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January 2010

Multisport Community Skate

Night!! Bring friends and family to the RFP Ice Palace on 1-31-10, @

4:30-6:30 pm, see back for details.

Healthy/Hearty Recipe,

page 10

Winter Riding: Spinning or Trainers?by Jessi Thompson

A couple of years ago, I wondered whether spinning or riding my own bike on a trainer was better use of my time and energy during the foundation period of my triathlon training. It seems like spinning is a more challenging workout, but I’m not confident about the way the spinning transfers to riding on the road. So I finally did a little research on-line as well as consulted with some of the knowledgeable and experienced members in our club and a personal trainer.

The bottom line in almost every article I read and with everyone I talked to, was that doing either workout is obviously 100% better than doing nothing at all. So obviously, motivation to exercise is a key factor in deciding whether spinning or riding on a trainer is best for you. So, motivation aside, I was interested in finding out the physiological benefits to see if I should be focusing more of my time spinning or on a trainer… or both.

The benefit of spinning is a potentially more intense aerobic workout because you generally have a higher cadence and are involved in more interval work depending on the routine that your instructor provides. It can also be more mentally motivating to push yourself when you’re riding in the room packed with folks, dim lights, blaring music and the instructor cheering you on.

The spin bikes are different than your normal road or tri bikes, however, and the body position and the pedal stroke with a fly wheel are not an exact replication of riding a “real” bike. The hamstrings work harder in spinning due to the weighted fly wheel whereas the drive train on your bike requires more work from your hip flexors and quadriceps. Some spinning bikes have freewheels which would alleviate that difference, but not the majority. The high intensity spinning workouts can also conflict with the foundational period where intensity is not the main goal of training – not many triathletes are interested in peaking in the early spring. Usually the higher cadence of spinning, however, is more advantageous to triathletes than some of the “gear mashing” that people tend to do while riding their bikes on trainers.

From all the data I gathered, it seems like the best scenario for the foundation period would be to be on your bike on a trainer for the majority of your rides. It is important, however, to be intentional about keeping a higher cadence (optimal is between 85-100). You can monitor this with a cadence meter (Fitness Fanatics $40).

With help and input from: Roger Thompson, Kirk Wood-Gaines, Brian Roberts, and Martin Scates

Maximizing

Training Time &

Gain,

pages 4-5

Witty

Quotes from

Slowtwitch

page 9

Indoor Intervals,

page 3

Smart Weight Loss,

pages 6-8

Hot Topic,

page 2

BoD, Sponsors, Calendar,

page 11

F and F Skating Flyer,

page 12

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Hot Topics in Nutrition: Push the Fruits and VegetablesBy: Jenna A. Bell-Wilson, PhD, RD

You’ve read about foods that offer more than just the energy you need to get through a training session; some foods even have protective health benefits. Foods with phytochemicals are high on the list of foods that offer health benefits. Are they likely to enhance your performance? Probably not, but they could help you stay healthy and lower your risk of disease — and that helps your performance in life.

PhytochemicalsPhytochemicals, pronounced "fight-o-chemicals,” occur naturally in plant foods. They are nonnutritive plant chemicals that contain protective, disease-preventing compounds. You can find phytochemicals in all sorts of plant foods, from garlic to berries to everything in between. These “extra” food components found in your fruits and vegetables offer antioxidant benefits, as well as other disease-protecting qualities that make them essential to your diet. Research has consistently shown that diets high in fruits and vegetables help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other chronic ailments that affect so many people. Not only do fruits and veggies offer phytochemicals,such as antioxidants, they also provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And their great taste, high nutrition, easy portability, and refreshing qualities make them perfect for the active individual.

Tips to increase your phytochemical intake (a.k.a fruits and vegetables):

* Add them to your grocery list and make them part of your routine. It’s tough to eat them if you don’t have them! o Keep whole fruit in your work area o Have canned fruit as a snack o Start every meal with a piece of fresh fruit * Make it easy on yourself: Buy vegetables and fruit pre-cut, or do it yourself and store them in containers in your fridge for an easy-to-grab snack * See how many fruits and vegetables you can sneak into a meal. Sit down for a chicken breast and challenge yourself to see how many veggies you can enjoy with it * Add them to all your recipes; for example, soups demand vegetables, so add all sorts. * Top your pizza with vegetables * Add green peppers, tomatoes, onions, and spinach to a bagel with cheese * Start the day with a veggie omelet of asparagus, onions, tomatoes, spinach, and feta * Stuff anything: Mix brown rice with your favorite veggies and stuff them into a green pepper, cabbage roll, or a tomato * Create an easy vegetable pot pie * Grill vegetables for a barbecue * Toss a hefty salad * Mac and cheese: macaroni, tomatoes, zucchini, peas, and cheese * Puree a red pepper and carrot soup * Have a frozen fruit smoothie any time of day * Add frozen berries and peaches to frozen yogurt * Add mangoes or pineapple to your pizza * Slice apples or add cranberries to your chicken salad * Add sliced fruit to cereal* Top a spinach salad with fresh fruit, like strawberries or pears* Use a non-fat or low-fat fruity salad dressing, like huckleberry balsamic

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Indoor Bike Intervalsfrom Joe Friel’s Blog

Someone asked me recently what intervals could be done on an indoor trainer or treadmill to alleviate some of the boredom. Of course, what you do in training is more closely tied to your periodization, i.e., time until your first A-priority race of the season, than to your level of boredom. For example, some athletes, I know, are doing the Valley of the Sun bike stage race next month in Phoenix. If that’s an A race for you then higher intensity efforts are appropriate. But if your A race isn’t for a few months then lower intensity efforts are appropriate. Assuming you know what you should be working on in training right now, here are some workouts that may be done indoors – or outdoors for that matter, also. (If unsure of what you should be doing consult my Training Bible books – Chapter 6.)

Before each of the sessions described below warm-up by gradually increasing the intensity. The more intense the intervals, the longer the warm-up. Cool down after each interval session.

The intensity of these intervals is based on the following. Pick the one that suits you best…

• Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a 1 (low) to 10 (high) scale

• Heart Rate (HR) using the system found in my Training Bible books and Total Heart Rate Training book.• Power zones are from Coggan’s system (Training and Racing With a Power Meter)• Pace zones for running

are found in my Triathlete’s Training Bible book

Note that the number of intervals and the duration of the intervals is not carved in stone. These may be changed either way to accommodate an athlete who is highly experienced or a novice. They are a starting point for someone who is moderately fit for this time of year.

WORKOUTSAerobic endurance intervalsPurpose: Improve cardiovascular systemRPE: 4-5HR Zone: 2Power Zone: 2Pace Zone: 2Workout: 3 x 20 minutes with 5 minute easy recoveriesComments: Keep cadence comfortably high.

Tempo intervalsPurpose: Improve muscular enduranceRPE: 6HR Zone: 3Power Zone: 3Pace Zone: 3Workout: 3 x 10 minutes with 3 minute easy recoveriesComments: Cadence slightly lower than normal or 2% uphill on a treadmill.

Threshold intervalsPurpose: Improve ability to process and remove acid build up and lift lactate threshold as a percentage of aerobic capacityRPE: 7HR Zone: 4-5aPower Zone: 4Pace Zone: 4-5aWorkout: 3 x 6 minutes with 2 minute easy recoveriesComments: Cadence at comfortable level. May be done on a ‘hill.’

Anaerobic endurance intervalsPurpose: Improve aerobic capacityRPE: 8-9HR Zone: 5bPower Zone: 5-6Pace Zone: 5bWorkout: 5 x3 minutes with 3 minute easy recoveriesComments: Keep cadence comfortably high, focus on technique

Speed skills intervalsPurpose: Improve economyRPE: 8-9HR Zone: not applicablePower Zone: not applicablePace Zone: not applicableWorkout: 6-8 x 20 seconds with 90 seconds of easy spin/walk recoveries between intervalsComments: Focus is entirely on one single aspect of technique such as run foot strike or pedaling through 12 o’clock position. Movement is fast at high cadence.

Anaerobic capacity intervalsPurpose: Improve powerRPE: 10HR Zone: not applicablePower Zone: 7Pace Zone: 5cWorkout: 3 sets of 3 x 12 revolutions (count right foot 12 times) with 3 minute easy recoveries between intervals and 6 minutes between setsComments: These are essentially sprints. Form must be perfect or injury is possible.

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Chuckie V: Nutcrackerfrom Chuckie V.’s Blog

One of the primary goals for any multisport coach, whether he or she guides pros or age-groupers (or, ahem, both), is to maximize the training time available. In Dead Poets lingo: to make the most of time. This, of course, is especially important for the working triathlete, as it's tacitly understood that his or her available training time is restricted by the realities of their life.

With professional athletes it's generally pretty easy to override any errors in training by simply adding more training volume! After two and a half decades in endurance sports I can vouch that this line of attack by and large works, silly as it may sound. Two wrongs do make a right! When in doubt, pile it on! Turn up the volume dude! Or, as good ol' Oscar Wilde quipped, "Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess." This is one of the benefits of being a pro, and one that the age-group athlete can only imagine. (Let us please disregard that the average pro triathlete's income is scarcely a fraction of what the average triathletes is!)

Lately I've had Angela train a lot in the pool, in hopes she might ultimately get so sick of swimming that she does so swiftly enough to get the workouts over with a little quicker. By "a lot" I mean A LOT. Loudon Wainwright III would be proud. Michael Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, would be proud. She's done more swimming in December than most pro triathletes will do throughout the entire winter. Maybe even more than Phelps himself, the slacker. The desired gains are also coming, thankfully, or else I'd be concerned about losing the massive paycheck she hands me at the end of each month.

(In truth, I operate on a percentage of race income, so when she wins, I win. The pros I guide know I have a vested interest...Cha-ching. I fully expect Angela to win one or two 70.3s this coming year, while Heather should win at least one more Ironman, if not two. Trevor ain't far from some big victories either. You other pros, take note. Or sign on.)

But here's what's interesting, getting back to the maximizing time theme for a minute: Ang's bike riding has also improved and yet she's barely ridden much at all.

What we've done with her riding is simply throw out all the "junk mileage" and focus on "quality" efforts. Essentially, this is the exact opposite of what she's doing in the pool! Last year at this time Angela was riding more than twice as much as she currently is, roughly seven hours a week. But yet each time I run one of my little measurement tests on her, her fitness has remained the same as it was back then; this is an improvement in that we've done less and maintained more. Ideally, we'd like to build her cycling fitness, rather than just preserve it, but in order to give her swimming the jumpstart it so desperately needs, there's no other way…something has to give and it ain't gonna be the clock. In this case, that something has been her

cycling volume. There just aren't enough hours in the day!

Thankfully, unlike so many other athletes, Angela is not hung up on training numbers, whether they're big or small, impressive or not. The only numbers she seems to fixate over is that of where she places on race day. It's up to me to get her to achieve those numbers and in doing so, it means (me) having to pay attention to the other numbers en route…those that matter anyway. Here's a little math equation for you obsessive-compulsive types: big training weeks add up to nothing if you haven't improved when it counts. And so the goal then is to teach her how these numbers in training relate to race day numbers, to improve her confidence

when test time comes.

Test time is race day, the final exam.All else is just a quiz.Quizzes must prepare you for the final exam.

Quickly, some key things regarding these quizzes…

These quizzes (i.e., field tests) need to be equivalent to, or at least comparable to, the demands you'll face on race day, or else they have little relevance as to how you'll perform. I'll be the first to admit that an elevated FTP (functional threshold power) is nice to have, but does it relate to a five and a half hour Ironman ride? Um. Unfortunately no, not really. Real improvement is measured in relationship to your goals. It is also measured with precision and in precise manners, not in unrelated tests and certainly not in the ambiguous "I feel fitter" manner that we so often hear athlete-ignoramuses touting. Look, Jocko. It ain't good enough to feel fitter; you need to be fitter. And while racing itself is quite subjective (i.e., you cannot control the variables: namely Ma Nature and your competitors) it's the raison d'être of why we train--the final exam. The goal, of course, is to pass the final exam, as graded by you and only you.

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Nutcracker (cont’d)

Okay, back to my original thought…maximizing time.

The key thing when attempting to maximize the limited resource we call time is in knowing that what you do have time for is working. Thus, you need to measure your training response to the workloads you (or your coach) set forth. If the desired response isn't occurring, something within that tightly squeezed framework has to change. And since this something is limited by time in which to achieve it, you'll need to look into a few other things. These are…

1) The interrelationship of your workouts (i.e., their order)2) The intensity of your workouts3) The relationship they have to your final exam

The first factor is to be sure your workouts are placed in an order that allows you to get the most of out each one. This is based on The Science of You and Your Life but is very much an art. For example, you'll have to figure out whether two intense rides in a row are sensible or whether you're better off separating them with a swim or run workout between. This is ever-changing, of course, and the possibilities are virtually endless; it can take years to come to a practical conclusion, and by then you've probably aged up to a more competitive age-group, one with Joe Bonness in it. (All I can say is good luck.)

I've found that most triathletes (and this probably includes you too, tough guy) respond best by spacing harder runs apart by about 4-5 days, while harder rides are best spaced out by about 2-3 days. (He said 'spaced out'!) Harder swimming can occur almost every day or every other day. This may mean one hard run each week, two harder rides, and three harder swims. Once you think you've figured out this puzzle, don't stop trying to solve it! Keep repeating it while attempting to make minor improvements. Basically, this means finding a weekly schedule that works and then sticking to it, whether that "week" is 7 days or 10 days or whatever. Alter it when it no longer works and don't worry about all the mumbo jumbo about periodization and all that. Periodization is for pros, really. But more about that some other time.

Secondly, the intensity of your workouts has a HUGE effect on your resulting performance. It's been proven time and again in laboratories around the world that the greatest gains in training are had in going harder. But there's a point where going harder is quite simply having gone too hard. If you're chronically injured or sick or unmotivated your version of harder probably needs to change. Just as more quantity isn't necessarily better, neither is more harder! Be sure you know

when hard is hard enough and when hard enough is too hard. Design your quizzes to help you identify this. And yes, these training tests should almost always show progress.

Then there's the third and final aspect. Do your workouts relate to your goal event? And how closely do they relate? Are they too short to allow you to succeed in your final exam, therefore only leaving you asking more questions? Are they too hard? Are they too easy? Essentially, you race the way you prepare (i.e., train) and if your homework doesn't relate to your racing, there's little point in taking that final exam, that is unless you take pleasure in failing final exams! This, by the way, comes from a guy who has failed plenty of them. No, really.

So, all said, if you want to pass your final exam in flying colors (and not just with puke, piss and poop flying from you), training must closely relate to racing and it must be measured with this relationship in mind. If time restrictions don't allow you to train the way you hope to race (and let's face it: an Ironman takes much longer than it should and hardly allows for the ideal training situation, whether you have all day to train or not!) you have to manipulate your existing time accordingly. While a ten-hour training week pretty much assures you that an Ironman will be a tough nut to crack, so too does a thirty-five hour training week, at least when doing your best (i.e., passing the exam) is concerned. Generally speaking, you'll come closer to doing your best in an Ironman the more you train, but it only really gets tougher and tougher to do, the faster you've gone.

I guess the point here, really, is that our final exam is one tough nut to crack. And that's exactly why we nutty folks love it. Now get your nutcrackers out and get crackin'. For you pros: eliminate the excess. For you age-groupers: add more of

it! For Joe Bonness: you da man.

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Weight Loss for AthletesBy: Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD For a number of sports, losing weight, and in particular, reducing body fat, can mean the difference between finishing in the middle of the pack and standing on the podium. Dropping a few pounds may confer an advantage, because it increases your power-to-weight ratio, a term that describes the amount of power you’re able to generate relative to the pounds you’re packing. For a Tour de France cyclist on a mountain stage in the Alps, having the same or more muscle power while carrying less body weight means faster ascents. For runners, every pound that you’re not schlepping around a track or course has a positive impact on pace. Other athletes wish to lose weight to compete in a specific weight class or because appearance is an important element of their sport.

The benefits of shedding a few pounds of body fat are certainly enticing on paper, but anyone who has tried to lose weight knows it’s not an easy task. If you take the wrong approach, your performance may suffer, you may get sick more frequently, and the scale may not budge, despite all of your sacrificing.

This article gives you the inside skinny on how athletes can best lose weight. It covers when it’s best to begin a weight loss regimen during your training cycle, what approaches to weight loss work most effectively and why, and practical strategies and tips that can make the whole process less arduous and more successful.

Let’s acknowledge the obviousIf losing weight was easy, two-thirds of Americans wouldn’t be walking around today overweight or obese. So right up front, let’s face facts: There is no magic bullet, no wonder drug, and no fad diet that will melt away the pounds or effortlessly trim body fat.

Weight loss is about calories. If you consume more calories than you expend on a daily basis, you gain weight. If the calories coming in balance with the calories you’re burning, your weight is stable. And if the calories you take in add up to less than what you burn, you lose weight. So if weight loss is on your to-do list, the latter scenario is where you want to be.

Timing is importantFrom the rate of weight loss you can reasonably expect within a certain period to the best time during your training cycle to implement a weight loss regimen, timing is key.A realistic goal is to lose about 1 lb (0.45 kg) of body weight per week. To achieve this, you’ll need a calorie deficit or shortage of about 500–750 calories every day. If you want to drop 5 lbs (2.3 kg), plan on taking about 5 weeks to pull it off. For an 8-lb (3.6-kg) weight loss, plan on about 8 weeks.

The time to implement your weight loss regimen is during the off-season, when training demands are less and you’re not competing. Take the first 4 weeks at the end of the season simply to recover and take a breather from the rigors and stressors of training and competing. You can focus on losing weight after this much-needed period of rest. In-season is not the time to drop the weight, because the combination of strenuous training and cutting calories is bad for performance and bad for your health. When you’re not meeting your energy needs, you’re also not getting sufficient carbohydrates to restore glycogen fuel reserves on a daily basis. This can lead to chronic fatigue, poor training sessions, and a decline in performance. Too few calories combined with a tough training schedule also can impair your immune system and leave you more vulnerable to colds. Losing weight is tough enough on the body, so do it during the off-season.

Lose the fat, keep the leanWhen losing weight, you’ll want to trim fat — not muscle. Most of the time, when you lose weight, only a portion of it is actual fat loss. But you also lose muscle mass. This highlights the concept of power-to-weight ratio again: Your big-picture goal is to return next season lighter in weight, while maintaining or even gaining in power and strength. To do this, you’ll want to maintain your muscle mass as much as possible while you trim the body fat.

Simple strategies for controlling caloriesAs a seasoned athlete, the aerobic training and the resistance exercise components of your weight loss plan probably won’t be hard to manage. But how do you cut back on calories? The following are strategies that, if followed, will make it easier for you to successfully achieve the 500–750 calorie deficit each day:

* Don’t skip meals — break the fast A common mistake when trying to control calorie intake is to skip meals, especially breakfast. The problem with skipping meals is that we humans are pretty good at adapting to a shortage of food. If your body senses that calories are in short supply because of hours of fasting, it readily adapts by reducing your metabolic rate. So, you’re thinking that you’re melting the fat away by going hungry, when in fact your body is trying to protect you by slowing down the rate it burns calories.

Don’t skimp on proteinDon’t cut your protein intake while you’re cutting calories. You need protein to maintain your muscle mass, and for some individuals, protein foods are particularly satiating. Make sure to consume in the range of about 0.7–0.9 g protein per lb body weight (1.5–2.0 g protein per kg) daily. For a 150-lb (68-kg) individual, that equates to about 105–135 g protein per day.

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Weight Loss (cont’d)

Forgo full-fat dairy foodsWe all agree that creamy, full-fat dairy products taste good, but if you have pounds to lose, you can’t afford this fat extravagance. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy foods instead of full-fat versions. This applies to milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Why pick on fat? Because it has over twice as many calories as the equivalent amount of carbs or protein. So more fat means more calories. Consider an 8-oz (240-ml) glass of milk. If it’s whole milk, it has about 150 calories and 9 grams of fat. The same serving of 1% low-fat milk has only about 100 calories and about 2.5 grams of fat. Nonfat milk only has about 80 calories. And when it comes to dairy snacks and desserts like yogurt and ice cream, lower fat and light versions today are often just as tasty, and they can save you major calories.

Get it on the sideFat calories can quickly add up, so be mindful of sauces, gravies, and dressings that are fat-based. Ask for these on the side. That way, you can choose how much you consume.

Don’t drink your caloriesA 12-oz (360-ml) regular soft drink weighs in at about 150 calories. The 20-oz (590-ml) size has 250 calories. And the 36-oz (1065-ml) version you buy at the corner convenience store packs a whopping 450 calories — that’s a good portion of your entire daily calorie budget. If you need soft drinks to get through the day, make the switch to diet. Your taste buds will quickly adapt. Fruit juice may have a few more vitamins, but it has just as many calories as a regular soda. Limit yourself to a single glass of juice daily when you’re trying to cut calories. Don’t think you’re doing yourself any favors when having a blended coffee drink. These tasty concoctions are nothing more than upscale milkshakes. However, if you must indulge, think serving size and light. The largest serving size option is typically on the order of 24 oz (710 ml), and made with whole milk:

It packs a 530-calorie punch! Cut out the whipped cream, request the light version made with nonfat milk, and downsize to the 16-oz (475-ml) medium-size option instead.

You’ll still get plenty of yummy at just 180 calories. And if you select the 12-oz (360-ml) serving, your payload is just 140 calories. That’s a savings of 390 calories right there! If you enjoy a glass of wine, a cold beer, or a cocktail, you need to account for these calories, too. An 8-oz (240-ml) glass of white wine has about 170 calories and red has about 210 calories. A 12-oz (360-ml) beer has about 155 calories, and a 12-oz (360-ml) light beer has about 110 calories. A 6-oz (175-ml) margarita weighs in at about 265 calories.

Eat foods that fill you up, not outStarting a meal with a bowl of soup, a salad, or a small plate of steamed or fresh vegetables helps take the edge off of your hunger pangs. People who follow this type of dietary pattern feel satisfied at the end of a meal while consuming fewer total calories. Adding broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, or beans to stews, pasta dishes, or chili is also effective. We are creatures of habit. We tend to dish out a set portion size. So if your portion includes lower-calorie, higher-fiber ingredients like vegetables or beans, you end up with fewer total calories consumed.

Eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffedWe don’t just eat because we’re hungry. We eat for all kinds of reasons, including when there’s simply more food at the table. Pay attention: Eat when you are truly hungry, and stop when you are satisfied. Avoid eating to the point where you feel stuffed, bloated, uncomfortable, or like you can’t

eat another bite. Instead, stop when the hunger cues dissipate. By eating a bit slower, your brain will have more time to detect the absence of those cues: You could eat more, but you don’t really need to. Find that comfort point, because that’s the point where you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning — just where you need to be to lose weight.

Avoid mindless munchingWe often forage for food just to break up the routine of whatever we’re doing. Find another distraction, or bite into something that’s low in calories like apple slices, carrot sticks, or pretzels. But when you are truly hungry, eat! Remember that going hours without eating works against you because it tends to slow your metabolism.

[8]

Weight Loss (cont’d)

Navigating the fast-food laneEating on the run can be a calorie disaster if you make the wrong choices. One way to navigate fast foods is to stay out of that lane entirely. If you a have choice between fast food or a sandwich shop, opt for the sandwich: Three slices of turkey breast with jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, sliced olives, bell peppers, and a hefty spread of yellow mustard on a whole-wheat roll adds up to just 325 calories, and it’s filling. In comparison, the ¼-lb cheeseburger and French fry combo at a burger joint nails you for almost 900 calories. Go with a grilled chicken sandwich at 360 calories, or one of the entrée salads — a Cobb salad with grilled chicken comes in at about 400 calories.

Plan for your weak spotAsk anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight before, and they’ll tell you that there’s one time of the day or night where it’s absolute torture not to raid the cupboard or refrigerator. For others, food cravings can be overwhelming. Denial and sheer discipline won’t work in the long-term. Don’t disown the foods you can’t seem to live without; instead, have less of them.

For example, if chocolate-covered peanuts are your weakness, by all means, don’t buy them in bulk from the area warehouse store. Instead, buy the single-serving bag — and then hold yourself to no more than a single bag. A small bag of chocolate-covered peanuts has 250 calories. That’s not necessarily a deal breaker in terms of calories, but what does break the bank in a hurry is three heaping handfuls of the little goodies, which clock in at 750 calories!

Calorie-smart sports nutritionIt’s not at all uncommon for an athlete focused on losing weight to head off to the gym on an empty stomach, to push through a workout, and to then head for home completely famished. This scenario is a dieting train wreck waiting to happen, because when you feel starved, it’s extremely difficult to control your calorie intake. Avoid putting yourself in that position. You do need to fuel in support of your training. The trick is to do it without consuming extra calories needlessly.

Rather than heading off to the gym on an empty stomach, provide your muscles with the carbs and protein they need — while controlling calorie intake:

* PowerBar® Pria® bars offer great-tasting 110-calorie options to support your workouts. These convenient bars come in four tempting flavors: Chocolate Peanut Crunch, French Vanilla Crisp, Double Chocolate Cookie, and Mint Chocolate Cookie.

* Two other options which allow you to control portion sizes are PowerBar® Gel Blasts™ energy chews and PowerBar® Energy Bites. Both of these allow you to customize your energy intake.

Recovery is important after workouts, even when you’re trying to lose weight. Recovery enables you to rehydrate, replenish muscle fuel stores, and repair and build muscle protein in response to your training. Your body is ready to start the recovery process as soon as you finish your workout, but you need to provide the nutritional components: * PowerBar® Recovery beverage helps promote recovery after working out. Each 8-oz (240-ml) serving provides 20 grams of muscle-refueling carbs, 3 grams of muscle-building protein and 250 mg sodium for optimal rehydration and 90 calories. PowerBar Recovery beverage is available in a thirst-quenching flavor that you can easily chug.

Putting it all togetherThe goal for a safe weight loss of about 1 lb (0.45 kg) per week is to expend 500–750 more calories than your consume on a daily basis. The best way to create this calorie deficit is through a combination of burning more calories — from aerobic and resistance exercise and cutting back on calories consumed. The best time to implement your weight loss regimen is during the off-season, when you don’t have the stringent demands of training and competition.

To fill up on fewer calories, put these strategies to good use: * Don’t skip meals * Replace full-fat dairy products with low-fat or nonfat varieties * Get gravies, sauces, and dressings on the side * Start a meal with soup, salad, or a small plate of steamed or fresh vegetables * Add veggies or beans to your mixed dishes * Eat some protein at each meal * Have smaller meals more frequently * Avoid sugared soft drinks and have no more than a glass of juice daily * Beware of blended coffee drinks: Go light and smaller in portion size * Opt for sandwiches or salads when food needs to be fast * Eat until you no longer feel hungry, not until you feel stuffed * Avoid mindless munching * Eat that to-die-for treat, but adjust the portion size * Take advantage of PowerBar calorie-smart sports nutrition products * Weigh yourself weekly to track your progress

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While the brevity is the soul of wit, this tri-scribe found great one-liners and admirable sound bites rare in 2009. So hats off to Chris McCormack, Catriona Morrison, Chris Lieto, Chrissie Wellington, Normann Stadler, Simon Whitfield, Matt Reed, and John Duke for their economic ripostes. Still, there was much thoughtful rumination worth listening to or reading in newspapers, the blogosphere and on the net. So thanks to Torbjorn S, Sheila T, Wim Van Der Wielle, Gina Ferguson Crawford, Jamie Whitmore and Nicholas Dason for their illuminating words.

On the pleasures of spectating

“I never thought I’d be able to experience: the thrill of competition without competing myself until I saw my daughter (Jenna) doing her first triathlon, or doing her first big soccer match, and I realized, ‘My God! My heart is now beating outside my body!’” Karen Smyers, two-time ITU World Champion and 1995 Ironman Hawaii champion

“The pros had finished the Chicago Triathlon two hours before and I was headed out of transition to go to pack and catch a redeye flight home that night. I was walking past the finish chute which, when the pros and early finishers came through, was packed with people screaming and cheering. Then here comes this woman, who is a little heavyset, coming around the corner.

There is not a soul standing along the fence cheering. But as I am walking, I see her coming, and notice that she is looking at the clock. I turn around and it shows about 20-25 seconds to get under the four hour mark. So when she saw it, she just went into this all out sprint. I put my bike on the grass and I started yelling 'Go!' And then I started crying. That is actually my favorite moment of all in triathlon. I’ll never forget it. Her eyes locking into that clock and thinking: ‘I’m going to get in there. For me. I’m just about dead last. No one is watching me. No one cares. But I’m gonna do it for me.’ That's triathlon. And so that's a beautiful thing.” 2004 ITU World Champion Sheila Taormina on her favorite moment in the sport

On triathletes’ lack of technical skills

“Triathlete is different from cyclists. They change the saddle, the aerobar or whatever the day before the race. The day before (Ironman Hawaii) in 2002. I used totally new pedals because my sponsors said you have to ride the new ones. Hah. (Stadler ended up walking at the Energy Lab) There is still big, big room to be more professional in bike fitting. We are strong. But what we do in technical matters it’s like amateur sport. It's crazy.” Normann Stadler

On the short-lived compression socks ban

"I raced in those socks last year but I will not compete in those socks thisYear. I think the rule is not OK. What if I like to race in those old fashioned basketball socks from Nike? Every year -- different rules. Next year we ride road bars and only one gear...” Normann Stadler

Two Triathletic Musicians

“I like symphonies from the Romantic era. I love Tchaikovsky Brahms, Wagner and Beethoven. I just love all the emotions you go through to get to the end, and I like finishing and the crowd goes wild because you know they enjoyed it too. Also I like it when we finish with something quiet and the crowd is quiet for a while, spellbound.” Gina Ferguson Crawford, on her side career as a violinist with the Christchurch NZL Symphony,

“While I was naturally athletic, I was abysmal at many things such as music and dance. My great aunt once noted that my violin playing was akin to a dying goose.” Mary Beth Ellis on her early musical education in XTRI interview

The Accident

“Blood was everywhere. My nose was smashed and bleeding seriously. All the blood was in my eye. When they asked me where it hurts I said ‘My shoulder, my elbow and a bit of whiplash in my neck.’ It seemed like all the blood had gone to my right eye and I could not see with it.” Greg Bennett about injuries suffered when he got hit by a car while cycling in Boulder in summer

“The guy in the car made an honest mistake, as we all do. I could not have been hit by a nicer guy. He is an Iowa fireman, and there are not better guys than firemen. This guy is usually the first one on the scene helping people in my situation and he was devastated. I really feel for him. It happened on his 25th wedding anniversary. He left a long message on my phone upset and apologetic.” Greg Bennett remained quite understanding about the driver who hit him.

=>More quotes to come next month!

Top Tri Talk 2009

By Timothy Carlson

As found on Slowtwitch.com

[10]

Baked, Stuffed Potatoesby Natalie Gallagher

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.

On a baking sheet, toss the potatoes with a hearty drizzle of EVOO and some salt. Bake in the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.

Turn the off oven and pre-heat the broiler.

While the potatoes are cooling, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the bell pepper, onion and broccoli to the pan, season with salt and pepper, then cook until the veggies are tender, 5-6 minutes. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice lengthwise off of the top to expose the inside. Scoop out the potato flesh, taking care not to pierce the wall of the potato, and transfer to a bowl (reserve the potato shells). Add the sour cream and paprika to the bowl and mash. Reserve warm.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, spray with olive oil and add ground turkey and minced garlic to the pan and cook until golden brown. Add the mushrooms soup, milk, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mix well and bring up to a bubble to simmer until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the already prepared veggies (pepper, onions and broccoli) and simmer an additional 4-5 minutes.

Fill the potato shells with the turkey and mushroom mixture, then top each of them with the reserved mashed potatoes. Transfer to a baking sheet and sprinkle with the cheese. Pop the potatoes under the broiler until the cheese is melted and tops are golden brown, about 5-8 minutes. This makes an excellent main dish when paired with a spinach salad!

Ingredients:4 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil1 red bell pepper, chopped1 medium yellow onion, chopped or diced1 head of broccoli, chopped1 can low-fat cream of mushroom soup1 cup non-fat milk1/4 c. non-fat sour cream1 tbsp. smoked paprika1 pound ground turkey, extra lean1 tbsp. minced garlic1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp. spicy brown or dijon mustard1/2 c. shredded smoked Gouda cheesesalt and fresh ground pepper to taste

[11]

Board of Directors• Steve Anderson - Membership Director • Tiffany Byrd - Uniform Director• Trish Cudney - Social Director• Greg Gallagher - Event Director• Natalie Gallagher - Newsletter Director• Ben Greenfield - Website Director• Mark Hodgson - Mentor Director• Jim Powers - Vice President• Tim Swanson - Treasurer• Jessi Thompson - Secretary• Roger Thompson - President

• Kathy Worden & Jen Polello - Kids Club Co-Directors

We would like to extend a

generous thank you to our

truly amazing sponsors!

The Board of Directors, Sponsorsand The Calendar of Upcoming Events...

Jan-Feb. CalendarTraining Opportunities:• OZ (Northside) Masters swimming:

Tues> @ 6-7:30 pm, Fri. @ 4-5:30 pm & Sun. @ 8-9:30 am. Come join the fun!

• Throughout the winter => check the Tri Forum @ Training for indoor trainer/outdoor group rides, and/or runs.

• Whitworth Masters Swim: on Mon-Wed-Fri @ 8:30-10 pm and Sat. @ 5:30-7 am. Contact KevinWang@spokanewaves.org

• Swim Clinic at Masters Swim Oz North on Sunday, Jan. 24th @ 8-9:30 am. Please RSVP on the Tri Fusion Forum.

Races/Runs:• Jan. 23rd: Frostbite 5K race @ Deer

Park, WA @ 10 am

• Feb. 7th: BRRC Partners In Pain 5K race @ West Central C.C., Spokane, WA @ 10 am

• Feb. 13th: First Annual Erik Anderson 4K Community Run @ Spokane, WA @ 9 am

Plan Ahead:• Mar. 6th: Snake River Canyon

Half Marathon @ Pullman, WA

• Mar. 27th: Tri-State Outfitters Spring Duathlon @ Lewiston, ID @ 10 am

• Tri Fusion Kids’ Tri: Tentatively on June 20th, 2010. TBA!

Upcoming Events:

• Tri Fusion Family & Friends Skate Night @ Riverfront Park Ice Palace on Sunday, January 31st @ 4:30-6:30 pm, $3/per person skate rental.

• Kids’ Swim Clinic: Sunday, February 21st @ 8:00 am @ YMCA on Newport Hwy. Kids ages 4-12, all swimming abilities, $5/per child! Find the registration form @ www.tri-fusion.com

Next Membership Meeting:• Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 @

6:30 p.m.: General membership meeting location TBA.