Coach Vance, TrainingBible Coaching

Swim Lecture with Video Analysis

2012-02-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, I will be doing a public speaking event, helping to explain the technical aspects of swimming, keeping them simplified, filtering thru the depth of information to what is most important. Below is the info if you're interested, and if you can't attend you can click the link on the right to find my webinars with the topics, or look for the recording and presentation in my Coach Vance store...

If you're struggling with getting faster in the water, TrainingBible Elite Coach Jim Vance will explain and simplify what is most important to go faster in the water. He will also share some underwater video footage from swimmers to better understand the application of the technical discussion.

What: Learning and Understanding the 3 Technical Aspects of Swmming
Cost: FREE! Food and drinks will be served
When: Wednesday, Feb 15th, 2012
6:15-7:45 PM
Where: B+L South Store
3603 Camino Del Rio West
San Diego, CA 92110

You can RSVP for the event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/228047363952281/

Hope you can make it...

Coach Vance

Coaching Endorsement

2012-02-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Saw this great interview with Gerry Rodrigues, one of the foremost authorities on the sport of swimming, especially within triathlon. He discusses many of the issues facing triathletes when trying to learn to swim faster. You can read this interview here, but I felt honored to be mentioned in this excerpt:

"The horizon: Fortunately, with triathlon becoming an Olympic sport in 2000, more substantive coaches are entering the space, raising the present mark of swim coaching and triathlon coaching in general. There are many good swim coaches for triathletes; unfortunately, many do not publish. Here are some examples worth following when they do publish: Swim Smooth (Paul Newsome); Jim Vance; Mike Collins; Joel Filliol; Brett Sutton; Matt Dixon. These coaches together, along with a few others, are the future for triathlon swimming."

That is a who's who of triathlon coaching, and I feel honored to be a part of it. I will be announcing a speaking event and some swim clinics in San Diego shortly. Stay tuned.

Coach Vance

A turning point for triathlon?

2012-02-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

I saw this ad at the NCAA.org website, for a triathlon/cross-country coach, for a Division III school, Marymount University. (I've captured the screen shot for when the position is filled and the ad is pulled. Click on the image to enlarge.)

This could represent a big turning point for the sport, as this is the first time a school is designating triathlon as a sport they will support financially, via their athletic department. In every other university, (to my knowledge), the sport is strictly considered a student club, funded by the members of the club.

Why is this important? Well, with a paid position for the coach and funds to help provide the necessary support of facilities, travel costs, equipment costs, athletic trainers and other items, this will likely lead to more enhanced and better development of athletes.

This is a Division III school though, not a Big Ten or Pac-12 university, so the caliber of athletes in these programs will likely not resemble those at the highest level, as Division III institutions offer no athletic scholarships. However, with the support offered, and a cross country season likely tied to it, it does have the potential to provide athletes with an impressive amount of support while pursuing an education. Could this lead to more Division I universities taking part in a similar program? That seems a long way off yet, but the Division III institutions have a chance here to leverage this aspect of the sport, and bring some great notoriety and exposure to their schools, helping them to offer a sport a Division I schools can't offer. Though this may not sway the top athletes, there have been many cases of hidden gems of athletes coming thru a solid development program and blossoming late. And with a committed time thru school focused on the sport, developing their weaknesses, athletes could potentially leave these programs ready to or already performing at a high level, with their education completed.

There are some drawbacks to triathlon being an NCAA sport, which I outlined some of in the LAVA magazine article from August/September 2011. Two of the main concerns have been Title 9, (gender equity policies), and restrictions placed on coaches at the institutions. The main restriction being that a top level coach can only work with athletes on their team, not coach juniors, as that would be an NCAA recruiting violation. There also must be a decision made on the style of racing that collegiate triathletes will do, and whether they will focus on a draft-legal race model to help Olympic development, or stick with non-drafting, and miss out on the key skills and experience needed for ITU and Olympic athlete development.

So what are your thoughts? Is this good for the sport? Or will this cause more headaches than it is worth?

Coach Vance

Train hard now, and then what...?

2012-01-26T07:14:00.000-08:00

One of the typical issues I face with my athletes this time of year, (off-season or pre-season), is a desire to do more, and train harder. Never mind that most of my athletes live in climates that make outdoor training rather cold and miserable, many still want to push hard, large volume, and be ready to race at their peak come the first race of the year.

I always ask in response, "If we train specifically and hard for your goal race right now, we'll see a plateau in about 12-16 weeks. Then what do we do?" Most don't know the answer to that question. They all know that plateaus can happen, but when you put it on the calendar and can pinpoint the time they will see it, it becomes clear that their plan likely won't work. They likely will reach a mental plateau as well, and by the end of the season when the most important races come, and everyone is looking to peak, those who trained at the highest level early in the year are hanging by a mental and physical string.

So instead, I push for the athletes to focus on their weaknesses during this time, with quality being high, and volume being low. This prepares athletes for the season, yet allows us to still have something to build on thru the year. We focus on individual metrics within each phase, trying to improve the skills and abilities that we can build in succession thru the season, to the key races.

So if you're training now like it's the middle of the season, what are you going to do when that plateaus?

Coach Vance

Training with Data on a Budget

2012-01-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest roadblocks for most people to use data in their training, is the cost. But this becomes less and less of a real issue everyday. As new models of power meters and GPS come out, they simply add a bit more bells and whistles, and the products that still collect data and allow athletes to download and analyze it, become cheaper and cheaper. This is really all you need. Keep it simple, and you'd be amazed how cheap EFFECTIVE training can really be!

Let's say your budget is $1500. I have taken the liberty to show you how you can begin training using data for less than this budget.

Combination #1

Run data collection
Garmin is the major player, dominating the market, and even as they have introduced nicer models, they have also introduced cheaper models with effective features, such as downloadable data, ANT+, and done it with much more aesthetically pleasing watches, unlike their original and bulky Forerunner 205/305/310XT models.

I recommend Garmin's Forerunner 210 model. It does it all, small on the wrist, acts like a normal watch too, at $299 on Amazon. There's a 110 model for cheaper, but the 210 gives you all the important data of pace, heart-rate and cadence on the run, (via foot-pod). The 110 is not as good, as the 210 comes with everything you need to download the data as well, is the better investment.

Power data collection
I recommend splitting up the computer units you'll use for the bike and run. Come race-day, this is faster and easier. Also, it helps to save battery life if one unit isn't doing all the work. When you have a dead battery, you have no data.

For the bike and power data, a single wireless unit with ANT+ capability, like the Garmin Edge 500 is a great unit, available at Amazon for $249. You can purchase this model without a HR monitor, because the one with the 210 is compatible with this one as well, so two for the price of one!

Power meter
The easiest power meter on the market is the Powertap, and it is priced extremely cheap at $660, with ANT+, on an excellent training wheel at Competitive Cyclist. You won't need the computer head, because you've got the Edge already.

Total cost for this combination: $1208, ($292 below budget!)

If you want a race wheel, you can use the savings from the budget to buy a nice front wheel, and then go to Wheelbuilder and get a disc cover, (Aerojacket), for your training wheel. It will make it suddenly a great racing wheel, and in some studies, even better!

Combination #2

Run data collection and Power data collection in one unit
Though I mentioned above that I'm not a fan of one unit for both, some people are. The best unit for this is either the 910XT, ($449 at Amazon), or the 310XT, ($349 at Amazon), both listed with the heart rate monitor.

Here's the 910XT and the 310XT...

You will want to buy the foot-pod, as cadence data can tell you a lot of information about how your running is. It is $88.94 at Amazon, and is compatible with both the 910XT and the 310XT.

Power meter
Again, the Powertap from Competitive Cyclist at $660, with no computer head, is still the best deal.

Total cost for this combination:
$1197.94 for 910XT, with foot-pod and Powertap
$1097.94 for 310XT, with foot-pod and Powertap

This last single-unit combination is not much lower in cost than the 2 unit combination, so consider the advice of separating the two. Also, you can use the savings to get a disc cover mentioned in combination #1.

Analysis Software
And last but not least, is the software to analyze. This is the best part, TrainingPeaks is FREE! If you want some bells and whistles, you can pay for a premium account, but if you have a coach who uses it, you likely get the premium account included in their services.

You can truly see how a $1500 budget is more than enough, and as little as an $1100 budget will get you using data and taking your training and performances to new levels! No more excuses, time to do it right!

Coach Vance

Making sense of the data

2012-01-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

As you probably know from reading this blog, I am big "data-guy" when it comes to coaching athletes. Yes, I believe in coaching technique and especially the mental side when athletes have high goals, but in the day-to-day training aspects, data tells us how the athlete is progressing.

Much of the posts I've shared here have been where the data is clearly showing improvement for an athlete, but it isn't always easy to see improvement, and sometimes different data collections may tell a different story. So, making sense of the data collected is the biggest challenge, especially when you can get conflicting stories.

Here's an example of a PMC chart for running files from an athlete: (click on images to enlarge)

You can see I've highlighted an area where it appears we have some plateauing, or even some possible regression. The dots with lines represent the 10 best performances in the time period, over certain time intervals, such as 30 seconds, 1 min, 6 min, etc. Ideally, we want to see these lines on an upward slope, representing faster speeds produced.

However, we still see some of the 10 best performances of the time period so far. Not only do we see these happening, the 60 min samples are the best so far, and the ATL, (pink line, Actue Training Load representing load or fatigue of the athlete), is far and away the largest the athlete has experienced so far. The athlete went on a holiday vacation and was able to run a lot more. The fact he was still able to show some of his best performances in such a fatigued state, is encouraging. But again, this is only one data collection, so let's look at some other data and try to see a more complete picture.

Here is a chart from the same athlete, which tracks their average run pace per week, for ALL runs. This shows his average pace is at its highest. This data could be skewed if a certain workout was designed to be faster, but that hasn't been the case. This athlete has focused on Zone 1 run economy, and one run per week with 15 second surges, so the training has been consistent and inferences of improvement can be drawn.

In fact, this athlete lives in a very flat place in the US, and for this vacation went to a very hilly part of the US. The fact these paces were achieved in a more challenging terrain, under higher fatigue levels is encouraging. But let's continue to look at the data in a different perspective...

These charts take the best 30 min sample in a single week of run paces on the left, watts on the right, and plots them on the graph. You can see the trends are continuing up. The outlier on the left chart is a test workout. When we look at this, considering the whole picture of the data, and then look at the summary chart of the training so far, we see improvement across the board. The only value not showing improvement so far is 20 minute pace, because of a test workout to determine run FTP.

So even though the run PMC chart at the top showed a plateau of performance, when we considered all the data points, and even the subjectivity of where the athlete was training over the holidays, we can be fairly certain and excited that the athlete is progressing quite well with the current training focus, and there is no need to change the current course, yet.

If you have data collected, and are interested in having me view it and share what I see, contact me at coachjimvance at g mail dot com.

Coach Vance

Over-reaching in training?

2011-12-16T12:21:00.000-08:00

From twitter the other day:

@behrenst asks:
"Would still love to hear your thoughts on intentionally overreaching and where in a training plan it might offer the most benefit"

Thanks for the question. The whole of point of training in general is over-reaching, just how much we should over-reach is the art of training/coaching. This is incredibly individual, even in the timing, given career and family responsibilities, as well as climate and race schedule.

One athlete I coach is a school teacher who has his summer off. We use this period to focus on either Ironman Wisconsin, or Kona, as he alternates years usually with these events, qualifying for Kona one year, racing it the next. The fact he has so much free time, allows this to be an excellent time to over-reach more than we would during the school year. It also coincides with the 12-week lead-up into Ironman Wisconsin for him, so this becomes a perfect time-window for specific preparation for the race.

So to answer your question, the specific preparation period is most important, and if you can over-reach there, you'll see a better transfer of that effort into actual performance. But I also want to caution you to be careful in your over-reaching, as this 12 week period is CRITICAL, so a mistake in over-reaching can lead to injury, burnout, over-training, and missed training during this time.

If you've given yourself plenty of time to build slowly into this specific preparation period, you won't require over-reaching beyond a normal amount. Remember, the more time you have, the less risk you need to take in training. The less time you have, the more risk you must take to be prepared.

Consistency of training over the long haul will trump a few big weeks of training, always.

Coach Vance

How much running is enough?

2011-12-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

I was asked a question the other day about how many runs in a week is enough for a triathlete, given the need to swim and bike, especially when preparing for a half or full Ironman. It's an interesting question, and one which is entirely dependent on the athlete's strengths, weaknesses and goals.

However, most athletes are time crunched, and looking for the minimum needed to get by and compete sufficiently, and I do believe that number is 3. Here are a few key points to this:

- For most time-crunched Ironman athletes, the easiest training session to get completed is the run. Pool sessions require going to a pool and then returning, and a minimum of time in the pool needed to do well is about 45-60 minutes, but most likely 60 minutes will do better than 45. Biking for 60 mins doesn't give you much, unless on a trainer. So adding a run should be the easiest part of training.
- 3 is a good number, but 4 is better. 5 is better than 4, but this is not universal. The key is consistency, as missing just one run means reducing the training load by about 33%, or more. The less runs you do, the more important each run is. You can't afford to miss them.
- 3 is a good number if one of the runs is a long run. How long is a long run? That depends again on the athlete, but a minimum of 90 mins, and as much as 2-3 hours, if the athlete can handle it.
- 3 is a good number if another one of the runs is a medium distance run, perhaps with some tempo effort in it. This means about 80% of the long run.
- 3 is a good number if the third run is high intensity intervals! As an athlete gets closer to race day, these intervals should get longer and longer, generally speaking.
- If you can get a 4th run in, what should it be? I think it should be a zone 1 economy building run, or something which addresses the key weaknesses of the athlete.

Coach Vance

Costa Rica Tri Camp & Rev3 Races, March 12-18, 2012

2011-12-06T15:12:00.001-08:00

Brief Description

Join us in beautiful Costa Rica for a week-long training camp with TrainingBible coaches and athletes. The week-long camp will be 3 days of intense training followed by 2 skills and learning focused days and up to 2 races at the REV 3 Event (Olympic distance on Saturday, Half on Sunday). Fly into Liberia airport on Sunday, we will pick you up, take you to villa, camp starts on Monday. Athletes can leave either the following Sunday late evening or Monday morning, accommodations are included for this entire time-frame.

Additional Information

Camp Features:

8-night stay at Coco Bay Estates (an $1800-$2400 value)
Option for private room or shared room available
2 Meals provided per day, (catered breakfast and lunch buffet)
All sessions coached and led by a TrainingBible Coach
Low traffic, paved roads for riding
Coach on-deck for pool sessions
Incredibly beautiful open-water swimming in Coco Bay
Underwater swim video technique assessment for each athlete, ($115 value)
Run technique video assessment for each athlete, ($100 value)
Discounted entry fees to REV3 Olympic and/or Half
Classroom sessions for individual learning
Complimentary airport shuttle to/from Coco Bay Estates from Liberia Airport only
Camp Head Coach is Jim Vance -

View the Camp Itinerary

Camp Hotel – Coco Bay Estates

Register for the camp here:
http://www.active.com/triathlon-camp/guanacaste-n-a/costa-rica-trainingbible-coaching-tri-training-camp-and-rev3-races-2012?int=29-6

***Please note: There is a $500 non refundable charge for signing up for this camp. 100% of the remaining cost of the camp is refundable until December 31st. After December 31, refunds are NOT available.

For photos of last year's camp, see this post I wrote about the camp.

Coach Vance

Old and Slow?

2011-11-23T20:51:00.001-08:00

If you feel like you're getting old and slow, then consider your training. Running long and slow, as you get older, probably isn't going to help the problem.

Think INTENSITY!

Coach Vance

Junior Tri Winter Camp & F1 Race - San Diego

2011-11-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

EDIT: Due to permit issues with the city of San Diego, this race has been cancelled.

One of my passions is teaching and working with young people, exposing them to the world of endurance sports, and all the great rewards it offers to simply hard work and commitment, especially the sport of triathlon.

I started the TriJuniors program a few years ago, and in just 2 seasons, the team has finished top 5 in the National Team Championship standings, and has produced 1 US Worlds Team member, 2 Top 5 nationally ranked athletes, 7 total nationally ranked athletes, 2 PATCO North American Championship finishers, and as of today, 49 individual champions at major triathlon events throughout Southern California. There wasn't a program like this that even existed in this region when I started it, and now these accomplishments have happened in this short window. I now recognize the biggest challenge facing the sport at the junior level is not a commitment from the athletes, but rather opportunity for them to show their commitment.

The sport lacks an event to bridge the summer seasons together, and keep our young athletes sharp in their skills, and committed to a triathlon-focused training approach. I'm attempting to change this with 2 events this December, which I hope to become annual, a youth and junior triathlon winter camp, and a youth and junior major race event, (draft-legal F1, and a non-drafting fun event for those just learning the sport).

The camp will include training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, swim sessions in a long course, 50-meter pool, and more. The camp is open to athletes from 11-19 years of age. All the information on this incredible camp can be found here:
Youth and Junior Triathlon Winter Camp - San Diego, December 28th and 29th

The F1 race will take place at Fiesta Island, on Friday, December 30th. The distances will 600 meter swim, 16K bike, and 4K run. Youth, non-drafting athletes will do a 150m swim, 4K bike, 1K run. All the info for the race can be found here:
San Diego Youth and Junior F1 Triathlon - So Cal Winter Championship

Please help us grow the sport and share this with athletes who might be interested. Thank you!

Coach Vance

Kona Counts - "If they use it, it MUST work great!"

2011-10-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from a company which claimed their product was the most used, compared to all their competitors, in Kona. This type of marketing is deceptive, but unfortunately effective for getting many athletes to use their products, and believe in them.

This company in particular gave away their product for FREE at Kona, and the only stipulation for receiving it was that it be used in the race.

Kona equipment counts have now become a measuring stick for success among the businesses in the industry, since it is a sampling of the best athletes in that aspect of the sport, just like when a team in the Tour de France uses a certain product. Different independent groups are assigned with counting everything athletes use for the race which can be measured, tallied, seen and distinguished. Common things include bike frames brands, wheel brands, shoe brands, race kits, helmets, components on a bike, and much more. These counts begin at bike check-in, and continue thru the entire race.

The belief is among the athletes who see these counts, that these are the best athletes in the sport, so they must be great products too, right?

The problem with this thinking is flawed in many ways:

1. These athletes were great anyway. In the case of the company who gave their product away for FREE, if they are just getting the product in Kona, it had no affect whatsoever on their preparation, and so the result being from the product isn't just in question, it's wrong. Many just wanted a free piece of equipment, which could save them some dough. Heck, many might turn around and sell it, using the marketing of the company as it being the most used product at Kona, and say on their classified sales ad, "Only used once!"

2. Performance at Kona has more to do with talent, athlete background, effective preparation, heat tolerance, pacing, nutrition timing/execution, mental toughness, luck and conditions, than equipment. In fact, I would list equipment behind all those in terms of importance.

3. When a product is given away for free, then an athlete is probably more willing to accept the flaws, than if they had to pay for it. Think about this when it comes to elites, who rarely pay for items, just get what they need from the highest bidder. Sure, some might be in a position with multiple offers to say, "I like this company over that company," so they can be a bit more honest, but many just sell to the highest bidder, or in some cases, the only bidder.

4. Really what the Kona count shows us is not which products are best, but which companies are selling the most products among the faster population. This is more so a good measuring tool for their marketing, but at the same time adds to their marketing arsenal.

5. Many products are very individual-based. What I mean by this is that there are some products I used in my racing as an elite which wouldn't be advisable for many/most/all athletes. Bike fit is very individual, and different bikes will fit different bodies and flexibilities. Top finishers will run with racing flats, while someone walking the whole marathon has no need or might get injured with them. The examples could be listed here at length.

Bottom line, use your judgement, thinking for yourself. Read, ask, listen, touch, test and learn. You will learn what works for you, but don't be preaching to everyone that X-company is the best for everyone, and the best overall, (especially because of Kona counts), because that is just not the case.

Coach Vance

Goals for the off-season

2011-10-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

The off-season is pretty much here for most triathletes, a few may have a late-season Ironman, but even the time until those is not long, and the off-season will begin.

Athletes tend to be pretty good at setting goals for the season, but few really set goals for the off-season. Off-season goals can really help to motivate and provide the big break-through the next season.

What types of goals should one set? This depends on the athlete, but usually, the off-season is the best time to work on weaknesses.

What weaknesses do you have as an athlete? Chances are you are fit, but lack the top end speed needed to race at a higher level. This should be your focus and where you set your goals. For some, this means training for a new 5K PR, while for others it might a new mile PR, in terms of setting goals.

It could also be a goal time in the pool, for the 400, 100 or 50, or perhaps even doing fly for a full 100 or 400.

On the bike, athletes can set a CP 1 or CP 6 wattage goal, or even a goal time for a shorter local climb in their area. Another opportunity is in cyclo-cross, racing a local series, with a placement goal for the series.

You'll notice these are sport specific goals, and not related directly to triathlon performance, but rather indirectly. The time frame of these is much shorter than what triathletes will do on race day, so it is general preparation, not specific. Periodization is basically the idea of going from general preparation to specific, in phases of time, changing the training stress to more closely resemble the demands of race day.

For most triathletes, race day is aerobic, so aerobic work is more specific, whereas super intensive, neurological training is more general, and what most triathletes need to train. But many get stuck on the same habits and workouts, performing a lot of race-specific work in the off-season. Then when the specific period of training comes, they are not introducing a new stress, so the body is not responding to it, instead plateauing and showing no improvement for the athlete.

Sit down and set some specific, measurable goals for the off-season, which address your weaknesses, and bring a new training stress to your body.

Coach Vance

Continuous improvement?

2011-10-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

Should you be seeing continuous improvement in your fitness and abilities throughout the year? Well, isn't that the point of training, to get better? If you're not getting better with your training, why train? Seems obvious, by how many times do athletes train and not see improvement?

The chart above is one I showed in a blog post a few months ago, where the athlete was progressing in the average pace off all runs in a week. (Click on images to enlarge). The challenge as a coach is to try and keep this upward trend going, for the entire season, and at as steep of a rate of incline as possible, without injuring the athlete. (Injuries will inevitably lead to a decline). So what has happened lately with this athlete? Well, see below. (Again, click on image to enlarge).

Now you can see we've been able to keep the athlete progressing well, on an upward trend, which is something he wasn't able to do at all in the first half of the year. In fact, not only is more of the first half of the year flat, there is a decline in performance come the months of May and June.

When you use data and track how the athlete is progressing, you can continue to look for consistent improvement, and prevent performance plateaus, ahead of time. This is the key reason I have my athletes use technology in their training.

Coach Vance

Run PMC Chart for Ironman FL 2011

2011-10-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share this Performance Management Chart for all run files and data, from a 60 year old I coach who is doing Ironman Florida in a few weeks. (Click on the image to enlarge).

This athlete has seen a huge jump in his run training and performances, as I record the top 10 performances for the season, for 6, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Probably the most impressive aspect is the runs have been much more focused on becoming more economical over the longer durations, 90-120 minutes. And yet, even during these runs, his best 6 minute sample from those runs are some of his best of the year for 6 minutes! His confidence is very high seeing this, and he knows he will likely have the best run he's ever had off the bike at Florida, as long as he executes his plan effectively for the swim, bike and nutrition.

Coach Vance

Special Needs Bag?

2011-10-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

One of the tools I believe is often misused at an Ironman event, is the Special Needs Bag, or sometimes called the "half-way bag". Problem with the name half-way bag, is that many times this bag doesn't come at half-way.

Why I believe it is misused is because when an athlete puts an important, and valuable piece of their race success in this bag, they put their race into the hands and responsibility of other people, likely which they do not even know.

We hear horror stories of lost special needs bags, but also sometimes given the wrong special needs bag. Though this is unlikely, as probably better than 90 % of special needs bag are delivered without issue, I had one athlete at Kona who was in the top 10 overall age-groupers when arriving at special needs. The volunteers could not find his bag, and as he stood on the side of the road, he watched many athletes he had worked so hard to be in front of, pass him. He estimates it was about 1 minute of time, which isn't much in the big picture, but this was a blow mentally.

This can be avoided with a different approach to special needs, and that is treating it as insurance only. What do I mean by insurance? Put a bottle in the bag in case you drop or lose one. Put a spare tube and CO2 cartridge, in case you flat and need another. Put some lubricant in a small baggie, or a sample size, in case you have some chaffing from your saddle, the salt water, etc, that you need to address or it will become quite painful.

If you can carry all your calories, or better utilize the aid stations, you'll be able to fly by special needs and pass a number of athletes who need to stop and gather their items. Mentally, you'll feel better, you'll be more in control of your race, and should something go wrong, you know you've got items waiting for you, and you can cash in that insurance policy.

Coach Vance

Analyzing the Ironman Run for Kona - Pro Women

2011-10-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

In my last post, we analyzed the pro men's run off the bike, to determine what affect pacing might have on the race, and the dynamics of the first mile among the field.

It was clear that those with the least amount of fade/differential between their first mile time as a projected pace, and their actual pace, did better on the whole. It goes to show the value of the run in Ironman, especially the strength to hold a hot pace, if you're coming out of T2 hot. Or one could assume when a smart runner paces himself better out of T2, but within range of the leaders, we could see a surprise winner.

Truth be told, I never believed it was truly possibly to be that pace consistent among the pro's, like Ogden was. I honestly believed you would be too tired from the efforts of the bike in that heat, and you just fall to a sort of default pace. The athletes with the fastest default pace, who are best positioned when the heat really turns up toward the end, would find themselves in contention. Almost like a peloton and positioning for a field sprint. You have to be on the right wheels within the final K of a sprint finish, and in Ironman, that point is around the half-way point of the marathon.

Now Ogden has me rethinking that theory. However, Ogden did not win. He was not even in the top 10. But perhaps if Andi Raelert or Pete Jacobs don't run so fast for the first mile, they give themselves a better chance? We'll never know.

But what about the women? Do we see the same thing? I was able to record the 10 of the top 11 overall females, plus Julie Dibens, (leader off the bike, DNF due to injury).

Obviously, the women run the same course as the men, so no need to review the first mile profile again. Here's how the first mile panned out, according to overall place: (click on image to enlarge)

Here we see a MUCH different result and dynamic than we saw in the men's race. In this race, the lower differentials were found higher up in the top 10, as a general placing, whereas in the men's race, the better differentials were found closer to the podium, as a whole. 4 women actually would have been considered as pacing themselves better than Chrissie, but the only one who was in the top 5 was Mirinda.

So what does this mean? Well, I think there are a few things we can infer from this:

1. The bike plays a very large role, even more so in the women's race than the men's. The top girls are able to go out so fast, suffer some of the highest fall-offs of pace, and still hold/finish in the top 5 positions.
2. There is a big gap between the run ability of the top runners in the women's race, and the rest of the field. They can tolerate such a large differential, that even their slowing/default pace is much better than most of the other girls.

A few questions jump out at me when I see this...
1. Would Mirinda have won if she was smarter at pacing in the early miles? Can she go 2:45 with better pacing? Realize, compared to Chrissie, she did pace better, just not better enough.
2. Leanda Cave the same? Remember, she lead Chrissie and Mirinda by about 5:30 and 9 mins out of T2. Cut her 18 min differential in half, and she's right there with Mirinda trying to chase her down at the end, and making Chrissie sweat it out for awhile. Maybe even running well enough that Chrissie begins to worry, makes an error?

If these girls really want to beat Chrissie in the future, they need to recognize her weaknesses, and this is one that is now exposed. According to the data I collected, (and I missed a few), only 4 men ran the first mile faster than Chrissie.

Exciting information! What are you thoughts?

Coach Vance

Analyzing the Ironman Run for Kona - Pro Men

2011-10-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

One of the things I am always intrigued about is what separates the top elite athletes from the rest, and there is no doubt that the ability to run off the bike is a key determinant of success in triathlon. It was usually very clear to me in my days of racing, that how the first mile went on the run during an Ironman was a likely determinant of my how my run split would be. Was this a mental thing, which gave me the confidence and desire to push myself? Perhaps.

In professional Ironman racing, you don't see perfect pacing. Instead, we see a strategy more like, "go until you fall apart, just don't fall apart as badly as everyone else!" The run is raced very similar to the bike, almost as a belief of a "peloton affect", where if the pack is let go, they never come back. On the bike, even if the athletes are riding "legally", there is still some draft benefit from the group as a whole, plus motorcycles of draft marshals possibly shielding the crosswinds at times, and possibly media, photographers, etc. And obviously there is the mental help of having others around to keep the pace and intensity high and consistent.

But is this the best strategy for the run? Would someone being smart in their pacing for the run coming off the bike with the leaders or main pack of contenders, possibly be able to take the victory, simply by pacing better? Or would they at least maximize the potential for highest placing, should they not be an outright contender for the victory.

I tried to gather evidence of this last year, but only with a Garmin 310XT, riding behind the athletes on a bicycle for a brief time, but this data was such a small sample it was not accurate, nor did it take into account the gradient at the different points I measured each of the athletes at.

This year, I set out to stand at the mile marker, and with the help of some viewers at home, and a couple of spotters/recorders at the mile mark, we were able to determine the first mile split for the top men and women, in almost real time during the event. I was actually able to tweet these paces live, (@jimvance).

As a preface, here is the profile of the first mile, from MapMyRun.com: (click on image to enlarge)

The 1st mile has a climb based upon this source, but overall has a net gain/loss of close to zero. This was relatively confirmed by some of the files my athletes had from 4 different run files from the race, via Garmins. (There was some variance, but so small, this doesn't really affect the data, as in a gigantic uphill or downhill mile).

The men's data according to place of finish, from those I was able to get splits for: (click on image to enlarge)

There seems to be a general trend of lower differential of first mile time to actual pace performed equating to higher placings, with some exceptions. Meaning that perhaps the better pacers do better in overall placings. Or is it simply the athletes who can best tolerate the fast pace at the beginning, with the least consequences? Perhaps those who train for the initial acceleration?

Courtney Ogden had a differential of only 2:07 from his projected pace at mile 1, relative to his actual performance. It appears he came off the bike in 31st place, meaning he moved up nearly 50% of the pro men's field. This was an impressive performance, as the next best of those I recorded was Bockel, who was the only other under 10 minutes differential. Bockel's pacing helped secure a 4th place finish.

I recognize I did not get each and every elite who came by, so there is some missing data, but I did get many of the leaders and those who I felt there would be interest in, as well as those likely to finish in the top 10, including 8 of the final top 10.

So here are the questions I pose to you, would these elites be better off pacing themselves better in the first mile, or is being a part of the race and getting into the lead group the most important thing? Or is it best to train for this surge, and be able to keep the differential in the 9-16 minute range? Is the mental reward of being in the race for the podium from the start better for the athlete's performance?

Coach Vance

Racing Beyond Your Means

2011-10-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

I am writing this from Kona, and tomorrow morning will be the Ironman World Championships here. I'll be watching the race, following my athletes, etc. I know my athletes will follow their plans, as we've rehearsed it well, they are confident.

But there will be many athletes, even at this event where the quality of the athletes is high, who will race beyond their means. Their training has been preparing for a certain output, and they will attempt to race well beyond that output. This will come from a lack of confidence in the plan and preparation, as well as peer pressure in the race to go as hard as possible for as long as possible.

Most athletes, even the competitive age-groupers that are fighting for a podium spot, would benefit from a strategy where they let the competition make the mistakes and take advantage of that. You don't have to be super aggressive to be successful here.

Pro's on the other hand, (at least on the men's side), have to take an opposite approach. They must take risks if they want to win. They must race beyond their training, because the difference in winning and getting 10th is very small. Different race, different strategies, different demands. It's hard to represent a certain race output, when such an effort is so taxing, they wouldn't be recovered and ready to race. They are going on faith that they are prepared for that huge, single-day stress.

It will be fun to watch, as that's what makes it so exciting, seeing who blows up and when. And my picks....Rasmus Henning and Chrissie.

Coach Vance

Transitions Lose Races

2011-10-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

We say you can't win a race in the swim, but you can lose it. Swimming is a very technical sport that takes years of dedication to master and perform at a high level. Trust me, I know from experience. But what about transitions?

It's amazing how many athletes lose races with their slow and poor transitions. All that time, money and effort spent training on swimming, biking and running, and it comes down to the thing most easy to control. This is not a very technical skill, it's just ignored and neglected! Quit sabotaging your races with poor transitions, and practice them! Get your flying mounts and dismounts down pat. Quit trying to do a million things in transition, including a bathroom stop. It's a race!

As the sport gets more and more popular, and the competition gets deeper and stiffer, the little things matter more and more. In literally one week's time, you can make transitions a strength in your racing, all that's missing is your commitment.

Coach Vance

What if there's a better way?

2011-10-04T16:56:00.000-07:00

Sure, you can do the regular routine of Saturday long ride, Sunday long run, but what if there's a better way? Most athletes follow this schedule, but does that mean it is the most effective? Plenty of people do things which aren't necessarily the most effective, but is popular enough to bring comfort to the decision.

What if a 10 day cycle worked better? Or 14 days? Or what if you simply did 2 days in a row of biking, and moved your long run to the middle of the week?

Think about your training and performance. If you've hit a plateau, and aren't seeing the steady gains, maybe it's time to try a new routine. Change it up! Plenty of options, as your mind and creativeness, (or your coach's), are the only things holding you back.

If everyone else is doing the same thing, how do you expect to get ahead?

Coach Vance

The Competition

2011-09-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry about lag in posts, but with so much travel lately, it's been hard to keep up. Working on getting back on track. So, I'll start with something that happened at Duathlon Worlds, where I was working as the US National Team Coach for the Elites.

Some of the women on the elite team told me, "Jim, some of these girls will run 32-33 mins for the first 10K!"

My response? I said, "So what? We can't do anything about them. We can't guard them, trip them up, slow them down. All we can do is focus on us. Bring the focus back to us, and what we can control. Let's strategize based on what we can do, and what we know about us."

So many athletes worry about the competition. You can't control them. Any energy and effort you put forth on worrying about the competition is a waste. Quit worrying about them, and put the focus back on yourself. That will mean more to your performance than anything else.

Coach Vance

Power of data when coaching new athletes

2011-08-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

This athlete came to me after struggling with another coach. He is 50, looking to do well at Ironman FL. He had all the run data from before, which helped me determine what the real course of action for improvement should be. Another reason data is key for successful training and racing. Check it out:

Coach Vance

The Basic Training Philosophy

2011-08-03T06:36:00.000-07:00

I spoke with an athlete yesterday who asked me what my basic training philosophy was. At first, I began to think, "there's no such thing as basic with me," as I constantly monitor and change what I do with athletes based on what I see. And then it hit me, that is the basic training philosophy.

I believe in collecting data, reviewing it regularly, along with feedback from the athlete, and determine how to manipulate the training stress, relative to their goal events and time to the event. There is structure, and a plan, but the plan allows flexibility based on how the athlete is progressing.

How do we know how an athlete is going to be feeling in 2 weeks time? How do we know in 1 month time? Sure, we can write plans according to a "perfect build-up" or timeline, but that's not realistic with most athletes.

Funny how it's very complex, and yet very basic at the same time.

Coach Vance

Twitter Answers #5

2011-07-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

Each week I ask over Twitter if people have training topics they are interested in learning about. I get a number of responses and questions, and 140 characters doesn't provide good opportunity to answer them all. So I hope every few weeks to post some of the questions and my responses here.

From: @tamcknight

"@jimvance living in chicago i am looking for some indoor cycling advise for the offseason.Ways to mix it up on trainer or trainer alternative"

and...

From: @skottmckenna

"@jimvance some great indoor trainer workouts."

I actually coach 2 athletes in the Chicago area, (2 very successful Ironman/70.3 athletes, Scott Iott and Adam Zucco), and the trainer is a key item to our success in the cold winter, but also during the year. One of the best things you can do to help with your trainer sets is to use a power meter, as now the sessions are objective and you can track improvement, set goals, etc. Power meters make trainer sets much more rewarding and fun, I tend to find.

Another great tool is a book by Dirk Friel, son of Joe Friel, called Trainer Workouts in a Binder. This really helps to give some fun and different workouts, based on your needs. I use a number of them, and even my wife uses the book. I'm looking forward to a 2nd edition!

From: @fedrozo

"@jimvance How about recovery benefits of yoga on endurance athletes?"

This is an interesting topic. People often say, "Yoga is great for cross-training" and also say, "Yoga is great for recovery". I'm often puzzled how something can have a great cross-training effect and be great for recovery at the same time.

I have done yoga/pilates combined classes, and have found them to be challenging, and helpful at increasing my range of motion. I was doing this at the end of long training days, twice a week. I think a lot of it depends on the type of yoga an athlete is doing, and how much of it is stretching based, how much of it is "hot yoga", and how much of it includes strengthening movements. If done on a recovery day, and done lightly, with a range of motion centralized focus, then it could be beneficial for recovery. BUT, there is still the question of whether or not it is better than passive recovery. In a time when active recovery is so popular, sometimes good old passive recovery is better.

From: @DanDan1982

"@jimvance how to taper for half ironman?? No idea what I'm doing!"

I understand the feeling, as there is so much information out there, and even then tapering can be very individual. Some athletes hardly ever taper, or barely do, others seem to live in a state of taper! There are considerations such as how long you've been training coming into the race, how important the race is, and what you have after it.

You can see and follow some of the writings I've done on the subject here. I also have done a webinar on how to use WKO+ software to help with tapering. My best advice beyond that is to keep a record of what you do during the taper, so you can tweak it if you need to for the future, or replicate it perfectly if it works very well for you. Also, during race week, keep the workouts short and to the point, replicating race intensity, a little bit about every day or every other day.

From:@Ironmom10

"@jimvance How to tell when u should train through fatigue vs. take a day off. Specifically interested re: Ironman training."

and...

From:@seeksboston26mi

"@jimvance How to overcome overtraining!"

This is a tough one, as the line between training and overtraining is not clear cut, and varies greatly with each person. I have 3 athletes training in a group together right now in Chicago, and they have 3 different recovery styles/timings/abilities, which I have to consider with each.

Some tips I can tell you...

- As you get fitter, you ability to recover increases. You will bounce back faster, so recovery is not a standard number of hours or days.

- Keep a log, so you can get a better idea of how you're doing with interpreting what your body can take and how much is enough/too-much.

- If you pack 3 days together of good quality work, (and you work full-time), chances are you need one very light day after that. If you do 4-5, you need 2-3.

- If you can't get back to normal after 2-3 days off or extremely light, you've dug way too deep.

- Sleep is your best recovery tool/method. Nothing beats it.

- If you use a power meter, you can tell when you need a day off, as the data is objective. Same with a Garmin or speed-distance device for running.

- If your attitude is poor, motivation is low, you need more recovery.

From:@ClydeWatts

"@jimvance I want a more thorough handling of long course training/racing via Performance management chart on @TrainingPeaks"

I have written a number of blog posts on WKO+, and how to use the PMC to effectively monitor and guide training decisions. You can also find a number of webinars I've done on using WKO+, from the PMC to other charts I use. Don't fall into the trap of looking at only one chart, as there's always many variables to consider. I think you'll find the webinars especially helpful.

From:@JusticeJill

"@jimvance What are ur takes on coconut water?"

I think if you like it, drink it. Is it magical? No. Is better than soda, or sugary drinks? Depends on the timing of when you're planning to drink it. Drink according to your needs, and drink what tastes good to you. Do I drink it personally? No, but I retired from being a pro athlete a few years ago, so what I drink now is not what I used to drink.

From:@run_on_texas

"@jimvance Humidity training advantages/ conversion rates to normal temps"

Hate to be the barer of bad news, but there is no conversion you can do. The variables are just too great, including:

- Pre-event/session hydration levels

- Fitness level

- Distance/length of session/race to be completed

- Course differences

- Intensities and paces

- Prior heat adaptation training

This is all art and takes getting to know your own body and its needs. This is part of the art of racing and training.

Thanks for the great questions!

Coach Vance

CrossFit Endurance & Ironman

2011-07-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lag time in posts, but it's been hectic since getting back from Switzerland. Will post photos from the camp here soon. Anyway, will try to get back to regular postings, at least 2 times per week.

In the meantime, here's an email I received, partly because I do CrossFit as a means of exercise and training, asking me my thoughts on using CrossFit Endurance as a means of preparing for Ironman:

"Saw a video article about 10 Crossfit Endurance (CFE) trained athletes who completed Lake Placid 2010 using nothing but the CFE program. The first timers included a 13hr 20 min athlete who did Lake Placid as his second ever triathlon. He had lost 85 lbs during the previous year, again using CFE as his plan. Most of the vets experienced PR’s, one guy shaving 25 minutes to come in @ 10 something hrs. The other link is the CFE website which shows the daily training plan.

I have my crossfit coach working with me to understand it, but here is the basic breakdown.

3-4 days a week of strength workouts (15min or so) combined with a typical Crossfit workout of the day (20 min or so). Then 6 workouts over the week of mainly intervals, 2 days for each sport. It works out to around 8-10 hours a week of very high intensity, mostly anerobic work.

For example, a typical day would be what I did yesterday… First thing in the morning… Front Squats, work up to 1 rep max. Rest 10 minutes. Workout for time, 25 155lb deadlifts, 50 pullups, 100 kettlebell swings @ 53lbs. Including warm-ups and stretching, about 1:15 of work. Then later in the evening (at least 3 hrs after your first workout) do long bike interval training. Ride a half mile, rest for the time it took you to do it, then ride 1 mile, rest for time it took, then do 2 miles, rest for time it took. Repeat this 3-5 times. Should be close to a max effort for each interval.

Eventually you’d work up to a 3 days on 1 day off approach with each sport getting 2 days of work. Their whole concept is to almost entirely eliminate the ‘long, slow’ distance training that sucks up so many hours during a season and can really start to beat up your body. If I do end up using this approach, I’m absolutely going to include one long workout each week, just for the sake of the mental training and nutrition, not to mention the fun of training with the rest of our team. I’ll be interested to hear what you think. Also, if you wouldn’t mind, what does your typical training routine entail? Thanks for the help!"

These are great questions, and here was my response...

I'm a crossfit guy as well, really enjoy it. I think crossfit endurance is a good tool, but mainly best for the off-season months, or base periods, not in the build period, or 12 weeks prior to an Ironman. There's no doubt that doing any exercise regularly, including/especially high intensity training, can get you to the finish line of an Ironman, but to really do well requires more specific training than a single long ride per week.

I think CFE is also a great tool for those who seemed to have plateaued from longer training. Part of the problem is, many athletes go out on long rides and run and simply do the same pace all the time, never changing the intensity or challenging themselves. This would be like going to the weight room and doing 100 squats, 100 pull-ups and 100 push-ups every day. Of course this would plateau, and not give much benefit to a crossfit athlete after awhile.

So use this in the general preparation periods, but turn your focus to more specific prep when the race nears, and I think you'll do a lot better than you would have if you simply did CFE.

Hope this helps!

Coach Vance

Darren Smith - "Recovery on Demand"

2011-06-15T04:49:00.001-07:00

I had the great pleasure this weekend of meeting Darren Smith, one of the best triathlon coaches in the world. You may not have heard much about him, because he maintains a low profile, but you have certainly seen/heard of his athletes and their performances, including Lisa Norden, 2010 ITU Sprint World Champion, who accompanied him here to our camp in Switzerland.

Darren and I spoke a bit about junior development, as he has extensive experience in both elite and junior development, and I was happy to hear him reinforce a lot of what I'm thinking currently. He also gave me some fresh ideas and even helped clarify a missing piece of a tapering strategy and philosophy I've been working on with a number of my athletes for a few seasons. I'm excited to try it out!

I also heard him talk about a popular new concept of "Rest on Demand," which is also something I've been working with my athletes on, especially my juniors, over the past few seasons.

Here's a great post by Joe Friel, on Darren and the topic of Rest on Demand:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2011/06/recovery-on-demand-for-the-advanced-athlete.html

For an interview on Darren:

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/Picking_the_brain_of_Darren_Smith_1893.html

Coach Vance

Sub 2 hour marathon? That's just the beginning!

2011-06-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

This is an article I recently wrote for Finishline-Multisport.com, which I thought I would share here. You can also read it in their new 3rd Transition Magazine. I plan to follow-up with more on this topic of the future of training and technology.

The Sub 2-Hour Marathon is just the Beginning

With an onslaught of fast marathon performances over the past few weeks, (Paris, London, Boston and Rotterdam all in 2011), there is a lot of talk and debate about what is possible for performance at the mythical distance.

The sub 2 hour marathon is the modern day 4-minute mile barrier, where we see much of the same doubt that humans aren’t capable of running that fast, (drugs not-withstanding). Recent articles in the New York Times, the Independent, and a host of other publications and forums all discuss the debate.

Haile Gebresalassie, Paula Radcliffe, Emmanuel Mutai, and many other top runners and experts vary in their belief if it’s possible, the possible timing of it happening, what it would take from an athlete, and the course requirements for such a mythical performance.

We’ve already seen the 1 hour half-marathon broken over 150 times. Call me overly optimistic, but the sub 2-hour marathon is coming very soon, by the Olympic year 2024 at the latest, and that’s just the beginning.

The real problem with all this belief that it’s impossible, or the timing is too far away for any of us to see in our lifetime, is that these people look at the result, not at the process. If you know much about me as a coach, you know I’m big on data and training tools. In cycling, we have power meters which have done wonders for training and performance. In swimming, we’ve had incredible leaps in suit technology, but we’ve also had important studies with force plates, swim flumes and video technology for stroke analysis, as well as incredibly bold and knowledgeable coaches creating new periodization models and approaches, across all sports.

Look back to the 1990’s, when a group of young east African men came onto the distance running scene, and re-wrote the record books for 5000 and 10,000 meters, month after month, year after year. We went from wondering if anyone other than Said Aouita could run sub 13 minutes, to today having seen it done over 250 times, and the record standing at nearly 4 minute mile pace, 12:37! Hell, the mile is now down to 3:43! That’s over 4 seconds faster per lap than Roger Bannister was trying to run!

Or we wondered if sub 27 minutes was possible in the 10K, and today the record stands at 26:17! We are now wondering if sub 26 minutes is possible. And believe me, it is. Yes, 2024 sounds a long ways away, but many of use remember the 1990’s performances like they were yesterday. 13 years is not much time at all.

One thing we’ve been missing with running is a way to measure output consistently, throughout an entire race, across different terrains, weather conditions and more. This tool is coming soon, and it’s so simple, it’s hard to believe it hasn’t arrived already, (a few companies are working on it), but when it does, the sub 2-hour marathon mark will be just the beginning. Every world record will fall once again, from the marathon, down to the 100 meters. Every field event, from the horizontal jumps to the high jump and pole vault, and all the throw world records, will all fall.

We are on the cusp of a performance revolution. The blend of the science of training and the art of coaching are entering into a stronger relationship than we’ve ever seen. What we have lacked is the right tool to help measure performance and output directly from the athlete, during the entire performance duration, in order to better understand the events’ specific demands, and the athlete’s strengths and weaknesses.

This tool is the power meter in a shoe. Much like we have power meters on bikes, when we can measure force production, and speed of the force from the foot coming into contact with the ground, we begin to measure output directly, not just in times or marks. Suddenly we will know much more than we have ever known, and this information will open the floodgates of a new level of high performance.

Here are just some of the ways a power meter in a shoe will affect training and performance:

Better understanding of technique and the value of technique, as well as how to effectively tweak it
Better assessment of fitness, objectively
Better tracking of fitness, so performance plateaus can be avoided
Better planning of tapers and perfecting tapering strategies
Better understanding of recovery techniques and periods required, specific to each athlete
Power to weight ratios and the affect of it on performance, proper ratios
Better and more effective warm-up routines
Better quantification of training stress, fatigue and fitness
Better understanding of strengths and weaknesses, and effectiveness of training strategies to address them
Objective feedback on periodization models, for improvement and tweaking

Those are just some of the ways we will see a new world of performances we can’t yet imagine. This is just in track and field, but it is safe to say these benefits will transfer to triathlon and other endurance sports, or any which involve running in some capacity, (soccer, basketball, and more).

They said 7 Tour de France victories in a row would never happen, but Lance was one of the few who adopted technology like power meters, early on in his career. Expect something similar with power meters for the athlete on foot.

The initial onslaught of data and feedback for coaches and athletes will be overwhelming at first, but those who study it and try to use the data to their competitive advantage, will be the ones who set themselves apart initially. Once the best athletes come into contact with the best coaches, who know and understand how to use this technology and data to design training programs and improve athlete weaknesses, the next revolution will begin, and the sub 2-hour marathon will be just one of many performances which will leave us dropping our jaws. Trust me, or just look at past history, and you can see the writing is on the wall.

Coach Vance

T1 Nonsense

2011-05-27T11:17:00.001-07:00

If you're interested in getting faster, (who isn't?), then take a look at the things you might do that if you eliminated, (or at least practiced for), in T1, would automatically make you faster.

Here's some examples...

- Washing your feet in T1

This is probably one of my biggest pet peeves, both as a coach and athlete. As an athlete, these water bins and bottles just take up space, get kicked around, and make mess. As a coach, I grit my teeth seeing an athlete washing their feet on the off-chance they MIGHT get a blister. I was at an aquathlon last night, and many athletes ask me if they run should run barefoot on the sand for the run. Some of these same athletes are the ones who choose to run in shoes, and wash their feet. What would they do if they did run barefoot? Sand and debris will rarely give you blisters, especially in a short race.

If you still think this is hogwash, try it and it see. Most athletes have already made up their mind, rather than seeing if an actual blister will happen. If you need a little help in trying this, put a bunch of Vasoline on your feet and in your shoe before hand, in the potentially hot-spot areas.

-Bringing a bunch of crap to the transition area

Watch an ITU or elite draft-legal race, and tell me if you see any unnecessary items, or anything they absolutely don't RACE with. Heck, watch a junior elite race, and it's the same thing, the bare essentials. Some athletes bring way too much junk into transition, and they are so busy sorting thru the items, they are wasting valuable time. Less is faster.

-Getting off your wetsuit

This isn't that hard, especially if you practice it, and you have a suit that fits you properly. I run an open-water swim intervals workout here in San Diego, and we always finish with a contest to see who can get their wetsuit off the fastest. Some of the athletes look at me like I'm silly for even suggesting such a contest. I wonder if they see many of the athletes I see in T1 sitting on the ground, struggling for minutes to get their suits off.

Two tips to help you get off your suit:

1. Cut the suit to the mid-calf on the bottom. The last few inches aren't going to mean the difference between hypothermia and total warmth. But it will mean a much bigger whole for the ankle and foot to slide thru.

2. Stick two fingers in between your lower leg and the suit, and pull down on the suit, while pulling up with the leg.

-Shoes

Why sit and do something in one place, that you can do while rolling forward on your bike? Learn to get on your shoes while riding your bike. Practice on the trainer first, and then start and finish each ride getting in and out of the shoes. Leave the shoes on the bike.

Bike shoes are extremely overrated. In my TriJuniors program, we constantly do bike work only with our feet on top of the shoes. I have actually had 2 athletes do complete triathlons without ever getting into their shoes on the bike, since they need to stay with the pack in the draft-legal races, and worried they would slow and miss the wheels putting on their shoes. They understand, shoes are just a tool, not necessarily vital.

Learn to ride on top of your shoes and see how it feels. I think you'll be surprised.

-Mounts

A good mount means more than you think. Most of the time there is total havoc at the mount line. Your ability to mount and get away from all this can sometimes mean the difference between a good finish and a DNF. Seriously, I've seen bad crashes from poor mounts, not looking, crowds, etc.

I have one adult athlete, (in his 50's), who enthusiastically practices his mounts and dismounts before and after each ride. It's no surprise how good he is at it now, and what it has done for his confidence. It's amazing to me how the philosophy of pushing for speed has transfered to all the other aspects of his racing. Speed is a mindset!

-Course knowledge

Seems obvious that athletes should know where to go, right? Watch a race in T1 or T2 sometime, and you'll be amazed how many athletes don't know the basics of which direction to go or where their stuff is. Learn the environment you're racing in, and that's not just the course map, but the transition area as well!

Eliminate the nonsense. Be faster!

Coach Vance

Marathon in your Ironman Prep?

2011-05-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

I got an email this week from an athlete who wants to do an Ironman in 2012, and told me of their desire to do 2 marathons before that. They asked for my thoughts. My answer is....

Doing a single marathon, let alone 2, is a bad idea, if the Ironman race is important to you. Chances are, the investment of time and money into the Ironman, compared to a marathon, make it more important than a marathon, to most athletes.

But the key here is that any major effort, like a marathon, is highly risky. The chances of breakdown and injury are very high, and there is no need to do a marathon. Your stand-alone marathon time has little to do with what you can actually run in an Ironman. What you can run in an Ironman depends more on bike ability, training hours in the saddle, nutrition, and race execution. Look at the marathon times of the athletes who run "fast" in an Ironman, and they will tell you that training at that intensity is very easy. It's not about their stand-alone marathon.

Even if an athlete doesn't get injured from the marathon effort, they will certainly require at least 2 weeks of recovery time, with light activity, plus a 1 week taper minimum. Do 2 marathons, and all of sudden, you've lost 6 weeks of training time, a month and a half! If you do a 2 week taper into each, you've lost 2 whole months!

The key to performing well in an Ironman is consistency in your training, never going over the edge into injury, and coming to the start line confident, with a plan you know you can execute. This comes from months of dedicated preparation, sometimes years!

If you're planning to do a marathon and an Ironman in the same season, my suggestion is to do a half marathon, and keep yourself healthy and consistent in your preparations for your Ironman.

Coach Vance

Mental Choices in a Race

2011-05-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, one of my junior athletes struggled with her mount. She told me she couldn't do the flying mount because it was an uphill. She stopped and tried to mount slowly on the uphill. She fell over. Her shoe fell off the pedal. She struggled with all of it. It literally took her minutes to get on her bike. What if she chose to just try, instead of deciding it couldn't be done?

How many of us make choices in a race where we decide WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING? How powerful of a moment is that in our performances? Every other athlete of our's in the race had no problem with the flying mount in the same place. She just chose that she couldn't do it, rather than trying to do it.

What choices are you making in your race? Are they choices which help you, or hinder you?

Coach Vance

Race and Disc Wheel Dilemma - New Data

2011-05-10T16:15:00.001-07:00

One of the common questions people ask me about is race wheels, and whether they are worth it. I've always thought worth is a relative question, based as much on budget as performance. I remember asking Joe Friel why he always rode such nice wheels on his road bike, (Zipp 808's), for all his rides. He responded with, "Jim, by the time these wheels are worn out, they'll be obsolete anyway." Very true.

I came to ride the wheels I would race on, all the time. I was training on a 404/808 combination with a PowerTap, and on race day I would just add a disc cover I bought from Wheelbuilder.com.

A disc cover is simply two pieces of plastic which attach over the wheel securely, and make it a full disc wheel, in essence.

I had heard from John Cobb at a wind tunnel camp, (one of the aero gurus), that the disc cover was, "not as good as a disc wheel, but pretty darn close." Considering the investment difference, I was fine with pretty darn close.

Then I read this study, by Wheelbuilder.com themselves, and how the disc covers did compared to uncovered wheels, and solid discs. They even compared an 808 covered and an open-pro rim, with little to no dish.

Now, Wheelbuilder.com is in the wheel sales business, and the disc cover sales business, so one might argue their results are not independently verified, but one could argue by showing an open-pro with disc cover does better than an 808 with one, that they would likely be losing money if they sell open-pro's instead of 808's. (This doesn't take into account the rolling quality of the 808 vs open-pro, or bearings).

Perhaps it's time to put a disc cover on that wheel, and saving yourself some dough!

Coach Vance

Twitter Answers #4

2011-04-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

From: @smernicki

@jimvance Managing disruption - how to adapt when life gets in the way. How do you minimise fitness loss and manage mental stress caused.

Managing and balancing life, family responsibilities, and work demands with training is exactly the challenge of triathlon. First off, don't believe that more training is the key to being better at the sport. For many, that's just not the case, but somehow we're all enthralled with how much volume we do. If volume was all that mattered, whoever trained the most would win. We wouldn't even need to race, just give out the rewards based on training volume.

What you do with the training time you have available is most important. Making sure you are working on your weaknesses and getting in the KEY sessions which are specific to your race goals. Focus your training on being technically excellent, addressing your weaknesses, specific to your race goals, and give yourself a cushion day or two, where you can adjust to disruptions easier. Also, try to foresee the disruptions ahead of time, and adjust early. And again, don't sweat it, volume isn't most important.

From: @massayaka

@jimvance how do u train/prepare for windy bike leg..?

It takes mental toughness, that's for sure. I have an athlete I coach, who is also a coach with TrainingBible, Scott Iott, who wrote a great article on this. Scott has been a very successful triathlete, Check it out:

http://scottiott.com/?p=216

From: @milesmusclesmom

@jimvance stength training that helps to build muscular endurance and power on the bike ;)

Good question. There is nothing that will build better power and muscular endurance on the bike better than doing workouts on your bike, focused on that itself. Remember, you need to be specific in your training. Doing force reps on the bike, longer intervals at the specific goal intensity or wattages you want to hold on the bike are key, not the weight room. That said, basic core strength and full body movements with free weights, like squats, lunges, kettlebell sets, and others will help, but it must be periodized and specific to what you need.

From: @njolly

@jimvance I am a fast Triathlete. How much will paddleboarding/kayaking/surfing affect my run mainly. In terms of too much muscle developing

I don't think you'll see any real muscle mass gains or problems with this, as the resistance and intensity is just not there. If anything, you'll see some endurance and strength gains, but you can't simulate heavy lifting sessions with these types of cross training exercises. Good sessions though, and fun!

From: @chrissimmons

@JimVance pacing for wildflower longcourse

That course is tough! I've done it twice and both times suffered. The race should definitely be ridden according to your strengths. Are you a hill rider? Are you a flats rider? There's plenty of both on it. Honestly, the toughest part of Wildflower is typically the wind and rough road surfaces, jarring you. The heat later in the day takes its toll as well. Just need to find ways to conserve energy, and be on your game for fitness when you toe that line!

Thanks again, and keep them coming for next time, let me know on Twitter, @jimvance.

Coach Vance

There's no such thing as "The Only Way"

2011-04-07T04:26:00.001-07:00

Here's an article I recently wrote for Finishline-Multisport.com. Enjoy...

There's no such thing as "The Only Way"

Recently, I read a blog post from 2-time Ironman World Champion, Chris McCormack, "Macca." The blog talked about the simplicity of his training, and he illustrated a great point, that many athletes get too caught up in numbers and data, not trusting their instincts. (The post can be read here:http://www.chrismccormack.com/2011/03/20/keep-it-simple/)

Chris' blog post was motivated by a great interview with one of the top coaches in the sport, Brett Sutton, on IM Talk. I listened to the entire interview, and I agree with a lot of what Brett says, but of course the devil is in the details and he speaks in large generalizations, because he has to, each scenario is different. (Brett's interview can be heard here: http://tinyurl.com/23l6pgz).

As a guy who is one of the biggest preachers of periodization, data and numbers, it might come as a surprise to find out I agree with Brett and Chris' basic concepts and beliefs. So many times athletes end up relying too much on numbers, and end up doing a numbers dance on race day, instead of RACING. Many times I see athletes who view their current power zones and think they can't surpass them. Suddenly the numbers are limiters, instead of being simply guidelines.

If you listen to Brett and Chris speak in the interview and blog, they are very critical of the use of tools, and Brett is especially critical of the idea of periodization. They call power meters and GPS devices gimmicks, toys or gadgets. To hear them, anything which seems close to periodization or provides feedback is blasphemy. I would argue they simply disagree with the common use today of these tools, and instead differ in the tools they use and the periodization model they follow.

So before every age-grouper goes and totally trashes these tools and decides to eliminate periodization from their training, I think it's important to consider the following...

Periodization

Periodization simply means, "training periods." I highly doubt that Brett and Chris never change the training stimulus, and conduct the same workouts all the time. Chris even discusses the need to balance all three sports, which requires changing training stresses.

Even in the interview, Brett discusses the need to train specifically for the race demands. So basically, Brett doesn't believe in traditional periodization, and to some degree, I can agree with that. Macca the same. But it is not that they don't believe in adjusting training stress, they just disagree with how it has been traditionally done. Anytime you change the stress for a period of time, with a different focus, that is "periodization."

Though it is effective for beginner to intermediate level athletes, (even many advanced level), traditional linear, reverse, undulating and similar periodization models do not seem to be as effective for high level, elite athletes to be competitive at the top of the sport. But you need to be at a high enough level of an athlete to make a different periodization model more effective than the traditional ones. You need to be able to advance the training at a rapid rate, and at a high enough volume. This requires a very high level of commitment, which most age-groupers can't do. Brett even discusses the level of commitment required, and how long it takes.

Training Tools

When it comes to their dislike for tools and "gadgets," Macca discusses using the clock on the wall to determine an hour run, trying to be back just on feel to one hour. THE CLOCK IS A TOOL! It provides feedback to Chris as to how in touch with reality his perception and perceived exertion is. This way, when he feels like he can make a move on the run in a race, he trusts that he can do it. He's proven it in his training.

Brett says he wants his athletes to stop using tools, and doesn't use a stopwatch either at track. But Brett pulls the reins in on his athletes during their 20x800 track sessions. Guess what Brett? YOU ARE THE TOOL FOR THE ATHLETES! He is the tool the athletes use to hold themselves back and reach the goals of the workout. Brett is the measuring stick by which the athletes measure themselves. Does Brett approve of their pace, their training intensities, their fitness levels? The athletes under him have their own perceived exertion levels, but if Brett disagrees with it, then it is not in touch with reality.

Our perceived exertion levels are only as reliable and good as their connection with the reality of our fitness and capabilities. Chris and Brett simply don't like to use the common power meter and GPS or stop watch for running to determine this. The better they see the skill of perceived exertion being correct, the better feedback they get/give.

Again, even as a "data and numbers geek," I agree athletes need to RACE, and quit staring at the numbers. Athletes need to build trust in their perceptions, take risks and learn what their capable of. Chances are they are more capable than they realize of better performance, if simply break the chains of the power meter zone, or running at a set pace.

But this is an acquired skill that takes months, if not years, of development, and has to happen over the course of each season as well. Brett and Chris are guys who don't balance a full time job with coaching/training. They can conduct the sessions required to learn this skill in a much more rapid timeframe than the average age-grouper. Brett can isolate athletes in a camp and keep an eye on them on a regular basis. He does this well, and the results are clear, but that's not reality for many athletes in the sport.

What can athletes do to improve their perceived exertion? USE THE TOOLS AND GADGETS! However, conduct many workouts where you simply cover them up, and stop looking at them. When the workout is complete, look and see how you did, relative to what your perceived exertion levels were.

Probably the best aspect of using tools and gadgets is the data provides a record of what actually happened. It provides guidance and feedback for how the training is progressing, and helps sets benchmarks for athletes to review and try to exceed. In future seasons, it helps show a path, or give guidance to new training decisions.

I tell athletes all the time, "The data isn't for you, it's for me!" I'm the coach, and I need more than just you telling me, "It went well," or "It went bad." My ability as a coach to give you feedback, especially if I can't be there to see and watch the sessions, is dependent on the quality of the feedback I get from you, the athlete. Tools which provide data about the sessions are the most pure feedback there is, and when used in conjunction with athlete feedback, becomes even more powerful.

I get the sense it is better for these two to say it is all art, and not science, because then it sounds like they are the only ones capable of doing it correctly. It is certainly an art and science mix, but to say one artist's way is the only way is not something most would ever agree with.

In short, Brett and Chris are very successful, but don't believe that their way is the only way or the best for each athlete.

Coach Vance

TBC Athlete Runs Top 1600m Time in California!

2011-03-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

This is a photo from this past Saturday's Mt Carmel Invitational. Here is Shyan Vaziri, and his teammate Brad Littooy behind him, in the fast heat of the boys' 1600 meter run, (aka mile). Shyan went on to win this race in 4:14.86, the fastest time in California, 5th fastest in the nation, and a time which will win most state meets in the US. Shyan is a senior headed to UC Santa Barbara, and with 2+ months to go in the season, could be a force on the national scene!

Brad is a junior, who finished 3rd in this race, in a PR of 4:18.57, good enough to put him in the top 30 in the US. He's far peaked as well, and I believe when he turns a focus to the 3200, he'll be a national force there as well. Plus, he has another year, which is very exciting!

I have had the pleasure of working with these two from September thru February, and it was a very proud coaching weekend to see them do so well, after just handing them over to their new high school coach a few weeks ago. I also had another athlete finish in a PR of 4:26, who is also just a junior, and a member of my TriJuniors program.

If you know a high school athlete seeking help, I love being a part of seeing young kids progress.

Coach Vance

It doesn't get much better than this...

2011-03-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

The power of data is amazing, especially when it can help athletes to build confidence in their preparation. Here are some recent charts I'm seeing in my athletes who are training, that I'm pretty excited about. If you can look at these and understand why I'm excited, then you should be striving to make your progression look the same. If you don't understand what any of it means, you should read more of my articles, and watch some of my webinars. The value of data and what it can tell a coach and athlete is priceless.

Note: These are a few different athletes.

If you're looking to get your data files analyzed, to be understand where you're at with you're training and race preparation, I'm happy to help. These athletes are coming a long very nicely, and I'm excited to see them race!

Coach Vance

Costa Rica Triathlon Camp Review

2011-03-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

If you missed my camp in Costa Rica, it was a great one! Probably the most unique and fun camp I've ever done. All the athletes and coaches stayed together in a very large villa, up on a mountain, with chef and maid service, so all we had to do was train, eat, sleep, and relax to enjoy the views!

Monday thru Wednesday were tough and longer training days. Thursday was a shorter session in the AM, before giving the athletes the rest of the day off. Friday was spent traveling to the race venue for the Rev3 Costa Rica event. The athletes raced an Olympic Triathlon on Saturday, and then did a Half on Sunday. We even had the overall winners of both races, male and female, both days, from our camp!

If Rev3 returns to Costa Rica, I will likely do this camp again in 2012. Stay tuned!

Here's a series of photos from the camp, but if you want to see more, friend me on Facebook.

Underwater Swim Video Clinic in Solana Beach, CA March 20th

2011-02-22T09:58:00.000-08:00

Date

Sunday, March 20, 2011 @ 9:30 AM - 1 PM

Address

Boys & Girls Club of San Dieguito, Pardee Aquatics Center
533 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, CA

Registration Closing Date

Saturday, March 19, 2011 @ 11:58 PM

Brief Description

This clinic is designed for athletes as an opportunity to learn and understand the principles of swimming by being videotaped and have feedback provided in a classroom session. We will meet at the Pardee Aquatics Center to check-in and begin video recording. We will go from the pool, back to the Conference Room for classroom session to learn principles of swimming and apply those to the swim videos of each athlete. There will be a full Q & A to follow. After the classroom session, we will return to the pool to test the things learned.

Additional Information

Each athlete will receive direct instruction and feedback from Jim, and a copy of their swim videos. This clinic is LIMITED TO 12 ATHLETES ONLY!

Coach Vance

Twitter Answers #3

2011-02-04T10:13:00.001-08:00

From: @MoveWithBrett

@jimvance how about #hillworkouts? #trainingideas #bikespecific

Hill workouts are probably the best short-duration, high-return workouts you can do. Hill workouts/repeats can have many different training stresses, based on the length and steepness of the hill. Whether the athlete tries to stay in the saddle for hip strength building, or is out of the saddle building anaerobic power and endurance, shows the many different possibilities to consider when choosing a hill or hill repeats session.

One of the favorites I created actually came from my mountain bike racing days:

"On your mtb, warm-up for one hour easy. Go to a challenging climb which takes 1 to 2 mins. Start in your middle ring, easiest cog, go to top. Ride down, up one gear, repeat. Go until you do not make the climb. Then go back and try that gear again. If you don't make, go back down, one gear at a time, back to the middle ring, easiest cog. Remember the highest gear you made it in, (we'll do it in the future again)."

From: @ollykellygrace

@jimvance ur meals, perhaps, or your preparation for the big events...

I assume this question is about nutrition heading into a big event. I'm not a Registered Dietitian, so I would recommend if you want something specific to consult one of them. However, I can tell you I see a lot of athletes change their diet heading in a big event, doing things such as "carbo-loading". In my opinion, changing your diet right before a big event is a bad idea. You don't need to "carbo-load". If you've rested and prepared yourself properly, the body is likely ready based on the diet you normally do. The body doesn't respond to changes in diet very well in the short term, so keep this in mind.

From: @douglayne

@jimvance I'm interested in learning about pre-race and race day nutrition so I can practice during my training.

Doug, two books I would highly recommend, Paleo Diet for Athletes, and Metabolic Efficiency Training. You will learn a lot from these books about understanding timing, and amount of calories/nutrition needed for any event.

From: @CesarValeraTri

@jimvance Topic: how to stay mentally fresh and motivated through the entire season.

Use data, so you can track progress, and see how you're improving. Seeing improvement is the key to believing in what you're doing, and being/staying excited about it. Also, don't race too much. Being motivated on the start-line is usually one of the biggest factors of race performance. Can't go to the well too much, or motivation is lost, performance suffers.

From: @ThomlPhillips

@jimvance it would be interesting to hear your views on field testing & using self collected data in training vs. a trad method like hr/rpe

I believe in data, but mostly care about output data. Field testing is the cheapest and best way to get the data I want, and track athlete progress. On raceday, when an athlete has matured, I let them observe data, but I do not want them to let it control their decisions and RPE. On raceday, an athlete should be asking more from their body than they ever have, so seeing bigger numbers and values should be expected.

From: @Harm_Michael

@jimvance could you go into more depth regarding weights after bike ride and neurological more demanding first?

A weight bearing exercise, like running, is more neurologically demanding than a non-weight bearing, like swimming and cycling. There is just more demand on the body physically, with moving joints, coordination, etc. Starting with a less neurologically demanding exercise, like weights, only fatigues the body and makes the higher-demanding exercises that follow it, all that much harder. Technical flaws become more evident, and poor habits can be ingrained.

That said, triathlon is the act of running in a fatigued state, from less neurologically demanding sports of swimming and biking. So on occasion, it might be best for an athlete to simulate this in their training. But this will vary from athlete to athlete, based on their skills and fitness.

Thanks for the great questions!

Coach Vance

The Key to Learning to Swim Faster Is...

2011-01-27T03:03:00.001-08:00

Experimentation and risk. If you're not willing to experiment and risk swimming slower with a change, you'll never improve. This is true for no matter what level of swimmer you are, beginner to elite.

All swimmers reach a point where they are not going to get faster unless they address the technical flaws in their stroke. The only question is the potential benefit of those changes. For Michael Phelps, he's technically proficient enough that fitness will do more for him than technical changes. He could certainly go faster if at peak fitness, he made a few technical improvements. But obviously, faster for him is not going to be minutes or in some cases, won't even be more than 1 second.

Conversely, most triathletes are simply poorly skilled swimmers. And many will claim they want to improve their swimming, but are scared to try anything different, as though it might be wrong, or that they will possibly get slower. Problem is, if you're not willing to take that risk, you're already proving you'll never get faster. Fitness isn't the problem for most triathletes, (look at how much they can run and bike!) Skill is the problem. If you won't give an honest and committed attempt at fixing the skill, which requires experimentation, you're wasting time you should spend biking and running.

This week I have been in Tenerife, Canary Islands, and it's been great to work with a group that was willing to risk swimming slower. A few of them did, at first, but by week's end now, they are all swimming faster and with less effort than ever.

I will be speaking and doing underwater video analysis for athletes and coaches in London, at Hampton pool, this Sunday. I will discuss the 3 key items for improving swimming. If you're in the area, or know someone who might benefit, details are available at www.tridynamic.co.uk.

If you can't make the talk, but want to learn more, check out my swim webinars at Performance Webinars.

Coach Vance

The Incredible Swim Flume - Tenerife Top Training

2011-01-21T05:28:00.000-08:00

(Click on this link to view video if needed)

This is video I took from the TriDynamic Tenerife Triathlon Camp I am doing this week, with Joe Friel and TriDynamic. The swimmer in this video is Martin Boddie of the UK. This swim flume is the only one of its kind open to the public, in the world! It is located in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. All the campers will get to use this system individually, for analysis of their swim.

A swim flume is basically a tank which acts as a swimming treadmill, but also like a wind tunnel for swimming. There are three different camera angles filming at the same time, and a viewing window to the left of the swimmer, (you can see Joe Friel in the window). Martin is wearing a belt with lights on the side that shine into the cameras thru the side viewing window. The cameras pick up the light to determine the rotational frequency of the swimmer, giving cadence.

The data and video are collected and recorded together, which is shown in the screen projection, so the coaches can review the data in its entirety, and in unison, with actual speed and cadence data. This is the most impressive and comprehensive swim analysis system I've ever seen. The big metal structure can also allow us to attach a VO2 system to the swimmers, and slide it out on top of them.

The system will go up to 2.5 m/sec, or 40 secs per 100 meters! I am anxious to see more of this in action, and see the things we can determine about the athletes' swim strokes here at the camp.

Coach Vance

My First Elite National Champion

2011-01-18T20:47:00.001-08:00

Congrats to Emma Garrard, who won the USA Triathlon Elite National Winter Tri Championship this past Saturday! She's the first elite national champion I've coached.

She has European Championships in Sweden in 8 weeks, and Worlds in Finland in 9. I look forward to seeing her competing there as well. Maybe she'll be the first World Champion I've coached.

Follow her blog at: http://www.emmagarrard.com/

Coach Vance

Great Quote #4 and #5

2011-01-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

Two great quotes about experience...

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from - poor judgement!"

- Unknown

"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want."

- Unknown

Coach Vance

Ironman Race Specific Training

2011-01-11T10:15:00.000-08:00

If you're doing an Ironman race, once you get about 12 weeks out from the event, it is time to start focusing on race-specific training for the event. This means your training should reflect the intensity and demands of the race. Doing longer, steady state rides, aerobic threshold work, and longer intervals in the pool are all examples.

But there is also the course which must considered. Take Ironman St. George for example. Here is a map and elevation profile of the course:

You can see there is a long climb, lasting about 26 miles in length. This means over an hour of climbing steadily. The watts an athlete produces at this incline will likely be higher than if they rode on a flat course, such as Ironman Florida. However, the climb is preceded by a rolling section and build-up for the first 26 miles.

You can also see a descent of about 12 miles in length, after each climb. It is likely that an athlete will not be able to produce very high watts on this descent, but will be in a high cadence mode, due to the higher speeds.

Given this, my athletes will begin race-specific training for Ironman St. George in mid-February, and doing a workout which reflects these specific demands. This entails a ride which will likely look like this:

- Warm-up 30 mins easy

- Goal wattage range of high zone 2 to zone 3 watts for 60-90 minutes, (simulates the rolling lead-up)

- Directly into Zone 3 watts only for another 75-90 minutes, (simulates the climb on first loop)

- 20 minute recovery spin, zone 2 watts, high cadence (simulates the descent)

- Another zone 3 watts session for 75-90 minutes, (simulates the climb on the second loop)

- Another longer recovery spin, zone 2 watts, high cadence (simulates descent into T2)

If the athlete has a climb very similar to the course near their home, then they can do this workout on that course, and prepare even better. But if the athlete is in an area of mostly flat terrain, these wattage prescriptions will help.

These workouts are taxing, and the athletes will not complete this workout more than once per week.

All my athletes will have a recovery period of a minimum of 20 minutes of zone 2 watts, before doing a transition run, because the descent will help them recover their legs for the run.

If you're looking for an opportunity to get some race-specific training in, especially on the course at St. George, you should check out the camp I'm running in March:

http://www.active.com/cycling-camp/st-george-ut/trainingbible-coaching-st-george-triathlon-camp-2011

At this camp, I will also be gaining knowledge of the course as a coach, and figuring out ways to better tweak this workout to meet the specific demands of race day.

Best of luck!

Coach Vance

New Year, New Goals

2011-01-05T10:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! This is my first post of 2011, and I think it's a good one.

Many of you who read my blog regularly know I have a junior triathlon team I coach and run, called TriJuniors, based in San Diego. This weekend the team will do its first race of 2011, a duathlon put on by the Triathlon Club of San Diego. After this race, we will have a meeting with all the athletes and coaches, and begin to set our goals individually, and as a team, for 2011.

I created a worksheet which will guide the athletes, (who are 13-19 years old), thru the process. This is a process I do with all my athletes, but here I've simplified it for teenagers, and thought they might be of benefit to athletes of all ages. These questions are focused around the team's race schedule, so base your's around your A-priority race.

1. What are my goals for 2011? (Include 3 goals, one must be a performance at USAT Junior Nationals, and all should be measurable!) [Measurable means not ambiguous, such as a numerical value, i.e. split, place, overall time, qualification, etc.]

2. If nothing stopped me, and I had the greatest day ever, (a DREAM performance), what would I be capable of doing at Nationals in August?

3. What is stopping me from achieving the difference between my goals for 2011 and my DREAM/greatest day ever?

4. If these obstacles are stopping me, what can I do to overcome them in time to achieve my DREAM performance at Nationals?

5. What are my test workout goals for 2011?

So many athletes will undermine their own performances subliminally, and teenagers are no different. These questions help them to verbalize their goals, and verbalize the possibilities without inhibition.

Once they have stated these, they are forced to verbalize why there is a difference between what they truly believe they can do, and what goals they are shooting for. They realize they have more control over the results and performance than they previous realized, and can begin to recognize their weaknesses and make them a focus and priority to improve.

In the end, they realize the ownership they have, and they are hopefully even more excited about the possibilities.

Use these questions to determine your own goals, and what is truly stopping you. You might be surprised to learn the only thing stopping you, is you.

Coach Vance

Why are you doing that workout?

2010-12-26T17:07:00.001-08:00

Training is fun, but the higher your goals, the less your approach should be about fun, and more about purpose. What workout did you do today? What workouts do you have planned for tomorrow? For this week?

If there is no plan, then there is no purpose to your training. Though you may be having fun, will it be as much fun when you stop seeing improvement?

Why are you doing that workout today/tomorrow/etc? "Because I want to get better" is not a good answer. What aspects of your fitness and weaknesses are you addressing?

If you can't answer these questions from a planning and purpose perspective, then you're just having fun with hard exercise. Though some make call that training, it certainly can't be called preparing.

Prepare to accomplish your goals by training with purpose.

Coach Vance

Sometimes you have to fake it

2010-12-20T14:17:00.001-08:00

No matter how much triathlon, or fitness is a part of your life, livelihood, or passion, there will be times when training is not convenient. There will be times when motivation lacks. This is true for the greatest athletes, and everyone else.

The athletes who achieve their goals are the ones who are able to weather these lulls, and find motivation and confidence to get the training done when they doubt they can or aren't sure they want to. If they can't find it, they fake it. Seems odd, but it works.

Sometimes you have to fake it. Your body doesn't know fake attitude in hard training. It only knows hard training. Your goals don't know fake attitude/motivation/confidence. It only knows do, or do not.

You might not want to go to work, but you smile at your boss and co-workers, despite knowing you'd rather be anywhere else. (Maybe even on your bike, or training in the cold!)

I know the weather sucks around the country right now, from So Cal to the Northeast, and your motivation lacks. Fake it. Get on that trainer, get out the door.

Coach Vance

Great Quote #3

2010-12-17T22:39:00.000-08:00

Here's one I found myself saying...

"Your dreams get you up in the morning. Your goals get your butt out the door!" - Jim Vance

Coach Vance

Your Best Triathlon - by Joe Friel

2010-12-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

The author of the TrainingBible book series, Joe Friel, has a new book out which I recommend. The book is called Your Best Triathlon - Advanced Training for Serious Triathletes.

This book is more about application of theories into training, rather than just the theories and concepts.

If you liked the TrainingBible, and you want to get better, this book is one I recommend, whether you are self-coached or not.

Coach Vance

Nervousness

2010-12-13T13:41:00.001-08:00

No matter who you are, elite, professional, top age-grouper, masters athlete, mid-packer or back-of-the-packer, if you have high goals then you will be nervous before a race.

So many athletes fear being nervous, as if it means something is wrong. Nothing is wrong. Being nervous simply means the goals you have matter to you, and the day has come to see if you can accomplish it. Many think the best athletes don't get nervous. Trust me, they do. They just tend to handle it better than most athletes.

Think back to your college days, and heading into a major exam. You were probably nervous a lot of the time, because there was a lot of the unknown, and you were likely paying for that class too! The cost of failing was not good. But in the end, you likely knew the material or didn't. You were prepared, or you weren't.

Don't fear your nerves. Embrace them, and use the arousal to get the adrenaline pumping and producing a great result. This graph illustrates how the right amount of nervousness and arousal can help your race performance:

If you're not nervous, then you have low energy level, and likely will have a poor performance. Think back to races where you really didn't care about them, or weren't excited. They likely were not your best performances.

If you let your nervousness overtake you, it's too high. You begin to doubt your preparation, your plan, your diet, anything and everything you make a stressful situation.

Understand and accept nervousness, not taking it as a negative sign, such as a lack of confidence or preparation. Trust in your preparation, and execute your race plan.

Coach Vance

Why Not You?

2010-12-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

We can learn a lot about ourselves and what we're capable of, by learning from others. This was a story which really touched me, and after hearing from my friends on the Navy Seal Teams that they worked with this guy, and he was talking about these goals when he was in Iraq, I had to share it. When I sent them this article, they were happy to read it, and hear he accomplished his goals.

I'm a Husker, so I'm biased, but I take a lot of pride in the experiences and things I learned at that great institution, and under the coaching staff, as well as my teammates. This gentleman's story helps solidify why the pursuit of greatness is important, and it's exactly what continues to drives me as a coach today, and what I look for in the athletes I work with.

From line of fire in Iraq to defensive lineman at Nebraska

By Tom Robinson The Virginian-Pilot © December 11, 2010

Tyrone Fahie, a two-tour Iraq veteran from Virginia Beach, is not on the campus of the University of Nebraska through a miracle, although his story does have that feel about it.

Fahie is imposing at 6 feet 2 inches tall and 255 pounds, but his voice lands softly on significant events of the past decade: his enlistment in the Navy at age 17, his rise to the rank of petty officer second class, his narrow escape from a rocket attack late one night in 2004 within Baghdad's Green Zone.

The 107 mm rocket launched across the bordering Tigris River landed 50 yards behind him and another man, but for some reason it didn't explode. Fahie (pronounced Foy) is mindful of that serendipity, pretty much every day. "It would've easily killed both of us," he says. "War became really personal to me at that point."

Gradually, Fahie's tale steers from that sober memory to the surreal. It's the part nobody really saw coming. The long-shot chapter in which a former Ocean Lakes High School drum major announces his nascent dream - to become a Division I college football player upon leaving the Navy - and then proceeds to live it.

What? How did Fahie become a backup defensive end - deep on the depth chart, but still - and a trusted voice within a traditional powerhouse that's ranked 17th nationally this week by The Associated Press?

Didn't Fahie quit football after his freshman season on the junior varsity to focus on the saxophone and the marching band? Well, that made sense to him at the time; Fahie was just 5-foot-7 then, and he loved his music, although, reflecting now, he concedes he wasn't motivated to take it very far.

So football became a casualty. Football was gone for good when Fahie gave it up.

Except, actually, it wasn't.

Music waned for Fahie, but not the lure of football. Even as he practiced his military trade in harm's way - an electronics specialist, Fahie helped SEAL team members communicate with each other - he nursed his goal, training a body that bloomed unexpectedly while he was in the Navy.

"My second tour in Iraq, my nickname was 'Nebraska,' " says Fahie, a 28-year-old graduate student due to earn his MBA in May. "I had a lot of support. Everyone just expected me to get accepted there and play football."

And so that part played out for him precisely as planned. Yet with one game - the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl - left in his career as the Cornhuskers' oldest walk-on ever, Fahie still marvels at his journey.

"You couldn't tell someone this story," he says. "A Navy guy, 23 years old, walks onto the Nebraska football team after not playing football for 10 years? Yeah, right. That really happened."

Oh, but it did. Very much so.

In fact, the directors of an exclusive service organization and foundation in Newport Beach, Calif., known as The Pacific Club were so moved upon learning about Fahie's story that they voted him an honorary version of their annual award.

The club issues its Lott IMPACT trophy, named for former football star Ronnie Lott, to a top college defensive player judged that season's best combination of athlete, student and citizen.

Two others have received honorary awards: the late Pat Tillman, who left an NFL career and died in service as an Army Ranger, and Boston College's Mark Herzlich, who returned to the field after a battle with cancer.

"Tyrone represents the best of student-athletes in this country, and we're delighted to honor him," says Pete Donovan, a Pacific Club spokesman. "He'll get a hell of an ovation when he comes up, trust me."

That will be tonight in Newport Beach at a $20,000-per-table black-tie gala, with retired Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, set to introduce Fahie to the gathering of 250 people.

"I'm honored, but I'm baffled," says Fahie, an honor-roll student who also runs a nonprofit business, reselling his school's used computer equipment online as part of his graduate program. "I don't think I'm in the conversation" with Tillman and Herzlich.

There is little to discuss regarding Fahie's statistics, that's true. He has played briefly in just two games at Nebraska.

Still, his story drew attention and admiration early this season for one proud act: Fahie carried the American flag into Nebraska's Memorial Stadium, filled with its usual 81,000 fans, before a game Sept. 11.

He had asked school officials how he could help mark the day's significance to the military and others who protect Americans. They in turn asked him to lead his teammates out of their tunnel, in uniform, along with four flag-bearing police officers and firefighters.

The irony of that special walk isn't lost on Fahie: It was his longest on-field appearance as a Cornhusker. Fahie, in the language of the game, is a scout-team player. He has spent his idyllic career imitating opposing defensive ends to help prepare Nebraska's offensive starters for that week's game.

The nickname is incongruous to the Navy, but "Sarge," as Fahie is known to his teammates, has never gotten to run down the field to cover a kickoff or a punt. He's rarely traveled to road games. He has played only two snaps from scrimmage - one this year, the other two years ago - and made no tackles.

But his name on the roster - Fahie, No. 92, defensive end - and his credibility as a survivor of a cattle-call student tryout barely eight months after he left the Navy are all the validation he needs.

"It's pretty much amazing someone so young has done so many of the things he wanted to do in his life," says his mother, Dafney, who lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, Floyd. "I really think Tyrone is an awesome young man."

Dafney Fahie, who, like her husband, is a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, knows better than anyone the making of her son's plan.

It was born in boot camp after Tyrone Fahie, whose father spent 24 years in the Navy, enlisted the summer he graduated from Ocean Lakes. Fahie befriended a fellow enlistee, a native Nebraskan who talked endlessly of Cornhusker football, and he found himself intrigued by his new friend's passion.

Later, when they were stationed in San Diego, the men traveled to Lincoln to sample the spectacle of a game day, Husker-style. The intensity blew Fahie away.

"I mean, if you say something to someone out here about the Huskers, they can list the roster in alphabetical order," Fahie says. "They know every detail about the team. I was kind of impressed by that."

So impressed that Fahie, with his parents' can-do encouragement in his ears, began to talk openly of trying football again when he left the Navy in August 2006. Sure, it was illogical. But Fahie kept asking himself and friends two questions: "Why not me?" and "Why not Nebraska?"

The school, he'd learned, had a long tradition of accepting walk-ons. And he'd already decided Nebraska was the place for him, although he knew no one at the university.

"I'd always wondered, what if I had picked football instead of band, where would I have been?" Fahie says.

His shot to find out in front of Nebraska's coaching staff came in the spring of 2007, the second semester of his freshman year.

The coaches, who Fahie says did not yet know of his military background, put 85 hopefuls through various running and jumping drills to test their athleticism.

Fahie recalls being upset with his performance, even before he lost a shoe during his 40-yard dash.

"I was like, 'Awesome. That's exactly what I needed,' " he says with a laugh. "I beat myself up that night. But the next day I got a call to come to the coach's office.

"They said, 'We'd like you to be part of our team.' "

"Team" isn't a word Fahie takes lightly. To him, it is charged with meaning from military lessons ingrained by relying on others as they relied on him.

"The consequences there obviously are a lot more dire," he says. "If I messed up and got myself killed or shot, that's fine. But I didn't want to be the guy who got someone else killed or shot."

That attitude is why, according to Nebraska teammate Joe Broekemeier, a receiver, Fahie's "respect level is crazy around here. What Sarge says has merit, and people listen to him."

Broekemeier, though, notes that Fahie rarely references his Navy days unless asked. But he did volunteer to address the Cornhuskers during a rough patch last season, when he called on his military maturity to lend perspective and guidance.

We need to know we can trust each other, he told his struggling, younger teammates. No, our lives aren't on the line here. Rockets aren't falling around us. But we need to know we're all doing our jobs for each other, every day, on the field and in class, to better this team.

"I'm very competitive. I want to win," says Fahie, who estimates he's among 15 open-tryout players on Nebraska's 156-man roster. "So if takes me just being a scout-team player for us to win, I'm completely fine with that. I'm not the best athlete. But there are things I do that still help this team."

Nothing Fahie brings to the locker room, the weight room or the practice field, says Nebraska's defensive ends coach John Papuchis, is more important than his full effort and his presence as someone who's seen a side of life most of his teammates never will.

Says Papuchis, "Tyrone's maturity and discipline have a positive effect on the rest of our defensive line and people throughout our football program."

Ah, but in the end, there is another question to ask of Fahie: Which has served the other better, the man or the team? He is confident of the answer, and here's a clue to it: Fahie, who's engaged to be married in July, says he plans to coach football - at any level, even as a volunteer - and for a long time, to repay what he says he owes to the sport, his university and his teammates.

"I needed this team more than they needed me," Fahie says. "I need that structure in my life. I don't do well without it. And for me, being accountable to other people really pushes me further than I would probably ever push myself."

Coach Vance

If you needed anymore convincing...

2010-12-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

...that triathlon can help your running, and make you a fitter, better athlete overall, than look no further than today's Footlocker Cross Country Championships at Morley Field!

Lukas Verzbicas - 1st, 14:59 (5K)
Tony Smoragiewicz - 3rd, 15:16

These are two of the top Junior Triathletes for the US, and both are juniors in high school still!

Impressive, given the list of names who have been top 3 at this event in years past, and what they've been able to accomplish just in distance running alone. This includes:

Adam Goucher

Meb Kflezighi

Alan Webb

Ryan Hall

Dathan Ritzenhein

Bob Kennedy

Ruben Reina

Marc Davis

Louie Quintanna

Bryan Dameworth

This is just the men's side, the women have had similar success.

A great sign of the future for the US in the sport! And a great motivation for the rest of us!

Coach Vance

Twitter Answers #2

2010-12-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

From: @ironchiro

"the value of training the core muscles? Yes/No? Why? Performance benefit? Technique benefit? Relation with injury prevention?"

Core strength being important isn't the question, because it is. The real question is it the MOST important? It depends on how weak or strong your core is, compared to your ability to swim, bike and run. Specificity is most important, (swimming, biking and running), but there comes a point where you can't improve those if the weakest link in the chain is your core strength. Also, how much training time do you have available? That's one of the best parts about triathlon, that there are so many different avenues for improving performance, that choosing which ones you focus on and how well you do with that is the challenge.

So does it have a benefit on the things you list? Yes, most certainly. Is it worth pursuing more? Perhaps, but see if it is the really the weakness you need to address. With all this said, I do like to see my athletes address core strength mostly in the off-season, then maintain that strength thru the year, but just enough to maintain.

From: @djdirtykurty

"have u blogged about if & How much warmup you should do the morning of the race & How long before race time should u do it"

Warm-up in general has a few rules I like to follow and advise of athletes. First, the shorter the race, the more intense it is, and therefore the more warm-up that is required. For example, a sprint or Olympic requires much more warm-up than an Ironman. As an example, I like to see an athlete do at least a 2 mile jog before a half-ironman, and then get in the water for at least 20 mins, with some surges in both the run and the swim, to race intensity. This would be the minimum for a half. Always better to start your warm-up too soon than too late.

From: @AlexBaron85

"how bout approach to offseason? need to incorporate weights to gain strength. how much sbr do we need not to lose form? Thanks!"

The first part of approach to the off-season is to recharge mentally. If you don't rest the mind, you'll be fading by the middle of the following season. I believe strength training is best addressed in the off-season, with a focus on stabilizing muscles, and core work. Don't fall for the idea that a loss of strength will mean poor technique, as that is just not the case. Plenty of weak athletes have excellent technique.

The best approach to the off-season is one which represents the glaring weaknesses that kept you from reaching your goals in the prior season. Do a review of the season, and find out what happened. If it was injuries, perhaps a strength training routine could prevent that. Maybe speed is what you need too, and that needs to be the focus. Consider all variables, then prioritize. Consider weight and diet too!

From: @NerdyRocker

"What type of strength training do you recommend for marathoners?"

Wow, strength training is a popular topic! Seems like many athletes haven't addressed it much, and that may be why it seems to be a big weakness. Because a runner only has to run, they tend to be more able to hit the weight room, so strength training comes into play. Core work, stabilizing muscles, and dynamic movement strength work, (ie lunges), are the things I recommend.

Thanks guys!

Coach Vance

Mean Max Curve Graphs & Fitness Comparisons

2010-11-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

Here is another article I've written on WKO+ software and using it to better assess fitness and base training decisions upon.

Mean Max Curve Graphs and Fitness Comparisons

One of the great things about collecting data from training is that data always tells the same story, with the same details. Ask a friend about their best time, or a great season they had, and the chances of them remembering and telling the story as accurately as they used to, is highly unlikely. It’s natural for athletes to embellish a bit. So a ride where an athlete averaged 290 watts might actually become 300 a few seasons or months after it, if left to them telling the story. But if we refer back to past data, especially power and pace data, it will tell us the real story.

Athletes often get hung up in where their fitness is in a single moment. This is especially true after a few months of working back at training. Athletes can get impatient, wanting the fitness to get back to top form ASAP! They might even think the prior season they were much fitter than at the current moment in time, but is that really the case?

I hear many athletes ask questions like:

Where was I at in my training and fitness last year at this time?
How did my fitness look in the early months of that great season I had a few years ago?
How am I doing right now with my fitness, compared to earlier this season?

With WKO+ software, we can actually get a direct correlation and comparison of where fitness is right now, and compare it with where we were at any other point in time, such as the exact moment last season.

How can we do this? One of the easiest ways to do this is with the Mean Max Curve graphs, for power or pace.

...

Read the rest at TrainingPeaks.com.

Coach Vance

You've got 23 other hours in the day

2010-11-22T18:17:00.001-08:00

When I was a distance runner at the University of Nebraska, Coach Jay Dirksen used to tell us, "You've got 23 other hours in the day for your other commitments, so give me this hour." It was his way of saying, "no excuses for missing practice!"

Of course, Dirksen didn't acknowledge the fact that practice rarely was only 1 hour, but his point still resonates with me. Workouts and training are important, especially when you're wanting to excel. We did morning runs on our own, and Sunday long runs as well. If he had said 22 hours, he would have been more truthful, but again, the point still resonates. We had to do the work to reach our goals, no matter what our other commitments.

Joe Friel recently said in a tweet, "#6 mistake of self-coached athletes? Inconsistent training. High goals? Don’t miss workouts. Ever." There is no greater truth than this.

So if you've got high goals, don't give me excuses for missing workouts, especially when it comes to life and commitments. School is important, work is important, but so are your goals, right?

If you sleep for 8 hours, work for 8 hours, and fill 4 hours eating, commuting, studying, etc, then you still have 4 hours of time to get your workouts in. Don't tell us you can't do it, just be honest and tell us, "I chose not to do my workouts, and to not work hard toward my goals."

Dirksen's quote still rings true, and Friel's as well.

Coach Vance

Don't Fear Failure - Just Don't Accept It

2010-11-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

"Don't fear failure. Just don't accept it."

This is a quote from an email I wrote an athlete tonight. I wasn't quoting someone else, I just was trying to figure out how to tell this athlete to quit focusing on negative outcomes, and instead focus on controlling what happens in their race. He's a 17 year old cross country high school runner, who is about to qualify for the California State Cross Country Meet individually. He has control of the outcome, more than he realizes. He will do more than qualify if his attitude on the start-line is assertive, like I hope. This quote is assertive.

I felt it was a great quote to share.

Coach Vance

Costa Rica Triathlon Camp 2011

2010-11-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

TrainingBible Coaching Costa Rica Triathlon Camp 2011

Guanacaste, Costa Rica

February 13-20, 2011

Prepare for the 2011 season in beautiful Costa Rica for a week-long triathlon training camp with TrainingBible coaches and athletes. The week-long camp will be 3 days of intense training followed by 2 skills and learning-focused days, and 2 races at the REV 3 Event (Olympic distance on Saturday, Half on Sunday).

The camp is Monday-Sunday, but the overnight stays are Sunday-Sunday. This camp is nearly ALL-INCLUSIVE, (transportation, resort stay, 2 meals per day, training and race entries). I promise you won't find a better camp or experience, much less for the price. You can even bring a non-participating spouse or significant other, at no charge! (See details below)

This camp already includes top Kona age-group finishers, pro-triathletes, and top TrainingBible coaches from around the world. (Discounts for TrainingBible athletes and camp alumni.)

Camp Features:

• 8-night stay at Coco Bay Estates (an $1800-$2400 value)
• Option for private room or shared room available
• 2 Meals provided per day, (catered breakfast and lunch buffet)
• All sessions coached and led by a TrainingBible Coach
• Entry into REV 3 Olympic and Half distance triathlons (a $450 value)
• Low traffic, paved roads for riding
• Coach on-deck for pool sessions
• Incredibly beautiful open-water swimming in Coco Bay
• Underwater swim video technique assessment for each athlete, ($115 value)
• Run technique video assessment for each athlete, ($100 value)
• Transition competition
• Classroom sessions for individual learning
• Complimentary airport shuttle to/from Coco Bay Estates from Liberia Airport only
• View the Camp Itinerary

Camp Resort – Coco Bay Estates

See the camp schedule here

***If a spouse or significant other would like to attend, but not participate in the camp, they are welcome to stay free if the athlete purchases a private room. Food is included for spouses/significant others as well. (Limit one per private room camp entry).

***If friends, couples, etc, want to split a room, they are welcome to both purchase the shared room, and state their desired room share partner in registration.

Hope you can join us! Register soon!

Coach Vance

Growing the Sport - TriJuniors

2010-11-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

Before I was a professional triathlete, I was a school teacher. I spent 6 years teaching, mostly elementary school, but one year of high school as well. After leaving racing, I came back full-circle to teaching again, starting the first junior triathlon team in San Diego.

I knew the sport didn't need another pro-triathlete, it needed leadership, and I felt the most qualified for the job. With Junior Nationals here in San Diego, in 2010 and 2011, it seemed the obvious timing to make it happen.

When I started the program, I faced many challenges, from competing with high school sports, to the costs involved in a sport like this. I've made the sport and our team a fun experience, so competing against other clubs and school sports hasn't been a problem, and I actually encourage our kids to do the single sports as well.

But costs, and helping families overcome the prohibitiveness of starting triathlon, considering buying a bike, wetsuit, helmet, goggles, clothes, etc, still continue to be a challenge. In general, no parent wants to drop $1000+ on a bike, just to see if their child will like the sport.

One of the main goals I've had since the start was to eliminate or greatly reduce these start-up costs, and I'm very proud to announce that in a partnership with Focus Bikes, I'm now able to offer any athlete who joins our program, a road bike for their use, FREE OF CHARGE!

If they are a member of our team, in good standing, the bike is their's to use. We are a team whose main race goals are centered around draft-legal triathlon, with road bikes, and the skills required to be successful require using a road bike, not triathlon bikes. Focus Bikes has made this possible with some incredible bikes and technology for the kids, which will perform at a high level in all races we do, from draft-legal to non-drafting.

This is an exciting time for the sport, for TriJuniors, and myself as a coach, trying to lead the way for youth and juniors.

If you know a teenager, (13-19), who might be interested in our TriJuniors program, have them visit our website, TriJuniors.com, and contact us there. If you love this sport as much as I do, then you understand what a great opportunity this is!

Coach Vance

Twitter Answers #1

2010-11-11T15:56:00.001-08:00

Each week I ask over Twitter if people have training topics they are interested in learning about. I get a number of responses and questions, and 140 characters doesn't provide good opportunity to answer them all. So I hope each week to post some of the questions and my responses here.

From: @nuuutymel

"maximising every session without overtraining?"

Mel, the answer is that every session should have a goal. That doesn't mean every session should be hard. Some sessions the goal is improved flexibility, general aerobic endurance, anaerobic endurance and capacity, neurological training, or simply creating blood flow and warming the muscles up for active recovery.

If every session has a goal, you will likely maximize the session by accomplishing the goal. If you train without goals then it's hard to maximize, since we don't know what we are trying to maximize.

From: @kstravelbug

"training topics: im very slow but can endure - never ever focused on speed. Where do I even start to focus on speed in 3 events? while weight training, doing yoga, working on core (and not losing endurance or getting injured!) where to start?? Thx! :)"

KS, thanks for the question. Don't fall into the trap that speed is only going hard. Speed is simply moving quickly. This can be for a few seconds, or longer. If you really want to improve your ability to fire muscles, and increase run cadence, bike cadence, etc, then you need to work on shorter intervals. Try surges in your run of 7 to 20 secs, at fast speed.

Remember that speed is simply the product of Force, (f) and Velocity, (v) in a movement. The only way to run faster is to apply more force(f) into the ground with each step, or take your steps faster(v), or both. In biking, we can apply more force to the pedal, or spin at a faster cadence, again f and v.

You've got the f down with the strength work, but work on the v! Work on keeping technique good when increasing the velocity of the movement.

Coach Vance

Staying Cool - Mental Discipline

2010-11-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

If you’ve been reading this blog, you know I have a tendency to repeat myself. Here it is again. Racing is mental, especially when it comes to long course racing. It’s one of the biggest reasons I retired, mentally I didn’t have what it took anymore.

In long course racing, you have to keep your cool, mentally and emotionally, riding the highs and lows. You have to have mental discipline. You can’t get all excited in the highs and make stupid decisions, taking needless risks. You have to be very calculated in your maneuvers. When things aren’t looking good, you have to be clear headed, and get thru it, trusting your plan and preparation.

This past weekend I went to Ironman Florida and witnessed an athlete of mine have a performance which was the epitome of mental discipline. Scott Iott suffered a broken collar bone in May, and missed about 6 weeks of training. The challenge was not easy to prepare for Florida with that injury, early in the game. But he stuck to the training, stayed consistent, day in and day out.

On Saturday, Scott came out of the water with a 1:03 swim. Not great, but still right at his best ever, (we’ll continue working on this). He didn’t panic or get all excited, he just stuck with the plan. He went onto the bike and started rolling, checking his watts.

About 20-30 mins into the bike, his power meter began shutting off on its own. No guidance. He had to go by feel most of the time. Kept his cool, strolled in 6th off the bike in his age group, (Men 30-34), in 4:47:18, just as we had hoped. He was quick in T2, under 2 mins, and out on the run course.

He had no idea where he was at place-wise in the first mile, but he didn’t worry about it, he knew it was my job to tell him that. His job was to find his rhythm, and go with it. The goal was sub 3 hours, and that meant just running sub-7’s for each mile. First mile, 6:40. In fact, every mile in the first 10 miles of the marathon was between 6:40 and 6:45. Cool, calm and collected.

Add to this the fact he was passed in the first few miles and saw an athlete in his age-group begin to put a gap of nearly 2 minutes on him. Didn’t matter, 6:40’s and change. He brought him back in the second loop. At mile 14 and 15, the gap between 1st and 3rd place was only 20 seconds in his age-group! He and his competitors were well aware, because I was telling them all this. The leader was then a different athlete who had come from behind Scott and pulled away to nearly one minute. It didn’t phase him. He was steady at 7:00’s on the second lap, like a machine.

Scott would catch the leader at the far turnaround and lead the race into the final mile, where Sergio Dias’ was able to finally catch him, and take home the win with an excellent 2:54 run split. Scott’s marathon time, 3:02:02. 1:28, 1:34 for each half. Very solid. Total time, 8:59:48, 22nd overall, 2nd in AG, and 5th AGer overall. His best finish time and place yet. Congrats to Scott. A testament of what mental discipline is in a race.

Scott will return to the Big Island of Kona again next October, ready to improve on his 8th place in his AG at Kona last year, and I expect his venture into the 35-39 AG will be a fun challenge for us both.

He has the mental discipline required to perform well there. He continues to prove that.

Coach Vance

St. George Triathlon Camp 2011

2010-11-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

TrainingBible Coaching St. George Triathlon Camp

March 9th-13th, 2011

St. George, UT

If you're preparing for the St. George race, or are considering doing it in the future, racing Oceanside half, or any other early season long course race, then this is the training camp for you!

Camp Features:

4-nights hotel accommodations, private room, at Wingate by Windham Hotel ($475 value!)
2 Meals per day, (breakfast and catered lunch)
All sessions coached and led by a TrainingBible Coach
Training on St. George triathlon course
Fully sagged rides
Coach on-deck for pool sessions
Open-water swim sets, (weather permitting)
Underwater swim video technique assessment for each athlete, ($115 value!)
Run technique video assessment for each athlete, ($100)
3 classroom sessions for individual learning, discussion, Q&A, totaling 4 hours in length
Complimentary airport shuttle to/from Wingate by Windham Hotel and St. George airport
16-25 hours of training in 4+ days!
Camp limited to 24 athletes
FREE Skinfit products! Base layer shirt, tech-tee and beanie! ($145 value!)

Camp Training Totals

Swim: 4.5 hours

Bike: 8-13 hours

Run: 4-6 hours

Classroom: 4 hours

16-25 hours of training, plus classroom sessions

Costs:

With hotel and 2 meals/day:

$1199 if registered by December 31st
$1299 if registered between January 1st - 31st
$1449 if registered after January 31st

If hotel is not needed, (only one meal/day provided)

$849 if registered by December 31st
$949 if registered between January 1st - 31st
$1049 if registered after January 31st

Discounts:

$50 off for TrainingBible Athletes
$50 off for members of a triathlon club
$50 off for previous TrainingBible camp attendees
Discounts can be combined! (Up to $150 off for some!)

See the full camp schedule here

If you're looking at camps, compare our's with the competition, and you'll see we offer more days, at a comparable price, and no other camp offers hotel and meals. We know you'll enjoy this camp, training hard and learning a lot.

Hurry, this camp will sell-out!

Coach Vance

Cramping - I've said it before & I'll say it again...

2010-11-02T08:19:00.001-07:00

A few emails came out over the USAT coaches email group, discussing how to reduce or eliminate cramping in an athlete who chronically cramped in their calf muscles in the latter 1/3 of a marathon.

The suggestions were the typical response you hear, more salt, more electrolytes, better hydration, and even compression socks. Here was my response...

Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I believe there are three things which need to be addressed in individuals who deal with cramping.

1. Better race-specific fitness.

If the athlete continues to cramp "when trying to hold a challenging pace", then the athlete has not trained enough at that pace, to perform it over the distance of the event.

2. Reduction of chronic tension in the muscles which are cramping.

I am willing to bet that the athlete has chronic tension in the calf muscles. Think about where you have cramped in the past, and chances are those muscles are tight on a regular basis for you. The athlete needs to address the tension in the muscles, via massage, ART, Rolfing, Trigger Point Therapy, Yoga, or any way they can. A looser, more pliable muscle I find, cramps less, or never.

3. Pacing.

This is related to number one, but I think needs to be pointed out specifically. The hotter the temperatures, the more fatigue they will face, and therefore lack the race-specific fitness needed to perform in the heat. If they pace themselves at a speed they have not trained for, or have not prepared for the heat they are racing in, then they lack the specific fitness to perform at that pace. Seems simple, but a basic flaw in many athletes' racing strategies and executions.

I also want to say, I believe hydration, salt and electrolyte intake in races are either overemphasized or a complete waste of time and actually hurt athletes, in longer races, such as the marathon and Ironman. I do not allow my athletes to take in salt tablets, and tell them to drink to thirst. Studies are showing the most dehydrated person in a race is the winner. If the athlete comes into the race adequately hydrated, these needs are small.

Stuffing your gut with salt and electrolytes is only going to interfere with the body's ability to process calories needed to complete the event. There is not a single study which has shown athletes taking salt tablets or electrolytes do better than those who don't. Better training for metabolic efficiency would do these athletes more good for longer distance events.

Coach Vance

Article on CP30 value tracking

2010-10-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

My little post here on the CP30 value chart for one of my athletes became an article I wrote for TrainingPeaks, on their blog. Check it out...

Using CP30 Values for Fitness Tracking in WKO+

In my past articles on the PMC charts and overall fitness monitoring, I discussed how WKO+ is a coaching and training tool which goes largely underused relative to its true value, which is seeing the overall picture of training and fitness progression.

If a coach or athlete is only looking at a single training file, then there is little value if it has nothing else to compare itself to. If the athlete has many files to compare the single file to, then there is even more information which can be gained.

The progression of an athlete’s fitness over the course of a season is not linear, and will always have ups and downs. However, the general trend, or slope of the fitness, is what we want to watch for. If the trend is down, or flat, the athlete has reached a plateau, and some adjustments to the training need to be made.

Read the rest at: TrainingPeaks.com

Coach Vance

Upcoming Webinars for Coaches, (and Athletes)

2010-10-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

I've got 3 webinars coming up at PerformanceWebinars.com, which you can register for. These are especially great webinars for coaches, who can earn 1 CEU for USA Triathlon, and 0.1 CEU's for USA Cycling Coaches. You can view them live, and participate in a Q&A following, or register and watch it at any time which suits you.

Tapering with WKO+ Software - October 25th

In this webinar, Elite Coach Jim Vance will discuss how to use WKO+ as a tool for tapering athletes. Jim will show tips and tricks for projecting performance via the Performance Management Chart, as well as using it as a reference for coaches and athletes to better perfect their future tapers individually.

Gaining Sponsorships as a Coach - November 15th

In this webinar, Elite Coach Jim Vance will discuss how coaches can leverage themselves for sponsorships for themselves, their athletes, teams, clubs and for earnings. This includes bike, nutrition, and equipment sponsorships, and how to get companies to want to work with you.

Understanding the Demands of the Ironman Bike Leg - November 22nd

In this webinar, Elite Coach Jim Vance will discuss, compare and contrast the different power files of varying athletes, from elites, to top age-groupers, middle of the pack athletes, and those just trying to beat the midnight cut-off. Citing the differences between the demands of the different athlete levels, Jim will discuss the training and nutritional strategies for coaches to consider.

You can register at PerformanceWebinars.com.

Coach Vance

Nutrition Mistakes

2010-10-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

On my twitter account, I always post if anyone has any topics they are interested in me posting about. A big one today was nutrition, as it relates to racing. So, here are 6 common mistakes I see with athletes and nutrition. Why 6? Because it's better than 5.

1. Not knowing the exact number of calories, (or fairly close to exact), that you're consuming in training and on race day. Without actual quantification of what you're taking in, it's nearly impossible to know if it's too much, too little, or just right.

2. Not keeping a training log which details the nutrition you used and tried, so you can perfect it.

3. Testing your nutrition plan for race day when training at an intensity which doesn't match race intensity. On race day, if you're going harder than you are in training, then don't be surprised if suddenly your stomach doesn't jive with what you're putting into it.

4. Using a concentration of calories which doesn't match what you'll use on race day. When the concentration changes, the interaction of the calories with your stomach changes, especially if the concentration is stronger.

5. Many top athletes follow a strict diet, only to change it entirely during the week or two before the race, claiming "carbo loading". Worst thing you can do is dramatically change your diet before the race. Don't do it. It's worked fine for you, stick with it.

6. More is not better. Less is better. Try to get your body trained to need less calories during a race.

Coach Vance

Yes, I'm very excited for this athlete to race...

2010-10-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a great trip to Kona, for the Ironman World Championships. Two athletes, one went 9:16, 8th in Men 35-39, with a 48 min PR, while the other finished his first Ironman at 51 years of age, and only his second triathlon ever, 15:37!

I've been catching up on athlete training, and saw something which got me very excited.

Here's a CP30 value chart for power, taking the best sample by each week thru the season. The athlete is preparing for Ironman Florida, and is ready to do very well based on what I see here.

(Click on image to enlarge)

You'll notice a large downward trend in the middle, in the month of May. The athlete had a bike crash, causing a broken collar bone, and was out for almost 4 weeks. Since then, the progression has been steady and the latest fitness test we did is the very high point on the right. 346 watts for 30 min TT on a trainer, and only 158 lbs.

And trust me, his run charts look just as good! Yes, I am very excited for this athlete to race.

Coach Vance

Great Quote #3

2010-10-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

"It's all about the catch. Nobody cares about the guy who drops it." - Chip Kelly, Univ of Oregon Head Football Coach.

Coach Vance

Goals and Targets - Kona

2010-09-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

I thought I should share this email from a coach I work with in TrainingBible, but who also is one of my athletes. He sent this email out to his athletes this week, and I think he had some great things in it. He is fitter than he has ever been, and is ready to race Kona. I'm excited for him, but this email he wrote proves he has what it takes mentally, not just physically. And I believe the mental part is the key. Enjoy...

As another season comes to an end I have some athletes still gearing up for
their final "A" Races, while most have already started to consolidate their
victories and defeats from the year. Once again this season proved to be a
huge success for my athletes but also myself.

As to not let any one of my athletes feel singled out, I would like to
relate this to myself as some recent readings have really struck a cord with
me.

I am traveling to Kona this week now to try to have the best race there I
ever have done. I know for a fact just looking at the numbers I am more fit
then I have ever been. Running faster, holding more sustained watts, heck
for the first time in my life I feel I am at an ideal race weight, down 7 -8
pounds from last year's Hawaii Ironman.

Additionally I am for the first time confident about my race prep and my
ability to do well. There is no doubt in my head I currently posses all the
tools to do what I want to do on race day.

I was relegated to a trainer session on the bike the other day and decided
to use an old Ironman video to help motivate me. What stood out to me were
the pros that had bad days. Here were athletes no doubt as prepared as I am
now, if not more, combined with more physical ability, and they blew up. My
first instinct was how much that would suck. Here were athletes that on
other years before and after had been in the top finishers, and this
particular year, were not as lucky. Point is, they are clearly not worse
athletes, worse ability, and more then likely just as mentally tough.

As life would have it, I decided to start re reading a book Magical Running
by Bobby McGee. The chapter I was on referenced goals and targets. The
author defined them differently.

Goals were less specific, and or not as based in outcome.

For example, you might want to figure out a way to be more confident while
running hills.

Targets were objectives you would like to hit if you are able to achieve
your goals.

Using the above example, you might have a hilly 10K or triathlon you are
targeting a specific time for. If you are able to be a more confident hill
runner, you will eventually be able to hit higher targets on hilly courses.

"Goals are who we want to be, Targets are things we want to do"

This is important and I have witnessed this exact thing in one of my own
athletes this year. I have an athlete that set MASSIVE PR's in all his
racing and absolutely became a much better cyclist this year. So much so
that they felt the pressure to deliver on everyone's new expectations of
what the community thought they were capable of at Ironman. When that target
started to become un realistic for the race that day, the mental approach to
the race fell apart and it resulted in a DNF and massive disappointment.

What this athlete needed to concentrate on was that the goals for the season
were in fact met. They wanted to become a better cyclist, and they were!
Races, group rides, solo training rides, etc all were better. This athlete
accomplished things on the bike this year they never have before. While the
target of the time at IM was still important, it didn't erase the fact that
this was a different, better athlete. No matter what the time was for the
day, it was MUCH better then they would have produced as their former
selves.

Back to myself.

What is important to take from this is goals are more process oriented. It
goes on to ask how many times you have set a goal then faced the
anticlimactic feeling when you do eventually achieve it. If your goals are
to become a better more confident person / racer, and your target along the
way is met, the goal is not over. You simply have to set new targets.

Hawaii this year will be one of my best races I hope. But whatever the
result it doesn't mean I didn't do everything I could have to be ready. I am
a better athlete today then I was in 2009 and I need to be proud of that, no
matter what the outcome.

If I swallow sea water and become sick, suffer a flat tire or 2, or cramp on
the run, I would be disappointed. However it is simply a missed opportunity
at a singular target. My goal has been achieved. This year I set out to be
more fit physically, metabolically, centered on a more specific goal, have
better nutritional practices, etc. The focus, or target, of those goals
right now is to do the best I can at Hawaii given the new achievements.

Good luck to everyone racing soon! If you are in your off season, I am
jealous! :-)

Coach Vance

Photos from Swim Seminar at B+L Bikes

2010-09-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from a swim talk I gave at B+L Bikes last month, here in San Diego. You'll notice a lot of people. Why so many? I have a good reputation as a speaker and teacher, especially when it comes to the complexity of training and skills in triathlon.

If you're interested in having me speak to a group of athletes in your area, email me at jvance at trainingbible dot com.

Coach Vance

Tuscany Triathlon Camp 2010

2010-09-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

I returned from a week-long camp in Tuscany, working with a group of Russian triathletes, and had a great time. Italy is an incredibly beautiful place, especially the Tuscan coast. Below are some photos and highlights from this camp.

If you were wondering about how you could join this camp, it was a private camp, not open to the public. I do offer private camps in other places, including your home area, if interested. Contact me at jvance at trainingbible dot com for more info on private camps.

If you're looking for a public camp to join, you'll want to check out Tridynamic, who Joe Friel and I have partnered with. Led by Martin Boddie, they do an incredibly thorough job of making sure all the small details of the camp are taken care of, from airport pick-up, to all the other details you wouldn't consider, and make the international travel much easier and enjoyable. Our next camp is Tenerife, Canary Islands, in January. Hope you can join us!

Coach Vance

Don't Let Your Mind Sabotage Your Fitness

2010-09-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

I see a lot of athletes, successful athletes, who reach a level of fitness which is so high for them, above what they ever expected, they become scared. It's like they have a weapon in their pocket, and they're afraid it's going to go off and kill or maim them.

They'll use phrases like, "Things are going almost too good," as if Murphy's Law would prevent success.

When you reach this high fitness, refer back to it, and have confidence. Trust in your training, your coaching, and your ability to race. Don't expect perfection, that's a pipe-dream. No race ever goes perfect.

The mind is a powerful tool. Think back to all your races, and compare the difference between the best performances and the bad ones. Chances are the one clear difference was the attitude you had on the start-line. If you were worried, scared, and focused on things you couldn't control, you likely did poorly. If you focused on yourself, and approached the line with confidence in your ability, and were excited to test yourself against the competition, you likely performed well.

Make your attitude on the start-line a priority for you, and keep your thoughts positive, and on the things you can control, and you'll see a marked improvement. Don't let your mind sabotage your fitness.

Coach Vance

Joe Friel Foundations Camp

2010-09-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

My colleague, Joe Friel, author of the TrainingBible book series, is hosting a camp in Scottsdale, which is perfect for the athlete looking to get serious about training. Here are the details, straight from Joe's blog:

This fall - October 22-29, 2010 - I'm presenting a triathlon camp in Scottsdale, Arizona where I spend my winters. This is not your standard swim-bike-run camp. It focuses on exactly what I do with the athletes I coach at the start of their winter training. I have each of them come to Scottsdale to spend a few days with me. We get to know each other a bit better while accomplishing a lot of things to prepare them for the coming year.

During this 'personal camp' there are five things you will do just as I do them with my athletes….

* You will be tested for VO2max and other important physiological metrics such as metabolic rate and body composition.

* There will be a head-to-toes assessment by a physical therapist identifying potential injuries and areas where strength, range of motion or other interventions could improve performance. A functional strength and stretching programs will then be created for you based on this information.

*A bike fit will be done by a professional fitter who I have worked with for years. This should be done every year even if you are riding the same bike you were fit for the previous year. Things change over the course of a season.

* We will also refine your speed skills in all three sports. This is a great time of the year to improve swimming, biking and running technique. Most athletes will improve more in this area of fitness than any other.

* And finally we will spend a lot of time discussing the keys to your success in the coming season. This last point starts with season goals relative to your limiters. You and I will sit down to discuss these in a private session. Evening classroom sessions address topics such as mental skills, nutrition, understanding how to train effectively and much more.

By the time the camp is done you will be a great deal closer to achieving your goals for the next season.

My TrainingBible coaching assistant for this camp is Adam Zucco, the USAT Developmental Coach of the Year for last season. Adam is a long time business associate of mine and a very knowledgeable coach. I will also be assisted by the staff at Endurance Rehabilitation and Chris Pulleyn, bicycle fitter extraordinaire, from the Bicycle Ranch.

This camp, along with my other US and European camps (see them here), is organized by Tridynamic in the UK. So all pricing on the website is in Great Britain Pounds. This camps starts at £1449 for double occupancy (at the Xona Resort ). That’s currently about $2234 or €1770. (To check currency exchange rates go here.)

Scottsdale in late October is beautiful. Temperatures are typically around 80F (26C) with gentle breezes and blue skies. All swim sessions will be at the new, outdoor McDowell Mountain Aquatic Center.

As you can see at the above website, I have a lot of camps scheduled for this year, each with a unique focus. This one is guaranteed to get you started down the path to a successful 2011 triathlon season.

More info can be found at:

http://www.tridynamic.co.uk/events_more.asp?eventType=1&eventID=26

Coach Vance

It's Ironman, not the Tour de France

2010-08-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Ironman = 1 day, biggest stress level you can tolerate for a single day.

Tour de France = 23 days, (2 rest days), biggest stress level you can tolerate on a daily basis.

I see many athletes training for Ironman like it's the Tour de France, training hard day after day. The goal in Ironman is to produce a performance on single day, when rested. The Tour de France goal is to produce a performance on many days, when tired. Notice the difference? Your training should reflect this difference as well.

In short, if you're preparing for Ironman, QUIT TRAINING FOR THE TOUR DE FRANCE! It's Ironman, not the Tour.

Coach Vance

The Coach's Mind

2010-08-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Penny for my thoughts in this picture? I wonder the same, and it's a photo of me! Coaching is as progressive as athletes. I'm a better coach today than I was yesterday. I'm miles ahead of where I was last year as a coach. I'll be even better a year from now.

Hopefully, you're thinking the same thing about your racing, and seeing the results to back up that trend. If not, it's time to consider some help. It doesn't have to be me, or even a full-time coach-athlete relationship, maybe just a consult here and there with a local coach to help you get your bearings, and stay on course to your goals.

You can bet in this photo, I'm contemplating all those things with my TriJuniors program. Are we meeting our goals? What can we do better? Where are we right now? What is the next step?

Coach Vance

Talk at B+L Bikes in San Diego - Technical Aspects of Swimming

2010-08-10T16:35:00.001-07:00

I'll be giving the following free talk at B+L San Diego. This talk will change and dramatically improve your understanding of swimming, I promise.

Learning and Understanding the 3 Most Important Technical Aspects of Swimming

Who: Anyone who wants to get faster in the water

When: Monday, August 30th, 2010

6:30 - 8 PM

Why: Because you want to get faster, and there's free food and adult beverages!

Where: B+L SOUTH STORE! 3603 Camino Del Rio West

San Diego, Ca 9211

RSVP: Please RSVP to Orlanda Vance at ovance at trainingbible dot com

Hope to see you there!

Great Quote #2

2010-08-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

``It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.''

--- Teddy Roosevelt

The Answer To Every Training or Racing Question

2010-07-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

What are you goals? Are they clear and set? Can you measure them? Have you prioritized what is most important for you to accomplish?

If you can't answer these questions, then there is no point proceeding with other questions about specific workouts, race equipment, race schedule, strategies, coaching or anything else you're trying to decide on.

Why? Because the answer which makes the most sense should be the one which most closely matches the goals you have set. For example, "Do I need to get a Zipp 808 and disc wheel for a few thousand dollars for my upcoming half-ironman?" The answer will greatly depend on if your goal is to finish with a smile on your face, move up your age-group, go for a Clearwater spot, or even win your age-group. It makes no sense to spend thousands on Zipp wheelsets if you're just wanting to finish with a smile.

Whether you should do a race when battling a slight injury, continue with a workout when clearly tired, or invest in coaching, massage, power meters, Garmins, etc, all depend on the answers to the questions stated in the first paragraph.

I get people who ask me what I think about all of these things and situations, and 100% of the time my answer is, "It depends on your goals". Some people quickly and easily respond to me with clear and concise goals, but others stare at me with a look of bewilderment. If you tell me your goals, I can give you some advice that will probably help. If you have no goals, then I have no idea if the advice I give could help or hurt.

Make sure the first decision you make for your season is to set the goals, and then prioritize them. Write them down, so you can easily refer back to them, even if that means writing them on a poster on the wall. Anytime you have a question, go back and see which decisions will be in support of those goals, and are necessary for achieving them. Your goals are the standard for which all decisions should be judged.

So if you have a question you want help with, I'm happy to provide advice. However, you need to provide me with the knowledge of what your goals are. Otherwise, I'm not giving you advice, I'm just giving you words.

Coach Vance

Embrace Competition, Be the Villain

2010-07-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

As my athletes have had success, and been visible in the things they've accomplished, I've become a target. My athletes have become targets. People can feel intimated, or even hurt by the fact others have success, while they might be struggling. Some are critical of one coach, simply because of their devotion to their current coach.

It's not always easy, but letting this stuff bother you can't be the focus. There will always be competition, and there will always be those who are critical, don't agree, and no matter what is accomplished by you or your athletes, that will not change.

Instead, take the opposite approach, and EMBRACE the competition! Solidify your successes, and be the villain in the critic's world! Be the one they want to beat. More success, more vindication.

It's a compliment really, because if you're doing things right and well enough, someone is not going to like you. In fact, if someone's not disliking you, you're not doing things well enough.

Embrace the competition, and be the villain in the critic's world.

Coach Vance

Don't be that athlete...

2010-07-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

Don't be the athlete who claims every time a race result doesn't go well, or when someone else beats you, that they drafted, or they cut the course, do drugs, or whatever reason one can come up with. Sometimes it is just time to admit that some athletes are better. Some athletes may not even be better, but they may be doing things better in preparation than you.

I've seen athletes improve leaps and bounds in a matter of a few minutes. Most of the time it doesn't take much more than a simple skill change, or even a mental approach, to create large improvements.

This excites them, and makes them really love the sport. But it gives them a sour taste in their mouth when someone doesn't believe they can improve like that and therefore declare they must be cheating.

If you're blaming cheating, drugs or drafting as reasons why people are beating you, maybe it's time to re-think that strategy. Unless you have hard evidence, your perception is biased. I know people cheat, but maybe there's more to it. Don't be that athlete...

Coach Vance

London, England Swim Seminars - September 11th and 12th

2010-07-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

After the great success of the Mallorca camp, I've been offered the chance to go to the UK and teach many athletes and coaches on how they can improve their swimming. I'm really looking forward to this trip, and hope any of you who read this from the UK can make it to the clinic!

TrainingBible Coaching Swim Clinic with Elite Coach Jim Vance

Featuring Underwater Video Analysis

Tri Dynamic is delighted to offer triathletes of any ability interested in improving their swimming this unique opportunity to receive swim coaching & underwater analysis from Jim Vance. Jim is an Elite Coach for TrainingBible Coaching and an 8.37 Ironman PRO. TrainingBible Coaching is owned by the legendary Triathlon and Cycling Coach, Joe Friel, who is the author of the best selling ‘Triathletes Training Bible’ Series. Jim Vance was a guest speaker at the prestigious 2010 Global Open Water Swim Conference in California where the topic was "Building the Mindset and Performance of a Front-Pack Swimmer". Jim Vance will only be in the UK for a few days and places will be limited to ensure that each participant gets the most possible attention.

Dates: SAT 11th & SUN 12th September 2010

Venue: Hampton Outdoor Pool, High Street, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2ST

Times: See Below

More Information

This clinic is designed for triathletes and coaches, as an opportunity to learn and understand the principles of triathlon swimming and apply this directly to athletes. There are two choices for attending the clinic;

One is full-service with information directly for the participating athlete, who would like to be videoed in the water
The other is for athletes or coaches who are not interested in getting in the water and have footage taken of them swimming but desire to learn the principles of triathlon swimming and how to apply them to athletes.

There will be 4 sessions to choose from over the weekend. Please indicate at time of booking which session you would like to be in. However places are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. On the booking form you will be able to select the session that you would like to attend. If that is not available you will be offered the next best option. Please note that you will not be able to change your session once you have booked and there will be 10 videoed swim places and 15 coach/non videoed places per session.

Jim Vance Swim Seminars Session Times

Session 1 -SAT 11th Sep 8am-12 Noon

Session 2 -SAT 11th Sep 1pm-5pm

Session 3 -SUN 12th Sep 8am-12 Noon

Session 4 -SUN 12th Sep 1pm-5pm

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your session and check in at the registration area which will be signposted at the pool. There is also a Café on site and if the weather is nice plenty of room for your friends or family to enjoy the nice parkland. There are two swimming pools at the venue, one 36m outdoor pool and one 12m kids’ pool. The two pools are situated in a south facing woodland area on the outskirts of Bushy Park. There is also a grassed area for you to just laze in the sun if you have come to watch.

Participating (Video) Athletes: £95 per person, limited to 10 spaces each session

Package includes:

- 2 videos of underwater filming of athlete swimming in pool

- Lecture on the principles of triathlon swimming in classroom setting

- Direct review of athlete’s swim video in classroom setting

- Copy of underwater videos for the athlete, emailed to them.

- Q&A session

Coaches/Non-Participating Athletes: £65, limited to 15 spaces each session

Package includes:

- Lecture on the principles of triathlon swimming in classroom setting

- Direct application of principles on underwater video footage of participating athletes

- Q&A session

Coaches or non-participating athletes will be able to attend the lecture session on the principles of swimming in triathlon, and see how the principles are applied. Due to time constraints, they will not get filmed themselves.

Tentative Schedule – Morning Session

8:00-8:10 – Check-in

8:15-8:45 – Warm-up and underwater filming of participating athletes, (10 people only – Participating Athletes)

8:45-10:00 – Presentation in classroom about the principles of triathlon swimming

10:00-11:30 – Review of underwater footage, applying principles directly

11:30-12:00 – Q&A session

12:00 – Clinic closes

Tentative Schedule – Afternoon Session

1:00-1:10 – Check-in

1:15-1:45 – Warm-up and underwater filming of participating athletes, (10 people only – Participating Athletes)

1:45-3:00 – Presentation in classroom about the principles of triathlon swimming

3:00-4:30 – Review of underwater footage, applying principles directly

4:30-5:00 – Q&A session

5:00 – Clinic closes

BOOK NOW - Register at: http://www.tridynamic.co.uk/

Or email Martin Boddie of TriDynamic at info@tridynamic.co.uk for more information.

Contact Info

Contact Tri Dynamic on 07778 862737 or email info@tridynamic.co.uk

You can make payment by credit or debit card. If paying by cheque they must be made payable to Tri Dynamic Limited, Priory Close, St Mary’s Gate, Lancaster, LA1 1XB.

Here is a link to a map to find Hampton Pool:

http://www.hamptonpool.co.uk/6_contact.htm

Hope to see you there!

Coach Vance

Private San Diego Camps Available

2010-07-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a short get-away to San Diego, for some individual coaching for a 3-day spell, then you might like the opportunity I'm offering. Get your flight to San Diego, and I will take care of you upon arrival, helping you meet your goals, individually.

Jim Vance San Diego Private Training Camp includes:

- Airport pick-up

- Bike build and breakdown

- All food needs

- Full guest bedroom with private bath

- Underwater swim video analysis

- Run gait video analysis

- Bike fit analysis (optional)

- Private rides (athlete choice)

- On-deck swim coaching

- Fully coached individual sessions, coach with athlete

- Training schedule customized to athlete goals and needs, up to 6-8 hrs/day

The camp is 3 days, 2 nights. The two choices are:

- Sunday noon to Tuesday noon

- Tuesday noon to Thursday noon

Cost is $850 for 1 person, $1200 for 2, and this camp is available year round. If you're interested in something longer than 3 days, or more customized for a week or more, this can be arranged.

Contact Coach Vance at jvance at trainingbible dot com, to inquire about dates and availability, as well as any questions.

Don't waste your hard work!

2010-07-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

One of the oddest things I always see in Ironman race results is how much time athletes take in T1. Why is this odd? Think about how much athletes work on their swim. Athletes will spend MANY HOURS in the pool and open water over the course of a season, trying to improve their swim time for 2.4 miles by merely a few minutes.

Athletes will brag about their great swim, and how they may have improved 5 mins from one year to the next. But then you look at their T1 time and realize they were 4 mins slower in T1 this year. Net result is only 1 minute faster! All those hours working on the swim, all that improvement, simply wasted by a lack of urgency in T1.

If you know you will not have a sense of urgency in T1, then why are you working so hard on your swim? If you want to be economical and not waste energy, then just go easier in the swim.

Why not take a few of those swim sessions and spend it running, biking, napping, getting massage, or doing something else to improve. Why waste all your hard work? Why not figure a way to be quicker and more streamlined in your T1?

If you're worried about being too tired from the swim and feel you need to rest, why not just coast on the bike? Great way to rest, and still progress forward in the race.

Coach Vance

Ironman and the Details

2010-06-27T17:36:00.001-07:00

Ironman racing is all about the details. Focus on the details and late in the race they will pay off. Blow off a few details here and there, and late in the race, you're in trouble. Pay attention to the details in your training, and make them important then, not just on race day.

Coach Vance

Great Quote #1

2010-06-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

"If you can't win, make the person ahead of you break the record" -Unknown

Coach Vance

Ironman and Half-Ironman Training Keys Talk at Pulse Endurance Sports - June 21st

2010-06-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

What: Ironman and Half-Ironman Training Keys
When: Monday, June 21st, 6:30-7:45 PM
Where: Pulse Endurance Sports
1020 A-2 Tierra Del Rey
Chula Vista, CA 91910
RSVP: Please email Orlanda Vance at ovance@trainingbible.com if attending

Cost: FREE! Food and drinks will be served.

If you're doing a full-Ironman or half-Ironman event, and would like to learn the key training and planning considerations for doing these events, come join Jim Vance as he presents the concepts he uses to help athletes prepare. This includes:
- Aerobic base work, how much is enough?
- Long rides, how much? How hard?
- Long runs, how much? How hard?
- Designing a training plan relative to your strengths and goals
- Key training weeks before the event
- Peaking and tapering

Come with your questions and use the information presented to help you be better prepared for your big race!

Coach Vance

WKO+ and the Bigger Picture of Fitness

2010-06-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

This is an article I recently wrote for TrainingPeaks.com, and can be found at their blog.

By Coach Jim Vance

In my previous article on WKO+, I discussed how we can use the software to monitor athlete fitness and performance, and use the data to drive our training decisions as a coach.

This concept really shines as the athletes begin to accumulate a larger database of data of years and seasons of training and racing. Many athletes think back to times when their fitness was very high, and try to recapture it, or even surpass it, but their mental vision of how the season went is normally clouded. It’s hard to remember specific details, but with a collection of data reviewed over a time scale, such as the PMC, (Performance Management Chart), you can get a clear idea of where the athlete’s fitness was, and more importantly, how their current fitness level compares directly.

Read the rest at TrainingPeaks.com Blog.

Coach Vance

Credit

2010-06-05T22:13:00.000-07:00

I recently read an editorial piece on how a coach should be willing to give credit to whom they learned certain things from. I agree with the concept of giving credit to the people to whom a person has learned from, and think it is very important to clarify who is giving good information, rather than claiming it for yourself entirely, as a coach.

I always laugh at something they taught us in college, that as a student if you steal an idea, it's called plagerism. If you steal an idea and use it after college, it's called teaching. We all steal parts and pieces from other teachers, taking what we like, and building our own methods.

This concept actually made me take a step back and think about the people, coaches, athletes and figureheads I've had the privilege of learning from. I agree that who you've studied under is a big determinant to your success, and a major contributor to your thinking as a coach.

With this in mind, I thought I might share the coaches I've been blessed to be coached by, study next to, and learn from, because I agree they have helped to make me a qualified and confident coach.

Mike Holman

Jay Dirksen

Greg Welch

Peter Reid

Joe Friel

Bob Seebohar

Adam Zucco

Wow, when I look at this list, I really feel blessed. If you're a triathlete, you probably won't recognize the first two names on the list, but they were my high school and college coaches for cross country and track. Mike Holman serves as the Head of Junior Development for USA Track & Field, and Jay Dirksen continues to be the highly successful Head Cross Country and Distance Coach for Track, at the University of Nebraska.

A few other great names which people wouldn't recognize necessarily, would be Lydia Kualapai, who was my English Comp teacher at Nebraska, who taught me the value of writing and communicating effectively thru words. My teachers in the unfortunately now extinct, Physical Education Department at the University of Nebraska. They helped build the foundation of teaching strategies I use these days with all my presentations, lectures, coaching sessions, my TriJuniors Team, and how to effectively challenge and meet a vast array of abilities and skills when working with many individuals.

One of the forgotten groups of people we learn from as coaches is our athletes. I've always had the approach that I should consider learning from the athlete, seeing how they do, and not necessarily applying my beliefs of limitations on them.

I'm excited about the years ahead, and who else I will cross paths with, and learning much more from.

Coach Vance

Global Open-Water Swim Conference

2010-06-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

I apparently forgot to mention on my blog that I will be speaking at the Global Open-Water Swim Conference this weekend. I've known for months, but forgot to post it here. If you can't make it to Long Beach, CA for the event, I will put my recorded talk and PDF of the presentation in the Coach Vance Store.

My topic is "Building the Mindset and Performance of a Front-Pack Swimmer", and will include the things I used to become a front-pack swimmer in the sport of triathlon, and the things I teach my athletes.

Funny, but this past Wednesday night we did our open-water swim intervals, and I really stepped up the game at the workout. It was definitely the hardest swim workout I've ever given to the athletes, and the 25 who showed up did not leave disappointed! I was applying all the things I will be talking about at the conference, even with the kids from my TriJuniors team.

If you're looking to learn how to improve your open-water swimming, there are a few choices you have. You can:

- Come to my open water swim workouts, every other Wednesday

- Attend my talk at the Global Open-Water Swim Conference

- If you're a youngster 13-19 years old, join my TriJuniors program

- Download the talk once it's in the Coach Vance Store

- Do combinations of all of the above!

I am passionate about swimming and improving swim ability, and I'm sure you'll see that.

Coach Vance

Training Enemy #1 - Stress

2010-05-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ever notice that the more stress you have in your life, the worse your training seems to be? Some athletes face stress and can't seem to keep the workouts consistent even in attempts, instead focusing on the things which stress them more.

Some athletes frustrate themselves to no end if life gets in the way of key workouts they were wanting to accomplish.

Some athletes try to continue their training when facing stress, but lose sleep, develop muscle tension from tensing and handling all the stress, and even change their eating habits. The result ends up being sub-par performances and possible injury.

Here are some tips to fight against stress, and not let it undermine and derail your training and racing.

- Stay organized. When responsibilities and projects mount up, plan your days and your training. If you plan ahead and stay organized, you will more likely finish your workouts successfully.

- Predict stressful times, and adjust training ahead of time so you can better manage them.

- Don't use stress as an excuse to not exercise. If anything, that's the time you need it the most!

- Remember you have lifestyle choices. If there are certain people who cause you stress regularly, avoid them! If it is a job or responsibility, ask yourself if you can live without it. Surround yourself with positivity, and you'll be amazed at how much of a difference it will make in your life.

- When all else fails, get out for a run of 30-40 mins, and make it HARD! There is always room in your day for at least a 30 min hard run. It will do a lot of good for your stress levels and keep your fitness level high, despite not your usual training volume.

- Keep perspective. Sometimes we stress ourselves over the smallest things which at the end of the day, really don't matter as much as we may believe. Try to step back and ask yourself how important the things you stress about are.

Keep these in mind, as the summer is coming, so the racing and training season is ramping up! Keep stress at bay with these tips, and I'm sure you'll notice improved training and performances.

Coach Vance

Coach Vance Newsletter May 2010

2010-05-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in everything going on this month, and next, check out my May 2010 newsletter. Topics include:

- F1 race in San Diego for youth and junior elite triathletes.

- New long course weekend camp in Warner Springs, CA in August!

- FREE USAT Youth clinics in June and July

- Open Water Clinic June

- Speaking at the Global Open-Water Swim Conference

- TriJuniors

- Webinars

Lots of great opportunities for learning and info. Please share with me any ideas in the comments section of topics you'd like to learn more about, or if you're interested in me speaking to athletes in your area, helping them achieve their goals.

May 2010 Newsletter

Coach Vance