#triathlon

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Wake up the Animal: Cycling VO2 Max Test

Winter is coming and all Canadian Bears submerge in their caves. Me too. Me and Blake decided to shuffle around several things in our lives and cut out unnecessary things. To spend the winter I found a dark, cozy cave for us – a pain cave. Unlike bears, I won’t have time to sleep this winter – I’ll be busy engineering an athlete. Spring 2020 will see the new Sasha Ironman – Version 2.0.

After the recent follow up appointment with my doctor, I received a clearance to resume training. Two months of no training will definitely reduce your fitness level. The question is: by how much? There is a way to test your fitness level at any given moment and it’s called VO₂ Max Test. This is a lab-based test and is considered the ‘gold standard’ for identifying an athletes oxygen carrying capability.

VO₂ Max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise; that is, exercise of increasing intensity. The name is derived from three abbreviations: “V” for volume, “O₂” for oxygen, and “Max” for maximum.

– Wikipedia

To give the answer by how much two months off training will lower your fitness level you need to have done at least two tests: before & after. I haven’t had a chance to test myself before, therefore there is nothing to compare against. However by doing the Test now, I set a baseline point which I will use as reference.

Come Prepared

  • Refrain from exercise and consuming coffee, nicotine and other stimulants in the four hours before your appointment.
  • Have only a light breakfast on the morning of your appointment (<300 calories). If your appointment is in the afternoon, have a light breakfast and a light lunch.
  • Ensure you are hydrated for your tests. Consume 250-500 ml of water or non-caffeinated beverages on the morning of your test.
  • Stop consuming fluids an hour before your visit.

Know what to Expect

It’s a graded step test, where the resistance of the rainer will gradually lift the power until you can no longer pedal.

We started the test at 100 watts, with the power output increasing by 20 watts every minute.

The idea is to keep going to failure to obtain your max heart rate and maximum oxygen intake.

Ideally the test will last 12 minutes, which is long enough for you to get warmed up but not overly long, so external factors come into play that could fatigue the body and skew the results.

To get the most accurate data I brought my TT bike for this. Right away it was placed on a smart Wahoo Kickr cycling trainer. Martin – an instructor – will set the power output and will also have visibility into all my live data as I’m riding.

Chest Heart Rate Strap + hooked into a mask and a flow metre which directly analyses oxygen consumption and sends comprehensive physiological data to the separate machine.

Usually the test performed only one, however I felt like I didn’t give it all the first time, so I asked Martin to redo the test. I was wondering if I could push more. That’s why there will be two reports following the test.

Let’s see what I’ve got…

VO₂ Max Cycling Report Interpretation

Test #1

VO₂ Max: 51.3
Heart Rate Max: 165
Calories per hour: 1121

Aerobic Zone (Fat Burning): <100 bpm
Anaerobic Zone (Cardio Training): >150 bpm
“Grey” Zone: 110 – 140 bpm

Test #2

VO₂ Max: 49.7
Heart Rate Max: 168
Calories per hour: 1097

Aerobic Zone (Fat Burning): <110 bpm
Anaerobic Zone (Cardio Training): >140 bpm
“Grey” Zone: 120 – 130 bpm

What did I learn?

 It was interesting looking at the repeated testing.
 VO₂ Max score for the second test is lower, while heart rate is higher.
We can see a higher heart rate across the power curve in the second test, suggesting that I was not in a rested state at the start of this test (10 minutes rest in between).

Also, the cross-over heart rate (when you reach 50/50 carbs/fat utilization) was 13 BPM higher during the second test.  This suggests I stayed burning fat longer in the second test. Martin suggests that the first test depleted glucose levels, so I was forced to draw more on stored fat during the second test. 

Now that I’ve set the baseline, I need to have a plan on where to go and what to do next. I feel like the way I’ve been training before did not allow me to perform at my best and fully open up my potential. I have more, I can do better. With that in mind, I was to change several things and see where it leads.
Goals:

  • Improve VO2 Max score as a result of increased cycling fitness
  • Improve FTP from 267W (April 2019) to at least 300W (April 2020)

How will I achieve the goals?

  1. Training Plan. I am hiring a new cycling coach – Mr. Igor.
  2. Change the approach to training. Mental change…
  3. Better utilize experience and knowledge of nutrition, hydration and recovery, specifically around athletic performance.
  4. Work smarter – not harder. Whenever feel stuck, instead of beating yourself up to death, seek for help. Ask questions.

Amen…

Special thanks to Martin, and his offer to perform the test at his lab Body Insight | Toronto. It was a blast and I can not wait to come back again for the follow up test few months later.

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Nutritional Support for Exercise-Induced Injuries

Injuries happen and nutrition is one of the methods to counter the negative impacts of an exercise-induced injury. Typically injury result in reduced activity and training. While some injuries are minor, such as a bruise or inflammation, others are much more debilitating such as a tear, broken bone, impingement, stress fracture or ruptured tendon. 

To minimize decline in muscle strength, neuromuscular control and overall fitness, nutrition plays a vital role in healing and rehabilitation process. It is possible to come back stronger and faster after the injury, following the right diet, physiotherapy and re-training program.

There are two main stages of injury:

Stage 1: Healing & Recovery

The first phase begins immediately after an injury. A complex process of wound healing begins which consists of three, phases:

  1. Inflammation
  2. Proliferation
  3. Remodelling

Inflammation caused by training is different than inflammatory response initiated by the injury. Athletes perceive inflammation as something bad, however while excess inflammation may be harmful, inflammatory process is essential for wound healing. Therefore attempting to drastically reduce inflammation may not be ideal for optimal recovery. Injured athletes should be careful when considering of the appropriate approach to managing inflammation.

The proliferative phase is when the wound is rebuilt with new tissue made up of collagen and extracellular matrix. There is an increase in protein synthesis for cell division following. As well as inflammatory process, this phase consumes a lot of energy.

Remodelling process is when the wound fully closes by the scar tissue formed as a result of the first 2 phases.

Stage 2: Rehabilitation & Hypertrophy

The second phase of complete recovery and returning to full function and training takes longer than the first, immobilization period. Sometimes it take several years to fully recovery from some injuries. Nutritional support is crucial to lessen the length of time and reduce the negative aspects of reduced activity and immobilization, as well as to support the return to activity and training.

Injuries that lead to reduced levels of activity have a lot of negative consequences. Disuse of a limb results in loss of muscle mass, reduced muscle strength and function. Substantial muscle loss has been reported in as little as 5 days of disuse (study link).

During muscle disuse, the basal, i.e. resting and fasted, rate of MPS (muscle protein synthesis) is decreased. Muscle loss is not the only negative consequence of inactivity in muscle tissue. Muscle mitochondrial oxidative function and metabolic flexibility are impaired with muscle disuse. Some of these changes occur as early as 48 h following initiation of inactivity. Moreover, simply reducing activity of muscle for 2 weeks may lead to decreased insulin sensitivity of muscle.

The single most important nutritional consideration during reduced muscle activity and/or immobility is to avoid nutrient deficiencies. Deficiencies of energy, vitamins, minerals and macronutrients—particularly protein— will impair wound healing and exacerbate loss of muscle and tendon mass and function. Nutritional choices made during recovery from an injury need to be carefully considered to optimize recovery and return to training.

Energy Balance

Energy intake is a critical component for optimal recovery from an injury. Athlete’s energy expenditure almost certainly will be reduced with a reduction in training and activity, therefore most athletes are likely make an intuitive conscious decision to drastically reduce energy intake to avoid increased body fat and total mass.

Energy expenditure following an injury with muscle immobilization is likely not be as greatly reduced as would be expected. During the healing process, energy expenditure is increased, particularly if the injury is severe. Energy expenditure may be increased by 15% up to 50%, depending on the type and severity of the injury. If athlete restricts the energy intake too much, recovery almost certainly will be slowed due to negative metabolic consequences. Negative energy balance will interfere with wound healing and exacerbate muscle loss. Therefore, instead of focusing on preventing weight gain, an athlete should ensure that sufficient energy is consumed during recovery from an injury.

 It is clear that negative energy balance has to be avoided, a large positive energy balance also is undesirable for optimal healing and recovery. A positive energy balance may be appealing to suggest during immobilization, even considering a small increase in body fat. However, there is evidence that a positive energy balance actually accelerate muscle loss during inactivity, most likely via activation of systemic inflammation. Moreover, excess energy with reduced activity leads to decreased insulin sensitivity and alterations in muscle and adipose metabolism.

Energy intake must be considered very carefully. Factors promoting satiety despite a reduced energy intake, including protein dose and type, in addition of low energy density food choices such as vegetables need to be considered as well. Energy balance should be the aim during reduced  inactivity and/or immobilization due to injury.

Macronutrients

Energy balance is not the most important factor to consider. The macronutrient composition of the energy is additional operative factor. Recent evidence suggests that oversupply of lipids (fats) decreases insulin sensitivity and impairs the response of MPS (muscle protein synthesis) to amino acids.

Protein

Insufficient protein intake impedes wound healing and increase inflammation to possibly deleterious levels. Synthesis of collagen and other proteins are very important in preventing muscle loss and supporting the healing processes. Sufficient protein intake is necessary to support wound and/or fracture healing.

Protein and amino acids probably have been the most widely studied nutrients in the context of muscle injuries. Recent studies has shown that athletes consuming relatively high protein intakes (~ 2.3 g protein/day/kg) had reduced muscle loss during periods of negative energy balance compared with lower protein intakes (~1.0 g/day/kg). Therefore we can assume that relatively high protein intakes (>2.0 g protein/day/kg), are necessary to prevent muscle loss. Also, more than ~30 g of protein in one sitting should be the maximum amount.

In addition, other factors in relation to protein should be considered. The pattern of protein intake in terms of timing and amount in each meal are the important factors.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates is the energy. Due to the limited physical activity, energy expenditure is reduced, therefore demand for the energy is reduced as well. It makes sense to slightly lower carbohydrate intake to prevent excessive weight gain. Prioritize higher-fiber, satiating foods such as whole grains, fruits and veggies. 

Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids has been used by many people because of its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Fish and flaxseed oil supplementation is often touted for reduction of inflammation.

The studies suggest that fish oil supplementation could play a role in the amelioration of muscle loss with disuse. However, high fish oil diets inhibited recovery of muscle mass during recovery from hindlimb suspension in rodents. Taken together, it seems that whereas high fish oil consumption may ameliorate muscle loss during a catabolic situation, it does not seem to be effective to enhance muscle hypertrophy. Moreover, the appropriate dose for injured humans has not been established.

 Micronutrients

There are no clear guidelines for use of micronutrients. Leucine, curcumin, and others have been demonstrated to be beneficial in rat studies. Higher intakes of these nutrients may do harm, therefore caution is warranted before recommendations for wholesale use of these nutrients by injured athletes. Deficiencies should be avoided, but supplementation above sufficiency does not help either.

Vitamin C is necessary for collagen formation.

  • Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.
  • Green and red peppers.
  • Spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, and other leafy greens.
  • Sweet and white potatoes.
  • Tomatoes and tomato juice.
  • Winter squash.

Calcium and Vitamin D during healing from fractures is important for optimal bone formation.

  • Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon
  • Beef liver
  • Cheese
  • Egg yolks
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • White & Soybeans beans

Vitamin A. It helps to form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin.

  • Beef liver
  • Cod liver oil
  • Sweet potato
  • Carrots
  • Black-eyed peas
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Sweet red pepper

Zinc. Maintains your immune system, supports cell division, cell growth, wound healing, and the breakdown of carbohydrates.

  • Oysters
  • Lean Sirloin Steak
  • Lamb
  • Hemp Seeds
  • Chickpeas
  • Black Beans
  • Cashews
  • Cheddar Cheese

Creatine is well studied supplement and widely used to enhance muscle gains during resistance exercise training. Creatine supplementation also has been shown to counteract disorders of muscle. However, there is no strong evidence for use of creatine to counter muscle loss during immobility. Creatine supplementation during weeks of lower-limb immobility did not lessen the loss of muscle mass or strength in healthy volunteers during 2 weeks of casting. However during rehabilitation after immobility, creatine supplementation resulted in an increased rate of muscle growth and strength gains compared with placebo.

Supplements that shown benefits:

  • Arginine
  • Collagen
  • HMB
  • Glutamine
  • Enzymes

Antioxidant compounds, including Omega-3,  decrease oxidative stress and have been recommended to improve healing and recovery.
High in antioxidants:

  • Curcumin from Turmeric/Curry Powder
  • Garlic
  • Bromelain from Pineapple
  • Cocoa & Tea
  • Berries

What to Avoid

  • Excess consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids. This could excessively depress the inflammatory response and compromise the wound healing.
  • Pro-Inflammatory foods. Processed foods high in saturated and trans fats, vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, soybean etc.
  • Excess energy consumption. This could lead to increased total and fat mass, especially if activity is dramatically reduced.
  • Alcohol. Alcohol impairs wound healing, by reducing the inflammatory response, and increases muscle loss during immobilization. It is very important to limit alcohol ingestion during recovery.
  • Salt. Over consumption can lead to calcium loss through urine.
  • Coffee. Too much caffeine (more than four cups of strong coffee a day) can slow down bone healing a little. A moderate amount of coffee or tea should be fine.

Summary

  • Deficiencies, particularly those of energy, protein, and micronutrients have to be avoided.
  • Be sure to keep up with your protein intake especially after exercise/rehab.
  • Energy balance is critical.
  • Higher protein intakes (~2–2.5 g protein/kg/day) may be warranted, and should be maintained even in the face of reduced energy intake.

Many athletes are afraid of gaining extra weight and feel they don’t deserve to eat calories or carbs when not expending calories through exercising. This is a common misconception, however, remember that your body still requires energy, carbs and nutrients – even at rest. In case of surgery, your daily energy demands may increase by 10-20%. Don’t be afraid of food and give your body building blocks to promote proper healing instead of dieting. Use this time to improve your lifestyle choices, learn new ways of cooking and create new meal planning strategies. Learn how to love your body in different shapes and sizes.

References

  1. Tipton, Kevin. (2015). Nutritional Support for Exercise-Induced Injuries. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 45. 10.1007/s40279-015-0398-4.
  2. Tipton KD. Nutrition for acute exercise-induced injuries. Ann Nutr Metab. 2010;57:S43–53.
  3. Berardi, J. M. (2019, May 7). Nutrition for injury recovery: Food and supplements to speed up healing. Retrieved from https://www.precisionnutrition.com/nutrition-for-injury-recovery-infographic
  4. Tipton KD. Dietary strategies to attenuate muscle loss during recovery from injury. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser 813 2013;75:51–61.
  5. Wall BT, Morton JP, van Loon LJ. Strategies to maintain skeletal muscle mass in the injured athlete: nutritional considerations and exercise mimetics.
  6. Wall BT, Dirks ML, Snijders T, et al. Substantial skeletal muscle loss occurs during only 5 days of disuse. Acta Physiol. 875 2014;210:600–11
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AQUILA CRONO TRI BIKE | TEST RIDE & REVIEW

PRICE: $3,199.00

Aquila is Canadian brand, based in Oakville and Toronto at the bike shop called Racer Sportif. They offer carbon road, triathlon and track bikes.
This carbon triathlon bike came with combination of Ultegra Di2 and Shimano 105 components. Aerobars, as well the handlebars underneath had electronic gear shifting, which moved the chain exactly where it needed to be through a programmed front and rear derailleur position.
Standart road wheels.

The best way to test such bike is definitely on the road. Right after the rain I went on a 111 km ride, following the same route I took previously on my old bike. I started at Angus Glen Community Center and headed up north, to the Lake Simcoe.

Pre meal:
Banana x2
Dried dates 5-6 pieces

During:
600 Calories: 82C/28F/11P

I forgot to bring my water bottle cages, but found a spartan solution:
I used the piece of rope I’ve found in my truck to tie one bottle of water to the frame.
Going into the ride already under fueled I didn’t feel particularly strong at any point. I felt thirsty and hungry throughout the ride and every time I wanted to get a sip of water I would have to come to a complete stop to untie my water bottle. After the half mark (55 km), on a way back I got really hungry, but had nothing left, neither fuel or water.
My performance was compromised right from the beginning and I didn’t ride hard.

RESULTS

TT Bike:
Avg speed 29.4 km/hr

VS

Old Bike:
Avg speed 27.3 km/hr

2 km/hr faster

I pushed harder during the first haft, just to see what my time would be at the 45 km mark. I looked at the timer and was pleased to see the number of 1 hr 13 min. This meant that if I was to race Ironman 70.3 with it’s 90 km bike ride, I could theoretically finish the bike course in about 2 hr 26 minutes. This simple calculation made me excited for two reasons:

  1. It was 37 minutes faster from my bike time at Ironman 70.3 Hawaii: 2 hr 50 min
  2. It was only 12 minutes slower from the age group winner and 4 minutes away from the 3rd place.

However, in comparison with the most recent Olympic TRI I did two weeks ago (BRACEBRIDGE OLYMPIC TRI | Muskoka) less than 2 km/hr improvement didn’t seem worth all the hipe and money. Especially considering that I felt like shit during that race and barely did spin the pedals.

BRACEBRIDGE Triathlon
2019-08-10 • Olympic Triathlon

Considering that I wasn’t pushing as hard as I would at the race, underfueling and poor hydration on my test ride today, I got excited to wonder what would my time splits look like if all those things would properly align and I came prepared. Not to mention, I was riding on the regular “training” wheels. Aquila bike shop representative promised that putting on the racing wheels will make me about 5 km/h avg faster.

I also didn’t sit comfortably on the seat and my butt will stay sore for a while. I had to move move forward and sit literally on the tip of the seat. Proper bike fit is another variable that can definitely improve my performance.

From design perspective, I am not a big fan of the way bike looks. But again, do I want to be pretty or I want to be fast?
Fast!

… Blake doesn’t seem to approve…

THE UGLY

The only trouble I had with the bike today was caused by my carelessness, when I put few scratches on the bike. The photo below costed me two nasty scratches on the frame. The wind blew and the bike felt to the side.

Those are pretty big scratches and I was blaming myself all the way back to where I began the ride. I was feeling really bad for being so …. careless I guess is the right word and worried about the charges I’ll have to pay to the owner when I return it back.
I didn’t know what is the best way to handle this situation. I put myself in the owner’s shoes and asked, how would I feel in his place? What would I do?
Instead of trying to come up with solutions I’ve decided that I will act the way I would like to be acted on, if I were him.
I brought the bike back in and I didn’t wait until the owner discovered the damage on his own. I went ahead and showed all the scratches… I explained how it happened and said that I appreciate the opportunity to test ride the bike and will cover all the repair costs in full. It was a lot of money for me.
I lost the money, BUT I saved my face and acted as a gentleman. More importantly I saved relationship with Dennis – the owner.

Repair Costs: $450

Overall I am grateful for the opportunity to test pure TT bike and get a sense of it. I’ve also enjoyed this long ride and got the experience of riding in different (aero) position.

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TIME TRIAL Bike. How Much? Shopping, testing and buying.

The past two years I’ve been training and racing on my 2003 Specialized Allez. I bought it for $300 from Craigslist, while in Phoenix. It got me through a lot. 
People laugh at me and keep on saying that I should throw it away and get a normal bike. I believe that the only thing that will make you faster in the layer in between the seat and handlebars (yourself). The thought of investing in TT bike been circulating in my head for the past 3-4 months, but I’ve been resisting. I am cheap AF. I count every penny and I am fascinated my the cost of triathlon bikes. 
A long story short I have finally decided to purchase my first TT bike.

I have zero knowledge about bikes and seeking for advice. I am lost in variety of options and need assistance picking Reliable, USED TT bike. I figured that instead of guessing and talking to salespeople I would ask other triathletes for suggestions.

Success Criteria:
1. I would like to keep the price tag under $2,000 (most likely used), however I will also consider more expensive bikes if they worth it. 
2. I don’t care if it’s an older model, what the brand is etc. 
I choose the bike with the only goal in mind – to get faster and kick some ass on the bike course =)
3. It has to be reliable.
4. Ideally it will already have power meter built in.

Utilize social media.
I suggest that you use your local triathlon club Facebook groups, Strava or any social media to get advice from other triathletes. Just mention that you are in a market for a new TT bike, give your search criteria and wait. Even if nobody from your friends sell the bike, there are good chances that they know someone who does.

Option 1

2019 | AQUILA CRONO
Test Ride & Review

PRICE: $3,199

Option 2

2015 | Specialized Shiv Elite

PRICE: $2,800 (used)

It’s obviously hard to judge TT bike without riding it for a few hours, but just sitting on it stationary felt good. 54 cm size frame is definitely what I need.

Size Medium: 54 cm
Included:
Training Wheels: AXIS 2.0
Race Wheels: Zipp 808 10 spd adapted for 11 spd setup (no cassette)
$2200 for bike without Zipps

Option 3

ARGON 18 E-117 TRI – ULTEGRA Di2

PRICE: guess

By the weirdest circumstances I got connected with Dennis – the owner on Racer Sportif. I rented demo bike from him and returned it back scratched (more details here).

…I brought the bike back in and I didn’t wait until the owner discovered the damage on his own. I went ahead and showed all the scratches… I explained how it happened and said that I appreciate the opportunity to test ride the bike and will cover all the repair costs in full. It was a lot of money for me. Repair costs: $450.
I lost the money, BUT I saved my face and acted as a gentleman. More importantly I saved relationship with Dennis – the owner…

We had a great time chatting with him and he mentioned that he might have a used Argon 18 coming in later that week that might be a good fit for me… and it was.

Size Medium: 54 cm
Included Extra:
Brand new Shimano Ultegra with electronic shifters Di2
Carbon Wheels: RS Real Speed
Custom Racing Seat
*3-year warranty on both: bike and equipment

Did I like the bike? HELL YEAH
To be honest I fell in love with the way it not only looked, but mainly the way it felt sitting or I would say half-laying on it.

Now the main question: HOW MUCH?

Any guesses?

Just to give you and idea of what the price is on brand new Argon 18 E117 Tri:

Enduro Sport: CAD $6,215 ($5,500 + 13% Ontario Tax)
The Cyclery: CAD $6,780 ($6,000 + 13% Ontario Tax)
PRIMEAU: CAD $10,008.71 = USD $7,507 ($7,000 + 7.25% California Tax) *Not including shipping

Just to remind you that I am buying a used ~1-2 years old bike with brand new Di2 system installed and tuned at the shop, professional bike fitting ($200-300) AND 3-year warranty on both – bike and all the equipment.

Drumbeat….

$3,750
(tax included)

That’s the winner. I am a happy owner of Argon 18 TT bike and I pick it up early next week. The price is almost twice higher than $2,000 I set the original criteria on, but I believe it well worth it. Reviews I read online and people I talked to, all confirmed the reliability of Argon bikes, so plus here. It does not come with power meter, but it is still a great price even without it.

I will make another post, sharing my experience with new TT bike and give my honest feedback.
Let me know what you think!
Cheers

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A Place of Power | Eco Forest Retreat on Muskoka River

– How you been my friend? Haven’t heard from you for a while!
– Doing great, better than excellent? That’s Awesome! Glad to hear.
– What you been up to? Wow, you achieved so much. You accomplished a lot! Congratulations!

You try so hard to sound happy. Don’t, or you will start shooting rainbows out of your ass.
I don’t believe you. I know you too well to recognize the bullshit you try to feed me with.
I see a tired person in front of me. Dark circles around your eyes tell the truth. Shaky voice and hectic body language proves the opposite. You are tired, you are exhausted… You desperately need some rest.

You learned how to push yourself pretty hard. You are the overachiever – “A type”. You mastered the skill of setting a goal and going after it. You are self-motivated, disciplined and hardworking. That’s all great, but there is no balance to it.
All your achievements come with tax.
What is your tax?
Sleep deprivation?
Poor blood works?
Constant hunger and overeating?
Anxiety? Moodiness? Loneliness?
Muscle pain and constant soreness?
Or maybe even suicidal thought from time to time?
Tell the truth, let it out. What does it cost to live your lifestyle?

You need to rest.
You have to take a break.

Sit down and listen to a little story about magical place – a Place of Power.

There is a place in Canada that has tremendous healing power. It is located in Huntsville – a small town, about 2.5 hours driving north from Toronto. This place is unique with its nature and people.

Two young birds live side by side in Muskoka woods. Megan and Sequoia live off-the-grid in a tiny cabin, right by Muskoka River, on the edge with Heaven.

Ask Sequoia about his plants. Feel the passion person has to his green friends. Feel the bright energy he projects out of his blue eyes when holding his tiny cactus. Don’t interrupt and listen. He thinks of himself as introverted person, but I promise, you never met more extraverted introvert before. He keeps a baseball bat in the forest washroom in case of bears. He own his second world war survival kit in case of zombie apocalypse. He is thoughtful and takes a great care of his partner – Meagan.

Let Megan be your guide into the world of Yoga and meditation. Don’t try to understand or rationalize the things she tells you, but sit back and let her explode your mind. A wise and strong woman lives in tiny body of hers.

Both are rare and unique species among human beings. Open minded, kind and bright people. Vegetarian, they will teach you simple meal recipes that not only taste great, but make you seriously consider going plant based eating.

Wake up in the morning and instead of checking your phone, go check the river.
Celebrate new day by meeting sunrise at the beach.
Take off you clothes and jump into the river from the tree.

Breathe in!

So many things to do here
So much to explore

CYCLING

RUNNING

A State of the Art Running Track

SWIMMING

HIKING

CANOEING

This is the place where not only your mind finally gets rested, but also your body releases tension and stress that it held for so long. Your mind slow down, yous heart slows down:

Only one night of deep sleep in the tiny house will significantly drop your resting heart rate (RHR), and switch your body from sympathetic to parasympathetic mode.

Now you go explore!

Eco Forest Retreat on Muskoka River

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IRONMAN 70.3 | Muskoka

PRE-RACE

Instead of staying at hotel or Airbnb, me and my brother Stepan, who is visiting me from Ukraine, decided we will more enjoy camping. The tent was set up at the Arrowhead Campground, which is about 15 minutes driving from the race venue. This is a huge campground and the campsites are not cheap. One night stay will cost you at minimum of CAD$48.31. Rather than price, we really liked the park. It’s clean, quiet and has toilets with showers. Not to mention a beautiful lake right in the middle of it.

A day before began from a nice and easy OWS in Arrowhead Lake. The water in lake is dark, but really warm. Had a small snack and went to the race venue to register for the race, before it got too crowded. The race expo was really small fit perfectly into the ice skating rink, leaving a plenty of unused space. It was really quiet and felt as I’m at a small town race.
Right after registering went to execute my “mini brick“:

10′ easy spin
15 ride holding RPE 3-4
5′ easy spin

15′ run directly off the bike at CP
5′ FW

Checked in my bike and went back to the campground to prepare for the race and go to bed early.
Stepan is putting up the tent while I stress myself out going through the packing list over and over again.

3:30 am wake up. Quick shower and breakfast at McDonalds parking lot on a way to the race venue.

Now, an hour before the start, T1 looks way busier than a day before. All checked in.
Smile! Final photo before the start.

SWIM
38:13

Literally 3 minutes before my wave start I realized I put the wetsuit on the wrong way. I couldn’t believe… Take it off and put it back on.

Unlike all previous races, this one was not a “rolling start”. We proceeded to the lake and were guided towards the red buoy in the middle of the lake…I got confused. We swam up to it and had to float in water for like 3-5 minutes until we were given a command to start.

There was a lot of wrestling in water. I got kicked in head few times pretty hard and about 100-200 meters before the finish someone’s arm hit me in a head and kicked my goggles off. Nice! Swam the remaining distance with my eyes closed. I’m glad it didn’t happen in the middle of the swim, or worse – at the start.

BEWARE OF CURRENT!

Below are few tips for you to keep in mind when swimming through the Fairy Lake. I got the following suggestions from the guy who lived over 20 years right by the lake, where the course goes through. He also raced this race a few times himself and is well aware of direction of the current.

After the second left turn, unlike most of the people, stick to the right hand side and continue swimming close to the shore all the way to the finish (current is stronger on the middle & the opposite side). Right by the finish, don’t cross the lake until it’s about 9 -10 hours on a left from you. Turn left to cross the lake and in a few strokes you will be exiting the water.

Below is the swim course map with directions I marked with red arrows.

Had a pretty fast transition, only 3 minutes. No help from volunteers.

Lessons Learned:

  • Make sure you put the wetsuit the right way.
  • If swimming in lake, beware of current.
  • Practice swimming without goggles, simulating them being kicked off.

BIKE
2:54:16

Did not feel strong at all.
Right on the beginning, about 10 km, a deer:cyclist accident happened. The guy was laying on the side of the road with his bike beside him. Another similar accident happened around 12 km mark.

BEWARE OF ROAD CROSSING ANIMALS! 

30 minutes into the ride I dropped my chain and had to stop to put it back. Grateful it didn’t get stuck in the wheel and didn’t cause more damage. Had to make another stop to use the restroom. I think I lost about 2-3 minutes of precious time. 

A lot of rolling hills. A bit windy on the way there, but not much on the way back. Overall it is a fast course. Having a better (tri) bike would definitely help me shave off few minutes. 

Overall I am happy with my performance on the bike. Also had a pretty fast transition, under 2 minutes.

Lessons Learned

  • Beware of animals crossing the road
  • Make sure the bike is perfectly tuned prior to the race
  • Probably worth looking into investing in a proper bicycle

RUN
1:42:03
~Epic Finish~

First 30 minutes felt like crap 💩. Well that’s the way it always been for me, both in training and racing.
“Embrace the suck and give it some time Sasha!”
Spasms, tension and muscle pain traveled starting from my pancreas then to the liver and down to the legs. 

“Breath deeply. You need to release the spasms before the body completely shuts down the absorption of any foods you are planning to consume. “

3-5 minutes of deep belly breathing, in through the nose and out through the mouth did the trick. Pancreas and liver spasms released, allowing me to continue consuming sugars for fuel ⛽️. 

The course was great! We started and finished in Huntsville downtown. A lot of people were supporting athletes along the run course.
A little boy ran a garden hose from his house down to where we were running and sprayed the athletes with a cold water. 

Approximately 35 minutes into the run, I began feeling better. FINALLY! 

I increased the pace and tried to clear my mind from any thoughts that were taking up my mental energy. I put all my focus on technique. 

“Imagine your knee cups as a headlights of the car.
Chin tucked in.
Don’t run like you have a cactus up in your bum, stand tall and strong.
Release the tension off your shoulders, move them down.
Don’t swing your hands too much, keep them close to your torso.
Find a rhythm in your breath.
Breathe deeply: a long exhale and fast big inhale.”

Racing in Hawaii, Kona 70.3, specifically the running part though me a good painful lesson. I learned how painful it could be to run with the injury and how much it can actually slow me down. I learned the difference between the muscle pain and the injury pain. You can not manage the pain coming from the injured body part and it only getting worse as you go. 

I was really hoping that my knee pain will not come back during this race allowing me to run up to my potential. 

After the turnaround I continued feeling strong. No injuries, no pain that can slow me down. Everything hurts, but it’s a muscle pain, know the difference. 

I slowly caught up with the guy in a blue shirt that passed me like a rocket 🚀 when I was struggling on the beginning. I remembered him because he had a number 53 written down on his ankle. Triathletes know what that number means – the age. 

I caught up with him and expressed how impressed I was by his pace at the age of 53. We ran side by side, averaging the pace of 4:14 /km while keeping the conversation. His name is Shean and he’ve been running his entire life. 

“There is a lady running upfront… She’s 52 and she is about to win her age group. I need to catch up with her.”, Shean told me. 

5 km until the finish:

Aid station. Two water cups, one on myself, another in myself. Shean slowed down a bid, and felt behind. I increased my pace and continued running solo. 

The pain was real, but it was a muscle pain. I pushed really hard and gave it all.

Right by the finish line, as I stepped down on the red carpet, Shean showed up in my peripheral view. He really surprised me with his appearance and he was pushing really hard, trying pass me. Suddenly a finisher’s black stripe got pulled up at the finish line and the crowd went ballistic. I had no idea what was happening and the only thing I knew is that I needed to cross that finish line first.

I did it!

The feelings I experienced were so strong so I will remember them forever. I got so much joy and pure sense of happiness. I felt so much respect to Shean and all the athletes around. I experiences a sense of comradery and athletic fellowship.
Wow! What a finish, what a race!

After we both caught our breaths, Shean said that he’ve been chasing me all the way to the finish and thanked me for pushing him so hard. Thank you too Sean! This is what the competition should be like!

Lessons Learned

  • All the hard trainings, pains and tears were well worth that short burst of emotions while crossing the finish line FIRST
  • I learned what the healthy competition should be like and I experienced a pure sense of athletic fellowship
  • I discovered few new shades of pain and pushed my body harder than I did before

NUTRITION

Luckily I didn’t overeat so bad the night before, as I did the previous times. Still should’ve eaten less to get a good night rest.

The race had great on-course nutrition: Clif Bars, Gatorade and RedBull. Even with such support, still pack the nutrition products you’re used to and have tried already in training. This is what I did.

Race Morning
Planned to consume throughout the race
Consumed throughout the race

Lessons Learned

  • Planned and actually consumed numbers were pretty close. Good job here
  • Gatorade proved once again to work well for me. Don’t shy away from it during racing
  • Coke gives me liver spasms. That’s a no-no, unless I’m 5 km or less to the finish.
  • Deep belly breathing help relieve the liver and pancreas spasms
  • Don’t overeat before going to bed the night before

RESULTS

Set a new PR
by beating 70.3 Kona by 22 minutes

Repetition is mother of learning!

REPEAT AFTER ME:

You are doing triathlons because YOU CHOSE TO, not because you have to. 
Don’t forget that!

You do it FOR YOURSELF, no one gives a f*ck.
Don’t forget that!

NO ONE FORCES you to train every damn day. 
No one, besides your ego or whatever motivation you have.

You can quit anytime you want. 
No one gives a fuck! 

It’s your life, it’s your decisions. 
Don’t forget that!

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FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES: LOWER EXTREMITY

All the stretches I’m going to show, are the basic stretches that you need to maintain on a regular basis. Ideally this routine will be done at least twice a week.

  1. Start on all fours with hands directly under shoulders, knees under hips.
  2. Walk hands a few inches forward and spread fingers wide, pressing palms into mat.
  3. Curl toes under and slowly press hips toward ceiling, bringing your body into an inverted V, pressing shoulders away from ears. Feet should be hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
  4. Hold for 3 full breaths.

Hip Flexor Stretching

They let you to walk, kick, bend, and swivel your hips. But if your muscles are too tight or if you make a sudden movement, your hip flexors can stretch or tear. This stretch will help keep your hip flexors loose and prevent injuries.

  1. Squeeze your butt cheek
  2. Engage your core
  3. Don’t spike your toes. Keep your foot flat to create a greater stretch
  4. Hold for 30-40 seconds

Quadriceps stretching:

Running involves your quadriceps or “quads,” which is the group of muscles at the front of your thigh, attached at the top of the kneecap . This stretch will increase the range of motion around a joint and also loosens up the stiffness in the muscles.

Same deal here:

  1. Squeeze your butt cheek
  2. Engage your core
  3. Toes are flat
  4. Hold for 30-40 seconds

Glute Stretch:

When your glutes are tight and fatigued they can cause you to have a sore lower back and hamstrings, poor balance, and even shooting nerve pain down your leg due to sciatica. Regular stretching will prevent these.

  1. Both hips are parallel to the floor. (you should feel a good stretch on the foot turned to the side)
  2. You can play with this pose, rocking side to side.
  3. Hold for 40-60 seconds on each side.

If you want to feel a greater stretch, reach the arm of the feet bent up and to the side.

Adductor Stretching:

You use this muscle during any type of athletic motion that requires you to move your legs from side to side, such as ice skating, kicking a soccer ball or volleying in tennis. Stretching this muscle can help prevent and rehabilitate groin injuries.

  1. You’re on one knee.
  2. Arms on the ground, supporting you.
  3. The leg you are stretching is straight with foot flat on the ground.
  4. Sit back and hang in there for 30-40 seconds

Kneeling Hamstring Stretch:

Tight hamstrings reduce the mobility of the pelvis, which can put pressure on the lower back. This stretch will prevent them from becoming too tight and provide extra support for the back and pelvis.

  1. Kneel down on one knee and place your other leg straight out in front with your heel on the ground.
  2. Keep your back straight, hands on the ground in front. Make sure your toes are pointing straight up.
  3. Slowly move your hips back using your arms for balance.
  4. Hold this stretch for about 20 to 30 seconds and repeat at least 2 to 3 times.

Level Leg Extension:

  1. Start in neutral quadruped position: arms
    under shoulders, knees under hips, chin
    tucked for neutral cervical spine, flat
    lumbar/thoracic spine     (engage abdominals).
  2. From a neutral quadruped position, extend
    one hip and knee     backwards while
    maintaining spine in neutral position.
  3. Control leg extension by engaging abdominals.
  4. Come back to starting position. Repeat 5 times on each leg.

If you feel strong, keeping your spine and waist long, extend one leg back and up, as you simultaneously extend the opposite arm just parallel to the floor. Alternate 4-6 repetitions on each side.

PDF File for Print:

flexibility-exercises-lower-extremityDownload
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1hr 30 min @200 Watts 70.3 Continuous Effort

Spent 30-40 minutes on the beginning trying to fix some technical issues with the KICKR. Power and speeds were way off.

Pre-meal: 300 Calories (74C/0F/6P)
Sweet Potato: 70g
Banana: 120g
Basmati white rice: 100g

Felt motivated going into the workout.

Fueling: 700 Calories (116C/18F/31P)
Cliff Energy Shot
Cliff Bar
“ONE” Protein bar (zero sugar) – don’t like it.
Medium Banana

Workout was hard.
Barely held 200W.
1 hr into the ride had to lower power down to 180W as I found it really hard to continue holding same output. Really challenging workout. Glad to be done… sore and exhausted.

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+3 Hr Ride (3×10′ bouts), April 18, 2019. ~IRONMAN Mont Tremblant bike course (100 km)~

On May 19th I am doing the SPARTAN race near Montreal, Quebec. A day before, I’ve got scheduled a long bike ride which I planned to do in Mont Tremblant. Why there? This is where one of the most popular IRONMAN races take place in June. I am not doing that particular race, but since I’m in Quebec, it’s a great opportunity to ride along the bike course.
Mont Tremblant bike course (100 km).

IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant

Arrived to the Mont Tremblant at 8 am. Had no specific agenda for the ride. The only plan I had is that the ride had to be no longer than 3.5 hours. Studied the map, packed the pockets with protein bars and headed out on the course by myself. 

Leaving the parking lot I noticed two guys with fancy TREK bikes, getting ready to head out. I started the conversation by asking if they’re going to ride to IRONMAN course and what should I be aware of, going into such a long ride. 

I learned that they came to Mont Tremblant for a training camp. And they, along with the group of other athletes are going to ride the full course. They also said that the group will be heading out in an hour and invited me to join them for the ride. I was hesitant to agree for two reasons: 

  1. I haven’t payed for the training camp;
  2. One hour wait seemed like forever.

However since I haven’t done the course before and wasn’t familiar with it I decided it will be a good idea to follow the group so I don’t get lost and it’s always more fun to ride together. I agreed to wait and I am glad I did. 

One hour later I met the rest of the team on the main square. There were about 20-30 athletes all excited and ready to roll. Everyone seemed to be talking French – the foreign language to me. I introduced myself to the coaches and asked for permission to join on which I got a positive response. Great!

Athletes were really nice and welcomed me into the group. I met a lot of cool guys and made new connections. Thank you for being so nice and accepting a random guy off the street to your group.

At the beginning I got assigned to the slower group, however after the first 10 km I was suggested that I go ahead with 3 other faster riders. Christopher and me went ahead and were cycling side by side for the most of the time. Two other guys couldn’t keep up so we just dropped them. Sorry folks =)

At the beginning I was worried it will take me much longer than 3:15 hr, but now I am really surprised to see how perfectly the time aligned. 

How me being here at that exact time, that exact parking lot allowed me to meet all this people and cycle with the group for free. WOW!

It took me 3hr 16 minutes to do the full IRONMAN course. Have no idea of how good or bad, slow or fast this is. Moreover I don’t give a crap. 

The question that matter is: Did you ENJOY THE RIDE? Yes I did!

Could I’ve done it faster? You bet I could, but this was not the day and time to give my all. Hawaii 70.3 will give me the chance to push the pedal to the metal. 

FUELING

We had a support vehicle and a mid way fueling station with bananas, oranges, Gatorade and this “Fruit” bar:

 They are 25g pure sugar in a form of jelly worth of 100 calories. I loved it. And what a boost I felt after just taking one. Felt the warmth in my stomach and the power in my already pretty fatigued legs. Rocket Fuel! Unbelievable! 

Note: Don’t be afraid of sugar while racing or training. 

Fuel:
145g Carbs 30g Protein 21g Fat
Total: 822 Calories 

I don’t think I am consuming enough calories. 

The nature at Mont Tremblant is so beautiful! Woods, lakes, mountains… Being an outdoorsy guy, I can’t stop enjoying the scenery along the course.

There are IRONMAN signs along the course, which makes it easy to follow and not get lost. They look like this:

It was a great ride! A challenging one.

Training 95% solo I made a new discovery and learned the lesson: it’s much safer and enjoyable to ride in a group of like-minded people.

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IRONMAN 70.3 | MARBELLA, Spain

Pre-Story:

Since the Paris marathon which I did on January 6th this year I decided to focus entirely on triathlons. Despite my coach’s concerns in regards to racing frequency, I set myself ambitious goal to do 5 IRONMAN Races this year. Four of them are 70.3 and one full distance, to close the season.

4 months I’ve been training specifically for the first race of the season – IRONMAN 70.3 Marbella. It’s also my very first IRONMAN Race. 

NUTRITION

Pre race 1-2 days:

This crazy trip didn’t allow me properly eat prior to the race. However I am really happy that I was thoughtful enough to bring three lunch boxes with food. No problems with security checks at the airports. Just make sure there is no meat and it’s secure in transparent container. 

Night before the race I went nuts and really overate going to bed stuffed like a pig. The reason of such overeating is partially due to my exhaustion from the trip. It was really, really stressful and I used the food to comfort myself. Guilty of that. 

I had a lot of oatmeal (250-300g) + 1/2 cantaloupe +3 bananas + 2 sweet potatoes. 1 scoop of protein and some BCAAs to sprinkle onto the oats. Listening to my friend’s suggestion, I totally eliminated any sort of meat or fish.

Race morning: 

Oatmeal ~200G + 3 bananas + BCAA, Creatine + 3 cups of coffee + Sweet potato.

Felt stuffed, should’ve eaten less.

Consumed throughout the race:

Lessons Learned:

  1. Oatmeal before the race is a good choice. You can find it at any grocery store around the world. I actually like the way it tastes. It doesn’t spike your blood sugar; slow burning carbs. It fuels you with glycogen and does not cause diarrhea or any GI problems. The only issue I see with it is that because of high fiber concentration it takes a while to leave the body. Don’t eat too much of it right before the race or exercise.
  2. Try not to overeat, especially before the bed, especially the night before the race.
  3. Have a gel 10-15 minutes before the swim.
  4. Take at least 2-3 lunch boxes with you on a trip. Plane and airport foods are horrible. You will thank yourself later.
  5. Don’t leave your nutrition in transition area, you will have access to it in the morning. You can then throw all extra stuff into transition bags and setup bike water bottles.
  6. Coke might cause the liver to spasm. Drink, but be careful. Not a bad choice for the last 5 km.

SWIM

15 Minutes before the swim found 1 gel laying on the sand. Ate it =)

Overall pretty happy with the swim.

Right from the beginning felt strong, however remembered Renee’s guidelines and pulled myself back from going too hard. 

The crowd was crazy. Got hit in the head 3-4 times. Some people were literally pulling me back by the ankles. Drank a bit of salty water, however didn’t panic and stayed calm throughout the entire swim. Didn’t sight at all on the beginning, however began to close to the end. The ocean was cold, so my feet almost cramped 2-3 times… reduced kicking, focused more on a stroke. I found it to be really hard to keep good technique in such crazy environment.

Came out of water feeling strong. Got pleasantly surprised with the time. No dizziness or fatigue.

Lessons Learned:

  1. Don’t swim in the middle, stick to one of the outer sides.
  2. Blue Nike googles are good, don’t switch them. Wear them under the swim cap.
  3. Have a gel 10-15 minutes before.
  4. Don’t underestimate your swim time and instead of 40, go into 30 minutes swim wave. 
  5. If the water is cold – less kicking, so you don’t cramp.

BIKE

The course was absolutely amazing. Views from the top are outstanding.

A lot of climbing. A LOT. In addition, strong head facing and side winds made the bike part a real challenge.

Dropped one of my water bottles right on the beginning. I was surprised of myself that didn’t get upset or mad and simply let it go a second later. In fact, loosing a bottle was not such a bad thing. Isotonic drinks at the aid stations were pretty good and I had an empty bottle holder to carry them in. Also they didn’t taste like they had any calories in them. 

Found myself being pretty good climbing the hills. I was rarely passed while going up, however I felt like I could’ve used a higher gear on the downhills and flat segments. Fighting the hills I was constantly passing guys on fancy aero bikes, catching their eyes on me. However when the downhill time came they would fly by, leaving me in th dust. 

I didn’t eat as much as planned, however it didn’t affect the performance. I stopped once just to pee. I also saw some guys pee on a bike, right in front of me. Because of the winds urine would fly right on the people behind. Disgusting.

Last 20 km were really fast, all downhill. Trying to be as aero as possible I was even passing folks of carbon bikes. Strong side winds and sharp turns made it pretty dangerous to ride at such high speeds. By the end of the ride I felt pretty fatigued, however not too much. 

Lessons Learned: 

  1. Expensive, carbon/aero bikes are worthless on a hilly course. Hold on to buying a new bike.
  2. Take only one bottle on the bike. Keep the room for on course hydration.
  3. Adjust the speeds on your bike so you can switch the highest gear.
  4. Wear the race belt right away, underneath the wetsuit. Less hustle putting it on while transitioning into the run.
  5. Bike position felt good. No need to change anything.

RUN

Right off the bike felt a bit dizzy.

First 5-7 km were a struggle. Wasn’t feeling strong and the distance ahead of me set the fascination in my mind. I did not feel like I could do it. 

I was surprised that I didn’t have any GI problems up until half way through. Even when I did stop to use the bathroom, it wasn’t bad. It’s just the amount of food I ate days prior. Right after the bathroom use, the second breath opened up. I felt stronger and wasn’t struggling that much anymore. In fact 30-40 minutes into the run is when I began feeling better. Remaining half of the run I got to truly enjoy it. Loved it! Towards the end had some liver spasms, but nothing too painful.

Increased my pace for the last 4-5 km. Finished strong.

The course along the beach was fantastic. It was really, really cool and I got a lot of joy running through it. 

Lessons Learned:

  1. Right off the bike you might feel dizzy. That’s normal.
  2. First 30-40 minutes you will feel like crap. Push through, you will feel better as the time goes on. Focus on technique and pace. Visualize the finish and appreciate a chance to do what you do and to be where you are.

RESULTS

Update (May 13):

I’ve had some time to think and this are the thoughts & conclusions I came up with…

Is it so much about the race and accomplishment or about the experience? 
Is it about the medal 🏅 or the person you’ve become to get the medal? 

It’s about the lifestyle you’ve created to achieve your goal. 

Training for triathlon makes me better not just in one but three spots: swimming, running and cycling. What other sport develops the athletes so broadly? How about the mental training I get during the process? How about invaluable lessons I learn from this sport that applicable to my work, business, life and relationships? Only so many people gained access to this knowledge and you can connect with them through the sport. 

I know I won’t be doing triathlons for the rest of my life. However, when I decide no longer continue with the sport I will have a solid foundation of endurance, strength and health to bring into another pursuits I will choose to follow in future. Just think of all the adventures you can go on with your skills and fitness. You can follow a swimming path, and challenge yourself to do a cross lakes swimming or something that makes you excited. 

You can go on multi days or weeks of ultra endurance running trough the beautiful forests of Canada or USA. You’ve got cycling fitness that will allow you to become professional cyclist or go on a crazy adventurous cycling trip across the state or country. 

Essentially, triathlon opened up a lot of doors and opportunities for me. It give me options to choose from. 

You are doing triathlons because YOU CHOSE TO, not because you have to.
Don’t forget that.

No one forces you to train every damn day. No one, besides your ego or whatever motivation you have. You do it because you chose to do it. 

You can quit anytime you want.
No one gives a fuck! 

It’s your life, it’s your decisions.
Don’t forget that!

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