Gary’s Fitness Blog

Last month I wrote a post titled “Testing to know your fitness and racing abilities.” One of the ideas was to use a regular workout and the workout data to monitor the changes in your fitness. You can use the link and go read the post if you are interested.

Here is what I wanted to share that makes this easy to track at Sweat365:

Use your “categories” or “tags” to label these specific workouts. An example that I just started is a workout that I labeled “Athen’s School“. It is a workout that I get in regularly during the week now that I’m getting outdoors on the bike. As I continue to do the workout, I can use the label and in the future I can pull up all the workouts by going to that label’s page.

This is a very simple way to keep your fitness tests organized, it makes them easily accessible and an easy way to review the data.

One thing that I love to do within a training program is use a set of fitness tests that are done regularly. The value that fitness tests offer a runner or triathlete is an honest understanding of where they are are in comparison to where they need to be to meet their goals.

What is a fitness Test

There doesn’t have to be anything extremely technical about the tests, but they need to be repeatable. A few posts ago, I talked about getting my VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold analyzed in the lab at the University of Cincinnati. Those test are informative for a geek like me, but they are often not practical for the average runner due to the complications of getting into the lab often enough (not to mention, the cost).

A few of the fitness tests that I use in my triathlon season are the following:

* –> 3 Mile Aerobic Run w/heart rate
* –> Thursday 6.3 mile group run w/heart rate
* –> 10 x 200 yard main set
* –> 4000 meter time
* –> North Middletown Bike Ride w/out and back, heart rate/time
* –> Valley View Ferry Climb time (2mile climb)

I have written about these test previously here. As you can see there is nothing extremely difficult in setting these tests up. Some of the tests are routes that I normally run and I just track specific data with each workout.

The one that I pay a lot of attention to early during a training program is the 3 mile aerobic run workout. Currently I run outdoors at a specific heart rate (+/- 3 bpm) and monitor the time it takes me to run the same route. What I’m looking for is a faster time while having a similar heart rate. You might say that I’m trying to get more “output” for the same “input”. One thing to pay attention to is other variables that can impact heart rate that could skew results; things like weather and nutrition can influence heart rates too.

The North Middletown route that I ride is a similar situation, although it is a much longer duration. What I like to compare here is not only results and data from time to time, but the data from the first half of the ride to the second half of the ride. A fitness test ride like this would be incredibly valuable if you are a rider that trains with a power meter.

The one suggestion that I have is that you don’t use the routes and tests as your everyday training protocol. I like to include them every other week or every third week. This time period keeps an athlete from being too encouraged or discouraged by a single workout and keeps the workouts available for monitoring periodic improvements.

How the fitness test may change as the season progresses?

The tests that are listed above are targeted at testing the development of swimming, cycling and running fitness. Knowing that your fitness is improving is important, but at some point during the training program an athlete that has performance goals needs to test their current performance ability.

In a half-marathon or marathon program, I normally insert shorter test races to measure performance. It is important that the athlete treats these races like they would their main race. That means they use a similar nutrition pattern and pre-race schedule.

In Louisville, Kentucky, they have a series of races called the Triple Crown of Running Series. It includes a 5k, 10k and 10 mile race. Those races build very naturally to the Derby Festival Half Marathon or Marathon. One thing that a runner can do is take their race times in a series of races and insert them into a VDot chart to estimate their predicted race times.

While the charts are not infallible, they do provide a good sense of what your expectations could be as you start to prepare your race strategy. A good sign that I like to see in the results of these races and the resulting “predicted time” is as the test race distance increases, the closer to your desired race goal time it is.

I have written about predicting race times before. You can see that post at - Predicting Running Performance.

In triathlon, it is just as important to have race simulation rides and brick workouts to base your race strategy on. This past summer, I shared a series of 3 simulation workouts that I completed in order to establish my Ironman Wisconsin strategy. Here are links to those workouts:

1. Race Simulation and Nutrition - 2007 #1

2. Race Simulation and Nutition - 2007 #2

Why it is important to have this knowledge before you start your race?

If you have read my “Einstein, Relativity and Triathlon” post then you know that I believe it is important to ground yourself in reality and not fantasy. It is also valuable during a race to know what you are able to do so that you don’t get caught up in the excitement that surrounds a race and try something you are not prepared for.

Sometimes this can be a difficult thing for an athlete to do. All summer last year I worked hard to improve my fitness and skill on the bike. Using the fitness tests I mentioned above (North Middletown Ride and Valley View Ferry Climb) I saw improvements. So when it came time to insert my simulation rides and brick workouts, I was frustrated to discover that I wasn’t going to be able to ride as fast as I was planning on.

Heading into the final phase of race preparation, I was hoping that I would be able to ride in the mid 5 hour range on the bike. During my test rides, I was consistently at a 6 hour to 6:20 ability, with any ability to run off the bike.

While this knowledge was disappointing, it was a key factor in setting up my race strategy. It also allowed me to remain sensible during the Ironman and left me with the ability to have a decent run.

Summary of the key points

1. Fitness tests are a great way to evaluate your training in order to make sure it is benefiting your development. Fitness Tests don’t have to be elaborate.

2. Test races and simulations are valuable to creating a sensible race strategy and race expectations.

Hopefully some of these ideas will help you along your journey of endurance!

Derby Festival Half Marathon Schedule - use link to view program.

The above program is designed to get people ready for the Derby Festival Half Marathon (locals call it “the mini”) in Loisville, Kentucky on April 26, 2008. The information posted here is just the number of minutes that an athlete could run on each day. The style and placement of runs is similar to how I design marathon programs (double long weekends), but since this is a half there will be added focus on “speedier” runs on Tuesday and Thursday.

Each phase has specific goals. There are goals related to the distance of the race, but there are also goals based upon the athletes’ experience, ability and durability. (Those of you who just went to AZ with me know that durability is my newest buzz.) I’ll try and blog about the general period goals when I have a chance, but I need to complete my athletes’ workouts for the first phase.

Also, start thinking about what you might use as your “fitness test”. My last post (at sweat365.com) discussed the idea of fitness tests. For more info you can search my blog or look through the tags at delicious.

Hopefully this is of some help to those deciding where to start.

Note: This is an updated post with a better link to the program as the iframe wasn’t working correctly.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein

I recently began reading the new biography on Einstein written by Walter Isaacson called, Einstein: His Life and Universe. I wanted to read the book to learn some basic facts about the man, but I have also gained some insight into the world of triathlon too. (Of course I had to be looking for it, but hopefully it’s entertaining / insightful none-the-less.)

The first theory of relativity that Einstein provided was called “special relativity.” (He later came up with his general relativity theory.) The take home idea from special relativity is that if there are two objects, determining who is at rest and who is in motion is relative to the “observer” and is not an absolute. The scenario used to best describe this idea was a man sitting in an armchair versus a women in an airplane flying above. In both scenarios the same laws of physics apply, therefore each person (man and women) could consider themself at rest, while the other is in motion. Neither is right or wrong. (Isaacson, pg 107-108).

In triathlon training and racing, I believe a similar understanding of relativity can be valuable. Follow my thought process for a couple steps:

- When training with a group it can be hard to do the training appropriate for you. We ride too fast to keep up or we want the group atmosphere, so we swim a masters workout that does not address an Ironman triathletes’or an individual’s needs.

- When developing a race strategy we make decisions and goals based upon what we would like (hope) to achieve. These decisions are not grounded in the honest assessment of our current fitness levels. (It would be ideal if specific workouts have been completed to assess those fitness levels… check out my last two race simulation posts as my examples: race sim #1, race sim #2). An even more frieghtening scenario is when we start setting race goals based upon our training partners’ race goals, keeping in mind their race goals may not be based upon an honest assessment either.

Even worse…. basing them on ideas, reports and race strategies you see posted at online forums or blogs (even mine)!

The relativity link..

The connection between special relativity and triathlon is that there rarely is a right or wrong when it comes to training programs or race strategies, there is only an appropriate program based upon the athlete (the observer).

When we complete workouts and follow our training partners’ lead we may be involving ourselves in a scenario that leaves us sitting “at rest” while our partner is reaping the benefits of the workout and maintaining momentum. The program has to be based upon the individual athlete to know for sure that progress is occurring. After all - it’s all relative.

Special Ironman Wisconsin 2007 Note:

I wrote this blog entry last week, but last night (8/10/07) found myself in the middle of a conversation that made me understand this idea a little better. A group of us doing Ironman races in September were sitting around eating at a local resturant, naturally the conversation lead to: How much training we were currently doing, How much training we would do ‘x’ weeks out, etc. I almost began to have an internal anxiety attack, because I came to the “realization” that I wasn’t doing enough.

It took a few minutes before I remembered this topic and understood that I was getting caught up in someone else’s experience. Their experience was robbing me of my own. I took on the attitude that what they were doing was right and therefore my experience was less-than-positive.

I pulled myself out of that place quickly and thought back to the positives that I personally have had lately. I also realized that if I was doing the training they were talking about (25 hour specific prep weeks) I would be left to heaps of dust come September 9th. Perfect for them, not reasonable for me.

How do we know if we are “at rest” or “in motion.”

There are ways that we can set up a program that encourages us to learn about ourselves enough to make those “honest assessments.” Here are several that I’ll share now:

- Races: A race is not only exciting, but a great testing ground to see if we have improved our fitness. Use shorter races strategically placed to enable yourself to make several observations throughout the year. Alan Couzens wrote a recent piece that includes an analysis of Jack Daniels’ Formula and using racing as test. (Use the link and check it out.)

- Fitness Tests / Test Sets: Set up your own fitness test and test regularly. Gordo has talked a lot over the past year about his 3 mile aerobic run test. Some things that I use are:

• –> 3 Mile Aerobic Run w/heart rate
• –> Thursday 6.3 mile group run w/heart rate
• –> 10 x 200 yard main set
• –> 4000 meter time
• –> North Middletown Bike Ride w/out and back, heart rate/time
• –> Valley View Ferry Climb time

- Meditation: I realize this may appear to be non-physical. It may or may not be, but one thing that regularly practicing a mindful state does is open up your awareness so that you can become more aware when you are training. Instead of looking at your training partners’ performance for validation of yourself, you maybe more comfortable looking within your own ability. (I do this well in training, not so well in the day-to-day).

Final Question:

Are you “in motion” or “at rest”? Remember, don’t confuse movement and progress!

There was a thought provoking post today on the blog “Hanging in BOCO” (written by John Shilt). The post brought up the following questions, for me:

- What is fitness?
- What is endurance?
- What is the difference?
- How does that difference apply to Ironman?

I have all kinds of thoughts on the subject, but go read his blog, it seems to be presented in a clear way. Here’s a link: Learning, Understanding, and Believing

The one quote I want to highlight from the post is this one:

Endurance (in IM) is being able to race for 8 to 11hrs with efforts at AeT to AeT+10 without your pace and power declining.

I believe that if an Ironman athlete can fully understand that concept and then allow that principle to influence their training (opposed to training partners, daily speeds, etc), then they are on the narrow path to reaching their Ironman potential.

This season I have tried my best to manage my fears, doubts and anxieties while training what appears “sub-optimal” and feel that I have succeeded 85% of the time. That discipline alone gives me confidence heading into Ironman Wisconsin. That along with the fitness tests and other fitness markers that seem to be improving as I head into the final weeks.

Example: Yesterday’s workout - 4.5 hour bike, managed my effort on the bike to be under AeT (135bpm) for almost the entire ride (hit 150bpm 2x on climbs), saw pace increase as ride continued despite temps reaching 92 degrees and heat index reaching 100. Got home and went out for a 30 minute transition run.

Nikki warned me to be careful due to the heat (she had just finished her workout earlier). I took off and ran at AeT for the first mile, then ran the rest at AeT + 5 bpm. My average pace was 7:58!

Not fast you say - I know. But when you consider that I have run very few miles under 8 mins pace all year, this workout came at the end of a 9 day “on” cycle, the heat was keeping heart rates high and I had just finished a 70+ mile ride, I feel pretty happy with what occurred.

The other positive is that some of my best 3 mile fitness tests this year have been around the 8 min/mile pace.

To put all this into the context of John’s post, I hope that I am witnessing a good amount of fitness being transferred into a great level of endurance.