Kain Performance Blog

Wildflower Training Weekend

2011-04-15T09:37:00.003-07:00

Wildflower Training Weekend

Itinerary

Friday (or early Saturday morning)

Drive to Lake San Antonio.

Directions: Take Highway 101 South to the Jolon Road(G-14)exit, just North of King City. Proceed South on Jolon road for approximately 20 miles to Lockwood. Turn right on Interlake Road (G-14). Proceed for 13 miles to San Antonio Lake Road. Turn left. Proceed for 3 miles until you reach the South Shore entrance of the lake. It is approximately one hour from King City; 40 minutes from Paso Robles.

Randy & Suzanne will shoot for the Lynch B (loop 8 or 9) campground area close to transition & docks (next to where the EXPO is set-up during the race), Friday at 6 PM. Friday's WF workout is a short swim or easy ride.

Saturday, April 16

8:30 AM - We start later so folks can drive down Saturday morning. Meet Coach Pete on the left side of the "transition area" (boat ramp parking lot), for an open water swim. The park has bouys marking the Olympic and Half Iron distance swims - planning on going long! Eat something before. Bring your wetsuit, goggles, towel and cycling for after.

After that - Snack, hydrate and have everything ready to ride as we will be riding and then running for the next 4-5 hours!

10:15-10:30 AM - From the same transition area (lower parking lot, near the boat ramp), be ready to ride. Carry at least two water bottles with you and all your gels, salt, energy bars, cyto, etc. Also carry spare tubes, frame pump, or air cartridge as there will be no SAG. Group will ride the entire 56 mile bike course, plus Iron folks will do the loop twice. Half Iron folks may opt to ride out to Lockwood and back on the second loop.

(Around 3:30-4) Run off bike 3 miles on the race course, or up to 30 minutes.

After run, soak your legs in the lake for 15 minutes.

Sunday, April 17

8:30am - Meet Randy & Suzanne at the lower parking lot (transition area) for the start of the 13.1 mile run. Olympic Distance competitors will run the Olympic

Course, while Long Course folks will run the 13.1 mile run. Bring all water, gels, etc. needed for a 2+ hour run.

11am - Optional Bike, one hour recovery ride. Focus on high RPMs and spin the legs. Start at the top of the hill to avoid the climb out. Stretch.

Camping Fees

Day-Use $7.00

Regular Camping (Per Vehicle Charge) $22.00

Hookup Camping (Sewer and/or Electric) $27.00

Extra Vehicle (Extra Vehicles must live at the same address as the primary vehicle) $15.00

Camping Website: http://www.lakesanantonio.net/

Wildflower Training Weekend

2011-04-15T09:37:00.001-07:00

Wildflower Training Weekend

Itinerary

Friday (or early Saturday morning)

Drive to Lake San Antonio.

Saturday, April 16

After that - Snack, hydrate and have everything ready to ride as we will be riding and then running for the next 4-5 hours!

(Around 3:30-4) Run off bike 3 miles on the race course, or up to 30 minutes.

After run, soak your legs in the lake for 15 minutes.

Sunday, April 17

8:30am - Meet Randy & Suzanne at the lower parking lot (transition area) for the start of the 13.1 mile run. Olympic Distance competitors will run the Olympic

Course, while Long Course folks will run the 13.1 mile run. Bring all water, gels, etc. needed for a 2+ hour run.

11am - Optional Bike, one hour recovery ride. Focus on high RPMs and spin the legs. Start at the top of the hill to avoid the climb out. Stretch.

Camping Fees

Day-Use $7.00

Regular Camping (Per Vehicle Charge) $22.00

Hookup Camping (Sewer and/or Electric) $27.00

Extra Vehicle (Extra Vehicles must live at the same address as the primary vehicle) $15.00

Camping Website: http://www.lakesanantonio.net/

Troubleshooting your heart rate monitor

2011-03-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Coach Paul got a heart rate monitor yesterday and couldn't get it to read properly for his ride. He found this blog and licked the strap like DC Rainmaker said and BAM - worked fine! Lots of good info for those of you who use a monitor for training!

For those who train with heart rate monitors often, you probably know all too well know the tell-tale sign that your little device is lying to you about your heart rate. It starts off fairly innocently with a gentle rise in heart rate (HR). But before you know it your HR is blistering through the 150’s, 160’s, and right on through the 200bpm glass ceiling. Sometimes you might even reach into the mid-200’s.
After you finish your activity and get back to your computer, you’ll probably see something like this – a major HR spike, followed by more normal HR activity:
Frustrated, you poke at your HR monitor some, perhaps browse the Internets a bit – but in general forget about it, until it happens again.
Well, let me help ya out and explain why and what it’s doing. And…I can probably even help ya fix it too!
Proper Wearing Methodology:
Let’s first start with how to put the strap on. As the most important thing to do is ensure you’re wearing it correctly. On the Garmin ANT+ straps, you’ll want to ensure the Garmin logo is right-side up, and the electrode side of the strap is against your bare skin. Which side is the electrode side? Well, the side with the little bands, not the shiny side. I’ve circled these in the pictures below:
Garmin Classic HR Strap:
Garmin Premium HR Strap (also called soft HR strap):
And for all you Polar folk, their coded HR strap:
(Minor side note, as you may know, none of the Garmin ANT+ HR straps will read HR underwater more than an inch or two away from the watch, as I showed in my 310XT review while underwater. However, the T31 coded straps from Polar will work underwater with their respective Polar units – just ensure it’s noted as T31 coded. Also note that you cannot mix Polar HR straps/units with Garmin HR straps/units.)
Now, one last important item to note is that it goes UNDER your shirt against your skin. It should not be worn over your clothing. Also, the ANT+ folks note that from a placement standpoint "the strap is worn on the ribcage, below the pectoral muscles or breasts".
All good and you’re still having issues? Onto the next section we go…
The root of all issues:
So assuming that you’ve got it all correctly ‘installed’, let’s look at what typically causes the spike in HR (if it’s over 200bpm, it’s likely not legit unless you’re a seven year old).
1) No moisture, dry air: During the winter months the air is often fairly cold, and fairly dry. This means that you’re less likely to have moist skin (due to even just skin perspiration), and even less likely to be generating any sweat right from the start of the workout. This in turns lowers your conductivity ability from a readings perspective. Which, means you often get incorrect readings. Simply introducing any moisture at all will usually remedy the situation – at least until you begin sweating enough to let that do its job. We’ll talk about moisture additives in the next section.
2) Synthetic shirts (quick dry/tech shirts): While all of us love not being suffocated in cotton shirts, an unfortunate side effect is that those synthetic shirts (normally called quick dry or ‘tech’ shirts) produce additional static electricity buildup that messes with the readings. This is most common when your skin and air are both rather dry, and very little moisture is present. In almost all cases, simply applying moisture will immediately resolve this issue. You can try rubbing the strap or your shirt with an antistatic agent – the ANT+ folks recommend simply a bounce dryer sheet, as that can help in some cases. As a side note, some of the Polar straps actually have an antistatic component built into them that helps to alleviate this problem to some degree.
3) Wind on the bike: One fairly common issue especially in the spring/fall when you’re wearing simple bike jerseys but the wind and lukewarm air temperature keeps you relatively dry, is that when you go down hills fast, or simply the wind hits the right way, you’ll get incorrect readings. This is often caused when the wind funnels down the front of your bike jersey and either induces additional static buildup as noted before, or introduces false readings through vibrations. I can’t count the number of times where it seemed my HR was directly correlated to how fast I was descending – despite the fact that I was working less. In this case, your best bet is either getting more gel to increase conductivity, or simply twisting the HR strap around towards your side a bit – that usually resolves is for me. I don’t recommend trying to lick the strap while descending at 40MPH…many things can go wrong there resulting in you licking the pavement instead.
4) Electrical Interference (powerlines, train lines, etc…): This isn’t typically reported on the Garmin’s, but more the case on the Polar’s. The Polar’s use electromagnetic signals to send the data from the coded strap to the watch, which can be interfered with by high tension power lines. The Garmin’s on the other hand use the 2.4Ghz frequency and don’t have the power line issues typically.
The fixes:
The good news here is that there are a ton of easy fixes that you can quickly try out to
1) Sweat: This first one is a bit obvious – but will explain why the problem often goes away after just a few minutes of activity. Once you start sweating it introduces moisture which in turn improves conductivity. This in turn makes the HR strap happy and you get better readings. So basically…work harder. :)
2) Licking it: This is the simplest option – and quite honestly what I do 99% of the time. I just give it a big lick. By ‘it’, I mean the two sensor pads on the back of the strap. This will usually ‘tide me over’ until I start sweating enough to keep everything all happy. And don’t worry folks – a HUGE LONG thread on BT the other day confirms that everyone else does it too. See, here’s my lick-job:
3) Heart Rate Gel: If you suck at licking, then you can instead use electrode gel to improve conductivity. This is what’s typically used in medical situations such as an EKG where you’re trying to get a better reading/conductivity. I actually use the gel mostly during the winter because I’ve found that many times on easy runs I’ll never actually produce a sweat due to the cold, and thus after a short bit of time my lick-job (as noted above), will actually vaporize. The HR gel is designed to last considerably longer on your skin/strap. This stuff is incredibly cheap, and the bottle will last you a long long time. Here’s my bottle I bought two winters ago:
You can pick it up usually as your local running store, or online for about $5-10. P.S., one little tip for those cold winter days (I know, it’s getting warmer now though), is to stick it in a sunny window sill, that will make it nice and warm when you put it against your skin:
4) Changing the strap position: Depending on what may be causing your exact situation, one option is to simply change the position. Try sliding the strap to the right, left, or up/down. Some folks even wear it on their back with great success. In fact, when I’m having a day with lots of issues descending on the bike and the HR being erratic – I’ll simply slide the strap around my side a bit, so the contact portions of the strap kinda straddle my chest and back. Works perfectly!
5) Replacing the batteries: Finally, last but not least – sometimes it’s just the batteries getting old. You can pickup the simple coin replacement battery at virtually any drugstore, and even most grocery stores these days. It only takes a few seconds to open up the back door of the strap and swap out the battery. I usually have at least one spare battery in my tri bag at all times, just in case.
Wrap Up
Hopefully this will help you get through those pesky heart rate reading errors and get on with your workout. If you have any related tips to fixing strange HR readings, feel free to leave them below in the comments!

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/04/troubleshooting-your-heart-rate.html

Kain Performance is getting a facelift!

2011-03-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to let you know Kain Performance will have a new website, coming soon! This blog will also get a face lift too. I was so excited I changed the background on this old blog, just to give you a taste of something new today. Cheers!

Santa Barbara Triathlon Training Weekend: The Barbarian Challenge

2011-03-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

The encyclopedia defines the word "Barbarian" as: A "noble savage" often represented as a "lone warrior".

Several characteristics commonly shared by Barbarians:

Extreme physical prowess
A robust tolerance for pain
Unmatched fighting skill & competitive fitness
An appetite for, and the ability to attract the opposite sex
Paleo eating
A thirst for large amounts of alcohol
A blending of British, Germanic, Austrian and nomadic Turco-Mongol cultures
A strong sorcery element that is almost never used by the Barbarian character, just don’t piss him off
Violently passionate, modern Hollywood Barbarian may possess 'Tiger Blood'

The Kain Performance Santa Barbara Training Weekend has its own version of "Barbarian" and draws many parallels to the fantasy version. Coach Kain set up the challenge: Eight workouts in three days. Finish all workouts plus a few push-ups & crunches…and be crowned a "Santa Barbarian"!

The folks who completed all the workouts were characterized by extreme physical prowess, a very robust tolerance for pain, at times violently passionate when confronted with extreme cold water, lots of meat eating while socializing with attractive men and women at an incredible Barbarian-style feast, with large quantities of alcohol.

They weren’t confronted, so did not need to show off their fighting skills, but definitely threw the hammer down when given a chance. These Barbarians were tough, were not fazed by the hours of brutality they endured while swimming in frigid water, cycling for hours and running on tired legs! These Barbarians went about their business with smiles and laughter and even had that extra energy to take shots!

Here’s how it went down: Kain Performance hit Santa Barbara on a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L weekend! The weather was the cherry on top of an epic weekend. After Coach Kain’s issued the "Santa Barbarian" challenge, the first workout had great attendance, with about 30 "eager & ready" would-be Barbarians! We started with a smooth 40 minute endurance pace run along the coast path. We initiated our first set of 50 push-ups and 50 crunches; then dove into the Santa Barbara Masters Swim Workout at the Los Banos Pool – how often do you get to swim in a 50 meter pool right on the Harbor?! We swam for just over an hour and got in some good "quality" speed sets! 1500-3200 meters were covered.

Some continued on to the "Endless Summer Cafe" and had a crazy Kain style dinner, with a few shots for some would-be Barbarians! A small group [that shall go unnamed] crawled from bar to bar on State Street for some late night shenanigans; one required a late-night designated driver! Thank you Ryan & Reza for your patience and assistance.

On Saturday, we woke up to a beautiful day with sunny skies, which made getting in the 56 degree water a bit more bearable. Whoa! the "Barbarians" had grown overnight to about 40 strong. I guess a few people had to work on Friday! ALMOST everyone took the plunge into the Pacific Ocean and swam a "loop" of 500 meters. A few of the toughest "Barbarians" did the loop 2-3 times. A great way to start the day, but it was COLD! Many THANKS to Jana "Banana" Crane, Lori "this is my 5th KP SB Weekend" Bradford and Jody "Slackeress" Gold for their help on the Stand Up Paddle Boards. Thanks to Coach Paul "I only ride" Gallo for being the Team Photographer and to Ryan "Good to be back" Reed for being the human "buoy" on the beach!

We thawed out and indulged in stacks of blueberry wheat germ pancakes, then it was on the bikes for our annual 70 mile ride to Ventura, around Lake Casitas. Imagine the high-energy scene when 20+ cyclists hit the freeway all at once! Can you say Kain Train?! Everyone made it through the freeway section in one piece, with NO FLATS! We stopped in Ventura for a quick drink break, and then headed out toward the Lake. This ride is tough, as most of the climbing is during the final 30 miles, not the first 30. The group stayed together until the climbs, and then spread into two groups.

Coach Russell "Who's my Baby Daddy" Shaw led a solid front group which included: Lihan "I'll take some dinner with my Scotch" Wang, Bill "I'm gonna kick Lihan's butt" Wang, Bastian "The German Hammer" Bartels, Tim "Hammer Head" Reynolds, Ryan "Bring it On" Wall, Suzanne "Just Married" Slivkoff, Randy "I ALREADY DID MY IRONMAN" Pufahl , Karl "with a K" Haunold, Glenn "The Sleeper" Blackler and Tony "The Austrian Sensation" Jager.

Coach "Never Late" Kain and Coach "Yodel-ay-hee-hoo" Sharoo led the second and third group on climbs. Off the bike, it was running the 3-4 miles flat to Stearns Wharf and back. After a short clothing optional soak, we met up at The Fish House Restaurant for a barbarian feast.

After two days of sleuthing for little known facts, Jody & Pete surprised everyone with a Trivia Quiz "How well do you know you’re KP Teammates". We learned A LOT about each other! Long time member Eric "FEAR THE BEARD" Ventry won the quiz contest earning him a free dinner! Nice work Eric!

The next morning we conquered yet another frigid ocean swim. More than 20 took the plunge! After the swim, the focus was a scenic run along the coast. We did about 12 miles, with Glenn Blackler and Russell Shaw leading the charge. Everyone had a great run, then it was onto another "wheat germ carbon pancake fest"!

The final workout of the weekend was a no-drop spin through Hope Ranch to Goleta Beach and back. The "Santa Barbarian" group was a bit tired by now, but still charging ahead - 40 cyclists made up another KAIN TRAIN!

Thanks to all who made the Santa Barbara Training Weekend a success!
Thank you Jody Gold for making all the arrangements for a great weekend!
Thank you Lori Bradford & Jana Crane for their SUP support during the ocean swims!
Thanks you Coaches Paul Gallo, Randy Pufahl, Russell Shaw and Karl Haunold!

Estimated Workout Totals:

Swim, up to 3 miles
Bike, 90 -130 miles
Run, up to 20 miles
250 Push-ups
250 Crunches

Kain Performance Santa Barbarians: They did it all! This group is tough! Here is the list of those who completed every workout, our Barbarians:

Females
Laura "Is that all" Coyne
Kathy "Austria here I come "Hoyer
Suzanne "Marriage is Bliss" Slivkoff
Carol "My back is Fine" Fredrickson
Christiana "Sub 16 Austria" Riedl
Della "Lovin it"Flint
Laurie "I did it all" Boswell
Danelle "Hangin' Tough"Moon
Coach Sharoo "Queen of the Skirts" Kain

Males
Bastian "German Hammer" Bartels
Tony "Austrian Sensation" Jager
Bill "2nd Time Barbarian" Wang
Randy "Don't Bother Knocking if the RV is Rockin!" Pufahl
Ryan "Designated Driver" Wall (How Boring!)
Reza "Compartment What?" Navid
Eric "I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night" Ventry
Glenn "the Picasso of cycling" Blackler
Karl "Check Out My Sweet Van" Haunold

Some were close, but missing just one (or two) workouts, but that won’t get you Barbarian status (Duh!) so maybe next year…

Jody "Santa Barbarina?!" Gold (did ALMOST everything)
Russell "Missed the final bike ride" Shaw
Lihan "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner " Wang
Tim "Fast Ball" Reynolds
Lori "Wha-SUP!" Bradford
Jana "Boston or Bust" Crane
Melody "What Ankle Surgery?!" Casillas
Jon"Southern California Hotty"Hippo
Mike "The Linebacker" Ferguson
Ted "2006 Bench Press World Champ" Ornduff
Coach "Who’s idea was this anyway" Kain (actually swam one ocean swim, but surf paddled the second! Had to miss the Sat run, but road 85 miles. Did all push-ups/crunches and everything else.)

Great job! Put 2012 on your schedule now! Picasa photos shown to the right... and found on Facebook.

Thanks, Coach’s Pete + Sharoo (and a little help from The Slackeress)
www.kainperformance.com

What Are the Benefits of Compression Socks? From Joe Friel

2011-03-09T08:51:00.000-08:00

Still wondering what those compression garments do for you? Joe Friel published the following article with an update on the studies of compression garments - effects on performance, recovery, etc.

His article suggests that while there is little to no evidence of enhancement to performance; studies show significant benefit for recovery; eg that the time spent putting compression socks on in race transition may not exceed the time gained; BUT wearing them post race on the drive home does make a difference. The studies on 60+ athletes showed significant gains as well. Read the comments to his blog too. Very interesting!

As posted on Joe Friel's Blog:

It’s been a couple of years since I last checked the research for the latest on compression clothing. When I first wrote about this topic back in October, 2007 there really wasn’t much available. By the time I followed up on it in March, 2009 there still wasn’t a great deal to report. But in the last two years there have been several studies added to the literature. I list and summarize each of them below including those that were reviewed in my 2009 post.
What is expected of compression clothing such as stockings, calf sleeves, thigh sleeves, briefs, tights and full-body suits? Why do athletes wear them? They are quite common now in triathlons and running races. Two primary reasons appear to have evolved. The first is that they may improve performance. The second is that they may speed recovery after difficult workouts and races.
When I ask athletes who wear them why, they seem to be certain there is a benefit in one or both of these areas. The problem with asking users is that they have invested money, time, reputation and self-perception in the product. They are unlikely to suggest that it doesn’t work. They may even be able to provide data to back up their use of the product. The placebo effect can be a powerful influencer of outcomes, especially when the changes are small. Nor can we trust the testimonials of elite athletes who are given the product or even paid to use it. Even non-elite athletes who are given a pair of $30 socks feel a need to “repay” the sponsor with glowing comments. That leaves us with science—and our own opinions. We’ll start with the science.
The following are summaries of the pertinent studies I could find with searches at PubMed.
Does Compression Clothing Improve Performance?
1. Ali, A., R.H. Creasy, J.A. Edge. 2011. The effect of graduated compression stockings on running performance. J Strength Cod Res Feb 2 (Epub ahead of print).
Summary: Nine male and three female competitive runners (VO2 max 68.7 +/-5.8 mLO2/kg/min) ran four 10km time trials on a track over a period of several days. They wore either standard stockings (CON), 12-15 mmHg compression stockings (LOW), 18-21 mmHg compression stockings (MED), or 23-32 mmHg compression stockings (HIGH). (The higher the mmHg number the greater the pressure placed on the tissues—lower legs and ankles, in this case.)There was no significant difference in 10km times, heart rate or blood lactate levels regardless of the type of stocking worn.
2. Ali, A., R.H. Creasy, J.A. Edge. 2010. Physiological effects of wearing graduated compression stockings during running. Eur J Appl Physiol 109(6):1017-25.
Summary: Nine male and one female competitive runners ran 3 x 40-minute treadmill runs at 80% of their VO2 max. They wore either 0 mmHg stockings (CON), 12-15 mmHg compression stockings (LOW) or 23-32 mmHg compression stockings (HIGH). There were no significant differences in oxygen uptake, heart rate or blood lactate during the runs. There were no benefits post-exercise.
3. Chatard, J.C., D. Atlaoui, J. Farjanel, F. Louisy, D. Rastel, C.Y. Guezennec. 2004. Elastic stockings, performance and leg pain recovery in 63-year-old sportsmen. Eur J Appl Physiol93(3):347-52.
Summary: Twelve, trained older (average age 63) cyclists did 2 x 5-minute maximum efforts on a bicycle ergometer separated by an 80-minute recovery period on four occasions. During the recovery between the efforts they wore either compression stockings or no compression stockings. On the second max effort in each case their power decreased compared with the first effort in each pair. The decrease in max power was less when the compression stockings were worn during the preceding recovery and lactate was significantly decreased with the compression stockings also.
4. Duffield, R., J. Cannon, M. King. 2010. The effects of compression garments on recovery of muscle performance following high-intensity sprint and plyometric exercise. J Sci Med Sport 13(1):136-40.
Summary: Eleven subjects completed two exercise sessions separated by seven days. The sessions consisted of 20-meter sprints and 10 bounds every minute. For one session they wore compression stockings. For the other they did not wear compression stockings. Performance was measured for the sprints and bounds. Before each session, immediately after, 2 hours after and 24 hours after the researchers measured muscle twitch properties, knee extension strength, knee flexion strength, blood lactate, body fluid pH, creatine kinase, aspartate transaminase, C-reactive protein, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion and muscle soreness. There were no differences in performance or other measures except for muscle soreness which was less after using the compression stockings.
5. Higgins, T., G.A. Naughton, D. Burgess. 2009. Effects of wearing compression garments on physiological and performance measures in a simulated game-specific circuit for netball. J Sci Med Sport 12(1):223-6.
Summary: Competitive netball players wore either 1) traditional netball clothing, 2) compression garments or 3) placebo garments. They were tested for sprints, countermovement jumps, blood lactate, heart rate, velocity and distance covered during a game (using GPS technology). With compression garments there was greater distances covered and faster velocities although the enhancements were minimal.
6. Kemmler, W. S. Von Stengel, C. Kockritz, J. Mayhew, A. Wassermann, J. Zapf. 2009. Effect of compression stockings on running performance in men runners. J Strength Con Res23(1):101-5.
Summary: Twenty-one moderately trained men ran a graded exercise test on a treadmill to a voluntary maximum output on two occasions separated by a week. One test was done with compression socks and the other with standard athletic socks. Running performance with the compression socks improved at anaerobic threshold 1.5% and at aerobic threshold 2.1%.
7. Scanlon, A.T., B.J. Dascombe, P.R. Reaburn, M. Osborne. 2008. The effects of wearing lower-body compression garments during endurance cycling. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 3(4):424-38.
Summary: Twelve well-trained (VO2 max 70.5 +/-4.9 mL/kg/min), young (20.5 +/- 3.6 years old), male cyclists did 2 graded exercise tests and 2 one-hour time trials wearing either full-length SportSkins Classic compression garment (LBCG) or standard underwear briefs (CON). In the graded exercise tests there was a 5% increase in anaerobic threshold power (245.9 +/- 55.7 to 259.8 +/- 44.6 watts) when wearing LBCG. There was no performance enhancement in the time trial (as measured by total work achieved in kilojoules).
8. Sperlich, B., M. Haegele, S. Achtzehn, J. Linville, H.C. Holmberg, J. Mester. 2010. Different types of compression clothing do not increase sub-maximal and maximal endurance performance in well-trained athletes. J Sports Sci 28(6):609-14.
Summary: Fifteen young (27 +/- 4.8 years old), well-trained (VO2 max 63.7 +/- 4.9) athletes did sub-maximal (70% VO2 max) and maximal tests wearing either compression stockings, standard tights or whole-body compression suits. There were no differences in performance, ratings of perceived exertion, muscle soreness, time to exhaustion and lactate concentrations.
Does Compression Clothing Improve Recovery?
9. Ali, A., M.P. Caine, B.G. Snow. 2007. Graduated compressionstockings: Physiological and perceptual responses during and after exercise. J Sports Sci 25(4):413-419.
Summary: In this study Ali discovered that after 10km running trials,recreationally active men experienced a reduction in delayed-onset muscle soreness 24 hours after wearing compression stockings (18-22 mmHg) compared with traditional sports socks.
10. Berry, M.J., R.G. McMurray. 1987. Effects of graduated compression stockings on blood lactate following an exhaustive bout of exercise. J Phys Med 66(3):121-32.
Summary: Twelve highly fit males were subjects in 2 experiments. In the first experiment 6 of them did VO2 max tests on a treadmill with and without compression stockings. In the second 6 of them did 3 x 3-minute max efforts on a bicycle ergometer at 110% of their VO2 max. On the first of these 3-minute efforts they wore compression stockings during the test and during recovery. For the second 3-minute bout they wore compression stockings during the test but not during the recovery. On the third they did not use compression stockings for either the 3-minute effort or the recovery. For the first experiment (VO2 max tests) there was no difference in VO2 max with or without compression stockings. But blood lactate levels after the test were lower with compression stockings. For the second experiment (3-minute max efforts) post-exercise lactate was lower only when compression stockings were worn during recovery.
11. Davies, V., K.G. Thompson, S.M. Cooper. 2009. The effects of compression garments on recovery. J Strength Cod Res23(6):1786-94.
Summary: Following exercises designed to cause soreness 11 trained subjects wore compression tights on one occasion and none on another. Self-reported muscle soreness was reduced by wearing the tights.
12. French D.N., K.G. Thompson, S.W. Garland, C.A. Barnes, M.D. Portas, P.E. Hood, G. Wilkes. 2008. The effects of contrast bathing and compression therapy on muscular performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40(7):1297-306.
Summary: Twenty-six young men did heavy-load squats to induce muscle soreness. 48 hours afterwards they were evaluated for strength performance. During the 48 hours they either 1) did hot-cold contrast baths, 2) wore compression stockings or 3) rested passively. Neither the contrast baths or compression stockings promoted recovery any more effectively than passive rest. However, the contrast baths had a brief but transient benefit for reduced soreness.
13. Miyamoto, N., K. Hirata, N. Mitsukawa, T. Yanai, Y. Kawkami. 2011. Effect of pressure intensity of graduated elastic compression stocking on muscle fatigue following calf-raise exercise. J Electromyogr Kinsiol 21(2):249-54.
Summary: Fourteen subjects did 15 sets of 10 reps each of calf raises on different occasions. They wore either standard stockings (CON), compression stockings of 21-25 mmHg at the calf and 30 at the ankle (EC30), or compression stockings of 12-14 mmHg at the calf and 18 at the ankle (EC18). The EC30 stockings produced the lowest levels of fatigue.
14. Montgomery, P.G., D.B. Pyne, W.G. Hopkins, J.C. Dorman, K. Cook, C.L. Minhan. 2008. The effect of recovery strategies on physical performance and cumulative fatigue in competitive basketball. J Sports Sci 26(11):1135-45.
Summary: 29 male basketball players competed in a 3-day tournament. After each game they recovered by either 1) taking in extra carbohydrate and stretching, 2) doing cold-water immersion (11C degrees) or 3) wearing full-leg compression garments (18 mmHg for 18 hours). Measures of recovery were sprint speed, agility, vertical jump height and flexibility. Cold-water produced better recovery results than carbs + stretching or the compression garments.
15. Riman, D., L. Messonier, J. Castells, X. Devillard, P. Calmels. 2010. Effects of compression stockings during exercise and recovery on blood lactate kinetics. Eur J Appl Physiol110(2):425-33.
Summary: Eight healthy, trained males did 2 maximum-effort tests on bikes with and without compression stockings. Post-exercise lactate removal was significantly faster with compression stockings.
16. Jakeman, J.R., C. Byrne, R.G. Eston. 2010. Lower limb compression garment improves recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in young, active females. Eur J Appl Physiol109(6):1137-44.
Summary: Seventeen females did 100 plyometric drop jumps from a high box to induce muscle soreness and damage. Eight of them wore compression stockings for 12 hours post-exercise. Nine did not wear compression stockings after the session. Recovery was measured using self-reported muscle soreness, creatine kinase levels, knee extensor strength and vertical jump height.Compression stockings improved all markers of recovery except for creatine kinase (a marker of muscle cell damage).
17. Kraemer, W.J., S.D. Flanagan, B.A. Comstock, et al. 2010. Effects of a whole body compression garment on markers of recovery after a heavy resistance workout in men and women. J Strength Cond Res 24(3):804-14.
Wearing a full-body compression garment for 24 hours after a challenging, heavy-resistance strength workout enhanced psychological, physiological and performance markers of recovery when compared with non-compressive garments.
SUMMARY
So where does all of this leave us? Unfortunately, when it comes to performance and recovery from using compression garments there are no clear-cut answers. Part of the problem is defining “performance” (Is an increase in aerobic threshold equal in value to a faster time trial? Does improving a netballer’s velocity translate to faster 10km times?) and “recovery” (Does quickly removing lactate after exercise mean a speedier recovery for the following day’s workout?). Using a rather loose definition of “performance” the study yeas and nays for performance are close to even (4 yes: 3, 5, 6, 7 and 6 no: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10). (Note that some studies reported on both performance and recovery.) With an equally liberal definition of “recovery” there is a slight advantage for the yeas (8 yes: 4, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 4 no: 2, 8, 12, 14). Of course, research is really not intended to be simply a way of “voting” or “polling.” There are significant differences in what is studied, who is studied and how the research was designed. Taken as a whole this muddies up the interpretation of such a review.
So there really isn’t an overwhelmingly obvious answer to the questions regarding the benefits of compression clothing for performance and recovery. It still comes down to what each of us thinks and personally experiences (placebo or not). Here are my thoughts.
My sense is that the performance benefits of compression garments are at best very small and probably non-existent. If you’re a triathlete I suspect the time it takes to put the garment on in transition is probably greater than the amount of time gained by wearing it, if there is any time gain at all. Missing one less workout in the build-up to your race or improving your other gear such as bikes and shoes would probably have a greater impact on performance than compression clothing.
When it comes to recovery, however, I believe there really may be a significant benefit. The research somewhat suggests this also. I’ve tried many different types of compression garments both during workouts and in recovery. There were no obvious benefits during the workouts but I could sense some positive post-workout sensations when using the garments to recover. Could this have been a placebo effect? Possibly.
It seems to me, however, that the greatest benefit would come from helping the return of body fluids from the feet, ankles and lower legs where they tend to accumulate in the recovery time after a challenging session. For me that means using compression stockings. I really don’t see much value in shin or thigh sleeves, or hip and thigh tights. They have little or no benefit for helping move fluids out of the lower extremities. In fact, it would seem to me that wearing a shin sleeve would tend to force fluids down into the feet and ankles. But then I’ve seen no research on this at all.
If you use compression clothing I’m sure you have an opinion on the topic also. Feel free to post it in the Comments section below. And if you come across other research in this area please send it my way. Thanks for your comments.

How to Streamline Off the Wall - Proper Hand Placement

2011-02-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

Swimmers - The pool is closed for repair this week, so it's a great time for dry land training & watching swim videos.

I came across this simple demonstration of how to place your hands when streamlining off the wall. The foundation of any swim length is derived from speed & momentum carrying you off the wall. So do your best to squeeze your arms & shoulders tight against your head. Push off the wall with your hands overlayed like below. Do this forever and in an instant you will become a better swimmer.

Tips for Biking in the Rain

2011-02-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

Judy shared this great article with tips for riding in the rain:

http://www.suite101.com/content/cycling-in-the-rain-a26396

Here's another good one from Active.com:

http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/10_Tips_for_Riding_in_the_Rain.htm

During group rides, be extra conscious of sudden stops/moves, pointing stuff out, and automobiles. Remember to shift your weight in the corners and allow extra time for braking. Wear bright colors - some people even carry lights/LEDs on rainy days. And finally, rainy day rides are perfect days for getting hot coffee & cocoa after. See ya out there!

Be safe Kain Performance!

Best Triathlon Training Camp - Half Moon Bay Overnight

2011-02-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

Hey KP Team,

WOW, what a weekend!! The weather gods made it one of the best weekends ever for our Annual Kain Performance trek to the coast! Saturday was a beautiful day, then dinner with everyone on Saturday night in HMB was great! We woke up to another nice day on Sunday for our run along the coast, then a great homemade breakfast at the Zaballa House! The ride up Tunitas Creek was great too!

The KP Team was in fine form over the entire weekend, with many great new stories to tell! We have our Santa Barbara Training Weekend coming up in a few weeks, so lets hope for some more of that fabulous California weather! For more information about the Santa Barbara Triathlon Training Weekend, call Jody 408-466-0886

We have to thank Jody Gold for making all of our dinner arrangements and setting up the hotel deals with the Zaballa House and San Benito House. She also helped with the SAG duties, as well as making sure everyone who needed a map got one! Thanks Jody!

We also have to thank our wonderful KP Team manager, Judy Desherlia, for her SAG duties on Saturday! Always a great SAG enthusiast! Big THANKS also to Faye, Gerald's friend who Sag'd on Saturday and Sunday!! Thanks Faye, you were great!! Thanks go to Ralph Fallent who also SAG'd on Sunday to the top of Tunitas Creek!

Big THANKS to all of our great coaches out there too! Thanks to Paul Gallo, Randy, Greg and Russell for the help on the way out Saturday and to John Magee and Karl (with a K) and Paul B. for the help both Saturday and Sunday!

The HMB Weekend was a big training weekend for everyone. Here are some of the totals for those keeping score:

**Swim - Saturday swim of 2,000-4,000 yards at LG Masters.

**Bike - Saturday ride of 64-77 miles depending on your group. Add the OLH Hill Climb for good measure! 2,000-4,500 ft. Elevation gain. LG-HMB!

**Bike - Sunday ride of 47-50 miles. Add Tunitas Creek for a good 2,000 ft. elevation gain. HMB-LG.

**Run - Saturday - Off the bike run for 20-30 minutes. Along the coastal bike path. BEAUTIFUL! 2-4 miles.

**Run - Sunday - Longer run for 45 minutes-1.5 hours. 6-12 miles. Along the coastal bike path and out toward the Harbor and back.

**Cold dunk - Ocean dip for Coach Kain and a few others on Saturday after the run! Nothing like a good soak in ice cold water to wake you up!

Totals: Saturday and Sunday - 2/12-2/13/11
Swim - 2,000-4,000 yards
Bike - 111-127 miles
Run - 8-16 miles
Memories - to last a lifetime!!!

Thanks to all of you for making it a very memorable weekend!! Let's do it again in a few weeks down in Santa Barbara!! You are all going to be looking very fit and trim after all the great training! Keep up the great work!!

Los Gatos Masters Underwater Video Swim Clinic

2010-12-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

The Los Gatos Underwater Swim Video Clinic on Saturday, December 11th was a big hit! All swimmers who took part get a DVD, which includes video of each swimmer at the clinic (shots are underwater from both front /side views, as well as on top of water with front /top views). The DVD includes video of perfect freestyle form, as well as Dry Land Training Tips and Open Water Swimming Tips.

The Underwater Video Freestyle Swim Clinic includes a classroom discussion on the different types of drag swimmers overcome while in the water. Handouts explain Horizontal Alignment, Lateral Alignment, as well as "push" drag, or "bubble" drag. A discussion on the importance of Dry Land Training & Tips is also part of the clinic.

The clinic starts with a swim warm-up and a series of drills. During that time, we video taped each swimmer. At the conclusion of the pool workout, the clinic moved indoors to a home theater where Coach Pete Kain analyzed each swimmer’s stroke(complimented by coffee and snacks! Thanks Terry!).

By the conclusion of the review, each swimmer had a better understanding of not only what they look like underwater, but also what are many common problems most swimmers must overcome. It helps to watch other swimmers reviews. Common themes were “dropping elbow” and “breathing late”. The importance of "core" strength is also covered, as swimmers look at the sagging hips as a clear factor of poor technique and weak core. Again tying together the important of dry land training and Pete’s Winter Core Class! Each swimmer was analyzed and tips were given on how to make corrections and key drills are assigned for practice.

Pete Kain and John Schaffer have been conducting these Underwater Video Clinics for 10 years. Many swimmers come back year after year to see progress and where to make the next correction. If you have never seen yourself underwater, you must sign up for this workshop!

If you want more information on when Under Water Swim Clinics, email Pete at pete@kainperformance.com.

Thanks,

Jody Gold publishing on behalf of Pete Kain, Kain Performance

Running Efficiency Clinic December 18th

2010-12-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

Pete Kain will be offering a Running Efficiency Evaluation/Video Clinic on Saturday, December 18th from 10:00am-2:00pm. Pete will be doing the Run Clinic with Robert Heppe, who has a Masters Degree in Applied Biomechanics and has been performing video analysis for all types of sports for many years.

The Running Efficiency Evaluation will include:

1) A 20 Point Running Efficiency Checklist

2) Split Screen Video Analysis

3) Flexibility Assessment

4) Running Drills & Corrective Exercises

5) Comparison to an Efficient Runner

6) Video files on DVD, or iPod/Mobile Device Format

Running Efficiency -

Are you running efficiently? How do you know? Video analysis is the best way to evaluate your running style. We use high speed video camera's, up to 210 fps, to record your running technique. Then we use SiliconCoach software and our 20 point checklist to analyze it. If you have never seen yourself run, then this is the clinic for you!

Eliminate Aches and Pains -

Runners and Triathletes are no strangers to aches and pains. Video analysis can help you eliminate, or improve many common injuries and nagging aches and pains caused by your running mechanics.

***Running Clinic Date - 12/18/10

Time - 10:00am-2:00pm

Place - Meet at the Fitness Clinic in Los Gatos. 15405 Los Gatos Blvd. #101 (Across from Trader Joe's) - Park in the back of the Fitness Clinic.

Bring - Running clothes/shoes, both for Run Evaluation on treadmill, as well as for drills outside. Bring warm clothes for post run evaluations.

Cost - Running Efficiency Video Clinic is $200. Checks payable to Kain Performance, LLC.

Who - Anyone looking to improve their running efficiency, which in turn will improve speed at less effort!! Let me know ASAP if you would like a spot in this clinic, as we have limited space available.

About your instructors:

Pete Kain - Is a 7-Time National Age Group Triathlon Champion + 4-Time World Age Group Triathlon Champion. He was voted USA Triathlon "Overall Open Triathlete of the Year" in 2002. He is a Certified USA Triathlon Coach, Swim Coach and an ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor. He has a Bachelor's Degree from UC Santa Barbara, as well as a Minor in Coaching. Top Run Coach, Bobby Magee, has used Pete as an example in his run clinics around the country to show perfect running form.

Robert Heppe - Has been training and rehabilitating people for almost 20 years and specializes in video analysis. He has a Masters Degree from San Jose State University in Applied Biomechanics and has been performing video analysis for all types of sports for more than 10 years.

Please forward to anyone wanting to run faster with less effort!!

Thanks,
Coach Pete 408-781-0517
www.kainperformance.com

Kain Performance Wins Northern California Triathlon Club Championship

2010-10-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Santa Cruz Triathlon held on September 26th was a great Kain Team event and a cap to a fantastic year! Kain Performance won the Tri Club Division 2 Title for the 3rd year in a row! It was a complete team effort and everyone who came out deserves big kudos for helping us win again! We had high participation and quite a few top finishers! Everyone got a point for finishing. Top 6 in Age Group got bonus points - 1st place - 6 points, 2nd place 5 points. Thanks to all who raced. Thank you to our supporters & sponsors!

Here are a few highlights:

Tri Club Competition -

Division 2 -

1) Kain Performance - 70 points ($500 winner) 2nd place Team Overall
2) Team Sheeper - 64 points
3) Santa Cruz Tri Club - 47 points

***Top 15 in Age Group (AG)

Joanne Wicker - 1st place - (AG 55-59)
Dave Sinclair - 2nd place - (AG 60-64)
Kam Hlebovy - 2nd place - (AG 65-69)
Shari Kain - 3rd place - (AG 45-49)
Pete Kain - 3rd place - (AG 45-49)
Meredith Hawkins - 4th place (AG 50-54)
Fred Servais - 4th place (AG 40-44)
Russell Shaw - 5th place (AG 35-39)
Jana Crane - 5th place (AG 45-49)
Carol Fredrickson - 6th place (AG 50-54)
Patrick McDonald - 9th place (AG 50-54)
Amy Rubin - 9th place (AG 45-49)
Dina Glendening - 9th place (AG 40-44)
Ralph Fallant - 9th place (Clydes)
Kathy Hoyer - 10th place (AG 50-54)
Laura Coyne - 11th place (AG 45-49)
Tony Jager - 11th place (AG 45-49)
Ahmed Hassan - 11th place (AG 30-34)
Sarah Rule - 13th place (AG 30-34)
Bastian Bartels - 13th place (AG 25-29)
Andrea Hong - 14th place (AG 45-49)

***Also showing AWESOME FORM and completing the SC Tri with a smile!

Tami Dickins
Elizabeth Park
Della Flint
Danelle Moon
Christiana Riedl
Jody Sinclair
Tim Reynolds
Joel Seligstein
Jason Wolf
Mike Ferguson
Jim Ratcliff
Bill Wang
Rob Dinapoli
Jeff Chase
Steve Hawkins

***Also competing and having 3 flat tires was Jody! Way to hang tough Jody! She kept a smile on her face and cheered everyone in to the finish!!

***Full results are posted on the Santa Cruz Triathlon website.

***Congrats and Thanks to all!! Looking forward to our KP End Of The Year Party on Saturday, November 20th, 2010!!!

***Mark the calendar for the Santa Cruz Triathlon in 2011 - September 25th, 2011

Cheers,
Coach Kain
www.kainperformance.com

Pete Kain Pushup Contest | Catfish Crawl Open Water Swim Results

2010-09-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Pete Kain beat 101 contestants in the 2 mile Catfish Crawl Sunday September 19th at Steven Creek Reservoir -- without a wetsuit. Yes, he beat out the wetsuit division with the fastest time of the day (47:10) on what I am told was a long 2 mile course - 2.2 to 2.5 miles. But the real challenge took place an hour later. With a brand new wetsuit on the line, Pete joined 20 other contestants for a push-up contest. After 50+ consecutive push-ups the field was reduced to just 47 year old Pete and 21 year old Garret Fowler of Stanford. To the cheers of the crowd and announcer, Pete and Garret completed another 20 push-ups. With body and arms shaking violently, Pete finally lowered a knee and called it quits. Organizer, USA Productions was so impressed they added a wetsuit for Pete. Pete asked the wetsuit be donated to the slowest contestant of the day, but when David Gildea couldn’t be located, he asked it be given to the oldest. That still would have been Gildea (67)! It pays to stay... and David Dahl, 61 went home with a brand new wetsuit! Lots of excitement!

If you would like information on how to train for a triathlon and become a push-up king like Pete Kain, visit the Kain Performance website or call Pete Kain 408-781-0517.

How Fast Should I be running at Track?

2010-03-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

Track workout tends to be one of the least well attended team workouts that KAIN PERFORMANCE offers. I think there are two main reasons for this; One is that it can feel a little intimidating, athletes tend to think they are going to be pushed beyond their limits. The second is that people doing Ironman distance races think there is little to gain from “Speed-work”. I hope to address these two concerns in this article.

The first concern could be addressed if people understood that as coaches, we understand that it is detrimental to push athletes beyond their limits – that leads to injury, over-training and the breakdown of the athlete – that is never the goal of the track workout. However I think the vast majority of athletes do not have a sense of how fast they should be running during their efforts, because of this they tend to think that everything is going to be very anaerobic – and that is not the case.

As regards the second concern, it is well documented that doing a little speed-work on the track can have significant impact on the ability of all runners at all distances to improve their times. I won’t get into the details of how that happens (if you would like more info please contact one of the coaches). But understand that “Speed-work” looks very different for someone doing an Olympic distance race compared to some one going Iron distance - combine this with some personal knowledge of how fast you should be doing your runs then I think you would be better prepared to meet your stated competition goals.

So …. lets say I had a goal of running a 4 hour marathon in my ironman – obviously I know I have to build up my endurance so that I had the capability to run the actual distance – but HOW FAST should I do my training runs if that is my overall goal?

That’s where a running or pace calculator can be a useful tool. On the next page you can see what my predicted pace times would be for all distances up to the marathon. Some of them are just for fun - and they tend to be more inaccurate over the shorter distances – 400M and lower - the 100M sprint time for example has a lot more to do with someone’s genetic legacy of fast twitch muscle fibers than it does training for a 4 hour marathon. However this tool can be useful in a couple of areas:

a. If you know your last 10K time you can punch it in and it will predict what you should be capable of at a half Iron man or an ironman distance run – that helps you figure out if your race goals are realistic or not.

b. Secondly it allows you to predict your own track workout pace – (therefore less intimidating) as well as the pace you should be doing your long slow runs and your tempo runs. If the goal is to run a sub 40 minute 10K – then you know you need to be able to run in the area of a 5.33 mile and that your tempo runs should be at 6.31 – 6.48 per mile.

The link to the McMillan Running Calulator here.

I recommend you check out the site, play around with the calculator a little if you have never used one before, and then put in some of your documented race paces and see if those pace times seem familiar.

HOMEWORK. Put in your time goals for the run on your “A” race this year and printout the document. If you then bring that to track, when Pete gives you the workout for the night, you will have an idea of what pace you should be running ultimately in order to meet this goal.

Always remember that these numbers are estimates and that how you are feeling, your fatigue level, your place in the training cycle etc all has to be considered and used to modify these paces. Talk to the coaches so that the workout is individualized for you. But at least you will have a good starting point.

Finally another little tip I learned this week listening to another seminar from Bobby McGee was the “12 minute rule”. If you are not feeling good for your run workout, try to quantify it on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being “Dead” and 10 being “Very strong and fresh” – then go run for 12 minutes - just a steady warm up run – if at the end of that 12 minutes you would give yourself a higher score – then you are ready to workout – if the score is lower, then you might want to call it a night and get a little extra rest.

Hope you found this helpful – hope you do your “homework” and at least play around with the calendar and printout a pace schedule for yourself and hope to see you at track

Coach John Magee

If you would like more information about triathlon training & run coaching, visit the Kain Performance website.

SANTA BARBARA TRAINING WEEKEND RECAP

2010-03-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

The encyclopedia defines the word “Barbarian” as:

A “noble savage”, often represented as “lone warriors”. Several characteristics commonly shared:

* Extreme physical prowess

* Unmatched fighting skill

* An appetite for, and the ability to attract women (or men in the case of female barbarians)

* Meat eating

* An appetite for large amounts of alcohol

* A blending of British, Germanic, Slavic, and nomadic Turco-Mongol cultures

* A strong sorcery element that is almost never used by the barbarian character

* A violent temper

* A robust tolerance for pain

The Kain Performance Santa Barbara Training Weekend would have its own version of “Barbarian” and it was not far off the fantasy version. 8 Workouts in 3 days. Coach Kain had set up the challenge to all heading down to SB. Finish all workouts, plus a few push-ups and crunches and be crowned “Santa Barbarian”!

The folks who completed all the workouts showed extreme physical prowess, a very robust tolerance for pain, at times a violent temper when confronted with extreme cold water, meat eating while socializing with attractive men and women at an incredible dinner Saturday night at the Fish House, with large quantities of alcohol. They weren’t confronted, so did not need to show off their fighting skill, but were ready if given a chance. These Santa Barbarians were tough, were not fazed by the hours of brutality they would endure while swimming in frigid water, cycling for hours on end and being forced to run on tired legs! These Barbarians went about their business with smiles and laughter and had an absolute BLAST!

Read below for more on the SB Training Weekend.

List of Santa Barbarians is at the end of this recap! (Sorry if we missed anyone)

We hit Santa Barbara on a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L weekend! The weather was just the start of what was a great weekend of training for the KP members who made the trek to SB!

After Coach Kain’s email with the challenge of becoming a “Santa Barbarian”, the first workout of the weekend on Friday had great attendance, with about 15 “eager and ready” would be Barbarians! We started with a nice 40 minute endurance paced run along the coast. It was a great start to the weekend. We also started our first set of push-ups and crunches! We then went right over to the Los Banos pool and jumped in with the Santa Barbara Masters Swim workout. It’s a great 50 meter pool right on the beach. We swam for just over an hour and got in some good “quality” with some speed sets! We swam between 1,500-3,000 meters. It was an early evening with an ocean swim planned for 8:00am the next morning.

We woke up to a beautiful day, with sunny skies! It made getting in the 58 degree water a bit more bearable. The “Barbarian” group had grown overnight to about 30 strong! I guess a few people had to work on Friday! ALMOST everyone took the plunge into the Pacific and swam out to a buoy about 300 meters offshore. The swim was a counterclockwise rectangle and took about 20 minutes. The “loop” was close to 1,000 meters. A few of the toughest “Barbarians” did the loop twice. A great way to start any day, but it was COLD!

We thawed out and had a great breakfast, then it was on the bikes for our annual 70 mile ride around Lake Casitas. The weather was spectacular and the paceline heading down the coast was a solid 30 strong. We hit the 101 South and things got a bit frantic with 30+ hitting the freeway all at once! Everyone made it through the freeway section in one piece, with NO FLATS!! We stopped in Ventura for a quick drink break, then headed out toward the Lake. This ride is tough, as most of the climbing is during the final 30 miles, not the first 30. The group stayed together until the climbs, then spread out into two groups. Coach Randy “I swam last year” Pufahl led a solid front group which included:

Paul “I don’t swim, or run” Bryant

Tony “The Austrian Sensation” Jager

Greg “Get on my wheel” Roussel

Russell “Just missed Barbarian status” Shaw

Lihan “1^st Time SB Barbarian” Wang

Bill “Crash course for WF Training” Wang

Kim “going to qualify for IM at Honu” Mygatt

Patrick “Ironman Utah or bust” McDonalD

Don “2002 KP Member” Barry

Suzanne “No IM for me this year” Slivkoff

Eric “this KP Team is tough” Walters.

Coach Kain led the second group up the climbs and made them all do Toro Canyon coming back to Santa Barbara. The group hung tough, led by:

Jana “Banana” Crane

Lori “Honu will be cake” Bradford

Carol “give me an epidural” Fredrickson

Laura “1^st Time Barbarian” Coyne

Kristy “1^st Time Barbarian” Cisco

Joanne “racing at Oceanside next week” Wicker

Coach John “Original Barbarian” Magee

Evelyne “Viva La France” Guillouet.

Cristiana “IronWoman” Riedl, came in shortly after with Coach “I love SB” Sharoo, then onto the run. Once off the bike it was onto a flat and as fast as you wanted to run 3-4 miles to Stearns Wharf and back. (Laurie “SB Rocks” Kehl and Laurie “Go Skirts” Boswell both made the ride down the coast to Ventura, then hitched a ride back!)

After a short hot tub and a shower we all headed down to The Fish House on the water just down the street from East Beach. We had a great dinner and lots of fun with everyone. the next morning we woke up to yet another frigid ocean swim at 8:15am. Not quite as big a group for this swim, but still over 15 strong taking the plunge! After the swim it was onto the flat and scenic longer run along the coast. We did about 11 miles, with Coach Kain and Russel Shaw leading the charge along the coast. It was another beautiful day on the beach. Everyone had a great run, then it was onto another “wheat germ pancake” breakfast! The final workout of the weekend was a good spin up the coast and through Hope Ranch up to Goleta Beach and back. The “Santa Barbarian” group was looking a bit tired by now, but still charging ahead!

Thanks to all who made the KP Santa Barbara Training Weekend a success! We got in some great training, met some new people and had a blast! Thank you to Jody Gold for making all the arrangements for a great weekend!

Here is the list of those who completed every workout, our Santa Barbarians!!!

Workouts completed:

Friday, 3/19/09 – Run – 40 minutes – (4-6 miles)

Swim – SB Masters Swim - up to 3,000 meters

Saturday, 3/20/09 – Swim – 20-30 minutes – Ocean swim (very cold!)

Bike - 65 - 80 miles – Lake Casitas loop. Awesome!!

Run – 20-30 minutes (3-4 miles)

Sunday, 3/21/09 – Swim – 20 minute – Ocean swim (Chilly willy!)

Run – 1 hour-1.5 hours (up to 11 miles)

Bike – 28 miles

Each day – Up to 50-100 Push-ups and 50-100 Crunches!!!

Totals (roughly) – Swim – 2 – 3 miles

Bike – 90 - 105 miles

Run – up to 20 miles

- 150-300 Total Push-ups, 150-300 Total Crunches

KP Santa Barbarians: They did it all!!! This group is tough!

Female –

Lori “3-time Barbarian” Bradford

Jana “I did it again” Crane

Carol “Just give me a shot” Fredrickson

Laura “1^st Time Barbarian” Coyne

Kristy “1^st Time Barbarian” Cisco

Coach Sharoo “Skirted it!” Kain

Male –

Tony “The Austrian Barbarian” Jager

Patrick “2-Time Barbarian” McDonald

John “The Original Barbarian” Magee

Don “What’s next?” Barry

Lihan “1^st Time Barbarian” Wang

Bill “1^st Time Barbarian” Wang

Coach “Who’s idea was this anyway” Kain (actually swam one ocean swim, but surf paddled the second!)

***Some were close, missing just one (or two) workout, but alas, that won’t get you Barbarian status, so maybe next year…

Greg “Missed the Sunday Ocean swim” Roussel

Russell “Missed the final bike ride” Shaw

Kim “Just could not swim on Sunday” Mygatt

Joanne “I’m racing Oceanside” Wicker

Christiana “Missed the Saturday ocean swim” Riedl

Evelyne “Viva la Santa Barbara” Guillouet

Eric “Evelyne made me do it” Walters

Randy “Missed the swims + Friday” Pufahl

Suzanne “I hate cold water” Slivkoff

Great job to all who made it to SB! Can’t wait for next year! Put it on your schedule now!

Thanks,

Coach’s Pete + Sharoo

www.kainperformance.com

Kain Monthly Meeting March 12

2010-03-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

Friday, March 12

The Runners Factory, Los Gatos
6:30pm

Next Friday 3/12 is the March monthly meeting. It's a great way to get inspired, talk to the coaches and meet other Kain members. Plus, come check out the new 2010 Aquaman wetsuits, meet the rep, try on one of the new Cell Gold, Bionik or Tri-Process wetsuits! Purchase on site or place an order!

All active paid KP members save 30% discount off retail! http://www.aquamantri.com

Santa Barbara Training Weekend

2010-03-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

March 19 – March 21

The best training weekend of the year is sure to be a blast again in 2010!!! If you have never experienced this, here is a taste of what to expect…3 runs, 2 early morning ocean swims (wetsuit required), 1 Masters Swim, 2 LONG bike rides (self-supported), 2 casual dinners….AND A LOT OF FUN!!!!

RSVP TO THE EVITE TODAY!

QUESTIONS - Contact Jody Gold, 466-0886

Jenny’s Light 5K Run & Kids Fun Run

2010-03-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Vasona Park, Los Gatos

10AM (rain or shine)

Kain Performance will have a table at the event so stop by to say hi, get in a speedy workout, have fun with the kids and help support the cause!

For information about Kain Performance, visit our website www.kainperformance.com.

Hawaii 70.3 – Destination Race

2010-03-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

June 5, 2010

It’s not too late to sign up!

http://www.ironman703hawaii.com/entry.php

Get signed up and come have some fun in the sun with the KP Team!!! Kona in June will be the place to be! The swim is at Hapuna Beach, which is beautiful! You’ll see a sea turtle within minutes of starting the race. Coach Kain says the Honu swim “is the best swim in the sport of triathlon!” Bike along the Queen K Highway, part of the World Champion Ironman race course, out to Havvi and back, run around the residential areas and the golf course at The Fairmont Orchid Hotel, and finish the race at The Fairmont Hotel.

Kain Monthly Meeting March 12

2010-03-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

Friday, March 12

The Runners Factory, Los Gatos
6:30pm

Come check out the new 2010 Aquaman wetsuits, meet the rep, try on one of the new Cell Gold, Bionik or Tri-Process wetsuits! Purchase on site or place an order!

All active paid KP members save 30% discount off retail! http://www.aquamantri.com

Kain Skirts!

2010-03-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

Friday, March 5, 2010

Mike’s Bikes in Los Gatos

7:00pm

Kain Performance LLC is launching a “NEW” Women’s Only Training Program, KAIN SKIRTS! That’s right ladies, no more “Too Much Testosterone.” The 12 week training program will include coached workouts as well as clinics to cover the basics of all three disciplines to help prepare you for a Sprint OR Olympic Distance Triathlon. The program consists of a monthly training calendar, access to all KP Team Workouts, as well as any “Women Only” workouts with former pro-triathlete Shari Kain.

Note: Active KP women members will also have access to all of the Kain Skirt workouts.

Bring a friend and Check it Out!!!

For more information, call Shari Kain at 408-761-3635

Shari Kain with her sister, Linda Rodgers

Base Building Myth: Long & Slow vs. High Intensity Workouts

2010-03-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

One of the presentations at the Colorado conference was on “Myths”. The myth that caught our attention was the idea that there was another way of building base on the bike other than “hours and hours of long, slow” bike rides. There seems to be more and more evidence coming out that the judicious use of HIGH INTENSITY workouts would give the same overall physiological, muscle adaptation and VO2 Max improvements as the tried and true long slow aerobic base ride.

While we are luckier than most in regards to weather here in NorCal, our outdoor time is somewhat limited at this time of the year, and it seems that if anything could give us the same conditioning in significantly less time would e of interest. However, you should not interpret this to mean that you just need to ride shorter distances at a faster pace. The high intensity efforts that are called for in this theory are very HIGH - all out efforts – usually 5 minutes or less and should be approached with a certain amount of caution. Also, if you try to attempt a Half Ironman or Ironman distance event with just a few weeks of Wingate sprints as your base, you will be asking for a certain amount of trouble including injury.

There is still research to be done in this field to understand all of the implications, but there seems to be enough evidence in favor of adding these workouts in to your routine especially if time, weather and other factors are conspiring against you in terms of finding time to put in the traditional base work. For more information, check out the links below. For more information about training with our team, Kain Performance -- visit our website www.kainperformance.com.

~ Coach John Magee

Active.com regarding cycling

Pez Cycling News regarding intensity training

Active.com blog by Gale Bernhardt

Half Moon Bay Recap

2010-03-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

The KP Team did the annual trek from Los Gatos to the coast over the Feb. 20-21 weekend. This year we opted to ride over to Half Moon Bay (HMB), instead of the past few years going to Costanoa. Pete and Shari lived in HMB for 4 years and know the area well. The weather was a bit suspect, but we managed to stay dry on the ride over on Saturday. Our route took us up and over Old La Honda and down to the coast for a total of 67 miles. After a quick stop at the San Gregorio store, we headed North to HMB. Once there, we did a quick 3 mile run along the coastal bike path in some drizzling rain.

Saturday night was spent at the San Benito House bar, then on to Sushi Main Street. The dinner was great, and then it was back for some dancing and drinks at the SB House! Fun times were had by all, as we had the banjo band playing until way past when they should have gone home!

Sunday morning was the Mavericks Run, which takes you out on the the blufftops above Mavericks surf spot. It is a beautiful run, even when it is raining. We came back to a great breakfast at the Zaballa House, then back on the bikes for the ride back to LG. The ride home was a little slow & wet to start, but once over Tunitas Creek and down to Woodside, it was a nice dry ride the rest of the way.

All in all, it was a great training weekend and an even funner time in HMB!!! Everyone in attendance gave a big thumbs up for a return in 2011!!! Zaballa House is where we’ll stay!

~ Coach Pete

Coach Recap: Art and Science of Triathlon Coaches Conference

2010-02-16T08:07:00.000-08:00

John Magee and I spent the last 4 days at the Art and Science of Triathlon Coaches Conference in Colorado Springs. I wanted to give you all a brief recap of the conference and of a few of the Keynote Speeches we heard. In a word, the conference was GREAT!

USA Triathlon put on the Art and Science Conference in Colorado Springs and I must say they did a fabulous job. The conference was held at the Broadmoor Hotel, which happens to be the biggest 5 star hotel in the country! We were lucky enough to stay there as well, as they gave the USAT Coaches a great rate! The conference started on Friday with some great lectures, but highlighted by the Keynote of the day, put on by Johan Bruyneel, Director Sportif of all of Lance Armstrong's Tour de France victories. He was a very good speaker and gave a great presentation. He was funny and inspiring and also gave his thoughts on this years Tour showdown between Lance and Contador. Johan's talk was the highlight of Friday.

On Saturday we had another full day of lectures, but the Keynote speaker was the highlight of the day. We heard Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind man to climb to the top of Mt.Everest, as well as all of the Seven Summits! He gave the most inspirational talk I have ever heard --a blind man climbing mountains, paragliding, then using his fame to help others achieve impossible goals! He was funny, inspirational and down to earth. He gave everyone at the conference a signed copy of his book, which I am looking forward to reading.

We heard some great speakers on Saturday after the keynote as well. I went to Mark Allen's talk on the Essentials of a Great Ironman TrainingProgram, while John went to Vern Gambetta's talk on Core Training for the Triathlete. Both were great talks.

I spoke with Mark quite a bit over the weekend and we will be lining him up as a guest speaker at a KP Meeting in the next couple of months. Later that day I went to a lecture by Joe Friel, author of The Triathletes Training Bible, as well as some other books. Joe gave a talk on Stress Based Periodization.

On Saturday night we went to the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. USAT honored Paula Newby Fraser, Barb Lindquist, Valerie Silk, Carl Thomas and Jim Curl. We were guests at the Southwest Region table and had a great evening.

On Sunday we started the day with renowned running coach, Bobby Magee, spending about a 1/2 hour watching me run on a treadmill and giving me some valuable information about how my gait has changed a bit since my foot injury and how to correct it. I got to know Bobby a few years ago and I give him credit for teaching me the essentials of how to run, as well as how to teach others how to run. John videoed the whole session, so we have some great footage from one of the best in the business.

We finished the weekend with a few more lectures, one on a few "Cycling Myths", another on training for Power in the Swim and finishing with a talk on Youth Triathlon Programs.

The weekend was very informative and I look forward to sharing some good stories and information with all of you. We are already making plans for next year, as it was well worth the trip.

Hope to see many of you at the "Brick" workout on Tuesday night!!

Coach Kain

For more information about training with Kain Performance, visit our website at www.kainperformance.com or call Pete 408-781-0517.

Triathlon Map Site

2010-02-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty cool link showing location and times of all triathlons in the world. You can zoom in on the map to check out particular countries and locations plus sort by month

http://www.trimapper.com

From John Magee

Follow Kain on Twitter!

2010-01-25T10:26:00.000-08:00

Kain Performance wants to keep up with you on Twitter.

Visit the link below to sign up and follow us:
http://twitter.com/i/deafe017142140db7044566433da2c1d176ca9b9

Twitter updates also show up on the Kain Performance website.
http://www.kainperformance.com

JANUARY SPECIAL

2010-01-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

Join with a Monthly Membership on January 15 or 16 and receive the following:

Get January FREE!

The first 20 people to sign up also receive a free 5-punch punchcard to give to a friend (not a prior member) to check out Kain Performance. (This card expires at the end of February 2010. NO EXCEPTIONS)

Receive Special Reduced Pricing for the season (if paid in January only):

New for 2010, punchcards will expire 3 months from the date of purchase. Punchcard members MUST have a current punchcard to be eligible for KP Team sponsor discounts.

All monthly memberships includes access to a monthly training calendar geared towards the distance you are training for each month. Training calendar will include a detailed workout schedule for all levels of athletes as well as a detailed description of each days workout(s).

Personalized On-Line Coaching Available and includes access to all Kain Performance Coached Workouts

For more information go to www.kainperformance.com/onlinecoach.html

2010 KAIN PERFORMANCE Kick-Off Party is tonight!

2010-01-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

When: Friday, January 15, 2010, 6 PM
Where: Sports Basement in Sunnyvale - Summit Room

(20% discount shopping - MUST sign-in to receive the discount)

Stop by and learn more about the destination races & training sessions planned for the 2010 season.

Pass this on to your friends too!!!

2009-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Hey KP Team,

The CORE Training Class you have all been waiting for is finally here!
The class will be held on Tues/Thurs evenings from 7:00-8:15pm at the
Fitness Clinic in Los Gatos. This class is a must for anyone looking to
get fit and fast for next years Triathlon season! It is a fun way to stay
fit through the winter and be ready to go come 2010! Core Training is a
must for all endurance athletes and will help make your season great in
2010!

***I will be doing an orientation class next Tuesday, 10/27 at 7:00pm.
This class is a freebie to come check out the gym and have a good walk
through on many of the exercises. You don't have to come to this, but it
will be open to all. You can pay to reserve your spot at this class. The
first "real" Core class will be on Thursday, Oct. 29th at 7:00pm.

Have you ever had back pain while riding a bike, or after a ride? Or
after a longer run? Have you seen your mid-section start to drift out as
you get a little older? Do you ever get shoulder pain while swimming?
These are just a few of the issues that a good Core Training class will
address. Everyone needs to work on Core strength, whether they are a World
Class athlete, or just a Weekend Warrior!

This class is designed with the endurance athlete in mind. You will do a
series of great exercises to strengthen your Core, but also your entire
body. Coach Kain will lead you through a "warm-up", then send you through
a "circuit" of exercises to get you strong from head to toe! You get a
little of everything at this class and will have a lot of fun as well.
Good tunes are a must, so feel free to bring an IPOD full of your favorite
training music and get ready to go!

Here are a few details to know:

***KP CORE Training - Designed by a triathlete, for triathletes!
Your Head Trainer - Pete Kain - ACSM Certified Health/Fitness Instructor,
as well as a 4-Time AG World Champion and 7-Time AG National Champion
Triathlete. Yes, Coach Kain can hop up on a Swiss Ball and play catch with
the med ball! (This will not be part of this class)

*When: First CORE class will be on Thursday, October 29th at 7:00pm. Class
will be every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7:00-8:15pm for 6 weeks.
No class on Thursday, Nov. 26th, Thanksgiving Day. There will be 12
classes in the first session.

***Orientation class on Tuesday, Oct.27th at 7:00pm. You can ask questions
and go through a dry run of many of the exercises. No charge for the
orientation class. It's fun, come check it out!!

*Where: Fitness Clinic in Los Gatos. 15401 Los Gatos Blvd. Across the
street from Trader Joe's. Park in the back and come in the back door. You
can show up at 6:50pm to get in a warm up, before the "warm-up". Class
starts at 7:01 Sharp! So don't be late!

*Who: You! This class is open to the beginner, all the way up to the
seasoned Core Training veterans! It is a self paced class, so you only go
as hard as you want. You just follow the lead and focus on yourself. The
class will start out pretty light, then get progressively more difficult
as the weeks go on. Best results are had by those who come to every class.
You will be amazed at how you progress through the class.

*Why: To get stronger! Faster! Better! You are going to be laying the
foundation of the training to come in the following months. CORE Training
and Strength Training in general is a must for any Endurance Athlete. We
focus on muscle endurance, so you are doing more repetitions with less
weight. Beat the burn!

*Bring: Good energy! Be ready to workout, so wear shorts and a shirt you
can sweat in! Bring sweats for after class. All mats and balls, etc. are
provided. Showers and towels are available at no charge.

*Cost: 12 classes, or 6 weeks for $240 if paid in full at the first class.
This will reserve you a spot in this popular class. You will get one
make-up class if you miss a class and have paid in full. You can pay a $25
drop-in fee if room is available. Class is limited to 18 eager athletes
ready to get better, stronger and faster!!

***This class is on a first come, first served basis. If you really don't
want to miss out then RSVP to this email now! First 18 get spots reserved!
After that it is on a drop-in basis. KP Core Training Class is open to
Non-KP members as well, so bring a friend and have some fun! Let me know
if you intend to bring a friend.

See you next week!
Coach Pete
www.kainperformance.com
(408)781-0517

Kain Gear Order

2009-08-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's time to place your gear order. Don't miss out on a shiny new pair of cycling knickers, bright colored jerseys or jacket! See more pics here!

This year's brand is Capo. Capo's distinctive, European-inspired collection was launched by two visionary athletes, Gary Vasconi and Robert Carbone, in response to the growing need for a new brand of modern cycling and multi-sport apparel. Capo focuses on meeting the needs of the serious athlete by providing a complete collection of next-generation, active and lifestyle cycling and multi-sport apparel offering technical performance, superior comfort, and progressive style. All gear is manufactured in Bergamo, Italy. Headquarters are in Oakland, CA. You will find Capo clothing to be exceptional quality, comfort and style. Regional sales manager, Kam Zardouzian, is long-time friends of Pete and Shari Kain.

This will be the only order for 2009 so order everything you want including winter gear and/or for next year!

WE CANNOT PLACE AN ORDER UNTIL WE REACH THE MINIMUMS, SO DON'T DELAY. PLACE THAT ORDER RIGHT AWAY!!! Once we place the order, it then takes 8 weeks before we will receive it.

Prices are subject to change (may go lower.) It will depend on whether we meet or exceed the minimum amounts. SO, the more orders we get, the better the chance the prices will be lower.

Do not send payment until notified. Please email me your order ASAP so I can get the counts. I will let you know when payment is due.

---------------------------------------------------------

How to use the order form:

Save the file. Fill it out. Email it back to admin@kainperformance.com..

You will be notified by admin of your final payment due before I place the order.

THE SOONER I RECEIVE YOUR ORDER THE SOONER I WILL BE ABLE TO PLACE IT!

Access Order Form Here

“How Fast Should I be running at Track?”

2009-05-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

Track workout tends to be one of the least well attended team workouts that KAIN offers. I think there are two main reasons for this; One is that it can feel a little intimidating, athletes tend to think they are going to be pushed beyond their limits. The second is that people doing Ironman distance races think there is little to gain from “Speed-work”. I hope to address these two concerns in this article.

The first concern could be addressed if people understood that as coaches, we understand that it is detrimental to push athletes beyond their limits – that leads to injury, overtraining and the breakdown of the athlete – that is never the goal of the track workout. However I think the vast majority of athletes do not have a sense of how fast they should be running during their efforts, because of this they tend to think that everything is going to be very anaerobic – and that is not the case.

If you know your last 10K time you can punch it in and it will predict what you should be capable of at a half Iron man or an ironman distance run – that helps you figure out if your race goals are realistic or not.

Secondly it allows you to predict your own track workout pace – (therefore less intimidating) as well as the pace you should be doing your long slow runs and your tempo runs. If the goal is to run a sub 40 minute 10K – then you know you need to be able to run in the area of a 5.33 mile and that your tempo runs should be at 6.31 – 6.48 per mile.

The link to the calculator is http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm

Hope you found this helpful – hope you do your “homework” and at least play around with the calendar and printout a pace schedule for yourself and hope to see you at track

Coach John Magee

Kain Performance

Lessons from Wild Flower Training Weekend

2009-05-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Based on some of the experiences of our athletes this weekend, it seems to me that there is a need for a little more information on which to fine tune the nutritional plan – especially in regard to our sodium intake.

The weekend was obviously a tough training weekend – especially for those who did two loops at wildflower but it was also the first time this year we have had to deal with heat and few of us, if any are particularly well heat acclimated yet. However while the current weather forecast for wild flower seems to indicate temperatures in the mid 70’s it is always a possibility that it is going to be hot again this year so those who are racing need to be prepared.

Without trying to scare you – or overwhelm you with numbers, the difference between “normal” blood concentrations of sodium and what might be considered an “emergency” situation of low sodium can be as little as 500 mg of sodium. So it definitely pays, from a medical perspective, to try and get this done right and obviously from a performance perspective you would not want your training to be compromised due to a nutritional breakdown.

Athletes who are acclimatized to heat typically have lower sweat sodium concentrations in warmer conditions. So if the race you are training for has a history of high temperatures (Wildflower and Auburn are two that spring to mind) then it is important to address the variable you can control – sodium intake – rather than the variable you cannot – the weather. Adult athletes can lose between 1.0-2.5 liters of sweat per hour. In severe heat conditions, this can increase to 3.5 liters per hour. Sweat is mostly water but contains many other compounds including sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and a host of other compounds. If you are very disciplined you could bring a scale with you to workouts and weigh yourself before and after, or pay for a sweat test to be done but since most of us are not going to do that, you will need to estimate where you might fit in that category and at least be aware of making sure you are at least replacing the minimum sodium losses.

Research has shown that sweat sodium concentrations can range from 115-2,300 milligrams of sodium lost per liter of sweat. However, the AVERAGE athlete usually falls within the 700mg to 1200mg per liter of sweat. Thus at the minimum sweat rate, the average athlete is losing 700mg per hour.

It might help to see an example;

“Scott knows that he loses about 1 liter of sweat per hour in conditions predicted for his upcoming Ironman. He also knows that his sweat is usually quite concentrated, leaving a lot of salt stains on his clothing. He guesses his sweat contains sodium at the higher end of the normal range, about 1200 mg/liter. So with a sweat rate of 1 liter per hour, under ideal conditions he should replace 1200 mg of sodium per hour. Scott's favorite sports drink contains only 300 mg of sodium per liter. Each gel he is consuming contains 50 mg of sodium, and each bar he consumes contains 100 mg of sodium. The following table summarizes Scott's water and sodium intake per hour:

Per hour	Water (liters)	Sodium (mg)
Sports Drink	1	300
3 Gels	Negligible	50 x 3 = 150
1 Bar	None	100
Total	1 liter	550
Deficit	0	650

Based on this basic Ironman diet, Scott ingests enough water every hour, but his sodium intake is far below what he actually needs, about 650 mg per hour short, considering he needs 1200 mg/hour. Multiply this by 12 hours, and you have 7.8 grams of sodium, or 19.5 grams of salt (the human body contains around 40g of total sodium). Most likely, Scott is headed for severe hyponatremia.”

Also bear in mind that in athletes who have high sweat rates can lose sodium amounts approaching 5,000 milligrams per hour.

In addition to what may be lost during competition, a “clean” daily diet can also contribute to the problem. “Clean” eating is characterized by eating more whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and protein and less processed and refined foods. This often leads to a lower overall daily salt intake and while beneficial from a health perspective, it can have a significant impact on sodium levels in the body before a race. Since this method of eating is gaining momentum, it is often recommended to implement a “sodium loading” regimen before a race and follow through with a higher sodium intake during a race. After competition, the athlete returns to the normal “clean” eating daily diet again.

Sodium Loading;

There has been research on sodium loading and the basic premise behind the mechanism is in the expansion of plasma volume, which is important to cardiovascular function and endurance exercise performance. Expanding plasma volume, termed hypervolemia, may reduce cardiovascular and heat strain seen with exercise, thus improving an athlete’s ability to perform. While there are a few ways to increase plasma volume, sodium loading is easy to implement and has shown good results, including in warmer conditions.

Also drinking fluids that provide a higher sodium concentration before exercise can improve exercise tolerance in warmer conditions.

For more details on how to go about Sodium Loading and to read the full text of this article, which I have significantly edited you can join the team first endurance network for free at http://team.firstendurance.com/

http://team.firstendurance.com/page/sodium-loading-2

Sodium Consumption During a Race

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends consuming 500-700 milligrams of sodium per liter of fluid per hour of exercise while other researchers have recommended a higher range of around 1700-2900 milligrams of sodium per liter of fluid per hour. Seebohar recommends a minimum of 800mg per hour. This is a large discrepancy, mostly due to the requirements of individual athletes and varying environmental conditions. However, the general observation has been that most athletes underconsume sodium during training or a race which typically has negative consequences. Sodium loading has been shown to work in a laboratory setting and has been yielding good results for athletes during actual competitions. It is recommended to try this approach during more intense training that mimics similar conditions of which your race will be.

Endurolytes or Salt Stick?

Endurolytes contain 40mg per capsule while salt stick capsules contain 215 mg of sodium. If we use the example of Bob from the previous page he has an hourly deficit of 650mg of salt – in this scenario he would need to take 15 endurolyte capsules an hour in addition to the electrolyte drink, 3 gels and a bar he is currently eating - that seems a lot to manage! Alternatively he could take 3 salt stick capsules an hour and meet his sodium needs.

*** Just as I was about to send this out – another article shows up on the USAT coaching website on this topic! Link below***

http://usatriathlon.org/content/index/6036

Cramping

Here are two links to articles about cramping for those who are prone to this. I was actually a little surprised to realize that electrolyte imbalance was not considered a major contributor to cramping - but rather they pointed to duration and intensity of exercise over which we do have some control. It serves as another reminder about the importance of building an appropriate endurance base and of making sure you don’t go to hard or to fast during your training as the ability to ride at a higher threshold for 80 miles does not automatically translate into the ability to ride at a lower threshold for 112.

http://www.scysa.net/filecabinet/muscle_cramps_info.pdf

http://ezinearticles.com/?Muscle-Cramps-in-Runners&id=1265152

Finally – here is a link to 10 common mistakes for Ironman – I know we have read them before but it does not hurt to do it again – especially with Wildflower having that festival feel, its easy to go “hang out” at the expo in the hot sun for hours at a time the day before your race. Relax, rest, hydrate, get your feet up and stay out of the sun.

http://searchwarp.com/swa58560.htm

Good Luck at Wildflower

Coach John Magee

Kain Performance

METABOLIC EFFICIENCY

2009-05-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

I have had a number of conversations with athletes over the last month or to regarding this concept of Metabolic Efficiency. I decided it was time to put out a piece on this idea. I used a couple of graphics from USAT coach Bob Seebohar’s presentation at Chula Vista and I included a couple of graphics from an article he wrote in Aug 2007 – I provided the link in this piece. For more information you can check out Bob’s website at http://www.fuel4mance.com/

John Magee

Assistant Coach, Kain Performance

____________________________________________________________________________

Essentially when you train at the intensities and with the volume dictated by the desire to compete in triathlon training then it puts many different stresses on the body, ranging from the muscular to the mental. One of those stresses is on your energy reserves. Making sure you have appropriate energy reserves to make it through the training or race so that you get a training benefit or you perform at the level for which you have trained is obviously very important.

There are three natural systems that provide fuel for your mitochondria;

Creatine Phosphate system – lets not bother about this one as its use is for intense anaerobic activity – like sprinting and can be depleted in less than a minute.

Glycogen supplies: So depending on the intensity of your workout or race you have about 3 hours of supply – considerably less as the intensity of the effort increases.

Fat – even for athletes with very low body fat percentages, hypothetically there is enough energy stored in the body to get you through any race, if you could access it and if your intensity were low enough.

However there is a 4^th system – its called “What you eat before, during, and after a workout”. The fundamental purpose of eating during training and racing in the short term is to replenish the second system – the glycogen system. While its true to say that the body does not exclusively burn any one type of fuel at any one time, it does have a preference at different intensity levels. Sprinting flat out is going to preferentially burn creatine phosphate, aerobic exercise – Zone 3 & 4 type work is going to burn a combination of glycogen and fat with the emphasis on the glycogen. Around zone 1 & 2 the ration of fat being burned goes up and carbohydrates goes down. So – issue number one, on a training day that could last anything from 4-12 hours depending on the phase you are in, you are more and more likely as the hours increase to essentially “run out” of glycogen and experience the dreaded bonk. Again the same is true in a 70.3 or Ironman race. So what do we do? Well the typical response is to eat, naturally – and we practice eating - gels, bars, electrolyte drinks, PB& J sandwiches etc. We also practice race day nutrition – eating what we think we will eat during the race or what will be provided during the race and we come up with some nutritional “plan” which we try with varying success. Some make it through and it “works” in that they race OK based on their expectations. But I would argue that large group of athletes at some point during their training or in their race do not do OK and at some point their training or race performance is compromised by what we categorize as GI issues. There are also some hypothetical questions that could be raised such as “How well could I have performed if I was more metabolically efficient?”

Basically – as we often experience, the longer the training session or race, the harder it gets to keep putting food into our bodies for various reasons that we need not address here. But, the reason we are all eating is to try and replace glycogen that is being depleted as we train and race.

So is there a solution? Well, I would argue that we need to address the issues of nutrition with the same rigor that we address the core exercise disciplines of triathlon. If we just address nutrition the week before the race then we are doing ourselves a disservice. There are two major issues; the first is that all athletes should understand and practice nutritional periodization. For those wishing to know more about this issue I would recommend a book by Bob Seebohar “Nutrition periodization for endurance athletes”. The second issue is the concept of metabolic efficiency – training your body to utilize fat stores in preference to glycogen stores and thus delaying and reducing the need to ingest carbohydrates and therefore significantly reducing the risk of developing GI issues. Lets explain this concept a little more. Imagine for a moment that at any given exercise intensity level your body was burning a higher % of body fat and a lower % of glycogen. What would this mean? Well – essentially it would mean that you would not need to eat as much during the training session or the race as your body was using your glycogen reserves up at a lower rate. This concept is known as Metabolic Efficiency. Alternatively the phrase “Glycogen sparing” is also used to define the idea that because you are now more efficient at burning fats then your are “sparing” your glycogen stores and thus they do not deplete as quickly.

Take a look at the graphic below. The first graph shows the relative percentages of carbohydrate used as a fuel source compared to the relative percentages of fat used as a fuel source for a typical athlete as exercise intensity increases. At 9min mile pace the athlete is using 66% carbohydrates and 34% fats as a fuel source.

Now look at the second graph. It shows the same athlete 3 months later after proper nutrition training. At that same 9 min mile pace those numbers are now 58% and 42% and at lower intensities his efficiency is even higher, but more importantly, the athlete is now able to utilize fat supplies far more efficiently not just at this 9 min mile pace but at ALL exercise intensities. As a result the percentage of fuel he needs from glycogen is reduced at ALL intensities thus reducing the need to eat and reducing the potential of GI issues.

For more information check out this link – it was from this article that I took the two image below.

http://www.personaltrainertoday.com/articles/publish/article_712.htm

OK – so I think you would agree that this makes sense. So how do you become more metabolically efficient? Well – how do you get faster or stronger? You have to train! So in order for your body to become more metabolically efficient, you have to train it too.

This training needs to begin ideally during base training so that when you reach the build phase your body is more efficient and you can take advantage of this efficiency and reduce your need for gels, bars etc. Note that once you reach the build and race phases of the season you WILL need to eat but the amount you need should be considerably less as your body is more efficient at burning fat supplies and thus you are “sparing” your glycogen supplies.

What does this actually look like? Ideally you would start this process during a 6-12 week aerobic low intensity base phase when you are attempting at a cellular level to increase the size, number and density of the mitochondria in your muscle cells. It is during this type of training that you can start to allow your body to become more efficient by providing it with enough water and electrolyte replacement but denying it carbohydrate. This forces the body to burn its fat supplies more efficiently. In fact if you are engaged in these long, “slow” runs, rides and swims, and you mindlessly throw down a gu or a bar out of habit you are in effect short circuiting your bodies effort to become more efficient as it will immediately start to use the carbs you just consumed. Obviously you cannot start this process by going out for a 6 hour ride and eating nothing, but for any activity that is no more than 3 hours in duration, water and salt replacement would be the way to start. The two tables below summarize the overall nutrition plan for the Base and Build Phase. These two tables were taken from Bob Seebohars Nutritional Periodization presentation at USAT training and edited slightly by me

(Chart may not appear correctly. Sorry! Link to Word Doc for full report & charts)

BASE PHASE NUTRITION

Nutrient	Pre Workout	During Workout	Post workout
Fluid	0.07-0.10 ounces per pound of weight 4 hours or more before workout. 0.04-0.10 ounces per pound of weight 2 hours before workout	3-8 ounces every 15 minutes – depending on sweat rate	24 ounces for every pound of weight lost
Carbohydrate	Meal or light snack depending on when training ends	Ideally none during BASE phase	Snack
Protein	Meal or light snack depending on when training ends	None	Snack
Fat	Meal or light snack depending on when training ends	None	Omega 3’s in snack
Sodium	Naturally within the meal or Snack	Just enough to promote hydration	Minimum of 500mg for every pound of weight lost

BUILD PHASE NUTRITION

Nutrient	Pre Workout	During Workout	Post workout
Fluid	0.07-0.10 ounces per pound of weight 4 hours or more before workout. 0.04-0.10 ounces per pound of weight 2 hours before workout	3-8 ounces every 15 minutes – depending on sweat rate	24 ounces for every pound of weight lost
Carbohydrate	Meal or light snack depending on when training ends	Research says: 30-90g per hour. BUT Less is More to promote metabolic efficiency	1.0-1.2 g/kg (usually about 50-100 grams or (200-400 calories)
Protein	Meal or light snack depending on when training ends	Debatable. (Make sure BCAA’s and glutamine if taken)	10-20 Grams (40-80 calories)
Fat	Meal or light snack depending on when training ends	None	No
Sodium	Naturally within the meal or Snack	Research says around 500-700 mg/Liter of fluid. Bob recommends a Min of 800mg/Hour	Minimum of 500mg for every pound of weight lost

The last thing I want to mention is that this program assumes that you are practicing good nutrition generally. You cannot go into a training session and try and improve your metabolic efficiency if you are already depleted in terms of your glycogen supplies. Take a look at these two graphics – again courtesy of Bob Seebohar at http://www.fuel4mance.com. The first shows an athlete who is not practicing effective nutritional periodization and the second an athlete who is. Note how long it takes the first athlete to fully replenish his glycogen supplies compared to the second athlete. As athletes we essentially train 6/7 days a week and if we are fueling our bodies poorly then our energy supplies will not be replenished before the next workout is upon us thus leading to a wasted session. The second athlete is far more likely to go into his next workout and train poorly.

Please contact me or Pete if you have any questions regarding this material. Try and check out the links I provided to get Bob Seebohar’s take first hand. Bob is actually someone who we could hire to come and talk to the whole group should this topic generate enough interest. He also has a new book coming out this month that addresses this whole issue in much more detail than I have given.

John Magee – Assistant Coach – Kain Performance .

Kain Team Rocks San Diego Coast at the Ironman 70.3 in Oceanside

2009-04-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

From Coach Pete Kain:

The first race of the triathlon season was held here in Oceanside today under pretty ideal conditions. The wind picked up a bit today, which made the swim a bit choppy and the bike pretty hard with a cross/headwind for many of the 56 miles. Competitors were challenged to a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run. The swim was held in the 59 degree waters of Oceanside Harbor. The first wave of Professional Men went off at 6:40am, followed by many more waves of amateur competitors until 7:48am. The glare of the sun on the water made negotiating the swim course extra hard. Once out of the water, competitors were off onto a rolling hills 56 mile bike ride through Camp Pendleton, into San Clemente and back to Oceanside Harbor to transition to a mostly flat 13.1 mile run along the ocean. The wind picked up again this year, making the bike extra tough! Most competitors flew through the first 25 miles aided by a tailwind, only to have it hit them smack in the face for the last 25 miles. The run is tough, as it is all on very hard concrete, which is tough on the body!

The Kain ½ Iron Team was here in force today. 20+ competitors from the KP Team were ready to toe the line with an international field of competitors. The KP Team has been training hard for this event and many others since the first of the year. Many KP’ers were using the race as a tune up for Ironman events later in the year, as well as a chance to qualify for North American Ironman events later in the year. Despite the tough conditions, KP had some great race performances. Leading the charge for the KP Team was Doug Wadkins, placing 7^th in his age group in a fast 4:40:57 time. Doug had the 2^nd fastest bike split and ran a great 1:33 ½ Marathon off the bike. Also under the 5 hour mark were Gary Auten in 4:56:18 (New PR for this course, by almost 20 minutes), Mike Grimm in 4:57 (New PR for this course) and Russell Shaw in 4:57:56 (New PR for this course and a run PR of 1:33 off the bike). Kim Mygatt led the KP women with a 5^th place in her age group and an impressive 5:06:28 time and the fastest run in her AG with a 1:39:07 off the bike. Great job to all KP finishers!

The KP Team had quite a few finishers under the 6:00 hour mark:

Aron “IM CDA, here I come”Cooperman – 5:02:02 (PR for this course)

Glenn Blackler – 5:06:09

Greg Roussel – 5:06:13 – Qualified for the Ironman 70.3 World Champs!!

Kim “5^th place in the age group” Mygatt – 5:06:28 (New PR, Went 5:11:15 last year)

Shari “Sharoo” Kain – 5:23:09

Suzanne Slivkoff – 5:28:06

Mark Ferrone – 5:28:17

Ted Ornduff – 5:29:06 – New PR for the ½ Ironman Distance!

Fred Servais – 5:29:50

Tony Benassi – 5:31:06

Andy Brewer – 5:32:04

Linda “Great to be back” Stewart – 5:32:32

Jill Stevenson – 5:44:32

Don Barry – 5:50:21

Patrick McDonald – 5:54:14 – New PR for ½ Ironman Distance!

Then a few more under the 7:00 hour mark:

Gordan “I’m more consistent this year” Graham – 6:06:16 (6:16:24 in 2008)

Linda “Shari’s Sis” Rodgers – 6:30:56

Linda Graham – 6:51:42

Everyone on the KP Team looked great out on the course! Many KP members were attempting their first ever ½ Ironman, while many others were out to set a new PR!

Qualifying for the Ford 70.3 Ironman World Championships in Florida in

November: Doug Wadkins and Greg Roussel

Qualifying for IM Couer d’ Alene in June: Aron Cooperman and Mike Grimm

Qualifying for IM Wisconsin in September: Gary Auten

***Great job to all who went down and raced the Ford 70.3 Ironman in Oceanside! You all looked great and represented KP in a fabulous way! We had many great compliments on our KP Team down there, so way to go! Wildflower here we come, so get ready!

Train hard and the results will come,

Coach Pete + Sharoo

www.kainperformance.com

A Double Whammy!

2008-09-22T16:56:00.001-07:00

Hey KP Team!

I wanted to get you a quick update on the results of the big race weekend for the KP Team. I'll have a better report in a day, or so, but here are some of the highlights!

In the USA Triathlon Southwest Regional Club Championships, held at the Santa Cruz Sentinel Triathlon yesterday, Kain Performance WON the competition for the smaller club division. (Silicon Valley Tri Club won the Larger club division). Kain Performance placed 2nd in the Overall Club Competition and received a $500 check for our KP End of the Season Party!!! Thank you to everyone who came out and represented Kain Performance! We had a lot of great performances and were very close to winning the whole thing! They plan on having the Club Competition next
year, so put the Sentinel on the race calendar early! We can win this thing! More results to follow.

In the USA National Triathlon Championships on Saturday in Portland, Oregon, Coach Kain won his 7th National Championship in winning the 45-49 division by 2 minutes over his closet competition. Coach Sharoo had a very fast bike split to come in 10th in the 40-44 division and Kim Hammett placed 12th in the same 40-44 division. Pete, Shari and Kim all qualified for the ITU World Championship Team competing on the Gold Coast of Australia in 2009! Meldody Hazi placed 25th in the 25-29 division and Bo Perez had a solid day to finish his 2nd Nationa Championship race.

Bo, Melody, Coach Shari and Coach Pete all made the flight after the race and helped the KP Team secure 2nd place in the Club Competition on Sunday. It was a great weekend of racing and put a stamp on a solid year for Kain Performance! Thanks to everyone for your support throughout the year! We have big plans for 2009, so get rested and ready for more!! Full report to follow later.
Congratulations KP!!
Coach Pete + Sharoo

Welcome to the Kain Performance Blog!

2008-09-22T13:48:00.001-07:00

I created this blog so we can post updates, good news, photos and other musings about the Kain Performance Team. Stay tuned for the first real post about National Championships and Sentinel Triathlon.

Kain Performance Blog

Wildflower Training Weekend

Wildflower Training Weekend

Itinerary

Friday (or early Saturday morning)

Saturday, April 16

Sunday, April 17

Camping Fees

Wildflower Training Weekend

Wildflower Training Weekend

Itinerary

Friday (or early Saturday morning)

Saturday, April 16

Sunday, April 17

Camping Fees

Troubleshooting your heart rate monitor

Kain Performance is getting a facelift!

Santa Barbara Triathlon Training Weekend: The Barbarian Challenge

What Are the Benefits of Compression Socks? From Joe Friel

How to Streamline Off the Wall - Proper Hand Placement

Tips for Biking in the Rain

Best Triathlon Training Camp - Half Moon Bay Overnight

Los Gatos Masters Underwater Video Swim Clinic

Running Efficiency Clinic December 18th

Kain Performance Wins Northern California Triathlon Club Championship

Pete Kain Pushup Contest | Catfish Crawl Open Water Swim Results

How Fast Should I be running at Track?

SANTA BARBARA TRAINING WEEKEND RECAP

Kain Monthly Meeting March 12

Santa Barbara Training Weekend

Jenny’s Light 5K Run & Kids Fun Run

Hawaii 70.3 – Destination Race

Kain Monthly Meeting March 12

Kain Skirts!

Base Building Myth: Long & Slow vs. High Intensity Workouts

Half Moon Bay Recap

Coach Recap: Art and Science of Triathlon Coaches Conference

Triathlon Map Site

Follow Kain on Twitter!

JANUARY SPECIAL

2010 KAIN PERFORMANCE Kick-Off Party is tonight!

Kain Gear Order

“How Fast Should I be running at Track?”

Lessons from Wild Flower Training Weekend

METABOLIC EFFICIENCY

Nutrient

Pre Workout

During Workout

Post workout

Fluid

Carbohydrate

Protein

Fat

Sodium

Nutrient

Pre Workout

During Workout

Post workout

Fluid

Carbohydrate

Protein

Fat

Sodium

Kain Team Rocks San Diego Coast at the Ironman 70.3 in Oceanside

A Double Whammy!

Welcome to the Kain Performance Blog!