TriForce Online Triathlon Team & Coaching

In This Fantastic Issue:  * Kudos To Rob, Andre & Sian * Price Increases (Not For You) * Weight Loss Challenge Update- 20 pounds lost and counting!  * Your Daily 5 Minutes of Motivation Congrats to Rob Gray on Placing … finish reading TriForce Winter Update

Training Over the Holidays.  If you’re travelling for the holidays, don’t be a perfectionist about your training, but DO continue to be consistent with your training.  The simplest way to stay fit when travelling is to find a gym with … finish reading TriForce Holiday Update!

In This Issue: Race Results: 4 Races, 4 PRs! * Upcoming Team Events * Dealing With Gaps in Your Training *  Cool Web Site- Virtual Swim Congrats to Julie “J Clow” on her 5 mile race PR!  Julie has been a model … finish reading TriForce Update!

This week I came across this excellent article by Joe Friel on dealing with gaps in your training.  Joe Friel is the author of the Triathlete’s Training Bible (required reading) and he’s a huge influence on me as a coach.  (This weekend … finish reading Minding Gaps In Your Triathlon Training

“I did it! I bred a turkey that has 6 legs!” They all asked the farmer how it tasted. “I don’t know” said the farmer. “I never could catch the darn thing!” 2 legged image from hampsteadkiwanispark.com This issue is … finish reading TriForce Update- Turkey Edition!

This post gives you the step by step process for testing your run threshold, calculating your run heart rate zones and pace zones, and inputting it all into Trainingpeaks. A helpful video is included. Continue reading →

When you reach week 4 of the team program you’ll get the green light to forget about your “ballpark zones” and get down to the business of setting your serious bike zones.  For the most part, our method of setting … finish reading Setting Your Bike Zones

It’s a good old fashioned dilemma.  I ask you to keep your heart rate in lower zone 2 for most of your workouts, but I don’t let you test your bike or run zones for 4 weeks since we don’t want … finish reading How To Set Your (Ballpark) Training Zones Without Testing

2 blog posts ago I said I was finished brainwashing TriForcers about their Prep & Conditioning training.  I lied, but this is the last brainwashing post, I swear! (fingers crossed) Averaging 7:06 / mile at IMCdA at 154 bpm.  Training … finish reading Don’t Call Low Heart Rate Training “Slow” Training!

We just wrapped up our series of posts on the Preparation & Conditioning Period.  Now we’re going to step back and talk about planning the big picture of our season.  This process starts by looking looking back on the past … finish reading Use Your Noggin Before Adding More Swimmin’, Bikin’ and Joggin’

This article is the final article in our Prep and Conditioning Trilogy.  More than any other period of training, the prep period requires the most brainwashing on my part to convince athletes to keep the heart rate low and to … finish reading Preparation and Conditioning Brainwashing- Last Try!

Race Results: * Andre goes sub 12 at IMFL * Monzy qualifies for Boston at the NYC Marathon Guest Blog Post: ”Tales of an Ironman (Spectator)” Training: * From the Coach’s Training Log- Prep Period Training (“I’m not just the coach of … finish reading TriForce Update- 2011 Goes Out With a Bang!

From the Coach’s Training Log- My Prep Period Training To paraphrase Sy Sperling, I’m not just the coach of TriForce, I’m also a member.  That means I follow the same TriForce plans as the rest of the team.   I … finish reading I’m Not Just the Coach of TriForce… I’m Also a Member!

Today’s guest blogger is TriForce athlete, angel investor and my wife, Caroline Bontia.  I’m a super lucky guy to have a wife who is such an enthusiastic and talented spectator and photographer.  I asked Caroline to do a write up … finish reading Tales of an Ironman (Spectator)

I’ve always conceived of Kona as more of a victory lap than an “A Race,” and even more so this year.  I stepped off the airplane into the lava fields with legs less fit than I’d ever had for an … finish reading Kona Race Report 2011

In this exciting issue: Race Results: Congrats to Sian, Frédéric and Rob * The Return of “Question of the Week” * Coach is Back… Forever Congrats to Sian!  She took 11th in her AG at XTerra world’s Maui.   This was … finish reading TriForce Update- Halloween Edition!

“The only mistake I ever made in an Ironman is running too slow.” - TriForcer Rob Gray   In this issue: * coach will be in Ireland * good luck to Sian, Rob, Frederic and Elmar * join the TriForce Strava … finish reading TriForce Update– (Almost) End of Season Edition

This is a reflective time of year for me.  The leaves are changing and some of us are winding our seasons down while others are just starting the long buildup for achieving their goals in 2012.  I just finished Kona, … finish reading Embrace the Seasons Of Training (Especially This One!)

If a palm tree falls on Ali’i Drive and no one from TriForce hears it, does it make a sound? NEWS: 10k race results for Clint and Frédéric  * good luck to Sian * partial list of team events for 2012 … finish reading TriForce Update– I’m Back from Kona Edition

Kona’s Ali’i Drive, typically the kitschy “Fisherman’s Wharf” of the Big Island, becomes the center of the triathlon universe for the few days leading up to Kona (and probably the city most densely populated with attractive people in the world). … finish reading Kona Race Week – The Star Trek Convention of Triathlon

In this issue:  News: * Race Results * New Team Members *  Swim Zones and “Lanes” * Coach will be in Hawaii * Your Price Is Locked In For Life!* Lack of Privacy Policy- opt out! Training: * Swim Zones Spreadsheet & Swim “Lanes”  … finish reading TriForce Update- Mega Edition

This is the first in our series on figuring out your training zones.  We’ll start with your swim zones. CSS TEST INSTEAD OF 1000 TT: Instead of a 1000 yard swim TT (which people always seemed to skip), we test our … finish reading Determining Your Swim Zones

An Ironman is part party, part race, part celebration of the human spirit.  In my previous 5 Ironman races it was 98% about the race for me, and it paid off with 5 sub 10 finishes and Kona qualifications.  But … finish reading My Kona Ironman World Championship 2011 “Fun Run” Plan

Today’s guest blogger is Rob “An Ironman per Day” Gray, a Googler I coach who just completed 3 full Ironman distance races in ten weeks (and he showed consistent improvement in his training and racing during that time).   He … finish reading 7 Tips For A Speedy Ironman Recovery

  In this issue:  News: * Race Results * New Team Member * The TriForce Email Newsletter is Dead, Long Live the TriForce Blog Newsletter* Training: Coach Goes Nuclear * Training Zones Refresher News: Race Results, New Team Member, The Newsletter is Now … finish reading Team Update: News & Training Tips

We’re Going Back to Santa Cruz August 28th!   TriForce is doing another training day at Santa Cruz.  We’ll swim the pier, then bike and run along the coast.  Athletes competing in Big Kahuna or the Santa Cruz Triathlon can … finish reading I Think It’s Time To Go To Santa Cruz – August 28, 2011

Here at TriForce we typically try to squeeze the most training into a limited amount of time.   We are, after all, the home of the Sub 10 Ironman in 10 Hours per Week training plan.  So typically we do … finish reading 5,4,3,2,1…Bike Camp Week!

This is the second in our series on the latest version of the TriForce run base training program (2.0).  I suggest you read the first article before reading this.  This installment discusses run volume.   As we discussed in our … finish reading TriForce Run Base Training 2.0 – Part 2

This is the first article in our series on the latest refinement of the TriForce run training program (version 2.0).  It outlines the general principles we use for base training for the run.  Next we’ll discuss run volume in the … finish reading 8 Fundamentals of Run Base Training

As you might already know, swimming is a sport limited by stroke technique not strength or brute force. Great swimmers have fantastic stroke technique which minimises their drag and maximises their propulsion, moving them quickly and efficiently through the water.. Continue reading →

I’m a huge fan of indoor cycling (I’ve spent some winters doing basically nothing but indoor riding), but I’ve also come to see that it has some drawbacks as well. Some professional athletes do a large portion of their training indoors (I recently read that Andy Potts does virtually all his riding on the Computrainer Continue reading →

A couple TriForce members are doing the ride and one of them who is a bit concerned about his preparation asked me for some final tips and wisdom. Since I’m not an expert on the event, these tips come more from the common sense / general principles category. (OK, you caught me… I’m just posting this Q&A on the blog just because I love the Death Ride picture / poster from this year so much!) Continue reading →

Starting the second loop, the two of us (above) were in 2nd and 3rd in our AG. There are some downhills in the first couple miles of the loop and I used them to make a move and break away. My legs were coming back to life and my stride felt good heading out for my final run along the lake. I was tempted to put my foot on the gas, but I reminded myself that 10 miles (including the hills at the turnaround) is not quite “almost there.” Continue reading →

As we discussed in part 1, the goal of the taper is to arrive at your race: (1) fresh- not tired at all; (2) sharp- with legs and muscles that feel powerful and ready to fire; and (3) fit- to hold on to … finish reading Taper – TriForce style! (Taper Part 2)

Sorry about the bad formatting– I’m in a rush getting ready to travel to CdA tomorrow and I wanted to put this up before I left (note to self– don’t draft blog posts in Google Docs & try to paste … finish reading My Ironman Coeur D’Alene Race Plan

Q: Are there any spots on the course where it’s optimal to push a bit harder (or to ease off and save energy)? There are plenty of hills on the course where your speed will grind to <10 mph and … finish reading Ironman Coeur D’Alene Tip – When in Doubt, Coast It Out!

An athlete I coach was kind enough to let me post his race plan and my comments since I thought it could be helpful for other people.  Like many TriForce athletes, he’s a busy achiever with a job that requires … finish reading Ironman Coeur D’Alene Sample Race Plan

This is the first article in my series on tapering.   This article addresses the overall goals of the taper.  Following articles will get into the nitty gritty of the taper. If you nail your taper (and plan and execute … finish reading Taper (Part 1) 3 Taper Keys To Unleash the Beast on Race Day!

This is the first in a series of “ketchup” posts (pun makes sense as you continue reading) that I’m going to post in the next couple of weeks as my taper for IMCdA gives me some extra time.   I … finish reading California 70.3 Oceanside Race Report

Today’s guest blogger is Julie Clow, a TriForce team member who is training for her first Half IM race at the end of the summer.  Like many members of the team, Julie faces the challenge of a hectic work schedule … finish reading From the TriForce Trenches…

In bodybuilding they have a name for people who struggle to put on muscle mass – “hard gainers.”  While some people can just follow a bodybuilding program and eat more to pack on muscle mass, hard gainers have to fight … finish reading The Race Weight Mindset For “Hard Losers”

WF long course is a fun event and a challenging one! Here are some random tips for first timers that can help make the difference between finishing strong and having a fun day versus adding an extra hour or so of suffering an misery. These tips are geared toward athletes looking to “finish strong” as opposed to those, e.g., targeting a podium spot or a sub 5 finish. Continue reading →

It’s hard to believe, but it’s about time for specific preparation for athletes training for St. George.  The specific preparation (SP) period is the last period of training before we taper for our race.  During the base period we focus … finish reading 3 Goals For Your Specific Preparation Period

Your training is working if you are improving from one training block to the next.  However, measuring improvement can be a little more tricky for an age group Ironman athlete than for an olympic distance athlete.  A strong olympic distance … finish reading How Do You Know Your IM Training is “Working”?

Today’s guest blogger is Sian Turner, TriForce’s only XTerra Triathlete.  As Sian’s coach I’m always impressed with her ability to go with the flow of her always changing schedule but to train consistently (often at very early hours before flights). … finish reading The Road Warrior

If it’s hard to hold steady pace / power after you’ve warmed up– JUST QUIT!   This is a serious sign of fatigue (remember- steady is just above easy– it shouldn’t be that hard to hold!).  Nip it in the … finish reading From the Coach’s Training Log- One Clear Sign to Quit A Workout

  It depends.  If you want to do the occasional spin class, go do the class and have fun.  Use it to replace your weekly intervals ride in your program.  However,  if you want to do a spin class every … finish reading Question of the Week: My local tri team has some spin sessions. Are these workouts too intensive at this time of the year?

Music choice is KEY!   Although I wouldn’t be able to stand to listen to 2 seconds of it when I’m not working out, I sometimes listen to techno? (not sure what they call it nowadays).  Try creating a Paul … finish reading How Do You Keep From Getting Bored Biking Indoors?

This weeks question came from a tortured team member who points out the coach’s  conundrum – by giving athletes the option to do less or more based on how they feel then you can help them find the correct training … finish reading Question of the Week: When you say I can do “more if feeling strong, confident …” at the end of an endurance ride, it’s worse than waterboarding by the CIA!!!

For most of us this is a great time of year to get into a good routine.  Time to re-commit and make sure we emerge from the winter fit & strong!  Like many of you, my training and nutrition has … finish reading Get Angry At Yourself to Get Faster!

For “C” races we don’t taper at all. For a Sunday “C” race, I recommend doing your long ride on Saturday before your race. If it is a running race, skip your next scheduled run, then do easy recovery runs … finish reading I want to do some early season fun races (duathlon, 10k, etc.) How do I change my schedule

There is no way to avoid it– running is strenuous: Sustained nonstop flat running is very repetitive and therefore stressful on your joints and muscles. Grass running removes some impact shock, but some runners find lots of grass running can … finish reading From the Coach’s Training Log- Mix Up Your Running to Avoid Injury & Overreaching

About once a week I’ll post a question from the “Ask the Coach” page of the team web site on the blog.  This week’s question is from a thirsty team member from Seattle. I’m not a heavy drinker but I … finish reading Question of the Week #1 – Drinking and Training

This video discusses the first way to use “passive” ways to run quickly– falling forward with gravity. The key’s are: (1) posture; and (2) a foot strike that lands under your body (and which quickly will be behind your body … finish reading Run Technique Video 2 – Using Gravity

How to run efficiently is a topic that inspires religious ferver among triathletes.    Some people believe ”by running alot you’ll naturally find the form that works best for you.”  But if you look at the train wreck running form of … finish reading Efficient Running Technique Video #1

Macca came to speak at the Cliff Bar HQ in Berkeley and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to meet him and hear him talk about his recent Kona victory.   I’m a huge Macca fan and I consider him a … finish reading An Evening With Macca

Chef Joni Sare has invited me to be the guest at another one of her fabulous dialog dinners in Cupertino.   I think she invited me back since the first dinner sold out, but I’m pretty sure she could invite a … finish reading Dialog Dinner 2: Kona Edition

Only 6 months left until Wildflower Long Course and Ironman St. George!  Only 8 months left until Ironman Coeur D’Alene! For more information about the team, read this and this. Preparation Block 1- Week 1: We’re in the Preparation & Conditioning Period. … finish reading Iron Athlete Team Newsletter #1

Here are a couple of preparation / conditioning period sample workouts for a team member who has an average amount of time to train and who is an intermediate to advanced swimmer and runner. (i.e. doesn’t particularly struggle with either … finish reading Team Sample Workouts

This was my first Kona and the atmosphere during race week on Ali’i Drive was everything I had expected.  Even though it is the world championship and I wanted to have a good showing, it was also a relief not to … finish reading Ironman World Championship Kona 2010 Race Report

Endurance Corner asked elite age groupers: “What do you think you did differently than most of your competitors to help you get to the top of the AG ranks and qualify for Kona (or continue qualifying)?” I enjoyed reading what people … finish reading What Are Elite Age Groupers & Kona Qualifiers Doing Differently?

Joni Sare, an amazing chef who will some day have her own restaurant, has been hosting periodic “dialog dinners” at her home in Silicon Valley or around the Bay Area where she prepares seasonal cuisine.  Each dinner features a special … finish reading Join Me For a Chef-Prepared Dialog Dinner

This was taken from a comment on my Santa Cruz Triathlon Tips post.   I created a new post out of it because the information could be helpful to anyone planning their nutrition for an olympic distance race. Kate:  “Thanks … finish reading Nailing Your Olympic Distance Race Day Nutrition

Here are some tips for executing your race at the upcoming Santa Cruz Triathlon.  Some of these tips are specific to a course with an ocean swim and a rolling bike course, but most apply to any Olympic distance race. … finish reading Tips For this Weekend’s Santa Cruz Triathlon

It’s all well and good to have a training program that tells you to do a 3 hour ride on Wednesday, to drive 20 minutes to the pool on Thursday, swim for an hour and drive 20 minutes home (and … finish reading The "When All Hell Breaks Loose" Workout Plan

I was interviewed by Endurance Corner’s Nick Mathers this month.  Below is a copy of the profile (reprinted with Nick’s permission).  My favorite part was the picture (above) where Nick juxtaposed the “fat Coady” holding a beer with the “fit … finish reading My Profile On Endurance Corner

How to Get Off to a Running Start With a New Coach, New Plan or New Season. I created this quick start guide as a resource for myself and to share with clients.  I thought I’d share it since it … finish reading An 8 Step Quick Start Guide

How I Hope to Lose 6 Lbs, Train Big & Preserve the Sanctity of the Secret Chocolate Stash: This is the first installment of my “lab rat” series where I perform experiments on myself to determine what works.  The idea … finish reading My 30 Day Endurance Weight Loss Experiment

I’m about 6 weeks out from IM Hawaii and I’m a few pounds over my usual race weight.   I’m about to ramp up and do my big specific prep race rehearsals, so I need to be plenty fueled!  But … finish reading 5 Endurance Weight Loss Principles

Despite what your perpetually shaved neighbor with the M Dot tattoo tells you, you do not need to train 20 hours per week to kick butt in your next IM. In fact, your neighbor who trains 20 hours per week probably has … finish reading Sub 10 Ironman in 10 Hours Per Week

OK… maybe maintenance sessions are not the most sexy aspect of triathlon training. I rarely hear my friends bragging about how they maintained their training gains between big weekend sessions. But sexy or not, athletes need to have some go-to … finish reading Maintenance Is Sexy!

7. Did you fade on the second half of the bike ride? (yes? bike slower next time)
8. Did it take a BIG effort to hold your wattage at the end of the bike? (you are on the borderline of your proper effort, ASSUMING that you can run well)
9. Did you have to raise your heart rate greatly to maintain your pacing plan? (yes? this is a danger sign that you might have to dial back your effort) Continue reading →

Two to three months out from your IM race, you should have some idea of what intensity, power and pace you think you should swim, bike, and run at your upcoming IM race.  You should also have a rough idea … finish reading The Session You MUST Do Before Your IM

You don’t understand!  Why did you feel so tired at the end of your IM bike ride?  Why did your legs feel so shelled early on in the run?  You did pleny of long, hilly 112 mile rides on courses … finish reading The Focus Factor: Do You Have It?

“I accessed that part of the brain that lets a mother lift a car off of her child. My mantra was “I can. I will.” I used anger. I used fear. I wasn’t going to put myself through another roll down. This is my slot. No one will take it from me. I told myself that even if my feet shatter I won’t slow down– I will hold 7 minute miles on bloody stumps. I told my body that it does not have permission to slow down.” Continue reading →

Pre Race Woke up @ 3:45 (7.5 hours sleep).  Drove 3 hours down from Pleasanton to Lake San Antonio with a Micky D’s rest stop / coffee top off / leg stretch.  Checked in (my “purple cap” wave was to … finish reading Wildflower 2010 Race Report

Wildflower Plan This is a plan I wrote more or less just as notes to myself, but I posted it here as an example of how I plan before a race. Pre-Race: smile & have fun! make sure my Garmin … finish reading Wildflower Plan