If you've done an IM, and you've had a bad day, you'll know it was the run. So what do 70% of the people out there do after a bad IM run experience...why, next year they run even more! The other 30% you ask? Well...25% of them are too injured to really train for the next go-round, but the last 5% have it actually figured out. And I am about to let you in on their secrets. Without further ado...
A Poor IM Run Split is the Result of Poor Bike Pacing and/or Poor Run Pacing
Whether you've personally experienced an IM Marathon meltdown, or just heard the horror stories, you know how bad things can get. What you don't remember (or hear, if it's from a buddy), however, is how he cruised through mile 56 on pace for a record bike split, or how she ran the first 6 miles 30-seconds faster per mile than she intended...and they both felt so good...until they felt really, really bad. Improving your next IM can be as simple as executing better on race day; be conservative on the bike and jog the first 6 miles before you run. In otherwords, if you nail your execution off of the same training cycle as last time, you'll be faster, period. (See the EN Four Keys to IM Racing to learn more.)
Overall IM Fitness is Built Across all Three Disciplines.
True IM fitness isn't about one run (or ride or swim), it's about connecting all three via a plan that allows you to training effectively and consistently across about 20 weeks. Sure, we build up to some pretty significant distance benchmarks, but the fitness here is all about the "journey" -- not the "destination." Focus too much on a single discipline and you not only run the risk of injury, but you will also be taking time and energy away from something else.
Try thinking of a basic week of fitness instead of any one workout or discipline (link coming soon). At Endurance Nation we think in a "weekly view" as all of our workouts are connected. And not a week as in Monday -- Sunday (or however you look at it), but as a rolling seven-day window. For example, looking at this Thursday's long run, we consider have you done over the last seven days to get here. There is not magical "reset" that happens every Monday. Run too hard or too long on Thursday and you'll mess up your weekend of riding; or worse yet, you'll fake it through the weekend but blow up somewhere else down the line.
IM Run Fitness has nothing to do with your longest run.
This is a hold over from open marathon training, where folks are training to run hard for the whole event; in this case it makes sense to build that solid pace up to a long run of 20-21 miles. In an IM, however, we are training to not slow down on the run. Let me repeat that: Marathon training = go fast on run; IM training = don't slow down. Instead of being a marathon runner aiming for a pace (8:00 per mile, who cares about HR zones!), you are a triathlete who aims for an HR, not a pace. Race day is a great equalizer; most people end up running an IM at their easy long run pace (roughly 20 beats below LTHR). So instead of looking at a magical distance marker, we look at time. In the case of an IM training cycle. the peak run that a person can do during the typical race preparation week is 2.5 hours in Zone Two. Anything longer (or harder) starts to become a problem regarding recovery and overall running health. Can you run 24 miles in training for an IM? Yes. But when you are out there on the course, no one is saying, "Sure am glad I did that 24-mile run @ week 18, it's really helping me now!!!"
IM Run Fitness is about Frequency, Durability, and Consistency
If you have grasped the concept that your total aerobic engine, developed across three disciplines, is what drives your run, we have almost converted you. While the longest run peaks out at 2.5 hours, that doesn't mean you aren't running a lot; in your biggest run weeks, you'll do 5+ hours of running -- that's a lot, especially when you add it on top of swim and bike time. With the EN model of Iron-distance training, we work first to build durability by increasing run volume deliberately. Then we add "speed" in the form of strides and fartlek work. Once this is accomplished, we back off the intensity and start to increase the distance. When we move to the race preparation phase, "tempo" workouts move from being closer to 10k Pace and instead move to Half Marathon Pace.
Hope this has been helpful! For more info on the long run, be sure to search the EN Library or hit the forums and ask around!
Happy Training,
Coach Patrick
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Monday, January 7, 2008
Long Run Training for Ironman -- The EN Version
Friday, September 21, 2007
Endurance Nation Training Groups (ENGroups)
There has been a lot of talk in the forums and emails in our inboxes re: off-season training options, when will the resources of EN be made available, etc. Patrick and I are also at that time of year where we review what we've learned this season and consider how to improve the training of our athletes for next season. Add to that the transition to Endurance Nation and you have the perfect conditions for a paradigm shift in the coaching world. We would like to use this momentum to offer to you a unique training opportunity...
ENGroups: Off-Season '07-'08
Dates: Oct 8, 2007 thru Feb 3, 2008 (~18 weeks)
Cost: $189 (~$10/wk)
Register: Email Patrick
- We will publish the schedule to the group 4-weeks at a time, as a shared Google Spreadsheet or Calendar (TBD).
- Support will be provided via a private forum at Endurance Nation. This is where we will answer questions, issue guidance, and collaborate with you all to tweak each subsequent block of training. In other words, as the group gives us feedback on how things are working, we will incorporate this feedback into the next training block.
- Likewise, as we learn from your and our own training and have valuable discussions with other coaches and clients, we will push information to you via the forum. In fact, we will be right along side of you, virtually, doing the training ourselves and pushing our feedback to you.
The Coaching Method?
Very simple: if you want to bike/run fast, you need to bike/run fast. Wherever possible, we will write workouts according to an evidence-based coaching philosophy: (1) you will test, (2) we'll determine pace or wattage results, and (3) together we use those results to frame your training. Want to ride 21 mph in your next race? Spend a lot of time at 22-23mph. Want to push 250 watts? See where you are now and frame your training in reference to your current and goal strength on the bike. Do you run 8:30 pace for a 10k? Use that to determine your optimum pacing for endurance and tempo runs. This is not rocket science.
Ability levels?
Intermediate and Advanced. If you have a season of consistent training under your belt, for any distance, you're good. However, this is not a "get in shape" plan. A relatively early off-season start means that you've maybe taken a few easy weeks at the end of the season but you're not a complete physical wreck. :-)
Volume?
No thank you! All training will be extremely time-efficient, incorporating only the training you need to achieve your fastest shape ever by early February. The workouts will be delivered as the Main Set of the workout. For example, the Main Set for your Tuesday interval bike session might be 2 x 15' (3') @ L4 (for now, don't worry about what that means!). That's it, that's the workout. What you do around that set, as warmup, cool down, whatever, is entirely up to you as a function of the time you have available to train. This is how real coaches train real people in the real world. That said, the run training will be focused on a half marathon PR so you an expect a 1:30-2hr long run. But that's about the only volume goal that we - as coaches - have for you.
Testing?
In line with this evidence-based coaching philosophy, we will measure and record metrics whenever possible. For example, the dates of the program are chosen as bracket events that Rich will use for his own training, below. You will be required to duplicate similar events on your own.
- 9 mile climbing time trial on Oct 13 followed by a 10k run on the 14th, to establish a w/kg and time baseline for the bike and a pace/hr baseline for the run. If you don't have a local hill like this, all you'll need is a trainer or a stretch of road where you can get about 20' of continuous hammer time, times 2.
- Repeat of the climbing TT (end of January) and a half marathon on Feb 2.
- Baselines for weight, pullups, pushups, crunches, etc, with testing repeated when you exit the training program.
- You will be strongly encouraged to enter your metrics into a public document / info sheet. This will help to keep you accountable and will help us keep track of your progress.
Equipment?
Heart rate monitor at a minimum, though we will push you to break out of the box of heart rate based training. A powermeter and GPS device are HIGHLY recommended. In fact, we will use the training group as a tool to bring your knowledge of how to train and race with these devices several years up the learning curve. If you don't have either of these, you will need a track or measured road for testing. Measured run courses for training would be great, so you can determine average paces. Again, we will resolve this with you once you are "inside" the Group.
Required reading?
Everyone: Scientific Training for Triathletes, Jack Daniels Running Formula, Off-Season Training, The Perfect Season
Powermeter Users: Must have a copy of CyclingPeaks, must read Training and Racing with a Powermeter.
Results?
In the last 12 months over 500 athletes have trained with our training plans. We've had many HIM and IM podium finishes and Kona qualifiers with a $150 training solution, but our athletes speak for themselves:
Ready to step up, do the work, and lay the foundation for a breakthrough 2008 racing season?
Email Patrick today!
Additional Questions
Tri-Club Discounts?
We feel this could be a valuable opportunity for your tri clubs: to get many people training on the same schedule together over the off-season. Here is what we are prepared to offer your clubs:
- Your club members register individually at $189/person.
- Have your club leadership email us the list of who has signed up.
- If 10 or more people from your club register, we will refund $25 to each of these participants, making the cost of the program $164 for your members.
- If you or club leadership have any questions, please have them Patrick at pjm@performancetrainingsystems.com
How is this different from ENCoach?
ENCoach is a customized training plan: your goals, your fitness, your schedule, your races, your everything, all incorporated into your individual training plan. Your relationship with your ENCoach is continually evolving, with feedback flowing both directions. The ENGroups Off-Season program is very different: no individual customization, no direct feedback or exchange with a coach, clearly defined start/exit dates, etc...However:
- The methods we use and the lessons we learn with this group model will be used in your training.
- ENCoach athletes will be allowed to participate in the closed Group Training forum.
Yes, you will. If you already have a Gmail or other Google Service related account, you will easily be able to add the training resources to your gLife (or whatever you want to call it!). Folks who have not be Google-ified yet can easily sign up for a FREE basic account here: www.google.com/accounts/
Where can I track my daily workouts?
ENGroups is not a workout log (at least not yet!). As this is the off-season, there is no need to go crazy tracking everything you do. That said, data-conscious athletes are strongly encouraged to track their daily metrics using a desktop tool such as CyclingPeaks or by using another online solution (there are many quality free programs out there).
Is ENGroups: Off-Season '07-'08 only for long-course athletes?
Not at all. The off-season training focus is on speed and fitness - qualities applicable to triathletes looking to improve racing abilities at any distance. Note: The only distance requirement will be a half-marathon test in February.
I won't sign up until after 10/8/2007...will my plan shift accordingly?
Nope. The plan runs as is. If you want to mix the dates around on your end, that's fine. This set up is applicable for 95% of the folks our there, save for those racing Kona, Clearwater, or IM Florida. And if you are racing, all you have to do is rest up for a bit and you'll be fitter than most of us in the group!
I won't sign up until after 10/8/2007...will the cost be adjusted?
Nope - the registration is for full access to the plan.
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