I’ve been at this bike racing stuff for a long time I’ve learned a thing or two as I’ve gotten older and slower.  I’ll pass along a few of the more valuable lessons I’ve learned – some the hard way.

Take time to rest and recover.  As athletes it’s in our DNA to want to push, push, push and push harder.  Especially if you’re like me, you just simply love to ride your bike whether you ever do a race or not and every time you ride you end up going fast.  Give yourself a break.  The longer and harder you ride, the slower you’re going to become.  Train smart and give yourself a day off now and then.  Fresh legs are fast legs.

Ride and train alone more than you do group rides.  Group rides are great fun and social but all too often, they end up become “races” and you never really give yourself the opportunity to become a stronger rider.  Think about it – in a group ride, you spend a lot of time drafting. When you’re drafting, you’re not fully working.  If you’re not fully working you’ll never get used to how extremely difficult it is to go all out on a solo attack or to bridge by yourself across a gap to a break.  You’ll benefit more if you do a majority of your training on your own.

Do time trials, even if you’re a sprinter.  I don’t know a single racer at the elite level who isn’t also at least a decent time trailer.  The best sprinter I know is a guy who does well in time trials and even won the most recent race that he and I did together with a solo attack in the last 5 miles.  He could have waited until the final 300 meters to win – it was a forgone conclusion – but he attacked the winning break of 9 riders and rode solo to the line.  That’s classy.

So many racers are anal retentive about their preparations.  All conditions don’t need to be “perfect” in order for you do race well.  Sometime you won’t have time for your “ramp up” on the trainer before a race.  Don’t fret if you didn’t eat exactly what your coach told you at least 3 hours prior to your race. Sometimes life will get in the way of your ideal training week. Don’t worry if your legs aren’t giving you good feed back the day before a race.  If you take yourself out mentally before the race starts due to some perceived short fall in your routine, you just as well not even toe the line.  Seriously…I’ve had some of my best races on days that my legs felt like lead balloons during warm ups or suffering with a screaming hangover.  Several years ago, a team mate and I decided to go for “a sandwich and a beer” the night before the state championship criterium.  That night ended at about 3:00 a.m.  We were both toxic.  The next afternoon, I initiated and drove a break that lapped the field after only 20 minutes and ended up winning the state championship.  My team mate won the field sprint.  This training method is not recommended but every day is a new day and every race plays out.  Some times your preparation the day before or day of a race isn’t perfect, but learn to trust the months of training you put in rather than the few hours leading up to a race.

The older you get, the less you can afford a long “off season”.  I used to be able to hang my bike up for a couple of months at the end of the season and start training again in the spring and hardly miss a beat.  Now, I find that if I take a month off the bike in December, it takes me until June before I’m right.  An hour or so of specific work on the trainer in the winter 4-5 times a week will do wonders for keeping you ready to ramp up once the weather turns if you’re in a cold weather climate.

Learn to read races.  Most of the time, the fastest or strongest guy doesn’t win the race.  Most of the time, it’s one of the fast, strong guys who is also the smartest and most opportunistic.  I have a team mate with an uncanny knack for knowing exactly the right time to make an attack.  He’s well trained but he’s not the best time trailer, not the fastest sprinter but he wins more races than anyone I know because he knows WHEN to go by sensing the energy level of the other riders. Winning races is about using your energy in the right way at the right time.

Bike racing is hard. Photo credit @ Josh Dreyfus

Learn and repeat what you did leading up to successful races.  For me, I know that if I have a couple of weeks of high volume mileage, then an easier week before a big race, I’m likely to do well.  Some guys race themselves into shape; some guys train themselves into shape. Some athletes do best with short intense training rides.  Some athletes do best when they’ve had high mileage weeks at moderate pace. Learn what puts you into the best position to do well and stay with that formula.

If you work on your weaknesses, you’ll end of with strong weaknesses.  I’m not a sprinter.  I can go fast, but I’m not ever going to win a race in a bunch sprint.  I can do sprint repeats until I vomit, but it will never give me fast twitch muscle fiber that I need to have the explosive jump of a sprinter. The only way I can win races is to batter the field with repeated attacks until people are sick and tired of chasing me.  So, I do training rides that emphasize endurance and recovery from hard efforts rather than sprints.  Find your style and train your strengths.

When you’re not having fun racing – step back and just enjoy riding your bike.  One summer I was plain tired of the racing scene.  I wasn’t having fun, so I just took a couple of weeks, went to Door County in Wisconsin to visit my daughter who gone up there to stay with friends and work for the summer.  I rode slow and enjoyed the beautiful wooded scenery and re discovered my joy, got my mojo back and a couple of weeks later started racing again

Bike racing is HARD.  Getting into a break is HARD.  Winning a race is HARD. It hurts physically.  It’s never easy.  If you’re not willing to suffer you’ll never win a race.

Finally, it’s best to understand that in bike racing you’re going to have more downs than ups.  You’re not going to do well every time you pin on a number.  You’re going to have days where your legs are dead and you’re breathing like an asthmatic. You may crash.  Don’t let those days discourage you.  Those days will make the good days that much better.

The idiosyncrasies that come with the world of multisport racing can be quite overwhelming for the novice athlete to grasp. There are so many things that can go sideways in training and racing. Learning the ropes early on, and being flexible, can be key elements to enjoying yourself and having memorable experiences.

I believe that there are no secrets in multisport training or racing. I believe this because anytime someone comes up with a new concept, they want to share it with the world. However, what works for one may not always work for most. I’m going to highlight some of the things you should be doing, and some you might want to consider not doing from an etiquette standpoint. These are things that are nice to know, so you don’t become “that guy” at your first or next event. I hope these tips will foster the enjoyment you receive from the sport, and by so doing, make you the kind of person we all appreciate competing with. I’ll break this down into the three areas of swimming, biking and running, but first I’ll talk about your transition area.

Transition Area

Do This:

Get there early and choose a spot that is advantageous to you. Maybe you like the end of the rack where there’s a little more room, or you can hold on to the rack while stepping into your shoes? If there are open spaces on “extra” racks that are not designated for any bib numbers, ask the race staff if you can set up there. Don’t worry if they appear to be farther away from your exit. The time you save by not having to wrestle into your space could mean a quicker transition anyway.

Put your gear beside your bike, on the same side as wheel that’s touching the ground. This is actually a little known (and adhered to) USAT rule. No matter how you rack your bike, either by handlebar or seat, your gear goes on the same side as the grounded wheel.

Establish your space with a towel. Not a beach towel, and not a “bath sheet”, but a towel just wide enough to stand on when changing shoes. All of your gear should fit on this towel and return to the towel when you make your transitions.

Keep you transition gear orderly. Nobody should risk tripping over your gear. And if they do, you’d be surprised how far things will end up from where you actually left them. It shouldn’t look like a 15-year-old’s bedroom.

Respect others’ gear and space, always!!

Don’t Do This:

Move other bikes or gear without the owner’s permission. They got there ahead of you and might not be the ones who should move their gear.

Leave your gear in the aisles after changing. Room is tight, and again, nobody should be tripping over or kicking your stuff.

Use spray-on sunscreen in the proximity of others’ gear or bikes. Not only is this dangerous if it’s any oily type of sunscreen, but some of these products have been known to damage paint, decals and clear-coats on frames.

Go blasting through transition without regard for others. It’s kind of like “pit row” at Indy. Save the speed for out on the course.

SWIM

Do This:

Position yourself at the start according to your real ability. If you’re not going to mix-it-up with the Big Dogs, then stay out of their way and save yourself the abuse. This is not the time to be losing time while repositioning goggles knocked off in the first 40 yards or checking to see if your nose is really bleeding.

Continue to swim with those of similar ability. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t draft behind someone faster, it just means you’ll avoid getting constantly pummeled as you sight for the next buoy, if everyone around you is moving at the same relative speed.

Move out of the swim line if you need a break, need to use a resting stroke (breast, back, side etc.) or need help. You’ll avoid disrupting others and in the case of needing help, you’ll be more visible to safety personnel.

Swim all the way to the sand. Chances are you can swim faster than you can walk through waist deep water, so keep swimming until your hands start to hit bottom. You may be surprised that you’ll be passing people who’ve stood too early.

Don’t Do This

Abrupt starts or stops can injure other swimmers. If you suddenly stop to take a breather, someone can swim right into you. If on the other hand you start swimming again and decide to breaststroke, your sideways kicking action can be a hazard to those coming up alongside you.

Hitting back at someone who unintentionally or seemingly-intentionally hits you, is a waste of energy and falls into the category of poor sportsmanship. If you notice it’s a continuing problem, report the participant to the race director when convenient, for further action.

Crowd the turn buoy. If you aren’t keeping up with the group you’re swimming in, don’t expect them to show you any courtesy if you decide to take the inside line on the turns. You will get swam over, or at the very least, irritate those around you

BIKE

Do This:

Be cautious leaving T1. This is not the place to light the afterburners and show the crowd what you can do. There will be others still wobbly from the swim, who’ll be doing all they can to stay upright. This could include inadvertently weaving into your very path with no warning.

Familiarize yourself with any course abnormalities, as well as the USAT Rules for bike course conduct.

Ride to the right side of your lane. It may not always be the “with traffic” lane in every case, so stay right and pass left.

Because most triathlons in the U.S. are non-drafting events, you’re not required to point out obstacles for competitors behind you. But if you’ve just made a legal pass on someone, and they’ve not dropped out of your draft zone yet, as a courtesy, you could point out an obstacle they might be unable to see. It’s the right thing to do.

Ride your line and be predictable. Erratic riders can be dangerous, so give them space when you overtake them too.

Don’t Do This:

Littering is a penalty and includes anything that falls off your bike too. Ejected water bottles can be quite the hazard on the bike course, but so can a slick gel packet or CO2 cartridge. Make sure your gear is secure enough to withstand the bumps and jolts and occasional railroad tracks.

Roadside repairs should be done far enough off the road so as not to create a hazard to you or others. They may not be expecting you while you’re concentrating on the final steps of repairing a flat. It might not be that you’re in the way, but that they just didn’t see you soon enough to react. Better safe than sorry.

Spit or blow your nose anywhere but to your right. Need I say more?

Carry too much speed through aid stations. The volunteers might not be expecting you to come through so fast and so close. Don’t put either of you in jeopardy.

Ride on the tops of your shoes into the dismount area, when you’ve only seen it done by others. It takes a fair amount of practice to control your bike while getting your feet out of your clipped-in shoes. Don’t be a hazard to others.

Blast into the dismount with enough speed that you skid to a stop or nearly run into the back of someone else. This is not the place to show the crowd what a crash looks like.

RUN

Do This

Just as on the bike, run to the right, pass on the left.

If you are not taking aid from one of the stations, move one or two steps to your left. This will keep you from running into anyone leaving the station or impeding anyone heading in.

If you plan to walk through the station, it would be best to grab your aid before slowing to walk, then move over as far right as you can after passing the station. Again, there may be someone coming up behind you, wanting to grab and go.

If you plan on refilling your hydration bottle or system, most aid stations are happy to help. It’s best to go to the end of the station and step out of the flow of traffic to do this.

Make your intentions known. If you’re looking to grab water, go ahead and vocalize this so they’ll expect you to take it.

Use the trashcans. Every one of those cups needs to be picked up by the volunteers. Help those who help you.

Thank the volunteers, as often as possible. Without them, the events can’t take place.

Don’t Do This:

Hog the path if you’re on one. Everybody is entitled to a fair amount of room. If you decide to pace with someone, you are still required to yield the right of way where necessary. If this means you need to run single file in some sections, so be it.

Assume that someone wants your company. Whether the person is pacing nicely at a speed you like, or struggling, they may not want you in their space at the moment. Be courteous and ask if you might run along with them, or if they’d like some company and “teamwork” to finish.

Be a Chatty Cathy. I know people who would rather go their whole run without having a single conversation with anyone. They find their groove or zone, and you might not be a part of it.

Spread your negative attitude. Just because the course is kicking your butt, doesn’t mean we all need or want to hear about it, especially if it’s doing the same to us. We all deal with hardships differently, and for some, it may mean going internal and getting the mind straight. Positive thoughts to pull you through.

Berate any volunteer. These people are out on the course to help you, make sure you get what you need within their power, and try to make it enjoyable for you. If the water jugs are completely empty, yeah, it’s a problem. But take it up with the Race Director, because they’re the ones who dole out the supplies. And maybe someone’s already on the way with more water?

You probably have your own list of Dos and Don’ts that you’ve built. The main thing is to help those just starting out in the sport, and hopefully over time, all of these things just come naturally.

Good Luck Out There, and Train With Grain!

This is a wonderful piece done by Specialized Bikes of Meredith Miller being fit for her bike. Most of us won’t ever get a custom fit like this, but it’s amazing to see all the different components that are measured and the adjustments that are made. If you want to watch more of these, check ‘em out here. (Also, more on BG fit here.)

A list of race day do’s and don’ts could go on forever and each person you ask will have a different story or opinion. Rather than write a stale list of what to do and what not to do, I thought walking you through how I spent the 24-hours before, during and after the biggest one day race in America might have more of an impact. While I realize that most racers don’t have the luxury of traveling with support staff the way I do, the routine I follow can easily be adapted for the amateur racer.

My teammates and I arrived in Philadelphia several days before the race because of sponsor commitments. By Friday morning, we were settled into our race hotel and ready to pre-ride the course. When possible, we like to ride the course at the same time we will race the next day. This gives us a chance to get used to the conditions – wind direction, temperature, etc. – that we could encounter during the race.

Most of us had raced the Liberty Classic in the past, but a refresher of the course is always appreciated a year later. As we pre-rode the course, we reviewed the nuances of the course, recalled results of past editions and discussed potential tactics.

DO pre-ride the course when possible or review course profile online.

DON’T wait until you line up for the start to know your competition. Look at past results/reports to know how the race unfolded and which riders you should keep your eye on.

Following our pre-ride, it was back to the race hotel for showers and food. Having the luxury of traveling with staff, we dropped our race bikes off with the mechanic for final adjustments. I had a quick chat with my mechanic about my gearing and race wheel preference before I left my stead in his capable hands.

DO be prepared with the right equipment you need for the course.

DON’T wait until the day before to make changes to your bike (unless you have a mechanic at your disposal) to avoid last minute surprise mechanicals.

A shower was followed by a team dinner. I made sure I ate a well-balanced meal that included nutrient dense foods to provide me with the type of fuel I need come race day. My teammates and I generally eat together, and our Sports Director will conduct a team meeting before, during or after the meal.

DO fuel properly. Now is not the time to cut calories.

DON’T introduce foods you’ve never eaten before or during races. Experiment with new foods during training, not race day.

The team meeting included a repeat of the discussion points my teammates and I covered during our pre-ride before turning to the specific tactics we would employ the next day. We reviewed the course profile, designated team leader(s) and determined each rider’s roles.

DO know your race plan before you toe the line.

DON’T feel the need to make your plan alone. Seek input from you coach, your training partners, your friends who have raced the course before, etc.

Before bed, I packed my bag and pinned my numbers. Some people have a printed checklist that covers what needs to make it into their race bag for each race. Having raced for an eternity, I no longer need anything but a mental checklist to be sure my helmet, shoes, kit, gloves, socks, sunglasses, etc. make it into my bag. I rely on staff to ensure that anything I might require for nutritional and mechanical needs are packed in the team vehicles.

DO as much race prep the night before as possible so you aren’t scrambling the morning of the race and inevitably forget an important item.

DON’T feel the need to do everything yourself. Share the workload with teammates or enlist personal support.

Back in my hotel room, I chilled and stayed off my feet for the remainder of the evening before heading to bed at a reasonable hour.

DO get quality sleep.

DON’T spend more time than necessary on your feet.

Early morning wake-up for our 9AM start. Some of my teammates find that they need to eat their main pre-race meal three or four hours prior to race start. I’m lucky in that I can eat pretty much up to an hour before. As with my dinner, I make sure that I choose race day foods that provide me with all the nutrients I’ll need for my race.

My teammates and I biked to the course from our hotel and then rode the final few kilometers of the circuit. During our pre-ride the day before the course was not closed. Riding before the start we were able to see the final twists and turns just as they would be in the race. This served as both our warm-up and our final chance to talk through the tactics we had discussed the previous day.

DO warm up well. More intense warm up time is needed before shorter races, such as time trials and criteriums, than long road races.

DON’T allow the finish to be a surprise – ride the last couple kilometers with your teammates when possible to finalize tactics.

By the time we had finished our warm-up, our Sports Director had set up our team tent and pulled out our box of food and cooler of bottles. I stuffed my pocket with bars and gels and grabbed two bottles for my bike before throwing my extra clothes in the team van and heading to the start.

With four circuit laps under the blazing sun, the Liberty Classic generally gets off to a mellow start. As I surfed around in the pack, I reviewed my race nutritional plan. Ideally, I eat every thirty minutes and drop back to my team car for a bottle or grab one in a feed zone as soon as I’m empty.

DO know your eating and hydration schedule.

DON’T underestimate nutritional needs. Take more food than you think you’ll need, and if you won’t have the ability to grab a bottle during the race, consider sticking a third bottle in your jersey pocket.

My teammates and I stuck together on the course. It’s essential that we ride as a unit in order to communicate effectively. Team tactics carefully planned may need to be discarded if a race doesn’t unfold as expected, and riding as a group ensures that we’re able to discuss any required changes as they become necessary.

As the race heads into the final kilometers, everything becomes a bit more intense. The need to communicate clearly and effectively is even more heightened. My teammates and I chatted to make sure we remained on the same page regarding the plan we intended to execute.

DO communicate with your teammates as often as possible. Let them ‘in’ to a spot near you to facilitate communication.

DON’T be afraid to adjust your race plan on the fly.

Although we executed our plan to the best of our abilities at Philly, we had hoped for a better outcome than the fourth place we secured. Immediately following the race, we had a post-race meeting to discuss what we could have done better and what we need to improve upon for our next race. Together, we rode back to the hotel as a cool down before we indulged in another healthy recovery meal.

DO debrief post race to discuss what went right and what did not.

DON’T forget that post race nutrition is important, too, especially when racing again the next day.

Without question, this is not an exhaustive list of race day do’s and don’ts, but there is an abundant source of information here to help you get the most out of your racing experience. Remember that taking extra time to prepare yourself and your bike before the race will leave you best prepared for what happens during the race.

Photos courtesy of Larry Rosa

So here we are, August.  It’s hot.  Super hot.  Record hot.  My race schedule in July was almost exclusively criteriums – and I raced a bunch of them including an awesomely awesome bunch of fun in Chicago for Superweek and had a total blast with a really great bunch of people and made loads of new friends.  Bike racing is great for that.  Total strangers offering you a place to sleep. So fun.  But, as I mentioned in a previous post, my last remaining goal of the season is Masters Road Nations.   Time to adjust.

With that last, end of season road race looming large and my entry fee paid I’ve got to switch gears and after a month of short, fast and flat, I suddenly find myself faced with the need to be able to race longer distances and uphill.

Up to now, I’ve been working on accelerations, sprints, ability to go hard and fast quickly.  Lots of sprint workouts.  Now it’s all hills, all the time. Eeek!  The course in Bend is not super steep but it’s a course that is going to require power to the pedals the whole time while going uphill and downhill.  This is a wholly different skill set from crit racing. My short two hour weekend rides on non-racing days have crept back up to 3 and 4 hours.  My weekday workouts have changed too.  This week:  one day of repeated long climbs in the saddle at a low cadence to build up climbing leg strength; the next day – short hard efforts 60 seconds seated, 30 seconds standing and accelerating to build some explosiveness on the hills (or in my case, hopefully improve my ability to to go with attacks when they come); then another day of long climbs above threshold with a higher cadence just to improve my overall climbing.    Did I mention lots of climbing?

A funny aside:  I’ve been riding with my friend Tracy Tolson (she of multiple national championship titles) we cheer ourselves up the hills on those bazillion degree, low cadence, leg strengthening days by telling ourselves that it’s making us stronger as we’ve sweltered uphill.  Tracy said, “it’s so you can drop the hammer when you need to…”  I said, “I don’t think I have a hammer, it’s more like a carpet mallet…”  So watch out, I’m gonna drop the mallet on you one of these days….

My eating has changed too.  All summer long I’ve been content to roll with 2-3 extra pounds because, in all honestly, at my ability level it’s not going to make as much as a difference to my racing as smart training. And a cold beer on a hot day is awesome!  But now I want to tighten things up just a little – if for no other reason than in my head I will climb better!  I’ve added more protein to my diet – those longer, strengthening days tear down the muscles more and I need to rebuild.  TVP is great source of non-meaty goodness for that and Bob’s Red Mill TVP burgers are great and tasty especially in the heat when heavy foods really are not so fun.  I’ve upped the fresh fruit and vegetable content even more and well, those delicious oatmeal cookies I love so much will have to wait until September.  With the longer rides back on the schedule I am eating more but I want to make sure it’s all quality, nutrient rich calories that make me feel fit and speedy not heavy and needing a nap. My friends gardens are bursting and I am the lucky beneficiary – fresh squashes, tomatoes, peppers especially – and I’ve been making some awesome whole wheat pastas with sauteed fresh vegetables too.  I love this time of year!

Onward and upward (and upward and downward and upward…..)

Mark provides a guide for best practices when shaving your legs and explains why that is desirable for male racers.

Multisport training, like any other type of athletic endurance training, requires commitment to a plan. If you’re married, it also means scheduling your training to keep your relationship from suffering neglect. When you have both children and spouse in the picture, balance becomes even more critical to everyone’s well being.

If you’re treading in these waters for the first time, it’s important to share your plan with those who’ll be affected by “your new found passion” for training in multiple sports. What follows are my suggestions for keeping the peace in the household, while still maintaining a training schedule that helps you meet your goals. Since I’m male, I will use the word “she” in this case as if I’m referring to a female spouse. Hey, I gotta go with what I know, right?

Let Her Know!!

Let her know what you’re training will entail and what the goal will be. When you start spending more time at the gym, pool, on the bike or running, it’s a definite time to have her on your side. Just saying you want to do a triathlon for example, may not be enough. When she says, “Tri-ath-a-what?” you know you’ve got some “splaining” to do, Lucy. If it’s something you’ve been curious about for some time, and she knows this, then your approach might be that you think the time is right to test the waters. On the other hand, if you’ve just found out “we’re pregnant” as the saying goes, you could be in for more than you bargained for and might want to reevaluate your timing. I’m just saying…

Be Transparent With Your Schedule

Our family uses a whiteboard calendar to keep track of everybody’s commitments throughout the month. If you can simply jot down your schedule for the week, everyone will know why you’re not at the dinner table. I put morning workouts towards the top of the day, and evening towards the bottom. Simple words like swim, bike or run in the appropriate areas will do wonders at keeping things from becoming a surprise, when you’re expected to be at that violin recital everyone else is heading to.

Ask For Her Help

If you can involve her willingly, in some way, she’ll feel like she’s a part of your new found lifestyle, and resentment towards your training will be lessened. Maybe you can solicit her help in planning weekly meals to ensure you’re getting enough energy, then offer to do the grocery shopping. Depending on what length of event you’re training for, food can play a bigger part in how you feel on a daily basis. Nobody wants to hang out with someone who’s continually cranky due to a lack of energy. If you feel there’s something in your nutrition that needs tweaking, the “I’d like to try…” approach works ten times better than the “Why didn’t you put xxx on the list?”

Is There A Common Interest Of Participation?

Does she participate in any of the sports you’re training in? I’m very fortunate in that my wife is a triathlete, too, who’s been working her way up the distance ranks. She found a passion in swimming, learning only a few years back, and is now pretty fearless in the water. One thing she’d always do is treat her goggles with Baby Shampoo after each use. I’d never heard of this, and just suffered with fogging goggles as a fact of life. One day I asked her if she’d do the same thing to my goggles. Soon enough she was asking me to hand them over so she could get them ready for their next session. It was this little thing she did, that solved such an annoyance, and made me think about her when I’d swim “fog-free”. Let her know it’s appreciated too.

Do Your Share

Training does not give you a pass on things like dirty dishes, toilets or laundry. You have to continue to pitch in and do your share. Since the chances are that your pile of dirty laundry and water bottles will be growing, expect to do what needs to be done to keep them taken care of, and then some. You’re tired, that’s a given, but life goes on. No one is going to automatically clean your favorite training jersey, water bottle or bike shorts. Step up as you usually do and do what needs to be done.

Rest Days Are Not The Same As Recovery Days

Rest days are total “off” days from training. They are typically built into the schedule preceding high volume or high intensity days. These are the days to plan for activities within your other life, that of husband, father, gardener etc. They might not always happen on the same day, so this is where being transparent becomes important. Is there something she’s been wanting to do with you? Is there a movie she wants you to see? Maybe she just wants to go for a walk and enjoy some time with you? This is the time to do it, and do so without fuss or bother. You might be tired out, but you have an opportunity to spend time with her and make her feel important. And unless she asks, she’s not going to want to hear a play-by-play rundown of the last training week. Give it a break, reconnect if only for a little while, and enjoy the off day.

Keep The Peace

You may find that your training requires some pretty early morning wake-ups. If you plan ahead and have your gear ready the night before, you can avoid having to turn lights on to find that missing piece of gear. Up and out the door at 5:00 a.m. can be an un-Godly hour for a swim or run, much less getting up period, for the rest of the family. Minimizing their sleep disturbance is the goal. They will be much happier with you. I put my gear bag in another room that minimizes light pollution into their bedrooms.

At The Race

Asking for help from other family members can pay big dividends in your sanity too. If you’re traveling to a big race that includes some family-vacation time, have them search local attractions that might be of interest to them. Being able to tune out of your schedule leading up to race day is healthy for them and for you, as well. In the case of an Ironman event, the athletes have certain responsibilities and commitments (check-ins, briefings, test-swims etc.) that pull you in different directions and can eat up a fair amount of time while standing in line. Make sure they have something to occupy their time and catch their breath as well.

Your most supportive fans are usually the ones living under the same roof as you. Be good to them and life as a multisport athlete will be good to you.

Let me start this post off with a confession: I am not a runner. I exercise, but I don’t run. The only running I do is after our pup to keep this or that from becoming his next victim.

Jessica Lee, Julie Gilliam (Bob's Red Mill) and Michael Sandler pose with their lovely dog Sawa, the ultimate barefoot runner.

Two weeks ago we got a phone call from Michael Sandler, author of Running Barefoot. He was in town and wanted to come meet us. My coworker, Julie, was beyond excited to meet Michael and his running/writing/life partner Jessica so we set up a  tour and meeting with them. I was a little nervous to meet someone who has built their life around running in a way that throws conventional running on its head.

You see, Michael and Jessica run barefoot. Everywhere. In all seasons. According to them, barefoot running is a more natural way to run. When you wear running shoes, your stride lands you on your heel first. Barefoot, you land on your toes first, which allows for natural shock absorption as the rest of your foot hits the ground. Landing heel first passes the shock up through the body and is part of what leads to bad knees and hips. Being the novice runner that I am, I had all sorts of questions. Jessica told me the key is starting slow. Your feet will be more sensitive at first and your legs will tire more easily. Like any new sport, take baby steps and before you know it, you’ll be up and running.

Michael and Jessica have a wonderful life philosophy, “Feel the Earth beneath your feet and run free.” We talked about food and nutrition- Michael is gluten free, mostly raw and vegan. He fuels himself on gluten free oats, flax, chia, hemp and nutritional yeast, plus lots of other things to keep his diet varied. The two spend most of their time on the road, with stops at their Boulder home occasionally to refuel and recharge. We met them at the end of a long summer about to start a full month off. Both were excited to go home and recharge for the publication of their next book and get ready for some marathons this fall. I can only imagine running a marathon barefoot!

We left this meeting feeling excited to try our feet at barefoot running and we want to share our excitement with you. Michael and Jessica gave us signed copies of Barefoot Running to share with you. I have 12 copies (they were so generous) to share with you.

This book is simply amazing. It gives step-by-step training advice, tips and tricks, guidance on nutrition and is, essentially, a how-to for barefoot running. I love the title of Part One, “Why on Earth Would You Want to Run Barefoot?” Isn’t that what we all wonder when hearing about running barefoot. Good information coupled with good methodology make for an inspirational read. Now, I know this book is not for everyone. Not everyone is a runner, nor is every runner ready to rethink how they run.

If you are ready to rethink how you run or take up running for the first time, like me, this book will inspire you to try a new way of logging miles. One that will undoubtedly help you stay fit physically and spiritually.

How to Win:

I’m giving you a couple of ways to win this time.

Mandatory Entry: Simply leave us a comment here and tell us what intrigues you about running barefoot.

For a bonus entry, visit RunBare’s facebook page and “like” it (facebook.com/RunBare). THEN, come back here and tell us that you did it.

That’s it, you can get two entries. I’ll pick 12 winners from all who comment by 11:59 on 08/14/11.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED

Meredith gives us a short recap of her busy July and some good insight into what the life of a pro-racer is like.