Consistency is Key. This is Why You Need a Plan B

 Consistency is the key to long-term training success. As we all know, life has a way of throwing us curveballs, which can easily interrupt this consistency. The goal is to create options so that doing a session is never the question, but we have multiple plan B options. These may not be the optimal option, but when it's a choice of getting it done or not, it's easier to have a fallback plan.

It takes time to develop a plan into options/strategies. Start with the most important and slowly build over time to create an environment that supports consistency and makes decision-making simplified.

The primary example of a plan B is to have an indoor trainer. Most cyclists/triathletes have indoor trainers to make it easier to ride when the weather is poor, or there is a lack of daylight or available time to train. 

There are several other options that you can develop to help create your environment. For swimming, you should have stretch cords available; that way, if you can’t get to the pool or if the pool is closer to where you’re traveling, you have some options to do a short, simple swim-specific workout. In addition to a bike trainer, having a mountain biker gravel Bike will give you additional options for riding through the winter or varying terrain or getting off the road and on trails or bike trails during fog or bad weather. For running, if you have space to add a treadmill and becomes a great option. Although treadmills are expensive, you can always find them cheap or free online or from friends or family who have a treadmill and never use it; they would love to take you to take it off their hands.

Over the past several decades, I’ve accumulated some really cool equipment that has allowed me to stay consistent and competitive. Here’s my list:

Swim-

· Olympic-size pool/28 short course lanes /eight minute drive

·         neighborhood 2×25 m seasonal/ two-minute drive

·         Vasa ergometer

·         Vasa trainer

·         stretch cords (many varieties)

Bike-

·         gravel bike- access to 60 – 70 miles without getting on the road from house

·         Compu trainer- old but still does the trick

·         Rollers-

Run-

·         treadmill and garage

·         treadmills at National Training Center (motorized and curved)

Strength training

·         fully equipped home gym

·         fully equipped at work

People often tell me I’m lucky to have access to all this; they are correct, and I’m very grateful. But this is also by design.

In addition to the training consistency, I’ve also built in recovery with a hot tub and sauna on-site for daily use.

By building an environment based upon consistency, you save time building fitness and take away the stress of having to decide what you are going to do. Have fun and slowly build an environment around you that will help support health, fitness, and recovery.

Recovery Heat Stacking

 Recovery heat stacking is a recovery method of using a hot tub and sauna to create heat adaptation while simultaneously providing recovery.

I like to use this method on days where I have a morning workout and no 2nd workout of the day and have the available time, approximately 30 to 40 minutes to do this session.

How it's done.

1. Preheat the sauna. Set to 150° for 45 minutes. This will take it approximately 25 minutes to heat.

2. While the sauna is preheating I'll go into the hot tub at 10 5°F for 10 – 15 minutes. This is a great recovery method in and of itself.

3. After the hot tub immediately get into the sauna for 20 – 30 minutes. Due to the heat from the hot tub,
you'll start sweating immediately, we normally would take approximately 10 minutes. This enhances the heating effect in the body's attempt to cool itself down.

4. Make sure to hydrate before during and after as you lose a lot of fluid in the session.

The Sustainable Training Week

 

 

2 min. per 100 Barrier

Averaging 2 min. per 100 (yards or meters) in the pool, or open water seems to be a barrier for many age group triathletes. It's like the 4 min mile in running or the Mendoza line in baseball ( 200 batting average). I'm not sure how much of this is physical and how much is mental. I have my own thoughts on this.

To swim an average speed faster than 2 min/ 100, you need to have decent body position, stroke race, and muscle endurance all at the same time. Many can isolate them individually, but putting it all together over the duration of the swim leg is the challenge. 

My goal is to create a plan/ system to break thru this barrier over the winter with the athletes I coach who fall into this category. Here are some of the things we will work on:

1. Flip turns- Not having a break at the wall will help build endurance and maintain momentum.

2. Ankle band swimming- Nothing corrects flaws like ankle band swimming. You need to create force, stroke rate, and body position all at the same time. if you get to the other side of the pool, you are doing something right. Start with 25's with plenty of rest and build from there.

3. Fins and paddles- This is a great way to create force and speed. it also raises the HR to feel like a race effort. fins and paddles create a full-body workout

4. Butterfly- One of the best ways to create a powerful pull is by doing butterfly. Start with 4 -8 strokes off the wall. fins help create lift from the legs. Triathletes hate this stroke, but it will help make you a stronger open-water swimmer.

5. Base intervals- create short rest with a specific send-off time. this ensures the athlete is swimming at the desired pace and not dropping off. A good way to determine  threshold pace is to do 10x100 with 10-sec rest. time the entire set, and subtract 90 seconds ( total time of rest intervals) to get swim time. 

As I begin to execute this plan. I will periodically report back findings, and what has worked and what has not.

Happy swimming!

 

Cycling Junkie

 

If you want to be a better cycling or triathlete, you need to love the bike. I remember when I began training for triathlons, I read Scott Molina saying to be good in triathlon you had to be a cycling junkie. I began putting in lots of bike miles. I still believe it.

In general,50% of your weekly training time should be spent cycling. If you are indoors during the winter, that may decrease since the quality is higher. I relearn this every summer when my cycling frequency and volume bumps up for 10 weeks. I have found it also helps improve running.

As we get older, and run volume decreases to keep from getting injured, we can get on the bike more to maintain fitness. The other benefit is that as we age, we do not tend to see a decrease in cycling performance as long as we continue to include some quality each week. 

Here are some tips to keep your bike miles fresh and interesting.

- Explore new roads and routes on a regular basis. Exploring can be fun.

- get on the trails or dirt roads to boost power and handling skills

_ use the bike trainer once a week for hard / controlled intervals

- don't ride the same routs more than once a week

Although I no longer have the time for 250+ mile weeks in the saddle, The more miles I ride, the better I feel. The hardest part is getting out the door.

 

3 Ways to Keep Sweat Off the Headset

 There is nothing worse than a corroded headset. Sweat is very destructive and the heat and humidity we face for 7 months of the year in Florida can destroy the bike's front end. The headset, and bolts for the handlebars and aero bars are especially at risk. 

As a heavy sweater, I've come up with 3 simple ways to attempt to control the damage. 

1. Headband- using a headband under your helmet will help keep sweat off the bike and your sunglasses. I find it takes about 45-60 min for it to get saturated. A quick stop to wring it out and off you.

2. Facecloth- Place a face cloth in your back pocket to wipe off your face and under your glasses. They are small and very absorbent. 

3. The sweat shield- As a coach, I solve problems. The constant drop of sweat on the headset was a yearly problem. I tried all kinds of solutions. A plastic sheet with channels made with a heat gun keeps the sweat off everything and allows me a clear view of the computer. It is helped with Velcro so can easily be removed and cleaned.

So now you have 3 easy solutions to preserve your bike and control sweat on the road or on the trainer.

Happy Training!

Coach Tim

Running Through Injury- The run Load Continuum

 Typically when a runner suffers an injury, they back off their running volume and intensity until the injury subsides, or worse, they stop altogether, and when the injury heals jump back in risking further injury. Both methods don't lend themselves to consistency and long-term development.  Then they begin to add in more miles gradually until they reach the previous levels before introducing intensity. This could take several weeks to months to bring you back to pre-injured levels.

The idea behind the run load continuum is that during an injury, you maintain the same running volume in minutes but decreased the amount of stress being placed on the body by manipulating the amount of load/stress that are occurring during the run. This will allow you to maintain fitness as you gradually increase stress to rebuild the affected area. 

There are several ways we can manipulate the loading, and these can be used in combination to manage the mechanical stress placed on the body. This can also be used to bump up the volume in preparing for longer races. One way I used to do this in preparing athletes for marathons, was to do a long run and then get in the water right after and do 20 to 30 minutes of a deep water running. This would allow for a bit more volume in active recovery. I'll outline this process and then give me some examples of how you can use it.

Guidelines

1. Keep running volume ( minutes) the same as you had for the past 4 weeks.

2. Don't run back-to-back days to allow your body to recover from the stress of the workout.

3. Gradually increase the load by adjusting the type of activity in the amount of minutes you are doing.

Run load continuum (from least stressful to more stressful)

A. Deep water running

B. Walking 

C. Waist-deep water running

D. Incline walking on a treadmill

E. Treadmill running (cushioned deck)

D. Outside running

Here is an example of how you can use this format. 

You're coming off of an injury and your run is usually 45 minutes. Run for 20 minutes before the pain starts, stop at 20 minutes, and do the remaining 25 minutes in waist-deep water. Gradually shift the minutes on the road and lessen the waist-deep running provided you are progressing and adapting properly.

Run training does not need to be all or nothing, by having a pool and treadmill access you can keep a running volume the same interest and manipulate the stress to help you recover quicker while maintaining run fitness. A water running belt is always good to have in your tool box.