“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.”
― Christopher McDougall,
Chris has it right, doesn't matter if you are a lion, a gazelle, a seasoned triathlete or a newbie, when the sun comes up...you'd better be TRI-ing---trying to IMPROVE. And that's just what we are doing.
Sometimes its hard to move forward efficiently when we don't fully understand what we are doing wrong or what we can improve on---in our training and in life in general.
At a TRI-SESSION this weekend, we were able to learn, reflect, and practice a few tips and tricks with Alejandro Canas.
Read more in the ABOUT PAGE .
Session Included:
Warm up Tips
Use bands to move your arms in different directions before you start any swim session. Activating your shoulder and chest muscles will prevent injuries in the short and long term.
If you are racing, make sure you warm up your shoulders before putting on your WET SUIT. Wet suits limit your range of motion and make "warming up" more challenging.
Swim Tips
Duck Runs. When running into the water, make sure to lift your knees and run like a DUCK! Yes, I said it... run like a duck. It will not only help you move more efficiently into the water but will provide cometic relief for the spectators nearby.
Dolphin Dives. DD are more efficient than swimming in the shallow. Remember to gain the most benefit from the DD by kicking with both feet together and training to gain the most distance with each dive. Once the water is deep enough--then begin your swim.
Sighting. It's important to keep your eye on the any goal, but when it comes to swimming, that rings most true to prevent you from swimming off course. Looking up every few strokes to make sure you are on course will keep you swimming the shortest distance from A to B and get you out of the water faster.
Drafting. Speaking of faster, drafting int he water is always a great idea whether its next to someone's hip or at their feet, it will significantly reduce the amount of energy you expend on your swim leaving you with more energy to spend on your BIKE and RUN legs! Now, be forewarned, when you swim close to other swimmers, you will get kicked, slapped, punched, and pulled...but practicing being in that environment will keep you from freaking out come race day. Triathletes get used to swimming in our own lanes at the pool everyday and fail to incorporate "reality checks" into our swim training sessions. When possible, jump in with a few friends and get in each-others' way. Just be ready to swim defensively protecting your face and holding your space.
Turning. When rounding the bouys in any race, practice, or event, STAY CLOSE. We practiced a cross-over drill with our arms that allowed us to swim around the bouy while turning. Don't forget that BOUYS are HIGH RISK ZONES. You want to clear that area as soon as possible because the longer you linger there the more
Cycling
Mount/Dismount. We practiced dipping our bikes on the side and hopping on with our shoes attached to the clips. Though a seemingly tricky move, it all comes down to balance and core strength---and getting over our fears. With practice, we too can hop onto our bikes like pros. BUT WE MUST KEEP PRACTICING.
Post swim session we were able to get out on KB and do a short group ride. Once again we got a chance to reflect on our form and think about our core. If you have never seen yourself RIDE, ask a friend to record you. We have so much to learn from seeing ourselves.
"Self-reflection is a humbling process. It's essential to find out why you do certain things--and then take the time to better yourself"
Transition Set-Up
Transitioning from one thing to another in general is hard, but add fatigue, shaky hands, thirst, and a little race anxiety and it can be a recipe for disaster. Having an organized transition with mindful/efficient set up, will help the switch between activities run more smoothly. Every athlete needs to find what works best for them, but making sure that you at least have a version of the follow will be a great start:
your items are organized by sport
your shoes have the proper laces
your helmet in unbuckled
your glasses are easy to access or already on your helmet
your socks are rolled up so your toes are quick to slide in
your race belt already has the number attached
you have extra water to clean your feet
If you would like a SWIM ANALYSIS in the next few days, fill out this form below:
Here are a few clips from our training session on Saturday 5/3/2021 at Tri Beach in Key Biscayne.We look forward to getting together more often.
Happy Sweating!
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