Training Tips

  • Thoughts on Stretching


    This is written by NRG Athlete Trevor ClarkStop stretching right now and read this first. Stretching is one of the things I have always done and have always thought that it must be good for me. I thought that stretching was good for things such as faster recovery, injury prevention, and increased fl


  • Coaching Tips - Crank Size


    Is a compact crank right for you?By NRG Coach Sylvie DansereauNow that we have discussed the advantage of riding at higher cadences (~85-95 rpms) as well as developing your ability to ride economically at a wide range of  cadences through your training, I should touch on the equipment aspects o


  • Coaching Tips - Cadence


    By NRG Coach Sylvie Dansereau What about cadence? In order to ride efficiently, athletes need to use a wide variety of cadences when riding variable terrain and therefore must become adept at being efficient at a wide range of cadences.  In general terms it has been well reported that pedal


  • Can you provide some tips in regard to proper recovery from training and racing?


    Recovery is crucial to allow athletes to become stronger from their training. Insufficient recovery will lead to plateaus and eventually overtraining and associated  performance reduction. Recovery time should be built into every day, every week, every month and every year! What can you do to q


  • How do I determine when I've done too much? How do I make sure I don't get overtrained?


    What is it? - Overtraining occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual's exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. Progress is ceased and loss of fitness and strength is a possibility. Who can it happen to? - Anyone at any level however, it occurs more readily in individuals that are


  • Do you recommend using races to train? If so, how should I approach it?


    Yes!  If, however (and this is a big ‘if’), you keep the purpose of each race in perspective. Racing is the purest and truest form of training.  The best way to get faster at doing a triathlon, is doing a triathlon.  To benefit, you must consider your overall goals an


  • Should I still work out when I feel sick?


    The short answer is ‘no’. You must keep in mind what the point is to ‘training’; this being that you’re trying to stress your body (physically and aerobically) in such a way that the recovery from this stress yields greater strength and endurance specific to your a


  • Ask the Coach June 09


    I am a good runner (Boston Qualifier) but when it comes to triathlon my run speed is somewhat pathetic. How can I run to my potential or at least not lose as much run speed?   The answer to this question almost always lies not with your run but with your bike! Generally th


  • Ask the Coach Aug 09


    Q: How can I improve my hill climbing on the bike? A: There are really 3 key things to help an athlete ride hills better: 1.      Efficiency while Climbing -  This involves a few things: First,  having the right gears for the terr


  • Why should I get a Coach?


      Well there are many answers to this question!! First off coaching isn’t for everyone, some athletes are very successful doing their own thing, but having said that coaching should be able to offer a wide range of benefits to any athlete Coaching go


  • Ask the Coach Nov 09


    "I am a new give-it-a-try triathlon participant and have been happy with my results this season.  I am eager to graduate to a sprint and would like some tips to help with the running portion of the race as the run is my weakness." In order to improve


  • Ask the Coach Dec 09


    "Should I be concerned with trying to learn flip-turns in the pool since I will never have to do this in open water during a race?" In the big picture, no it isn’t critical to be able to flip turn as a triathlete. But if you put in the time and do learn


  • Comfort for the Long Haul


    Being comfortable on your bike can make or break your enjoyment and performance. Many cyclists have experienced the pitfalls of a poor set up in various forms: poor cycling times in a race; difficultly running off the bike or feeling very fatigued; injuries to feet, knees, hips or back. Many don&rsq


  • TOUR FOR KIDS TRAINING OUTLINE


    GETTING STARTED:The first step in getting ready for one of the Tour for Kids ride options is to assess where your fitness level stands today. How much riding have you done in the past few years? How much riding have you done in the past few months? The answers to these questions will help you to dec


  • Fiona's Ironman Brazil Race Report


    This is Fiona Gray's race report from Ironman Brazil, it maybe a little late but she did get married in June and was in France watching the Tour for her Honeymoon so she does have a good excuse!!Ironman Brazil 2004Ola! (Hello in Portuguese)Ironman Brazil was on May 29th, my 3rd Ironman race, having


  • Lisa Bentley's Taper Tips


    Over the past 5 years that I have been coached and mentored by Lance Watson, I would say that we have fine-tuned and perfected the taper portion of my training cycle. Magically, during every taper, the fatigue that builds up during the Ironman build phase vanishes. The “I’m never trainin


  • Summer Races as Preparation for an Ironman


    As the snow finally melts away and spring slowly arrives it is time to start planning your upcoming summer race season. For many athletes the summer season culminates with an Ironman. This involves many long days training days in order to be properly prepared. But combining long training days with a


  • Gord Henderson's IM Brazil Race Report


    Ironman Brazil - May 28, 2006 As a note Gord finished 13th overallNobody ever gets the 'perfect' build to an Ironman - something always goes wrong, and there can't be many people standing at the start line thinking that they've done everything possible to maximize their potential on the day. In my c


  • Fiona's IM Brazil Race Report


    Ironman Brazil May 28th, 2006My fourth Ironman and yet again in Brazil; back in 2004 Brandon had made it clear that we were ¡§not coming back to Brazil¡¨; not because we didn¡¦t enjoy Brazil, not because we didn¡¦t have good races (we did) but just beca


  • Brandon's Quest for Kona


    My Quest for Kona 2006Plan B - Buffalo Springs Ironman 70.3 – June 25th, 2006Brandon WhitbyFor those of you who may not have heard, my first race of the year was Ironman Brazil. Fiona and I had made a concerted effort at the beginning of the year that we wanted to qualify for Ironman Hawaii fo


  • The Advantages of Training and Racing with Power


    Looking to go faster in 2007? The Advantages of Training and Racing with PowerAs the 2006 race season comes to a close its time to look back over the year and assess how your season went. Did you meet all of your goals? If not, why not, and if you did how can you get even faster next year. One way t


  • Getting Ready Race!


    With summer about to arrive it is time to start thinking about your first race of the season. A lot of athletes go into their first races a little under prepared but with some planning and practice you can make your first race much smoother and avoid a lot of the common first race pitfalls.Here are


  • INDOOR CYCLING


    INTRODUCTION:Winter is now here and many athletes have given up on the idea of riding outside until the snow melts again in spring. This is great in terms of maintaining your body core temperature but it will do little to help your progression as an athlete for next season. But there are ways to not