Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Taquito = Small Fried Burrito
Blogs are fun to read when you have some down time. I am treating the current book I am reading like a blog. Read a few pages over a burrito a couple times a day. Today my readers, you only have time for a taquito. Sorry, I had more important things to write.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Benefits of training with people who are fun to talk to.
Today's morning workout was a run with good people. Plain and simple. There was no specific plan I had other than finish with some hill repeats and a few jumps. But before that, I headed out with about a dozen OC runners of all ages and speeds. When you run with a group like this you barely know you are running. Someone has a funny story, someone has a sad story. People talk about work, about a great weekend. Past or future training.
And what ends up happening is you've ran 50+ minutes covering who knows (and who cares) how many miles. What you do know is you had a great time, refreshed some friendships and maybe made a couple new ones.
I admit to being a tad of a loner as an athlete, but this turned out to be my limiter as a PRO. Maybe I am more of a social athlete than I thought.
Thanks for the run guys and gals, let's get a group together for a ride...
And what ends up happening is you've ran 50+ minutes covering who knows (and who cares) how many miles. What you do know is you had a great time, refreshed some friendships and maybe made a couple new ones.
I admit to being a tad of a loner as an athlete, but this turned out to be my limiter as a PRO. Maybe I am more of a social athlete than I thought.
Thanks for the run guys and gals, let's get a group together for a ride...
Monday, October 24, 2011
How to make up for a bad training weekend?
The short answer is, don't!
One of the more dangerous (in training terms, not life or death terms) things athletes do is try and make up for missed training sessions. If you have x planned for one day and y planned for the next, doing x+y on the second day does not equal the two successive days of training. The reason is the compounding effect of training in terms of stress.
For many racers who have done a 1/2 marathon and a full marathon know, that marathon was more than 2 times as difficult/stressful as the 1/2. Imagine this scenario, would you rather run a 1/2 marathon 10 days in a row, or run 5 marathons, one every other day for 10 days? I suspect you would choose #1.
So let's take a look at my weekend. Life took over, I had a great time rooting for OC athletes on Saturday and had a great day yesterday. No training, no problem. Get back to consistency tomorrow and continue the progress made this off-season. What I won't do is try and do the mileage I may have missed the last few days.
Slow and steady wins the race. Lot's of baby steps is faster than a giant leap off a cliff.
One of the more dangerous (in training terms, not life or death terms) things athletes do is try and make up for missed training sessions. If you have x planned for one day and y planned for the next, doing x+y on the second day does not equal the two successive days of training. The reason is the compounding effect of training in terms of stress.
For many racers who have done a 1/2 marathon and a full marathon know, that marathon was more than 2 times as difficult/stressful as the 1/2. Imagine this scenario, would you rather run a 1/2 marathon 10 days in a row, or run 5 marathons, one every other day for 10 days? I suspect you would choose #1.
So let's take a look at my weekend. Life took over, I had a great time rooting for OC athletes on Saturday and had a great day yesterday. No training, no problem. Get back to consistency tomorrow and continue the progress made this off-season. What I won't do is try and do the mileage I may have missed the last few days.
Slow and steady wins the race. Lot's of baby steps is faster than a giant leap off a cliff.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Let the games begin!
Let's take a hypothetical look how the Olympic Club will fare this weekend and how we would do in some of the other sports.
This weekend:
Men's Basketball: Since the NBA is not playing right now I assume Lebron is playing for NYAC.
Prediction: NYAC comfortably wins.
Men's Soccer (9:00am): Slight advantage NYAC if they bring ringers. I hope OC home field advantage gives them the win.
Prediction: 3-2 OC
Women's Soccer (11:00am): Advantage OC. Team is down a stud defender due to injury but should be able to out-score NYAC.
Prediction: 4-3 OC
Men's Lacrosse: I can only assume NYAC crushes the OC. East coast versus West. 'Nuff said.
Prediction: A lot - A little NYAC
Rugby: Sounds like both teams will have some recruits (ringers) playing so it should be a good fight.
Prediction: High scoring close game won by OC.
M&W Water Polo. If the OC does not win (we are in CA people!) then NYAC cheated.
Prediction: OC wins both (unless NYAC cheats).
Other sports:
Golf: We have a course and they don't, but I bet they have some members with pretty good sticks. Advantage OC but I bet NYAC would win.
Tennis: They have courts just like the OC but I bet they play more tennis. NYAC wins.
Handball: I hear the OC has a damn good handball team. I would assume NYAC is good as well, but I am going to predict an OC win.
Running: We have a pretty studly and rather deep team. Not sure about NYAC but I would assume they are solid since running is one of the few things you can do outdoors (cycling is tough in NYC). But we have Albert. Advantage OC.
Ski & Snowboard: OC
Squash: NYAC
Swimming: OC (no-brainer)
Triathlon: OC (no-brainer)
Cycling: OC (no-brainer)
OC = 11 wins
NYAC = 5 wins
But that only assume NYAC doesn't cheat.
Go OC!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Shake! Shake! Shake!
We are very spoiled to be living in California. Great weather, great roads, fast training partners. Heck, last New Year's day I jumped on the ocean in the AM, ate a gourmet buffet and then was in the snow that afternoon. There are very few places on earth you can do that.
But today we had a small but solid jolt to remind the rest of the country why they are scared to live in CA. An earthquake shook the bay area centered in Berkeley. Nothing to worry about, but a good reminder that there are many things we cannot control. Mother Nature, Father Time, and Crazy Uncle Fault Line.
Things we can control? Training. It is still October but I am having fun getting some non specific training in. Ask @WillRiff what I mean.
But today we had a small but solid jolt to remind the rest of the country why they are scared to live in CA. An earthquake shook the bay area centered in Berkeley. Nothing to worry about, but a good reminder that there are many things we cannot control. Mother Nature, Father Time, and Crazy Uncle Fault Line.
Things we can control? Training. It is still October but I am having fun getting some non specific training in. Ask @WillRiff what I mean.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Value of a training partner
Thanks to Will for getting me to the gym today. I probably would have gone anyway, but there is something about having a partner for the session. It almost feels like today did not count mentally, but I got the physical benefit.
Training solo exclusively is tough mentally. Training exclusively with partners may not be optimal as well. But get in a good mix of solo sessions and group sessions and you can maximize your mental and physical growth.
I will train again tomorrow, and probably solo, but today felt like a mental off day but I know I put in some good work.
Find an occasional partner. It will help your training, especially when you don't get the weekly races like we do mid-season
Training solo exclusively is tough mentally. Training exclusively with partners may not be optimal as well. But get in a good mix of solo sessions and group sessions and you can maximize your mental and physical growth.
I will train again tomorrow, and probably solo, but today felt like a mental off day but I know I put in some good work.
Find an occasional partner. It will help your training, especially when you don't get the weekly races like we do mid-season
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Off season, or start of the next season?
As you spend your coffee breaks reading through triathlon, running or cycling news websites you will have noticed that the season is over. Lombardia was last weekend marking the end of the cycling season. NCNCA season effectively ends at the Giro in SF, even though there was a crit championship at the end of September which drew some heavy hitters. Kona was a week and a half ago (Maui XTERRA is this weekend). And on the running side we can probably consider the end of the running season to be NYC Marathon.
Running allows the most flexibility in a season because you need less hours to train and you can hit up a boring treadmill. While I have found some success riding indoors, some just say "no way, no how".
So what does one do in November and December in Northern CA? (I have no clue what to do in MN, but we are spoiled here so I will focus on what the locals do) The main debate is, do you follow the Jan Ullrich plan and get fat? Rest the legs from your key sports and find other activities? Cross-TRAIN? (Train vs. work out)? Or just continue the season and have it roll into the next rip-roaring come the spring classics?
The first and last are probably bad ideas, assuming you care about next year. If you raced in September at 168, you should probably not show up at Early-Birds at 184, or a lean-164. So it comes down to a more simple debate. Should you train during the "off-season" or should you just work out? I tell people I never use the word "workout" as a verb. I will go to a workout (ie swim practice) but I don't work out. I train, meaning every training session has the goal of making me faster in swimming, cycling, running, or triathlon. There is nothing wrong with working out. It is very healthful, probably makes you better looking, raises confidence, but working out may or may not lead to going faster.
Let's take a look at a few of the physical activities I have done and will do this "off-season".
Running
I will run, of course. Some will be fun runs, some will be races, and others will be in-between. The goal may be to go fast, or to recover, or just to get the blood flowing but each run will be to help me run faster. Whether it was the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon last week, or a 30 min run before work. It is valuable.
Cycling
There are no races in the off-season, but there are rides. Each ride, again, has a goal. Mellow/fun rides on the weekend get the miles in and allow me to enjoy the great place I live and the pleasure of my friends' company. A ten minute spin after a run reminds my legs how to ride. Consistency will be key this winter to allow for a good 2012 season.
Swimming
Any laps I swim will be valuable. I have as solid base to live off of, but keeping the feel for the water for the tris I do next year is the goal.
Cross-TRAIN
My current key sessions for the fall/winter have been hills/jumps. Find a hard hill (~20 seconds), sprint to the top and then do squat jumps. Start with 5x5 and then grow each week. These are hard, they hurt, but they are valuable. Get the strength now so I can train the legs into running and cycling shape. Plus they have already helped. The hills this weekend were more comfortable than I expected.
YOGA
This may be the closest thing to working out I will do. But it lowers my confidence (I am terrible). Probably does not make me look better (see a 2009 Seventeen Magazine study on the sexiness of "athletes"). As long as I don't pull anything it probably makes me more healthful. But I am not sure it makes me faster. That being said, there is value in yoga. 1) Valuable time with important people. 2) If the work has been done on the above sessions there will be marginal gains. And marginal gains are valuable.
Skiing/Snowboard
1) Valuable time with important people. 2) Fun. No other value there.
Anything else I should do?
If I do anything else, it will be for fun.
And fun is healthful, mentally healthful. That is the key of the off-season. Be mentally fresh come January, but be fit. You do not need form, but be fit.
Running allows the most flexibility in a season because you need less hours to train and you can hit up a boring treadmill. While I have found some success riding indoors, some just say "no way, no how".
So what does one do in November and December in Northern CA? (I have no clue what to do in MN, but we are spoiled here so I will focus on what the locals do) The main debate is, do you follow the Jan Ullrich plan and get fat? Rest the legs from your key sports and find other activities? Cross-TRAIN? (Train vs. work out)? Or just continue the season and have it roll into the next rip-roaring come the spring classics?
The first and last are probably bad ideas, assuming you care about next year. If you raced in September at 168, you should probably not show up at Early-Birds at 184, or a lean-164. So it comes down to a more simple debate. Should you train during the "off-season" or should you just work out? I tell people I never use the word "workout" as a verb. I will go to a workout (ie swim practice) but I don't work out. I train, meaning every training session has the goal of making me faster in swimming, cycling, running, or triathlon. There is nothing wrong with working out. It is very healthful, probably makes you better looking, raises confidence, but working out may or may not lead to going faster.
Let's take a look at a few of the physical activities I have done and will do this "off-season".
Running
I will run, of course. Some will be fun runs, some will be races, and others will be in-between. The goal may be to go fast, or to recover, or just to get the blood flowing but each run will be to help me run faster. Whether it was the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon last week, or a 30 min run before work. It is valuable.
Cycling
There are no races in the off-season, but there are rides. Each ride, again, has a goal. Mellow/fun rides on the weekend get the miles in and allow me to enjoy the great place I live and the pleasure of my friends' company. A ten minute spin after a run reminds my legs how to ride. Consistency will be key this winter to allow for a good 2012 season.
Swimming
Any laps I swim will be valuable. I have as solid base to live off of, but keeping the feel for the water for the tris I do next year is the goal.
Cross-TRAIN
My current key sessions for the fall/winter have been hills/jumps. Find a hard hill (~20 seconds), sprint to the top and then do squat jumps. Start with 5x5 and then grow each week. These are hard, they hurt, but they are valuable. Get the strength now so I can train the legs into running and cycling shape. Plus they have already helped. The hills this weekend were more comfortable than I expected.
YOGA
This may be the closest thing to working out I will do. But it lowers my confidence (I am terrible). Probably does not make me look better (see a 2009 Seventeen Magazine study on the sexiness of "athletes"). As long as I don't pull anything it probably makes me more healthful. But I am not sure it makes me faster. That being said, there is value in yoga. 1) Valuable time with important people. 2) If the work has been done on the above sessions there will be marginal gains. And marginal gains are valuable.
Skiing/Snowboard
1) Valuable time with important people. 2) Fun. No other value there.
Anything else I should do?
If I do anything else, it will be for fun.
And fun is healthful, mentally healthful. That is the key of the off-season. Be mentally fresh come January, but be fit. You do not need form, but be fit.
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