A good transition can be defined many ways by many people, so before you decide what a good transition is, consider what your goals for transition are. My goal is for it to be EASY. Of course I want it to be fast, but first and foremost, transition is a time for you to let yourself recover, if only just for a few seconds, to let your heart rate come down and to change your mindset for a new sport segment. For a transition to be easy, it should be well planned ahead of time, perhaps even practiced physically and mentally. Everything needs to be in place so when you get there, you don’t have to think – you just DO. So this means that your transition area needs to be set up and well thought out.
For this article, I’m going to stick to traditional triathlon transitions, but I think most of the concepts will apply to other sports as well. So, when you come out of the water, what will you need for your bike ride?? This leads me to the two most frequent questions that I hear from triathletes – “What do you wear??” And “What do you eat?” These two questions need to be answered weeks before your event. I won’t get into all of the specifics what to eat and what to wear here, but you should certainly put some time into this.
OK, so now you’ve decided what you need for your ride: your bike, your cycling shoes, a helmet, sunglasses, water bottles, some food, materials for a mechanical problem, your camera… OK, this seems complicated… So let’s make it easy!! All of this STUFF should be attached to one of 2 things – YOU or YOUR BIKE! Your shoes and helmet will be attached to you. Your water bottles should be attached to your bike. And your food and riding flat kit can be in a saddle bag, bento box or something else, preferably attached to the bike. Other items, like your sunglasses should be IN your helmet or your shoes so you don’t have to think to remember them – they are right there. Your helmet should be on your handlebars or on top of your shoes so again – no thinking, just doing.
SO, now you’ve got your set up, here’s how it goes – you exit the water, remove your wetsuit (while running or after you get to your bike). Once you get to your spot, you put on your helmet and BUCKLE IT, put on sunglasses and maybe your shoes, and you go. It should be THAT simple. OK, so removing your wetsuit sometimes is difficult and takes a while – PRACTICE that AT HOME in your bathroom. I know it’s even worse to put it on when it’s wet, but PRACTICE taking it off as many times as you can. By now, you should be able to close your eyes and visualize yourself coming out of the water and going through an easy transition.
Here are a few additional hints for T1: When you exit the water, try putting your goggles up on your head instead of removing them completely – they are easy to drop. Sometimes the run is long and if you get hot, or if your suit gets too dry, it will be more difficult to get off, so you might try getting it at least partially off while running. If it is a large transition area, you might want to have your spot marked with some chalk, a bright towel on the ground, or something else to help catch your eye. Another important point is to make sure that your bike is in an appropriate gear. You don’t want to start an uphill course on your hardest gear. So you’re off and BIKING!
Now you want to be prepared for T2. So go through what you will need for the RUN. Shoes, socks, hat, number belt water bottle, or fuel belt, gel… again, this seems to be getting too complicated! One thing to remember is really to only bring what you need. This means that if there are water stations on the run at every mile, you don’t need to bring your own water. On the other hand, if they will ONLY have water and you feel you’ll need an electrolyte drink, you might want to bring that along with you! So don’t forget to check what will be available on the course.One strategy is to lay everything you’ll need on TOP of, or IN your running shoes so you CAN’T forget it. So T2 should go like this – Dismount your bike, rack your bike, remove your helmet, change your shoes and begin running while putting your hat on and your number around your waist. Again, KEEP IT SIMPLE. T2 is usually much easier than T1. This is probably because you’re not dealing with wet clothing and complicated equipment.
So how else can we make these transitions faster and easier? Keep your transition area simple – put your bag and other stuff back in your car. You don’t need to have extra stuff to trip over or complicate things. My last suggestion is to do a walk through on race morning. Once everything is set up, your bike is racked, your transition is READY to GO, head to the area where the swim exit is. Walk through where you’ll exit the water, where you’ll enter transition, go to your spot – is there more than one route to get there? Find your bike, put on your helmet, pretend to put on shoes and grab your bike. Head to the bike exit – which is the EASIEST path to get there? Come back to the bike IN area and find the easiest way to your rack.
Pretend to rack your bike, remove your helmet. Put on everything you need for the run. Then put everything BACK exactly as you had it ☺. You might be able to check this all out the day before the race, but if not, race morning is fine. You might also think – this walk through is only for people who want to be really fast, but the truth is that it will really help you to be less nervous when it’s your turn to actually do it.
So what is a Good Transition? An easy, simple one! A transition that runs seamlessly and without frustration or nerves, and one that allows you to relax while doing it. This means it has to be almost second nature. The good thing is that you can prepare every day! You can practice physically a few times, then you can go over everything MENTALLY every day if you want. I tend to “practice” a few times a day for several days before a race. Practice, and ENJOY!!!
Coach Julia’s Transitions Checklist
• Tires Full
• Bike Mechanical Check on site
• Computer mounted and reset
• Fuel on bike
• Water bottles full and on bike
• Chamois cream and sunscreen on me
• Glasses in helmet
• Shoes on or near bike
T2 Checklist
• Racing flats ready – powder and body glide
• Visor or hat
• Race # belt
• Gel/ fuel in shoes
Race Ready
• Remove EVERYTHING ELSE from TRANSITION
• Wetsuit, Body Glide, Sunscreen, Cap and Goggles with you
• Shoes in transition
• Check TA, Swim In, Bike Out, Bike In, Run Out.
• Double check start time
• RELAX!!
We’ve all caught word of the gluten-free craze. First the Atkins’ diet, and now this, right? Not so fast! Eating a gluten-free diet might be news to us, but gluten-free foods have been eaten the world over for centuries and they fill much larger nutritional shoes than many of their gluten-rich, carbohydrate dense counterparts. Not to mention, they can be a delicious way to mix up your training fuel sources, and take your weeknight meals from same-old to super.
We athletes know our carbs, and the un-prepared, un-recovered, bonked out pile of mess that we become without them. Most often, this means eating some form of wheat – wheat flour, wheat bran, and rye, all prevalent in our favorite breads, and farina, bulgur, couscous, semolina and durum found in pastas and quick processed meals. All of these contain gluten, the protein-packed portion of grain that give bread its elasticity. Gluten pops up in processed foods as well as a “thickener,” “filler,” and “hydrolyzed vegetable protein.” Read your labels and you’ll find that gluten appears all over an athlete’s training diet. What ever happened to too much of a good thing?
While research has yet to confirm that there are dietary detriments, or a direct link to gluten-intolerance, everyone agrees that variety is the spice of life, and nothing could be more boring than the same old strands of wheat pasta, whole-grain wheat breads, and bowls of oatmeal. Enter gluten-free grains, so much more than their pretty faces, interesting international histories, and exotic names would suggest. Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, teff, millet, sorghum, and rice – all nutritional powerhouses that are excellent sources of carbohydrates and protein, as well as vital trace minerals making them perfect staples in the diet of endurance athletes, and all without the aid of gluten.
Quinoa, dubbed the “mother grain” for its nearly perfectly complete nutritional profile, is one of the only plant foods that is a complete protein, containing all of the amino acids in a healthy balance. It has a higher ratio of protein to carbohydrates, is high in potassium, and comes in over 120 varieties, each with its own distinct flavor profile. Millet is a staple grain used in India and China, contains high amounts of fiber, protein and mineral value, specifically iron and magnesium. Its also an alkaline food, making it easy to digest and optimal fuel for athletes and others. Teff, a type of millet grown most frequently in Africa, has over twice the iron of other grains and three times the calcium.
The best way to reap the benefits of these super-foods is to cook and bake from scratch – but this doesn’t mean taking hours to prepare a meal or to bake a pan of after-ride brownies. Your local grocers’ bulk section is a great place to start, one ingredient at a time. Most of gluten-free grains take only minutes to cook in boiling water – quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat are great tossed into salads, or mixed with veggies and beans for fast and portable lunch. Gluten-free flours made of teff and buckwheat, and grains such as millet can be added to baked goods without any preparation, filling in for traditional flour with taste, texture, and making that pan of brownies guilt-free (and even a better choice than your favorite nutrition bar!)
Below are a few recipes to dip your toes into the world of gluten-free grains. Fuel up and ride on!
For more information about gluten-free grains, their nutritional value, and recipes to incorporate them seamlessly into your repertoire visit:https://www.wholegrainscouncil.org
Gluten-Free Mighty Granola
This vegan recipe has replaced my old favorite that was laden with oats, sugar and oil. The protein, power, and lack of sweetner in this recipe make it uber-versatile; I like to enjoy it as a hearty breakfast with yogurt or soy milk and fruit, or as a snack in mid-day.
(adapted from “Elana’s Pantry” recipe for Gluten Free Granola)
2 c almonds1 c millet
1 c pumpkin seeds
1 c raisins
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 c goji berries (or your other favorite dried fruit)
1 c shredded coconut
1. Place the almonds, millet, and pumpkin seeds in an appropriate bowl and just cover with water. Soak overnight
2. Place the raisins in water (about 1 cup) and soak overnight.
3. Once the raisins are hydrated, place them and their water in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until pureed.
4. .In a fine mesh sieve, or strainer, drain the millet mixture of its water. Add to the raisin puree in the food processor and pulse till the texture of granola. Mix in the coconut and goji berries.
5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and transfer the mixture to the sheets. You want to be sure that the granola is not in a pile or else it will not dehydrate properly. Try to place the cereal in a single layer that can be stirred easily. Otherwise, bake in batches.
6. BAKE:
For “live” granola, bake the granola overnight in the oven until dehydrated. For baked granola, dehydrate for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The granola is done when it is slightly crisp, but not burned. Depending on your oven, this might mean an hour etc. If this is the case, its ok to bump up the temperature a bit, just don’t burn!
7. ENJOY!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is a special favorite – hiding fruit puree, coconut oil (known for its aid in digestion, antibacterial and anti-inflamatory properties) and packing the punch of Omega-3 fatty acids from flax, and zero refined sugars and the protein of garbanzo, fava, and sorghum the flour mixture in a convenient chocolate studded snack. These occasionally come along as a mid-ride treat.
1 cup coconut oil, in solid state
6 tbsp ripe banana
1 1/4 Tbsp soy, rice, or almond milk
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vanilla extract
11/4 cups evaporated cane juice
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Mix
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup vegan white chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of an stand mixer, or in a bowl large enough to accommodate an electric hand mixer, combine the oil, banana milk, salt and evaporated cane juice and mix until as smooth as possible. (Small lumps are ok, but pretend you are creaming the oil with the sugar…you want homogenous!)
3. In another medium sized bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, flax, baking soda and xanthan gum.
4. Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a grainy dough is formed. Then, mix in the white chocolate chips.
5. With a melon baller, or ice cream scoop, portion out the cookie dough onto the prepared pans, about 1 inch apart. Press the cookies lightly with your palm to help them spread.
6. Bake the cookies on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes, rotating the pan after 7 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges brown nicely. Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes before using a spatula to remove them. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to three days!
He was doing his best to keep from breaking down, but the tears filled his eyes, the emotions were raw and he was lost. “Whatever I do it’s never good enough”… was what he uttered, but the pain in his body was palpable. His name was Kyle – Wolfie to his teammates. He just turned 12. He was a gifted goalie – rated number one in the state, and he was playing competitive hockey for a AAA team engaged in a travel schedule as busy as the local Division I team. For him, the pressure was over-the-top. Not just because the competition was intense, which it was, but he was afraid to let his hero down.In tonight’s game, he’d let in a good goal on a 2-on-1 breakaway when the save rebounded in the wrong direction. His team won, and they celebrated, but he’d lost the shut-out and he was sure to hear about it. The pressure to please his father had even hurt his game because he found himself losing focus on the ice by glancing in his dad’s direction…hoping for a smile or a “thumbs up”…or anything other than the frown he saw much of the time. But then, the glare was nothing compared to getting reamed. One time he almost threw up when his dad had screamed in his face like a drill sergeant he’d seen in the movies. Boy! He hated that.
Hockey is as intense a game as there is. Hockey ‘moms’ and ‘dads’ are known to be passionate. But this behavior is so over-the-top, it’s also risky.
Putting Things in Perspective
Kyle was referred to me by his goalie coach. He had witnessed some of his dad’s critical behavior, and, he had noticed that Kyle was losing some of his snap… seemed distracted and wasn’t playing up to his potential.
As it turns out, Kyle’s Dad came from a family where much of the pressure to perform rested on his shoulders. He played linebacker on his Varsity Football team and readily confessed to me an experience that gave me hope for this father-son duo. The story goes like this:
In an important game he’d played against a league rival, he had registered 13 unassisted tackles, 2 more assists, defended a pass in coverage, knocked down a pass on a blitz, caused an opponent to fumble and generally wreaked havoc on the opposing team’s offense. At the end of the game he remembered his dad fixating on one play….one where he had taken the fake on a reverse play and lost contain. It resulted in an 8 yard gain for their rivals. Geez, a game like that and the only thing his dad could talk about after the game was him blowing that play.
Parental behavior like this is emotionally abusive and it easily runs from generation to generation. Too many parents from the mold of this scenario consider me one of those ‘touchy feely’ types. They fail to recognize the impact of their behavior on their children – and – they tend to discount feedback from “others” who might weigh-in on “their” situation. That often includes coaches, teachers, other parents who witness the abuse….worse still….even when that other person is their spouse. Parents like this listen to no one, and as such, they often undermine their athletes’ coaches.
Priority One: Becoming Aware – Recognizing Where Passion Stops and Abuse Begins
Truth be told, this kind of situation exists more often than any of us would like to admit. And those passionate about their sport have not only seen it, but likely been a guilty party themselves once or twice. The gut check required to get this pattern under control is not for sissies. And that’s why so many continue to perpetuate the tribulations of abuse.
People who have difficulty with boundaries are at greatest risk. It’s probably been a factor elsewhere in their life, but when it involves a child learning, and growing and becoming – there is more at risk. Rather than helping the child athlete discover for themselves what coaches are trained to teach them, these parents tend to take over. They might not even communicate their thoughts with the coach – but they don’t hesitate to put forward their opinions at home. What’s worse is that parents like this often don’t have enough insight to recognize their own limitations. In extreme cases, they treat their child athlete like a possession where they alone control their child’s experiences.
If I were to tell parents like this their kids will likely drop out of sport in rebellion, or find really dysfunctional ways to get by – they’d deny it. But the fact is: When the fear of reprisal, discouragement and disappointment expressed by one or both parents – outweigh the joy of ‘team’ cohesion, sense of accomplishment and personal pride in seeing your game improve – the formula gets so far out of balance that there isn’t enough to play for. By the time an athlete stops having fun and starts to think that what they do “is never good enough” – they’re in trouble. It is incumbent on every coach, trainer, manager, league administrator and parent to be attuned to situations like this and do their best to prevent it. Why? Because they can…and…if they don’t try – they become part of the problem.
The Styles of Parenting Continuum
Imagine six parents, each with a different parenting style, sitting in the dentist’s waiting room with their six children. The kids are running wild, acting out, and getting into trouble. Here’s what the parents might say and do:
• The abusive parent says, “Get your ugly butt over here you stupid little creep!” (smacks, screams, tears).
• The conditional parent says, “I can’t believe you would behave like this, you’re embarrassing me, we’re leaving. I told you we were going to go get ice cream later but I changed my mind. You won’t be having ice cream for three weeks!”
• The assertive parent says, “Sarah, this behavior is out of line. Sit down right next to me. Now please. And now might be a good time to start that homework you brought.”
• The supportive parent says, “Tommy, what’s up? You can’t behave like that, honey. Please sit down now. Are you bored? I brought your book and some stuff to play with.”
• The indulgent parent says, “Ah, let them run, they’re just kids having a good time.”
• The neglectful parent says, well, nothing. The neglectful parent doesn’t notice his kid; he’s too busy reading People Magazine.Child Development – How Point-of-View and Experience Contribute
The Emerging Adult – “Learning the Best Practices in Life”3) Kids Learn through Experimentation:During the adolescent years, each child’s brain experiences a surge in development. The powers of logic, understanding, recognition of exceptions to the rule, subtleties that can determine the fine line between success and failure – are all established. The process of integration makes big strides in the teen years.
This process of maturation affects every part of the person physically, emotionally, socially and morally. The adult part of the personality is the one we hope every child develops through maturity, with the positive experiences and knowledgeable tutelage of great parents, coaches, teachers, team captains and leaders of all kinds. Ultimately, one can learn to mitigate all manner of experiences in life – and balance the influences from our parents (good or bad) as well as the lessons experienced through interacting with the universe in a positive way – or not.
If the adult part of our personality develops properly our children will grow to be both capable and lovable – competent people, great partners & teammates and good citizens. If it doesn’t…our children may mature with an unbalanced personality. Perhaps the dysfunctional side of the critical parent will manifest – driven by anger and unrealistic expectations for what a 12 year old should be able to do. Hence, we meet Kyle’s dad.
Helicopter moms, doormat personalities, good time Charlie’s and all manner of dysfunctional people become that way for myriad of influences both genetic and experiential. Hence, learning becomes paramount and as the gatekeepers to our children’s early life experiences – parents set the bar.
Skill building is huge and specific training regimens are key to facilitating success. During these early adolescent years athletes learn to train. They learn the benefit of hard work and they begin to experiment with every aspect of their work ethic. Some will go all-out-all-of-the-time. Some will “fake it” because it looks alright on the outside, but on the inside they feel like they are getting away with being lazy.
It is the internal recognition of effort and execution that registers the true value of training – whether in academics or learning a slap shot. Malcolm Gladwell illustrates in hundreds of ways how those who succeed and master an endeavor will train upwards of 10,000 hours to achieve that success. Young adolescents are at the stage where they are learning to train – older adolescents are learning to win.
As parents, coaches and mentors of athletes at every age – how we approach our athletes makes a big difference. For when we act “in the best interests” of our athletes – we will do the right thing more often than not. Below are some guidelines designed to help parents do a better job…giving their child athletes a better opportunity for success at every level.
Top 10 List of Things Parents Can Do to Raise a Healthy Happy Athlete
1.) FIRST & FOREMOST – DO NO HARM! It can be a pretty helpless feeling when you are watching your kid in the trenches, especially if you’ve got a lot of playing experience yourself. However, criticism – expressions of anger – negativity – including unsolicited coaching tips are likely to be counterproductive – and can undermine your athletes’ coach. Yelling, taunting, and intimidation of any kind is expressly discouraged. Parents who do so are being abusive and engaging in behavior likely to be harmful to their child athlete.
2.) DISCHARGE YOUR EMOTIONS IN A POSITIVE WAY. No one expects you to observe without being fully engaged…but what you do with those emotions is important and requires care. Just as your child athlete has assignments and a defined role on the field they are expected to practice – you have an assignment and defined role as a spectator, and as supportive parent. PRACTICE BEING A SUPPORTIVE SPECTATOR. I’m a proponent of engaged parents getting in involved productively – keep notes of key events in the game, find an official way to help…keep stats for the team, etc. If you’ve got something productive to do during a contest – your thinking will be channeled in a positive direction.
3.) WRITE A GAME SUMMARY after the contest. Keep it positive. Remember, these athletes are developing skills at EVERY level. Key events, clock usage, reviews of stats, productive assessment of the competition, productive assessment of your team’s strengths and weaknesses can help. These are to be provided to the COACH. Remember to make them as objective as possible. These are observations of what happened. (If you make an interpretation – put the notes in parentheses and label them as your personal point of view.) You can show this to the coach and ask them if this type of summary is helpful. If it is, you now have a job supportive to the coach AND the team. If your son or daughter wants to see the summary – it should be neutral enough for every player on the team to benefit from. If your child WANTS you to write a summary of THEIR play – ASK them what they would want you to include in it. Then it will truly be a resource FOR them.
4.) IN PARENTING an athlete CONSIDER THEIR ABILITY LEVEL & WILLINGNESS TO LEARN. If your athlete is not sure how to do something – ask the coach if they have a drill, video, or recommended mentor your athlete can work with on developing the skills in question. If your athlete has ability but isn’t willing to put in the training time to master a skill – you can not do it for them. You can support them by playing with them…offering practice opportunities…look for position coaches who specialize in those skills…show highlights of pros YOUR athlete admires who put in the time and got the results.
Rule of thumb: If your athlete wants to learn but doesn’t know how – they need direction. If your athlete is able but not willing (lazy, poor practice habits, inattentive) – they need support. Think FUNdamentals: If they aren’t having FUN they won’t want to learn. If you are on their case about it, they may become even LESS motivated (remember the rebellious child and adolescence.) Others are likely to be able to encourage and restore the FUN in mastering those skills – AND – Once that momentum is established in your athlete’s training regimen – you can rest a bit because your child’s motivation has been tapped. Intrinsic motivation is huge – and – it is the birthplace of our love of sport.
5.) BE POSITIVE FOLLOWING COMPETITIONS. Emphasize the effort. Emphasize the fun. If your athlete is upset, it is likely best to WAIT awhile before talking about at contest. When the timing is right you can empathize and compassionately acknowledge how it’s sometimes hard to put in a great effort and not get the desired outcome…but always positively recognize the EFFORT and any other positives you can offer up. A great game is a great game even if your team comes up short. We tend to learn more when challenged to the max.
6.) LONG AFTER a contest (hours) you can ASK YOUR ATHLETE if they would like some FEEDBACK. IF they DO – ASK THEM WHEN. Make an appointment. They will have had time to process it some, and, so will you. This will take much of the emotion out of the exchange….so the focus can remain on lessons learned, skills applied, and highlights to feel good about. BE POSITIVE – Very important.
7.) PICK NO MORE THAN 1-2 POINTS TO REVIEW. ALWAYS START WITH POSITIVE OBSERVATIONS (both general and specific.) Ask your athlete how they experienced the contest in the trenches. What did they notice? What were they focused on doing? Did they have a specific emphasis or skill they were working on? What was the game plan? These kinds of questions allow you to collaborate with your athlete and understand THEIR EXPERIENCE of the contest. If they get defensive at all – drop it immediately – because you will lose and your child will lose the gains you’ve made in establishing a collaborative exchange. If they are confused about something, make a note to tell the coach…or better yet…if your athlete is developing the kind of confidence and personal motivation to be successful – let them experiment with you on HOW to ask the coach for extra help.
8.) LOOK AROUND FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR ATHLETE. If you are reading this you have already done so. If they need help with conditioning – strength training – or speed and agility – give them the opportunity to train with an expert. If they are unfocused or experience anxiety and you can see that it interferes with play offer them a consultation with a sport psychologist. Consider a nutritionist, take them to a clinic or talk, let them see what adult athletes do to better prepare themselves for competition. Look for readings that will help your athlete learn and grow. These things will help you both – and – reinforce the collaboration you are developing.
9.) TREAT INJURIES WITH COMPASSION AND TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. When dealing with an injury of any kind – be earnest about it. Examine the part of the body your athlete is complaining about. Look for swelling, make sure the joint is articulating properly, clean cuts and abrasions, and, do first aid if there is no trainer available. Find a trainer if you need one. No matter how old the athlete this piece is important. Even if you think your child is exaggerating – this might be an important learning opportunity for them – or – they may be expressing a symptom of over training and under recovery. Be thoughtful. Ask questions. Yes, we all want to learn mental toughness, but NOT when an injury needs to be checked out. The important part is focusing on the recovery, being positive and encouraging proper self-care. Balance is key and remembering the functional side of the nurturing parent can help. The goal is to properly evaluate the problem, provide the best practices in recovery, and get back to the fun part – playing.
10.) PLAY WITH THEM WHENEVER YOU CAN. Remember to play – not necessarily to compete – but because it is FUN for them and you. FUNdamentals are mastered through this kind of practice. Not only will it help your family bond, but your athlete will appreciate your attitude – learn to love fitness – and enjoy the fact that you are proud and interested in helping them develop their skills and talents as far as they can go.
I hope that this article has been helpful and provided some good insights into athlete parenting. Look to www.AdvanceMyAthlete.com for further applications of the best principles of applied sport psychology for you and your child. Further information on this and other sport psychology topics are available at www.PodiumSportsJournal.com or at the web site of the author: www.drstephenwalker.com.
References and Resources:1) Fraser-Thomas, J., Cote, J., Deakin, J. (2008) Examining Adolescent Sport Dropout and Prolonged Engagement from a Developmental Perspective, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 20:3 pgs 318-324, Routledge Press.2) Davis, N., Meyer, B.B., (2008) When Sibling Becomes Competitor: A Qualitative Investigation of Same-Sex Sibling Competition in Elite Sport, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 20:2 pgs 220-236, Routledge Press.3) Berne, E., (1992), Games People Play, Ballantine-Random House Books, NY.4) To take a survey on parenting styles to see where you might land on the continuum click here: https://pediatrics.about.com/cs/quizzes/l/bl_prnt_style.htm5) Gladwell, M., (2008), Outliers, The Story of Success, Little Brown & Co., New York, NY.6) Mecklenburg, K., (2009), Heart of a Student Athlete, All Pro Advice for Competitors and Their Families, Booksurge Press, Denver, Co.7) Vealey, R.S., (2005), Coaching for the Inner Edge, Fitness Information Technology – Division International Center for Performance Excellence, Morgantown, WV.8) Ripken, C., Wolff, R., (2006), Parenting Young Athletes the Ripken Way, Ensuring the Best Experience for Your Kids in Any Sport, Gotham Books, New York, NY.9) Smith, R.E., (1989), The Parent’s Complete Guide to Youth Sports, AAPHERD Publications, Waldorf, MD.10) Perconte, J.S., (2007) Raising an Athlete, How to Instill Confidence, Build Skills, and Inspire a Love for Sport, PositiveParentinginSports.com.11) Links: https://www.asep.com/parents/index.cfm
https://www.educ.msu.edu/ysi/forparents.htm
https://www.podiumsportsjournal.com/parenting-competitive-kids
About the Author: Dr. Stephen Walker
“My Goal is to help you achieve more joythrough improved performance and better health.”
In the field of sport and performance psychology, Stephen Walker began his work at the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Colorado and for 19 years worked to develop the use of mental conditioning skills with athletes from the CU Golf, Track & Field and Cross Country teams. He has interviewed many of the world’s finest athletes (both professional and Olympic), and worked with accomplished athletes at many different levels of sport. These include little leaguers to seasoned professionals recognized world wide. He particularly enjoys helping to support both the parents and their promising young athletes as they strive to realize their potential. His innovative program called Brain Tough™ focuses each athlete on developing the reps and sets for skills essential to achieving competence and mastery in mental conditioning. He has trained with and studied elite coaches and sport psychologists over the past several years culminating in his role as Editor-in-Chief of Podium Sports Journal: The Journal of Mental Conditioning available at www.PodiumSportsJournal.com.
Dr. Walker’s background, skill sets, personality, good humor, and caring nature have attracted athletes and other motivated people seeking to achieve their goals more quickly and efficiently. He is certified by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, is a member of the United States Olympic Committee’s Registry of Sport Psychologists and Division 47 of the American Psychological Association. He is the founder of Health & Sport Performance Associates, an interdisciplinary consulting group providing counseling assistance, clinical support and performance driven personal coaching services, seminars, workshops and clinics to individuals, teams, and business groups in and around Boulder County and Colorado. Outside of his consulting work, Dr. Walker is an accomplished public speaker and facilitator of clinics and corporate workshops.
For more information contact Dr. Walker:
Stephen E. Walker, Ph.D.5829 Niwot RoadLongmont, ColoradoPhone: 303.530.4439 fax: 303.530.4643Email: Walker544@comcast.netWeb site: www.drstephenwalker.comBe sure to visit: www.PodiumSportsJournal.com
If you can't view the chart below, you can view it here on Google Sheets.
Time in Minutes and Hours
MPH 10 Miles 20K / 12.4 Miles 15 Miles 40K / 24.9 Miles 56 / Miles 112 Miles12 :50 1:02 1:15 2:04 4:40 9:2013 :46 :57 1:09 1:55 4:18 8:3714 :43 :53 1:04 1:47 4:00 8:0015 :40 :50 1:00 1:39 3:44 7:2816 :38 :47 :56 1:33 3:30 7:0017 :35 :44 :53 1:28 3:18 6:3518 :33 :41 :50 1:23 3:07 6:1319 :32 :39 :47 1:19 2:57 5:5420 :30 :37 :45 1:15 2:48 5:3621 :29 :36 :43 1:11 2:40 5:2022 :27 :34 :41 1:08 2:33 5:0523 :26 :32 :39 1:05 2:26 4:5224 :25 :31 :38 1:02 2:20 4:4025 :24 :30 :36 1:00 2:14 4:2926 :23 :29 :35 :57 2:09 4:1827 :22 :28 :33 :55 2:04 4:0928 :21 :27 :32 :53 2:00 4:0029 :21 :26 :31 :51 1:56 3:5230 :20 :25 :30 :50 1:52 3:44
If you can't view the chart below please use this link to view it here on Google Sheets.
These charts can help you calculate your pace per mile or your pace per kilometer over a given distance.
Time in Minutes and Hours
Mile Time 5K 10K 15K 20K 13.1 mi. 25K 30K Marathon
5:00 0:15:32 0:31:04 0:46:36 1:02:08 1:05:33 1:17:40 1:33:12 2:11:05
5:10 0:16:03 0:32:06 0:48:09 1:04:12 1:07:44 1:20:15 1:36:18 2:15:27
5:20 0:16:34 0:33:08 0:49:42 1:06:16 1:09:55 1:22:50 1:39:24 2:19:49
5:30 0:17:05 0:34:10 0:51:15 1:08:20 1:12:06 1:25:25 1:42:30 2:24:11
5:40 0:17:36 0:35:12 0:52:48 1:10:24 1:14:17 1:28:00 1:45:36 2:28:33
5:50 0:18:07 0:36:14 0:54:21 1:12:28 1:16:28 1:30:35 1:48:42 2:32:55
6:00 0:18:38 0:37:17 0:55:54 1:14:32 1:18:39 1:33:10 1:51:48 2:37:17
6:10 0:19:09 0:38:18 0:57:27 1:16:36 1:20:50 1:35:45 1:54:54 2:41:39
6:20 0:19:40 0:39:22 0:59:00 1:18:40 1:23:01 1:38:20 1:58:00 2:46:01
6:30 0:20:11 0:40:24 1:00:33 1:20:44 1:25:12 1:40:55 2:01:06 2:50:23
6:40 0:20:42 0:41:26 1:02:06 1:22:48 1:27:23 1:43:30 2:04:12 2:54:45
6:50 0:21:13 0:42:28 1:03:39 1:24:52 1:29:34 1:46:05 2:07:18 2:59:07
7:00 0:21:44 0:43:30 1:05:12 1:26:56 1:31:45 1:48:40 2:10:24 3:03:29
7:10 0:22:15 0:44:32 1:06:45 1:29:00 1:33:56 1:51:15 2:13:30 3:07:51
7:20 0:22:46 0:45:34 1:08:18 1:31:04 1:36:07 1:53:50 2:16:36 3:12:13
7:30 0:23:17 0:46:36 1:09:51 1:33:08 1:38:18 1:56:25 2:19:42 3:16:35
7:40 0:23:48 0:47:38 1:11:24 1:35:12 1:40:29 1:59:00 2:22:48 3:20:57
7:50 0:24:19 0:48:40 1:12:57 1:37:16 1:42:40 2:01:35 2:25:54 3:25:19
8:00 0:24:50 0:49:42 1:14:30 1:39:20 1:44:51 2:04:10 2:29:00 3:29:41
8:10 0:25:21 0:50:44 1:16:03 1:41:24 1:47:02 2:06:45 2:32:06 3:34:03
8:20 0:25:52 0:51:46 1:17:36 1:43:28 1:49:13 2:09:20 2:35:12 3:38:25
8:30 0:26:23 0:52:48 1:19:09 1:45:32 1:51:24 2:11:55 2:38:18 3:42:47
8:40 0:26:54 0:53:50 1:20:42 1:47:36 1:53:35 2:14:30 2:41:24 3:47:09
8:50 0:27:25 0:54:52 1:22:15 1:49:40 1:55:46 2:17:05 2:44:30 3:51:31
9:00 0:27:56 0:55:54 1:23:48 1:51:44 1:57:57 2:19:40 2:47:36 3:55:53
9:10 0:28:27 0:56:56 1:25:21 1:53:48 2:00:08 2:22:15 2:50:42 4:00:15
9:20 0:28:58 0:57:58 1:26:54 1:55:52 2:02:19 2:24:50 2:53:48 4:04:37
9:30 0:29:29 0:59:00 1:28:27 1:57:56 2:04:30 2:27:25 2:56:54 4:08:59
9:40 0:30:00 1:00:02 1:30:00 2:00:00 2:06:41 2:30:00 3:00:00 4:13:21
9:50 0:30:31 1:01:04 1:31:33 2:02:04 2:08:52 2:32:35 3:03:06 4:17:43
10:00 0:31:02 1:02:06 1:33:06 2:04:08 2:11:03 2:35:10 3:06:12 4:22:05
10:10 0:31:33 1:03:08 1:34:39 2:06:12 2:13:14 2:37:45 3:09:18 4:26:27
10:20 0:32:04 1:04:10 1:36:12 2:08:16 2:15:25 2:40:20 3:12:24 4:30:49
10:30 0:32:35 1:05:12 1:37:45 2:10:20 2:17:36 2:42:55 3:15:30 4:35:11
10:40 0:33:06 1:06:14 1:39:18 2:12:24 2:19:47 2:45:30 3:18:36 4:39:33
10:50 0:33:37 1:07:16 1:40:51 2:14:28 2:21:58 2:48:05 3:21:42 4:43:55
11:00 0:34:08 1:08:18 1:42:24 2:16:32 2:24:09 2:50:40 3:24:48 4:48:17
11:10 0:34:39 1:09:20 1:43:57 2:18:36 2:26:20 2:53:15 3:27:54 4:52:39
11:20 0:35:10 1:10:22 1:45:30 2:20:40 2:28:31 2:55:50 3:31:00 4:57:01
11:30 0:35:41 1:11:24 1:47:03 2:22:44 2:30:42 2:58:25 3:34:06 5:01:23
11:40 0:36:12 1:12:26 1:48:36 2:24:48 2:32:53 3:01:00 3:37:12 5:05:45
11:50 0:36:43 1:13:28 1:50:09 2:26:52 2:35:04 3:03:35 3:40:18 5:10:07
12:00 0:37:14 1:14:30 1:51:42 2:28:56 2:37:15 3:06:10 3:43:24 5:14:29
12:10 0:37:45 1:15:32 1:53:15 2:31:00 2:39:26 3:08:45 3:46:30 5:18:51
12:20 0:38:16 1:16:34 1:54:48 2:33:04 2:41:37 3:11:20 3:49:36 5:23:13
12:30 0:38:47 1:17:36 1:56:21 2:35:08 2:43:48 3:13:55 3:52:42 5:27:35
12:40 0:39:18 1:18:38 1:57:54 2:37:12 2:45:59 3:16:30 3:55:48 5:31:57
12:50 0:39:49 1:19:40 1:59:27 2:39:16 2:48:10 3:19:05 3:58:54 5:36:19
13:00 0:40:20 1:20:42 2:01:00 2:41:20 2:50:21 3:21:40 4:02:00 5:40:41
13:10 0:40:51 1:21:44 2:02:33 2:43:24 2:52:32 3:24:15 4:05:06 5:45:03
13:20 0:41:22 1:22:46 2:04:06 2:45:28 2:54:43 3:26:50 4:08:12 5:49:25
13:30 0:41:53 1:23:48 2:05:39 2:47:32 2:56:54 3:29:25 4:11:18 5:53:47
13:40 0:42:24 1:24:50 2:07:12 2:49:36 2:59:05 3:32:00 4:14:24 5:58:09
13:50 0:42:55 1:25:52 2:08:45 2:51:40 3:01:16 3:34:35 4:17:30 6:02:31
14:00 0:43:26 1:26:54 2:10:18 2:53:44 3:03:27 3:37:10 4:20:36 6:06:53
If you can't view this chart below, you can view it here in Google Sheets.
Time in Minutes and Hours
100 Yards 100 Meters 1/4 Mile Sprint Dist 500 Yards 1/2 Mile Sprint Dist 1,000 Yards 1,500 Yards 1 Mile Olympic Dist 1.2 Miles 1/2 Ironman Dist 2.4 Miles Ironman Dist1.00 1.06 4.15 5.00 8.30 10.00 15.00 17.36 21.07 42.141.05 1.11 4.38 5.25 9.13 10.50 16.15 19.04 22.53 45.461.10 1.17 4.58 5.50 9.55 11.40 17.30 20.32 24.28 49.161.15 1.22 5.19 6.15 10.38 12.30 18.45 22.00 26.24 52.481.20 1.27 5.40 6.40 11.20 13.20 20.00 23.28 28.08 56.191.25 1.33 6.01 7.05 12.03 14.10 21.15 24.56 29.55 59.501.30 1.38 6.23 7.30 12.45 15.00 22.30 26.24 31.41 1:03.221.35 1.44 6.44 7.55 13.28 15.50 23.45 27.52 33.26 1:06.531.40 1.49 7.05 8.20 14.10 16.40 25.00 29.50 35.12 1:10.241.45 1.55 7.26 8.45 14.53 17.30 26.15 30.48 36.58 1:13.551.50 2.00 7.48 9.10 15.35 18.20 27.30 32.16 38.43 1:17.261.55 2.06 8.09 9.35 16.18 19.10 28.45 33.44 40.29 1:20.582.00 2.11 8.30 10.00 17.00 20.00 30.00 35.12 42.14 1:24.292.05 2.17 8.51 10.25 17.43 20.50 31.15 36.40 44.00 1:28.002.10 2.22 9.13 10.50 18.25 21.40 32.30 37.08 46.54 1:31.312.15 2.28 9.34 11.15 19.08 22.30 33.45 39.36 47.31 1:35.032.20 2.33 9.54 11.40 19.50 23.20 35.00 41.04 49.17 1:38.342.25 2.39 10.16 12.05 20.33 24.10 36.15 42.32 51.02 1:42.052.30 2.44 10.38 12.30 21.15 25.00 37.30 44.00 52.48 1:45.362.35 2.50 10.59 12.55 21.58 25.50 38.45 45.28 54.34 1:49.072.40 2.55 11.20 13.20 22.40 26.40 40.00 46.56 56.19 1:52.382.45 3.00 11.41 13.45 23.23 27.30 41.15 48.24 58.05 1:56.102.50 3.06 12.03 14.10 24.05 28.20 42.30 49.52 59.50 1:59.442.55 3.11 12.24 14.35 24.48 29.10 43.45 51.20 1:01.36 2:03.123.00 3.17 12.45 15.00 25.30 30.00 45.00 52.48 1:03.22 2:06.43
If a triathlete swims 100 yards in 1.00 minute, as shown in the example at the top left, then the athlete can expect to cover 2.4 miles in 42 minutes and 14 seconds, as shown in the top right corner.
When swimming a particular workout, remember that every swim set has a distinct purpose. Swimming is different then biking or running in that you can hammer every day without tearing up you ligaments and joints. Since you don’t feel the same type of soreness as in running and biking, swimming leads many of us to think that we didn’t swim hard enough. Beware! Swimming hard hard every day eventually will wear you down and something is going to give; like your shoulder, back, or your motivation. Swim with a plan: Each time you get in the water the swim set should have a set purpose.
Drill Sets: The purpose of a drill session is practice technique and improve your efficiency. It’s NOT to see how fast you can swim a 100 yards while doing the finger tip drag drill.
Speed sets: These sets are designed to teach you how to become efficient at going fast and to break the habit of the same old pace that many of us swim day after day. These sets are NOT designed to see you swim 35 seconds for 50 yards and then swim 45 seconds for the rest. Pick a speed you can handle for the duration of the set. Typically, when I have a set of 10×50 yards, I start out at 40 seconds and work my way under 35. Not vice versa. Your fastest swim should be your last swim. Learn to swim fast when you are tired.
Endurance Sets: These sets are designed to create a nice big aerobic engine that will let you swim at race pace for as long as you need to. These sets include 200 yard, 500 yard and up repeats. You may have to swim a set of 3×500 yards. Just as when you are swimming the Speed Sets, swim your fastest repeat last. If you start out at 8:00 for your first 500, and then swim 8:30, and then 9:00 you just blew your whole workout. Remember swim your fastest repeat last.
The goal of any swim set, be it 50 yard sprints or 800 yard repeats, is to swim each repeat faster. The more you start incorporating this into your practices, the faster you will become.
Summary: The point of this writing is to teach you to understand the important of pacing while in the pool. Take it out easy during the first few sets and repeats when you swim. As you warm up increase your pace and finish with your fastest sets being the ones you do toward the end of your workout. Do you ever wonder why people start out so fast in a race or in a workout only to fade in the middle or at the end? Well, proper pacing can help you avoid that! Practice the way you are going to race and it will all become second nature. You want to be the athlete doing the passing at the end of the race, not the one being passed! Start slow, and finish strong!
This time of year, I get emails from triathletes in panic mode.“Coach, I’m getting dropped on the hills! I’m adding hills 3 days a week to fix it. What do you think?”
The concern is valid, but the answer is: It depends.
Repeating the same workouts or routes leads to stagnation as the body adapts and stops improving. On the flip side, adding too much stress too soon often results in fatigue or injury, leaving you underperforming on race day.
The key? Progressive overload and smart adaptation. By following the seven steps below, you can create a training plan that allows you to absorb the hard days and get faster.
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Start by testing your fitness:
Reassess every 4-6 weeks to track progress. Outdated numbers from years ago won’t help your current training. Put the tests on your calendar—many avoid them because they’re tough or fear a lack of progress. Don’t fall into that trap!
Progress happens when you challenge your body. Vary distance, pace, and effort levels to create the necessary stimulus. Change up your routine—extend your long run, increase pace for the last 15 minutes, or swap a steady ride for intervals. Your body thrives on change.
I often see athletes race 5k, 10k, and half marathons at the same pace. If you’re not pushing yourself, you won’t get faster. Train with faster athletes once a week and push your limits. Even small pace changes can make a big difference.
Consistency beats complexity. Don’t constantly chase new training theories. Stick with a plan for at least 12 weeks before assessing results. If it’s not working, adjust—but give it time first.
Use the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Focus on 2-3 weeks of challenging work, followed by a recovery week. Then increase volume, intensity, or frequency in the next block. Complexity kills progress.
The best athletes know how to go easy when needed. Training too hard on easy days leaves you fatigued and unable to perform during tough sessions. As Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Shorter said:
“On hard days, I go as hard as I can. On easy days, I go as easy as I can.”
I had a first-time athlete preparing for Ironman Lake Placid. He needed to lose 20 pounds and stay consistent with training before worrying about any structured “build” phase. Once he adapted, I introduced volume and small doses of intensity.
We built a simple plan that accommodated his family schedule while maintaining consistency. The result? He progressed from just hoping to finish, to breaking 14 hours, and ultimately crossing the line in under 12 hours.
Final Thoughts
If you’re stuck with the same results, it’s time to change your approach. Stick to these seven steps, and you’ll position yourself for continuous improvement throughout the triathlon season.
Coach Mike
Head Coach at D3 Multisport, USAT Level III Certified, and USAT Coach of the Year. My coaching philosophy focuses on the process, not just results. When athletes understand the ‘why,’ the results naturally follow.
Coach Mike is the Head Coach for D3 Multisport, is a USAT Level III Certified Coach and had the honor of being selected the USAT Coach of the Year. 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. **Updated 3/2025
Whether you’re a novice or someone who has been riding a long time, chances are you’ve gone on a long ride only to finish up with pain in your shoulders and a very tight neck. What exactly is going on? Do cyclists have to just grin and bare it? The answer is, ‘No, you don’t have to put up with it’. Cyclists tend to have neck and upper back problems for several reasons which we’ll cover in this article. In addition, we’ll look at preventative measures when it comes to cycling and neck, shoulder, and arm pain.
Aches, Pains, and A Proper Bike Fit
Whether you are riding to a friend’s house around the block or across the country, you should be comfortable on your bike. If you have pain in your upper back or neck, your bicycle may not fit you properly.
You can eliminate a lot of discomfort by making adjustments. A good bike fit can also improve your pedaling efficiency and aerodynamics, and actually make you faster. I encourage you to visit your local bike shop. They should have someone there who knows a lot about proper bike fitting. Make good use of their expert knowledge.
For now, let’s get an understanding of what’s happening. Cyclists ride in a hunched over position which is a very awkward posture that can be very hard on the upper back and neck. If the ride is long and there is a prolonged hyper-extension of the neck, a searing pain can develop.
Neck pain is a very common cycling complaint and it is usually the result of bending the neck up to see where we are going. If this is the case, you may be riding a bike that is too long and/or have handlebars that are too low. Make sure you aren’t too ëlaid outí on the bike. This creates the need to bend the neck further up. If this is the case, there are a few common sense changes that can be made:
1. Raise the handle bars so that youíre riding more upright.
2. Make sure the bike you are riding isn’t too long
3. If the bike is too long and a new frame or bike is out of the question, shorten the reach by getting a shorter stem. Don’t go much shorter than 100 mm or your bike may ride squirrelly and give you problems.
4. When you’re in your handlebar drops, choose a bar with a shallower drop.
Another equipment consideration is the helmet. Proper placement of the helmet is equally important to a good bike fit. If the helmet is worn too far forward, neck problems can occur because you’ll have to bend your head too far up to be able to see where you’re going. Not only are we causing ourselves unnecessary pain but having the helmet too far forward defeats the safety benefits of a bike helmet.
Again, most bike shops can check a bike’s fit and helmet position, often at no charge.
I Have a Near Perfect Fit and I Still Have Neck Pain
This boils down to an overuse injury. When a cyclist logs many hours of riding, there is repetitive sub-maximal loading on the upper back and neck which leads to damage.
Let’s take a look at what is occurring when the neck is bent in an upward position for a prolonged period of time. We’ll also review some ways to combat the problem (or avoid the problem in the first place).
When a muscle has a sustained contraction for a long period of time, the circulation of blood into that muscle becomes compromised. This is because the muscle contraction puts pressure on the blood vessels, essentially clamping it nearly shut, and the blood supply is greatly reduced. As if this isn’t bad enough, these muscles are being asked to perform a continual workload while being deprived of adequate oxygen and nutrients. Keep the upper back and neck muscles under duress for too long and you could have painful muscle spasms and trigger points.
Trigger points are discrete, hyper-irritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They can produce a local tenderness that can be very painful. They can even elicit a local twitch response, although it is not the same as a muscle spasm. Cyclists can be susceptible to trigger points in the upper back and neck region, especially if they ride often and travel long distances.
In a nutshell, a knot in the muscle develops, followed by lots of local pain and twitching. There are effective treatments for trigger points but they’re outside the scope of this article. Instead, let’s discuss what can be done so trigger points never become a concern.
Get Those Muscles Moving
I believe it is important to understand trigger points and their origin. With a basic understanding of trigger points and the problems they cause, you’re more likely to follow a prescribed regiment of stretches and exercises. If you don’t understand why you’re doing your exercises, the likelihood of staying with the program diminishes.
Most cyclists tend to have a sustained contraction in their upper back/neck region while riding. This means inadequate circulation (and oxygen and nutrients) to the upper back and neck region. A sustained contraction means your muscles are under continuous load and not moving (not alternating between a contracted and relaxed state which is desirable).
So what types of things can be done to help? You probably already know that stretching is advantageous to avoiding muscle related injuries. In addition to stretching the neck and upper back muscles, you can also benefit from these two exercises: elbow presses and reverse shoulder shrugs.
Elbow presses are a great blood pumping exercise that helps an ample blood supply reach the upper back and neck region. This will counter the sustained sub-maximal contraction that cinches down on the muscle’s small arteries which occur with long bike rides.
To perform elbow presses, bring your elbows out away from the body at the shoulder level. Then pull your elbows back as far as you can, causing the muscles around your shoulder blades and upper back to contract before you bring the elbows back to the starting point. Continue performing reps until you get a mild burning sensation in the muscles of the upper back and neck.
Reverse shoulder shrugs are also great because they make the muscles in the neck and upper back region alternate between full contraction and full relaxation.
Reverse shoulder shrugs are performed by shrugging your shoulders upward toward your ears and then back down toward the ground and behind you. It is important to do reverse shoulder shrugs (shrugging up and back) rather than regular forward shoulder shrugs. Forward shoulder shrugs have a forward rotation which makes the back hunch forward into a chimp-like posture.
This prevents the muscles of the upper back from contracting enough to accomplish the desired “contract, relax, contract, relax” movement pattern. Doing this exercise properly will get the muscles in the upper back and neck pumping periodically and cyclists will notice a positive difference within a few times of performing the exercise.
As an avid cyclist, I’ve added both of these exercises to my workout routine and my riding comfort and performance have improved. I do however, recommend that you use common sense when planning any shoulder exercises, especially if you have shoulder issues such as a rotator cuff injury.
There are also some basic neck movements that may help neck range of motion and circulation in the neck. Here are the ones that I recommend:
1. Flexion (chin to chest)
2. Extension (head up)
3. Right and left rotation (chin pointing toward the point of the shoulder)
4. Right and left lateral flexion (ear to the shoulder).
Cyclists can also fall prey to another common problem that occurs in the upper back and neck area known as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome or TOS for short. T.O.S. is a condition in which blood vessels or nerves are compressed, usually by overlying muscles, as they pass from the neck region into the arm. This can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the arms and hands. Typically, athletes in strength sports like football and baseball are most susceptible, but cyclists may also experience thoracic outlet syndrome-type symptoms.
The difference is that cyclists are more likely to suffer because of muscle tightness or spasm at the base of the neck. Again, muscle movement and stretching are effective in relieving TOS related discomfort.
Let’s Ride!
As cyclists, we need to be diligent and take care of our bodies. The form of our bike puts our body in a posture that is unnatural and susceptible to injury. Without care, we are likely to face neck, upper back, and arm problems. First, it is important to get a properly fitted bike that gives as comfortable a ride as possible.
It is also imperative to keep our muscles in the upper back and neck region limber and with a full range of motion. By stretching and following the exercises and maneuvers in this article, you can help keep your upper back and neck muscles loose, relaxed, and ensure that they recieve good blood circulation.
This will translate into better performance, and rides that are comfortably enjoyable for the foreseeable future.
About the Author
A former distance runner with a personal best of 2:17 in the marathon, Ron Fritzke, D.C. currently races his bike in California. He’s been helping patients with their back problems for the last 22 years in Mount Shasta, California. In addition to serving on the sports medicine team at the College of the Siskiyous, Ron spends time writing about cycling apparel such as cycling jerseys, and cycling bib shorts on his website. He also reviews items like Sidi bike shoes at www.cycling-review.com.
I have been an endurance athlete for almost ten years, but I am 1 year new to the sport of triathlon. Switching from road cycling to triathlon was the best decision I have made as an athlete and as a graduate student. The balance and satisfaction I obtain from training and racing has not only opened my eyes to a fantastic new sport, but it has also taught me new life lessons and skills. There are many skills I have learned from the sport of triathlon and from Coach Mike; the value of patience, discipline, the ability to suffer… my list could go on. Those are the easier things for me to practice. Listening to my body, however, is the most important and most challenging thing I have learned and what happened to me this July was a test of that skill. I was 4 days away from Vineman 70.3, my A race for the year and first HIM. I was feeling good about tapering, felt well-rested, well hydrated, and antsy as I’ve ever been before a race. In the middle of a 400 during my Tuesday morning track workout my heart rate spiked from 170 to 239 BPM in a matter of seconds. Aside from being freaked-out I felt fine, but when I couldn’t get it to go down, I began to worry. I stopped running, sat down in the shade, and only after doing so did my heart rate fall back down to normal. Being the stubborn girl that I am, I decided to finish the workout and completed 3 more 400s at a 10K pace. I felt fine running home, but later experienced chest pain and immediately went to the student health center’s urgent care. After a normal EKG, I was transferred to the local ER where I had further tests completed to rule out a blood clot. When I explained what happened with my heart rate to the Dr, he simply said “Well, there’s nothing we can do about that. If it happens again then just come back.” I was afraid to ask him if I should race that weekend. My training partner who kept me company at the ER knew that I wasn’t going to ask, so she did. “Jen wants to know if she can race this weekend.” I was partially relieved that she asked, but afraid that he would answer no. His response was, “Well, I dunnno just be careful”. I wasn’t sure what to do with that information, or lack thereof, so I ran again on Thursday. The same thing happened, and now I was terrified.
I emailed Mike when I got home from my run. As I read his response advising not to race, I could feel how concerned he was and I grew even more concerned after he informed me that the very same thing happened to Amanda Lovato at IMCDA. Her race ended early and was transported off the course. The last thing I wanted was to end my first HIM without crossing the finish line. I cried for a few minutes when I realized that I should not race, then I decided to take care of myself.
I immediately requested a referral to a cardiologist who took great care of me. I underwent numerous tests (stress echocardiogram, 48 hour EKG monitoring, blood-work, etc) and knew that if something was really wrong with my heart he would find it. Although the doctor at the student health center gave me the advice of “Well, just take it easy and don’t run until you see the cardiologist,” the cardiologist asked me to train hard, just as I would normally do so that I could duplicate the abnormal heart rate while being tested. When he asked me to do that, I was in love with the man. I was so happy to be able to continue doing what I love the most in life, enjoy the outdoors, and feed my endorphin addiction. I continued to run, ride, and swim, and I broke a new record on the treadmill stress test, but no luck in duplicating the tachycardia. The cardiologist finally diagnosed me with SVT (Supraventricular AV re-entry tachycardia). He explained to me that this is a harmless occurance due to a small amount of extra fiber in the portion of my heart that receives the electrical impulse during a heartbeat. In addition, the 48h EKG revealed that I have an extra heartbeat (which is harmless and occurs in 50 out of 100 people) The conditions had to be just perfect to allow the extra fiber to interfere and cause this tachycardia to occur. He said it may happen again, but it may never happen again. He then looked me in the eyes and laughed, “Do you know how fit you are? I’ve never seen someone last that long on the treadmill.” It was funny, but I was just so relieved to be told that I was healthy. He gave me the green light on training and racing. I don’t think I’ve ever been so grateful for my health. This experience taught me a great deal about my body, my heart, and my desire to be a successful triathlete. Sometimes you have to come close to losing something to realize how important it is.
I’ve reorganized my racing goals and am now training for the Big Kahuna HIM in Santa Cruz this October. I’m training harder and smarter than ever, thanks to Mike for his wonderful guidance and coaching and my new appreciation for my health.
Jen Stern is an up and coming Age Group Triathlete living in Davis, CA and working toward her PhD at UC Davis
If you have ever wondered how the Russians were kicking our butts for three decades in sports, here is the answer. Yes, there were some Eastern Block women that looked like they could play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, ‘Steel Curtain’, and maybe that wasn’t natural, but the answer is something called ‘periodization’. Tudor Bompa, who is considered the ‘Father of Periodization’ refined the ideas of Russian sports scientists in the early 1960s. During the 1940s the Russian scientists tried dividing the training year into different training periods. Previously, the training was to maintain the same constant stresses year round. Could you imagine doing the same workouts week in and week out? The new method was to create some periods of training that were easier then the others to promote rest and to let the body grow stronger. Most training programs today are rooted off of Bompa’s theory, and its how the successful athletes of today train. Periodization involves many variables including frequency (how ‘often’ you train), duration (how ‘long’ you train for one session), volume (how ‘much’ you train in a given week or cycle) and intensity (how ‘hard’ you train at any given time). From these variables a recipe is created that will hopefully help you reach your peak for the key race(s) you are targeting. There are four to five phases in a given annual training plan, with the variables changing within each phase. Please see the following chart:
Phase How long: Frequency Duration Intensity VolumePrep 4-8 weeks High Short-Medium Very little LowBase 12-24 weeks High Medium- High Moderate Moderate to HighBuild 4-8 weeks Moderate-High High Heavy ModeratePeak/Race 3-5 weeks Moderate Short Heavy Low
The first phase of training is called the Preparation (Prep) Phase. This is a period of time from three to six weeks. It involves performing your aerobic activities at a low heart rate and it helps your body adjust to the rigors of training again. This is also the time to work on your drills for each sport. This would include many of the drills in swimming, isolated leg pedaling in cycling and/or strides in running. The workouts in the Prep Phase are usually short in duration, low in intensity, and may be frequent. The volume for this cycle is low. This period prepares you for the Base Phase.
The Base Phase can last anywhere from twelve to twenty four weeks. The longer this phase lasts usually means the more aerobically fit you are entering your key sessions for the season. The Base Phase runs in three to four week ‘blocks’, and can have up to six blocks within this phase. These would be called Base Phase Two, Three, etc. The amount of blocks you have in this phase is dependant on your training experience. If you are in your first few years of training, the more blocks you do in the base phases, the better off you will be in the long run. This phase continues to focus on increasing your aerobic capacity while improving your efficiency with drills and skill workouts. The intensity in this cycle remains low or non-existent, while the frequency may drop, and the duration of your longer workouts keeps extending itself. The volume in this cycle starts out low, but will eventually be your greatest of the year as you get closer toward the end of your base phase. After the Base Phase has been completed and you get closer to your key races, the next step is the Build Phase.
The Build Phase drops in volume, increases in intensity and may keep the same or drop off in duration. The key to this phase is to become more efficient (faster) at a certain distance or go further in a certain time period. This is done by adding ‘interval’ training to your workouts. These intervals can be repeats in the pool, on the track, or on your bicycle. In this phase, the volume is consistent, the intensity high, and your duration for your long workouts should be at an all year high. This phase lasts about four to eight weeks and comes right before the big race. Before we get to the big race, we do something called ‘peaking’.
The Peak Phase and ‘peaking’ itself is a very tricky thing to do. Basically, you are trying to bring together your whole season for one or two important races. It could be the local triathlon where you need to beat your training partner, or it could be a qualifier for the World Championships. Either way, you want to perform your best. In order to peak for the race, we taper down our training. We cut back to let our bodies rest and restore itself. Our volume is low, our intensity is high, and our duration is short. Frequency for some is quite high, as some athletes like to keep their ‘feel’ for the water or keep their running ‘rhythm’. Others don’t have such problems and cut back the frequency as well. This is when training is personal choice. After your race, and hopefully successful racing season, you move into the final phase of the year, the Transition Phase.
The Transition Phase is a time to just kick back, and do something other then triathlon. It can mean a time to do nothing for a few weeks, or it could mean the time of the year that you try out some new sports that don’t involve swim, bike, and run. Toward the end of this phase, you want to start organizing your plans for the upcoming season. A new Prep Phase will almost be upon you and you get to do it all over again.
Michael Ricci is a USAT certified coach. He can be reached for personal coaching at mike@d3multisport.com
Right Side Kick:
How: Kick on your right side, with right shoulder pointed to the sky
Head: Relaxed, underwater, look at the side of the pool. Advanced itto look at the bottom, but be sure to maintain vertical shoulders when on your side: shoulders perpendicular to bottom of the pool.
Arms: Left arm extended, right hand rests on left thigh.
Toes: Toes pointed, ankles relaxed. Keep width of kick within “tube”created by your body: relatively narrow.
Breath: Take a small sculling motion with right hand and roll head easily to breathe. Exhale slowly and smoothly.
Notes:
1. Keep shoulders perpendicular to pool bottom. “Point belly to the side of the pool.”
2.Relatively narrow kick.
3. Smooth breathing by rolling your head up to the sky.
Left Side Kick: the opposite of above
Lately there has been a lot of fuss over swim drills. With the introduction of Total Immersion a few years back, people have been saying that swim drills are the hot new thing on the market. New? They have been around for decades. When I was coaching high school swimming in 1989 we were doing drills on a daily basis. Every workout had a drill set in it, even if it were only a 500 yard weak side breathing swim. Swim gloves for fist drills? Do we need all these gadgets? Get a tennis ball, hold it in your hand and swim down the pool, now that is a real fist drill swim.
I have coached athletes who have started from scratch and I have coached athletes who have had college swim backgrounds. I have them both practice swim drills. I think swim drills are important and I practice swim drills three out of every four times I get in the water, just to refine something in my stroke. I have been doing this for years. Here is the problem: Unless you have someone watching you, to keep an eye on form, the drills can be more harm than good. Swim drills can be good, but there is a point of diminishing returns. You see, I think (and of course this in my opinion) that there is a point or pace where swim volume might make a whole lot more sense than swim drills. So what is that point? Some coaches would tell you that it's about 1:50 per 100m pace. I would agree with that for the most part. That would put you around 1:10 for an Ironman length swim, 35:00 for a HIM, or 26:00 for an Olympic distance race. If you are slower than that, you should focus more on swim drills.
I most definitely think drills have their place, no doubt about it, but if you want to get faster you need to swim more. More than you currently do and more than you think you should. I spent the entire winter swimming more than I ever have. I took a few of my experienced Ironman athletes and did the same thing with them as well. We all came out on the other side as better swimmers. Could we have done this by just getting in the pool and swimming drills day after day after day? No way. How do I know? We tried that already and it didn't work. Like I said above, UNLESS you have a qualified swim coach (someone with real live swim coaching experience - not someone who read a how-to book on swimming like your cousin Dwight) watching you do the drills, then how do you know if you are dong them correctly? You don't. If you have someone standing over you with a video camera recording your workouts and then you have the time to analyze your technique after each workout, then sure, it will work to a point. But the fact is most people don't do the drills correctly.
Which brings us back to volume: The more you swim, the more adaptive you become and the better your feel of the water becomes. It's just like riding your bike downhill; you learn how to lean into a turn, how to accelerate out of turn etc. Swimming is the same way. The more you are entering your hand into the water and getting your forearm over the barrel, the better idea you will have of what it feels like to ?grab? water and pull yourself through it. The more times you get in the water the more natural it becomes. Give me two swimmers of the same ability and have one swim a volume approach and the other swim a drill till you are bored to death approach, and I can tell you that the volume based swimmer will win the race in the long run.
Points to remember if you going to up your swim volume:
Lastly, a few drills I find essential and do every time I get in the water:1. Fist drill ? swim 4 strokes closed fist, 4 strokes open palm2. One Arm drill ? literally, watch your catch and pull while swimming with one arm.3. Heads up swim, under water recovery. AKA doggie paddle. Focus on the catch, nothing more.4. Swim Golf: Not a drill as much as it's a swim set to figure out your optimal strokes per length. Swim 50 yards (2 lengths) and count your strokes and your time. Add the two together and you have your golf 'score'. If it takes you 50 strokes and the swim took you 50 seconds, then your score is 100. The lower your score, the more efficient a swimmer you are becoming. However, BEWARE, once you start learning how to manipulate the golf score you could end up digressing. I see swimmers all the time who try to swim 28 strokes, and have a swim time of 50 seconds (78 golf score). They would be much better off swimming 34 strokes, with a 44 second swim (78 gold score). I have toyed with this golf score this winter and I can tell you I would give up strokes for speed on most days. Yes, I am swimming more strokes, but don't I want to get there faster? Isn't that the point?
In conclusion, IF you want to improve your swimming (and who doesn't?) and you are a faster than 26:00 swimmer for a 1500m, then start thinking about swimming more volume. You can focus on drills every time you get in the water, but if you really want to swim fast, you need to improve your endurance, and the only way to do that is to swim more. More than you think you should, and more than you think you can.
My journey in life will always be changed. I thought that an Ironman would change my life style, but I was wrong. All my love of racing and challenges couldn’t change the disease/disorder that I had. The only thing that could change it, was the courage that it took to face it and drop out of the most loved thing that I had and that was training for Ironman Wisconsin 09/07/08.
During the midst of my training, I realized my body couldn’t handle it unless I got help. I decided to get help. My battle with the eating disorder started to show seven years ago when I was a freshmen in college and playing a college sport. I had a lot of pressure to perform at a high level and felt like things where getting out of control. The only thing I could control was me, and that’s when I developed a full blown eating disorder. During this time I learned to love running and triathlons and started to realize that I needed it in my life and to have that along with my eating disorder wasn’t going to work.
During my eating disorder, things would go from bad to worse in a mater of days. I would go from restricting all day to purging everything the next day. On those days I would eat around 900 to 1200 calories, but not keep it in. While doing this I would be running any where from six to sixteen miles along with swimming and biking many miles a day. I knew I needed to run and have something in my life that I enjoyed since the eating disorder was taking everything else away. With all the affects of the eating disorder and running, my body took a toll. I needed IVs and potassium supplements, but with even all that and the fear of dropping dead, nothing stopped me from my eating disorder. I thought I could tackle this on my own. I fought hard, but it was still beating me. I was determined to race so I signed up for an Ironman thinking that would give me enough motivation to change. I had the motivation to race, but I couldn’t just stop the eating disorder. I continued to struggle and decided that no race or training was going to stop me from continuing my eating disorder, I knew I needed help!
On May 15th, a special person named Lisa Hatten came into my life. We had agreed on a program that would work with my training and treatment for my disease/disorder. She picked me up at the airport. I was determined to stay there only a short amount of time and get out so I could race the rest of the summer. I started to realize that thirty days wasn’t going to stop a disease/disorder that has been in my life for who knows how long, and its been active for seven years. I agreed to stay another thirty days to see what could change, but I knew I would have to make a decision about racing. I didn’t have my bike and couldn’t get the best training in, but I had to make a tough decision. It was one that basically my life depended upon. It was one of the hardest decisions I could make, at that time it felt like the eating disorder was getting another part of my life. But I was wrong, the eating disorder wasn’t going to win, I was, by getting healthy and racing healthy.
Lisa Hatten has given her life to help others who struggle with eating disorders, she has opened up a home for women with eating disorders. Women ranging from 17 years to 40 years old have gone through her doors. I was one of those lucky women who had the opportunity to go through those doors and into her home. She showed me that I can live my life and be happy. I learned so much, but also learned my racing had to be put on hold in order to save my life.
Not only was I signed up for an Ironman, but I was also signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon, one of my favorite races. When I started getting better and healthier, Lisa offered to sponsor me in the Marathon. I have done this race three times, but I have yet to be at full steam. This year will be different. With the help from Lisa and her staff they have shown me how to live, believe, train and be a healthy person.
I will be wearing a racing shirt with the name La Bonne Maison on the back with “SAVED MY LIFE” just below it. On the front it will say “HOPE”. I want to promote awareness of this disease/disorder and show that this is a very important organization.One in four women suffer with an eating disease/disorder, and girls starting as young as seven years old are dealing with this. Not only are women affected, but men are as well. This disease/disorder will be one of the largest epidemics in the country regarding addictions.I want to be able to share my story and explain what this disorder/disease is and show women and men that there is hope! Racing with this shirt and proudly promoting the place that saved my life will help me do that.
Getting the help is and was the first step to a new life. I want to be able to tell as many people as I can. I want people to ask what is La Bonne Maison? It means, the Good House, and then I can share my story and hopefully help someone else. If that help is information for treatment for them or someone they know, I am more then happy to share and lead them in the right direction. If I can help one person through this, then that is one less person that this disease/disorder took!
I will be returning to La Bonne Maison to help other athletes who struggle with an eating disorder. I want to help as many people as I can. I will be training for an Ironman, the thing I enjoy the most, the thing that the eating disorder took away from me. Now I will be doing this healthy and excited for life and to race. I will also be wearing the same shirt to promote awareness of this disease.
Thank you for taking time to read my story. I hope I can show others that there is away to conquer your fears and struggles.
Average Age Grouper: Fire Up the Grill!
Training for the 10k Olympic Distance Triathlon
By Coach Mike Ricci
Run training for an Olympic distance triathlon can be a little bit like being a chef: you need a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but how much of this and that depends on how much you like it, and how much your body can handle. In this article we’ll talk about run training for the 10k in the Olympic distance triathlon for the average age group triathlete. I define average as anyone over 7:00 a mile and even the folks closer to ten to twelve minutes a mile.
An important factor for having a strong run is developing all your aerobic energy systems. It’s important to change speeds often in all three sports. In running it’s common to get into the ‘plodding mode’, running the same pace over all distances, and never seeming to get faster. If this sounds familiar, you aren’t alone.
Ingredients needed to prepare for your Olympic distance 10k: the long run, speed, hill strength and what I term ‘race pace’.
We’ll start with the first and most important ingredient – the long run. Above all else, you need to have sufficient aerobic fitness going into the specific race season. My measuring stick is being able to run the distance in the race (6.2 mile) up to 1.5 times (9 miles) in training. It doesn’t have to be fast, you just have to be able to do it. For some folks who will take closer to 90 minutes for the run, I would use 90 minutes as the maximum long run in training. In order to avoid the dreaded ’plodding’, change your pace up so you don’t run the same pace twice in a week. In the early aerobic base building period of your training, this would mean one day of a longer run, one day of pure speed (another key ingredient) (short reps of 20-30” at 5k pace), and another day with a touch of tempo (Zone 3) running. Each week you can extend the long run, and then add more reps to the speed sets and more time to the tempo runs. These efforts should not waste you and you should be able to finish knowing you could have done more.
Another ingredient would be incorporating hill repeats and hillier longer runs into your training. This period would last four to six weeks. In this stage, you are preparing yourself to handle the ‘Race Pace’ training in the next period. Hill repeats that last from 90 seconds to two minutes and just touch the bottom of your lactate threshold by the end are best. An easy walk/jog to the base of the hill is your recovery. Each week add a repetition or two and always walk away knowing you could have done 1-2 more reps.
As we get within ten weeks of the race its time to start implementing our last ingredient: Race Pace. This involves running 800 meters to two 2 mile repeats at your goal race pace (recovery should be about 25% of the work time). These workouts can be run on their own or even as a brick as you get closer to the race. An example of a brick is a hard bike followed by 4 x 1 mile at race pace on short rest (30”) would be a great race simulation for an Olympic distance race.
Annual Progression for a 10k
Olympic Distance Athlete
Period:
Speed Tempo Long runBase Weeks 1-6 4-10 x 30″10-20′ Z3 45-60′Week 7-10 8-12 x 30″
10-20′ Z4 60-90′Period: Speed Hills/Strength Long hilly run OR w/ Tempo Finish
Strength Weeks11-14
8-12 x 30″ 4-15 x 2′75-90′RacePaceWeeks15-24 12 x 30″ 4-8×800 to 4-5 x 1m
60-75′Key: ‘= minutes, “= seconds
Race Day Strategy: Run easy out of T2 – grab some water, slow down and get your HR down. Your goal should be to run the 2nd 5k faster so pick up the pace ever so slightly but not until after the 5k mark, check your splits/effort the first three miles, and if you feel comfortable then pick up the pace. At the halfway mark, it’s time to GO! Let it fly just like you were running a 5k. If you paced the race right, here is where you can make up a lot of ground and just go by people like they are standing still. It’s only a short period of time so push for all you are worth.
Combing the above ingredients will give you a very strong run this season. If you execute the training and race day plan per above, you’ll be able to stick a fork in your competition when you blow by them as they will be done! Good luck and train smart this season!
The argument against doing flip turns is a strong one: You don’t do flip turns in a race! While that is a valid point and I can see the logic behind it, but I can take the same logic and say, ‘While swimming in open water, you don’t get to hold on to the wall every 25 yards.’ So, which is correct?
Yes, there are no walls in the open water to help you when you get tired. Surely, when you swim with flip turns, it’s a tougher swim. Why do you think people don’t do them? Because they are harder! When your legs get tired on the bike, you shift to an easier gear and when you get tired of running you either slow down or you walk. So it goes in the pool: when you get tired, you stop flip turning, or if you use open turns, you rest longer on the wall.
Open Turns hurt your swim technique: Every time you stop to reach for the wall your hand comes out of the water. Is that good technique? I would say no. By swimming laps with flip turns, you are most definitely improving the fluidity of the swim. Going from stroke, stroke, flip, stroke, stroke you are keeping your swimming smooth. There has been some talk about how flip turns are like hypoxic breathing where you are holding your breath while exercising. Some people have gone as far as to say that doing flip turns improves your VO2 ? I am not sure if this is true, but it’s certainly harder and it takes me a few strokes to get my breathing back to normal when coming off the wall. On top of that, when I don’t have that challenge of holding my breath every 20 seconds or so in the open water, I think that’s to my advantage.
What I suggest to beginners is to flip during warm up and during any sets shorter than 100 yards. So if you are doing a set of 10×50 then flip every one. If you are doing 100 yard repeats, maybe flip turn every other 25 yards. Give it a try and I am sure within a few sessions you’ll have it down. If not, be patient and stick with it. It may take some time, but it’s well worth it.
I have heard every excuse in the world why not to do flip turns, and I am NOT BUYING it. Do the flip turns, they will make you a better swimmer. :-)
Before we get into how to use a power meter, let’s talk about how to establish a baseline Functional Threshold Power (FTP).
Establishing an FTP:
Which method is best?
Q: How often should I test?
A: In reality, power testing like all testing should be done every four to six weeks.
Q: Do I test indoors and outdoors?
A: Absolutely! Typically, many athletes can not match their outdoor FTP, indoors.
Power Zones:
Zone 1 Recovery Zone: less than 56% of FTP
Zone 2 Endurance Zone: between 56-76%
Zone 3 Tempo Zone: between 77-90%
Zone 4 Threshold Zone: between 91-105%
Zone 5 VO2 Zone: between 106-120%
Zone 6+ Anaerobic Zone: 121%+
These zones are based on a percentage of FTP. For example, our rider with the 300 watt FTP, riding in the Endurance Zone would be looking to ride at .56-.76 percent of FTP. Let’s take a look at how we would ride different distances in triathlon:
Furthermore; using a power meter gives instant feedback from your energy output. Power = work done at the current time. Heart rate, on the other hand, is an ‘indicator’ of the work done, but you don’t know how much ‘actual’ work you have done. I’ll give examples below.
If you are training for an Olympic you may train at 87-105% of FTP. That would give you 260-315 watts. Your key workout may be 4×5 minutes at FTP – and your goal would be in that range. Some days you may push 265 and others you may be pushing 320 – the wattage that you can manage that day would give you feedback about your fitness, dehydration, and glycogen stores that day. You can monitor HR as well, just to ‘see’ where you are. Also check your cadence to make sure that is in line with your goals and most of all, understand your RPE as well. Let’s say you can push 350 watts in this workout but it’s at 55 cadence. Chances are that’s not going to help you. Or maybe your HR is at 5 beats above LT – once again; that’s not going to help you.
Power adds another dimension, but over a long race or a TT it allows you to literally meter out your energy. For example, if you ride 112 miles, you can tell within 100 KJ how much energy you are most likely to use up. Knowing this kind of information will allow you to know how much nutrition to take in – and guess what this leads to – not bonking on the run, and running to your potential as you are now racing at a more even effort, taking in the right number of calories and so on.
Chasing watts: When you are feeling tired, or maybe low on glycogen, or you may end up trying to ‘chase watts’ that aren’t attainable on that particular day. There are a few symptoms of ‘chasing watts’ such as your HR is low, your watts stay low no matter how hard you push and you are crushing your legs trying to get both HR and watts up. Once again, try to avoid this, and take what the day gives you. 'Chasing watts' is a common practice, but not one that will lead to race day success.
Examples of when to watch watts and ignore HR:
Old School (Compu Trainer) and New School (Wahoo Kickr) sessions: I set the CT or Kickr to ERG mode which forces me to ride certain watts. I can set that trainer to 250 watts and ride 25 cadence or 90 cadence, and I am still pushing 250 watts. I do not think there is a better way for you to improve your cycling. You have NO CHOICE but to push the workload. There are days that I can’t push the watts at the desired cadence, and on these days, I back off the watts and keep the cadence in my desired range (which is another conversation!).
Hill repeats: I recently rode 3×10′ of hill repeats at FTP watts. Even over the course of 10 minutes, HR wouldn’t rise to where I think it should have been for my FTP/RPE. So, that was either a function of fatigue or it was HR lagging. I COULD push the watts, so I know it wasn’t fatigue, so I know HR was lagging. If I were doing the same workout based on HR only, I would have limped home with the idea in your mind that I didn’t hit my goals, but in reality, I did ride home full knowing I hit the workout exactly as I wanted. So, once again, watts trump HR, but in my opinion, you still need to watch them along with RPE and cadence.
Power Training Terminology:
FTP = Functional Threshold Power = threshold wattage = the wattage you can maintain for one hour or 95% of your 30′ power test
NP = Normalized Power = the power you held for a ride, taking out all the coasting, stopping, etc
AP = Average Power = the power you held taking into account all the coasting, easy pedaling, etc
VI = Variability Index = the difference between AP and NP. For example, if you rode 30 miles at 250 watts AP, and 300 watts NP; the difference is 50 watts or 20% of 200.
IF = intensity factor = the Normalized Power you held in the workout or race in relation to your FTP, so if your FTP is 300, and I hold 90% of FTP, that means you held 270 NP.
Sweet Spot: To perform 'Sweet Spot' interval, ride between 84-97% for at least 20 minutes, with 2 reps, and 5 minutes in between. The workout would look like this: After a thorough warm-up, ride 2x20' at 84-97% with 5' recovery in between. Follow up with 10 minutes of easy pedaling to cool down.
More on VI: The goal of riding as even as possible, is to try to keep your VI under 10% for any given ride and I like to see the VI even closer to 5%. Riding even means applying force to the pedals at a constant effort and not standing up or stomping on the pedals and seeing the watts spike to some crazy 500-1000 watt efforts. By riding even for a race or training ride you are metering out your energy evenly vs. hammering for 1 minute then coasting or lightly pedaling for the next. If you were to race in a criterium, you would see a huge power difference between AP and NP, with all the sprints and hard efforts.
You can ‘burn a match’ a few times in a race (this means riding 25% over your threshold for 60″ or more) but it will affect your run, and not in a good way. The steady application of pressure on your pedals will result in the best performance off the bike. If you want to push HUGE watts go ahead, but be ready for the payback on the run.
Off season is usually approached by two kinds of triathletes. The sit and wait until the snow melts to begin training types, or the embrace the cold and take a leap forward in fitness types athlete. This transitional period is your key to the upcoming season and how well you will enter it. What can you do to improve your chances of getting faster this winter? Cross training has been around for generations of athletes. If you live in colder climates that get a lot of snow in the winter months, it is wise to embrace those conditions after a brief break from heavy training.
Some options are: Nordic skiing, aqua jogging spin classes, snowshoeing, ice skating to name a few. Sure some of these are indoor activities, but there are advantages to even indoor activities. Spin classes can help deter the boredom of riding by yourself all winter. Using a treadmill, though boring by most athlete?s opinions I have encountered, can teach pacing evenly very well. Nordic skiing is about the best all-around activity you can use in the off season, working upper, lower and core. Ice skating is great for the upper leg, which will translates into some improved strength on the bike.
For additional cross training, use Pilates or yoga for added flexibility and stability. I suggest basketball, volleyball, dodge ball and other side-to-side activities which require changing direction?unlike the linear methods used in running, biking and swimming. The ligaments will be stronger around the knees/ankles and prepare you for the upcoming season by balancing out weaknesses that are not often worked on in triathlon?which happens to be the side-to-side recruitment of muscles. The off season shouldn't be a time to wind down, but a time to explore and enhance. Treat the off season as the start of the season to give you a new perspective and adding incentive to ?get a leg up on competition.?
Rollerblading is another great way of improving cardiovascular system and strength. I have come out of winter starting with personal bests at the start of the season, from rollerblading all winter. The crouched tuck used while blading creates a deep and low push that mimics a mini-squat. Repeatedly, this over time can be every bit as beneficial as being in the weight room to develop raw power. What about wall climbing/rock climbing? If there is a local ?wall? and you have ever been interested in doing it, wall climbing requires enormous amounts of upper body strength. If you ever were curious about different activities, the off season is the best way to discover those, or re-introduce yourself to the once-lost activities you used to enjoy.
If it is physical, and different, it is bound to translate into some benefit for triathlon in one way or another. Cross training not only gives you the physical break you need, but the mental break as well. The results can be a fresh mindset upon returning to the monotony of treadmills, pool laps, or bike trainers. Get out there with a partner to share in your experience, especially if you need a little motivation to take that first step. It can only help you, and you may end up finding a new sport you can share and meet others while doing. Best of all, you may meet people with common interests away from sporting activity, or introduce them to the sport of triathlon. Best of luck, and see you at the races!
To go fast, sometimes you have to go slow. Nowhere is this saying more applicable than in swimming. No matter how fit you are, what your LT or VO2 Max is, without proper form you will never reach your full aquatic potential. Spending 1 hour a week devoted to improving your swim stroke will pay off when you hit land in a new personal best, and feel like you have expended less energy.
The catch up drill is done by leaving your lead hand extended until your stroke hand hits the water next to it. This will help you with balancing on your side and getting more glide out of each stroke. The closed fist drill is done by simply swimming with your hands in a tight fist. This will force you to feel the water on your upper arm and lats as you 'grab' the water. Sculling is often over looked but is a great way to improve your feel for the water. Kick on your stomach with your arms out in front of you. Move your hands back and forth in a tight figure eight motion, like you are doing the Queen's wave.
The finger-tip drag drill is where you drag your finger tips across the top of the water during the recovery phase. This drill teaches you to keep your elbow high during the recovery phase as well as encouraging better balance in the water. One of the tougher drills is the single arm drill. It's a self-explanatory drill, but there is the beginner and advanced version. For beginners, keep your non-stroking hand extended out. This helps with balance and keeps you from over-rotating. Advanced swimmers should put that arm on their opposite hip. During this drill it is key to rotate your hips to generate power. Don?t just power through it with your one arm. This is one of my favorite drills as it requires you to feel every element of your stroke to be efficient. Finally there is the three/six drill. In this drill you take three strokes freestyle, then glide on your side and kick for a six count, take three strokes freestyle and glide on your other side while you kick for a six count. This drill also helps you put it all together and feel proper rotation, catch and finish of the stroke.
During your drill session, you can also do 50?s where you drill for 25 then swim for 25. Speed is not a concern during this session and you need to give yourself plenty of rest time. As you progress, you can do a continuous drill/swim where you drill 50, then swim 50 for a 300 to 500. This teaches you proper technique and helps you keep your form together as you tire. I also like to include some steady 100's where I focus solely on putting all of the individual elements of my stroke together.
The key to your drill session is staying focused, working on the weaker elements of your stroke and putting it all together in the end. There are many drills to choose from, so make sure that you choose those drills that will benefit you the most. Take one day a week to focus on your form and you will see your speed and efficiency increase.
General Adaptation Phase
Frequency: 2-3 times per week.
Sets: 2 to 5 ideally, with 3 working sets.
Repetitions: 15-25
Rest between Sets: Done as circuit rest 15-60 seconds between individual exercises within each circuit and 1-3 min. between circuits.
Tempo: 1 count lift, 1 count isometric (pause at bottom), 2 count lower, 0 count rest.
NOTES:
A. Warm up: First warm up with 5 to 10 min on spin bike or tread mill, then do the 3 warm up exercises. This combination should give you a general warm up. THEN, you MAY need one or two light sets in your first circuit to get a specific warm up. This is particularly true of dead lifts – it generally takes a few sets to be ready to do a working set.
B. Working set: In general, the goal of a working set is to use enough weight such that you reach failure within the intended range of repetitions. So if your goal is 6-10 reps, and you can do 12 then you need to increase the load on the next set. Conversely, if you can only do 5 you need to decrease the load.
C. Progression: As you progress through a phase, begin with a weight that allows you to perform reps at the higher end of the range. As the phase goes on, increase the weight such that you fatigue in the lower end of the ranges. It is OK to change the weight between sets in any given workout. Also note, one can use this same method of “progression” with in a single workout – especially in the beginning of a new stage. In the first working set, select a weight that might cause fatigue near the top end of the range of repetitions. Add weight on each set such that you can accomplish fewer repetitions yet remain inside the target range. This conservative approach help prevent injury.
D. The End – One might thing about it like this: over the next 12 to 16 weeks, I am preparing myself to do 3 or 4 workouts during, in a two week window, each of those I will do 3 max strength sets where I lift as much weight as possible for 6-10 reps. THREE QUALITY working sets where I give it 100% and work to exhaustion within the 6-10 reps!
Good luck!
