Bike – 30 miles broken up into the following
10mi spin to warm-up
3mi @ 70% effort in the small chain ring
1mi easy spin
3mi @ 75% effort in the big chain ring
1mi easy spin
1mi Max Effort in big chain ring
1mi easy spin
10min spin to cool down

No Metcon today!!
Plank – 5 minutes of total work
40-30-20-10
Ab Mat Sit Ups
KB Halfmoons

Strength
3 OH Squat Every Minute on the Minute for 8min @ 70% of 1RM
3 Strict Press Every 30 sec for 8 rounds @ 85/55

Metcon
AMRAP 10 minutes
5 Strict Pull Ups
15 KB Swing 53/35
10 Sec L-Sit
*Goal should be to complete a total of at least 5 rounds

Strength
3 Power Snatch Every Minute on the Minute for 8 minutes @ 75% of 1RM
5 Romanian Dead Lift @ 135/95 Every 45 seconds for 8 rounds

Metcon
5 Rounds for Time

200m Row, Swim, or Run
30 Air Squats
20 GHD Sit Ups (sub ab mat sit ups if you don’t have a GHD)
10 Push Ups

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

Do you eat prior to your training session? How do you refuel post workout?

If you answered no to the first question, then this is the post for you. A pre-workout a meal should consist of all three micronutrients at least TWO hours prior to training. That’s right…a protein, a carbohydrate, and a healthy fat. If you cannot get a meal in at least two hours prior to training, that’s ok; just be sure to get something in your system that is light and not going to cause gastro intestinal issues. A good meal two hours prior to a training session for paleo athletes would be 2 to 3 ounces of Lean Meat, 1 small banana, some almonds, and black coffee. The coffee will help keep you going as well as help you burn fat. If it is less than one hour prior to exercises and you want a little something in your stomach, go for egg whites and ½ of a banana. Both are soft and will be easy on your stomach. You should avoid anything fibrous prior to exercise or else you will find yourself looking for the nearest port-a-potty or bush. That means stay away from broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, pineapple, peaches, grapefruit, etc prior to exercise.

Post workout nutrition is just as important as your pre-workout meal. Depending on the duration of your workout you might decided to go right into your next meal of the day or you may decided to have some sort of “shake”. The most important part is to get the meal or shake in, no more than 30 minutes after exercise. If you decided on the meal, you should consider 2-4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. Personally, I like to incorporate a healthy fat as I have found that works best for my body. I know it may not be Paleo, but I have found that 2-3 tablespoons of whey protein have worked better for me than egg white protein powder. For example, my latest concoction post workout has been, ½ cup of mashed sweet potato, 2Tbsp of Whey Protein, 1 cup of Almond Milk, dash of cinnamon, ice, and a little bit of water. I blend this all up in my Magic Bullet and all I can say is that it is DELICIOUS.

Don’t forget to hydrate…remember 1 Liter of Water for every hour of exercise.

Give these tricks a shot and hopefully you can take your training to another level!!

It's All About Water

Have you ever thought about how much water you drink in a day? My guess is that most people drink less than the recommended 8 glasses of water per day. Water is essential for digestion as well as maintaining a healthy weight. The human body is made up of 60% water. Water helps flush out toxins from the system, deliver nutrients to cells, and provides a moist environment for your ears, throat, and nose tissues.

There are two questions that many people have about water—How much do I really need, and how will I know when I am hydrated?

Water intake is dependant upon your environment and activity level. For example, if you live in a relatively hot or humid environment, your intake is going to be slightly different due to perspiration. You will often times drink more water than someone that doesn’t live in that type of environment. In order to ensure hydration throughout the day, the first thing you should in the morning when you wake up before you have your coffee or tea are TWO 8 ounce glasses of water. Next, you want to drink about 4 8-ounce glasses of water per 1000 Calories eaten. For example, if you eat 2000 Calories, then you would need 8 glasses of water plus any fluid replacement. Fluid replacement is essential after exercise. You will need to drink approximately 2 to 4 8-ounce glasses of water per 1 hour of exercise.

Now that we have determined a guideline for intake, you will know that you are hydrated when your urine is clear or slightly yellow in color. It is important for endurance athletes to understand that over hydration is possible and could lead to hyponatremia. This is when one has drank too much water and the kidneys cannot work fast enough to get rid of the excess water. As a result the electrolyte content of the blood becomes diluted further resulting in low sodium levels. Endurance athletes know…low sodium levels can lead to a bad day of training or racing.

This week challenge yourself to drink 2 8-ounce glasses of water first thing in the morning and record how much you are in fact drinking. To make things simple, pick up a Sigg Bottle from your local Whole Foods or Sporting Goods store and a Blender Bottle that can be found a your local Supplement Store or online at http://www.blenderbottle.com/.

Make it a Great Week! Next week I will talk about Pre and Post Exercise Nutrition!

Nutrition Revisited!

First, let me say that I am not a health professional or dietitian; I am simply sharing things that have worked for me. That being said, I am a firm believer in the Paleo Diet for Athletes. Yes, there is a difference between the traditional Paleo Diet and the Paleo Diet for Athletes. Although they both follow the same main categories; lean meats, nuts, seeds, vegetables and some fruits, the Athletes diet incorporates tubers and whey protein during the “recovery” window post-exercise. Each meal should contain a Protein, Carbohydrate, and a healthy Fat. For example, my lunch yesterday contained 5oz. of grilled chicken breast, 2 cups of sautéed Kale, and 15 Almonds all accompanied with 16oz. of water. Each meal is very easy to compose as long as follow the matrix provided on http://robbwolf.com/faq/#basics.

This week challenge yourself to 7-days of eating like a caveman and let me know what you think.

Be on the look out for an early post all about WATER!!

Persistence

Have you ever lost a big sale, been injured, or simply felt like your life had spiraled out of control? Most us have experienced some sort of setback whether it was sports or job related. Gary Mack, author of Mind Gym, says, “The most successful people look at setbacks as opportunities for comebacks. They are persistent. They refuse to LOSE.” Several years ago I developed tendonitis in my hamstring tendon that prevented me from doing any hard physical activity. I was forced to swim and perform rehabilitation exercises for several months. After months of dedication and hard work, I was able to run without pain and I came back faster than I was before.

Injuries are common among athletes. It is how you respond to this injury that sets you apart from the competition. Being optimistic is difficult when everything seems like it is going against you, however, by being persistent you will be able to accomplish any goal that is set. Turn your GOALS into REALITY this week!!

Average athletes stay in their comfort zone, great athletes get out of it. Don’t be just average, be GREAT!!

Our coaches, friends, family and training partners all believe in us, however, by not believing in our own ability, it may prove detrimental to our performance. There have been times when I was competing that I underestimated myself and it proved to be my own demise. After discovering triathlons, I realized any thing is possible. After not being involved in competitive sports once I graduated college, a dear friend of mine got me hooked. I was hesitant at first, but after believing in myself and my ability I was able to complete my first triathlon. I experienced the ups and downs of training, but even to this day, I never once second-guessed myself. Believe in yourself, believe in your ability, and you will be sure to crush the competition!!