Ulf Petzel 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
Thank you for submitting your races. I think your progression from half marathon to the short course season is a nice extension of what you've already done. It's not really a stretch for you, but we can make you faster bye reorganizing your training a little bit. I am proposing that you follow our winter training program, the out season, for the first 10 weeks. Starting this week, you will do intervals on the bike and focus on frequent running, per the OutSeason Plan.
This will help you get stronger on the bike and complement the runs you were doing which will carry you into the half marathons you have on the schedule. I am not really prioritizing those runs, as we move into the short course plan for the remainder of the first half of your year. I essentially have you following the last few weeks of the plan twice through with the second time around making a note that you and I should connect more around how we can leverage the bike to make a difference.
I recognize that transitioning to new plan will take some time, so please modify the workouts by moving them around in final surge. When you were done, let me know and I can go back and take a look at them and we can move forward from there.
Also, please Let me know if you have any specific goals related to these half marathons in case I want to change some of the key workouts.
Your Races
- 04/07/2019 (Half Marathon) Heidelberg, Germany
- 05/11/2019 (Half Marathon) Mannheim, Germany
- 05/19/2019 (Olympic Distance, shortened) Heidesee-Triathlon (1k - 31.5k - 7.5k)
- Other 06/30/2019 (Olympic Distance) Heinerman Darmstadt, Germany
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 01/21/2019
- On 1/21/2019 Load the OutSeason (Bike Focus) Plan, 14wks to end on 4/28/2019
- On 3/31/2019 Load the Short Course, 20wks to end on 5/19/2019
- On 5/20/2019 Load the Short Course, 20wks to end on 6/30/2019
- On 7/1/2019 Load the Post Half Iron Transition Plan, All Levels (2wks) to end on 7/14/2019
Your Notes
In the past, I have primarily done 1-3 Half Marathons per year (Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, San Francisco), participated in Gigathlon Switzerland every other year in a team of 5 doing inline, (trail) run, swim, or bike out of the 5 disciplines, and participated occasionally in triathlons (sprint distance, or relay team). Last year, I did an Olympic and a sprint triathlon. My fitness is pretty good, I have been doing 2 training runs per week, 1-2 training rides and 1 swim per week over the last few months after close of 2018 season. You can check my Strava profile for more details: https://www.strava.com/athletes/17651152. In addition, I do 2-3 times core training in the morning for 15-20min.
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
Comments
Hi Patrick,
thanks for your suggestions.
I would like to add one more key race to my race calendar to consider for you, it is the Frankfurt City Triathlon which is a 70.3 so middle distance event, I will opt in there, August 4th, after the Olympic Distance ones. Finally made up my mind I will also take that challenge!
You said I could rearrange the schedule if I wish, which I would love to do. My key training days to date where Monday Rest (only core training), Tuesday Swim (to be expanded), Friday Run, Saturday Ride, Sunday Run (with exceptions, obviously). I in the meantime have Wednesday as another Ride day (only did core training previously). Would also like to continue do some virtual rides while weather is so cold here.
Question: How much freedom do I have in rearranging the plan? Is sequence of workout in the first few weeks important?
Another basic question: where do I find my training zones again? They are not in my Settings. Also wanted to figure out the TRP Total Run Power heart rate from those. Hadn't heard about that term and many of the other abbreviations to date, as novice ;-).
Thanks again, Ulf.
• What will make you consider this season a success?
Finish Frankfurt City Triathlon under 5h (2k Swim - 80k Ride - 20k Run)
• What's your biggest limiter right now?
Family for sure. Need to find out how I can squeeze in workouts into the daily schedules.
Hi Patrick,
any guidance also on the Level to choose in the workouts suggested? There is always Level 1-3 to choose from... Which one do you suggest with my level of fitness?
Thanks, Ulf.
Thanks for reaching out I've recommended people Challenge themselves on the Bike, but stay conservative on the run. So level two being intermediate make your choices accordingly.
Let me know if you need help adjusting your schedule. If You tell me what your difficulties are, I can Do my best to create a template week for you moving forward.
~ Coach P
Also, you're free to move the workouts around as needed. That helps me see what your schedule looks like, which is an important step in the process Of customizing this training for you.
@Ulf Petzel - great to talk with you today...thanks for the time!
Here are my notes & homework for you, in no order:
~ Coach P
Hi @Coach Patrick,
thanks for the call yesterday. I now adjusted my plan for February overall, let me know what you think. It now has runs on Friday & Sunday, and brick runs Monday and Saturday, some of which could be done not as brick. Fix Swim Day would be Tuesday, with Thursday more optional for some rest some times. The efforts Friday through Monday might be too much though now?
Not sure why you can't access http://www.frankfurt-city-triathlon.de/
Embedded 2 pictures from Gigathlon Switzerland 2018 last year.
I'll review the other stuff on the week-end!
Have a great one, Ulf.
@Ulf Petzel -
Thanks for the note!! I like the changes to the plan and I agree that Sunday's FTP run may suffer, but if the WKOs are 24 hours apart it might be okay. Worst case scenario you break the mile repeats on Sundays from 2 x 1 mile into 4 x 1/2 mile, for example. Something to think about.
And the pictures are great...thank you so much!
Ps, not sure on the website either...looks like the United States has been blocked?
@Coach Patrick
Hi Patrick,
thanks for your feedback!
Since you do not have access to the web site, I added the tracks for each discipline here. 4 rounds in the city on the bike, 2 on the run.
Ulf.
@Ulf Petzel both the bike and the run courses look really technical! You were going to have to become competent at not only turning but also getting back up to speed quickly. I assume you will still be on your road bike from the prior picture? Here is a great video on how to corner effectively:
@Coach Patrick Thanks!
Have a great week-end!
I also got your note about trial membership expiring. Well decide over the week-end on how to proceed. I like the energy you as coach and the EN athletes are putting into the communities and communication channels, but I am not sure if given my entry level and my location being Europe it makes sense at this point to stay as active member, as mostly timing for joint training sessions e.g. on Zwift is an issue.
Ulf.
@Ulf Petzel sounds good, and no worries! There is also a plan only membership which is a lower cost, or you can help lead some events closer to your time! The best part about Zwift is that it’s always on! 😂
Hopefully we can add some value for you with the training plan and support across the year, but you let me know.
@Coach Patrick
thanks for your note! I will end my trial membership today.
It was a pleasure to meet you virtually and on the phone, and I am impressed by all the energy you put into this community and into your training!! All the best for the season!
I hope we can stay in touch outside of the platform and will let you know how my half went!
Ulf.
@Ulf Petzel sounds like a plan. Sorry to see you go, but you know where to find us if and when you are ready to come back. To be fair, I don’t do a lot of external communications with athletes because as a small business owner my time is focused 100% on my customers. Best of luck this season!