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Meet Zeinab Rezaie, Afghanistan's Inspiration

Meet Zeinab Rezaie, Afghanistan's Inspiration

Plus: Should you fast for Ironman training?

Matthew Sharpe
December 30, 2022

Good morning everyone!

Our goal was to get to 500 subscribers by the end of the year, thanks to you we're almost at 600! Our subscribers are the best, and we are so grateful for your support.

Yesterday The Tempo team had a really productive strategy meeting, and we are stoked for a big 2023. Our north star continues to be a quick and entertaining stop for your triathlon news.

In this edition we've got,

The inspirational Zeinab Rezaie; a trailblazing Afghan triathlete 🌟
Lionel Sanders at his best, unfiltered 🤬
And do we need to fast for Ironman training? (lol, no)

Thank you for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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ONE BIG THING

The Incredible Zeinab Rezaie; Trailblazing Afghan Triathlete

Ironman

What is it: Zeinab Rezaie, who is a Fullbright Scholar completing her MBA at Colorado State University is also a competitive triathlete. 9News reports on her journey from a collapsing Kabul to a historic finish line.

She recently became the first woman from Afghanistan to finish an IRONMAN event.
This monumental achievement occurred at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in St. George.

Why it matters:

Zeinab left her home country for America two days after the fall of Kabul.
As the Taliban continue to claw back women's rights, Zeinab wants to use her racing to raise awareness about the treatment of women and girls in her country.

Tempo's take:

Zeinab is a true trailblazer in the sport of triathlon and shows the importance of empowering women in countries with poor human rights records towards women. Organizations like She Can Tri, who are helping Zeinab and other women in developing countries participate in triathlons, are doing critical work that should not only be recognized but supported.

The story of her triathlon coach, Jackie Faye, using her connections to get her on a plane amongst the chaos of the collapse of Kabul is especially harrowing.

No doubt we'll be cheering extra hard for Zeinab as she conquers her racing and scholarly goals!

Check out She Can Tri and consider donating to the organization

NEWS

🍎 Big Apple adjustment: Due to shifting weather patterns (read: heat waves) the 2023 edition of the New York City Triathlon will be contested in the fall. The race will take place on October 1st, which should improve the athlete and spectator experience. [NYCTri]

✅ IRONMAN Challenges: For 2023, Ironman will introduce Challenges, a program that encourages athletes to complete a 70.3 and full distance event within a similar region. For example, the "Québec challenge" featuring Ironman 70.3 and the full-distance Ironman in Mt. Tremblant. Challenge finishers will receive a distinct award. [Triathlon Magazine Canada]

🏖️ New Challenge in Chile: Challenge Family announced their second event in Chile next year, Challenge Coquimbo-La Serena, which will take place on September 3. Athletes will compete in the beautiful La Serena region in what is described as "authentic Chile." Sign us up! [Challenge Family]

🏆 Gravel glory: For the second year in a row Fayetteville, Arkansas will host a slate of USA Triathlon National Championships. The Ozark Valley triathlon weekend is set to host the Off-road (mountain bike) Triathlon and Duathlon, and Gravel Triathlon and Duathlon National Championships. Just watch out for Marty Byrd on that start line... [Endurance Sportswire]

TRAINING THOUGHT

Three Square Meals? Fasting? A Tempo Reader's Inquiry

A Tempo reader asked us:

"Regarding food and eating regularly throughout the day while training for an Ironman, do you typically eat 3 meals per day/intermittent fast/snack and meals? Curious what your typical routine is and what you’d recommend for someone in training."

Thank you so much for this awesome question. I've personally never done an Ironman (only half distances), but when I was at my peak training for the Olympics and World Championships, I was pushing north of 30 hours a week.

Here are a few guidelines I would follow for training high volumes:

😋 More meals equals more gains:

In heavy training periods, I would probably eat at least five meals a day. Some large, some small, but definitely should be defined as a meal.
If training is heavy, the mix needs to be carb-heavy, enough protein, and a variety of veggies.

🍩 Carbs, carbs, carbs:

If there are long sessions and/or multiple sessions than you need serious carbs.
For example, on the bike I'll take at least 100gr/hr of carbs for a longer ride. More if the intervals are heavy!

⏲️ Meal timing is key:

If there are multiple sessions make sure the meals are timed well.
For example, if you have a training day with two big workouts, don't zone out for an hour on the couch after the first one, make sure you get in a good meal ASAP.

*Disclaimer, I am not a sports nutritionist. My advice is what I've used over the years. There are many awesome sports nutritionists out there that we can recommend. Or, if you are a sports nutritionist we would love your take on this question!

FAVOURITES

☕ Caffeine scene: Yann Le Meur does a great job distilling the latest sports science into exceptional infographics. This one is all you need to know about caffeine and performance. What is the optimal amount of caffeine to crush a race? Is it good for hot races? Find out here. [Yann Le Meur]

🤬 Lionel Sanders, unfiltered: After what anyone else would think was an exceptional year, Lionel Sanders reflects on his "disappointing" 2022 season. Funny, emotional, and self-aware, this is another awesome video from Sanders. But what really was the best part of his year? Find out here. [YouTube - Lionel Sanders]

🤕 Injuries, pros get them too: Lucy Charles-Barclay's hip stress fracture, Jan Frodeno's infection, Ali Brownlee's broken femur. Just like the rest of us, some of the best triathletes dealt with significant injuries in 2022. But, they're all on track for comebacks, and here's to a brighter 2023. [TRI247]

COMMUNITY QUESTION

Have a burning question about triathlon or Ironman? Want to share a racing tip? Let us know and it could be featured in the newsletter.

Are you racing this weekend? Or any epic training sessions? We'd love to hear about them! Send us your photos or a race recap, and we will feature them in next Tuesday's edition!