tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-182299492024-03-13T06:29:14.900+03:30EK Endurance CoachingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.comBlogger277125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-1720755994133421702015-04-04T01:24:00.000+04:302015-04-04T01:24:33.834+04:30Blog migration. Migrating the blog to the new Web site. Here:<br />
http://ekendurancecoaching.com/<br />
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and a new article. race report form the grand traverse.<br />
http://ekendurancecoaching.com/the-2015-grand-traverse-expect-the-unexpected/<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-52874058269040187452014-03-13T19:48:00.000+03:302014-03-13T19:48:03.386+03:30What success takes. -Rachel Joyce 2nd place at Ironman World championships <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7QC46oZKboP8CxvsqytoiYNtndsWeSGNZ2yfG7xS8UBmO_WiWZKgvMJ2ynQTtI9MQ2JhF97MIIVwl53Q2gJ6O5EUm-ddgaBbJIilMt-dPx2t78Gj92lzrNIZqC45I5ehacqH/s1600/rachel+J.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7QC46oZKboP8CxvsqytoiYNtndsWeSGNZ2yfG7xS8UBmO_WiWZKgvMJ2ynQTtI9MQ2JhF97MIIVwl53Q2gJ6O5EUm-ddgaBbJIilMt-dPx2t78Gj92lzrNIZqC45I5ehacqH/s1600/rachel+J.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.racheljoyce.org/" target="_blank">Who's Rachel Joyce?</a> Well if you are any kind of sports fan you know about the Ironman in Hawaii, The world championships. Over the last several years she has quietly been making a name for her self. In 2011 the only one that could beat her was the one and only Mirinda Carfrae. that's right The women who looks like she is running an all out 5k when she is half way through an Ironman was the only one even close.<br />
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Now that I have done a few of these we can see a very distinct trend. "did you ever think you would fail?" NO. "whats the key to your success?" Consistency. "are you done?" Nope.<br />
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So why are these questions all answered the same? Winners can see the result before it happens. watching the winter Olympics they talked about how when a down hill skier is going through a gate they are all ready thinking, planning and executing the next one. They work ahead of the moment. <br />
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In my last interview with Dirk Friel he said you have to surround your self with people better than you. so what did Rachel do? hired the one and only <a href="http://www.davescottinc.com/" target="_blank">Dave Scott </a>to coach her. when I first meet Rachel someone asked her "whats working with Dave like" there was a pause and a rye smile, <i>"It's intense." </i><br />
<br /><br /><b>What drove you to go for the goal of the podium at the Ironman world championships:</b> <i>The goal has never really changed since I took up triathlon. I am driven by being the best athlete I can: and so in preparing for Kona this year that was what I was aiming for .</i><br /><br /> <b>What challenges did you face in achieving this goal?</b> <i>I had a couple of injuries in the build up to Kona 2013. I tore a tendon in my foot at the start of the summer, and had to spend several weeks in a boot during July and more weeks not running. That created a mental challenge to continue to believe I could still run well despite interrupted run training plus physically rehabbing the injury. I also irritated a disc in my upper back which created some stress in my final prep but it came right at just the right time.</i><br /><b>What were the keys to overcoming these challenges? </b><i> Staying positive and making sure I didn't descend into a complete panic and do something stupid. </i><br /><br /><b>During the race at the world championships were there moments you thought you wouldn't make it?</b> <b>(on the podium)</b> <i>No not really. I don’t really think like that - my focus is on going as fast as I can and then the result comes out of that.</i><br /><br /><div>
<b>Over all what do you think the keys are to competing at your level?</b><i> Consistent training, discipline and enjoyment - it’s hard to commit as much time (well, its a way of life) if you’re not having fun doing it.</i><br /><b>What other priorities do you have in life besides racing and triathlon? </b><i>At the moment training and racing is my main focus. Of course personal relationships and friends also feature very highly on my priority its too.</i><br /><b>Now that you have achieved so much whats next? are you done? </b> <i>No I’m not done. I’m still enjoying the sport and strongly believe I have improvements I can make in the sport. My goal is to win Kona so that is my focus for the next couple of years.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-90715838221253200282014-02-18T23:33:00.002+03:302014-02-25T03:10:36.717+03:30What Success takes Dirk Friel <br />
Around a month ago I got the chance to sit down with Dirk Friel Co- founder of <a href="http://trainingpeaks.com/" target="_blank">Training Peaks</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N10ym0AFEseMsaZ3SSLEmq9cGju7jcC6u0qGWR0PpkIFToOHQtbWaoCGHA08q7tKr48mNDIDUVH8VQ6O3DjX76l8fnAJ-nQIUYdFKsig-YhWirRdB2zvQolWt2cMLOR8EW1D/s1600/dirkfriel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N10ym0AFEseMsaZ3SSLEmq9cGju7jcC6u0qGWR0PpkIFToOHQtbWaoCGHA08q7tKr48mNDIDUVH8VQ6O3DjX76l8fnAJ-nQIUYdFKsig-YhWirRdB2zvQolWt2cMLOR8EW1D/s1600/dirkfriel.jpg" height="287" width="400" /></a>Many of us who were racing bikes in the early 2000's know him better as the guy who just crushed any hope of a win today. In this interview we discuss what brought him and Training peaks to be one of the top 50 companies to work for in the country. Similar questions as when we interview Savas about his first Ironman race and Will Kelsey about what it take to be a professional X-terra Triathlete<br />
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A few things that really stuck out as Dirk and I talked:<br />
~"<i>You have to believe its going to work" </i>Dirk thought of his growth with Training Peaks as an athlete thinks of his progressing of fitness<i>. </i><i> "Will these 5 hour rides pay off? you have to believe you know..." </i><br />
<i>~ Consistency is the most important" </i> (I've heard that some where before)<br />
<i>~ When I asked him if he ever through he would fail? "No." </i> no elaboration.<i> </i><br />
<i>~ "Hire people who are smarter than you" </i><br />
<i>~ </i>When I asked him if he was happy with where T.P. was he said, <i>"well... you never rest on your laurels" </i> and gave a grin that seemed to say<i> "I know something you don't know..." </i>A similar grin as many saw racing against the former pro cyclist.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlwYmzrPofY&feature=share&list=UUr0C9LKYbU2g7_jWj4hfvyw" target="_blank"><b>Full Video Here</b>:</a></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-31333005660508112332014-02-12T19:12:00.003+03:302014-02-12T19:12:57.012+03:304 keys to Winter Training Our latest training article as seen on training peaks recently.<br />
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Consistency</h2>
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Being consistent is so important. It is better to do 6 x 45-minute trainer rides before you do 1 x 5-hour ride and nothing else all week. Think of your weekly training as a set of intervals. You rarely go out to do a threshold workout as 1-hour, all-out effort. You break it up into 10- or 20-minute intervals. Same thing here. Plan ahead and “pay it forward” a bit by saving some energy (both physical and mental) on Wednesday so you can get in another session on Thursday or Friday. It’s not the training you do this week; rather it’s what you do for this 3-4 months.</div>
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Here, <a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/Tools.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f7cbb; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">EK Endurance Coaching training pyramid</a> shows you consistency is the foundation for EVERYTHING. This is not to say you have to train as long or as often as you might in spring or summer but you do need to find a manageable workload you can consistently complete.</div>
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Structured Endurance Training</h2>
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Something many people don’t realize is that if you are working at your lactate threshold or below, you are getting the same adaptations as you do from doing long slow distance (LSD) training. What’s the catch? Well of course, the harder you ride the less time you can hold that effort for. But it’s winter and you are reading this because you don’t want to spend three hours on your trainer on Tuesday morning. So the old adage of “if you only have a short amount of time go hammer!” is sort of true in this case. However, do it with purpose and structure. Our Hour Of Power cycling workout library is designed for just this. Quality training that keeps you focused (distracted) while still having fun and getting your workout in.</div>
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A solid standard trainer set might look like this. This one isn’t the most exciting but it gets the job done:</div>
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Warm up:</h3>
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Main Set:</h3>
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Cool Down:</h3>
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Weakness Training</h2>
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I have been talking about and practicing this in my coaching since I began working with athletes over a decade ago. If you want to improve, you must discover your weak areas and bring them up to par for your goals.</div>
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I have done webinars, written articles on our blog, and had teams hire me to instruct them on the ways to find what your true weak area is and then how to train it. What you need here is:</div>
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Numbers:</h3>
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They don’t lie. I have seen this many times with athletes, including myself. We think we are good at something we want to be good at, when in reality, we are not. Get a power meter and do the proper field testing.</div>
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An objective view:</h3>
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This is where a coach can be critical but it doesn’t necessarily have to come from a coach. A trusted, experienced teammate or training partner can help an enormous amount.</div>
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Work without ego:</h3>
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I have quoted GI Joe before in regards to training. “Knowing is half the battle”. Now it’s time for the other half. The WORK! I always say to my athletes “You have to train with what you have, not what you want to have”. Be patient, improvement won’t happen overnight—but it will happen if you keep at it.</div>
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When training your weakness in the winter, break it down to its most raw element. I had a conversation with a road cyclist in the winter of 2008- 2009. I determined he had weak neuromuscular power. He had trouble with high-speed crits and repeated accelerations in races. So are we going to have him do jumps and sprints with short rest and mimic crits on the trainer doing lactic acid bath workouts? No. We are going to focus on that maximum power. Different types of short, maximal efforts with long rests. Over the course of six weeks that winter we improved his 5-second power by 14%. From 1250 to over 1400 watts. That year he upgraded to Category 1, getting good results in hilly road races, TT’s and short crits.</div>
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Flexibility and Rest</h2>
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Rest is very important—maybe the most important part of your training. Just because you are not logging 3-hour rides doesn’t mean you don’t need off days, recovery rides and stretching. Often I see more tightness and injuries in winter than in summer. Why? I feel it’s because athletes don’t take the time to cool down as much and stretch/recover properly. When their last interval is done, all they can think is, “Please get me off this thing!”. They grab some water and food and then are off to wherever. Stretch! Cool down after hard sessions! That extra five minutes now will pay you back the next time you throw your leg over the bike.</div>
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Be flexible. If the weather turns nice, bag the structured trainer workout and get outside! Not feeling the mojo today? Save it for tomorrow’s session. Be dynamic and flexible this winter. Think long-term. It’s not the training you get in this week, it’s about the all the training you get in these 3-4 months.</div>
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The fact is that riding the trainer can be like getting out of bed. It’s rough! But the act of starting is often the worst part. Get on, warm up, just spin, and after a few minutes images of racing, working hard for teammates and making the winning break will soon fill your head. Do this over and over again, and you will be on your way to having the best season ever. </div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: HelveticaNeueW01-55Roma; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Want to learn more about winter training? <a href="http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/Webinar-Methods-and-Tools-for-Training-in-the-Winter-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f7cbb; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Watch Eric’s webinar</a> from last year, “Methods and Tools for Training in the Winter” where he goes into this topic in detail as well as shares specific workouts and tools for making improvements with limited time.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-24507703175979859752014-01-07T00:03:00.002+03:302014-01-09T19:53:29.088+03:30What success takes. Pro Triathlete Will Kelsay <div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Wana know what it takes to be a pro and keep on being one? well the answers here are not what you would expect. they seem more like what your mother might say... except they actuality work and have been working for Will since 2007. Now don't let all the positive talk fool you, while almost all athletes in Boulder can spot Will's wild blond hair and huge smile a mile away he is smart and tough. I have been told of insane 6500 yard session is the pool finishing with impossible send off times, Mtn bike rides farther than I like to drive and track workouts that would make your hamstrings lock up just hearing about it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">But whats the real secret? what's the glue that holds everything together? Lets say will has extremely good "Balance". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.willkelsay.com/" target="_blank">Will Kelsay</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> is known for embarking on epic triathlon based adventures. In 2007, he traveled the USA in an old RV for 3 months racing every weekend. In 2011, he circled the entire globe doing 6 races in 6 weeks in 6 different countries. This coming year Will is adding to his list of once in a lifetime adventures by hopping over the pond and spending 5 months zigzagging around Europe to compete in 10 XTERRA off-road triathlons and 1 Ultra Marathon (100k).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">What drove you to do this? </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Will:<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">My career as a professional triathlete and avid adventure seeker all came about after a realization I had late one night in a college computer lab. I had been working away on a school project when a random back spasm threw me from my chair and left me wallowing in pain on the floor. From that day on, I knew that sitting at a desk at a “normal job” was just to painful for me. I continually followed my heart (and my gut) from that point on. If it sounded fun, I perused it. If it sounded… well… not fun, I reminded myself that life was to short to waste. I wanted a career where I was continuously active. Hence, pro triathlete. I wanted to continue to have the amazing memories of traveling that I had as a child. Hence, avid adventure seeker.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">What other priorities do you have in life, aside from this? </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Will:<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Aside from racing/training, and looking for the next interesting endeavor, I’m continually focused on doing things I enjoy. If there is a job or task at hand that is intriguing and stimulating, I’m focused on that. It’s all about staying passionate about the things you’re doing. At the moment, I’m working for Friction Facts (</span><a href="http://www.frictionfacts.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.FrictionFacts.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">) doing marketing and social media. They are a testing laboratory that analyzes all the rotating components on a bicycle for frictional losses. It may sound geeky, but the engineer/triathlete/geek in me is absolutely loving it. So that is my focus.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">What were your goals at the onset of this?</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Will: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Every time I have come up with one of my ‘adventures’, I would simply ask myself, what is the first thing that comes to mind? My heart hasn't led me astray yet, so if I keep listening to it, I think I’ll be right on track. Creating memories and stories that will last a lifetime has been the driving force behind all of this. I often think of the Abraham Lincoln quote </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">What challenges did you face in preparation for this?</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Will<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">The first trip was a total shot in the dark. I was flying by the seat of my pants from start to finish. I literally just made it up as I went along. Complete inexperience was my #1 obstacle. Finances were definitely the 2</span><sup style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">nd</sup><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;"> factor in getting all of these things going, but by always staying positive and focused, I have always seemed to find a way. Surprisingly, logistics of the trip have been one of the easiest parts. I have been so passionate and excited about these trips that figuring out the logistics flies by and doesn't even seem like work. Subsequently, each next idea that I come up with gets a little easier to put together (or at least it feels that way).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">What were the keys to over coming this challenge? How did you succeed? </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Will:<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">The number one, ultimate supreme key factor to overcoming all of the challenges that I have faced along the way, has been to <b>stay positive</b>. Always tell yourself that it will work, that you will find a way, that failure is not acceptable, and it has somehow all worked out. I have definitely surprised even myself on many occasions when I use this mentality.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">What was it like when you got to the moment? Was it like you imagined?</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Will:<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">At the start of my first two trips, both seemed surreal. I had planned and planned and planned for months, so it has somewhat hard to believe that it was actually happening when I stepped out the door. I think one of the things that made those trips so wonderful is that even though I planned an enormous amount, I left a lot of things open. By allowing myself to step into the unknown and not try to control everything, amazing things started happening. I met so many wonderful new people who had heard of my adventures and wanted to take part. And I was able to take parts in some pretty unexpected experiences by being completely open to whatever happened. It always turned out better than I had expected.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">What was an unexpected thing that happened to you in your prep? </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Will: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">I had a bit of an epiphany while starting to plan my upcoming European trip – monotony will kill you. My 2013 season was so similar to so many of my previous race seasons (doing mostly races that I had done before, not much new), that I started to lose my normal “spark for life.” I was still doing what I loved, but I didn’t feel as motivated, excited, or passionate about what I was doing. That’s when it really hit me – I have to always be seeking new, challenging, stimulating adventures. Without those new goals, new experiences, and all around thrill of the unknown, life can get pretty boring (even for a pro athlete). I realized that we can all get stuck in a bit of a rut some times, but we have to break free and keep living life to the fullest. Make your years count! </span></i></div>
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you can keep with Will and his journeys here: <a href="http://www.willkelsay.com/" style="background-color: transparent;">http://www.willkelsay.com/</a> at his web site. Trust me this will be easier than trying to keep up with him on the trails. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-1540349278178450702013-11-06T18:45:00.000+03:302013-11-08T19:34:48.489+03:30What Greatness Takes <div class="im" style="background-color: white;">
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We will be doing a new series of interviews. hoping to get some on video. The theme of these interviews will be a discovery of what make people successful. in life and in sport. We will be interviewing first timers to professional greats. </div>
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Our first interview is an athlete of ours, Savas Gunduz, who did his first ironman, Ironman Lake Placid. Savas's story is a common one but with some very uncommon common aspects. </div>
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Savas only trained an average of 6.9 hours per week preparing for the race. While he has a athletic build at 165 lbs standing 5,11 and his past high school soccer and college rowing endervers surely shaped some of his ability he is no Olympic athlete in disguise. Personally I feel he could be a fantastic athlete. Qualify for Kona material but his lack of consistency over the years has been the biggest issue for him (as it is for most people). </div>
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Despite this lack of consistent training over the years and less than 7 hr's of training a week he accomplished what many people fall short off. a near perfect IM race and his first nonetheless. </div>
<i><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I have highlighted some he said at the end of his question 5 answer.</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #500050;"> T</span>his is something i have heard and seen form almost every successful person ever. I am sure it will be a recurring theme</span></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">1. whats drove you to do this event. IM lake placid.</span></b><span style="color: #500050;"> </span></div>
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Answer: A Subaru. Just kidding. The real impetus was the fact that two of my best friends and former rowing teammates were going to sign up. I got a 4-page email from one of them, JR, stating something to the fact that we aren't getting younger, and this would be a great challenge, and on and on and on and on. His disertation was summarized by the simple question, "So, you in?", to which I answered his lengthy email with the one-word answer, "Yep". Therefore it was a combination of some very positive peer-pressure, with the fact that if I were ever to do an Ironman, that Lake Placid was one of the toughest, most iconic, and admittedly closest ones to me.</div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">2. what other priorities do you have in your life Savas? aside form this race?</span></b></div>
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Answer: Pretty much everything else, except for clean socks. Ie. Family, Job, Training, and then clean socks - in that order. My wife and I had a 6 month old daughter when I decided to do the race, and we had another child during my training - so my kids were 2 and 6 months when I did IMLP. They were definitely a priority in my life. Following that, my job was very intense. While I sometimes worked from home - those were 12 hour days, and I often had to travel during the week. Behind those two things, came training. Ahead of clean laundry, mind-you. </div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">3. what were your goals for this race? </span></b></div>
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Answer: I had 2 goals - (1) to finish the race upright and feeling good. (2) to break 12 hours, even though my coach said time and time again that "time doesn't matter". I knew what he was saying, that the weather could be rainy and thus the bike decents would be slower than normal. Or the course could be windy, which would slow down times. Or I could have a great race, but have a mechanical on the bike which would affect my time. But still - I wanted to finish in sub-12.</div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">4. what challenges did you face in preparation for achieving these goals?</span><span style="color: #500050;"> </span></b></div>
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Answer: The biggest challenge I faced was time available to train, plain and simple. I had very, very limited windows of time, and those windows were constantly moving based on my work schedule/travel, or the kids' nap schedules, or other commitments (see priorities above). I was never able to say "Every morning from <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_146965905" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">6-8am</span></span> I'll swim/bike/run", or "Saturday's will always be my long rides and brick runs", because my wife could have needed help with the kids some mornings, or my work schedule would shift.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>5. what were the keys to over coming these challenges? how did you succeed?</b> </span></div>
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Answer: I got a coach. My coach was key for not just race tactics an workouts. But most importantly he was a "Time Management Expert". I would talk to him every <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_146965906" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> night and present my schedule for the coming week. He would then tailor my workouts accordingly, for example making my work travel days my "running days" where I could simply pack my shoes. He would help me to restructure my week's worth of training if my job suddenly shifted, or the kids got sick and I had to miss a long ride, etc. As a result, I was able to be very consistent with my training from day one, and while it wasn't quantity, my training was definitely quality. One other key is that I made each and every training session count. <i> <b>I would be 100% mentally focused on my task at hand, and block out everything else. Then when I was done with my training I would focus 100% on the other priorities in my life.</b></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">6 what was race day like? this was your first IM how did it compare to what you expected/ what your training was like? </span></b></div>
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Answer: Race day was magical. Thanks to the preparation from my coach of my physical abilities in the months leading up to the race, combined with the mental preparation from my coach in the days leading up to the race I had no surprises on race day itself. It was just a matter of executing on my strategy of heartrate management, fueling, and enjoying the day. I had a better than expected run, but that could have been because I was a bit too conservative on the bike. But if I was more aggressive on the bike I could have potentially blown up on the run - so all-in-all it was a perfectly executed day.</div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">7. what was the most unexpected thing that happened to you on race or in your preparation. </span></b></div>
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Answer: The timing clock at the finish line flashed <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_146965907" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">12:01</span></span> for my time as I crossed. And while the first person that I saw was the lady who handed out the finisher medals, the second person that I saw as I crossed the finish line was my coach, who had snuck back into the area after his own race to greet me. That alone was unexpected, but even better was his smile when he told me that I broke 12 hours. "Huh, how?" I asked in that post-race fog that we all experience. "Since this was a rolling swim start this year, you actually started 5 minutes after the official time - so your real time is <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_146965908" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">11:56</span></span>." While unexpected at the time, in hindsight it made sense. I had done the most with my training that I could - blending consistency with quality. I listened to ever trick that my coach told me in terms of mental preparation, and I executed my race to the best of my abilities. The result was my hitting both of my goals - a great race where I finished upright and strong, and breaking 12 hours.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-84727316430581930672013-08-14T18:30:00.000+04:302013-08-14T22:10:08.840+04:30 First timer Ironman race report - Savas Gunduz<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
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It was 3:30am on July 28th, 2013. I had already been lying awake in bed for 40 minutes when my alarm went off. 18 months ago, two of my best friends, EK and JR told me that they were going to do Ironman Lake Placid, and JR specifically wrote me a lengthy 4-page email detailing the reasons why I should join them, summarizing his magnum dissertation with the question - So, you in? My one-word email response, "Yep", set in motion the next year-and-a-half of buying a tri-bike, hiring EK as my coach (more on that later), training more hours than my work or family life was comfortable with, but both accepted, all leading up to this point. 3 hours from the start of the biggest athletic achievement of my life.<br />
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I have been an athlete my whole life. Soccer from the moments that I could walk. Then rowing in college, and a weak attempt at the US Rowing National Team in the years to follow college. Some minor stints as a Cat 5 cyclist, winning 2 local crits, but nothing more, and then some local triathlons where I consistently finished in the middle of the pack. Top 3rd would be a good race. But now, as I walked down the stairs of the rented house in Lake Placid at 3:32am, my athletic life would culminate in a race that everyone knew of....athletes and non-athletes alike. My co-workers, my friend, heck even my Mom knew that "Ironman Lake Placid" held a special place in the heart and soul of any person who has elevated their heart rate for the sake of competitions.<br />
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3:42am - I'm standing in the kitchen with EK and JR, coffee in hand, eggs and rice on plates....eating and drinking enough calories and energy to be fueled up, but not over-full that we don't digest. <br />
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3:51am - we're done eating. Water bottles are already filled with our special caloric mixes on the counter. Bikes have already been checked in the day before (or earlier that day? Hard to tell), and all of our transition and special needs bags have been packed, and re-packed. And then checked and re-packed again. Nothing else to do but sit in the pre-dawn darkness, EK, JR and I, and talk about anything other than the impending day that we have before us. We talked about rowing races we had won and lost in the past. We talked about cross-country skiiing training weekends in -9 degree temperatures in New Hampshire, where when we opened the door to our cheap-ass Motel 3, the heat and humidity from the motel room's shower colliding with the sub-arctic temps outside to literally form a cloud in our door-way. We talked about the good old days when we roomed together, rowed together, partied together, suffered together, and all of the good things that 3 friends talk about when miles have separated them in their adult lives, but memories bring them back closer than ever before. <br />
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Before long, the sky turned a light shade of grey, and without formally acknowledging it to each other, we each knew that it was time to walk down to Mirror Lake, to the start of the race. We filled our bags with our water bottle, slung our bags over our shoulders, and marched down in the cloud-covered grey dawn to get body marked, suited up in our wetsuits, and plow into the water with 3,000 of our new closest friends.<br />
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<b>Mirror lake: </b><br />
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The first doubts grabbed me at the 1/4 point of the swim. Just as I rounded the first turnaround, I was getting pounded, kicked, smacked and otherwise beaten down by my 3,000 "friends", I realized that it was not my day. I hadn't trained enough with work and family. I could always come back another year and do it right. No shame in tapping out, and as I looked frantically for a boat to latch on to, I decided to just take 2 more strokes. Then 2 more strokes. Then 2 more strokes (where's that damn boat?!?). Then 2 more strokes. Then 2 more strokes. After a while I realized a couple of things. (1) that boat was no where near me and (2) I was actually finding a rhythm with my 2-strokes at a time. I finished the first lap feeling good, and headed into my second lap latched into the draft of someone's feet. Not someone speedy, mind you, but someone my speed. Before knew it, I was 200 years from the finish of the 2.4 mile swim, and even if my goggles got kicked off my head I knew that I would finish the swim. Things just got better from there.<br />
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<b>56x2 </b><br />
<br />
The bike started off slow, but steady. My Coach, EK, had told JR and I "People should be passing you on the first 5 mile climb. If not, then you're going too fast." Well, if that's the case, then I'm doing it right. First the guys passed me. Then the fat guys. Then the women. Then the....well....you get the point. But I kept it under control, crested the hill, and descended 6 miles in the rain and on wet roads into the town of Keene. From there, I again found a rhythm to my stroke, enjoyed the moment and rode intelligently...for me. Starting the climb out of the valley, back up to Whiteface and Lake Placid I started to real in the same people that passed me on the initial ascent. Aid stations were there when I needed them, and I rolled thru each one perfectly, grabbing water and Gel's and continuing on my march. I climbed the last 3 climbs (Mama Bear, Baby Bear, and Papa Bear) without breaking a sweat, especially since our Coach had told us about them on the pre-race ride the day before, and rolled back into the town of Lake Placid to begin my second lap. I felt great. Perhaps too great? Should I speed up and go harder on the bike? No....you have a plan to break 12 hours, you're on plan, don't get greedy. The second lap went by without a mistake...which again were words of wisdom from Coach. "Just don't make a mistake". No crashes, no mechanicals, no missing any fueling opportunities, and most importantly - no burning any matches. I rolled into T2 feeling like the worst was behind me, and the only thing between myself and the finish line were my own legs. Not getting kicked in the swim, or crashing on the bike. Those were behind me. It was just me for the next 26.2 miles.<br />
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"Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast" was the mantra that my Coach had told us the day before and what ran thru my head in transition. Don't forget anything, don't make a mistake, and be smooth. I did a check of my watch and realized that my goal of sub-12 hours was seriously in jeopardy. I wanted to do a 1:15 swim. A 6:15 bike. 15 minutes total for transition and then a 4:15 run....finding 1 second somewhere to be able to come in at 11:59.59. But my swim took 1:17, my bike took 6:20, and my transitions, while smooth, were not "fast". Shit. I had to run nearly a 4-hour marathon to be able to break the 12 hour mark. My fastest, and admittedly only, other marathon to date was a 4:09 in Boston in '06. I was supposed to now run faster than that, after 2.4 miles on my shoulders, and 112 miles on my legs?!? Yeup. Let's do it.<br />
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<b>26.2 what?!</b><br />
My first 13.1 mile lap had me at 1:58.30 pace. Great, I had 90 seconds to play with for lap two. I held off the goblins for the first 6 miles, but then the goblins started to grab my toes. I would later find out that one of my toes was rubbing against my shoes and I would lose my toenail. But I pressed on. The goblins tried again to grab my hamstrings, but again I shook them off. They then tried to give me a cramp in my quads, but I beat them back with a banana at a feed zone. I ran thru another aid station at mile 21 and went to grab another banana, but it slipped out of my hands and fell to the ground behind me. A volunteer, a kid, perhaps 15 or 16 said "Keep running...I'll bring it to you". By then my mind was a bit blurry. "How will he bring it to me, what should I do. I need that banana". What seemed like an eternity, but what was probably only 20 yards, the kid came sprinting alongside me (mind you, I say "sprinting", but I wasn't moving that fast to begin with") and handed me another banana as I ran. He even had the composure to say "Do you need anything else?" I shook my head "no", thanked him, and he drifted on back behind me to rejoin the ranks of the other absolutely amazing volunteers who would do anything to make our lives just a little bit better in those moments of pain.<br />
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<br />
I decided to walk thru the next feed station so that I didn't make another mistake. And the next feed station. And the next hill. And then I ran past where my beautiful wife was cheering for me with my 5 month old son at mile 23. She told me that our 2-year old daughter was with her Uncle, my Brother, at the finish line. I ran as hard as I could for the last 3 miles....not so much to finish the race, or to break 12 hours, but rather to make my daughter proud as she watched her Dad finish the Ironman. If she was going to be at the finish line, Goddamnit, I was, too. My GPS watch died with 1 mile to go so I didn't know my time, didn't know my pace. I knew that I slowed down a lot in the 2nd half of the run, and that a 12-hour race was slipping away. All I could do was run. I ran past JR and EK's families - both of those guys had long since finished, but their families were like my families and they stayed out on the course to cheer me on in the last mile. I entered the Olympic circle, and saw my daughter waving at her Dad. I touched her hand as I ran by, and floated the last hundred yards to the finish.<br />
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<br />
12:01:16 said the clock above me as I crossed the finish line. But I didn't care. I had finished an Ironman. Without a doubt the hardest athletic achievement of my, or most anyone's else's, life. The first person I saw as I crossed the finish line was the woman who handed out medals. The second person was my Coach, EK who had been waiting for me (after his own race, mind you) right at the finish line. He who told me relentlessly for the past 18 months that "time doesn't matter", told me with a smile that I broke 12 hours. Huh? With the rolling start time, I actually entered the water 5 minutes after the gun went off, and my official time was 11:56. I gave EK a hug, as I couldn't have achieved what I did without him. <br />
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Will I do it again? Who's to say. I don't need to right now, as the experience I had was absolutely perfect. Given the time commitment that I had to train with work, a 2 year old, and 5 month old at home....I couldn't have asked for a better race. I executed on my plan, achieved my meager little goal, and have a lifetime of stories to tell all wrapped up in one 12 hour (11:56) day. But the future is unpredictable, and I wouldn't rule out anything. Beside, I think that I could break 11:30 some day with just a bit more training. :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-44950795353460842582013-08-09T18:42:00.001+04:302013-08-09T19:32:30.585+04:30Running from Goblins. IM Lake Placid 2013Every race is different. Every time it's a new experience. People around you and more importantly you. You are different. For better or worse you are a different new person shaped by your life, experiences, training and more. At Ironman lake Placid in 2013 things were every different than the last time I did the race is 2011 but I wouldn't know how different until well after the finish line had come and gone.<br />
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<a href="https://photos-1.dropbox.com/t/0/AAAU4FwvqdzTRuWHB-jvjMmhrRsyNHOpTA0Po0mZiERERA/12/199303384/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/DSC_2414.JPG/5094vqlSNAQmbd3HEkVpcAYAtLjVPXwtUBMAE54xHHQ?size=1280x960" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://photos-1.dropbox.com/t/0/AAAU4FwvqdzTRuWHB-jvjMmhrRsyNHOpTA0Po0mZiERERA/12/199303384/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/DSC_2414.JPG/5094vqlSNAQmbd3HEkVpcAYAtLjVPXwtUBMAE54xHHQ?size=1280x960" width="400" /></a><br />
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~The view from the house we stayed at was... well, you get the idea.<br />
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If you ever need to wake up at 3am. wide awake, more alert than maverick right after he "flew right through his jet wash", do an Ironman. Then you get the bliss of drinking coffee, readying your special needs bags, walking to transition at a rate that would rival most Olympic speed walkers and then... Wait. <br />
<br />
With the earlier 6:30 start time me and my to racing pals had a measly 40 minutes to kill before the gun. piece of cake. Take in "The scene" body glide up. look at the wet suit, and... 39 minutes to go. With the new start format we all congregated on the beach instead of the floating start. Still a very intense moment. 3000 people getting ready to start what is likely their #1 event all year. Maybe in there life. The energy and the tension is indescribably. I lined up right in front and got the first and biggest reality check I would get all week. Two guys sitting on a bench, wet suits on, looking tough, big arms, they had that focused look on their faces and... no legs. Makes all your "bad workouts" or that missed pool session because of lightening seem, not really that big of a deal to say the least.<br />
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Pro men start, BANG. pro women, BANG. some hand shakes and "have a good day's" to people you have never meet and we are off, into the water we go. I settled in quickly and was leading the race for a few 100. yeah me!! The swim went off without indecent. The chaotic first 1000 simply turned into a very chaotic last 1000 with the new, I'm sorry is the ironman to hard for you, start. I still feel that the <b><a href="http://erickenney.blogspot.com/2013/06/new-triathlon-swim-start-protocol.html" target="_blank">new rolling start is total BS</a> </b>and I will likely not do another IM with this start. If I wanted to have a leisurely day I would go golfing. Most fast people don't like it because it eliminates the "race" you are on a chip time not a gun time. Most slower people who don't like it either because this new procedure puts them right next to each other from the get go. for all you people who can't swim and are upset because you are "loosing time" DO SOME FU**N PREPARATION! better yet, go tell the guys with no legs your, "problem". <br />
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After weaving through the crowd to the exit I was out and into T1. The volunteers are absolutely awesme at every race I have done. Into T1 change tent. "what can I do for you?" "get my bike out # 1669." "Ok got it. what else can do?" "get my bike out # 1669." this repeated until I ran out. who ever you were, you're awesome! calm, and focused. You are all awesome.<br />
<b>Onto the bike and into the Rain:</b><br />
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The rain had started and the roads were wet. The start of the bike for has slowly evolved for me each year due to my slowly yet steadily increasing speed and efficiency of my swimming. I don't spend the first 25 miles passing hoards of people, I'm at the front from the get go. I settled into a rhythm quickly but found my gluts tight and my HR rather high. It was the feeling and reaction I've had in Hawaii the last 2 years. I thought "maybe I just don't have it today". <a href="http://erickenney.blogspot.com/2010/09/im-canada-i-introduce-you-to-chris.html" target="_blank">Chris put that thought out of my head quickly. </a><br />
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I took it easy down the fast decent and recovered well. Full gloves on, arm warmers and a piece of Mylar space blanket up my jersey I was comfortable. I went back and forth with some guys on the long flat section down rt. 9. every thing was now in full operation. stomach felt good, legs good, HR low, watts right there. "we can't seem to figure this out can we" some guy said to me as he passed for the 10th+ time. "obliviously you haven't raced much idiot! #1 this is perfect, just stay legal and #2 few people hang with my on the first lap of the bike without walking and crying the last 15 miles of the run so.." EASY Chris! Good thing I can keep him in my head better than I did in the 90's. such an ass! I said, "I think we were doing pretty good! and smiled. And it was true this was perfect. legal, free, speed!<br />
The first time up the climb I was moving to the front of the race but there were strong guys around. I wasn't simply riding away. My legs felt a bit heavy also. through transition, I missed my special needs feed. I was going to grab it as I was draining my bottle of Infinit much faster than normal. it was gone! humm...<br />
<i>"figure it out after the decent, we got riding to do.</i>" Chris said in his so<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> understanding tone. </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">sarcasm font.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></i><br />
Onto the rollers, big decent and rt. 9 again. The decent was drying out so I bombed it. Never left the aero bars. One big race execution thing that EVERYONE does wrong at IMLP is thinking of the bike in its 2 loops starting and ending at transition. After climbing for an hour plus on the first lap you arrive in town and start your second loop, which starts right away with BIG hills! you must think of the first climb as 1:30 (if your fast) maybe up to 2hr's of mostly up hill riding until the big decent were you get a break. I was with several guys coming into town I dropped them all on teh next set of rollers and didn't see any of them again until the end of rt.9. 30 miles or so later! And my watts went down if anything on this section. <br />
The last time up the hill my legs were heavy again. and I was a stiff in places. shoulders, back and the quads just didn't feel like magic. Chris took the flame thrower to those thoughts but they kept coming back. I grabbed a few bottles of perform for some extra calories but I felt fine in that regard. Into transition and out quickly, onto the run and a HUGE eruption of cheers. You have to do this race, coming into town is unreal. There are so many people watching its indescribable. and there is this aura that hangs in town. its Olympic... I don't know what. but when you are there, racing, you can feel it every time your in town.<br />
Within 1/2 a mile the tightness was gone, energy was high, I was trying to slow my pace (it was to fast 7:20-7:30) I caught and then passed someone. The road was clear I was 2nd in my Age group. It was all the same. <a href="http://erickenney.blogspot.com/2011/07/ironman-lake-placid-race-report.html" target="_blank">2 years ago at the 2011 IM LP. it was all playing out very similar. </a> when you have time read this report from 2011. It worth the time and while I am not fond of my own writing, it has, for whatever reason, seen several Thousand hits since that July. <br />
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Down to the turn around. OK Ek here's the uphill, just manage, hold your intensity and we reset for "overtime" at half way. <i>"No one can fuc** hang with us dude! are you kidding me! all systems go Eric lets get this done", </i>Chris <i> </i>this was confidence building and but there was this pain in my foot. right in the bottom like someone was stabbing me. my right foot, which was strange because it was my left ankle that had blown up 2 wee... "IT'S FINE EK, RUN! AND STFU!" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/katy.blakemore.3" target="_blank">Katie Blackmore </a>went by in the opposite direction racing inte pro womens race. she wasn't far behind me. she yelled some words of encouragement and <i>"there's 2 girls ahead of you Eric!"</i> the 1st and 2nd pro women. I smiled and said quickly. "well... get your ass up here and there will be 3 ahead of me! She eventually caught me and came in 2nd on the pro women's field. Awesome to see friends do so well.<br />
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I sometimes describe pacing of an Ironman as Running from Goblins. We have all dealt with them before. On long training session and races. They start the race shortly after you and just follow you. They are faster and they WILL catch you... eventually. Everything you do and don't do is simply trying to stay in front of them as long as possible. Go to hard and slow down they catch you all at once. At first they flick your ear and tug at your shorts. Then one will jump on your leg, then the other, then your back, then they start punching you in the gut, pulling your hair and tripping up your feet. <i>"you have to stay just ahead of the goblins for as long as you can, if they catch you 6 miles into the run, its over, you simply can't deal with them for that long" -</i>I will tell people. <i> </i><br />
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Ok, so onward, pace was good. but the pain was getting worse had spread to both feet and now.. the ankle was throbbing. Trough half way and starting back down "you're top 5 EK!" This barley registered. The next 6 miles are so are, as I look back now, a learning experience that reinforced something I have known but didn't realize just how important it is for racing long. They say you never really appreciate something until it's gone.<br />
So. You know what happened? Nothing. I honestly can not tell you what happened in those miles. They are blank. Totally empty I didn't look at my watch, Chris was gone. He is very necessary for me as most of you know by now but I didn't realize how important he was. I always knew how you had to be hyper motivated to race 140.6 miles. Well, give a man a fish he'll eat for a day, show a man how to fish he'll eat for a life time. I have now been shown what happens when the killer motivation leaves. If you do not have the motivation, the fight in you, to push every moment of every minute in the last 6-13 miles of an Ironman you will not succeed in reaching a high goal. Period. As I approached the turnaround that marked about 7 miles to go I looked at my watch. I was running 10:30/ mile pace on a flat to down hill stretch of road and my body stopped. I curled my toes reached down to loosen my shoe laces for the second time. I did this quickly in the first lap as well. I thought about what people would say behind my back. In have been cursed with hearing people talk about me behind my back. An e-mail once that some how I was put on and clearly shouldn't have been. In the next isle in a grocery store, (yeah believe that crap?!) In the locker room at riverside boat club as I was out side about to walk in. It haunts me. anyone that tell you <i>"I don't care what people think of me."</i> Their lying. it sounds great and I believe you don't want to care about what people think but you do. Ladies that are disagreeing with me, don't wear makeup. Just for one day at work. I dare you.<br />
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I started running again, walked an aid station, ran again, walked a hill ran... wait no I couldn't. my legs locked up and ankle folded. I stopped, bent down, hands on my knees. "<i>its over"</i> I thought.<br />
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As I stood back up I saw a 4 wheeler type vehicle bringing supply's to the aid stations and I thought, "come on hit me. just graze me enough so I fall and I can stop" My roadie friends will know what I mean we have all been in those races where you are just BEGGING for a flat tire. I mean making deals with God for just a little flat tire.<br />
So I walked. I thought I'll run there, after the hill, I'll run. I never did. I saw my friend and athlete JR coming from behind . I'll run with him. didn't happen. seeing him race well cheered me up. I stopped to tell Christy, Evren, and Tara thanks, some high fives and I was back off. Then I saw my other good friend and Ek Endurance Coaching athlete Savas. He was on his way at mile 15 or so. And he looked amazing. Coaching him was a challenge. He averaged about 6.5 hr's a week. He is not "talented" as some are with that genetic ability. He's fit, he played soccer, he rowed crew in college and after. and used no data of any kind in training. Seeing Jr and Savas lifted me up. <br />
Those who can't do, teach" ?<br />
No shame in that for me, if could give up all my victories to be the best endurance and athletic coach in the world, I wouldn't even hesitate. I stopped a few more times. My feet hurt so bad. I thought I was moving (walking) well but as I came to the large crowds in town there was no "you can do it, get the run back, come on!" I saw several "ohh shit" kinda looks. I saw my mother and brother in law. "Are you OK?" I handed them my fuel belt, " yeah I'm fine. see you guys in a bit." I said. I walked into the Olympic oval I think everyone there high fived me or touched my shoulder. The crowd was so loud. I looked behind me as runners came by and passed me, I waived them by and gave them a congrats as they came by. It was there day. I made sure I didn't impede on anyone's finish before mustering a wounded, manatee like hobble to the finish line. <i>"Eric Kenney you are an.." " Yeah, yeah we know Shut the hell up!</i>" Ahh Chris you're such and ass...<br />
I went straight to the exit after some food, saw Lindsay and my parents then headed back into the finish area to wait for Savas. Think this guy is happy?<br />
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"Even Tom Brady doesn't make it to the supper bowl every year" a friend told me. True. I have qualified for Hawaii twice. Last yr. at IM St. George someone said that I "got lucky". maybe I did, I've been told you don't do something twice in a row on luck. A director from a pro cycling team once said about Paris-Roubaix <i> "To win you don't need to have good luck, you just need to avoid the back luck"</i> I think this is more the case with racing an Ironman.<br />
After the race I saw a friend Patrick. he said "Dude! what the hell happened to you?!!?" This was refreshing for me really, I didn't just fade, something "happened" and apparently it showed more than I thought. I still wonder if I would have pulled it of even if my ankle and feet were 100% fine. In training I had some very positive results. some better than ever before. I also had some that were shy of the last 2 years...<br />
I won't blame it on my ankle, we will never know. people say to me, "awe man, you were right there. doing so well! its to bad." well, yeah but that's the IM story. "I felt so good until mile 13 on the run. really? No shit! If you dont' have "IT" with 13 to go in an IM you will fade, hard, at best. What is "IT"? Everything. <br />
The physical, mental and structural capacity to push your self to the brink or you will wind up that big part of the statistics bell curve.<br />
Whats next? When? Will I be back? ...ask Chris.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-65525325989561086922013-08-08T18:32:00.000+04:302013-08-09T03:30:58.649+04:30Bob Cook, Mt Evans Hill Climb. Chris Carr race report. 2014<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<i>Mt Evans race report by: Chris Carr:</i></div>
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I went in to Mt Evans with the goal of a top 5 or 6 - realistic expectations I thought. Lining up at the start that morning I didn't really know what to expect; the field was relatively stacked, and I had those "unsure" sensations coming from the legs. The kind where you can't tell if you're going to have a great day or barely finish. My one teammate in the race, Rory Kelly and I discussed it briefly while we spun around warming up and decided we both felt the same and would just see how it played out on the road and roll with it. He's a better pure climber than me, so in the back of my mind, I'd do what I could for him and see where I'd end up.</div>
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We started off slow, really slow. A guy went solo from the gun, didn't see who it was because I was 20-30 guys back in the pack. No one really thought anything of it because usually once the climbing really starts about 6 miles in, things get fast. There was also a predominantly southwest wind (headwind) that morning, so being tucked safely away in the pack ensured a calm and easy ride. We hit the real climbing and we went hard for a few minutes at a time, but then it slowed dramatically and everyone caught back on. This continued all the way to Echo Lake, roughly the halfway point of the race. Every other year I have done this race, the field has been reduced to less than half by this point, but this year I don't think we dropped a single person, yet...</div>
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People started attacking out of the fee station gate, and it was enough to whittle the group down to maybe ten guys. We came around the corner out of treeline into a long, 5-6% grade with a cross wind from right to left. A few of the strong guys, my teammate Rory Kelly included went to the front and "guttered" us along the yellow line, which was perfect strategy. I knew I could hang on at that pace in the cross wind (we were all essentially doing equal work because there was no draft) and I could see that others were starting to show signs of fatigue. There were a couple of people, won't name names, that found it acceptable to completely disregard the rules and safety of other riders that day by riding well across the yellow line, in the middle to the oncoming lane to try and gain an advantage. But, sadly for them, when we turned out of the wind, Rory attacked pretty hard (hard enough that I thought I would be dropped) and those cheaters would not see the front of the race again. Good riddance.</div>
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The next several miles are fairly flat, even downhill at times so the name of the game was staying out of the wind and conserving. There were a few attacks through here but nothing too serious, but then again, every effort at this altitude takes a toll, so legs were still being softened up even if you didn't realize it. We hit the long, sustained climb out of Summit Lake and the place slowly ramped. I found myself at the front here thinking that I would try and set tempo for Rory and I would hang on as long as I could. Matt Cooke and Julian Kyer (both domestic pros known for their climbing prowess) took turns attacking, and I held on for dear life. Each time I would say to myself, "one more of those and I'm done!"</div>
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The last 5 miles or so are mostly steady grade with a couple steep pitches, but the long straight switchbacks to the summit seem to go on forever. It was there that we could see the lead car a couple minutes up the road and realized, "oh yea, there's still a guy up the road.." That guy was Ben Blaugrund, teammate of Leroy Popowski, who has dominated the Colorado hillclimb scene the last several years. That also explained why Leroy had been unusually quiet the whole race. Normally he goes early and hard, and few people if any could stay on his wheel to the end. At this point it was the two pros, Rory, myself and Leroy, with Ben still up the road. Julian attacked, and I countered at a switchback into a tail wind. I knew attacking into the tail wind was the way to get away, or at least do some damage because there is no draft in the tail wind, so if people wanted to catch or stay with me, they had to go at least as hard as me. To my shock, I looked back and had dropped everyone. Leroy was the last one, but dangling a few bike lengths back. I hesitated for a minute because I knew we still had over 2 miles to go, and half of that would be into a head wind. I decided I needed help, and would wait for Leroy.</div>
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He caught back on and I sat in his draft when we turned into the wind, then once we turned into the tailwind again, I slowly ramped up the pace and when I looked back, I saw something I had never seen before - I was dropping Leroy in a hillclimb. I actually panicked for a second thinking that I was going way too hard, was going to blow up or something. How could I possibly be beating Leroy, Rory, Cooke and Kyer in a hillclimb? I caught and passed Ben shortly after and realized that I had a shot, a really good shot. My legs were beat, I was going all out at 14,000 feet. Each switchback I thought would be the last one, it seemed to go for an eternity. I crossed the line, arms in the air, legs barely able to pedal my body out of the way of the finish line. I was in disbelief. I didn't realize that I had really won until I got a high five from Rory who powered home strong for third, just behind Leroy. I went from thinking I'd be happy with seventh place, to a solo victory.</div>
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Looking back at my training for the last month, I shouldn't be surprised. Coack EK and I have done A LOT of work specific to this, and similar hillclimbs. Tons of long, climbing threshold intervals and over-unders getting ready for the big hillclimb at Mt Washinton later in August, but it clearly it paid off here.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0Mount Evans, Arapaho National Forest, Colorado 80439, USA39.5877858 -105.6423801999999914.065751299999999 -146.9509742 65.1098203 -64.333786199999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-87619284018607799382013-07-03T20:12:00.000+04:302013-07-17T18:50:54.387+04:30Mt Evans Hill Climb<em>The MT evans Hill climb is coming up soon!!<br />I have done this race a few times. Here is a report I did about the last time I raced it in the Pro-1-2 field. This report has a full wattage breakdown, watts per/ kilogram analysis, and more. </em><br />
<em>I wellcome coments and others toughts relatung topics! </em><br />
<em>Enjoy!</em><br />
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<br />
Mt Evans stands over 14,000 feet in altitude and has the highest paved road in the country. So it only makes sense that we as athletes who ride bikes should race up it!!<br />
On sat July 19 2008 I did the Mt Evans Hill climb. High altitude riding is not my specialty but it is the CO climbing championships, it’s a fantastic ride and I know that I am capable of doing well. Top 15 top 10 in the pro-1-2 field. as always it will depends on who shows up. <br />
My preparation:<br />
Nothing really crazy here. No knarly FTP workouts, no altitude tent that I slept in. I did get up to 10,000 feet once a week to do 1 or 2 x25’ intervals at what I perceived to be Threshold. I would normally lose about 15%. These were also not fresh as I had to ride up there!<br />
See attached article at bottom on some past data form high altitude riding.<br />
<br />
The Climb:<br />
Ride: 27.3 miles<br />
6,920 feet of climbing<br />
Avg. grade: 4.5%<br />
From 7500 feet elevation – 14,135 feet.<br />
**Mass start race, not an ITT.<br />
<br />
My Stats:<br />
FTP 340ish...<br />
Time 2:10 (very slow for me even with the wind we had)<br />
Avg. watts: 275.<br />
2253 kj’s<br />
6’ above threshold<br />
29’ Z4<br />
85’ Z3<br />
10’ Z1 and 2.<br />
<br />
I was pretty happy with my numbers but with a dismal placing of 30th I new something was wrong. Something didn’t add up. every thing was perfect. The steady but firm pace as the bottom was a good warm up. I never had to accelerate, my bike supper light, etc… I was alone for much of the ride after it split up so no drafting there…<br />
<br />
I did 303 watts for the first half , 250 for the second half and the last 20’ at 235. Between my loss for power from altitude and loss from fatigue I was thinking anything over 245 for the second half would have been good so I was pretty happy to see 250. I never cracked. I felt good the whole way. The few sections where we picked up the wind at our backs I was able to really get the bike moving.<br />
Notes on training:<br />
If you can’t sleep/ live at attitude the training AT altitude seemed to work well. At the very least the brain body connection will be lined up. You get some weird sensation riding all out above 12,000 feet! I can not speak on the cellular level on what adaptation occurs with this type of training but from what we do know about loss of power at increased elevation, this preparation seemed to put me one steep ahead of that curve.<br />
Training at higher altitude tips:<br />
1. Go by P.E. If you try and nail your normal watts you will quickly dig a whole for your self. Doing hard work at a significantly higher elevation takes allot out of you.<br />
2. Take more recovery time than normal.<br />
3. Keep the Iron intake up. Consult your doc. As your body tries to make more red blood cells it will need Iron. some people with handle the low O2 levels better than others but keep a healthy and divers diet coming, as always!!<br />
<br />
So was everyone else just that much stronger? Is my FTP not 335? Was my power meter way off? What gives? <br />
Here’s the deal I am normally about 70 kilograms, 155lbs. if I really get into it for a big stage race, etc. I can be 152 maybe lighter and feel strong, healthy, with energy to spare.<br />
This year things have been very busy I have opted for more higher intensity training instead of the mega long tempo climbing workouts. This combined with a high frequency of dinner beers, I have been a bit heaver. Not so much to make me worry but a few lb’s. On Friday night I weighed myself 160 lbs!! I thought I was just retaining water maybe, a full belly? But, Sat. after the race when I got home I weighed in again, 160. so lets re-crunch the numbers. <br />
Doing 275 watts at 70 kilo’s is 3.92 watts per kilogram, pretty good. talking with some friends after, ones that beat me, I figured they were in this area.<br />
But 275 at 72.7 kilos is 3.78 big difference.<br />
There are a few wattage calc. out there and even on a hill that is not that steep like Mt Evans, that extra weight comes out to 5-8 minutes!! Add in the fact that accelerating will have an exponential negative effect on a heaver person. And by “hanging onto” a group longer one can get more of a draft for more of the climb. That all adds up to a much, much faster ride and a better place.<br />
Note on my % of loss. I lost 19% for the whole climb from my FTP. Realize that this is 2 hours not a threshold effort. In the 2nd half of the race I lost 26%. Which I figured is pretty normal. 20% from the extreme altitude change, 6% from fatigue from the first hour.<br />
<br />
Some final thoughts on this. Yes, Threshold watts per kilo of body is important. And for a hill climb or hilly RR or stage race it’s very, very important! However, there were people that beat me that are significantly heaver. What’s there FTP? I don’t know. probably better than 4.6 watts/kilo. But, I know this. To reach your maximum potential nothing beats being healthy, happy and strong. In bike racing or any endurance sport simply being able to crush the power out put will pay off huge!!<br />
<br />
~Here is some other data from training at altitude:<br />
<br />
Here are some numbers and percentages of loss that I have so far. As you will see my data has not only the altitude but a varying amount of “work” before the high altitude intervals.<br />
My FTP is about 335ish, 155lb’s<br />
I live at 5500 feet<br />
Normally, at my living altitude, I train that “late power” quite a bit. I lose about 8% after 2500-3000 kj’s of Z3-4 riding.<br />
<br />
~Intervals at 10,000 feet: I push 290 watts (also after 1500kj’s) A loss of 14%<br />
<br />
~My ride up trail ridge road. To 12,000 feet. (after 2500 kj’s, with 6’ above threshold) I did 235 for the last 30’ or so. A loss of 30%!!! Keep in mind there is also general fatigue acting here as well from early part of the ride. But even if we take out my usual 8% of loss thats still 22%! <br />
Again these are all a bit tough to use because of the “work” that is done before the efforts None are “fresh TT efforts at altitude.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-18292871896043247072013-06-26T09:30:00.000+04:302013-06-26T20:21:16.181+04:30Your Next Big Training BlockWhere are you with your training? <br />
For many of you doing a big race this yr. you are getting into some serious training. This can mean simply being structured and more disciplined or, as a pro friend of mine is, hammering 20+ hr’s a week! As you come into a critical phase or block of training there is a lot going through your head. You have probably done a few TRAINING RACES and there for have some results, good or bad, to learn from, make adjustments, etc. <br />
During this time its easy to get distracted and stray from your original game plan. It’s during this time that I see many athletes try to do too much. Its seems wired that someone could not reach their goal by trying to overly prepare… but it happens all the time. Now is the time we are looking for lots of bang for or buck. Ie. We are looking for the most adaptation possible in a given amount time. While one should always be managing their training in this way now we are fit and efficient at are sports. Yesterday was the longest daylight day of the year, race day is drawing close and we are looking to really push the training envelope! <br />
<br />
As I rode home form the 5430 sprint tri in boulder Sunday I had several thoughts on how to manage this phase. <br />
· Get back to basics: you should have a list of goals and training objectives that you made at the onset of training. Go back look at them. <br />
~Do some need to be revised? You may have learned that you thought a 1:20/100yd. swimming threshold pace would net you a 1 hr. IM swim (1:25/100yd pace). But are now thinking that its more like 1:17-1:18 threshold pace?<br />
<br />
· How many training objectives have you meet?<br />
<br />
· How many have you not meet? Do you need to change things up, or do you need to keep plugging away? You may just need more time in a particular area. <br />
<br />
· The more you train the more recovery you need. Plan extra time for rest and active recovery.<br />
<br />
Realize that while it is important you make progress it will take time. I have an athlete who is not making the progress we hoped for on the bike. While he feels better his threshold watts are somewhat stagnate. However, each race he does he performs better and better in the bike leg. places higher and higher in his age group over all. Some things just can’t be explained. While we are still working as his riding it’s no time to be disappointed or panic!<br />
<br />
OK Eric so I am going to train real big this month. What should I do?<br />
· <strong>Block Training</strong>:<br />
In the triathlon world it is very easy to get caught up in the “routine”. When people ask me “what’s a normal build week look like for you?” I say, “There is no such thing.” It’s so easy to get into that Monday is off. I swim tue. and thur., do the team run wed. long bike sat. long run Sunday, blah blah blah… if you want to improve in something you have to work at it, A LOT!!<br />
We all know that you don’t get faster from one workout yet we get so crazy about doing just this one workout today! “I can’t miss the team run, or I will lose my running legs.”<br />
You really think so? If so, you’re wrong. If you want to maximize your time and get good riding your gona have to cut back the swimming and running. Or quit your job.<br />
I am always doing focus or block training. 1-2 weeks of focusing on one sport or one aspect of that sport. Here are some ideas for a focus week of training and an example of an athlete’s run focus week.<br />
<br />
· Think big picture, plan ahead. You want to get as much training in as you can. You will do this by being consistent. Frequency is KEY! While you will want to do some big training days don’t kill yourself! Push your limits, don’t reach miles beyond them. <br />
<br />
· Dial back other sports. If you’re doing a focus week on the bike you can still run and swim but dial it WAY back! You’re not going to forget how to run if you stop for 2 weeks. Do just 1-2 runs a week. Make them Z1-2, brick runs, easy. All you’re looking for is the bare minimum here or less. Same with swimming. Dial your other sports back at least 50-75%. and drop any intensity. Use all your physical and mental energy for you focus sport!<br />
<br />
A previous run focus week for an athlete of ours looked like this:<br />
Mon: recovery day easy 1 hr. ride.<br />
Tue: masters swim, longer and easier 4k total <br />
Run long, 90 min. 6x 20 sec. pick ups at end of run <br />
Wed: Easy ride, 2hr. (it was nice outside)<br />
Thur: 3 hr. ride at IM race pace, <br />
Run brick, 45’ Zone 3 pace<br />
Fri: Masters swim, longer and easier again. <br />
Run, 45’ tempo run, Zone 3 pace<br />
Sat: Run: long with tempo 30’ Z2, 30’ Z3, 30’ Z2.<br />
Sun: OFF<br />
<br />
Interesting to note that while this was the most running this athlete has done in one week, because it was managed well and totally focused on running the last run on Sat. was the best run he has had yet this year. He averaged a low zone 3 pace and having the lowest RPE ever this year for a run!! The following week at a training race, he PR’d, running faster than he has ever in a sprint tri. And yes his swim and bike were fantastic as well! <br />
<br />
A bike focus week (for myself coming up soon) will be even more extreme. I will have only 1 swim, 2 short Zone 2-Zone 3 runs. Rides will be every day (sans rest day) hard group ride Tue. Long mountain ride wed. flat IM pace ride thur. recovery Friday and a 2 day stage race (3 stages) on the weekend.<br />
<br />
So get back to basics, get the big picture back in focus. While you want your training to be dynamic and flexible don’t “hop scotch”. If you were confident in the grand plan when you made it and progress is being made stick with it! Getting fast doesn’t happen overnight. <br />
<br />
As always every one, train hard, train safe and have fun!<br />
See you on the road!<br />
<a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/">http://EKEnduranceCoaching.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-51871574745488702712013-06-13T01:03:00.000+04:302013-06-13T18:18:53.695+04:30new triathlon swim start protocol<div class="MsoNormal">
Letter to all race directors and Ironman:</div>
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I am writing in regards to the new swim start protocols that
are being implemented at some Ironman races and short course triathlons. </div>
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I understand and respect the actions and thought that goes
into putting on a safe and competitive event. However, this new timed swim
start is an atrocity to the sport of triathlon.
As a young and fast growing sport changes are going to be needed but we
tread lightly. <br />
first off we must realize that is problem of swim starts is a good one to have. 1020 years ago we had 100-200 people show up to race we have an issues that we now face with 1800-3000 athletes racing! The sport is growing fast and thats a good thing. So take yourself back a notch (my self a few notches) and relax, things change and understand that people are only trying to make them better.<br />
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Every sport has
its challenges and dangers, simply eliminated them one at a time is not the answer. With this new start protocol athletes are no
longer “racing” rather simply completing the course and seeing who has the best
time. Imagine the winner of Ironman lake Placid, the oldest and most
prestigious IM in North America crossing the finish line lifting the finish
line tape high in the air to the cheers of the crowd old to find out the next
morning that he did not win. You have
stolen that feeling and the moment from that winner forever. Imagine this happening in every age group at
the boulder sprint or boulder peak triathlon. </div>
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Two. while Age Group
starts are not the best they at least put all the same “category” together. You
cross the line ahead of that person you beat them, plain and simple. This
simplistic nature of “racing” is the defining difference between field sports
and racing sports. In cycling there are
different categories based on ability and how well one has done and you race
those people. The other method of “self seeding” one’s self for the swim is
horrible. The swim is one very small part of the race. imagine going to your son or daughters track
meet and the finals of the 100 meter sprint is “<i>start whenever you want and we’ll time you”</i> not sure there would be
many happy parents. <br />
At IM lake placid in 2011 the water
temp was too high for wet suits the decision was made to not allow wet suits
for folks who wanted to compete for a podium, and spots to kona and allow wetsuits
for those who just wanted to complete the race.
Even playing field. This decision
was bad however, some none wet suit athletes got pummeled by wet suit folks.
Separate start times would have been good here.
For the short course races, especially the boulder peak and sprint why
not conduct a whole different race? They
sell out. Pros and top AG On Saturday. Everyone else on Sunday? <br />
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Three. <b>Every athlete regardless of ability has the
right to a safe race and a good finish time.</b> Yes. They absolutely do. But
at the cost of everyone else? When I was in grade school in one of my classes I
remember talking about our rights as Americans.
Freedom of speech was discussed and, of course, “if I have the freedom
of speech why can’t I swear in class?” it’s a good question. There are many
areas like this in our world. How do we know what we can do and can't do? “<i>Because your rights end where someone else’s
begin”</i> I never forgot that. How far will you go to accommodate people
worries about the swim start? <br />
If the swim start worries someone that much why not just wait 30 seconds to 1
minute for the ciaos to clear? Yes they would “lose time” but that shouldn't
be there concern anyway? If it is then
time should be spent properly preparing for the race at hand. What happened to
that? Proper preparation. Running is the
major cause of injury in triathletes. The training for hardest section of the
race puts people on the disabled list all the time should we shorten all the
runs? </div>
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And what about ones “Time”. what about that clock? For all those concerned
about their time in the race how will the clock be calibrated for every athlete
across the line for their classic triathlon finish line picture? I remember my
first triathlon and my first ironman. I still have those pictures wouldn't
trade them for the world…<br />
Implementing a category system may be good. There is still very large gap
between many top AG’s and Pros. Also there may be simply too many participants
for this to be logical. <br />
I feel simply adding a rule or separate timing mat (like at IM LP in 2011)
those who want to compete for podium make it known. Steep up and all race
together. </div>
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And what about having AG waves at the bigger IM’s? this is a great way to
minimize numbers at the swim start. Even doing every 10 years (or bigger) would
help a lot and keep racing age groupers together. <br />
Finally, there are few things that compare to the exhilaration of being in the
water at the starting line counting down to the starting gun with Three
Thousand (3000) other people. All starting at the same time. All facing the 140.6 miles. Doesn’t matter if
you are a pro, first timer or a veteran age grouper starting ironman number 15.
We are all equal. I want everyone to be
able to have that feeling. <br />
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I beg those of you making these decisions to tread
carefully. You are changing the course and history of the sport in extreme
ways. If this kind of “leveling” continues what will an ironman race look like
in 5 years? 20 years? </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-33420447908905965612013-04-17T20:34:00.004+04:302013-10-23T18:37:28.124+03:30Getting over Snow in April. and dealing with the indoor trainer. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Indoor training can be rough!</b> </div>
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<br />
Well its snowing again in CO. A lot. Its April 17th and we have a foot or so of the white stuff.<br />
for folks training for early season races this is a big blow. you are mentally strained as it is, packing in the volume and hard training. This is tough enough in nice weather never mind the bad weather.<br />
what are you going to do. Here are a few short and simple answers. They might not be the best, but it will have you NOT making mistakes and should keep your head from exploding.<br />
<br />
<b>One: </b><br />
First and foremost remember that it's a privilege to be doing what you do. worrying about what wheels to use, which type of intervals is trivial in the big picture. Monday at the Boston Marathon 2 bombs went off killing a few people. one of which an 8 year old boy who was waiting for his father to finish the race. As focused athletes we get tunnel vision. no one has been more guilty of this than yours truly in the late 90's. as frequent readers here know this is where <a href="http://erickenney.blogspot.com/2010/09/im-canada-i-introduce-you-to-chris.html" target="_blank">"Chris" is from</a> and his upbringing is less than pleasant. <br />
Ok enough. head up. onward.<br />
<br />
<b>Two: </b><br />
Don't freak out about duration! if you try and ride 3+ hours on the trainer you are most likely going to lose e it! I have talked about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2VBd86Uoxc&feature=share&list=PLBFD51918286A108F" target="_blank">"Endurance Training" a lot. its gone over here again in this webinar</a>. start 20-30' in for the Endurance training part we talk about the 90' mark, intensity as a tool you control and more.<br />
you don't need to ride 3+ hours to achieve good endurance for long races. well, OK long rides are key but this snow its going to last all summer and you have likely done some long rides. so go back look at your training log take confidence in ALL your training over the last several months and deal with the resources you have.<br />
<br />
<b>Three</b>:<br />
Ok so your on the trainer you realize that 90 minutes will do 90% of the job, but what are you going to do with the time? a while back I came up with a selection of Hour Of Power trainer sessions.<br />
<a href="https://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/exercise-libraries/purchase.aspx?libraryId=341902&af=trainingpeaks3">https://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/exercise-libraries/purchase.aspx?libraryId=341902&af=trainingpeaks3</a><br />
add a 15' warm up (or more) a 15' cool down and you are set! these are workouts that are focused on a one task. VO2 int. endurance and strength, etc. and twisted a bit, be more fun and more engaging than your standard 4x10' at threshold. BORING!!!! <br />
so why not pick one, and watch the training webinar while you ride. that's some multi tasking right there.<br />
<br />
And while we are at it I'll plug our new program, <a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/247coaching.html" target="_blank">24-7 Coaching</a> I hate training plans. they don't work. Why? because there is no rhyme or reason to them. so all of Ek Endurance Coaching plans are free. join 24-7 coaching for the year and you get a free plan. this plan will be 100% better than any other training plan you can by. Why, because you will get daily coach support in our private forums. <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-61038088684274280622013-02-20T19:23:00.002+03:302013-02-20T19:23:11.938+03:30Training tip for the time crunched athlete<br />
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We have talked about training in training races, and all sorts of spring type training and races.... things. OK its early give me a brake on teh adjective finding. But it IS still winter. as I type this I look at the forecast for 6+ inches of snow in the next 36 hours. this is one of my favorite time saving workouts that I prescribe almost every one of my athletes at one point or another. </div>
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We talk about many more time saving methods <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2VBd86Uoxc&feature=share&list=PLBFD51918286A108F" target="_blank">Here, a free webinar on you tube.</a> And for more full time tranning support for teh self coached athlete or if you have a training plan.check out <a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/247coaching.html" target="_blank">24-7 coaching</a>. </div>
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With busy schedules, many athletes just don’t have enough
time to work on all the aspects necessary to reach their full potential. Let
alone the Triathlete who needs to be effective in three sports.</div>
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Because of this, it
is of great value if one can combine workouts. I am not talking about a brick
workout or double sessions either. I’m talking about maximizing your time. Even
pro’s whom train for a living need to be effective with there time and training.
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SO, a quick tip here that goes along nicely with the webinar
I did not long ago. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2VBd86Uoxc&feature=share&list=PLBFD51918286A108F">You
can find that here.</a> <br />
A great way to do this is by focusing
on more than one aspect of your training in one workout. By placing workouts
within workouts one can get a double whammy effect out of his or her training.
Consult your coach before concocting your own “double whammy” workouts. One of
the best ways to do one of these is to place tech. drills or hard intervals
into a longer endurance workout. For example: In your 3 hr. ride, focus on your
technique while riding up hills. Keep
pedal cadence high and concentrate on pedaling “perfectly”. Talk to your coach about that too. Alternate standing and sitting. Stand up on
one hill; for the whole hill, sit on the next. Hone your skills. Do fast pedal drills in your long ride or
strides in your long run. Another option is to do intervals or some kind of
harder effort in your work out. If you
are looking to increase your power or speed, do your intervals after a solid
warm up. Cool down easily, hydrate and
fuel up appropriately, then continue with a low intensity endurance workout. </div>
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<b><i>Bike example: 20’ warm up. <br />
3x10’ Zone 4. (rest 3’). <br />
10’ cool down, continue cool down at level 2 for 2 hours</i></b>. </div>
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Looking to focus on more endurance for that IM. Do the
intervals after 2 hours of riding at Zone 2.
BAMB! Two birds with one stone! </div>
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This example is one of my favorites. You are working some
threshold intervals into a longer end ride. However, its important to
understand that “threshold” work is mostly aerobic. So despite the high
increase in intensity you are still doing an <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2VBd86Uoxc&feature=share&list=PLBFD51918286A108F">Endurance
Ride</a>. </div>
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Please consult your coach or sign up for <a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/247coaching.html">24-7 coaching</a> and
get some specific advice before doing any of these as they are a bit more
taxing than your normal single aspect workouts that mere mortals do. There are
some “double whammy” workouts that are a bad idea. </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"> Example: working two different maximal effort
zones in the same work out. Working long tempo, cooling down then doing 1 minute
intervals. Not the best idea here. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">especially</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"> for the novice. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">
With proper planning there is no reason that anyone can’t finish that IM, be a
contender in there age group, or win the big one. Happy training!</span><br />
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<!--[endif]-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-68528815249580305602013-02-06T20:39:00.002+03:302013-02-06T20:42:41.511+03:30Group rides. the sweet spot. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9npGQZ7ujDzz9wmX4XUzF2BYzZGBWiK1F9FELZ7bTloYR_09G_haWnuU8l99ocN2beAgSE6i6NAsn8JObYDzDUwyoot-aaXs0NQ-zcDbQUwItdM2IgmpjdLxaFDRuZ0bbJhR8/s1600/CU+crit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9npGQZ7ujDzz9wmX4XUzF2BYzZGBWiK1F9FELZ7bTloYR_09G_haWnuU8l99ocN2beAgSE6i6NAsn8JObYDzDUwyoot-aaXs0NQ-zcDbQUwItdM2IgmpjdLxaFDRuZ0bbJhR8/s400/CU+crit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Many </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cyclist</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> and triathletes a like participate in group rides.
They have unique place in our training and over all preparation. They can
simulate a bike race, add some intensity to your tri training, be great prep
for those doing ITU races and lets face it, there just fun!</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Matt Reed is seen on the local group rides in Boulder often. Many long distance
triathletes add in a fast rodie like group ride to mix things up and get some
high intensity. Tony Delonge</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
winner at IM USA a few years back through down a record bike split on his way to
an 8:56! Tony would take part in the Tue. group ride out side of Boston quite
often. Regardless of your racing goals these can be great training but all
group rides are not the same and, more so, the same group ride can be a very
different experience for different people.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So what’s your Sweet Spot for a Group Ride?</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
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First off we are talking about the fast rides. Hard, pre-set course, if you get
dropped no one is waiting for you rides. Not the "team rides". The first thing you should be doing, or not
doing really, is trying to make the ride something its not. I have heard before
"<i>I'm gona do my threshold (or tempo) work on the group ride tonight</i>",
ahh, no your not. With these types of training sessions or any where you are
looking for "muscle endurance" and Friel calls it. The type of
training where you're on the legs every pedal stroke for your selected interval
time a group ride is not the place to do them. Unless you can ride on the front
of the group in your zone for that long with out anyone coming around you. I'm
guessing you can't.<br />
A group ride gives us a few unique things we simply can't get alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Higher speeds:
turning bigger gears, even at a similar wattage it has a different feel. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Variable power:
the up and down stop, go, stop, go nature of a pack ride<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A large amount
of total anaerobic riding<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The repeating
nature of these above threshold efforts<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Higher cadences,
hopefully<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The unknown.
going hard when you would like to rest, recovery periods when you least
expect them. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">learning to
relax in a pack, cross winds, etc. ie. more efficient riding when the
situation is stressful. better bike handling on a efficiency level. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you are going to do a ride of this nature you should be
looking for at least some of these things.<br />
Ok so were are going to do some group
rides now what. What’s a good ride for you, what’s not so good. First off know
the rout, maybe ride it solo or with a few friends before so you know where
your going, where the big hills are, down hills, turns, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Intensity, the key factor:</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is where I see so many people blow there "group
ride" type training.<br />
If going on a group ride involves you hanging on for dear life for 20-30
minutes, accumulating 40% or more of your time above threshold (power time),
getting dropped and limping home barely able to push Z2 wattage the ride is too
hard and you’re doing more damage than good. You want your ride to be
challenging, not over reaching, you want to be able to repeat your training!
ie. get out of bed the next morning for your run, or another ride. You should
be able to finish the ride. if not with the front group at least a group of
other riders. Beyond this look to be able to do a few hard efforts without
getting dropped. (go to the front and do some pulls, a few 1' attacks off the
front, etc) and be able to recover in the pack when you need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">so a few, more tangible factors to aim for:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No more the 20%
of your time above threshold, power. or 30-35% of HR time. even for a road
cyclist, who is trained for lots of anaerobic time is going to have a
really hard ride with more than this. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your best hour
normalized power being below threshold. if you start doing long sections
of time at threshold things are going to get unmanageable fast.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Peek avg. power:
having only your best 10 min. avg. being at threshold you will find the
ride to be over all pretty hard. start doing 20 min. or more. get ready to
suffer.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">wattage spikes:
10 watts per kilogram of body weight. This is a big benchmark for bike
races and mass start rides. The more of these the harder your over all
effort is gona be. get up to 12 or more per hour your gona know it! In a
tough crit style race we can see up to 40 in 1 hour.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://tpks.ws/eRsG"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://tpks.ws/eRsG</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Above is a link to a group ride done by coach Eric recently. The
ride is less the first 30' and less the last 40.<br />
This ride was tough. One reason is because it was the first one of the year!
That first date with significant anaerobic time is always hard. I got a flat
with about 30' still to ride. the last 30-40 minutes of the ride was tough.
after a quick flat fix I was riding in a smaller group pulling through more
frequently and getting less rest time. one of the things to note about any ride
is how difficult there are while still having so much time in Z1 and not
pedaling!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Find your sweet spot. Make sure you can keep training after the
ride. can you finish it? What does your power file and HR file look like? The
over all idea here gang. Can you get all of these adaptations in (mentioned
above) but minimize the crushing fatigue and muscle damage of a full on race
effort?<br />
<br />
So before you decide on the group ride workout get some info on what your in
for, know your rout and decide what your really looking to get from it. Is this
ride going to give you that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">be safe and have fun. tough group rides can be the most fun you
can have on 2 wheels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Check out Ek Endurance Coaching latest can do for you and
there new 24-7 Coaching group here: <a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/247coaching.html">http://ekendurancecoaching.com/247coaching.html</a>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-65450825177701430742013-01-30T19:23:00.000+03:302013-03-20T17:59:31.814+03:30Training in Training Races.<br />
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<b><br />Training in Training Races<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Ok it is still a bit early but it’s that time of year when we all start to at least think
about it. For many of us some of these first races are non- priority races or
“training races”. There are a few
different ideas as to what a training race is and how it should be done. Some people think that it just means you
don’t taper and “training through it” giving us a nice excuse for not doing
well. In fact a training race is a prim
opportunity to get great training, important experience and test our self’s in
the exact environment that we are training to excel in the first place. Here are a few key points to consider and
plan out when doing your early season race’s and race simulation workouts.<br />
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<i><i><i><br /><br />~One can still do well in a "Training race" your truly won this training race in the Boston area (the classic Wells Ave.) early one season by making a break mid race that stayed away.</i></i></i></div>
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<b>1.</b> <b>Its
still a Race</b>: A training race is NOT a time to waist 60$ (or what ever) in
gas and entry fee to ride around in a circle with a bunch of other spandex clad
freaks for the heck of it! It is an opportunity
to really test your self, in the field and against your pears instead of your
self. With this, aim for a specific,
measurable goal. While this training race will not require a 3 week peeking
phase you should take the few days before to make sure you are well rested and
ready for a good effort, physically, mentally and with all your equipment
working 100%! You have committed the
money, time, energy, the sacrifice of getting up at, still dark out- thirty to
meet at some random office park. Make it worth while! </div>
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<b>2.
Make a goal</b>: If you have been
working on your strength and all winter and are now ready to turn that strength
into accelerating power than make a goal to do some number of BIG
accelerations. Attack the short hill, jump on a break forming, or go for the
half way prim. But commit to this goal. if your going to work on your jump then
do that and just that. Spend your other time sitting in and riding smart. Make
the sprinting efforts as strong as possible.
Killing it on the front, riding in a break for x number of laps, going
to the back then to the front, then back again will make your “training race workout”
end fast. </div>
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Maybe just
getting through the race will be hard enough. Then do that. Ride smart. Is
holding your position in the pack hard for you? Make a goal to simply ride in
the top 15 riders or so the entire race, I have done this my self. Focus on warming up well, if necessary, and
watching the race play out. Identify when its go time and you must get across
that gap and to the front group and when is a good time to sit in, fuel and
relax. </div>
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Maybe your
endurance is lacking. Do some extra mileage before (ideal) or after the
race. If you go this way keep your
effort in the race under the hood a bit. This should be a hard workout but we
don’t want it to take us a week to recover! Be deceive. If your going to
attack. Do it! See if it works and move
to the next steep. Always have a reason for doing something. Always have a
purpose. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;">
</span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Gain
experience</b>. Learn. A training race
is a prime opportunity to learn. About your self, about your competition, your
preparation, your fueling plan, your equipment,
your warm up (or there lack of) if you ride well in the wind, on the
hills or technical cornering sections? How did you feel afterwards. Like you just
parted the seas? Or do you feel recovered after 15’ of hanging out with friends
and teammates thinking “man I could have gone way harder?” The list goes on.
Come the big race day you can’t afford to be caught off guard by something
silly. A cross wind hitting your fancy new disc wheel, your new helmet not fitting
right, etc… Gaining as much experience about your self, and how your body works
in a race situation will have you better prepared come the big day. This may
not have you breaking any records but when the going gets tough the prepared
shine trough. Anyone can post a personal
best in there ideal conditions on there ideal terrain. You want a personal best in any conditions,
on any terrain, on any decided day. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-74455077815754449182013-01-10T19:49:00.001+03:302013-01-11T20:16:32.206+03:30Winter training methods and tools webinar follow upThere were some 1000 people that registered for the webinar we did via training peaks last week.<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/g2VBd86Uoxc" target="_blank">You can View it HERE</a><br />
<br />
Thanks! I hope everyone enjoyed it.<br />
Here are few items that we didn't get a chance to discuss or I simply for got to mention.<br />
<br />
<b>Tempo work: </b><br />
when you are doing tempo rides run or any endurance focused training one of the keys is being steady and never resting. at all. some times with a new athlete I will have them ride a normal rout at what ever intensity they feel is the "normal" endurance ride effort with one rule. NEVER coast. ever. if spin out on a down hill, use your brakes or simply keep the legs moving despite the 0 pressure on the pedals.<br />
Many find that their "normal" endurance ride just got a whole lot harder. this is also likely where people get the idea from that they can ride for less time on the trainer then if they were to ride out side. I have said this before "there is no such thing as junk miles, just junk training" this protocol eliminates the fast group rides or group rides/ team rides all together. Again! the team/ group rides are a must, more fun and a nicer way to get longer hours in. Like the tempo rides, not coasting and being steady is a great way. <br />
<br />
<b>Burning fat for fuel, sparing muscle glycogen and loosing weight. </b><br />
There was a few questions on burning fat, loosing weight, the fat burning zones, etc. we didn't have time to address. This is simple concept but can be hard to fully and accurately explain. it is true the lower intensity you work at the more <b>greater % of fat you burn</b> for energy. however, you also burn<b> less total calories</b>. so for the athlete looking to improve performance or your avg. person looking to loose some weight the idea is to burn calories and become more efficient at burning higher % of fat at higher intensities. If you want to loose weight you need to burn calories. more calories out then you take in, you will loose weight. Period. there is no magic food. any fancy diet, food, or protocol of what and when to eat must have this calories deficit for one to loose any weight. <br />
As I said in the Q&A part of the webinar I would like to learn more and do more research on types of training and methods that can enhance this adaptation. what I do know <b>CONSISTENCY IS KING. </b>if you train consistently, year round, this will improve. After a point this ability will become sport specific. like many things.<br />
<br />
<b>The Power of Will. </b><br />
when talking of strengths and weaknesses, do not underestimate the power of your will. more than half the time I see athletes excel in an area because they want to. when I first started cycling i wanted to be a good climber. Ride away form my competition in the long road races. so, I trained for that and I soon started to excel in that area. I had zero regard and frankly zero knowledge that I was better suited for shorter efforts and the longer the event the harder it would be for me. physiologically to do well. I have heard of a book called "talent is over rated" I have no clue what its about but just by the title I want to read it. Please, DO NOT set goals on what you think your better suited to do. Lets find goals that motivate you, that get you up in the morning and go after those!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com1Boulder, CO 80303, USA40.0005378 -105.2077798000000339.903177299999996 -105.36914130000002 40.0978983 -105.04641830000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-31012477771462414272013-01-02T20:54:00.001+03:302013-01-10T19:58:34.713+03:30The new year, Goals, the Path and doing it betterWith the start of anything new we must assess. Ourselves, our objectives, our competition, what some obstacles might be. Prepare for them and so on. Some excel at this, others not as much. <br />
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<b>What are your goals for 2013?</b></div>
<br />
With each year that that passes I reach for a little more with coaching and EK Endurance Coaching as a whole. I seek out to learn more. Gain more knowledge. Research new training methods in hopes to figure out if they are a passing fad or something that has some merit and may last. I seek out new athletes to coach. Of course right! I have to pay the bills! I have always said, and still do, that I will never compromise the quality or individuality of my coaching to "run a business". I have held that promise and I will continue to. At this point I will have great difficulty taking on new clients without lowering the quality of my product. this happens all the time. you have seen it before. the new restaurant is great. the food superber privately owned, you get a free beer every now and then, happy hr is inexpensive, very tasty. then the price goes up. so little you barely notice, then the portions get smaller, then the bartender is replaced and in a uniform. he's friendly enough but not the same. the consistency in the food starts to go and the next thing you know its a chain growing to the next state. I am all for capitalization but as the consumer this can suck 9 times out of 10.<br />
this will never happen to me. Why? How? I am not in business to "be in business" or run a company or turn a good margins for share holders. I am in business because I LOVE DOING THIS!<br />
<br />
How am I going to grow without turning people away and uphold quality? especially with sponsoring 20+ races in CO this year! This is how.<br />
<br />
1. our 2 associate coaches <b><a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/personal.html" target="_blank">Derek and Nick</a></b> will both be taking a larger part in our space. Both will be taking on more athletes even if not right away. and we are still looking for another triathlon coach whom I think will fit. as 24-7 coaching grows they will take a larger support role there. what 24-7 coaching.<br />
<br />
2. New product #1. <b><a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/247coaching.html" target="_blank">24-7 Coaching</a></b>. this is a very inexpensive what to get expert coaching and training advice for you and your goals. Our private forums and methods work. How do I know this? because its the same methods I have been using, Growing and adapting for 10 years of coaching. there are other training "groups" out there, some very successful. I know this format works. my goal is to give athletes a place with resources that works and is very low cost. the coast will stay at 99.0$ for a years member ship until at least July or about 100 members. we'll see how it goes. <b>My Goal here.</b> produce a better product than any current "group" out there by getting better results for less coast to the athlete. This space we have created is also a home for the rest of out teams communication. group rides, runs, workouts that I or another coach may be leading meeting up at races, etc.<br />
communication is knowledge and knowledge gets results. I have always said training plans don't work and its generally the athletes fault because they lake the how and why of training with out a coach. 24-7 coaching is the how and why.<br />
<br />
3. New product #2. <b><a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/personal.html" target="_blank">On site coaching</a></b>. On site coaching. this has always been an option but never spelled out. This past year we have had enough interest and need for this that it is now offered from myself. contact us for a consult. Time is limited.<br />
<br />
4. New Product #3. <b>Team Performance Director</b>. I plan to take the "sponsorship" aspect of coaching amateur teams to a new level. discounts on coaching? access to our partners? sure but that's easy. this will entail a full scope of services aimed at getting your entire team (or group within your team) to a new level. racing tactics and strategies, individual training, making sure each rider has the<b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwvaDN56ZNo&feature=share&list=PLBFD51918286A108F" target="_blank">full gamete of resources</a></b> at their disposal. seminars and clinics to synchronize the self tactics of the individual riders with that of the team tactics and big pictures goals. I have done this in separate pieces before. sponsoring teams, being the "training coordinator", etc. Team director services for the amateur club or team. What shape this takes will depend on the team. <br />
<br />
5. This year we have 3 athletes that have the goal and the ability to go pro. as well and an athlete who has the goal and ability to qualify for Hawaii. my goals here? 2 out of 4? 3 out of 4? If you know anything about me you know its 4 out of 4 or I will loss sleep over the one that didn't reach their potential. but with our 97% goal attainment rate I have confidence. <br />
<br />
Personally, away form the business side, I have some goals as well. <br />
<ul>
<li>I would like to qualify for the triathlon world championships in Kona, Hawaii again. </li>
<li>I will aim to produce a better result than i did at the <a href="http://erickenney.blogspot.com/2012/05/ironman-st-george-race-report.html" target="_blank">St. George IM in 2012</a>. </li>
<li>better structure on my days and how I use my time. this on is obvious if I plan to do the above 2 goals and everything else I mention above! </li>
<li>spend more time remote. working from home and not punching a clock has its advantages. when i tell people what I do that's all most people think about. what they don't realize is that running your own business or doing anything that you deeply care about. something that defines you as a person, and will for the rest of your life, there are more than a few restless nights. That said I have not taken advantage of seeing friends and family enough. this year I will seek out extra time to travel, spend more time out east after IM lake placid to see friends, etc. </li>
</ul>
<div>
So what are your goals. dont' make a "resolution". don't make a rule, rules suck and there is exception to them all. If there is even one exception its not a rule. the path to any goal is never a straight line. so get ready to adapt. Get ready to change plans, directions and strategies. </div>
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</div>
<div>
<b>What are your goals for 2013?</b> </div>
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So there we go. I have given myself a big glass to fill. 364 days to go! </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-70794134056743810022012-12-12T21:48:00.001+03:302012-12-12T21:48:34.262+03:30winter training. Spinning classes? really...<br />
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As winter roars on, day light become more scarce, holidays
keep coming and time to train becomes, well, non existent. It is vital to
maintain a structured training program that keeps you motivated, improves your
weaknesses and gets you ready to achieve next seasons’ goals. </div>
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Spinning classes are a great way to beat the winter cold.
They’re offered at many gyms and if not at yours look to another club near by. Most
clubs have a drop in rate that will allow you to take a class as a non-member.
One problem that many triathletes and cyclists have with these classes is that
they are unrealistic, an aerobics class on a bike. </div>
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<a href="http://www.rallysportboulder.com/" target="_blank">The classes at Rallysport</a> where I teach in winter are anything but. True
cycling workouts and rides. Accurate power meters on every bike make these
classes the best I have seen. </div>
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There are ways that you can turn a less than ideal spinning
class into a great endurance and technical workout for you and your needs.<br />
First off this is your workout not the instructors. If you’re doing the 10
minute “climb” in the saddle then stay in the saddle no one is going yell at
you. Further more, you control the
tension, on the fly wheel, right? You control your intensity. Then keep it at your intensity not Joe
spinner’s next to you who doesn't even commute to work. </div>
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Many times these classes are only one hour long. To short
for you? Come early or stay late. Try to push past that key 70’ mark. I will be
doing a <a href="https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/211012186" target="_blank">webinar at Training peaks HQ</a> on how to find your weak areas and talk about
some tools and methods for maximizing your time in the winter months. This we
will talk more about this there. Don’t miss it! January 8th! </div>
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Spinning classes
offer one of the greatest opportunity to work on technique. For starters you
don’t have to balance the bike, steer, be wary of traffic etc. Take
this “stabilized” time to really focus on your pedal stroke. In the beginning of
class take a few minutes to pedal with one leg. Do 2x30 seconds on each leg.
Then, take some 30” or 1’ intervals to really focus on a perfect pedaling, both
legs, smooth and efficient. Most
spinning bikes have semi fixed or totally fix cranks. This will carry your legs
through the circle even when they start to wear out and get sloppy at the end
of class. This is a great time to do some fast pedals (30 sec. bursts of high
cadence, low resistance, in the saddle sprinting). These are for technique, not power. This will
recruit fast twitch muscle fibers when they are most tired, training your legs
to be the fresh at the end of a hard ride or race. This makes you more prepared for that
inevitable attack at the end of a road race, the hills coming into T2 or the 3
minutes you have to close down in the run for first place at a local triathlon. </div>
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Look be realistic. If you live in a state with 4 seasons its cold in winter, the roads are icey and it gets dark at 5pm. trying to train to many hours will have you burnt out before the first training race in spring. Consistency is KING! this big picture and be in for the long haul. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-334565757659336242012-12-05T19:39:00.000+03:302012-12-05T19:45:29.786+03:30Weight Training, Winter and the Real World. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">My last post on </span></span><a href="http://erickenney.blogspot.com/2010/03/really-on-bike-strength-work.html" style="color: #738dd0; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;">Strength training, lifting weights</a><span style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">, performance and training in the real world fell short of Nobel prize writing and was more of a rant. The topic has come up again in my training seminars, </span></span><span style="color: #5d5d5d;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">amongst</span></span><span style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> friends and I have been pointed to some recent studies as well.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is a recent study of conversation: </span><a href="http://www.rappstar.com/pdf/StrengthTrainingEnduranceAthletes.pdf" style="color: #738dd0; text-decoration: initial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://www.rappstar.com/pdf/StrengthTrainingEnduranceAthletes.pdf</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Too long and technical for you. Here are the basic conclusions and findings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>strength training with weights increased “endurance” and power at VO2 by 7%. </em>This study was done with trained cyclist which is nice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This will be short and to the point. First off there is more than one way to skin a cat. And even more ways to train for an endurance event.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">~“<em>But ek you said weights would only increase your max power by 2%.</em>”No, I said the people I worked with only had an avg. increase in max power of 2%. I have always been a proponent of “strength training” just not with weights. This study was done as one group doing x amount of “endurance” work which was a specific intensity based on there Vo2. (first of all they should have used threshold here) The strength training group had the strength work ADDED to their endurance work.<br />So, more work and high intensity work at that made this group “stronger”. No surprise there. The 7% is surprising to me. A very significant gain for sure. I would like to see their workout and progression for sure! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The more athletes I work with the more benefit I see with strength work. With my athletes its done on the bike. With specific intervals, done a specific way. This work has resulted in big gains in max power. And while I have never tested the endurance gains from it the improvement seems to be across the board not just in max power. Is this seemingly increase in endurance from the strength work? Or other training done? I don’t know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The biggest advantage I see to my “on the bike” strength work is that it saves time. Lots of time.<br />It can be done without additional hours in the gym. And the gains I have seen have been in 6 weeks or less instead of 3 months. That’s half the time. So now the athlete may do another 6 weeks of some other training depending on their strengths, weaknesses, resources, time to train, etc…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><em>"Time. Time is your worst enemy, your best ally and is the biggest issue EVERY athlete deals with."</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Time in the day. Amount of time per week to train, and how much time one has from now (the day they start training) until race day. Further more. What did you do last year? The year before that? How about the last 10 years? This is a bigger discussion on periodization…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>The real world.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<em>So ek what if I do your on the bike strength work and lift weights</em>?” good Q. what will happen to your quality of training? On the bike strength work 3 time week. Plus weights 2 times a week. Not sure you can get a maximal effort every workout on that sch. I could do squats every day but they would suck after 2 if not 1 day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">~from <a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/personal.html" style="color: #738dd0; text-decoration: initial;">Coach Nick</a>. “</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><em>On your point of real world practicality, that is exactly WHY I weight train in the winter. For a 9-6 working stiff, there are very few hours available to me to train on the bike. Core and weight training gives me extra training time that frankly probably wouldn't happen at all if I was sticking to just the bike.</em>”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">very good point. Nick is a roadie. All riding all the time. One can only sit on a trainer for so long. but if time is THAT short why is one still getting "burned out" or board?<br />I would rather go to a spin class sit in back and do my strength work (my own workout) on the bike with some pumping tunes, good looking ladies and some other hard working peeps to motivate me. brings up another point on motivation. what motivated you?? This is an important issue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">~Triathletes please don’t tell me you need more to do than the 3 sports you all ready have! If you’re getting burned out or board trying to be an expert at swimming, biking and running you need help.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">~“<em>But XYZ pro lifts weights</em>?” good for them. If you want to be like XYZ pro, go ahead and lift. Let me know when you get a pro contract and then we will re think your winter training. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">~I was at a team meeting in Boulder , CO and Tim O’donnell was there. (pro triathlete) He was asked “<em>do you lift in the winter?” “yes I do</em>”, he said “<em>but only core and some stability stuff</em>” this is a guy who is a pro. he trains and thinks about training </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">24-7</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">~doing core work and lifting in the gym are 2 very different things. core, always important do it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">~<strong>There are no magic bullets</strong>. I hear this every year. “<em>I’m gona xyz this year” its gona make me soooo strong. This is my year!" </em>You’re on the right track. By all means CHANG IT UP!! Take a chance, do something different!! But there are no secrets here. You wana get faster at something. Then get out there and do THAT something!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lifting weights is NOT bad for you. In fact it’s quite the opposite. I feel that for reaching your best as a cyclist, triathlete, mtb’er, etc. there are better ways to use your time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s that word again. <strong>Time. </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is a very argued topic and I am not saying there is one perfect way to do anything. but this is where the art of training and coaching come into view. there are only 24 hours in a day and so many days from now to race day?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Leave some more Questions and real world situations in the comments!Leave muscle fiber this and hypertrophy that at the door. I want real world. Something we can use in training, out there in the rd. or some results you have had.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-60402340847515287052012-11-21T20:15:00.000+03:302012-11-21T20:15:25.924+03:30making the most of your swim time.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />When it comes to Winter and swim training there are as many schools of thought as there are on lifting weights for endurance athletes. we won't go there... yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">I get asked a lot how I and many of my triathlon athletes are so good in the water on such minimal training time. At the same time I find myself wondering and asking athletes who we only put a few minutes on in the swim that only started swim training in the last 3-4 months if its really </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">worth</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"> it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>How Do We make the Most of Our Swim Training Time</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Swimming does cost us
allot of time. most of us are swimming at a gym so there is getting there and
home, changing, saying hi to overly friendly trainer, etc... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Make the most of your time: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://ekendurancecoaching.com/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">EK Endurance Coaching</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> athletes have seen<b>
</b>big gains with minimal time in the pool. why? remember in school when you
discovered that when you had a ton of work to do yet it somehow got done
faster? And you maybe even got better grades? I do. when you’re working on
something as complex and dynamic as swimming and you do it a mere 1 hour a week,
total focus and concentration are required! For many Masters or your club swim is at
way-to-early:30. if your gona get up that early and swim, put your game face
on! work hard, get tech tips from the coach, work drills for your problems
areas and keep swimming!! you will be surprised how much extra an easy 50 every
time you’re waiting for the coach to give you the next set will add up to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~And what about going
to the gym. get your core work in, spinn class after swim, what else can you do
to "<b>Get Faster</b>" and make the most of your trip?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~Make it part of your
commute to work, miss traffic in the am or pm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~Ask the coach,
"what do I need work on?" my goal is XYZ, what are your thoughts? if I
come alone what workout should I do? The Coaches are there for a reason use
them! most will be happy you asked. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Magic Workout</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">when I lived in the
Boston area some friends and I signed up for a 1/2 ironman. some of us were
seasoned triathletes, some not and out of shape, some (me) had a whopping 4
weeks to prepare after the cycling season ended? I hadn't run in 3 years. it
was my main worry but I had to swim some? right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">while training late
in the summer we discovered what was referred to as the magic workout and still
is by some old friends there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~30' ride to Walden
pond (local popular swimming area) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~30' swim. (across
the pond and back) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~and a ride home.
(sometimes the long way if time allowed) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">my training partner
quickly noted, "<i>that is a kick a** workout!". </i>It was but I was more impressed by its
functionality and great use of time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We got a ride
in. A 30' swim (similar to the distance and time for our 1/2 ironman swim.
he also finished a 1 minute or so before me on each end of the swim allowing
him to see my stroke and give a few pointers for the return trip). Swim cap and
goggles fit nicely into our pocket and we got a the very key swim bike brick (<i>more
on that later</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 sports, great
workout, a brick effect, in 90 minutes!! you can't beat that with a kick
board!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">bottom line here,
look for and explore all your resources, and use them! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">What
we like to see from a master swim class: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">~Instructor
that can give you tech tips all the time. <br />
~You should be focusing on tech always. esp. as you get tired near the end of
the session.<br />
~Minimal chatting at the wall. <br />
~Long sets, minimal rest. <br />
~Lots of threshold work and longer steady sets. <br />
~With the above being said MIX IT UP. doing some sessions with
some harder, all out work will make you a better overall swimmer!<br />
~A fun group to swim with!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">If
you set up any pace training zones after a test they will likely not be used in
many masters classes. However being aware of how hard you’re swimming, pacing yourself
well during the class and during long sets is KEY! This will make
you a more aware athlete. you will get more out of each class and be a faster
triathlete! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Final
thoughts</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Swimming is a
large time commitment for little real time gains in the race but realize it's a
tough, full body, very tech. sensitive sport which is first in the
race. Meaning a "Better" swim might not mean time gained in the swim
but later in the race as well!! <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Talk to your mentors,
training partners, coach and swim coach. Make a well educated
decision regarding your swimming needs and sch. accordingly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Remember everyone is
different. everyone's situation, resources, goals, fitness level, goal race. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Train YOU
before you train the race." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-72912501893619031352012-11-14T19:46:00.001+03:302012-11-14T19:46:05.913+03:30Off season training article #3<br />
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<b>Putting it all to
work. the last piece of the puzzle.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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By the time we rest get re-focused and on track again it’s
winter. Don’t despair! Before we get to specifics lets go over a few points so
we don’t get side tracked this winter. </div>
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We all have different ideas on winter training. For some it
is a vital time of year, laying the foundation for a big race mid summer or
tuning speed for the early season duathlons, Crits and road races. For some, winter will be a success if we gain
less than 10 pounds. What ever your motivations for this winter; balancing a
structured plan with a good dose of spontaneity will get you in the best form
ever, physically and mentally. </div>
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<b>Out look</b>: </div>
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If you live in the northern states or anywhere that snows in
the winter, and you’re not a pro, you simply can’t train as much in the winter.
With darkness coming around 4:30pm, fridged morning temps and icy roads it just
not possible. We won’t even get into jobs, girl friends, kids, wives, the Patriots
game schedule, etc…</div>
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So now that we are at peace with the fact that we simply can’t
put in as much time as we may want, we can focus on what to do with the time we
have. </div>
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<b>Find a Routine</b>. </div>
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With cold temps,
warm beds and stale indoor air it is easy to get “off track”. Try to find some
kind of routine. This could be one workout or rendezvous with a friend per
week. ie. “<i>every Wednesday morning John
and I run together, no matter what</i>.”
“<i>Thursday night I do the spinning
class at my gym.</i>” This one
appointment can be the back bone of your winter success. Find something that works with your schedule
so it will be easy to keep this date and not get side tracked. </div>
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This can work for you in a great way if this one workout
focuses on your weakness. I have seen athletes increase their max power by
10-14% over the course of 6 weeks during winter 2 focused workouts a week. Focus
and consistency can get us VERY far, even if our volume is low. </div>
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<b>The Bike</b>:</div>
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These time constraints really hit hard when trying to work
on your bike, especially if you are training for an early season race that’s
long. First thing to do is invest in the
proper warm clothes. Water/wind proof booties and gloves. Warm tights, thermal
cycling jacket, hat or helmet cover.
Investing in proper cycling winter gear will make your cold rides more
enjoyable, more effective, and maybe a bit longer. One trick for cold feet is
to use shoes 1 size to big and put in two insoles. And don’t jam your feet in there
with to many socks. You’ll restrict circulation and have lumps for wood for
feet in less than an hour. </div>
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The trainer can be
your worst enemy and your best ally all at once. If you are going to improve
your riding regular visits to the trainer will be a must but they don’t have to
be torture. </div>
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1. Don’t do the same thing day in day out. Mix it up with different
workouts and the amount of time you spend on it. Try something new once every 2
weeks or so. Like watching football with your buddies. 3hr’s with big gear climbs every commercial,
sprints every field goal, and hard tempo every time your team is on offence
would make even the fittest cyclist slump over the handle bars by the final 2
minute drill. </div>
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2. Keep your mind busy. When you’re not with your friends watch
TV, listen to the radio, etc. </div>
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3. Stay focused. I
have just given you ways to distract your self from your work but the best way
I find to make time fly is to have specific workout and stick to it. To the
second. Warm up, cool down, some 10 minute strength intervals, rest intervals.
You’ll find that riding for less than an hour becomes pretty difficult. <br />
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These workouts I designed for just this reason. These can
all be done in 1 hr – 90’ they are all very effective. There are a few
endurance- threshold workouts. Strength workouts and 2 tough VO2 works. Enjoy! <a href="http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/plan-author.aspx?c=GUEUMOL67E2M4">http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/plan-author.aspx?c=GUEUMOL67E2M4</a>
<br />
* click on exercise library’s <br />
<br />
<b>Take
Care</b><i>:</i></div>
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It is important that you take care of both your body and
your equipment with the same care as you would in the summer months. Proper
nutrition and stretching is vital to staying healthy and on the upward path.
Care for your bike and trainer is also a must. Just because you are not out in
the rain and dirt doesn’t mean you can just get off your bike and be done with
it. Salt will build up on your bike and trainer and will destroy both if you
don’t clean them. They will surely fail you when you need them most. <br />
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<b>Getting to you, training your weaknesses:</b></div>
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Now that you know what your weak areas are (<a href="http://erickenney.blogspot.com/2012/11/off-season-training-part-ii.html">from
fall training article #2</a>) we can get right to it! Trying to improve any weakness is not going to
come easily or quickly so now is the time to start correcting them.<br />
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The key to training your weaknesses is a two part process. <br />
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b>Break down the task at hand. <o:p></o:p></b></li>
</ol>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->There
is more to having great endurance than just pounding out the miles on the
trainer or the swimming pool. Are you training at the optimal intensity? Make
the workout <i>Quality</i> before <i>Quantity</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 42.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Endurance
(for example) has 2 parts being able to resist fatigue (pounding out the
quality miles) and <b>efficiency</b>. How much of each pedal stroke is pushing the
bike forward and how much is just moving your leg? If you are .001% more efficient per pedal
stroke, x 90 RPM’s x 60 minutes in 1 hr. for a 5 hour bike ride or race. That’s
27 % more efficiency! </div>
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<br /></div>
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OK, there is some fussy math in there but you get the point.
If endurance is some thing you’re working on you don’t necessarily have to ride
the trainer until 11pm and swim until your whole body prunes. Incorporate drills into your training. Lots
of drills. </div>
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To address this issue FP drills are key. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i>Workout #1: </i></b><i>3x5’ F.P.
Pedal as fast as you can while still being in control. 110-120 is a great range
.take 3’ rest. Build up to doing these at the end of your ride<b>.</b> <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i> </i><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Notes: This will work your Neurological durability as
well as your general “endurance” as most people think of it. Also when on the trainer realize you have no 0
time. In a bike race you may only avg.
70ish rpms per minute. And have 1/3 of
your time at 0 watts or in a recovery zone! That allot! On the trainer doing
the workout above you could avg. 100+ rpms and have 100% of your time in zone 2
and 3. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Recently I compared a team training ride with a ride a friend
did the day before. “I only had 90’ to ride” he said in disappointment. After
comparing his data with mine I noted that if you tock out the nearly 2 hours of
0 and recovery wattage time in my ride he had done the virtually same training
as me! 90’ in zone 2 and 3. You could
say mine was better because of the fatigue from the longer duration, or… one
could say his was more effective because his effort was a continuous effort
while mine had several “rest periods”…
a topic for another time. This is a great example of maximizing your
time. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Workout #2. Zone training. Do 45’ or more in zone 3 after a
good warm up/at end of your ride. Build up to 90 minutes of zone 3 time.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Notes: Bump up
the intensity! Do your “endurance” work in zone 3. Riding sub threshold has the
same physiological adaptations as riding in zones 1-2 but they happen faster.
The cost is greater fatigue and decreased repeat-ability But if you don’t have
the time to do 3+ hours every day then do it up! The key to this is doing your
Z3 work </span><b style="font-size: 10pt;">as one steady interval and
staying in your zone(no coasting</b><span style="font-size: x-small;">)! Having detailed and accurate training
zones is vital for this. A power meter is king here. This will rack up your
kilojoules (total workload) must faster than riding in a group or doing zone
1-2 and will give you maximum return on your training time. By riding in zone 3
(tempo) you could do twice as much “work” in the time given than on along group
ride. Two tips for making this work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 27.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Don’t go out
to hard <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 27.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">don’t spike
your power on hills, when you stand, etc…<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
</span></i>In a seminar I do every fall there
are 2 slides. #1 is a power file from a group ride. 3:45 long.(riding time,
more waiting for people etc.) and I accumulated 2100 kilojoules. (again just a
number of total workload). <o:p></o:p></div>
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The
2<sup>nd</sup> slide is a power file from steady tempo ride . the ride was 2hr’s
long and I accumulated 1862 kilojoules. That’s almost 900 kj’s/ hr compared to
540 kj’s / hr. now this is NOT to say
you don’t need to do the long rides. But the numbers speak for themselves. Don’t’ have time and your looking to build
some endurance. Zone 3 is your best friend! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;">
</span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Stay true to
the grand plan.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Lower intensity “endurance”
training will most likely take up much of your training time in winter. So when
training your weakness keep the overall intensity down! If you are working on
your hill climbing go easy. Find a hill with a low grade so you can work on
your climbing pedal stroke. </div>
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If you are working your sprinting
power or anaerobic endurance, work the cadence aspect of it. Short, high
cadence, spin ups are great for this. Keep
your recoveries on the long side. Let
your HR drop to Z3 or Z2 and keep the gear easy. With will allow you to work
the neurological and technical aspect of these skills with out the cost of
excess muscle damage and lactate build up. Working strength or sprint power
again here. Push out that sprint or big geared stomp hard. But again long
recoveries. This is keep the overall cost of the training session low. We’re
not looking to mimic a race here! At least not yet… </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-24300498520294708932012-11-07T17:58:00.002+03:302012-11-07T18:13:19.482+03:30Off season Training, Part II<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpqRMUnvaWPcbH0S1nDRuTq19weLb2cXMm8JBeS2O4MmTuEV4zU20WDpEULx6lZmlNkKVQH2aS4ml1-aiBzUZiMdX7CC3p1Ar_1A8eaUqUkT6usKNPLZraPWqLQismm2hAYhR/s1600/NE-RR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpqRMUnvaWPcbH0S1nDRuTq19weLb2cXMm8JBeS2O4MmTuEV4zU20WDpEULx6lZmlNkKVQH2aS4ml1-aiBzUZiMdX7CC3p1Ar_1A8eaUqUkT6usKNPLZraPWqLQismm2hAYhR/s320/NE-RR.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Time to lay out the
plans…</div>
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<br />
Your thinking “its the holidays! What could I possibly do for training??? Turkey
Carving is some of the best deltoid training there is! This will make you more
stable on the bike and resist fatigue longer! Don’t miss the opportunity. Actually I am kidding. Thanksgiving marks the
beginning on the holidays and the beginning of the long difficult road to start
training again. I myself, have fallen victim to the following scenario before.
First its time to rest, then turkey day comes along, then Christmas, Hanukkah
etc. which slams full speed into new years. Throw some travel for work in there,
a vacation and maybe a wedding (went to a new years wedding a few years back.
Best time ever) and the next thing you know its February, your turning 29.
Again. And you are barely going to get
in 6 weeks of base training before spring. </div>
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<br /></div>
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What to do? </div>
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<br />
Its time to plan. The answer here is
this is not the time to stress about training but to plan ahead. And before we can plan ahead one must look
back at the past. Looking at your past year or more of racing and training can
be the best thing you do in planning for the next season.</div>
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Here are some steeps to get you on the road to success. </div>
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1. Write down your general goals. Things that
you want to focus on in general. Ie. Become a stronger runner, spend more time
training on the bike. <br />
2. Then write down specific training objectives:
these can be precisely measured. Increase
threshold wattage to 250. Run sub 30:30
minute 10k, etc.</div>
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3. Then write down your goals, “win the state
championships”. For races write down there dates and rank them in
priority. </div>
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4. Most importantly
identify your weak areas. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span>Finding these can be harder than it seems. Here are a few methods for
analyzing your season and finding your weakness to get you started right in
2012.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Step one: Analyze Your Season<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Did you meet your racing goals and training objectives? Did
you peak when you wanted to? Did you go as fast as you predicted? These should be pretty simple yes or no
questions. Look then at your training
objectives as stated above. . They
should be measurable goals that are stair steps to you major goals. If you did
not meet your major goals of the year the answer, or at least part of the
answer, to why may be right there. As
you keep looking into why you did or did not meet your goals look at
everything: job, personal life, relationship, etc. Stress out side of the
athletic world is the number cause of people under performing. If you’re a
lawyer working 60+ hours a week and training 20 hours a week as well as being a
mother or father, you may be setting out about things in the wrong manner.
There are only so many hours in the day! </div>
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Note what worked for you and what did not. The things that
worked you will want to keep in your bag of tricks as these things will likely
work again. The things that didn’t work, get rid of them! We’ll come up with
something better!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Step two: Finding Your Weakness <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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There are 2 ways to look at this. A good starting point is
finding your weakness by the numbers. On the bike, the easiest way to do this
is test your power profile. Test your maximum power out put for 5 seconds, 1
minute, 5 minutes and your threshold power. </div>
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A power profile chart can show you where you are lacking. This
is particularly good data for the rodie. Is this written in stone? Is this the end of the road? No, but it is a good starting point. A similar
method would be to get tested in a lab.
Even if you don’t “need” the areas you are weak in they may still be
holding you back. For example, an ironman
triathlete having a weak 5 sec. and 1 minute power. They don’t need that
ability but if it is weak enough it <i>is</i>
something that will hold your other abilities back. If it is an A race specific
weakness (going to the Tour of the Gila and you’re not climbing well) then you
have work to do! </div>
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<br /></div>
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Part two of this is comparing your weakness to your
competition? “But Eric I don’t race other people I race my self.” That’s great and I applaud that self
motivation but if you want to improve the best place to look is to the people
that are better than you. For example,
in your triathlon results if you’re coming in 50<sup>th</sup> on the swim 50<sup>th</sup>
on the bike and 450<sup>th</sup> on the run time after time again working on
your running would be a good place to start. If you’re getting dropped on short
hills in bike races, short hills or 1 to 5 minute power outputs might be your
weak point. Before you make the decision
as to what your weakness is make sure you have more than one or two examples
that show your weakness. Your ranked
lowest in the run, you % loss is highest in the run,you’re your brick runs
always feel “off” compared to fresh runs. </div>
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Look at this
deeply. This is very important. Are you not running well because you’re and bad
runner OR because your swim and bike are not up to par and you’re paying for it
on the run/ at the end of the race? Are
you getting dropped on the hills because you’re a bad climber or because the
hills are at the end of the race and you have trouble there because your
threshold power and endurance is not as good as your competition? Take some
time with this, consult a coach and or trusted training partner or both. </div>
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<br /></div>
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All of this may look straight forward on paper but it’s
harder to implement than it looks. Getting some one else to give you a good
objective look at your self could be the best thing you do this fall. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Lets Put it to work! <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Now you know where you want to go and have an idea on how to
get there. You are now armed with
essential tools for planning and training for your season. <br />
1. You have you goal races down in the calendar. <br />
2. You should know what key skill and abilities you will need to meet your
goals at these events.<br />
3. You should know what weakness you have, how severe they are and if they are
specific to your main season goals. <br />
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Our next training article will address common weak areas and
discuss workouts to address them. </div>
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Happy holidays!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-19069187438976707762012-11-01T18:24:00.003+03:302012-11-01T19:46:43.788+03:30"Off" Seaon Training! What the heck does that mean?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=18229949" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=18229949" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Every Fall I
talk about the same thing. Over and over. Why? well, people
still ask, athletes still don't know, and every year there are new
athletes, new dreams new goals and new ambitions. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">last yr. I did 8 live seminars at various
locations around CO on these topics. I wrote this first article 4,
maybe more years ago. I have made some additions and updates, it
needs more updates i'm sure. This is the first of 3 articles and they address what
I feel is the most important time of year and the most
important training you will do all year! every year people ask my
clients how they are so strong in spring and how they seem to never burn out,
never get injured, and improve every single year. the next 3 articles
will get you in the right track. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi3Z5KUB_Yhhe6jDzZA8dB591fKr4jmwhMhneL1Lclna7QHDCGgIElgudXotpeuIJZL6J-iifKFoTS2kGWYXD321ic2zvh0yUn6U7AZ05et77CbTJHLXTp3T8Su3-Uk31SYwl/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi3Z5KUB_Yhhe6jDzZA8dB591fKr4jmwhMhneL1Lclna7QHDCGgIElgudXotpeuIJZL6J-iifKFoTS2kGWYXD321ic2zvh0yUn6U7AZ05et77CbTJHLXTp3T8Su3-Uk31SYwl/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It’s the “Off Season” what do I … not do? </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi3Z5KUB_Yhhe6jDzZA8dB591fKr4jmwhMhneL1Lclna7QHDCGgIElgudXotpeuIJZL6J-iifKFoTS2kGWYXD321ic2zvh0yUn6U7AZ05et77CbTJHLXTp3T8Su3-Uk31SYwl/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="float: left;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span></a><em><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> article one in our 3
part series.</span></em><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<br /> I get this question often this time of yr. “how do you NOT train?” Especially for
the competitive cyclist or triathlete who has been racing all summer, sometimes
every weekend, not training hard and racing all the time can feel very strange.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Off Season:</strong>First
off I want to stress the word “OFF” in off season. Off means Off! The
first and most important aspect of your next season is being totally fresh and
completely motivated for next season. Now is the time to start that process.<br />
Less is better here. Catch up on work, family, and drop off the bike at the
shop for a tune up. Have them check it over for cracks in the frame along with
full safety check. Racing is very hard on your equipment. The key with this
phase is to make sure you are 110% ready to start training come the start of
your program. The under trained, over motivated athlete will beat the perfectly
training under motivated athlete every time! Come the beginning of “base
training” you should be itching to train. It should be all you think about, so
when its 20 degrees and freezing rain, your pumped up and ready to put in a
solid training effort! This is also the best time to sit down with your coach
and/or teammates to discus what your goals will be for next year. How
did you perform this year? What was good? What was bad? What will have to be
different with your preparation for 20, etc<br />
<br />
<b><i>Update:</i></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ok some terms we
need to get straight. "Base" is not a verb. it is not an
type of training. it describes a time frame. some coaches
use other terms like foundation phase, etc. so just drop it from
your vocab. "Speed" is also NOT a type of training but lets
say it is. speed is relative take two athletes tell them to do
"speed work" of their choice and you will
see totally different workouts. I always say "start with
the science, then work in the real world, your resources, etc" what
energy zones are you training? what are you focusing on during the
training sessions? are you lactate threshold intervals? VO2 int.
tempo (Zone 3) work? what? start there. if you want to call it "speed
work", fine. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><strong><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Here are three easy steps for an effective off
season.</span></strong><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1. Off time<strong>:</strong> Take
an extended time of ZERO training. This will be deferent for every one. 2 weeks
for some, 2 months for others. How ever much time you need to be totally rested
and motivated to train again.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">2. Recovery: Any lagging injury’s? Bike not working
quite right for the last 2 months, been wanting to get that nagging
cough looked at. Do it!! Get a message go to the doctor, dentist, what ever you
need to do to feel 110 percent physically and mentally for the next season.
This is active recovery, taking aggressive action towards healing. These
are the most important aspects of off season training.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> 3. Maintenance training: After this you may
be ready to train but your program doesn't start for another month.
What to do? Many pro’s and age groupers alike will take part in “unstructured
training ”Its best to make is something different than your primary sport, try
something new. It will most likely improve some skills needed in your primary
sports. Just stay active, (cross training) will maintain your base fitness and,
depending on your activity, can address your weakness leaving you fit,
motivated and with stronger limiters than you had last year. A perfect way to
start your next season!!</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">4. Cross Train! Go Mt. biking , running, play
basket ball, tennis whatever you like and have put off for the
past summer. Working on stuff like this will help keep you injury free next
year.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5. Most important have fun! Do those old training
rides you did when you first started riding. Plan a trip. I have done a few
long rides with friends in the fall that have proved to be lots of fun and
great endurance training.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Update:</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I'll
be straight up. this is a bit of a teaser. Article 2 and 3
have much more substance, mush more specific "do this" and a bigger
call to action. So hang tight it's coming next week! </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18229949.post-19258796528696112152012-10-31T20:39:00.002+03:302012-11-01T18:09:26.222+03:30Triathlon World championships Grand Final Auckland, NZ<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Race report from Nadia Sullivan: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CTXjw19EECgiMs14SBLxOtQKHxE-KZpMB9bDCQsEkm2kPKsBDChw1pY4498vcF-RQ8wQWfumBJ6iGx8srKtCvR0yKYUHiWw8zHYy6z0hO0cQesVQObYnOKfAe7IkANNQnOG_/s1600/10459_4427149311837_40776248_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CTXjw19EECgiMs14SBLxOtQKHxE-KZpMB9bDCQsEkm2kPKsBDChw1pY4498vcF-RQ8wQWfumBJ6iGx8srKtCvR0yKYUHiWw8zHYy6z0hO0cQesVQObYnOKfAe7IkANNQnOG_/s320/10459_4427149311837_40776248_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It was a dark and stormy night... when I showed up for bike check-in and body marking. Lightning struck the top of the </span><a href="http://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/Attractions/Skytower.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Sky Tower</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and the steady rain became a downpour. But that's not where our story begins...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The journey to New Zealand was long and we got very little sleep in almost 36 hours. We stayed up to change our internal clocks to local time, and our hotel wouldn't be ready until the afternoon anyway. Friday, 3 days before the race, I joined a group for a pre-ride of the bike course. The course had 2 short, steep climbs with fast descents and the winds made the course much more technical, especially for anyone with aero wheels. I felt right at home! But after the ride, I felt like I might be getting sick, so I took a nap after lunch. Woke up with a fever and was barely able to sleep that night. Fortunately, Team USA brought a doctor, so we saw him right away the next morning. I got some antibiotics for a raging sinus infection and spent the day in bed. The next morning, I took a hot shower to help clear my head and blacked out. Fortunately Nick was there to rouse me, but it was clear I was really, really sick. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to race at all.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Race-day morning I was still weak and my head felt like it was full of cement. I moved slowly & deliberately through my pre-race rituals, hoping the cold ocean water would help loosen things up in my head. On the plus side, I never got race nerves!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our start was delayed a bit, but eventually they led the 90 of us down to the water and let us jump in. We were lined up along a pontoon for the start and I happened to have a good position that was on-course. When the start sounded, I shot off like a rocket, just as I'd been doing in training. I soon found myself at the front of the field and realized there was no way I could sustain such a hard effort so I backed off and joined a large pack. The swim was shaped like a "T" and the water was calm when we were between the piers. Outside the piers, the tide was strong and the waves made navigation very difficult. I stayed with my little pack but it kept getting smaller. The lifeguards were standing up in the boats, pointing the way, but even they were hard to find. When I was coming back to shore, I noticed there were very few women in front of me. The field had been shattered! I stumbled up the ramp toward the very long run into transition and struggled to stay upright since my balance was off from being sick. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Fortunately, my bike was the first one in transition so I didn't get lost! I was very deliberate about getting out of my wetsuit, every time I put my head down I thought I was going to fall over. I managed to change gear & run out to the mount line, but I don't remember getting on my bike! I didn't feel any power in my legs and my only chance for a real race on the bike was to ride smart. I gave what I had on the climbs, then let go to fly down every descent. It was a little windy, but not as much as the pre-ride, so it was a great day for a bike-handler! Anyone who got away from me on a climb was soon caught at the bottom again! And a few of them I dropped in the roundabout on top of a hill. The riders from Australia, Japan, and Mexico were having an especially hard time on the course, maybe because it was cool & windy, maybe because of the hills. I came into T2 with another American, but her dismount wasn't as fast as mine ;)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Again, I was very deliberate about putting my running shoes on, focusing hard on staying upright. I trotted out of T2, my primary goal being to have enough energy to run the entire 10K without walking. It was a flat, twisty run through the city, perfect for me! I focused on my form and worked on holding a steady pace that was comfortable. Oddly, I was feeling better as the run went on! I still couldn't breathe and something resembling a banana slug was coating my upper lip, but I still felt pretty good. A woman from Mexico caught me in the first lap and we ran step for step for a mile or so. She was breathing much harder than me so I took a few turns extra tight with a little more speed and dropped her! I even passed a few other runners! I picked up the pace more in the second lap, amazed at how good I felt in spite of being sick. It was really neat to hear the crowds calling out to the racers and cheering each country. Going into the finish, there was someone handing out US flags so I grabbed one and sprinted in. I may not have been fast, but dang it, </span><a href="http://www.triathlon.org/agegroup/finishers/12450/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">I wanted to look good at the end!</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I finished 41/88 that day. Not bad for only going at 60-70% capacity. Another American I've raced against was 6th in our category. She has a swim/bike background like me and we've been good competition for each other. I can only guess how I would have done had I been healthy. But I'm not disappointed. I gave it everything I had for the day, I knew you were all cheering for me from home!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Thank you guys for all your support these past 2 years! The Team was a huge factor in making this race possible for me. I couldn't have done it without you!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462812186027295225noreply@blogger.com0