique already......

Stay tuned for another barefoot/minimal footware update in Video #4, approximately early December.

Questions? Please post them in the comments box below and I'll get back to you.

Kirk Nelson
Eric Dorsch

TriKirk Coaching
www.trikirk.com

TriKirk Coaching presents Weekly Video Series

2009-11-03T17:02:00.001-08:00

TriKirk Coaching Video Series.
Week 1: Winter Indoor Training

Part I: Indoor Triathlon Training discussion

Part II: Indoor Brick setup

Part III: Indoor Brick Demo

Check back next week as Coach Kirk (Coach and professional triathlete) embarks on a barefoot/minimal footwear running program!

California Updates

2009-10-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

California was a great trip with many good times. I would like to highlight some of the good times we had in the crazy place called California.

1. Swim/Transition clinic held at Castaic Lake (October 7)

After a long trip from Colorado, TriKirk Coaching put on a swim/transition clinic at Castaic Lake. We really enjoy putting these clinics on and meeting new athletes that love the sport of triathlon. Thank you to all who participated!

2. Transition Clinic held at Heritage Park (October 8)

On a beautiful night in Santa Clarita, we hosted a transition clinic. The athletes who attended learned everything they wanted to know about executing a quick transition. On top of that, they were treated to a brick/transition workout that really got their heart rate up!

3. Magic Mountain Man Triathlon ( October 10)

Kirk Nelson: 1st overall

Eric Dorsch: 3rd overall

Ursula Bowling (trikirk athlete): 3rd in age group

This race really tested the limits of all the athletes that competed. We were treated with 6oooft of climbing on the bike. Ouch. In the end, Kirk had a solid performace on non tapered legs while Eric took a wrong turn on the run and ended up running an extra 1.5 miles. If not for the blunder, TriKirk racing would have went 1and 2 for the second time in a row! Also, huge congrats to TriKirk athlete Ursula Bowling. She placed 3rd in her age group! Way to go Ursula. On to SOMA you go!

Special note:

Thank You to Keith Anderson of Yale Film and Video for filming Kirk and I for the ENTIRE race. Your generosity and kindness is very humbling to us. We cannot thank you enough.

Thank You...

...to the Stepan family for hosting, feeding, and entertaining us during our trip. Everything you did for us was awesome!

...to the Anderson family for letting us use your guest house and also for the great meal you provided us!

...to Jonathan Pauley for having us at your race. Your event was well run and challenging!

Updates...

As we speak, Kirk is traveling to Austin, Texas to compete in the Longhorn 70.3. Lets all wish him the best. Lets go Kirk!

TriKirk Coaching offers Santa Clarita Transition/Brick Clinic 10/08/09

2009-10-05T00:06:00.000-07:00

Perfect timing for those racing the Magic Mountain Man Half Iron Triathlon, at Castaic Lake, near Santa Clarita, CA.

(I'm racing MMM and have ridden the course so will be happy to answer course-related questions as well!)

TriKirk Coaching
presents
“T-Times”, A Transition Clinic and Brick Workout

What: A Transition Clinic and Brick Workout. Come prepared to learn and sweat during this skills clinic led by accomplished Professional Triathlete and Triathlon Coach Kirk Nelson (www.trikirk.com)!! You will master everything related to T1 and T2, get a great brick workout, learn about special transition-specific equipment, as well as all the tips and tricks used by pros so you can have your fastest transition times yet! We will finish with a half-hour Q&A session at the end of the clinic to answer any triathlon-related questions you may have. This clinic will equip you with the knowledge and confidence needed to reduce transition times, run better off the bike, and apply brick workout sessions to your training program. No matter how new or advanced a triathlete, I promise you will come away with several things you can begin applying immediately to your racing and training!! (Equipment list: Bike, helmet, run shoes, bike shoes, race belt, visor, socks, and any special needs items you might have.)

When: 5:00 - 7:30pm, Thursday October 8, 2009 (Same-day registration also available assuming there is room from 4:30 - 5:00pm on site at Heritage Park picnic tables.)

Where: Heritage Park, Santa Clarita, CA -- http://www.santa-clarita.com/cityhall/parks/parks/valenciaheritagepark.asp for map. Meet at the picnic tables under the shelter.

Who: Triathletes wanting to improve their transition skills, all while getting in a great workout! Maximum capacity of 20 athletes, so sign up soon!

Cost: $30/Athlete

How to Sign up: E-mail the following information to me -- kirk@trikirk.com
and submit $30 payment via PayPal to the same address: kirk@trikirk.com
Same-day registration also available assuming there is room from 4:30 - 5:00pm on site.
Email me or call (303) 709-4899 to check availability. Spots still available as of 10/04/09.

Name: _________ Date of Birth: _____________

email: __________ cell phone (or day phone): __________

Feel Free to contact me with questions!
1-1 Personal training and consulting sessions also available by request, including under/above water swim video analysis and treadmill run video analysis, bike fits, strength training, nutritional plans, etc., $60/hour.

Kirk Nelson
coachkirk@trikirkcoaching.com
www.trikirk.com
cell: (303) 709-4899

TriKirk Coaching maiden blog post

2009-10-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the TriKirk Coaching Blog. First, I'd like to introduce the TriKirk Coaching staff:
I am Kirk Nelson, founder, and head coach. I have been coaching since 2005 and racing professionally since 2006. You can learn more about me at www.trikirk.com and www.kdawgstriblog.com. My new associate coach, Eric Dorsch, just joined the staff in mid-September, coming from Illinois. Eric is a former Division I runner and has been coaching for a year now and racing triathlon for three seasons. Together, we have been training hard, talking shop, and scooping ice cream (9/20/09 Oktoberfest post-race). This coming week we will travel to the Santa Clarita, CA area to race the Magic Mountain Man Half Iron Triathlon as well as put on a transition/brick clinic, and personal training sessions for our local clients and other local triathletes.

At TriKirk coaching we specialize in offering 1-1 personal triathlon/multisport coaching, clinics, personal training sessions, and consulting. We don't offer training plans for the masses, and pride ourselves on personal service and program customization. Our clients range from first-timer to elite athletes, and we have experience with sprint distance up to iron distance.

At this blog, we will be posting videos, training tips, answering questions, posting TriKirk Racing athlete results, race reports, and news, as well as other fun stuff.

Today's post includes some video footage of today's ride -- a 90 mile out and back heading N from Longmont.

TriKirk athlete, Steve Richard and Eric are in the video while Kirk is filming.

Thanks for checking in and hope to see you back soon!

Kirk
www.trikirkcoaching.com