We're all headed for a lot of parties and family get togethers this holiday season. Even if you aren't the party type you will probably be around some holiday sweets and goodies. Gaining weight is not unavoidable. If you are expecting to gain those ten pounds you very likely will. If you plan to maintain your weight or even loose some that's possible.

The key is good planning. You can plan your holiday eating more than you think you can. You may not always know the specifics of a given situation but you can see social occasions coming. Chances are many holiday functions are already on your calendar.


The key to weight maintenance is to not consume more calories than you burn. It really is that simple in theory. In practice it's more difficult. Here are some tips to help you navigate the holiday season without gaining a lot of weight.


Know your Emotions: If you are an emotional eater the holidays can amplify the effects of your emotions on your eating. If you deal with loneliness or stress by eating the holidays can be a real challenge with workplace and family get-togethers. Be aware, be very aware of events that may trigger overeating. Anticipating an emotion charged eating session is the best defense. Plan in advance how you are going to deal with emotions that left unchecked would send you to the refrigerator. (i.e. may I suggest exercise)


Know your Triggers: Do you have trigger foods that you just can't help over-indulging? For me it's pumpkin pie. I'll eat about as much pumpkin pie as I can get my hands on. Whether it's mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie or Christmas cookies you need to anticipate being around your favorites and decide in advance how you are going to deal with them. If you know you want two pieces of mom's homemade pecan pie for dessert you need to severely limit the amount of mashed potatoes you eat at dinner.


Understand the Nature of the Event: Try to find out as much as you can about the nature of holiday events that you attend. Will dinner be served or is it just drinks and appetizers? Is it for dessert? Knowing what eating opportunities an event presents will help you plan your day's eating.


To be or not to be... Hungry: For some events you'll want to go hungry for others you'll want to not be hungry. You can adjust how much you eat during the day to accommodate a big meal or special event in the evening. For example you may want to be hungry for a dinner party with the neighbors so you'll have a light breakfast and lunch but you know the food at that office cocktail party isn't going to be worth eating. Best to plan on skipping the food altogether. If you aren't very hungry at an event don't feel bad about eating tiny amounts of food. Chances are people are paying more attention to their own plate than to yours.

November, 2008

Volume 1, Issue 10


In This Issue:

NEW Announcements

Building an Aerobic Base in the Winter

New Sponsors


Physiology Corner (Part 2 of 4)

Energy Systems and Endurance Sports


Eating Through the Holidays



Muscle Memory Cards to Change

Your Form


The Roadie Room-

The Art of the Echelon



SPONSOR of the Month-

Urban Tri Gear


Yoga Pose of the Month-

Cobra Pose


Upcoming Classes


The Runners Den-

The Benefits of a 5k


2009 Training Camps


Ironman Guarantee


Boston Marathon Running Group



Coach Ryan named Head Coach

of USA Triathlons Mideast Team Elite



October 23rd, 2008- Chicago, IL

The Founder and Head Coach of Break Through Multisport Inc., a National training company based out of Chicago has been named as the Head Coach for the USA Triathlon Mideast Team Elite for the 2009 season.


The USA Triathlon Team Elite is the only “Elite” triathlon team that is recognized and affiliated with USA Triathlon that operates in the Mideast Region (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio). Team Elite is a group of highly motivated, talented, and energetic athletes with the ability to compete at a higher level and have been chosen to represent their region. Athletes are expected to not only compete for their region, but also give back to the community. Team Elite is a well-rounded group of athletes looking to do their sport proud.

 

Team Elite is compromised of 30 triathletes and 6 duathletes. Most of the athletes are age-groupers who consistently win or place top 3 in their races with multiple athletes who will be racing pro next year. Many of the athletes are well-recognized in the sport for their strong performances. Our athletes are also known for their community and charity involvement, such as racing with blind athletes and raising money for charity through racing.


Guy Petruzzelli, the Team Director explained “We have a group of athletes that are already performing at a very high level without any coaching. We were looking for a nationally respected coaching service that could provide high-end, scientifically proven and race tested coaching for our athletes in order to take them to the next level!” Petruzzelli went on to explain “We looked at other national companies such as Training Bible, Multisport.com and Carmichael Training Systems in addition to the much smaller local Chicago companies such as Well Fit and Vision Quest. After an exhaustive search, we chose Coach Ryan and Break Through Multisport because he is an incredibly knowledgeable triathlon and endurance sports coach who knows how to get the most out of his athletes.”


Coach Ryan said “I’m honored to have been chosen over so many other nationally respected coaches. We work hard every day to make sure out athletes receive the best coaching that is available at an affordable rate.”


Assistant Team Director, Robyn Cagan went on to say “Coach Ryan understands the demands of everyday life and how training needs to fit into each individual athletes lifestyle. He believes in the true success of athletes ad the ability of everyone to become their own true champion.”


Coach Ryan concluded with “Break Through Multisport specializes in making sure that the athletes get the most current and up-to-date training plan available that fits into their lives instead of forcing an athlete to cram their lives into a training plan. I am really looking forward to working with USA Triathlons Mideast Team Elite in 2009!”

 

As we approach most triathletes least favorite time of year (winter), we are forced to turn to indoor pools, bike trainers and treadmills. We are most likely not going to be racing until early April so what are we supposed to do?


Most inexperienced coaches will tell you that this is the time of year for the “long slow distance” (LSD) work. Get in the pool, on the bike or head out for a run and stay at your all day pace. “Just build an aerobic base, this is not the time of the year for an real intensity.” If you are hearing this from your coach, you are NOT getting the most out of your time!


While it is important to either maintain or increase your aerobic base, that is NOT all that you should be doing in the winter. Why would you not want to build your aerobic base while increasing your lactate threshold, aerobic capacity and anaerobic capacity?


As endurance athletes, we have two choices for the winter-

1.Sports-specific training blocks (see the October 2008 newsletter)

2.Add in some purposeful intervals (VO2 Max and Threshold).


If we simply head out and keep it at our all day pace, we absolutely will increase our ability to swim, bike or run at our all day pace. If that means running at 10 minute miles, that is all we are training our body to do… run at a 10 minute mile pace all day. In reality, what we are doing is detraining, which ultimately, over time, decrease our high-end energy systems such as anaerobic capacity, aerobic capacity, VO2 max and lactate threshold.


After some time off, here are some examples of intervals that could be added in to spice up your LSD and at least maintain your high-end energy systems:

Swim: 50 meter sprint, 100 and 200 meter repeats at threshold.

Bike: VO2 Max intervals (30 sec to 3 min.) and lactate intervals (5-15 min).

Run: VO2 Max intervals (30 sec to 3 min.) and lactate intervals (5-15 min).


The winter is a great opportunity to increase your lactate threshold, which is, at the end of the day, dictating how fast you can go. When laying out your Annual Training Plan for 2009, make sure that you take a few relatively easy weeks prior to starting up with your “actual” training plan for your first race to let your body absorb all of the training from the off-season. Most importantly… enjoy your newfound speed!


Coach Ryan is a USA Triathlon and USA Cycling Certified coach, the Founder and Head Coach of Break Through Multisport Inc. Ryan has earned a Masters Degree in Biochemistry and Organic chemistry and is currently working towards a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. You can reach Coach Ryan at  Ryan@BreakThroughMultisport.com with any questions, comments or for all of your coaching needs.

As we discussed last month, there are three main energy systems that your body uses during exercise- ATP-PC system, Glycolysis and the Oxidative Aerobic energy system. As endurance athletes, we will primarily function in the Oxidative Aerobic area with some excursions into glycolysis. This month, lets take a closer look at the ATP-PC system and glycolysis and the benefits of training these specific energy systems.


We need to first understand that regardless of the type and/or duration of exercise, we will ultimately use all three energy systems (figure 1). The ATP-PC system provides the initial energy (ATP) for muscle cells at the onset of exercise and during high intensity exercises lasting up to 5-10 seconds. Once exercise has gone past the 10 second mark, we then enter into Glycolysis which does NOT use molecular oxygen, instead breaking down glucose and glycogen to form lactic acid.

Break Through Multisport Inc.

1235 North Clyborn, #192

Chicago, IL 60610

(931) 220-7050

www.BreakThroughMultisport.com

Ryan@BreakThroughMultisport.com

As we continue to talk about making the most of your off season, it’s important to discuss technique.  The off-season is the time to make changes in your technique or form.  Optimizing technique in each of the three legs will reduce injuries dramatically, and there is no better time than the off-season to work on these changes.


I’ve recently read an article by Carmen Bott, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, about Neuromuscular Training for endurance athletes which I’ve included below.  It hits on an important system often overlooked, the neuromuscular system, which represents the communication highway between the brain and the muscles responsible for producing and controlling movement.  This communication system is what we are affecting when we make changes to your swim stroke, or foot strike.  Adaptation at the neuromuscular level is different than hypertrophy training, where athletes may lift weights to gain mass or maximum strength.  This type of training is fine-tuning the muscular and body’s kinematics system so athletes can move injury free and continue to participate in activities for years to come.


Excerpt from Neuromuscular Training for the Endurance Athlete, Carmen Boot, December 2007.

“…When we imagine how our muscles fire, they do so in a crescendo-type fashion, where one muscle group is turned on and all of the fibers within the muscle contract, which signals more muscle groups further along the body’s chain to contract as well. It is essentially a domino effect where one contraction leads to another. If this chain of events is smooth and stabilizing muscles along the way restrict excessive joint movement, the athlete may move with efficiency and fluidity. High levels of neuromuscular control are absolutely necessary for dynamic joint stability. When an athlete is suffering from a “neuromuscular imbalance,” essentially he/she has a muscle activation pattern that leads to an INCREASE in joint load. Increasing joint load can lead to all kinds of overuse injuries such as patellar tendonitis, tibial stress syndrome and hip bursitis. Any neuromuscular imbalances can limit the effectiveness of the active muscular control system in working synergistically with the passive joint restraints (ligaments and tendons) to create dynamic joint stability.

Identifying or anticipating neuromuscular imbalances may offer the greatest potential for interventional athlete development in the endurance athlete. This means, a program can be designed specifically with the goal to train the neuromuscular system and reduce loads placed on the joints, or improve stability around a joint so it can move with more precision and strength throughout its range.

One method of targeting this system is through proprioceptive training techniques. Proprioception is the awareness of joint movements and positions and proprioceptors are sensory receptors that respond to joint movement and joint position. When an athlete is injured and there is instability in the joint, proprioception is impaired. Selective incorporation and integration of proprioception training techniques can be used to address the specific neuromuscular imbalances in endurance athletes.

When prescribing this type of a training plan, an athlete should be challenged in an unstable environment and exposed to movement patterns that encourage dynamic joint control of both the core (trunk) and the extremities (knees, hips and ankles). In essence, we are developing protective spinal reflexes and multijoint neuromuscular engrams, which are muscle memory cards. These memory cards helps to more effectively manage the ground reaction forces during running. Proprioceptive training also teaches athletes to develop something called a feed-forward mechanism which is essentially an anticipatory responses where stabilizing muscles pre-set themselves to increase stability of a joint on contact. This mechanism helps to decrease joint motion and protect the ligaments from high stress loading. For example, muscles surrounding the ankle joint can be trained to stabilize prior to the foot making contact with the ground to ensure the joint is more stable and the ligaments are not taking all the abuse!

The secret to an improved and highly functioning neuromuscular system comes with good coaching and perfect practice. Clinicians should prescribe exercises with specific goals in mind and should encourage athletes to maintain perfect technique for as long as possible. An athlete should be instructed to stop an exercise if form is suffering as bad habits will lead to incorrect muscle memory cards. This type of training is contrary to the miles you swim, bike and run each week – it is not about volume, but rather about quality and perfect practice. This is critical in achieving successful outcomes from the training program.”

Liz Yerly, MPT, ATC, CSCS, cART  is a licensed physical therapist and athletic trainer who has experience working with the highly trained athlete, as well as the weekend warrior She is the facility manager of the South Loop Occusport Physical Therapy clinic, as well as a treating therapist specializing in advanced certifications such as Active Release Technique and Graston Technique. She uses her manual skills to successfully rehabilitate her patients and quickly get them back to where they need to be. You can reach Liz at: lyerly@occusport.com or call her at (312) 588-0508

Adjust your Eating: Anticipating eating situations help you balance your caloric intake. Whether you are an exact calorie counter or just an estimator you'll be better able to maintain your weight by not simply adding all of those holiday calories to your diet. Don't skip meals but do cut down on breakfast and lunch if you are heading for a party that night. Even if you just can't resist that plate of Christmas cookies in the office keep those calories in mind when you sit down to dinner. Those 150-200 calories in those 3-4 cookies won't be found as extra pounds on you if you pass on your normal seconds or trim your portions on dinner that night.

Guard your Environment: To the best of your abilities keep away from the temptations. Offices are full of candy, popcorn, Christmas cookies and other goodies this time of year. If possible ask people not to bring things in. If vendors drop off goodies encourage others to take them home or donate them. Ask that food be kept out of sight in a break room. Stay out of that break room. At meetings sit out of reach of the candy dish. Don't even have the first cookie, soon you'll be back for more without realizing it.

Maintain or Boost your Activity Level: It's seldom possible to offset an additional blast of calories consumed by working out more but increasing or at least maintaining your activity and exercise level is important to maintaining your desired weight through the holiday season. Just as you need to adjust your eating to accommodate increased calories you need to guard your schedule to maintain your workout schedule. Don't carve the time needed for shopping, cooking and attending holiday functions out of your exercise time. It's too easy to be defeated and just throw out both diet and exercise until next year. Whenever and wherever possible a bit of extra activity and exercise will help you maintain your desired weight and feel better about that pumpkin pie you had last night.

Bottom line. Anticipation and adjustment can help you survive this intense calorie season. It's possible to weigh the same on January 1st as you did on November 1st. Be aware, be smart, anticipate, adjust and be consistent.



Dina Aburmishan RD, LDN is a registered dietitian who works with endurance athletes. Dina owns DMA Nutrition Inc. a private practice nutrition consulting company. You can reach Dina at dina@dmanutrition.com or www.dmanutrition.com or call her at 847-581-1160.

Redeem this coupon at Urban Tri Gear

and receive 15% off all merchandise

Print out this coupon and bring it into Urban Tri Gear or use  “coach4me” as a discount code to receive 15% off your next order

Coupon Expires: December 1st, 2008

Coming in January 2009

Are you paying too much for a “computrainer” workout? Do you feel that you are not receiving the proper amount of coaching while on the virtual reality trainer? Are the instructors running your class certified by USA Triathlon or USA Cycling?


If you are tired of getting shot off the back of the group ride or having riders go flying by you on climbs, this class is for you! Break Through Multisport Inc. will take your training to the next level with virtual reality trainers! By using the VR trainer as a training platform, it allows the average rider to train using power (watts).


After an initial testing session to determine your Functional Threshold Power (FTP), we are able to set precise training zones that will maximize every single pedal stroke you take at the CDP.


The CDP will improve:

Cycling Efficiency

Aerobic Capacity (FTP)

Anaerobic Capacity (VO2 Max)


For more information, please contact Coach Ryan.

The “Break Through to Boston” marathon team will be comprised of athletes who are racing the Boston Marathon in 2009. Exceptions will be made for athletes who can meet the Boston Marathon qualifying standards and would like to participate. This is an elite running team- in general, every member of the team should be able to run a 3:45 competitive marathon.



The team will be limited to 30 runners- FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.


Training Starts: January 2nd, 2009

Training Ends: April 20th, 2009

Cost: $225


Each athlete receives:

  1. 1.Group Workouts (24 total group workouts)

Long runs will take place in a variety of locations, to include the suburbs where we will be able to take advantage of the natural terrain. A full list of locations will be available in December. In general, the start time for the long run will be 8:00 am on Saturdays. The expected minimum pace is approximately 8:45 miles, with slower paces if weather dictates. Tempo and Speed work will take place in the city, utilizing running tracks and the lake front. A full list of times and locations will be available in December. In general, the runs will start at 6:00 pm on Wednesday nights.


2. OccuSport Physical Therapy Support

OccuSport Physical Therapy is the official PT clinic of the Break Through to Boston Marathon team. They will be providing run support for three of the long runs (January 17th, February 21st and March 14th). The long runs those days will start and end at the OccuSport Chicago Loop location. After the run, coffee and food will be provided while the runners attend a clinic presented specifically for elite marathon runners. In addition to the clinics and run support, OccuSport will provide free injury screens and consultations for all runners.


3. Marathon Coaching

Each athlete will receive a customized training plan that will utilize training peaks.com Each athlete will have to fill out an in-depth athlete interview form and have an initial consultation with Coach Ryan. From there, each athlete will receive a customized training plan that will fit into their lives,  taking into consideration their desired training time and hours, experience and goals. Each athlete will receive weekly feedback on their training logs (training peaks provides an on-line training log), unlimited training plan updates as they are required by the athlete, unlimited email contact with one phone conversation every two weeks as required by the athlete.


4. Team Clothing:

Each athlete will receive the following equipment as part of the sign up fee:

1- hat, visor or winter skull cap, 1- technical running shirt and 1- running jacket


Sponsored in part by:

Presented by:

Last month, we discussed pace lines, how it works and how to ride in one. This month, we’ll take the pace-line a little further and discuss Echelons, which are without a doubt, the most difficult and complex form of a pace line.


In the standard pace line, when a rider reaches the front, its up to him or her how long they would like to take a pull. With the echelon, when a rider reaches the front, he or she doesn’t pause, they immediately pull off (figure 1). This puts all of the riders in the echelon in a continuous flow that looks like a circle.

Echelons require a LOT of practice and concentration to perform. One of the major differences between a standard pace line and an echelon is, when a rider pulls off in an echelon, they need to be in sync with the rest of the group since the next rider will be pulling off immediately after they do.  As each rider drops back, he or she is protected from the wind by the draft of the rider in front of them who is also dropping back.


While in training, riding in an echelon is relatively easy, each rider normally has the physical ability to make up for a small mistake. But in a race, while the group is moving at maximum speed, you will waster a LOT of energy to get back on the group.


A crosswind echelon is the most difficult version to master. With a crosswind, the riders are not only moving forward and backwards, but now they are moving diagonally in order to remain in the draft. Just as in a regular pace line, the lead rider will pull off INTO the wind (figure 2). Changing directions in an echelon is a common occurrence, whether it be due to a change in wind direction or a change in the direction of the road. The most important thing for each rider to do is to stay in the proper draft- keep moving around until you find the right spot. For example, major wind shifts require the echelon to alter its rotation. If the wind is coming from the left, the echelon will be staggered off to the right (figure 2). when the group hits a bend in the road, the wind is

Bhujanganasana (Cobra Pose):

Backbending your way to feeling good


As triathletes we need to be able to breathe in big ways.  We probably have all had the experience in a race where it felt like our lungs just couldn’t inflate quite enough.  Bhujanganasana, or cobra pose is a great way to open up the chest and the lungs inside.  At the same time the latissimus dorsi (lats) and the spine are strengthened and back pain is alleviated.  Pretty crazy, huh?  Here’s how you do it:


Lay on your belly on the floor, or on a yoga mat if you have one.  Bring your feet together behind you and point your toes.  Medially rotate your legs so that they are coming straight back from your hip socket and not splaying out either way.  Bring your palms to the ground on either side of your rib cage.  Keep your elbows in toward your body and your scapula bones (or shoulder blades or, as a dear friend calls them, your chicken wings) moving towards each other and away from your ears.  Keeping your shoulders back and your chest forward, as if you were trying to push your chest cavity forward between your shoulders, press your palms down and lift your torso up.  Keep your hips on the ground.  Lift only slightly at first to give your back a chance to warm up.  Depending on the flexibility of and comfort in your back, lift up a little more.  Feel the stretch in the chest? Enjoy it for a few breaths, and then let yourself down slowly.


If you have disc problems, avoid this pose or lift up only a very little bit.  As always in yoga (though it seems counterintuitive to us triathletes) if you feel any pain in a pose, back away from it or skip it all together.  OK?  Now have yourselves a cobrathon.


Molly Kavanaugh is a certified yoga instructor who works with endurance athletes. You can reach Molly at molly.kavanaugh@gmail.com.

Runners will compete in races that range from 5k (3.1 miles) to a marathon (26.2 miles) on a regular basis. Triathletes have to contend with similar distances (5k for sprint distance, 10k for Olympic/International distance, 13.1 miles for the ½ Ironman and 26.2 miles for the full Ironman). Whether you are a pure runner or a triathlete, regardless of your preferred race distance, running a few 5k foot races this winter and preseason will only benefit you!


The 5k is the shortest of the standard organized racing distance across the United States, therefore the demands on the runners body are very different than the demands of a 10k or longer race. Running a 5k is “hard,” there is no other way to describe it. The race is more-or-less an all out effort for 3.1 miles, normally lasting 16-30 minutes depending upon the runner. So why is training for and running a 5k beneficial for runners who prefer a longer distance?


The answer is simple, in order to train properly for a 5k, you have to train and increase your aerobic capacity and lactate threshold in order to run a fast 5k. What this means to you… build a solid foundation with a strong emphasis on intervals and threshold work in order to run at your aerobic threshold for 3.1 miles in a somewhat comfortable manner.


A sample threshold workout for a 5k is:

After a thorough warm up, 4 x 200m (at threshold) with 200m easy jog recoveries, 2 x 400m (at threshold) with 400 m easy jog recoveries, 1 x 800m (at threshold) with 800m easy jog recovery. Then end with a 10-15 minute easy jog cool down run.


At the end of the day, for athletes who prefer to run longer distance races, the ONLY way that you will get faster is to run faster. Spending a month or two in the winter/pre-season training for a 5k. The increase in aerobic capacity and lactate threshold will only make you faster at any distance!


Coach Ryan is a USA Triathlon and USA Cycling Certified coach, the Founder and Head Coach of Break Through Multisport Inc. Ryan has earned a Masters Degree in Biochemistry and Organic chemistry and is currently working towards a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. You can reach Coach Ryan at  Ryan@BreakThroughMultisport.com with any questions, comments or for all of your coaching needs.


Training_Camps.html

The Iron Guarantee program is designed for triathletes who are competing in an Ironman distance race in 2009. Any athlete who enrolls in the Iron Guarantee program is guaranteed to set a new person record in their A-Race for 2009 or they will get their money back.*


If you are interested in serious coaching for your next Ironman, this program is for you. You will be given unprecedented access to the tools the professionals use! You will receive high end coaching that includes a scientifically tested and race proven training plan, expertly calculated training and racing zones and intensities and most importantly, a coach who will hold you accountable for you workouts and provide you with expert feedback. If you want to train like and be coached like a professional- this program is for you!


Iron Guarantee coaching prices are based on the amount of coaching purchased. A minimum of 24 weeks of coaching is required for the guarantee.


Iron Guarantee coaching consists of the following:


  1. Bullet  Personalized coaching designed specifically for each athlete based on an in-depth interview to insure the

     training fits into your life, not your  life fitting into the training schedule


  1. Bullet  FREE training camps in Phoenix, AZ and Boulder, CO 


  1. Bullet  TrainingPeaks.com account that will be used as the coaching interface between you and your coach,

     including detailed descriptions of your prescribed workouts


  1. Bullet  Unlimited training plan updates initiated by the athlete for unforeseen events


  1. Bullet  Unlimited email contact with your coach


  1. Bullet  Weekly training log feedback from your coach


  1. Bullet  Weekly phone contact initiated by the athlete


  1. Bullet  Weekly power file and GPS file analysis (key workouts)


  1. Bullet  Proper heart rate and power zones for training and racing


  1. Bullet  Taper and race day plan with correct racing intensities


  1. Bullet  Complete race day nutritional plan


  1. Bullet  Post race recovery plan


For more information, please click here

or contact Coach Ryan.

By Ryan Riell, USA Triathlon Certified Coach

By Ryan Riell, USA Triathlon Certified Coach

By Dina Aburmishan RD, LDN

By Dina Aburmishan RD, LDN

Coming in January 2009

Are you tired of feeling stiff and tight after a long workout? Does the prospect of sitting in the aero bars for 2+ hours make your back hurt before you start? If so, the Yoga for Endurance Athletes is the class for you.


Break Through yoga instructor Molly Kavanaugh will guide you through a gentle set of yoga poses that have been specifically chosen for the endurance athletes. The poses will increase your flexibility and your core strength... something that all endurance athletes need!


For more information, please contact Coach Ryan.

Liz Yerly, MPT, ATC, CSCS, C-ART

Break Through Multisport is excited to announce a new sponsorship agreement with Urban Tri Gear- a top retailer that is available across the country via the web.


When asked why BTMS decided to partner with Urban Tri Gear, Head Coach and Founder Ryan Riell said “we were in need of a top notch triathlon gear company that not only sold supplies, but also has a supply of running shoes to outfit our athletes. Preston and Devyn Bokos are stand up people who run a good solid business that is based on customer service, we are excited to send our athletes to Urban Tri Gear for their triathlon gear and running shoes!”


Preston Bokos, co-owner of Urban Tri Gear said “We decided to partner up with BTMS because, here at Urban Tri Gear we are asked all the time for training advice. Having a credible National Training Company to stand next to, is a great way for both of us to help athletes for there needs no matter where they live.”

15%

OFF

Urban Tri Gear is based out of Westmont, Illinois and can be reached at (630) 230-9386. When asked what sets Urban Tri Gear apart from all of the other “tri-shops” ini the country, Preston said “We take the time to fit our clients in our products like clothing, shoes, and wetsuits.  Our clients leave happy with gear that fits, and better educated on what is going to work for them. We also help advise them on the nutrition side, for better performance.” Coming soon, Nike and Asics running shoes along with Sugoi will be added to the UTG inventory! Break Through Multisport athletes will receive up to 20% off merchandise from Urban Tri Gear, please contact Coach Ryan for details!

Break Through Multisport is proud to announce a new sponsorship with the nationally renowned swim and multisport company, TYR.  Mary Paulsen, the Support Team and Recuitment rep, said that TYR is “looking forward to building a long-term relationship with an excellent training company and its athletes. We hope to support and outfit each athlete with the latest technology.” Ryan Riell, the founder and Head Coach of BTMS said “any time we can partner up with a top-notch multisport company that is willing to support our athletes, we will!” Mary went onto say “I met coach Ryan Riell at the Chicago Triathlon in 2007 and was very impressed with his knowledge and passion for for endurance sports. When asked why TYR decided to sponsor Break Through Multisport, they said “As a elite swim wear and multisport company, we like to partner up with the elite national triathlon companies such as BTMS. In a combined effort, our two companies will be able to equip and train top notch athletes!” Break Through athletes across the country will now be able to order TYR products at up to 40% off MSRP! Please contact Coach Ryan for details.

Break Through Multisport is excited to announce a new sponsorship with a high end helmet and sunglass company in the world- Rudy Project! Chris Lupo, Rudy Projects Director of Sports Marketing had this to day about the new sponsorship “I cannot express how excited Rudy Project is to partner with Break Through Multisport – a first class organization.  As the premiere triathlon eye wear and helmet company in the world, our focus is to provide multisport athletes with the most technical and functional sunglass and helmet products that solve problems faced by athletes during training and racing.” Break Through athletes will receive up to 50% off Rudy Project helmets and glasses! Please contact Coach Ryan for more information.

Break Through Multisport is excited to announce a new sponsorships with:


Triathlete Magazine, the nations top triathlon publication


Fuel Belt, a staple in the triathlon and endurance sports world


Urban Tri Gear- see the Sponsor of the Month section for 15% off your next purchase!

By Ryan Riell, MSc

then hitting them on their right side. The last rider to who pulled off in the previous direction now has to fall back and get back into the rotation without the assistance of the draft.


Some of the most common errors while riding in an echelon are:

•Riders jump through at the front instead of keeping the pace/effort constant while pulling through

•Riders starting to slow down prior to pulling off the front

•Riders swinging off too far

•Dropping back to fast

•Drifting off the wheel in front as you fall back

•Accelerating prior to getting back onto the echelon

•Not getting into the proper draft

•Making sudden moves


As always, if you are new to a group, make sure to ask some of the more experience riders for a quick tutorial on how the group rides. Make sure you pay attention while riding and of course… have fun!


Coach Ryan is a USA Triathlon and USA Cycling Certified coach, the Founder and Head Coach of Break Through Multisport Inc. Ryan has earned a Masters Degree in Biochemistry and Organic chemistry and is currently working towards a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. You can reach Coach Ryan at  Ryan@BreakThroughMultisport.com with any questions, comments or for all of your coaching needs.

Break Through  Multisport Inc. is happy to announce the training camp schedule for 2009.

Winter Training Camp in Phoenix, AZ from January 8-11, 2009 is FREE for all Break Through athletes. For non-BTMS athletes, the camp cost is $100. Entry fee does not include hotel accommodations or food. Come join the USA Triathlon Mideast Team Elite and the University of Illinois at Chicago Triathlon team for a WARM weekend of training!

Spring Training Camp in Boulder, CO from March 26-29, 2009 is FREE for all Break Through athletes. For non-BTMS athletes, the camp cost is $100. Entry fee does not include hotel accommodations or food. Come join the USA Triathlon Mideast Team Elite and the University of Illinois at Chicago Triathlon team for a WARM weekend of training!

Brick Weekend in Madison, WI from May 22-24, 2009 is FREE for EVERYBODY! To RSVP, please contact Coach Ryan.

July 10-12, 2009


Spend a long weekend training for the Steelhead 70.3 with Break Through Multisport, training with like-minded athletes in a friendly environment! Whether this is your first Half-Ironman or your 10th, this camp is for you. Between, during and after workouts, we will teach you what you need to know in order to accomplish your

Half-Ironman goals!

August 14-16, 2009


Spend a long weekend training for IM Wisconsin with Break Through Multisport, training with like-minded athletes in a friendly environment! Whether this is your first Ironman or your 10th, this camp is for you. Between, during and after workouts, we will teach you what you need to know in order to accomplish your Ironman goals!

October, 2009


Spend a long weekend training for IM Arizona with Break Through Multisport, training with like-minded athletes in a friendly environment! Whether this is your first Ironman or your 10th, this camp is for you. Between, during and after workouts, we will teach you what you need to know in order to accomplish your Ironman goals!

When an athlete is using glycolysis as the primary energy system,

they are considered to be above their lactate threshold, normally

in Level 5 (VO2 Max), Level 6 (Anaerobic Capacity) and Level 7

(Neuromuscular Power).


The ATP-PC system is only capable of producing energy for the

first 5-10 seconds of  exercise, the first 5-10 seconds of a sprint.

This correlates to Level 7 or Neuromuscular power, which are

normally very hard and short high intensity efforts that usually will

place more stress on the musculoskeletal system than the metabolic

system. The physiological adaptations that take place in Level 7

are: increased neuromuscular power, increase lactate tolerance,

increased muscle growth (hypertrophy) of fast twitch (Type 2)

fibers and increased ATP-CP storage.


As we transition from the ATP-PC system to Glycolysis, we are now dropping down to Levels 5-6.  Level 6 is considered  “anaerobic capacity” intervals. Level 6 efforts are usually short (30 seconds to 3 minutes) at a very high intensity that are designed to increase anaerobic capacity. The main physiological adaptation that occurs with Level 6 intervals is an increased anaerobic capacity (lactate tolerance). Level 5 is usually considered to be the “VO2 max” intervals, which are normally 3-8 minutes in duration and designed to increase an athletes VO2 max. The main physiological adaptations that take place in Level 5 are: increased plasma volume, hypertrophy of slow-twitch (Type I) fiber, increased capillary density, increased cardiac output (stroke volume) and increased VO2 max.


If you are paying someone to coach you, whether it’s for triathlon, running or cycling, you can see that it is essential for them to understand the different energy systems that are available to all athletes. Understanding them is only the first part, they must also know how to train them appropriately in order to make sure you are fully prepared on race day!


References:

1.Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan, Training and Racing with a Power Meter. Velo Press, 2006.



Coach Ryan is a USA Triathlon and USA Cycling Certified coach, the Founder and Head Coach of Break Through Multisport Inc. Ryan has earned a Masters Degree in Biochemistry and Organic chemistry and is currently working towards a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. You can reach Coach Ryan at  Ryan@BreakThroughMultisport.com with any questions, comments or for all of your coaching needs.

Figure 1

By Ryan Riell, Level 2 USA Cycling Certified Coach