Category: Race Specific

Beat the Heat! How to train and race when it’s HOT outside!

by fullcircle, posted in Bike, Blogs, Race Specific, Run, Swim

It is HOT! The hottest it’s ever been in the history of the world, according to the news!

Please be careful when training in the heat.

Training in the heat can cause excess dehydration, high heart rates, heat stroke, and death! But you can do lots of things to help your body handle the heat and still be able to train and race.

  • Practice training in the heat gradually. Start with 15-30 minutes and increase based on your race distance. This can help your body acclimate to higher temperatures. It’s a good idea to plan some of your training at the exact time of day you will be racing so your body gets used to the heat both mentally and physically.
  • Sauna- sitting in a sauna post-workout for 15 minutes, building up to 20-30 minutes, can help you get used to the heat as well. If possible, do not drink water while in the sauna, but please hydrate with electrolytes post-sauna.
  • Hydrate and fuel a little extra than you think you should. Your body uses more calories and energy to keep core body temperatures down. I suggest sips of cool hydration every 10 minutes minimum in general while training, but especially if the heat is on.
  • Add extra sea salt to your food and in your water bottles. Remember to add a good-quality electrolyte mix. My favorite is the watermelon electrolyte supplement from Body Health. Organic coconut water is also helpful for added electrolytes.
  • Cooler drinks can help while training in the heat, but be careful with cramping in the stomach if the drink is too cold; one tip is to hold the ice water in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing and take smaller sips.
  • Cool towels and sponges are sometimes offered on the race course. Using this in training works great too! Apply them to your forearms, forehead, back of your neck, and crotch area- be careful not to get your socks wet in your shoes which can cause blisters. Cool forearm sleeves can also be helpful.
  • Pre-Cooling- being in air conditioning or under a fan before training or racing can help you handle the heat longer.
  • Keep your face shaded with a visor instead of a closed-off baseball cap, and stay away from black helmets and race and training kits; black increases heat!
  • Never skip an aid station on the race course; reduce your pace to keep moving forward as needed.

I used every single one of these tips while riding across the desert during RAAM in 2022. They make a big difference when racing warmer races for my athletes and me.

Happy heat training and racing!

Join my private Facebook group, Triathlon Obsessed, for tons of tips and triathlon support!

If you’re curious about what’s possible with your training, schedule your FREE Triathlon Breakthrough Session and let’s do it! Click here: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU 

Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. Creator of the 16 week Triathlon Transformation. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, Mermaid and much much more.

So you had a terrible race, now what?

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Mindset, Race Specific

So Your Race Sucked…Now What?

This situation can be even more painful for a half or full marathon/ Ironman due to the amount of time and money invested to even just get to the starting line.

When the results turn out terrible, it’s time to take a real hard look at your training log over the previous 5-6 months leading up to the race. Now sometimes there are situations that are out of your control, like tacks on the road, bad weather etc. But you can usually prevent most of your races from going south.

You need to look and be honest with yourself. Did you really put in the volume and intensity that your training program called for?

Did you do those hard intervals that your coach had in your Training Peaks?

Did you hit the minimums for long course racing that include 3 swims, 3 bikes, 4 runs and 2 strength sessions per week?

Did you train on similar terrain and conditions to your race?  Long course racing is no joke, and it’s hard for me to see my own athletes struggle on course as I watch my IM Tracker.

Did you Dial in your nutrition for success on the day no matter what the conditions are?

My goal as a coach is to actually make  training  a little bit  harder than the race will be so that you can handle all the race day stress and logistics; saying to yourself, “So that’s why she made me do all those bridge repeats, etc.”

It takes a lot of mental and physical fortitude to toe the line at a triathlon (long course and short course)  believe it or not.

You hear people talk about it like its no big deal. But, not everyone comes out of the womb swimming, biking and running!

If you have not been challenged and had to work hard to overcome set backs in your training, success on race day is unlikely.

It’s really all about the journey and race day is the test. Did you do your homework? Most of the time all the reasons why your race sucked are right there in the training log, where you skipped that swim, bike, or run. Decided to take 10 days off instead of two, eat pizza and drink beer.

If you made the commitment to sign up for the marathon or triathlon race, you might as well do everything you can to get it right! Listen to your coach, follow your individual training plan designed to help you progress safely and confidently to the distance of your race. It takes time, not just a few weeks!

So now, I know you are super motivated to get it right next time!

Recover well, write out the whole painful experience, so you can look back before your next race and remember not to let that happen again!!!!

If you are looking for help avoiding another terrible race result, Let’s Talk about how I can design a plan specific to you to dial in your best performance on the day!

Use tis link to set up a call with me now!

Happy Training and Racing!!!

Wishing you well,
Coach Erinne

If you can relate in any way, I invite you to schedule a Triathlon Breakthrough session with me where you get 30 minutes to ask me anything about triathlons, nutrition, and training!

Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

Mastering The Miami Marathon: Tips For Insider Success

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Race Specific, Run

Mastering The Miami Marathon

Tips For Insider Success

Here are some quick tips you can apply this week and on race day to make it a great race.

#1. Rest During Race Week

I know you are concerned about losing fitness when you take rest days or easy days, but this is so untrue.

When you rest, you get stronger and faster because your body can recover, rebuild and assimilate all the training stress you have been applying to it over the last few weeks.

This doesn’t mean sitting on the couch and eating ice cream.

An easy week leading to the race means reduced overall volume and a few well-placed ORPS (Over Race Pace Sprints). See a sample week at the bottom of this blog…

#2. Eat for Success before, during, and after the race

Can you imagine driving your car without putting gas in it? How far do you think it would go? How fast?

Not very! That is my point.

Plan your pre-post and during the race nutrition NOW.

This one factor can throw all your hard work down the drain.

You can be the fastest, strongest runner out there, but if you don’t fuel up well, your body cannot deliver the performance you desire.

Why risk it? If you want some suggestions on pre-race meals, check out my blog, Top 3 Tried and True Pre-Race Breakfasts. This is highly individualized so stick to what you have used in training for your race and adjust slightly for higher performance on race day.

Always choose real food while not on the race course. As a healthful tip, too much sports nutrition is not healthy!

#3. Stretch

With reduced activity this week, you may be feeling a little tight. Break out the foam roller and get in the sauna and or hot tub and stretch your whole body a few times after your easy runs this week. 

#4. Write out a Race Plan and stick to it

A race plan is something I recommend, so you have a map to follow to guarantee success.

Write out everything you will do from Saturday morning when you wake up to Sunday after completing the race, including your race day goals.

This includes:

Eating meals that will support your race; complex carbohydrates, quality protein, and good fats.

  • What sports nutrition will you use during the race, and when to eat it
  • Warm-up training routine
  • Your goals for the race itself
  • Heart rate and pacing plans during the race and
  • Your recovery details post-race- (What’s your reward??)

This can be as detailed or simple as you like.

The important thing is to write out your goals in a positive light. 

Avoid statements like, “I hope I don’t quit.”

Instead, write, “I will run at my goal race pace from aid station to aid station,” or “I will hold 8:15 minute miles for my last 3 miles.”

You may also want to include any concerns about the race and write out your solutions to them in case they occur.

For example, if you are concerned about how to pace the bridges in the race. Pace yourself more gradually as you start the climb, so you have energy at the top of the bridge to run down with momentum and good form.

Or another example would be if you are worried about pacing yourself for your goal time, use an app that can create a pace chart to follow to help keep you following your plan toward your goal.

I like the program on this website –
Run Pace Chart

Then, I would include goal finishing times based on solid training paces and heart rates you know you can achieve, so you aren’t guessing your finishing time.  Then announce it to your friends and on social media!

#5. Sleep 

I know, you are superhuman and can get by on 5 hours of sleep a night; Wrong!!!

You are only fooling yourself.

Yes, you can do this a few days a week, but if you are consistently sleeping 5 hours or less a night, you are being less productive and sacrificing a good performance from your body and brain; the research is there.

I’m a big believer in putting science to the test. Get eight-plus hours of sleep for five nights in a row, and I guarantee you will feel superhuman even without caffeine!

#6. Get Your Race Packet Early

Pick up your packet early. Wear your compression socks, and browse the expo as you sip some organic coconut water. Then,  get off your feet.  Avoid the chaos.

#7. Mantras

Half and full marathons are long distances, and you can lose focus easily during the race.

Pick a few mantras to keep you present “in the moment” and focus on your breathing.

Some of my favorite mantras are:

“Fast Arms, Fast Feet”
“Quick Light Feet”
“I Got This”
“Right, Left, Right, Left”
“Fall Forward”

#8. Hit the port-o-potties before you start

There are lines of people for the bathrooms along the race course; avoid the wait by emptying your bowels before the race starts.

#9. Start with a Disposable Water bottle

So you can skip the lines at the first three aid stations. Add a pinch of natural sea salt or your favorite electrolytes. You can get to the aide stations farther down as it gets less crowded.

#10. Smile

Have fun and enjoy every second of this opportunity to race! Cheer your fellow runners, and be grateful for your awesome, strong, and successful body.

Now, have an awesome race!

I am wishing you all your best race 🏃🏻🏃🏻🏃🏻🏃🏻🏃🏻

Namaste,
Coach Erinne

BONUS: Sample Week Leading up to Race Day

Monday

Sleep in, stretch using a foam roller and write out your race plan; Put your race plan for the weekend and send it to your coach for feedback, and get a massage.

Tuesday

Start with a dynamic warm-up, an easy 20-40 minute run at your aerobic threshold (AE) (180 – age = heart rate average for this run).  In other words very easy! Include a few 4 x 1 min ORPS (over race pace sprints) slightly above your goal race pace. If you are just racing to finish, keep it steady and include a few pick-ups in intensity. Finish with a total body stretch and core routine specific to running.

Wednesday

Easy 45-minute swim or bike followed by total body foam roll and stretch. Visualize your entire race exactly as you want it to go and use all your senses and emotion of how it will feel to be out there running and crossing the finish line with your goal time. 

Thursday

Similar to Tuesday

Friday

Day off, mental and physical prep; pick up your packet today.

Saturday

Run race warm up 15-20 min, with 2-3 x 1 min ORPS. Stretch, compress and rest. Follow your nutrition plan for the day, and prepare for temperatures accordingly with layers.

Sunday

Race Day, make it a great day.
Follow your plan, and don’t forget to SMILE and Enjoy!
You Got This!!!

If you are interested in learning more about Full Circle Coaching, call/text us at 786-586-6057 today, or better yet, click this link:  https://go.appointmentcore.com/book/umg5sS to schedule your FREE Triathlon Breakthrough Session. This is a complimentary 30-minute session to ask me anything about triathlon, health, and wellness, or holistic lifestyle/nutrition.

Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing, and coaching triathletes since 1997.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, and much more.

Are You Training Enough?

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Race Specific

Are You Training Enough for the distance of your next triathlon?

Do you need more/ less training?

Here are the guidelines I use with my athletes here at Full Circle Coaching.

We have guidelines to help you progress to your desired goal race distances. It is essential to follow your training plan as it is laid out, day by day, week by week, month by month.

Our training plans are progressive, based on your individual assessments of fitness and technique in the three sports, and build in volume as your body adapts to the training load.

When you are not consistent in your training, miss workouts, and take days/ weeks/ months off, you cannot return to where you were when you left off.

You must start back at a lighter volume to avoid getting injured, which happens often if this is not taken into consideration.

In general, here are some hours/weeks to aim for:

Beginner Tri Program– 20-30 min/ week of training 5-6 days/ week. 1-2 of each swim, bike, run, and bodyweight strength

Sprint Triathlon – 5-8 hours per week – 2 swims, 2 bikes, 2 -3 runs/ week, plus 2 total body strength sessions.

Olympic or International Triathlon– 8-12 hours/week- 2-3 swims, 2-3 bikes, 2 -3 runs/ week, plus 2 total body strength sessions.

70.3 / Half Iron Triathlon– 8-13 hours/week – 2-3 swims, 2-3 bikes, 2 -3 runs/ week, plus 2 total body strength sessions.

140.2 / Ironman Triathlon – 10-16 hours/ week – 3-4 swims, 3-4 bikes, 3-5 runs/ week, plus 2 total body strength sessions.

Frequent, shorter training sessions are always better than longer HERO sessions. Your body will adapt to training much better with regular short training sessions week after week with regular rest weeks that have lighter volume.

Longer training sessions must be gradually built up to prevent injury and burnout.

Please trust the process of the progressive training plans that work and communicate if you have questions about volume and or intensity.

If you are not hitting the volume prescribed above, achieving the race day results you desire is difficult! You may need to adjust the race distance you have chosen in order to be successful.

You can not “FAKE” a triathlon. It is a sport that requires discipline and consistency. That is truly why I love it so much. It requires the work in order for you to be successful. There are NO Shortcuts!

The sense of accomplishment across the finish line in a triathlon is a feeling unlike anything else in the world! It’s is life changing.

Are you looking for this type of Transformation in your Life?

MY 16-WEEK TRIATHLON TRANSFORMATION TRAINING PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP YOU GET FASTER FOR YOUR NEXT TRIATHLON IN LESS TIME THAN OTHER TRAINING PROGRAMS.

The Triathlon Transformation Program focuses on you as an individual; your form, technique, strength, fueling, and mindset. Through video analysis, metabolic testing, holistic lifestyle coaching, and a supportive community, you will achieve all your triathlon dreams and goals to get faster in less time.

If you want to show up confidently at the start of your next race — swimming, biking, and running past the competition, sprinting across the finish line with arms overhead, knowing you nailed it — then this program is for you.

I’ve got just 3 spots opening up in my program Starting October 1st.
The first step to grabbing your spot before they’re gone is filling out the application below!

Click here to apply for my 16-Week Triathlon Transformation Program.

Beat the Heat! How to train and race when it’s HOT outside!

by fullcircle, posted in Bike, Blogs, Race Specific, Run, Swim

Beat the Heat! How to train and race when it’s HOT outside!

It is HOT! The hottest it’s ever been in the history of the world, according to the news!

Please be careful when training in the heat.

Training in the heat can cause excess dehydration, high heart rates, heat stroke, and death! But you can do lots of things to help your body handle the heat and still be able to train and race.

  • Practice training in the heat gradually. Start with 15-30 minutes and increase based on your race distance. This can help your body acclimate to higher temperatures. It’s a good idea to plan some of your training at the exact time of day you will be racing so your body gets used to the heat both mentally and physically.
  • Sauna- sitting in a sauna post-workout for 15 minutes, building up to 20-30 minutes, can help you get used to the heat as well. If possible, do not drink water while in the sauna, but please hydrate per a post sauna.
  • Hydrate and fuel a little extra than you think you should. Your body uses more calories and energy to keep core body temperatures down. I suggest sips of cool hydration every 10 minutes minimum in general while training, but especially if the heat is on.
  • Add extra sea salt to your food and in your water bottles. Remember to add a good-quality electrolyte mix. My favorite is the watermelon electrolyte supplement from Body Health. Organic coconut water is also helpful for added electrolytes.
  • Cooler drinks can help while training in the heat, but be careful with cramping in the stomach if the drink is too cold; one tip is to hold the ice water in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing and take smaller sips.
  • Cool towels and sponges are sometimes offered on the race course. Using this in training works great too! Apply them to your forearms, forehead, back of your neck, and crotch area- be careful not to get your socks wet in your shoes which can cause blisters. Cool forearm sleeves can also be helpful.
  • Pre-Cooling- being in air conditioning or under a fan before training or racing can help you handle the heat longer.
  • Keep your face shaded with a visor instead of a closed-off baseball cap, and stay away from black helmets and race and training kits; black increases heat!
  • Never skip an aid station on the race course; reduce your pace to keep moving forward as needed.

I used every single one of these tips while riding across the desert during RAAM last year. They make a big difference for me and my athletes racing warmer races.

Happy heat training and racing!

Join my private Facebook group, Triathlon Obsessed, for tons of tips and triathlon support!

If you’re curious about what’s possible with your training, schedule your FREE Triathlon Breakthrough Session and let’s do it! Click here: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU 

Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. Creator of the 16 week Triathlon Transformation. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, Mermaid and much much more.

Top 3 Tried and True Pre-Race Breakfasts

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Race Specific, Recipes

Many triathletes are confused about what to eat for breakfast when they start to move away from the traditional sugar laden, carb heavy breakfasts like oatmeal and boxed cereals (dead food!)

The following 3, are tried and true breakfasts that deliver nutrients as well as perfect proportions of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. My goal with offering these suggestions is to encourage eating real food before a race or hard training session so that you can get quality nutrition into your body before having to resort to sports nutrition for simple ease of use during a race. There are however lots of great options on the market now to keep it real even during a race. Look for those tips in an upcoming post. Also, for your convenience I’ve added links for purchasing information for the products I recommend. Just hover over the items in bold and click.

Chia Seed Pudding – Super quick and easy. You can make it the night before and keep it covered in the fridge.
2-3 tablespoons of organic chia seeds
½-1 cup of Real Coconut Milk,
1 -2 tablespoons of Paleo Valley Bone Broth Protein
Add a handful of organic almonds or walnuts, organic berries, organic banana- raw honey or maple syrup to taste. A pinch of real salt to include some minerals and electrolytes and you are good to go for a delicious nutritious snack or breakfast

2-3  organic eggs cooked in coconut oil any way you like
½ –1 whole sweet potato with real grass fed butter or coconut oil.
I usually bake the potato the night before, have half for dinner and the other half with breakfast warmed up in the pan I cooked the eggs in. 

Naturally smoked wild caught salmon with avocado and chia seeds (wrapped in a nori roll)with a squeeze of lemon – This is definitely my favorite pre-race meal. I actually learned about the salmon from an ultra -runner who ate it before every long run event. Salmon is easy to digest and has tons of great protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Paired with ½ avocado and sprinkled with hemp hearts and real sea salt and a squeeze of lemon or lime- It is the perfect pre-race/ training meal or snack.

I know many of you would never even think of any of these items as breakfast food because we are so conditioned to our typical American breakfast of cereal or Eggo waffles that has negative nutrients and are actually harmful to your health.

But I can tell you from personal experience, eating low sugar/ low processed food with higher nutrient value just makes you feel and perform better.

Please test any of these out before you actually use them before a race.

Never try anything new on race day, especially nutrition!

Ready to learn all the best nutrition plans for your ultimate performance on race day along with every day?

My Nutrition Essentials is starting June 6th.

This program covers all the details about why the Standard American diet (SAD)s making everyone fat.

It is truly up to YOU and you alone to take charge of your health through your daily nutrition, sleep, thoughts, and movement. There is no quick fix or wonder drug that does not have negative side effects.

Join Nutrition Essentials by clicking here!

Do You Have Enough Fitness for Your Race?

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Race Specific

Do You Have Enough Fitness for Your Race?

Using the tools that Training Peaks and Garmin have to offer has been helpful over my 26-year career as a triathlon coach.

You must be willing to use these tools for them to work for you…

Track every workout you do with your Garmin watch, heart rate monitor, and power meter, and we can get some pretty good information on your fitness level. 

It’s not foolproof, but it gets us a decent picture of your Training Stress Score- or TSS.

But the question then becomes, is the training you have logged enough for the race distance you want to finish or PR?

In this chart you can see there are ranges for the weekly hours needed to train for a given distance race.

Still, the other numbers to consider to see if you have enough fitness for your race are your CTL (Critical Training Load) and your weekly TSS (Training Stress Score) Numbers numbers inside your Performance Management Chart on your Training Peaks Account. 

Where to find your Critical Training Load and Training Stress Score

Look across the top of your Premium Training Peaks Account and click on Dashboard to see your Chart.

Select the date range that coincides with your most recent training and race date and determine if your numbers align with the numbers on this chart.

Remember you must track all your training and wear your heart rate monitor for this data to be accurate.

You can be on the low end of the ranges for your target CTL and still have amazing race results.

Of course, you cannot predict race outcomes with this chart because there is no way to measure race skill, pacing or nutrition intake and so many race variable, but it is a great place to start.

These other things are where coaching comes in!

I have helped thousands of triathletes over the last 26 years understand their training data and use to help them achieve their triathlon dreams- from your first time across a triathlon finish line to qualifying for Kona or a World Championships

It is so much more than swimming, biking, and running!

Anything is possible when you have the mindset, support, and a perfectly balanced training plan based on your lifestyle, physiology and performance metric tools!

Will you be next?

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MY 16-WEEK (VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON) TRIATHLON TRANSFORMATION TRAINING PROGRAM TO HELP YOU GET FASTER FOR YOUR NEXT TRIATHLON IN LESS TIME?

You’ll show up confidently at the start of your next race, swimming, biking, and running past the competition, sprinting across the finish line with arms overhead, knowing you nailed it.

Here’s how it works
You get the ideal blueprint that makes you faster and stronger inside the 16-week Triathlon Transformation Training program.

Here’s why it’s different
With 26 years of coaching 1000’s triathletes, I discovered the biggest struggles are:

  • You don’t know what you don’t know when it comes to learning the exact skills to succeed in the triathlon sport.
  • Improving strength and increasing energy are the secrets to preventing injury and burnout.
  • Other programs push athletes beyond their ability with wasted junk miles and excess volume leading to disappointment and failure.
  • With my 16-week Triathlon Transformation Program, the focus is on you as an individual; your form, technique, strength, fueling, and mindset. Through video analysis, metabolic testing, holistic lifestyle coaching, and a supportive community, you will achieve all your triathlon dreams and goals to get faster in less time.

So please use this link to fill out the application.

I’m only accepting five new members, so space is limited. Don’t delay your dreams another day! Only 2 spots left; we start May 1st.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Coach Erinne Guthrie

Click this link: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU to schedule your FREE Triathlon Breakthrough Session, and let’s do it together!

Erinne Guthrie has been a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing, and coaching triathletes since 1997.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, and much more.

Pre-Race Brick

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Mindset, Race Specific

Pre-Race Brick

When it’s race week, I highly suggest a taper.

A taper week means a reduction in volume and intensity of training and a focus on sleep, rest and recovery.

That does not mean do nothing, but keep all efforts less than 30 minutes with form focus and perhaps a few shorter 1-2 minute intervals.

After your easy 3-10 day taper depending on the length of your race, it is really important to do a short brick (swim, bike, run) the day before the race. I even recommend it on the morning of the race itself.

This doesn’t mean to go balls to the wall and waste all your energy.

Save it for the race.

The purpose of this pre-race brick is to remind your body of the intensity you will be performing during the race the next day or in a few minutes. Waking it up and shaking off the cobwebs after taking a few easy days to rest and recover.

You may feel all out of whack and sluggish doing it…
and the “I’m feeling like I am so DARN SLOW” or the “OMG I am not going to race well” thoughts are going to come out and play.

It’s normal for that to come up, but tell yourself afterwards that this is why you’re doing the brick.

Rehearse and visualize your race in your head and remind yourself that you trained for this and “YOU ARE SO READY” for this race tomorrow or in a little while.

It’s ok to not feel great today but tomorrow is the race when it counts.

Ideally, you’ll want to do a 10-15 minute swim, bike, run each with 4-6 x ONLY 1-2 minute over your race pace intervals, with 2-5 minutes easy recovery.

So…. save the power and speed for the race and BRAGGING rights of accomplishing whatever goals you set for yourself. Race day is always a great day if you chose to make it one!

Zoom Zoom!

Happy Racing

Curious about Full Circle’s Triathlon Transformation program?
Want to learn more? You too can become the triathlete you always dreamed of! Use this link to schedule your FREE Triathlon Breakthrough Session Now! WWW.SCHEDULEYOU.IN/5ZISVAU

Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. Creator of Triathlon Transformation. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997. She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, Mermaid and much much more.

You’re BIG race is over, now what?

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Mindset, Race Specific

You’re BIG race is over, now what?

The big day happened, what’s next?

After your big race or at the end of your triathlon season it’s a great idea to go back through all the race data and your race preparation and see what worked and what didn’t. 

Ideally, you are writing these details out within the first 48 hours after your race because your memory will fade about many things.

I recommend starting with looking at the actual race data and filling in the emotions and feelings about what went down.

I like to know the good things that worked and the things that sucked and everything in between.

I am not racing with my athletes so in order for us to work together to improve race performance I need to know how they feel during each section of the race and I can see from the data if they pushed as much as they were capable of physiologically or held back.

I can see from the data and the details about race conditions how well they handled everything and then see where we need to train differently to achieve the desired result on the next one.

It’s also extremely important to really feel into the accomplishment of just showing up at the start line and crossing the finish line, whatever the goal, that alone is a huge success.

So please take the time to celebrate yourself and your body and all that it is doing for you!

Triathlons are very logistical and due to the very nature of race, 3 sports in one there are so many things that can go right or wrong on race day.

This is easier if you are tracking your performance as I recommend with all my athletes.

We use Garmin and Training Peaks at Full Circle Coaching to help educate you about what parameters are important to measure and how to evaluate them.

It is actually pretty simple after you start to understand the why and the how.

Here is a short list of parameters you have control over as you train and race.

RPE- Rate of Perceived Exertion on a scale of 1-10
Pain Scale- 1-10
Heart Rate- Max and resting
Threshold Swim Pace/ 100
Swim Stroke Count/ lap
Bike Power, RPMS (revolutions/ minute)
Run Vo2 Max Pace, RPMS (footsteps/ minute)
Run Threshold Heart rate
Race Photos

All of these are measurable and controllable by you- notice I do not have speed listed on the bike because I don’t recommend training with speed that is a parameter that is out of your control.

If you are interested in learning more about how to train and race using simple data that starts with a heart rate monitor and a stop watch, I am opening 5 spots for my 4 month Triathlon Transformation Program.  Schedule a call with me now and let’s talk about it!

 

Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. Creator of Triathlon Transformation. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, Mermaid and much much more.

 

 

Beat the Heat! Can you tell the heat is on?

by fullcircle, posted in Blogs, Race Specific

Beat the Heat! Can you tell the heat is on?

It’s getting hot and training in the heat can help your body acclimate to the higher temperatures. Its a good idea to plan some of your training to be at the same time you will be racing.

I just competed at a Draft Legal Sprint race that started at 3:30 pm- so I practiced a few runs at that time of day to help me better prepare both physically and mentally,

Use the same strategies you will use on race day to keep your core body temperatures down while training.

  • Hydrate and fuel a little extra. Your body uses calories to keep core body temps down. I suggest sips of hydration every 10 minutes and every 30 minutes minimum in the heat.
  • Extra sea salt on your food before you train or in your water bottles, or my favorite, watermelon electrolyte supplement from Body Health all are great ways to keep your body absorbing your hydration.
  • Cooler drinks can help but be careful with cramping in the stomach if its too cold; hold the ice water in your mouth for a second before swallowing and take small sips.
  • Cool towels and sponges are sometimes offered as well as ice on the race course. Use these on fore arms, head, back of neck, crotch area- be careful with soaking your shoes and getting blisters. Cool forearm sleeves can also be helpful.
  • Keep face shaded with a visor instead of a closed off baseball cap, stay away from black helmets, race and training kits; black increases heat!
  • Never skip an aid station and reduce your pace to keep moving forward as needed.

These are just a few tips to help beat the heat! Happy heat training!

Meanwhile…. Want to learn more about how nutrition affects training and racing!! Join my Nutrition Reset Challenge, starts April 25 on Triathlon Obsessed! Register HERE and receive the replays.

Click this link: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU to schedule your FREE Triathlon Breakthrough Session and let’s do it!

Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. Creator of the 16 week Triathlon Transformation. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, Mermaid and much much more.