Race day aromatherapy uses to give you an athletic edge

With the last Wednesday in June, our "Essential Oils for Athletes"series comes to a close. Dawn and I talk about quick pick me ups mid race.
For July we will be focusing on training camp recipes. This are simple recipes that are easy to prepare on the road and pack a huge flavor and nutritional punch. Plus they are an easy and  delicious way to get in calories when you are just to tired to eat (yes, it does happen). Look for those coming next month.

My 8 mile Capital Reef “Ultra”

Blog post written by Shawn Burke



My 8 mile Capital Reef “Ultra”

It’s Monday and that of course means an “Easy 8” is on the menu. 

In AB (Atlantic Beach) an easy 8 is all about the “3 S’s” which are Shorts, Shoes and Shades.  Ok…maybe if you are with GF (Greek Freak) there might be another “S” J  BUT….being that we are in Southern Utah near Capital Reef, my 8 mile run had a supply list that was a little more extensive.  Shorts, Shoes, Shades, Base Layer, Shirt, Buff, Phone, Knife, TP, $10, Garmin, Gel and water.  Yes…all this for an 8 mile run.  In my defense it was the desert and I was doing a trail run.

I head out from our cabin and it is really pretty chilly.  I start my normal “self-chatter” and I gloat a little for being smart enough to think of the “Buff”.   I also notice that the shirt I am wearing smells a LOT like the BBQ I cooked last night.  I still think "man, I am smart for dressing warm."

I cross the paved street and head immediately into the desert on a fire road.  I am running along and I think, "Man…I need to run more…I am seriously hurtin’ and I just started"

This week at the races June 15-29

Shawns on vacation and I have turned into Howard Hugh's for the past 2 weeks leading up to my 1st IM of the year next week. I KNOW I did not have any athletes race this past weekend, I am just not sure about the other coaches. If you raced, I will get you in next weeks email. PROMISE. It is going to be a big post too so be prepared next Monday morning. 5 different IM's and Western States 100 all in the same weekend!!!!
 This is from Shawns email last week:

I am not sure that I will have a chance to write this next week and I am also not sure if all the travelers will have internet so…good luck to ALL the crew racing next weekend!!!

In Ironman Austria, good luck to Eric Loveless, Karel and Marni Sumbal.

Good luck to Walter Arnold in Celtman – it is a VERY hard course similar to Norseman…I am jealous http://www.cxtri.com/

Good luck to Drew Cown, Julie Kowal, Dan Kowal, Lucy Croft and Eric Lashaway at Ironman CDA…I love that course!!!

Last but definitely not least…good luck to my training partner Jen Vogel at Challenge Atlantic City…it’s a Bay not a Gulf and the sharks stay in the ocean – stop worrying – WOOYBIGT!!!

Add to this my girl Lisa Klueppel doing her FIRST Ironman at CDL and our very own Coach Katie taking on Ironman France with her husband, Jon.

That is a lot of races to follow!! Luckly they are all in different time zones so you have well over 17 hrs of tracking fun.

This is what my Ironman taper has become

Creating calming pre-race rituals with Florida Coastal Cooking

"OH MY GOD!!! ITS RACE DAY!!! I CANT BREATH!! I CAN'T DO THIS!! I AM GOING TO DIE!!!"
Have you been there before? I know I have. Thankfully it has been a long time but none the less the thought of getting in the water with 2,000 of your closest friends is a bit unnerving. This week Dawn with Florida Coastal Cooking  shows us how to make a calming lavender spray to use on race morning and in the weeks leading up to the race. I go over race mantras and a simple 3 part yoga breath.

This Week (two weeks) in Racing June 1- June 15

Again, I missed a week and a few athletes. I am really really sorry as I do not want any VMS athletes hard work to go unrecognized, we are just trying to figure out the "flow".

First up from last weekend Congrats to Todd “PB” at Ironman Boise 70.3.  Todd went 4:56 and finished in a very solid 101^st in the overall.  It still amazes me how competitive certain age groups are and the M30-34 and M35-39 is just silly fast.  Keep up the great work…very happy for you!!! - Shawn 

Shawns weekly email June 9-15

A full week at home and in the office and I am finally caught up…time to leave again J

It was really nice to be around all week after being in Germany last week. 

Training was easier with a set schedule and I also had LOTS of company for key sessions which is great.

The next 2 weeks I am out west for work and vacation and I am really looking forward to it.

People always say “It must be so hard to travel so much” and it is difficult but it is also VERY nice at times. 

This trip is to a 4-5 “star” hotel with Drew and Bone tagging along and an easy work schedule…bringing bike…trail shoes…summer in Park City, UT…yeah…it is hard to travel ;)

Enough BS…on to the gouge….

Off the front (the Sassy Section J)

Saturday – leaving the house at 6am for a long ride…be home around 10:30am – t-run 30 minutes.

Sunday –  leaving the house at 6am for a long run (16M) be home around 8:15am.

Results –

Congrats to Todd “PB” at Ironman Boise 70.3.  Todd went 4:56 and finished in a very solid 101^st in the overall.  It still amazes me how competitive certain age groups are and the M30-34 and M35-39 is just silly fast.  Keep up the great work…very happy for you!!!

I missed a shout out to the Delafina Girls at the State Road Race – congrats to Magda 2^nd, Rebekah 3^rd and Sharon 3^rd !!! Nice podiums!!!  Nice work!!!

Oh yeah – and Happy 40^th Birthday A-A-RON!!!

Racing this weekend –

Good luck to all the crew at the BFAST.

Good luck to the Shaved legged tough guys and Delafina Girls at Ocala in the “almost” Stage Race.

Training –

Saturday –

Heading outside at 6am for long ride – get in 2 big loops of Nocatee then link up with the group.

Back at the house at 10:30 for 30 minute T-run off the bike.

Shower…lunch with Bone and Drew…then “How to Train your Dragon II” J

Saturday night is date night with @angrywoman (yes…that is REALLY her twitter nameJ)

Sunday –

Leaving the house at 6:00am for 3-4M up front then meet group from One Ocean for 10M loop…adding in 2 off the back for a total of 16.

Sunday afternoon swim and then pack for 2 week trip out west…wow…that is a LOT of running socks J

Sunday night – Father’s Day family dinner with the family – yes – I’m cooking J

From the web –

We just went through this with Coen last week so I thought I would share ithttp://trainright.com/coming-back-from-a-stomach-bug-gastroenteritis-treatment-for-athletes/

Not SBR -

Funny video from JC - http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/n30nzb/sport-report---swimming-pools-for-football-fans---governors--hockey-wager?xrs=share_copy_email

Just for fun –

The bad part is HOW MANY of these “slams” actually apply!!!  http://nsmb.com/rap-battle-mountain-biker-vs-road-biker/

Local News –

For sports focused massage – check out Marjorie Dickinson (904) 945-4540,www.marjorielmt.blogspot.com, mdickinsonlmt@gmail.com

For personal training - Check out Joy Murphy.  She is teaching out of Ed Austin Park… check out the website at www.enjoyfitnessjacksonville.com  or contact Joy atenjoyfitnessjax@gmail.com  (904) 234-7258

That’s a wrap –

If we miss, watch out for text messaging soccer moms, pickup trucks, grey Porsche 911’s, pellet shooting panel vans, Jersey Shore a$$holes in blue and white mustangs on Roscoe Road and my carbon balls, gluten free pizza, electrolytes and kale – that is some funny sh!t!!!

“Rock the W”,

Shawn Burke

Velocity Multisport Coaching

http://vmscoaching.blogspot.com

sbkona@gmail.com

(904) 537-5294

"A scientific approach to coaching and training"

Why we think everyone should be riding DI2 shifting

If you have been hitting the group rides you will see a newer trend finally taking hold in Jacksonville this year: DI2 shifters. ALL the top female triathletes and most of the men have made the switch this season, even for our flat Florida landscape. Why is that?

An electronic system can have several advantages over a comparable mechanical system:

• eliminate the need for the rider to switch hand positions in order to shift (in the case of Shimano dual control levers for time trial and triathlon)
• allow for an accurate and effortless shift, even in difficult circumstances, such as if the rider has cold hands or is completely exhausted
• shifting performance is not affected by contaminated, stretched, or worn Bowden cables
• automatic trim function can eliminate chain rub
• the smoothness of electronics can reduce the shock on drivetrain components
• allow for two sets of gear controls, where cable shifted gears are limited to one. This is useful especially on Time Trial bicycles.

And lets face it... they just look damn cool and sound like your are driving a space ship. Do not underestimate the simple pleasures such as space ship sounds when you are 4 hrs into a 5 hour ride. Plus EVERYONE knows part of being fast is looking fast.

I will admit there are a few draw backs. In addition to finding people that know how to work on them (there is a reason Open Road Jax Beach is flooded with them, the guys there are good!)

• There is currently no option for manual override when the battery is exhausted. This could pose a problem for riders, depending on the type of terrain on which they are riding.
• As currently implemented, each shift requires an individual button push, while many mechanical systems can move the chain multiple cogs with a single lever movement.
• Cost: the system is expensive compared to lower end mechanical derailleur systems. 

Coach Katie recently took hers up to North Georgia for a weekend field test in prep for Ironman France.  All in all she loved how they handled. You can read her critic of them HERE

Coconut oil and oregano skin salve

On this week's episode with Florida Coastal Cooking, Dawn and I show you how to make a great salve using coconut oil and oregano. This time of year ,in the south especially, athletes are prone to the to the absolute most annoying athlete problem I can think of. Worse then bugs. Worse then heat and sun...... CHAFFING. The worst is you may think you have mastered every spot that may chaff and then you step into the shower and the reality hits you quick. YOU WERE WRONG. This simple salve speeds healing, keeps infections away and most of all stops the stinging.

running shorts waist band??? serious??

"Ride this Weekend"-Shawn's weekly email June 2nd-8th

Guten Morgen from Mühlheim an der Donau

It is REALLY early here in Germany (4am) and I am up so I can get in a short 45 minute run before heading off to the airport and flying home.

I lost count of the number of times I have been here but it is definitely over 50. 

The town is really small (2000 people) – think Mayberry RFD with a MUCH different accent.  

It also sits in one of the prettiest areas I know, right in the Donau River valley with perfect hills for running, biking or just walking all around.

I ran every day this week and I am going again this morning as it is just the perfect place to commune with nature.

Making your own with FCC and VMS: clove and magnesium oil muscle rub

Happy first Wednesday in June! I can not believe it is summer already and more so I can not believe I have my first Ironman of the year this month. Dang it came quick. In addition to demanding personal race schedules by our coaches this year,  Velocity Multisport  has some great stuff on tap for our athletes and the Jacksonville triathlon community. The first of which is our weekly video blogs with Dawn Hutchins, owner of Florida Coastal Cooking.

This Week at the Races May 26th- June 1st

First of all I would like to apologize and claim an epic bonk of a 20 mile run with no food up in Ashville for not including this in Last weeks email:

                                            HUGE Congrats to Curtis Long - Men's 40+ State Crit Champion!!

*I am actively working on accepting my role in things instead of my knee jerk reaction to tell "the truth" which would have been Shawn forgot to tell me. Since I already threw him under the bus this week and he is now getting his 10 year old a puppy, I will take full public responsibility for the over site. *