Anemia and the Endurance Athlete: Tips to help you prevent Iron-Deficiency

                     The USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides"
                            February 2012   Boston, MA

As we head into the Base time of year for most endurance athletes, I have seen a few issues seem to be trending the last few years for endurance athletes in the region which I operate my business out of.

Amongst the issues is lack of proper nutrition (total calories in), hydration during cold rides, and perhaps the most surprising: athletes apparently being Iron-deficient.

Right now I want to focus on Anemia and Iron deficiency, as this can REALLY derail ones training for a year, or more, should it go undiagnosed for a few months, and especially if it goes on until mid-build.

If you have more questions about Iron-Deficiency or Anemia, please contact your doctor, or Sports Dietician. If you don't have a dietician, I recommend Kim Schwabenbauer of Fuel Your Passion. She is not only a (my) sports dietician, but also a professional triathlete who races for a great cause, Ballou Skies Charities, and she is a phenomenal source of knowledge. She understand the treacheries of training and racing, and has a great perspective on things.

The below questions were composed from my own knowledge, and a few of the quality sports nutrition books that I have found (Monique Ryan's "Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes", Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook", and Chris Carmichael's "Food for Fitness" --Chris is NOT a Sports Dietician, but the book is well put together), and is a small bit of the information that I talk about with Human Vortex Training Athletes whom are suspected of possibly experiencing effects of Iron-Deficiency, or anemia, before sending them over to either their PCP, Kim S., or their Sports Dietician.

Due to the nature of sports nutrition and the mass amounts of research being done, it is possible that some of the information below is outdated. Again, I am not a Dietician. The information below is not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease, or other health issues. It is here to serve as base knowledge to help the endurance athlete community to become more aware of how their diet affects their training and racing, and most importantly, their overall health.

If you suspect that you may have Iron-Deficiency Anemia, I strongly urge you to talk to your Primary Care Physician, or your sports dietician, ASAP.

                                                   
          Photo from :  http://www.english-online.at/biology/blood/blood-supply-and-blood-diseases.htm

What is Iron-Deficiency Anemia, and how does it affect me?
Iron-Deficiency Anemia defines that the body is unable to supply or carry enough oxygen to the muscles, or the body's cells. This can lead to feelings of fatigue throughout one's day, or during workouts. Some of the more common complaints heard by active individuals are "I can't seem to find the energy to workout like I used to" or "I feel so tired during my workouts".

A little about Iron...
Iron is a Micro-mineral, otherwise known as a "Trace element", which are present in the tissues of the body in small amounts, but have crucial roles in human nutrition. Iron is needed to form the Oxygen-Transporting compounds Hemoglobin & Myoglobin.
Iron Absorption is ultimately controlled by the amount that is already in storage in the body (as Ferritin, & Hemosiderin), due to the lack of an effective mechanism to expel excess Iron. However, absorption rates of Iron from ingested foods rarely exceed 10-15% of TOTAL PRESENT IN THE FOOD. (This means if you eat something that contains 30% of your daily value, you're most likely only absorbing 3-4.5% of your daily value!) This is a mechanism that helps the body maintain a relatively regular level of Iron storage.

What does this mean to me as an endurance athlete?
It is important to eat a balanced diet, ensuring that you intake adequate amounts of Iron. Although the best sources of Iron are meat, fish, poultry, legumes and dark leafy green vegetables, Iron is commonly added to help fortify foods such as breakfast cereals, and grain products.

What are the best sources of Iron? Can I absorb more from one food or another?
The most easily absorbed type of Iron is "heme" Iron, which is found in meats and other foods of animal origin. "Non-Heme" Iron can be found in fruits and vegetables, as well as cereals. Non-heme iron absorption can be enhanced by consuming vitamin C along with it.

I'm a vegetarian, am I at a higher risk of developing Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
As far as conventional wisdom goes, unfortunately yes. Vegetarian endurance athletes, and vegetarians in general are considered to be at a higher risk of developing Iron-Deficiency Anemia. However, there are a few things that one can do to help you attain enough Iron from your diet. Some of which include: Proper dietary planning, consciously eating fruits and vegetables high in Iron, eating Iron-fortified grain products, and even adding Vitamin C to vegetables by squeezing lemon or orange juice on them before eating.
There is a lot of new information coming out about vegans/vegetarians and Iron-Deficiency Anemia. If you are a vegetarian/vegan endurance athlete, I recommend consulting with a sports dietician.

I heard that I can lose Iron through sweat, is this true?
Although Iron loss through sweat is low (often the concentration is 0.2 mg/L of sweat), it can lead to Iron Deficiency in athletes with marginal Iron intake. This type of occurrence is more often associated with athletes who participate in long-duration activities, as they can sweat up to 2 Liters or more per hour.

I met with a dietician, and they told me that my Iron levels are low, but I have been taking in enough Iron in my diet...What's going on?!?!
You may have what is called "Dilutional Pseudoanemia. This occurs due to the increase in blood volume due to exercise, more often intensive in nature, which may result in a temporary dilution of the red blood cells. Ask your Dietician or Doctor about doing test for Iron at the END of a recovery week during the Pre-season (Base), Season (x2 Build & Peak), and Off (Transition)-season. Also, having a yearly blood panel is also a good idea to track your overall vitamin and mineral intakes to help ensure you have a sound, well rounded diet.

Hurricane Sandy survival guide for Endurance athletes

There is a lot of talk the last few days about the incoming hurricane Sandy, and how much of an affect it will have on life as we know it, for possibly everyone east of the Mississippi. This storm has the makings of something perhaps not ever seen before historically, with its intensity, mass, and reach.

Below are a few additions to the standard recommendations for emergency rations/supplies, and is NOT meant to be fully comprehensive. These are some last-minute items that you may be able to attain, to help make your storm wait-out a little more nutritious and perhaps even more comfortable.

If you are unsure of what the Standard recommendations are, please visit the American Red Cross website HERE. For a more detailed, or comprehensive list, you can contact your local Red Cross Chapter, or the head to the FEMA website to learn more.

REMEMBER, YOUR SAFETY AND YOUR FAMILY SAFETY IS THE NUMBER 1 PRIORITY, NOT YOUR TRAINING!!!!!!!

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN/RIDE/SWIM IN HEAVY RAIN, WINDS (above 10mph), OR STRONG CURRENTS/WAVES!!!!!!!

There is only 1 YOU, there are plenty of races and events that you will be able to do! Use this time to read a book, bond with your family, or review your year.

For those HVT athletes who may be worried about stocking up and having supplies for the incoming storm/hurricane/ridiculous weather, here are a few ideas that can give you a big return on investment, and help keep you safe and fed in the occurrence of power outage/prolonged isolation: High calorie foods, that store well, and can keep you going:

 Chocolate (calorie dense, and has high fat)--eat this in moderation, but it can hold you over if everything else runs short (I learned this from one of the mountaineer I coach, when she told me how much chocolate she ate on her summit of Kilimanjaro!)

 Powdered milk- great and easy to store. all you need is a little water!

 Dried Fruit- while most have "expiration dates", they usually last past that date, if stored properly. 

Nuts- Very Calorie dense, if you have a can of beans, and a hand-full of nuts, you'll be feeling very full, and have the energy to do what may need to be done.

 Canned beans- Cheap, full of fiber to keep you full, and protein to feed those muscles

 Canned veggies- these are a great way to get your vegetables in year-round, but especially so during foul weather! 

Apples, Oranges, other citrus fruits- these store incredibly well (for up to a week or two), and are packed with vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients

 Aside from food, we of course need water. You want to generally think along the lines of about a gallon of drinking water a day, for each person. While this is a high estimate, it's always good to have more, than less. If you think you'll be safe enough to train, you want to add another gallon a day to that, for each workout you plan on being able to execute.

If the water is gone, think soda. While not at all the best, it is a fluid that doesnt need to be refrigerated, and will last.

 Make sure to not only have enough water to drink, but also enough to flush your toilets 1-2x a day (fill up pots/ water bottles with tap water). Take a look at your toilets, and only use the lowest Water-per-flush toilet, if at all possible.

 As a back-up for more water, and also to keep your fridge and freezer cold, you can purchase bags of ice, and leave them in your freezer, until needed. Should the power go out, you can take each bag, and dump them into large pots, and leave them in the fridge and freezer, thus reverting your modern day fridge, into something similar to the original "icebox".

Keep the fridge and freezer door closed as much as possible (smallest amount of time with the door open as possible!), and try to remove items that absolutely dont need to be refrigerated, like fruits and vegetables. This will allow the food in the fridge to have a little bit of cold, so ensure to eat cooked meats, cheeses, and products with these in them first. WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T EAT IT/DO IT!!!!

 If you're not sure about anything, throw it out. The frozen fruits and veggies can be eaten as they melt, as long as they are edible without heating.

 Other Items you may want to think about having offhand (it may be too late now) -Battery operated radio with the 24 hr weather channel available on it
-A solar charger for your Cell Phones and laptop/iPAd
-Water tablets (to make water safe to drink)
-That shiny "crinkle" blanket you got after your Ironman/ HIM/ Marathon that helps keep heat in
-Flashlights and batteries
 -Warm, DRY clothes in tupperware/waterproof containers
 -medications that you may need
-A small camping stove for outdoor use, that you can heat food with

Remember, above all else, get somewhere safe, and have your families Emergency Action Plan handy, and well practiced.

REMEMBER TO RATION!!! Don't eat large amounts of food in the first few days, but rather, just enough to keep you going each day (training takes a backseat!). To help you stay full, try not to drink anything 15 minutes before you eat, and 30 minutes after you eat. This allows the stomach to stay fuller, and you to not want to eat as much.

Stay Safe, Use your head, and keep dry!

Thinkin on your feet, for yourself

Life can be so trying. but the key is, to keep trying. As you have all noticed, I'm sure, this is my first post in over a year. In that last year, I have added a number of National Championship Qualifiers and racers, a downhill National Champion, and a few more first-timer Ironmen and women breaking into the sport with top-30 results, in very competitive age groups, with large number of competitors. On a personal side, I have added just a mere 50 miles of riding in that time, numerous hours of Physical therapy, a couple of MRI's, and a broken date with the surgeons knife. What an incredible 15 months. I've learned so much more about myself in that time, and the true effect on performance, in and out of sport, that ones psychological abilities has. While I can say that my mental strengths before this life adventure was matched extremely well to the "normal" training cycle for a competitive basketball season (for a coach) of 10 months, I can also say, that I found out a lot about myself I didn't know....like how much I truly LOVE cycling, running, and the active lifestyle that accompanies it, and while I THOUGHT I was eating a truly healthy diet, I was just a product of the advertising and mainstream media that we have all become. I don't mean this to say I've gone off the deep end and only eat things that have roots (which for a little while I did, just ask my girlfriend), but rather to say that all too often today, we just take what we hear and see as fact, and don't question it. Some of the best athletes that I coach, are ALWAYs out there, reading, researching, and looking for more information and knowledge, which they then in turn pass along to me, and challenge how I as a coach think, and change how I coach all of my athletes. I think we all need to start opening our eyes, challenge the information pushed to us, and shoved in our ears and eyes, and figure out what works for us, and WHY. There are over 7 BILLION people on this earth. What makes YOU different? Are you thinking for yourself? Are you working WITH your coach, or just taking letter as law?

Recently Crossed off of our reading list....

Looking for some solid reading to get the most enjoyment out of your recovery time?

Check out these two, awesome, inspirational reads:

Life's Golden Ticket By Brendon Burchard

Wooden on Leadership By John Wooden














Finish your training sessions for the day, grab an ice cold glass of water and a piece of your favorite fresh fruit, and crack open a book that will help you, find you.

Enjoy!

Music makes the striders go faster/ pedals go faster

What's on our Ipod for some of our workouts?




Some BB King for our 3x3 min Fast pedals, and our 4 x 1:30 striders





A little Van Halen for the 4 x 4min Vo2 Max efforts





Keeping it classy with Tribe Called Quest for our rest periods between our Striders





and some Audioslave for the 4:30 Hill repeats!



Whats on YOUR workout playlist?

Phantom in the wings

There have been a growing number of HVT athletes who have achieved a wide variety of personal, and professional accolades with the help/guidance of HVT. I've really come to both appreciate, and relish the feeling I get of not having the spotlight, and being that "X" factor behind the scenes.

I've come to not mind when people overlook the seemingly small contributions that have been made by either my company, or myself. I've grown to realize that there are many individuals out there who don't realize that sometimes, it's that little pin, that's keeping the whole house from falling down.

But you know what? I truly enjoy being able to sit back in my shiny new beach chair, and reflect on what has been accomplished, and being able to say: "I had the knowledge, skill, adeptness, and consciousness to know when/where to put that little pin, and because of that, I can enjoy the huge building that is now towering before us all. And the best part is? Only I knew it, and still do. What an incredibly positive impact, on so many people, such a small act was able to have!"

Make a small difference in someone Else's life. Hold a door open, pass along a smile, help someone open the car door when their hands are full with their kids and groceries, make a behind the scenes/anonymous contribution to a group you care about, and marvel at the impact that your small good deed, had for so many others.

Practice RAK, and the world will be better for it.
Even if they don't know it :-)

sometimes the best ideas,....

Occur at the oddest of times.

When that happens, one needs to take a step back, and take a moment to gather oneself, and ensure that they capture these ideas, in written, or electronic form.

After all, didn't Thomas Edison wake up one night with the moon cloaked by the clouds,realize he was out of matches, stub his toe on the spinning wheel on his way to count out his 67 beans for his perfect cup of coffee, and have the idea for an "electronic candle"?

Thank you Mr. Edison, Thank you.

Some lead, others follow

"It's the simple things in life that turn the peasants into leaders..."

what is it that turns on our switch to become a leader? Is it a single event? Afeeling of responsibility? Or perhaps knowing that we are the ones who possess the knowledge or experience for that situation?

Regardless of what may turn that switch on, there can be times after we have elected to make ourselves leaders, that we may forget the role which we are in.

Too often it seems as though today's leaders forget that leaders need to lead, not only in words spoken, but in actions taken.

It's not easy to know and realize that one needs to take time out of their sport, in the meat of the season, in order to continue to make progress. While it absolutely sucks to be off the bike, and not running (although only 3 -5 miles a week, trail running is my other release), I have found, yet again, that leading by example has brought out more positives in the athletes I coach.

What actions, small or large, do you NEED to take in your life to lead by example, and will you commit to doing the right thing, or the easy thing?

The meaning of life

Some days you're flying along, others you're at the back of the pack.
Don't forget the Big Idea.....HAVE FUN!!! That's what you put all those hours in for!

And irregardless of where you are in the race, Sprint for that line, no matter how tired you are, whether at the back, or at the front, you still have to have that passion inside you, that wants to beat whoever is around you...even if it is the wind pushing a candy wrapper.

No petty bullshit, There's too much more important in life

This past week, my extended family had a tragedy strike. A wonderful, flourishing, young life was cut short, in an act of violence.

Although the details are still under investigation, this act of violence is a stark reminder to some of the core values I hold:

1. Don't Bullshit.
There is far too much in this life that is more important that ones' work, or busy-ness. Yes, Busy-ness. Think about the word business. It directly refers to what one keeps themselves busy with. While many of us in todays' fast paced world are so engulfed in work, trying to make that "Almighty Dollar", we are fast to lose sight of what really matters: Family and Friends. For at the end of the day, when the money is all gone, they're all we have.

2. Drop the petty stuff.
Whether it's who washed the dishes (or didn't), or who didn't do the job to your spec's. It's all petty. You have to be able to move on. Address it, and move on.
Perhaps most importantly, if you REALLY want to move on, you need to address it. To its face. Keeping what's upsetting you tucked inside, and boiling under the surface, does NOTHING for you.

This is why I call it how I see it. And admit either if I am wrong, or if someone else, with a different perspective, has a good point of view. you have to stand behind your beliefs, but also be open to seeing the beliefs of others, and perhaps, that sometimes their beliefs may be right- more right- than yours.

Learn from others mistakes, and don't bring petty bullshit into your life. It does nothing but waste your time, energy, and focus, and take you away from things that really matter.

Live smarter. Live for family and friends. Enjoy life wisely. We don't know what our future holds: be it health or disease, Life or death, fortune or famine.

Love thyself, and thy neighbors will too.

Where the battle to get stronger is oft lost

“For want of the nail, the shoe was lost, for want of the shoe, the horse was lost, for want of the horse, the ride was lost, for want of the rider, the battle was lost, for want of the battle, the kingdom was lost, and all for the want of a nail the kingdom lost…..”

I find it incredibly surprising that todays athletes still struggle to understand and comprehend, that REST and proper nutrition are so integral to success, and building strength. While most have come to realize that keeping in top shape, and building towards a stronger athlete includes variety and diversity in their training, it seems as though few have come to the same conclusion about rest and recovery.

This is an often critical mistake, leaving many of those athletes going through their seasons either hurt, or under-recovered, and thus under-performing (not to mention the increased risk for serious injury!).

To keep this post short, I’m going to break down recovery into 2 “bins”:

Short-term recovery: Within zero to 96 hours

Long term recovery: Periods that are designed to allow for recovery within a block training program (monthly and yearly)

Both are equally important in the big picture of things. Short-term recovery includes nutrition, rest, and active recovery immediately following a workout.
Active recovery includes a cool-down (this seems to elude many runners and cyclists, as they like to “go hard till the line”), allowing the body to return blood flow from the extremities at a slow to moderate pace, thus allowing more “waste” from the working muscles to be “cleaned up” to a better degree.

Nutrition should speak for itself. However, I have found more frequently than ever before, that more and more athletes are waiting LONGER than 30 minutes to eat something post-workout. Regardless of the continually growing number of research done finding that eating something within 30 min of an exercise session helps decrease recovery time.

I have had a few of my athletes say “all I have is a Cliff bar, or a bottle of sports drink.” And they decide not to eat it. SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING! But if you CAN prepare a post-workout meal, it should contain foods with complex carbs, and high-quality protein, and don’t forget the water!

Blood is technically a “connective tissue” and carries nutrients to and from the working muscles. In order to make the body as efficient as possibly, we need to ensure that the blood volume stays up. To give you an idea, for an individual exercising indoors for 1 hour, they should drink at least 16-24 oz. for that session + another 80-96 oz through the rest of the day.

Long term recovery, in my book, are those periods which are built into seasonal, and yearly training plans. When building a training plan for any athlete, this can be the most difficult part of any block to get an athlete to adhere to. Many athletes still feel strong coming off of a good series of blocks, and don’t understand why time is scheduled off when they feel strongest. It’s important to take breaks between seasons, and (especially for triathletes and cyclists) during long seasons.
Todays cyclists and triathletes are more and more frequently looking to compete in seasons lasting from April to October. For these athletes, most of whom are considered “amateur athletes”, and most of whom do NOT have a coach, or knowledge of sports training deep enough to understand season planning/ block training, this can, and often does, lead to Over-reaching to the Nth degree, and even Overtraining.

Part of this built-in recovery, should include an EARLIER bed time (by 30-60 min), especially for those who “regularly” get less than 7-8hrs of sleep a night. Personally, I consider hours of sleep before midnight to be 2x as valuable as those after midnight. There is a good bit of research out there to suggest/support the notion that our hormone levels do better to adjust in the hours of shut-eye before
midnight.

I can personally attest to the devastating effects of sleep deprivation, and its negative impact on performance, and ones abilities to recover. This April, I was coming off of my best training block to date. I was riding with some of my athletes who were CAT 2 cyclists, and were considerably stronger than myself, and I was keeping up, and even making them hurt at times (albeit short, and only on the first effort, after that first effort they hurt me). Things looked solid for the season…. Then I picked up regular 24 hour shifts on Fridays and Sundays, working on the ambulance. Over the next 2 weeks the time needed to recovery fully between sessions began to grow. And grow fast. Those intense sessions that I had been recovering within 12-18 hours, began to grow to 36+ hours. My fitness began to decline, and by the end of my 3 months on that rotation, my fitness had dropped considerably.

Think about YOUR routine. What time are you getting to bed? Are you sleeping through the night? Do you have a stressful job? Etc. etc.

A few things that can help speed up, and enhance recovery:
Cooldown!!!!!! As mentioned before, this goes a LONG way towards helping the body remove the “energy system wastes” that accrued during exercises, and allow ones heart rate to return to a normal resting rate.

Stretch! A dynamic warm-up before an exercise session can help activate the muscles and neuromuscular system. While static stretching post-exercise can help the body remove waste, and possibly even allow the muscles to move to a “longer resting length” (this is still in debate).

Massage! While I personally believe that massage can be good after hard blocks, there are those out here who strongly believe that massage on a regular basis (as often as weekly), can go a long way towards aiding circulation and helping muscles from tightening up.
I do recommend using the Foam Roller, or “The Stick” after all, if not most workouts, but am more wary about recommending paying for a personal massage on a basis beyond once a month, or twice during hard training blocks.

The big message to take out of all this: Recovery and nutrition are often overlooked/ undervalued. Listen to your body, and be smart! Gone are the days of mindlessly “going hard or go home”, and “all out every time”. By all means, give your best for each workout, BUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORKOUTS GOAL!!!!! DON’T turn your Endurance training ride/run into a race-pace, balls to the walls group ride/run.

If you have a coach, you need to TRUST them. If you have concerns about the timing of your rest, or even the amount of rest, start a running dialogue with your coach! One of the biggest indicators of a good coach, is their ability to listen to each athlete, acknowledge their concerns, and explain the reasoning/ thought process behind the training plan.

But the bottom line remains: you have to be SMART.

Train SMARTER, NOT harder.

We are human beings, we are NOT machines. We need rest/recovery in order to get stronger. Be sure that you give your all for each of your workouts, and HOW they are to be executed, and then give it your all on the sofa with that Hot Choclate and bowl of oatmeal.
So go ahead, throw those feet up, and show off your Bart Simpson slippers. You deserve it.

The worst part of being a coach....

As a coach, over the last decade, I have been both fortunate and blessed, to work with athletes of all backgrounds and capabilities. From those in the top ranks of their sport, to those who have mastered the art of juggling a quality home life, a full time job, and training and racing for Half-Ironman triathlons.

I have learned an incredible amount from each and every coach & athlete with which I have worked, and will continue to learn even more through the athletes I currently coach, and those I will come to coach in the future.

But one of the most important things I learned, was what it means to be an "Elite level coach", from the best of the best in their field. And the cornerstone of being an elite level coach, is to tell the truth, and to call it how it is. This can be one of the most difficult things to do, but those at the top of their fields do it time and again. I find this is now more true than ever, that I have moved into coaching endurance athletes.

When coaching basketball, volleyball, or power-lifting, it's always been easy for me to tell an athlete that they aren't cutting it, they're not doing their job, or they need to take some time to re-learn, or to take time off. Calling it like I see it has always been a large part of who I am, as a coach, and as a person.

But when it comes to endurance sports, one of the worst feelings I will ever have, is needing to tell an athlete that they need to skip a race, or stop training all-together, due to injury, or risk of serious damage to themselves (and sometimes their relationships).

Endurance athletes are a special breed. They thrive on competition, and pushing their limits. I know this, because I am one myself. Pushing limits is what we are made to do. It's a large part of why we train so much, putting ourselves through pain, that normal folk would keel over at, or call it quits well before we would say we are even beginning to work.

I pride myself on my athletes remaining healthy and able-bodied, reaching the finish line of their event in their peak fitness, and with as few interruptions in their training (due to injury), as possible.

Fortunately, I can count the number of athletes whom I have coached and trained over the years, who have been injured to the point of skipping their goal event(s), on 1 hand. Of those, all contributed their injury to either deviating from their plans, or neglecting their strengthening exercises. (I'm also very lucky to have athletes who understand the who's whats and why's of what I do, and are very involved in their training!).

Don't get me wrong, there have been "small" injuries over the years. From some Morton's Neuromas, to Swimmers shoulder and sprained ankles, to pulled muscles, blisters, and sprained knees, there have been incidences. But with attentiveness, usage of the sports medicine team at the right times, and having each and every athletes full trust in our guidance, we were able to get all those other "small" injuries healed, and each athlete to their start, and most importantly, the finish, of their goal event.

I've learned from the past experiences, and will at times be preemptive with referring an athlete to a member of the sports medicine team. Although these times are few and far between, it's paid off nearly every time I have done so, as we are able to "nip it in the bud" and correct the problem, as well as prevent future issues pertaining to the onset of the current one.


I can tell you that hands down, there is nothing more I hate, than seeing an athlete get injured, or not reach their goal event's starting line. There have been a few times that I have had to tell an athlete to stop training, either for their event, or all together, until their issues are addressed.

It is one of the worst feelings I have to endure as a coach. But it also goes with one of the most relieving experiences I have had; knowing I have given the right advice (no matter how crappy I feel doing so), and guided my athlete down the right road. When an athlete follows this advice, and heals from whatever it is that ails them, it is one of the best feelings in the world. Especially when they come back to kick serious butt the next year, or at a new "goal event" for that year.

It's one of the hardest things in life to stop working towards something you have been striving for months, or perhaps even years. But who ever said that making the right decision is always easy?

It's the right thing to tell someone how it is, especially when it involves their health in the long term. It's the hardest thing to watch someone hurt themselves, possibly beyond repair, and to see them lose physical ability to do the things we all take fore granted on a daily basis.

The big message?

Listen to your body. You're only given one for your life. The more you listen to it, the better off you're going to be.

Treat it right. Remember that you're NOT getting stronger when you are out there putting in the work, but rather when you are resting. "Small injuries" are our bodies trying to tell us that it needs rest, and some TLC.

It sucks to miss a key event, or even a build event. It sucks a lot more to cause permanent injury, or to have to take a year off from something you love. Listen to your body.

I'll end again with "Why waddle on, when you can run on".


Eat right. Train Smarter, not harder.

Training Injured

To this very day, It ceases to amaze me how many endurance athletes AHEM!! RUNNERS *Cough* TRIATHLETES, train through moderate-to-serious injuries.

I'm not talking a slightly sprained ankle here, or a little stiff/sore shoulders there, but rather, pretty significant stuff (think major Plantar Fasciitis, frozen shoulder). Over the course of the last month, I have come in contact with a few atheltes (two of whom are HVT athletes), who have fairly significant injuries, but due to the "More is more" attitude, have really dug themselves into holes.

As a coach, I find this as one of, if not THE, biggest obstacle in coaching/training.
As an athlete, having suffered 2 significant injuries myself, I kinda/sorta understand.

I remember the days of crutching around campus, and heading to the weightroom as soon as the doctor told me i could load-bear 50% of my wieght.....And performing a full upper-body workout, benchpress and all.....Unfortunately, I also remember the prolonged recovery time I faced because of it. I missed half the season, instead of just the pre-season. Boy, did that one suck.

I want everyone out there reading this to know, that when you are injured, ESPECIALLY when you have persistent pain, loss or range of motion about a joint, pain while sleeping, sharp/stabbing pain, pain that radiates, that these are NOT times to "man up" or "tough it out". These are times to seek professional medical attention; be it Physical Therapist, Orthopedist, or PCP, your best bet is to seek advice and guidance.

Unlike runners, Triathletes are lucky enough to have 3 sports to choose from. However, it seems more often than naught, that the triathletes primary source of injury is running (swimming is a close second, in my opinion).

Unfortunately, many triathletes are so focused on that run, that they panic about getting their run workouts in. The triathletes anxiety ensues, and "what if, what if, what if" abounds-a-plenty. Anxious nights turn into poor excuses for attempted runs, which lead to further injury of the site.

****at this point I appologise for picking on runners and triathletes****

What so many people fail to realize, or forget, is that EVERYTHING ties together, because you're all one piece.

Poor bio-mechanics, especially in running, leads to joint mal-alignment, with can lead to muscle over-use/ under-utilization, which can lead to skeletal-musculo issues in both the short, and long term.

So how does one continue to build their fitness to reach their event, without injury/ further injury?

Well, the solution is simple: Listen to your body, NOT your brain.

I'll borrow an example from a great book I read. We, as "advanced" intellectual beings, are capable of thinking through situations, developing outcomes based on our, and others, past experiences, our biggest dreams/ aspirations, and our worst nightmares/fears.

However, there are 2 major drivers in this process:
1. Emotion. we'll call it the Elephant
2. Rational thought. We'll call him the rider

what comes to mind when we think of an elephant?
Big. Strong. Does what it wants (unless we treat it nicely)

What comes to mind when we think of a big muscular person?
Big. Strong.

But when we put the elephant next to the big strong person, the person is meek in comparison.

While the person can lead the elephant, as long as the elephant allows/wants. However, when the elephant decides it doesn't want to do what the big, strong muscular person wants, the person can push and pull until exhausted, but is lucky if he gets the elephant to move an inch.

Emotion and rationale work exactly the same.

What we as endurance athletes, need to understand, is that a little time off can have huge reward. But we HAVE to listen! Time and again, our emotions get in the way:
"This is my qualifier for Kona! I can't take time off, because if I take time off, i'll be behind Schedule!"

"I'm supposed to run this marathon with my best friend who's flying in all the way from California to run it with me!"

"I promised my family I wouldn't fail, I'm not going to let this slow me down"

"I'll rub dirt in it, take a lap, and I'll tought it out".

Sorry my friends, but isn't a prolonged hiatus from the sport you are growing to enjoy/ already love, worse?


So let's wrap this up with some key points to remember:

1. Scientific research has shown that it takes anywhere from 7-14 days to see a half-life in once AEROBIC abilities.
This means sitting around doing nothing, you can still maintain your AEROBIC (our big diesel engine) fitness, without losing too much of it. -----> see "time off= good"


2. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!!!!
When unsure if you should complete, or even start your workout, take a second to recollect:
Was I woken up by any pain since I first noticed X?
Is the pain Sharp/within a joint/ radiating/ causing numbness/ tingling?
Is this beyond my "Normal Sore"?
Have my movement patterns changed due to X ?
Am I taking NSAID's more frequently?
Have I noticed specific muscle groups fatiguing more/ faster than usual?

If you answer "no" to these, then perhaps you just need a nutritional check-up, or to get to bed for a few extra hours.

But if you answer "yes" to any of these, you should strongly consider skipping that workout, and scheduling an appointment with your PCP, or your Physical Therapist.

3. Our bodies are NOT machines (I the "Robocop" or "Terminator" sense).
We NEED time to heal.
Remember, you ARE NOT getting stronger from going out and performing a run/lift/bike/swim (stress on the body). BUT you ARE getting stronger when you are RESTING/ RECOVERING from those workouts!

Proper nutrition, Hydration and Sleep are integral portions of a training regimen, too oft forgotten, or put to the wayside!

4. When unsure start your workout with a solid 15-20 minute warm-up.

if the body part/joint is not feeling better with movement, it's time to seek help.
Talk to your coach/ medical professional, and "nip it in the bud".


Lastly, Remember the importance of proper muscular balance & posture.
It's not all about planks and superman's, there is so much more to it.


I will begin my close with my (least) favorite closing of all-time (sorry Runners World)"Waddle on my friends".

Why waddle, when you can run?
Be smart. Listen to your body. Rest & Recover.

After all, isn't your body worth it?

Train Smarter, not harder.



--Picture is Rights Observed Human Vortex Training 2010
This Image may Not be used without permission from Menachem Brodie, or Human Vortex Training.

Re-connecting!

Well folks, as you can see it has been a VERY busy 5 months here at HVT. From Our Athletes placing top 10 in Professional Road Bike Races (Hyde Park Blast, NRC Race), to setting PR's in Marathon's (3:32:81 at Pittsburgh) and Half Marathons (2:07:38 spirit of Columbus), it has been a phenomenal second summer.

The best part of all this? Is people are STILL just learning about HVT!
"You are the regions best kept coaching secret!" said a recent new athlete after her assessment. (She has since gone on to finish top 5 age group and overall in numerous 10k's).

So we have a great line-up for everyone this fall and winter. HVT will be doing a lot of work in the community over the next 6 months, so keep your eyes and ears open!

The blog will be continually updated as things progress forward.

If you are interested in joining the ranks of HVT's National Athletes, Please contact us at HumanVortexTraining@gmail.com, or via phone, 412-606-4025.

YES! we do internet based coaching!

Check back for more informational and fun blog posts!

Presentation/ Lecture!!!

Triathlon Workshop Presented by the Pittsburgh Triathlon Club. Sunday, April 25th 3:00 PM. Over the Bar Bicycle Café, 2518 E .Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. The Pittsburgh Triathlon Club and Friends of the Riverfront would like to invite you to their 2010 Spring Triathlon Workshop at the OTB Cafe on the South Side.

Come down and see what some of Pittsburgh’s best
Triathletes and coaches have to say, and pick up some tips that can make
your season better than ever!

Special presentations include:

Chad Holderbaum – Heart Rate Training – Developing Your Body’s Ability to Burn Fat

USA Triathlon Certified Coach, Ironman Hawaii and 70.3 World Championship Qualifier

Menachem Brodie – Complete Guide to Bike Safety, Group Riding and Getting There Fast!

Human Vortex Training, USA Cycling Certified Coach, B.S. Exercise Science, NSCA-Certified Strength &
Conditioning Specialist, USA Cycling Level 2 Coach and PA EMT-B

Jeremy Cornman – Introduction to Triathlons

Pittsburgh’s Fastest Man, Ironman Hawaii World Championship Qualifier and sub-10 hour Ironman finisher

Also, don’t forget to register for the PNC Pittsburgh Triathlon & Adventure
Race being held on Sunday, August 1st, 2010.

Volunteer for the Pittsburgh Marathon Needed!

The Pittsburgh Triathlon Club needs Volunteers for the Water Stop in the Pittsburgh Marathon at mile 7.5, WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!!!!!!! 7am- 11 am, WHO'S IN??????

Come cheer on our HVT athletes, and support The Pittsburgh Triathlon club, and the
PTC Racers!!!!!

Go to the following link, and sign up, it'll be a lot of fun, and a great way to see people you know race! AND you can catch them at the end (Probably, lol).




More training blogs to come once the website is up and running....only so much can be done, and done with quality.

After all, quality people, will be busy...

Website and more upcoming

So after a lot of work, deliberation, and a little waffling, the NEW HVT website will be up and running mid-March. We are VERY excited about the new website, and it will blow you away! A post will be made when it is finished.

Also, HVT Womens team will be having its first spring meeting in the next few weeks as well.... keep tuned for details.

Lastly, more blog posts will be coming. Training tips, Exercises, and some basic reflections will be posted as we move into summer. Sorry for the drop off the last few months, but I have been working hard on a bunch of new things..... (secrets to be unveiled as we go along).

Thanks for staying tuned in, and stay tuned for MORE coming!

Spring is here, contact HVT to get your butt in shape for this summer!

-Brodie

Winter Training

So it's official. It's winter. Snow on the ground turns to ice, black ice, and other hazards, such as gravel, or salt, pose great dangers to those of us who still like to train in the great outdoors, even at these low temperatures.

So how do you stay in shape? Get on the trainer 2 hours a day? spin classes? weight train? What is the key to starting next season stronger than this one?

The answer:
A little bit of everything.

The winter can be a great time to take some time to work on keeping yourself as well rounded as possible, and spend time with your family and loved ones.

Starting back at the gym can prove to be very challenging, especially when looking to keep yourself injury free, and build to a stronger you. Some things to remember when starting back to weight training:

1. Your muscles are capable of lifting more weight than you should, especially the first few times you start back to lifting.

It's important to remember, that you shouldn't be crawling out of the gym, or "feel your muscles working" the first few times you lift. Your muscles are capable of moving a lot of weight, but your connective tissues may not be up to par.
Ensure that you are taking your first 2-4 sessions back, to work with lighter weights, that are at most MODERATELY challenging, and focus on proper form, and technique. Taking the time to ensure that you are properly executing your exercises, and utilizing proper lifting technique, will not only help you build a strong foundation, and reduce your risk for injury, but it will also allow you to determine if you have any muscular imbalances, or, if any of your smaller "supporting" muscles, need to be addressed prior to moving onto heavier, or more challenging weights.

2. Save the long trainer sessions, for when you can really get a lot out of them.

There is nothing more mentally draining, than riding on a trainer for 3 hours, in a basement, in front of a tv, with 2 fans on, and your iPod blasting, for 5 days a week, for 2-3 months. It is very rare that I prescribe any trainer workout longer than 2 hours, for any of my athletes.

You need to remember, that on the trainer, you do not have stop lights, downhills, or another rider to draft off. This means that on a trainer, you're CONSTANTLY working. Because of this, remember the 20% rule: whatever your ride would be outside, subtract 20% from the total ride time. So if you usually have a 2 hour training ride that you do outside, this ride will now be 1 hour, 35 minutes on the trainer.

How do you do this, if you have steady states, or other prolonged intervals? Talk to your coach, as it depends on your level of development, and what exactly your training regimen is building you to.

3. Spinning classes: are they worth it?

No. And Yes. If you don't own a trainer, and are not comfortable riding outdoors when it's cold, spinning classes can be a great way to keep moving, as opposed to waiting to have a sunny warm-ish day for you to go out, hammer, and feel good.

Unfortunately, Endurance sports you need to build up your training volume, and stay consistent. This means that if during the summer you ride 12 hours a week, that during the winter, you should be looking ar riding about 6-9 hours a week, with a little more intensity, and much more focus. This will help ensure that you will still be progressing, as opposed to seeing a drop off in capabilities, and having to build back for the next season by "racing back into shape" or absolutely turning yourself inside out for a month or two.

4. The most important thing of all

Core strength, and addressing your weaknesses.

Winter is a GREAT, if not the PERFECt time to increase your core strength, and to address your weaknesses. Because of the weather in the northeast, one's ride time will become limited, leaving more time to focus on what will help keep you riding injury-free for years to come.

I am hoping to be able to put up a basic core routine on the blog here, pictures and all, in the coming weeks. But you should look into hiring a personal trainer, strength coach, or cycling coach, to at least give you a solid core routine, and point out your weaknesses, and imbalances so that you can use all this "free time" to help you continue your quest to get more out of your time on the bike.

Stay warm, and ALWAYS Train Smarter, Not Harder!

2009 Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen Race Report!

HVT Athlete, and University of Pittsburgh Cycling Team Member Bob Stumpf takes 5th overall!!
HVT Athlete, and University of Pittsburgh Cycling Team Member Andrew Seitz takes 5th on Pittsburgh's Famous Sycamore Street!

Thanksgiving Special @ HVT

Thanksgiving Training Special!!!

20% off Threshold Testing + first month of training!
Offer ends 12/7/09

to schedule your appointment call 412-606-4025,
email Info@HumanVortexTraining.com
Or HumanVortexTraining@yahoo.com

Offer only applies to new athletes, cannot be combined with any other offer or coupons. 3 Month contract must be signed in order for offer to be valid. Limited time offer!