Coaching

Hand breaking through the wall. Mixed media

March 7, 2022

What is your breaking point?

Do you know what your breaking point is? Even if you are not racing Ironman or ultramarathon distance at this stage, you might have run in races or even in training where you feel that you have smashed yourself beyond belief. So, what we’re talking about is running yourself into total exhaustion and not being able to take another step. It’s not recommended you doing such things daily, but to be able to understand how we get to that point is very interesting as both a coach and an athlete.

As athletes, we all reach the same metabolic limit. This is defined as the greatest amount of exertion that athletes can withstand over time. It has been discovered that athletes can only burn calories at 2.5 times their resting metabolic rate (RMR) during physical activity that span long periods of time.

Researchers have discovered that when an athlete’s resting metabolic rate goes beyond 2.5 times, the body begins to break down and consume its own tissues to adjust for its caloric deficit. Even with proper race nutrition planning, your digestive tract’s ability to break down calories and this could be the reason for this limit. There’s a limit to how many calories our bellies can take in a given day.

It has been discovered that the digestive process — the body’s ability to process food and absorb calories and nutrients to power physical activities — is a limiting factor for endurance events. Surprisingly, endurance athletes’ maximal sustained energy expenditure was only slightly higher than the metabolic rates women experience during pregnancy. This shows that the same physiological restrictions that prevent Ironman triathletes from breaking world speed records may also limit other elements of life, such as the size of new-borns in the womb.

So, what we’re saying is that there is a physiological limit to what you can do as an athlete, as a human being, but that limitation can be mitigated by careful nutritional planning and the steady increase in calories in direct proportion to your physical activities. This fact is very important to all of you. We can avoid that limitation and potential breaking point in endurance by consistently working through your nutrition and physical activity.

CITATION: “Extreme Events Reveal an Alimentary Limit on Sustained Maximal Human Energy Expenditure,” Caitlin Thurber, Lara R. Dugas, Cara Ocobock, Bryce Carlson, John R. Speakman and Herman Pontzer. Science Advances, June 5, 2019. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw0341.

Why Aloha Tri?

At Aloha Tri, we have decades of experience and the right coaching certifications from Ironman University, British Triathlon (Level 3) and TrainingPeaks. We offer bespoke coached programmes via the Premium TrainingPeaks platform, giving you structure and visibility into your training plan. You can choose from weekly or daily progress reviews, which provides corrective action. We have worked with hundreds of athletes of all ages and abilities and improved their performance, skills and mindset. What motivates us is the “Aloha spirit”, a powerful way to achieve a desired state of mind and body, which we translate into how we coach you. Contact me (rav@alohatri.com) to maximise your investment in your sport!

Professional triathlete swimming in river's open water

January 5, 2022

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back in the Water: Getting Back in the Pool

Blog, Coaching, Training, Uncategorized coaching, swimming, training, triathlon coaching st albans 0

I know you’re probably thinking that you’ve seen this one before or know exactly what I’m talking about and how the heck am I going to get myself back in the pool again this year. What many triathletes don’t really like is the swimming aspect of Triathlon. I’m not being funny. In fact, I know quite a few who absolutely can’t stand it. Some hate the monotony of swimming in a pool – that enclosed box of water, they don’t like the cold dark of the open water, heck some do not even like getting wet. Being that it’s January this kind of thinking has got to stop – this is not dry January!

We need to consider the big picture and why we’re doing this. I’m working on other things now where I’m considering how I got where I am today and why I do what I’m doing (but that’s something to talk about on another day). Swimming is fundamental to Triathlon and it’s something that beginners or even full-time athletes need to get to grips with. I’m not saying you should be one with the water like some Zen master looking over a flat calm pool of water. I’m not even saying that you’ve got a force yourself to love something. I’m just being realistic!

Bear in mind that the swim is the shortest of the three events in most triathlon distances. You’re probably thinking that you can just get by doing the bare minimum. That’ll get you to the finish line and yeah, that sounds like fun, that is until you realise that you’ve still got to hop on your bike huffing ang puffing like a 75-year-old smoker! You must put in the work!

So, let’s not forget that swim training provides you with a huge range of benefits to all levels of endurance athletes. Yes, I know I can wax lyrical about the fact that it’s low impact and that you can increase your lung capacity and that can spill over to other aspects of your triathlon training and make you a better athlete. I’m not going to talk about that. I’m not even going to mention the fact that once you get out of the water, you’ll have a distinct advantage over other athletes who are struggling away and gasping for air. Swim training is hard work, so why would you want to be work so hard just to gain a tiny advantage over other athletes? It’s all part of the process.

I’m not going to lie, the first day back in the pool is going to hurt. You will be gasping for air in that first 25 meters is going to hurt. But you’ve got a start from somewhere. Everyone does this and everyone feels the same. So, embrace the suck and have zero expectations of how this is going to result. Don’t look at the numbers, don’t look at what other people are doing and get that feel for the water. It may take the first session it may take three weeks. And as I always say to my athletes that consistency is key. It will get easier, and you’ll feel better for it. And once you have gotten back that feel for the water you will not regret it! 😉

Why Aloha Tri?

August 4, 2020

Sleep Like A Champion

Coaching, Training sleep, training 0

For athletes, rest and recovery is often at the back of their minds, but for active individuals sleep is one of the most important training tools available, and one of the easiest things to change to improve performance.

An average adult needs 7-9 hours sleep. Most adults only get 5-7 hours, but elite-athletes sleep 10-12 hours. So how many hours sleep do you get?

What are the benefits of sleep?

There are 4 stages of the sleep cycle with different functions and benefits. Ideally we need to spend time in each stage so one problem people can have is not ever making it to stage 3 & 4 of the sleep cycle.

Stage 1: NREM1 Light sleep

Light sleep where you are easily woken

Stage 2: NREM 2 Onset of sleep

Muscles relax
Body temperature drops
Heart rate slows
Breathing rate slows

Stage 3: NREM3 Restorative Sleep

Blood pressure decreases
Circulatory system repairs and recovers
Blood flows to muscles increases
Growth hormone release and repair muscles, bones and internal systems

Stage 4: REM Sleep

Nervous system repairs and recovers
New memories and information is processed
Energy is restored

So how can you improve your sleep?

There are many ways in which you can help improve your sleep quality. Read our 9 top tips below and see if you can add an extra hour to your night time routine, take a power nap or improve the quality of your nights sleep.

There are some apps and smart watch functions that can help you track your sleep to say how much time you spend in each zone. These can help identify problems, but not find a solution. The most important thing is that your feel restored and recovered when you wake up.

Read more below and learn to sleep like a champion to improve your training and performance.

We hope you found these insights useful!

July 20, 2020

6 Tips Before Jumping Into The Open Water

Coaching, racing, Training 0

If you want to go for a swim these days, your options are limited to the sea or a lake close to you. However, open water swimming is quite different than pool swimming, as water conditions and environmental factors can vary from day to day.

There are a number of things that you might want to consider before entering the water, which are important to both newcomers to the sport as well as seasoned veterans. Here are our top consideration before you jump in, so you will have a safe and enjoyable time in the water:

Water Safety – Even if you swim at the same venue on a regular basis, environmental conditions can radically affect water conditions, so check for anything that might impact your swim like water temperature, wind and currents. Also, does the lake provide water safety officers? If not, always swim with a buddy! (We have water safety at Merchant Taylors.)
Open Water Gear –If the water temperature is under 20C or if you will be in the water for a long time, you will probably want to wear a wetsuit. Don’t forget goggles and a bright-coloured swim cap. You may even want to wear two caps to keep your head warmer.
Breathing – Stay comfortable and relaxed. When you enter the water, you first need to acclimate to the change in temperature, visibility and overall feel in this new environment.
Swim Stroke – You will notice that some open water swimmers have very different techniques from pool swimmers. Learn to adapt your swim stroke to the open water.
Sighting – In order to maintain a straight line out in the water, it’s important to navigate your local swim venue by using the swim buoys or landmarks that you can sight to on the horizon.
Pacing – As it’s very difficult to estimate your distances in the open water, it’s important to work on your pacing. This can be done by varying your speed between swim buoys or even by counting your strokes and creating intervals for those counting sets.

Book your Open Water Session With Us Now: https://bit.ly/OWSwimCoaching

June 15, 2020

A new Member of the Team!

Coaching, Training, Uncategorized 0

We’re happy to announce that Francesca Durbin (Frankie) has joined the Aloha Tri coaching team! Frankie comes to us with great knowledge and expertise in running, swimming and triathlon.

In fact, Frankie has grown up in the world of triathlon, with almost every member of her family having completed a multisport event. She has competed in numerous national and international races, including the Elite British Super Series, Age Group European and World Championships in Triathlon and Aquathlon, taking home 2 World bronze medals and a number of national titles. During her time at University she trained in the Loughborough University squad and then spent a year in the Bath Performance Centre training alongside Vicky Holland and Susie Cheetham.

Having taken a step back from elite racing due to injury and leaving the Loughborough bubble, she is concentrating on swim teaching and triathlon coaching using her scientific knowledge from her sport and exercise science degree and time working for British Swimming as a physiologist and assistant coach.

She started coaching 5 years ago and has experience coaching all abilities, having worked in local triathlon clubs and also coaching within the British Triathlon Pathway on national camps and with the East Region. She has experience in competing at different levels, the set backs of injury and the struggles of a work/life/training balance, so knows the importance of planning all aspects of life into training plans.

Frankie is currently coaching in running, swimming and triathlon alongside her job as a Swim teacher across Hertfordshire. She also spends time in Spain and the Canary Islands, working in hotel complexes running the fitness and activity programs for families.

Away from sport, you can find Frankie on the sofa having a movie marathon or watching the latest box sets on TV. She also enjoys acting, musical theatre and photography in her spare time.

Please give her a warm welcome! You will find Frankie at Merchant Taylor’s lake in Watford a lot this summer, as she shares some of the open water swim coaching there with Head Coach Rav.

Why Aloha Tri?
At Aloha Tri, we have decades of experience and the right coaching certifications from Ironman University, British Triathlon (Level 3) and TrainingPeaks. We offer bespoke coached programmes via the Premium TrainingPeaks platform, giving you structure and visibility into your training plan. You can choose from weekly or daily progress reviews, which provides corrective action. We have worked with hundreds of athletes of all ages and abilities and improved their performance, skills and mindset. What motivates us is the “Aloha spirit”, a powerful way to achieve a desired state of mind and body, which we translate into how we coach you. Contact me (rav@alohatri.com) to maximise your investment in your sport!

May 26, 2020

Goal Setting in a Post Covid-19 World

Coaching, Training, Uncategorized coaching, covid-19, goals, training 0

I’ve been asking my coached athletes about re-thinking their training goals. How about you? Feeling a bit aimless at this point in time? No goal should ever be taken lightly. If you are pursuing something for a short-term goal or self-serving validation, you’ll end up always chasing the next big thing to feel good and never get the satisfaction you are seeking.

There have been a lot of changes over the last few months in terms of how we approach our training and racing strategy, due to this global pandemic. Some of us have been very fortunate with our health and personal circumstances, so we have been able to “wait it out” and train at home.

Over the years, I’ve done a lot of training indoors as a triathlete and a good number of people also do this during the winter months. For many, however, it has been a bit of a scramble or a shock to the system to get on board with all the technology that is available today. Luckily, there is plenty of choice for most people to train whilst indoors. The exception, of course, has been access to swimming pools. But even there, we’ve been able to adapt to the lack of proper swimming venues with ingenious solutions, such as tethered swimming in a kiddie pool or dryland exercises.

The question is what does the short-term and long-term future of training and racing look like? Will social distancing produce a whole new nuance to training and events?

Enter the virtual athletes!

The WTC, aka Ironman Corporation, has provided many athletes with an outlet to complete weekly challenges, which are similar in distance to that of events IRL (in real life). A good number of my athletes and I have taken up these #IronmanVR challenges for 8 weeks in a row! I’ve been perplexed about how we can keep going week after week? Targeted, well planned training programmes have turned into maintenance with massive ebbs and flows of weekly smash fests. I have a feeling that it has worn a few of us down, including myself.

Setting new goals

Now think about yourself, where is it going to take you? Who are you going to be in the end? Why are you pursuing the goal? Do you have a goal?

My thoughts about this are clear on the matter. We have a brave new world out there, so why don’t you try something new? Work on things you hadn’t conceived of previously, such as perfecting your running technique, a new flexible you, how to get those perfect abs, helping others by helping yourself.

Now where to apply those things? How will they make you a better athlete? How will they positively affect you from the inside as well as on the outside? Are these things achievable?

Here are a couple of mantras:

There is no greater motivation than what lies within you
I will find solutions in these difficult times.
Don’t wish for it, work for it

Just a few thoughts for you in our seemingly uncertain times. What will YOUR new goals look like, long-term or short-term? We are here to help.

Why Aloha Tri?

April 22, 2020

Are you planning on training during Ramadan?

Announcements, Coaching, Training, Uncategorized coaching, ironman coach st albans, ramadan, triathlon, triathlon coaching st albans 0

I coach a few triathletes this year who will be observing Ramadan. Ramadan is a month-long fast which lasts from dawn to dusk. As the cycle of the lunar calendar doesn’t match the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan change about 10-11 days each year.

For those of you who don’t know it, Muslims cannot drink or eat during this time. So, for those of you who intermittently fast, just think about doing this for 30 days! Can you do it?

I’ve looked at a number of athletes’ profiles and what they’ve done over the past few years and most athletes’ approaches have been similar in nature. Generally speaking, most athletes will do one workout per day, as it’s all about maintaining your fitness as much as possible. This means a reduction in training volume for many. You don’t really need to worry too much currently, as a lot of us are locked down during this Covid-19 crisis anyway.

As an endurance athlete who competes in events that require hours of exertion, one of your main challenges during Ramadan is to adapt your body to the changes in timing of workouts and maintain as muscle mass even while fasting. To do this, maintain your training schedule and prepare your meals to make sure that you are getting the calories and protein you will need to fuel for your training and recovery. During Ramadan, expect about 5-7 days of consistent training for your body to adapt and for the training to feel “normal” again

TIMING

Potentially, you can train before Iftar, so that you can be done by sunset and immediately compensate for the amount of water lost not only during training, but from fasting for hours during the daylight hours. Your second option is to train two hours after Iftar. In this case, you can eat your primary meal after the workout and opt for something light for Iftar. In fact, if doing more high intensity activities, such has sprint intervals or anaerobic sessions, you’d be better off doing this in the middle of the night and then taking advantage of another small meal after for recovery. Lower intensity aerobic sessions should be performed before sunrise or Suhoor.

The worst time that you can do any training is in the middle of the afternoon as your body will already be in a dehydrated or exhausted state. You also won’t be able to refuel afterwards. So, it’s best to train either before Iftar or in the middle of the night.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Here are a few things to think about when planning your training during Ramadan:

Stick to your goals but be realistic.
Think about the number of sessions that you will do per week
Reduce the amount of time that you will be working out
Consider the intensities of your workouts
Plan when you will work out and stick to that training pattern
Schedule the type of exercises you should perform
Be conscious of what you eat and when
Be realistic with your workouts
Always keep hydrated

TIPS

I’ve got a few fast and furious tips for you. One of the most important components is to hydrate! It’s important to break fast on proteins and not on sugar! Maintain your level of fitness throughout. Just remember that after Ramadan it’ll take your body just a few days to readjust to the timings and your nutritional needs. And your body composition will definitely change very quickly after that 30-day block of Ramadan.

SAMPLE SWIM SESSION

Here’s a great Fasting Swim Session from our friends at MySwimPro. It’s an ideal intensity after breaking fast.

Warm Up:

-4 x 100m Long and Strong

-4 x 50m stroke or IM High Intensity

Main Set:

2 rounds of

-1 x 200m Endurance Effort

-6 x 50m Threshold Effort

Warm Down:

-4 x 50m Free Style or stroke

Total Distance/Time: 1800m or 40min

GET IN TOUCH

If you need to adapt your training routine, we’re happy to help!

Why Aloha Tri?

December 17, 2019

It’s Gifting Season

Announcements, Blog, Coaching, Training, Uncategorized Christmas, gifting, Toys 0

What’s on YOUR Christmas wish list? How about the next big thing in training tech and race gear for next season? Maybe a new bike? And oh yeah, race entries.

What should you be gifting your family? Ironman t-shirt, running kit, race entries, gym membership…

STOP. Stop right there! Don’t do it!

My thoughts this festive season aren’t about expensive toys to improve your performance.

It’s more about thankfulness and giving back to your supporters, family and friends.

Triathlon and endurance sports can be very rewarding, as we can achieve great things for ourselves and the admiration of our “fans”. However, it can also be a very selfish pursuit that can lead to some relationship fatigue. Think about why you are doing this, have a thought about others who give you that free pass to train, especially those who are outside of the sporting bubble.

Give your time this season

The memes I see regularly about things being left undone and neglecting to take care of stuff have stopped being funny! Put a stop to procrastination outside your training schedule. So, put up that bookshelf, cut the grass/plough the snow, play that board game with the family. Take the family out for a walk.

How about volunteering for something outside of sport, taking your kids to their next dance lessons or helping with homework. How about even taking your significant other out for a meal or and even a date (put phone away and don’t talk about that workout that you did at 5am this morning).

It’s not only about you!

Take a step back over the holidays

Do you really need the latest training gear or gadget? How much stuff do you already have? Don’t gift sporting kit to your family, unless they are fanatical as you. I’m sure that they have stacks of unused training gear! Don’t plan on an All-Day Christmas training bonanza. You are already doing these 364 other days of the year by yourself, with mates and away from home. Nobody cares if you do that 100 x 100m swim! Challenges are good but leave it for a few days or so. If you feel like hurting yourself, do it on your own time!

A Gift For You?

Your significant other, if he/she is not into triathlon, doesn’t constantly want to hear about your training schedule. They are more interested in the time you have with them! It’s not easy to plan that annual training and race schedule yourself, unless you are an excellent project manager and have a high-performance coaching degree.

This is where your coach comes in, who will help you plan and maximise your training to reach your goals. Your coach can’t promise to give you more time back with your family but takes your personal circumstances into account each step of the way. That requires a two-way open communication, though, so the ball is also in your court to make the coached relationship a success.

Ok then… but you do want that Santa gift..

Hey, I’m no Scrooge. There are some fun things to put on your wish list this year, from power meters to foam rollers. Or how about that fitness/nutrition book or inspirational autobiography audiobook?

I’ve been a triathlete since 1982. The key to success is consistency and hard work, but you need to no chill sometimes. So have a great Christmas and New Year’s! Aloha to the holidays!

November 25, 2019

Power Training in a Nutshell

Coaching, Training cycling, ftp, power 0

We have been slowly but surely converting the athletes we work with to use power in their training. That said, a majority of indoor cycle trainers can now measure power while you’re working out and training. Using power is not overly technical to work with when on the bike, but there are a few technical aspects that you need to first understand. It’s an elegant solution for those who want to improve their fitness and can simplify your workouts. Put it simply, when using power, it provides you with a more real-world view on how hard you should be working.

What are power zones?

Power zones are fairly simple to understand, especially if you’ve been working with a heart rate monitor in the past. When using a heart rate monitor you establish heart rate zones and that is the same with power zones. That, however, is the limit to their similarities. Depending upon your protocol, there are 7 Power Zones:
• Zone 1 -Active Recovery
• Zone 2 – Aerobic Endurance
• Zone 3 – Tempo
• Zone 4 – Lactate Threshold
• Zone 5 – VO2 Max
• Zone 6 – Anaerobic Capacity
• Zone 7 – Sprint Power

So how do we establish these zones?

We use Functional Threshold Power (FTP)! The use of FTP came about in the endurance training world in the early 2000’s and provides a simple method of setting power zones. Essentially, it’s based upon the idea of how long an athlete can maintain a lactate threshold intensity for approximately an hour.

FTP testing can be done in the comfort of your own home. This removes the complex sports science involvement around lactate and the cost association with going to a lab or sports performance testing centre. It is a real-world solution establishing an athlete’s baseline, which can be tested frequently on the road or indoors.

How do you do an FTP test?

The testing protocol is generally a 60-minute test. However, this can be very difficult to replicate for such a lengthy period. If you were to do it by yourself it can be quite difficult to self-motivate and conduct properly repeatedly. There are other methods of testing and with our athletes, we usually do a 20 to 30-minute test. Further, in order to measure fitness, it’s recommended that you check your FTP approximately every six to eight weeks.

Now the big question is: The results that you get on the indoor trainer can be radically different to those of a field test on the road. How do you square that?

Basically, you need to make sure that the conditions for the test are similar from test to test. That will include time of the day, the weather, were you riding in a group, how much warm-up did you do, et cetera. Try to keep these variables under control as much as you can.

At Aloha Tri, we are always discovering new things, so at the time of writing this, we are tweaking and experimenting with these variables. Look out for another article about power for cycling and running and using it in your daily training.

Why Aloha Tri?
At Aloha Tri, we have decades of experience and the right coaching certifications from Ironman University, British Triathlon (Level 3) and TrainingPeaks. We offer bespoke coached programmes via the Premium TrainingPeaks platform, giving you structure and visibility into your training plan. You can choose from weekly or daily progress reviews, which provides corrective action. We have worked with hundreds of athletes of all ages and abilities and improved their performance, skills and mindset. What motivates us is the “Aloha spirit”, a powerful way to achieve a desired state of mind and body, which we translate into how we coach you. Contact me (rav@alohatri.com) to maximise your investment in your sport!

September 18, 2019

Off-Season Training

Coaching, Training, Uncategorized 0

Have you had a long hard season? Have you already booked a big race for next year? Are you already out there training or have you stopped completely? If you live in the northern hemisphere, then naturally we do tend to reduce our workload due to environmental conditions. Unfortunately, we gravitate towards less intense activity in favour to base training and mainly aerobic sessions. However, let’s consider how to manage the situation without completely shutting down until next Spring.

Analyse Your Results/Season

It’s very important to review your season including your training and racing. Have you achieved your goals, and do you understand what has contributed to that success or failure? Do you have new goals and how is that work in the previous season going to contribute to those building blocks to get you to that World Championship or Ironman race that you have planned for the next year? It’s really important to reflect upon these things because this will give you something to work with in forward planning your next season.

Health MOT

It’s important to get an annual health check or MOT after having done a full season of racing and training or even if you’re planning on your first foray into the sport. You might choose to have a health assessment because of a potential health concern, or you just might want to see how you’re progressing. I advise that you have a health check conducted by a well-trained health professional who is experienced in dealing with athletes. The follow-up is that you will get a a personalised health report along with some practical advice that you can use or provide to your coach.

Take a Break & Stay Loose

If like me your motivation tends to go sideways a bit during the winter months, it’s better to take a little bit of time off and enjoy some of the fruits of your labours. This will give you a chance to take another perspective on your training and identify some strengths and weaknesses in your training and how to improve upon them. My athletes usually take a two to three weeks off and then start rebuilding their base fitness throughout the latter parts of the autumn months.

Prehab & Strength

Prevention is everything and over the years I’ve seen a good number of injuries which are either directly attributed to overtraining or misuse injuries. So, it is essential to identify potential weaknesses that could cause you injury in the future. Once you’ve got that nailed down, a very simple and progressive conditioning program can be added to your weekly sessions and will help you become a stronger and more resilient athlete. The inclusion of yoga, strength and conditioning or even simple bodyweight exercises can be added to your daily or weekly sessions without impacting your primary activities and can enrich your experience and longevity as an athlete.

Try Something New

I always believe that you should try something new during the off-season. The autumn and winter months are the best time that you can do this. There are so many opportunities out there today which will help you in your next season such as cross country, cyclocross, parkruns or even masters swimming. If you’re looking to get stronger and more supple you can go to that CrossFit, Yoga or Pilates session that you’ve been meaning to go to all season. The options are endless and fun, and the opportunity is now.

The Autumn and Winter months don’t obligate you to stop training altogether. It gives you a chance to have a bit of fun and try new things while at the same time giving you a chance to recharge, rebuild and refocus before your next race season. Enjoy!

Why Aloha Tri?