3 Ways to Train, Top Lessons Learned

May 25, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

Training Lessons from the pros! Alison Hooper shares with us her 3 lessons in training as a young athlete. Juggling, pro athleticism as a youth, school and making time for friends can be hard, but like all dedicated athletes, she has found a way to stay at the top of her game!

triathlon training

Alison Hooper- 3 Ways to Train, Top Lessons Learned

The way I see it there are 3 ways to train.

#1 – train consistently and go hard as much as you can without dying
#2 – train hard but not consistently
#3 – don’t train hard or consistently

Over the past 3 years I have trained in all three categories.

My first year was #2 for sure…with my body getting used to the sport of triathlon and my family adjusting to the different schedule from my competitive swimming background I can say I trained hard but not totally consistently.

Last year was an out of my control #3. With injury after injury and races and sickness I was unable to push myself to the max without experiencing something that made my training inconsistent.

Happily enough I am proud to rank myself currently at #1 :) . This training camp in Arizona this past two weeks has definitely been a stepping stone in the consistent direction for this upcoming race season. I don’t know if it is because I am away on a training camp without a lot of distractions, or perhaps the climate is more agreeable and my body adapts better, or because I have finished classes FINALLY…. or or or….I could probably go on forever.

All I am certain of is, that I am making the right training decisions and am happy that progression is taking place in all three sports. Sometimes it’s the small things that can make you get to that next level… maybe the small thing I should cut out of my schedule is school, just kidding! Education is first and foremost, perhaps schools should integrate with triathlon clubs! That’s a thought!

Consistency is here to stay!

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Surprising myself at the PRR First Half Marathon

March 15, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

I signed up for this race a few months ago because my mom was running it as well as goof friend who is living in Victoria. My lack of speed work or flat road running has pretty much been non-existent and thus, I went in without any expectations whatsoever.

This seems to be a good strategy for me. I seem to do best when I don’t put any pressure on myself to achieve a certain time or obtain a certain placing in the event. I suspect it allows me to be very calm and relaxed both before and during the race. One thing I did differently that day that may have played a big influence was that I listened to music during my run. I found it really helped me focus and my thoughts remained very positive.

I have done this race 3 times before with my best time being a 1:27:30. The pace and perceived effort felt no different than any of the other times I have done this event. I only checked my watch once, which was at the 10km marker, where my watch read 39 minutes on the dot. That is a pretty decent time for me considering my best 10km was on a track a few years ago and I ran it in 38:37. However, there was still a lot of race to be ran and I didn’t bother doing the math to figure out what I was on pace for.

This race is never easy. Because the course is flat, you are pretty much guaranteed to be in a world of hurt. My legs were getting pretty sore by the last few kilometres but I just tried to push as hard as I knew I could because soon it would all be over! I honestly thought for sure I was going to be slower than my last time at this race but when I rounded the corner just seconds away from the finish line, the timing clock read 1:25:38. I WAS ECSTATIC! I couldn’t believe I had beaten my last time that much considering I have not been doing a whole lot of specific training. The body truly is an amazing thing and I love it when it surprises me like that.

This year my goal and mentality is all about “KEEPING IT FUN”. As you can see from the above result, this is a strategy that works for me and allows me to be at my best- not just physically but mentally as well as emotionally.

If you find that you are struggling to stay motivated or are constantly beating yourself up about your race results or how you compare to others…STOP. It will not serve you or anyone else around you any good. Take a look at what you love about the sport or activity you do. Ask yourself why you do it and what pleasure you get from it. In the end, if it’s not making you happy, try something new!

Nicola Gildersleeve
Athlete Ambassador

http://www.ngildersleeve.blogspot.com

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New favourite thing…

March 22, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

Every time I travel and go on training camps where I have to prepare all my own meals I always pick up new tips and discover new things. I was recently down in very sunny Tucson Arizona for a three week, intense training camp. The things that elite athletes always need to watch out for during these crazy training blocks is enough healthy nutrition to keep them fuelled up to recovery properly and get ready for the next workout. Well this training camp I discovered coconut oil! Yes you may think that it’s high in fat and wouldn’t strike you as “healthy” but it actually has many health benefits and tastes amazing. I am not really a person who uses a lot of butter, margarine or even olive oil but I think coconut oil is worth adding to stir-fry’s and eggs simply because of the great taste. I don’t use a lot and the flavour really adds to my meals, enough I would suggest buying some at an organic food store. I also used it for my skin because I got so dry when I was training in the desert.

Long, Hard fight.

As training becomes more intense leading into race season I am on a constant battle with my body to stay healthy and injury free. I have tried many things to avoid a reoccurring injury and the secret is massage, stretching, physiotherapy and rest… all the time. Love your body and treat it with respect is the basic motto I stick by. Even if you are not an elite athlete, your body can get over-tired and you can get injured. Doing that extra ten minutes of running or those extra two push ups might not be worth it, believe me, I would know. I felt a little pain in my hip and kept running, and running and running and then had to take 6 week s off. Had I stopped when I first felt pain maybe would’ve only had to take a week off and I have learned from that mistake.

I have been told my famous coaching from across the country that recovery is just as important as training hard. No normal person can be on and training hard all the time, it is impossible! Good sleep, nutrition (elevate me bars!) and proper recovery for your body (stretching) is key.

First race is in a month in Mexico…I’m sticking by my coconut oil, elevate me bars and recovery regimens!

Alison Hooper, Athlete Ambassador

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Resolutions… Really?

January 12, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

So this time of year many people are trying to follow new “fads” to quickly reach their new-year resolutions. I find with resolutions you have to be very careful because many people do crazy diets or workout regimens that are so out of the ordinary. If your new workout plan is so far from your regular schedule it makes in close to impossible to stick with it because life will get in the way!

What works best for me is changing the little things in my daily routine to reach my ultimate goal. If you want to lose weight try not to have ice cream in your freezer all the time or make sure that you eat small portions every two hours- none of this crazy dieting! This year I really want to become more flexible. It will help me with racing and training and be another defence against injuries! What I have planned is to go to workouts 10 minutes early 3 times a week to get in a little extra stretching. I am also looking into another yoga class that is scheduled on my day off so no conflicts will happen. The more conflicts this resolution causes within your life means the harder it will be to accomplish.
Baby steps in changing over time will work better than huge change all at once. Plus your body or lifestyle won’t have to go on a roller-coaster ride some resolutions can send you on!

So one thing I love doing is having smoothies after my workouts. My favourite is banana, 1/3cup milk, chocolate protein powder (I use Genisoy) and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons almond butter. Or if you’re not a chocolate person- vanilla powder and then instead of almond butter add different types of berries and orange juice. This seems to gets me through the morning and provides me with the protein and fruit I need for my routine.

I have also come across these new microwave egg cookers- you can find them as freebies at most Running Rooms. It is really simple and takes about a minute to cook an egg! Tastes great and is perfect for a good addition of protein to your breakfast even if your in a hurry like myself.

Here is a link about the egg cookers-

http://blog.getcracking.ca/microwave-egg-cookers-cooking-tips-and-recipes

To sum up this post: SIMPLE=ACHIEVE.

Thanks,
Alison Hooper – Canadian Junior Elite Triathlete

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New Elevate Me! Athlete Ambassador

December 17, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Hi, I am Sarah and I’m training for international competition in cross country skiing. I’ve been training for many years and often find good quality snacks hard to come by.  When I was first introduced to Elevate Me back in 2007 while training at Lake Louise, I was thrilled because I finally found a bar that could get me through five hour workouts without making me feel like throwing up!

 I am full time cross country ski athlete, which involves training twice a day, six days a week, eleven months of the year.  I currently reside in Canmore in order to have access to the top training facilities and coaches.  I maintain a rigorous training regime of 650 hours a year and travel to over 20 races throughout the winter.  I spend a lot of my time training and racing in ski competitions all over Canada, and the US and sometimes in Europe and Asia.  Sport is a big part of my life.  But sport can’t be all of life, so I also earned a degree from the University of Calgary in International Relations and Development Studies.  Since I graduated from University, in my time between workouts, I practise yoga and am working on a course in creative writing.

 I grew up in the Northwest Territories of Canada, in a small and isolated community called Fort Smith, near Wood Buffalo National Park.  Throughout school, I played many sports: soccer, volleyball, track and field.  My main sport was cross country skiing.  I went on to compete, as it provided a wonderful opportunity to travel and meet like minded young people from outside of my small town.  Training was often a challenge, as the weather was bitterly cold, the winters were mostly dark, and I trained alone on trails that were only groomed occasionally.  I was driven to improve and loved being outdoors.  I started off competing in Arctic Winter Games, I moved on to become a medallist at Canada Winter Games and at the Junior National Championships.  I competed for Canada at the World Junior Championships in 1999.  I was one of two women representing Canada at the Under 23 World Championships.  I was the first NWT skier since the four time Olympians, Sharon and Shirley Firth, to represent Canada at a Nordic World Championship, while in Sapporo, Japan in February 2007. 

 As a member of the Esteem Team role model program, I encourage youth to pursue a healthy lifestyle and follow their dreams.  I am also an ambassador for the non-profit Fast and Female, which seeks to empower girls through sport, and volunteer for the organization at events throughout the year.  I am now a full time athlete.   My goal is to qualify for the 2010 Olympics and 2010 World Cup competition. 

 Highlights of my racing career include qualifying for the 2008 Canmore World Cup with a convincing Nor Am victory in December 2007.  I placed 19th out of 60 competitors from 21 nations at the Canmore freestyle sprint World Cup in January 2008.  This was my first World Cup appearance and my strong result qualified me for a six nation European World Cup tour with the Canadian Team.  I finished the season ranking 2nd in the final standings for the Canadian season long sprint series and I was named to the National Ski Team in 2008-2009. 

My proudest achievement in skiing is not the medals or the placings I have earned but the discipline I have learned that is required to train at this level and constantly push myself to improve.  My dedication to sport has been tested with a number of health problems and injuries.  I have undergone two surgeries on my legs, the most recent one in March 2009.  My ability to persevere through these challenges makes me confident that the lessons learned through sport will be of great value in the rest of my life.  My passion for sport comes from the challenge of always finding new ways to improve, and seeing how the confidence fostered from sport can change the lives of young people. 

My next race is the Canadian Olympic Trials December 19-22, 2009.  I’m in the middle of working on my goals of reaching the 2010 Olympics and World Cup competitions.  I look forward to keeping you all up to date on my goals, and training and stories from the road.  Training is something I’ve come to love and hope you too find the sport that drives your passion.

Until next time,

 

Sarah Daitch

Road to Vancouver 2010

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