Plan ahead for vacation in your training schedule

It’s easy to forget to inform your coach that you’re going on vacation, because you may not think about it messing with your training. Trust us, it almost always does. Letting your coach know when you’re going on vacation helps build a smarter training schedule, especially if you have a big race coming up.

On that note, ideally DO NOT plan a vacation within a week or two ahead of your A race for the season. It’s tough, we know, since summer schedules are hectic and that may be the only way to go on vacation. Just know that a vacation right ahead of the race—unless it’s a vacation specifically for training/tapering heading into the race and the family is on board with that—is not going to be ideal. It also takes a bit of fun out of vacation if you’re thinking about your big race, honestly.

In an ideal world, a vacation is the perfect way to celebrate your A race being finished (and a good way to apologize to your family for how focused you’ve been…)

Be realistic about your available training time

Often, clients we chat with see vacation as a chance to do big miles… until they get there are quickly remember that living in a hotel room or beach house isn’t as simple as they anticipated, and days are somehow more jam-packed than a 9 to 5!

We actually recommend thinking about the ‘worst case’/’lowest available time’ as you’re planning for your vacation, and if you get to add in some bonus miles, great. But if you don’t, at least you weren’t planning a 20 hour week and ended up with 7. The more flexible you can be with training, the happier you’ll be at the end of the trip.

Pre-plan some compromises

If you’re on vacation with the whole family and still want to train, it’s best to pre-plan your training with your spouse/partner/the grandparents who are along as handy babysitters so you can schedule out the times where you can sneak away. (You will also want to allow your partner to do the same, so plan on being the parent who goes to the aquarium with the kiddos if your spouse takes them to the beach earlier that day.)

Even if you’re sans kids, pre-planning your big rides/runs is helpful—setting the expectations early regarding the time you’re spending together versus apart. Your partner might be expecting to go for long walks together in the afternoons, not hanging around the pool while you get in your long run.

Do the essentials early in the day

We talk about it for anytime, but vacations are even more fraught with ‘once the fay gets going, the schedule can change’ issues. Because of that, the 15 minute morning core/yoga/strength/jog becomes even more of a useful tool. Getting that quick win for the day in means that no matter what happens, you’ve done something and maintained training consistency.

If you do have a few key workouts that need to be done (i.e your A race is in 2 weeks and you have a couple final workouts on the schedule), try to get them in early in the day so you can get back to being in vacation mode.

Plan active family activities

Running around on the beach, playing frisbee with the kids, starting an epic splash fight in the pool, going on a family bike ride, getting surfing lessons—these may not be things that are on your training plan, but all movement is good movement! Consider setting up family challenges to see who can get the most steps in the day: Winner picks dinner, or the movie you’ll watch that night.

Focus on vacation benefits/what you can do

A chance to catch up on sleep, get your feet up, do some gentle yoga… Vacations can have plenty of athletic perks. Some hotels even have well-stocked gyms or classes that are included in your vacation package, and activities for kids so you can sneak in a workout guilt-free. Of course, there are downsides too, like if you’re in a situation where your healthy meal options are pretty limited.

There are plenty of things you can do to boost your overall wellness on vacation even in those situations: Making sure you’re drinking plenty of water along with those beachside margaritas, making it a goal to eat at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal.

Don’t forget to ENJOY your vacation

We see so many people panic about sneaking in rides/runs/strength while on vacation, and get so stressed about it that they end up forgetting to actually enjoy vacation at all. Even if it means you take a full week off and only do some morning core or yoga, we’ve found that if you actually are able to relax, destress, recover and spend good quality time with your loved ones, you come back more motivated and ready to train. Shoehorn training in, and you risk coming back grumpier and more tired than when you left!

Note: this is by NO means a comprehensive packing list, it’s more the “hmm” items that you might not think of. You can get a race day packing list from us right here!

The situation at Trans-Sylvania Epic, about 30 minutes from State College, Pennsylvania, was a bit unique: The race is centered around a Boy Scout camp, and we had a “rural cabin” setup. What we ended up doing was leaving our stuff in the cabin to keep it dry/secure and take advantage of the table so we could sit to work and charge phones, but we slept out in a tent. Breakfast and dinner were served in a mess hall, but no lunch. There were communal showers, and rural outhouses scattered around the campground, but real flush toilets in the mess hall and shower area.

At Quebec Singletrack, the setup was fairly similar: There’s a dining hall, a large area outside for tents/vans/RVs (we’ll be in our van) and there are washrooms and showers on site.

Essentials:

1. Snacks: Even if meals are provided at stage races, there’s no limit to how hungry you may get. Basically assume that you’ll need at least one extra meal and snack per day in addition to your on-bike food. We always have plenty of easy-to-eat stuff, then our cooking setup that lets us make basic dishes.
2. Flip-flops and drainable shower container: You’re walking where a bunch of other sweaty athletes, some with athlete’s foot, others with other gross “stuff” are walking. You want flip flops when you shower. Trust me. And a drainable shower container for your shampoo, loofah, whatever, is a good way to keep bacteria at bay—stuff gets soggy in a shower bag, so you want somewhere it can dry out every day.
3. Latex gloves. We don’t use these when we’re home and a sink is easy to access, but for post race bike cleaning and repairs when you don’t have easy water access, having gloves that prevent your hands from getting cakes in grease is a huge help.
4. Pre-wet Wipes: for your bike and your body! I love degreasing wipes for getting grease off my bike, but I also make sure I have some baby wipes for quick post-stage cleanups when I can’t get to the shower right away. (Note: I don’t use these unless we’re living out of the van, since I prefer skipping the harsh chemicals/single use stuff when there’s a simple alternative.)
5. Sunscreen: Obvious, but don’t forget it, especially if you’re in a fairly remote location. At TSEpic, we’re out in the woods and it would be a bit of a drive to get anywhere, so we tried to not leave camp unless necessary.
6. Surge protector: Between a thunderstorm that knocked out power and sparked outlets to just having one outlet for 10 people, it was awesome having a surge protector so we could power everything at once. If you’re really roughing it, stay tuned, since I’m also looking into some of those portable solar generators for more rustic trips.
7. Books/e-reader! Stage races can mean a lot of free time, and if you’re used to surfing the web or watching TV, you may find yourself at a disadvantage at night. I love having my iPad since it lit up so as it got dark I could still read, and I use my public library’s digital lending obsessively. I also will pre-download a few movies from Netflix or Apple TV (it’s how we got hooked on Ted Lasso recently!) because sometimes, you just need to veg in a tent and watch a show. Definitely ask your local library about digital lending if you’re like me and travel a ton! It makes packing light easier, and saves a lot of money on overdue charges…
8. Sheet: even if it’s cold enough to be in your sleeping bag, having a sheet in there will make it feel a lot more like home. And if it’s ultra-hot, it’s nice to have something, even if you’re just sticking it on top of your nylon sleeping bag to avoid sticking to it. (This one actually goes into a sleeping bag!)
9. Comfy clothing for warm / cool conditions. Having truly comfortable clothing for cold or warm conditions makes a big difference. And it sounds weird, but expect to end up feeling puffy by the end of these races, since your body is getting more inflamed by the day. Opt for those larger size sweats! This also includes some kind of slipper situation, like my favorite North Face Booties or Glerup clogs. So nice to get out of tight shoes after a day on the bike!
10. Toilet paper: Do I really need to say more?

Extras:

1. Turkish towel: I love having one of these for chilly nights, but also to double as a skirt or wraparound top if I really need it. It’s cozier than a sweatshirt but doesn’t add a ton of bulk to your race bag. And you have a spare towel!
2. Rain boots: Even if there’s no rain in the forecast, it might happen. Regardless though, if you’re in a grassy area, it’s usually pretty dew-y out in the morning, and if you don’t have rain boots, your sandals/feet/sneakers/riding shoes are going to be soaked before you even make it to breakfast.
3. Detergent: Even if you don’t think you’ll be doing your own laundry, you never know what may happen, and being able to wash your clothes on the fly is always a good thing. Even getting a couple of travel-size packs before you leave and stashing them in your first aid or shower kit is a good move, if you’re trying to keep gear light.
4. Rice cooker/electric kettle/camp stove: Just something to warm up food/water. On chilly nights, it’s pretty awesome to settle into the tent with a cup of tea. Don’t forget the mug/bowl though! Again, while most stage races have a food setup, the more solo you can be, the better. Still eat the race food, but it’s nice to not be pacing angrily waiting for dinner or coffee in the morning!
5. Snacks (other than ride food): There are only so many bars you can eat. A break from them post-race is sort of amazing, and I was so happy to tortilla chips and avocados before dinner some days. Real food makes a big difference in how your stomach feels.
6. Can opener and eating utensils: Sure, there’s food there. But you never know when you’ll need that bonus can of beans that you brought with you, or need a midnight snack. Having your own eating utensils is a huge advantage when you’re starving post-stage and just want to eat that damn can of soup.
7. Fold-out chair/hammock: You race hard, you have a whole afternoon ahead of you before the dinner bell. Odds are you want to relax, and it’s a lot easier to do in a camp chair or portable hammock. I recommend the hammock for three reasons. A) It’s awesome. Obviously. B) Nylon hammocks are pretty inexpensive. C) In a pinch, it can double as an emergency blanket. I kept mine in my truck (you know, for hammock emergencies), and last year while truck camping for the Mont Sainte Anne World Cup, temperatures dropped like crazy overnight and I’m fairly certain I would have been hypothermic by morning if I hadn’t been wrapped up in that.
8. While it’s awesome to pack light, I also realized that it’s never a bad idea to have extra: gloves, socks, helmet, tires, glasses, toothbrush (you can be someone’s hero, or it’s there if you lose yours!), underwear, cycling shorts/jerseys… Basically, if you know you’re using it every day, don’t skimp on how much you bring.

Don’t bring:

1. That book you’ve been meaning to read for the past 5 years: You’re going to be exhausted. If you haven’t been psyched enough to read it yet, this will not be the week.
2. That new recovery drink formula you haven’t tried yet. You don’t want to be running for the outhouse at 2 a.m. or having issues during your training or racing.
3. Any clothing that you think you might one day wear. This is probably not that day, aim to use things you have tested in training (are you sensing a theme here?)

–

Know how much to push + when to let your racer quit

This is such a tricky tightrope for crew members to walk, whether it’s your kid, spouse, friend or teammate in the race. When I came in at 50 miles feeling chilled and in relatively rough shape, Peter jumped into action and bundled me up and tried to troubleshoot the next lap. When I came in the next lap in much rougher shape and still struggling to get warm, he went through a few options and ways we could try to troubleshoot again. But he also didn’t push me or bully me to get back on the course. It can be really challenging for a partner to figure out when a racer is truly done, and I think the general rule—which obviously will vary a bit person to person—is that you should offer ways to troubleshoot a situation where your racer wants to quit. But the decision is ultimately theirs.

Have that quitting discussion pre-race

Look, no amount of pre-race discussion will prepare you for in the moment. Your racer may say they want tough love and a push to get back out on course, but you won’t be able to gauge how they’ll actually feel in the race until they’re in it. So take this with a grain of salt, but it is helpful to know if your racer is the kind of person who wants/needs the tough love because they know they’ll hit a point where they want to quit even when they can keep going, or if your racer is confident that they know themselves well enough to know that if they want to pull the plug, that decision is legit and should be respected, not argued.

Respect how much they want to know post-race

I admit, after leaving Ancaster this weekend, I really, really didn’t want to know how the race was going. I knew that once I warmed up, from the coziness of the van, I would start to think about ‘what if’ if I wasn’t careful, and I have a pretty strict ‘no what ifs’ policy. And if I started to skim results and find out what was going on in the race, I knew I would end up feeling crappy about it. So, I stopped looking at the race results until enough time had passed that I could without feeling stressy about it.

Enforce the no what ifs policy

Speaking of what ifs… for you and the person racing, it’s time to stop with the quantum physics ‘in a different world’ mentalities. If there was something you could learn from the race, that’s great—make a note. But don’t beat yourself or your racer up with ‘if only…’ or ‘what if…’ because it didn’t happen. We’ve talked a lot now about what we would do if that race had been one where just getting to the finish line was the goal, or if it had been a national championship or some other race like that. How would we handle those conditions next time? That is a good question, but doing the ‘if only we had…’ and playing out different scenarios that could have happened doesn’t help anyone.

Celebrate the small wins

We talked this week on the podcast about training and the process really being the part of the goal that matters the most. Remind your person of that fact: Did they train appropriately for the event? Did they show up ready? Did they have a great lap or two in the race? What little pieces can you celebrate? It’s not always easy to find a silver lining, but we do need to find the pieces that are worth shouting out!

Remind them that racing doesn’t define them

If your racer is caught in a bit of a shame spiral post-race, this is understandable. It’s easy to start questioning why a race went badly, to start feeling bad about your fitness/mental toughness/planning/whatever. And to some extent, it can be helpful if it informs your next race / training going forward. But remind your racer that one bad day of racing doesn’t reflect on them as an athlete or a person. It’s just one day.

Don’t ascribe your emotions onto them

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not tell them how they shouldn’t feel. I have a lot of amazing people in my life that I love very much, but I’ve had a few texts (and one call from my dad) come in that are phrased as “I know you’re probably feeling really bad about quitting” or “I know you’re probably questioning XYZ…” These are well-intentioned, and also utterly unhelpful. The funny thing is that I wasn’t feeling bad about quitting or questioning my fitness/mental toughness/whatever. But getting those messages made me feel bad that I wasn’t feeling bad. (“Am I even an athlete if I don’t feel bad about this? Should I feel bad?”) Just don’t put feelings in an athlete’s mouth—maybe that’s how you would have felt, but it’s not necessarily how they feel.

Try to get them to pause before planning the next thing… whatever it is

Friends don’t let friends panic-register for races because a race doesn’t go well. It’s tempting to immediately get back on the horse and try again—but urge your person to take a few days before committing to the next thing (or quitting the sport altogether).

I’ve realized that when I’m on the athlete side of the spectrum, I’m not great at asking for what I actually could use in the moment, so I wanted to reverse-engineer the day and make a list! We’ve also had our share of issues with this as we’ve navigated athlete/partner life and our relationship over the years. It’s become even trickier with DW along in most cases, and I know that the situation is even wilder when kids are added to the mix.

So, for any partners looking to be supportive, I thought I’d share a few ideas—and these are true for any race, whether it’s a local 5K or mountain bike race or a 100-miler or 24-hour race.

And with that in mind… Note that this isn’t a must-do, or a “if you don’t do these things, you’re a bad partner.” This is just mean to be helpful if you’re hoping to support your partner but this is their first adventure, or you’re simply hoping to make their day smooth. In some cases, for parents in particular, the best way you can help may simply be being in charge of the kiddos at home while your partner goes off on their adventure with friends.

PS: If you’re the athlete and are reading this, make sure you’ve also read our article about finding/”managing” your support crew right here: Finding Your Athletic Support Crew

It’s all about pre-race communication

We talk about this A TON on the podcast when it comes to planning your season, but step 1 to being/having a supportive partner is getting on the same page about your goals, and what those goals look like in reality. We recently had this come up while talking about Quebec Singletrack, which Peter is racing and I’m supporting. I hadn’t realized that part of the race is that each day is a remote start/finish, and while there are buses to take racers to the start/finish spots, Peter was planning on us driving to each so that his day could be done sooner and start smoother. This was partially so that I would then be able to go do my run, but I admit, when he first said it, my response was less than thrilled. But he’s supported me through so many races, and if this race is a goal for him (it is), then I want to do everything I can to make sure he has a great day. Ultimately, it’s all good—and I’m really glad we had that talk months before the race rather than it coming up on race day! We had a similar situation come up as we prepped for me to race the Leadville Marathon—Peter didn’t realize he’d be able to crew at one aid station, but it will be possible, so that changes the lens of what I need from him that day. So step one: get clear on travel plans, race dates and the expectations for race day.

ABS (Always Bring Snacks)

I wasn’t expecting to have a couple of bonus water/snack stops when I did that solo 100K, but Peter still had a full array of snacks and water with him when he came back to meet me at the 80KM mark and a few other stops on the way. I didn’t really need anything, but if I had, it would have made my day. Snacks for afterwards were also extremely helpful. Basically, ensure that when your partner sees you, they aren’t heading into hangry territory. A bag of chips, a Snickers and a Coke on hand can completely change how the day feels.

Bring the kiddos or pup to cheer, but be respectful of your partner’s goals

The best thing that happened to me during my run was that Peter brought DW to a few spots to cheer me on. But he kept DW on a leash and didn’t let him take off with me! I could see this applying to kids as well: It could be really motivating to see your kids cheering you on, maybe holding signs, but it could really throw off your rhythm if they want to talk to you and run with you and want hugs. So tread lightly here—support is great, but don’t turn it into a family gathering mid-adventure (unless that’s part of the plan all along)!

Take photos

Especially in events that aren’t exactly big with race photographers (ultra-endurance races and any FKT-ish attempts), having a few photos is just so damn nice.

Help with the post-adventure breakdown

I had tears in my eyes the morning after my big run when we got home and I realized that Peter had brought in my duffel bag, unloaded my gross sweaty gear, and already tossed it in the wash. It probably took him all of 2 minutes to do, but I was exhausted and stiff, and all I wanted to do was shower and then lay on the couch. I would have left my duffel bag out in the van and had to deal with it in the morning, and it weirdly meant a lot that I didn’t have to.

Make a dinner plan

Even if you’re not usually the one on dinner duty, have a plan in place for whatever meal is happening when they finish. It may or may not get eaten, but it will be noted (I only wanted a protein shake after my run, but the pizza Peter brought to the finish was deeply appreciated). This is going to be a big thing with a stage race like QSE that involves camping and remote start/finishes—making sure that I have the van equipped with the post-race food he needs is one major way I can help him have a good race week.

Listen

Honestly, the nicest thing that Peter has done for me is simply listening to my endless recount of how things went and what I learned and how things felt. I am very sure he’s damn sick of hearing about it, but he’s been letting me ramble. Your support matters hugely to your athlete, and a big part of that is just listening to them.

Congratulate

Like listening, this is such a big thing. If you’re not prone to big displays of emotion, it might be tough—I know my dad is always super proud of me, for example, and he’s at every finish line he can make it to, but after the race is done, he’s more on the ‘how you can improve’ versus ‘I’m so proud’ bandwagon. It’s just his style. But honestly, just saying, ‘I’m so proud of you’ really hits deep.

If you’re the athlete…

I have a couple of suggestions for how you can make things easier on yourself and your partner

Write out your schedule

In as much detail as possible, including anything he or she needs to do, i.e pickups and dropoffs. The more specific you make this, the less likely you are to end up in a fight about when you needed to be out the door. If needed, provide route maps. Share your location. I thought I was super specific back when I was managing a cyclocross team, or planning that 100K. But it was NOTHING compared to the pages after pages I had ready to go for my first 100-miler. And ICYMI, NOT having that list 100% dialed in was also the downfall of my QMT race last summer.

Print this out. Do not assume you will have cell coverage to open a doc on your phone.

Lay out what exactly would make your day good.

Don’t make your partner be a mind-reader. What I’ve realized is that most partners want to be supportive, and are super stoked for your success… but they just don’t really know what it is that you need. I don’t need flowers (or want them, to be honest) but I do want a cold drink, and I really want to just lay down with the dog and chill. For parents, this is a huge thing to discuss! I know a lot of women I run with have small children at home, and I know on race days, it makes a big difference if they’ve already discussed that in the afternoon post-race, they also get time to nap and recover, and aren’t immediately expected to be back to family time. Flip side, some of them LOVE doing something with the whole family after, like hitting the beach. You may not realize that all you need to do is ask for what you want! This may mean hiring a sitter or asking grandparents to help out, or it may mean that after you finish your run or ride, you’re driving home solo and you just know that you’ll stop at Starbucks or Dairy Queen or wherever on the way home and enjoy some solitude before walking in the door. (And remember, if you’re hoping your partner will extend these courtesies to you, make sure you also support their goals!)

My number one chafe tip: Chafe happens to every body.

I wanted to add this tip at the start because I think a lot of us—especially women who came of age in the late 90s/early aughts where a ‘thigh gap’ was en vogue—assume that chafing is a sign that we need to lose weight in that spot. Thigh chafe? Heaven forbid. But here’s the thing: Chafing doesn’t mean anything about your body and shouldn’t have you heading for the thighmaster (or avoiding leg day because you don’t want the extra muscle). It’s just a fact of endurance sport and it happens to everyone.

Biking Chafe Tips

Assess the Situation:

Does the chafing happen in one small spot or is it happening more at random? Is it chafing or a rash that might be more akin to prickly heat versus a friction induced chafe mark? If it’s a rash, you may need to avoid riding in super high heat when possible, or switching to a lighter weight short. But if it’s chafing, read on.

Trainer vs. Outside Fit:

If you only have ridden your bike indoors on the trainer, you may notice you’re more prone to chafing when you get outside. The opposite is also true when a new bike that’s perfect outside gets put on the trainer for the first time. The way you ride and interact with the bike shifts when you go from trainer to outside and vice versa, so don’t be surprised if you need to raise or lower your saddle or shift it slightly forward or backward to avoid a particular chafe spot.

Saddle / Shorts Choice:

We talk about this a lot in plenty of other posts, but this is just your reminder that if your shorts and saddle aren’t ideal for you, chafing is much more likely to occur. The better your shorts fit and your saddle feels, the less likely that chafe will be a problem.

Use Chamois Cream Properly:

We love chamois cream as a great option for friction fighting on the bike, and talk about it often. But remember, you don’t need a lot to make a big difference. A quarter-sized amount applied to the areas where you tend to chafe is the right way to apply! We don’t recommend applying in bulk directly to your shorts, since you’re more likely to end up with a ’slip and slide’ feeling rather than chafe relief.

Running Chafe Tips

Assess the Situation:

Does chafing happen when you wear a certain type of shorts? Is it localized or all over? Sometimes, one pair of shorts with a slightly weird seam that feels fine in cooler weather can cause issues as you sweat more.

Try Longer Shorts:

For women in particular, swapping between more standard run shorts that have a brief and a short inseam for a longer pair of ‘bike short style’ shorts that are tight-fitting can be helpful. Even a run short with a slightly longer seam can make a different. Just make sure that whatever pair you’re getting has flat seams in the inner thighs. Cheap shorts—especially bicycle shorts—will often have heavier/thicker seams on the inner thighs, which can cause more chafing and make the issue worse. Look for flat stitching or seamless options.

Try a Different Hair Removal Method (or Skip It):

OK, let’s get nitty-gritty for a sec. If you have inner thigh or underarm chafing and you shave regularly, pay attention to when it’s happening. Sometimes, a small amount of stubble can make chafing problems significantly worse. If this is you (or you notice a lot of ingrown hairs or inflamed follicles), you may want to take a break from shaving/hair removal altogether, or try an alternative option like waxing. At minimum, get a fresh, new razor and toss your old, worn out one!

Use a Chafe Stick:

Triathletes and ultra-runners are on to something. Chafe stick is similar to chamois cream, but goes on the same way you’d apply deodorant, leaving you with a thin layer of protection in chafe prone areas. Use on inner thighs, underarms, and even in spots like where your pack sits on your lower back if you ride/run with a hydration pack. It goes on clear but makes a huge difference. During the summer, I use it on almost every single run!

Dealing with race day gut issues

Normalize a bit of gut distress

That sounds like a weird first tip, but honestly, being stressed about your tummy being rumbly or needing to rush to the port-a-potty ahead of the race is just going to make the situation worse. $hit happens (literally). It’s hard to accept, but race day nerves and any number of food choices and timing issues can make you more prone to gut distress. But it doesn’t have to wreck your race! The more you let it get you stressed, though, the worse it’s going to get—there’s a major psychosomatic component to race day gut distress.

Arrive early

Get to the race site with enough time to hit the port-a-potty as often as needed! Often, some of these gut issues can simply stem from not having enough time to gently warm up AND take a potty break before the start line.

Have a pre-race food plan

The best racers keep it simple and keep it consistent in the day leading up to the race. If you often have gut distress in race, you may want to even start with your pre-race eating a couple of days ahead of the race. This means lowering your fiber intake (less veggies, more simple carbs) though not taking veggies entirely out of the mix! (You do want to poop pre-race.) Think rice and eggs, bananas, toast with jam, pasta with a lighter sauce, pizza—whatever you know your body isn’t sensitive to.

Get rid of foods you know don’t agree with you a few days out

This might mean cutting out really heavy high-fat meals or salads that are fiber packed. We usually skip alcohol a couple days prior to a race, and cut out things like ice cream that *can* be disagreeable with my gut. Basically, anything that’s been known to potentially cause an issue goes.

Know your race day fueling plan

Again, know what works for race breakfast, what sports drink/bar/gel/whatever combo works for you before and during your race. If you’re doing a race with aid stations, be aware of what they serve ahead of time and have a plan for what you’ll take from the aid station and what you’ll skip.

Journal out your past events

Play detective! After each race, jot down a few notes about what you ate the night before, morning of, and in race … plus any gut symptoms and issues. This will help you start to hone in on what potentially can be causing issues.

Staying with a group? Practice food safety!

In high school home economics, I remember one thing: The Danger Zone. This is when food is left on the counter for too long and gets warm. If you’re sharing race day accommodations with people, be careful with communal food, especially if you have a sensitive stomach. Things like rice left out on the counter in the rice cooker seem innocuous, but can be literally gut-wrenching.

Try an OTC solution

Pepto Bismol, Tums and Immodium are all commonly used by ultra-runners who tend towards gut distress on runs. Personally, I do pre-race Pepto Bismol and I know that it makes a big difference in my gastrointestinal outcomes!

Don’t let it wreck your race

Finally, sometimes you just have a bit of a grumbly gut. It happens. Maybe you drank a bit too much water, maybe you’re just nervous and your system is in overdrive. Hit the port-a-potty (or the woods if necessary, let’s be honest) and get back to racing. If you’re dealing with nausea, I have to say that I highly recommend NOT fighting it. Just toss your cookies if you need to. (In my experience, you often instantly feel a sense of relief and are able to keep moving.) If you’re having more of an upper-stomach situation (hiccups or that tight feeling), just slow it down for a minute and take a few deep breaths. A lot of the time, just taking a minute to let things settle down, expanding the rib cage to give your stomach some space, maybe unzipping your jersey a bit or even just tugging on it to loosen it up a bit in your midsection can make a big difference.

This year at Sea Otter was the most balanced one that I’ve had in years, and it got me thinking about finding that correct balance between trying to do some training, do the “healthy stuff,” but also lean into the work nature of the trip, do the after-work meals and happy hours that are part of the reason to be there in the first place, and basically have the best of both worlds. Here’s the few things I’ve come to terms with:

Hydration is everything.

There’s the joke that when you’re 21, the ‘adult’ drink is alcohol. When you’re 30, it’s coffee. When you’re in your late 30s, you finally realize that the real adult drink is water. This was the first year at Sea Otter that I prioritized water over both coffee and beer. I still did not come anywhere close to hydrating enough, but I came closer than I have in past years. It’s something I will definitely set reminders in my phone for the next time I’m at a work thing like this.

Keep a close eye on alcohol and caffeine consumption

The corollary to the hydration one is that it turns out, cutting down on caffeine and alcohol also really helps feel better and more even-keeled. I know, who would have thought? But at work events, often it’s actually easier to get a cup of coffee or a beer versus a glass of water. And certainly more tempting to have that fourth cup of coffee when you’re feeling like you’re in the afternoon slump. Which then leads to…

Have a semblance of a nutrition plan

I’ll first say that it is, in my experience, a terrible idea to try to have rigid control of your nutrition in weeks like these. It’s nearly impossible, first of all, and second, it leads to huge amounts of stress if you’re eating out or with groups. So hold a nutrition plan loosely, but give yourself some guardrails. This year, we were big on salad kits with pre-cooked chicken for dinners that we were eating at home, then just enjoying whatever we wanted on the menu when we went out. At the actual all day event that was Sea Otter, I added in things like protein shakes and packs of almonds where I could to counteract the excess of simple carbs that I was eating in addition. I think a great goal is that at every meal, aim for a protein and a fiber component. You won’t always win on both, but it’s a good place to shoot for. And have easy protein options in your bag, like a whey protein powder or my current favorite, a packet of tuna.

Have a couple of non-training movement goals

Most of you who’ve been following us for a while know about my morning yoga/strength routine that I do almost without fail. For busy week and work events, it becomes even more important… even as it gets harder to sneak in. I prioritize getting at least part of it done. Ideally, the entire 15 minute routine of planks, core work and a yoga flow with pushups happens. At minimum, it’s either the yoga flow with or without pushups, or a minute or two of planks just to wake my body up.

Walk, walk, walk

This can be part of the non-training movement goals, but I wanted to isolate it because I think it’s important, especially if you’re at a work event that doesn’t have a lot of built in movement. Sea Otter is exhausted but great because it’s all about constantly walking and standing, with very minimal sitting.

Sleep

There’s a fine line between prioritizing sleep versus any other healthy habit—do you get up extra early to train even though that means only getting 5 hours of sleep, or do you snooze to get 7? It depends, but rarely am I a fan of getting anything under 6 hours of sleep in favor of training… and if the training isn’t going to feel decent, or is going to set me up to feel like crap for the next day, I skip it.

Hold your training plan loosely

Look, you can try to stick to your training plan. That’s a great goal, and probably a good one to have… as long as you can let go of it enough to allow for flexibility on the trip. I think going into a work trip planning to do some (or all) of your training is a great idea, especially if you’ve chatted through what that can look like with your coach if it’s going to require some modifications (i.e if you’re somewhere sans bike). But I also have been guilty of being way too rigid about my training at these events in the past, missing out on valuable conversations and connections, making myself more stressed out and tired, and ultimately, probably hurting my overall fitness and training in the process because I stretched myself far too thin. It’s better to take a few easy days where you finish the trip feeling like you were able to do the work you needed to do, while moving your body enough to feel good but not exhausted, even if that means a few hours less training that week.

Don’t let this become your new default

I think the overarching theme here is to do your best to keep your healthy habits and routines, but don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t hitting them all. These busy times are tough, and you only make it worse if you stress yourself out over what you should be doing. At the same time, don’t fall into the trap of once you’re off the wagon for a few days, you’re off forever. Have a plan in place for when you do get home: When we returned from Sea Otter, we hit the grocery store before we even got back to the house so we could get all of our usual staples, and despite the fact that it was later in the day, we both went out for quick workouts, just to get ourselves back in the swing of things. A few days away from your usual routine doesn’t mean your fitness has vanished… but if you let yourself stay in that ‘busy at work’ mindset, that’s when you run the risk of losing your hard-earned watt gains.

Sharing an altitude tent (sorry, altitude cubicle) with a partner is asking a lot of your relationship. Let’s just start right there. If you’re someone living at 0 feet of elevation and planning to race, say, at the 10,000 foot starting point and just going up from there Leadville Trail 100, an altitude tent is a major plus. It allows you to effectively sleep high, train low—and even train high if you use the exercise mask on the trainer or treadmill. And trust me, it is a noticeable difference.

We wanted to reshare this old post since we get a ton of questions about it, but I’ll start with the main one, which has been, since Leadville in 2024, are we still using the tent? The answer is no. It made a lot of sense at the time and I would recommend it to certain people who are trying to do what I was doing—race at altitude to the best of my abilities despite living at sea level—but since I don’t plan on going back to Leadville anytime soon, it doesn’t make sense for us now. But if you’re curious, here are our best tips from our year of using it!

Why use an altitude tent?

Having raced the Leadville Trail Marathon last summer, I know that I perform OK at altitude. But performing well at altitude for 100 miles is a question mark. When he raced Leadville over a decade ago, Peter used an altitude tent to prepare. Cyclists have been dabbling in altitude for a very, very long time for training, and over the years, I’ve known plenty of cyclists who’ve gotten the altitude tents to boost their altitude prep or just improve their training efficiency. It’s less common for runners, but a quick scan of Leadville results show that a huge percentage of the top 10 men and women in the race are from Colorado and live at altitude.

So, to be competitive, you have to be altitude adapted, or genetically ridiculously gifted. It’s why Colorado has so many trail runners and cyclists living in areas like Boulder.

All that to say, for me, if Leadville was a serious goal, I would have to take altitude seriously. So in August, we got the altitude cubicle and the Everest Summit II machine from Hypoxico. We had to go Everest versus the cheaper Sierra because of the cubicle size: The Sierra can power a smaller tent, but it’s not powerful enough to drop the oxygen enough in a cubicle.

We’ve used it at home since then (though we didn’t take it on our winter travels) and it’s definitely been helpful—though, of course, I have yet to race at altitude again! But I do feel the difference, and we can tell it’s working thanks to a pulse oximeter that we use to check our oxygen levels in the morning.

However, the negatives are worth mentioning too; An altitude machine and tent is pricey, it’s loud, and sleeping in a PVC tent together can be extremely warm and humid. If you or the dog (let’s just blame the dog here) are having a bad digestive moment… well, you can guess how that goes.

If you’re considering it, or already have one, here are a few tips for using it, especially if you’re sharing it with a partner—though these are just as important if you’re solo in a tent!

Tips for sharing your altitude tent

Give it a day to air out/make time for setup

Do NOT set up your tent for the first time right before bed. The PVC material smells, and needs time to air out. Otherwise, it is not a pleasant experience. Setting up also takes a bit of time to figure out, so doing it right before bed is a recipe for disaster (trust me). Also, if you do get the cubicle: Yes, it *can* technically fit your entire bed. This works fine with a twin bed, maybe a full. It is too small to comfortably get your entire queen bed platform inside of it. Just put the mattress in!

Rethink your sheets + quilt

You’re going to want higher quality sheets that are great for moisture-wicking. I’ve liked bamboo sheets for quite a while, so luckily, we were already using them. Soft jersey sheets or cheap cotton will likely get soaked with sweat. I also swapped our big comforter for a quilt that feels heavy but isn’t overly warm—I can’t sleep without a heavy blanket, but I was hating our duvet after a couple days. (A simple cotton quilt like this should work!)

Get a small fan for inside the tent

This $35 clip on fan is a must buy for any cyclist: Its charge lasts over 24 hours, it clips anywhere. It’s perfect for riding the trainer, for sleeping in our van, and now, sleeping in our cubicle. We hang it from a velcro strap at the top and it’s been great for keeping the air moving a bit during the night. It still gets warm, but this helps keep it dry and less stagnant-feeling.

Designate a zipper position

We both use the main opening at the end of the bed to get in and out, thanks to the layout of our room. In the middle of the night, this can be a huge hassle if you don’t know where the zipper is, since the tent doors have double zips so they can be anywhere in the doorway. There’s nothing more stressful than needing to pee and not being able to escape your tent! So, choose where the zippers will always be zipped to, so you can easily find them in the dark.

Leave the cubicle open during the day

I admit, I’ve stopped making our bed (gasp). That’s because I realized with the humidity the tent generates at night, in the morning, we need to open the door for it entirely, using the velcro straps to make it stay open, and the bottom sheet needs to be exposed to air, not just tucked under the top sheet and quilt. Otherwise, the slight dampness turns into wet. So I fold the blankets down and back so the sheets are exposed, and make sure the pillows are moved away from the edge of the tent. This gives everything time to dry. (And I think it smells better!)

Gradually increase your altitude

Look, your sleep is going to be negatively impacted, especially at first. But you can mostly mitigate that by starting at a relatively low setting and gradually increasing it over time. Don’t try to turn the dial to 11 on night #1. You’re going to need to adjust to the tent itself (a little claustrophobic), so don’t make it super hard to breathe at the same time. You may also experience a bit of headache/nausea some mornings, especially at first. Staying hydrated throughout the day and before bed is super important!

Admit when you need to tap out

It’s often not the altitude, it’s the heat that gets you. I’ve had a couple of nights where the heat has gotten untenable in the tent and we’ve had to open it because I just wasn’t able to sleep. Prioritize good sleep over altitude adaptations! (And if you are experiencing any digestive issues, just skip it for a night. Your partner will thank you.)

Image courtesy of hypoxico

What are rockslide habits?

Rockslide habits are the big shifts you can make all at once that set you up for success down the road. These are the pantry cleanouts, the bedroom optimization, that kind of thing—where making one big change will put you on the path to healthier habits. Frankly, to me, they’re the sexy habits because they can have a dramatic before and after picture in a single day. (Of course, they won’t instantly give you a six pack of abs, but you can end up with one beautifully designed pain cave for your indoor cycling and strength.)

Rockslide habits are all about removing friction to make continuing with a healthy habit easier and smoother. With a rockslide habit, once you make one major shift—like a gear cleanout and reorganization—you’ll find that your daily habit (in this case, getting ready for training) is faster and smoother. You’ll be saving time, not spending time. There’s an upfront cost in time and, depending on how deep you want to go with organization, potentially an upfront cost in money, but ultimately, you’ll save on both in the long run. 

We call these habits Rockslide Habits because a rockslide starts with one key event—one that might take time/effort/investment—but then gets rolling and picks up steam as it goes. Doing the one big thing that will allow you to build momentum will change your daily habits, but in a way that doesn’t take up time or add more to your to-do list once it’s done.

Examples of Rockslide habits

Organizing your gear closet

Going back to the gear organization example, an orderly gear closet means saving time each day when you get ready to ride, thus making time for a better warmup or a short meditation after you cool down. You also won’t run the risk of skipping a session entirely because you can’t seem to get yourself together to get out the door. 

Setting up your kitchen for healthy eating

A pantry cleanout or setting up a grocery delivery that repeats the same order is similar: You spend an afternoon optimizing your kitchen for healthy eating, thereby making it easier to eat healthy without spending tons of time having to choose between the Frosted Flakes or steel-cut oats, because that’s no longer an option. That kind of big step can also give you just enough forward momentum to want to make change, to get excited about what’s happening. 

Dialing your sleep environment

Setting up your bedroom for optimal sleep is another easy one: Make it less of a struggle to fall into a deep sleep and immediately you’re winning on that. (Do you need to spend five grand on a new mattress and cooling pad? Hell, no. But maybe a cooling set of sheets and a good fan plus a new, more supportive pillow or blackout blinds will help.) 

Basically, take stock of your life now and consider where you have sticking points in your optimal daily training environment. Is there one big shift you could make that would make it easier to train on time, train more frequently, eat less junk food, or sleep better? Start that rockslide!

We talk more about more habits and habit formation in our book, Becoming A Consummate Athlete.  For tons of easy habits to add to your life to make big changes, check it out or book a call with us to talk through some changes you could make that will make the biggest impact on your health and fitness!

Deep clean your kits

Do a sniff test—or better yet, ask your partner to do a sniff test—of your athletic wear to see what has set-in smells and stains. Use stain remover if needed. Add white vinegar to the laundry, let it soak for an hour, then wash as usual, with a double rinse. Bleach white armwarmers and socks. Start outdoor cycling and running season smelling fresh! (You can also use this time to get rid of gear that you aren’t excited about wearing this summer. And put it all back nicely!)

READ: Washing Your Cycling Kit: Dos and Don’ts of Laundry Cycles

Check your expiration dates

Of your sunscreen and your snacks. Sure, an expired gel is probably still safe to eat, but if you haven’t eaten it yet, are you really going to?

READ: Reminder to Wear Your Sunscreen and Consider Sleeves as Summer Comes

Decant your powders

If you prefer an organized pantry or hate how much space your sport drink mix and protein powder take up, we really like decanting our powders into reusable super-strong silicone bags or square canisters that fit better on shelves. This helps them store easier and take up less space, while also making them more travel-friendly and tidy. Plus they look much nicer and less bro-y than giant containers of protein powder, and don’t spill or leak like most of the bags that sports drink mixes come in, since they often have crappy zip tops.

Take this time to check expiration dates on everything as well!

Do a quick bike check

Whether your bike has been on the trainer all season or hanging in the garage, give all of your bikes a once-over. Things to look at:

• Tire wear and tear, especially if you use a magnetic trainer or rollers
• Tire pressure, obviously
• Bolt check on headset and saddle
• Saddle height / any fit adjustments, especially if you’ve changed something recently or your bike has been on the trainer
• Lube the chain
• Charge your shifters if you’re running electronic shifting
• Wipe off that dust
• Check your cleats to make sure they don’t need replacing

Audit your training plan

Your race schedule has likely already changed, and hopefully as many places start to re-open, your schedule is shifting as well. Maybe you’re back in the office, or work travel has ramped up. Whatever the case, it might be time to check in on what you have planned for training for the next couple of months, and make adjustments accordingly. (Not sure of what to do? Even if you don’t work with us, you can book a coaching consult call to talk over your current training plan!)

READ: Using Spring as a Chance to Reset / Refocus