So to start I had a great training related post I was going to share, but figure it should wait.
I'll preface in that I was up at Lake Placid for a Training Camp weekend coaching with other in Training Bible. The experience was great and a nice way to get away and enjoy some great working out with others.
so my Boss, coach and mentor, happens to know a lot of people and let Graham Frazier know we would be up there and doing a group ride. For those few who do not know him, he owns Ironman. Anyway we met him about 1/2 way through our loop, and he happens to be an elite cyclist. So my coach recommended I ride with him, and we took off.
We rode the back part of the course, and chatted about things like golf, family, and life. It was interesting that his familiarity with the course, allowed him to face me the entire ride, and tell me about things ahead that he wasn't even looking at. We rode hard, and had a great ride. And now I have sort of a cool story.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Etique?
I have been around tracks for the better part of 20 years. There are some "rules" of the way things should operate to all those there. First simple rule that is forgotten is joggers should stay to the outside. Working on sticks or blocks choose an outside lane. Those in their intervals have the right of way over those warming up.
So I am running at a local track doing my intervals. Toward the end, a group (local AAU team) shows and begins to warm up. Their two coaches in the background. Approximately 35 young men and women (7-16 years old) begin overtaking the 6 lane track. I was two intervals to completion, and they just beginning their warm up. I continued my set, and was nearly accosted, by the youth, who yelled that I should be in lane 6, when they were warming up (in the opposite direction). It seems their coach believed they needed 5 lanes to warm up, jogging for 800m?
I continued, and was forced to move in and out of the group, not one saying sorry, or excuse me. Then they began stretching drills, and spread out over the entire 6 running lanes, while other locals were attempting to get in their daily workout. I am sorry to sound gruff. I do not blame the kids, but the coaches, come on. This is a summer AAU team, and the foremost on your mind should be to teach sportsmanship and fair play. It is sad and a shame that this is what is often being taught. So we finished, and I removed my athletes.
So I am running at a local track doing my intervals. Toward the end, a group (local AAU team) shows and begins to warm up. Their two coaches in the background. Approximately 35 young men and women (7-16 years old) begin overtaking the 6 lane track. I was two intervals to completion, and they just beginning their warm up. I continued my set, and was nearly accosted, by the youth, who yelled that I should be in lane 6, when they were warming up (in the opposite direction). It seems their coach believed they needed 5 lanes to warm up, jogging for 800m?
I continued, and was forced to move in and out of the group, not one saying sorry, or excuse me. Then they began stretching drills, and spread out over the entire 6 running lanes, while other locals were attempting to get in their daily workout. I am sorry to sound gruff. I do not blame the kids, but the coaches, come on. This is a summer AAU team, and the foremost on your mind should be to teach sportsmanship and fair play. It is sad and a shame that this is what is often being taught. So we finished, and I removed my athletes.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Open Water Swim Anxiety
For many triathletes, the swim is the aspect most foreign to them. Even for those with a swim background open water swimming is a different beast. Preparing and understanding this anxiety can help you to that PR.
First key is understanding the differences. In open water, there are no walls, no lane lines, no markers on the bottom to guide you. Often the water is more difficult to see the bottom. Water temps are less constant, and there may be "stuff" to encounter. Finally when it comes to a race, people actually will get in your lane. Races can also being in a number of manners, from beach start to in water start. Longer races can have loops where you exit the water which also changes the bodies physiology. Knowing these differences exist and practicing in them, allow a calming of anxiety through familarity.
Safety. The most important thing to remember is never swim alone. Also when in new areas swim with those that know and understand the waters. Knowledge of pilings, and jettys, will save your life. Water temps are much different than in pools. Wear a wetsuit. it will give you added buoyancy plus warmth. On race day, acclimate yourself to the water before the start. In addition to wetsuits, bathing caps increase both warmth and visibility. Ear plugs, prevent swimmers ear, and increase warmth, but can limit you ability to hear.
Sunscreen Remember that your neck is exposed in a wetsuit, and will burn. Do not apply sunscreen to areas that will be covered by your goggle, or your eyes will burn. When putting on a wetsuit, using a lubricant such as body glide or suit juice will allow for easy on and off, and prevent chafing caused by wetsuits.
Whether racing or practicing know your surroundings. Study water temps and tides, and currents, so you know what to expect before entering the water. Never attempt to finish a swim against the current. Realize that visual aides to distance can be tricky when outside, don't overdo it. Anticipate changes in weather, lightning can travel for over 5 miles. Prepare for marine life, vegetation, and have safety plans. Be conscious of others using the water, boaters, fishermen, and the like. Getting caught in a line, can be painful.
When in the water if you get anxious, roll on your back, look and the sky and float. Have a prepared safety stoke breast of back, to allow you to regain your composure.
Sighting. In open water, we tend to expend the greatest amount of energy by over swimming, by moving off course. Lengthening our stroke, and sighting ever few strokes allow for regular corrections.
So find a safe area, hopefully which mimics your races, and practice open water swimming with friends.
First key is understanding the differences. In open water, there are no walls, no lane lines, no markers on the bottom to guide you. Often the water is more difficult to see the bottom. Water temps are less constant, and there may be "stuff" to encounter. Finally when it comes to a race, people actually will get in your lane. Races can also being in a number of manners, from beach start to in water start. Longer races can have loops where you exit the water which also changes the bodies physiology. Knowing these differences exist and practicing in them, allow a calming of anxiety through familarity.
Safety. The most important thing to remember is never swim alone. Also when in new areas swim with those that know and understand the waters. Knowledge of pilings, and jettys, will save your life. Water temps are much different than in pools. Wear a wetsuit. it will give you added buoyancy plus warmth. On race day, acclimate yourself to the water before the start. In addition to wetsuits, bathing caps increase both warmth and visibility. Ear plugs, prevent swimmers ear, and increase warmth, but can limit you ability to hear.
Sunscreen Remember that your neck is exposed in a wetsuit, and will burn. Do not apply sunscreen to areas that will be covered by your goggle, or your eyes will burn. When putting on a wetsuit, using a lubricant such as body glide or suit juice will allow for easy on and off, and prevent chafing caused by wetsuits.
Whether racing or practicing know your surroundings. Study water temps and tides, and currents, so you know what to expect before entering the water. Never attempt to finish a swim against the current. Realize that visual aides to distance can be tricky when outside, don't overdo it. Anticipate changes in weather, lightning can travel for over 5 miles. Prepare for marine life, vegetation, and have safety plans. Be conscious of others using the water, boaters, fishermen, and the like. Getting caught in a line, can be painful.
When in the water if you get anxious, roll on your back, look and the sky and float. Have a prepared safety stoke breast of back, to allow you to regain your composure.
Sighting. In open water, we tend to expend the greatest amount of energy by over swimming, by moving off course. Lengthening our stroke, and sighting ever few strokes allow for regular corrections.
So find a safe area, hopefully which mimics your races, and practice open water swimming with friends.
Taper, why and how much
The basic question that was forward to myself and Coach Manzi on our message board, was why do we taper, and why does it seems the intensity goes up, during a taper. I have compiled a paraphrase our our combined answers:
As we all train, we break our bodies down. We are suppose to rest to allow the muscle to build back up and tiny injuries or soreness the opportunity to heal. We generally do not do this. When you sit to plan a season you should have an idea of what your "A" race, or races are so you can build in your Taper or rest and healing period. Many of us will train through a C race, and taper only a few days for B races. Remember that in Triathlon unlike say running each individual sport generally has a different taper, because of how long the body takes to heal. Generally for most people Running taper is the longest, then Biking, then swimming. So for an Ironman, you may start your run taper a month out and your swim taper only two weeks, but each person is different.For and IM generally a taper will begin 4-5 weeks out from the race.
Volume begins to drop in approximatley 20% or so a week, but intensity of the workouts remains high, and in some cases gets higher. For shorter races the durations will decrease exponentionally. 70.3 2-3 weeks, OLY 1-2 weeks, Sprint 1 week is generally enough.The key part of the taper is rest. It allows us to heal. Becareful of your diet, as your training will decrease and some put on weight, becuase they eating doesn't change.
The reduction in volume allows us to rest in taper periods( which we call late build period or peak period). The intensity keeps us both physically and mentally ready building to race day, Intensity levels are different for the race distance that we're building to. For a sprint or Olympic distance race, it's wise to use schedule , in the taper period, workouts that build to 4 to 5a zone, this is Anaerobic or Lactate Threshold Heart Rate. In those distances the athlete will experience lactate build up, so when getting close to race day it's good to expose the athlete to what they are going to experience on race-day. Also, good w/o's for these races are lactate tolerance w/o's , where the athlete will experience lactate build up during the work intervals, sure gets them ready for that pain they will feel on race day. When training for long course races, such as 1/2 IM and THE IRONMAN, the intensity of these taper workouts will build to 3 to 4 zone, which is the very top of our aerobic intensity range. When racing at this distance we don't want to see our HR above 3 zone, with only small durations of 4 zone during the race, so no need to use anaerobic intervals as intensity workouts, better to use muscular endurance workouts for these distances (zones 3-4).
So, the intensity is kept high for a number of reasons, first it keeps mind and muscles fresh and focused. It also allows us to get our muscle memory for what race pace is. More importantly is what happens inside the body, in that the rest coupled with shorter higher intensity, allows glycoogen to store and improves blood volume and aerobic enzymes. So in effect this is like carb loading for our body. Its giving it rest, while allowing it to store and rebuild what we need to be successful.
Please contact either of us for additional information at www.trainingbiblecoaching.com
As we all train, we break our bodies down. We are suppose to rest to allow the muscle to build back up and tiny injuries or soreness the opportunity to heal. We generally do not do this. When you sit to plan a season you should have an idea of what your "A" race, or races are so you can build in your Taper or rest and healing period. Many of us will train through a C race, and taper only a few days for B races. Remember that in Triathlon unlike say running each individual sport generally has a different taper, because of how long the body takes to heal. Generally for most people Running taper is the longest, then Biking, then swimming. So for an Ironman, you may start your run taper a month out and your swim taper only two weeks, but each person is different.For and IM generally a taper will begin 4-5 weeks out from the race.
Volume begins to drop in approximatley 20% or so a week, but intensity of the workouts remains high, and in some cases gets higher. For shorter races the durations will decrease exponentionally. 70.3 2-3 weeks, OLY 1-2 weeks, Sprint 1 week is generally enough.The key part of the taper is rest. It allows us to heal. Becareful of your diet, as your training will decrease and some put on weight, becuase they eating doesn't change.
The reduction in volume allows us to rest in taper periods( which we call late build period or peak period). The intensity keeps us both physically and mentally ready building to race day, Intensity levels are different for the race distance that we're building to. For a sprint or Olympic distance race, it's wise to use schedule , in the taper period, workouts that build to 4 to 5a zone, this is Anaerobic or Lactate Threshold Heart Rate. In those distances the athlete will experience lactate build up, so when getting close to race day it's good to expose the athlete to what they are going to experience on race-day. Also, good w/o's for these races are lactate tolerance w/o's , where the athlete will experience lactate build up during the work intervals, sure gets them ready for that pain they will feel on race day. When training for long course races, such as 1/2 IM and THE IRONMAN, the intensity of these taper workouts will build to 3 to 4 zone, which is the very top of our aerobic intensity range. When racing at this distance we don't want to see our HR above 3 zone, with only small durations of 4 zone during the race, so no need to use anaerobic intervals as intensity workouts, better to use muscular endurance workouts for these distances (zones 3-4).
So, the intensity is kept high for a number of reasons, first it keeps mind and muscles fresh and focused. It also allows us to get our muscle memory for what race pace is. More importantly is what happens inside the body, in that the rest coupled with shorter higher intensity, allows glycoogen to store and improves blood volume and aerobic enzymes. So in effect this is like carb loading for our body. Its giving it rest, while allowing it to store and rebuild what we need to be successful.
Please contact either of us for additional information at www.trainingbiblecoaching.com
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Getting Back
It has been forever and a day since I've posted. Many changes have occurred, and now we are back on track. Early season has been positive so far, I'll add some race reports and photos shortly.
Have turned in my nutrition working with Dr. Rick Kattouf. I have dropped about 12 pounds of almost all fat. Have been hitting races with early season success. This has been thanks to my coach and mentor Tom Manzi who has really dialed me in this season.
We have organized weekly track workouts, and now are doing regular open water swims, check the calendar for information.
Upcoming, taking Spinning Certification Course next week and have a 10K this weekend.
Have turned in my nutrition working with Dr. Rick Kattouf. I have dropped about 12 pounds of almost all fat. Have been hitting races with early season success. This has been thanks to my coach and mentor Tom Manzi who has really dialed me in this season.
We have organized weekly track workouts, and now are doing regular open water swims, check the calendar for information.
Upcoming, taking Spinning Certification Course next week and have a 10K this weekend.
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