FeXY Coaching Services

My favorite question

Coach Andrew — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:52:54 +0000

When I became a run coach I had fantasies of long conversations with athletes about VO2 Max and Tempo pacing and planning out long progressions of training from 5Ks to Ultras. The reality is that one of the most frequent questions I get is “What do you think about that whole barefoot running thing?” Then, “What kind of shoes should I buy?” After a long sigh and finally laughter I usually respond by breaking down shoes more in terms of characteristics and then use. In my humble opinion there are several characteristics that make shoes different that then can guide you to the proper choice for a particular use. You will probably find that if you are running enough and doing various kinds of distances that you will probably end up with a variety of shoes not only in color but in support and weight and other characteristics. Here is a conservative framework that I use to help guide runners into the best shoe for their use:

Weight – Low weight shoes are frequently minimalist shoes. This makes sense, lower weight means that there is less material present in general. Heavier weight means more fabric, padding, outsole, etc. Frequently lighter weight shoes are used for faster running over short distances. Obviously elite runners run marathons in super light, 7oz shoes but in general I recommend super light shoes only for shorter distances, up to 10K. Heavier shoes in general have more cushion and are typically suited for longer distances. By heavy these days I mean 11 or 12 oz. Even the heaviest shoe today is still pretty light thanks to today’s technology. So why skimp on protection for a long run when the weight is still very low?

Drop – Drop, or the difference between the heel and the forefoot can be zero, i.e. flat as in standing on the ground or up to as much as 13mm for some varieties of brands such as Nike and Mizuno. A lightweight, zero drop shoe (aka minimalist) will most emulate running barefoot because there won’t be much to the shoe AND it will be flat. This will obviously put strain on your achilles/foot if you commonly wear shoes with a higher drop than totally zero. Some might say that a high drop shoe will “encourage heel striking.” This could be but you can heel strike with a low drop shoe just as easily as you can with a high drop. Your form and the form you are pursuing can be disconnected from the shoe and pursued independently.

Guidance – There are few shoes right now that advertise that they guide you into a good stride or footstrike. Again, the guidance is a characteristic and you could have a lightweight guidance shoe or a heavier weight guidance shoe or even a guidance trail shoe. The guidance is a separate characteristic from the others I mention. Newton and Karhu are examples of brands that are trying to guide you into a particular kind of stride.

Support/Stability (the opposite being Neutral) – Typically a foot pronates or supinates. Industry would state that if a foot pronates i.e. collapses inward you should wear a support shoe. I will not comment on this but realize that you can have a light, minimalist shoe with some pronation support. You can commonly see it in the form of a grey or darker color foam on the inside of the shoe. Some brands such as Mizuno put a plastic piece in the sole to “guide” the foot. Most Physical Therapists will suggest doing other exercises to complement the support in the shoe to eliminate pronation. Typically pronation is viewed as “bad” because it causes other problems but most of the time just wearing a supportive shoe will not solve those problems. Also frequently runners are prescribed orthotics. An orthotic can be a form of support. If you wear your orthotic with a support shoe you could be getting double support. I personally wear Superfeet (an off the shelf orthotic if you will) with Neutral shoes to get some support for my pronation.

Motion Control – There are very few motion control shoes made these days. I think the theory was that they were for people who needed lots and lots of support. They are characterized by huge outsoles, heavy weight and a very firm, flat sole. Needless to say, I don’t see many people running in these anymore.

Specific Use – By this I mean Trail v. Road as the most commonly seen difference. Trail shoes could be lightweight, low drop, but have a plate under the foot to protect against rocks or perhaps a stronger outer fabric to prevent against ripping. You could also have a heavy, high drop, extremely durable trail shoe that would be most commonly used for longer trail runs (over 50K) and especially in rocky terrain.

As final guidance I would remember the old saying “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” when it comes to shoes. The newest, brightest model may look really good but may not help you and actually cause you a problem. The same goes for your stride, be careful making changes to your stride. With any change do it gradually and over a long period of time and be cautious of any pain or discomfort that may result.

Here is a profile of the shoes that I use and what I use them for:

All of these shoes are Neutral i.e. no support and I usually wear Superfeet. Although I might take them out for a faster, shorter race of up to 10 miles. I tend to mix brands depending on purpose and don’t stick with brands because their models change and the model that worked for me one year might not work the next.

Light, lower drop, 5-7oz racers: 5k- 10k races.

Lighter, regular drop, 8-9oz shoes: Track work, road tempos, half-marathon races.

Regular weight, regular drop, 10-11oz shoes: Longer runs, boring shorter filler runs.

Lighter weight, lower drop trail shoes, 7-8oz: Shorter trail runs, Backyard Burn races.

Regular weight, regular drop trail shoes with durable soles with major tread, 10-11oz: 50k and beyond.

It goes without saying that I have a lot of shoes…please don’t judge me!

Happy Running!

Food as Medicine

Leslie — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:28:14 +0000

Food as Medicine A close friend of mine found a lump in her breast seven years ago. She learned a few weeks later that it was stage 4 breast cancer, and that the cancer had moved into her lymph nodes. That lump changed her life. She has two children who were five and seven years old at the time and even now I feel my heart tighten up at the disaster that could have ensued. The happy part of that story is that I saw her just today and she could not be enjoying life more, mindful of how she takes care of herself and so careful about every morsel she puts into her body. She considers food medicine. If we all went through such a scare, might we reconsider our diet? Are there some things you put into your mouth mindlessly – while you’re driving, while you’re watching TV, maybe you’re with friends and the food is just out there to be grabbed, or the drink was handed to you, so you figure – or don’t think about it all – and say to yourself: “why not?”. Healthy eating isn’t easy. Every day it could feel like swimming upstream, but for your health, for your life, maybe for your kids – if you have them, or one is on the way (that covers several of you, these days), you’re reconsidering or at least thinking more about what you put into your body. And for athletes, not only do we look at foods in consideration of recovery, but also as fuel – for our next workout, for a race, to help build or repair what might need help or boosting. Let’s take a look at some of what can ail an athlete, and see where food might play a helpful role as medicine: Stress Fractures A slight crack in a bone can present itself as chronic pain, and can progress to a fracture and eliminate you from any race. Milk A study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that when female Navy recruits took extra calcium plus Vitamin D for a minimum of eight weeks, these women had 20% fewer stress fractures than the females who did not increase these two supplements. Milk is the near perfect food, containing both calcium and Vitamin D, which it turns out is a dynamic duo. The medical world has learned that while the body uses calcium to build and repair bones, combining this intake with Vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, as it serves as the primary regulator of the body’s calcium absorption level. Avocado, nuts, seeds, Olive Oil The University of Buffalo conducted a study in 2008 and found that runners who consumed more calories from healthy unsaturated fats experienced less stress fractures than those who did not consume the daily recommended amount. The human body needs dietary fat to absorb fat-soluble nutrients, which include Vitamin D, proven necessary for bone health. Iron Deficiency As an athlete, iron is critical to your performance as it helps carry oxygen to your muscles. Low levels of iron will affect you aerobically, making you less efficient and reducing your level of endurance. Iron can be lost through sweating, digestion (in the GI tract), and in menstruation. Lean cuts of meat, namely pork It turns out that pork – especially in cuts such as a pork tenderloin – has as much as, if not more iron than beef, but will offer you as much as 35% less fat. Plus, pork can provide you with two B Vitamins – riboflavin and thiamin – that will assist you in producing (more) energy from your food. Lentils, beans, tofu, spinach, bell peppers Our bodies absorb up to 33 percent less iron found in plant foods (including higher iron plant foods – beans, lentils, tofu (non- or low-processed), whole grains, and spinach) than iron present in meat. Eating these plant-based iron sources with vitamin C however changes the iron to a more easily absorbed form. Red peppers contain more vitamin C than most other veggies and fruits—including oranges. Try to include red peppers with your veggies to gain more iron. Exercise-induced Asthma Even runners who have no other asthmatic triggers can experience these debilitating attacks. An exercise-induced asthma attack constricts airways, making it difficult to breathe. Coffee For those of you who like a good pre-run java jolt, there’s good news: an Indiana University study discovered that when asthma-prone runners were given caffeine (1.4 to 4.1 mgs/lb. body weight) at least one hour before exercise, these athletes experienced less wheezing, coughing, and other asthma symptoms. The conclusion? Caffeine may relax airway muscles, making it easier to breath. Grilled Salmon The Omega-3’s found in fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and trout are believed to help reduce airway narrowing, making it easier to breathe during exercise, according to additional research from scientists at Indiana University. With all their anti-inflammatory fighters, they support a clear air passageway. Recommended dosage is at least two servings of fatty fish per week, or consider taking a 1,000 milligram fish-oil supplement daily. Influenza A busy training schedule can temporarily weaken your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to viruses, leading to cold and/or flu-like symptoms. Yogurt A study of distance runners published in the 2008 British Journal of Sports Medicine found that taking probiotics daily for at least one month can reduce the length of time you experience symptoms of an upper-respiratory-tract infection by more than half. The beneficial bacteria boost levels of an immune system molecule which it turns out is a key player in fighting viral infections. To make sure the yogurt you choose contains probiotics, look for the “Live & Active Cultures” seal. Apples The adage persists because there is truth to it – an apple a day, keeps the doctor away. It turns out that quercetin, a flavonoid found in apples (also in grapes, onions, and tea), may lessen athletes’ susceptibility to upper-respiratory infections. A 2008 study from the University of South Carolina found that quercetin, a potent antioxidant, appears to stymie the replication of viruses in the body. All of an apple’s quercetin is concentrated in the skin, so eat your apples the old-fashioned way (around the core, and then the tops), and be sure to leave the peeler in the kitchen drawer. Skin Cancer The more you exercise outside, the higher your exposure to a regular dose of ultraviolet rays—a major initiator of cancer- and wrinkle-promoting skin-cell damage. Brazil Nuts Turns out that the country was named for them, not the other way around AND that Brazil Nuts are nature’s richest source of selenium, a mineral with antioxidant properties that may lessen ultraviolet radiation skin damage. According to a 2009 Australian study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, higher blood levels of selenium may reduce skin cancer risk by as much as 60 percent. Green Tea University of Alabama researchers discovered in a 2009 study that green tea is packed with polyphenols that may protect against UV-induced tumor development by reducing skin inflammation and DNA damage. RX Natural Pain Relief Eat away muscle inflammation and soreness Extra virgin olive oil EVOO contains Oleocanthal, which is a natural anti-inflammatory that behaves similarly to ibuprofen. Drizzle it on anything – baked potatoes, salads, post-run pasta. When you heat it, it loses some of its inflammatory-fighting chemical properties, so try to keep it room temperature or cool, both in storage and consumption. Cottage cheese In addition to being an excellent source of protein, Cottage Cheese contains branched-chain amino acids that work to decrease post-workout muscle damage and soreness. Improve your recovery further by adding anti-oxidant loaded blueberries, injury-fighting walnuts, or splurge with a touch of maple syrup. Wheat germ Good for your heart, Wheat germ contains loads of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that decreases exercise-induced oxidative muscle damage. Wheat germ is easy to add to salads, smoothies, or oatmeal. Conclusion “Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food” Hippocrates 460 – 359 BC

Supplements you may want to consider

Leslie — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:24:20 +0000

Supplements I recently received this an email from USAT email, promoting a webinar: Advanced Nutrition for Triathletes with Dr. Josh Axe Wednesday, at 3 PM MDT Do you want to race faster, improve endurance, and speed recovery? If so then you don’t want to miss Advanced Nutrition for Triathletes by Dr. Josh Axe. Dr. Axe will discuss: top superfoods for triathlon performance; natural foods and herbs that naturally increase endurance; best supplements to speed recovery; the #1 nutrition secret that most triathletes don’t know; and nutrition advice Dr. Axe gives Olympic swimmers. I love the first line. Unless I have tacophobia (the fear of speed), why wouldn’t I want to race faster, improve endurance, and speed recovery? (He had me at faster) And, yet I’m not going to make the time or pay $25 to hear what Josh is going to tell me. Don’t we already know what “superfoods” to eat? If I haven’t been living under a rock of late, the list would include Kale, Sweet Potato, spinach, broccoli, Quinoa, strawberries, Almonds, Walnuts, dark chocolate, and the magical anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory wonder fruit—blueberries. Michael Pollan nailed it in “In Defense of Foods: an Eater’s Manifesto”: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. If you eat all the right foods, not too much, and none of the junk foods we are tempted with every day, then your body should be getting most of what it needs to race faster, improve endurance, and speed recovery. If you miss some of the “superfoods”, however, the following are what I believe are the most important supplements you may want to consider adding to your diet as an athlete. (consult with your doctor before taking any supplements) D3 The first supplement I am a believer in is D3. Humans need a daily dose of Vitamin D, best absorbed from exposure to the sun. But, since sun exposure can lead to melanoma, and since we live too far north to get enough Vitamin D from being outside, a supplement can help provide what your body needs. Vitamin D is critical for bone health and our immune system. The biological function Vitamin D supplies is maintaining normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. In Vitamin D’s ability to aid in absorption of calcium, it provides the body assistance in forming and maintaining strong bones. Intake of Vitamin D has been shown to actually increase bone mineral density, decreasing fractures. Vitamin D also acts as an immune system regulator. Recent findings indicated that people who supplemented with D3, felt better overall. And most recently, Vitamin D has been found to help guard against the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets and osteomalacia, which results in muscular weakness in addition to its impact on bones. U.S. Olympian marathon runner, Deena Castor found herself sidelined with a stress fracture for close to half a year, having run on it for months, unbeknownst to her. Doctors attributed her injury to a low level of D, despite her excellent diet and all the hours she was logging outside. How much should I take? The medical community agrees that Vitamin D is an important supplement, but the amount we need is currently under dispute. Recommended daily units range from 400-600I.U.s to 2,000-3,000I.U.s. since D has only been found to start being toxic at 41,000-46,000 I.U.s, the recommendation is to jumpstart your D intake on the higher end, about 2,000I.U.s if you haven’t been supplementing at all, and a few weeks later, reduce the intake to about 800-1,000I.U.s daily. Again, consult with your doctor before taking any new medications or supplements. Magnesium The second supplement I’ll highlight Magnesium. Found in potatoes, bananas, pumpkin seeds, almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, walnuts, peanuts and spinach, Magnesium is a vital mineral that is responsible for 300-700 chemical reactions in the human body daily and is required by virtually every cell in our bodies. Cardiac activity, muscle contraction, nerve function, blood pressure regulation, hormonal interactions, bone health, our immune systems, Magnesium is involved in all of these, plus our synthesis of proteins, fats, and nucleic acids. Our energy metabolism relies on magnesium so much so that a deficiency or shortfall can result in a reduction of energy production. This in turn could lead to fatigue, lethargy, a reduction in power, and even muscle twitches and cramps. Continued or chronic deficiency in magnesium is linked with reduced bone mineral density, increasing the risk for osteoporosis, along with anemia, irregular heart rate, and often depression. For athletes, the benefits of magnesium can include improved performance through its energy-related and nervous system functions, and magnesium assists with clearing out or reducing the accumulation of lactic acid. Because Magnesium is lost through sweat, athletes need to keep an eye on their intake, increasing Magnesium as the workload and/or sweat rate increases. While that hard session may be the root cause of your fatigue, a loss of magnesium may also be a contributor. Magnesium needs to be ingested daily, as the body doesn’t produce its own. In your diet, include leafy greens, nuts and seeds, or take a daily supplement to make sure you’re not deficient. Recommended daily allowance is 300-350 mg for women and 400-450 mg for men, but research suggests that athletes can safely ingest 500-800 mgs a day. CoQ10 Lastly, a supplement one might consider is CoQ10. It is a vitamin-like compound found in our bodies, in the energy-producing center of our cells. It is critical in producing energy at a cellular level. It is also an antioxidant, protecting against disease. CoQ10 can be found in fish, especially in Sardines and Mackerel, as well as beef heart and liver (there’s also a pill). Concentrations of CoQ10 decline with age. And people with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease show an increased reduction on a cellular level of CoQ10. Studies are mixed on CoQ10, of late, but for heart health and energy, doctors agree that it is a supplement more people should consider, especially those who are aging, or seeking more energy. Are you seeking more energy? (See top of page)

Interested in Becoming a Triathlon Coach?

shelly — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:35:15 +0000

Lately we have been getting a few inquiries from endurance athletes who are interested in taking it to the next level and helping others by earning their coaching certification. At FCS we require a triathlon/swim/bike/run certification as well as some level of experience in endurance sports to start working with our clients. The following is taken from the responses we have given to these prospective Coaches – the path to coaching, potentially with FCS.

First off USA Triathlon has changed their requirements for getting into the USAT Level 1 Coach Certification class. Prior to last year you just needed to get into the class – which often ended up similar to getting into a popular Ironman, on the computer at the right time with some fast typing skills. Just pay the ~500 dollar fee and you were in. Complete the class, a background check, passed CPR, and passed the Level 1 Test and you were a certified Coach.

Due to demand, USAT has changed the application process for the Level 1 Class:
http://www.usatriathlon.org/audience/coaching/education/level-i-coaching-certification-schedule.aspx.
Here is the assessment criteria (from the Level 1 Application Process FAQ)

Applicants are assessed on:

· Triathlon Coaching Experience

· Coaching Experience in Related Field (swimming, biking, or running only)

· Formal Education in Sport Science

· Experience in Related Field (physical therapy, personal training, chiropractics, etc.)

· Current Certification(s) with Relevance to Triathlon (not past or expired certifications)

· USAT Region, Committee or Official Club Involvement

· Service to the Sport (volunteer work at races, clinics, camps, etc., verified with references)

· Answers to 4 Application Questions

· USAT Membership Status (current vs. expired vs. one-day, length of membership)

· Letter of Recommendation from Current Coached Athlete (not family member) (Note coaching oneself does not count)

So instead of learning how to be a coach at the Level 1 Course potential certified coaches must have some level of experience. How do you get this experience?

What I would suggest is spending time getting smart on the technical aspects of coaching. Find a RRCA (Road Runners Club of America)/USAC (United States Cycling)/ASCA (American Swim Coaches Association) course nearby is a great start. Perhaps pick one of the three sports and make it your focus. If you have a run background go for the run certification. I will use a run focus as an example.

Next consider (if you aren’t already a member) joining a Team or a Club. Spend time training with other Triathletes. Step up to help lead a track workout or a clinic for your Club.

Read everything you can get your hands on as it relates to triathlon/single sport performance/coaching. Read Jack Daniels book, Daniels Running Formula. Read other run and triathlon coaching books. Take a run drills class as a student. Watch YouTube videos of running drills. Follow online blogs of other coaches/professional triathletes.

A good way to learn how to coach is to be coached yourself. Take some time and follow someone else’s plan for you. See what you like about that Coach. Were they timely? Responsive? Methodical? The process of being coached ultimately helps you figure out what kind of Coach you would like to be. Trust me, you will learn some lessons.

Lastly, coach a friend for free, perhaps for a half marathon or a 5k/10k. Put a training plan together and get them ready for race day. Find yourself a mentor that can look over the plans and guide you along the way.

A prerequisite with FeXY Coaching is that we want our Coaches to be “students of the sport”. Great Coaches are passionate about triathlon and endurance sports. I was coaching friends for free for a few years before I was certified. Take some time and practice and learn. It’s definitely an art as more than one method works and sometimes one method works great for one athlete but not so great for another. And there is also a huge “personality” aspect of coaching. In adult coaching there is a lot less one-on-one time than the coaching you may remember from high school or childhood sports. Some clients just want a plan. Some really want an objective look at their training files. A good start is to upload your own files and study the HR, paces, metrics involved in Training Peaks or your choice of training software. Some clients want a cheerleader or even a life coach. Figuring out which kind of athlete you will work best with and get the most out of is one of the fun things in getting started in coaching.

Terrapin Mountain 50k Race Report

Coach Andrew — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:26:48 +0000

Gain/Loss7560 / 7560 ft (50k)

The numbers stuck in my head but I couldn’t really understand what they meant as I had never experienced climbing like this so I shook off my trepidation and signed up for the race anyway. I have done a few 50ks before and spent some time hiking and running in the mountains so I figured I would be OK but I hadn’t counted on tearing a ligament in my foot mid-January and having to row my running miles for 6 weeks. So it was with a little nervousness that I pitched my tent the Friday before the race at the foot of the mountains near Lynchburg, VA. Me and my buddy Aaron had driven down from DC that day and had gotten more and more pumped as the scenery got better and the number of people dwindled. We picked up our bibs and really cool race mugs and listened to some Bluegrass music and ate some of the free pizza offered at the race start/campsite. As it was about 30 degrees and dark and we were in the middle of nowhere we crashed early and attempted to get some of that lovely fitful camping the night before the race sleep that is oh so restful and relaxing. Yeah right.

The start

Actually we both slept pretty well but when it was time to wake up had the tent put away and heat blasting in the car in about 9 minutes flat. It was cold and would pretty much stay cold the whole day. Great weather to run an ultra in the mountains. The trails would be hard packed and the streams fairly low. So we got ready to race, braced ourselves for the cold and headed over to the start line. Ultra starts are fun. People are generally smiling and everyone sort of just moseys over to the start area. The race started at 7am and we headed off into the mountains. The first part of the race was about 4 miles up a fire road that became quite steep and rocky and was really just a tease of what was to come. The sunrise was a beautiful pink glow peeking through the trees and was absolutely gorgeous. After we popped out at the first aid station and sampled some of the goodies we started running down down down a long hill to about mile 8 or so of the race. Of course our intent was to try and not trash our quads but at a certain point it is hard not to do and I think everyone probably ran faster than they really wanted. Trashing your quads is a great way to start a 50k in the mountains! At the bottom of the hill was another great aid station with more delightful

Aaron on the climb

treats and then we started THE CLIMB. I had intended to study the elevation profile more closely but hadn’t in the rush of finishing the week and packing and can’t really decide if it would have been better or worse to have known what we were getting ourselves into. We ended up climbing for about ELEVEN miles. Thankfully the views were gorgeous even though the wind a little cold. As we approached the summit of the climb my brain started to play tricks on me and I started to get really frustrated and whiney about the fact that I was really sick of going uphill.

Punching bib at final summit

When we finally reached the top we had to punch our bibs to prove we had been to the top and started to go down. This the moment where I realized that maybe going uphill wasn’t so bad after all. At least my quads didn’t hurt so badly going up. But after a bit I couldn’t feel much of anything at all in my legs and started to make up some of the time we had lost fast-hiking up the hill. We hit the main aid station again and yes, started back up a mountain. At the top were two summits where we had to punch our bibs and then squeeze through a crack in the rock called Fat Man’s Misery which was a little awkward to say the least with fried legs.

Fat Man’s Misery

So with about 7 miles to go at this point everyone started to get a little giddy. We all knew it had to be all downhill from this point right? Well, first of all, it was downhill alright, really downhill, practically straight downhill! Six days later my quads are still sore! And, it went downhill to a low point on the course and then you had to climb back up the way you came. Pure cruelty but to be expected in a LUS race. The guy next to me was totally outraged which was really pretty funny actually. Once you made it up the hill though it was rolly and very runnable terrain. So runnable that we started to pick it up a bit too much so that I even managed to fall in a stream and wash my rear in cold stream water. I probably needed it at that point.

The last two or three miles were downhill and came back out on the road we started on. I could see that I was going to be able to come in under six hours despite all of my picture taking and screwing around eating Little Debbie snack cakes so I kicked it in for the last bit. The race director, Clark Zealand, shook my hand at the finish (which is so classy) and then I picked up my awesome Patagonia finishers shirt and went to go change to drive home.

As I limped to my car I finally understood what the following numbers mean:

Gain/Loss7560 / 7560 ft (50k).

I highly recommend experiencing them for yourself.

Reston Marathon Race Report – The Benefits of an E-paced Marathon

kim — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 22:50:39 +0000

Most people would describe me as annoyingly competitive. After all – why else put in all the time to train, pay the money to race – certainly not just for the t-shirt right? But when you start talking about longer distances, especially running, its hard to focus your training to that race without compromising other goals. For instance, the last three years I trained to “race” a spring marathon. That meant lots of time running over the winter. Track work, tempo runs and of course 5 or so 20 milers. In order to hit my training goals for the marathon, I had to sacrifice my bike and swim training. Not to mention the recovery I needed after the marathon… For the rest of the season I found myself playing catch up for the other two sports.

Now I really like marathon training in the winter – especially the long runs in the cold by myself with my iPod, but this year I really wanted to focus my training on IM Mont Tremblant. So this year Coach Shelly suggested we try something different… an Easy Paced Marathon… Yup that’s right – pay the entry fee, train, and then run – not race – the marathon.

So what is E-pace or Easy-pace? Well first off its different for every runner and is based off of a mathematical formula that takes a short race result or other time-trial and converts it to training paces. Your E-pace is basically equivalent to your aerobic training zone or your fat burning zone. Its good for building aerobic base and a big aerobic engine and for teaching the body to burn fat for energy, all of which are very important for endurance athletes. For longer runs its also easier on the body and allows for quicker recovery. But it is not what one would normally “race” a marathon at in fact its normally about a 1 – 1 ½ min/mile slower that what your marathon race pace is. The FCS E-paced marathon method is a tool we use to boost an athletes run fitness and durability about 5 months before an Ironman without having to compromise bike or swim fitness. Its a also a great tool to predict your potential marathon time off a 112 mile bike.

This was tough to get my head around at first, but I quickly realized the benefits! I only ran an average of 30-35 miles a week, which included 1 weekend long run, and 3-4 shorter runs during the week. The majority of the runs were at my Easy pace – with a little bit of actual Marathon Pace work thrown into some of the long runs to boost fitness and let the body react to going out of your fat-burning zone during longer workouts. My long runs capped out at 20 miles, and I only did that once. But what this “lower-mileage” and lower intensity plan let me do was maintain a high-volume/high-intensity load for swim and bike. From January on I was riding 2 intense interval sessions a week plus the FeXY trainer sessions on the weekend. I was also able to keep my swimming up to at least 3 times a week and in the ballpark of 8-9000 yds. In fact, rather than losing fitness for the bike and swim, I made some incredible improvements! Most of my long runs were done the day following the long FeXY trainer session on tired legs. What I found was that the improvements I was making on the bike and swim were in themselves helping my run, and my long runs were not wearing me down like they had in years past. I literally felt like I could run all day. But the real test was going to be those last 6 miles on marathon day.

So I had picked the Reston Marathon. A local race that didn’t involve travel, or have thousands of runners, something that would help me look at the race as a training run only. My goal for the race was NOT to PR, the goal was to run the first 18-20 miles at my E-pace, see how much I had left in the tank and then cut loose and finish strong hopefully with the last 6 miles around what my marathon PR pace was. The overall pace should be indicative of the kind of marathon I’ll be able to run off of the bike in Mont Tremblant. So my E-pace is about 9:15/mile, with my M pace should be at about 8:02. In the past I’ve always started out at my goal pace and just tried to hold on… never seemed to work out. So I wasn’t sure how running 20 miles – even at E pace (remember I only ran 1 20 miler in training) and then speeding up by a min/mile was going to actually play out – especially on a course that is far from flat with some significant hills in the last 6 miles… but hoping I’d have enough left to push the last 6 so that my average pace evened out to make it across the line under 4 hrs…

First off let me say that for a “small” race, they had their act together! Their website pre-race had all of the information I needed. Packet pick-up was easy and painless. Bag drop was easy, and having the school open for us beforehand to sit and stay warm (with water/coffee/donuts/bathrooms etc) – was very nice! The course itself was well marked. The aid stations were well stocked with plenty of volunteers. The race started on time, the post-race spread was AWESOME, and the awards were quick too. Absolutely great experience all-around!

So, 7:20 we headed outside, they did the national anthem and before I knew it – we were off! I ended up running with a teammate who was running his first ever marathon and was looking at keeping about the same plan as me. The first 2 miles were pretty much all downhill, and as I looked at my watch I knew holding back was gonna be rough. Once we headed back uphill, the 9:10-9:15 pace was much easier to keep. Down and up and into the woods we went. By mile 10, I was like – really already 10 miles? I don’t feel like I’ve run 10 miles – cool! When we got back to the high school at the end of the first lap I couldn’t believe how good I felt at mile 13. It wasn’t long after that when we started passing people who took the first half too fast and were fading early. It was REALLY hard to hold back, but I kept telling myself “patience.” At mile 14, by teammate was itching to pick up the pace, so off he went, and I continued to hold back, still passing people every few minutes (by now the field had thinned out considerably). At mile 16, I was passed by someone else who appeared to be pushing, and it took everything I had to hold back. But I said to myself, no – in another few miles you can catch her. But she didn’t make it that far, and I overtook her again on an uphill less than a mile later without breaking stride. At mile 19 I hit a downhill section where I knew was followed by a decent uphill so I decided to test the legs to see what I thought I had left – I dropped to about an 8:45 pace and it felt nice… so at mile 20 – I dropped the hammer… next thing you know I’m running 8:05 like its nothing. I couldn’t believe it. The longest run I had done was 20 – at E-pace, and now here I am at a hilly course running 8:05 for mile 21 but then I hit an empty part of the course. I knew from an earlier out and back that there were several groups of runners about 3-5 minutes ahead of me and I started thinking I could catch them, but there was no one in sight now. Not a sole in-front or behind me except for a few course marshalls and volunteers – all of whom were a bit startled at how strong I was running – which I considered a good indication of how those folks ahead of me were feeling… more fuel for the fire. Mile marker 22 came and I was still holding to my pace with ease when I turned into the woods and saw the first group about 30 sec-minute ahead – I was surprised I had made up that much time already! As the trail started to wind and climb a bit I started gaining ground quicker and flew by the group. At this point I could see another runner ahead, and forged on – slowing a little for the hill, but still considerably faster than my previous pace. One by one I kept picking people off until I got to the top of the hill at mile 24, at which point I got out on the road and knew it was mostly straight and a decent amount of downhill. I could see people up ahead strung out – one or two solitary runners, a group of 3 and WAY up ahead by probably a good 2 minutes was a group of 2. 2 miles…. Could I ??? Feeling pretty good considering I was at mile 24 I kicked it in – dropping my pace again to around 7:45… 7:45 – really? How is this possible???? I was almost giddy. As I flew past the group of 3 cheering them on “C’mon boys – almost there – kick it in” I definitely heard a groan or two…. But I was closing in on that group of two – now probably 45 seconds ahead, a little over a mile to go. I passed them with about a half mile left …. Still holding 7:45 with no issues. I turned into the school and saw the track – I looked at my watch and almost choked – 3:50 – with a quarter mile to go and still feeling great– how the heck was this possible??? I ran around the track and crossed the line at 3:52 feeling better than I have ever felt crossing the line of a marathon picking up 4th OA female and winning my age group to boot! Even better – Monday came and yeah I was sore and stiff, but there was no crawling up or down the stairs, no blisters or black toenails, and no need to wear tennis shoes to work. In fact after a recovery swim Monday night, I feel no worse than after a hard weekend of training.

But wait – what’s even better??? I’m in better bike and swim shape right now in March than I was at my peak last year. Yep – that’s right – at the end of marathon season – I’m not just in incredible run shape – I’m more fit on the bike and in the swim that I have EVER been. And without killing myself in the race I don’t need weeks of recovery. I’m taking a mid-season break this week for sanity’s sake to spend some time with the kids, and then I’m ready to take my heightened fitness straight into Ironman training and hopefully to the finish line at Mont Tremblant.

Four Courts Four Miler Race Report or A Trip Down Memory Lane

Coach Andrew — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:20:10 +0000

I signed up for the Four Courts Four Miler for three reasons. One, I love St. Patty’s Day, two, one of the athletes that I coach (#743) was running it and I thought it would be fun to run with her and three, it had been forever since I had raced, I mean forever! A string of bizarre overuse injuries have plagued me since last spring and then the New York Marathon debacle meant that I really hadn’t run a race since maybe September of 2012. This is unusual for me because usually I am a regular racer and the type of person who finds it hard to say no when friends ask me if I want to race with them. So with all of that and coming off of an ankle/foot sprain/tear someone knows type injury I went into this race just happy to be starting the line healthy. The real question of the day was, “How do you run a race where it goes two miles downhill, turns around and comes back up?” Answer: “There really isn’t a good way.” I lined up with Steph and the gun went off. I had missed the green tutu memo and had my FeXY singlet on which I always enjoy because people immediately recognize it and you get extra love on the race course.

The first mile was straight downhill and I really tried to keep it slow but in the end my split was about 5:40 which reminded me, always take it easy the first mile. The second mile levelled out a bit but what I didn’t take notice of was the amazing 15 mph tailwind that was pushing us along. We approached the turnaround and I hit the 2 mile mark in around 6:10 and thought to myself “Hey that wasn’t so bad.”

As I whipped around the corner I was slapped in the face by the lovely tailwind that had so kindly pushed me for the last mile and I felt like I hit a wall. A woman ran by me and I tried to hang on and run with her but mentally the shock of the wind took it out of me. I remembered a tip from a veteran running coach, “It’s ok to lose a few seconds if you can work with someone” and I looked around for someone to hang onto. Although there were over 1,500 people in the race I was in the top 20 or so due to the fact that a large portion of them had been drinking before the race. So I struggled into the wind, fighting the lactic acid building up in my muscles remembering just how bloody hard running can be, especially that 3rd quarter of any race. Something about that portion that no matter what the distance starts to play with your mind. I pushed through and hit my watch for the first mile and I think it was around a 6:40 or so but after the race I hit the wrong button and erased my splits (conveniently) and really can’t remember. It maybe have been more like 7:10 or so but who’s counting.

So the 4th mile was a bit of a slow motion blur as I started up Wilson Boulevard up to the Four Courts Pub. Thoughts entered my head in quick succession “Keep running, pump your arms, move your legs, ouch this hurts, if I slow down too much will I roll back down the hill?, thankfully there aren’t many people out to see this, when will this be over?” The last mile was slow and I was alone. The 3rd place woman was a speck in the distance and I think someone was creeping up behind me so it was really just fight and push and finish up. The last split and final time shall remain a mystery to you the reader but overall my time was good enough for 3rd in my Age Group and I won a pint glass and got to drink a free beer out of it! Not a bad return to racing. I remembered how much I missed it and and vow to remember all the things that are easily forgotten in its absence.

Happy Running!

Coach Andrew

The Value of a Coach

Leslie — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:41:01 +0000

The Value of a Coach I’m a former self-coached athlete, and while I finished races, I rarely enjoyed my races. I was usually walking into the finish. Walking the run in a triathlon is never fun. It turns out, I was actually doing too little biking. I thought I was training, but I was really just working out. Once I got a coach, he saw my training error, and gave me a schedule to follow so that I could run after both swimming and biking. It felt great, and I improved in each of the three sports and in triathlon overall. He converted me so much so, that now I coach. I consider myself working to help people have more fun in their races and get healthy on the way. I’m helping them live an active lifestyle and train vs. just do workouts. And, in working with a variety of levels of athletes, I’ve come to see the true value of a coach is objectivity. I can see what they can’t. Even the veteran triathletes can’t see themselves, their training, their performances as someone looking at them can. It’s like trying to cut your own hair. You could give yourself a haircut, but it’s harder to cut your own hair, and chances are it may not look so great when it’s done. As I continue to take on new athletes, it seems that while prospective athletes think they might want a coach, or know they could use some coaching, they somehow can’t justify the expense. “I can follow a plan on the internet.” Or, “I’ll just run and bike and swim a lot, and throw it all together on race day”. One of my favorite quotes is: “We do not rise to our expectations on race day, but rather we fall to our training come race day.” When you spend as much money and time as you have to finally race that Olympic distance triathlon you put on your bucket list (the Nation’s Triathlon registration is $190), or you’ve spent $350 to conquer that Ironman 70.3 race (not to mention travel expenses, time away from your friends, family) and you spent all that money on your equipment, please make sure you’re ready for the race, and ready to have fun. Get a coach – if not for the entire training time, at least to give you an honest assessment. Pay someone to look at your schedule or your swim stroke or run form to make your hours of training and race day really worth your while. It’s not just the race or race morning, it’s that weekend, those months leading up to it, and the glow you’ll enjoy following (for years after). You will never regret performing your best.

Performance Testing: What do all those numbers mean?

Coach Eric — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:49:20 +0000

In my last post, I talked about how metabolic testing such as VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold testing can be beneficial and informative even for those who are not using them to determine heart rate training zones. In this post, I’ll talk about some of the measurements that we capture and what they can tell us about a client’s training.

R-Value
Sometimes referred to as RQ, or respiratory quotient, R-value is a simple ratio of Volume of Carbon Dioxide (VCO2) expired divided by Volume of Oxygen (VO2) consumed. The lower the R-value the more aerobic the metabolism. This ratio is captured at each data point in all of the tests we perform. The R-value is also an indicator of the composition of the energy one is expending. At an R-value of 0.85, one is burning an equal amounts of fat and carbohydrate. Below that, more fat. Above that, more carbohydrate. Anything over 1.0 means that 100% of the energy that is driving the muscles is coming from carbohydrate. Knowing this number and training in such a way as to maximize fat utilization becomes very important for the athlete training for long endurance events, such as long-course triathlon, where preserving glycogen stores is directly correlated to the success of one’s day.

Below are the results of a test I did on a cyclocross racer. He commutes on his single speed bike and likes to do centuries and challenge rides during the summer.

Note how his metabolism starts out below the metabolic changeover line of 0.85 then quickly rises over 1.0, or 100% carbohydrate contribution. These results indicate one or both factors in his life. 1) He consumes a carbohydrate-centric diet and/or 2) his training consists of mostly going “pretty hard” all the time and not a lot of volume. Both of these factors contribute to a a metabolism that is inefficient at using fat for fuel. In his case, it was, in fact, both factors. Is that a problem? Maybe.

If he were doing an Ironman, we would recommend a drastic change in training and diet to improve his fat utilization. Fortunately for him, he is primarily a cyclocross racer whose events last 45 minutes to an hour so his high R-Value is not going to be a limiter for his success. It also means, however, that when it comes to his centuries, he is going to have to ingest a high number of carbohydrates throughout the ride in order to maintain his energy stores to the end.

VO2max
More specifically as a single test will measure, Peak VO2, is the amount of oxygen consumed at maximum effort. It is measured in milliliters per minute per kilogram body mass. Once an athlete reaches a moderate level of aerobic fitness, this number will not change much over time. It is a measure of one’s potential — did you pick the right parents to be a good endurance athlete. Gred LeMond had a VO2 Max of 92. Lance [insert your own commentary here] Armstrong had an 84. Certainly, we can improve our number by lower body mass, but the ml/min will change very little over time, even with focused training.

Our cyclocross racer reached a peak VO2 of 39.94 ml/min/kg, above average, but not likely to challenge for a spot in the pro tour.

To a great extent, one’s VO2max number is for bragging. It may be helpful for those who seek the highest levels of the sport to know where their ceiling might lie, but for the most part, it is simply an understanding of where the roof of one’s potential lies.

Lactate Threshold
The terms lactate threshold (LT) and anaerobic threshold, while not exactly the same thing, for purposes of this post, we will use synonymously. LT is the highest intensity at which lactic acid is removed as fast as it is being produced. Above that intensity, the aerobic system can no longer keep up and lactate begins to accumulate in the blood. If one continues to work above this intensity, at some point, depending on how long and how far above this intensity, one will have to slow down. This is essentially an athletes “red line”. As an endurance athlete, this it the number one indicator of success, however each athlete defines success. Improving lactate threshold equals improving endurance performance.

Unlike VO2max which is very difficult to improve, lactate threshold is highly trainable. It will move, positively or negatively, as fitness changes. It is possible to have a relatively low VO2max and still be an exceptionally successful endurance athlete due to a high LT relative to max. Marathoner Frank Shorter (71.3 VO2max) is a famous example of this.

Comparing our cyclocross racer’s LT, we see he was 84.7% of VO2max at his threshold. Again, solid, but not extraordinary. As one approaches 90% of VO2max, one gets closer to absolute fitness.

So measuring LT as it relates to VO2max let’s us know how much room a client has to improve.

Efficiency
All this lab mumbo-jumbo doesn’t mean much on the day of the event. Performance is all about what one can do with what he or she has. So what matters is OUTPUT! This is why measuring power (bike) and pace (run) is so important and why they are much more precise metrics for prescribing workout intensity. Measuring efficiency during a metabolic test is where power/pace and lab testing meet.

When we step on the pedals on a bike, we use energy. Only a fraction of the energy that we use, however, goes directly into generating power. Depending on which equation we use, we see that humans as cyclists turn only about 18-25% of their combustible energy into actual power. We can see in the graphic that our cyclocross rider consumes 2257ml of oxygen at Threshold and 2695ml at VO2max. That correlates to a roughly 786 and 938 watts, respectively, of “combustible power.” We then compare those numbers against his actual power at these intensities, 150 and 240w, respectively, and see that he is at 19% and 25.5%. While neither of these numbers are magical by themselves, seeing that his power threshold is 5.5% less efficient than at max tells us he has a lot of room to improve his output at threshold, even at the same oxygen consumption. So he can improve his fitness — raise his oxygen consumption at LT — as well as his output — power at LT. Great news!

So while field testing for power and pace to track progress is vital, metabolic testing can paint an even clearer picture of one’s current fitness and identify areas of focus in training. In my next post, I’ll go into the details of the different metabolic tests and which athletes might benefit most from each.

To book a test and find out more about testing services offered by FeXY Coaching, go to www.fexycoaching.com/testing.phcp.

Why Performance Testing?

Coach Eric — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:56:30 +0000

For years, performance testing had be restricted to university lab experiments and the few people who knew someone to get into those labs. In the early 90s, the price of performance testing equipment started to decrease and the portability of the equipment started to increase. Suddenly, general public had the opportunity to experience tests such a VO2max or lactate threshold test and learn more about their physiology and how to train more efficiently.

In addition to the physiological markers, the main takeaway that athletes received from these tests was a clearer understanding of their heart rate (HR) training zones. Now, training at the proper intensity is the single most important factor in achieving the fitness objective of a prescribed workout. Mapping HR to a person’s recovery, aerobic, tempo, threshold and aerobic capacity intensities allowed those people to better understand and comply with each of their prescribed workouts. For a long time, heart rate, then was the primary source for unbiased feedback on one’s workout.

The problem with using HR to track workout intensity, however, is that within a range, HR can be quite variable. While workout intensity is the largest factor that goes into the number on one’s heart rate monitor, many other factors such as hydration, temperature, humidity, nutrition, daily stress, sleep, recovery and more, also contribute to that number. Heart rate is also only indicative once intensity plateaus and it lags behind the effort. In other words, from a standing start one’s effort can increase significantly, but HR will take several minutes before it actually reflects that effort. And that assumes that the effort is steady during those minutes. So HR is helpful in giving feedback on one’s workout, but it is using a broad brush do so.

With the recent advent of (relatively) affordable GPS-based devices and power meters that are now available to the public, runners and cyclists can now draw a much finer line on the specificity of their workouts. They can use these devices to give instant feedback on the proper intensity for a workout or even an interval because there is no lag between effort and feedback. They can also track their training over time in order to manage the proper of amount of stress/response to achieve their training goals. These devices eliminate a significant amount of the variability factors inherent in monitoring HR.

While I still prefer that my clients monitor their HR to add a layer of information to the picture, I recommend they use pace or power as the target for their prescribed workouts. So given the limitations of HR training zones, what do performance tests now have to offer? The answer is in the details. While VO2max and lactate threshold testing can still provide HR training zones for those who do not have other measuring devices, the greater value is in the information these tests can glean about the effectiveness of one’s training.

Depending on the demands of a particular event, we can measure aerobic efficiency, aerobic potential — did you pick the right parents to be a high level endurance athlete? — and current fitness relative to that potential. Most importantly, we can measure the efficiency of the output at all intensities. After all, at the end of the race, no one gets an award for the highest Lactate Threshold. They give out awards for performance.

In the posts that follow, I’ll go into the detail of what measurements give the most information for specific types of training and events.