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The Weekly Word

A subscription based newsletter from AIMPCoach, Chris Hauth, containing ultra endurance tidbits, insights, training tips, nutrition, cool races as well the occasional musings of balancing life. 

 
 
 
 
 

A Word:

Welcome to the New Year.  Yes, it is already February, but it seems as though now we are truly settled in and in the rhythm of our weekly lives.  I choose weekly lives specifically because I am a big advocate of being focused on weekly outcomes and reflection.  Daily is difficult in our busy lives, daily often means we are playing reactive, man to man defense.  If we take a bigger picture approach (not too big) it allows us to play zone, to make adjustments, to stick to our personal guidelines & intentions for the week - we have 7 days to feel good about our outcome, we have 7 days to reflect back on and see how we might have overreached a bit, or underachieved (if we nailed it!)… The same goes for your training:  look not only what you intend to accomplish this week in your training, but also what you have achieved. I highly recommend looking back at your week, seeing how successfully you got in endurance training, along with the other priorities in your week. It is in this way you are an athlete: being not only prepared for your week ahead, but also proud & accomplished in your ability to remain focused and on task the past 7 days.  Being an athlete means constantly being in your narrative of: "I can, I am, I have been, therefore I will….” When armed with this affirmation, you recognize more & more that your choices, weekly choices really have an impact on achieving the best version of your current self. 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 

AIMP & Weekly Word Podcast Updates

As many of you may have heard, I have started a charitable organization for Firefighters and First Responders called enduranceheroes.org (still being built)- Here in California the last two fire seasons have been devastating.  Most know about this from the news.  But the fires are not only hotter, more dangerous and faster moving, but the fire season is longer, more taxing on those that work in this profession. Firefighters, Wildland Firefighters, Smokejumpers, First Responders in this service all are amazing endurance athletes.  Heavy gear, difficult terrain, brutal temperatures and environment,  long hours, lack of sleep and recovery… repeat this for many days, often weeks in a row.  Add to this they are far from their own communities, families and todays fires no longer fit the mold of the fires they were trained to fight: The Woolsey fire moved at the rate of 8 football fields per minute!

As a small token of our appreciation for the amazing sacrifice they make, I am launching a fund to give something back to our brothers & sisters in the endurance community. The proceeds of will go to entry fees for triathlons, trail running races and other endurance events that those firefighters are trading for.   To kick off this fundraising effort, custom California Coast Ride Jerseys (pictured above) are being produced. These Jerseys will be sold in the $150 price range and 100% of the proceeds will go directly back to our endurance heroes.  It is my goal to sell 150 jerseys this year, raising about $15,000 for this cause. 

You did not have to take part in the Coast Ride 2019 to join in this call to action.  It is just a vehicle to help raise funds and appreciation for all they do - donate however you like. More to follow in the next weeks and on the website once complete.

 
 
 
 
 

AIMP in the Endurance Press and Past Weekly Word Newsletters:

I was recently  interviewed for an article on active.com about the benefits (and downsides) of negative split training.   Read here if interested.  

Many of you have asked for the past newsletters I have sent out prior to you subscribing.  Please feel free to email me and I will gladly send you.

 
 
 
 
 

Quote that resonates or captures our curiosity in the ultra endurance adventure….

This past month Mary Oliver passed away.  You can learn more about this beautiful American Poet here.  In her honor, how she described this beautiful life of ours, she wrote and crafted some beautiful poems & quotes.  I’d like to share a favorite:

…"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

AIMP Workout of the week

Swim, Bike, Run, Long run, Strength, Core, CrossTrain. Even different sports:  Hike, climb, row, ruck.

Core and chassis integrity are key to maintaining form & posture when the bigger muscles start to fatigue.  We slow dramatically when form & posture are compromised.  We land heavier, create an achy, beat up body post training/event and increase the likelihood of injury.  Core is critical for performing at our current best endurance athlete version of ourselves.  

These exercises are designed to train the specific core strength and endurance demands experienced by trail runners, road runners, triathletes, multisport athletes of all kind.  I really like the concepts they use in The North Face: Mountain Athletics Series (YouTube).  Some of this is adapted and curated from their visual aids. 

  1. EOs - as many of my athletes know - this is one of my favorite exercises. I learned it from a former SEAL I was coaching for triathlon. I was excited to see it also being used in The NorthFace Athlete.  It is an isometric exercise that works not only rotation but also bends your torso length wise.
  2. SidePlank but with pushups mixed in - Most already know Plank, & Side plank, but by inserting some clean pushups in between switching sides, we allow the a different muscle group to get activated in order to create confusion. 
  3. Windshield Wipers - Legs up at a 90 degree angle from your torso: gradually and controlled bring them down to each side, tap and go back up to vertical.  
  4. Plank Walk up - Great one for chassis integrity (plank) but build core strength through the constant weight distribution change. 
  5. Seated Russian Twist: I assign these usually with a medicine ball: any weight in hands is good: legs straight, off the ground, and twisting torso from side to side with weight in hands.  Alternate a few looking side to side where your hands are going with looking straight ahead as your torso twists below you.  
  6. Sit Ups styles: These can range from Bicycle Crunches to Toes to Sky, even weighted setups, flutter kicks or Sit Up Rows.  
  7. 3 Limb Front Bridge or Rotating Limb Lift Plank: From Plank lift any limb for a few seconds so only three points of support are on the ground.  Rotate through all limbs.  

On all exercises above we want to work from a few reps/seconds of clean motions and attention to detail, to 25-30 reps and 30-40 seconds holding positions.  Also - mix them up however you like and add them to your already effective strength and core routine? 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Nutrition by Wise Wellness

Endurance training is just one spoke in the wheel of complete fitness and health.  How we treat and respect our bodies before, during and after big training blocks is important for longevity as athletes.  Endurance athletics is not just about getting through today but, getting through day after day after day!  Food is what fuels our engine, and good choices not only gives us energy, but repair our muscles, build our hormones and allows for adaptations & progression.  We must not only think about what’s happening in the moment but think ahead to recovery and preparation for what’s to come.  Being an athlete is a mindset: its how your prepare and think through your training.  On the Coast Ride, we rode long 7-8 hour days back to back, for 5 days.  What you do one day has consequences. For some, it’s the next day, for others, it’s the days following once they are back at home. The results of what you eat can either build you up or, break you down.

Many of you will embark on long consecutive days of training at some point this year, either alone or in a structured training such as the Coast Ride or an AIMP training camp.  Here are some things to consider when prepping for camp and returning to real life in order to get the most out of your training to ensure progress, not illness or injury.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Another cool race idea...or adventure…or expedition...

Every week I receive cool race ideas from my athletes as they are looking for their next ultra endurance adventure.  Now that it is 2019, here are some of the adventures or events I am curious about and interested in.  Check out this one:

Any time you can swim from one famous island to another, in a beautiful setting, with likeminded people, it makes for a unique and fun event.  Combine this with the other swims they offer in this amazing corner of the world, it truly makes the trip a healthy, active, cultural and memorable one:  10 mile swim from Corsica to Sardinia: Swim Bonifacio

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 

Offer / Discount / Sponsor exclusive offers

This week comes from our friends at 51 Speedshop, and Mat Steinmetz, one of the premier triathlon coaches in the country.  Mat used his vast experience in bike fits & aerodynamic testing to start a company focused on superior bike components. COMFORT, POWER & AERODYNAMICS are what he strives for when fitting athletes to their bikes and is at the core of the development in designing products. From over two decades of experience in the science of human performance, Mat has developed a deep understanding of rider movement and the opportunity of bicycle contact points in supporting a seamless connection between bicycle and body. With this as his foundation, he creates products that bridge the space between equipment and rider performance.  Take a look at the product line: 51 Speedshop

Get 25% off on all 51 Speedshop products: (code: AIMP25)

 
 
 
  
 
 
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