10 Post-Training Recovery Methods

What happens after training is as important as what occurs before it. Recovery methods help us ready ourselves for the next session. In the hours leading up to the next strenuous session, what we do can spell the difference between a good or better session.
1)    Hydrate and rehydrate. Water is a key nutrient for recovery. It is one of the six nutrients required for life. Many biochemical reactions in our body rely on water as a medium. Be mindful that you can be dehydrated during long swim sessions.
2)    Within 30-60 minutes of cessation of exercise, consume ample quantities of carbohydrates and protein. Cellular repair and glycogen replenishment begins as soon as you stop all strenuous activity.
3)    Quick-fixes for carbohydrate-protein meals after exercise include chocolate milk, meat-based rice porridge, fruit and yoghurt, or a whey protein shake (like Muscle Milk). Power-gels or a Power-Bar is a good stand-by source of ready-to-eat nutrients. 
4)    Load up on natural sources of antioxidant-laden food like fruit and nuts. Polyphenols, found in fruit juices like pomegranate, concord grape, blueberries and tart cherry can help reduce muscle soreness. Chocolate and red wine also contain these natural chemicals. You can buy these from major supermarkets like Giant and NTUC in the organic, health-food section. 
5)    If you are into popping of pills, then a multi-vitamin and mineral blend helps. Vitamins A, C and E are useful anti-oxidation nutrients that also protect the heart.
6)    Smaller meals comprising carbohydrates and protein are probably more useful than humungous meals that bog you down.
7)    Raise your feet up – against the wall. Gravity delivers the residual lactic acid back to your liver for reprocessing. This was a favourite passive recovery method of competitive cyclist, Greg Lemonde.
8)    Spinning on a stationary-bicycle can be most rewarding as it recycles the lactic acid that dwells in muscles, and flushes impurities and toxins out of fatigued muscles.
9)    Sleep is under-rated. Aim for uninterrupted sleep, in a dark room, with temperature set to cool. The nutrient melatonin may be useful if you still are experiencing a buzz from an evening workout.
10) Stretching, yoga and self-massage may aid recovery. It puts the muscles in a relaxed and less tensed state. Why deny your self of relief from pain and discomfort?

10 Things About Training For Your First Ironman Triathlon

1)    World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) organizes the M-Dot series of Ironman. Non-M-Dot races may be less expensive and you are more likely to get an entry spot. European races are transferrable within the EU for a mild transfer fee. There are currently no more Asia-based races; only in Australia and New Zealand.

2)    It would be best to link your vacation to a race, or the cost to race alone would be punitive. You may want to bring your spouse along to experience the event.

3)    With a consistent base of one year of endurance training, it takes about 16-20 weeks to prepare adequately for an Ironman race.

4)    You will require at least 12-15 hours per week of training for your preparation. Some weeks are ‘easier’ weeks, with possibility of twice-a-day sessions (depending on your work schedule).

5)    If it is your first time, it will make more sense to use the services of an online coach. Select an expert who has raced a similar race before, and who may fit your profile.

6)    In training, you will have to cover at least 180-200K in your longest ride, 4K in your swim, and up to 32-34K in your longest run. Include shorter, local races as preparation.

7)    You will access your nutritional needs during these long run and ride sessions. How much you consume during the longer legs will be determined during training. Use products you trained with.

8)    Never use new equipment or nutritional products on race-day. Break in your wetsuit early (at least three times in training before the race).

9)    Do core and strength training as part of your weekly preparation – over and above your core training. Focus on flexibility, core strength, and weight-bearing resistance exercise.

10) Once you confirm your race application, do book your accommodation early. These sell out early if they are situated near the race-site. Longer distances may involve rental of vehicle.

No Pain, No Gain is Out-Dated

I recall in the 1980’s – due to the emergence of the aerobic-dance movement – the term ‘No pain, no gain’ was successfully promoted and promulgated by actress-activist, Jane Fonda. Her mantra included ‘feel the burn’, which referred to the lactic acid searing cause by repetitive resistance work. Through time, even bodybuilders sang the song of ‘no pain, no gain’ as a means to an end. It was not funny when some muscle-heads collapsed under the sheer weight of their egos and weight-stacks.

Pain is a major indicator that something may have gone wrong within our body. Pain is detected through nerve endings and our central nervous system (brain and peripheral nervous system). Pain is detected on our skins and deep within our organs. It can be described as acute or chronic – is it sudden and short-lived, or long and debilitating?

As endurance athletes, we learn to cope with varying levels of pain and discomfort. We can build some tolerance to lower levels of pain, or by directing our focus elsewhere. Pain may indicate that we are alive, yet prolonged pain suggests a forewarning. Western medicine treats the symptoms of pain, but fails to address the organic causes of it. If we attend to the cause of the pain, we can reduce its impact on our well-being. Being pain-less and pain-free can be a precursor of a blissful state.

Deliberately creating pain for pain-sake may not be useful. There are other useful ways of inducing pain to draw upon abject lessons. Pain from physical fatigue can teach us discipline, determination, patience and tolerance. Inflicting pain on others can reflect on our poor leadership, character and lack of humaneness. Emotional pain needs to be dealt with early, for it can be crippling to almost anybody. Part of the grieving process involves managing our pain through denial and resistance; subsequently, we progress to exploration and commitment. The pain becomes distributed and diminished through time.

Leadership Lessons: Be aware of signs of pain. Pain signals possible trouble, and a need to slow down and inspect. Pain within a team can multiply, and accelerate so it has to be moderated and monitored. If this pain is due to hard work, and then the sense of achievement and accomplishment sets in then this pain is perfectly normal and acceptable. Pain that leads to relief is useful. That is why we need to resolve the conflict, or the pain nags us.

The Structure of Sleep

‘To die: to sleep;

No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heartache and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause’

~ Hamlet.

My Coach advises me to sleep at least 8 hours a day. This being a new work-year, it is certainly going to be challenging to catch on so much 'shut-eye'. Yet, with eight weeks to go before my next Ironman, sleep is an essential component of my potential success. Sleep equals recovery equals tissue and cellular repair equals healing. Healing leads to adaptation: stronger muscular development and, thus, performance. Sleep also encourages healthy brain functioning, so we ward off debilitating mental conditions like depression, lethargy and malaise.

Our brain works in amazing ways! It has been, incorrectly, described as right-brained or left-brained. Technically, we have two hemispheres or halves of the brain joined by a bridge called the corpus callosum. Thus, we are whole brain with a preference or dominant side that expresses us differently as thinkers. There are numerous crossover activities that traverse across this conduit to enhance mutual collaboration. That explains why Leonardo Da Vinci was a scientist, inventor and artist.

If you are short of sleep, you can still ‘cheat’ for a short while and stay alert while training or functioning normally. Since the sleep cycle takes place every 90 minutes, with alternating periods (30 minutes) of light sleep with deep sleep/REM (Rapid Eye Moment) – sleep in pockets of 90 minutes or 1.5 hours. That is 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5 or 9 hours. 8 hours is just within light sleep (nap) whereas exceeding the 8-hour threshold will lead to a disorientating awakening. That is why we tend to sleep through the screaming ‘alarm clock’.

You cannot cheat on sleep, nor pay it back. Induce sleep normally and naturally. Avoid medication that causes drowsiness. Instead you can use melatonin to stimulate sleep neurotransmitters in your brain, especially if you are traveling for business or a race, across significant time-zones. Sleep well, for it spells great dividends when we train hard.

Staying Hard Core

‘Hard-core’ is that term that outsiders call serious enthusiasts and hobbyists. When you spend lots of time on a pastime or pursuit, you are considered hardcore because what you do may be perceived as extreme, unusual or tough. Endurance athletes can be christened as hardcore because of the unusually long and demanding hours required for training. Add the three disciplines in triathlon, and hardcore takes on a multiplier effect: times three, yet not necessarily in equal amounts.

Instead of considering hardcore as extreme, indulgent and insane can it be seen positively? When somebody spends as inordinate amount of time at work, he/she is labeled a workaholic. When an artisan or artist spends hours developing their art and craft, they are pursuing excellence as a master. When amateur athletes do well at sports, they belong in the sphere of elite age-grouper.

When you strengthen your core muscles that is developing a hard core. Core muscles hold our posture together and they comprise more than the admirable ‘six-pack’ abdominals that A&F male models flaunt as part of their launch. It involves the lower-back, and internal girdle or corset that protects our abdomen and vital organs. It keeps our torso from collapsing as we complete a triathlon or marathon without leaning ungainly forward.

Hardcore need not be a derogatory term or debilitating condition. If professionals, occasionally, take a hardcore approach to their performance they may excel in their endeavours. You don’t often hear of hardcore parents, however you do hear of doting parents. Love knows no boundaries or labels. You can be hard outside, but still soft to your core.

Run Down, But Not Run Out of Time

This morning, I got up early to do a three-hour ride. It was a shame I missed yesterday's ride as I was still feeling under the weather. Ideally, I would have preferred a 4.5-hour ride as prescribed by Coach however my recent run with the flu virus led me to hold my enthusiasm back. Why would I take undue risk of a viral infection on my heart after brief convalescence from disease? As my last foray into the marathon indicated, if you are not 100 percent recovered then you will not perform to your best.

I started a little stiff in my back, but I was not run down – the feeling of disinterest or indifference caused by fatigue and pain. I did an easy warm-up and then shifted into slightly higher-gear. It was all about control and being disciplined to hold my pace. On my way out towards the airport runway, the familiar and predictable headwinds welcomed me. I dropped into aero-position on my tri-bars and focused on spinning in nice smooth circles. I also paid heed to my breathing, taking in generous mouthfuls of air as I cranked the pedals. I did all these while staying alert to fast-moving traffic (and that meant more than the herds of roadies sweeping furiously but respectfully by), and being aware and cognizant of my surroundings. Might as well enjoy my morning if I was training, anyway.

I took one High-5 gel every 30 minutes, after my first hour passed. Before I left my house, I consumed one packet of gel and one can of Red Bull. The latter tastes like bad medicine, but gives you wings minutes later. I took two bathroom breaks, refilled my water-bottles, and completed the entire 90K in just-over 3 hours. I was pleased for the time, as I did not waste much of my time churning out ‘junk miles’.

You can run yourself down to the ground, yet your joints may hold if you are blessed with the right genetics for endurance sport. Or, you played it safe and held back in your youth by not thrashing your knees and ankles from overuse, or faced full physical contact from testosterone-infused sporting adversaries. I always found it delightful when well-intentioned people caution me about overdoing endurance sports for fear of damaging my knees. What is more amazing is that some of these naysayers are only in their 20’s and 30’s and are suffering such debilitating conditions. Well, I believe in the science and am assured by anecdotal evidence. I think of 79-year-old Mr Kor Hong Fatt who ran Boston this year, and think: ‘Now, who do I prefer to listen to…?’

Brand Tribes author, Reeves Lim writes about ‘running in and running out’. This is a stunning example of encapsulated writing using the analogy of running. I am looking forward to meeting Perth-based, multiple-Ironman finisher John Cooke tomorrow. We will definitely have war stories to trade over coffee. I will certainly ask him about his lessons learnt at IM Western Australia. Stay tuned for more sharing.

What’s Your Kryptonite?

Superman’s weakness was the very same mineral that came from his birth planet, Krypton. Kryptonite sapped his strength and could kill him eventually. Greek premier fighter, Achilles’ weakness was his heel – thus the saying ‘Achilles Heel’. Every superhero had his weakness and an arch-villain as his nemesis.

What is your kryptonite? What weakens you? What drains you of your energy and enthusiasm? Positive psychology has included a term called ‘toxic people’ – they pollute the workplace and leech it of positive energy and goodness. Putting yourself in a place of most vulnerability increases your risk of being affected by these threats.

For me, being ill is my kryptonite for I am psychologically and physically affected by it. On the physiological level, I am victim to how my body responds to the infection. On a mental level, I am tempted to train through my condition although that is not recommended. Having conversations with positive people, achievers, survivors and the like, provides me with nourishment and medicine for my spirit. Perhaps, it is all about energy and the various physical forces in the universe.

What you do when you face your weakness is critical to your long-term success. Think and act tactically, and it is short term. Think and act strategically, and you may have to lose a few fights in order to win the war. Sometimes, less is more. It is the sum of all parts, and then some. 

****

This is my third meso-cycle out of four, before Ironman New Zealand. Coach has prescribed me a tough fourth week of preparation. Since I returned from my short vacation, I have been stricken by another bout of flu. I am sore in my muscles and joints, and these aches have been indicators that I needed to rest. As uneasy and uncomfortable the thought was of resting and convalescing, I decided to give in. It was hard passing up the opportunity of doing the New Year Day’s ride-run brick this morning. It seemed like an opportunity lost. Coach has prescribed a double-session this week for riding on the same day. He hopes that I will learn to do a better back-end leg of the ride. As I resume my work schedule of teaching, I will have to be creative with my time and ensure I cover my training thoroughly. To achieve a PB for my next Ironman triathlon requires a completeness of approach and preparation.

To Reflect Or To Look Forward?

It is that time of the year to reflect, genuflect, ruminate and pause for a cause – before the festivities begin. I have learnt to appreciate recentness and recency, yet I prefer to look towards the future. Being a learned optimist (as I had to learn how to think differently), I rather work with possibility and purpose. I will also pretend that we will have another conversation next year on 31 December 2012. Humans make mistakes, and so could the defunct race called the Mayans. Choice or destiny? I rather take my chances. Be resolute instead of making an unending and unfulfilled list of resolutions.

Never rest on your laurels. Leave the past behind. You cannot change your past. Stop dwelling on the past.

Anticipate change. Tomorrow is another day. You can still change your future. Our future has not formed yet.

Here is my list of challenges for next year:

1)    Be more creative. Add ‘1’  (+1) to whatever I do, with whomever is with me.

2)    Add value to what I do. If I am not adding value, remove myself out of the equation.

3)    Shift and sift through some serious paradigms. Time to create a larger Ripple Effect that benefits more people.

4)    Apply totally and thoroughly my values to my actions and interactions.

5)    If it does not feel right, and my intuition backs me up, I will rather shy away from a project or business relationship. Money isn’t everything. Gain and value, are.

6)    Collaborate, commemorate and commiserate.

7)    Be more constructive and build on more possibilities with and for others.

8)    Do more acts of kindness and charity.

9)    Build a coterie of fishermen who will teach others to fish. This applies to my both my profession and pastime.

10)Share my ‘bucket list’ with others.

Thanks for sharing this journey with me so far (for the last three years). I do deeply appreciate your support, friendship and partnerships. Have an amazing 2012! Challenge yourself to make your next 365 days count for you, beginning tomorrow.

It May Not Hurt (Much) to Take A Break

The reality is, few people will be fondly remembered for coming to work early, leaving later than others. That is old school and out of date. Result and performance matter more, than putting in the lengthy, unpaid, overtime hours. We are the sum of our efforts, but not because of it. Effectiveness and efficiency ranks higher than people who look busy, are unproductive, and slow in their movements.

One thing we can draw from triathlons and journalism is: fail to meet the deadlines, and you are done. It is painful to watch swimmers being dragged out of the swim leg of the Ironman triathlon for failing to meet the 2 hour 20 minutes cut-off timing. You have 17 hours (exactly) to complete the 226K of swim, ride and run. You need to respect the stringent guidelines for each discipline/phase, for therein lies the challenge of sports. Faster, stronger and higher – these are and to be the Olympic ideals.

If your work-life dominates your entire being, then it may be eminent that you may seriously need to take a break. Request for the nearest duration of leave days you can use. Workaholics are employees who allow their work to dominate and desecrate their lives. All work and no plays, does dull your mind and body. If you choose to bring work home, you do it out of your choice. If you think it spells into future results, do it for deliberate and clear reasons.

If you think that as a marathoner, that you must do 70-90 kilometres a week of running then that is your belief. If another runner attains similar if not better results than you do with less mileage, then you need to recognise that. There are many variables to factor in for sporting excellence, and over-training may not be one of them. Some of our elite age-group runners run only three times a week, and supplement this activity with cross-training: star-climbing, hill-running, weight-training, core stability work, cycling, swimming, and others.

I just took a two-day hiatus from work and endurance training and did some travel. One of the physical discomforts I experienced was newly found, soreness and stiffness in some of my muscles. I may have exercised some muscle groups used in retail-therapy, or it could be my body responding to rest. When muscles heal during inactivity, they may feel weak and sore. Fret not – it is merely nature’s way of repairing overworked muscles and weaving a stronger fabric. That way, you will be cut out for the work when you begin training or racing.

Leadership Lessons: Take time to smell the flowers. If you are Type-A, learn to slow down occasionally. If you are pushy, hold back your forcefulness. Push through with your earnestness; yet pull with your influence. There are more to life than work and play; explore, discover and enjoy. Work less, however work effectively.

Learn By Speaking To Experts

Dr Cal Lightman is an expert on lie-detection in the hit TV series. It is based on real-life social anthropologist, Dr Ekman's work and research on facial recognition and micro-gestures.

One of the lessons in business and in endurance sports I have learnt is: Talk to experts.

This approach seems to be a common pattern among people of excellence. Virgin Group founder, Richard Branson suggested that he ‘surrounds himself with experts’. He manages this ‘team’, while they help manage his numerous businesses he has created. Macro-manage instead of micro-manage. Tap on the expert’s expertise and breadth of working experience. Learn to leverage on their lessons.

I was at Adidas retail-outlets last week, looking for minimalist shoes to train and race in. I met one of their experts, Sean who asked me questions about my running needs. He surprised me pleasantly by identifying some of my discrepancies about my feet; I had a broken toe that has caused my foot to be slightly wider. Together, we decided on the most comfortable shoe size, design and weight for my running needs. I respectfully asked him questions that intrigued me, however naïve or ignorant I may have sounded. Ask, and ye shall find.

Working with an expert such as a coach – whether in sports, business or career – can be an edifying experience. You learn much about collaboration, perspectives, and developing capability. You also learn to recognize the values of performance, respect, potential, broad-mindedness, and choice. When choosing to work with experts, interview them as you would any job candidate. How close do they fit your profile and expectation? How wide is their experience? Which unique skill-sets would you find complementary? Which personality type would you prefer? Would you prefer an astute critic, or an engaging encourager?

A coach who walks their talk is highly relevant. Being consistent in their thoughts, words and deeds is important. Certainly, coaching is a partnership. Once you engage a coach, you will need to trust them and the process. You will have to commit to the active processes of exploration, analyses and prescription. Constant feed forward and feedback are crucial pieces of the strategic equation for performance.

If you are keen to enhance your swimming performance during a race, here is an expert’s opinion.

If you would like to change your tire, and this is crucial during a race when the technical support team is not immediately available. It is important to be self-sufficient through your technical skills and working knowledge.