It's Always A Good Time To Start Tri-ing ~ an interview with new triathlete Naomi West

Naomi West is a Couer d'Alene, ID girl who has a taste for adventure, joy, and an all around zest for life.  With a masters degree in communication and leadership studies from Gonzaga University Naomi works for ROW Adventures in their international division managing the North American sales for their Galapagos Lodge trips as well as managing the Antarctica and Patagonia tours.  

She embodies a strength and courage to get out there and experience new adventures.  Recently Naomi decided to take a leap of faith and competed in her first ever triathlon in the Priest Lake Sprint Triathlon.  I was able to meet up with Naomi and ask her a few questions regarding her experience.

Kayla Lloyd (KL): Noami, you just competed in your first ever triathlon.  What did you think of the overall experience?

Naomi West (NW): I loved it! It was a really positive experience. While I have prepared for many things in my life, this was my first experience training for something that I intended to compete in. The length of triathlon I chose was perfect for the time commitment training requires. I incorporated 8-10 hours a week). Typically, I did an hour workout at lunch, and something a little longer on the weekends. So, adding am additional activity a few evenings after work was a manageable thing to include, but not feel completely overwhelmed by.

 

KL: Committing to participating in a triathlon can be fairly daunting for some, what prompted you to sign up for one?

NW: There were a few things. First, I really wanted to take a triathlon selfie. I

mean, c’mon, that is pretty cool. Second, as we will chat about in a minute, I had sustained a rather intense injury and I wanted to have something to focus on. Yet, I wasn’t quite sure what that would be. I was interested in a race of some sorts, but after being in your (Kayla Lloyd’s) presence for a little while, I was totally blown away by what you were doing and I wanted a part of that. I mentioned it to you, and you were super excited about me getting involved, it was contagious. I mentioned it to my husband, Steve Conant, who ultimately helped me train for it, and he was on board right away. After watching my process and race, he is planning on doing the same triathlon next year!

KL: You are just recently recovered from a pretty daunting injury.  What was the significance for you for coming off that injury and be able to say that you were able to complete a triathlon?

NW: Oh man, it is just not fun to get injured. I broke my leg skiing and had to have surgery. Specifically, it was a non-displaced fracture of the tibial plateau, and in the process, my ACL separated from the bone at the point of insertion.  It required a fair amount of hardware to be installed resulting in myself being non-weight bearing for three months. The road to recovery, while challenging at times, has cultivated a desire to be the strongest/best me I can be. I’ve always been active, but I really found a part of myself during the process that enjoys challenging the limits I believed I had reached. 

KL: What was your most and least favorite part about racing?

NW: I really enjoyed how supportive everyone was. There were so many people, both competing and not competing just shouting encouraging phrases. And it was super cool to run across the finish and be met with smiles.

The most challenging thing was the mountain bike section. It was just climbing for what seemed like forever. I would say I found some choice things to mutter. However, I kept going back to my purpose for doing this and tried to strike a balance with being kind to myself and riding up hill.  

KL: Everyone experiences nerves before a big race, what was the one thing you were most worried (or nervous) about in regards to competing in your first triathlon?

NW: I was terrified that I would not finish. However, by the time the actual triathlon came along, I felt SO good from all the training that I was really proud of the journey. I knew that I had prepared for this. The excitement I had going into it was like the night before Christmas as a kid. I was really jazzed about getting out there and competing with myself and challenging myself in this new forum.

KL: In regards to food, as everyone loves how much you can eat while racing and training; did you have a favorite food while you were training and racing?

NW: There were a few things that I really enjoyed. The first that stands out it

Zico chocolate coconut water. Sometimes the promise of a giant glass of that was what drove me to finish strong in the training.

During my races and long training sessions I used caffeinated energy chews, especially on my distance cycling days. And then the Hammer Caffeinated GU. What saved me on race day was the Hammer Endurolytes (E-Caps). After the mountain bike ride, I took two during my transition. Sure enough I got a half mile into my run and my legs just started cramping, I walked for a few minutes, but I knew that the e-caps would start to kick in so I powered through. 

KL: Now that you have completed in your first triathlon are you hooked? Do you

have plans to do more?

NW: YES! I am totally stoked to do more! I am planning to do the Race the River Triathlon as well as a half marathon or longer swim and of course I want to do the Priest Lake Triathlon again. In perhaps two years, I want to consider training for an Olympic. No promises!!! However, after this experience I wouldn't rule it out. 

Thank you to Naomi West for allowing Fun ~ Fit ~ Fast to share her journey.  It will be fun watching her continue to grow and progress as an athlete and follower of a healthy lifestyle.  Way to go Naomi!! 

HIIT It and Quit It.

Believe it or not summer is right around the corner, and if you are anything like me when the sun is out I want to spend every minute soaking up all that Vitamin D.  However, it takes a lot of extra energy to get out there and enjoy everything summer has to offer.

As each passing day brings those wonderful summer months closer many of you may be starting to ponder getting yourself to the gym, or lacing up those rusty tennis shoes and hitting the pavement for some good old fashioned running. Yet as the day drags on with
work, kids, family, school, or etc it becomes harder and harder to motivate for that hour or more that most people feel they need to get themselves into shape for summer activities. Well, you are in luck!!!  No longer do you need to spend hours at the gym, its called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and all you need is 20 minutes to HIIT it and Quit It!

High Intensity Interval Training is a training technique that alternates brief speed and recovery in order to increase the intensity of your workout.  These workouts are awesome because not only have studies shown that they speed up your metabolism which helps to burn more fat but they are extremely versatile and can be applied to any form of exercise.

So how does this popular training technique work?  The human body functions under two different energy systems; anaerobic and aerobic.  The anaerobic energy system allows us to preform activity in short intense bursts where as the aerobic system is the exact opposite allowing us to perform activity for longer period of time as it uses oxygen to break down carbohydrates and fat for energy.  The issue with most workouts is that they target one of these systems over the other, so enter HIIT.  By combining the short very intense bursts of exercise with periods of lower intensity your body basically "freaks out"forcing it to adapt and creates a metabolic demand that is fantastic for long-term fat loss while still maintaining lean body mass.(http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-hiit)

Examples of HIIT workouts:

• Body weight circuits
• Weighted circuits
• Aerobic circuites (ie. treadmill, running, elliptical, and stationary bicycling)
• Cross fit
• Insanity workouts

Here's the beauty of these workouts: it can be any combination you desire, as well as anywhere you wish.  The key to these workouts is to keep your heart rate high, in others words be prepared to push your limit.  By keeping your heart rate up you basically speed up your body causing it to burn more calories and blast that pesky fat we all dislike while reducing the risk of injury that can occur from spending hours at the gym.

How do you get started with HIIT? Very simple; clear some space on your living room floor, lace up your tennis shoes, blast some music, and get ready to sweat.  A great example of HIIT is the 7-minute workout seen on the left hand side (http://www.fitsugar.com/7-Minute-HIIT-Workout-Printable-Poster-30574183).  Preform each of the exercises in sequential order for 30 seconds followed by a 10 second rest and you can repeat as many times as you want to get the most out of your workout.  However, just performing the 7-minute HIIT workout is enough to increase you metabolism by activating both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems giving you the little boost you need to start preparing for summer. 

If you are new to HIIT I recommend opting for shorter high intensity periods and a little longer rest period in order to prevent any injuries until your body has adapted to this new form of training.  Once you have become a HIIT veteran you can begin to vary the length of your intervals, both high and low, as well as the style of type of HIIT circuit you preform.  

I have come to love HIIT workout days, and often look forward to them more than my other training.  Being a triathlete I have a slightly crazy desire to constantly push the limit and these workouts will more than fulfill this desire.  Not only do they help to break up the monotony of my daily training, jump start both my aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, but constantly remind me to push my mental toughness.

So remember the next time you are dragging your feet after work, that summer is on its way and it can only take seven minutes to HIIT it and Quit it for an amazing workout that will leave you energized and ready to get out there and try something new. Good luck, have fun, and never forget to strive for greatness!!

If you have any further questions of where to go with starting a HIIT program, or anything else in regards to getting out there and enjoying a healthy and active you can contact me at www.facebook.com/fitnessbykayla.