The Art of Transition: A Triathelete's Source for Free Time

Triathlon is a struggle of seconds. Many of you reading this probably devote hours, early mornings, and countless calories towards becoming just a few seconds faster. So it stands to reason that an opportunity to save minutes would suit most any triathlete’s fancy. When I asked my colleague and pro triathlete, Jack Bracconier, what I could do with this blog to help make my multisport readers faster, he did not hesitate to say transition. 

Jack Bracconier gives us his personal take on transition.

 So many athletes, of every ilk or specialty, myself included, train incredibly hard only to overlook simple logistical factors that can really affect their race results. Transition is a major logistical detail for multisport athletes, and is an area of the race often ripe for improvement. These improvements can save minutes without hours of training; just a well thought out approach and a little practice can change your transitions from a weakness to a strength—an opportunity to gain significant time on those who choose to leave transition as an afterthought. 

Inside Winter Training with Pro Triathlete Jack Braconnier

Despite popular belief, triathlon is not a summer sport. You may think it is, but it’s not. That is when the races are, what the events are designed for, and all of the equipment made for, but trust me when I say that triathlon is not a summer sport.  

Everyone trains hard during the summer, clocking the miles religiously, rain or shine; never missing a workout or taking a day off because they don’t feel like it. But if you really want to up your triathlon game, you need to start thinking of triathlon as more than just a summer-time sport. Winter is where the gains are to be had.

The last race of your season is not an end to the current campaign, it is the beginning of next year.  If you have found your results plateauing after a season’s worth of dedicated training, a solid off-season training program is how you step up your game. 

Now, when I write, I want to write from a point of expertise.  I don’t want to spit some half-true inkling that I may have overheard from a guy who knows a guy who’s brother knows a guy who knows something. If I am not an expert in the field I am writing about, then I seek out an expert to give me the down and dirty, so that you can trust what you read here.  Unfortunately for my own fitness and race results, I am not an expert in training or fitness. So I called in someone who is: Pro triathlete and Walton Endurance coach, Jack Braconnier.  

Kicking the Water

Freestyle Swimming Kick Training
Holden Comeau

If you’ve been struggling all season with the swim portion of your triathlon training, there’s a good chance that your freestyle kick is underdeveloped. Right now in the off season is a great time to get your legs going in the water. It’s going to take a little extra leg power, and this is the best time to spare it! Below is a reprint of an article I wrote a few months ago for Triathlete Magazine. Check it out and get to the pool! And if you’re having some problems, send me an email and I’ll do what I can to help you out.


"A big misconception that unfortunately persists among the triathlon community is that swim training for the sport requires little attention to the freestyle kick. This is hugely problematic, especially for triathletes who are relatively new swimmers, or for those who experience what feels like an unwarranted amount of effort in the pool. For both of these individuals, gaining control of the kick is the first place to start when attempting to improve their swim.

It is important to understand is that kicking for a triathlete is not intended to directly increase thrust (which the kick certainly could, albeit with a substantial effort). Instead, the freestyle kick should be used as a means of controlling the swimmer’s body rotation and position in the water. For many swimmers, this task is often put upon the pull, creating more effort for the arms than is needed.

With proper training – which involves patient concentration on both the dynamics of the kicking movement and also some pure muscular conditioning – a swimmer can gain enough control over the kick so that it can become both light and also relentless. Once this is in place, body rotation and then the arm stroke cycle can be successfully coordinated to the rhythm of the kick (on this point, there is substantial debate as to which ‘rhythm’ is most effective; 2 beat, 2 beat cross-over, 4 beat, 6 beat, even 8 beat kicking per stroke cycle, are all variations of the kick/arm-cycle coordination. In my opinion, it would be best to experiment with as many different kicking speeds as possible, and work to perfect the rhythm that feels most comfortable and natural. Most importantly, swim with the kick speed that feels most rhythmic).

A great way to get your legs going is to train with some swim fins. These are full-sized rubber training fins – not shorty zoomers. Full size fins encourage correct kicking mechanics (move from the hip and core, not the knee), and also illuminate for the swimmer how best to effectively apply power to water. The fins will ‘grab’ the water more dominantly in one direction, which, for freestyle kicking is downward to the bottom of the pool. Standard interval training with the fins and a kick board works well at intervals ranging from 100-300 meters, and intensity should remain fairly low for all but a few of these laps.

Full stroke swimming with the fins can also be helpful. The exaggerated resistance against the fins will encourage a swimmer to pay more attention to their kick while they swim. Also, the added body stability that is created by this ‘really strong kick’ can, in turn, allow the arms a better foundation against which the swimmer can leverage pulling power. Realization of this relationship – a better kick creates a better pull – will also mean a realization of increased speed!"

Is the Sport of Duathlon Dead? Not on the East Coast!

Do thoughts of a mass start swim with 300 plus eager triathlon-types haunt your dreams? Or is it the fear of having to swim in a body of water that might not be as peaceful as that calm pool and the ever helpful blue line along the bottom to guide your progress? Just what lurks in the dark depths of all those lakes and rivers we so freely jump into? Maybe nothing at all, but if you were a spectator for several of the recent New York City triathlons, watching the legions of triathletes emerge from the Hudson river with a slight brownish hue to their complexion might leave you wondering!

With countless triathlons under my belt, I still get nervous before the start of the swim and certainly think twice about those non-wet suit swims (the wet suit is my version of a safety blanket). Does this dissuade me from participating in triathlons? No. My fear washes away once I safely reach that first buoy with my goggles still firmly in place. As the numbers participating in triathlons grows exponentially, are these multi-sport addicts over-looking something which on paper appears far easier, yet in reality might be an even more challenging event – the Duathlon?

Just what is a duathlon (or as some refer to it – biathlon)?

No, we are not talking about that obscure winter sport we only see on television during a Winter Olympic year. You know, the one where the athletes cross-country ski and shoot at tiny targets with 22 caliber rifles carried on their back. While that might be the more global sporting definition of a biathlon, what we are talking about is a triathlon without the swim. Let’s be frank, just as Lance Armstrong revived American cycling, the Ironman has done wonders to the sport of triathlon. In fact, many multi-sport athletes might not even know of the existence of the sport of duathlon. I am willing to bet if you told your co-workers you competed in a duathlon over the weekend the likely response would be a look of utter confusion. However, mention you competed in a triathlon and all will not only understand, but perhaps share their own triathlon aspirations – as the triathlon has replaced the marathon as the ‘in’ endurance event for weekend warriors alike!

A few seasons ago, Inside Triathlon ran a story entitled ‘Demise of Duathlon’. The story cited the go-go years of duathlon, which in the late 80s and 90s had its own national series sponsored by none other than Coors Light (and (boasting huge prize lists for the professionals). Unfortunately, Coors Light left the sport long ago, being replaced on a smaller scale by Dannon, who left the sport in 2004 citing declining participation. While many professional duathletes have followed the money train to triathlons, which is now getting the lion share of the national advertising dollar thanks in part to the growing legions of Ironmen, does this mean duathlon is dead for us amateurs? Of course not!

Every spring for the past decade I have toed the start line for the annual March Madness biathlon in New York’s Central Park, an event which has seen sell-out crowds of over 600 duathletes for the past several years. While quite common in triathlons, a sold-out duathlon is a rare occurrence in most parts of the country. That is not the case for this early season New York City classic (fittingly called the March Madness Biathlon), as dormant multi-sport athletes emerge from their hibernation to test their early season form. This event has also seen some big names grace the winner’s podium over the years, including multi-sport legends Mark Allen (who won here in 1986) and Kenny Souza (won in 1987). Does Dan Honig, president and founder of the New York Triathlon Club (and the one responsible for the March Madness race), think the sport of duathlon is dead? Doubtful, as the New York Triathlon Club schedule of events has been steadily growing every year since the mid-80s and will commonly feature a dozen or more duathlons each season, with many running along side of triathlons – a recipe that is growing in popularity for race promoters.

Personally, I got my multi-sport start with duathlons. A cyclist in high school and college, I had always done some running on the side, so duathlons seemed an easy choice. For years I resisted the urge to do triathlons for several reasons. My first excuse was the most simple – time. Where was I going to find time to swim? Cycling and running already occupied the majority of my free time, so how could I conceivably fit in another sport (especially one I had not participated in since college?) My second excuse would be categorized by my therapist as a ‘fight or flight’ response (ie. the thought of a mass start swim scared the heck out of me). Ironically, it was a running injury that forced me into the pool and my triathlon career began. Have I forgotten about duathlons? No way, as I am a firm believer that the best way to prepare for a triathlon is a nice fast early season duathlon!

But I am a Triathlete – why should I do a duathlon?

When I competed in my first duathlon, my idea of a transition area was a place to put my Green Bay Packers folding chair as I leisurely swapped my running shoes for cycling shoes. With two nearly identical transitions, a duathlon is the perfect opportunity to practice your transition skills. Sure, there is no wetsuit to contend with, but now you have to change shoes twice and you will quickly learn that every second counts as the pack of racers tends to stay closer together when there isn’t a swim to break it up.

Besides the transition area practice, a duathlon is the ultimate combination workout (or ‘brick’ as we have come to call them). As multi-sport athletes, we have to teach our body to perform a variety of athletic tasks while fatigued. If you think the running segment of a triathlon is challenging after swimming and biking, try running twice in an event - it will make that sprint triathlon feel like a walk in the park! Trust me when I say a duathlon is the ultimate ‘brick’ workout.

The final appeal for the duathlon is the lack of a swim – something many of us could do without on occasion. I am not afraid of the water, but I can do without that guy who refuses to swim in a straight line and thus swims over the back of your legs, or better yet feels you in his draft and does a dolphin kick that catches your nose and rips the goggles from your face. That is when my version of panic sets in! Trust me when I say the swim portion of a triathlon does get easier with experience. Perhaps it is this not so uncommon fear of the water has kept potential multi-sport athletes from joining our ranks? If so, what better way to get you feet wet, than with a duathlon?
While the sport of duathlon might not have the same support and following across the country, the Mid-Atlantic States are full of duathlons, with a race calendar that stretches from March through October (check out my own list of local duathlons below). To find out more info on duathlons, go to http://www.usatriathlon.com/Duathlon/duathlon_home.htm or visit the only website dedicated to the sport (www.duathlon.com).


2008 Duathlon Calendar for the Mid-Atlantic region (not all races listed)

Mar 30 - Virginia Duathlon (5k/23mi/5k), VA
Mar 30 - March Madness Du (2mi/12mi/2mi), NY
April 6 - Brandywine Duathlon (5k/30k/5k), DE
April 13 - Powerman Alabama (8k/50k/8k), AL
April 13 - Brooklyn biathlon (2mi/10mi/2mi), NY
April 26 - Duathlon Nationals (10k/40k/5k), VA
April 27 - Bronx Biathlon (3mi/20mi/3mi), NY
May 4 - Trooper biathlon (2mi/14mi/2mi), NY
May 18 - Queens biathlon (3mi/18mi/3mi), NY
May 24 - Hammonton Du (& tri), NJ
June 1 - Belleplain du (1mi/15mi/3mi), NJ
June 8 (& Aug 17) - Harriman State Park duathlon (& tri), NY
June 14 - Thundergust duathlon (& tri), NJ
June 22 - Flat as a Pancake duathlon (& tri), Staten Island, NY
June 22 - Westchester biathlon, Rye, NY
July 6 - Philadelphia Women’s duathlon (& tri), Philly, PA
July 13 - Hudson Valley Du (& tri), NY
July 19 - Sunset Sprint duathlon (& tri), Bridgeton, NJ
July 20 - Putnam Du (& tri), Putnam NY
Aug. 17 - Lums Pond duathlon (& tri), Bear, DE
Sept. 7 (& Oct. 5) - Central Park duathlon, New York, NY
Sept. 13 - Fox Run Du, DE
Sept. 14 - Skylands duathlon (& tri), Clinton, NJ
Sept. 20 - Vineland Exchange Club Du (& tri), NJ
Sept. 21 - Endless Summer Du, Long Beach island
Sept. 28 - Cape Henlopen duathlon (& tri), Bear, DE

By Mikael Hanson
Director of Performance - NYC

Fatigue and the Endurance Athlete

TRAINING AND FATIGUE
If you are an endurance cyclist you have probably experienced fatigue. Although some fatigue is ok, and even desirable, severe fatigue can be very detrimental to your fitness and your goals. As an athlete or coach you must be able to differentiate between fatigue that will yield performance enhancements and that which will hamper growth and recovery.

An athlete who is unable to produce the same performance they did just a week ago is fatigued. Put simply, fatigue is the inability to perform at a level that was once possible in recent history (excluding illness or injury).

Athletes can perceive fatigue differently. Some athletes avoid fatigue at all cost while others never slow down. If training becomes excessive enough and poor recovery habits are taken persistent fatigue can follow which will ultimately interfere with performance.

One of the difficult aspects of training and coaching is determining how much training and stress will fatigue an individual athlete and if how this fatigue will impact their training prescription.
Power meters and heart rate monitoring have made the diagnosis of fatigue and the ability to track the amount of training stress easier and more accurate. Frequent fitness testing with a power meter or field test allows cyclists to document the effects of training on particular aspects of performance. For an athlete, a range of performance and perceptions may follow a rigorous training block;

1. The athlete feels good and performance is improved
2. The athlete feels good but performance is poor
3. The athlete feels tired and performance is poor
4. The athlete feels tired but performance is excellent

Depending on the training and recovery prior to the test, all responses are possible and all results indicate something different. With the use of power meters, every cycling effort can be compared to a personal best clearly indicating when a cyclist is tired and when they are fresh. Patterns between training and performance will emerge providing insight into managing fatigue.
There are four main classifications of fatigue and they are described below.

PERCEPTUAL FATIGUE
There is little denying the perception of fatigue but oftentimes once you get going you are feeling great and beating the locals feeling full of energy. Experienced athletes know that it usually takes exercise to evaluate whether fatigue is severe enough or not to cancel a training session. Perceptual fatigue can be very persuasive so don't give up without trying. You may be capable of much more than you imagined. If you have finished a sufficient warm-up and you are struggling to reach and hold the given power levels then it is advisable to listen to what your body is saying and take a break!

SHORT-TERM PRODUCTIVE FATIGUE
Every daily training session results in short-term fatigue. As you become tired, heart rate and the perception of effort increases for a given workload or power output. Fatigue may increase to the point that a desired workload is not achievable. However, after a good meal and sleep most athletes will be ready for more abuse the next day. If the training bout is severe enough, two to three days may be required to regain previous form. This is considered short-term fatigue and is productive because the performance outcome is positive, increasing your performance, after sufficient recovery.

LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVE FATIGUE
What happens when you train hard for six days in a row? As you would expect, you are probably tired. Many times a fatigued cyclist can find it difficult to cope with a hard training session for up to a week after this effort. There are often complaints about heavy legs and heart rate suppression during hard efforts. The training which leads to this sustained fatigue is termed 'overreaching'. Fortunately for those suffering from this type of fatigue, performance rebounds to desirable levels following 7-12 days of quality recovery. However, many athletes mismanage this fatigue and start training or competing well before they are fully recovered. Ironically, it is the athlete that feels the best that is most at risk for this type of fatigue. Athletes experiencing great form feel like superman, neglecting the proper nutrition and recovery habits needed. But eventually the fatigue will accumulate. Often the most severe fatigue comes following a week or two of incredible form. Be very careful when power production reaches an all-time high. With appropriate management - particularly the inclusion of recovery days in your training program - it's possible to maintain top form for weeks, if not months.

LONG-TERM NON-PRODUCTIVE FATIGUE
This type of fatigue is commonly known as overtraining. Many athletes are extremely motivated, very fit, and also living a very stressful lifestyle. These situations often cause a loss in fitness before fatigue dissipates. Thus, despite rigorous training and following weeks of recovery, performance never rebounds. Lifestyle stress, poor nutrition and disturbed sleep all contribute to the extremely heavy fatigue experienced by athletes.

Despite numerous attempts by sport scientists, there is no one physiological marker that can be used to identify the magnitude of fatigue or that when it has reached some critical level. Although resting heart rate can be a useful indicator of training stress there is little solid scientific data to support using this marker as a guide to training.

It's important not to confuse overtraining with non-specific training. It is possible that a lack of specific training for a certain event is responsible for the poor performance. Lots of cycling on the flat is unlikely to promote a rider's climbing capacity. So when evaluating your performance also think about the amount of specific training you've been doing for your event. Again, if a cyclist is using a power meter and recording training sessions it becomes fairly easy to retrospectively examine the time spent at a power output and cadence that is sport specific. Unfortunately, an athlete with persistent fatigue may need to stop training and focus on a good diet and adequate rest.

SUMMARY
When it comes to cycling and endurance sports, fatigue is almost always present and can develop in many different forms. Most types are easy to deal with and fairly short lived. However, the perception of fatigue is not always associated with performance. Athletes should try out their legs and start a training session before making the conclusion that they are too tired to train. General or short-term fatigue is characterized by an increased perception of effort for a given power output, but the ability to produce power is generally maintained. More severe or long-term fatigue is associated with a decrease in performance and possibly a suppressed heart rate and elevated perception of effort for a given power output. Although excessive training can lead to persistent fatigue, this condition is very rare. When endurance athletes are unusually tired for a long time there are usually other environmental variables contributing to it.

Fortunately, power meters can now be used to track training volume and quantify whether performance is really compromised. This type of feedback combined with frequent performance testing can be used by cyclists to better understand the effects of fatiguing bouts of training and racing.

Pro Triathlete, Derek Oskutis, Reports from Los Angeles Triathlon

Hello from sunny San Diego! Well, it’s my final night here in California and it has been an amazing trip. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous with temperatures between 65 and 80. Yeah… it’s a rough life. Just as a refresher, I was out here in San Diego to work with the Navy’s dolphins and sea lions used for various reasons that are strictly classified.

Along with training the mammals, I was able to get in quite a bit of triathlon training to prepare for my first race of the summer – the Los Angeles Triathlon in San Dimas, CA. Coming off of my last race where I failed to finish the run, I was mainly worried about my stomach acting up again. The entire week before I was guzzling the proper fluids and doing extra stretching. Well, to start off the race was a very nice local tri. Even though it was very low key, great athletes such as Ironman World Champion Heather Fuhr stood on the starting line with me. With that said, I knew I had some business to take of.

The start got off smoothly. I was able to draft off of the eventual swim winner for roughly 400 yards but I fell off to come out in second place with a very strong time for the long distance. The bike course was tons of fun. It was a very challenging three loop course. What made it even harder was that I was riding my road bike instead of my race bike: Training wheels, big round tubes, no aero helmet, no aerobars, etc. So from going from 2nd to 5th definitely made me think of how many minutes I would have saved with all my normal gear. So after killing myself on the bike to minimize the amount of time I was losing, I opened up the run focused on not repeating what happened before.

The first mile went by at a moderate race pace to make sure everything was ok. After getting past the single-track off-road portion, I started opening up the speed. Not only did I pick up the speed, but I was flying. For a very hilly run course, I was feeling great. By the end of the run, I brought back 4 minutes from a runner ahead of me going from 5th to 4th overall. After seeing the results, I ended up running a 34:40 10k split which is a HUGE PR especially after DNFing Columbia! I am extremely happy with these results and even more excited to see how I’ll be improving over the summer. Race results - http://runraceresults.com/races.asp?id=rcgr2007

The day after the race then I headed out with 5th place finisher overall for a long ride in the hills of LA. This huge ride took us to close to 6,300 feet and a total of 8,000 feet of climbing. Attached also are a few pictures from the ride. Well, with that I head back to Hershey, PA. It’s been a great time out here in California. Thank you all for your support and help and I’ll see you soon!

Derek Oskutis http://web.mac.com/derekoskutis