Category: Training

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Challenge what you already know

Who said things always had to be completed the same way?

Why is it that Saturday is always long ride day and Sunday long run day?

And who do athletes always tend to follow what others are doing without asking questions?

How do you know which way is the ‘right’ way?

Maybe it doesn’t have to be the way that it currently is. Maybe that’s just what you have always been told or shown? Maybe you don’t know any different?

Do you ask questions? Are you inquisitive? Intuitive? Have you done some of your own research? If not, maybe it’s time to challenge what you already know…. Because there is more than one way….

This is what I realised quite a few years ago now and proof was in my results, and in my health and happiness. AND this is even more important now that I have a little one in tow (now nearly 9months old!). 

“Finding a balance in training, work and life in general was at the top of the list for me. I knew if I was able to get this right, my training would be on track, I’ll be at my happiest and then the results would follow. Yes I still have big goals, and yes I’ll work my butt off to achieve them, but I will ensure that balance, as my health and happiness is not something I am prepared to ‘give up’ in pursuit of my goals. And nor should you have to either.

So when planning out my training, I sat down and looked at what time I had to train, what time I had to work and what time I wanted to spend with family, friends, my other half (and now my little one!). Time simply for myself, away from triathlon and training. And I looked at how I could maximise that time in each area of my life. So I decided that Sunday was no longer my ‘long run day’. Sunday for me was now going to be a day of choice. A day to wake up whenever I choose to, and do what ever I felt like. That could involve getting on a bike, or going for a run, and if I do it’s for fun. But it could also involve staying in bed and watching movies, catching up with friends, going away for the weekend, stepping away from the training ‘norm’. And it is the most refreshing thing ever.

I sought advice, asked questions and trialled. I tweaked my program to where I felt I had the right balance of training, working and ‘life’. But I didn’t just get rid of my long run, as a Coach I whole heartedly believe the long run is a key session for the week. What I did is, I shuffled my program around my life. Not the other way around. I programmed my long run for a Wednesday, and I work my other sessions around that. And it worked. For ME. And that was the key.

Just because everyone else swims Monday, Wednesday, Friday, it doesn’t mean you do if it doesn’t suit YOU. Sit down with a coach who is prepared to ask questions, get to know you personally and understand your motivations. The coach should then help you formulate a plan for YOU and YOUR needs. Not for the needs of a group, or because it is easier for them. But because they put your personal, training and racing interests first and foremost – and they get YOU.

I plan to stay in this sport for a long time. I plan to enjoy it, I am passionate about it and I love what I do. But that couldn’t happen if I’m always following what others are doing even if it didn’t suit me and my lifestyle. If I don’t have that balance, if I don’t maximise my time, if I’m not happy, then I will become another one of those athletes who falls out of the sport because they haven’t built it to be sustainable, as PART of their lifestyle, not running their life. They skew too much of what they do in one direction for too long, and it is only a matter of time until that falls around them.”

So be prepared to challenge the norm, ask questions, and push the boundaries. And never settle until you have found that perfect balance for YOU.

And always remember, Triathlon is what you DO, it’s not who you ARE. It shouldn’t define you, it shouldn’t compromise your happiness and nor should it stop you from doing what you want in the rest of your life.

If you are unsure of where to start, I wrote an article on finding the right coach for you – use these tips and questions to help you find the answers and define your own triathlon journey. 🙂

Happy training & racing

Coach Sarah

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Sarah is the Director & Head Coach at Complete Per4mance Coaching. Born out of the desire and passion to not just coach but to educate athletes, Sarah shares her 10 years of coaching and racing experience, knowledge and education with athletes of all levels to help them achieve their optimal performance while maintaining a balanced, happy and healthy life.

Contact Sarah to discuss training options for you.

 

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10 Top Tips for every Triathlete

Every athlete wants to make the most of their training. And as a Coach, I program each athlete differently according to their strengths, areas for improvements, goals, time restraints and commitments. But when most athletes think about making improvements and becoming a better athlete, they immediately think about how they can fit more training into their week, or how much harder they can push in a session. But other than simply training more, there are lots of ways athletes can improve without having to log extra ‘training miles’. So if you want to better your performance, these tips can be used for every athlete – no matter your time in the sport, your focus or your goals.

  1. Do 3 things in your day that will benefit you as an athlete.
    I once read this tip from Ironman World Champion Pete Jacobs. He had a list of 3 things that he would tick off each day to improve his performance, and I’ve been using this myself and with a number of my athletes since. This doesn’t mean you have to train 3 times a day, it means finding a balance and combination of training, stretching, rolling, mindfulness, meditation, eating healthy, massage, sleep –all of which should play a part in a sound training program. The thing I love most about this is, on days that are ‘recovery’ days or easier training days, you can still do three things that will benefit your training. So for those athletes who dread recovery days for ‘fear’ of losing fitness/form, you can now look forward to them – knowing that they are improving your performance. The key to this is finding the right combination at the right time – and this often means listening intuitively to your body and understanding what it needs.  So choose your 3 things each day wisely, and commit to them, consistently.
  2. Set value driven goals.
    We hear it all the time. Have goals, set goals, work towards your goals…Most athletes have ‘goals per-se’, but what a lot of athletes are missing are the key values behind those goals. Knowing and understanding why you set them, what drives you, what motivates you and what steps you will put in place to reach them. Setting value driven goals will provide you with structure and motivation which will help ensure consistency – even during winter, which will equate to continual improvement. If you are unsure on how to set value driven goals, chat to a Coach or a mentor.
  3. Follow a training program.
    Athletes will benefit and improve by following a training program that has structure, periodisation and specificity. Even better than simply following a structured training program, is following a personalised program written specifically for you. A program that takes into account your work load, family time, downtime, strengths, weaknesses, drivers and goals. Without a structured program, we often see athletes over-train (as they are trying to keep up with others) or under recover (as they think more training is better) which over time can lead to injury or burn out. A structured program will ensure continual improvements as well as longevity in the sport.
  4. Ask questions.
    Don’t just do as your Coach says. Ask why so you begin to understand the how’s and why’s of your program and the purpose of each session. Ask things like ‘what purpose does this session have?’, ‘what benefit will this session provide?’, ‘how will this improve my weakness?’ ‘What area of technique should I focus on’. Knowing and understanding your program will allow you to become a more knowledgeable athlete, you will understand the purpose of each session/week, which in turn will allow you to focus on the purpose (rather than just training for training’s sake) and you will have a better vision of how this works in with your goals, training and racing.
  5. Fuel your body correctly.
    Nutrition is a HUGE part of becoming a stronger, healthier and ultimately better athlete. As a Coach, I hear far too often athletes saying ‘I do triathlon so I can eat what I like’. It is these athletes that generally have the mentality of more training is better too. As much as this is okay if performance or your health isn’t a priority, BUT if you want to become a better athlete then it’s time to start fuelling your body correctly.  Your body will only function as well as the food you fuel it with. High processed foods such as cereals, breads, cakes, biscuits, and many sports drinks are calorie dense with very little nutrients, not aiding in your performance or your recovery. The problem with our sport though is the message that is being sold and marketed to athletes.
    You should be fuelling your body with real whole foods, (not processed carbohydrates and sugar), which include a balance of good carbohydrates, good fats, and protein – and plenty of veg! You will feel better and your body will respond and recover quicker. To help understand your nutrition better and your individual nutritional requirements, I recommend seeing a Sports Nutritionist or Naturopath who can formulate a plan specific for you. One of the best investments you will make in your training and health.   
  6. Sleep!
    Never underestimate the importance of sleep. This is the time when your body repairs damaged muscles, restores optimal hormone balance, aids mental recovery and overall health and well-being. If you find you can’t get enough sleep during the week, use your weekends to catch up, or if you are lucky enough, take a nap during the day. But if you are compromising sleep for your favourite TV show, or up late on Facebook, then ask yourself – is this helping you to become a better athlete? Is it helping you towards your goals? If not, then reassess how you spend your time. Why not record your TV show and catch up on the weekend? Sleep is such an important part of recovery and therefore performance, it should be high on the priority list (well above Facebook stalking!)
  7. Go slow to go fast.
    Far too many athletes are training at too high intensity on easy sessions, and not high enough intensity on hard sessions. If you really want to improve, then ensure you listen to your coach and follow your program and go easy when it says to. (and if your program doesn’t give you easy/aerobic sessions, ask why!) Not only does this allow your body to adapt and grow, it helps build the foundations so you can go hard when you ask your body to. The method that I use with athletes successfully is the MAF Heart Rate Method. There is loads of information on this method online if you want to learn more.
  8. Listen to your body.
    Not every day will be a great training day. Some days you head out for a hard interval session and your body just doesn’t want to respond. You’re unable to hit the times you know you can, your legs feel heavy and your body is generally fatigued. This is the time you need to listen to your body and understand whether it is best to continue with the session, or change it to a recovery session instead. If the purpose of the session was to build top end speed, and you aren’t hitting the times/intensities, then maybe that’s the perfect time to switch to an aerobic or recovery session. You still get training adaption, but you are allowing your body to recover so it doesn’t transfer into the next session and the one after that. Remember our bodies aren’t machines. Athletes who tap into their intuition and understand their bodies will ultimately become better athletes as they manage a more consistent training base. Successful athlete’s don’t just train for the sake of training, every session has a purpose – even when that purpose may change for the greater good of the overall training plan.
  9. Stay focused & leave your ego at the door.
    When you are in a session and training, ensure you are focused on the task at hand. Think about what you are doing and have a goal/purpose for the session. It’s easy to let the mind wonder onto how much work you have to do for the day, or what you are going to have for dinner. I also see athletes lose focus in a way that they start focusing on what others are doing.  A good example of this is when an athlete heads out for an easy run or ride, but is then passed by another runner/cyclist, ego gets in the way, they loose focus of the purpose of their session (easy recovery/aerobic) and they start ‘racing’ someone else. Most of us are guilty of this. So know the purpose of the session and stay focused on it, and leave your ego at the door!
  10. Control the controllable’s.
    Don’t get caught up in things that you can’t control – such as your competitors, the weather, course change, training partners etc. These will only cause you to loose sight of what you set out to achieve. Don’t loose sleep or stress over what you can’t control. That’s one of the biggest mistakes athletes can make. If you can’t control it – then you are wasting energy thinking about it. So stay focused on what you can control (such as your own goals, your training, your health), accept the uncontrollable’s and simply move around them.

Add these steps into your daily/weekly routine and you will find yourself well on the way to becoming a better athlete without any additional training.

Coach Sarah

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Sarah is the Director & Head Coach at Complete Per4mance Coaching. Born out of the desire and passion to not just coach but to educate athletes, Sarah shares her 10 years of coaching and racing experience, knowledge and education with athletes of all levels to help them achieve their optimal performance while maintaining a balanced, happy and healthy life.

Contact Sarah to discuss training options for you.

 

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How to move from middle of the pack to front of the pack!

You have been racing for a few years now. You are generally pretty consistent with your training. You attend group training sessions with your local Club, you enjoy training and love racing. You are self-motivated, dedicated and competitive. You feel like you are doing everything right to achieve the results you are chasing, but for some reason you still find yourself just falling short. You keep finding yourself ‘middle of the pack’ when you want to be ‘front of the pack’. You train hard between each race to move yourself up the ranks, but you still seem to get stuck in the middle. Not last, but not first either. For some reason things just aren’t getting you to where you want to be. You may want to be in the top 10. You may want to podium. Heck you may even want to win! So how to you get from ‘’middle of the pack’ to front of the pack?

I’ll let you in on some secrets – well they aren’t really secrets! Any good Coach should have these all under control, BUT it’s up to the athlete to know these and ensure they are being implemented. So I’ve chosen some of the key areas I believe can help elevate a middle of the pack athlete to a performance athlete.

– Train smarter, not harder.
This means training with purpose. Don’t just train for the sake of training. Ensure each training session has a purpose and you understand why that session is where it is, what you are trying to gain from it and how it fits into your overall training plan. If you don’t know. Ask. If your coach doesn’t know, I’d question whether they are the right Coach for you. A quote I love and use all the time – ‘you should be training the least amount possible to achieve the goals you are after’. So the first step is to ensure every session you perform has a purpose and you follow it. Where many athletes go wrong is when they don’t understand the purpose of a session and find themselves training in the ‘black hole’ or ‘grey zone’ far too often.

Black hole / grey zone training is a session that is either just below or just over your threshold pace/effort/heart rate. It is too slow to develop speed, yet too fast to build your aerobic efficiency. It’s that middle ground where your improvements will start to slow down (or stall completely) and your fatigue starts to build up. You may feel like you are training hard, but you are definitely not training smart. So this is where if you know and understand the purpose of a session, then you will be able to train more efficiently and effectively.

For example, an athlete is told to complete the following speed session:

15min easy aerobic warm up
4 x 20sec strides, 40sec easy
4 x 20sec drills, easy jog back
1-2 min rest/stretch
10 x 60sec all out, 60sec very easy jog, 60sec walk recovery
15min easy aerobic cool down

If this athlete doesn’t take the recovery prescribed – or tries to keep up in recovery with their training buddies and doesn’t recovery properly between sets, their next all out speed set will be compromised and they will start training threshold, or in the ‘black hole’. The PURPOSE of this session was speed, not threshold and definitely not in the black hole. Get the picture? Remember – you are trying to maximise your gains, to result in maximum returns.  Train smarter – not harder.

– Follow a program designed specifically for you.
You may have a coach and join in regular group sessions, but are you making the most of your time? Are the sessions designed specifically for you? Group sessions are great if you have a purpose and you are disciplined enough to stick to it, but if you are just attending sessions because you enjoy it, or it gets you to training, then maybe you need to review whether this is helping you achieve your lofty goals. Remember – you are aiming for performance, not just participation.

Following an individually designed program allows you to maximise your training time, which in return maximises your recovery time, PLUS you know the program is designed specifically for you and your needs – not for the needs of a group. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for group sessions, just not every session. A great way to find the balance between group sessions and ‘getting the job done’ yourself is to look at your strengths and weaknesses. If your weakness is swimming technique and you have access to a great swim coach who will help you with technique, then utilise them. But if you are attending swim sessions and simply trying to ‘keep up’ with the lane, and not able to focus on your technique, then you may be better off swimming on your own some sessions and include some one-on-one technique work with a coach.

– Know your training zones
Again this one comes back to the purpose of a session. If you know your training zones you will be able to train to them. Sessions will generally be prescribed in zones, or perceived efforts that would relate to your training zones. Each zone you train in has a purpose and drives back to your training plan and overall goals. Coaches prescribe sessions at different times of the year to help you develop your maximum aerobic capacity (ie your engine!), and then layer on top strength, endurance, speed and race specific sessions. If you are training outside of the prescribed zones too often, then you are defeating the purpose of the session and the overall plan is totally changed. As a result, you will often see these type of athletes peak too early, not reach their full potential or eventually burn out.

There are a number of ways tests to help determine your training zones:

Threshold tests – bike and run
Times Trials – swim, bike and run
Critical Swim Speed Test
Functional Power Test – bike

Racing – Short races can also be used for updating / determining your training zones, 5/10km run races and sprint/olympic distance racing are great distances to do this.

Ie: an athlete with a run threshold of 175bpm may have training zones that look like the following:

Zone 1: Recovery <138bpm
Zone 2: Aerobic 139-150
Zone 3: Tempo 151-169
Zone 4: Threshold 170-175
Zone 5: Anaerobic 180+

I utilise Training Peaks to calculate threshold zones using the Joe Freil method, however if you don’t have Training peaks, you can use the following formula (this is run specific):

Zone 1: Recovery – Less than 85% of LTHR
Zone 2: Aerobic –  85% to 89% of LTHR
Zone 3: Tempo – 90% to 94% of LTHR
Zone 4: Threshold – 100% to 102% of LTHR
Zone 5: Anaerobic – More than 106% of LTHR
LTHR = lactate threshold

Once you know your training zones, you will be able to implement this into your training and train specifically to a sessions purpose. They will keep you more accountable and the results will follow.

Example threshold run set programmed to zones.
15min easy / zone 2
(4 x)
3min Zone 4 / threshold,
2min Zone3 / tempo,
2min Zone 4 / threshold,
1min Zone2 / aerobic
10-15min easy / zone 2

– Prioritise your recovery for adaption
Recovery is the corner stone to your improvements, yet so many still don’t prioritise this part of their training. Your fitness improves as a result of adaption, adaption occurs when you recover or de-load your intensity and/or volume.

Implementing recovery protocols should be a standard in every training program and can include:

  • Legs up the wall post training for 5-10min to help reduce cortisol
  • Periodised programs that factor in recovery periods (ie 3week build, 1 week recovery)
  • ‘Recovery’ days/weeks can be a reduction in intensity, volume or a combination of the two.
  • Structured cool down after every session
  • Inclusion of easy/recovery sessions such as yoga, walking, pilates
  • Cold water immersion / icing.

– Review your nutrition
What you put in your mouth can play a big part in how you feel, how you recover and how you perform. As a Coach, I hear far too often athletes saying ‘I train so I can eat what I like’. It is these athletes that generally also have the mentality of more training is better. As much as this is ok if performance or your health isn’t your main priority, but if you want to become a better athlete and perform to your optimum, then it’s time to start fuelling your body accordingly.  Your body will only function as well as the food/nutrition you fuel it with. Nutrition can be a big minefield, so if you are unsure of where to start in fuelling for performance and your individual nutritional requirements, I recommend seeing a Sports Nutritionist or Naturopath who can formulate a plan specific for you. One of the best investments you will make in building your performance and longevity in the sport.

– Include Strength & conditioning
Want some Big Bang for your buck? Strength & Conditioning may be your answer. Strength and conditioning helps develop strength and power which equates to speed. Just 30min 2-3 times a week can help improve your weakness and develop your strengths. Plus you will be less prone to injury. So if you don’t include any S&C in your training, it’s time to chat to your coach, or a qualified Strength & conditioning coach who can design a program specifically for you.

-Include Mobility, stability and activation
Most athletes wake up in the morning, throw on their training gear and run out the door just in time to make their session. If you think about this process, you have just been asleep for 6+hours and all of a sudden you are asking your body to perform when it is still half asleep! The same goes if you have been sitting at a desk all day for 8+hours. You need to prepare your body for each training session before you actually start the session. 5-10min of simple but effective mobility / stability exercises can help switch on the muscles you want firing and help you feel a lot better from the very first stroke, pedal or step of your training session. Don’t believe me? Watch any professional athlete ‘warm up’ for the start of their session. They will spend a good 30min doing mobility, stability and activation work!

– Work on your weaknesses
You’ve probably heard it many times before, but are you just listening? Or are you doing? It’s easy to get caught in the trap of training more of the things you love (and are good at!), Yes you want to maximise your strengths, but if you want to improve up the ranks, it’s time you start focusing on your weaknesses. A well formulated plan can help build your weaknesses while maintaining your strengths. Focusing on weaknesses could mean spending more time on technique, it could be developing strength/power, it could be working on your mental aptitude. Whatever your weakness, understand it, find out how to address it and work on it.

And remember:
There are no short cuts to performance. Nothing will beat patience and hard work. As long as your hard work is smart work. So train with purpose, have long and short term goals in place, have a team around you who is willing and able to support you and you will be well on your way to moving to the front of the pack!

Coach Sarah

Written by Coach Sarah, as previously published in the  Australian Triathlete Magazine  

~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~
Sarah is the Director & Head Coach at Complete Per4mance Coaching. Born out of the desire and passion to not just coach but to educate athletes, Sarah shares her 10 years of coaching and racing experience, knowledge and education with athletes of all levels to help them achieve their optimal performance while maintaining a balanced, happy and healthy life.

Contact Sarah to discuss training options for you.

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How to run strong off the bike

Triathlon is an interesting and challenging sport to coach. As coaches, we are challenged with coaching a sport that consists of three very different individual sub-sports (disciplines). Being able to master a triathlon is about being able to put each of these disciples together to have a consistent all round race. Every athlete we coach will also have different needs regarding how to train for each of these disciplines, with varying ‘strengths’ in a particular discipline depending on their background and physical capacity. But in effect, each discipline can be developed and improved with the right training.

Discussions I often have with other coaches and athletes centre around how much time and focus should be spent training each discipline to maximise gains, while being able to execute a strong run on race day. Should more emphasis be placed on the run? How much time should an athlete spend on the bike? What makes someone a strong runner off the bike? This discussion can be argued until the cows come home as there are many theories and philosophies, and it also depends on many factors including an athlete’s training history, their body’s ability to tolerate specific training and training loads, their injury/health history, strengths and areas for improvement and physical make up.

Lets look at it from the perspective of how a triathlon is broken down into disciplines and the proportion of time spent on each discipline in a race. Depending on the race distance, around 50-55% of your time is spent on the bike compared to 30% on the run, and only 15-20% in the swim. Many Coaches (and athletes) will debate whether the bike or the run leg of a race is most important, while the swim leg is often regarded as ‘the necessary evil’. Both have good points to argue – with those on the running side viewing the run as the ‘final event’ and where races can be run or won. Others view the bike leg as the most crucial as you spend the longest duration on the bike and has the greatest impact on your run.

However, we can’t simply look at each discipline through such a narrow perspective as duration alone. Yes, the greatest portion of time is spent on the bike, but this doesn’t necessarily equate to the greatest portion of the effort. So, both sides have valid points, and depending on the type of athlete you are, or who you talk to, I don’t think there is a right or a wrong answer. Differing training programs can even have similar results. However, I believe for most beginner and intermediate age group triathletes, they tend to underestimate the importance of the bike leg and ‘worry’ more about the run leg of the race somewhat out of fear of losing the race on the run. So they spend a good portion of their training logging kilometres on the run – good in theory, but the more run training you do, the less time/energy/focus you have to spend on the other disciplines (plus the increased risk of injury). And it can still be debated on how much focus should be spent on the run compared to the other disciplines. With this in mind, where I see athletes going wrong is not spending enough time on the bike building a strong strength endurance base that in return will assist them in the run leg, running stronger (read faster!) off the bike, without additional run training.

Triathlon is just like any other endurance sport and comes down to strength (not speed) and is centred on being able to resist fatigue for as long as possible. Each leg in a triathlon race builds fatigue on the last, so if we look at it from this perspective, the accumulative effects from the swim and the bike have a huge impact on the run. So, our aim in a triathlon is being able to get off the bike and being able to manage our run form (and pace) under fatigue.

To assist with running strong OFF the bike under fatigue, you want to be strong ON the bike, otherwise the dreaded fatigue will kick in far sooner than you had planned (or hoped). Therefore, becoming a strong cyclist, I believe, is the first step to becoming a strong runner off the bike and thus running to your potential in a triathlon.

With my athletes, I focus on three main areas to prepare for a strong run off the bike:

1.Get stronger on the bike.

Whether you are a great runner that doesn’t seem to run great on race days, or running is your weakness, if you get stronger and more aerobically fit on the bike (assuming you pace correctly for the distance/your level) you WILL run faster off the bike. So, work on developing your strength and endurance on the bike. Don’t skimp on your aerobic base and strength phases of your training program. So many athletes want to rush through this and get on their time trial bike and start smashing out hard/fast threshold efforts. Take a step back and make the most of developing your aerobic and strength base – particularly if you know this is something you can really use working on. Include plenty of long aerobic rides and hills or big gear efforts for strength and try extending your aerobic/strength base phase from your previous year’s training. This will allow you to develop a bigger ‘engine’ to work with later on AND stronger legs to push the power when you ask your body too!

2. Run off the bike – often.

Most athletes will only run off the bike in the final build into their race/season as it’s seen as ‘race specific’ training. But running EASY off the bike on sessions throughout the majority of the year will allow your body to adapt to running off the bike and the associated fatigue. The key here though is running EASY and running with FORM. Keeping durations short to ensure you maintain that form is crucial otherwise you are setting bad habits and risk injury. As you get closer to your race/season, just like any well-rounded training plan, you can then start to incorporate harder/longer runs off the bike specific to your racing and goals.

3. Strength training – year round.

It can really go without saying – strength training makes you stronger PLUS it is a great way to help minimise the chance of injury while assisting your body to hold form under fatigue. So incorporating strength and conditioning, mobility, stability and activation into your training year round will help you perform better in training and reach your goals sooner. You want to ensure the strength training you incorporate is functional and specific to the swim, bike and run, so find a strength and conditioning, or functional movement, coach who can develop a well-balanced and specific program for you. Stick to it, and you will be rewarded with results – both in training, racing and injury prevention.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you can neglect the run leg, as specific muscular endurance and neuromuscular adaptions for the run can only be developed by running. So ensure you have planned in your specific blocks of run training and regain your focus on the following – rather than simply trying to run faster in training:

  • Focus and improve your running form and efficiency during every session. Don’t just simply ‘tick the box’
  • Build your aerobic engine – this means running easy! The bigger the engine you build, the better it will run later.
  • Run hills – strength on the run is just as important as strength on the bike. Incorporate hills (strength) training into your runs also during specific phases of your program.
  • Run consistently – consistency with anything is the key to success, and nothing else can replicate this.

Remember – triathlon is a single sport that is made up of three individual sub-sports of which have to be factored in together when training. So the trick is to look at each discipline as part of the overall sport, not three different sports. Include test sessions or events to check whether your training is working and you are improving in the areas you are focusing on. And most important, find a balance that works for you and keeps you motivated and excited about your training. The more motivation you have, the more likely you are to remain consistent and as stated above – consistency is key in any training program. 

Written by Coach Sarah, as previously published in the  Australian Triathlete Magazine  

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If you would like me to help you improve your training and racing performance contact me for a chat no matter your level or goals. 

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Is data overloading your training?

Triathlon is a difficult sport to master for so many reasons. There is so much to learn, technique to improve, areas to develop. It requires discipline, self-motivation and often lots of time. Throw on top of that, the number of gadgets, gear and data that is available to you and it can turn your head into a spin! Some athletes don’t know where to start, others get lost along the way, and many become obsessed.

Over the years, the sport has become very numbers driven and it has become so competitive that many age groupers are now being labelled pro age groupers. A new breed of athlete that races as an amateur but essentially lives and trains as if they are a pro. And that has also created the demand for new ways to improve and perform like a pro – enter the power metre.

There are a number of ways you can measure data including heart rate monitors, GPS, smart phone apps, and one that is becoming increasing popular with triathletes is a power metre. The power metre is designed to measure the power (watts) output of a rider using a strain gauge to measure the amount of torque applied. When this is combined with velocity, power is calculated. There are a number of power metres now available on the market with the price continually dropping, allowing them to become more accessible to every day age groupers, which is fantastic. The problem we are starting to see here though, is athletes who are becoming obsessed with this data.

Power metres can be a powerful tool, but they can also become a dangerous one. Many triathletes are your typical Type A personalities who are driven and can become obsessed and fixated, on a particular number on a screen, instead of taking a look at the big picture and it can be a dangerous place for an athlete to be in. It is the same with those who always run with a GPS watch and then don’t know how to run without it. Athletes who rely too heavily on measurements, devices and data start to lose their intuition. If you start to rely purely on a screen for feedback on how you are responding, you will lose contact with your body and how you are actually feeling. Perception on how you feel is often the best measure of how you are tracking.

Most triathletes would have heard of the term FTP – functional threshold power. FTP is effectively the maximum power you can sustain for an hour and many triathletes test their FTP regularly to gauge their improvements, set new training zones and to help develop a threshold power they will race with over a given distance.However many athletes start to lose themselves as they constantly want to test their FTP and find out what that magic number is. It becomes almost like an obsession, rather than knowing or understanding what that value / number is actually for. FTP should be a measure that you can take as a guide and then go out onto the road and find out what is actually real. You will find you will gain more value in understanding relative power over a course (specific to your race) than an FTP figure itself. A super 20min FTP test does not mean you are going to nail race day!

So think of power metres and data such as FTP a bit like using a set of scales for losing weight. It is a great tool to help you achieve your goal, showing you one way to measure, but it is not the only tool, nor the only measure. It is one tool in a large tool box, so use it accordingly. Don’t be so fixated on a number and always wanting to beat that number, as you will lose sight of the bigger picture. Use it as a guide, for bench marking and a reference to how you are actually feeling. Use it to assist in controlling your efforts and helping you improve for the race/distance you are training for, but don’t lose touch of your intuition and how you are feeling.

Chris Boardman – former British Olympic Cycling Gold medalist, 3 x tour stage winner and 3 x hour record breaker sums it up well: The most important thing to remember when measuring performance is the three P’s –Power, Perception and Pulse. Numbers don’t tell you how you feel. I never raced to data – either the hour record or at a prologue.

From a coaching perspective, data analysis allows us to accurately determine requirements of a given event/discipline. With previous data history and analysis, we can pretty accurately know and understand what is required of a top age grouper to perform at the top level or to reach a personal best. This then allows us to replicate what is needed in training to get the result we/the athlete is after. BUT just like athletes, we too require input from other methods, we don’t rely solely on your data, constant feedback and communication is just as important – if not more important than the numbers themselves.

Also think about the amount of time you are spending on analyzing data. You have to determine what the cost versus reward there is. From a Coaching perspective, to a point, I personally believe it can be a waste of valuable time for age groupers to analyse their own training data. Yes, review and understand it, but don’t become obsessed with it. You could be better spending your time on recovery, sleep, body maintenance etc. So I recommend working closely with a Coach who can help analysis your data for you (that’s what they are there for) rather than simply relying on your own analysis. Interpretation of data requires knowledge, experience and time – if you don’t have these then seek help from a Coach. A Coach will be your leveling voice for when you cant see through all the data you are bogged down with. So instead of trying to decipher innate amounts of data, why not allow a Coach to decipher this for you and provide them with your feedback.

So don’t get bogged down with data and numbers, and don’t forget the fundamentals of why you train and race. No one wants to train with someone who is constantly talking about their efforts, thresholds, and power. You will quickly start to lose training partners and friends if you do…

KEY TAKE HOME POINTS:

  • Having access to power is one thing – but having these numbers alone wont make you a pro overnight. It takes patience, learning and dedicated training to reap the results.
  • Dont lose sight of the bigger picture, you can learn so much more from your training itself than the testing, time trials and FTP tests.
  • Power metres and data can help you with training, but as just one tool in your toolkit, don’t rely solely on it.
  • Never lose the ability to be intuitive – listen and learn from your body.
  • Follow a sound training plan and invest in a Coach
  • Don’t become obsessed with data that it becomes a hindrance to your performance

Terminology –

FTP – Functional Power Threshold
TSS – Training Stress Score
HRV – Heart Rate Variability
RPE – Rating Perceived Exertion
TT – Time Trials LT – lactate threshold
MHR – Max Heart Rate
VO2 – Maximal Aerobic Capacity

Written by Coach Sarah and previously published in Australian Triathlete Magazine 
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10 Tips for becoming a better athlete without training more

As Coaches we strive to help athletes get the most out of themselves. We program plans to develop their strengths and improve their weaknesses.But when most athletes think about making improvements and becoming a better athlete, they immediately think about how they can fit more training into their week, or how much harder they can push in a session. But other than simply training more, there are lots of ways athletes can improve without having to train more. Here I share with you my 10 simple (but highly effective) ways to help you become a better athlete without more training.

1.Do 3 things in your day that will benefit you as an athlete.

I once read this tip from Ironman World Champion Pete Jacobs. He had a list of 3 things that he would tick off each day to improve his performance, and I’ve been using this myself and with a number of my athletes since, with fantastic benefits. This doesn’t mean you have to train 3 times a day, it means finding a balance and combination of training, stretching, rolling, mindfulness, meditation, eating healthy, massage, sleeping –all of which should play a part in a sound training program. The thing I love most about this is,on days that are ‘ recovery’ days or easier training days, you can still do three things that will benefit your training. So for those athletes who ‘ dread’ recovery days, you can now look forward to them –knowing that they are improving your performance. The key to this is finding the right combination at the right time –and this often means listening intuitively to your body and understanding what it needs.So choose your 3 things each day wisely, and commit to them, consistently.

2.Set value driven goals. 

We hear it all the time. Have goals, set goals, work towards your goals…Most athletes have ‘ goals per-se, but what a lot of athletes are missing are the key values behind those goals. Knowing and understanding why you set them, what drives you, what motivates you and what steps you will put in place to reach them. Setting value driven goals will provide you with structure and motivation which will help ensure consistency –even during winter, which will equate to continual improvement.If you are unsure on how to set value driven goals, chat to a Coach or a mentor.

3.Follow a training program.

Athletes will benefit and improve by following a training program that has structure, periodisation and specificity. Even better than simply following a structured training program, is following a personalised program written specifically for you. A program that takes into account your work load, family time, downtime, strengths, weaknesses, drivers and goals. Without a structured program, we often see athletes over-train (as they are trying to keep up with others) or under recover (as they think more training is better) which over time can lead to injury or burn out. A structured program will ensure continual improvements as well as longevity in the sport.

4.Ask questions.

Don’ t just do as your Coach says. Ask why so you begin to understand how (and why) your program is written and the purpose of each session. Ask things like ‘ what purpose does this session have?’ , ‘ what benefit will this session provide?’ , ‘ how will this improve my weakness?’ Knowing and understanding your program will allow you to become a more knowledgeable athlete, you will understand the purpose of each session/week, which in turn will allow focus on the purpose (rather than just training for trainings sake) and you will have a better vision of how this works in with your goals, training and racing.

5.Fuel your body correctly.

Nutrition is a HUGE part of becoming a stronger, healthier and ultimately better athlete. As a Coach, I hear far too often athletes saying ‘ I do triathlon so I can eat what I like’. It is these athletes that generally have the mentality of more training is better. As much as this is okay if performance or your health isn’t a priority, but if you want to become a better athlete then it’ s time to start fuelling your body correctly.Your body will only function as well as the food you fuel it with. High processed foods such as cereals, breads, cakes, biscuits, and many sports drinks are calorie dense with very little nutrients, not aiding in your performance or your recovery. The problem with our sport though is the message that is being ‘ sold’ to athletes –eat lots of pasta, drink sports drinks, “carb load”.You should be fuelling your body with real whole foods, (not processed carbohydrates and sugar), which include a balance of good carbohydrates, good fats, and protein. You will feel better and your body will respond and recover quicker. To help understand your nutrition better and your individual nutritional requirements, I recommend seeing a Sports Nutritionist or Naturopath who can formulate a plan specific for you. One of the best investments you will make in your training and health.

6.Sleep!

Never underestimate the importance of sleep. This is the time when your body repairs damaged muscles, restores optimal hormone balance, aids mental recovery and overall health and well-being. If you find you can’ t get enough sleep during the week, use your weekends to catch up, or if you are lucky enough, take a nap during the day! But if you are compromising sleep for your favourite TV show, or up late on Facebook, then ask yourself –is this helping you to become a better athlete? Is it helping you towards your goals? If not, then reassess how you spend your time. Why not record your TV show and catch upon the weekend? Sleep is such an important part of recovery and therefore performance, it should be high on the priority list (well above Facebook stalking!)

7.Go slow to go fast.

Far too many athletes are training at too high intensity on easy sessions, and not high enough intensity on hard sessions. If you really want to improve, then ensure you listen to your coach and follow your program and go easy when it says to. Not only does this allow your
body to adapt and grow, it helps build the foundation so you can go hard when you ask your body to. The method that we use successfully is the MAF Heart Rate Method. There is loads of information on this method online if you want to learn more.

8.Listen to your body.

Not every day will be a great training day. Some days you head out for a hard interval session and your body just doesn’t want to respond. You’ re unable to hit the times you know you can, your legs feel heavy and your body is generally fatigued. This is the time you need to listen to your body and understand whether it is best to continue with the session, or change it to a recovery session instead. If the purpose of the session was to build top end speed, and you aren’t hitting the times, then maybe that’ s the perfect time to switch to a recovery session. You still get training adaption, but you are allowing your body to recover so it doesn’t’ t transfer into the next session and the one after that. Remember our bodies aren’t machines. Athletes who tap into their intuition and understand their bodies will ultimately become better athletes as they manage a more consistent training base. Successful athlete’s don’ t just train for the sake of training, every session has a purpose –even when that purpose may change for the greater good of the overall training plan.

9.Stay focused & leave your ego at the door.

When you are in a session and training, ensure you are focused on the task at hand. Think about what you are doing and have a goal for the session. It’ s easy to let the mind wonder onto how much work you have to do for the day, or what you are going to have for dinner. I also see athletes lose focus in a way that they start focusing on what others are doing.A good example of this is when an athlete heads out for an easy run or ride, but is then passed by another runner/cyclist, ego gets in the way, they loose focus of the purpose of their session (easy recovery) and they start ‘ racing’ someone else. Most of us are guilty of this. So know the purpose of the session and stay focused on it, and leave your ego at the door.

10.Control the controllable’s.

Don’ t get caught up in things that you can’ t control –such as your competitors, the weather, course change, training partners etc. These will only cause you to loose sight of what you set out to achieve. Don’ t loose sleep or stress over what you can’ t control. That’ s one of the biggest mistakes athletes can make. If you can’ t control it–then you are wasting energy thinking about it. So stay focused on what you can control (such as your own goals), accept the uncontrollable’ s and simply move around them.

Part of my coaching philosophy is to ensure athletes have complete balance in their training. Getting the most out of athletes to improve their performance doesn’t necessarily mean training more. It means working on the little things that can provide big gains over time-mostly because the athlete will be healthier, be less susceptible to injuries and maintain a more consistent training plan and program. Add these steps into your daily/weekly routine and you will find yourself well on the way to becoming a better athlete without any additional training.

Written by Coach Sarah,  as previously published in the  Australian Triathlete Magazine 

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