Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: The Importance of 10k run speed for Ironman athlet...

Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: The Importance of 10k run speed for Ironman athlet...: Have you ever found yourself feeling like you are stuck in 3 rd gear running in the Ironman marathon and unable do anything about it? ...

The Importance of 10k run speed for Ironman athletes

Have you ever found yourself feeling like you are stuck in 3^rd gear running in the Ironman marathon and unable do anything about it?

Fluid athlete Jenny Zenker - 2:05hr Olympic Tri

For many years of coaching Ironman athletes, I have found to run a fast marathon off the bike it pays to inject quality intervals fartlek and sustained efforts into your Ironman run training. These efforts would range from 5k to 21.1k race intensity.

There is a couple of ways this style of run training can be done. One way is in unison with equally balance bike training load within a specific Ironman phase say 15-20weeks out from your goal race. Within the final 10weeks of your prep some of these quality runs would be immediately after a hard bike set so you start your run carrying some leg fatigue. Getting the balance right of how fatigued your legs should be off the bike to ensure you still run fast enough is key.

The other way is to include a pre-specific run phase say from 25weeks out to 15weeks out from race day. You load your run training with workouts that target 10k-21.1k run speed. Just be careful to ensure you are allowing enough recovery from each session, as running faster requires the athlete to be fresher pre-session. With this in mind, to counterbalance this run emphasis it may be worth reducing the total bike training load and intensity to ensure you adapt to the number 1 priority of this phase, the run.

At the end of a run phase like this, it’s a good idea to complete a benchmark test such as a 10k or 21.1k event or TT to see what effect this has had on your running. Then it’s a matter of completing run speed maintenance training so you don’t lose your run ‘ZIP’ prior to race day.

Employing this type of run training in an Ironman preparation will see you run a faster Ironman marathon time off the bike. As we all know the key to doing well in Ironman distance races is running up to your ability following strong swim and bike legs. ‘Ride for show run for dough.’

Suggested workouts targeting 10km for a strong runner

Pre-specific phase run set

Run 5-8 x (800m at 83-87%max with 300m recovery)

Specific phase run set – off the bike

Ride 75mins including 6 x (1km at 85%max with increasing recoveries of 1k, 2k, 3k, 4k, 5k)

THEN
Run immediately off the bike for 24mins inc. (3mins at 85%max, 1.5min rec, 2mins 85-87%max, 1.5mins rec, 1min at 90%max, 1.5min rec, 3mins at 85%max, 1.5min rec, 2mins 85-87%max, 1.5mins rec, 1min at 90%max, run down easy to time)

Coach Foz

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: Hawaii Ironman - a whole different ball game

Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: Hawaii Ironman - a whole different ball game: This will be the 3rd straight year i have qualified a team for the Hawaii Ironman. We have 5athletes qualified so far in 2013, adding to the...

Hawaii Ironman - a whole different ball game

This will be the 3rd straight year i have qualified a team for the Hawaii Ironman. We have 5athletes qualified so far in 2013, adding to the 9athletes we had race Hawaii in 2011/12.

As a result, putting down initial program ideas on how to prepare them for October.

One thing is for sure, preparing athletes for everything Hawaii brings: the wind, the heat, the humidity, and the course is a whole different ball game to prepping them for a local Ironman like Melbourne.
The Hawaii bike and run course isn't really the main problem, its the weather that's makes Hawaii special.

The preparation has to be about making the athlete as strong and impervious to the conditions as possible.

Non wetsuit swim, this swim can be a new and often daunting experience, even for the most experienced ironman. The current at Hawaii also can wreak havoc with swim times.
The bike with the cuttings and cross wind tunnel like conditions in the gully's in between. The climb to Hawi, and cross winds on the descent. Then on the return the wind hits you front on on the way back to T2.
The run, realising how much the hot humid conditions has dehydrated you on the bike, you then run along Al'ii Drive to the first turn, which can be hot, humid with no wind due to the sheltered conditions.
Once you come back to town and negotiate Palani Hill, you have the long run along the Queen K, down to the Energy lab and return to the finish.

How far do you go, heat/altitude chambers to acclimatise you? This stuff is peripheral and should only be canvassed once the main priority PLAN of how best to condition the body to be as fit and strong as possible to handle what Hawaii has been set. it has to be a different approach to any other qualifier Ironman.
Unlike Melbourne, relatively more athletes in Hawaii ride strong, then are able to run a fast marathon off the bike. Yes you still get your T2 superstars that look great off the bike, and bomb on the run, but more athletes have the leg strength to put together a strong run after a punishing bike effort.

Just looking at how my team went last year at Hawaii after all qualifying at Melbourne 2012.
The key to their great performances at Hawaii, beating alot of the athletes that had their measure at Melbs was they ALL ran very well.
3 of our 6athletes went sub 3:30hours on the marathon run with Stephen Guy our fastest at 3:08hrs. 2athletes went between 3:30hrs and 4:00hrs with only one over at 4:07hrs, our girl Cym only in her second ironman.

Guysy on his way to a 3:08hr marathon

This saw 3 of our 6athletes go sub 10:00hrs for the finale, with Stephen Natoli a sharp 9:37:20hrs on a tough day.

So now you have qualified, do you just do the same prep as you did for your qualifying event, i don't think so. If you ran ok, but not great in your qualifier, then this could be magnified on the big island due to the environment.

You need to think laterally and have everything on the table when you go to the big show.
Work out your periodised blocks and the emphasis of each. But planning the swim bike and run in isolation will be a mistake.

As Hawaii qualifiers, your ability to swim well without losing too much time, riding strong and fast, and then still having some in the tank for a strong run will be key to success on a much bigger stage.

Foz

Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Art of the One Race Peak

Hi,

Today going to chat about how to peak for a single race.

Building for a peak over a period of the season can be quite easy. The broad brush approach is best when setting for a peak that extends over a period of time. Build intensity gradually, introducing race specific intensity and skill sessions as the season approaches. Generally a coach can expect to hold their athlete at peak fitness for 6-10weeks during a race season.
Peaking for a single event on one day of the year is a much more refined and challenging task for any coach.

Just ask James Magnussen (Australian swimmer) who was in World record swim shape prior to the Olympics, but was unable to peak when it mattered.

Recently i had the job of peaking 22 of our team athletes for single day World title events, including Spain LC, Hawaii IM and the Auckland World Olympic Championships.
The art of getting them into supreme form is a tough gig.
This is how i do it. Assume a 20week preparation period with the athlete starting this prep with basic endurance.
Specific Phase

Race to Train - use periodic races (1per month) as race pace training sessions. Sharpens their skills and the intensity of a race is always much higher then they achieve in training.

Logic- if you are going to enter a race, then always race at race pace. The time is not the important thing, the effort is. If you are not going to give it your best effort, you would be better off training, not racing.

Include easy short aerobic runs after 1 to 2 bike sessions each week. 20-30mins easily is enough, aiming to hold form and find rhythm and cadence as early as you can in the run off the bike (timing foot fall and breathing)
As well as the above, include 1-2 swim, bike and run race intensity sessions each week for your longer speed / strength endurance sessions.
Include 1 race intensity or above aerobic power surge sets to develop speed and power with change of pace each week. Surge sets have a duel role, development of speed and power with change of pace training and also endurance due to higher average heart rate over time - Such an all round session.
Look at the course you are racing on, say with our athletes who raced NZ Worlds, it was hilly on the bike leg, so geared hill strength repeats on the bike and descending rehearsal 1-2x each 3week block throughout the general phase. (Train to Race)

Race Phase
In this phase we get the athletes to run hard following quality bike sessions at race pace and intensity once weekly. This is to mirror race conditions and teach the body to adapt quickly to running flat out after a quality bike effort.

Whats important here is when setting hard bike to hard run in combination is that the efforts are short sustained or broken efforts, ensuring the athletes can maintain race pace speed and intensity by remaining fresh enough using the recoveries between efforts.

Example :

Ride 60mins in total, after a 10-15min warm up do set below

(1km effort, 1km rec, 1km effort, 2km rec, 1km effort, 3k rec, 1km effort, 4k rec, 1km effort, 5km rec, 1km effort) Efforts at 85-90%mhr and race cadence

Run 30mins off the bike alting (2min effort at 85%mhr with 1min rec)

Note : The 1km bike efforts have increasing recoveries after each repetition.

This is to ensure that the rider can generate top speed on each effort, and maintain this as the recoveries increase. As a result, they finish the bike fresh enough to maintain their goal 10km race pace intensity by way 1min recoveries in between each 2min effort.
No use doing this kind of intense workout if you can't maintain the high intensity required for race pace sets.

These sessions are run once weekly, in varying forms depending on the sets position in our 3week block. This session above comes after a Sunday rest day, as it's quite challenging.
These 'Train to Race' sessions are complimented by extensive speed endurance bikes and run sessions that develop the athletes ability to maintain high intensity close to Lactate threshold.
Train to Race sessions also continue as part of the training schedule.

Racing is a Habit - Be a Racer
i have found that practise makes perfect with racing. Especially in shorter Olympic / Sprint racing, exposing the athletes to the high pressure/speed environment of racing helps teach them racing strategies, and increases their ability to push to their limit more readily when the big goal race comes around.

Sessions that also mirror these pressures (see example above) are also highly useful come race day.

if you are afraid of public speaking exposure is the key to overcoming your fear. If you are known as a great trainer, but not racer, expose yourself to racing and high intensity training often, this will help you become a racer.

So there is no use training to train in a lead up to one major race. Train and race yourself into race shape by rehearsing over and over again the conditions you will come up against come the big day.

Train to race NOT Train to train

Coach Foz

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

New Zealand World Triathlon Championships

At the commencement of the 2011-12 season, our sprinters made a converted effort to qualify for New Zealand. Alot of this came of the back of the success of China Worlds 2011 where Sean Smee came 3rd in age and Ken Murley 2nd.

Nothing like some success, and such a beautiful place to visit.

Hard graft over Winter, training in tandem within their Hawaii Ironman team mates saw a new style of training, which the guys really responded to. It was so exciting as a coach to try different things, think outside of the square with strong athletes like this.
Come Auckland last Sunday, they were all ready to race.

Ken Murley - World Sprint Champion 2012

To see Ken Murley win the World title in 65-69 was awesome. First time for me as a coach, super proud. Ken had a few injuries leading in, but as normal, when you put him in the race, he just switches on, had an awesome bike leg with the fastest split in his age, and then held on during the run, whilst nursing an injury.

Zoe and Cym - ready to race

Zoe Ferguson, super mum was next, coming 7th in 35-39. Zoe killed the bike, loving the technical course, with the 2nd fastest bike split, but just ran out of time to catch the girls before the finish. Zoe is going onto race IM Melb, look out girls.

Next we had Sean Smee. we knew the field would be a cracker in NZ, compared to China and Sean had really improved his speed. Sean came 12th in 30-34. 48th out of the water, Sean stormed into 12th with super strong riding and the 4th fastest run. Sean is going to concentrate on 70.3's for a while, so lot more time to catch up after the swim.

Paul Speed (Speedy), what can i say. 17th in 25-29, had an awesome swim. Speedy due to travel may not have been in the best shape, but he raced right up to his ability, a testament to his love of pushing himself and racing. Awesome.

Sean Smee on the bike

Stephen Hadley, he came to our squad for improvement after being self coached, and just loved training with Sean. Very evenly matched, Steve unfortunately tore a calf 2weeks prior to the race. No running till race day and couldnt drop his heel on the bike. Even with that, had a super swim, rode as fast as Sean, and still finished. Gutsy haddles.

All our team had a great experience and raced well. The loved it. We had 2 athletes race for Ireland, and representation for Great Britian, Netherlands, and of course the Aussies.
This has really set each of them up for great things in future races.

Team Results
Sprint

Pos

Cat Pos

Name

Time