Archive for the ‘Triathlon training’ category

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Brick Session

December 9th, 2009

Tonight was my first brick session in the gym after an interrupted start to Triathlon training. I felt strong and took it steady. 30 mins on the bike on a hill setting then 20mins on the treadmill at 11kph.

My fitness seems to be increasing much quicker since my cleanse and I generally have more energy during the day waking earlier and staying up later. I have modified my diet and made it more alkaline, reducing grains to 10% of one meal, I’ve also replaced raisins with Goji Berries and stopped eating dates.

The alkaline theory says that the body runs on electricity not calories! Live raw, green foods have a higher electrical charge than an energy bar! Have you ever thought about cycling with a cucumber instead of an energy bar?

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Posted in Alkaline Diet, Sports Nutrition, Triathlon training, Vegan diet

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Pain Killers or Performance Killers?

November 26th, 2009

Many triathletes take anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen, during a race, believing it will get them through the event, easing the ‘normal’ pain felt during a race.

This practice may actually be detrimental to performance. A study found triathletes taking ibuprofen showed signs of kidney impairment, bacteria in the blood and higher levels of tissue inflammation.

The perceived pain and soreness levels felt by the non-users and ibuprofen users was found to be the same!

Anti-inflammatory medication was also found to slow the healing process of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones. They inhibit the production of prostaglandins that are involved in pain and also in the creation of collagen needed for tissue repair.

Will you think twice before popping a pain killer?

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Posted in Sports Nutrition, Triathlon training

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Back on form!

November 23rd, 2009

After 2 weeks off; One week of jet lag and laid up for a week with a kidney infection, which gave me chance to cleanse my body.

Today was my first day back to in the gym! I really feel like I’ve lost some cardio fitness, my legs felt grate, my chest tight. I’m easing myself in gently and only did a 20min run on the treadmill. I hope I have enough time over winter to be on form for my first triathlon next summer! My illness has given me even more incentive to look after my body and stick to a highly alkaline diet to keep the muscles healthy and lactic acid free, supplementing the diet with alkalising supplements including doc brocs, pHour salts and Terra phirma clay.

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Posted in Sports Nutrition, Triathlon training, Triathlon training log Month 3 Nov 09, Vegan diet

Essential Fatty Acids (omega 3 & 6) Essential for Athletes!

October 14th, 2009

 These essential fatty acids are needed for Energy production and Lactic Acid removal.

Fatty Acids actually neutralise dietary acids and lactic acid. They are also;

  • Build cell walls
  • Support White Blood Cells
  • Lubricate Joints
  • Insulate the body
  • Hold moisture in the skin
  • Improve brain function
  • Improve circulation
  • Support cell growth and generation (essential for recovery between training sessions
  • Lowers risk of heart attacks and strokes
  • Lowers Cholesterol
  • Are needed for weight loss
  • Lower cancer risk

These fatty acids really are essential!!

So where do we get them from a healthy, non animal source?

The best source of Omega 3 is EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which can be found in:

  • Flaxseed (Flaxseed can be eaten as oil, added to salad dressings or ground into a powder great for sprinkling on salads and porridge oats.
  • Hemp (Hemp oil can also be added to salads)
  • Walnut

Omega 6s (LA, CLA and GLA)

These are also good acid neutralisers and good to burn for energy.

They help you burn off unwanted body fat

They also lower blood pressure, cholesterol, risk of heart attack, stroke and obesity.

They also help prevent arthritis, relieve PMT and improve skin, hair and nails!

Therefore, as well as being full of energy your skin will glow and radiate!

The 2 key omega 6s are LA (linoleic acid) and (GLA) gammalinolenic acid.

LA is found in sesame, walnut, pumpkin, flax and hemp – seeds, nuts and oils

GLA is found in sunflower, evening primrose, blackcurrant and borage oils.

How I get my Essential Oils:

I add ground flaxseeds to m daily salad

I also add an omega oil to my salad dressing that contains: pumpkin, hemp, sesame, flax and evening primrose oils.

and in addition I supplement it with a capsule of Borage (Starflower) oil.

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Posted in Sports Nutrition, Triathlon training, Vegan diet

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Sugar free nutrition bar

October 12th, 2009

Not only am I a vegan athlete I am also sugar free. The latest nutritional theories and research I have been reading are finding that our bodies run on electricity (electrolytes) not sugar! Sugar gives us a false high which then results in a huge low afterwards giving our body an energy debt it needs to recover from, slowing exercise recovery.

The longer it takes to recover the longer we need to rest between training. The less rest we need the more we can train and the fitter become. Brendan Brazier, Vegan Iron Man Triathlete explains this well in his book The Thrive Diet, in the chapter on stress.

So what do we eat during exercise?

Raw, Sugar Free, Natural, Energy Bars

There are now sugar free bars readily available in health food shops and some supermarkets, the best ones I have tried are; Nakd and Trek, these bars are fantastic, reasonably priced, great tasting and sugar free nutrtion bars. I use them as energy bars during and after a long bike ride.

Brendan Brazier has created his own natural, raw, sugar free energy bars called Vega whole food energy bar. These are more pricey but when you check out there highly nutritious ingredients you can see why.

The cheaper alternative is to make your own. There are plenty of recipes for these in Brendan’s book, The Thrive Diet.

Some of the natural ingredientts in Brendan’s reciepes include:

 Dates

Raisins

Almonds

Blueberries

Flaxseed

Hemp Protein

Quinoa

Amaranth

Sunflower seeds

 I ensure I eat plenty of these in my diet, when I get in from training I often make a bowl of raw oats, dates raisins, almonds, ground flaxseeds, sunflower and pumpkins seeds with water. The first 45 mins after exercise is the window of oppertunity to restock the muscles with energy. I also have a glass of greens after a training session.

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Posted in Sports Nutrition, Triathlon training, Vegan diet

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Triathlon Training Log – Week 6

October 11th, 2009
Exercise Log – Week Beginning 5th October 2009
  Event Distance Time
Mon Swim 64 Lengths (pyramid session) 48mins
Tues Gym Cross trainer 15min

Treadmill  (interval training- 3min 11kph, 2min 12kph)

Spin on bike

Core Strength exercises

stretches

 15min

15min

 

15min
Weds Rest    
Thurs Forced rest

 

 Visit to the chiropractor  

 
Fri Forced rest    
Sat Cycle 10.6 miles 36min 06
Sun Cycle 16.5 miles

(Windy)

 1 hour 10 min 

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Posted in Triathlon training, Triathlon training log Month 2 - Oct 09

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A visit to the Chiropractor – Cycling & back pain

October 8th, 2009

Whilst increasing the miles on the bike I’ve recently experienced alot of back pain upper and lower, when on the bike it aches between the shoulder blades and during my last ride it felt like the bike was wonky! I new it couldn’t be the bike it had to be me that was wonky.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve had my spine re-aligned by an osteopath so I knew it was overdue.

I’ve never been to a Chiropractor before today but this one came highly recommended and called himself a McTimoney Chiropractor, a gentler form of Chiropractic.

One look at me and he showed how much my pelvis was out of alignment giving me a leg length difference and the wonky feeling when on the bike. I also drift off in one direction whilst swimming and suffer from reoccurring one sided hamstring strains whilst running, turns out it’s all down to the pelvis.

So I was re-aligned and it was gentle, a little bit of ‘cracking’ but pain free. I was advised not to exercise for 2 days so to nights swim has been postponed and now my backs feeling sorer than before, I’ve been reassured I’ll feel great in the morning! I hope so…and surely of my skeleton is in a better position and I’m not pulling in one direction my times will improve!

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Posted in Triathlon training, Triathlon training log Month 2 - Oct 09

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Triathlon training log – Week 5

October 4th, 2009
Exercise Log – Week Beginning 28th September 2009
  Event Distance Time
Mon Rest    
Tues Gym Cross trainer 15min

Treadmill  (interval training- 3min 11kph, 2min 12kph)

 15min

20min
Weds Rest    
Thurs Swim

 

 64 Lengths (pyramid session)

Sauna

 49mins

 
Fri Rest    
Sat Run

Cycle

 3.8miles (head wind)

10 miles

 32min 14

43min 27
Sun Cycle 26miles 1 hour 41

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Posted in Triathlon training, Triathlon training log Month 2 - Oct 09

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Triathlon training log – Week 4

September 29th, 2009
Exercise Log – Week Beginning September 21st 2009
  Event Distance Time
Mon Rest    
Tues Gym Cross trainer 15min

run outside

  

20min
Weds Rest    
Thurs Swim

Cycle

 Floats (kicking & float between legs)

20miles

 30mins

 
Fri Rest    
Sat Cycle

Swim

 10 miles

54 lengths

 40mins

40mins
Sun Run

Cycle

 3.8miles

26miles

 32mins 59

1 hour 55

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Posted in Training Log Month 1 -Sept 09, Training programme, Triathlon training

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Alcohol Reduces Sports Performance

September 27th, 2009

Since starting Triathlon training nearly 4 weeks ago I haven’t touched alcohol as I do not want to miss a training session.

My training partner (boyfriend, Jon) was chilling out with some red wine last night and I decided against it, knowing we had a big day ahead today, 3.8mile run and 26 mile bike, (also still recovering from yesterdays 10mile bike and 1350m swim!) 

Usually on our Sunday morning run he is much stronger and faster than me. Today he ran out of steam at only 2 miles. I left him behind and continued my run feeling strong.

The yeast in alcohol feeds on the food inside us giving us a huge dip in energy and blood sugars the morning after the night before. After drinking it is common to feel really hungry and crave stodgy carbs!

Alcohol is also so acidic it can make our blood sticky and sticky blood moves slower around our bodies, defintely not a reciepe for peak performance!

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Posted in Triathlon training, Vegan diet