Fellow Slowtwitchers:
Many of you appear to question the validity of my result and preparation prior to the recent CA 70.3. To be clear, I never said I only trained 4 hours a week. In jest I may have said not bad for 4 hours a week on the bike. This was in no way meant to be disrespectful to the other athletes racing. In fact, I acknowledge Andy Potts and Craig Alexander to be two of the most complete athletes that I have ever competed against.
My wife Carrie and I now have five children and I do own and operate a successful Commercial Real Estate brokerage here in Bend, Oregon. Although I have enjoyed the break from the daily grind of being a pro athlete, I have continued to workout to maintain daily sanity. My passion for the sport has never left and my recent foray back into the pro ranks has been purely a personal challenge. Could I still compete at a high level with the realities of my life today? As much as I like to workout, there is no greater motivator than actually signing up to race.
I have attached my training for the six weeks prior to CA 70.3. You will see that in some cases I actually got close to 6 or 8 hours in a week. After twenty plus years in highly competitive sports I have a pretty good sense of how to maximize my workouts to bring out my best as an athlete. It does not mean this approach would be right for any of you, although I believe most are unproductive in a majority of their training sessions. This training log does not take into account the numerous soccer shuttles, traveling games, work commitments, etc. But I can tell you that the majority of these workouts were done in my garage between 5:30 8:00 a.m. each day.
The insinuation that any result I achieved as a result of doping is disrespectful and completely inaccurate. One should think long and hard before casting that type of stone. I wont apologize for knowing how to perform on race day. As props to Frank Day, I am not a sponsored athlete but I am a believer in Powercranks as a training aid. You will see that I incorporated them into all bike workouts prior to CA 70.3.
I plan to continue racing and challenging myself, so please be prepared to see my name in the results again soon.
Best Regards,
Steve Larsen (lurking slowtwitcher)
Steve Larsens CA 70.3 Buildup:
2/11/08 Bike: Trainer, 30, 10.5 miles, med/hard pace, 24 25mph, powercranks.
2/12/08 Swim: 45, 2,500 yds, masters swim workout. Controlled pace, w/some IM stroke.
Bike: 90, 30 miles, steady 130 -140 HR, w 15 tempo 155-170 on hills home. Powercranks.
Run: 35, easy, 5 miles.
2/13/08 Run: 50, Hills, 4 x 4 controlled hard pace, up to 170 HR. 7 miles.
Bike: 90, 32 miles, steady less than 140 HR, up to 155 for last 30. Powercranks.
2/14/08 Swim: 45, 2350 yds, main set 2 x 3 x 300 yds desc. (3:56, 3:53, 3:50)
Run: 55, with 20 tempo @ 171 avg. 7.5 miles.
2/15/08 Bike: 30, 10.5 miles, trainer steady at 1300 -135 HR, powercranks.
Bike: 60, with 40 as 1 at 25-26mph, 1 easy. Trainer, pwercranks.
2/16/08 Run: 30, 4 miles easy.
Run: 60, steady, 8.5 miles.
2/17/08 Swim: 45, 2,700 yds, with 2 sets of 3 X300 desc. Like Thurs.
2/18/08 Bike: 30, 10.25 miles, 137 avg HR. Powercranks.
Bike: 30, with 8 max sus. Speed test. 3.63 miles (27.22 mph), avg 167, max 184. Powercranks. Will base training intensity off this test.
Run: 60 steady, 137 avg. 8 miles.
2/19/08 Swim: 50, 3,000 yds.
Bike: 90, 31 miles, 6 x 10 x 3 @ 24-24.6 mph, 90 -100 rpm, controlled hard 155-157 HR. Trainer. Powercranks.
2/20/08 Run: 60, 8.5 miles, 4 x 5 x 5 uphill, controlled hard, high 160s HR.
Bike: 80, 28 miles, 5 x 12 x 3 @ 24 24.5 mph. 155-158 HR. Trainer, Powercranks.
2/21/08 Swim: 55, 3,000 yds, main 500 yds pull/paddle, 5 x 100 on 1:20 (1:15 avg.)
Run: 45, 7 miles, with 25 tempo 168 171, up to 180 last mile.
2/22/08 Bike: 30, 9.5 miles, easy with 7 x 10 sprints to 800 + watts.
2/23/08 Bike: 120, 42.5 miles, with 6 x 15 x 5 @ 24 24.5 mph. Trainer, Powercranks. Directly into transition run on treadmill:
Run: 30, with 3 x 9 @ 6:00 pace, 1 ez. 4.75 miles.
p.m. Bike: 30 @ 24 24.5 mph. Trainer, Powercranks.
Run: 30 as 9/1/4/1/4/1/5 @ 6:00 pace/ez.
2/24/08 Bike: 30, 10 miles, EZ, trainer, Powercranks.
Swim: 40, 2500 yds.
2/25/08 OFF
2/26/08 Swim: 60, 2,800 yds, good swim.
Bike: 60, 15 miles, hills, 6 x 5 x 2 uphill @ 336 watts avg. (320 -350 w range), HR to 160.
Run: 30, 4.25 miles, steady 133 avg HR.
2/27/08 Run: 70, 9 miles, hills, 5 x 5uphill @ 168 -170HR.
Bike: 155, 59 miles, TT Bike, Powercranks, avg 22.1 mph, 137 HR. Steady.
2/28/08 Swim: 50, 2500 yds. Fly/free focus.
Run: 45, 7 miles, with 30 Tempo, avg 171 HR.
2/29/08 OFF
3/01/08 Bike: 165, 42 miles, 9 x 10 x 1 @ 24 25 mph. trainer, powercranks.
Run: transition run, 45, with 4 x 9 x 1 (6:00/ez), controlled hard up to 160 HR.
Bike: 60, Hills, 15 miles, 6 x 4:40 uphill, 336 watts avg.
3/02/08 Run: 90, 12 miles, all less than 140 HR, gradual build last 30.
Swim: 40, 2500 yds, 5 x 300 pull on 4;07 4:10.
3/03/08 OFF
3/04/08 Swim: 50, 2500 yds, 300 in 3:45.
Bike: 70, Hills, 5 x 6:00 uphill at 336 watts avg. Controlled pace, seated. Road Bike.
3/05/08 Run: 65, Hills, 8 miles, 4 x 8:00 uphill / 8:00 at 165-170 avg.
Bike: 63, 25 miles, 3 x 20 x 1 @ 24 25 mph. Tough after morning hill run. Trainer, Powercranks.
3/06/08 Swim: 50, 2600 yds.
Run: 50, 6 miles. Slow, tired.
3/07/08 Bike: 30, 10 miles, easy. Trainer, powercranks. Tired. Over did it wed.
3/08/08 Bike: 30 10 miles, easy. Trainer, powercranks.
3/09/08 OFF
3/10/08 Bike: 150, 50 miles, 142 HR avg.
3/11/08 Swim: 45, 2500 yds.
Run: 65, Hills, 8.5 miles, 5 x 6:00 uphill. Controlled, hard efforts.
3/12/08 Bike: 145, 50 miles, 143 avg. Much better than Monday. TT Bike, Powercranks.
3/13/08 Swim: 60 2900 yards.
Run: 95, 14 miles, steady < 145 HR, build last 15.
3/14/08 Bike: 40, 15 miles, 5 x 3 x 3 370 watts avg. 27.5 mph. Trainer, powercranks.
3/15/08 Bike: 195, 70 miles, 142 avg., build last 20 on hills. TT Bike, powercranks.
Run: TR, 45, with 2 x 9 x 1 @ 6:00 pace, then 5 x 4 x 1 @ 6:00, 5:56, 5:52, 5:49. All controlled, up to 170s HR. Biggest day yet.
3/16/08 Bike: 135, 50 miles, avg 137 HR.
Swim: 40, 2200 yds.
3/17/08 Cant remember.
3/18/08 Swim: Masters, 45, 2500 yds.
Bike: 40, 5 x 3 x 3 @ 370 watss.
Run: 30, easy, 4 miles.
3/19/08 Bike: 90, 35 miles, 6 x 10 x 5 @ 24 -25 mph (330 watts), 155 HR on efforts. Trainer, powercranks.
3/20/08 Swim: 45, 2500 yds.
Run: 60, 8 miles, with 20 tempo on river trail.
3/21/08 Bike: 90, 33 miles, < 145 HR. trainer, powercranks.
3/22/08 Bike: 315, 105 miles, avg 140 HR, with about 40 -60 @ 155-170 HR. TT Bike, felt good. Transition Run:
Run: 15, 2.5 miles, @ 6:40 pace. Treadmill.
3/23/08 Bike: 140, 52 miles, < 145 HR.
Run: 35, 5 miles, 4 x 6 x 2 @ < 6:00 pace. Treadmill, brick off bike.
3/24/08 OFF
3/25/08 Swim: 35, 2000 yds, swimming <1:15 pace comfortably.
Bike: 30, 10 miles, 5 x 1 x 4 (370w/200w).
3/26/08 Bike: 30, 10 miles, 6 x 4 x 1 (330w/200w)
Run: 20 easy.
3/27/08 Travel/OFF
3/28/08 Bike: 60, 20 miles, easy.
3/29/08 CA 70.3 14th place, fastest bike split. No watch or HR Meter, by feel. Held back on bike and swim, could have gone 3 faster on bike fairly easily, not sure what it would have done to my run. Felt good for about 8 miles of run, then faded (bonk) pretty badly.
Many of you appear to question the validity of my result and preparation prior to the recent CA 70.3. To be clear, I never said I only trained 4 hours a week. In jest I may have said not bad for 4 hours a week on the bike. This was in no way meant to be disrespectful to the other athletes racing. In fact, I acknowledge Andy Potts and Craig Alexander to be two of the most complete athletes that I have ever competed against.
My wife Carrie and I now have five children and I do own and operate a successful Commercial Real Estate brokerage here in Bend, Oregon. Although I have enjoyed the break from the daily grind of being a pro athlete, I have continued to workout to maintain daily sanity. My passion for the sport has never left and my recent foray back into the pro ranks has been purely a personal challenge. Could I still compete at a high level with the realities of my life today? As much as I like to workout, there is no greater motivator than actually signing up to race.
I have attached my training for the six weeks prior to CA 70.3. You will see that in some cases I actually got close to 6 or 8 hours in a week. After twenty plus years in highly competitive sports I have a pretty good sense of how to maximize my workouts to bring out my best as an athlete. It does not mean this approach would be right for any of you, although I believe most are unproductive in a majority of their training sessions. This training log does not take into account the numerous soccer shuttles, traveling games, work commitments, etc. But I can tell you that the majority of these workouts were done in my garage between 5:30 8:00 a.m. each day.
The insinuation that any result I achieved as a result of doping is disrespectful and completely inaccurate. One should think long and hard before casting that type of stone. I wont apologize for knowing how to perform on race day. As props to Frank Day, I am not a sponsored athlete but I am a believer in Powercranks as a training aid. You will see that I incorporated them into all bike workouts prior to CA 70.3.
I plan to continue racing and challenging myself, so please be prepared to see my name in the results again soon.
Best Regards,
Steve Larsen (lurking slowtwitcher)
Steve Larsens CA 70.3 Buildup:
2/11/08 Bike: Trainer, 30, 10.5 miles, med/hard pace, 24 25mph, powercranks.
2/12/08 Swim: 45, 2,500 yds, masters swim workout. Controlled pace, w/some IM stroke.
Bike: 90, 30 miles, steady 130 -140 HR, w 15 tempo 155-170 on hills home. Powercranks.
Run: 35, easy, 5 miles.
2/13/08 Run: 50, Hills, 4 x 4 controlled hard pace, up to 170 HR. 7 miles.
Bike: 90, 32 miles, steady less than 140 HR, up to 155 for last 30. Powercranks.
2/14/08 Swim: 45, 2350 yds, main set 2 x 3 x 300 yds desc. (3:56, 3:53, 3:50)
Run: 55, with 20 tempo @ 171 avg. 7.5 miles.
2/15/08 Bike: 30, 10.5 miles, trainer steady at 1300 -135 HR, powercranks.
Bike: 60, with 40 as 1 at 25-26mph, 1 easy. Trainer, pwercranks.
2/16/08 Run: 30, 4 miles easy.
Run: 60, steady, 8.5 miles.
2/17/08 Swim: 45, 2,700 yds, with 2 sets of 3 X300 desc. Like Thurs.
2/18/08 Bike: 30, 10.25 miles, 137 avg HR. Powercranks.
Bike: 30, with 8 max sus. Speed test. 3.63 miles (27.22 mph), avg 167, max 184. Powercranks. Will base training intensity off this test.
Run: 60 steady, 137 avg. 8 miles.
2/19/08 Swim: 50, 3,000 yds.
Bike: 90, 31 miles, 6 x 10 x 3 @ 24-24.6 mph, 90 -100 rpm, controlled hard 155-157 HR. Trainer. Powercranks.
2/20/08 Run: 60, 8.5 miles, 4 x 5 x 5 uphill, controlled hard, high 160s HR.
Bike: 80, 28 miles, 5 x 12 x 3 @ 24 24.5 mph. 155-158 HR. Trainer, Powercranks.
2/21/08 Swim: 55, 3,000 yds, main 500 yds pull/paddle, 5 x 100 on 1:20 (1:15 avg.)
Run: 45, 7 miles, with 25 tempo 168 171, up to 180 last mile.
2/22/08 Bike: 30, 9.5 miles, easy with 7 x 10 sprints to 800 + watts.
2/23/08 Bike: 120, 42.5 miles, with 6 x 15 x 5 @ 24 24.5 mph. Trainer, Powercranks. Directly into transition run on treadmill:
Run: 30, with 3 x 9 @ 6:00 pace, 1 ez. 4.75 miles.
p.m. Bike: 30 @ 24 24.5 mph. Trainer, Powercranks.
Run: 30 as 9/1/4/1/4/1/5 @ 6:00 pace/ez.
2/24/08 Bike: 30, 10 miles, EZ, trainer, Powercranks.
Swim: 40, 2500 yds.
2/25/08 OFF
2/26/08 Swim: 60, 2,800 yds, good swim.
Bike: 60, 15 miles, hills, 6 x 5 x 2 uphill @ 336 watts avg. (320 -350 w range), HR to 160.
Run: 30, 4.25 miles, steady 133 avg HR.
2/27/08 Run: 70, 9 miles, hills, 5 x 5uphill @ 168 -170HR.
Bike: 155, 59 miles, TT Bike, Powercranks, avg 22.1 mph, 137 HR. Steady.
2/28/08 Swim: 50, 2500 yds. Fly/free focus.
Run: 45, 7 miles, with 30 Tempo, avg 171 HR.
2/29/08 OFF
3/01/08 Bike: 165, 42 miles, 9 x 10 x 1 @ 24 25 mph. trainer, powercranks.
Run: transition run, 45, with 4 x 9 x 1 (6:00/ez), controlled hard up to 160 HR.
Bike: 60, Hills, 15 miles, 6 x 4:40 uphill, 336 watts avg.
3/02/08 Run: 90, 12 miles, all less than 140 HR, gradual build last 30.
Swim: 40, 2500 yds, 5 x 300 pull on 4;07 4:10.
3/03/08 OFF
3/04/08 Swim: 50, 2500 yds, 300 in 3:45.
Bike: 70, Hills, 5 x 6:00 uphill at 336 watts avg. Controlled pace, seated. Road Bike.
3/05/08 Run: 65, Hills, 8 miles, 4 x 8:00 uphill / 8:00 at 165-170 avg.
Bike: 63, 25 miles, 3 x 20 x 1 @ 24 25 mph. Tough after morning hill run. Trainer, Powercranks.
3/06/08 Swim: 50, 2600 yds.
Run: 50, 6 miles. Slow, tired.
3/07/08 Bike: 30, 10 miles, easy. Trainer, powercranks. Tired. Over did it wed.
3/08/08 Bike: 30 10 miles, easy. Trainer, powercranks.
3/09/08 OFF
3/10/08 Bike: 150, 50 miles, 142 HR avg.
3/11/08 Swim: 45, 2500 yds.
Run: 65, Hills, 8.5 miles, 5 x 6:00 uphill. Controlled, hard efforts.
3/12/08 Bike: 145, 50 miles, 143 avg. Much better than Monday. TT Bike, Powercranks.
3/13/08 Swim: 60 2900 yards.
Run: 95, 14 miles, steady < 145 HR, build last 15.
3/14/08 Bike: 40, 15 miles, 5 x 3 x 3 370 watts avg. 27.5 mph. Trainer, powercranks.
3/15/08 Bike: 195, 70 miles, 142 avg., build last 20 on hills. TT Bike, powercranks.
Run: TR, 45, with 2 x 9 x 1 @ 6:00 pace, then 5 x 4 x 1 @ 6:00, 5:56, 5:52, 5:49. All controlled, up to 170s HR. Biggest day yet.
3/16/08 Bike: 135, 50 miles, avg 137 HR.
Swim: 40, 2200 yds.
3/17/08 Cant remember.
3/18/08 Swim: Masters, 45, 2500 yds.
Bike: 40, 5 x 3 x 3 @ 370 watss.
Run: 30, easy, 4 miles.
3/19/08 Bike: 90, 35 miles, 6 x 10 x 5 @ 24 -25 mph (330 watts), 155 HR on efforts. Trainer, powercranks.
3/20/08 Swim: 45, 2500 yds.
Run: 60, 8 miles, with 20 tempo on river trail.
3/21/08 Bike: 90, 33 miles, < 145 HR. trainer, powercranks.
3/22/08 Bike: 315, 105 miles, avg 140 HR, with about 40 -60 @ 155-170 HR. TT Bike, felt good. Transition Run:
Run: 15, 2.5 miles, @ 6:40 pace. Treadmill.
3/23/08 Bike: 140, 52 miles, < 145 HR.
Run: 35, 5 miles, 4 x 6 x 2 @ < 6:00 pace. Treadmill, brick off bike.
3/24/08 OFF
3/25/08 Swim: 35, 2000 yds, swimming <1:15 pace comfortably.
Bike: 30, 10 miles, 5 x 1 x 4 (370w/200w).
3/26/08 Bike: 30, 10 miles, 6 x 4 x 1 (330w/200w)
Run: 20 easy.
3/27/08 Travel/OFF
3/28/08 Bike: 60, 20 miles, easy.
3/29/08 CA 70.3 14th place, fastest bike split. No watch or HR Meter, by feel. Held back on bike and swim, could have gone 3 faster on bike fairly easily, not sure what it would have done to my run. Felt good for about 8 miles of run, then faded (bonk) pretty badly.