Each year, many endurance newbies discover just how cool the tri world is – and how expensive it can be. Between the basic gear (running shoes, a bike, helmet, swimsuit, cap, goggles), without all the bells and whistles (road bike, tri bike, aerobars, aero helmet, wetsuit, and race wheels, to name a few) plus race registrations (generally around $150-$650 vs. $50-$90 for running event) even folks like me who have been doing this for 20 years are opting out of some triathlons for running events to save some money.

As with all tough budget decisions, you should evaluate and answer the “want” vs. “need” question. I’ve found there are very few “needs” in the tri world, but a whole lot of wants. I also see people spending lots of money to buy themselves speed and weight savings. In some classes of athletes, or for those with the money to burn, this can be justified; but for the average mid- to back-of-the-pack crowd, “investing” time and effort in training, rather than buying the latest, greatest gear can produce results you can be proud of.

There is no shortage of ways to spend money, but there are always alternatives that are good enough or that will work to get you through. This applies to all areas, from equipment to nutrition. Personally, I like to keep it simple and basic and I’ve saved a lot of money and still manage perform at a level I am very happy with.

I suggest examining your gear budget before your race fee and nutrition budget. Between wetsuits, bikes, trainers, heart rate monitors, and all the other stuff you can easily get caught up in the early-adopter/gadget-obsession frenzy and spend a fortune outside of race fees. To save on gear, look for used gear on eBay, Craigslist, and Slowtwitch. Along with off-season specials at your local tri store.

Gear budget: 
• When choosing road or tri bike, if you can’t afford both, road is more versatile. No matter what people tell you, you don’t need a bike with a five-figure price tag.
• When looking at a less-expensive aluminum bike vs. a more-expensive carbon bike, both are light, and fit is more important, not the cost of the bike.
• If you really want race wheels, borrow or rent them instead of purchasing them.
• Choose a race with a pool swim over an open water swim if you don’t want to rent or buy a wetsuit.
• Choose a warm-water open water swim vs. a cold-water swim to save on wetsuit rental/purchase.
• Running shoe fit is most important, not the brand of shoe. Remember, pros are sponsored and don’t pay for their shoes, so you don’t need to choose your shoe based on what the pros are wearing.
• Don’t buy specialized clothing you don’t actually need. For things you do need, look to Target or other stores for options that will be “good enough” to do the job.
• If you join a tri club, they may have negotiated discounts you can take advantage of as a member.
• If anyone asks what you want for your birthday, Christmas, your anniversary, etc., ask for tri stuff that you need.

Race fee budget:
• Volunteer at an event. Many times you will earn a free entry.
• Be sure to register early to avoid fee increases closer to race day. Many events increase registration fees in January, March and May.
• Participate in smaller races (Sprint and Olympic distances). Look on trifind.com or active.com to find the local races.
• Look at non-branded races. You can spend $625 a year in advance for one race or spend the same amount to race three events, and wait to register two months before the race if you go to non-branded races.
• Plan your race calendar early and research when fees go up.
• Find a club that puts on “training races.” These are often pretty competitive and are free, or very low cost.
• Doing races closer to home means no airfares, less gas, no hotel costs, and no need to eat out.

Nutrition budget: 
• If you are going to use top-name nutrition products, buy in bulk and only use them during training, not as meals or snacks. It gets expensive not on race day, but while you consume these products during training.
• If your workout lasts less than two hours, don’t bother with energy product nutrition. Just eat normally throughout the day and you will have enough fuel to go the distance with no ill-effects.
• Skip the brand-name energy programs and try “real” food. Fig newtons, peanut butter sandwiches, fruit, etc. are cheaper alternatives.
• Try chocolate milk for recovery.
• Consider water+electrolyte tabs for hot/humid days (which tend to be less expensive than bottled drinks).

I also suggest spending some time thinking and evaluating why and what you specifically like most about tris. If it’s being with the people or the training or living the healthy lifestyle, those are things that don’t cost money. If it’s all about the racing and winning for you, you’ll probably spend more money. As a coach, my experience is that most age groupers get a lot more out of their training experiences and the social scene around their club

For most of us, triathlon season ends in September, unless we go on to race the World Championships or a late-season race like Arizona or Cozumel. Most of us take time off after our last race of the year to reflect on the season, set goals for 2012, and establish some objectives to help get us there.

Besides all the planning (whether we use pen and paper, spreadsheets, or apps) December is a great time to start preparing your body physically for the 2012 season. What does this mean? For me, this preparation phase is more about what it does not include. I won’t jump into cold water, ride my bike with multiple layers or run much more than I have to to keep the dogs from getting cabin fever.

The preparation phase consists of both general and specific training. General includes functional strength training for increased stability, mobility, balance and muscle/core strength. Specific preparation involves improving your efficiency in the pool and on the road through skills and drills. Workouts are kept short and focused on technique.

Before you focus on sports-specific training, consider strength training, which enables you to control force loads without the variables of your sport. This is not only safe and effective, it’s also time efficient. If your gym is in your house, negating all travel issues, the time element is further enhanced. (For me and the athletes I coach, general preparation includes training with TRX or BeachBody home-based fitness DVDs.)

Tips:

-BeachBody’s newest home-based fitness DVD designed for endurance athletes is P90X2. Physiological P90X2 focus areas include improvements in strength, speed, agility and quickness. The phases in P90X2 are much more diverse and specifically targeted than those in the original P90X. Phase I creates the foundation, Phase II improves strength, Phase III increases power.

-The TRX system, originally created by a Navy SEAL, consists of adjustable straps with two handles that you connect to an overhead anchor. The portability of the suspension straps allows you to train anywhere—from your home to a hotel room. This system is unique in that it simultaneously trains and develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability. Use the TRX and your own body weight to perform many of the classic exercises (lunges, squats, push-ups, abs, etc.), but with the added instability, every exercise incorporates core strength and balance.

Once strength training helps your tendons, ligaments and bones become stronger, turn to sport-specific preparation (skills and drills) before you start to build volume and intensity.

Swim skills

With this discipline, patience with technique and endurance will lead to strength and speed. By zeroing in on the five phases of the stroke (breathing, body balance/rotation/kick, recovery phase, hand entry phase, pull phase) you can accelerate your progress in the water.

Schedule a few private lessons. Find a coach that has access to an underwater camera to film you under and above the water. If you can see what you are doing wrong, that will help you understand what you need to change. Based on your technique limiter, your coach can give you specific drills to help you improve your recovery, hand entry and under water pull, instead of just doing the same drills that your masters swim class does.

Bike skills

As for the bike, pedaling drills will help you to learn to how to efficiently apply forces throughout all four phases or your pedal stroke. When pedaling, fully focus on moving one pedal through each of the following four distinct phases: downstroke, backstroke, upstroke, and over-the-top stroke.

Downstroke: This part comes most naturally when riding. Focus on exerting a strong downward push of the pedal, but be smooth—don’t mash them.

Backstroke: As you feel your foot approaching the bottom of the downstroke, focus on pulling your foot backward parallel to the ground. This is often equated to the sensation of scraping mud off your shoes.

Upstroke: Don’t focus on pulling the pedal up. Rather, as soon as your foot approaches the end of the backstroke, focus on rapidly driving your knee towards your handlebars. Think of it as driving forward rather than pulling up. Driving your leg forward moves it in the optimal biomechanical pattern for this phase of the pedal stroke.

Over-the-top stroke: Focus simply on feeling the transition point where the momentum from your drive towards the handlebars just begins to cease. At this point, initiate the strong downward push of the pedal in the downstroke. All you are doing in this phase is creating a quick, seamless transition from upstroke to downstroke.

Run skills

When it comes to running, the basic technique variables are cadence, foot strike and forward lean. Aim for between 85 to 95 foot strikes a minute, landing on your midfoot (not heel or toe) with a slight lean forward from your ankles. As with swimming, it’s helpful to get someone to film you so you can see how you actually run. (Click hereto watch a video from triathlon coach Jesse Kropelnicki on developing proper run mechanics.)

• Your head should be erect, with eyes focused forward to a point on the ground about 20 to 30 meters away

• The shoulders should be square and level. Do not round your shoulders or swing them forwards or backwards

• Arms should be swinging freely but in a general forwards/backwards. Elbows should be bent approximately 90 degrees with forearms remaining roughly parallel to the ground

• Hands are held in a relaxed fist with the thumb resting on the forefinger

• The torso should be erect, with chest up and plenty of room for the diaphragm to move for proper breathing actions

• The hips should be square and level with no sideways movement

• The leg action should be relaxed, with pendular movements and moderate knee lift

• The feet should be pointed straight ahead and land directly under the hips

In the preparation phase, frequency of workouts is more important then duration. As you get tired, your form often gets sloppy so keep sessions short: 30 minute swims and runs, and 30-60 minute rides. Depending on your schedule, aim for two to four sessions per sport per week, with more sessions in your weaker sport. Most people like to swim and run on the same day and bike on alternating days. Keep intensity low and practice with a purpose.

Sample workouts:

Swim: Warm up for 10 minutes, then do a drill set 8×50 (25 drill one for recovery phase, one for entry phase and one for pull phase) with 25 swim incorporating the focus of the drill into your stroke. Swim a main set up to 1000 yards, then cool down.

Bike: Warm up 10 minutes then 4 x (30 second one leg only/30 second both legs) then 4x (30″ fast spin/30″ easy). Main Set 4×4′ alternating big gear standing for 1 minute with little gear seated fast spinning 100rpms. Cool down.

Run: Find a soft surface and warm up for 10 minutes. Then do high knee, butt skips, and skip drills for 20 feet at a time. Then run for 15 minute alternating two minutes easy, and 20-30 seconds with quick feet and leg turnover. Cool down 5-10 minutes.

After about four to eight weeks of strength, skills and drills you will be ready to build up your distance with good form.

_________________

This article was written by Wendy Mader, edited by Lava Magazine Read

Don’t have LAVA? Subscribe today!

Wendy Mader is co-founder and owner of t2coaching and has made a lifelong commitment to fitness, sports, coaching, and triathlon. From her youth as a competitive swimmer to her current career in the fitness industry, her dedication to multisport comes through in everything she does. She has 18 years of experience in triathlon.

I have never been so cold for so long, and so sore post-race, as I was Saturday after finishing the Run Rabbit Run 50-Mile Ultra. I cried while walking/jogging the last six miles downhill because I was in so much pain and so cold. I cried at the finish line because I was so happy to be done.

This is a long report, pretty much a summary of my 2011 racing season. I believe my strength and endurance, as well as my speed, has been great this season. I feel even more fit than in 2008, the year I won the Ironman in Kona. Since I planned this year not to go to Kona, I found myself struggling somewhat with training, which ended up being exactly what I needed to get super fit and strong.

My racing season kicked off early in June with the Boulder Sunrise Olympic Distance triathlon.The next weekend was the Kansas 70.3, where I earned a slot to Vegas Worlds. I then had six weeks of Ironman-specific training in preparation for Lake Placid in July. In August I surprised myself with my speed and strength through back-to-back races the 27th and 28th at the Boulder Irongirl and the Steamboat Triathlon, both wins. I was very confident about my next race, the 70.3 Worlds in Vegas on September 11th, and even more excited about my 50-miler the weekend after Vegas.

My Reason for Running an Ultra
After struggling with the marathon in Ironman Lake Placid (despite feeling, pre-race, so fit and confident that I would have a great marathon) I wanted to do a something different. I did not want to worry about racing, and wanted to do an event where speed did not matter.

The day after Lake Placid, I signed up for the Horsetooth 10k open water swim. I felt completely recovered one week after Ironman Lake Placid and went into the 10k swim excited about experiencing the unknown. The most difficult part about the swim was my lack of swim training. I had the strength and endurance, I just lacked the repetitive motion of swim stroking. I finished under my goal time of three hours, with thoughts of doing other ultra swim in 2012. Two weeks after the swim, I was ready for a new challenge, this time with running. I never had any desire to do an Ultra run. I rarely run on trails, and I am horrible at downhill running.

In 2010 I paced my friend Fred during the Leadville 100. That amounted to a slow walk from mile 60 to 77. I questioned why anyone would want to participate in 100-mile run if they walk the last 50 miles of it. In Fred’s case, he is going for 10 Leadville finishes, so he does not have a time goal, just a finish goal. That year I thought maybe for my 40th birthday I would run an Ultra; but why wait?

Why Run Rabbit Run in Steamboat?
I choose to do the Run Rabbit Run this year in Steamboat because the race did not interrupt my Ironman training. Because of my connection with Fred, the race director gave me a spot.

Training leading up to the 50 miler:
I ended up signing up late (on August 20) for RRR because of my full summer of triathlon races. My training was my typical triathlon training. The marathon at Lake Placid was my longest run. I look the last week of July as pretty casual recovery time, then in August I focused on training for 70.3 Vegas Worlds . I ran two trail runs of Old Flowers Road after riding up Rist Canyon (my Brick Sandwiches). I raced Irongirl and Steamboat Olympic Distance Triathlons, then Boulder Sunset, pulling an Athletes in Tandem partner. I ran my fastest 5k ever on Labor Day (18:35), then raced Vegas 70.3 Worlds the following weekend before heading up to Steamboat for my first Ultra.

I got a little nervous the week before Run Rabbit Run, and emailed three of my friends who each recently did their first Ultra, asking them about their training and nutrition. I told them I was writing an article and needed their feedback. No one knew I was running a 50 miler.

I had met Joy Rasmussen, former race director for the Steamboat Triathlon, at the Steamboat Triathlon three weeks earlier. She invited me up to Steamboat to give a presentation to the Steamboat Triathletes on the Thursday evening before RRR. Joy did a great job promoting my talk.

Since I was already signed up for Run Rabbit Run, I drove to Steamboat Thursday night and did the talk, then hung out and rested in her beautiful home. I woke up early on Saturday, ran 50 miles, then drove back to Fort Collins Saturday night following the post-race celebration. The entire trip went fast and was surreal.

Race day:
The weather forecast called for rain, and it was pouring at 3:00 a.m., although it stopped by 6:00 a.m., the race start time. This was the 5th year of Run Rabbit Run, and conditions are typically dry and sunny. After viewing pictures on the website, I was looking to the scenery occupying my mind

At the start line, fellow runners were telling me that I was over dressed and would be too hot running uphill the first six miles. I did not care, I’d rather be too warm than too cold. I was one of only a very few that covered my legs. I was wearing tri shorts, my Timex leg warmers, a long-sleeved shirt with my Timex vest, and my Newton Trail shoes. I had two hats and (two pair of?) gloves in my Nathan pack, along with candy, gum and my phone for photos. My special needs bag – I mean my drop bag – had an extra pair of socks and shoes, along with my Timex jacket and another pair of gloves.

The first 6.5 miles is a 3,300-foot climb up winding switchbacks at the Steamboat Ski Resort to Storm Peak. Many runners were power hiking the whole way up. I am way too slow to power hike, so I kept a 90 one foot strike cadence running uphill, and did not walk the entire way. Same with the downill sections, I tried to keep my quick cadence the entire 50 miles. Quick feet and high knees I attribute to my Insanity workouts. Whether running uphill or downhill, my focus was keeping my feet moving as fast as possible. I ran to the top in just under 90 minutes and felt fine. The temperature dropped a tad at the top of Storm Peak at 10,000 feet, and it was foggy so I could not see much. I took the descent slow and pulled into mile 13 around at 2:40, 25% done! I drank some coke and water (a new mixture I tried at Vegas 70.3 the previous weekend) and ate some fig Newtons and mini cinnamon rolls, that was my treat at each aid station.

I continued to the next aid station at mile 18. Ken and Fred where there to greet me. Ken helped fill my Nathan pack with water, gave me some salt tabs, and sent me on my way to mile 22, Dumont, where spectators and drop bags were located. Then the rain started to come down. It was not yet that cold and I did not pull out my rain jacket. I would proceed and get my drop bag on the return trip at mile 28.

I was 100% focused on getting to the turnaround at Rabbit Ears Pass, mile 25, in under six hours. The steepest climb of the day was from mile 23 to mile 25, the first time I had to walk. I was slipping and sliding – conditions of the trail were ugly. I had to hold onto tree branches as I made my way up and back down. This was the hardest part of the day so far. At the top of Rabbit Ears, I put on my rain jacket as it started to snow. My hands were so cold I could barely zip my jacket or snap a photo with my phone. The fog was too dense to see much. I texted my husband, Don, that I had reached the turn-around poing at 5 hours and 20 minutes. If I could stay on this pace, I would break 11 hours. I walked back down the climb at the same pace I walked up – not very fast. The trail was too slick to run.

At mile 28, back at Dumont, I stopped to get my gloves out of my drop bag and went to the bathroom for the first time. For the most part, I had run alone most of the day, which made for a tough second 25 miles.

The next four miles had me running though puddles and streams with no way to keep my feet warm. My second pair of gloves were soaked, the rain was coming down harder, and the temperature was dropping. I was shivering. It took about an hour to cover those four miles. At mile 32, I was elated to have run this far, and to have only 18 miles to go. I took off my soaked gloves and noticed my fat fingers and worried about hypoatremia, a metabolic condition in which there is not enough sodium (salt) in the body fluids outside the cells. Common symptoms include: Abnormal mental status Confusion; Decreased consciousness; Hallucinations…so I made sure to eat chips and fill my pack with electrolyte mix.

The next five miles seemed like 10 and was the most challenging part of the day. There was increased wind at my face, stream crossings, climbing to a higher elevation and more snow. I was not having that much fun, could not enjoy the scenery, and could not run faster then 15-minute miles. I hate being cold.

At the mile 37 aid station, a volunteer gave me her husband’s gloves and helped pulled by hat from my Nathan pack. Only 13 miles to finish and I was at 8 hours, 10 minutes leaving that aid station. My goal was to make it to mile 44 at 10 hours, then breeze the last six miles downhill. I ate fig newtons, cookies, and more to help keep my body temperature up because I knew it would be two hours before I reached the next aid station.

I took off and felt good for a couple miles, then I was mentally and physically done. I did not look at my watch. I walked a lot during this seven-mile stretch, my heart rate dropped, and I was just cold. My motivation to run was to keep warm while trying to maintain a 15-minute-mile pace. Finally, I looked at my watch: 9 hours 55 minutes. I turned the corner, saw the last aid station tent, and Don.

Don was a volunteer EMT for the race. He started his shift at 5:00 a.m., and waited for me to get back to that aid station. I asked him to walk the last six miles with me. My quads were shot and I knew I had no ability to run downhill.

He gave me his jacket and gloves. I could not stop crying because I was so cold and my entire body hurt. I could not move fast enough to stay warm. I was so happy Don was with me at this point. We walked about two miles in 50 minutes. I looked at my watch – 10:50 – and got the mental energy to get my legs moving because finishing under 12 hours was still achievable. I started to trot downhill, dropping Don behind me. As we approached lower elevations it got warmer and that gave me energy to jog. I had tears running down my cheek as I finished, this time tears of joy to have completed a 50-mile run.

My final thoughts on Ultra and Ironman Training.
1. Training for Ironman prepared me to complete a 50-mile run. Ironman training involves the same strength and endurance and nutritional components required for a 50-mile trail run. What I lacked in my training is sport specificity, especially for the challenges of the RRR run course at elevation. I obviously knew I would have been better off training up and down the hills of Horsetooth Mountain Park, Towers Road, or similar terrain to strengthen my legs and improve my downhill running skills so I did not have to walk the last six miles.

2. I am convinced my alternative BeachBody p90x and Insanity programs strengthened my tendons, ligaments, and stabilizing muscles that gave me more confidence that my body would hold up to an Ultra run

3. I doubt training for an Ultra run alone will help my Ironman speed and fitness. I can’t say I want to do the typical 50-mile training schedule involving back-to-back long runs on the weekend (20 plus then 10-20 miles the next day).

4. If I do another 50 mile run I will commit to running on trails and focus on trail-specific uphill and downhill miles and technique. I will also continue biking because I enjoy it – biking strengthened my quads, which helped get me up over the hills.

5. I was conservative, running 12-15 minute miles for my first Ultra. I would have had more fun if I was faster, so that’s something for me to think about before I run another one.

Thank yo to my sponsors Timex, Newton and Powerbar for supporting me though my 2011 season full of adventures!

Special thanks to Joy Rasmussen for making me feel at home while in Steamboat and thank you to Fred Abramowitz for allowing me to enter his race.

My last triathlon of 2011 was in Vegas at the 70.3 World Championships. I qualified at the Kansas70.3 in June. I was looking forward to this event. My confidence and fitness were strong after a solid back-to-back races at Irongirl and the Steamboat triathlon two weeks earlier. I also ran my fastest 5k ever, 18:35, on Labor Day.

Race day brought warm water temperatures which made the swim was non-wetsuit. I wore my Orca speedsuit and felt pretty good. I missed the draft off the two lead swimmers and swam alone. Not my fastest 1.2 miles, at 29 minutes, but good enough to quickly transition and take the lead on the bike.