COACH CYNDEE

I decided to do Ironman Indiana because I needed to defer my May Ironman Tulsa race to a race later in the year and Indiana was available.   Indiana was advertised as a flat bike and rolling hill run but I would call it a rolling hill bike and rolling hill run.   I have done flat courses like Ironman Maryland and Indiana was not flat like that.   It did have some elevation change (not much) but it certainly wasn’t flat like Maryland.   I went into the race a little concerned about the colder temperatures.   I have been hypothermic at a few races and I don’t do well in the cold.   The water temperature was in the high 60’s and air temperature in the morning was in the 50’s.   It was also supposed to rain the day of the race.   I typically would change clothes after the swim and bike because of the cold but they didn’t have a changing tent because of COVID.   I decided to race in my tri suit and leave it on for the entire race.   I put a t...

Having a healthy immune system will help you minimize your risk of getting sick.  There are a lot of natural ways and lifestyle habits that can help you maintain a healthy immune system.  Diet and exercise are two things that will have a positive impact on your immune system.  When it comes to exercise moderate exercise will have a positive impact on your immune system.  If you overdue it then it could have the opposite effect and you can get run down. It's important to find a healthy balance and spend time working on cardiovascular health, strength training,  and flexibility.   With regard to diet, eating less processed foods and incorporating more vegetables can be essential to maintaining a healthy immune system.  There's a lot of natural foods that will assist in building a healthy immune system.  Some of those foods include:   brocoli  ginger garlic berries (acai and elderberry)  and citrus fruit  mushrooms ...

July was a great month because after a few years off from triathlons I completed two races!   I did the Olympic distance in Flagstaff and then a few weeks later I completed the inaugural 70.3 in Salem Oregon.   The Olympic went really well and I improved my time over previous years by several minutes.   I won the over masters category (over 40) and I was 5th overall.   I was really happy with my performance and that race has always a good race to do as a tune up for my “A”   races.  I choose Salem another tune up race to do before my full Ironman in October.   I had a client that was doing it as well and visiting Oregon for the first time was a bonus.   It was a fast course with a relatively flat ride and a fast river swim!    We decided to swim the course the day before the race.   It is with the current so we would’t be working too hard the day before the race and we could get a feel for the water temperature, current, and sightin...

My Most Recent Race - I forgot several things! For a lot of people it’s been a while since you’ve raced.   During COVID in person races were cancelled so if you’re like me it’s been a few years since I’ve done a race.   As you prepare for your first in person race here are some things to keep in mind.   Nutrition: Make sure you practice with everything you plan on consuming during your race.   I would’t try anything new race day!   I know of someone who forgot the particular salt tablets he used during training.   He borrowed some from a friend and he had a horrible event with a lot of stomach issues which he thought was from the different salt tablets.   Something that simple can mess you up for your race.   Dial in your calorie consumption, water consumption, and make a checklist for your event so you don’t forget anything.   Also make sure weeks ahead of time you have enough product to get you through your event.   I’ve personally got...

Clients always ask me how often they should come for a massage.  I wish the answer was easy and I could give one answer to everyone but it really depends on the individual.    Here are some questions to ask yourself: How much can I afford financially and how much time can I afford?   Why do I get massages? Is it for relaxation and stress? Is it to reduce pain or improve performance?  How do you feel when you get a massage, after your massage or when you don't get one regularly? I have clients that get massages weekly, biweekly, and monthly.  I also have clients that come in only when they are in pain.  If you schedule sessions regularly you are less likely to have major problems.  It is much more difficult to work on someone who only gets massaged when they have a problem.  A lot of times if you have something that is causing a problem it might not be good to get a massage anyway.  If someone is in a lot of pain and wants a massage ...