Say Yes to the Dress - Atlanta?

We are still more than a month away from Iron Girl Atlanta but you need to start thinking about what to wear for the race. The decision is a little more complicated because you will be swimming in water that's warm enough not to require a wetsuit. The typical thing when a wetsuit is required is that you wear your triathlon outfit underneath and then you're already to go when you strip that wetsuit off. Without the wetsuit and without a tent in which to change in, do you wear a swim suit for the whole race? Or do you wear your swim suit and do a towel change into bike shorts or a triathlon outfit? Or do you wear a trisuit for the whole thing - from the swim through the run?

As your coach I do not have direct female experience with what the best choices are. Aside from telling you to NOT say yes to the dress, I was uncertain about how to advise you. So I asked around and got answers from 20 or 25 experienced women triathletes. There were two schools of thought. The first is to go ahead and wear a swim suit for the whole race. The second, more popular opinion is that you should wear a triathlon top and triathlon shorts for the whole thing, including the swim. It was unanimous that you should not try to do a towel/surfer change, trying to get out of a wet swim suit and then putting something else on your wet skin.  And wearing a swim suit for the whole race could lead to some serious chafing.

The best option is for you to GO SHOPPING! Yes, that's right, shopping! Look for some triathlon shorts. The have a soft pad that makes the bike ride a little more comfortable. The pad isn't as thick as it is in bike shorts (which is good because that means you can swim in it) but it's thick enough to be better than plain fabric. You also need a triathlon top that feels comfortable and will move with you as you swim, bike, and run. They normally have a zipper that goes part way down the front.

You can wear this outfit for the entire race. If you really want to it's possible to throw on a t-shirt and/or a pair of running shorts over your trisuit after the swim or after the bike but only if you really want to. Do a search for tri tops for women and you can see what's out there. If there's a good bike store near you they may carry to triathlon-specific clothing. Even better would be to find a triathlon store. (Yep, there are stores dedicated to triathlon!) Go try some on, see what they have, and pick something that feels comfortable and fits well. It doesn't need to be the most expensive. You don't need something fancy but getting something that is specifically for triathlon will help make for a better day.

And one more thing - look for a sports bra that is comfortable and will support you properly. According to a number of the women I spoke with it can make all the difference. Many running stores, including Road Runner Sports and many more, carry a nice selection.

With so many weeks to go before the race you may be wondering why I'm bringing this up now. You definitely need to practice with your new clothing. Do some training in them. Swim at least once. For sure ride the bike a few times. And wear your race clothes when you do some runs. The biggest advise triathletes ALWAYS give to newbies is "nothing new on race day". That means don't try anything at the race that you haven't already tried in training. That includes what you wear! And please, no one say "Yes to the Dress"!

Gears and Pedal Speed

New athletes to cycling often wonder about two things when they’re riding: how fast they should pedal and, with so many choices, what gear should they ride in?

Deciding how fast you should pedal is the easier of the 2 questions. The speed you turn the pedals is usually called cadence. You measure cadence by counting how many times your right (OR  left) leg completes a full revolution in one minute. Exercise bikes and some spin bikes may have this number displayed for you. Unless you have a ‘bike computer’ on your bike you may have to count it yourself. Do this in a safe area where traffic and other hazards are at a minimum. Using a watch that displays seconds, count each time your leg comes up on the pedal stroke for 20 seconds. Now multiply this number by 3 to get your cadence.

Under most conditions it has been shown that people tend to be most efficient at around 90 revolutions per minute (rpm). Is 65 okay? I would say that's too slow. When you turn the pedals at that cadence it's a lot like lifting a heavy weight - you fatigue pretty quickly and can’t do very many repetitions. What about 75 per minute? You're getting closer and that would be much better. Once you start getting into the low to mid 80 rpm range you are pretty close to the sweet spot. Will this be easy to do? No, not right away, unless you are already used to it. You'll need to practice it. What if it's just too hard to pedal that fast?

That brings us to the gear question. Choosing what gear to ride in is a bit more complicated but not a lot. If it is too hard to pedal at 80, 85, or 90 rpms then you are probably using a gear that's too high. Shift into a lower gear to make it easier for you to turn the pedals faster. It seems complicated because of all of those gear/sprocket/metal-toothed thingys there on your bike. Those big, metal-toothed sprockets next to your right pedal are called chainrings. Many bikes have 2 of these while some have one or three.

Together the group of sprockets on the back wheel is called a cassette. Each individual ring in the cassette is called a cog. It is helpful to know which is a chainring and which is a cog.

You will have two shifters on your handlebars to change gears. The left shifter changes gearing between the chainrings next to your pedal. The right shifter changes which cog you are using. The chainrings make the biggest change when you change gears. If you move the left shifter you make a big jump, making pedaling either much easier or much harder. If you move the right shifter you make a smaller jump up or down – more of a fine tuning adjustment.

But which one should you use? Use the one that allows you to pedal comfortably in that 80-90rpm cadence range. Start off easier, in the small chainring (the one by your pedal) and one of the middle cogs (the ones on your back wheel). Shift to a harder cog if that’s too easy. If you keep moving the right shifter and it’s still too easy, shift to the big chainring. What “number” gear you’re in doesn’t matter. What matters is being able to turn your pedals at a good cadence while still being relatively comfortable. 

Here are a couple of examples. If you are riding up a fairly steep hill you will probably ride in the small chainring and one of the easiest cogs. If you are on a downhill you probably will be in the big chainring and one of the harder cogs. Experiment to see what works for you.

Finally, shifting gears smoothly takes practice and anticipation. You cannot shift gears unless you are pedaling. If you are coasting along, not moving the pedals, and you move the shifter, nothing will happen. You must be pedaling forward before the gear will change. But there is a little trick with this. In order for the bike to shift smoothly you need to be pedaling softly as you change gears. If you are pushing down hard on your pedals as you shift, the gear may not change. Instead you may hear some metal grinding sounds. Ease up on your force for a brief second or two (don’t stop pedaling though) and it will do what you want it to. 

As you approach a hill you will shift into the small chainring slightly ahead of time, before you start to slow down very much. As you go up the hill, if that isn’t easy enough, you shift to an easier cog. Anticipate this so you can shift before you find your legs barely being able to turn. Once the hill begins to flatten out or you reach the top, you will shift to a harder cog and, if need be, to the big chainring. Anticipate needing to do this so that your legs aren't spinning around like the Roadrunner in the cartoon because you waited too long to shift.

PRACTICE! Prop your bike’s rear wheel up off the ground, or ask someone to hold it up for you. Turn the pedals with your hand and move the shifters so that you can actually watch as the gears change. Then take your bike to a parking lot or a hard grass or dirt field and practice gear changes. This way you won't have to worry about cars, obstacles, or other riders. You will gain confidence and be more comfortable after a little practice.

Breakfast

People who are training for an event like a sprint triathlon wonder what they should do about breakfast. Many of these same people are looking to not only get in shape and compete in an event, they are also looking to lose weight. While I am not a nutritionist I have been in the same boat myself as well as observed other athletes deal with the same thing. And to be sure, I've also heard and read advice from multiple nutritionists and dietitians on this subject.

The opinions are almost universal: eat a healthy, well-balanced breakfast to start your day. It will allow you to feel satisfied and keep your blood-sugar levels in balance for the next 3 or 4 hours. Skipping the morning meal sets you up to slow your metabolism and run your body at a fuel deficit. You will not function as well as you would if you had fueled properly.

What is "properly"? Include the 3 macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. It probably a good idea to include at least 5 grams of protein at breakfast. Protein seems to help satiate most people better than if they eat a meal without it, partly because of how it affects blood sugar and energy level stabilization. Carbohydrates are required as well and complex carbs are best. If the carbs are in the form of breads and cereals, these should be made with whole grains whenever possible. Carbs also come from fruits and vegetables. Healthy fats are best - go easy on dairy or other animal fats. What are the "healthy" fats? Most nutritionists think olive oil or canola oil are good choices when it comes to liquid oils.

Suggestions? Try eggs, soy protein (e.g. soy sausage), nonfat yogurt, low fat cheese, nonfat milk, lean meats, almond or peanut butters, whole or chopped nuts (almonds again!), legumes such as pinto and black beans, high fiber low sugar cereal, whole wheat bagel or toast, bananas, berries of all kinds, oranges, apples, kiwi, avocado, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, onion, mushrooms, bell peppers, salsa, canola oil, and olive oil.

Supplements? It's always best to get your micronutrients from real foods. Many athletes I know (including me) take a multivitamin and Omega 3 oils like fish and flax seed oils. There are many more that may be appropriate for you, such as calcium and Vitamin D. Your doctor or a nutritionist can make recommendations, especially if they do a blood test.

I have my own personal preferences on what foods and supplements I ingest. That doesn't mean mine are the only way or even the best way. I have opinions and biases but just wanted to share some information without those biases being a part of this.