Blogs

  • How to Succeed

    In his book Eat that Frog, author Brian Tracey suggests tackling the biggest, hardest challenge you face each day first thing– this is the FROG.

    For you, it may be a work project, a difficult conversation, or something else you’re potentially less than excited about.

    If that challenge for you is getting your workout in, consider doing it first thing in the morning. And if you’re not a morning person, I get it. However, if morning is the only time you are guaranteed to get it done (with a little willpower when you hear your alarm clock), it’s something you should strongly consider. Science and physiology proves that cortisol levels are highest in the morning and you will have more energy for a better quality more productive workout in the morning. See this chart to show natural cortisol and melatonin hormones in a balanced body. The key is getting to bed early enough to get the minimum 7, preferable 8-9 hours of sleep.  This is also why I have all my training sessions in the morning!

    Some of Tracey’s other recommendations are to spend a few minutes pre-planning each week and each day for maximum productivity. What we don’t realize is that a little bit of planning can literally save us hours and hours every week and help us get it all done when getting it all done feels nearly impossible.

    So, how can you better plan each day and each week?

    Do you need to consider your workouts as the FROG you eat each morning so that it’s out of the way?
    Let me know your thoughts by replying!

    Wishing you well,
    Coach Erinne Guthrie

    I invite you to link here and schedule a call with me today or,
    text me at 786-586-6057 to request an appointment.

    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

  • The Importance of Tribe

    As long as humans have been in existence, being part of a tribe has been crucial.

    Originally it was important for survival, as groups can protect one another and navigate challenges with much more ease than a single person.

    In fact, many species of animals run in tribes.

    But because we no longer fear attacks by wild animals, natural disasters (well sometimes with hurricanes) and starvation, tribes have come to play a different role in our lives.

    However, they still serve similar purposes like protection and support… Or at least they should.

    You see, too often in today’s world people have what I’ll call tribes by default. They don’t really choose who is in their tribe – it’s more whoever happens to be around them in daily life.

    So, I want to share with you the importance of CREATING your tribe. Now I’m not saying that you should kick friends and family to the curb at all, but you should consciously choose a high – level tribe.

    A high-level tribe is a small circle of people that strive for more. They’re positive, supportive, and they don’t gossip. They lift each other up and help you find solutions to your challenges.

    When a high-level tribe is absent from your life, it affects you on many levels including ways you may not even realize. In order to operate at your highest vibration and achieve the most in life, you MUST have a high-level tribe.

    And that’s exactly what I’ve created here at Full Circle Coaching. So, if you or someone you know is struggling on any level personally, we invite you or them into our high-level tribe. We don’t judge, gossip, or criticize. We empower, love, and energize each other.

    If this is something you know you need in your life, simply hit reply and share your thoughts. We’re here to support however we can, even if it’s just lending an ear.

    Wishing You Well,
    Coach Erinne Guthrie

    I invite you to link here and schedule a call with me today or,
    text me at 786-586-6057 to request an appointment.

    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

  • Dime, Le Vas a la Rueda?

    Dime, le vas a la rueda?  Pregunto si conduces extremamente pegadito al ciclista que tienes al frente para beneficiar de su velocidad?

    En el mundo de ciclismo el tema y definación de “Drafting o Slipstreaming” / “ir a la rueda” es una técnica a la cual dos objetos en movimiento se alinean en grupo para reducir el gasto de energía para mantener velocidad con menos esfuerzo.

    Entiendo que nuestro tono puede sonar un poco agresivo y por esto demoré meses en publicar este escrito, pues no es mi entención ofender a nadie, pero me siento un poco cansada de aguantar mis sentimientos y he decidido utilizar este escrito como una oportunidad de enseñanza.

    “Yendo al la rueda” como ciclista en un triatlón que sea “Non-draft legal” es hacer trampa, y NO existe ninguna exepción ha esta regla.  Estoy cansada de ver ciclistas de buen atletisismo aprovecharse de ir a la rueda cuando los oficiales no están mirando y se aprovechan.  Me enfurece cuando veo que un atleta de ciclismo lo hace, ni hablar cuando noto que un grupo de ciclistas lo están haciendo durante una carrera.

    Cuando vuelan pasandome u otro ciclista les hago saber que están yendo la rueda me responden con las escusas como “No lo puedo ayudar” o “Todos los de mas lo hacen.”

    Es una j****a pena que estas personas no respetan las reglas y en vez escogen hacer trampa.  Y me enfurece mas cuando los veo parados en el podio celebrando su victoria cuando en actualidad les han robado el puesto a otros.  Ustedes saben quienes son, y seguramente no es solo esto en sus vida que actúan deshonestos!

    Yo tengo una solucion que quizas los directores de carrera deberían considerar e invertir.  Cada chip de sincronizacion  puede tener un “GPS” y durante la carrera cada ciclista que se pegue  dentro de tres largos de bicicleta por mas the 15 segundos recibirá una penalidad (esta idea me la propuso mi compañero) y me encantó!

    No tomen esto a mal, a mi me encanta “ir a la rueda” per solo en carreras que son especificamente carreras designadas de “ir a la rueda.”  Tambien utilizo esta técnica durante prácticas en grupo y para mi propio entrenamiento.  Pienso que se debe practicar esta técnica durante el entrenamiento ambos ciclismo y triatlon.  Pero la verdad es que es triste cuando estoy en medio de una carrera y otro ciclista o grupo de ellos me van a la rueda y pasan volando en frente de mí.  Yo podría seguirlos y hacer lo mismo, y tal vez usar la misma escusa que ellos, pero no lo hago, y no lo haré nunca, ni siquiera por el costo del podio.

    Pienso que otra solución seria hacer todas las carreras de triatlón legal “ir a la rueda.”  Pero tambien es mas peligroso conducir de esta manera con “aero-bars,” así que no creó que esto suceda pronto.

    Ya que me desaogué…
    Por favor mire este enlace que contiene una lista de las reglas más violadas durante carreras de triatlón.

    Espero que no haya ofendido a nadie, solamente deséo educarlos sobre las reglas, y no se preocupe que si los véo “yendo la rueda” durante una carrera, se los recordaré!

    Si desea saber mas sobre nuestro programa sobre ciclismo esencial haga una cita telefonica usando este enlace.

    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

  • Do You Suck?

    Please see this exact post in Spanish for all my Hispanic friends!!!

    Do You Suck? You Know, Suck Wheel?  –  I mean draft, on your bike very close behind another cyclist so that you benefit from having less resistance behind the cyclist in front of you.

    Official Definition in Wikipedia of Drafting or Slipstreaming –  a technique where two vehicles or other moving objects are caused to align in a close group reducing the overall effect of drag due to exploiting the lead object’s slipstream. Especially when high speeds are involved, as in motor racing and cycling, drafting can significantly reduce the paceline‘s average energy expenditure required to maintain a certain speed and can also slightly reduce the energy expenditure of the lead vehicle or object.

    I have been hesitant to write this blog for many months because I’m afraid my assertive tone might offend you, but I’m tired of holding back on how I truly feel so I decided to make it a teaching/coaching opportunity.

    Drafting in a non-draft legal triathlon is CHEATING, there are NO exceptions to this rule and I’m tired of seeing able bodied cyclists taking advantage of drafting when race officials are not looking and just plain cheating.  It pisses me off when I see anyone drafting let alone a pack of cyclists doing it during a non draft legal race.

    My favorite excuse that I hear when I remind someone that they are drafting off of me or another cyclist as they fly by me is “I can’t help it” or “Everyone else is doing it.”

    It’s a f*****g shame and disgraceful that people cannot hold themselves accountable to the rules of the race and choose not to cheat.  It makes me even more angry when those exact cheaters are up on the podium hooting and hollering about their victory when they have robbed an honest racer from their spot on the stage!  You know who you are!  And it is probably not the only thing in your life you’re dishonest about.

    But I have a solution that race directors could invest in; Every timing chip could have a GPS in it and any racer within 3 bike lengths for longer than 15 seconds automatically gets a penalty!!

    Don’t get me wrong, I love to draft.  I race in draft legal races and use it for group rides and my own triathlon/ cycling training.  I think it’s an important part of conditioning for cycling and triathlon events.  It just sucks when I am out there racing my race and another racer or group of racers are drafting on me or blowing by me in a draft pack.  I could jump on with the other cheaters, sighting one of the excuses above but I don’t and I won’t, even at the cost of a podium spot!

    I’m thinking another solution to this problem is to make all triathlons draft legal! But it is more dangerous to be riding in a pack on a time trial bike with aero-bars, so not sure that will happen anytime soon.

    So now that I’m off my soap box…
    Please check out the PDF that has a list of the Most Violated USA Triathlon Rules for Racing.

    I hope I didn’t offend anyone, I only want to educate you about the rules, but don’t worry if I see you out there drafting in a non-drafting race- I will happily remind you!

    Please see this exact post in Spanish for all my Hispanic friends!!!
    Happy racing!

    If you you want to learn more about my Bike Essentials program so you don’t have to draft, schedule your call with me here!

    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

    Did you agree with this post, or not? Please comment below and if you have any coaching questions please reach out to schedule a call.

  • No Pain, No Gain is Not What You Think It Is

    Pain is your friend and a personal guide to listen to and you need to listen to it just as you would listen to a person who is a friend.  It communicates with you, it can help you in many ways.

    The term “No Pain, No Gain” is a term that gets misused a lot.  Yes, it’s true that to get stronger and faster you may have to push through some discomfort or pain to go beyond what you thought was possible for yourself.  In fact, there is an awesome book called “How Bad Do You Want It” where the author sites that in scientific studies with athletes pushing hard in a sports event, the brain signals to back off because of pain or discomfort but in reality the athlete can have as much as 40% more to give.

    It’s important as an athlete to test your limits in a smart and safe way to get stronger and faster.  Where the “No Pain, No Gain” slogan does not work is when you feel like you may have an injury.  If your body is giving you pain signals that you may have hurt yourself, it really is NOT wise to push through and keep training.  This kind of pain is your body giving you feedback to pay attention to the problem.  If you listen and back off, tell your coach about it or get an evaluation from a physical therapist or other sports professional you can usually fix the issue rather than pushing through and ultimately making it worse.

    I use a number scale for myself and my athletes.  You can have an injury and still train.  Doing nothing is actually really bad advice (more on that later)  The pain just needs to be a 5 or less on a 1-10 pain scale.  One, is zero pain, 10 is something is broken or torn.  With a five or less, you can do good pre-hab exercises and dynamic stretching and or foam rolling so you can still train.  If the pain gets higher than a five, you stop!  If it stays less than five, or ideally getting back to zero, you can keep training.  Stress plus rest equals growth…

    Another book recommendation;
    Peak Performance: 

    Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success

    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

    Coach Erinne
    Full Circle Coaching
    Where Performance Meets Balance
    786-586-6057

    Got questions regarding triathlon?  Drop me an email to erinne@fullcirclecoaching.co or schedule a call at this link: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU

    Join the FUN!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

  • Race Tips for Your Next Sprint or Olympic Distance Triathlon

    Race Tips for Your Next Sprint or Olympic Distance Triathlon

    By Erinne Guthrie, USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach

    I recorded this webinar to make it easy for you to access any time you need to review the most important race tips to use at your next Sprint or Olympic distance triathlon race.

    Should you have any questions please reach out to me, Coach Erinne (via text is fastest) 786-586-6057 or, schedule a call and we can discuss further.  Use this link to schedule your call:
    http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU

    I give this clinic live before most of the Multirace Triathlons in Miami, Florida.  I hope you enjoy it and please let me know if it helped you in any way have a better race experience, thanks for your time!

    Watch below!

    Here’s the Youtube LINK:
    https://youtu.be/LKS13Bti8JI


    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

    Got questions regarding triathlon?  Drop me an email to erinne@fullcirclecoaching.co or schedule a call at this link: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU

    Join the FUN!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

  • Thanks, it’s True!

    I saw a super silly movie the other day that made me laugh a lot.  The name of the movie is Half Magic, you can see the trailer on this YouTube link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WVwoboiwK0

    One thing from the movie that I loved was when someone gives you a compliment, say “Thanks, it’s true!!”  I just love it because saying this is so opposite of what everyone always does.  So, today I tested it out and I can tell you it feels absolutely amazing.

    I got a compliment about the last Ultimate Tri Camp and it made me feel pretty good because I work pretty hard to make that an amazing experience for all who attend.  Then I remembered the line from the movie and I said it out loud “Thanks! It’s True!”  And wow, my smile got bigger.  I just felt good about getting that feedback on all my hard work. So, I mentioned it to my boyfriend and he said to me “No, you can’t say that!  People will think you are so full of yourself! That makes you seem so …… I don’t know!” 

    So I challenged that person and I asked them to try it!  I gave them a true compliment and asked them to say “Thanks, it’s true”  in response.They said “Wow I do feel good.”  I explained that I was not giving them a compliment to make me feel better, but it was a true compliment and I wanted them to feel good.

    So next time you get a compliment rather than deflect it, or immediately give a compliment back, say proudly “Thanks, It’s True” and feel your joy.

    I challenge you just once to try it today or this week then let me know by sharing how you felt!

    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

    Coach Erinne
    Full Circle Coaching
    Where Performance Meets Balance
    786-586-6057

    Got questions regarding triathlon?  Drop me an email to erinne@fullcirclecoaching.co or schedule a call at this link: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU

    Join the FUN!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

  • Did You Know This About Coach Erinne Guthrie of Full Circle Coaching?

    Check this out…

    Recently posted on the “Swim Miami” blog about coach Erinne!! Written by Jaclyn Frishman, Please enjoy this read by clicking the link below:

    http://swimmiami.net/full-circle-coaching-0409

    Please share, comment and or click “LIKE” below the blog-post. We’d love to know your thoughts!!

  • An Important Concept to Create REAL Change

    An Important Concept to Create Real Change

    I’m always on a quest for self improvement and I wanted to share a key concept that will determine your ability to grow.

    The concept of the Teachability Index is something I’ve been exploring, and I think it’s really relevant and fascinating for people looking to change their bodies and lifestyles.

    So let me explain…

    Two primary factors play a role in determining how teachable and susceptible to growth we are at any given time:

    1. Our willingness to learn
    2. Our willingness to accept change

    Both the willingness to learn and acceptance to change things are massively important to understand and check in with if you really want to create long-term change.

    In each area, rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 (1 being absolutely NOT and 10 being ALL IN!)

    Willingness to learn – How much time, money, and serious effort do you put into reaching your health and fitness goals?

    Are you trying to go it alone or do you have a coach? Are you trying to figure it out yourself or do you seek support in areas that will help you grow? Do you find yourself spending time and money in areas that aren’t essential or do you even know what areas are essential to focus on?

    Where are you on a scale of 1-10 in your willingness to learn?

    Willingness to accept change – You can learn and know things all day long, but until you commit to true change, it’s irrelevant. Maybe it’s spending that money you’ve told yourself you don’t have to get the coach you know you need. Maybe it’s changing your approach that just isn’t working. Maybe it’s tuning out the noise about what works and what doesn’t and not doing the diet/training program just because your friend is or some fit person posted it on Facebook.

    In order to grow, we must be willing to accept change in every area of life. And given that our brains are designed to resist and protect us from change, these choices must be conscious! Pay attention to the reasons “why not” that your  brain likes to trick you with and make those conscious decisions to choose to change and do things differently.

    Where are you on a scale of 1-10 in your willingness to change?

    To determine where you are on the scales, you can consider:

    • What are you willing to give up to get what you want?
    • What are you willing to spend to get to where you want to be?
    • Are you willing to let go of truths you might hold and see things from a different perspective?

    The above combined with our willingness to accept change and our willingness to learn make up the Teachability Index.

    Here’s the thing…

    It’s OK if you’re not 10/10 on both scales! We aren’t going to be there 100% of the time. It’s a place to strive to be because that’s where new levels of success are reached. Bringing consciousness to where you are now will allow you to determine the actions you need to take and the ways in which you need to adjust your thoughts to move higher on the Teachability Index, the place that we have tremendous growth.

    I’d love to know if you have questions about this or how it resonates. And if you’re ready to scale up your Teachability Index, I am here to help. Simply click here to let me know, and I’ll be back in touch ASAP.


    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim COach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

    Wishing you well,

    Coach Erinne
    Full Circle Coaching 786-586-6057
    Where Performance Meets Balance

     

  • How Many Days Do You Need to Recover and Why? The Difference Between a Taper and Recovery Days

    How Many Days Do You Need to Recover and Why? The Difference Between a Taper and Recovery Days

    Many triathletes get really excited about training and tend to train, train and train until they get injured or sick or both.  Training can get addictive especially after you start to see results.  It just feels so good when you have a hard workout and see your times getting faster. However, it is equally important to rest and recover on a regular basis.  By scheduling in planned recovery days you allow your body to absorb the training you have been doing and then get back to training and ramp it up a little more. By having recovery and taper days planned ahead of time, you won’t run into the common problem of getting sick or minor over use injuries.

    A Taper week is a week or few days to reduce training volume leading up to a race.  During this taper week, you want to reduce volume to as little as 25% -75% of normal training volume depending if this is an “A” race or “C” race, or a long course or short course race (“A” race means that it is a really important race that you want to peak for and really do well.  “B” and “C” races are less important and can be used for training).

    The shorter the race, the shorter the taper.  This is also athlete dependent.  Some athletes do better with longer tapers than others.  The key is to try different length tapers and see how you perform on race day.  It may take a few taper weeks leading into races to find the right recipe for you.  I’ve had athletes do great on a 2 day taper for a sprint race but need a whole week for a half Ironman® and as many as two weeks for a full Ironman®. Age is also a factor here. The older you are the more recovery time you tend to need but not always!

    The 2 things to keep in mind during all tapers is to include a little intensity in the workouts and to resist the urge to do completely nothing!!!

    You will actually feel worse and come back weaker if you take an entire week off and eat crappy.  Aim to get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep each night as well!

    For taper week training  get 20-45 min of movement in during the 5-6 of the 7 days leading up to the race.  Include a few pick-ups in intensity which I like to call ORPS – Over Race Pace Pick-ups to prevent your body from feeling stale and sticky.

    A typical taper week might include the following:

    Monday– Full day off of cardio but include 40-45 minutes of foam rolling and stretching, or some yoga and working IN and  lots of water with a pinch of sea salt in each glass along with clean eating, good protein and veggies.  Write out your race plan and send to your coach. (see other blogs to see what a race plan is). Visualize and imagine the details of your successful race daily to ensure the results you desire.

    Tuesday– light 30 minute swim around 1200-1500 yards- Include some fast 25’s and 50’s with lots of rest.

    Wednesday– 30-45 minute easy spin on the bike, stretch use your compression socks after and get a full body massage.

    Thursday– 20-30 min run with 4 x 1-4 min at over race pace intensity with lots of recovery after each one and an easy 30-45 min spin with 4 x 1-4 min ORPS again.  Drop your bike off for tune up and maintenance.

    Friday- mental and physical rest day-  finalize your race plan pack for your race etc.

    Saturday– pre- race brick-  15 minute swim, 20 minute spin on bike and 15 minute run, all very easy with 1-4 min ORPS.

    Sunday- Race Day; get a good warm up in pre- race, shorter races require longer warm ups.

     

    A Recovery Week or Few Days – Is when you reduce volume, similar to taper week but there is no race.  It’s just a few days of rest and recovery to help your body assimilate all the training and then go back to training for another 2-3 weeks, typically ramping up the volume and intensity to get you ready for your next race in a few more weeks or months.  Again, you don’t want to be completely lazy during this time.  Doing yoga or a few days of really light intensity can make a huge difference in your mental and physical ability to handle the next training block.  Recovery days are essential and must be taken and planned for so your body doesn’t break down and dictate the recovery by getting sick with something much worse than a little cold or minor injury.

    I can speak first hand of this.  I trained my way into 18 months of recovery because I went 6 months on 5 hours of sleep, while working full time, training hard- 12 hours a week, breast feeding and just plain over doing it.  It took me way too long to recover because I was not getting adequate sleep and taking those planned recovery days as often as I needed to!  I didn’t want to miss out on training hard but, I learned my lesson.  Now I have planned recovery days and will take them sooner than later if my body is telling me to.  So, do yourself a favor and take the recovery and taper week or days and watch and feel your body respond with more energy. strength and speed every time!

    Please let me know if you liked this Blog and if there are any topics you’d like me to write about in the future.

    Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997 and is currently taking a recovery year after two consecutive years racing at Long and Short Course World Championships.  She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim COach, Motivational Speaker, Mom and much much more.

    Coach Erinne
    Full Circle Coaching
    Where Performance Meets Balance