COACH CYNDEE

Getting My 5th Place Award! I recently completed the inaugural Ironman Maryland. It was a great race that had a course that suited my strengths.   I tend to perform better and place higher in my age group in moderate or hot weather with a flat course.   Maryland was all of that and more.   We had a slight amount of wind on the bike course, beautiful weather and a beautiful course.   Each course seems beautiful in its own way because I seem to say that about all of the races.   Most people who were doing the race said the weather was too hot for them but for me it could have been a little warmer. It was in the high 70’s and I trained most of the summer in Vegas with most of my brick runs done in 100+ weather temperatures.   I took the red-eye to Maryland, which in hindsight I am not sure was the best idea to do a few days before a race.   I basically missed one night of sleep because I didn’t sleep on the plane.   My friend who was also ra...

Over the years I have had various minor injuries that have put a glitch into my training.  I have been very fortunate to have been able to train through most of my issues. I have not had any major problem that had me down for any significant time.   Some of the problems include: Piraformus syndrome Plantar faciatis  Migraines Anterior tibia tendonitis Tendonitis of the retinaculum tendon - top of foot Strained glute medius Sacral cysts I am sure there are things I am forgetting but those are the ones that really stand out as causing me some issues.  Probably the worst thing I have had to deal with was the piraformus syndrome.  I had this a long time ago when I did not know about active release therapy and graston therapy which most Chiropractors can perform.  I saw a sports ortho specialist when I had piraformus syndrome and had a variety of treatments for it, none of which worked until I found ART.  I had cortisone and lidacane inject...

Exercise is great for you in so many ways but ultimately it is a stress on your body.  The goal with any training program should be to improve performance, reduce weight, build muscle, and/or increase strength without causing injury.  If done right you can limit your risk of injury.  There are several things you can do to remain injury free.  When beginning an exercise program you should get into it slowly.  Most people are far too overzealous and do too much initially.  Take your time and start slowly don't be in a hurry. It took you a while to get out of shape it will take a while to get back into shape. If you go too fast you will likely get injured. If you are beginning a running program start with a walk/run.  If you have never ran then a good ratio is 4 minutes walking 1 minute jogging doing this 20 minutes to start 3-4 days a week.  Increase your time no more than 10% each week and include recovery weeks roughly every 4 weeks.  You ca...

Everyone loves a great massage but when you are an athlete it is an essential part of your training program.   The benefits of massage are endless for everyone and for the athlete it can be an important part of your recovery and help you remain injury free. One of the main benefits of massage is increased circulation and this benefit can be good for athletes and non-athletes.   Improved circulation will help bring valuable nutrients and oxygen to tissues.   The typical triathlete or runner does an activity that causes repetitive stress to the body and each person responds to the stress in different ways.   Some people get tight calves, some get tight hips, others may be impacted in the shoulder area. Typically an athlete will have areas that the tissue has been shortened and it can cause pain and discomfort, which can also cause a decrease in their performance. One goal of massage is to lengthen the shortened tissue and a good example of shortened...

As a personal trainer and triathlon coach I have eager people who come to me with a goal.  In each case their goals is different and unique.  As a coach I am there to support them and help them achieve their goal.  Ultimately their success or failure will be their responsibility.  In most cases I have to slow them down because they want to jump into training too quickly and want to workout everyday right from the start. When I meet with people most times they are way too optimistic and overzealous in their goals.  By the end of our meeting we will adjust and modify their plan for future success.  I make sure they know they have to commit to a big change in their lifestyle especially if they want to train for a triathlon.  Setting smaller goals to ultimately get to a larger goal is a great plan for success. If you are considering a triathlon and you are starting from the ground (meaning you don’t know how to swim, don’t ha...

Recently so many people I know have been getting sick.  It is so frustrating when you are on a good roll with your diet and training and then wham you get a blow by some bug that is going around. In some cases it can have you down for weeks but if your smart you will shorten its duration and kick its butt in a few days.  I rarely get sick (knock on wood) but when I do it usually doesn't stick around for long.  When I have gotten sick it is, in most cases my own fault.  The past few times I got sick I was burning the candle at both ends and doing way too much.  So the first step to not getting sick when everyone else is would be to take care of yourself from the start.  Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating healthy, taking your vitamins regularly, not overtraining, not drinking alcohol, and staying hydrated.   So what do you do if that bug does find you and starts hibernating  in your system?  The important thing is to realize yo...

  I have heard every reason for someone missing a workout.   Some are valid reasons and some complete bogus. As their trainer, I have to have a non-judgmental but firm attitude with clients when they miss workouts.   I am not in their body and don’t know how sick or not sick they may be. I realize not many people are like me and slightly obsessive when it comes to missing workouts.   I want people to get into a good routine and form great habits when it comes to their training schedule.   I personally plan my day around my workouts and when I get them done in the morning my day is so much smoother.   I make sure my workout is a priority and part of my day. Sunday I look at my work and school schedule and plan my workouts for the week.   Then each day before bed I check it to make sure I am still on track with my plan.   I pack my stuff (workout clothes and food) the night before to be ready to go in the morning.   Last year ...