PowerBar_Fitness_Community

Tim Hola is an 8-year veteran of PowerBar® Team Elite® and one of the top amateur triathletes in the United States. We recently had a chance to catch up with Tim to get his insights on topics such as sports nutrition; balancing the demands of family, work, and training; and tips for triathletes on their way up in the sport.




Snapshot

• Sport: Triathlon (among others)
• Age: 34
• Family: Married (to Nikki) and raising 2 really cute kids (Spencer and Connor)
• Home base: Colorado
• Occupation: Pharmaceutical sales

Major Accomplishments

• Ten-time Ironman Hawaii triathlon competitor (1999–2008); competing in his 11th-straight Ironman Hawaii in 2009
• Best Ironman Triathlon finishes: 8:52 at Ironman Florida and 8:58 at Ironman Hawaii
• Ranked #1 in the United States Amateur Triathlete (USAT) rankings in 2008, 2007, and 2006
• One of the top 6 American finishers at Ironman Hawaii in 2008, 2006, and 2005
• Judged one of “America’s Fittest Real Men” by Outside magazine in 2008 and “Amateur Athlete of the Year” in 2005 by Triathlete Magazine
• Boulder Triathlon Series Champion in 2006 and U.S. Half Triathlon National Champion in 2005
• Ironman Hawaii and XTERRA “Double” Champion in 2002

Q: Tell us about your introduction to PowerBar® and PowerBar Team Elite.
Tim: It started back in 1996. At the time, I’d only completed maybe 2 or 3 triathlons — I’ve now done more than 120 — but I was already a big believer in PowerBar products. In fact, being sponsored by PowerBar was a huge dream of mine. I believed in the products so much that I had a PowerBar sticker on the bumper of my 1991 Geo Prism, and I was known for wearing a “Fueled by PowerBar” t-shirt all the time. When I joined the ranks of Team Elite in 2001, it was a dream come true — and my passion and belief in PowerBar has grown even stronger over the years.

Q: One thing that seems to set you apart as an athlete is the number of different events you participate in — and win! Talk about competing and what it means to you.
Tim: The bottom line is that I love to compete. I’ve been a competitor all my life, and I also love to travel and see new places. So triathlons are perfect: I get to compete against great athletes and travel to all kinds of different locations. But I like variety as well. Many triathletes only compete in triathlons, and rightfully so, considering the difficulty in trying to master 3 different disciplines. But I like the challenge of competing in different events that require different skills. Plus it’s fun when you challenge yourself in a new event and end up doing well. Living in Colorado, I’ve discovered and fallen in love with snowshoeing — it’s a unique sport and a great workout. I’d also love to do more adventure racing, because it’s a great way to work with a team.

Q: What are the pros and cons of being an elite athlete?
Tim: I love being an athlete. I honestly feel that every day I am able to do something athletic is truly a gift. You never know what’s around the corner and what life will throw at you. So it’s important to live for today and enjoy your life now. What I really love about being an athlete is having a healthy, fit, and strong body and mind. In my job as a pharmaceutical sales representative, I’m in hospitals and doctors’ offices all day long. I see all kinds of people who are sick and suffering, and it makes me realize how lucky I am. It’s also a source of motivation to make healthy choices about what goes into my body and how I train. As fitness guru Jack LaLanne says, “Exercise is king, and nutrition is queen; together you have a kingdom.” Some of the cons of training and racing are sacrificing time with my family, wear and tear on my body, all the planning and preparation leading up to a race, and how my body feels just after an Ironman.

Q: Describe a typical training week and how, as a father, husband, and professional, you manage to carve out the time needed for training.
Tim: I train 2–3 hours per day with a day off, usually on Mondays. I try to swim twice, bike 4–5 times, and run 4 times per week, with one day of lifting. Finding the time to train is an ongoing challenge, but I think it has a lot to do with having a very strong passion for this sport and wanting to do well. In order to have success, you have to give up certain things. Nothing comes easy. I never sacrifice work, and I try not to sacrifice time with family. One thing I do give up is sleep. Many of my workouts are completed very early in the morning. I’ve started workouts at 3 a.m.! I’m lucky in that I can get in effective workouts on minimal sleep — at least I think I can! I also make sure that each workout counts and has a specific purpose.

Q: Of all the athletic events you’ve completed, which was the most difficult?
Tim: Since moving to Colorado in 2002, I’ve done a fair amount of snowshoeing. Every year on the first Saturday in January, there’s a 20-mile snowshoe race held in Leadville, Colorado, at an elevation of 10,200 ft. I’ve competed in the race 3 times, and I’d say it’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I mean, you really have to dig deep just to finish this event. In 2004, I was at mile 10 and I could feel my legs steadily running out of energy. In fact, there were times when I actually had to walk. Believe it or not, this is something I’ve rarely experienced, even in Ironman triathlons. I tried to keep a running pace, but the combination of freezing-cold hands and feet, poor visibility from blowing snow, too little fuel, and inadequate hydration made the last 10 miles pretty much pure torture. I worked through it by thinking back on all the times when I’ve pushed through the pain and blocked out the suffering. With a mile to go, I picked up the pace and ended up finishing well. That night, I ate what probably ranks as the biggest dinner of my life!

Q: How did you come to appreciate the importance of nutrition and hydration to athletic performance?
Tim: In 1999, I was very new to endurance training, and quite honestly, I didn’t think I needed to drink much during long workouts. One day on a brick run — a run immediately after a bike ride — my training partner and I were just starting when he noticed that I wasn’t carrying any fluids. “What are you, a camel or something?” he joked. I told him I didn’t want the hassle of bringing fluids with me, and I didn’t think I needed it. Sure enough, later in the run, I began to feel light-headed and dizzy due to dehydration. Lesson learned. Since then, I make sure to take in a consistent flow of fluids and carbohydrates, especially during long workouts in the heat.

Q: What’s your typical pre-race eating and hydration regimen?
Tim: I usually hydrate throughout the day 24 hours before an event, especially if it’s an Ironman or Half Ironman race. This consists of sipping on water or PowerBar® Endurance sports drink, depending on my need for calories. The night before I race in any type of endurance event, I eat about 8 oz of angel hair pasta with red sauce, grilled chicken, and bread. I also drink plenty of water. The morning of the race, I eat 2 bananas and 1 PowerBar Harvest® Energy bar, and I hydrate with water. When I train, my workouts dictate how I prepare nutritionally. For example, before a 90-minute bike ride in the morning, I’ll have a banana and a Harvest Energy bar.

Q: What’s your typical fueling and hydration regimen during a competition and when training?
Tim: During longer races, I drink a lot of water and Endurance sports drink. I also eat many, many PowerBar® Gels. On the bike, I eat one Harvest Energy bar in a Half Ironman and about 3 during a full Ironman, in addition to other foods.

Q: What do you do post-race to promote recovery?
Tim: My recovery regimen consists of 4 scoops of PowerBar® Recovery beverage in 32 oz. of cold water. After that, it really depends on how I feel. I usually let loose and eat whatever is available at the race, like pizza! I really try to eat a good amount of carbohydrates to replenish as quickly as possible, usually within 30 minutes of completing the race. If I don’t, I get a really bad headache and feel miserable.

Q: What’s your current favorite PowerBar product?
Tim: I have many favorites, but lately, I’m really enjoying PowerBar® Gel Blasts energy chews. The caffeine, the carbs, and the texture of the Gel Blasts energy chews are perfect midway through a bike ride. For example, earlier today, I went on a 3½-hour ride in the mountains and had a pack of lemon-flavored Gel Blasts energy chews after the first hour and a pack of cola-flavored Gel Blasts energy chews after the second hour. They gave me the energy I needed for that last hour of riding. And it was crucial, because I was at 8,000 ft for most of that workout!

Q: How do you cope nutritionally with travel?
Tim: This topic is constantly on my mind whenever I travel for a race. The dinner before a race and race-day food are very important, so I always bring my own food from home. I just pack it in my bag and prepare it at the race. For example, when I traveled to Japan last April for the Japan Strongman, I brought my own pasta and sauce in my luggage and prepared it in my hotel room. I also brought along a box of Harvest Energy bars and PowerBar Gels. It turns out PowerBar was a major sponsor of the race, so there were plenty of PowerBar Gels on the course — plus sushi!

Q: Any words of advice for up-and-coming triathletes?
Tim: Every year that I train and race, I learn something new. Here’s my advice to up-and-comers:

• Come to your race prepared — Run down each part of the race in your head the night before and make sure you have everything you need.
• Clean your bike often — Cleaning your bike not only will allow it to run better, it will enable you to find potential problems that you might not have seen otherwise. My dad found a crack in his frame after a training ride by doing a routine cleaning.
• Know the course — By understanding the details of any race course, you’re better able to establish a racing strategy and then execute it. Knowing the course also helps prevent going off course, especially if you’re in the lead.
• Don’t worry about your competition — I see this in athletes all the time. The minute you start worrying about your competition, you’re toast. Instead, focus on what you’ve done to train for the race, and go hard on race day. If you work hard and feel good, then everything else will fall into place.
• Eat healthfully — I know that a lot of us endurance athletes eat all kinds of junk, but that’s not the best thing for our bodies. Everything we eat ultimately has an effect on the body. So make sure that what you eat will yield a positive result.
• Race often — Why else do we train all day? Racing often keeps us sharp, and the fast-twitch muscle fibers firing. Also, bad races are inevitable, and athletes tend to dwell on them. Instead of dwelling on the past, get out there and race again. The best cure for a bad race is your next race.
• Take care of your body — I’m all for pushing myself as hard as I can go, but proper rest and recovery is just as important. I’ve never regretted taking an extra rest day before a race or after a hard training week. In fact, it’s a strategy that always leaves me feeling fresh and ready to go on race day.
• Take proper care of blisters — I used to pop all the blisters I’d get on my feet, and then suffer as the 2 layers of skin would rub together with each step. I’ve since learned that there are 2 good reasons not to pop blisters: The fluid helps the blister heal, and it also provides a cushion between the 2 layers of skin, which makes it less painful to walk or run. This advice has helped me a lot.

Q: What’s your athletic goal in the year ahead?
Tim: In the year ahead, I’d like to be the top amateur overall in all my races, and I’d love to win my age group at Ironman Hawaii.

Interested in knowing about other Team Elite athletes or how you can join the ranks? Click on the Team Elite link at PowerBar.com.
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