Tri Club Marin Bi-Weekly Bulletin

TCM Newsletter: Wednesday October 17, 2007

Club Events

We had a successful bowling outing last month with everyone having a blast (& several beers). Thanks to Lisa P for pulling this together.

End of year party coming up – more details to follow soon.

Races

Race season is winding down however our temporary Florida resident Mark continues to compete in the FLA sunshine. 94 degrees on the run the other day – ouch!

Last big tri of the season is Treasure Island (now the SF International Tri) in early November.

Of course Kona was also held last year and perennial challenger Chris McCormack broke his duck (cricketing term) with his first win and Brit Chrissie Wellington crushed the women’s field at her first IM world championship try! ½ IM champs Craig Alexander & Sam McGlone both placed 2nd with part-time Mill Valley local Leanda Cave coming in 8th.

TCM Kits

Now available at Fleet Feet Sports in San Anselmo. Stop buy and see Charles and pick up your sexy TCM kit – limited stock.

2008 Board

We’re still looking for Board members to develop & grow the Club in ’08. If you are interested please email info@triclubmarin.org. Vacancies are President, Membership Secretary & Swim Lead.

Candidates for other positions are:

            Phil R – run lead
            David R – webmaster
            Mike B – sponsorship
            Andrew S – treasurer & bike lead

Time Trial Workout

Saturday October 27th – a 5 mile TT workout (self-timed) will take place starting at 9.00am. Route is around China Camp. Email seacap@netscape.com if you plan on participating.

This is not a race, just a fun workout to see where you’re at in your training and derive a base from which to compare future TT’s. You are responsible for observing all road rules and riding safely.

See the route by clicking on the link below:

http://www.mapmytri.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-rafael/440864722

Training Tips

Make this off-season count (from Triathlete magazine)

By Sharlyne Rivera

Aug. 29, 2007 -- Could a great off season be the catalyst to setting yourself up for a successful following season? The downtime between training seasons, referred to as the transition period, can be a very critical element for achieving those “out of reach” goals.  Admittedly, every athlete has a minimum standard they are content with, whether it is a 45-minute 10k or a 60-minute 2.4 mile swim. Your minimum standard is better referred to as your “comfort zone.” When your minimum standards are achieved, you may passively accept them as being good enough and entertain excuses of why next time will be better.

You’re cheating yourself if you train eight to 10 months in your “comfort zone” and continually pattern your body to produce the same racing splits year after year. Your season comes to an end and then what happens? You take some well-earned time off and train once again to compete at the exact same level. Your training cycles do not have to be this way. Let this year’s off-season be your spring board to bigger and better things, not a time to play catch up.

Primarily, downtime should give way to mental rejuvenation while minimizing the loss of training-induced physiological adaptations gained during the season. An off-season with no direction usually means too much time off, more trips to the buffet table than the gym and assurance that you will be right back where you were last year.  The hard earned training-induced adaptations achieved can start slipping away and detraining can set in with as little as two weeks, according to research.

Effects that are noticed following complete cessation from training are:

-4 to 20% decline in maximum aerobic capacity (VO2max).
-25 % drop in ability to sustain sub-maximal exercise.
-5 to 12 % reduction in blood volume.
-Decreased workload at the point where lactic acid accumulates abruptly (lactate threshold).
-Diminished muscle glycogen levels, or the body’s storage capacity for carbohydrates.
-Less aerobic enzyme activity which means mitochondrial content is reduced.
-Heart rate increases at any given workload with detraining.

Detraining reflects the fact that if a training stimulus is insufficient, or removed entirely, the gains achieved through regular training can be totally lost within one to two months.  The good news that may help you enjoy a few guilt-free days off is that the detraining process is fully reversible and can be completely avoided. The ability to sustain exercise adaptations corresponds to the degree of physical activity being carried out. Increased frequency, intensity and duration can increase aerobic fitness variables. Unfortunately, a restriction in just one of these training elements resulting from injury, illness or schedule conflict, results in detraining, causing a decrease in progress and performance.

Pointers for creating an off-season that really makes a difference:

-Reduce training frequency no more than 20-30%.  For example, if you currently train six to seven days per week, do not drop below four days per week.
-Intensity should be maintained or reduced by no more than 10%. 
-Duration of time spent training can safely drop 70-80% as long as frequency and intensity are maintained as mentioned above. For many it can be very challenging and even impractical to sustain in-season levels of intensity therefore making it important to have less of a fall in training volumes.

Training with the purpose of improvement takes a 12-month commitment. The off-season can predict your future. Remember to take care of your aches and pains that hindered you during the in-season, plan your training schedule with a vengeance, work on your limitations, incorporate other activities, play a team sport, cross train, strength train, functional train and develop better skills and techniques. Whatever you do in the off season, figure out a way to use it to your advantage.

Article by Sharlyne Rivera, M.A., H.F.I.
Sharlyne is an exercise physiologist at the National Training Center and conducts sports science testing.  Her specialty in the NTC Sports Performance Department is running and she is creator and coach for the NTC Run & Race Training Program.  She can be reached at (352) 241-7144, ext. 4293 or Sharlyne.rivera@orhs.org. 

Links and Other Stuff

Don’t forget our fab website – www.triclubmarin.org – for workouts, events, links to our sponsors and other interesting items about the Club.

Here’s a cool triathlon related website:

http://www.active.com/video/acceleradevideo.htm - free training videos featuring Dave Scott

http://www.coachgordo.com/gtips/index.html - Coach Gordo Byrn’s website – ton’s of tips etc.

We are always looking for suggestions/content for the newsletter. If you have any ideas, links, articles you want to contribute email me at: seacap@netscape.com before Thursday.

TriClub Marin
PO Box 829
San Anselmo , CA 94979
www.triclubmarin. org

Previous Newsletters:
March 30, 2007
April 12, 2007
May 1, 2007
May 21, 2007
June 5, 2007
June 27, 2007
July 10, 2007
July 31, 2007
August 31, 2007
September 19, 2007
October 17, 2007