ENDURANCEWORKS Triathlon Training and Racing Blog
Welcome to the ENDURANCEWORKS Blog
As service to the sport of triathlon and other endurance sports, we provide our clients and friends with articles that we feel will benefit them in their pursuit of personal excellence in triathlon, other endurance sports and life.
Bad Weather Day? Tips for Adapting Your Triathlon Training
During the middle of winter, with months of cold, rainy, snowy days ahead, even the most dedicated athletes can easily become frustrated when they continuously miss workouts because of bad weather. It is important to keep in mind that the winter should be used as a...
The Benefits of Having a Training Partner in Triathlon
Triathlon is not a team event. In fact, it can hardly get any more individualistic than triathlon when it comes to sports. Even runners are part of running or track teams, and swimmers race on teams as well. Because all of the hard work and determination is derived...
Two Bike Workouts that Break the Stereotype of Long Slow Distance in the Winter
There is a misconception in endurance sports that periodization means separating the each category of training intensity—endurance (Zone 2), tempo (Zone 3), threshold (Zone 4), VO2 (Zone 5 or 5a) and anaerobic (Zone 5b/5c or 6) — into distinct time periods throughout...
Tips for Regaining Focus in Triathlon Training After the Off-Season
The off season - or the transition between racing seasons - is an important time to refresh your body, recharge your mind, decrease your sleep debt and spend extra time with family and friends. Whether you take one month or three months of decreased activity (or zero...
Head to Toe Attire for Riding Your Bicycle Through the Winter Months
One of the greatest obstacles to consistent training—the only way to make real progress in triathlon—is the weather. Most people discuss the weather in passing with neighbors or to fill the uncomfortable silence during a dying conversation, but endurance athletes talk...
An Inspiring Interview with Carlene Messinger – Mom, IRONMAN and Alzheimer’s Advocate
Carlene is 51, a mom of three, hasn't done a triathlon in six years and never done a full IRONMAN until IRONMAN Cozumel in November where she finished 2nd in her age group out of 39 (which is phenomenal for her first IRONMAN race). What really inspires me about her...
Tips for the Masters Triathlete (>40 Years Old)
Life ends at 40...or does it? A few years ago when I turned 40, I remember thinking, "I don't feel any different. It's not too bad." And, turning 40 wasn't bad because I could still do everything I could do before turning 40. I even started a new activity (To-Shin Do...
Start Planning Next Year’s Triathlon Racing Season Now
Whew! By now your triathlon season is either over or you are prepping for your final race of the year (at least in the northern hemisphere). It may seem early, but now is the perfect time to think about what next year’s triathlon schedule is going to look like. There...
A Fascinating Interview with Triathlon Olympian and Researcher Joanna Zeiger, MS, PhD
I had the opportunity to sit down with Joanna Zeiger this past weekend while visiting Boulder, Colorado. If you don't know her, Joanna raced professionally as a triathlete from 1998-2010 where she excelled in both short course and long course to include racing on the...
Last Minute Tips for Success Before Your Triathlon Race This Weekend
A client's email about her upcoming IRONMAN Chattanooga race this weekend (plus there's IRONMAN Maryland as well) prompted me to write this blog post as an update to a blog post I wrote two years ago about few last minute tips for triathlon race day. Here is her...
Have You Done Enough Training for Your Upcoming IRONMAN® Triathlon Race….?
A training plan client recently emailed me to tell me that she was "feeling great as things are going well" and she only had 10 weeks left until her first IRONMAN (Cozumel). She then said something that a lot of long course triathletes ask: So I’m stressing over one...
Training Tips for Overcoming Mid-Season Staleness, Burnout, etc. in Triathlon
Do any of these sound familiar? "I don't feel like waking up early to workout." "I'm not recovering like I used to." "I wish I was done with racing." "I don't feel like jumping in the pool today." and so on.... You are not alone if you experience mid-season staleness...
Bike Handling Skills to Practice if You’re a Triathlete on a Tri Bike
Triathlon bikes are squirrelly aerodynamic beasts. They are great for speed, but frame geometry, riding down on aerobars and weight distribution (especially with bento boxes and bar-mounted hydration systems) can make tri bikes especially difficult to handle as...
Ask Questions to Discover the Lessons Learned from Your Triathlon Race
As triathletes, we rarely (if ever) experience the perfect race. You may nail your nutrition but then have a nail puncture in your rear wheel. You may hit a personal best coming out of the water but later you may drink too much liquid during the run and have stomach...
Staying Hydrated During Triathlon Training and Racing
Summer is in full swing and there are more hot days to come. Unless you can get your workout done first thing in the morning when the temperatures are cooler, chances are that you will be sweating during your training sessions. One important thing to remember is to...
Tips for Post-Race Recovery from Triathlons
There is a huge training lead-up to any race, particularly longer distance events like IRONMAN Triathlon®. You've committed a ton of time, energy and focus to show up on race day. However, when the race is over, you may find yourself asking, "What do I do now?" Below...
The Little Tricks of Triathlon for a Smoother Race
Every time you do a triathlon, you will pick up tips and tricks from talking to and watching more experienced triathletes. Here are a few simple tricks to help make your race day go more smoothly. If you're a more experienced triathlete reading this, please share your...
Tips for Dealing with Common Injuries in Triathlon
Because we do three different sports, there are many ways for triathletes to get injured. The key to minimizing downtime from injuries is to catch the injury early on so that you can make as full and quick a recovery as possible. Acute injuries, like an injury you’d...
After Being Hit by a Car in a Near Fatal Bike Accident, Adelaide Perr Became a Pro Triathlete
Krista and I became good friends with Adelaide and her husband Kennett when we lived in Boulder. She and Krista did a lot of their bike and run training together. Every so often, I'd ride or run along. Kennett was a pro cyclist who was making the transition to...
An Inspiring Interview with Amy Charity – Author and Pro National Champion Cyclist
I first met Amy Charity in the early 2000's when we both worked in the financial services industry and were both triathletes. She was always strong on the bike. We fell out of touch, and it wasn't until recently that I learned she had published a book titled: The...
How Commuting by Bike Benefits Your Triathlon Training and the Gear You’ll Need
When I lived in Virginia and worked full-time at a financial services company, I spent 30-40 minutes in the car each commuting to work. Riding my bike only took an extra 20-30 minutes each way and I was able to get in two hours of riding (round trip). Riding home also...
A Triathlete Shares Lessons Learned and Identifies Opportunities for a Faster IRONMAN®
I love receiving emails from athletes when they self-assess their performance in races and identify opportunities for their next race. I'd like to share an excellent example of how to do this. A 50-54 male triathlete emailed me recently after successfully completing...
The Deal with Transitions and Special Needs Bags in IRONMAN® Triathlons
When you commit to racing an IRONMAN or other full-distance triathlon, you know your are in for a long day. However, unlike a long training day where you can stop to buy nutrition at a gas station or stage extra gear and nutrition for later use, you cannot get outside...
6 Ways to Incorporate Family Time with Triathlon Training
Triathlon training is tough on a family. If one parent trains and the other doesn’t have an athletic interest than there can be frustration when the time comes to workout. Or, if both parents are triathletes (or another type of endurance athlete like a marathon...
