So you had a terrible race, now what?

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.

5 Ways to Get Unstuck!

5 Ways to Get Unstuck!

Ever feel like you’re giving your best effort and just not getting the results you want in any area of life?

Or maybe you feel like you just don’t have the motivation and drive right now to transform your body and your life.

If you’re feeling stuck, I’m here to help.

So, here are my top 5 ways you can get un-stuck:

  1. Focus on the next right move. If you focus on the big picture, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But by simply directing yourself to make the RIGHT decision (the one that brings you closer to your goal) in each moment will add up to big results that keep you motivated.
  2. Devise a reward strategy. If you make the changes you desire and reach your goals, how will you reward yourself (not with food!)? It could be something as big as a vacation or as small as a massage.
  3. Be real about the consequences of not changing. What are the bad things that will happen if you don’t achieve your goal? Let that sink in and drive you.
  4. Make “DO IT ANYWAY” your motto. When you’re ready to talk yourself out of exercising or cooking dinner, LIVE this motto. So often we get lost rationalizing poor choices in our heads. We have to do this to make accepting less than our best easier. Be aware of it and choose differently.
  5. Increase your accountability. A good way of doing this is to ask a friend to join you. A GREAT way to do this is to hire a coach who believes in you but NOT your excuses.

So, which of these resonates most with you? Any you haven’t attempted before?

And don’t forget – if you need help getting un-stuck, we’ve got your back here at FULL CIRCLE COACHING. Just let me know you’re ready text me at the number below. I’ll reach out to you and start the conversation right away.

Yours in Health,

Coach Erinne Guthrie

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.

Help me keep our oceans clean!

Every year I host an online raffle to support Miami Waterkeeper – the most significant and fastest-growing nonprofit solely focused on clean water. They preserve and protect water by connecting local Waterkeeper groups worldwide.

When you show your support through purchasing raffle tickets, you’ll be entered to win free registration in my 14th Annual Ultimate Tri Camp in Clermont, FL!

Get Your Tickets Here!

Which Body Parts Contribute to Running Performance?

Which Body Parts Contribute to Running Performance?

What’s up Runners and Triathletes?

Do you know the most important places in the body that contribute to running performance?

As you know, running is a total body movement  but there are certain areas that are essential to being a stronger run. Unfortunately, many of the places we need to be loose and flexible or tight and strong for running are not in good shape because of our daily activities.

Sitting is the new smoking

Sitting for more than 45 minutes at a time is one of the worst things you can do for your running form. Many people sit for more than 5 hours / day driving in the car or working at your desk slumped forward at your computer at work. This negatively affects posture and inhibits lung capacity as well as causing low back pain, tight hips and hamstrings. When you add running to the mix, injuries arise.

Running shoe choice and high heels

High heels for women and heavy pointed work shoes for men, along with the new trendy 3 inch cushiony high heeled running shoes can also cause major issues in your running performance.

These shoes elevate the heels and the toes so that all the pressure is placed on the ball of the foot where added stress was not meant to be placed.

The results can be foot pain, bunions, hammer toes, neuroma’s, achilles tendonitis, plantar faciitis, runners knee and IT band syndrome just to name a few.

Add more running volume and you can be in a world of pain.

Learn how to counter balance and “bio – hack” all of these sometimes unavoidable daily stressors in my upcoming 3-Hour Run Essentials Clinic!

Join me September 16th, at Tropical Park Track here in Miami for Run Essentials Clinic and transform your running in 3 hours – guaranteed.

There’s just a few spots left – I’ve capped registration so every runner gets the attention and focus they need. I don’t know the next time I’ll be offering this clinic – so don’t wait!

Get more info on Run Essentials by clicking here.

Keep an eye on your inbox for more details, or on our social media pages. Happy Running!

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

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!

One of the Quickest Ways to Nutrition Success

One of the quickest ways to nutrition success

One of the tried and true methods for gaining control of your food, your body, and your life is to write down what you eat.

Having coached hundreds of people on their nutrition and fitness, I know that people almost ALWAYS underestimate how much they eat and overestimate how much water they drink.

When you write it down, you face that reality!

Now, here’s the thing…

You can’t just write it down at the end of each day or once every 3 days and expect it to work. It takes accountability in that moment.

When you try to recall, you forget things – it’s inevitable.

So, I’m giving you a template that you can use to track exactly what you’re putting into your body. Print it out and use it to your advantage! This will give you a truly accurate picture of what you’re doing so that you can assess yourself and move closer to achieving the results you desire for your health and your body.

Here’s the link to download your free nutrition log template, and as always, if you need further support, I’m here for you!

I use this template with all of my Nutrition and Triathlon Transformation Clients so we both get an accurate idea of where we can make positive changes. Learn more about it all the details of my Nutrition Essentials 6 week group or Individual course.

Yours in Health,
Coach Erinne Guthrie
786-586-6057

Rockstar Swimmer: Tim Skladzien

Rockstar Swimmer: Tim Skladzien

Coach’s Notes:

I was psyched to hear from Tim when he reached out to me to train for Alligator Lighthouse swim.

He joined my Swim Essentials virtual training program since he lives in Illinois and we started with the video analysis and swim testing.

From there I gave him specific drills to correct his form along with swim specific strength and stretches as well as his online training program to reach his maximum potential for the 8-mile open water swim race.

Seeing him in our biweekly group coaching calls and checking in on his form monthly allowed him to achieve success despite never having swum in the open ocean for a race like this. He had a personal record in his 5k in Lake Michigan along the way to success in a very wavy open ocean Alligator Lighthouse swim. Super Proud of you Tim. Congratulations – You are a Rockstar Swimmer!

Age:

30

Profession:

Aquatics Manager at Foglia YMCA in Lake Zurich, IL


Why you chose FCC to help you on your triathlon/health and wellness journey?

I heard about FCC when I searched Alligator Lighthouse on Youtube and a video of Coach Erinne talking about her experience swimming popped up and chose to go with FCC to work on my journey of training for the 8-mile ocean swim.

What is your “A” race for this season?

My A race was the Alligator Lighthouse swim. 

Please share your BIG goals:

To do another ocean swim in 2024. Maybe stick to a fresh water swim race Summer of 2023? Yet to be determined.

Tell me about your successes so far:

Completing my first ever Alligator Lighthouse swim in 6:37 min. It was tough being from the Midwest where we don’t have access to the ocean like Floridians do. However, I did my best given the fact that the current and waves were tough in getting to the lighthouse. 

What were some of your biggest Improvements in performance for the each of the following? Swim, Bike, Run, and Nutrition/Health. Please include any Personal Records and Goals achieved:

PR time achieved for 3 mi Lake Michigan swim.

Name 2 or 3 things that have made the biggest difference in your journey:

1. Support from Family and Friends.
2. Support from my work of allowing me to make this swim happen.
3. My brother doing an amazing job on navigating as my kayaker. 

What excites you the most about being involved in triathlon?

While I am currently not training for any triathlons, the only thing that excites me is competing against other swimmers in the race and training races.

What would you say to another person who was on the fence about joining our training program?

Have fun with training, work hard and do your best! 

Curious about Full Circle’s Virtual Swim Essentials Program?
You too can become the triathlete you always dreamed of!
APPLY Here!

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.

Rules for Healthy Eating

Rules for Healthy Eating

Today I’m coming to you with some practical info that you can implement right away for better health.

So, without further ado, here are my 7 rules for healthy eating:

  1. Drink quality spring or filtered water! Half of your body weight in ounces per day is your absolute minimum. I also suggest drinking a full glass of water between meals with a pinch of real sea salt to prevent over-eating in addition to drinking a glass as soon as you wake up.
  2. Focus on eating mostly proteins, vegetables, good fats, some fruit, and good-quality starches (like root veggies of any kind- think carrots sweet potatoes, squash). Organic when possible and keep sugar to a minimum!
  3. Never eat in a hurry. Do your best to always eat slowly and in a relaxed state.
  4. Never eat until you’re stuffed – stopping when you feel 80% full is key!
  5. Choose high-quality organic foods anytime possible.
  6. Eat only when you’re actually physically hungry, not because it’s “meal time.”
  7. Supplement your diet with high-quality products only as needed. We here at Full Circle Coaching absolutely love all the Bodyhealth products check them out at Bodyhealth.com and use discount code on several products; enter FULLCIRCLE at check out for great savings. 

There you have it!

Which of these do you do well?

Where is there room for improvement?

Let me know!

If you want a detailed nutritional analysis check out my Holistic Lifestyle and Nutrition program HERE  and I invite you to link here and schedule a call with me today or, text me at 786-586-6057 to request an appointment.

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 much more.

Anything Can Happen on Race Day; How Will You Handle It?

Anything Can Happen on Race Day; How Will You Handle It?

I’ve raced over 200 times if you include all my 5ks, 10ks, 1/2 marathons, Sprint, Olympic 70.3 and IRONMAN triathlons and I can tell you from experience that anything can happen. Good things and challenging things.

We always celebrate the good stuff, but so many times it’s the stuff that goes wrong that makes us better, push harder and gives us even more desire to finish, no matter what.

Here are a few of my most memorable:
– Flat tire at 2 hours in, on a 70.3 bike in the middle of Texas 
– Wrecking on slippery roads during a rainy bike section, road rash
– Paper cuts in my thigh from putting bike number on incorrectly on my bike
– Severe jelly fish stings in my mouth and up my nose
– Seasick and sea lice all over at Gulf coast 70.3
– forgetting my run shoes at home, driving back to get them, missing my wave start and getting a PR because my adrenaline was so high.
– My contact lens popped out of my eye just before my race start, driving back to the hotel to get another one, missing my wave start and again having a killer race because I was determined not to not race.

This is a short list of mishaps.

I have also witnessed a few epic challenges where athletes had some serious setbacks but persevered. 

I was at St. Anthony’s Olympic Triathlon when one of the pros came out of the water with a missing tooth after being kicked in the face and went on to win the race overall.

Another good story at St. Anthony’s is an athlete running the race portion in bare feet because another athlete accidentally took his running shoes.

In 2018 at IRONMAN Kona World Championship winner @danielaryfe was going to quit the race during the swim portion due to severe jellyfish stings; she decided to keep going out of respect to the sport and ended up breaking the world record by over 20 minutes!!

My point is anything can happen, and if you remain calm and just keep moving forward amazing things can still happen.

It’s what you are saying to yourself in these situations that will dictate the outcome and how you feel about it.

Saying negative thing like “I’m sick, I’m so slow, what am I doing out here etc,” is likely to get you slowing down or even stopping.

Imagining a big red STOP sign in your head and refocusing your attention on what’s going right, even if it’s that’s something small can completely redirect your focus.

One of my athletes was able to take one hour off her IRONMAN PR 
by simply switching a negative mantra to repeating a positive mantra when she started having an issue on the run.

Mental skills are not to be ignored as an important skill to master.
Have you ever had a mishap in a race? I’d love to hear what happened. Please share in the comments!

If you are interested in learning more about Full Circle Coaching, call us at 786-586-6057 today or click this link to schedule a complimentary triathlon strategy call:  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. 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 much more.

5 Ways to Get Unstuck! #2

5 Ways to Get Unstuck!

Ever feel like you’re giving your best effort and just not getting the results you want in any area of life?

Or maybe you feel like you just don’t have the motivation and drive right now to transform your body and your life.

If you’re feeling stuck, I’m here to help.

So, here are my top 5 ways you can get un-stuck:

  1. Focus on the next right move. If you focus on the big picture, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But by simply directing yourself to make the RIGHT decision (the one that brings you closer to your goal) in each moment will add up to big results that keep you motivated.
  2. Devise a reward strategy. If you make the changes you desire and reach your goals, how will you reward yourself (not with food!)? It could be something as big as a vacation or as small as a massage.
  3. Be real about the consequences of not changing. What are the bad things that will happen if you don’t achieve your goal? Let that sink in and drive you.
  4. Make “DO IT ANYWAY” your motto. When you’re ready to talk yourself out of exercising or cooking dinner, LIVE this motto. So often we get lost rationalizing poor choices in our heads. We have to do this to make accepting less than our best easier. Be aware of it and choose differently.
  5. Increase your accountability. A good way of doing this is to ask a friend to join you. A GREAT way to do this is to hire a coach who believes in you but NOT your excuses.

So, which of these resonates most with you? Any you haven’t attempted before?

And don’t forget – if you need help getting un-stuck, we’ve got your back here at FULL CIRCLE COACHING. Just let me know you’re ready text me at the number below. I’ll reach out to you and start the conversation right away.

Yours in Health,

Coach Erinne Guthrie
786-586-6057

 

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.

5 Strategies for a guilt-free, waistline-friendly Thanksgiving

5 Strategies for a guilt-free, waistline-friendly Thanksgiving

Ah – the most wonderful time of the year is beginning! From Thanksgiving to Christmas the average person gains 7-10 pounds. We KNOW this, but we do it anyway. Most people do absolutely nothing to stop it. So why is this?

We tend to use special occasions as an excuse not just to overindulge but to binge. It’s your birthday (or the day after or the week of)? Cake for breakfast becomes perfectly reasonable. Halloween? A dozen mini chocolates? Totally acceptable (they’re mini after all, right?)!

The problem with this season is that there isn’t just one special occasion here and there. Between the DAY of the holiday itself, the numerous parties, work functions, and so on, many days become a special occasion where we apply the “anything goes rule.” What I’m sharing below are the tools I personally use to enjoy a guilt-free, waistline-friendly and healthy holiday season…

1 Approach Thanksgiving with an abundance mindset – this applies to any holiday really. The
truth is, there is nothing truly special about holiday meals aside from the people we share them with. We live in a first world country where the foods we want are at our fingertips 365 days per year. So, in reality, you could have Thanksgiving in part or in whole at any time. When you approach food with an abundance mindset, it’s a lot easier to practice holiday levels of moderation.

2 Expect, accept, and embrace over-indulgence
It would be completely unreasonable for me to sit and lecture you on not over-indulging. Especially because I’ll likely be doing it myself! A key for me is being OK with it, not wracking myself with guilt because I knew it was coming! Heck…I plan on it – not to the extreme, but I’m not going to practice my normal rule of eating to 80% full. The damage stress does and the way it affects hormonal balance (and ultimately how much body fat we have) is far worse than having one big meal – so go enjoy it!

3 Fill your plate with protein and veggies first,
then add tastes of all the other goodies – I’m totally o.k. with you overdoing these two food groups (see point above). But when you strategically fill your plate with the better stuff, you’re obviously going to be better off. Even a plate of broccoli isn’t good for you when you’re in caloric excess, BUT it’s going to take you much longer and with much more food to reach that point when you maintain focus on protein and veggies with smaller tastes of starchy carb rich dishes and desserts.

4 Plan to move
whether you go for a hike with your family, get a hard strength workout, or simply take a 20 minute walk, vow to do something to get your body moving before or after the big meal! You’ll feel much better all day for it!

5 Splurge only once
A holiday is only one DAY…not an entire season, so this bit of advice is two-fold. Plan to splurge only on the actual DAY of the holiday (or whichever day you celebrate) and only once during that day. No need for a full breakfast, Thanksgiving meal, then another full plate of leftovers that evening. Sure, it tastes good, but you’ll feel completely miserable and be working to undo the damage for weeks to come!

So, there you have my top 5 Thanksgiving (or holiday in general) strategies! I promise if you apply these, you’ll be a lot less likely to end up in the category of people who gain weight over the holidays!

Wishing You Well,
Coach Erinne Guthrie

P.S. If you’re looking for support staying on track through the holiday season, we’d love for you
to join us for our Swim/Run and Strength Focus Training December, January and February.  I know we can help you take action, get motivated, and see it through to the finish line! Just click here! http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU