One question our coaches are frequently asked is, "What is the ideal HR zone for the Bike & Run portion of a full IM?" Even for someone just hoping to finish an Iron distance event, this is an important consideration! Many people assume the answer lies in high Zone 2 or Zone 3, but training or racing at that intensity could be quite challenging, even for an elite athlete. Let's delve into the considerations:
When training for an Ironman race, the majority of our training should occur in Zone 2, also known as the 'Endurance Zone'—a heart rate sustainable over an extended period. Why? Because in this zone, roughly 20-30 beats below Race Pace HR or Lactate Threshold, the body predominantly utilizes fat for fuel, which we have in abundant supply. Properly trained, this allows us to sustain prolonged efforts like back-to-back marathons or even longer races. When we venture into Zone 3, we start tapping into glycogen stores for fuel—a limited resource lasting only two to three hours at most. Zone 3 efforts are typically reserved for the final miles of a Half Ironman or marathon, and even then, only for well-conditioned athletes. Pushing into Zone 3 during an Ironman, especially for athletes racing longer than 11 hours, can lead to a challenging run due to glycogen depletion. It's preferable to stay in Zone 2, maximizing fat burning.
Another consideration for most athletes is cardiac drift, a phenomenon where heart rate rises into Zone 3 despite maintaining effort in Zone 2—an occurrence to be minimized whenever possible, even if it means adjusting pace, perhaps even walking, to keep heart rate in Zone 2. While I permit my athletes to experience cardiac drift once a week during initial training phases, it's crucial they reduce intensity to stay within prescribed heart rate zones.
Once you've established a solid endurance base, cardiac drift should diminish unless dehydration is a factor. In hot conditions, you might allow heart rate to drift while monitoring exertion through Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), considering the additional energy needed for thermoregulation.
To illustrate, let's consider an imaginary athlete, Joe. Joe's Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR) on the run ranges from 160-163. His Zone 1 ends at about 137 bpm (84% of LTHR). During Zone 1-2 workouts, Joe aims for an 'easy' pace, around 135 bpm, placing him near the upper end of Zone 1. For a 'steady' effort (Aerobic Threshold or AeT), Joe targets 140-145 bpm, placing him in the middle of Zone 2—a suitable intensity for an Ironman race. If Joe can maintain this steady effort throughout the marathon after completing the bike leg, he'd maintain a similar pace as during his long training runs, resulting in a solid marathon time.
Training the body to efficiently operate in Zone 2 helps maintain consistent heart rate and pace throughout an Ironman. This principle applies to both the bike and run portions, although athletes may observe an 8-12 beat difference between bike and run LTHR.
Let's now explore LTHR for cycling, continuing with Joe as our example. Joe's LTHR on the bike is approximately 155, with Zone 1 ending around 125 bpm (81% of LTHR). During easy rides, Joe maintains a Zone 1 heart rate, around 125 bpm. For 'steady' efforts, he targets 135-140 bpm, placing him in Zone 2. With the exception of hill climbs, Joe should avoid exceeding 140 bpm during 'steady' rides. These efforts mirror his Ironman pacing strategy—he conserves energy on the bike to perform well on the run.
When prescribing workouts for an Iron distance plan, I often specify 'Zone 1-2' intensity. Athletes are expected to find a sustainable pace, avoiding overexertion. Occasionally, athletes may struggle with pacing, reporting instances of starting too hard and subsequently 'bonking' or experiencing performance decline. This suggests they're training too intensely, and it's my responsibility to clarify expected output and reasoning behind the prescribed intensity.
By adhering to these guidelines and consistently training 'steady' during 'Zone 1-2' workouts, athletes can enhance efficiency and pace with less effort over time. These improvements translate to significant performance gains on race day!
A Refresher on Training Zones
Reading through all the different methodology regarding heart rate training can be confusing. This article is a refresher on heart rate training and training zones. I have dedicated some time to understanding all the different methods that different coaches may use and I like the way Joe Friel[i] presents the training zones best. I will re-cap Joe's methods and give a little of my own input. I hope you find this simple and easy to understand.
Zone 1: This is considered aerobic and a very easy effort. So easy, that you feel guilty.
When to use Zone 1: Recovery days.
Training Range as a Percentage of LT: Thirty-five or more beats below LT.
Zone 2: This is an easy effort but not quite as easy as Zone 1. This may be twenty-five beats lower then LT.
When to use Zone 2: Long rides and runs.
Training Range as a Percentage of LT: Twenty-five beats below LT.
Zone 3: In this training zone you are neither LT, nor aerobic. This zone should be used for longer training sessions only, such as ? Ironman and Ironman training.
When to use Zone 3: You may use this during Ironman training sessions or you may creep into this zone at the end of long rides or runs.
Training Range as a Percentage of LT: Fifteen beats below to the edge of LT.
Zone 4-5a: This is a training zone that is called LT, or lactate threshold. How do you know when you are there? Well there are a number of tests you can do, but we'll try to make this as simple as possible.
Swim Test: After a thorough warm-up, a 1,000 yard swim at a very hard effort will give you your LT.
Bike test: Once again after a thorough warm-up, ride an un-interrupted 10k 10 mile bike course (no stop signs or stop lights). When you are done check the "average heart rate" function, if your monitor has one. This will be your biking LT.
Run test: After a through warm-up, run 30 minutes at a hard effort. After 10 minutes into your 20 minute session, hit your lap button on your monitor. These last 20 minutes will be close to your running LT. (This should be around 10 beats above your
biking LT). [ii]
When to use Zone 4-5a: These are the workouts that are our "hard" session during the week. The Master’s swim workout, the track workout, or the spin class; these are all LT workouts. Studies have shown that training at, or below, LT creates the greatest benefit as it allows the body to recover quicker then if we train above LT.
Zone 5b: This zone is still LT but it is above LT and it hurts like heck! It could mean five to ten beats above LT. Too much training here leads to over training according to Joe Friel.
When to use Zone 5: Not often, but if you do, this would be at the end of a long hard set.
Zone 5c+: In this zone you are going all out for a very short period of time. According to Friel, this zone, in general, has limited benefit for the multisport athlete. The exception is those who are lacking the capacity to develop muscle mass or recruit fast twitch muscle fibers.[iii]
When to use Zone 5C+: Seldom, but if you do, they are short fast explosions. The recovery time between these intervals may be long, and a few days will be needed after one of these sessions to help the body recover[iv].
Hopefully this information will help you find the right training zones and get your training off to the right start for next year.
Of course both these workouts that are recommended are relative to your current state of physical fitness. These should not be done unless you have at least twelve weeks of base behind you.
[i] Author of The Triathlete's Training Bible
[ii] Chapter 5, The Triathlete's Training Bible pages 63-67
[iii] Chapter 4, The Triathlete's Training Bible, page 41
[iv] Chapter 4, The Triathlete's Training Bible, page. 42
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and I promise you’ll learn something you didn’t know. Please follow us on twitter: D3_Multisport and / or facebook.com/d3multisport. If you like our videos please share them with your family and friends. This week’s Triathlon Minute is ‘Fueling Before and During a Workout’
This is a great video from D3 Coach Laura Marcoux with 3 glue strength exercises.Laura will cover a single leg squat, lateral step downs, and plank with a leg raise. These are challenging exercises and they will help you mix up your strength routine the next time you are in the gym.
D3′s IM Boulder athletes made a lasting impression on the coaches as well as the other athletes and spectators. And two of them had experiences we are proud to turn the spotlight on and share their stories.
Tom Duckett’s coach, Jim Hallberg shared in his nomination that Tom had one heck of a journey getting to IM Boulder. He was signed up for 2015, but had to withdraw due to excruciating, chronic back pain. Despite that personal setback, he still participated in the D3 pre-race events to support his teammates. Through surgery, Tom was able to get back on his feet, but had to learn how to manage training through recovery, along with work and family responsibilities (he has twin 11 year old boys!). He pulled it all together to achieve his goals for 2016 and finished IM Boulder in less than 15 hours. Coach Jim said, “it was real touch and go his workouts, but he proceeded to get stronger, and faster. And this year HE outlined his goals and finished in 15:00hrs. He showed tremendous work ethic this summer in his build up/ remained healthy and nailed his goal! He was a pleasure to work with and I have lots of respect for him.”
Coach Simon nominated Mike Farmer as he was amazed at Mike’s ability to remain focused throughout the race despite enduring a significant injury early on. Mike apparently damaged his toe during the swim exit, but didn’t let that stop him! He finished the race 14 hours and change, and Simon notes how impressive that is for a first IM – especially at 60! Rebounding from something so painful during the early stages of a race is no easy feet (yes, I wrote f-e-e-t). Being able to stay focused throughout a 14 hour race while in pain takes tremendous perseverance and we are proud of his accomplishment!
Following is the Q&A with both athletes!
1. You set your sites on IM Boulder. What inspired you to want to do this particular race vs. other Ironmans?
Mike: Last year I volunteered to drive a videographer on my motorcycle as we followed a couple athletes throughout the day. I was inspired by their stories as well as I saw several friends out there giving their all and I came home determined to make it happen in Boulder. Photo: Mike is on the right, Coach Simon is on the left.
Tom: I had always wanted to do an IM length and being local to Colorado allowed me to train on the course and be very comfortable with it and the conditions.
2. Describe your training prep for IM Boulder with 8 words!
Mike: Steady progression, nutrition planning, positive mental attitude practice.
Tom: Long-time-coming, persistence, flexibility, targeted.
3. What helped you to stay focused on your goals during the race?
Mike: I kept visualizing the finish and not wanting to let family, friends, and my coach down.
Tom: Jim (my coach), and I developed a solid plan going in, and I knew where I had to stay to get through the day. I put complete faith in it. What kept me focused was never questioning my goals or plan. When you question, doubt creeps in and you lose focus. Although this was my first IM I had plenty of time to build up to it and be comfortable in and knowing what certain zones felt like. I lost the ability to track HR, pace, timing halfway through the run but I knew what the right zone should feel like so I just stuck with it.
Tom shared a very personal reflection on what it meant to stay focused during this race. “I completed the first shorter loop and was headed out on 36 when I came upon the accident where the young lady, Michelle Walters, lost her life. It was probably 5 min after it happened. There were volunteers and motorists around her. By the time I got parallel I couldn’t help but look down. She was alive but in bad shape. I gave it a few more cranks and wondered should I go back, can I provide assistance, what should I do? I thought what could I do that wasn’t already being done so I kept pedaling. After that moment I lost it, I was brought to tears because I knew, I could just feel she wasn’t going to make it. After a few more minutes I focused and then focused hard and reminded myself why I was doing this and how lucky it is to be alive. I kept that focus for the entire race and literally was smiling the rest of the day and I think I high fived every hand offered during the run. Crossing the finish line I was a bit bewildered that this long journey was over but felt very lucky and blessed to be surrounded by my family. It is such a tragedy that Michelle died but for me it is another reminder to enjoy every day and have fun in these crazy events we seek to push ourselves in. It has been 30 years since my first tri but no event will have the effect on me that this one did.”
4. Describe the feelings you had as you crossed the finish line.
Mike: It was very emotional for me. I thought of all the people that helped me complete this journey and what a privilege it is to be able to do an Ironman.
Tom: Bewildered, lucky, & blessed. A bit bewildered at what I had just done, lucky to be able to have such an experience and blessed by incredible support.
5. Whats in your race future?
Mike: I feel my best races may be ahead of me, even at age 60!
Tom: 2016 marked my 30th year since my first tri and I want to keep at them, but probably keeping to halfs versus fulls so I can maintain balance between family, sport, career, and community.
Coach Brad nominated Kristine Plant as our September Athlete of the Month. Kris has a fun approach to triathlon, and weaves in her competitiveness in a great way which makes it a pleasure to coach her! She recently qualified for the 2017 70.3 World Championships by placing 4th in her age group at the 70.3 Santa Cruz. Coach Brad says she has worked diligently and followed her training plan in preparation for her two races this fall (next up is Ironman Arizona!). Her steady gains returning from injury have gone well, and Coach Brad also recognizes that she has unique challenges with her work schedule but that Kris has successfully navigated them to maintain a good training effort.
We asked Kris to share what her life is like living in Canada, training and racing in such a northern location, all the while being an ER nurse with an unpredictable schedule. We also asked her to reflect on her big achievement at the 70.3 Santa Cruz earlier this month.
Enjoy her reflection on Canada, triathlon training and racing.
First of all, I’m from Perth, Ontario, Canada. Perth is a small town of 5,000 people, and I live in the country about 10 km from town. The challenges are real, and for myself it is the lack of facilities, very few training partners and long winters. However, Canadians have a long track record of doing well in triathlon! Think Simon Whitfield, Peter Reid, Lori Bowden, just to name a few. And this enthusiasm has spun down to local levels.
I mostly train by myself, as like many other athletes who hold full-time jobs, efficient use of training time is essential. Coach Brad has been great at working my training schedule around my work schedule. I am a registered nurse working in a busy emergency room often on twelve-hour shifts.
On those days, I come home absolutely beat, with aching legs. Coach Brad brings my schedule way down during my day shifts and my night shifts. That is key! Other coaches tried to get me to workout as if I worked 9-5, Monday to Friday. And that was frustrating. Brad builds my load back up to bigger levels as I recover from work on my days off. Some times I look forward to going back to work, to rest!
I have qualified for the 70.3 championships before, but then got injured. My running mellowed to a slow jog, and I ended up racing with 6 hour finish times. In my mind, I thought I was done being able to run well off the bike, and my qualifying days were over. However, Brad’s plan had me running track again. That was humbling. But, I slowly started to get some form back. I’m still dealing with this hip injury. I won’t lie, but after Ironman Arizona, I will head to physio to get it treated.
I went to Santa Cruz, to try to run under 2 hours again off the bike, and I wanted better than the 10th place I did in Galveston. I had a few solid fast runs prior to te race. Faster than I had in a few years, so I was hopeful. My swim was ok. It was freezing cold. I finished 6th place, after starting last. My bike was also ok. I lost focus a couple of times, and watched the surfers. Went to 5th place. My run was great! For whatever reason, my hip felt great and I started fast for me and kept it going. I didn’t feel it hurting until the last 2 miles.
I finished 5:37 and 4th and got a spot to the 70.3 Age Group World Championships in 2017!
I had glimpses of past fitness and I am real happy with my day, but it is really a reflection of Brad’s coaching. He answers tons of emails from me, and kept me on task the past several months. So, that’s how it’s done!
• Get a coach who listens.
• Keep them up to date with how your day went. What’s going well, what’s not. Provide feedback about what you think could be increased, decreased.
• Listen to them, trust their knowledge.
• And follow the plan to the letter.
Congratulations, Kris, you’ve earned this recognition. We look forward to hearing more about your experience at Ironman Arizona and the 70.3 Worlds in 2017!
Here we are once again nearing the end of another race season. Your “A” race is right around the corner and you have a handful of “B” and “C” races in the books. Hundreds and thousands of miles have been logged on the road and enough flip turns to make your head spin. Your nutrition plan is dialed in and your stronger than ever. But something feels different than when you hit the “register” button for your IM 140.6 or 70.3. The alarm is a little bit annoying and your long ride course seems to be more familiar than the drive to work.
Staying motivated and remembering your reasons for your chosen journey is critical this time of year. It’s easy to check off another green box in Training Peaks and become stagnant in training month after month. Following are my top 3 tips to recharge your battery and give yourself the power to “turn and burn” around the last corner and through the finish line.
1. The Purpose
The mental side of IM is just as important to train and strengthen as the physical side. I like to tell my athletes to find their purpose. We all train with a purpose and when your find yours, you can pull strength from it in times of extreme need. Remind yourself of the purpose about why you are doing this. Is it for a family member? Maybe your goal is to set a new “PR”. You might be raising money for a charity to help someone in need. Whatever it is write it down and put it where you can see it! Beside your alarm clock, on the fridge, on your handle bars, on the bathroom mirror, or even on a sticky note inside your wallet. Visually and verbally remind yourself on a daily basis and you will create your own mantra along this journey.
2. The Mock Up
In the NASCAR world we call our practice sessions “mock up runs” to prepare for a race or qualifying. This is when we prepare the car exactly like we will race it. Triathlon shares the exact same test session with our key training session. It might be a 112-mile bike ride followed by a 2 hour run or a split run with a long bike in between. Your coach will have strategically placed these sessions as you approach your race to prepare you for what is to come. These sessions can give you a major boost mentally, reassuring you how prepared you really are along with letting you test out your race day. Make sure you prepare every thing from your breakfast, nutrition timing, and HR/Power pacing exactly like you will in your race. You will pull tremendous confidence training like you race. When race day comes it will be familiar and business as usual.
3. The Prep
You have logged the miles and shed the blood sweat and tears. Approaching the most important race of the year it is vital you are prepared in every way so can have your best race ever! It is easy to consume yourself in training and forget about the little things that can hinder or destroy your performance. Making a prep list for travel, pre-race, race, and post-race is key in preventing costly mistakes. Did you pack cloths for rain? Do you have enough gel and bars for the race and training? Packing extra tubes, goggles, fresh socks for the run, extra salt tabs, or a small tube of body glide might be enough to save the day when the unexpected happens. BE PREPARED!
You have spent countless hours in training and sacrificed many things to get you to this point. Remember to speak and train with your purpose, train like you will race, be prepared and as a result, you are sure to have an amazing race.
Blake Haugland loves the sport of triathlon and as a coach he knows there’s no better gift then seeing the people he cares about succeed in reaching their goals! Whether it’s getting to the finish line or getting there faster, the only result that matters is the one that matters to you! Blake is a USAT Certified Coach, as well as a Youth and Junior Certified. He is also a USA Cycling Certified Coach.
When most triathletes think of strength training, their first thought is running or biking uphill. This type of sport-specific strength training is definitely the most efficient and effective way to increase your watts, but there are additional applications that you can use in season to give you an edge on your competition. Incorporating functional strength into your swim-bike-run routine, especially mid-season, needs to be carefully periodized, especially around race schedules. But if implemented correctly, functional training can be used to fine-tune your swim, bike and run, and provide some much-needed durability to help your body last through the long race season.Assuming that you’ve wisely used your off-season to hammer down your strength routine, mastered the nitty gritty of injury prevention and correcting muscle imbalances, mid-season periodization dictates that strength maintenance and sport-specific strength is now your focus. In the same way that your triathlon training starts off with base building in the pre-season, then becomes more specific to each race, functional training should be in the more “specific” phase while you are in-season. It’s primary purpose becomes durability of the musculoskeletal system and calibration of the prime movers.
While an in-season functional strength program should be individualized and multifaceted, one aspect of the program that any triathlete can use to gain an edge on their competition is the incorporation of single-leg strength. While a typical squat or leg press is a great exercise for improving general strength of the lower body (think pre-season), in triathlon we are never put in a position where we get to use both of our legs to generate power at once. Running, for example, is essentially a series of single leg bounds, where each foot is never in contact with the ground at the same time as the other. So what happens when you do a single leg squat, rather than using both legs, is that your body is forced to use and strengthen the stabilizing muscles around your joints. Performing a single leg squat is also a good way to figure out if you have imbalances between your hip abductors and adductors. Many triathletes might notice that their knee collapses medially, which is a sign that they need to strengthen their hip abductors. Single leg strength is also important for making sure that one leg isn’t stronger than the other, which can lead to an injury down the road.
To get you started, here are a few single-leg strength exercises that you can use to increase your power and durability throughout the season:
1. Single-leg squats: I like to start with squatting back onto something (chair, platform, etc) in order to teach your body to bring your hips back and not allow your knee to come forward over your toes. Ideally, just tap your glutes onto the platform without putting much weight down onto it, so that you keep your glutes engaged throughout the exercise. Once you are able to eliminate most of the lateral movement of the knee, a more advanced movement is to perform the single leg squat with your back leg suspended in a TRX strap or onto a stability ball.
2. Single-leg, stiff-leg deadlifts: The majority of exercises, in general, work your muscles concentrically, which means the muscle is contracted during the shortening phase. In running, however, the hamstrings work eccentrically to provide forward momentum, which means the hamstrings are contracted during the lengthening phase. Performing single-leg deadlifts, while focusing on the down-phase of the movement, mimics the hamstring activation that occurs during running. I like to do this exercise with the weight held in the opposite hand, from the leg that is performing the exercise, in order to best maintain balance in the hips and eliminate your hips from opening up to the side.
3. Single-leg bounding: Once you have built a solid base of strength and stability around your joints, single-leg bounding is the next step towards adding power on top of your single-leg strength. Use your arms like you are running, and bound on one leg at a time for a given distance. Your focus for this exercise should be hip and core stability, thus your opposite hip should not be dropping when you land. If you can train your body to maximize hip and core stability during this exercise, it will not only lead to increased power, but you will have less impact on each foot strike while you are running, which increases speed and decreases the chance of injury by lessening the force and impact to the ground.
What do you do when you tell yourself, “I can’t do this.”?
Many athletes find a time when they talk themselves out of a good training session or race. Their bodies maybe up to it, but their minds somehow shut down their performance or limit them in some way.
It doesn’t have to be this way.Here are two things you can do right now to limit these limiting thoughts.
Pull it Apart
1. Think of some limiting self-talk, a phrase that comes into your mind telling you that you can’t do something. Make sure is has “can’t” in it.2. In your mind’s eye, see the phrase hanging in space in front of you so that you can read the words.3. Expand “can’t” into “can not.”4. Now turn on and off the “not” and notice the difference in how you feel about this phrase.
Who’s Talking?
Many athletes learned their limitations from others. Somewhere way back in the past, a teacher, sibling, parent or coach told them that they couldn’t do something. Unfortunately, when we are at a young age and someone in a position of authority tells us something, we take it as literal truth. And that belief can stay with us, hidden in the foundation, affecting a lot of how we believe in our abilities.
Fortunately, we don’t have to live with these erroneous beliefs anymore.
Try this:
1. Think of a phrase that comes into your mind that limits your abilities. It might be triathlon-related or about something else in your life. This phrase might be, “I don’t belong here,” or “I’m not good enough,” or “I’m really lousy at this.” Or it might be, “You’ll never do this,” or “You’re a quitter.”
2. Listen carefully to this phrase, two or three times, to hear whose voice is saying this. Many athletes instantly report that it is their own voice, but upon listening closely detect that it is someone else’s voice, or sometimes a blend of theirs and another’s. One athlete heard a blend of his older brother. Another reported, “That voice resembles my mother’s somehow.”
3. Make the other person, the one whose voice it is, show you their fortune-teller’s license. Oh, they don’t have one? Okay, then they are not qualified to make this prediction, is that right?
4. Think of someone who has your best interest at heart, who wants the best for you. Think of what encouraging and true thing that person would say about your abilities.
5. Say thanks to all these parts who are talking with you.
There is a set of deeper techniques that take five or ten minutes which can profoundly and durably alter these limiting beliefs and self-sayings, but these two will bring you instant positive change and unlock a lot of extra potential.
Mental Skills are often referred to as the 4th discipline in triathlon. Will Murray, D3′s mental skills expert, has helped athletes overcome all types of obstacles during training and racing. From open-water swim fears to feelings of self-doubt during a long training day to so much more. Do something about those pesky thoughts that keep you from being your best and consult with Will Murray.
Coach Martina nominated Bill Spencer because he has a great way of being involved in the training process. His desire to know why and how things are happening is a great curiosity for a coach to coach! She also says that he is an exceptional communicator which also makes it enjoyable to coach him. He understands how his body is responding to training and that helps Martina help to create a proper training progression and him Bill prevent injuries. In particular, Martina appreciated that Bill noticed that after a 3 day heavy training regime his resting HR was high and his pulse increased rapidly with movement. And with that information the two of them were able to make plans to back off and watch how his body responded so that he could make sure he didn’t get in a hole with over training.
We are excited to turn the spotlight on Bill Spencer as he heads to Ironman Boulder next weekend!
Enjoy this Q&A and get ready for some laughter (especially with how he came to race triathlon)!
How did it come to be that you wanted to race triathlons?
I was a runner in high school but jumped into rowing in college. I picked up biking when I moved to Boulder from the east coast. I started doing centuries with a friend from work in 2009. We were either doing organized rides or just riding with each other every weekend through the Spring and into the Summer. I had always been interested in triathlon but didn’t know much about it other than the images everyone has seen of athletes crawling over the finish line in Hawaii.
So I got the idea that my friend and I should enter the Boulder 70.3 as a relay team. We grabbed another co-worker who was a runner and just jumped in. My friend didn’t swim at all so that left the swim leg to me, which was a bit ironic since I had no swimming background.
With my friends watching from the beach, I began my triathlon career. Standing in 8 inches of water, the gun went off and I took a flying leap into 10 inches of water. I stood back up, dazed and with a mouth full mud as my friends were doubled over on the beach laughing. I sheepishly walked to deeper water and back stroked my way through.
Watching everyone else finish that day, I was hooked. I got a coach and spent that Fall / Winter / Spring training for the Kansas 70.3. I had a great season with a few sprints, an Olympic and two 70.3s. I signed up for an Ironman that next year.
What are your favorite training workouts?
The long run and long rides are my favorite sessions of the week. My favorite ride is climbing from Boulder and riding the Peak to Peak highway. My favorite run is also up in the foothills on Sugarloaf Mountain road and the Switzerland trail. For swimming, I’m a big fan of Scott Carpenter pool in town and Union reservoir for open water.
What is a favorite workout Coach Martina has given you to date?
Running up Mt. Sanitas three times in a row. Just knowing for a week I was going to do it and then doing it was a great mental boost.
Please share some advice for athletes about paying attention to their bodies and communicating that information with their coach.
It is a privilege to have a great coach. Your coach is there to help you set and accomplish your goals. Understand the purpose of each week and each workout in that week. Some workouts will feel great and some won’t. Invest a little time for introspection. Why was it great / not so great? Is it taking you more time / less time to recover from a hard workout or hard week?
I ask my coach to help me push and expand my limits while helping me avoid injury and setback. Particularly if you are operating on the edge of your capabilities it’s really important to monitor yourself and let your coach know.
Please share three tips/strategies for racing IM Boulder.
1. Be conservative on the bike. There is a surprising amount of climbing on the course particularly in the first loop. You are going to be passing a bunch of those people racing up the climbs on the run.
2. Know and understand your nutrition and hydration plan. Particularly if you aren’t used to the altitude and climate you will need to drink more than usual.
3. Look forward to the run, particularly if it’s hot and sunny. The run course is fairly shaded and cooler because it follows the creek.
What is one of your favorite pieces of equipment in triathlon?
My favorite piece of equipment is to conquer the 4th discipline of triathlon, dirty laundry. I have to go with the washer / dryer. It saves me way more time than any other piece of equipment I have.
Congratulations, Bill. We look forward to watching you race in 2017!
This is a good weekend to practice some of the basics of your racing – bricks, baby powder in your shoes – practice! Coach Jim gives you some encouragement to get it done.
Coach Brad has nominated Michelle Franks as our Athlete of the Month! Michelle has embraced the experience of being a new triathlete and has taken on the learning curve with important awareness and humor. Recognizing that this is the hardest sport she’s ever done and not being used to starting from the beginning of anything, she embraces such a positive outlook on her journey that you’ll be reminiscing your own firsts through triathlon as you read the Q/A. Michelle has quickly come to realize that as long as you finish, you are a winner, but she does indeed have plans for big finishes and we look forward to supporting her along the way.
There are lots of firsts in her story and we would like to turn the spotlight on Michelle Franks and celebrate them!
What has fueled your interest to race triathlons?
I was watching the Kona World Championships in November and was overwhelmed by the stories of what people overcame to accomplish the goal of getting to Kona. It is not something you can buy or get instant gratification. You earn the title of being a triathlete and hearing “You Are An Ironman.” I want that. You can’t order that on Amazon!
You recently purchased a new TT bike and took it for a first ride. It sounds like you learned some lessons we could all benefit from. Please share what happened.
Never, ever ride without a spare tube, or 2! I was 15 miles from my car and misjudged a curb. I blew both tires and wiped out. I joked with my neighbor that if I wasn’t back in 2.5 hours to come looking for me. I called them to come get me and my reception on my phone was so bad, all they heard was “sir, sir can you help me!!” My phone cut out! The other lesson I learned was triathletes are awesome. I met 2 guys, Bob and Doug, who fixed my flats and shared a bottle of Pinot!
You just raced your first Olympic distance race. What spurred your interest in this distance or this particular race? What are three thrills or moments you are proud of from this accomplishment?
I registered for the Grand Rapids triathlon Olympic distance back in January. I wanted to be sure I was committed to a race and had no excuse to pull out! I chose the Olympic distance because, frankly, I’m crazy and figured I would push myself. Being uncomfortable and pushing past limits is the only way you grow and improve..
Reflecting on the race, I realize that this is the hardest sport I have ever done and I am not used to starting from the beginning of anything.
This first race experience put me at the edge of every emotion. It started by swallowing a ton of water which made the entire day a challenge.
I wish I could say I crushed it but it was more like I wasn’t willing to let the water crush my entire day. Lesson learned is never underestimate open water and always rely on your training. I panicked and had a hard time the remainder of the day.
But, I finished and that was a win, plain and simple!
What is a favored tip that Coach Brad shared before the race?
My favorite tip from Brad is to believe in yourself and your training and know that this is a journey. We get so caught up in results, that it becomes easy to let the outcome, and negative people get in your head. Enjoy the journey and learn from your experience.
First bike, first Oly distance … what other firsts should we know about?
I have been running since 2013 to honor my mom’s fight against breast cancer. She beat cancer and I started training for triathlon in January of this year. In getting ready for my tri races, Brad helped me to prepare and run my first half marathon and 25k distance road races! I had only raced 5k and 10k races before meeting Brad. I didn’t break any land/speed records but have the confidence to complete and compete in longer distance races.
Describe your goals for triathlon this season and even into the future
My goals for triathlon this season are to continue my training, finish my newbie tri in GR (which I did!), and finish top 10 in my age group at the Chicago Triathlon in August.
Ultimately, I want Kona. It will take time I know, but I want to be good enough to earn an age group slot to compete. Yes, this is a journey, and I want the honor of being among those who have earned the right to be called an Ironman. Thanks to D3, I am on my way!
What would you do if your favorite annual ride/race started with rain and continued raining for an entire 100K? You might have an immediate answer to that question, but as you read the story about our Athlete of the Month, we know you’ll take a fresh look at your response and reassess what’s important.
It’s a privilege to introduce you to Nora Okusu, the D3 April Athlete of the Month!
Coach Simon nominated her as a result of her performance and perseverance during the 100K Cinderella Classic Bike ride. He mentioned that despite the limited amount of training she had, Nora learned that quality matters. And that simple concept prevailed during the big ride! Coach Simon also noted that she used her head and paced the ride very well – starting easy early in the day and had the energy to finish strong! In addition, he is also impressed with how Nora is able to balance her senior engineering career responsibilities (traveling being part of that responsibility) with her training.
After reading just her first response, you’ll understand that Nora has a great life perspective. It’s a pleasure to turn the spotlight on Nora Okusu this month as she shares her training wisdom with readers.
Enjoy the Q&A:
1. You just finished a ride/race that has a different twist! The Cinderella Classic bike ride is 100K (impressive!) and it’s an all female race with support being provided by men – husbands, brothers, friends, fathers. What was that ride experience like? Did you have support from a particular person on the course? Was there a particular aid station that was better than another?
When I lived in California, I did the ride every year because it benefits many of the women’s charities in the Bay Area. 2016 is the 40th anniversary of the ride, and I started doing the ride on its 25th anniversary. The atmosphere is supportive and friendly. A lot of the 2,500 riders take the Cinderella theme to heart and glue tiaras to their bike helmets and wear tutus over their riding shorts. I have had so much fun over the years, including one year riding with a local race team of which one of the team members had just gotten married. She rode in her wedding dress and her teammates rode with bouquets of flowers duct-taped to their handlebars. And being racers, they all kept one eye on their power meters. Because it is a long-term annual event, a lot of older women participate in the ride and it is inspirational to see so many fit, confident women of all age groups on bikes.
Over the years, the ride start/finish and some of the route has been modified due to increased development in the Bay Area, and my favorite part of the ride goes through the wine-growing parts of the Livermore Valley. The ride then swings north to the foot of Mount Diablo and some years, the headwind in that section of the route has been incredible. One year, the Cinderella Classic was featured in Bicycling Magazine. I rode for a while with a very nice group of women who had made the trip from Texas based on the magazine’s recommendation. Unfortunately, we had about a 30 mph headwind for a long section of the ride that year. The Texas ladies let me know they were never coming back.
This year, it rained on us from start to finish. You can notice the dark clouds in the photo above. But it was not particularly windy or cold so I felt pretty comfortable. I lived in England in 2013 and got very used to cycling in the rain.
The most famous ride supporter every year is the “Lemon Drop Man”. About 10 miles past the lunch stop, he puts up signs with lines of a poem and at the top of the hill hands each of us a lemon drop.
One year I rode the last 15 miles with a woman who I thought rode very strongly and we took turns in the lead. When we reached the finish, we took off our helmets and sunglasses and I was surprised to see she was much older than I was. That year I felt heroic because I had just returned from a business trip to Japan so I did the ride on 2 hours of sleep. But my cycling partner mentioned that she felt she was riding slowly because she had hurt her back working in her garden the day before. And she said she was going home to prepare dinner for her family and then going straight to the local performing arts center because she played second violin in the symphony orchestra and had a concert the same evening as the ride. I meet a lot of incredible people during this ride.
2. You trained through the winter for this ride, in Colorado! Can you describe some of your winter training strategy? Did you run into any interesting twists and turns with the weather or did you simply stay inside?
My company frequently deploys me, so one thing that worked to my advantage is that I spent most of 2015 and early 2016 working in Atlanta, Georgia. The weather in Atlanta is great for winter training. But during my weekends home in Colorado, I did train on the bike outdoors. During the years I have lived in Colorado, I have been accumulating winter cycling gear to make riding outdoors more bearable. I hate to reveal my secrets because Coach Simon has been impressed by my winter training rides, but two years ago I purchased battery-powered heated insoles that fit inside my mountain bike boots. And with gloves that would not look out of place on Denali, now I ride outdoors in temperatures as low as 17 degrees F with a smile.
3. Did Coach Simon give you one particular workout that you were super proud of yourself for completing?
This year, Coach Simon has asked me to spend more time on basic core and functional strength exercises. It’s the kind of thing I know I should do but in the past did not put a high enough priority on the workouts to invest the time. This year I have learned that not only are the workouts more fun than I expected but I started feeling immediate benefits. It feels like more of my effort is translated into speed (cycling and running) than in the past.
4. Does this ride (and your winter training) set you up for a particular race goal this spring?
Jeff Galloway Half M with Jeff Galloway 15My main goal this year is to take advantage of a rare period of no running injuries to complete a marathon and several half marathons, so Coach Simon has been focused on getting me ready for long runs without injury. My bike training has not involved long rides but Simon has been giving me skill and interval workouts during the week.
I am pictured with Jeff Galloway in the image to the left at the December 2015 Jeff Galloway Half Marathon.
5. Your career takes you on the road quite a bit. How are you able to manage training while you travel? Please share 2-3 tips about training and traveling and maintaining the tri lifestyle.
I travel about 50-70% of the time including international travel, and I work for a company that puts a lot of emphasis on developing social connections. So in addition to the travel, there are a lot of evening dinner/drink obligations with colleagues and clients. Here are my tips:
• Flexibility: Simon gives me my workouts in advance and also lets me know which are the key workouts, so the first thing I do is move the workouts around to fit my travel schedule including making use of early morning and late evening time slots.
• Access to facilities: My administrative assistant knows to pick hotels that have 24 hour gyms.
• Nutrition: I think it’s not just having a time-crunched schedule but also sub-optimal nutrition that is detrimental to making fitness progress. And for some reason being on an expense account makes it more tempting to stray from eating healthy food. Having a training schedule has helped me make better decisions about work/stress balance and consistently better nutrition choices.
6. What is the main reason you race triathlon?
MWG Atlanta office team for KP 5K Training and racing adds an interesting dimension and interesting people to my life. I think that having better physical stamina translates into better mental stamina and patience as well, so I’m able to be a better family member, friend, and colleague.
I enjoy organizing our company teams in corporate races because it is an opportunity for people to get to know each other outside of the work context. As an example of the ‘interesting people in my life’, in the photo above, the MWH Atlanta office team ran the Kaiser Permanente Corporate 5K. We not only had MWH employees and children, but also our two Georgia Tech engineering interns and a colleague who works for Accenture in Pune India.
7. Your favorite race memory is … ?
Before moving to Colorado I lived in California and had a very tight group of cycling friends – we rode together every weekend and they were like brothers to me. Every year we did the Mount Diablo Challenge, which is an annual race in October from the base to the summit of Mt. Diablo for an elevation gain of 3,500 feet in 11 miles. One memorable year, I beat my male cycling buddies to the summit. I was just having one of those days, but bragging rights are forever.
8. If you could go on a training ride/run/swim with anyone … who would you ask to join you?
Hillary Clinton – I have lots of campaign advice for her.
CONGRATULATIONS, NORA!
This month’s Athlete of the Month, is actually a family! Their coach, Brad Seng, had this to say about what it’s like working with the 4 of them: “Working with the Nabitys is a fun challenge for me. They are each wired a bit differently. Triathlon has provided a conduit for strengthening their family relationship and providing a great opportunity for memorable experiences (with some good old fashioned smack talking with each other!). It’s a privilege to work with each of them towards their individual goals knowing they are supportive of one another through the training process.”
Team Nabity – 2 Timothy 4:7
How did it come to be that all three of you decided to start racing triathlon?
Colin started the domino affect when he completed Ironman Coeur d’Alene in 2013. Lynette, my wife, daughter Chloe, and I went to watch him race. While at the dinner the night before, I sat there in awe observing all the different types of people getting ready to complete the 140.6 race the following morning. Sub-consciously, the Ironman bug was planted. Colin completed the race and became the first Nabity Ironman!
In the fall of October 2013, I was water skiing in Tennessee and I ended up tearing off all three hamstrings tendons of my right leg. After being life-flighted, having surgery to reattach the tendons, then 6 weeks in a body brace and three more weeks of recovery, my doctor told me to give up water skiing and take up swimming or biking. I told him those are wimpy sports. That was the wrong thing to say.
March 2014, A friend of mine, convinced me to buy a bike to lose the 25 pounds I gained. Two weeks later, I bought the bike and the Ironman bug surfaced. I decided to hire a local triathlon coach and take swim lessons. After 25 yards, she told me to stop and get out of the pool. I didn’t realize you breathe out underwater. I looked like the Lochness monster slithering back and forth. The triathlon journey began!
In the summer of 2014, I convinced Colin and my daughter, Chloe, to start doing triathlons with me and we did a couple of sprints and we had a great time. So we came up with the idea of all of us doing a triathlon together. We chose Ironman Austin 70.3 and Team Nabity was born. Colin, Chloe, Lynette, Summer Nabity (Colin’s then fiancé) and Brock Booker, fellow new triathlete, headed to Austin from Omaha, NE in a 12 person passenger van. Colin, Chloe, Brock and I did the whole race and Lynette and Summer, participated as the “Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies” relay team. We all finished the race. Lynette took one for the team, retired from triathlons and the next day and became our professional Team Nabity Sherpa!
Who else is in your family?
buy a bike to lose the 25 pounds I gained. Two weeks later, I bought the bike and the Ironman bug surfaced. I decided to hire a local triathlon coach and take swim lessons. After 25 yards, she told me to stop and get out of the pool. I didn’t realize you breathe out underwater. I looked like the Lochness monster slithering back and forth. The triathlon journey began!
In the summer of 2014, I convinced Colin and my daughter, Chloe, to start doing triathlons with me and we did a couple of sprints and we had a great time. So we came up with the idea of all of us doing a triathlon together. We chose Ironman Austin 70.3 and Team Nabity was born. Colin, Chloe, Lynette, Summer Nabity (Colin’s then fiancé) and Brock Booker, fellow new triathlete, headed to Austin from Omaha, NE in a 12 person passenger van. Colin, Chloe, Brock and I did the whole race and Lynette and Summer, participated as the “Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies” relay team. We all finished the race. Lynette took one for the team, retired from triathlons and the next day and became our professional Team Nabity Sherpa!
Who else is in your family?
Our Team Nabity captain is Cara Kay Nabity. Cara was born with a congenital heart defect and she died of complications from her final surgery at the age of 19. Cara’s favorite Bible verse was 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” We all have that verse as a tattoo. We miss her dearly.
What do they think of your interest in the sport? How do they cheer you on on race day?
Lynette is learning what it means to be a Sherpa in a triathlete family and how zoned in we can get before the race. It’s not easy. ☺ She’s learning the Ironman routine and what’s all involved getting us ready to race.
Cara Kay, as our triathlon captain, is in close contact with us. We have her picture and the 2 Timothy 4:7 verse with us during the race. We know she’s cheering us on and it gives us comfort knowing that we’ll see her again.
Surely you have a few races that you’ve all done together. Describe your favorite race memory from when you have all 3 raced!
The race we did all together was Ironman Austin 70.3. We all got Team Nabity kits and this was the first race for Chloe, Lynette and Summer. We have stories after stories from that race that we’re still laughing about. Chloe ended up in the medical tent, Lynette decided she didn’t need the wetsuit during the swim and took it off after 500 yards (she swam competitively in high school), I thought the bike elevation was 800 feet, instead of 2800 feet, running with people asking me what 2 Timothy 4:7 meant on my jersey, …. Everyone had issues that day that keep us laughing at the dinner table! One thing we learned is that we’ll never again drive 14 hours each way in a 12-person van with 6 triathletes and all their gear, bikes, etc. By the time we got home, we wanted to kill each other.
The best thing from that race was the Team Nabity photo at the finish. It became the photo for our Christmas card that year.
Chloe and I trained for Ironman Boulder 2015 at the D3 Ironman Boulder training camp. The camp was invaluable in getting us ready for the Boulder altitude, race conditions and the course. It was a great camp and I’d recommend it for anyone who wants to do Ironman Boulder.
Do you train together (do you live near each other)?
With Chloe living in Auburn, AL and the rest of the family living in Omaha, NE, it’s tough training together. If we get the chance to train together, we take advantage of it. The nice thing is that Brad Seng is coaching all of us. (We all wonder if Brad, being head coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes Triathlon Club team, is punishing us with his workouts for all the times the Nebraska Cornhuskers beat Colorado in football!)
Do you have any special family ceremonies or traditions related to triathlon?
We don’t have any family ceremonies, but currently, I’m the holder of the figuratively infamous Nabity Triathlon belt. I wear it proudly. I know if won’t be for long, seeing how Colin and Chloe are progressing. I’ll be lucky to hold on to the belt in 2016.
Also, it seems that every triathlon we do ends up having it’s own set of songs that become our motivation play list for the race. The unfortunate thing is that the songs end up with some crazy dance moves. Yes, I’m the best triathlon dancer, right Chloe. Go figure, living the dream.
How does triathlon bring the three of you together (not just proximity on race day, but as a family)?
Triathlon in the Nabity family is an interesting subject. We all have this competitive nature and the smack talk is alive and well. At the same time, we encourage and help each other to succeed and to do our best.
I’m the triathlon cheerleader of the bunch trying to sign everyone up for new races in different parts of the world and researching the latest and greatest techniques, gadgets, products, workouts, you name it. I’m a techie nut. It’s nice to have Colin and Chloe as triathletes, so I have someone to talk to about triathlons. But even they sometimes get tired of me talking about triathlons and tell me to stop. Is that being disrespectful to their parents? Hmmm.
If the three of you were out on a ride together and all of a sudden you had the chance to catch up with someone in front of you … who would it be?
We all agreed on this one, we would race our hearts out to see Cara Kay again. We do know we’ll see her in Heaven.
What’s on the horizon this year for the three of you and racing?
Chloe is racing for the Auburn University Tigers triathlon club this spring. In addition to her Auburn club races, she will be racing Ironman Raleigh 70.3 and USAT Olympic Nationals in Omaha, in between her graduate studies. I’m still trying to convince her to do Ironman Canada with me. And, we just found out she got a spot in the Escape from Alcatraz this June!
Colin, newly married and an entrepreneur, will be doing Ironman Raleigh 70.3 and USAT Sprint Nationals in Omaha.
Steve will be doing Ironman St. George 70.3, Ironman 70.3 Raleigh, Ironman Canada and the USAT Olympic Nationals.
You each have to finish these two sentences …
Steve
It’s a pleasure to recognize this outstanding family for their love of sport and love of each other. Congratulations Colin, Chloe and Steve for being the D3 Athletes of the Month!
Bi-lateral breathing (BLB) is a great tool to have in your bag of tricks. Many of you may moan and groan, but it’s a necessary evil and I wouldn’t be doing you justice if I didn’t mention how important it is!
What is bi-lateral breathing?
Bi-lateral breathing requires the swimmer to change breathing sides after each stroke cycle. The cycle could be 3 strokes, 5 strokes or so on. This skill will help eliminate neck and shoulder fatigue and promotes better balance and body alignment. Bilateral breathing is also an essential navigational skill in open water.
Why bi-lateral breathe?
Bi-lateral breathing helps swimmers ‘balance out their stroke and teaches them to rotate their hips on both sides of their stroke.
One of the most common faults in free style swimming is to under roll on the non-breathing side. It’s easy to roll on the side you breathe too, but not so easy to roll on the side you don’t breathe to. This under-rolling can lead to less power as you don’t finish your swim stroke as strongly as you could if you were on your breathing side. Bi-lateral breathing helps you smooth out the stroke, keeps you balanced, and in some cases lets you swim in a straighter line.
One of the most important benefits of bi-lateral breathing is that is helps you to limit the amount of stress that is put on your shoulders due to the constant strain of breathing to only one side. Another benefit of bi-lateral breathing is that you can watch your recovery (is your elbow high and are you fingertips dragging across the water?) and you can watch you hand entry (does your hand enter in the order of fingertips, wrist, elbow, and at a 45 degree angle?). Being aware of what happens on both sides of your stroke will allow you to see what is happening and let you make corrections as you progress. One last advantage of BLB is that in a race you can see what is going on both sides of you, not just one. If the waves are breaking over your right side, you can switch to breathing to your left or vice versa. Also, if you have a swimmer you want to keep up with, you can always see where he/she is if you can BLB.
How do I improve my bi-lateral breathing?The best advice I can give someone who is not proficient at BLB is to ‘just do it’ – start with breathing on your weaker side (the one you aren’t used to breathing on) – when I coached swimming there was always one set per day that had to be swum on the weak side (WS) – it was tough and most swimmers hated it, but it made their BLB swimming that much better. Back then my instructions were to jump in and swim 500 yards on your WS. Now that I am a more compassionate coach I would recommend swimming a 25 BLB, then 50 normal, then 25 BLB again. I like to see swimmers progress from 25 yards all the way up to 200 in a few sessions. Once you get to 200 yards then you can swim sets – like 5×200 on 10 second rest BLB. But wait! You are saying only 10 seconds rest after a 200 yard swim? Yes, that would be correct. The key is to swim the BLB sets easy enough that you not sucking wind (think ‘long and strong’ on your swim stroke). If you can do this then soon enough you will be swimming 1,000 yards or more pretty easily.
BLB swim sets:
Warm-up: 200 yards alternating BLB every 3rd length.
Main set: 4×100 on 10” rest, with 1st and 4th length being BLB
4×100 on 10” rest with middle 50 being weak side breathing
3×200 on 15” rest. Swim 200 as follows: 50 blb, 50 ws, 50 blb, 50 ws
Cool down – same as warm up
More Advanced (simple but effective):
Warm-up: 200 yards alternating BLB every 3rd length.
Then 45 minutes of 200s blb on 10” rest. These are easy enough to not need much rest, but hard enough to make you focus on the BLB. Slow the stroke down and focus on all aspects of your breathing, hand entry, pull, finish, recovery.
If you want to swim fast correctly, you need to learn to swim slowly correctly first!Good luck with developing your new breathing technique!
Coach Mike is available for a complimentary phone consultation to discuss your training! Schedule an appointment below.
"The definition of an interval is the space between two events or a pause, or break in activity; according to the Google definition. Most of us think of intervals as the super hard effort to get faster, whether it be in the pool, on the bike or during a run."
As a coach, having taught many beginners how to swim, bike and run, we base almost all training sessions using intervals. For a beginner swimmer, it might be a set of 25 yard drills, with a certain amount of rest. For the bike we may start someone on the trainer, and give them 5 to 15 minutes of pedaling and then a rest period before they start up again. And with running, we usually use a walk-run method with someone new to running. So, from day 1 of training we use interval training.
As we progress and increase the distance in running, we add more intervals into the training. Sometimes we’ll increase the distance of the interval, the time, the grade (uphill!) or all of the above. You can start intervals from your first day of running, but remember to keep the effort easy and manageable. You could start with 1 minute of walking and 15 seconds of running or if you are ready, something even a little longer. It’s all up to your personal starting point.
Intervals help a runner manage the intensity and learn to push at a pace that’s out of their comfort zone. This will allow them to run at an easier pace more comfortably.
There are many type of intervals sessions! Here are a few examples:
1. Strides
2. LT (Lactate Threshold)
3. VO2
4. Hill Repeats
5. A mix of all of the above
Examples:
Any running that is done around Lactate Threshold (LT) effort should be no more than 15-20% of weekly run for a runner. LT is determined by the heart rate / effort and or pace that you can maintain for one hour. If you’re just beginning you may be a long way from that, and that’s ok. For example, even with an experienced runner who is running 30 miles per week, then less than 6 miles per week would be appropriate for intervals. The problem many athletes get into is running a 4 or 5 mile interval workout, very hard, but the total weekly volume is only 12-15 miles per week. That’s a recipe for injury and hopefully this article will help you avoid that!
Strides:
Strides are done to help cadence and form. Usually a typical stride workout would be a 10-15 minute warm up, then a 20 to 30 second effort at current 5k pace. You don’t need to run faster than that if you are just starting out. I recommend about 4 repetitions starting out, so the correct terminology would be “Easy run with 4x 20-30″ strides”.
Lactate Threshold:
An LT workout might be a 1-2 mile warm up, then some run drills, then some strides (see above) and then a set of efforts around your 10k or your best 1 hour best effort run. A common example would be 3×5 minutes at 10k pace with an easy 2-3 minute jog in between. You may start out with 1-2 repetitions, and build up for there. Always cool down after the workout is over. The terminology for this workout would read “3×5′ at LT, with 2-3′ easy walk/jog in between hard efforts”.
VO2:
The same warm up as above would work, the main set could be 30 seconds very fast, with 30 seconds recovery, repeated as many times as you can. You may start out at 5 repetitions and build up to 30 reps over several weeks. The terminology for this workout would read “5×30″ with 30″ recovery at faster than 5k pace”.
Hill Repeats:
My favorite! Hill repeats are speed sessions disguised as super hard work. After a proper warm up, like above, you can run up a fairly steep hill (4-7%), for 2-3 minutes with the same effort you’d race a 10k. Start out with 4 reps and build up to 10 reps. The terminology for this workout would read “4-5×2′ at 10k effort, with an easy walk/jog to the base of the hill”.
Cool down is always essential!
A Mixed Bag Workout:
2 mile run warm up, then 4×50 meters of run drills (Butt kicks, high knees, fast feet, etc), then 4×100 meter Strides. An example of the main set would be 8×30 seconds on / 30 seconds off, then move to a close by hill for 4×2’ hill repeats; and then you could run 1 mile at threshold to finish off the workout. This workout would mix in everything from above and keep your workouts fresh. Don’t try this workout unless you are comfortable with all the other sets. In addition, you can do this entire workout on the treadmill.
A final caution: Don’t rush into intervals – take your time, build your mileage slowly and wisely. When you are ready, start with some strides and then move into some hill repeats. The last two types of intervals you should do are LT and VO2 max. In reality those types of workouts are over done by a lot of athletes, especially beginners. The real focus should be on running consistently, improving your run form and cadence, both of which can be done by doing strides. The LT and VO2 work is really the last 2-3% in fitness gains before a big race.
Good luck!
Our February Athlete of the Month was inspired to race because of a challenge from a friend! He wanted to do a mud-race, his friend wanted to do a sprint, so they did both. After that first sprint, he was hooked, and now, in his 4th season, Nathan Turner is launching into one of his busiest race seasons to date.
His coach, Jim Halberg, says Nathan has been having a lot of fun with his training and is consistently getting stronger and fitter. He also noted that Nathan is doing a great job at balancing work with training, and that his positive outlook on the season is inspiring!
Nathan is rock solid with his commitment to training and, you’ll reconnect to your passion for this sport after reading his Q&A.
Please share two reasons why you love to train and race triathlon and how the sport has made a difference in your life.
The biggest reason I love to train is because of the challenge of the sport. I’m also fascinated by what the human body can do when you put the time and effort in. Two stories to give you a little back ground on me that I think will pull it all into perspective.
First when you get to know me you know that I do everything I’m involved with like I have a chip on my shoulder, or that I’m out to prove something, and that’s because I am. I’m always trying to prove to myself that I can be the best at what I set my mind too. When I was in high school I had an Algebra teacher who told me (and I quote), “I know you come from a family of engineers, but since you’re struggling in my class you might want to think about an alternative option for college”. That was the first time I was basically told I couldn’t do something that I wanted to do because of my abilities. Needless to say, I buckled down and went to college for Mechanical Engineering finishing my degree with no issues and a 3.0 average. Three years later I went back to school for my Master’s in Business, and 2 years after that I went back to school again for a second bachelors in Organizational Leadership…just because (I’m still finishing this degree right now)! The point is this, triathlon is a lot like my past, everyone keeps saying how crazy this sport is…why are you doing this…it looks awful…etc.., etc. This has been some of the biggest motivation I can get with my particular type of drive. I went from just trying to finish a triathlon to now training like I’m going to Kona (even though I’m not…yet!), and it’s all because I want to prove it to myself that I can in fact do this sport and be the very best I can be.
The second story is how I got into triathlon, and the significant difference it’s made in my life. 4 years ago I made a New Years resolution to lose weight and make a change in my life. I had never really made a resolution before this, and let’s be honest 95% of the time no-one really follows through with them. I was 29 (call it a 30 year old approaching crisis mode), and I was weighing 254lbs. When I got married just 5 years before that I weighed in at 205lbs, so needless to say I was slacking off quite a bit. I started the year off doing a diet plan, and lost about 20lbs on my own. I had a friend who wanted to go do a mud obstacle course so I figured why not. I went with her, and had a blast! A couple months later another one came up, and I asked if she’d do it and her response was “only if you do a sprint triathlon with me”…my answer “pfffffft!”. The thought of a triathlon made me laugh, I didn’t even own a road bike, nor had I EVER done any swimming like that before. However, I wanted to do the mud run so I agreed. After that first race I was hooked, and never looked back. I’m now down in weight to around 190 lbs and more fit then I could ever have imagined. I went from only being able to run a half mile 4 years ago (having to stop and catch my breath all the while) to completing an Ironman 1 year ago! This sport has changed my health forever, and I will always be in debt for that.
You stood on the podium and PR’d in 2015 (different races)! Tell us about those accomplishments.
The podium race was cool this year. It was only a sprint race, but I have been doing that race since it started (the TriBoulder Sprint), and l Iove the thrill of a short race where you can go all out. Again, I went from trying to finish a sprint to being a real competitor at the distance…though my new passion has moved more towards half and full Ironman distance.
The PR I got last year was at Steelhead in Michigan. I have been getting faster on the bike, and I hold my own (middle to front 25% of the pack) on the swim, but the run has always held me back. However, last year was the first year that I finally started to feel more like a runner. I ran my 13.1 mile run in that race 15 minutes faster than I did in my very first half Ironman only a year before, and 2 months later at my next half Ironman, I finished my 13.1 mile run 6 min faster than I did in Michigan. The exciting part for me is that after all this effort and pain, my running is finally starting to show some real signs of improvement.
What are your goals for 2016?
2016 is going to be my biggest year ever! In the 3 seasons that I’ve raced, collectively, I have competed in 1 full Ironman and 4 half Ironmans … this year alone, I will be doing 4 half Ironmans and 1 Full Ironman along with the Escape from Alcatraz Olympic (for the 3rd time), and of course the TriBoulder sprint. So, needless to say this is going to be a big year for me, and the main goal is to smoke my last Ironman time which was about 2 hours longer than predicted when I bonked coming off the bike. I got to the tent and was asked several times if I wanted to stop…I said “not a chance”, and proceeded to WALK the marathon. Ever walk a marathon? It sucks! I won’t be doing that this year! However, I did finish the race, and I did earn my title of Ironman, so I was happy regardless.
What steps are you taking to get ‘em done?
Nathan & Julie I’m really trying to balance out my work, life, and training to the best of my abilities this
year. I’m the VP of Quality and General Manager of our Denver facility (we make large power and process equipment for the oil and gas industry) which has me working anywhere from 9 – 12 hour days, so making time for my training can be very difficult. However, this year I have focused hard on planning ahead and trying to utilize my early mornings. Sometimes as early as 4 am for a quick 3-4 mile run, and then utilizing my lunches for swims, and then the evenings for my 60 min. and above workouts. So far it’s been able to work, but it’s definitely a challenge.
Balance is something your coach recognizes you have … how are you managing obstacles and demands to stay on track?
I’m trying to remain as organized as possible. Every night I review my work schedule (meetings, task lists, etc.) and then I review my training requirements for the day and I lay out a clear plan for the day. I always need to determine if I can get everything in based on my schedule, and if I can’t then I move things around a bit to ensure that I get my training in without interfering with my career or my family life. Basically it comes down to being very anal about my time, and ensuring I make the very best out of every minute of the day.
Favorite workout Coach Jim has given you?
As of late it would probably be the Sufferfest bike videos. Those have been a ton of fun to ride with. I also like the bike/strength bricks he does with me … bike/strength/bike/strength/bike-20 min on each. That is fun, because it breaks up the bike a bit and the strength training is a nice change of pace from the normal endurance stuff.
Favorite piece of equipment?
My bike, hands down! I got a tri-bike 2 years ago, and I LOVE it! It’s made such a big difference in my training on the bike, along with the fact I don’t have any more pains in my back like I used to.
Dream destination race is …
While Kona is cliché it would be a dream come true to earn a slot there. However, right now that is a long shot so I would say one of the races in Asia would be fantastic. I don’t know if there is an Ironman in China somewhere, but that would be amazing to do a race there. I spent a ton of time in China for work, and loved the culture and the country…it would be awesome to go there for triathlon.
How to train inside and not lose your mind or motivation.
While many athletes will grind out miles on the trainer and treadmill over the course of the winter, I like to take the opposite approach. Unless you really love to sit on your bike seat and ride in place, and have lots of time to do so, I think your time could be spent more wisely, during the winter.
There are 3 different types of energy systems I like to see athletes access during the off-season. The first energy system is Tempo or Zone 3. The second system is Threshold or Zone 4, and the last set is VO2 and Zone 5. The mix of workouts below will give you a taste of each energy zone and by the time the winter months are over, you’ll have some new found fitness and you’ll be ready to hit the race season with great power!
Here are a few of my favorite trainer and treadmill workouts for the off-season:
WORKOUT 1:
Run:Easy 10-15 minute warm up, then go right to the bike.
Bike:Warm up of 15 minutes and then 5×1 minute hard with 1 minute easy in between, followed by 5 minutes easy. That’s 30 minutes total warm up.
After bike warm up, go right into:5×3 minutes @ 90% of FTP [Functional Threshold Pace] or Zone 4 HR, with 3 minute recovery – after this main set, you’ll jump onto the treadmill for 3×3 minutes with 3 minutes’ recovery, at LT [Lactate Threshold] and 10k pace. After the last set, move right back to the bike again.
2nd round will be:
5 minutes easy on the bike and then 5×2 minutes at 95-100% of FTP with 2 minute recovery, and after this main set, you’ll jump onto the treadmill for 3×2 minutes at LT+ and 5k pace.
Finish up with an easy 5 minutes. Total workout is 2:10 minutes, including warm up and all the main sets in this workout.
WORKOUT 2:
Run:Easy 10-15 minute warm up, then right to the bike.
Bike:Warm up of 15 minutes and then 5×1 minute hard with 1 minute easy in between, followed by 5 minutes easy. That’s 30 minutes total warm up.
After bike warm up, go right into:5×10 minutes broken into 6 minutes at @ 80% of FTP or Zone 3 HR, and right into 4 minutes @90% of FTP or Zone 4 HR, with 2 minutes’ recovery.
Right after the bike you’ll jump onto the treadmill for 3×5 minutes with 2 minutes recovery, at LT and 10k pace.
After the last rep, you’ll cool down for 10 minutes.
Total workout is 2:16, including warm up and all the main sets in this workout.
WORKOUT 3:
Run:Easy 10-15 minute warm up, then right to the bike.
Bike:Warm up of 15 minutes and then 5×1 minute hard with 1 minute easy in between, followed by 5 minutes easy. That’s 30 minutes total warm up.
After bike warm up, go right into sets:
10×1 minutes @105% of FTP or Zone 5 HR, with 1 minute recovery – after this main set, you’ll jump onto the treadmill for 5×1 minute with 1 minute recovery, at LT+ and 5k pace. After the last set, move right back to the bike again.
Finish up with an easy 5 minutes of running. Total workout is 1:50 minutes, including warm up and all the main sets in this workout.
Rotating through these workouts every few weeks will give your training a nice boost and set you up for success in 2016.
Coach Mike is a Level III USAT Certified Coach and the USAT National Coach of the Year (’14). He is the founder and Head Coach of D3 Multisport. His coaching style is ‘process focused’ vs. ‘results focused.’ When working with an athlete, their understanding of how and why they are improving is always going to take precedence over any race result. Yes there is an end goal, but in over 2 decades of coaching, experience has shown him that if you do the right work, and for the right reasons, the results will follow! And if you understand and enjoy the process, the likelihood of achieving your goals will increase ten fold!
A Day In the Life of a Coach (or in this case, a few races in the life of a coach)
Those of you who know me or who have read some of my race reports or articles know that I get into the weeds quite a bit at times. What keeps me going in the sport, among other things, is always having the feeling that I could do better and I always dig deep in analyzing a race. Sometimes that even starts before the race is finished. I can remember clearly on my fourth race in Kona walking up the last long hill to the top of Palani and running the race through my mind looking for things not executed well. That was not my best race, by a wide margin, having had a very slow swim due to cramping so there was nothing lost in letting my mind wander 2 miles from the finish.
Having my finish position settled by seconds in many IronMan events, I always focused on ‘Free Speed’. I go to great pains to make my bike and myself as aero as possible, find the fastest way to fuel up at aide stations and look for ways to speed myself through transition. I started looking at my completion of my A race this year (IMAZ), another obsession made easier every year by the reduction of athletes racing at my age. Something clicked and I dug into the weeds of my transition times in Kona as my two toughest competitors in AZ have raced there many times. The results were a surprise.
I knew I was not the fastest transition wizard, but they were much worse than expected. In 2011 my total time, T1 & T2 was 8 minutes slower than the winner of the event who got through both in just over 8 minutes. I had the slowest total transition of the top 10, I finished 3rd that year. I remember that year that I changed my clothes from a skin suit to my bike gear, separate top and bottom, something I stopped doing in the following years. In 2012 I was 6 minutes faster through transitions (10:12), I wore my skin suit over my bike gear that year. I got a lot of chafe from that and went back to changing clothes the following two years and was 1-2 minutes slower.
Some of the other things that cost me time:
• how I carried my fuel supplies. In 2011 I was packing a lot more on myself and my bike.
• Stopping for a pee in the changing tent instead of getting things done while moving on the bike.
How all this plays out is highlighted by my 2012 second place result. I was 9 seconds ahead of 3rd place. Scott Balfour had out run me by 51 minutes, he frequently posts the fastest run split when he races in Kona. He caught up to me at the top of Palani, but I was able to find some extra speed for the last mile or so. I could not see him behind me as I made the last turn onto Alii. However, he must have found something more than I did on the final stretch on Alii as there he is in my finish photo. His transition time was 2:47 slower than mine.
And, when you do sweat the details you sometimes find a nice surprise. Cropping the picture of my finish to get a better look at Scott revealed my number one fan Ingrid, with glasses leaning forward and she was looking at me.
Coach Simon Butterworth is an 12 time Kona finisher! He continues to learn from every race he does and brings that knowledge to the athletes he coaches.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn’t know.
Drills = improvement and Coach Mike shares some for swim, bike and run in this week’s tip.
D3 coaches have a library of training tips and articles for your reference at D3 U.
