Taper Nutrition

A good nutritional strategy starts days before race day. As my exercise volume and intensity is greatly decreased in the final pre-race week(s), my diet is focused on high-energy foods that are easily digested, with as little fiber as possible in the final 48 hours. With running events in particular, I’ve found the necessity of avoiding high amounts of fiber in the days leading up to my race increases substantially. I focus on lean proteins, healthy fats, and small amounts of grains that are more refined than I typically prefer.

It’s even more important than usual to maintain a balanced metabolism during the taper. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking less exercise means you should be starving yourself by caloric restriction. When the body enters starvation mode / low blood glucose, it turns to internal fuel sources for functioning; sources that you want preserved and optimized for race day.  By eating small, frequent meals, you’ll avoid this common mistake, and arrive at your race with optimal internal fuel sources, ready to give your best performance possible.

Pre-Race Dinner

Dinner the night before my race is the last “meal” I will enjoy before crossing the finish line, so it’s an important one. For this meal I want some lean protein, and easily digested carbohydrate to top off my glycogen stores. My traditional pre-race meal is Chicken Pad Thai (no spice). I know that a normal, healthy diet in conjunction with the decreased exercise levels of the taper, will optimize my glycogen stores without the need for a “carbo-loading” meal, such as the still too common “pasta feed” held prior to many charity events. Gorging the night before a race may result in sleep disruption, bloating, and constipation – none of which will contribute to a good race day performance.  When you reach an 8 out of 10 on your “full” scale, push the plate away. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.

Race Morning Nutrition

As a general rule, ingesting 200 kcals per hour prior to race start is a good idea. So for a race that starts at 7am, if you plan to be done eating by 5am, you can probably safely ingest 400 kcals. Some racers I know will get up early, eat their pre-race meal, then get back in bed to grab a little more shut-eye. Personally, I’ve found that doesn’t work, as digestion slows when in the horizontal position, leading to possible bloating/heartburn issues.  Additionally, I know from my research studies in grad school that sleep deprivation doesn’t negatively impact physical performance (quite the opposite, in fact), and since it’s rare to have a good night’s sleep the night before a race, you might as well just get up, stay up, and arrive at your race in a calm, prepared state. That extra 15 minutes of sleep you think you need really won’t help you at all… but slowed digestion, or rushing around feeling late, will have a negative impact on your day.

The contents of this race morning meal will vary depending on the type and duration of my race. Since we’re talking about running events here, my half marathon pre-race meal will be two bottles of Mix1, a product out of Boulder, CO that I recently discovered and am in love with.  This liquid meal will be easily digested, and provide me with 400 kcals, 60g carbohydrate, and 30g protein. When it comes time for the full Austin Marathon, I’ll wake slightly earlier, and in addition to the above, add some solid foods to stave off hunger pains for a longer day on the course –  egg white (hard-boiled), white toast w/small amt of nut butter.

All of this will be washed down with a small amount of my usual French-pressed coffee, as is my routine. Thereafter, I will hydrate with water and nuun until one hour prior to race start. That one hour gives my body time to absorb what it needs, and let go of the extra, so that hopefully I will not be needing to stop mid-race.

Race Nutrition

This has been a tricky one for me to nail down, as running nutrition is a lot different than triathlon nutrition; The non-jostling of the bike portion allows for better calorie absorption.  Through diligent practice during our team long runs, I’ve found the right product and concentration that my system can handle.  The more calories you can get in, the better you’ll perform, but only to the point at which your body can absorb and utilize said calories.  Take in more than you can absorb at race intensity, and you’ll be dealing with stomach pain, and losing a lot of time at Port-O-Lets.  For me, the right combination seems to be three servings of Espresso Hammer Gel, pre-diluted in a standard sized water bottle (which I will carry with me), every two hours. This provides me with about 270 kcals every 2 hours; about a quarter of what I’ll be burning. The rest of my energy will be coming from internal glycogen and IMTG stores, hence the importance of having and following good nutritional strategies in the week leading up to the event. I’ll have a second bottle waiting at the mid-race point to be handed off to me, pre-mixed.  Added bonus: I am saving the environment by not using one of those millions of little paper cups that end up in waste/recycle/compost at all these events.

Post-Race Nutrition

Sometimes, ice cream is the answer!

Have a GREAT race ~ See you all at the finish line!

Coach T.

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Tammy Metzger, M.Ed. is a multisport coach, and owner of Tempo Multisport LLC in Austin, TX. Interested in affordable triathlon team affiliation, in a fun, supportive environment, with coaches that will motivate and challenge you? Join Team Tempo! For more information, contact tammy@trainwithtempo.com

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Event: Jacksonville Bank Marathon (12/18/11)
Conditions at race time (7am-10am): 40s, low humidity, approx. 5 MPH wind from the North
Result: 3:09:44 (10/41 Male 25-29, 56/571 Male, 61/827 Overall)
Splits: -22:16 (5k [7:10/mile)
-1:10:27 (10-mile [7:03/mile total, 6:59/mile for this segment])
-1:32:09 (half [7:02/mile total, 6:56/mile for this segment])
-2:21:04 (20-mile, 7:03/mile total, 7:05/mile for this segment)
-3:09:44 (7:14/mile total, 7:50/mile for this segment)

Author’s Note: This race report is really, really long. Like, self-indulgently so. It’s broken up into four sections: Pre-Race, Race Morning, The Race, and Post-Race and Reaction. If you’re inclined to read the whole thing, feel free to take a break between each section—go for a run, maybe. Or, if you’re not interested in the whole thing, just read the last paragraph of Pre-Race, the entire Race Morning section, and the two paragraphs in Post-Race and Reaction that begin with the word “overall.” Skip The Race entirely—I followed a good nutrition plan, was on pace at 20 miles, and still slowed by 45-50s/mile the last 10k. That’s all you need to know.

Coach Eli Asch with Megan Baker at the Decker Challenge Half Marathon

So even though Jacksonville was my first marathon, I treated it just like any other race (just, you know, longer). Sure, the training was different (I had never run longer than 16 miles until this October) and had entailed some new logistical elements (like practicing taking water and Shot Bloks on the run, which I had never done before), and yes, 26.2 miles was 5.2 miles longer than any run I had done in training. But I had spent 18 weeks preparing and there was no sense doubting that training’s effectiveness during race week. Based on my training and my tune-up races I knew I was in shape to run (on a day with good conditions when I felt good) somewhere between 3:02-3:09. So I committed to a plan of trying to run a Boston qualifier—which for my gender and age group is sub-3:05 (7:03 pace)—with a slightly slower first 5k and then even splits.

I got some extra sleep a couple nights during race week and made sure to moderate my holiday party-related excesses. Since I’m someone who actually likes to taper I didn’t have even a mild case of the dreaded taperitis. Everything ran smoothly Saturday (the flight to Jacksonville, hotel check-in, packet pickup) and I took a 10-minute super-easy shakeout run after checking into the hotel, had a huge pasta dinner, laid out my racing clothes and attached my bib and chip before going to bed (never leave this until race morning!), and then slept great.

Race Morning
On race morning my alarm went off at 3am and I made a breakfast of Gatorade and a bagel with peanut butter and honey in my hotel room (I had taken a quick trip to the grocery store the night before, as the hotel’s breakfast didn’t begin until 5am and I wanted to have time to digest before running) and then promptly went back to sleep. My second alarm went off at 5:15am; I took a shower, put on my BodyGlide and racing clothes (shorts, socks, and a dry-fit T that I had tested on my long runs)) and throwaway warmup sweats, grabbed my Gatorade and a banana and headed down to the lobby to catch the shuttle to the race site.

The shuttle arrived at the start line at 6:20am for a 7am start. I waited in line for the portolets, took care of business in there, and then immediately got back into line as I knew I would need to pee again in 10 minutes. After getting out a second time I stood around by a generator pumping out some hot air (it was 39 degrees!) for a few minutes before going for a two-minute warmup jog with a couple 10-second faster than race pace pickups—no need for more, gotta conserve energy for 26.2! I then snuck behind some hedges for a final pre-race pee before getting in the chute four or five minutes before the start.

The Race
The race was, as all good races are, about what I expected. I ditched my sweats on the side of the road moments before the start, and after only a little bit of typical race start clogging (Jacksonville isn’t big—only 2300 runners combined between the marathon, half, and 5k) was able to settle into just over 7-minute pace. About two minutes in I realized that I was over-hydrated, and when the course went onto a side street with some bushes I pulled off to the side and took a 15-second pit stop—I figured it was better to give up a few seconds now than feel uncomfortable for as long as it took to work itself out. I settled back into my pace, and the next few miles went according to plan, starting steadily just over 7-minute pace and dropping down to about 7-flat a little before 10k.

I stuck to my fueling and hydration plan (water at most water stops, the occasional Gatorade, and a half-pack of Shot Bloks immediately before the water stops at Mile 8, Mile 12, 17, and 21) and found myself right on pace at 5k, 10 miles, 13.1 (13:04), and 20 miles (2:21:04). And this was when I learned firsthand the truth of the old marathoners’ cliché that there are two halves to the race: the first 20 miles and the last 10k.

From Mile 20 to the finish I lost four minutes and forty seconds to 3:05 pace, finishing at 3:09:44. And while I didn’t feel great, the thing that surprised me was that I didn’t feel any worse than while running at the end of any other race—I just couldn’t go any faster. I would focus on really bearing down and keeping my stride length and turnover up for 20-30 seconds and still get passed by that person I had heard rolling up on me. Yeah, my calfs were a little sore, but my legs really just seemed like they were out of power more than anything else.

It turns out a marathon run is just like any other run (just longer). I’ve run 800s where I’ve closed with a 36-second 200 meters after running the first lap in 60-flat, 5ks where I’ve closed in 6:00/mile after hitting the mile at 5:20 pace, and half marathons where the last 5k was at 7:30 pace after the first 10 miles being at 6:40 . . . and now I’ve run a marathon with my last 10k at 7:50 pace after doing the first 20 miles just over 7-flat (I’ve also run races where I’ve closed strong, too!). It’s pretty standard—you go out over your head, and for than the last just less than quarter of the race you slow down by right around 10%.

Post-Race and Reaction
My first thought upon crossing the finish line was, “Crap, I forgot to Tebow” (a friend had offered me a night on the town if in my finish line pictures I was imitating the Denver Broncos’ quarterback). Finishing really wasn’t an emotional thing; when you’ve already made the commitment to leading a healthy lifestyle, the completion of the marathon itself isn’t life-changing. The commitment to a healthy lifestyle, and to the training is what really matters, and what happens on race day is a reflection—a celebration, really—of that commitment made months or years ago.

After the race, I experienced a good amount of joint soreness (knee, specifically). I walked with a limp for the remainder of the day, and going up and down stairs was a bit of an adventure. But by Monday morning my pain was solely muscular, and by Wednesday I started feeling like myself again. On Saturday I even went for a very easy and very, very short (15-minute) run. By the middle of the next week I was thinking about running the 3M Half Marathon at the end of January (after some well-deserved down time, of course).

Overall, I would say I did more things right for my first marathon than wrong: my training was consistent; I didn’t have any huge race day nutrition, hydration or GI issues; I avoided chafing, cramping, or injury; and I had a race plan and I executed it, giving myself a chance to hit my goal. That’s a successful race.

Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, there are a few things I would do differently: I wish I had done a bit more quality training substantially faster than race pace; I think my calfs may have maintained a little more power the last 10k if I had raced in a shoe with a bit more cushion and maybe even more heel drop (I wore the Asics Hyperspeed 4, which weighs only 7 oz.); and, based on the layer of salt that I wiped off my face, ears, and neck after finishing, I may have benefited from taking salt tablets during the event in addition to water, Shot Bloks, and a little bit of Gatorade.

I don’t see myself doing another marathon for a while–at least not in 2012, anyway. While the training isn’t any harder that it is for other distances, it is more of a time commitment. But when 2013 rolls around, who knows, maybe I’ll get back on the marathon wagon? For now, though, I’m really interested to see what I can do over the shorter distances with a solid four months of marathon training for base—after all, I’ve got an age group fish to defend at the Chuy’s 5k this spring!

Happy racing!

Coach Eli
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Coach Eli Asch leads track/quality run sessions for Team Tempo, and is also available for private run lessons. Take your running to the next level with Coach Eli!

‘Tis the season for training to come undone. Between social gatherings (where overeating and drinking abound), family obligations, traveling, and the pursuit of the perfect present, runners often find it difficult to stick to a routine. And once the mileage plummets, so goes the body and mind.

While missing one or two workouts won’t hurt your overall training, missing weeks and months will. Not only will it set you back physically, your mental focus suffers just as much and usually more. Once you fall out your daily routine, it quickly becomes easier to justify sleeping through your next scheduled run/workout. They say it takes on average 66 days to form a good habit, but only a few days to break it.

Coach Tessa at Run for the Water, Photo cred: William Geisler

Fortunately, you don’t have to log mega-mileage during the hectic holiday season to preserve your fitness, sanity, and motivation. Here a couple of my favorite, often-used tips for staying fit during the holidays:

Go for a brisk walk a couple times a day. Take your dog for a long walk, or park further away at the grocery store or mall.

1. Go for a brisk walk a couple times a day. Take your dog for a long walk, or park further away at the grocery store or mall.
2. Take the stairs whenever possible, maybe even run up and down them a few times at home or at hotels. No one is ever in the stair well at hotels so you can usually do this with complete privacy!
3. Do core work. Sit-ups and planks are a great way to work your core and you can do them anywhere.
4. Stay sane. With all the holiday parties and presents, it is easy to lose focus and forget to make time for yourself as well. Remember exercise is a great way to keep the stress at bay, so don’t feel guilty for making some “me” time. Your family might actually appreciate this more than facing your cranky twin.
5. Get the family together for a jog. Even if they claim they aren’t “runners” your enthusiasm can be contagious. Even if it is only a couple times around the block, just getting those muscles fired up will ensure you don’t lose all that you have worked hard to earn! Plus you might even get a family member motivated.
6. Stretch. Maybe get up 15 minutes early to do some stretches or take extra time in the shower to stretch. Keep your muscles loose and active by stretching.
7. Have a work-out accountability partner. If you know it is going to be hard for you to stay motivated, buddy up with someone and keep each other accountable by continuing to check in or even coordinating a workout together. What better way to escape your in-laws than sneaking out for a quick run with a friend?

With 20 members training for the Austin Marathon & Half Marathon while raising funds for the continued good works of LiveStrong, I guess you could say we are among the passionate when it comes to cancer prevention, awareness, and research. Our fundraising for this event is underway, and YOU can make a difference in this fight by donating to Team Tempo today! We’re putting the miles in our legs, sitting in ice baths, carbo-loading, and wearing silly mustaches. All you have to do is CLICK HERE and have your credit card handy.

Special thanks to the lovely & talented Annie Ray for her photography skills! As we always say, if you live in Austin, and haven’t been photographed by Annie Ray, you need to get out more! Hire her to do a photo booth at your next event, professional photographs for your business/website, or editorial spreads. Annie Ray Photography is Austin.

Movember 2nd - Coach Eli

As many of you probably already know, it’s Movember. For those of you who don’t what that is, it’s part men’s health awareness event, part fundraiser, and part excuse to grow an awesome mustache–details here. As only a select few of you who have seen me in the few hours after I’ve shaved, or who have sent me on a travel assignment at camp that I didn’t want to go on, know firsthand, I look really, really terrible–like, “Get in my LeBaron!” terrible–with a mustache (see picture left for someone you would never allow within a two-mile radius of your child).

But I refuse to let social norms, terrified parents, or an inability to walk through a school zone without a SWAT Team descending, deter me from my goal this month: raising awareness about and funds for men’s health issues, primarily prostate cancer. So if you share my belief that sometimes men need to be prodded to talk about important issues like their health, and that maybe growing a mustache for a month is just the way to do it, I encourage you to sign up and join the Movember campaign yourself, donate to my fundraising page, or just talk to an important man in your life (father, brother, uncle, the pizza delivery guy, that hunky construction worker you pass during your commute, whoever) about what he’s doing to take care of himself and his health.

I know this might seem silly to some of you (and the mustache element does very little to undermine that position, I suppose), but here are a couple key statistics that really drive home the importance of men’s health and prostate cancer awareness:
*1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime
*A man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every 2.2 minutes
*1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in his lifetime
*Men are 24% less likely to go the doctor than women

So, celebrate Movember with me by growing a mustache and making sure the men in your life are doing everything they can to preserve their health. And, even if you’re not gonna do that, at least check back here for regular photo updates on my mustache.

Happy Movember!
Coach Eli Asch, Team Tempo Multisport

Rowing has always been known as an excellent aerobic conditioning activity. Contrary to some misconceptions, rowing is mostly a lower body exercise, with the addition of a “pull” at the end that results in stronger back and shoulder muscles.  By adding a rowing regimen to your plan, you’ll be working the same muscle groups needed to be a strong triathlete, while giving yourself a needed mental break from the usual routine.  Properly executed, this should bring you back to triathlon training in excellent physical condition, and with renewed excitement for the sport you love.

Team Tempo has partnered with Flywheel Fitness for all our indoor cycling needs, but few of our members have ever been instructed in proper rowing technique, which will be an excellent cross-training option for marathon training, kicking off next month.  As part of our September team meeting & social, Flywheel Fitness owner, Sara-Mai Conway, also a member of Team Tempo, gave us an introduction to proper rowing technique and form.

Everyone agreed we got a great leg workout, while learning something new and FUN! Keeping yourself mentally fresh is a big part of the puzzle, so remember to try new things… especially new things that translate well to the activities you already love… like ROWING! Hope to see you at Flywheel soon, and maybe even out on the water this fall.

I’ve been a big fan of Annie Ray’s style of photography for many years now, so when we were looking for a team photographer, she was at the top of my list.  This past month we had our first team photo shoot, and it was a blast!  We look forward to another shoot in the fall, as we head into our training and fundraising for the LiveStrong Austin Marathon.

There are two things that new triathletes typically worry about more anything else: surviving the swim, and having to change a flat tire. The swim, of course, is an inevitable part of the race, and a flat tire can definitely throw you off your game, but it’s not a deal breaker. With practice, any athlete can handle these concerns quickly and with ease. But what do you do when you’re brand new to cycling and your bike’s mechanical issues are far worse than a simple flat tire?

For Brittany Baker, member of Team Tempo Multisport, the answer was easy – you find a way to keep going!

On September 5, 2011, Brittany competed in her second triathlon, the sprint distance at the AVIA Austin Triathlon. A pleasant and slightly breezy morning brought out nearly 2,000 athletes and over 400 volunteers to the downtown Austin venue.

After a respectable swim, Brittany ran to the transition area and grabbed her bike.  The bike she bought off of Craigslist about a month prior to the race. The bike that had a “tune up” at a bike shop. The bike she’d ridden less than 10 times before the race.  The bike that was fine except for one major issue: the crank arm that attaches the left pedal to the rest of the bike was loose.

“The AVIA Austin Tri started out great,” she said. “However it took a quick turn for the worse in the middle of my second leg. After finishing my first lap on the bike course, I started noticing my left pedal/shoe feeling loose.” A cycling novice, Brittany knew something was wrong but assumed it had to do with the clipless pedals she’d recently installed. Within a minute, her left crank dropped off her bike.

“It started getting looser and looser and all of a sudden my entire crank fell off, with my shoe attached to it. I thought ‘Really?!’ I wobbled for a few seconds barefoot on my left and still clipped in on my right and eventually just fell over.”

Two volunteers quickly rode to her aid.  “Do you have a flat?” one of them asked. Brittany, still on the ground, held up her bike crank arm with her cycling shoe still attached to the pedal. The three of them reattached the crank arm but could not find the bolt to secure it. Frustrated and holding back tears, Brittany was faced with a choice: head back into transition, put up her bike and accept a DNF (did not finish) next to her name, or dig deep and trust that her right leg could handle the last eight miles of the course by itself.

Brittany dug.

“I didn’t want to stop the race. My friend from California and boyfriend were at the race supporting me and I DID NOT want to just walk into transition half way through and say “Well, I’m done!”

“Running is my favorite leg and I wanted to get to that part of the race. I figured I already made it this far so what’s eight more miles? I continued the remaining eight miles – pushing only with my right leg and concentrating on keeping my left leg in tight. At some parts of the ride I was going so slow I felt like I was going backwards.”

Finally, Brittany rolled into the bike dismount zone. As she dismounted, the crank arm fell off again. This time, she picked it up and ran into transition with one shoe on her foot and one shoe in her hand- still firmly affixed to the pedal. With just a scratch on her right knee, she racked her bike and began the run. “I was so excited to be off that bike that I just ran like crazy!”

Brittany & her broken crank arm, post-race

Brittany finished the race and earned her medal. She felt it the next day, both the soreness in her leg and her race time. “I still had a great time at the race although my time turned out awful! One thing is for sure- I’m not scared of my damn bike anymore!” she laughs.

A Tempo athlete may slow – but the Tempo doesn’t stop.

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1. Learn to suffer

High intensity efforts have been documented to result in negative emotional responses, so if you want to go fast, you have to learn to suffer.  Pushing past negative or limiting self-talk can be learned.  As my good friend and fellow-triathlete, Monique Jutila, told me many years ago, “You don’t have to slow down, you just think you do!”  Learn how to suffer in training, so you can embrace it during your competitions.

2. Increase your VO_2max

Your maximum ability to consume and utilize oxygen, referred to as VO_2max, has genetic limitations, but can be greatly increased through appropriate training.  Ideally, you want to spend 20-30 minutes at your current VO_2max effort per training session.  Not EVERY training session, but the sessions that are focused on building this area of your fitness.  How frequently you implement these sessions depends on your current fitness level, and your ability to recover from the training stress.  Remember, no recovery = no adaptation.  Consult an experienced coaching professional for further guidance in establishing your maximum workload.

For cycling, the power meter is the most accurate way to train.  Runners should use a track and go by timed laps, as GPS units can be problematic during short efforts.  Heart rate monitors are another good tool, and while heart rate and VO_2max percentages don’t match up across the board, the pace at which you achieve your maximum heart rate (HR_max) is also your VO_2max pace.  Determine your HR_max, and do not push an effort that is faster than that value, or your ability to repeat the effort will be compromised, thus decreasing your total time at VO_2max and lessening improvements.  Only do the minimum effort you need to get the maximum adaptation.  Here are a couple typical VO_2max sets:

• 5-7 x 5 minutes @ VO_2max w/5 minute recovery between efforts
• 2,3,4,5,4,3,2 minutes at VO_2max w/equal recovery between efforts (2 mins on, 2 mins off, 3 mins on, 3 mins off, etc.)

3. Increase your functional threshold

A high VO_2max is a pre-requisite for professional level sports, but the athlete with the highest VO_2max doesn’t always win the day.  Think of VO_2max as the horsepower of your engine, and functional threshold as how finely tuned that engine is.  The term “threshold” gets a lot of press, and can be a confusing concept.  Lactate threshold, ventilatory threshold, anaerobic threshold, power threshold, functional threshold… all are valid terms depending on how the “threshold” was measured.  I prefer to step away from expensive, and oft-times inaccessible, laboratory measurements, and base functional threshold on actual performance values.  For cycling, use an 8 – 10 mile time trial, and for runners, use your best 10k pace.  Carmichael Training Systems has a unique approach to testing triathletes that I’ve found correlates well to performance values, and results in less stress out of competition:

CTS Triathlete Field Test:  8 min Cycling TT – 10 min recovery – 8 min Cycling TT – 10 min recovery – 8 min Running TT

Once you’ve established your functional threshold values, be they power or hear rate based, include efforts at this threshold in your training plan.  Do not combine a VO_2max session and a threshold session, as you’ll most likely fail to do either at an optimal level.  A typical threshold session may look like this:

• 3 x 7 mins at threshold effort, 3 min recovery between efforts
• 2 x 20 mins at threshold effort, 5 min recovery between efforts

These efforts will increase the pace you can maintain before muscle fatigue sets in, and are most applicable to long, steady efforts, as in triathlon.

4. Retain muscle mass as you age

If you’re not one who’s interested in besting your times, or gaining a podium finish, you might be

John Turner, age 67, photographed by Etta Clark

thinking, “I don’t have to go fast… I’m just out there to have fun!”  Well, sorry to say, you couldn’t be more wrong.  It’s a well-documented fact that we lose muscle mass as we age, leading to weakness, and difficulty in activities of daily living.  Research is showing that individuals who maintain a high-level of training loose much less muscle mass, as different muscle types respond to different types of training.  The muscle that atrophies as we age can be retained through proper attention to diet, and physical activity that includes some high-intensity efforts.

5. Maintain high VO_2max as you age

Decreases in VO2max as we age can be greatly mitigated with adherence to a high level of training.  In fact, master’s category athletes who maintain competition-level training have been shown to have much higher VO_2max values than inactive men less than half their age, and only slightly lower values than younger competitors.  The old adage, “use it or lose it” applies, so don’t use your age as an excuse.  Get out there and get after it!

Bottom Line

Whether you consider yourself an athlete, or just want to stay fit and have fun, including some higher intensity intervals in your training will benefit your mind and body.  Don’t let a training plateau steal your motivation.  Get out there and push yourself, as appropriate. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish with the right guidance and focus.

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Tammy Metzger, M.Ed. is a multisport coach, and owner of Tempo Multisport LLC in Austin, TX.  She holds a Masters of Education in Sport & Exercise Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, with additional concentration in Sports Science & Nutrition. Tempo Multisport offers endurance sports coaching to athletes across the nation. For more information, contact tammy@trainwithtempo.com

We kicked off our first week with 14 members, and expect numbers to grow as word spreads about this inclusive, affordable team.  Enjoy the camaraderie and support of a co-ed team environment without the necessity of purchasing an intensive, expensive coaching program; more in-depth coaching options are available at substantial discount to team members who want to partake of our coaching expertise.  That’s not to say coaching isn’t included at the basic level; Member benefits are many, and you can find a complete list on our team page.

BettyDesigns.com

We hired the extremely talented Kristin Mayer at Betty Designs to come up with a design for our team kit, and the results were as expected… stellar.  Here’s a little teaser (photo left).

We’re ordering high-quality Sugoi kits, and if all goes as planned, they will make their racing debut at the first of our target races, the AVIA Austin Triathlon!  You’ll also see us in big numbers at the Kerrville Triathlon Festival; Sprint, Olympic, & Half Iron distances.

We’d like to give a huge THANK YOU to our inaugural team sponsors.  We’re pretty picky about who we ask to partner with us, and are honored to represent the following businesses and products:

Jack & Adam’s Bicycles – More than a bike shop, more than a triathlon shop, Jack & Adam’s is an integral part of the Austin triathlon community.  Their support for every triathlete, from the complete newbie to the professional, is well known and appreciated.  Thank you for all that you do!

Flywheel Fitness – This indoor rowing and spinning studio in south Austin is a local start-up deserving of your patronage.  The owners, Sara-Mai and Patrick, have over 25 years of rowing experience at the elite level, and want to bring their passion to the everyday athlete – YOU!  Their support of local charities, such as Capital of Texas Team Survivor, is to be applauded.  All classes at Flywheel Fitness are sport-specific, coached sessions of the highest quality.  Check them out, and watch for both Sara-Mai and Patrick as they crossover into racing at local triathlons at part of Team Tempo!

Advanced Bodywork Center – Behind every good triathlete is a knowledgeable bodywork master! Michelle Hittner, owner/operator of Advanced Bodywork Center, is a master masseuse, as are the rest of her staff. Trust these highly-skilled athletes to work out your aches & pains, and keep you training hard for your next goal.

Tri Team Transport – Trust this local business, owned & operated by the one and only Pro Triathlete Natasha Van Der Merwe, to safely and efficiently transport your race bike to select venues. I recommend opting for the extra package which includes picking your bike up out of transition. Once you finish the bike segment, you don’t have to see your bike again until you get home (and let’s face it, sometimes you don’t want to!).

nuun – Replenish electrolytes while protecting your metabolic-efficiency and avoiding excess carbohydrate intake. The smart athlete likes to have control over their caloric intake, and with nuun, it’s in your hands. This Seattle-based company led the electrolyte tab revolution and is deserving of your support. Thank you nuun for your continual support of endurance sports communities nationwide, and saving us all from overly sweet rehydration.

ISM Saddles – Loose the nose, and save yourself from unnecessary pain, and possible future dysfunction! Our parts are much happier now that we discovered ISM! Check out this NY Times article for greater detail on why you, too, should be riding on ISM Saddles.

Christine Estrada // Interactive Consultant – Christine turned a very rough website into a polished work for us. Her design skills far exceed what you now see before you here, but we hope to employ her full caliber at a future date, so watch for some exciting website changes in the not-too-distant future. In addition to interactive consultant extraordinaire, Christine is a Seattle-based cyclist, endurance athlete, and outdoor enthusiast. Check out some of her amazing adventures by clicking on her link above.

SPIbelt – Thank you SPIbelt for creating the perfect “Small Personal Item” belt for an active lifestyle. The SPIbelt can be used for many things, but most-impressively, you can now carry your iPhone along on runs and it will not bounce around! Swear it. For racing, the SPIbelt doubles as a race belt you can carry your nutrition in. We love this product.

Stay tuned to our sponsor page for future announcements!