Smit Lets Body Catch Up With Overtraining In Past, Cda Triathlon Awaits

There are medical terms for anything that ails you these days.

For Dave Smit, who won the 1991 Coeur d’Alene Triathlon as a slender but strong 20-year-old, his downfall was officially diagnosed as Overtraining Syndrome.

It is precisely what it sounds like. And it isn’t something to be taken lightly. Smit simply became so entranced by the sport that he recklessly dove into his training.

Shortly after winning in Coeur d’Alene, Smith became bent on improving his running, his Achilles’ heel among the three triathlon disciplines. He moved to Texas to train and started what he called a “psychotic” running regimen. Accompanied by his cycling and swimming, Smit’s body soon rejected the overload, leaving him without energy.

“I was on the track four times a week. I was way over my limit,” Smit said. “I went about it the wrong way. I beat my muscle structure down and wasn’t able to recover.

“I really trashed myself. I was young and wanted to train hard. I realized I had some potential, but I was raw and didn’t have much guidance.”

Several meetings with doctors ensued, but it took a session with Dr. Bill Sanders, in Smit’s hometown of Vernon, B.C., to convince Smit that he had Overtraining Syndrome and his body needed rest.

“I took two months completely off,” said Smit, who will return to compete in the Coeur d’Alene Triathlon on Sunday, which begins at 7:20 a.m. at the beach near North Idaho College. “He showed me an article put together by the Australian Institute of Sports. It’s based on 400 references from the best physiologists in the world. I read it and I agreed with a lot of the stuff in there.”

Bear in mind that Smit will be entering his fourth year of kinesiology at the University of Victoria, so he can astutely digest medical articles.

Yet, “even the educated person can get trapped (by overtraining),” Smit said.

Sanders, now Smit’s coach, recommended Smit scale down his training, slowly rebuilding his muscle base and endurance.

“I do a lot of slow intensity, long runs,” Smit said. “I’ve probably only done 5 or 6 high intensity bikes in the last two years.”

Like his new training methods, Smit has downsized his goals. He has posted a couple of top-20 placings in World Cup races and was fourth at a Minnesota triathlon this year.

“I’m hoping for about fifth or sixth place on Sunday,” Smit said. “I’d be quite happy with that.”

Coming of age: One could say John Manning was a little late getting into the fitness craze. He took up jogging in his early 60s, then sauntered into triathlons at 69.

Now 76, Manning will compete in his first CdA Triathlon.

“It’s fun,” Manning said via telephone from his home in Twin Falls, Idaho. “I’ve met a lot of wonderful people and it gets me around to a lot of different places.”

For example, Manning has twice completed the grueling Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. He said he’s done roughly 30 triathlons, including one harrowing event in Burley, Idaho, last year when he was hit by a car.

“I broke my pelvis and collarbone,” Manning said, matter-offactly, of the accident. “It kind of slowed me up, but I healed up and you couldn’t see it (fractures) on the X-rays in six weeks.”

Race notes: As of Wednesday afternoon, entries were arriving at a record pace, with 540 individuals and 108 teams. The entry deadline was Monday, but those still interested can call (208) 667-3589… . Last year’s champions, Cam Brown and Sarah Harrow, aren’t returning… . The women’s pro race appears to have three primary challengers, with Carol Montgomery probably the favorite. Montgomery has finished in the top four in every race but one she’s entered this year. The exception was a 32nd place, but that was commendable considering that event was the world cross country championships.