Checkpoint Zero Training Camp
presented by ARCoach.com

Tired of the same old bike workouts? Step it up a notch with this one. Iâ??d like to share one of my favorite bike workouts with you.

The next time you head out for a training ride, try this workout instead. Doing this workout will improve all areas of your energy system and ability to keep pushing during the long hard intensities associated with adventure racing.

Hereâ??s how you do it: Begin with a warm up ride of 6 to 10 minutes. Your warm up can be longer, just keep your heart low and focus on bringing your pace up slightly. During the warm up keep your cadence between 80-100 RPM.

After your warm up begin your first hard effort. Shift gears to create a cadence between 70-75 RPM while keeping your heart rate at about 80% of your maximum.

Remember you can figure your maximum heart rate by using the following equation: 220-your age. Then you multiply by 80%. Example: 220-35=185. 185x80%=148.

It is very important to keep your cadence between 70 and 75 and stay in the saddle, focus on good pedal technique. Donâ??t stomp on the pedals; push down a pull through each stroke. Try to pick a section of trail or road that will allow you to perform the entire hard effort without any breaks in intensity.

After your hard effort relax and return you cadence to 80-100 RPM. During the rest phase concentrate on bring your heart rate down and your breathing under control.
You should work up to about 10 minutes in the hard effort phase with a 3 minute recovery. A typical workout might look like this: 10 minute warm up followed by 7 minutes in the hard effort with a 3 minute recovery. Do this 3 times. Follow it up with a 10 minute cool down. You should try to do 2 sets of this workout with a 6 minute recovery ride between sets. Only do this workout 1 to 2 times a week. Mix up the time you spend in the hard effort and recovery time.
I have found this to be a great fall/winter workout on a spin bike. It really helps to control the intensity, cadence, and heart rate you need to make this workout effective. So the next time you want to step up your game, give it a try. Within a couple of weeks you should notice a difference in your ability to keep up on rolling terrain and your recovery will improve between those hard efforts in the next adventure race.

Good luck and happy training.

Keith Bushaw
Director of Coaching
ARcoach

Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Endurance Trainer
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Certified Fitness Therapy

What is the real deal on supplements? Is there any value and improved performance? What supplements do adventure racers need?

I really believe that supplements have a role in adventure racing. There is no way you will be able to feed your body everything it needs during the race. You will burn somewhere between 12,000-18,000 calories in a 24 hour race. The chances of you consuming even 10,000 calories during that time are slim and none.

If you deplete your body of the nutrients it needs, it will not respond when you place the physical and mental demands that are part of adventure racing. If you carried enough food to fully replenish your system, your pack would weight 25 plus pounds and you would be moving at a much slower pace; thus causing you to be out there longer (the never ending battle).

So what's the answer? About 7 or 8 years ago I attended an adventure racing clinic that Ian Adamson and Robin Benincasa put on in Arkansas. Ian said something that has stuck with me ever since. "If you are not cold, you brought too many clothes, if you are not thirsty you are carrying too much water, and if you are not hungry you have too much food."

That means consuming just enough during the race to fuel the body. Carbohydrates are your main source of fuel. (simple and complex). The simple carbs (sugar) will be absorbed fast and provide immediate energy, while the more complex carbs will be absorbed and stored for later. Everyone's balance of simple and complex is different so try to mix it up during your next intense training session.

So when it comes to supplements during the race our bodies need balance. The most important are electrolytes (calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium). Products such as "nuun" (code = arcoach07 for 20% off), and Hammer Nutrition provide a good balance of these nutrients. How much you should take will depend on the amount of sweat you produce. If you are a heavy sweater you will need more than the recommended dose. Again, you will have to experiment on your intense training days.

Depending on the length of the race you may need to consume protein to help your body recover and continue repairing damaged muscle tissue. If your race is 24 hours or less you really won't need to focus on protein. On those epic races longer than 24 hours you will need to consume anywhere from 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight to 1.8 grams. If you do not consume enough carbs your body will use protein as an energy source causing a slowed recovery rate and delay muscle repair (not good).

I have recently found a product called InfinitNutrition. You make a custom blend of nutrients using a very easy to use slide scale and within a week it's at your door. Dial in what your body needs, not some generic blend of carbs, protein, and electrolytes.

Supplements will have a profound impact on your next race if you take the time to experiment with the right blend. Just remember there is no right supplement â?? itâ??s only right if it works for you.

Keith Bushaw
Director of Coaching
ARcoach

Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Endurance Trainer
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Certified Fitness Therapy

Keith Bushaw
Director of Coaching
ARcoach

Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Endurance Trainer
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Certified Fitness Therapy

3 Keys to Faster Transitions

In adventure racing it is easy to spend a lot of time transitioning from one sport to the next. Here are some race proven tips that we've accumulated in our years of racing.

1) Talk thru the transition in detail as you approach the TA

1. The team captain should get the team talking about what they are about to do in the transition.
• Visualizing your gear in the upcoming TA, what you need to fill, what you need to drop off and saying these things outloud helps make doing it faster as well as more accurate. It is your job to not only make sure you have what you need but to help your teammates get what they need, whether that be food/water/gear.
2. This conversation should include the following
• What discipline(s) you're switching too
• Map out exactly what gear you need to get ready (paddles, pfd's, paddle gloves, trail running shoes, extra socks, boat wheels, tow system, you get the idea
• What the weather/temp will do between now and at your next TA, this is key b/c you need to be clear about what gear you need to pick up and what you can leave behind
• How much food? How much water?
• Assign tasks to each teammate based on the discipline that is coming up. "Your building the paddles, weâ??re inflating the boat, she' filling the waterâ?¦"
• Who's on the maps, plotting the next points, whoâ??s double checking them?
• Who's on the passport, making sure you get checked in and making sure you have the passport before you leave
• Keep track of your race rules and clue sheet, leaving the TA with out it will cost ya.

2) Pack your TA gear smart

1. Start by getting yourself an adequate size gear box.
2. Pack your gear by sport into "beach style"bags (or plastic grocery bags)
• Having a mountain biking, paddling, rollerblading, running, etc bag for each sport makes finding that second glove or extra sock much easier
• Gear that carries over into sports like your socks we recommend packing into a separate bag as your go-to place for essential gear that you replace or need throughout the race (at different TA's). Having to first remember that you packed your extra socks in your mountain biking shoes (thinking you might need them) slows you down and is taxing on your already taxed body and mind. Make life easier by preparing your gear for simple and quick recovery
3. Follow this same model with your food
• Food bags packed with food you like is key. If you don't like something you pack you'll find that at the end of each race you still have it in your pack. Although it is nice to take your energybar out for a good adventure or two it's not good for your speed.
• Have different size food bags ready to go (a 3 hr bag, 4 hr bag, etc) if you don't know the layout of the race ahead of time. If you do know the layout you can plan the size of your food bags the night before and have them ready at your TA in zip lock bags for easy placement in your pack.
• A full bar can sometimes be tough to get down when your on the run so try cutting your bars into 1/3rds making a "potpourri" of 3 different types in one snack bag makes the sometimes boring race food seem more exciting. Plus, this cuts down on packaging that could end up on the trail and not in your pack.
• Your water is no different, having extra bladders can sometimes make your TA faster (it depends on your pack. If it is easier to fill it or swap it out, you decide but test them both during your training so that you're confident). (know what you need for 3hrs of mountain biking vs three hours of trekking/running with weather conditions in mind. Have these already setup or in bottles you can measure and pour quickly to refill)
4. Be deliberate with your time and actions in the TA
• If you want to get faster it is a good time to stop thinking of the TA as a place to rest or to regain your strength. Each movement in the TA should be deliberate and thought out ahead of time. By doing this you keep your race focus and will get out much quicker than other teams.
5. Moving fast in a TA is strategic
• Passing teams in the TA is something we love to do. Many teams let their guard down in the TA and when they come out again to find you have already left it helps as you use the mental edge of the sport.

2) Support Crew

1. In supported races your crew is an extension of your team. They are a part of the race and you need to learn how to best utilize their assistance.
2. Having a crew that knows each of you and your "warning signs" is key. It is hard for them to help "nurse you back to life" if they don't know how to tell if youâ??re floating over the edge (about to bonk, etc?)
3. Your crew should be keeping an eye out, watching other teams, which way they went, keeping track of when they came in, how long they stayed in the TA and how far ahead they are. Your crew is the best "leader board" you could ever have b/c they have your best interest in mind. Train them on what you need to know to help the team if they don't already watch out for some of these things.
4. The obvious things
• Prepare your food, prepare your gear (get your bikes ready, check the brakes, know how to put on the tires, check tire inflation, keep the area tidy) and remind you of things not to forget (passport, maps, required gear, etc)
• Lay out your gear in corners of your "tent" or patch of dirt. Each athlete should have a clearly defined area in the TA with their gear laid out as discussed before the race. This makes finding the gear you spent all that time organizing really fast.

Chris Boyd
ARcoach
Captain of Team Timberland

I see it all the time, training for the sake of training. More is not better! It's all about quality not quantity. We train endurance athletes with as little as 5 hours a week all the way up to 10+ hours a week.

Don't focus on how many miles you run or how far you rode your bike, focus on your heart rate target zones. The key to successful endurance training is finding the balance between the "junk" and the training miles we put on our legs/bikes.

You can complete a 30 hour adventure race with as little as 6-7 hours a week of quality training. Not only complete the race but also compete in the race! I will tell you how to figure out what your target heart rate zones for quality training.

First, you will need to know your resting heart rate. Over the next 3 days record your heart rate first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed. Take an average of those three days. Letâ??s say day one is 48, day two is 50, and day three is 47. Your resting heart rate would be 48.

Next, we will determine your age-adjusted maximum heart rate. Take your age and subtract it from 220. So for a 32 year old the maximum heart rate would be, 188 (220-32=188). Then we need to figure out your heart rate reserve. Take the 188 (maximum heart rate) and subtract your resting heart rate. (188-48=140). 140 is your heart rate reserve. Now we are ready to put your training zones together.

Example: ZONE 1
Multiply your heart rate reserve by 40%. (140 x 40%= 56)
Add resting heart rate back in. (56+48=104)
This is the low end of heart rate zone 1.
Multiply your heart rate reserve by 45%. (140 x 45%= 63)
Add resting heart rate back in. (63+48=111)
This is the high end of heart rate zone 1. So heart rate Zone 1 = 104-111.

Use the following percentages to determine all 6 heart rate zones. Zone 2 = 50-55%, Zone 3 = 60=65%, Zone 4 = 70-75%, Zone 5 = 80-85%, Zone 6 = 90-95%.

As an endurance athlete you should spend most of your time training in heart rate zones 3-4. You must push your body into heart rate zones 5-6 for several short intervals or fartleks throughout the week. This will help you to recover quicker during the race when you need to push hard for an uphill section. Do all your recovery days in heart rate zone 1-2.

The method used above is a best guess method and will provide you with a staring point. If you want to really dial in your training zones you need to seek professional help. Your target heart rate training zones are the keys to a success racing and training season.

- consult your doctor or trainer before beginning any exercise regiment

Keith Bushaw
Director of Coaching
ARcoach

Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Endurance Trainer
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Certified Fitness Therapy

More carbs, no carbs, more protein, less fat, lean meat, no meat, high fat, less protein.....Blah, Blah, Blah!

Ok, so we've heard it all. Every time I turn around someone has a new diet plan that will change your life. If it isn't the latest high protein low carb craze itâ??s something else. I just want to set the record straight so bear with me.

As an endurance athlete you need to eat a well balanced diet. You will need nutrients from all sources, Carbohydrates, Fat, and Protein. The key is balance! I recommend eating a diet that contains 60% carbohydrate, 20% fat, and 20% protein. So if you consumed 2200 calories a day it would breakdown like this: 1320 carbs, 440 fat, and 440 protein. There are certain times during your training and racing season that the percentage of fat is a little higher or lower than the 20%. In general try to keep it around the 20% mark. Just remember that carbohydrates are your primary source of energy, so make sure you are getting enough carbs to fuel your training. The protein is what rebuilds your muscles after training and helps you recover from those hard efforts.

If you are looking to drop a few pounds before the season, you have only two choices. Eat less or burn more. One pound of fat consists of 3500 calories. If you want to lose one pound a week you need to be burning 500 calories a day more than you eat. Or eat 500 calories less each day while burning the same amount of calories. It's that simple, don't get hung up on all the fad diets, they don't promote long-term weight loss!

You should be taking a good multi-vitamin and maybe a protein supplement during those really hard training days. Other than that just focus on balance in you diet.

I will address what you should be eating during a race in a future blog.

Keith Bushaw
Director of Coaching
ARcoach

Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Endurance Trainer
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Certified Fitness Therapy

Well, not exactly body building in the get "huge bulging" muscles way like Arnold. Building a solid body is key to a successful season of adventure racing. The core of your body is involved in every movement during each aspect of a race. You might have strong legs to mash down the pedals during those smooth nasty hill climbs, but throw in some rocks, roots, and sleep deprivation and you need more than just strong legs.

So what is the "core"? The core is any muscle that is directly involved in the stabilization of the spine, pelvis, and hip. This is where all movement begins, so we better take some time to develop this area.

Most often we see people doing exercise at the local gym that involve a stable base, such as bench press, leg curls and so on. These are great exercises to isolate a particular muscle but how often during a race are you lying flat on your back pushing a perfectly balanced object up and down?

By simply moving your exercise to an exercise ball or by using dumbbells you activate your core muscles. By building a strong core your coordination and endurance will increase and you will become less fatigued during the race.

I have listed several exercises that you can incorporate into your weekly routine that will help develop a strong core. You should mix these exercises up and do them at least two days a week. Your body will quickly adapt to the new stress placed on them so always be looking for ways to make them more challenging. You can add more time, change the surface, or add weight to stimulate more muscles. I will routinely post new core exercises that you can work into your training plan.

Quadruped Opposite Arm/Leg Raise:

• Start on all fours, with the spine in a neutral position.
• Draw abs in, brace and tuck chin.
• Slowly raise the right arm (thumb up) and the left leg with toes pointed away from the body.
• Keep both arm and leg straight while lifting them to body height.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Slowly return them both arm and leg to the starting position. Maintain optimal alignment.
• Repeat 3 times alternating sides.
  

Side-lying Iso Abs:

• Lie on one side with feet and legs stacked on top of each other and forearm on ground.
• Draw abs in (the feeling you have when you cough), activate glutes (squeeze you buttocks together as if you are trying to pinch a quarter between your cheeks) and brace.
• Lift hips and legs off the ground until the body forms a straight line from head to toe, resting on forearm and feet.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Slowly lower body to the ground.
• Switch sides and repeat 3 times each side.

Keith Bushaw
Director of Coaching
ARcoach

Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Endurance Trainer
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Certified Fitness Therapy

Labels: arcoach, building your core muscles, core workouts