TMac Coaching

Technology

2009-03-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

I've always been an early adopter when it came to technology on the bike. When Greg LeMond was winning the Tour de France, I had an Avocet cyclometer on my bike. Then when heart rate monitors came out, I was first in line. What a great leap that was, we finally had something concrete to train by other than perceived exertion.

Then came the ultimate cycling tool: the power meter. I can't remember exactly when I bought my first SRM but I think it was 2002 or 2003. I used it for a year and sold it! WTF, you say! Well, honestly, at that time we didn't really know what all those numbers meant. No one had compiled enough data over a large selection of riders to really know what to compare all those neat numbers we were looking at. Thankfully a small group of engineers and bike geeks kept at it and through some other riders, coaches and a newsgroup called Wattage, we did start to figure out what those numbers meant and I was back on the bandwagon again with a new SRM.

Then Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan wrote a great book that put everything together and made the power meter easy to understand and use. Today I have almost four years of pretty decent data on me, and three, yep count 'em, three SRM's. An old amateur version on the Velotron, a Dura Ace Pro version on the race bike and now, for my post racing days, a new wireless Gossamer compact SRM coupled to a Garmin 705 that is mounted to my Ritchey Breakaway.

And boy am I geeked out! This new Garmin 705 is truly too cool to believe. Tracking your training has never been better; power, distance, time, heart rate, altitude, course maps, GPS, the list goes on. And it not only can track your bike workouts, I have now used it back country skiing and walking my dog! Collecting very useful data with every pedal stroke, kick turn and stride. While it is brand new and I am still figuring out what it is capable of, it hit me tonight how truly far we have come since my old Avocet. Thanks Greg.

TMac

Racing?

2009-02-10T19:16:00.001-08:00

The first races of the season are upon us, Boulevard RR in San Diego was this past weekend and the opener for many sun-starved Utahns is the Valley of the Sun stage race in Phoenix, kicking off this Friday. As exciting as it is to get the competitive juices flowing, I dread these early events because of unrealistic expectations.

No matter how well the workouts have gone this winter on the trainer, it is very difficult for riders in Northern climes like Utah to be competitive at a race in mid-February. Riders living in Arizona and Southern California have a distinct advantage over us because of their favorable outdoor riding conditions and the fact that they have been racing for several weeks by now.

And the first time we open up the throttle all the way hurts so it is best to make the first race of the season (actually the first few) a TRAINING RACE. And despite all my challenging workouts, the best way to train for racing is simply racing. And as long as you keep things in perspective and have realistic expectations, racing is awesome training.

I'll refer back to Commandment #5: Not every race is the Tour de France. There is nothing wrong with entering every race with a plan to win, but unless your name is Lance or Eddy, you can't expect to win every race. So jump in and enter these early races like VOS and the March RMR's, but do it right; keep things in perspective and your expectations in line. Race hard for the training and use these races to practice for the events that really matter for you during the season: those 2-3 "A" races that we have selected to have you on your best form.

And if you don't, expect disappointment and discouragement. And we don't want that.

TMac

Power Training Zones

2009-02-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

Seems everyone has their own definition of proper zones to train in and over the years I have seen or read about dozens of interpretations from as few as three zones to as many as twelve! TMac coaching has found that for riders using power meters, the Coggan power zones based on FTP (functional threshold power) are the most straight forward and easiest to understand zone structure.

Coggan (Dr. Andrew Coggan, a renown exercise physiologist who has published a number of cycling-related scientific articles and is a National-caliber Masters cyclist himself) defines his power training zones into seven unique levels as follows:

Level 1: Active Recovery, less than 55% of FTP
Level 2: Endurance, 56-75% of FTP
Level 3: Tempo, 76-90% of FTP
Level 4: Threshold, 91-105% of FTP
Level 5: VO2 max, 106-120% of FTP
Level 6: Anaerobic Capacity, 121-150% of FTP
Level 7: Neuromuscular Power, more than 150% of FTP

Hunter Allen also slides another very targeted level into Coggans zones in his book, "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" called the Sweet Spot. This sub-threshold level occurs on the cusp of both the Tempo and Threshold levels at 88-94% of FTP. Though not an official level of its own, the Sweet Spot is an excellent place to begin building your FTP.

FTP, as a reminder to all of you, is roughly the average power you can sustain for a one hour time trial effort. Some of you confuse this with your 20 minute average power because I use the 20 minute test as an easier (its all relative, right?) way to determine FTP than a full on, one hour time trial. Keep in mind that your 20 minute best is approximately 103% of FTP. Using this formula combined with an average of your best 60 minute normalized power averages can determine FTP.

TMac

Happy Campers!

2009-01-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

The final day of TMac's training camp was the shortest and most intense of all. We rode the Gunlock loop (which is possibly the road course for Tour del Sol) and I had the group do three repeats up Veyo Hill, a nine tenths of a mile, 7% climb that takes roughly five minutes. This length of effort is on the long end of a good VO2 interval and combined with the steep grade made for a solid workout.

Weather was mostly overcast and gray and we got hit with the only real rain of the day during our VO2 intervals. I had pumped the group up about the fantastic assortment of pastries and pies at the Veyo Cafe so they hurriedly made the two mile trek from the top of Veyo Hill after the final interval only to find it has closed! Talk about disappointment. Luckily the gas station across the street was open and everyone was able to take a restroom break and get a cup of warm fluid in them before rolling back to the house.

Overall, the campers were extremely pleased with our four day excursion in Southern Utah. Covering roughly 265 miles in 14 hours, with a great mix of workouts combining threshold, tempo and VO2 efforts with paceline work, climbing, descending and echelon practice made for a solid camp that will pay off in spades about two months from now.

TMac

Day 3: Long & Hard

2009-01-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

Rain in St. George prompted our move to the lower and warmer clime of Overton, Nevada. We parked at the off-ramp, broke into two groups of five and immediately began 5 minute pulls at 90% FTP. With dry roads and sunny skys, the campers were throttling it from the get go, flying along the North Lake Mead road until we hit road construction about 20 miles in. We did a U-turn and re-routed our course through the Valley of Fire state park and proceeded to ride up and over through the park and on to I-15 where we stopped of re-fueling.

On the way back the group was feeling frisky and decided to race to the top of a ridge within the park. Wagers were going on in the follow truck with most of the money on Fasse for the win and he didn't let us down. We re-grouped and rolled back to the Overton exit, pressing on at a lively pace. Tough day for some but all in all, a great day!

TMac

Day 2: FTP on Utah Hill

2009-01-23T14:19:00.001-08:00

Despite the less than stellar weather conditions (some rain and clouds) we had some incredible performances today from the entire group, including several all time FTP highs! Although it is early in the season, several things contributed to the new PR's: inter-group competition raised everyones performance, lower altitude increases power output and good quality build up and rest prior to camp.

Tomorrow will be much longer, but a whole lot easier. We will ride from the house in Santa Clara across the Dixie rim and through Washington, on to Springdale and Zions Park. It will likely be a six hour ride.

TMac

Team TMac training camp day 1

2009-01-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a welcome respite from the inversion in SLC; 64 degrees and partly cloudy skies. Our group spend a considerable portion of the ride in shorts and short sleeves! As the opening day to a tough four day camp, I kept a lid on their effort, limiting average speed to 18 mph and no hard efforts on the climbs. Everyone seemed very pleased and sated after our 3+ hour jaunt around the old Quail Creek Dam route.

Today: threshold efforts on Utah Hill!

TMac

Training in cold weather

2009-01-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

Living as we do in the somewhat harsh Utah climate, being a competitive cyclist unfortunately requires bundling up and pedaling away in what many would consider frigid conditions. These tough conditions shouldn't prevent you from getting in those important base training hours as long as you follow a few general common sense guidelines. And training in the cold has more benefits than just laying down that all important foundation of fitness.

For example, researchers at Japan's National Defence Medical College have shown that exposure to cold air enhances the activity of 'suppressor macrophages' - large white blood cells which actually depress immune system functioning. Fortunately, the research also found that athletes who train regularly in cooler air are less likely to experience downturns in their immune systems after workouts than those who are exposed to the cold only sporadically.

Another unique aspect of exercising in the cold is that it can produce both glycogen depletion and high rates of fat metabolism. The high rate of glycogen usage tends to empty out muscle glycogen depots, forcing muscles to turn to fat as a source of energy. So while it is important not to overeat, be sure to keep glycogen stores topped off during the ride.

Of course, one of the dangers of cold weather workouts is that you can sometimes get too cold. The problem is not just cold air but from the combination of it and sweat. And when your base layers get wet and have no way to evaporate, sweat-soaked clothes can transform an initially comfortable ride into what feels like an arctic expedition.

So maximize your time outside in the Utah cold by sticking to these few guidelines:
1. Dress in proper layers and use polypropylene or equivalent for a moisture-wicking base
2. Protect your head and extremities with warm, wind-resistant materials
3. Stay hydrated and keep glycogen stores up; drink as if temps are warm
4. Plan routes that minimize wind and water; minimize wind chill and keep dry as possible
5. Keep workouts shorter to compensate for the body keeping its core temperature stable

The bottom line? Cold weather exercise can be tough, but it can do great things for you. Winter is a perfect time to carry out lots of endurance-building, fat-burning, body composition-improving prolonged workouts. Your cold weather training will eventually lead to some really killer efforts when warm weather finally arrives.

TMac

11. Create fear and respect from your competition.

2009-01-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Not every one of your competitors will be your friend, in fact, during the race, the only friends you can count on are your team mates. During race time, make all others fear you and crush them at every opportunity.

Then buy them a beer after the race. Try to limit rivalry to race time only, cycling is a small community and you never know when one of those rivals ends up being a team mate.

TMac

10. Train with intensity

2009-01-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

When your schedule tells you to go hard; go hard, go very, very hard.

TMac

9. Believe in yourself

2009-01-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

What the mind sees, the heart believes, the body can achieve.

Best one of the bunch, in my opinion.

TMac

8. Visualize success

2009-01-03T19:41:00.001-08:00

Every picture tells a thousand stories they say; make sure the stories being told are about you winning!

Imagine the race playing out to your strengths and see yourself succeeding. The mind is a very powerful tool and continued visual reinforcement can indeed help your decision making process at critical race moments.

See yourself making the right moves, getting in breaks and winning sprints; go over the course and finish line in your head many times prior to race day and you will be amazed at the power of suggestion.

TMac

7. When you feel like crap, take a break.

2009-01-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

A very common mistake by bike racers is to train even harder when they feel like crap. They think that if they work harder, they will get through the bad spot and be stronger. What they end up doing is just digging a deeper hole that might take the entire season to get themselves out of.

Sometimes when you feel like crap, it is time to take a break, not train more.

TMac

6. Take Chances

2009-01-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Some have said it is better to try and fail than to never try. Most cyclists will never take the chances necessary to succeed, they would rather play it safe and hold a nice line and finish in the points than take the chance and put everything on the line for a win. If you never take the chance you'll never know what you are made of.

Don't be that guy who sits in and waits for the hammer to drop, drop the hammer yourself!

TMac

5. Not every race is the Tour de France

2009-01-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most damaging views held by cyclists; every race is seen as the defining moment of their career. Although you should enter every race with a plan to win, you can't expect to win every race. We plan your season around as many peaks as you can manage, and those peaks should be in line with events you have the best possible chance of winning. But in most cases that will only be 2-3 races per year; every thing else is training for those few races. If you expect to win every race you will probably win very few.

TMac

4. Don't stand when you can sit...

2009-01-02T17:22:00.000-08:00

Success as a cyclist is a matter of balancing volume, intensity and rest. Rest is necessary to give your body opportunity to repair itself after hard training. The body will not improve properly without recovery time. So pay heed to the old euro mantra; don't stand when you can sit, don't sit when can lay down. Take every opportunity to rest and lower stress.

TMac

3. Believe and trust your program.

2009-01-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

Each of you is following a program that has been designed for your success and to help you reach the goals set for the race season. Follow it and you will improve.

TMac

2. Train alone most of the time

2008-12-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

This commandment could very well be the key to success and failure in bicycle racing, and one that I hate to promote because I love the social aspect of cycling. But if you want to get the most out of your training program, it must be at your pace, not that of the group or any other training partner that does not have the same goals as you do. In order to do 2x 20 minutes at FTP or 6x 2 minutes at 130% of FTP, you can't have any one or any thing else dictating your FTP except yourself.

And you join a group that says they are "going easy", and you are supposed to be on an easy day, don't get sucked into racing for city limits or ramping up the paceline beyond your zones if the group loses its planned pace. And conversely, if you need to do two hours of tempo, joining a group that wants to go easy isn't good for either party. Know when to pull off and do your planned workout.

There is a time and place for riding in groups and letting yourself ride in all zones and doing whatever the group does, just be sure it those rides don't interfere the the goals set for that day. Use you judgement and plan on training alone most of the time; socialize after the race is over and you are discussing the winning move you made!

TMac

1. Go slow to go fast

2008-12-24T14:58:00.000-08:00

This one is the easiest commandment to understand, yet the hardest to apply. Simply put, when your plan says to do an easy recovery spin, do just that: go easy. Easy is heart rate zone 1, power level 1, small chain ring, easy spinning, usually a maximum of 14 mph.

This can be hard to do some days; the lure of catching the guy in front of you, staying with the group or riding with your buddy who isn't on a recovery day can all be tough to ignore but in order for your hard training to work, you must rest just as hard.

Completing recovery rides properly can be so challenging that most of the time it might be easier to train alone (nice segue to commandment #2 to be posted tomorrow).

TMac

Ten Commandments of Training

2008-12-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this old document given to me by a coach I used years ago and much of it is applicable today. Though most are self explanatory, let me know if you need in-depth descriptions of any single commandment. Enjoy!

1. Go slow to go fast.

2. Train alone most of the time.

3. Believe and trust your program.

4. Don't stand when you can sit, don't sit when you can lay down.

5. Every race is not the Tour de France.

6. Take chances.

7. When you aren't riding strong, take a break.

8. Visualize success.

9. Believe in yourself.

10. Train with intensity.

11. (He couldn't keep it to 10) Create fear and respect from your competition.

TMac

Of Trainers and Snowstorms

2008-12-17T20:30:00.000-08:00

Seems we may have a perfect storm brewing for killing motivation; the combination of cold, wet winter weather and an uptick in the intensity of trainer workouts. All is not lost, however, and I'd like to offer up a couple of suggestions to keep everyone on track.

First and foremost; embrace Utah and all it has to offer in the winter. Get the skinny skis out and waxed for some great threshold training. Not coordinated enough for skating? Invest in a pair of snowshoes; nothing beats a good hike in deep snow for strengthening your hips and quads. Local pros Burke Swindlehurst and Jeff Louder are both known to spend many winter hours tramping through the deep stuff.

And trust me, the trainer workouts will get better; those first few tough intervals can be unbearable but your body will get stronger and adapt. Try to gain energy from knowing that you are working harder, and smarter, than the competition; short, structured trainer workouts make the best use of your limited training time.

And finally, you can count on roads improving soon, weather in Salt Lake changes as often as I change socks! And if it doesn't improve quick enough for you, there is always St. George or Moab; three or four hours in the car and conditions can change markedly. Remember, bike racing is supposed to be fun, so lets work together to keep it that way!

TMac

Sick and Tired?

2008-12-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

We are entering that time of year when the combination of big hours training in cold weather and the stress of holidays catch up to athletes in the form of the common cold. Often catching a cold isn't a big deal, more of an annoyance than anything, but left unchecked it can lead to more severe illness. Most athletes are unsure of whether or not they should train when the bug bites.

My rule of thumb is if the cold symptoms are above the neck, go ahead and train as normal, only cutting the time short if you don't feel very good. Adding 1000 mg. of Vitamin C and gargling with Listerine daily are good preventative measures as well. If, on the other hand, your cold has migrated downward into your chest and lungs, it is best to limit training to very short, very easy rides, preferably indoors, and check in with your doctor to make sure you don't have anything serious.

Catching something serious early and taking some time off to prevent any escalation of illness will pay big dividends later. Likewise, over-reacting to minor sniffles and coughs may not be in your best interest either. Pay attention to your body and the common cold won't have you sick and tired!

TMac

Winter is here!

2008-12-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

SLC is finally getting much needed snow as I write this and another good storm is brewing for the weekend. Why blog about snow on a coaching forum? Because it can dramatically impacts cycling workouts!

Scenerio 1: you are scheduled for 4 hours of zone 2 with one hour of tempo z3-4 but there is four inches of snow on the ground! Solution: Go out in the am with your snowshoes or nordic skis for 2 hours of z3-4 heart rate, then come home eat, nap and do your chores then jump on the trainer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and include that hour of tempo. Workout accomplished!

This is just one example of course and I will work with all my clients to find the right replacement for the long rides that are interuppted by white stuff.

TMac

Favorite Workout

2008-12-03T09:52:00.000-08:00

Beginning this Saturday (last week for some) we will be adding my favorite workout to the weekly routine: Five Minute Pulls. Basically a sub-threshold group ride, this workout is described as a single pace line of 3 to 5 riders, each taking a five minute pull at the front near or at functional threshold power.

Many riders who have done this ride believe the pull is what the ride is all about and they would be wrong. What makes this ride so productive is not the hard effort at the front, it is in training the body to recover at high speed and power output. Think motor pacing rather than VO2 effort.

Several things need to be considered in order for this workout to be as effective as possible. The paceline needs to include at least three riders and no more than five. Less than three doesn't give each rider enough time on the wheel and more than five is too much time between pulls. Another important element is the group should contain riders of similar power output to keep it effective for all members of the paceline.

This ride will be the staple of base and build phases and is an important and fun component of the training programs I design. It builds threshold power, group riding skills and team comraderie. Enjoy!

TMac

Winter Weight

2008-11-30T20:49:00.000-08:00

In our ancestors time adding a layer of fat for the winter months was desirable but in the modern world we have gas furnaces and Gore Tex to keep us warm. This brings me to the point and the title of this entry; winter weight.

It has been my philosophy that the winter is the perfect time to LOSE weight, not gain it as our ancestors may have. Our energy needs during the off-season are not as urgent without the intense efforts of racing and hard training so it only makes sense to "diet" during these months of less strenuous training. And getting there is very simple; eat less than you burn. Long, easy rides and restricted caloric intake will deliver results, if y0u are disciplined and determined. Take care to watch portion size and always eat quality food whenever possible.

Another favorite trick of mine is a fast day. Best done on a Monday of a rest week, simply have a hearty meal, sensible portions of course, on Sunday night and refrain from eating anything until dinner Monday night. Drink lots of water (coffee and tea is acceptable but not recommended) and tough it out. The jolt can sometimes pump up the metabolism and get your furnace back in prime condition.

TMac

Blog Updates

2008-11-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

Things seem a bit slow, it is early in the season, but I will try to post more than every two weeks! We have been blessed with a nice "Indian Summer" once again and hopefully all of you are taking full advantage of the cool, dry and sunny weather we have been experiencing to get in the hours. Winter will be upon us sooner than you think!

Cyclocross is proven to be a nice transition exercise that bridges the road season and the off season. I am amazed at how the unique sport of cross has really caught on around here; the Utah Cyclocross series is regularly getting 300 riders a weekend out, as good as any UCA race weekend. Might be something to it...

TMac

Strength Training

2008-11-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

I get asked every year by riders if they should be strength training and my answer has varied somewhat over the years. Currently, I say yes, especially if you need to improve your sprint. That comes with a caveat however, if your time is limited, it is always better to do sport specific training, cycling in our case, than spend that time in the gym.

What strength training does, in a nutshell, is increase the size of the engine and make your sport specific training more effective. If you think of a muscle group as a small factory producing energy, weight training helps to increase the size of the factory, helping you accomplish more work.

TMac

Pedal Stroke

2008-11-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

As in most years past, we will be spending a few weeks on pedal stroke drills; initially via Individual Leg Training (ILT) followed by progressively more complicated workouts before moving on to VO2 and threshold workouts.

Cross guys will have to wait until you are done playing in the dirt before doing these rides.

TMac

Testing Time!

2008-10-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

The early birds will be doing the dreaded 20 minute time trial this weekend so we can establish FTP for the upcoming workouts. I generally prefer clients to do this test on their trainers as that will likely be the setting for workouts in the coming weeks as our lovely Indian Summer draws to a close. As most of them should be somewhat de-trained since the race season ended weeks ago, I don't have high expectations for this TT, I just need to know where they are now so the prescribed workouts have them working at the necessary effort.

TMac

First Post

2008-10-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the first post on my new blog; TMac Coaching. Hopefully my clients will use this as a communications tool as we trade ideas and ideaologies about training and racing bicycles.