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Jonathan Brown's Official Coach Thread
Hey coach,
I'm scheduled to do Quassy in a few weeks. My training over the last 6 to 8 weeks is bad. Like sad as heck. I've got no issues swimming 1500 to 2000 meters. I can run the half marry. But my longest bike this year has been an hour on the trainer.
This is my 8th or 9th HIM, so I know I can finish. But is it worth spending the money? Is it worth the disappointment of just sucking? However, I believe me sucking will help get my ass into gear for my next HIM in August....
I need your thoughts and help
I'm scheduled to do Quassy in a few weeks. My training over the last 6 to 8 weeks is bad. Like sad as heck. I've got no issues swimming 1500 to 2000 meters. I can run the half marry. But my longest bike this year has been an hour on the trainer.
This is my 8th or 9th HIM, so I know I can finish. But is it worth spending the money? Is it worth the disappointment of just sucking? However, I believe me sucking will help get my ass into gear for my next HIM in August....
I need your thoughts and help
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My schedule is online here: http://meetme.so/patrickmccrann -- Please remember to include your phone number.
~ Coach P
Ok, so things have been a blast. My surgery has been moved to next week. delaying recovery by an additional 3 weeks. This happened because I got really bad food poisoning. This has derailed everything for the season because it was three weeks of pain, discomfort, and no training. After some long thought and conversations with my partner. I am going to bail on Ohio HIM. It only makes sense to just scrap the year and hold off any HIMs.
Thought process, just to fill you in. My surgery is the 28th, i have not been able to work out for three weeks. After the surgery, i will be off for a week from any type of working out. And then 6 weeks off from biking. If everything goes well, then i will be able to bike again on August 9th. This is 19 days before my HIM. This is no where near enough time to make the race remotely fun. And keep this in mind, this is if everything goes well and i recover on schedule with no complexities.
So instead of focusing on HIMs, i am going to focus on Chicago marathon and focus on my running for a while. it has been years since i have focused only on a marathon. So i will do this. I think i am going to put the membership on hold for 3 months and then start back up biking before NOV OS. Then start fresh in November... Thoughts? Please advice.
Wow. Just want to start a feeling my life is hard, I hear stories like this. I cannot believe you were struck with food poisoning, brother. That is ridiculous. Seeing as karma owes you big time, I hope that the payoff is epic and be sure to call me when that happens. :-) I want to hear all about it!!!!!!!!
I think your overall estimated timeline for return is accurate. And your anticipation at being disappointed and potentially even injured by the race experience is also consistent with what I hold to be true. You can however use that recovery time to start building core strength and basic functionality that should, on paper, make you a better endurance athlete over time.
This is nowhere more true than on the run. And if you returned to simply running and we keep the biking and swimming on the quiet side, you would certainly be able to put in the time to get ready for a marathon. I can't say that will be your fastest, but you will certainly be ready.
For now I think the best path is for you to go on maintenance mode and then come back when you are 100% ready to start rebuilding. If you have any questions wire away you know where to find me using the blue circle chat icon or through your inbox. Best of luck with the surgery and I wish you the speediest of recoveries.
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 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
I'm Louisville with Michigan crew, and will find a half. Target ftp is 200.
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.
Coach Notes
Resources for you: How to Train This (And Every Fall) Inside Endurance Nation, GroupMe Chat for RDP
Great to talk the other day....^above^ is your plan for the 2018 season without any idea of what the mystery half will be. But we can sort it out. Right now your top goal is getting dialed into the run to make sure that you are healthy and ready for 2018!
Let's get to work!
~ Coach P
I am changing up my training plan from Intermediate to Beginner. For two reasons, 1) work is getting crazy and i am traveling more and more (one or two nights a week). 2) i am still trying to learn to ride my bike outside in NYC. Yesterday was the first time i road outside and its gonna be very interesting for longer rides.
I have been spending more time outside on the bike. I am getting into Central park earlier (5:30 am) in the day so i can avoid the larger amount of tourists. And it is easier to just do many loops and pick up waters at the vendors.
Runs are fine, just fine. not great or good, just fine.
My biggest issues are you are aware are work travel and the mental health issues. The Mental health issues to get out of bed and to get moving is a major bear. (This is why swimming sucks so much)
The good news is that i am going out to Louisville with the folks from Michigan (Trish, John, and Bob) for a training camp.
Food for thought and an FYI, Riding down to the Manhattan bridge in Brooklyn and crossing over into Manhattan is confusing as heck! You get lost in SoHo. (dont that a few times). Thus causing a boat load of wasted time and energy. So just going over the 59th st bridge to west side highway is just easier. (less safe but works).
So glad you are getting in for a camp. That is a great group to hang out with, they are super fun. Will be a good chance for you to remember how much fun this sport and the people who do it are! Please give them all a giant smack on the ass from me.
@Jonathan Brown -
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
JB, great to hear from you. I am glad you are back into the OS; I know IMKY SUCKED 👎 But this is the time of year to start bucking that trend. I hope the OutSeason Plan is straightforward enough to get you in line.
Note that you'll be exiting the OS a bit early to hit the remainder of the EN*Half Plan ... Here's how you can do that in Final Surge: https://www.endurancenation.us/help/loading-specific-plan-weeks-into-your-final-surge-calendar/ But if you need help, let us know.
Note: I recommend the bike focused OS plan now to help you build up safely. But in addition to that change, you should be trying to run frequently on "other days" even if it's short (1 to 2 miles is ok). We are just trying to build up some "durability" that you can carry through the rest of your year.
Let me know what you think!
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
Last race was IMKY. did not go well, DNF'ed after 25 miles on the bike. My fitness level is as it always is during this time of the year. BLAH... :) . I am able to run 6 to 10 miles. bike for an hour plus. About the same FTP as my race which was around 155. Not much has changed.Biking a few days a week and running one or two. Need to kick it up a little. Had a little time off for some health reasons. but did not hurt my over all fitness level of crap. Looking at doing another 70.3 somewhere this year along with a marathon.
Let's get to work!
~ Coach P
Coach!!
So how are you doing? It has been a while since we have caught up. SOOOO... whats new here. Lots and not enough. :) . not enough as in the depression and anxiety is bad. This is why i have decided not to do any tris this year. I am going to push for Philly marathon in November. Cause why not, running is simple and i can do anywhere without worrying about getting hit by cars/taxis/ trucks/ busses/anything else on the NYC streets.
So the biggest issues (with working out) is that I have anxiety working out. I used to enjoy running and bike to a point that it relaxed me. now i am scared of it. I am scared of failure and not hitting my workout goals or requirements. Its almost like, "this workout is going to be shitty, so i am not going to workout so i dont feel like shit". TMI? maybe. But just filling you in so if you have advice, then i will take it.
I joined NYRR's so i can have some running friends in the area and to meet other crazies.
So i guess what i need help with is running, stretching, some biking and some swimming as a cross training. But nothing now until i get my ass back into shape and i stop hating working out. Cause working off a schedule right now is going to put me in a shittier mood. I hope this sheds light on it.
BTW, if anyone comes to you and asks, "Hey do you know anyone with depression and anxiety issues" Send them my way. I am more than happy to chat with folks. I am not sure i can help give them advice because i am stuck in the rut of it. But i can just let them know there are others out here.
Thank you so much for sharing what’s going on. My daughter deals with anxiety and I have learned a ton about the human brain in the past two years. We have had both ups and downs and I can only sympathize with you as to the challenges you are facing. I know a good therapist makes a huge difference if that means anything.
One of the biggest things he worked on was expecting me anxiety to show up. My daughter named it and we would address that anxiety directly instead of her. Separating the anxiety from the person is important because you want to work out but it’s your anxiety that doesn’t want you to, right?
It might be helpful for you to set some goals that are not actually performance related but completion oriented. As in a target of seven workouts this week, or 15 miles of running, etc. Once you start putting in the work, regardless of time, distance or speed, your fitness will come around. How does that sound?