Supporting Documents

This page contains supporting documents for all of my ready-to-use training plans. If you would like a pdf version of the documents, send me a note and I'm happy to send you a pdf attachment. 

 

 

Swimming instructions in the training plans vary, depending on the plan. Some of the training plans have specific swim workouts for beginner swimmers, while others do not. (See Q and A below.) Most all of the training plans have swimming intensity instructions (review the Intensity Instructions document), to guide you during a masters swimming session. Included in this section are a few tips to help guide you through the swim workouts.

In general:

In all workouts where an optional main set is included, warm-up with your choice of mixed swimming, drills and kicks. For beginning swimmers this may total 200 to 400 yards. For experienced swimmers, more warm-up may be required.

After the main set, cool down with a few hundred yards of easy swimming.

E1 – Swim at an easy Zone 1 pace. If you are feeling tired, cut this workout down or eliminate it altogether and take the day off. Focus on drills and good form.

E2 – Swim anywhere in Zone 1 or 2. The goal is not to maximize Zone 2 time. If you feel great, more Zone 2 is fine.

E3 – Swim anywhere between Zone 1 and 3. Most often, the main set is intended to be done at Zone 3 intensity.

For the half-Ironman and Ironman plans:

Although "yards" may be used in the descriptions, if your pool is meters, just substitute "meters" in the text. Some swims are labeled E3 and include an optional main set. The main set of the numbered swims is intended to be Zone 3 pace, which is T-Pace to T-Pace plus 5 seconds per 100 yards. To determine your T-Pace (Threshold, Time Trial or Test Pace) conduct the test when you're rested and prior to beginning the plan. The test:

T-Pace – After a good warm-up lasting 10 to 20 minutes, swim 3 x 300s with 30 seconds rest between each 300. The goal of the set is to swim at the highest average speed possible. An accurate test is when all three 300s are within 15 seconds of each other. In other words, do not swim a fast, first 300 and have the third 300 be 20, or more, seconds slower. Watch the clock and get your time on each 300. Average the time for all three 300s and divide the average by three to establish a T-Pace, for a 100 yard distance. For example, if you swam a 4:05, 4:00 and 4:08 for each of the 300s, the average time 4:04. Divide that result by three to obtain a T-Pace of 1:21 for 100 yards. Divide by two to get the 50-yard T-Pace of 40 seconds.

In all workouts where an optional main set is included, warm-up with your choice of mixed swimming, drills and kicks totaling 800 to 1500 yards. After the main set, cool down with a few hundred yards of easy swimming. The symbol (RI) means rest interval, so (0:20RI) means a 20-second rest interval.

 

The numbered workouts are break through sessions (BT) and the major goal each workout is to swim even splits for each segment. For example, in Swim #1 of the “13 Weeks to a sub-13-Hour Ironman Distance Plan” reads:

5-7 x 200 (0:30RI) @ T-Pace, 1:00 RI, 5-7 x 100 (0:20RI) @ T-Pace

200 repeat times are within about 10 seconds of each other, followed by 100 repeats that are all within 5 seconds of each other. You're striving for a high average speed.

Q & A

Q – I see “Workouts in a Binder” mentioned on the swimming instructions preview, do I need to purchase that product to successfully complete the program?

A – Swimming is a bugger for several reasons. One is that some people prefer swimming with a masters group and do not want specific workouts for the swim portion of the plan. They want guidelines for what kind of intensity to hold during the masters workout. Others prefer suggested workouts, but they want to modify any suggestion to meet personal needs. (Because people with a swimming background can complete significantly more yards during a particular one-hour swim workout than a beginning swimmer can.)

For the reasons stated above, I did not bundle a purchase of “Workouts in a Binder” with the training plans; but left that product as an optional purchase, available at this link. This product is totally waterproof workouts designed with two levels for each workout. Those levels can also be modified to meet the needs of shorter workouts. This design was conceived to eliminate the frustration associated with printing workouts onto paper, putting them in a baggie, only to get mid-way through the set and find water leaked into the bag and destroyed the workout.

You can also look at the US Masters website for more workout ideas at http://www.usms.org/training/workouts.htm.

 

Warm-up and Cool Down

©2002 Gale Bernhardt

Although some workouts within the training plans specify a warm-up or cool down time, most do not. For each and every workout, include some warm-up and cool down time. How much time to include depends on your current level of fitness, the type of workout you are about to complete, length of workout and the intensity of the main set of the workout.

A good warm-up permits a gradual increase in metabolic processes and prevents premature accumulation of lactic acid. At low levels, lactic acid is not a problem. As you continue to increase your intensity, the body increases energy production, relying more heavily on anaerobic metabolism (energy produced without oxygen.) More reliance on anaerobic metabolism means the lactate level in your blood increases. When you sprint, you can feel your muscles flood with lactate and your muscles seem to burn from the intensity.

Athletes with higher levels of fitness require more warm-up than those with lower levels of fitness. For example, cyclists accustomed to riding three to four hours on a regular basis require more warm-up time than those accustomed to riding a total of one hour.

Cool down or a gradual decrease in intensity prevents blood from pooling in your extremities and an overly rapid drop in blood pressure. This reduces the likelihood of lightheadedness and fainting. A cool down helps prevent muscle spasms and cramping and speeds the recovery process. Cool down should be sufficient to reduce heart rate; but not so long as to delay recovery.

You also need to warm up and cool down at races. Events that are short, very intense and anaerobic require more warm-up than long, mostly aerobic (energy produced with oxygen) events.

If the training plan has a specific swim workout posted on the online system, typically the warm-up and cool down are not included in the description, only the main set is listed. It is up to the athlete to include a warm-up and cool down appropriate for his or her fitness level.

Some of you may swim with a masters program and that’s great. On several of the plans, a workout intensity is suggested for your masters session. If you swim on your own and need ideas for swim workouts, check out Workouts in a Binder for Triathletes.

 

Strength Training

©2002 Gale Bernhardt

Some of the training plans do not have strength training specified within the plan. If this is the case and you already have a strength training routine, you can continue to use your current program. Try to strength train on a day that is designated as a “day off” or on a day that has a less strenuous workout. If you find that your program makes you sore or leaves your legs or arms feeling “dead” for endurance workouts, you may want to reduce the sets and repetitions you are doing.

A number of the training plans have strength training days designated within the plan. You can continue to use your own routine or use the routine designated by the plan.

Before beginning your strength training workout, be sure to do a 10- to 30-minute aerobic workout as a warm-up. After each strength training session, an easy spin on a stationary bike for 5- to 10-minutes is a good cool down. Running as a cool down is not recommended. 

Can you complete an aerobic workout (a scheduled swim, bike or run) before strength training and use that as the warm-up? Yes, however, doing a difficult aerobic session (hills or intervals) is not recommended before strength training.

If you want to implement a strength training routine, a list of exercises to consider follows:

Minimum Exercises

1. Hip extension (squat, leg press or step-up)
2. Standing bent-arm lat pull down (bent at the same angle as during freestyle swimming)
3. Chest press or push ups
4. Seated row
5. Abdominal curls (core body work)
6. Back extensions (core body work)

 

Recommended Additional Exercises (Depends on personal weaknesses, racing limiters, time and energy)

7. Hip extension (select a different exercise than #1 above)
8. Hamstring curl
9. Knee extension
10. Heel raise
11. Adductors
12. Abductors
13. Additional core body work

 

The list of Minimal Exercises is for very busy athletes looking for efficiency. The Recommended Additional Exercises list is for athletes having more time to train or having personal weaknesses that limit race performance. The listed exercises are a start. Once you have an established routine, there are a number of strength training exercises that can be substituted to improve your sport and lifestyle strength. Those exercises are not covered in this document. 

Each strength training phase is outlined below:

AA: Anatomical Adaptation: Complete 2 to 3 sets x 15 to 20 repetitions (reps) of exercises 1 through 6. Exercises 7 through 8 are optional.

MS: Maximum Strength: After the warm-up complete 4 to 6 sets of the bold-faced exercises. (Exercises 1 through 6 are the minimal exercise plan.) Begin with a light weight and 15 repetitions (reps), increase weight and 10 reps, increase and 8 reps, increase again and 1 to 3 sets of 3 to 6 reps. All other exercises, 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

ME: Muscular Endurance: Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2 to 4 sets x 40 to 50 reps of each hip extension, lat-pull down and seated row. All other exercises are 2 to 4 sets x 12 to 15 reps using a moderate weight.

PE: Power Endurance: Warm up cycling or running for 10 to 30 minutes. Do the same exercises you have been doing in MS, but reduce the weight and do 3 to 4 sets x  8 to 15 reps. The weight should feel “moderate” – not heavy and not light.

PE-Plyo: Power Endurance With Plyometrics: Warm up cycling or running 10 to 30 minutes. Complete the designated plyometric workout, then lift weights. Do the same exercises you have been doing in MS, but reduce the weight and do 3 to 4 sets x 8 to15 reps. The weight should feel “moderate” – not heavy and not light.

SM: Strength Maintenance: Warm up cycling or running 10 to 30 minutes. For your hip extension exercise complete 1 set of 20 reps at a light weight, increase the weight and do 1 to 2 sets x 12 reps (moderate weight), increase the weight and do 1 to 2 sets x 6-8 reps (difficult, but not gut-busting hard.) For the remaining exercises, complete 2-3 sets of 12 to 15 reps. Decrease the sets and weight in heavy racing periods.

For photographs of the exercises, see the book Triathlon Training Basics

 

 

Exercise Fueling and Hydration

©2002 Gale Bernhardt

This information sheet is too short to get into much detail on nutrition so only the basics are covered. Good nutrition is simple: eat a large variety of minimally processed foods. This means you should consume fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. These foods are full of vitamins, minerals and phyotchemicals. Highly processed foods have limited nutritional value.

If you want more information on the nutrient breakdown in foods, there are a number of good reference books. One good reference is The NutriBase Nutrition Facts Desk Reference by Dr. Art Ulene.

In addition to high quality fuels, hydration is important. On a daily basis, drink enough water so that your urine is a very light yellow color. Dark yellow urine is one sign of dehydration. Another guideline is to drink when you are thirsty – which means you must pay attention to your body’s signals.

For long workouts (those over an hour) scheduled in any of the training plans, carry a sports drink – or water supplemented with a solid or semi-solid food. Examples of solid and semi-solid foods are bananas, homemade sandwiches, pretzels, gels and sport bars. Some athletes prefer solid foods, while others prefer energy drinks. The drink and solid foods can contain some protein, but try to keep the fat content minimized.

You are fueling with calories during longer workouts because the body can store enough glycogen to get you through about 90 minutes of exercise, plus or minus. The longer the race or workout, the more critical proper fueling becomes.

Practice your fueling and hydration techniques on a regular schedule, within a workout. For example, plan to fuel and hydrate each 15 to 20 minutes during a long or intense workout. Early and steady fueling prevents the dreaded “bonk.” Practicing your fueling and hydration during workouts pays dividends on race day.

Some experts recommend only drinking when you are thirsty and eating when hungry. My experience is that many athletes get behind on hydration and fueling using this strategy. I believe a combination of regular intervals tempered with how you feel is best.

For an event that is one to three hours long, most athletes are fine consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate (120 to 240 calories) per hour. For races three hours and longer, athletes will range from 250 to 400 calories per hour.

Finding the right hydration and fueling formal is very individual. This is something you have to experiment with and determine what consumption rate is right for you and the workout or race conditions. Know that larger athletes need more calories than smaller athletes and a fast pace burns more calories than a slow pace.

For instructions on how to estimate daily caloric needs in addition to exercise needs, see Chapter 3 of Training Plans for Multisport Athletes.

Plan ahead and calculate what fluids and fuel you need during the race. Find out what fuels are offered by the race director. If the energy drink at the aid stations upsets your stomach, you may have to carry your own sports drink.

Athletes competing in Ironman distance events should have a written nutrition plan prior to race day. This nutrition plan should be rehearsed during long training sessions. Also, most long-distance athletes need to consume fuels with some balance of electrolytes (sodium, magnesium and potassium.) Fueling for an ironman distance race is critical.

It is important to know that you will need to adjust fueling and hydration rates to fit each situation. A few of the items that affect fueling and hydration rates include pace, the length of the race and the race conditions (hot, cold, humid, etc.)

 

What should you eat for breakfast on race day?

Great question. A good rule of thumb for breakfast is to consume one to four grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight (kilogram body weight is weight in pounds divided by 2.2), one to four hours prior to the race. The closer you eat prior to the race start, the fewer calories you should consume. This is particularly true for short, high intensity races.

What about after the race?

Post-long workouts or races, you need to focus on recovery. You can speed recovery by consuming liquid or solid fuel within 20 to 30 minutes after exercise. The fuel should contain some carbohydrate, protein and minimal fat. Approximately 1.5 to 1.6 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight and 0.4 to 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is a good start. Don’t worry too much if the ratio of carbohydrate to protein isn’t exact.

Know there is some flexibility on the 20- to 30-minute window and it depends on how you’ve been fueling during the workout. Test different strategies in training to know what works best for you.

 

 Recovery after a Race

©2002 Gale Bernhardt

At least once a week during race season I receive an email asking, “How long should it take me to recover from my race?” That’s a great question.

The first question I ask is, “What sport did you race?” In general, given the three sports of cycling, triathlon and running, people typically recover faster from a three-hour road race than they do from a three-hour running event. Triathlon recovery falls between cycling and running. While some people prefer to use miles logged in the race as the measuring stick, I use race time.

Recovery time does depend on many factors. Several of the factors are discussed later in the document. A starting point to estimate your recovery time is:

 

            Bicycle Races: 1 to 3 days per hour of racing

            Triathlon Races: 3 to 5 days per hour of racing

            Running Races: 4 to 6 days per hour of racing

 

In the list above, I am referring to full recovery or the next time you can do a difficult or break through workout without that workout being compromised in any way by fatigue. You might feel good enough to do a moderate workout in half the time listed above, but you won’t be ready to do a hard session or another race.

 

I have found how fast an athlete recovers from an event depends on several factors before, during and after the race. These factors are “modifiers” and are relative to each sport and the individual athlete. A table of modifiers follows.

Ranking Value of Factors Affecting Post-Race Recovery.

The More Number 3 Rankings, The Slower The Recovery Rate.

 

Ranking Value	1	2	3
Before the Race
Age	< 40	40-60	60+
Level of conditioning	High	Medium	Low
Nutritional status	Great	Average	Poor
Taper and rest	Great	Average	Poor
Athletic experience in the sport	>10 years	5-10 years	<5 years
Life stress (family/job/personal/travel)	Low	Medium	High
The Race
Sport	Cycling	Triathlon	Running
Distance of the event (also related to athlete ability)	Short	Medium	Long
Racing intensity (relative to that particular race distance)	Using it as a training day	Medium intensity	All-out, highest average speed
Nutritional practice (fueling/hydration)	Great	Average	Poor
Course	Easy	Moderate	Difficult
Weather conditions (temperature/humidity)	Perfect	Okay	Bad
After the Race
Nutritional practice (fueling/hydration)	Great	Average	Poor
Life stress (family/job/personal/travel)	Low	Medium	High
Type of workouts done in the days following the event (intensity/duration)	Easy/Short	Moderate	Fast and/or Long

 

To use an extreme example, an athlete completing a two-hour triathlon, with all factors in the number 1 column will likely recover in about six days. If that same athlete has all factors in the number 3 column, full recovery from the race may take as much as 10 days – assuming no injury or illness. Add illness or injury and recovery time is extended.

When heading into the next race, if you make a good effort to control some of the factors listed on the chart, you can expect a faster recovery.

 

Workout Codes

©2002 Gale Bernhardt

 

Throughout my training plans, you will notice several workout codes such as E, T, etc. Each letter defines a particular type of workout, intended to give you specific benefit:

 

            E – Endurance: Workouts in this category are aerobic (with oxygen) in nature and are typically for recovery and building or maintaining endurance. The majority of the energy to complete an endurance workout comes from the body utilizing oxygen and fat as fuel. Some energy is provided by the anaerobic (without oxygen) system, but the majority of fuel is provided aerobically.

 

If Zone 3 (see the intensity section) is included in endurance workout, low-end lactate threshold work is accomplished and more fuel is provided by the anaerobic system.

 

            M – Muscular Endurance: Workouts in this category are intended to work on lactate threshold speed and lactate tolerance.

 

            A – Anaerobic Endurance: Workouts in this category work on speed-endurance or aerobic capacity. They are titled anaerobic (without oxygen) because a greater percentage of the energy comes from metabolic systems not utilizing oxygen and fat as the major sources of fuel. A good percentage of the energy comes from glycogen. The aerobic system is still working, but the percentage of work provided by the aerobic system is decreased, compared to an endurance workout.

 

            S – Speed Skill: The workouts in this category are intended to work on sport economy. Improving economy means using less oxygen to travel at a given pace. These workouts typically work on sport form or higher speeds for very short periods of time such as 20 to 30 seconds.

 

            T—Testing: This is a test workout to benchmark or measure your current level of fitness. One “bad” test does not mean you are failing in your training. Tests should be used in combination with other workout data to determine if you are making progress.

 

            F – Force: Think of these workouts as sport-specific strength building. For swimming the workout utilizes paddles. For bicycling or running, hill work is often included to improve force.

 

            P – Power: Power is the ability to apply relatively large forces for a given period of time. A sprinter needs huge power output for short periods of time. Athletes racing drafting-style events require large power capabilities to bridge a gap to the peloton. Power workouts are not prescribed for many of the prebuilt plans.

 

            XT – Crosstraining: Suggestions for crosstraining activities include hiking, roller blading and cross-country skiing. Which cross training activities you chose depends on the goal you are trying to achieve.  

 

            R/W – Run/Walk: Some plans have training that alternates running and walking.

 

            Weights: The codes for weights are in the Strength Training document.

 

You will notice the codes have numbers and letters as well, such as E2a. These numbers and secondary letters are a way to categorize the workouts so I can keep track of them. All the details you need for any given code are given within that particular workout so you don’t need to print lists of references for workouts. 

 

Power Meters

©2009 Gale Bernhardt

Training with power is becoming more popular and that is good news because there are several power meter companies competing for your business. This means decreasing costs to the consumer.

You can blend the use of a power meter with the heart rate intervals given in the training plans, using the guidelines covered in the paragraphs that follow.

When you test for lactate threshold heart rate using the time trial outlined in the Intensity Document found in the document download section, use the 30-minute time frame. Using your power meter, collect the average power you produced during the 30-minute period, along with the average heart rate you produced.

To estimate lactate threshold power, take the average power produced during the 30-minute time trial and subtract five percent. For example, if your 30-minute time trial average power was 250 watts, your lactate threshold power is approximately 250 minus 250 multiplied by 0.05 or 238 watts. Use the table within this attachment to estimate the rest of your training zones, based on a threshold power of 238.

To use power-based intervals in the training plans, utilize the range of power in that zone. Begin with power in the low end of the zone and progress to power in the high end of the zone as you progress.

For example, if lactate threshold power is 238 watts, the interval power range for Zone 4 is 259 to 282 watts. If a workout calls for 4 x 6 minutes at Zone 4 intensity, instead of shooting for a heart rate, aim for 259 to 282 watts. It is best to begin on the low end of the wattage on the first interval and plan to finish strong on the last interval, producing average wattage at the high end of the zone.

When training with power, notice how your heart rate responds to the power-based intervals. Combining heart rate, power and RPE is the best of all worlds. You will notice that the three numbers may not match past performances for a given situation. If this happens, evaluate what is causing this to happen. Know that your fitness, life stresses, weather, course profile and current fatigue levels all affect the numbers.

Reference Scale for Rating of Perceived Exertion and Training Zones

Available in Training Plans for Cyclists, ©Gale Bernhardt, VeloPress, 2009.

Zone                                                                            Zone	Percent of Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (Bike)	Rating of Perceived Exertion or RPE—(Original Borg Scale)	Rating of Perceived Exertion or RPE—(New Borg Scale)	Percent of Lactate Threshold Power	Breathing and Perception Using Cycling as the Example	Purpose and Cross-reference of Terms Commonly Used To Describe Each Zone
1	80 and less	6-9	1-2	55 and less	Gentle rhythmic breathing. Pace is easy with legs feeling relaxed, minimal pressure on the pedals.  Easy spinning.	Easy, Aerobic, Recovery
2	81-88	10-12	3-4	56-75	Breathing rate and pace increase slightly. Many notice a change with slightly deeper breathing, although still comfortable. Legs remain comfortable and conversations possible.	Aerobic, Extensive Endurance, Aerobic Threshold Endurance (Note: Some coaches call this region Lactate Threshold. See text for details.)
3	89-93	13-14	4-5	76-90	Aware of breathing a little harder, pace is moderate.  Legs begin to feel some stress and it is more difficult to hold conversation.	Tempo, Intensive Endurance
4	94-99	15-16	6	91-99	Starting to breathe hard, pace is fast and beginning to get uncomfortable, approaching all-out one-hour ride pace.	Subthreshold, Muscular Endurance, Threshold-Endurance, Anaerobic Threshold Endurance
5a	100-102	17	7	100-105	Breathing deep and forceful, many notice a second significant change in breathing pattern. Pace is all-out sustainable for one- to one-and-a-half hours. Mental focus required, legs are moderately uncomfortable and conversation is undesirable.	Lactate Threshold Endurance, Anaerobic Threshold Endurance, Superthreshold, Muscular Endurance
5b	103-105	18-19	8-9	106-120	Heavy, labored breathing. Pace is noticeably challenging but sustainable for 15 to 30 minutes. Leg discomfort is high but manageable.	Aerobic Capacity, Speed Endurance, Anaerobic Endurance
5c	106+	20	10	121+	Maximal exertion in breathing, pace is sprinting effort, legs experience high discomfort that is unsustainable for over one minute.	Anaerobic Capacity, Power

For athletes having access to multiple power systems, it is important to note that power output on System 1 is relative to System 1 and power output on System 2 is relative to System 2. Your power output from System 1 may not match System 2. Translated, it means that power output values from the two systems may not match.