News

  • Dec 17, 2014

    Success in the off-season is higher speed or power for an aerobic cost

    I often ask my athletes to produce the most speed for the least cost. In the off-season, when athletes aren't focused on racing, I will look at aerobic cost. For example, I will assign a negative-split workout where the goal is to go out at a Zone 1 heart rate. This can be an out-and-back course or it can be a loop. On the way back, the athlete is to run or ride as fast as possible – without exceeding the top of Zone 2 heart rate. I want to know how fast or powerful you can be at an...

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  • Dec 11, 2014

    A-race planning when life doesn't cooperate

    If you race long enough, there will definitely be at least one year, and perhaps more, when training will be sub-optimal. For the goal-oriented athlete, it is tough to swallow less than stellar paces and placing for any race. Your mind wanders to what others will say when they look at the race results sheet. "What happened to Gale, how did she get so slow?" "Her training must be terrible." "She's making all kinds of training errors." "She has no discipline." You might begin to imagine what it feels like to be the slowest person in your training group. Visions...

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  • Nov 20, 2014

    Stuck on the indoor bike trainer this weekend? Here's a long workout for you.

    If you're stuck on the trainer and need a new workout idea, I've got one for you. Even if you don't need it now, you might need it later – save it. Road ride with Zone 3 intervals and 20" sprints too By Gale Bernhardt Warm-up 20 minutes at Zone 1-2 intensity*. Use power as the primary intensity target, use heart rate as the back-up if you don't have power. 2 x 10 minutes at Zone 3 (5:00 recovery intervals at Zone 1) 3 x 20 seconds high power output (80% of all-out-fast) with 4:40 recover intervals at Zone 1...

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  • Nov 20, 2014

    How to start building your training plan for next season

      In my work with athletes seeking personal coaching, one of the things I ask them to do is to reflect back on the previous season. The second thing I ask them to do is look forward to next season. These two items help me assemble the foundation of the training plan heading into next season. With a few simple questions, we can set direction for the next race season while using information from the previous season. We use what worked well in the past season, while avoiding mistakes of the past. Perhaps these questions will help you too.  ...

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  • Nov 17, 2014

    Cyclist Wanting to Swim, Where do I Start?

      Q: I am primarily a cyclist and I would like to use swimming as part of my regular training for the winter. However, I have not idea what a swimming training session looks like. Can you provide me with some guidance? Should I just get in the pool and swim laps for 45 minutes? Do you do intervals? Do you set distance goals? How does this work? R.S. A: Excellent question, R.S. Swimming is a great cardiovascular cross-training exercise for cycling and it works the upper body, the torso, as well as the legs. You asked about just getting into...

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  • Nov 05, 2014

    Visual example of heart rate lagging power in a training plan

    (Click on the image to make it larger) In my training plans I ask triathletes and cyclists using heart rate as their training monitor to begin an interval with a lower, controlled effort and allow heart rate to climb to the range specified in the plan. The reason I request that approach is that heart rate lags power and many times I'm interested in a constant power output; whether the athlete is actually training with a power meter or not. This week I asked one of my athletes to do 60-second power repeats. He executed the workout perfectly. His TrainingPeaks...

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  • Oct 28, 2014

    Should I use heart rate or power in the triathlon training plan?

    Dear Mrs. Bernhardt, Greetings from Germany! I do have a question about your training plan, Triathlon: Base Period (Winter, Off-Season) Training, Phase 1: 4.75 to 9.5 hrs/wk - especially about the bike part . Unfortunately it's not clear for me, if the zones you describe in the cycling parts are power zones or heart rate zones. Example: Endurance - Z3. Should I stay in power zones 1-3, or heart rate zones 1-3? I am looking forward to your answers. S.S. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello S.S. ~ By design, you can use heart rate Zone 3 or power Zone 3 if you have a...

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  • Oct 23, 2014

    Downhill running benefits last 6 weeks

    A study done on downhill running found that one bout of downhill running on a -10 degree slope for 30 minutes, as expected, caused soreness otherwise known as DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness.) The maximal soreness was at 42 hours post-run. What might have been unexpected is that the benefits of just one bout of running downhill offered protection, or less soreness, following the same run 30-minute run for up to six weeks. Scientists theorized that the effect might be due to an increase in the number of sarcomeres or an increase in Z band (Z line, Z disk)...

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  • Oct 21, 2014

    How to substitute mountain biking into the cycling base training plan

    Q:  Hi Gale, I am primarily a road racer. This past year I dabbled in mountain bike racing. I did enjoy mountain biking, but I have a long way to go to hone my skills. I used your Level II Cyclist Base Training Plan from your book, Training Plans for Cyclists last winter and it worked great. A couple of questions. First, is the plan I used last winter similar to the online plan titled "Cycling: Level II Cyclist, Base, (Winter, Off-Season) Training Plan, 4.25-10.5 hrs/wk?"   Secondly, I want to use the online version of that plan if workouts...

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  • Oct 16, 2014

    Training plans are intentional progressions to bring athletes to a new level of fitness

    Hi Gale, I saw your twitter feed commenting on the difference between exercise and training. Though you referenced another columnist, can you expand on your thoughts some more? I'm a big fan and I've used several of your training plans. I know they work. Now that I'm gaining more experience as an endurance athlete, I'm more interested in understanding why your plans work. Any information you can give to help me learn (without giving away secrets!) is much appreciated. Regards, C.S. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi C.S. ~ First, thank you for letting me know my plans help you succeed! In short,...

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