Ironman Nutrition BY KIM LOEFLER, 2004 USA IRONMAN CHAMPION AND BIOBUILDE: MASTER AMINO ACID PATTERN (MAP) TEAM MEMBER

Virtue of Patience

After 21 years of racing, I have learned a great deal about training principles, racing strategy, sports nutrition, and injury prevention. If I had to pinpoint the most valuable lesson I have learned over the past several years, it would have to be the virtue of patience. Patience is rarely practiced nor spoken of in the triathlon arena. Most triathletes have the mentality of Steve Prefontaine “to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift” or Neil Kendall “some runners follow their dreams others hunt them down and beat them merciless into submission”. Such aggressive mantras can be motivating in the later parts of a race or during a hard interval session but it is patience that will bring long term success.

The most valuable advice I give my clients on race is to be patient and race your race! On race day, everyone is fit, rested and ready to race. Most triathletes have type A personalities and have a very difficult time keeping their competitive spirit in check. So many people go out way too hard on the bike or the run and end up doing a walk jog to the finish. Many blame it on nutrition, or the weather, or some other external excuse. I’d say 95% of the time it is attributed to impatience. They pushed to hard too soon and all the calories in the world or the best digestive system humanly possible would not have helped them run a 3 hr marathon. Set a race plan and stick to it, don’t race impulsively, you’ll pay painful consequences! Like Steve Prefontaine emphasized, racing is an Art. You can make it beautiful or you can make it ugly, it’s up to you!

Patience is a vital ingredient for success in Ironman. Strategy and tactics play a major role in endurance events and often the smarter not stronger athlete wins. If you train hard, remain patient, stick to your plan, and race your own race, your goals will be realized.

Kim Loeffler is the 2006 US Long Course National Champion, 8th female finisher at the Ironman World Championships and has been a Master Amino Acid Pattern (MAP) user since 2004.

Order MAP