Getting Started

09 February 2020

11:58

Dreams, goals, objectives, purposes

  • Season goal:
    • 1 - 3 season goals
    • Must be well defined and measurable (finish race X in time T).
    • Lose weight, improve power, run faster, …, are not good goals. They are training objectives.
    • Goal should not be too easy to achieve, otherwise it won't be a challenge. Without challenge, training has only little purpose.
    • Goal should not be too difficult, otherwise it's only a wish
  • Training objectives:
    • If the goal is achievable right now, then it's not a goal. There must be a limiter between you and your goal.
    • Training objectives are short term sub-goal to push back your limiters.
  • Daily purpose:
    • Know the purpose of each day as you wake up. Either challenging like improve your pace/power or easy recovery, focus on the purpose of the day. "High performance requires daily action"

Assessment

Where am I now and where do I want to go.

  • Physical assessment: With a therapist, head to toe exam to find weaknesses and suggest exercises to prevent injuries.
  • Mental assessment: Fill the online form
  • Fitness assessment:
    • Lab test: Expensive, but gives a lot of information and the conditions are always the same
    • Field test: Free, but gives fewer information, conditions may vary.

 

Field Test Metrics

Common field tests for swimming, biking, and running are listed below. Measurements of heart rate apply to the bike and run, measurements of pace to the swim and run, and measurements of power to the bike. Each of these field tests is described in greater detail in Appendixes B (swim), C (bike), and D (run). Strength field tests are described in Chapter 13.

 

Common Swim Field Tests

  • Functional threshold pace (sFTPa): a 1000 meter time trial to determine swim pace training zones and gauge swim fitness progress.

 

Common Bike Field Tests

  • Functional threshold power (bFTPo) and heart rate (bFTHR): a 20 minutes time trial to determine bike power and heart rate training zones and gauge bike fitness progress.
  • Power-heart rate decoupling (Pw:HR): a "long" aerobic endurance ride done to determine when fatigue occurs on a given day.
  • Efficiency factor (bEF): a "long" aerobic endurance ride done at the aerobic threshold to gauge aerobic fitness progress over time for similar workouts.

 

Common Run Field Tests

  • Function threshold pace (rFTPa) and heart rate (rFTHR): a 20 minutes time trial to determine run pace and heart rate training zones and gauge run fitness progress.
  • Pace-heart rate decoupling (Pa:HR): a "long" aerobic endurance run done to determine when fatigue occurs on a given day.
  • Efficiency factor (bEF): a "long" aerobic endurance run done at the aerobic threshold to gauge aerobic fitness progress over time for similar workouts.

 

Training preparation

  • Swim:
    • Largely defined by technique.
    • Material: pull boy, goggles, cap, swimming suit
  • Bike:
    • Material: HR monitor, power meter, home trainer,  speed and distance
    • Have your bike fitted by a professional every season. A well fitted bike increases your power output
  • Run:
    • Material: HR monitor, shoes, speed and distance
    • Check adapted shoes with pro / local triathlon shop
  • Strength:
    • Dumbbells from 5kg to 25kg in 5kg increments
    • Bench, weighted vest, barbells, … 

 

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