Turn Your Biomechanical Lemons Into Sweet Positive Lemonade

by Bob Calabritto
Exclusively for ZenTriathlon

I recently suffered from the onset of I.T. band friction syndrome. As many of you know, it’s a debilitating injury for any athlete, especially Triathletes.  The prospect of facing this injury was at first quite deflating: I was in the midst of some great training progress, I had a race twenty days away, and I didn’t want to face the reality of complete lower-body rest, which, is essentially the precise antidote for ITBS.  Simply put, I was majorly bummed. All of a sudden I had two injuries; the one to my knee, and the one to my deflated ego.

Injury is a matter of course for endurance athletes. Regardless of how much preventive measure is incorporated in the training plan, minor setbacks will creep up, particularly if, like me, you’re well past those spritely years of invincibility.  It’s how you deal with the psychology of the injury that makes a difference. Can you turn your biomechanical lemons into sweet positive lemonade?  Of course you can!

The first step is to overcome your negative state. Instead of harping on the blues of the injury, just accept it; even thank it for coming into your life - I know that sounds tutti-fruity, but there is psychology and Zen associated with that action that goes far beyond the scope of this article.  At the very least, accept it, thus dispelling the negative thoughts from both your conscious and subconscious mind. If you have lingering negative thoughts about the injury, they will demotivate you from realizing the potential of what you can accomplish when in an altered physical state, and that potential is enormous.

I honestly feel that my injury was a sort of blessing. I was recently telling Coach Brett how I needed to really focus on my swim, train more in the pool and concentrate on my swim technique.  Two days after that conversation, I am forced to train exclusively in the water. That’s the sort of thing I am talking about when I say to make the most of the situation. Baring a few very serious, debilitating injuries, there are always ways to improve your performance when you are on the D.L. and you should try to avoid thinking of these training sessions as less important or substitutes for your normal training. Think of them now as your cornerstone sessions for the time being and execute them with the same fervor and enthusiasm you would any other session.   Your body and your mind will be thankful for your effort and you won’t miss a beat in your overall fitness.   

Be Excellent and Train Smart

Bob Calabritto is a former Athletic Trainer at Louisiana State University (LSU), he holds a Masters Degree in Sports Medicine and is a Certified Life Coach focusing on Personal Excellence and Wellness, he is an NLP Practitioner and contributor to a number of health and wellness initiatives. Follow bob @XLNTU on twitter or for Personal Coaching emailbob@creativebali.com

Six Things to Consider Before You Buy New Gear

It's not the lens protectors still on the goggles that made Rick look fruity.

Most people just get the cheapest and most immediate gear to get the job done.  We've all had that talk with the person at work wanting to buy a bike for commuting and is only willing to spend $99.  Bad idea.

Here's a simple run-down on a great checklist to use before you buy a new piece of equipment:

1. Buy or read some triathlon magazines and pay close attention to the ads.  Look at what the different manufacturers are claiming about their goods.  You can learn a lot that way.
2. Talk to other triathletes and ask how simple, reliable, and good-feeling their equipment is.
3. Get access to a pro or elite triathlete and find out what they are using and why.
4. Visualize yourself using the new item.  Is it more simple and easier to use than the last one?  Most importantly, does it give you more time to train?
5. How will you get it repaired or replaced if it breaks?
6. Price should be the last item on your checklist, once fit, form, and function are taken care of.

Now, the final thing to do is DON'T BUY IT.  Wait a week and see if it was really that important.  It probably wasn't.  

It's a Trap!

Lance Armstrong tweeted that this will be his last Tour De France.  I for one don't take the claim at face value.  It's a trap.

Lance Vader "Mellow Johnny" is famous for acting sick and feigning weakness to get his competition to drop their guard, then go for the kill.

Moving on to the article itself, I found the intro paragraph to be a dark surprise as well.

SILVER CITY — Saturday, the Super Bowl of cycling will kick off from Rotterdam, Holland, and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong tweeted that this will be his final appearance in the most prestigious and difficult bike race in the world — the Tour de France.

I think it's great that we have to compare three weeks of four-hour rides over mountains to one hour of five-second plays for Americans to even begin to understand how difficult this event is.  I'm now going to proudly call the Superbowl "The Tour De France of Football" and see how that goes over here in Texas.

Go Run, Rescue a Turtle!

One of the best things about triathlon training is the wildlife. Here's a sweaty iPhone 4 video of a turtle I plucked out of the street while on this morning's run.

I invested in an iPhone 4 especially for the video capability.  I'm always finding interesting creatures and situations that pictures can't do justice.  Also, my dad used to bring home snakes from his runs and I always loved it!  I'm not prone to picking up snakes, but at least I can take vids and bring those home to show my son.  

Kai had a friend spend the night last night and they loved the video of the turtle.  I also used it to demonstrate how we don't stomp or drive over creatures in our way, but show kindness and help them along their path.

Anybody know what kind of turtle that is?

7 Ways to Beat the Heat while Training.

The heat of summer is definitely here, bringing with it a host of problems. I took this picture yesterday, trying not to melt in the Texas countryside. It was hot, and the worst was yet to come.

Heat is a fact of life, so here are some great ways to beat it:

• Pre-hydrate the day before big workouts.
• Take more water with you than you think you need.
• Take in extra sodium.
• Slow down and temper your expectations.  The heat forces your body to not be as efficient as usual. You simply will not be able to keep up your usual speeds. No worries, though. You'll be super fast when the weather cools off.  It's all relative.
• Be aware that your post-ride hunger is probably actually dehydration. Food contains a lot of water and your body knows it. It also contains what might be extra calories you weren't bargaining on getting.
• Once I find myself overdoing the food after a hot workout, I short circuit the cravings by eating something super salty, like broth.
• If you have a post-workout headache, that's an indicator of dehydration as well.

Put the above tips into action and you can have a much better Summer training season. Don't let yourself get overheated and then miss a bunch of workouts while you recover.