End of Season
If you are an endurance athlete racing the normal summer season, you are probably coming to the end of your period of prolific racing. Normally we expect that if you have been training diligently and racing frequently, you will have built up a level of accumulated fatigue. This takes the form of reduced motivation, plateaued performance, and nagging joint issues.
You may have just a few races left; stay focused. Scale back on the total amount of training but keep the quality present. Take time for extra recovery activities (stretching, foam roller, ice, good nutrition) and you should be able to perform to expectations in your final races.
But when the formal racing season is over, it is time for The Switch-Up. That is, you cannot proceed with a business-as-usual training plan. It is neither wise, nor humanly possible to train the same all year round. This article discuss what needs to happen at the end of your racing season.
Recovery and Rest
After the end of a racing campaign, PLEASE be nice to your body. Scale back your training to as little as 25% of your "normal" level. Keep it easy and keep it fun. During this time you can relax your nutritional discipline and treat yourself to a few extra desserts or beers. Spend extra time with normal humans such as your spouse, children, and colleagues. Catch up on that stack of work you have been avoiding.
The main point here is what goes up must come down. You need at least two weeks of very low activity level to let your body recover, and a month is probably better. Don't worry about losing the fitness you have gained. If you DON'T do this, you will lose much more.
Off-season Focus
I have just made a case to take some time almost completely off from exercise after your season is over. Don't get too comfortable. You will need to perform the Switch-Up which is not necessarily easy to do. Fail to make this transition, and you may get stuck in a prolonged sedentary period and really lose your fitness.
The Switch Up consists of changing your volume, intensity, and nature of training, but continuing to train nonetheless. Here is an example of what NOT to do: Many newcomers to the sport of triathlon experience the exhilaration of dramatic improvement. After finishing the triathlon season, they set their sights on the next goal: a winter marathon. They never take a rest period, and they never perform the Switch-Up. The just keep training hard, racing hard, pushing their body without rest. It eventually breaks down.
They come to me months later, burned out, gained weight, injured, and completely frustrated. Don't let this be you.
The Switch-Up
The first component of The Switch-Up consists of an elevated focus on strength and stretch training. While in your hardcore endurance training you may do little or none of this kind of work. Now it becomes the number 1 priority. If you understand fitness you understand that endurance and speed are only one third of overall fitness: the other two components are strength and flexibility.
During this off-season period you will need to do this kind of training 3-5 x per week for 45-60 minutes for 3-4 months. You can do activities like free weights, machines, boot camp classes, kettle bells, yoga, pilates, and aerogility. Build this in as a central focus for 3-4 months of the year, from the period that you end your main racing season until the time you start your base training for the next season.
Benefits of this kind of training include feeling and looking better, reduced injury and joint problems, weight loss, leaner body comp, and improved performance next season. Make sure the program is correct for your endurance goals. You aren't trying to become Arnold....you are trying to become Lance, Phelps, or Chrissie.
Just because strength/stretch training goes from least important to most important focus does not mean that you quit all endurance training. In fact, you can make some huge gains during this period. But you can't train the way you have been the rest of the year.
If you are an multisport athlete, this is the time to go single-sport. When you are trying to juggle 3 sports, it is not possible to get big gains in any one area. Instead of 2-4 workouts in swim/bike/run, try doing 5-7 workouts in one area and 0-1 in the other areas. If you want to improve your swimming or running, this is the time to do it. The other areas will come right back, don't worry about hanging up your bike or avoiding the pool for a while.
Not only should you shift to a single-sport focus, you will also want to change modes too. If you are a road triathlete, then this is the time to get into some mountain biking or trail running. If you primarily swim freestyle, then it is time to learn other strokes, new drills, and actually do flip turns at practice (gasp!)
Smart Strategy = Long Term Results
As a veteran of 12 years triathlon and 20 years running, I can tell you that we are all creatures of habit. This advice is to get out of your comfort zone and Switch-Up your training. If you want to run a marathon, run a marathon. But you need to be sure to include some Recovery time off and also a Switch-Up as I've outlined above. I could recount of horror stories: injuries, burnout, frustration. Don't make the same pitfalls of so many highly motivated but poorly strategic folks.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Swiftwick Socks Deliver
I like to promote the products that I believe in, and Swiftwick Socks is one such product.
I participate in not one but two sports that place a high demand on your feet; namely ultramarathon trail running and long course triathlon.
The first two pictures are of my fiance Susan and I doing a 24 mile trail run. We both chose the 12 in socks to support our lower legs, while I added a pair of 1" Merino wool for extra cushion.
Photo: Susan on her longest trail run ever.
Photo: My 2 layer configuration.
The second workout which I will describe is my favorite iron-distance "test" session. It consists of 3 x [25 mile bike--5 mile run.] My training group did this on the Natchez Trace which doesn't have a flat mile in it. On this particular day the temperature rose from 80-ish to well up in the upper 90's.
When you are training for hours on end--switching from cycling to running and back--in these kind of extreme conditions you need to have reliable. I am proud that I did not have one hint of a hot spot or blister on my feet, even running in lightweight racing shoes for the last 5 mile run.
Photo: After 75 miles cycling and 15 miles running, my feet are still happy.
Photo: Swiftwick are the lightest, most amazing socks you will ever wear no matter what your sport.
I participate in not one but two sports that place a high demand on your feet; namely ultramarathon trail running and long course triathlon.
The first two pictures are of my fiance Susan and I doing a 24 mile trail run. We both chose the 12 in socks to support our lower legs, while I added a pair of 1" Merino wool for extra cushion.
Photo: Susan on her longest trail run ever.
Photo: My 2 layer configuration.
The second workout which I will describe is my favorite iron-distance "test" session. It consists of 3 x [25 mile bike--5 mile run.] My training group did this on the Natchez Trace which doesn't have a flat mile in it. On this particular day the temperature rose from 80-ish to well up in the upper 90's.
When you are training for hours on end--switching from cycling to running and back--in these kind of extreme conditions you need to have reliable. I am proud that I did not have one hint of a hot spot or blister on my feet, even running in lightweight racing shoes for the last 5 mile run.
Photo: After 75 miles cycling and 15 miles running, my feet are still happy.
Photo: Swiftwick are the lightest, most amazing socks you will ever wear no matter what your sport.
Fitness Fallacy Alert
Recently Time Magazine has published an article questioning the effectiveness of exercise as a strategy for weight loss. While the article makes some good points, one is tempted to draw some incorrect conclusions from it.
You can read the full article here:
Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin in Time Magazine On-Line (you will have to click back to return to this page)
Essentially the author is pointing out that with increased exercise appetite often increases, resulting in caloric intake that exceeds the expenditure. In other words, you are taking in more than you burn even with the exercise. While this can happen, the incorrect conclusion is to avoid exercise. Here's why:
Work on both ends of the equation. If you are a runner or triathlete you STILL MUST pay attention to your eating. And if you are desiring to lose some weight and change your body, BOTH exercise and diet should be part of the equation.
You can read the full article here:
Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin in Time Magazine On-Line (you will have to click back to return to this page)
Essentially the author is pointing out that with increased exercise appetite often increases, resulting in caloric intake that exceeds the expenditure. In other words, you are taking in more than you burn even with the exercise. While this can happen, the incorrect conclusion is to avoid exercise. Here's why:
- Exercise has temendous benefits that exceed beyond weight loss. It reduces likelihood of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, depression, anxiety...blah, blah, blah we all know this. Exercise = a longer life.
- Despite these innumerable benefits, exercise WILL help you loose weight if you use a little bit of self-control with your eating. If you earn a raise at work but then dramatically increase spending, you will end up broke. The key here is to watch what you eat AND exercise.
- In 10 years as a personal trainer, my clients who exercise without substantially changing their diet see wonderful changes in their body, but not the scale. Their clothes fit better and they look great. The only thing that doesn't change dramatically is the scale weight. A small number of lbs lost but many inches lost.
- Clients who increase exercise AND are disciplined with eating see the greatest changes.
Work on both ends of the equation. If you are a runner or triathlete you STILL MUST pay attention to your eating. And if you are desiring to lose some weight and change your body, BOTH exercise and diet should be part of the equation.
Triathlon Weekend Part 1: VO2 and Body Composition Testing
One of the services that I offer is a one day or weekend individualized training clinic. This is especially popular with my clients who live a distance away and can only interact with me in person on special occasions.
Rick H. is training for an Iron Distance with the help of my coaching, so I persuaded him to come to Nashville for a weekend of big training. Here are some pictures of the first night of his weekend clinic.
We connected with Fitnesswave for a full testing session, including VO2 and Body Composition Analysis
Photo: Preparing for the VO2 Bike test.
Photo: Graded exercise tests are fun! This is a great way to determine your HR zones for long course and ironman training.
Photo: On the rivet.
Photo: Part 2 of testing....the hydrostatic body composition analysis.
Photo: Underwater weighing is the most accurate testing method for body fat.
Photo: The 3rd test was a VO2 treadmill running test.
Photo: David Harris of Fitnesswave interprets the test results so you know what to do with them.
Photo: Because I work closely with Fitnesswave (on the left), you receive a training program that integrates these results into them. I help make sure you use the data correctly to maximize your results.
Rick H. is training for an Iron Distance with the help of my coaching, so I persuaded him to come to Nashville for a weekend of big training. Here are some pictures of the first night of his weekend clinic.
We connected with Fitnesswave for a full testing session, including VO2 and Body Composition Analysis
Photo: Preparing for the VO2 Bike test.
Photo: Graded exercise tests are fun! This is a great way to determine your HR zones for long course and ironman training.
Photo: Part 2 of testing....the hydrostatic body composition analysis.
Photo: The 3rd test was a VO2 treadmill running test.
Photo: David Harris of Fitnesswave interprets the test results so you know what to do with them.
Photo: Because I work closely with Fitnesswave (on the left), you receive a training program that integrates these results into them. I help make sure you use the data correctly to maximize your results.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Nice Find in St Louis
I was driving home to Iowa and cursing traffic while on a detour through the middle of St. Louis when Susan and I happened across ths wonderful little find...a velodrome!
Of course we had our bikes stuffed in the back of my Element...Susan promptly exclaimed, "Let's stop!" So we piled out, did a quick deck change into our kits, and rode for an hour.
It takes a little getting used to riding on the steeply banked curves, but once you do it is very fun. If you ever get a chance to ride on one I recommend it.
After an hour of riding we decided it was time to go. We sure felt at home, but alas we had to remind ourselves we were still in downtown St. Louis...
Photo: "Works every time."
Of course we had our bikes stuffed in the back of my Element...Susan promptly exclaimed, "Let's stop!" So we piled out, did a quick deck change into our kits, and rode for an hour.
It takes a little getting used to riding on the steeply banked curves, but once you do it is very fun. If you ever get a chance to ride on one I recommend it.
After an hour of riding we decided it was time to go. We sure felt at home, but alas we had to remind ourselves we were still in downtown St. Louis...
Photo: "Works every time."
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