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The weekend of February 1st I had the opportunity to spend a whole three days in a clinic with Dr. Nicholas Romanov, who came up with the concept of the Pose Method of Running. WHAT IS POSE METHOD®? I have to say, I felt very lucky to be in a group of 11. In order to incorporate this new method of running into any new athlete’s regimen, Dr Romanov kept telling us they must change their "perception" about running. A few of the athletes I coach were also attending the clinic, and we were, as usual, discussing nutrition during every lunch break. The first thing I asked Michelle Ward when she got there on Friday at 8:00am and was scheduled to be there until 5-6pm that night was, “Where is your nutrition for today?” She looked at me with her usual, “Why do you always pick on me, Coach Bee?” look and said, “Oh... I don’t know, I didn’t even think about it”. Michelle’s main objective for attending the clinic was to get certified as a Pose coach, as was mine. I looked around and saw that most of the other coaches had come prepared, as I had, and had bags of fruit, veggies, yogurt, etc. I have always told my athletes to think about nutrition as mainly fuel. That is all it is anyways. I suggest that if you are having a hard time with this discipline in triathlon training, start working on "changing your perception" about food. One of the most important things that athletes can do to improve their performance is to work on their nutrition. Look at food as mainly power and fuel for your workouts. What you eat today will affect your performance tomorrow. Why would you want to put some greasy, low quality food into your body? Why not start looking at food as just another discipline in training that is going to help us achieve our goals? It is actually just as, or more important than, doing track workouts, hill repeats, or core work. If you are an Ironman athlete, food can be an exhausting element of your life. It is something you have to address every day. No matter how much we eat today, we can pig out until we puke, we still have to get up and eat tomorrow. That whole concept really bugs me. Going to the grocery store, planning, carrying food everywhere, it is so time consuming. If they invented pills for eating, I would be in heaven! I think I really changed my perception about food when I started training for long endurance events. It is an ongoing need to have to fuel our bodies due to all the strenuous hours we exercise. So, what is an optimal diet for an athlete? There are many different diets and sources of information out there, and it can be quite confusing. I suggest following the "Key Three" most effective ways to better health and performance: (Going Long by Gordo Byrn pg. 181)
Pay attention to the times you are making poor choices regarding your nutrition. Are you stressed? Are you coming home to a lonely house? Are you thinking about the argument you had with your boss, or your finances? Ask yourself during these times, "Why am I making this poor choice right now, and how this nutrition choice is going to affect me during tomorrow’s 5:45am master’s swim workout?" Stop yourself! If it is too late, then do not judge yourself as being "bad". I tell my athletes not to describe themselves as being bad if they had made a bad choice. Recognize that you simply have made a bad choice that day and that you won’t do it tomorrow. Even elite athletes struggle with nutrition on a daily basis. Bad food choices taste good! Plain and simple!!! Some of you have children and as a result have more "not-so-good foods" readily available to you, but I really don’t understand this whole view point. Why would we want to teach our kids bad food choices from when they are young? Then again, I have no kids! I would really limit these poor choices for them as well and incorporate more of the "Key Three" concepts into their diets. In order to make the changes in your nutrition, do it gradually. Don’t go cold turkey! Start eliminating little by little and adding more and more of the "Key Three" concepts into your every day choices. Clean up your cabinets and stock up your fridge with lots of fruits and veggies - forget "low carb" diets while you are training for endurance events. Try to follow the following principles to optimize your nutrition, which are taken from The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, Ph.D.
Remember: treat yourself once in a while or after a PEAK race. Let yourself have that bucket of French Fries while sitting in the tub after an Ironman race as I do!!!
Bee safe & bee grateful,
Motivational Monday: Determination CARLSBAD, California, December 5. WHEN she walks on any pool deck, within minutes kids are screaming with excitement, “Coach Beeee!” Nobody calls her Belinda Eschenwald or Coach Belinda. She is known in the swimming community as Coach Bee. She loves kids as much as they love her, and she can keep up with every one of them because of her other passion: Ironman Triathlons. She’s done 10 of them, and is determined to qualify for the Big Daddy of all Triathlons, Kona. It was on July 4 of this year that her childish exuberance caught up with her. She was at a Barbecue, and naturally several kids were running around and riding skateboards. Coach Bee hadn’t been on a skateboard in years, but was sure at 38 she could still ride one with the best of them. Bee was right; she could ride with the best. But she couldn’t stop with the best. While going down a hill toward the Pacific Coast Highway she was faced with a choice. Ride out into the highway and get hit by a car or try and stop using a brick wall. She chose the brick wall and broke her collarbone, destroyed her rotator cuff, broke her elbow and fractured her skull and face in several places. She doesn’t remember any part of the accident. She underwent surgery on her shoulder and head, and was stuck in a bed for weeks. Bee was thankful to be alive, but still had the Ironman flame burning inside of her. Knowing that she was losing valuable training time, and not knowing if she would even be able to swim, Belinda started doing everything she could to keep her body in shape. She started eating only good things, and kept her legs in shape by walking, light running, or stationary bike riding when she could. In the process she lost 10 pounds and her body was in the best shape of her life. The real test came about a month later when she lost her sling and started moving her shoulder: Could she still swim? She took her time and practiced very slowly. Her Physical Therapist worked with her diligently, and for month and a half Bee took care of her shoulder and developed the confidence to swim the first leg of the Ironman, 2.4 miles. Going to Ironman Florida in November of the same year she was hurt so badly seemed crazy by all of Bee’s peers. But she knew that she could go a best time, her legs had gotten so much stronger that the bike and run portion of the Ironman would definitely be faster. She thought she might have a chance at making Kona. She was going to go for it, only three months after her accident. Not only did Belinda Eschenwald finish the swim part of the Ironman, she finished in record time. Her transition to the bike was quick, and for the next 112 miles she picked off competitors right and left. Toward the end of the ride she looked at her jersey only to realize that she was becoming extremely dehydrated. Salt lines outlined her jersey, and her stomach was feeling upset. She tried to force water and salt back into her system, but it was getting tough. Her bike leg was minutes faster than she had ever been before! The finale of the Ironman, a marathon, was staring Bee in the face, and with Kona in her sights she took off determined to reach her goal. Her body however wasn’t quite so willing and the effects of dehydration started taking their toll. The last ten miles were extremely tough and painful for her and she felt sick most of the way. When Belinda Eschenwald crossed the finish line she had gone faster at 39 then she has ever gone before! Her time was nearly 11 minutes faster than her previous best, it was a Personal Record! Moreover, it was just amazing that she finished the race, because for the next two days she was in the hospital being treated for dehydration. She didn’t qualify for Kona this time, but she had achieved her goal: To go a best time in an Ironman after a potentially career ending accident. Coach Bee never gives up. Visit Dave Denniston's Motivational Mondays at www.swimmingworldmagazine.com. |