Great Quote - Remember It

I am a huge fan of inspirational quotes and phrases.  They help to keep me focused and remind me of what it takes to be at the top of my game.  Here's a recent favorite from an unknown author, that I think you'll enjoy. Print it out and post it to your fridge or near your computer.

Train smart,

Troy

www.coachtroy.com

The Spinervals SUPER 6! It's Awesome, It's FREE, It starts JAN. 2, '12!!

Welcome to The Spinervals Super 6.  Why is it called the Super 6? Because by following this training regimen over the next 6 weeks you’ll discover a new level of fitness and be on your way to achieving all of your personal fitness goals and objectives in 2012.   6 DAYS A WEEK FOR 6 WEEKS = RESULTS! 

Workouts will be posted daily on the Spinervals Facebook page and target the needs of the triathlete, cyclist and general fitness enthusiast including suggestions for bike workouts, running workouts and cross-training sessions for strength and flexibility development.   PLEASE NOTE: THIS WORKOUT REGIMEN IS NOT DESIGNED FOR BEGINNERS. YOU NEED A SOLID BASE OF FITNESS PRIOR TO STARTING THE PROGRAM. 

The plan is designed to include from 1-2 hours of training during the weekdays, a long weekend workout and a day off, totaling 11-15 hours of training per week.  There are also a few ‘wildcard’ days and workouts where you can add some variety to the schedule, or even take an extra day off if needed.  You’ll do some benchmark testing near the beginning and again at the end of the program in order to measure your progress. The overall flavor of this 6-week block of training is aerobic base and technique development, with a weekly dose of interval or tempo work... to keep it real! 

AS WITH ANY TRAINING PROGRAM, IT’S IMPORTANT TO MONITOR YOURSELF AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.  Go easy or take an additional day off as needed. Stay healthy and injury free.

Triathletes will notice that there are 3-4 days of aerobic foundation run workouts planned each week.  Some more experienced triathletes may wish to add another run each week to the plan or boost volume and/or intensity.  Non-runners are asked to substitute other means of low impact cardio training (i.e. elliptical machine, rower, stair-climber, etc.) in place of running.  And who knows… maybe this will encourage some athletes to add running to their fitness routine and try a tri! (Sorry, swim training was not included in this plan. We have lots of event specific training plans available for triathletes, including Ironman plans. Go HERE, http://www.coachtroy.com/products/department27.cfm, To learn more.)

We’ll be using heart rate and/or power to focus on various energy systems, so familiarize yourself with our training zones found HERE (http://www.spinervals.com/public/department110.cfm).  It’s up to you to choose your daily sessions (or do them all!) to suit your particular athletic needs and goals.  You can receive the added benefits of having workouts delivered daily to your inbox and to log your training progress by registering for a FREE Training Peaks account attached to me as your coach.  Click the following link or paste it to your browser in order to download the plan to your trainingpeaks calendar, starting Mon. Jan 2, 2012:    https://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/purchase.aspx?p=28161&af=coachtroy&cid=338046
(Note: If you already have a trainingpeaks account, you can purchase the plan for FREE and then apply it to your calendar. Contact TrainingPeaks customer support if you have any technical website related questions.)

Each day, you’ll train according to the workout plan.  And to keep it fun while being accountable to your plan and the other athletes from around the world joining you, you’re encouraged to log your workout comments each day on the Spinervals Facebook Page.  There’s nothing like sharing your results and accomplishments in public to keep you honest and on track!

And since research has proven that people who attach themselves to social groups and events tend to ‘stick’ with things longer and enjoy the experience more, I encourage you to get at least 3 of your close friends to join you in doing the program. Sure, it’ll be challenging at times … and that’s when you might need some camaraderie in order to get the workouts done.  After all, misery loves company!  So, enlist 3 friends to join you by forwarding them this information. Who knows, it might just help them change their lives for the better!

Here’s a list of the recommended workouts videos in my training series for this 6-week phase of training.  Daily optional workouts are recommended for your convenience, in case you don’t have the recommended title. (Members of Spinervals.com receive a 20% Discount on all DVD purchases. Go HERE , http://www.spinervals.com/public/10.cfm ,  to learn more and save some dough.)

Spinervals Competition Series: (Catalog link HERE, http://www.spinervals.com/products/department12.cfm)

5, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28,  30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39

Strendurance 12-Week Progression (http://www.spinervals.com/products/department14.cfm)

Flexible Warrior Athletic Yoga - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (http://www.spinervals.com/products/department6.cfm)

At the end of the Super 6 Program, you’ll find that your overall fitness level is rockin’ and you’ll be ready to attack a more specific “pre-competition” phase of your training progression as the indoor training season starts to come to a close.  Oh, and be on the lookout for a continuation of the Super 6!! 

Good luck and get on it!

- Coach Troy

www.coachtroy.com

P.S. If you are a participant in the 32-Day Challenge, you need to consider taking a day or two OFF after the last workout in the challenge to regroup and get ready for the Super 6 phase of training.  I would suggest 48-72 hours of 'easy exercise' for most athletes prior to jumping back into a new regimen. Good luck!!

Disclaimer: This and all training programs can be dangerous to your health if you are inadequately prepared to do them.  See your doctor and get his approval prior to starting this training regimen. By participating in this plan, you do so at your own risk and release Troy Jacobson and affiliated companies and persons from liability.  

Behind The [Ironman] Scenes With Coach Troy

Ironman Arizona was fun to watch and be part of again as the official coaching partner of IRONMAN. Congrats to everyone who accomplished their Ironman goals in 2011!

Check it out as I discuss getting started in the sport -- and why I love coaching -- in this short video clip by IronmanLive:



What are your big race goals for 2012?  Lock it down and start getting ready!

Happy Holidays!
Coach Troy

p.s. If you're not already taking the Spinervals 32 Day Challenge , you should be!

2011 Spinervals Challenge! | U Have What it Takes?

C'mon everyone... take the Spinervals Challenge with me! 

This is cool.  The 2011: 32 Days of Spinervals Challenge!! YEAH!! If you are looking for a great  challenge this holiday season to keep your mind sharp, your legs powerful and your mid-section solid, read on.

How did this idea come about you ask? Well, I wish I could take full credit for it but the genesis of the concept came from an avid Spinervals user who did 30 consecutive days of Spinervals, starting with 1.0 and going through 30.0.  I thought it was a little nuts, but after further consideration, realized it was a great idea.  In fact, this athlete said he experienced incredible gains in fitness (and loss of fat) over the 30 day period... and why not! While there's no "rhyme or reason" to the order of the workouts if done in that manner, the reality is that the random combination of hard interval days, aerobic days, technique days and endurance days really do make for a well-designed training program.  Cool!

So, the 32 Days of Spinervals Challenge leverages that same idea but will be a bit more refined.  The challenge will be HUGE however, as I KNOW how much all fans of Spinervals like to suffer (wink wink). After all, if I make it easy than anyone could do it.... I want to make it a true test of your physical and mental endurance and toughness and for those who complete the program to be in a select group.  Best of all, if you manage to get through the 32 days as intended (or even some of it, for that matter!), I believe you'll see tremendous improvement!! Keep in mind however that you'll need to 'dig deep' at times to force yourself through some of the harder sessions and the wearing down effect of training day after day.... after day. Hmmm.... it's starting to remind me of Ironman, Leadman or other Ultra race events.  LIKE!;)

Here's how it works.  Starting on Dec. 1, 2011 and finishing on January 1, 2012, you'll do a Spinervals Workout each and everyday (or a similar road session) according to my plan I post to our Facebook page or load onto Training Peaks, on which you have the option to register for a free account.  Knowing that everyone won't have every video title recommended for the program, although you can buy them, I've included some variation with the workouts... but not much.  Each day, participants in this event need to let us know that they finished the day's workout on our Facebook page.  This will keep you honest (no cheating please!) and accountable to your team members.  You'll get some positive feedback and motivation from me and other Challenge participants too (NO SLACKERS ALLOWED!).   Furthermore, since the program will be loaded to Training Peaks, you'll be able to log and track your results each and every day, as well as receive workout reminders from me in your email in-box every night.  We'll essentially be training as a team and pushing each other day after day to get the workouts done with 100% compliance all the way through to the finish line... NO ONE QUITS ONCE YOU GET STARTED!

BECOME AN OFFICIAL FINISHER
Those people who complete the entire challenge get rewarded in a few different ways. First of all, the fitness gains will be amazing and you'll LOVE how you look and feel!   While your friends are gaining weight over the holiday, you'll be leaning down and increasing your power, VO2max and overall endurance.  Next, finishers will receive a free 6-month Spinervals Team membership, good for discounts on our products, camps, training services ,etc.  Also, your name will be listed on our website as an OFFICIAL FINISHER of the 2011 Spinervals Challenge!  And finally, you'll have the bragging rights to say that you completed the inaugural Spinervals Challenge (remember those first crazies who did the very first Ironman??). All good stuff for simply training your butt off and getting into the best shape in your life, eh?!

Here are the general rules and regulations.  Again, we're working on the honor system, so it's my hope that everyone is honest with themselves and with everyone else. No one likes a cheater who only cheats themselves! If you miss a workout, fess up... admit it and move on with the plan, ok?

Rules and other misc. thoughts:
1. You must do every workout listed in it's entirety to be considered an Official Finisher. Varying the intensity at times is fine, but you must do the intended duration per session. (i.e. A 1 hr 30 minute session means you're riding for 90 minutes, period!).

2. You can substitute up to 20% of the indoor training rides with outdoor rides and still qualify to be an Official Finisher.  I know that a sunny, crisp 55 deg. December day in the Northeast or upper Midwest makes it impossible to sit on that dang trainer... so you have some leeway here.  ;)

3. I encourage you to register for the free basic trainingpeaks account. By doing so, you'll automatically receive the workouts in your email as well as be able to log your results!

4. It's encouraged to enlist other people to help you during the challenge! Get a group together in your basement and suffer to Tough Love! Don't do it all alone!

5. This isn't a rule, but I'd like to request that you post to our Facebook page (Here) at least once a week (if not Daily!!) about how you're progressing and your thoughts and feelings on the whole shabang.  Let's have some fun with this and really push each other to ride and get the work done!

6. Also not a rule, but it would be great to 'rope' a friend or loved one into the Challenge who needs a little bit of a kick in the pants to shape up.  After all, the New Year is at the end of the program and what a great way to enter the New Year being leaner and fitter than you were before Christmas!

7.  As with any endurance event, you need to be responsible for your own personal health and safety.  That means you should get the green light from your physician before starting the challenge as well as "back off" if you feel any unusual aches or pains during the training process.  Push yourself and don't be a wimp... but also be smart and know your limitations!

8. Eat for performance during the 32 day training cycle.  A poor diet will almost guarantee your failure, so make certain that you're nailing all of your nutritional needs before, during and after workouts.

9. Maintain a good sense of humor.  No one is making you do this... you brought the torture upon yourself!

Here are some FAQS:


1. Question: Do I need to have Spinervals DVD's to participate and if so, which ones do I need?

A: Ummm, duh! - it is called the Spinervals Challenge, so YES... you will need to use Spinervals! While you can do and use whatever workouts your heart desires,  ideally and to get the most benefit from the program, you'll have one or two workouts in the series targeting each of the basic intensities and skill development areas as seen below:

Recommended Videos to Consider
- Aerobic Base Builders | Including 16.0, 17.0, 18.0, 21.0, 25.0, 39.0
- Aerobic Endurance | Including 5.0, 9.0, 13.0, 26.0, 30.0, 31.0 and On The Road 2.0, 4.0, 5.0
- Threshold Training | Including 2.0,  7.0, 11.0, 14.0, 19.0, 22.0, 23.0, 24.0,  27.0, 32.0, 34.0, 35.0, 41.0
- Power & Speed Training | Including 20.0, 23/C, Team Sports Vol. 1 and 2
- Interval Training w/ Variety | 1.0, 3.0, 6.0, 10.0, 23.0, 29.0, 33.0, 36.0, 37.0
- Technique Training | 8.0, 12.0, 23A, 38.0

Most of the titles listed above can be found by clicking HERE. And if you'd like to purchase discounted bundles of several titles, go HERE.

You can also choose to substitute other titles from our Fitness and UltraConditioning series, as you see fit. See... I'm flexible!

And to really make this an effective and challenging 32 days, I'll be making suggestions regarding strength training throughout the plan... including the Strendurance 12-Week Progression.  Check that out by going here.

2. Question:  Does this cost me anything?
A.  All it'll cost you is the initial investment in the DVDs that you choose to use during the 32 days, and that's it!  And if you don't want to buy them or don't already have some, borrow them from a cycling buddy! Please don't just 'rip' or download pirated videos... or we'll have the FBI knocking at your door. ;)  The 32 day plan and participating in it is FREE, I just ask that you tell ALL of your friends how you got so fit, strong and good looking at the end of the 32 day training period. ;)

3. Question:  How do I get started?
A. It's as simple as falling off a log.  If you want to use the free training peaks account, you can register for one by clicking HERE.  If you already have an account, simply assign me as your coach.  Once you do this, email us at info@spinervals.com and place in the subject line, Spinervals Challenge, and then mention your full name and that you registered for a training peaks account.

Otherwise, watch this blog and our facebook page daily as workouts will be posted as well as video titles to obtain.

4. Question:  If I use training peaks, when will you load the plan to my TP calendar?
A. The plan will be loaded by the 30th of November, if not sooner, for your review.  Please register for an account asap and let us know per question 3 ASAP.

If you have additional questions, let us know at info@spinervals.com and we'll be glad to help you out.

To summarize, this is to be a fun, social, facebook centered 32 day ultra-endurance challenge where you'll be using the Spinervals cycling program to boost your fitness with other athletes from around the world!  It starts Dec. 1 and is over on New Year's Day.  Workouts will be posted on Facebook each day or you can register for a free trainingpeaks account to track your progress more effectively.  I encourage you to post to our FB page daily your results for added accountability and to help motivate other participants.  You'll finish the year with a BANG and go into the New Year with your highest fitness levels ever!!! WHOOOT!

That's all for now! Let us know if you'll be taking this challenge with us or email with any questions! Get on it.

Good luck and train smart,
Coach Troy

You CAN Train Less to Achieve Ironman Success

“Time is what we want most, but... what we use worst.”  

~Willaim Penn

Having fun on Alii Drive.

Long bike rides, runs and swim workouts blend together week after week as the training hours add up.  You review your training log notes and suddenly realize that, combining preparation and travel to and from workout venues, you’ve committed over 20 hours per week of your precious time to your training for your upcoming Ironman.  This happens week after week… after week. Have you ever asked yourself if you can train less and still accomplish your Ironman triathlon goals?

I used to ask myself this question frequently in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when Ironman racing was considered extreme, even among endurance sports junkies.  I consumed article after article on long distance training and read about what the top pros were doing.  High volume was in vogue and the stars of our sport at the time were reportedly spending 40 hour (and more) weeks on the roads and in the water, swimming, cycling and running.   25,000 yds. of swimming, 400 miles of cycling and 60 miles of running were common weekly totals.  The more, the better... you had to pay the price.

And the truth is, in order to be successful at events like Ironman,  it does require boatloads of training and consistency… don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  I discovered this first hand when I ramped up my cycling workloads in my late 20’s to see “what I could do” on the bike and it paid off… I finally cracked the 4:45 bike split barrier on a couple of occasions.  Higher volume works when it comes to Ironman training, but how much volume is ideal for you and what are the sacrifices you'll need to make?

The issue is time for the age grouper.  I don’t know about you, but nowadays as a father, business owner and generally all-around busy guy in my early 40’s, the luxury of “training lots” is out the window. And honestly, even if I had the desire to “train lots”, I probably wouldn’t out of fear of getting injured, an inability to recover well due to age and just plain old guilt! I mean, let’s face it…. your 7-hour long day of training could be spent doing much more rewarding and productive activities like: a. playing with your kids, b. volunteering to help others or working on your next business project or c. “smelling the roses” and relaxing after a hard week of work.  I hear rumors of top amateurs who train 25+ hours per week and I can't help to wonder if the sacrifices they make to go a little bit faster is worth it.   I need more results out of a lesser time commitment… and I bet you do too.

As a coach and long time athlete with lots of personal experience, I’m convinced that you can get pretty darn close to your athletic potential, within a few percent, with lower volume and more focused and consistent training, certainly in shorter races and even for distances as long as Ironman.  I just proved it to myself again in Kona this year as I posted a 9:22, only three minutes slower than I did exactly 20 years ago with just around half of the weekly training volume! Even my best time in Kona, an 8:54 in 1993, required a huge jump in weekly workloads to eclipse my time of 9:19 in 1991.  An increase in weekly training time of 30-40% yielded a result that was only about 3-5% faster on race day.   If I was racing as a full-time pro to put food on the table, that sacrifice might be worth it.  However, if you’re an age grouper training and racing for personal satisfaction, it makes less sense in the all important "time / pay back" equation.  How much is YOUR time worth on an hourly basis and what is the “cost” of training more than you need to?

I have compiled a list of a few “nuggets of Ironman Wisdom”  on the topic of training less and getting more out of it that you may wish to consider.  And if you find these compelling and thought provoking, you might want to consider some personal coaching down the road to help you execute them in your program.

Determine:  What size Engine is under your Hood?

Top Ironman Pros in the 8 hr 15 – 30 min. range have an 8-Cylinder with a Turbo.  Those from 8:30 – 9 hours have an 8 Cylinder without the turbo.  Elite Amateurs have an inline 6 with a supercharger and mid-pack athletes are sporting a nice, steady 4 cylinder.  We are all born with a certain number of cylinders and it’s our goal as endurance athletes to maximize the horsepower they can generate.  Come to grips with the size of your engine and do your best with it.  After a few years of consistent and steady Ironman training and racing, you’ll get a good sense of your time at the distance, or where you rank.   I've found it takes around 5 Ironman races to discover it.  At that point, if you’ve been training properly for Ironman all along, It’ll likely take huge increases in volume and intensity (or other extraordinary changes to your training plan, and lifestyle) to realize relatively small gains in performance.  Is it worth it?

Frequency Frequency Frequency Frequency…..

The best runners in the world, the Kenyans, run 3 times a day.  The best swimmers do doubles daily and the best cyclists spend 4-6 hours per day on the bike during key build phases.  Frequency is the key. Swim, bike and run…. In small doses each and almost everyday. 

Base is the Key

You are always building base.   Like bricks stacked one on top of another in strong building foundations, your aerobic base is accumulated through miles in the legs (and in the pool).  Year after year, you should focus on changing your physiology to get the most horsepower out of your engine as possible. Athletes I coach, especially newbies, see a focus on base early on... and often times comment how that approach helped them reach higher levels several years into their tri careers. 

Point of Diminishing Returns

Every workout has a point of diminishing return where the longer you go, the more fatigue you create and the more open you become to injury.  Of course, this is different for everyone, and only through trial and error will you discover that “point of diminishing returns”, but in my experience, most age group athletes go over it regularly.  Will a 4-hour aerobic run benefit you any more than a 2.5 hr aerobic run will? How about a 7 hour long ride compared to a 5-hour long ride?  Or, will the extra training break you down and reduce the quality of the workouts during the rest of the week? Remember, training adaptations are a result of chronic, cumulative stress/recovery cycles… as an age grouper, mega-workout sessions should be reserved for rare occasions and for race day.  For me, 4 hour rides tend to be my maximum “long ride” and 2 hours my maximum long run.  I recover just fine and can bounce back to train well for the rest of the week.  Find yours. 

Think about the Day before and the Day After

Always think to yourself, “how will this workout today be affected by yesterday’s workout and how will it impact tomorrow’s session.”.  Be aware of how one workout fits into your week, relates to the workouts around it and if it’ll set you back, or help move you forward.

Small Daily Doses

Try keeping your volumes lower in each sport while training each sport more regularly throughout the week.  Instead of doing three, 3000 yd swim workouts, try doing four or five 2000 yd workouts a week.  Or instead of riding your bike 3 days a week, ride 5 days a week for shorter distances while making your quality days even higher quality.  I know of these cool indoor workout videos called Spinervals, designed specifically for this purpose. ;)

Intensity Counts… but not Too Much

You don’t have to obliterate yourself every time you do an interval session! In fact, the rule of thumb is to always finish a quality workout feeling as if you could do a little more. Remember… think about how today’s workout will affect tomorrow’s workout (or the workout later in the day!).

Pay Attention to the Details

In addition to training smart, you need to focus on the other areas of your life that have a direct impact on your performance (and overall health) including your nutrition, recovery and your mental well-being.  By training with less overall volume and not flogging yourself constantly, you’ll find that your mind is clearer for other important things in your life, and your body won’t be tetering on the edge of breakdown all of the time.

Discipline Yourself to Go Easy

Aerobic training is not hard training, yet it’s probably the most important training sessions you’ll do as an Ironman athlete.   As a coach, the hardest part of my job is convincing a serious athlete to slow down!  Avoid allowing every aerobic workout becoming a race pace session somewhere in the “gray zone” and don't overdo the hard intervals.  This is counterproductive in developing your aerobic base for long term gains!

Train Year Round

After your season is over, give yourself a break of a few weeks. When it’s over, jump back on the horse and start building your base again.  Focus on technique in the area’s where it’s needed most. Near the start of your season, a training camp where you spend 4-7 days of higher volume training is a good idea to give you a 1-2% boost in aerobic capacity and set the tone for the rest of your season.

Have a well conceived Plan

Your Ironman training cycle should include a block of higher volume training sometime during the 8-weeks leading up to race day.  Workouts don't need to be epic, but a little longer than your normal workloads.  You'd be amazed of what even 3-4, 2-3 hr days in a row of aerobic paced riding can do for your fitness.  Again, consider how one day rolls into the next and impacts recovery.

Know Thyself

Dial in your paces and your zones. Know what makes you tick through using a HR monitor or powermeter to maximize the purpose of each session.  In Kona this year, I knew that I had to race within myself to achieve my goals and I leveraged my HR monitor as my personal tachometer as a result of training consistently with it... hitting my splits close to perfection on the bike and the run while staying within my engine size and not needing medical attention at the finish line.

Train Indoors More

Boring, yes. Effective, absolutely! That hour on the trainer or 40 minutes on the treadmill will force you to focus on what needs to be accomplished during that particular workout session.  Even here in sunny Tucson, I spend 2-3 days indoors on the bike and/or treadmill doing short, focused workouts.  It's amazing how fit you can become with a 45 minute trainer ride followed by a 30 minute treadmill run! 

Be clear, if you commit to Ironman training as your second job (or first job) and put in the big work, you will go a little faster... probably about 3-5%, and that might be what you're looking for.  However, I'm convinced that you can get pretty darn close to your Ironman potential (and meet your short course potential) while maintaining some balance with an approach that emphasizes smart training that's consistent and that maintains your health and life balance.  Good luck and feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. 

Train smart, 

Coach Troy

Troy Jacobson is the Official Coach of Ironman, creator of the Spinervals Cycling series and the head triathlon coach for Life Time Fitness. A former pro in the 1990's, he now competes as a Masters athlete while coaching other age groupers throughout the world.  For other Ironman related articles and race reports, browse this website. And for more information about his training plans and personal coaching, visit www.coachtroy.com

My Pre-Ironman Perspective | T-24 Hours

Training on the Queen K. It's a long hot road to that finish Line.

As I’m writing this, it’s less than 24 hours until the start of the 2011 Ironman Hawaii! First, I wanted to thank everyone for their well-wishes and support! I really appreciate the positive vibes … thank you!!!  Here’s a little bit of an update on how things are going and my thoughts about race day, as well as my goals.

I did Ironman Hawaii for the first time as a 22 yr. old back in 1991, accompanied by my Dad and sister.  Back then, Ironman was still very much a fringe event in the world of endurance sports with only a handful of Ironman distance races throughout the world. Flash forward 20 years and Ironman is an internationally known brand and a huge commercial entity generating Millions and Millions of dollars in revenue.  My, how times have changed!

After 1991, I went on to do Ironman Kona six more times and carved a unique career out of the sport as a coach and athlete.   Needless to say, the sport and this event in particular means a lot to me and I feel it’s an honor and a huge privilege to be able to toe the line again 20 years after my first time…. This time as a masters athlete.

Many have asked me about my goals for the race.  Well, my first goal, as always, is to finish without needing medical attention.  In fact, Hope, my 7 yr. old, asked me on the phone from Tucson to try not to get hurt.  She apparently still remembers my mangled body and broken bones as a result of crashing at the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race last year. I told her not to worry….that daddy would be fine.  She was happy to hear that.

My second goal is to be within 10 minutes of my time in 1991, when I was a young 22 yr. old buck.   That time was 9:19 and breaks down to approximately a 1:03 swim (2.4 miles), 5:10 bike (112 miles) and 3:05 run (26.2 miles).  Although I noticed another gray hair this morning, it would be awesome to try and defy age by beating my former self! I think it’s a possibility. Even though I’m not as physically capable 20 years later, I know I’m a smarter racer.  In addition, back in 1991 I raced on a road bike with clip on aerobars, changed clothes during each transition and supplemented my sodium by eating salt encrusted powerbar chunks. Technology has come a long way!

Also, now I race for a time as my strategy, not to ‘win’.  Ego and the desire to win seem to drive many of the younger athletes, especially testosterone powered males.  That makes for a long day on the race course for many as they “Burn their matches” early out on the Queen K and then blow up in spectacular fashion. I know… been there, done that.  Nowadays, I try to focus on staying within myself, doing my own race and being steady all day long.  If the day goes well, I hope to hit the following time goals on this historically difficult race course.

Swim:  1:05-1:08

Bike:  5:10 – 5:15

Run:  3:10 – 3:15

Transitions 5-7 minutes

If I can deliver upon these time goals, I’m pretty close to my 1991 time of 9:19 … 9:30 ish! :)

My third goal, or “perfect day” goal is to podium with a sub-9:15 time.  I think I have the engine to do it, given my recent results over the past two seasons, if everything goes perfectly well.  The masters division is incredibly competitive this year with several former pros toeing the line, so it’s possible that a good day will enable one of the old guys to crack the 9 hour barrier.  We’ll see very soon!

In any case, it’s incredible to be here again after investing so many years competing here in the 1990’s.  Although I’ll be incredibly anxious and nervous before and during much of the race, I’ll also be smiling a lot with thankfulness and gratitude for the ability, good fortune, support from my family and friends (Jen, thank you!) and good health to still be participating in this unique sport at this level for so many years. 

I wish everyone doing the 2011 Ironman Kona good luck and to finish in good health.  3-2-1 GO!!

Thanks,

Troy

Troy Jacobson is the creator of the Spinervals Cycling series, official coach of Ironman and the head triathlon coach for Life Time Fitness. Learn more at www.coachtroy.com

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

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

Self Awareness | Key to Tri Success

What's a primary difference between the experienced triathlete and the newbie? A keen and highly develop sense of self-awareness.  It's that intangible quality that's critical to success in long distance endurance sports events that often times makes or breaks a result.

Self awareness is trainable, just like lactate threshold. And just like training other components of fitness, developing a highly tuned sense of self awareness takes practice and patience.

Now with modern training technology, you can monitor every fitness metric and analyze it to death with sophisticated software. While this data crunching is effective (if used properly) and plays an important role in learning more about how your engine runs, it's still important to not overlook signs that your body is plainly communicating to you... signs of fatigue, over use, burn out and just plain 'blah'.

The self-aware athlete is the one who notices the twinge of discomfort in the calf while warming up for a track workout and decides to go easy with a zone 2 aerobic run workout instead, and then stretches and rolls it out post workout.  She's the athlete who notices a change in appetite and increases or decreases caloric intake to meet daily energy demands from training.  And on race day, she's the athlete who knows how best to 'burn through her matches' to suit the distance and difficulty of the race course and conditions.

Self awareness is a key component to success in triathlon and all endurance sports. Listen to what your body is telling you regardless of what's on your training schedule that day or showing up on your power meter. It's usually right on task.

Train smart,
Coach Troy
www.coachtroy.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

New Video Project: 10 Weeks to Ironman | Training Tips

This is a new video project we're working on and starting taping last week... a compilation of Ironman distance training and racing tips to be used each week during the final 10 weeks prior to race day.  Used in conjunction with a systematic training plan (found here or elsewhere), each week will serve as a reminder of what your focus should be along with other issues to think about and consider in preparation for your Ironman race.

I'll be posting several sample rough drafts as we edit each segment. I hope that you find them to be helpful as you get ready for your big day.

Train smart,

Coach Troy
www.coachtroy.com

Smart Run Techniques for Faster Times

QUESTION FOR THE COACH:  Most people I train with say that 180 strides per minute is the optimum stride rate while running long distances. Whenever I check my cadence I'm usually between 150-160, and I've had trouble finishing off the final miles of my marathons strong. I'm wondering if my cadence might be what's holding me back and what I can do to pick it up. A few guys have recommended plyometrics and water jogging -- do you think that would help? 

COACH'S RESPONSE:

This is a great question and addresses a very important issue for the triathlete when it comes to the run leg  (especially long course racing) and that’s the overall economy and efficiency of their running form. 

Unlike ‘open’ running races, triathlon runs are done on tired legs with waning energy reserves.  Even the best triathletes in the world, who are running 2:41-2:50’s (Male) and 2:53-3:00’s (Women) marathons at Ironman are well off their potential open marathon times due to this fact. Foot strike, posture, arm swing and stride rate are all factors when it comes to one’s running economy and their importance is magnified when running off the bike in a triathlon.  As you improve each of these technique variables, you’ll be able to run faster while using less energy. 

Stride rate is of particular importance because it’s indicative of one’s overall running form.  Athletes with ‘loping’ running styles tend to have a lower foot strike frequency, taking longer strides and tend to get more ‘air’ (bounding) between each footstrike meaning more energy is going vertically as opposed to horizontally.

On the other hand, athletes with higher foot strike frequency in that 180 +/- range, tend to be more forefoot strike oriented with greater horizontal velocity (as opposed to vertical bounding), take shorter strides and have better posture.  Ultimately, their more efficient form yields faster overall running spilts on fatigued legs.

There are several ways in which to improve your running cadence.  National Run Training Director for Life Time Fitness, Rebekah Mayer, recommends incorporating ‘stride outs’ into your running program once or twice per week.  This involves warming up for 10-15 minutes, performing some dynamic stretches and run drills then doing a series of 6-12 100 Meter runs where you gradually build speed throughout each effort until your running at around 95% of your maximum speed while focused on executing perfect form. Another means to achieve a greater footstrike cadence is to run on a treadmill once or twice a week at your aerobic pace and to set your incline at 3-6%.  Focus on taking shorter, quicker steps as you run uphill, counting your footstrikes and making a conscious effort to nail that 180 stride per minute range.  Start with doing this for only a few minutes and progress to more as your technique improves. 

Last but not least, anyone who does my Spinervals workouts knows that I’m a huge proponent of developing the ability to spin the pedals smoothly at a high cadence of 90-100 rpms.  I believe, as do many other coaches, that your ability to spin quickly and smoothly on the bike translates to a higher, smoother and more efficient leg turnover on the run too. 

Give these ideas a whirl, improve your footstrike cadence and you’ll likely run your Ironman marathon PR this season! And for more insights on how to run a faster Ironman marathon, read this article HERE.

Good Luck!

-       Coach Troy

Troy Jacobson is the Official Coach of Ironman. A former pro in the 1990’s, he’s back to racing again as a Master’s athlete and set his marathon PR at 2010 IM AZ with a 2:59:55 incorporating the techniques described in this article. For more info, visit www.coachtroy.com

Training for The Leadman Tri Epic 250

Ah, yes. The thrill and challenge of training for a long course endurance event. Will someone please knock some sense into me and stop me from doing this Leadman thing?! Just kidding.  I think it's hard-wired into me since I did my first IM "distance" tri over 20+ years ago at the age of 20.  Anyone remember the Lake Sunapee Ironman Distance Triathlon?  What a great New Hampshire based race back in the late 1980s and early 1990's!  Hilly and brutal, but great nonetheless. I won it overall in a time of 9 hrs 46 minutes along with a check for $1000, which I think I spent on beer when I got back to college the following week.  That was back at a time when there were only a few 'ironman' races in the world and it was rare to see someone with an 'M-Dot' tatoo. My how times have changed!

So now I'm getting ready for this new challenge, the LeadmanTri in Vegas. I thought I'd share some of my training log notes with you for a peek behind the curtain. Please keep in mind that the way I train for an event is often times different compared to the way I might train someone else.  In other words, "don't try this at home" and "do what I say, not what I do." ;)

Here goes (starting Mon. March 7th):

Monday: Bike 1 hr easy aerobic (zone 2), run 30 minutes aerobic (road, slightly rolling hills.), swim 1250 yds (technique and some paddles)
Tuesday:  Bike 70 miles (approx 3.5 hrs) aerobic endurance ride, steady pace on road bike. Stretch cords, 4 x 25 reps
Wed: Swim 2500, Run 45 min., aerobic effort with 6 minutes of hard tempo (first 'hard' running since IMAZ last year)
Thurs: 1 hr easy spin (legs were sore from the run!), 30 min easy aerobic run, 1250 straight swim
Fri:  Swim 2000 yds (got humbled by 'real swimmer' lapping me doing kick sets, yikes! ;)., 1.5 hr aerobic bike (first ride on tri bike since IM AZ. Felt awkward as expected, gotta tweak position.), 30 min. easy run
Sat:  3 hr aerobic bike (on tri bike, z2 and some z3 muscle endurance work. Bike is feeling better already), 4 mile easy aerobic run

I've been putting in regular 10-12 hour weeks all winter after IMAZ (working with some knee pain) so this was a bump up to around 15-16 hrs (including tomorrow, Sunday).  I will likely peak at just around 16-18 hrs of training over the next couple of weeks with the cycling and tri camps coming to town.

Although I do have a general sense of weekly training volumes and what I want to accomplish, I do what I call "Intuitive Training". In other words, I listen to my body and train day to day according to how I'm feeling that day, but within the general parameters of my weekly goals.  I have found that I'm no longer able to handle lots of high volume training days  (100 mile bike rides tire me out and bore me to tears), and am most effective training as if I'm preparing for an Olympic distance race, even when doing longer stuff.  I try to train almost every day of the week and let fatigue or work commitments (travel in particular) dictate when I take a day off from training.  I also believe that success at triathlon is based on your year-round commitment to swimming, cycling and running and not simply on what you do in your build up for your 'big race'. Your 'aerobic base' is something you constantly need to build and maintain.  Oh, and quality is key...but not too much of it, especially if you are an 'aging' athlete.  I've found that 10-15 minutes of high intensity training in a workout (per sport) usually does the trick without wasting you or making you too sore to train the following day. Small but frequent doses.

So there you have it!  For Leadman, I'll do a handful of 3-4 hr rides and perhaps, if my motivation and time allows, a 5-7 hr ride... but I doubt it.  For the 3.1 mile swim at LM, I might work up to a 4000 yd workout to build confidence, but given my history of disliking swimming, I'll probably stick to my shorter sessions.  I've found for myself that big workout days are not the key to successful long distance racing...rather, it's the cumulative effect of training day after day, week after week, month after month , etc followed by a long and disciplined taper.

I'll keep you posted on my progress as I tackle this season. I hope you glean a thing or two you can apply to your own training plan! And if you're interested in signing up for coaching with either me or one of my associate coaches, go to my website here.

Train smart,
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

How to Run Your PR Ironman Marathon

Suffering on the run. Photo Credit: Scorpio

Hi All. For those of you who race the Ironman and want to improve your running, I wrote an article with some tips based on revelations from my recent Ironman Arizona experience.

Here's the link, http://www.coachtroy.com/public/605.cfm

I hope you can apply the concepts mentioned here to your training and racing.

Train smart,
Troy

IMAZ in a Few Days! Update

Less than a week now until Ironman AZ!  I must admit to being a bit nervous about this Ironman because my preparation for it certainly was not 'ideal'. (is it ever?!)

The thing about Ironman is that you cannot 'fake it' like you can shorter distance endurance events. For example, if you've raced for many years like I have and take an extended time off from racing but continue to 'exercise', you can come back and with a few weeks of higher intensity training and race well at events under 2.5 hrs.  When it comes to the Half and full IM distances however, or events over that 2.5 hr window, the miles in the legs that you've accumulated in the prior 6-12 months (if not more) weigh heavily in your end result.  In particular, the 4-12 weeks before your 'big day' are crucial in terms of building that long distance aerobic endurance fitness... and due to my accident at Leadville 12-wks ago and the recovery afterwards... this is where I'm lacking.

My strategy for IMAZ is clear... I need to take the idea of being very competitive off the table and aim to finish strong by burning my 'matches' slowly and selectively throughout the course of the day.  Knowing myself and the way I race (and did back in the 1990's), it was 'all out' or nothing.  Of course, back then, I had the fitness base to back up my aggression and I could go out hard, suffer, recover and finish fast (but with lots of suffering) due in part to my high training volumes.  Nowadays, whereas my mind 'thinks' I'm still 28 and in sub-9 hr IM shape, my 41 yr old body doesn't agree. 

Besides lacking that aerobic endurance fitness base so important to successful IM racing, I also need to watch out for my leg cramping issues.  My plan is to 'hyper dose' electrolytes on the bike and run, as I did at Racine 70.3.  It worked well at Racine, enabling me to almost even split the 1/2 marathon with only a slight twinge of cramping coming on once in awhile.  I hope the same strategy works for IMAZ...because hard cramping is painful and emotionally difficult to handle as you go from 'race mode' to just survival mode.  Ugh, it's tough when you're walking along, dejected and about to seize up with every step and spectators are saying, "you look great... only 13 more miles to go!".  Whatever!! :)

So, I'm a little bit anxious but excited to 'get it on' at the same time.  My kids have been sick and I'm starting to feel a head cold, so hopefully that doesn't get any worse.  Overall, I feel good and without any unusual aches and pains. And as I've said before in my blog, I'm just so fortunate to be able to toe the line and participate after the Leadville crash. 

Good luck to any of you doing the race with me! See you out there on the course.

- Coach Troy

Ironman AZ Preparation Update

A quick update on the life of this endurance sports coach. :)

North Tucson road to nowhere.

Well, Ironman Arizona is creeping up ... just over 2 weeks away. YIKES! I have been swimming for a couple of weeks now with about 8 workouts under my belt since getting the go-ahead from the doc after my collarbone repair surgery (and about 10 wks out of the water).  My workouts consist of 1000-1500 yds of mostly 'steady' swimming. I started doing some 100 tempo efforts in the past few workouts... man, I am sssllloooowwww.

I took about 5 years off from swimming and got back into it in March of this year.  I got myself back into decent shape, hitting about 24 minutes for the mile and 30 minutes for the 1.2 mile in my events earlier this year.  I've never been a super swimmer, probably because I've never made the sincere commitment to become one.  Why? Because I've never really enjoyed swimming all that much. I like the feeling of finishing the workout :), but I get bored easily and most of my career training the swim, even as a pro, consisted of 1000-1500 yd workouts with a few masters workouts now and then sprinkled in for some speed/tempo.  Even with minimal swimming,  back 'in the day', I was able to go 26-28 min. at the half IM,  58-60 min. in Kona and even posted a 56 min. swim at IMLP one year! I still don't know how I managed that!

So, I'm an underachiever when it comes to the swim leg of the triathlon and always have been.  It's ashame really, and one of my only regrets that , as a younger athlete... I didn't focus more on the swim and turn myself into a sub 55 min. IM swimmer. Had I done that, I probably would have been 'in the hunt' in major events because I could pretty much bike and run with most of the contenders, with the exception of the top tier guys.  But once you're off the back and 'miss the train', you're working alone and it's tough to make up any ground at that level.

Now as a masters athlete, I found this year that I'll give up 2-4 minutes to the top masters swimmers in the Olympic and Half IM distances.  That's close enough to be a contender if my run is strong, which it seemed to be this year.  IM AZ might be a different story however!

My biggest concern for IMAZ is the toll the swim will take on me in terms of fatigue.  I need to be patient, and remember that my fitness and endurance on the swim is insufficient to take it out hard from the gun.  I need to line up with the 1:10-15 hr swimmers, and try to get into a pack and swim comfortably.  If the day goes well, a 1:10 might be in the cards.

Going into the bike, I need to be mindful of the matches I burned in the swim, and go out easy and start hydrating and eating immediately.  I know I'll be tempted to drop the hammer (I remember the good ole days of being able to split sub 4:45's!) , but know in my gut that's suicide.  A conservative bike will hopefully get me to the run with a few matches left over... where the carnage will begin.

My running fitness is good, despite my 3 weeks of power walking after my injury and surgery. :)  I did some long runs of 2 hrs recently, but my body felt like it was falling apart, so I decided to back it down and toe the line in good health but not in perhaps the best marathon shape.  I have lots of aches and pains, probably from the years of abuse I placed on myself as a high school football player/wrestler (and some college) and then 12 solid years of serious tri racing, including 15 Ironmans, several marathons, dozens of half IM's and lots of training miles.  It all catches up to you and everyone has to pay the piper some day.  Geez, if I feel this way at almost 42, how am I going to feel when I'm in my fifties?

In general, my 'engine' is strong, and if my chassis can hold it together, I could have a solid race performance. My 4:11 at IM 70.3 Racine earlier this season showed me that I may still have the mojo to race a competitive Ironman and perhaps finish in the 9:30 - 10 hr range. The question will be how much my recovery from the injury has impacted my endurance and lactate threshold after so many weeks off from training... and how my reoccurring leg cramp issues get resolved on race day.

In any event, I cannot tell you how happy and grateful I am to even be considering racing in 2 weeks! When I crashed at Leadville, broke the collarbone badly and fractured the 2 ribs (they still hurt, btw!), I was pretty bummed...thinking my season was OVER.  Even if IMAZ turns out to be 'one of those days', it'll still be a blessing to participate.

Thanks for your support.  Train safe and train smart.
- Troy