Sport

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Ironman AWA Top 2%

Recently, I received a letter from Ironman that starts like this:

“Oleksandr, Congratulations! Your racing activity at IRONMAN and/or IRONMAN 70.3 events in 2023 positioned you in the top 2% of all athletes in your age group, earning you 2024 Gold All World Athlete status.”

In the top 2% of all athletes in my age group worldwide. Sounds great! But what does that truly mean? What does it tell about Me, as a person? While I am undoubtedly in excellent shape, I don’t consider myself inherently athletically gifted.

As I reflect, I realize that most of our personal characteristics are byproducts of something deeper—the core. But what exactly is this core? What fundamental element is foundational to this achievement? What should I focus on more and develop further?

For me, it boils down to one essential quality: the ability to get things done, regardless of circumstances. It’s about showing up consistently, methodically, day after day. No matter how I feel, where I am, or what challenges I face, I execute the plan to the best of my ability on the day. I don’t skip workouts; I set priorities and stick to them religiously. I determine what truly matters and eliminate distractions—those habits, time-wasters, or relationships that weaken me. 

Maintaining focus over months and years is crucial. Motivation, I’ve learned, is a finite resource—it is great to get us started, but it never lasts. Motivation burns strong and bright, but fast. So, I seek more reasons to continue than reasons to quit. Oh, how many times I stood at crossroads, questioning whether to keep going or give up.

Now, imagine meeting someone else in that top 2%—an amateur athlete who shares this achievement. What assumptions would I make?

  1. This person can stick with projects over extended periods. They won’t quit when faced with difficulties; they’re in it for the long haul.
  2. They possess an inner drive that can sustain them forward. An ability to find means to self-motivate. When life hits lows, they bounce back faster than most.
  3. This individual can immerse themselves wholeheartedly in something. They know what passion tastes like.
  4. They differentiate between noise and what truly matters. They are able to maintain focus for a long time.
  5. If we became friends, it’d be a unique bond—a love-hate friendship. Our competitive spirits would push each other to greater heights, however difficult it might be.

So, to my fellow top 2% athletes, wherever you are, let’s keep pushing, inspiring, and creating our own extraordinary paths. 🏃‍♂️🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️

Oleksandr Tereshchuk
Oleksandr Tereshchuk
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Ironman World Championship Qualification

Oleksandr Tereshchuk
Oleksandr Tereshchuk
Oleksandr Tereshchuk

Этот пост про веру

Я стремлюсь жить жизнью сильного и свободного человека. Медленное освобождение через осознанность и работу над собой. Вера в то что у меня хватит сил. Вера в правильность принятых решений и процесс. Вера в людей которые меня окружают и работают со мной.

Сильное стремление. Любовь к своему делу. Борьба. Преодоление. Терпение. Своевременность. Забота и любовь к себе.

Спорт — это не то, что ты делаешь, а образ жизни который ты выбираешь ежедневно.

“Как легко поднять над крепостью белый флаг и объявить что ты слаб.”
Как легко убедить себя в том что у тебя недостаточно таланта. Не та генетика. Слишком дорого. Недостаточно времени.

Обесценивание как образ жизни русскоговорящего населения. Лайфстайл. Как легко обесценить достижения других, самого себя и свою работу. Как тяжело продолжать верить в себя после затяжной серии неудач, которые длятся месяцами. Как тяжело продолжать двигаться когда тебя никто не поддерживает, не вытирает сопли и не держит тебя за ручку. Когда некого винить и когда список отговорок исчерпан. В такие моменты ты становишься перед выбором — продолжать пытаться, прикладывать усилия, либо сдаться. 

Гонки. Весь шум и вся эта толпа, понты — так себе развлечение. Планирование, перелёты, гостиницы, переживания, финансовые затраты. Я фанат соло тренировок. Особенно тяжёлых, интенсивных работ, которые ты не уверен что сможешь выполнить. Когда сам с собой.  Коли синi соплi з носу. Гонки — это второстепенное.

Oleksandr Tereshchuk

Сквозь тернии к звёздам

Только мне известна цена достижения этой отметки.

Я знаю, выходя на каждый старт, мне некого винить в случае ошибки. Меня никто не пожалеет. Никто не прочувствует мою боль разочарований и неудач. Никто никогда не проживёт мою радость победы. И это прекрасно! Я свободен. У меня нету ожиданий и я не обижаюсь когда значимый для меня человек не похлопал. Я чувствую себя спокойно и радостно потому что я встал за штурвал и взял всю ответственность за себя. Будет так как будет, и я спокоен, потому что я знаю что выложусь на 100% с теми ресурсами, которые мне доступны в тот момент. Я знаю что приму правильные решения. 

За несколько километров к финишу, я испытал глубокое чувство благодарности и единения с собой. Я вложил силы, время и ресурс в свою подготовку. В процессе, когда опускались руки, я тупо выполнял объём работы который нужно было сделать. Безупречно. То есть, на столько хорошо, на сколько я был способен в тот момент времени. Я привёз себя на гонку и встал в первые ряды на старте. Я молодец.

Я учился верить в себя и не сдаваться. Я учился доверять тренеру. Было непросто. Я вечный студент. В спорте, как и в работе, очень важно иметь людей, которым можно доверять. Работать с людьми, которые заинтересованы в твоём успехе. Очень важно верить в процесс, в то что твои усилия обязательно принесут плоды. Верить в себя и в то, что у тебя есть шанс.

Спорт — это отдельный мир, и если у тебя в жизни присутствует спорт, то ты живёшь более чем в одном мире. Законы это мира удивительным образом универсальны и применимы в других сферах жизни.

Oleksandr Tereshchuk
Oleksandr Tereshchuk

I gained some good scars along the way to this milestone.

Moments like these build the self-respect. Moments like these build confidence and trust in me. Moments like these are valuable, intimate, and beautiful.

Oleksandr Tereshchuk
Gray808
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Side Stitch Root Cause Research

A side stitch (or “stitch in one’s side”) is an intense stabbing abdominal pain under the lower edge of the ribcage that occurs during exercise.

 

THE SYMPTOM

I experience sharp pains in my side(s) when running, particularly after riding in TT at hard effort. Each breath brings a stabbing sensation, so I neither can inhale completely, not can I run at the full capacity. The pain could come in either on the upper side of the abdomen, under the bottom ribs, or it could arise on different sides of the abdomen. During the last race (70.3 Marbella) it came up right under my lower ribs and it seemed like a spasm of the diaphragm.

I can swim, bike, and run individually, at all heart rates, different levels of effort for varying times with no spasms (or cramps). But for the past three IM 70.3 races, I would get a killer spasm during the run portion of triathlon, even though there was no indication of one during my bike ride. The pain only seems to appear after transitioning from the bike to the run, never just on the run.

Exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), colloquially referred to as ‘stitch’ and ‘side ache’, is a common condition observed in many sporting activities.

POTENTIAL CAUSES of ETAP

Exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), colloquially referred to as ‘stitch’ and ‘side ache’, is a common condition observed in many sporting activities.

  • Diaphragmatic Ischemia

  • Mechanical Stress on the Visceral Ligaments

  • Gastrointestinal Disturbances

  • Muscular Cramp

  • Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome

  • Neurogenic Pain

  • Irritation of the Parietal Peritoneum

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Diaphragmatic Ischemia

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Several theories have been presented to explain the mechanism responsible for the pain, including ischemia of the diaphragm; stress on the supportive visceral ligaments that attach the abdominal organs to the diaphragm. I found a strong argument that among potential factors contributing to side stitches and abdominal cramps could be Diaphragmatic Ischemia. During intense exercise, blood flow is diverted away from the diaphragm, potentially leading to reduced oxygen supply and ischemia (lack of blood flow) in this muscle. This theory was proposed in 1941, by Capps [].

Proposed to be caused by hypoxia of the diaphragm:

  • Pain-relieving techniques: bending forward, tightening belt around abdomen, breathing through pursed lips
  • Right side pain twice as common as left side pain
  • Runners who consumed a large pre-event meal 1–2 h before the event were more likely to experience ETAP
  • ETAP unrelated to the nutritional profile of the pre-event meal
  • Related to shoulder tip pain

Shoulder tip region—extending from the lateral third of the trapezius border to the acromion process—is the referred site for pain arising from tissue innervated by the phrenic nerve, which includes the diaphragm and neighbouring structures.

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The phrenic nerve controls your diaphragm (the large dome-shaped muscle between your abdominal and chest cavities). It’s essential to breathing. Your nerve sends signals that cause your diaphragm to contract (become thicker and flatter). This movement gives your lungs room to expand and take in air (inhalation). The phrenic nerves provide motor innervation to the diaphragm and work in conjunction with secondary respiratory muscles (trapezius, pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, sternocleidomastoid, and intercostals) to allow respiration.

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  • While ETAP is commonly considered a gastrointestinal complaint, elements of the pain are not consistent with a gastrointestinal origin.
  • This is NOT a muscular cramp. EMG activity was not elevated at the site of ETAP during an episode of the pain, which convincingly discredited the muscular cramp theory.
  • Experience of ETAP appears to be affected by poor posture, especially in the thoracic region (thoracic spine is the middle section of your spine. It starts at the base of your neck and ends at the bottom of your ribs)

Morton, D. P. & Aune, T. (2004). Runner’s stitch and the thoracic spine. British Journal of Sports Medicine

… an elite runner who, after a thoracic spine trauma, developed severe and recurrent episodes of ETAP which were relieved by localised treatment. In this study, researchers made observations on 17 other runners who often experience episodes of ETAP and found that palpation of specific facet joints could reproduce symptoms of ETAP shortly after an episode of the pain had been relieved. “…torso hyperextension coupled with the jolting movement of downhill running provoked the pain. In addition, tight erector spinae after a surfing session seemed to increase the likelihood of experiencing ETAP. Palpation of the left T8–T9 facet joint resulted in reproduction of subcostal pain consistent with the patient’s exercise induced experience of ETAP. Further, the site of the pain reproduction was consistent with the dermatome distribution arising from the T8–T9 level. Palpation of the joints above and below the joint caused no pain referral. Localised treatment aimed at mobilising the T7–T8 joint was administered in the clinic, and the patient was given mobilising exercises to perform. After about four weeks of treatment, he reported a reduction in the symptoms of ETAP. He has since resumed competitive running.”

In 1941 Capps anecdotally observed that people with an increased kypholordotic postural alignment (see “B” below) seemed most susceptible to the pain. To investigate this further, we recently confirmed in a study involving a comprehensive postural assessment of over 150 subjects that increased kyphosis is provocative of ETAP.4 This observation is interesting given that intercostal nerves arising from the thoracic region supply the anterior abdomen.

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Gastrointestinal Disturbances

One hypothesis suggests that increased intestinal permeability could lead to the translocation of substances, such as bacteria or toxins, from the intestines into the bloodstream. These substances may trigger an immune response and cause localized inflammation or irritation in the diaphragm or surrounding tissues, resulting in side stitches or abdominal cramps. However, this theory requires further investigation to establish a definitive connection.

REFERENCES

Capps RB. Causes of the so-called side ache in normal persons. Arch Intern Med. 1941;68:94–101. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1941.00200070104006. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/547376  

Morton, D., & Callister, R. (2015). Exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP). Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 45(1), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0245-z 

Morton, D. P. & Aune, T. (2004). Runner’s stitch and the thoracic spine. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 38(2), 240. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2003.009308 https://research.avondale.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=edu_papers 

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Half Moon Bay Olympic TRI – Strategy & Post Race

RACE STRATEGY

Coming out of sickness.

NUTRITION

In my case – nutrition is super important. Two days prior to the race – lots of clean carbs. Ideally complex carbs. Start the race with some food in the stomach. Half-full. I’ll have pasta, maybe some dried fruit like dates or cranberries. No fat. No meat. No fiber.

Carbs During:
Minimum 80g /hour
Maximum 120g /hour

SWIM

The swim is going to be in very cold water: 58 Fahrenheit (14 Celsius). I’m concerned about getting a “brain freeze”. That happened before, in Toronto open water race, when I almost lost consciousness in the water. Not a very pleasant experience. Couldn’t find a neoprene cap on site. Will wear two regular swim caps + earplugs.

Swim’s leg is very important in this race. The goal is to get out of water in a group of leaders – top three/five. 

The swim starts IN the water, so no running off the beach. I will go very hard the first couple of hundreds and find some “fast feet” to follow. I will break out from the crowd, catch up with top swimmers and hold on to their feet for the whole duration. I will not hold myself back and go ham on the swim part. Never done before, I will practice dragging in swimming.

No waves. Wet suit swim. Sitting on the front feet, I expect to average under 1:28 /100m. If I can do the swim in 20 minutes – that’s 1:20 /100m – that would be an incredible performance.

BIKE

Quick transition, as always. First two-five kilometres – 80% effort ~240W. Warm up, and come back to your senses after the swim. Have a gel. Then open up a throttle to hit ~280-300W. The goal is to average ~270W for the whole duration of the bike.

The course is very flat and windy, on a way back. Going there, I could average 43+ km/h. On a way back, with strong wind, maybe around 35-38 km/h. I will use every opportunity to hide from the wind and shave off a couple of seconds. The bike leg will be very fast. I expect to complete it in under one hour. Anything under 55 minutes is awesome.

Will have 5-6 gels, which means approximately 120g of carbs. One gel every 10 minutes.

I could use a fuelling tactic, that most pro’ athletes use: mix all gels in the water bottle and have 1/1.5 gulps every 15-20 minutes. In this case, absorption is improved.

RUN

Quick transition. Take it easy for the first 2 km – 80% effort. Don’t smash it! Pace would be ~4:10-4:20.

The recommendation is to maintain the pace, however, if I feel good, I feel free to complete the second part faster – 4:00 or under. Anything under 40 minutes will be considered fantastic. 

POST RACE

Super cold race. The swimming part was an absolute mess. About 60 people in my age group started together. I don’t remember wrestling in water to be so bad. Several times I got hit in the head so bad that I saw stars. Could do a proper stroke because every time my hand would go in the water, there would be someone’s leg or ass. On top of it, the water was just ice cold and dirty. Couldn’t see anything. Bottom line – I didn’t enjoy the swim part. I did not get to swim to my potential. I think that the swim was poorly organized and chaotic. Complete fail.

BIKE

Coming out of the water with enough frustration and anger I felt as if I could rip those pedals off the bike. I felt great and went straight to work. In the first half, I did about 85% effort, riding solo and being careful with the traffic and other athletes. The second half and three gels down, I opened up the throttle and went harder. Nose to nose competition with a guy from the Stanford University team made it more fun. We passed each other two-three times, after which I realized that it is more efficient to stay on his tail, rather than flex my muscles and pass him once again. I followed him, within the drafting rules, for about 5 km until the transition zone. We dismounted at the same time and I told him “good work”. Fast transition – under two minutes.

RUN

I and the same guy left transition and went to the run. His pace was 4 min/km, which was fine by me until it wasn’t. Two spasms in my abdomen forced me to slow down, however, I was able to maintain a 4:10 min pace. Haven’t had any water or food on the run. Finished with a strong sprint against another Stanford team guy. I didn’t let him beat me.

Swim – fail.
Bike – good.
Run – good.

6th in my age group out of 58 guys. Not very satisfied because I didn’t get a chance to race to my potential. However, I know what to work on and keep my head up. I know I can do it.

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100/30

I am alive. I am fit. I am healthy. I am in a good state of mind. I am 30.
I have love. I have faith. I have a purpose. I am 30.

To make this birthday memorable – I ran 100 KM. I ran for 13 hours, from sunrise to sunset. A celebration of youth. A celebration of health.

I set a goal that scared me. Anxiety was holding me by my arms. It felt like a numbness from my fingers up to the elbows.

Why run?

Because I can. Because I never did it before. To change the trajectory of my life, whatever it takes. I want to change. I want to become someone different. Someone I could enjoy living with. I want to move into a new world.

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The first 50 km were relatively easy. Minor pains and indigestion. Everything beyond that – was uncharted territory for me. The pain grew. Pain killers did not make a difference. I was hurting.

The most challenging part of the run was the hill. Elevation gain of 1,200 m (3,937 ft) in 10 km. It took me three hours to climb that hill. And that’s after having run 60 km. The last hour of the climb went with no food or water. It was very challenging.

Meeting my friend at the top gave me an extra strength to continue. Cailan brought water and gels. Hallelujah. I came back to life.

I was about 30 km away from the finish when I separated from my friend and went down the trail. The plan was for him to drive downhill and ride his bike back up to meet me in about an hour. It didn’t go as planned and we met only 4 hours later. I got lost in the woods.

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At the 90 km mark, I realized that taking the trail was a mistake. It led me nowhere. My phone was almost dead with about 5% battery left. It was getting dark and cold. I had left about two sips of water and two gels.

I attempted to call my friend but couldn’t reach him – no service on his end. I texted him my GPS coordinates and went off the trail, looking for a road. I was very tired. My lips dried out. No water. I was preparing to spend the night in the woods.

A long story short I found my way out. I was very happy to step back on the pavement. I made it! I was upbeat and cheerful. I was singing songs and laughing. What a day it was!

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Piece by piece I build self-respect. I ran 100 km from Vernon to Penticton. I got lost in the forest and found my way out. I did many hard things in life, which thought me this: I CAN DO ANYTHING THAT I PUT MY MIND TO. I now truly believe that. Self-confidence is acquired and it is not something that you can be born with. I’ve built mine by doing the things that scared me. Repeatedly overcoming hard things build self-esteem and shows you that you are capable of more than you previously thought.

I continue setting goals for myself. I attempt difficult tasks. I am not often successful, but it doesn’t matter. I have balls to try. I burn out and fail. I cry and have depressive episodes. But I always come back smiling. That’s who I am.

I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do and what not to do. I don’t need anyone to decide for me which goals are too risky. I don’t need anyone to hold my hand and tell me that everything’s going to be alright. I overcame the illusion that there is someone who can make my life better. I know in my bones that no amount of money or medals will improve the quality of my existence. I can’t control anything. All I can do is my best. Things will happen, just the way they always do.

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I have faith that makes me stronger. I am building someone who can do incredible things. With God’s help, I can be anyone and I can do anything. There is a plan for me and everyone else. All I am asking for is a chance. The opportunity. Everyone deserves at least one chance to become great. Everything I do now is a preparation for the opportunity ahead. It is bigger than me. And when the opportunity reveals itself – I will be ready. I will be at the peak of my capabilities. I will execute my part perfectly.

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30 Days on the Road got me Thinking

1. Consistency

The sport requires consistency. The job requires consistency. Mastery in any field requires consistency. It is super hard to train consistently while travelling. All the training has to be done at home, wherever it is.

A nomadic lifestyle requires a lot of logistics and planning. It takes up your mental energy. You can’t expect yourself to work at your best, while constantly moving around.

2. The One Thing

SOS – shiny object syndrome. There is an epidemic of ADHD in the World. People grab what’s shiny and run with it. Until they drop it… Then they move to the next and next and next. They leave a trail of unfinished work behind them. I don’t want to be that. I am tired of chasing my tail. I am tired of searching.

I want to find that ONE THING that I can be exceptionally good at. I want to specialize in one thing and be known for it. I want to find out what is it that I can do better than anyone else. Period. I want my work to be in the top 10 in the World. I want to find my jam. I want to create. I want to flow. Find my Zone and stay there until I drop dead. I put my ego aside and ask the Universe: What is it that I can be exceptionally good at? I don’t need what’s trendy. I don’t care if it’s sexy or not. I just want to know – Is there is something that I can do exceptionally well? Am I capable of creating something beautiful? I want to know. I surrender to God to show me. I promise to accept my gift for what it is. I promise not to judge the gift that I was given. I did not create myself, so who am I to judge? Whatever gave me life – WHY? With all my heart, I want you to give me the task. The task that only me and a couple of other men and women can do.

Maybe I just want to feel special. Yes, I do. It sounds like I go through an identity crisis. Show me the way. Give me a sign or a hint of something that will lead me to my calling. I will try from happiness when I find my door. I promise not to brag. I promise not to take for granted your gifts. I promise not to turn away from those in need. What do you want me to do?

3. Am I climbing the wrong mountain?

Whenever I set myself a goal – I go all out. I am a black or white person.

Training has become a full-time job for me. I stopped enjoying it. Wait. Pause. Reset. Why do you still do it if you don’t enjoy it? Is someone holding a gun to your head? Why did you decide on triathlon? What if there is something different that you should be doing? What if this is just a preparation for what’s coming?

I want to become world-class. But is it really what you want? Alex is more than a physical body. I am an intellectual person. I like to think. I like to work with my brain. Becoming World-class in triathlon will require a lot of sacrifices. I can not give my 100% self to mental work AND physical. Something will have to give. I’ve been gifted a sharp mind. Am I willing to put my mind to the side and focus all my energy on training? No. I know myself. If I don’t learn, if I don’t load my mind with challenging tasks – I destroy myself. No matter how good my training is, I will still have the need to let my mind work. What if my sport is mental and not physical? What if I’ve been climbing the wrong mountain? No-no, I will not drop the sport. Perhaps I need to reduce the intensity. Maybe I need to shift my focus a bit and be okay with not being a professional athlete. Still train. Still exercise, but know that your game is a mental game. Physical exercise and sport are not the end stop. Sport is here to support me, but not to consume me.

If I didn’t kill myself in training and racing, maybe I could stay fit for life. Maybe I won’t stand on the podium in my thirties, but I will enjoy every race and stay active in my seventies and eighties. I need to prioritize health over results. I need to do it for pure enjoyment and not the medal that means nothing. Save your body. Love your body. You are in a mental game, not the physical. Find ways to challenge your mind the way you challenge your body. Use the sport to support your mental game, not harm it.

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STRENGTH and PHYSIOTHERAPY Exercises

FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES: LOWER EXTREMITY

STRONGER LEGS: YOGA FLOW SEQUENCE

Band resisted row with calf raise

Why?

Row with calf raises is to improve mid back strength and calf strength simultaneously. Mid back strength is important for posture in endurance sports especially towards the end of a race – helps maintain the position of the rib cage for optimal diaphragm excursion. And the calf muscles, especially the soleus (which is trained with the knee bent) is very important for running. The soleus excepts the load of the body at initial contact and pushes off the ground during terminal stance while running.

How?

Raise up on toes and squeeze calf muscles in this position
3 sets of 10

Step-up with High Knee Combo (part I)

Why?

Focus of the exercise is to build quad strength and work on control/balance for the running form during the step-up/down down portion. The knee should cross over the toes when stepping up to emphasize the use of the quads. The high knee portion of the exercise is to focus on improving stability in the hip flexors which are very important in all aspects of triathlon, but specially in running they help to pull the leg through during the swing phase of gait and stabilize the spine when the foot is about to hit the ground.

How?

3 sets of 10
Use an 8-10″ step

Farmer’s Carry

Why?

The purpose of this exercise is to work on controlling and building strength in the running form position: mid back, core, glutes, and hip flexors.

How?

4x80s (40s heel to toe and 40s march)
Aim to hold an 18kg and 16kg KB in each hand (weight should be different in each hand)
Switch after every pass

TRAINING FOR HAWAII 70.3

Key Sessions

  1. 90 Min Bike | May 14. ~Heat Training. Failed~
  2. 90 Min Cadence | May 16. ~7 All-time Bests. Hm… slowly getting back on track~
  3. +3 Hr Ride (3×10′ bouts) | May 18. ~IRONMAN Mont Tremblant bike course (100 km)~
  4. 1hr 30 min @200 Watts |May 21. ~70.3 Continuous Effort. Extremely Sore~
  5. 90 Min Cadence AM + PM 15k Run | May 23. ~Repeat of the last week. Feeling strong! Enjoyed the workout~
  6. 2 Hr Ride (4×3′ bouts), May 25. ~Injured. Backing down~
  7. 1 Hr Ride (3×3′ bouts), May 29. ~Final ride. Feeling strong, no pain~

SWIMMING

Triathlete’s Essential Swimming Equipment

Theory

Coaching feedback (Ayesha, Team Atomica):

  1. Professional swimmers use 20% of their legs. As a triathlete, I need to use only 10% of my legs mainly for balance and buoyancy. 
  2. I’m lean and need to breathe every third stroke so I hold the air in my lungs longer which should give me more buoyancy
  3. Exhale, pushing the air out on the second stroke. Make sure you empty the lungs completely before the inhale.  
  4. With my tendency to think a lot, swimming in a group will help me to get out of my head and focus on the workout.
  5. There is nothing critically wrong with my current technique. Improving my breathing will give me a lot of speed. 

Coaching feedback Bruce:

To begin you have a good turn over and body position in the water.

1. Your kick it should be more from the hips than from the knees. This will keep you more streamlined and get you more power in your stroke.
Vertical kicking drill will help and as you get better raising your hands  above the water will make you stronger. Also your toes should be pointed.

2. Both of your arms/hands should get up on the eye level box right away as you start your pull. This will give you a better anchor to pull yourself  forward. When you watch your arms the right pushes straight down  then starts to anchor in the water, while the left drives deep before you rotate to anchor your forearm. A high elbow catch will help along with pull-ups.

3. Both arms finish about your swim suite. You should be finishing farther down the front of your thighs. Think of patting a small child on the top of their head then pushing them behind you with a hand flick.

4. When you breathe start to exhale right away because trying to exhale as you turn to inhale doesn’t give you a good exchange.

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Turn Up The Heat! Low Carbohydrate Diet and its impact on recovery and performance in athletes

Long-Term Low-Carbohydrate, High-Fat Diet Impairs Performance and Subjective Well-Being in a World-Class Vegetarian Long-Distance Triathlete

The aim of this case study was to report on the performance outcomes and subjective assessments of long-term low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet in a world-class long-distance triathlete who had been suffering from gastrointestinal distress in Ironman competition. The lacto-ovo vegetarian athlete (age = 39 years; height = 179 cm; usual racing body mass = 75 kg; sum of seven skinfolds = 36 mm) changed his usual high carbohydrate (CHO) availability diet to an LCHF diet for 32 weeks (∼95% compliance). He participated in three professional races while on the LCHF diet, but acutely restored CHO availability by consuming CHO in the preevent meals and during the race as advised. The athlete had his worst-ever half-Ironman performance after 21 weeks on the LCHF diet (18th). After 24 weeks on LCHF, he had his second worst-ever Ironman performance (14th) and suffered his usual gastrointestinal symptoms. He did not finish his third race after 32 weeks on LCHF. He regained his usual performance level within 5 weeks back on a high CHO diet, finishing second and fourth in two Ironman events separated by just 3 weeks. Subjective psychological well-being was very negative while on the LCHF diet, with feelings of depression, irritability, and bad mood. In conclusion, this long-term (32 weeks) LCHF intervention did not solve the gastrointestinal problems that the athlete had been experiencing, it was associated with negative performance outcomes in both the half-Ironman and Ironman competitions, and it had a negative impact on the athlete’s subjective well-being.

McSwiney, Tomás (2018) High-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diets, Exogenous Ketones: Performance and Health Effects in Endurance Athletes. Doctoral thesis, Waterford Institute of Technology.

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