Eric Towson 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.
Coach Notes
Your Races
- 06/06/20 Tri 4 fun/sprint
- 06/21/20 California triathlon/olympic
- 07/12/20 Folsom triathlon/ olympic
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 Final Surge by clicking on Training Plans / My Plans. Learn more about each plan on the Training Plan Central Page.
>> Last updated by Coach on December 30, 2019
- On 1/6/2020 Load the OutSeason for Triathletes (Bike Focus) Plan, 14wks to end on 4/12/2020
- On 4/13/2020 Load the Swim Camp to end on 4/26/2020
- On 4/20/2020 Load the Short Course, 20wks to end on 7/12/2020
- On 7/13/2020 Load the -- Post Half Iron Transition Plan, All Levels (2wks) to end on 7/26/2020
Your Notes
This is the third time I am trying to enter my races. Not sure if any have gone through before
Your Homework
Tell Me Your Season Goals
• What will make you consider this season 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 End of Year 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 General Discussion 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, etc? - You can post those to the Race Forum, for example. Not sure where to post? Put it in the General Discussion forum and we will 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
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.
Coach Notes [Click to Watch the Video]
Your Races
- No Race
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 Final Surge by clicking on Training Plans / My Plans. Learn more about each plan on the Training Plan Central Page.
>> Last updated by Coach on September 19, 2019
Your Notes
Multiple sprints and 6 Olympics. Last race 3 years ago.
Uncertain of 2020 races. Maybe some sprints or an Olympic in June, August and September.
Want to improve run durability as 2019 ends.
Maybe out season in Jan 2020
Swim 2 days week with Tower 26 plan.
Strength training 1 day a week.
Occasional run with focus or purpose
Your Homework
Tell Me Your Season Goals
• What will make you consider this season 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 End of Year 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 will 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
Think I have the technology sorted out. Now just trying to learn to navigate the EN site. Loaded in som Olympic tris I like to to just to add something. Success for me this year is rebuilding my fitness. Limitations is don’t want to give up family time. Fitting trying around that. Hope to do the run test in the next ten days.
Sounds perfect. Let’s get you into our check community as well so you can interact with the team in more of a consistent fashion. You can find the information on the website under community/groupme. Good luck with the test.
Eric, Welcome back. I see you have already got your Final Surge sync'd up and you on your way so I will cut to the chase.
Top 5 things to get the most out of your workouts, Final Surge, learning and the EN community.
#1 First thing! Subscribe to this Coach Thread and get an email when we respond. See 8 sec video here to set it up:
Your Coach Thread is the best way to get a hold of us, it documents all of your training and it helps to keep the communication moving. Click on the red star and check box just to the right of your thread title. This way you will get an email when we respond in your Coach thread. See 8 sec video here to set it up:
I see that you are already set up in Final Surge. Your workouts are posting and you have made some comments. Nice work! To get the most out your training - you need that workout data (DONE!) and the story.
#2 Consider downloading the Final Surge App. This makes it way easier to add comments about how you felt, ate, weather etc (for the bike) and sets, paces etc (for the swim). Those are all super helpful to you as you track your progress, prepare and plan your for your race.
It's super easy to make comments about your workout. Click on the "pencil" icon to tap "how I felt" or "perceived effort." You can add a few notes about what you ate/drank (helps to figure out what works best for you on the bike), how you felt mentally, the weather or any aches etc. Those comments are really handy when you are comparing workouts, tailoring your own training, evaluating progress and planning for your ride. It also makes it easy to look at and plan for your upcoming workouts. Just a quick not goes a long way.
The data together with the comments, give you (and us) the complete picture of your training. We definitely want to see those hours, miles, and heart beats - but we also want to know how you felt, mood, how mentally easy or hard the workout was, what you ate and drank on those long rides (helps dial in your fueling and hydration for long races), what went good (as a reminder) and what you want to work on next time. This takes your Final Surge account from just workout data to a full on training log - where you see your progression and become a smarter athlete.
Final Surge | Mobile Apps
https://www.finalsurge.com/apps
#3 Customize your workouts Final Surge
When you are ready you can run a 5k time trial or race and use your average heart rate during the event to set you customized workout zones.
You will do some run and bike tests this week. You can use that test data to customize your workouts to your individual zones. Once you customize them, the workouts will say 20' @ (135-145 heart rate) vs. 20' @ Zone 2.
Here is how you update your training plan with integrated and customized zones (there is a video here too):
https://www.endurancenation.us/help/final-surge-how-to-update-your-integrated-training-zones/
#4 Your new Friends are waiting for you.
GroupMe is the live version of all things Endurance Nation. This is an app you can download to your smartphone and join in the Team chat - races, training, questions, accountability. You name it.
#5 Learn More About Your Plan. Videos! Too easy!
Learn EVEN more about your plan(s).
All of our plans are listed here: http://members.endurancenation.us/TrainingPlan/TrainingPlanCentralPage.aspx#rdp
Use the link to Run Durability on the right - or just scroll 3/4 of the way down the page.
My goal is to make your first month of Endurance Nation as simple and as awesome as possible! For any questions you have getting started - chat with me here in this forum or schedule another call with me here: https://calendly.com/new-member-phone-call/1
Matt, Training Plan Coordinator
@Eric Towson
https://endurancenation.wistia.com/medias/bl9laz9l18
Welcome to your SECOND MONTH inside Endurance Nation!
Our goal is to check in with you, determine the best way to help you continue your journey, and share your progress with the Team!
First off, watch Coach Patrick’s Month Two video.
Step One: Quick Update
Please use this form to update us on how things are going: https://forms.gle/k9p2o3ZYyhGo9U2N6 We will follow up with guidance and advice here in this thread.
Step Two: Book Your Coach Check In Call
As part of TeamEN, you and Coach Patrick will talk one-on-one roughly 4x per year. Let’s connect soon and keep you rolling. Book your check in call with Coach Patrick online here: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min
Step Three: Pick Your Learning Focus
We have several courses and resources for you based on your interest. You can browse the Courses here or review the Coach Lesson archive here.
Need help picking a focus area? Ask us right here in this forum thread (be sure to @CoachP!!), via the red chat icon on the Members Site or by going to Help / Email Support.
Step Four: Your Friends are Waiting
We have several GroupMe channels where we want to hear about your training or you can get a quick answer to your latest race or gear question. Get motivation and team awesomeness via EN Live on Facebook or if you’d rather chat, then find your home on the most relevant Team EN GroupMe chat channel.
Looking forward to your next step!
~ Brenda
@Eric Towson
https://endurancenation.wistia.com/medias/nfahr9cl1b
Welcome to your THIRD MONTH inside Endurance Nation!
Our goal this month is to help you be race ready for your next big event and make sure your connected with your teammates!
First OFF, be sure to check out Coach Patrick’s video online here.
Step One: Master the Four Keys
Head over to watch our main Four Keys video on the Race Central page. While the Four Keys was originally created for triathlon, the lessons extend to all endurance sports (and beyond)!
Step Two: Research Your Race
Leverage your teammates To make sure your race is the best it can be.
Step Three: Connect with Fellow Racers
** 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.
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 on 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!
~ Team EN
Got busy this Fall. Completed what I could for the run durability.
Need to adjust my race schedule and not sure where to do that.
The Final Surge workout forum is working well. There is not anything loaded there. Is the a season road map that I load?
@erict you can adjust your races online here: http://bit.ly/yourraces
wothout a race I wasn’t sure what plan to put you on. We do have an #outseason starting on 1/6/20, so you could repeat the last session of RDP but extend some of the cycling work to prep for a Jan start.
if you need help loading stuff in FS just ask!
~ Coach P
loaded my races. Hoping to get the trainer set up by the end of the year. Just been super busy this last quarter so hard to find time to check in.
gimpy back is limiting things right now. Hoping to get the bike zone done by monday. May be limited running until better. Will try to add a ride if possible. Otherwise, I will try to swim more. May need to push the start date back two weeks?
@erict i hear you on the game be back in Maura that’s always a bummer. That said, I still want you to be active within reason. It’s OK for you to start the OutSeason and just follow the Cycling Workouts even though your back is bad. That at least gets you connected with the rest of the OutSeason group so that you are experiencing everything that they are serious then when you are ready you can just dial it back up again. To be clear, this means skipping the initial test as it’s not worth the potential downside.
our primary goal here is to build some kind of momentum to get you on track!
~ Coach P
did the initial test this morning. Cycling seems fine for the back. Wasn't a great test due to recovering sickness but figured it was better than nothing.
Good morning.
Would it be possible to retart my Jan OS this Monday. I have been sick and not really up to strength. I feel like start two weeks behind is going to be hard to keep up the pacing and distances. I play to swim through the OS so maybe dropping the swim section at the back of the OS.
Is this something I adjust in Final Surge or do you do it? Thought I would check first.
Thanks,
e
@Eric Towson
Hey Eric, I modified your plan and reset your "official" start date to next monday. The rest of this week is just a repeat of next week. Consider it a warm-up or recon of next week. 😂 We want to keep you on track for your overall Season Roadmap and in-sync with the rest of the team. The OutSeason is divided into three blocks: Block 1 = 5 weeks (4 weeks training + 1 test week), Block 2 = 5 weeks (4 weeks of training + 1 test week), Block 3 = 4 weeks (3 weeks of training + 1 test week).
So, I deleted a week from your first Block to keep you on track. You will start with week 1 and do 3 weeks of training + 1 test week. That will keep you on track for your Roadmap and in-sync with the rest of the team.
You might want to forgo the swimming during this first OutSeason block. Get your rhythm established and focus on the quality bike workouts. After the first test week see how you feel and maybe add one or two swims if it does not impact the quality of your other sessions. At least for now, ee recommend skipping the swimming for your first Block of the OutSeason. You will do a swim camp at the end of the OutSeason and plenty of swimming in the short course plan.
How does that sound?
Sent from my iPhone
@erict - how are things going now as we close out January!?
~ Coach P
Hey Coach P,
All seems to be getting going well. Last two weeks, I feel like I am been training consistently so I feel fatigued as I try an build the foundation. I have been looking at the training week and moving things about to fit my schedule. Adding the swimming makes it difficult to get all the workouts in. I aim for two rides, runs and swims a week with on day of strength training stacked some where.
Just looked at the coaches note for this week. Not sure I can get the frequency but trying to get the important workouts.
did my 3 mile run test up date. Was 8.28/mile and is now 8:38/mile. Ran the same course but had a head wind on half of it. So I am going to leave the pervious pacing zones and aim at that.
@Eric Towson Nice work. Way to get after it. Keep you zones the same sounds good. I changed the name of the workout and made a few notes so we have those for next time. I like how you noted the Z4 time in the title for your ride on 26 Jan. That is a great idea!
@erict how are things rolling?
All is pressing along. Trying to be consistent and doing the best I can.
Still having trouble logging in to get to the coaches thread.
E
Sent from my iPhone
@Eric Towson Hey Eric, What happens when you try to login? Does it happen only from your phone or computer?
If you are having trouble on your phone - as you are kicked back to the "sign in page" for EN...then no worries. Re-sign in again on that page which will take you to the Members Site (not the forums). Close that window and open a new one that you point to the forums (here) and you should be all set.
I have found you need to be logged in on only one device (so being Logged in on phone and laptop could be a problem).
Please keep me posted!
~ Coach P
I don’t appear to be logged on anywhere.
Trying to login gives me a message about “login failed”.
Trying to reset the password using drtowson7@gmail.com or erict I either get account is not recognized or “critical error has occurred”.
Thanks,
E
Sent from my iPhone
@erict - I see you are here in the forums. To sign into EN, you should use the username "erict" for sure...I'll reset the password and send you an email!
~ Coach P
Success #1. Thanks for the thread link. Hopefully, I will find it consistently.
#2: Adding a reminder for thread check in on Friday's.
Fitness wise I am trying to embrace zone 2 pacing. I find it difficult to stay at that pace. Zone 2 is about simply building strength and endurance at a pace without too much cost for the next day?
@erict - effectively yes. One of the concepts that we emphasize here around the run training is durability. We define durability as the active development of a run foundation that keeps you fit and on injured.
The timeline was too compressed and athletes ended up getting injured -- They simply could not survive the 12 week ramp into their long-distance race. This is despite having great early-season fitness gains. We realized that our ability to create speed early in the season did not correlate with late season success on race day. As such we focus more on steady running for large parts of the season with smaller injections of speed depending on the timeline.
Isn't to say that you are stuck in Ronzio. Having one or two runs a week where are you finished with a fast mile is fine. What we're trying to undo is the desire to run at tempo all of the time. That type of effort, also known as ABP (always be pushing) inside the team is a great way to create fatigue but doesn't build fitness.
We use it on the bike (safe) but it's not effective as a run tool!
~ Coach P
FTP 20 minute test: new NP 240 from 224. Tried to enter it in the final surge but not sure it I did it correctly. The zones did not change?
@erict Congratulations! That's huge! 😀👊💪
Did you try this? You need to recompute your zones with the calculator AND update your plan so the numbers change in your workouts. Here a video on "How to"
https://www.endurancenation.us/help/final-surge-how-to-update-your-integrated-training-zones/