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Triathlon Training Tips – Proper Hydration
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Brendan Brazier - World Class Ironman Athlete
By Brendan Brazier – World Class Ironman Tri-Athlete
“Most athletes, whether professional or those of the weekend variety, understand that drinking sufficient water is an important element of health and performance, but few understand how to properly achieve true hydration.
Today’s the day, you’ve entered your very first race. To prepare, you got a good nights sleep, munched a power bar for breakfast, and now you’re slugging back a sports drink for hydration.
As the race begins, you feel great, your hitting your stride. But what happens next is unexpected: your cadence begins to slow while your heart rate quickens. Your movements are no longer fluid, but angular and mechanical. Breathing becomes labored, and the twitching in your calves spreads to the hamstrings and quadriceps. Dehydration has set in, and no amount of fluid at this point can save your race. The damage is done. What can be done here?
Balance your water intake:
Dehydration occurs when the body sweats out more fluid than it takes in, and one of the first physiological responses is the thickening of the blood, which creates more work for the heart. The added stress on the heart from dehydration significantly decreases endurance. Over-hydration, on the other hand, occurs when more water is consumed than the body can process.
Hyponatremia is the point at which the body becomes over-hydrated. Too much water flushes minerals, known as electrolytes from the body. These minerals help regulate the smooth and efficient contraction of muscles, and when the body’s electrolyte levels become too low, cramping, muscle spasms and other signs comparable to dehydration occur.
Don’t make the mistake many athletes have made by drinking copious amounts of water in the days prior to your running competition day. Instead, consume only a moderate amount of water, sipping it throughout the day, and avoid all caffeinated drinks, since caffeine is a diuretic. Limit high-protein foods prior to any endurance event, since water is “sucked up” during the digestive process. Fresh fruit is the best option!”
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For more tips like these:
Visit the Official Springbak® Website at www.springbak.net
Performance Boosting Springsoles / Insoles – Run Faster, Jump Higher, Lessen Fatigue
One of the biggest deterrents for beginner runners in not knowing how to breath properly. If you are just starting out in the sport of running you will know how discouraging it feels to be out of breath after exercising for a fairly short amount of time. So what’s the solution? First of all it helps to understand why we start breathing hard after exerting ourselves.
Why we get out of breath
If non-scientific terms we are simply using up more oxygen to perform an exercise that we are supplying through our breathing. When you first start running you don’t notice your breathing(depending on how fast you go), but after a while you’ll start to feel out of breath. This point of needing more oxygen is called our anaerobic threshold.
How Training Helps
If you are just beginning an exercise program, your anaerobic level will be quite low, compared to that of a more experienced athlete. Your goal is to gradually increase that level through training until you can run long distances comfortably without getting out of breath. People who run marathons are a great example of this, their bodies tire out long before thay are ever out of breath. As a beginner runner you have to focus on increasing your anaerobic threshold without being discouraged before you get there. Don’t go out with more experienced runners, you’ll be really struggling to try and keep up. Don’t try to run every day either, your body needs time to recover.
Run – Walk Combination
It’s best to start with a run-walk routine. A good place to start is with a 3-4 minute slow jog, followed by a 3-4 minute walk. Every other day or so, gradually increase the running time while decreasing the walking time until you reach 12 minutes running to 3 minutes walking. At this point you shopuld notice a marked difference in your ability to run without getting out of breath. If you still are a little breathless, chances are you are running too fast. Slow down!
You should soon reach the stage where you can run 20-30 minutes without needing a break. Your anaerobic threshold in increasing! How long will this take? Depending on your current fitness level, age, weight, ect. it could be anywhere from 2 weeks to two months to reach this point. Don’t give up, it will happen and you will be proud it has, you have earned it!
Nose or Mouth?
Many people ask whether you should breath through your nose or mouth whan you are running. As you start out you will be trying to get as much oxygen as possible and most people at this level breath with both their nose and mouth. As you get fitter you’ll find that you will naturally inhale mostly through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Deep Breathing?
Don’t try to breath too deeply as you run or you’ll run out of oxygen. Ther’s a general rule of thumb that says you should be able to carry on a conversation while you are running. Again, as you get in better shape this will happen naturally.
Conclusion
Your fitness level and breathing pattern are closely related. It takes time before you’ll be able to run consistently without getting out of breath. Simple be patient and monitor your progress, keep a log of your progress and have fun!
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Visit the Official Springbak® Website at www.springbak.net
Performance Boosting Springsoles / Insoles – Run Faster, Jump Higher, Lessen Fatigue
Springbak Wants To Know – Who Will Win The World Series 2009?
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The 2009 World Series is in full swing and we want you to get into the game with us!
Join Springbak on Springbak’s Fan Page on Facebook where we are conducting a trivia contest and giving away a pair of Springbak Springsoles!
To participate, current and new Facebook Fans need to answer the following question:
1) Who will win the series?
2) How many games will the series go?
3) Tiebreaker: How many total points scored in the last game?
Whoever answers closest without going over, wins a pair of Springbak Springsoles!
Responses must be posted to Springbak’s Facebook Fan Page Wall prior to Game 4, which takes place Sunday night, November 1st at 8:20PM. As of this post, Phillies lead the series 1-0. You can get the rest of the series schedule, latest updates and news at www.worldseries.com.
Thanks for playing with us and Good Luck!
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Visit the Official Springbak® Website at www.springbak.net
Performance Boosting Springsoles / Insoles – Run Faster, Jump Higher, Lessen Fatigue
Springbak Springsoles / Insoles Giveaway on Facebook
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At Springbak, we always want to utilize the very best resources that we possibly can to open the lines of communication with you. We thoroughly enjoy sharing sports-related tips and advice, as well as keeping you informed about our latest Springbak news and events, including updates about which pro athletes and winning teams are the latest to use Springbak Springsoles / Insoles in their chosen sport.
We have recently extended our reach over to Facebook and we invite you to join us today on Springbak’s Fan Page on Facebook!
If you become a fan prior to Monday, October 19th at 3PM EST, your name will be automatically entered into our random drawing giveaway for a chance to win 2 Pairs of Springbak Springsoles and a Springbak T-Shirt!
The winner will be randomly selected from Springbak’s existing fan base at the date and time of drawing and will be announced on our Facebook Page upon selection.
We look forward to seeing you and your friends on Facebook!
GOOD LUCK!
You can find Springbak on any of these websites:
- Official Springbak Springsoles on Facebook
- Official Springbak Springsoles on Twitter
- Official Springbak Springsoles on MySpace
- Official Springbak Springsoles on YouTube
Visit the official Springbak website at www.springbak.net
Performance Boosting Springsoles / Insoles – Run Faster, Jump Higher, Lessen Fatigue
Springbak Springsoles Half-Marathon Training Tips
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Runners Training
While finishing a marathon might be on many people’s life to-do list, in truth the distance isn’t for everyone, particularly beginners. That’s where the half marathon comes in.
Participating in a 13.1 mile race can provide a sense of real accomplishment, without the months of training, time and physical toll that marathon preparations require. Anyone who currently gets some type of aerobic exercise several times a week can be race-ready in 8 to 10 weeks.
If you’re currently in-training or thinking about participating in a half-marathon, Kenyan Way, coach, and former Olympian, Sean Wade, shared these training strategies with us:
* Run long runs at a pace that allows you to complete the second half of the race faster than the first half, also known as a ‘negative split’. Start the runs at a pace that is at least one minute slower than the pace you will finish the run. If you have to walk, you’re running too fast.
* Beginners should do all their runs at a relaxed, conversational pace, about 30 to 60 seconds slower than the goal race pace. More experienced runners should complete 85 percent of their runs at that pace and incorporate speed work into the other 15 percent.
* Save it for another day. “No one workout will make you-but it can break you,” Wade says. Do not speed up at the end of the runs or race nearby runners. Consistent, injury free training is the key.”
For more great tips from Springbak, visit the official Springbak website at www.springbak.net
Performance Boosting Springsoles / Insoles – Run Faster, Jump Higher, Lessen Fatigue
