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Brian Smith Micro Thread...

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  • @Brian Smith -  I know that crap is also expensive! Your race performance will thank you if you can have consistent nutrition and your training. If doing it in every ride isn't possible, then make sure it happens consistently for every long ride. That is, for every Saturday. This way we will begin to see how your body is adapting to the nutrition... and we will know what weeks are required, if any. You can Google the sodium content on anything, and I recommend you do that. Having salt pills by salt stick is also nice, but we need to know what your baseline Salters. Ideally,  you are not drinking water as it is in the heart. We really want you to be taking in some form of sports drink!

    I am OK with the vo2  test, but don't get too excited about the results. As I have mentioned earlier, the data can vary pretty wild one based on the measurements technique and the sensitivity of the equipment.  It's cool, if it's a good learning experience, but it may not be super relevant. Either way, it will be a great workout!

    However you need to adapt the big day is fine. If you do it all on Friday then you know, Saturday is off. If you have to split it, make it happen. Training is important, but it is not more important than keeping the family happy!
  • Ps - your heart rate could be elevated for tons of reasons. Much harder this time of year than the last time you texted, extra caffeine, dehydration, etc. I am more interested in your power from those tests that I am your heart rate. Your longer workouts on the run and bike will do a better job of giving us relevant heart rates for race day. 

  • @Coach Patrick

    Did the VO2 max test on Thursday and it was pretty good and very interesting on the data I was able to get, once I get all the docs I will email them to you so you can see the background of you want, a newer machine with various capabilities, pretty interesting...

    Question: how can I enter the zones on the site without using he calculators?  Is it possible?  Please advise.


  • @Coach Patrick 

    Did the big workout yesterday in total you can see my close up data on TP if and when you get the time to check.

    Overall as per planned direction:
    - 1 hours swim: 2,450 meters
    - 4 hours ride: 60.45 miles
    - 1 hour run: 5.09 mies

    Nutrition and Overview:
    - Before the swim: 1 Cliff Shot
    - After the swim: One 24 oz bottle of scratch labs and 1 Cliff Shot
    - About 45-50 minute before could get on the bike, traffic and such driving back from the pool.
    - Bike, overall crazy windy, about 45 miles of the bike were into a 15-20mph head wind, any time you see the data for me under 15mph I was either fighting traffic or in a head wind, it seemed to turn when I did and stay in my face.  I was in the aero position for about 70% of the time, but hard to at points with such a strong wind.  At about 40 miles my knees started hurting an muscles started to ache,  Though the whole bit I had 8 cliff shots and 62 oz of scratch labs and 26 oz of water.  Definitely not enough, my stomach was actually growling as well.  I may need something of more substance on the bike as well?  Thoughts on this?
    - About 10 minute between the bike and run, stoped at the house used the restroom, so fluids were flowing (ha).
    - Started the negative split run over the plan for the 30' / 30'

    Overall I felt good at the end of the work out, lost 3.2 lbs on the bike though, which was concerning.  Disappointed in the swim (felt a bit fatigued), overall I tried to keep the heart rate in the zones the whole time on bike and run, so I slowed down a lot on both.  The outcome was very productive I think for me to learn about the various areas and what I need to do especially on the bike, I have to figure out what to carry not he bike and how to eat and drink more, not sure on that yet, but a work in progress I guess.  Any guidance here would be welcome.

    Cheers and going to have a day off with the family....

  • @Brian Smith- you still need to use the calculators, so you almost have to reverse engineer it to get the numbers you want to show up and then that will generate your zones. For example, if I know from another test that my threshold heart rate is X then I will simply enter that heart rate into the heart rate box for my test… And that will generate my heart rate zones which I can save.

    Nice work on the big day! That's a ton of training.

     The biggest lesson learned here is your nutrition. You're basically taking in one big bottle per hour of training, which will not be enough. I am also not a fan of mixing some sports drink and some water. I would rather you figure out a way to have it all be sports drink is water is simply in route on race day and not useful. You can choose your poison with the drink of your choice. 

    I suggest swapping out one of those clif shots with have a power bar. So it will be half a bar, shot repeated every hour. That will be four shots and two bars total.
     I wear a Fuelbelt pouch that clips around my waist. Inside there I can fit all of my nutrition and while I'm writing all I need to do is pull it around is the zipper and dig around for what I want. I can do it safely in the aero bars as long as I'm not in traffic. Eating on the 15's and 45s is a good reminder for me.

    You may need to find a better route to if there's that much traffic? I just want to make sure you're safe!

    Can you tell me more about what you eat and drink on the run? I don't see any information for that.
  • @Coach Patrick 

    Thanks for the info....

    As for the training, overall I felt good on the big day, no real issues with the body, just hungry.  Regarding the nutrition, I decided to switch over to gatorade endurance 100% now moving forward and will order a bunch of it online, as no one seems to sell it.

    Noi problem on the bars, I have not had issues with them in the past so I will try them again moving forward and using it towards the next big day plan.

    I will take a lookout the fuel belt option as well, as I only have one that holds a race number and gels at the moment.

    Regarding the traffic, it is only about 2 miles in road traffic, then i am in run, bike and beach traffic in areas, which can be more dangerous some times, but it is the best solution for me...the issue is I went out to last the other day, as I could not get out early am to do the ride with swimming prior, so I missed the window of less people traffic everywhere.  Only way to beat that will be to swim the night before...maybe on the next big  day I can arrange to do it elsewhere, we will see.

    As for the run, I have only done runs of 60 minutes outside, and usually do not bring anything with me as it is a daily short run, the rest and longer ones have been done inside on the treadmill.  When I run inside I have a 22 oz bottle on the treadmill.  I usually take one gel before each run regardless if it is inside or outside.
  • @Coach Patrick

    Sorry did you mean put in the Aerobic threshold (AT) or the Anerobic threshold (AeT) number in the chart?
  • @Brian Smith - I hear you on the beach traffic! When I go to visit my in-laws if I'm not riding by 5 AM I'm in trouble! I would be 100% OK with you swimming then I before or even the day before if that kept things safer. I would also advise getting some flashing lights for a bicycle… They don't ward off cars but it sure makes me feel safer!

     Practice in the Nutrition) makes a big difference. Right now I'm in the final push of my race prep for tremblant and drinking 4 ounces of Gatorade every mile with a short walk break is just something I do on my long runs. I have to get good at it even if it means doing multiple lives by my house.

    I meant for you to put in the anaerobic threshold number,  or the one that coincides with the lactate threshold. I'm not sure if your abbreviations map with my understanding, but I'm referring to the one that has the higher number! The lower one, which I thought was the aerobic threshold, is more consistent with your endurance training… A.k.a. your Iron Man pace run. 
  • @Coach Patrick

    Hey there, tight week this week and weekend, question, there is the big bike week again on Saturday, here is the question:

    A: Can it be moved if need be to next weekend
    or
    B: I maybe able to do the normal work out this week and do move the swim to Thursday night and the bike and run to Friday...

    How would you want the training plan adjusted on my end if I can figure out how to do option B?

    Please advise.

    Thanks.
    Brian


  • @Brian Smith -  I would prefer or option B, if you do that then we put the long run on Sunday after a Saturday day off, if that makes sense.

    If you do have to bump it to next week that's not a problem either… Just do what you can and we'll go from there. Remember that consistency with us even if you can't do the volume exactly when we specify. 
  • @ CoachPatrick 

    Thanks for the feedback...

    Here is what I plan on doing then:
    - Thursday (today): I will try to get a short run in during my lunch (basically Friday's planned session just shorter if I can fit it in today)
    - Thursday night do the big swim work out
    - Friday do the big bike and run 
    - Saturday off
    - Sunday: do Thursday's big volume run 60 min in the am and 60 min in the evening.

    Any issues with this let me know.  Cheers...
  • edited August 11, 2017 9:41PM
    @Coach Patrick

    Hey Coach P....below is the overview of my big day for your reference, if you care to compare them in TP feel free.

    Did the swim on Thursday Night, had two gels before the swim and during the swim stops I sipped on a 22oz bottle of gatorade endurance.  Really worked on my form and my watch said, even with the stops that I swam my fastest 1,500, not sure that matters, but what I did do overall was lower my 100 time from the last time by about 8 seconds. Swimming in a 25 meter pool so there is a lot of turning, but I was pretty happy with it.  The sprints were a it harder than expected, a lot of outer should ache and forearm ache, overall not bad though.

    Did the Bike and run today, Friday, on the same routes as last time to be consistent.  A lot of slowing down for early people traffic, as well as some group rides, etc, but overall I was pretty pleased.  Was about 17 miles shorter than my 4.5 hour ride last weekend, but I was also not riding in the city like I did today, last weeks ride was on open country roads.

    Todays ride was 67.6 miles compares to 60 miles in the first big ride.  I changed up my nutrition a bit and introduced power bars and GE.  Before the ride I had a gel and honey stinger.  On the ride I had a total of 4 powerboats and 5 cliff shots.  I wanted to eat more but I just couldn't, either no room left in the belly or I just couldn't get it down.  Overall I had 3 - 22 oz bottles of GE and one X-labs torpedo bottle of GE, I think that is 24oz (?)  That is all I could carry with me, and I felt like I needed more to drink.  Stopped 2 times to pee on the route as well.

    Mis-judged the ride and had to do a short commute home with I clocked separately and that was 2.54 miles tough the city.  

    When I got home, quick pee stop, one gel and off I wanton the run, about 6 minutes by the time I got all settled.   On the run I had one gel and a 6 oz bottle of water, I could not stomach anymore GE at that point, all the run and ride I was burping up GE and Gel/PB, so I think my tank was a bit full.

    The run I started out as per plan, but basically was in TRP the whole time at various levels, lower in the beginning and a little higher as I went along. 

    My Previous big day run results were: 5.09 miles
    - 11:54
    - 12:07
    - 12:08
    - 11:37
    - 11:21
    - 0:55

    Today's big day run results were: 5.44 miles
    - 11:27
    - 11:18
    - 11:15
    - 10:48
    - 10:43
    - 4:30

    Overall I felt better today than the last big day, my run was more consistent, but I needed more fluids come the second half of the short run, I need to carry more with me I think when I train.  I felt good in progress on this round of training.

    Let me know your overall throughs or questions when you can.

    Cheers.
    Brian

  • @Brian Smith  first, your overall plan for the weekend looks great!

    Thank you so much for the update. I think those are both really great improvements. Learning to even drink that much takes time… In fact maybe four weeks before eating and drinking that much feels normal. That's when the reasons why practicing it is so important.

     I will say that I eat my power bar in hour one and hour three  on the bike, the remainder of time is gels. That might help you out a bit.

    If possible I'd like to you to get comfortable with drinking Gatorade and downs on the run. It might be worthwhile investing in a fuelbelt with 2 to 4 bottles so you can carry stuff with you all the time and practicing every run, even a 30 minute ones!

    enjoy the rest your weekend.
  • @Coach Patrick

    I know you are busy preparing for this weekend, but if you get the chance can you take peek at my training peaks account and review my progress. I am getting a bit concerned that my training is not progressing as it should, fitness, etc..  Maybe it is me, just over analyzing, but I don''t feel that I am moving forward as I would have expected in all areas.

    Also, did the bike test tonight and only changed my zones by one point up, was a bit disturbing.

    Thanks.
    Brian
  • @Brian Smith -  I will take a look at your account today from the car. It's important to remember that Fitness never approve linearly although if you step back Farenuff it sure appears that way. Setting expectations for anything beyond six weeks is a tough game to play. I'll tell you what I find. 
  • @Coach Patrick

    Thanks.  Safe travels and wish you and the team well for a good race this weekend.
  • @Brian Smith  - Finally hit your TP.com account this morning and updated your Dashboard area with a few charts.

    Some food for thought here....you are really only just now getting serious with the training into Louisville. As your Run / Bike / Swim charts show, your training volume has been pretty low, averaging 5 hours a week.

    * Run just cracked 20 miles / week first time all year
    * Bike just cracked 100 miles / week first time all year
    * I believe you are a good swimmer...not worried about that here.



    As you transition from the short / harder stuff to the IM training, the volume goes up and your speed will drop a bit. You will be getting stronger overall but you shouldn't expect your FTP and vDOT to continue improving when you add volume.

    Here in your PMC we can see the TSS (Red Dots) really leap up...you can clearly see where you are doing more work on the new plan starting July 27th. 



    So you are doing more work and that work will get better, but speed isn't the best metric to compare yourself against. Instead, I encourage you to:

    • Compare Saturday to Future Saturdays, and Sunday to Future Sundays....are you improving there? 
    • How is your nutrition working on the bike and long run? 
    • How consistent is your weekly mileage?
    I hope this helps!!!

    ~ Coach P
  • @Coach Patrick

    Thanks for the feedback, and first of all congrats on your race and KQ!

    So a few things, recently I have been losing motivation, but sure why, maybe the long hours training alone or whatever, this week I altered the plan to spend more time with he kids (3 and 7) and the wife, I still am doing all the work outs, just moved them around a bit, as you will see in TP next time.  The days are just changed on when I do what.  Seeing if this will help motivate me more...not sure what it is.

    As for the training, I have been following the plan so I see how that the point where my volume went up it is when we switched me to the 12 week out IM plan, the bike volume, miles versus hours will be down a bit when I am triangular in the city, as I have some people and car traffic to deal with, but when I can get out to the country, I am noticing my miles and average speed, etc are up, obviously.

    A for nutrition, I have tried what you said, 1 Powerbar per hour and gel in between, cutting the powerboats in half and that seems to work.  On today's 4.5 hour ride I had 3-22 oz bottles of GE and one 24 oz bottle of GE, peed once and once the I got home.  Started at 179.4 pounds and ended at 179.2 pounds, would that mean I have dialed my nutrition in?  BTW, have not been under 180 in 20 years...ha  down from 197 in January and it is shocking...

    Thanks agin for you help and if you have any advise on motivational tactics I would love to hear them, have never felt this way riding or whatever...

    PS:  Shocked that you think I am a good swimmer, just really started swimming and working hard on form, so I guess the EN swim trains really works!  ;-)
  • @Brian Smith -  I like the adjustments that you're making and I do understand the challenges of motivation. The best thing to do is make sure that you are ready to go for each session that you're supposed to. You don't have to do them all, but crush the ones that you're targeting. 

     For this I need to make sure I have everything lined up before I go to bed. I close, my nutrition, at Central. When I have all of that out then then I have zero excuses. Sometimes it's a simple as getting dressed before my training session, then it will happen. 
     
     Motivation usually comes and goes especially as the training hours change. Right now you are in the period of wrapping up and this is when it is the heaviest. I encourage you to play with the hours to make sure you stay in touch with the family, but also know that into weeks everything will be much better once you and the kiddos adapt. 

     If you can't do training rides with local friends or Rawlins either, make a note to go on Strava and sure some people on. Spread the love to them, and it will come back to you.

    The nutrition piece sounds perfect, very excited with that. That will prove to be massively important. You are definitely headed in the right direction,  but I understand the journey is not an easy one. If you need my help adjusting stuff let me know! 
  • @Coach Patrick

    Hey Coach P, Major schedule conflict I was just told about with work, I have to be in Germany with a client at an exhibition in Hannover from September15th though the 24th, and I know they do not have a pool or a bike at the hotel they booked me in, I hope they have a treadmill, as my hours I will be with the clients are at least 8am though 8pm minimum.  This is a big issue for me as it comes so close to the race, I am not sure what I can do to adjust my training accordingly not to lose fitness for the swim, bike and run.  Do we need to adjust my training schedule starting now to accommodate the travel issue?  Please help!


    PS: I scheduled two coach calls ahead of time but I did not see the confirmations, is that a you or Brenda email?
  • @Coach Patrick

    Coach P:  I had to adjust this weekends' plan as per our chat, was unable to ride and run on Sunday, due to weather and family, but did a short ride on the trainer tonight (Monday) of 2 hours, got the legs going.

    I also have to change the plan for the end of the week, I will be able to do the whole week but for the big camp day on Friday and Saturday I will have to adjust it to this, please advise if it is ok:

    Thursday: Friday big camp swim
    Friday: Ride and Run per the plan, but in the city
    Saturday: Ride and run but not in the city in the country (have to go to a funeral out of state but can ride there)
    Sunday: Planned long run

    I know you want consistency on the ride, but that is not possible due to the funeral.  Any changes you would suggest?

    Also my travel dates will alter at the end of next week as we discussed, I will get them to you so we can set up the proper plan in the next days.

    Thanks.

    PS:  Listened to the 10 things learned podcast on the bike, nice change of pace on the podcasts.
  • @Coach Patrick

    Bump

    Also, travel dates are leaving on the 15th and returning on the 22nd from Germany.
  • @Brian Smith - thanks for the bump, as you can see here I'm still playing catch-up from the long weekend!

    Your modification for this weekend is fine, I'm all right with one solid right on Friday and one "best we can do" on Saturday. While I like to back up the first is ride with a similar second ride, at the end of the day just having you ride again is the biggest change that we can effect.  Don't worry so much about how you peace that ride given the logistic's of your day, but I do expect to see a good run on the final day of camp week. 

     Traveling the 15th to the 22nd isn't that bad! You missed one weekend of riding back and get right back on it when you get home again. My suggestion to you is as follows: 

    *  get one long run in for the week before you go so you aren't stressed when you land.

    *  our top priority for the week of your travel is to get three rides in. I don't care how you do it but we want 3 x 1 hour pretty hard sessions. If you're able to get in more time than an hour, then that should be done in half Iron Man pace up to 2 1/2 hours long. 

    *  plan on being as consistent as possible with your training while on the road. That means getting in aerobic time every day even if that means a hotel gym. If you are going to run outside, you don't have to go overboard and please pick safe locations.  Bonus if you can find a pool to swim in but do not try and replicate our bike rack outside the hotel gym bike.

    *Also prepare everything you will need for the day you get back. This means when you finally get home on Friday you'll be very quick to make the transition from professional to triathlete in a few quick steps.

    then it's back on the plan!! 
  • @Coach Patrick

    Thanks for the response.

    So for next week, it says to take off Monday, but being that I will be gone the following week would you want me to get something in, even a short run, swim or whatever, or just seriously rest?

    I plan on trying to follow the original plan for next week and get all workouts in before I leave, I may also be ale to squeeze in one of next weekends work outs in on Friday before I fly out, as I leave at dinner time, not sure yet.

    As for the week I am in Germany, the hotel does not have a gym and I will be at EMO with clients on my feet all day, so the only chance I will get to do anything is likely in my room at odd hours due to jet leg, how about running in place for a while...lol, just a thought to get the heart rate up.

    Upon my return on Friday, although it is a 13 hour flight I plan on trying to do something, may not be the exact plan worked out for that day, but I want to get out and back at it if possible right away, while still getting rest and trying NOT to get too fatigued or sick.

    Thanks again.
  • @Brian Smith - how about you use Monday as an open day to fit in something but he thinks not going to work somewhere else. In other words, instead of adding a new workout on the day, look at your schedule and see what's going to be too tight to make happen and put it there. Kinda like having an extra space on the board.  ;)

     This place you call Germany sounds terrible for athletes. Do your best to walk everywhere as that can help. Even a brisk 30 minute walk at lunch could help. I would use your evenings for Core and some flexibility as you can ever get too strong there. 

     When you return I would start off with the bike just to shake things out on the first day. Even if it's 30 minutes just something that week in the legs up. I would wait a day or two before I started running but the pool is also an option. The most important thing you can do is to sleep on the plane on the way home, so if you don't do that naturally maybe get some Benadryl and buy yourself a drink. #notadoctor
  • @Coach Patrick

    Hey Coach, I posted my camp results in the IN LOU thread, reversing the days did not go as well as I would have expected, nutrition was dialed in for the 50 mile's rides in the past, but is lacking for the longer rides, as a result of how I was after the run and on Saturday night and Sunday, I need more intake, not sure what to try to keep the right calories up.  I did not lose but just a pound on the ride, but my body was craving something else that I did not have in the gels and power bars, not sure what it was, but I was out of it...any help would be appreciated!

    As for above, I think tomorrow needs to be a day off for me mentally and physically...
  • @Brian Smith -  Holy cow that was an awful weekend. I'm glad to see you came up with a list of lessons learned so many of those things won't happen again. It's easy to second-guess with hindsight, but in all I think you made the most.

    Very curious about the nutrition piece as it sounds like you certainly are taking in enough calories on paper for the intensity and wish you were riding. If you told me you did a ride  of 100 miles at half Iron Man effort, I would expect that kind of reaction because your body is just slammed. In your case you explicitly state you were taking it easy and the calories are still not enough… That doesn't add up. Misty wonder if your nutrition the day before was an issue or perhaps if you're fighting something off. I would like another long ride data point before make a decision, but if you start to feel that way midway on the ride pull over at a convenient store and go shopping for carbs. 

    How does this weekend look for riding?
  • @Coach Patrick

    I cannot tell you how laughable I look back at this weekend, I really know what pedaling squares is like the say on the tour broadcasts now!  On the ride I did not feel bad per-say, but it was upon finishing up the run after that I was really in bad shape, even though the run was only a short one it was the aftermath where i felt awful and looked worse as my wife said....

    Regarding the info above, I am wondering if reversing the rides hurt me, being that I did the 56 the day before the 113, would that have effected my nutrition intake and recovery?  As for this weekend, I leave tomorrow for Germany and do not return until next Friday, so my exercise when gone will be working with clients walking around EMO, and also running place or whatever in the room, no gym at the hotel I am at. 

    This week has not been great as far as workouts go, I took Monday off as I was zooted rom the camp weekend, and Tuesday I ran and tried the optional swim, but was out of energy by 1200 meters.  Wednesday I did a longer Thursday run of about 1:48 minutes with a roughly 10:40 or so mile pace, but had to cut it 12 minutes short to get back for the kids dinner.

    My plan is to likely either swim tonight and ride not he trainer or swim and go for a run, whatever fits in being that I am leaving tomorrow afternoon.  If at all possible I am going o try and get a ride in tomorrow after the kids go to school and before I leave.  This week though was hard on the body so far and has been lacking in time in perpetration for my business trip. going from 236 miles last week to a very low amount this week is frustrating but I think necessary.  As for the down week next week, as I mentioned I will try and get the short cardio in via steps or worthing we each day, but it will depend on jet lag and client work, etc.

    When I return next Friday I plan on going for a short swim or spin.  

    In regards to your question about a longer ride, how far are you looking at for a reference point?  I will not be able to get another 6 hour ride in for a few weeks due to my schedule, but I can likely get a 3-4 hour ride in on the weekend I return I think, it will just be city versus country.
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