By Coach Maria Simone Training mistakes: we’ve all made them. Sometimes we re-make them. Other times, we may not know we are making them.  In all cases, minding what I like to call the “1% details” ensures we make the most out of our hard work. After all, all of these 1% details will add up to 100% of your potential reached!  In this article, we review some of most common training mistakes that we see athletes make as well as tips for how to avoid them so you get 100% out of your training time and effort. Through each […] The post Common Training Mistakes and How to Avoid Them appear ..read more

By Coach Maria Simone I was pretty clueless when I first started in endurance sport.  How do I train for a triathlon or marathon? What type of fueling works best, What gear do I need? How do I pee on my bike?  And that list of questions went on and on and on–and got even more TMI ?. ____________________________________________________ Below: Coach Maria learning and sharing at the USAT Level 2 endurance coaching certification.  I’m not the type of person who likes to revel in ignorance, so I asked questions of more experienced people. A lot of them. I bought books, […] The post ..read more

By Coach Maria Simone Cadence – or the rhythm and speed of your movement – has implications for swimming (strokes per minute or length), cycling (revolutions per minute), and running (steps per minute). In each case, the goal is to find both efficiency and economy of movement such that you can move faster at the same or less effort.  In this article, you’ll learn the basics about cadence and some ideas for drill work. Swimming Stroke Rate Your stroke rate may depend on the nature of the water you are swimming in, as well as the type of swimmer you […] The post Attention to Form: Cadence M ..read more

By Coach Maria Simone While we’ve covered much of what there is to know about pacing an endurance race, there are some specifics relative to the run that we’ll cover in this third part.  As a reminder, Part 1 covered general pacing basics for any endurance event, and part 2 covered pacing strategies for triathlon. If you haven’t had a chance to read these, I recommend reviewing those first. Even if you aren’t a triathlete, I recommend reading the run portion of the triathlon article, as there are some strategies there that apply to any run – not just one […] The post Pacing Strategies Par ..read more

By Coach Maria Simone In a previous article we reviewed race pacing basics for any type of endurance events. With those overarching guidelines in mind, let’s talk some specifics for triathlon. Triathlon is One Sport Regardless of your distance, it is important to remember that triathlon is one sport.  In practice this means that each segment has an impact on the segment that follows. There is no such thing as a great swim or bike with a bad run. That should be catalogued as a bad race. While there are a lot of reasons for a “bad” run, improper pacing […] The post Race Day Pacing Strategie ..read more

Part 1: Pacing Basics By Coach Maria Simone There is no one “big” thing you can do that will add up to your optimal race day performance. Rather, our performance on race day is a consequence of a series of sometimes seemingly inconsequential choices. These are the 1% details that add up to 100% of your success in achieving your big dreams. This post is devoted to some of the general guidelines you want to keep in mind for execution on race day—and how to maximize those 1% details. In Part 1, we will review pacing basics for any endurance […] The post The 1% Details: Race Day Pacing Strategies ..read more

By Coach Maria Simone Ah, the taper. Depending on your response to taper, you are either dreading this period in your training, or you are eagerly looking forward to it.  Personally, I love the taper. I imagine my body putting itself back together after weeks and months of hard training. It is a time when the body becomes optimized for performance. I prefer to call the taper the “peak period” because that is exactly what this training cycle is designed to do: prepare your body for peak performance.  Even though I love taper, it still comes with its challenges.  In […] The post ..read more

Tips to Manage Hot Training Days By Coach Maria Simone I’ll be brutally honest: you can’t beat the heat. It will have an impact on our watts, pace, and RPE, when compared to more temperate conditions. But, you absolutely can manage the effects of heat and humidity. In this post, we share our yearly reminders to prepare and maximize your chances of success in the heat. Above: John Jenkins, my husband, working to stay cool at the Western States 100, in 2017. It was one of the hotter years on record for that race.  What Happens to Us in Heat […] The post Are you ready for the heat? appeared ..read more

By Coach Kelly Rose Thomas, DPT The shoulder girdle is amazing! How many other regions of the body are you able to lift, lower, cross in front and in back of your body, rotate, and swing? The number of nerves, arteries, veins, muscles, ligaments, and bones in the shoulder area is astonishing (and a bit of a nightmare to learn).  To help familiarize you with the basics, here’s a brief review of some important players:  In this article, we briefly explore 4 factors that can contribute to shoulder pain, and some exercises that can help promote a more positive relationship […] The post S ..read more

By Coach Jason Bahamundi If you’re reading this article, then you are giving endurance sports a shot. That is the first thing you did to improve as a beginner – and probably the most important. Pat yourself on the back and then grab a cup of coffee, because we are going to discuss 5 things beginners can do to improve. 1. The Greatest Ability is Availability In order to improve, you have to be able to train. In order to train, you have to be injury free. When you’re injured there are two paths to take. One path is to […] The post 5 Things Beginners Can Do To Improve appeared first on No Limits ..read more