Improve Your Cycling Efficiency to Ride Faster

"Efficiency and energy conservation are keys to faster cycling." 

Have you ever experienced riding behind an accomplished road cyclist or mountain biker and marveled at the smooth, effortless and fluid manner in which they pedal the bike? As with anything in life, those who excel in a particular area make it look "easy," and we tend to forget the hours and hours of time and effort that went into perfecting their craft.

To the average person, pedaling a bike might seem like an activity that requires little skill or technique development. This is far from the truth, however, for the competitive cyclist or triathlete who depend on efficiency and energy conservation in order to generate maximum velocity at the lowest possible metabolic cost.

As with any skill set, the more you practice good form and technique and ingrain those movement patterns into your neuromuscular pathways, the more you are likely to perform at a higher level on race day. There are several things to think about when the goal is to improve your cycling efficiency. I've listed a few of them below for your consideration.

1. Bike Fit: The lightest, coolest and most expensive bike on the block doesn't mean a hill of beans if it doesn't fit you properly. Saddle height, fore and aft position, reach to the handlebar, cleat position on your shoes and even crank length will all play a factor in your pedaling efficiency.
     
2. Aerodynamics vs. Power: This is an age old question that all triathletes must deal with at one time or another. Cycling fans might remember Miguel Indurain (i.e. "Big Mig") time trialing in the TDF(Tour de France) on his steel Pinarello bike almost looking as if he was sitting upright on his aero bars. On the other end of the spectrum was Hour Record Holder, Chris Boardman, the creator of the now-banned "superman" position, which stretched him out on the aerobars as if he were flying, cutting a hole in the wind while low to the ground. Big Mig chose to produce more power instead of trying to get his 6'2" frame lower to the ground in an aerodynamic tuck; whereas Boardman leveraged his smaller stature and flexibility to maximize his aerodynamics. During your bike fit, determine what's best for you in terms of power output and comfort or aerodynamics.
     
3. Cadence Range: Let's face it... some athletes are "mashers" and some are "spinners." Research shows that most inexperienced cyclists tend to pedal bigger gears at lower cadences in contrast to more experienced riders who tend to pedal at higher cadences (85-95 RPM or Revolutions Per Minute). Former TDF champ and Team Telecom Rider, Jan Ullrich of Germany, was famous for mashing a huge gear-inch as he blasted to 30+ mph average speeds during Time Trials, earning him the description as a "Diesel Engine." Seven-time TDF winner, Lance Armstrong, proved that riding with an exceptionally high cadence of 100+ RPM was a good way to race a bike and win. Different athletes, different riding styles. I encourage most athletes to find a middle ground and typically, a cadence range of 80-90 RPM works best as a "sweet spot."
     
4. Drill, Drill, Drill: Perfect practice makes perfect. Every time you go out for a ride, think of good form. Focus on a fluid pedaling action with a relaxed upper body and a flat back. As the road tilts up or as you ride into a head wind, think about pulling back and up a little more, using the entire pedal stroke, which serves to unweight the opposing leg. Allow for your knees to track naturally over the pedal spindle and not to splay out. Incorporate high cadence drills of 20-30 seconds at 110+ RPM into your weekly training plan. Get very comfortable riding on your aerobars for hours on end.

I encourage every serious cyclist and triathlete to invest time and energy into improving their technique and efficiency by using the ideas listed in this article. You'll be very pleased with the results come race day!

Train smart,

Coach Troy

For several excellent indoor trainer cycling workouts designed to improve skill and technique, check out www.spinervals.com and in particular, Spinervals 38.0 - Develop Technique and Power

Spinervals supports our Wounded Warriors | Team 4MIL

In the spring of 2010, we produced a set of Spinervals Videos in Annapolis, Maryland (Spinervals Volumes 36, 37 and 38) featuring members of Team 4Mil.  Team 4Mil is a group of active and retired military, representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, racing in the RACE ACROSS AMERICA (RAAM) to raise awareness and money for the Wounded Warrior Project.  A percentage of revenues generated from the sales of these videos are donated to their organization in support of this worthy cause.  They recently won the Armed Forces Cup at the 2011 RAAM!


We are proud of this team and honored to support their efforts in helping our Wounded Warriors.  For more information about the Spinervals videos starring these athletes, click HERE.  
--------------


LETTER FROM TEAM 4MIL


Dear Troy,


Please pass on to your Spinervals and Lifesports team that, in large 
part, because of the generous support of your company, Team 4Mil was 
successful in completing our 2011 Mission. Spinervals revenue from 
the Warrior Edition has helped our finances and our ability to bring 
two wounded warriors on to the crew this year and additionally plan to 
field a team of WW for 2012 in either a mixed or fully comprised team. 
Please accept our sincere thanks on behalf of the entire Team 4Mil 
family--2011 Mission Complete! Our team of military serviceman 
competed with integrity and passion--we indeed helped define a "new 
normal" for our wounded warriors. If you have the time, please check 
out the brief photo essay (http://tinyurl.com/3rfdv4k) put together by 
our media Team 4Mil member, Bruce Buckley.

Thank you for helping us "Keep the Warrior Spirit Alive!"

.....

To our Team 4Mil Sponsors and Supporters,

Team 4Mil Wins the 2011 Race Across America (RAAM) Armed Forces Challenge Cup

Team 4Mil, an 8-person racing team, completed the 30th anniversary 
RAAM, in a blazing time of 5 days 12 hours 5 minutes (22.6 mph), won 
the 2011 Armed Forces Challenge Cup, and finished second overall. 
The team of 8 racers and 21 crew, which included several wounded 
veterans who accounted for four Purple Heart Medals, was successful in 
returning the Armed Forces Cup to the United States from the United 
Kingdom and is proud to have successfully competed in the largest and 
most competitive field of racers ever assembled to compete in RAAM's 
challenging and majestic 3000 mile course.

RAAM's Race Director, George Thomas proclaimed, ?Team 4Mil is the most 
organized squad of racers this event has ever seen?, as lessons 
learned from 2010 demonstrated that planning, training, and execution 
are key to a successful completion of the world's most challenging 
endurance race. By all accounts, Team 4Mil exceeded its objectives by 
enhancing a strong support network of financial contributors and 
product sponsors who align with the team's goals that support US Armed 
Forces participation in RAAM and support rehabilitative activities for 
our wounded veteran population. We recognize that without your 
support, we could not operate as a 100% volunteer organization. Your 
support helps us to empower our wounded veterans to "a new normal.? 
Thank you for your contribution and we look forward to expanding the 
team's activities in 2012.

In advance of the publication of our 2011 photo-journal, which is 
anticipated by October 2011, please enjoy an introductory digital 
presentation composed by Team 4Mil member Bruce Buckley. The link is: 
http://tinyurl.com/3rfdv4k

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our 
president at dan@team4mil.org or our racer captain at 
weinsteinjames@yahoo.com

Sincerely,

2011 Team 4Mil

Do this Short Strength Routine for Better Results

Resistance work is an important aspect of training for triathletes of all levels, especially as one gets older.  Focus on resistance training varies throughout the course of the year, depending on the athlete's race schedule.  In a nutshell, the in-season resistance training focus is minimized to allow for more sport specific work while the off-season offers a little more to build a solid base of strength.

For the busy triathlete (raise your hand if you're in that category!), sometimes it's the resistance training component that goes to the cutting block when time is short.  This doesn't have to be the case if you incorporate short and intense workouts into your routine 2-3 times a week.

In this short video clip, I demonstrate a short and effective upper body and core strength training routine that is advantageous to the triathlete as they approach peak volume training weeks.  All you need is an elastic cord w/handles (i.e. surgical tubing), a stability ball and 10-15 minutes.  The routine is done 'circuit style', with a high level of intensity, moving from one exercise to the other.  Repetitions are kept moderate/high in the 12-15 rep range and the intensity is high too...forcing you to work hard and elevate your heart rate while developing muscular strength and endurance.  For best results, go through this routine anywhere from two to five times consecutively, depending on your current level of fitness.

On a personal note, I frequently do this short program two or three times a week and find that it enables me to perform at a high level as a Masters triathlete despite a fairly low-volume training program and busy professional and personal life schedule.  Give it a shot and let me know your thoughts!

Train smart,
Coach Troy

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK!

Three Breakthrough Strategies to Set your Ironman PR!

I often feel that your first Ironman is the best Ironman racing experience you'll have throughout your racing career.  You have no lofty expectations other than to finish and since you don't yet understand or have experienced how badly you might feel during certain stages of the race, your naivete and ignorance help you get through the bad spots. First times for almost anything are usually always memorable, especially when it comes to ultra endurance sports racing.

As you dive further into the sport, you start developing expectations of yourself based on previous results, as do your friends, family and training partners.  You begin to analyze every detail of your training plan, race and nutrition strategy and figuring out ways to shave a few minutes off here and a few minutes off there.  Your fitness evolves quickly and you go faster as you build more aerobic base, lean down, muscle up and get dialed in on all of the latest "Go fast!" equipment.  After several years of steady, purposeful training and with around five or so Ironman distance races under your belt, you "get it" and you start to see the fitness improve at a slower rate as your results begin to level out in your "home range" of a few minutes. Sure, conditions on race day will always change a result, but the athlete who consistently finishes at around 11 hours has discovered their "Home" and will always be finishing around that same time... unless they do something extraordinarily different.  The same principle applies to even the top tier athletes.

There's a definition of insanity we all need to remember..."Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  If you're ready to break through your plateau and go to another level of performance, it's time to do something different, NOW!

Barring the unrealistic notion for most age groupers of quitting a high paying job, packing up the family and relocating to Boulder to train 'full time' with the sport's best, I have compiled three key ideas that might just help you experience a breakthrough to the next level.   (CAUTION!: The ideas expressed here are only for experienced Ironman competitors and should not be attempted by athletes new to the sport or without an appropriate training base.)

The Breakthrough Strategy Three Pack

1.  Run 7-10 Times a Week:
Frequency counts when it comes to endurance sports training. Just ask the top world class runners who run two and three times a day during certain stages of their training cycle, logging weekly mileage totals of over 120 miles.  Experiment with committing 2-3 weeks in a row with running shorter workouts of 20-40 minutes, but lots of them, including a couple days a week of "double runs" (one in the morning and one in the evening.).

2. Ride 15-20 hours in a Week:
As with the running Breakthrough, the same can be applied to cycling. If you can find the time, ride 3-4 hours daily at an aerobic endurance (zone 2-3) pace for 3-4 days in a row, take a day or two to recover and then repeat. Do this same routine one to three more times consecutively and you'll see why pro riders use stage races to 'race' themselves into peak form for the Grand Tours like the TDF.

3. Taper Longer and Harder:
I know this isn't as extreme sounding as the first two Breakthrough Strategies, but it's incredibly effective nonetheless.  Most triathletes go into their key Ironman race overly tired and feeling flat, especially the busy age group triathlete over the age of 35 who is starting to battle with father time.  Try to extend your taper a week more than normal and cut back on weekly volume more too.  It's no wonder that many athletes feel 'peaked', not on race day... but the week after the race.

Try to incorporate one or more of these three ideas into your Ironman training plan and let me know how it goes.  Remember that sometimes it's important to shake things up.  I have a strong feeling you'll experience a breakthrough performance!

Good luck and train smart,
Coach Troy
troy@coachtroy.com

Troy Jacobson is the Offical Coach of IRONMAN, the Head Tri Coach of Life Time Fitness and the creator of the Spinervals Cycling video series. A former pro triathlete in the 1990's whose "home base" was around 9 hours at the Ironman Distance, you can learn more at www.coachtroy.com

Long Distance Tri-Training Tip | "MUST DO" Interval Sessions to Avoid the Rut

While training for long course triathlon competition, falling into a training rut can be easy to do.  Long, steady-state aerobic endurance workouts in the saddle or on the run become monotonous both mentally and physically, and after awhile, motivation wanes as you ask yourself, "do I have to do yet another 3-hour bike ride?".

Building your endurance with extended moderate intensity workouts is important.  These sessions build stamina and metabolic efficiency, while also preparing your brain for the demands of an arduous day long race experience.  However, too much of a good thing can backfire on you, as some athletes discover with too many consecutive long steady-state training workouts.  It's important to mix it up and keep the body guessing  and adapting to new levels of training stress.

This is why interval training should be an integral part of your weekly long distance tri-training plan, if even in small doses.  Not only will going hard shake things up and give you much needed variety from monotonous, steady-state training, it'll also target key energy systems and recruit muscle fibers/motor units necessary to boost fitness to the next level.  The good news is that an almost endless number of interval sets can be created.  Here below are examples of a swim, cycling and running interval session I have found to be effective for long-course athletes, when performed once every seven to ten days in the 10-weeks before race day.  You can also find several other free workout ideas by clicking HERE.

Swim Workout Description
(Note: 100 base pace is the interval you can hold when swimming moderately hard/ consistent for a set of 10x100's.)

Warm up 200-300 yards (or Meters) Freestyle
Drill Set: 6 x 75 (25 right arm, 25 left arm, 25 swim) @ 10 sec. rest
3 x 50 kick (25 front / scull, 25 back / arms over head) @ 10 sec. rest
Main Set: 6 x 200 (at 100 base pace)
3 x 50 fast @ 30 sec rest
3 x 25 sprint @ 30 sec rest
Cool down 200


Bike Workout Description
(Note:  This workout can be done on a flat or rolling stretch of road but is best performed on the trainer when using a heart rate monitor or power meter.)

Warm up 10-15 minutes easy, 3 x 30 sec. 'openers' @ 30 sec. rest
Main Set:  3 x 2 min. tempo (95-100% of Lactate Threshold Heart Rate) @ 1 min. rest
1 min. recovery spin
3 x 90 sec. tempo (95-105% of LTHR) @ 45 sec rest
2 min. recovery spin
3 x 60 sec. hard (100-110% of LTHR) @ 30 sec rest
Cool down for 10-15 minutes easy


Running Workout Description
(Note: You can do this workout on a flat or rolling section of road, on the track or on the treadmill.)

Warm up jogging for 5-10 minutes easy. Perform some dynamic stretches, then jog and perform 3 x 30 sec. striders @ 30 sec. rest
Main Set: 4 x 90 sec. (5K race pace) @ 30 sec. rest (jog easy)
Jog easy for 2 minutes.
4 x 1 min. fast (10-15 sec. faster than 5K pace) @ 1 min. rest (jog easy)
Cool down 5-10 minutes easy

Hit the turbo switch weekly with a dose of interval training and you'll take your performance to the next level by avoiding the rut associated with long-distance endurance training!

Train smart,
Coach Troy

Coach Troy is the Official Coach of IRONMAN and the Head Tri Coach of LIFE TIME FITNESS. For more free sample workouts, click HERE or visit www.coachtroy.com. And to learn about the leading indoor training video collection of cycling and running workouts, go to www.spinervals.com

Insanity... Redefined. The Leadman Tri EPIC 250

"The greatest failure is the failure to try."

- William Ward 

(American Writer, 1921-1994)

Inaugural Leadman Tri EPIC 250 Trophy

Triathlon is a tough sport, no matter what the distance, and Ironman Hawaii has become the standard measure for extreme, one-day endurance sport challenges.  Now, there's a new kid on the block that takes the cake as the ultimate one-day ultra-distance race in which only the toughest survive to cross the finish line.... The Leadman Epic 250 (5K swim, 223K bike, 22K run).  This is a story of my personal experiences at the inaugural event that took place in the Nevada desert on May 15th, 2011.

I'm not 'green' when it comes to ultra-distance racing.  I did my first Ironman-distance race in 1990, the brutally hilly Lake Sunapee Ultra Distance Triathlon in New Hampshire.  So hilly was this race in fact that the run finished at a ski resort.  My second Ironman - distance was Ironman Hawaii in 1991.  The event lived up to it's reputation with the heat and the extreme winds providing the challenge, along with the long gradual 'false flats'.  Baking under the sun on the lava fields of Kona in the Natural Energy Lab portion of the run will always give me nightmares.  I've done Ironman Kona 7-times to this point.

In 2001, I did a short lived race called the Mohican Pineman, in Ohio. This small Ironman distance event included the most challenging bike leg I've ever experienced in an ultra-distance tri. The hills were steep and non-forgiving.  It's no wonder this race disappeared... it was just too hard.

Overall, I've competed at a fairly high level in 15 Ironman-distance events in my 20+ yr. career and in over 25 "half distance" races.  To date, I've never experienced an event as challenging as the Leadman Epic 250.

The concept is interesting, conceived by the Athletic Events Division at Life Time Fitness.  That is, create a one-day event in which just making it to the finish line is the primary goal for most people, focusing on the swim and bike legs and without the demands placed on the body of running a marathon.  It makes sense, because as anyone who trains for Ironman or marathons can attest to, your always walking that tight rope of injury.  This is especially the case for the typical ultra-distance endurance sport athlete who tends to be a little more 'mature', in their late 30's, 40's and 50's.  Now that you have some of the background, let's get into race specifics.

Swim start area, Lake Mead.

The host hotel and event registration was located about 30 minutes (Green Valley Resort) from the race site near Boulder City.  The night before the race, everyone gathered at the pre-race party at a restaurant near the hotel and enjoyed a carbo loading dinner of pastas and potatos.  Pros and age groupers alike attended the dinner.   Tri-Industry vets including Dan Empfield of Slowtwitch.com fame, Jan Caille (Race Director of the Chicago Triathlon) and Seton Claggett, owner of Trisports.com were there as well (Dan and Seton did the half and full distance, respectively). The mood was light, calm and enjoyable.  After all... we were all part of this new experience, and it felt more like and event than it did a race. 

The race started at 6 am on Saturday morning at Boulder Beach in Lake Mead.  With only 49 hardy souls competing in this first - ever event (Full, Half and Relay's combined), the atmosphere was very relaxed.  The transition area included astro-turf and chairs in the changing tents for each athlete. The race announcer was Jerry McNeil, an encyclopedia of athlete information, and he did a great job of adding color to the race commentary.  The pro list included Ironman Champion, Jordan Rapp, one of the top cyclists in the sport, as well as Matt Lieto.  On the women's side, Hillary Biscay and Shanna Armstrong, both former Hawaii Ultraman competitors/winners, were there as well as upstart and top IM 70.3 racer, Angela Naeth and veteran Ironman distance pro, Tara Norton.

The swim began with a mass start of all athletes in both the half and full distance.  The views of the mountains were breathtaking as the sun was slowing rising, and after the playing of the National Anthem, a calm filled the air as we all felt that we were about to do something special.  The canon fired.

Exiting the water.

The lake was calm with water temps around 68 degrees, perfect for a long sleeve wetsuit.  The swim course, dictated by the National Parks folks, was complicated with several turns (almost like a 'Z') and included two loops for the full distance athletes in which you had to exit the water after the first loop for a quick 'medical check' in which they asked how you were feeling before you jumped back into the water.  I exited the water after the first 1.55K (just over 1.5 miles) in around 40 minutes. I felt ok, but knowing that my typical swim workout is only around 1250 yds (or about 20 minutes), I was a little bit concerned about my stamina for the second loop.  I just focused on staying with a good rhythm and tried to maintain my form and must say that I was both pleasantly surprised and happy to exit the water in just over 1 hr 22 minutes.  

T1. 138 miles to go!

In the changing tent for the swim to bike, I took my time and put on socks, cooling arm sleeves sunblock. It was going to be a long day of cycling, so it didn't make sense to be too hurried.  I hopped on the bike and started out of transition up to the main road out of the park... a hard climb to start after a 3.1 mile swim!  I had my new SRM powermeter and JOULE computer installed on the bike, but it wasn't working properly.  I could see only my watts, and I was at 300-320, so I immediately dialed it back to a more modest 250 watts.  139 miles (some people measure 142 miles at the end of the bike) was a lonngggg way to ride.... something I've never done in training or a race! My strategy... have patience... be smart... don't die.

I started eating and drinking immediately on the bike because the energy required for a 5K tempo swim is considerable.  Knowing that I've struggled with cramping in the past, I had over 30 MetaSalt capsules with me, as well as several bars and gels stuffed in my jersey pockets.  

The bike course was beautiful with mostly smoothly paved roads and started off with a slight tailwind in the 'cool' morning as the temps hovered in the upper 70's.  I didn't get a chance to pre-ride the course, but I had heard rumors of the long flowing climbs and descents.  I monitored my output during the gradual climbs using my perceived effort and my power meter... keeping it dialed back below 280 watts and with my cadence in the mid-80 range.  

The bike course was very lonely and challenged your ability to stay focused on this long day. With so few competitors and with such a tough terrain, things spread out very quickly.  Aid stations were a welcomed site every 15 miles or so, as were the USAT Race Officials on their scooters, as well as the race photogs and the few spectators who went out on the bike course to see their athletes race.  Long descents at 35 mph flowed into equally long climbs at 15 mph.  The day was heating up and the winds were starting to pick up as we headed north to the Valley of Fire.

At around mile 60 and now over 4.5 hours into the race, the layers start getting peeled off slowly and surely.  What started out as having high energy and being in a good mood starts to nose dive slowly as the blood sugar destabilizes, the heat picks up and your body becomes generally uncomfortable at all levels.  That, plus knowing that you're not even half way through the bike plays games with your mind. It's time to start digging into your 'suitcase of courage' at this point.

As I enter the Valley of Fire (A state park), I'm so impressed with the beauty of my surroundings but focused on my 'gauges' and keeping myself together.  The first significant climb is about 1/4 mile long at around a 16% grade. I stood to climb as my worn down quads (and very sore knees) barked at me with huge loads of lactic acid burn.  I was burning my matches, and still had many more miles to go in the Valley of Fire with these short but steep climbs before the turnaround.  I saw Jordan Rapp in the lead heading back at this point and was extremely impressed with his riding abilities.  Matt Lieto was not too far behind him at this point, but looked a little tweaked (he ended up dropping out due to 'exhaustion').  

Once out of the Valley of Fire (thank you Lord!), it was back to the gradual false flats and extended climbs.  Unfortunately, the course profile had us going uphill more on the way back... into a stiff headwind!  You see, the slight tailwind in the morning had increased intensity as the day wore on and began blowing steadily stronger and gusting.  I was grinding the uphills in my small ring / 25 going 12 mph and going downhill at times only slightly faster.  Life was not good, especially with a disk wheel as the bike was all over the place.

Temperatures were riding into the mid-90's and I started feeling twinges of cramps starting to happen in my inner quads. I'd been following my electrolyte and nutrition regimen pretty close to plan, consuming my metasalt capsules like Pez and drinking as much as possible, and was frustrated by my body starting to let me down.  I noticed that whenever my power crept over 270 watts on the climbs, I'd start to feel the 'twinge' of a cramp coming on... so I kept my climbing power in the 250 watt range to play it safe.  Turned out to be a smart move.

As the winds picked up even more, I hit mile marker 100 on the bike. It was sort of a sinking feeling knowing that there was another 40 or so miles of suffering to endure before hitting the run.  At mile marker 110, I thought that the Ironman bike would be over in a couple miles.  I hit the 112 mile point in over 5 hours 30 min... my PR on the bike at Ironman Canada, a mountainous course, is 4hrs 45min. Ugh.  The biggest fear I had was going into full-on cramp mode and once your in it, it's hard to escape. I was riding with that fear the rest of the way and slamming 3 metasalts at a time every 15-20 minutes, hoping to keep my shit together until the run.

T2. Glad that's over with!

Once I hit mile 130, I was just pissed off. The wearing down of the day's effort was taking it's toll on me and as anyone who does this stuff knows, you get irritable and a little angry.  I was mad at the wind, the heat, my bike, my legs, the race director for creating this god-aweful bike course and the VP of Athletic Events at LTF, Ken, for 'suggesting' that I do this damn race. :)  I kept it steady and tried to remain focused on my cadence. I finally hit the bike to run transition with a  7 hrs 14 minutes (19.1 mph) bike split. Get me off this f'ing bike!

I was stiff and my knees hurt so much. I felt my age and wondered how I was going to run 14 miles.  I sat in the transition tent and the volunteer did a great job helping me get my run gear on.  I shuffled out of the tent and my left knee forced me to limp/jog out of transition.  I wasn't going to quit, so I wondered if this run would cause me long term damage to my knee.  (My years of playing football and wrestling as a kid through college and then my years of triathlon racing/training have taken their toll on my joints).  Who cares, I thought..."this is Leadman and it's about persevering and getting to the finish line at ALMOST any cost."  The first part of the run out of transition was uphill and about 1/2 mile, similar to the old start out of T2 at the Kona Surf in Kona... for any of you who remember that.  Not fun and I shuffled slowly.

Limping out on the uphill shuffle to Boulder
City

Once up the hill, you go onto a path for the point to point run that ends at the finish line in Boulder City. Again, to add insult to injury at this point, the wind was a headwind as you ran up this gradual uphill grade.  It wasn't super steep, perhaps only 2-4%, but at that time of the day and with so many hours of swimming and cycling in your legs, the effort was significant.  I stopped at the aid stations to take my time and drink while taking my metasalt capsules.  I was so crusty with dried salt, it was unbelievable to me. Fortunately, the cramping situation was still under control.

The run wound up to the Hoover Dam area as we ran through the tunnels on the rocky trail of the out and back portion. The views were spectacular, when I took a second to enjoy them periodically.  After over 8 hours of racing in the heat and wind, I finally had to stop and pee. NOT GOOD! Despite my efforts to consume upwards of 50-60 fl oz / hr on the bike , I was sooo dehydrated.  The dryness of the desert and the winds suck the moisture out of you like as vacuum. It's incredible.

Once back on the pavement and concrete, we continued to wind our way uphill to Boulder City. The uphill grade and the headwind was relentless and it was difficult to really stride out... I'll call it the Leadman shuffle, as it was more of that than a run.  At mile 13, you could look up and start to see the area of the finish line.  Unfortunately, it was up a hill that I thought was just a cruel joke placed there by the race directors and that someone would come up to me and say, "Just kidding! You don't have to run up there... run down this hill instead!".  Nope, most of the final mile was uphill, damn them! I continued to shuffle. My run time, 1:52:31 (8:12 min./mile)

I crossed the finish line in 10 hrs 33 min 24 sec, good for 3rd overall.  It was the hardest race I've done in my life in terms of course terrain and the elements.  

Stick a fork in me... I'm done!

I want to thank my girlfriend Jen, for her unconditional support throughout the day and during my training. I wouldn't have attempted it without her being there.  I also want to thank Chuck (aka Chuckie "V"), a fellow pro competitor from the 90's who raced head to head with me on many occasions, for his support on the course as he cheered for his athlete and winner of the female div. (And 2nd OA), pro Angela Naeth.  Finally, I want to congratulate everyone who had the guts to take on the Leadman on short notice (the race was announced about 8-weeks ago!), and especially those who crossed the finish line.  It was an EPIC Day. Congratulations! 

I'm so proud to be a LEADMAN now. It's a new badge of courage that everyone passionate and dedicated to the sport of triathlon must have on their list of accomplishments.   I hope that you become one someday too.

Best wishes,

Coach Troy

Dried salt on back and shorts at finish line.

For photos, complete race results and other information, visit www.leadmantri.com

Ironman Training Tip | 10 Weeks until Race Day!

Training for an Ironman is really a year-round process. The best athletes commit several years to perfecting their 'craft' before reaching their true potential.  Long course endurance athletes need to develop their physiology to handle the stresses of training and racing the Ironman (or other long distance tri's) and it takes time and patience.


In this short video, I talk to my athletes as if they are 10-weeks from race day and discuss the need to develop a consistent weekly pattern of training, as well as to monitor themselves carefully for signs of over reaching and over training.  It's a delicate balance between pushing to achieve your potential and getting sick and injured.  Sometimes, it's better to toe the line healthy and slightly undertrained than to be on the edge and overcooked!

I hope that you can use this tip and the many others out there that we offer when navigating the rough waters of Ironman distance training and racing.  If you'd like more information about my affordable 16-Week Ironman Distance and 70.3 Training plans leveraging the TrainingPeaks coaching platform, click here.  Feel free to email me your ideas, fears or thoughts at troy@coachtroy.com.

Train safe and Train smart,

- Troy
www.coachtroy.com

F-16 Flight Prep

Tomorrow is one of the scariest and most exciting days of my life.  I get to take a ride in an F-16 Fighter Jet! Today was pre-flight prep and training, including getting fit with my flight suit and going through 'egress training' (i.e. how to eject from the cockpit).

This morning I had to go through a medical clearance exam at Davis-Monthan Airforce Base. The Lt. who escorted me to the doctor's office was fantastic (as has everyone been in this process)... very professional with a good sense of humor.  He's hopeful to be a fighter pilot someday.  The nurse was great too and also had a great sense of humor.  I almost felt like people were looking at me and thinking, "you poor S.O.B. ... you have NO idea what you're getting in to.".  I must have heard from 5 different people to eat bananas in the morning since they taste the same coming back us as they did going down.  Nice.

After medical, we went to the Jet hangar area where I had the honor to meet the wing commander and the pilot who'll be flying the fighter.  I hope he liked me... my life is in his hands tomorrow, literally.  I hear the pilots have little side bets with each other for 'incentive flights' like mine, especially with civilians, to see how long it'll take them to get us to throw up and/or pass out.  Nice.  I'll be quick with both, i'm sure!

Next was to get fit for my flight suit, helmet and harness, followed by egress training in a cockpit simulator.  The seat can eject the rider 300 ft in the air and deploy a parachute all within 1.8 seconds, incredible! I hope I won't need to use my new ejection skills.

I am extremely excited but also equally as nervous. You see...I'm not a big fan of roller coasters and when turbulence starts to hit a commercial flight I'm on, I get a little green. Tomorrow , for me, is like taking on my biggest demon.... kinda like doing the Leadville 100 Mtb. race again. ;)   I hope my dramamine and ginger cookies do the trick.

Wish me luck and please send me positive mojo! I'll update my blog again after the flight... If I survive. :)

Troy

Playing with Pain!

Frozen peas on my bad knees for 10 minutes
after my run.

Ugh, does it ever seem like a chore just to get out of bed in the morning?  What about standing up to get out of a low sitting chair?  If you are a competitive athlete, you deal with the consequences of pushing your body beyond its normal limits everyday. For those of you with the attitude that you’d rather “wear out than rust out”, keep reading.

I grew up playing football.  From the age of 10 through my freshman year in college, I spent the fall and winter months on the practice field and playing games.  While many practices were focused on teaching the fundamentals of proper tackling and blocking techniques at ‘half speed’ (not full contact), most were at full speed with ‘live’ drills and scrimmages.   Games were “all or nothing” physical confrontations with the other team’s players.  And even though we were well protected with helmets and pads, minor injuries were a common and expected outcome of playing football.   As a little kid, you learned quickly that you needed to ‘play with pain’  (minor pain, not serious injury) to gain the respect of your coaches and your teammates.  The kids who couldn’t handle it either sat on the bench or were quick to quit football and join another sport.  Mental toughness, focus, discipline and the importance of teamwork were attributes drilled into our little brains.

When I finally ended my football playing days after my freshman year in college at a Division II school, I jumped right into triathlon.  I learned quickly that many of the same skills I had learned being a “hard-nosed” football player (a term used for being tough on the field) could be applied to the competitive triathlete.  To race well, you need to drive yourself during training, tolerate various levels of physical discomfort and train when weather and other conditions are not ideal. (Who likes diving into that cold water for swim practice at 5 am or heading out for a cold, wet training run?).   You also have to deal with a slew of aches and pains that might force a ‘normal’ personal to call-in sick and stay in bed all day.  This is what I consider playing with pain… working through minor aches and discomforts in order to continue progressing your fitness to that next level.  The question every triathlete driven to succeed needs to ask themselves is “how much pain is too much pain and when does pushing through pain actually create additional problems?”.

Unfortunately, there are no black and white answers to this question as it must be dealt with on an individual basis.  To help arm you with bigger decision making muscles, I’ve asked for some feedback from Dr. Mark Klion, a multi-time Ironman finisher, Orthopedic Surgeon and creator of the BodyWorks MD Injury Prevention and Treatment DVD Series and Tony Schiller, a former pro and top Masters triathlete. 

Let’s face facts; young athletes have it easy.  You used to be a young athlete, so you know what I mean.  They can load huge volumes of training on their bodies and adapt quickly with little or no repercussions.   A young athlete can even get away with having poor technique and avoid injury, but this all changes as an athlete ages.  As noted by Tony Schiller, older athletes (we’ll say 40+ for the sake of this article), don’t have that same luxury.  Even though the aging athlete still thinks they are 10, 15 or 20 years younger and might even feel that way, their bodies tell a different tale (not to mention the mirror).  As such is the case, the aging athlete must work harder to avoid injury by changing their perception of how much volume and intensity to incorporate into their plan while also focusing more on good biomechanics.  Tony said,  “... the biggest mindset change you (the aging Masters athlete) need to make is from a "volume-based" workout schedule or plan to a "recovery-based" workout plan. This goes against everything we've always done. You still can outline your ideal volume planner, but give it far more time to achieve than your past schedules allowed. Then humble yourself by not carrying it out in a pre-set schedule of days/weeks/months. Instead, let your body dictate its own schedule based on when it's recovered. In other words, the 100 mile ride you might have done while tired and sore at age 30 gets delayed as many extra days as are needed until your fatigue lessens and your energy returns.”   

This is a great prescription for reducing your chance of incurring a debilitating and season ending injury. But what about the normal, day to day aches and pains that most every serious, hard training athlete must endure regardless of age?  Using my own example, I am aware that every run I take can be the one where I land funny and tweak one of my (bad) knees or get an awkward strain in my hip.  Post workouts, especially long or intense sessions are almost always followed by residual soreness in various areas of my body for the following 48-72 hours.  How do we manage these consistent and minor, yet potentially devastating aches and pains?

Dr. Mark works with competitive athletes from various sports at all levels. One of his ‘red flags’ to look for is swelling in the injured area. Swelling indicates the surrounding tissues are damaged and likely requires immediate attention.  In most cases, trying to ‘train through’ pain that causes swelling is a very bad idea and can only lead to further complications down the road.  On the other hand, discomfort that lessens after warming up might be a sign that one can continue with their training, but only at a lower intensity and by taking precautions like running on a softer surface or spinning a lighter gear on the bike.  It’s my experience, both as a coach and as an athlete dealing with discomfort from training, that most of these nagging “ouches” ebb and flow depending on the day and how hard the training has been over the past 48-72 hours.  Following the good doctor’s advice, I have found that icing the affected area for 10-15 minutes several times a day (never applying ice directly to the skin!), elevating the limb, using compression technology, light post workout massage, strengthening the surrounding muscle groups through resistance training and taking ibuprofen as needed (or with a prescription from your physician to knock out inflammation) all keep the machinery in good working condition. And don't forget stretching for greater flexibility. A good pre and post workout stretching routine is a must for any serious athlete. (A topic for another article. In the meantime, check out our series of Flexibility Videos.)

Based on the valuable insights given by Dr. Mark and Tony, I suggest that all athletes look carefully at their training plan and make sure there are rest days and lower intensity ‘active recovery’ days scheduled throughout, and frequently.   Also, especially in the case of the aging athlete, consider hitting your weekly training volume goals over a 10 or even 14-day period, rather than the typical 7-day cycle.  Add an extra day or two of recovery training after a hard session.  Train intuitively and don’t just finish a workout in order to be able to log the miles for the sake of logging miles.  If you feel like you need a day (or few days) of rest, it’s probably because you do.  And don’t over race.  Listen to your body because it’s always going to tell you something.

Also, spend more time working not only on your conditioning, but on your technique in each sport. By doing so, you’ll improve your efficiency of movement and will use less energy to cover a given distance. This is especially important to the Ironman and other long distance endurance athletes.  Remember, it’s not just about how big your engine is and how much horsepower you can produce … it’s how you use it, so developing better technique and efficiency is a key to success.

In summary, all competitive athletes must learn to deal with some level of pain and discomfort. This means ‘playing with pain’ much of the time.  The smart athlete plays with pain, but also does everything possible to manage it and to minimize its negative consequences on their health and performance.

I want to thank Dr. Mark and Tony for their contributions to this blog.  If you’re injured, were injured or are planning on becoming injured some day in the future, check out his line of DVDs at www.bodyworksmd.com.  And if you’re a stud triathlete who lives in the upper mid-west, just know that if you’re beat by a man almost twice your age, it’s probably Tony. Learn more about him at www.tonyschiller.com

Good luck and train smart,

Coach Troy

www.coachtroy.com

My 2010 IMAZ Race Report

Hi All.

Race morning at IMAZ 2010

Just a quick race report about my Ironman Arizona experience. 

First, i'd like to thank everyone who shot me texts and emails of encouragement, well wishes and congratulations.  It really means a lot to me. :)

As many of you who read my blog know, this was sort of a 'throw away race' where I didn't have high expectations due to my crash and then surgery in August.  Training has been minimal as I rehabilitated my broken body... and just 8 or so weeks ago my form of exercise was a daily 60 minute brisk walk and it was just 3.5 weeks ago that I could start swimming again.  My expectation of the race was to simply participate, renew my enthusiasm for Ironman and to gain experience at the distance again.  Just being able to toe the line was a blessing and one I didn't take for granted.  Finishing was the goal, with being 'competitive' a distant aspiration.

Truth be told, I knew I had a good fitness base , despite my set-back, due to my training and race results in the first half of the season.  My 4:11 and 7th OA at Racine 70.3 showed me that I had the 'props' to be competitive at a high level again... but as many of you know, when it comes to Ironman racing, all bets are off.

The race started with abnormal weather conditions for Phoenix, cold and windy. The water temps were in the low 60's, making for a very uncomfortable entry into the water. I looked up as I was treading water and freezing my booty off...thinking, "hmm... did I do the right thing by racing today?".  I was concerned about my swim conditioning, but confident that I could soldier through it slow and steady.  The gun went off, and the cold water and realization that the day was finally here made me panic for a moment. What a horrible feeling...panicking in the middle of a mass Ironman start! I treaded water for a moment, collected my wits and then started along... not a great start.

I finally got into a rhythm and felt ok, gliding along at a steady and comfortable pace.  I just wanted to get out of that water! After the turnaround of the 2.4 mile swim, I felt that this was doable and picked it up a little. The arms were getting fatigued, but I was under control.  I exited the water stiff, cold and totally disoriented from the cold water and my feet felt numb, like stumps. I couldn't believe it when I saw my watch and a 1:01.  Nice.

I took my time in T1. No reason to hurry. I headed out on the bike and noticed well wishers and my people there to support me. That was nice.  As I started out, I immediately started taking in some electrolytes and calories. My biggest fear was now cramping... forget the cold and looming storms. 

Out on the first loop of the 3 loop bike course, I took it very easy.  Guys were passing me left and right, but that was ok... I was racing strategically and within myself. With age comes wisdom. :)  The 'outbound' on beeline hwy was fast with a tailwind but the way back was into the headwind. I maintained a comfortable rhythm with my cadence around 85-90 rpms and speeds hovering around 22 mph.  I never let my ego dictate my pace, which is something I used to do in my 20's. 

Lap 2 was faster for me as I was better warmed up.  My speed ticked up a little too, as I continued to hydrate well and eat well. Guys who had passed me within the first 40 miles of the bike were not coming back to me.  You can't fool mother nature... they were burning through their matches early... I was focused on conserving mine for the run.

Lap 3 was more difficult to maintain speed as fatigue was looming in my legs... but I was still very much in control. My 3 laps were pretty even split... a near perfect race so far. I got off the bike with 4:56 split and was very surprised and pleased.

T2 was difficult however. I was very stiff and hobbled into the changing tent. I felt my age, ugh!:)  I again took my time changing, hit the porto-potty for a pee (which seemed like it lasted forever!) and then hobbled onto the run.  My support crew was cheering me on, so that picked me up, along with so many spectators yelling, "Go Coach Troy!".

It took me a solid mile or two to get loose and into my stride, but once I did, it felt great! I started thinking that I could have a very competitive day.  My legs were turning over at a 6:45 min/mile pace and I was holding back so as not to blow up. I was downing huge amounts of electrolytes too... to avoid my nemisis, leg cramps. 

After the first of 3 loops, I had taken the first place in the Masters division and knew I was having a good day and perhaps contending for an overall podium slot for the age groupers.  I was steady and controlled, but knew that the wheels could fall off at any moment.  At the half marathon point, I was just under 1hr 30 minutes and the idea of breaking 3 hrs for the marathon started to become more of a reality... something I'd never done in my 15 previous Ironman races as a younger athlete.

At mile 16, I started feeling that all-to familiar feeling of Ironman running fatigue and pain in the quads, like a knife being stabbed in them with every step.  I focused so hard to maintain a bounce in my stride, a key to Ironman marathon running success.  My thought was just to maintain my pace and hold things together to the finish line... where was that darn finish line!

At mile 24, I knew I could hold things together and that I'd be just over 9 hours. I remained focused and suffered at my threshold of pain to maintain pace. As I ran down the finish chute area, I saw my little girls, Hope and Chloe, in the grandstand and stopped to give them each a kiss. What a great feeling to have them there to see daddy accomplish an important goal. They are only 7 and 3 yrs of age, but I hope they remember that moment as much as I will.

I crossed the line in just over 9hrs 6 minutes, good for first masters and 2nd Overall in the Amateur race.  Mike Reilly said, "You are an Ironman", it it felt good to hear again.  I was wisked over to do a quick post race interview with Ironmanlive and Greg Welch, and then reunited with my support crew and then my kids for awhile.  I was so happy and surprised with my result, I can't tell you. In particular, I ran a 2:59:55, finally breaking that magical 3 hr barrier at the age of 41...go figure!

 Overall, the race result was totally unexpected! My take home lesson, one that I've preached for a long time with my athletes, is to build your base and go into key events with very fresh legs.  Training is a year round process.

I accepted my slot to Ironman Kona in 2011 and will have that race in the back of my mind all year now. It'll be good, regardless of my end result, to compete against the best in the world again now in 'chapter two' of my life long tri career as a masters athlete. :)

Again, I want to thank everyone who supported me, cheered for me and wished me the best.  I look forward to hearing about your future race successes too. :)

Train smart,
Coach Troy

New Spinervals taped in Annapolis, Maryland

We have new Spinervals DVDs 'in the can'! These new titles, volumes 36 - 38.0 in the competition series, are scheduled to be released in October 2010.

We shot these new titles at the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Annapolis, Maryland. We were able to videotape outside, overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. The set was great, with a sunny day and boats off in the background.

The first workout featured Team 4Mil. This is a group of active military personnel who are doing RAAM (Race Across America) to support the Wounded Warrior Project. 10% of the revenues generated from this DVD goes to the cause. The focus of the workout was on threshold and building your TT pace.

The next video was one combining threshold and V02max training. It featured 34 athletes from the Annapolis Tri Club and the Annapolis Bike Racing Team, all wearing their team kits.

The last video was a combination technique and power development workout, again featuring athletes from the local cycling and tri communities.

Overall it was a great day and the athletes showed a lot of passion for cycling!

Our next videotaping takes place in mid-May in Las Vegas at Lake Las Vegas resort! We're partnering with Iron Girl to produce two new workout featuring Iron Girl racers. If you're interested in being selected to participate, send your bio to judy@ironman.com asap!

That's all for now.
Train smart!
Coach Troy

Cycling in the Cold Rain

For 39 years I lived in Maryland and for about 20 of those years was a year-round outdoor cyclist, except in the very worst weather conditions. I can't even begin to tell you how many hours I've spent riding (and running) in crappy weather, from high winds to driving snows to cold rainy days...suffering for my 'art'. Of all the crappy weather I mentioned, the worst to me is cold rain.

I love Tucson for its weather...it's one of the reasons I relocated here from Maryland. 300+ sunny days a year with short winters where temps rarely dip under freezing (at night) and precipitation is low. It's truly a great cycling destination as each winter, pro teams and cycling enthusiasts from around the country come here to enjoy the high desert scenery and outdoor lifestyle.

So, today it was 64 degrees, winds in the low teens from the north and overcast with a 20% chance of rain in the afternoon. Not bad... so I got ready for my 30 mile aerobic training ride, wearing knickers, a thermal long sleeve cycling jersey and toe warmers...perfect clothing for a mild day. In looking at the sky, something told me to bring my rain jacket too.. just in case. The drizzle started to pick up as I rolled out of my neighborhood. As I got out to the main road (Oracle Road) and started to head north, the rain started coming down hard and the temperature started to drop precipitously. The winds also started to pick up too, driving the rain and me back as I headed uphill and north into stiffening headwind with occasional gusts. I was wet and cold to the core and started to shiver. Thankfully, I had that rain jacket and a base layer on underneath my jersey. My legs were soaked, but the knickers covered my knees, providing a little bit of needed warmth.

After 1.5 hrs on the road freezing my bootie (my 2 year old's favorite word) off, I made it back home. My fingers were so cold and numb, I had to get my 6 year old to help unzip my jacket and take my gloves off. After defrosting in a hot shower, I found out that the temperature had dropped from the mid-60's to 53 degrees and the winds were gusting to over 20 mph. Being cold and wet on the bike is no fun, don't you agree?! It's amazing how quickly and dramatically weather conditions can change here in the desert at this time of year... wow! It seems to be par for the course here lately as last week at camp climbing Mt. Lemmon, we went from comfortable 60 deg. temps at the base of the mountain to cold winds and temps in the upper 30's (with snow on the ground) at mile marker 17 and above!

My 'coaching moment' here is to remind you to always be prepared for changing weather conditions when there's even a slight chance of it. You're better off overdressing with multiple layers that can be peeled off (and carrying a rain jacket) then under dressing and risking hypothermia, or worse! Also, always have a contingency plan... or choose a route that enables you to get back home quickly if needed. For example, today I should have ridden for 45 min. - one hour and then hopped on the trainer (doing a spinervals of course!) for the balance of the time.

Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny and 70 degrees here... I'll be carrying a wind vest and arm warmers 'just in case'!

- Train Smart,
Coach Troy

That 'A HA!' Moment & Bike Fit

I was out for a short recovery ride after my long run today and thought about bike comfort and riding efficiency. That's kind of a geeky thing to think about I realize - but hey, I do this stuff for a living!

Any way, I was riding my 2006 Litespeed Vortex with DA, Zipp 404 rear (w/powertap) and Mavic Carbone front with my Profile clip-ons thinking, "Man, this bike set up fits me like a glove!". It's a nice feeling when you feel 'dialed in'.

The truth is that it takes a ton of trial and error to find that 'right' fit. I know there are lots of formulas out there, as well as experts in the bike fitting industry, but I feel that the best fit comes from trial and error and seeing what works best for you. Certainly having a good baseline fit is important, but after that it's important to tweak your position incrementally until you have that 'a ha!' moment. Some people just go by the advice of their fitter... taking it for gospel and think, "hey, if he (or she) says this is how it should feel, I guess this is the perfect fit for me!". Well, that couldn't be further from the truth because no matter how experienced, smart and well-educated that fitter is, he/she still doesn't walk around in your skin. Make sense?

So, the moral of this story is to establish a good baseline fit with the help of an expert but be prepared to then ride with your wrenches for subtle tweaks here and there until you feel the bike fits like a glove... just like my Vortex does right now. :)

Train smart,
Coach Troy

Setbacks suck. Being sick sucks. Getting sick is a part of life, and for most non-athletes, being sick means missing a few days of work while they recover by resting. For athletes however, getting sick can have a huge negative impact on training progress,momentum and competitive goal achievement.

Early last week, my youngest developed a case of pink eye and a cough. It seems that when the pre-schoolers get sick, the parents do too. I've had flu-like symptoms now, going on four days. Sore throat, coughing, night sweats (and day sweats), 'achy' muscles and dizziness are just a few of my problems. Training this week has been next to nothing as I try to rest enough to kick this bug. I'm not one to go to see the doctor unless I absolutely have to , but it looks like I might be making a visit soon to get some medication. Ugh... put me out of misery!

I'm curious to know how others handle illness and training?

I have always taken the approach that rest is key, because you want to bounce back to 100% health asap. Training at all when sick, if it's even possible, seems to prolong the illness, unless you have a simple head cold and you keep your intensity/volume low. When it's time to return to training, using a sensible approach is important. The first couple of days back should be light aerobic and fairly low volume. My experience is that it takes a day or two to get your groove back. The worst thing to do is try and 'catch up' for lost training volume as this could lead to another set back like an overuse injury or even getting sick again.

Getting sick around the time of an important race is a REAL bummer. I've tried to 'race through' an illness before and it's always had negative results. It's probably a wise decision to scratch if you are ill a few days before a race. After all, you race to perform your best and when sick, you're never at 100%. Worst yet, you can dig yourself into an even deeper hole as the intensity and effort on race day can seriously compromise your immune system even further - especially long course racing!

So, I'm hoping to bounce back in a couple of days and get my mojo back. Until that time, please stay healthy and keep your training momentum.

- Coach Troy

Back in the Groove & Spinervals 100.0?

Getting back in the groove after my trip to Louisiana for the Strength & Conditioning conference and tri clinic. It was a great time ... I really enjoy giving clinics for small groups and interacting with athletes from different parts of the country. I've been conducting workshops, camps and clinics since 1995 and I can say with certainty that endurance athletes, as a whole, are the nicest people. Most everyone is energetic, focused and motivated to 'raise the bar' and achieve personal goals. Very cool!

Speaking of achieving personal goals, we recently released three new Spinervals workouts in the competition series... numbers 33, 34 and 35.0. One of my personal goals is to reach 50.0 over the next three or so years and 100.0 over the next 15 years! Another goal is to produce 'community' spinervals workouts in each region of the country. So far, we've done a ton in the Mid-Atlantic and upper Mid West, featuring athletes from those regions. I hope to broaden our scope over the next couple of years, hitting the south west and north east regions, as well as others.

As for training, the past 5 days have been pretty low key due to travel and other obligations. I hope to boost my training volumes this week, especially on the bike. Swimming? Well, to be honest, I have not been in the pool for quite some time... several weeks now in fact. On the bright side, I have been using my stretch cords for dryland swim training 4-5 days/week and feel myself getting stronger, so all is not lost. I know... get my butt in the pool! :)

Train Smart,
Coach Troy

Strength Conference & ideas for training when "On the Road"

Just getting back from a great weekend at the Strength and Conditioning Summit at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. This event, brought to reality by the faculty and staff at the University and spearheaded by Dr. Lisa Colvin (a top age group triathlete at the Olympic distance and former athlete of mine) brought in the top Strength and Conditioning Coaches in the country to present on various topics and the latest research in the field. NFL luminaries we're all over the place including several coaches with Super Bowl victories. Coach Dan Reeves, formerly a coach with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos was the keynote speaker on Friday night and Chris Mortensen of ESPN was the speaker yesterday at a luncheon. My role was to talk about multisport training plan development concepts and ideas, and then to run a short cycling and swimming clinic on Saturday morning. It was a great event and an honor to be invited to present. Oh, and the jambalaya was incredible!!

As any of you who travel for work can attest, traveling makes it hard to focus on your training. Obligations for work, restaurant food, time in the airport and getting from one place to another, flight delays, busted or overcrowded treadmills at the hotel gym, etc. make the best conceived plans to train consistently go the wayside at times. I've learned to live with the uncertainty of if - or when I'll get my training done when I'm traveling for work, but sometimes it can be frustrating.

I have a few strategies that do seem to work I'll share with you:
1. Get the training done early in the morning before the workday begins. Evening obligations with co-workers and/or clients usually prevent any late day workouts from happening.

2. Plan in advance. Try to call ahead to make sure the hotel has a decent workout facility or if there's one nearby. Many hotels will have a relationship with a nearby health club, like a Life Time Fitness.

3. Bring stretch cords. I do some dryland training in the hotel room with my cords to take the place of swimming.

4. Run, run, run. Running is my focus when I travel. I try to rack up some good run volume on the 3-4 days I'm on the road, and then focus on the bike before and after the trip for a few days.

5. Stationary bikes. Where there is a good stationary bike, I focus on short workouts and using big gears / low cadence for strength maintenance. (Example: w/up 5 minutes, 10 minutes of 'grindn' it out' at 60-70 rpms, 5 min cooldown).

6. Eat 'healthy'. It's so easy to overdo the calorie intake when on the road. Breakfast for me will include a bagel / cream cheese and perhaps a little bit of egg at the hotel breakfast bar. I'll snack on an energy bar, like a Clif bar or other organic product. Lunch will include a sandwich, fruit and maybe a salad. Dinners can be difficult depending on where and who you eat with, but I try to keep it simple with a piece of chicken, fish or steak and a plain baked potato (that's it!).... oh, and an adult beverage or two. I find that a simple diet plan keeps me going until I can get home and back into my normal eating routine.


So, traveling makes training for competition a challenge... but it's all part of the game for so many of us! Just have a plan to shift your workouts accordingly, do what you can do, be flexible and try not to get frustrated if your plans don't pan out.

Train smart,
Coach Troy