0 CrossFit For Triathletes: Get Stronger and Faster

Like it or not, us triathletes operate in a fairly narrow, specialised range.  Our training is designed to move us through the swim, run and ride in the most efficient way possible.  If you're training for Ironman 70.3 or Ironman events, you may not even be worried about how fast you cover the ground, concentrating on just building the endurance necessary to simply survive 12 or so hours of torture.

An unfortunate side effect of this concentration on covering miles and building volume is the loss of speed, and in some cases strength.  No matter how far you run or ride, you may very well finding your performance plateauing as your body adapts to the consistent running, cycling and swimming.  Adding more volume can often just lead to overuse injuries.

A relatively new, and increasingly popular, addition to many triathletes training regime is CrossFit.  Designed to increase conditioning and strength, CrossFit's combination of weight lifting, resistance and explosive movements can help stagnating endurance athletes get faster and stronger without compromising their ability to "go long".

As a busy person, I can appreciate the real benefits to my performance that are packed into a short CrossFit session.  Most of the "real" training that I do involves a two-three hour time commitment that is not always possible in a modern professional's life.  An intense, blistering circuit of exercises could be just the thing that I, and many others, need to spice up a mundane training regimen.

Staying healthy is an additional benefit of CrossFit to endurance athletes.  A focus on core strength and whole body conditioning add not only stability and improved posture, but also help to prevent injuries that often result from the body's response to a weak core.  Back, lower leg and other common triathlete injuries can be avoided through an improvement in core strength.  Strengthened back and shoulder muscles aid in swimming, cycling and obviously in the run leg of any event.

If you are constantly getting injured, trying to get faster, or just looking for a bit of variety in your training, maybe you should look into CrossFit.

0 Injury! What Now?

I'm injured. I pushed too hard, and ignored a couple of small niggles (against my own advice).  A couple of weeks ago I had reached that magical level of fitness where you feel invincible.  You are energised, strong, fast and feel as if you can run all day.  I smashed a half-marathon PR on Saturday and then my 10km PR on the Monday.  A week later, and I couldn't run at all.  Shin splints, and a disturbingly painful left ankle had brought my quest for world domination to a screaming halt.

Faced with my own physical frailty, and robbed of my regular fix of exercise induced euphoria, I've found myself struggling to stay positive, healthy and motivated.  Here are some of the key things that I've been forcefully reminded about managing your fitness whilst injured:

• Nobody is bulletproof - You will be injured at some point in your life.  Accept it now and it will save you a lot of time, pain and frustration when it happens.
• You don't need that chocolate - Initially I struggled to adapt my eating to my new, more sedentary, lifestyle.  I was still wanting to eat lots of carbs and had to be very careful of my weight now that I wasn't burning heaps of calories every day.  Be conscious of your food intake if you activity levels change.
• It's not the end of the world - When I realised I wasn't going to be able to run for a while, I almost immediately found myself feeling a bit depressed.  Without my daily sweatfest, I was really struggling to find motivation to get up and about.  I wasn't depressed in the clinical sense, or in need of medication, but I definitely felt down.  It's really critical that you maintain your positivity.  You will get better.
• Stay active - In 99.9% of cases, there will be plenty of exercises and activities that you'll be able to substitute into your exercise regime.  For me, it was more swimming, pilates and gym weights.  Whilst I couldn't run, or even ride hard, I was able to get plenty of quality fitness work done in place of those more high impact sports.
• See a professional - If you think you've injured yourself, go to a Sports Physio asap.  A good physio, in conjunction with a tailored rehab plan, will get you up to speed again a lot faster than doing it yourself.

Remember, you don't need to go to pieces just because your body does.  Stay positive, see a physio and adapt your training to suit your needs.

0 Look After Yourself. Knowing When You've Had Enough Exercise

Pushing yourself hard is the best way to see improvement in your mental and physical conditioning.  Nothing beats the satisfied, warm feeling you get after a strong week of hard training.  Whilst you need to keep challenging yourself, it's very important that you know when it's time to take a break.  Pushing your body to far will almost always result in an injury or illness that will set your training back further than you might think.


As I've mentioned before, rest and recovery are the most important part of any training regime.  Your body needs time to repair damaged muscles and overcome built up fatigue.  Without adequate sleep (at least 7 or 8 hours a night), and regular rest days (where you do nothing), you will find yourself feeling worn out and your body will begin to let you down.  Injuries are all to often brought on, or exacerbated, by a lack of sufficient recovery time.


In order to provide the power you need for training and racing, your body needs the right kinds of fuel.  Make sure you are eating regular healthy meals.  Fuels that release energy over an extended period are better suited to your needs, and will prevent you from feeling hungry between meals.  Your body will be burning through it's stored energy at a much faster rate, so make sure you are getting enough, healthy, low fat food to sustain you.  There are a million different diets out there, but the bottom line is be sensible.  You know which foods are good for you and which aren't.  Indulge in the unhealthy ones every now and then if you want to, but try to be consistent with the healthy foods.


The most important thing to remember is to listen to your body.  If you feel too tired to work out, take a rest day.  A niggle can turn into a much more serious injury if you try to ignore it and "push through the pain".  I am currently recovering from an annoyingly persistent bout of shin splints that would no doubt be more prolonged if I had kept running as frequently as I have been. 

If you are feeling worn down after a period of sustained training, give yourself a couple of days off, or re-energise yourself by mixing up your training.  If you are swimming and riding on a regular basis, add a trail run, weights session or a spin class to your training.  You'll not only get the benefits of cross-training, but you will find you remain motivated to train longer and find it easier to get out of bed in the morning.  Your brain is just as important in the training process as your muscles, so keep it interested with variety.  Just as we get bored of the same diet or repetitive task, we need to continually vary our training.

0 Shin Splints. What Causes Them and How To Get Rid of Them

Shin splints.  If you run on the road regularly or play high intensity sport, you'll more than likely experience this annoying, pain in the front of your lower leg.  More formally known as Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), is a common, and potentially debilitating injury that plagues many runners. 

Symptoms vary in intensity, from a vague discomfort or tightness in your shin area, up to sharp, recurring stabbing pains that hit every time you take a step.  Bad cases can even lead to stress fractures that will keep you off your feet completely if not treated properly.

Last week I noticed that I was sore in my right shin after running, and have decided that a few weeks off the unforgiving concrete might be a good idea.  I don't want to spend the next three months trying to overcome a chronic injury, so I've backed off my running and increased my cycling and swimming volume to compensate.

Without going into excessive detail, I'll outline some of the causes and a couple of suggested treatments to get you back on your feet again.

In simple terms, "shin splints" is a bucket term for damage to the connective muscle and tissues surrounding the tibia.  More severe cases are sometimes referred to as "compartments syndrome".  

The main causes of Shin Splints are:

• Overuse: Running a lot on hard surfaces (concrete), or ramping up your volume quickly is a frequent cause.  Your legs just get pounded and due to the short recovery times, they become damaged.
• Shoes: Running with old shoes, or shoes that are not suited to your gait, are a potential trigger for shin splints.  You should be changing your shoes every 500 - 600kms or so, and having them professionally fitted by a reputable running shoe specialist.
• Poor biomechanics: Inefficient running technique, overpronation, or poor core strength can all lead to a higher than normal strain on your lower leg muscles that can cause shin splints.

Some advice on curing Shin Splints:

• Cross-train: Mix up your weekly routine and include more cycling, swimming or even Pilates.  The strengthening of your core, and legs, without the heavy impact of running will make your body more resilient.
• Hit The Track: If you need to keep running, try to find a more forgiving surface like a trail or rubberised track for your workouts.  Running on a track will reduce the amount of shock transmitted to your legs.
• Shoes: Get good quality shoes, fitted by a professional.  It will make the world of difference.  A properly fitted shoe will not only provide you the necessary cushioning, but also help to correct any overpronation that may be causing your muscles to overstretch in the front of your legs.
• Stretch, Stretch, Stretch: You should be warming up properly and making sure you stretch your calves, ankles thoroughly before AND after every run.  Tight calves are a well known cause of shin splints.  Taking the time to stretch will save you a lot of pain in the long run.
• Ice: Icing your shins after every run, or better yet taking an ice bath, will reduce any inflammation and aid your recovery.
• Rest: If you're in pain, your body is telling you that something is wrong.  Give it some time to recover with a well earned rest day every now and then.

Shin splints are a painful, annoying condition that can seriously derail your training.  The good news  is that you can do a lot to prevent the onset of shin splints, and if you're unlucky enough to suffer from them, to get rid of them as quickly as possible!

0 The Day of Rest

When you are training a lot, it is really easy to get obsessed with exercise and to try and "do something" every day.

After a few small niggles that turned into more serious injuries because I ignored them and kept training, I've come to realise the very real value of doing nothing sometimes.

I woke up this morning sore.  After a half marathon, a 5K effort and some hill climbs in the last few days it's not surprising really. Lying in bed my quads felt like they'd been kicked.  My calves are tight and I just generally feel a little run down.  So I went back to sleep.

The science is clear.  We get fitter, faster when we take some down time every now and then.  Abused muscle fibres re-knit and the restorative power of sleep do wonders for mind and body.  As a busy person, I do the majority of my training at "stupid o'clock" in the morning.  Coupled with a busy job, a young family, and some late night TV coverage of cycling, it means that I am certainly not getting 8 hours sleep at night.  That makes recovery days even more important.

Whilst it can sometimes feel that you are going to fall behind your training plan, or that you are missing out on an opportunity to put in some miles, you're actually just giving your body the preparation it needs to smash your next workout and go to the next level.

Your body will tell you when it's time to rest.  Ignore it at your peril.  Now for some pancakes... :-)