results from week 1 » Check back next week for more.

Our April Club Gathering will be Wednesday April 13th 7:00 at Fleet Feet Sports. 2624 Broadway in Boulder.  The good folks at Fleet Feet will be offering special a 20% discount on everything in the store and will be previewing their 2011 assortment of products.

Our guest speaker this month is BTC member Will Murray.  Will will take us through several mind-training exercises to improve our enjoyment and performance.  Will has worked with dozens of endurance athletes on mental training, and recently led three seminars in the local area.  Will has a practitioner’s certificate and 100 hours of advanced training NLP, a performance psychology field. Will is also bring along with him some product from New Planet Beer Company a gluten free brew.

So please plan on joining us on the 13th for some great discounts, motivation and BEER!

Warren Schuckies, BTC Vice Prez

It’s just a week until the annual BTC 10+10 run.  This is the fun run where you pick the distance: any combination of 10K and 10 miles loops, with a total distance from 10K up to 26.2 miles.  You just have to finish within four hours.

The run is Sunday, Feb 27, at 9:00 AM.  Please plan on arriving 30 minutes early to sign in.

Please park at the Tom Watson parking lot, which is across the street from Coot Lake.  Go north on 63rd Street from the Diagonal about 0.8 miles, and turn right.  Please don’t park in the Coot Lake lot.

The run is free for current paid BTC members, and $5 for guests.

There are 2 aid stations on the 10K loop, and 3 aid stations on the 10 mile loop.  There will be food afterwards.

Register here:

http://www.teambtc.org/modules.php?name=event_registration

We are still looking for a few volunteers for course marking (the day before), aid stations, timing, and cleanup.

Are you a triathlete or swimmer looking to get faster and more efficient in the water? Don’t miss the upcoming swim clinic led by Olympian Sheila Taormina, who will be sharing her unique philosophy & techniques designed to get help you get more power and
propulsion out of each swim stroke.  The focus of this swim clinic is on the vital aspect of the freestyle stroke – the underwater high elbow position that is the source of swimmer’s propulsion. The clinic begins with an out-of-water lecture and Q & A session, and is then followed by both dryland and in-water swim sessions.  Swimmers will learn what it means to “feel” the water as well as how to develop the strength and flexibility that is required for fast swimming.

Where: North Boulder Recreation Center
When: Wednesday, March 16, 2011
6:30pm – 9:00pm
Cost:
Boulder Triathlon Club Members: $90
BTC Partner Clubs: $95
Others: $100
(includes option to join BTC with $15 discount off
$65 annual membership – contact us for details)

How to Register:
Sign up Online at Active.com by clicking here (processing fee applies)
Mail-in Registration (no processing fee):

Complete the attached form (swimclinicPDF), enclose a check payable to
BTC and mail to:  Pam Schuckies, Boulder Triathlon Club, 5843 Orchard Creek Lane, Boulder CO 80301
WORKSHOP LIMITED TO 20 SWIMMERS. DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS
FEBRUARY 28 OR UNTIL MAX IS REACHED.

Schuckies Manor

5843 Orchard Creek Lane, Boulder, CO

Always a great time.  Please rsvp at www.evite.com by end of day, October 26th.  See you then!!

Hope to see you there!

Paul Martin finishing IM distance race

About Tim O’Donnell:

Home: Shavertown, PA
College: U.S. Naval Academy

2010 Highlights: Winner of the July 11 Boulder Peak Triathlon • Finished second at the St. Croix Ironman 70.3 May 2 • Won the Ironman 70.3 U.S. Pro Championship as the top American finisher (second overall) at the Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas April 25 • Placed fifth at the Ironman 70.3 California in March.

Letter from the Prez

Considering how busy all our athletes have been this month, brevity will be my guide.  The BTC rocked in June.  We started our summer pasta rides, drawing big crowds and serving great food.  Thank you to the Schuckies, Ann Remmers, and Jayme/Clayton for hosting our June pasta rides!  The BTC fielded a HUGE aid station at the Boulder Sprint, anchored by the entire Kinsey family and captain’d by Sally Dyer.  Whoot, whoot!  And we had a great turnout and stellar performances at the Boulder Sprint.   We had a super club gathering at Flatirons Athletic Club where we got introduced to Joga!  I was sore for a few days after that and am incorporating some of the exercises into my weekly routine.  Thanks to Warren for arranging this for BTC members.

Unfortunately the team clothing did not arrive until the week after the sprint.  The shipment got held up in customs and would not budge despite the best efforts of the Pearl Izumi staff.  But now that the team clothing is in, all I can say is WOW!  I have been wearing the clothing this week and absolutely love it.  I hope you all do, too; there is some extra inventory being sold at Full Cycle if you missed the order deadline.  Sizes are limited, so don’t delay!

We also got our technical t-shirts completed and I have all sizes still in stock with the exception of female smalls.  Track me down if you’d like a shirt – $16 for club members and $20 for BTC wannabes!  We are also working on enabling the ability to order the tech tee through the website so I’ll let you know when that is available.

I am looking forward to a great July centered by the Boulder Peak and the Club Annual Barbecue and Pool Partaay!  My mother-in-law has been gracious enough to open her huge home and pool in Gunbarrel to the BTC.  July 11^th is the date and the pool will open at 3pm – I hope to see a huge crowd there and you can find the link to the Evite on my Facebook page.  I hope many of you will be able to make it along with your family.  We also have a pretty good BTC contingent heading out to San Fran for the Alcatraz Challenge.  This has become an informal club trip and everyone is looking forward sharing the trip and race with great friends.

Have a great July and we’ll see you at the Peak and Club Barbecue.  Keep up the beat, BTC’ers.

~Graz

SEEKING PARTY FEEDBACK!

We’ve only just passed midsummer, but we’re already looking ahead to the year-end banquet. Before we wade too deep in plans, we need your feedback! This event has traditionally been a semi-formal sit-down dinner. This past year, we changed things up a bit for more of a drop-in, cocktail style feel. We’d love to know what you prefer! Please e-mail any of the leads, or all at <leads@teambtc.org>, and share your thoughts. Or, please share in person when you see us! This is a special event celebrating a vibrant season of the accomplishments, great and camaraderie within this club, and we want it to be the best it can be for everyone!

NUTRITION SPOTLIGHT

Nutrient timing, why does it matter?

When we talk about timing with customers and athletes alike, it always seems to raise an eyebrow.  Why?  Well, food is food, right?  If you eat something you should be able to perform, right?  Well not exactly.  As we all know proteins, fats, and carbohydrates each have their respective functions.  That being said, it’s the timing “around training” that seems to keep they eyebrow raised.

This is something you won’t find in the “newsstand” fitness magazine.  To start, we recommend every athlete begin with a foundation to support overall health and increase immune system response. Components such as a recovery protein, glutamine, multivitamins, and essential fatty acids (EFAs) – are the building blocks of a healthy body and are critical to losing fat, gaining or maintaining muscle mass, and endurance.  One thing to note here: getting in such nutrient rich items becomes extremely beneficial at breakfast, post training, and before bed; particularly when training on a daily basis.

Endurance training and advanced nutrient timing
Ok, here is where we help connect the dots. Endurance athletes must maintain speed and quickness while building and maintaining the muscle mass necessary for intense, extended workouts. Some of the biggest mistakes we see endurance athletes make is failing to “prime” their system w/ adequate glycogen, replace their lost glycogen, which fuels the body for the next workout.  Additionally, endurance athletes need protein: in particular, a Branch Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) both before and during can significantly decrease the extent to which the muscle breaks down.  This coupled with a lactic acid buffer is sure to make those interval sessions more than worth your while.  Intervals – lets think about that: we do intervals to increase our spread via our body’s capacity to respond: what if we could further aid this process via immediate nutrition?  Sounds like a winning combo!

We also need to look at “during training consumption” as this is popular.  Really, unless you’re over 1.5-2 hours in a training session to you then need to consume extra calories.  We know that on average a person’s liver will hold about 80-100 grams of glycogen along with 400-600 grams within the skeletal muscle – again, a fairy abundant supply for short duration/distance. On the other end of the spectrum, we see people woofing down a power bar, 2 gels, another bottle of Gatorade only to tell me that they had a side ache or kept feeling like they’d just got punched in the gut and could barely hold it down (bit of an exaggeration here ).  That said, our body can only assimilate somewhere around 60-80 grams of carbohydrate per hour while training: gels and liquid become a good option here to minimize stomach distress.

Correct timing of protein (and the right kind of protein) post workout leads to a greater recovery period, less fatigue, and increased power output, the key to sustaining optimal performance.  Why is this so important?  Well, in a nutshell, we can optimize how our bodies function metabolically by “giving it more than it expects” to allow it to “build upon” the work you just did, not simply try to “make up lost ground.”  A fast acting protein, hydration protein, along with a high performance carbohydrate and glutamine at this point is going to accelerate recovery two fold.

Here’s an example of what a 2 hr training session or brick might look like:
Pre-Workout: 1-2 scoops of Xtinguisher + 2 scoops ACM (Advanced carb matrix – the amount will vary based on your body weight and the intensity of your planned workout). Xtinguisher’s carnisine and dextrose help rapidly fuel your body for extended training periods and will buffer the burn associated with lactic acid buildup.  The three different types of carbs in ACM plays off of Xtinguisher and feeds of the ability to provide immediate fuel while the PH in the muscle is kept at a minimum.

These two effects will allow you to train at higher levels of intensity for longer periods.

Post-Workout: Speed muscle repair and growth by replenishing the glycogen you have depleted. 1 serving of glutamine, 5-10 grams of branch-chained amino acids (when performing two training sessions in a day), and a serving of hydration protein, 15-30 grams depending on the person, to speed absorption & nutrients back into your muscles without unnecessary sugar.

Additional help?
Need to shed a few extra pounds but want to sustain or increase performance?  How about helping your body dump a few extra fat pounds?

AM, Pre-workout: 30 minutes before workout- Liquid Carnitine, 300 mg CLA, & 5 mg L-glutamine
Post workout: 15-30 minutes: Protein with 5 mg glutamine & one serving of whole-grain carbs.

Post workout mea; follow post workout recovery with whole food within 60-90 minutes.

Bedtime: “ZMA” Zinc & Magnesium have proven over and over to increase recovery.  These are the two most depleted minerals in highly trained individuals leading to lack of recovery.

These are just examples and can very greatly depending on the person.  Nutrient timing can have a significant effect on performance and recovery simply because we can either help or hinder our body’s metabolic processes.  As everybody is different, this may take a bit of trial and error.  Get educated and look for a source that isn’t afraid to explain the how and why.  As always, whole food intake is ABSOLUTELY key in our performance – don’t forget it

Great thanks to letting us serve the BTC!

Craig

Director, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition

Cert. Sports Nutritionist

Many thanks to our sponsor Max Muscle for making time to address questions and concerns athletes have regarding nutrition! Please send queries for future issues directly to Craig at c. david@maxmuscleboulder.com, or to mcmillan.w@gmail.com.

COACH’S CORNER: More Than Numbers by  Amanda McCracken

Upon returning home from my disappointing Boulder Peak Olympic distance triathlon last summer, I was greeted by my housemate with, “Hail to the conqueror!” In tears I responded, “Thanks, but, I sucked! I croaked on the run and was nine minutes off my best time on that course.” “But you finished!” she continued, sincerely impressed with my effort of which I thought very little. In my head I didn’t think it was enough to have finished. Having competed in many triathlons of varying distances, my perspective had changed and I was at a loss to know how to measure my success. I struggled to feel good about my two hour and 39 minute effort after five months of training geared to succeed at that particular race by bettering my time. I had left myself no other way to measure success and had downplayed my effort despite the 100 degree heat. I cynically concluded that competing and training was a gamble, like playing the stock market: you never know if what you are investing will make a profit, break even or go belly up. My oversimplified analogy was not a fair comparison. In order to properly gauge my success, I had to reflect on what makes me “me”. At the time, I believed in the statement “what I do is who I am” rather than “who I am is what I do”. In other words, I should have realized that how I value myself determines my performance and not, how I perform determines my self worth.

Are we too focused on what we are achieving (numbers) rather than who we are becoming? We have to slow down long enough to see whether our activities and goals support our purpose in life. Have you identified your life purpose and your related purpose in doing triathlons? We should identify a variety of targets and goals for triathlon that are both consistent with our life philosophy and fluid enough to be measurable based on our potential at a given moment.

To compartmentalize or to thread

Defining the “who” in the success equation is what seems most significant. It seems perfectly natural to me as a triathlete to compartmentalize my definition; after all, I do this for each of the three disciplines. I’m assuming that very few readers of this magazine identify themselves as solely athletes. Many are professionals, parents, spouses, volunteers, students, etc. Does one’s definition of success have to be tailored differently for each role? To succeed as an athlete means achieving X; to be a successful mother is to be Y; and to succeed in a profession is to perform Z. Or, is there a thematic thread that weaves the roles together to support an overarching purpose in life?

Abraham Maslow’s theory says that once we have secured the basics of our hierarchy of needs (air, safety, food, means, security, love and belonging) we are left to reach for the ultimate goal of human existence: to be self-actualized. This is the thread. This means to be involvedin identifying and fulfilling our life’s purpose by utilizing our potential. Isn’t this process what we, as triathletes, need to employ to define our personal success?

Potential and the moment

Becoming self-actualized is a progressive act that often requires one to stop and consider potential in the moment.A former athlete of mine, suffering from severe depression, says “not giving up” is the definition of success for him at the moment. According to two-time Olympian Alan Culpepper, success is doing his best with the potential he has on any given day and having the ability to shift perspectives as his potential changes. There is a necessity to consider “the moment” in each of these definitions.

Purpose set: now what are you going to do?

Measuring success in the sport of triathlon is difficult because there are so many factors, many uncontrollable like the weather and our equipment. Balancing three disciplines and the time, intensity, and duration of workouts are other variables to be thrown into the success equation. However, a prepared athlete ought to have a variety of targets and goals that are controllable.

Targets are statements of what we physically want. Consider the metaphor Bobby McGee uses in his book, Magical Running: Targets are like magnets that pull us along in a particular direction. Consider the possible following targets:

-win your age group at a particular race

-qualify for Kona

-finish in the top 10% of a race

-improve your power output on the bike

-improve your lactate threshold on the run

-improve your mechanics in a discipline

-increase your heart rate at which you enter your lactate threshold

-finish a season injury free

-complete a new distance

-improve your time on a familiar course

-register for a race!

-feel comfortable in own body half-naked body in public

-set a variety of goals unrelated to time or place!

-incorporate more family time in your training

Goals, McGee says, are characteristics that you require to achieve targets. For example, in order to achieve target X, I need to practice and exhibit the A, B, and C characteristics in competition, training, and daily life. These characteristics might sound like, “I need to be assertive, love my body, and remember I have options as situations change.”

Goals should create awareness, serve a purpose (not hold you back), and be realistic but high. Remind yourself of these goals during the day, not just prior to and during competition. Try writing down key words to create a steady script in your head to remind yourself of the characteristics you are seeking to embody. For example, you might repeat, “body love, assert, options” in your head during training and racing. Better yet, write them on your body during a race!

Writing it down

Go ahead, the registrations are opening and there is a buzz in the air of a rapidly approaching new triathlon season. Before you rush online to sign up for a fistful of races, overestimating your body’s potential, your available training hours and your family’s patience, take time to identify how you will define success this season. There is an endless list of possibilities, but how many of us clearly state these before the start of a season?

1. Identify your purpose in life and then specifically in the sport of triathlon. Answer the question, “Why do I do triathlons?” Write it down!

2. Write down three targets that address your purpose in doing triathlons (for this season) and take ownership of those targets. Don’t create a target based on someone else’s expectation.

3. Write down three goals for each target. Consider the question, “How do I want to feel and act before, during and after a race?”

4. When determining success for the season or a race, focus on who you are now and are becoming rather than what you are achieving (place and time) which is a very narrow perspective on success. Why limit your chances of feeling good about yourself?

Perspective

It’s easy to lose perspective on why we train and why we started doing our sport in the first place. It takes a step outside the athletic world of age group rankings, lactate threshold data and race times to better understand one’s athletic identity (the who) and appreciate the exploratory beauties of the sport (the why) that often get buried beneath the gear, race schedules and statistics. When finding success in consistency seems impossible (due to uncontrollable factors) and finishing a race doesn’t seem significant anymore, remember overall success equates to a combination of achievements at particular moments and actualizing one’s purpose. When you feel like the permanent marked race number on your arm makes you just that, a number, remember who you are and where you’ve been. These, not your race statistics, make you a success.

Amanda is the D3 Women’s Coach and a skilled massage therapist. This article appeared in the June 2008 issue of Triathlete Magazine.

RACING

Congratulations to everyone as always on great performances and sporting accomplishments! Here are a few results we know about. Please send me your PRs and achievements…or, boast on behalf of your modest and amazing friends!

Congrats to:

Kansas 70.3: Steve Pyle, 4:33:17 (1stAG, Clearwater qualifier!);  Lindsey Milliken, 5:07:52 (Clearwater qualifier!); Burke Fishburn, 5:11:38; Brent Schoeb, 5:06:58; Karin Linner, 5:19:31; Tressa Ferrell, 5:25:30; Dave McMillan, 4:47:32; Wendy McMillan, 5:36:55; Pam Buderus, 5:52:59; Jim Buderus, 5:18:43; Todd Landin, 4:58:12

Boise 70.3: Mike Ricci, 5:09:01 (8th AG); Jon Haukaas, 5:42:57; Jay Lochhead, 5:13:53; Liz Larson, 6:18:18

Boulder Sunrise Sprint Tri : ScottCejka, 3rd AG, 1st ever tri!

Big Sky Duathlon: Mary Nodine, 1:17:06 (1st female overall!); Artie Sandman, 1:15 (2nd AG!); Dave Costa, 1:26:04 (6th AG); Julie Olsen, 1:17:57 (1st AG, 2nd overall female!)

Estes Park 10K: Leena Figall (4th overall, 1st AG!)

5430 Sprint: Andy Graziano, 1:27:15; Warren Schuckies1:23:35 (8th AG); Pam Schuckies1:37:54 (4th AG); Klaus Stadtler1:52:49; Mike Ellis, 1:27:38; Gail Matherly, 1:27:22 (4th AG); Valerie Trapa, 1:39:31; Brad Schildt, 1:25:52;  Rakesh Ganeriwala, 1:34:24; Liz Larson, 1:36:52; Leena Figall, 1:41:47; Jay Lochead, 1:21:34; Cisco Quintero; Charles Garabedian, 1:16:14 (7th AG); Owen Hammond, 1:16:45 (7th AG); Julie Olsen, 1:23:40 (3rd AG); Meg Flanegan, 1:30:19; Simon Butterworth, 1:34:16 (3rd AG); Pam Sinel Moore, 1:35:42; Megan Phares, 1:45:01; Joni Kozdeba, 1:46:31; Dave McMillan, 1:20:12; Burke Fishburn, 1:20:12 (6th AG); Tom Kissinger, 1:26:27; Rocky Riviera, 1:47:07; Randy Rose, 1:44:36; Melissa Mosley, 1:38:13; Gaby Larea, 1:52:46; Chuck McCash, 1:31:04; Brent Schoeb, 1:24:53; Eric Kenney, 1:13:02 (4thAG); Jeff Franke, 1:36:06; Sharon Hooper Houghton, 1:21:10 (1st AG, 8th overall); Kevin Houghton, 1:24:14; Heidi Smith, 1:21:20 (3rd AG); Bruce Wilson, 1:39:21 (3rd AG); Stephanie Murphy, 1:33:39; Craig Wilson, 1:27:41; Vickie Stubbs, 1:49:04; Rebecca Green, 2:01:56; Jay Plucienkowski, 1:20:05; Brad Culberson, 1:26:18; Doug Wendel, 1:25:02; Tom English, 1:26:19

DC Triathlon: Denise Farley, 1:20 (1st female overall!)

Loveland Lake to Lake: Mary Nodine, 2:36:12 (2nd AG); Charles Garabedian, 2:22:28 (2nd AG); Jenny Georges/Cisco Quintero relay, 5th place; Lindsey Milliken, 2:38:27 (3rd AG); Derek Cicchitto, 2:43:03; Liz Larson, 3:05:18; Jim Buderus, 2:45:27; Wendy McMillan, 3:02:16; Lauren Greenfield, 3:02:23 (10th AG); Jason Kaminski; Jay Lochhead, 2:39:24; Burke Fishburn, 2:35:27; Heidi Smith, 2:37:46 (3rd AG); Melissa Mosley (aquabike), 2:13;10 (5th AG); Rocky Riviera, 3:35:29

Buffalo Springs 70.3: Gail Matherly, 5:04:29 (4th AG); Warren Schuckies, 5:13:57;  Pam Schuckies, 6:04:30 (2nd AG and Kona qualifier! Yay!!);   Sharon Hooper, 5:05:34 (2nd AG!); Tom Kissinger, 5:38:52

…and all other competitors in June events!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Upcoming Events

July

-7 Pasta ride hosted by Artie Sandman and Tressa Ferrell

-11 Boulder Peak Tri and BTC summer BBQ/Pool party! 1 pm, 7614 Rustic Trail, Boulder

-14 Pasta ride hosted by Dieter Bruhn

-21 Pasta ride hosted by Burke Fishburn

-28 Pasta ride, host TBA

-Heads Up: We are still looking for volunteers willing to host pasta rides on the 28th and September 1st. Please e-mail Jayme at jayme_brooke@hotmail.com if you are interested.

To keep posted on the hordes of great multisport events taking place locally, check out these incredible calendars:

Racing Underground

Colorado Triathlete Multisport Calendar

ATHLETE PROFILE: Cisco Quintero

• Years competing in tris: 1984 to 2010= 26
• Worst tri mishap: my seat post broke and I had to ride the rest of the ride standing up
• Worst tri mistake: Forgetting my helmet at home,  had to borrow a helmet scoring the slowest transition ever
• Top tri tip: “The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t’ is you. And you don’t have to listen.” Nike
• Favorite sporting accomplishment: 10 times Iron-man competitor including Hawaii
• Goals for the season/next season so far: Give back to the sport that has given me so much
• Favorite pre-race food: Power Smoothie (protein power,  frozen strawberries , blue berries, banana apple honey and soy milk)
• Favorite post-race replenishment: soak legs at the Boulder creek
• Something people may not know about Cisco: Cisco has aPhD in engineering

PARTING SHOT: Who can shoulder any IM burdens with the best?

Be first to send your best guess to Wendy at mcmillan.w@gmail.com.