How To Guides & Tips

Note: This page has been moved to here.  Please see the latest page with all the goods there!  Thanks!  Trust me, it’s worth the clickage!

I enjoy explaining new things to folks – especially showing people how to get the most from their gadgets. Here’s an ongoing list of “How to” guides. If you have suggestions for future guides, I’m all ears – just ping me on the right using the Contact Me button.

Here’s the sections listed below:

- Garmin related how to guides
- - Courses/Workouts
- - Training/Racing with Garmin devices
- - Understanding how it all works
- Running
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Triathlon
- General Training
- General Race Day
- Nutrition
- Sports Technology

Garmin how to guides:

Courses/Workouts:

How to create courses and maps for your Garmin Forerunner or Edge:
You ever wish you could create a little map on your Garmin for a complex route and follow it just like a buried treasure map?  Well, now you can.  Check out my quick and easy steps.

How to download workouts to Garmin devices (all training devices):
One of the more useful features of virtually all Garmin devices is the ability to create a workout and then download it to the watch. From there the watch will ‘own you’, as it puts you through your paces…

Training/racing with Garmin devices:

How to train indoors with your Garmin device:
During the winter you may spend a lot of time on treadmills or trainers.  This post walks through more than you ever wanted to know about using your Garmin inside.

How to race tri's with the Garmin Forerunner or Edge:
While a running race is fairly straightforward, a triathlon poses all sorts of interesting challenges, check out my tips for how to race with these devices.

The quick release kit – Solving one of life’s great mysteries
Did you know that you can get a little $15 attachment for your Garmin that allows you to instantly swap between the bike and run with little more than a quick twist or pop?

How to swim with the Garmin Forerunner 305:
Yes, it’s possible to track how far you’ve swam with the 305. There are some tricks though to ensuring you don’t end up killing your watch in the process.

Understanding how it all works:

10 Random Tips for the Garmin Forerunner 305:
Wanna clean your contacts? Heard of Sports Tracks? If so (or if not), check my random tips out.

How to clean the contacts on the Garmin Forerunner 305:
Is your Garmin not charging anymore, or acting finicky on the charging cradle? If so, check out this for the 3-second solution.

Understanding Sport Device GPS Elevation Issues
You ever get funny elevation graphs on your GPS device?  Is it making mountains out of mole hills?  Or did you just run up Mt. Everest, yet live in Florida?  Well, this post is for you.

Understanding the importance of Garmin Firmware Updates
What?  You’ve never updated your Garmin firmware?  Ever?  Yikes…check out this post to understand all you’re missing.  Trust me…it’s a lot.

Choosing your Garmin Device Fields
You’ve probably accidentally re-configured your data fields, but this post talks through all the data fields available on each Garmin device, and which ones I use for day to day training and racing.

Troubleshooting your heart rate monitor straps when you see HR spikes
Is your heart rate strap showing whacky heart rates?  Are you seeing heart rates that are showing 200bpm+ when you’re standing still?  No worries, I’m here to help. 

How to ski with the Forerunner 305:
I LOVE skiing – grew up ski racing in Seattle. So naturally I wanted to track exactly how far I’d gone. Now you can too.

Running:

Racing the line – understanding how courses are measured
(March 28th, 2009)

To improve my running, I need to improve my cycling
(December 10th, 2008)

Swimming in the Potomac
(December 4th, 2008)

Spinning around after a long run
(November 11th, 2008)

Cycling:

Behind the scenes of Team HTC-Columbia and the Tour de France Live Tracking
(July 15th, 2010)

A night with the Cervelo Technical Team
(March 25th, 2010)

How to use CO2 for cycling – a beginners guide:
(August 5th, 2008)

Inside Lance Armstrong’s Bike Shop
(October 30th, 2009)

How aero can you go?
(September 11th, 2009)

A Power Primer - Cylcing with Power 101
(August 13th, 2009)

Goin' compact on Skyline (a look into Compact Cranks)
(June 7th, 2009)

Things are made for a reason – Bike Rack Locks and Clips
(April 23rd, 2009)

The miracles of degreaser
(November 5th, 2008)

The rear rack (rear bike hydration systems)
(September 3rd, 2008)

How to use CO2 for cycling – a beginners guide
(August 5th, 2008)

The tire that just keeps on truckin’
(May 7th, 2008)

Aerobar reviews. Part 1 and Part II
(September 2007)

Swimming:

Swimming the line – Understanding how to most efficiently swim a tri course
(September 22nd, 2009)

Fearing the swim? Fear not. (how to start swimming)
(March 6th, 2008)

One big ice cube – swimming in cold water
(February 28th, 2008)

Triathlon:

Guest Post: How to take great triathlon photos
(July 14th, 2010)

Race Day & Race Travel Checklists
(June 16th, 2010)

Thoughts from a (new) USAT Referee (or…what I’m looking for)
(April 20th, 2010)

A list of cool tri/running/cycling wallpapers
(April 8th, 2010)

Comparing M-Dot Races to Non-Dot Races
(February 10th, 2010)

Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Age Group Drug Testing
(October 2nd, 2009)

What is qualifying? The definitive guide to the biggies (Kona/Clearwater/Boston, etc...)
(July 7th, 2009)

How to race tri's with the Garmin Forerunner or Edge
(May 21st, 2009)

Thoughts on triathlon coaching
(February 12th, 2009)

Finalizing the list and checking it thirty billion times (choosing races)
(November 7th, 2008)

In Transition (transition tips) | Part II
(June 3rd, 2008 & June 11th, 2010)

Training in general:

The right stuff – equipment I use
(June 21st, 2010)

Training while traveling
(March 24th, 2009)

Training Logs
(November 14th, 2008)

The water bottle assembly and storage system
(January 29th, 2008)

Race Day Related:

Rainmaker Rant: Race photo companies
(June 16th, 2009)

My requests to Race Directors
(May 7th, 2009)

Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island Race Course Preview
(December 11th, 2007)

Are you in the lost and found bin? (how to find race photos)
(March 18th, 2008)

Nutrition Related:

Chocolate Milk vs Endurox R4 Recovery Drink – Stimulus edition
(March 3rd, 2009)

The effects of a cold on athletic performance
(October 10th, 2008)

Wine vs Workouts: Effects of alcohol
(September 16th, 2008)

Milking the chocolate cow
(March 11th, 2008)

Sports Technology Related:

7 New Sports Technology Companies I’m watching
(June 15th, 2010)

Sport Tracks in depth – 10 little tidbits
(December 1st, 2009)

Sports Tracks 2.0 Overview
(January 30th, 2008)