TIPS FOR SUCCEEDING AT PATAGONMAN XTRI

Advice from Performance Edge athlete, Becky who raced the 2022 PATAGONMAN XTRI

Getting there and pre-race:

1.     Arrive in the area around a week before the race!  It takes about 26hrs to get there from the UK and the last leg is an internal flight on a smallish plane to the tiny airport of Balmaceda.  You need to allow at least 3 hours for transfer at Santiago (it’s not a quick airport!). Most of the people who arrived from Wednesday onwards had issues with missing luggage and bikes.  In some cases, it ruined their race.  Adding a GPS tracker, such as an Apple Airtag, to your bikebox and luggage can save a lot of time and stress as you will know quickly if it has made the flight or not.

2.     Save yourself a lot of hassle and buy CO2 canisters in Coyhaique or Puerto Aysen and dispose of them before you fly home.  While you can fly with CO2 canisters, for each internal flight you need to get a form filled in for the canisters, which will mean opening up the bike box repeatedly to show the check in staff and then the oversized baggage staff.  The check in staff at Balmaceda seem unable to do this form.

3.     Book hire car early.  It’s a small place and cars sell out quickly, you need at least an SUV for ground clearance but it doesn’t need to be a 4x4. 

4.     Do a reccie of the entire bike course (not just the first 72miles to the airport junction).  There are not many roads in the area and the bike route is on pretty much the only tarmac one.  This means road works are dynamic – expect at least a mile of gravel sections, some large potholes and some large cracks.  We had 4 gravel sections, one of which was in the middle of a descent. 

5.     Acclimatise to water temp in open water.  Best place is at Bahia Acantilada a few miles outside of Puerto Aysen.  You can’t swim at T1 as it’s a working ferry port.

6.     Drive the last section of the run course from 30km to finish.  This section seems endless and even once you hit the tarmac you can see the finish line but it’s still over a mile away.  Having driven it made things much easier mentally. Also note that the run course is 27.5miles long and not 26.2 miles.

7.     Practice bike handling skills in training.  This is not only to handle the nasty gravel sections but also Patagonia is known for its strong gusty winds – we had 50mph gusts which made it very hard to keep on the bike – even when going uphill!  No matter the wind direction you will get sections of cross winds.

8.     Do some mountain walks as part of your run training.  The hills come thick and fast in the first part of the course and they are very steep and gravelly.  No one runs up them but the faster you can walk up them the better.

9.     Try to learn some Spanish before you go.  The Chilean people are lovely and very friendly but Patagonia is very remote and not everyone speaks English.  Being able to speak even a bit of Spanish really helps interactions with locals and facilitate travels. 

The race:

1.     Head upstairs to the lounge as soon as you get on the ferry. Race morning was really cold and 95% of the competitors spent nearly 90mins outside in 2deg C, huddled in stairwells and the engine room trying and failing to keep warm.  The more sensible few of us headed upstairs to the heated lounge, sat in comfy reclining chairs and had some football on the TV to distract us!

2.     Take all the thermal swim gear you can and have a flask of hot chocolate.  Air temp was 6deg when we got on the bike.  Don’t want to be starting cold from the swim.  The hot chocolate was great for both T1 but also trying to warm up again in T2

3.     Brief your support well about what you need them to do.  Supports really want to help you but if not careful they can actually get in the way in transitions and slow you down.  In T2 mine actually took off a fresh clean dry sock and tried to give me the wet one I had just taken off!  If your support isn’t a triathlete, also show them how to hold the water bottles out by the base so it’s easy for you to grab on the bike without stopping.

4.     Be prepared for a lot of traffic on the first 15miles of the bike.  This is nearly all support vehicles on course trying to catch up to their competitors and it’s hard for the support to catch up to you in this first section – especially as the first 35miles are very fast.  In addition to your agreed support stops, have your support wait 10mins you after you have passed each gravel section to make sure you haven’t punctured.

5.     Prepare for the worst and hope for the best with kit.  We had highs of 12degs on race day with lots of rain and strong winds, winter and wet weather cycling and running gear was needed – however a few days before it was 25degs and we got sunburnt so warm weather gear also required!  The last climb on the bike up to the highest point is in a stunning valley with glaciers coming down to the road but it is also 7deg colder up there than the rest of the course.

6.     Hydration vest and trail shoes are a must for the run.  There are only 3 aid stations on the run course and they were not at the regular 10km intervals as indicated in the race briefing (more like 12km,17km and just over 30km).  Be as self-sufficient as you can.  Take a spare pair of socks as there is a muddy river crossing 5 miles into the run.  You don’t want to be running the next 22miles with wet muddy feet.  Alternatively, you can reccie the first part of the run course and you might find a handy log or two further down the river where you can cross and keep your feet dry.  You will be running for 21miles on gravel roads – I learnt the hard way that your feet and ankles become incredibly painful in road shoes.

7.     Take your phone on the run and take photos.  The entire course is absolutely stunning and very remote.

8.     Enjoy ringing that bell.  Finally reaching the finish line was amazing and savour ringing that bell.  If you are there early enough the entire town comes out to watch and support.  But most had gone home by the time I finished!

Post-race:

You have travelled a long way to get there so spend a bit of time post-race to see the region.  Our favourite places were:

·       The drive north on Ruta 7 to Queulat

·       The condor sighting trip from Coyhaique is amazing if you like wildlife

·       Head down to Rio Tranquillo and do the San Rafael Laguna Glacier tour and kayak to the Marble Caves.  Note the road down to Rio Tranquillo past Villa Cerro Castillo is an experience and takes a lot longer than you think!

Aberfeldy Middle Distance Triathlon 22 August 2021

Race Report by Lee Mather one of Performance Edge athletes racing the British and Scottish Middle Distance Championships at Aberfeldy in August 2021.

This race for me was a late alternative to my planned A-race of 2021 which should have been IM Copenhagen, but due to travel restrictions and logistical complications that one had to be deferred. Luckily timing wise, they fell on the same day so my training plan wasn’t disrupted.

Although I did manage a race at Outlaw X at the end of 2020, and race a standard distance in Southport in May 202, I felt training wise I had been in a bit of a holding pattern forever and a day. 10-12 weeks out, I started to notice a change in my training schedules and knew this was gearing up for the race. That helped massively in terms of motivation and giving that extra push.

I felt my training had been strong and had managed to work on some of the weakness we had identified at the end of 2020 and set as targets for improvement. Coming into the taper, I felt I had give it my all, got as strong as I could, and was feeling confident that whatever happened, I could go into the race race giving it my best shot.

Pre-race

Travelling down to the race 2 days before, I had the “usual” confidence crash - what I am doing? I’m not good enough for this… This is short lived and Saturday morning I was feeling confident and strong again.

During the day, I discussed the race plan with my coach Neil, focusing on how we would tackle the bike leg. Don’t go too hard on the climb out, strong steady loop of the loch, and then hit the gas on the flat. I was feeling like a real athlete as Neil was giving me a plan that was based around my strengths and what may work best.

I was looking forward to the pre-race meal that had been organised by Neil, as Performance Edge had 10 athletes were going to be racing either solo as part of a relay team. This was a great opportunity to meet team mates, relax and enjoy on of the best pre-race meal to be had anywhere. Big shout out to the “Three Lemons” restaurant in Aberfeldy and a huge thank you to Jaco for hosting us.

I had an early night and solid sleep and woke Sunday morning race day, again feeling confident. Breakfast was yoghurt and muesli. Toast would have been a welcome addition but not when I’m camping.

After breakfast, I racked the bike, checked kit again, and again, and probably again then kitted up for the swim. I made my way to the swim start and was delighted to see other members of the team. This was all new to me and a positive mental boost. As the start approached, I got myself into “the zone”. I just switch off to what is happening around me and start visualising the race. Some last minute advice from Neil for the swim, and then it was time for the start. Just race my own race, and what will be will be.

Swim

It was a rolling start for the swim. Within seconds of entering the water and setting off, I knew I was going to swim well. Water temperature, calm loch, and everything just seemed to click within a few strokes. Normally I would expect a lung busting first 400m but it was like I just hit my stride….or stroke. Talk about a positive start, I got it!

I exited the swim knowing I had done as well as I could and can say with hindsight, it is the first triathlon swim I have really enjoyed. This was to set me up for the day ahead if I could stick to the plan.

Bike

I set off, building to pace quickly and getting warm, ready for the climb. Just plug away, know my limits on the climb. I reeled people in on the climb but that was not my goal, I was just racing my race and fighting hard mentally to restrain myself but knowing it was the right thing to do. I have blew up on the bike too often (Pre-Performance Edge and being coached).

I was using a power meter and feel to judge my effort levels.

Coming off Schiehallion, going into the descents, and undulating loop of the loch I felt I could open up. I was passing more and more cyclists as I went and can say I was passed only a couple of times. I felt I stuck to the plan well here because although I was passing many, I wasn’t racing them, I just kept on within the levels I had set myself on this section.

The descent on the way in was going to be fast, but the race conditions, drizzle, wet roads and so less efficient brakes made me keep things in check. The last section maybe 6-8 miles of flat back to T2 was where I was going to open up, and I did. Being able to do so filled me with confidence as I knew I had gone strong so far but avoided blowing up.

Run

Coming out of T2 the athlete in front of me set off like he was coming out of the starting blocks. Why were my legs not feeling that good? Have I blown up? No, just race your race. I know that I will not feel anywhere near getting into my stride in the first couple of kilometres and I should just use that to settle in. Then comes a huge boost as I approached “Performance Edge Corner”. Cattle bells, name shouts and smiles. What a boost when you know you are just starting a half marathon. Around the 5k mark my legs started to feel like my own again. My pace had been good and been fairly constant. All I could do now was try to hold it. The kilometres ticked by and at the turn I knew I was going well, but still had the return to do. Confidence was good but I could feel the fatigue kicking in. This is what we train for, bite the bullet and just keep at it. It was a relief to come off the undulations and back to the flat. I was beginning to dread the last climb to the finish. I knew I had given my all but could I run up that hill. Well, I had one more pass of Performance Edge Corner to top up the fuel tanks on smiles, cheers and high spirits and so hitting the last climb was going to be easy then.

I ran well, a good pace and finished with a good run time, and a good overall time. I was pleased.

Overall impressions

I think I run the race as planned, a great swim, a good bike strong bike leg, setting me up for a strong run.

Nutrition wise I had it right too, alternating energy drink and water on the bike and energy bars (Voom bars- Thanks Sarah Atwood!). Then a couple of High 5 energy gels on the run to get me over the line. No stomach upsets, and didn’t feel like I was going to bonk. This was a pleasing result too.

Positives

The Performance Edge Supporters and meeting my team mates, plus the fabulous pre-race meal top the bill in this section!

Swim - A good strong, evenly paced swim where everything just clicked, and exiting the water in good shape.

Bike - a strong bike leg, stuck to the plan and felt I had put down good power with a very strong finish but with enough left to give a strong run.

Run - A good steady paced run and crossing the line knowing I had give it my all.

Areas for improvement

Swim - To improve further, I need to improve technique. I have the strength and endurance and any more big gains will need a improvement in technique, sinky legs are still with me.

Bike - Same as last year, try and improve power and strength endurance so I can hold higher power levels for longer.

Run - Focus on speed and running strong off the bike.

My race weekend was topped off with a message from Neil informing me I finished 5th in my age group in the British Triathlon Championship, and 2nd place in the Scottish Triathlon Championship, bagging a silver medal.

Thanks coach!

Strength Training for Runners

Strength Training is one of those training interventions we think we should do but often gets side lined and when we get round to doing some we aren’t quite sure why, or what to do or when to do it. Runners often cite their main reason for doing strength work is to reduce injury however this is perhaps a surprising finding because there is little direct evidence that strength work helps reduce overuse injuries, whereas there is quite a lot evidence for improvement in performance. Papers such as that by Paavolainen et al in the Journal of Applied Physiology https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.1999.86.5.1527 show a strong correlation between explosive strength training and significant improvement in 5km time along with improved running economy and muscular power.  The runners in the experimental group were running around 9 hours a week but reduced their running by 32% and replaced it with explosive sport specific strength work. So read that again, they did one third less running, replaced that third with strength training and got faster.

My personal bias is that despite little evidence to prevent injury, strength training actually can help reduce injury rates, and indeed Blagrove et al agree with me in this nice review of how useful strength training can be for runners,https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29249083/ However it is difficult to show this benefit experimentally. Nevertheless, there is a UK based study on this very subject planned in the near future so we look forward to the results of that. I believe if strength training is individualised, with physio advice to look at muscle imbalance, and a focus around addressing sites of previous injuries, then it potentially can be beneficial. Testing that experimentally is virtually impossible so personal coaching experience becomes just as valuable.

As a Coach I find that a great proportion of runners are just not physically strong enough to withstand ground contact and ground reaction forces and injuries like MTSS (shin splints) can in some cases simply be a result of a lack of strength. Therefore, big compound movement patterns with full range of motion performed with good technique like Deadlift, Barbell Back Squat, Romanian Deadlift and weighted calf raises are going to help any runner in my opinion. 

How to implement strength work into a run routine will depend upon the individual’s scenario. If time allows, I would prioritise strength (am) and easy run (pm). If the run is meant to have any intensity, it ought to come first so on your interval or VO2 Max days that would come before any strength work. However, there are lots of runners who can’t strength train first because of work, school, or time constraints, so organisation has to change. As a rule of thumb though, whichever order maximises explosive strength for that individual is the optimal way to arrange sessions.  Inter-session recovery is discussed here https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29249083/
and this is also a good paper that covers how and when to implement sessions https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-019-01072-2

Finally, a recent UK study into the habits of “elite” athletes (that was their definition of themselves) showed 58% carry out strength training 3+ times a week, strength training is defined as lifting (don’t get me started on “core”!), 29% report doing it twice a week, 7% once a week and 6% never. For me the compound lifts identified above are a good starting point to develop strength, most runners we will deal with will be time crunched so getting bang for bucks is critical. Rolling around on the floor doing the latest “core” move cited in an online running magazine will have little to no effect on performance nor injury prevention and is, in my opinion not a good use of a runner’s time unless you have been advised by a physio to undertake a particular movement. #StrongNotSkinny

How to Predict Your Marathon Finish Time

A solid marathon finish will be determined by undertaking correct, consistent and specific training, aided by adequate running experience, patience and above all sensible pacing. But if you are running your first marathon, or are coming back to the distance then how do you know what pace to hold?

Let’s look at a couple of strategies that you’d do well to avoid. The first thing NOT to do is to pick a time you ran a marathon in the past; too often you’ll see an athlete say “well I ran 3:25 in 2016 so I want to run that time – or more likely I want to beat that time - and will hold 7:50 per mile (4:52 per km). You need to plan your race based on your current ability, you can adjust this ability as your training progresses and you obtain times from build-up races and/or you feel that your pace versus effort is edging forward. The second strategy to avoid is to pick a “sexy number”; we are naturally drawn to even numbers, the four minute mile, the 10 second 100m so it’s unsurprising in the marathon world that we want to run sub 4:00, sub 3:30, sub 3:00 etc. These are actually just random numbers despite them seeming neat to our mildly OCD brains. A 3:34 marathon given our training, the terrain, the weather might actually be a better result than a 3:29 – it’s just we tend not think that way. 

Having looked at what not to do, what is it we actually can do. There are a number of online predictors available, from the likes of Runners World, Running Times, Daniel’s Running Formula and Marathon Guide, and these are a good starting point.  Using finish times from shorter races these calculate a predicted marathon finish time.  The formulas behind these calculators are similar but not exactly the same so different calculators may give you slightly different finish times but typically they fall around 5 minutes of each other. The caveat I would add is that this is your predicted marathon finish time IF you do the marathon training. So online predictors are a good place to start.

One predictor I have always used and found to be both accurate and useful, as you can do the maths in your head, is from the late great Frank Horwill who stated that if you take you 10km time, multiply it by 5 and then subtract 10 minutes you will get your predicted marathon time.  So, a 40 min 10km runner would take 40 multiply by 5 = 200 subtract 10 = 190 so their predicted time would be 190 minutes or 3hrs 10 minutes. 

I often talk about Process rather than Outcome and of course selecting or predicting a finish time is outcome focussed. A more Process orientated approach is to look at what pace you can hold. A way I like to estimate this is to do a longer “kick down” run. Let’s take our prospective 3:25 marathon runner; towards the end of their training block I would have them run 15 miles, the first twelve holding 7:50 per mile then kick down on the last three so they might run mile 13 at 7:47, mile 14 at 7:45 and mile 15 at 7:42 for example. This is a good indicator that holding 7:50 for 26 miles is a strong possibility. 

Clearly this subject is not an exact science and the best predictor of what time you can run in a marathon, is to run a marathon. There are many other facets that can come into play; your gender; are these predictors equal across genders? Your age, your athletic age and your running and marathon specific experience.  Your previous and recent training.  Have you any chronic or recent injuries?  Your propensity to longer or shorter events, your ability to burn fat as a fuel, the race day weather and of course the marathon route and terrain to mention a few. However, hopefully you are now better armed to more sensibly judge your potential marathon finish time. 

Keep smiling.

Less is More

Very often athletes, and particularly triathletes, have a mindset of More training rather than Better training. However it’s precision we need in training - not just doing training. If you wanted to shoot 10 bullets at a target with accuracy then your approach matters. You are not just going to shoot off 10 rounds and be done with it. If the goal is precision you have to practice with precision.

Triathlon, running, swimming, weight training what ever your sport is no different. When you lack precision you will not get optimal results. No amount of work in terms of quantity will ever outperform quality. How do we know that? If it was shooting then the people who shot the most would be the best. If it was running it would be the people who ran the most that would win all the races. It wouldn’t be a competition of who wins, it would be a competition of who does the most training.

More of something does not relate to better. Precision will always trump More. Doing something well (precise) for longer and you will get better results. Do something more and you will just end up doing more.

In my coaching I consider your training efficient if you achieve the highest level of physical result with the least expense of energy and time. So train precisely don’t just train.

Keep smiling.

What do you do if your A Race gets cancelled?

It clearly will not have escaped your notice that the World Health Organisation has designated that we are in a Pandemic due to the Covid-19 virus. This is having implications worldwide, particularly on those who have the virus but also on financial markets, travel and sporting events. Rugby matches are being postponed, football matches are being played behind closed doors and to my knowledge the World Half marathon championships, the Vienna, and NYC Halfs, the Vienna, Hamburg, Paris, Barcelona and Rome marathons are all posponed/cancelled. Here in Scotland they are about to ban all gatherings of more than 500 people and the ongoing COBRA meeting may bring further measures.

So clearly you will all be concerned about your own upcoming races so I thought I’d offer some advice.

1. Until your race has been officially cancelled you need to train like it is still on. Do not allow your training to become lack lustre with an attitude of “why bother it’s only going to be cancelled”. Training is NEVER wasted, it is money in a savings account so keep training. This is not the end of races, the current race we are targeting might fall foul but not future races and for those you’ll be extra hungry and extra prepared - if you keep training.

2. If your race does get cancelled then have a good strop! Strop for the rest of the day, maybe even throw your toys out the pram for 24 hours - then set a time when you are going to stop and get on with life. So if you found out this morning your A Race was cancelled then sulk until 12:00 tomorrow then stop, grow a pair and get on with life - and training!

3. You are in a good place fitness wise so how are you going to use that. Look for other events that are on, look for different events perhaps not what you have been training specifically for and look for self challenges. Triathletes perhaps there are open water swim events that are on, or plan a big bike ride so cycle 100 miles a day for 5 days or 3 days, get a train away somewhere and cycle home or runners can run home (perhaps not 100 miles a day). Plan a trip to visit me and cycle here for example. Runners why not plan a route you’ve never run or run up a mountain that you’ve never been up. There is a whole myriad of things you can do with your fitness; it truly isn’t wasted.

4. With these self challenges you will identify whether you truly are process driven (which is what I want you to be) or outcome driven. I run every single day because I love the process, I really am not training specifically for any event. I have drawers full of medals no one sees . Ask yourself, if there was no social media, no crowds, no medals and you could not tell a soul about the event you just did would you still do it? I know I would but you need to ask yourself that question. So this may be a time to understand yourself a little better and if necessary work on yourself.

5. Look for the positives.  Maybe you were secretly a little stressed out by this big event and actually this now gives you a bit of headspace. I remember my first Para jump, it was cancelled due to the wind conditions and secretly I was quite pleased and it gave us another couple of days of training to get prepared and run through the drills. Another positive is that you’ll actually be better prepared for your next event or perhaps you have a few niggles and can now get treatment on that niggle you’ve been nursing. Whatever the circumstance there IS a positive you can take.

So hang tight and we will see what tomorrow brings.

Remember Everyone was a Beginner Once .....

 …. or so said Chrissie Wellington. Here’s Molly’s account in her own words of her first ever triathlon - will she qualify for the ITU World Standard Distance Championships? Time will tell.

30th June Leeds Castle Standard Distance Triathlon - Standing on the banks of the Leeds Castle lake, looking out at the carefully placed orange buoys that marked the swimming course I generally had no idea what to expect. Not only was this a standard distance triathlon, but the GB age group qualifiers for World Championships. And I was out of my comfort zone – I’d never done a triathlon before.

Only days before had I ridden my bike for the first time, practice clipping in and briefly discussed how triathlons generally worked with my Neil my Coach. I also was wearing cycling shoes that were too big, a helmet I had stuck padding into so it would fit and goggles that I had tied onto the back of my head because days earlier I had pulled them too tight and snapped them. I had confessed only the day before to Neil that this was my first ever triathlon and I had never swam in open water before.....was this a good idea?

The Swim

We all lined up on the banks of the lake, as instructed by my Coach, I was stood right at the front (surrounded by girls in GB kit and a lot of experienced triathletes). I remember waving to my parents and looking around with a huge nervous grin on my face….bang, the starters gun went off, I was immediately overtaken by girls who once entering the water performed a beautiful dolphin dive into the water…. I tripped and face planted the surface of the water and did the one thing my mum told me not to do….drank a huge gulp of green pond water. I started to swim front crawl and immediately settled into a nice rhythm…despite changing my breathing pattern as discussed with Neil to every 2 breaths rather than 3. When I looked up to breathe I realised I had clear water in front of me…I was winning I knew I was alright at swimming but I had no idea I was this good and this fast! Was I going to win the triathlon??!!….but then I realised I was looking to the left – I was heading to the second buoy, the complete wrong direction to the first buoy! I immediately changed course, catching up with the other girls and began to navigate my way around the course. In the last 200m (roughly) I could see a lot of heads in front of me…I was swimming as hard as I could but immediately felt my heart drop, I was at the back of the pack. However when I drew closer I realised they were in pink swimming hat…the wave that were behind me and still on their first lap! In fact, there were hardly any orange swimming hats…so either I was so far behind all the girls in my wave had vacated the water and were already making their way down the 40k bike course, or I was actually one of the faster girls! I soon passed the last buoy and started to half skip/wade out of the water. Once on dry land I started to knock all the water out of my ears as I knew this would give me a headache after…however just as I started to do this the camera man started clicking away so my swim exit shots looked like I had had an accident in the water and sustained a broken neck…I mean they do say race phots are never that flattering! 

The Bike

I ran as fast as I could to the transition area, and after locating the porta loos I located my bike! I carefully put my helmet on, race belt, socks, shoes and sunnies and grabbed my bike and trotted over to the mounting zone, closely followed by two other girls. Rather than performing a ‘flying mount’ like the two girls (who now where in front of me) I stopped my bike, said sorry and thank you to the marshal, clipped one foot into the pedal, kicked off with the other foot and rather wobbly, I started the climb up through the Castle grounds and out on the main road. 

I don’t think anything prepared me for the burning sensation I felt in my legs during that 40k! I pedalled as hard as I could but despite this, I soon was getting overtaken. However, rather feeling frustrated I was more in awe at how smooth and fast the other girls were on the bike and how well their bikes were moving. As I had only just started to get used to mine, only having ridden it the day before, it was fair to say I lacked the sleekness the other girls had. 20k later, I (carefully) navigated the roundabout, saying thank you to the marshal on my way round, and begun the final leg. The next 20k went a lot better than the first, I had started to pick up a good rhythm on the bike, had begun to catch up (and even overtake) a few of the girls in front and soon was riding back through the Castle grounds. I think I gained a little too much confidence because on my way back I misjudged a rather steep speed bump…and well lets’ just say thank goodness I used to horse ride and was used to ‘bucking’ as I nearly was thrown off! I was a little more careful for the remainder of the ride however much to my disappointment, this was captured by the camera man and after reviewing the photo it looked like I was on a nice little jaunt enjoying the beauty of the castle grounds, rather than racing to qualify for GB!

Minutes later, I approached to the dismount area. Safely unclipped and ‘ran’ with the bike to the transition zone…when I say ran I mean hobble. Because I wasn’t used to wearing cycling shoes I found the action of running, whist holding a bike and looking for my ‘rack’ a little tricky! The camera man also captured that (well they captured me grinning from ear to ear after I has seen and heard both my parents and my Coach!’ I racked my bike, pulled on my trainers and after being told to ‘turn my racing number round’ (of course I had already forgotten to do!) off I went. 

I knew I had a lot of ground to make up and knew how hard I needed to push on the run but the support from my parents and Coach I knew I could make up that critical time. And all I had was 10k between me and the finish line….well that and a lot of hills…

 The Run

Generally, I’m not a bad runner and usually, I am good at running of the bike….well not today! As soon as I passed the crowds and entered the fields full of mini Everest’s (covered in grass and not snow) my legs once again imploded with fire..actually they felt like they had been turned into concrete and then set fire too! I adopted a ‘trot’ which seemed to work as I started to catch up and overtake those in front and whilst I couldn’t do my usual long stride, I managed to summit each hill and soon I was into my last 1k!....then pop, a blister which had formed on the inside of my foot burst and boy did I feel it?! Although, I should have expected this to happen as the shoes I picked (Hoke One One) had never failed to give me a new blister every time I had worn them so really this was my fault and another rookie error on my behalf! But despite this, I could feel myself straightening up, I could hear the roar of the crowds and soon I was sprinting towards the finish (I say sprinting, it was more of a fast limp!)

 I can’t explain how proud I was when I crossed that line, to hear my name being called out as I crossed the finish and to see my team mate Jas waiting for me and Chris crossed the line shortly afterwards and the Performance Edge Racing Team were reunited! I was so proud of everyone. 

 After collecting my official race time and placing I felt my heart sink and the pride slip away. I had come 8thin my category and whilst to some it is a fantastic achievement, I knew I had not done enough to get to qualify for Worlds and whilst this was just my first triathlon I wanted to qualify so badly. I knew that both my inexperience and ability and strength on the bike had let me down, I knew this would have happened before I had even started, but nothing prepares you for post-race feelings and how disappointed one can feel despite doing so well when looking back over the whole experience. Half of me felt I had let my Coach down, and the other felt ashamed that I hadn’t performed or get the result that I should have done. However wheeling Spider (my newly named bike) back to the car I thought, how lucky I was to have so much support from my Coach, my parents, my friends and fellow team mates and actually regardless of qualifying or not, without them I wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to compete in such a thrilling, exhilarating and challenging event in the first place. 

 A few hours later however, I received a text. It was from my Coach, Neil. It read …I have news…my heart leaped…I read on….Neil explained how I still stood a chance of qualifying and whilst we had to wait for the official decision to be released, it was looking very promising. The race was on Sunday and now it is Thursday and we still are awaiting the release of the results. Between the both of us, I think we have refreshed the results page over 100 times but despite still not knowing whether I will represent GB or not, I still cannot comprehend how proud I am to represent my team, and to have the Coach I have. I am one of the luckiest athletes ever. 

Chrissie Wellington once said ‘remember, everyone was a beginner once’ and in all honestly, her words are just perfect. I think it is all too easy to get worked up on outcome, to rate how the race went simply by looking at the numbers, and whilst yes, where you come, how fast you swam/cycled and ran, it is much more healthy and constructive to evaluate the race by looking at performance. I nearly let outcome ruin what I believe was the best race of any description I have ever experienced because I got too caught up on my placing. Looking back on the event a few days later (and with the help of my Coach and friends) I can see how well I performed. I pushed myself physically and mentally, I put myself out of my comfort zone, I did not let nerves get the better of me and I listened and did the best I could do, and for me that is the biggest victory. 

 Whilst representing Great Britain at World Championships is a dream, with all my heart I hope this will be one that turns into reality, the adventure I am about to embark on is just one that I am completely overwhelmed with excitement about. 

 My race advice: Believe in yourself, never give up, listen to those who know you best and just go for it. 

The qualification process should be ratified by British Triathlon next week so we’ll see if Mols qualifies for the Worlds in her first ever race - until then we are planning the next few races.

Zen and the Art of Running

If you are as old as I am then you will remember the title even if you have not read Robert Pirsig’s seminal work, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.  In it Pirsig describes a journey he and his son make from Minnesota to Northern California and the book among other things explores the meaning and concept of "quality".  A term he conceives ultimately as undefinable but he feels is a sensation that exists between the subject and the object.  His hypothesis being that to truly experience qualitywe must both embrace and apply it as best fits the requirements of the situation. So what has this trip down memory lane of books I read in the 1970’s have to do with running or triathlon? 

 As a Coach I often hear athletes effectively talking about the quality of their workout. “That was a great run” or “that was an awful swim” but what are they using to define that quality? More often than not they are looking at times and distances. If the set workout was an 8km run at 5 min per km pace and they run at 5:10 per km that can be viewed as lesser quality - and even for some athletes as failure. However if they ran it at 4:50 min per km they may view that as success - however it is as far from quality as the 5:10 if the aim was to run at 5:00. To consider the quality of our workout perhaps we need to look not at the subject and the object but to consider the sensation in between. I’d counter that if I go for a beautiful run down by the River Tay, and enjoy the experience but run 5:10 then argueably that has greater qualitythan going out and battling to maintain a 4:55 min per km pace.

 Whilst we are on the Zen pathway we should consider the concept that almost every martial artist knows something about, the Chinese theory of yin and yang.  Chinese philosophy perceives the universe as the interaction of complimentary opposites such as day and night, male and female, hard and soft, life and death, yang and yin. The dynamic cycle of creation and destruction, embodied in the life cycle of a flower, is seen as a continuous process of change. I believe it is helpful as an athlete if we can view our workouts as this continuous process and to allow for and accept this ebb and flow without fighting against it.

 So if you are fixed, as many westerners are in concepts such as black and white then starting to grasp the theory of yin and yang will help to serve that gap and to allow you to see the flow that exists in your training from time to time as the natural order of things. The next time you do a workout consider that space between the subject and the object to truly comprehend the quality of the session and allow for that yin and yang flow.

The Psychology of Climbing a Mountain Part Two

In Part Two of her article, Kim Keegan discusses the detachment, discomfort and humour that was required as part of a 14-member group that set out on a 30-day trip into the Himalayas included an attempt to summit Mera Peak (6,476m), a cross over the Amphu Labtsa pass (5,780m), and the final summit of Island Peak (6,189m). These ideas are very much applicable to all aspects of endurance sport and may be applied to your own performance-related goals. 

1)   Allow yourself to be vulnerable.It was taken for granted that on a trip of this nature each of us would face daily personal battles however we did not predict how differently these would manifest in each of us. While some doubted their fitness, others struggled with the distance from loved ones. Physical strength, motivation and resilience will naturally ebb and flow. Personally, I learnt that in the times you need help - take it. Similarly, if someone needs your support - help them. 

2)   Detach (somewhat) from home.For the first three weeks, team members were focused on the task at hand. However, there came a time for each of us when we seemed to allow our thoughts to become preoccupied with the family, home comforts, work or troubles we had left behind. This shift was clear to see, it was as though people had physically turned around in their mind and started their journey towards home. Try to ensure this happens at the moment of your choice. Before this point allow home comforts - music, pictures, family – to provide enough meaning to carry on but not too much to change your mind!

3)   Accept discomfort.To resist something will only give it more power to eat away at you. This may be physical fatigue, a frustrating team mate, or an indefinite wait. Our daily personal limits fluctuated depending on a range of different factors. However, it seemed that those amongst us who expected a certain level of discomfort could more effectively embrace it when it occurred.  

4)   Find humour and capitalise on it.One thing this experience showed me is that suffering and happiness can occur in close proximity to one another and may even rely on one another. The extent of the oppressive bitter cold could be fully appreciated with the contrast of the warm dancing sunlight. In a situation where risk and hardship were dominant it helped to compliment the serious with the silly. 

5)   Be willing to learn.It is through testing ourselves that we can learn to fully know and trust ourselves. However, with every test comes the risk of defeat. Perceived failure can bring up difficult emotions and reactions in all of us. The month was a rare opportunity for each of us to dedicate a significant amount of time to look towards ourselves and ask important questions. Don’t be afraid to be honest with yourself about the things you find challenging. Exposing yourself to failure is an admirable endeavour and one that can grant you access to untapped potential. 

If you would like an initial consultation with Kim then please just contact us here.

The psychology of climbing a mountain - Part One

Last autumn our own, Kim Keegan (a Clinical Psychologist), was part of a 14-member group that set out on a 30-day trip into the Himalayas. The itinerary included an attempt to summit Mera Peak (6,476m), a cross over the Amphu Labtsa pass (5,780m), and final summit of Island Peak (6,189m). This two-part article captures Kim’s observations of the traits and techniques that characterised this group’s journey. These ideas are applicable to all aspects of endurance sport and may be applied to your performance-related goals. 

 1)   Focus on the journey not the summit. Beginning our mountain expedition with an acclimatisation trek through a dark and damp forest seemed to challenge our group; we longed to leave the leeches and rush to the glory of the glacier. However, this was the journey and just as important as the time spent climbing higher up. Unbeknown to us, this time was our training and an important time to rehearse the psychological skills that would condition us for summit day. Patience, perseverance, and positivity were needed to survive both ends of the physical spectrum from a monotonous rest day to a strenuous summit push.   

2)   Keep your mind in the present. Long days spent walking in silence can give your mind the opportunity to jump ahead of itself. This was most evident when thoughts became preoccupied with summit day. How cold would it be? Would the weather allow us access? Did we each have the strength? We had a long way to go and we could not know what lay ahead waiting for us. It seemed most helpful for our group to break things down and focus on one task at a time. This way objectives could be overcome hour-by-hour, day-by-day, and with small victories came greater confidence. 

3)   Be a team player. At times, it was difficult for us to stay connected as a team; individuals had their own ideas about how we should be progressing which led to a wish to separate from the shared needs of the team. However, it was vital to remember that we were part of a bigger picture. This consisted of the UK-based expedition team who had meticulously planned our itinerary and acclimatisation; our mountain leader; and the Sherpas, porters and kitchen staff who made it possible for us to even spend one night on the mountain. Although it was necessary for each of us at times to withdraw inwards and find the personal resources to withstand the hard times, we existed within a networkand were stronger because of it. It takes courage to let your team and your leader truly know you, and for you to come to know them; but in doing so, the connection you build will give you a deeper understanding of what the other needs from you. 

4)   Keep an open mind. It became an emerging pattern that predetermined expectations, rituals and routines could interfere with flexible adaptation to the situation at hand. The weather will not always conform to forecasts, favourite socks will not always dry, and available food may not always be to your taste. Be prepared, but also be prepared for those plans to change. 

In Part Two, Kim will explore detachment, finding humour and how to capitalise on it.

Thinking about Performing Well versus Thinking about How to Perform well

In this article I wanted to discuss how what you think about and focus on might apply to and help you on the rollercoaster that is an improved performance, whether that be a ParkRun PB or Ironman World Championship Qualification.  I will start from an academic perspective - without getting overly geeky (I promise) – and will move to the Practical Implications discussing why I get all the athletes I coach who are looking at any goal but particularly a big goal like World Championship Qualification to be Process Orientated and focus on How to Qualify not on Qualifying which is an Outcome Orientation.  

 In text books the Ideal Performance State is often quoted as being that mood where an athlete feels completely focussed on their performance and is confident they will achieve their best. It’s often likened to being on autopilot – the problem being though that for most triathletes, not least in an Ironman event lasting between 8 and 17 hours, this can be quite elusive.  In an event that long, the skills and abilities that represent this Ideal Performance State: mental preparation; complete concentration; self confidence; high motivation; ability to control activation and anxiety and ability to cope with pressure and anxiety are going to be tested to the limit. 

 There is solid research in this area for example, Gould, D.. Eclund,, R., & Jackson, S. The Sports Psychologist (1992), and also Hardy, L., Jones, Gould, D. (1996) Understanding Psychological Preparation for Sports suggests that the Ideal Performance State is related to adoption of a process goal.  Further that whilst the process goal helps an athlete - that an outcome goal (eg win/loss, position) actually hinders them from achieving peak performance.

 In other words triathletes who primarily focus on just the outcome of qualifying may be distracted by how well they are performing compared to others and focus on the anticipated outcome of their performance rather than the immediate tasks that need to be mastered for successful performance. Whereas if a triathlete adopts a process focussed, personal best approach then she or he is more likely to achieve a peak performance.  

 So what do I mean by this and how does it manifest itself in the real world.  Let’s take your upcoming Running Race or Triathlon; you could have two types of goals: firstly an outcome goal – I want to come in the top 10, I want to qualify etc or you could have a process goal and concentrate on that process – I want to swim efficiently with good stroke rate, I want to cycle at X Watts and keep aero and then run at Y min per mile pace with high hips and good form.  

 With the latter you know you’ve been swimming steady 1:40 per 100m in training in your 4k sets; you know that without any external uncontrollable factors, punctures, strong winds, you can hold 21 mph on the bike at that power and if you run well an 8:00 per mile is possible based on your standalone 3:00 marathon time. Those processes coupled with a couple of slick transitions may get you to your goal but will allow you just to think about those tasks and allow you to remain calm.

Athletes who primarily focus on just the outcome may be distracted by how well they are performing compared to others and focus on the anticipated outcome of their performance rather than the immediate tasks that need to be mastered for successful performance.  In the example above, if the triathlete is cycling at 21 mph and is process orientated they can relax even if it feels that everyone in the field is overtaking them as they know they are performing to their limit and there is a long run to come – the outcome focussed athlete will be in a state of anxiety which usually leads to negative thoughts: I’m so slow; I got my training wrong; I’m going to change my coach.  Further you have no control of other competitors – if there is only 1 entrant in your AG then you will qualify.  If you are of a certain age and 4 former Elite triathletes show up, think Molina, Tinley, Allen and Scott etc and decide they want to qualify and race AG then I suggest you will come outside the top 4 but you can’t control those factors.  The process focussed athlete will or will not achieve their goal regardless.

 Take home message: Focus on How to Win not just Winning Itself

 In one research study, Howitt, B., & McConnell, R. (1996), 88% of athletes reported an outcome focus during their worst performance.  Read that sentence again!  By examining worst performances it becomes clear that an over emphasis on outcome goals prevents athletes from performing well.  The focus during best performances should be primarily on skill mastery and be process centred.  If our triathlete is cycling along at the X Watts that they have trained to do and their HR is in the right zone, they are comfortable, and they are appropriately aero then they can relax.  They don’t need to expend energy thinking - every few minutes they can run through the check list and if all is well then they can just relax or modify anything that isn’t ideal.

 The bottom line is that if a triathlete adopts a process–focussed, personal–best approach then she or he is more likely to achieve a peak performance.  

 So what are the Practical Implications of being Process Orientated.  Above I’ve discussed why it is important for triathletes to understand the distinction between task (process focussed) goals and outcome (win focussed) goals – and the enormous impact that their goals have on their performance.  As a Coach I work hard to encourage athletes, such as Joe Webley who went from non swimmer to the 70.3 World Championships to develop a task-goal orientation, since these goals are related to the skills in which the triathlete must be competent in order to perform well and the only goals she or he has control of.

 During the actual race situation it is vital that the triathlete primarily adopts a task goal; however that does not mean she/he should not ever be focussed on the outcome. Winning is not a dirty word. I want all the athletes I coach to win but during actual performance I want them to primarily focus on how to win.  The whole point of competition is to determine who is the best so it is natural that athletes want to compare their competitive ability with others (an outcome focus).  Such a focus is not necessarily bad. An outcome goal can provide motivation and incentive for training just as much as a task goal.  Dreaming of Kona is what may get you out of the door when others are still sleeping.  However during the race itself the triathlete must be primarily task focussed to get into the Ideal Performance State and achieve peak performance.  There are some great recent examples of executing this process focussed approach one is Cat Morrison's 2010 Lanzarote win where she describes how she felt as an out of body experience – you can read about that race experience here

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/triathlon/7977348/Cat-Morrisons-amazing-victory-at-the-2010-Lanzarote-Ironman-in-her-own-words.html Another example would be Chrissie in 2008 in Kona after she punctured.  Both these athletes sat at the side of the road, and could have thrown in the towel and then just kept with the plan and worried about the outcome later.

 It is this state that contributes to both success and enjoyment in sport. However, it doesn’t occur by chance very often – you need to plan to get there more often. You need to learn how to switch on your autopilot (perhaps this is Cat’s out of body experience) so that the Ideal Performance State becomes second nature.  The ideal is to get into that wonderful mental rhythm and flow where you barely need to think - you just do.  I love this quote from one of the Coaches I looked up to when I was making my way in Basketball; and I think it sums up for me the Ideal Performance State: 

 ‘That’s when I come alive; on the basketball court. As the game unfolds, time slows down and I experience the blissful feel of being totally engaged in the action.  My mind is completely focussed on the process but with a sense of openness and joy…That’s when you realise that basketball is a game, a journey, a dance – not a fight to the death…It’s just life as it is’

Phil Jackson (Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers basketball coach and nine times winner of the NBA Championship)

 So practice being more process orientated in training, practice turning your autopilot on and execute that on race day and maybe, just maybe if you focus on the process you might find yourself on the Big Island in October

From Non Swimmer to the 70.3 World Championships

Great full page article about one of our athletes Joe Webley and his rise to success. Plenty more to come from this athlete. It’s always humbling to get a mention in these pieces.

Top Tips for Celtman Success

A good friend of ours, Andy successfully raced the iconic Celtman Scottish Extreme Triathlon this year. The Celtman is part of the Xtri World Tour and takes place in June in Wester Ross, Scotland and is centred around the stunning Torridon Mountains. Make no mistake - when they say this race is extreme they mean it; a 3.4km swim in cold, deep, jellyfish infested water, a 202km ride on the scenic but challenging Scottish roads and to finish a 42km run through an ancient drover pass up and over the Beinn Eighe mountain range. Being fit is only part of the equation for success; slick teamwork; specific preparation and an ability to adapt are all required. Following his success in the race we asked Andy for his top 5 tips for completing The Celtman and these are detailed below. 

 1. Firstly pick your team carefully and schedule in a training day a few weeks before the event.  Andy chose a team of three with different strengths, his fiancé for emotional support, a friend who is a great runner and whom Andy had done most of his Munros with, and a friend who is a long distance kayaker who has bags of experience with extreme events that require support.  Two weeks before the race the whole team had a day where they simulated the event in miniature so that the team could practice feeding him, clothing him, helping in transitions etc.  This does not have to be at the race venue and indeed in Andy’s case wasn’t. This was a three/four hour session which was purely for the team to practice; Andy threw in on the spot challenges for them throughout the day like changing clothes, pumping up tyres etc. so they were fully prepared.  In Andy’s words the first 30 mins were a disaster and if it had been race day he’d have been extremely stressed.  By the end of the session they had it totally dialled in and knew exactly how to support me as a team.  I can't recommend highly enough doing this session; there were plenty of ill equipped teams on race day!

 2.  Know the course like the back of your hand. By race day Andy had recced the bike course twice, once riding it and once in a car with a GPS looking for decent feed stops. He'd also been round the whole run course with his support runner. The first section of the run is in extremely rough terrain with the high likelihood of going off track, definitely worth checking it out before the big day.

 3.  The swim is cold and jellyfish filled. Wetsuit boots, gloves and under vests are allowed and it's worth considering using them. In the race Andy used all three but if he had to do it again he'd ditch the gloves. He practised a lot with them but felt they held him back when actually on the course.  His thinking was that they would protect his hands from stings but despite seeing loads of jellyfish, that wouldn't have been an issue.  The boots and under vest worked well though, and are well worth thinking about.  Despite there being hundreds of jellyfish Andy reported that he didn't actually mind them once I got going; they don't bother you and actually look quite amazing when you're swimming over them.  If you can practice swimming at the venue before the race you should, although in Andy’s case he didn't get the chance.

 4.   Shieldaig is a small place and it's very busy with cars on race day morning. If you're staying in the village this isn't an issue but if you are not, it's worth giving yourself an extra 30 mins to get into the village and parked on your way to transition.  Nothing worse than a rushed start to the race!

 5.  Celtman is not Swim-Bike-Run, it's Swim-Bike-Run-Hike. It's a 3.4km swim and a 202km bike and there's nothing you can do about that.  But the run is split between running and hiking and you should take that into consideration.  You have 11hrs from the start of the race to get to T2a and the cut-off for the high course, (to be awarded the coveted blue t-shirt) and the low course.  That means once off the bike you have to run 16k to get to T2a; after this it's impossible to do anything other than hike up Beinn Eighe, it's too steep to run. So in training after a big ride Andy would focus on a 16k run at a decent speed, rather than a slower 30k run for example.  Know your timings and what sort of pace you need to be doing once off the bike.

 All in all Celtman is a must do race for every triathlete’s bucket list. It is over subscribed so they run a ballot each year. If you are one of the lucky few that gets a slot then these tips will help you, and your team, be properly prepared.

Travel Tips for Triathletes

Having just returned from the fantastic Ironman 70.3 World Championships I have some recent experience of travelling with athletes and seeing the toll on the body that the travel takes.  Whilst travelling to a race is a necessary evil, and perhaps many of you are not going as far as SA, there are things to you do to ensure that you arrive in good shape to race.

DURING YOUR TRAVEL

1. Wear your compression socks. Triathletes love compression gear! So I probably don’t need to encourage them to wear them however during a flight or a long trip, along with for recovery there actually is some science to suggest that they will help blood circulation and minimize swelling of the feet. There is pretty much no science to suggest that compression gear will improve performance however so I’ll save that rant for another post!

2. Move. If you are flying to your destination race then get up and walk around every 20 minutes and avoid sitting too long. Stretch your calves while seated and standing. If driving or being driven try and stop every hour for a little walk around and stretch off the calves, quads and hip flexors.

3. Food Choices. I’d bring my own healthy snacks on the trip, good airlines will allow you to book your food choices before you fly with meals being provided for special diets so make sure you do that. Stay hydrated but not overly saturated on the trip and avoid alcohol particularly on flights.

4. Timing.Depending on the distance of travel I would always advise getting out to the venue early, in our case we flew on Monday and arrived on Tuesday ahead of the Women’s race on the Saturday and Men’s on the Sunday. Clearly for a more local race you don’t need to arrive this early but for the bigger 70.3/Ironman distance  type races I do feel this helps. 

POST-FLIGHT TRAINING

I was lucky enough to meet six time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott in South Africa and one of the things we chatted about was training after a flight.  We had elected to fly through Doha, Qatar which actually has a gym and a pool so our Performance Edge athletes were able to get a little workout there during our 8 hour hold over and we incorporated some of the sets below.

Swim

When you book your trip ensuring you either have a pool at the destination or nearby and checking opening times can be a great help before you fly. If you can get a little swim in after arriving

The rationale of this swim set is really to shake off from the flight so keep the session short and keep the reps short. So swim 25s or 50s with a good 15-20s rest in between. Mix up the strokes so as well as freestyle, include some breast stroke and backstroke. Just keep the intensity nice and low and feel the benefit of being in the water after a long travel day.

Bike 

Once you have build the bike then getting a little ride in after your travel day is also a good way to get rid of some fatigue from the travel

Again this is not a session more it is an opportunity to firstly check your bike mechanicals over and to ensure all is working correctly. If not you have time for yourself, or a local bike shop or expo mechanics to help correct the issue. Secondly it is a chance to blow away some cobwebs from the flight. Again keep the intensity low but I think on the bike including a couple of short pick ups of perhaps 20 – 45s is a good idea and also standing as well as sitting whilst riding to stretch the hip flexors. One thing Dave Scott mentioned was to drop the heel to stretch the Achilles and soleus.

Run 

A little shakedown run perhaps the day after a travel day can help to get you race ready. I know Ironman World Champion Peter Reid used to do a run straight off the plane when he got to Hawaii but this could be too much for us mere mortals so I’d advise triathletes to wait a day if they can 

Similarly to the swim and the bike the rationale of the run is to get a little stretch in or the major muscle groups that will have tightened on the trip. Like the bike I would add some 20s pick ups into the run but the majority is just a gentle jog. Dave Scott again talked about the Achilles on these runs and felt that walking backwards dynamically stretched the Achilles and hamstrings. During the run don’t be afraid to stop once warned up and have a gentle dynamic stretch of the calves, quads and hip flexors.

Finally when you are at these more major races you will see athletes in the days befor e the race going way too fast in their workouts. Stick to these post travel sessions and you’ll give your body the best chance to recover from the travel. Take it easy, make healthy food choices and you’ll feel more refreshed and ready to go for the next race. Which is the day you have trained to go fast!

Never Do More Than Is Necessary

For the ambitious athlete with equally ambitious training consideration should be given to their motivation and their specific goal. A solid motivation is to concentrate on the process and not the outcome and aim to be the best that athlete can be and the goal should be whatever target the athlete places the greatest value on. With runners and triathletes I would encourage them not to place too much emphasis however on the goal too early in their athletic career. It takes time to achieve appropriate levels of sport specific excellence and athletes should be allowed this time to develop, grow both physiologically and psychologically and potentially change direction.

In terms of the objective it is key that one should never do more than is necessary to achieve it. So programmes should not just build to a maximal training level and hold an athlete there, rather any programme should take into consideration all aspects of an athletes life, work, family and social commitments and ensure that there is a quality to the training that is fitted in around these aspects such that the athlete develops.

So when one looks into the specifics of training whilst mileage volume at a slower pace is needed to establish the cardiovascular base required by the aerobic sports that most participate in it should be limited to again being just enough to achieve the aim and no more. More is not necessarily better – for the triathletes I am tempted to repeat that! The risk of any over use injury should always be limited. When we conduct anaerobic work or the powerful stimulus of interval training it can quickly bring an athlete on but equally quickly can bring about fatigue and injury so it is monitored and used sparingly – no more than necessary for the individual athlete.

The harder the training or the greater the ambition of the athlete the more a Coach has to consider. Athletes should be encouraged to appropriately discover their limits but this must never be at the risk of pushing an athlete too far and if the mantra of Never Do More than is Necessary is heeded you give the ambitious athlete the greatest chance of reaching their goal.

The Polar Circle Marathon

It's quite common for us to have athletes racing all over the world but when one of my athletes, Jen came up with The Polar Circle Marathon on her event list this was something new and presented a number of challenges. I'm happy to say she overcame all of those and her race report is below.

"I saw this marathon advertised many years ago, and it became my dream. Never once did I think I would be fit or strong enough, physically or mentally to take it on. But one year into being coached by Neil Scholes, my strength and confidence grew to the point I saw it as possible.  2017 saw me on the start line.

The race presents many challenges, mainly due to the unpredictable conditions. For the first time this year, there had been little snow in the preceding week, so what little snow there was had become icy on the gravel road. The ice cap itself was just that, ice! No soft snow to give grip.  A recce out on the route the day before showed us all how difficult the ice cap was to stay upright on. Crampons were a necessity. The temperature was unseasonably mild, but the wind chill was unpredictable. The big questions all the runners asked each other and debated were: 'how many layers to wear?' 'Goggles or not?' 'Where to put on crampons?' and 'Will my gels freeze?' I quickly realised this was more than just running a marathon. It was going to be a mental game against the elements and adapting as the game changed.

The morning of the race came and still no snow. The big 4x4 truck buses were ready at 7.00am to transport us to the start. It was dark and cold. Most of us sat in silence for the hour and a half journey. At the start we left our drop bags with spare clothes/food etc to be transported to the various aid stations. They didn’t keep us hanging around for long. Dawn broke, and we were off.

The first few kilometres of the race were up a steep hill (not my favourite way to start a race! ) I had planned to wear three layers on my top: base/fleece/windproof and two on the bottom: base/windproof along with a buff and goggles. I struggled to breathe through my buff, but without it pulled up, my lips and nose became SO cold. The goggles protected my eyes completely from the wind thankfully.

Running on the ice was actually SUCH fun. The crunch of crampons in the otherwise beautiful silence was unique. I have never been anywhere so barren and exotic. I felt so happy and privileged to be there. My core strength kept me upright on the ice as others around me fell  (Thank you Motion Health! ) I was having a ball.

Coming off the ice cap and getting onto the gravel road was great, it was downhill! But very soon I realised how much I had sweated on the ice, and I was way too hot. At the 10k station I removed my soaking midlayer and just kept the base and windproof. Goggles came off, thin gloves went on. Unwanted items went in a labelled bag to be taken back to the finish line.

At this point I suddenly felt lightheaded and a bit nauseous, but an electrolyte gel soon righted that. Setting off again I was full of doubt as to if I’d made the right garment choices. I worried the weather would turn, or I’d get cold if for any reason I had to slow to a walk. Neil’s race advice rung in my ears, ‘Run the bit of race that you are in’.  Probably the best bit of race advice I have ever been given. This advice fits so well with the Inuit language and culture where there is only a present tense. What is past doesn’t matter now, what is in front you can't yet control. All you can do is live in the moment.  I switched my attention to the scenery, the amazing freedom and silence around me, and I did what I love. I ran. 

It was slow, or rather, I was slow, but every minute of that race I was running grateful. Occasionally I caught up with other runners, ran alongside for a while or walked up a hill together. The friendliness was above anything I’d experienced before. Runners from 26 countries were represented. The language of running was the same for us all.

Regulating temperature was the hardest part. I got way too hot in two top layers, but too cold in just one. I also didn’t get the fuelling quite right. I sweated a lot more than I expected, and I didn’t take on enough, so energy levels dipped a few times.  However, I was honestly sad to see the 41k marker as I realised my race was almost over. Many locals had come out to see the finish, and the cheering and flag waving was really appreciated. Crossing that finish line gave me the best feeling ever... a dream realised.

As an adventure marathon I’d recommend it. It was extremely well organised. The support from the marshals along the route was amazing. Warm drinks and snacks were available frequently. Standing out for those hours in zero temperatures can’t have been easy. Medics were available on the ice cap itself. I can’t fault the encouragement they gave. It was very welcome, as needless to say, there were no supporters along the route! From flights to accommodation, transport around, optional tours, Albatross Adventures had it all covered."

We'd love to hear about your races in far off climes so don't hesitate to contact us here

The Starman Night Triathlon

Last month it was my privilege to crew at The Starman Triathlon, an event that my neighbours Andy and Caz from True Grit Events were putting on. The Starman is a unique triathlon in the Scottish Highlands as it starts at midnight with a 1.2 mile swim in Loch Morlich; which for those unfamiliar with the location is about 10 miles east of Aviemore – where you will find the nearest street light. The 56 mile bike that follows takes you through Speyside and finishes with a tough climb up to the ski station car park at the base of Cairn Gorm where you start the final leg a 13.1 mile run. This run is no less challenging than the previous two disciplines as not only do you start by running up Windy Ridge to the exposed summit of Cairn Gorm you then have to run down and finally up and over Meall a’ Bhuachaille to finish at Loch Morlich.

As a Coach, crewing at this event gave me not only the distinctive advantage of viewing the rigours of completing a middle distance triathlon at night but also how each of the competitors adapted and coped (or didn’t) with the nuances of the event thus allowing me to form some advice for participants in not only the 2018 version of the event but also events such as this that take place when the sun goes down.

I think the first most obvious aspect of the race is that start time of midnight. Questions will arise in athletes’ minds as to whether they should, if possible, alter their daily schedule prior to the race and go nocturnal. I think a close second will be questions about eating and how to plan meal times around the race.

Looking at nutrition first, I would aim to eat 4 times on the day of the race making my last ‘meal’ around 21:00, i.e. 3 hours before the start, and I would make this my normal pre race breakfast. So if you were to race a marathon or a normal middle distance triathlon and you would usually have say a bowl of porridge and a banana for breakfast before it then that is what I would aim to eat at around 21:00. I would then work backwards through the day and perhaps eat my dinner slightly earlier knowing I’d be eating at 21:00 and also lunch and breakfast. One aspect to consider for this particular race is the venue and how you are going to make that bowl of porridge or whatever you are going to eat at night beside Loch Morlich. The majority of competitors were in tents so not too much of an issue but worth considering if your normal pre race meal was steak, eggs and broccoli.

With regards to the midnight start it is only one night so I definitely wouldn’t try and alter my life to try and be nocturnal. Anyone who has worked shifts, or has had children or even remembers back to their clubbing days knows that you can cope with one night with no sleep. Having said that I would look to perhaps trying to get a nap maybe in the afternoon or post dinner then get up for the 21:00 “breakfast”/Last Supper and then stay up.

I think the next and again obvious thing about the race is the darkness. It’s called the Starman, there is a clue there, and you see the stars when it’s dark. However living in rural Perthshire as I do we are perhaps more used to and accustomed to the dark. I have a head torch in my van for example so I can walk from it to the house at night, as our nearest streetlight is 3 miles away. The race venue is, as I have said is an even greater distance from artificial light - so when it’s dark it’s really dark. This leads to a number of aspects that need consideration: how will you cope mentally not only swimming in a Scottish Loch but out on a bike course in the pitch black potentially on your own; how will you cope practically in terms what lights will you utilise in order to see and be seen, and how aspects like looking at your bike computer which in the daylight are simple all of a sudden become a more awkward evolution.

Like many things in racing this comes down to practice. In the swim the competitors were issued with 3 cyalume light sticks, one on either side of their swim caps and one on the back of the wetsuit and each buoy was beautifully lit up. But if possible getting a few open water swims in the dark or even fading light would be useful but if not even just shutting your eyes for a few strokes in your local pool can help. Kitting your bike out with some great lights that give you great vision is paramount but also putting a light on your helmet works well as you then have vision where you turn your head. This is important to spot race and road signage, to look at bike computers and also if you glance to the side you illuminate there. Racing with lights in the dark can lead to a tunnel vision effect and this in itself can lead to feelings of motion sickness and nausea and a few competitors certainly reported this. However having some good lights and also trialling these if possible under similar conditions can eliminate it. Of course lastly, as with any triathlon, it is the responsibility of the competitor to know the route so if possible get to know the path the race takes and therefore when visibility is low you at least will have some recollection of where you are. At least one of the competitors had actually cycled the route at night - go to the top of the Coach’s class for perfect preparation!

There is definitely a discomfort element to racing at night. Your mind can and will play tricks on you and innocent shadows take on new forms. Keeping your mind quiet and in check is definitely part of night racing. It is very typical in races to have negative thoughts that you should have stayed at home and I think these are amplified when it’s at night. So yes there is a warm bed you could get into but you still can once you have finished and have that finishers medal! Again getting out for a few training sessions in the dark will bring some familiarity to the effects and allow you to stay focussed as you become more comfortable with the environment. There is also a beauty and stillness to racing at night and that feeling of dawn, especially as you descend Cairn Gorm, stirs something primeval in all of us.

I think lastly from a coaching perspective one aspect that often goes awry in any race is pacing and this is simply more difficult at night. Athletes these days are very accustomed to reading metrics such as heart rate, power, speed, pace, average pace etc from a multitude of devices but of course you may not be able to read them in the dark. Couple this with your visual perception being altered often leads to thinking you are moving quicker than you actually are. At night with the reduced vision, objects appear very quickly and it is this that leads to the assumption that you are travelling quickly. The answer, as in during day races is to get used to ‘feeling’ what a particular pace of effort feels like internally. So rather than relying on visual cues or even cues from devices that at night you may not be able to read well, practice instead getting in tune with your body and understanding what efforts feel like. Like everything practice, practice, practice.

Overall The Starman 2017 was a phenomenal inaugural event, I’m only sorry that I was crewing and not competing (although with a dislocated collar bone I didn’t have much option) and it is one that should be on every triathletes bucket list. 

Race Advice

Triathlon is a global sport and here at Performance Edge we have athletes racing throughout the year in a variety of locations. This week is no exception with father and daughter Chris and Katie H racing Ironman Wales, Chris R is also racing Ironman Wales for the 6th time, Faye is looking to put down another PB at the Clapham 10k having PB’d in 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon this year and Rosie is across in Chattanooga, Tennessee racing the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.

So an assortment of races this weekend in a variety of locations and I’ll be pacing around like an expectant father checking various trackers; however despite the multiplicity there are actually many similarities in some of the advice I offer up prior to these events. I discuss specifics with the athletes but in general the advice below will stand you in good stead.

First up is to relax. Not just say it to actually physically practice it. I want my athletes to try and still their thoughts. Six-time Ironman World Champion Mark Allen used to talk about having a quiet mind and American fighter pilots in WW2 were trained to relax in the heat of battle. They got it so effective that they could relax in a room and even sleep when someone was firing a machine gun. So don’t let negative thoughts creep in and in your own races just relax and perform.

As a Coach I place no outward expectations on the athletes, I know they will do their best and work hard. They have already worked hard to get to race day and the actual race is merely an expression and a celebration of that hard work. That is all I ask so we don’t talk about times or placing or aspects we have no control over, we concentrate on the things we can control.

In the military we talked about the six P’s; Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance so plan everything. Plan what you will bring to the race and plan for every eventuality, consider how a perfect race would look and visualise that, plan the “action on” in other words what you would do if you had a puncture, if your goggles get knocked off in the swim, if you feel sick on the run. Consider it, make a plan, make an alternate plan and then race to those plans. If you were undertaking a long drive today you would actually plan it, you would make sure your car was full of diesel or petrol, you would buy some healthy snacks, you would plan a route or set the sat nav and I can tell you that the plan would change! You’d hit traffic, or be diverted so you’d have to adapt the plan. Same when you are racing in endurance sport, you’ll be out there for a considerable time and things happen. So plan for the unexpected.

Those of you who race know there is a lot of pre race posturing at the race venue, particularly in triathlon!  Other athletes always look fitter and stronger than me when I race but I know it all counts for nothing when the gun goes off. Other athletes will look more muscular, more lean, have better kit a better bike an aero helmet, a disc wheel than you but it means nothing. In fact staying out of this environment if it stresses you out a bit is always worthwhile. I encourage my athletes to spend as little time around others that are racing as they can. They go to register, they wander round the expo once, they go to any compulsory brief and check out the course, in triathlon they look at the flow through transitions and all aspects we need to know but we do all of that efficiently. I want them to keep themselves in their own world. In your own races resist expending any physical or mental energy that you don’t need to. Perhaps even listening to a Yoga Nidra podcast or soothing music might help - not heavy metal or the theme from Rocky! You don’t need to be amped up!

During the race itself concentrate on the process and not the outcome. Try and maintain that quiet mind and never give up. Just live in the moment, the moment is now. I emphasise this in training, I encourage athletes not to stress about a run on the Thursday when it is only Tuesday. Likewise in triathlon don’t worry about the bike when you are swimming, or worry about the run when you are cycling.  Just be the best you can be in that moment.

In an endurance event, nutrition wise you must keep the intake of carbs up. You need the energy to run and most people run out of energy on the run due to lack of nutrition and/or hydration. If you feel bad then go to water, for 20 mins and let your stomach settle. If you run out of energy go very easy for 5 mins and eat everything and you'll come good in about 20 mins. Better to lose 5 mins than 25 mins due to feeling bad.

Lastly I wish my athletes good luck; I always wish it because we all need it. Concentrate on the process and only the process and enjoy the finish line.

Long Course Weekend (Wales) 2017

One of the staple events now on the UKs multi sport calendar is the Long Course Weekend where every July since 2010, Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales plays host to what was a unique 3 day event, but now with the addition of LCW Mallorca and Jervis Bay is a growing family. It has grown from humble beginnings to now accommodate 8500 athletes over the weekend across all 3 disciplines and many utilising it as the perfect preparation and build up to the Ironman Wales event in September.

Beth has completed the event three years on the trot and this was my second time at LCW.. There are a number of options for each discipline but to qualify for the Long Course and that elusive fourth medal you clearly have to do the full distance in each event. The weekend kicks-off on the Friday evening with The Wales Swim. There are two options a 1.2 mile and a 2.4 mile swim and it takes place on Tenby’s North Beach. The Long Course athletes have to complete 2.4 mile swim. Whilst busy coaching one thing I have been doing in recent months is swimming and the weather was perfect for the swim this year. The course is a two-lap swim, for the full distance, with a so called “Aussie exit” and goes in a clockwise direction. The first buoy was reportedly 800m away but it seemed to take forever to reach it as the current was against us. However having turned at the buoy you could really lengthen the stroke and feel a slight push “downstream.  This event feels different to an Ironman branded event, with very little of the testosterone fuelled hype at the start and a much friendlier atmosphere. So straight away I liked it when I first did it. We had stayed in the same B&B in Tenby that we stayed at last year so we just walked down to the start in our wetsuit and used the bag drop for a change afterwards which was all very efficient. It was also quite nice to just do the swim and go back to the B&B rather than the thought of getting straight onto the bike.

On Saturday the attention turns to The Wales Sportive, and 112 miles of “undulating” Welsh countryside lined in parts with enthusiastic crowds. There are also shorter route options. This ride is extremely tough and some of the “undulations” are full blown hills. The weather this year was great and no sign of the rain we had last year and that made the descents much less sketchy.  I rode my road bike as opposed to my Tri bike as we are off for some cycling in France after the event but there are certainly large parts where you can get nice and aero on the tri bars.

To finish the weekend, the athletes have the small task of completing the 26.2 miles of The Wales Marathon, which is quickly establishing itself as a fantastic event in its own right. There are 5k, 10k and Half Marathon options with the latter two starting after the marathon. The Half for example starts 2 hours after the marathon start so if you are quick enough you will be cheered on by those runners waiting to start the half. I had a great run last year but not so this year, the weather was warm and sunny but I just did not have the run legs and I was not alone in this.  You can tell which event runners are doing by their bib colour and both spectators and other runners alike were appreciative of the Long Course athletes.

All in all I can thoroughly recommend the Long Course Weekend. It is challenging but more than that it is a well-run event with none of the drama that goes with the Ironman events, so no huge race briefing, no racking of bike or dropping of bags and it is conducted in an inclusive and friendly atmosphere. As long as the organisers keep a cap on numbers it will remain so. With the pick and choose nature of each discipline there is something here for everyone. For those doing an Ironman later in the year you could do the full swim and bike and perhaps just the 10k to save your legs for example. Entries for next year are open and if I was you I’d get on it. Lastly if I haven’t convinced you yet then perhaps the fact you get LCW branded beer in your goody bag might just do it!

If you have any more in depth questions about our experience of the event just contact us.

Some Race Advice from The Greatest

As a Coach there is one quote out of the many fantastic quotes that Muhammad Ali said that for me sums up the attitude that triathletes and runners should embrace come race day - “The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road; long before I dance under those lights.”

For me I think that sums it up well, you think about all the time you have got up early to swim up and down a 25m pool following the black line, you think about the hours on the turbo trainer and out on the road running and riding, you think about the logical hooks you have created, and all the times you have taken in the past to push yourself and not hold back. You put all of this together and when you are standing on the start line looking at the water and around at your other competitors you can tell yourself that you have done everything that you can do. You do not need to feel nervous or anxious about your performance, you have essentially won or lost the “fight” already. ALL you need to do is to be out there and enjoy it and rely on the skills you already have as you are not going to improve on them that day you are merely going to use the skill set that you possess.

So relax and enjoy it! After all it is meant to be fun!

If you train specifically and appropriately in your time “away from witnesses” then one day you might be able to proclaim, as Muhammad Ali did after beating Sonny Liston, “I shook up the World! I shook up the World!”