Winter Training- 5 things you need to do NOW!

December 31st, 2012 by Mark Olson

If you are hoping to make big gains this winter and to take your performance to it’s next level, there are some key items you need to address ASAP in order to set yourself up for a successful winter training season. A little bit of thought and planning will go a long way by making your training time more focused, efficient and fruitful.

#1 Define your Annual Training Hours

You need to know what your time commitment is. Don’t just be realistic, be on the conservative side. Talk this over with your support team (ie. your better half)! Base it on your biggest week, ex. I can swing a 14 hour week once or twice this season. Write down vacations and other life commitments that will be a factor.

#2 Define your Racing Focus for the 2013 Race Season

What type of racing are you going to focus on? What is the date of that first race? This is important because it will set up your training focus. If you plan to be a crit racer, you will train differently in the winter then if you are planning to race stage races or long road races. Same if you are a Tri-Geek: if your first Ironman is on the horizon that’s a different winter then if you want to rip sprint distance races this coming summer.

#3 Figure out your Weaknesses and Limiters

This is very tough to do without a coach. Being purely objective about your personal strengths and weakness is not something that comes naturally to us humans. The tendency is to always find a way to convince ourselves that we should spend nearly ALL of our time working on the stuff we are best at. The winter is the time to focus on your weaknesses. This is VITAL to getting to a new level of performance and results.

All weaknesses are not limiters! This is important because most of us have limited time, and thereby need to optimize every second. Limiters are weaknesses that impact your ability to get results WITHIN your race focus. Example, if you are a weak climber but your key race(s) are primarily flat, then your weakness as a climber is NOT a limiter. As stated above, you need to understand your race focus to establish your limiters. Then focus your time in the winter on improving those limiters. If you don’t, you will at best get the same results this coming season as you did last season, and the season before that, and on and on and on‚Ķ

You will need to complete some testing to help figure out your weaknesses and to setup your training zones (see #4). Field tests are great and needed, but if you can fit it into your budget, metabolic testing will provide you data that will prove to be priceless in optimizing your time and priorities in training. Our testing partner, Steph Walbridge with In The Zone , does a fantastic job and has a tremendous amount of experience with endurance athletes. I will write a separate Blog to explain why this is so important later.

#4 Figure out your proper training zones

You have to know your proper training zones. PERIOD! Not having and training with them is like being out in the mountainous wilderness in the middle of nowhere with a really great map but NO COMPASS.

Some key things if you are a triathlete, you need zones for run, bike and swim. They are NOT the same. You can’t just do a field test on the bike and use those numbers for the run and swim‚Ķ They can be extremely different for some people.

 

#5 Write down your Race Schedule for 2013

We’ll talk more later about how to build an annual training plan. You will need everything above defined in order to do that. You will also need to know your race schedule or at least when your biggest “A” race is going to be and your first race of the year. A good sketch of the whole season is nice to have.

GET GOING ON THIS STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!


Triathon 101- FREE Clinic

December 30th, 2012 by Cheryl Sherwood

Are you or someone you know thinking about trying a TRI in 2013? This free clinic put on by Athletic Mentors USAT Certified Coaches in conjunction with the Grand Rapids Triathlon is a great opportunity to hear what it’s about. Our coaches will discuss equipment, training, racing tips, smooth transitions and much more!

When: January 19th @ 9am
Where: YMCA – David D. Hunting Center (475 Lake Drive)
For more info and to register: Visit the GR Tri Website

 

 

 


Coaches Corner: Inspiration from Coach Olson

December 21st, 2012 by Mark Olson

I stepped outside this morning and the crisp cold air and light snowfall was a wonderful reminder of what time of year it is. Although I’ve just taken a long break from competition, I’ve been training and racing for nearly 20 years now and for me this is the BEST time of the season. It’s not the “off-season”, it’s not the end of the season either. It’s the BEGINNING of next season!Mark Olson

I love that feeling. The excitement of the racing to come, the planning and preparation for the best season I’ve had. I’m going to do everything better this winter! You know the feeling‚Ķ

Fast forward‚Ķ March 16th 2013‚Ķ Holy crap Barry Roubaix is next weekend! OMG! I have no base‚Ķ I’ve done the same exact thing that I’ve done EVER YEAR since I started this racing thing, except I’m even fattier then last year! I’m screwed!

Yes we have all been here! So I’ve decided to try and help all of us ACTUALLY do everything better this winter.

What we are going to do is launch a series of blogs addressing the rather large issue of how best to prepare and train for next race season when you live in Michigan or the Midwest. I’m going to cover a bunch of topics, some short and simple, some at great length. I’m going to cover everything from new ways to plan and setting your training zones to strength training and getting rid of that new 10 pound weight belt you put on over the holidays.

Our goal is to get you motivated and on track to have the best season ever by showing you some different and new ways to prepare and train this winter or at least get your rethinking about doing everything better this winter!

Remember this…. If you train the same as last year, you will, at best, get the same results…

Stay tuned for the next topic….


Team Priority Health Trains with Athletic Mentors

December 20th, 2012 by Cheryl Sherwood

Check it out…. This weekend the Priority Health Women began Phase 2 of their winter strength program. They meet every 6 weeks at the Athletic Mentors gym for instruction Read the rest of this entry »


Tri Swim Class Close to Capacity

December 19th, 2012 by Katie Whidden USAT certified coach

There are a few remaining spots in the triathlon swim class that starts January 6th. Click here for more information!

This 8 week class will be focused on improving your swim speed, endurance and efficiency.


Earlybird Pricing for Tri Swim Class Ends December 1st!

November 29th, 2012 by Cheryl Sherwood

The Ultimate Holiday Guide to Great Gifts for Triathletes

November 16th, 2012 by Katie Whidden USAT certified coach

It’s that time of the year to start thinking about gifts for your significant other, sister, brother, best friend etc. If you are not a tri fanatic like they might be then you are probably confused as to what he or she might need. As triathlon is an expensive sport you might wonder how a triathlete could possibly NEED anything else. Well I’m here to tell you there is always something that a triathlete could use, actually needing the item is another story. In the spirit of Oprah’s favorite things I have created a list of my gift suggestions for your triathlete this holiday season. Below you will find that I have broken the presents down based on cost assuming that you might have different price ranges based on your relationship with this person.

For that special someone

Garmin Watch – If your triathlete is at all interested in improving their results they have probably heard that training with heart rate can produce better results. The new Garmin 910XT will give them all the data they could ever want with heart rate, elevation, pace, swim distance, stroke count and a few other metrics. They will then be able to track their progress when they upload their data to the Garmin software or into Training Peaks. I can honestly say that my Garmin watch is one of the best purchases I have ever made. For more information, visit: Garmin Watch

 

Athletic Mentors Florida Cycling Camp – Believe me when I say that your triathlete will be immensely grateful for a week of cycling in the sunshine state during the worst time of the year to ride in Michigan. This February they can enjoy lush accommodations, home cooked meals, and fantastic riding all while receiving coaching from pro mountain biker Kelli Emmett and Athletic Mentors head coach Mark Olson. Check out all the details about the great facilities, itinerary, and holiday registration discount pricing at: Athletic Mentors Cycling Camp

 

Nicely wrapped presents

  • Swim Buoy – Greatest invention for open water swimming. My training buddy and I always have these with us. They are very visible in the water and are reasonably priced at $35. When we are taking recovery intervals we even take time to float around on these. For more information, visit Swim Buoy
  • Back pack – I have not made this purchase yet but I do understand why fellow triathletes have. There have been multiple occasions where I thought I would wipe out during my pre or post race ride from transition to or from my car. There is nothing more frustrating than having to lug your gear while trying to balance on your bike. For more information, visit Back Pack
  • Gift Card – There is something to be said about a gift as basic as gift card to local bike shop. Since I have been competing in triathlon for a while now I have most everything I could need. Therefore, I personally love having the freedom to get whatever part I need to fix my bike or other random purchase I might need to make in the next few months. That is not to say that you shouldn’t make the attempt at buying something unique. I am just stating that if you know your triathlete has everything they could need then a gift card will suffice.

 

Stocking Stuffers

  • Nutrition – Triathletes are always in need of additional nutrition reserves so gifts like sports beans, GU, Hammer gels, or Clif bars are always appreciated. Follow this link for: Nutrition
  • Toe Warmers – If your triathletes lives in the North and rides outside at all then they would probably appreciate Grabber toe warmers. These nifty disposable warmers are air activated and provide heat to your feet for up to 6 hours. For more information, visit Toe warmers
  • Tubes – What cyclist couldn’t use extra tubes? I like Bontrager, which feature “Tubeless Ready technology” and provide all the performance advantages of a tubeless system without the usual weight penalty. It’s a better way to go tubeless. Check them out by visiting: Tubes
  • Aero Water Bottles – Aero water bottles are great for the triathlete who has a triathlon bike. If they are doing distances longer than Olympic I would recommend the Aquacell. If they are doing anything shorter then the aerodrink should work fine. For more information, visit: Aero Water Bottles
  • Tieless laces – This is one of the first things I would recommend an athlete use to improve their transition times. I even put these laces on all my shoes because they make putting your shoes on and taking them off so easy. Check out the options here: Tieless Laces

 


Warm Up: Your Body Will Thank You

October 24th, 2012 by Katie Whidden USAT certified coach

Many athletes find themselves constrained by time so they sometimes sacrifice the warm up or cool down during a workout. Some of us can get away with this, especially if we are young, but as we age the warm up can be critical in warding off muscular injuries.

A proper warm up does not need to take longer than 15 minutes but should include 3 parts: neuromuscular activation, dynamic stretching and the sport specific cardio related to the activity you are about to engage in. Most of us currently complete the cardio warm up by doing 10-15 minute easy spins or runs but we forgo the first two. For those of you unfamiliar with neuromuscular activation, it is the connection from the brain to muscles through motor neurons. It is the process of initiating the movement process in the brain prior to a training session. When this is done there is a higher degree of stimulation of motor units which then can lead to greater muscular contraction during your work out.

Those athletes who have been to the Athletic Mentors gym for strength training should be familiar with a proper warm up routine.

  • Foam roller: roll out key muscle groups
  • Leg swings
  • Ankle activation
  • Band pulls to warm shoulder region
  • Knee tucks to lunge
  • Quad stretch to forward lean
  • Spiderman
  • Inch worm
  • High knees
  • Butt kicks
  • Ladder drills

If you take the time to complete a 15 minute warm up and 15 minute cool down you should be able to prevent injury and decrease muscle fatigue making your next workout more effective. Eliminating the junk mile that you would have normally used to warm up and replacing it with quality and efficiency, will set you up for a better overall workout.

 


Florida Cycling Camp in February – Registration is Now Open!

October 18th, 2012 by Cheryl Sherwood

AM coaches, including Pro Cyclist Kelli Emmett, will be hosting 2 winter cycling camps in February 2013. This is the perfect time to escape the northern winter for some warm base miles in northern Florida while living like a pro. You’ll eat like a king, sleep like baby and train like the pro’s do with sag support, luxury housing and in house cook as just some of the great features. Check out our website for more details: Florida Camp Details


The Tri Season Ends… What Now?

October 4th, 2012 by Katie Whidden USAT certified coach