Coach Brew

Swim Focus

2011-12-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

It is time to start Feeling Water! M

Vineman In The Books!

2011-07-31T06:18:00.000-07:00

What a Special Day for nine of HPR athletes and their friends and family to have experienced! The swim was enjoyable for everyone and transitions seamless. The bike course was beautiful and well designed for spectators. Our support was pro level! This was one of my many proud moments on the day.

Spectating is hard and most times stressful, but our family and friends were as interested in seeing us as they were seeing the race for themselves. Your cheers and effort gave all of us energy and strength. Thank you!

The run is the last test of mental/physical strength of the day. Seeing each one of the athletes supporting each other with a smile and doing so purpose to their stride was the proudest moment for me. Smiles prevailed and fun was had by each athlete. Well done!

A few Vineman Pictures:

2011-07-31T06:15:00.000-07:00

Vineman Full & Half

2011-07-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'm very proud of my 9 teammates/athletes that have trained for this Saturday's Vineman Full/Half Iron races. They have all put in the training time, mental prep work, sorting of nutrition and equally had fun for the past 12 weeks. We will show up on race day with "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, and we Can't lose.

Here are a few pictures of race prep:

Racing with My Athletes/Teammates

2011-05-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

I was at the Rev3 event this past weekend and had another awesome opportunity to race with a few of my coached athletes/teammates. Kelly competed in the Olympic distance race getting ready for her Full Iron later in the summer. Her effort was hard for this race, this means she would produce snot, spit and tears along with managing piercing pain throughout the race.

Kelly did just that, and had a true test with an outstanding experience! She was not alone, Tom and Aaron had a great celebration of their fitness during their Half Ironman race and had to dig deep within themselves to fine more strength. I started the race with Aaron's wave and tread water for 4min until Tom's wave went off.

I swam with Tom, more for support and direction than for pace. He is a much fitter swimmer which help with his bike and run smack down he puts in once on land. Tom had another podium finish with 2nd in his division.

I biked at IM pace for my own test of the day and then hooked up with Aaron for the run. His goal was to PR his run time and overall Half Ironman time. Having the only half to compare to (Panama City, FLAT) and because of the conditions of the day, the climbing on the bike and run this would be a true test of his training over the past five months.

We locked in on an 8:40 per mile pace and held this for 9 miles of the run. The hills were taking there toll on both of us, but he was determined to PR. With a little encouragement he ran himself into a PR of 5 hours 45 minutes for the half (15min PR) and a run split of 1 hour 58 minutes (16min PR).

I believe the greatest results of anything you put yourself through is measured in personal experience. Many athletes including professionals chase the timed or placed result and over look the value in the experience of the test/race. Racing/Coaching along side of an athlete during their event not only is an honor, but it makes me a better coach.

Thank you HPR Athletes!

After Camp Life!

2011-03-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

Athletes/Campers,
Traveling home is always tough. You battle with yourself in your head/heart because we have gotten to be the athlete within and yet we love our life back home. As a coach at this camp, I was inspired by those digging deep to complete the training session and yet after the completion, wanting more.

There were a few with doubt and even fewer that rested on their achievements. Training camps in all sports teach strengths and weaknesses within. All of you earned your rest this week and will see the dividends of your work in a few weeks. Congratulations!

Build 1 next week and plan on shaking a few of those weaknesses... Nine weeks to the first Half Iron of the season!

Camp Season!

2011-02-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

Being a part of an athlete's achievements is very rewarding as a coach/facilitator. Here are a few pics of some athlete's that will achieve much and have fun doing it.

Swim Focus

2011-01-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

This week and next the team is doing its first of three two week block called Swim Focus. This block will have 5-6 scheduled swims per week with an average of 2200 per swim session. Here is an example of a perfect free style catch:

You can see more examples at www.swim.ee and go to videos or just click the link.

Brick Work for HPR Columbus

2011-01-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

HPR Columbus kicked off the new year with a Brick Weekend of training that most would say is Crazy A-- Sh--! I once read that you can do as much base training in a day that you want. So I put team HPR Columbus through the test. They have been training since Nov 1, 2010 for six days per week and during build weeks up to 12 hours.

Here is what the four days looked like:

Thursday PM
50min Run with 5 x 30sec Hills in the middle

Friday AM
60min Drill Swim Set
115min Biking on Trainer

Saturday AM into PM
80min Bike on Trainer
15min Run
65min Bike on Trainer
15min Run
50min Bike on Trainer
15min Run
45min Bike on Trainer
15min Run

Sunday AM
120min Run on a flat Snowy Trail
30min Bike on Trainer (small ring recovery spin)

We most definitely suffered together and worked through a lot physically and mentally as individuals. I'm very proud of my athletes and their accomplishments this past weekend. Looking forward to next week's recovery schedule!

Scull Swim Drill

2011-01-11T12:54:00.001-08:00

We had a question last night at the bike about a swim drill called sculling. We do the front or middle not the back. Click on sculling and watch.

Nutrition...

2010-12-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

It's never good to write on the topic of nutrition after wolfing down a Graffiti Burger, large fry and a chocolate milkshake, but here I go.

I will get into more detail and share a few pointers from Sports Nutrition 2 Go in a few weeks, but for now keep it simple. Know that just sleeping you will burn between 1200 – 1800 calories and another 500 or so during the day sitting on your bum. So let's try this for a few weeks and see how we feel.

The Focus is Protein and H2O! You need 8 to 10 grams of protein every 4-5hours you are awake. Trust me, you get carbohydrates in during the day without needing to count them. As for water intake, sips all day long or 6oz every 15min.

Training Block One, Complete!

2010-12-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

The HPR 2011 athletes and maybe for most of you readers, the first four week training block has been successfully completed. Anytime you're training through a three week build, (even if it is a base build) the schedule and sessions can be tough. Having teammates, especially during six months out of racing makes it easier and fun.

A few items covered during this four week block:
1. Position and balance on the bike. Comfort is Speed!
2. Stick to the scheduled plan by shortening training sessions, if needed, rather than stacking them to make up.
3. Ask questions (coach welcomes this) and pick your teammates brain about how they juggle life and sport to achieve goals.
4. Practice staying in the moment during training sessions and you will manage this much easier during your races.
5. The recovery week is much needed for the body and the mind, please don't cheat yourself by over booking with this extra time in your week.

3 Week Base Build Review

2010-11-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

The team is into it's first three weeks of "Base Build" and for those that have been getting in all the training sessions you are probably looking forward to next weeks recovery. November is always tough to get into a committed training schedule, but thanks to your teammates it can be a little easier.

As a coach, I see the bonds being created by the athletes suffering together and through these moments become clearer goals and accountability for each of them. Lots to learn as a newbie and much to remember as a veteran that has taken a few months off. Vince Lumbardi would say on the first day of every summer training camp as he held out a football for everyone to see,
"This is a football". So, this is the time to revisit the basics and build on a solid and understood foundation.

Here are few basics for triathlon:
1. Base Hart Rate means your HR is 70% of your max while in this zone. The longer you stay in this training zone the fitter you will become. "You need to go slow to go FAST"
2. In the pool, the sticking to the rest times are as important as the swimming.
3. On the bike, even peddle strokes (by doing SLD's) will produce much more power and efficiency throughout your ride then mashing.
4. During your run take inventory of your self, from the top of your head to the center of your foot and make sure you are relaxed.
5. While in your warm up and warm down of each discipline focus on staying correct and relaxed. Mental toughness will be learned through this practice.

Remember, we signed up for this sport to have fun and its only the expectations we put on ourselves that might turn the fun into work. Do I want to have fun during this training session or do I want to work? Ask yourself this question before every training session and you will be prepared and rewarded each time.

HPR 2010 Season

2010-11-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

What got me here?

2010-11-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is a loaded question I have asked myself numerous times. As it has to do with coaching, I was in need of a group to keep me accountable for this new sport that my brother double dog dared me into.

I took my skills as a security facilitator and put them to use in the triathlon arena. I secured basic things that all athletes need and/or want and reached out to the community. I still thought I should know more about the basics of triathlon. So, I enrolled in the USAT Level 1 coaching class. At the end of the three day symposium they handed out test to become certified, I passed. No, I passed on taking the test. I went to get more knowledge not to be certified. As Socrates said, "knowledge is power". So, know where the bathrooms are at all times and you shall too have the power!

Human Powered Racing was born in January 2004.

And so, seven years of guiding, motivating, creating, training, communicating, teaching, shaping, and racing with teammates of my team HPR in triathlon I have become a coach. Hell I've was always been the coach, I'm just having fun with it now that I have Jeremy.

All this because of a double dog dare in doing a half iron in Panama City, FL.

Thanks Bro, I love you!

Things to know about this Blog

2010-10-27T14:08:00.001-07:00

1. I’m not a professional writer and you don’t need to judge me as one.
2. I will journal my coaching experiences of adults and kids in triathlon.
3. You will see a post about two or three time per week
4. There will be no stories of my racing/training, unless I’m coaching.
5. Finally, I will try to enlighten, encourage, entertain, and seldom bore.

I will give you a brief overview about how I came to coaching triathlon in my next post. There will be more details in my profile if you need them or care to know them. I will then pick up next week with my team’s (HPR) 2011 base season and post throughout each phase.