This is what we do.
An Overview of the General Preparation Phase of Training By Coach Maria Simone The following are pairs of headlines I found on the internet after a simple search for “base training in endurance sport.” You may read through these articles and headlines, and scratch your head. What the heck?!? Should I go long and easy,[…]
Many of us have come to recognize fitness or threshold testing as 20-60 minutes of pure burning hell. It typically involves a lot of drooling, cussing, burning sensations, and squirrely-feeling body parts. For some, vomit may be involved. These assessments are not simply meant as terrible torture devices. They provide important information regarding our functional[…]
There is a progression of goals in triathlon that usually revolves around two questions: How fast can I go? How far can I go? Since we’ve covered the first question in a previous post, let’s think about the second question, specifically as it relates to an ironman triathlon. If you are a triathlete, this question is[…]
There can be no doubt about it: Racing is fun. And, like most things we enjoy: we want to do it. A. Lot. But, as with all things in life, moderation can be important. Too much racing can wind up being not much fun at all, leading to lackluster performance, burnout, and even injury. None[…]
“How much should I train each week?” This is one of the most frequent questions we get. Our answer is always the same. “It depends.” Total, weekly and daily training volume depends upon several factors: the type and length of races in which an athlete hopes to compete, the period of the yearly training cycle, the goals of a[…]
Professional athletes and those speedsters in our age group may leave us wondering: why are some people so fast? Assuming your endurance base is set, speed comes primarily from developing three physiological elements: 1) VO2max, 2) lactate threshold, and 3) economy. The bad news: our ability across these three factors is due to genetics – at least[…]
If you are in the final months before your key A race, then you are probably in or getting ready to start the build (a.k.a. specific preparation) period. (Not sure what I mean by a build/specific prep period? Check out our post about the principles of periodization.) During the build period, the main focus is[…]
I received a text message from a prospective client asking, “If I want to average a 9 minute mile for a half-marathon, what pace should my tempo runs be?” In the log of one of our athletes, I read this post-activity comment, “My pace isn’t what I would like, but my HR was in the[…]
I saw her orange Newton sneakers first; then I looked up, and saw her face. I took a look at the clock – 1:50 and change and just yards to go. She was going to do it! All along, I had told Courtney, one of our athletes and my dear friend for many years, that[…]
When I rowed crew in high school, my coach Joe Haney would preach to us during our workouts–on land and at sea–about the ways in which our training was designed to achieve peak performance for our big races at the end of the season. periodization He knew his stuff. During the four years I rowed[…]
