Jeff Braaten's Official Coach Hotline

Jeff Braaten · May 15, 2017 3:45PM

P, my first micro thread and it is a knee problem. I think I have been dealing with runner's knees since IM Arizona in November. It flared for the first time during that race shutting me down the last half of the run. It resolved in a couple of weeks and only occasional issues through IM Texas 3 weeks ago. It didn't bother me during the race and only occasionally during the lead up. Now both knees hurt when running under the patella. Biking is no issue. I am planning on IM Maryland in October and just started the GF plan today via Rich. How should I proceed to resolve this and be ready to go the final 12 weeks leading to Maryland?

Coach Patrick · May 17, 2017 2:02AM

@Jeff Braaten - Thanks for reaching out. This isn't uncommon -- I've had it too. Success for me has been two things:

1. Identifying the cause. Cycling? Running? Running at speed or long? What is it...then we dial it back. For the short term, we could take a week off of running and see what happens...but let me know.

2. Rock Tape - Leigh Boyle has a great video of taping where you scoop the knee up....bike smiley under you knee, but that really helped me in addition to a bit of early rest, post run icing, etc. Here's the info page and here's the video...let me know about part 1 above!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uDstZPqtAk

Coach Patrick · January 18, 2018 4:52PM

Here's your updated Season Plan, as promised. This is where you'll return to post all your "coach" questions as responses; I'll see them and reply. This first post is my best outline of how to proceed with your races, but you can ask any / all questions you want. So post away, know that I reply here usually M/W/F each week.

Power User Tip: Click the Star icon by the Title of this thread to subscribe, and you'll get email updates when I do reply.

Your Notes

Did two 70.3 races last year and IM Texas in April. Since then have been nearly a total slug working out very little. Weight is up to about 197 where usually I am 185-90 while training and racing. This year I want to focus on running and short course triathlons during the summer and work into the Chicago Marathon as a Boston Qualifier. Maybe do a fall 70.3.

Your Races

6/10/18 Half Marathon
10/7/2918 Chicago Marathon (TBD) #262Chicago_18

Season Update

These are your recommended training plans, including the date you should start each one (sometimes you won’t complete a full plan but transition to another one). You can change your plans on the Training Plan page by clicking the Move / Change button. Learn more about each plan on the Training Plan Central Page.

Last updated by Coach on 01/18/2018
On 1/15/2018 Load the -- Run Durability 3 (7 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 2/11/2018
On 2/5/2018 Load the OutSeason (Run Focus) Plan, L2 Workouts, 14wks to end on 5/13/2018
!!REBOOT!!!
On 3/12/2018 Load the Run Focus Plan to end on 4/22/2018
>> Transition Early <<
On 4/09/2018 Load the Half Marathon, Balanced Plan to end on 6/10/2018
On 6/11/2018 Load the Post Half Transition Plan (2 Weeks) to end on 6/24/2018
On 6/25/2018 Talk to Coach about next four weeks for run / volume build .... OR.... Load the next plan (below) and proceed with that.
On 7/23/2018 Load the Advanced Marathon [Balanced], 24 Weeks to end on 10/07/2018
On 10/8/2018 Load the Post Half Transition Plan (2 Weeks) to end on 10/21/2018
On 10/22/2018 Load the -- Run Durability 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 11/25/2018

Coach Notes

Jeff, great to get you back on track. I am not super worried about your weight, as a bigger guy that will come off (mostly) with just consistency. I'd like to see you do our Run Durability Program right now for a few weeks until you can start the February Outseason with the Team. That will do wonders to get you dialed in and then we can really focus on what consistency will bring.

You'll do one (maybe) week of Swim Camp before moving to the Short Course plan for the bulk of the year. Recovery, then marathon time.

While I have you, can you break down what your BQ time is...and what you have run in the past (strava WKO links if you have them)...that will really help me out!

Let's get to work!

~ Coach P

Jeff Braaten · January 18, 2018 10:59PM

Glad to be back in the fold and will load it up. As a side note I am doing the Cowtown Half marathon on Feb. 25th. More of a fun training run than anything since I am out of shape. I might do the Rock N Roll Dallas half on Mar 25th with a little more emphasis on speed unless you think it unwise to do it.
Regarding Boston. I did it last in 2016 in a time of 3:38. My Q race was in Grand Rapids the previous Sept. with a time of 3:32. Both are in Strava but not sure how to send you or post a link here for you to see.

Coach Patrick · January 19, 2018 8:39PM

@Jeff Braaten - Thanks...in the future, when you are the Strava WKO on your laptop, just copy the URL from the browser bar and paste that in here to me. So that two races are between 8:00/mile and 8:20/mile pace. So we'll need to have a nice long run for you somewhere in the range of 8:35 and 8:50...that should be your TRP or run all day as long as I eat pace!

I am okay with both races...we'll just need to adjust each week accordingly to make sure that you are rested enough to run as fast as you want to!!!!

Here's the last chance race from 2015: https://www.strava.com/activities/392795444

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029573/uploads/editor/0a/kd3hpxf23zvk.png

You got carried away with a few sub-8 miles early on, but otherwise this is epic execution.

Were there any things you did training for that race that you'd like to revisit?

~ Coach P

Jeff Braaten · January 19, 2018 9:16PM

I don't think I did anything special. I was running only for a couple of months mid summer at about 40 miles per week and then started normal swim/bike/run from July till the race in GR. Was running about 25-30 miles a week and riding maybe 50-75. Nothing special. Actually it was really my off year. I have been doing mostly one year IM on and then mostly nothing the next. Not the best for long term advancement but I am still mostly injury free.

Coach Patrick · January 24, 2018 10:54AM

Actually, we have found that method to be very effective for keeping people fit and participating for longer… Which is definitely one of our criteria for success in the space. Not the best way to short-term, quick gains, but that’s not what this game is about.

I really like the idea of that weekly mileage target. What is your weekly mileage right now, and are you “running healthy?”

Jeff Braaten · January 24, 2018 7:33PM

I feel fine, occasionally a little left knee pain but minimal. Consistency for the last several months has been terrible. The last 4 days is the first I have done in a row since last spring. I have no target yet unless you suggest one. Friday of this week will be my 7th day hopefully of not missing any workouts and with what I have done so far and those days will have between 25-30 miles for the week running. No problems yet and none anticipated.

Coach Patrick · January 29, 2018 12:44PM

@Jeff Braaten - Honesty is the best policy, so I appreciate your candor. Ultimately, we are looking for a couple weeks with 60s of work in one day of rest.

Remember that could mean just a 2 mile run on one of those days simply to keep things rolling. Another words, the first step is to really change your mindset and then the physical fitness will come.

since you’re just getting back into consistency, you likely will need a little bit of rest even though the 25 mile week does not mentally sound like very much to you.
Goal 1: 6 weeks of solid exercise.

Goal 2: 6 days of exercise each week, with one complete day off.

And result is 36 days of work 160s of rest by March 1, when you will be officially “back.“ Even though you’re training for Races on the front end, you simply can’t force any of it now. The kill your season is truly consistency.

Jeff Braaten · March 5, 2018 6:16PM

P, I have decided that this is going to be a pretty much running year/summer for me. I am reducing my schedule down to running a half marathon on June 10th and then concentrate of the Chicago Marathon on October 7th. At most might do an olympic sometime if the schedule works out but doubtful. So, what kind of plan would you suggest just to keep me in the game planning to take up a few 70.3 races more seriously in 2019?

Coach Patrick · March 6, 2018 1:04PM

Jeff -

Before I dive into going to give me some more context on this decision? On
the real thing to be staying involved and what it can do for your fitness
and the balance of the running. So I am hesitant to just go 100% run for
the year. Let me know if there any physical or schedule limitations or if
this is simply a desired outcome (faster running!) decision. Then I can hit
you back thanks!

Jeff Braaten · March 6, 2018 4:56PM

Lots of things. My motivation for triathlon is down and am in my "off" year. We have been out of our house for a year totally remodeling it and won't likely be back for another 6 months. This is important in that most of my bike training has to be on the trainer and the house we are in is to small to house it and us therefore biking is really tough except on a weekend and occasionally a weekday if I get out early. I do IM and 70.3 to compete, not just participate, so unless I can be fully in I don't see the value of putting in crazy hours training. I see the value in a couple of bike sessions per week and a couple of swims to keep overall fitness in check with 5-6 runs per week. The running part is easy enough for me to do anytime and anywhere. Main race for the year is Chicago Marathon. No injuries. Make sense or should I rethink it?

Coach Patrick · March 9, 2018 1:11PM

Totally makes sense...and I had no idea about those other restrictions WRT your training. I have updated your Roadmap above to show you in Run Focus now. That plan does have some bike/swim (which could be done at a gym). We don't need you at home on Computrainer in hermetically controlled conditions.

But I don't know if you even want to cross train or if you'd prefer to do weights etc.

So let me know about that once you've loaded and seen the plan...we can go from there!

~ Coach P

Ps - hope that house project turns out awesome!!!

Jeff Braaten · May 7, 2018 10:35PM

P, just checking in. I am doing fine, still waiting on our house to be done. Still another few months I suspect. Trying to hit most of the workouts, especially the runs. Did a local 5K this past weekend and went 21:36 but I measured it short with my garmin at 2.9 miles. So I would round that up to 22:36 based on my mile 3 pace. Vdot at 43. Not great but not bad for 61 I guess. Weight is coming down slowly. At about 191 as of this morning. Wish I could have made it to Blue Ridge, looked fun. jeff

Coach Patrick · May 11, 2018 2:41PM

I’ll take it! The sooner we get your weight down to 185 the faster you will be!

We missed you in Blue Ridge, nothing like those mountains to whip yourself into shape. :-) I hope the house project continues smoothly. Let’s check in again in early June.

Coach Patrick · October 17, 2018 3:14PM

@Jeff Braaten - I didn't do a full Roadmap update as we don't have races for you right now on the calendar. That said, we can start chipping away at your fitness using the Run Durability Program for the Fall. You can keep golfing and add in some fitness work such that by the time January rolls around we can make the leap to the OutSeason Plan.

It's not SEXY training right now, but that's kind of the point. We need a solid baseline of running fitness, especially given your goals. Time to start reshaping that discipline...what do you say?

On 10/15/2018 Load the -- Run Durability for Triathletes 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 11/11/2018
On 11/12/2018 Load the -- Run Durability for Triathletes 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 12/9/2018
On 12/10/2018 Load the -- Run Durability for Triathletes 2 (8 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 1/6/2019
On 1/7/2019 Load the OutSeason (Bike Focus) Plan, 14wks to end on 4/14/2019

Jeff Braaten · October 17, 2018 3:25PM

That is kinda what I was thinking also. I had already loaded up the run
durability program and started yesterday after getting off the phone with
Brenda. My main goal for this next year is to not bastardize the plans and
go rogue. Want to see what happens total EN. Thanks

Jeff Braaten · October 17, 2018 3:29PM

By the way, still not back in my house.

Coach Patrick · October 17, 2018 3:35PM

@Jeff Braaten Good god...ok good thing that you are just supposed to run right now! What Is your ETA to get home????

Jeff Braaten · October 17, 2018 3:59PM

Hopefully in the next few months. It will have taken about two years. Gonna have a really nice pain cave though.

Coach Patrick · October 20, 2018 1:18PM

I expect a full video tour! Probably not the timeline you imagined but a good timeline for us with regards to your return to proper triathlon training.

Jeff Braaten's Official Coach Hotline

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