26 years in the sport is not that long compared to some, but at 72 years of age I am part of a rapidly shrinking number of old geezers. It made me think last year of how many of my rivals are still in the sport. I took a look at how many athletes around my age that had left the sport from ranking data given to me by USAT. The results were a bit surprising.
I compared the last three years of ranked athletes who were 64 and older in 2017 with ranked athletes with the same birth years in 1999-2003. Of the 3,634 athletes ranked in 1999-2003 1,051 were also ranked in last three years 777 new names showed up in the last three years. So we are getting smaller but not going away. The surprise was how many new faces have joined the sport at an age most people are accepting the inevitable. Good news for those not ready to slow down and looking for new challenges. Here are some of the things I have learned in the 26 years that keep me going and hopefully will keep you going.
No question any triathlon can be a challenge. What worries me is a tendency to look for the “easy” races because there is no such thing as an easy race. Some are just slower than others by virtue of terrain and or weather. So-called “hard” races make for a much greater “high” post race and sometimes that high comes on early in the race. Ironman St. George comes to mind for me but Escape from Alcatraz is at the top of my list at the moment. I competed in it for the first time last weekend. Yes the water is cold, the hills are very steep and there are lots of them. But I was having fun just looking at the San Francisco skyline from the side of the Hornblower just before I jumped. The fun continued exiting the water, surprise no numb face, hands and feet (there were cold), and up and down the hills with that bridge constantly reminding me where I was. So don’t follow what seems to be trend at Ironman of trying to make the courses easy, look for a challenge for you.
AGING UP AND SLOWING DOWN
Satchel Page, considered by many baseball experts the best professional pitcher ever (he played into his 50’s), had some great advice. One I love is, “Don’t look behind you something might be catching up with you”. This is great advice for older athletes. Don’t look back at those fast(er) results. Instead, look forward to seeing yourself finishing well and perhaps faster than some of the kids. Recovery slows as well as speed and if you fight that fact your races will slow even more and perhaps end. So look after yourself.
Diet is important at any age for everyone. It is more important for aging athletes. As we age we don’t absorb nutrients as well. I was weaned on Guinness in Ireland. By age 14 I was 6’ 2” so getting into a pub was not hard (age limit then I think was 16). So cutting back on the black stuff and an occasional “Uisce beatha“, that’s whiskey for the layperson, was hard but I think necessary to race well. One of the less known facts about alcohol is that it slows the metabolism. Meaning the calories you get with it goes further. Having said that, Ironman Cork is on my 2019 schedule with a stop at the Jameson’s Distillery at about mile 20 on the bike.
Sleep is another critical part of staying healthy, something the general population and many athletes don’t understand. If an athlete tells you they can manage on seven to eight hours average, it is, a) probably less than that and b) their potential is higher c) there is a good chance they will not be racing much past 60. I have been tracking my sleeping for the past 12 years and average over eight and a half hours a night. During peak training it is over nine hours and there is often a mid day nap.
Stress, other than training stress, is another factor to consider when training. It’s unavoidable in today’s world but it can be managed. I think that too many athletes try to push through stressful times following their planned training. The ability to make adjustments is essential. It does not mean stopping completely but may mean less intensity and/or volume or adding in some more rest days.
As we age, speed and power at and above lactate threshold drops more than our steady state speed, narrowing the range within any one zone. For many older athletes HR zones become especially narrow, the difference between my LT HR and easy pace, zones 1-4 is less than 12 beats, making staying in one zone near impossible. Many of my athletes, especially the older ones, say they can't run and hold their HR in Zone 1 and even have trouble doing that in Zone 2. The answer to that issue is to use the run/walk strategy, more on that below. Personally, I no longer pay much attention to HR. Instead I use respiration as a tool to judge perceived exertion.
Power data is still usable even with the narrowed zones. I display on my Garmin 3 second power and Lap Power. I have laps defined at 5k. This tells me when I am burning matches, anything over 210w (3 sec power), or holding too hard an effort for about 10 min (lap average). I recommend to all my athletes to follow a run/walk routine for any race over a sprint. I recommend this for all training runs for my older athletes. It is I think essential for a successful IM Marathon. I ran 2 minutes and walked for 15-20 seconds at the Ironman World Championships last year. For the first time I had the fastest run split in my age group.
Working on improving form is, along with staying healthy, the key to staying in the sport long term. It is also for me one of the things that make the sport fun. Often people think of this as a swimming thing but biking and especially running have to be worked on. I approach every workout thinking about form. Luckily swimming is easy, with the right attitude, no distractions other than the clock, and perhaps a rival, when in the pool. Of the three sports I have slowed the least in the water.
We don’t think so much about form when biking, and three contact points on the bike limit what we can change. However, in my opinion bike fit equates to form and it is essential to successful, comfortable cycling and is much more important than the cost of the bike under you. In addition to your fit, how you pedal, your cadence and the application of force through the pedal stroke, could be called form. The demise of the Computrainer was not just a sad loss of an iconic product but a loss of a very useful training tool. I don’t believe my cycling ability would be where it is without the Computrainer (my bike split in Alcatraz put me in the top 30% overall). The ability of the Computrainer to tell me how efficient my pedal stroke is/was is one of the features that separates it from all the new competition (with the exception of Garmin’s latest pedal power meter).
Bobby McGee changed my thinking about running from something you do to something that should be approached the same way as swimming. While I said that I have slowed the least in the water I think my declining speed on my feet has been greatly reduced by what I learned to do from Bobby. His drills are part of my weekly training and much of my functional exercises I also learned from him. Much like swimming there is not one way that run mechanics must be learned. We are all different physiologically even if we have near 100% common DNA. But there are some basics that must be followed and can be learned.
This is critical. For me the success I have had is certainly a major factor in the fun. But feeling good about myself is right up there. Just getting outdoors and visiting places around the world is very important. Meeting like-minded great people in all walks of life and political persuasion, essential. If we could all find a passion that transcended politics I think the U.S. and the world would be in a much better place.
Simon Butterworth is an amazing athlete and coach with over 25 years in the sport. He's certified by USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, and TrainingPeaks. He's raced over 130 triathlons, 20 Ironman finishes, and he's placed in the top three in his age group in Kona three times. He specializes in working with athletes 60 and over.
THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH INFORMATION FOR THE 2018 COURSE (even though the title of the article says 2017).
Boulder is the perfect place for an Ironman, of course! It’s home to some of the fastest professional and age group triathletes in the world, and the 18x collegiate national champion CU Triathlon Team. Who wouldn’t want to race here? Nobody. Of course, you want to race here. Following is a course preview that includes specific tips I have gleaned from my experience on the course both racing and training.
PRE RACE
SWIM
BIKE
RUN
Good times in Boulder!
Coach Dave Sheanin approaches coaching from a holistic perspective. Adult age-group triathletes typically have substantial demands in their lives outside of training and racing. Looking at any individual component of an athlete’s training (or life) is a data point, but it rarely tells the full story. I make it a priority to understand what’s going on in an athlete’s life beyond triathlon in order to build a plan that is smart, fits their lifestyle, and builds toward appropriate goals.
Did you know that we have limited evidence for a lot of mainstream applications such as taping, cupping and even stretching? Sometimes evidence is conflicting. Sometimes evidence is lacking because the “thing” is still in its infancy and needs to be developed. A lot of times we have firm evidence that what is being advertised as a revolution is actually no better than a placebo. Having information readily available online is a blessing and a curse. I encounter a lot of misinformation on a daily basis as a physical therapist and as a triathlon coach. The objective of this article is to shine the light on common points of confusion when surfing the Internet without critical thinking goggles.
A PRODUCT, ILLNESS, REHABILITATION PROTOCOL OR TRAINING PROGRAM MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU
Many products are touted as a cure or solution to a myriad of problems, or that they simply will increase performance. As an example, when choosing shoes you can go with something well cushioned like HOKAs or a minimal shoe. Both types of shoes make similar claims despite being polar opposites. So, which is the correct one? Of course the answer lies with the individual.
Picking the right footwear is critical not only for comfort but also for recovery from an injury and for injury prevention. Running on a treadmill to check the alignment and analyzing the gait is not always sufficient. If an athlete has pain and biomechanical deviations from a typical structure, an assessment needs to be performed by a trained practitioner to determine whether, in this case, the foot, can handle the shoe or an orthotic long term. Just because someone’s training partner responds well to the latest invention that does not mean that everyone will benefit from the miracle. We are all built differently.
Many triathletes experience knee pain at some point. A common diagnosis is Patellar Tendinopathy, but of course, that is not a blanket diagnosis for everyone, just as not all heel pain is Achilles Tendinosis. When in pain, get checked out. Plain and simple. Proper diagnosis is crucial to determine the right course of action. Even though pains can present with similar symptoms, they may not come from the same source. The answer to “what is the driver of the pain “ will determine the rehabilitation protocol and success of treatment.
In training, we tend to see what is working for others then incorporate it into our own training without thinking. An example is biking long on Saturday and running long on Sunday. This schedule is not for everyone for a variety of reasons. The beauty of one-on-one training is that it is custom built for the athlete’s specific needs. Once the weaknesses are established, a program is designed to make them less of a handicap. The same principle applies to strengths. An individualized program will ensure that those strengths are turned into a maximal advantage for the athlete. Comparing programs between athletes is like comparing apples to oranges. Time, experience and goals, to just name a few variables, are all determinants in creating a training schedule that will produce the best results.
LEVELS OF EVIDENCE
Someone’s personal opinion is not the best level of evidence. While clinical experience definitely counts as a pillar of evidence, it is the lowest on the pyramid of validity. Therefore it must be taken with a grain of salt. Finding a systematic review for every issue is unrealistic. However, doing some research before running off with sketchy evidence is worth the time. When reading information, such as this article for example, determine whether it is someone’s opinion. If so, ask yourself what are his or her credentials? I am a doctor of physical therapy and a triathlon coach with over ten years of experience. Having said that, most information presented in this article is an opinion and there might be practitioners who disagree with me.
When reading a study, look at the methodology and ask some critical questions. What was the sample size? Was there a control group? Who funded the study? Was there a conflict of interest? What were the confounding variables? When searching for information try to find at least three sources that have come to similar conclusions. Do not confuse opinions for a fact. And keep in mind that you are unique therefore find what fits your needs. Because that too will be unique.
Coach Martina Vidali has worked with athletes of all types and abilities. In addition to being a USA Triathlon Certified coach, she is also a Doctor of Physical Therapy and is certified by the National Association of Sports Medicine. As an athlete, she has finished two IRONMAN races, the Boston Marathon, and has been an All World Athlete.
The alarm goes off. It’s race morning. You’ve been training consistently for months your hydration and nutrition are dialed in, and you’re ready to go. Except for one slight hurdle, a cold front has moved in overnight, and it’s 42 degrees and pouring rain. Your sympathetic nervous system kicks in your heart rate and respiration increases, blood vessels began constricting, and your digestive system shuts down. None of which you want to experience before the start of your race. However, incorporating adverse weather conditions into your training and applying a toolkit of coping strategies, will enable you to see adversity as an advantage over your competition.
Research shows that mentally tough athletes perform better under undesirable conditions. So, what defines mental toughness. One researcher characterizes mental toughness as, “the athlete’s ability to maintain performance levels during adversity, perceive pressure as a challenge while maintaining emotional, cognitive, and behavioral control despite situational stressors” (Cowden, 2017). So, in other words, the mentally tough athlete is unaffected by the weather conditions. In fact, embracing the weather is an opportunity to excel and use the adverse weather to their advantage.
Some of us are mentally tough by genetic disposition. However, the research shows that mental toughness can be an acquired skill set. The first step is to train for adversity; if you don’t ride your bike in the rain, you’re not going to race well in the rain. If you don’t run in the rain, you’re not going to race well in the rain. There are no miracles in a triathlon. We have all heard the story of coach Bowman altering Michael Phelps swim goggles before the competition or Desi Linden’s win at Boston. Both are perfect examples of training for adversity. However, how do you make the turn from avoiding adverse training conditions to embracing adversity?
One example is to develop the coping strategy known as self-talk. One definition of self-talk provided by Hardy (2006) provides an overview of self- talk as, “verbalizations or statements addressed to self, are multidimensional in nature are associated with the content of statements employed and are serving at least two functions; instructional and motivational for the athlete.” Van Dyke and Brewer (2016) also categorize self-talk as “recognizable communication expressed either internally or out loud in which the sender of the message is also the receiver.” So, on race morning when looking out the window and seeing pouring rain, we have two options. First, it’s my day I can use this to my advantage I’ve trained for this, and I’m ready, or I hate the rain I’m going to a crash, my shoes are going to be wet, it’s cold. One can see the positive effect self-talk may have and why self-talk could influence performance.
How we react to difficulty on race day will have a direct effect on performance outcomes. We are all aware of the physiological adaptations that are required when changing environmental conditions, such as heat or altitude but also, be aware of the mental component as well, so, when confronted with a weather system smile and say out loud, “I love the rain”.
For more information on self-talk see the March 2018 issue of The Sport Psychologist. The entire issue is dedicated to research on the coping skill of self-talk.
George Epley has more certifications than most doctors. They range from USA Triathlon and USA Cycling to American College of Sports Medicine and TrainingPeaks WKO4. He applies his tremendous knowledge to athletes of all levels and abilities and helps everyday athletes with managing their time to get the most from their training.
We get the privilege of coaching some very amazing athletes. Athletes who dig deep in their training to reach their goals. Athletes who overcome adversity to cross the finish line strong. Athletes who juggle crazy schedules in order to make their triathlon dreams come true. This section is about the athlete(s) our coaches wish to celebrate each month for their small victories in training, during racing or maybe just in their lives. These are the athletes who embody our 3 Ds: Desire, Determination and Discipline.
This month, we are proud to introduce you to Jay Klein.
Jay was ready to be done with triathlon. The sport was no longer fun and he was struggling with motivation. Thankfully for Jay, he met D3 Coach Laura Marcoux and gave it one more try. With the goal of getting back the enjoyment of training and racing, Jay has once again found his passion for the sport.
Laura nominated Jay because, "despite his heavy weekly travel schedule, Jay fits in his workouts and gets the job done. His dedication is already paying off, and he set a new swim and run PR at 70.3 Oceanside."
With travel nearly every week, Coach Marcoux made the workouts interesting enough to motivate Jay, and made them hotel gym friendly. An example is this workout using a stationary bike at the hotel. 60 minutes on the bike with every 15 minutes getting off the bike and doing the following set: 20 body weight squats, 10 push ups, 10 side lunges each leg, 15 rows, and plank position. Jay's post workout comment of "This was fun" let her know she was on the right track. The travel actually forced a level of creativity in the workouts that sparked Jay's motivation.
Another key to the success was Jay's use of the post workout comments in TrainingPeaks. "Because of Jay's consistent, honest feedback, I was able to see exactly what direction to take him," say Coach Marcoux. "As the weeks went on, I started to see him get excited about milestones like running consistently without walking, negative splitting long workouts, and doing his longest training run off the bike."
For Jay, the process has been the right mix of work and play. "When Coach Laura and I had our first meeting about working together I told her I didn't really like triathlon anymore and was stuck in my training," he recalls. "She listened to everything I said and put an awesome plan together for me. She made me work hard, but at the same time it was a lot of fun. In just four and a half months with her she got me swimming, biking, and running faster and for longer periods of time."
This year, Jay only had one race on his calendar, 70.3 Oceanside. The day went well for him, with Coach Marcoux sharing the following about his race results, "Great day for Jay to kick off his season! Despite some GI issues on the bike, he still managed a swim PR and a run PR! It was coming down to the wire to get under three hours for the half marathon and he had to really fight those last few miles to bring it home."
We are proud to turn the spotlight on Jay!
Kids camp is fun, no rules, staying up late, flashlight tag, eating crappy food, getting dirty, making new friends and creating memories for life….. Triathlon camp is all about rules, going to bed as early as you can because you are so tired, flashlights are headlamps for 6am runs, eating clean food for fueling the next day, making new friends and creating memories for life…. In all seriousness going to camp is a great way to raise your overall fitness. Most age groupers have so many demands that trump training, such as work, family, daily commitments. While we don’t want to give up our other life, well maybe it would be nice to not work, most are happy with their families, animals etc. But those, call them distractions, prevent us from training like a professional. Going to camp allows the athlete to focus on training, recovery, learning, digging deep all the while having a great time.
Timing of the camp is critical. February and March are timely for many due to the weather. For many this will be the first time riding outside since fall. Attending a warm weather camp can give you some early season bike miles. If you are racing in the Spring, this may be ideal. A camp in May or June is ideal for a late summer or fall race. And for those racing late in the season, say November or December, a fall camp will have you prepared. Many Ironman events have camps on the course, spending four to seven days swimming, biking and running the Ironman course is very beneficial. Working out timing for you may be the driving factor, when can you take time off work, when is it conducive with the family or other life commitments.How many days you spend at camp will be a big factor. If you can make a five to seven day camp, you will not only test your limits, but have time to settle in, gain some fitness have a bit of recovery and finish strong. Being in a place for five to seven days allows you to let go of home and focus on the tasks at hand and find a new routine. It takes planning, but try and get the time off work, plan with the family, and see if you can make it happen. If that length of camp is not feasible, there are many great three to four day camps that pack in a lot of training and you will get the fitness boost as well as the camaraderie of camp and a new experience.
Before signing up, know the type of athlete the camp is aimed at. Most camps clearly publicize who the type of athlete they are geared towards. If the camp is focused on sub 11-hour Ironman athletes and you went 11:55 one time, think hard if that camp is really for you. As well if the camp is all inclusive and about togetherness and you are a sub 10-hour athlete looking to train hard, log high volume, think again. If you want a camp that pushes you and tests your limits, you can generally get the feel from the website, comments like, “ all workouts are mandatory” “massive training” is good indication that this camp is for pushing you.
Investigate the people who are running the camp and ask some questions. Are they veterans? Has the camp been around for years? If the camp has been around for years is a good sign, a first year camp can be risky. The logistics of a camp are never ending so camps with a track record are more likely to run on schedule, have the routes figured out, know the best places to ride, know how to SAG, find the swimming pools that work and a what is the best flow of camp. Look for testimonials, ask previous campers for pros and cons. Also check in to see what they provide in terms of seminars, coaching, drills, skills, feedback, or evening talks. Every camp has different levels and your experience and ability may dictate what you are looking for.
Don't underestimate the importance of the accommodations. This includes everything from rooms, food, laundry, and location. While a big house may sound really fun, it can depend on how crowded the house is, the various personalities, who is neat and who leaves their dirty gear on the floor. Who will do the cooking or more importantly the dishes? Before you share a hotel room think about how much downtime you have, are you an early riser, what if your room mates hits the snooze button 10 x and sleeps in workout clothes so she can jump out of bed and race out the door and you like five cups of coffee and yoga before a workout? Compatibility is key. Consider where you are staying. If the host hotel seems a bit expensive, think hard on what the savings really will be if you are staying somewhere else. To invest in camp and not be right there can be annoying. I may also prevent you from taking a nap or requires you to live our of your car because of logistics of going to and from your hotel. Last but certainly not least is food. In addition to three square meals, will they provide snacks for refueling between workouts? Will there be stops on long rides to refuel or will you be relying on gas stations along the route? Beyond what's offered, consider if you want to eat all meals with your fellow campers or does a few free nights seem nice? If not how will you prep each day, again consider accommodations.
Proper preparation for a camp can be a huge help. You don't want to be starting from zero, but don’t show up trashed from training. Do the training necessary to finish all workouts and ease up a few days going into camp, so you can get the most out of it. Also don’t be “that guy” who hammers day one, wins the workout and then is off the back the rest of the week. Understand what you have ahead of you and pace yourself. If by day five you are bounding with energy, let it loose on that day. Remember the training volume is likely much higher than at home and you will accumulate fatigue daily. If you have a coach, ask his or her advice on timing, camp recommendations and work toward the goal together.I’ve been to at least 10 camps in the last 11 years and while some ran with out a hitch, others we got lost on rides, ran out of fuel and ended up buying ice cream at 7-11, froze at one camp and nearly died of heat stroke but I left every camp fitter than when I arrived, with new friends from around the world and eager to book my next camp. I laughed so hard and nearly cried all in one day at one soul crushing camp, but I went back the next year for more.
Read about Julie's recent experience at the Solvang Triathlon Camp.
Now is the time to think about your sports nutrition. As you start to build into your base phase, add miles, or gear up for your races, it’s important to take note of the fourth discipline in triathlon, nutrition. I will be touching base on some key factors that hopefully you already have dialed in, but if not, here’s your chance to get it in gear.
Starting with hydration, when exercising more than one hour most people will need an electrolyte drink of some kind. And, if the workout is going to be taxing, say some hill intervals, it’s wise to have some sugars/carbs in your drink as well. There are hundreds out there, so deciding which one is best for you can be hard. Products like Skratch Labs, Powerbar, Clif, Infinit, and various other drink mixes do a pretty good job of getting good ratios of sodium, potassium magnesium, and calcium into your mix. If needed, you may want to add some salt tabs to get your electrolytes levels to their appropriate range. This typically will happen on really hot days, longer races, and to those who sweat a lot of white stuff (salt).
Once you get the hydration piece fixed, it’s important to look at what you’re eating. By fueling the body well, you set the stage for your body to endure the workouts and recover, therefore allowing you to train more and harder. This will effectively have you going faster and at least feeling better while racing and training. Ideally, most athletes should have protein at most meals. This would include foods like meat, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts/seeds, protein powder, and small amounts of cheese. You will also want some fat and carbohydrate to balance this out. For athletes who train more then once a day, it’s important to keep in mind that some meals will need more time to be more digested than others. As an example, you may not want a huge salad with beans and nuts right before a hard run. Taking note of your system and knowing how sensitive your gut is important in planning your meals throughout the day.
When looking at types of carbohydrates, there are various kinds: whole grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, beans, bread, tortillas, corn, and others. Each person is different when choosing carbohydrates, but the good news is that you can get them from a variety of ways as listed. Some people do well with grains and other don’t, some people do great with fruits and others do not. There is a lot of rage around low carb diets right now and it’s VERY important to do this properly (if at all). Carbohydrates are meant to hold water for our cells to have time to access the water. They are also great for added fiber and water content, and they are also great at providing satiety when not over done and when proper choices are made. Talk with a healthcare provider about this type of diet if you are interested to make sure you do it properly. Fats are the last macronutrient and I’ve noticed they are often overlooked in the athlete population.
Fats are essential for each cell of the body, making up the majority of each cell membrane. As you can imagine if you have healthy cells then you will have a healthy body. Types of fats can greatly influence your inflammatory pathways. Choose omega 3 oils found in wild salmon, walnuts, flax, chia seed, hemp seed; monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocado, and almonds. This way you can greatly influence inflammation in your system and enhance recovery. Avoid fried foods, cooking at high heats with olive oil (choose avocado oil instead), and hydrogenated oils.
Keep in mind that every person is different and do your best to balance various nutrients and foods with lots of color to get the most from your diet and your body.
Coach Megan Forbes Dopp is a Registered Dietitian and holds a degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from Colorado State University. She has run a private practice for 11 years and works with a diverse clientele, including many endurance athletes.
Spring is a time of renewal, cleaning, and for many athletes, the start of race season. As you enter the race prep phase of your training, it’s never too early to start organizing your gear and make sure everything is in good working order. Just like you would perform a spring cleaning for your home, you should do the same for the gear you will rely on for race day. Here are some suggestions for the swim, bike and run to ensure you’ll be race ready!
SWIM
BIKE
RUN
In addition to being a USAT Level 1 Certified Coach, Coach Brad Seng is also a USAT Youth and Junior Coach and he is a NESTA certified sports nutritionist. He is also the current coach of the 17 time National Champion CU Buffaloes. Coach Seng works with a wide variety of athletes and can help you achieve your goals.
I really love watching the Olympics, I look past the politics and look at the essence of the sport and the sportsmanship. I look at what has allowed these amazing athletes to become so successful and what we can take from it.
Here are my three big take aways from the Olympics.
In the Men's cross country skiathlon, Norway's Simen Hegstad Kruger was a big favorite to win. In the first 250 yards, Kruger fell, got knocked in the head, and broke his pole. He was now in last place. Without any panic he got back up, grabbed a spare pole, composed himself and set out to rejoin the group. Rather than a huge effort to quickly get back, he worked his way up steadily to the group. With 8km to go he was in the group in fifth place. Then, he put in an early push and ended up crushing his competitors, taking the Gold medal with plenty of room behind him.
The takeaway for triathletes is that regardless of any mishaps during your event or even pre race, from your goggles coming off in the swim, a flat tire on the course, or you can't find your bike in transition (I'm guilty of this one) don't panic. Adapt to the mishap, adjust your strategy accordingly and most importantly stay positive. If Kruger has said to himself that his race was over after his crash, he never would have put on one of the best performances of the Games. So, if you haven't had a major mishap, you will eventually. Make sure you keep you head about you and make smart decisions.
The downhill skiers from Norway, the ones who called themselves the Attacking Vikings, they seemed to know what they were doing. As it turns out, they train as a team, race as a team, and have a lot of fun along the way. This camraderie is not only good for having a good time, but it also creates accountability. Not only can they not skip workouts, they are pushed by their teammates.
So, in your training, the next opportunity you have to train with others, you should do it and do it often. It holds you accountable to attend and to work hard. If Masters Swim club is too early in the morning, make the adjustment to get to the pool for that practice. If there are group rides or runs in your area, especially ones with a group of other triathletes, make an effort to get to those rides. You may find that you push yourself harder in a group setting than you can on your own. You may also find yourself having more fun too. If you want to stay in this sport, it has to be fun.
Did you notice that the most successful athletes there also seemed to either deal with the pressure or simply didn’t have pressure? As one skier pointed out, if your not having fun, whats the point? Yes it's hard work, but in some sense it is also playtime. Sure beats painting your living room, or doing your taxes.
So, from the smallest race to the World Championships, it's not luck that got you there, and it won't be luck getting you across the finish line in a triathlon or a marathon. It will have hard training across many months. In order to have the consistency it takes to be successful, you must have some fun along the way. Maybe it's finding a group to train with (see Lesson 2), maybe it's making your workouts an adventure (ride to that coffee shop in the next town over), or simply enjoy the wind in your face on your bike. Your goals will drive you, but enjoyment will keep you coming back.
Jim Hallberg is certified by both USA Triathlon, USA Cycling and TrainingPeaks. He works with athletes of all ages and abilities and believes in a balanced training program to solidify your strengths and bring up your weaknesses. Jim is also a highly competitive triathlete, having won USAT Nationals in 2007, 2010, and 2016.
I am a big time data geek. Not in a casual, "I like numbers" kind of way, it's more of an, "I love physics" kind of way. So I definitely get into the data when I review my athletes’ training logs. As a coach, I enjoy talking with them about the data and helping them learn how to interpret it, what to watch, and what to ignore. Through my own conversations and too much time spent in Facebook groups, I’ve noticed that often athletes are paying attention to the wrong metrics. Here’s my advice on what matters and what doesn’t:
1. Time in Zones
Zone 2 (endurance level) training is a critical piece in improving your aerobic capacity. Training in this zone increases your body’s fuel efficiency at sub-threshold effort levels and increases fatigue resistance, all while minimizing the training stress on your body. Because of this, no matter if you’re a short-course or long-course athlete, you should spend roughly 80% of your training time in Zone 2. Take a look at your Time In Zones charts, particularly for bike and run - do you have that covered, or are you putting in too much time at higher intensities, particularly Zone 3? If so, a shift in your training balance can provide the improvements that have been eluding you.
2. EF (Efficiency Factor)The best way to spot fitness improvements without subjecting yourself to those horrible 30 minute time trials is by watching your EF. An increase in EF across workouts signals either an improvement in pace or power at a constant heart rate, or a lower heart rate for constant pace or power, also known as: increased fitness. In other words, if you’re running faster than a month ago at the same heart rate, you’re pace zones have increased and your race paces have all improved. And THAT is what everyone is after, isn’t it?
1. VO2 Max
For real, this doesn’t matter. A few of the newer GPS watches will estimate your VO2 based on your workout data, and notify you as they think it changes. As a result, I’ve seen lots of conversations in Facebook groups about “is my VO2 Max accurate” and “why isn’t my VO2 Max changing?” My response: Who cares? VO2 Max is a metric that is largely driven by your personal physiology and genetics, is not going to see dramatic changes once base fitness is achieved, and - most importantly - cannot be used to direct training or racing. No one has a training run targeted at X% of their VO2 Max, and you definitely aren’t pacing your race off your VO2 Max. There is also plenty of evidence showing that grit and determination play an equally important role in race results as athletic potential (e.g., VO2 Max). So it really, really doesn’t matter what that number is.
2. CTL (Chronic Training Load, a.k.a. Fitness)
Athletes *love* to stare at their Performance Management Chart in TrainingPeaks. (Confession: myself included, when I take my coaching hat off.) It’s really easy to get totally flipped out about your CTL. Is it high enough? Is it climbing fast enough? Why is mine lower than hers? When I put my coaching hat back on, I remember that the CTL measurement is NOT the final judge and jury on my fitness. It’s a single piece of data based on individual workout training stress calculations that also have some inherent flaws, so the absolute number - and even the ramp rate - really isn’t as meaningful as you think. If you have a well written training plan with progressive increases in duration and/or intensity, then you can rest assured that your fitness is improving and stop staring at that darn chart.
When most of us sit down to evaluate and plan what we want out of our season, we think in terms of outcome goals. We want to win our age group, or place on the podium, or qualify for a world championship. Outcome goals are exactly that: an outcome of your effort. The problem with setting only outcome goals is that you have very little control over achieving them. You might work your tush off, have the best race of your life, and still not achieve your outcome goals because someone else showed up that day and beat you. So now do you look at your season as a failure because even though you’ve improved your performance, you didn’t achieve your outcome goals? You shouldn’t, and that’s why we set performance goals.
You have much more control over your performance goals than you do over your outcome goals because they don’t rely on other people. How you perform is entirely individual. Examples of these goals are running 8:00 pace in a half marathon, finishing an ironman, or increasing your FTP (functional threshold power) to 200 watts. If your outcome goal is to win your age group in a half ironman, and you’ve figured out that the average winning time is a 4:30, then your performance goal should be to finish in 4:30 or less. By shifting the focus to performance goals, rather than outcome goals, not only do you give yourself the best chance of achieving your outcome goal, but you’re creating the path and direction that you need to take to get there. You’re starting to think in terms of what you can actually control. That path and direction become your process goals.
Process goals are the day-to-day, week-to-week methods that allow you to create accountability for yourself. You have complete control over your process goals They are your intentional actions, that when applied with consistency, and aligned with performance goals, create change, growth, and achievement. In order to finish your Half Ironman in 4:30, you start by breaking down what your swim, bike, and run performance goals are, according to your strengths. From there, you might have decided that you have to run a 1:30 half marathon within that race. In order to create process goals, you then determine what that looks like in training. It might be running 30 miles per week, or making sure that 20% of your runs are at threshold. It might be committing to put your ego aside and make sure that your easy runs are actually easy so that you’re not too tired to go faster and make improvements when it’s time to go faster and make improvements (aka- stop obsessing over Strava).
Additionally, you may want to implement some form and technique process goals, as well as some mental goals (more on that later). Process goals should be monitored and evaluated regularly to ensure compliance and consistency. Set a timeline to check in on yourself. Depending on your goals, that could be weekly, monthly, or quarterly. First and foremost, be honest about whether or not you have been consistent with your process goals. It is impossible to determine their efficacy if you only do them sometimes or most of the time. Process goals are meant to be followed through with, all of the time. Once you’ve checked that box, you can then make an accurate assessment of whether or not these process goals are systematically leading you in the direction of your performance goals. If they’re not, make an adjustment. Your goals don’t have to be set in stone for the year if you’ve since gained additional information that points you in a different direction. Be adaptable in your process in order to be steadfast in your outcome.
Adaptability does not only apply to training. By adopting this mindset in your daily processes, you build the capacity to make adjustments within a performance based on changing circumstances. This past January, in the college football national championship game, Alabama went into halftime trailing Georgia by 13 points. Nick Saban, the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, pulled Jalen Hurts, his starting quarterback, who had a 25-2 all time record at one of the best programs in college football history, and replaced him with a true freshmen at halftime.
On the surface, this seems like an impulsive move; a response born out of fear of losing. But Georgia’s defense was well-prepared for Hurts and had a game plan that was succeeding at taking away his strengths. Being adaptable in a national championship game is extremely risky and requires fearlessness. Sticking with your game plan allows for predictable results, which for many of us feels safe and comfortable, and will likely provide positive results in consistent situations. But when an unpredictable situation arises, and your game plan is no longer the best way to succeed, you must be willing to stay calm, positive, confident in your ability, and resilient if things don’t go your way at first. Alabama’s second string quarterback threw a 41 yard touchdown in overtime to win Nick Saban and the Tide a 6th National Title, the 17th in school history.
Be adaptable in your process in order to be steadfast in your outcome. As you begin to think about how outcome, performance, and process goals fit into your season plan, don’t underestimate the importance of mental goals. In order to set effective goals, you have to conduct an honest assessment of your past results. Did you fail to reach a performance goal because of an inconsistency in training, or were you properly physically prepared, but unable to capitalize on your physical tools due to a lack of mental fortitude? Mental goals can be more difficult to assess than physical goals. There is no FTP test for your mental toughness. There is also a tendency to feel defensive when addressing these issues because it may feel like an attack on your character. An attack on your ego.
A good place to start is to review your training methods. Many of us get stuck into the same routine, which can span multiple seasons. There is nothing wrong with a consistent routine at its core; it can allow you to maximize the efficiency of your time: fitting training into your life, and balancing your schedule. However, if you have been in a similar routine for a few seasons and you’re not seeing progressive results, it’s time to decide if you’ve been doing the same things over and over simply because they’re comfortable. Maybe you’ve been swimming with the same group for a while and you’ve become used to swimming at the same pace as a result. Moving up a lane might be uncomfortable, but it will create change. Maybe you’ve been getting up at 4:30am a few times a week to get on your trainer and get the work done early. Your ego may say that you’re dedicated to your sport and willing to make sacrifices to get the work done, but examine where your focus is while you’re riding and if you’re actually pushing yourself to new levels, or if you’re just watching a movie and thinking about your work schedule for the day. Challenge yourself to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Lastly, to ensure compliance, make sure that your goals are worded positively, and that you write them down where you can see them. A positively worded goal sounds like, “I will be more consistent with my strength training,” rather than “I want to avoid falling into a rut with my strength training.” This framework allows you to see your goals as positive actions and behavior, rather than lack of action. It allows you to maintain the mindset that when obstacles come along, you always have control over your response to those obstacles.
Now write your goals down somewhere where you will be reminded of them on a regular basis. Put them on your fridge, or in your training space. Tell people about them. Don’t be embarrassed about how high your goals are. Tell people what you’re going to do and then do it. Start with your processes, build to your performances, and give yourself the best chance to maximize your outcomes.
This month's D3 Athlete is Onyanga Dean, a Californian who has overcome the odds to succeed in the sport he loves. From a misdiagnosed heart condition to a cramping issue that just won't quit, Dean has the dedication and determination to meet and exceed his goals. After four years of using various training plans from D3, in 2017 he began working with Coach Alison Freeman with great success, setting new P.R.'s at the Ironman and marathon. Read more about his journey to finding how to get the most from his body and pushing his limits.
D3: You had an interesting shift in your commitment to training last year. Can you describe where you found the inspiration or motivation to re-commit?
Onyanga Dean: During the 2016 Ironman Santa Cruz 70.3, I experienced my first DNF where I intentionally pulled the plug (the only other was during 2013 Escape from Alcatraz, where I ended up in the hospital with a separated shoulder after a nasty spill on the bike). During Santa Cruz, I noticed I wasn’t able to produce much power on the bike and by the time I got to the run, had to shut it down a mile into it. I knew something wasn't right. After a tread mill test and a cat scan, I was immediately placed on a statin and aspirin, due to an abnormal reading. The cardiologist also instructed me to discontinue participating in endurance events and scheduled an angiogram a month out. As you can probably imagine, I was in total disbelief thinking, "how could this happen to me at 49 years old?"
The angiogram was performed by different cardiologist in San Francisco (described as the gold standard), who, while looking at my heart on a flat screen monitor with me, told me my arteries looked, "nice and plump" and in his opinion, my issue may have been an anomaly. The next day, I went on a four mile walk around Lake Merritt and back thinking the entire time of how grateful I was to be horizontal and healthy and decided at that point to never take my health for granted.
Ironically, D3 Coach Alison Freeman reached out shortly afterwards and we decided to give it a go. Prior to Alison, I may have "Face Timed" twice in my life and they may have been accidental, but I have to tell you, there is something to be said about facing someone and coming up with excuses as to why you missed workouts. Alison has a way of giving you that motherly, "I'm disappointed" look that makes you feel like a loser! I was training for IM Santa Rosa and couldn't seem to put together consistent efforts in training based on my work schedule and trepidation from the aforementioned heart scare. After a long, realistic discussion with Alison regarding IM Santa Rosa and her concern about me completing it based on what I'd put into training, I decided to step my game up commit to the program. Oh, and remember the "look". No one wants to be a loser!
D3: You had three key races where you saw the fruits of your labor play out. Walk us through the success of those races.
OD: My first key race of the season was IM Santa Rosa 70.3. Going into this race, Alison made sure I stuck to the plan, particularly my running pace, which was frustrating at times because I wanted to go faster (probably a Strava thing). It paid off, as it ended up being a PR at that distance and more important, I didn't walk and nailed our execution. I was also able hang out with fellow D3ers for a BBQ (all of whom are blazing fast) afterwards. That was very inspiring, especially the part where we shared stories about Mike's (Ricci) intensity and some of the hard core workouts. Made me proud to be a part of D3 and pumped me up to commit even more to my training.
Second up was Ironman Santa Rosa. This was my second IM, my first was IM Lake Tahoe in 2015. Being a bigger triathlete and having epic failures due to cramping when it comes to racing in the heat, the plan was to swim at a comfortable pace to avoid blowing up later. Execution went as planned and I had an awesome bike despite dropping my chain and stopping for a pit stop (note to self: gonna finally give peeing on the bike a try next IM). On the run, my old friend "cramps" showed up at mile 15 and I held on from there. This was still a major accomplishment based on the cramps kicking in much earlier in previous races of shorter distances. I set a PR on the bike, PR on the run and bested my previous IM time by well over an hour, although it was relative given the different courses.
My third key race for 2017, was the Sacramento International Marathon (CIM). Going into this race I figured I'd set the bar high and go for a BQ. Alison was on board and gave me an aggressive training plan. My previous PR for a marathon was 4:18 on this course and took place seven years ago (I left that detail out when I set the BQ goal with Alison for obvious reasons). Training went well and on race day I was ready. My previous marathon strategy was to walk through each aid station and try to maintain my pace. For this race, Alison basically told me I couldn’t afford to walk through the aid stations if I wanted to stick to our race day execution. Things went well until mile 22, when the cramps kicked in. I decided to back off the pace to avoid walking and ended up finishing five minutes shy of a BQ. Although I didn't hit the mark, it was a huge break through and I bested my previous PR by 43 minutes!
D3: What were you most proud of as you wrapped up the 2017 race season?
OD: Going into the 2017 season I didn't know what to expect, especially with the heart scare. I was also starting the season with a new coach. Although the season started slow, it was my best season to date and I turned 50 years old in June! So I am most proud of seeing the results of consistency, sticking with the plan and trusting my coach.
D3: Tell us a little bit about yourself ... outside of triathlon what fills your time, what do you like to do with a training day off, etc.?
OD: Professionally, I am a State Parole Agent Supervisor and triathlon provides me the opportunity to keep balance in my life after long days at work or monitoring registered sex offenders and gang members via GPS. I completed my first triathlon in 2005, the Bakersfield Triathlon. I'm pretty sure I was dead last out of the lake that day. I stuck with it and still enjoy it.
I joined D3 in 2012 after having a conversation with Coach Mike and coming to the realization that I didn't know what the heck I was doing out there! At first, I was skeptical about having a coach in Colorado, living in California. Since then, I've found myself on the race course with D3 athletes at nearly every race I've participated in or volunteered at. Mental Skills Coach, Will Murray and I have trained on the Escape from Alcatraz course and it's always cool to get a congrats out of the blue.
When I'm not swimming, biking or running, or introducing someone to the sport, I like to spend time attending sporting events, concerts or plays with my girlfriend, Elaine, who's also a triathlete. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends as well as mentoring at risk youth. I also love kicking my feet up and enjoying a good movie, even though I often end up falling asleep if it's after a hard training day.
D3: What is one (or a couple) of your favorite workouts from Coach Alison?
OD: My favorite workouts from Coach Alison are the ones I execute as planned, whether it be a swim, bike or run. Alison gives the best feedback and she lets me know why we are doing a particular training block and how it will benefit me come race day.
D3: What is your favorite piece of gear, equipment?
OD: My favorite piece of gear is the latest D3 kit. Not only is it comfortable to race in, it looks good and stands out!
D3: What are you most looking forward to as the 2018 race season approaches and what races are you planning to do?
OD: Going into the 2018 race season I look forward to more consistency and breakthroughs and to seeing what I have left in the basement! My A race is Ironman Santa Rosa. It's in May this year, which gives me the opportunity to complete this race twice as a 50 year old. I plan on racing Napa HITS 70.3 in April. I'm also tempted to head to Wild Flower since so many D3ers will be racing – it’s a week before IM Santa Rosa. I'll head back to CIM in December to get that BQ and in between probably have fun with a couple sprints and olympics.
D3: Is there anything else you would like to add about yourself?
OD: Joining D3 is one of the best investments I've made. I tried training plans from various books and they were adequate at the time, however, my triathlon IQ and my overall health has improved considerably since that conversation Mike Ricci and I had in 2012. I'm also getting faster!
While I am a big fan of the holidays (I’m lucky enough to have my family close enough for long visits, but just far enough away to make it a real trip), I love this time of the year for our sport. It’s a chance to look forward at the coming season, or seasons, and revel in the amount of possibility there is. Even if you’ve had a less than great year due to injury, illness, lack of time, etc. getting to play that wonderful game of ”what do I want to do” is just plain good fun. But after you finish the dreaming part, the work of planning needs to be pushed into high gear and bringing a high midseason focus into the offseason for just a short while will be necessary.
Before setting your goals, it's important to define just what a goal is. You can write out any number of things on a piece of paper or in your TrainingPeaks account, but if they don't have the right elements it will be hard to achieve them. The following three elements are a part of all good goals.
Many athletes fall into three categories; the dreamers, the check marks, and the just do-er’s. Dreamers are fun (being one I have to lobby for them); they want to get to the top of the mountain, then jump off. They go big, but often are overzealous in what is really accomplishable in a single season. They are the “qualify for Kona” having never done an IM or “Run my half marathon in less than 1:30 at Silverman 70.3” without breaking 2:00 first. While these goals are not necessarily unachievable, from a coaching perspective these athletes to see that there are other goals that need to be reached first or that their particular goal needs to be pushed (gently) to two or three seasons down the line.
Check marks are the opposite; they pick out goals that have already been attained or are below previous marks. For someone who’s qualified every year for the Age Group National Championships race, “Qualify for AG Nats” is a check mark-something easily attainable. For the athlete that finishes just over 5 hours for a Half Ironman, “Run all of the 13.1 miles at Boulder 70.3” is a check mark. These athletes often need to be prodded into picking goals that they have not already attained in previous seasons. That said, if this is an athlete coming back from physical or personal setbacks, allowing a few checkmark goals to help build confidence.
There is another particular brand of athlete that is very similar to the check mark group is the just do-er athlete. They are the “Enjoy triathlon” and “Gain fitness” types. While I truly applaud those looking to simply enjoy this sport, as a coach, athletes who don’t want to move out of this type can be frustrating. Without a specific direction, it becomes difficult to be effective in your coaching. If you fall into this area, have a talk with your coach about possible goals they would pick for you or just brainstorm for a bit. Even goals that start off as “be a better swimmer” or “not die on long climbs” can be moved into goals and measurable achievements.
When setting your goals, where do you lay? Do you stand out as an obvious type? Or are you not sure? Once you’ve figured out what you’re excited about, engage your coach on the complexity and reality of your goal (dreamers), the steps required for your goals (checklisters) and how you will measure your goal (just do-ers). One of the great things about good coaches is being able to push the checkmarks to make goals that require some level of overreaching and dialing back the dreamer to something both measurable and attainable while getting the just-doer to define their goal.
When defining goals, start with your crown jewel, A+ objective and work down from there with the supportive goals. The weekly training goals and benchmarks will come from your conversations with your coach, their knowledge base and their knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses. For instance, a strong runner with limited abilities in open water looking to improve their Olympic race time will spend more time in the pool and in open water sessions rather than extra time on the track (but will still have running speed sessions to keep at minimum their current fitness and speed). Also help your coach by giving them as much advanced warning as possible on disruptions and adjustments to the plan.
Goals don’t necessarily need to be about times or distance, or going longer every season. Are you unhappy with your Half Ironman results? Going for shorter races could allow you to gain speed that with the right steps, translate into longer distances at better speeds. Spending a season working on the mechanics of form and speed also allows for more recovery (shorter sessions means more rest) and a better season after the next with fewer niggles and more energy. A shift to shorter races could also mean a happier significant other, something one could possibly cash in to do several high end or long distance races in seasons beyond.
Goals and steps should be phrased in the positive. Someone looking to make more early morning masters swim sessions could avoid using the phrase “Don’t sleep in” to “Pack bag and set timer on coffee pot the night before”. Too often the brain ignores the negative words, making “Don’t sleep in” to “Sleep in”.
Whatever your goals are for the year, digging in for a repetition of a demanding race or a first time plunge into something that may not even be swim bike run, hopefully you’ll be able to see where you need a tap on the gas pedal or the brakes, redefine or even just reword your goals for more success season…in a few months down the road. Enjoy the offseason while it lasts folks!
Coach Leigh Dodd is a USAT Level 1 Certified Coach who has helped coach the University of Colorado Buffaloes to seven straight Club National Championships. Coach Dodd has a specialty in swimming, helping swimmers become more well rounded triathletes as well as helping non-swimmers improve their ability in the water. She's most inspired when coaching beginners and has coached many athletes who have achieved their goal of qualifying for the Age Group National Championships.
I want to start this article off with a question: what should triathletes have in common with Imelda Marcos? I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind is that we should all get married to corrupt dictators, but, shockingly, that’s not where I’m headed with this article. For those of us who can remember the 1970s and 80s, we can recall Ms. Marcos’ shoe collection. She was famous (or perhaps infamous) for owning thousands of pairs of shoes.
Well, I’m not suggesting that triathletes should fill warehouses with their shoes, but when it comes to running shoes in particular, having a half-dozen or so pair makes sense. Here’s why.
ROTATING YOUR SHOES
There’s more opinion-based advice than fact-based research on when to replace your running shoes. The general consensus among the top brands (who are trying to sell you running shoes, it should be noted) is that running shoes have a life in the range of 300-500 miles. Less cushioned minimalist shoes are more likely to have lifespans at the lower end of that range and highly cushioned shoes might be toward the higher end. Most runners and triathletes I’ve talked with use the 300 to 500 range as their guideline.
Many experienced runners know by feel when a pair of shoes is ready for retirement and there are a number of ways to check the life of a pair of shoes that you can do yourself, or the helpful expert at your local running shop (who is also in the business of selling shoes) can do for you. If your shoes show significant wear through the outsole (the rubber on the bottom of the shoe that makes contact with the ground) or the “nubs” are worn off, that’s a sure sign that your shoes are ready for replacement. But there are other signs as well- the EVA (white cushy material) feels too soft or doesn’t rebound, there’s excessive wear around the heels of the outsole, the shoes “rock” laterally when placed on a flat surface, or you see significantly asymmetrical wear patterns in the right vs. left shoe.
Some of the wear you’ll see will be dependent on the surfaces you run on. I log the majority of my miles on a treadmill. I never wear through the outsole of my shoes.
Take a look at the picture below. These are two identical model running shoes. The pair on the left (labeled 12-17) are practically brand new with only about 30 miles of use. The pair on the right (labeled 2-17) are more than midway through their lifespan with about 220 miles on them. The outsoles don’t show significantly different wear, but they are definitely at different points in their usable lives.
I strongly recommend tracking your shoe mileage in TrainingPeaks. In the settings screen, look for the equipment tab and click the “Add a Shoe” button to fill in the details of each of your running shoes.
Then when you log each workout, select the shoe you wore from the dropdown menu at the bottom of the workout screen. This only takes an extra couple of seconds, but will make tracking your mileage on each shoe super-simple.
It’s often recommended that you rotate your running shoes so that you’re never running on the same pair twice in a 24-hour period. Doing so will give the EVA material in the midsole time to recover. Having different shoes for different types of runs also makes sense--you’re picking the right “tool” for the job. And it’s long been an accepted rule of thumb that rotating your running shoes helps prevent injury. In 2015, there was some science added to back up this common knowledge in a study that suggests that shoe rotation does, in fact, serve as a protective factor against injury. You can read the study HERE.
Most runners own two pair of shoes and alternate them, but as a type-A triathlete nut-job, I go a little further. My shoe rotation plan is as follows. I buy a new pair of running shoes when my previously newest pair reaches 100 miles. I typically run my shoes to about 400 miles these days so that means that I’ll have three to four pair of shoes in my daily rotation. So I might have a newer pair with around 50 miles on them, a pair with 150, a pair with 250, and a pair near the end of their life with 350. It doesn’t work out perfectly to these round numbers, but this give you the idea. I just roll through the shoes- for each run day, grabbing the next pair in the rotation.
Additionally, I have a couple of “specialty” type shoes like mypair of Hokas with IceSpikes installed for the occasional snowy/icy outdoor runs and a pair of Zoot racers for short course events. I also do my long training runs and long-course races in another pair of Hokas. So that leaves me with seven to eight pair of running shoes going through the rotation at any given point in time. I’m only replacing a pair of daily runners about every 400 miles, but I never go from running only in totally worn out shoes to totally brand new shoes at the end of a cycle--there’s always a replacement stagger.
Even if your shoe arsenal includes only two pair, try not to start your rotation cycle with both pair at once so that you aren’t replacing both pair at the same time.
What’s the takeaway? Aside from the fact that I’m a little nutty (and I don’t mind if you judge me for that), make sure that you have a plan for rotating your shoes and use the equipment tracking feature in TrainingPeaks to help guide you so you aren’t guessing about when it’s time for replacement.
Coach Dave Sheanin has a lot of experience with a variety of athletes, making him very well rounded. He certifications include USA Triathlon and USA Swimming, he's helped coach the University of Colorado Buffaloes to six National Club Championships, and worked with USAT All Americans and Kona Qualifiers. As an athlete, Coach Dave races with Athletes in Tandem, helping disable persons enjoy the sport of triathlon.
D3 Multisport: Core Strength Program, Part I
The following is my own personal core strength workout. It’s painful but it gets results. If you want to be ripped and generate more power in the pool and on the roads this workout is for you.Most of these exercises are done with the Fit Ball [FB] a.k.a. Swiss ball, big ball, or Physio-ball.
A. Days per week: 2-3 (max)
B. For beginners, I recommend doing one set of 5-15 reps.
C. I would start with Part I one day, Part II the next scheduled day etc.
D. After you accomplish C, you can move on to doing Parts I & II and then Parts I, II, & III in the same day.
E. Once you can accomplish D then you can add multiple sets.
F. Once you accomplish E, you can move to Core IV, V and VI.
G. Go easy – these can hurt you for a few days.
H. Quality over quantity!
Exercise 1: Plank to Push-Up
Repetitions: 12-24Movement: Start in the plank position and move to the push-up position. Alternate arms each time. Work on keeping the hips even and not letting them drop.
Exercise 2: Bicycles
Repetitions: 20-50Movement: Start by lying on your back. Alternate your right knee to left elbow, and vice versa. To increase the difficulty, you can increase the speed or really slow down the speed. One rep is one complete cycle of left elbow to right knee and right elbow to left knee.
Exercise 3: Back extensions on the FB
Repetitions: 12-15Movement: Start with feet firmly on the floor, and the stomach on the FB. Using your trunk, lift your upper body to parallel on the ball (watch for overextension).
Exercise 4: Plank with movement
Repetitions: 45 seconds (s) – 2 minutes (m)Movement: This is a tough one. You start out in a plank position with your elbows under you. Keep the elbows about 6” apart. Try to keep the shoulder blades together with no curve. Really flex your stomach region, you will feel this. Keep your back straight and your hips up. To make this even more challenging, try to keep moving your elbows out 2” every 15s or so. Another challenge would be to lift your leg off the ground behind you or out to the side as I demonstrate in the video. Your body should be shaking on this one. If not, then move your hips up a bit.
Exercise 5: V-ups with FB
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Start out lying down with your arms extended over you head. Place the ball in between your arms. Slowly bring your arms (fully extended still) and your legs up and together creating a ‘V’ with your body. Transfer the ball to between your legs (this takes a little coordination) and slowly bring your legs and arms back to the original starting position. Don’t get lazy and bring your arms up and not your legs or vice versa. Work on these! They will get easier.
Exercise 6: Push-ups with FB
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Start out with your shins on the FB and your arms in the push-up position. Try to do a few push-ups. Slowly walk your arms out (your feet should be fully extended on the FB ). Now try a few more. An advanced version would be performing the push-ups with your toes fully on the FB holding up your entire body. Even more advanced would be doing these with one leg.
Exercise 7: Medicine ball twists
Repetitions: 20-30Movement: Start out with your behind on the floor, and your knees bent in front of you (picture 1). Start with the ball on one side and using your torso, twist to the other side and put the ball on the ground (picture 2), and then return to the other side. This is one repetition. I like to break up by passing the ball under my legs in the middle of the set (picture 3). Pass the ball quickly and from hand-to-hand under your legs and over the top of your knees. Your feet remain off the floor at all times.
Exercise 8: Plank to Push-Up
Repetitions: 12-24Movement: Start in the plank position and move to the push-up position. Alternate arms each time. Work on keeping the hips even and not letting them drop.
Michael Ricci is a USAT Level 3 Certified Coach and a USAT Coach of the Year.
D3 Multisport: Core Strength Program, Part IV
The following is my own personal core strength workout. It’s painful but it gets results. If you want to be ripped and generate more power in the pool and on the roads this workout is for you.Most of these exercises are done with the Fit Ball [FB] a.k.a. Swiss ball, big ball, or Physio-ball.
A. Days per week: 2-3 (max)
B. For beginners, I recommend doing one set of 5-15 reps.
C. I would start with Part I one day, Part II the next scheduled day etc.
D. After you accomplish C, you can move on to doing Parts I & II and then Parts I, II, & III in the same day.
E. Once you can accomplish D then you can add multiple sets.
F. Once you accomplish E, you can move to Core IV, V and VI.
G. Go easy – these can hurt you for a few days.
H. Quality over quantity!
Exercise 1: Oblique Crunch on FB
Repetitions: 12-24Movement: Start with one of your hips on FB and your feet firmly planted on the ground or wedged against a wall for leverage. If you are on your right hip, then put your left hand behind your head and drop to your right side and then come back up.
Exercise 2: Ab Wheel
Repetitions: 20-50Movement: Kneel on a soft surface like an Airex pad, and with both hands on opposite sides of the ab wheel, roll it out as far as you can without creating a lot of stress on your low back. To pull the wheel back in, focus on using your core to pull back the wheel. Warm up with a few easy reps before you dive into deeper reps.
Exercise 3: X-Band Walk
Repetitions: 12-20 steps in both directionsMovement: First, you take the band and step on it. Then you cross it over and pull it up to your shoulders, creating an X. Keep the tension on the band by pulling up and trying to keep your hands at shoulder level. From here, you'll take steps to your left and once you've reached the desired amount of reps, you can now go in the other direction.
Exercise 4: Squat Rows
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Using a band or cable machine in the gym, you'll squat while your pull (row) the band toward you. As you come back out of your squat you can let up on the tension on the band.
Exercise 5: Dead Bug
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Start out lying down on your back. Keep your feet together and clasp your fingers behind your head. Now attempt to stay low to the ground and try to move your elbows toward your feet, while moving your feet toward your elbows.:
Exercise 6: Back extensions on the FB
Repetitions: 12-15Movement: Start with feet firmly on the floor, and the stomach on the FB. Using your trunk, lift your upper body to parallel on the ball (watch for overextension).
Exercise 7: Russian Twist on FB
Repetitions: 12-15Movement: Lying with your back on the Fitball, and your feet firmly planted on the ground, rotate a medicine ball (MB), from left to right and back again. One full repetition is a full cycle of Middle, Left, Middle, Right, Middle, Left. To increase difficulty you can use a heavier MB and/or increase the speed of the exercise.
Exercise 8: Oblique Crunch on FB
Repetitions: 12-24Movement: Start with one of your hips on FB and your feet firmly planted on the ground or wedged against a wall for leverage. If you are on your right hip, then put your left hand behind your head and drop to your right side and then come back up.
Michael Ricci is a USAT Level 3 Certified Coach and a USAT Coach of the Year.
D3 Multisport: Core Strength Program, Part VI
The following is my own personal core strength workout. It’s painful but it gets results. If you want to be ripped and generate more power in the pool and on the roads this workout is for you.Most of these exercises are done with the Fit Ball [FB] a.k.a. Swiss ball, big ball, or Physio-ball.
A. Days per week: 2-3 (max)
B. For beginners, I recommend doing one set of 5-15 reps.
C. I would start with Part I one day, Part II the next scheduled day etc.
D. After you accomplish C, you can move on to doing Parts I & II and then Parts I, II, & III in the same day.
E. Once you can accomplish D then you can add multiple sets.
F. Once you accomplish E, you can move to Core IV, V and VI.
G. Go easy – these can hurt you for a few days.
H. Quality over quantity!
Exercise 1: X-Band Walk
Repetitions: 12-20 steps in both directionsMovement: First, you take the band and step on it. Then you cross it over and pull it up to your shoulders, creating an X. Keep the tension on the band by pulling up and trying to keep your hands at shoulder level. From here, you'll take steps to your left and once you've reached the desired amount of reps, you can now go in the other direction.
Exercise 2: Supine Leg Curl
Repetitions: 12-20Movement: Begin with feet resting on top of the ball. Lift the hips in line with the knees and simultaneously roll the ball into the hips until only your toes are touching the ball. Return to the starting position touching the hips to the floor and immediately repeat the movement. ement.
Exercise 3: Oblique Crunch on FB
Repetitions: 12-24Movement: Start with one of your hips on FB and your feet firmly planted on the ground or wedged against a wall for leverage. If you are on your right hip, then put your left hand behind your head and drop to your right side and then come back up.
Exercise 4: Ab Wheel
Repetitions: 20-50Movement: Kneel on a soft surface like an Airex pad, and with both hands on opposite sides of the ab wheel, roll it out as far as you can without creating a lot of stress on your low back. To pull the wheel back in, focus on using your core to pull back the wheel. Warm up with a few easy reps before you dive into deeper reps.
Exercise 5: Superman on the FB Repetitions:
12-15Movement: Start with your stomach on the ball and balance yourself with your arms and legs. Slowly raise your right leg and left arm. Watch your balance! After you return to the starting position, repeat with your left leg and right arm. This takes a little bit of coordination.
Exercise 6: Supine Hip Lift on FBRepetitions:
12-20Movement: Begin with feet resting on top of the ball. Lift the hips in line with the knees psh your hips until to full extension. Return to the starting position touching the hips to the floor and immediately repeat the movement.
Exercise 7: Medicine ball twists
Repetitions: 20-30Movement: Start out with your behind on the floor, and your knees bent in front of you (picture 1). Start with the ball on one side and using your torso, twist to the other side and put the ball on the ground (picture 2), and then return to the other side. This is one repetition. I like to break up by passing the ball under my legs in the middle of the set (picture 3). Pass the ball quickly and from hand-to-hand under your legs and over the top of your knees. Your feet remain off the floor at all times.
Exercise 8: X-Band Walk
Repetitions: 12-20 steps in both directionsMovement: First, you take the band and step on it. Then you cross it over and pull it up to your shoulders, creating an X. Keep the tension on the band by pulling up and trying to keep your hands at shoulder level. From here, you'll take steps to your left and once you've reached the desired amount of reps, you can now go in the other direction.
Michael Ricci is a USAT Level 3 Certified Coach and a USAT Coach of the Year.
D3 Multisport: Core Strength Program, Part V
The following is my own personal core strength workout. It’s painful but it gets results. If you want to be ripped and generate more power in the pool and on the roads this workout is for you.Most of these exercises are done with the Fit Ball [FB] a.k.a. Swiss ball, big ball, or Physio-ball.
A. Days per week: 2-3 (max)
B. For beginners, I recommend doing one set of 5-15 reps.
C. I would start with Part I one day, Part II the next scheduled day etc.
D. After you accomplish C, you can move on to doing Parts I & II and then Parts I, II, & III in the same day.
E. Once you can accomplish D then you can add multiple sets.
F. Once you accomplish E, you can move to Core IV, V and VI.
G. Go easy – these can hurt you for a few days.
H. Quality over quantity!
Exercise 1: Russian Twist on FB Repetitions:
12-15Movement: Lying with your back on the Fitball, and your feet firmly planted on the ground, rotate a medicine ball (MB), from left to right and back again. One full repetition is a full cycle of Middle, Left, Middle, Right, Middle, Left. To increase difficulty you can use a heavier MB and/or increase the speed of the exercise.
Exercise 2: Plank with movement
Repetitions: 45 seconds (s) – 2 minutes (m)Movement: This is a tough one. You start out in a plank position with your elbows under you. Keep the elbows about 6” apart. Try to keep the shoulder blades together with no curve. Really flex your stomach region, you will feel this. Keep your back straight and your hips up. To make this even more challenging, try to keep moving your elbows out 2” every 15s or so. Another challenge would be to lift your leg off the ground behind you or out to the side as I demonstrate in the video. Your body should be shaking on this one. If not, then move your hips up a bit.
Exercise 3: Squat RowsRepetitions:
10-15Movement: Using a band or cable machine in the gym, you'll squat while your pull (row) the band toward you. As you come back out of your squat you can let up on the tension on the band.
Exercise 4: X-Band Walk
Repetitions: 12-20 steps in both directionsMovement: First, you take the band and step on it. Then you cross it over and pull it up to your shoulders, creating an X. Keep the tension on the band by pulling up and trying to keep your hands at shoulder level. From here, you'll take steps to your left and once you've reached the desired amount of reps, you can now go in the other direction.
Exercise 5: Dead Bug
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Start out lying down on your back. Keep your feet together and clasp your fingers behind your head. Now attempt to stay low to the ground and try to move your elbows toward your feet, while moving your feet toward your elbows.:
Exercise 6: Plank with Knee to Elbow
Repetitions: 45 seconds (s) – 2 minutes (m)Movement: You start out in a plank position with your elbows under you. Keep the elbows about 6” apart. Try to keep the shoulder blades together with no curve. Really flex your stomach region, you will feel this. Keep your back straight and your hips up. Take your left knee and try to touch your left elbow for 2-3 reps, then try the right side. To increase the difficulty, you can add reps, speed up the movement and/or put your feet on an unstable surface like a FitBall.
Exercise 7: Ab Wheel
Repetitions: 20-50Movement: Kneel on a soft surface like an Airex pad, and with both hands on opposite sides of the ab wheel, roll it out as far as you can without creating a lot of stress on your low back. To pull the wheel back in, focus on using your core to pull back the wheel. Warm up with a few easy reps before you dive into deeper reps.
Exercise 8: Russian Twist on FB
Repetitions: 12-15Movement: Lying with your back on the Fitball, and your feet firmly planted on the ground, rotate a medicine ball (MB), from left to right and back again. One full repetition is a full cycle of Middle, Left, Middle, Right, Middle, Left. To increase difficulty you can use a heavier MB and/or increase the speed of the exercise.
Michael Ricci is a USAT Level 3 Certified Coach and a USAT Coach of the Year.
D3 Multisport: Core Strength Program, Part II
The following is my own personal core strength workout. It’s painful but it gets results. If you want to be ripped and generate more power in the pool and on the roads this workout is for you.Most of these exercises are done with the Fit Ball [FB] a.k.a. Swiss ball, big ball, or Physio-ball.
A. Days per week: 2-3 (max)
B. For beginners, I recommend doing one set of 5-15 reps.
C. I would start with Part I one day, Part II the next scheduled day etc.
D. After you accomplish C, you can move on to doing Parts I & II and then Parts I, II, & III in the same day.
E. Once you can accomplish D then you can add multiple sets.
F. Once you accomplish E, you can move to Core IV, V and VI.
G. Go easy – these can hurt you for a few days.
H. Quality over quantity!
Exercise 1: Overhead Squat
Repetitions: 12-24Movement: Start with a broomstick, towel or weight bar above your head and then squat down while keeping your back as straight as possible. .
Exercise 2: Supine Leg Curl
Repetitions: 12-20Movement: Begin with feet resting on top of the ball. Lift the hips in line with the knees and simultaneously roll the ball into the hips until only your toes are touching the ball. Return to the starting position touching the hips to the floor and immediately repeat the movement.
Exercise 3: Superman on the FB
Repetitions: 12-15Movement: Start with your stomach on the ball and balance yourself with your arms and legs. Slowly raise your right leg and left arm. Watch your balance! After you return to the starting position, repeat with your left leg and right arm. This takes a little bit of coordination.
Exercise 4: Supine Hip Lift on FB
Repetitions: 12-15Movement: Start out prone on the ball, with the center of the ball at your navel. Raise your legs to engage your lower back, then return to the start.
Exercise 5: Oblique Crunch
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Lie on your side. Support your upper body with your elbow. Your upper arm should be flat against your side. Your body is straight with chest and hips perpendicular to the ground. Lift your hips up so your waist is about 12-15" off the ground. Hold for 3-5" and then slowly lower to the floor. Suggest 5 reps for beginner and 10 for more experienced athletes.
Exercise 6: Elbow Bridge on FB
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Start our kneeling behind the ball with your elbows supporting you on the ball. Balance on your knees and maintain a stable position. Contract your torso and the ball out. The less contact you have with the ball, the harder this will be. Avoid arching your back. An Advanced exercise would be repeating the same exercise from your feet.
Exercise 7: Overhead Squat
Repetitions: 12-24Movement: Start with a broomstick, towel or weight bar above your head and then squat down while keeping your back as straight as possible.
Michael Ricci is a USAT Level 3 Certified Coach and a USAT Coach of the Year.
D3 Multisport: Core Strength Program, Part III
The following is my own personal core strength workout. It’s painful but it gets results. If you want to be ripped and generate more power in the pool and on the roads this workout is for you.Most of these exercises are done with the Fit Ball [FB] a.k.a. Swiss ball, big ball, or Physio-ball.
A. Days per week: 2-3 (max)
B. For beginners, I recommend doing one set of 5-15 reps.
C. I would start with Part I one day, Part II the next scheduled day etc.
D. After you accomplish C, you can move on to doing Parts I & II and then Parts I, II, & III in the same day.
E. Once you can accomplish D then you can add multiple sets.
F. Once you accomplish E, you can move to Core IV, V and VI.
G. Go easy – these can hurt you for a few days.
H. Quality over quantity!
Exercise 1: Bicycles
Repetitions: 20-50Movement: Start by lying on your back. Alternate your right knee to left elbow, and vice versa. To increase the difficulty, you can increase the speed or really slow down the speed. One rep is one complete cycle of left elbow to right knee and right elbow to left knee.
Exercise 2: Ab Wheel
Repetitions: 20-50Movement: Kneel on a soft surface like an Airex pad, and with both hands on opposite sides of the ab wheel, roll it out as far as you can without creating a lot of stress on your low back. To pull the wheel back in, focus on using your core to pull back the wheel. Warm up with a few easy reps before you dive into deeper reps.
Exercise 3: Medicine ball twists
Repetitions: 20-30Movement: Start out with your behind on the floor, and your knees bent in front of you (picture 1). Start with the ball on one side and using your torso, twist to the other side and put the ball on the ground (picture 2), and then return to the other side. This is one repetition. I like to break up by passing the ball under my legs in the middle of the set (picture 3). Pass the ball quickly and from hand-to-hand under your legs and over the top of your knees. Your feet remain off the floor at all times.
Exercise 4: Hip Bridge
Repetitions: 12-20Movement: Begin with feet resting on the floor. Lift the hips in line with the knees and push your hips until to full extension. Return to the starting position touching the hips to the floor and immediately repeat the movement. To make the exercise more difficult, you can extend one leg out in front of you.
Exercise 5: Dead Bug
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Start out lying down on your back. Keep your feet together and clasp your fingers behind your head. Now attempt to stay low to the ground and try to move your elbows toward your feet, while moving your feet toward your elbows.
Exercise 6: Slam Ball
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Whole standing take the medicine ball over your head and slam it to the ground. Squat down quickly, pick up the ball and go back to the starting position for the next rep.
Exercise 7: Elbow Bridge on FB
Repetitions: 10-15Movement: Start our kneeling behind the ball with your elbows supporting you on the ball. Balance on your knees and maintain a stable position. Contract your torso and the ball out. The less contact you have with the ball, the harder this will be. Avoid arching your back. An Advanced exercise would be repeating the same exercise from your feet.
Exercise 8: Bicycles
Repetitions: 20-50Movement: Start by lying on your back. Alternate your right knee to left elbow, and vice versa. To increase the difficulty, you can increase the speed or really slow down the speed. One rep is one complete cycle of left elbow to right knee and right elbow to left knee.
Michael Ricci is a USAT Level 3 Certified Coach and a USAT Coach of the Year.
