Category Archives: Fitness

Jun19

Planning & Gear List For A Sprint Triathlon

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Planning & Gear List For A Sprint Triathlon

It is that time of year again! Here is your planning & gear list for a sprint triathlon: 

Planning & Gear List

Step 1: Find a race to sign up for, check  usatriathlon , active.com or trifind.com

Step 2: Set up a training Schedule (see here for an example)

Step 3: Set up any travel plans, (it’s good to stay somewhat local your first time though)

Step 4: Since you may need to ride your bike while carrying everything bring all of the below in a backpack.

What You Need Race Day; Gear List:

1. a bike  I used my mountain bike for my first race which was fine because I just wanted to finish, but subsequently have rented or borrowed a road bike which is really what you want to use, they are so much lighter and  faster.

2. a tri suit  I got mine through danskin, this is the most efficient way to dress and will save you time on your transitions. Even for the Nantucket Triathlon I did not find that the water temperature called for a wet suit, and personally  I find them constricting when I swim.

3. a number belt (see photo below) available at any sports shop.

4.sneakers

5.socks

6. a small towel

7. a water bottle to rinse your feet with

8. water bottle with spout for your bike

9. bike helmet

9.sunglasses

10. goggles for the swim

11. 1 packet gu or other energy gel I usually eat this when I am half way through the bike. Try it before the race to make sure you like it and are familiar with the texture.

 

Are You Ready?

IMG_3094

May22

8 Week Sprint Triathlon Training Schedule

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8 Week Sprint Triathlon Training Schedule

My friend Jo at the starting line

I really wish I didn’t do this to myself. Each spring since turning a certain age I have  signed up for a sprint triathlon with friends as a way to motivate myself to stay fit.  Each spring I find myself feeling like I’m starting back at square one of my training. The thing that I have learned with five sprint triathlons under my belt, is that training really does work.  When I adhere to a training schedule, I find the race to be much more enjoyable. Keep in mind, my personal goal is not to win (not that I ever could!),but my hope is to come in a respectable middle of the pack, and to challenge myself. After our race debacle last year, my friend Jo and I decided to give the Nantucket triathlon another go. The race is now 9 weeks away, which still gives us time to fit in an 8 week training schedule with an extra week to taper.  Here is the schedule that I know will properly prepare me for the day of the race. Keep in mind that I am not a physician or fitness expert of any sort.  Really I just try to spend at least 5 days a week rotating the three legs: swim,bike,run, until I feel confident that I can do each distance individually, and then I do a couple of  “bricks” where I  combine the swim and bike, or bike and swim, to help me think about the transitions. The course we will be doing is  1/3 mile swim, 14 mile bike and  3.4 mile run. So here is my ideal training plan over the next 8 weeks.  I can promise you that I will not do every day on this calendar, in fact I’ve already varied from it, but I can promise you that I will try.

Feb24

Go To Stowe,VT Winter Weekend

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Go To Stowe,VT Winter Weekend

Our absolute favorite winter family vacation is a ski trip, and a  Stowe, VT  winter weekend has become a local destination for our family.   It doesn’t hurt that we usually stay with friends at their Topnotch resort and spa townhouse when we go.  Topnotch has an amazing pool area, complete with hot tub, sauna and steam room,  van service to and from the mountain, and plenty of space for both of our families.   The spa is supposed to be wonderful too, but for some (4 kids) reason I haven’t had the opportunity to try it yet, and although my family skis downhill only, our friends rave about the cross-country facilities as well.   We have other friends who always stay at the Stoweflake, which is also supposed to be wonderful and has the added benefit of shopping nearby for those who don’t ski.    As much as we go for the skiing, there are lots of other fun things to do in the Stowe area which makes it  an ideal family getaway.  We love being active with our kids and surrounded by the natural beauty of the outdoors, and Stowe provides plenty of opportunities to do so.  New England temperatures can get quite low, so we are sure to be prepared with the right gear to keep us comfortable, good thermal underwear, balaclavas that go under our ski helmets, and for my husband his Chaval heated ski gloves.  Stowe knows that some skiers may come unprepared and has great shops stock with neccessities stategically placed on the mountain just in case.

 Winter Carnival is held  in the end of January, which was the weekend we happened to be there this year.  Sculptures of ice lined the Spruce Peak Courtyard from the Ice Carving contest , and a bonfire was lit in the outdoor fire-pit for the kids to roast marshmallows, and make s’mores while hot chocolate was served nearby.  We spend a couple of days skiing the mountain, fitting in as many stops as we could at the Waffle Cabin at the top of the gondola for the kids, and the Octagon at the top of the high speed Quad lift for lunch, where you can get deluxe meals like a shredded asian duck wrap (my fave) or seared tuna wrap (my husband’s fave) along with the typical ski fare. While in town we make sure to fit in some time to visit the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream factory and if you have never been it is worth it to take the tour (yes, you get free samples!).  We love the great food and cozy Italian atmosphere at Trattoria La Festa for a dinner out, and when we have time we head over to the Von Trapp Family lodge to sing and reminisce about one of our favorite family movies, The Sound of Music.  The kids are fascinated with the fact that this is owned by THE Von Trapp family from the movie, and that it is actually a true story.  The Trapp Family Lodge offers tours of the lodge which is lined with family photos, sleigh rides, cross country skiing, or you can visit the bakery, and brewery on the property to taste Austria pastries, and try the Trapp Lager that they brew on site.   The Von Trapp family settled in Stowe because it reminded them of the beautiful Austrian Mountain range of their homeland, and we agree that Stowe, VT is a spectacular setting.   On our way home we play the Sound of Music movie on our car DVD player to keep the kids entertained the whole way back.

Feb23

Chaval Heated Ski Gloves

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Chaval Heated Ski Gloves

The Chaval heated ski gloves came just in time.  We were days away from our ski weekend in Stowe,Vermont where temperatures had been hovering below zero each time we checked all week.  We were getting anxious because in the past few years my husband has developed Raynaud’s in his fingers.  Raynaud’s is a painful cold induced condition that looks a lot like frostbite, where his fingertips turn white, and it alternately causes pain or numbness.  It is tough to avoid in New England winter conditions, and can really put a damper on a family ski trip for him. He has been searching for heated ski gloves for the past few years since developing Raynaud’s, but heated ski gloves are pricey, and he had researched many pairs with poor to mixed reviews that did not seem worth the investment.  This year a new product on the market, with a new technology, caught his eye. Read the rest of this entry →

Feb22

A Healthy Way To Give; Run, Walk or Bike With The Charity Miles App

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A Healthy Way To Give; Run, Walk or Bike With The Charity Miles App

 

The Charity Miles App is a great way to combine personal health with your values of giving back to society.  Usually as I run with my dog I am reminding him to heal, but these days as we round the corner and head up the hill to our home I am begging him to pull me.  The truth is we are both a bit out of shape and equally in need of this exercise, so he looks back at me with those dewy eyes as if to say, “Must I?”.  My Charity Miles App is the inspiration to keep going on my run at this point because I set the personal goal not of distance, but to provide one child with a vaccine with my run.  O.K., also I will need to post my distance on social media to get the funds to go to the charity I have selected, so yes, my pride is involved as well.

My Charity Miles Running & Walking Partner

I was so excited to learn that the United Nations Foundation, with whom I am a Shot@Life Champion, was teaming up with my favorite iphone app Charity Miles. Read the rest of this entry →