Alex Johnson 2020 Coach Thread [PlanEN]
Alex -
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
Coach Notes
Your Races
- SOMA100 [Ultra 100] (May)
- -SD100 [Ultra 100] (June)
- Self ran 100 on a track
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 9, 2020
- On 9/7/2020 Load the -- Durability for Runners 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 10/4/2020 28 [ 4 weeks ]
- On 10/5/2020 Load the -- Durability for Runners 2 (8 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 11/1/2020 28 [ 4 weeks ]
- On 11/2/2020 Load the -- OutSeason for Runners Plan, 14wks to end on 2/7/2021 70 [ 10 weeks ]
- On 1/11/2021 Load the -- UltraRun 100M, Beginner/Intermediate [20 Weeks] to end on 5/30/2021 140 [ 20 weeks ]
- On 5/31/2021 Load the -- Post Marathon / Half Marathon Plan (2wks) to end on 6/13/2021 14 [ 2 weeks ]
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?
** The Athlete Roadmap Videos & Start Learning **
Join Coach Patrick for a walkthrough of the Endurance Nation Athlete experience to learn more about how our system works to help you achieve your personal best. You'll want to watch the Phase One Structure videos -- there are four -- to get completely up to speed!
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
Alex, , Super cool have you with us. 😀 I'm here to work with you one on one and get you all set up with Final Surge and connected with the rest to the team. Your Season Roadmap from Coach Patrick is loaded up into Final Surge.
If any questions you have getting started - schedule a call with me here.
Here are a few things you can do now to get started with on your own:
Let's get after it! 👊
Talk you you soon,
Matt
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#1 Respond below
Post a comment below or give me an 😀, 👍️ or a short GTG. Let me know you are subscribed and will respond back via email. Let's get the conversation started!
#2 Subscribe to your Coach Thread.
Subscribe to your Coach Thread and get an email notifications. Your Coach Thread is the best way to get a hold of us.
How to subscribe screen capture. Click on the star. It will turn solid red. Boom! You are all set.
#3 How to use your Coach Thread
This is totally up to you. You can post a lot or very little. You post. We answer. We find it is helpful for you and us, if you post a weekly update once you get started. Pick a day. Any day that works for you. Many athletes pick Sunday to summarize the week. Others pick Friday to end the work week and get ready for the weekend. Choose something works for you. Comment on how you felt this week, what went well, and what you want to work on for next week. Its good accountability and helps you keep you on track for your goals. After a couple of posts, you can decide on what the level of interaction works best for you!
#4 Get Setup in Final Surge
Next, get setup in Final Surge. Coach Patrick has just made your season plan in Final Surge, so you can sync your Garmin or Strava (only one!) and get your workout data uploaded. (Chose Strava if you ride on Zwift.) Just chose one, otherwise you will get double workouts recorded in Final Surge.
In Final Surge: Workouts -> Garmin / Device Upload
#5 Consider downloading the Final Surge App
The app makes it waaaayyyy easier to make comments on your workouts.
We definitely want to see those hours, miles, watts and heart beats - but we also want to know how you felt, mood, energy level, how mentally/physically easy or hard the workout was for you.
Data + notes = complete story. Workout data is only only half the picture. Your comments provide the other half. You could be crushing all the workouts but feel terrible or feeling great. Work, family, sleep can all be factors in how you are training. So, how you felt is just as important as posting the workout.
To make comments, select the activity and click on the "pencil" icon to tap "how I felt" or "perceived effort." Just a quick note goes a long way.
Download Final Surge | Mobile Apps Here
#6 Quick Start Guide
Here is the reference guide on how to read the workouts, abbreviations and lingo.
#7 Customize your workouts in Final Surge
You can wait on this one. But remember it is an option. You will eventually do bike and run test. We will use your average power (or heart rate) for a 20' time trial to set you customized workout zones. Once you customize them, the workouts will say 20' @ (135-145 heart rate) or 20' @(100- 110 Watts) vs. 20' @ Zone 2. We can do the same thing for the run. Once you do a 5k race we can use your average pace or heart rate to establish run zones too!
Here is a video on how you update your training plan with integrated and customized zones.
#8 Connect with the rest of the team in Join our GroupMe chat
We use GroupME chat to connect with the rest of the team. It is 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 have someone on the Team that as done it before and can help you race like a veteran. Ask in the group chat.
We would love to add you to the Run Group.
· EN Live 24/7 [Join Here]
· Run Group [Join Here]
· Zwift Chat [Join Here]
· Events [Join Here]
· Race Groups [Join Here]
#9 See the big picture and explore ways to get smarter
See the big picture. Join Coach Patrick for a walkthrough of the Endurance Nation Athlete experience to learn more about how our system works to help you achieve your personal best. You'll want to watch the Phase One Structure videos -- there are four -- to get completely up to speed!
Coach Patrick has designed a Season 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.
Explore the Forums
All these topics are covered in our forums: 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.
Search our Race Forum for race plans and race reports. Learn from the shared experience of the entire Team
Read the General Training Discussions and get training tips and execution advice from other TeamEN veterans.
Learn how to race like veteran. Dial in your race execution using EN race guidance
Whew. You made it.
You don't have to do it all a once but, we would love it if you responded below. I'm here talk you through all of the above. I would love to hear from you.
Talk to you soon.
Matt
EN Training Plan Coordinator
@matt limbert
Thank you Matt! I think I am starting to understand how to use everthing. Finally got garmin to work with the syncing after about 30 minutes lol. Excited to get everything going with training!
@Alex Johnson - it's a talk with you today. Thanks so much for making the time and for asking your questions. Your ability to ask questions to gain a better understanding of my philosophy and workouts will be a critical part of how quickly you see improvements. The online coaching thing is a little challenging so the better rapport we have the better it will be.
By the time we get to November you should be able to consolidate those runs as needed and do just three during the week and make a longer one happen on the weekend for example. The key is having the discipline to get there.
Before I forget, here is the Chat Link I was talking about... there is a Run Chat and an Ultra Chat that are most relevant to you...you might want to "mute" the other groups (done in each individual group).
Looking forward to your progress.
Coach P
ps - Just wanted to share that I went for a run when we got off the phone. All that run form talk had me totally dialed in...thanks!