Wayne's Weekend Workouts - WWW

Weekend it here!  Big workouts it's summertime.

Saturday - All night workout

Starting Friday evening at 11:30PM - 4.5 hours riding at night at 70% target heart rate range.  Immediately after finishing 4-5 hour trail run at a tempo pace.    Swim very easy for recovery later in the day 1 hour

Sunday 

4 hour road run with the main focus of a strong negative split.

2 hours easy spinning on the bike.

Total Goal :  16 hours training

Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation Announces New President/CEO

Press Release
June 1, 2011 | Pittsburgh, PA

The Board of Directors of Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation have announced that Wayne P. Kurtz will become the Company’s President & Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2011.  His role moving forward will include a complete oversight of the company’s entire operation, including but not limited to marketing, finance, branding and strategic plan execution.

Chairman of the Board, Joel Nagel stated, "After an extensive global search, Karlsberg Insurance is pleased to announce Wayne Kurtz as its selection as President and CEO. We are very pleased that Wayne has agreed to lead the company and have high expectations that he'll be able to successfully position the company and its products to go after the highest end of the insurance markets. Wayne's knowledge of deferred benefit programs and his non stop work ethic made him a very good fit for the company".

Mr. Kurtz said, “I am excited and grateful to work with such a diverse board of directors and strategic partners to move forward the long term strategic/tactical plans and management of Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation.  I also look forward to working with the rest of the senior management team and our colleagues around the world to leverage the power of Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation for our clients, our employees and most of all, our shareholders.”

Background on Wayne P. Kurtz

Prior to joining Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation, Mr. Kurtz was the Senior Vice President for Aon Consulting from 2001 to 2011, where he oversaw consulting to Fortune 500 companies with respect to executive retention and attraction strategies.

A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kurtz earned a B.S. degree in Finance from Robert Morris University and his Masters in Taxation from Duquesne University.

About Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation 

Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation provides tax-advantageous investments and off-shore benefits that are designed to comply with United States income tax laws.  The Belize based company provides offshore benefits with onshore security so that investors can grow their investments tax-advantageous within a customized policy.

Contacts:
Media Relations, Clay Abney, 251.586.4271

Wayne's Weekend Workouts - WWW

So the weekend is here!  Time to really start ramping up the miles in preparation for an Ultraman format triathlon in Mexico next month:

Saturday:    Swim 1:30 just a straight swim, not interval sets - target HR range 80%
Run 5 Hours - tough hilly trails.   The goal is to push every hill and recover to a 70% target HR range on the flats and downhills
Bike - 1 Hour spinning easy

Sunday:  8 Hours  - much of ride areobic at 60-70% of max HR or 50-60% of LT watts.  Will include a few 20-30minute efforts where I will bring  it up to a nice strong aerobic tempo effort.
Goal:  Finish with last hour stronger than first hour.

Enjoy your weekend of racing and/or training!

Wayne's Weekend Workouts - WWW

These are my workouts for the weekend.  Give them a try or add or modify to your existing workouts for some variety.  This is the time to start focusing on longer workouts for me.
What are you doing this weekend?  Love to hear, wayne.kurtz@racetwitch.com.   
  
Saturday
8 hrs  "aerobic" bike - Relaxed ride and the goal is just to spend a lot of time on the bike.  The effort will be  something all day and night.
Immediately after finishing the ride - 300 Hindu Squats, 2 sets of 25 Burpee's (if your not familiar with them check it out online for a demonstration).

Sunday
2 hrs Fat Utilizer bike. The aerobic ride will include 2X15 minutes Level 2 pace, 2 X10 minutes Level 2 pace , 2 X 5 minutes Level 2 pace.   I will take 5 minutes between each rep easy.  These are not intervals but aerobic enhancers.
     
4 hrs run - This will be done right after the bike ride.  The run will be a mix of trails and roads including 4 X 15 minutes at marathon pace with a 10 minute easy job between each.  The goal is to hold exact marathon pace - not faster or slower.  Need to focus on dialing in the pace.  This is for preparation for the 10 marathons for the Deca Iron later this year.


Enjoy your weekend!

Wayne's Weekend Workouts - WWW

These are my workouts for the weekend.  Give them a try or add or modify to your existing workouts for some variety.  This is a recovery week for me, so not a big weekend of total hours.

What are you doing this weekend?  Love to hear, wayne.kurtz@racetwitch.com.     

Saturday

3 hrs of endurance enhancing ride - much of ride will be aerobic at 60-70% of max HR or 50-60% of LT  watts.  I will include 8, 4 minute seated hill repeats after the 2:00 hour mark,  nice strong aerobic tempo effort.  - Goal: Finish with last hour stronger than first hour.   This ride will be done outside finally!

Immediately after finishing the ride - 400 Hindu Squats, 3 sets of 25 Burpee's (if your not familiar with them check it out online for a demonstration), followed by 5 minutes jumping rope.

Sunday

2 Hours aerobic hilly trail run. The pace will be comfortable and will let the terrain dictate the overall effort.     

2 Hours easy spinning on the mountain bike/trails

Enjoy your workouts this weekend and good luck to those of you racing Boston Marathon!

Wayne's Weekend Workouts - WWW

These are my workouts for the weekend.  Give them a try or add or modify to your existing workouts for some variety.   What are you doing this weekend if your not racing, love to hear, wayne.kurtz@racetwitch.com

Saturday


4hrs of endurance enhancing ride - much of ride will be aerobic at 60-70% of max HR or 50-60% of LT  watts.  I will include a few 20-30 minute efforts at a nice strong aerobic tempo effort.  - Goal: Finish with last hour stronger than first hour.   This ride will be done on the indoor bike trainer.

Sunday

3 Hours of strong aerobic hilly trail run.   The run will include 15-17 hill repeats (3 minute climbs) around the 2 Hour point of the run.  The ups should be strong aerobic with recovery jog on the way down.   Run strong after the hill repeats to finish and then perform immediately 350 Hindu Squats, 10 minutes of jumping rope (double jumping and one- legged) finish with 15 minutes easy spinning cool down on the bike to flush the legs.

Short and sweet with only two workouts this weekend.  Long race season ahead and can't wait till start pushing up the distance later in the spring!  Enjoy your workouts this weekend.

Wayne's Weekend Workouts - WWW

These are my workouts for the weekend.  Give them a try or add or modify to your existing workouts for some variety.   What are you doing this weekend if your not racing, love to hear, wayne.kurtz@racetwitch.com

Saturday


4hrs of endurance enhancing ride - much of ride will be aerobic at 60-70% of max HR or 50-60% of LT  watts.  I will include a few 20-30 minute efforts at a nice strong aerobic tempo effort.  - Goal: Finish with last hour stronger than first hour.   This ride will be done on the indoor bike trainer.

Sunday

3 Hours of strong aerobic hilly trail run.   The run will include 15-17 hill repeats (3 minute climbs) around the 2 Hour point of the run.  The ups should be strong aerobic with recovery jog on the way down.   Run strong after the hill repeats to finish and then perform immediately 350 Hindu Squats, 10 minutes of jumping rope (double jumping and one- legged) finish with 15 minutes easy spinning cool down on the bike to flush the legs.

Short and sweet with only two workouts this weekend.  Long race season ahead and can't wait till start pushing up the distance later in the spring!  Enjoy your workouts this weekend.

A Great Race Season

We all race for many reasons and it's always interesting to ask other's what makes a great race season.  Of course the obvious one's:   no injuries, setting a PR at a particular event, knocking off a dream race, etc.

These are my top 10 Items for a Great Race Season (no specific order)

1.  I race/complete every event on the schedule depending on how it's classified (A, B, or C)
2.  DNF is never an option and remaining injury free
3.  Push for a high ranking in the IUTA - ultra distance triathlon points series
4.  Compete in a minimum of 2 great events in Europe
5.  Finish and race well in my most important race, the DECA Iron
6.  Meet new friends that are passionate about racing
7.  Completing a few ultra fun runs
8.  Experiencing a race where I have to dig very deep mentally
9.  Finish a long event strong with a focus on no-tapering and tired legs to prepare for the A race
10. Follow my mantra in every race, "I  will persist until I succeed"

Getting ready for the season, I am!!   Train hard.

All Night Ride Workout, Indoor Trainer - Start time 12AM Friday evening

Ok this is going to be a tough workout for sure.   9 hours all night.   Let's see what kind of shape we are in to just get through it.  Always a good time to see where your fitness is and why not go for something big!


The strength and aerobic benefits are immense for off-season base building.  Do as much as you can.

Level 1 60% target heart rate, Level 2 70% target heart rate, Level 3 80% target heart rate
Level 4. 85-90 percent target heart rate

30 minutes level 1
30 minutes 3 x 5 minutes at level 3 sweet spot, recover 2 minutes between each
Off bike 100 Hindu squats
1 hours at target heart rate level 2
Off bike 100 Hindu squats
2 hours with 5  15 minutes level 3 pushes with 7 minute recovery between each
off bike 100 Hindu squats
3 hours at level 2 high rpm's.  Each hour jump off and perform 100 Hindu squats
(total 300 Hindu squats)
2 hours 5x 4 minutes at level 4 , 4 minute recovery between each very easy gear
high rpm's
110 Hindu squats
Drink, stretch recover,  totals: 9 hours riding, 710 Hindu squats

Let's have fun!  Questions - email me at wayne.kurtz@racetwitch.com

What is the #1 Must-Have food related item you need race day?

There are so many different products and fueling sources available on the market to be used to provide the necessary nutrients and energy for endurance based sports. If you look at all the various thing in your race nutrition toolkit, what is it that is mandatory for you to race at the highest level.

I remember many years ago that the Power Bar was my key food item as it brought me “back” many times when I was feeling bad in a long race. After eating so many of them I became tired of taste and moved on to other products. I would guess that we all have seen shifts in our race nutrition strategy over the years. Of course the most important ingredient is to ensure you have the appropriate kind and amount of calories to maintain energy levels. Another way to look at this question is what one item (food related - not water) would you want to have in the event of lost luggage while traveling to your key race. Also, assume there are no opportunities to purchase or ship the key food item before the race.


This one had me thinking, but I would have to say it would be my homemade peanut butter granola bars!


What do you think - please let me know your thoughts and feel free to email me at wayne.kurtz@aon.com or post on RaceTwitch Fan page!

Deca Ironman 2010

Wayne's Top 8 Updates of RaceTwitch.com

A lot has been going on at RaceTwitch.com over the last few months and we are excited for the rollout of several new items for 2011.

It’s been amazing from the beginning concept of RaceTwitch during the 2009 Deca Ironman in Mexico (lot’s of time to think while racing for 10 days!) where we are today 11 months later.


1. Beyond The Ironman - My first book outlining what it takes to train and race in the world of ultra-triathlons. coming out beginning of 2011.

2. RaceTwitch.com Iphone Application - released the first version last month, check it out at Itunes Store

3. RaceTwitchreg.com - Our new unique Free Online Race Registration resource for Race Directors will be launched in another month or so.

4. RaceTwitch.com Training Camps - Slovenia - (July 2011) 3 separate comprehensive camps in an absolute amazing area of alp regions and of course exploring this beautiful country. Agenda/website coming soon!

5. RacePeak - New training/coaching resource coming in 2011

6. Mental Training Performance coaching - Coming in 2011

7. Comprehensive Marketing/Partnering services for worldwide races - Rolled out last month with the goal of exposing more people to great races.

8. RaceTwitch Club Meetup - First meeting in NYC last month - looking at adding more cities through 2011 - let me know if interested having one in your area.

If you need more information on anything above as well as idea’s or interests, please don’t hesitate to email me at wayne.kurtz@racetwitch.com

Mental Training Technique to Incorporate in your Racing

Have you incorporated mental training skills into your training and racing? We all hear professional athletes talk about how important it becomes to their overall performances!

Remember some of the the toughest mental athletes, Mark Allen, Dave Scott at the Hawaii Ironman years ago, of course Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong with all the Tour de France wins, and there are so many more.

The question is what specific mental performance training skills can you learn and use with your endurance racing. Personally, I use a bunch of different things and one I would like to pass on to you that you might want to use during your race.

I call it my “rope technique”. Other’s call it the magnet concept. It’s a very simple concept that has worked for me for years. The technique can be implemented when you are at a crucial part of your specific race - for example: the last 5-6 miles in a marathon, key part of a cycling race to maintain pace with the “pack” on a major climb, the middle sections of the run in a triathlon, etc., focus on a competitor that is in front of you that you can see up the road and imagine they have a rope around their wast and their energy is pulling you along.

The other thought is to think of them with a magnet on their back and you are “sticking” to them. It might sound crazy if you have not practiced this basic mental training technique, but it works! Just focus on the competitor and create a mental vision of them pulling you along.

If you tell yourself that they are doing all the work and use their energy to keep you maintaining their pace. Practice it regularly and you will see the results, especially late into a race when you are pushing the pace. Of course you can call it and create a picture of anything to have the same benefits of using a competitors energy to pull you along and the next thing you know you will be passing them!

Have fun and don’t forget to add mental performance training techniques into your overall training program. If interested in specific mental performance coaching, please free free to email me at wayne.kurtz@racetwitch.com.

Racetwitch Meetup kicked off in New York City

Last night in NYC we kicked off the first Racetwitch Meetup. Many friends around the country have asked me, are you having one near my home. Well the answer is yes and we are currently selecting the best locations with passionate endurance athletes.

In addition to meeting new endurance friends and learning about their backgrounds we listened to Jennifer Steinman discuss her adventures of filming the Racing The Planet 4 Desert Running Series. It sounded like plenty of life changing experiences for Jennifer and the athletes. These races sound brutal but of course sparked an interest from some of us attending last night, yes that would be me of course!

Carrying all supplies including water, etc. each day through the hot desserts sounds extremely difficult for sure.

We learned about Alejandra Reagan's CityTri racing series in NJ and NY areas. Definitely check out the series of triathlons/duathlons at www.citytri.com and their fall Duathlon is coming up November 7th.

Also, great info on training camps in the Hudson Valley from Ed at Open Sky Training, www.openskytraining.com

It was great to get things moving with the RaceTwitch Meetup and looking forward to growth in NYC and other cities year you.

Personally a big thanks to RaceTwitch Pro Team Member, Laura Demeo for all the help in coordinating everything and of course our guest speaker Jennifer Steinman. I can't wait to see the final product (movie or DVD) from Jennifer and we will get the word out to all of the RaceTwitch tribe, stay tuned.

Would you be interested in a Racetwitch Meetup near you? Please email me at Wayne.Kurtz@racetwitch.com

Mark you calendars - next NYC RaceTwitch Meetup - December 8th - Stay tuned for the location in the city!!

Winter Training Is Coming - 10 Endurance Workouts to Consider

For many of us the summer racing season is coming to an end and the peak races are over or within the next few months. Every year I look to add something different or and old training discipline to keep things interesting and fun during the sometimes long winters in Pittsburgh, PA. In 25 years, I have used many different workouts inside and out to add not only variety but also to improve different weaknesses. Here are a few to consider to add to your off-season or winter training program. Yes, I know there are plenty of you who focus on winter racing so your prime race season is coming up!

10 Activities to add some Variety:

1.  Consider a video course for overall body strength, P90X, Insansity (great one - personally I love these workouts) or Wheel of Yoga for Cyclists, http://www.moryoga.com/dvd-release.html. 
2.  Snowshoeing and participating in a race, (hill climb or longer race). 
3. Mountain biking in the mud and snow for a long fat burning ride. 
4. Speed Skating - even if you don’t have the higher end performance skates, just rent hockey skates and do a session after a bike or run. This is tough on the quads and lungs when combining with another workout!
5. Winter mountain hiking/climbing.
6. Cross Country skiing and either do a long trail: for example the Catamount Trail in Vermont or sign up for a race.
7. Trail running in the snow - add some screws to the bottom of the shoe for additional traction.
8. Long Workouts to build mental strength: 100 mile indoor bike ride or a 3 hour treadmill run (yes they can be brutal/boring but add in a specific interval set or a combination workout to keep it interesting). 
9. Cyclo-Cross bike race - these are a lot of fun and absolutely exhausting.
10. Long distance indoor swim.

These are just a few to consider for the upcoming off-season for many of us. What are you going to do this winter? Find a race on http://www.racetwitch.com Send over your workouts or races to consider!

The Old Great Fitness Tool

Yes, there are so many training tools from years ago. Remember the Nordic Track cross country ski machine, how about the Abdominal wheel, of course there are many others. One that I continue to use regularly every week of the year is the jump rope.

Jumping rope and learning the various techniques improves so many area's that have cross over benefits for endurance based sports. Yes, even for ultra distance events! Jumping rope improves overall body strength and of course speed/turnover. If you travel on business, it's great to throw in the luggage. It's a great tool to use for warming up or combining with other workouts.

For example, add to hill repeats (running) and at the bottom of the hill after your recovery grab the rope for 2 minutes of quick jumping and then climb the hill (repeat several sets). Do this workout weekly and you will notice strength improvements in the calves along with an increase of your turnover when climbing the hill. Not easy, but huge benefits!

Combine jumping rope with bike intervals as well and build over time to several minutes. I highly recommend adding to your routine and the more you jump consistently the better you will become on technique and speed.

If you want a quality jump rope, check out Buddy Lee Jump Ropes. He is amazing and makes a great jump rope. If possible, I recommend jumping on a cushioned mat and start out slow and build over time.

Add jump roping to your weekly training routine and experience the significant strength and speed benefits.

Have fun, it works!

Endurance Racing in Comfort - Top 7 Idea's

An ongoing question we all face during racing in long distance endurance events is the compromise of lightweight shoes, bikes, etc. vs. maybe a bit more weight and less aerodynamics but more comfort. Of course in shorter events comfort becomes less of an issue (to some degree!) and it's all about speed via no socks while running in a triathlon, no change of clothes in the transition area, etc.

As the race becomes significantly longer, comfort becomes more of issue for many of us. Being comfortable can counter balance some of the intense fatigue that occurs in ultra distance events. Here are few items to consider for your next ultra distance events:

1. If your competing in an Ultra Distance Triathlon (Double, Triple, Quintuple, DECA Ironmans) the key is to stay on the bike and aerodynamics especially races over the Double Ironman distance become less of a factor. Many athletes use lightweight road bike geometry frames with aero bars and aero rims. The key is to STAY on the bike for as long as possible.

2. If your racing in a long distance trail running race consider using just a larger somewhat heavier shoe to protect those toes during the later stages of the race when many athletes are suffering with feet problems.

3. Consider using a two piece wetsuit while competing in an ultra distance open water swim or ultra distance triathlon. The advantage of the two piece suit is that if chafing occurs or overheating it's very easy to take off the top and keep the bottoms on and still have significant buoyancy from the legs which tend to sink!

4. Absolutely a must in long distance running, triathlons, adventure racing events - make sure there are no seam problems in shorts, pants, shirts that will cause ongoing chafing.

5. Carry small container of Glide, Bag Balm, or other anti-friction creme in cycling shirt pocket, or running pack during very long races.

6. For a race that entails a very long bike section or bike race (300 + miles) consider using a fuel pack attached to top tube as it's very difficult after 20 hours or so to reach back to the pocket in your cycling jersey - I know this one well!

7. Fix the feet early before the "hot spots" become serious problems.

Of course there are plenty others, let me know your thoughts or idea's on what works for you in the ultra distance events to remain as comfortable as possible.

Handheld Running Water Bottle Product Review

Recently I received the CAMELBAK QUICK GRIP® W/PODIUM® CHILL JACKET running water bottle at a recent race in the free "goodie" bag and found it to be of exceptional quality. Personally, I have run with a handheld water bottle for years and have tested many models with all of them functional but not many specific differentiators. Over the years, many of the manufacturers have continued to improve the holders by adding small compartments on the holder to allow room for gels, small energy bar, electrolytes, keys, etc. Also, there are several that promise non-slip from sweaty hands (in my opinion they don't work) and have used new types of materials to absorb sweat.

One continuous problem with handheld water bottles occurs during hot weather and the liquid gets very warm relatively quickly because of the body heat of the hand holding the bottle, no matter how much ice you add to the bottle. This is where the CAMELBAK QUICK GRIP® W/PODIUM® CHILL JACKET stands apart from the various models. Originally my thought was would it actually work in hot conditions for extended long runs. To my surprise, the bottle keeps liquids cold for extended periods of time. Recently, I used the bottle for a hot 100 mile run and the water remained cold from aid station to aid station in hot, humid conditions. In my opinion it's the best in the marketplace if you like to have cold liquids when running. The only item that could be improved is the size of the pouch to hold a gel. It's difficult to store even one gel and get it zippered when you have your hand in the holder.

Capacity and Weight:

Pack body: 70D diamond Ripstop and air mesh.
Hydration Capacity: 21 oz Podium™ Chill Jacket™ Bottle.
Dimensions: 7"H x 4"W x 3"D.
Weight: Full Bottle: 1.42 lbs.

This Camelbak product is definitely a winner in my opinion, check it out!

The 10% Factor for your Endurance Training

We have all hear the statement, "give an extra 10%" in all aspects of life. For example, if your in sales, make the extra 10% over the standard with sales calls, give a little more than 10% to charity, reduce calories by an extra 10%, etc. You get the point. The question is what's the impact of adding 10% to your workouts and the potential for improvement on race day.

The mental aspects of embedding the 10% rule into the daily workouts can provide significant advantages when the race gets difficult through the many "up's and down's". Some examples I like to use are the following:

1. Interval sets in any discipline. If the goal was to do 10, then focus mentally and push for one more or 10%
2. Strength training - add 10% more in terms of sets or reps
3. Hill repeats, add 10% more to the total
4. Add 10% of total time to every ride or run.
5. Visualization Training for race day - practice an an additional 10% every day in terms of time.

There are many other's to consider while working out. The improvements mentally by following the 10% addition rule can definitely have impact on race performance. Of course it's difficult to use the 10% rule to every workout, but think of incorporating into several workouts each week. No, it's not going to guarantee that when you are at mile 80 in a 100 mile run or mile 18 in the Ironman run that you can just turn it on and fly to the finish, but it can be an influencer to getting through the rough patches as the subconscious mind has been trained to go through tough spots in training.

Check out RaceTwitch.com for a new race for your schedule!



Also, we have just started RaceTwitch Club and a Meetup occuring Oct. 13th in NYC. Even if you can't make it, sign on for future updates and meeting locations!

Top 5 Challenges To Add To Group Bike Rides

The weekend is almost here and time for the long training ride with a group of friends. In most cases the rides have one main goal which is to do over distance training with some tempo sections or significant accelerations up the hills. Over the years I have learned a few different idea's to spice up the miles and keep it challenging but not to turn every ride into a "slug fest time trail". Here are my 5 Challenges to consider for your weekend group rides:

1. Signs - The sign game should begin about a third of the way into the ride so everyone is warmed up and the key is to sprint to specific signs. For example, a Township, County, or State Road sign that is along your route. Define the specific signs before hand but it's up to each individual to spot the sign in the distance and then begin the sprint.

2. Road Kill Sprint/Jumping - This involves looking for road kill in the distance ( the road in the lane your riding - be safe!) which in my area could consist of dead raccoon, deer, groundhogs, opossums, etc. and the goal is to have everyone sprint to the road kill and the leader must successfully jump over the road kill. No scraping the back wheel on the animal allowed and focus on being safe for the jump over the road kill!

3. Big Chain Ring Climbs - These consist of several long gradual or short steep climbs preferably during the second half of the climb when the legs are getting tired. The goal is to have everyone shift into the big chain ring and climb the hill. The main focus is just to get to the top no matter how long it takes to crest the hill.

4. Big Chain Ring total rides - These rides are best when all the riders are have plenty of miles of training during the season. It's a difficult workout and if your legs are not strong there will be plenty of suffering. Pretty easy concept, everyone in the group shifts to the big chain ring and are not allowed to be in the small ring for any part of the ride. The climbing can be very tough!


5. Hill Climbs - Pretty basic, it's a sprint for everyone to see who can climb the hill the fastest. There is one twist to make it fun and embarrassing. The winner of every climb is required to circle back down the hill and laugh at everyone suffering to the top and will receive the added benefit of another hill climb.

Enjoy your long rides this weekend and hope you try some of these challenges to keep in interesting for everyone!! Don't forget to check out RaceTwitch.com http://www.racetwitch.com