Triathlon–Amelia Island

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AMELIA ISLAND 70.3 RACE REPORT

Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD and 70.3 Finisher again

October 15th, 2010… Great way to end a tax quarter… extensions in the mail and on the road to Amelia Island for my 5th 70.3 distance triathlon. Last year it was Augusta Ironman 70.3, not quite my “A” race, but I did have Marine Corps Marathon lurking on the horizon. This year it was Amelia Island as an island (the only one to focus on)… but post stress fracture was the thorn in my side this time… oh well, planned to have fun, take it easy, relax and enjoy – all those goals were accomplished.

Four long months ago, my left tibia was diagnosed as fractured. I had already signed up for this 70.3 and I was determined to get past the injury in style. Training remained in tact, other than less running than would be preferable for a 70.3 distance. The extra swimming and biking helped make up the healing time, as well as add to my confidence as an athlete ready for the challenge… Countless hours in the pool, drawn out miles on the bike, mostly on the Silver Comet Trail and on Columns Drive (particularly chosen due to the flatness of the Amelia course, not because I don’t like hills or anything, no really, I swear!!) And again, a repeat of last years training, minus the two rainstorms and the close encounter with a sports utility vehicle… but yes, the 3 boxes of gel packets of all flavours, from gross to mmm actually quite nice, the same old variations of oatmeal and peanut butter, many many cliff shot blocks and still the ice packs rotating between the freezer and my tibia.  I was prepared for my 70.3 miles of pure painless joy.  This being my 5th half ironman distance event, I felt more than ready for the wetsuit legal ocean swim (although I had not practiced at all in my wetsuit, or in an ocean (where is one to find waves in Georgia??) or in open water for that matter) and the 56 mile flat bike ride, but the 13.1 mile run was daunting. Daunting because any runs over 8 miles caused a nagging twinge in my left knee, explained by knowledgeable Dr. Sadri as overcompensation of pain avoidance in the tibia. This left me with the undertrained anxiety on race day… but no worries, I balance out under training with over performing, so sounds like I am all good “on average.”   

The weekend was awesome, and yes, that included the 6 plus hours of continuous accelerated heart rates (oh  #$@^% !! I would have loved it to be sub six hours, but I can always blame that left tibia !!). I arrived on Friday midday after a 6 hour drive from Atlanta to Amelia… it just dawned on me the time it took to get to the race, was the time it took to do the race, how cool. The weather the entire weekend was gorgeous. Blue skies calm seas and sandy beaches, what more could an triathlete ask for… ok, calm seas, except for Saturday morning, the day I practiced getting in and out of my wetsuit, and swimming my first open water experience since…mmm…. since… well, well over a year ago!! The ocean in its glory, threw the few of us practicing around like a tornado. Up and down and all around, falling off of breakers, swallowing those delicious “electrolit” salt waters… a good experience nevertheless, because if race day was like this, we needed this experience.

Race day… calm waters… whew!!! Wetsuit legal… whew (buoyancy is our friend, people). And then again, wetsuit has become my enemy… you should see the raw chaffing on my neckline I have to now endure due to forgetting my glide back in the hotel room (I dare to now admit, that I am the literal definition of the Southern “redneck”… ow!!). The bike ride was lots of out and backs, so I could see all my buddies way ahead of me about 20 odd times, nothing short of heart beat torture. Thanks you guys, as I am continuously inspired by all my fellow athletes who do this, especially the ones that continue to beat me. My bike times have improved, but I am blown away at the times some of these amazing athletes consistently put out there.  The run started off in the heat of the day, shadeless and through the neighbourhoods… but within 4 miles we were running through a stunning treeful (in other words, motley shady) park with tons of support by the volunteer crew, and lots of hydration and fueling options. Again, all out and backs, so feeling a little behind was an understatement, as saw some of my tri club compatriots I saw finishing up their last 4 miles of the long 13.1, as I was entering them.

 Well, to cut a long race report short (I guess that I am too late on that too, huh?), I loved every minute of the race and spending time with my tri club buddies, some of which are clients too. We all got medals… but most of my tri club athletes got that extra “hardware” too, stating podium placements. Wow, I feel honoured to be a part of this group.

 Just a note to my clients:  you all are the people that appreciate me more, just because I do these crazy endurance endeavors and thus the fact that I understand the mental side of this sport, bonds me more each day to you and my unbelievable career. I have come across so many inspiring stories along the way, and I just want to be that to someone else. I have always insisted on walking the walk, not just talking the talk, so to continue being a confident, professional sports dietitian, this is a no brainer, even for someone who is no natural born athlete.

 My 5th 70.3 medal (I should actually say 70.7, as the last mile was at least half a mile longer than it should have been according to my and many others’ GPSs) was a personal victory. I have overcome the naggings of my left tibia. And my most recognizable accomplishment in this race, was my overcoming a fear of letting go of my handle bars and eating a gel at about mile 49 on the bike (yes, I admit, taking in sports nutrition/fuel has been a challenge for me, and even though I preach this all day long, I struggle with it – I do at least drink calories, okay). However, with that said, this is the year I had better get into this fearless habit, as I have an ironman in my vision and 2011 is going to be the year of conquering this fear and finally putting the remnants of my 2007 bike accident that caused it to rest !!

 So in conclusion, I stand up on my platform (no, not the podium… my own personal platform) and repeat after each race:

With the finish line now just a distance memory, my mind wanders to my training partners who each have not only their own, but  a hand in my personal victory. To all my clients who reward me daily too. Those that take what I teach them and put it into action, so they too can feel this way.  Besides this being the most rewarding part of what I do, they are the ones fueling my fire to continue with endurance sports so that I really can understand not only the physical side of what I teach, but the mental capacity. Thank you, see you at the next one. 

 Amelia Island put on by DRC sports was awesome. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great 70.3 (or 70.7perhaps) distance triathlon. Our tri club have even committed to making this an annual event… as long as the weather, the calm(ish) oceans and the hotel right next to the race start stay in good order, I am there in 2011!!

Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes

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Remember my study on common characteristics of successful weight loss clients?   While doing that research I saw another pattern: people have different learning styles. Some of you told me that accountability was key to your weight loss success; others told me that once you had the knowledge and plan you were good to go. I wanted to create a platform that accommodates all those needs and beyond.

So here’s the scoop.

In addition to my one-on-one coaching I am giving you membership into an on-line program.

Some of you have already signed up for the free membership level.  You have seen articles, worksheets and tips in areas such as:

  • Recipe of the Week
  • Sport Specific Strategies
  • Clinical Nutrition and Health
  • Food Facts and Myths
  • Weight Management Strategies

I am continuing to add valuable material to help you reach your body composition goals.

You know I don’t try to sell you supplements or powders so you don’t have to worry about that. (In fact, you might be surprised to hear what I think of supplements.)

The core of my Metabolic Boost philosophy will not change

When you get started, we will still conduct the initial interview and I will create your plan. (Unless you choose the Do It Yourself option, more on that later.)

But now, you will have a choice on how follow-ups and follow-throughs are accomplished.  All of the membership packages have access to the coaching club.  Some of what you will get as a member:

  • More Recipes,
  • Your own recipes adapted,
  • More research results,
  • Interviews with other experts,
  • Nutrition Lessons,
  • Nutrition tips for enhanced success
  • Access to a forum for support and guidance
  • Webinars (still brainstorming with this myself, but the possibilities are endless, like cooking lessons, grocery store tours, and whatever else comes in as requests from you guys)
  • And of course much much more… there is just so much I have to offer to you guys… and I cannot wait to do it, I have such a passion for it, as most of my current clients already know 😉

The basic differences in the packages are the frequency and length of follow-up.

  • Accelerated package: Weekly follow-up,
  • Complete package: Monthly follow-up.
  • Starter package:  Follow-up only if needed.
  • Do It Yourself package (DIY):  I will give you my research and step-by-step guide to creating your own program plan. You will have the science behind the plan, sample plans, guidelines and checklists.  But the key difference is that you create your own plan.

No matter which option you choose I will always be available for additional consultation.  AND I am adding more ways to have the consultation: E-mail, Skype, Group coaching calls, again, with the amazing increase in technology at our fingertips, these possibilities are also endless…

The last option – the DIY package is the plan I am most nervous about.  I am giving you in written form all my research, my calculations, my “secret ingredients” (so to speak). Though it seems like it should be the most expensive package, it will actually be very reasonable for all the work I put into it. So as affordable as it is, you will have access to a lifetime of knowledge, and you can massage it into what is going to work best for you, yourself.

Details to follow…

  • Recipe of the Week ( 2 Articles )
    Try our recipes, incorporate them into your meal plan. Registered members have access to all of our recipes.
  • Sport Specific Strategies ( 17 Articles )
    Are you training for a marathon? Unsure about race day nutrition? Wonder what / if/ how much you should eat before workout out?
  • Clinical Nutrition and Health ( 2 Articles )
    How much does what you eat affect your health?  Can your diet help you fight off the swine flu?
  • Food Facts and Myths ( 5 Articles )
    The title pretty much sums it up.  Who can you trust?
  • Weight Management Strategies ( 8 Articles )
    Does when  you eat affect your weight?  How do I break that 10pm munchie habit?

Orthorexia Nervosa – A New Eating Disorder ?

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Browsing for new books in the nutrition world is one of my favorite pastimes, and so it should be, as a Specialized Sports Nutritionist in the middle of getting a book published. It is healthy to compare your research to “competitors”. I often get blown away by some of the stuff that is out there, but my find just the other day definitely deserved a mention on my blog.

Brace yourself, people – Dr. Steven Bratman, a so-called medical doctor and author has written a book with an intention to medicalize a new mental disorder. He refers to it specifically as an eating disorder and has termed it Orthorexia Nervosa. The latin translation is “a strong conscious desire to eat health and nutritional foods.”  Absurd?  Tell me I am not on an island on this one!

If you are middle class, well educated, have the time and the money to find pure alternatives to genetically modified food, and you have a tendency to read about and research food scares in the media, then you may be at risk for this new eating disorder. Continue Reading »

Stress Fracture – Can you prevent it with Nutrition?

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Risk of Stress Fracture in Athletes with inadequate Calcium Intake

A Personal reflection!

Shin Splints… come on shins, didn’t that fad move out with step aerobics in the 80’s?  Well the pain certainly hasn’t moved on, and my checklist of appropriate solutions has run out. New shoes – check, sports massage – check, nutrition – check… sports doc – check. But left shin pain still persists with every run, and left knee looks like a melon. Ok, last on the list…  stay tuned!

Fast forward…  Dr. Sadri (Active Release Technique specialist) – Diagnosis : A friggin’ stress fracture in my left tibia. Nothing wrong with the knee after all, that was just a mere reaction from overcompensation of each running stride to avoid sharp shooting pains.  Fast forward again, about 6 weeks: Pain free – check.  First 10k under my belt since the diagnosis. I promise, I ran slowly and mostly walked the Peachtree this year. Result, definitely not a 10K PR (personal record), but a pain free race and a race regardless of anything else. Thanks to all my rehab exercises, great sports doc, and lots of rest and run free days. (Thank goodness I was given the green light on swimming and biking, else I swear this blog would have been written from a totally different point of view and location (hint: mental institution of sorts)).

Well, just to reflect on the nutrition side of what’s going on here. Perfect nutrition – mmm….  wasn’t that one checked off 6 weeks ago?  So yes, you got me. It was, but it is vital to mention here that one person’s perfect nutrition may be another’s disaster. Nutrition is a very individual concept, and although I know a tremendous amount about the science of metabolism and the value of food as medicine, I am also learning new breakthroughs all the time. My personal reflection: It turns out, that based on the caloric intake for my individual basal metabolic rate, I am one who at this stage of life and training, a calcium supplement and vitamin D compliment may prove to be essential within my profile. Supplements are not necessary for everyone, and I still work off of the principle that food is one’s most bioavailable source of nutrients and the best medicine for most ailments. Supplements are just that – supplements. And by definition, to supplement ones diet in which it lacks. Not a replacement of good sources of nutrients through food.

So with that said, this may be the perfect place to write about calcium and bone strength:

The science behind my experience: Continue Reading »

Triathlete Nutrition Plan: For Your Skin?

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As triathletes we are constantly abusing our skin with hours in chlorine filled pools and hours of sweating in the hot sun.  We KNOW you are diligent with the sunscreen but what else can you do to protect and improve your skin?

While sunscreen, beauty creams, microdermabrasions and other high priced spa treatments for skincare are all good, they are not the only way to keep your skin vibrant and constantly younger looking. Similar to your heart, your skin is another organ in the body that requires good nutrition for its upkeep. In fact, it’s the largest organ and although it’s an external one, its care comes from the inside.

The top skin care nutrients include:

  • WATER:

Hydration is essential for maintaining strong and vibrant skin, improving its main function as a protective barrier to the rest of the body. Water alone can give you  a more younger, radiant and blemish free look.

  • LYCOPENE:

UV rays penetrate skin, even through the best sunscreens available, causing cellular and tissue damage, increasing premature aging and the risk of skin cancer. Scientifically based evidence exists to show that the antioxidants in lycopene (found in tomatoes) protect the skin’s inner layers from harmful UV exposure.

  • ESSENTIAL FATS:

Omega 3 fatty acids are required by every cell in the body, including every cell in the skin, for flexibility and function. It is important to ensure omega 3’s are a part of  your diet, because the body cannot make them. Essential fats are found in flaxseed meal, chai seeds, hemp seeds, kiwi fruit and black raspberry and many fish sources such as salmon, tuna, mahi mahi, etc.

  • VITAMIN A:

Not only does vitamin A have antioxidant capabilities but it also has specific functioning in the skin’s repairing and inflammation processes. Good sources of vitamin A include carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, melons, spinach and organ meats, such as liver.

  • VITAMIN B:

While many vitamins offer antioxidants and other benefits to the skin, like Vitamin A, vitamin B has specific functionality in the skin for repair and healing. Good sources of vitamin B are red meat, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chile peppers, tempeh, beans, nutritional yeast, brewer’s yeast, and molasses.

The worst substance for your skin:

NICOTINE:

It causes the skin’s blood vessels to narrow and thus impairs blood flow to the skin, resulting in decreased oxygen and vital nutrients,  thus accelerating the aging process. Nicotine further damages collagen and elastin, reducing the elasticity and skin strength.

Don’t forget to include regular exercise to compliment these results. Regular exercise can reduce weight fluctuations which reduce the skin’s elasticity. Exercise also increases circulation enhancing delivery of vital nutrient to the skin and removal of damaging toxins. Furthermore, exercise is known to reduce stress and reduced stress means less hormonal flair ups often evident in the skin.

Increasing the best and reducing the worst nutrients and substances for your skin can improve luster and vitality.