Dustin Givens 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
- Ironman 70.3 North Carlolina (2019-10-12) #70.3NC_19
- Bear Bait 50 miler on 1/18/20
Your Notes
Local early olympic distance triathlon - 3:02
Local early season 70.3 - 5:52
Mid season "A" race 140.6 IMLP - 15:08
I have been working towards IMLP for about 15 months. I just finished with a time of 15:08 where I more or less blew up on the run and walked a good chunk of it, primarily to what I think to be nutritional issues. Prior to 2017, when I started my journey, I have had no real experience in biking or swimming and am learning as I go along. I have had prior running experience in shorter distance races (5k and 10k) as a mid-packer. I would consider my current fitness to be decent, but not great. I think if I can dial in nutrition I am probably capable of an approximately 12hr Ironman currently -- note, this is a complete guess based on my recent first Ironman experience.
I am now transitioning to 70.3 IM NC in October and would like to perform much better. I think I have a 5:00-5:10 in me if I execute well.
I will also be planning to do another full next year, am considering Chattanooga.Prior to joining EN I had been following the TrainerRoad mid-volume full Ironman plan. It consisted of 4 bikes, 3 swims, and 3 runs per week on average. Times per week varied because it was periodized, but a typical week would be about 10-12hrs and a typical peak week was 16-18hrs.
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 August 2, 2019
- On 7/29/2019 Load the -- Post Ironman Transition Plan, All Levels (4wks) to end on 8/25/2019
- On 8/12/2019 Load the -- EN Half Bike Focused to end on 10/13/2019
- On 10/14/2019 Load the -- Post Half Iron Transition Plan, All Levels (2wks) to end on 10/27/2019
- On 10/28/2019 Load the 16 week Ultra plan to end on 01/19/2020
- On 1/20/20 Load the Post Marathon Plan to end on 02/16/2020
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
1) Let's figure out what wen wrong in LP with your nutrition. Please write up a race report of your day, including detailed nutrition, and posit to the Racing Forum, then put the link here so we can break it down together!
2) 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 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 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
Patrick,
It was a pleasure meeting you briefly in Lake Placid before your talk, I am glad to now be working with you. I have uploaded my race report, link:
In response to your other questions:
What will make you consider this season a success? I think I would like a crack at 5hrs for NC 70.3. I know that may be a reach, but I think it's within the realm of possibility. I also would like for that race to go smoothly both in terms or race execution and nutrition -- as that was what I believe to be my downfall at IMLP. If I can only get 1 of those 2 down, i'd choose the execution and nutrition!
What's your biggest limiter right now? Time. Like most, I have a busy professional life as an engineer and a busy family life as a husband. Put those together and my time for anything else is already minimal. On the longer weeks to my IMLP buildup I really struggled on the peak weeks that were around 20hrs, I managed to do it, but it was difficult for sure. I really would like to be as efficient with my time as possible.
I look forward to working with you and getting smarter and faster, thanks Patrick!
Dustin, Congratulations on toughing out IM LP. I know it was not the day you dreamed of for 15 months, but you have only just started your IM journey and you have come to the right place. You love your goals for NC 70.3 - nutrition and execution. And I love that you wrote up your race report already and posted it in the Forums. Awesome. You have already got some good feedback and I expect you would get some more. It is also great to see that you are diving into all the learning and working your way around the site. I made some suggestions on where to start at the bottom of this post. I also have some recommendations for getting the most get the most out out your training plan, Coach Thread, Final Surge along with some guidance learning EN execution and best practices.
I see that we have a call scheduled for 12 Aug. In the meantime - here are some things to consider as you recover and get ready for 70.3 NC.
Did you already subscribe to your Coach Thread?
First, Power user tip! Click on the red star and check box just to the right of your thread title. This way you will get an email when you get a response in your Coach thread. See video here:
Next, getting setup in Final Surge. I see you have already linked up your Garmin account. You can use Garmin or Strava (only one!) and get your workout data uploaded. (Chose Strava if you ride on Zwift or Trainer Road.) Just chose one, otherwise you will get double workouts recorded in Final Surge.
In Final Surge: Workouts -> Garmin / Device Upload
Consider downloading the Final Surge App. This might make it way easier to add comments about how you felt, ate, weather etc (for the bike) and sets, paces etc (for the swim). These comments will be super helpful to you in preparation for NC 70.3. Getting smart about your pacing and nutrition is very personalized, so comments about how you felt, what you ate (before, during, and after) are really key to dialing in what works best for you - and then repeating it in your race rehearsals.
Final Surge | Mobile Apps
https://www.finalsurge.com/apps
It makes it super easy to add comments about your workout. Click on the "pencil" icon to tap "how I felt" or "perceived effort." Then 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. Just a quick not goes a long way.
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. Even the simple notes on "How you felt" & "Perceived Effort" are really helpful to manage the workload and recovery (i.e. it becomes easy to see over-reaching with too many "max effort" & "feel poor" likewise easy to see peaking "moderate effort" & "felt great."
You can also setup Final Surge to send you emails with your workouts every day.
Finally, while you are in your post-IM training check out the Master Racing pages - these give some detailed information on racing the IM and 70.3 distances. This content is part of the TeamEN memberships it starts with the EN 4 Keys fundamentals and then moves into more specifics for execution of each aspect of the race.
http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/RacingMemberCentral/RaceExecutionDetails/MasterRaceExecutionPage(HalfFull).aspx
Also, check out the Nutrition portion of the Wiki here:
http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/91/Default.aspx?topic=Nutrition+Central
Start at the top of this section and work your way down. Watch the videos. They put the rest of the information in context.
Again, for any questions you have getting started tag me with the "@" sign @matt limbert - chat with me here in this forum, and we will talk soon.
Matt
@Dustin Givens
@matt limbert
Awesome, thanks for the pointer, i'll start working through the links you provided.
One other thing, that maybe we can discuss during our call, that I totally forgot to mention in the initial information giving about upcoming races -- is that I have a 50 flat miler trail run scheduled for January 18, 2020. I suspect that might change some of the later training plans, so wanted to go ahead and get that sorted out before it's too late.
Look forward to speaking with you.
Dustin, the short term plan to NC 70.3 won't change. But, you will need to hit up Coach Patrick during your recovery weeks after the race and he/you will have to modify the next phase of your training in order to get an appropriate amount of volume.
You can also make a post in the forums on training, pacing, nutrition/hydration and recovery for a 50 miler. There a few folks with 50+ mile race experience that could help you prepare and execute.
@Dustin Givens - for your reading pleasure regarding ultra https://endurancenation.vanillacommunities.com/sso?Target=/discussions/tagged/ultra
And under Learning we have the Ultra Run section as well: UltraRun
~ Coach P
@Coach Patrick
@matt limbert
Looking into my upcoming training schedule a bit more and I see that I am going to be out of town for my week 15 race rehearsal. I am free the weekend both before and after this week, thoughts on deviating from the schedule and doing the race rehearsal one week early or late? I realize there is another one planned for week 18 -- but i'd like to iron out any kinks in my plan before that late if possible. Thanks!
Dustin, You can swap weeks 14 and 15 or 15 and 16. Just swap the workout block of (Wed-Sat). This will protect the bike max interval progression (Tues workouts) along with the variation in the long runs (Sunday's workout). If you do it early (14 and 15 swap), this will give you the most time between rehearsals. If you do the later swap (15 and 16) you will be doing some form of a race rehearsals over the last few weeks.
Will either of those combinations work for your schedule? If they do, you can move (drag and drop) the workouts in Final Surge.
In preparation for the race rehearsal. Check out Coach Patrick's videos for week 15 here:
Also, check out the race rehearsal guidance here:
and podcast here:
See more race execution guidance here:
@matt limbert
Awesome, thanks for the quick help! I'll be swapping weeks 15-->16. So one week later, but I think that's the best option for me. I'll be sure to read up on the execution portion a lot more before we get to week 16.
Great!! And while you were on the road, our only goal is to keep you aerobically active.
Don’t worry about trying to rent a bike and doing stuff, you can complete the run workouts you have scheduled and replace the other days with an aerobic run at TRP pace between 30 and 40 minutes that’s sufficient.