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News / training plan
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Nov 15, 2013
Getting the most power using a heart rate monitor for training
Many of the athletes that I coach use power – and many don’t. For those that don’t have access to power, you can still get the highest average power output for your heart rate efforts. Those of you using my books or online training plans recognize this workout description – or something close to it: These intervals begin work on lactate threshold speed. On a mostly flat course or indoor trainer, complete the prescribed intervals allowing heart rate to rise into the Zone 3 over the course of the interval and no higher. After heart rate is in Zone 3,...
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Nov 01, 2013
Training Consistency Trumps All
I often get asked the questions: “What is the best exercise I can do for strength training?” “What is the best interval workout for swimming, cycling or running?” “What is the best training plan to make me faster next season?” The single best thing you can do between now and March 1 of next year is having consistency in your training. Design a training plan that is not too little, not too much, but just right for you – to allow for consistency. This is much better than a training plan for your cycling or triathlon goals that is too...
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Sep 10, 2013
How do I modify my training plan for Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement on the Hebrew calendar, requires fasting beginning at sundown on the designated day and ending at sundown on the following day. Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath; meaning that no work can be performed on that day and the athlete is to refrain from eating and drinking (even water) during the complete, 25-hour fast. For endurance athletes, care must be taken not to exercise at all during the fasting period. It is best to move your training weeks around so that a rest week falls during the time of Yom Kippur observance. Make the...
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Sep 09, 2013
How tired should I feel during my training plan?
Your training plan is designed to stress your body. All training plans (triathlon, running and cycling) also include recovery days and weeks. It is normal to feel fatigued or tired after workouts designed to take your body and fitness to the next level. If you start to feel “wiped out” consider taking one of the optional workouts as a day off, or cutting back your next workout. It is often life (job, family and friend) stress that can tip you over the edge and bring on an illness. You will notice when life is mostly smooth, it is easier to...
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Sep 03, 2013
Solid training plan scores PR times and podium results
(A dirty girl face from a fun and dusty race.) I don’t often write about my own training and racing results. This is primarily because I find the most joy in my work when I help other people get faster or go farther. I’m the first to admit, I’m happy when I’m fast too. I ended the 2013 race season by defending my age group win at the Dakota Five-O Mountain Bike Race. I was in the top 20 women overall, and at 55 I was the oldest woman at the race. For those of you that think you’re too...
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Aug 21, 2013
Training Plan Workouts: Interval Training in the Heat
One of the common training plan workouts I assign to athlete in the last four to six weeks before an important race is 5-6 x 3 minutes getting heart rate or power into Zone 5b (anaerobic) and holding it there. Take 3 minutes of Zone 1 recovery between each one. These are best done on a hill.Most of the time I want this workout done in cool conditions so athletes can produce the most amount of power possible – because we know that heat decreases your ability to produce power. This is because some of your energy is spent trying...
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Aug 16, 2013
Training plan mistakes made by beginner, intermediate and advanced triathletes and cyclists
I was recently asked the most common training program mistakes made by endurance cyclists and triathletes when they are self-coached. The answer was easy, I’ve seen many repeats of these errors in the last two months:Beginner: The most common error I see among new cyclists and triathletes is no consistency of workouts until the last three or four weeks prior to the event. Missed workouts in the six to two months prior to the race cannot be made up in the last month. Attempting to cram too much volume into the three or four weeks prior to the race leaves...
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Jun 05, 2013
Half-Ironman (70.3) triathlon training plan, 3-to-1 or 2-to-1 training cycles?
Good morning, Gale. My name is Rob and I am a self-coached triathlete who purchased your 2nd Edition of Training Plans for Multisport Athletes book. I am very excited to delve into all the plans; but, for now I do have one question regarding modifying the 27-week half-Ironman (70.3) plan. Before I ask my question, as a point of reference I used another coach last year training for my first Ironman. During that time the coach had me follow a 3-to-1 work-recovery week cycle with more training hours than shown in your plan. I ended up sick six times during...
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May 23, 2013
Are you training too much?
If you’ve finished your first race of the season and your results were less than expected, perhaps you’re training too much? It is common for endurance athletes (triathletes, mountain bikers, cyclists and runners) to have a very high work ethic. A great work ethic is a good trait, but it must be tempered. Take a look at your training plan to see if training volume and intensity over the course of several weeks looks like a rolling course profile. There should be climbs and descents, or peaks and valleys. Resist the temptation to follow an ever-increasing volume and intensity program...
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May 20, 2013
Mono-speed, mono-volume and group workouts are the enemies of optimal performance
A cyclist hired me to review his training plan. What I saw in his plan were several common errors made by many self-coached cyclists. (Triathletes and mountain bikers make the same errors.) Perhaps my advice to him can help you too. 1. Change intensity. Often, self-coached athletes make the mistake of doing every workout at a mono-speed (really intensity) that is not fast and not slow. New athletes get lured into this trap because at the beginning of developing fitness, mono-speed doesn’t appear to hamper performance improvement. This is primarily because new endurance athletes have no fitness so as long...