Outdoors: Running

Beginning tomorrow at 6 a.m., more than 1,500 competitors from around the world will converge on Roger Wheeler State Beach, in Narragansett, for the start of the Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island.

There will be plenty of veterans in the field, including Rhode Island native Terry Kerrigan, who will be competing for $25,000 in professional prize money, as well as 1 of the 50 qualifying slots to the 2008 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 to be held Nov. 8 in Clearwater, Fla.

Others will just be hoping for a positive experience as they make their triathlon debut at the event, which will consist of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.

Members of the Timex Multisport Team were asked to share some words of wisdom with those first-timers.

Gale Bernhardt — a Team Timex coach along with Dave Scott, as well as coach of the U.S. Olympic Triathlon team at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens — offers these four tips:

•Be sure to include adequate rest in your training plan. Continuously increasing training volume without rest leads to burnout and contributes to the likelihood of injury.

•Tapering training before the race helps you perform your best on race day. Resist the temptation to practice the actual race distance in the few days before the event.

•Keep high-fiber foods to a minimum on race morning.

•There is no need to overeat the day before the race. Proper training reduction and normal eating behavior that includes a good mix of carbohydrates, fat and protein will have you ready for race day.

Team Timex athlete Erin Kummer agrees with Bernhardt about rest and recovery.

“Most people think you need to train yourself into the ground and follow a specific program exactly how it’s written on paper,” she said via e-mail.

“Listen to your body and take days off to allow yourself to rejuvenate. It makes you much stronger and prevents blow-ups or burn-outs!”

Additional training advice is available at http://www.TimexTrainer.com

cthorn@projo.com