How To Train to Give Yourself a Chance at Qualifying

Now that the Ironman World Championship season is over for the year, after the women raced in Nice last month and the men just raced in Kona, we thought it would be helpful for those of you excited about those races to hear what it takes to qualify for them.

Too many athletes believe that qualifying for races such as Kona, Nice, and Roth (all long distance triathlon) requires speed. It doesn’t. Qualifying for these races (which is another way of saying “executing this difficult distance effectively”) requires a physiology that doesn’t slow down.

In this episode, which is the audio from a webinar our owner, Chris, gave a few times in October, we walk you through a common misconception about long course triathlon racing and how to change your training so you can give yourself the best possible chance of qualifying.

You can find the podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-infirmary-fixing-broken-endurance-athletes/id1768832305

If you would like this content as a video, you can watch the presentation over on our YouTube channel.

And, finally, if you would like the presentation from this webinar, you can grab it here.

Mastering the Water: How Proper Swimming Techniques Can Transform Your Triathlon Performance

Triathlons test endurance across swimming, cycling, and running, with swimming often setting the pace for the entire race. For both newcomers and seasoned athletes, mastering swimming techniques is key to a strong performance. Efficient swimming helps conserve energy, establish a steady pace, and transition smoothly to cycling. By enhancing your swimming skills, you not only improve your performance in the water but also gain an edge in the subsequent segments of the triathlon. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we specialize in optimizing your swimming technique to maximize your overall triathlon success. Let us help you unlock your full potential in the water.

The Impact of Efficient Swimming Techniques on Overall Performance

Efficient swimming techniques can profoundly enhance your triathlon performance. Imagine gliding smoothly through the water, conserving energy with each stroke. This efficiency allows you to maintain a steady pace and reach the transition with more stamina for the bike and run segments. Effective swimming reduces drag and maximizes propulsion, enabling you to move through the water with less effort. This translates into faster swim times and reduced fatigue for the subsequent race stages.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we offer specialized programs to boost your swimming efficiency. Our personalized swim coaching provides detailed feedback and tailored drills to meet your specific needs. By focusing on improving your swimming technique, we help you achieve smoother strokes, optimal body positioning, and effective breathing.

Mastering the water is not just a technical skill; it also provides a strategic advantage in triathlon performance. With our expert guidance, you’ll enhance your swimming, improve your overall triathlon performance, and gain the confidence to excel in every race segment.

The Role of Swimming in Triathlon Success

Understanding the Triathlon’s Swimming Segment

In a triathlon, the swimming leg is the first challenge, setting the pace and rhythm for the entire race. This segment requires both physical endurance and technical skill. A strong swim can positively impact your cycling and running legs, while a tough swim may leave you feeling fatigued. Efficient navigation through the water ensures you start strong and transition smoothly to the bike segment, establishing a solid foundation for the rest of the race.

Swimming is more than just the first segment; it sets the foundation for your entire triathlon. A strong swim establishes a rhythm that carries into cycling and running, while an inefficient swim can deplete your energy and impact later stages. Mastering swimming techniques ensures you start the race with confidence and physical readiness, setting a positive tone for the rest of your triathlon journey and enhancing overall performance.

The Significance of Efficient Swimming

Impact of Swimming Efficiency on Race Time

Swimming efficiency significantly affects your overall race time. Efficient swimmers face less resistance and move faster, covering the distance with less effort. This not only shortens your swim time but also conserves energy for the bike and run segments. By minimizing drag and refining stroke mechanics, you enhance each stroke's effectiveness, leading to notable improvements in your swim split. Small adjustments in technique can save valuable minutes throughout the entire race.

Benefits of Mastering Swimming Techniques for Overall Triathlon Performance

Mastering swimming techniques offers multiple benefits that extend beyond just the swim segment. Improved technique enhances your buoyancy, stroke efficiency, and breathing patterns, all of which contribute to a more effective and enjoyable swim.

When you master these aspects, you’re able to:

Conserve Energy: Efficient swimming uses less energy, which means you have more stamina for the cycling and running segments.

Enhance Performance: Better technique leads to faster swim times, setting a positive trajectory for the rest of the race.

Reduce Stress: Knowing you have a strong swim technique can alleviate anxiety and boost your confidence as you transition to the next phases of the triathlon.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we’re committed to helping you refine your swimming skills. Our personalized coaching approach focuses on detailed feedback and targeted drills to enhance your swimming efficiency. By improving your technique, you’ll not only excel in the water but also set yourself up for success in the entire triathlon.

Key Swimming Techniques for Triathletes

Freestyle Swimming Technique

Freestyle, also known as front crawl, is the fastest and most efficient stroke for triathletes. Here’s a detailed breakdown of proper freestyle swimming technique:

Body Position: Your body should be flat and horizontal in the water, with a slight downward tilt from the hips. This position minimizes drag and improves speed.

Arm Stroke: Begin with your hand entering the water slightly in front of your shoulder. Extend your arm forward, then sweep it downward and outward, pulling with your entire arm and shoulder. Finish with your hand exiting the water near your thigh.

Kick: Use a steady, continuous flutter kick from your hips. Your legs should remain straight but not rigid, with a slight bend in the knees to allow for fluid movement.

Head Position: Keep your head in a neutral position, looking straight down. This helps maintain body alignment and reduces drag.

Rotation: Your body should rotate slightly with each stroke, allowing your shoulders and hips to move in unison. This rotation helps with the efficiency of the arm pull and reduces strain on your shoulders.

Common Mistakes and How to Correct Them:

Crossing Over: If your hands cross over the centerline of your body, it can create drag. Ensure your hand enters the water directly in front of your shoulder.

Overreaching: Overextending your arm can cause unnecessary strain. Focus on a comfortable reach, ending the stroke near your thigh.

Choppy Breathing: Breathing irregularly or too frequently can disrupt your rhythm. Practice bilateral breathing to maintain balance and ensure smooth, rhythmic breathing.

Body Position and Buoyancy

Maintaining a streamlined body position is essential for efficient swimming. Here’s why it matters and how to improve it:

Importance of Maintaining a Streamlined Body Position: 

A streamlined position reduces drag and allows you to glide through the water with minimal resistance. Keeping your body aligned from head to toe minimizes energy expenditure and maximizes speed.

Tips for Improving Buoyancy and Reducing Drag:

Engage Your Core: A strong core helps maintain body alignment and prevents excessive sinking of the hips.

Utilize a Swim Float: Using a floatation device during drills can help you focus on body position and buoyancy.

Practice Drills: Include drills like the "catch-up drill" and "zipper drill" in your training to enhance body position and streamline.

Breathing Techniques

Effective breathing is essential for maintaining energy and rhythm in freestyle swimming. To master breathing techniques:

Bilateral Breathing: Practice breathing on both sides to achieve balance and symmetry in your stroke.

Exhale Underwater: Develop the habit of exhaling while your head is in the water, allowing for quick, efficient inhalation when you turn your head.

Breath Control: Avoid gasping for air. Focus on taking deep, controlled breaths to ensure sufficient oxygen intake and maintain a steady pace.

Incorporate these techniques into your training with the following:

Breathing Drills: Use drills like "3-3-3" (three strokes on each side, followed by three with a breath every three strokes) to practice your breathing patterns.

Rhythm Focus: Synchronize breathing with your stroke rhythm to maintain efficiency.

Gradual Adaptation: Slowly increase the duration and intensity of breathing drills to build comfort and proficiency.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we emphasize the importance of these key techniques to enhance your swimming performance. Our tailored coaching approach addresses each aspect of your stroke, body position, and breathing to help you swim more efficiently and confidently. By focusing on these techniques, you’ll build a strong foundation for success in your triathlon and beyond.

The Importance of Working with a Swim Coach

Benefits of Professional Swim Coaching

Working with a professional swim coach provides significant benefits that can enhance your performance in triathlons. A coach offers tailored feedback on your stroke technique, body position, and overall efficiency, pinpointing areas for improvement and refining your technique for better speed and efficiency. They help correct bad habits that could hinder progress, ensuring that your training is focused and effective. Additionally, a swim coach designs structured training plans based on your skill level and goals, providing motivation and accountability through regular sessions. This structured approach and targeted drills maximize your training time, leading to faster improvements and allowing you to balance other aspects of your triathlon preparation.

Finding the Right Swim Coach

Selecting the right swim coach is crucial for maximizing your training benefits. Start by checking qualifications and experience; a qualified coach should have relevant certifications and a proven track record. Assess their coaching style to ensure it matches your preferences, whether hands-on or more independent. Read reviews and testimonials from other athletes to gauge their effectiveness and interpersonal skills. Finally, schedule an initial meeting with potential coaches to discuss your goals and evaluate if their approach aligns with your needs. This will help you choose a coach who can best support your triathlon training.

What to Expect from Swim Coaching Sessions

Understanding what to expect from swim coaching sessions can enhance your experience and results. Initially, your coach will assess your swimming technique and fitness level, setting specific goals based on this evaluation. Sessions will include various drills and workouts focused on improving your technique and building endurance, with real-time feedback and adjustments from your coach. Regular progress reviews are part of the process, helping you track improvements and address any remaining issues. Additionally, a good swim coach offers continuous support and encouragement, celebrating successes and helping you overcome obstacles. 

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, our experienced coaches provide personalized guidance to refine your techniques and accelerate your progress, whether you’re new to swimming or looking to enhance your skills for triathlons.

Long-Term Benefits of Mastering Swimming Techniques

Enhanced Triathlon Performance

Mastering swimming techniques can significantly boost your triathlon performance. Efficient swimming directly contributes to faster swim times by optimizing stroke mechanics, body positioning, and breathing. This improvement sets a strong foundation for the rest of the race. Additionally, a strong swim can enhance your transitions between the swim, bike, and run segments, allowing you to start the bike leg with less fatigue and achieve better overall race times.

Effective swimming also helps reduce fatigue during the later segments of the race. By conserving energy through efficient techniques, you reserve more stamina for the bike and run. Proper form minimizes muscle strain, preventing unnecessary tension and reducing muscle soreness, which helps you maintain energy and performance throughout the triathlon.

Overall Physical and Mental Well-Being

Physical Benefits: Mastering swimming techniques provides key physical benefits, such as enhanced cardiovascular health through improved heart and lung function and increased muscle strength by engaging multiple muscle groups like the core, shoulders, and legs. This boosts endurance and overall performance in all triathlon disciplines.

Mental Benefits: Mastering swimming techniques also offers mental benefits, boosting your confidence and reducing race anxiety, which positively impacts your performance in all triathlon segments. Being well-prepared for the swim segment eases pre-race nerves, allowing you to focus better on the bike and run portions.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we understand the significance of mastering swimming techniques and their long-term benefits for triathletes. Our coaches work with you to refine your swim skills, ensuring you reap the rewards of enhanced performance, physical health, and mental well-being. By focusing on efficient swimming techniques, you set the stage for a successful triathlon experience and improved overall fitness.

Practical Steps to Improve Your Swimming Skills

Structured Training Plans

A structured swim training plan is crucial for improving your swimming skills and overall triathlon performance. Here’s why:

Consistency and Progress: Following a structured plan ensures consistent training, which is essential for building and maintaining swimming fitness while also allowing for continuous improvement through regular assessments. 

Balanced Focus: A structured plan balances different aspects of swimming, including technique, endurance, and speed. This comprehensive approach prevents overtraining in one area while neglecting others, leading to more rounded-skill development.

Regular Technique Assessments

Regular technique assessments are key to improving your swimming. Self-assessments involve recording your swim sessions and reviewing the footage to check stroke mechanics, body position, and breathing patterns. Professional evaluations offer detailed feedback from swim coaches or clinics, providing personalized guidance to address technique issues.

Video analysis is an effective tool for tracking progress. Record your swims using a waterproof camera or have someone film from different angles. Review the footage to spot inefficiencies and compare it with skilled swimmers or past recordings. Apply this feedback to adjust and refine your technique for continuous improvement.

Incorporating Swim Drills

Effective swim drills are vital for enhancing technique and endurance. Technique drills like catch-up, fingertip drag, and one-arm swim refine stroke mechanics and improve efficiency. Endurance drills, such as long continuous swims and interval training, build stamina for sustained performance.

Integrate drills by setting aside specific sessions for technique and including drills in your warm-up and main sets. Consistently practice these drills to solidify good habits and improve your swimming skills. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, our structured plans and technique assessments, combined with effective swim drills, are designed to help you achieve your goals and excel in triathlons.

Boost Your Triathlon Performance With Campfire Endurance Coaching

Mastering swimming techniques is a critical factor in enhancing your triathlon performance. Efficient swimming not only sets a strong foundation for the rest of the race but also has a profound impact on your overall race time. By improving your stroke technique, buoyancy, and breathing, you can swim more efficiently, reduce fatigue in later race segments, and ultimately achieve faster finish times.

Embracing the challenge of perfecting your swimming skills can transform your triathlon experience. Whether you're refining your freestyle swimming technique, focusing on body position, or working on breathing patterns, the effort you put into mastering these techniques will pay off on race day.

For optimal results, consider seeking professional guidance. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we offer personalized coaching and detailed assessments to help you improve your swimming techniques and reach your triathlon goals. Our expert coaches provide tailored training plans and valuable feedback, ensuring you get the support you need to excel in the water.

Don’t hesitate to take the next step in your triathlon journey. Embrace the challenge, invest in your swimming skills, and let our coaching team guide you toward achieving your athletic aspirations. Your journey to triathlon success starts with mastering the water, and we're here to help you every stroke of the way.

About Campfire Endurance Coaching

Campfire Endurance Coaching, based in Bend, OR, is dedicated to helping athletes of all levels achieve their endurance and triathlon goals. Our mission is to provide personalized coaching that emphasizes detailed, individualized training plans designed to enhance performance, improve technique, and support overall well-being. With a focus on one-to-one coaching and a strong sense of community, we offer expert guidance in all aspects of endurance training, including swimming, cycling, and running. Whether you’re a novice triathlete or a seasoned competitor, Campfire Endurance Coaching is committed to delivering the support and resources you need to excel in your sport and achieve lasting success.

Ready to elevate your triathlon performance and master your swimming techniques? At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we are here to guide you every step of the way with personalized coaching and expert advice. Contact us today at (719) 440-5248 or email us at chris@campfireendurance.com to start your journey towards achieving your endurance goals. Discover how our tailored training plans and dedicated support can help you reach new heights in your sport. Let Campfire Endurance Coaching be your partner in success.

Mastering the Water: How Proper Swimming Techniques Can Transform Your Triathlon Performance

Triathlons test endurance across swimming, cycling, and running, with swimming often setting the pace for the entire race. For both newcomers and seasoned athletes, mastering swimming techniques is key to a strong performance. Efficient swimming helps conserve energy, establish a steady pace, and transition smoothly to cycling. By enhancing your swimming skills, you not only improve your performance in the water but also gain an edge in the subsequent segments of the triathlon. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we specialize in optimizing your swimming technique to maximize your overall triathlon success. Let us help you unlock your full potential in the water.

The Impact of Efficient Swimming Techniques on Overall Performance

Efficient swimming techniques can profoundly enhance your triathlon performance. Imagine gliding smoothly through the water, conserving energy with each stroke. This efficiency allows you to maintain a steady pace and reach the transition with more stamina for the bike and run segments. Effective swimming reduces drag and maximizes propulsion, enabling you to move through the water with less effort. This translates into faster swim times and reduced fatigue for the subsequent race stages.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we offer specialized programs to boost your swimming efficiency. Our personalized swim coaching provides detailed feedback and tailored drills to meet your specific needs. By focusing on improving your swimming technique, we help you achieve smoother strokes, optimal body positioning, and effective breathing.

Mastering the water is not just a technical skill; it also provides a strategic advantage in triathlon performance. With our expert guidance, you’ll enhance your swimming, improve your overall triathlon performance, and gain the confidence to excel in every race segment.

The Role of Swimming in Triathlon Success

Understanding the Triathlon’s Swimming Segment

In a triathlon, the swimming leg is the first challenge, setting the pace and rhythm for the entire race. This segment requires both physical endurance and technical skill. A strong swim can positively impact your cycling and running legs, while a tough swim may leave you feeling fatigued. Efficient navigation through the water ensures you start strong and transition smoothly to the bike segment, establishing a solid foundation for the rest of the race.

Swimming is more than just the first segment; it sets the foundation for your entire triathlon. A strong swim establishes a rhythm that carries into cycling and running, while an inefficient swim can deplete your energy and impact later stages. Mastering swimming techniques ensures you start the race with confidence and physical readiness, setting a positive tone for the rest of your triathlon journey and enhancing overall performance.

The Significance of Efficient Swimming

Impact of Swimming Efficiency on Race Time

Swimming efficiency significantly affects your overall race time. Efficient swimmers face less resistance and move faster, covering the distance with less effort. This not only shortens your swim time but also conserves energy for the bike and run segments. By minimizing drag and refining stroke mechanics, you enhance each stroke's effectiveness, leading to notable improvements in your swim split. Small adjustments in technique can save valuable minutes throughout the entire race.

Benefits of Mastering Swimming Techniques for Overall Triathlon Performance

Mastering swimming techniques offers multiple benefits that extend beyond just the swim segment. Improved technique enhances your buoyancy, stroke efficiency, and breathing patterns, all of which contribute to a more effective and enjoyable swim.

When you master these aspects, you’re able to:

Conserve Energy: Efficient swimming uses less energy, which means you have more stamina for the cycling and running segments.

Enhance Performance: Better technique leads to faster swim times, setting a positive trajectory for the rest of the race.

Reduce Stress: Knowing you have a strong swim technique can alleviate anxiety and boost your confidence as you transition to the next phases of the triathlon.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we’re committed to helping you refine your swimming skills. Our personalized coaching approach focuses on detailed feedback and targeted drills to enhance your swimming efficiency. By improving your technique, you’ll not only excel in the water but also set yourself up for success in the entire triathlon.

Key Swimming Techniques for Triathletes

Freestyle Swimming Technique

Freestyle, also known as front crawl, is the fastest and most efficient stroke for triathletes. Here’s a detailed breakdown of proper freestyle swimming technique:

Body Position: Your body should be flat and horizontal in the water, with a slight downward tilt from the hips. This position minimizes drag and improves speed.

Arm Stroke: Begin with your hand entering the water slightly in front of your shoulder. Extend your arm forward, then sweep it downward and outward, pulling with your entire arm and shoulder. Finish with your hand exiting the water near your thigh.

Kick: Use a steady, continuous flutter kick from your hips. Your legs should remain straight but not rigid, with a slight bend in the knees to allow for fluid movement.

Head Position: Keep your head in a neutral position, looking straight down. This helps maintain body alignment and reduces drag.

Rotation: Your body should rotate slightly with each stroke, allowing your shoulders and hips to move in unison. This rotation helps with the efficiency of the arm pull and reduces strain on your shoulders.

Common Mistakes and How to Correct Them:

Crossing Over: If your hands cross over the centerline of your body, it can create drag. Ensure your hand enters the water directly in front of your shoulder.

Overreaching: Overextending your arm can cause unnecessary strain. Focus on a comfortable reach, ending the stroke near your thigh.

Choppy Breathing: Breathing irregularly or too frequently can disrupt your rhythm. Practice bilateral breathing to maintain balance and ensure smooth, rhythmic breathing.

Body Position and Buoyancy

Maintaining a streamlined body position is essential for efficient swimming. Here’s why it matters and how to improve it:

Importance of Maintaining a Streamlined Body Position: 

A streamlined position reduces drag and allows you to glide through the water with minimal resistance. Keeping your body aligned from head to toe minimizes energy expenditure and maximizes speed.

Tips for Improving Buoyancy and Reducing Drag:

Engage Your Core: A strong core helps maintain body alignment and prevents excessive sinking of the hips.

Utilize a Swim Float: Using a floatation device during drills can help you focus on body position and buoyancy.

Practice Drills: Include drills like the "catch-up drill" and "zipper drill" in your training to enhance body position and streamline.

Breathing Techniques

Effective breathing is essential for maintaining energy and rhythm in freestyle swimming. To master breathing techniques:

Bilateral Breathing: Practice breathing on both sides to achieve balance and symmetry in your stroke.

Exhale Underwater: Develop the habit of exhaling while your head is in the water, allowing for quick, efficient inhalation when you turn your head.

Breath Control: Avoid gasping for air. Focus on taking deep, controlled breaths to ensure sufficient oxygen intake and maintain a steady pace.

Incorporate these techniques into your training with the following:

Breathing Drills: Use drills like "3-3-3" (three strokes on each side, followed by three with a breath every three strokes) to practice your breathing patterns.

Rhythm Focus: Synchronize breathing with your stroke rhythm to maintain efficiency.

Gradual Adaptation: Slowly increase the duration and intensity of breathing drills to build comfort and proficiency.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we emphasize the importance of these key techniques to enhance your swimming performance. Our tailored coaching approach addresses each aspect of your stroke, body position, and breathing to help you swim more efficiently and confidently. By focusing on these techniques, you’ll build a strong foundation for success in your triathlon and beyond.

The Importance of Working with a Swim Coach

Benefits of Professional Swim Coaching

Working with a professional swim coach provides significant benefits that can enhance your performance in triathlons. A coach offers tailored feedback on your stroke technique, body position, and overall efficiency, pinpointing areas for improvement and refining your technique for better speed and efficiency. They help correct bad habits that could hinder progress, ensuring that your training is focused and effective. Additionally, a swim coach designs structured training plans based on your skill level and goals, providing motivation and accountability through regular sessions. This structured approach and targeted drills maximize your training time, leading to faster improvements and allowing you to balance other aspects of your triathlon preparation.

Finding the Right Swim Coach

Selecting the right swim coach is crucial for maximizing your training benefits. Start by checking qualifications and experience; a qualified coach should have relevant certifications and a proven track record. Assess their coaching style to ensure it matches your preferences, whether hands-on or more independent. Read reviews and testimonials from other athletes to gauge their effectiveness and interpersonal skills. Finally, schedule an initial meeting with potential coaches to discuss your goals and evaluate if their approach aligns with your needs. This will help you choose a coach who can best support your triathlon training.

What to Expect from Swim Coaching Sessions

Understanding what to expect from swim coaching sessions can enhance your experience and results. Initially, your coach will assess your swimming technique and fitness level, setting specific goals based on this evaluation. Sessions will include various drills and workouts focused on improving your technique and building endurance, with real-time feedback and adjustments from your coach. Regular progress reviews are part of the process, helping you track improvements and address any remaining issues. Additionally, a good swim coach offers continuous support and encouragement, celebrating successes and helping you overcome obstacles. 

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, our experienced coaches provide personalized guidance to refine your techniques and accelerate your progress, whether you’re new to swimming or looking to enhance your skills for triathlons.

Long-Term Benefits of Mastering Swimming Techniques

Enhanced Triathlon Performance

Mastering swimming techniques can significantly boost your triathlon performance. Efficient swimming directly contributes to faster swim times by optimizing stroke mechanics, body positioning, and breathing. This improvement sets a strong foundation for the rest of the race. Additionally, a strong swim can enhance your transitions between the swim, bike, and run segments, allowing you to start the bike leg with less fatigue and achieve better overall race times.

Effective swimming also helps reduce fatigue during the later segments of the race. By conserving energy through efficient techniques, you reserve more stamina for the bike and run. Proper form minimizes muscle strain, preventing unnecessary tension and reducing muscle soreness, which helps you maintain energy and performance throughout the triathlon.

Overall Physical and Mental Well-Being

Physical Benefits: Mastering swimming techniques provides key physical benefits, such as enhanced cardiovascular health through improved heart and lung function and increased muscle strength by engaging multiple muscle groups like the core, shoulders, and legs. This boosts endurance and overall performance in all triathlon disciplines.

Mental Benefits: Mastering swimming techniques also offers mental benefits, boosting your confidence and reducing race anxiety, which positively impacts your performance in all triathlon segments. Being well-prepared for the swim segment eases pre-race nerves, allowing you to focus better on the bike and run portions.

At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we understand the significance of mastering swimming techniques and their long-term benefits for triathletes. Our coaches work with you to refine your swim skills, ensuring you reap the rewards of enhanced performance, physical health, and mental well-being. By focusing on efficient swimming techniques, you set the stage for a successful triathlon experience and improved overall fitness.

Practical Steps to Improve Your Swimming Skills

Structured Training Plans

A structured swim training plan is crucial for improving your swimming skills and overall triathlon performance. Here’s why:

Consistency and Progress: Following a structured plan ensures consistent training, which is essential for building and maintaining swimming fitness while also allowing for continuous improvement through regular assessments. 

Balanced Focus: A structured plan balances different aspects of swimming, including technique, endurance, and speed. This comprehensive approach prevents overtraining in one area while neglecting others, leading to more rounded-skill development.

Regular Technique Assessments

Regular technique assessments are key to improving your swimming. Self-assessments involve recording your swim sessions and reviewing the footage to check stroke mechanics, body position, and breathing patterns. Professional evaluations offer detailed feedback from swim coaches or clinics, providing personalized guidance to address technique issues.

Video analysis is an effective tool for tracking progress. Record your swims using a waterproof camera or have someone film from different angles. Review the footage to spot inefficiencies and compare it with skilled swimmers or past recordings. Apply this feedback to adjust and refine your technique for continuous improvement.

Incorporating Swim Drills

Effective swim drills are vital for enhancing technique and endurance. Technique drills like catch-up, fingertip drag, and one-arm swim refine stroke mechanics and improve efficiency. Endurance drills, such as long continuous swims and interval training, build stamina for sustained performance.

Integrate drills by setting aside specific sessions for technique and including drills in your warm-up and main sets. Consistently practice these drills to solidify good habits and improve your swimming skills. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, our structured plans and technique assessments, combined with effective swim drills, are designed to help you achieve your goals and excel in triathlons.

Boost Your Triathlon Performance With Campfire Endurance Coaching

Mastering swimming techniques is a critical factor in enhancing your triathlon performance. Efficient swimming not only sets a strong foundation for the rest of the race but also has a profound impact on your overall race time. By improving your stroke technique, buoyancy, and breathing, you can swim more efficiently, reduce fatigue in later race segments, and ultimately achieve faster finish times.

Embracing the challenge of perfecting your swimming skills can transform your triathlon experience. Whether you're refining your freestyle swimming technique, focusing on body position, or working on breathing patterns, the effort you put into mastering these techniques will pay off on race day.

For optimal results, consider seeking professional guidance. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we offer personalized coaching and detailed assessments to help you improve your swimming techniques and reach your triathlon goals. Our expert coaches provide tailored training plans and valuable feedback, ensuring you get the support you need to excel in the water.

Don’t hesitate to take the next step in your triathlon journey. Embrace the challenge, invest in your swimming skills, and let our coaching team guide you toward achieving your athletic aspirations. Your journey to triathlon success starts with mastering the water, and we're here to help you every stroke of the way.

About Campfire Endurance Coaching

Campfire Endurance Coaching, based in Bend, OR, is dedicated to helping athletes of all levels achieve their endurance and triathlon goals. Our mission is to provide personalized coaching that emphasizes detailed, individualized training plans designed to enhance performance, improve technique, and support overall well-being. With a focus on one-to-one coaching and a strong sense of community, we offer expert guidance in all aspects of endurance training, including swimming, cycling, and running. Whether you’re a novice triathlete or a seasoned competitor, Campfire Endurance Coaching is committed to delivering the support and resources you need to excel in your sport and achieve lasting success.

Ready to elevate your triathlon performance and master your swimming techniques? At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we are here to guide you every step of the way with personalized coaching and expert advice. Contact us today at (719) 440-5248 or email us at chris@campfireendurance.com to start your journey towards achieving your endurance goals. Discover how our tailored training plans and dedicated support can help you reach new heights in your sport. Let Campfire Endurance Coaching be your partner in success.

How Campfire Endurance Coaching Transforms Athletes into Champions

Campfire Endurance Coaching is dedicated to making athletes faster, happier, and healthier through personalized coaching. Located in Bend, OR, we provide bespoke training plans tailored to each athlete's unique needs and goals. By focusing on individualized coaching, Campfire Endurance Coaching ensures that every athlete receives the attention and guidance necessary to reach their full potential.

This article will showcase how Campfire Endurance Coaching helps athletes achieve their full potential and transform into champions. By offering specialized coaching in swimming, cycling, and triathlon, Campfire Endurance Coaching ensures comprehensive development and peak performance across all these disciplines. The integration of specialized swim, triathlon, and cycling coaches allows for a well-rounded training approach that comprehensively addresses all aspects of these sports.

The coaching approach at Campfire Endurance Coaching focuses on regular communication, detailed feedback, and individualized plans. This philosophy helps athletes improve in their sport and gain confidence in their abilities, both in and out of competition. Through consistent support and expert guidance, Campfire Endurance Coaching transforms athletes into champions, ready to excel in their chosen disciplines.

Understanding Campfire Endurance Coaching Philosophy

The Company's Mission and Vision

Campfire Endurance Coaching is driven by a clear mission: to help athletes become faster, healthier, and more confident through personalized training. Our vision is to see every athlete we coach reach their full potential and achieve their personal best in their chosen sports. This mission and vision are at the core of everything Campfire Endurance Coaching does.

Personalized Training Plans

Personalized training plans are a cornerstone of Campfire Endurance Coaching's approach. Each athlete receives a bespoke training plan tailored to their specific needs, goals, and abilities. These plans are designed to provide the right balance of challenge and support, ensuring steady and safe improvement for athletes. Personalized plans are crucial because they address the unique strengths and weaknesses of each athlete, allowing for targeted development and optimized performance.

Attentive and Detail-Oriented Coaching

Attentive and detail-oriented coaching plays a significant role in the success of athletes at Campfire Endurance Coaching. Coaches maintain regular communication with athletes through twice-monthly phone calls, daily workout comments, and unlimited email and text support. This consistent interaction helps coaches understand their athletes deeply, enabling them to provide precise feedback and make timely adjustments to training plans. This level of attention ensures that athletes stay motivated, focused, and on track to achieve their goals. The combination of personalized plans and attentive coaching sets Campfire Endurance Coaching apart, driving the transformation of athletes into champions.

The Role of Expert Coaches in Athlete Transformation

The coaching team at Campfire Endurance Coaching is composed of experienced professionals dedicated to helping athletes achieve their best. Each coach brings extensive knowledge and expertise in their specific field, ensuring that athletes receive both comprehensive and specialized training. The team’s collective experience covers all aspects of endurance sports, providing athletes with the support they need to excel.

Specialized Coaches

Having specialized coaches is crucial for athlete development. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, athletes benefit from working with a swim coach, a triathlon coach, and a cycling coach. Each coach focuses on a specific discipline, allowing for targeted training and skill development. A swim coach helps athletes improve their technique, endurance, and speed in the water. A triathlon coach integrates swim, bike, and run training to prepare athletes for the unique challenges of triathlons. Cycling coaches enhance cycling performance through personalized training plans and expert guidance. This specialization ensures that each aspect of an athlete's training is optimized for success.

Success Stories and Testimonials

The effectiveness of Campfire Endurance Coaching’s approach is clearly demonstrated through the success stories and testimonials from athletes. Many have achieved personal bests, won races, and transformed their performance levels under the guidance of their coaches. For example, athletes who have worked with a triathlon coach have completed challenging triathlons and significantly improved their overall performance. Testimonials highlight the expertise and dedication of the coaching team, showcasing how their guidance has led to significant improvements and achievements. These success stories serve as a testament to the transformative power of expert coaching at Campfire Endurance Coaching.

Personalized Training Plans for Peak Performance

Bespoke Training Plans

Campfire Endurance Coaching provides bespoke training plans designed to meet the unique needs of each athlete. These plans are created in three-week training blocks, which are considered optimal for effective training. Shorter plans may not provide enough time for significant progress, while longer plans can become outdated as an athlete’s condition and needs evolve. The three-week approach allows coaches to tailor the training to current performance levels and adjust for ongoing improvements.

Catering to Individual Goals and Abilities

Personalized training plans are crucial for addressing the specific goals and abilities of each athlete. Whether an athlete is preparing for a triathlon, improving their swimming technique, or enhancing their cycling performance, these plans are customized to provide the right level of challenge and support. A triathlon coaching plan typically includes integrated sessions for swimming, cycling, and running, ensuring balanced development across all three disciplines. This level of customization helps athletes progress efficiently and safely, maximizing their potential in their respective sports.

Regular Communication and Feedback

Regular communication and feedback are essential components of Campfire Endurance Coaching’s approach. Coaches maintain close contact with athletes through twice-monthly phone calls, daily workout comments, and unlimited email and text support. This consistent interaction ensures that athletes receive timely feedback and encouragement. Coaches can make necessary adjustments to training plans based on an athlete’s progress, helping to keep them on track and motivated. This attentive and detail-oriented approach fosters a strong coach-athlete relationship, contributing to the overall success and satisfaction of the athletes. Through this process, Campfire Endurance Coaching provides the guidance and support needed for peak performance.

Enhancing Athletic Performance with Specialized Coaching

Dedicated Triathlon Coach

Having a dedicated triathlon coach can significantly impact an athlete’s training and performance. A triathlon coach provides tailored guidance across all three disciplines—swimming, cycling, and running. This comprehensive approach ensures that each aspect of the triathlon is addressed, helping athletes to improve their overall performance. A triathlon coach creates a balanced training plan that focuses on developing endurance, strength, and technique, ensuring athletes are well-prepared for the demands of triathlon competitions. With a dedicated triathlon coach, athletes receive expert advice and support, leading to enhanced performance and better race outcomes.

Swim Coaches

Swim coaches play a crucial role in refining swimming techniques and building endurance. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, swim coaches work closely with athletes to improve their stroke efficiency, breathing techniques, and overall swimming form. By focusing on these key areas, swim coaches help athletes to swim faster and with less effort. Additionally, swim coaches design training sessions that build endurance, enabling athletes to maintain their performance over longer distances. This specialized attention ensures that athletes make significant progress in their swimming abilities, which is essential for triathlons and other endurance events.

Cycling Coaches

Cycling coaches optimize cycling performance through tailored training and expert advice. They create customized cycling coaching plans that focus on improving speed, endurance, and technique. By analyzing an athlete’s performance and identifying areas for improvement, cycling coaches develop targeted training sessions that address specific needs. This personalized approach helps athletes to enhance their cycling efficiency and power, leading to better performance in competitions. Additionally, cycling performance coaches provide valuable insights on equipment choices, bike fit, and race strategies, ensuring athletes are fully prepared for their events. With the support of cycling coaches, athletes achieve significant improvements in their cycling performance, contributing to overall success in triathlons and other endurance sports.

Triathlon Coaching: A Comprehensive Approach

Overview of Triathlon Coaching

Campfire Endurance Coaching’s triathlon coaching process provides a comprehensive and structured approach to training. Each athlete receives a personalized triathlon coaching plan tailored to their specific needs and goals. The coaching team works closely with athletes to develop a balanced training schedule that includes swimming, cycling, and running. This holistic approach ensures that all aspects of triathlon performance are addressed, leading to well-rounded and successful athletes.

Integrating Swim, Bike, and Run Training

Integrating swim, bike, and run training is essential for triathlon success. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, the triathlon coach ensures that each discipline is given appropriate focus within the training plan. Swim training helps athletes improve their technique and build endurance in the water. Cycling sessions are designed to enhance speed, endurance, and cycling efficiency. Running workouts focus on building stamina and improving running form. Integrating these three components ensures that athletes develop the necessary skills and endurance to excel in triathlon competitions.

Key Elements of a Triathlon Coaching Plan

A triathlon coaching plan at Campfire Endurance Coaching includes several key elements. First, there is a clear structure that outlines the training sessions for each discipline, ensuring a balanced approach. The plan also incorporates regular assessments to track progress and make necessary adjustments. Additionally, personalized triathlon coaching provides specific guidelines for nutrition, recovery, and race strategies. This comprehensive plan helps athletes achieve their best performance by addressing all critical aspects of triathlon training. By following a well-structured triathlon coaching plan, athletes can improve their overall performance and achieve their competition goals.

The Importance of Communication and Support

Role of Consistent Communication

Consistent and open communication is vital in the coaching process at Campfire Endurance Coaching. Regular interaction between coaches and athletes ensures that training plans are accurately tailored to the athlete's current needs and progress. Coaches maintain a close connection with their athletes through twice-monthly phone calls, daily workout comments, and unlimited email and text support. This ongoing communication allows for immediate adjustments and provides a platform for athletes to discuss their experiences, challenges, and achievements.

Providing Motivation and Support

Coaches at Campfire Endurance Coaching play a crucial role in providing motivation and support to athletes. Understanding each athlete's individual goals and challenges allows coaches to offer personalized encouragement and advice. This support helps athletes stay motivated and focused on their training, even during tough periods. Having a dedicated triathlon coach, swim coach, or cycling coach provides athletes with a sense of accountability and boosts their confidence in achieving their goals.

Regular Feedback and Adaptation

Regular feedback is a key component of the training process at Campfire Endurance Coaching. Coaches continuously monitor their athletes' performance and provide detailed feedback on their progress. This feedback helps athletes understand their strengths and areas for improvement. By adapting training plans based on this feedback, coaches ensure that each athlete receives the most effective and relevant training. For example, if an athlete is struggling with a particular aspect of their swim technique, the swim coach can provide targeted drills and exercises to address this issue. Similarly, a cycling coach can adjust the cycling coaching plan to focus on building endurance or improving speed, depending on the athlete's needs. This responsive approach ensures that training remains effective and aligned with the athlete's goals.

Conclusion

Campfire Endurance Coaching transforms athletes into champions through personalized training plans, expert coaching, and consistent support. By providing specialized guidance from a swim coach, triathlon coach, and cycling coach, athletes receive comprehensive training that addresses all aspects of their performance. The bespoke training plans cater to individual goals and abilities, ensuring that each athlete can achieve their full potential. Regular communication and detailed feedback help to keep athletes motivated and on track, leading to significant improvements and success in their chosen sports.

If you are looking to achieve your athletic goals and reach new heights in your performance, consider the personalized coaching offered by Campfire Endurance Coaching. Our expert coaches are dedicated to helping you become faster, healthier, and more confident in your abilities.

Contact Campfire Endurance Coaching today for a consultation and start your journey towards becoming a champion. You can reach us at (719) 440-5248 or email chris@campfireendurance.com. Visit us at Bend, OR, or our website to learn more and sign up for a consultation or training plan. Start your path to success with the support of dedicated and experienced coaches who are committed to your athletic excellence.

Conquering the Triple Threat: Your Triathlon Journey with Campfire Endurance Coaching

Have you ever dreamt of pushing your limits, testing your strength across three different sports, and emerging a champion? Maybe you've watched triathlon races on TV, captivated by the athletes' power and determination. Or perhaps you've always been drawn to swimming, cycling, and running but never quite known how to bring them all together. If any of this sounds familiar, then triathlon training might be the perfect adventure for you!

But where do you even begin? Fear not, aspiring triathlete. Campfire Endurance Coaching is here to illuminate your path to success. Whether you're a complete beginner dipping your toes into the triathlon world for the first time or a seasoned athlete seeking to refine your technique and conquer new goals, Campfire Endurance Coaching has the tools and expertise to guide you every step of the way.

The Thrill of the Triathlon: Unveiling the Triple Threat

So, what exactly is a triathlon? Imagine a competition that demands the best of you in three entirely different disciplines: swimming, cycling, and running. Athletes race one after the other, transitioning smoothly from the cool embrace of water to the wind in their hair on a bike and finally pounding the pavement with powerful strides. It's a true test of endurance, versatility, and mental fortitude.

The beauty of triathlons lies in their variety. There are distances designed for all fitness levels. You can start with a sprint triathlon, a shorter race perfect for newcomers. Feeling more adventurous? Then, an Olympic or half-iron distance triathlon might be your calling. And for the ultimate challenge, there's the legendary Ironman – a grueling test of body and mind that will push you to your absolute limits.

Why Campfire Endurance Coaching Should Be Your Training Partner

Campfire Endurance Coaching isn't just another coaching company. They're passionate about empowering athletes of all backgrounds to achieve their triathlon dreams. Their dedicated team understands the unique challenges and rewards of triathlon training, and they're committed to providing you with the customized support you need to thrive.

Here's a glimpse into the treasure chest of resources Campfire Endurance Coaching offers:

Personalized Training Plans: Forget generic, one-size-fits-all programs. Campfire Endurance Coaching crafts training plans tailored to your unique goals, fitness level, and experience. They'll consider your strengths, weaknesses, and schedule to create a roadmap that gets you race-ready while keeping you motivated and injury-free.

Sharpen Your Stroke: Swim Analysis Services Does the water feel more like an obstacle than your friend? Campfire Endurance Coaching offers swim analysis services to help you identify areas for improvement. Through expert evaluation, they'll pinpoint your weaknesses in technique and guide you towards smoother, more efficient strokes that will shave off precious seconds in the water.

Become a Triathlon Coach Yourself: Are you passionate about triathlons and want to share your knowledge with others? Campfire Endurance Coaching's coach accelerator programs can equip you with the skills and expertise to become a certified triathlon coach, empowering you to inspire and guide future champions.

A Wealth of Knowledge at Your Fingertips: Campfire Endurance Coaching's website is a treasure trove of valuable resources. Find a library of training tips, articles on nutrition and racing strategies, and expert advice to answer all your triathlon-related questions.

Beyond the Finish Line: Transformative Benefits of Triathlon Training

Triathlon training is more than just a physical challenge—it's a journey that profoundly impacts participants on multiple levels. Beyond the satisfaction of crossing the finish line, triathlon training offers a transformative experience that enhances not only physical fitness but also mental resilience and emotional well-being.

Elevating Physical Fitness

Triathlon training is renowned for its ability to elevate overall fitness levels. Through a combination of swimming, cycling, and running, participants engage in a comprehensive workout regimen that targets cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, and lung capacity.

Swimming builds upper body strength and improves flexibility, while cycling enhances leg muscles and cardiovascular endurance. Running, being a weight-bearing exercise, strengthens bones and muscles throughout the lower body, contributing to overall fitness and stamina.

Moreover, the varied nature of triathlon training prevents plateauing by continually challenging different muscle groups and energy systems. This comprehensive approach not only improves performance in each discipline but also translates into enhanced overall fitness and resilience in everyday activities.

Achieving Weight Loss Goals

For many, triathlon training serves as a powerful catalyst for achieving weight loss goals. The combination of endurance activities—each burning significant calories—creates a high-energy expenditure environment ideal for shedding excess pounds and achieving a leaner physique.

Swimming, cycling, and running are all effective forms of aerobic exercise known for their calorie-burning potential. When combined in a triathlon training program, these activities promote both fat loss and muscle development, leading to a more sculpted and toned body composition.

Furthermore, the metabolic boost from regular training sessions helps participants maintain a healthy weight long-term, while the physical demands of triathlon training encourage healthier eating habits and overall lifestyle improvements.

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Exercise is a well-established tool for stress management, and triathlon training is no exception. Engaging in regular physical activity releases endorphins—natural mood elevators—that promote a sense of well-being and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

Triathlon training offers a structured outlet for releasing tension and clearing the mind, making it an effective stress management strategy for athletes of all levels. Whether swimming laps in the pool, cycling through scenic routes, or pounding the pavement during a run, participants experience a meditative quality that fosters mental clarity and relaxation.

Moreover, the discipline required for triathlon training cultivates resilience and mental toughness, equipping athletes with coping mechanisms that extend beyond the racecourse to everyday challenges.

Building Confidence and Resilience

Completing a triathlon is a monumental achievement that transcends physical prowess. It requires dedication, discipline, and unwavering determination—qualities that build confidence and self-belief both on and off the racecourse.

The sense of accomplishment derived from crossing the finish line of a triathlon instills a profound sense of pride and confidence in one's abilities. Participants discover newfound strength and resilience, knowing they have overcome physical and mental obstacles to achieve their goals.

Triathlon training teaches athletes to set ambitious goals, persevere through adversity, and celebrate their successes, fostering a mindset of continuous growth and personal development. This newfound confidence often spills over into other aspects of life, empowering individuals to tackle challenges with renewed vigor and optimism.

Community and Support

Triathlon training is not just a solitary pursuit—it's a community-driven endeavor that fosters camaraderie, support, and friendship among participants. Whether training with a local club, attending group workouts, or connecting with fellow athletes online, triathletes often find themselves part of a supportive community that shares their passion for the sport.

The sense of belonging and camaraderie within the triathlon community extends beyond race day. Training partners offer encouragement, advice, and motivation, creating a network of support that enhances the overall training experience. Coaches provide expertise and guidance, helping athletes set realistic goals and navigate the complexities of triathlon training.

The community aspect of triathlon training not only enhances motivation and accountability but also enriches the overall experience, turning what could be a solitary pursuit into a shared journey of growth and achievement.

Triathlon training offers a transformative journey that goes beyond physical fitness to encompass mental resilience, emotional well-being, and community support. By embracing the challenges and rewards of triathlon training, participants not only enhance their overall health and fitness but also discover a newfound sense of confidence, resilience, and belonging.

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a beginner intrigued by the triathlon experience, embarking on this journey promises to be a life-changing adventure. Embrace the challenge, celebrate your achievements, and join a community that shares your passion for pushing boundaries and reaching new heights.

Our Coaching Services

Individual Coaching: Tailored training plans designed specifically for you, with regular feedback and adjustments to maximize your progress.

Group Training: Join a community of like-minded athletes for group sessions that provide motivation and camaraderie.

Virtual Coaching: No matter where you are, our virtual coaching services ensure you receive the same level of expertise and support.

Located in the heart of Portland, we're proud to serve the local triathlon community with passion and dedication. Our coaches are committed to helping you conquer your fitness goals while enjoying the process.

How to Become a Triathlete: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dreaming of crossing the finish line of a triathlon? Becoming a triathlete is an exciting journey that combines endurance, determination, and a passion for pushing your limits. At Campfire Endurance Coaching, we're here to guide you through the steps to becoming a successful triathlete.

Set Your Goals

The first step in your journey to becoming a triathlete is to set clear, achievable goals. Whether you aim to complete a sprint triathlon or conquer the ultimate challenge of an Ironman, defining your objectives will help you stay motivated and focused throughout your training.

Choose Your Race

Once you've set your goals, it's time to choose a race that aligns with your ambitions and timeline. Consider factors such as distance, location, and terrain to find a race that suits your strengths and interests. Our coaches at Campfire Endurance Coaching can provide recommendations and help you select the right event for your debut as a triathlete.

Start Training

Training for a triathlon requires a balanced approach that includes swimming, cycling, and running. Depending on your current fitness level and experience, your training plan will be tailored to build endurance and improve your skills in each discipline gradually. Our expert coaches will design a personalized training program that fits your schedule and prepares you for race day.

Swimming: Focus on technique and building stamina in the water. Practice open-water swimming if your race includes it.

Cycling: Develop strength and endurance on the bike. Incorporate hill climbs and interval training to improve speed and power.

Running: Build up your running mileage while also working on speed and endurance. Practice transitions (switching between disciplines) to simulate race conditions.

Nutrition and Recovery

Nutrition and recovery are crucial aspects of triathlon training. Fuel your body with balanced meals that provide the energy and nutrients needed for endurance sports. Hydration is key, especially during long training sessions. Incorporate rest days and recovery techniques such as stretching, foam rolling, and adequate sleep to prevent injury and optimize performance.

Mental Preparation

As race day approaches, focus on mental preparation. Visualize yourself crossing the finish line and overcoming challenges along the way. Develop a race strategy with your coach to manage transitions and pacing during each leg of the triathlon. Stay positive and trust in your training to boost confidence on race day.

Join the Triathlon Community

Triathlon is not just a sport; it's a community of passionate athletes who support and inspire each other. Join local triathlon clubs or online forums to connect with fellow triathletes, share experiences, and gain valuable tips and advice. The support and camaraderie of the triathlon community can enhance your journey and make your achievements even more rewarding.

Race Day

On race day, arrive early to set up your gear and familiarize yourself with the course. Stay calm and focused as you tackle each discipline. Remember to pace yourself, stay hydrated, and listen to your body's cues. Celebrate your accomplishments as you cross the finish line and join the ranks of triathletes who have conquered this challenging and exhilarating sport.

Becoming a triathlete is a journey of dedication, perseverance, and personal growth. With the guidance of Campfire Endurance Coaching and your commitment to training, you can achieve your triathlon goals and experience the thrill of crossing the finish line. Embrace the challenge, enjoy the journey, and discover the rewards of being a triathlete.

Unleash Your Inner Triathlete: Training Tips and the Power of Coaching to Crush Your Goals

Triathlon training can be tough. It takes a lot of work to swim, bike, and run well. But with a good triathlon coach, you can improve your endurance and reach your goals.

Campfire Endurance Coaching can help you with your triathlon training. They have experienced coaches who can create a personalized training plan for you. They can also help you with your technique, nutrition, and mental training.

Here are some of the benefits of working with a triathlon coach:

Personalized training plans: A coach can create a training plan that is specific to your goals and abilities. They will consider your current fitness level, your experience with triathlon, any injuries you have, and your lifestyle when creating a plan. This will help you avoid overtraining and injuries, and it will also help you to make steady progress towards your goals.

Improved technique: A coach can help you improve your swimming, biking, and running technique. Even small improvements in your technique can make a big difference in your speed and efficiency. A coach can help you to identify any weaknesses in your technique and teach you how to correct them.

Better nutrition: A coach can help you create a nutrition plan that will give you the energy you need to train and race. Nutrition is an important part of triathlon training, and a good nutrition plan will help you to recover from your workouts and races and to perform at your best.

Stronger mental game: A coach can help you develop a mental training plan that will help you stay focused and motivated. Triathlon is a mentally demanding sport, and a good mental training plan can help you deal with the challenges of training and racing.

If you are serious about improving your triathlon performance, consider working with a triathlon coach. Campfire Endurance Coaching is a great option for athletes in Portland and surrounding areas. Their coaches have a wealth of experience and knowledge, and they are committed to helping their athletes achieve their goals.

Here are some additional tips for improving your triathlon endurance:

Be consistent with your training. The more you train, the better you will become. Don't try to do too much too soon, but gradually increase the volume and intensity of your workouts over time.

Listen to your body. Don't push yourself too hard, or you could get injured. If you feel pain, take a break and see a doctor if necessary.

Set realistic goals. Don't try to win your first triathlon. Set smaller goals for yourself, such as improving your swim time or bike speed. As you achieve your goals, you can set new ones.

Find a training buddy. Training with a friend can help you stay motivated. You can hold each other accountable and support each other through tough workouts.

Have fun! Triathlon training should be enjoyable. If you're not having fun, you're less likely to stick with it. Find a training program that you enjoy, and that fits into your lifestyle.

With hard work and dedication, you can achieve your triathlon goals. Campfire Endurance Coaching can help you get there.

About Campfire Endurance Coaching

Campfire Endurance Coaching in Bend, OR, is dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve their athletic goals and embrace an active lifestyle. Founded on the belief that endurance sports can transform lives, we offer personalized coaching and support to athletes of all levels, from beginners to seasoned competitors.

Ready to take your endurance training to the next level? Contact Campfire Endurance Coaching at (719) 440-5248 or chris@campfireendurance.com to learn more about our personalized coaching services and join a community of passionate athletes. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned competitor, we're here to help you achieve your athletic goals and embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle. Don't wait—your journey starts now!

“Where’s Your Wetsuit,” or Other Things Triathletes Hear on the Cyclocross Course

““Even though you’ll get heckled, you’re probably pretty good at ‘cross as a long-term triathlete””

— A wise old Eurocross Guy

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been heckled at the start of a cyclocross race, or during it, by someone who thought that alluding to my swimming ability would be a funny or sharp troll, but I can tell you that if that person was a competitor, I was usually able to beat them at what they thought was their own game (eventually, even if it took the whole race). Cyclists really love to tease triathletes, usually about their bike handling skills, but the truth is that triathletes are uniquely positioned to succeed on the ‘cross course, if they remember some best practices. Triathletes often boast the following characteristics that make cyclocross…not easier, but maybe more approachable.

1. High level of fitness

2. High ratio of threshold to max power

3. Low max power

4. Good at pacing

5. Good at suffering (alone)

“MAD FIT”

No, we’re not in England, so we’re not actually calling you super hot by describing you as mad fit (although we’re sure you are). Triathletes are MAD FIT, as in, they usually don’t understand how extreme their level of conditioning is. Competitive triathletes, on the lower end, usually train 12-15 hours a week. That’s beginning to get into a fairly high amount of yearly hours, which does translate into a higher fitness level for triathletes. Sure, that training is spread out among three sports, so we’re probably not running sub-2 for 800m or putting up eye-popping wattages while “sprinting” (all triathletes “sprint” with quotes), but if you train a lot, you’ll have a high level of fitness.

Why does that matter? Well, let’s roll the tape back to this winter’s NCAA Cross-country championships, where Parker Valby of Florida dominated the women’s field, on…less than three hours of running a week?

Valby runs about 25-40 miles a week, but complements that training with intense cross-training, like using the dreaded Assault Bike. “It’s not like I’m jogging on those days [that I’m running] or that I’m cross-training easily. I think people underestimate what I’m doing. When I cross-train, there are puddles of sweat on the floor… Workout days are quality miles.” Some days she doubles up on the cross-training, and she certainly has one or two days totally off per week.

You, triathlete, are cyclocross’s version of Parker Valby (or you could be). Your “cross-training” is running, swimming, and strength. You don’t even need to do anything different in your running and swimming and lifting, since cross-training’s benefits to other sports mostly comes from that increased weekly volume. How much benefit crosses over is probably going to take us into the weeds, but it’s certainly greater than 0%.

If you’re a triathlete interested in cyclocross, put your last big goal triathlon in late August or early September. You’ll slide into CX season mad fit, and you can slightly adjust your bike workouts to get you the specificity you need for ‘cross.

Low Max Power vs. High Threshold (and Vice-Versa)

OK, now we ARE going to get into the weeds a bit. There are as many different athlete types in the world as there are athletes, but that generalization doesn’t help us train at all. For this particular thought experiment, we’re going to draw a distinction between the triathlete’s diesel engine and a cyclist’s petrol engine.

The triathlete tends to have a low maximum power. This fact is unsurprising. Ask any triathlete what their sprint is like and your first answer is likely to be a chuckle. Here’s why: if endurance is the determining factor of your sport, you are likely to train your endurance (which is why you’re mad fit, hottie). Since you can’t be all things to all sports, being good at endurance usually means your sprint sucks. So triathletes have a low max power, but usually a high threshold power relative to that max power. Your author, for example, can rarely muster over 1000 watts in a sprint, but his threshold is between 350-370, depending on how much riding he’s actually doing.

An athlete with this power profile struggles to be truly fast, but has two benefits that are helpful to ‘cross. First, that relatively high threshold means that they’ll be able to ride moderately quickly without blowing up. That’s a big help. Secondly, if you can’t make big numbers, you also don’t make big fatigue. Being able to sprint is a double-edged sword—2000w sprints are eye-catching, but they sure do leave a mark. If you can’t get up to those numbers, you can’t hurt yourself. So we call triathletes diesel engines because, like a diesel, they struggle for raw power, but they sure last a long time.

Now let’s talk about the cyclist’s petrol or gasoline engine. A cyclist with a high maximum power will have some strengths in CX: they will be able to get off the line quickly and get into a good group during the race. But that high power usually comes with a comparatively lower threshold (see above). AND that cyclist, with that big sprint, can go fast for a short amount of time but then will need to recover. Recovering during a CX race means getting passed, and having a lower threshold means you might not be able to maintain that same moderately-fast speed the diesel engine triathlete can deploy.

Understands Pacing

When your races last two to seventeen hours, you learn a few things about managing your efforts. Cyclists usually understand this, too, since they race on the road, but cycling and triathlon are very different sports. Triathlon is essentially a long, solo time-trial. Really the only person you are racing is yourself. When the race is so long, going over your prescribed race pace power or HR will only leave you walking the run, which is…sub-optimal.

Cyclists, in road races and crits, need to respond to the other athletes around them. A bike race really is a race, when compared to a triathlon. So a cyclist needs to train in such a way that they can deal with the changes in pace that happen in a race, while a triathlete mostly needs to learn how to parse out their energy throughout the day. A ‘cross race is similar, albeit on a shorter time scale. The best cyclocross athletes sit just under their threshold power or heart rate—on average—throughout the race, basically running out of energy when they cross the line. Now, the time scale is different (40 to 60 minutes versus 120 to, oh gosh, 1020 minutes), but the principle is the same. Triathletes may have a slight advantage here since their success in their other sport is about measuring out effort, while cyclists need to be able to deliver overwhelming power when the selection is being made. Both are useful skill sets, but if you’re a triathlete coming to ‘cross, we think you have an advantage.

Good at suffering…alone

Similar to above, but triathletes are used to suffering alone. Cyclists suffer, but they’re a more…extroverted and social breed. After the first third to half of a cyclocross race, you are likely to be grinding away alone, with a gap to the rider in front of you and then a similar one behind. Your ability to simply put your head down and keep doing what you’ve been doing (which is all you do in a triathlon) can come to your aid, here.

It’s a beautiful sport

The real reason you should try ‘cross, though, is not just because you’ll be good at it. As we just pointed out, triathlon can be a lonely affair, and cyclocross is anything but lonely off the race course. Teams set up tents like families, and a race day is a long, beautiful fun-filled day, usually, full of cheering and heckling in equal measure. Participating in it will improve your bike handling skills and might help boost your threshold ahead of next year’s triathlon season. But instead of looking at everything as a possible pathway to improving your abilities, why not just try something you are quite likely to enjoy deeply?

What's In Your Bottle? How to Accurately Hydrate and Fuel Yourself for Longer Events

What’s in YOUR bottle? And how’s your Imperial to Metric conversion ability?

If you came of age in the 2000s, you will likely remember the phrase “What’s in your wallet?” even if you can’t remember that the financial services company Capital One originated it. Catchy, punchy, and (probably the most important) slightly judgy, the phrase is routinely cited as one of the great marketing slogans.

“What’s in your bottle?” is…not as universal, because it has an odd target audience of endurance athletes, drunks, and babies. So we probably won’t be seeing this blog post go viral any time soon, but the concept is crucial: do you actually know WHAT is in your bottle? As in, how much fluid do your bottles hold?

I conducted a quick survey of bottles in my pre-ride cabinet (you DO have a pre-ride cabinet, right?) and came up with the following different sizes:

20 oz (591 ml)
22 oz (650 ml)
24 oz (709 ml)
28 oz (828ml)
32 oz (1000 ml)

Yikes. That is a…large variance. Usually when scripting race plans for athletes, we urge something like 5-6 bottles over the course of a 70.3 (start with two on your bike and grab one at every aid station) depending on heat and humidity. For an Ironman we’d double the number and add a little (dehydration is not linear, but…just take my word on that one? This is a blog post, FFS), so maybe 11-13 bottles.

But what if those bottles are different sizes? What if your coach thinks you have 24 oz (709ml) bottles but you have 20 oz (591ml) bottles? Over the course of a 70.3 you’d be ONE BOTTLE SHORT of what your coach wants you to consume! That is significant. Remember, it only takes a 2% loss in body weight via dehydration to see performance losses.

If you weigh 150 lbs, missing that 20 oz of fluid represents a 1% drop in body weight. And you can’t ever remain 100% hydrated, even if you’re fueling correctly. So a misunderstanding about bottle size can lead to 50% of the fluid losses that will lead to performance loss.

Insert facepalm or exploding head emoji here.

So lesson #1 is to measure the fluid content of your bottles and know what goes in them, and have clear conversations with your coach about the bottles you’ll be taking on race day.

The dreaded tapered Gatorade bottle, seen at Ironman events EVERYWHERE, apparently

But…I won’t carry all my own bottles

Yeah, true. Unless it’s a pancake-flat race, we don’t suggest starting your race with more than two bottles (and bike racers with team support, stop twirling your hipster mustaches and smirking about getting all the right-sized bottles with the correct fluid concentration all the time). You’ll have to be grabbing bottles at aid stations as you go along. So now you need to know:

• The size and shape of the bottles you’ll get on course (beware the wasp-waisted Gatorate bottle seen above, which was well-known for rattling free from bottle cages seconds after leaving any aid station)

• The sodium/carbohydrate concentration of the product in those bottles

So let’s start with an example athlete, Thirsty Thurston, who loses 1000mg of sodium per liter of sweat lost (you can figure out this number by visiting your friendly local Precision Hydration sweat tester) and drops 1.5 liters of sweat per hour at the moment. OK, yikes, now we are in the dreaded Imperial/Metric Triangle of North American beverage sellers. This would be the opportune time to insert a long digression about the time that the United States beverage industry, apparently head-faked by the US government, switched over to the Metric System only to have our legislature get cold feet and stick with Imperial, which is why your alcohol comes in liters instead of, I dunno, drams or something as old-fashioned as “12 stone,” the way the Brits talk about mass, because for some reason they ALSO decided to name their currency for a measure of weight. Good fucking lord. For any other total ADHD nerds out there, just do a quick search for the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 for another detour through US legislative face-palming, if you needed another one.

OK, back on topic! Thurston needs to replace those sodium losses and fluid losses as much as is possible. You can replenish about 75% of your losses, which means that every hour Thurston needs to consume about 1.2l of fluid and 1200mg or sodium. If he’s starting with two bottles that he plans to get through by the end of the first hour, he needs to have two 20 oz/600ml bottles with 600mg of sodium each in them. Thurston grabs two packets of PH1500 and puts one in each bottle (we’ll explain later if you’re scratching your head about that). He’s set for the first hour.

But what about when he starts getting bottles of Gatorade? Or…whatever Ironman is serving at the moment? If you’re luckily racing in Europe, you’ll be getting Precision Hydration and you don’t have to worry about it. If you’re racing in North America, well…you’re gonna have to do some figuring, but ideally the example below will help. A 24 oz bottle (709ml) of Gatorade has about 42g of carbohydrate (good!) and…324mg of sodium. Yikes. Not good. Thurston can hit his carbohydrate and fluid needs by consuming three more bottles of on-course Gatorade, but he’s gonna be almost 750mg of sodium short. That is too short. The fix? Add a 250mg salt pill to every bottle of Gatorade and we’re back on track.

How to batch mix your bottles for a long training day (or race if you can reliably get your own bottles)

1. Fill a gallon just with water

2. Mix that fluid to the correct concentration. If you’re using a product like Precision Hydration, remember that a SINGLE packet or tablet of a specific PH product (PH 1500, 1000, or 500) has HALF the amount of sodium listed. Wherefore the odd numbering convention? Well, PH is a sensible metric company who understands bottle sizes, so they create their product for 500ml containers, with the title of the product being for 1l volumes. Head spinning already? It’s not that bad. But the thing to remember is that for every 16 oz/500ml of fluid you’re creating you need one PH packet or tablet. So for this example, that’s EIGHT packets or tablets to make a gallon of fluid.

3. Distribute that correctly mixed fluid to your bottles

“WHY?” you might be asking. “This seems unnecessarily fiddly.” Well, here’s why. If your bottles are 18, 20, 22, 24, or 28 fl oz you’re going to have to parse annoying quantities of drink mix to those bottles. A 24 oz bottle is 709 ml, or 71% of a liter. Now, if you are also a drug dealer or coffee snob (same thing) you MIGHT have a reliable gram scale kicking around, but you know what strikes ME as fiddly? Weighing out my drink powder by the milligram by emptying it out onto the scale and then distributing those precious little pyramids to individual bottles.

Conclusion

So this might actually be too fiddly for you. That’s fine. We also believe that being too exact about things can create instead of alleviate stress. If you’ve got a good sense of how your body works and what it needs, feel free to ignore all of this. But if you have a big event coming up that you want to nail, why not spend some time figuring this out, because if you get it wrong and blow up, you won’t just be spending time—you’ll be spending money when you have to sign up for the same race next year.

Gravel is the Newish Ironman

Six reasons why you are set up for gravel success from a triathlon background

by Chris Bagg

Your author, in a previous life and his current life

Every few years, there’s a new “marathon.” In the 1980s, that new marathon was...the marathon. The running craze had seized the United States and the world beyond. Regular citizens were running for fun and fitness, U.S. athletes challenged for the Boston Marathon win, and joggers everywhere thought maybe I could do that. In the late 1990s Ironman became the new marathon, fueled by Mark Allen, Dave Scott, and Outside Magazine. By the 2010s the focus shifted again, to ultra-running, SwimRun, or cyclocross. Often many multisport athletes returned to triathlon, sensibly finding that three sports kept them motivated, engaged, and generally fit for anything. In the 2020s, gravel is the new Ironman, and if you have a long distance triathlon habit in your background, there’s a good chance you’ll find gravel crunching under your 40c tires before you know it. 

Uniquely Suited

70.3 and Ironman-distance triathletes are uniquely suited to gravel racing. First of all, though, what’s gravel in the first place? Well, they’re bike races, sort of. Unlike traditional bike racing, with its categories, unwritten rules, and gnostic behavior, gravel racing sets few barriers against entry. Races tend to start all at once rather than in categorized waves, and all are welcome: world tour riders and grandmas alike. Gravel races often challenge their participants through a combination of length and terrain on a combination of surfaces, including pavement, dirt, trail, and (of course) gravel. The atmosphere at gravel events is much more grassroots triathlon than downtown criterium, so you’ll probably feel at home. Here are six reasons why you, triathletes, are going to crush this style of racing.

You’re used to riding alone

Remember all those Saturday mornings when your bike racing friend invited you to come on “this epic group ride?” As a rules-following triathlete, you probably demurred, saying something like “My coach wants me to get in some long, steady aerobic intervals.” Group rides are fun, for sure, but they mimic bike races, with their stochastic, punchy periods separated by stretches of spinning and chatting. Maybe you watched, forlornly, as a pack of cyclists rode past while you toiled along, dutifully performing intervals 30-45 minutes in length. Well, those years of riding alone now makes you the strong one in a gravel race. Gravel events (whether you are racing or just participating) hinge on strength rather than tactical savvy, since it matters less what kind of draft you’re getting and more on if you can ride up this muddy hill or not. Bike racers, who are good at punching and attacking, may not have the same kind of sustain that you have. Also of benefit is the mental strength you have from spending long hours alone with your thoughts. You will spend much of your gravel event riding alone, and the ability to do so without losing your patience will set you up for success when facing several hours of solo riding to the finish line.

You’re (probably) Metabolically Efficient

As someone smarter than we have said, “metabolic efficiency is just getting fit.” Metabolic efficiency is having a moment right now, and a group of people have tried to cut corners to get their faster, often from the “high fat, low carb” approach. For sure, this can help, but it’s the final approach, not the first approach. Want to become more efficient at mobilizing and oxidizing (using) fats instead of carbohydrates? Pedal more, and pedal more at lower intensities and lower cadences. Oh, does that sound like 70.3 and Ironman base training? Why yes it does.

You Understand aid stations

Gravel events utilize a refueling system that is much more triathlon than bike race. Cyclists have always preferred Feed Zones, where teammates or assistants or parents wait for the field and desperately try to hand bottles and food up to participants moving past well over twenty miles an hour. Chaos usually reigns, with dropped water bottles exploding under the wheels like grenades.Triathletes, although many do grab bottles at aid stations during their events, often take the stations slower, and many stop to refill their pockets and reservoirs. You’ll find the same familiar system at most gravel events, with helpers and workers handing up bottles to passing riders but also welcoming those that get off their bikes with cookies, PB&J sandwiches, and many other goodies. The races are long enough that stopping at aid stations very rarely affects your time or result too much, so use them. They are part of the attraction and very often part of the fun.

you’re strong as opposed to “fast”

The amazing thing about long-distance professional triathletes is that they are really good for very long periods of time. Even if you’re not a professional, you’re likely the same: you may not be able to win a town-line sprint, your local 5k, or the 200y Free at a Masters meet, but you just never stop going. That’s strength, and you’ve got it in spades. Maybe it’s the endless big gear sessions your coach gives you, or the years of four-to-six hour rides on Saturday, but you’re a strong athlete. Gravel racing, with the lower speeds on high-friction surfaces, suits you perfectly. You don’t need a big turn of speed—you just need room to let that diesel rumble.

You’re used to long days

Cyclists can adjust to this time frame through their training, certainly, but most are used to races that last one to five hours, usually. Many gravel races will see you out on course for time frames favoring the preparation and event duration that is suited to the triathlete. Ride from sunrise to sundown? For most triathletes, that’s just a day well spent.

You just like new things

Triathletes tend to be curious, always looking for that next new thing that may help them become better endurance athletes. Some time these things are…slightly misguided, but something that isn’t misguided is trying a new, challenging activity in a new space. Being good at gravel racing (or bike racing, or cross-country skiing, or rowing) requires jumping in and taking part, and due to your background at tackling two or three new sports all at once, you won’t be fazed by that challenge. So. Find yourself a gravel bike, learn about tubeless tires, and go express your triathlon fitness in a new sport!

Opening Your Season

FOUR Reminders to Rule Them All When Returning to Racing

by Campfire Co-founders Molly Balfe and Chris Bagg

Back in action at early season races in Montague, California

Flowers bloom, the sunlight stretches past six pm, and cyclists pull their bikes off the trainer to head outside, maybe not wearing every piece of clothing they own. This change of the season in North America portends one thing: RACE season is nearly here! Last year’s end of season enthusiasm is FINALLY coming due. If your dreaming and planning in December led you to sign up for a spring race, you may notice that early season racing comes with some considerations that races in June, July, and August don’t require. We’re here with a few recommendations so you can ensure your first race of the year goes smoothly.

Expectations lead to frustrations

We understand why athletes build expectations going into any event. Expectations arise due to the hard work you have been putting in, and it stands to reason that if you have had strong training on the way into your race, you might think that the equation is simple: effort in, result out.

Sadly, any endurance event is more of a black box than that. The equation isn’t simple, and myriad aspects of the race (both positive and negative) can dramatically alter your experience and your results. Even worse, racing from a place of expectation makes every single piece of data that doesn’t line up with your expectations feel like catastrophe. Maybe you stumbled during the beach start and lost the group that you expected to swim with. If you can’t set aside that thought process, you might spend the rest of the swim seething about “what could have been,” which means you’ve been taken out of the race, mentally. You’re now thinking about the past and how it is going to affect the future, instead of focusing on the “see the ball, hit the ball” mentality that leads to great performances.

Let’s keep going with the scenario above. What if you lost the swim group and then pouted about it during the swim, bike, and run, finishing with a result below what your training suggested. But then you look at the times of the athletes in that front swim group and realized you had no chance of swimming with them on your best day.

You were telling yourself one story all day, you let it affect your performance, and the story was…a myth. This is all an expansion of “it’s not over until the lady sings,” but sometimes it’s necessary to go beyond rank idiom.

So when you get to the race during race week, sit down, write your expectations on a piece of paper, and then burn them. Simple and symbolic, so keep checking in with yourself throughout race week to make sure you aren’t letting those expectations creep back into your brain.

Check that Gear

Much of our race specific gear has been gathering dust in our garages, sports bins, and closets for months. Race morning is not the time to find that your wetsuit has a giant tear or your bike tire has been worn down by your trainer. Tune up your bike and give your race gear a workout even if it isn’t new to you. Don’t try to coast on the memory of everything being fine: winter and disuse can be hard on your stuff. Taking your gear out and testing it early will allow you to fix or replace anything that needs attention. As an added bonus, giving yourself a few dress rehearsals will prevent that sleepless pre-travel night where you try to remember where the heck you put your kit (or worse, discovering it is still at the bottom of the backpack you took to your last race, unwashed and riddled with mold!).

It may be warmer where you are racing than where you are training! Kudos to this athlete and her gallon of water.

Prepare for the Conditions

The realities of winter training can complicate the first race of the season. Many of us spend the winter training indoors or layering up for pre-dawn chilly runs. While we undoubtedly score points for hardiness, the cold weather puts us at a unique disadvantage for what seem to be ever-more balmy spring races. If your first race of the season has the potential to be hot and humid, we highly encourage you to do some heat training. Heat and humidity can impair performance by up to 7% in temperatures above 85 degrees, so this can be a critical part of your race preparation. Here are a few tips for how you can be ready for a hot day of racing:

• BEFORE: Integrate a heat acclimation protocol into your training starting about six weeks before your goal race. This will prepare your body for hot conditions by increasing plasma volume, sweat rate, and comfort in hot weather. Getting a late start? It is still probably worth it—these adaptations take time to be truly robust, but you’ll start to see a benefit after as little as five consecutive days of heat exposure. But be careful—dehydration and fatigue will from heat training can override the benefit of exposure.

• DURING: Incorporate some strategies for internal and external cooling to keep your core temperature as low as possible on race day. If you know you’re going to have a hot water swim, stay as cool as possible before the race begins. Out on the course, chew on ice as you run through the aid station, grab a cold towel for your shoulders, and above all STAY HYDRATED. Combining these strategies may help lower your core temperature, but there is also an effect on performance when athletes’ perception of comfort is increased. Don’t underestimate how important your brain is!

• AFTER: We know, you’re finished with the race and ready to sit in the sun and cheer on your fellow athletes with a dehydrating beverage in your hand. Before you end up in the beer tent, make sure you get to work on replacing the fluid you lost on the race course. This will aid your recovery and help get your body temperature back down. Cooling your body after the race is especially critical if you are racing on back-to-back days (we’re looking at you, stage racers).

Remember, it’s a long season out there—you may not feel great now, but your early season races are the base of this year’s Performance Pyramid.

Maintain Perspective

The reality is that most of us thrive in situations where we know what to expect and how to prepare. Event day can be frenetic and anxiety-provoking on a good day, and those emotions can be compounded if there has been a long period of time since you last raced. Expect to forget something or to have something go wrong. Remember that something going wrong isn’t a reflection on you as athlete! Both bad and good things happen, and perfect races are rare at any point in the season. Use the challenges that our sport presents to practice your race mentality: remaining focused on what is within your control. We hope that athletes’ participation in this sport is part of a lifestyle that includes training and racing throughout the year, building a reservoir of expertise to draw upon. Learn what you can from each race and then shift your focus to the next one. And, if nothing else, remember to take your kit out of your backpack. 

Looking to make sure this race season is your best yet? Contact us for information about working with one of our expert coaches!

Faster, Happier, and Healthier in 2024: Setting Goals with Your Coach

by Molly Balfe, Campfire Head Coach and Co-founder

“So, what's your big race this year?” Have you fielded this question yet? It’s already late January, so your race calendar should be taking form, making it the perfect time to focus on goal-setting for the season. Your coaches know that you are looking to see improvements year upon year, but it is crucial to have a conversation about what you are specifically hoping to accomplish, and how you’ll know you have achieved those goals. Goal-setting is a perennial topic for anybody, regardless of whether they are endurance athletes or not. If you’re a podcast fan, the excellent Huberman Lab podcast recently covered suggestions for effective goal setting, and we have some thoughts of our own. Here are a few tips to help you work with your coach to make 2024 your best year yet:

Get Specific

Be clear with yourself and your coach about what you want to achieve. Improving your swim is a commendable goal, but what are the specific indicators that will help you measure that improvement? Are you hoping to drop time off your threshold pace? Swim under an hour for your Ironman? Complete a sprint distance race without stopping? The more specifically you define your desired outcome, the better your coach can help you get there. Also, make your goals “moderately lofty.” That can sound vague, but the goal should be realistic but still challenging. Is your 70.3 swim time usually around 36-37 minutes? Aim for swimming 33-34 minutes this year, or about a 10% improvement. If you aim to swim sub-30 this year, that might be too lofty. If you aim to only swim 30” faster, then you might “achieve” your goal due to factors out of your control, like a salt-water swim, a short course, or a current. So don’t aim too high, but don’t aim too low, either.

Is swim form a goal for you this year? Then practice excellent form, even when you’re joking around

Think Short and Long Term

Remember the bigger picture when you decide what you want to accomplish this year, ensuring your short-term goals are compatible with your overarching goals for yourself as an athlete. How does this season move you towards being the athlete (and person!) you want to be? If you are hoping to one day get to Kona, stand on a podium at Pacific Crest, or compete in an ITU race, your coach needs to know that. Even if that is not this year’s goal, every step you take should move you in that direction. What are the small to medium-sized accomplishments that you can achieve this year that would help Future You reach that bigger goal? Pro Tip - don’t neglect the psychological aspects of the sport. If you feel you are consistently falling short of your potential, take a good look at your mental game and consider if working on that should be part of your annual planning. 

Second, whey you are thinking long term, try and only set one or two big goals per year. Goal Distraction (the sibling of Goal Envy, covered below) can be just as debilitating. Think about this idea long and hard, since it will be step two of our exercise below. It can be easy to start dreaming of all the things you want to accomplish, and how you’ll paint a rainbow of accomplishment this year composed of many different colors. We know what actually happens when you play with too many colors: you get brown. No shade on brown, but…brown. Be ruthless in your long-term goal setting. Take an axe to the things that aren’t ABSOLUTELY MUST ACCOMPLISH. There will be time to attempt most things, we promise, but if you try and do everything you’ll often get nothing.

Resist Goal Envy

There is always someone whose goal seems bigger, badder, or more audacious. Example: that athlete who is trying to win the race you’re merely hoping you can complete. Stay away from this type of comparison. We spend large portions of our time, energy, and income training and racing in this sport. Your goal may not land you on the cover of a magazine, but it may add quality years to your life or quality moments to your year. Take your goals seriously, train hard, and be grateful for the times when you feel strong. Also, remember that your goal is bigger, badder, and more audacious than someone else’s. Cheer on your fellow athletes. Go fast. Have fun. Be nice.

Goal Setting In Practice

Start by keeping score

Knowing your goals for long term, monthly, weekly, and daily keeps you moving ahead effectively

(if you click on the image above, you’ll be able to download a copy of this goals sheet!)

Now that we’ve got some of the big picture stuff out of the way, let’s set some goals! Download the worksheet above (big thanks to Brian Baxter at AMPlify Sports Psychology for this resource) and grab a pen. Remembering point number two above (only 1-2 moderately lofty goals per year!) set a big picture goal that really fires your imagination. Write down those long term goals and make sure that you include an expiration date—WHEN will you achieve this by? Maybe you’d like to qualify for Kona by 2027. Write that down and set a date when that will happen, maybe in the early spring of 2026, two years from now. TWO YEARS?! You might be saying. Yup. We said long term!

Next, set three monthly goals that will move you in the direction of your long term goal(s). It’s January 10th, so let’s focus on February. What can you accomplish in February that will move you towards qualifying for Kona by 2026? We’d guess that you probably need to ride a bunch and swim a bunch. Maybe you need to commit to a strength-training routine. Maybe you just need to start getting out the door to run. Set three moderately lofty goals to accomplish next month, like ride 800 miles, swim 15 hours, hit the gym twice a week, or simply run sixteen times in 28 days.

You’re probably getting the picture, now. Next up you will set goals for next week. If you’re trying to ride 800 miles in February, well, then you’ll have to ride 200 miles next week. What does that look like? How many rides do you need? How long are each of them? Which ones will be outside and which will be inside? Get those scripted and start planning now.

Next, what needs to change in your habitual behavior so you can achieve next week’s goals? Maybe you need to wake up a little earlier to get on the bike sooner. Maybe you need to go to sleep at 9pm. Maybe you need to alter your diet so your body can handle the uptick in training. Write those habits down, and if you’re a podcast listener, head back over to Mr. Huberman for this post on habits.

Finally, commit to THIS particular habit every week. Maybe you do this goal-setting every Friday afternoon, or roll it into your Sunday planning for the week ahead. But keep doing it. “Wait a second,” we hear you saying. “I’m gonna write down this big picture goal every week for the next two years?” Yes, that’s correct. We want you to write it down so many times your brain thinks it’s a foregone conclusion. Affirmations work, but you gotta work at at affirmations.

For the Love of Aquabike

by Cam Wynhof

The world of Endurance sports can take a major toll on your body. There are things that are in our control, such as training schedules, nutrition plans, sleep habits and, of course, partnering with a coach. Injuries, often outside our control, of course can set us back in our goals and aspirations. Sometimes those injuries set us back a week or two, or, in my case recent experience, it can change your whole racing identity. This year I faced a tough challenge, which gave me unexpected new goals and a love for the (wait for it), yes, aquabike.

The Injury

My plan for 2022 was to fully embrace and race the 70.3 distance. I raced four 70.3 events including that distance’s world championships. During all my training, I was experiencing some nagging hip pain that would not go away, despite my regular visits to the chiropractor, use of recovery tools, and regular stretching. I finally accepted (halfway through a cyclocross race, no less) that riding the bike shouldn’t be this painful and I needed to figure out what was going on. I was diagnosed with moderate to severe arthritis in my left hip, and my doctor recommended a total left hip replacement. At 35, this felt like a total shock, but since the pain was impacting my joy of endurance sports and my daily function, I made the call to have the surgery in March of 2023. But I still wanted to race….

Sometimes injury feels this bleak

phase one: acceptance and exploration

When you’re an athlete, being told that you can’t run for a year can be a bit of a mind, um, screw. I kept thinking, “there has to be something I can do to fix this! There have to be some races that I can do this year.” In reality, I needed to make focusing on my recovery my number one priority. I shifted my mindset, and my training goals went from running cadences and distances to: listening to my body, listening to my physical therapist, and eating properly to fuel my recovery.

What does recovery look like post hip surgery? To be honest, the first two weeks were rough for me! I was extremely sore but all I wanted to do was move and walk. I discovered the reality of atrophy because I wasn’t moving the way I was used to. I needed to build strength and mobility in my hip and things started to progress week by week.

Itching to get back to moving in some sort of way that brought me joy, I set my sights on the PDX Olympic Aquabike with Why Racing Events in June of 2023. Since the aquabike event consists of the swimming and bike portion of a triathlon, my team of doctors cleared me to train in May. First on my training team was calling up my coach at Campfire Endurance. He helped me map out how to adjust my training to complement my recovery and safely participate in things I love.

I want to reiterate how important communication is with your coach. Telling your coach how your body is feeling and how you are adapting to the workouts is very important. This is how you and they make appropriate changes to your plan if necessary. What’s the first step to getting back in shape? Aerobic and strength conditioning is key. I needed to build my swim and bike endurance back up while also maintaining my hip strengthening exercises. This is where RPE, rate of perceived exertion, is most important. I hadn’t been swimming or biking for two months and my training needed to reflect how I was feeling and what my body could push towards. I had to consciously make a mental decision as well to not think about where my fitness used to be, but what I was now working towards. Take your training day by day and don’t forget, consistency is key for all training.

Back at it!

Phase two: return to racing

First, Aquabike is uniquely great! I was excited to get back to racing, and trying something new felt monumental. I showed up to the PDX Aquabike with a spirit of curiosity, asking myself, “Ok, where is my body at?” In a regular triathlon we worry about swim and bike pacing because we need to save energy for that final push of a strong run. But there’s no run in an aquabike! You can push yourself on the bike without the run pacing hanging over you. With proper hydration and electrolytes, you can ride hard and surprise yourself with the results. As soon as I finished, I knew that I loved aquabike and that my racing for the year was just getting started. Staying consistent with the training and effort led me to set a course record for the aquabike at PDX triathlon, which was a nice little bonus. If you are a first time athlete or new to the sport and intimidated by the full swim/bike/run, give aquabike a try, since you might love it!

Phase three: appreciation, or “Bodies are cool”

The human body is an amazing machine. With my team of doctors and coaches, I was able to come up with an appropriate recovery plan and was able to move past this obstacle. What this whole process has taught me is that there are only so many things in our control. While you can do workouts for injury prevention (clamshells are your friend!) you still need listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right or you suspect you have an injury, get it checked out so you can keep doing the things you love. Never give up on yourself because you can do amazing things. When facing these mental and physical challenges during this process, I often returned this quote:

“Such is the life of an adventurer” – My 6yr old daughter Amelia

Fuelin | A Review

by Molly Balfe

About a year ago three of my athletes suddenly asked me about using the Fuelin app for daily nutrition guidance. I hadn’t heard of it, so I decided to sign up for a few months so I could see what it was about and what type of guidance it was giving people. As a coach, I wanted to be aware of the information that my athletes were consuming so I could make my own recommendations about how to use (or not use) it.

Learning how to navigate the app was a bit of a learning curve, but I was able to figure it out relatively quickly. To ensure that daily recommendations are correct, you have to assign your workout start time and identify a training zone in your training software (the app can sync with TrainingPeaks, Today’s Plan, and Final Surge). Instructions on how to get started are available in their video library and in a pdf that is emailed to you when you sign up. The interface was pretty straightforward – days and meals are color coded to indicate low, medium, and high carb needs. There are goals for protein, fat, and carbohydrates for each meal and your plan is structured around your workouts. You enter your meals into MyFitnessPal and the app breaks them down into macros that you can track throughout the day. To support the app, there is an extensive video library and opportunities to connect with the broader Fuelin community. You can be self-directed or pay extra for 1:1 support from one of their nutritionists.

I went into this experiment feeling pretty confident about my diet. As a coach, I’m familiar with recommended guidelines, and I figured I was probably pretty close to those. I eat lots of whole grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and a good amount of lean protein. I decided to start out by tracking my regular meals to see how they stacked up against the app’s recommendations. I learned a lot and was surprised and somewhat horrified by what I discovered.

A nod to your author’s Irish dancing heritage

• I am an unstoppable fat-eating machine. My regular diet sometimes topped out at THREE TIMES the recommended amount of fat. My healthy lunch salad featured half an avocado, some olives, a bunch of little mozzarella balls, a handful of nuts, and a drizzle of olive oil. Most of those are healthy fats, so I welcomed them all in the name of satiation and shiny hair.

• Eggs are bullshit. I’ve been relying on eggs as an easy and inexpensive source of lean protein for a long time. An egg has around 6 grams of protein, so to meet the recommended 30g I was often targeting for breakfast I’d have to eat more eggs than I can possibly stomach. Thankfully, the addition of turkey sausages made things a lot easier.

• I’m hugely misinformed about carbohydrates. I blame the Adkins diet that was popular when I was in my 20s and living in New York. What I thought was a higher carb option, like a sandwich, often didn’t even meet the CHO requirements for a low carb meal.

• Alcohol is not a carb. I was astonished when I tracked a glass of wine I had with friends and saw it did nothing at all to my macro count. After some quick internet sleuthing, I found the reason why: alcohol is dietarily useless in small doses and can even be classified as a toxin in larger doses. It also messes with your sleep, so factor that in as well.

Overall, I was way over my recommended fat intake, and way under my protein and carbohydrate goals. As I let all that sink in, I started to realize how poorly I had been setting myself up for recovery and achievement. I know those missing nutrients are essential for turning training into strength and speed, and I was mortified by how off I was in my assessment of my own diet.

I started making some changes and almost immediately felt an increase in energy and an improvement in my body’s recovery time. I had blamed a busy life for my afternoon workouts always feeling sluggish, but WOW does proper fueling ever make a difference. I started getting better about post-workout recovery and was shocked by how much better I felt throughout the day.

I did run into a few concerns as I continued using the app. The main issue I have with platforms like these centers around an athlete’s tendency to become fixated on optimization and performance. I think this can be a valuable tool, but a lot of people may find they need to step away from the specifics once they’ve made some bigger changes overall (in my case, fewer mozzarella balls and so many more grains and protein sources). Also, while fasting wasn’t explicitly endorsed, it was certainly supported. Fasting may be effective for weight loss, but it can be catastrophic for training, especially if you have a higher chronic training load. It is also a slippery slope to unhealthy and dangerous restriction.

Finally, there was some unclear guidance about training nutrition. It was stated that the calories and fluids that you take in during a training session do not need to be tracked, but some workouts stipulated that you should only drink water. I found that somewhat murky, and I am an advocate for using every training session as an opportunity to work on your gut tolerance, so I moved some carbohydrates from the meal before the session to my bike bottles. I like to keep sport nutrition simple and I think that approach works well for most athletes.

My experience with the app was pretty positive. It helped me tune up my own diet and it has prompted me to ask more questions of athletes who tell me their nutrition is dialed. I was truly surprised by the amount of misinformation that was at play in my meal choices. I know better, but apparently decades of carb-phobic propaganda (and maybe a natural inclination towards cheese and ice cream) made a strong impact. I’m glad I identified those issues, and that I was able to make some relatively easy changes. That said, I’m pretty sure my lunch salad would still ring some fat alarms, but I really like avocados and shiny hair.

ANNOUNCING TEAM CAMPFIRE

Excellence through community

Campfire Endurance Coaching was co-founded by two friends who believe that endurance sports (and, crucially, training for those sports) can alter your life in myriad and positive ways. Running, cycling, swimming, rowing, skiing, and many other sports draw athletes of all types because there is something in the activity that fires those athletes’ imaginations: they see themselves wearing the kit, completing the event, improving at a new endeavor, overcoming the challenge, or enjoying (and, possibly, triumphing in) the competition.

What those athletes don’t sense, at the outset, is that some part of them hungers for adversity, since that is primarily what endurance sports offer. Team and ball sports usually prioritize a clash of manual skills alongside physical demands—it’s the rare person who can walk out on a tennis court having never seen a racket and simply play. Endurance sports, while there is certainly a skill component, primarily require the athlete to, well, endure. It’s right there in the name. Can you train your body to last longer? Having achieved that goal, can you last longer at a slightly faster pace?

Non-endurance athletes often look at us confusedly. They know that running a marathon, participating in a bike race, or finishing a triathlon requires substantial discomfort, having run up a flight of stairs or tried to catch a departing bus. One can almost hear them thinking Why would you do that for hours, if you don’t have a ball to kick or hit or throw or score with? We believe that there’s something in endurance people that love the work of changing their physiologies, and then seeing what those changed bodies can do in the shared experience of an event.

Endurance training takes time. It takes a lot of effort, and that effort is usually seen only by the person doing the work or by their immediate family. Endurance sports can be a lonely endeavor, a fact borne out by the titles of books and stories about this type of sport: “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner,” “Once a Runner,” “The Amateurs,” and so on. Some athletes enjoy that solo time, but we think that, after a while, everybody loves someone to overcome adversity alongside, someone with whom you can share your effort. Maybe that person pushes you while you push them back, but really the benefit derives from being seen for your work.

It’s in that spirit that we’re announcing Team Campfire. At Campfire we have coached hundreds of athletes to great results over the years, but our greatest results are the athletes who see that participating and improving in endurance sports leads to a happier, faster, and healthier life. By launching the team, we’re expanding our ability to help other athletes share that happier, faster, and healthier existence, and we plan to do it through plenty of community connection.

As a member of the team, you’ll have many different ways to achieve excellence through community. Every team member gets:

• Access to our online winter Endurance Spin series, 16 sessions spread out over four months between November and the end of February

• Participation in our Discord and Facebook groups, where you can set up workouts with other team members, ask questions of the Campfire coaches during our monthly Ask Us Anything sessions OR via different channels dedicated to inquisitive athletes

• Access to our yearly Campfire kit sales so you can wear the kit during races and training sessions

• Team discounts with our sponsors

• Discounts on Campfire clinics, camps, and custom plans

• Free annual consultation with a Campfire Coach

• Inclusion in team parties and events

Additionally, athletes at the Explorer ($199/year) and Scout ($399/year) get a Campfire Brand Swag Bundle of a custom technical trucker, swim cap, water bottle, and holographic sticker.

Athletes at the Scout level get included access to all our pre-built training plans, allowing those athletes to build their own training year of different plans. Many of those options have “completer” and “competer” options. Those plans include:

• Sprint Completer

• Sprint Competer

• Olympic Completer

• Olympic Competer

• 70.3 Completer

• 70.3 Competer

• 140.6 Completer

• Beginner Half Marathon

• Intermediate Marathon

• Gravel Experienced (50-200 miles event)

• Cross is Coming

• Multisport Base (6-8 hours/week)

• Multisport Base (10-12 hours/week)

• 10k Open Water Swim

• Cycling Base

• Running Base

Finally, we of course plan to continue to offer our “Ranger” level, which is one-to-one coaching. One-to-one coaching is what we do best and will always prioritize, as we believe it is the best way for athletes to achieve their goals in the most efficient way possible. Through robust and regular communication (phone/Zoom, text/email, and the TrainingPeaks comment feature), dynamic and individualized training programs, and decades of coaching experience, our one-to-one athletes know that they are making no compromises in their pursuit of a faster, happier, healthier life.

The team launches on September 7th, 2023. If you already get our newsletter, you’ll be notified upon launch. Can’t miss this opportunity? Sign up for our newsletter below and you’ll have first crack at this amazing new endurance home. Join us around the campfire.

How Camp?

Clay Trails run workout at the QT2 Pro Camp

Ed. Note—this post was originally posted back in 2017, but provides solid guidance about how to approach a training camp OR design your own. Interested in coming to a camp? Our 2023 Bend Spring Training Camp is almost full (only three spots remain!), so if you want to accelerate your summer training, sign up today!

I'm sitting on a plane from Orlando to Denver, where I'll grab a flight to Tucson later today. The QT2 Systems Pro Camp just finished up yesterday, and I'm traveling camp-to-camp, getting ready to run a Tucson Dream Camp with eight lucky and motivated athletes. As one camp ends and another one hurtles towards opening, I thought a brief of review of how camps work for an athlete would be in order.

I've been attending big professional spring training camps for five or six years, now—at least half of my racing career. They've become an essential part of my preparation for each season. Camps have also surged in popularity for age groupers, as coaches and athletes have realized their benefits. Camps provide a ton of benefits, such as (but not limited to!):

• Time spent with someone looking at your swim/bike/run form and being able to make adjustments to it (preferably, this person is your coach, but it doesn't have to be)

• A monastery-like environment, where you can focus only on training, eating to support that training, recovering, and learning

• A burst of enthusiasm for your sport, as you brush up against people you haven't trained with, some of whom are faster than you (motivation) and some of whom you can outpace (satisfaction/confidence)

• A big dose of stimulus (training) that, given time and recovery, provides a transformation of your athletic abilities

Well, that's great, Chris, you're saying. That all sounds wonderful, but how about some more guidance? How should these be set up? That's a very sound question. Camps should push you beyond your current abilities (in any or all of the areas of endurance, speed, or technique) without putting you in so deep a hole that you are A) injured or B) burnt out. Figuring out where that line is, though, can be quite challenging. Many triathletes—type A personalities that love making lists, tracking data, and "knowing" stuff—want to know exactly where that line is. Unfortunately, I can't give you the complete answer. If the answer were in a dark room, I would love to be able to throw a giant switch and turn on the lights, a theatrical pop and electrical buzz accompanying the illumination. I can, perhaps, give you a flashlight with which to explore.

Over the course of the 17 days at QT2 Camp (February 17th through March 5th) I:

• Swam 69,942 yards/28,800y per week (about 1600y short of what was planned for me)

• Rode 785 miles/323 miles per week (managed not to miss any riding)

• Ran 85.33 miles/35 miles per week (about 30-35 miles short of what was planned for me)

Just so you don't think I'm getting all humble-braggy (or, come to think of it, actual braggy), I'm putting these numbers up there for a reason. Towards the end of camp (the Thursday of last week) my right calf twinged and flared while running up a small hill. It's one of those come-and-go injuries that recedes for about a month, and seemingly returns out of nowhere. I know better than that, especially given my past year's struggle with the various muscles and nerves of my lower body, and I'd ascribe the injury's reappearance as part negligence on my behalf, and part training stress beyond what I've been used to. Over the six weeks coming into camp, I've averaged:

• 17500 yards per week in the pool

• 156 miles per week on the bike

• 23.7 miles per week of running

Those probably seem like relatively modest numbers, but those six weeks were the beginnings of my real training for the year, and include the various zeros that afflict problems with averaging data in the first place. But you can see some general forms taking shape. Camp basically meant multiplying my swim volume by 1.65, doubling my cycling, and should have seen a similar doubling in my run volume (if I'd completed all the prescribed runs, I would have ended up at 120 miles of running over 17 days, or 48 miles per week). I'd say that camp revealed the fact that my swimming and cycling durability is good right now, but my running durability still needs work. 

Gosh, you're saying now. He just keeps talking about himself! When is this going to get pertinent to me? I get it, you're absolutely correct. Here's how I would think about this data, taking into account the fact that every athlete is different and can absorb different kinds of training loads.

• During a camp or period of higher training load, you can probably absorb up to 1.5 the volume you've put in on your two stronger sports over the previous 12 weeks, although cycling can maybe get closer to a 2x figure. This is such a vague estimate that I'm hesitant to even write it, but the additional rest and recovery and focus that camps provide allow you to get away with this.

• Your weaker sport, or whichever sport has some injury history in it, should only experience a 1.25 multiple during camps or periods of higher training.

• Swimming is the safest sport to add volume, as long as your shoulders are healthy

• Cycling is the next safest sport to add volume, as long as you've had a bike fit or a fit update within the last year

• Running is the sport most likely to damage you all the time, so be cautious with it.

So, if you're showing up to a camp this week (hint, hint) or have one in the near future, do a little number crunching and come to camp armed with some data for the coaches running camp. It's their job to watch you and get a sense of how you're doing and to pull on the reins a bit, if necessary, but why not make their jobs easier? If you let them know what you've been up to over the past six weeks, they can even better tailor camp to your needs. Remember that camp is not a race, not a competitive event; the person who "wins" camp often ends up injured not too far down the road. Camp is supposed to push you and you alone up to the "stimulus edge," where we're getting maximum benefit without injury. If you get caught up in trying to "tick the box" of every session, you're not training by your needs, you're training by someone's guess as to what your body can handle. As with any coaching relationship, it's up to you and your coach together to locate that stimulus edge, so why not give them a hand?

John B.'s Kona 2022 Plan

We have something a little different for you today. We’ve put together a short case study on how one of our athletes prepared for Kona in 2022, after a sub-par trip there pre-pandemic. We’ll also share with you the training hours necessary to put in a sub-10 performance on the Big Island, and talk a little bit about how we coach athletes to these performances. Mostly, though, we’ll let the pictures do the talking today.

John had a solid career in triathlon already when he came to us, but he wanted more. He wanted to have a strong, consistent performance at Kona.

This is THE question of coaching. What needs to be altered with an athlete’s training? Asking questions is what every coach should be excellent at, and if your coach ISN’T asking you questions, then you should have some questions for THEM.

Another classic concept. Again, make sure your coach looks for these aspects of your game.

We figured out what we would do in each discipline, and then set about making those changes.

Most of our work on both the swim and bike was about improving fatigue resistance rather than adding speed. At this distance, fatigue resistance trumps speed ANY day.

We raised the amount of time John spent on the bike in the 11 months before Kona, and he finished up around 300 hours of riding during those months.

On the run John DID need some speed, so we added some pure speed work to his program along with the fatigue resistance we focused on in the other discipline.

John shaved almost an hour off his Kona time, getting down to a very quick 9:38 at Kona 2022.

So what were John’s numbers for the 11 months leading into Kona?

Swim: 143 hours
Bike: 297 hours
Run: 154 hours
Strength: 44 hours
Total Hours = 638 over 11 months, or 14.5 hours/week.

What would we do differently next time? John has a busy full-time job and he recently got engaged, so he doesn’t have a ton of extra time in his calendar. We didn’t make a huge improvement in his swim time, so we would focus even more on trying to nudge his swim cadence up from 59-60 into the low-to-mid 60s and then spending time there so the higher turnover becomes his normal level of oxygen consumption and, therefore, a sustainable effort.

Thanksgiving 10k Swim 2022

Every year we end up running a 10k swim around this time of year, swimming’s version of a turkey trot, but in this case it’s much more like a turkey marathon. Swimming 10,000 yards or 10k (10,0000y ≠ 10k, and yes, I’ll die on that hill) will take you anywhere between 2.5 and 4 hours, so it’s definitely a commitment. Earning your turkey? This is more like earning a yearly trip to Popeye’s (honestly, that’s what one part of the Campfire ownership does with their 10,000y swim). Without further ado, here is this year’s set. This was written with fairly strong swimmers in mind who usually use a 1:35/100m or 1:25/100y base send-off. Those swimmers should use the LEFT sendoffs, and other swimmers should use the RIGHT sendoffs. This set was written for a short course yards pool. If you swim meters, we’d suggest adding at least 10” per 100 to the send-offs.

Warmup
400 easy, every 4th non-free RIMO (reverse IM order, if you’re into that sort of thing)
300 pull
6x50 ↓1-3, 4-6 on :50/:60
(1000)
+++++++++++++++++
Main Set One
11x75 as follows
2 on 1:15/1:20
2 on 1:10/1:15
2 on 1:15/1:20
2 on 1:05/1:10
2 on 1:15/1:20
1 on 1:00/1:05
50 easy

11x100 as follows
2 on 1:30/1:40
2 on 1:25/1:35
2 on 1:30/1:40
2 on 1:20/1:30
2 on 1:30/1:40
1 on 1:15/1:25
50 easy

11x125 as follows:
2 on 1:55/2:05
2 on 1:50/2:00
2 on 1:55/2:05
2 on 1:45/1:55
2 on 1:55/2:05
1 on 1:40/1:50
100 easy
(4400)

Main Set Two
4x175
— odds 2:30/2:45
— evens 2:20/2:35
3x200
— odds 2:50/3:10
— evens 2:40/3:00
500 pull moderate, regroup
4x100
— odds 1:25/1:35
— evens 1:20/1:30
2x150
— odds 2:15/2:30
— evens 2:05/2:20
4x50
— odds :45/:50
— evens :40/:45
100 on 1:15/1:25
200 pull easy
(7400)

Main Set Three
4 rounds, send-off base is the same each round but distance changes

Round #1
300 on 4:30/5:00
200 on 2:50/3:10
100 on 1:20/1:30
50 on :60/:65

Round #2

50 on :45/:50
300 on 4:15/4:45
200 on 2:40/3:00
100 on 1:55/2:05

Round #3

100 on 1:30/1:40
50 on :45/:50
300 on 4:00/4:30
200 on 3:40/4:00

Round #4

200 on 3:00/3:20
100 on 1:25/1:35
50 on :40/:45
300 CD

Building a Gravel Racer from a Triathlon Chassis

Your author, en route

by Campfire Co-Founder Molly Balfe

The leaves are turning, the air is colder, and triathletes’ hearts are turning to…mud. Whether you’ve gotten yourself a gravel bike or rigged your road bike with some thicker, grippier tires, chances are pretty good that you have gotten off the road over the past few seasons. Gravel racing is a great way to maintain focus and fitness throughout the year, since the season extends beyond when triathletes will typically race. However, the challenges and skills required for riding on gravel are different from what we practice on our time trial bikes. As always, a little preparation goes a long way. Check out our three big tips for making the switch from a strong triathlon season to an epic gravel season. You decide if you want to make the switch back.

Hit the Gym

One of the true joys of gravel is that, as a surface, it is pretty poorly defined. What is considered a road by one rider may be little more than a trail to another, and terrain can vary from groomed dirt to sand pits to several inches of slick mud. In order to respond to the challenges you’ll encounter in a race or ride, it is crucial you spend some time getting strong. We recommend that you focus on strengthening:

1. Lower Body. Seems obvious, right? You’re riding a bike. But give us a minute. Gravel riding requires a lot of low cadence riding, as you mangle your bike through vague moon dust or primordial ooze. If you haven’t been doing your squats, lunges, deadlifts, and hip thrusts, you’re likely to run out of muscular oomph at some point of your event. And guess what? It’s November, which is a perfect time to start learning how to lift.

2. Upper Body. Maybe less obvious, but while you’re doing that aforementioned mangling, your bike will be moving around underneath you a lot. You know what manages that movement? Your trunk and torso and arms. If you want to be able to lift your arms to give your race sherpa a post-event hug, it’s time to start getting familiar with the push-up position. Some triceps work and a pull-up or two won’t hurt, either.

3. Core. You probably saw this coming. No endurance how-to is complete without a call to core stability. The Campfire Head Coaches like to say “You sure can shoot a cannon out of a canoe…as long as you’re fine with destroying the canoe,” and we hope the figurative language isn’t lost on you. Gravel races are long, like, Ironman long in some cases, and having a powerful core will allow you do pedal effectively for longer. We love the dying bug as our go to core movement, since it keeps your low-back stable and can be progressed easily.

Lift now or regret it later!

Technical and Handling Skills

It should come as no surprise that gravel racing will require more technical skills than spending hours in aero on smooth pavement. The specific skills that you need will be dictated by the type of terrain in your race/region, but our biggest recommendation here is to get out and practice. Being able to stay calm and relaxed is possibly the most important skill to develop, and that comes with experience. Before your big race, make sure you get out and ride on local gravel roads so you can identify what conditions you’re not so great at navigating. When you know what they are, ride them often. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. If you hit a sandy or silty section, don’t try to muscle through it or hit the brakes. Shift into an easier gear and spin through anything loose and shifting. The bike will yaw around like a drunkard, but that’s fine—let it do its drunken wobble and just keep pedaling.

2. Assume water is much deeper than it looks. This goes for puddles as well as rivers/crossings. Bend a rim in a water-filled hole and you’ll never forget this one. The takeaway? If you can’t see the bottom, ride around it or just get off your bike for a few meters and walk.

3. Navigate with your body, not your handlebars. Learn how leaning the bike makes it curve, and that pointing your chest and head where you want to go is better than turning the bars, which often results in too much turning.

Go Tubeless

If you haven’t made the switch to tubeless tires yet, now is the time. The inherent unevenness of off (paved) road cycling means that your chances of hitting something and blowing a tube are pretty high. With tubeless tires on your whip, you’re unlikely to get flats of any kind. Tubeless removes the major vector for flat tires in cycling: the pinch flat, where the inner tube gets pinched between the tire and rim after hitting a big bump. When this happens in a tubeless context, the sealant in the tire rescues the rider from larger obstacles that would normally pierce a clincher tire and the tube within. If the puncture is significant enough, you may hear a short hiss and see a jet of sealant escape your tire (or feel a short spray on your calves, causing you to scan the sky for clouds on a perfectly sunny day). The sealant magically seals most holes (if you destroy your sidewall, there’s not much we can do for you), allowing you to continue your ride in peace. Tubeless tires offer such maintenance-free riding, in fact, that you may soon forget that they do require some upkeep, primarily by making sure fresh sealant flows inside the tire. Sealant dries out over time, so replacing it every month or so is a good idea. If you DO flat and the sealant doesn’t save you, you can simply install a tube the way you normally would out on the road, but this is a fairly rare occurrence in the world of gravel cycling. In a future article (our 201 article) we’ll talk about fixing your tubeless set-up on the fly, but that’s for a different day.

HAVE FUN

So that’s it for now! Get strong, practice practice practice, and install some tubeless tires on your conveyance. Triathletes make great gravel riders—you only have to get out there and try something new.

How to Do Different and Challenging Things Next Season

Co-founder Molly Balfe’s Haute Route Davos Experience

Ed. Note—What do you want to do next year? It’s that time of year when athletes begin to think about the events they’d like to focus on, and we at Campfire Endurance Coaching heartily believe in finding new ways to put your hard earned endurance to use. Maybe you’re a dyed-in-the-Lycra triathlete, and maybe you’d like to try SwimRun, or some skate skiing, or something entirely different. Co-founder Molly Balfe got out of her comfort zone and participated in the Haute Route Davos last month, and she returns with this report. Be like Molly and realize that the exchange rate on endurance is quite high between sports.

I was feeling strong on the first big climb of Stage One at Haute Route Davos. The weather was cool and sunny and the peaks of the Swiss Alps were just barely streaked with snow. I had already been climbing for what felt like an eternity, but I could see a sign in the distance that I was pretty certain would let me know that there was just 1k left. As I drew closer, that sign made it clear that this event was going to be different from anything I had done before: 10k to the summit. I put my head down and nervously patted my jersey pockets, crossing my fingers that I’d packed enough gummy worms for the physical and emotional toll of what I had decided to take on. 

Several months beforehand, I saw a post in the Ironman Certified Coaches Facebook Group looking for people who would be interested in completing a Haute Route event. Ironman had recently acquired the series, and they were looking for volunteers to gain experience that could be shared with interested athletes. After throwing my name in the hat, I was contacted by someone at Ironman asking me why they should pick me. I honestly responded that I am not particularly gifted at cycling, but I work really hard at improving. At that time, I was putting in a lot of work on the bike in the hopes of qualifying for Kona at Ironman Canada, so I know exactly how hard it can be to make those gains. I was thrilled when they told me to pick an event, and I chose the three-day ride in Davos.

My excitement turned pretty quickly to apprehension as the trip grew closer. I ended up having a great race in Canada, but I missed a KQ by three spots that were absolutely given up on the bike. I looked at the elevation profiles for the three Haute Route stages and started to wrap my head around the fact that I had never done anywhere close to this much climbing, and I’m just not that good at climbing in the first place. I started to worry about missing cutoffs and wondered if the lack of momentum on grades over 12% would cause me to just topple over on my bike. Would someone come get me if I couldn’t get to the top? Or would I have to lie in the road like an overturned cockroach and mourn all the squats I’d failed to do? 

It turned out I didn’t need to worry about any of that. The event was spectacular, although I was right that it was very hard. Over three days, I climbed nearly 20,000 ft in just over 165 miles in the three stages. I learned some important lessons, which I’ll impart here now in case this is something on  your bucket list. 

• Be prepared to ride in a pack. As triathletes, we often train alone or with a few friends, so the 50-60 minute neutral start at the beginning of Stages One and Two may come as a real surprise. I was lucky enough to ride with a cycling group in Brooklyn early in my athletic career, so I am comfortable being very close to other riders, at least until someone slams on their brakes without warning and nearly causes a pile up. Do yourself and your fellow athletes a favor and jump into a few group rides so you know some of the basics and can do your part to keep everyone safe.

• Be realistic about your ability. The single most important decision I made for my race was to switch to a larger climbing gear on the bike I rented from France Bike Rentals (terrific bikes – rent a bike from them and leave yours at home). I originally intended to ride with a 28 as my biggest cog. That’s what my TT bike has, and it is totally sufficient for any of my local climbs. I mentioned this to my coach, who told me to switch to a 32 immediately. I have absolutely no doubt that this conversation was the difference between a successful event and a DNF. I ended up renting a bike with a 28 in Slovenia a few weeks beforehand and it was made abundantly clear that climbing in the Alps is unlike any climbing I have experienced thus far. The easier gear better suited my athletic profile. While I am undoubtedly a strength-limited athlete, I had raced an Ironman a month earlier and had buckets of aerobic fitness. Choosing a setup that complemented my training instead of my ego allowed me to spin up hills and pass people who were mashing their pedals while they Paper-boyed across the perfect Swiss asphalt. 

• Don’t neglect your fueling. You can get away with recovery beer and donuts in a one day event, but multi-day racing requires you to eat and drink consistently throughout your ride and to be diligent about your recovery after you finish. Aim for 60-90g of carbohydrates and at least a bottle of fluid (heavy sweaters are going to need a lot more) per hour. The aid stations at Haute Route events are terrific – you can expect to find potatoes, cured meat, cheese, soup, and pizza in addition to the usual sport foods (bars, gels, sports drink). You don’t have to run off the bike, so go ahead and try something new! Maybe not as much of the cheese as you’d like (I can tell you from experience), but you’ll learn what works for you.

• Don’t skip the massage. My body was sore in ways that I’d never expected thanks to copious amounts of climbing, shivering, and clutching my brakes as I careened down the twisty descents that inevitably followed the summits. I put myself in the hands of the massage therapists after each stage, and in 15 minutes they had me tuned up enough to expect to be able to ride again tomorrow. I’m pretty sure my body only made it through the weekend because of the Swiss woman who dug her thumbs into my calves at the end of Stage Two.

• Find friends. These events allow you to get pretty close to what riding in the mountain stages of major cycling races might be like. As a solo rider, the biggest difference I felt was the lack of a team to work with, both for the race advantage and for marveling at the fact that the road seriously just never stops going up. Eventually, I was lucky enough to find a few folks who were kind, hilarious, and excellent drafts. Nothing will make the endless climb go by faster, but you’ll enjoy schlepping up that hill a lot more if you have someone to joke with. If I get the chance to do a Haute Route event again, I will do everything I can to try to talk a bunch of friends into going with me.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from my weekend in Davos, but I ended up having a fantastic time. I challenged myself, got a lot braver, and rode my bike through some unbelievable scenery. If you are on the fence about signing up for one of these events, I highly recommend you do it. I have no doubt that I came back from Switzerland a stronger cyclist, but also one who is more dedicated to doing her squats.

Your author, PUMPED

2022 Ironman World Championships Men's Race Day Gallery

Gustav Iten, who has seemed like the champion-elect for seasons, delivered on his promise

On a slightly cooler, grayer day than the women had on Thursday, Gustav Iten claimed his first Ironman World Championship in a record-setting time of 7:40:24. It was a remarkable, Kona-grows-up kind of day, with the top ten finishers all arriving to the line in under eight hours. Sam Laidlow, who made a brave attack late in the bike, held on to second place, edging the cannibalistic Kristian Blummenfelt by about a minute. We were back out on course, cheering for Campfire athletes, and snapped the following gallery.

Dragon and Wonder Woman

Iten, Blummenfelt, and Neumann early

Kristian Blummenfelt en route to 3rd

Joe Skipper quietly ran to 5th place

Max Neumann had a breakthrough 4th

Rudy Von Berg on debut

Andi Dreitz finished 30th

Ben Hoffman

Colin Chartier in 35th on debut

Matt Hanson

Lionel Sanders

Tim O'Donnell, top American in 13th

Jesper Svensson

Leon Chevalier in 7th

2022 Ironman World Championships Women's Race Day Gallery

Champion Chelsea Sodaro

On a typically hot day in Kailua-Kona, American Chelsea Sodaro quietly moved through the women’s field, coming out of the water with the 8th fastest swim, 4th fastest bike split, and the fastest run of the day to defeat one of the strongest field of competitors ever assembled for the Ironman World Championships. Sodaro became the first United States-born champion since Karen Smyers to take the Kona crown.

Champion Chelsea Sodaro

Lucy Charles-Barclay

Lucy Charles-Barclay

Daniela Ryf on her way to 8th place

Fenella Langridge at her first Kona

Fenella Langridge

Haley Chura

Heather Jackson

Heather Jackson

Susie Cheetham

Skye Moench

Sarah Crowley

Ruth Astle

Laura Siddall

Sara Svensk

Lisa Norden

Lauren Brandon

Laura Phillip

Jodee Robertson

Jen Annett