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Improving your kick

5/22/2016

 
Let’s face it.  Most of us do not have a very strong kick.  Unless you were fortunate enough to be a swimmer at a young age, we just don't have that power in our kick. To improve your swim stroke having an adequate kick will help drastically.
 
Many triathletes just don’t have a swimming background and have that “runners” kick.  Mostly it comes from have overly tight ankles and minimum flexibility in the ankles.  Ankle flexibility is a critical component to swimming.  Ankle flexibility just doesn’t happen overnight.  The more flexibility you have in your ankles the more you can point your toes and therefore your feet act more like fins during the kick. I remember when I first started swimming, I felt like I couldn’t move forward when doing kick sets.  It would take 2 minutes or more to get across a 25-meter pool.    
 
Here are several methods to improve your flexibility and ultimately your freestyle stroke:
 
1. Vertical Kicking. This is a very useful drill.  Get in the deep end of the pool, cross your arms, and kick in place in a vertical position pointing your toes and keeping your chin above the surface of the water.  Get your power from your quads and hips on this drill.  Every 15 seconds rotate 90 degrees to the right and then left back to your starting point.  Use only your feet to rotate your body.
 
2. Use fins. I am a big proponent of using fins during drills and kick sets, but not during the main set unless it is in your training plan.  Use the shorter training fins such as Zoomers, avoid using the long snorkeling/scuba diving style fins.  Fins will naturally increase your ankle flexibility, allow you to do swimming drills with ease, and strengthen the correct leg muscles you need to kick.  Remember your power comes from your quads and hips on your kick. 
 
3. Stretch. Here are two options to stretch your ankles.

  • In a seated position, take one leg and bring it out in front of you. Extend your feet and push your toes toward the ground. Hold for about 15-20 seconds, repeat with other foot. You can do this several times a day.  The goal would be to sit flat on the floor and touch your toes to the ground.

  • ***CAUTION: If you have knee issued do not do this stretch. Get on your knees and point your toes behind you so that the arch and sole of your foot are facing up. Now sit down on your heels, pushing the top of our foot to the ground.  If you don't feel the stretch, then lean back on your toes to create a better stretch.
 
If it comes easily for you, try and hold it for a good 2-3 minutes. Focus on keeping from your knee down to your big toes flat on the ground. If you can make it through 3 minutes, then you are doing great! If not, we have some work to do.
 
Stretch your ankles every day and increase your stretching time.  Record your time you can hold the stretch.  Each week increase the length of stretching time.  With a little effort work toward holding this stretch for up to 2-minutes at a time.  It will make your kick more powerful.
 
Remember as a triathlete you do not need a super kick to have a great race.  Your kick is mainly for stability and body rotation.  Have patience and stick with these drills and your will improve you kick.
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Stretch 1
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Stretch 2

What gear do you really need to do triathlons?

12/19/2015

 
An triathlete can acquire a whole lot of gear and there are thousands of products out there.  As a long time endurance athlete I have come to be more of a gadget junky and analyzing my data and now as a coach, the data from my athletes.  But what do you really need to do a triathlon? 
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As a long time runner I enjoyed the simplicity of the sport, all you really need was a good old pair of running shoes.  Of course I eventually went to a GPS watch with heart rate monitor to track my distance, pace and heart rate.  It was really driven by wanting to know how far I was running and to quit driving my vehicle on my run routes to determine the distance.  The heart rate monitor intrigued me and it is was turned me into being a gear junky.

When I jumped into triathlons I discovered the intricacies of all the triathlon gear out there.  Having the background of a professional BMX racer (short lived) in the late 80's I knew the difference between a quality bike and a cheap bike.  So the question was what was the best quality I can get for the least amount of money?  Especially since I didn't know if I would continue to race beyond that first year, so there was no need to break the bank.

I settled for an off brand bike with midrange quality components, but it worked for the first two years of racing from sprints to half-iron distance.  I also went with the least expensive gear to accompany and I had no clue what I was getting into.  I bought a helmet from Walmart and spd pedals and mountain bike shoes.
Next was a cheap pair of goggles and I was all set to begin training for a triathlon.  I learned real quickly that I need a little bit more equipment which included triathlon shorts and swim shorts for the pool.  I also learned that you didn't need expensive gear to be successful.  Minus what I already had from running, I spent about $1250 to get started and that included the bike since I didn't own a road bike.

You will find in the triathlon community there is this mindset that you need all the best equipment.  People will spend thousands to shave a few ounces off there bike weight in the name of speed and aerodynamics.  That is not the best way to get start and it is best to start with the basics and reward yourself with better gear as you get faster.  It is more important to spend the time and money training the engine.  The most expensive gear in the world will not make you faster if you are not committed to training with consistency.
Here is a list of some of the most important gear along with some lessons I learned along the way.

TECHNOLOGY:
GPS Watch with heart rate monitor
  • Why you need it: There is no perfect solution when it comes to guiding workouts, but some technology is helpful to keep track of things like pace, distance/speed and heart rate for both the bike and the run.
  • What to consider: There are a lot of GPS watches out there.  Look for one that has multisport functions for all three disciplines and a heart rate monitor. This will prevent you from buying more gear to offset.  At one point I had a swimming watch, cycling computer and a running GPS watch.
  • Coaching tip: As an athlete and coach this is the best way to track your progress.  It helps you train appropriately by pace/speed or heart rate.  Most importantly you will need to understand your body and not let the numbers tell you how you feel.
Anti-Chaffing Creme or Spray
  • Why you need it: Some athlete are prone to get hot spots or will chafe between the thighs, breasts or other area where you clothing may rub.
  • What to consider: There are lots of products out there that you can use.  By far the best product that I have found is Dry Goods athletic spray.  It goes on dry and lasts for hours.  I have also used Body Glide for years and it works well, but it does leave a greasy feel.
  • Coaching tip: This is must if you are prone to chafing.

SWIMMING GEAR:
Swimsuit
  • Why you need it: It is kind of a no brainer, although you could swim in your running shorts.
  • What to consider: As a male new to the sport you may be uncomfortable wearing speedos.  Look for a pair of Jammers style swim suit they will mirror triathlon shorts in fit a feel.
  • Coaching tip: You will probably want more than one pair of Jammers to alternate during swimming.  I would also recommend against wearing your triathlon suit in a chlorinated pool.
Triathlon Suit
  • Why you need it: This is what most triathletes compete in. You can swim, bike, and run without the need for a changing room and most triathlons don't have a place to change in triathlon
  • What to consider: You can buy these as a single piece or two piece with top and bottom.  They are not all treated equally and fit varies from brand to brand.  Triathlon shorts/suits are designed to be able to run in, so don't buy cycling shorts to do triathlons.
  • Coaching tip: Don't go cheap on the triathlon shorts, you could be on the bike for a long time.  You also may want a pair of quality cycling shorts for training.
Wet Suit
  • Why you need it: A wet suit may not be required based on where you live or what events you are planning on doing, but if you live in a cold climate or the water will be cold at your race an wetsuit is a necessity.  Not only will it provide warmth in the cold water but it will also provide buoyancy which will offer some advantage.
  • What to consider: Consider the how cold the water will be, there are full sleeve and short sleeve options as well as just legs.
  • Coaching tip: Remember that while the wetsuit may feel tight when you first put it on, it’ll loosen up once you get in the water. Avoid a roomie fit at all costs. 
Goggles
  • Why you need it: Goggles are an obvious necessity for both the pool and the open water.
  • What to consider: Goggles are designed in various sizes and offer narrow lenses to full face options.  The best is to buy a standard pair of goggles that offer wider peripheral vision for open water swims.
  • Coaching tip: Consider the race you will be competing in, will the sun be an issue, glare off the water, or swimming into the sun, you will need both tinted or mirrored lenses as well as clear lenses.  Take them both to your race and determine what you will wear on race morning based on weather conditions.

CYCLING GEAR:
Road or Tri Bike
  • Why you need it: Can't do a triathlon without a bike.  You will see all types at IRONMAN events.
  • What to consider: As mentioned earlier, I used a cheap mid-level road bike with clip on aero bars for several years before I went to tri bike.  I completed several half iron distances on the road bike.  A road bike is much better for a beginner as they are easier to handle.
  • Coaching tip: If you are new to triathlons and already own a road bike, don't waste the money on a another bike until you know that you will be competing in triathlons for years to come.
Helmet
  • Why you need it: A helmet is not negotiable and is required for all triathlons. You will be logging a lot of miles on the bike and you need to protect your head in the event you go down.
  • What to consider: Lots of options on helmets from a traditional road helmet to aero helmets.  As a newbie the aero helmet is not worth it and you won't want to train in it.  There are some high quality road helmets that are just as aero dynamic as an aero helmet.
  • Coaching tip: Safety is paramount, buy a cheap helmet that meets all the safety standards and fits properly.  Look for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission label on the inside of the helmet.  If the label is there you are good to go.     
Shoe and Pedals
  • Why you need it: You have pedals to make the bike go and most bikes don’t come with pedals.
  • What to consider: To improve pedaling efficiency, clipless pedals and shoes are one of the best upgrades you can make.  It will give you the opportunity to make a full pedal stroke.
  • Coaching tip: During my first season I started with mountain bike shoes but upgrade to triathlon shoes halfway through the season.  Triathlon shoes will make the transitions a little smoother.
Water Bottle and Bento Box
  • Why you need it: I put both these in the same category as you need a means to carry your hydrations and nutrition on the bike.  It is imperative for both racing and long rides of more than an hour.
  • What to consider: Everyone is different on what they prefer; start simple with mounting a water bottle cage on your bike with water bottles.  The bento box is a pouch that can be mounted on your top tube to put nutrition products in them.  They come in all different shapes and sizes.
  • Coaching tip: Again as a newbie, you don't need all the fancy aero dynamic bottles.  The one thing I do like about an aero bottle that fits on your aero bars is that it reminds you to drink.

RUNNING GEAR:
Running Apparel
  • Why you need it: Strictly for training or any running events you may choose to race.
  • What to consider: Find something comfortable.
Running Shoes
  • Why you need it: Don't cut corners on choosing a pair of running shoes.  Buy a quality pair of running shoes and they will help keep you healthy and injured free.
  • What to consider: The variety of running shoes on the market can be overwhelming.  To assist in sorting out all your options, find a specialty running store to get your running gait analyzed so you buy the right type of shoe for your running style.  Most reputable store will do it at no cost provided you buy shoes from them.
  • Coaching tip: Have several pair to rotate shoes during training and never wear your running shoes just to walk around the house or go shopping.  They are expensive and most will only last 300-500 miles.  I would recommend you track your mileage on your shoes and replace them when needed.  Use a triathlon training log that will track your progress as well as your shoes mileage.
Hat or Visor
  • Why you need it: Not all athletes like to run with something on their head.  It will help to keep the sun, rain, sweat and hair out of your eyes and face.
  • What to consider: Consider the conditions you are training or racing in to determine what to wear.
  • Coaching tip: A hat can be great to pour cold water on you head or place ice under the hat to help cool the body on those extremely hot days.
Sunglasses
  • Why you need it: Sunglasses will help keep the sun and debris out of your eyes on both the bike and run.
  • What to consider: Select a pair that will stay on your face when running and will not bounce around.  They don't need to be expensive.
  • Coaching tip: Cheap glass can be a plus if you drop them, you don't necessarily need to worry about losing expensive glasses.  At Ironman Raleigh 70.3 last year, I saw at least three pair of Oakley glasses lying along the road.  They are some expensive glasses to not go back and pick them up.

The above list is just the minimums of what you will need to successfully complete a triathlon.

This article was inspired by an article I read several weeks ago written by MacKenzie Lobby Havey titled: The Wisconsin Chronicle: Stocking the Gear Closet.

Dynamic Stretching

11/27/2015

 
For the longest time I have been told that static stretching was the best way to warm-up prior to a workout.  However, over the years I have been taught that dynamic stretching is the most affective way to warm up prior to exercise in order to maximize performance and reduce injury.
 
I have come to notice that I would almost always do a dynamic stretching warm up prior to races without even realizing it, but almost never prior to a training workout.  Your warm-up will have a direct affect on your ability to perform at maximum ability.  A dynamic warm-up plays a major role in maximizing your performance levels and should be a key part of your pre-workout routine.
 
What is dynamic stretching?  Dynamic stretching are continuous movements of muscles that bring forth a stretch but are not held in the end or extended position.
 
 Key benefits of dynamic stretching versus static stretching:
1. The purpose of warming up is to prepare your muscles for you exercise routine. Dynamic stretching will increase your muscles core temperature and prepare them for the activity that lies ahead.  In contrary if you do static stretching, the muscle core temperature drops. Although your muscles may be stretched and feel loose, they will actually be less elastic and not as powerful.
 
2: Dynamic stretching will prepare your muscles in a sport specific way. While static stretching warm up may loosen up the muscles, it has no relevance to what you are actually about to perform. Whether you are preparing swim, bike or run.  Your body needs to be prepared for the intensity of whatever workout is ahead. Warming up with dynamic stretching will prepare your body for the different types of movement that your body is about to endure.
 
3: Dynamic stretching gets you mentally and physically prepared for the exercise ahead. A static stretching warm up is more relaxing and is usually best done after your exercise routine.
 
4:  Dynamic stretching helps to improve the range of motion around your joints. This will help reduce the chances of injury. Over time this will improve your performance and maximize your movements due to the increase in flexibility of your joints.  If you combine dynamic stretching and static stretching at the end of your exercise routine will greatly reduce injury and increase flexibility.
 
It is clear that dynamic stretching as part of your pre-workout routine will greatly enhance your workout and should become part of your workout routine.
 
Several examples of exercises to do as part of your dynamic workout prior to a run should include some variation of:
 
-Walking Drills
  • Knee to Chest
  • Lunge with a twist
  • Hip Rotation
  • Straight leg kick
  • Arm Circles
 
-Running Drills
  • Butt Kicks
  • High Knees
  • Skip
  • Carioca
  • Speed drills or cadence drill
  • Bounding
 
There are little hundreds if not thousands of dynamic stretching exercises you can do to prepare yourself for your workout.  Don’t find yourself stuck on doing the same routine day in and day out.  Create a variation to your dynamic stretching warm-up that targets the exercise that is about to be performed.

2016 Triathlon Training Log

11/26/2015

 
I have completed the 2016 Tri-More-Fitness Triathlon Training Log.  You can track your distance for each of the three disciplines as well as track the mileage of up to six running shoes.  The training log is in Microsoft Excel and automatically compiles all the data for you.
 
Each month has its own tab and all you have to do is input your distance, time, and any notes you want to write about your workout.  Under the Running section to track your shoe mileage just type in the number corresponding with your shoe number under the running shoe tab.  The spreadsheet will automatically track your mileage for each of your shoes.
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Snapshot of Training Log. NOTE: All times must be put in the h:mm:ss format.
NOTE:  All times must be put in the h:mm:ss format.
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Click on the Weekly Charts tab and you can see each week in a snap shot of training.
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​Or click on the Monthly Charts tab and it breaks down the data by both distance and time as well as shows a breakdown by percentage of time in each discipline.  
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I have used a similar training log since 2005 and have kept and compare my training logs from time to time to see how things have changed.  
 
The training log that I use includes training zones for each discipline; from Anaerobic Threshold, Heart Rate Reserve, and running pace zones to Functional Threshold Power, Power Profile and Race Zones on the bike.  This additional data requires additional testing and a bit more complex for a simple training log.
 
You can download a sample 2015 Triathlon Training Log or purchase the complete log at the store.  If you are an athlete of Tri-More-Fitness and would like to use this training log message me and I will send it to you at no cost.
2015 Triathlon Training Log (Sample)
File Size: 312 kb
File Type: xlsx
Download File

Good Running Form

11/14/2015

 
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​I have had several conversations over the past few months about proper running form.  I believe that the biomechanics for each athlete maybe slightly different and therefore one method of running may not be best for all athletes.
 
I have been questioned about heel strike, mid-foot strike, or running on your toes.  Most runners are going to have some degree of a heel strike.  The lesson here is to limit the amount of heel strike through improving your stride and turn over.
 
To increase your pace per minute does not require you to lengthen your stride.  I have been told for years to run faster lengthen your stride and reach for the ground out in front of you.  This methodology lead to increased injury and more problems.  To illustrate, if you take a crutch and place the bottom of it on the ground in front of you as you walk.  What happens to the crutch?  It is driven up into your shoulder.  The same thing happens when you reach for the ground when running.  Your knees and hips take the brunt of the impact creating damage over time.  If you take that same crutch and you place it on the ground directly underneath you and continue moving forward you feel little impact on you shoulder and you begin to “fall” forward.  This is similar to how you should be running.  Your feet should hit the ground underneath the body.  You should have a natural lean forward from your feet to you shoulders.  Don’t bend forward at the waist.
 
Take a look as this photo.  The photo on the left may look as though she is running much faster than the person on the right.  I can tell you from experience, you can run fast and “look” like you are barely putting in any effort.  That’s the photo on the right.  Right photo, every time her foot strikes the ground it helps propel her forward due to her natural body lean.  Left Photo, every time her foot strikes the ground it acts as a brake and knees and hips are taking a beating with every foot strike.
 
The idea isn’t about having the perfect running form, it about improving your form to help prevent injury.  The next time before you go for a run try this running drill.
 
Speed Drill: This drill is to help increase your running cadence as well as placement of you foot under the body.  Using a quick and very short stride, strike the ground under your body with either your forefoot or mid-foot and fold the foot down to the surface from point of contact to the heel, with the heel reclining to the ground momentarily before popping up to start a new stride.  Take small steps with minimal knee lift and minimal time spent on the ground as if the surface below you is very hot.  You are shooting for a cadence of 100+ during this drill.

Sweat Rate and Proper Hydration

6/16/2015

 
After doing Ironman Raleigh 70.3 a few weeks ago and hearing all the talk about how hot it was, I decided to write this article. I heard a lot of discussion about nutrition and people changing there plan because it was too hot and folks talking about not getting enough hydration and they were completely dehydrate to continue at their normal pace.  How much fluid should you be taking in during a race?  It is not a simple question to answer, but I can put you on the right track.  You need to start by determining your sweat rate?

Determining you sweat rate will at a minimum give you a pretty good idea of how much fluids you need to take in during any given workout.  Determining your sweat rate is the easy part.  The hard part is to determine the “correct” electrolyte mix for you. Under-replacing your electrolyte can lead to various problems including dehydration, muscular cramping, headaches, gastrointestinal upset, nausea, fluid retention and hyponatremia.  I personally experienced the under-replacing electrolytes during Ironman Louisville, which made for a long run.  And if you take in too much water without any electrolytes you could experience a condition call hyponatremia.

How to determine your Sweat Rate:

To determine your sweat rate is somewhat simple.  Prior to your workout, with an empty bladder, weigh yourself without any clothes.  Go for a 60 minute workout.  Immediately after completing your workout, remove your clothes and weigh yourself again.  Subtract the difference and convert to ounces (16 ounces per pound).  That number is your sweat rate in ounces.  If you drink any fluids or use the rest room between the two weight samples, you'll need to include both of these estimated weights in your calculations. Add fluid consumed to the amount of weight lost. Subtract estimated bodily void weight from the total weight lost.

Be sure to record the heat and humidity conditions in your sweat test. Repeat the test in cool and hot conditions. Repeat the test for swimming, running and cycling because sweat rates will vary for each sport and vary with environmental conditions.

The average person sweats anywhere from 27-47 ounces per hour depending on the temperature and humidity.  Of course you have those people that are on the extremes, as an example my sweat rate in temperatures in the mid- to high-70s with 80% humidity my sweat rate is 72 ounces per hour. 

Now that you know your sweat rates in each sport, you probably imagine that simply drinking enough fluid will replace what you lose to sweat given the environmental situation. If it were only that easy!

The hard thing to determine without extensive lab tests is what is the right amount of electrolyte mix for you.  Electrolytes include sodium, chloride and potassium and depending on what article you read, magnesium can be included on the list.  Why do you need electrolytes?   Electrolytes keep you body’s chemistry in balance and working properly.  If your electrolytes are imbalance, you could potentially compromise the success of your workout due to muscle fatigue or cramping.  You may experience more frequent muscle cramps in the legs, stomach cramps or sides stitches as a result of an electrolyte imbalance.

When it comes to replenishing electrolytes, every athlete is different.  Some athletes are “salty sweaters” and some athletes sweat very little.  I am a salty sweater.  When I finish working out I can feel the “salt” on my skin and you can see the salt on my skin and clothes.  I need to consume more electrolytes than an athlete that sweats very little.  I have found that Base Performance Salt works very well for me and I can add as much or as little to the drink as I want.  Infinite Nutrition works well too as you can get a custom mix based on your needs.  I would avoid commercial off the shelf electrolyte drinks because they add high amounts of simple or artificial sugars to your diet.

So if you cramp a lot or are constantly fatigued (and not overtraining), you need to start trying to crack the code on your sweat rate and your electrolyte needs.  Keep in mind that your sweat rate is not just a simple number, but changes based on several factors like your fitness lever, ambient temperature, humidity, clothing, exercise intensity, fatigue level, to name a few.

To crack the code, you need to start recording this data during training to determine what works or doesn’t work for you.

 

Training Intensity - Part 2

3/20/2015

 
If you haven’t read Part 1, I would recommend you read through it before continuing through Part 2.

The next phase of training is the Build Phase where you will build upon your aerobic engine you have just finished developing.  Again, your “long runs” will be conducted in Zone 2 maybe 3 depending on your race distance.  You will begin to decrease the amount of time spent in the aerobic training zone and increase the time in both lactate and anaerobic training zones.  How much you increase is depended on the race distance.  Short course will require a higher increase in anaerobic training zone and long course triathlete will increase more in the lactate training zone.  This phase of training can last anywhere from 4-8 weeks.
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The next phase of training is Race Prep.  This phase typically last 2-3 weeks leading up to the race and the intensity begins to mirror race conditions several times a week at high intensity focusing on a particular discipline.  Again distance and intensity depend on the race you are training.  As an example someone training for a sprint triathlon may do a brick workout where they ride for an hour with the last 30 minutes at race pace and then run 3 miles at 10-20 seconds slower than race goal pace (bike focus).  Or brick workout, ride an hour with the entire ride slightly slower than race pace and then run 3 miles at 0 to 5 seconds faster than race goal pace.

The final phase is the taper leading into the race.  This final phase can very greatly from athlete to athlete based on gender, race distance, age, experience, training base and training volume.  As an example men typically need more time to recover than women.  This time can be anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks.  The goal of this phase is to ensure the athlete is 100% recovered and at their peak on race day.

This article just covers the basics of training intensity and does not discuss recovery or nutrition, both of which play a role in your overall training.  The higher the intensity and longer the training / race the longer the recovery and getting the appropriate nutrition after a workout will allow your body to recover quickly so you are prepared for the following days training event. It is key that you communicate with your coach and be honest with yourself when fatigue is setting in or training is too light.  

Training Intensity – Part 1

3/9/2015

 
After an in-depth conversation with an athlete about heart rate training and intensity I decided I would write an article reference to how hard an athlete should train.  The questioned posed to me was how hard should I be training.  This article is more geared toward running but can be applied to cycling as well.

There are lots of data out there on the Internet referencing heart rate training but if you don’t understand the basis behind their calculation you may not be training in the right zones for the right reason. I like to use heart rate reserve (HRR).  For the basis of this article I will your HRR and perceived effort.

To calculate HRR, first you must know your maximum heart rate.  If you don’t know your maximum heart rate, do the following workout to get a good estimate.  Do a 10-20 minute warm-up running, a minimum of one mile.  Find a hill that you can run approximately 1/4 mile in length at a 3-4% grade.  Run up the hill four time with each time getting progressively faster with the third and fourth trip up the hill starting at 85% and finishing at the top at an all out pace and check your heart rate at the top and jog back down.  Take note of the highest heart rate reached.  To calculate your resting heart rate, check it first thing in the morning before drinking any coffee and preferably before you get out of bed.

Use the following equation to calculate for each training zone.

Exercise Heart Rate = % training intensity (Max HR – Rest HR) + Rest HR

Example:  Training Intensity 60%, Maximum Heart Rate 168, Resting Heart Rate = 58

Exercise Heart Rate = 60% (168-58) + 58
Exercise Heart Rate = 60% (110) + 58
Exercise Heart Rate = 66 + 58
Exercise Heart Rate = 124

Below are the five training zone based on HRR and Perceived Effort:

Training Zone HRR                                                         Perceived Effort
Zone 1 (Aerobic Zone) = 40 to 60%                   Conversational Pace – Complete Sentences
Zone 2 (Aerobic Zone) = 61 to 70%                   Conversational Pace – Complete Sentences; a little labored
Zone 3 (Lactate Threshold) = 71 to 80%             Conversation becomes labored; three to four words max
Zone 4 (Anaerobic Zone) = 81 to 90%                Difficult to talk, labored; one to two words
Zone 5 (Anaerobic Zone) = 91 to 100%              Unable to get any words out

Now that you have established training zones either by perceived effort or by perceived effort, how do I use the training zones for training?  Most of us, to include myself, train way to hard and over train on a continual basis; especially during base training and during long runs.  We tend to feel as though we have to run fast to get fast.  I am a firm believer to get fast we must run slow!  Why, to build our cardio efficiency or our aerobic system!  You cannot build your aerobic system by pushing your heart rate to extreme levels and holding it for a prolonged period of time.  Actually you want to keep your heart rate zone 1 and 2.  Training in these zones is how you develop your aerobic base for optimum fat burning and building a strong anaerobic system.

Back to the original question, how hard should I be training?  This is not an easy question to answer.  It is not a blank one answer fits all.  Each athlete is different and each phase of your training will be different.  An athletes experience, race goals, and distance all play a factor.  Generally speaking the shorter the race the higher the intensity and the longer the race the lower the intensity.

Regardless of race distance, Base Phase training should be conducted 80-90% of the time in an aerobic training zone with the other 10-20% split between lactate and anaerobic zones.  Virtually every “long run” should be conducted in Zone 2.  Base Phase training can last anywhere from 4-16 weeks depending on the athlete’s history and goals.

I will discuss the next phases of training in Part 2.

Chaffing, Hot Spots or Blisters?

1/20/2015

 
Do you have issues with chaffing, hot spots or blisters?  Well let me tell you about a revolutionary athletic spray called Dry Goods.  I came across Dry Goods last year during the HITS Ocala triathlon.  It was an absolute down pour on race day.  Fortunately for me I had purchased two cans of Dry Goods the day before, since I forgot my Body Glide stick.

I used it on my feet, legs, nipples and neck and shoulders.  What I discovered was amazing.  No chaffing or hotspots whatsoever from the wetsuit during the 1.2 mile swim.  I felt great coming out of the water with no issues.

No issues on the bike, no saddle sores, no rubbing, no blister from riding without socks.  Heading out for the run. With the rain, I was worried I would be facing the nipples being rubbed raw.  But again thankfully for Dry Goods absolutely no issues.

Still a little skeptical, I continued to use Dry Goods throughout the remainder of 2014.  I was absolutely blown away that I had zero issues whenever I used Dry Goods, unlike some of the other anti-chaffing stick or crèmes that I have used. 

The best thing about Dry Goods, it goes on dry.  No creamy sticky mess to deal with.  Just spray it on and it lasts all day.  I have run 20 miles with no issues; century rides with no issues; and 3000 meter swims with wetsuit and no issues.

You can check out their website at www.drygoods.com.
Picture

2015 Triathlon Training Log

12/29/2014

 
I have completed the Tri-More-Fitness triathlon training log.  You can track your distance for each of the three disciplines as well as track the mileage of up to six running shoes.  The training log is Microsoft Excel and automatically compiles all the data.  You can view the data by week or by month.  The monthly tab also breaks down the data by both distance and time as well as shows a breakdown by percentage of time in each discipline.  Feel free to download the training log, if you find any errors or have any recommended changes, please send me a message.

I have used a similar training log since 2005 and have kept and compare my training logs from time to time to see how things have changed.  The training log that I use includes training zones for each discipline; from Anaerobic Threshold, Heart Rate Reserve, and running pace zones to Functional Threshold Power, Power Profile and Race Zones on the bike.  This additional data requires additional testing and a bit more complex for a simple training log.
2015 TRIATHLON TRAINING LOG
File Size: 319 kb
File Type: xlsx
Download File

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    I have been competing in Marathons since 2003 and triathlons since 2005.

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Testimonies

A big shout out to David Boyer. Since starting my work with David, I have improved in all areas. I thought running two races in two days this weekend would be a challenge. David gave me a plan (which I tried to follow) and I actually felt stronger on day two on a longer more difficult course. But for some goggle/contact lens issues during the swim, I might have gotten on the podium. Still have a lot of work to do before IM Florida but this weekend has given me a boost in confidence. Thanks Coach!
- Jeff Brown
...my coach David Boyer who is not only a Great coach, but a Godly person who texts me scriptures of encouragement at 4:30 in the morning before the race because he knows I've been up stressing about the swim! Thanks to you all I forever grateful!!!
- Beth Leatherwood
Love Tri_More_Fitness coaching!!! just got an unexpected race day report breaking down the good, the not so good and the just plain ugly (ah, it wasn't that bad) LOVE getting great, solid, very detailed and constructive feedback. Totally looking forward to continuing to grow in the sport...so much room for growth and progress. My only problem is I want that progress like right now, immediately.
- Sandra Barnes