Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

As an athlete, you can control how you prepare for a race by focusing on one day at a time but you can't control what will happen on race day, until it is race day. And sometimes, even when you focus on what you can control (attitude, nutrition, pacing, clothing) things may not always go as planned so you have to adjust.  However, you can always be prepared to handle the controllables and uncontrollables.  Obsessing over trying to control certain situations or getting upset, angry or anxious about things beyond your control is the best way to steal away energy that you can use on race day. As an athlete, you have to be prepared for anything on race day and you can't let a race-day curveball like wind, rain, a modified course, temperature or hills keep you from doing what you trained to do on race day.... RACE! With this being my 10th year as an endurance triathlete but also a coach to many amazing athletes of all levels, I feel it is important for athletes to di...

Ask any coach and they likely would agree that it is easy to write workouts to help get an athlete into great physical shape before race day. But performing on race day is another story. No training plan can confidently prepare an athlete for the uncontrollables that happen on race day.  As it relates to the many (and I mean MANY) conditions that we can experience on race day, being physically prepared is just a portion of what it requires to have a great race. It is so true that "whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right." I've seen and heard far too many athletes bring doubt to a race just because race-day conditions are not ideal. And more than just doubt, there's anxiety, stress, anger, frustration and even the mindset that race day will be a horrible experience.  If you are an athlete who races outdoors, you will find yourself racing in conditions that are not ideal for a PR race. You may even find yourself having to a...

This is me, smiling, suffering and doing my definition of "sprinting" downhill to the Reedy River 10K finish line in downtown Greenville. This is Bernhard Heulmanns who pushed me for the last .5 miles. I have never met Bernhard and only know his name because I looked him up after Pace Magazine tagged this picture of me and him on Facebook but I am grateful for his push because that's what I love about racing.  What a challenging course for a 10K! 720 feet elevation gain! With every up and downhill (especially the final long climb to main street) and sharp turn, I could feel my training paying off. Triathlon training, that is.  Standing at the start line of a running race can be a humbling experience. No taper, plenty of swimming, strength training, running and cycling training occurred over the 5 days leading up to the race and the uncomfortable "unknown" of what my body was capable of without having any planned speed work in my training plan this...

In one day, all the training prep will be done for St. Croix 70.3   and in 15 days we will put months of training to the test.  We are SO excited for our race-cation! Here's a great recap on the race, if you are not aware of the beauty and the beast of this island.  Course preview and race details When it comes to racing, every athlete will have his/her own expectations for the day. Competition is likely the driving force as to why many athletes enjoy pushing their body to the limits, in hopes of placing on the podium, qualifying for a national or world event, having a PR or beating another competitor or two that has been on the radar. For all athletes, I hope that there's enjoyment in racing, regardless of the competitive spirit. Crossing the finish line should always be the ultimate goal for you can never take for granted what the human body can do. I encourage you to embrace a competitive mindset to help you take your fitness to the n...

Over the past few weeks we have had the opportunity to watch a few of our local Trimarni athletes race in Florida at the Clermont Olympic Distance Triathlon and the Haines City 70.3 This is, by far, my absolute FAVORITE thing about being a coach. It's so motivating and inspiring to see our athletes use their bodies on race day and to put weeks/months of training to the ultimate test.  (Thanks Taylor B for the pic!) (Thanks Taylor B for the pic!) Because there are many ways to define a successful race day performance, it's important that athletes always consider having a race day plan and thinking about anything and everything within their control before and during a race. Because it feels great to finish a race knowing that you gave your best effort possible, it's very important that you consider a few very important tips to ensure that you set yourself up for success at every race you participate in on your schedule.  PRE RACE: -Be sure to te...