Tag Archive for: training advice

Stay Hydrated: Tips for Carrying Water During Triathlon Training

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Hydration is key to success in triathlon training. As you push your limits and prepare for the Kerrville Triathlon, it’s essential to find effective ways to carry water and stay hydrated throughout your workouts. Here are some valuable tips to help you stay on top of your hydration game:

Gear:

Hydration Packs:

Invest in a hydration pack designed specifically for endurance athletes. These packs come with a water reservoir and a hose, allowing you to sip water conveniently without breaking your stride. They are ideal for long runs and bike rides, ensuring you have a steady supply of hydration at all times.

 

 

Water Bottles with Holders:

Attach a water bottle holder to your bike frame or your running belt. This way, you can carry a standard water bottle with you and access it easily during your training sessions. Opt for lightweight and durable bottles that are easy to grip while on the move.

 

 

 

Handheld Water Bottles:

If you prefer a hands-on approach, consider using handheld water bottles designed for runners. These bottles come with a strap that allows you to carry them comfortably without having to grip them tightly. They are convenient for shorter runs and provide quick access to water when needed.

 

 

 

Hydration Belts:

Another option is a hydration belt that features multiple water bottles attached to a belt around your waist. These belts often come with additional pockets for storing essentials like energy gels or your phone. They are popular among triathletes for their convenience and capacity.

 

Be Prepared:

  1. Plan Your Routes: When training outdoors, plan your routes strategically to include water fountains or hydration stations along the way. Knowing where you can refill your water supply can alleviate the need to carry large amounts of water with you, especially on longer workouts.
  2. Electrolyte Solutions: In addition to water, consider using electrolyte solutions or sports drinks to replenish lost electrolytes during intense training sessions. These drinks can help maintain your body’s electrolyte balance and enhance hydration efficiency.
  3. Monitor Your Fluid Intake: Keep track of how much water you consume before, during, and after each training session. Monitoring your fluid intake helps you understand your hydration needs and adjust accordingly based on factors like weather conditions and workout intensity.

By implementing these tips and finding the right hydration strategy that works for you, you’ll ensure that staying hydrated becomes a seamless part of your triathlon training routine. Remember, proper hydration is not just about quenching your thirst—it’s about optimizing your performance and reaching your full potential on race day.

Stay hydrated, stay focused, and keep pushing towards your goals. See you at the Kerrville Triathlon finish line!

Tri Your Best: Setting Fitness and Triathlon Goals for the New Year

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Welcome to a new year of triumph and achievement at Kerrville Triathlon! As we step into 2024, it’s the perfect time to set ambitious fitness and triathlon goals that will propel you toward greatness. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of creating specific and achievable goals to make this year your most successful yet.

8 Goals for the New Year:

1. Define Your Distance Goals: Start by choosing your triathlon distance for the year. Whether you’re aiming to conquer your first sprint, or challenge yourself with a quarter or half iron distance, clearly define the distance that aligns with your aspirations. For instance, if you’re leveling up from a sprint, set a goal to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon by mid-year.

2. Focus on Time-Based Objectives: Take your goals to the next level by incorporating time-based objectives. Aim to shave minutes off your swim, bike, and run times. For instance, if your previous 10K run time was 60 minutes, set a goal to achieve a sub-55-minute time by the end of the year. This will not only enhance your overall performance but also keep your training focused and purposeful.

3. Master a New Skill: Challenge yourself to acquire a new skill that will enhance your triathlon performance. Whether it’s perfecting your open water swim technique, mastering efficient transitions, or becoming proficient in bike maintenance, acquiring additional skills can significantly impact your overall race experience.

4. Diversify Your Training: Avoid monotony by diversifying your training routine. Incorporate cross-training activities like yoga, strength training, or trail running to improve your overall fitness and prevent burnout. Setting a goal to attend a weekly yoga class or complete a specific number of strength training sessions each month will add variety to your regimen.

5. Nutritional Milestones: Nutrition is a crucial aspect of triathlon training. Set specific nutritional goals such as adopting a balanced diet, staying hydrated, and experimenting with race-day nutrition strategies. For example, aim to incorporate a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables into your daily meals or discover the optimal hydration plan for your body during long training sessions.

6. Register Early or the Kerrville Triathlon: Committing to an event like the Kerrville Triathlon can be a powerful motivator. Register early, set the date on your calendar, and use it as a focal point for your training. The anticipation and excitement of the event will drive your commitment.

7. Stay Flexible and Adapt: Life can be unpredictable, and plans may need adjustment. Be flexible in your approach, adapting to unforeseen circumstances without losing sight of your ultimate goals. This resilience will serve you well in both training and racing.

8. Enjoy the Journey: Above all, savor the journey. Embrace the process of growth, challenge, and self-discovery. Triathlon training is not just about the destination; it’s about becoming the best version of yourself along the way.

As you embark on this journey of setting and achieving fitness and triathlon goals for the new year, remember that each accomplishment, no matter how small, contributes to your overall success. Be realistic, stay consistent, and celebrate your victories along the way. At Kerrville Triathlon, we’re excited to witness your progress and share in your triumphs throughout 2024. Here’s to a year of setting and exceeding your fitness and triathlon aspirations!

Reliable Tips to Avoid Bonking and Blowing Up During a Triathlon

Avoid Bonking & Keep From Blowing Up

What is bonking? Bonking is when you run out of energy to complete your event. Like a car running out of gas 10 miles into a 20-mile trip. You have no fuel to continue. What is blowing up? Blowing up is starting way too fast or maintaining too high of a pace at different points of your event, which can lead to surpassing your lactate threshold & cramping causing you to stop or slow down. Like if you just put the pedal to the floor in your car and blow your gaskets or transmission. You still have plenty of fuel, but you broke other parts of your car. If you struggle with this, keep reading to learn how to avoid the bonk and prevent from blowing up. 

To keep it simple, here are the top tips to Avoid Bonking and Keep from Blowing Up

  1. Know Your Pace. Know what pace you are capable of holding for any period of time to avoid bonking. The idea is at the start of the event for the effort level to feel controlled and relatively easy. As you progress through the event, your effort level will increase to hold your pace. At the end of your event, the effort level will be extremely high to maintain your initial start pace. Even splits or negative splits are how you PR. 
  2. Know How to Fuel Properly. Know the calorie needs for the distance you are doing. If you are doing a short event (less than 45 minutes) you will not need anything more than water during your event. Your body will have enough energy from your previous night’s meal and your morning breakfast to get you through. Chances are on the shorter events you will be moving faster and having a bunch of food in your stomach is counterproductive to going fast.
  3. Know When to Refuel. If your event is longer than 45 minutes, this is when you need to start thinking about fueling for success. In general, depending on your height, weight, sport, and effort level, you will burn between 10 to 25 calories per minute. The goal is to time your calorie intake throughout your event so that you are just keeping the tank full enough to avoid bonking and running out of energy. Another rule is that you want to consume the calories before you need them. My rule of thumb is that I take in a few calories every 15 minutes starting at the 30-minute mark for any event over 1 hour. Remember you are balancing your intake with what was in your tank when you started. 

Things to consider per sport

  • Swimming. Swimming is not the ideal sport for taking in calories during a triathlon.  When you are completing a tri, you need to consider calorie-intake into account and be prepared to start fueling early on the bike to avoid bonking.
  • Avoid BonkingCycling. Cycling is built for fueling. You have bottle cages on your bike, the right choice in your race clothing will have pockets for holding gels and other forms of nutrition. There are also tons of other equipment you can add to your bike to pretty much carry as much as you want. One key is to use the aid stations on course so that you are not carrying too much. Why spend a ton of money on an 18-pound bike when you are going to carry 3 to 6 pounds of nutrition? Learning how to take a bottle hand up or even stop quickly at an aid station to make sure you have what you need is important and worth every second that you might think you are losing by just blowing by the aid station without refueling. Items we recommend consuming on the bike: water, fluids with calories, gels, chews, and bars.
  • Running. A good pocket in your run shorts, shirt, or a SpiBelt is perfect for holding a couple of gels for your run. A small handheld water bottle can also come in handy if you are needing a little water to wash down your gel or stay hydrated. Aid stations are also the key for runners. Knowing the frequency of the aid stations and what they will be supplied with before the event will help you come up with the proper nutrition plan on the run. Items I recommend consuming while running: water, fluids with calories, gels, and chews.

Tips To Avoid Bonking

To sum it up, what you need to do to avoid bonking is, know your body (pace),  know the event (what nutrition do they offer on course), have a plan to carry additional fuel, and then practice with different amounts and mixtures of nutrition at different paces until you have the perfect plan. This will all vary based on the type and length of your event, so be sure to use these tips during your Kerrville Tri training. After all, practice makes perfect!