by Krista A. Schultz, MEd, CSCS

Indulge and enjoy the positive effects of dark chocolate

Did you know that eating "sinful" dark chocolate is actually good for you?

Made from the cocoa plant, dark chocolate contains polyphenols. Polyphenols are natural compounds found in all plant-based foods and largely contribute to the beneficial health effects of fruits and vegetables. Phytonutrients and phytochemicals in the cocoa help reduce sweet cravings and regulate the metabolism of fats.

by David B. Glover, MS, CSCS

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

~ Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning ~

“Low moments” in a race — especially an Ironman triathlon with its 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run — and in life are inevitable.

So how do you get through them?

Attach “meaning” to your race (and this applies to the rest of your life, too).

by David B. Glover, MS, CSCS

I was recently a test subject for a blood lactate test with Krista Schultz to find out my power output at Lactate Threshold (LT).

What is lactate and why should you care about it?

First, let’s start with pyruvate.

Pyruvate is a byproduct (end result) of anaerobic glycolysis, which is the breakdown of glycogen (the body’s carbohydrate store) for energy by the muscles without requiring oxygen during the process.

Pyruvate then either:

• Enters the mitrochondria in a muscle’s cells for conversion to Acetyl-CoA and entry into the Kreb’s cycle - the process of oxidative phosphorylation or what we typically refer to as the “aerobic system” or
• Is converted to lactate, some of which is released in to our blood. Other muscles, the liver, the heart and other tissues can then utilize lactate as a fuel source.

At rest and at lower exercises intensities, the levels of lactate being produced are equal to the level of lactate being cleared away so the amount of lactate in the blood is fairly small and steady.

by David B. Glover, MS, CSCS

With the coming of shorter days, colder weather and the winter holidays, the triathlon season is officially over (i.e. the "off season" or "transition season" as I like to call it)...well, at least for most of us.

As a triathlon coach, the number one question I get from the athletes I coach is, "What do I do now?"

There are a number of  things to do this winter in order the balance the need for:

1. Downtime from the current racing season to avoid burnout, refresh mentally and recover from any lingering injuries and
2. Carrying over and further developing an adequate fitness base for next year.

by David B. Glover, MS, CSCS

My Airplane Music Paradigm

I was sitting on a plane and had my headphones plugged into my laptop listening to the music in my iTunes library.  Because I was sitting over the wing, the engine noise was droning loudly in the background so I turned up the volume.

I felt a gentle tap, tap against my arm.

It’s the stewardess.  ”Excuse me, sir, but I don’t think your headphones are plugged all the way in.”

I look down.  Sure enough, they’re not. Oops. I hope the people around me like The Dire Straits.

My paradigm has shifted from “I’m quietly listening to my music” to “I’m annoying the passengers around me.”

Our paradigms are how we see the world – the framework and the filter through we which categorize what we see.

by Krista A. Schultz, MEd, CSCS

When you think of using a Computrainer, you typically think of multiple riders lined up on their Computrainers competing against each others' virtual avatar on the screen in front of them.

Did you know that you can set up your Computrainer in "erg mode" so that you can dial in your desired load (wattage) without having to connect your Computrainer to a video monitor?  Erg mode is perfect for interval workouts where you can easily control the interval duration and intensity (wattage) without having to deal with traffic, stop signs or descents.

by David B. Glover, MS, CSCS

Three of my triathlon coaching clients recently raced in Ironman triathlons for the first time so I put together a list of "what to bring" to Ironman along with a "how to use it" during an Ironman race. These 140.6 mile triathlons are a little different than shorter triathlons for the following reasons:

• Mass swim start with more than 2,000 people.
• It's a long day - 8 hours for the winners and up to 17 hours for the final finishers.
• Temperatures and weather can vary from the early morning to mid day to evening.
• Greater chance for blisters, chafing and sunburn.
• You run through changing tents for each transition.

Given that, here are a list of things that you might consider doing for your race: