Last weekend I had the pleasure of watching the Olympic Marathon trials.  Call me crazy but there is something magical and mesmerizing about watching the best runners is the US work for two plus hours displaying perfect form.

Seen in the headlines is only 2 time Marathoner Shalene Flanagan breaking the Olympic trial record and Kara Goucher going back to the Olympics just 18 months after giving birth.  What wasn’t apparent in the headlines is the previous record holder to Shalene.

30 year old Flanagan, broke the 8-year-old Olympic Trials Record of none other than Colleen De Rouck.  Who is Colleen you ask?  8 years ago she set the Record at the age of 39.  This year she placed 35^th at the age of 47 out of 180 woman who qualified to race trials.  The next time you run a marathon, tell me how many 47 year olds you see that can qualify for the Olympic trials running a 2:30 marathon.  Simply amazing!

As I turned 40 in November of last year, contemplating what the future holds for me regarding the Ironman I can’t help but be motivated and inspired by Colleen and others.  Just 2 years ago at the age of 45 she finished 8^th in the Boston Marathon.  She didn’t grab a headline or a podium finish but her longevity speaks volumes for those of you thinking……it’s been a long time since my last PR.

Before racing the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona this year I was determined to knock off 6 minutes and break the amateur world record.  A big task?  Consider, there were only 2 women in the history of the event that have ever broken the 10-hour barrier in Kona at the age of 40.  Karen Smyers and Fernanda Keller (according to my husbands research).  Somehow, I was convinced I could break the big 10!  Maybe it’s me hanging on to my youth, maybe it’s my husband who calculates my splits, maybe I simply think I’m only one year older, or maybe I just can’t give into age holding me back.  In the end I joined them in breaking the sub 10 hour barrier at the age of 40 along with Beate Goertz also in my age group and Natasha Badman who raced Pro!  My finishing time was eleven minutes faster then our previous age group world record!  However, Goertz at the age of 42 topped everyone and  is now the Amateur IM World Record holder!

As we get older we look back on our accomplishments with many of them seeming like they were a long, long time ago.  Chalk up slowing times to age or joints that aren’t as smooth.  Our lives continue to get busier with children and our careers.   I reflect on my Ironman last year wondering where the road leads.  I sat back and watched Colleen in awe.  A 2:36 marathon trials, a 2:30 qualifier at the age of 47.  Are you kidding me?  She may not know it but she just lit a fire in this 40 year old.  Thanks Colleen, for your inspiration.  Thanks to her husband Darren, who coached me a few years ago.  Thanks to all of you over 40 who are still giving it your all and have the dream.   Many people ask me if I’m done racing in Kona, but my heart, spirit and smile tell them I haven’t seen the last of the Queen K.

Did you know that Timex Multisport athletes train on average 19 hours per week to achieve their goals? Proper goal-setting (in addition to smart training) is one of the keys to success in endurance sports. Check out some of the individual goals for Team Timex in 2012. Which one’s your favorite? How are you challenging yourself this year?

• Barry Siff: To better my PR at 70.3, and go sub 1:30 in the half-marathon (at age 57)
• Brian Schaning: Qualify for Ironman 70.3 World Championship
• Bo Parrish: Qualify for Kona!
• Cassie Maximenko: Give the 70.3 distance a try, finish top 5 in a Women’s UCI Cyclocross Race
• Daniel Brienza: Dominate :)
• Dave Orlowski: I have leukemia and have been designated honored athlete for 30 athletes from San Diego Leukemia society who are raising $500k toward the cure and doing IM New Zealand in 2012 which I will do with them.
• Dennis Meeker: Try and make it back to Kona 2012
• Erin Kummer: STAY HEALTHY, train smart, be a good ambassador, go to new races and kick butt :)
• Gwen Jorgensen: have fun!
• Jackie Arendt: Win an IM or 70.3 race
• Keegan Williams: Win a IM distance race
• Kyle Marcotte: Do more ironmans than Luis.  This may not be a realistic goal.
• Laura Tingle: To go sub 10 hours in an Ironman
• Mac Brown: Qualify for Kona and have fun doing it!
• Mark Vermeersch: Win an outright amateur title, qualify for Kona and compete for a victory at Norseman
• Susanne Davis: Run a sub 3 hour Marathon and keep the PR’s coming
• Tim Hola: Compete in Kona for the 14th year in a row.
• Toby Radcliffe: To put a chronic run injury behind me and have a solid season with a few Ironamn PBs in the 8 something range
• Trista Francis: Place top 5 in the World in Auckland at the ITU AG World Championships
• Wendy Mader: Repeat of 2011, injury free and solid training , Sub 3 hour marathon, sub 10 hour 50 miler

For many triathletes, or at least the ones smart enough to list to their coach, friends, family, science, the experts, trainers, and the countless other authorities on the subject, around now is the time of year that we take a bit of down time. A week or two or three of no training. Time to rest, both physically and mentally. Let your body completely recover and recharge and let your mental energy levels do the same. Many articles, blogs, and other pieces have been written on the topic, but I think most of them miss some of the most key reasons to take a break from training.

Below are 10 additional benefits of taking down time that the “experts” don’t tell you about:

1. You finally have time to watch all 3 Lord of the Rings movies (including deleted scenes) straight through
2. You finally have time to practice your celebrity impersonations while reading The Night Before Christmas
3. You finally have time to read War and Peace in one sitting
4. You finally have time to learn the alphabet backwards
5. You finally have time to do all those little things that have been piling up around the house; such as clipping the dogs toenails, discovering what that smell is behind the fridge, and cleaning out your belly button lint
6. You finally have time to try out all those recipes that you have been eyeing on ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com
7. You finally have time to feed your goldfish… who apparently died three months ago from not feeding him, but you didn’t notice. So I guess you now have time to go get a new one
8. You finally have time to count all the holes in the ceiling panels at the dentists office (even if you don’t have an appointment to see the dentist until April)
9. You finally have time to make that life size model of Abraham Lincoln out of Multigrain Cheerios
10. You finally have time to sit down and attempt to be funny and creative while writing a blog about doing nothing for 2 weeks

Do you have any other reasons I may have missed about why some down time is good for you?

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

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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.

If I don’t ride my mountain bike often enough during the winter, I sometimes forget this…

38 minutes to the top of the climb. This is a 1 hour ride, so I’m gonna have to rip it to get back! Just as the song changes, the gears change. Pop it up to the big blade, click the remote lockout to set the fork to active, and zip up the jersey. Let’s do this! Stand up and blast out 500 watts or so to set the rig into motion. Wonder if my tire pressure is right? Guess I’ll find out. Hit the little kicker just to the side of the trail and catch a little bit of air. Immediately stand back up out of the saddle and hammer into the first 180 degree turn. Back tire slides a little, but holds as another 500 or so watts are slammed into the peddles. Time to really rip up this descent!

Heart starts really pumping with a tight right, quick left, hop off a little riser, and another sharp right. Music thumping in the ears, the bike flows over and around the jagged rocks cemented into the dry Colorado dirt. Thread the needle, thread the needle, thread the needle. The tiniest error would result in a busted peddle or god forbid, scratched rim, as the bike darts through the catawampus pile of stones. In a smooth flowing rise from the saddle, the peddles continue to transfer power to the ground  as the trail becomes almost smooth looking with the unstoppable 29er wheels. Faster and faster the trees fly by. Closer and closer they get to the handle bars, but the thought of clipping one doesn’t even exist.

Another tight 180 degree turn. Hit the brakes just enough to slow down to a perfectly ludicrous cornering speed, while dropping through an off-camber washed out section. Release the front break and look 15 feet down the trail to the small drop into a rock garden and mishmash of roots. No need to think. The bike knows. The body knows. The reactions are so natural, the potentially wheel taco-ing obstacles pass in mere seconds as the eyes focus on the next challenge ahead. The heart thumps louder as the senses scream WOOHOO!

Advancing on another banked left turn, the left shoulder dips, the outside foot drops, and the gaze is on the exit of the corner. Both tires slide ever so slightly as another chain snapping acceleration is set into motion. Down into the saddle and time to flow. Right, left, right, left. The bike flicks side to side faster than the blink of an eye. Inches from stead fast trees, the bars continue to snap side to side as the peddle stroke is coordinated to just barely miss sharp rocks. Everything is flowing as one. Smooth and connected. Body, mind, bike, tires, terrain. It all flows together.

Now for the fun part! The horizon drops away to reveal a mine field of tire slicing, ear-to-ear smile-producing rocks, with multiple routes to descend through. No time to stop and pick the best line, momentum has the upper hand. Out of the saddle, weight shifted back over the rear tire, and fingers balanced above the break levers, the 29er relishes the gnarly landscape as it soaks up the bumps. Fear is running as fast as it can to catch up, but there it has no hope of it keeping pace. Exhilaration courses through the veins as the speed increases, the reactions become quicker, and the effort becomes… well… effortless. This is it. I am in my element.

Picking the line is so inherent that the focus goes to the song on the iPod, rather than the hazards ahead. Fitting as Born This Way by Lady Gaga lays down a base line that continues to keep the euphoric feelings coursing through the body. A smile stretches wide as the bike leaves the ground to float over the rubble. Touching down, the feet level back out to keep the crank arms parallel to the ground. Faster. Faster! FASTER! No brakes necessary. The scenery is but a blur as the sole focus of the eyes is on the trail ahead. Then the saddest part of the entire trail approaches… the end.

Dropping back into the saddle as the tires touch the pavement, one thought cements itself - That was why I do what I do. I A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y love the thrill that comes from the realization that passion led me down that hill.

Can’t wait to do it again tomorrow…