A four-strong team of British Triathlon Coach Developers, Emma Brunning, Scott Murray and Shaun Green, coordinated by Paul Moss successfully delivered a project that supported 10 coaches from the region (Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados), as well as 12 local Bajan Federation athletes though the British Triathlon Level 2 qualification and a parallel athlete development camp. This enabled the coaches to work with talented individuals from the local federation during the practical elements of their course.
4 Nutrition Tips for Triathlon Beginners
There is lots of information out there if you are just beginning your training but here are 4 nutritional tips that I believe are essential when you’re FIRST starting out. Trust me when I say there is no reason to make things complicated!
1. Eat Carbs Every Day With Almost Every Meal. Eating carbohydrates provide you with a guarantee that you are providing yourself with a wide range of antioxidants and nutrients to reduce the oxidative damage and inflammation caused by your training. Remember, carbs include fruits and vegetables too - this is not a free pass to eat unlimited pasta! It will also prevent you from waking up about 2am (seems to be the magic time) looking for food.
2. Eat Your 5 A Day. We all know the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables but sometimes you don’t eat as many as you should. Make sure that you are getting your 5 a day to optimize your weight and nutrient intake.
3. Healthy Snacks. Planning ahead is key to sticking to your plan. Pack yourself a couple of healthy snacks to take with you to work or when you’re on the go. Not only will it save you lots of money but it will also keep you from making the wrong choices when the hunger pangs start. Hangry anyone?
4. Log Your Food Intake. I’m sure you’ve heard this many times but, when you write down what you are actually consuming daily, you can see any bad habits and also check whether you are getting the right amount and variety of nutrients for your training schedule.
Message me at kara@triformations.com if you should have any other questions about your nutrition! We can work together to get you on the right track!
10 Best Fitness Apps
We all know how to download apps that connect us with people, allow us to share our photos and videos, even play games that waste our time but what about downloading an app that’s going to help you to achieve your fitness goals?
According to some recent research people who used mobile fitness apps were much more likely to be active than people who didn’t. And they were more likely to have a lower body mass index!
With so many apps on the market, which is the right one for you, and which is the one that’s going to keep you motivated? Let’s look at our top 10 selection (in no particular order):
1. Strava Running and Cycling GPS
If you like to run, ride or just adventure outside, you’ll love Strava. Millions of runners, cyclists and active people use Strava to record their activities, compare performance over time. Connect with their community and share photos, stories and highlights of your adventures with friends.
2. Map My Run - GPS Running & Workout Tracker
This is a great app for people who are travelling and who are running in a new area. MapMyRun gives you feedback and stats for every mile you go to help improve your performance.
3. Runkeeper
This is a classic app for everyone who wants to run. This app really does get people out the door and help them stick with running forever. Track your exercise, set goals, sweat and see your progress. Over 50 million users worldwide.
4. MySwimPro - Personal Swim Trainer
If you’re one of the lucky ones to have an Apple Watch Series 2 (the waterproof version), this is the swimming app for you. You can select swimming workouts and track your biometrics.
5. 5K Runner: Couch to 5K Run Trainer
The OFFICIAL 5K Runner. 4.2 million people successfully did it. Get in shape and lose weight in 8 weeks. It’s been featured on CNN, Fox, USA, Today, Times and many more...and it’s free.
Walk off 3 times more fat with their training plan. Now your walking will make you lose weight. Reach top results in less time by combining walking and speed-up techniques.
7. Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker by MyFitnessPal
Lose weight with MyFitnessPal, the fastest and easiest-to-use calorie counter for iOS. This app has the largest food database with over 5,000,000 foods with amazingly fast and easy food and exercise entry to track your progress.
8. Runtastic Road Bike GPS Cycling & Ride Tracker
Join the millions of enthusiastic road bikers tracking their tours, races and leisure rides with the Runtastic Road Bike app. Monitor training progress and compare personal performance and, if you’re really competitive, challenge your friends too!
9. Sworkit - Workouts & Fitness Plans
Get started on a 6-week program to get “Leaner, Fitter, or Stronger. There are plans for beginners, intermediate and advanced. Get access to a huge database of body weight exercise. That means you can do the workouts from anywhere.
10. PEAR - Personal Fitness Coach
“It’s among the best fitness apps you’ll find” - PC Magazine. Finding great workouts from top coaches and getting fit has never been easier.
Bottle Cleaning - The Easy Way!
Easy Bottle Cleaning!
Do you ever get a funny taste in your water bottles? Do they sometimes have a bit of a smell even though you washed them with dish soap or put them through the dishwasher?
Try This!
Step 1: Add 1 teaspoon bleach and 1 teaspoon baking soda to your bottle.
Step 2: Fill with water and leave overnight.
Step 3: Next day, rinse thoroughly and air dry.
VOILA! No more stinky bottles or strange taste!
4 Safety Tips for Women Runners
We would all like to live in a world where we are free to go out running and be safe, whether it’s during the day or at night, whether you’re in an isolated woodland, or a deserted beach, but as women in this day and age, here are some tips that we think all women runners should follow.
4 Safety Tips for Women Runners
Run With A Personal Alarm
I know you love running on your own, hearing the sound of your feet beating the ground as you go. Running with a buddy is the gold standard but if you do find yourself running alone, having a safety device could be the key to keeping yourself safe. There are many on the market and some are designed to look like wrist watches that you slip on and they have velcro fasteners so fit all sizes. Amazon have a wide selection.
So, next time you go for a run after work, especially as the nights draw in, make sure you are wearing one of these great little gadgets.
Running With Music
I don’t know about you but music is my beat and keeps my feet going at the right pace, and my body moving. However, there are some situations when you should never run with your music - times you need all your senses to be fully alert. Plugging in your headphones reduces your awareness of your surroundings so please bear these tips in mind.
- Don’t use when running at night. You can’t see as well and that’s when you need to be able to hear what is in front and behind you.
- Any time dogs, cats or even attackers may be a threat - don’t put your headphones in.
- If you’re running along a street that doesn’t have a sidewalk, you don’t always hear bikes or even other runners coming behind you. Always run towards the traffic so you can see vehicles coming towards you.
Take A Self Defense Class
Learning self defense or at least some basic self defense moves will give you a chance to escape if attacked. Learning how to fight back will give you confidence and a better chance of surviving an attack.
Mix Up Your Routes
Have several different routes that you run but don’t always run the same way. Not only is mixing up your route good for your muscles, a variety of scenery is good for the brain. It also means that if someone is watching you, they don’t know which route you will take.
However, if you have to run the same route, change up the time you run. Suggest running sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the evening or on your lunch hour. Changing up your regular time by 15 minutes can make a difference.
There’s also a good article in Shape that’s been written by a former secret service agent (!) that gives you some good advice - check it out.
Post Long Run or Bike Smoothie
Smoothie Recipe
It's almost the weekend and for all of you weekend warriors, that means...LONG RUN or RIDE! It also means that you need to pay particular attention to your post workout nutrition to help repair your muscles and properly prepare your body for your next workout.
Here is one of my favorite smoothies to try :-)
Ingredients for Smoothie
(in no particular order)
- 1 Cup Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 Cup (2oz) 100% Juice
- 3/4 Cup (6oz) Water
- 1 Tsp Spirulina
- 1 Tsp Ground Chia Seeds (or Ground Flax)
- 3/4 Cup (6oz) Yogurt (Greek or Plain)
- 1/2 Scoop (15g) Protein Powder (Plant or Animal)
- 1/3 Banana (fresh or frozen)
Method: Toss it all in a blender (preferably liquids first) and mix it up or about 30 to 60 seconds.
Quick Prepare Tip: Mix all the ingredients except the frozen fruit in your blender cup and store it in the fridge. When you get back from your workout, simply toss the fruit in, blend it and voila! Yummy.
Beeeet it, Beat 'em!
As athletes, we are always looking for ways to become more efficient in our training so why not take advantage of this nutritional "freebie."
One of the benefits of adding beets to your diet (also known as blood turnips, garden beets or red beets), is that they have proven to be one of the best, all-natural performance enhancers for athletes who want to increase their endurance. This is mainly due to their naturally high concentration of nitrates.
Research is still at an early stage but studies have shown that the dietary nitrates in beets when converted to nitric oxide in the body helps to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to your working muscles. Nitrates may also improve how efficiently your muscles process the work being done, meaning less energy is needed to produce the same amount of work, such as the amount of time it takes to get from A to B.
When selecting your vegetable sources, a good rule of thumb to note, is that natural (not a supplement) is always the better choice. Please also keep in mind that beets contain fiber so consuming them before a long workout or a race may not be the best choice until you know how your body will react!
If you aren’t a fan of drinking beetroot juice on its own, you could try one of the beetroot salads found on Allrecipes.com.
You could even try the more portable option of a homemade protein bar recipe made with beets found on PaleOmazing. Intolerant or allergic to milk and/or gluten? This recipe is gluten free and you can replace the whey protein powder with a plant brand if you like! The honey can also be replaced with agave syrup although agave syrup is slightly sweeter than honey but is also less viscous. These bars are great to keep in the freezer for quick on the go snacks.
Ingredients:
- 1 small cooked beet (palm sized)
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- 1⁄4 cup grass-fed whey vanilla protein powder
- 1 tablespoon natural almond or cashew butter or any other nut butter
- 1⁄4 cup almond milk
- 2-3 tablespoons honey
Topping:
- ¼ cup 70-80% dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
From Start to Finish ‹ Cayman Airways Skies
Great article and some tips from our coach here at Triformations if you are on the fence about training for your first triathlon!
Click here to read the full article.