The Theories Behind Altitude Training

By: Jeffrey Sankoff, MD

Athletes are constantly striving to improve performance by modifying their training. These efforts sometimes include choices not only about how to train but also where. One modification that has gained in popularity over the years is high-altitude living and training. But does it really work, and if so, how?

The stresses imposed by altitude are linked to potentially beneficial changes in physiology and include lower ambient temperature, atmospheric oxygen concentration, humidity and increased exposure to solar radiation. For the endurance athlete, it is the decrease in oxygen concentration that has the most varied effects and interest.

Aerobic muscle function is entirely dependent on adequate oxygen delivery to cells. With the decreased oxygen concentration at altitude, blood oxygen levels fall, causing oxygen delivery to the tissues to be impaired, which negatively affects aerobic muscle activity. After a move to high altitude (higher than 1,000 meters), the respiratory and circulatory systems adapt immediately. There is an increase in the frequency and depth of breaths to increase blood oxygen concentrations, and heart rate increases to deliver more oxygen-carrying blood to the tissues. These responses reverse with descent to lower altitudes.

Other adaptations to high altitude occur at the cellular level. These changes last much longer upon return to lower altitudes and are presumed to confer benefits to endurance athletes. The most important of these changes are increases in red blood cell production and hemoglobin concentration.

The formation of red blood cells is called erythropoiesis and is regulated by the hormone erythropoietin, or epo. Hypoxia (low blood oxygen levels) spurs the release of this hormone in greater than normal quantities. Consequently, at altitude, red blood cell production and the formation of hemoglobin (the molecule within red blood cells that carries oxygen) are increased. The process takes about 30 days. Within 60 days of returning to lower altitude, red blood cell numbers and hemoglobin concentrations return to normal.

For many years, physiologists have speculated that because the capacity to deliver oxygen is greatly increased in individuals who live at altitude, their aerobic function should be enhanced when they return to lower altitudes. This belief has led to the development of several altitude-training strategies:

• Live high, train low. The negative effects of training at altitude, such as impaired exercise performance and delayed improvement in overall endurance, can offset the positive ones, so many athletes live and sleep at higher altitudes but train at lower levels. This may be simulated with the use of altitude tents and hypoxic apartments.

• Live high, train high. If athletes train at a lower intensity at altitude, they may avoid the pitfalls while gaining further benefit from the constant exposure to hypoxia. Higher-intensity exercise at altitude is often done with the use of supplemental oxygen.

• Intermittent altitude exposure. The concept here is that athletes exposed to periods at altitude will retain the advantages when they return to sea level to train. Athletes employing this strategy usually alternate between high and low altitudes in three-week intervals. When at high altitude, training intensity is diminished.

Unfortunately, the scientific literature on this topic, though extensive, remains inconclusive. There is no question that athletes who live at altitude do increase their red cell number and hemoglobin concentrations. However, there is no conclusive proof of any improvement in performance. For every study that shows benefit, there is another that shows none. On the other hand, no studies have ever shown a decrease in performance attributable to living and/or training at altitude. At worst, these strategies will do no harm, and at best they may increase performance.

Alberto Contador opens Europe's first ciclovía, tests new TT bike

Alberto Contador took the opportunity on Sunday morning, the first rest day of Astana’s training camp in Calpe, to officiate at the inauguration of a new cycle-friendly project in Alicante, a ciclovía. The ciclovía is an innovative take on urban bike trails, and is the first of its kind in Europe.

Contador shot off the opening gun with project leaders Alicante mayor Sonia Castedo and the president of the Puerto de Alicante, Miguel Campoy. The Tour champion pronounced it “a great honor” to fire the pistol at “the first Ciclovía in Europe.”

Ciclovías are distinguished from other types of bike path by being located on regular city streets where motorized vehicles are forbidden during open hours. They originated in the New World, especially in New York and in Latin America. In fact, the model prototype is in Bogotá, which converts 121 kilometers of road to non-motor leisure use every Sunday and on holidays.

The new ciclovía in Alicante’s capital city is an 8-kilometer circuit--4 kilometers of blocked-off city street running out and back along the seafront from the Plaza de Galicia to the dramatic Quarry Outlook. As of today, the route will close to motor traffic every Sunday for safe use by cyclists, skaters and pedestrians.

Ex-professional rider Santos González, current director of the Puerto de Alicante Area Sport division, was one of the creators of the project. His opus has generated great interest in other European cities that are also trying to promote urban and leisure use of the bicycle as a clean, quiet, affordable and sustainable vehicle.

Ironically, Alicante’s route will be closed in the summer, perhaps as a concession to heavier auto traffic due to tourism, or recognizing that citizens don’t require tempting to a bit of healthy excercise along the sunny coastal strip during the warm months.

The endeavor met with enthusiastic backing from the public this morning, as demonstrated by the massive crowd of about 40,000 people who flooded the route starting at 9:00 am.

Training on the TT bike

Alberto Contador spent the rest of the morning trying out his new time trial bicycle, to which he is adjusting as quickly as possible in order to be ready for his first race against the clock of 2010, which will happen in February at the Volta ao Algarve.

Astana’s captain devoted about two hours to testing different technical aspects and tweaking his position on the new machine, which is distinquished by its excellent aerodynamic performance. Meanwhile, the rest of the team took their road bikes out for a session of about two hours.

2010 Season Starts for Armstrong: Frenchmen impressed by Armstrong's breakaway effort

Two of the five breakaway riders from Sunday's Cancer Council Helpline Classic share the same birthday, September 18. Caisse d'Épargne's Mathieu Perget came into the world 13 years to the day after Lance Armstrong. It was enough of a reason for the two to have a chat one year ago - when the Texan returned to competition at the Tour Down Under. That's when Steve Morabito, Armstrong's then teammate at Astana, made the presentation, and the American signed a jersey for the Frenchman's girlfriend.

Both Armstrong and Perget said they felt like they are in better shape than they were in January of 2009. Perget seemed to prove this by initating the breakaway at the Cancer Council Helpline Classic, and Armstrong followed him.

"I wondered what I could do to show off and please myself," said the 25-year-old Perget. "Halfway into the race, after a fast lap, I thought it was the right moment to attack. But I didn't want to go for just one or two laps ahead. When I attacked, I heard 'go Mathieu' in Spanish, and that was my former teammate Oscar Pereiro."

"When our group was formed, Armstrong's turns were twice as long as ours. He obviously enjoyed being in the front. He was fully on."

Me-time is knee-time for Armstrong and Max

By: Ruppert Guinness

Bouncy start to race preparation ... the seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in Adelaide yesterday with his eight-month-old son, Max.

Lance Armstrong may be a seven times Tour de France champion, a former world champion and a multimillionaire who is steering a worldwide fight against cancer that has raised more that $US350 million.

But nothing makes the 38-year-old Texan smile more than the intimate time he spends each morning with his eight-month-old son, Max.

This is the moment that Armstrong - who survived testicular cancer to produce one of the greatest sporting comebacks with his tour wins from 1999 to 2005 - cherishes most before another day in the saddle.

It is the moment the Herald witnessed yesterday in Armstrong's suite at the Adelaide Hilton, before he joined the other riders in his new team, RadioShack, for a four-hour ride in preparation for Australia's biggest bike race, the six-day Tour Down Under.

The hard kilometres were the last thing on Armstrong's mind as he played with Max, all eight kilograms, seated on his knee.

They shared loving glances and chuckles while Armstrong's partner, Anna Hansen, rearranged some of the toys and stuffed animals that had scattered on the floor.

Every now and then, as Hansen picked up one of Max's favourites, she would squeeze it and wave it at Max, much to the amusement of father and son.

Few people see this private side of Lance Armstrong. It emerges when he puts aside the trademark mask of stone he wears as one of sport's fiercest competitors and the outward passion that fuels his commitment to the Livestrong Foundation, which drives his worldwide cancer campaign.

This gentle side of Armstrong shows how much he enjoys fatherhood and the living miracle that Max represents.

Armstrong has three other children with his former wife, Kristin Richard - Luke, 10, and twins Isabelle and Grace, 8 - but his conception with Hansen is the first to be natural.

The six-day Tour Down Under starts on Tuesday, but racing in Adelaide among the 18 international teams in town for the first ProTour event of the cycling calendar begins tomorrow night with the Cancer Council Helpline Classic, a 51 kilometre inner-city criterium race.

The classic, held on a tight circuit suited for sprinters, attracted 138,000 spectators last year when Armstrong opened his comeback from a 3½-year retirement.

Finishing third in last year's Tour de France, he convinced all that he could win an eighth crown this year.

2010 Giro jersey presented in Florence

The presentation of the four prestigious jerseys of the 2010 Giro d'Italia took place on Thursday on the occasion of the Pitti Uomo exhibit in Florence.

Yolanthe Cabau Van Kasbergen, a 24-year-old Dutch actress, host and patroness of the 2010 Giro, modeled the four leader's jerseys in front of a delighted audience, including Giro winners Ivan Basso and Damiano Cunego, as well as former Italian national champion Giovanni Visconti.

Once again, Santini will supply all the leader jerseys for the Giro d'Italia 2010, and redesigned them to fit new trends in sportswear fashion. Moreover, since last year's innovation, the Tricolore Italian flag became an integral part of the four jerseys.

With the Maglia Rosa, the Maglia Verde and Maglia Bianca honouring the overall, the mountains and the Under 24 years classifications as usual, the Maglia Cyclamen representing the points classification will change in 2010 and become the Maglia Rosso Passione.

Alberto Contador and Astana training in Spain

After Team Katusha in December and several Quick Step riders last week, Alberto Contador's Astana squad has travelled to Calpe, near Alicante in southern Spain, for a training camp.

Except for the team's line-up currently in Australia for the Tour Down Under, the whole of Astana's roster has met in Calpe on Thursday for some extensive rides in better weather conditions.

"I don't remember a winter that was that bad," said Contador to AFP, explaining that his pre-season build-up had been somewhat compromised by the cold weather and snow that reigned in Europe since Christmas.

"I am completely confident," he meanwhile declared, even though the 2009 Tour de France winner was not able to train every day in the last weeks. "I feel really good, compared to other years." Contador is scheduled to debut the 2010 season at the Volta a o Algarve in Portugal from February 17-21.

"This year, I don't think I will attain the same level (in Algarve) but it will be a good assessment for the other races," added Contador, who also plans to race Paris-Nice from March 7-14.

Lance Armstrong - RadioShack expects Down Under stage win

Lance Armstrong has outlined his expectations for Team RadioShack as it prepares for its first race together. Armstrong is expecting at least one stage victory when the team lines up next week for the ProTour-opening Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia.

“We need to perform,” said the Texan. “If we leave without a stage win, I would be disappointed.”

RadioShack’s entire executive team will fly in for the race, adding pressure to an already closely watched team debut. “We understand that this is a big commitment on their part,” Armstrong said after arriving in Adelaide with partner Anna Hansen and son Max.

“I’m probably not here to win the overall classification of the race myself,” he admitted. “You win a race because you have an exceptional condition and because the course suits you. My condition is better than 12 months ago, but we learned that bunch sprints often dictate the race. As going strong uphill and sprinting is the recipe for winning here, I believe Andre Greipel and Allan Davis are again the favourites and I see Alejandro Valverde being competitive as well.”

Armstrong arrived in Adelaide from Hawaii, where he’s been training since Christmas day. His longest ride recently was six hours in duration but Armstrong has been averaging three to four hours on the bike daily.

“I haven’t raced since the Tour of Ireland in August,” he said. “My training data is good but it doesn’t tell me that I’ve become a sprinter to win the Santos Tour Down Under. I’ll use Willunga Hill to test myself but our overall ambition is to have a win in the team.”

The RadioShack line up for the Santos Tour Down Under includes Daryl Impey, Jason McCartney, Yaroslav Popovych, Sébastien Rosseler and Tomas Vaitkus but Armstrong designated Gert Steegmans as its man to watch. “He will be a factor in the race,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong’s new Belgian team-mate Steegmans hasn’t raced since last June. His contract with Team Katusha was dissolved last August after Steegmans refused to sign the team’s new anti-doping agreement which required riders to pay five times their annual salary as a fine to the team if they were ever found to have violated doping regulations.

Lance Armstrong on 'Quitting'

Livestrong to donate 250,000 USD to Haiti

Mike Rann, Premier of South Australia, and Lance Armstrong at their first press conference in Adelaide this year.

Lance Armstrong has announced his charity, Livestrong, will add $250,000USD to the financial aid pouring into Haiti following yesterday’s earthquake. The donation came after Armstrong learned the death toll may exceed 100,000 after landing in Adelaide, Australia, where he is due to contest the Tour Down Under starting Sunday.

“On behalf of Livestrong, we’ve decided to donate 250,000 US dollars,” said Armstrong, while sitting beside South Australia Premier Mike Rann. Armstrong said the donation was carried out by the United States of America’s Former “President Bill Clinton en route with a UN envoy and a staff, including Doctor Paul Farman”.

“Haiti is a little country outside the US and I’m honoured we can do so for our neighbours”, Armstrong added. “Haiti didn’t need another problem added to the political turmoil and the poverty. The global community has to step up.”

Armstrong landed in Adelaide on board his private jet, a Gulfstream from Mellow Johnny Airways. The plane’s tail number was N7LA, which references the number of Armstrong’s Tour de France wins and his initials.

Lance Armstrong Talks about LIVESTRONG's Commitment to Haitian Relief Efforts. LIVESTRONG pledges $250,000 to direct relief efforts for Haiti's earthquake victims.

Cavendish confirms Worlds as target alongside Tour

Mark Cavendish signalled that the World Road Championships is a major goal for him over the next two years and this year's Championships in Melbourne, Australia, will sit alongside the Tour de France as one of his two major season objectives for 2010.

"The World Championships is a big target. It'd be nice to win Milan-Sanremo with number one on my back, but in terms of wins, the Tour de France and the World Championships are the big aims for this season," said Cavendish at a press conference at the HTC-Columbia presentation in Majorca on Tuesday.

Terrenzo Bozzone Signs With Felt

Felt Bicycles is pleased to announce the addition of 2008 Ironman 70.3 World Champion Terenzo Bozzone to its lineup of talented Olympic and World Champion triathletes. The 24-year-old New Zealander will ride Felt bikes, including the DA triathlon bike and AR aerodynamic road bike, in 2010 and beyond.

“After visiting the company and speaking with Jim Felt and the rest of the crew, I had no doubt Felt was the place I wanted to be,” Bozzone said. “Felt’s track record of producing aerodynamically superior bikes is second to none, and I’m confident I will be on the best possible bikes and well looked after.”

Bozzone already has dozens of major victories to his name, including the 2008 70.3 Half Ironman World Championship title. Born in South Africa and raised in New Zealand, Bozzone has seen success at every level of multisport competition. As a junior athlete, fresh out of high school, he won the Men’s Under-20 Duathlon World Championships in 2001 and 2002, and the Under-20 Men’s Triathlon world titles in 2002 and 2003.

In the following years Bozzone chalked up elite category wins at nearly every major half-Ironman. In 2008, he dominated the Ironman 70.3 series, winning in Kansas, Idaho and California, before taking the 70.3 world title in Florida.

“Terenzo is a fantastic talent and we couldn’t be more pleased he is choosing Felt Bicycles to help take him to the next level of his career,” said Felt company namesake Jim Felt. “He’s a proven winner, and the sky is the limit for this young athlete.”

Having conquered 70.3 competition, Bozzone is now turning his attention to full Ironman-distance competition. His transition to the longer format got off to a solid start last March when he finished second at his first full Ironman in New Zealand.

Bozzone competed at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships for the first time last October and despite suffering badly on the run he finished 11th, showing great promise. “I am really enjoying competing over the full distance races and I think I have gained a great deal of experience this past year,” Bozzone said.

For 2010, Bozzone plans to continue competing in key 70.3 events, while also focusing more on the Ironman events. “My main goals are to get an Ironman title under my belt and win a couple 70.3 races,” he said. “And a top-five in Kona would top off the year for me. Long term, I aim to be the best triathlete in the world, and the most recognized triathlon is Kona.”

Chris Lieto: From Seconds to Minutes

Chris Lieto is widely known as the best cyclist in the sport of Triathlon. After a near miss that left him second in this years Ironman World Championships, winning that race in Kona still his greatest ambition. Lieto discusses these things and what he think it will take to be the greatest endurance athlete on the planet.

Lance Armstrong Climbs The Mauna Kea

Armstrong used the time in Hawaii to play with his time trial bike, as well as innovative internal temperature measuring. He had to swallow "thermometer pills" for that. The internal temperature gives hints about the rider's state of fatigue. But in the end he did the big one.

We speculated that Armstrong would not go the extra mile this early in the season, but this is Lance Armstrong we are talking about, after all. So on Sunday the Team RadioShack rider rode up Mauna Kea. The top of Mauna Kea, famous for its observatory, is at 4.200m (13,796 feet), so there is plenty of climbing from sea level, where all the accomodations are located. Measured from the bottom of the sea floor, Mauna Kea is the highest mountain in the world (10,203 m or 33,476 feet).

The climb itself is hard, but even worse, the last five miles are unpaved. The climb is so steep that the visitor center (located in 2,800 meter/9,300 feet of altitude) warns the tourists about it. "Ordinary vehicles cannot cope with the steep, unpaved road; you will need to obtain a four-wheel drive vehicle."

Olympic Hopeful's Dreams Include Beating Cancer

By Mike Pesca

Seun Adebiyi was looking for a challenge because graduating from Yale Law School and missing a spot on the Nigerian Olympic swim team by one-tenth of a second was not enough.

Neither was earning his pilot's license, overcoming a fractured spine, immigrating to Alabama when he was 6, helping his mother pick crops to make ends meet, and majoring in mathematics and classics in college.

Always an athlete, always proud to be Nigerian, Seun, which he pronounces "Shawn" for the benefit of American ears, sat down and scientifically studied Olympic sports to see which one would be his next.

In Search Of Inspiration

It makes sense. His mother and father are both professors. Well, professors and, in the case of his mother, the founder of a program to boost the job skills of inner-city Alabama youth. And in the case of his father, the founder of a microfinance program for rural Nigerian women.

Oh yeah, Dad also dabbles in solar farms and AIDS work. And Mom commuted nine hours between Huntsville, Ala., and Jacksonville, Fla., each week to provide her only son with a top-flight private school education.

So that's where Adebiyi comes from. His question was where he was going.

Adebiyi decided that the Winter Olympics would be his best bet because Nigeria has never sent a single athlete to the winter games.

He crossed skiing off the list — cross-country was too hard and downhill was too dangerous. Luge was downright scary, and since he has never shot a gun, biathlon was unrealistic.

"And then we found skeleton," Adebiyi says. "Everyone was like, 'What's this?' "

Skeleton

Skeleton is headfirst, one-man bobsled. Drivers run 30 meters, then slide down a nearly 1 mile track, where they can achieve speeds of 80 miles per hour.

For Adebiyi , it was perfect. "As a sprint swimmer I believe I have the explosive movement," he says. "Even better, my body density, which used to work against me in swimming, actually works to my advantage in skeleton."

He took a crash course — literally — in Lake Placid, N.Y., home to one of the U.S.'s two skeleton tracks, and then moved to Salt Lake City, home of the U.S.'s other track.

I know what you're thinking. Oh no, not another Yale Law School grad turned Nigerian Olympic athlete story.

Everything Changes

Sadly, that's not it at all. About the time Adebiyi started taking skeleton seriously, he noticed a lump in his groin.

Because Adebiyi was otherwise in great health, doctors first dismissed the lump. But further tests revealed the worst possible news. Cancer. Specifically stem cell leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma, two aggressive forms of cancer that ultimately require a bone marrow transplant to give Adebiyi the best chance to survive.

But the bone marrow registry is made up of only 8 percent donors of African ancestry. Plus, because there is more genetic diversity among Africans and blacks than among Caucasians, finding a match is that much harder, according to Katharina Haarf, co-founder and executive vice president of the German Bone Marrow Donation Center.

"Because of the bad statistics, only 17 percent of African-Americans who could wind up benefiting from a transplant get a transplant," she says. "The number is close to 40 percent among Caucasians."

Adebiyi wasn't in the 17 percent, so he relied on an initially successful round of chemotherapy to contain the disease and will soon be getting a cord-blood transplant as his next best option.

New Goals, Same Dream

But none of this means that Adebiyi is giving up on the Olympics. "You don't harbor a dream your whole life and then sell out when you're 26," he says.

Indeed, Adebiyi has expanded his goals. He recently traveled to Nigeria to start that country's first ever bone marrow registry. Three hundred cheek swabs later, that part of his dream is under way.

Additionally, Adebiyi has a goal of registering 10,000 new bone marrow donors here in the United States. He hopes many of these donors will go to the Yale Club in New York City on Jan. 10, for a simple cheek swab, which will also place them on the national registry.

Ten days later, Adebiyi will enter the hospital and get a cord-blood transplant, which will give him the defenses of a newborn, or almost none. He will be in isolation, "basically a bubble boy," he says, for about six weeks. Then he will slowly try to rebuild his immunity and his life, including getting back on the track.

"There's a strong parallel between the challenges of transplant and the challenges of being a skeleton athlete," Adebiyi says. "There’s a time for all-out effort, and there's a time for surrender."

Surrender, to Adebiyi, means making peace with uncertainty, giving up some control, relying on others for a moment. His list of goals for 2010 is beating leukemia, registering 10,000 bone marrow donors, passing the bar exam, and establishing a Nigerian National Skeleton Team — which he fully intends to be on.

Meet The 2010 "Team RadioShack"

Lance Armstrong Heading Down Under

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will leave Hawaii tomorrow for Adelaide to compete in the Tour Down Under.

Armstrong has outlined his travel plans in a brief message on his twitter site.

He is expected to arrive on a private jet ahead of the race, which begins with a prologue on Sunday.

Tour Down Under organiser Mike Turtur says preparations will step up a gear with Armstong's appearance.

"He was always arriving this week," Turtur said.

"The exact time of arrival was not clear, but obviously we now know what his plans are and it'll be great to see him.

"We've also got Cadel Evans arriving not too far away and Robbie McEwen coming also later in the week, so a lot of good arrivals over the next few days."

Yoga’s Far Reaching Effects on Endurance Athletics: Triathlon

By Krystle Potter

To some triathlon is just swim, bike, and run for a really long time, and that it is just a sport. To some yoga is a “girly, wimpy, poor excuse for exercise or a way get a good stretch, or for those who can bend themselves into pretzels.” Unfortunately for those who view yoga and triathlon in this light completely miss what both of these truly are. They are both a way of life, they are holistic practices. In order to be a triathlete, you must eat, sleep, train, and focus your mind, body and even your spirit. Similarly, being a yogi entails eating properly, resting, exercising, and focusing the mind properly etc. Although Yoga alone will not make one a triathlete, integrating yoga and using its holistic precepts will allow one to tap into their full potential as not only a triathlete but also their full potential as an individual.

The five foundation principles of the yogic lifestyle as described by Swami Vishnu-devanada are, “Proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper diet, and positive thinking (deep Philosophy) and meditation” (Vishnu-devananda xi). For the purpose of this exploration of the integral necessity of yoga for the triathlete (as well as any endurance athlete), I will focus on these five principles and show how yoga can serve as the key to achieving one’s full potential as a triathlete and as an individual. One can still be a triathlete without the conscious integration of yoga, however they who do this will not achieve their full potential as an athlete or an.

Proper Exercise - proper posture

In yoga the proper exercise is more commonly described as having proper posture. If one neglects to have the proper posture, one will most likely develop or cause an injury. This could be due to over stretching, twisting and bending of joints in inappropriate angles etc. These injuries could be acute or chronic. Acute injuries would result from a single instant. For example, if one were to fall out of the hand stand posture and in doing so twist their shoulder the wrong way which would result in injury. Over time with proper treatment this injury will heal. Whereas chronic injuries such as a pulled or even torn muscle develops slowly over time and/or is a continuous cause of pain. Such an injury could be caused by lack of stabilizing the knee while doing such poses as Pidgin posture. In this instance, continually putting the knee in a vulnerable position time and time again without stabilizing the knee by using the muscles in the shin and foot could cause injury of the knee to develop. Thus improper practice causes injury. Similarly, in triathlon training, if the proper position or technique is not observed during practice, acute and/or chronic injuries can develop. Observation of proper posture through yoga will promote proper posturing during triathlon training and racing which will prevent injury.

Another aspect of proper posturing is that it will result in more efficient form, which will thus increase the performance of the tri-athlete as well as the yogi. Proper posture of the three disciplines (swimming, cycling, running) are required for efficiency and injury prevention as well as rehabilitation. Since swimming is possibly the most technique oriented disciplines of the three, it will be used to demonstrate this. The stroke that is practiced in triathlon is the free style. Swimming requires, balance in the water, rotation about the spine with the spine used as the axis, stabilizing the shoulders, while breathing, rotating the neck, as well as kicking. Indeed there is much coordination is needed for swimming and certain postures in yoga assist with this. However, the more influential aspect of yoga that aids in swimming technique are the body awareness and breathing. Exhaling completely to allow a full breath of fresh air in while still stroking is the key, and yoga aids in this coordination.

The swimmer needs to know where his/her hands, fingers, arms are at all times throughout the stroke. If the swimmer enters their hand into the water either too far or too close to the so call “midline of the body,” over time this will result in injury of the shoulder. Postures such as Downward-Dog aids in swimming for this reason since when one is in Down-Dog, the yogi must become aware of their arms, how to hold their shoulders to support themselves. They become aware of what angles hurt, and what angels are proper for the individual’s body. Additionally, an integral part of the stroke is the rotation about the spine while still using the arms to paddle through the water. Poses such as Down-Dog while lifting one leg to the sky, if practiced correctly will teach the yogi to elongate the arm of the opposite side of the lifted leg to keep the trunk and spine long and strong while practicing the posture. This same position of the body is exactly what is needed through the rotation of a free-style stroke. The collapsing of the side while stroking or while performing the posture while practicing yoga has many detrimental effects. The most important position for breathing is to prevent the lung cavity from collapsing which causes and promotes shallow breathing. In the water, this position will make one’s stroke more efficient and will also aid in endurance since a more full breath can be taken, and fatigue will be lessened since energy will not be wasted due to inefficient stroke and inefficient breathing.

Beyond posturing, yoga focuses so heavily on suppleness of the spine which eliminates stiffness. “Excessive stiffness can be due to different causes, but especially to faulty body alignment and poor balance, which cause shortening of the ligaments” (Vishnu-devananda 53). Endurance training only exacerbates this stiffness especially of the vertebral column. Think of one training for an Ironman who cycles near 250mi, and runs 30 miles, or who swims 4miles each week. One might think that their bodies would not be stiff since they are so active and are achieving the purpose of exercise which, according to Vishnu-devananda, “is to increase the circulation and the intake of oxygen” (47). Unfortunately, ‘simply’ exercising for hours on end will not provide the practitioner with a lose and supple spine. Analyzing the movements of the three sports, swimming, biking, and running, they are all very linear motions! Swimming has a greater amount of range of motion than biking and running, however it is still very linear in nature. Thus it is not providing the spine, the stretch, bend, twist and elongation needed for the health and suppleness of the spine. This suppleness will aid in the technique for swimming, position on the bike, and form in running.

An interesting analysis of the general concept of exercising shows how “physical culturists” and the yogic approach differ. Physical culturists focus on purely the physical aspect of yoga, ignoring the mental and spiritual component of yoga. The physical culturists’ approach is described as “emphasizing violent movements of the muscles,” (46) which produce large amounts of lactic acid, lack of oxygen to the muscles, consequently the practitioner feels pain and stiffness. The practice of Yoga is the very opposite of violent muscle movements. In Yoga, “all movements are slow and gradual with proper breathing and relaxation” (Vishnu-devananda 47). In the physical culture, the idea is increase the intake of oxygen to reduce the fatigue that is generated by the production of lactic acid, whereas the yogic method is to not even cause the body to enter into a state where there is the excess production of fatigue due to violent muscle movements. Through yoga, the body is observed as a whole system which every component of the system needs to be cared for. Although the before quoted idea may seem contradictory to triathlons, the basic precepts can be applied, which will aid the triathlete. There is no way to avoid this fatigue, muscle tear, and sheer exhaustion after running a marathon or an Ironman, for example. However, using yoga to become more efficient in form and technique of not only posture but proper breathing will decrease the violent nature of endurance training and racing, especially with running. This yogic approach will increase stamina, and potential for performance through more efficient movements with the body.

With more control, a lighter and more graceful approach in one’s movement will decrease the amount of unnecessary stress on the boy that develops over time due to the violent movements. The application of the seemingly contradictory concepts between yoga and triathlon may seem impossible. “Doing yoga during your marathon doesn’t involve Sun Salutes while sandwiched between thousands of racers or Downward Dogging it to the finish line. It’s about applying little tricks you’ve learned on the mat, like using form principles of an asana and practicing mindfulness exercises at the mile-markers. Doing so will keep you injury free and running at your peak” (Yoga for Marathoners). Yoga for the triathlete as well as the marathoner is a vital component to training and racing. Being clam while having the proper posturing will aid in efficiency, endurance, decrease chances for injury and make the triathlon experience more of an enjoyable practice rather than a chore.

Proper breathing

Proper breathing is one of the vital functions of one’s body during an athletic performance, just as it is essential for yoga practice. There are many misconceptions concerning breathing. For example, some think that during exercise breathing harder and faster will get more oxygen into the blood to get sufficient oxygen in the blood which will generate the energy needed to sustain the physical activity. This is not the case at all! Instead having steady slower breaths which use the majority of the lung capacity is what needs to be practiced at the point where we naturally want to hyperventilate. One way to achieve this is by the following strategy: “…Yogis emphasize exhalation rather than inhalation. As long as the air sacs are filled with old air, no amount of strength applied in inhalation can bring fresh air from the atmosphere” (Vishnu-devananda 238). Further, with regards to marathon running which can be applied to cycling and swimming as well; ‘”If you’re out of breath, it’s not because you aren’t breathing in enough, it’s because you aren’t breathing out enough,”’ (Yoga for Marathoners). The reasoning behind this concept is that, “in ordinary breathing we squeeze out a very little volume of air from the apex of the lungs, leaving the base of the lungs almost inactive” (Vishnu-devananda 238).

The goal of proper breathing techniques is to facilitate, “efficient breathing technique, you’ll not only be capable of a higher level of performance in the marathon but also you’ll teach yourself how to acquire a better supply of oxygen and improve almost every aspect of your exercise experience” (Galloway 167). In yoga efficient breathing will allow the practitioner to experience a new level, explore deep and unexplored places within themselves through their practice. Similarly, in triathlon, if the athlete practices the same breathing techniques (s)he will discover new and before secret areas of their athletic practice. Most of all they will become more efficient athletes. Linking posturing to breathing, proper posturing will open and allow the ribs to expand freely which will facilitate proper posturing in both triathlons as well as yoga practice. Additionally, “the relation of the harmonized breath helps the Yogi to the regulation and steadiness of mind” (Vishnu-devananda 222). This steadiness of mind will allow for one to be more calm which will inherently facilitate more regular and controlled breathing. When we are in a state of stress our breath tends to become shorted as described before, consequently causing lack of proper breath, as well as lack of proper posturing, all of which can result in injuring not only to the physical body but also of the mental and emotional body.

Proper Relaxation

Many seek the practice of yoga for relaxation the relaxing aspects. These attributes learned aid in not only everyday life, but also in athletic performance. Relaxation is essential not only for the sake of relaxation, but also for efficiency, recovery, and rejuvenation of the athlete as well as the yogi. In order for the athlete to become stronger, they must allow themselves sufficient time to rest in order to recover. Training and relaxation need to be in harmony with one another. Too much training without proper rest will cause tight muscles, emotional fatigue amongst an array of other detrimental effects. Relaxation may be a day off, or may be a 30 minute meditation session, or maybe more hours of sleeping. Relaxation practices can be observed throughout the day in everyday life as well as during training and a race.

Relaxation is not only a practice of shavasana at the end of a yoga session. This is a portion of relaxation, however there are so many more dimensions to it. Relaxing during the difficult poses allowing for one to breath properly and in order to attain the proper posture are essential. Similarly, from an athletic stand point, remaining calm during training as well as racing will have the same beneficial benefits of proper release of tension, breathing, and posturing. All of these benefits have the potential to work together to create a more efficient triathlete as well as individual. Remaining clam in physiological terms means that unnecessary tension is not held in the body, thus energy is not lost due to tension. That same energy which is conserved is then able to be used for athletic performance. In psychological terms, the mind is quite, controlled, and focused allowing that same individual more potential to accomplish their goals by releasing the unnecessary tension. Overall, if proper relaxation is not practiced by the yogi or athlete sever physical, mental and emotional fatigue will result which most likely will end in injury of the body, mind, and/or spirit.

Proper Diet

Diet is essential to the athlete, yogi, and every human being for that matter. “The body needs food for two purposes: as fuel to supply energy and to repair body tissues” (Vishnu-devananda 204). The triathlete needs to be especially contentious of his/her nutrition during training, but also during their everyday lives. The athlete needs to consume more food than the more sedentary person, but they still need to consume the nutrient dense foods which will provide health to their body as a whole. In yoga, the idea is to consume healthy, more natural foods to care for not only the muscles, but also the organs is essential. The body as a whole needs to be observed, for if certain systems in the body are not working properly due to organ dysfunction, the athlete will not be able to perform, nor will the yogi have the ability to participate in his/her practice. If a triathlete consumes foods which do not support the body’s health as a whole, the triathlete will not be able to perform to his or her full capabilities as an athlete. Their muscles may be strong, but the body is a whole system which needs to be cared for. The teachings of yoga show us that caring for the body as whole rather than independent systems is vital to one’s health which can be translated to one’s performance as a triathlete.

Positive thinking/ Meditation

According to Danny Dryer, author of ChiRunning, ‘”Many people run with a mind-over-body mentality-they will get to the finish no matter how-but true mind-body work is working with your mind and body as a team”’ (Yoga for Marathoners). One cannot eliminate the mental component from endurance running and/or triathlon, or even yoga. In endurance sports, the mental component is needed not only in racing, but also in training. Seemingly countless hours of training, the days seem to blend together, wake-up, eat, train, go to work/school, eat some more, train, eat, train, and sleep…day after day after day. How do you keep things in perspective, how do you keep a positive look on the world. How can you go for a six hour bike ride!? Or how can you swim for an hour straight!? It is so boring, you just swim lap after lap after lap the same mundane thing! How do you deal with all of this? Being positive, keeping your mind fresh, appreciating the world around you as well as yourself as a being. Many understand this concept, however many do not know how to actually achieve it. Yoga is the key and path by which one can achieve a positive state of mind as well as control over his/her thoughts. This is so important for the individual. In a practical running application, “Running mindfully means staying in tune with your body throughout the race” (Yoga for Marathoners).

“You don’t have to give in to any negative message that hits you when you’re under stress. By focusing on the positive, you maintain control. It’s what you put in the forefront of your thoughts that counts” (Galloway 88). On method which will facilitate this is mantra yoga. Mantras “…provide a form of concentrative mediation.” This medication during exercise does not mean that you just go and sit in the middle of your race in lotus pose, rather it is the state of your mind during the race. The concept of mantras can also be described as “Magic words” or mantras in the form of single words. “Magic words gradually program your internal systems to pull together in an instant the complex series of internal connections that produce success in past experiences. Invoking an isolated work to dramatically turn around the natural effects of fatigue can increase speed for a short distance, but will use up valuable resources you need in the long run.” (Galloway 88). Keeping this meditative focus throughout the race as well as the yoga practice will essentially allow all of the other precepts of yoga to fall into place.

Overall, Yoga allows us to act, rather than always be acted upon. Control over our internal environment through a proper diet, as well as our mental state through mediation practices will allow the yoga practitioner to be better able to achieve the physical feats. Proper posturing, breathing and relaxation will work hand in hand with proper diet and meditation/ positive thinking will allow the practitioner to achieve more as a yogi and consequently as a triathlete. Yoga opens the doors and allows one the ability to fulfill and/or achieve his or her full potential.

Armstrong says Contador rivalry to intensify

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong said Sunday he expects his rivalry with Alberto Contador to increase this year now both riders are competing in different teams.

Armstrong, who will debut his new RadioShack team at next week's Tour Down Under in Australia, finished third in his comeback Tour de France last year as Spain's Contador won for a second time.

They were team-mates at Astana last year, but Armstrong, who dominated the Tour from 1999-2005, left Astana to spearhead his new RadioShack team, taking several riders with him.

The two Tour champions have made clear their genuine dislike for each other.

"All the personal stuff aside, just speaking about the athlete, he's a fantastic athlete, he's a very complete rider," Armstrong told Australian Associated Press.

"There's going to be a lot of buzz and build-up about that in 2010, especially now that we've all left to create another team. I will let everyone else build that up. I will be ready, I've got to tell you."

Armstrong, who turns 39 in September, said he was growing in confidence that he can beat Contador for an eighth Tour de France crown.

"I'm more excited than I was 12 months ago ... I feel good about it, I really believe I can (win the Tour de France)," he said. "Every time I say it, there's 100 people who say 'no way', just because of my age, but I'm an optimist, so I'm staying there."

Armstrong began his cycling comeback at last year's Tour Down Under in Adelaide and it was a massive success for local organisers.

"If I'm lucky enough to get another one (Tour de France), then I could see racing for another season, which would mean going again in 2011," he said. "As far as Australia is concerned, I loved it down there last year - the vibe of the race, the treatment of the fans, the reception we all had, the support of the local and state (South Australian) government.

"It's first class and the organisation there really deserves a lot of standing ovations ... three or four years ago it was a small race, now it's on the (UCI) ProTour."

The Tour Down Under gets underway on January 17.

Contador confirmed this month that he will kick off his 2010 season during the Tour of the Algarve cycling race in Portugal mid-February.

Hincapie's New BMC U.S. Pro Champion Kit

Chris Horner - Nutrition?!?!?!?

By: Chris Horner

So, I’ve been getting a lot of questions and comments about my diet. In the old days, my diet consisted of pretty much anything and everything I wanted! A couple Cokes, a couple Snickers, breakfast burritos, donuts, Little Debbie Brownies and Swiss Rolls, sandwiches and chips, and fast food for dinner. It was FANTASTIC!!!! And for those of you who are laughing, keep in mind I got over 65 victories on that diet... While other guys were eating pasta, I was happily chowing down on McDonald’s. For example, in 2004, while riding for the Webcor team, I took a trip over the pond for the Elite World Championships in Verona, Italy. The hotel was seriously lacking in my customary cuisine, and couldn’t even make up for it with Italian quality, so I was forced to hijack the director’s team car for a trip to good old McDonald’s! I had a Big Mac, Hamburger, large fries, and a large Coke – of course I was a little disappointed to see that the large Coke looked like a US medium, so I had to make up for the missing calories with a hot fudge sundae... Kristen Armstrong is still scarred from the “incident” because she had been planning on taking the car to go get some health food or something, only to hear that I had already taken it for a trip to McDonald’s. She couldn’t believe it when I ended up 8th in the road race the next day, especially since the staff had been placing bets on which lap I would drop out after they had heard about my pre-race meal. It was a unique diet, but one that has served me well – until now...

At this year’s Tour of California, I suffered a major crash in stage 3, and I knew I was going to have to take two weeks off of the bike after the race concluded. I decided it was a good time to try this new fangled “healthy eating” thing... Of course, I had one last round of donuts for breakfast before the final stage – I mean, what the hell, it was the last day and it had been a LONG week! My method was to begin counting calories and keeping a daily food diary to see how much I was eating. The first to go was the fast food – for the most part... There’s always an occasional special trip to In-n-Out! In place of the fast food, I added a lot of fruits and a FEW vegetables... I mean, seriously, let’s not get carried away here – a guy still has to live! I focused on cutting calories seriously while I was off the bike, but once the training began again, I added a few more sugars back into my diet in the form of Cokes and Snickers to keep up my energy levels while training, but it was still considerably less than before (probably a third of what I had eaten in the past).

While training the diet is very manageable, but is more uncomfortable when there is no training... With several long periods off the bike last season because of injury, I spent a lot of time being uncomfortable, but it paid off, as I am a few pounds lighter and climbing better than ever!

The hardest days are the days with no riding, where my calories allowance is reduced to 1500-2000 calories, where in the past I was used to being able to eat at least 3000 – that took some adjustment! On short days (2 hr rides), I take in about 2500-3000 calories for the day now, whereas in the past, I would have eaten at least a 1000 calories more in the form of Snickers, Cokes, Little Debbies, etc. On the long training days, the calorie count is much closer to what I was used to in the past, but with a lot of the bad foods being replaced by healthier alternatives. And thank God for the race day – where the calories are no holds bar and all my favorite foods are back on the table! I still splurge occasionally to get back to my roots, but in general I’d say I have cut down my weight by getting rid of the worst parts of my old diet (the fast food and sugars) and added more fruits (and some veggies). There is also a big mental benefit from going out occasionally and splurging a little with a good burger. Don’t underestimate the power of In-n-Out!!!!

Thanks for all of questions and comments – keep 'em coming! For anyone who needs help with counting calories - check out the "Daily Plate" section of www.livestrong.com - it is a great resource for a food diary - helps with figuring out how many calories you've eaten as well as how many you have burned.

Click on the title link for more updates at www.chrishornerracing.com!

Lance Armstrong's Core Temperature

Lance Armstrong is in Kona doing a training camp and lots of test for the 2010 season. The strings attached to his speed suit shows the air flow as it moves across his body. They video him while riding and then go back and look at the flow and determine what position is more aerodynamic. Watch the video to learn more about this and how they are measuring his core temperature.

Lance Armstrong ISPA Athlete Of The Decade

The International Sports Professionals Association (ISPA) announced today that it has named Lance Armstrong as its Athlete of the Decade. Although Armstrong would have been named regardless of Tiger Woods’ recent problems, Woods’ fidelity issues pushed him out of consideration.

“It was a fairly close race prior to the revelations that arose about Mr. Woods, but Mr. Armstrong was still our organization’s pick. When the stories broke about Tiger Woods’ infidelity and now the suspicion of his use of performance enhancing drugs that didn’t even make it close. Lance Armstrong is our pick for athlete of the decade.” Said Justin Mayer, Executive Director of ISPA.

“Our international organization’s mission is to assist in the safe and healthy participation in sports at all levels by credentialing those professionals who service sports and athletes. To accomplish this, our professionals uphold the highest standards and adhere to a code of ethics. Tiger Woods’ behavior took him out of the running for Athlete of the Decade.” Added Dr. John Mayer, President of ISPA.

The International Sports Professionals Association (ISPA) is the world’s largest credentialing service for professionals in sports. The ISPA sets standards for its membership by providing professional services to the sports world spanning children’s sports to professional athletes. The ISPA includes a wide variety of professional occupations from coaches, sport psychologists, physicians, accountants, agents, physical therapists, chiropractors, nutritionists, sport physiologists, trainers, and more. ISPA designates that member professionals adhere to a strict code of ethics and have met the highest standards in their fields to provide professional services to athletes and to sports. ISPA maintains a National Register of sports professionals; professionals listed in the register are the top professionals serving all domestic sports at all levels.

Paul Martin - Run 56 miles?

Yep, that’s what I’m gonna do…

I was asked to be part of a team of athletes headed to South Africa to partake in a staggering fund-raising effort to benefit African children. I would be expected to generate 100 sponsors willing to commit to a child for the next five years. To prove I was serious about the whole thing, I’d have to run the world’s oldest and greatest ultra-marathon, The Comrades Marathon: a 56-mile jaunt started 80 years ago to honor the fallen comrades of World War I.

My initial response was an emphatic “no,” the whole “run 56-miles” thing was a bit of a turn-off. Eighteen hours later something had shifted around in the cranium and all of a sudden I was anxious to start training and called back to commit.

It must have something to do with the enticement of a challenge, one I can’t say I was expecting anytime soon. Not surprisingly, such a task requires some serious training for most of us mortals. So on Saturday I ran 13 miles then ran another 20 on Sunday. Looks like I can expect similar workouts—just longer—for the next five months.

And you can expect that I’ll be looking at all avenues to gather the sponsors I’ve committed to generate. On that note, if you’re reading this, please consider. I’ll have more information available soon, but it’s something to the affect of $35/month to help an African child get an education, some food and clean water, and some clothes on his or her back.

To read on click on the title link....

Wisdom of the Wave from Laird Hamilton

Wisdom of the Wave: Laird Hamilton shares 10 life lessons learned from surfing by Melanie D.G. Kaplan

Surfing legend Laird Hamilton says the ocean is one of the greatest teachers. “Simple laws and philosophies can be traced to the purity of the ocean,” says Hamilton, who created tow-in surfing, in which surfers are towed like water skiers into massive waves.

His documentary “Path of Purpose,” which raises awareness of autism, aired on the Sundance Channel. Hamilton says in every venture, every new experience, he applies these lessons he has learned on the water:

1. KNOW THAT YOU ARE A SPECK ON THE WATER. “The ocean’s vastness reminds you of your insignificance. It’s like a grounder. The ocean has been around long before people got here and will be here long after. The humility you learn from being in the ocean is a constant reminder of your vulnerability.”

2. GO BIG OR GO HOME. “You can’t kind of catch a wave. You either catch it or you don’t. It’s a commitment. That’s just like anything else — you either go or you don’t. He who hesitates is lost in the end.”

3. LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. “You have a feeling about things. You think something doesn’t feel right, then you look and see a shark. As a species, humans are growing away from listening to their instinct. It’s a learned skill based on survival and then reacting. The more you listen to your instinct and then react to it, the more you awaken the spirit, and that helps you make good decisions, no matter where you are.”

4. UNDERSTAND YOU’RE NOT IN CONTROL. “Being a human, you want to think you can control circumstances. It’s cold, so you turn on the heat; you’re hot, so you turn on the air conditioning. The ocean reminds you that you really don’t have any control: It’s in control when you’re in it. The sooner you embrace that, the easier it will be in other aspects of your life.”

5. GET WET. “The ocean is a healer, big-time. We just don’t have any idea of the magnitude of what the ocean provides us. If you just go down to the beach, go out to surf and come right back in, you feel better about yourself. If you ride a wave, that’s just icing on the cake.”

6. PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. “People talk about their problems. Stuck in traffic? That’s not a problem. Don’t know how you’re going to pay your bills? Not a [life-or-death] problem. A problem is when you’re 80 miles offshore and have no way to get back.”

7. KEEP LEARNING. “Surfing is probably one of the most difficult sports. There are no referees, no timeouts. [The waves don't] care about your bank account, your ancestry, your intelligence. It’s just you working the water. And the more I learn, the more I don’t know. That’s an ocean lesson.”

8. BE DETERMINED. “With determination, most things will be quite easy. You go out and get hammered by a wave and then by another one and another one, and you think, ‘OK, I’m still here.’ And then you get a good wave, and you’ve made it. The one thing that’s great about surfing is that there’s no right or wrong way. ”

9. DON’T GET STALE. “Ideas [about new surfing techniques and new sports] come out of boredom and my desire to be passionate. You have to figure out ways to make things exciting and interesting. When something I’ve been doing for a while becomes popular, I’m beyond it. So by default, I end up being different. It’s that whole desire to keep inspiring and keep renewing your passion.”

10. DON’T JUDGE. “The ocean is non-judgmental. It doesn’t differentiate between you and the next guy. I want to be a little more like the ocean — not judging people who have an opinion. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that we’re all equal before a wave.”

Circuit Training with Laird Hamilton

Laird Hamilton explains three ways to do a circuit training workout, one of his favorite ways to train in the gym.

Depending on how hard you want to go and how much time you have, you can choose how many rounds you want to do and how many reps you’ll do in each round.

1- The Basic Circuit: Three rounds: First round is 25 reps; second round is 15; third round is 5. Increase weight on each round.

2- The One-Round Endurance Circuit: One round: Do 40 to 60reps (as many as you can do, keeping good form) of each exercise with light weights

3-The Grind: Six Rounds: first round is 30 reps; second round is 20; third round is 10; fourth round is 5 (as heavy as you can go); fifth round is 15, sixth round is 25.

Here’s an example of a few exercises. All 15 exercises plus demonstrating photos can be seen in Laird’s book “Force of Nature”.

Laird Circuit 11- Crunch: Works your abdominal muscles and obliques (the muscles along your sides that enable you to bend and twist)

2- Plank: Arms are bent at 90-degree angle with elbows directly under your shoulders and palms flat on the ground directly under shoulders. Hold for 1 minute.

3- Cable Pulldown: Use an overhand grip with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart, and pull the cables (or bar) down. Keep your body stationary; make sure you’re not rocking backward and using that momentum to move the weight.

4- Chest Press: There are all kinds of ways to do a chest press, both on a machine and with free weights on a bench. If you use the latter, you can vary the movement by changing the position of your body: flat, decline, or incline. Each angle works your chest slightly differently.

5- Leg Extension: Sitting with your back flat and your feet hooked behind the pads, straighten your legs (being careful not to lock or hyperextend your knees.) Slowly lower legs to starting position.

Lance Armstrong Spends Time In Kona

Surfer Rob Machado and Lance Armstrong hanging out in Kona this past week.

Cyclist Lance Armstrong has been spending the last week training on the Ironman World Championship course in Kona, Hawaii.

Armstrong has trained in Kona in previous years as a way to get in shape for the cycling season. Armstrong’s presence in Kona is more noted this time around because according to Armstrong’s coach, Chris Carmichael, he is aiming to compete at the 2011 Ironman World Championship. Armstrong has made references to triathlon and spending time on his time trial bike in Kona on his twitter feed.

Basso extends with Liquigas through 2012

Ivan Basso has extended his contract with Team Liquigas for another two years, after allegedly getting an offer from his former Team Saxo Bank.

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Basso has extended with Liquigas through 2012, with an option for a third year. The Italian team signed him after he returned from his two-year suspension.

Basso had received an offer from Saxo Bank manager Bjarne Riis, the Italian newspaper said, although Riis had said he doubted Basso would ever ride for the team again. However, the team had to withdraw its offer due to a lack of sponsors and the subsequent financial difficulties.

Lance Armstrong slams Contador's entourage

Lance Armstrong continued his campaign of criticism against Albert Contador, saying the two-time Tour de France winner “is surrounded by yes-men” and saying that he acts like “the king of Spain.”

In an interview which appeared in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf and the Belgian Nieuwsblad, Armstrong reiterated that Contador's success had gone to his head. “If you have just won the Tour for the second time and you are the king of Spain, it is normal that all stories are all right. His career has barely begun. Let us talk again in about fifteen years.”

The American said he was surprised at reports in the Spanish media about the atmosphere on Team Astana during the Tour, “So many dirty things, unbelievable. Complete bullshit, pieces of slime, fat lies.”

One example was the time trial wheels, with Contador claiming that he was not provided with the proper ones. “First, this is not true. Secondly, it is easy to prove. You only have to grab the phone and call the bicycle manufacturer Trek. I understand that the Spanish media stands up for their hero, but it was so untrue what was printed. Come on, at the end of the day as a journalist, you f**king do proclaim the truth."

Armstrong cited another example, the third stage of the Tour to La Grande-Motte, when a 28-man group, including Armstrong and Astana teammates but excluding Contador, got away with 32 kilometres to go. Armstrong indicated that he was in the break because he was near the front of the peloton, as a top ride should be, and that the Spaniard was not.

"He felt this as an attack on him, and so did the Spanish media. I was in a bike race and had a radio. Every five minutes we all heard Johan Bruyneel call: ‘Stay in the front. Keep front.’ All I did then, was what I was supposed to do. Someone told me that he himself caused the break in the group. "

Especially damaging to Contador, he found, was the fact that "eight of the nine riders who rode the Tour, have gone away. To another team. Even his roommate."

Had this happened to Armstrong, he said, “I would have long since looked in the mirror. I would never let that happen. Never. If I had to change myself to prevent it, then I would do that. If they needed more money, I would do it. I would do anything for them. "

"But Contador is totally different from me. It is very difficult,” the seven-time Tour winner continued. “He knows no better. He is a Spanish guy who is always in the same pueblo (district) resident. He has his friends, family, the street where he grew up, his country, his people. A great athlete like him must employ individuals who support him and have patience with him. But he is surrounded by yes-men.”

Armstrong also admitted that he did not know Contador that well, but said, “I am impressed by the athlete but it stops there for me.”

Boise 70.3 - 2009 Race Of The Year

The passionate classic confrontation between the sport's best Ironman runner and the its best long course biker came down to the last 20 meters. At the end of a high adrenaline, deeply emotional race, both competitors collapsed in a heap just past the line, piled one against the other in a brotherhood of ultimate exertion.

Boise Ironman 70.3 was held under dramatic dark clouds, wind, rain and even some hail. Defending Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander and three-time Ironman winner Chris Lieto were coming off a duel at the Honu Ironman 70.3 in Hawaii. That day, surpassingly excellent cyclist Chris Lieto carved out a 7 minute 42 second lead on the Queen K bike, and Alexander dug in and passed his rival at the 11th mile of the run. In Boise, Lieto saw tougher hills, rain and cooler temps which gave him a better chance. He carved out a lesser 5:30 lead on the bike, but reserved a lot more in the tank for the run.

This was the second of three sizzling 2009 duels between Craig Alexander and Chris Lieto. In Boise, things were much, much closer.

After a great 2:04 ride on a challenging, hilly course, Lieto had 5:30 on Alexander, but with cool, rainy weather and holding a little back, Lieto had a lot more left for the run.

For the first few miles, Crowie cut the lead to 3:50. Then for the next six miles the margin stayed the same. "Mathematically, at that point, I wasn’t going to catch him," said Alexander. "But at Mile 8 I heard the margin was 3:25 and I thought that was the first crack in the dam." At 10 miles, the margin was down to 2:40. At 11 miles, the margin was 1:45. At Mile 12, trackside observers had the margin at 57 seconds.

"At that point he took off and I launched into a sprint as well," said Crowie.

"With half a mile to go, people said he was 30 seconds back," said Lieto. "With 200 meters to go, he looked like he was 40 meters and 15 seconds back."

"With 100 meters to go, I got within 15 meters and I went again," said Alexander. "With 20 meters to go, we were shoulder to shoulder."

"I tried to put it into an other gear but my legs were so full of lactic acid I just collapsed at the finish," said Lieto.

Lieto summed it up: "If you see the finish line pictures, we both crossed the finish line and just collapsed. I was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted and frustrated and I just wanted to lay there for a moment, wondering what I could have done, what I did wrong. What I could have done different, where I could have gained a few seconds flashed thru my mind. Then I realized there was really nothing more that I could have given."

"This was a great race, one of those races you will always remember," said Alexander.

Lieto had one more crack at Alexander coming. Just three months later at Kona, Lieto would push Crowie to the edge again at Kona - to the best race of his career.

1. Craig Alexander 3:51:46
2. Chris Lieto -- 3:51:48

Comeback 2.0 Sells Out Again In Santa Barbara

Once again Lance Armstrong had a book signing in Santa Barbara and fired through 750 books in one hour. Lance is in Santa Barbara for a training camp getting ready for the 2010 Tour Down Under which comes up in late January.

Lance Armstrong Book signing Time-Lapse

Bahati foundation nets Cannondale as sponsor

Rahsaan Bahati's newly formed Bahati Foundation pro cycling team is hitting the ground running ahead of the 2010 season, announcing Cannondale as its official bike sponsor, and the creation of a television series with partner Endure Media Group, to air next fall.

The team will kick off the season at the Redlands Classic in California on March 25 after a two-week training camp in Los Angeles.

Bahati created the foundation with the purpose of showing children in underprivileged communities that they can avoid a life of "crime, gangs and drugs", much in the same way Bahati himself did with his cycling career.

The television six-part series,"Bahati: Out of Compton" is part of the team's media blitz, with the first episode planned to highlight Bahati's childhood in Compton, California, one of the toughest areas in Los Angeles. It will then follow his success in the world of professional cycling through to the creation of his pro team and his community activities.

"This project captures the essence of the human condition," said Endure spokesperson Matthew Hall. "[Rahsaan] Bahati's story is one of hope, compassion and excellence. We use cycling as a backdrop to tell [Rahsaan's] story, and weave the excitement of the sport, the passion of the events and celebrity cache for tremendous impact on the community."

"This will catapult the efforts of the Bahati Foundation to positively impact the lives of inner-city and underprivileged youth by bringing our message into the homes of millions of viewers," said Bahati.

The Foundation is currently in negotiations for broadcast of the series, but hopes to see it air mid- to late-summer. "One of our key partners, Cannondale Bicycles, recognized the opportunity early on and is committed to providing significant resources to this project."

Chris Lieto Headlines TTS Endurance Camp

3-Time Ironman Champion and 2nd Place finisher at the 2009 Ironman World Championships CHRIS LIETO to headline the TTS Endurance Camp!

Come train alongside the top U.S. Ironman athlete!

What: TTS Endurance Camp, Winter 2010
When: February 11-15, 2010
Where: Carpinteria, CA

Come to beautiful Carpentaria, California and take in the splendor and warm temperatures of the West Coast. This peaceful town has been host to numerous professional cycling teams, pro triathletes and world-class competitions. The camp is 3 full days and 2 half days of training and presentations. Our dedicated staff of USAT certified coaches and professional triathletes are passionate about teaching the essentials for training and racing triathlons and multisport events. With all abilities welcome, the training and presentations are targeted towards those athletes looking to make huge gains in their race performances.


Our staff has trained thousands of athletes: from absolute beginners to top age-groupers to professionals. We've helped them perform their best at hundreds of events all around the world; from sprints to Ironman to Ultraman. We are committed to helping you find your strengths and improve your weaknesses.

You'll leave this camp with improved skills, better fitness and you will know precisely where to focus your training time for the rest of the triathlon season.

What's included:

* 4 nights stay accommodations at the Holiday Inn Express, Carpinteria, California
* Thursday night arrival dinner and all breakfasts, lunches and snacks
* Free TTS cycling jersey and swim cap
* Daily training sessions with the TTS Coaching Staff
* Presentations and Clinics from leading coaches and educational professionals in the sport of triathlon
* Individual assessments and analysis: swim video, run gait and bike fit
* Certified professional bike mechanics
* Complete "sag" support on all workouts
* Certified professional massage (Saturday only)

Click on the title link to learn more.

Building Strength In The Preseason

By: Ian Murray

The cold winter months mean a break from triathlon for most of us. We can look at this time of year as the “off-season” or as the “preseason,” just as the proverbial glass can been seen as half empty or half full. This is the best time to invest in a key component of triathlon fitness: strength.


Building strength can be beneficial in three critical ways:

Injury Prevention

Two areas of the human body are at risk in the sport of triathlon:

The shoulders. The freestyle swim stroke puts greater emphasis on the front of the body and ignores the back, creating an imbalance in the shoulder joints. The rear deltoids should be strengthened in the pre-season with exercises such as external shoulder rotation. The end result is stronger, more stable shoulders that can withstand longer and faster swims with less risk of injury.

Hip stabilizers. Much of what we do in running and cycling is in the same plane, with our legs moving us forward instead of side to side as in tennis, soccer and basketball. Doing hip adduction and hip abduction exercises in the pre-season will yield stronger and faster runs next season with less risk of injury.

Core Strength

This isn’t about the “six-pack abs” that launched a thousand infomercials. As a triathlete, your core stabilizes your body as you swim, cycle and run. Think of your core as something that reaches down below your hips and extends up towards the chest.

Your core connects and anchors your upper body to your lower body and controls their coordinated movement. It includes the lower back and the transverse abdominis (the deepest layer connecting hip to rib to diaphragm). Instead of doing the typical forward crunches, do multi-limb movements like dead bug and balancing exercises like the plank, and add bits of rotation to basic exercises like a chest press.

Greater Power

Strengthening triathlon-specific muscles in the preseason will enable you to train and race at a new level next season. Speed and endurance improve with greater power. Swimming faster often depends upon developing a stronger pull. Riding faster is a direct result of exerting greater force on the pedals. Running faster is made possible by more powerful foot strikes. Include exercises like squats, lunges, calf raises, lat pull-downs and tricep extensions.

Power-up your pre-season by committing to two to three strength sessions each week for three months. All these exercises can be done in a gym or in your home with minimal equipment. Do two to three sets of 15-20 repetitions with moderate resistance for the strength our sport demands. You’ll arrive at the next racing season healthier, stronger and faster.