Glori Ekberg Official Coach Thread 2020 [TeamEN]
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
- 09/12/20 2020 Outer Banks Triathlon -Olympic Distance
Your Notes
Started participating in triathlons in 2010 to keep active. Participated in several sprints, aqua bike and 5 Olympic level through 2017. Completed one half level triathlon in 2016. My last planned Olympic in September 2018 was canceled due to weather so my last triathlon was a sprint in June 2018. I took last season off due to family obligations but continued to run, bike and swim when possible. My current fitness has taken a dive with the COVID situation as I am essential staff and working longer hours. Prior to COVID stay at home, I took spin classes or biked twice per week, had the ability to run at the gym (indoor track or treadmill) two to three times per week, took one technical swim class a week and one swim "go faster" a week. Although it is now online, I do cross/strength training 3 hours a week and one class of yoga. During the summer, I belong to a triathlon club that hosts open water swim every Tuesday evening. There is no way to know at this time if we will be able to hold the swims or if pools will reopen. At least with the weather changing, biking outdoors will be possible and I have been getting in a couple runs per week. I need to regroup and get a schedule to help me focus. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis 6 years ago which I control in good part through my physical exercise. I am fortunate to have a triathlete for a doctor! I struggle most with running but in general have slowed down across the board. My goal is to go into an event feeling good about my ability to finish and finish strong. I do not focus on where I finish but have placed in my age group more than once - and sometimes when there is more than one person in my age group :)
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 May 4, 2020
- On 5/4/2020 Load the Durability Balanced Plan 2 (8 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 5/31/2020 27 28 [ 4 ] weeks
- On 6/1/2020 Load the Durability Balanced Plan 3 (7 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 6/28/2020 27 7 [ 1 ] weeks
- **Transition Early**
- On 6/8/2020 Load the Intermediate Short Course, 20wks to end on 9/13/2020 97 98 [ 14 ] weeks
- On 9/14/2020 Load the -- Post Half Iron Transition Plan, All Levels (2wks) to end on 9/27/2020 13 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
Glori, Super cool have you with us. 😀 We are excited to get you on a structured plan to get your fitness back and see you have a race you are proud of. Thanks for choosing to work with us. We would like to hear more about your rhuematoid arthritis. How often does it impact you: Is it an everyday thing, once in a while? How does it impact you and what do you do to mitigate it?
Our short term goals are:
Let's get after it! 👊
Talk you you soon,
Matt
******* Post a comment below or give me an 😀, 👍️, or huh?, 😨 and I will respond back via email.
If any questions you have getting started - schedule a call with me here.
------------------
Things to do:
#1 Respond below
Post a comment below or give me an 😀, 👍️ or a GTG and I 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 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.
How to subscribe video:
#3 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
#4 Consider downloading the Final Surge App
You are already making great comments. This makes it way easier.
Download Final Surge | Mobile Apps Here
#5 Connect with the rest of the team in Join our GroupMe chat
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. Your new friends are waiting for you.
Download the GroupMe is an app and see what the Team is talking about. Pro tip: You can subscribe to these channels and mute the alerts. There is a lot of activity here and the alerts can get overwhelming. 😂
GroupMe
· EN Live 24/7 [Join Here]
· Run Group [Join Here]
· Zwift Chat [Join Here]
· Events [Join Here]
· Race Groups [Join Here]
#6 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
#5 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.
#9 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.
Matt
EN Training Plan Coordinator
@Glori Ekberg I just finished re-loading your plans. Brenda said you are super busy right now would like some structure to your workouts. I think you'll find the training easy to follow.
You start this week with 5 total weeks of our Balanced Run Durability plans. On 8 June you begin your Olympic Race Specificity block for the Outer Banks Triathlon on 13 September. You do the last 14 weeks of that plan because used the Balanced Durability plan. We like to use this combination of plans for athletes with some experience already and have some good fundamental fitness to build on.
Here is a link to help you with some of the lingo.Let us know what you think. We look forward to chatting with you!
@matt limbert
I took a quick break from work to start absorbing all that is here. It was incredibly helpful to have the on-boarding call with Brenda! In reading all the above, I am getting excited about being part of EN. I will get back to you and Patrick on all the questions above tonight. I see the plan on my calendar and lucked out into a beautiful day here tomorrow for a bike. Not so much for the bike on Saturday - we may get snow. I will get trainer ready.
@Glori Ekberg Awesome to hear from you. We are excited 😀 that you are excited 😂! Take your time. There is plenty to cover and we are happy to help.
@Coach Patrick @matt limbert Made it back. Thought it best to answer all questions to you both at once.
Goals - what would make me consider this season a success? I would consider this season a success by improving my current fitness in the 3 disciplines but also learn new skills that will help me train smarter. In the ten years since I started participating in this sport I have progressed through 3 age groups and like to kid my friends and family I am in the official Old Lady group. I need to learn training methods for where I am in life. My biggest limiter is the "fear" of pushing too hard and running out of steam. If there is a number 2 - I struggle with running.
We would like to hear more about your rhuematoid arthritis. How often does it impact you: Is it an everyday thing, once in a while? I have been very fortunate to have a Iron Lady of an RA Doctor and she has supported me right through a half ironman. The first year was the toughest as the drugs take a year for full impact. Overheating on running was the main training impact and several flares where the use of hands/shoulders were impacted. I have progressively improved my ability to fight off the few flares I have in a year which is almost always in my hands. I would say this impacts only a half dozen days in a full year. My doctor believes this is because I keep moving and I am part of their research studies.
How does it impact you and what do you do to mitigate it? I don't baby myself but I do take immediate action which might mean taking an evening off training and icing up.
I think that covers your questions! If I missed anything let me know.
I have a question about the training zones. Should I go ahead and use my last 5k run from last week in the calculator? What about bike? I am a heart rate person - I don't have power.
Good Night! Stay Healthy!
@Glori Ekberg Thanks for all the answers! 😀 We have a wide variety of athletes on the team and a really active (and vocal) older section. They do a good job of sharing their experiences of balancing their training and racing with the additional rest required as we all get older. Coach Patrick corralled all of them into sharing their experience in a series of videos.
Thanks for the background on your RA. Sounds like you have a handle on it and if you ever want our help moving stuff around after a flare up, we are happy to help. We will definitely keep you active and moving. 😂 We are excited to help you with you race execution, give you the confidence you need to have a race you can be really proud of.
Yes! You should use your 5k from last week. Use your average heart rate or pace - whatever you prefer to train with. Input those numbers into the calculator, use Endurance Nation zones. Watch the video above and remember it is two step process. Step 1. Enter your numbers in the calculator to compute the Endurance Nation zones and Step 2. Update each training block with those zones.
We'll talk more tomorrow! 👊
@matt limbert Thank you for the answers! I am working on getting through videos!
@Glori Ekberg Thanks for the post! You are killing it. Take your time. I look forward to talking to you tomorrow.
@matt limbert trying to get into the google meet and think I finally got there but it "when someone lets you in"
@matt limbert Awesome call! Great way to start my weekend!
@Glori Ekberg Glori thanks for the call today. 😁 It was super fun to talk with. Here is the video on how to update your zones after your 5k run tomorrow.
I'll watch for you workout to post and match up with the schedule in Final Surge too. Talk to you soon.
Matt
@Glori Ekberg Nice work getting your 5K knocked out! 👊 Your heart rate looked good. You guys have some wild weather out there! I see big progress in your future when the weather warms up! Talk to you soon.
@matt limbert Run was cold and breezy but got it done! Zones updated! Thank you!
@matt limbert Needed to make some slight adjustments to my schedule this week as I was "asked" to work late tonight and started my morning with a scheduled appointment so I could not fit the workout in earlier.
@Glori Ekberg Your work is incredibly important to so many people now. I hope it doesn't take to long.
It looks like you shifted everything a day. So the run tomorrow is fine. If you get less sleep because you need to work late then take it easier tomorrow.
How do you feel? What do you think?
@Glori Ekberg - Great to talk with you today! Thank you so much for taking the time and filling me in on your background. Like I said, no way I could've possibly gotten that from an email!!! 🤣
We're doing the right work and you are on track. As I mentioned, our goal right now is just to figure out your pattern of training in life that works for you. Once we understand that we can begin the process of working to refine it according to what's available to us to do and where we are seeing the most return on your training time.
Onwards!
~ Coach P
@Coach Patrick Thank you for the call! The personal touch with your team has been great - hey and even fits into social distancing standards LOL!
@matt limbert Things are heating up again at work - HP and Dell have offered us volunteers to assist with review of our systems to prepare for expansion and I am leading part of this effort. It will be a bit of a challenge but so far I am getting to the workouts - last night a bit later than I would like but the numbers were decent for me. Today's run will depend on weather - Tstorms expected all day and with no gyms and no treadmill ;(
I could potentially add the striders to the long run tomorrow?
@Glori Ekberg Yes, incorporate a few strides into your run tomorrow. Keep the overall pace easy though. TRP (between Z1 and Z2). You should be able to easily hold a conversation at this pace. We are looking for the aerobic and durability adaptions from this run at an easy effort. There is plenty of work to do on Sunday's bike!
Congratulations on leading the system expansion effort. 😀 Always good to get some additional help too! 😂 Nice job this week!
@matt limbert Had to move things out on my plan for this week. Got an infection and yesterday was a doctor and rest day. Feel a lot better today but on antibiotics so will have to be a little cautious with the runs.
@Glori Ekberg
https://endurancenation.wistia.com/medias/bl9laz9l18
Welcome to your SECOND MONTH inside Endurance Nation!
Our goal is to check in with you, determine the best way to help you continue your journey, and share your progress with the Team!
First off, watch Coach Patrick’s Month Two video.
Step One: Quick Update
Please use this form to update us on how things are going: https://forms.gle/k9p2o3ZYyhGo9U2N6 We will follow up with guidance and advice here in this thread.
Step Two: Book Your Coach Check In Call
As part of TeamEN, you and Coach Patrick will talk one-on-one roughly 4x per year. Let’s connect soon and keep you rolling. Book your check in call with Coach Patrick online here: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min
Step Three: Pick Your Learning Focus
We have several courses and resources for you based on your interest. You can browse the Courses here or review the Coach Lesson archive here. Don’t forget to check in on the Official EN Athlete Roadmap to see how you are progressing.
Need help picking a focus area? Ask us right here in this forum thread (be sure to @CoachP!!), via the red chat icon on the Members Site or by going to Help / Email Support.
Step Four: Your Friends are Waiting
We have several GroupMe channels where we want to hear about your training or you can get a quick answer to your latest race or gear question. Get motivation and team awesomeness via EN Live on Facebook or if you’d rather chat, then find your home on the most relevant Team EN GroupMe chat channel.
Looking forward to your next step!
~ Brenda
@Glori Ekberg thank you for submitting your monthly check in (see below). Great to hear how things are going, particularly with Run cadence. Krista no if you think the strides that @matt limbert Recommended are helping at all? I find them to be beneficial during early season (getting mojo back) and late season (sharpening for a race).
As for the endurance, we'll get there. Where is the general concept of what means, but interestingly enough everyone develops that at a slightly different rate. It depends a great deal on your current fitness level as well as how active you have been. The key thing to remember is that every single workout is an investment in that endurance account. The more consistent we can be over time the more you will be able to get those benefits in the future. 👍
Month Two Status Update from Glori Ekberg
Rate Your Fitnesss (Scale of 1 to 3):
Additional Info:
Biggest Improvement So Far? My running cadence is improving and when I focus on cadence, I relax a bit more.
How Else Can We Help You? Building endurance in both run and bike however, I know I need to do it incrementally so I don't overload and still get enough rest.
@Coach Patrick I do believe the strides are working. That was when I started to focus on the cadence - small doses helped me to think about it. I applied to my long run yesterday which I did parcel out into Intervals of Run/Walk as I work on my endurance. On the 2 minutes of jogging, I am counting my steps and it looks like my cadence has improved from about 160 Average to 170 average but about 180 during the run intervals. My average on the last stride run was 176.
@matt limbert @Coach Patrick I am looking at the week ahead which is the start of the short course plan. We still have not reopened gyms nor allowed to perform open water swimming. The earliest that might occur is July but the restrictions are unknown therefore it may be severely limited. So the Swim days/Test will not occur. I am hoping for reasonable weather tomorrow to perform the Bike test and Thursday for Run test. I am still performing the 3x per week workouts with my Training Group but have backed off to lighter weights. Will we be adjusting the plan for where I am right now in my capabilities and my work/rest time? I suspect I will always end up with at least one day where work will demand a full day and I may need a rest day to be sure the older bones and muscles recoup. Thanks for everything - I am seeing progress and that feels great! I have not heard officially yet on if my triathlon will be held but they are reaching out for input so I would say it is about 50/50.
@Glori Ekberg - thanks for the update! So good to hear from you. I know the transition back from the lockdown state is a little unique, very hard for us to tell who gets to do what. I'm getting updates from Florida confused with changes from the government in Japan and don't even get me started on what's happening to our athletes in the UK. 🤣
General I like the progression that the short course plan has in store for you. I have removed the swim workouts so that's one less thing for us to worry about. Your strength training, even at the lighter weights, should be a sufficient replacement. As you continue forward, I'm hoping that we can extend your time on the Saturday rides. These longer rides are a critical component to building some endurance and durability as we head into the rest of the season.
You will see that there are main set sessions that look like to buy 15 minutes, etc. This essentially means that there's 30 total minutes of hard work to do during the ride, and you can get it done however works for you. I personally choose to do work on hills because it makes it a lot easier.
Let me know what you think!
~ Patrick
@Coach Patrick I have an awesome training group and credit them with helping me through many injuries and maintenance between events. I will remind them we are missing swimming so they add what can be done on dry land. They train several triathletes so I have seen some extra work for shoulders, arms and lats even with the training online.
Longer rides - check! Hills - check!
@Coach Patrick @matt limbert Today our tri-club announced the expected start of open water swims. Not sure what the arrangements will be however, it will at least be a chance to get in the water. This is currently scheduled to start on July 7th and is every Tuesday evening weather permitting. If this goes as planned, I will need to make some adjustments to the plan starting that week. No word on pools yet! The swim is in a lake with a loop that is approximately .5 miles.
@Glori Ekberg Open water swim! That's great news! You certainly can make those adjustments. It will be great to get back in the water and its even better to swim open water with a group. Monday is typically our easier day, with a swim scheduled. Tues is a FTP bike and 20' strides run. We would recommend you swap the strides to Monday and the swim to Tues to meet your new schedule. Let's try that for a few weeks. The swim on Monday was designed to give your legs a break after the weekend. So, lets see if the strides on Monday is too much or then we can just use it as a day off. Let's see how it goes for a few weeks just doing the swap.
New schedule: Mon: 20' Strides, Tues: Bike FTP + Open Water swim.
You can click and drag those workouts around on your calendar.
Let us know what you think and give us some feedback on how you feel after the first couple of weeks with the swap.
@matt limbert Good Morning! I would love to say the above would work however, the lake where we practice is 45 minutes from my work and an hour back home. The swim starts at 6 so by the time we all get in the water and back out I have to head home. The one thing I might be able to work in just ahead of the swim would be the Run Strides. I took a stab at laying this out the week of July 6-12 if you want to take a look. I moved the two extra swims to Monday as a holding place. No pool reopenings are planned at this time 😞
I have been slowing down a bit with the heat - just came on like a furnace! Knees have been talking to me a bit so I backed off the low priority runs. Could be part heat but I also took a tumble on the bike on the 14th - still having to negotiate gated park entrances and this one is at the bottom of a very steep winding hill. NOTE TO SELF - let the MB'ers use the ditch to get around the gate not road bike friendly! 😕