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