Squatting, aka how to delete the desk from your derrière.

Today I read this Training Peaks blog, "How to survive desk life."  It talks about how sitting (think at your desk or in the car) is especially hard on athletes.  Knee issues, lower back pain and immobile joints are common problems.  Sound familiar?

Matt Pearce (@mattjpearce), the strength and conditioning coach who wrote the article had several suggestions: 

1. Try squatting (nothing special, just like you would if you were talking to a small child) for a total of 5 minutes a day and build up from there.
2. Mix things up at work by sitting cross-legged if you can.
3. Hang around - from a bar or door jamb.  Not with your friends (unless they're our IG friends in which case we'll need more bars!). 

The article explains why these suggestions are helpful in minimizing the effects of sitting at a desk all day.  In addition, Matt gives a couple of mobility exercises that will help, too.  I recommend reading it. 
 
While he didn't mention strength training, I think that helps work and build up the muscles that are otherwise stationary during the day, like the glutes, hammies and quads.

We all need to survive our day so we can train happily - and that means without injury.



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When you think how much practice it takes to shave a minute off your swim, it might be time to start thinking about your transitions.  Flip through the photos below to save valuable time on your next race, thanks to My Pro Coach. 

Success is sweaty.  And it takes a plan.  A training plan.
 
I can't live without mine.  Coach Shane chose the plan I'm currently using as I prepare for World Champs and it makes life simple.  I know I'm doing the right sessions and right recovery to get me to my goal; my only job is doing the work well.
 
My first plan was a paper one; how gratifying it was to cross off each session as I completed it.  Then Coach moved me to Training Peaks (www.trainingpeaks.com) he can monitor my progress and tweak my training.  Both Training Peaks and Garmin offer plans that work with the Garmin watch I have; but Training Peaks currently has a larger library of plans. 
 
If you've never used a plan, I can't recommend one enough.  When you search for a plan, consider the event you're training for, the level that you're at, how much time realistically you have per week to train and check if the plan's philosophy matches yours.  For example, some offer higher intensity with lesser overall miles while others build upon longer distances.  Some plans are designed for athletes over 40 (My Pro Coach just introduced one that looks good); some plans focus on heart rate only while others integrate power and pace.
 
When I first started doing triathlons, I printed out and used free plans.  Let's face it: triathlon is an expensive sport - and I wasn't sure what I needed.  There are free plans at https://www.triradar.com/training-plans/ . I have even checked out books at the library that contain training plans.  But as I've progressed, I'm now willing to buy a plan because I know I'm going to spend a lot of my time and energy following it.  I also find it handy to have my plan on my phone, via the Training Peaks app, so I have access to it anywhere.  I've used plans by  Matt Fitzgerald (author of "80/20 Running") and have been using plans by Phil Mosley (My Pro Coach) for the past year and a half.   Because frankly, if I'm going to try this hard and sweat this much, I want to see results.
 

 

-I'm sick.  But smiling because the sun's on my shoulders and I'm riding my bike.  Should I train when I have a cold? That depends on how I feel.
 
If I have no energy, no.  I stay in bed.  If I feel sorta okay, I'll hop on my bike for a easy recovery ride.  I just seem to get better quicker if I do something.  And there's some scientific validity to this.
 
As many of us know, the high levels of endorphins released during an intense session or race can weaken immune system.  But some endorphins from lower intensity exercise can help our immune system.  So keeping the intensity down is key to recovering from a cold.  In addition, when your heart is pumping, it helps white blood cells circulate, oxygenate your muscles and raise your temperature slightly - all of which also help you get better.  So a little bit of easy to moderate training has lots of benefits.
 
Perhaps the hardest part is knowing when you shouldn't do anything at all.  Coach Phil Mosley who has written for numerous endurance magazines wrote an excellent blog at https://www.myprocoach.net/blog/should-you-train-when-youre-sick/ .   While I typically prefer more scientific-based articles, like Coach Mosley's, I did find this Shape magazine article ( https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/how-get-rid-cold-lighting-fast) interesting because it gave a day-by-day account on how to treat your cold.  I do think zinc helps but I haven't tried the other suggestions; let me know if they work for you.
 
And just like talking to a friend - not a doctor or an expert - about your cold, at the end of the day you need to do what is right for you.  But hopefully we can all get back to training faster.  

​If cadence helps your power on the bike (it does!), watch this video
​and see what cadence (or strokes per minute) can do for your swim. 

When your chest and waist are one size; and your hips (okay…butt 😂) are another, it’s hard to know what size tri suit to order.  That was my quandary today because I can't try this one on.  In the end, I let the centimeters decide: only  1-2cm off the butt if I went with the smaller size but 5-6cm off my chest and waist if I went for the larger size.  The boobs and waist won; I ordered the smaller size.  

Why wouldn’t I just go with the larger size?  Because I’ve found that if the tri suit is too big, it moves - and that can cause chafe.  Owww.  In addition, I don’t want to drag around any extra fabric on the swim. Fingers crossed I don’t regret my decision on race day and split a seam!  😂

If you’re going to buy a tri suit, I definitely recommend trying it on - preferably with your sports bra - before buying it.  Move around in it.  Do some freestyle in the changing room; jog around the store.  Besides thinking about the fit and your range of motion in it, check to see if any of the internal seams chafe.  I have to use Glide with one of mine for that very reason.
 
If you’ve never bought a tri suit, the “Women’s tri-suit buyer’s guide” written by Alison Hamlett a couple years ago at www.220triathlon.com/gear/gear-guides/womens-tri-suit-buyers-guide/8603.html has some other points to consider, especially if you think you might need to go to the bathroom on course 😉.  (Hint: think two-piece suit and not one)