Gift the athlete in your life MOTIVATION this year. How do you accomplish that? In the form of new gear, a ground-breaking new fuel source, an exciting new race, or even a new coach.

1. Race Entry: give your triathlete the gift of motivation this holiday season! Nothing keeps you going to the gym like having a race on the schedule. A fun race entry to consider gifting is Challenge Daytona in December 2020. At this event, held at the iconic Daytona International Speedway, there are sprint, Olympic, and half distance races, and even a pro-am relay where you can compete alongside your favorite professional triathlete.https://challenge-daytona.com/race-information/entry-fees/

2. XRCEL: introduce a triathlete to a new race fuel source for the 2020 season by gifting an XRCEL Athlete Fuel 6 pack. This is the gift that will keep giving and giving all year long…in the form of bonk-free and mentally charged racing and training. https://xrcel.com/product/xrcel-orange-6-pack/. USE Code XRCEL4U for 30% off. Offer valid through 12-30-19.

3. Fleece Cycling Jacket: make winter riding outside that much more bearable and have the perfect thing to thrown on for those chilly race mornings (or dog walks!) https://wynrepublic.com/collections/keep-the-peace/products/thermal-cycling-jacket-joni

4. Private Swim Instruction: whether your triathlete needs a complete stroke overhaul or some minor changes, private swim lessons will give the gift of faster swim splits. Everyone’s dream, right?? In the New York area, contact Asphalt Green to set up a lesson with pro triathlete Laurel Wassner http://bit.ly/LWSwimLesson Thinking your triathlete could also benefit from some added inspiration and motivation to super charge your New Year, check out elite cyclist, personal development coach, and XRCEL ambassador Christine D’Ercole https://christinedercole.com/

5. Garmin Forerunner 945: this is the gold standard in endurance sports watches. It has a built-in heart rate monitor, accurately tracks miles in the bike and run, yards in the swim, and even will track your sleep. You can also listen to music and receive text messages through it. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/621922

Justin Hughes – Amateur Triathlete

I’ll preface this race report with a few thoughts…

• This was my first ever attempt at a full-distance Ironman. 
• The goal was to just HAVE FUN. If I finished in 17:01, but I had fun, then I’d say the day was a success. If I happened to finish in under 17 hours, that’d be an added bonus.
• I’ve done my fair share of 70.3’s over the last few years, but a full had been on my bucket list for a few years and IronMan Maryland fit the calendar for 2019. 
• I’ll try to make this entertaining, but if you’re looking for a real knee-slapper, check out Josh Amberger’s Kona Recap. If triathlon doesn’t work out for him, stand-up comedy should be his next endeavor.

Saturday morning the alarm went off at 3:00am. I typically don’t sleep well before races, but surprisingly, I slept rather well given the nerves and circumstances. I threw the final preparations into the car and scarfed down the usual pre-race breakfast (toasted everything bagel with peanut butter).  From where we were staying, was a good hour drive to Cambridge. Once we arrived, we parked in the pre-paid parking area right at transition (PRO TIP: highly recommend doing this option as parking is very slim in the neighborhood surrounding transition). Dropped off special needs bags, topped off the tires with air, and loaded my nutrition onto the bike. My fueling strategy for the day was the following:

• Swim – 1 XRCEL Peach Tea bottle just prior to swim start
•  T1 – 1 XRCEL Peach Tea bottle
• Bike
  • First 60 miles…
    • 3 XRCEL Orange bottle
    • 2 small PB&J sandwiches
  • Special needs bag…
    • 2 XRCEL Peach Tea
    • 1 small PB&J sandwich
•  T2 – 1 XRCEL Peach Tea bottle
• Run – 4 XRCEL Orange bottles (throughout)

I put my wetsuit on, grabbed my trendy aqua eyewear and walked over to the swim start. I lined up in the 1:40-1:50 group, again, looking to just cruise the swim and conserve as much energy as possible knowing I have conservatively another 11+ hours ahead of me. Threw back 1 XRCEL Peach Tea just prior to the gun going off. Took a deep breathe and waded out into the water. Now the fun starts…

For anyone that’s done Eagleman or IMMD, you’re familiar with the Choptank River. For those that haven’t, lets just say it’s called the Choptank for a reason, key word here is ‘chop’. For the first 400m you really don’t feel the current, but once you make the first turn, you quickly find yourself in a brackish washing machine on max spin mode. The current however wasn’t the star of this year’s race. 

Due to the warmer than usually water temps, coupled with no rain fall in the weeks leading up to race day, the swim course was full of jellyfish. My first loop they weren’t too bad, a few stings here and there, but the second loop, those little buggers were ruthless! I’m assuming all the fast swimmers pushed them out of the way on the first lap, and then the second lap the jellies came back with a vengeance against the back of the packers like me. Once I made the final turn and neared the swim exit, I was excited to be back on dry land and away from the jellies the rest of the day. 

Swim: 1:32…

I took my time in T1, ensuring to not miss anything. Doused my arms and feet in vinegar to ease the jellyfish stings before lathering on the sunscreen. 

Having done Eagleman many times in years past, I knew what I was getting myself into with the bike course…

• • The scenery – while absolutely breathtaking through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, it makes for a very lonely ride (i.e. spectator-less). 
• • Flat as a pancake – no hills means constant pedaling and zero coasting. 
• • Wind – hands down the biggest defense this course has. Most sections are very exposed meaning no break from the seemingly always present headwind no matter what part of the course you’re on. The longer you’re out on the bike course into the early afternoon, the stronger the wind gets. 

Not too many highlights on the first hour or so of the bike. My power was right where I wanted it to be and my stomach was agreeing with my nutrition strategy. I was in the groove and humming right along to Lizzo’s newest summer hit (not the song I would have chosen, but the only one that would come to mind).  

At what seemed like the blink of an eye, I cruised into special needs at mile 63 feeling surprisingly well, and so far everything was going to plan (excluding the jellyfish). Grabbed my 2^nd bottle of 2 Peach Teas that I froze and placed in my T2 bag, along with the next round of PB&J. I remember thinking to myself “my legs feel good”, but knew the wind was only bound to get stronger.         

In the early goings, the miles were flying by. Once I hit the 85ish mile mark though, that’s when my mind started to wander. Each 5 mile ‘beep’ of the Garmin seemed like an eternity. The wind was really starting to blow at that point and I told myself just put your head down and keep pedaling, no matter what the power meter read. I cruised back into T2 and was met by some familiar faces (family and friends) who had been waiting anxiously for my pedal-fest to finally come to an end. 

Bike: 6:47…

In full transparency, I had never run a marathon in my life prior to this race, let alone after having just rode 112 miles. When I got off the bike, my legs still felt surprisingly ok. Tired yes, but not absolutely deflated. Again, I took my time in T2, ensuring to grab everything and load up on the sunscreen as it was really starting to heat up. I took it out really easy the first few miles, just focused on keeping the heart rate low and getting into a rhythm. 

Fast forward to miles 8-13 and that was my first “dark” moment. Due to the looped layout of the run course, you actually pass the finish line 5 times before you get to run down the red carpet. The first time through was exciting to experience the crowd cheering on the elites as they were finishing, but during the 2^nd time, it really hit home how much longer I had ahead of me. I also felt I was getting a bit low on liquids and was slowed to a walk. I took in some extra fluids at the next aid station and let the body “recover”. Within a few minutes, I was able to increase the pace back to a light jog and get back into the groove. 

I honestly don’t remember much between miles 13-23. Just keep telling myself to put one foot in front of the other, because as long as I kept moving forward, no matter what the pace, I would make the 17 hour cutoff. Fast forward to the last 3 miles and was completely shocked as I found myself still running after nearly 14 hours. At mile 25 I made my 5^th and final pass by the finish line before I would enter the finish line chute.   

Run: 5:45

If I had to summarize the advice I received from folks I spoke with in the days/weeks/months leading up to the race, they all said some variation of … “slow down once you get to the red carpet and soak it all in, you’ll always remember your first time.” While the lady in front of me crossing the finish line may have slowed down a little too much, to the point where my finish line pictures are of her not me, those 15 or so seconds coming down the finish line chute is a moment I will never forget. It was the culmination of countless hours of training … the realization of a pipe dream … the celebration of many sacrifices. Ironman Maryland was my victory lap. 

Overall 14:27

In closing, I want to give a big shout out to the entire XRCEL team. Thank you for continuing to support me throughout this journey. I couldn’t have done it without you!

It is no secret confidence comes from being prepared, and by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.

In endurance racing we train ourselves every day to prepare for race day – what we eat, what equipment we choose, what physical and mental training we do. Everything we do prepares us for how we will perform when race day comes. But, there are some things we just cannot prepare for through our training, things that are out of our control, things that we aren’t expecting, things that happen in a split second that can ruin our hard work and leave us feeling completely shattered. Things that come to mind, for me personally in my racing experiences and for which I have not been prepared for, have been as small as simply going off course, to more significant like leaving my entire bike nutrition in transition, to catastrophic events such as crashing my bike in Embrunman 2018. Sometimes, I will admit, things happen that we cannot recover from, and all that can be done here is learn, don’t dwell, and look forward to giving yourself another opportunity to test yourself. But many times, we can recover, do our best problem solving in that moment, and still have a great day – perhaps an even better day because you know you went beyond what you had prepared for and challenged yourself in a way you have never done before.

Here are a few tips to remember if on race day you find yourself in a position you may not be prepared for:

Stay calm.

The best way to be able to make rational decisions is with a calm mind. Remove emotion from what is going on in that moment and then make your plan to move forward.

Act, don’t react.

Or react, then go back to step one, and act again in a better state of mind.

We all quickly react with emotion when something happens that is out if our control. But it is important to not get caught up in just reacting to the situation, but to ACT, and fast. If you find yourself wasting valuable time simply reacting to what happened to derail your race, stop, breathe, take a moment, and when calm, make your plan to move on.

Be positive and confident. Back yourself.

This can be a hard one when things go pear-shaped. Most of our confidence comes through training, but when things go wrong, it is easy to forget everything we have trained ourselves for, and react in a way we would not usually plan for. This is a time when you need to trust your instincts, even trick yourself to be confident, be positive and when you carry on, do so with confidence and don’t look back.

Be present.

Everything I have just mentioned about how you can navigate an unknown situation really comes back to being present. Not letting your emotions carry you away into thinking of outcomes that you can control in that moment if you deal with them IN that moment. Your race is not over, you have not failed, you can still do this. Take the emotion out, stay calm, bring yourself back into the moment and SEE what is happening. Deal with it with a calm mind. And move on.

When it is all over, reflect, learn and know you are a better athlete and person because you were able to take something out of your control and make lemonade out of lemons. In endurance racing you can NEVER be prepared for everything. It is impossible. So, don’t try. Train, prepare, be confident and ALWAYS trust your instincts.

XRCEL: What sport did you first start participating in as a kid? 

Ricky Miller:​ I started swimming very early, around six years old. I swam for very competitive teams throughout my childhood. We would swim two hours a day and do dry land workouts. This was huge, building a solid foundation, that has helped me get away with swimming very little. For triathlons now I only swim a couple times a week in the ocean for 20 to 30 minutes max. I swam for Montclair State University in college and would usually swim the 100, 200, 500 free and 100 and 200 fly. 

How did you first get interested in triathlon? 

I got interested in triathlon during my junior year of college when I had shoulder surgery. I bought a road bike and started to ride a lot. That summer, I signed up for the race series in Long Branch, NJ and raced a lot. This was very helpful and got me used to triathlon racing and tactics. 

We know you and your wife are very talented triathletes. How do you support each other in balancing life, kids, work, and training? 

Jill started to get into triathlons around the same time as I and quickly progressed. She has made the age group team USA for non-draft Olympic distance. We used to occasionally ride and run together before we had kids. Now we will sometimes run together and one of us will push the double stroller. Another new addition is using our Kickr trainer with Zwift. This allows us to ride during our children’s nap times and early in the morning. It’s one of the best training tools we have for being efficient with our time. 

How has being a triathlete prepared and continued to help you as a father and husband? 

Being a triathlete has helped me stay in shape and have the energy to chase my kids around. One huge adjustment is time management and planning the workouts with my wife. I used to just ride and run whenever I felt like. Now we have to figure out who’s going to work out and when. One plus is the kids don’t mind the stroller and seem to be ok with our bike trailer. I pull them around with my fat tire bike, which is a good workout in itself. 

How does your family’s support benefit your triathlon training? 

Family is very important and both kids seem to enjoy watching us ride and run around. When they are at races with us, they both smile and clap a lot. It’s very motivating because my daughter loves going onto the podium, which forces me to go fast. 

What happened when you were injured last year and how did that change your perspective on triathlon? 

I had a bad bike accident which broke my collarbone and ribs. I was able to ride my trainer pretty quickly after having surgery. Before the accident, I ran the Boston Marathon in the spring, so I had a big running base. During the Atlantic City half distance triathlon, I knew I would be able to swim decently and ride well. After I got onto the bike, I was able to get into the lead and push the bike pace. The looped course is very hard when your average pace is 26mph and you are passing people going 20mph. It’s non stop passing and avoiding people. As the run began, I knew I was going to hold on and was able to finish in 2nd place overall, which was amazing given that it was a big race. 

Why do you like being a part of Team Zebra and what benefits do you feel you gain? 

Being on Team Zebra is great because of the fun and creative workouts they have us do. By participating in their splash and dashes, you can practice quick transitions and running hard each week. 

You currently won the Vincentown Sprint tri and were 2nd at LAVAROCKS Sprint. How did you use XRCEL during these two races? 

This year I have raced Lava Rocks, Vincentown, and the New Jersey State Triathlon. For the first two races, I took one XRCEL before the race and just used water the rest of the time. This to me is perfect because you’re not trying to over complicate your nutrition plan. For the New Jersey State Triathlon, I took an XRCEL before the swim and another one during the run. Results from this years racing have been pretty good with this formula. I ended up 2nd overall for Lava Rocks, 1st for Vincentown, and 6th overall for the New Jersey State Triathlon. 

What is it like having your wife and kids at your races? 

The New Jersey State Triathlon was the only race I didn’t have my kids at because of the heat and it was my worst race of the season. Having them at the races allows me to push a lot harder so that they can stand on the podium with me! 

Besides racing triathlon, what are some of your and your family’s hobbies? 

Besides triathlons, I enjoy surfing, kiteboarding, and mountain biking. We also have a boat and the kids love going out on the water. 

What advice would you give other triathletes who are trying to balance family life and racing? 

My advice to balance family and triathlon is utilizing nap time and early bedtimes. This allows you to work out when the kids sleep so you can spend time with them when they are awake. I also bought a bike trailer and running stroller so I can take them on workouts with me. 

XRCEL: Leading into Kona, you had some great races.  How were you feeling mentally and physically going into the World Championships?

Carrie Lester: This was my third year racing professionally in Kona and I felt like I was in the best shape. My race performances and training over the summer gave me a lot of confidence leading into the race and I was ready to take on race day with a strong performance.

How specifically did your race in Hawaii go from start to finish?

The swim for me didn’t go as well as I would have liked, but I held my own. I set off on the bike and within the first 30 minutes, starting throwing up liquids, a mix of the salt water and any gels and fluids I had consumed straight out of the swim. This kept happening for the first hour or so, and then it seemed to settle enough for me to get in some nutrition. By halfway, I was starting to feel better, so I began to push along riding up to as high as fifth place, but then about 30 minutes before the end of the bike, I started getting sick again. Every step of the run, until I had to stop, was a blur. It was very disappointing as it was something completely out of my control. I can only blame it on the water as it was very dirty from the rain run-off and I swallowed too much during the swim.

When did you decide to DNF in Hawaii and what was going through your mind in those moments when you knew your day was over?

At about mile eight of the run, I decided that was enough. It’s always a hard decision to make, especially at a World Championship, whether to push on or call it a day. Unfortunately, only the top 10 get paid in Kona, so when your day is going really badly, you have to make a “business” decision.”  The options are to keep going and do more damage and jeopardize your recovery, or stop, recover faster, and race again.

What did Scott, your coach, say after Kona and how did you guys regroup for the rest of your racing year?

We made a new plan almost the day after Kona as to how we would handle the rest of the year. We took a few days after Kona because I still needed some recovery time and then we started back into training for the end of season races.

How did the DNF in Kona play a part in your 2nd place finish in Mexico (IRONMAN 70.3 Los Cabos)?

My goals really were to attack the swim and bike and then give it anything I had left on the run. I wasn’t angry about Kona, maybe still somewhat disappointed, but I really wanted to just put out a strong performance I knew I was capable of. Secretly, I wanted to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Nice next year and I did that unexpectedly, so it took some of the Kona disappointment away. I can’t wait to race in Nice next year!

Heading into IRONMAN Arizona just 2 weeks later, what were your goals and how did you and Scott prepare for your first IM after Kona?

Preparation was no different. Looking at the start list, my goal was to swim with Meredith Kessler, put down a solid bike split, and run a 3 hour to 3:05 marathon. That was my perfect day. I nailed the first two, but my marathon time was 3:07 (2 min. slower than my goal).  It was still one of my fastest IM’s to date, so again, it gave me a lot of confidence.

During Ironman Arizona, how did you handle your race day nutrition?

It was a little cooler in the morning and temperatures over the day were pretty mild, so the only thing I really changed was I had a little less sodium. I used XRCEL as my gel source throughout the whole day consuming nine bottles from start to finish.

What were you feeling when you finished in 2nd in Arizona and what did you learn about yourself that day, after a tough day in Kona?

I had complete confidence in myself and my training and I was so proud of how I didn’t let that one race define my year. I can’t even think about my 2019 racing plans yet, but I imagine it will be similar to this past year.

What is it about training and racing with XRCEL that you like the most?

I like it because I never get sick of the taste, I can have it at any time of the day, and it never gives me GI issues. I have a sensitive stomach, which is worse under the stress of racing and training. XRCEL is the best product to help fuel me during these times because it’s so easy to digest. I also don’t get the highs and lows that I would get from other gel products since XRCEL is an extended release gel, so energy is delivered at a steadier rate so I don’t ever feel like I am “bonking”.

How has racing and training shaped who you are as a person, outside of triathlon?

Triathlon is a special sport. I am an active person and I will always be active. Racing and training has provided me with goals, routine, structure, discipline, self-motivation, self-determination, and so much more. It has also introduced me to so many parts of the world where I have met lifelong friends and created relationships that have helped me mature in both my sporting and personal life.

Knowing a career in triathlon has a shelf life, what do you see yourself doing after your triathlon career is over?

I can’t fully answer that yet. I would like to be more of an “on deck” coach for our coaching business, KIS Coaching. I also have a few side interests I may want to pursue.

What is the best advice you could give to another triathlete, knowing the sport has its many highs and lows?

Take the time to reflect, acknowledge any mistakes, acknowledge what went well, make a new plan and move on. There are races all over the world, so pick yourself up and try again.

What does your training currently look like now that it’s the end of the year?

I just raced my final race of the year, Indian Wells 70.3, and finished third. We will now have a break from structured training over the holidays so I can enjoy time with family & friends. We also have a list of house projects to keep us busy along with some surfing.

XRCEL: What is it that motivates you to race Cathedral Pines, a clearly, grueling race?

Brian Norling: The race has a party atmosphere. It’s basically the season ending race. Overall, the race is physically and mentally grueling. Once you are into hours four, five, and six, it starts to mentally wear on you. Having been at the race six other years does help a lot. I know the course well. It’s always good to know where you can push the pace or where you can grab a drink.

With Cathedral Pines having such a different race make-up than a triathlon, how do you prepare and execute your fueling plan on race day?

This is a self-supported race, so there are no aid stations on the race course. After each 10 mile loop, you come out of the woods and around a field. This is where all the cars are parked. You stop at your car and fuel up or grab nutrition. In this race, I’m taking enough nutrition to make two laps without stopping.

How did you use XRCEL during your Cathedral Pines race for all 80 miles?

XRCEL was my main source of fueling for the race. By using XRCEL in training and racing, I have a really good idea of how long I can go before more is needed. I took the first bottle about 10 minutes before the start. It’s a mass start with all the racers going off at once, so you have to be ready to go hard from the start. I had one full bottle at the start of laps three and five. I also drank half of a bottle at the start of lap seven as I was feeling good and was getting close to the end of the race.

Since you have won Cathedral Pines in the past, how do you set your race expectations?

The race is held the third weekend in November. The race season gets long, so it’s tough to stay sharp and be ready to race. I know a lot of the participants in the race, but you never know everyone who signs up. Completing eight laps is always the first goal for the race. This year there were only seven racers that completed eight laps. I aim for the podium every year, but you never know what will happen in six hours of racing. I just stay at a steady pace and hope all goes well.

Now that your season is over, what do you look forward to doing the most and how will you spend your off-season?

I look forward to fun mountain bike rides with friends, having a good time on the bike, and not really worrying about actual training. I spend most off the off- season riding bikes and I don’t do a lot of swimming or running. I just try to relax.

How do you balance your training schedule with running a business and family time?

It’s one of the toughest things at times. Many things get in the way at times and I have to make time to fit everything in by budgeting my time wisely. With two kids who are very active in sports and school, their schedules are always my priority. Most of the time, I train early in the morning as the afternoons are busy. Some days I’ll do my run at lunch and try to eat while I’m working, but working as a mason, that can be tough at times. Knowing that the family is behind me takes a ton of stress out the equation. My wife Nancy is super supportive of the racing. It’s also great when they can make a race. It’s so awesome to hear and see all three of them at the races. They make me push harder!

How does your training and racing compliment your life as a husband and dad?

I feel it shows my kids that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve whatever you want. It’s a good thing to be in shape so I can keep up with them. My daughter is into running and swimming, which is great because I can spend time with her, enjoying the same activities.

With such a successful racing year, how do you set your next year racing goals and expectations?

I look back at each season and see where I can improve. I know time is against me as I get older. I try to layout the season and the goals early in the year so I can have a good idea where the training has to go. I’m not really sure what 2019 will bring. I would like to do NJ State Triathlon again. How can I pass up the race being the 2x defending champion?
I also have a few bike races I’d like to do, but they are all tough to get into.
I have also said to my wife that I’ll be racing less this year as the business is taking up lot of time and the kids are growing up fast. I don’t want to miss anything they are doing.

What was the best lesson you learned this year from training and racing?

I learn a lot of lessons through the year. It’s really hard to pin down one thing, but one thing learned is to listen to your body. Some days you just don’t have it. I’ve had those days. I just get through the workouts and take some more down time. I’m also big believer in quality over quantity. It’s what works best for me, having limited time.

What advice would you give an athlete who is trying to make improvements in their training and racing?

Concentrate on that thing that needs the improvement and take a couple weeks to work on it. If you’re a triathlete training in three sports, this can be tough, but you need to put in the time to improve if one thing is holding you back. If it’s more power on the bike, put in some really good weeks on the bike and do easier runs during the week. Being efficient at all three sports in triathlon is what you are aiming for.

What does your racing schedule look like for next year?

I have a few races in mind for next year, but two of them have a lottery system in order to get an entry. I won’t know about those races until mid-January and one will control the season if I get in. One race is the Dirty Kanza. It’s a 200-mile gravel race in Kansas. It’s also a self-supported race with aid stops every 50 miles.

When you go into a race, knowing you are in great shape and have had a successful year to date, how do you stay focused and channel your confidence?
It’s not an easy thing. I know I have a target on my back. I give 100% at the races. I don’t want to be driving home and thinking “What if?”.

How do you continue to challenge yourself in racing and in life, having had so much success?

In racing, the challenge for me is to see how long I can stay successful at racing. I always want to better my time on a course where I have competed before, which is getting tougher every season. There is always somebody else out there who also wants to win just as bad.

What was your favorite racing moment this year and why?

This year had to be NJ State Triathlon. Winning the sprint race overall was just amazing! The week before the race, I was having a bad week training. Nothing was clicking. Every workout was off and it was getting in my head. At the race, I had a horrible swim! I remember someone yelling 15th. I figured it was over. I had to make up a lot of time on the bike and run. In a sprint race there isn’t a lot of time, but I put my head down and left everything on the course to make up the time. I made up the time on the bike and had a very good run, which was enough to hold on for the win. It was so awesome to hear your name announced as the race winner and NJ State Champion.

What are some bucket list races for you?

As far as triathlon goes, it would have to be to race Kona! The problem with that is I have no desire to do a full Ironman to qualify, so the lottery is my only way in. For cycling, I have a few as there are so many interesting races around. The one I’m trying for this year is Dirty Kanza.

First got into the triathlon world back in 2015 when I joined a relay team with two other colleagues from work as the team’s swimmer. Mind you I didn’t come from a competitive swimming background. They asked if I knew how to swim, I said yes, and they responded with “cool, you’re in”). Needless to say those 750m were way harder than I ever imagined, but I survived. The following year I had the lofty goal of finishing the Sprint distance race as an individual. As a complete rookie, went at it without any sort of training plan, coach or expectation, just wanted to finish. As you can probably imagine, it definitely wasn’t the prettiest of finishes, but crossing the finish line was unlike any feeling I had ever experienced, and I was instantly hooked. 

In 2016, I went out on a whim and signed up for my first half at Ironman 70.3 Eagleman. By no means did I set any land speed records that race, but I sure did learn a lot about myself and knew that I had found my new sport / challenge. Since then, my main focus for 2017 and 2018 has been the 70.3 distance. 

In my eyes, triathlons, especially long-course, is the ultimate test of the body and minds’ ability. In 2015, I wasn’t necessarily living the healthiest of post-college lifestyles you could say and was looking for something that could get me back on the right track. Happened to stumble upon triathlons and it has completely turned things around for the better.

As far as goals in the sport, I have my sights set on tackling my first full in 2019 (targeting Ironman Maryland). Aside from a 140.6, it’s a total pipe dream, but I’d like to one day qualify for 70.3 Worlds. 

I love fueling with XRCEL because you never have to worry about the dreaded BONK ever again. Since making the switch to XRCEL, I’ve really seen a difference in my training and racing. Whether it’s an easy day on the trainer or a massive “hero session”, a sprint or a 70.3, XRCEL gives me not only just the immediate kick, but also the extended release for sustained output.

XRCEL: What was enticing about Ventouxman and made put it on your race schedule?

Carrie Lester: We wanted to race a half distance race about three weeks out from Ironman France and this race was perfect. The difficulty of the course and racing over the mythical Mt. Ventoux was what really enticed us to the race and knowing what this would do for our preparation made the decision easy.

XRCEL: Going into the race, what was your goal, knowing it’s such a tough course and that it would be a barometer of your fitness?

CL: The goal was really just to make the race a good, hard effort and add it to the fitness bank for Ironman France. Climbing Mt. Ventoux took me about an hour and twenty minutes and, the fact that I felt stronger as I went up and was able to have a strong run at 4500 feet, was a good indicator of fitness for sure.

XRCEL: What was your nutrition plan and how did you utilize XRCEL throughout the race?

CL: The plan was to not be in a deficit before starting the climb up Mt Ventoux. The first 60 kilometers of the bike was rolling and pretty quick, so this was when I made sure to fully-fuel myself well enough to start the climb by drinking and taking in calories. I had two XRCEL plus fluid on the flatter sections and then another two XRCEL during the climb along with a chocolate bar.  I took two more XRCEL’s during the 20 kilometer run.

XRCEL: At what point in the race did you believe you were going to win and how did you stay focused for the remainder of the race?

CL: I was in the lead after the swim and knew I was riding well when I started catching some of the men on the climb up Mt Ventoux. I didn’t know where the next female was, but I couldn’t see anyone during the one out and back on the run, so I assumed I was safely in the lead (which I know you should never do). This was good for me heading into the run as it was at 4500 feet, through wet and slippery trails. I didn’t want to have to push myself with Ironman France only a few weeks away.

XRCEL: When you crossed the finish line as the winner, when did you realize that Scott had won too?

CL: The last time I saw him on the run course, he was close to the lead male and I knew he would have been able to run him down, but I didn’t know he had won for sure until I hugged him at the finish line. I didn’t care that I had won because I was so happy for him. He was holding the finish tape for me, which was really special. To find out he won, I was so happy for him we both started crying. He deserves every win as he works harder than anyone I know.

XRCEL: How does the dynamic as “coach and athlete” help you in your training and racing?

CL: We certainly have our stressful moments, as every athlete/coach would, but we show a lot of respect for each other and we always manage. We just get the work done, but still make sure we are both enjoying what we do and have a balanced approach to training, racing, and life in general.

XRCEL: What does this win do for you as you as you prepare to defend your title at Ironman France?

CL: Win or not, it was a great race to add to the fitness bank. We have both had a great training block since then and I feel we are both heading into Ironman France in really good shape. There is stronger competition this year on the women’s side, but I am racing just as fit, if not fitter, than last year. If I put down the performance I am capable of, I will be happy with wherever that places me, but the win would be a dream.

XRCEL: What is it about the training in Leysin that helps you prepare for the second half of your season, including two Ironmans?

CL: Leysin is at about 4500 feet of altitude and we can swim and get in some run sessions here as well, which is a big fitness benefit. All of the riding is hard as every ride includes some form of climbing, so you always have to push yourself. After 10-12 weeks of this, it builds a lot of strength and, add the difficult races we do, and it all carries through to the end of the year.

XRCEL: How do you use your win at Ventouxman to get mentally and physically prepared to compete for the Ironman World Championships?

CL: I we still have to race Alpe d’Huez Triathlon and Embrunman and then have a short rest before the final build for the world championships. Those races. for me, are the physical and mental preparation I need for Kona. They add so much strength at the end of our trip and also allow us to have a more “relaxed” Kona build. I don’t need to bury myself with long sessions every single week until the race because all of the work has been done here.  It’s a matter of taking some time after the trip to rest up and then just enjoy the final four weeks of preparation.

XRCEL: How did you and Scott celebrate your huge, double win at Ventouxman?

CL: We spent a night in Annecy on the way home and then enjoyed dinner with friends back in Leysin. We didn’t do anything crazy and jumped straight back into the training for Ironman France. After the Ironman, we will have one week with Scott’s family, who are coming over for the race, so that will be a week of celebrating both races along with his parents 50^th anniversary.

Jimmy Buffett has a good song titled “A Pirate Looks at 40.” In my eleventh year racing as a professional triathlete, I too had to look at turning 40. Even though I’m still 23 in my head, I know the realities of advancing age versus athletic performance. After over 15 years in the sport of triathlon, in my last year of racing, I was able to achieve my personal best Ironman 70.3 time only two months before my 40th birthday, and my personal best full-Ironman time only three weeks before the big four-oh! I was very proud of the fact that despite my age on paper, I proved to myself that I could perform better than I could in what most consider their “prime” racing years.

 I learned quite a lot over my last few years in the sport about effective ways to approach training and racing as I aged. If you read my last XRCEL blog about injury prevention,  you’ll notice similarities to the content I share here. This is simply because as we age, our injury risk increases. While there are common themes with that last blog, here I want to point out some specifics for the masters athletes. These tips are not exclusive to triathletes, but the ideas here can benefit all athletes.

Wisdom is Your Best Asset – You’re not in your twenties anymore, but that also means that you have your wisdom to guide you through your decision making. As we go through the months of training to prepare for an event, then executing on race day, we’re constantly faced with decisions that will impact our training, recovery, risk of injury, proper execution of workouts, and being smart on race day. Learn to rely on your knowledge and experiences to help make smart choices. The ego, courage, and bravado of youth can lead athletes astray from making good decisions. Use your wisdom to help you avoid some of the mistakes a younger version of yourself may have made.

Acknowledge the Changes – Our bodies are changing, that is a fact. We all need to acknowledge those changes and then learn to work with them instead of fighting against them. This goes back to my previous point about using your wisdom in decision-making. I know that I can’t fly across 8 time zones or have an extra couple glasses of wine in the evening without it taking more out of me than my younger self. If I stay out later at a party, I’m going to pay the price the next day. If you find yourself ever saying that you USED to be able to do something, then take note of that thought and don’t try to do it now. Let the younger athletes abuse their bodies. Acknowledge the changes, be smart, and work within your own new parameters.

Make the Gym a Priority – It is a fact that as we age, we begin to lose muscle mass and strength. Both men and especially women also have to deal with the loss of bone mineral density (think of staving off osteoporosis). The best way to combat these two serious issues is to maintain gym work as part of your routine. I know there is a constant debate about lifting weights and endurance sports, especially when it comes to the question of lighter weight/more reps vs. heavier weight/fewer reps. I’ve had conversations with several strength and conditioning coaches for some of the world’s top Ironman and Ironman 70.3 professionals. Their consensus is that for endurance athletes (even aging ones) that heavier weight and 6-8 reps per set is the sweet spot. With the heavier weight, you will stimulate your body’s natural hormone production. A little extra natural HGH production will make you feel younger and give you more energy. If you also work on some of your stabilizing muscles and muscle engagement, it can help with injury prevention. Spending time in the gym will help keep you healthy and feeling young.

Intensity is as Important Now if Not More – We maintain our endurance extremely well as we age. You won’t see the level of degradation of your aerobic capacity as you will the fitness associated with harder, more intense efforts. There’s a reason you see a lot of excellent ultra-distance endurance athletes (think 100 mile runners and extremely long distance cycling events) who are over the age of 40. It’s the upper level areas of your fitness like the fast twitch muscles (sprinting), VO2 max (60-120 seconds), and threshold (under an hour effort) that are the areas where we lose the most fitness as we age. Because the workouts to train those engines are difficult and hurt, many masters athletes fall into the trap of long and slow. For these reasons, it’s important to keep intensity as part of your training to reduce the degradation of upper fitness levels and keep you fast and strong.

Different Approach to Recovery – As we age, we need more recovery time to absorb hard training. When I was in my twenties and early thirties, I could train hard day-after-day, with little recovery time. Looking back at old training logs, I’m shocked at how much hard training I could do. Over the last several years, I had to work with my coach to make adjustments to my recovery approach so that I could hit the hard workouts with the intensity they require. This simply meant I couldn’t push hard every single day in every workout. I also learned that over the last several years, I lost fitness much faster and it took longer to get it back if I took too much recovery or time off. In my earlier years, I could take a lot of time off in my off-season and be back in shape after a month of hard training. Recently I found the more time I took completely off, the time to regain my previous fitness increased significantly. I found that maintaining lighter training and recovery workouts helped recovery, without spending too many days off on the couch, and was the key to finding the balance between recovery and losing fitness.

Nutrition – When I was a new triathlete in my twenties, I would go on some of my long bike rides and eat absolute garbage like Pop Tarts and Doritos. I got away with it because I was young. Looking back, I now know that I could have performed better had I taken my training nutrition more seriously during those early years. As I’ve matured as an athlete, I learned how important sports nutrition is to my performance. Working with XRCEL Athlete Fuel, I found a product whose formulation with its extended release micro-gel technology kept me better fueled for my workouts and racing. With it, I was able to continue to perform at a higher-level despite being “over the hill” in terms of professional racing age.

Mobility – Coaches and trainers love to talk about stretching and foam rolling. While I think they both serve a function and have a valuable place in all athletes’ training regimes. I’ve found that mobility and activation are as important, if not more, to maintaining my body function and performance as I’ve gotten older. I’ve previously written about Lawrence Van Lingen and his approach and techniques to improve mobility specifically for running. My coach and Lawrence simplified the terminology to call it “happy hips.” It actually refers to sets of exercises and active stretching to help your body increase it’s mobility and engage critical biomechanical functions for increased performance. While all athletes can benefit from incorporating mobility exercises into their programs, I’ve seen it greatly benefit aging athletes as we start to lose flexibility. Search for Lawrence Van Lingen on Youtube to find his channel and spend some time watching his videos. It’s an excellent investment of your time for increased performance and injury prevention.

Warming Up – We all know someone, usually in the office, who tore their hamstring playing softball. As we age, our muscles aren’t as supple and those types of sudden ballistic movements put us at an increased risk of injury. The same is true for starting out too quickly in your workouts. Make sure to be disciplined about taking extra time to warm up to get your muscles ready to go. If you train with other people, you need to be smart about it. If I’m in a small group of 2-4 people, I never have a problem asking if we can warm up a little slower. If it’s a bigger group, it’s harder to settle everyone down at the start of a ride or run. I found that if a training group starts too quickly for me because of the young bucks at the front, I show up 10 minutes early to the run and jog around to get my body nice and warmed up at my pace before the group dynamics take over.

Use Technology to Stay Competitive – Let’s face it, if you’re getting on in your years, you’re probably at a more advanced point in your career than you were a couple decades ago. Hopefully with that comes a little more disposable income. The great thing about sports, especially when it comes to triathlon, is that there is always better equipment available where you can “buy” speed. As technologies of each sport advance, you can find small, or sometimes large chunks of time by using better or faster equipment.  One of the most innovative companies for total body fitness is the Peloton bike and new Peloton tread.  Just like XRCEL provides cutting edge technology to fuel athletes to peak performance, Peloton provides the technology for athletes to increase fitness and performance. Other “high-tech” examples can be in the form of gear like running shoes, swim speedskins and wetsuits, bikes and any associated cycling equipment, and even nutrition. Investing to upgrade your nutrition to XRCEL over an inferior sports nutrition product can keep you racing faster by keeping you properly fueled for your training and racing. Using your purchasing power advantage will help keep you competitive. Shaving off time here and there can add up to big gains in the big picture of your racing.

Use Your Age as Motivation – I’ve heard random people say snippets like “I was the fittest of my life playing high school football when I was 17.” That doesn’t have to be you! The Baby Boomer generation has been redefining what it means to age and that being “old” is only a mindset. I think the following generations will continue to prove that age is only a number. Use your age as a motivation to push yourself to a new level of fitness that you didn’t know was achievable. There’s no reason you can’t be your fittest in your 40s. Show yourself that you can do something in your 50s and 60s that you never would have dreamed possible. When the task seems insurmountable, think about how good it’s going to feel to pass those twenty-somethings in your next race. We have our ages written on our calves in black magic marker by race organizers in triathlon. Own it and wear it as a badge of honor!

Just because you have a few more candles on your birthday cake these days doesn’t mean that you can’t have some of your best racing ahead of you. I proved to myself that age is only a number. I have friends, my age or older, who are still competitive against the top professional triathletes in the world. If you heed the advice I’ve shared here, you too don’t have to surrender to Father Time when you toe the line at your next race.

The winter season finally loosened its stranglehold in New Jersey. Peak triathlon race season is drawing closer.  Now is the perfect time to get your gear out and check it out. Most likely some of the gear you race with hasn’t seen daylight since your last race.
I was at the pool the other morning talking to a few athletes who were getting ready for the race season. Almost all the athletes have put in a good amount of time training this winter for early season “A” races. One of the athletes said he  got some new gear over the winter, but never got to use it. And, he was excited to race with it.

We all get excited when we get new equipment. It can be just about anything– from a new bike, wheel set or even some new shoes. But don’t sabotage your race by not testing and practicing first.  We all hear it “nothing new on race day”. If it’s a new bike or wheel set, get out on the road and try them out in real world conditions. The bike may feel great on the trainer at the house. But how is it going to feel at race speed or in different wind conditions. Also get in a few group rides to get comfortable riding with people again. You will be surprised after a winter of no, or very few, group rides how uncomfortable you may feel racing with lots of other cyclists around you.

Have you practiced your nutrition? When training, I always use the same nutrition I’m going to race with.  I use XRCEL for all my training so I know how I’ll feel during race day.  I’ve raced everything from a sprint triathlon to a 6-hour MTB race and used XRCEL in all of them.

You may have gotten a new helmet. The helmet may feel great when you are standing. But how does it feel when you’re in the aero position? You may have to adjust it a little. Not something you want to do on race day. Doing a few laps around the neighborhood can solve this, and may also make the neighbors laugh a little!

I say this because I’ve done it before, and it didn’t turn out well. The night before the state road race I picked up a new bike, brought it home, and made all the adjustment I needed to. Finished up kinda late. The bike felt great. That was until the seat post started to slip. I never tightened the bolt enough. The post slipped so low that I couldn’t pedal the bike without my knees hitting me in the chin. At that point my race was over.

There is enough to worry about on race day – especially the first one of a new season. Don’t let anything you don’t have control over ruin your day. If you were lucky enough to get some new gear in the off season, take some time a test it out in the conditions you will be using it. Even if you didn’t get anything new, grab your race day gear and fuel and make sure it ready for the big day. You don’t want to be scrambling on Friday night looking for new goggles. Always try things out well before race day. Do yourself a big favor before your race and check out all your gear to make sure IT’S race ready.