Steve Smith Official Coach Thread

Coach Patrick · August 10, 2017 4:09AM

Here's your personal Coach Thread, 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 here to guide you through your first year on EN, so you can always come back here.

As you'll see in this forum, I handle all manner of edits and changes. 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 WHY and Goals

Coming soon...see homework below!

Your Races

04/21/2018 - IM Texas 2018 (A)
08/11/2018 - USAT Olympic Aged Group Nationals (A)

Season Outline

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 08/09/2017
Complete the Trial Testing Week, save your Bike and Run Zones to the My Zones Page.
On 8/14 Load the -- Run Durability 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 9/10/2017
On 9/11 Load the -- Run Durability 2 (8 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 10/8/2017
On 10/9 Load the -- Run Durability 3 (7 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 11/5/2017
On 10/30 Load the Advanced 2017 OutSeason / Run Durability Plan, 14wks to end on 2/4/2018
On 1/29 Load the Advanced 2017 EN*Full to end on 4/22/2018
On 4/23 Load the -- Post Ironman Transition Plan, All Levels (4wks) to end on 5/20/2018

Schedule Notes

Ready to kick off IMTX training (out season) around last week of Oct
Africa for first two weeks of Oct 2017
Hunting will eat some weekends in Oct/Nov
NOT traveling over holidays this year
Looking at a St George? Havasu? Vegas? 2-week training vacation sometime in ? March ?

Coach Notes

Thank you so much for all the detail...really helps me out!!! So, your fitness is good, but we don't need to go nuts just yet. We recommend our Run Durability Program (RDP) to build up the run strength for the IM distance...and that's something we can modify to include your swim stuff. It's "Structure" without "Pressure" - not like you are training for a race right now.

You'll do the three iterations of the plan BUT leave a bit early in #3 to head into the OutSeason® with the Team on 10/30.

You'll leave that 1 week early as well (we'll need to talk about final tests) to jump into the final 12 weeks to IM Texas.

Given your fitness and lifestyle, you have all the pieces of the puzzle to be successful...right now it's just about consistency and getting a basic week you can do through the start of the OutSeason®. If we can do that right, we'll have increased your odds of running the full marathon significantly!

Learn more about the Run Durability Program (RDP) online here.

Contact Points

These are all the key points in your first year where we must talk. You can schedule all calls with me for these times online here. Please remember to include your phone number.

Welcome Call in Week One (set it up here)
Coach Call in Week Two to talk about your season (set it up here)
End of Trial Call -- We review your experience & Unlock Year One / Race Execution for you (set it up here)
End of Season Call -- We review your year & Strategize for your “gap” and Year Two (to be announced)

For short or last minute questions, we recommend you use the Red Chat Icon on the main Members website.
We have also organized a complete chart of the best ways to contact us online here.

Your First Month on the Team

You have quite a few things to do when you start up. There are instructions on the top of the website, but you can review them under Resources / 0-- First 30 Days on EN. If you have any trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out via the chat icon on the main Members website here.

Your First Year Inside Endurance Nation

This will be unlocked after your trial expires.

Your Homework

Tell Us Why You Choose EN & Your Season Goals

Please reply below with WHY you chose Endurance Nation and WHY you train/compete.
Whenever possible, please identify your goals -- time, body composition, completion...the sooner you put them down the sooner we can get towards achieving them.

Looking forward to working with you this year,

~ Coach P

Stephen Smith · August 29, 2017 11:14PM

Please reply below with WHY you chose Endurance Nation and WHY you train/compete.

Why do I train?

I love hard work. I love the rhythm of training into racing into exhaling into training. Spinning cranks is part of who I am. Running is something I love and need to do at least a little bit to stay sane. And I put in WAY too much work into my swimming to let that skill fade.

Why do I race?

... because I love pushing myself and I like having a goal to focus my training; I love racing WITH people (not against them, with them). Plus, let's be honest; I'm about to turn 50 and this is my mid-life crisis resolution: be fast (without the 'vette).

These days, the call of Ironman has gotten so loud I can no longer ignore it: I want to RACE an Ironman. I used to focus solely on short-course racing (and I did it well), but I've never properly focused on racing an Ironman (well, I tried once, it was a disaster ... 7 other Ironman races mostly "just for fun").

Why EN? Two reasons

EN provides can provide a triathlon community where my little Wyoming town has nearly none. (We actually have a number of Ironman folks in Lander, which is a VERY fit town, but they are mostly of the one-and-done variety).
When I raced short-course, I raced 10-15x a year; I had lots of practice, lots of learning from race mistakes. That's not really possible in an Ironman. I'm hoping the EN community can provide dozens and dozens of IM race experiences relevant to me. I like that general prep phase does speed work ... and I like the podcasts.

Three Year Plan

2018 Goals

APR: Run ALL of the run in an IM, first up: IMTX (minus planned aid station walks)
SEP: If needed: Bear Lake (Utah/Idaho) iron-distance race as backup race if I miss goal in IMTX
Figure out what I need to do to RACE all of an IM in 2019

Secondary 2018 Goals

Probably take a stab at USAT Nationals (B-level race to scope out 2019, might drop for 2nd IM)
Some C races: X-Terra racing, Laramie Enduro MTB race (35mi or 70mi)
Something non-competitive, big, and fun (run-ish the Teton Crest trail? MTB White Rim Trail?)

2019 Goals

Swim 50 x 50m on 0:50 in my 50th year
RACE an IM (or two)
Race USAT Nationals or Worlds (if things roll enough in 2018)

2020 Goals

Take a stab at Kona

As I mentioned, the 50x50 workout is near & dear to me; this was a set I used to do back in the day and on my 35th birthday I decided it was a perfect turning-50 goal.

Coach Patrick · August 30, 2017 12:11PM

@Stephen Smith - thank you for sharing. This is well thought out and focused and very inspirational. I think you found the right home here inside EN!!!

just browsing the list, everything seems pretty solid. For your epic goal in 2019, we have had several people do the rim to rim to rim run as well as other epic challenges. Maybe stick your head inside the epic forum to see what other people are up to or if they have any suggestions for you!

Stephen Smith · February 6, 2018 4:05PM

@Coach Patrick ... Ran a half-marathon on Sunday ... My 5K fitness predicted my 10-mile split perfectly : ) (once adjusted for altitude); however, I slowed down toward the end (methinks it was simply running on pavement after a winter's worth of treadmill running).

Going into IMTX training ... should I be on the 2017 Full plan? Or one of the 2018 plans?

Coach Patrick · February 9, 2018 3:16AM

Congratulations, that’s a fantastic race. Sometimes those last few miles can also be impacted by Nutrition). Half marathon is just long enough that you need to eat something!

You should be on the 2018 plan, your choice of either Bike or Run focus.

Stephen Smith · March 9, 2018 3:04PM

So I've hit one workout so far this week (cruise intervals Monday) : / Mostly because work got busy (as I prepare for vacation, see below) but also because I was feeling a little tired. Feeling better today.

AND I'm heading out Tuesday afternoon for a training vacation of sorts. It's finally getting into the 50s here in Wyoming, but I'm looking for 50s-when-I-wake-up weather ... so I'm heading to St George, UT (or thereabouts).

So, any thoughts on how I can best use a 12-day IM-focused training camp? I'll be working a little bit too, about 4hr each day. My wife will be coming down for the first weekend, so I'll add in some easy/moderate mountain biking to my run days.

Right now my plan was to extend some of the mid-week bikes with an extra 1.5 - 3.0 hrs of easier pedaling and add in some swimming (hopefully find some open water).

Coach Patrick · March 16, 2018 1:23PM

I’d love to see you just get outside for a few longer rides. Don’t feel like you have to replicate the intensity at all, get out and stretch those legs and just enjoy it, it’s a great way to recharge your mental batteries. To keep the long run on the schedule and try to run as frequently as possible even if it’s supershort. And remember to take lots of pictures. As long as you’re consistent, you will be fine when you get back!