How many triathletes throw up their hands in exasperation declaring they are no good in the heat?!
 
Whilst there will always be challenges performing in hot environments, fortunately with knowledge there is power.  Power to take some steps to get better at getting hot.  Power to get across Noosa finish line in one piece!
 
Time to get your nerd on!  Thanks to scientists who study thermoregulation (the body’s temperature control), there is good evidence on how prepare and perform in hot environments.  Nerdy thermoregulation discussions could include terms such as acclimation, acclimatization, specifics of hormonal responses and explanations of heat transfer via convection, conduction and radiation.  
 
But science aside, the practical basics for us athletes are to understand the why and how of heat training.
 
Why do heat training?  Essentially, heat training, when appropriately added to your training program, will help you perform better in hot environments. Some of the potential physiological benefits of heat training are:
 
-       there is an increase in plasma volume, i.e more circulating blood – yes!
-       a reduction in heart rate for a given workload (pace in running, power on the bike) – a good thing!
-       sweating onset is earlier and sweat contains a reduced percentage of electrolytes – better cooling efficiency right there!
-       Lower skin and core body temperature – hello greater room to heat up!
 
Like any training strategy, you could also consider the potential psychological benefits of heat training.  With training is totally possible to change your mental approach to performing in the heat.  With all those benefits who wouldn’t want to transform into someone who loves the heat! 
 
But, before you head out for a run in the midday sun, upsides and downsides!  Heat illness is a very real possibility with any heat training so exposure must be controlled and progressed.  Know the warning signs of heat illness and seek medical advice should you have any concerns before starting any heat training.
 
Most athletes will heed to the warnings of heat illness way before they take themselves into the danger zone, but, as with anything, there are always outliers. Potential A type personality looking for maximum gain in the shortest timeframe possible?  Don’t be that athlete!
 
How to heat train?  Basically you can acclimatise (train in a hot environment) or acclimate(create conditions that expose you to heat).  In essence, the important part is that you want to get hot.  The stimulus for adaptation is the rise in core body temperature. 
 
Now you don’t need to have access to a fancy heat chamber or spend weeks in Asia to achieve effective heat training benefits.  There are lots of options.  Heat is heat (when it comes to raising your core temperature).  Options include:
 
-       Wearing extra layers of clothing whilst training
-       training indoors without a fan to cool you
-       create your own heat chamber in a small room with heaters
-       training in the heat of the day rather than the cool hours of early morning or evening
-       hot baths, saunas or steam rooms as a workout or post workout.
 
The research suggests most benefits can be gained in 10 -14 consecutive days of heat training. Options are to introduce it up to 6 weeks out from race day (this will require some maintenance sessions in the intervening weeks) or schedule it in the final weeks before race day.
 
Keen to start sweating up a storm?  Chat with your coach!
 
Like any new training stimulus, heat training needs to be considered as an extra stress in your training program.  It requires planning.  Extra attention to recovery is needed. Dosing the right amount of heat exposure is needed.  Scheduling of key training sessions alongside heat training requires thought.
 
Now is the time to think about getting hot! Invest in thermoregulation science before your race and your brain and body with thank you on race day.
 
Here’s to a sweltering summer of racing ahead! 
 
And to scoring that last age group wave start at Noosa Tri!
 
Cheers
H

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COACH HEIDI SOWERBY

If you’re a few weeks or months on from your Ironman A-race and the post-race blues have got you feeling down, you’re probably not alone. Perhaps you’re a multiple-Ironman finisher or Kona alumnus? Regardless of where you sit on the spectrum, if you feel like you’ve reached the pinnacle of your triathlon career, think again. It’s time to talk Ultraman.
 
Ultraman is a three-day stage triathlon, comprised of a 10km swim and 140km bike (Day 1); 281.1km bike (Day 2) and 84.3km run (Day 3). Each day has a cut off time of 12 hours. Unlike Ironman, participants do not have event support and therefore must provide their own support crew (with at least two land-members), including their own swim escort to accompany them during the entire swim portion of the event.
 
The inaugural Ultraman was held on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1983. From its humble beginnings with just three participants, Ultraman races are now held in various locations throughout the world including Brazil, Canada, Spain, Israel, the USA and in Noosa, Australia.
 
In recent years, interest in Ultraman has gained momentum, however participant numbers for each event are capped at 50, and prospective athletes must apply for a slot. Athletes from all walks of life and athletic backgrounds are attracted to this unique stage-race – from professional triathletes to weekend warriors and everyone in between.
 
Given Ultraman Australia 2019 wrapped up recently, you may have (possibly briefly) contemplated whether you have what it takes to step up and take on this epic endurance challenge. So, who better to put your reservations at bay than our own T:Zero Head Coach, current Ultraman World Champion and Ultraman World Record holder Richard Thompson? Not only is Coach Rich an Ultraman specialist in his own right, but Richard and T:Zero Multisport have coached a number of athletes worldwide to achieve their own Ultraman success, including five Ultraman Australia podium place-getters. When it comes to all things Ultraman, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more qualified contributor.
 
We recently asked Coach Rich a few common questions that may have crossed the minds of prospective Ultraman athletes…
 
Q: What makes Ultraman unique or different to anything an athlete may have done before?
​

1. Distance
   The first is obvious. The massive distances across the three disciplines is something you won’t find in a normal triathlon race. Add to this the fact that the race takes place over three consecutive days and you’ve got yourself quite a unique event.  
2. Recovery
   Given the race is staged over three days, the element of recovery becomes crucial – so crucial that it could almost be considered the fourth discipline. In an Ironman, it’s all about the ONE-day performance – it doesn’t matter what state you’re in the next day (and don’t we know it!). Conversely, in a stage-race such as Ultraman, if you’ve had a great day on Day 1 but then fall in a heap on Day 2, you’re not going to have a successful time. The focus in this race needs be on recovery and how you best manage that in enduring the event so you can #liveyourpotential on all three days.  The importance of recovery and the crucial role it plays in the Ultraman puzzle cannot be overstated
3. Team 
   Finally, Ultraman is a TEAM event. No support is provided by the organisers during the event, so each day it’s up to the athlete to bring together their support crew. From the kayaker who must escort you around the swim course, to the people you choose to have in your team support vehicle giving you water, food and encouragement – it’s the outside assistance that makes this event unique. Obviously, in regular triathlons once the gun goes off you’re on your own until the finish line. In Ultraman, you physically couldn’t participate in the event without team support, thus it adds this extra dynamic and challenge of how you manage and bring your team together. What roles exist in your support team? Who takes on each role? It adds another exciting dimension.

 
Q: What are the special aspects of training for an Ultraman that athletes may not have considered?

1. There is no running off the bike required!
   This one is self-explanatory and I’m sure will be music to the ears of many
2. There’s only one transition day
   Day 2 is a complete bike day and Day 3 is a complete run day which leaves only the swim-bike transition on Day 1. This said, it’s certainly an element many athletes don’t focus enough on in training – 10 kilometre swim to 145 kilometre bike - but it’s an element of training that we recommend you pay a lot of attention to. In the lead into the event you should focus heavily on getting your body used to swimming a long way in the water and then immediately being able to jump on the bike and ride.
3. Time spent training
   In terms of time spent training, it is similar to Ironman preparation, perhaps with the exception of the final six weeks where there may be slightly more hours required. This said, there are more complete rest days during Ultraman training, so while the hours may be similar to Ironman training, it’s more about how you place the training that becomes integral. For example, you may have two complete rest days in a week but then the training load is banked over the remaining five days, so perhaps your Friday-Saturday-Sunday training load is massive but you take Thursday and Monday off. Tuesday and Wednesday are your mid-week massive training days. So really, you’re training on only five of seven days but the training hours are very similar to Ironman.
4. The run leg starts fresh on Day 3
   This means you can effectively simulate that same feeling in training without any risk of injury. The biggest issue in Ironman training is that we don’t often get to ride 180km at race pace and then run (say) 25km at race pace and know what it feels like to be at that point in the race. In Ultraman, you can simulate in training how tired your legs will be (or not) on Day 3 and then run fresh, training your body that way.
   
   

Q: Why on earth would someone want to do Ultraman?
The answer lies with athletes who have done their “Ironman thing” or who have already completed another form of long-course/ultra-endurance event and are looking for their next challenge.
 
Stage racing is an incredibly awesome event and a challenging but equally rewarding journey to train for. Ultraman presents as an option for those athletes who are tired of Ironman or perhaps those who have achieved or resolved to set aside their Hawaii aspirations. Ultraman is the next level of seeing what is possible and what you are capable of achieving.
 
When everyone started Ironman (for the people who’ve been in the sport for a while) there was that lure in being genuinely uncertain about whether you could actually DO an Ironman. Now that this has become achievable for many more people, Ultraman becomes the next step –  the opportunity to start a new journey not knowing whether you’re going to be able to go the distance. A new challenge.
 
Q: What are the common misconceptions about Ultraman that may deter prospective athletes?

1. The training load is huge
   Ultraman requires maybe only marginally more training, if not the same, than Ironman. It’s simply about how you position the training during the week. In fact, Ultraman training has the potential to be a more enjoyable journey because you’re able to simulate in training what each race day will feel like. All those question marks Ironman athletes have about how it should feel or what it will feel like on race day are removed.
2. It’s really hard to prepare for…
   Ultraman is not as hard to prepare for as people think. Provided you’ve done an Ironman or two, with enough time and with the right team to support you, you can definitely achieve it. It comes down to your team having the experience and certainly a couple of people in the team knowing you very well. It’s important that your chosen support team have an understanding about what the sport entails. Ultraman is an incredible journey of self-discovery; of team discovery, and I would highly recommend anyone who has reached the end of their Ironman journey and is looking for the next challenge to rip into it.
3. Swimming 10km? GET OUT.
   ​I personally had misconceptions about swimming 10 kilometres, but the body is an amazing thing. You can teach it and train it marginally and with consistency and periodisation whereby you don’t even realise you’re getting it done… and all of a sudden? You’re doing it.

 
So, there you have it. The seed has been planted.
 
Ultraman Australia 2020? Challenge accepted! Superb … follow us this way.
 
If you think you’re up for the challenge or just curious to know more, get in touch with T:Zero Multisport and let us help you reach your next level and #liveyourpotential

We’re roughly two months into the new year and for most of us, our training and racing goals have already been developed and set in collaboration with our respective T:Zero coaches. Training Peaks is probably looking nice and green too – rolling hills for days.

​But this isn't always the case...
 
It would’ve been easy to write yet another generic article on tips for getting back on the training wagon when the wheels have fallen off. But indeed, when you take the time to stop and consider loss of motivation, these superficial measures aren’t going to tackle the real problem.  
 
The real problem is an ill-defined ‘why’.
 
Your why is not the result. Your why is the reason you’re striving for the result in the first place.
 
Take the following (quite common) example:  
 
Result: Cross the finish line in my first Ironman
Why: To push myself beyond what I am (seemingly) capable of (mentally and physically); to see if I can make it.
 
Before tackling your why, of course you must first set the huge goal; one so big it scares the [insert expletive here] out of you.
 
Think back to your first Ironman (or first ever triathlon, irrespective of distance).  Your why driving you to get up and train every morning, without fail, is the fact that you’re not quite sure if you’ll even be able to do it. Your why is clear. It’s highly likely you’re genuinely scared. You’re “all in”.
 
Fast forward down the track, with a few more races under your belt, and perhaps your why is not so clear anymore. Why are you here again? What are you trying to achieve? A better time? Is that motivation enough?  This is a big reason why athletes often find it difficult to revert to compete at lesser distances and remain enthusiastic about it, once they’ve finished an Ironman. Sure, there’s always a performance factor – the desire to do better – to race faster – but is that enough to get you out of bed before dawn, every morning?
 
Without a very clear understanding of the reason you’ve committed to doing a race, your journey will be a struggle. And the destination (should you make it)? Not so sweet. Realistically, if you’re dragging your heels out of bed, or continually hitting the snooze button, your drive isn’t strong enough.
 
Conversely, if you are unreservedly clear on your why, you won’t struggle to find that motivation to get up in the dark and train. Sure, you might be tired, but you’ll still get up and get it done. There would be absolutely no argument in your brain about whether you should be doing it.
 
For any athlete who truly wants to get the most out of their journey, it’s vitally important they have a clearly defined why and then continue to revisit it, reassess it, ask the question often and write it down. Mental strength is such a huge component of endurance racing, and the why factor is arguably the biggest mental hurdle of all. Once you’ve overcome it; once your why is clear, so becomes your path.
 
Recognising that your why can change throughout your journey, and your ability to be open to that change, is also important to consider.
 
Take this coaching example of an athlete in her mid-50’s, with minimal endurance history. Her why was to see if she could finish an Ironman. Her coach got her swim and bike to a standard whereby she could walk the entire marathon and still cross the finish line in under 17 hours. Four months out from race day he told her she didn’t need to do any more running. Confused, she asked him for an explanation. The athlete was still projecting her original why, but when strategically challenged by her coach to re-evaluate, she realised her why had changed. She now wanted to run the whole marathon and see what she was truly capable of.  
 
Certainly, this story is not unique. The desire to discover one’s ultimate capabilities is what attracts so many athletes to endurance racing in the first place. 
 
“Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” ― David McCullough Jr.
 
For many athletes, it’s not until the finish line that they realise it was never about crossing that line, but it was about the journey in the lead up to race day. In endurance racing, the most enjoyment comes from the grind of that journey and to be successful as an endurance athlete, you need to get solace and fulfilment from that grind. The early morning wake ups, runs in the pouring rain, solo hours on the bike, missed work drinks and everything in between – that’s the real deal. If you have a very clear understanding of your why, you’ll be able to look back on these experiences and the journey as a whole with warm nostalgia instead of complete resentment. If your why is clear, then the reward comes from the journey itself.
 
So what about metric gains? Aren’t they important too? In short, yes, they absolutely are. However, if your motivation is fuelled purely by a desire for metric gains, then the journey isn’t going to be enjoyable and you’re not going to get the most out of it either. Reflecting on a range of T:Zero athletes from years past, those who have seen the most improvement in metric gains over a short period of time are those who in their souls have embraced the grind of the journey. So, when they arrived at the start line, the result didn’t really matter. Whilst they wanted a good outing, regardless of the outcome on race day, they’d already won. Finishing the race within their perceived achievable timeframe was just the cherry on top. The finish line? It was just the view.
 
Throughout your triathlon journey (as is true in life itself) it’s important to take a step back and keep perspective along the way. Think about your journey not as yourself as an individual, toiling away alone, but rather a collaborative effort – family and friends, your workplace, coach and so forth – all these people are supporting and encouraging you; helping and willing you forward. They are your personal ‘A-team’. Stepping back and realising you’re just one part of a bigger picture to which so many people are contributing (and making sacrifices for) helps to remove the “woe is me” factor, allowing you to focus on the task at hand with absolute clarity. If you’re not prepared to put in the effort and your why is not clear, then you’re not only wasting your own time, but the time of your support crew too.
 
Anyone can find a coach or an online program to get them (in questionable forms of readiness) to the start line of an Ironman. But if you can find a coach who really instills in you the understanding that it is so much more than crossing a finish line, encourages you to revel in the journey; one that will expose your greatest weaknesses and push your physical and mental limits beyond what you ever thought possible? Then you’ve hit the jackpot.
 
So, if you happen to find yourself on Struggle Street or hitting ‘snooze’ far too often, instead of searching for a superficial fix, take some time to sit down and reconsider what’s ultimately driving you.
 
Remember, it’s okay for your why to change. It’s good to continually reassess your motivations throughout your journey. But if you’re not prepared to have these conversations with yourself and put some effort into your mental game, then come the finish line (if you even make it there), crossing it may very well leave you feeling unfulfilled and longing, wishing you enjoyed that journey more and perhaps wondering why you didn’t.
 
Feel free to share your ‘why’ with us in the comments below, we’d love to know!  What drives you?