TRAINING THE FORGOTTEN MUSCLES
When you think of training for an Ironman you think of training your legs for the bike and run. You may think of training you upper body for the swim. But what about the bridge that connects the two. Yes, I am talking about the popular term “core”. Your core is really the link from your brain to the muscles. By being able to better activate and control it you in turn have better and more efficient control of your “working muscles”.
Lets think about two different types of bridges. 1. The rope bridge. You may remember the rope bridge from old movies like Indiana Jones. Pretty scary and not very stable and unpredictable. 2. The steel or concrete bridge. It is more rigid and probably safer. When you take a step it is very predictable in how it will respond. Which would you rather be on? By being efficient in the core you are going to be a more efficient athlete which usually translates into a faster athlete.
Now lets talk about other muscles you have forgotten about. Your neck and shoulders. Think about how many times you rotate your head when you breath in the swim, how many revolutions your arms make while completing a 2.4 miles swim (that is if you swim perfectly straight). You may not have thought about training your neck but I am sure you have started to feel some of its effects from long hours in the saddle. When you are doing your
long rides it is not only about fitness. You are conditioning your body to hold a fixed position for up to 6 hours. Your neck, shoulders, and back need to be up to the task or you could wreck your run. Aside from the long days in the saddle you can do strength exercises on your recovery days to complement your training. One of the best exercises you can do is a plank. It conditions your shoulders to hold your weight for 6 hours after swimming for over an hour. It also helps strengthen your core musculature as well as your lower back.
What is your gut telling you?
By now you have probably practiced your race day nutrition and you should probably have it nailed down. Something to consider when doing a race like Ironman Texas or any hot tropical region is your hydration. In hot weather your body needs fluids and electrolytes more than calories. In fact the thermogenic effect of food could actually raise your core temperature. In these types of races it is imperative that you train yourself to “stomach” the amount of fluids you will ask of it on race day. Don’t think you can play this one by ear. If your stomach is not equipped to handle the increased amount of fluids it will get rid of it and the effect could be catastrophic to your race. The stomach is an amazing organ and has the capacity to expand and shrink to accommodate the demands placed on it. But it does need a little time to acclimate. The good news is you still have some time to accomplish this in training. My recommendation for this type of race course is to take in at least an additional 20 oz of water with electrolytes per hour in addition to your race day nutrition. Good luck to all who are racing at IRONMAN TEXAS. Enjoy your taper. You have earned it.
See you at the finish line.
