Temperatures in the 90s, elevation gain reaching over 5,000 feet, high bacteria levels in the Boulder Reservoir waters. There were many elements on June 11th that could have made the Boulder 70.3 Ironman a tough race to finish. Endurance athletes from around the world traveled to Boulder, Colorado last week, acclimated to the altitude, loaded with SPF for the strong rays and fueled to keep their bodies strong for the course. HOTSHOT spent time visiting retailers and meeting athletes at the Ironman EXPO, explaining the benefits of our 1.7 oz sports shot with a kick that prevents and treats muscle cramps by calming hyper-excited motor neurons – the root of a cramp. Many conditions can destabilize nerves, including extreme heat and activity. HOTSHOT came to the rescue for many first-time users, including Corey Knop, a longtime triathlete who, simply put, “didn’t want to cramp.” Knop PR’d, crediting HOTSHOT for a race without cramps. Read his story here:
My name is Corey Knop and I’m a triathlete recently relocated to Longmont, Colorado. My first introduction to triathlon was through an Intro to Tri class offered as a physical education requirement at our local high school. The goal at the end of the semester was to complete a sprint distance tri. After completing the first semester class, I was hooked and eventually became one of the founding members of our high school triathlon club.
I currently race for Team Kaos and am coached by Training Bible Coaching. My teammates and I typically plan for 8 to 10 multisport events per year with 1-2 “A” races scheduled internationally. My two favorite race locations are Mallorca and Abu Dhabi. Our first race of 2016 was at the IM70.3 Pan American Pro Championship in Panama and we just finished the IM70.3 Boulder. Boulder Peak, USAT Olympic Nationals, IM70.3 Tempe and IM70.3 Bahrain are next up on the list.
Muscle cramps first started to impact my racing during IM70.3 Augusta in 2012 and typically flare up around mile four of the run. It’s debilitating when you have put in so much time preparing for a race and have to stop and contend with cramping. HOTSHOT is sold at two of my go-to shops here in Boulder, Colorado Multisport and Boulder Cycle Sport. After visiting with fellow athletes at those stores, they were saying the same thing-HOTSHOT negated the effects of cramping when they tried it.
The race conditions for IM70.3 Boulder were HOT with a high of 93 degrees. Within the first mile of the run, I started to feel the telltale “twitch” in my quads. The challenge with cramping is that once there is an onset of symptoms, it’s nearly impossible to neutralize. After trying HOTSHOT at the expo and receiving a sample for race day, I decided to give it a try. Reflecting back to race day, the results were very impressive! The slight twitch never fully developed into full blown cramping and I was able to PR on the course! Post-race, I was feeling pretty good with limited soreness.
One of the things I love about triathlon is the cerebral component. Training your mind for the mental toughness required to complete an event carries over into other aspects of dealing with life’s stress. I integrate visualization techniques into my training program. It really helps to review each component of the race through mental repetitions (Swim, T1, Bike, T2, Run, Finish!).
For anyone who has suffered through cramping, I would strongly recommend HOTSHOT!
MORE ON THE HOTSHOT BLOG
Training Tips From Crowie Alexander: The 5X Ironman Champion shares his advice on training for and competing in Ironman.
8 Questions with Champion Marathoner & HOTSHOT Ambassador Amy Hastings: Nutrition tips, HOTSHOT and more. Read on.
5 Tips From a USAT & Ironman Certified Coach: Don’t let muscle cramps get you down. Elaine Vescio shares her top training and racing tips for triathletes.