Heart Rate Information

Kahne Parsons—

Hoo-rah! This morning I found the Mike Ricci article. (I knew I saved it somewhere.)

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How many of you triathletes out there are using this formula? Put up your hand and admit it - I can't see you through cyber space

If I read one more message that says the athlete is using this formula, I am going off the DEEP END! People, this is not correct. It may work, but chances are very slim it will work for you. Of course the 15 people that it works for will post that it does work - but my point is that for the MAJORITY, this formula of 220-AGE = MAX Heart Rate - DOES NOT WORK!

Your best bet is to get some lab testing done to find out your Lactate Threshold. If you don't have access to a lab for whatever reason (location or $) don't fret. We have 'field' tests that you can do and the only thing you need is you, your Heart Rate Monitor and some 3 D's: Desire, Determination, and Discipline.

Field test for bike and run:
Determining Bike Training Zones

In biking we want to know our heart rate training zones. To make this as easy as possible, we will use a standard 30 minute TT. From this TT we will be able to determine the correct training zones. I do advocate doing both an inside and outside LT tests.

Bike test protocol for inside testing:

The warm-up is 15 minutes of cycling, moving through the different gears, always keeping the cadence above 90 RPMS. Do a few short sprints to get your heart rate up and ready for the test!

You should start out in a gear that you can maintain 90 RPMS in. Make sure you remember what gear you started in.

The 30 minute TT begins.
At 10 minutes into the test, hit the 'Lap' button on your heart rate monitor, to get the average heart rate over the final 20 minutes of the test.
The average for the final 20 minutes is your Lactate Threshold or LT.
You should finish knowing you gave it everything you had.
15 minutes easy cool down.

Example:
Johnny has an average of 156 heart rate for his 30 minute bike TT. If I calculate Johnny's zones using his LT and the Training Bible zones, this is what I come up with:
Zone 1 - 102-125
Zone 2 - 136-139
Zone 3 - 140-145
Zone 4 - 146- 155
Zone 5a - 156-159
Zone 5b - 160-164
Zone 5c - 165-170

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Determining Run Training Zones

In running we want to know our heart rate training zones as well. To make this as easy as possible, we will use a standard 30 minute TT. From this TT we will be able to determine the correct training zones. This is best if done on a flat uninterrupted path or trail.

Run test protocol:

After a 15 minute warm-up of easy running, finish with a few quick 20 seconds bursts to get your heart rate in the correct training zone.

The 30 minute TT begins.
At 10 minutes into the test, hit the 'Lap' button on your heart rate monitor, to get the average heart rate over the final 20 minutes of the test.
The average for the final 20 minutes is your Lactate Threshold or LT.
You should finish knowing you gave it everything you had.
15 minutes easy cool down.

Example:
Johnny has an average of 156 heart rate for his 30 minute run TT. If I calculate Johnny's zones using his LT and the Training Bible zones, this is what I come up with:
Zone 1 - 102-125
Zone 2 - 136-139
Zone 3 - 140-145
Zone 4 - 146- 155
Zone 5a - 156-159
Zone 5b - 160-164
Zone 5c - 165-170

IF you want to compare my method of choice to other methods you can read this:
http://www.d3multisport.com/articles/heartrate.html

IF you want to get educated on what the zones mean: http://www.d3multisport.com/articles/be ... ezone.html

If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Train Smart, Train Right, and get fitter and faster. Isn't that the point?

Peace,
Mike
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Cheers,
Mike

Mike Ricci
D3 Multisport
http://www.D3Multisport.com
mike@D3Multisport.com

Great points. Something I use is called the 'repeatability' factor. I wrote something about it in my LSD article here:
http://www.d3multisport.com/articles/lsd.htm

Bascially, there are a few ways to figure out your recovery limit. One is obviously trial and error. If you can't hit the same HRs the next day, then you went too hard the day before, right? With all things like sleep, nutrition, stress being equal. Secondly, you can give yourself a HR cap - around 90% of LT for most people - and see how that goes for a few workouts. I have even gone as far as making a spreadsheet with some factors I find important and have my athletes rate the 'recovery score' each day. That seems to work real well. if your score gets out of whack then you know you are on the edge of training where you shouldn't be.

In terms of how long and how hard you should train - most (80%) of your training time should be done at 90% of your LT or less. This is how we build aerobic fitness. That covers how hard - as for how long - it depends on what you can handle, what your background is and how much time you have to train...it varies for everyone.

I like the idea that for 'how hard you train' you use as a rule of thumb 'close to the amount that you can just barely recover from each day. - I like that and I would back off just a little from that to be safe. It's trial and error for all of us. I know from one day to the next how I will perform the next day, for the most part. Usually I know it's either going to be a good workout, or it may hurt a lot if I pushed a little too much the day before and didn't get the proper recovery. So, knowing my recovery score is a good indicator of how I will approach the next day or two of workouts. I hope this answers your question.
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Cheers,
Mike

Mike Ricci
D3 Multisport
http://www.D3Multisport.com
mike@D3Multisport.com
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More on Heart Rate

Clint Bolton

Working your heart by Mark Allen
Use your heart rate monitor

How hard to I have to workout? How far do I have to go? I workout 2 hours every other day of the week and I still can’t lose those last 10 pounds. Why do I keep getting injured when I try to run? These are all questions and comments people make about their training that seems to have no simple solution.
 

I want to give you that solution. It’s called a heart rate monitor. Whether your goal is to win a race or just live a long healthy life, using a heart rate monitor is the single most valuable tool you can have in your training equipment arsenal. And using one in the way I am going to describe will not only help you shed those last few pounds, but will enable you to do it without either killing yourself in training or starving yourself at the dinner table.
I came from a swimming background, which in the 70’s and 80’s when I competed was a sport that lived by the “No Pain, No Gain” motto. My coach would give us workouts that were designed to push us to our limit every single day. I would go home dead, sleep as much as I could, then come back the next day for another round of punishing interval sets.
It was all I knew. So, when I entered the sport of triathlon in the early 1980’s, my mentality was to go as hard as I could at some point in every single workout I did. And to gauge how fast that might have to be, I looked at how fast the best triathletes were running at the end of the short distance races. Guys like Dave Scott, Scott Tinley and Scott Molina were able to hold close to 5 minute miles for their 10ks after swimming and biking!
 

So that’s what I did. Every run, even the slow ones, for at least one mile, I would try to get close to 5 minute pace. And it worked…sort of. I had some good races the first year or two, but I also suffered from minor injuries and was always feeling one run away from being too burned out to want to continue with my training.
 

Then came the heart rate monitor. A man named Phil Maffetone, who had done a lot of research with the monitors, contacted me. He had me try one out according to a very specific protocol. Phil said that I was doing too much anaerobic training, too much speed work, too many high end/high heart rate sessions. I was forcing my body into a chemistry that only burns carbohydrates for fuel by elevating my heart rate so high each time I went out and ran.
 

So he told me to go to the track, strap on the heart rate monitor, and keep my heart rate below 155 beats per minute. Maffetone told me that below this number that my body would be able to take in enough oxygen to burn fat as the main source of fuel for my muscle to move. I was going to develop my aerobic/fat burning system. What I discovered was a shock.
 

To keep my heart rate below 155 beats/minute, I had to slow my pace down to an 8:15 mile. That’s three minutes/mile SLOWER than I had been trying to hit in every single workout I did!

My body just couldn’t utilize fat for fuel.
So, for the next four months, I did exclusively aerobic training keeping my heart rate at or below my maximum aerobic heart rate, using the monitor every single workout. And at the end of that period, my pace at the same heart rate of 155 beats/minute had improved by over a minute. And after nearly a year of doing mostly aerobic training, which by the way was much more comfortable and less taxing than the anaerobic style that I was used to, my pace at 155 beats/minute had improved to a blistering 5:20 mile.
 

That means that I was now able to burn fat for fuel efficiently enough to hold a pace that a year before was redlining my effort at a maximum heart rate of about 190. I had become an aerobic machine! On top of the speed benefit at lower heart rates, I was no longer feeling like I was ready for an injury the next run I went on, and I was feeling fresh after my workouts instead of being totally wasted from them.
 

So let’s figure out what heart rate will give you this kind of benefit and improvement. There is a formula that will determine your Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate, which is the maximum heart rate you can go and still burn fat as the main source of energy in your muscles. It is the heart rate that will enable you to recover day to day from your training. It’s the maximum heart rate that will help you burn those last few pounds of fat. It is the heart that will build the size of your internal engine so that you have more power to give when you do want to maximize your heart rate in a race situation.

Here is the formula:

1. Take 180

2. Subtract your age

3. Take this number and correct it by the following:

-If you do not workout, subtract another 5 beats.

-If you workout only 1-2 days a week, only subtract 2 or 3 beats.

-If you workout 3-4 times a week keep the number where it is.

-If you workout 5-6 times a week keep the number where it is.

-If you workout 7 or more times a week and have done so for over a year, add 5 beats to the number.

-If you are over about 55 years old or younger than about 25 years old, add another 5 beats to whatever number you now have.

-If you are about 60 years old or older OR if you are about 20 years old or younger, add an additional 5 beats to the corrected number you now have.

You now have your maximum aerobic heart rate, which again is the maximum heart rate that you can workout at and still burn mostly fat for fuel. Now go out and do ALL of your cardiovascular training at or below this heart rate and see how your pace improves. After just a few weeks you should start to see a dramatic improvement in the speed you can go at these lower heart rates.
Over time, however, you will get the maximum benefit possible from doing just aerobic training. At that point, after several months of seeing your pace get faster at your maximum aerobic heart rate, you will begin to slow down. This is the sign that if you want to continue to improve on your speed, it is time to go back to the high end interval anaerobic training one or two days/week. So, you will have to go back to the “NO Pain, NO Gain” credo once again. But this time your body will be able to handle it. Keep at the intervals and you will see your pace improve once again for a period. But just like the aerobic training, there is a limit to the benefit you will receive from anaerobic/carbohydrate training. At that point, you will see your speed start to slow down again. And that is the signal that it is time to switch back to a strict diet of aerobic/fat burning training.
At the point of the year you are in right now, probably most of you are ready for this phase of speed work. Keep your interval sessions to around 15-30 minutes of hard high heart rate effort total. This means that if you are going to the track to do intervals do about 5k worth of speed during the entire workout. Less than that and the physiological effect is not as great. More than that and you just can’t maintain a high enough effort during the workout to maximize our benefit. You want to push your intervals, making each one a higher level of intensity and effort than the previous one. If you reach a point where you cannot maintain your form any longer, back off the effort or even call it a day. That is all your body has to give.
This is what I did to keep improving for nearly 15 years as a triathlete. It is also the training the Lance Armstrong’s coach put him on to recover from his cancer treatment when they saw that he could not handle the high end training anymore. And, although it was contrary to what most cyclists do to prepare for the grueling Tour de France, it was what enabled him to capture the title there for the first time in 1999.

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U-TUBE Swimmer

Steve Farris:

Check out the high elbow, noble hand and rapid arm exit on this swimmer on u-tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6qIhkuz ... re=related

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Training Logs

Gina Bolton


There has been a lot of discussion about training logs and keeping up with shoe mileage and such. I just thought I would mention http://www.beginnertriathlete.com. I know several of us use it already, but for those who don't know aobut it, they have great training logs and they are free! You can record bike, run, and swim distance/time/conditions in addition to strength training and other sports. It keeps up with weekly, monthly, and yearly totals and has several charts and graphs to look at. You can log nutrition too. Also, it has an equipment tracker. For example, I put how many minutes and/or miles I want on my shoes and then every time I log a run, it keeps up with those values and alerts me when it's getting close to time to replace my shoes. You can do this with anything you want, bike tires, chains, etc. Plus, you can track run or bike routes to measure distance and keep track of where you ran/biked. I'm sure there are so many more featues that I am overlooking, but it is a great tool and easy to use.

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Transition Tips

Zach Marshall

There is a good video at BeginnerTriathlete.com about transitions. He even mentions the rubber band trick for the shoes. Link to follow.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/a ... cleid=1488

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Level Headed Advice from an Olympic Cyclist

Duke Gill

This article was in the New York Times in June:

June 19, 2008
FASTER, HIGHER, STRONGER
An Olympic Cyclist’s Levelheaded Advice
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS
Corrections Appended
MOST cyclists think that you have to train on hills to be competitive in road races, which typically feature multiple vertiginous, lung-busting climbs. Not Christian Vande Velde, who’s expected to be selected next month for the United States road racing team for the Summer Olympics in Beijing. “I’m proof that you don’t have to ride hills to do well on hills,” he said recently.
Mr. Vande Velde, 31, who spent last winter training near Chicago, is enjoying the best season of his career. He spent a day last month as the leader of the prestigious Giro d’Italia and won the individual time trial at the Tour of Georgia in May.
He and his coaches have developed innovative training techniques, nutritional plans and strategies. Here are a few cues from Mr. Vande Velde’s training regimen that road cyclists can use to ride faster, longer and smarter.
FIRST, SPEND WISELY “If you want to race, you will have to spring for a $1,500 to $2,000” road racing bicycle, said Jonathan Vaughters, the manager for Mr. Vande Velde’s cycling team, which added a sponsor this week and is now called Team Garmin/Chipotle with H3O.
But don’t feel pressured to overbuy, Mr. Vaughters said. “The difference between a $500 bike and a $1,500 bike is huge,” he said. “The difference between a $1,500 bike and an $8,000 bike is very small.” Invest the saving in good-quality bike shorts with a firm, thick pad and a price tag north of $75. “That may be the best thing you can buy, in terms of comfort,” Mr. Vaughters said.
POWER OUTPUT Until the last five years or so, Mr. Vande Velde said, serious cyclists typically used the heart rate or a cadence — the number of times the pedal cranks rotate per minute — to gauge effort. But now, cycling professionals and a growing number of serious amateur riders rely on watts, or power readings.
Watts are a measurement of energy output, the amount of energy that a rider applies to the pedal. On a bike, that figure is determined by a meter integrated into the rear hub.
The meter also records a rider’s speed and the time and distance of the ride (as well as heart rate and calories burned per hour), using this data to determine the rider’s watts at any given moment. That number, which changes constantly, is visible on a small screen on the handlebars, and the files can be uploaded to a computer. “Watts is the most reliable way to gauge effort on a bike,” Mr. Vaughters said. “It’s the best way to track your progress from day to day, and also to set training parameters.”
But power output is highly individual. The bigger the rider, the higher the output. Mr. Vande Velde, a relatively slight 5 feet 11 inches and 150 pounds, maintained an average of 470 watts in the 10-minute Georgia time trial. “That’s the most I’ve ever done,” he said. But he has a teammate, a much larger man, who he says, “does that in warm-up.”
To determine your watts range, Mr. Vaughters said, sprint for 10 seconds and record your watts output. For that short burst, the figure should be in the 500s. Then push as hard as you can for five minutes, recording your average watts throughout. Finally, and preferably on a separate day, pedal at top effort for 30 minutes, recording your average watts readings (which may be barely into the hundreds for novice riders).
Then set about increasing your average wattage. Mr. Vande Velde does this by punctuating rides with five minute “power bursts,” dropping into a big gear, pushing his pedals as hard as he can, his wheels turning at his top sustainable watts and barely 50 revolutions per minute. In the next five minutes, he’ll click up into an easier gear, pedals whirring at low watts and about 90 r.p.m. (which any recreational rider should be able to maintain). Then he’ll repeat.
Less-experienced riders should throw in similar spurts during several of their weekly rides, Mr. Vaughters said, but for as little as 30 seconds to a minute at first. “People think cycling is an endurance event, but really races are won or lost more because of power,” Mr. Vaughters said. After a month, repeat your watts tests.
PASS THE NUTELLA RICE Next to power, nutrition is perhaps the most important element in cycling performance, said Allen Lim, who has a doctorate in physiology and serves as the team physiologist and nutritionist. Mr. Vande Velde, for instance, burns through 3,500 to 4,000 calories during a training ride or race of several hours, Mr. Vaughters said. Even average riders, he said, can burn 500 calories in an hour or more. That energy must be replenished.
“Some people can eat full meals” during rides, Mr. Lim said. “Others vomit.” To provide on-bike fuel without queasiness, Mr. Lim has devised several proprietary recipes. One involves, surprisingly, ham and eggs. “Athletes often forget how much of a performance boost you can get from real, simple, natural food,” he said.
The combination of protein with carbohydrates is particularly important, he said, ensuring that the blood sugar boost from the carbohydrates isn’t too rapid, and that it lingers, providing energy for a longer period of time. The salt is equally essential, he said, because a cyclist can lose so much sodium through sweat.
His recipe for sushi rice bars:
3 cups medium-grain Calrose or sushi rice, cooked
6 eggs
Soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos (a soybean-based liquid protein concentrate)
A handful of prosciutto or cooked bacon
Salt
Balsamic vinegar
Scramble the eggs with the soy sauce or the Braggs Aminos. (“The guys like the flavor of the Braggs better than the soy,” Mr. Lim said.) Add the prosciutto or bacon. Pile the rice, eggs and pork into a 6-by-9-inch pan. Pour a small amount of balsamic vinegar and soy on top. Salt to taste. Mix and mash into the pan. Let sit for 20 minutes, then, using a silicone spatula (“anything else and the rice will stick,” Mr. Lim said) cut it into 1 1/2-inch squares. Wrap in foil. Yields about 24.
As a sweet alternative, use “a big jar of Nutella, a bunch of all-natural peanut butter and the same amount of rice,” Mr. Lim said.
WHO NEEDS HILLS? Study the altitude-gain profile of the race you’re doing, Mr. Lim said. “Then climb at least that much, at least once or twice a week.”
“If the race has 3,000 feet of climbing, find a hill that’s 500 feet and climb it six times, fast, no resting between,” he said.
But if you live in a flat area, listen to local weather reports and note the direction of the wind. A strong head wind can simulate hill climbing, Mr. Vaughters said. “You need to push hard into the wind,” using “a big gear, for at least six minutes and no longer than 45 minutes” once or twice a week “to get the aerobic benefits of climbing big hills,” he said. (In recompense, you get a tail wind all the way home.)
HOW TO HEAD DOWNHILL FAST Descending a steep road at 40 to 50 miles an hour, especially in a pack of riders, “never stops being terrifying,” Mr. Vande Velde said. But few rides and even fewer races have no descents, so a rider should know how to make a safe descent.
“Relax, shift your weight back,” Mr. Vaughters said. “Most riders put too much weight on the handlebars.”
Mr. Vande Velde said, “Do not look at the wheel of the rider in front of you,” or stare down at the road. “Scan far ahead for any obstacles,” he said, because they’ll arrive very rapidly, and then quickly glance at the road just ahead. “Your eyes should always be moving.”
When negotiating curves, he said, position your feet so that the pedal on the inside of the curve is up, with the outside pedal down (which keeps your weight balanced). “Don’t throw your bike from one corner to another,” he said. “Brake before the turn, and turn gradually, aiming for the apex.”
Acclimate yourself to the feeling of other bicycles pressing close, Mr. Vande Velde said. He added that the team has set up stationary bicycles with the wheels practically touching each other. “It’s a good, safe way to get used to being right on someone’s wheel,” he said.
An earlier version of this article misstated a technique for negotiating downhill curves. The rider's inside pedal should be up, not down. The article also referred incorrectly to cadence. It is the rotation speed of the pedal cranks, not the wheels.
This article is the fourth in a series.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: June 20, 2008
An article on Thursday about training advice from an Olympic cyclist misstated a technique for negotiating downhill curves. The rider’s inside pedal should be up, not down. The article also referred incorrectly to cadence. It is the rotation speed of the pedal cranks, not the wheels.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: June 26, 2008
An article last Thursday about training advice from Christian Vande Velde, an Olympic cyclist, referred incorrectly to the technique he uses during five-minute sequences in which he tries to push his pedals as hard as possible while the wheels turn slowly. He drops into what is known as a big gear, not a low gear.
And an accompanying picture caption referred incorrectly to Mr. Vande Velde. He was training, not racing.
 

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Training for Triathlon: Bricks

Zach Marshall

I'm with you! It just takes time and patience from everything I've read. I've got some bricks planned and some speedwork. It sounds like everybodies brick suggestions are on par with what I've found. As far as speed work.... everything I've found suggests that you not start this till you've got at least a year of running under your belt. It can be pretty hard on your legs so you don't want to overdue it and cause an injury that could set you back in your training. If you do strides or drills of any type make sure to do them on a soft surface such as the track or grass.

There's a lot of info out there online, some places to look include:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com

http://www.trifuel.com

http://www.coolrunning.com

http://www.active.com

and believe it or not I've found a lot of info at http://www.about.com

Good luck in your training

Zach
 

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Concerning back pain during the swim
 

Zach Marshall

Not a lot to go on.... but a couple things you can look at. I know you said this occurs while your swimming, but check your shoes. Make sure that they are still in good condition and not past due for a change. Also your bike seat height can affect these sort of things. One of the things that I found when I was trying to diagnose some knee pain I was getting is that the muscles we rely on are all intricately linked and pain that presents itself in one place doesn't necessarily originate from that point.

Now as far as while you're swimming, do you turn your head to breathe? If so this could be a source of back pain. Try to rotate your whole body sideways far enough that when your breathe your nose remains in line with your sternum and keep your chin relatively tucked in. The idea is to keep your spine in a straight line. Make sure your keeping your head down, and not lifting it up. Your head should be mostly underwater. You could be overarching your back in order to keep your legs in a horizontal plain. It seems like someone mentioned Duke went to a Total Immersion work shop, he should be able to give you some pointers. Also make sure you're working your core. A strong core is important, especially in TI where you're using your body as the propulsive element. And finally are you using bilateral breathing? If not you may be overcompensating for your breath on one side and straining when you kick. When swimming, remember it's less about strength and more about form. Take a little time off, rest, stretch and then come back working on your technique.

I've got to throw in the obligatory "These are all suggestions, as I am in no way a trained professional," but I hope one of them might be the ticket, if not a combination. Who knows, this may even help your swimming technique and make you faster Silver lining and all.....good luck.

Zach

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Nutrition

Kami Nedbalek

Note to Bonny:

I know what you mean. I get bored and dissatisfied with the same old healthy stuff and find myself splurging and overeating on less nutritious things because I'm unsatisfied.
I toss fruit into my salads sometimes. Berries, citrus, plums, apricots . . . whatever. Avocado, too. Or, I just have my salad with salt, no dressing. Actually, lately I seem to want my fruit with salt, and my bread with salt. For dressing I use Star Italian Kitchen White Wine Vinegar or Light & Tangy Vinegar.
I've discovered that carrots and ginger are a great combination, so I'd like to experiment with that--no recipes yet. Sometimes it's a treat just to have my vegetables cooked instead of raw. With salt, of course.
I fix 99% fat free turkey patties & low fat ground beef patties on the George Foreman grill & usually eat them smothered in dill mustard (sugar free), no bun. Sometimes I cook them with jalapenos or other veggies inside the patties.
Training days, I allow myself 1 hour post workout to eat as much as I want (but only the first workout, if I train again later in the day). I try to get up to 24oz. protein, preferably whey, within 15 min. of finishing a workout, and a vegetable or fruit. I try to resist grains because I don't think I need them, unless it's before a race or a long bike session. If I do multiple training sessions with any time between, I try to eat on the go between them. I usually have my insulated lunch bag with milk (I get tired of whey shakes), veggies, etc. I don't usually need to eat before just a run if it's 14miles or less. When I do my long bike sessions, though, I eat some grain source w/ protein, like a peanut butter (preferably organic & natural) sandwich (low fat, sugar free bread).
I love sweets, so I try to keep a lot of fruit on hand to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Carb loading: I eat organic whole grain brown rice. I cook up a bunch & eat on it starting two days before a race. I can heat it up with cinnamon and milk, or throw on low-fat organic pasta sauce, or just salt.
Race morning I have oatmeal, 3 hard-boiled egg whites, and 1 c. cantaloup slices. If it's an out of town race, I just take the oatmeal in a container and add water the night before and eat it without cooking it the next morning.
The night before a half iron distance, I usually eat everything in sight. I just feel hungry.
I don't typically cook many meals. I prepare food on the weekends and grab it and go or dish it up as needed.

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Ironman Preparations
 

Gina Bolton

Hey Mike,

First off, good luck on your upcoming Ironman! I thought I would try give my opinion on some of your questions, but do realize that I have only done one Ironman, so my experience is limited. I do however, plan to do lots more because they are a blast...with a side of pain If you'd like to ask me more, feel free to e-mail me at grvfrog@juno.com.
First off, realize that everyone is different! What works for one, may not work for another. Sounds like you have been practicing your nutrition in training and that's exactly what you should do! Try it out and get comfortable with it. As to whether or not you need to bring your own nutrition, that depends. Have you been training with what will be available on the course? The website will list what will be provided at aid stations. If so, the aid stations are frequent enough to get what you want, it's all a matter of stopping/slowing down to get it. For me, I used Perpetuem on the bike which is NOT on the course, so I carried my own and had a spare bottle in special needs in case I dropped my current bottle (being short and female is an advantage to not needing so many calories so I was able to make up a 6-7 hour bottle and sip on it and then just switch out fresh water bottles in my other cage). On the run, I used hammergel, so I again carried my own, but my stomach wasn't really liking it. You want to practice nutrition to know what your body can handle/needs, but realize that race day and conditions doesn't mean that your stomach will like it that day. So, have a plan B...and C I switched to coke halfway through the marathon and it was a miracle drug for me! And it's a good thing you mentioned electrolytes! Make SURE you take those. Last year Kentucky was HOT and looks to be the same this year. I used endurolytes (obviously, I am a hammer nutrition lover). To clarify, I did IMAZ so it was hot there too. I took 4-6 per hour on the bike. I think people tend to take too MANY calories in than too less because they think it's such a long event that they gotta eat a lot. Well, at elevated HR's your body can only breakdown so much per hour. People that take in too much end up with the 'stomach shutdown' where the stomach starts to feel sloshy, etc.
Special Needs: For the bike I packed spare nutrition in case something happened to it on the bike. I also packed some food that was different in flavor. After awhile, the same flavor can get old and not satisfying. Perpetuem is sweet...I had also carried along a granola bar, gel, etc. All sweet! So, in my special needs bag, I had salt and vinegar chips! Also, a friend suggested perhaps having some mints to suck on. I then packed flat repair supplies such as a spare tube and CO2 cartridges. Don't go too crazy, you don't get your special needs bags back so unless you don't mind getting rid of something espensive, I wouldn't put anything worth too much in them. Some people put spare tires in as well, but that falls into the expensive category for me and I opted not to. I ended up not stopping for my bike special needs since I was good to go at the halfway point.
Run special needs: I had very little in here: spare socks, more endurolytes in case I dropped mine, more gel, and my treat: fun size bag of m&m's! And I DID stop for those! Mmmm, chocolate! Although, learn from my mistake, do not inhale m&m's until water is in hand. Minor details! Some people put in a long sleeve shirt in their run bag since when the sun goes down it might get cool. I'm a furnace when working out so didn't think that was necessary. Again, careful about what you put in it because you don't get it back (you do get transition bags back though!)
Changing: Are you asking about clothing here? Changing is not a problem. The change tents are great, although can be crowded, but I had no problem getting a seat. So, if there are certain clothes that are more comfortable to bike in and others to run in, I say CHANGE! You definitely want to be as comfortable as possible, the day is hard enough as it is. For me, I had the advantage of the Arizona climate: DRY. So, I did my swim/bike/run in the same tri-shorts because I knew that once I got on the bike, they would dry quickly, and they did! Matter of minutes! Kentucky will likely be more humid, but with the heat, I'm sure they will dry as well, personal preference. I then (being a girl) kept the same sports bra on the entire time and just switched tops. I wore a bike jersey for the bike because of the pockets and then switched to another top for the run.
Hmmm, other tips...I can't really think of anything. Just enjoy the day. Oh, a couple more things...I set the repeat countdown timer on my watch to remind me to eat on the bike because I usually don't feel hungry and can get behind quick so that helped me to stay on track. I set it for 20 min. and took in nutrition everytime it went off. On the run, I just took in nutrition at aid stations so that helped to remind me. Also, it will be hot and you will want to drink lots, but be careful about drinking too much. Again, sloshy stomach, yucky feeling. What I did was take in my nutrition, get some water/coke at the beginning of the aid station and then they had ice at the end. I would put ice in my mouth as I ran out of the aid station and allow it to slowly melt in my mouth as I ran on to the next aid station. And be careful about pouring water/sponges on you. It will drop down into your shoes and can cause blisters. Also, take the few seconds it takes to make sure you get sunblock on well during transitions. Running sunburned is not fun and you'll end up losing more time that it would have taken to put it on. I saw lots of lobsters at IMAZ!

Gina
 

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Swimming Technique (in a note to Rocio)

Zach Marshall

Total Immersion Example Swim Video

This one was shared by Bob Wiskera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4