Navigating The Holidays

November 21, 2016 Dave Burgess

It's that time of year again. The holiday season is here - and that means Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, and Christmas itself. This is the time of year that athletes are taking time off, and tend to overindulge. It is the off-season afterall, right?

Well, it is most likely the off-season for most. But that doesn't mean that you have free reign to eat too much, drink too much, and ignore your training. A little focus, a few smart choices at dinner, and you'll come through this holiday season unscathed.

Don't skip your workouts

The pool may be closed over the week of Thanksgiving. But that doesn't mean you can't get out and run or ride. Continue the momentum of your off-season training and get your running or riding in. I like to joke with my athletes - "earn your Thanksgiving dinner". Get in a run or ride early that morning. And the day after? Yep, do something. Anything. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you can take the week off. You're traveling for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Pack your running gear. Get in a couple easy runs. You'll feel better if you do.

Don't over-indulge

You're thinking about seconds? Okay. Just wait a little bit. Let your stomach send all the signals to your brain that it's full, or not. If you think you want seconds (thirds?) just wait 15-20 minutes. You might not be as hungry as you think.

Equally important, don't overdo the alcohol. As the saying goes: Everything in moderation. You'll snack / graze less if you drink less, too.

Do make smart choices

Whether you're hosting dinner, or bringing a side dish, it's easy to add some healthy options to the table. Mashed sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. And I'm not talking about the sweet potato casserole with brown sugar and marshmallows! Just a straight up substitution. A sweet potato as more fiber than regular potato's, and is rich in potassium and vitamin A. Make green beans and almonds sautéed in garlic instead of the old green bean casserole. Ditch that can of condensed soup with the fat and sodium. How about dairy free / veggie broth mushroom gravy. (You'll never know the difference - and neither will anyone else.)

It's really quite easy to make some substitutions with healthier, more nutrient dense, ingredients. Do a little Googling. You'll find recipe substitutions abound. Or email me - my wife is a cookbook author and we can hook you up.

So, be that person and bring a kale salad to the holiday shin-dig. You think I'm kidding? My wife has a killer recipe!

Do workout the day after

Get back outside. Organize a run with your usual group of running buddies. It doesn't have to be a hard workout, just enjoy the morning with a nice aerobic run to keep the momentum going. If the weather is good, get on the bike. Even a hike. Anything. And since it's the holidays you don't need to do this before the sun comes up. Wait till after breakfast. Ride at noon. Sleep in for goodness sake.

Most importantly, work with your coach to ensure your schedule is manageable if you're traveling.

This is a great time of year. Enjoy being with your friends and family. You've worked hard all year, so enjoy yourself.....and with a little planning you'll come out on the other end none worse for the wear.

Thoughts on Training

October 10, 2016 Dave Burgess

Training for a triathlon is hard work. Training for most any endurance event is.

However, to perform well you need to train with high intensity and quality, and sometimes it's difficult to keep the motivation up. Those early mornings - the sun isn't up yet and you're heading out to run, or driving to the pool. Or, worse yet, you're getting on the bike trainer.

Those are tough sessions to get up for. You're tired. The sun isn't yet up. You're by yourself......

The Upcoming Off-Season

October 3, 2016 Dave Burgess

It's October, and for many the racing season is coming to a close. Coaches are starting to look at the off-season training of their athletes, and how best to ensure that everyone enters the upcoming season refreshed, and with the best preparation possible.

For many athletes, their primary question is: "What do I do during the off-season?"

The off-season is an overlooked, and undervalued, part of your training periodization. You’ve raced and trained hard all season. You can't train hard twelve months out of the year. You risk overtraining, burnout, and not getting the full recovery you need both mentally and physically to start the next season fresh.

This isn’t to say that you should take two months off. Take too much time off and you risk losing your base fitness, and thus starting your pre-season back at square one. Two to three weeks of downtime is great. You can rest, and reenergize yourself, without losing your base aerobic fitness. You should follow this period of time with two to three weeks of unstructured training provided by your coach. Then you can begin your pre-season refreshed, energized, and ready for more intensive training.

Why Choose Podium Training?

August 31, 2016 Dave Burgess

Choosing a coach for customized, one on one, programming to improve your training and racing is an important decision. Why should you choose Podium Training Systems? Podium Training Systems athletes have had some great results over the last couple of seasons, and we'd like to be a part of your future success. Have a look at what some of our athletes have said:

Through Podium Training, Dave has helped me go from training on my own as an existing AG elite to pushing new PR's across my swim bike and run. The training has been exactly what I needed: putting hard workouts where they need to be, adding a structured overall strategy towards an A race, and best of all, giving my training renewed enjoyment and personal reward.

Our TrainingPeaks relationship has been all the more successful when combined with the Podium Training tri-camp series. In addition to 1:1 coaching on form/mechanics/technique, we have a personal context to find new growth.

Being A Strong Swimmer Matters

August 22, 2016 Dave Burgess

Over the past month I've read about, discussed, or overheard, race reports of triathletes from one race or another. For some it was their "A" race. For others, it wasn't. But on multiple occasions I heard about how the swim got the better of them that day. And how the rest of their race was turned upside down due to the poor swim.

In two instances, the swim was changed to non-wetsuit. In one, the water was rough. In another, it was a combination of the two.

Having the swim leg of a triathlon changed to non-wetsuit shouldn't make the swim so difficult that your race is ruined. You should be training hard, and training smart, ensuring that your swim is solid. Rough water? Different story. But your swim should not be dependent upon the buoyancy of your wetsuit.

I'm all for training now and again in your wetsuit in the pool - especially if it's new and you want to get a feel for it. But it shouldn't be a regular occurrence. When is a good time to train in your wetsuit? During open water swim sessions. And even then, you should absolutely do some open water training sessions without a wetsuit just so you are comfortable in that situation. And those Lava Pants, or neoprene jammers? Don't bother. They're a crutch, and come race day when they do call for a non-wetsuit swim, you're at a disadvantage.

If you're not a strong swimmer, that's okay. Swimming is a tough discipline. But work on it. Train smarter. Have your stroke analyzed. Hire a coach if necessary. You're spending a lot of time, energy, and money, as you train and race throughout the year. Ensure that no matter what is thrown at you race day, you're prepared to adapt and come out of the water strong.