Commitment - Dedication - Desire

...I vs I

Monday, June 20, 2011

West Point Lake Olympic Triathlon Race Report – short and sweaty…

Racing in the heat is a fear of mine and it was justified when I raced at West Point. The goal of this race was nothing more than to race and have fun. I trained right through and the real goal was to learn about how my body reacts in the heat. The week leading up to the race I had one of the worst runs in my entire life. It was slow, seemingly never ending and did I mention slow? My hear rate was out of control and an electrolyte imbalance was very evident.

On race day I felt good. The race was very well organized and although it was hot, I didn’t think it was too bad. The swim took me a little bit as I decided to check out a different beach half way through. Yes, I swam way off course and got the reward of being hit with an oar from the lady in the kayak…lol! So my thought – get everyone on the bike.

Out of the water and onto the bike. My hr was crazy high and I found myself trying to get it down so I could push. About mile 15 it finally happened and I began to feel good. The course was extremely well marked, people at all the corners, traffic stopped…very fun bike! My thought – catch them on the run.

I came out of T2 ready to rock and roll. Feeling good the first 2.5 miles flew by. I saw a good friend who was hurt and I almost stopped to run with her. Again, this was a fun race and I was having a blast. Then it hit…the bridge. As I started to feel the heat and sweat start to decline, I looked down at my watch, over 200bpm! I freaked! 208, 212, 218…I was a nervous wreck and started to just jog. Still not believing this was accurate I kept checking it and it went down to 198, only to go back up. My head was pounding, and the aid station was ahead. I walked through it and took in a couple cups of water. I started to jog again and instantly my hr was back up in the 200’s. Just jog I thought, it will be ok. I started doing math in my head to see if I was coherent and I was so I figured it was ok. Across the bridge again and I walked the aid station and down into the shade. There was a short steep hill ahead and I walked that too. It was smarter for me to walk I kept thinking. My thought now – that milkshake Tracy was talking about sure sounds good!

I made it across the finish and felt like shit! After drinking a mix 1 I was sick to my stomach with a side stitch that is still bothering me. I found some shade and just sat down. On my way home I called my coach and my parents to get some input. No worries, not crazy, probably electrolyte imbalance and some people race at high heart rates. I felt calmed. Had a great after race meal and fun the rest of the night! All in all, a fun race, more lessons learned and good times with great people!!!

Ignorance isnt always bliss...

If you have ever talked to, or been around a triathlete, you will find out very quickly; A: they are not shy about telling stories of their conquers, & B: never at a loss for giving advice. A, is really not a problem. You can just shrug and acknowledge that the person is full of themselves and go about your day, but B – B is where we run into trouble. I have had the unfortunate experience of seeing this first hand and watched the irreversible effects it has had on some very close friends.

Let’s first take a look at coaching and what that encompasses. USAT puts on coaching clinics to certify people (doesn’t matter what your background or education) as triathlon coaches. There are different levels and as the denomination climbs, the more training the coach has had from USAT. HOWEVER – please be advised, there are no pre-requisites to start the training. So what does that mean? Basically, someone with no education or background in subjects like Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology, Biomechanics, Human Biology and yes throw in some Chemistry and Physics too, can still have a designation that says he or she is a certified triathlon coach.

Ok, so now you are prefaced and I can get into the real reason why I am writing, my friends. No, Im not naming people and fyi, this could be anywhere in or out of the country so don’t give me shit. Read unbiased, open minded and try not to think about you for a minute…!

Over the last few weeks there have been numerous races. Some large, some not so large, but none the less, very important to many… in fact “A” races. Whether it be a sprint, Oly, HIM or Full, these “A” races are what the season is all about for that athlete and the goals are set high. These athletes put full faith and trust in their coaches and training, to ensure they are well prepared and up for the challenge. But what happens when that coach or coaches are wrong? Out of their league? Or just not educated enough to help some levels of certain athletes? What happens?? Those athletes fail. Their races fall apart and their goals and dreams for the season are over.

I can already here the criticism, so I will put it to rest: a good coach makes sure their athletes set realistic goals, achievable goals, and attainable results.

So what happened? Simple, arrogance. Just because you are a triathlete, does not qualify you to coach. Just because USAT says you are a level 1 certified coach, does not mean you have the tools that are necessary to coach effectively. Can you see where this is going? Im mad, upset and literally feel terrible for my friends as they have been mislead and ill advised!! What makes things harder is to see it continue.

The sport of triathlon is rarely taken lightly. Even for the novice and beginner, large commitments are made both with time and money, two commodities that for most are limited. So what can I do? I can try to educate from what I have learned, what my coach teaches me and what other coaches I respect in the industry lead with. Let me also point out, the above can be completely opposite as well. I know some level 1 coaches who are very qualified to lead all types of athletes, they just don’t choose to further that denomination. So please be advised, this is not a one size fits all discussion.

Ill end this with a few suggestions.

- Don’t be afraid to question your coach. They should have no problem justifying your workouts and why you are doing something.

- Make sure you trust your coach. You can question things and still have full confidence in he/she. Communication is key with anything and this should not differ when it comes to having a coach.

- Check their credentials. They should be able to interpret data and build periodized schedules that include keys like recovery, proper tapering and attention to injury and limiters.

- Educate yourself. The more educated you are, the better you can converse with your coach and speak intelligently about your training and race plan. Two heads are better than one and a coach should not feel intimidated or be anything but receptive to new ideas and training methods. There are advances made daily in research of endurance sports, this is an ongoing learning process, be informed and have an active roll.

Good training to all!! I want nothing but the best for all of my friends. And if you are looking for a top notch coach, check out Suzanne Atkinson. She is my coach, I trust her fully and respect her immense knowledge, experience and commitment to the sport.