I'm in the process of getting the plans for the rest of my year together, both from a work/academic perspective, and also for races. It will probably crystallize in the next few weeks, but in the meanwhile, I'm getting my training logs and data tracking optimized before the real training starts.
Triathlon has presented a particular challenge in tracking progress and statistics. Between running, swimming, and biking, it's been challenging to keep track of things in a succint, logical manner. I have always subscribed to the theory that for amateur athletes, the act of getting out train is far more important than the need to keep track of what you have done. I still subscribe to this theory, but when you are aiming to break through a plateau of performance, or significantly ramp up training, keeping a log can be helpful in identifying overtraining (or more likely for most, undertraining.)
I have been using the website RunningAhead.com to log my stats in the past year, but this was mainly because of convenience. I've missed a bunch of days, and never kept track of paces or intervals, opting to keep it as simple as possible. This was likely appropriate for me in the past year given my noobness at swimming and triathlon; the mere act of getting out and into the pool or bike was the most important thing. Now though, I'm ready to start building on my good swim and bike base, and for that, I will need a plan and a good loggin system to track progress.
HEART RATE TRAINING
After reading a lot about triathlon over the past year, I've decided to give the heart rate training method a serious try. I already have the Garmin 305 with HRM, so I didn't need to upgrade harware, but I've never found it useful in the past while on Pfitz training schedules, where mileage was the dominant theme. Now with 3 sports though, I think heart rate will become a much better way to track my fitness and performance both during and after workouts. I've given it an initial trial in the past week, and it has gone extremely well. I still have yet to find my true max HR (which is critical for correct training), but in terms of running at approximately my theoretical aerobic-fast pace, I've found that I need to scale back a lot when running uphills, but pick it up a lot on the downhills. I'm excited to see whether this new tool will help me become more consistent with my running efforts, but even if it doesn't, it's giving me a new incentive to get back on the roads seriously.
SPORT-TRACKS + GARMIN 305 = PRO-LEVEL TRACKING
My software of choice to sync with my GPS-enabled Garmin 305 is "SportTracks", which is a free PC download. It's awesome - far better than the Garmin Training Center software which comes with the device. Frankly, I think the combination of SportTracks + Garmin305 equal pro-level athlete tracking. It provides maps, graphs, splits, splits correlated WITH map data, elevation correction, pretty much the works. Of course, what to actually do with the data is a big challenge, but I already have some big plans that will be very useful, including:
- Determination of MaxHR
- Determination of optimal HR training zones (based on MaxHR)
- Time trials with HR correlation to gauge race paces
- Optimizing correct hill pacing for steady HR
- Creating optimal pace/HR correction curves
Perhaps one of the best aspects of this hardware/software is that it's incredibly easy to use. You simply plug in your Garmin via USB, select "import", and it all gets sucked in for your viewing pleasure. I've already analyzed my last 2 runs in extensive detail and have learned things about my performance/pacing on hills that I didn't know I did previously. I have also learned that I've been slacking (!!) on my triathlon-season runs, running wayyy under what would be considered a good training pace given my HR adaptations to running.
COACH OR NO COACH?
I'm also seriously toying with the idea of hiring a coach to help interpret the plan in the upcoming 6 months if I train seriously. Still, I have my own personal reasons for not doing so. Cost is definitely an issue - at $150 per month for the cheapest qualified triathlon coach who contacts you only by email/phone, it's pricey for my paltry resident salary. But even if I can afford it, I personally have found that a large part of my enjoyment of the sport includes the satisfaction of self-training. I'm fully aware that it's an inferior approach to the coached method, as a 2nd perspective is invariably better than self-analysis, but part of my enjoyment of the sport involves the satisfaction and fulfillment of learning as much as I can to self-coach, and then looking back on my own results. I've got nothing against coaches though - it's just the way I am with my own training. (Not that I'd turn down free coaching if it was sent my way!) So for now, it is likely going to be self-training from here.
IMMEDIATE PLANS
Stay posted - I should have results from a maxHR run and/or bike test in the upcoming weeks!
