So why not test everything with an impromptu Olympic triathlon five hours from home? At 1.5 kilometers swimming, 40 kilometers biking, and 10 kilometers running, it's a fraction of an Ironman. But for Kris, it's a chance to practice transitions, fatigue management, and race nutrition, while picking the brains of his fellow contributors. With his open mind and otherworldly commitment, it's no surprise Kris signs a deal this week to turn Man of Iron into a book! Follow along with this week's downloadable workout and maybe one day you'll write your own.
Training and Nutrition Tips from Week 13:
- Running may seem like a lower-body activity, but as Kris points out, it's his traps and upper body that often aches the most during endurance training. For you, it may be something else. But the solution is the same: train the entire body with equal intensity to leave nothing up to chance!
- Feeling sluggish this week? Kris has the cure: "Your brain is telling you to take a rest, spend a few more hours in bed. But the thing is, that's not going to wake you up, is it? So the best thing to do is the opposite: Get to the gym, get the blood flowing to your brain, improve your focus and energy a little bit. Then you're going to be able to attack the day, not let it slip away."
- Not everyone has access to a watt bike like Kris does. But he says the intensity can be approximated there. The key: During your speed work, don't go all out in the intervals. An 8/10 effort that can be sustained for 4 minutes is plenty. Any more, and you'll crash into a wall that will leave you unable to get the necessary amount of work done!
- Getting up at 5 a.m. is no fun, but it makes a lot of things possible. It enables Kris to get access to wide-open gyms, and unoccupied swim lanes, while the rest of the world sleeps!
- Feeling slow? Focus on form. "As long as you continue to work on your technique, as opposed to speed, eventually the speed will come based on the technique," Kris says.
- Every time you meet someone who has done what you want to do—a seasoned triathlete, for example—learn what you can from them. After all, making speedy transitions from swim to bike during a triathlon is an art unto itself! Kris asks many questions, and he gets better with each one.
Ambitious athletic goals require strategic nutrition. Fuel up right to get big and go long.