The Importance of Potassium

As many of us know, what we eat will affect our exercise performance.  We often focus on the macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and protein, but what about those micronutrients such as potassium and sodium?  In our society today, the typical American diet involves high sodium with very low potassium intake.  While both of these electrolytes are important in exercise, many of us consume too much sodium with too little potassium.  For optimal performance, we want to aim to keep our potassium-sodium levels as close to each other as possible or have potassium exceed sodium.  In short, without getting too scientific, potassium and sodium work together in sending electrical impulses to induce muscle contraction. When potassium and sodium are in balance, it can lead to better muscle contractions and thus, better performance. 

Now we know the effects of potassium, so how do we get it?  We get potassium from whole foods such as fruits, vegetables and some lean protein sources.  Some of the best sources of potassium are:

• Spinach
• Sweet potato/Potato
• Beans
• Bananas
• Salmon 
• Greek yogurt

There are many other great sources out there as well, but these are some of the best and most common.  Try adding in more whole foods to your diets and see how your performance can improve.

- SW

Hold Your Form, Not Your Breath

More and more frequently I am finding that a cue of “keep your core tight” elicits a response of simply holding your breath, not engaging the proper muscles. Clients of all skill levels typically have a hard time differentiating between proper muscle engagement and the faux core of holding your breath.

This poses a major problem for two reasons: False sense of stability and the positioning of your diaphragm. The false sense of stability is a problem because the purpose of engaging your core is either for stability or to train the muscles to be able to provide that stability, or both. If the muscles aren’t actually providing stability, then the main reason for doing the exercise isn’t achieved and therefore you aren’t getting what you need from the exercise. In short, the partial pressures within the cavities in the body will provide a stable wall to push against for the surrounding musculature. An example of this is trying to push something from the middle of the room versus if you have the wall at your back. When that stability is provided, the exercise becomes less strenuous and I don’t have to work as hard. Similar techniques have a place, but they are not functional. This not only doesn’t achieve what we want from the exercise, but can put the body in unsafe positions and train us to move improperly.

Who is this diaphragm and what does he do? The diaphragm is the muscle that is responsible for breathing, and has a lot of strong attachments to surrounding structures, such as the lumbar spine. Rib positioning is extremely important. Holding our breath with typically cause the ribs to flare up and out, causing a compensatory arch in the lower back due to the attachments with the diaphragm and encouraging a position in which the core doesn’t have to work. This again, teaches us to move improperly and negates the purpose of the exercise. The over-activity of the incorrect muscles is what causes people to get hurt. The diaphragm is being engaged correctly, but separation of diaphragm and core engagement is essential to performance and training.

Oh, and by the way breathing provides us with oxygen which we kind of need for exercise, and living in general. Listen to your coaches cues about breathing, and do your best when you are on your own to take control of your ribs and breathing and encourage proper core control. It Matters!

Kona or Bust Week 7: Tailwinds & Tan Lines

Tailwinds & Tan Lines

Sounds like a Kenny Chesney song, right? At least I think so and I had A LOT of time to think this weekend. I just completed my largest volume week of training to-do-date.

Total volume for training week 8: 18 hours and 7 minutes.

Total volume for this past weekend: 8 hours and 42 minutes

The weekend’s break down looked like this:

Saturday – Long Ride (needed 5:15)	Sunday – Run/Bike/Run (needed 3:30hrs)
5 hours 28 minutes	Run #1:
102.54 miles	1 hour 44 minutes
4,423 ft of elevation gain	12.47 miles; 8:22 min/mile avg
18.7 mph avg	122bpm heart rate avg
120bpm heart rate avg	Bike:
152bpm heart rate max	54 minutes
If you want more data…just ask	15.78 miles
	17.5 mph avg
	109bpm hr avg, 127bpm hr max
	Run #2
	45 mins
	5.70 miles; 7:54 min/mile avg
	130bpm heart rate avg

Some of you may gasp and think, "OMG how is she still standing?"

Some of you may also gasp and say, “Oh no, that’s not enough at all”. 

Regardless of what anybody thinks I’m feeling pretty good about what I’m doing and where I’m at. My body feels great considering the pounding I’ve been putting it through over the last 12 weeks. Mentally, I feel fresh and ready for another long grueling week. I can’t say that the typical endurance athlete, Type A, overcompensate for everything personality that I possess hasn’t reared it’s ugly head. It has and I’ve been talked off the ledge, told to stick to the program, hit the Trigger Point equipment and stop whining about what I should or shouldn’t be doing.

I’m sharing this information largely because I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to get to this point. Physically, I knew I’d be able to do it. Mentally, though, that was another question. Completing the distances that make up an Ironman is daunting enough. Putting them together, in ONE day…CRAAAAAZY TOWN. Oh, and while were at it let’s just make your first Ironman, the mother of them all, the World Championships.

This week and weekend was a huge confidence boost for me and I’m pretty proud of what I was able to do. I got through the week and completed every workout feeling strong. I raced to the Quabbin Tower, and finished 4^th, overall. Not to shabby. I completed my first long solo ride hitting the NH border and kept my nutrition on point. I followed all that up with a grueling18 miles bike sandwich on Sunday. Which, by the way, isn’t very fun when you have to sit on the saddle the day after a century!

I had company this week during some of my workouts but this weekend it was just me and the road. Just like it will be on race day. The once terrifying thought of doing an Ironman has now turned into one of confidence. I WILL finish, that much I know. Sprint, jogging, walking, crawling…I will cross the finish line. And if you ask me what my projected finish time is I WON’T tell you! That is one mental hurdle that I have to cross alone.

SK

PS: 

If you’re wondering what went through my head on my 100 mile bike ride?               Read on…

Live Free or Die

• A headwind! WTF! Deal with it, Kona is super windy.
• If I sing the same damn line from Dierks Bentely’s Drunk on a Plane 1 more time!
• Sunderland – corn for days…
• Miller’s Falls – Peoples Bakery. I buy their bread!
• There’s the porta-potty Bill Lodi conned me into stopping at last week so he could take a break…I mean a pee. I guess I’ll stop. I have to go.
• Cadence. Cadence. Cadence. Keep it steady!
• Cracks in the road…I hate cracks in the road.
• Northfield Creamies – I bet my brother Kieran could put down a few of those babies.
• Why do these bike short seams have to be so uncomfortable!?
• Ah, the New Hampshire border. Take a picture. Mark the milestone. Post to Facebook. Done and Done.
• NH’s finest, Cha’s Discount Cigarette’s, has welcomed me to my home state and on that note I think I’ll turn around. 
• TAILWIND BABY!!!!
• Tailwinds & Tan lines. That would be a great blog title, considering I have both right now.
• Will there ever be a day that I can actually stop at a Saturday afternoon Farmer’s Market? Not until after October 11^th.
• Old dude wearing the 70’s biking garb and NO helmet. Shame on you!
• Holy Shit! River Road is sooooooo much longer than I remember it.
• Sunderland. Mile 75. Quick pit stop to Refuel.
• Heart Rate. Heart Rate. Heart Rate. Keep it steady.
• Why the HELL do there have to be some many bumps!?
• Oooooh, Oreo Cows! Cute! I’m taking a picture. 

  

  Oreo Cows! They're there. Look close.

• Bay Road. I hate you!
• Tomato Festival. Really!? There are cars for days! You’re slowing me down people!
• Almost home.
• Just a few more miles.
• Man, this saddle sucks right now.
• HOME! Done for today.
• FOOD!

Women in the Weight Room

I'm sure you've heard us talk about this topic a million times here at CPC. Weights and/or strength training is something ALL women need to be doing. End of story. The benefits include bone density/osteoporosis prevention, muscle definition (comes along a lot faster using weights as opposed to just hopping on an elliptical), relative strength, and much more. So why I am bothering writing about this topic once again?

Well, not everyone is comfortable lifting weights, especially in your typical commercial gym, so that's why. 

Here at CPC, most of you at this point have accepted working out on the dark side/south side/hot side, but what about the rest of you reading this that have no clue what a deadlift, back squat, push press or hang clean are? There are two things you can do if you don't know: either hire a trainer or starting out with something a little less complicated. Are those lifts the most efficient? Yes, but not everyone has a coach or would most likely hurt themselves trying something they have no business attempting. My recommendation: something less complicated.

Start out slow! Never done weighted squats? - try goblet squats. Never done deadlifts? - try dumbbell/kettle bell deadlifts. Bench? Doubt it - try push ups. Pull ups? Start with a mid row or a dumbbell row. Not to say that these are easy by any means, but much less complicated or "risky" to a beginner. Ask most coaches to just demo any of them and you should be good to go. 

Attempt all of those in that order, four sets of eight repetitions, sixty seconds rest and go from there. That'll get you started with some strength training and most likely jump start your routine. If you have any questions or would like something more difficult feel free to ask.

- CW 

Kona or Bust - Week 8: Very Superstitious

After posting a few pictures of my new HOT PINK Asics sneaks on Facebook the number likes and comments were comical. Everyone who knows me knows I HATE PINK! Can’t stand it. You’ll NEVER see me wearing it. If I own anything that has pink in it, it has the smallest of pinstripes or accents colors. I will never wear pink on pink on pink…that is unless I’m racing. Just as I put on my game face race morning, I squeeze into my PINK & black Cyclonaut tri-shorts and top.

One word: Superstition

Come on…you know you have them too! 

I have many but one that stuck with me a long time started in high school.  I was a junior and my little brother, Brendan, gave me a hand puppet of Rex from Toy Story he got in his Happy Meal. A generous gift for a 3 year old. Upon giving it to me he gave me very strict instructions, click his heels 3 times and kiss him on the nose. “For good luck!” he told me. Rex followed me through the rest of my high school career and on to my last collegiate field hockey game. Could I have gone on without clicking Rex’s heels 3 times and giving him a kiss? Sure, but why would I want to risk it.

So why pink, since I profess to hate it so much? 

Here's the story. The club wanted to do something different for the ladies. Yellow and black is great but maybe not as flattering or "pretty". I'm guessing. I really don't know. Clearly, I had no problem with the yellow and black. The first time night the pink kit  debuted handful of years ago, I’m pretty sure I snarled under my breath and said, "I HATE pink". Meanwhile, EVERYONE else (guys too!) ooohed and aaahed. The realization hit quickly that I would be the only woman not racing in pink. In an attempt to be a team player I let the color combo settle in and learned to like it. Like it enough to buy a RACE DAY ONLY kit.

Of course I still have him!

Since racing in pink I’ve had some pretty amazing results. I earned my Kona spot in pink. As superstition goes, the more pink the better. That pains me to write, but I have to admit the sneakers are pretty sweet and some of you out there tell me they look fast! I’m hoping the pink beauties can propel me to the line regardless of how fast I get there. If the pink kit and pink sneakers don’t work, maybe the 3 heel clicks and a kiss on the nose will!

SK

ps - The one other day you'll see me in pink… when the laundry hasn't been done and it's all I have left! :)

Be a parent!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xUmp67YDlHY

Please watch the video above before continuing on reading.......I'll wait. 

Ok, great to have you back!  I'm not going to go on a huge tangent and lecture you, you watched the video and I think it pretty much speaks for itself. 

I'm not a parent but I can respect the fact that having a child is a huge responsibility and a LOT of work. I think a lot of times those that do have children over look the fact that you are shaping this little persons future and everything that you do is absorbed by them which will dictate who they are later in life. 

Obviously this video resonated with use because of what it's about and what we are about at CPC. Diet and food is only one of many things that effect your child's life, and you're responsible for what your children eat. Just like you need good wholesome high quality foods, kids do too. We get asked food questions all the time, and a lot of people pay close attention to what they eat, and then I see their kids eating Doritos or some other shit. If you won't eat it, then don't let your kids. Another question we get is "we're talking about me in the blog post?", no we're not get over yourself. I'm not speaking about anyone here specifically, I've seen it everywhere even in my own family. 

Wow, this is getting longer than I expected. 

Moral of the story, don't just throw your kids in front of the iPad with a bag of chip to keep them busy because you're too busy watching "your show" and not interested in actually being a parent to the child that you knowingly and willingly brought into this world. I have to say "your show" because I don't even know what stupid hit shows are popular now. 

Be a parent, a responsible parent, take care of your kids now, because later is too late. 

Kona or Bust Week 9 - Rest Week is Over! Time to Start Moving.

This past week I spent 10 amazing hours training. If you read last week's blog you probably picked up on the fact that I was feeling a little bit tired. Okay, a lot. Ten weeks of heavy training has a way of catching up to you. 

After getting through last Sundays 3:30hr ride I took a long hard look at what my training schedule was as well as an absurdly early week of wake up calls. I HAD to make adjustments! I relocated a few workouts throughout the week to better accommodate my schedule and still deliver the desired training effect. I also did my best to get as much time on the Trigger Point equipment as I could to help speed up my recovery throughout the week.

By the time the weekend rolled around my legs were feeling fresh and ready to roll. I was lucky enough to have my brother join me on my ride Saturday as we zipped north along the Connecticut River on VT RT 5. He's only just started to pick up cycling but was never to far behind me. He has come a long way since our last ride a month ago and I couldn't be more proud. I finished the ride with an enjoyable 62 miles and remembered why I love riding so much. The company want too bad either. ;)

Sunday, the Cyclonauts held their annual Team Trial. I joined up with Matt & Elena Musiak, Lida Vannase, Bill Lodi, and Joe Giannetti for the 14 mile course. We didn't win, but enjoyed the few hours of racing, chatting, and eating we spent together. I hadn't seen many of my friends since St. Croix and their Lake Placid Ironman finishes. It's pretty amazing what quality time with friends and family can do to restore your energy and give you the jump start you need to tackle the huge training week ahead.

Yesterday, the 2013 Ironman World Championships were broadcast on NBC to highlight the 2 month mark. When I saw the reminder post on Facebook, I dropped a few curse words at the reality of it all, and immediately felt the butterflies start in my stomach. Is it a coincidence that I start a four week build in my training the week they show last years race? Nope. The big push is on. The miles need to increase. Time in the saddle needs to increase. Nutrition plans need to be tweaked and perfected. Focus on how my body feels and responds to the volume build needs to be spot on. The Half Ironman World Championships will add a bit of a curve ball to all of this but I'm confident that with what I learned from my last Half, and the collective knowledge of the crazy smart people I work and train with managing the training days prior to and after will be no problem. 

The last 10 weeks I have had incredible support from so many of you. I can't thank you enough! The up coming weeks are going to very challenging. Finding the time and energy to get moving knowing I have a big workout in front of me will be tough. Your continued support throughout the next few weeks will help me put one foot in front of the other. Words of encouragement, a kick in the rear to stop procrastinating, company during a workout, or just a high five will gladly be accepted!

SK 

When you rush through it, it sucks.

I am a person that wakes up on a mission. I make lists and I like to get that list done before the day expires. If I don't complete that list I'm pissed. I evaluate what could I have done differently. Where was I off in my projection? Where did I made extra steps and become less efficient? Another question I regularly ask myself: when does efficiency make you suck?

I look at my productivity to find ways I could be faster, more efficient and crisp. I like the way I do things, but I certainly don't do anything perfectly. Quite frankly, I have never expected too - it doesn't exist. I understand that when doing a task you should do it with integrity, passion, and pride. Making sure that you devote yourself to IT; no matter what IT is. It leaves you with a sense of pride to say I did THAT. 

When I cut grass at the golf course, I wanted the greens to roll crisp and true. When I commercially cleaned carpets, I never left a job site with a spot on that floor. When I made sandwiches at the deli, every piece of lettuce was hand selected and certainly never just tossed on the roll and thrown in a paper. In all the jobs I've had (yes there are a lot more,) I have found it less "work" when I poured in that level of pride and walked away knowing that my job was an extension of what I had to give. 

Lately, I have found myself increasingly irritated with the lack of integrity placed into things by people. From a prepared coffee to a sandwich. The greeter at the storefront to the front desk attendant at a hotel. Waitress to electrician. Comcast Rep to the trash guy. I really don't get it. You're gainfully employed and earning a living. More importantly YOU filled out the application! It's not my fault you're tired or stressed. Or that you're hungry or hung-over. It's your job. Do it well, do it with integrity, and stop making it suck for everyone around you. I have never understood rushing through something to be left with doing nothing. Anyone? 

Rushing through life hoping that by chance at the end of tomorrow it's going to be different. Guess what? It's not! It's what you do right now that writes the script and allows you to find happiness. Oh yeah, It's not anyone else's fault, issue, problem or concern either. It's YOUR issue - OWN IT. That life you are unhappy with, complain about, and rush through everyday like you're going to escape it - you are the one making it suck. Slow down, face it head own, and devote your entire self to it, whatever it is. Trust me, do that and you will find joy in everyday you are given.

~Sully

Not enough time in the day to workout?

Not enough time in the day to workout?

You hear it all the time, "I don't have time for that; I have kids, work, school, etc." You're right, not everyone has time for an hour workout when it takes 10 minutes to get to and from the gym. Add in eating before, changing clothes, traffic; sometimes we're looking at a two hour ordeal to get in that workout that you sometimes don't really even want to do.

First - if you don't have time to go to the gym and truly don't, nobody wants to hear you bitch about it. Do something around the house - garden, clean, go out for a walk with the kids or just a brisk walk by yourself. That's a "functional" workout for you; it doesn't always have to be weights and running. I'd rather see you post a picture of yourself raking the yard as opposed to a picture of you squatting an insignificant amount of weight, with terrible form, while having a stupid duck face. But I'll leave that topic for another day.

Second - back to doing something you don't want to do. Why? I don't like to run, so I don't. Ever. Forcing yourself to the gym to do something you hate to do will make it seem like you have even less time than you really do. Funny how you find time to watch "Game of Thrones", check Facebook or find time to complain about not having time. Do something you actually want to do like hiking, biking, swimming, golf, tennis or anything active that's enjoyable. You'll find time for that.

Third and last - you don't always have to work out for an hour. Do a half hour blast, split your runs up, quick ride on the bike, mobility/Trigger Point session - anything is more effective than sitting on your ass especially if that's what you have to do for your day job. 

Move more, get out, and stay active.

CW

Kona or Bust Week 10 - Some days you have it and some days you don't.

It took 10 weeks for me to get to the the place where heading out the door to train was a chore. 10 weeks in with 10 weeks to go. Ugh.

I woke up Saturday morning, looked out my window and said, "Humpf." A cloudy, 100% chance of rain or t-storm kinda day. I had every intention of getting on my bike, but as I headed out for my morning walk with Pepper my brain started listening to my slowly moving body. 

"Don't, train today..."

"Stay inside and clean your ridiculously messy apartment!"

"Catch up on your weeks and weeks of DVR before you lose last months shows."

"Damn you! Why didn't you take it easier this week after your race! I'm tired!"

It was as if I had the angel and the devil sitting on each shoulder telling be two different things each hoping they would win out. 

As we finished our walk I told Pepper (yes, I talk to my dog. Don't you?) I would eat breakfast, watch one show, then, get ready. One show turn to a movie. Breakfast turned to lunch, and my apartment was progressively getting cleaner and clearer by the hour. My 3:30bike/50min run turned into an 1:45 run with a 50 minutes easy ride to follow. My motivation was waning and it was easier to wrap my head around a 2:30 workout than a 4hr+ workout. By flip flopping my weekend workouts my long ride/run was now waiting for me on Sunday and I was dreading it. 

My ride went about as well as I expected it to go. Slow and labored. I quickly dropped the work sections at intensity and reminded myself this should be fun. I spend the entire 3:30 ride talking myself through it. 

"Relax & enjoy the ride."

"Pedal smooth and steady."

"Make it to this point, then the next, and the next, and you're done!"

"I'm sooooo not running after this, so finish strong."

Needless to say, this weekend's training felt like total crap. I couldn't wait for it to be over so I could rest and enjoy some much needed time with friends. The angel and the devil both won. I trained because I felt like I had to, but I made serious modifications based on how I was feeling. Some days you have it and some days you don't.

It's amazing how far you can push your body, but one day or one workout too many and the rest of the training week will suffer. Hindsight being 20/20 I should have managed this past week's training differently coming off of the race. Do I feel like I'm in a bad place, overtrained, if you will? No, but I could be close. 

It's a fine line you walk when training for an endurance race such as the Ironman. I have the personality and work ethic to push, push, push. The added pressure of going to KONA for my FIRST Ironman doesn't help either. If this process is teaching me anything it is that I need to trust in my training and the benefit behind taking an extra day or workout off. Easier said than done (trust me!). This coming week is a long awaited recover week. I will gladly take the lightened volume and force myself to rest. The coming weeks are going to be HUGE and I need to enter them as fresh and as rested as possible.

I can say with absolute conviction that this weekend would not have happened if I didn't have individuals to lean on or friends representing the very best of what it means to be dedicated to a goal. As the thoughts of not training entered my head I thought of all my incredible Cyclonauts Multisport teammates that started and finished Ironman Lake Placid last weekend in some of the most outrageous weather conditions. I thought of my boss Geoff who was riding in PanMass Challenge, with miles to go and sideways ran coming down. I thought of my Health Coach who has gone off the grid for a week to become a Baptiste Yoga instructor. No cell, no wifi, nothing but you, your thought, and 7 days of intensive yoga!  

Motivation and inspiration comes in all forms and I took it from anywhere I could find it to get a semi-decent weekend of training out of it. Now, I rest!

Speaking of Ironman Lake Placid, I must sent out a huge Congratulations, to all the Nauts who took on the challenge and accomplished their goal of finishing IMLP. It was an incredibly difficult day from all accounts and I am in awe of your efforts and envious that your Ironman venture is in the books. I look forward joining you soon! 

I must also send out a HUGE congratulations to my girl Elena Massa-Musiak for qualifying for the Ironman World Championships for the SECOND time! I now have company in KONA and couldn't be happier! Elena and I were able to tackle over 3/4 of the St. Croix 70.3 run course together where I was lucky enough to qualify for Kona. We both knew that Lake Placid was going to be her chance to join me and I eagerly awaited each update txt message from Placid. Despite the horrible conditions she raced her race and place and incredible 2nd in her age group!  I look forward to OUR journey to the Ironman World Championships and any miles we might be able to spend side by side on the course.

SK