I made a lifestyle change of what I eat and made it part of my regular routine to exercise. I try to eliminate processed food as much as I can. The majority of my diet is natural foods which consist of vegetables, fruit and lean meats. I don’t deprive myself from foods I love, but I use moderation. I am conscious of what I eat to feed my body the nutrition it needs. Read the rest of this entry »
Athletic Mentee Cole Kuehl is putting the “multi” into “multisport.” The Gull Lake grad was recruited by Wisconsin Lutheran College to play not just one, but two of the sports he’s loved since the 8th grade: football and track. It’s an unusual scenario because most college-level sports programs demand focus on a single sport. But that’s just never been in Cole’s playbook.
“I love track – it gets my mind off of football,” he said, laughing. “You don’t get burned out. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
Cole is down-to-earth about his football prospects. There are too many injuries, as he knows first-hand from ACL and MCL issues with his knees, for it to be his forever game. At 6’4” with a 300lb+ frame, his stature can lead coaches to focus on his capacity for football and ignore his other desires, like track.
“I knew I needed to explore other things.” Instead, he looked for a college program that would nurture his love of multiple sports and his desire to one day work as a sports agent or Athletic Director.
“Wisconsin was a good fit. It’s located in the heart of Milwaukee, ten minutes from the Brewers and the Bucks. I love the program and the hometown feel,” he said.
Cole credits the Athletic Mentors program and coaches Mark Olson and Joey Chester for the success he’s earned on his quest for strength and efficient workouts. He’s been with Athletic Mentors for five years.
“I was a “big kid” and I knew I was strong but I didn’t know what to do with it,” he said.
Athletic Mentors gave him “serious training” to boost his bench press from 135 to 215 and deadlift to 450. But what they really helped him build was his confidence. “Joey and Mark have been my rock,” he said.
Cole’s mom, Barb Kuehl, swears by the Athletic Mentors program.
“He wouldn’t be where he is today without Athletic Mentors. It strengthened him a lot, not just body-wise, but mentally too. They helped him become well-rounded so he could perform in multiple sports. It’s more than just training; its spiritual and physical development for a healthier you.”
Mark Olson, coach and co-owner of Athletic Mentors, credits Cole’s achievement to his unrelenting commitment to his training over the past five years.
“Cole’s been a fixture in our gym, and that kind of dedication is what it takes to perform at a high level. He has a good head on his shoulders and will be a great team player for the Warriors. We’re proud of him, though we’ll miss him in the gym,” Olson said.
Cole called the college sports recruiting process “intense” and said he felt it was an emotional rollercoaster. “You can feel a bit broken down and beat up. You need to have very thick skin.”
He’s glad it’s over and is looking forward to suiting up for the Warriors first practice August 11th. For other youths finding their way on the field (or track), Cole has some sage advice.
“Just keep your head up. Always try to be your own leader in the weight room or on the field. You’ve got to enjoy whatever you’re doing.”
If you’re interested in working with an Athletic Mentors coach or participating in a group program for high school sports or hockey, check out available programs in our Registration area.
What do the Winter Olympics, the KOHA, and Athletic Mentors have in common? They’re scoring awareness for the sport of Girls & Women’s hockey.
This summer, Division I Northeastern Husky Forward Tessa Ward will suit up to help coach Mark Olson lead Athletic Mentors’ first Ladies Dryland Summer Training Camp. The freshman and her team earned the Hockey East Championship this season before being sidelined on the way to the NCAA’s Final Four.
For Ward, growing up with a dad in the NHL (Eddie Ward) and four brothers who vied for ice time in their backyard hockey rink, playing came naturally. The basement of her childhood home is still riddled with holes in the wall from their games of competitive mini-stick. Dad was in the mix, much to her mom’s chagrin.
Ward’s older brother, Keegan, now plays for Northern Michigan University. When they were younger, watching him play inspired her.
“I was so jealous. I saw him having fun on the ice, and thought I could do it better than him…” Ward recalls. She’s played since she was four years old, entirely on boys’ teams until Bantam major level. Then she switched over to girls hockey, playing on the Lansing Spartans.
“That’s when I really realized this was something I can do and want to do at the collegiate level.”
For Ward, the dryland camp is the kind of thing she wished she would have had growing up.
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“I think it would have been motivating to see girls my age working, getting stronger, growing in the game. I had to travel to play on a girls’ team. It’s great they’re building a program. I’m really looking forward to mentoring young girls.”
Ward credits in part the Team USA Women’s Olympic win this year with the surge in popularity experienced in women’s hockey. “I think it’s shown a lot of girls that hockey is a sport was can all play. It’s not just for boys anymore.”
Earlier this year, the Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association teamed up with Athletic Mentors to offer 40 girls, ages 8U to 16U, an opportunity to train both on and off the ice. The program turned heads at USA Hockey.
“The excitement and buzz that is surrounding girls and women’s hockey right now is contagious,” said Emily West, USA Hockey’s ADM manager. “The staff in Kalamazoo is continuing to go above and beyond for these girls and it’s an awesome thing to see how much those girls enjoyed the event.”
That trend will continue this summer in Richland under the tutelage of Coach Mark Olson, former D1 player and national champion, and Tessa Ward. In Dryland training, Athletic Mentor’s unique blend of performance-powered mental and physical conditioning with precise skill development will help serious players ratchet up their level of play. On-Ice skills and conditioning will also be available for those who want to hone their stride strength, power and explosive stops and starts. The coaching team includes former NHL Pro Eddie Ward; pro power skating coach Stacey Barber, and new team member, Nicole Reitz. For Ward, it’s a pleasure to work alongside one of her most influential coaches.
“I’ve worked with Mark since I was ten years old. I trust him as a trainer more than anybody else. He’s honest, works hard, and keeps you working towards a goal. He’s been wonderful to me and my brothers, and has taken me to the next level as a hockey player and a person.”
She hopes she can give some of that back to the program.
“My advice to younger girls is to keep working hard. Keep your head up, and have fun playing hockey. Make a goal and stick to it and don’t let anybody tell you no. Hockey is not just for boys anymore.”
For more information about Athletic Mentors’ program, visit Ladies Summer Dryland Camp or call 269.743.2277.
Athletic Mentors — the training and team management company responsible for elevating Michigan endurance athletes to recognition as “podium performers” — is ramping up for another strong showing for the 2018 race season.
The storied team of Michigan amateur triathletes, cyclists, runners and Nordic skiers will be suiting up with support from numerous community partners this year.
Training the next generation of multisport athletes is an activity that will continue to receive increased attention in 2018, building on workshops held last year for youth triathlete training and cycling clinics.
“Our mission is to introduce young athletes to the joy of endurance competition as a lifelong motivation for healthy living,” said Cheryl Sherwood, General Manager and co-owner of Athletic Mentors.
“It’s one of the many ways our sponsors are making Michigan a better place for active living.”
Back for a second year in the presenter role is Greenware, a Kalamazoo packaging company that caters to restaurant, event and entertainment service with an exclusive line of annually renewable drink cups, lids, portion containers and on-the-go boxes made entirely from plants. Parent company FabriKal is privately held and home to more than 800 employees. For Greenware, the AM team is an opportunity to encourage the community to enjoy the outdoors and keep it green.
After a season break, OAM NOW is back in the fold as a major sponsor. OAM NOW offers urgent orthopaedic care from the best orthopaedic surgeons available. With 30 experienced physicians and PAs specializing in motion; spine; joints; hands and feet, OAM is uniquely qualified to give immediate diagnosis and customized care to athletes. With all diagnostic technologies onsite, OAM NOW offers fast, unified care whether you’re on the couch or on the trail.
Rounding out the premium level of support are three community-minded West Michigan companies.
Gauthier Family Home Care provides elder and home care with an emphasis on independence and an improved quality of life. This family-owned business understands the struggles of in-home care and works with clients to create tailored care solutions. Their compassionate, professional caregivers go the extra mile to provide dependable comfort.
Total Plastics Inc. distributes thousands of diverse plastics across the US. They provide top-quality products with superior service and swift shipping. Dedicated staff, value-added services, and quick turn-around set them apart.
Agility Sports Medicine serves the Kalamazoo area with comprehensive orthopedic physical therapy. They employ one of the most heavily-certified staffs in the region, featuring two Board-Certified Clinical Specialists in Orthopedics and the only Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy in Southwest Michigan.
Additional team support comes from the following: Infinit Nutrition, Smith Optics, Giordana, First Endurance, KLM Fitness, Custer Cyclery, Speed Merchants Bike Shop, Giant and the Cross Country Ski Shop. Learn more about our sponsors.
Athletic Mentors continues to serve as the title sponsor for the team as well as the management company that operates it.
“We’re committed to keeping endurance athletes of every age moving. And nothing motivates a commitment to training more than a race,” Sherwood said.
The team regularly operates free introductory clinics to help amateur or would-be endurance athletes prepare for local races such as the GR TRI, the Cycling Lawyer Criterium, or the Michigan Titanium, mother of multisports.
Athletic Mentors, founded in 2002, continues to expand at a record pace. In 2016, it purchased a new home for its Richland training facility and fitness drop-in center. Last year, in partnership with the Wings West facility in Kalamazoo, Athletic Mentors opened a second center to keep young hockey and figure skaters in top form with off-ice training programs.
AM also offers adult fitness programs, classes, metabolic testing and sports camps. Previously, Athletic Mentors has managed the award-winning Bissell cycling team, the Priority Health Team and OAM NOW.
Kim Wood, owner of Speed Merchants cycling shop, was recently diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Our hearts are with him and his family during this incredibly tough time. Please join us in our support.
Speed Merchants supported Athletic Mentors when it first managed a start-up pro cycling team and has been there supporting every team we’ve managed since. They are dedicated to promoting active living in Michigan and have done an awesome job of taking care of our athletes and clients.
We are profoundly grateful to Kim and his team for his support. He has given so much to our community, and we’d like to return the favor.
Donate to Kim and his family at:
https://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser-1013849
This blog is a continuation from my last blog post “My Kona Journey: Part 5”. I would suggest reading that blog before reading this one.
“The five S’s of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit.”
– Ken Doherty
I did it! I achieved my biggest goal of my Ironman career! I qualified for Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Focus now: recover from Ironman Brasil and start ramping up training for Kona. During the 2 week rest and recovery after Brasil, I have to admit that the post-season blues set in. I know this sounds strange because I had accomplished my biggest goal… but suddenly, I didn’t have that next big goal to chase. Don’t get me wrong; I was very happy that I qualified to compete at Hawaii in October. But, I knew that I needed a new, challenging goal to chase to keep me focused in training and, probably most importantly, to keep my motivation high for those hard training days ahead. After much thought and discussion with my coach, I determined that a top 5 finish in my age group at Kona fit the bill perfectly. The top 5 athletes per each age group are recognized at the Award Ceremonies the following day after the race. It is the highest honors that an amateur Ironman athlete can earn.
Finishing in the top 5 at Kona will be no easy task. I will need a good training plan, to stay injury-free, and to stay highly motivated. Most importantly, I need to believe that I could achieve this goal. There have been a few athletes that I’ve raced against locally around Michigan who have finished in the top 5 at Kona. So I had a good idea on where I stacked up in the competition. Also I’m a tall and lean athlete which puts me at an advantage of dissipating heat as long as I can stay hydrated. My current level of fitness was a little behind where I needed to be to achieve a top 5 podium spot, so my coach and I laid out a plan of attack to put me in the best possible position at Hawaii.
Looking over the past year results at Kona there was a very consistent trend for the top 5 times. For the swim the top 5 have been around a hour or 1-2 mins faster. For the bike the top 5 have been between 4:53 to 5:00 hours- which are fast times considering the heat and the wind. For the run the marathon times have been between 3:00 to 3:10 hours. I felt comfortable doing the swim in a hour or less considering I’ve always been under a hour in my past Ironman competitions. My coach and I felt that the bike was the area where I needed the most improvement- I needed to get 5 to 10 minutes faster on the bike to put me under a 5 hour bike time. As for the run, as long as I rode within myself on the bike and properly hydrated I can run between a 3:05 to 3:10 hour marathon. I was a little surprised that I was not too far off from a top 5 performance. However, I may be a little naive since I never raced in the Kona. But, I made it this far and I was determined to do my best… “go big or go home!”
Once we had a plan of attack I started getting back into a normal training routine 2 weeks after Ironman Brasil. Coming off of Ironman Brasil I needed those 2 easy “down” weeks so I could recover physically and mentally. In addition, shortly after the race, I was sick for 5 days which added additional stress to my body. Mentally it took me 10 days to get my desire to start training hard again. When I got back to training the strategy was to focus on the bike and maintain my swim and run fitness.
During the month of June I gradually ramped up my training from 8 hours per week to 16-17 hours per week. On June 17th I did the Kalamazoo Klassic 10K and 5K. I won the 10k which was my 3rd 10k title at the Klassic and one hour later I finished 2nd in the 5K run in a time of 16:15. Overall I thought it was a successful day considering it was only 3 weeks post Brasil. The Klassic is one of my favorite races in Kalamazoo due to the support and people so I always like to fit it in my schedule if I can.
When I got to July my training was going really well. I was having some of my best long rides of my career. I was executing or exceeding my power targets during all of my bike workouts. On July 16th I did the Tri Del Sol Olympic distance Triathlon which was a breakthrough race for me. I had a good swim, a great bike, and a solid run. During the swim I was in the lead after 200 yards and stayed in the lead for the rest of the race. 
I had my best career power average on the bike. I broke my previous best olympic distance power average by over 20 watts for the 23 mile bike ride. By the time I got to the run I had a 3 minute lead so I could relax and enjoy the run a little bit. My Tri Del Sol performance was a big confidence booster heading into August where I planned on doing the USAT Olympic Distance Age Group Nationals in Omaha, Nebraska.
The biggest racing month of the year for me was in August. In August, I did the Ready or Not 5k, USAT Nationals, and Michigan Titanium. The Ready or Not 5k is a small local race in Otsego, MI that is put on by the Otsego High School running club. I’ve been doing this race since 2001 when I was a freshman at Otsego. It’s always been a tradition for me to do this race every year to support the club. This year the course was changed due to construction so it ended up being 3 miles instead of 3.1 miles. I ended up finishing 2nd in a time of 15:19 which I was happy with considering I haven’t ran that fast in over 3 years. The overall winner was the very talented Alex Comerford who is a Junior at Otsego.
The following weekend after the Ready or Not was USAT Nationals which took place on August 12th. I put high expectations on myself going into Nationals. Base on my Tri Del Sol performance in July I felt that I was going to have my best finish ever at Nationals. My previous best overall finish was 17th however each year Nationals get more and more competitive so you have to keep improving just to keep up. I’ve been doing the USAT Olympic distance Nationals since 2013 so I had a good sense of the competition and were my current fitness would place me in the overall rankings. On race day I felt rested and ready to go. I did a 2 mile run warm up that felt great so I knew my run legs were ready to go fast. During the race I had a solid swim and got out of the water in my highest position ever. I was excited to start the bike leg because this was my biggest improvement for the year. I rode well for the first 5 minutes then later on I was not holding my goal power. I wasn’t feeling as powerful on the bike like I did in Tri Del Sol. So I had to forget about riding at goal power and instead focus on holding a consist power and try to negative split the 2nd half. I did negative split the ride and it still ended up being my 2nd best career power average for the bike leg. When I started the run my legs were feeling great. At the .5 mile marker my watch was showing a 5:24 min mile pace so I knew I was going to have a good day on the run. I ended up running the flat 10k course in a 33:18 which was the 2nd fastest run of the entire competition. In fact that was the fastest road 10k time I ever ran period! I ended up finishing 3rd in my age group and 8th overall in the competition. If I had a better bike I could’ve climbed a few more spots but overall I was still happy with how the race went. It was my highest finish at Nationals.
The final race in August was Michigan Titanium. My original plan was to do the half iron distance. However, I had a issues with my left calf that was giving me some discomfort when I ran on it. I was concern about running on my calf and making it worse so I decided to do a Full Aquabike instead. The Full Aquabike was a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike. In hindsight it was the right call because the big goal was to stay healthy for Kona. I ended up winning the Full Aquabike and it was a great Ironman training day! To recap the race, on race morning it was really fogging on the lake which made it difficult to sight buoys during the swim. At the start of the swim I took the lead and then I eventually got lost halfway through the first lap. In fact, I had to stop swimming to ask a Kayaker where the next buoy was at. Fortunately everyone else got lost behind me as well so I was just the leader of the lost boy’s club. The fog eventually cleared up and by the 2nd lap of the swim I was able to find my way around the course. I was the first athlete out of the water and the first to start the bike. My goal for the bike was to break 5 hours which was 22.4 mph average. My biking legs were feeling good and I ended up riding the 112 mile course in a 4:53! For once I paced the ride very evenly and I didn’t have any really bad patches. I beat my previous best Ironman bike distance by 10 minutes and Titanium was a hard course! It was just one of those days where things were clicking. Now if I can do that same ride in Kona then I’ll be in a good position coming off the bike.
After Michigan Titanium I had one more race before Kona and that was the Reeds Lake Triathlon Olympic Distance on September 9th. 
I didn’t have any high expectations for Reed’s Lake but I just wanted to do a race in September to keep my competitive spirit going. In addition, I’ve never did Reeds Lake so it’s always been a bucket list race. I ended up finishing 2nd overall in the race behind Todd Buckingham who finished 3rd overall at the USAT Nationals this year. The morning race temperatures were in the low 50s which is cold for a triathlon. I was able to stay warm during the swim because of the wetsuit and thermal cap but once I got to the bike I froze. On the bike my feet and hands were numb. When I got to the T2 transition it took me longer than usual to unclip my helmet and put my run gear on because I had hardly any grip strength with my frozen hands. When I started the run I could not get my legs to go at all because they were so cold. It was a weird feeling to not feel your feet during the first few miles of the run. I just had to laugh it off and just keep running along. I was able to see the race leader and I figured out that he had at least a 3 minute lead on me. I was in 2nd place and there was no way that I was going to catch the race leader so I just ran fast enough to hold onto my position. What I enjoyed most about this race was the food and beverages afterwards:)
In summary I had my best summer triathlon season ever. I was faster in every race compared to previous years. After Reeds Lake I had 5 weeks to go to Kona. The next 5 weeks would be solely focused on Ironman training and tapering for the big race.
The post My Kona Journey – Part 6 by Brian Reynolds appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.
This blog is a continuation from my last blog post “My Kona Journey: Part 4”. I would suggest reading that blog before reading this one.
“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.”
– Arnold Schwarzenegger
The alarm goes off at 4:00am and I’m already wide awake filled with nervous energy. I thought to myself 3 hours from now I will be toeing the line for Ironman Brasil. I woke up to rain droplets hitting our hotel. The forecast showed light rain showers and temps in the high 60s throughout the day so I put on a rain jacket to keep dry. I had my usual breakfast which was oatmeal with protein powder mixed in. After eating I walked down to our hotel lobby to take a shuttle bus to the race transition area. The shuttle ride was slow due to the pedestrian and car traffic. When I got to the transition area I dropped off my special need bags and then I went to set-up my bike. I loaded up my nutrition bottles on the bike, pumped up the tires, setup the bike computer, and pre-clipped my bike shoes.
After getting setup in transition and put on my wetsuit in a dry area and started my half mile walk to the swim start. When I got near the swim start I got into the ocean and did a 5 minute warm up swim. The ocean was really calm which put me at ease considering the tides we had a few days ago. After warming up I had 30 minutes until my 7:05am wave start for the 30-34 age group. During that time I drank some Ucan and took-in other nutrition to get fueled up before the start. The Pro men started at 6:35am and the Pro women started at 6:45am. My wave started after the Pro Women. The race officials lined us up at the start line 15 minutes prior to the start. The race was a beach start so the race officials lined us up 10 meters away from the shoreline. It felt like an eternity waiting at the start line. During the wait, I stared out into the ocean thinking to myself that this was exactly what I envisioned in my head over a 1000 times during training.
Once the volunteers moved out of the way and lowered the start-line tape it was game on. BANG!! The cannon went off and over 300 athletes sprinted into the Atlantic Ocean. I ran about 30 yards before jumping in the water to begin my swim. There was a group of 8-10 guys that took off ahead of us within the first 200 yards. I ended up swimming with a pack of 8 guys during the first half of the swim. The swim course was set up as a “M” shape meaning we swam a 2.2K out and back then another 1.6K out and back. At times it was challenging to sight the first turnaround buoy because it was still dark and my goggles were fogging up. I mainly focused on drafting behind the swimmers in my group to save as much energy as possible. Within the group there was a lot of contact- so got hit and kicked several times. We rounded the first buoy and swam back to shore. Heading back out, the sun was higher in the sky, so it was easier to sight. Hitting the shore a second time, we ran onto the beach and went around a few cones before running back into the Ocean. At this point we another 1.6K of swimming left to go..
When I entered the water again I noticed that the group that I was swimming with were more spread apart. Since I didn’t have a group to swim with, I swam behind one of the stronger swimmers from that group for the next 300 meters. At this point the 35-39 age group leaders were starting to pass us so I made a surge and got behind them. After 200 yards I lost contact with the 35-39 age group leaders and I swam solo until the swim finish. In hindsight I probably shouldn’t have made a surge since I only got a small lead on the group that I swam with earlier. I came out of the 2.4 mile swim in a time of 55:08 which was a personal best for a Ironman swim. It was a fast swim considering the saltwater for the extra buoyancy and ocean currents pushing us along.
We had to run about .3 miles to the transition. I ran by my dad just before entering transition and he yelled out “You’re in 15th place”. To qualify for Kona I needed to be in the top 8 of my age group to guarantee a slot. I had a smooth T1 transition even though the transition area was slippery from the rain. There were athletes sliding and falling but luckily I had no issues. When I got on the bike and started pedaling the legs were feeling good. My mantra for the first few hours of the bike was to hold back and stay at my goal wattage. I waited 10 minutes into the bike before taking in nutrition to make sure my stomach had settled after the swim. My nutrition plan was to take 273 calories every hour which equates to one bottle per hour.
The course was mostly flat during the first 30 minutes until I got to the first major climb. The climbs were long and gradual but I made sure that I kept a steady effort. On the steeper uphill sections I would pedal standing up so I could work different muscles and give other muscles a break. I felt strong up the hills. After the hilly section it was mostly flat and fast. On the flats I stayed in the aero position. The roads were wet and periodically there would be a light rain showers. The roads were slippery so I took extra caution going around turns. I saw a few riders fall on some of the hairpin turns. There were large water puddles on the road which made it dangerous to ride through because you didn’t know what was underneath the puddle. There was one rider 50 yards ahead of me that hit a pothole and his bike catapulted him over the handlebars. He never saw the pothole because it was hidden under a water puddle.
I felt good all the way though the first lap of the bike. My first lap split was 2:27 which put me on pace to be under 5 hours for the bike. When I started the 2nd loop the winds picked up in speed which made the course slower. At the 2:45 hour mark my Quarq power meter started to malfunction due to the wet conditions. My power meter was reading very low power numbers which made it useless since the numbers had no meaning to me. To help monitor my pace/intensity I switch to my heart rate monitor. I tried to stay at around 158 bpm since this was my heart rate when I started to track it. Hard to say if that heart rate was keeping me within my proper power zones. I was just trying to keep the intensity consistent. This was the first time my power meter completely malfunctioned, so it was terrible timing that it happened in a race. Throughout my training I relied on my power to monitor my pace and intensity.
At the 3:30 hour mark my legs were favoring a lower cadence which meant that my legs were getting fatigued. At the 4 hour mark my legs were really hurting which became obvious as I was struggling on my smallest gear going up the major climbs. On the first loop the major climbs felt easy. Also I was a little behind my nutrition plan because I didn’t finish my fourth bottle until the 4:20 hour mark. The last hour of the bike was just survival mode to get to T2. I just focused on giving it everything that I had. When I finished the bike I still had a half bottle of nutrition leftover. I finished the 112 mile bike in a 5:02:50 which was a personal best.
When I got off my bike and started running through transition I was not feeling good. My legs were stiff and I didn’t feel comfortable. My goal for the marathon was to run a sub 3 hour which was a 6:53 pace. I took the first mile conservative at a 7:05 pace. During the run my stomach was a little upset so I wasn’t able to take in nutrition until 20 mins into the run. However, my running legs did start to feel better by mile 2 and I began running 6:40-50 pace. The most challenging part of the course was the first 10 km. At the 4 km mark we had to run up two very steep hills. The 2nd hill was so steep that I had to power-walk it. The descent on these hills were very steep so I had to keep the pace super slow so I didn’t fall over. I ran with another competitor side by side during the first 10km which was nice. I tried to make small talk with him but he didn’t speak very much english. We passed at least 30 people running together. I passed more people the first 10km of the race than I did during the remainder of the marathon.
After the first 10 km it was mostly flat the next 20 miles. From miles 6 to 12 I was holding 6:45 pace and was feeling good. I began opening up a gap on the my fellow competitor who I was running with side by side. I was taking in nutrition but I was still behind my nutrition plan. One hour into the run I was suppose to take 2 flasks of Infinit but I only had one. When I got near mile 13 I was starting to feel light headed and low on energy. I felt low on energy because I was behind on my calorie count. Thankfully the 2nd flask I took before mile 13 was starting to kick in and I got my energy back. I ran a 7:05 for mile 13 and then I picked up the pace to a 6:50 mins per mile.
I felt alright the next 10 km but I could tell I was on the edge of falling off pace. I KNEW if I did not keep taking my nutrition I going to hit the wall. With 12 km to go I stopped at the special needs station to pick up 2 more flasks of Infinit and took a quick walk break. This was the only time I walked besides the power-walk up the very steep hill. After the special needs I was holding onto 7:00 – 7:07 pace. It was in survival mode at this point. There were a LOT of people on the run course during my final lap. I had to maneuver around a lot of runners, which is hard when your legs and body are at their physical limits. I almost fell over when I tried to dodge a orange cone.
I was able to finish all of my nutrition with a mile left to go in the race. During the entire run I had no idea where I stood in my age group placement. With 1 km left until the finish my dad yelled out “You’re in 7th place!”. I was relieved to hear those words because I knew I qualified for Kona. I got an extra surge of energy and I was able to break 7:00 mins for the last mile. My official marathon time was a 3:00:06 which is a Ironman PR. After I finished I didn’t know the official results until a few hours later. The official results showed that I finished 2nd in my Age Group in a total time of 9 hours 4 minutes and 3 seconds. I was ecstatic! I did it! I’m going to KONA baby!
The following day was the award and the Kona slot allocation/roll down ceremonies. I got a big trophy for finishing 2nd in my age group.
After the age group and professional awards they did the Kona slot allocation and rolldown. Ironman Brasil had a total of 75 Kona Slots. For my age group they gave 8 Kona slots just like I predicted. When the announcer called my name I gladly walked on stage and accepted my slot to Kona. They gave me a Hawaiian lei and token which read “Qualified for 2017 Ironman World Championship”. The back of the token had the Ironman slogan “Anything is Possible”.
Overall Ironman Brasil was a huge success! I accomplished my main goal which was to qualify for Kona. Anything more was just icing on the cake. Now I had a place to be on October 14th, 2017 which was at the pier in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
To be continued….
The post My Kona Journey: Part 5 appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.
Failing to plan is planning to fail. We’ve all heard this, and somewhere along the way the value of laying out your preseason and training may start to look attractive. But what components should a training plan have? As a racer that later became a coach, plus the near 20 years of working with hundreds of athletes, I see a few themes repeat themselves when athletes fail to achieve their planned goals. With the off season soon upon us now is the time to start thinking about the big picture for next season. Here are five points a successful training plan will address to help you reach your cycling goals.
Realistic Numbers
Finding a training plan is not difficult. Finding your training plan is the hard part. What amount of volume is appropriate? What amount of intensity? Both of these components combined to give the workload an athlete will see. Many athletes think more is better. Though this might be the case if your body can handle it, too much is often a one way ticket to overtraining. It’s better to take an honest look at your yearly volume and increase it only 10-15%. Some weeks might see more, others less. Overdoing it won’t make one faster.
Adequate Rest
So much of what an athlete focuses on is the physical training. It makes sense that one of the first question most will ask when discussing a training plan is what workouts they’ll be doing. But, stressing the system is only part of the equation. Giving your body time to rest, recuperate, and adapt is where conditioning/fitness comes. This work versus rest balance not only involves day to day planning, but monthly and full season planning as well. Most athletes can tell when they are tired from recent training (acute fatigue). What is often missed is the thought of taking time off within a season. That seems counter-intuitive to purposely lose fitness so that you can train harder later. Getting the mix of weekly, monthly, and seasonal rest correct is one of the biggest challenges. Long term goals require a good balance of all three.
Proper Peaks
It is common for athletes that are adopting a training plan for the first time to be cautious of committing time periods to be at peak fitness. Most of this seems to stem from the belief that they will give up fitness and results in lesser events due to this focus. Most of the time this is not true. Sure, there is the chance that if you are dedicated to a given event, you might find your training has you a bit too tired to do your absolute best at a race a few weeks before. Or, the fact a late season race focus might have you starting a bit behind the 8 ball early is difficult to swallow considering your historical fitness at that time.
But, without a focus the other pieces of the season can’t be put in place. Training doesn’t really serve anything, and the body also doesn’t get to unload the stress its acquired through training. Having a peak period to anchor a plan will help you determine the right workouts, focus, and rest within a season.
Purposeful Objectives and Efficacy
The word “plan” implies a purpose. When it comes to athletes, that purpose is to get better. The best way to do just that is assessing weakness and tailoring training to improve in these areas. Given to our own device, most people spend most of their time doing what they are good doing.
Climbers climb more…people good on the flats stay away from the hills. The best opportunity to get faster in your given event is to determine what aspects of your abilities are holding you back and devise training that’s specific to improving these areas. And this is also the way to get the best return on investment. Off season, weekly, and monthly focus should be centered around training activities that address your weaknesses. But, this training has to be gauged for effectiveness. Periodically testing, whether by time or using a power meter, will determine if your training is having the desired effect. And the season should have different aspects that address the whole athlete’s needs. Even a great climber that has to climb in their events should have a plan that at least keeps that as a strength.
Flexibility
A good plan followed is better than a great plan ignored. Too often I see athletes that are slaves to their training plan. They look past obvious challenges, like recovery or the stress it puts on other aspects of their life, and soldier on. Or, they try to make up workouts after an illness, or attempt to train through times when they are sick. This never ends well. A training plan is a best guess, and should be “written in pencil” to allow changes as new and unexpected territory is being charted. Maybe a travel week was thrown at you by your boss. Or something on the home front is eating into effective recovery. And rarely does a season go by that an injury doesn’t keep us off the bike at some point. Even the most well thought out training plans require adjustments now and again. Not all variables can be known, and sometimes life proves we don’t even know what we don’t know. Small tweaks can allow training to stay consistent in the face of adversity, and the purpose of a block of training to still be realized. A training plan should work for the athlete, not the other way around.
There are many benefits to a well devised training plan. There are also many pitfalls. Learning to use it as a tool for training and not the reason we train is important. Being sure your plan possess the five elements here will improve the chances of being guided to a successful season. Enjoy your off season and here’s hoping for much success in 2018!
The post Planning for a Successful Season by Terry Ritter appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.
Coach Mark Olson pictured during K-Wings workout. Olson will now also head the Wings West off-ice training programs.
Come September, young athletes in Kalamazoo will be able to “get the edge” with world-class off-ice training programs thanks to a new partnership between Wings West of Greenleaf Hospitality Group and Athletic Mentors, the area’s premier athletic training organization for ice sports.
The first phase of the new training facility at Wings West, located off 9th Street in Kalamazoo, will focus on programs developed for the Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association (KOHA), the Greater Kalamazoo Skating Association (GKSA), and the Southwest Michigan High School Hockey League.
“We are excited see the new space come together,” says Danielle Brandenburg, General Manager of Wings West.
“The investment in the space will be well worth the positive impact it can have on youth sports in the area.”
The partnership has been met with enthusiasm by local hockey program leaders.
“Injury prevention is a key advantage to off-ice training with Athletic Mentors, along with helping athletes learn how to live a healthy lifestyle through nutrition programs,” said Kristen Crandle, President of GKSA.
Frank Noonan of the KOHA says his organization is “really looking forward to the competitive edge we will gain by working with the utmost premier hockey trainers in the area.”
Athletic Mentors will be working with the coaches to identify the overall goals of the teams and then design programs based on strengths and weaknesses. Mark Olson and Cheryl Sherwood, founders of Athletic Mentors, stress the importance of the customization of their programs.
AM Hockey operates summer hockey camps in dryland training shown here at the Richland facility, as well as on-ice speed skating and skill drills.
“Every athlete is unique and requires a customized strength training and skill development program that helps them achieve peak performance both individually and within the team dynamic,” said Mark Olson, head coach and co-founder of Athletic Mentors.
The AM Hockey coaches are no strangers to training on-ice athletes. Athletic Mentors works with the Kalamazoo Wings in-season to stay game-ready. The company is also widely known for its popular on-ice and off-ice hockey camps led by Olson, a former D-1 player, and key coaching staff Eddie Ward, former NHLer, and Stacie Barber, speed skating specialist. The summer programs blend performance-focused mental and physical conditioning with precise skill development to produce athletes who are ready to move up to the next level.
By early 2018, Athletic Mentors hopes to extend programming to meet the demand for community-wide health and fitness programs beyond hockey. Currently, the company offers sport programs in basketball, volleyball, soccer and football, as well as multi-sport training and coaching. Most recently, it has introduced individual fitness programs with metabolic testing, TRX bootcamp and Yoga classes at its Richland facility.
“We’d love to bring healthy living and recreation to the wider community of young athletes,” said Cheryl Sherwood, co-founder of Athletic Mentors and manager of the multi-sport team.
“It’s important to stay game-ready when you’re a team athlete. But it’s even more important to stay fit for life. And that starts with training smart.”
For more information on Wings West, KOHA, or GKSA, please visit www.wingseventcenter.com/p/venue-info/wingswest. To learn more about Athletic Mentors and their programs available, please visit AthleticMentors.com.
Wings West, owned and operated by Greenleaf Hospitality Group, is home to the Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association, Southwest Michigan High School Hockey League, Greater Kalamazoo Skating Association, and Adult Hockey leagues. Built in 2002, Wings West is a committed partner in bringing youth and adult ice sporting events to the Kalamazoo community.
Athletic Mentors — the training and team management company responsible for getting Michigan triathletes known across the region as “podium performers” — is delighted to launch its newest team partnership catering to Michigan multisport events and active living.
The team core of Michigan amateur triathletes, cyclists, runners and Nordic skiers will be suiting up with presenter-level support from Greenware for the 2017 season. It’s the beginning of a partnership that promises to ‘keep it green’ in Michigan.
“Greenware is in it for the long haul and so are we. It’s a perfect pairing with a forward-thinking brand designed to preserve earth’s resources while providing on-the-go packaging,” said team Manger Cheryl Sherwood of Athletic Mentors.
Greenware is a registered trademark of FabriKal, a Kalamazoo packaging company that caters to restaurant, event and entertainment service with an exclusive line of annually renewable drink cups, lids, portion containers and on-the-go boxes made entirely from plants. FabriKal is privately held and home to more than 800 employees.
For 2017, Athletic Mentors has elected to be the title sponsor for the team in keeping with the expansion of its Richland training facility, which now serves both elite athletes as well as regular active lifestyle seekers. With the expansion, AM now offers adult fitness programs, classes, metabolic testing and sporting camps. Previously, Athletic Mentors has managed the award-winning Bissell cycling team, the Priority Health Team and OAM-Now.
“Athletic Mentors is in a growth phase, and there’s no better way to show people what we do than titling the team – the proof is on the podium, so to speak,” Sherwood said. The new Athletic Mentors-Greenware Team will feature the same core of talent as prior iterations such as OAM and Priority Health teams.
“With the support of Greenware, we will take this organization to the next level in multisport performance. Our goal is to motivate Michiganders to get off the couch and hit the road or trail.”
Headed by John Kittredge, Greenware’s company ethos includes active living in Michigan’s environmentally preserved trails and natural resources.
“Anything we can do to promote active, healthy lifestyles in Michigan fits with our company mission to act responsibly as corporate citizens and contribute to both the well-being of our communities and the environment overall,” says Kittredge, himself a competitive cyclist.
“Our family has been innovative in environmental stewardship and alternate transportation, and we’d love to help motivate our employees and neighbors toward healthy lifestyles that indirectly impact both sectors. Learning to value the environment does not come from sitting on the couch,” Kittredge said.
In addition to team registration at numerous multisport events across Michigan this year, from Barry Roubaix to Michigan Titanium, the two companies also look forward to community outreach through appearances at schools, community events and athletic clinics.
For more information on Team events, opportunities or appearances, visit http://www.teamathleticmentors.com.
For a media interview or speaker scheduling, contact
Cheryl Sherwood, Co-Owner
Athletic Mentors
269.664.6912
or email: Cheryl@athleticmentors.com
Athletic Mentors LLC, is a west Michigan-based athletic training and sports management company that offers individual training, team training programs, clinics, elite hockey programs and sports management services. For more information about Athletic Mentors or becoming a supporter, visit www.AthleticMentors.com.
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