The Post-Race 24-hour Rule

Having perspective is always good. Racing is something I have done for a long time (20+ years now) and is something I truly enjoy doing. From the pomp and circumstance of big events like the Boston Marathon to a local sprint triathlon, every race has its own, unique appeal.

On most Thanksgiving Day morning's I can be found in Nazareth at the Pumpkin Pie 5k. It's good times hanging out with friends, sometimes winning a pumpkin pie for my efforts. It is more of a fun run that supports a good cause (Nazareth YMCA) with no expectations for performance or placing.

But not all races fall into the "just go have fun" bucket. Now that we are in the middle of May, race season is upon us. In 8 days I'll be racing my first triathlon of the year just over the Jersey boarder. It will be fun, is not my "A" race, but will be something I take serious.

I will race hard.

I will have expectations.

I will not lose my $hit if things don't work out as I have planned. Why not? Perspective.

Like all but a very few of us I am an amateur athlete. If I decide to participate in an event I pay my money, pick up my race packet, then give it my all from start to finish. After crossing the finish line I have performed as expected, maybe even lowering a PR. Every. Single. Time.

Yeah, right.

Truth be told, I give it my all most of the time. See, there are times that things just aren't clicking ... or there's a mechanical issue ... or the legs feel like hell ... or whatever. There are times where it just ain't working out as planned. There are times I have walked away really pissed off at myself for either not properly preparing or doing something stupid on race day. If I'm being honest, in my case its mostly the stupid thing. Who needs to pace slower than as fast as possible over a 40k bike ride when you have a 10k run that follows? Apparently I do.

Anyway, point is, after most every race we are all likely to have reason to be emotionally charged up. Which is great, but shouldn't get out of control. This, my friend, is where the Post-Race 24-hour Rule comes in. The rule is:

Whatever the outcome - good or bad - you should take 24 hours and really embrace the emotional roller coaster. After 24 hours come to grips with what happened on race day and move forward.

For everyone how the 24 hour window of emotions plays out is as unique as the individual we all are. It could be everything from telling complete strangers on the street what a bad ass you are to sulking over some Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream Ice Cream. Some of us internalize, showing the outside world little of how we truly feel about what went down. Beating your spouse or throwing things at your dog are not allowed. You need to work through your personal stuff, not cause damage to those around you.

After 24 hours it is time to get a broader perspective and move on. Yes, the race was important. You wouldn't be emotional over an outcome that didn't matter, correct? But in a broader sense, just how important was it? Unless you are a professional athlete you didn't lose any prize money. Last time I looked, a marathon PR for literally all but a handful of people will not be a world record. Walking the back half of an Ironman run is never any fun (trust me, been there, done that), but it isn't the end of the world. In fact, every time that has happened (like I said before, I can race stupid) The Queen still loved me and my job was still waiting for me on Monday morning.

No doubt, racing is important to anyone who puts on a race number. I get it and am with you. But racing is (should be) just a part of your life, not the be all, end all. Take some time and reflect on what happened - good or bad - then move on. Keep some perspective. Use the experience to better yourself going forward.

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #12: The Post-Ironman Decision Rule

In the world of endurance sport Ironman is a different beast. There are other incredible endurance challenges (Ultraman, Badwater, Leadville 100, Race Across America) for sure. These events are small in size and really only available to a small number of elite athletes. Completing an Ironman, however, is achievable by Joe or Jean Average if he/she has the desire to pay the entry fee, put in the work, then go the distance. Nothing is quite like an Ironman.

Completing 140.6 miles of swim/bike/run in 17 hours or less is a huge accomplishment, taking months of dedicated training and personal sacrifice in the pursuit of crossing the finish line to Mike Riley's voice pronouncing you an Ironman. Those last few hundred meters are emotional for everyone - from first-time finisher to grizzled veteran. For some it is the highest of highs, for others it is pain and frustration. I've yet to meet someone who crossed that line and said "eh, that's was OK."

Ironman Florida Finish - 9:37 finish (swim cancelled race)

Post-race, the emotions continue for sometime. For some the immediate thought is they have checked the Ironman box; for others it is a high like no other. In race terms, one either wants to get back out and race tomorrow, or never, ever go the distance again.

Over the course of the next 4-5 weeks an interesting thing happens. The day after the race everyone is walking around town in their finishers hats and shirts while the best of the best get the opportunity to punch their card to Kona. Once home it continues on with friends and family congratulating you and asking about your race. The emotional highs (or lows) just keep coming as you tell your Ironman story.

And then it happens ... life get back to normal. You are no longer Joe Ironman, but simply Joe once again. Now, after a few weeks time, you can finally get some perspective. What went right? What went wrong? Do I want to give 140.6 miles another try? After about 30 days time one can truly reflect back on race day, get a grip on what happened and decide on future racing.

The rule then is this:

Any decision on racing a future Ironman-distance race should not be made until at least 30 days have passed since your last Ironman race.

Exception #1: The professional triathlete who is racing for a living and KPR points.

Exception #2: The injured triathlete who already has a second Ironman scheduled for the year can decide to opt out of race #2 if physically necessary.

One month ago, on November 1, I crossed the finish line at Ironman Florida in Panama City Beach, for my fifth Ironman finish. Since then I have embraced the off-season, keeping active but without any structure. Mentally I'm starting to get back into it. On Saturday I felt motivated to do a short swim workout, which is a good sign. It was short and sucked, don't get me wrong, but it is good to once again start coming out the other side of the Ironman experience.

As for next year ... time to start making some decisions.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

Rule #9: When You Train or Race, Dress Event Appropriate

Rule #10:  It Doesn't Suck, It's a Challenge, It's an Opportunity

Rule #11: When It's Time to Take an Off-Season, Take an Off-Season

Rule #11: When It's Time to Take an Off-Season, Take an Off-Season

For longer than I can remember, I have a New Year's Eve run that I do with anyone who is open to running it with me. It is a 10 mile out-and-back which starts and ends at Sand Island in Bethlehem. Unlike a normal run on the trail, this run travels over South Mountain with a total of 3.5 miles of serious climbing. A great run to talk about for sure, but the main reason we started the tradition has nothing to do with "starting the new year off right" and everything to do with off-season training.

Seems really strange that I would be writing about the off-season rule here in early September as I prepare myself for a half Ironman and my A-race (Ironman Florida) in less than two months time. Here it is crunch time and what rule do I whip out of my back pocket? Take an Off Season.

You might just start to think my head isn't in the game ...

I assure you, my head is in the game. I write this now as I have had a number of conversations with friends who, like me, are prepping for their big race of the year who, quite frankly, fear the off season. Do they fear the lack of training structure? Maybe ... but probably not.

Me thinks that what the fear is all about is fitness. Or more to the point, losing some fitness.

Before I go on I want to make two things perfectly clear. First, when I talk about the off-season I make a distinction between off-season and early season. The off-season is designed to heal the body and get your mental mojo back. The early season is about base building, building strength and skills, and consistent training. For me, the off-season is generally the time from my last race of the year to about Christmas. The early season is from New Years Day through the end of March. If you don't live on the East Coast, the timing of your off-season could be different than mine.

Second, when I talk about losing fitness it is a relative thing. After completing Ironman Florida on November 1 I will be taking my down time. Come January 1, I promise you that I will be in no shape to complete an Ironman. I'll still be able to swim and bike and run, just not as fast and as far as I could on November 1, when I should be in peak condition for the year.

And I am good with it. Been doing this for years without issue. In fact, it makes the early part of the year feel great as I can feel the fitness coming back.

Seriously. No bull$hit. It's really true.

Still, I can feel your skepticism seeping through the computer screen. It is hard, for the most part, to just stop training. Which, really isn't NOT Training ... it's just not nearly as much volume as you have become addicted accustomed to doing.  And really, when compared to the average human being, is still quite a bit of training. Still, you fear losing all that fitness you gained over the last 10+ months of training AND YOU ARE SURE IT'S NEVER COMING BACK. EVER!!!

So here's the deal: when you stop training like an animal you will lose fitness. But, and this is a big but, if you allow yourself to get "out of shape," taking the time to concern yourself with health and well-being as opposed to just race fitness, your body will heal itself and you will come back stronger in your next training cycle.

Here are the rules for a true off-season:

• Continue to workout, just not structured or on too regular a basis. If you feel like getting up and doing something, do it. If not, go back to sleep.
• Train different than you do in-season. When you do train, swimming is better than biking and biking is better than running, although maintaining a base level of running is important. The less stress you put on the joints the better.
• Strength train. This is the best time of year to strengthen up the body and work on any weaknesses you may have.
• Keep intensity low. Remember those social runs you used to take? All runs should be social (or social paced).
• Gain some weight. Yeah, you heard me, gain some weight. Staying at your race weight year round is great for the ego but isn't so good for the body. Come January 1 I will be 5-10 pounds heavier than I was on the morning of my A race.
• Work on your nutrition. Yes, it is more than OK to partake in holiday festivities, but that doesn't mean your diet should go to complete crap. If there is something you have been thinking about changing - going Paleo, eating more vegetables, whatever - now is a good time to start integrating it into your routine.  
• Do non-triathlon/sports related activities. Take the extra time you have from lower training volume and do things you don't normally have time for, like reading, writing or taking care of things around the house (Note to The Queen: please don't read this to mean that I should be doing things around the house).
• Plan out your new year of training/racing. While your training load is low and you have extra time on your hands, reflect back on your past year and look forward to the next race season. Are there any destination races you are ready to check off the bucket list? A new distance you want to step up to? What limiters held your performance back and need to be addressed? 

What the off-season comes down to is balancing the desire to continue to hammer your body and the desire to become a lazy bum. You will continue to workout, just at lower volume and intensity, and not so regimented. Keep in mind, even when you are "barely training" you are probably more active than the average human being.

In reality what I have found is that in the first few weeks after my final race of the year it is easy to get back into the gym for strength training while the desire to swim is about zero, and sitting on my bike in the basement isn't going to happen. Running easy and short is a pleasure as it is running for pure pleasure of running. If I can get outside on the bike on a weekend I'm good as well. By about day 30 my desire to train starts to come back and things get more consistent. I do make sure that I'm not overdoing it, which is kinda a strange thing in this sedentary world we live in. By the time Ryan Seacrest is standing in Times Square rockin' in the New Year I'm asleep on the couch ready both physically and mentally to get back into that training routine.

Getting back to the New Year's Eve run ... that run has never been about just starting the New Year out right or anything like that. I may have said that out loud to people. If I did it was a lie. Really, what that run represents is the chance to go out and see just how out of shape I am to start the early season. Some years I can run up both sides without stopping to walk, while other years have been a bit of a disaster. Either way, I know where I'm at.

Moral of the story: If it is the end of your race year, it is time to rest!!!

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

Rule #9: When You Train or Race, Dress Event Appropriate

Rule #10:  It Doesn't Suck, It's a Challenge, It's an Opportunity

Rule #10: It Doesn't Suck, It's a Challenge, It's an Opportunity

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion.'" - Muhammad Ali

"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." - William A. Ward

"Embrace the suck." - Chris "Macca" McCormack


After work the other day I headed down the street to LA Fitness to knock off one of my three weekly swim sessions. After changing into my jammers I entered the pool area to see two of the three lanes filled with floaters. No, not the kind of floater from Caddyshack, but the kind who take a lane while not really exercising. You know, just floating around. Third lane was available, but I had to share it with a woman doing breast stroke. Not the best person to share a lane with, but at least she could swim a straight line and we could stay out of each others way.

Anyway, I sat on the side of the pool really wanting to just go home and watch some TV. It didn't get any better when I started my warm-up. Still, I invoked the 20-minute rule (Rule #4) and carried on. After my warm up, still not feeling good, I started my main set of 15x100 on 1:35. The first 100 really, really sucked. I hit the wall, feeling like hell, knowing if I continued on it probably wasn't going to get any better. For about 3 seconds I contemplated calling it a day.

Well, maybe a bit more than 3 seconds ...

My Garmin showed it was time to push off so off I went. As I pushed off the wall three words entered my mind - f#$k this $hit.  Instantly my mindset changed.

Sometimes, this is what the final 10k of an
Ironman can look like. At least the scenery
was nice to look at.

Grind it out, one at a time became my mantra. Don't think ahead. Stay in the present.

Hundred by hundred I was able to hit my times, even a few seconds faster for the last three reps.

It sucked, but I got through it.

Train for an endurance sport and you are bound to encounter something that sucks - a set of intervals, a freezing cold pool, injury, the last 6 miles of the Ironman run - on a fairly regular basis. How successful you are in reaching your potential at sport (or in life) can be attributed to how you handle those moments that absolutely suck. Anyone who has trained for an marathon can drop the hammer for 26.2 miles with blue skies and a light cool breeze. Putting out your best when it's 38 degrees and raining ... that's something you really have to embrace.

Those moments when things suck, when you just want to hang it up, when you feel like you are at the very end of the rope ... those are the moments that make you strong, physically, and probably more importantly, mentally. Yes, that 15x100 did my body some good. What I took from that workout, however, was that I could do the work, continue to push forward, at a time I clearly wanted to be doing something much less stressful on the body. Mentally I made it to the other side.

This goes beyond pushing through some intervals or those low moments in a race. What is your reaction in the days/weeks after suffering an injury? How do you handle a flat tire at mile 47 of an Ironman? Don't think that can ruin your day if you let it? Ask Norman Stadler.

Something that sucks - adversity - will show up when you least expect it. How you deal with it will determine your fate. Do you give in and call it a day? Or do you take whatever is happening as a challenge, an opportunity?

This rule is both different than and an extension of Rule #5. It is different in that Rule #5 is about more than fear to push the limits (harden the f#$k up and do it). Rule #10 is about the understanding of those moments, embracing them, then dealing with it in a business-like fashion. Rule #10 is about how you develop and, ultimately, how you put it together on race day. Rule #10 is impossible without fully embracing Rule #5.

The essence of Rule #10 is this: the moments that determine who you are, what you are made of, how you perform on race day, come not from the moments when things are going good, but when things are going bad. These are the times you have the opportunity to create personal greatness.

Handle these moments with grace and determination? You're a champion. Wilt like an unwatered Florida lawn in July? Never gonna happen.


Train hard. Stay Focused.
Jon


Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

Rule #9: When You Train or Race, Dress Event Appropriate

Rule #9: When You Train or Race, Dress Event Appropriate

I swear this has happened at every marathon I have ever done.  I show up, usually in shorts and a technical t-shirt, focused and ready to run my best. At the smaller marathons you can go about your business quickly, while at the larger races you need more time to check your bag, clean the pipes, and line up. Eventually you make it over the the staging area. You look around at other runners, taking notice of the good or the bad.

If you're The Queen, you look absolutely impeccable in your well thought out outfit. If you're me, you might kinda, sorta match. Either is cool by me unless ... you're dressed like a tri geek.

Seriously, you know who I'm talking about. There's always "That Guy" (could be a girl or, many times, they travel in packs), who decides the best option is to tri geek up with a $300 tri suit, $60 compression socks, a pair of Hoka One-Ones on his feet, and a fuel belt on to hold his race day nutrition.

I hate "That Guy."

Here's the thing. It's great that you're proud to be a triathlete. I know I am. It takes a lot of dedication and athletic skill to be able to swim AND bike AND run. Even for the slowest racer at the shortest distance!!!

But you showed up for a RUNNING RACE, not a triathlon. You are there with runners AS a runner. On this day you are not required to warm up with a swim and a bike. All you are doing is running. This being the case, dress like a runner.

And this ... this is just never acceptable.

Same thing goes for any activity you are doing with single sport athletes. Or just at the pool for a swim
workout.

A few years ago I show up at LA Fitness in Allentown to get a swim workout in. I get changed and enter the pool area ready to get some work done. I don't remember how many people were in the pool at the time. What I do remember is the guy in a $200+ trisuit telling everyone he could about the open water swim he did, what a great swimmer he was, blah, blah, blah.

The whole scene this dude made was embarrassing on so many levels. I was embarrassed for him; I was embarrassed that he was representing triathletes in this matter; I was embarrassed because none of this was necessary if he followed the simple rule of looking the part of what you are actually doing.

And just for the record, the dude could barely swim a straight line for 25 yards.

Slowly.

Very, very slowly.

Anyway, here is a fairly comprehensive breakdown on appropriate training/racing attire:

• Running a 5k, 10k, marathon, or any other running that isn't preceded by a swim and/or bike? Dress like a runner
• Doing a Giro, riding The Derby, or out for a group training ride? Dress like a roadie and ride a road bike
• Out for a training ride on your tri bike? Still dress like a roadie.
• Hitting the pool for a swim? Jammers. Speedo. If you would consider riding your bike in it, don't wear it.
• Doing a swim meet? Break out the Speedo if you're good, wear the jammers if you are me.
• Your Tri Suit is very appropriate for a triathlon ... but only a triathlon.
• Hitting the gym for some strength training or some Crossfit? Shorts and a t-shit

This, on the other hand ... 

There are some very limited exceptions to this rule. If, for example, you are transition workout (swim/bike or bike/run), it can be totally appropriate you wear your tri suit or tri shorts and a tight fitting bike jersey (depending on how long of a run you have off the bike). Another situation tri geeking out is appropriate is while training with a group of triathletes, be it at home or at a training camp.

Moral of the story: dress for the activity you are doing.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

I'm a morning person. Always have been, always will be. I generally wake up between 4:30 and 5:00 am and get a workout in before heading into the office. Really, really a great way to start the day, once you get into the habit. Except, every now and then ...

You ever have one of those days where you wake up with your head in the wrong place.Not such a big deal if your morning routine only consists of $h!t, shower and shave. Safe to say we all can suck it up and get through that routine, and out the door for work, even when we don't really feel like driving down Rt. 22 and putting in our 8-10 hours at the office. It is, however, a big deal if you have to hit the track, ride some Vo2Max intervals, or swim 4200M. Such a mindset can - likely will - destroy your workout.

Or how about that race ... you know the one ... the one you obsessed over the weather or the hills, or the swim or how much you "suck" at running off the bike. For weeks the inner-speak was completely negative. "I can't swim!" you told yourself. And guess what? Your swim was for $h!t.

Don't forget that race technology we all use these days. I certainly love me some data but, man, it can become a distraction at times. I'm thinking of those days where you hit the road, start running and your legs feel absolutely dead. May be that you just need to get warmed up a bit, or maybe invoke the 20-minute rule. But you look at your Garmin and notice your heart rate is way low ... or way high ... or just right.  Doesn't matter because whatever it says you start to tell yourself that something just isn't right. Why? Because you started to think too much.

Technology can be a great tool. Too much technology
and you become a tool.

I have a good friend who, before he moved from the Lehigh Valley, was a part of our Saturday morning run crew. Let's call him Two Banana Tim, mainly because his name is Tim and ... well, that's a story for another time. So Two Banana Tim (TBT) is a bean counter during the day, which naturally leads him to doing the same thing with his running. One of the worst things that could have happened to TBT was the day his sports technology went beyond a simple Timex watch. Totally got it in his head that all those numbers he was seeing in real time were the be all and end all of how he was feeling and how his run was going. See the picture on the side there, that could be TBT.

The other bad habit TBT had (and I have been plenty guilty of this as well) is doing  in-race math. Now, I'm not talking about thinking I'm on pace for "X." No, what I'm talking about is the in race inner talk that goes something like this:

"OK Jon, you're at mile 21 and the clock reads 2:38:17. You have just under 42 minutes to break 3:20. That's good. That's good. Can still reach that, even if you slow down to an 8:00/mile pace."

You know what happens at that point, every single time? I slow down. Mind you, I wasn't already blown up physically, running a pace that would make the goal impossible. But that tiny little conversation subconsciously justified taking the foot off the throttle and led me to a slower finish time than could have been possible. You should also keep in mind that these conversations are usually not a once and done type thing. Because, at least in my case, once the brain starts talking it doesn't shut up.

Tame the brain on race day and this will be you.

What has worked for me is essentially shutting down the brain and staying completely in the moment. For a short race or series of intervals what has worked is just putting my head down and embrace the suffering. Running a 5k hurts when you are pushing your personal limits, but it is over fairly quick. Same thing with a 10 minute bike interval or a set of hard 100s in the pool. Just Rule #5 it.

For longer races and training days the advice I found has helped me the most with this comes from the coaches over at Endurance Nation , who tell you to focus on the now and very immediate future. They refer to it as staying inside the box. On the bike, ask yourself, "what do I have to do between now and the next aide station to keep my race on track?" For the run it's the essentially the same thing. I have found this simple question  is very powerful, forcing me to revisit my original race plan/nutrition plan as well as staying aware of my form and technique.

In between thoughts of what I need to do I simply turn the brain off. Most every race you do has something to see, so might as well take the time to see it while you are out there. Same can probably be said for most training runs/rides ... unless you're on the treadmill or trainer.

As you can see, there are a number of ways the brain can keep you from being successful - obsession over factors out of your control, talking yourself out of pushing through, or over thinking the data you have in front of you are just three. No matter what your brand of mental self-destruction may be, you can make it stop. How?

It's simple - get out there and get 'er done. Don't think, just do it.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Five Reasons Your Training Run Should NOT Turn Into a Race

Around 10 am on most Sunday mornings if you head on over to the Velodrome in Trexlertown, PA you will see cyclists slowly spinning around the parking lot in anticipation of the start of a training ride that is known by two simple words - The Derby. For anyone who has rode The Derby knows, this famous Sunday morning ride is really an unsanctioned race. After rolling out at a very modest pace for the first 17 miles or so, once you hit the turn it is game on. If you are an amateur rider like myself the thrill is in just trying to hang with some of the best in the world (current and past). It's a bad ass ride, for sure. But nobody shows up on any given Sunday expecting to cruise through an easy workout. You show up to race from the turn on in.

This is not only really, really cool, but totally acceptable. It is what it is and you know it when you clip in to start circling the parking lot. If you are world class you are there to try and get the win. If you're an amateur, you are there to test your personal limits. For most everyone out there, The Derby  works out to be a pretty good workout. But, what happens when this is what happens whenever you get together with friends? More to the point, what happens when your training becomes a constant race against the clock?

Before we go there I want to take a step back for a minute. Since 1998, just about every weekend which I am not racing, Saturday morning is spent running with friends. It started with a group of about five at the old Body Dynamics. After about a year it was me and Lo-Jack, with the occasional guest appearance by a variety of characters. There were times where others were regulars - Two Banana Time and The Mayor being the most notable - but for years it was Jack and Jon most every Saturday morning. Stick around the group long enough and you earn yourself a well deserved nickname.

After years of small numbers and guest appearances something changed. For the first time ever there is a group of regulars. Some I have been trying to get to show up for longer than I can remember, while others jumped at the chance to have familiar faces to train with on a regular basis. There really is something to be said for comradely. We have what I can say is, not only a good group of regulars, but a truly great group of people.

The run is referred to as Jack & Jon's Saturday Morning Run.

What I have come to really like about this run and this group is everybody can show up and do their own thing. Most all of us are going long, but sometimes with different agendas and almost always at a number of different paces. For example,one Saturday Craiger went off on his own to get 12 miles in while Lo-Jack and Mean Gene ran an easy eight. I got my miles in with the ladies, somewhere around 14. When it was all over we ended up together in the parking lot where we figured out where to go grab some breakfast. It was a good morning.

Among the group there was a lot of camaraderie that morning, along with wondering conversations filled with laughter. What there wasn't on that day was any competition among friends. Like most other Saturday mornings we were just a group of friends out on a friendly training run.

Much to my dismay there has been a subtle shift at times on our Saturday morning runs. See, one of us has had a little different thought process recently. For the first time ever we have a rogue runner. As most of us our on a training run, our rogue runner has a racing mindset. Every Saturday becomes a test of "how fast are we going." Every Saturday becomes a mental struggle. Every Saturday is run like it's the Boston Marathon.

It's killing my mojo.

Putting my mojo aside for a moment, consistently having a racing mindset is bad. Here are my five reasons for keeping your training run, a training run:

1. Weekly (internal) Pressure to Succeed - If you are racing on a training run you are really racing. And a big part of racing is mental. you have to prepare to push yourself, and then suck it up when you do. If you have ever raced, you know they don't always turn out exactly how we want.  If you have a bad day, poor time, whatever, you are going to take a mental hit. Have this happen multiple times and you become a bit of a mental train wreck. Nothing good comes from digging such a mental hole.

2. Burnout - Speaking of becoming a mental train wreck, constant racing will take all the fun out of your chosen sport. The constant push will take its toll, eventually leading you burnout. Get to this point and you may come back to race another day, or you become a couch potato who has some great stories from "back in the day."

3. Not Actually Training - Racing is a way of measuring your progress. But you can't become better if you are always racing, be it in actual races or in your training. See progress is a result of training, which is about the body gradually adapting to increases in stress by getting fitter and, thus faster. Hard as it may be for some people to believe, that easy ride or easy run have benefits. Pushing the limit every week - or every session - however, may get you faster for a short while ... and then you hit that plateau ... and then ...

4. Injury - If you are constantly pushing your limit eventually something bad is eventually going to happen. Nuff said.

5. Your Training Partners - If you have good people you train with you want to keep it that way. If your training strays from productive training and becomes a constant hammer-fest you might find yourself in need of a new crew.

So what's the moral of the story? Training is training and racing is racing. If you are serious about your sport, both should be done with a purpose. That purpose is to race better IN YOUR RACE. Break this simple rule and bad things are likely.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Last night it was 60 degrees when I got out on my bike for a typical early season ride. With the change of the clocks over the weekend I am now able to squeeze in 75 minutes before it is dark ... which is a whole lot better than sitting in the basement pedaling away on the trainer. As I rode by the park there were a lot more people than I have seen there in some time, surely a result of the unseasonably awesome March weather. A few miles down the road another cyclist caught me and sat on my wheel before turning toward his home. And over the next 60 minutes or so there I passed more runners and cyclists out doing their thing.

photo: www.icedotathletes.com

I don't blame anyone for being out there last night. In fact, if you ride or run (and even of you don't), you needed a real good reason for NOT being out there last night. It was the kind of day where getting out and getting it done is easy - warm weather and little wind after almost three months of mostly horrid conditions. To totally understate the situation, Winter 2014 has been a tough one for endurance athletes who live in the Northeastern United States. Some years we get really frigid temperatures and others we get big snow totals. This year we had both!!! Making it worse is the fact that the big snow total was a result of a large number of small storms and not just one huge Nor'easter.

It was bad ... real bad ... and if you were out there this winter, you are a badass. Period.

So here's the deal: Getting outside and riding or running or walking or whatever it is that you do when the conditions are picture perfect is no big deal. Going for a run when it is 4 degrees takes an effort, a touch of insanity, and a real dedication to your chosen sport. As bad as this winter has been, I have many a friend who have either been out there training with me, or out there doing it on their own. They are true badasses.

But there is more to this story than just training in lousy weather. As a badass, you are out there training in that garbage with a purpose. You are out there working towards something. You have goals. You. Are. Driven. Because really, NOBODY decides it's a good day to go out for a run when the wind chill is 2 degrees!!! NOBODY!!!

I know many a badass who are putting in the miles in prep for an Ironman later this year and I know some badasses who are getting ready to run Boston in April. I even know a badass who hadn't raced in years but trained in all kinds of horrible weather just because. That, my friend, is a special kind of badass.

Of course, there is that fine line between sanity and stupidity one really shouldn't cross. Lo-Jack tells a story about a guy we refer to as "Township" running down William Penn Highway in the middle of a snow storm around 7 pm years ago. Really surprised he's still alive. Then there's another friend of mine who showed up for a group ride with his road bike and a layer of ice on the roads. Didn't really work out for him. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the 21,000+ badasses who ran the Boston Marathon with me in 2009 in a Nor'easter.

And then there is me ... Many, many years ago at a young and naive age, me and Lo-Jack (Lo-Jack and I?) thought it was wise to do a 20 mile run one Saturday at 11 am. It was July and about 90 degrees when we started. Who knows what the humidity was. We were good - or so we thought - because we were "protected from the sun" on the towpath. Long story short, we ran just fine until we didn't. On the 5 miles back to our car we stopped to walk for good between the point where we pretty much mugged Lo-Jack's son of his water jug (he was down there fishing) and when the world started to spin because we were so dehydrated. We made it back AND we somehow avoided the hospital. We were baddasses, but on the wrong side of the line that hot Summer day.

So when the weather gets bad, embrace your inner badass and get out that door for some good ole' fashion training. But please, be smart about it. In the rare occasion that getting out the door to train is on the other side of the sanity/stupid line, hit the trainer, run on the treadmill, or hit the pool for a swim.

The moral of the story: If you are out there training in horrible weather you are a Badass. Period.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Here are some horrible weather resources:

Cold weather running safety tips 

Layering for cold weather cycling

Hot weather running

Stay cool while riding

Rule #6: Don't Be "That Guy," NOBODY Likes Him ...

"Think you can or think you can't - either way you'll be right." - Henry Ford


If you are a triathlete - or "just" a runner, or swimmer, or cyclist - you tend to be a bit more focused than the average Joe by necessity. With all the other things we have going on in life - work, family, home maintenance, proper hygiene practices, keeping up on the insanity known as Justin Bieber - it takes some dedication to get your daily workout (or two) in on a consistent basis, let alone getting up at 3 am on a Sunday morning to go do a race. Yes, we amateur athletes are a hardy bunch. Some might say crazy, but I digress.

We also tend to be a very positive group. Within my group of friends/training partners, we have a nice little banter between us. Sure, we stay on top of each other to make sure we are doing what has to be done. Sometimes it's some good ole' fashion ribbing. Sometimes it's calling someone out with " Rule Number Five" - something of a mantra among us. Other times it is listening to a pity-party after a bad race. Whatever it is, we do it with the best intentions, and we do it because we generally like and support each other.

Here's an example: A few weeks ago I bagged a 1/2 marathon in NYC for a number of reasons. It had snowed the day before ... I was having some knee issues and I was unsure of the footing ... and it was going to be ass cold. Like, 12 degrees cold. With wind. The race was to be a training run and it wasn't worth it to me so I bailed.

As expected, I heard about it. I didn't complain about the race or the abuse because I understood. I explained my rationale ... and I'm fairly certain they understand why I bailed. What I didn't do was complain or make excuses about my physical condition, the weather, the 3 am wake up call, the snow, or anything else. In fact, I didn't even tell them I was nervous about an injury that I knew was more serious that I cared to admit out loud. I could have made all kind of crazy excuses, but I didn't. I gave an explanation, they gave a bit back at me, then we moved on.

I made sure I wasn't that guy ... you know the one I am talking about. You know, "That Guy."

"That Guy" always has an excuse as to why he blew up, or ran slow, or was 324th in his age group.

"That Guy" complains about the weather ... no matter how awesome it is outside.

"That Guy" will play the victim.

"That Guy" will bring you down by just showing up.

"That Guy" always thinks small, never big. He will tell you why you can't do X, Y, and Z.

"That Guy" not only has an excuse for whatever it is on that particular day, but he also has to incessantly whine about it. Which would be fine. No. No. No Really, it would. If ... and this is a big if ... IF you were whining to somebody else.

I'm sorry, I take that back - IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!!!

Back to my story ... see, I bailed out on a meaningless race (to me) because it made more sense to not do the run than it did to do it. Yes, it was cold, but I didn't use weather as the excuse. In fact, there were no excuses, no whining, just a rationale list of reasons for not racing that day. Believe me, if I was training for the Boston Marathon in April I would have sucked it up in NYC that Sunday morning.

Sometimes things don't go your way and you just need to deal with it. And by deal with it, I mean deal with it. If you don't do a scheduled race for whatever reason, or have a crappy race, or whatever, just deal with it. Shit happens. And sometimes shit that is out of your control happens. Talk to your crew about it, for sure, but don't whine and complain. While they support you, don't abuse them with crap.

Moral of the story: Don't be "That Guy."


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

"Embrace the suck." - Chris "Macca" McCormack

The Queen comes into the kitchen this morning and asks me if I rode my bike this morning. I tell her I did ... in the basement,on the trainer. Hard intervals. She responds with three words: Rule Number Five.

I'm pretty sure my wife just called me a wuss for staying inside.

All endurance sports are hard, both physically and mentally. If you race a 5k it hurts a lot, but only for a relatively short period of time. Race an Ironman or a 100 mile run and it still hurts, just in a really different and sadistic way. Add to that conditions - heat, rain, snow, wind - or hilly terrain ... it doesn't get any better. No matter the distance, if you are looking to find your limit you are going to suffer.

So harden the f#$k up.

The point of racing and training is to push/test your limits and see what you have inside you. You CANNOT do that if you keep backing off when things start to get a bit uncomfortable, in both training and racing ... which is the exact opposite of what you want to do. When you hit that point you want to just push right through to the other side. Put your head down and get 'er done.

Chris McCormack has referred to this as embracing the suck. I say harden the f#$k up.

Hardening up is simple. Maybe not easy, but really simple.

1. Train outside whenever the weather conditions allow, using personal safety as the limiting factor to move a workout indoors - Limiting conditions include 10 inches of snow; sub-zero and windy conditions; a hurricane; icy roads; flooding. There might be something else I can't remember right now. The point is, you race in whatever the conditions are on race day unless there is a very compelling reason for the race to cancel (like a hurricane). In 2009 me and 20k other people ran the Boston Marathon in a Nor'easter because that's the day we got.

2. Stop complaining and/or finding excuses - We all get tired from time to time, just as we all have days where we just aren't our best. That's life. Deal with it and keep going. If you wait for the "perfect" day to do your track workout you might not get there. Cut the complaints and you will be more consistent with your training, which will make you a fitter athlete.

3. When it is time to up the intensity in training, hit it hard -  Interval training can and should be hard. Just like racing, the short stuff will hurt bad but for a short period, while longer intervals are that grinding kind of suffering. Whatever it is, hit your numbers and hold on for your dear life. And remember, fitness gains come on the last interval (or set) and not the first.

4. When things get hard, turn the mind off - If there is one thing that will kill me it is when I start to think late in a race. The mind is a powerful thing. That's good and bad. I have found as soon as I start thinking about the finish line ... or breakfast ... or how much whatever it is I'm in the middle of sucks, I'm toast. I'm not talking about when you get grumpy at mile 80 on the bike (you need to eat). I'm talking about when you start telling yourself that your done. For me I start doing the math: "If I run at x pace I'll be home in x:xx:xx stuffing my face with chips." Turn the mind off immediately and get back into the moment.If that doesn't work, try getting this song stuck in your head:

With all that said, you need to stay on the correct side of the smart/stupid line. The best way to do this is to know your body.  Recognize when the pain is bad pain, such as a strained muscle, twisted ankle, or severe dehydration. Understand when the weather just isn't conducive to training. There is a fine line between being tough and being stupid. Better to live to fight another day than put yourself on the sidelines with an injury. I've been on the wrong side of the smart/stupid line and it never works out well.

Here's an example of how to do it wrong:

Years ago I was out on a 20-mile run during a July heatwave with Lo-Jack down at the towpath. We got started late (around 11 am) and never even gave it a second thought that there we saw literally no one else on the path.We thought it was hot (90+ degrees) but we had tree cover. On the last 5-mile stretch things were getting ugly. Really, really ugly. The pace slowed and we were both clearly dehydrated. We finally stopped running when we saw his son who was going fishing. We got some water from him but it didn't matter. A few minutes we started to walk because our bodies forced us to stop. Barely made it back to the cars; wasn't back to being right for about a week.

A few years later, I did it right (kinda):

Again, I'm out on a hot Summer day doing a long run. I was working hard and felt good, all things considered. Around mile 12 I started to feel less good. By mile 14 I started to feel bad. Then I realize that I wasn't sweating, which is not ideal. In fact, it's really not good at all. Fortunately I realized this and stopped. I had water stashed about a mile away and walked to it. Drank the whole bottle, walked the mile and a half back to my car, lived to fight another day.

And that's that.

Getting back to me being a wuss this morning ... I did stay in, that is true. But I live in Eastern PA, not SoCal, and we have 8 inches of show and the thermometer reads 11 degrees as I write this. But after hitting the intervals hard, I think I held to the intent of Rule #5.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #4: The 20-Minute Rule

Ever have one of those days. Maybe you didn't sleep real well, or just had a stressful day at work. Whatever it is, you just don't feel like working out. Sure, you have a 3,000M swim workout on the schedule but man, hitting the couch and watching some tv sounds like a great option.

Then you remember reading somewhere about overtraining. Not so sure exactly what the advice was, but "everyone" knows overtraining is bad. So you head straight home, convinced that you are in a state of overtraining and need "rest" to avoid digging a deeper hole.

But is this the right thing to do? Maybe. Maybe not. If you are deep into a training cycle, pushing your personal limits, it is a real possibility you may have pushed beyond your recovery capabilities. A few days of active recovery or even straight up rest could be the right course of action. A seasoned endurance athlete will know exactly what this feels like. It is different than your normal heavy legs or dragging at the end of the day. And true overtraining and adrenal fatigue are a completely different beast that can happen. You can read more about that here.

Source: 

So, assuming you haven't been beating down your body for weeks/months without adequate rest and recovery, my experience tells me that lack of desire to train is more of a mental thing than a physical one. Thus, the 20-Minute Rule.

When you are having THAT day, go and start the workout. Using the 3k swim workout as an example, get to the pool, stretch out, and get in the water. If you're anything like me, not so hard getting in the water, a challenge to actually get your head under water and push off for the first length.

Suck. It. Up.

After warming up, give yourself a minute and start your main set, whatever it may be. One of two things will happen - you will either start the main set, hit your expected times and start to feel better, or you won't. After a few reps in the main set - about 20 minutes into the workout - you will know where you're at, and you will know what to do.

Still feel like crap, not performing well? Get out of the pool, shower up, call it a day.

Hit your times? Continue on. Finish the workout as planned.

I've been here more than I care to admit with all three sports. Of those, I can count on one hand the number of times I called it a day. Every other workout, once I got moving I started to feel better, sometimes even great, and was able to get the scheduled work done.

Properly training for your "A" race is a process that takes months of hard work. Over that time you won't always feel great, and you won't always have that gung-ho attitude every time you swim, bike or run. Give it a go for 20 minutes and see what happens.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

You can find the first three rules here, here, and here.

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds." - Bob Marley

Ok. So right up front I have to say that I love me some technology and really, really, really like what my Garmin can do. I find the data extremely helpful and, very honestly, I like to see all that data. Distance. Time. Speed/Pace. Heart rate. Cadence. And on and on and on. From a training perspective having and using data can be very, very productive.

What I am talking about here is how we train and how we race. When I started running back in the late-1990s I would go out dressed to run with a simple Timex watch on my wrist and a general idea of the distance of my course for that day. How did I figure out the distance? Maybe by riding my bike on the roads, or maybe driving my car. After a while I got to know how far almost every section of road was within a 10 mile radius of my house and Body Dynamics (the health club I owned and operated at the time).

I did tempo runs and occasionally would go to a track for a speed workout. Well, truth be told, hitting the track was and still is something I try to avoid due to a total dislike for running in 400M circles. Any run that was done on the roads would have guestimate feedback as we didn't really know exactly how far it was to the next intersection, or telephone pole, or the designated mile marker. Point is, when we ran we didn't have instant feedback like one has today and we never knew exactly how far we had gone. Needless to say, there were no HR Monitors or run cadence sensors ... but things were a little more advanced on the bike.

Not knowing if I was in "Zone 2" or "high zone 3" never crossed my mind. It was more like, am I going easy, moderately hard, hard, or holy crap I'm gonna' blow up in about 30 seconds.

Fast forward to today and it is a whole different world for many runners, bicyclists, and triathletes. For many it has become more about training in exact zones or hitting some power numbers or certain speeds. Many an Ironman competitor will be more focused on his/her power numbers than how they are actually feeling (let alone the awesome courses we get to ride on). Theory is, if I ride at X I will be able to run.

What is missing is an understanding of the body and how it reacts to the training or racing stimulus, both positive and negative. See, there are other factors that need to be considered. Racing and training can and should be science-based, but do have an art component as well. Sticking to the numbers, without an understanding of your body has three potential outcomes, two of  which are negative:

1. You become a slave to the technology and you run the perfect race/training run. POSITIVE
2. You become a slave to the technology and you train/race below your potential. NEGATIVE
3. You become a slave to the technology and you blow up or race below your potential. NEGATIVE

The only way you are successful is if you are exactly right and any outside factor has no affect (positive or negative) on your performance. Because, you know, you never have a day where you feel like a million bucks and you never have a day where you feel like S**t. And heat, humidity, excessive cold, your bowels, that fight you had with your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse, stress from your job, a bad night's sleep .... that never happens, right?

Here's how it should work in racing: At the Philly Tri a few years ago I decided to just go for it and raced the swim and bike aggressive but controlled, then just go for it on the run. I had my Garmin on my wrist but only used it for total time, allowing me to post-race assess how things went and come to some conclusions as to why. After a faster than expected swim and a quick transition, I hit the bike course and quickly moved up to the front end of my age group. I rode the steep, technical hills aggressively, allowing my heart rate to spike, while making the most of the downhill sections to build speed and recover. On the flats I rode right at my perceived limit. On the run I held back a bit for the first mile, getting my legs under me, then gradually pushing the pace faster. By mile four I was running right at capacity, a pace where I knew I was in my final gear. Not once did I know my average pace or heart rate (I could see current pace on my bike computer), only my perceived exertion.

The result was a PR for the Olympic distance and some of the fastest miles I have ever run off the bike coming in the back half of the run. I felt great all day, well within myself. The data, however, showed me racing above what a technology-based approach would have had me doing. I felt unbelievable that June morning, leaving everything out on the course. Racing by the numbers would not have achieved the same results.

So how do I use technology?

Honestly I use technology more to hold me back than to push harder. On a recovery run, for example, I will usually just keep the heart rate information visible to allow me to really keep it easy. IMHO this is a very good use of technology as there are days where I am looking for simple recovery but my perceived exertion and actual exertion are not synced up. If I'm looking to hit a tempo or threshold pace, on the other hand, I will use the data in a traditional manner ... which is much more effective than guessing how far a mile repeat is or how fast I am moving.

While racing I have found that the data is valuable after the race to try and understand what happened and why, but also a great tool for long-distance racing. For me, long-distance racing is any running event longer than a 1/2 marathon or a triathlon that lasts more than three hours.

Last year at Augusta 70.3 I used my Garmin 910xt to keep my heart rate within a range while on the bike. I rode relatively easy for the first few miles to get down into my zone, then held within my pre-determined range for most of the ride. On the rolling/hillier terrain I did allow heart rate to go above this range, but only so far. Because I held back I felt scary good on the back third of the ride, able to run as I wanted out of transition, setting a 13 minute PR in teh process.

The moral of the story: Use sports technology for what it is - a great training and racing tool that can help you more effectively reach your goals - but don't forget to listen to your body.

Stay focused. Train hard.
Jon

Rule #2: Be Consistent

"I've learned from experience that if you work harder at it, and apply more energy and time to it, and more consistency, you get a better result. It comes from the work." - Louis C.K.

“There’s more to being a model than just being really, really good looking.” - Derek Zoolander

Training for a big event - marathon, Ironman, any event with "ultra" in it - requires work and dedication over an extended period of time. Getting in some big workouts is important. Can't be very effective at 26.2 miles if you don't do a handful of 20 mile runs. But, without a consistent regimen, those big workouts are at best less effective than one would hope, and at worst pretty much worthless in reaching your goals.

As boring as it may be, it is the day in and day out of getting in your workouts that can do the most for your level of fitness, and ultimately your racing success. You are better off getting 6-8 hours of training in each week, every week, than you are averaging 10 hours per week, but with wide swings in volume and intensity. So, what is the best way to go about being more consistent?

To start with you have to understand that training for that "big race" is not the only priority in life.
Work and family commitments come first. Training for your big race, while important, doesn't put food on the table or pay the mortgage. And a big day on the bike is less important than a close relative's wedding. Fortunately, for most of us, work and family commitments generally recur on a fairly consistent schedule, excluding big events or emergencies. By plotting out these commitments you can now start to put together your training schedule.

Now that we have that out of the way, the next thing to do is develop your personal basic work week. Doing this is relatively simple. Here are the steps:

1. Find the block of times you have available for working out -  Be realistic. Do not commit yourself to getting up at 4 am to get your daily run in if you work until 11 pm and are not a morning person. Also don't commit to 20 hours of work each week if you know it just ain't happening or if you aren't physically capable of doing that much work without burning out or breaking down.

2. Schedule in the weekly sessions that are fixed - This could be a masters swim group that meets on a Tuesday evening or a group ride you like to meet up with on a weekly basis. In my case, I have a Saturday morning long run and masters swimming on Tuesdays and Thursdays that are fixtures in my weekly training plan.

3. Schedule in your key workouts - This would include your long run, long bike, and interval sessions. Remember to allow for adequate rest between these key sessions. In other words, except for a specific big weekend-type of training block, make sure you have enough time between your key sessions to perform well and get adequate recovery.

4. Change your basic work week with your training plan/immediate goals - What you do in the "off season" is much different than what you do in the 12 weeks prior to an Ironman. You will also want to change your basic week with your goals for a specific training block. For example, when I was trying to improve my swim a few years ago I had a 10-week period where I swam 5 days each week, scheduling bike and run workouts around the swim. Once spring came around I was back to a more balanced approach to my training.

5. When life gets in the way, better to get a shortened workout in than no workout - Let's say you are forced to work late to finish off a big project at work, keeping you from meeting your weekly group ride. If time allows, you are better off getting on the trainer for 30 minutes of intervals than just skipping that workout. In such a case you are better off doing short, hard intervals than just doing some easy swimming, biking or running. I have a few examples of short, effective workouts below that work great in these situations.

For an example of what an Ironman workweek looks like, you can find Gordo Byrn's thoughts here.

Bike:
10 minute warmup - build intensity
10 x (1 minute hard + 1 minute recovery)
2 minutes colldown

Run:
1 mile warmup
5 x (2 minutes @ 5k race pace + 1 minute recovery)
1 mile cooldown

or

1 mile warmup
6-8 x (400M uphill + recovery back down the hill)
1 mile cooldown

Swim:
warmup - 300M easy
Main set - 8-12 x (100M @ threshold + 15 sec. RI)
cooldown - 200-300M easy

You can find Rule #1 here.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

A few weeks ago I was talking to a friend about the troubles he was having with his feet. He is a runner turned triathlete, but he really is a runner at heart.  So maybe best describe him as a runner who does triathlons. The problems have forced him away from running, to the point where it has affected his race schedule. Because his heart is truly with the run as opposed to the bike, he is not the happiest camper. He had just met with a running coach to get some advice on technique. When he describes to me what the coach's ideas were, I shot back with something along the lines of, oh yeah, heals to your butt, cadence of 90 steps per minute, yada, yada, yada. He chuckles a bit and tells me I think like an engineer, with everything a certain way. Deep in the weeds of what's happening. Analytic is probably the best word. Thinking back, this is probably why I never became the musician I once wanted to become.

Quick side note: Here is a great look at the difference between the Simplicity of Steve Jobs and the more engineer-like Bill Gates - Presentation Zen

Anyway, As I have moved from gym-rat to triathlete I have come up with some rules that I try and hold to in my training and racing. Some I have just made up and are related to my personal "quirks." Others are fundamentals I have picked up from people much smarter than me (and there are soooo many people who fit into that category) with great multisport experience. Some would say "borrowed" ... others would use the term "stole" ... I would say much of this is simple fundamentals. The rest is simply shit I made up.

To be clear, these rules are totally about me and my training and racing. After years of doing this I have found what works for me. You may find this useful, or you may find me to be full of crap. I hope it's the former and not the latter.

To be rule number one the rule had to be the most basic and obvious of the rules, yet one of the hardest things to actually do. This one I really learned in 2006 when training for my first full Ironman. I remember sitting down with Bill at the very beginning of the year and thinking I was putting in some really good volume ... and then I saw the first three weeks of training. My first
thought was to follow it to the letter, wait until my body broke down, and figure it out from there. I never broke down. Over the next seven months the volume only increased and my body adapted. The  one reason why I made it was the wise words that came with the first few weeks of training:

Rule #1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy 

Sometimes the simplest things say are the hardest things to actually do.his rule is the easiest concept to understand yet the hardest for many of us to actually do in practice. What most of us do, myself many times included in this, is train in that grey area between  a truly fast and truly slow (aerobic). Using running as an example, far too many of us will run in that comfortably moderate, not really slow, but only sorta-fast. The grey zone.

There are a number of methods you can go about finding your easy pace. The three I am familiar with are using heart rate (zone 1 as recovery pace or zone 2 as aerobic pace), following the Maffetone Method, or the Daniels Running Formula (Click on the links for more information on any of these methods). The less technically savvy could defer to perceived exertion. No matter which method you prefer, you need to find your aerobic/easy pace.

A couple of side notes:

If you use Maffetone, things get a bit different, but there is a method that is time tested to work.
If you use Daniels for your running you will need to do something different on the bike - heart rate, perceived exertion or using a power meter.


So let's use the Daniels Running Formula (see .pdf link for the tables) to, in a very basic way, find our pacing example:

In order to use the formula you will need to find your VDot number by running a race. Yes, you can do it on your own, but a race is more realistic as most all of us will work harder in a race than "racing" the clock in a pre-dawn run. You then take the race result and match it with the corresponding VDot number in table 1. So if you ran a 5k in 20:40 you would have a VDot number of 48.

Now take your VDot and find that your corresponding paces are as follows:

Easy (E) Pace = 8:31/mile
Marathon (M) Pace = 7:40/mile
Threshold (T) Pace = 7:02/mile
Interval (I) Pace = 1:36/400 meter

As you can see there is a big difference between the paces ... and for good reason. When you are running at your interval pace or threshold pace you are working much different systems than when you are running your longer, aerobic miles. The grey area between these paces sorta, kinda, not really, work the different systems that will increase your endurance and make you faster. This is the basics - the 1000 foot view - and you can find out more of the nitty gritty by picking up the book here. The point is, hard is hard and easy is easy.

From a practical standpoint, if you are trying to increase your aerobic capacity/speed your body will be best served with smaller doses of speed work done hard and a much larger dose of aerobic miles around your E-pace. The longer, "easy" runs, when done properly, might not leave you with that feeling like you did a whole lot. But you did, you just didn't overstress your body, enabling your body to recover and become more fit. And if you race, isn't that really what you want to do?

My personal experience has been that I can really focus in when I am doing smaller amounts of speed work and hit the prescribed paces. And when I am cranking up the volume, I will break down if I don't run at the easier paces for my long runs, mid-distance runs and the "gettin' in the miles" workouts. The same applies for the bike, albeit based off of something other than Daniels. As an "old guy" I simply cannot do big volume without issues in the grey zone.

On the other end, when it is time to do intervals, I make sure I am ready to go and put the work in. Be it on the track, the road, the trainer, or in the pool, I make sure I the hard is hard. Really, really hard.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon