There's a new program on the market that I'm excited about. As a coach, the hardest part of coaching in understanding quantitatively how you the athlete respond to training and recovery. There are ways to manage this, but since every athlete uses the same words to describe different feelings, it's difficult to get exactly right.
Restwise takes the guess work out of recovery. By answering a very brief series of questions every day, Restwise provides and tracks a Recovery Score to quantify your recovery state. The best part is your GEC coach can then see your score and will adjust your training appropriately. I’ve been using this system for a few weeks and already see how by using this I can make your hard stuff as hard as you can handle and can nail your taper based on how you're recovering real-time!
I’m promoting this only because it works—GEC makes nothing off this except your success. Use code GEC for 25% off…AND get a free pulse oximeter for instant measurement of blood oxygen level and pulse. www.restwise.com When you order, let your coach know and we’ll bring your file into our program so your scores instantly download for our info. If you're not a GEC coached athlete you can still use this program to manage your training and recovery.
Brian
Triathlon and Endurance Sports Coaching; Multisport camps, training, and racing in Arizona.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Mix it up
A buddy asked the other day “I run 2-2.5 miles all the time. Why does it not get easier?” It’s all about the body’s ability to adapt.
When stressing the body repetitively in the same mode, the body can adapt but it adapts in more a survival mode by being able to handle that finite amount of stress. We subconsciously know that the run will be over in 2-2.5 miles so we plan for that and the run gets worse at the 1.5 miles mark as we see that on the treadmill or round that corner. After only a short time of this repetitive training, the body’s adaptation slows and fitness growth is limited.
If we mix things up a bit by varying the speed, intensity, incline, and/or duration, the body will adapt with more fitness and strength than survival methods. As simply as increasing one run a week to 20% more than what is “standard,” fitness will increase faster. If you need to, run/walk by time (run 8 minutes, walk 1 minute, etc) to get to the longer distance. Or vary the speed on one run and doing repeats of 2 minutes faster followed by 3 minutes slower. By mixing things up and varying the induced stress, the body responds by increasing true strength and fitness.
Hope this helps. Go train.
Brian
When stressing the body repetitively in the same mode, the body can adapt but it adapts in more a survival mode by being able to handle that finite amount of stress. We subconsciously know that the run will be over in 2-2.5 miles so we plan for that and the run gets worse at the 1.5 miles mark as we see that on the treadmill or round that corner. After only a short time of this repetitive training, the body’s adaptation slows and fitness growth is limited.
If we mix things up a bit by varying the speed, intensity, incline, and/or duration, the body will adapt with more fitness and strength than survival methods. As simply as increasing one run a week to 20% more than what is “standard,” fitness will increase faster. If you need to, run/walk by time (run 8 minutes, walk 1 minute, etc) to get to the longer distance. Or vary the speed on one run and doing repeats of 2 minutes faster followed by 3 minutes slower. By mixing things up and varying the induced stress, the body responds by increasing true strength and fitness.
Hope this helps. Go train.
Brian
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Exciting News!
As endurance athletes, we are good at going in a straight line for ever, right? We're not so good at anything lateral or at strength training. Strength training is too important not to do, but it takes a back seat to the many hours of swimming, cycling and running we're doing.
Strength training is too important to neglect because it builds the durability and injury resistance needed for the long aerobic training, aids in maintaining the body's structure when fatigue sets in under aerobic loading, and just plain makes you tough. Triathlon is about strength just as much aerobic fitness.
So...Grasky Endurance Coaching is teaming up with CrossFit Purgatory! CFP is the perfect compliment to GEC's aerobic training. Not only are Tony and Marcy and their trainers effective and proven at what they do and great people, but they understand our priority of aerobic training. CFP workouts of the day (WODs) are time efficient (read: short) and very effective.
From www.crossfitpurgatorytucson.com: CrossFit Purgatory is an elite strength and conditioning facility in beautiful Tucson, Arizona. We use and implement CrossFit classes as our principle training program simply because we have found it to be the most effective way to produce elite fitness. Our goal is to increase an individuals overall work capacity. We progress towards this through many different sport modalities, including but not limited to: Olympic lifting, kettlebell training, gymnastics, running and sprinting, Strong Man training, climbing, rowing, and throwing. In doing so, our athletes become stronger, faster, and mentally tougher. Specifically, we strive to build and improve the following ten components of fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, stamina, speed, strength, power, flexibility, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. Add all of those components a few times a week in a one hour class each time and that’s how elite fitness begins. Superior strength and fitness allows our athletes to go out and succeed in whatever comes their way, no matter the circumstance or context.
Each CrossFit class is a combination of a warm-up, skill-work, a WOD (workout of the day) and cool down/stretch. You may do a WOD different than the person next to you, depending on your goals, but the movements will essentially be the same as the person next to you. We have the ability to scale workouts to your ability but also to tweak them slightly to get you to your goal (Football player vs. Triathlete, as an example). Your Purgatory coach will be your trainer, your guide, your CrossFit mentor and biggest fan.
We are a family-friendly facility and while we do not provide childcare, we do have a very nice area for kids to stay occupied while you workout. Come see for yourself!
I encourage all Tucson GEC athletes to check out CFP and give them a try. This will be the most effective non-swim/bike/run session you do. My recommendation: twice a week. You'll be a bit sore the first few weeks, so start at least 3 weeks out from an important race and 5 weeks out form an 'A' race. Look for clinics and talks at CFP, and GEC's testing and services will be conducted at CFP.
Brian
Strength training is too important to neglect because it builds the durability and injury resistance needed for the long aerobic training, aids in maintaining the body's structure when fatigue sets in under aerobic loading, and just plain makes you tough. Triathlon is about strength just as much aerobic fitness.
So...Grasky Endurance Coaching is teaming up with CrossFit Purgatory! CFP is the perfect compliment to GEC's aerobic training. Not only are Tony and Marcy and their trainers effective and proven at what they do and great people, but they understand our priority of aerobic training. CFP workouts of the day (WODs) are time efficient (read: short) and very effective.
From www.crossfitpurgatorytucson.com: CrossFit Purgatory is an elite strength and conditioning facility in beautiful Tucson, Arizona. We use and implement CrossFit classes as our principle training program simply because we have found it to be the most effective way to produce elite fitness. Our goal is to increase an individuals overall work capacity. We progress towards this through many different sport modalities, including but not limited to: Olympic lifting, kettlebell training, gymnastics, running and sprinting, Strong Man training, climbing, rowing, and throwing. In doing so, our athletes become stronger, faster, and mentally tougher. Specifically, we strive to build and improve the following ten components of fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, stamina, speed, strength, power, flexibility, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. Add all of those components a few times a week in a one hour class each time and that’s how elite fitness begins. Superior strength and fitness allows our athletes to go out and succeed in whatever comes their way, no matter the circumstance or context.
Each CrossFit class is a combination of a warm-up, skill-work, a WOD (workout of the day) and cool down/stretch. You may do a WOD different than the person next to you, depending on your goals, but the movements will essentially be the same as the person next to you. We have the ability to scale workouts to your ability but also to tweak them slightly to get you to your goal (Football player vs. Triathlete, as an example). Your Purgatory coach will be your trainer, your guide, your CrossFit mentor and biggest fan.
We are a family-friendly facility and while we do not provide childcare, we do have a very nice area for kids to stay occupied while you workout. Come see for yourself!
I encourage all Tucson GEC athletes to check out CFP and give them a try. This will be the most effective non-swim/bike/run session you do. My recommendation: twice a week. You'll be a bit sore the first few weeks, so start at least 3 weeks out from an important race and 5 weeks out form an 'A' race. Look for clinics and talks at CFP, and GEC's testing and services will be conducted at CFP.
Brian
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Why an LT test?
The worst thing about triathlon is that there are only so many hours in the day. Most of those hours are spent appropriately on work, family, etc., so that leaves even fewer hours to train. Therefore it’s important to make those few training hours the most effective they can be. Here’s the best way to do just that.
Whether you train with a heart rate monitor or a power meter it’s important to know what that data is telling you. The problem is 150 beats per minute (bpm) to one person is not 150 bpm for another. Training at even 10 bpm too high or too low can mean you’re not developing the system you think you are and can mean wasted training time. This is where the proper training zones come in.
Ok, so how do you find your training zones? Are you willing to bet 600 hours a year and thousands of dollars on “220 minus your age” multiplied by standard percentages? I recommend being more accurate than that. The first step is to find your lactate threshold (LT) and aerobic threshold (AeT) heart rates (and power zones on the bike if applicable). From there we can accurately and scientifically find your unique training intensity zones. Even finding your LT is not enough. You need both LT and AeT to be most accurate.
So how do you find LT and AeT? The best way to do this is in a blood lactate test. In this test, we gradually increase your intensity while testing your blood lactate concentrations at specific intervals. From this data we can determine at which intensity your body begins to accumulate lactic acid and at what level your body is bathed in lactic acid. Those are AeT and LT respectively, from which your zones are anchored. We recommend a test for each the bike and the run as the LT and AeT zones can be significantly different.
So what’s next? Find a reputable coach or physiologist and get an LT test. Then have your coach find your training intensity zones. There are several zone protocols, so be sure your coach calculates your zones or you use the system with which he coaches. We at GEC use a 5-zone system: Recovery, Endurance, Tempo or Extensive Endurance, Threshold and Anaerobic Endurance or Power; and all of our plans and coaching use this system.
Contact any of the GEC coaches to schedule your LT test and get the most out of your limited training time.
Brian
Whether you train with a heart rate monitor or a power meter it’s important to know what that data is telling you. The problem is 150 beats per minute (bpm) to one person is not 150 bpm for another. Training at even 10 bpm too high or too low can mean you’re not developing the system you think you are and can mean wasted training time. This is where the proper training zones come in.
Ok, so how do you find your training zones? Are you willing to bet 600 hours a year and thousands of dollars on “220 minus your age” multiplied by standard percentages? I recommend being more accurate than that. The first step is to find your lactate threshold (LT) and aerobic threshold (AeT) heart rates (and power zones on the bike if applicable). From there we can accurately and scientifically find your unique training intensity zones. Even finding your LT is not enough. You need both LT and AeT to be most accurate.
So how do you find LT and AeT? The best way to do this is in a blood lactate test. In this test, we gradually increase your intensity while testing your blood lactate concentrations at specific intervals. From this data we can determine at which intensity your body begins to accumulate lactic acid and at what level your body is bathed in lactic acid. Those are AeT and LT respectively, from which your zones are anchored. We recommend a test for each the bike and the run as the LT and AeT zones can be significantly different.
So what’s next? Find a reputable coach or physiologist and get an LT test. Then have your coach find your training intensity zones. There are several zone protocols, so be sure your coach calculates your zones or you use the system with which he coaches. We at GEC use a 5-zone system: Recovery, Endurance, Tempo or Extensive Endurance, Threshold and Anaerobic Endurance or Power; and all of our plans and coaching use this system.
Contact any of the GEC coaches to schedule your LT test and get the most out of your limited training time.
Brian
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tucson Triathlon Race Report: Knocking the Rust Off
The season’s first race is always one of much anxiety and unanswered questions. What's my fitness level? How will I race after a big volume training camp? Will I have any speed? Will a disappear/reappear plantar fasciitis injury rear its ugly head? Well just as Coach Grasky predicted, the fitness was there and the speed was almost there.
Brian always has a way of spinning it. Rather than my 2nd place finish to Mike Montoya being “1st Loser,” he called it a Major Victory. I ran with a runner! Ever notice the difference the way a wide receiver runs versus a linebacker? Well, I'm a linebacker. Brian says by season's end he will make me into a runner. And after seeing what he's done with this lump of clay I've got no reason to doubt him.
On to the race:
Swim- Followed Coach Grasky's advice of using a tight streamline and glide off the wall before starting and maintaining a steady and conservative kick. Saved my legs for a strong bike and run. I was 3rd out of the water and swam a 9:51pr.
T1- Still is a challenge for me. Trying to get out of my speed suit was a bit like wrestling a monkey. I was 3rd out of T1.
Bike- I quickly passed the guy in 3rd and now had my sights on 1st place Mike Montoya. This race was a blast. We had no less than six lead changes. Neither one of us letting the other get away. According to my computer I was off the bike in 27:48.
T2- After a quick transition I was first out of T2 with Mike right on my heels.
Run- My goal at this point was to run with the runner. We ran a dead heat until the final 50 yards. Mike switched gears and ran away. I lost by 3 seconds. On the bright side, I PR'd with a 57:47. Note to self... don't let it come down to a sprint finish if you’re not a sprinter.
Next stop Ironman 70.3 California!
Leo
Brian always has a way of spinning it. Rather than my 2nd place finish to Mike Montoya being “1st Loser,” he called it a Major Victory. I ran with a runner! Ever notice the difference the way a wide receiver runs versus a linebacker? Well, I'm a linebacker. Brian says by season's end he will make me into a runner. And after seeing what he's done with this lump of clay I've got no reason to doubt him.
On to the race:
Swim- Followed Coach Grasky's advice of using a tight streamline and glide off the wall before starting and maintaining a steady and conservative kick. Saved my legs for a strong bike and run. I was 3rd out of the water and swam a 9:51pr.
T1- Still is a challenge for me. Trying to get out of my speed suit was a bit like wrestling a monkey. I was 3rd out of T1.
Bike- I quickly passed the guy in 3rd and now had my sights on 1st place Mike Montoya. This race was a blast. We had no less than six lead changes. Neither one of us letting the other get away. According to my computer I was off the bike in 27:48.
T2- After a quick transition I was first out of T2 with Mike right on my heels.
Run- My goal at this point was to run with the runner. We ran a dead heat until the final 50 yards. Mike switched gears and ran away. I lost by 3 seconds. On the bright side, I PR'd with a 57:47. Note to self... don't let it come down to a sprint finish if you’re not a sprinter.
Next stop Ironman 70.3 California!
Leo
Sunday, March 14, 2010
USAT Level One Coaching Clinic...as a speaker this time!
Yesterday I was given the opportunity to speak and teach at the USA Triathlon Level I coaching clinic in Tucson. It was a last-minute deal, as the regular speaker was unavailable. USAT trains up new coaches through their 3 levels of coaching certifications, and it was an honor to be thought of as one who could teach the new budding coaches—regular speakers are world renowned coaches and/or those who coach at the US Olympic Training Center.
There were about 40 in the group from all over--everyone from local triathlon standouts to national champions to non-triathlete personal trainers and sports scientists looking for triathlon knowledge. One fella in the class was even in the first-ever triathlon (the year I was born—and the year of the first F-16 flight…’nother story).
I spoke first on cycling training and how to effectively coach to get the most from an athlete and making their training effective and safe. We spoke on some differences between triathlon bikes and road bikes, how to train on each using both heart rate and power, how to manage a group of cyclists from advanced to newbie, and what some typical solutions are for the common cycling training weaknesses.
I then spoke on triathlon-specific training, or how to take a series of stand-alone swim, bike, and run workouts and turn that into a triathlon. As much as we like to brag about having the fastest bike split or T2, the true race is to the finish line and the rest frankly doesn’t matter that much. (You can have a great bike split, but if you fall apart on the run your fast bike split doesn’t mean much.) This was a fun class to teach and really made me think about how to do this most effectively.
After my part, world champion running coach Bobby McGee spoke on running. I sat in on his as I always learn from Bobby’s talks.
I’m into coaching because I love to teach. That’s also why I’m a flight instructor. Teaching the newest USAT Coaches was another opportunity to give info and enable those who will be teaching down the road to do so more effectively, and I was grateful and humbled by the chance to do this.
Brian
There were about 40 in the group from all over--everyone from local triathlon standouts to national champions to non-triathlete personal trainers and sports scientists looking for triathlon knowledge. One fella in the class was even in the first-ever triathlon (the year I was born—and the year of the first F-16 flight…’nother story).
I spoke first on cycling training and how to effectively coach to get the most from an athlete and making their training effective and safe. We spoke on some differences between triathlon bikes and road bikes, how to train on each using both heart rate and power, how to manage a group of cyclists from advanced to newbie, and what some typical solutions are for the common cycling training weaknesses.
I then spoke on triathlon-specific training, or how to take a series of stand-alone swim, bike, and run workouts and turn that into a triathlon. As much as we like to brag about having the fastest bike split or T2, the true race is to the finish line and the rest frankly doesn’t matter that much. (You can have a great bike split, but if you fall apart on the run your fast bike split doesn’t mean much.) This was a fun class to teach and really made me think about how to do this most effectively.
After my part, world champion running coach Bobby McGee spoke on running. I sat in on his as I always learn from Bobby’s talks.
I’m into coaching because I love to teach. That’s also why I’m a flight instructor. Teaching the newest USAT Coaches was another opportunity to give info and enable those who will be teaching down the road to do so more effectively, and I was grateful and humbled by the chance to do this.
Brian
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tucson Winter Training Camp Day 6
Mt. Lemmon had to come sooner or later, and it came at last on Day 5. But with this camp, Mt. Lemmon wasn’t going to be the only activity of the day, and so the wake up call was the earliest yet for Starbucks and swimsuits.
Compared to the previous day’s endless yardage, this workout was a casual couple grand on the yardage log, though the main set was all sprint work. Sprint work, before Mt. Lemmon??? Well, that was the call to get the blood (and caffeine) flowing. By the end of yesterday’s swim, much of the group had problems moving their arms, but I could tell that this was going to be a different day when everyone was hitting their 50s in the 30-40 second range. Gus was even on my heels here, and that made me begin to think that this might be his breakout day here at camp.
That thought gained a little more traction when Eric told Gus to start in the last, and supposedly strongest, of three waves headed up to Mt. Lemmon. There were a few folks who wanted to start out in the first wave for whatever reason, but Gus accepted his assignment without reservation. He was confident that, in short order, the mountain would be his.
Most of you readers are familiar with the Mt. Lemmon climb, with its scenery and difficulty. This El Nino year has brought much more snow to the mountain. We went from 70s at the base to high 40s at the top, but the plentiful snow sometimes made it a little cooler in the shade and also made the road wet (but not icy) in places, spraying a little water around to make things just a little cooler. There was a little wind from the north this time that made the ascent a little tougher in parts and the descent more white knuckle.
The first story of the camp climb up Mt. Lemmon was a non-story. We had no negative drama. No crashes, no flat tires, no bonks and no chains exploding. It was a solid ride for everyone. But the second story was Gus, whose chain I thought might explode when he roared past me low on the mountain. He might be close to Eric’s equal in challenging for the speed record next year.
After a pleasant trip to the cookie cabin, the ride back to Tucson became just that more enjoyable.
The final day awaits the campers. While we all put it all out there yesterday on Mt. Lemmon, there’s still another run and bike planned for today. Will today bring a glorious ending or will the campers finally run out of gas?
Camper Dan
Compared to the previous day’s endless yardage, this workout was a casual couple grand on the yardage log, though the main set was all sprint work. Sprint work, before Mt. Lemmon??? Well, that was the call to get the blood (and caffeine) flowing. By the end of yesterday’s swim, much of the group had problems moving their arms, but I could tell that this was going to be a different day when everyone was hitting their 50s in the 30-40 second range. Gus was even on my heels here, and that made me begin to think that this might be his breakout day here at camp.
That thought gained a little more traction when Eric told Gus to start in the last, and supposedly strongest, of three waves headed up to Mt. Lemmon. There were a few folks who wanted to start out in the first wave for whatever reason, but Gus accepted his assignment without reservation. He was confident that, in short order, the mountain would be his.
Most of you readers are familiar with the Mt. Lemmon climb, with its scenery and difficulty. This El Nino year has brought much more snow to the mountain. We went from 70s at the base to high 40s at the top, but the plentiful snow sometimes made it a little cooler in the shade and also made the road wet (but not icy) in places, spraying a little water around to make things just a little cooler. There was a little wind from the north this time that made the ascent a little tougher in parts and the descent more white knuckle.
The first story of the camp climb up Mt. Lemmon was a non-story. We had no negative drama. No crashes, no flat tires, no bonks and no chains exploding. It was a solid ride for everyone. But the second story was Gus, whose chain I thought might explode when he roared past me low on the mountain. He might be close to Eric’s equal in challenging for the speed record next year.
After a pleasant trip to the cookie cabin, the ride back to Tucson became just that more enjoyable.
The final day awaits the campers. While we all put it all out there yesterday on Mt. Lemmon, there’s still another run and bike planned for today. Will today bring a glorious ending or will the campers finally run out of gas?
Camper Dan
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tucson Winter Training Camp Day 4
Day 4 Tucson Tri Camp MVP’s Report
The day started off with an awesome one hour run through Saguaro National Park. The temperature was perfect and the sun was bright. Coming from Missouri this was a welcome change. We did our morning ritual of Jamba Juice and Bagels to refuel. We returned back to the hotel to get geared up for our afternoon ride. Brian had some new aero bars installed prior to us leaving, however this was no simple task. All his cabling also had to be replaced. Special thanks to Brian Grasky and the rest of the crew who worked like a Nascar pit crew to get the bike ride ready. This also required numerous trips (5) to the local bike shop for supplies. We loaded the bikes and headed to Oro Valley for the afternoon ride of 60 miles. We did 70 the day before. The ride started with steady uphill grind of about 26 miles to Oracle. The pace was steady and Gus and Eric kept us pushing. The turnaround point was a welcome sight, and the fun descent began. We ended the ride with a loop through a newly paved neighborhood with a few short, but challenging climbs. The final trek took us back to pool for some easy swimming to loosen up the legs.
Brian: The camp so far has exceeded all my expectations. I came with an open mind and ready for change, and man has that happened! My swim stroke has undergone a much needed overhaul by the Grasky/Hodska Endurance Team, so no swim is currently easy for me. But I’m excited about the change and slowly making progress. I also underwent a complete change in my bike position/set up, and already feel much more comfortable on the bike. The back pain that has always haunted me 50 miles into a bike has yet to be felt in my new position. So far, the best experience of my life. (Besides my honeymoon of course honey)
Jeff: This is my second year attending camp. I talked Brian into coming out with me this year and I think he’s having a good experience. I felt good on the bike. I brought my new road bike I got a few weeks before leaving for camp and it has taken a bit to get used to. After a few tweaks I feel great on it. It had been over 6 months since I have last ridden over 60 miles. The day prior I felt wore out, but felt good today. I am constantly learning new things. It is awesome to be training in this environment with such a great group.
After a quick shower and cleanup, we headed to El Charro for a great Mexican dinner and discussion, cervezas, and finished it off with the Frost ritual and then crashed for much needed rest for Day #4.
Tom and Huck (AKA Jeff Del Vecchio and Brian Davis)
The day started off with an awesome one hour run through Saguaro National Park. The temperature was perfect and the sun was bright. Coming from Missouri this was a welcome change. We did our morning ritual of Jamba Juice and Bagels to refuel. We returned back to the hotel to get geared up for our afternoon ride. Brian had some new aero bars installed prior to us leaving, however this was no simple task. All his cabling also had to be replaced. Special thanks to Brian Grasky and the rest of the crew who worked like a Nascar pit crew to get the bike ride ready. This also required numerous trips (5) to the local bike shop for supplies. We loaded the bikes and headed to Oro Valley for the afternoon ride of 60 miles. We did 70 the day before. The ride started with steady uphill grind of about 26 miles to Oracle. The pace was steady and Gus and Eric kept us pushing. The turnaround point was a welcome sight, and the fun descent began. We ended the ride with a loop through a newly paved neighborhood with a few short, but challenging climbs. The final trek took us back to pool for some easy swimming to loosen up the legs.
Brian: The camp so far has exceeded all my expectations. I came with an open mind and ready for change, and man has that happened! My swim stroke has undergone a much needed overhaul by the Grasky/Hodska Endurance Team, so no swim is currently easy for me. But I’m excited about the change and slowly making progress. I also underwent a complete change in my bike position/set up, and already feel much more comfortable on the bike. The back pain that has always haunted me 50 miles into a bike has yet to be felt in my new position. So far, the best experience of my life. (Besides my honeymoon of course honey)
Jeff: This is my second year attending camp. I talked Brian into coming out with me this year and I think he’s having a good experience. I felt good on the bike. I brought my new road bike I got a few weeks before leaving for camp and it has taken a bit to get used to. After a few tweaks I feel great on it. It had been over 6 months since I have last ridden over 60 miles. The day prior I felt wore out, but felt good today. I am constantly learning new things. It is awesome to be training in this environment with such a great group.
After a quick shower and cleanup, we headed to El Charro for a great Mexican dinner and discussion, cervezas, and finished it off with the Frost ritual and then crashed for much needed rest for Day #4.
Tom and Huck (AKA Jeff Del Vecchio and Brian Davis)
Tucson Winter Training Camp Day 4
Day 3 Tucson Tri Camp MVP’s Report
The day started off with an awesome one hour run through Saguaro National Park. The temperature was perfect and the sun was bright. Coming from Missouri this was a welcome change. We did our morning ritual of Jamba Juice and Bagels to refuel. We returned back to the hotel to get geared up for our afternoon ride. Brian had some new aero bars installed prior to us leaving, however this was no simple task. All his cabling also had to be replaced. Special thanks to Brian Grasky and the rest of the crew who worked like a Nascar pit crew to get the bike ride ready. This also required numerous trips (5) to the local bike shop for supplies. We loaded the bikes and headed to Oro Valley for the afternoon ride of 60 miles. We did 70 the day before. The ride started with steady uphill grind of about 26 miles to Oracle. The pace was steady and Gus and Eric kept us pushing. The turnaround point was a welcome sight, and the fun descent began. We ended the ride with a loop through a newly paved neighborhood with a few short, but challenging climbs. The final trek took us back to pool for some easy swimming to loosen up the legs.
Brian: The camp so far has exceeded all my expectations. I came with an open mind and ready for change, and man has that happened! My swim stroke has undergone a much needed overhaul by the Grasky/Hodska Endurance Team, so no swim is currently easy for me. But I’m excited about the change and slowly making progress. I also underwent a complete change in my bike position/set up, and already feel much more comfortable on the bike. The back pain that has always haunted me 50 miles into a bike has yet to be felt in my new position. So far, the best experience of my life. (Besides my honeymoon of course honey)
Jeff: This is my second year attending camp. I talked Brian into coming out with me this year and I think he’s having a good experience. I felt good on the bike. I brought my new road bike I got a few weeks before leaving for camp and it has taken a bit to get used to. After a few tweaks I feel great on it. It had been over 6 months since I have last ridden over 60 miles. The day prior I felt wore out, but felt good today. I am constantly learning new things. It is awesome to be training in this environment with such a great group.
After a quick shower and cleanup, we headed to El Charro for a great Mexican dinner and discussion, cervezas, and finished it off with the Frost ritual and then crashed for much needed rest for Day #4.
Tom and Huck (AKA Jeff Del Vecchio and Brian Davis)
The day started off with an awesome one hour run through Saguaro National Park. The temperature was perfect and the sun was bright. Coming from Missouri this was a welcome change. We did our morning ritual of Jamba Juice and Bagels to refuel. We returned back to the hotel to get geared up for our afternoon ride. Brian had some new aero bars installed prior to us leaving, however this was no simple task. All his cabling also had to be replaced. Special thanks to Brian Grasky and the rest of the crew who worked like a Nascar pit crew to get the bike ride ready. This also required numerous trips (5) to the local bike shop for supplies. We loaded the bikes and headed to Oro Valley for the afternoon ride of 60 miles. We did 70 the day before. The ride started with steady uphill grind of about 26 miles to Oracle. The pace was steady and Gus and Eric kept us pushing. The turnaround point was a welcome sight, and the fun descent began. We ended the ride with a loop through a newly paved neighborhood with a few short, but challenging climbs. The final trek took us back to pool for some easy swimming to loosen up the legs.
Brian: The camp so far has exceeded all my expectations. I came with an open mind and ready for change, and man has that happened! My swim stroke has undergone a much needed overhaul by the Grasky/Hodska Endurance Team, so no swim is currently easy for me. But I’m excited about the change and slowly making progress. I also underwent a complete change in my bike position/set up, and already feel much more comfortable on the bike. The back pain that has always haunted me 50 miles into a bike has yet to be felt in my new position. So far, the best experience of my life. (Besides my honeymoon of course honey)
Jeff: This is my second year attending camp. I talked Brian into coming out with me this year and I think he’s having a good experience. I felt good on the bike. I brought my new road bike I got a few weeks before leaving for camp and it has taken a bit to get used to. After a few tweaks I feel great on it. It had been over 6 months since I have last ridden over 60 miles. The day prior I felt wore out, but felt good today. I am constantly learning new things. It is awesome to be training in this environment with such a great group.
After a quick shower and cleanup, we headed to El Charro for a great Mexican dinner and discussion, cervezas, and finished it off with the Frost ritual and then crashed for much needed rest for Day #4.
Tom and Huck (AKA Jeff Del Vecchio and Brian Davis)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Tucson Winter Training Camp Day 3
Ahh the 2nd day of camp and the sun was shining bright, what more needs to be said? Being a first time triathlon training camp participant I must admit I was a little intimidated by the volume of training and the other campers. After today the training is still a bit daunting but the other participants make being here totally worth it.
The day started out with a nice little swim. The rains of yesterday gave way to clear skies but cool temperatures. You know it’s a bit chilly outside when you can’t see the far side of the pool from the mist rising off the water. Everyone pretty much had their own lane except being the new guy I asked to jump in a lane with Leo. 4300 yards later I would question by decision, seriously though it was a great swim. Main set was 5 x 350s with 100 yards easy between each 350. I did my best to hang on as Leo set what was a blistering pace for me. Throw in a couple of hard 100s and round out the work with a series of 50s swum as a race between Leo and I. Leo was kind enough to give me a 5 second head start and I still barely out touched him. All in all a great day at the pool, great company and great views of the mountain as the sun peaked over it.
Normally I would be calling it a day and heading home for a massage and latte, but not here. Time to saddle up for an “easy” ride. We rode out towards Colossal Cave with a stop Saguaro National Park on the way back home. The ride out was a lot of fun with a couple of stream crossings. Guess I missed the memo on bringing the CX bike. The views from Colossal Cave were awesome but the highlight of the ride for me was riding 2 loops through Saguaro National Park. The road was smooth, twisting and hilly. You really can’t ask for a better place to ride. Of course the real fun began after leaving Saguaro N.P. As is often the case, I was riding along, minding my own business when all of a sudden a brick wall jumped out in front of me. Man did I hit that wall hard. I think the exact sequence of events was “Brian, I need some food”, followed by a quick left turn to dive into Walgreen’s for some nutrition. Of course not to be out done Brian, one of the coaches thought it would be a good idea to fuel up as well, with a Snicker’s bar. Good choice, I tend toward Peanut M&Ms myself though. My hat’s off to the cashier and the line of people that formed as I tried to count my change. Just a word of advice, math in public is bad enough add in some caloric deprivation and math becomes downright impossible.
With calories back on board and 1+1 equaling 2 again all was right with the world. It was time to do a nice 30 minute transition run. It was awesome to see Brad on his way back in as I was going out. Then I got to run with Eric and Gus for a bit. My hat’s off to Gus I didn’t think he actually had a small chain ring on his bike because I don’t think I saw him use it once today. All in all a pretty great day spent with a pretty great bunch of guys. Best part is I get to do it all over again tomorrow.
Daily MVP Scott L.
The day started out with a nice little swim. The rains of yesterday gave way to clear skies but cool temperatures. You know it’s a bit chilly outside when you can’t see the far side of the pool from the mist rising off the water. Everyone pretty much had their own lane except being the new guy I asked to jump in a lane with Leo. 4300 yards later I would question by decision, seriously though it was a great swim. Main set was 5 x 350s with 100 yards easy between each 350. I did my best to hang on as Leo set what was a blistering pace for me. Throw in a couple of hard 100s and round out the work with a series of 50s swum as a race between Leo and I. Leo was kind enough to give me a 5 second head start and I still barely out touched him. All in all a great day at the pool, great company and great views of the mountain as the sun peaked over it.
Normally I would be calling it a day and heading home for a massage and latte, but not here. Time to saddle up for an “easy” ride. We rode out towards Colossal Cave with a stop Saguaro National Park on the way back home. The ride out was a lot of fun with a couple of stream crossings. Guess I missed the memo on bringing the CX bike. The views from Colossal Cave were awesome but the highlight of the ride for me was riding 2 loops through Saguaro National Park. The road was smooth, twisting and hilly. You really can’t ask for a better place to ride. Of course the real fun began after leaving Saguaro N.P. As is often the case, I was riding along, minding my own business when all of a sudden a brick wall jumped out in front of me. Man did I hit that wall hard. I think the exact sequence of events was “Brian, I need some food”, followed by a quick left turn to dive into Walgreen’s for some nutrition. Of course not to be out done Brian, one of the coaches thought it would be a good idea to fuel up as well, with a Snicker’s bar. Good choice, I tend toward Peanut M&Ms myself though. My hat’s off to the cashier and the line of people that formed as I tried to count my change. Just a word of advice, math in public is bad enough add in some caloric deprivation and math becomes downright impossible.
With calories back on board and 1+1 equaling 2 again all was right with the world. It was time to do a nice 30 minute transition run. It was awesome to see Brad on his way back in as I was going out. Then I got to run with Eric and Gus for a bit. My hat’s off to Gus I didn’t think he actually had a small chain ring on his bike because I don’t think I saw him use it once today. All in all a pretty great day spent with a pretty great bunch of guys. Best part is I get to do it all over again tomorrow.
Daily MVP Scott L.
Tucson Winter Training Camp Day 2
There is a saying in New England that if you do not like the weather - wait a minute. I guess the same is true for Tucson! After a day of down pouring rain and 42 degree temps - we awoke today to sunshine and warm temperatures.
The game plan was to hit all three disciplines today:
90 minute swim
4 hour bike ride
30 minute run
After our morning coffee run we headed over to the Oro Valley pool - which is about 20 minutes from our hotel. Check out this picture I took of the pool this AM.
It is hard not get motivated to swim here. Swimming is right up there with going to the dentist with me. I never swam competitevly as a kid, and only started to swim when I turned 40. Every year I put in just enough swimming to get through an Ironman swim in July. So as of this morning I had not swam since last July. The swim workout started out slow for me, but one of the camp coaches (Brian) jumped in the lane next to me and started to make some suggestions. This was a great day to try some new things and sure enough these suggestions started to work. For the first time in awhile I actually feel like I might have something positive happening for me in the water. The coaches put everyone through a solid 90 minute workout in the pool. This group of athletes has a great attitude and everyone seemd to enjoy the swim.
The temps continued to ride and by 11:30 AM we were in the low 70's. Time to get on the bikes. Today's ride was going to take us to Colossal Cave - which is a nice 26 mile steady climb from the hotel. A few of the athletes were christening their new bikes today - which was very cool. We headed out on the ride and after about 5 miles you are in southwest countryside with city views to your right and mountain views to your left. I have done this ride now for the last four years and I really enjoy it. I know the roads and realize that the hard work is done in the first 90 minutes. Here is the elevation chart for this ride and as you can see again this desert ain't flat.
The group spread a little but regrouped at the Cave - before heading back. The coaches told us that we were not going straight home - instead we would be making a stop at the Saguaro National Park to do 2 loops of the rolling 9 mile road that winds through this beautiful park. I got my second wind on the downhill ride from the Cave to the Park and the miles just clicked away. Once we got to the park we headed out on the loop. This photo shows just how great this park is:
We headed back to the hotel with the entire ride being a little over 60 miles. A quick change into running shoes and we were out for a 3o minute run. My legs actually felt pretty good on this run which surprised me as I thought that after the ride I was done. A good sign of my current fitness level.
I am a good tired right now - a solid day of training in the books.
Heading out to dinner shortly.
Camper Jeff M.
The game plan was to hit all three disciplines today:
90 minute swim
4 hour bike ride
30 minute run
After our morning coffee run we headed over to the Oro Valley pool - which is about 20 minutes from our hotel. Check out this picture I took of the pool this AM.
It is hard not get motivated to swim here. Swimming is right up there with going to the dentist with me. I never swam competitevly as a kid, and only started to swim when I turned 40. Every year I put in just enough swimming to get through an Ironman swim in July. So as of this morning I had not swam since last July. The swim workout started out slow for me, but one of the camp coaches (Brian) jumped in the lane next to me and started to make some suggestions. This was a great day to try some new things and sure enough these suggestions started to work. For the first time in awhile I actually feel like I might have something positive happening for me in the water. The coaches put everyone through a solid 90 minute workout in the pool. This group of athletes has a great attitude and everyone seemd to enjoy the swim.
The temps continued to ride and by 11:30 AM we were in the low 70's. Time to get on the bikes. Today's ride was going to take us to Colossal Cave - which is a nice 26 mile steady climb from the hotel. A few of the athletes were christening their new bikes today - which was very cool. We headed out on the ride and after about 5 miles you are in southwest countryside with city views to your right and mountain views to your left. I have done this ride now for the last four years and I really enjoy it. I know the roads and realize that the hard work is done in the first 90 minutes. Here is the elevation chart for this ride and as you can see again this desert ain't flat.
The group spread a little but regrouped at the Cave - before heading back. The coaches told us that we were not going straight home - instead we would be making a stop at the Saguaro National Park to do 2 loops of the rolling 9 mile road that winds through this beautiful park. I got my second wind on the downhill ride from the Cave to the Park and the miles just clicked away. Once we got to the park we headed out on the loop. This photo shows just how great this park is:
We headed back to the hotel with the entire ride being a little over 60 miles. A quick change into running shoes and we were out for a 3o minute run. My legs actually felt pretty good on this run which surprised me as I thought that after the ride I was done. A good sign of my current fitness level.
I am a good tired right now - a solid day of training in the books.
Heading out to dinner shortly.
Camper Jeff M.
Tucson Winter Training Camp Day 1
Easy to wake up the first day out west after you travel from the east. Our internal clocks have us thinking it is really 6:00 AM when it is actually 4:00 AM in Tucson. It rained hard last night and showers are lingering here this morning. A coffee run at 6:15 AM to Starbucks was well attended. Tom and Huck from Missouri and Gus all understand that a little caffeine is one of the secrets to surviving camp.
We headed over to Sabino Canyon to run the trails in this magnificent park. This is one of two national parks within the Tucson city limits that have wonderful trails that show off this areas southwest landscape. The idea this morning was to run for 90 minutes on a trail called the telephone line trail. The trail starts out flat and then begins to climb at mile 1. At mile one we were at 2800 ft of elevation. Many people think the desert is flat this park redefines that. From mile 1 to mile 4.5 the trail climbs 1200 ft of elevation. This is single track trail with switchbacks all the way up. The rain intensified on the run and as we gained elevation the temperature began to drop. There a few sections of the trail that are a little dicey with little margin for error and a steep drop off below. The rain made it interesting and you certainly needed to stay focused on the run. At mile 4.5 the trails descends down to a road which is used for walkers and hikers to enjoy the park. I took it easy going up the trail as this type of running wreaks havoc on my back. The uphill is not that bad, but the rock hopping on the descent has me wincing from time to time. After you get to the road the run is a nice 3.5 mile rolling course back to the parking lot. At elevation here in the desert there is plenty of snow. This time of year the snow melts and when it combines with rain - it washes out portions of the road. On the way back we had to traverse through 5 or 6 of these wash out bridges - running through water that was up to our shins. That water had to be about 40 degrees which created a chill to the body.
Here is the elevation chart for this morning's run:
We headed back to the hotel for a quick shower - which took the chill off and then searched for any warm closed that we packed. A quick trip to Jamba Juice for a breakfast smoothie was enjoyed by all. Jamba also makes WheatGrass shots for the true health enthusiast. It has become an annual tradition to down one of these. Gus bought us all a shot. Think of the bottom of you lawn mower after cutting your lawn on a wet day. Now grind that grass up and drink it. Enough said.
Camper Jeff M.
We headed over to Sabino Canyon to run the trails in this magnificent park. This is one of two national parks within the Tucson city limits that have wonderful trails that show off this areas southwest landscape. The idea this morning was to run for 90 minutes on a trail called the telephone line trail. The trail starts out flat and then begins to climb at mile 1. At mile one we were at 2800 ft of elevation. Many people think the desert is flat this park redefines that. From mile 1 to mile 4.5 the trail climbs 1200 ft of elevation. This is single track trail with switchbacks all the way up. The rain intensified on the run and as we gained elevation the temperature began to drop. There a few sections of the trail that are a little dicey with little margin for error and a steep drop off below. The rain made it interesting and you certainly needed to stay focused on the run. At mile 4.5 the trails descends down to a road which is used for walkers and hikers to enjoy the park. I took it easy going up the trail as this type of running wreaks havoc on my back. The uphill is not that bad, but the rock hopping on the descent has me wincing from time to time. After you get to the road the run is a nice 3.5 mile rolling course back to the parking lot. At elevation here in the desert there is plenty of snow. This time of year the snow melts and when it combines with rain - it washes out portions of the road. On the way back we had to traverse through 5 or 6 of these wash out bridges - running through water that was up to our shins. That water had to be about 40 degrees which created a chill to the body.
Here is the elevation chart for this morning's run:
We headed back to the hotel for a quick shower - which took the chill off and then searched for any warm closed that we packed. A quick trip to Jamba Juice for a breakfast smoothie was enjoyed by all. Jamba also makes WheatGrass shots for the true health enthusiast. It has become an annual tradition to down one of these. Gus bought us all a shot. Think of the bottom of you lawn mower after cutting your lawn on a wet day. Now grind that grass up and drink it. Enough said.
Camper Jeff M.
Friday, February 19, 2010
The skinny on compression gear
There’s compression gear and there’s tight fitting clothing. One is proven to work through medical design and testing. The other may work minimally or not at all. By “work” I mean promote circulation back to the heart to reduce lactic buildup and post event soreness (DOMS—Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and promote recovery. Tight clothing can restrict blood flow and thus oxygen to the muscles needed for work or limit the lactic recycling out of the muscles for recovery.
First, don't waste money on non medical grade compression gear. Get the good stuff. By that I mean the medically designed gear with specific zones or areas for increased and decreased compression based on your body’s muscle groups and their locations in your body. For the calves, it is preferable to go with full socks or the blood can pool in your feet unless you're actively running. As for tights vs socks, tights are better for full recovery, but can get hot in the summer and after racing causing your body to have to work to reduce the heat, so they can be doing negative work at the same time. The best option is to get both socks and tights and use them based on a variety of factors. The Zoot CompressRX line is medically designed compression gear. Most others are just tight clothing that restrict circulation rather than promote it.
The other reason Zoot gear is superior is that it is designed with circumference based sizing. Most other gear is small, medium, large—not as specific for fitting. Be very specific with sizing. Getting the right size is as important as the gear itself.
If you only get one thing, get Zoot socks. If you have the ability to spend some coin, get a set of the Zoot Recovery tights and a set of the socks--tights for right after races and while traveling, socks while in school and walking around. You’ll also want a Recovery top for traveling and post-race on cooler days. Compression gear while actively training is second in effectiveness than for recovery. If you can swing it, get some active recovery gear. If you can only afford one set, get some designed for recovery.
You can get the entire line of Zoot compression gear at Trisports.com (and use code GEC-S for 10% off).
Brian
First, don't waste money on non medical grade compression gear. Get the good stuff. By that I mean the medically designed gear with specific zones or areas for increased and decreased compression based on your body’s muscle groups and their locations in your body. For the calves, it is preferable to go with full socks or the blood can pool in your feet unless you're actively running. As for tights vs socks, tights are better for full recovery, but can get hot in the summer and after racing causing your body to have to work to reduce the heat, so they can be doing negative work at the same time. The best option is to get both socks and tights and use them based on a variety of factors. The Zoot CompressRX line is medically designed compression gear. Most others are just tight clothing that restrict circulation rather than promote it.
The other reason Zoot gear is superior is that it is designed with circumference based sizing. Most other gear is small, medium, large—not as specific for fitting. Be very specific with sizing. Getting the right size is as important as the gear itself.
If you only get one thing, get Zoot socks. If you have the ability to spend some coin, get a set of the Zoot Recovery tights and a set of the socks--tights for right after races and while traveling, socks while in school and walking around. You’ll also want a Recovery top for traveling and post-race on cooler days. Compression gear while actively training is second in effectiveness than for recovery. If you can swing it, get some active recovery gear. If you can only afford one set, get some designed for recovery.
You can get the entire line of Zoot compression gear at Trisports.com (and use code GEC-S for 10% off).
Brian
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Pedaling Efficiency
Last week I had an opportunity to jump on the CompuTrainer at Coach Grasky's house and do a spinscan. When I first got on and started seeing my efficiency numbers I thought "there is no way my efficiency is that bad". Well it was! I was in the low 50's and good cyclists are typically in the 70 or above. Luckily for me my power was pretty much split 50/50 between my two legs. My cadence for the initial spin scan was in the high 80's low 90's. Which again I thought was optimal for me.
So after some discussion with Brian regarding my stroke and cadence I started back up again. This time really focusing on more of a cross country skier motion. Brian also had me slow my cadence down to around 75rpm. This time my efficiency shot up into the high 70's and I was riding faster with less power than the initial test. I was ready to jump off the bike and call it success :)
We talked a little more and decided that I should take the CompuTrainer home with me and continue to work on my pedal stroke while also changing up my cadence to see how it impacts efficiency.
Over the next couple of weeks I will be spending some quality time on the CT to really get things dialed in.
Based on my recent rides having the SpinScan done has proved highly beneficial. Not only am I producing more speed with less power but my legs feel so much better on my rides.
If you want to improve your cycling I highly recommend having a spinscan done.
Brian Nath
Coach, Grasky Endurance Coaching
USAT Level 1 Certified Triathlon Coach
www.graskyendurance.com
So after some discussion with Brian regarding my stroke and cadence I started back up again. This time really focusing on more of a cross country skier motion. Brian also had me slow my cadence down to around 75rpm. This time my efficiency shot up into the high 70's and I was riding faster with less power than the initial test. I was ready to jump off the bike and call it success :)
We talked a little more and decided that I should take the CompuTrainer home with me and continue to work on my pedal stroke while also changing up my cadence to see how it impacts efficiency.
Over the next couple of weeks I will be spending some quality time on the CT to really get things dialed in.
Based on my recent rides having the SpinScan done has proved highly beneficial. Not only am I producing more speed with less power but my legs feel so much better on my rides.
If you want to improve your cycling I highly recommend having a spinscan done.
Brian Nath
Coach, Grasky Endurance Coaching
USAT Level 1 Certified Triathlon Coach
www.graskyendurance.com
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