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February 26th Featuring TERRI SCHNEIDER, former pro triathlete, and author of the recently published book, Triathlon Revolution: Training, Technique, and Inspiration. Terri is one of the most experienced, educated elite endurance athlete/coaches in the sport, and her new book is a fun and fresh how-to guide for beginners and intermediates. A Tale of Fiction TCSD Contacts 2 Volunteer Members 2 Board Members 2 Event Calendar 2 New Members 5 FEBRUARY CLUB MEETING By Barbara Javor FEBRUARY 2009
Citation preview
I was riding solo on a mid-week morningbecause my company had downsized a fewweeks earlier and I was unemployed. ThenJanice broke up with me, no doubt in part dueto my single-minded determination to spendmany of my weekends training. Without a jobor a girlfriend, Idecided to seize theopportunity and trainlike a madman to beking of the mountainand wear the covetedjersey awarded in theMt. Argent races in afew months. Jobscould wait until myfinances grew thin,and girlfriends…? Ishook my head to clear the vision of Janicestomping out of my house a few weeks back.Girlfriends could wait too, until I got thisquest to be a Mountain Man out of my system.
I had ridden Mt. Argent once several yearsearlier, and my memories of switchback afterswitchback came back to life as I dug into theclimb. I knew what a good racing time shouldbe, and I had hoped this ride would prove I
could be within striking distance of winning ifI set my mind to regular rides up the moun-tain. I kept glancing at my watch with eachmile marker. So far, so good.
Mt. Argent—Silver Mountain—was namedfor the large crystals of mica embedded in the
granite boulders thatflashed and shim-mered silvery reflec-tions of sunlight allalong the climb. Assweat began to dripfrom my scalp onto myface and down myback, I passed a sec-tion of boulders withso many mica crystalsthat they seemed to
be winking at me, mocking my effort. I’m notgoing to let it get to me. I pressed on, focus-ing only on the pavement ahead. Nothing’sgoing to distract me.
The vegetation turned from brush to trees asI climbed, and near the summit I passed a fewpull-outs with scenic vistas that tempted meto take a break. I pressed onward and upwardto the end of the road, completely spent,
continued page 3
February 26thFeaturing
TERRI SCHNEIDER, former protriathlete, and author of the
recently published book,Triathlon Revolution: Training,Technique, and Inspiration.
Terri is one of the most experienced, educated eliteendurance athlete/coaches
in the sport, and her new bookis a fun and fresh how-to guide for beginners and
intermediates.
FEBRUARY CLUB MEETING
CONGRATULATIONS TCSD!
25 years since its beginning and
growing stronger & faster then ever.
The largest and best triathlon club
in the world.
By Barbara Javor
I felt a sense of defiance as I began the grueling bicycle ride up Mt. Argent, one of the toughest climbs in the county.
A Tale of Fiction
MOUNTAIN MAN
TRIATHLON CLUB OF SAN DIEGO TriNews
TCSD Contacts 2Volunteer Members 2Board Members 2Event Calendar 2New Members 5
Weekly Workout Calendar 5Member Profile 6Race Discounts 8Coaches Corner 8Friends Offering Discounts 9
Ironman Conversation 92009 Grand Prix Schedule 14Nutritional Tip 21Product Review 22
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
2009FEBRUARY
TRIATHLON CLUB of SAN DIEGO
Y E A R S
Monthly, 1st Thursday, 6pmNewbie/Networking Meeting Location: Hi-Tech Bikes,7638 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
February 7th, Saturday, 7amRUNJUNK.com December DuathlonLocation: Carmel Valley on the 56 bike path.
See web site for complete details.
February 14th, Saturday, 8amIndoor Triathlon #3Location: Frog’s Fitness 12171 World Trade Dr.Carmel Mountain Ranch/Poway.Limit: Max 66 participantsPre-Registration only.Wave start time will be assigned.
See web site for complete details.
February Club MeetingFebruary 26th, ThursdayFood begins at 5:00pmLocation: Road Runner Sports5553 Copley Ave, San Diego
See web site for updates and complete details.
February 28th, Saturday, 8amIndoor Triathlon #4Location: Lawrence Family Jewish
Community Center (JCC)4126 Executive Drive, La JollaLimit: Max 66 participantsPre-Registration only.Wave start time will be assigned.
See web site for complete details.
No Outdoor Club Triathlon in Feb.
Triathlon Club of San DiegoP. O. Box 504366 San Diego, CA 92150-4366www.triclubsandiego.orgSend correspondence to the addressabove or contact president BrianLong at [email protected]
Membership & RenewalSend a check made payable to TCSD to the address above. Rates for new memberships &renewals: $60/year, $45 military(w/active ID), $110 family (2 adults). Additional years available at discount, see website.
TCSD e-listsSubscribe to the TCSD e-mailing listsby sending a blank email with yourname in the body to:[email protected]
Newsletter EditorBarbara [email protected] (760) 710-7730
Newsletter Design & ProductionSprague Design, Dean [email protected](858) 270-1605
Newsletter ArticlesPlease send to Barbara Ferrero at [email protected]
Contributing Writers Sergio Borges, Barbara Ferrero,Barbara Javor, Dean Sprague, andCraig Zelent
Newsletter ClassifiedsPlease send to Raja Lahti at [email protected]
Digital Newsletter or Hard CopyChoose approriate box in your on-line TCSD member profile.
Beginner Coaches Steve Koci [email protected]
Farah Hedwig [email protected]
Dean Rosenberg [email protected]
Steve Tally [email protected]
Bike Case Rentals Bob Rosen [email protected] (619) 668-0066
Bike Coach Andy Concors [email protected]
Club Apparel Devin Reily [email protected] (619) 895-0687
Club Liaison & Sponsorship Director Raja Lahti [email protected]
Expo Coordinators Sherry Ashbaugh [email protected] (858) 337-8839
Anne Fleming [email protected]
Grand Prix (including Aqua & Duathlon) Kevin Davenport [email protected]
Dean Sprague [email protected] (858) 270-1605
Ironman Coach Craig Zelent [email protected] (760) 214-0055
New Members Michelle Panik [email protected]
Publication Manager Madonna Bentz [email protected] (858) 349-5504
Social Director Buck Williamson [email protected]
Track Coach Bill Gibbs [email protected]
Track Coach, North County Mike Plumb [email protected]
Web Administrator John Hill [email protected]
Wetsuit Rental/Loaner Program Thomas Johnson
Volunteer Committee Members Michele Kuehner [email protected]
President Brian Long [email protected] (760) 415-3329
Vice President Dave Huff [email protected]
Treasurer Wendy Harp [email protected]
Secretary Farah Hedwig [email protected]
Race Director Cory Osth [email protected]
Club Liaison Raja Lahti [email protected]
BOARD MEMBERS
VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
CONTACTS
NEWSLETTER STAFF ANDINFORMATION
2
EVENT CALENDAR
Always refer to the Tri Club’s website calendar for latest events and complete details.
drenched, and nauseous when I reached the peak. My legsscreamed and pulsed with lactic acid. I was much slower than Ihad wanted to be, but the endorphins swimming through my sys-tem and the thinner air of the peak kept me from focusing on thefailure to meet my time expectations. At the moment, I was justglad the climb was over. I let my heart rate diminish and my gutrecover for a few minutes.
I was about to climb back on my bike for a quick descent whenI noticed a man stopped on a bicycle only a few feet away. Hewore a faded jersey, well-worn shorts, and scuffed bicycle shoes.His bike was decent but an older model. Unlike me, he appearedto be hardly sweating. I could only see part of his face andstrands of his steel gray hair under his helmet and sunglasses. Iguessed he was a weathered forty-something, a fit fifty-some-thing, or a well-preserved sixty—it was hard to tell. I hadn’t seenany cars parked in the pull-outs, so I figured he must have rid-den all the way up behind me and scarcely broke a sweat.
“Do you ride up here much?” I asked the first question thatpopped in my head.
He nodded. “It’s nice up here. I get to know the mountain a lit-tle better each time.” His voice was crystal clear like that of ayounger man.
“Yeah, I guess after awhile you know where the steeper sec-tions are and how hard to push to improve your time.”
“No, that’s not what I mean at all. I get to know the mountain,the rocks, the sky, and even the squirrels that scurry across theroad. Every time it’s a little different. If you just stare at thepavement in front of you, you’ll never see or feel it. The ride timedoesn’t matter. Some days you feel you ride really well, but yourtime is slower than you think it should be.” He shook his head.“Why ride against the clock? And why race going downhill? That’sthe time to coast easy and take it all in.”
I noticed he didn’t have a watch or a computer on his bike. Hiswords were both strange and intriguing, and I couldn’t help want-ing to know more about him. He seemed to sense my curiosityand continued speaking.
“The best rides are the ones you remember for a long time.Maybe it’s the time you look up and see a hawk flying with preyin her talons. You’ll remember that the mountain was good to herthat day. Or maybe you set a PR one day riding to the top, butwhen you go home, no one gives a hoot what your time was. Butif you hug your wife and kids when you get home, and then takethem out to dinner at their favorite restaurant even when it’s notsomeone’s birthday, they’ll remember the day too and everyonewill be happy.”
He stared down the mountainside without speaking. I didn’twant to interrupt his private thoughts, but I hopedhe’d say more. I gave him a few moments
to continue with his philosophy of Mt. Argent while I pulled outtwo energy bars from my seat pack, intent on offering him onewhile we talked a little longer. When I looked up again, he wasmounting his bike and starting to roll away.
“Hey,” I started to say, but I stopped and let him continue hisride. He’d make an interesting riding partner for my mid-weekrides. I should have asked him his name and when he rides. As Iate the bar, I looked down the side of the mountain to a coupleof the road switchbacks I could see. I never saw him pass below.Strange.
I heeded his words during my descent, never going very fastalthough gravity could have pulled me to high speeds. I smelledthe change in vegetation as I descended, smiled at the sparklingmica crystals winking at me, and even stopped when I saw asnake crossing the road to make certain it reached the other sidebefore a passing car killed it. I thought about the man and hiswords, and planned to talk to him if he parked near me at thesmall grocery store at the base of the mountain.
When I arrived at the store, no one was parked nearby. As Iclimbed into my truck, for some unknown reason I felt I shouldcall Janice to tell her about the strange rider. I pulled out my cellphone, scrolled to her name, and then stopped. I didn’t knowwhat else I’d say to her. I glanced around—where is that bicy-clist? I stepped out of my truck, walked into the store, andscanned the aisles.
“May I help you?” the owner asked.“Did a cyclist with gray hair wearing an old, faded jersey stop
in a short while ago?”The man gave me a curious look. “Did you just climb Mt.
Argent?”I nodded.“Was he riding an older blue bike?”I nodded.“Did his voice sound like that of a choir boy’s when it changes
to a baritone?”I nodded. That’s exactly how it sounded.He indicated I should follow him as he walked to the wall near
the register. “No one has seen him for about a year or two,although people look for him all the time.” He stopped in frontof a panel of photographs, some older black and white ones, andothers in color. He pointed to a cyclist in one of the older pic-tures. “Is that him?”
I studied the photo for a few moments before I nodded. Thephotograph was nearly twenty years old.
“That’s Isaac Hammersley, trained with the Olympic team, but
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG3
MOUNTAIN MAN, continued
continued page 7
Monday6:00 PM Computrainer Cycling and ErgVideo • Location: Coastal Sports and Wellness.
6:00 PM Group Run, 4-6 miles, all paces welcome. • Location: Movin Shoes, Encinitas.
7:30 PM Pool Swim (long course) in La Jolla/UTC • Location: JCC, 4126 Executive Dr.
Tuesday6:00 AM Bike Workout in Solana Beach, 27 miles, all levels. • Location: Front of B&L Bikes.
6:30 AM Bike Workout in Point Loma • Location: Moment Cycle Sports, 1357 Rosecrans.
6:00 PM Run 5+ miles in Mission Bay • Location: Mission Bay Jetty parking lot.
6:00 PM Track Workout in Carlsbad, a coached session • Location: Carlsbad H.S. Track.
Wednesday5:30 PM Advanced MTB Training • Location: Penasquitos Canyon Side Park (east pkg lot).
6:00 PM Bike Workout in Coronado • Location: Starting at Holland’s Bicycles.
7:00 PM Winter Spin Class • Location: Rehab United PT & Sports Performance Center.
7:30 PM Pool Swim (long course) in La Jolla/UTC • Location: JCC, 4126 Executive Dr.
Thursday6:00 AM Bike Workout in Solana Beach, 27 miles, all levels. • Location: Front of B&L Bikes.
6:30 AM Bike Workout in Point Loma • Location: Starting at Moment Cycle Sports.
5:30 PM East County Trail Run, Contact: Florian Hedwig for more information (619) 820-2388,
[email protected] or [email protected].
Friday6:45 AM Ocean Swim in Solana Beach, in the water at 7. • Location: at Fletcher Cove
(I-5, to Lomas Santa Fe west)
Saturday8:00 AM Bike Workout in Del Mar, all levels welcome. • Location: Meet at Starbucks
(Hwy 101 & 15th st.)
Sunday7:30 AM Penasquitos Trail Run • Contact: Mark Kenny for more information (760) 271-2003
7:45 AM Run (starts at 8 sharp) and Ocean Swim (in the water at 9) in Del Mar • Location: Meet at
Powerhouse Park.
8:30 AM REAL Beginners Bike Ride (see following page or calendar on website for complete details)
** Starts after daylight saving time, but check TCSD website for complete details.
TCSD WEEKLY WORKOUT CALENDAR
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG5
continued page 6
NEW MEMBERS
Nathan AganMAcario AvalosMonique BeauchampJeremy CulukoChase DaltonKate DimeoRyan DrewAna Paula DuarteCatherine EllisMick EllisLisa FongWilliam FunkJennifer GilliesThomas GoldenJason HableBryan HagemanHannibal HandyAlyssa HeddenJil HibmaScott HoibergErin HunterAnthony JacksonPaul JesseEvan JohnsonChris JuarezReina KawazoeMarcus KelloggKathleen KenneyErin KentBriann KerbyNancy KnightTawn Kramer Karol KristovRobert KrohnDavid LarsonElizabeth LeddyTrevor LumaLaura LuttrellSean MackenzieSteven MarquezLuke McCueMatthew MillerPaul MonatMark MulbergerNir Nimrodi
Colette O’BrienSean O’BrienDeyan PantichDavid ParkTracy Ann PerryColleen PhillipsJeannie PriceSallie PrivettTimothy RayAlfredo RoldanZoha SakhavatAnneka SakovichDavid SchmeckDaric SchmitzSteven ShackfordMitchel StraubScott SwisherMichael ThomasTrampus ThomasonSusanna TorkeArthur TuckerHilary WorlandTim Zaspal
Sunday, February 8th, 8:30 am
6
REAL BEGINNERS BIKE RIDE
The TCSD Real Beginner’s Bike Ride takesplace on the 56 bike path and is a club ridewhere NOBODY gets left behind. If you canride comfortably for at least 60 minutes without stopping (total ride time 90-minutes)then this ride is for you. Please have at leastminimal cycling ability (can ride, shift, andcorner your bike adequately). Be ready for acouple moderate climbs on the first half ofthe ride, but beginners need hills too!
We will have a brief bike talk at 8:30am,and be rolling by 9am. Helmets are MANDATORY. We will help you change yourflats along the way, but please be equippedwith your own tubes to carry on the ride.
Questions? Contact Dean and ’the Steve’s’at [email protected]
Schedule of Events:8:30–8:50: Bike Q&A 9:00 - ??: Bike Ride
Directions:I-5 to Carmel Valley Road.East on Carmel Valley Road to El Camino Real.South (RIGHT) on El Camino Real.In about 1/2 mile, RIGHT into the parking lotfor California Bank and Trust.
Monday, February 16th, 6:00 pm
BEGINNER’S MEETING & TRIATHLON 101
The monthly talk is specifically designed toget you started in the sport of triathlon, andour goal is to de-mystify triathlon, andremove the ‘intimidation factor.’ We will covertriathlon basics from A to Z. All questionsfair game! NON-MEMBERS WELCOME!
Contact:Questions or comments can be sent to yourbeginner coaches Steve T, Dean R, and/or Steve K at [email protected]
Where:B&L Bike & Sport - San Diego Store3603 Camino Del Rio West San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 294-9300
Directions:It’s right off Interstate 5 at Rosecrans acrossfrom Hampton Inn.
NEW MEMBERS, cont.
To order, go to www.mdotcoffee.com
Use code TCSD to receive 25% off your order. (This discount does not apply to the KONA coffee.)
We’ve chosen what we believe are the highest quality and most flavorful coffee beans in the world – single origin Guatemalan coffee and single-origin
100% Kona, Single origin means consistency, which is the first step in producing a superior, “non-blended” coffee - harvested form the same farmseach and every time. The high-altitude and volcanic soil in Guatemala andKona make for some of the best coffee growing conditions in the world.
continued page 7
ANDI NEUGARTENMember since: 2005
MEMBER PROFILE
Age group: F 40-44
Status: D, but in a wonderful longterm realtionship.
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG7
MEMBER PROFILE,continued
Before I became a triathlete I was: A long distance runnerand a competitive tennis player.
Favorite Race/Tri Event:San Diego International
Favorite local restaurant: Thereare so many...I love the sushiat Café Japengo, the bar atL’auberge.
Best event: Swim, Bike or Run:Swim, Bike or Run mmmm, notreally sure here...would normal-ly say the run but now it’s gotto be the bike.
PR: race time or any split time(include race name and distance): My bike split inClearwater (70.3 IM WorldChampionship)...it was awe-some...and was a PR by far.
Most Embarrassing or DisastrousMoment: getting to mile one ofthe run in Clearwater and feel-ing like I was dying. Had noth-ing in me. Had to walk and itwas the WORLD CHAMPS....real-ly thought I could do a 5 hourand I just blew it all on therun.
Equipment wish list: TheCervelo...you know, that newsexy one...Norman Stadler,newest Zoot wetsuit.
My Equipment:Wetsuit: ZootBike: GuruShoe: Shimano
Can’t Race Without: my supportteam, being my wonderfulboyfriend.
Best advice: The sky is not thelimit...has always been mymotto. Reach for the stars...its never too high. And no pain, no gain...justkeep working at it.
We are a Sports Physical Therapy facility dedicatedto finding and treating the underlying biomechanicalproblems that lead to common sports injuries.
n Active Release Techniques®
n Functional Sports Medicine& Rehab
n Orthopedic Rehab
n Kinesiotaping & McConnellTaping Techniques
n Sports Specific Strength & Conditioning
n Functional Flexibility Programs
n Biomechanical Video Analysis
n Injury Preventions Programs
n Neuromuscular Re-educationTraining
Our Clinic Specializes in:
Ask for the special TCSD rate for our ActiveRelease Techniques® Services
University City Physical Therapy & FunctionSMART Fitness
(858) 452-0282 www.ucpt.com
MOUNTAIN MAN, continued
injuries kept him from competing. He used tolive around here, climbing Mt. Argent all thetime, and mentoring some of the younger rid-ers who’d listen to him. He’d complain that allthey wanted to do was race up and down themountain. Isaac would come in here after hisrides and buy a soda and a donut.”
I nodded again. “Did he move away?”The proprietor looked at me. “He died in an
accident up there about ten years ago. He wasalone when he crashed.” The man shook hishead. “At the time, his life was falling apart,one personal tragedy after another. His wifeleft him, his daughter got in trouble with thelaw, his business went under, and he got sick—cancer, I think. Some say he rode up there justto die on his beloved mountain.” He shrugged.“A few people say they’ve seen him up there,even talk to him. Others look for him but findnothing.”
I felt goose bumps on my skin and the hairstand on the nape of my neck. My God, did Italk to a dead man? Was I so out of it afterthat climb that I hallucinated? But hiswords—they stuck with me. I suddenly had acraving for a soda and a donut. I bought them,sat in the truck to drink and eat, and ponderedthe words and tragedy of Isaac’s life. He talkedto me. I clearly heard and understood him.
I glanced up at the mountain and saw it witha new perspective. Those crystals weren’t wink-ing at me with some secret humor—they wereblinking at me, telling me to open my eyes towhat I was missing. I smiled. I put down thecan of soda, pulled out my cell phone, andscrolled to Janice’s number. This time I knewwhat I would say.
8
COACHES CORNER:
continued page 9
By Sergio Borges
Heart Rate monitors, powermeters, GPS: arethese expensive gadgets really helping or justlimiting us?
Gadgets can be a great tool to help withyour training and racing, but they can alsohinder you from reaching your full potential.After all, these tools let ”numbers” dictatehow your body is feeling. This can have a pow-erful influence on your mind, which may limityour performance.
I have seen athletes that are so dependenton their gadgets that if they forget to bringtheir heart rate monitors or GPS to the localgroup run, or they forget to charge their pow-ermeters before the ride, they turn around andgo home! Is it impossible to train withoutthese tools? Of course not! They may actuallybe better off without them.
If you look at your heart rate monitor or GPSat least once every minute when you are outon a run, then you’re missing the chance tolearn how your body is reacting to the train-ing. Your obsession with your HR causes you tolose focus on your form (stride rate and length,arm position, etc.) and you don’t notice thesigns of your body (breathing, fatigue, effi-ciency, etc). If you can’t read your body’s reac-tion to the training, you’ll let the ”numbers”dictate how your body is feeling. For example,your body may feel great on a run so you pickup the speed a little. Then you look at your HRmonitor and notice that your HR is way aboveyour training zone so you slow it down. Yourbody was telling you that you are adapting tothe training well and you are getting stronger,but because your HR was too high, you wastedwhat could have been a really good trainingsession. This is how "numbers" just get in theway.
Cycling and running should mimic swim-ming, which is still a relatively gadget-freesport. Most people are unable to glance at thepace clock while swimming so they only findout how fast they are swimming when theinterval is over. Therefore, athletes have devel-
oped a good sense of pacing and effort in thepool in which they know what Easy, Moderateor Hard is without having to look at any num-bers. For example, let’s say one day you’re feel-ing tired and have to do a recovery swim set of10 x 100yds with 15 seconds rest. The paceyou’re swimming could easily be 10 secondsslower than your previous workout, so pace("numbers") here is not dictating your train-ing! Your performance is based only on howyour body feels. The same thing applies to arace specific set of 15 x 100yds (I’m using100’s again to facilitate the example) at yourbest average with 10 seconds rest. One dayyour best average could be 1:15’s, but 1:20’son a different day while the effort is still thesame: Race effort!
When I was training using all these gadgets,I realized that I was actually training my bodyto ignore what I was feeling, both physicallyand emotionally. I was simply being guided by”numbers” that were powerful enough to con-trol my mind and body. Despite the claims ofmost training plans, zone training tells mostpeople to train in a very generic way withoutregard to changing environmental factors andregardless of what their body might be tellingthem, potentially causing the athlete to under-or over-train.
In addition, the data from these tools hasbecome a new time consuming factor added toour already busy lives. The extra 40 minutes(at least) per week spent in front of the com-puter downloading and studying all the datafrom these gadgets could instead be used forstretching, taking a nap, or even getting onemore workout in!
Just listen to your body! Have a great 2009season!
Sergio Borges is a Senior Coach withIronguides, www.ironguides.net, formerly SanDiego X Training. He is also a Level III USATriathlon coach and Level II USA Cycling coach.He has spent over 15 years studying the scienceof triathlon training
Limiters to PerformanceTCSD RACEDISCOUNTSTo get your club discount, someevents require club members touse mail-in application and includea photocopy of TCSD membershipcard. No refunds of the discountedamount will be given if you havealready sent in your name andapplication.
Subtract the discounted amountfrom the total and be sure to alsowrite Triathlon Club of San Diegosomewhere on the application.
Additionally, visit the clubs discount section on the web foradditional details about discounts.
Auburn International Half-Ironman(World’s Toughest Half, Olympic andLong Course Duathlon Nat’lChampionships). TCSD members enjoy $10 off entry.
Big Kahuna Triathlon$15 off.
Elite Racing$10 off Rock & Roll Marathon. See website for additional racediscounts. www.EliteRacing.com
Kathy Loper Eventswww.kathyloperevents.com$3 off all events. At least a dozenlocal 5Ks, 10Ks and halfmarathons. For a complete list goto the website.
Klein and Clark SportsProductions10% off on both the April andNovember Desert Triathlon in Palm Springs.
Koz Enterprises$5 off all events. Spring SprintTriathlon, San Diego InternationalTriathlon, Solana Beach Triathlon,Imperial Beach Triathlon, MissionBay Triathlon, Silver Strand HalfMarathon.
Pacific Sports LLC$10 off all events. Los AngelesTriathlon, Newport BeachTriathlon, Long Beach Triathlon,Catalina Island Triathlon, CatalinaMarathon.
Craig: What was your athletic backgroundprior to triathlon?
Philippe: First I should probably introduce thecontext, since sports in Switzerland are inte-grated in a different way in the communityand educational system than in the USA. Here,sport in general is part of the culture, wellregarded and highly covered by the media.High schools and colleges have teams ofdiverse disciplines which are entities support-ed within the frame of the school. This is possibly the ideal constellation to promoteexcellence in sport since education and teamactivities are directly linked. On the otherhand, a departure from your school meansleaving your team. Furthermore there are onlya few clubs you can join on a private basisthat will provide you the platform to still com-pete at an amateur level and/or in a league.
In Switzerland, general PE is mandatory inall schools. But other than that, the schoolsusually don’t offer a sports program. In orderto train and compete in a sport in Switzerland,you have to join a club. Sports clubs are part-ly supported by federal funds, but activitiessuch as training with a team or competitionsare privately organized. Clubs and teams arenot integrated in the frame of a school. Thisstructure is thus less supportive of elite sportsince education and competitive sport – i.e.training hours and competitions – are notcombined and usually even conflict with oneanother. On the other hand, this setup mayberenders competitive sport more accessible tothe public.
My parents registered me for swim classeswhen I was about 8 years old; mainly for safe-ty reasons and to ensure I learned propertechnique. I started participating in smalllocal races when I was about 12. However, Ionly began to train regularly at the age of 15.
My home town, Fribourg/Freiburg (French andGerman names) is small (a bit more than30,000 inhabitants) and therefore has only alimited infrastructure for water sports. For thisreason, it was impossible to swim more than 4times a week. Our coaches were mostly collegestudents who were former swimmers. Largercities have better pool access and swim teamsare commonly coached by professional trainerstwice a day, 6 days a week. Only late in myswim career– at the age of 18 – did I break theone minute mark for 100 meter freestyle. Dueto the generally mediocre level of the Swissswimming, this was still good enough for meto race at a national level, although I was finishing in the lower quarter because of my obvious lack of training. Only the most talented of my teammates made it sometimesto the finals.
At the same age, I was trained as a swimcoach and also as a Boy Scout leader. Besides
IRONMAN CONVERSATION WITH CRAIG ZELENT
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG9
I recently had the pleasure of talking triathlon with the Tri Club’sPhilippe Krebs. Philippe absolutely crushed the competition atIronman Arizona last November with the super fast time of 9:08:21to win the men’s 30-34 age group. Please join me as we get toknow this fast friend of the TCSD.
continued page 10
Phil, 2008 Camp Pendleton Sprint triathlon.
continued page 10
FRIENDS OF TCSDOFFERING DISCOUNTS
COACHING SERVICES
Breakaway Training(858) 361-0761Contact: Felipe [email protected]
EnduranceZone.com www.fitstop-lab.comContact: Barry Kelly, Fit StopDiscount: 15% off for all TCSDmembers. Use ”TCSD” as thecoupon code, $50 off of the normalprice for VO2 testing.
ironguides(858) 558-1337Contact: Sergio [email protected]
Training Bible Coaching (619) 886-3227Contact: Jim [email protected]
Tri Power Multisport(760) 420-8032Contact: Mike [email protected]
Pelican Coast EventsMission Hills InternationalDuathlon, Pacific Coast Triathlonand Orange County Triathlon. Get $10 off each race or sign upfor all three and get $40 off ($10 less). Use code SDTC09.
SilverMan TriathlonHalf and Full ironman events. Lake Mead/Henderson, NV. Must indicate USAT membershipnumber and club affiliation.Discount codes ($10.00 discount): Full: silverclub09Half: silverhalf09
Ventura Breath of Life Triathlon$10 off. www.triforlife.com
TCSD RACEDISCOUNTS
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swimming competitively, I also taught veryyoung (5-7 year old) but also older (9-12years old) kids how to become confident inthe water, the principles of a good body posi-tion and the basics of the different strokes.Furthermore, since I was one of the oldestactive members of the club, I was responsiblefor the weekly out-of-the-water physical edu-cation of my teammates, which consisted ofstrengthening exercises using the weight ofthe body and basketball and unihockey (anindoor form of hockey using plastic sticks anda light ball). These occupations were personal-ly very rewarding and the technical knowledgeI acquired during the theoretic and practicalpart of my swim coaching allowed me to bet-ter analyze my own stroke and correlated withsignificant improvements of my times. Istayed in the swim club until I got my mastersdegree in biochemistry at the age of 24 andleft for Zurich to start my PhD training.
Craig: How did your interest in triathlonsbegin?
Philippe: The swim club I was in had atriathlon division whose athletes were for themost part 5-10 years older than the swimmers.Some of them were very talented and partici-
pated in European or even world champi-onship races. I can remember speaking to oneof them who qualified for Hawaii and inkingthat I would never sign up for an Ironmanbecause I found it silly and unhealthy. Mybrother, who is two and a half years younger,eventually left the swim club to join thetriathletes. He soon became very successfuland made it to the Swiss National Junior Teamwere he trained with Sven Riederer – who wonthe bronze medal at the Olympic Games inAthens, among others. So, I already had indi-rect contact with the sport of triathlon quiteearly.
As every other Swiss citizen, I had to jointhe military when I was 19 years old. This firstinitiation and training part lasted for 15weeks, after graduating from high school andbefore beginning my undergraduate studies. Iused the money I earned during the militaryservice to buy my first road bike – a steelframe – and rode on very irregular occasions. Iraced my first triathlon – a sprint distance –when I was 20 and can remember it as apainful experience; swimming was fine asexpected, but the cycling part was too long for me and my neck and lower back seemedparalyzed at the beginning of the run. At this
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continued page 11
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Ironman Conversation, continued
time I only averaged about one triathlon raceper year. Since I was mainly swimming andbecause of my weakness in the other sports Icould barely train with my brother.Nevertheless I learned quite a bit from him.
I started to run and ride more regularlywhen I moved to Zurich, at the age of 24, tobegin my PhD training. Swimming at a com-petitive level was too time consuming and Istopped it; running was an efficient way tomaintain my fitness and cycling allowed me todiscover my new environment. After one yearin Zurich, I found a group of triathlon-experi-enced friends at the university to train with.This group of friends set the stage for me for amore serious and regular training and turnedout to be decisive for my triathlon career.
Craig: What Ironman races have you done andhow did you do?
Philippe: Ironman Switzerland 2002M25-29 120/21 10:28 0:59 5:39 3:43
Ironman Switzerland 2003M25-29 66/13 9:46 0:55 5:15 3:32
Ironman Switzerland 2004M25-29 DNF 0:52 5:06 -
Ironman Switzerland 2005*M25-29 28/4 9:28 0:51 5:13 3:21
Ironman Hawaii 2005M25-29 198/33 9:37 0:57 5:10 3:21
Ironman Arizona 2008*M30-34 25/1 9:08 0:50 4:57 3:14
seconds not included
*qualificated for Ironman Hawaii
In 2002 I managed to get a military raceslot 2 months before the race. Before race day,I had a total of 1000 miles on the bike and my
longest run ever was 1:20. We had violentrain and even some hail during the bikesegment which caused me to crash in acurve. I had to run with bruises on my lefthip and lost the nails of my big toes.Because I pushed way too hard for mytraining, I could barely walk for one weekafter the race and had very sore muscles forabout three weeks.
In 2003, I spent one week in a biketraining camp in Tuscany during the springand swam with a new wetsuit with wasmuch more flexible around the shoulders.
In 2004, I raced with a new road bikewith aluminum an frame on which I put600 miles in Sardinia during the spring. Istarted the run way too fast because Iabsolutely wanted to qualify for Kona. I didnot take enough fluids and minerals, beganto have serious cramps in the legs after thehalf-marathon and had to quit the racebecause I felt dizzy while walking. I defi-nitely learned from these mistakes.
In 2005, I spent one week in Spain toget my spring cycling mileage. In Zurich, atthe Ironman Switzerland, I started morerelaxed, listened to my body and definitely
used my brain more. I lost the 3rd place in myage group half a mile before the finish line;still, I qualified for the long-distance worldchampionships. I was particularly happy about
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What do you do after finishing 1st in your agegroup? Relax just like everyone else.
continued page 14
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continued page 15
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FRIENDS OF TCSDOFFERING DISCOUNTS For Rules and FAQs visit the Tri Club webiste for complete details about the Grand Prix Series.
New for the 2009 season, all iron distance triathlons, anywhere in the world, will be included in the GP Point Series. Every race has a difficulty factor based on its lenght.
Difficulty FactorAll Club Races (except beginner races) 100/90Iron Distance Triathlon 110
February 21 TritonMan Sprint Triathlon 90
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July 12 Carlsbad Triathlon 9519 Vineman 70.3 10526 Pacific Coast Triathlon 10026 Solana Beach Du/Tri 90/95
August 1 Vineman, Iron distance 1108 Camp Pendleton Sprint Triathlon 9023 Imperial Beach Du/Tri 90/95
September 12 Nautica Malibu Triathlon, Olympic 10013 Nautica Malibu Triathlon, Classic 9513 Big Kahuna Triathlon 10519 Women's Triathlon Series 95
October 4 Mission Bay Tri 954 Los Angeles Triathlon, Olympic and Sprint 100/9026 SOMA Half, Quarterman 105/100TBD US Woman’s Triathlon and Sprint 95/90
November 7 Catalina Island Triathlon 958 Silverman Ironman and Half 110/105
TCSD Grand Prix Committee reserves the right to update/change the GP schedule at any time. Only 1 Iron distance event per season will count. You may compete in more than one - thehighest place finish will go to the season’s total. Dates subject to change - check individualevent website.
2009 Grand Prix Race Schedule
continued page 15
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it since I had just passed my PhD exam twomonths before the race.
In 2005 in Hawaii, the swim was very roughcompared to my previous races because peoplewere more aggressive. On the bike, the condi-tions were mild for Hawaii with almost nowind. This in turn meant scorching heat andno clouds for the run. I was very nervous inHawaii and absolutely wanted to finishdespite any difficulties. I was very lucky thatit turned out to be one of my best triathlondays.
Craig: It sounds like you improved a lot in2008. What were the key reasons for thatimprovement?
Philippe: There are several factors that canexplain why 2008 was my best triathlon sea-son ever. First, we had a total of 12 different guests or couples visiting us in 2007.My job as a researcher is very demanding andit is common that I have 11-12 hour workdays. Therefore I can only ride my bike onweekends, if I don’t have to play tour guidefor our visitors. Also, during the week I canonly run maximally one hour at a time, most-ly during incubations in the labor sometimes at 9 or even10pm. For this reason, longruns have to happen onSaturday or Sunday. 2008 onthe other hand was definitelyless busy for us and I spentmore time on the saddle.
I was reluctant in getting atriathlon bike – even for thegood deal I was offered by JTLyons from Moment Cycle Sport– and was not sure I wanted tocommit to more importanttriathlon races than the clubraces. I knew I could improvejust by riding my road bikemore regularly. It took me awhile to decide, together withmy wife Danielle, because I would have to jus-tify and sanction the purchase with races,which would mean less time with her on theweekends. The upgrade was eventually a good
choice and I could rapidly see an improve-ment, even on the short courses of FiestaIsland. Besides the bike, I also progressivelyreplaced my equipment with more modernparts; triathlon shoes to leave on the pedals,fast laces for the running shoes, and aero hel-met. And JT was even able to obtain a proto-type wetsuit for me to wear during theIronman Arizona. The material upgrade helpednoticeably. Otherwise my training is totallynon-scientific; no coach to overlook every-thing, no defined training plan, no technicalgadgets; I solely train based on my feeling andmy motivation. I guess I could improve that,but I just do not have the time or possibly thewillingness to do it.
After the closing of the JCC pool for renova-tion work, I joined the UCSD masters for swim-ming. This had a major impact on my strokesince it allowed me to train with other formerswimmers and push harder. I even improvedfor longer distance swims, as compared to myperformances while swimming competitively,which is quite exceptional in this sport at myage.
Also, instead of always cruising at the samepace, I included some hill sprints when I ranin the Torrey Pines park during the times cellswere working for me in the incubator. This forsure strengthened my legs and, together with
Ironman Conversation, continued
Phil and wife, Danielle, visting the Grand Canyon.
continued page 16
Looking for a
workout partner,
companion or buddy?
Use the TCSD web site’s forum to post a listing.
Make sure to include location
and intensity level.
Having a training partner
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to your workouts.
16
continued page 21
Ironman Conversation, continued
the TCSD races, provided me with speedtrainings.
Another factor is the amount of sleep. Iusually have to cope with 6-6:30 hoursper night, which is not enough to fullyrecover, particularly when working outevery day. Sleeping one hour more pernight the week before a major race givesme an incredible amount of energy.
Also as mentioned earlier, I couldincrease the volume of my trainings, withan estimated average of 10-12 hours perweek for the entire year – I do not haveany training log – and 12-15 weekly hoursthe 5 months preceding the Ironman.
Danielle and I have a healthy lifestyleand eating habits; we eat a lot of vegeta-bles and fruit, cook every evening and wetake the leftovers for lunch the next day.I think that nutrition is also an importantaspect with a strong influence on per-formance that should not be underesti-mated. I am also very grateful to Daniellefor all her practical and mental support.
Last but not least, I found wonderfultraining colleagues, who are also greatfriends, at TCSD and would like toacknowledge them here for making mytraining much more pleasant, but alsomore efficient because it was tougher;Brandon Mills, Matt Dixon, Michal Jager,Shane Buysse, Sean Silberman and some-times also Jim Vance, Paul Todd, IsaacSmead and Brendan Wolters.
Craig: Tell me about your race at IronmanArizona. How did your day go?
Philippe: The entire season and thepreparation for the Ironman Arizona wentvery well and I was lucky to remain free ofinjuries and accidents. However, a fewweeks before the event, I slipped with myflip-flops on the pedal of my commutingbike and hit the headset with my knee; Iended up with eight stitches. Fortunately,the cut healed very quickly; still I had torest one week. On top of this, I caught acold two weeks before the race when I
was in Boston for a conference. I wasapprehensive about the conferencebecause I expected not to sleep much andknew that it would be quite a partyatmosphere after the presentations.Luckily I completely recovered a few daysbefore the race, with 3 pounds less;almost optimal for the race. Well, I guessthe training volume done 5-10 days priorto such a long competition does notchange the general fitness much; on thecontrary, it could probably negativelyaffect it. Nevertheless, those events werealso mentally stressful.
Together with my wife Danielle, SergioGurrieri (who came with us to find inspi-ration and incentive for his first Ironmanand to ensure a spot for Ironman Arizona2009), and my friends Jacqueline and Erikfrom Switzerland, who live now inBerkeley. We stayed in a hotel with stu-dios in Tempe, which allowed us to cookour own meals. I am indeed very pickyabout food before long races. Erik wassome sort of mentor for me in Zurich, hadjust finished Ironman Hawaii for probablythe 10th time less than two monthsbefore and signed up for the race mainlybecause I was doing it.
I rode part of the bike course two daysbefore the race, together with BrandonMills, Matt Dixon and JT Lyons, who wereall in Arizona to compete. This was prob-ably one of the scariest rides I ever did;there was a lot of traffic on the roads andI feared that some stupid accident wouldhappen; but everybody went home safely.I have to confess that I was extremelystressed those 2 days before the race.There are so many equipment parts youhave to prepare and you better not over-look any of them: nutrition, bike, swimstuff, etc… Therefore I stayed focusedand not very talkative. I pre-warnedSergio about it.
Right prior to the swim start, a littlewave splashed my face and put my contactlenses out of focus. I thought at this timethat the race was already over for mebecause of my strong myopia. Luckily, I
could readjust at least one lens by thetime the race started. After half a mile Irecovered clear vision and a bit laterfound two contenders to swim with. Sincethey were moving at a good pace, I justcruised with them to preserve my energy,since I knew I could not pass them. I feltvery good for the swim and came out ofthe water one minute faster than my per-sonal record, albeit with reduced effort.
On the first lap of the bike course, I wassurprised to catch male professionalssince they started ten minutes ahead ofthe amateurs. Rather the opposite hap-pened to me in previous races inSwitzerland, where all participants used tostart at the same time. For the first hour,I had the impression to be alone in themiddle of the desert and for almost theentire ride I had to pace myself. I do notlike that at all, because it is mentallytougher and because I tend to reach asub-threshold plateau. Much fewer com-petitors passed me than usual and thosewho passed were rapidly overtaken again.I had slight cramps in the legs and did notfeel particularly well, probably because ofthe intake of too much liquid; I drank alot, because of the very dry conditions.The rice “sausages” prepared by Daniellein the morning were fantastic and helpedmuch – thank you Tim Neuschwander forthe tip! They were made of overcooked,salty sticky rice rolled in plastic foils;some sort of home-made gel/paste.Indeed, I need to have something salty toeat for my stomach but mainly becausemy teeth become sensitive to the sweetwith the time.
I was very surprised about my first subfive hour bike performance; still my legswere not too sore and I could quickly finda decent running pace. The second lap onthe run was a bit more problematic; I hadto hit the restrooms because of intestinalissues, take salt for the latent cramps andalso had a few gels because I felt dizzy. Iknew that there were only a few amateursahead of me and I did not want to jeop-ardize a potential slot for Kona while
18
pushing too hard; cruising wasprobably the smartest option. At thebeginning of the last loop, Danielletold me that I was in the front ofthe amateurs and possibly even firstin my age group; she had a phonecall with my parents who were fol-lowing the race from Switzerlandfrom the Internet and who had thusthe split times and rankings. Alsoshe informed me about my friendsracing and I was glad to hear thateverybody was doing fine. A bitlater I found an athlete fromCoronado Island to run with – he hadfortunately two more laps to com-plete; he was not a TCSD member, but I told him he absolutelyshould join – which gave me strength and motivation to make anegative split. This was excellent proof of the importance of themind in such a long race. I was of course happy to finish and verysurprised with my performance. I initially thought that a top 3position could be possible if I had optimal race conditions, whichwas not really the case. It was great and very unique to see myfriends and all the TCSD supporters during the race!
Craig: What do you recommend for someone who is planning todo their 1st triathlon in 2009?
Philippe: For this I have a very easy and cheap recipe: join TCSD,
participate in the various swim andrun workouts to meet new friendsand training partners, pump thetires of your bike – or even betterborrow a road bike from a friend –and ride it a few times in yourneighborhood. This will get youready for the first TCSD club race onCoronado in summer 2009. Minimalcosts for maximal output!!
Craig: What advice would you sharewith someone planning their 1stIronman in 2009?
Philippe: I would say that thisrequires more effort, time and
money (at least for the registration fees and the travel to theevent). Some friends raced an Ironman as their first triathlon anddid pretty well. Apparently they trained enough and had anexcellent initial endurance base. Now let’s suppose this Ironmanis not your first triathlon and that you have been in the businessand have exercised the three sports more or less regularly for abit more than one year. First you should set a realistic goal basedon the amount of time you have to train and your physical abil-ities. Then you should make sure that your form and body posi-tion in all three sports is correct or you will accumulate injuriesdue to the increase in training time. How is your stroke in thewater? Have an experienced friend watch you on the pool deck
Ironman Conversation, continued
Fellow Moment Cycle Sports team member, Brandon Mills,at 2008 IM Arizona.
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WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG19
but also under the water. Does your bike fit you? Do you suf-fer from pronation / supination and need orthotics? Run ontrails during training to avoid an excessive unilateral stresson your tendons. Listen to your body before it is too late andallow time for recovery and regeneration. Probably everybodycan train hard or accumulate miles, but doing it without get-ting injured is challenging. Having a good technique will alsopermit you to save energy. Once you get this far, I recom-mend progressively increasing the workout load to fulfill yourrace expectations. Ideally, you have training partners whohelp you make extended rides and long runs seem shorter andmore enjoyable. Include bike-run sessions and use the TCSDraces to test your equipment. Find the correct nutrition planduring your trainings if you are prone to gastric problemsduring races. And ask around if you have specific questions;TCSD has several experienced athletes willing to give advice.Avoid repeating their mistakes, but be sure to compare theopinions since what is true for somebody will not necessari-ly apply to another person. You need to feel ready and beadequately prepared to truly appreciate the race.
Craig: You obviously have had great success with triathlon.But even the great athletes make some stupid mistakes.Nobody really reads these interviews. Since it is just the twoof us, what dumb triathlon things you have done?
Philippe: During a swim meeting in France I left the key tomy lock in the locker after twice closing it. I had to ask thepool manager twice within a few hours to cut open the lock.Obviously I was not concentrating and I did not swim a per-sonal record on that day.
I ran my first marathon in my first Ironman race with run-ning flats that were too small and with toenails I forgot totrim and which got softened because of the rain. After thispainful mistake I had to walk with sandals for a few weeksand it took me one year to have normal looking big toes.
Craig: Why did you move from Switzerland to the US?
Philippe: After a masters degree in biochemistry and molec-ular biology I decided to embark for a PhD program at theETH in Zurich. The ETH is probably for Europe what MIT is forthe USA. The topic of my research was immunology (the studyof the immune system) and in particular in the context of thecardiovascular system. Since I liked the basic research verymuch I decided to go on for a so-called postdoctoral fellow-ship, a further training, which is usually spent abroad. Thus,two days after the Ironman Switzerland I had an interview inAmsterdam. The interview and my presentation went very welland I tried to dissimulate my state of soreness while we werewalking the stairs to visit the Institute. At the dinner I wasasked whether I was exercising in general and people werequite amazed to hear that I had raced only a few days before.
continued page 20
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Sergio Borges
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One of the girls in the lab was a marathoner, so that everybodyknew about the post-race symptoms of long-distance events. Iinterviewed then in San Diego, one of the hot spots for immunolo-gy in the USA, besides Boston and the Bay Area, and I interviewedwith several research groups here. My wife Danielle, who got herPhD right before our trip to Hawaii for the Ironman WorldChampionship, wanted to do something more applied than basicresearch. San Diego was eventually our common selection becauseof the prevalence of biotech and pharma companies in the area.Danielle now manages clinical studies and I work at the ScrippsResearch Institute, close to the Green Hospital. My research is atthe interface of immunology and genetics. In my lab, we try toidentify new genes or novel functions of known genes important forthe defense against pathogens or tumor cells.
Craig: What are your favorite things about the TCSD?
Philippe: Don Lopez’s barbecues at the Borrego week-ends,Denise’s breakfasts after the club races and Elizabeth’s desserts atthe aquathlons. But I also like the fact that the club is an excep-tional platform to meet new friends. Particularly as a foreigner whowants to integrate himself in the community, it is easier and moreeffective to join TCSD than entering a bar and saying: “Hi. I amPhilippe from Switzerland and I am looking for American friends”...Moreover, the club races, duathlons and aquathlons are the besttrainings ever. I am actually surprised that more active membersof the club don’t show up at these events.
Craig: Who sponsors you?
Philippe: I am sponsored by Moment Cycle Sport, which is also asponsor of the club. I met the owner, JT Lyons, at a TCSD swim
Ironman Conversation, continued
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So now you’re back, rested and happy from the wonderful time off work and with yourloved ones and then you step on the scale andrealize you’ve added a few pounds to your “tolose list”.
Don’t fret. There’s hope for you. You’re onlyone of millions facing the same dreaded nee-dle/digital screen on the scale on Mondaymorning.
The first part of the plan involves mentalattitude. Beating up on ourselves for our cur-rent shape or weight is detrimental to weightloss in more than one way.
Being compassionate and patient can helpus lose weight faster, more efficiently andwithout injury. Here’s how: n When we have a positive self image, it‘s
more likely that we will exercise more regularly and less likely that we will engagein punishent-reward style of eating.
n With that same realistic approach, we can bemore gentle with our bodies and allow our-selves to start the burning engine slowly,without injuring our bodies. It’s pretty sim-ple, but our bodies work like machines. Ifwe’re out of it and want to start at fullspeed, not only will we be inefficient, butwe’ll also risk breaking something and gettired more easily, which will prevent us fromexercising more (and have us burning less,which is the opposite of what we want)
Once we’re up to speed, we’ll feel great andbe able to rev it up to where we were beforethe break (or even higher, you’d be surprisedat how much rest can actually do for fitness)
The second part of the plan is food. And youguessed it! Gradual, gentle approach is key. n A lot of the weight will just be pufiness
(water retention) from the extra carbs,booze and food in general. That is easy tolose and will come off naturally as we start
exercising and getting into our normal eat-ing routine. We normally have 1 to 2 gramsof water per gram of stored carbs.
n The “real” weight we put on, the fat weight,should be lost more gradually and you’llthank yourself for this. Starving promotesretention fat, not shedding it - at least inthe short run and in healthy conditions.
Just like anything else important in yourlife, make a plan. Look at the daily menu andfigure out where you can cut. About 400 calories(*) less a day ensures you get enoughenergy to survive and not go into reservemode, and still lose weight. Remember to addfiber, lots of veggies and fruit, and you shouldbe golden!
(*) examples of 400 (roughly) calories are:n A large smoothie and a bananan Two energy barsn Two small cheeseburgersn One whole wheat english muffin with peanut
butter, banana and raisinsn A large chicken salad
You can also play it by ear and make minoradjustments to every meal, like:n Cutting the amount of condiments (mayo,
barbecue sauce, ketchup, ranch, you get thepicture),
n Switching from creamy dressings to plain oil and vinegar (which is also so muchhealthier),
n Going for normal coffee or tea instead ofblended drinks,
n Choosing whole fruit instead of juices andn In general, going for less processing and
packaging (which is an indication of addedingredients, fillers and stabilizers that bloatus up)
NUTRITIONAL TIP:Getting Back Into the Swing of Things
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By Barbara Ferrero BS, CCN, LMT
Lately, you may have been hearing the buzz abouttraining with power or watts. Sounds intimating tosome just like heart rate (HR) training several yearsback. Well, I have discovered one the most econom-ical and no nonsense device to assist you in yourtraining efforts. Power Tap devices are great forthose who have time to spend endless hours review-ing the vast amount of data (and money). iBike proare great because they are small and easy to mounton the bike, but need to be calibrated before everybike ride (pain in the a**). I have found the line ofNightRider Rebel Cyclometers with power meters to be the bestones out there...at least for me.
I have been using the Rebel 5.0 for several months now andrely on its power meter/watts function to verify that I am actually working hard enough. This is valuable information whenracing and training because the harder you work, the faster yougo. And if you are working too hard, you know to back off to alevel of exertion that you can sustain.
The Rebel 5.0’s watts are displayed in realtime. There is no memory for this function, soyou will not be able to review wattage dataafter your ride. Watts are formulated by riderweight, current speed and incline/decline.You will initially need to set up your startingelevation, one time, that’s it, simple.
How accurate is it? It does the job for me.I just want a rough figure…if it’s off by 10%no biggy, as long as it is consistently off. Isspending hundreds of dollars more for a
device that is more accurate and has reviewable data going tomake me faster? I think NOT.
This wireless multi-function cyclometer is simple and userfriendly. With a price tag around $130, it is one of best trainingaccessories that will actually assist you in going faster. Noweveryone can be training with power. www.nightrider.com
Reviewed by: Dean Sprague, PedPowerPerfrom Lab.
22
Ironman Conversation, continued
PRODUCT REVIEW: NightRider Cyclometer Rebel 5.0
training at the JCC pool in La Jolla. Weswam in the same lane since he is also aformer compeitive swimmer. Of course hefirst made fun of my “European” Speedoswim brief and after a couple of times Ibought a jammer. He convinced me to jointhe club and to participate in one of theraces on Fiesta Island. I was veryimpressed by how well the race was organ-ized for being a free event, and peoplewere all easy going; there was even a freebreakfast! At this time, JT was about toopen his store, on which he worked forseveral months. I guess since I was notdoing too poorly at the club races andalso because he had some compassion formy old-fashioned equipment and my terri-ble aero position on my road bike, he pro-posed me a sponsorship. This surprised mevery much since I did not consider myselfa particularly strong athlete. I remem-bered my brother writing tons of letters tofind only marginal support while in the
Junior Triathlon National Team. JT con-tributed in many ways to my
substantial improvementover the last
year and JT and Cory Osth have becomegood friends of mine. JT still likes to makefun of me, the crazy European, neverthe-less I try support his business as much asI can. He and Cory are really passionateabout their job and excel in doing it.
As far as my profession is concerned, Ihad a fellowship from Europe (EMBO,European Molecular Biology Organization)and I am now “sponsored” by the SwissNational Research Foundation. Being self-funded is good for a scientist’s resume andgenerally it also gives you more freedomto define your line of research in the lab.
Craig: What are your triathlon goals for2009 and beyond?
Philippe: The major event of my seasonwill be for sure Ironman Hawaii inOctober. I would be happy with a top 20in my age group and top 150 overall. Ihope to be more relaxed than in 2005 andthat I will be able to go to the race withless pressure.
This spring, I would like to defend mytitle of overall winner at the SuperfrogHalf Ironman, which I won last year – agreat surprise for me. However the prize
money which was introduced this year islikely to attract fast professionals; thiswill for sure make it especially challengingfor me. The race may possibly overlap withan important immunology conference inCanada and I still have to figure out howto participate in both of them.
Otherwise I have not decided yet forwhich of the shorter San Diegan races Ishould sign up; they will mostly representfast workouts for me.
After Hawaii, I may decide to take anIronman break and possibly focus onimproving my actual marathon PR(2:47.10). I qualified for the BostonMarathon last year but I think I will run itin 2010.
Of course my career and professionaloccupation as a scientist will determinewhat my triathlon activities will look likein the future. My actual situation as apostdoctoral fellow is transitory and ourvisa is restricted to a maximum of fiveyears. Much will be decided based on thedata I will obtain soon in the lab and theopportunities that will arise.
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