Exponential Performance Coaching

NEW WEBSITE

2010-10-27T15:59:00.002+13:00

Please see the new Exponential Performance Coaching website for all the lastest updates.
www.exponentialperformancecoaching.com

This new website will now replace this blog.

Congratulations to Hannah Thorne, 2nd at Trans Wales

2010-08-24T10:17:00.004+12:00

Trans Wales

7-days of MTB racing

5-7 hours a day in the saddle

No smooth roads

Hannah working hard

Re-fuelling

Hannah in 1st place after the 4th stage

After 44 h 45 min 42 s only 1min 7 s separated 1st and 2nd place

Well done on a great effort Hannah

EPC athletes at the P2P

2010-08-09T13:56:00.005+12:00

Rosie Taylor paddling hard into Queenstown

Tony Gamble leads Rosie Taylor into the final transition

Brass Monkey Kayak Series

2010-07-19T13:02:00.004+12:00

Christchurch multisport athlete Adrian Hamill has been competing in the Brass Monkey Kayak series as a build up for the 2011 Coast to Coast. His ability to paddle hard for approx 1 hour in these races is a huge improvement from when he was unable to continuously paddle for 5km when he started training 3 months ago.
To follow Adrian's road to the Coast to Coast check out his blog at http://www.physiomed.co.nz/racing.html

Peak 2 Peak Training Camp

2010-07-15T06:57:00.005+12:00

The 2010 Peak 2 Peak Training Camp was the best EPC training camp to date. Great weather, perfect training grounds and a group of keen athletes ready to push themselves all made for a great camp. Check out the video below for an insight into the 3 day camp that involved running, kayaking, cycling, skiing, specific sweat rate assessment, sport science presentations and much more.

If this takes to long to down load check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKA-xjFfjuc as this may down load faster.

Peak 2 Peak Winter Training Camp 2010

2010-06-08T14:45:00.003+12:00

Aim of training camp: To develop specific Peak 2 Peak course knowledge, improve fitness through the training camp effect, develop specific P2P skills, knowledge and have an awesome weekend training in the in Queenstown.
Training camp dates: 2nd July - 4th July Cost: $250 – includes training camp training sessions as outlined below with EPC coaches, special topic presentations in evenings on specific P2P preparation and accommodation at the Frankton Motor Camp where the training camp will be based from.
Accommodation: Will be in 2 person cabins at the Frankton Motor camp. Camp includes kitchen facilities, bathrooms and bunk beds. This will be the base location for the training camp and it is advised for the smooth running of the training camp that all athletes stay here.
Nutrition: On Friday a main evening meal will be provided. On Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided and on Sunday breakfast will be provided. All meals are nutritionally planed for optimal recovery and training performance.
* Athletes will need to supply their own snacks and training nutrition as they see fit on top of the supplied meals.
** Please notify us of any special food requirements.
Training camp Outline

· Friday:

- Travel to Queenstown, individually or shared transport between athletes
- Meet in Queenstown at 3pm/ as soon as you can get there
- Kayaking à run àbike brick session, as time allows.
- Nutrition presentation
· Saturday:
- P2P specific sweat rate assessment
· Kayak -->run brick session
- Afternoon ski session at Remarks
- MTB descent from Remarks after skiing + ride back to accommodation along MTB course
- Optional evening run -> bike -> run session

- Transition / gear presentation and individual planning of race plan and transitions
- Gear prep race simulation
· Sunday:
Race simulation
- Kayak
- Run
- Uphill ride to Coronet peak
- Travel home in evening
- Final debrief and pack up

Here is what some athletes said about the 2009 P2P training camp
“The price was great for the whole weekend. Everything was run really well, lots of food, lots of coach contact time etc.”
“Was good to learn so much about the race and other aspects i.e. nutrition.”
“The evening presentations contained a lot of information that was new to me, and that will help me immensely to prep for the actual race. The biggest point for me was learning about race nutrition (how much and when to fuel myself).”
“To sum it up: I learnt a lot of lessons about myself, the sport, equipment and nutrition. I am so glad I joined you! The knowledge I gained during the camp will allow me to prepare well for the actual P2P race and other races.”

What’s different this year?
At Exponential Performance Coaching it’s all about improving performance and getting better. So this year there will be a few changes to the camp to make it better for you.

1/ Accommodation: After feedback from last year’s camp it was found that 3 athletes per room was a bit cramped, so this year we plan to sleep 2 athletes per room so things are a bit more comfortable.
2/ This year’s camp will include a Peak 2 Peak specific sweat rate assessment. This will allow detailed calculation of your sweat rate in the specific environment you will be racing in. From this information we can tailor your hydration plan for optimal performance.
3/ Presentations: It has been a year since the last P2P evening presentations and these have been altered to include the latest up to date information to aid your performance + some special topics on the latest sport science information.

- The space on this training camp is limited to 8 athletes, so entrance into the camp is on a first in first severed basis.
- Please register your interest by Friday the 11th June so bookings can be made.

If you have any questions please let me know

Matty Graham
Sport Scientist and Performance Coach
Exponential Performance Coaching
0273841127

Winter training strategies

2010-05-24T11:11:00.005+12:00

The winter can be a very tough time for athletes who want to maintain or improve their performance. The shortened day light hours and the wet, cold weather all play a part in making it hard for athletes to get out the door.
From a coaching perspective the winter is a great time for athletes who do most of their racing in the summer months to build their endurance base and work on their weakness. The following are some ideas on how you can get through the winter while doing the training that will bring great performance benefits with it come summer racing.
1. Set good goals and have a plan
I believe that this is the biggest factor to successful winter training and without it you are wasting your time. Why would you spend hours and hours training in the rain and the cold for nothing? The answer is that unless you are insane you probably wouldn’t. Yet there are so many people out there training, who don’t really know what they want to achieve over the winter and just haphazardly train. They usually either get sick or injured and by the time summer comes around they are dissolution with their training.
The goals that you set should be the targets that you are aiming for and they should be the reason you are out there training. Whether your goals are an upcoming event, developing a specific area of your sport or to lose weight they need to excite you. If your goals do not excite you then it is going to be hard for you to get out of bed in the pitch black at 6 o’clock in the morning to go training. Once you have decided your goal, write it down and stick it on the fridge, the wall, next to the door or some where you see it a lot. Every time you feel unmotivated look at your goal, get excited and remember why you are doing this. Along with putting your goal up on the wall a photo/s of yourself or others and motivational saying help me to maintain motivation when the going gets tough.
So your goal is set and you can’t wait to start training, but what do you do? Well this is where the plan comes into it. Your plan is not just this training programme although it is part of your plan. Other parts of your plan to achieve your goals are things such as the logistics of training, maintain your equipment, maintaining your body through a good diet, stretching and maybe massage. Surround yourself with likeminded people and see what their plan is. You need to be committed to achieving your goals and staying focused on them throughout your build up.
There will be times that will be hard to maintain focus and for some reason or your situation may change. If this happens your goals and plan must change alongside it. Sit down think about your new situation, maybe it’s an injury. Your goal may now change to healing the injury. How do you do that? Get it diagnosed, physio appointments, resting it, strengthening exercises talk with your coach. You have to be able to change and adapt when things change. Think through the process instead of getting angry and frustrated.

2. Warm training gear
Good gloves are crucial to keep those fingers warm. I find that a pair of thermal gloves over the top of cycling gloves works well in most conditions on the bike. If you live further south then investing in some specific winter cycling gloves will make the winter that much more bearable.
It is really important to keep your knees warm in the cold conditions while both cycling and running. This is to ensure adequate blood flow to the knees is maintained to avoid injury. There are a wide range of full length tights out there that will keep your legs toasty or a pair of leg warms will turn any of your shorts into long tights for a reasonable price.
To keep your core warm a thermal next to the skin is a must during most training sessions in the winter to wick the moisture away from the skin and keep you warm. In wet windy conditions a close fitting water proof rain jacket will keep you warm, but you will often get soaked from the condensation build up inside the jacket if it is not breathable. I find the best piece of gear I have is my wind proof vest. This combined with a thermal, cycling top, arm warmers and gloves seems to keep my upper body warm in most conditions even though I get very wet when it rains. Vests are a lot cheaper than jackets, they can be stuffed away in back pockets if the weather clears and come in lots of different high visibility colours so you can seen by cars.
Other useful bits of gear for winter training are arm warmers, fleece head band to keep your ears warm while still letting you lose some heat through your head, shoe covers for the bike, poogies for keeping your hands warm in the kayak and a good warm pair of socks to stop your feet going numb.
Having good warm training gear makes it so much easier to get out the door when the weather is bad and it will also help you avoid illness from having your immune system suppressed from training in the cold conditions.

3. Get organised
How many times have you gotten up early to train before work or raced home to fit in a ride before dinner and you end up spending most of your time trying to find your other arm warmer or glove. To save time and get you out on the road sort out your gear the night before an early morning session or have your gear at work in the car so you don’t have to go home before your training session.
It’s really simple but it can save a lot of time when you wake up in the morning and you have set out all your gear the night before. Also you may want to keep a bag of gear in your car so if you find you have some spare time at lunch or after work you can just get your gear on and go.
Training straight from work can also prevent you from getting home and deciding you would rather watch TV than head out into the wet and cold. The lure from a warm fire and comfortable couch is hard to overcome on a winter’s afternoon.

4. Buddy up
Over the winter months, some likeminded training partners will help you get out there on the bad days. It’s a lot harder to stay at home when the weather is bad when you know there are others waiting for you and who will ask where you were if you are a no show. Pick training partners who are of a similar fitness level and who are working towards similar goals. Often training with a partner turns into an easy session which is ok every now and then. However don’t let this get in the way of your specific session you need to do. Tell your training partner that they are welcome to join in on your session but make sure you train at your prescribed intensity, duration and do your specific drills/reps when needed.

5.Be seen
There is no doubt that with the shortened day light hours that you will be riding in dark or near dark conditions. It is very important for your safety that cars are able to see you when you’re out on your bike/ running and that rowers/ boats can see you when you’re out in the kayak. Make sure you have a good set of lights, remember that this is also the law (on the bike). Ankle reflexive bands, high visibility vests and bright clothing are also handy to keep you safe.

6. Take your training indoors
If you have had enough of riding in the dark and the wet, take your training indoors on an indoor trainer. There are a lot of good indoor trainers available for a reasonable price these days. On cold, wet, windy days it may be a good choice to set the bike up inside and crank up the stereo or turn on the TV. Most sane people find indoor trainers mind numbingly boring so make sure your sessions on them are kept to a minimum and are specific (Exponential Performance Coaching has specific indoor trainer session out lines available for $30 if you are unsure of what to do. This deal includes 4 different indoor cycling sessions that target different areas of your fitness).
Riding for an hour on an indoor trainer is the equivalent of doing 1hour 30min out on the road. This is because there are no stops or down hills where you decrease your power output on the indoor trainer. Limit our sessions to a max of around 1hour 30min otherwise you will go mad. Other good options in the winter to get away from the weather are spin classes, short hard interval sessions on a tread mill or kayak/ rowing machine, yoga classes, swimming or some focused gym work.

7. Target your weakness
The winter is a perfect time to work on your weaknesses. Many endurance athletes have poor technique and instead of using the winter thrashing themselves to improve their endurance they would get major benefits from working in some technique sessions into their programme. Indoor trainers are a very good tool to develop your cycling technique. If you are interested in improving your technique on the bike but unsure of what to do Exponential Performance Coaching can proved indoor/ on road technique sessions to improve your cycling technique.

8. Mix it up
During the winter it is a good chance to try new modes of training to add variety and fun to your training. Mountain biking for you roadies out there can be a great way of maintain your fitness while having a break. Also activities such as skiing, tramping, social team sports, gym classes or aqua jogging can be good alternatives during the winter months to maintain your fitness but also give your mind a rest and leave you feeling motivated.
Get out there and have fun, because after all that is why we do what we do. Remember the hardest part of training is often getting out the door.
Happy winter training
Matty

Whare Flat Bike --> Run squad session

2010-05-10T12:37:00.004+12:00

We had a great squad MTB -> run -> MTB session this weekend at Whare Flat.
The primary aim of this session was to develop course knowledge for next week’s multisport race, along with developing technical skills and performing a strength endurance session that included 1700m of climbing on the bikes. Some great weather made for a high quality training session in the sun.

Dunedin Winter Multisport Series Race 1

2010-05-03T12:05:00.008+12:00

The Dunedin Winter Multisport Series kicked off in perfect conditions at Broad Bay. A big contingent of EPC athletes were on hand for some sharp racing.

Congrats to Mat Snowdon, Bruce Ranga, Maria Gamble, Tony Gamble, Phil Te Tana and Blake Luff who all put in solid efforts to get through the brutal course.

Thanks to Emmah Ussher for taking these photos on the day

Milan and Lucie at the Gold Rush

2010-04-01T13:23:00.003+13:00

Milan Brodina and Lucie Urbancova of Geraldine cross the finish line in 3rd place in the mixed teams after 3 big days of racing.

EPC Athletes at the Coast to Coast

2010-02-17T20:54:00.004+13:00

Here are a few photos of a few of the EPC athletes during day 1 of the 2010 C2C

Emmah Ussher strides it out in the closing stages of the Mnt run

Phil Te Tana at the end of the Mnt run

Rosie Taylor striding it out to the finish of the Mnt run

Nic McAra and Husband Neil relax after a big day

Charlotte Breeze of Hokitika storms through the final stages of the Mnt run

Mat Snowdon looking strong with only 3km to go

Shona at Challenge Wanaka

2010-01-27T10:24:00.005+13:00

Dunedin super woman Shona Carruthers completed her first 1/2 Iron man at Challenge Wanaka. After deciding to 'do a few' triathlons after ticking off the Coast to Coast 2day individual event in Feb 2009, Shona put in the hard yards and stormed through her first 1/2 Iron man blowing away every ones (including her own) expectations.
Shona sets herself BIG goals a with a lot of hard work and determination she always gets there. One goal that she missed out on last year was completing the Kepler ultra marathon due to the race selling out and her not making it off the waiting list. However I think 2010 will be her year to nail the Kepler.

Well done Shona, I look forward to working with you towards your next big goal

EPC athletes at the races

2010-01-20T15:35:00.008+13:00

Well done to all those who competed in Challenge Wanaka.

Shona Carruthers of Dunedin stormed through her first Half Ironman to finish 15th in her age group in a time of 6hrs 48min. Rebecca Darracott of Dunedin/Hamilton Island, Australia and Chris Yeats of Hokitika had strong 180km cycle stages as part of the teams competition. Rieke Stackmann of Dunedin overcame some significant obstacles during her training to complete the half marathon swim and run stages, while Sue Clarke of Dunedin put in an amazing performance in the half marathon for her team.

Bec's at Challenge Wanaka

Pam Thompson of Invercargill raced strongly in the Dunedin round of the South Island Mountain Bike Cup series to place 2nd in the Masters section in what was a tough race.

A good work ethic and consistant training has ment Pam's performance is always improving. Here Pam takes the podium (right) in 2nd place in the Dunedin round of the NZ MTB cup series

In her first year of racing elite level, Hannah Throne has put in two strong performances in the South Island Cup series over the past two weeks and has one more race to go in the series this weekend in Nelson.

Hannah riding the chute at Bethunes Gully during the elite womans race.

Charlotte Breeze of Hokitika competed in the Croesus Crossing 26km trail run as part of her build up for the Coast to Coast. Charlotte showed that her training is on track placing a strong 8th place to end her peak training week.

Charlotte during the 2009 Coast to Coast. After a big summer of training and some good results under her belt, Charlotte goes into her final 4 weeks of training looking focused and strong.

Coast to Coast Training Camp 2010

2010-01-14T06:45:00.010+13:00

The aims of the Exponential Performance Coaching C2C camp were to 1, Gain specific C2C course knowledge 2, Develop specific C2C skills and 3, Develop fitness improvements through the training camp effect. While the weather tried its best to stop us we still completed these aims. On Friday 8th January 8 keen athletes arrived at Klondyke corner ready to sink their teeth into the training camp. Friday evening consisted of setting up camp and getting to know everyone. This was followed by a rock run and river crossing session to familiarise the athletes was the specific skills required for the mountain run. The evening was completed with a presentation on nutritional, transition and race strategies for day 1 of the race, followed by a discussion on different points of the race.

Day 2 started early with a drive to Kumara Junction. From the Kumara beach the sprint was on up the 3km run section to the waiting bikes. 55km of road riding working on bunch riding skills took the athletes to Atkins. During the ride up the valley all had their fingers crossed that the rivers would have come down after the serve flood a few days earlier.

A short time up the Deception Valley reveled that the rivers were still high preventing race lines being taken so it was decided to turn back for the groups safety. That afternoon Adrian Hamill from PhysioMed gave a presentation/ practical session on Physio for multisport. This included a discussion on issues/ injuries athletes had had, why and how to strap ankles for off road running finishing with some individual muscle balance assessments of everyone which revelled some interesting points.

As the final training session for the day, everyone rugged up and we headed off into the cold windy conditions for a 2 hour run on the lower section of the Minga Valley up to Dudleys knob and back. The evening activities included a presentation and discussion on nutrition, transition and race strategies for the second day of the race and a briefing for the river session the following day.

Day 3 started early in the rain. Heavy rain meant that the training session down through the waimak gorge was not possible due to safety. Instead a 2hour session was completed on the upper reaches of the waimak between the Bealey and Mt White bridges. This secton of river is usually almost dry, however with the rain it was the perfect flow to work on C2C paddling skills. With everyone soaked to the bone and cold it was a quick change of cloths and off to the Bealey Hotel for hot chips and a debrief.

EPC athletes at the races

2009-12-09T09:24:00.004+13:00

EPC athletes have been racing hard all over New Zealand in the past few weeks and have been proving that they have been getting out and training hard.

Well done to Milan Brodina of Gerldine who competed in the Teva Big Day at the Office. Milan had a good race in tough weather conditions and a strong field to take 12th place. See photo below of Milan out on the mountian run.

Becks Darracott of Dunedin took on the Ashburton ½ Ironman as part of a team in her build up to Challenge Wanaka. Becks rode hard and completed the 90km TT in good time and her team took 6th place.

Hannah Throne managed 5th place in a very tough field in the epic Bannockburn Gut buster MTB race. Hannah is now turning her attention to the South Island Cup race series over January.

Nic McAre of Invercargill showed that her running is progressing well for the Coast to Coast when she put in a good run at the Luxmore Grunt. Nic ran strongly to place 9th Woman and 41st overall out of 150 competitors. Well done Nic.

A big team of EPC athletes took on the Waimak Classic river race in their build up to the Coast to Coast. Charlotte Breeze, Bruce Ranga, Hannah Yeats and Scott Finnie all paddled in the race. Stories of kayak crunching rocks, broken rudder lines and shoulder injuries indicate that it was a tough day on the river. Well done to those who survived.

Rosie Taylor ran well in the brutal 21km Goat mountain run to take 30minutes of last year’s time and take 4th place in the under 23 woman’s section. This race is held in the Tongariro National park and this year had terrible weather conditions.

Well done to all of these athletes.

EPC athletes at Kaitangata MTB race

2009-11-16T15:07:00.007+13:00

EPC athletes had a good day out at Kaitangata this weekend in the 45km MTB race

Hannah Thorne battled it out with the best of the woman to take 3rd within 1minute of first place

Pam Thompson had a great ride taking 2nd in the Vet woman's section. Over the past month Pam has demonstrated that she is ready for a good up coming summer season. Nick Taylor finished strong in his first race back after 4 weeks and is eager to get into some more racing this summer.

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

2009-11-16T15:05:00.001+13:00

Squad paddle
The Exponential Performance Squad kayak sessions will be held on Wednesday as usual. This session will start at 7.30am from the University Rowing club. This week’s session will be focused on technique and endurance development. These sessions are $20 each or sign up for 5 sessions for $80.
Squad run
The Exponential Performance Squad running sessions will return to the normal day and time of Wednesday at 5.30pm.
This week we will how ever be meeting at Tomohawak beach for a sand dune session. This session is ideal for developing your strength endurance while targeting your threshold. These sessions are ideal cross training for those training for cycling so come along and be part of a specifically structured session. Training in a squad environment has been shown to get better results than training alone as you push yourself more than you would by yourself so come work hard and have some fun training with others.
The Cost of these sessions are $15 per session or sign up for 4 sessions for $50.
Coast to Coast Training camp
There are a few spots still available on the C2C training camps. So if you are interested in attending or know of someone who is let me know.
EPC athletes at the races
In challenging windy conditions Nic McAre of Invercargill improved 30min from last year in the Source to Sea 160km cycling race. Well done Nic that is a huge improvement. Chris and Hannah Yeats also had a good day out at the Source 2 Sea cycle race as well in a mixed team. Hannah rode strongly to take 4th overall in her section of the race and Chris came 3rd in his section of the race.
The EPC mountain bike athletes had another good showing at the 45km Kaitangata Black gold MTB race on the weekend. Pam Thompson came 2nd in the Vet woman’s race while Hannah Thorne Finished 3rd place in a tough open woman’s race that saw the top three woman finish with in 1 minute of each other. In his first race in a few months Nick Taylor rode well and finished the race strongly. Well done guys a great day out at the office.
Exponential Performance Coaching tip of the week
Strong windy conditions are perfect for developing strength and mental toughness. Most people see windy days as a good time to stay inside and give training a miss. Do not be one of these people instead see windy days as an opportunity to become stronger for race day.

Last fortnights athlete profile

2009-11-12T20:42:00.003+13:00

Bruce Ranga, 45 years old
Bruce was born in Auckland and has lived in Dunedin for 20 odd years now. Bruce is married to Debs and has four kids, Luke, Wade, Bronson and Chelsey who are his number one Support crew & inspiration to get him through when the pain kicks in. Bruce played mainly team sports in the past, rugby League, soccer, basketball, motorbke Enduros.
Following a motor bike crash a few years ago where he damaged his shoulder Bruce decided he wanted to have a go at a real sport, so took up multisport with the Coast to Coast in mind.
“I had never been in a kayak or on a road bike, or run further than 10kms in my life, so I knew expert training & advice was going to be key in helping me reach my goal, that’s where Matty came in."
“I really enjoy training with EPC. I have met some great people & improved my sports performance, bring on the next challenge (the one day Coast to Coast).”
Past results
2009
Mountain 2 Mountain, 3rd vet men’s.
Peak 2 Peak, 4th vet men’s
Lake Hayes triathlon 1st vet men’s
Ghost 2 Ghost, 3rd vet men’s
Waitri, 2nd vet men’s
Coast 2 Coast 2 day individual, 8th vet men’s
2008
Mountain 2 Mountain, 6th men’s
Peak 2 Peak, 4th vet men’s
Bruce is currently training hard for the one day coast 2 coast 2010 and the 3 day Gold rush multisport race in 2010.
With a lot of drive and focus Bruce is continually improving his performance in all of his disciplines and is well on his way to achieving his next goal.

Waimac classic river race

2009-11-05T11:06:00.006+13:00

Those athletes using the Waimac classic river race on the 6th of December as a build up for the C2C the entry form + info for this race will be available at the following link as of the 6th November.
http://www.arawacanoeclub.org.nz/

There are no on the day entries so get your entry in early. It is a great race and a good chance to gauge how your training is going.

Why you need a good kayak roll

2009-11-03T09:41:00.002+13:00

Check out the video below for a demo of a bomb proof roll

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

2009-11-03T09:32:00.003+13:00

Squad paddle

The Exponential Performance Squad kayak sessions will be held on Wednesday as usual. This session will start at 7.30am from the University Rowing club. This week’s session will be focused on technique and endurance development.

These sessions are $20 per session or sign up for 5 sessions for $80.

Squad run

The Exponential Performance Squad running sessions will run this Wednesday at 5.30pm. Last weeks session took the form of a casual endurance run on some of the off road trails around Dunedin. This week will be a more structured sessions focusing on developing rock running skills.

This session will start and finish from the Malvern Street entrance of the Woodhugh garden by the bridge over the Lieth. The Cost of these sessions are $15 per session or sign up for 4 sessions for $50.

Coast to Coast Training camp

There are a few spots still available on the 2nd C2C training camp. So if you are interested in attending let me know.

Grade two course

There is one spare spot on a grade two course on the 14th and 15th of November. These grade two courses are held in Wanaka by kayak guru Eric Billoud. The cost of these courses are $342 The course in run over two days with skills and training on the first 1 ½ days then assessment on the final ½ of day two.

Let me know if you are interested or know of someone who is interested in attending

EPC athletes at the races

EPC athletes had a good weekend at the Alpine Energy day night MTB race in Timaru on the weekend. Pam Thompson of Invercargill rode well to take 2nd place in the woman’s 6 hour less than a minute behind first place. Milan Brodina of Geraldine showed that he is in great shape 4 weeks out from his peak race taking 2nd place in the open men’s section of the 12 hour race. Hannah Thorne carried on her race winning way by stamping her dominance on the womans 12 hour field take the win by 4 laps.

Milan training in the St James area over Labour weekend

Nic McAre had a strong race in the Riverton to Zookeepers race on Saturday in Invercargill. Nic handled the tough windy conditions without any major dramas to take out 1st place in the Woman’s field.

A number of the Dunedin based EPC athletes are in the middle of end of year University exams. Best of luck to this guys and girls in their studies and exams over the next few weeks.

Exponential Performance Coaching tip of the week

All training weeks are not created equal and this is for a reason. Many endurance athletes do not balance their training load and recovery effectively and end up training moderately hard all of the time, therefore not making any great gains. LOAD weeks are designed to place your body into a state of physiological overload to stimulate adaptation, while your RECOVERY weeks are designed to allow your body to adapt (become fitter and stronger) to the training. If you train hard on your RECOVERY weeks your body will not be able to adapt and you will never get any better. Train hard on your LOAD weeks and take it easy on your RECOVERY weeks.

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

2009-10-28T10:51:00.003+13:00

I hope that every one had a good long weekend

Squad paddle

The Exponential Performance Squad kayak sessions will be held on Wednesday as usual. This session will start at 7.30am from the University Rowing club. This week’s session will be focused on technique and endurance development.

These sessions are $20 per session or sign up for 5 sessions for $80.

Squad run

The Exponential Performance Squad running sessions are starting this Wednesday at 5.30pm. These sessions are focused on developing off road running skills and fitness while introducing you to different off road training grounds around Dunedin.

The first session will be held from the Woodhugh Malvern Street entrance and will consist of a 1 hour run working on rock hopping skills.

The Cost of these sessions are $15 per session or sign up for 4 sessions for $50.

Coast to Coast Training camp

There has been a lot of interest in this training camp. So much so that it is booked out and there is now a waiting list. With this in mind EPC will be running a 2nd camp on the 16th and 17th to manage with the demand. Those who have registered their interest in the initial camp will be contacted this week regarding paying their registration fee to secure their place on the camp.

Those who have not expressed their interest in attending the camp yet but want to attend then let me know as soon as possible as places are limited and there is a strict limit on numbers due to safety.

Grade two course

There is one spare spot on a grade two course on the 14th and 15th of November. These grade two courses are held in Wanaka by kayak guru Eric Billoud. The cost of these courses are $342. The course in run over twos days with skills and training on the first 1 ½ days then assessment on the final ½ of day two. Let me know if you are interested or know of someone who is interested in attending

EPC athletes at the races

Congratulation to Bruce Ranga who raced in the Pilots Beach to Vauxhall 20km kayak race last weekend. It is clear to see that Bruce’s hard work in the boat is paying off with coming second.

Bruce putting down the power in his new Evolution Omega

Good luck to Chris Yeats of Hokitika who takes on the 5 passes cycling tour this coming weekend. I will be a big three days on the bike covering 600km, I hope the weather is good.

Also good luck to Milan Brodina of Methvan, Pam Thompson of Invercargill and Hannah Thorne of Dunedin who take on the Timaru 6 and 12hour mountain bike race as solo competitors this coming weekend, I look forward to catching up with you guys up in Timaru sometime over the 12 hours.

A number of the Dunedin based EPC athletes are in the middle of end of year University exams. Best of luck to these guys and girls in their studies and exams over the next few weeks.

Exponential Performance Coaching tip of the week

In order to gain the maximum benefits of your hard training sessions, make sure you have a meal containing carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of finishing training. The mix of protein and carbohydrates is critical to stimulate maximal up take by the muscles. Good examples are things such as tuna on rice or pasta, chicken or ham bread rolls, breakfast cereal and milk,, poached eggs on toast or specially formulated recovery shakes.

Happy training

Matty

Last weeks athlete profile

2009-10-19T07:57:00.004+13:00

Hannah Thorne, 32 years old

Hannah is currently based in Dunedin, working as a doctor specialising in Pathology.She is originally from Shropshire in the UK where she spent most of her spare time horse-riding whilst growing up.

Hannah had a bit of a late introduction to multisport, cycling and racing in general. She first picked up mountain biking when she moved to Rotorua from the UK in 2003, loved it and ended up competing in some local Rotorua races.

For a challenge, some friends and her entered the 2005 2 day individual Coast to Coast, so she taught herself to kayak and road bike. Hannah ended up in the top 10 women and after that became a bit hooked on racing!

Since injuring her knee in 2005 her focushas been more on cycling. What kind of cycling? well anythings with two wheels will do; road, cyclocross, cross country MTB, downhill MTB.... you name it and Hannah probably rides it fast.

'Since moving to Dunedin at the start of 2007 and training with Matty, I have been able to achieve results in multisport and cycling that I am very proud of. My favourite pastime though is still riding singletrack and doing jumps on my mountain bike :)'

'The best thing I have found with EPC is the training programmes are designed to fit around other commitments like work. The training sessions focus on making the most of the time available to me. This usually means lots of intervals that are hard but they really work. I've also enjoyed the social aspect of the group training sessions and have met lots of really nice, like-minded people.'

Past results:

2009

1st open woman Whaka 100km MTB, Rotorua

1st open woman Mountain 2 Mountain

1st women's team Peak to Peak

1st solo woman Naseby 12hr MTB

1st masters woman South Island XC Cup

2008

2nd open woman Bannockburn Gutbuster MTB

1st open woman (2nd woman overall) K2 road race, Coromandel

3rd open woman Whaka 100km MTB, Rotorua

2nd open woman Mountain 2 Mountain

1st women's team Peak to Peak

3rd individual woman Goldrush

2nd individual woman Rail Trail Duathlon

2nd open woman Otago Peninsula Challenge MTB

Future plans:To focus more on cycling (particularly mountain biking) and to race elite women cross country MTB in the summer. I may also try some singlespeed and 24 hour MTB racing to keep things interesting!

Hannah would like to say a big thanks to her sponsor R&R Sport

New Trek TT bike

2009-10-13T07:58:00.001+13:00

For all you bike tech lovers out there you will love the look of the new prototype Trek TT bike. The brake pads intergated into the fork is amizing.

Check it out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73zKmPg2_0w

Old School Multisport

2009-10-08T10:47:00.003+13:00

Below are the links to the youtube videos of the Alpine Ironman. This event is often said to be the worlds first multisport race. Designed by Robin Judkins the same guy who now designed the Coast to Coast.
These videos are a great watch and give an idea of where multisport has come from.
Back in these days there were no grade two certificates (the only qualification you needed was a bushy beard or moustache) and men were real men (none of this shaving your legs stuff).

See if you can spot Steve Gurney in his early days of racing (hes wearing back and white tights).
Also Geoff Hunt the director of the Peak to Peak (he is one of the first off the skis).

Good inspiration to get those kayak skills up to a good level.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DkyKBYFUXE
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQEHgXxKA50&feature=related
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XYj96OQH98&feature=related
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FtoD4SBR1Q&feature=related
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSORFC731fQ&feature=related

Enjoy
Matty

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

2009-10-05T10:24:00.003+13:00

Squad paddle

The Exponential Performance Squad kayak session will be held on Wednesday as usual starting at 7.30am. Meet down at the Otago university rowing club and be prepared to start paddling at 7.30am. This weeks session will be focusing on technique and strength endurance development.

Squad run

The Exponential Performance Squad running session will begin again in 2 weeks. Running sessions will focus on specific Coast to Coast run training and will introduce you to specific off road running areas around Dunedin.

EPC athletes at the races

Congratulation to Hannah Thorne who won the open woman's race at the Whaka 100km MTB race in Rotorua this weekend. This race consisted of 100km of single track around Rotorua and came only 3 weeks after her win at the M2M multisport race. Well done Hannah. Check out Hannahs profile at the EPC blog http://exponentialperformance.blogspot.com/

Congratulation to Chris Yeats who despite throwing up several time through out the race came 3rd veteran male in the rail trail bike race. This races covers the full length on the Central Otago rail trail in one big hit. Good luck to Chris this weekend as he takes on the challenging Wild Coaster road race from Greymouth to Westport.

Coast to Coast training camp dates

Preliminary dates for the training camp have been set as the 8-9-10th of January 2010. Check out the EPC blog page for specific details of the training camp. Numbers are limited so register early.

Exponential Performance Coaching training tip of the week

This piece of advice comes from the nasty weather that has just hit Dunedin over the weekend. If the weather is bad outside and you have a specific session set, don't put in off because of the weather. Put on a thermal and jacket and get out the door. Its never as bad as you thought it was going to be once you get out into it. Even if it is to nasty to complete your full session or you have to change it up a bit get out there and spent time in the bad conditions.

Training in rough, windy and wet conditions will make you a lot stronger and confident come race day.

Well done to those who got out on Sunday in the wind and snow you will have one up on those who decided to say inside. Rumor has it there were a few EPC athletes sighted out on the harbor doing their paddle training yesterday, now that's gotta be good for ya.

Happy training.

Matty

Coast to Coast Training Camp Info

2009-10-05T09:57:00.004+13:00

Training camp aims
1) Specific C2C terrain training
2) Specific back to back brick sessions
3) Course familiarisation
4) Gain knowledge from others
5) Enjoyment

Dates: This training camp will be held on the 8-9-10th January 2010

Cost: the cost of this training camp is $300. If team athletes want to partake in individual training sessions on the different days such as only do the paddle on Sunday the cost of this is $150.

Numbers: This training camp is limited to 7 athletes. This will be handled on a first in first served basis and athletes already signed up as EPC athletes will be given a place over non-EPC athletes. However non-EPC athletes are more than welcome to attend the camp. A $75 (25% of camp cost) none refundable fee is require within a week of registering to secure a spot on the camp.

This camp will be based from Klondyke Corner just out of Arthurs Pass. This training camp will differ slightly to that of the Peak 2 Peak and Mountain 2 Mountain in that we will be camping at a DOC camp site with tents and meals being the responsibility of the individual.
The training camp will be held over 2 ½ days. See camp outline below.

Coast to Coast training camp 2009

Friday
- Arrive at Klondyke corner at 3pm
- Evening rock running session approx 1hour
- Dinner
- Mt run briefing and gear prep discussion
- Coast to Coast nutrition planning

Saturday

Early start – drive to Kumara beach

Run 3km --> 55km road bike

This section will be completed in 2hours30min

Focus of this session is on developing bunch riding skills

33km Mt run

This section will be run at a pace that takes 5hours30min to complete
Focus of this session is on course familiarisation and rock running skills
- Evening will be spent chilling out a relaxing
- River briefing and gear preparation discussion
- Coast to Coast transition planning

Sunday
- Early start
- 15km cycle to start of kayak section
- 67km Grade two kayak down the Waimac river

This section will be completed in 5hours30min –depending on river follows
Focus is on developing river skills, course fimiliarisation and race tactics

Athlete’s responsibilities for training camp
- This is NOT a guided trip it is a training camp.

All athletes are to have the following level of competency for the safety of themselves and the other on the camp

Be able to confidently ride in a bunch at 30km+ speeds
Be comfortable running over rough terrain for prolonged periods of time
Have a Grade 2 certificate and confidently paddle grade 2 water in their race boat

- Athletes need to bring all required safety gear as outlined in the Coast to Coast rules for each stage of the race.

If athletes are lacking specific safety gear they may not be allowed to complete the training session.

Out on the river in the 2009 training camp

- Between every two athletes one driver will be required to transport cars, kayaks and bikes to different parts of the course. This is vital for the smooth running of the camp.

Exponential Performance Coaching reserves the right to cancel activities on the training camp, postpone or cancel the training camp if there is a safety issue such as adverse weather conditions, high river follows or athlete inexperience.

If you have any questions let me know
Matty Graham
exponential.performance@gmail.com

Last weeks athlete profile

2009-10-05T08:20:00.004+13:00

Mathew Snowden, 21 years old

Mat Spent 3 years in Auckland when he was young but was pretty much born and bred in Taranaki.

He attended NPBHS where he competed in various codes of sport -Soccer, Volleyball, Adventure Racing, Athletics and Cross Country. He gained Tiger Jackets (colours) in all of those areas and made the honors board in Athletics and Volleyball.

The love of the outdoors got him in to endurance racing with the coast to coast the initial attraction.Mat has the Lake to lighthouse, Coast to Coast two day and Goldrush lined up this season and is looking in good shape to place well in these events.

Matt flying through the C2C mt run, 2009

Results thus far
2005
- NPBHS 1st in Arrow 6 Hour Adventure Race Auckland
- NPBHS, NPGHS Winners of the Sir Edmond Hillary ChallengeFive Day Event
- NPBHS, NPGHS 26th in the ARC 12 Hour

2009
- 4th in the Lactic turkey off road half marathon, Auckland
- 2nd in Team Round the Mountain Cycle Challenge
- 7th Rangatiki River Race
- 11th Two Day Individual Coast to Coast
- 7th Mountain to Mountain

'I enjoy EPC because Matty is very knowledgeable about multisport and what is involved to do well. Also the people I have met thus far as made it an enjoyable experience.'

Matt climbing up Snowpark road at the EPC M2M training camp 2009

Springs Challenge

2009-10-05T08:13:00.006+13:00

Below are some photos of Hannah Yeats, Charlotte Breeze and their team mate Emma competing at the Springs Challenge last weekend.

Technical bike skill inspiration

2009-10-01T09:08:00.004+13:00

Check out the video at the following link for some inspiration to work on your technical biking skills. Its about 5minutes long and is well worth the watch. This guy takes bike control to a whole new level.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137883380?bctid=21337502001

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

2009-09-28T08:49:00.003+13:00

20 weeks until Coast 2 Coast 2010

Today marks 20 weeks until the 2010 C2C. 20 weeks is a good amount of time to start focusing your training in specifically on the C2C. A large number of EPC athletes will be rolling out of bed this morning and getting into there 1st specific C2C training session. Just remember the race is still a while away so do not get to carried away with your training. The important training time comes in December and January. Good luck to all of those starting specific C2C training today.

Squad paddle

Meet down at the Otago university rowing club and be prepared to start paddling at 7.30am. Over the next 4 weeks the focus will be on technique and base endurance development. Cost of these session's is $20 or sign up for 5 weeks for $80.

Squad run

The Exponential Performance Squad running session will not be held for the next month. Following this it will recommence with a focus on Coast to Coast specific running development. Watch this space.

Exponential Performance Coaching Blog

Check out the profile of young up and coming athlete Mat Snowdon and keep up to date with whats going on at EPC. http://exponentialperformance.blogspot.com/

Exponential Performance Coaching athletes at the races

Congratulation to Hannah Yeats and Charlotte Breeze who's team placed 15th (out of 87 teams) in the Springs Challenge open section. Rachel Kings team also had a good race in the Vets section finishing 41st team. Well done to all of you, I look forward to hearing about the adventure.

Good luck to Hannah Thorne who is competing in the Whaka 100 mountain bike race in Rotorua this weekend. This race involves 100km of mountain biking through single track in the amazing surroundings of Rotorua. Good luck Hannah give it heaps.

Exponential Performance Coaching training tip of the week

A strong skill and technique base are the under the under lying foundations of a peak performance. If you do not have the right skills or correct technique to optimally translate your hard earn fitness into speed then you will never reach your full potential. Use your early season base training to focus on developing your skills and technique so you have a strong foundation to launch your future training off.

Happy training

Matty

Last weeks athlete profile

2009-09-28T07:58:00.004+13:00

Hannah Yeats

Hannah is a first year film and media student from Hokitika on the West Coast now studying in Dunedin. She comes from a back ground in road cycling and mountain biking where she has racked up some impressive results.

In her short time in the multisport game she has had some top results as well.After winning the school girls 2 day team’s event at the Coast to Coast 2009 and coming a massive 9th out of all the female teams in the race, Hannah has stepped up the challenge of the individual race.Over this year Hannah has been working hard in conjunction with Exponential Performance Coaching to improve her over all multisport game with particular emphasis on her running and has stepped up to an advanced kayak for the increased speed advantage.

Going into her specific summer training for the Coast to Coast she is looking strong and in a good position for a good race come February.

Hannah riding hard out on the road

Hannah’s results

2009
1st Coast to Coast School Girls team
3rd Open Woman Ghost to Ghost Triathlon

2008
3rd Under 19 girl Motatapu MTB race
2nd Open Women Lake Hayes Triathlon
3rd Open Women Brass Monkey Triathlon
Canterbury Track Cycling team at nationals
1st mixed team Teva Big Day at the Office Race

2007
1st Under 16 female South Island time trial
3rd Under 18 female Le Race1st Under 18 female Around Brunner race
1st Under 18 female Motatapu MTB race

Hannah’s Sponsors
R & R Sport
Em's Power Cookies
Thule

Hannah on the Waimac in the 2009 C2C

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

2009-09-21T11:29:00.002+12:00

Squad paddle

The Exponential Performance Squad kayak sessions will recommence Wednesday 23rd September at 7.30am. Meet down at the Otago university rowing club and be prepared to start paddling at 7.30am. Over the next 4 weeks the focus will be on technique and base endurance development in preperation for the Coast to Coast. Cost of these sessons is $20 or sign up for 5 weeks for $80.

Squad run

The Exponential Performance Squad running sessions will not be held for the next month. Following this it will recommence with a focus on Coast to Coast specific running development. Watch this space.

EPC squad runs will focus on Coast to Coast specific training when they start again in approx 1 month

Coast to Coast Training information

For those athletes training for the Coast to Coast this week, marks 21 weeks until the race. This week you should focus on again resting and recovering from your winter training phase. Over this week complete the following sessions in order to maintain your winter fitness but at the same time re-charge your batteries. 1x45min à Zone 2, off road run; 1 x45-60minà Zone 2 flat easy rides in an easy gear and 1-3 kayak sessions with a focus on technique and stability. Also this is the prefect time to take care of any niggling injuries or muscle imbalances.

EPC athletes at the races

Good luck to Hannah Yeats, Charlotte Breeze and Rachel King who are competing in the 12hour Springs Challenge adventure race this weekend in Lake Rotoiti, up in Nelson Lakes National Park.

Exponential Performance Coaching training tip of the week

Training partners can be very useful to help you maintain motivation, keep you company and for safety. However do not let your training partner take the benefits away for YOUR training session. You have an aim for your session and this is important for your performance development. Make sure you communicate with your training partner and let them know that you are going to be doing YOUR training. If they want to join you then that's fine but never sacrifice your training for them. Try and find a training partner or similar ability to you, with similar goals and who understands that you have specific training to do and its not just a gossip or easy session.

Exponential Performance Coaching Athletes in Action at the M2M

2009-09-17T08:37:00.008+12:00

Below are some photos of Nic McAre and Pam Thompson in the 2009 M2M

Off the skis and on to the MTBs for the fast down hill from TC

Nic working hard out on the river

Pam coming in off the run

Nic on the final slog to the top of Snow Park

Nic and Pam at the finish line.

1st and 2nd vet females.

Not a bad day at the office

Well done.

Exponential Performance Coaching weekly update

2009-09-14T15:46:00.005+12:00

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

Exponential Performance Athletes at the races

Well done to all of those who competed in the Mountain 2 Mountain mulitpsport race in Wanaka this weekend.

Here are some of the preliminary results from EPC athletes.

Big ups to Emmah Ussher who completed the M2M which was her first ever multisport race in a strong effort and to Ingrid Vollweiler who stepped up at the last moment and took on the individual race instead of the team event.

Great performances where had by Hannah Thorne who won the Open woman section and Nic McAre and Pam Thompson who took 1st and 2nd in the individual Vet womans race respectively.

Bruce Ranga showed that he has been putting in the hard yards this winter by taking 20+minutes off his 2008 time to take 3rd in the individual vet mens section after a storming final mountain bike while Blake Luff kayaked as part of a team which won their section.

Mat Snowdon put in a solid effort and over came crippling cramps to finish his first crack at the M2M. While Charlotte Breeze gave her absolute all with a gusty effort that she rates HARDER than the Coast to Coast.

Finally Phil Te Tana Sladed some demons after putting himself out of the Peak 2 Peak race in a crash on the 2nd stage a month and a half earlier. Unable to ski, downhill MTB or run Phil entered the M2M as a team doing the stages that he could. A great effort on the river, road and up hill ride saw Phil finish strongly, next year he will crack it all.

In the Dunedin half marathon Bruce Ranga, Mat Snowdon and Blake Luff fronted following a big day at the office in Wanaka the day before to run them selves into the ground. They all ran every well and all went away from the race with the reassurance that the 2nd day of the Coast to Coast 2010 will be easier for them for there massive effort.

Unfortunately Rosie Taylor was forced out of the ½ marathon after a strong start due to a knee injury.

Squad sessions

There will be NO squad running or kayaking sessions this week.

Exponential Performance Coaching Blog page

See the latest updates at the new Exponential Performance Coaching blog page. There is a new EPC athlete profile section that will display a different EPC athletes profile each week. This week see the profile of young multisporter Hannah Yeats at http://exponentialperformance.blogspot.com/.

Coast to Coast training

Next week, details will be released on upcoming Coast to Coast squad training sessions and training camps that will be held over the summer. These will be aimed at providing specific coast to coast training and advice specifically in kayaking and mountain running to get you ready for February. Numbers are limited all of these sessions and camps so watch this space.......

EPC Coast 2 Coast mountain running clinic 2008

Upcoming races

Those who are keen to give adventure racing ago then these would be a good way to start. Check out the following link to find more info on the NEW P6 race at Naseby in October. www.lacticturkey.co.nz/P6Otago.htm

Exponential Performance Coaching Tip of the week

Following a big race, make sure you take some time out and rest up. Give yourself at least a week of NO training and then from here return to training as you feel up to it/ when your coach advises you for optimal benefits. For those that are about to enter their 20 week specific C2C training period it is important that over these next two weeks you rest up both physically and mentally so you go into this next training phase 100% ready to train.

2009-09-07T10:14:00.000+12:00

This week at Exponential Performance Coaching

Squad paddle
- This week the squad paddle will start at 7.30am and will take the form of a priming session to keep your body primed for the upcoming M2M race this weekend. Cost $20

Squad run
- This will be held from Bathgate Park in South Dunedin and will take the form of a priming session for this weekend’s M2M and half marathon. This is a great session so if you haven’t made it out to one yet, make sure you get out there at 5.30pm Wednesday evening. Cost $10.

EPC athletes out training in the hills during a group training session earlier this year.

Exponential Performance Athletes at the races
This weekend is a busy weekend for the EPC athletes. For many this is the end of their winter base training which will accumulated in the Mountain 2 Mountain multisport race in Wanaka and for some the half marathon back in Dunedin the next day.

Good luck to Hannah Thorne, Bruce Ranga, Nic McAra, Pam Thompson, Ingrid Vollweiler, Phil Te Tana, Emmah Ussher, Mat Snowdon, Charlotte Breeze and Blake luff who are tackling the M2M this weekend.

Good luck to Paddy Allen, Mat Snowdon, Bruce Ranga, Rosie Taylor, Emmah Ussher and Blake Luff who are taking on the Dunedin 1/2 marathon this weekend

Also good luck to Hannah Yeats who is competing in the Able Tasman Coastal Classic off road running event this weekend as well.

Up coming races
For those looking at the Coast to Coast and the Goldrush multisport races these entries are now open so get in and enter if you want to make sure you don’t miss out.

Exponential Performance Coaching Tip of the week
In the final week leading into a big event you need to take it easy. You have done all the hard training and now you need to let your body recover 100% so that come race day you are fresher than you have ever been. Try and get some extra sleep, eat well and just rest up.

Happy Training.

Matty

More photos from M2M training camp

2009-09-04T12:38:00.001+12:00

A few more pics from the M2M training camp in Wanaka

Action out on the river

Striding it out during a kayak -> run->road bike ->MTB brick session

Working hard on the road

Its hard work but the views are pretty good.

Exponential performance Coaching Weekly Update

2009-09-03T08:29:00.000+12:00

This week at Exponential performance Coaching

Squad paddle and Squad run were cancelled this week as I have been laying low with the flu after the training camp hence the late update as well. Both of these squad sessions will run as usual next week and will take the form of priming sessions targeted at keeping your energy systems primed during the taper period, so you go into the weekend races firing on all cylinders.

M2M Wanaka training camp
Over the weekend 8 keen Exponential Performance Coaching athletes undertook a training camp based in Wanaka (see attached photo). The aim of the training camp was to develop specific M2M race/course knowledge and get the training benefits through the training camp effect.
By day the athletes ran, road biked, MTB, skied and kayaked and at night presentations/ question and answer sessions were under taken so athletes could develop a better understanding of the M2M race, and some applied sport science topics which hopefully opened a few peoples eyes.
It was a big weekend and everyone pushed themselves which was great to see. Now all that is left to do is head into the race feeling confident that you know exactly what you are in for.

Exponential Performance Coaching Blog page
The new Exponential Performance Coaching Blog page has just been developed. The idea is to use this page to post up dates on the goings on of Exponential Performance Athletes and up coming training sessions etc. So go and check it out and sign up as a follower at http://exponentialperformance.blogspot.com/ There is already an update of the M2M training camp and there will be more photos and info posted as we go.

Up coming races
Just remember that M2M early bird entry's close 6th of September and there are not going to be entry's taken after the 10th. So make sure you get in quick. All the info you need is at the following web page http://www.m2mwanaka.com/index.html
The Dunedin 1/2 and full marathon can still be entered up until the 10th of September so if you are planing on doing this get your entry in soon.

Exponential Performance Coaching Training Tip of the week
In the final few weeks before an event, practice running through your race plan while you are training. Work through what you are going to be doing on race day and practice different aspects of this so that come race day everything should be automatic.

Happy training
Matty

Wanaka Training Camp

2009-09-02T13:36:00.001+12:00

Over the weekend 8 keen athletes attended the Exponential Performance Coaching training camp held in Wanaka in preparation for the Mountain 2 Mountain winter multisport race.

The camp consisted of 2 1/2 days of training and learning in the beautiful surroundings of Wanaka. By day the athletes kayaked, ran, road biked, mountain biked and skied, while in the evenings presentations were held to help them prepare for the up coming race in the areas of nutrition, transitions, formulating a race plan and recovery.