Matthew Guy 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
Getting back on the horse after taking a few months off of training and playing 'beer league' hockey. It's my 3rd season of long course triathlon. I completed 1 70.3, one 1/2 distance Aquabike, and IMLP in 2017. This season I'll be focusing on IMLP 70.3 in September with a plan to return to the full course in Lake Placid in 2019.
Your Races
- 06/02/2018 Olympic Aquabike- King Pine Triathlon, NH
- 06/03/2018 Covered Bridges Half Marathon
- 08/12/2018 Lake Dunmore Triathlon- Olympic
- 70.3 Lake Placid (9/9/2018)
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 March 11, 2018
- On 3/5/2018 Load the OutSeason Plan (Run Focus) Plan, 14wks to end on 6/03/2018
- On 6/04/2018 Load the -- Swim Camp to end on 06/17/2018
- On 6/18/2018 Load the EN*Half Plan, L2 workouts, to end on 9/9/2018
- On 9/10/2018 Load the -- Post Half Iron Transition Plan, All Levels (2wks) to end on 9/23/2018
- On 9/24/2018 Load the -- Run Durability 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 10/21/2018
Coach Notes -- Watch Your Personal Video Here
As I mention in the video, really excited to help you get back on track. Would be nice to put you out on the Placid course and see if you can beat some of the times from the IM last year (better than 50% faster!) as an initial target. When we talk on the phone we can be more specific.
Remember, you can set up a call with me here: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min
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
This will be unlocked after your trial expires.
Looking forward to working with you this year,
~ Coach P
Comments
My takeaways for you from our conversation...
Time Is Tight
- Main Set of workouts is totally okay.
- At a minimum, you can get in a mile run in a day...anything to keep that "athletic mind" engaged.
- A day off a week is recommended. Might not be in the plan but you can make it and take it.
You Are Returning- This takes 6 weeks to feel "good" again as an athlete. You are 4 weeks done...onwards!
- Have to be careful with run volume. Would prefer lots of short runs vs one long one (5 x 2 mile runs better than 1 x 10 right now).
- Remember to drink sports drink when working out...a lot of folks don't when they come back (they forget!).
You Want to be FasterJoin the Team Online
We do a ton of Zwifting in between all of the texting, so I am glad you are plugged in with the group. There's the chat and the ZEN (Zwift Event Node) as well. To learn more (or too much) about Zwift inside EN you can go here: Getting Started on Zwift (for example, half and full WKOs are available for you to download and use in Zwift).
Placid is in Your Future
2019 will be a return to Placid. So let's keep a long ride in your back pocket...ideally you can find a century near you or you can stock up on food and get up early to ride with the Night Train on Sunday AM for a long one. We can discuss as your season progresses.
Have a great trip!
~ Coach P
Welcome to your SECOND MONTH of 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!
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!
Hey Coach,
Kind of a rough season but I'm proud to have battled through IMLP 70.3 on pretty limited training. This is the year!
White Mountains 70.3, IMLP, IMMD. That's what I'm hoping for. Submitted my form and ready to get back to work.
@Matthew Guy - let's do this. Can't believe you survived Placid 70.3™....ridonkulous!
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 Monday & Friday 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.
Coach Notes
Here we go!!!!! 👍 I have you in the Run Durability Program for the fall, and an open block to do our Holiday Run Challenge at the end of DEC. You'll also recharge here before the OS and rolling into LP and then MD. You will have to connect with me to make sure we adapt the second build (Bike focus second IM around), but we'll get there. If you aren't already, make sure you are part of the RDP group me: https://web.groupme.com/join_group/34349815/2Tbioa
Your Races
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.
Your Notes
2017 White Mountains 70.3, 2017 IMLP, 2017 IM ME 70.3 (swim and bike only)
2018 King Pine Olympic Aquabike, 2018 IMLP 70.3Playing hockey 2 times per week. Have taken 3 weeks off and ready to get back at it. I would like to focus on run durability in the off season.
Let's get to work!
~ Coach P