Sunday, December 26, 2010

Great Ocean Walk

During the week before Xmas, Ms A and I took-off from Melbourne down the Great Ocean Rd to the Otways region of Victoria for 4 days of hiking and camping along stretches of the Great Ocean Walk (GOW). It was fantastic, not just leaving the pre-xmas hustle-bustle of Melbourne behind, but also for the beautiful track, amazing coastline, serenity, absence of others and some quality time.

While the GOW is set-out into 8 days of walking from Apollo Bay to near Port Campbell (about 104km in length), we did just 4 stages of it, starting from the Otway lighthouse to Wattle Hill. And although we camped for 3 nights, we managed to do a car shuffle each day which meant we didn't need to carry full packs, which was a relief.

During the walk my brother, his wife and 8-month old baby came along for 1 day walk and night, which was great given their knowledge of the area. The weather was pretty good and the lack of other walkers in the area was welcome relief from what we left behind in Melbourne - it was like another world.

Here's some photos from our trip...

 A board walk down to the beach on the way to Rainbow Falls.
 A big coil of rope washed up on rocks on the beach.
 Rainbow Falls...not a lot of water, but a lot of moss in a range of vivid colours.
 I also managed 40km of running along parts of the GOW - this run along the ridge-top was spectacular.
 Part of the GOW track, which ranged from beaches to sandy tracks, dirt, bush enclosed tunnels, steps and more. A fantastic track.
 A spectacular view along the coastline...just one of endless stunning views.
 Fishing on Johanna Beach...rod, seat, fishing box, thongs and stubby. The fisherman has gone AWOL...
 An echidna digging a burrow. We saw many part burrows but caught this guy mid-way through a dig.
Westwards from Johanna Beach near dusk. Breathtaking.
 Johanna Beach, the view from our campsite...doesn't get much better than that!!
 Running on Melanesia Beach...remote, hard to get to but stunningly beautiful.
 Locals offering of water for GOW walkers...with free view behind the bushes.
 Melanesia Beach.
 Post lunch rest on Melanesia Beach, Ms A and me.
 An ocean channel on a rock shelf, with water gushing in.
 Dusk at Ryan's Den, possibly more stunning than at Johanna Beach.
 View from Moonlight Head towards the Otway lighthouse.
 One of the anchors wedged in the rocks at Wreck Beach, surrounded by stunning rock pools and coastline in the background.
 The rock pools around the anchor.
 The rainforest near Triplet Falls, up in the Otway ranges and just near the Otway Fly.
Triplet Falls surrounded by ferns, mossy trees and more lush rainforest.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Top 20 Tips on Being the Best

The following is gold-value information, and comes from Wayne Goldsmith who is an Australian sports coach, consultant and one of the smartest sporting brains around. His web-site (from where you can subscribe to his blog) is http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/ Read the following very carefully!!!


I have been lucky to be involved in high performance sport for the best part of 20 years.

I have been very very fortunate to work with Olympic Gold Medalists, World Champions, World Record Holders, Premiership Title Winners, World Cup Winners…champion athletes, teams and coaches in many different sports and in several different countries.

Quite often, when I do professional speaking or training with corporate or sporting groups, someone in the audience will ask, “What do all the winners have in common” or “From your experience, what things do all the great athletes, teams and coaches do that makes them the best”.

There are indeed some things all the great ones have in common: The Top 20 Tips on Being the Best: 20 years of experience in 500 words!

1. Perseverance: They never give up.

2. Humility: The are confident – but not arrogant – seeking performance not praise.

3. A passion for continuous improvement: They embrace the belief that “success is a moving target” and that they can always get better at what they do.

4. Honesty: They are honest with themselves and other people realising that true progress is not possible without it.

5. They know how to win: They are comfortable chasing victory and thinking about, talking about and pursuing winning.

6. Self-belief: They believe in themselves and the limitless possibilities and potential they possess.

7. The courage to be different: They know that the essential quality of being the best means daring to be different and being unique.

8. No compromises: They drive towards their goals without compromise, without backing down, without surrender.

9. The ability to learn fast and accelerate improvement faster than their opposition: They know that improvement is essential and that improvement comes from learning: to learn faster means to improve faster and win sooner.

10. Passion: They love what they do and do what they love.

11. Hatred of losing: They tolerate losing only for one reason: to learn from it so that they become stronger, more resilient and better in the future.

12. Discipline: They know that winners are willing to do whatever it takes to prepare to win and will pay whatever it costs to be the best. What others see as sacrifice, winners see as lifestyle.

13. Self-acceptance: They accept who they are without judgement and are comfortable being themselves in all situations.

14. Consistency: They know that one moment of glory comes from many years of consistently out-planning and out-preparing their opposition.

15. Vision of what could be – not what is: They see where things are going and do whatever it takes to get there first.

16. A clear personal philosophy: They know who they are.

17. A clear set of personal values: They know what they stand for.

18. Action driven i.e. they “do” things: They know that while everyone thinks about being great and talks about being great, greatness comes from actions.

19. The capacity to “re-invent’ themselves: They know that time stands still for no one and that they need to stay relevant to the times and situations they live in.

20. They live excellence: They know – as Aristotle knew – that excellence is not a single moment or competition: it is a habit – a daily commitment to being the best.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The self-sufficient athlete


In these times of global climate change, self-sufficiency is in vogue as a way to long-term sustainability for ourselves and the planet. And although on a very different level, being a self-sufficient athlete is also a way to long-term success because in the real world, it's not always possible to have an entourage accompany you 24/7, so having a degree of self-sufficiency is not just helpful, but essential.

But what does self-sufficiency mean when it comes to endurance sports, how is a benefit and how do you become self-sufficient?

Self-sufficiency is having a competent grasp of all the aspects that contribute to your performance, and knowing how to manage those things at times when circumstances require it. It's not about being self-sufficient for 100% of the time as the role, influence, advice, support and more from coaches and colleagues is a necessary step in the process to being self-sufficient. To an extent, self-sufficiency is up there with taking responsibility for your own performance, and doing it under your own initiative rather than being prompted to.

As a real-life example, when an athlete travels to an event, being self-sufficient means spending time before leaving to ask questions, prepare plans, check equipment, buy supplies and more, so that once at the race the athlete is ready for most things which might arise. It's a lot like preparing for an expedition where you know you'll be cut-off (or at best with limited access) to the support networks which are usually on hand.

Self-sufficiency is important on a day-to-day basis where it is up to the individual athlete to be ready for training, from simple things like having your goggles, spare tubes (and knowing how to change them!!), and training nutrition to non-equipment things like being on time and ready for training, knowing the standard warm-up routine before training (or a race), through to managing how much sleep you have.

As with the expedition analogy, it's not possible to be 100% self-sufficient all the time. You need to return to base to review, re-charge, re-learn and prepare for the next challenge ahead - trying to push-on solo for too long can be a path to destruction. For athletes this will usually mean the support and guidance of a coach and/or support network, from where you develop further, learn more and grow as an athlete.

The periods of self-sufficiency are part of the process of growth, each being a test of what you've learned and a chance of independence. Remember as a kid you longed for freedom and self-sufficiency, well as an athlete you need periods where you break away on your own because, after all, in the heat of competition you're an individual competitor.

Becoming self-sufficient begins with wanting to be self-sufficient. Like a kid, you need to want to be able to break away from the comfort zone from time to time, and to take your own stand...even if you stuff up a couple of times. From those stuff ups you'll quickly learn what you need to know, learn, do, pack, prepare and more for the times you're on your own. In many cases a moral support line will only be a phone call away, but the physical separation is the obvious distinction of your situation.

In the end, self-sufficiency is not something to be afraid of although each person will react and respond differently. Regardless, it is a scenario you can prepare for through planning, practice and trial and error. Once you do master self-sufficiency your horizons will broaden, and your confidence in yourself will soar. You'll be on track to mastering your performance.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Women who TRI seminar

On Thursday the 16th of December 2010, LSD Sports are holding a women’s specific triathlon seminar at MSAC - I'm one of the speakers, talking about running and transitions.

Please see invitation image below which includes more details.

The seminar will have several different topics covered ranging from:
  • Correct swimming training
  • Choosing a bike and correct bike fits to ensure optimum riding efficiency.
  • Proper running training and racing.
  • Body maintenance including, physiotherapy, massage, and diet.
  • Time management to ensure you have a life as well as training.
And a questions and answer session with four Team LSDtriathlon elite age groupers being Kristy Hallett, Natalie Sheffield, Bev Thomas and Rochelle Kursidim.

There will be a goodies bag plus some great lucky door prizes.

This amazing seminar is not to be missed by any female who is considering racing in a triathlon or is looking at becoming serious in their endevours of breaking best times or doing longer distances.

Could you please pass on to all of your contacts and ask them to RSVP to admin@lsdsports.com as seats are strictly limited.

Thanks for your help and support.

 

Friday, December 3, 2010

Movember

Recently I subjected myself to Movember, where during the month of November blokes grow a moustache and get sponsored in support of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and BeyondBlue, two causes with a particular focus on the welfare of men.

During the month I took some photos to accompany an email message to various friends, partly to amuse(??) them and partly to request donations...which they responded amazingly!! By the end of the month $780 of donations had been raised from just my mo. Thanks very much to those people.

So this post is a little catalogue of those email messages plus the photos that went with them. If you don't like seeing a dodgy man with a mo turn away now...

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From: Campbell Maffett [mailto:cmaffett@bigpond.com]
Sent: Monday, 8 November 2010 8:54 PM
Subject: Oh no...Movember

This is a scary and frightening story. I'm turning into a 70's cricketer...a sugar daddy...a po*n star...a dag...a Magnum PI...or any of a number of other caricatures. See I'm doing Movember, despite my better judgement and previous amusement at those folks who think a bit of upper lip hair is a great way to change the world. Because actually it is, in the name of men's health...not the magazine but the issue of men's health...in the name of Beyond Blue and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

It was a moment of weakness - and discussion around my brother's new "flavour saver" - that lead me to commence the fine art of manicuring my face, being careful in the first few days to mark out the desired shape (think Chopper Read style, but me with ears), and watching the strange looks of friends and colleagues who were wondering what was happening on my top lip. But a week into the process and there is now something clearly going on and my fair whiskers are clear to see...not to mention the annoyance of feeling part primitive animal...

But despite my somewhat non-hirsute genes, I've now got more hair on my lip than on top of my head...and there's still 3 weeks of growing to go. I don't know why people do this voluntarily, but perhaps I'll grow fond of it, give my mo a name and keep it...but right now I'm thinking not...although a couple of people think it actually suits me. Maybe I do have a movie career ahead of me...

Nonetheless, I'm doing this in the name of charity and this message is to ask you to vote with your donation about whether I should keep this thing...and maybe suggest a style and/or name for it. So if you like it...donate. And if you don't like it...donate more. I can't offer you any prize other than maybe to grant me the pleasure of cutting this growth off on 1st December...or maybe not.

Also, if you can think of any practical use for a mo please let me know. So far it has proved useful for scratching my hand...by simply rubbing my top lip. I'm yet to catch a cold and see if it catches the snot from a runny nose, but it certainly feels weird when swimming.

I'm not going to post a picture of my mo just yet, only an artists impression so you get the idea of what I'm doing (except my mo isn't black like that). If you really want to see it, then track me down...

BTW...here's a link to make a donation via. http://au.movember.com/mospace/1136826/  Thanks.

Campbell "Chop Chop" Maffett


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From: Campbell Maffett [mailto:cmaffett@bigpond.com]
Sent: Monday, 15 November 2010 9:24 PM
Subject: RE: Oh no...Movember...update

Hi again,

Well it’s half way through Movember and I’m coming to grips with this increasingly bushy thing on not just my top lip, but down the side of my mouth in a scary way. There’s no mistake it’s a moustache now and has drawn a variety of responses from “That’s the ugliest thing I’ve seen…do we have to put up with that for the whole month??” through to “It actually kind of suits you.”

As for my opinion…I’m still not so keen on it and still feel that I just need a good shave…especially as we headed out the door to a wedding last Friday night. (Sorry for looking like that, Rose & Jeff!!) But I’m going to stick it out for the whole month…if only because I owe it to the kind and generous folks who’ve donated $320 to the cause (Andrew, Mark C, Gretch, Kylie, Mark H, Rhiannon, Peter & David). Thank-you very much.

But rather than listen to me going on about how instead of scratching my chin I now “stroke my mo”, or how breakfast gets caught in it, or the challenge of shaving without cutting part of it off…I’ve attached a photo… OMG!!

Regards,
Campbell

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From: Campbell Maffett [mailto:cmaffett@bigpond.com]
Sent: Thursday, 25 November 2010 9:11 PM
Subject: FW: Oh no...Movember...update 2

Hi again,

It’s the 25th November as I write this…and can I say that I’m counting down the days to shaving off the mo. The novelty has passed, but the reactions of people still come…which are amusing!! I annoy myself because I keep catching myself sucking on the straggly hairs, blowing air through it, licking it, stroking it and more…and I just want my top lip and jaw back.

Nonetheless, it has served the purpose of raising funds from some very generous donors, with the total up to $585, so thank-you very much. New donors this week are Kylie, Jeff, Andrea, Pani, Gail, Elizabeth, Ben, Wayne, Barry, Shaun, Paul, Megan and Rosie.

I was hoping to get some props for this week’s photo, something like firearms like Chopper Read would use, but didn’t even rustle up a water pistol. However I did get the city back-drop from my roof terrace as I do my best Chopper impersonation. Next Wednesday 1st December it’s coming off…which will make for some more interesting photos!!

Regards,
Campbell

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From: Campbell Maffett [mailto:cmaffett@bigpond.com]
Sent: Thursday, 2 December 2010 8:47 PM
Subject: RE: Oh no...Movember...mo-mo is go-go-gone!!!

Hi again,

Hooray!! December has started and summer is here...but the best part is that all the awful mo's around town are coming off, not the least of which is (was) mine. Hallelujah!!!

The mo-go day approached with excitement matching christmas day, and despite my initial intention to hold out until 1st December, in the spirit of the event, I was seriously tempted to sneakily shave it off the night before, on 30th Movember. But some serious talking to from friends put me on a guilt-trip over taking that action, so I stayed the course through until 1st December, which was last night as I write this.

Befitting the whole month, I built up the mo-go shaving event into something way beyond what is actually was - simply a hair cut - for which I used some props and had an official photographer for the first time (thanks Ms. A). There were pre-mo-go photos, mid-mo-go photos and finally, a mo-gone photo...it feels soooo good to be rid of it.

By the end of the month I was amazing and humbled that a total of $780 was donated by various friends for the cause. All for growing a mo. I wonder how much I'd raise if I grew hair (back) on my head...if only that were possible, alas...

Generous donors over the past week included Tony, Ben, Rose, Nuvit, Mark & Danni, who along with previous donors are greatly appreciated by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Beyond Blue. And you also made it worthwhile for me to go through with this. Thank-you.

So that's it for Movember. I don't think I'll do it again, so save these photos (attached) to remind yourself how beautiful / dodgy / rough / rugged / dangerous / lovable / ugly / I can look with a mo...

Regards,
Campbell





Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Free to fly (achilles update)


"I don't need to see you again."

During my life I've learned to cope with rejection quite well, perhaps having plenty of experience helps...  Anyway, this time was different because it wasn't rejection at all. It was a mark of success and a milestone to hear those words uttered by my doctor at the end of my appointment today, indicating that my achilles has progressed really well and I'm, well, "...free to fly" (my words!!).

It's been 6 weeks since I saw Karen, and have been diligently following the running program that began back in September with 2 min walk, 30 sec run for 20min, up to doing 60 mins of continual running this week, albeit only 4 times a week. The achilles has been fantastic. In fact, the achilles has been the least of my concerns, which have focused on my weak calf and on-going peroneal tendon soreness...which was the result of the weak calf.

My weak calf has been improving steadily through gym work, drills, exercises, massage and more. Still a little way behind the right calf but improving, especially compared to the withered size it was after getting out of the CAM boot.

The peroneal tendon soreness, however, has been ongoing and is annoying. The thoughts about it have ranged from just tightness in the attached muscle, to nerve issue and otherwise. However today Karen accurately described it as some inflammation around the tendon, not serious but something we need to get on top of - hopefully we can as my dream is to be able to someday wake up without any soreness ANYWHERE!!! I'm hoping this is not too far away.

So to address that she's given me prescription for Solone which is full-on steroid...and also an anti-inflammation drug. She mentioned it may have some side effects, including hyper activity...so if you see me bouncing around over the next week, that's why!!!

Anyway, I hope this knocks that little problem on the head but in the meantime I'll continue along as I am so that by February my fitness might be at a point to start looking at some races, which will be really exciting. It's been a long road but the bumps haven't been anywhere near as bad as they might have been...and I'm certainly not complaining since I can see light ahead whereas many other people will never participate in their chosen activity again.

Did I mention that I'm really loving just being able to run again??

Monday, November 29, 2010

Using Power Meters in Training

Bike power meters (PMs) have been around for a while now and are gradually coming down in price as technology matures and the market evolves, meaning they are accessible to more and more people. Not to be confused with Power Balance Bands, PMs actually do something useful and in all my years of training, racing and now coaching, I rate PMs as the most valuable tool for training and racing that I've ever used.

This article is not aiming to convince you to buy a PM - or which one - but rather to explain how, as a coach, I use PMs and the information they provide for prescribing training, reviewing training (and racing) and planning race strategies for the athletes I coach who have them. Equally, the athletes themselves are able to learn a lot about themselves and how they ride in order to become better athletes. An added bonus of knowing the principles of using PMs is that the same approach applies to running where pace is the equivalent metric to watts.

The starting point for using PMs is actually having a PM, of course, and having some familiarity with using it since your natural inclination when you first use a PM is to view it like a speedo and see how high and how long you can keep your watts up. Remember, use it as a tool and don't be a tool using it!! Once you've got and used a PM, you must buy and read the "bible" book called "Training & Racing with a Power Meter" by Andy Coggan and Hunter Allen...the 2nd edition has a valuable chapter on triathlons. This book explains concepts, terms and more that are essential for effective PM usage.

I've written previously that using a PM to guide training and racing has far replaced HR as a relevant measure of exertion to use for bike training...and similarly using pace during run training. It allows me to prepare periodised training plans where I can guide physical progress via the level of power and nature of sessions scheduled throughout the year. Additionally, a PM provides invaluable feedback in terms of reviewing and evaluating sessions completed, eg, did the athlete execute the session as planned, as well as a means for conducting routine testing to measure progress using a black-and-white measure of watts.

The following are the ways I use PMs in training and racing, which assume the athlete already has some familiarity riding with a PM for a couple of weeks.

Getting Started
The first step is to do a benchmark test, primarily to determine FTP (Functional Threshold Power) and some other metrics. Any testing should be done in a repeatable environment, where the conditions can be replicated the same each time - a velodrome or trainer are often the best options. Perhaps the two most useful testing protocols are either a 20 min TT (Coggan & Hunter) or 2 x 8 min (Carmichael), which can be extrapolated to determine FTP. Alternative testing is a Power Profile test (1min, 4min, 10min) or a MAP step-test although these are not as specific for determining FTP. Whichever approach is used, FTP watts is the outcome number you want (...and analysis of the test session file is also valuable).

Power-Based Sessions
Knowing FTP then allows structured and targeted sessions to be developed. Here's an example of a session for an athlete with FTP of 265w, aimed at VO2 max development:

25min W/U + 5 x 30sec spin efforts
5 x (2min @ 335-345w / 1min easy;)
5min easy spin;
8 x (1min @ 345-355w / 1min easy;)
5min easy spin;
10 x (30sec Hard @ 100rpm / 30sec easy spin)
20-40min W/D

Only two parts of the session had target wattages (5 x 2min and 8 x 1min), which are the key parts of the session. For this athlete it is understood that the warm-up/down and recoveries are done at an easy/moderate pace...however for some athletes wattage guidelines are necessary. The key reps are targeted at 125-130% of FTP (5 x 2min) and 130-135% of FTP (8 x 1min) and since the session is being done on a velodrome it is easy to achieve a steady power level. The 10 x 30sec reps are included without wattage targets to encourage smooth rhythm and technique without the "distraction" of a target, and is a good way to complete what is a very intense session.

For sessions done on a non-flat course, wattage targets are tricky since power fluctuates enormously and the ideal measure of Normalised Power (NP) is (mostly) not available until you download and analyse a session. In these cases average watts is the best alternative, however the athlete needs some experience and understanding to translate this figure into a meaningful and useful measure in this context. This is where analysis and familiarity with wattages by the athlete is a valuable learning out from using a PM.

Here's another example of a session, being an IM prep ride:

1:30hr easy
3 x (40min @ IM watts; 20min @ 1/2IM watts)
30-60min easy

In this case there are no specific wattage numbers, however I'm relying on the athlete - in conjunction with discussions we're previously had about suitable targets - to try different wattage levels. While there's a few models to determine suitable target watts for an IM race pace, ultimately these need to be tried out to see how the athlete copes in somewhat of a simulation training ride...which is key role of pre-IM sessions. Each of these rides, combined with post-ride analysis of the power file help to refine their target for optimal racing and pacing strategy, which are used in conjunction with other feedback measures like perceived exertion, HR, speed, and so on.

In summary, a PM allows you to structure almost any kind of session in order to achieve some objectives from it, throughout an entire periodised year of training.

Session Analysis
Once a session is complete comes the exciting part of downloading the files to a computer and analysing what actually happened. Suffice to say, you need to have an interest in this kind of thing to get the most out of the data...although a good coach will translate it into terms even my mum can understand!! While every session provides valuable information, structured sessions with some kind of focus provide the best information. Races provide the best "real life" analysis of how you ride.

In reviewing a power file you're actually looking at what happened during the ride, seeing things that the naked eye would have missed, which turns into feedback and input into structure for future sessions. For example, feedback to the athlete who did the first listed session included observations like this:
  • His avg wattage was perfect for each of the reps, exactly in the target range. Also notable was the evenness of wattage within each rep - often reps like these will start with a spike in power and decrease thereafter. Power during the recovery was not important, only during the reps.
  • HR was also consistent, following a typical pattern of reaching a stable ceiling in the second rep and reaching the same ceiling in each subsequent rep.
  • The most notable thing from this session was his avg cadence, which went like this (2min reps) 96-96-97-93-90, (1min reps) 91-89-92-91-90-85-83-85. This was a notable drop in cadence which was explained as "Yes the common theme between both the 2 min and 1 min reps is as I tired and after the first few reps, I dug in and changed down a gear because I get more power at a lower cadence by pushing the pedals – the last 2 of the 2mins and the last 3 of the 1mins reps reflect this." In this case because the wattage was the target I wasn't too fussed how he generated that, so this explanation was fine.
  • Further analysis using WKO+ software allows me to check the Quadrant Analysis scatter graph, highlighting each rep to see the associated distribution. While efficient cycling is generally in Quadrants III and IV, this session had significant distribution in Quadrants I & II which reflect the high force he was putting through his pedals.
Analysis of the second session includes consideration for altitude (hills) since it was on the open road and the wattages jump around a lot more although smoothing helps to even this out. Analysis from this ride includes things like these:
  • Average and Normalised Power during the reps, and how much these vary. Ideal pacing has little variation between these two numbers which is far more efficient than wide peaks and troughs.
  • Cadence is also reviewed in terms of consistency, particularly late in reps as fatigue builds.
  • Similarly, HR trend as the session proceeds is an important measure of how the athlete was generating the power and the stress the body was under.
  • Speed analysis is not so important, since the session is based on wattage targets...although speed can be confidence boost for the athlete to see as they ride.
  • Quadrant analysis is more valuable in a session like this since it is a simulation effort and provides good "real life" data compared to controlled velodrome sessions.
  • A session of this length allows evaluation of TSS for each rep as well as the overall session.
There's more things you can see by studying power graphs, peak power figures and so on...it takes some practice to know what to look for depending on the nature of the session or race. This analysis tells me how well the athletes are completing – and coping with – the sessions, which then feeds into progression in future sessions. It’s all about ensuring each session has an objective and that you’re getting the most from each session. Power analysis over time also helps in evaluating and managing workload and accumulated fatigue, which are great indicators of form.

Summary
This is just an overview of how power training can be used, and there's some real gurus in taking it to another level of detail. Nonetheless, for my coaching purposes a PM provides a fantastic level of insight and understanding into how athletes train and race, and allow me to use that knowledge to tailor their sessions to plan for and achieve the goals they're after. The same things can also be done with/for running using pace instead of watts. Either way, a PM and knowing how to use it is a wonderful tool in any athletes toolkit, and a huge benefit for the quality of service their coach can provide.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Deep water running


Deep water running (DWR) doesn't get much good press, probably because the people who are mostly talking about it are doing it because they're injured...and grumpy. Sure, it doesn't compare to the satisfaction of "real" running and it is eternally boring, however, DWR can be a effective training session not just during times of injury but also to complement routine (run) training.

This article is mostly about DWR performed in an injury scenario, but I'll also mention how it can used productively as part of on-going training.

When to do DWR
Given that most athletes will only consider DWR when they're injured, you can be comforted in the knowledge that various studies have shown that runners maintain their VO2 max, lactate threshold, and running economy after 4-6 weeks of DWR, as well as maintaining running performance over 5km race distances. So DWR is not a prescription for loss of everything you're trained hard to achieve.

Other benefits of DWR include the following:
* Gives you relief from running on the hard surfaces - it’s excellent for many lower leg ailments.
* Provides workouts while doing running specific movements (you run against resistance of the water).
* Excellent workouts can be completed in under an hour.
* It can help you get to the start - and finish - line of a goal event in best condition given the circumstances. I did DWR for 8 weeks prior to Kona in 2006 and still ran 3:25hr.

However, there are limitations to DWR
* Your legs miss out on the durability of running on the ground, regardless of surface. That is, they become "soft" regardless of how much bike riding you might do.
* You need a pool or some equivalent body of water.
* It’s not as satisfying to some runners because you can’t quantify your mileage.   
* It’s boring, boring, boring. (Not scientific… it’s my opinion.. some people love it)

Also, I find that DWR is most effective where an injury is going to keep you off running for up to about 4-6 weeks, or if you have a big race in a similar time frame. For injuries longer than that I think that preserving your sanity by moderating DWR - and doing other training - is more important than going bonkers spending hours in the pool doing endless DWR. That is, there's a psychological threshold that passes after 3-4 weeks...and breaks after about 6 weeks unless you have specific goal event.

That said, let's look at how to do DWR and the kinds of sessions to complete.

DWR Technique
DWR should be done in a water where you can't touch the bottom, which can mean you only end up using a small section of the deep end of a pool. I believe you really need a floatation belt in order to correctly simulate running technique, or else you spend more energy staying afloat than actual 'running'. Many pools have floatation belts, but it can be worthwhile buying your own so you know it fits well. Once you have one, do it up tight, use vaseline in high friction spots and jump in.

The technique for DWR is much like actual running - hold your body vertically (although a slight forward lean is hard to avoid), hips still/stable so you're working your legs and arms. Move your legs in a circular, running motion, in particular pulling your leg backwards and not just knees up and down. You will move forward - that's OK, but it's not the objective.

Regardless of your running form, your stride rate will be slower during water running due to the increased resistance of moving your legs through water. If you try to simulate land running too closely, your stride rate will be even slower. For that reason, don’t worry if your leg isn’t brought behind the body to the same degree as in running - find a happy compromise with decent form and a reasonable rate of leg turnover.

Doing DWR correctly will really work your hamstrings and glutes if you're doing it properly...loosen them up afterwards with some dynamic stretching.

DWR Training
Now you've got the venue, equipment and technique sorted it's time to focus on actual DWR sessions.

DWR is mostly interval based training with short rests, much like bike trainer / swim sessions. The interval sessions should replicate the objective of the running sessions you're replacing, whether they're speed, max aerobic intervals, threshold, endurance or otherwise.

If the event you're (still) aiming for is long, ie, half/full marathon, then you will need to do some long, steady-state sessions to just maintain endurance to some extent. But even these can be broken into intervals to mix up the session even a little and maintain your sanity. Aim to do as many DWR sessions as running sessions, which may mean you're doing a solid/hard DWR session in place of an easy run...remember that you can always moderate the intensity of intervals, but stick with intervals nonetheless.

When doing DWR sessions, instead of distance go by time and instead of pace go by effort. Your HR won't get as high as during running - about 10% lower for the same oxygen uptake - so you will feel that you are working harder than during running.

For the interval sessions I've found up to 3 (or 4) min reps are the longest I could sustain a high effort level before going 'cuckoo'. 1-2min reps are great with 15-30sec recovery...just gentle leg turn-over. Keep the work:rest ration high, about 4-8:1

Here's an example of a session:
10min Warm-Up
Main Set, Ladder - 2-3 x (1min Hard / 15sec Easy;  2min Hard / 15sec Easy;  3min Hard / 30sec Easy; 4min Hard / 30 Easy;  3min Hard / 30sec Easy;  2min Hard / 15sec Easy;  1min Hard / 15sec Easy)
Sprint Set - 4-5 x (30sec Max / 15sec Easy;  60sec Max / 15sec Easy)
3-5min Warm-Down

This is a pretty damn hard session, but you get the idea about the nature of the session. Use some imagination to think of variations for training sets.

Some important training you should also do while you're off running is/are a range of simple exercises to maintain at least some strength in your legs, eg, single-leg squats, lunges, calf raises, and so on. These are in the theme of general strength and conditioning for running, but increase in importance when you can't run.

You can use DWR as part of on-going routine training in the following ways:
* To replace some high intensity sessions,
* To include additional high intensity training without adding stress to your legs.
* As recovery sessions.
Essentially, you are using DWR to manage the stress on your legs while still completing your planned key sessions.

So while not an perfect replacement for running, DWR is the best option for when you can't run to help maintain some fitness until you're back on track...or to complement your existing training. Look after those legs/feet...they're your 'weapons'!!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The fall of US triathlon...


Note - I was asked to write the following article for www.firstoffthebike.com and was an interesting topic to consider...


What's happened to US triathlon performances? USA Triathlon has huge membership, there's a gazillion races across the country, the world's best athletes are based there, it's the hub of triathlon technology, WTC call the US home, and even Slowtwitch is American...so why is that in recent times US triathletes can't win a world title? Or even get close to winning?

This might seem like a harsh assessment, but often the truth hurts...while here in Australia we're feeling rather smug after Aussies won the men's AND women's races in Kona this year. Take that, USA!!

The triathlon world does owe the US a huge thanks, first for inventing the sport - first held as a swim/bike/run "triathlon" event at Mission Bay, San Diego on September 25, 1974 - then for the legendary accomplishments of Julie Moss, Dave Scott, Mark Allen and others like them who created an aura about the sport that attracted thousands, if not millions more people to participate. The early, "good old days" are still talked about today and although the sport has evolved their exploits - and results - have set the standard for US triathletes of today to aspire to.

Yet in recent years none have won any of the "big 3" titles of ITU (& Olympics), 70.3 and Ironman. It seems that even home ground advantage of 70.3 and Ironman World Championships isn't helping. The poor folks on Slowtwitch are going to choke on their Wheeties as they read this...

So what's gone wrong? While I'm a Pacific Ocean away from USA, let me consider a few aspects and ponder why they haven't won a world title recently...

Population - 310 million people is a lot of people from where a triathlon champion can come from. Sure the US reportedly has the highest obesity rate in the world (closely followed by Australia, I might note), but that still leaves a lot of people who are fit, active and who are members of USA Triathlon (130,000). So it's not for lack of numbers US isn't succeeding...just look at New Zealand with about 1% of the US population.

Geography/Climate - USA is a big country, covering a very wide geography and wide climate conditions from Hawaii to Alaska, from Death Valley to the Rocky Mountains. Boulder is a mecca for the world's triathletes to converge on for it's ideal training environment, and it's only one of a number of places along with San Diego, Bend, Lake Tahoe that even I know of as popular training locations. So it's not for lack of training opportunities US isn't succeeding.

Genetics - If this was a story about long distance running the easy cop-out is to say that East Africans have some kind of genetic-based biomechanical advantage (whatever that is). The same cannot be said in triathlons (except for lack of opportunity, based on socio economic factors - see next point) as history is showing there is no dominant race of athletes in triathlons. Champions have come from all parts of the world. So it's not for genetic disadvantage US isn't succeeding.

Socio Economic - Triathlon participation is defined by people who can afford it; it's not a cheap sport...otherwise it might be dominated by Africans (can you imagine that!!). USA is the biggest economy in the world, is an advanced, developed country of opportunity. So even though there are many people in poverty, there's more people who are not and amongst those a significant number who have the disposable income to event get started. And once they do, the size of the economy and participation base is enough to ensure they continue on and have support and opportunity to do so. So it's not for poor socio economic standing US isn't succeeding.

National Body - USA Triathlon is the governing body, and their web-site promotes a 130,000 membership base. On the elite level, USA Triathlon is responsible for the selection and training of teams to represent the United States in international competition. So by extension it would be fair to say that USA Triathlon is well supported, resourced, and capable of developing world champion athletes...as they have in the (distant) past. So it's not for a weak national body US isn't succeeding.

Race Opportunities - Along with Europe, the USA is where aspiring triathletes head to develop their abilities in any of a huge number of races against world-class fields. For many athletes this is their career (albeit briefly for some) and a stint in USA can make or break them. The USA features draft-legal events, non-drafting, multiple 70.3 and full IMs, plus races in all kinds of venues and locations. If you're an athlete looking for hot competition, USA is the pace to go. So it's not for a lack of racing opportunities US isn't succeeding.

Technology - It's widely acknowledged that USA is a world leader in technology in many fields. After all, the Americans were the first country to put a man on the moon!!! This filters down to triathlon technology mainly via bikes, but also in the area of training equipment, sports science facilities, and more. An off-shoot includes coaching knowledge and expertise, where often the best coaches are attracted for financial reasons which just builds the pool of coaching talent available, with access to quality information to help them. So it's not for a lack of technology US isn't succeeding.

Cultural - Here in Australia we see Americans as not lacking in confidence, and loudly and proudly celebrating success in many endeavours. USA is usually at/near the top of the medal winning table at any world championship in swimming and athletics (to name just two relevant sports), and have had great success in cycling in recent years. As they say, success breeds success and this often spins off from one sport to another. So it's not for a lack of a success culture US isn't succeeding.

I'm not sure what other aspects of triathlon to consider where USA is often at an advantage, let alone a disadvantage, in their quest to win world championships. Maybe it's just a generational phase and in 10 years time the story will be different. If the Slowtwitch readers are still tuned in they might make comment. But as it is right now the power base in triathlon is spread far and wide, which does is not including US triathletes.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Back in the race game!!


I did a race on the weekend. Normally that would be a common scenario, and in the past I've made a habit of doing at least one event per month...of some nature or form. Racing frequently is good to maintain familiarity with the competition arena and the routine, nerves, tactics, performance and more. A better racer will often beat a better athlete because they know how to perform when it counts. Anyway, this is getting a little off the main topic.

You see, this was my first race since Sunday 2nd May, about 5.5 months ago, which means it was breaking a drought similar to the recent drought breaking rains across Victoria. And the reason is that it's worthy of a blog post is that in that time, of course, I've had achilles surgery and this race involved running...albeit only a small distance. It was, in fact, a swimming race, but a race is a race and that was the exciting bit.

The 2XU open water swim race was part of the Shepparton Half Ironman weekend of events, held on the Saturday afternoon to expand the range of participants in this weekend of triathlon racing. The course was 1500m in the main Kialla lake, from a deep water start around the island, back to the start, round the island again, emerging at a little beach before the "clutch" part of the race, a 200m run to the finish line. Short, fast, intense...and a race!!!

I did this same event last year, when the field was much smaller and managed to come second in the masters category of 35+...and thought it a shame there was no veteran category recognising my actual 40+ age!!! But they were the rules and nevertheless I was back for more this year, although my swim form in training has been lagging a lot under the weight (literally) of the gym work I've been doing as part of achilles re-hab. I was swimming more like a brick than a fish.

Anyway, I was excited just by what this race represented in my return to fitness and racing and lined up in the deep water feeling excited to be in the heat of things again. It felt like a reuniting with an old friend, where the first moments include some tentativeness and awkwardness, but ultimately the familiarity wins over and it's like you were never parted...and then the starting hooter went.

Sparing the details of the actual swim...except to note the part I went off course towards some buoys that were not actually part of the course...I swam true to recent form and slogged it around the swim course in anticipation of the beach and the running segment...I was quite pretty sure my achilles would be OK, but you never know. In the end it was all OK. Perhaps a fraction stiff, and feeling awkward running in a wetsuit anyway, I crossed the line with my heart pumping in my mouth and pleased to actually run under a finish arch again. Back in the race game!!!

The achilles has been going really well recently. I've been back in to running (plus walking) for about 8 weeks and up to doing 15 min run blocks separated by 1 min of walking, this week covering 11 km per session x 4 per week. While the achilles has been great, my calf has been the thing holding me back due to the loss of strength and function during the time post surgery, but that is improving all the time...as is my overall fitness. It's a long road back, but gee it's good to be running again. Sometime soon I hope to do an actual running race!!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Road tripping

Two weeks ago Ms A and I did a road trip during the Melbourne Cup weekend, taking Monday off work to give us 4 days to get away. We'd planned it for a while and even the forecast of awful weather didn't deter us and our plans to pitch a tent and camp for two of the three nights away - the tent performed remarkably well. Being previously untested in (very) wet weather it came through with top marks.

We headed off on Saturday after a brief coffee with my brother (Andrew) and his wife (Jennifer) who were visiting from Perth to take up tickets to the Emirates marquee on Derby Day...the weather wouldn't touch them in there!! It started raining just out of Melbourne, and poured heavily along the road to Geelong but eased off a little by the time we got to Anglesea to visit my younger brother (Sam), his wife (Kate) and 6 month old son (Tom). This was a really nice stopover for lunch, but we seen hit the road onwards to Apollo Bay...still raining.

We stayed in Marengo, about 2km beyond Apollo Bay and pitched the tent in light rain - nothing too dramatic - and decided to walk to the Apollo Bay pub along the beach with only our rain coats and an umbrella to protect us. It wasn't enough. After a nice dinner it was pouring again for the return hike, and windy, so we got soaked but soon dried as we tucked up into our sleeping bags listening to the wind and rain outside...hoping it would stay outside.

Sunday dawned wet and got wetter. Packing up a wet tent sucks, but we did and headed through the Otways towards the 12 Apostles where the rain finally seemed to be stopped after 24 hours non-stop. The coastline was rugged, windswept and with a huge, rough ocean pounding in - it was spectacular including some small waterfalls spilling over the edge...and literally being blown backwards by the strong winds. This was raw weather blowing in off Bass Strait.

Further along we stopped briefly in Port Campbell, and then made our way to Port Fairy where my family had spent many summer holidays when I was young - a lot of great memories associated with the place. It was great to re-visit it and show Ms A some of the best parts of it, including a walk around Griffith Island where the wind was still blowing but the rain had mostly passed. The day finished up with a drive into Hamilton to stay with my sister (Anna), partner (Dale) and two (of four) kids (Billy & Tyler). Great to visit them.

Monday weather was far more positive and we headed off for the Grampians, planning some good walks while there. Throughout the trip everything was so green, with long green grass and full dams everywhere. The Grampians were alive with flowers, streams and moisture in the air...a nice change from what has been parched and dry bush for many years.

We first stopped to climb Mt Abrupt at the south end of the ranges, which gave magnificent views in all directions - a great walk - and a little further on we drove up to the Mt William car park and walked the final 2km to the summit - the highest point in the Grampians. I love being on the highest point of anything, and this was no different and the clouds broke up enough for some wonderful views. The Halls Gap caravan park would be our home that night, amongst the many campervans, caravans, tents and more, not to mention some nice cooking smells!!

Our final day - or morning before we drove back - saw us drive to the Wonderland car park and walk to the Pinnacle, a rock formation that juts out high above Halls Gap - more great views and fabulous walk through a small canyon on the way up. The McKenzie Falls, a little further away, had a lot of water coming over them and were a spectacular finish to our trip. It's a long drive back to Melbourne which we broke by stopping in Ballarat...again another place where I spent a lot time growing up.

It was a great trip. Here's some photos...
The 12 Apostles with a strong wind and rain blowing in. The waterfall looked great.
Port Fairy surf beach, sans sand, looking towards the old sailing beach - the view is the same as I remember...
Port Fairy wharf, with no quite as many fishing boats as I remember but still very pretty.
Port Fairy lighthouse on Griffith Island, looking through the front fence which used to surround the lighthouse keeper's house...which is no longer there.
Port Fairy lighthouse again...it's seen a LOT of weather in it's time. Operates automatically these days.
View from Mt Abrupt with some clouds just about to obscure the view.
The magnificent view northwards from Mt Abrupt along the Grampians range.
View from Mt William through some passing cloud.
Rock formation on the walk up to the Pinnacle.
The Grand Canyon of the Grampians - quite spectacular, which you walk along the bottom of.
From the Pinnacle, seeing a full rainbow from a passing shower of rain...quite unique.
View from the Pinnacle looking southwards over Lake Bellfield.
Not sure what this is called, but quite spectacular.
Burnt tree stump from fires in Jan 2006. Many trees have regrown but a lot of black tree trunks can be seen.
Ms A and me at McKenzie falls.