Archive for August 29, 2011

The Triathlon Rx | August 29, 2011
7 comments

Medical Monday // training, racing, medicating

¡Buenos dias chiquitos! Before you leave today, don’t forget to enter the Vital Sox Compression Sleeve / Arm Warmer giveaway! Closes on WEDNESDAY.

Last week, one of my very best friends asked me about taking over the counter medications before a race. She traveled to the land of the Canuks to race Ironman Canada (which was YESTERDAY!!), and was curious if anything she might take would interfere with her race day. With the amount of time one commits to training for an iron distance race, I would definitely agree that you don’t want an OTC medication (or any medication for that matter) to be your downfall. If my race turns into a nightmare, I want it to be because I was undertrained, overtrained, unprepared for the course/weather/competition/whatever. I do NOT want it to be because I took too many Naproxen.

So of course, she innocently asks me a sports science question. And I get excited and respond with a novel. I’ve done some editing of our emails to make sure all bases are covered, and with that I think we’re ready to go!

There are two general categories of meds an athlete would take pre-race: those that cause some sort of anti-inflammatory reaction // and // those that don’t.

Most of you have probably heard the term NSAIDS – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You don’t really need to remember the whole thing – just that the NSAID stands for anti-inflammatory. NSAIDS work to reduce inflammation in the body, help prevent blood clots (thin the blood), can reduce fevers, and blocks the COX enzymes (refrain from jokes – it stands for cyclooxygenase). The COX enzyme is responsible for prostaglandin synthesis, which in turn contributes to inflammation, pain, and fever. We could go into the science and chemistry, but I don’t think that’s what you’re here for. ;) Common medications in this category include:

  • Aspirin
  • Ibuprofin (Advil, Motrin, Midol, Nuprin)
  • Ketoprofen (Orudis-KT)
  • Naproxen Sodium (Naproxen, Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan)
  • Celecoxib (generic of Celebrex. Rx only)

Then there is the category that does not cause an anti-inflammatory reaction. Because inflammation is such a big component of sports injuries… athletes are much less likely to take these on a whim. (Unless of course you were unaware that Tylenol and Advil won’t do the same things for you… in which case, keep on readin’.) ;) Again, a common [but incomplete] list would include:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • opiate agonists (Vicodin, morphine, codeine. Lets hope we’re talkin’ Rx only…)
  • local anesthetics

There are a few that get complicated because they’re multi-ingredient pain killers… Tylenol No. 3 (300 mg acetaminophen, 30 mg codeine), Tylox and Percocet (acetaminophen and oxycodone – different strength combinations), Combunox (400 mg ibuprofen, 5 mg oxycodone), Vicoprofen (200 mg ibuprofen, 7.5 mg hydrocodone). Unless you’re taking any of those or extra curious, I wont go into it. However, I will strongly advocate that everyone should discuss everything they’re taking with their doctor – prescription, OTC, vitamins, supplements, the isht you buy at GNC – everything. It might be fine to take one medication on it’s own, but if your doctor doesn’t know you’re also taking ­­­­_____, you could be talkin’ trouble.

In terms of the effect on performance… the two basic terms to know are ergogenic (performance enhancing) and ergolytic (performance inhibiting). While you will certainly find articles and published research touting ergogenic effects of particular medications, the research is not consistent.

[... One little tangent that I need to throw out there: If you’re not racing pro or collegiate, chances are you’ll never be drug tested. But for the love of God, the sport, and your own health, build a better engine. Don’t inject it with rocket fuel. (Unless you’re talking about Roctane, in which case I fully approve. Pineapple orange please.) Dopers suck. ...]

The biggest thing an everyday athlete would want to watch out for is the [unintentional] heavy-handed use of Aspirin or NSAIDS. As with almost everything in life, moderation is key. Without splitting atoms here, they can affect kidney function -> affects hydration and plasma volume -> dilutes electrolytes -> increases risk of hyponatremia. Keep the M[oderation]-word in mind, make sure you’re supplementing your electrolytes in addition to your fuel stores, and really you should be just fine. :)

So much for a short explanation. When I can actually apply the stuff I’ve learned, I get a little carried away. ;)

Reader Qs:

Do you typically pop an advil pre-race? Pre-training? Or are you one of those people that would rather pull a nail out of your foot with eyebrow tweezers than take medication for something? I am… or at least I used to be. After my less than pleasant encounter with poison ivy earlier this month, I think I’ve softened a bit. Prednisone might make you look like a blowfish, but it makes the itching go away. Thank you Gregor Mendel, Louis Pasteur, James Watson, Francis Crick, Alexander Fleming, and the many more who have contributed to modern medicine. :)

CONGRATULATIONS ON AN AMAZING IRONMAN CANADA FINISH C.C.!! CAN’T WAIT TO CATCH UP WITH YOU WHEN YOU GET HOME!

The end.

-E

Category: Medical Monday | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 24, 2011
14 comments

Macca, TriStar111 Minnesota, and a Giveaway!

THREE THINGS!! All equally important. (OK… TWO may be slightly more important to you than the other one…) Don’t skim this!

1 // MACCA. Chris McCormack. Two-time Ironman World champ. Wheeties box. Yeah… that Macca. He’ll be racing in the U.S.’s first ever TriStar111, which is right here in good ol’ Minnesota. The showdown is this Saturday (August 27th) in Maple Grove at Weaver Lake Park, but Chris McCormack will also be over at Urban Tri on Thursday (Aug. 25th) night from 5:30 – 7:00 for a book signing!!! There will be a limited number (~100) of copies of his new book (“I’m Here to Win”), cold drinks, and chances to win sweet goodies like the Ironman edition Yurbudz. PLUS if you haven’t had the chance yet to check out Urban Tri, you’re killing two birds with one stone. AWESOME shop!! Be there, or be square. More details can be found on Urban Tri’s news page.

2 // I recently took on a little blogging project for the College of Education and Human Development and the Kinesiology department. I know I have some younger readers just entering college, and several have asked about Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, Sports Medicine, the U of MN, etc. Please feel free to check out my U of MN and don’t ever hesitate to ask questions!! Last year I had a girl come with me for a day of practice, classes, and work (HI KRISTEN!) and she is now a ‘U student’ and planning her degree to eventually enter the Doctor of Physical Therapy program!! You can find my UMN blog HERE. :)

 

3 // And last but certainly not least, the GIVEAWAY!! Yeah… I know this is the one you were really looking for. A legitimate Tried It Tuesday review will be coming later, but I thought we’d get to the fun (or more fun) part first. :) Up for grabs is a pair of SWEET Vital Sox arm warmers. <— See awkward photo at left. I want to say the temperature was about 60° when we started that ride. My core temperature overheats easily, but the circulation to my extremities still sucks. Hence the sports bra / arm warmers combination. Or the sports bra / gloves combination that you could likely see me running in around mid October. ANYWAYS, point of story is that the arm warmers rocked. Did their job… never felt too hot, too cold, and more importantly never slipped down my arms. And I can’t forget – big thank you to GEAR Running Store for providing these for the giveaway!! They’re the greatest. :)

WAYS TO WIN THE VITAL SOX ARM WAMRERS:

Each of the following options below counts as “one” entry. You can do just one of the following, or you can do all of them to up your chances. Please leave a separate comment for each thing you do! Giveaway closes one week from today (Wednesday, Aug. 31st) at midnight central time.

  1. Medical Mondays are by far my favorite posts, but I put probably a little too much time into them which is why they don’t go up as often. What is a sports medicine/injury/physiology/etc. topic you’d like covered on a Medical Monday? Leave a comment.
  2. “Like” GEAR Running Store on facebook, or check out their store website and tell me something you learned. (For the record, I don’t actually recall ever saying my quoted tagline on the “People” page…) Leave a comment.
  3. Tweet it (make sure to include @SperlyTriRunner) . Share the link on facebook. Or link the giveaway on your blog. Easy access from the “Share This” links below! ;) Leave a comment.

My papabear is currently visiting from Philly, the SUN is shining, and we’re headed out for coffee. Over n’ out!

-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 23, 2011
11 comments

Tried It Tuesday / Work Out Wednesday: Yoga

Otherwise known as the #FML edition. Let’s backtrack a little…

There are two things are typically considered un-enjoyable by the general public: admitting you’re wrong, and changing your plan. The former can be applied to most everyone, whereas the latter may be more common for the type A’s/stubborn/athletes/redheads. (All of which apply to me. WhoaDamn!!)

If you participated in the 8/19/2011 Friday Confessional, you’ll know that last week I begrudgingly endured one full hour of yoga. My LOOK cleats wouldn’t clip into the Lifetime Fitness spin bikes, and a friend of mine (who could sweet talk his way out of ADX Florence) started to spit his magic. Before I knew it I was in a downward facing dogs, hearing lots of words ending in –sana and –ata… neither of which were covered when I took Medical Terminology. No biggie though – we’ve all played Simon Says. I just did my best to follow along.

* Let’s add a third to the list of “things that are not enjoyed by the general public” – doing things we’re not good at. My flexibility is better than many – I can hit my left leg and center splits like I was still on the gymnastics team. But balance…? Lets just say I won’t be brining home any gold stars. By and large, we don’t like working on our weaknesses, and that can be applied to the sport(s) of triathlon, career life, family life, etc.

(*Balancing rocks? I know… it’s a stretch. I forgot to take photos for this one.)

It was a slow, slow hour, in which I probably checked my watch 45 times. I finished feeling like I wanted to take a nap. And instead of being able to give in to the looming sleepiness, I still had to check off the coaches’ workout for the day.  But is all of that really bad enough to be worthy of the FML status?

No. Until I finished the aforementioned coaches’ workout (an AT tempo ride), and slaughtered it. Average speed over the entire ride (in the city, mostly along river road) was 21.3, with solid sections of 23-24, including plenty of wind. That is a) an a-typical average speed for me, and b) a rare ability to HTFU into the wind.

I’ve been on top of my sleep game for over a year, and can finally say I average 8-9 hours a night. My sports dietitian has been doing an amazing job with my fueling and meal plans, and it finally feels dialed in and on point. Although I’ve been busy, life is really good right now, with stress is at a minimum. The only changed variable was the dirty four letter word: yoga.

Which brings me back to the three things most people don’t enjoy doing:

  1. Admitting I might be am wrong about yoga.
  2. Incorporating it into the weekly training plan. Something my coach had on my schedule at least 1x/week for TWO YEARS, over which time I maybe did it once.
  3. Working hard on the weaknesses: balance.

When I frame this third point in terms of general triathlon training, it seems like a wonderfully obvious idea. Balance is a key component of injury prevention, maintaining proper form, and delaying fatigue. But when I think of it as “I should do yoga do get better at balance…” I get the Mr. Yuck face. You’ll see me reporting back on this little experiment and how it’s going over the next few months. My starting goal will be 1x/week – preferably in class vs. at home because I feel like it does a better job of holding me accountable.

Reader Qs:

Do you do yoga? Is it your primary gig or a supplement to your ______ training? How do you feel it benefits you? How often do you do it?

-E

Category: Tried It Tuesday, Workout Wednesday | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 19, 2011
5 comments

Friday Confessionals // 08.19.11

I need to apologize for falling off the face of the planet… I was so excited to be done with classes, had about a day’s worth of relaxation, and then BAM was slammed with work. C’est la vie, right? You gotta bring home a paycheck if you want to eat. (OK, let’s be real. I can eat ramen for three meals a day. I am saving for grad school and a special bike*.)

Anyways… I thought I could at least take 30 minutes and pop out a quick Friday Confessional. I don’t need to embarrass myself too much, but it has been a rather entertaining week. If you don’t know how to play, check the 101 and then come on back. Game time!

(1) I did yoga. For an HOUR. If you know me in real life, your jaw might be on the floor right now. Don’t get me wrong – I have absolutely nothing against it or anyone who does it, but yoga has always been like this dirty four letter word to me. WHY did I do yoga then? I brought new shoes to spin on Tuesday, and they wouldn’t clip in. Instead of going downstairs and doing XT like I wanted to, two of my buddies dragged coerced me into the yoga studio. I don’t know if I’ve ever looked at my watch more times in one hour. The worst part of this whole story? My ride later that afternoon was awesome. Ridiculously fast, and even with lots of wind which is usually my downfall. The only difference was the yoga. ⠋ ⠥ ⠉ ⠅!! (There’s the braille for you Mr. James…) I might finally need to give in and do it once a week.

(2) Had my first (in a long time) can’t drive home moment. Actually… maybe my first ever. All those other times were in situations where I a) lived in a city with a subway, b) was not the driver anyways, c) was within walking distance. I’m all for having a good time, but my motto has always been that you should stay within your means. Did anyone hear about the US ski team guy who “urinated next to an 11 year old” on a Jet Blue flight? After having a couple EIGHT cocktails? Yeah. So I was in NO WHERE near that condition… but it was a good call to not drive home. I know you were being generous Mr. HotToddieBartender, but 3 oz. of gin is not the equivalent one drink

(3) I didn’t swim from July 21st to August 14th. So much for consistency! I posted a Medical Monday about my EMG and my pinched ulnar nerve, and that pretty much prevented me from keeping the fingers on my left hand closed. Understandably, that made swimming a little difficult. On the 15th I got in a CHOPPY open water swim, and yesterday I got in a solid 3,000 with ZERO left hand weakness. Fingers crossed that I’m in the green blue. :)

There was another incident involving a yellow jacket down my sports bra while riding aero and flashing an entire baseball diamond (and team/fans/parents) while trying to get it out, but that one’s pretty self explanatory. Umm…. any other blushing moments? Yes. But I’m going to save a little dignity and cut it at that… ;)

Reader Qs:

YOUR TURN!!

-E

p.s. Please don’t think I’m kidding… it is taking me FOREVER to get through this Tried It Tuesday review because it has SO MUCH information!! Maybe I should stop short and just take a picture and say it’s awesome. But I feel obligated to do a more in depth review. So yes, it’s coming. If you’re looking for any more Dr.TriRunner writing, you can check out my post from yesterday at Groucho Sports: Strength Training for Cyclists (/Triathletes). Also, I am officially blogging for the College of Education and Human Development and the Kinesiology program at the U of MN. Any other collegiate triathletes out there? Anyone high school seniors looking at schools? You can check out that blog here!!

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 12, 2011
7 comments

Friday Confessional // 08.12.11

Taking a break from the usual… and you get a video!! Be back with some fun stuff next week, including a book review, and a [IMO] pretty sweet Thoughts on a Thursday. (I started writing it last Thursday… but asi es la vida.)

Enjoy!

Additions to the Friday Confessions…

  • My hip feels like $#!&. End of story.
  • That being said… I had a kind of “good” run today. Good, meaning sorta fast. But still hurt like…
  • I’ve been driving around in a VW that sounds like a motor boat for a good while now. I apologize to anyone and everyone on my block who has heard me leaving to practice at 5:30 in the morning, and heard my engine start like a roaring lion. You can thank my less-$937 bank account for the quiet mornings to ensue.

Reader Qs:

This is still a Friday Confessional. You know how to play. (What? No? Read the 101.)

-E

 

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 11, 2011
No comments

Thoughts on a Thursday // Poison Ivy…

… really blows.

As I sit here, trying not to itch, I thought I’d share my post from today over at Groucho Sports. I’m sure you’ll understand why there are no personal photos. ;) This is definitely good for any athletes who spend the majority of their sweating-hours outside of a gym!

Check it out HERE.

Happy Thursday!!

-E

p.s. Sorry for the little absence. I finally finished up my month long physics class, and have definitely taken the last seven days to RELAX! Including a weekend getaway to Duluth, a race, lots of riding, and lots of BBQ. Summer is going too fast!

Category: Thoughts on a Thursday | Tags:
The Triathlon Rx | August 5, 2011
8 comments

Friday Confessional // 08.05.11

Yesterday I was wandering around Target, and found myself literally cracking up in the deodorant isle thinking about a post my buddy Steve did a few weeks ago for his “Funny Friday”. (Check it out yourself if you’re wondering why I’m posting about deodorant….) Seriously?? These are the scents… of just ONE brand:

  • Pure Sport
  • After Hours
  • Aqua Reef
  • Swagger
  • Matterhorn  (!?!?!?)
  • Fiji
  • Denali
  • Game Day
  • Pacific Surge (maybe this is different than aqua reef. Are there reefs in the pacific?)
  • Fresh
  • Show Time

Unless Fiji is referring to the smell of a Fiji apple… (oh wait, no. That’s FUJI. And it didn’t smell like an apple anyways – I checked.) then I’m pretty sure none of these are actually scents. Well… maybe Game Day. But have you ever been in a hockey locker room on game day? Smelling like that is not my goal. And if you’re trying to hit it off with the ladies… I recommend it not be yours either. ;)

Since Funny Fridays are Steve’s thing… and I’ve been running my Friday Confessionals… I’ll keep with the tradition and give you one: I bought the Old Spice Pure Sport. Actually… I wear men’s deodorant pretty frequently. When given the choice of smelling like I have a rose bush growing out of my axilla (does anyone else hate the word armpit?) or smelling like … clean? Maybe I’m crazy. But men’s deodorant always typically smells more clean to me.

In a few hours, I’ll be taking off to Duluth for the 25th annual Brewhouse Triathlon. Nope… this girl is not racing. But I will be an elite spectator and super fan. If anyone else is racing Brewhouse, make sure to let me know so I can be on the lookout for you and snap some photos!

Reader Qs:

  • Men’s or women’s deodorant?
  • Who’s doing Brewhouse, or any other race this weekend? Good luck!!
  • I know this is a somewhat untraditional Friday Confessional… but feel free to get it off your chest. ;)

Have a great weekend!!

-E

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 4, 2011
9 comments

Thoughts on a Thursday // Bikes & Baseball

(For those of you that follow my Groucho Sports posts on Thursdays… you get a week off! Hope no one minds the crossover posting, but I definitely felt like this one was worth sharing in both places. Check over there next week for something new. LET’S GO TWINS!!)

There is one thing in this world (/state) that I love with a burning passion. One thing I’m willing to buy fan-gear for, put on body paint, cheer until I lose my voice, and maybe even lose my temper over. (If you want to argue with me, claiming we lost the first series against the Royals, make sure you know your stats first. For the record, we beat them in all 4 games in June.)

Yeah – I can get a little emotional.

So imagine my response when I went to my first game of the season, to see the bike racks surrounding Twins stadium OVERLFLOWING with bikes. Big bikes. Little bikes. Bikes with a tag-a-long attached. I even saw one really sweet bike with race wheels on it (note that I am not commenting on the stupidity lack of thought on the part of the owner…). There were so many bikes that people were locking up on railings, trees, and light posts! It was AWESOME.

(Target Field Bicycle Routes & Parking Map – click for full size!)

Although that might make it sound like Target Field doesn’t have enough racks, I definitely want to commend them on their support and encouragement for human-powered transportation to the games. Truthfully, there is a lot of bike parking, which just means that there are a lot of people riding to the game! The Twins’ MLB site even has a page dedicated to “Getting to Target Field by Bike or Foot” which not only has this sweet bike route/parking map, but also information about walking routes, the downtown Skyway system, and the Cedar Lake Trail.

And speaking of the Cedar Lake Trail, please tell me you’ve ridden the new extension!! It runs underneath Target Field, connecting the existing Cedar Lake Trail with the Mississippi River! No more wandering your way through downtown, questioning whether you’re going left or east or on your way to Wisconsin. Ignore the ugly white stuff in the photo below… but YES that trail goes right under the stadium!!

Much unlike last year, I’m slacking on my home-game attendance this season. I’ve been to only four games so far, compared with over three times as many in 2010. But mark my words – I will be attending at least three more games, and I will bike to the stadium. I don’t know if I could imagine a more perfect day…

What about you? Have you ever biked to a Twins Game? Do you frequently ride for transportation, or is it just for fitness? Either way, it can definitely help you towards your weekly 100 miles!

Ride on!

-E

Category: Thoughts on a Thursday | Tags: , ,