ED's Exploits - May 2010

It's only Rock & Roll - but I like it...!

I could waste hours watching cycling on the telly, the Giro d’Italia is on at the moment, the end of each stage is exciting as are the mountain climbs but why do I sit there watching the flat stages? Nothing happens for hours but I still find it hard to drag myself away! Professional Cycling is surely one of the hardest of sports and the guys in the peloton are among the fittest of athletes. A three week Grand Tour is a real test of strength, both physical and mental. I so want to believe they are drug free and, of course a lot are, most are? It’s a cleaner sport these days. However, there are cyclists who still cheat, as there are in other sports and there’s the rub, whenever there is a positive test on a cyclists, its big news. The rolling sports news programme on Sky features results for all sports and seems to enjoy breaking news of failed drugs tests by cyclists, but gives few actual race results (it does give more results now but that is more to do with plugging Team Sky, than providing information). How many golfers were tested at Wentworth this last weekend? As an amateur cyclist/triathlete I have been tested 3 times. Indeed, if random testers arrived, would they even be let into the clubhouse? How many premiership football players are tested, post match or in the off season? What about jockeys, rugby players, tennis players, cricketers or even darts players? I would think some cyclists are tested more often in a three week tour, than some athletes are tested in their whole careers. Of course nobody can deny, cycling has created a lot of its own problems and still has work to do, it would be nice, though, if all sports were treated the same. It’s probably no coincidence that it is the rich sports that are treated more fairly than others, as Mr. Dylan said, “Money doesn’t talk, it swears!!”

I took a call the other week from the Bournemouth International Centre -“could I come down and give some massage treatment to one of the artists who was performing that evening?” Not wanting to miss a bit of excitement on a Wednesday afternoon I got myself down there, (a very understanding client was happy to change her appointment for me.). It turned out to be the drummer from a rock group, with sore shins from constantly banging the pedal drum! He responded very well to some “Hands on Treatment” back stage. Two tickets for the show were provided, as were passes to the after show party. Sports massage is hardly rock & roll - but I’m waiting for the call to their world tour!

Here comes the Sun! Doesn’t the sun make it easier to train? The recent warm spell seems to motivate us more, which is odd because it’s still hard work. It’s just great being outside and we have waited long enough for it. The ice in the winter is a distant memory and spring was a disappointment too - however it is definitely here now. I try not to worry about the weather, never waste energy on things you have no control over, worry about the things you can control. Speaking of which, I got caught up in a crash in a road race recently. A touch of wheels caused 5 or 6 riders to come down; luckily I was not directly involved but ended up in the verge, just trying to avoid the carnage. Actually no one was hurt too bad, just a bit of gravel rash, it did however mean race over as the remains of the peloton disappeared up the road. Shame, as I could have won that race. (I say that about every race I crash in!)

My form is ok, nothing special, I need to find an edge, I am looking hard but the answer is staring me in the face and I know it - I am not training enough - I come up with reasons for my lack of fitness, but they are just excuses, work, time, family… The real reason is I’m just not putting in the hard work and deserve the form I’ve got. I like the simplicity of endurance sport but I like it more when I’m going well. Even this paragraph is an excuse, I need to train!

See you up the road…

E D

Eamonn Deane is a TrainingBible UK specialist in the field of sports massage. To find out more about his work, check out his new website at
www.sportsmassagebournemouth.co.uk

ED's Exploits - April 2010

The London Marathon never fails to inspire me. As experienced endurance athletes we can be a bit blasé about the marathon, “been there done that” sort of attitude. Whilst I do not have much time for the publicity seekers, there are a lot of people who really do dig deep, its easy for us, we train, we are fit, and we have done it before. Watching some of the runners cross the line you get a sense of what they have been through - physical, yes - but more often emotional, clutching their medals as a tangible reminder of their adventure. Courage is a great asset for an athlete, whether you are at the sharp end or just trying to get to the finish. The winner is not always the bravest and the brave keep on coming each year to inspire me!

The season is in full swing now with racing most weekends to suit everyone’s tastes. If you are struggling to find some speed on the bike, try one of the many local evening club time trials, no need to pre enter, just turn up and ride, most are about £2. A great way for some quality bike training, and a chance to check out your position, and aero-dynamics in a live race situation. Mostly 10 miles but there are a few 25 mile races, I find just pinning the number on gives me that lift that I cannot always find, when just training and chasing your “minute man” and being chased is great motivation.

To shave or not to shave (your legs)? That is the question and the answer is of course, yes. It looks better, feels great in the pool, is easier to clean if you crash and facilitates massage. Hairy legs and bikes just don’t go together. I have just seen someone who has been waxed, I promised him no names!

A very good friend and very experienced triathlete, cyclist and runner, you name it he has done it all, recently did the Devises to Westminster kayak race, 126 miles down the Thames, through the night, a very demanding event. Even with all his experience, he did not take on enough fluids; he had the presence of mind to realize he was in trouble, so he got himself off the water. However he still spent 24hrs in hospital dehydrated and very low in salts. He is fine now and already planning next years attempt, he never did like DNF against his name. Get your carbo drink inside you and get it in early!!

Finally back to London, I have been seeing elite athlete Steve Way (Bournemouth ac) for regular massage as part of his training plan, an 18 week programmer that started back in December. There have been a few niggles, a few wobbly moments, a few self doubts, sometimes it felt like I was doing the training for him, he stuck at it though, and was rewarded with 17th place in 2.19.37 and possible selection for the Commonwealth Games later this year. Yes, he looked nervous on the start line but he was confident and that confidence came from consistent, honest training and hard work. It works for age groupers as well as elite athletes, so have fun out there but make sure you are trying your best!

See you up the road

E D

Fast fixes, miracle new techniques or the King's new clothes!

By Rob Griffiths, Head Coach TBCUK

Last Saturday I had the good fortune to spend a few hours with my old buddy Bernie Shrosbree. He was opening his new Performance Centre, set up in the beautiful surroundings of the Haven Hotel in Sanbanks, Poole. He was being interviewed about his coaching philosophy and so I listened with interest whilst he shared his thoughts. After, I reflected on what he had said, and I tried to relate that to my own experience - both with coaches I worked with as an athlete and now as a coach, working with athletes.

Bernie talked about some fundamental factors, some core principles that he sticks to when developing an athlete. These are: Understanding them as an individual on a deep level; Helping athletes develop a reservoir of endurance and conditioning through cross training before adding sports specific polishing; Getting athletes to focus on technique to become really efficient in their sport; Helping the athlete to really understand their bodies and sense whats happening to them to in the moment; Helping them develop a robustness and resilience to keep trying, keep pushing and never giving up.

Like me, and being a similar age, Bernie comes from what one might call the 'old school' of coaching. By that I mean we have a similar belief that nothing much has changed. Sure we have some great new tools and technologies for measuring fitness and helping people see whats going on - our bikes are now made of carbon but all other things being equal, there are still only two ways to make a bike go quicker...push the pedals harder or faster! It's still the person that can do this that wins the bike race.

Looking at the successful athletes I have coached over the years, they have a number of key elements that make up that success. Two of them are Patience and Coachability. These can be hard to find in our culture of quick fixes and miracle techniques. 'I have been training for 6 months and therefore I should be good at this already!' We all want success and managing those expectations can be crucial to our performance and longevity in the sport.

I've had lots of conversations with athletes who approach me for coaching and who have a limited background in endurance sports. They tell me about how they keep getting injured, have bouts of illness that stop them training, or are gutted they did not qualify for the World Championships, or disappointed with a 13 hours finish in their first Ironman.

The old adage about taking 10 years to becoming an overnight success is as true now as it was 10, 20, 30 years ago! Have our bodies developed so much over the past few decades that we are now able to change our physiology? Success in our sport is counted in consistent sustained training over many years. Alistair Brownlee is the No.1 in the World at 21 and for the past 11 or 12 years he and his coaches have been working on exactly those things that Bernie had outlined in his interview.

To get good at anything we need patience - this is especially true in endurance sports - to keep practicing that swim stroke, or developing that smooth pedaling style. Sometimes when we don't really feel like it or our mates are taking the mickey because we are trying that funny swim drill again. Our bodies need the time to adapt to the training and demands we are putting on it, some adapt quicker than others depending on genetics and background. Too much too soon and we end up with the injury and illness sceneario. In my view it probably takes 5 years to learn how to race an Ironman and then a few more to perfect it. Thats what Bernie was talking about - developing a deep resevior of endurance and conditioning! As my old athletics coach Frank Horwill used to say, it's all about putting 'pennies in the bank of stamina'.

Coachability is the another key element I have noticed in successful athletes. By this I mean the ability to take on information and advice and do something with it - top athletes are willing to listen to a coach or adviser. If athletes keep getting injured or ill there is probably a good reason for that, and more often than not it lies in their behaviour and training pattern. It's a fine line between being determined, single minded and focused - important elements for any top athlete - and being pig headed and stubborn. This is where Bernie's point about helping an athlele understand their body, sense when they need to push, when they need to hold, when enough really is enough.

Listening to Bernie is always a treat, as he is a fantastic storyteller, and as someone who has had enough experiences to have lived two lives, he has a lot to offer. If you get the opportunity go and visit him at his new performance center, and take the opportunity learn from his remarkable knowledge and experience.

ED's Exploits - March 2010

Questions…Questions?

I did my first triathlon back in 1985, before tri-bars, fancy wheels and wet suits. The must have accessories in those days were a Leary pair of shades and a suntan, (skin cancer had not been invented back then). Which begs the question, when do you start wearing shorts on the bike? Too early and your knees get too cold, too late and you look like a bottle of milk in the transition area! Two years ago I wore shorts in the second week of February, but usually it’s the end of March or early April. And of course, once you start, you cannot go back. Seriously though, the weather can change quite a bit on a 4 hour ride so it is probably sensible to wear longs well into May or June. The pros will train in Longs all year round, to keep the muscles warm, especially round the knee. I don’t notice the cold so much on my legs, but stop to mend a puncture and all of a sudden it’s chilly. What seems like a dilemma in April though, is forgotten by June, when it’s factor 15 and wearing a pair of pink Briko’s!! When do you shave your legs though?? That really is a dilemma, but we can talk about that another time.

Its early season, you probably have a few races in your legs; the change from training intensity to race pace can take more out of you than you think. As the season kicks in the temptation is to increase the training as well. Experience has taught me to do the opposite. Let your body adjust to racing, cut your training load back, just for a couple of weeks. It’s a long season, go 100% now and it’s easy to come down with a cold or virus. As you become used to a higher effort, you will be able to return to your usual schedule and be stronger for it.

I worked as part of the massage team recently at the Mad March 20 mile. Race director Lawrence Downs and his crew (mostly Zoom Tri Club members) put on a great race, good atmosphere, enthusiastic marshals, plenty of tea and cakes, we worked very hard but it was good fun - it almost made me think about taking up running again!

Running or cycling, spice up your distance work with some quality tempo intervals. Within your long run, try 3x 10mins, at a good intensity, so you have to concentrate but not too fast. It has to be aerobic, but it has to be honest. On the bike, make them 15 or 20mins - it should feel hard, but not too hard. Quality base work will make you bomb proof.

My own season has kicked off and the good news is the winter training seems to have worked, which is always nice! Some points on the road, a bit of prize money from time trials and the glass is definitely half full. The older I get the better I was!!

See you up the Road…

E D

What's in a TBCUK Training Camp...?

Last week we had our first UK long course training camp at Sandy Balls in the New Forest. Camps like this can provide a real platform to boost your training, add motivation and train with like minded people that are focused on a key goal.

To give you an idea of what's involved at a TBCUK camp, here's a quick run down of the highlights and the sessions we covered. To kick off its always interesting to hear athletes goals for the season and check out where they are in their training. Our group had a mixture of experience, with almost all but one looking to attempt their first Ironman or Long course race this summer.

We met up on Friday evening to outline the weekend ahead and share our goals and expectations of the camp. Sports psychologist and Head of Sports Science at Southampton University Candice Lingam-Wilgoss gave an insightful and interactive session on goal setting. She told us about one of her Olympic athletes and how drilling down into each goal helped to create meaningful milestones in their training. This was a great example of how to maintain motivation and keep us on track.

Saturday morning and it was a 7am start with Swim coach Steve Barratt and a technical stroke session with video analysis, followed by breakfast and a rather wet 45 mile ride round the Forestman bike course. Although it rained, it was good practice to train in those conditions - after all, on race day, we get out and do it whatever the weather. Following lunch the first of the afternoon sessions was taken by TBCUK Senior coach Will Newbery. He gave a practical session on core strength for long course athletes, the importance of which was quickly realised - these simple exercises really demonstrate the need for developing core stability and strength, to keep race form together as fatigue sets in - on both the bike and run.

After a short break, it was time to get back outside for our hill run session. Although the group were pleading with me for a little longer (not!) we headed back to the comfort of a shower and another fuel top up. In the the final session of the day nutritional coach Tony Derbyshire shared valuable insights on the critical issue of getting your recovery and nutrition right for the big event. This proved to be one of the most talked about sessions - especially over dinner an hour or so later; thoughts had turned to macro and micro nutrients - where lean meat and endless portions of fruit and veg became our best friends.

Sunday morning provided the second opportunity to work with Steve on that swim stroke, before heading out for a long bike-run brick. The groups were split, with group leaders leading the pacing. The bike element was supported by a refuel and repair TrainingBible Van. It was a long ride, varying between 56-70 miles and thankfully the sun came out, bringing the beautiful New Forest to life. I filmed a section of the bike ride to show you the kinds of roads we ride on, which I've posted on You Tube. Off the bike and onto what must be one of the toughest off road, long course marathon routes. The groups ran between 6 and 9 miles over the undulating terrain. Tired but happy we tucked into a late afternoon lunch before heading home.

All the athletes that came along worked hard and were buoyed by their achievements over the weekend. Some athletes seemed to get physically stronger, and all will have benefited from the sharing and learning. If you have not tried a camp approach before then it may be worth considering one to enhance your training - it can be a real confidence booster to know that you can go the distance and best of all you can look forward to a real step up in your performance levels a few weeks later.

What is Critical Power?

What is Critical Power?
Nick de Meyer TBCUK Master Coach

This is a question I have been asked many times as a coach I hope this posting helps to simplify what it is and how it relates to other, better known measures, like heart rate.

Let’s backtrack a bit and answer the question: What is power? Power is an excellent method of measuring exercise effort or intensity and has become the most important measure with professional cyclists in particular. It is favoured by the pros because it is seen as a more accurate measure of performance. It is normally measured in Watts and, like heart rate, can be used in percentages of its maximum output to define training zones. Power measurement is immediate and doesn’t have the delays associated with heart rate. No sooner you push harder on the pedals it registers wattage, where as heart rate does not respond instantly to effort, it usually is delayed for 15 to 20 seconds.

To measure power you need to fit a power meter to your bike, there are now a number of these devices around and are becoming much more accessible. In the next few years you will see almost every road bike fitted with a power meter as the technology is refined. (You heard it here folks!)

In essence, Critical Power (CP) is a method to measure your power output. It’s basically the highest average power you can hold for a particular period of time. Just like training at different heart rate levels can improve your overall fitness; training at different CP levels will do the same. Dr Andy Coggan the brains behind the methodology developed CP zones from 1 minute to 360 minutes (seen in blue on the attached table). As you adapt and get stronger and fitter from following your training programme, these numbers will improve, relative to the goal of your training plan, and dependent on which phase of training you are in.

CP 60 and Lactate Threshold
This is the wattage number that triathletes find most useful. Most of us involved in competitive Triathlon or Cycling will have heard about Lactate Threshold (LT), no doubt we will have all felt it on a tough ride. This is the point when we are riding when there is a rapid rise in the blood lactate level. It’s when the body's rate of lactate production exceeds the rate of lactate clearance. This causes that burning feeling in the muscles and can cause a slowing of our pace. This level of intensity can be maintained in a typical standard distance triathlon race or 25 mile cycling time trial and in some cases a bit longer. For this reason, and the fact that it is very sensitive to training status, LT is a very valuable piece of information for planning training intensities and race pacing strategies. This Lactate threshold level represents critical power for 60 minutes or Functional Threshold Power as it sometimes known. All our training zones are then based on % of this number.

How can I use this?
To establish your baseline “Functional Threshold Power” (FTP) you need a power meter or turbo with wattage. Warm up well and then start a 10 mile or 30 minute time trial. Hit your lap button after 10 mins and record your highest average wattage. Then subtract 5% from that total. The reason that we are subtracting 5% of the watts from your 20 minute test is that FTP is defined as the highest average wattage or power that you can maintain for 60 minutes. Most athletes have a hard time focusing for 60 minutes on a maximal effort and those that can, learn very quickly that a 60 minutes time trial is not that much fun! Testing at 20 minutes is more realistic in terms of getting athletes to do more regular and higher quality tests. Use it every 4 weeks or so to chart your improvements. Use the % in red seen in chart below to calculate your training zones as a % of your FTP:

ED's Exploits - Feb 2010

Eamonn Deane, TrainingBibleUK's very own cycling legend shares his thoughts...


The Times they are a changing…

A couple of surefire signs that spring is round the corner: Firstly the advent of the Bournemouth Jubilee 100 mile reliability trial, the final ride in a series of four (the others being the 50mile, the 100km and the 75mile). From November through to February these tourist trials are very popular, with 121 riders signing on for the 50 back in November. The numbers drop off a little as the distances increase but with the recent addition of a 100km option, on the same roads as the 100 mile, the turnout is still high and there is always someone to ride with if you crave some company! Take each ride on its own and they are simple enough, however, to do all four over one winter always proves a challenge. There is an engraved medal for anyone who manages it. Sickness, punctures, mechanicals all take there toll. The ice this year broke more than a few riders’ hearts and dreams of that medal were put off for another year. Having been riding these reliability trials for quite a few years now, it always amazes me how unreliable some people are: not carrying enough fuel, only one spare tube and having no idea of the route seem to be the most common “crimes”.

Another sign of the changing season is the club dinners and prize presentations come to and end. I have been invited to a few over the years and was a guest at one recently but there is no such thing as a free lunch, a speech being required or even having to “sing for me supper”. I like the formality of these occasions, with the saying of grace and toasting Her Majesty, it is also an opportunity not just to congratulate those who have won trophies but to thank all those people who work behind the scenes, be it promoting events, marshalling or making the tea - without these people there simply would be no sport.

It has proved to be a challenging winter on the bike, with more than a few road rides turned into turbo sessions. Not sure what I prefer, the turbo session takes less time but you know it is going to be hard - there is no chance to skive like you can out on the road! Freewheeling is cheating!! I am lucky enough to have my turbo permanently set up in the garage with an old racing bike, ready to go. I have no excuse really. However sometimes this winter it has been so cold out there I have started my sessions with hat and gloves on. Love em’ or hate em’ turbo training works.

There are no short cuts in training for endurance sports, however lots of hard work will bring rewards, look for consistency, quality, and commitment and when the going gets tough just dig in and get on with it. Your training will work, it just won’t happen overnight!

One of my athletes, who’s training for London, came for his weekly massage having clocked up 131 miles in training. After he left I went out on the bike… well, I couldn’t have him running more than I’d cycled!

See you up the road,

E D