OCTOBER 20 & 21, 2012 REGISTER TODAY Find Greatness in Mankato 26.2mi The Mankato is the Midwest’s boldest race with its dynamic course, spirited racers and enthusiastic fans. From the start line at FULL MARATHON State Mankato, the course travels through the countryside and beautiful river valley to fi nish on the City Center’s Riverfront Drive.

13.1mi With a race for every runner, the full marathon, , 10K, 5K and HALF-MARATHON KidsK, there will be weekend activities for the whole family on and off the race course. The is an USATF certifi ed course, thus a 10K, 5K & KidsK Boston Qualifi er. Find greatness in Mankato. FOR A FULL LIST OF EVENTS, RACE DETAILS, AND TO REGISTER GO TO: www.mankatomarathon.com

Presented by 04 Race & Event Calendar Upcoming races and events for May through August. Get moving!

08 Top 20 Training Mistakes

10 Scene in Motion This Page: Photos by Jenn Barnett Photos from recent events and races On the Cover: The Nature Valley Grand Prix 2011 Menomonie Road Race. Race leader Robert Forster 12 Nature Valley Grand Prix (Team UnitedHealthcare) wore the yellow Nature Valley Grand Prix leader’s jersey during the 2011 Menomonie Road Race, but would lose it by the end of the day. 14 Tri Season is Near! Start your training off right Photo by Phil Newman

17 To Ride or Not to Ride

18 Nutrition Periodization

20 Triathlon Athlete Checklist 02 www.midwestevents.com RACE CALENDAR sponsored by DATE EVENTS LOCATION TYPE DATE EVENTS LOCATION TYPE 5/5/12 Cinco de Mayo Menudo 5K St. Paul, MN Run DATE EVENTS LOCATION TYPE 5/28/12 10 Kato & 2 Mile Kato Race Mankato, MN Run 5/5/12 Jump to It 5K/10K/Kids Run White Bear Lake, MN Run 6/16/12 USA Men’s & Women’s Half Marathon Ch. Duluth, MN Run 5/28/12 Memorial Day/Law Day Willmar, MN Run 5/5/12 Randy Bauer Memorial 5K Coon Rapids, MN Run 6/16/12 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon Duluth, MN Run 6/2/12 Livestock 5K Run/Walk St. Peter, MN Run 5/5/12 Three Rivers 5K Run and 5K Walk LaCrosse, WI Run 6/16/12 Grandma’s Marathon Duluth, MN Run 6/2/12 Athletic Republic Half Marathon & 5K Fergus Falls, MN Run 5/5/12 From the Heart 1/2 Marathon Owatonna, MN Run 6/16/12 5K Spud Run/Walk Brooklyn Park, MN Run 6/2/12 Manitou 15K White Bear Lake, MN Run 5/5/12 7at 7 7Mile, 5K, Kids K Mankato, MN Run 6/16/12 Farmington Dew Run Farmington, MN Run 6/2/12 Mendota Heights 5K Mendota Hts, MN Run 5/5/12 Run & Romp 7.5K Shoreview, MN Run 6/16/12 Kids Against Hunger - Fill Their Plate Run , MN Run 6/2/12 Rhubarb Run Lanesboro, MN Run 5/5/12 Running in the Ruff Milaca, MN Run 6/16/12 Notes for Cliff 5K St. Paul, MN Run 6/2/12 Body of Christ Health & Wellness 5K Minneapolis, MN Run 5/5/12 Run Around Woman 30K Run, 5K Run/Walk Longville, MN Run 6/16/12 BK 5K Road Race Winona, MN Run 6/2/12 City of Trails 5K Run St. Croix Falls, WI Run 5/6/12 Friends of the Orphans Cinco de Mayo 5K St. Paul, MN Run 6/17/12 Father’s Day 5K St. Paul, MN Run 6/3/12 Grand Old Day on the Go St. Paul, MN Run 5/6/12 Eau Claire Marathon, 1/2 Marathon,Relay Eau Claire, WI Run 6/17/12 Minnesota Vikings Gridiron Gallop Minneapolis, MN Run 6/3/12 Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon Deadwood, SD Run 5/6/12 Wells Fargo Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon Wayzata, MN Run 6/23/12 Circle of Life 5K-10K Lake City, MN Run 6/3/12 Minneapolis Marathon Minneapolis, MN Run 5/6/12 LaCrosse Fitness Fest Marathon/Half/Relay LaCrosse, WI Run 6/23/12 HeartBeat 5000 Minneapolis, MN Run 6/6/12 National Running Day/TC Running Company Eden Prairie, MN Run 5/6/12 Ham Run 1/2 Marathon & 5K Grand Marais, MN Run 6/23/12 River Rat 5K Little Falls, MN Run 6/8/12 Sour Grapes Half & Half Trail Run Brainerd, MN Run 5/12/12 New Prague Half Marathon New Prague Run 6/23/12 Yellowstone Race 8 Mile/ 5K Hammond, WI Run 6/9/12 Suburban Adventure 10K/5K Run Walk Lakeville, MN Run 5/12/12 MDRA Mom’s Day 5K Minneapolis, MN Run 6/23/12 Run for the Roses Roseville, MN Run 6/9/12 Lederhosenlauf 5K St. Paul, MN Run 5/12/12 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon St. Joseph, MN Run 6/23/12 Minnetonka Summer festival 8K Minnetonka, MN Run 6/9/12 Legends Run Deephaven, MN Run 5/12/12 Maple Grove 1/2 Marathon, 5K Maple Grove, MN Run 6/24/12 Pride Rainbow Run Minneapolis, MN Run 6/9/12 Lola’s Lake Waconia Half Marathon Waconia, MN Run 5/12/12 Northern Lakes Run 5K, 10Mile, 30K White Bear Lake Run 6/27/12 Moonlight 5K St. Paul, MN Run 6/9/12 Lymphoma Research Lymphomathon Minneapolis, MN Run 5/12/12 Journeys Marathon, Half, 13.1 Power Walk, 5K Eagle River, WI Run 6/30/12 Independence Races Minneapolis, MN Run 6/9/12 Say Thanks Day Fort Snelling, MN Run 5/12/12 Brookings Marathon Brookings SD Run 6/30/12 Komen Brainerd Lakes Race for the Cure Brainerd, MN Run 6/9/12 Suburban Adventures 5K/10K Lakeville, MN Run 5/13/12 Mother’s day 5K St. Paul, MN Run 6/30/12 Time to Fly 1K, 5K, 10K St. Paul, MN Run 6/9/12 Walker Methodist Roll & Stroll Minneapolis, MN Run 5/13/12 Komen Run for the Cure Bloomington, MN Run 7/1/12 Bowlus 5K Bowlus, MN Run 6/9/12 Walk Like MADD St. Paul, MN Run 5/17/12 Medtronic TC 1 Mile Minneapolis, MN Run 7/2/12 Sarah’s Daisy Dash 5K & Ladybug Kids Run Hugo, Mn Run 6/9/12 Race the Rum 5K/1Mile Fun Run Walk Cambridge, MN Run 5/17/12 Fargo 1/2 Mile and 1 Mile Youth Run Fargo, ND Run 7/3/12 Hot Dam 5K Fun Run Minneapolis, MN Run 6/10/12 Macattack 5K Run and 3K Fun Run Rochester, MN Run 5/18/12 Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND 5K Run/Walk Fargo, ND Run 7/4/12 Ely 4 on the 4th Ely, MN Run 6/9/12 Dog Day 5K Minneapolis, MN Run 5/18/12 Exercise Your Right to Feel Better St. Paul, MN Run 7/4/12 Free to Run 4 St. Paul, MN Run 6/15/12 William A. Irvin 5K Duluth, MN Run 5/18/12 HCC Rock N Run Little Falls, MN Run 7/4/12 Freedom Fun Run St. Peter, MN Run 6/15/12 Manitou Days 5K White Bear Lake, MN Run 5/19/12 Autism 5K Minneapolis, MN Run 7/4/12 Red, White & Boom! TC 1/2 Marathon Minneapolis, MN Run 5/19/12 The Old Glory Run Cold Spring, MN Run 7/4/12 Red Wing 4th of July 10K /5K Red Wing, MN Run 5/19/12 Scheels , 1/2 Marathon, 10K Fargo, ND Run 7/4/12 Firecracker Runs Excelsior, MN Run 5/19/12 Marion Arts Festival Races Marion, IA Run 7/4/12 Morton Firecracker Run Morton, MN Run 5/19/12 Be the One Run Minneapolis, MN Run 7/4/12 Independence 5K Duluth, MN Run 5/19/12 Book It! 5K Roseville, MN Run 7/7/12 Challenge Diabetes 5K St. Paul, MN Run 5/19/12 Northside Street Run - Folwell 5K Minneapolis, MN Run 7/11/12 MDRA Minnehaha Fun Runs Minneapolis, MN Run 5/19/12 Team Hope 5K Run for a Cure Minneapolis, MN Run 7/18/12 Lifetime Torchlight 5K Minneapolis, MN Run 5/19/12 We Walk! Half Marathon St. Joseph, MN Run 7/14/12 Andover Family Fun Fest 5K Andover, MN Run 5/19/12 Wag Walk and Run Eden Prairie, MN Run 7/14/12 Dent Daze 5K Dent, MN Run 5/19/12 Make Tracks for Celiacs 5K Run/Walk Victoria, MN Run 7/14/12 Eastview’s Scholarship 5K Apple Valley, MN Run 5/19/12 Eagan 5K Your Way Activity Festival Eagan, MN Run 7/14/12 Monticello River Fest 5K Monticello, MN Run 5/19/12 Chaska 10K/5k Chaska, MN Run 7/14/12 River Falls Days Run River Falls, WI Run 5/19/12 Brain Cancer Research & Awareness 5K Run/Walk St. Paul, MN Run 7/14/12 Willow River Run New Richmond, WI Run 5/20/12 Get Your Rear in Gear Edina, MN Run 7/14/12 April Sorensen Memorial Half Marathon Hayward, WI Run 5/20/12 Weight Watchers Walk It 5K St. Paul, MN Run 7/15/12 MN Freeze Fun St. Paul, MN Run 5/20/12 Cellcom Green Bay Marathon Green Bay, WI Run 7/15/12 The Color Run St. Paul, MN Run 5/20/12 Papillion 1/2 Marathon, 10K and Fun Walk Papillion, NE Run Be a part of the fun! 7/20/12 Park Point 5-Miler Duluth, MN Run 5/20/12 Apple Blossom Races Hastings, MN Run 7/21/12 Boston Scientific Heart of Summer Minneapolis, MN Run 5/26/12 Fast and the Furry 8K and 5K9 St. Paul, MN Run 7/28/12 Challenge Cancer 5K St. Paul, MN Run 5/26/12 Veterans Memorial Run New Richmond, WI Run Register now! 7/28/12 Festival of the Lakes 8K Run/Walk Centerville, MN Run 5/27/12 Madison Marathon Madison, WI Run 7/28/12 Hagen Financial Run for Blood Minneapolis, MN Run 5/27/12 & Half Marathon, 5K, 20 Mile Rochester, MN Run www.womenrunthecities.com 7/28/12 Nancy English Memorial Run Duluth, MN Run 5/27/12 MDRA Mississippi 10 Mile St. Paul, MN Run 7/28/12 Wabasha Riverboat Days 5K & 10K River Run Wabasha, MN Run 5/27/12 Stillwater Marathon Stillwater, MN Run 7/28/12 Center City Days 5K Center City, MN Run 5/28/12 Brian Kraft Memorial 5K Minneapolis, MN Run 7/28/12 River City Ramble Red Wing, MN Run 5/28/12 Challenge Hearts & Minds 5K St. Paul, MN Run 8/4/12 Run Baby Run 5 & 10K White Bear Lake, MN Run 5/28/12 Randy’s Run 5K Run/Walk Eden Prairie, MN Run 8/4/12 Minnesota Half Marathon & 5K St. Paul, MN Run 04 www.midwestevents.com DATE EVENTS LOCATION TYPE RACE CALENDAR continued 6/23/12 City of Lakes Tri-Loppet Minneapolis, MN Triathlon Comfort, Performance & Less Pain DATE EVENTS LOCATION TYPE 6/23/12 Granite Kids Triathlon St. Cloud, MN Triathlon 6/24/12 Graniteman Triathlon - St. Cloud St. Cloud, MN Triathlon 8/12/12 Twins territory TC 4K Minneapolis, MN Run From Start To Finish 6/24/12 Can-Am Triathlon Police and Fire Games St. Cloud, MN Triathlon 8/4/12 Crosslake Dam Run Crosslake, MN Run 6/24/12 Lake Waconia Triathlon Waconia, MN Triathlon 8/4/12 Tall Timber Days 5K Grand Rapids, MN Run 6/30/12 MinneMan Triathlon Oak Grove, MN Triathlon 8/4/12 Urban Wildland Half Marathon & 5K Richfield, MN Run 7/1/12 North Mankato Triathlon North Mankato, MN Triathlon 8/4/12 Granite City 5K St. Cloud, MN Run We guarantee that our FootLab 7/4/12 The ZTri Grand Rapids, MN Triathlon custom molded insoles will increase 8/5/12 Como Classic St. Paul, MN Run 7/7/12 Elysian Rookie’s Triathlon Elysian, MN Triathlon your comfort, reduce fatigue, improve 8/5/12 Pine Tree Classic 5K, 10K White Bear Lake, MN Run 7/14/12 Phillips Chain of Lakes Triathlon Phillips WI Triathlon performance and reduce the chance of 8/8/12 Tartan Terrible Lake Elmo, MN Run 7/14/12 Graniteman Triathlon - Clearwater Clearwater, MN Triathlon injury. Once you try them you will 8/11/12 Gopher to Badger 5K, Half Marathon Hudson, WI Run 7/14/12 Timberman Triathlon Cohasset, MN Triathlon never run without them. 8/11/12 Charge for Champions Maple Grove, MN Run 7/14/12 Lifetime Triathlon Minneapolis, MN Triathlon 8/11/12 Clearwater Heritage Days 5K Clearwater, MN Run FREE custom evaluation for you, 7/15/12 The Kids Tri Minneapolis, MN Triathlon for information visit our website: 8/11/12 Irish Fair Run with the Celts St. Paul, MN Run 7/15/12 Chequamegon Bay Sprint Triathlon Ashland, WI Triathlon www.TheFootLab.com 8/11/12 Loon’s Running Vergas, MN Run 7/15/12 Heart of the Lakes Triathlon Annandale, MN Triathlon 8/11/12 Scenic Sinkhole Scramble Northome, MN Run 7/21/12 Paul Bunyon Triathlon Bemidji, MN Triathlon 8/11/12 Stockyard Days 5K & 10K New Brighton, MN Run 7/21/12 Chisago Lakes Youth Triathlon Chisago City, MN Triathlon 8/12/12 Challenge Addiction 5K St. Paul, MN Run 7/22/12 Chisago Lakes Half Ironman/SprintTriathlon Chisago City, MN Triathlon 8/17-18/12 Ragnar Relay Winona to Minneapolis Run 7/22/12 Twin Cities Triathlon St. Paul, MN Triathlon 8/18/12 Snail Run 1K, 5K, 10K Vadnais Hts, MN Run 7/28/12 Chase the Police Triathlon Walker, MN Triathlon 8/18/12 TCO Joint Jaunt Edina, MN Run 7/29/12 Waseca Tri, Kids Triathlon, Sprint & 1/3 Ironman Waseca, MN Triathlon 8/19/12 13.1 Minneapolis Minneapolis, MN Run 7/29/12 Hoot Lake Triathlon Fergus Falls, MN Triathlon 8/19/12 Ki Chi Saga 15K & 5K Chisago City, MN Run 8/4/12 Graniteman Triathlon - Big Lake Big Lake, MN Triathlon 8/19/12 Fishhook Challenge 1/2 Marathon& 5K Park Rapids, MN Run 8/4/12 Lakefront Days Triathlon Prior Lake, MN Triathlon 651-433-6544 8/25/12 Challenge Arthritis 5K St. Paul, MN Run 8/4/12 Lake Minnewaska Triathlon Glenwood, MN Triathlon 8/25/12 MN Zoo Tiger Tracks Run Apple Valley, MN Run 3959 North Highway 61 8/4/12 Splash Swim & Dash Kids Triathlon Lino Lakes, MN Triathlon White Bear Lake, MN 55110 8/25/12 Officer Shawn Silvera Memorial Run New Brighton, MN Run 8/5/12 Brewhouse Triathlon Duluth, MN Triathlon 8/26/12 The Women’s Half Marathon Bloomington, MN Run 8/11/12 Northwoods Triathlon Nevis, MN Triathlon 8/26/12 Minnesota State Fair Milk Run St. Paul, MN Run DATE EVENTS LOCATION TYPE 8/11/12 Turtleman Triathlon Shoreview, MN Triathlon 8/26/12 Stiftungsfest 5K Norwood, Y. America, MN Run 8/12/12 Eco Friendly Tri Rochester, MN Triathlon 6/8/12 Bike MS 150 Ride Duluth to Twin Cities Cycle 8/26/12 Woodbury Country Mile Woodbury, MN Run 8/12/12 Wingman Triathlon Red Wing, MN Triathlon 6/9/12 Rushford Nanotek Trek Rushford MN Cycle 8/30/12 9th Annual Geezer Chase St. Louis Park, MN Run 8/18/12 Young Life Triathlon Detroit Lakes, MN Triathlon 6/9-10/12 1st Annual Mountain Bike Festival Crosby, MN Cycle 4/28/12 Falls Duathlon Cannon Falls, MN Duathlon 8/18/12 Peregrine Charities Triathlon Kids Waterloo, IA Triathlon 6/17/12 AttaBoy Ride Rosemount, MN Cycle 5/5/12 Cinco du Mayo Duathlon Stillwater, MN Duathlon 8/19/12 Peregrine Charities Triathlon Sprint & Olympic Waterloo, IA Triathlon 6/17/12 Nature Valley Grand Prix Bicycle Festival Stillwater, MN Cycle 5/12/12 Oakdale Spring Classic Duathlon Lake Elmo, MN Duathlon 8/19/12 St. Paul Triathlon St. Paul, MN Triathlon 6/23/12 Superior Vistas Bike Tour Washburn, WI Cycle 5/26/12 Bunker Du @Bunker Hills Coon Rapids, MN Duathlon 8/19/12 Pigman Triathlon Long and Olympic Course Palo, IA Triathlon 6/2-24/12 Bike MS Cruise the Cornfields Central Iowa Cycle 6/30/12 Du the Dam Coon Rapids, MN Duathlon 8/25/12 My First Tri Hudson, WI Triathlon 7/4/12 Fourth of July Bike Criterium Northfield, MN Cycle 6/30/12 JAMS Youth Duathlon White Bear Lake, MN Duathlon 8/25/12 Maple Grove Triathlon: Dare to Tri Maple Grove, MN Triathlon 7/8/12 Hopkins Raspberry Fest Criterium Hopkins, MN Cycle 7/21/12 Twin Cities Kids Duathlon St. Paul, MN Duathlon 8/26/12 Superior Man Triathlon Duluth, MN Triathlon 7/15-21/12 Habitat 500 Bike Ride St.Louis Park, MN Cycle 8/26/12 Minneapolis Duathlon Minneapolis, MN Duathlon 6/23/12 Lake Harriet 1 & 2 Mile Swims Minneapolis, MN Swim 7/21/12 36th Annual Split Rock Tour Duluth, MN Cycle 5/19/12 Blaine Triathlon Blaine, MN Triathlon 7/22/12 Great Prairie Open Water Swim Minneapolis, MN Swim 7/22-27/12 Bike MS Tram Ride Central Lakes Region NW Minnesota Cycle 5/20/12 Land Between the Lakes Albert Lea, Mn Triathlon 7/28/12 Minnetonka Challenge - 5 & 10 Mile Excelsior, MN Swim 7/28-29/12 Bike MS: Ride the Wind Fargo, ND Cycle 6/2/12 New Bri Tri New Brighton, MN Triathlon 8/4/12 Point to LaPointe Swim to Madeline Island Bayfield, WI Swim 7/28/12 Tour de Bun Bicycle Classic Montgomery, MN Cycle 6/3/12 Pigman Triathlon Sprint Palo, IA Triathlon 5/5/12 Bike Ride Around Woman Longville, MN Cycle 7/28/12 All Woman Time Trail Watertown, MN Cycle 6/3/12 Buffalo Triathlon Buffalo, MN Triathlon 5/5/12 Cycling Time Trial LaCrosse, WI Cycle 8/4-5/12 The Hartford Breast Cancer Ride Eagan, MN Cycle 6/9/12 Fairmont Triathlon Fairmont, Mn Triathlon 5/5/12 Premier Fitness Bike Tours LaCrosse, WI Cycle 8/4/12 Great River Energy Mesabi Trail Tour Chisholm, MN Cycle 6/9/12 Liberty Triathlon Long and Olympic Course Rockford, MN Triathlon 5/6/12 Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride Lakeville, MN Cycle 8/4/12 Tour de Tonka Minnetonka, MN Cycle 6/9/12 Little Loon Triathlon (Ages 5-13) Lake Crystal, MN Triathlon 5/6/12 Minnesota Gran Fondo Lakeville, MN Cycle 8/4-5/12 Bike MS: Pedal the Plains Sioux Falls area, SD Cycle 6/9/12 Trinona Kids Winona, MN Triathlon 5/6/12 Cycling Criterium LaCrosse, WI Cycle 8/12/12 Minnesota State Road Race Championship Richmond, MN Cycle 6/9/12 Chippewa Triathlon Cass Lake, MN Triathlon 5/12/12 Bike MS Sams Club Twin Cities Ride White Bear Lake, MN Cycle 8/16-19/12 Ride to Cure Diabetes LaCrosse, WI Cycle 6/10/12 Trinona - The Battle for the Bluff Winona, MN Triathlon 5/12/12 Double Dog Time Trials Eureka Township, MN Cycle 8/18/12 Tour de Pines Bike Tour Itasca State Park, MN Cycle 6/10/12 Manitou Triathlon White Bear Lake, Mn Triathlon 5/19/12 Rochester Tour de Cure Rochester, MN Cycle 6/9-10/12 1st Annual Mountain Bike Festival Crosby, MN Cycle 6/10/12 Loon Lake Triathlon Lake Crystal, MN Triathlon 5/26/12 Memorial Classic Road Race Lester Prairie, MN Cycle 8/26/12 Lifetime Grand Fondo Minneapolis, MN Cycle 6/16/12 Lake Minnetonka Triathlon Excelsior, MN Triathlon 5/28/12 Memorial Classic Criterium Brooklyn Park MN Cycle 5/12/12 12 Hours of Northern Kettles Greenbush, WI Mntn Bike 6/16/12 Lakes to Pines Triathlon Park Rapids, MN Triathlon 6/2/12 Minnesota State Time Trial Championship St. Peter, MN Cycle 5/19/12 Cable Area Off Road Classic Cable, WI Mntn Bike 6/17/12 HyVee Rochesterfest Triathlon Rochester, MN Triathlon 6/2/12 Hillfest Prescott, WI Cycle 5/20/12 Freewheel Frolic Afton Alps Hastings, MN Mntn Bike 6/23/12 My First Tri Hudson, WI Triathlon 6/2/12 Tour de Pepin Lake City, MN Cycle 6/3/12 Bluff Riders Charge Mankato, MN Mntn Bike 6/23/12 Croixathlon VII Hudson, WI Triathlon 6/2/12 Twin Cities Tour de Cure Minneapolis, MN Cycle 6/9/12 Levis/Trow 100 Hatfield, WI Mntn Bike 06 www.midwestevents.com DATE EVENTS LOCATION TYPE 11. Inconsistent hill work. 15. Not including skill/technique/econo- Top 20 Attacking the hills and recovering on the way 6/17/12 Red Wing Classic Red Wing, MN Mntn Bike my drills in training. down can be a great workout, but doing it all the Improving economy will make you a better swim- 6/23/12 Lutsen 99’er Lutsen, MN Mntn Bike time, and doing it on endurance rides, isn’t the mer, rider and runner ... period. Learn to do the 6/30/12 Thunderdown in the Underdown Merrill, WI Mntn Bike best way to build aerobic fitness. Use controlled same speed at a lower effort. Swim- practice dis- 7/7/12 Stump Farm 12 Hour Suamico, WI Mntn Bike Training heart rate zone 4 effort on the climb and a solid tance per stroke; Bike- peddle in full circles, don’t zone 3 push over the top and down. More consis- 7/8/12 Dirt Spanker, Mt. Du Lac Superior, WI Mntn Bike just mash it down; Run- mid-foot striking is much tent effort is better for your race long term. easier on your body and faster than heal striking. 7/22/12 Metric Auto Works Birch Bump Burnsville,MN Mntn Bike 7/29/12 Single Track Attack Elk River, MN Mntn Bike Mistakes 12. Tapering improperly for an event. 16. Not training core strength. 8/4/12 RASTA Rock’n Root Rhinelander, WI Mntn Bike Form equals fitness plus freshness. Finding the Your core stabilizes every pedal stroke, run stride By Kris Swarthout, OptumHealth Performance Coach right amount of time you need to taper for a spe- and swim stroke. No matter how strong your body 8/19/12 The Great Hawk Chase Duluth, MN Mntn Bike cific event is crucial. Taper too much and you lose or aerobic system, if your core fatigues or cannot 8/25/12 Pitch Black Singletrack Rockdale, WI Mntn Bike 1. Not having goals. fitness, not enough and you get to the event fa- stabilize these forces you will not ride to the best 8/25/12 Seeley Lions Club Pre-Fat Bike Race Seeley, MN Mntn Bike Having a set of clearly defined goals will give your training direction and tigued. Experiment with this before your primary of your abilities. Take the time to incorporate core purpose. Goals can range from anything such as losing 10 pounds, “A” race of the season. 5/5/12 Down & Dirty Women’s 8K Lake Elmo, MN Trail Run strength exercises into your training plan. completing a ride of 30 miles, placing in a certain race or even winning 5/5/12 GO GREEN 5 & 10km Race/Run/Hike Battle Creek, St. Paul, MNTrail Run a national championship. 13. Not involving friends and family in 17. Not fueling properly. 5/5/12 7 at 7 Trail Race Mankato, MN Trail Run your athletic dreams and goals. Topping off and replenishing glycogen stores is 5/19/12 TC Kids Cross Country Fun Run St. Paul, MN Trail Run 2. Not training with a plan. Having a good support system can be crucial to essential for optimum training, race performance For the best chance of reaching your goals and seeing steady improve- 6/2/12 Chester Woods Trail Races Rochester, MN Trail Run helping you reach goals and maintain a balanced and recovery. ment, create a training plan or work with a coach on a training plan and life. Including your family and friends in your 6/2/12 Rock N River 10K Trail Run St. Croix Falls, WI Trail Run stick to it as much as possible. goals can help you achieve them. 20. Not having fun. 18. Not hydrating properly. Never forget to have fun training and competing. 6/9/12 Sour Grapes Half & Half Brainerd, MN Trail Run Important enough to be listed separately from After all, isn’t this the primary reason to do it in 6/16/12 JJM Victory Run 5K Trail Run, 1M Run/Walk Spicer, MN Trail Run 3. Training too hard. 14. Not keeping a training log. the above note. Even a small percentage loss in While trying to build a solid endurance base you need to be sure that the first place? 6/23/12 William O’Brien 10 Miler Marine on St. Croix, MN Trail Run A training log can help discern what types of spe- body weight due to fluid excretion will cause a you’re primarily stressing your aerobic energy system while training. cific training work best for you. Problems, fatigue drop in performance. 6/23/12 Running Wild Trail Run 7K Run/1 Mile Run/Hike Pelican Rapids, MN Trail Run Spending too much time at or above your lactate threshold will be or injury as well as better than expected results 7/7/12 Lakewood Hills Trail 5K White Bear Lake, MN Trail Run counter productive to this goal during the base phases. can be traced by looking back through a training 19. Not training your limiters.

7/11/12 TCRC Trail Series - Hyland Park Savage, MN Trail Run log and adjustments can be made based on the It’s easy to train your strengths, but don’t neglect 4. Training too easy. information. 7/14/12 Bay to Bay 10K Road and Trail Run Silver Bay, MN Trail Run the weaknesses -- especially if a particular weak- Spending all of your training time in your heart rate zone 1 will not allow ness stands in the way of reaching your goals. 7/28/12 SMU Trail Scamper 5K Winona, MN Trail Run you to get the most out of your training time. To get the best use of your 8/1/12 MDRA 8x1K Cross Country Relay St. Paul, MN Trail Run aerobic training, spend most of your endurance training time in heart rate zone 2. Also, when it’s time to do harder threshold and anaerobic 8/8/12 MDRA 10x1K Cross Country Relay St. Paul, MN Trail Run efforts be sure to hit the prescribed intensity. 8/15/12 MDRA 6x1 Mile Cross Country Relay St. Paul, MN Trail Run 8/22/12 MDRA 12 x1K Cross Country Relay St. Paul, MN Trail Run 5. Relying too much on numbers. 8/29/12 MDRA 8x1 Mile Cross Country Relay St. Paul, MN Trail Run Getting data is a great way to monitor and assess fitness and training, but never neglect your perceived exertion. You need to know what any 5/19/12 Superior Trail Spring Races 25K & 50 K Lutsen, MN Ultra given intensity level feels like and be able to relate this to the numbers 6/2/2012 Kettle Moraine 100 Endurance Runs Eagle, Wi Ultra you’re seeing on your heart rate monitor or power meter. 6/2/12 FANS 12 & 24 Hour Race Minneapolis, MN Ultra

7/7/12 Afton Trail Run 50K, 25K Afton, MN Ultra 6. Not knowing what functional threshold (FT) feels like. Register Now at: OptumHealthPerformance.com/events.php Your “functional threshold (FT)” is basically your tipping point. When 7/28/12 Minnesota Voyageur Trail Ultra 50 Mile Run Carlton, MN Ultra exercising below FT you should feel like you can go for ever (figurative- 5/2/12 Great Lakes Nordic Walkers Open House & 5K Edina, MN Walk ly speaking) if you are fueled and hydrated properly. As you raise your Manitou Triathlon MinneMan Triathlon TwinCities Triathlon 5/5/12 Dog Walk White Bear Lake,MN Walk heart rate above and beyond your FT you will begin to breathe audibly Sunday, June 10, 2012 Saturday, June 30, 2012 Sunday, July 22, 2012 5/5/12 Arthritis Walk Bismarck, ND Walk or out loud. At this point you are over your FT. If you do not know where Ramsey County Beach Lake George Regional Park Harriet Island your FT is, you are unable to properly train at specific levels. White Bear Lake, MN Oak Grove, MN St. Paul, MN 5/6/12 Walk MS Minnesotta 18 sites in Minnesota Walk 5/12/12 Walk MS 4 sites in North Dakota Walk 7. Not incorporating mental training techniques. • Must-do season opener • Voted 3-time Triathlete’s • Swim the Mississippi 5/19/12 Walk MS South Dakota 4 sites in South Dakota Walk Psychological aspects impact your athletic performance. By not pre- • Voted Minnesota’s best Choice Race of the Year • Bike and run beautiful paring yourself mentally, you’re neglecting a crucial part of training for • 5/19/12 Walk MS Iowa 8 sites in Iowa Walk triathlon run course Thrilling bike course with St. Paul and its success in any sport. Try repeating a mantra that empowers you to • Historically fast bike winding finish surrounding suburbs 5/19/12 Arthritis Walk Brainerd, MN Walk boost your performance. course • Sprint and Olympic • Sprint and Olympic 5/19/12 We Walk Marathon Melrose,St. Joseph, MN Walk • Corporate challenge distance distance 6/30/12 Challenge Walk MS Twin Cities, MN Walk 8. Not striving to improve nutrition. • Sprint distance Nutrition is always about making choices. Strive to make your best New in 2012: New in 2012: 8/4-5/12 Round Robin Canoe Race Grand Rapids, MN Paddle choices with the food you put in your body and you’ll see the effects • Olympic distance event • Saturday kids duathlon at 8/3-8/5 Two Harbors Kayak Marathon and 5Mile Two Harbors, MN Paddle through improved training, recovery and results. • Improved wave start Harriet Island 5/19-20/12 Tough Mudder Somerset, WI Adv Race categories • Finisher medals for all 6/30 Warrier Dash Afton Alps, MN Adv Race 9. Trying to lose weight quickly while training hard. athletes Creating too much of a negative energy balance while undergoing a 8/11/12 Muck Ruckus MS Twin Cities Dresser, WI Adv Race high training load will often cause a lack of energy, and eventually affect 8/18/12 MUDMAN 5K Obstacle Mud Run Kimball, MN Adv Race training and racing quality. 8/11/12 Muck Ruckus MS Twin Cities Dresser, WI Adv Race Join the fun and support athletes as a volunteer. Receive a free moisture wicking OptumHealth Performance Triathlon Series t-shirt 8/18/12 MUDMAN 5K Obstacle Mud Run Kimball, MN Adv Race 10. Too many group rides. and more! Register now at OptumHealthPerformance.com/events.php Group rides, unless they’re very disciplined, usually go either too hard or too easy to help build aerobic fitness. Certainly there are times when OptumHealth Performance Sponsored Running Events: Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon – Sunday, May 6 you want to get this kind of social interaction in training, but not every Lake Waconia Lola’s Half Marathon – Saturday, June 9 day. With a group, you’re at the mercy of the group dynamic and cannot OptumHealth Performance Minnesota Half Marathon and 5K – Saturday, Aug. 4 control the intensity or duration of the efforts. Don’t substitute interval training with group rides all the time. OptumHealth Performance 6545 Flying Cloud Drive │ Eden Prairie, MN 55344 │ 952-769-2060 │ OptumHealthPerformance.com 08 www.midwestevents.com in motion Zumbro100 Photo: Jenn Barnett

Zumbro100 Zumbro100

scene Photo: Jenn Barnett Photo: Jenn Barnett

Zumbro100 Shake Your Shamrock Photo: Jenn Barnett Photo: Jenn Barnett

Shake Your Shamrock Photo: Jenn Barnett Camp Wannarunamileormore Photo: Jason Goepfert

Camp Wannarunamileormore Photo: Jason Goepfert

Pepsi Challange Pepsi Challange Photo: Lori Ekman Photo: Lori Ekman

100% Irish for a Day Moustache Run Photo: Competitive Image Photo: Justin Edberg

Moustache Run Photo: Justin Edberg

100% Irish for a Day Photo: Competitive Image NATURENATURE VALLEYVAL- LEYBICYCLE FESTIVAL by Jean Freidl

Kelly Benefits Strategies protect teammate Jessie Anthony in the yellow Teammates use a hand sling to trade places during a Madison Fans line the streets for the Downtown Saint Paul Criterium at leaders’ jersey during the final day of the 2011 Nature Valley Grand Prix race at the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic, the kickoff of the the 2011 Nature Valley Grand Prix. in Stillwater. 2011 Nature Valley Bicycle Festival. Photo credit: Matt Moses Photo credit: Matt Moses Photo credit: Stephanie Williams

tours and various levels of recreational rides. weeding out the field – only 30% of the racers idwesterners will get a rare chance to see pro only make left turns and control their speed famed Cannon Valley Trail, stretching 20 miles M The Gran Fondo (Italian for “Big Ride”) pro- finish this stage, which features a 24-degree cyclists in action when the 14th annual Nature solely by pedaling faster or slower. Achieving along the Cannon River. The race finishes with vides avid recreational riders an opportunity climb up Chilikoot Hill – the steepest in North Valley Bicycle Festival comes to Minnesota and speeds up to 40 mph, riders race on a wooden multiple laps at high speeds through the quaint to ride along the same race roads the pros will American racing. This picturesque town is built Wisconsin June 7-17. The festival will include track with 43 degree angles making the races in- downtown. take later in the day. Experienced cyclists can on the bluffs of the St. Croix River and the route the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic June 7-9 at credibly exciting for both racers and spectators. choose the 87-mile route the pro men will take, features a series of sharp turns throughout the the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine On Friday, it’s back up to Minneapolis for an which includes over 5000’ of climbing, or they city’s historic neighborhoods and charming and the Nature Valley Grand Prix pro stage bike The Nature Valley Grand Prix, the premier event evening criterium in the city’s dynamic Uptown can choose the 67-mile route the pro women Main Street area. Make plans for a Father’s Day race June 13-17 in Saint Paul, Cannon Falls, on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar, area, a neighborhood of trendy shops, bars and will race, which shares the opening 50 miles of brunch at a riverfront restaurant or grab a treat Minneapolis and Stillwater, Minn. and Meno- opens June 13 in Saint Paul with a morning time restaurants located just south of downtown near the men’s route, then takes a “short-cut” back to at one of the town’s plentiful ice cream shops or monie, Wisc. The festival is an 11-day celebra- trial along the Saint Paul Riverfront. The action Lake Calhoun. The FREE Shimano Tour de Kids Menomonie. Recreational cyclists can also sign candy stores along the way. tion of Midwest bicycle culture, and also includes moves to downtown Saint Paul that evening Fun Race, a feature at every stage of the Nature up for 15-mile or 32-mile Spectator Rides, which June 2012 amateur racing, recreational rides, free kids’ fun with a criterium (short circuit race) held around Valley Grand Prix, is always a highlight in Up- will take place during the pro races and will allow About the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival races, stunt riders, live music, food and drink and the beautiful Rice Park area. Crits allow spec- town, with hundreds of kids 12 and under riding MInneSOTA FIXeD GeAR CLASSIC participants to ride ahead of the pros to Calvary Now in its 14th year, the Nature Valley Bicycle lifestyle expos. For more information visit tators to get amazingly close to the racers; one the crit route in a friendly competition. Hill. This is a great opportunity to cheer on the Festival is an 11-day celebration of bicycling that 7-9 Blaine www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com. can literally feel the breeze and hear the whirl of wheels spinning as the pack whizzes by at The weekend gives spectators an opportunity to pros and to watch the race á bicyclette, as they includes amateur and professional racing and nATuRe VALLeY GRAnD PRIX say in Europe. Once the pros pass, the Spectator community events. The Nature Valley Grand The Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic opens the speeds of 30-40 miles per hour. The ambiance visit some of the most beautiful terrain in the Mid- Rides continue along some of the most beauti- Prix has become the premier professional bike 13 St. Paul festival with world-class track cycling at the Na- of the Saint Paul criterium route is reminiscent of west for the Menomonie and Stillwater stages. ful terrain in Dunn County. The 32-mile ride will race in the U.S., attracting top American racing 14 Cannon FallS tional Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine June the famed pavé races in Europe, with the turrets Cheer for the pros as well as local amateurs who include a trip to watch the pros on the infamous teams and nearly 300 top riders from around the 7-9. Track racing is an Olympic sport and many of the Landmark Center, bricked streets in front can take part in these races. In Menomonie the 15 MinneaPoliS Star Hill. The Gran Fondo departs at 9:30 am and world. The public is invited to watch the faces for competitors will be representing their countries of the Ordway Center and classic architecture of road race tests the cyclists’ endurance as they 16 MenoMonie the Spectator Rides depart at 11 am. All rides will free, due to the generosity of Nature Valley and at the London Olympics in August. This thrilling the century-old Saint Paul Hotel framing this idyl- traverse 95 miles of rolling farmland in the heart return on time for the finishing circuits in town. other sponsors. Proceeds from the Nature Valley 17 Stillwater event pits professional and elite amateur track lic town square. of Wisconsin’s dairy country, finishing with mul- Pre-registration for the race at Grand Prix are donated to Children’s Lighthouse cyclists in fast-paced sprint and brutal endurance tiple laps of an in-town circuit. Menomonie will ReCReATIOnAL RIDeS www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com/Gran_Fondo of Minnesota, a pediatric hospice project. For a events. Men and women compete in a series of On Thursday, the race moves south to Cannon also host dozens of events throughout the day, detailed schedule of events visit 16 MenoMonie fast and furious races using fixed gear bikes, Falls for a rural road race showcasing the wide introducing visitors to the arts, historic sites and Stillwater, Minn. is host to Sunday’s grand finale www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com. which have only one gear and no brakes. Riders open spaces of Minnesota’s heartland, dotted friendly, family-owned shops and restaurants. with family farms, boutique wineries and the Activities also include kids’ contests, historic June 17. The Stillwater Criterium is legendary for 12 www.midwestevents.com www.midwestevents.com 13

NVBF2012_MidwestEventsRaceScheduleCallout_Ad.indd 4/3/12 1 4:14 PM Triathlon Season Med City Aquatics SiS t E r KENNy ® rEh A bilitAtioN P.O. Box 6032 iNStitutE Rochester, MN 55903-6032 is here! Billy Howard Prevent injuries by Master Swim 507/254-2109 training smart with these helpful tips- [email protected] www.medcityaquatics.org Marie-Christine Leisz, DO Runners: Teams Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute North Suburban Aquatic Club/NSAC Is pain keeping Year round programs for all ages, Triathlon season is here! Let me tell you how to stay on the road, bike and including Masters, in the water and out of my office. you from enjoying mornings & evenings. Aquatic Club of Dakota County Mounds View School District Pools Triathletes spend more time training than any other single-sport athlete. your sport? South St. Paul, MN www.nsmakos.org A study in Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, found Jon Fisher phillipschainoflakestri.org hours spent training, and high number of years competing, correlate with in- 651/442-3882 jury risk. Injuries are likely to occur in novice triathletes, those running high A musculoskeletal exam and [email protected] Optum Health Performance mileage and those with previous injuries never completely rehabilitated. biomechanical assessment at the www.acdcswimclub.com 6545 Flying Cloud Drive Running & Endurance Sports Injury Clinic Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Most triathlon injuries I diagnose, fall under the category of overuse. These can help get you back on track. Tim Walton injuries include tendinitis, muscle and ligaments strain or stress fractures Barracuda Aquatic Club 952-769-2060 from training too hard, too often. Besides helping athletes recover, I offer Bloomington, MN [email protected] this advice to prevent future problems. Chris Leisz, DO, board certified in Physical Jeff Lee www.optumhealthperformance.com Medicine and Rehabilitation and in Sports Medicine 952/884-3703 Avoid Overtraining – Overtraining leads to physical and mental fatigue, poor performance and dreaded overuse injuries. You need therapeutic rest Tri Fitness periods to allow soft tissue, bone, heart and lungs to recover and strength- Fastjet Masters Foss Swim School 1340 Hwy 96 E en. Get enough sleep and don’t skip rest and easy days in your training Sister Kenny Rehabilitation 12440 Aberdeen St. NE White Bear Lake, MN 55110 protocol. Associates Blaine, MN 55449 Vahid Sadrzadeh 651-241-8295 Danny Truong 651-426-3619 Periodize Training – Divide the year into defined training periods. Select 280 Smith Ave. N., Suite 220 763/398-3399 [email protected] specific event to “peak” for. Rest time built into this type of program en- St. Paul, MN 55102 www.fossswimschool.com www.trifitnesswbl.com sures recovery and reduces risk of overuse. Look for periodization training 800 E. 28th St., Suite 1750 schedules on major Triathlon websites. allina.com/sisterkenny Minneapolis, MN 55407

Optimize Performance – Work on your weakest discipline (swimming any- 12-11528 ©2012 ALLINA HEALTH SYSTEM. ®A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ALLINA HEALTH SYSTEM. one?). Hire a coach to learn correct technique. Find an open-water swim SISTER KENNY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ALLINA HEALTH SYSTEM. group. Get your bike fitted, don’t fit you to the bike! Try out equipment in training. Don’t risk developing blisters from new shoes, socks or speed laces during competition. Many injuries occur during the T2 – the transi- tion from the bike to running portion of the race. A recent study showed leg muscles are slow to activate off the bike. I suggest frequently practicing running immediately off the bike to train muscle to respond quickly during this transition.

Eat to win! – To guarantee peak performance you need energy balance - consuming enough calories in the right ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fat, to meet the high metabolic demand of training and competing. Carbo- hydrates are the primary energy source and are synthesized into stored energy called glycogen. Protein helps develop, maintain and repair tissues. Fat provides energy too and is essential making cell membranes and man- ufacturing, storing and delivering vitamins and hormones.

Before workouts, weigh yourself to simplify estimating fluid loss later. Eat high carbohydrate, moderate protein, low-fat foods and drink extra fluids. Practice the timing and content of your meals before big events so you know what you can handle. Before intense training or racing, eat a large meal, 4-6 hours before the event. a light meal & 16-24 oz of fluid, 2-3 hour before the event and a snack & 12 oz of fluid , ½ - 1 hour before the event.

If you exercise strenuously for > 1 hour, take in 100 – 300 calories of car- bohydrates and 4-6 ounces of fluid per hour, after the first hour of exercise. Use sports drinks, gels, ½ strength fruit juice, or energy bars and water.

After exercise, refuel and rehydrate for rapid recovery. Weigh yourself again and take in the weight lost in fluid. You need to consume 0.75 grams of carbohydrates per/pound of body weight to enhance glycogen replace- ment. To accomplish this, eat a high-carbohydrate snack, like an energy bar, as soon as you can within the first 30 minutes after exercise. Then, eat a high carbohydrate meal 1 - 2 hours after exercise. Eat high carbohydrate snacks every 2 hours for 6 hours after exercise.

Finally, seek medical attention early! If you have an injury that just won’t heal, see a physician trained in sports medicine to help you.

14 www.midwestevents.com www.midwestevents.com 15 To Ride or Not to Ride… Is That Even a Question? by Crystal Neal D.C Spine and Sport Institute

Now that the snow has melted and the sun is out, it is time for the cyclists of the Twin Cities to claim their lane on the roads. The love for the road surpasses any fear cars whizzing past, but what about that stubborn back pain? You know the pain, that spot right between your shoulder blades, the achy muscles that scream at you while you’re on a long ride or when you’re sitting reading the new publication of Midwest Events.

Those pesky muscles are your Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Para- Scenery. Food. Fun. Register spinals. The Paraspinal muscles are a group of muscles that run from Online! the base of your skull to your low back. Their main responsibility is to And A Marathon? hold your torso upright. When I say upright, I am not talking about your upper body supported by a wetsuit during a race. The upright position It’s all in the unique mix that makes Ashland Superior’s Hometown. is defined as your ears aligned with your shoulders and your shoulders aligned atop of your hips. 15th Annual October 12-13, 2012 CenturyLink WhistleStop Marathon & Half Marathon The damage doesn’t start on the bike, it starts as soon as you roll out of bed in the morning. I’m sorry to say, but your mom was right when she A Boston Qualifier starting in Iron River and ending in Ashland, scolded you for slouching. The average person spends a solid 4 hours in Wisconsin. The marathon is a point-to-point course held on the a slouched position. Which in turn overworks and irritates the Paraspinal muscles, causing pain and stiffness in the neck, upper, and lower back. Tri-County Corridor, a rail-trail paved with limestone gravel. The course offers a flat and fast running surface that is firm but Although it may seem like your doomed, there are ways to help prevent and correct Paraspinal pain. Ergonomic workstations, proper sitting is much more forgiving to the knees than asphalt. WhistleStop postures, a proper bike fit, deep tissue massage, and Chiropractic care is a smaller race with all of the amenities of a large race! are great ways to prevent and help treat neck and back pain. www.whistlestopmarathon.com

Stretches: June 16, 2012 Apostle Islands Inline Cervical Stretch: Lie on your back, push your head into the ground and tuck your chin, and feel a stretch at the base of your head. Hold the Marathon & (ALMT) Half Marathon stretch for 30 seconds. Held on Madeline Island, Thoracic Stretch: the Marathon is 3 loops of the 8.7-mile course, the ALMT (a little Cross your right arm in front of your left and clasps hands. Pull your arms away from your chest and hold, and feel a stretch in between your more than) Half Marathon is 2 loops, the Mad Fun Skate is shoulder blades. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds 1 loop - all on new blacktop! www.apostleislandsinline.com

Lumbar Stretch: Kneel on the ground and lay your hands in front of you and sit back on your heels. You should feel a stretch in your middle and July 15, 2012 lower back. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Chequamegon Bay Sprint Triathlon 500-Meter Swim in Chequamegon Bay, Strength: Lake Superior, 15-Mile Bike out and back through the Ashland countryside and Cervical strength: lie on your back, tuck your chin, and lift your head Historic Downtown, 3.1-Mile Run slightly off the ground. You should feel the front of your neck working, shaking is okay. Work up to holding your chin to your chest for 30 sec- on the Lakefront Trail. onds. www.cheqbaysprint.com

Thoracic Strength: With low weights in your hands and knees bent with chest lifted, squeeze shoulder blades together and lift your arms back- For more information on these wards. Make sure you feel the center of your back squeezing together. and other Ashland Chamber Events: 3 sets of 15 www.visitashland.com Lumbar Strength: Lie on your stomach with your hands behind your head. Push the top of your feet against the ground and squeeze your 800-284-9484 lower back to lift your chest off the ground. Do not over extend your back, you should feel a slight contraction in your low back. 3 sets of 15 www.midwestevents.com 17 Nutrition Win $5K periodization – without running the key to unlocking your true potential and boosting performance by Ywla Ecklund Falk, Trainer, Tri Fitness www.trifitnesswbl.com a 5K!

Any trainer will tell you that success in any fitness goal rests upon three pil- lars; training vs. recovery/nutrition/ mind-set and social support. Think of it as a three-legged table; if on leg is weak or removed, the whole table will be pretty much useless.

While most athletes certainly are aware of all three aspects and their impor- tance, most pay significantly more time and effort in training and if lucky, con- tinuously work on their motivation and goal setting as well. However, nutrition is often left to its faith. By that I mean that the time and effort going in to plan- ning your nutrition for most athletes stretches to assuring consuming enough calories to have the energy you need to carry through your workouts. As long as you have that, you’re doing everything right, right? Wrong!

Granted, out of the three “pillars”, nutrition is definitely the trickiest and most complex to figure out. Therefore it’s also the most important one. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that it can account for 80 % of your success.

I know, I just stated that all of these three aspects are equally important, but you can still “get by” by on the common approach I just mentioned. Think of it this way: You can remove one leg from the table and still have it standing by supporting it against a wall. However, it’s hardly a very functional table. Try to place something with a little more weight on it and it will most definitely fall.

This is exactly the case for most athletes. They have their training dialed in to a tee, and are often very motivated, but they simply “get by” by supporting themselves against the wall = consuming enough calories but the wrong type of calories, and will therefore never be able to unlock their full potential. How- ever, as soon as they start to step up the intensity, increase training load or go for a more advanced race, problems accumulate like rain clouds in November. Injuries, constant/recurring sickness, low energy levels arrive like a letter in the Help The Salvation Army mail box. A sure fire way to start wearing on your “motivation leg” of the table. fight homelessness and hunger Just like your training, your nutrition need to be both structured, varied and by competing in periodized depending on where in the season you are and your goals. Not just calories, but the macronutrient breakdown (ratio between proteins, fats and carbohydrates) can vary greatly as well. The MOST Amazing Race!

Endurance athletes mainly need to rely on carbohydrates and fats for their Saturday, July 21 energy support during race season as these are energy dense nutrients and Register early - space is limited! our body’s primary fuel sources. However, protein is still an essential nutrient that is responsible for a number of vital physiological processes in our bodies, including repairing and building muscle mass. No less than 15 % of your total daily energy intake should always come from protein and this is considered an Sign up now at thesalarmy.org absolute minimum that should be restricted to the most intense part of your race season only. During you off-season, when your cardiovascular training is significantly reduced, the need for carbohydrates is reduced and you need to watch your fat intake in order not to consume too many calories which will result in unwanted weight gain. This is a great opportunity to up your protein intake to as much as 30 % of your daily intake. Protein is also the nutrient that has the highest level of satiety which helps to control appetite and portion control.

Our metabolism is a bit slower from the rest of our body when it comes to adapting to a decreased level of training and activity meaning that many ath- letes experience the same large appetite for quite some time after drastically reducing their training load, despite not needing as many calories. Extra pro- tein is a great way to ensure satiety while still controlling calorie intake.

In the next article we will take a closer look at how our macronutrient breakdown and calorie can vary over the year depending on race season/ off-season.

18 www.midwestevents.com Celebrate TRIATHLON ATHLETE CHECKLIST the fourth photo by Jenn Barnett by running

RACE DAY ESSENTIALS a half.

Watch Run the bOOm On WedneSday, July 4. Race PeRkS include: Race Fluids Heartrate Monitor short-sleeve technical shirt and finisher’s medal Energy Bars scenic route through historic northeast minneapolis, minnesota Energy Gels Extra Shoelaces chip-timed, UsatF certified course Extra Race Number belt Post-race party with picnic favorites Extra Socks Large Towel Register as a team and get star treatment Photo ID NEW! 2-person relay Plastic Bags USAT Card Register today at tcmevents.org Sandals Sunglasses First-Aid Kit/Bandages Spare Water Bottles ©2012 Twin Cities In Motion. 039-2079a-5

TRANSITION BASICS

SWIM BIKE RUN

Tri/Swimsuit Helmet Shoes Goggles (clear and tinted) Bike Shoes Socks Transition Towel Socks Shorts Wetsuit Bike/Tri Shorts Singlet BodyGlide Jersey/Singlet Hat/Visor Swim Cap (race and back-up) Gloves Sunglasses Sunscreen Sunglasses Race Number Anti-Fog Water Bottles Race Number Belt Polar Cap CO2 Cartridges/Bike Pump Sunday, October 7 Timing Chip Tool Kit Chain Lube RegisteR today at tcmevents.oRg

20 www.midwestevents.com ©2012 Twin Cities In Motion. 039-2112a-9 We’re reuniting!

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At long last, Tri Fitness is becoming one! This summer, we’re expanding and putting our Retail Store into the same location as our Training Center.

With fresh inventory and a completely updated look, we’ll be here to take you Well Beyond Limits.

Tri Club

Don’t train alone!

Enjoy the camaraderie, knowledge and fun that comes with group training. Our Tri Club offers fantastic benefits to members. Check our website for details.

My First Tri TM

Always wanted to tri?

We’ve introduced hundreds of local athletes to triathlons with our limited-field event. Join them on June 23rd or August 25th!

Sport-Specific Training

School sports are competitive. Give your young athlete their best chance to excel with our sport-specific training. Past participants have seen increases of 5% - 40% in core strength, quickness, endurance and speed. Morning sessions start in June and are twice per week, for 6 weeks. Call or email [email protected] for details.

Tri Fitness 1340 Highway 96 East White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-426-3619 Facebook.com/TriFitnessWBL www.trifitnesswbl.com