Lessons from Watts (and other triathlon analogies)

Watts (pronounced /ˈwɒts/; symbol: W) is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units (SI), named after the Scottish engineerJames Watt (1736–1819). The unit measures the rate of energy conversion. It is defined as one joule per second.


Watts (pronounced "OFF!", or "NO BITE", or occasionally "Good Boy") is a name of a Black English Labrador puppy who was named due to his owner's affinity for all things cycling related.


As a general rule, the gold standard for comparing a cyclist's strength is to look at their power output in watts over the course of their workout.  If the cyclist were trying to hit a power average of 300 watts for 20 minutes but only managed to put out 260 watts, the Coach would notice that something was amiss.  Was the rider not feeling well? Did he forget to eat correctly?  Did he not get enough sleep?


If a Coach is looking at a power file (or power produced in watts) that is downloaded after a hard workout, it is fairly easy to point out the portion of the workout where the athlete fell short.  The Coach can see if it was the muscles failed, or if the athlete lost a battle with their own willpower or inner strength.  Although enhancing a person's athletic prowess can be difficult, it is much easier than fixing someone's inner doubts and fears.  That can sometimes lead down a path that is more of a psychoanalysis than a coaching session, but either way - I absolutely love it!


It gives me great joy to watch people push through their inner demons and become stronger and faster as a result.  Through the miracle of modern technology, we have more insight into an athlete's potential than ever before.  By looking at your watts, there is no subjectivity.  The watts do not lie.  The watts are not influenced by a good "spin" on the workout (for example: "Honest Coach...I really was doing my best!").  The watts are black and white.


Honest.  
Transparent.  
Utterly revealing.


Needless to say -  You can learn a lot from Watts.


This is precisely why I wanted to name my puppy "Watts".  The name implies power.  It implies honesty and transparency.  It also implies that I really like cycling!

An innocent looking picture of Watts

We got Watts just before Ironman Louisville this summer at eight weeks of age.  Along the way, I have developed the closest of friendships with my very first dog.  I have always been more of a cat person.  Our cats Nutty and Monster are both great kitties.  Nutty will "sit" and "roll over" on command, and Monster can eat and sleep like nobody's business!

Nutty and Monster looking innocent

Whilst doing my very best to try to train Watts do be a good puppy, it seems that I am learning from him as well.  Although I swore that I would be the one to do all of the training, I am also learning lessons from Watts.

Some of these lessons can be applied to real life, and some lessons are a bit of a stretch.  Some lessons are downright GROSS and shall not be repeated, and can in no way be applied to real life.  These lessons shall be omitted unless they are really funny.

Lesson #1:  I don't always know what's best for me.  Watts will occasionally bite and chew on things.  Correction:  Watts is constantly biting and chewing on everything!  Most of the time, I will intercept his attempt to eat something that may harm his body before he swallows it, but some of the time, he manages to ingest some bark, some nylon bed padding, or some other gross material that he thinks is really yummy and fun to eat.

He usually regrets it the next day when it's time for his "Morning Glory".

I can be this way too.  I strive to get stuff.  I occasionally rush over to something, "gobble it down", bitterly swallow it, and regret it several days, weeks, months or years later.  This analogy is not necessarily referring to food.  It refers to trying to manipulate our lives without regard for our Master's will.  

Sometimes we make good choices and our Master is happy with it.  Other times, he lets us swallow it down and tough it out to teach us a lesson over the course of time.  But it can always be said:

He knows best.

Lesson #2:  Protect your Pack.  Watts is a very protective puppy.  He emits a gentle "woof" if something is amiss.  Thus far, we have been protected from several dozen blowing leaves, two deer, and even a rabid lady bug.

I do recall one instance where a foul-mouthed rabbit evaded Watts' defenses.  Needless to say, he was quite embarrassed and asked that I not bring this up again.  Forgive me Watts, I'm trying to make a point here.

Mark Twain said: "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you.  This is the principle difference between dog and man".

There are many people that we interact with over the course of our lives.  Some are a real blessing.  Others are forgotten about.  

And others were put here to help us improve our patience and character.

This past year is one that was filled with people that were long on talk, but short on integrity.  I learned much about my fellow man and his inclinations, and have remembered that not one of us is perfect.  I am in need of as much forgiveness any of them.  I do pray that God will help me remember that!

Herein lies the beauty of "The Gentle Woof":  If a member of your pack tells you that there might be trouble, it may not be a rabid lady bug that they're barking about.

It may actually be a legitimate concern!  Watch out for those that speak one way and act another.  

It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season.  Matthew 12:34-35

So there you have it!  That's only two lessons for today, but the point is clear:  Watts has a lot to teach us.

You'll have to excuse me for now.  It appears that the foul-mouthed rabbit is doing a drive-by taunting again...

...but Watts has gotten quite a bit faster since their last encounter.

Life is short.  Train Hard.

Showing character in our daily lives

We are currently in week 3 of our Breakthrough Training Program.  It seems as if the Team is hungry to prove themselves and show the results of their hard work, but we are still 4 weeks away from our next fitness test.  I really am excited to see how everyone is progressing - including me!

We spend between 8-10 hours per week building and training our bodies to be able to physically bear more stress; to tolerate more suffering; to become -

Stronger.

Faster.

Ready for the next test to prove ourselves.

At the risk of hyper-introspection, this course of training has also allowed me to evaluate my spiritual conditioning and training as well.

Throughout life's journey, we undergo different trials, tests, and training of a different variety - tests of our character and integrity.  While we are in the midst of these trials, it doesn't seem fun at all.  However, when we look back on these tough times, we can usually see how we've grown as a result.  In fact, that principle is echoed in this statement:

"No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way". - Hebrews 12:11


To put it another way:


"There's no growth in a comfort zone, and no comfort in a growth zone".


The trials in our daily lives strengthen our character and spiritual walk the same way our physical training forces our bodies to get stronger.  


It's easy to lead when everything is going your way, but it's a true test of your character and integrity to stand by your principles and values when you're in the midst of difficulty.


I would encourage my readers to reflect on the fact that they're not alone.  NICE TRI! has entered the multisport arena not only to improve your swim, bike and run splits, but to support you in your daily living.  We're going to show God's love while we train and compete.


So what about the trials and testing?


Remember - the trial doesn't last forever.  The pain of the workout is short-lived compared to the growth that will follow it.


You'll be stronger as a result.  Both in your body...


...and in your character.


Life is short.  Train Hard.

NICE TRI! Breakthrough Season Newsletter

Take a few moments to read through our newsletter which provides a peek at our Breakthrough Training Plan that is guaranteed to get you faster over the winter!

Newsletter Link

The Offseason Blues

Listen to the sweet blues jingle and enjoy making up lyrics that describe how you'd like to get back to running or cycling.

Apparently taking time off from training is an epidemic that's engulfing athletes from around the globe and right here in Canandaigua, NY! The rental wetsuits are being put away for the year, the Zipp race wheels are polished and ready to go again next year, the legs are recovered...so let's get on with it already!

An important part of the yearly cycle is the period called the "offseason". It is actually taken from the Latin root for "Go ye not near thy running shoes", or so I've heard. Now that I think about it, I took Spanish, not Latin, so that may not be correct.

Despite the weak attempt at humor, the offseason is necessary to allow the body to rebuild and recover, and to allow the mind to focus on other things so that it may be fresh and ready to start the new season.

On November 1, we will start our 20 Week training program that will give everyone a great set of legs for the spring. We will be taking power tests and 5k run tests over the next several weeks, and are looking forward to some big numbers after coming off of a long training and recovery cycle. We are hoping to post some new PR's this spring before our race buildup begins.

What else is in store? The Empire State Games will be in Rochester, NY this year. We are hoping to have our Road Cycling Team compete, and we may even venture around the Northeast to compete in a time trial race series. We will see how it all goes with our Ironman training!

In the meantime, enjoy the offseason. November is just around the corner!

Guess this athlete's Ironman finishing time!

I can run a 4:13 mile.

I can run a 5k in 14:45.

I can run a half marathon in 1:12:00.

I can run a full marathon in 2:41:00.

My fastest bike split for a half Ironman 56 mile bike course is 2:10:00 (that's just under 26 miles per hour).

Can you guess this athlete's best Ironman finishing time?

A.  8:45:00
B.  9:32:18
C.  10:45:19
D.  Over 12:30:00

The correct answer is "D"!

When I read this, I couldn't believe it!  This athlete is obviously in incredible shape and is unbelievably gifted!  This begs the question:  "Why is the full Ironman-distance finishing time so high"?

There is obviously no lack of fitness.  The issue, rather, seems to be a poor race execution.

This is a stunning example of one of the world's greatest triathletes struggling to finish in Kona:



Simply stated, a large amount of training and testing is to be done with an athlete's coach to determine the proper strategy for a successful race execution. Although that strategy is subject to change if conditions aren't ideal, it does provide the athlete with a plan to follow for the duration of the race.

This is where most athletes fall into trouble. They become involved in someone else's race when being passed on the bike or during the run. Instead of staying within their own personal limitations and strategies, they venture out into uncharted territory.

And it rarely turns out well.

At NICE TRI! we will ensure you have a strategy that is realistic on race day. We will also ensure that you are fully capable of putting in your best performance ever.

The execution, however -

is up to you.

Train Hard. Race Easy.

Holy Moley! Free gear giveaway from Lazer Helmets!

Check out Mark Olivieri's blog and the Lazer helmet giveaway!  It would also be a good idea to tease Mark about his prodigious planned indulgence in calories until January!

Good luck from the guys at NICE TRI!

Offseason Training: What to expect?

It looks as though our 2010 competitive season is drawing to a close.  It has been a wonderful and exciting year.  2010 has brought new accomplishments for our business and racing Team.  We have seen several new athletes compete in their very first triathlons, and have also seen several PR's for others.  We have enjoyed meeting new people at events and training sessions and getting to know them.  We have also enjoyed spreading the word about our training motto:

TRAIN HARD.  RACE EASY.

It is no secret that we approach training a little bit differently than other teams at NCE TRI!  I have personally witnessed the impressive physiological adaptations of training with a purpose versus training to fill a block of time.  Although the training sessions are very intense and focused, they do allow the body to respond to the stress in a very intriguing way.

It gets stronger.

Interestingly enough, our data seems to reveal another compelling benefit to the training sessions.

You get faster.

If you're wondering why your speed average stays the same on the bicycle year after year, it could be because you're stuck in a rut of doing the same thing over and over again.

If you currently ride at 19 mph on your favorite ride and want to average 22 mph, (notwithstanding making some aerodynamic breakthroughs) you have two choices:

1.  Pedal faster
or
2.  Pedal harder.

That's it!

No amount of chugging along at 19 mph will ever get you to one day magically explode into a 22 mph speed average!  If all you ever do is grind along at 19 mph, you will get very good at one thing:

Going 19 mph!

If the body is exposed to training stress that is above its current level of fitness, it will find ways to adapt.   In order to improve, the body needs a structured exposure to stress and recovery.  You need to train in the correct zone for the correct amount of time and allow the body to compensate for the increased workload.

That's why it is of the utmost importance to determine your level of fitness and train around it.  At NICE TRI!, we will conduct an initial lactate threshold test to determine your Functional Threshold Power (FTP-the power that you can sustain for 60 minutes) and lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR). We will then create a program that will put the correct quality and quantity of training stress on your system to allow you to experience a never-before-seen level of fitness.

Your run protocol will be structured the same way.  You will conduct a 5k fitness test and receive a training program that is structured around that level of fitness.

Some people go to a triathlon for a good workout and to enjoy the venue.  Although we do enjoy a nice workout, it's even more fun to pay $70 for an entry fee when you actually beat some of the other competitors!

Please contact us about an initial consultation and testing protocol.  We are still accepting athletes for the 2011 racing season.  We train in beautiful Canandaigua, NY, and have access to some of the most helpful training devices and testing strategies in triathlon.  We also have a full stable of Zipp race wheels for rent to compliment a season of hard training, and offer nutrition strategies for exercise and daily living.

Offseason training for Ironman on 8-12 hours per week.

Your fastest season ever.

Train Hard.  Race easy.

www.nicetrionline.com

IMLOU Part II: The swim

IMLOU swim start

Our team arrived in line at about 0500 to lay claim to a starting position.  In case you're not aware, IMLOU has the only time trial start format for the swim in Ironman.  It is different from a mass-wave start in that athletes jump into the water one at a time.  The only problem is getting a decent starting position usually means getting up extremely early.  Quite honestly, there was no tactical advantage by getting in line early as there was still plenty of time to complete the event.

Headed to the swim start

Can I wear my wetsuit at IMLOU?

We were about 1/2 mile away from the swim start area.  The event started at 0700, and I was in the water at about 0725.  The volunteers did an excellent job of dividing the athletes into two lines and reminding us to put on our goggles.  I jumped in the water and was greeted by tepid water temperatures and low visibility.  In fact, I literally couldn't see my hand as I reached during my swim stroke.  I had planned to draft on some other athletes, but that idea was out the window!

We certainly weren't swimming in Kershaw Park in Canandaigua, NY anymore!

The swim was going well but I never licked the inside of my goggles and began to fog up after about 20 minutes.  I veered off course and a volunteer paddled over to me to get me pointed in the right direction.  I took a moment to lick the goggles and I was all set.

There was the typical "Ironman Swim Course" contact at the turn buoy, but it seemed as though people took care not to be too violent - there was no need for it.

The course turned out into the river and began to go with the current.  I swam WAY to the outside near the middle of the river to take advantage of the current.  In hindsight, I don't think that was much of a tactical advantage either.

We made our way under several bridges and finally came to the swim finish.  There were teams of volunteers yelling instructions and helping athletes get to their feet.  It reminded me of the beach landing scene in "Saving Private Ryan".  Thankfully, we were not under enemy fire.

I jogged up to transition and saw my group cheering me on.  I stopped to rinse out my mouth and slap some high fives.  What a great encouragement!

I couldn't wait to get on the bike and put a smack-down on the IMLOU bike course.  I had a Zipp 900 clincher disc and Zipp 808 front to help me out, and was sure that my aero helmet was going to be a huge advantage.



Look out bike course!  Here I come!

About 56 miles later, I would start to re-evaluate my plan and go into cruise mode...but more on that next time!

Ironman Louisville 2010 Recap Part 1 - The Journey.

I would like to recap my adventure in preparation and execution of the 2010 Ironman Louisville - my first Ironman competition.

I had trained for Ironman for nearly one year before the event took place on August 29, 2010.  Along the way I had logged over 1100 miles of running, 6000 miles of biking, and numerous laps around the Kershaw swim course.  I had experienced a great spring training season that was interspersed with a partial tear of my Achilles Tendon, an over-the-bars crash after hitting a dog on the bike, and a few other tendon issues.  Otherwise, my training program was going extremely well and I had enjoyed new levels of fitness and endurance.

Due to the Achilles injury earlier in the year, my bike volume was higher than I had planned, and it was a blast to enjoy some fast times and high-placing finishes at local triathlons and time trials.

As we made final preparations to travel to Louisville for Ironman, I also enjoyed the rest that the taper period had afforded me.  I did have a hard time sitting around with no training to do, but I managed to actually lose a few pounds despite the reduced workload.

We rented a car to take to Louisville since my wife's Volvo is quite small.  We were loaded to the gills with a bike, triathlon supplies and nutrition.  We dropped our Black Lab puppy "Watts" off at a sitters and we were set to go.  After nine hours of driving, we were in Louisville!

I had never been around so many fit-looking people in all of my life!  The streets were crowded with men and women with single-digit body fat percentages, and the air was filled with nervous energy as countless run groups and bikers lined the streets trying to ease their nerves by cramming in some last-minute training.  We checked into our hotel and made our way to the expo to check out the wares.  Against my better judgment, I purchased an Ironman Louisville bike jersey.  Take that, superstition!

The journey had taken us to Louisville...now it was time to execute!

Next installment:  the swim!

Success versus Excellence...

I didn't write the following, but I thought it was outstanding and timely.  It should also be said that the goal of our performances in competition and business at NICE TRI! is that of excellence.

Please read:

A QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE 

Success is often measured by comparison to others. Excellence, on the other hand, is all about being the best we can be and maximizing our gifts, talents and abilities to perform at our highest potential. 

We live in a world that loves to focus on success and loves to compare. We are all guilty of doing this. However, I believe that to be our best we must focus more on excellence and less on success. We must focus on being the best we can be and realize that our greatest competition is not someone else but ourselves. 

For example, coaching legend John Wooden often wouldn’t tell his players who they were playing each game. He felt that knowing the competition was irrelevant. He believed that if his team played to the best of their ability they would be happy with the outcome. In fact, John Wooden never focused on winning. He had his team focus on teamwork, mastering the fundamentals, daily improvement and the process that excellence requires. As a result he and his teams won A LOT. 

A focus on excellence was also the key for golfing legend Jack Nicklaus. His secret was to play the course not the competition. He simply focused on playing the best he could play against the course he was playing. While others were competing against Jack, he was competing against the course and himself. 

The same can be said for Apple’s approach with the iPod, iPhone and iPad. When they created these products they didn’t focus on the competition. Instead they focused on creating the best product they could create. As a result, rather than measuring themselves against others they have become the measuring stick. 

We have a choice as individuals, organizations and teams. We can focus on success and spend our life looking around to see how our competition is doing, or we can look straight ahead towards the vision of greatness we have for ourselves and our teams. We can look at competition as the standard or as an indicator of our progress towards our own standards. We can chase success or we can embark on a quest for excellence and focus 100% of our energy to become our best... and let success find us. Ironically, when our goal is excellence the outcome and byproduct is often success.

Hard to breathe when you run? Read this!

I settled down last evening with my trusty training partner "Watts" to enjoy a good book, but since I couldn't find one, I read a chapter on Human Anatomy and Physiology.

But before we get started, here's a video of Watts on his latest training run:

Obviously his muscles aren't fully developed yet, which leads us into our discussion.

Just before dozing off into a blissful rest after nearing the end of the chapter on the respiratory system, I found something that I thought the athletes that I train with might find interesting.  Here is an excerpt from "The Essentials of Exercise Science":

"The muscles of respiration adapt to regular exercise training, as do the locomotor skeletal muscles.  Regular endurance exercise increases the oxidative capacity of respiratory muscles, which improves respiratory muscle endurance.  This is important because respiratory muscles have been shown to fatigue with exercise, adversely affecting the ability to breathe during both moderate-and high-intensity activities.  Improving respiratory muscles endurance enhances exercise performance at various intensities".

So there you have it!  If you're having difficulty breathing easily while exercising - be patient!  It does take the body time to adapt to the workload, but eventually there will be an improvement in your ability to breathe during bouts of intense (and even moderate) exercise!

Fastest RAT on 2 wheels (recap)...

Tuesday August 3rd was the annual 40k time trial for the Rochester Area Triathletes at Webster Park.  Athletes met at 6pm and the first rider was scheduled to go out at 6:30.

Several of the Team NiceTri! Athletes were there to get some training data for the planned 60 minute ride.  Chuck Waterman was sporting an Aero Jacket rear disc cover for the Zipp 303, and Alvah Aldrich was recovering from anemia but did his best nonetheless.  Paul Thomas was ready to stay in the drops for the 40 kilometer course, and that is precisely what he did.  Nice effort, team!

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, with a typical westerly breeze off the lake at about 10 mph.  I had hoped this would die off by the time I hit the turnaround, but it didn't quite work out that way.

Our Team is coming off of a build period that has left their legs feeling rubbery and lethargic.  No one was peaked for this time trial, but the goal was to establish a power and heart rate zone and use it as a training event.

The trick with time trials seems to be pacing one's effort over the course of the race.  There were some hills before the turnaround that could blow the pacing effort if the powermeter (or heart rate monitor) wasn't watched closely enough.

After looking at my power file from the event, the 60 minute wattage did seem low, and the total time for the ride should have been much shorter with fresh legs.  If we keep in mind that this is just a training event and not an "A" class race, it's not quite as discouraging.  We'll have to go back to the venue and test again once we have recovered!

Here are the NiceTri! results from the time trial.  Well done, team!  NiceTri! is home to some of the fastest RATs on 2 wheels!

Overall Finishing Place  / Athlete's Name  /   40k Finishing Time  /  (Speed Average)

1.  Dan Jarecke 59:10  (25.3 mph average)
6.  Chuck Waterman  1:05:35  (22.8 mph average)
15. Paul Thomas 1:12:29  (20.7 mph average)
16. Alvah Aldrich 1:13:23 (20.4 mph average)

Getting ready to taper for Louisville...with Watts!

We had a great weekend at the Tour de Thompson 62 mile ride this past weekend.  The weather was perfect for an epic ride around some of the toughest hills in the Canandaigua area, and our group started off at 0800 for a planned 200watt ride.

I tried to settle into my pace early and find a rhythm, and got warmed up before we started the climb westward off of West Lake Road.  The pack had spread out nicely, and it was a ball trying to figure out what a good climbing power would be that would not blow up my legs if the ride were to be 112 miles long.

After several rest stops and chatting with weary participants, the final climb of the day provided a 4 mile shortcut that would eliminate the descent down Gannett Hill.  Not wanting to be short-changed on my entry fee, our pack rode every inch of the "long cut" and found it to be one of the toughest climbs of the day.  For those who have not participated in this ride yet, try to put it on your training calendar for next year.  Think of it as a "Highlander Recon Session"that supports a truly good cause!

It was also nice to reflect on the previous weekend that we spent in Lake Placid cheering on some of our Ironman buddies.  I was shocked by the violence in the swim start, and was inspired by the courage of the participants during the run.  Anyone who completes an Ironman is an elite athlete, but anyone who competes in Placid is truly special.  The course is not one to be trifled with!

Ironman Placid Bike Course Recon

This should be the last high volume week prior to starting my taper for Louisville.  My run volume is slightly lower than expected due to several consecutive cracks during my long runs (and the subsequent attempt to recover).  This week should be a fun one with several days of intense efforts that will serve as fitness markers for Ironman.

We will have a new addition to our Team this week!  The new official bike coach is named "Watts", and will hopefully be at most of the races and training sessions with us.  He is a 7 week old Black Lab that has a sweet little personality.

Many thanks to those who have offered advice and encouragement during this Ironman buildup training cycle. Despite a few injuries and crashes early in the season, it's been a great season, and I truly look forward to the last few weeks before The Big Day (as Mary Eggars would say)!

Watts!

Musselman Race Report

Musselman was a huge success for the NiceTri gang!  The race organization was once again excellent, the weather was perfect, and the course was awesome!

It was a real treat to have a bunch of training buddies at the start of the swim wave - it really helped to calm those pre-race jitters.

Once the swim was underway, we enjoyed the bath-water-like temperatures of the canal.  Thanks to my trusty "Scuba Steve" mask, I couldn't smell what the canal was teeming with - and that's probably just as well.

The bike course was super fast and well-marked.  There was however, a close call on the way back to the pits in the two-way traffic section.  A spectator was jogging alongside his girlfriend and shouting encouragement to her in MY lane when I managed to get his attention.  YIKES!  That could've been ugly!

After a near-max effort on the bike, my legs were pumped up and stiff on the run.  The screaming spectators managed to keep me going faster than I thought possible, and I finished happy with my overall result.

Several other teammates had a rough day.  One member of the gang had numerous flat tires (one before the event and several during), but still managed to finish!  Holy persistence and great effort!  Another athlete participated in a triathlon for the first time, and seemed to really enjoy herself!

The Half Iron course on Sunday was a worthy opponent for even the most fit athletes.  The temperature was in the mid 80's with very light winds.  Staying well-hydrated was a challenge and just finishing is worthy of a trophy.  One of our athletes finished the Half Iron course with broken ribs, another with a taped-up foot, and another with a late night at work the night prior that surely made the course more grueling.  We can certainly attest that our gang isn't afraid of a little adversity and pain.  In fact, a common saying from the group encourages us to learn to "become comfortable with being uncomfortable".  How true!

Thanks to all of our friends and family members that supported us during the race and during our training.  We certainly couldn't have done it without you all!

Finally, thanks to the folks that rented wheels and wetsuits from NiceTri!  It was a pleasure to serve you and help you improve your performance on race day.  Thank you for teaming up with us!

Fastest bike split at Musselman? Here's how to blow yourself up on race day.

I wanted to make a "how to" checklist for executing a blistering bike pace at the Musselman Half Iron to help others achieve a very fast bike split on race day. However, I soon recalled that the word "triathlon" is derived from the latin word "tri" or more loosely translated:  "Thou hast to run and swim too, dorkus".

Therefore, I thought it most appropriate to entitle this post

"How to blow yourself up on the bike at the Musselman Half Iron".


Personally, I enjoy biking.  My greatest pleasure is to ride for long distances and leave my legs pumped with lactic acid and tingling with fatigue!  However, my achilles heel seems to be executing a strong run effort after a fast bike split.

In other words, these are the things that usually get athletes (like me) a blistering fast bike split, and a run split that is best timed with an hourglass.  These are things you should avoid if you would like to set a PR on the course, not just on the bike.

Riding over your threshold - "C'mon!  It's race day!  Everyone is cheering for me at the transition area!  If I can just average 26mph on the bike, I may just (*gasp, wheeze, cough...*)".

Obviously, we're referring to pacing strategy in this example.  There's an important number to remember when executing a fast bike split, and that's your Functional Threshold Power (or FTP).  At a Half Ironman distance event, you should ride at approximately 80-85% of FTP.  Every time you go over this number, you are very likely adding seconds and even minutes to your run time.  There are several exceptions to this rule, and those would be:

1.  Passing a competitor to get out of the draft zone
2.  Climbing a hill.

However, my personal rule of thumb for these two contingencies is to never do it for more than 3 minutes, and never above my FTP.

Rule #1 is the most difficult for me to follow.  Seeing another rider up the road triggers an attack response in my brain that is hard to control.  However, by following your pacing strategy and paying attention to your power output (or heart rate), you can suppress the urge to chase down other riders and sabotaging your run effort.

If you don't have a power meter to assist you in your pacing effort, make sure to stay within your predetermined Heart Rate zones.  For most athletes, it is best to stay below approximately 84% of maximum heart rate (which is the high end of zone 3 - the Threshold Zone).

If you don't have a heart rate monitor, you should be able to say about half of a full sentence.  If you're gasping for air and completely out of breath, you're going too hard and need to slow down.  If you can recite the entire Pledge of Allegiance, you could probably stand to pedal a little harder.

Forgetting to eat - The bike split is a great time to ensure the proper intake of nutrition.  It's much easier to eat while riding as opposed to running, so make sure to follow your nutrition regimen that you developed in training.  Personally, if I go longer than 45 minutes without eating I am asking for trouble.  There is also a critical PLACE on the course to take in your nutrition. I've developed a brief quiz to help illustrate the point.

Question:  In which example would it be most easy for Timmy the Triathlete to retrieve, open and ingest his nutrition?
A.  While climbing up a very steep hill and pedaling very hard.
B.  While pedaling very hard on a flat portion of the course.
C.  While coasting down a hill and not pedaling at all.

In my experience, it's easiest and fastest to take in your nutrition during a downhill portion of the course. I prefer to let the bike coast so that I can regain my breath, and focus on opening and ingesting the nutrition.  I've tried to eat while climbing a hill at a high power output, and it seems like a good way to coat the inside of your lungs with Hammer Gel.  However, I see this quite often in events - athletes swerving and coughing while eating, climbing the largest hill on the course at 4 mph.

Getting out of your position -  Your fastest position on the bike is in the aero position.  The only time to come out of the aero position would be for safety reasons (such as reaching your brakes) or climbing a hill.  


That's it.


Practice staying in the aero position for your entire ride.  If you can't do it, you should consider a professional bike fitter like Geneva Bikes.  They have a state of the art Retul fitting system that will ensure you have the correct hip angle, back angle, etc.  It is money wisely spent!


Traditionally, athletes come out of the aero position and stand on the pedals to pick up their speed.  All too often, this merely raises the athlete's heart rate and wastes valuable energy.  Try to stay aero for the entire ride.


In summary, pacing and nutrition are the two biggest mistakes that athletes make when trying to execute a good effort over the entire race course.  Learn to stay consistent in your effort and on top of your nutrition strategy.  Doing so will pay big dividends on the run portion of the Musselman and any other event you may enter!


www.nicetrionline.com

On Your Weigh to Wait Loss Part II: Exercise!

Diet and exercise go hand in hand in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, but the question has been asked:

"Is it better to exercise at a lower intensity for a longer time or higher intensity for a shorter period of time"?


Although I hate giving this type of answer - it depends.

As we seek to improve our performance at physical activity, we must devote a certain amount of time (duration) and energy (intensity) to that activity.  Mathematically, that equation might look like this:

Training Stress = Duration + Intensity

We have two ways to control how much stress we put on our bodies.  We can alter the length of the exercise, the intensity, or both.  We will discuss the benefits of varying duration and intensity and how it might help us achieve certain goals.

DURATION - "THE BIGGER THE BASE, THE BETTER THE RACE"

Longer periods of lower-intensity exercise are referred to as "base builders".  It is helpful to view this exercise as the foundation of your physical abilities.  Without a strong foundation, the building will crack (manifested as injury) or never live up to its full potential.  We need to spend a long amount of time (sometimes years) to build a strong aerobic base and to condition the body to accept the demands of higher intensity exercise.

Not only does base building prepare the body to be able to produce higher intensity efforts later in the year, it also forces the body to utilize stored fat as a fuel source.  Additionally, the body will literally increase its ability to transport oxygen to the muscles.  These are only a few reasons why base building is  so important.

Base building exercises are usually done early in the year or in the off-season.  A good way to gauge proper intensity for base building is to ask yourself "could I easily carry on a conversation right now'?  If you are gasping for breath and unable to converse, your intensity is too high and you need to slow down a bit.  If you're using a heart rate monitor, you should exercise at 65-75% of your maximum heart rate while base building.

As with any type of activity, you need to gradually work your way up to a three hour run or bicycle.  A good rule of thumb regarding increasing your duration of exercise is to add no more than 10% time or distance to your long run or ride.  DO NOT risk injury just to get a few extra miles or minutes in.

INTENSITY: THE FINAL FRONTIER

In order to achieve the best performance that you are capable of, you need to include shorter periods of intense exercise.  Most athletes fall into one of two categories when it comes to intensity:

1. Not enough (because it hurts)
2. Too much (because I need to get fast...NOW!)

Exercising at a higher level of intensity increases your heart rate and level of respiration, and produces lactic acid within the muscles which is perceived as a fiery ache.  Since this ache is seen as a source of discomfort, most people avoid it altogether.  However, the body has ways of dealing with this high level of stress.

The body is basically lazy.  It does not like to have its routine changed.  It does not like to produce high levels of muscular force for long periods of time.  However, we can trick the body's laziness into helping us meet our desired goals.

The body releases endorphins to combat the pain of the lactic acid within the muscles.  The more frequently we perform high intensity exercise, the body will release endorphins sooner and at a higher dosage, and lactic acid production is decreased.

The cardiovascular system also becomes more efficient in the way that it transports oxygen.

The muscles become stronger.

In other words, the body (which is lazy, remember?) develops ways to deal with the painful experience of high intensity exercise.  After a period of time, the athlete actually begins to develop a craving for high intensity exercise in much the same way a drug addict craves "the next fix".

During high intensity exercise, for a given exercise duration (let's say 30 minutes), the body burns less fat as a percentage of total calories as compared to lower base building exercise.  However, because of the increased intensity, the number of total calories AND fat calories is higher for the 30 minute exercise period.

"So which is better, duration or intensity"?

Duration and intensity are both very important in becoming a well-rounded athlete, but the periods of the year in which we utilize them might be different.  Here are some helpful hints about when to use a higher duration or higher intensity:

Use longer duration:

• for off-season or early season base building
• for teaching your body how to burn fat stores during extended exercise
• once you have exercised for a month or so to increase your aerobic capacity

Use higher intensity:

• once you've established a good foundation of fitness (or "base")
• to teach your body how to buffer lactic acid
• to burn more calories and fat
• to become a faster athlete
• in moderation.  Remember:  higher intensities make the athlete more susceptible to injury.

Lean and mean - on your weigh to wait loss.

The title of this week's post is obviously a play on words, but everyone is asking the same question:  "How do I lose weight quickly"?  Despite the claims of the "Gee Whiz" weight loss pill companies and infomercials that bombard us daily, there is no magic solution.  There are however, essential guidelines that need to be followed as you seek to find your ideal racing weight.

The following rules are broken down into two categories:  Eating and Exercise.  This week, we'll discuss eating.

Rule #1:  Eat well


Most people simply don't eat well!  Too many processed foods (you know- potato chips, soda, fast food...), too many carbohydrates, and too much fat.

There are many diets on the market that work in the short term, but the only diet that has revolutionized the way I see food is the P90X Diet Guide.  This diet teaches you HOW to use carbohydrates to fuel your body.  It teaches you WHAT sources are ideal for lean proteins.  It teaches you WHY you should stay away from sugary, processed foods.  It would obviously take too much time to discuss their methods, but suffice to say - they truly work!  Follow this guide religiously and I guarantee you will not only see a reduction in your body fat and body weight, your moods will also change and you will better understand the "what's", "why's", and "how's" of a successful eating plan.

Eating well is not a short-term fix.  A successful eating plan must be realistic and enjoyable to be effective, and this one is.  The picture above is one of the P90X dishes called "Island Pork Tenderloin Salad".  Delicious!

Rule of thumb, you ask?  Stay away from the "center store" merchandise from a grocery store (potato chips, processed foods, etc.).  Buy fresh meats and vegetables.  Ask yourself:  "Would this item exist in nature"?  If you can't answer "yes", you shouldn't be eating it.  I have never seen a field full of potato chips or a river that floweth with soda pop!

Rule #2:  Fuel for Activity
A simple way to visualize how the body works is to think of it as an engine, just like the engine in your car.  If all you do with your car is park it, it obviously doesn't use any fuel. However, if you go for a two hour drive, you have obviously used quite a bit of gasoline and might even need to fill up the car's fuel tank.

Your body works exactly the same way.  However, your engine is always running, even when you're sleeping, watching Oprah, or running a 26.2 mile marathon.  As you can see, the rates at which you're using energy is higher as you exercise, so your body demands more fuel.  Pretty basic, no?  You'd be surprised how many people don't understand this concept.  Most people are fueling for a marathon, when they're actually letting their "car" sit in the driveway.  This is a great way to gain weight.

There are a lot of online calorie calculators to help you compute your caloric needs, but this one is my favorite:  Calorie Calculator

Rule #3:  "To Carb, or Not to Carb, that is the question"
Simply put, carbohydrates are fuel.  Proteins and fats can also be used by the body as fuel, but not as easily as carbohydrates.  You NEED carbs to function well, but most people not only eat too many, but eat the wrong kind.

As mentioned in Rule #2, you need to fuel for the activity you are planning.  If you are running 12 miles, you need to have the proper nutrition to fuel you throughout the exercise.  Not enough carbs and you'll bonk (slang terminology for "feel awful").  Too many carbs and you'll store them as fat.  The wrong kind of carbs and your blood sugar will spike, you'll get a large release of insulin, your blood sugar will crash, and you'll store fat very easily.  This is beginning to sound complicated, but really it's not that bad.

Try to eat whole grains and proteins before exercise.  The P90X Diet Guide has a great pre-workout breakfast, but something along the lines of a whole wheat english muffin with peanut butter, sliced banana (or two), greek yogurt with raspberries and granola would fuel you for several hours.  However, if you're sitting around the house recovering from injury, you would store the carbs you don't use as fat (again, refer to rule #2).


Summary
Follow these simple rules and you will begin to see a difference in your performance, personality, energy levels, body fat, and body weight.  In case you've skipped directly to the summary and didn't read the 3 rules, buy the P90X Diet Guide and follow it.  You'll be glad you did!

Feel free to write to NiceTri! with any questions regarding diet and exercise.  We're more than happy to share our experiences and tips with you!

3 Easy Steps to a Faster Transition Time

It takes months to get a triathlete into good enough condition to take a minute or two off their run or bike split.  If you follow these three easy steps, you can save a minute or two from your next triathlon time with very little training.

Step 1:  Organization  

In order to have a fast transition, you must plan exactly what steps are to be taken as you approach your spot.  Part of the organization process is an actual "dry run" from the entrance of the transition area to where your bicycle is parked.  I prefer to do this just prior to transition area closing.  The transition area looks much different when you are running into it during the race as opposed to walking OUT of it after you've dropped off your equipment.

Lay the items you're transitioning into on your mat or towel.  Make sure you know EXACTLY what steps come first.  If the first time you've done this organization process is at the actual event, it's probably too late.  That brings us to step #2.

Step 2:  Practice

You need to make at least 10 runs through the transition process in the comfort of your own home (or lawn).  The following items usually waste time in transitions.  Practice these thoroughly:

• Getting out of your wetsuit
• Putting your helmet on BEFORE EVEN TOUCHING your bike
• Running in your cycling shoes.  This isn't for everyone.  Some people prefer to run barefoot to the end of the transition area with the cycling shoes already clipped into the pedals.  Some people prefer to do an awkward trot with their cycling shoes on.  YOU need to develop your own preferred method (which is why we practice!)
• Grab your nutrition from your cooler if it isn't already attached to the bike.  You can tape gel packets to the bike so they're already in place (aero weenies feel free to gasp)

The bottom line is practice your own method until you can literally repeat what you're supposed to do for   each transition.

Step 3:  Pay Attention to the Details!

The old saying goes "The difference is in the details".  What on earth does that mean and how do you apply it to triathlon.  Here are some examples off common goof ups:

• Forgetting sunscreen before leaving transition for your Half Ironman bike or run.  I know...I've done it!
• Forgetting your nutrition
• Forgetting your sunglasses
• Forgetting to buckle your helmet

The list goes on, but remember to practice your own system at home.  You'll be glad you did on race day!

Secrets of the pro's revealed in one word: INTENSITY!

If you are wondering why your training has plateaued, perhaps it's due to a lack of intensity.

You should have at least one day per week that is considered a "BT" or "breakthrough" workout. This means that you are operating at your maximum capability for the duration of the interval. Bear in mind however, that these sessions are very strenuous on the body so there is an increased risk of injury. Make sure you're warmed up well before starting.

After a 10 minute spin to get your legs warmed up, ride for 3 minutes at 85%-90% of you maximum heart rate.  How hard should this feel?  On a scale from 1-10 (10 is hardest), this should feel like a 9.  Do 3 total repetitions and rest 1:30 between intervals.

As you get into better shape (after two weeks), make the interval 5 minutes long and do 5 repetitions.

The nice part about hard efforts is that they are short and sweet, and pay big dividends into getting you into better overall shape.  Who knows - after a while, you may start to look like THIS during your bike split!

SRM Power Meter as a training tool

After laying the groundwork for your season with longer, lower effort sessions on the bike, it's time to start ramping up the intensity. Since we are not nearly in peak condition, the interval sessions we are doing will be shorter, less intense, and fewer repetitions than later in the season. Here are a few examples to throw into your routine once or twice per week:

1. "Danny 300's" - 300 watts, 300 seconds, 3 repetitions. It's another way of saying "5 minute cruise intervals at 10% over your FTP". Warmup for 5-10 minutes at 130 watts, do a set of Danny 300's. Recover at 130 watts for 2 minutes between 300 watt efforts. Cool down for 5-10 minutes at 130 watts.

2. Descending intervals - the intervals start out long and ramp up in intensity while shortening in duration. Here is what they look like: 300 watts for 5 minute, 325 watts for 4 minutes, 350 watts for two minutes, 400 watts for 1 minute, 500 watts for 30 seconds. Do a recovery spin of 130 watts for 1 minute between intervals.

Your legs won't be able to do these routines more than once or twice per week due to the intensity. If you make these a regular part of your routine, you won't believe the increases in your power. If you don't throw in some intensity once in a while, you're spinning your wheels.

FTP Test

I did a 20 minute time trial FTP test yesterday on the trainer and was absolutely wiped out! My wattage is up 27 watts from February 1 due to the intense month of training. I had a good rest week but probably put in too much time on the bike. I am pleased with the increase in wattage, and hope to keep up the trend for next month. The secret? One word:

Intervals!

Try this for the next month: make one of your weekly workouts an interval session. If you don't have a power meter, ride at 8-9 on the RPE scale (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the hardest) during the interval part of your session. The rest period will be 50% of the length of the interval. For example:

Warm up for 5 minutes RPE 4.

3 minutes RPE 8
1:30 active recovery RPE 4

3 minutes RPE 8
1:30 active recovery RPE 4

3 minutes RPE 8
1:30 active recovery RPE 4

Cool down for 5 minutes RPE 4.

The abbreviations for this workout would be Warm, 3x3min @ RPE 8, Cool. 1:30 (RBI) Rest Between Intervals.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Your "A" Class Event

I am planning to peak for several events this year. The first of which is the Musselman Half Ironman in the middle of July. This event is held in Geneva, NY and is one of my favorites. I will be racing the Sprint-distance event on Saturday and the Half Ironman on Sunday. I already have my goals set for finishing times, and have been devoting much time to help assist me in my quest for a faster run split. This is a picture from the 2009 bike course.



My second peak for the year will hopefully come at the end of August. I will be participating in my first Ironman distance event in Louisville, KY. My goal for this event is to finish strong and have a good marathon. I think my greatest challenge will be proper nutrition throughout the event. This is a picture of my cat Monster helping me unpack my transition bag from a trip earlier this year. It looks like he wants to go too!

It's time to start training!

If you want to have a successful triathlon season this year, it's time to start putting in the mileage on the stationary trainer. There are plenty of models to chose from, but I would recommend a visit to your local bike shop and ask about a Cycleops Trainer or one from Kurt Kinetic.

For the first several weeks, start out at a fairly easy effort (let's say "4" on a scale of 1 to 10). Try to ride at a consistent intensity for 30 minutes to start, and work your way up to 60 minutes at the end of the second week. Try to ride at least 3 times per week. Riding 5 times per week is optimal. This will allow you several days off during the week to recover.