Kara Hays Official Coach Thread
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 Notes
I have never competed in any races. I've been doing CrossFit for the past three years. I had knee surgery this past May to repair a torn meniscus. The injury happened while training for a 5k with a run coach. I returned to CrossFit 12 weeks after surgery, but I have to modify most all workouts. I'm still unable to run, so my husband (Greg Hays - an Endurance Nation member), encouraged me to try freestyle swimming and biking. Both are sports I have never done before. I started swimming a couple weeks ago and I'm enjoying it a great deal. I just purchased a road bike and would like to begin training for my first aqua bike race in April of next year.
My goal over the next six months would be to drastically improve my endurance. I have always struggled with endurance and running has always been difficult for me. I'm looking forward to having a training plan that will have me feeling comfortable with my ability to finish the April aqua bike race. It's a sprint race (700 meter swim and 16 mile bike).
Your Races
- 04/07/2018 Aqua Bike (700 meter swim & 16 mile bike)
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 09/20/2017
- Complete the Trial Testing Week, save your Bike and Run Zones to the My Zones Page.
- On 10/2/2017 Load the Beginner Bike Focus Block, 6 Weeks to end on 11/12/2017
- On 11/13/2017 Load the -- Run Durability 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 12/10/2017
- On 12/11/2017 Load the -- Run Durability 2 (8 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 1/7/2018
- On 1/8/2018 Load the Intermediate AquaBike, 20wks to end on 4/8/2018
Coach Notes
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
RACE EXECUTION and how we can help you get faster by being smarter on race day. There are no medals for great swims or getting to the top of a hill first — on race day only your finish time counts. There are many ways of being faster, and here are some of the resources we have to help you out.
- The Four Keys of Race Execution Video: The Coaches walk you through the macro level elements of a successful race.
- Distance Specific Guidance: Learn the fundamentals of racing Short Course and Long Course events, from each discipline to pacing zones, etc.
- Race Specific Pages: We have aggregated information on specific races from the internet, race reports and even our own coaching resources. You can find your race Master Racing Page section.
- The Race Forums: You can search for race reports or connect with your teammates. There are sections for 70.3, 140.6, and Marathons.
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
Comments
I mention in my notes that I had meniscus surgery this past May, but it was my third knee surgery in the past 12 years (one on left knee and two on the right). I'm not sure if running will ever be part my my training. I think I was just blessed with bad knees and that's why I'm focusing on learning Freestyle swimming and road biking, so I can have a new way to exercise and hopefully avoid having more knee surgeries in the future.
The training program you have for me know includes running. I'd like to have a training program with only biking and swimming. Since I'm new to the sport and without much of the needed gear, I'm still waiting on delivery of some of the bike gear I've ordered to do my bike test. We're going on a family vacation early next week, so my plan is to have both the bike test and swim test completed by the end of next week and results saved to my Zones Page. Our initial call is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18th. If you're able to adjust my training plan with only bike and swim befor our call, I'll begin training. If not, I will start training after our call. My first race is not until April and it's a sprint distance AquaBike.
Thanks,
Kara Hays
1) I am glad you talked to brenda so you could get up to speed a bit on the site...it's a lot but all you really need to know about is your Plan, your Zones, and the Forums.
2) We don't have a "NO RUNNING" training plan but when we talk I can advise you on how to replace the runs there with alternate workouts or rest days, no issues there.
3) I have updated your Schedule above to remove the Run Durability Program (RDP) now that I know your limiter and to replace with our OutSeason® program. There is running in there, but again, we can handle that together.
I hope you had a great vacation and I look forward to talking with you soon! Here's that schedule link and if you need a sooner call, just text me and I'll fit you in: (617) 513-3830 Cell Phone (EST Time)
~ Coach P