You can make a difference!

This past weekend I had the opportunity to run a local Halloween 5K here in Fort Collins that the CSU Triathlon team was hosting.  The morning weather was crisp, and the skies crystal clear making for a perfect running day with the fall colors in full bloom.  This would be a different race experience for me as I would be pushing an athlete for Athletes in Tandem.  During my life, I have been fortunate to work with all kinds of athletes in the water, on the bike or run and on the ski hill, that have have been challenged in one way or another.  But this day was different.  My athlete James was counting on me 100% so he could feel the warmth of the sun on his body and the wind in his face as we zoomed around the CSU campus.

Warming up and learning how to steer properly

We lined up at the start line and once the gun went off settled into a good pace.  James was very vocal during the run and when we passed people along the course he was always raising his hands and just genuinely fired up.  He is a competitor for sure.  A couple of the other Athletes in Tandem athletes passed us during the race and when this happened, he would look up and stare at me for about 5-6 seconds.  If I was reading his mind correctly I think he was telling me "could ya move a little bit faster"

The 5K went by very quick and we made it to the finish line along with all the other athletes.  *Note even on a cool morning, running in a full tiger costume can get quite warm, but worth every drop of sweat!

Post race

Sometimes we take for granted all the choices we have for our own health and wellness.  Today was a humble reminder that not everyone has those choices.  So, I leave you with this challenge to do these 2 things as often as you can.  

1.  Keep making the most out of everyday as no one is promised tomorrow. 

2. Take the time to make someone else's day, just a little bit better.

Make it a great week!

Coach Eric

Happy Shoulders... Happy Swimmer

Dog paddle is a great drill!

In order to train consistently for swimming or any other sport, one needs to remain healthy.  Deliberate, focussed practice must be implemented in all training sessions.  That combined with consistency in your training will give you the best chance to progress.

Check out this video "Prevent swimmers shoulders...Injury prehab program" that the folks at Vasa Inc made back in 2010.  Simple, effective, sport specific exercises that will keep your shoulders healthy and swimming through the winter months.

Make it a great week of training,
Coach Eric

Fall Fitness

The long days of summer are fading, but that does not mean your health and fitness needs to fade as well.   From an exercise standpoint, there are plenty of things you can continue doing this fall to maintain your summer fitness gains.  In addition to exercise, two other things play an equally important role in maintaining optimal fitness and they are balanced nutrition and adequate sleep.   Just imagine if we could do just those three things consistently how much better we would feel every day. 

#1 Regular Exercise – The benefits of exercise are to numerous to list. There are so many great ways to get exercise especially living along the Front Range.  I would encourage you to have a variety of activities to choose from.  Variety is the spice of life and participating in different forms of exercise is a great way to cross train and help keep overuse injuries down.  With the weather changing, you may need to take some of your exercise indoors, or just get some better gear to handle the cooler weather.  Either way, you need to keep moving regardless of the temperature.  Exercise is probably one of the best ways to change your mood.  Think about it, when was the last time you finished a workout and felt depressed, or grumpy?  Yes, you may be tired, but it is a good tired that in turn may help you with #3 below.  Whether you exercise by yourself or with a group just be consistent in trying to get some movement each and every day.

#2 Balanced Nutrition – Similar to sleep, everyone is going to have their own specific needs depending on age, level of activity or trying to lose, maintain or gain weight.  A balanced diet of foods is fuel for optimal mental and physical energy.  Here is a simple thing to do that just requires a little bit of discipline.  Find out what you are really eating every day by keeping a food journal.    Try the journal for three days and write down everything you eat & drink.  This can be a big eye opener for a lot of people in terms of how much or little they are eating as well as the quality in food choices.  Often times, just the act of keeping a food journal will help you make better food choices.   From this you will have a better idea on what foods you may need to add to your diet as well as those that may need to be consumed in more moderation or eliminated to maintain a healthy body composition.

#3 Adequate Sleep – Our own personal energy level could be one of our most valuable resources and sleep plays a big role in this.  With adequate sleep you have a much better chance of success with #1 and #2 above, so make it a priority.  People have different sleep requirements, so the key is finding out what yours are and then doing your best to get those zzz’s.  Some people do fine on 6-7 hours a night, others need 8+ and teenagers can never seem to get enough.  Proper sleep allows our bodies to rejuvenate and recover from the day’s activities

We all have 24 hours each day, no more, no less.  Make the choice to get a little exercise each and every day.  This combined with balanced nutrition and adequate sleep is a great recipe for maintaining a healthy mind & body! 

Make it a great week of training,

Coach Eric

Run drills then hit the trails!

Fall color along I-70 Vail, CO

Fall is a great time of year to get out on the trails for more XC running.  This also means that if you have been running mostly on the roads with flat, level surfaces, your ankles and muscles of the lower leg may need a little tuning up. Here are some basic running drills that you can incorporate into any run as part of warm up, during the run or cool down.

Have a GREAT Monday and hope you're making the most of your day.

Coach Eric