Driven 5 Update: Project Amy Woodward 2009

Last month Amy was fortunate enough to leave the extremely cold temperatures we experienced in Calgary for the ideal climes of Tuscon Arizona. Over the past 10 years Tuscon has grown to become a winter training destination for cyclists and triathletes due to the favorable weather they can enjoy during our winter months. In fact, one of my other athletes has been living the cyclist’s life down there for 6 weeks honing his fitness which simply can not be done in Canada let alone Calgary. A few others have also made the trip for training and racing. Sadly I have yet to go but vow to one day get down there.

As previously posted, this was a mini training camp (but let’s not forget vacation) in which Amy could focus on building her cycling fitness by logging many kilometers over varied terrain and to escape mentally from day to day life. The bonus for me as a coach is that Amy is using a PowerTap power meter which logs every second of her ride which can be broken down and analyzed afterwards. So what does “focused” training time primarily riding over 10 days net you?

A total of 25.9 hours of saddle time or 647.2km.

A Training Stress Score (TSS)* of 1502.2.

A total of 12687 kJ (Kilo Joules of Work) or close to 14000 kcal burned.

*Training Stress Score (TSS) was a training metric developed by Dr. Andy Coggan to quantify and compare your different workouts, even when they are considerably different in time (length) and power (intensity). TSS is designed to give you a numeric value for each ride that tells you how much training load was on your body for that day’s ride. A TSS of 100 equals an hour at an IF of 1.0. TSS also quantifies how tired you can expect to be after a workout and how long the residual fatigue might last. For further information on this and many more topics visit http://home.trainingpeaks.com/power411.aspx.

So what does this really tell me as Amy’s coach?? Well several things after having gone through her power files. Several key points are as follows;

1. Amy stuck to our objectives of base building versus hammering everyday. This is reflected in her average intensity factor of 0.75 or 75% of her functional threshold power (FTP) or 1 hour sustainable power which is 214 Watts.

2. Amy’s sustainability on the long climbs up Mount Lemmon and Kitt Peak showed she can hold her FTP (200-215W) for upwards of 71minutes! This is a great indication that her FTP is rising which we hope to see in several weeks post mini camp.

3. So long as Amy ate, hydrated, slept and rested well after each ride, she could easily get up the next day and do another big ride. In fact with Amy gradually increasing her volume per ride, we saw her getting stronger as she posted her biggest wattages in the final 4 days of her Tuscon trip.

Now a few points of caution for those who are planning a trip to do a mini camp next week. These training periods are stressful even if done solely as base building due to the rapid increase in training load which in some cases equals twice the regular training volume. As such it is advisable to begin increasing your training load in the weeks prior to a camp so as not to shock the system too dramatically. Eat, hydrate and sleep well as you increase your training load to help you adapt to the training stress and look to alternative methods for recovery such as massage, chiropractic care, supplements etc.

When Amy arrived home, life overwhelmed her as she had to do laundry, groceries, go back to work etc. As such she started to feel the fatigue catching up to her and after chatting with her I gave her 2 weeks of reduced training. In the weeks leading up to Tuscon she did 9.0, 11.1, 13.0, 12.5, 9.7, 12.3 hours of training respectively. Post Tuscon she was prescribed 7.8, 8.2, 10.6 and 10.8 hours of training. Amy did a FTP test 1.5 weeks post mini camp to check her recovery status. Needless to say she was still a bit tired BUT she was very close (205W) to her pre-Tuscon (214W) test values.

Rest and recovery after BIG training days and weeks are mandatory and are actually considered “training days” to a degree given their importance to the athlete’s overall progress. As I wrote in my personal blog regarding the Five Traits of Successful Athletes (http://jackvandyk.blogspot.com), consistency in training is a key trait in order to continually show improvement. My approach with Amy now will be to continue building upon her fitness gains from Tuscon after her recovery weeks as we move towards achieving new levels of performance.

With the favorable weather teasing us this week, we should all be able to put in some quality kilometers this week and weekend out on the roads.

JVD

Another Month gone - Feb/Mar summary

Well I am late in putting up my blog, which goes with the rest of my life right now (just ask my son's teacher - I have been late picking him up almost every day since I started training). I have been working hard on my training until last week when I discovered just how dependent I am on my kids attending school and being healthy in order to have the time I need to train. My daughter was off from school on an early spring break and I was unable to get her into the childcare when I tried, later in the week she was too sick and childcare was no longer an option. My first thought was to simply just try and fit my workout in later in the day but I soon discovered that our days and evenings are full and if I want to be able to put in a quality effort I need to have my morning time. Despite my frustration and disappointment over the past week and a half I have thankfully been able to put in some quality time on the weekends and am hopeful that now school has started up again I will be able to get back on track.

Laurel has scheduled running back in my workout plan again which has been great as I love to use a nice long run as a stress release. On the weekends I have been able to complete my brick workouts (bike/run) along with my husband which has really helped to pass the time and push me as the two of us really like to challenge each other both on the bike and in the run. It has been nice to have some quality time together to chat without the kids around and also have the bennefit of improving our health at the same time. I am confident that if I keep working on things that I will be able to complete the bike and run sections of the event - not without a good mental workout I am certain, but I at least know that I can do it if I try.

Now for the swim. I am still working more on my swim than any other element which for obvious reasons is because I have to. I have had a rocky relationship with the pool over the past month, going from a great swim to being willing to give it all up (except I am too stuborn to quit). Looking back on the month though I have accomplished some of the goals that I had set, small as they may be I can now successfully swim in deeper water without having to psych myself out - all be it by the wall - but that is a goal for next month =0), I was also able to swim a full 50 meter length without stopping. 50 meters is a long ways short of what I need to accomplish but it is also 50 meters further than I could swim when I started everything 6 weeks ago. I have been frustrated with myself as to just how slow things are progressing in the pool with my biggest hangup still being my breathing technique. I am still waiting for my light bulb moment on this. I believe that my overall stroke technique is improving as I can certainly feel a difference in how I am able to move through the water dependent on what I may be doing with my body position and arms.

After a rough week where I was questioning my ability to actually be able to accomplish the goals I have set, I had a long chat with my husband and an encouraging email from Laurel, I am entering into the next month with a renewed sense of energy (both mentally and physically from all my missed workouts) and am hoping to continue gaining ground in all 3 events.

Month Two ~ Liz McLeod

It has been eight weeks since the program started and the progress is coming along great. I have looked back over the workouts and I am surprised at where I started and what I am doing now. Since my decision to "try" a half iron man, Laurel has increased my workouts and while I am not leaving a puddle like Jack just yet I know my turn will come.

Week five was a tough one as I fought through a cold and did the workouts but the intensity was not there. By week six I was feeling better and able to complete the workouts hard. It was during this time that I was doing a solid bike workout and then a short run that I got the "ah moment". This is how you train proper! I am not saying the run was easy but because the workouts are set up a specific way I was able to do the run.

Laurel has the workouts set up that I bike on Mondays and Fridays, run on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and swim on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This little routine has so far allowed me to stay injury and fatigue free.

During week seven was probably my best week of all. I had a run test with Laurel and I knew I was going to have to prove myself. I was very happy with results as my lactate and heart rate where much better than they were when I did the bike back in January. I also received some great advice in the pool regarding my stroke and head position. The best was the "cheering section" that held up a sign during my run. What a giggle, I keep that sign on my bulletin board to motivate me even more.

I am now into weeks nine through eleven and the workouts are getting harder. There was a bit of a brain game going on as I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to do the half iron man, but...
after a great chat with Laurel, she put it all into perspective. THANKS LAUREL. I would also like to thank Elaine and Wendy for their encouragement too.

So its back on the bike tomorrow and a big run on Saturday. I will write more soon.