Long Course Training and Racing


The following were taken from a long course training seminar I attended in November of 2006 at the United States Olympic Training center. The presenters included Gordo Byrn, Monica Caplan – Byrn, Susan Williams, Tim Hola and Bobby McGee. I have also included my interpretations to some of the information provided.

The only limits are the limits we give ourselves. (Gordo)

What Really Matters

  • Consistency:
    • Training over weeks, months, years build champion athletes
  • Passion
    • If you don’t enjoy it why are you doing it?
    • Take a break. If the passion doesn’t come back then don’t come back and you may be happier.
  • Persistence
    • If you persist long enough you will attain your goals
Markers to watch to determine if you are not absorbing the training: Mood, cravings (food, sugar, salt) GET REST!! When you’re tired and a bit fried you have stopped absorbing training and it is time to rest. DON’T PUSH THROUGH!! (This is something the athlete needs to assist with. By inputting proper notes in training Peaks and open and honest communication with the coach.)

Routine:

  • Weekdays are dictated by job, family, and work. (Set up a routine. This is the same year round.
  • Weekends are done by event selection (BIG DAY training. One day is endurance and one day is rest) this means that you need to get more Monday through Friday.
  • Life goals dictate structure & volume (where does triathlon fit in your life?
  • Basic week. (set up a basic week and repeat, intensity may differ) Make it simple
Nutrition:
  • Keep it simple, not easy (eat real food, apples, veggies, meat. Small meals across the day. Adjust your carbohydrates to the level of training. Benefits are faster recovery, less injuries. Gives you an edge.
Athlete Development (Model for Ironman Athletes)
  • Keep moving for anticipated race duration
  • Steady –state for individual race legs (tope of zone 1 and bottom of zone 2) second half of workouts are harder, still low zones. Helps with race pacing
  • Steady – state for anticipated race duration (after athlete has confidence you do big day training) This occurs when athlete can hold the zone 1/2 for race duration!
  • Tolerate pace changes for increased speed (this occurs after they can handle the Steady state training. This helps increase speed.
  • Tolerate pace changes for strategic goals
    • The ability to change speed to break someone physically or mentally. Only happens if you are the fittest guy in the race. THIS IS A VERY SMALL percentage of people.

STEADY MEANS THE PACE THE ATHLETE WILL GO FOR THE ENTIRE RACE.

  • Go out for a 5 hour ride with an HRM, down load it and talk to the athlete afterwards.
  • What happens to power and average speed? (Get average speeds for the 5 hours)
  • Use half Ironman race performance for good data as well
  • Set ceilings for efforts
  • A well paced half Ironman race is a ceiling for the Ironman
  • How does the athletes run go during the half
  • Small group training helps PEH’s - Performance Enhancing Habits”
    • Get more sleep!! (Less TV.) Naps
    • Saying “no” (to attractive opportunities in our lives)(saying no to people compassionately)
    When you are sick?

    If someone is sick and not sure what to do just go out and start and see what happens to your body? Are you eating healthy? Are you sleeping well?

    Misc: (Gordo says) One Ironman a year is best. Do one Ironman well. This will prolong your career!! This will affect your family and your work

    Peaking your volume: 7-11 weeks out will be useful in allowing you to absorb. Big cycling is early in the year. Then get race specific.

    Athletes make pacing problems all the time

    Volume training stays with you for a long time.

    Mental Evaluation:

    There are results and there is personal satisfaction!!

    Some people get the mental skills training, some people don’t! The goal is to strive for tranquility and confidence. Athletes that are unmotivated need to probably look for something else to do.

    Hola:

    1. Keep a Healthy Perspective
      1. Look at all facets of why you race
      2. Remember what was important to you before triathlon was a part of your life
      3. Don’t get too caught up in all the triathlon hype
      4. We all have other lives outside of triathlon
      5. Competition is healthy
      6. Look for internal reasons to race instead of external reasons
      7. Keep it fun

    2. Priorities and Balance
      1. Try to make time for yourself
      2. Look at all important things in your life
      3. Keep it simple
      4. Ask yourself “what do I need to do today?”
      5. Write things down
      6. Focus on what you need to do right now

    3. Motivation
      1. Look at others to find motivation
      2. Keep a training log and look back on your past workouts
      3. Think about the great workouts when things are rough
      4. Remember how lucky you are to be able to do this sport.
      5. Keep your goals written down so you can see them everyday

    4. What’s Important Now (W.I.N.)
      1. Ask yourself, is what I’m doing right now very important?” (i.e. family or training)
      2. Keep your focus on W.I.N
      3. W.I.N will keep you focused on quality
      4. Remember, there will be other W.I.N.’s

    5. Long Distance Training for Real People: How do you do it?
    6. Dedication and discipline is key in balancing long distance training, work and family
    7. Get up and early
    8. Be creative
    9. Be flexible
    10. Always keep your end goal in mind
    11. Have fun and relax

    12. Triathlon Nutrition
      1. Fruits and veggies are important
      2. Only carbo load at the right times
      3. Salt your food prior to hot days of training
      4. Experiment with supplements or other regular foods only during training
      5. General rule is 200 – 300 calories per hour
    Top ten List
    • Look at W.I.N
    • Keep Things positive
    • Do it because you love it
    • Have a good time management plan
    • Missing a workout is o.k.
    • Make the right decisions
    • Be Organized
    • Be Responsible/Keep your word
    • Focus on past success for motivation
    • Encourage kids to race in a triathlon
    Monica and Andy Caplan: Swim presentation)

    THREE PARTS TO FOCUS ON

    1. ENTRY
    2. PULL
    3. FINISH

    TIPS

    • Breath hold through stroke and let out fast right before taking next breath.(so don’t sink into water)
    • Kick 3 beat kick in IM, OD -> 6 kicks,
    • tendency under stress to kick harder and lift head – less kick and less sitting
    • Kick from hips and ankles letting go. Kick keep together – touch toes. Watch runners who might kick faster when starting to go faster. Relax feet.
    • Video camera – see what they are doing – higher $ for that kind of feedback
    • Testing on 3 stroke breathing, 1500 or 2k TTs
    • Once volume up to 15,00 weekly and 4-5k per session, continuous swim biggest next step as TT
    • Wetsuit recommendation Helix – pull up as far as possible though to eliminate shoulder fatigue due to full length suit
    • Breakthrough for G in swim? 3-stroke breathing, 50 m practice, application of force
    • No need to site in the swim unless you are leading the race
    • Site something bigger to site off of
    • Don’t kick harder in the swim
    • Don’t lift you head
    • Widen your entry when swimming
    • Get comfortable swimming 4000 yards first
    • Backstroke is a great second stroke to teach proper rotating, open up chest, catch the water and how to get hips up
    • The Ironman Helix suit will make you faster
    • Pull the wet suit up very high
    • Pulling the suit up reduces the strain on the shoulder.
    Gordo Structured Bike Training

    Cycling benefits

    • Build endurance safely
    • EVEN Training load (flat cycling for many hours.) This means keep going during rides, don’t stop, and don’t descend. When you race you are continuously moving. Simulate this during training. Do race simulation rides. Pacing matters. Can you run a marathon afterwards?
    • Enhance mental and pacing skills.
      • The ability to manage your process for a long period of time. You can only simulate this with long workouts
    Long Ride (still emphasis the big day training, s/b/r)

  • How Long? Diminishing returns at 6 hours. Basic long ride is 4 – 5.5
    • Structure: 3.5 – 5 hours
    • First 30 – 1:20 minutes of training is easy and incorporates skills (higher cadence) Gordo would spin relaxed at 95 rpm’s
    • At 2,3,4, hours incorporate main sets. The main sets vary but he back ends load the main sets and are steady, steady and moderately harder
    • You always want to finish strong!! (in All endurance workouts)
    • It will seem easy at the beginning of the workout
    • Power meters are great for judging how you are feeling immediately
    • 3-4 hrs steady is a tough session
    BIG believer in the subjective perceptions. HRM assists you but does not rule you.
    • How tough?
    • Terrain: Hills early in the year give steady moderate intensity, alternate hills and flats. Ask you get closer to key event make it closer to race specific.
    Strength Ride: This is not riding in a group or hammering rides
    • Big gear
    • Hills
    • Intensity
    The ability to tolerate power spikes is key to be handling the run
    Easy riding is not EASY. Still working but you are working.
    ATHLETES SHOULD ALWAYS GUAGE HOW THEY REACT TO WORKOUTS?

    Non Bike Factors

    • Endurance carry over (build superior bike endurance)
    • Strength Training (veterans, male and females, limited cyclists) you will get tired during certain phases
    • Muscle Activation (Yoga is good, the use of the breath with the body)
    • Flexibility (back pain on the bike, usually comes to hip flexibility. Stretch front and back) Get your athletes to stretch 3 times a week 10-15 minutes. Going to a class is better.
    DON’T THINK, JUST DO

    Make your plan as simple as possible

    You don’t have to be more fit than others to beat them

    Stay relaxed, follow your plan be tough at the end (last 90 minutes should hurt)

    Effective Race Execution:

    • Pace judgment (the first two hours is not how it is) Swim start (start slow)
      • Relative to fitness (write down race plan Not more than one page)(race simulation is great tool
      • Relative to mental strength (suffer at the end not before.
      • Relative to threshold
        • Have ceilings
      • Relative to external conditioning
      • Relative to ourselves
  • Arousal Control
    • Works for up and down. If you feel good don’t go harder, eat something. If you have a lull, (know this will happen)
    • Joy and despair
    • Quiet power vs. anger
    • Clarity of thought (quiet mind)
    • Source of self -knowledge
    Worth Remembering
    • What is...is
    • Control what you can
    • There is no easy way (takes time and a lot of work)
    • JFT what really matters is fronting up day after day (back it up. If you can’t back it up it wasn’t a great day)
    Visualization is a tool for life and racing
    • Visualize yourself being calm and at peace
    • Visualize key parts of the course (see yourself performing strong at difficult parts.
    • If you want to run a marathon fast in an IM you have to the last 10k hard. People will let you go midway through a race but will hang at the end.
    Fear realization. (Visualize yourself being call. Like you are watching a movie that you are doing with ease

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