Toni Buck 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
Started playing triathlon 2013. Goal in the sport is for fitness. Training allows me to be more productive. I work full time as a hospice nurse. I have a supportive spouse and 3 children- self sufficient. Training focus has always been to train minimally to accomplish my goal to finish and enjoy the race. I absolutely love race day. I typically take a break 5-6 months prior to training again. Its necessary for me to shift more focus on family and home during the break. I only participate in 1 race /year. I listen to my body and take complete rest days when fatigue or overwhelmed w/ home and work commitments.
I have completed:
2014 IM Cozumel : 15:03. S 1:32. B: 8:06 mechanical prob R: 5:08
2015 IM FL : 14:40. S: 1:52. B : 7:10. R: 5:19.
2016 IM AZ: 14:48. S: 1:43. B: 7:31. R: 5:14
2017 IM Cozumel 13: 59. S: 1:11 B: 7:24 R: 5:01
I have never been injured and always played it safe how and where I train. I train alone.
I have Wahoo Kickr . I use this during the week and drive :30 to a trail for long rides.
I swim at the Y .
I always train prior to work 0800 and almost never train after work since I need to focus on home & family w/ almost no time for hobby. In bed by 8pm for a 4:30 wake up.
I have been able to find great balance w/ my hobby so far.
My swim and bike skills are very limited. I suffer on hills /inclines on the trail. I will work on getting better on the swim and bike to make sure I am successful in beating the cut off times @ IM Barcelona.
Your Races
- March 3-10 cruise
- June 27- July 14 Barcelona cruise
- 10/7/2018 -- IM Barcelona
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 January 29, 2018
- Get up to speed with EN, on boarding calls, etc.
- On 2/5/2018 load the OutSeason Plan, follow the L1 workouts, to end on 5/13/2018.
- NOTE: March 3-10 cruise falls on Week 5 (test / rest week) so just stay active, and pick up with Week 6 when you return!
- On 5/14/2018 Load the -- Swim Camp to end on 5/27/2018
- On 5/28/2018 Load the Beginner Bike Focus Block, 6 Weeks to end on 7/8/2018
- On 6/27/2018 to July 15th = Barcelona Cruise!
- On 7/16/2018 Load the EN*Full (follow the L1 Workouts) to end on 10/8/2018
- On 10/9/2018 Load the -- Post Ironman Transition Plan, All Levels (4wks) to end on 11/5/2018
- On 11/6/2018 Load the -- Run Durability 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 12/3/2018
Coach Notes
Thanks for joining the Team and checking us out. Once you and I determine your races, I can update your "training plan" selections here on this page. In the meantime, you did just race COZ (great run for you!) and so I know we are in the rebuilding / re-entry phase for you. I would like to see you jump into our February OutSeason Plan next week...it's "early" to get serious, but you can do the L1 (easiest) workouts and definitely take off Monday / Fridays of each of the first 5 weeks as you transition.
I vote the OS only because it's our most effective training plan and will generate the biggest return on investment. Low training time but high value training. We can discuss more in our Coach Call: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min -- and you should check out the OutSeason Plan info page as there are links there where you can download bike workouts to use on Zwift (if that's your thing) or how to get connected to our Trainer Road account.
Think about your season and the Feb OS...I'll be standing by!
Coach Homework
Tell Me Your Season Goals
- What will make you consider 2018 a success?
- What's your biggest limiter right now?
Contact Points
As part of your journey to becoming a Self Coached Triathlete inside TeamEN, we are prepared to give you excellent support for your first 90 days. Our goal is to transition you from live, in-person support to using our digital resources and the Team to help you continue your progress as you execute your Three Year Plan.
These are all the key points in your first year where we must talk. 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 (TBD in this Coach Thread)
Questions
• Coach Questions - Right here in this thread. Always reply to this same thread, it keeps a record for us as we evolve together!
• General Questions - Simple stuff can go to the Q & A Central Forum for the Team to answer. For example, Best Bike? How to improve run cadence? How to flip turn?
• Need Help? - Please check the EN Help Site first!
• Admin Questions - Billing or orders or whatnot? Use the red chat button at the bottom of the Members Site (not forums) or email us here.
• Specific Questions about a Race or Power, etc? - You can post those into the targeted forum for that topic. Power questions to the Power and Pace Forum. Race questions to your specific race forum, etc. Not sure where to post? Put it in the General Discussion forum and we’ll sort it out. Whatever you do, PLEASE ask your questions!!
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 / Trial Member Welcome.
Your First Year Inside Endurance Nation
We want to talk about 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.
Looking forward to working with you this year,
~ Coach P
Comments
The Feb OS bike focus plan will be most appropriate to my overall training goal. Cycling is my greatest limiter. I will get testing done this week. I have not completed a 20 minute test since it was so tough. I will need to learn more on using my power meter . I will connect to Trainerroad for the work outs. Finishing IM Barcelona will make a successful 2018.
Thank you.
Toni
@Toni Buck -
I saw @Brenda Ross 's note on your Roadmap omission...I am so sorry!!! I remember going to the IM Barcelona page, and honestly I think I started exploring and then forgot why i was there!!!
It looks fantastic!!!
I have outlined the rest of your season ^above^ including what you'll be doing over the rest of your year -- this is only an outline but you can certainly enter the Start / End dates into your calendar as a reminder so you don't miss any of the important parts!
With a Wahoo, I'd recommend you consider using Zwift (Getting Started on Zwift) as it's infinitely more fun than Trainer Road...but maybe check out their website for a demo first so you can see what it is: www.zwift.com.
We can talk in more detail about how we can help you improve this year on our Coach Call this Thursday.
Can't wait!
~ Coach P
Not doing the bike test today. Body not ready. I can review my trail ride last w/e and used the power info. My NP for the 2hr ride was a109 vs my Cozumel race @89. I can try to test this weekend since I prefer to do it on the trail vs trainer. Not too concerned w/ #s for now but more w/ pushing myself to venture into adding Fast in my training plan. Thank you for the Season Outline. I will have to modify it as my vacations come up. I have 5 weeks of vacations prior to the race w/ almost 3 weeks in Europe for a cruise July 1 and for a week Mar 3rd. I will look at Zwift . Signed up for full EN membership today.
As for the dates of travel, just tell me what they are when you know and I'll adjust your season dates above for you so you are clear on what to do when!
If you need anything, please reach out!
~ Coach P
So great to talk today...thanks for your time! I enjoyed getting to know you better...and I look forward to your season with Endurance Nation.
Major Goal: Successful Finish at IM Barcelona.
Travel:
Training Changes:
Training Set Up:
Your Homework:
So great to talk today...thanks for your time! I enjoyed getting to know you better...and I look forward to your season with Endurance Nation.
Major Goal: Successful Finish at IM Barcelona.
Travel:
Training Changes:
Training Set Up:
Your Homework:
Get Training Peaks account going on...
Email intercom:
Vacation
height weight and hopefully a picture of you on your bike...
Hi, Just checking if you got my email sent 2/9 in response to the homework above.
Thanks
Basic Stats:
Thanks for this. So you are on the tiny side, which means that Absolute Watts (power) is your biggest limiter. You should be able to climb well enough (compared to others) but the wind / long open stretches will hurt you. Running should be fine / not a big issue for you.
Vacations:
- March 3-10 cruise
- June 27- July 14 Barcelona cruise
I have accounted for those travel dates in your Roadmap above, I think that you will be 100% fine as long as you can stay active while you are on the cruise ship. Doesn't have to be much, we just need to keep you active and loose!Training Plan:
Toni, you can only see one week at a time on our site right now. That's on this page here. You can use the drop down next to the plan name to skip forward or back as needed. Please let me know if this continues to be a problem!
Your Bike:
You are limited by your size in terms of what you can do aerodynamically. That said, you are quite upright on your bike...I have put a picture below yours of Cait Snow who is also very petite. See how her head, when down, it quick sheltered. Hopefully you have a good local resource to help you dial in your fit to be a bit more aggressive...it's all free speed!
Training Peaks: (Login Saved)
I went back to look at IMCOZ...some low hanging fruit there.
First, your bike (here). Way too variable...the ups and downs of power (purple) are really costly (red heart rate swings) and can hurt you overall. You had an HR AVG of 141, but your first hour had quite a bit over 150. We'd rather see a check mark....a quick drop from T1 HR as you settle in...then building steady up and to the right (like a check) as your steady watts lead to a building HR.
On the run, you had much better execution. That said, you were still to hot at the start. We want your first 6 miles to be at your bike HR..so they should have been at 141, not at the 151 that you ran for the first four miles -- too fast in these early miles can really crush your aspirations.
Very excited to work with you this year...let me know what questions you have as you settle in with your training!
~ Coach P
I hope you’re having a fantastic time.
Thank you so much for taking the time to evaluate my race results. Never been done except noting the time. I tried to lean in during my ride today to emulate Cait’s posture. Plan Retul bike fit for a gradual aggressive bike posture next Month.
Struggling w/ OS Plan. Crazy to feel I don’t want to run, bike or swim sometimes.
Welcome to your SECOND MONTH inside Endurance Nation!
To help you continue your progress, we have a few short questions for you. You can copy the questions and put your answers in your reply to this thread (no need to copy the questions, just keep the numbers the same!).
** Rankings **
Please rate the following items on a Scale of 1 to 3 (1 = Unsatisfactory, 2 = Satisfactory, 3 = Great!):
Swim Fitness:
Bike Fitness:
Run Fitness:
Weight / Body Composition:
** Subjective Information **
What is Your Biggest Improvement So Far?
In What Area Do You Need Additional Support?
Would You Recommend Endurance Nation to a Friend?
** Additional Learning **
Now that we are beyond the initial learning curve of Endurance Nation, it's time to give deeper into some additional resources that can really help you out.
You have several options:
Learn Big in our Video Course Section, where Coach Patrick is building our new library of EN Video Lessons to make sure you are 100% up to speed on our most critical topics.
Learn Quick in the Question and Answer Central, where your fellow teammates work together to give you the best possible answer to your questions (one at a time please)!
Learn Deep by Exploring the EN Wiki, the repository of all things taught and learned by EN. There is more info in there than you could read in a year, so pace yourself! Worst case scenario, go to the All Pages section and use "Control +F" on your keyboard to search for the most relevant article.
** Need Coach Input? **
Don’t forget you can schedule a check in call with Coach Patrick online here: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min
We are looking forward to your answers!
Overall, I’m following the OS bike focus plan & completing at least 40-50% of Z4/VO2 sessions. Being able to incorporate this type of training early in the season , is my biggest improvement so far. I do struggle still w/ getting used to following a plan this early. No need for additional support on this. I need to just figure out what positive diversion from Tri mindset I can come up w/ during the OS. I am on vacation starting tomorrow so it might help since it’s my 1st time off since the race. I have recommended EN already to friends.
Swim Fitness:1
Bike Fitness:2
Run Fitness:3
Weight / Body Comp 3
To put it another way, you have "earned" that vacation!!!!!
Tell me more about this diversion you mention, I want to make sure I can help in that regard. Also, when you are back, please set up another coach call with me for a time that works best for you: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min
Hope all is well,
~ Coach P
Welcome to your THIRD MONTH inside Endurance Nation!
This month we focus on helping you become more independent as part of your growth as a Self-Coached Athlete. Whether you are planning your season, preparing to race or transitioning to a new endurance challenge...Team Endurance Nation is ready to help!
If you haven’t done so already, please set up your Month Three Coach Call here.
** Training Focus **
We consider anytime in your season when you are more than 12 weeks away from your event to be a training focus. There are different phases of training (OutSeason®, General Prep, Sport Specific), but they are fall under the same umbrella.
Now that you are through your first two months of Endurance Nation, You have learned a few key “rules” of how we play the game, and you are ready to take charge of your experience.
Training Lesson Recap:
No single workout is more important than your health, or your season goal.
Prioritize your “key” workouts each week, then fill the rest of your space.
We can always fix over rested. We can’t fix broken, exhausted or sick.
Have a specific goal for each training block - what is the desired end state?
Taking Charge:
You should be comfortable moving your own workouts around at this point.
You can change plan ability levels as needed to keep yourself on track.
You can use the Test Week at any time to confirm a fitness change.
If you want to take a different path that we suggest...do it and keep us posted!
** Racing Focus **
Once you are within the final 12 week window to your event, it’s time to really focus. From key workouts to nutrition to logistics, there’s a great deal to cover. There’s a fine line between a great day and a day where you want a total do-over.
Key components of your final push should include:
Simulation Workouts to replicate the mental, physical and nutritional scenario you expect on race day.
A tried and true nutrition plan for your event; this is your last chance to lock it in!
Draft and review of a Race Plan to make sure you are 100% ready to take this on.
Optional rest as needed, and a defined taper in the last two to three weeks as necessary.
13 Weeks out from your race you should be getting a race preparation email and an invitation to GroupMe - if you haven’t gotten that yet - let us know!
** Additional Support **
In addition to The Forums and other Team-related support, you still have the chance to connect with Coach Patrick across your first year. Right now it’s time for your three month call with Coach Patrick; and you can book it here.
Tip: Find all your other call windows across your first year, please visit the EN Staff page.
Be sure to check out our Three Year Plan in Resources / Wiki so you can see how we recommend improving from season to season.
Coach Phone Consults
If you are looking for support above and beyond the traditional Endurance Nation experience, you can book a consult with Coach Patrick. These are billed at $100/hour and Can be on almost any training or racing topic. Please click here to learn more / get started.
Congratulations for moving forward with you training as you build to your race goals. We can’t wait to see what you are capable of this season!
Re: 12 weeks to IM BCN
I failed to look at the updated season road map & have been following the 20 Week Minimalist IM plan since May 21. After the cruise, I’m now on week 12 & have had to use week 1 for the bike threshold on the trainer. Zone 4 @ 10-12’ still too tough for me. I am able to do the intervals Zone 3 & 4 on the long rides. I have more travel plans below which I will make it very difficult to get long ride done
Travels:
On call Aug 18-19 8-8p. .. trainer ride
Colorado Aug 24-29
PA September 1-3
If you could please review my training data in Training Peaks & let me know your thoughts or any additional recommendations for my race.
The course in Calella looked fine. It’s the bike cut off I’m always worried about. I’m still so slow. Would upgrading from my Gatorskin help?
thank you for your help
hello,
I hope you’re doing well. I am 12 weeks out till IMBCN . I do not recall getting race preparation email & not sure what to expect. Not sure if there’s a group me on this race since I have not seen in the forums.
I am not sure who to ask ,but I did send an message to Mariah regarding a visor I ordered more than 2 weeks ago. I have not received it & also emailed back using the address that sent me the order receipt
thanks for your help
Speaking of a new training plan, I am not against you doing the minimalist one. You have seen both of them so you understand the differences in the layout, so I defer to you. I personally like the plan you are on because of the back to back ride weekends which really help build the bike fitness.
About your travel weeks, what we usually do is have people alter their training during the week to get more cycle again Monday through Friday, saving the long run for the weekend. Can you tell me what you will be able to do when you’re traveling it’s of the training? That will help me out! Also, have you made the switch to the FinalSurge platform or not?
I wish the cycling wasn’t hurting you so much as that will be a great way for us to increase your my fitness. We could move to four bikes a week with frequent running to make sure you are ready. Do you have the discomfort only went cycling? Or do you also feel it when running? I want to make sure I get my advice right. Thank you!
i am 5’3 @118lbs. My previous race results and how I feel during the training is consistent. My training volume max has always been 1-2 weeks of 12hrs averaging 9 hours for the entire plan. I need to stay in that range. I will focus on getting faster to make the cut off not much more energy beyond that. Typically I can only do 1 workout during the week. I need recovery from the saddle though. I need to get 3x cycling done which I have been barely completing since the Z4 usually fatigues me quickly.