Who do you train with? Anyone? By yourself or with a few people? Are you in a program with a larger group? Is one preferably over the others?

Even with individual sports, the people you train with are a very key part of your program. 

So I have a few rules of thumb for the people who I coach, most of whom are runners, triathletes and cyclists -- individual sports participants for the most part.

First, don't compromise or change your training plan to accommodate someone else. Make sure whomever you choose to train with is O.K. with your workout, or you are doing similar enough workout that you can do it together. 

Last Wednesday, my son, who is a high school 800-meter/400-meter track guy, had to miss his workout with his teammates due to an eye doctor's appointment. had to complete the workout that evening on his own. I still had to get my own track workout in, so we went to the track together. I recovered during his work, and he recovered when I was running my work. It worked well. We took splits for each other and yelled encouragement. And we were able to warm up and cooldown together.

Now it would be a wonderful thing if I could pull down times like my son's but that just isn't going to happen? So we work together in the same context, supporting each other but doing slightly different things. Definitely at different speeds! But it works.

The other side of this coin, is make sure you work with people who have similar or slightly greater ability. Too often, especially with marathoners I know, they sacrifice running a well-paced run in order to have company, and wind up training repeatedly at paces that are much too slow for them. On easy days or recovery days, that is fine. But not on a regular basis or on days you need to be going faster or harder. Train with folks who are your speed or slightly faster, so there is benefit to you from that work.

Don't get into contests with the people you train with. Yes, it's good to have a little friendly competition. But when it becomes an all out match between you and the person or people you are training with, it's time to reevaluate.

Also, allow some time to find the right mix of people. Sometimes that takes time. You may have to go to different places and find new groups or new individuals. There are many resources out there to do so. But shake it up and have the patience to find just the right mix. It is well worth it.

And finally, even if you are someone who likes to train solo, try a training partner. You may find the training more enjoyable and of higher quality when you have someone there to work with you.

Tags: Workout Training Partners

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I often get asked about how to set up a race season. How do you place the goal, the training you have to do and any kind of racing that will help get you there? How many times do you reach a training peak in a year? How long will this training peak last?

You can train very gradually if your event is far off. Say it's April, and your marathon is in November. You can use a very deliberate and gradual approach, timing your training peak for the event and only the event.

But I find I have the most success with the athletes I coach when we strive for a couple of training peaks within a year and choose goal races to support those peaks.

For example, I currently coach a Masters runner who is off to run the Boston Marathon in a few weeks. We use this part of the year to build base. We did a fair amount of speed work as well, but mostly tempo work, progression runs and some race-paced tempo. We've done a little shorter, faster stuff as she is tapering, and we'll do more of that as the volume continues to be reduced, so she stays sharp as she tapers into the event.

But the races that are most important to her occur in the fall. So we use the Boston Marathon for strength training and a good, hard race effort. When she returns from Boston, she'll rest and recover. After that, we will begin to focus solely on her speed. We'll pull her volume back from the levels of the marathon training and work her tempo and then VO2 range. She will race shorter distances and race them hard, as we strategically choose races within her training cycles to optimize the work she is doing.

Finally, as she approaches her goal in the fall, we'll return to the higher volume once again for a set time, as she prepares for that fall marathon. But this time, she will be able to do faster work in her tempo and progression work from the strength and speed she has gained in the work post-Boston. We'll work her so that she once again peaks in the fall in time for her marathon goal. It should work nicely.

Along the way she will race. We will pick those races and those distances that reflect the stage of training she is in. We'll incorporate that racing so that she can maximize the work we have done prior to this, as well as use the racing to build her speed for her fall goal. 

Training and racing and peaking all have to go hand in hand in order to get the most from all of them.

Tags: Training Marathon Peaks

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I get asked about cross training with some frequency. As we cross 40 and continue to grow older, it is more important to consider recovery for ourselves. And how do we get that recovery and still get in a workout? This is where cross training can be very useful.

What is cross training? It just means taking a day or two a week and devoting that time to an activity and a workout other than your usual or primary sport. Generally, it's participating in an alternate form of cardio or strength training. If you are a runner, cycling and swimming are good cross training activities. If you are a cyclist, speedskating in the off season, or swimming during racing season are good. It varies by person and by sport, as your cross training needs to be part of a larger athletic picture for each individual. Your goals help determine what your cross training should be.  

For me, I like to be on the bike. As a runner, I find I run better after I spend time on the bike. We use mostly the muscles up the backs of our legs for running -- hamstrings, calves, glutes. When we bike we use more of the front, by using the quads, though the calves and glutes are also involved. That helps to create muscular balance in our legs and even out strength, so that we can actually help our running and minimize injury.  

So if you are running four or five days a week, take one or two of your days off and get on your bike for an easy spin. Or get in the pool for some easy laps. The intensity on these cross training days should start easy. As you improve you can increase duration and intensity, but always remember this is a day we are trying to get in "active recovery." Cross training should still be a day of rest from your primary sport and the muscles that support it.

So that's the beauty of proper cross training. You can still burn calories, stay in shape, do something different, yet still recover. Perfect.

Tags: Cross Training Running Cycling Swimming

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In training, we try to peak for a particular event. Or we can have more than one peak over the course of a season. The elusive peak drives us to research and read about training cycles so that we may come up with the perfect peak - as a coach or as a self-coached athlete.

After years of trial and error on myself, I found a way to coach my athletes that allows them to maximize their peaks. And it is a tad unconventional, but it is based on what some may consider "classic" phases of training.

A classic arch of training would look like this. A macrocycle is one complete training cycle, from your first workout until after your event. That big cycle is broken down into smaller cycles, called "mesocycles." Most often, athletes are coached in three mesocycles; base, threshold, vo2 max.  

Base training is what it sounds like it is. High volume amounts at lower intensities to build overall strength. Threshold is working at the body's aerobic threshold, building strength and ability in moderate speed, holding a particular pace at the threshold, often for longer units of time and or distance over the course of the cycle.  

Finally, VO2 Max work works that top end. The length of the phase is usually dependent on the event the athlete is targeting. A longer event, like a marathon or an ironman, would spend more time in the base phase and less time in the VO2 stage, as that stage isn't particularly important in the kind of work they are trying to do on race day. And a 5k guy will obviously spend more time in VO2 training then a marathoner will... so you can see the relevance of each stage, though all are important.

I use this methodology in my coaching. But then I head in another direction...

What I find is that when you adhere too closely to one kind of work for too long, the body grows stale. So even though you are mostly doing base work, I am throwing in some speedwork. And when you are in the tempo/threshold mode, I am throwing in some top end work. Not exclusively, obviously or we wouldn't be in a classic macro/mesocycle training form. But enough to keep the body on its toes.

I find this combination is the best way to maximize the training for net improvement.

But at the end of the day, what is most important is to have structure to what you do. If you wake up each day and decide, it probably isn't going to net you the kind of results you are looking for. It takes planning, structure and execution within specific terms to achieve maximum results.

I'm off to do a threshold workout... base is over!

Tags: Training

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Imelda Marcos would love to be a distance runner.

Why? Because when you load up on mileage you need new shoes all the time. And sometimes, depending on the client's mileage, I'll suggest they purchase two pair and rotate them, allowing the cushioning to rebound and do its job longer.

So the key questions are these. How often do I change them out? And how do I remember when that should be?

Well how often is a little variable, but here's my rule of thumb. Every 400-500 miles or five to six months, whichever comes first. Kinda like changing your oil. Only don't you dare go to 3,000! 

This is important, because a shoe that is providing cushioning and support can't do its job forever. At some point, the shoe has outlived its ability to help you and needs to be set out to pasture.

The best way to keep your running shoes in prime shape possible is, as mentioned above, to rotate between pairs. Also, make sure you only wear them for running. I know how tempting it can be to throw them on for errands or for standing at your kid's sporting event, etc... But you break down the cushioning and add wear and tear to them that can be avoided, if you just pull them on and lace them up only for running. 

When you are finished with a pair of shoes in a running cycle, you can delegate them to gardening. Or, as in my neighborhood, our local running shoe store has a recycling program where they collect old running shoes that are then shipped off to a charity that recycles the rubber to be used in tracks in under-served communities. Pretty great, huh? This also seems to take the sting out of replacing what looks to be good shoes in the 300-500 mile window.

Which brings me to my next point. I will often hear, "My shoes look fine! The tread isn't even warn!" By the time the tread wears out you're way past your replacement date. The best way to do it is to keep track of the mileage, either by writing the date you purchased them in indelible marker on the shoe or by recording the date of purchase in your log. Then you'll know exactly how many miles they have. 

Also, the shoe will most often breakdown at the midfoot first (especially if you are using good form). You will see striations in the rubber. Again, when those are visible, you are probably getting to the end of that pair's life.

And when shoelaces begin to get very long, you know you're past your replacement window. You are having to tie the shoe tighter and tighter to compensate for the breakdown in the cushioning. Did you ever notice when you have gone too long between shoes replacements, that when you get the new shoe on your foot you feel like that foot is sitting on a cotton pillow?  You have gotten used to the feeling of running on little or no cushion.

And frankly, that's not good for your joints. It can definitely lead to injury and soreness.

Why take that chance? Replace your shoes and avoid any issues the old shoes can bring with them.

Tags: Training Shoes

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The Value of Rest

We as athletes, tend to think of training as the time we spend working hard -- the time our heart rates are elevated and we are pushing ourselves, so that we might find a new level of performance. Or to get back to a level of performance we once enjoyed.

But in truth, "training" encompasses many other elements besides the ones that include the hard working moments. Part of training is nutrition; how you fuel before and during workouts as well as refueling and recovery after. Part of training is sleep; making sure we get enough hours to optimally recovery. Part of training is mental prep, visualizing and gaining strength in our mental game.

And part of training is rest and assimilation. We can sometimes forget how vital this piece is for our progress.

For my clients, I tend to train them in four-week cycles - three weeks increasing the workload, and a week to pull back. Then we start that over again, within the mesocycle of a training phase. I find this approach works well. Whether they are runners, cyclists or triathletes, increasing or intensifying workload for three weeks seems optimal, having that fourth week to not only rest physically but mentally. That physical rest also aids in assimilation -- which is one of the most important aspects of rest.

If you decide you want to build muscle and you head to the gym to lift, when does your muscle grow? In the actual workout or after? The answer is after, when you are resting. You are microtearing the muscle fiber with the workload, stressing it and causing breakdown. Then when you rest and assimilate, the muscles recovers, gaining strength and size in the recovery process. So if you overlift, you won't see the gains you'll see with a balanced program that includes vital rest and assimilation.

Same deal for those of us involved in aerobic-based sports. We need that rest to allow maximum assimilation for the work we do. This is even more critical after we cross the age of 40. 

So make sure you are taking the time to make your training count by allowing the body rest and recovery periodically. It will get you optimal gains for the time you spend working hard.

Tags: Rest

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Another week. February is half over. And for those of us who have had record snowfall and a looong winter, the thought of spring is omnipresent. 

The Auto Show is in town here in Chicago as well as a boat show. We are locked up like caged animals and this is a great time of year for industry to show us their wares. They have our full attention. 

Here in Chicago we also have an annual bike show in late March/early April. These kinds of shows as well as a little more time on our hands due to weather, can lead us to looking at our athletic equipment and wondering if it's time for an upgrade. Musing about this is always fun, isn't it?

And that always brings about the annual question... How much difference does it makes to have the best equipment you can afford available to you in your sport?

It's always a good debate with my athletic friends, from triathletes, to cyclists, to softball players to tennis players, to runners. How much difference does it really make?

Well since this is my blog, you get my opinion. I am sure others will differ, but here's my two cents.

No machine or equipment will make up a deficit in training. None. Our engines and how we use them is the number one determining factor in how we perform out there. We can have the best of the best and the most expensive and we'll roll across the line further back than we could have potentially, if focus has been on the equipment rather than the work.

But all that being said, if you have the money to invest in top of the line equipment, and you know you work hard and have trained well, why not allow yourself the maximum potential of success? Why not buy a lighter bike, going carbon? Why not get a top of the line racquet? Why not invest in both trainers and racing flats? 

Make sure you do your research. To me, that is key. Don't buy blind because a salesperson said so. Figure out what you want by taking the time to compare the products. The Internet is a great tool for this kind of research. You can get information from the manufacturer but you can often find testimonials straight from other athletes that have used the equipment. I find that to be really valuable. If the same complaint shows up over and over, you can pretty much assume there is an issue that the manufacturer needs to address and perhaps you want to steer clear of that particular model, or brand. 

Being an informed consumer is a fun part of this process and ultimately makes the whole thing a lot less unsettling, when you put your check or credit card down at the time of purchase.

Another reason to think about an upgrade is confidence. It is a big variable for success.  While training properly gives you that confidence, having invested in equipment that you've researched and want, can also give you a little mental boost. You know that you feel better on that lighter bike, with that better racquet and in those racing flats. These elements can go that extra mile to making you feel as if you are the whole package and have it going on. :) 

And doesn't every little bit help? It doesn't mean by any stretch that you can't accomplish your goals with the equipment you have. You can. But sometimes it's nice knowing we have done just a little more to get an edge - whether it is perceived or real.

Come to think of it, I could use a new road bike......

Tags: Training

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