“Human physiology is affected in different ways at high altitude. In general, the various systems of the human body—pulmonary, cardiovascular, endocrine, skeletal muscles—respond and adjust in an effort to provide enough oxygen to survive in the hypoxic environment of high altitude. Some of these life-supporting physiological responses may also enhance athletic performance, particularly in endurance sports.

Hematological
The scientific rationale for using altitude training for the enhancement of aerobic performance is based on the body’s response to changes in the partial pressure of inspired oxygen (PIO2) and the partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood (PaO2). PIO2 at sea level is equal to 149 mmHg. At Mexico City (2300 m, 7544 ft), PIO2 drops to approximately 123 mmHg. At the summit of Mt. Everest (8852 m, 29,035 ft), PIO2 is approximately 50 mmHg or only about 30% of sea level PIO2.

Because of the altitude-induced decrease in PIO2, there is a decrease in PaO2, which leads to a drop in renal PaO2 and renal tissue oxygenation (Ou et al. 1998; Richalet et al. 1994). It is hypothesized that this reduction in renal tissue oxygenation stimulates the synthesis and release of erythropoietin (EPO) (Porter and Goldberg 1994; Richalet et al. 1994), the principal hormone that regulates erythrocyte (RBC) and hemoglobin production. In turn, an increase in serum EPO concentration stimulates the synthesis of new RBCs in the red bone marrow by promoting the cellular growth of immature erythrocytes, specifically the colony-forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E). Erythropoietin receptors are present on the surface of CFU-E. Binding of EPO to CFU-E receptors initiates the production of cellular transcription factors, synthesis of membrane and cytoskeletal proteins, synthesis of heme and hemoglobin, and the terminal differentiation of cells (Bell 1996). The RBC maturation process takes five to seven days from the initial altitude-induced increase in serum EPO (Bell 1996; Flaharty et al. 1990).

These hematological changes may significantly improve an athlete’s V·O2max by enhancing the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen to exercising muscles. It has been shown that improvements in RBC mass, hemoglobin concentration, and V·O2max enhance aerobic performance (Berglund and Ekblom 1991; Birkeland et al. 2000; Ekblom and Berglund 1991). Essentially, many athletes and coaches view altitude training as a natural or legal method of blood doping.

Research by Chapman, Stray-Gundersen, and Levine (1998) suggests that some athletes experience a better hematological response at altitude than others do. Female and male collegiate runners who completed either LHTL or traditional “live high, train high” altitude training were classified as responders or nonresponders based on their performance in a postaltitude 5-km run. On average, responders demonstrated a significant 4% improvement (37 s) in the postaltitude 5-km run versus their prealtitude performance; nonresponders were approximately 1% slower (14 s). Hematological data showed that responders had a significantly larger increase in serum EPO (52%) compared with nonresponders, who demonstrated a 34% increase in serum EPO. Similarly, postaltitude RBC mass for responders was 8% higher (p < 0.05), but nonresponders’ RBC mass was only 1% higher (not statistically significant) compared with prealtitude values. A breakdown of responders indicated that 82% came from the LHTL group, and 18% came from the “live high, train high” group. The authors concluded that each athlete may need to follow an altitude training program that places the athlete at an individualized, optimal altitude for living and another altitude for training, thereby producing the best possible hematological response.

Skeletal Muscle
As described, the primary reason endurance athletes train at altitude is to increase RBC mass and hemoglobin concentration. In addition, they may gain secondary physiological benefits as a result of altitude exposure. For example, altitude training has been shown to increase skeletal muscle capillarity (Desplanches et al. 1993; Mizuno et al. 1990). In theory, this physiological adaptation enhances the exercising muscles’ ability to extract oxygen from the blood.

Other favorable skeletal muscle microstructure changes that occur as a result of training at altitude include increased concentrations of myoglobin (Terrados et al. 1990), increased mitochondrial oxidative enzyme activity (Terrados et al. 1990), and a greater number of mitochondria (Desplanches et al. 1993), all of which serve to enhance the rate of oxygen utilization and aerobic energy production.

Nevertheless, scientific data in support of altitude-induced skeletal muscle adaptations are minimal, particularly among well-trained athletes. Only Mizuno and colleagues (1990) examined elite athletes; Desplanches and colleagues (1993) and Terrados and colleagues (1990) examined the effect of altitude training on the skeletal muscle characteristics of untrained individuals. Additional studies conducted on elite athletes failed to demonstrate significant changes in skeletal muscle microstructure caused by altitude training (Saltin et al. 1995; Terrados et al. 1988). Furthermore, Desplanches and colleagues (1993) conducted their study at impractical simulated elevations (4100 to 5700 m, 13,450 to 18,700 ft), an altitude too high for athletes to train at. Thus, based on the current scientific literature, it is unclear whether altitude training, as practiced by most elite athletes at moderate elevations of 1800 to 3050 m (6000 to 10,000 ft) improves oxygen extraction and utilization via favorable changes in skeletal muscle capillarity, myoglobin, mitochondrial oxidative enzyme activity, and mitochondrial density. Additional research is warranted.

Another important physiological adaptation that may occur as a result of exposure to moderate altitude is an improvement in the capacity of the skeletal muscle and blood to buffer the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+). High concentrations of H+ are known to contribute to skeletal muscle fatigue by impairing actin-myosin crossbridge cycling, reducing the sensitivity of troponin for calcium (Ca2+) and inhibiting the enzyme phosphofructokinase (PFK) (McComas 1996). Thus, an enhanced H+ buffering capacity may have a beneficial effect on aerobic and anaerobic performance.

In support of this, Mizuno and colleagues (1990) reported a significant 6% increase in the buffering capacity of the gastrocnemius muscle of elite male cross-country skiers who lived at 2100 m (6890 ft) and trained at 2700 m (8860 ft) for 14 days. Significant improvements in maximal O2 deficit (29%) and treadmill run time to exhaustion (17%) were observed after the athletes returned to sea level. In addition, a positive correlation (r = 0.91, p < 0.05) was demonstrated between the relative increase in buffering capacity of the gastrocnemius muscle and treadmill run time to exhaustion.

Gore and colleagues (2001) reported that skeletal muscle buffer capacity increased 18% (p < 0.05) in male triathletes, cyclists, and cross-country skiers following 23 days of living at 3000 m (9840 ft) and training at 600 m (1970 ft). Furthermore, they found that mechanical efficiency significantly improved during a 4 3 4-min submaximal cycling test following the 23-day LHTL period.

The precise mechanisms responsible for enhanced skeletal muscle buffering capacity following high altitude training are unclear but may be related to changes in creatine phosphate and/or muscle protein concentrations (Mizuno et al. 1990). Improvements in blood buffering capacity may be due to increases in bicarbonate (Nummela and Rusko 2000) or hemoglobin concentration.

It all starts with base training. Marc Evans writes about base training in Triathlete’s Edge. The following is an excerpt from his book reprinted here with permission from Human Kinetics.

“The ability to compete at peak athletic levels depends first and foremost on the athlete’s base preparation. A concentrated base is the foundation, core, and framework that best performances rely on. Base preparation includes exercising at low intensities for long durations—the building blocks used to construct the higher intensity efforts that come later. Dryland training (strength, core, flexibility) plays a chief role in base preparation training to comprehensively prepare the triathlete.

Too many triathletes want to get to the more intense work and neglect this important training. As I like to say, “The bigger the base, the better you’ll race.” Base training is the most important training and preparation part of the season.

As noted in chapter 6, the base preparation period of training picks up from active restoration and includes 16 weeks of foundational work in endurance, strength, flexibility, and technique. The general benefits of base preparation training include the following:

* Develops sport-specific aerobic endurance
* Develops strength, flexibility, neuromuscular coordination, and technique
* Strengthens connective tissue
* Increases the number of mitochondria and capillaries within the muscles
* Increases blood volume
* Enhances glycogen storage and capacity
* Decreases resting HR and increases stroke volume

These benefits are achieved by meeting the objectives of the phase, which include:

1. Assessing current fitness
2. Gradually increasing aerobic capacity and endurance (oxygen consumption)
3. Adding to core and maximal muscle strength
4. Progressively overloading and building up workout frequency, volume, and intensity
5. Promoting neurological development of proper technique patterns to improve economy
6. Training with drills to improve flexibility and coordination (technical exercises)
7. Managing nutrition and rest
8. Transitioning (aerobic/stamina) to bike-to-run workouts of longer duration and low intensity

Base preparation begins by assessing and establishing the athlete’s current baseline fitness and from there establishing short-term, midrange, and long-range goals. I use a battery of pretests to determine an athlete’s swimming, cycling, and running fitness. This is followed by another or several periodic retests to evaluate progress throughout this phase. These tests help define the direction of the training plan by establishing objective training benchmarks, which can be repeated over time. From these benchmarks, an athlete can better establish realistic goals that will give their training and racing a sense of purpose and direction.”

Peter Jannsen answers many of these questions in his book, “Lactate Threshold Training.” An excerpt follows that will likely wet your appetite to learn more about how it can help your racing.

“The lactate content of the blood is a parameter of great importance. This content is measured in millimoles of lactate per liter of blood. Healthy persons at rest have values roughly between 1 and 2 millimoles per liter, and strenuous exercise increases this value. Even slight increases in lactate content (6 to 8 millimoles per liter) may impair an athlete’s coordination. Regularly high lactate values impair aerobic endurance capacity.

THE LACTATE CURVE
For this reason, athletes should be prudent with the number of intensive workloads they undergo in a certain period of time. The workload intensities needed for various workouts can be determined by means of the lactate curve. Graph 89 shows the relationship between lactate content of the blood and the intensity of exercise. Intensity is expressed as running pace in meters per second.

To obtain a lactate curve, the athlete should run the same distance a number of times, each time at a higher pace. After every run, determine the lactate concentration in the blood. Every distance should be run at an even pace, and the running pace should be increased in small steps. The length of the run should be such that the athlete needs at least 5 minutes to cover the distance. When well-trained athletes run slowly, they have low lactate values; their energy supplies are fully aerobic. When the pace is increased, the curve begins to rise; the working muscles do produce lactate, but the quantities are so small that, for the most part, they can be neutralized by the body. It is a widespread belief that this is the case between 2 and 4 millimoles per liter. Therefore, this area is called the aerobic-anaerobic transition zone.

Each athlete can maintain a certain running pace for a long period of time without lactate accumulation in the body. If the pace is increased to a certain point, ongoing acidosis will occur, depending on the degree and duration of the increase, and at a certain moment this acidosis will force the athlete to stop. The lactate content that is measured at this borderline pace is also called the anaerobic threshold. The anaerobic threshold value is around a lactate content of 4 millimoles per liter. Exercise surpassing the anaerobic threshold will inevitably increase lactate content within the body.

Thus, exercise up to this level of the aerobic threshold is fully aerobic. Lactate content at the aerobic threshold is about 2 millimoles per liter. Exercise within the aerobic-anaerobic transition zone is more intensive, and energy supply is both aerobic and anaerobic. Production and neutralization of lactate are balanced. This zone is between 2 and 4 millimoles per liter.

The anaerobic threshold occurs when exercise at a high intensity results in an accumulation of lactate in the blood. Therefore, this type of exercise can be maintained for a limited period of time. But at an intensity just below the anaerobic threshold, this lactate content can be kept at a steady-state level, and this type of exercise may be maintained for a longer period of time, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

Lactate content at the anaerobic threshold is for many athletes about 4 millimoles per liter, but there are wide individual variations among athletes. Anaerobic threshold can be as low as 2 to 3 millimoles per liter or as high as 6 to 8 millimoles per liter. By drawing a lactate curve for every athlete, the anaerobic threshold can be found and subsequently used to set training intensities. The best way to find the anaerobic threshold is to determine maximal lactate steady state (MLSS), which is discussed elsewhere in the book.

Endurance capacity can best be trained by endurance workouts around the level of the anaerobic threshold, that is, workouts with lactate values of 2 to 6 millimoles per liter. These values may be determined according to the athlete’s test results. Very well-trained people mostly train their endurance capacity at somewhat lower values, between 2 and 3 millimoles per liter. Less well-trained persons often cannot help but peak to higher levels. They then surpass their anaerobic threshold and make their workouts less effective. Though they often feel satisfied with a strenuous workout, this type of workout does more damage than good.

The threshold pace is the speed that corresponds with the anaerobic threshold. Above the anaerobic threshold this speed can be maintained for a short period of time, but below the threshold it can be maintained 1 to 1.5 hours. The threshold pace, the running or cycling speed at the heart rate deflection point (HRdefl), is also called the V4 pace, as discussed in chapter 3. However, the term V4 is somewhat misleading, because many athletes have an anaerobic threshold over or under 4 millimoles per liters. For example, an athlete with an anaerobic threshold of 6 millimoles per liter could be said to have a threshold pace of V6.

Sport-specific performance capacity could be defined as the speed that is reached at a lactate content of 4 millimoles per liter, or V4. V4 is an important indicator of the athlete’s capacities. Any improvement of V4 pace will also improve performance capacity. Regular V4 tests indicate the athlete’s condition, so athletes can be monitored in their development and can be mutually compared. But remember that V4 is not the threshold pace for everybody, because many athletes have an anaerobic threshold under or over 4 millimoles per liter. Therefore, it might be better to test MLSS than V4.

Recovery workouts should not be intensive, and lactate content should remain less than 2 millimoles per liter. Intensive interval workouts give high lactate values, far surpassing 4 millimoles per liter. The effect of training will be that the lactate curve shifts to the right, as shown in graph 90.

Therefore, training intensities should be readjusted from time to time, and a new test procedure with blood sampling will be necessary. Not every athlete has access to blood testing, but other methods can supply the same or at least the most important information. All these other methods of finding the anaerobic threshold are discussed elsewhere in this book.”

Periodization is the science of peaking for any athletic event for any athlete. Periodization Training For Sports is the book I recommend - a terrific read and 2nd edition has information for triathlon.

“The knee is the largest and most complex joint in the body. Given the enormous stresses to which it is subjected during running, it is natural that knee injuries are common among runners. The potentially debilitating consequences of a knee injury reinforce the need for a focus on prevention.

Knee overuse injuries include patellofemoral pain syndrome (kneecap pain), meniscus wear and tear, tendinitis conditions both above and below the kneecap, bursitis, and loose bodies in the knee.

Overuse knee injuries are usually caused by excessive running, but can be caused by intrinsic risk factors such as poor conditioning or muscle imbalances, and anatomical abnormalities such as a difference in leg length, abnormalities in hip rotation or the position of the kneecap, bow legs, knock knees, or flat feet.

Knee function depends on the highly complex interaction among a number of the surrounding muscles. The most important actions are performed by the quadriceps (straightening) and hamstrings (bending) in the front and back of the thigh, respectively.

Imbalances in strength or flexibility between the quadriceps or hamstrings can predispose the runner to a common overuse knee injury called patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is usually caused by the kneecap tracking improperly in its groove at the front of the bottom of the thighbone. Often, this problem is caused by the excessive tightness of the hamstring muscles in back of the thigh compared to the quadriceps muscles in front of the thigh. In such circumstances, the quadriceps cannot maintain the proper straight-ahead alignment of the lower and upper leg when the person runs; as a result, the lower leg “spins out” during the running cycle, which in turn causes excessive stress to the outer side of the kneecap.

Another common imbalance within the quadriceps muscle group in the front of the thigh, between the outer quadriceps muscle (vastus lateralis) and the inner quadriceps muscle (vastus medialis), can also cause kneecap problems. These two muscles run down either side of the front of the thigh and attach to the kneecap. Part of their role is to stabilize the kneecap. When one side is stronger than the other, the kneecap can be pulled to one side when the person runs. Since runners frequently have comparatively stronger, tighter outer quadriceps muscles than inner quadriceps muscles, the kneecap can be pulled to the outer side. This mechanism is a common cause of patellofemoral pain syndrome in runners.

Tightness in the iliotibial band - a thick, wide band of muscle-tendon tissue running down the outside of the thigh from the hip to just below the knee - is the underlying cause of one of the most prevalent overuse injuries of the knee in runners, a condition known as iliotibial band friction syndrome.

Anatomical abnormalities are the second most common intrinsic risk factor. Several are closely associated with overuse knee injuries in runners:

* Flat feet, or feet that excessively turn inward (pronate) when the person runs - Inward rotation of the lower leg causes the kneecap to track improperly (see page 11).
* Knock knees - Excessive inward angling at the point where the thigh and lower leg meet (Q angle) causes the runner’s weight to be borne on the inside of the knee; an angle of greater than 10 degrees in men and 15 degrees in women is said to predispose that person to knee problems if he or she participates in a rigorous running regimen (see page 13).
* Bow legs - Greater distance over which the iliotibial band must stretch over the outside of the leg may cause tightness at the point where the iliotibial band crosses over the outside of the knee joint (iliotibial band friction syndrome; see page 13).
* Unequal leg length - In the longer leg, the greater distance over which the iliotibial band must stretch may cause inflammation in this tissue over the outside of the knee, perhaps causing iliotibial band friction syndrome (see pages 14-15).
* Turned-in thighbones - Inward-facing kneecaps characteristic of people with this abnormality may cause tracking problems in the kneecap (see page 12).
* Loose kneecaps, high-riding kneecaps (more often seen in very tall people), shallow femoral groove (the groove at the bottom of the thighbone in which the kneecap lies is too shallow) - All three of these anatomical abnormalities can cause the kneecap to track improperly, sometimes so severely that the kneecap completely slips in and out of its proper position (subluxation).
* “Miserable malalignment syndrome” - The combination of thighs that turn inward from the hip, knock knees, and flat feet can cause many problems.

Extrinsic risk factors associated with overuse knee injuries usually involve training errors, inappropriate workout structure, and improper footwear. “

This an appropriate excerpt for this time of year as your body has adapted to training and your mind wonders about the race. It’s an excerpt from Timothy Noakes’, The Lore Of Running.” If you’ve ever read or browsed the book you know it is a THOROUGH book on everything running.

“Controlling Emotion
It is well documented in psychology texts that there are seven basic emotions: joy, sadness, anger, love, fear, shame, and surprise. Other emotions are regarded as combinations of these basic seven. The emotions you feel in any situation and how you respond to them will depend on four factors: your basic personality, how much control you have over your emotions, your emotional reactivity, and your flexibility. Control of these emotions is achieved by controlling the thoughts that cause them.

Renowned sport psychologist Thomas Tutko, formerly a professor of psychology at San Jose State University, has developed a technique to identify a person’s emotional profile and to indicate how that person will react according to seven separate psychological traits—desire, assertiveness, sensitivity, tension control, confidence, personal accountability, and self-discipline (Tutko and Tosi 1976).

1. Desire is the measure of your intent to be the best or to do your best. Those with low desire express an “I don’t care” attitude; those with high levels of desire are perfectionists. Both extremes are problematic, but it is the perfectionist who is more likely to persist in sport. Because perfectionists set goals that are unattainable, they live with a constant anxiety. Since they never achieve their goals, they are never content with their performances. To overcome this, perfectionists need to reassess their (unrealistic) goals and to realize that they are the cause of their anxiety. In turn, they need to focus on short-term goals, not the final results.

2. Assertiveness is the measure of the extent to which you believe you can influence the outcome of what you do. Those with low assertiveness are easily intimidated. They feel inadequate when someone else succeeds at their expense and they tend to support underdogs. Those with high assertiveness are known as killers. They frequently see sport participation as a “savage battle rather than an enjoyable challenge” (Tutko and Tosi 1976, page 68). Such activity is usually defensive since it is a front to protect a low self-esteem and the fear of being threatened or humiliated.

3. Sensitivity is the ability to enjoy sport without becoming overly disturbed at the outcome. Those with low sensitivity are known as stonewallers. Nothing can influence how they respond to any situation. In contrast, the supersensitive respond inappropriately and consider each failure, however slight, as a personal affront. The supersensitive must learn to separate the event from the emotional response that each evokes. Consequently, they are the most in need of training in emotional control.

4. Tension control is the measure of your ability to remain calm and focused under stress. Those with poor tension control are the nervous wrecks. They are unable to control their physical responses to stress. Because their motor function is impaired, they become relatively ineffective in sports that require high degrees of motor coordination. Those with excellent control are known as icebergs. Excessive tension control is detrimental if it prevents athletes from taking risks, from enjoying their participation, or from undertaking efforts to improve.

5. Confidence is the measure of your belief in your ability. Those with little confidence are insecure. Those with too much confidence are cocky. People are cocky either because they use bravado to cover an inner lack of confidence or because they truly believe that they are so talented that they need not work to achieve success.

6. Personal accountability is the measure of the extent to which you accept personal responsibility for your actions. Those with low personal accountability tend to hide behind alibis. Those with high personal accountability act as if “sports means always having to say I am sorry” (Tutko and Tosi 1976, page 84). Like the perfectionists, they feel guilty for everything except a perfect result.

7. Self-discipline is the measure of your willingness to develop and to persist with a personal game plan. Those with low self-discipline are known as the chaotics since they are unable to stick with any plan. Those with high self-discipline are known as the lemmings since their mental rigidity prevents them from changing their plans.

By grasping the extent to which each of us expresses these different traits, we gain a better understanding of our personal foibles and, in turn, learn how best to control our specific personalities in the heat of competition.

Controlling Thought
The thoughts we experience in sport are influenced by our concept of or attitude toward our opponents and ourselves. Attitudes are collections of thoughts and emotions that we have concerning others and ourselves, and these attitudes help determine the emotions we feel at any time. This can best be exemplified by returning to our previous example. The arrival of another athlete at your shoulder 10 km from the end of the Olympic marathon could stimulate two possible lines of thought that would result in quite different outcomes in the race. Clearly, the athlete who thinks, “This year I really thought I had it. I have worked so hard and now I have blown it. I really am a loser . . .” will drop off the pace and fall back. However, there is a far greater chance of success for the athlete who thinks, “Well, here she is. The woman they call the best marathon runner ever. And she has only been able to catch me after 32 km. I will just tuck in behind the about-to-become ex-number one, let her do the work for a change, and see if I can break her later. After all, my 10-km time is as good as hers, and in a close finish I have the crowds behind me as they always back the upstart.”

The difference between a strong or weak belief system is determined by your self-concept (what you believe about yourself), which is, in turn, established by your record of past performances, your body image (what you honestly believe you can achieve in sport), and the attitude that the significant people in your life (such as your parents, partner, friends, and coaches) have toward you and your participation in sport. The self-concept can be further divided into what you really think about yourself (your real self) and what you would like to be (your ideal self).

How the significant others in your life influence your performance can be shown by extending the imaginary example a little further. Had you fallen off the pace in the last 10 km of the Olympic marathon, your coach or other important person in your life might have said the following to you, “You really were awful. We were sure you had it sewn up and then you let that overrated athlete beat you. How could you?”

This type of verbal abuse is likely to stimulate one of the following responses: “He is right. I really am a loser. I will never win a major marathon,” or, “No, he is wrong. I ran my heart out. But he couldn’t know. Now I am more determined than ever to show them what I can do.” (A third response may be to rid yourself of any persons who could be stupid enough to express themselves in that way.)

Our next step must be to analyze the self-concept and to discover how it is possible to improve those areas in which there may be specific weaknesses.”

“You can make use of tactics successfully even in your first race if you use the building blocks of strategy we call the four Cs: course, competition, conditions, and confidence.

Just as every bit of preparation you do should focus on the goals you set up for yourself in chapter 3, the races you choose and the way you conduct yourself in those races must further those goals. Applying the four Cs to each race you enter will go a long way in ensuring that you move closer to your goals with each race. In chapters 15 through 18, we apply the four Cs to each type of road racing, pointing out the nuances of each race and the preparation, skills, and practice you need to be successful.

Course
The course is one of the most important factors in how you perform in a race. Knowledge of the hills or gravel sections is strategic information. Even choosing to do the race (or not) based on its terrain is a strategic decision in your race season. Relate your strengths and weaknesses to areas of the course. Does the course have hills, flats, or windy sections that favor your strengths? In which areas might you be vulnerable and have difficulty following stronger riders?

All riders should study course information ahead of the race, but many don’t bother. Knowing the course well can go a long way in improving tactics and morale. While the most effective way to scout a course is to ride it ahead of time, it won’t always be possible. In that case, find a map that details the roads of the course. The race Web site may even link to a map of the course. Perhaps the promoter has provided a map of the course in the race packet or has posted a magnified version on a bulletin board near the start. There may even be a course profile showing the race’s climbs and descents.

Be familiar with the course so that you will recognize major turns coming up. The misfortune of going off course, even if it is not directly your fault, is still your responsibility according to race rules. Some riders even write course landmarks onto a piece of athletic tape and then tape it to their stem before the start. This is particularly effective in longer races.

Once you have information about a race, process the facts. Knowing a course has 360 vertical feet (110 meters) of climbing per lap is a fact. But knowing that the 360 feet all occur in one 10 percent grade climb after a sharp right-hand turn, and that you need a 39 x 23 gear for it, is tactical knowledge. Ask riders who have done a particular course in the past, particularly those in your category who have done well there, to fill you in about the course’s challenges. If you don’t know someone who has completed the course, ask riders before the start of your race.

Once you are at a race venue, become as familiar with the course as possible, especially near the start and finish. There’s no excuse for not knowing the first and last kilometers of a race; you should have arrived in plenty of time to check them out, even if you have to ride on the sidewalk while other races are in progress. Courses often have signs posted marking 5 kilometers, 1 kilometer, 500 meters, and 200 meters to go. Look for landmarks to signify these points in case you miss the signs in the heat of the finish.

Competition
While the course provides the venue, the competitors make the race. As you race, take the time to discover the strongest competitors and teams weekend after weekend. Study their strengths and weaknesses. Just as important, consider how the other teams and individuals in your race may interpret your strengths and weaknesses.

Being familiar with your competitors can remove some of the element of surprise in a race by helping you to anticipate their moves and to make moves of your own to isolate their weaknesses. If the same climber wins races weekend after weekend by climbing away on the main hill and riding solo to the finish, examine how this individual is allowed to get away with it race after race. Maybe one answer is to get to the hill before that rider, which would require an attempt to break away without that rider earlier in the race.

In beginning racing, individuals rather than teams often affect the outcome. However, some individuals in the same club may be organized enough in the category 4 and 5 races for you to take advantage of that team’s strategy for your own benefit. More details on this are included in the upcoming chapters for each event.

Conditions
As you prepare for a race, consider the weather conditions and potential wind. When you arrive at a race venue, check the direction and strength of the wind and consider how it might affect various parts of the course. Knowing which way the wind blows will help you decide which side of the pack to be in at any point in the race. It will also help you plan ahead for the wind you will encounter after the next turn and allow you to set up ahead of time by moving up or to the protected side.

Plan ahead by bringing extra clothing for cold days and extra water for hot days. Will you need long-fingered gloves and booties for an early-season race? Why take the chance—bring them along. Check for wind strength before deciding whether to use a disk wheel. Are the time savings of a deep dish or disk wheel worth the swerving the wind might cause? Check the pavement type on the race course and consider how it might affect tire traction if rain is coming. You may have to rein in your need for speed on descents and corners. If you have the option, bring sunglasses appropriate for the light conditions—dark for sunny days, clear for rainy or nighttime racing, or amber for cloudy, dark days.

Losing to another competitor’s strength or wits is honorable. Losing to the weather is inexcusable. You don’t have to be a victim of wind and weather. Use the conditions to your advantage!

Confidence
Confidence is taking everything you know about yourself and tying it to the strategic fundamentals we’ve discussed. It is understanding your own strengths and weaknesses and gaining experience in group rides so that you know whether you are basically a climber, sprinter, time trialist, or all-around rider. Confidence is having the patience to wait for the right moment to show your strength, rather than wasting energy trying to be a different kind of rider.

Confidence is having an awareness of your current fitness level and knowing whether you are on track with your training program and goals. It is also the ability to conduct yourself in accordance with your goals. For instance, if you are using races early in the season simply for training without worrying about the outcome, make constant attempts to get away for training purposes and don’t worry that you may potentially break away with other riders who can possibly outsprint you at the end. You might make a gamble, such as a long solo breakaway, just for the training—an action you might not try in a more important race if you are a good sprinter.

Confidence is knowing you are strong on the flats, for instance, and the 98-pound climber who hopes to leave you behind in the hills will struggle in the flat crosswind if you go to the front of the pack and hammer. It’s knowing you thrive in the heat or suffer inordinately in the cold. It’s knowing that the course where you were behind the leader by 10 minutes last year won’t have you suffering nearly as much this year due to your improvement. Confidence is knowing that you mixed a weaker energy drink for this weekend’s race because last weekend the stronger concoction gave you a stomachache.

While these concepts might seem vague when you consider them in general, when you apply them in a race they make sense. After you finish a race, apply the four Cs again, checking to see whether you were true to your goals and determining where you could make improvements. You will see in the following chapters how valuable this simple approach can be.”

“Once you know your target zones, you must still do a little tweaking of the range numbers in order to further individualize your training for improved accuracy and efficiency. All training has to be individualized, and these adjustments take into account the different characteristics of each sport, outside conditions, and any illness or overtraining symptoms that may be happening within your body.

Some adjustments are sport-specific. It’s become obvious to me through the years that my heart rate while running is at least 10 beats higher than a similar perceived effort while riding my bike. That’s not uncommon, since running puts a pretty good wallop on the legs and causes a greater degree of stress on major muscle groups from the impact. Cycling is less stressful on joints, often resulting in a lower heart rate, and swimming is even less taxing.

To adjust for the unique demands of all three sports, you may want to adjust your training zones for cycling to be 10 fewer beats than what you would use for running. For example, if you’ve field-tested the target zone numbers you derived with the given formulas on a few runs at various intensities, then subtract 10 beats from your lower and upper limits in each zone to determine your cycling zones. For swimming, adjust your target zones down 5 beats from your adjusted cycling target zones.

You would also be wise to make a number of other adjustments to your heart rate training, depending on altitude, weather, and illness.

Altitude adjustments. If you are training or traveling to a race above an altitude of 6,000 feet (1,830 meters) for the first time, or if you do so infrequently, your heart rate will naturally be higher, even at rest. Above 10,000 feet (3,050 meters), you may find your heart rate is a full 50 percent higher. This increase is due to the lower concentration of oxygen in the air at higher altitudes. Of course, the more time you spend at higher altitudes, the greater your body’s ability to adapt, and you’ll probably see a return to your normal heart rate levels after 14 to 21 days. In fact, you can track your acclimatization with your heart rate monitor, noting how your rate decreases and finally gets back to normal within a few weeks. During this time of acclimatization, don’t push beyond your ability, and stay in your target zones. This means that you may have to slow down or lower the intensity of your training in the interim. Be patient—your body will adjust.

Hot-weather adjustments. Exercising in hot weather causes your body to work harder to keep itself cool. Increased blood flow to the skin and sweating cause an elevated heart rate response. The good news is that consistent training in heat brings about acclimatization in much the same way altitude training does. The body becomes much more efficient in dealing with the heat, resulting in a normal blood flow, decreased salt content in sweat, and a return to your normal heart rate. This adjustment usually takes about 10 days of consistent training or about half a dozen workouts in hot conditions. Always remember to hydrate properly (in hot or cold weather, but it’s usually more critical in heat). Dehydration can decrease your total blood volume, making the heart work harder and elevating your heart rate.

Illness. If you find that your resting heart rate has spiked unusually or that it is more difficult than normal to reach your target zones, it may well be that you are courting an illness such as a cold or flu. If you experience either or both of these conditions, back off and take a rest day or a few easy recovery workouts.”

As an update, my back is feeling better, my calves are feeling better, I am controlling my intake better, and I have done one of each swim bike and walk/run in the last week. As “W” might say with squinting eyes, “better.”

Here are a few good sites on triathlons and training if you are coming back to it or are a newbie:
http://swimming.about.com/od/triathlon/a/newbietriathlet.htm
http://www.trinewbies.com/

Enjoy the great weather, where ever you are!