David Duran 2020 Official Coach Thread [PlanEN]
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
Pair your devices with Final Surge - https://www.finalsurge.com/GarminConnectSync
Your Races
- 06/14/2020 Olympic Tri Windsor, UK
Your Notes
Last raced with you guys in IMWI 2015.
Couple other 70.3’s and prior IMWI 2011.
Haven’t raced since but did start an OS inspired 12 week stint end of 2019 and am getting back into it.
FTP 297W tested in Dec.
Vdot 45.9 from Dec.Running 3-4 week. 15-20 miles/week
Cycling 2x week on trainer.
No swimming in years.
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 February 24, 2020
- On 2/24/2020 Load the OutSeason for Triathletes (Bike Focus) Plan, 14wks to end on 5/31/2020
- **Transition Early**
- On 4/20/2020 Load the ADV Short Course, 20wks to end on 6/14/2020 (last 8 weeks)
- On 6/15/2020 Load the -- Post Half Iron Transition Plan, All Levels (2wks) to end on 6/28/2020
Training Plan Support in Your First Month
You can connect with @matt limbert as needed in your first month to get dialed in with your training plans and data. You can set up a call with him online here: https://calendly.com/new-member-phone-call/1 and he'll be on this thread shortly!
Your Homework
Tell Me Your Season Goals
- What will make you consider this season a success?
- What's your biggest limiter right now?
Start Learning
Every month we hold live events as part of our commitment to make you just as smart as you are fit. Feel free to visit our Coach Lesson page and our Office Hours page to find the next opportunity to connect with Coach Patrick and your Teammates.
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)
- Training Plan 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 or Power, etc? - You can post those into the General Discussion Forum and set the title or tags for that topic. Race questions to the Racing 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
Comments
@David Duran
Hey David, Welcome! Super cool have you back with us.
I see that you have already linked your Strava and Final Surge. That's awesome! You are well on your way. I'm here help you learn more about Final Surge, help you get organized, understand your workout structure, show you where to find our race execution guidance, and how to connect with the rest of the team. I'm here to walk you through all of it.
If just want to start with the workouts, that's cool. But, we can also make you smarter about your training and racing and shared experience of the entire team. If you want learn and read - we have forums and blogposts. If you want to watch and learn - we have a video library If you are looking for a social connection and like the extra interaction and accountability - we got that too!
Let me know what you are interested in, and I'll point you in the right direction. Our goal is to not only make you fitter, but smarter, and offer you the help and experience of our entire team to put together a race you race be proud of!
If 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
A few thoughts on getting setup and organized
First off, think of this as an opportunity to get fitter, smarter, and share your experience with the rest of the team. Coach Patrick has designed a Race Roadmap for you. The progression of workouts will get you fitter and prepare you physically to race but, getting smarter about training and race execution is what sets Endurance Nation apart from other programs. Here you have access to Coach Patrick (11x Kona qualifier), a library of his Coach Lessons, and the experience of hundreds of other athletes across all age groups - willing to share their advice and what has worked (or not) for them. We would love to have your experience and voice in those forums too.
Want to know the best equipment to buy? Where to stay for your race? How to triage you week of training when you have to travel for work? How to ride hills efficiently? How manage your power and heart rate on a hot day? You name it the Team can help you and make you a smarter athlete. There is free speed out there just by being smarter at how you play the game. Check out the GroupMe, forums and the learning section from the main Endurance Nation page to get started (see below for links).
Consider downloading the Final Surge App. This makes it way easier to add comments about how you felt, ate, weather, and paces etc. Those are all super helpful to you as you track your progress, prepare and plan your for your race.
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.
To make comments, select the activity and click on the "pencil" icon to tap "how I felt" or "perceived effort." You can add a few notes about what you ate/drank, 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.
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
Here are a few things to do:
#1 Subscribe to your Coach Thread.
Subscribe to your Coach Thread and get an email when we respond. Your Coach Thread is the best way to get a hold of us. It documents all of your training questions, its always here for your reference.
Here is how:
#2 Down load the Final Surge App
Final Surge | Mobile Apps
https://www.finalsurge.com/apps
#3 Join our GroupMe chat
Our forums and GroupME chat its a great place to learn, ask questions and connect for accountability with other Team members. Need to buy a new training gadget? What is the best xxxx? Want some advice about your race we? We have someone on the Team that as done it before and can help you race like a veteran. Ask in the group chat, start a forum post, or just search the library.
Your new Friends are waiting for you.
GroupMe is an app you can download to your smartphone, visit on the web, and even search if you want. GroupMe is a running group chat that team members use to get a quick answer to a question, accountability, and celebrate a new PR!
GroupMe
· EN Live 24/7 [Join Here]
· Run Group [Join Here]
· Zwift Chat [Join Here]
· Events [Join Here]
· Race Groups [Join Here]
#4 Explore ways to get smarter. Train and race like a veteran! Learn more and dial in your own training and race execution. Get training tips and execution advice from other TeamEN veterans
All of the Training Plans are explained here. The Short Course Bike plan is about halfway down the page. with a 6' video and a few short paragraphs and some additional resources on short course racing.
http://members.endurancenation.us/TrainingPlan/TrainingPlanCentralPage.aspx#short
Check out the Opportunities To Learn:
Detailed Race Preparation and Planning resources (Impact of Heat on Pace calculator, Pacing with Power on the Bike, etc.) http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/91/Default.aspx?topic=Race+Execution
Check out Coach Patrick's videos under Learning -> Coach Lessons - "How to race in the heat," "Checklists and Race Logistics Matter"
Forums. If social media and chat groups are not your thing. Take a look at our forums. These are not your typical forums or chat rooms. These are where our smartest members hang out and answer questions or give advice. https://endurancenation.vanillacommunities.com/categories
Think of this as your biggest group of endurance and athlete friends. These folks are super helpful. We have a set of Wicked Smart Members (WSM). These athletes are vetted by the rest of the team and Coach Patrick. They are recognized for their expertise and willingness to help.
As part of your TeamEN membership you now have complete access to the entire Learning section. Check out the Coach Lesson Videos, Race Execution Guidance there and look through the forums. There are tons of race reports to help you learn more about training and racing.
#5 Smart Trainer Integration
We have workouts already built for Zwift and Trainer Road for the OutSeason, HIM and IM plans. If you have a smart trainer and a Zwift or Trainer Road account, download the workouts for Zwift to your computer or login to Trainer Road library and get after it inside.
SignIn
http://members.endurancenation.us/TrainingPlan/TrainingPlanCentralPage.aspx#outseason
For Zwift: Unzip the workouts into Documents -> Zwift -> Workouts -> "rider number" folder on the device you use to stream Zwift. My "rider number" is 126713. It will be the only numbered folder under workouts.
For Trainer Road: Use this like to request access to the EN workout library. Request access by sending a message "Request Invite to Trainer Road" to ppisaj2s@inbound.intercom-mail.com
My goal is to make your first month of Endurance Nation as simple and as awesome as possible! I want to help you get the most out of your workouts, Final Surge, learn more about race execution and how the team can help you get to your race goals.
Talk with you soon,
Matt, Training Plan Coordinator
Thanks guys. Access is working now and have some things to (re)digest from the looks of it. Will get crackin!
Hi guys - quick update here having reread some of the content and watched your video Patrick (missed it first time).
First off, my data is syncing up on Strava (and now FS), bit of a numbers geek here. :) The running discrepancy I should have clarified... was running 15-20 miles/week most of last year (May to Dec) but then dialed it back in the new year and now getting back on the horse in anticipation of the June Oly. So 6ish week gap there recently but 600+ mi base from 2019 to build on.
Totally cool with the OS plan to start. This is what really struck me as EN’s secret sauce so more than happy with that. I am planning on hitting the pool once or twice a week within the OS simply because 1) I haven’t swam in 5 years and 2) I’m kinda excited to get back in the water. Will keep priority on the bike and runs. Plan is all loaded up so no issues there.
One question re OS leading up to a near term Oly. Should I be adjusting the TRP zones at all, especially on the shorter runs? TRP seems new vs last time I was training and more related to long distance target pace.
Thanks for the kick start.
@David Duran
Thanks for the update and the background. That's super helpful. Your first and last point a tied together! Those miles are still in there. Somewhere. The TRP is how you access them safely. The priority for running during the OutSeason is frequency and durability. You had a bit of a break, so just getting back to the consistent running is the first goal. Now, there is some variety in the pacing to keep it interesting but nothing that will/should crush you. Remember, frequency and consistency with a bit of variety. The speed and intensity will come during your race preparation block starting in early April. That will be plenty of time to develop the speed for short course. So, our first goal is uncovering that work from last year May to Dec and returning to the frequency and consistency. The mental key for these first few weeks is to compare yourself to yourself on a short term basis. What did I do this week compared what did I do last week? Some folks fall into the trap of comparing themselves on a longer term basis: "What did I do this week?" compared to "What did did I do last year?" This is the mental trap that leads to early overachieving and potential injury trying to chase their past fitness too early or mentally flogging themselves - when it is not productive. So, keep it easy at first. Set a baseline and improve from there. Avoid those rookie mental traps. How does that sound?
On your second point. Your approach is spot on. Emphasis the intensity and prioritize work on the bike. Run for durability, like we talked above and swim when you are excited to but keep it easy. You are all over it!👊