Training - General Topics (6)
Indoor Cycling Program and Easter Camp
Written by Scott McMillan, M.ScWe have been ripping it up this fall on our bikes at the adidas sportsplex. Our next session of indoor cycling is now open for registration.
ALSO, dates are set for our annual Easter training camp.
I hope you are enjoying the festive season and I hope to see you in the New Year!
In our last article, I mentioned that the forecast for Ironman Canada 2011 was to be hot. And, was it ever hot!
Well, things change. It is the end of September and it is 13 C (55F) degrees and rainy. I am not riding outside today but then again I don't need to ride today. Still chill'n out in my off-season.
So, let's talk indoor cycling where it will be nice and warm but most importantly, DRY (well, for most people).
Indoor cycling requires an indoor trainer (or as our UK friends call them, turbo's). There are a wide variety of trainers available and they range in price from $100 to $2000. What's the difference? What should you get?
There are five categories of indoors trainers:
1. Magnetic
2. Wind
3. Fluid
4. Electronic Brake Controlled
5. Rollers
I'll cut to the chase. If you have a budget of $300-500 then go out and get a good fluid trainer. Reason being they are the most durable, least noisy and most importantly they increase in resistance when you shift gears (ie. you don't have to get off your bike to increase the resistance of the trainer to do hard intervals).
Cyclops Fluid2 is a good example of a fluid trainer in the $400+ range.
If you are willing to go with a lower quality trainer that is less durably, and does not adjust resistance as easily then you can look at magnetic trainers. Some, come with cables that allow you to adjust the resistance while you are riding. However, these cables do not last forever. Again, only get these if you really can't afford the more expensive fluid trainers.
Cyclops and Tacx make good magnetic trainers for $200-300.
You can also get wind trainers which give you a good range of resistance (and are even smoother) but for the same price as a Fluid they are a lot louder. A lot. Not a tradeoff I want to make for a smoother ride.
Electronic brake trainers are the Cadillacs of trainers. They allow you to adjust the resistance electronically and give you a good measure of power. They are relatively quiet and durable. Tacx makes some that are under $1000 but are not as accurate with the power measurements. The Tacx flow is the most affordable one while the Tacx vortex is a step up.
More expensive electronic brake models come with software so you can train on various courses and do various workouts with your computer. So, if you plan on doing a lot of indoor riding, have a plugin nearby and have $1500 to spend on a trainer, these are the ones to get.
Trainers made by Computrainer give more accurate power readings while the Tacx Bushido trainers have better software for training.
Lastly, rollers have come a long way even though they have been around the longest. Basically, you sit your bike on top of 3 rolling pins. They require that you balance on those rollers which is great to give you the road type feel and is why people use them. Some offer resistance systems but most just let you set it to one resistance and as you pedal faster, you go a bit harder. Some models also help you stay in the middle of the pins which prevents you from wiping out (been there, done that).
"You should prepare for every race as though it is a military campaign. Wherever you go, the terrain, weather, food, air quality, language, accommodation, culture - they are all different. You cannot go into those races with exactly the same strategy each time. Planning and customizing your approach to each race dramatically improves your chances of winning." From Chris McCormack's book I'm Here to Win.
I am about done reading McCormack's book and there are a lot of good tidbits in it. To be honest, the first few chapters are tremendous. Then it starts to slow down and I have yet to read the final chapters. But, the first set of chapters make it a worthwhile read and to each their own. You may find the final chapters more interesting then me. Either way, if you have not read a lot of books about winning and a winners approach then you should certainly read this one.
That does not imply you should mimic everything Chris has done. Obviously, we are not nearly as gifted as he is when it comes to swimming, cycling and running. And, that is one of his points in the book. Always be ready to adapt. Change your approach when it makes sense.
Bringing it On - Oliver Half Race Report
I am finally writing a follow-up to my own race at Oliver. Remember, I talked about "Bringing it On" a few blogs ago. We had shitty spring weather which meant cool training temperatures. As, luck would have it, I was right. It did get pretty warm on race day. Upwards of 25C. Ok, not hot like Australia hot or Hawaii hot by any stretch. But, a number of people mentioned how hot it was one race. Again, it is simply because we have had such a cool spring. I felt good. It did not feel "hot" to me. Between the sauna training and knowing how to race in hotter weather (by hydrating and sponging) I was able to stay comfortable in the heat.
The swim went really well. I got a great start by swimming beside Pro Jonathon Caron for 4m, then dropping back and following his feet for another meter. Seriously, I was able to get pulled out by Jon and away from the big pack which was nice. I swam strong to the first buoy and then settled into a mod-hard rhythm for the rest of the way. Coming out comfortably in 5th or 6th I believe.
I felt good starting the bike. The TREK speed concept from the Bike Barn did not disappoint. I am riding in a much better position. Lower again and steeper. Much like I did when I had my best years of riding. I have not put my power meter on it yet though, so, I really had to watch my pace early on. I did end up riding a little hard the first lap and was tired near the end of the bike course. My power and stamina is not quite there yet.
I started the run pretty stiff. I loosened up a bit but it never felt free like it sometimes does. I really held back on the run. I figured I was in a 1:35-39 shape and just went by feel that first lap. Starting the second lap, I actually felt better so I took that as a sign to pick it up. I did pick it up and it felt good. Unfortunately, that was a bad idea. I ran well to the 10th mile or 16km. Then the wheels came off. I was reduced to a shuffle. It honestly felt like I was in an Ironman run at that point. The last 5km were hard. I was very well hydrated and well fuelled so it has to be fitness.
I did not win nor did I come close to a PB. But, I never had that expectation going into the race. I missed my expectations by about 10 minutes on the run since I bonked so hard. The swim and bike did go quite well all things considered. My overall fitness was not quite there but it was close and I can see it approaching on the horizon.
I planned as well as I could for this race. I was ready for the heat and I was well rested. Nonetheless, I admit I was a little hesitant to do the race given my training and recent hip injury. But, I love racing. I love the hard effort it takes. I love the feeling of speed. I like being out there battling it out with everyone. And the best part is, I get to come home and play with my 10 month year old daughter.
I'm still here to win, it is just a different game now within the same sport and I plan to enjoy it just as well. This dad is now out to conquer the Fairmont Fantastic 3 Triathlon and is really going to enjoy that beer afterwards.
This is the 2nd great video by Dr. Jack Daniels providing an overview of general training principles and also how they relate to running barefoot or minimal shoes. See the previous blog post for the first video and comments.
Related Video
I belong to a coaches forum on Facebook. One of the contributors kindly posted this video which is part 1 of 2 (see next post for part 2) done by Dr. Jack Daniels who, I would say, has been a leader in the field of applied sport science especially when it concerns running. If you have not read his book, you certainly should. It is a classic.
However, before you get the book, check out these two videos. They were filmed while he was doing a presentation on behalf of the running shoe company Saucony. Coincidentally enough, they are a nice follow up to my recent blog about running barefoot since Saucony is explaining their recommendations for running shoe minimalism.
Not only that though, these videos are probably the BEST introduction or overview of key training principles. A good reminder for vets and a must-view for new athletes.
[Afte viewing this video, go here for part II]
