Fitter Radio: Triathlon, Endurance, Nutrition

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Swimming toys: The use of pull buoys - how much should we be using them and should we kick. The advantages of swim training in a pool wearing your wet suit and what we should be looking for in a wet suit. Paddles and what to be aware of. ONE STEP AHEAD: - Mikki describes some LCHF starter kit ideas for Christmas presents. HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW - BRITTA MARTIN: Britta is a German born triathlete who now lives in Nelson, NZ.  She has had a fantastic 2014 winning 3 iron distance races in Wisconsin, Taiwan and Busselton, WA where she broke the course record with an amazing 8:56:03 - the second time that Britta has won this race. Bevan talks to Britta about her career to date and her plans for the future. THE GEEK OUT: A new study investigating the effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on performance during a prolonged 'high intensity cycling to exhaustion effort' in well trained athletes. 5 MINUTE FOCUS: We talk to AJ Johnson, Content Manager and Power Analyst for Training Peaks. Be

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: The value of 'big week' training. How to manage and plan it effectively and what to watch out for. HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW – KAYTEE BOYD: We combine our One Step Ahead section with our Hot Property Interview this week to bring you Kaytee Boyd. Kaytee, a specialist in 'Adrenal Fatigue' has worked in many facets of the health industry as an exercise professional, strength conditioner, CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Nutrition Specialist and Sports & Biomedical Nutritionist. A professional athlete herself Kaytee has competed for New Zealand in BMX, Mountain Bike, Road and is a World Cup Gold Medalist in Track cycling. She has also competed in the Commonwealth Games. Kaytee has her own company Balanced Wellbeing, coaching athletes and beginners alike in all areas of endurance and power sports. THE GEEK OUT: Inflammation and the athlete - a recent study looking at the risks of using ibuprofen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. 5 MINUTE FOCUS: We bring back Professor Paul Laursen to t

IRONMAN 70.3 moves from Auckland to Taupo Bevan talks to IRONMAN Asia Pacific CEO Geoff Meyer about the change      

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: We start off this week's show with questions from our listeners around total cholesterol numbers and their relevance to our health plus, do calories count on an LCHF diet. ONE STEP AHEAD: Fasted training - should we or shouldn't we. WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: How to recover after a marathon. Guidelines around returning to training post marathon. HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW - JOE FILLIOL: Joel Filliol is one of triathlon's most experienced and successful professional coaches. He has been involved in endurance sport since 1989 both as an athlete and coach. As an athlete Joel has competed in over 100 triathlon and multisport events and represented Canada at the Worlds in Triathlon and Duathlon. He was head coach for British Triathlon from 2009 to 2011 and before that Triathlon Canada head coach from 2006 to 2008 including the Beijing Olympic Games where he coached Simon Whitfield to Olympic Silver. Joel coaches elite, pros and ambitious amateur athletes. He works via camps around the world, and onl

ONE STEP AHEAD: Bulletproof Coffee - what you need to watch out for and its place in an LCHF diet. WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Energy Psychology (or Tapping) for sports performance, pre-race nerves and performance anxiety. HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW - CAMERON BROWN: At 42 years old Cam Brown is still going strong. In June this year he made Ironman history by becoming the oldest winner of a full Ironman winning Cairns in a time of 8 hours 20 minutes. He is a 10 x Ironman Champion at both Taupo and the Half in Tauranga having been on the podium a number of times at the World Champs in Kona and is considered one of the most consistent Ironman performers of all time. We hear about what he believes to be the ‘secret to his success’ his penchant for the odd Coca-Cola and the truth about how long he did that ‘other’ job for! 5 MINUTE FOCUS/THE GEEK OUT: We combine these 2 segments this week to bring you a fascinating interview with David Bowden of SPEEDTHEORY. Based in Cambridge, New Zealand, Dave is a guru in all things aero

ONE STEP AHEAD: Important supplements for the low carb athlete. Plus a supplement prescription for long and/or hard endurance sessions. WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: The standing desk. Research has proven that a seated position is not conducive to physical or mental good health - it can also affect our training. Long periods of sitting act as an independent risk factor which not even 20 hours of weekly exercise will offset. HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW - JAMES DUNNE: James Dunne of Kinetic Revolution is a Movement and Running Mechanics Specialist. Describing himself as a running coach, movement geek and sports rehab therapist he has a particular passion for identifying and correcting dysfunctional movement patterns that cause overuse injuries or impair efficiency in endurance athletes. James holds a Degree in Sport Rehabilitation and has a special interest in the Functional Biomechanics of Running. THE GEEK-OUT: Mid foot cleat positions for cycling shoes - research shows that this change in cleat position can improve runni

ONE STEP AHEAD: The Green Powders. WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: We combine our 5 Minute Focus and Workout of the Week sections to bring you a fascinating interview with Matt Fitzgerald – writer/athlete/coach. Matt is a prolific endurance author and frequent contributor to Ironman and Training Peaks. He talks to us about his most recent book '80/20 Running' in which he reviews the concept of polarised training principles and the case for 'slowing down to get faster'. Matt shows runners how to break out of the moderate-intensity rut. THE GEEK-OUT: We find out why triathletes are so tough! HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW – TIM VAN BERKEL: This week we are delighted to be able to bring you an interview with Tim Van Berkel. Tim is the youngest three-time Ironman champion in the 33-year history of Ironman racing. He is one of Australia's most recognised professional Triathletes and most recently pulled off a stellar performance in Kona coming 7th in his debut appearance there. Tim talks about his race, what changes he made to his t

In our Workout of the Week Bev talks about  pacing and how to determine pacing strategy for different length events. In One Step Ahead Mikki gives us the lowdown on the Top 10 Paleo Breakfasts. This week's Geek-Out is about swim pacing - how swim intensity affects your subsequent biking and overall triathlon performance. In our Hot Property Interview this week we are delighted to be able to bring you an interview with Kiwi Triathlete Ryan Sissons. Ryan is currently the #1 ranked Triathlete in New Zealand and has just recently been named again in our High Performance Squad. We talk to Ryan about what his plans are post the Commonwealth Games and his strategy around Rio and the Olympic Games in 2016. In the 5 Minute Focus section Bev talks to John Paul Ashton about the 'Triathlon Box' - a great new initiative from the UK for getting your kit organised in transition and reducing the stress on race day! This week in our GIVEAWAYS we give you the chance to WIN A FREE ENTRY TO TAUPO HALF IRONMAN - SATURDAY 13 DECE

In our Workout of the Week Bev talks to us about Metabolic Efficiency Testing - measuring your metabolic rate to determine the composition of fuels (fat versus carbohydrate) you're burning as exercise intensity increases. Determining your metabolic profile will go a long way to improving your chances of race day success. In One Step Ahead Mikki looks at vegan athletes - what they could be missing out on and how best to approach it. In the Geek-Out we look at the latest on caffeine and its effect on sprint performance. Our Hot Property Interview this week is with the amazing, the legendary the inspirational Chris 'MACCA' McCormack!! 2 times Ironman World Champion, 7 times World Cup Champion, 12 times Ironman Champion, ITU short-course World Champion, ITU long-course World Champion and Goodwill Games Gold Medalist. Chris gives us a great insight into what's happening in the world of triathlon and his views on what it means now to be a pro athlete. We also hear about his role as Executive Chairman for Thanyapura

In our Workout of the Week Bev talks about the The 'Need for Speed' - High Intensity Running as part of your running programme and how to improve your velocity at VO2 max. The Billat's 30-30 workout and how to perform it. In One Step Ahead Mikki discusses testosterone and the male athlete. What you can do dietary wise to improve your levels. In the Geek-Out we look at Peppermint Oil and its effect on the exercise performance, physiological and respiratory parameters of runners. The Hot Property Interview this week is with American Pro Triathlete Jordan Rapp.  Jordan has been racing as a pro for several years in addition to his work as Chief Technology Officer of the Triathlon/Cycling site Slowtwitch.com. Jordan is the 2011 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Champion plus he's won numerous long distance events including five Ironman races in New York, Texas, Canada (twice) and Arizona. His next race is Ironman Arizona on November 16th 2014. In our 5 Minute Focus this week we talk to Craig Brain of Allsports Di

In our Workout of the Week we talk self-massage. What you can do to help clean up and prep the muscles to aid recovery before your next training session.  In One Step Ahead Mikki talks to us about whey protein. The Geek-Out - Mirinda Carfrae ran a 2:50 marathon at Kona this year. Do the physiological differences between men and women mean that women will eventually go faster than men at ultra-distance events? Our Hot Property Interview this week is with Kiwi Professional Triathlete and video host Callum Millward. Callum has been a frequent podium topper on the Ironman 70.3 scene starting his career in ITU racing before switching to long course in 2012. This year he's racked up multiple respectable finishes: fourth at Ironman 70.3 Boulder, third at Ironman 70.3 Raleigh and Ironman 70.3 Vineman, and second at Wildflower. He's now planning to go long with Ironman Melbourne on the race calendar in March 2015. Callum also hosts a popular YouTube series called 'Cupcakes with Cal' in which he interviews and pokes fu

In One Step Ahead Mikki talks to us about anti-inflammatory foods. Our Hot Property Interview this week (Kona week) is with Exercise Physiologist, author and owner of Purple Patch Fitness, Matt Dixon. Matt coaches some of the big names who'll be battling it out for the world title in Kona including Gina Crawford, Tim Reed and Meredith Kessler. In our Workout of the Week we catch up with the race post Kona. In the Geek-Out we look at energy drinks and bring you a study which has analysed the positive and negative effects of energy drinks on athletes. For our 5 Minute Focus we talk to Prof Grant Schofield about the upcoming LCHF "Back to the Future" Seminars being held in Auckland next month. Grant, who heads up the Human Potential Centre here at AUT/Millennium in Auckland, together with Dr Caryn Zinn and Jimmy Moore of "livinlavidalowcarb" will be presenting the latest in research and practice in low carb high fat eating. LINKS: Fermented cod liver oil/butter oil blend capsules can be found at http://www.gre

Have you, like Mikki, been injured or not done enough training and still want to do that marathon even though you've only got 8 weeks to go? Here's what Bevan suggested Mikki should do to give her a chance of 'toeing the start line' rather than revisiting the osteo! We've combined our HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW and ONE STEP AHEAD segments this week as we are delighted to be able to bring you a fascinating interview with Cliff Harvey of Holistic Performance Nutrition. Cliff is currently pursuing a Masters Degree and Doctorate in Nutrition investigating ketogenic diets, fat-adaptation and metabolic efficiency in athletes. Cliff has been consulting to elite level athletes including Olympians, World Champions and Professionals since 1998 and in this interview talks to us about 'Metabolic Flexibility' - the body's ability to use a varied number of fuel sources in order to be more metabolically efficient. We talk LCHF, ketosis and using fat for fuel. In our GEEK-OUT we look at training on low glycogen stores and the la

In our Workout of the Week we look at tapering for an event. Bevan talks to us about how to taper effectively in order to enable peak performance. We're allowing Bev to call himself 'Hot Property' this week due to his recent race in Weihai, China where he won Age Group Gold! Mikki interviews Bevan about his race and the planning, execution and nutritional work that went into getting him there. In our One Step Ahead segment we discuss the 'Aftermath'. Bev and Mikki talk to us about what we need to watch out for post-race and recommendations on what and what not to do! Our 5 Minute Focus this week is with Brad Dixon of Everfit Coaching & Physiotherapy. Brad talks to us about his new venture 'Endurobeet'. Brad is a sports physiotherapist and triathlon/running coach and more recently has developed a new business out of his interest and research into the awesome benefits of beetroot as a nitrate supplementation. LINKS: More about Brad Dixon at http://everfit.co.nz/  Find out more about Endurobeet here http://w

This week Bev speaks to us from the ITU Long Distance World Champs in Weihai, China. Since recording the Episode we can tell you that Bevan subsequently won GOLD in his age group at the race. In ONE STEP AHEAD Mikki talks to us about pre-race nutritional principles - recommendations on what and what not to consider! In our WORKOUT OF THE WEEK Bevan talks to Daniel Plews, Physiologist at High Performance Sport New Zealand, about 'Heart Rate Variability' - measuring the gap between your heart beats and what this can mean for athletic performance.  Dan, a triathlete in his own right, is currently working with Rowing NZ and has completed a PhD in this fascinating subject! This week Mikki geeks out on pre-competition sleep behaviour and whether there is any relationship between this, pre-competition mood and/or subsequent race-day performance. In our HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW section we bring you a selection of interviews from the Kiwi Elite and Age Group teams before their World Champs race in China on 21 September.

In this week's episode Bev talks to us about walk breaks - why they should be incorporated into our run training and what the methodology is behind them. In One Step Ahead Mikki tells us the latest on nitrate supplementation, and more specifically 'Beetroot Juice', and its benefit in enhancing performance for the endurance athlete. Our Hot Property Interview is with the amazing and inspirational ultra-endurance athlete Rich Roll. Rich's story is a must listen as he tells us about his transformation from a life of alcohol, drug and junk food addiction to the ultra-endurance athlete, full-time wellness and plant based nutrition advocate, author, blogger, podcaster and motivational speaker that he is today! In the Geek-Out Mikki gives us the latest research on Compression Socks. Check out our Facebook page for this week's competition to win either a pair of 2XU Compression Calf Guards or 2XU Compression Socks for Recovery. In the 5 Minute Focus section Bev chats to Cam Harper about a new venture he's involved w

In this episode Bev talks about training with Power and the benefits of training with a Power Meter. He also talks to Joe McQuillan, Exercise Physiologist at Waikato University. Joe has been instrumental in bringing the "Power Guru" Hunter Allen to New Zealand in September/October to conduct Workshops in both Auckland and Christchurch and a 2-day Symposium in Cambridge. Joe tells us more about them and offers listeners discounted entry to both the Workshops and the Symposium plus the chance to win a FREE entry to one of the Workshops.  See show notes for more details and where to buy tickets. In ONE STEP AHEAD Mikki tells us about the benefits (or otherwise) of using coconut water. Our HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW this week is with Danish triathlete Helle Frederiksen. Helle is part of the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team and last week won the Hy-Vee 5150 US Champs in Des Moines, Iowa taking home the prize purse of $100,000USD.  Bevan spoke to Helle a few days before the race. In our GEEK-OUT section Mikki gives us an

Beta-Alanine. What is it, what does it do and how can it help fitness? We bring back Professor Paul Laursen for the second part of his 2 part interview about 'Heat Adaptation'. Paul leads the Performance Physiology Team at High Performance Sport New Zealand and in this episode talks about hydration and cooling strategies in hot conditions. We also hear about the latest research around 'drinking to thirst' and 'electrolytes' - are they really necessary? In the 'Geek Out' this week we geek out on 'power output' during cycling in an international Olympic distance triathlon. For our 5 minute focus Bev chats to Sam James, Managing Director of Blucore about their awesome new 'Corsuit' product. In this episode we are giving away both a 150g tub of Balance 100% Pure Beta Alanine AND we're also giving listeners an opportunity to win one of the amazing 'Corsuits' from Blucore! To be in with a chance to win look out for the competitions on Facebook. LINKS: More about the Corsuit at http://blucoreswim.com/  Paul Laursen

Alcohol. Does it affect athletic performance?  Mikki tells us yes or no and if so why.  We combine the Hot Property Interview and Workout of the Week and bring back Professor Paul Laursen.  Paul leads the Performance Physiology Team at High Performance Sport New Zealand.  In this episode (Part 1 of a 2 part interview) Paul and Bev talk about 'Heat Adaptation'.  Why should we heat adapt, what's happening in the body when we do adapt and how does it help athletic performance.  In The Geek Out Mikki tells us about the best vitamins to take for heat adaptation and hot climates.  In this week's 5 Minute Focus Bev chats to Rob Dallimore of Foot Traffic Coaching.  Rob is a Field Marketing Rep for Magellan GPS Products in New Zealand and tells us about the range of products they offer for runners, cyclists and triathletes.  And we're delighted this episode to be giving away a Magellan Echo watch!!  To be in with a chance to win send us a photo of the most beautiful place you could imagine yourself running and wearing

We double up this week as both Bev and Mikki take on the subject of stress and cortisol.  In the 'Geek-Out' Mikki tells us about a new study around protein in endurance athletes.  For our 5 minute focus segment Bev chats to Dr Kristi Salonius (Chiropractor) of BettaBody in Auckland and our interview this week is with the amazing Braden Currie.  Braden is the 2 x winner of New Zealand's iconic Coast to Coast Race as well as numerous other multisport races both here and overseas.  He is fast becoming one of the most respected multi-sport adventure racing athletes in the world having just come third in the X Tri World Champs!  In this episode we are giving away a 750g Tub of Balance 100% Natural Whey Powder.  Let us know what you do to reduce stress when you see the photo on our Facebook page and you’re in with a chance to win! LINKS: Check out the Red Bull Defiance race in October at  http://redbulldefiance.co.nz/  More about Braden Currie at http://www.bradencurrie.com/  Kristi Salonius can be found at http: