A Healthy Approach by Jamie Shuler

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Jen Corona

A Healthy Approach

I remember 3 years ago, July of 2009, I was sitting at a park with the kids weighing about 245 pounds. I turned to my wife and said, “I think it’s really about time I do something about my weight.” She said try to start watching what you eat and exercising. I just thought to myself, I’ve tried this several times before without success, so how was I going to figure out the right formula to make this work? I had gained about 75 pounds since high school and honestly was not sure how to lose it. It is very difficult to stay focused with a training plan, especially not having any idea as far as what you are doing. Sure, I know the medical aspect of it. But the down and dirty of truly being fit, I had no clue.

So I started to run, and two months later I was down to 215 pounds, and had entered my first half marathon. It took me almost two and a half hours, and it was tough. At this point I was getting a lot of aches and pains from the constant pounding of running, so I decided to try cross training with swimming and biking. At first I couldn’t even swim 25 yards, and the biking was a lot tougher than it looked. But I tried to simply focus on consistency, while balancing career and family. After three years of consistent training, I have gradually gotten faster and more fit.

This past July, myself and six of my teammates from NWT completed our first full Ironman at Lake Placid. It was an amazing experience for all of us, and was an overwhelming end to where I started three years ago that same month.

In my full time job as a physician assistant in primary care, I take a special interest in treating obesity, and educating patients on diet, exercise, and weight loss. I think a lot of the problem is just lack of knowledge on what being healthy and fit truly means. I even get a good chuckle when I hear people tell me how hard it is for them to lose weight, and that I wouldn’t understand because I’m thin. What they don’t know is all the consistent training that is backed up day in and day out. They also don’t know that I wish I could eat whatever I want, but I can’t. I have to watch every calorie. Continue reading →

Road Rage by Ben Rabin

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Jen Corona

Some people drive angry. Some people normally do not, but get angry after certain experiences. Some people never get mad while driving. As runners and bicyclists, we need to worry about the first two categories.

There are things that we can do to protect ourselves and others on the road. For example, when a car behaves badly, we need to know our rights. Some of the good NYS laws are on the CNY Triathlon Club’s website already, and you should familiarize yourself with them so that you can have a valid and legally supported conversation with anybody who thinks you do not have a right to ride on the road. But let’s face it – that opportunity is rare.

So, when the offensive driver does not stop or refuses to coherently and patiently talk to you, it is important that we get the identity of that car, including make, model, color and license plate if possible. If we can identify repeat offenders, it makes prosecuting them both criminally and civilly much easier for any future wrong-doing committed by that car.

Finally, from a safety stand point, do whatever you can to avoid being hit. I know this sounds silly, but being struck while you are riding or running in the legally correct spot still sucks. It may not be fair, but it hurts a lot less to go on to the shoulder or even a lawn to avoid being hit by a big heavy car.

We also need to make sure that we do not create the second category of driver. We must remember that our actions influence how drivers respond to other bicyclists and runners in the future. It is illegal to ride abreast with another bicyclist if a car is approaching from behind. It is illegal to ride a bicycle on any road unless you are as far to the right as practicable. It is also simply a bad idea to not stay as far right as possible, because if an accident occurs, and you were not paying attention to the laws or your responsibilities, then the blame for the accident may be shifted in whole or in part from the car to you. Continue reading →

Get Sweat! by Eric Hinman

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Jen Corona

I was beyond excited when two entrepreneurs, and fellow triathletes from Miami contacted us to develop a fitness-based social network, called Sweat. Over the last six months, we’ve spent copious hours perfecting the application for iOS (iPhone, iPad, & iPod Touch). Instead of the barrage of emails, text messages, and phone calls, Sweat allows users to easily add activities that they will be doing and invite their friends to join in. For example, tomorrow I have a one hour run and a one hour swim. On the Sweat app, I can create an event, pick an activity type (ex. swim, bike, run, gym, etc.), name it (ex. 2 x 30 tempo run), select the location, dictate the time and date, and then invite people to join me. The event is then posted to my feed (similar to Twitter), so all of my followers can see my workout and join me if they are interested.

Followers can also like and/or comment on my events. I can also share the event on Facebook, so my friends not using the app can see the workout and choose to join me as well. Sweat allows users to easily find their friends via Facebook.

An Android version will be coming soon! Sweat is the future of organizing your fitness lifestyle!

You can download the app by visiting iTunes.

Eric Hinman is a technology enthusiast and co-founder of Rounded, a Syracuse-based software development company. He has been racing triathlon since 2009 and is currently training for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Las Vegas this September.

What’s up with Beet Juice? by Matt Curbeau

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Jen Corona

What’s up with Beet Juice?

Red Beet Root Juice is a natural beverage that contains a high amount of Nitrates (NO3). It is because of these beautiful nitrates that the juice is now in high demand among endurance athletes. The nitrates provide two physiological effects. The first being that they widen the blood vessels, and therefore reduces blood pressure, thus protecting the heart and subsequently allowing more blood to flow through. The second is that they improve exercise economy by reducing the amount of oxygen that is actually needed by the muscles for a given work rate during activity. (ScienceDaily; July 1, 2011) This means that the oxygen cost of exercise has decreased, which improves exercise economy. Difficult efforts become easier based on the fact that more oxygen is getting to the muscles, and the muscles now require less oxygen to perform their task. Thus, a certain work rate for the muscles can be maintained for a longer duration due to a slower rate of fatigue.

Beet Root Juice’s Place in Athletics

Now that a basic understanding of the physiological benefits has been established, here is a look at the scientific research actually done with beet juice. In my opinion, the fact that research at universities is even being done with beet juice is a very good thing as it lends credibility to the notion that Red Beet Juice can enhance performance of athletes at a noticeable level.

Here are the cold hard facts that were published by the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise online site in April of 2011. (The study took place at the Universi ty of Exeter.)

•    Drinking 500 mL of beet juice 2.5 hours before a cycling TT improved:
•    4 km TT time by 2.8% (6.26 minutes vs. 6.45 minutes)
•    10 mile TT by 2.7% (26.9 minutes vs. 27.7 minutes)
•    The study utilized a placebo that was beet juice with the nitrates taken out, making it possible for the subjects to drink the beet juice without knowing which one contained the active ingredient.
•    Bottom Line: The cycling improvement shown by the testing came from only one dose of 500 mL of beet juice, consumed 2.5 hours before the event – which is just about the time you would be eating your pre-race breakfast for a half or full ironman. It is also worth noting that in order to achieve the dose of nitrates from beet juice you would have to eat almost 7 pounds of lettuce! Continue reading →

Best Bike Fit Ever!

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Jen Corona

For some, triathlon can seem a bit intimidating with all the components, gear, techy gadgets, nutrition, and apparel. It seems like there’s always something else you need to buy. One area that I feel is definitely worth allocating your resources is getting a good bike fit. When training for a long race, you better love being on your bike! It should feel good and comfy for hours at a time. Cycling shouldn’t hurt. Bottom line, if it’s not comfortable, you’re not going to ride. So spending the time and money to get a proper fit is one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. There are many reasons to get a bike fit . . . a new bike, feeling pain or discomfort, and over time with more cycling experience, you mature as a rider and you may find you want a different position on the bike.

I bought a new saddle one week before the Syracuse 70.3 last year because my old saddle was a real pain in the butt – literally! Normally I would never try anything new during race week, but I figured it couldn’t get any worse. Saddle sores, blisters, pain! I went in and purchased a saddle (because my friend liked it) and was not fitted. Also, last summer I took apart my bike and put it back together myself – twice! It definitely had not fit the same ever since. Also, I have been cycling for four years and have not been refitted since I got my bike and I wanted to get into a more aero, more aggressive position. So I went to Syracuse Bicycle for a fit with shop owner, Paul Komaneky.

Paul has been doing bike fits for over eight years, and holds certifications from Serotta, Retul, F.I.S.T, Michael Sylvester, and John Cobb. There are a few different options for fitting:

Standard Road Fit: $125  Basic flexibility assessment, foot structure analysis and rider history interview conducted. Saddle height, saddle fore/aft, reach and drop to handlebar adjusted accordingly. This fit is for a road bike without aero bars or with absolutely no concern for aero position.

Standard Triathlon Fit: $150  Basic flexibility assessment, foot structure analysis and rider history interview conducted. Saddle height, saddle fore/aft, reach and drop to handlebar adjusted accordingly. This fit is for triathlon bikes or road bikes with aero bars.

Retul 3D Motion Capture Fit: $275  Biomechanical assessment, foot structure analysis, and rider history/injury interview. Dynamic fit data captured and analyzed in sagittal, frontal and transverse planes with Retul 3D motion capture system. Digitally captured repeatable reports of pre and post fit bike setup using x,y coordinates (millimeter accuracy) along with a thorough rider final setup report and video capture comparison of pre/post fit.

Because of the knee issues that I’ve been dealing with for the past few years, I decided to go with the Retul fit, since I wanted to make sure all of my “parts” were in proper alignment according to the program.

You can view a full description of the Retul process here:

http://www.retul.com/about-retul.asp

My Fit Experience . . . Continue reading →

Musselman Race Report

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Michael Corona

I participated in the Double Musselman Race last weekend. It’s a GREAT race—if you are ever in the Northeast, put this on your schedule. It’s a weekend of races, a sprint on Saturday, a Half on Sunday, and you can do both and compete in the Double Mussel, which is the best combined time.

Saturday was great, and I finished 2nd/800+. This was big for me; the race draws some good competition regionally, and it was probably my best finish ever. Going into Sunday I was 42 seconds down, and only 22 seconds up on 3^rd and 1:40 up on 4^th. Everyone else was 5+ minutes back.

I was in great position, and I figured I would need a 6-7 minute lead off the bike on Sunday to win. If I paced the event, I could secure a podium finish in the Double, probably top 15 OA in the half, and fight for an AG win. A good day!

Or, I could race, get that 6-7 minute lead and win the Double. To be honest, I didn’t even have to think about it; when will I ever be in this position again? Continue reading →

Improving Content for Our Readers

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Michael Corona

In an effort to increase site content, I was going to increase my writing to a weekly basis, with a long term goal of writing daily. After thinking about the commitment of that task, I realized it was something that would never happen without giving up another piece of my life, or reducing the quality of the content. The time simply isn’t there, so I found myself facing two choices:

1-Eliminate other things in my life to create the space.
2-Reduce the quality of the content to pump out articles.

Neither of the above were an option!

Still wanting to share information and expertise, I stopped to consider the fact that Endurance Corner has a team of writers . . . and I came to realize that by recruiting help from others I could maintain quality of content and share the knowledge of some people that I am very fortunate to work with! My current team is made up of individuals with some amazing talent and knowledge that they have bridged to the sport of triathlon. Each is a strong member of the community and possesses many of the characteristics I strive to establish within a team environment: positive attitude, easy going personality, and a willingness to help those around them do well. So I asked myself: Continue reading →

Race Planning

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Michael Corona

This month at Endurance Corner, we have been talking about race planning. Often an overlooked aspect of racing, many athletes will show up and “wing it”, assuming their fitness is all they need to race well. I have seen “A” races blown to bits before the race even started due to a lack of a solid race plan. Another limiter I have witnessed is the inability to adapt on the fly and go to a plan B or C.

Showing up to a race with a plan is vital to doing well. Here are some points to consider: Continue reading →

Surviving Race Day with 3 Little Boys

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Jen Corona

Race season is upon us, and I must say that we are very lucky to have a family full of race groupies. We’ve been dragging the kids to races since our little one was two, so they are quite used to it, and we pretty much have “Race Day” down to a science. Here are a few things we’ve learned along our triathlon journey . . .

Don’t believe the weather forecast!
Especially here in Central New York! I pack for all types of weather. I keep a bag in the car with rain suits, towels, sun screen, and baseball hats, as well as jackets, winter hats and gloves, and sometimes a blanket. You really never know! We have needed sunscreen and winter hats in the same day more than once!

Choose venues the kids will enjoy.
We are fortunate to have many great local events to choose from! We could literally race every weekend of the summer within an hour or two from home. Most local venues have play grounds and beach areas that the kids can play in during certain portions of the race: Green Lakes, Oneida Shores, and Jamesville Beach. However, if you are thinking of doing any travel races, consider places like Quassy, Cedar Point or Old Forge, or any place where there are amusement parks so the kids will be excited for the race. We went to Quassy last weekend and the kids loved it! And bonus – we received a few free tickets to the park with registration. Now, the kids are asking us to do Cedar Point! Also, many races incorporate a kid’s race into the festivities. Whether it’s a run, du, or a tri, our kids love to do these, especially if there’s a t-shirt involved! Continue reading →

“Before Break Through Training, Chop Wood, Carry Water, After Breakthrough training, Chop Wood, Carry Water”

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Michael Corona

I borrowed today’s title from the Zen saying, “Before enlightenment, chop wood carry water, after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

What is break through training? For me, it is about viewing it the right way . . . it is a continual quest with no end date, and no real peak. When the goal is to qualify, it is not fair to the coach or the athlete to pick a specific race or year.

I am going to qualify. I do not care when, or how old I am. The race isn’t going anywhere. It could be this year; it could be in 5 years. What I do know is that for now I’m going to chop wood and carry water, and when I qualify, I imagine I’m going to do much of the same. Continue reading →