Patriot 70.3 Race Report

This year was my fifth year in a row racing the local SunMultisport Patriot 70.3. There is just something about sleeping in your own bed and rolling to the start line few hours before the race. The logistics are super easy, and it really doesn’t get more convenient than that. I don' usually have problems sleeping the night before the race, but the butterflies were flying high on Friday night! 

The lead up to the race went super well, which is rarely the norm! My sighting and straight swimming has been more and more fluid, my power on the bike has been the best yet, and I can’t remember last time, I actually rode so well and not just physically but also mentally executed some of the toughest sessions I used to really struggle with. My running off the bike has been super solid too, so I was very excited to give cracking that 4h30min mark another try. (Spoiler Alert – it didn’t happen, and I really wasn’t even close - dammit) 

Race morning was rainy but at least it was warm because the humidity was like 1 million degrees. I set up my transition in pouring rain but by the race start, the rain stopped, and the fog somewhat lifted of the lake!

 Just a little foggy at the swim start

SWIM: 33:33

I snuck into my BlueSeventy helix although not so easily because humidity, and did a quick swim warm up to get the heart rate up and get ready for the swim start. Since I was starting in the open/elite wave I actually had a real strategy – so pro I know ;). No worries – that strategy of staying on Lisbeth’s feet went out the window very quickly, as I watched her swim away from me in a heartbeat or two. Although I got dropped like a bad habit, I swam hard, and eventually settled into my own race pace as I found myself swimming completely alone! Dammit, plan B to the rescue. Plan B was simple – swim straight! Mission accomplished (for the most part), and a new Patriot swim 70.3 PR. Still not quite where I want to be but PR is a PR. I felt good about my swim and how fresh I felt coming out of the water, which is often overlooked by athletes, but being swim fit makes your bike and run easier too!  

T1: 1:58

T1 was a bit of a mess - I am really much better at IM transitions. My wetsuit got stuck on my ankles (duh - I should have used the wetsuit strippers), and when I put my new aero helmet on I couldn't see a thing - oops!

Arms out - that's the easy part ;) 

BIKE: 2:24:42

My helmet shield was covered with rain drops and since I never used this helmet in a rain I didn’t know what to expect. (In my defense I just bought it 1 week ago and the day I tested it the sun was shining). I blindly clipped in, and set out on my merry way, 6-7 min down on the super swimmers Stacy, and Becky, and 3 minutes down on Lisbeth who can really ride! You are not a multiple ironman Kona World champion if you are not a great athlete!

I spent the first 5 min trying to decide if I will be able to see well enough through the rain drops on my shield or if I should remove it instead. Eventually I successfully without stopping and or falling off my bike removed the shield, and surely sacrificed some aerodynamics for visibility. (Safety first) I put my head down and went to work. It was just me, myself and me for pretty much the entire bike ride. It’s a VERY different feeling from having carrots to chase the entire ride, but at least I didn’t even have to say on your left once ;)!

If I haven’t done this race before, I would have thought I was lost. I have never been this completely alone ever. I was riding strong but I was starting to question just how far I really was or what was happening at the front of the race. When I rolled through the transition area again, I finally got a word I was now about 2 minutes behind the leader, which at least gave me a breath of fresh (although VERY humid) air. I was closing the gap.

Serious chase mode! 

At this point I put my head down (shield back on), and it wasn’t until probably mile 35ish that I passed Becky, and it was another 10 miles before I found Stacy and Lisbeth at the front of the race. I was never happier to see them. I put the pedal to the metal for a couple miles to make sure they didn’t try to stay with me and although my nutrition for some reason wasn’t staying down, I was able to put down my best 70.3 power ever. My time didn't quite reflect it but that's more thanks to the conditions rather then mega legs. It was also nice to build bit of a lead going into the run. 

T2: 2:34

T2 was much of the same as T1 – this time I was fumbling with my socks because my feet were covered in mud and last thing I wanted out of this race was blistered feet. I also came to find out my sun glasses were broken in half L

RUN: 1:35:41

Running without sunglasses is weird, but I managed. I had a lead biker who was awesome and at least that reminded me that perhaps I wasn't lost, the run course was just that empty ;). Quite refreshing not having to fight for fuel or ice at aid stations, but also a lot easier to chill out and forget that you are racing. I got passed by one guy whom I tried to keep in sight for as long as I could, but he was moving and me – not so much! I did end up catching 2 more guys and those were the only athletes I saw for the 13.1 miles.

My run was rather unimpressive and although my huffing and puffing would indicate one pace, the real pace was much slower. Heck I ran faster the week before on a much hotter day in training, but so is racing. I suspect the slight lack of my ability to keep my regular fuel down may have had something to do with it, but I kept pressing on, and chasing my lead biker.  (Thanks Rachel :) )

TOTAL TIME: 4:38:27 

I was really glad to see the finish line and live up, I mean race up to my bib number! Wearing #1 is NEVER easy and raising the finish line tape is always special!

Finish line smiles :) 

It wasn't my fastest, but it was my best swim on this course, and highest 70.3 power output on the bike, which gives me confidence for the rest of the season.

The podium :) 

This year's race was even more special because I got to watch many of my teammates, and 3 of my own athletes absolutely crush it with big PR's, and be right there as they finished! Locally races really are awesome, and watching hard work pay off is awesome and rewarding! 

 Lindsey crushed it, won her Age Group, and came in Top 10 overall female! 

 Chris had some nutritional issues but despite that absolutely destroyed his PR by 30+ min

Geoffrey too bettered his PR in only his 2nd 70.3! 

I am already looking to this race again next year! 

As always, THANK YOU to my coach Jorge for keeping me at the top of my game, Quintana Roo for Mr. Flash and yet another fastest female bike split that helped me get back into the race, Refreshinq for helping me stay on top of my game day in and day out, BlueSeventy for the speedy wetsuits and awesome goggles for any and all conditions, Coolcore for making sure I stay comfy, and cool while training and racing and also all of our E3 Training team sponsors - you guys rock, and I appreciate the support more than you know. 

Next up - Ironman Lake Placid! 

Hello summer, Hello Coolcore!

I have been a big fan of Coolcore ever since I did my very first race in the heat, and knew that unless I can keep my body temp down, I will stand no chance of achieving my dream of winning the amateur title at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.  Never say never, but I doubt I will ever have to worry about being cold when racing in the hot and humid conditions of Hawaii.

I have been using the Coolcore cooling towel and headband ever since 2013 in all my hot races and when training during hot summer months so I am super excited to make our partnership officially official this year and I am even more excited about their NEW product launch! Keep reading to find out more!

That’s how excited and happy I am to be part of the Coolcore family!

Keepin’ the noggin’ cool!

The Coolcore products are perfect for anyone with an active lifestyle whether you are a weekend warrior who enjoys the outdoors, or whether you are super competitive like myself reaching for the top step on the podium.

Happiness is not being overheated at the finish line!

All Coolcore fabrics are chemical-free and I couldn’t be happier with the benefits they offer. They cool better, and also offer protection from the sun! Finally, they last longer because there aren’t any chemicals to wash out.

Putting the Coolcore top through it’s paces in the famous energy lab in Kona, Hawaii!

So what is the best part? Coolcore just came out with a kick ass apparel line, that you must try!   With summer FINALLY here, you will NOT be disappointed! Use code JANAR for 15% off!

Ready, set, GO! 

Teamwork and The Refreshinq RQ Program

Triathlon may be labeled as an individual sport but it is far from it! We are out there on race day on our own, but nobody gets to the start line without a team!

The triathlon journey is a process that goes far and beyond the finishing time on race day, and strong support network of family, coaches, sponsors, and supporters make a big difference. All these people create YOUR team, and are along for the ride full of ups and downs.

I am super excited to have expanded my team this year to include The Refreshinq Co.! Their goal is to help everyone from top performing athletes to weekend warriors become their best AND never quit getting better via all natural, pharmacist-curated supplements in the form of vitamin packs and/or patches!

Quick look at some of the Refreshinq Co. products

Their goals line up perfectly with mine, and although my partnership has just started few months ago, they have already been a key part of my team in my mission to never quit reaching my goals, and leaving no stone unturned on my journey to the top of the Ironman World Championship podium.

Taking advantage of Refreshinq’s RQ program has already proven critical in my continuous development as an athlete that goes far beyond swim, bike and run.

The RQ program showed me exactly what was going on inside my body (via InsideTracker blood test), and it further provided me with next steps to optimize not only my overall health, but also my performance.

I did my Insidetracker blood test after a long/tough and pretty aggressive 10 week training build toward my first race of the season – Ironman Texas, and less than 48 hours after my longest training run of 21 miles on the Boston marathon course. Throughout my build I was feeling strong week after week, but I was definitely quite tired and sore after this run which wasn’t surprising – the hills of the Boston marathon course along with the accumulated fatigue will do that to you.

Black arrow shows my aggressive build. Blue dot simulates my fitness, while red dot (pink line) simulates my continuously building fatigue week after week.

After I received my InsideTracker blood test results, I completed an assessment form to give my “personal coach”(RQ Health Coach) more information with regards to my background, activity level and goals, and was then contacted shortly after.  My “personal coach” and I went over each and individual blood biomarker regardless of whether those biomarkers fell into the optimal range or not, and we further discussed how they affect my health & performance, and what I can do to optimize each.

It was very eye opening, and enlightening to know what each biomarker means and how it relates to my goals instead of asking “google” and worrying that there may be something seriously wrong with me because that’s exactly what I did when I saw this:

 What the heck is wrong with my liver? (Pro Tip: Stay away from WebMD!)

Oh, you just trained really hard for a while, and so your muscles are well – feeling it! This IS related to your increased liver enzymes – got it! (I finally feel like a huge weight got lifted of my chest)

No, I didn’t have a serious condition that Mr. Google suggested, and could stop worrying. Thank you Refreshinq! You put my mind at peace, when I was explained just how all these biomarkers are related to each other and my training.

Having the ability to speak with an experienced health coach allowed me to understand just when nutrition is enough to optimize my health & performance and when vitamins/supplements are necessary.  

What is even better is that I don’t have to spend more time online or in a CVS isle searching for which supplement – in my case which probiotic is best for me, because The Refreshinq Co. has me covered!

The advantages don’t stop here. Knowing that the recommended supplements are all natural, pharmaceutical grade and 3^rd party tested is just another added and very important benefit to me as an athlete and supporter of clean sport! 

I am very excited to have The Refreshinq Co. part of my team, and would highly suggest for all of you to check them out and give them a try! Whether you are a weekend warrior or elite level athlete, their products AND services are first class and will make a difference in your health and performance! Let them help you never quit reaching your goals!

Please comment below if you have any questions, or use code JANA10 for 10% discount.

Ironman Texas Lead Up and Race Report

After last year’s Ironman Texas, I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to do this race again. Not because the swim was changed the day before the race, or because the bike course had more turns than its distance, or because the weather was more hot/humid than Kona (I actually welcomed that because gaining more experience in Kona like conditions is beneficial to me!) but because I wasn’t sure I was ready to put myself through nearly 100% indoor training again.

Last year, I struggled! I struggled through many of my long rides, and as the weeks went by I was slowly but surely losing motivation. I was quickly approaching the edge of burning out. Indoor training can be quite monotonous and I honestly didn’t want to put myself through that again. So instead, I signed up for Ironman Lake Placid because I knew I would have plenty of friends to train with, and I wouldn’t be confined to my pain cave a.k.a living room weekend after weekend.  

Yet as the weeks went by, this little voice inside my head kept telling me to sign up for Ironman Texas regardless of all of the above. Come December, I was swimming better than ever, and my motivation to redeem my mediocre race at Ironman Texas last year was sky high, Right around the New Year, I came down with a nasty sinus and ear infection and there went my streak of kick ass training. I was laid up for pretty much 3 weeks with zero energy to train and that is not like me. With 15 weeks to Ironman Texas, I watched my fitness hit its lowest point since years ago. I did however become great at puzzles.

Home sweet home (Prague, Czech Republic) 

 My 2nd home 

Because this is exactly how I spent my New Years! 

Although sitting on the couch wasn’t exactly how I wanted to kick of 2017, I think it allowed me to really get hungry again and so while on antibiotics,  I finally pulled the trigger and signed up! 

I started the build toward IM Texas mentally fresh and ready to bring my A game day in and day out.

What followed was something I could only dream of. I put together probably my best ever training block, and I very much continued to surprise myself week after week whether it was in the pool, on the bike or the treadmill. (Yes – I did a lot of my runs indoors).  Just when I thought I was surely going to blow up, my mind was sharp, and my body continued to perform week after week.   

Consistent build from 1/9 to 3/26 (11 weeks of consistent build), followed by a down week, before one final push during our training camp in Tucson, Arizona. 

During this time, I averaged little over 15 hours of training between swim, bike, run and weekly strength and plyo session. 

Consistent build, with 1 down week followed by a big week in Tucon, AZ (training camp), and taper week before race day :) 

With 2 weeks before Ironman Texas, we had our annual training camp in Tucson, and although my swimming decided to go on vacation, my cycling and running were the best ever. I was putting out power day after day that I have never done before fairly effortlessly, and my running legs were sharp. The long run at the end of camp is always a struggle thanks to the accumulated fatigue and although this year it wasn’t any different I ticked of 15 miles at a pace 40 sec per mile faster than a year ago!

Needless to say I travelled to Texas knowing that I was in one of my best IM shapes to date even if all of my swimming has been done in the pool, all but 6 days of cycling had been indoors, and probably 80% of my runs were indoors too or in temps below 40 degrees (and I am being generous here) 

I arrived in the Woodlands on Wednesday mid day, and headed right to packet pick up before settling at the same homestay as last year – the Broncalo’s. It seriously felt like I never left and Jesus and Laura are seriously the best! I spent the next two days, just making sure I had everything ready for race day, and I even got a pre-race swim in with the PushGlideKick team and the awesome Gemma Hollis. My swimming really decided to show up that day, so it felt like everything was coming together just in time for the big day J.

 Outdoor pools make everything better! 

We won’t talk about the day I tried to squeeze myself into my wetsuit just to make sure I was ready for anything. I haven’t had mine on since September so had to do it. Good thing there is no photographic evidence of this as trying to squeeze into a wetsuit when it's nearly 80 degrees and just as humid really wasn't pretty! (It did take 2 people to zip me up!) 

 Mr. Flash ready to rock! 

 T1 bag plus missing rice/potato cakes (no I didn't use the toe warmers, but when forecast initially called for low 50s, I had to be ready) 

T2 bag 

I woke up on race morning to temperatures in the low 70s with humidity in the mid 90s! Humidity for breakfast anyone? With T1 and T2 being in two separate places there was no time for messing around. Just like last year, there was no in water warm up for us age groupers, so the 15 min walk over served just as that. 

The Swim: 1:16:30

The swim was a self seeded rolling start except there were no signs that would indicate any swim times. This is where I made my first mistake that 100% cost me some time. How much time – we will never know, but I know my swim is better than the time shows. 

 You can see the masses getting ready for the swim start! And that yellow circle - yup - that's me stretching it out instead of swimming already! (Photo Credit - David Reynolds)

I got in the water too late and found myself in a 2.4 mile boxing match inside a watching machine, with underwater visibility up to about my elbow. I spent at least the first half of the swim either swimming into and around people or looking up every 2 strokes to see where to go. I then spent the 2^nd half of the swim trying to pee while swimming, which for me is impossible! It was becoming downright painful, and I welcome any tips and suggestions – TMI I know.   

 Bodies everywhere 

Looking at my splits, the last 2000 yards were actually nearly 5 sec per 100 yards faster than the first half!  Unlike last year, I didn’t panic and just kept on trucking although apparently way too slow! I wore the BlueSeventy Nero Race yellowlense goggles that will make even the gloomiest day bright, which allowed me to see the buoys very clearly. I did have a bit of a hard time finding my way into the canal, but once in there I found a descent rhythm. The water in the canal was super choppy but it didn’t really phase me – the very slowly moving bodies however did. I made my way around everyone the best I could, even if that included multiple times of me coming to a dead stop to actually survey what may be the best way to get around the wall of mostly men in front of me. I got pushed, and punched and kicked and shoved, but I shrugged it off. Before I knew it a volunteer was literally pulling me out of the water up onto the stairs like I was a 5 pound weight!  

T2: 3:34

I glanced at my watch, saw my time and very quickly bolted out of there. This wouldn’t be the first time, I would be dissatisfied with my swim time, but I knew the day was young. I actually felt the best I have ever felt coming out of the water, and quickly shifted my focus to what I needed to do in transition and onto the bike I went.

The Bike: 4:58:53

Although I would normally let my crappy swim dictate the first part of the bike, I never once again even thought about my swim time (until post race of course).  I held back a bit even though my legs really wanted to go. I also knew what it was like to race in the heat/humidity in April after training through the east coast winters. (Although the weather was far from what it was like last year even temps in the 70s coupled with 90+% humidity at the start of the day will eventually catch up with you when you are used to the temps in the 20s & 30s). I was moving well, and sticking to my pacing and fueling plan. As a very rhythmic rider, I was actually really excited about this bike course.  It really played to my strengths especially coming of 99% indoor training. I love to just put my head down and go to work. I never even used the front chain ring!

Just getting started! (Photo Credit - Scott Flathouse) 

Once on the highway, I just put my head down and began to pick up the pace some. 

The scenic IM Texas bike course ;) (Photo Credit - David Reynolds)

The wind was starting to pick up too but it felt like we had an equal head and tail wind both directions. The whole first loop I was staying steady at around 23 mph, and I even did some quick math once I passed the 56 mile marker. At mile 56 I was on pace for a 4:52 bike split. Say WHAT?

Beating trains! (I sadly don't even remember this train!) 

(Photo Credit - David Reynolds)

At mile 82 I was still on pace for that very same time but the last 30 miles back into transition, the wind decided to come out and play! It was headwind and crosswind from hell! I was actually still feeling strong and was able to up my effort/power some more hoping to add some more time on my competition. After averaging 23+ mph for 82 miles, going less than 20 mph however felt super slow, and I spent the last next 20 miles watching my average speed quickly deteriorate to just over 22 mph.

As much as I always wanted to ride my bike on the highway, I was very glad to get of it and put in the final push toward T2. I rolled into T2 with my best power output yet over the IM distance, and feeling strong! 

T2: 3:09

I hopped of the bike, handed Mr. Flash to the volunteers and immediately noticed that my legs were feeling awesome! Thanks to an empty changing tent, I had about 3 volunteers helping me with just about everything! I don’t know who you were, but thank you, thank you, thank you!

The Run: 3:27:40

I bolted out of the changing tent on a mission, with my heart rate way too high! I knew better than that yet I was still flying high. Thankfully only few hundred yards in Kurt Perham of PBM Coaching pretty much told me to cool my jets and I finally began to slow my pace down – my running has been coming along great but not 6:40s-6:50s great ;).

My HR was still a bit high but my effort was feeling super easy, and my legs felt fresh! The weather was a far cry from last years heat and humidity, so for the first time ever, I wasn’t overheating from step 1 BUT my HR was still a bit elevated for the pace I was running. The challenge of racing in the heat/humidity after training through east coast winter is real.  

 Thumbs up to feeling awesome! (Photo Credit - Janina Rajecki Davis)

The eventual winner Emily did pass me fairly quickly around between miles 1 – 2, but I was able to keep her in my sights for the next 6ish miles. I also learned (from her husband) that there was another competitor about 2:30 min up the road from Finland currently leading our AG. I wanted to find her! (This was probably around mile 5)

Still in control (Photo Credit - Janina Rajecki Davis)

I kept on moving with ease and it was at the beginning of the 2^nd loop (probably between miles 8-9) that I all of a sudden lost Emily. It turns out she made a quick pit stop and hence I now found myself in front of her. My legs were still feeling good – my HR had settled although still a bit higher for the pace I was running, and I continued to look for Venla the Finish girl who I knew was still in front of me. 

When I hit probably mile 13ish, Emily’s husband told me the gap to the Fin was now down to 1:16 so I knew if I just kept my pace, I had a chance of catching her before the race was over! Of course I am sure he was saying the same to his wife, who kept getting closer and closer to me all of 2^nd loop. It was so FUN to be in such a close race! 

 It's getting more real! And yes - the competitor behind me is Emily! 

(Photo Credit - David Reynolds)

By mile 18-19, I ended up passing Venla, and was told by David that I was now leading my Age Group! At this point Emily was back on my heels, and was closing fast. I was definitely starting to feel the hurt. I began to feel low on fuel and I couldn’t get enough liquids in me at each aid station. When Emily passed me around mile 20-21, I went with her for nearly 2 miles, but the lack of fuel has caught up with me and I was feeling awfully thirsty secretly wishing for more aid stations along the way! 

 You gotta love the matching stride! 

(Photo Credit - Janina Rajecki Davis)

Anything can happen in the closing miles of the marathon, and I made the choice to settle into more manageable pace instead of potentially blowing up just a few miles before the marathon. I had come to Texas to get a slot to Kona and I knew if I could just hold on to my pace it was going to be mine. Emily’s pace was too fast for me, and as much as I wanted that “W”, I wanted that Kona slot more.  Blowing myself up and getting caught in the end of a very long day wasn’t in my best interest.  I made a safer decision of the two, but you better believe if this was Kona, I would turn myself inside and out!  

I ended the day with an Ironman PR of 9:49:46, one speedy bike split, new run PR of 3:27:40 and the Kona slot I came here for so it’s hard to be disappointed.

 Hello Kona #5 

Kona girls - 2nd, 3rd, and 5th (1st and 4th already had their slots from IMAZ)

2^nd AG by couple minutes stings, but finishing 3^rd overall amateur at a competitive North American Championship race after being 10^th last year is nothing to sneeze at, and I am super excited for the rest of the season! 

I may have travelled to this race alone, but I felt far from alone! The Woodlands community is absolutely amazing, and I have met many people here that make this race feel like a hometown race for me! Big Thank you to my homestay – the Broncalo’s, David Tilbury-David for being my bike mechanic away from home and making sure I put together Mr. Flash just right, his wife Janina for the awesome run photo’s, Gemma Hollis (PushGlideKick) for letting me swim with her squad while I was here in the Woodlands, Scott Flathouse and David Reynolds for the awesome photo’s used in this blog! The Texas triathlon community is truly awesome!

And of course thank you to my coach Jorge Martinez (E3 Triathlon Coaching), and all my sponsors/supporters without whom I wouldn’t be standing at the start line ready to go year after year!

QuintanaRoo, The Refreshinq Co., BlueSeventy, Dr. Cool, CycleOps, Finis, Levelen, Elevated Legs, and Swiftwick. 

Next Up: Patriot 70.3 followed by Ironman Lake Placid!

5 Reasons WHY Power Meter Will Make You a Stronger Cyclist & My Favorite Power Meter

I can safely say that I wouldn’t be the cyclist I am today without a power meter. Power meter is a single one piece of equipment that you can see indoors AND outdoors that will change your cycling forever IF USED PROPERLY. 

My first experience with power was after I was in the sport for little over a year, and when I hired my coach – coach Jorge Martinez of E3 Triathlon Coaching. I have come a long way since then. My all out 20 min effort from 2010 is now equal to my half ironman race pace/power. That’s 56 miles (2-3 hours) on the bike after swimming 1.2 miles, and before running 13.1. It’s been a long journey but a fun one! 

Whether you are beginner or elite triathlete or cyclist, you too can and will benefit from using one and here are just a few reasons WHY I believe a power meter will change your cycling forever. 

1.     Power Meter takes the guessing out of the game!

Unlike Heart Rate which is a highly dependent “input” variable easily affected by outside factors such as air temperature, lack of sleep, hydration (too much caffeine) or dehydration, and will lag behind especially in shorter workouts, power is an “output” measure which shows you the work you are doing right at the moment!

If you read my blog from last week, and decided to try to one of my favorite workouts – “The Feel the Burn” workout, the power meter will instantly measure your output, while your HR will lag behind. It will take a few intervals for it to climb and catch up to your effort. So, if we were just looking at your HR, it would seem as if you were “slacking” at first even though your actual effort was the same and so was your power.  But was your power the same? You will never know unless you have a power meter, which will show you the true output immediately!  It takes the guessing out of the game, and adds accuracy to your training.

2.     Power meter is extremely efficient!

Most of us have a limited time to train so eliminating “junk miles” is key! Junk/endless miles won’t improve your fitness, but focused quality work will! Power meter maximizes your available training time and keeps you focused! Power meter re-defines what both “going easy” & “going hard” means. Since power output gives you instant accurate feedback (power numbers don’t lie), you or your coach can easily identify where your focus should be and whether or not the training you are doing is working!

3.     Power meter can tell you OR your coach when it’s time to rest!

I know, most of us think we don’t need rest! Wrong! Power meter allows us to see exactly what happens in each session. So, if all of a sudden you stop producing the same numbers as you did in the same or similar session last week, you or your coach will know something is up, and it may just be time for a few easy days before starting to push again. Of course, online software’s like Training Peaks for example can quantify all this for us, but that’s a post for another day. Bottom line is, power meters don’t lie and allow us to track not only our fitness but also fatigue!

4.     Power Meter will positively effect your overall race day performance & make you a better runner!

You want to win a race or you simply want to do your best. You get out of the water, and are not happy with your swim performance. You jump on your bike and start hammering away in hopes of catching up for lost time, not exactly thinking that perhaps you still have 5k, 10k, half marathon or marathon to run. If you are lucky, you have a strong ride, get to the run and boom! Your running legs are dead! Perhaps it was a cooler day out, and your HR was super low so you thought it was ok because you were feeling great.

Power meter can answer all these questions and more that previously couldn’t be answered with precision.  Power meter allows you to control your race day performance much more accurately because it allows you to better and more precisely monitor your effort during a race. You know from training, what power you should be able to hold for a given distance while still running well off the bike. There is no guessing! Power meter will stop you from over biking out of pure race day excitement allowing you to ride to your potential while setting you up for a strong run! Power Meter 

5.     Power meter holds you accountable & makes training and racing more fun! 

Training with a power meter provides you with not only greater accuracy but also accountability in your training vs. training by heart rate. It helps to erase any doubts about your training, and allows you to accurately monitor your daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly or year over year performances. It holds you and your coach accountable because it clearly shows us the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of your training plan!

The immediate feedback you get while riding together with post ride analysis also make it possible to keep track of your personal bests during both training and racing, which serves as a great motivation to become a stronger cyclist.

So there you have it! Let power meter help you become more efficient, fitter, and stronger cyclist BUT do NOT become a slave to the numbers! Use your power meter to your advantage and not a disadvantage! Continue to pay attention to how each effort feels, and don’t ever ignore the signs your body is giving you. Some days you will have it, some days you won’t, and that’s ok. Soon enough you will be able to put your power meter in your pocket and know what each effort feels like. You will get in touch with your body, your own efforts better than ever before. I used to always think I was riding very hard, but I had no idea what riding really hard meant until I got my power meter and vice versa.

So, if triathlon is your lifestyle, I highly suggest investing money and buying a power meter vs. buying fancy set of race wheels you will be using 4-5x a year, or that fancy Di2 electronic shifting because that’s the cool thing to have. How fast you will go on race day will still come down to the engine, and not the bike itself. And if you are looking for advice on how to use your power meter, shoot me a message! We at E3 Triathlon Coaching are big proponents of training with power while of course considering your individual needs, and goals!

My favorite brand of Power meters is PowerTap.  I have started with the Power Tap hub power meters and have now converted to the Power Tap P1 pedals that are allowing me to step up my game even more! 

My 1st hub based PowerTap power meter

The P1 pedals are super convenient and can be switched from bike to bike in no time, they also let me track power for both my left AND right leg uncovering any inefficiencies or potential individual leg weaknesses. 

 The PowerTap P1 pedals! 

My power output displaying power for both left and right legs

And finally my road bike and tri bike with race and training wheels ALL with power thanks to one set of P1 pedals! :) 

 Mr. Flash all dressed up for race day with P1 pedals

 Mr. Flash on a training ride also with the same pair of P1 pedals

My roadie also with the same P1 pedals - talk about convenience

There are obviously many more other brands, and power meters, and you can read more here and check out DC Rainmaker's power meter buyer’s guide.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/09/power-meters-buyers-guide2016-edition.html

Happy Shopping AND training J