Molina on the "three hour a day keeps Joe Bonness Away" Program

Triathlon Forum
1

So, I was reading the latest interview on the main page, this one an interview with Scott Molina…nice to see that he is on the “20 hour per week program” year round

ST: Tell us what your typical workout week looks like.

Scott: I generally workout approx 20 hours/week year round. I may do a little less if life conspires against me, but I work very hard at preventing that. I like to do 2-3 sessions day. If life is going as I want it to and it generally does, that’s what I do. I’ve been unable to run many weeks each year for the last 3 years so have tended to ride and swim more.
When I’m running some, but not specifically training for an IM a normal week looks like this: 3-4 gym sessions, 4-5 swims, 3-4 runs, 3-7 rides.

Monday – 50 minutes gym (mostly upper body) then straight into the pool for 50-80 minutes swim. Perhaps a ride of 90 minutes – 3 hours in hills if weather is decent.
Tue – ride 90-120 minutes, run 60 minutes, lower body gym.
Wed – swim 60 minutes, run or ride – could be anything!
Thu – like Monday
Fri – swim an hour – might even do something fast, easy run
Sat – long group ride or bike race
Sun – optional day but I always do something.

I paddle my kayak a fair amount too when I’ve got a running injury or I’ve got a Multisport event coming up. I love working out. That’s the bottom line for me.

It is just really nice to see that after all these years, the fire to train and lead the “lifestyle” is still there…as for keeping Joe Bonness away, that should not be a problem when he hits 50…poor Joe, all these ex pros are hitting 50-54 and he’ll have to keep them away to stay on top of the Kona podium!

If Skid reads this post, I just wanted to say thanks for all the years of racing that many of us fans followed in the 80’s…that USTS winning streak (amongst other things) were regular parts of our training ride banter “back in the day”.

…as for 3 hours per day keeps Joe Bonness away…I’m not so sure…more like 5 hours per day and the ability to recover like the USPS team in the peak of Lance’s win streak…

Dev

2

Won’t Joe age up to 55 when Molina enters 50-54? Bigger question (see my earlier post) is how fast can Dave Scott go at 53? I’m guessing 9:20 raced as follows: 55:00, 5:10, 3:10, 5:00 for T’s

3

I would guess Dave would be more like 51-52, 4:40 and then how fast of a marathon?

4

I remember the period when he got his nickname, “Skid”. He would have these really bad sliding crashes, and show up the next day ready to ride, looking like a mummy. I remember one where it was still very fresh, and he crashed on it again, ouch!!

But no worries, they had this really good pain killer back in those days, two bottles of good red wine every night…He was the toughest guy I ever raced, and I raced them all back in the day. We probably raced each other a few dozen times, and I never once beat him, not even one DNF when we raced. Three times he caught me in the last mile of the run, and once in the last 1/4 mile, but he always found a way to win. None of the other big 4 or Mike Pigg ever gave me such tough races, every time…And the other poster is right, Joe will be off in the 55+ when Molina hits 50. I know, because we share the same birthday, 4 years apart, the most unlikely day of the year…

As to Dave, he will be 54 I believe at this years Ironman, and he will swim a 51, probably around 5 hours for the ride, and close to 2:50+ on the run. His bike has fallen way off over the years, but I hear he may be getting a new modern set up…And I think that Scott would like to race also this year, it is the 20th anniversary of his win there. Maybe he can chime in on that one here. At least he doesn’t have to qualify, that can be harder that the actual race these days…

5

Monty that’s interesting about your projection of Dave’s running staying pretty elite (although slower than his heyday) but his bike falling off more…usually the old guys keep swimming and biking just as fast, but the run is where things fall off more than the first 2.

6

I recognize that Dave Scott is one of the greatest of all time, but no one can beat Father Time. I think Monty’s predictions are optimistic.

7

He has done a little racing over the past several years, and if you look at his splits, you will see why I make these predictions. Vineman for example, lead pack swim, 2:36 or so ride, and I think a 1:22 run…As you can see, he will have to really improve his bike to even get to that 5 hour mark, but I think if he takes it serious, which if he goes he definately will, I expect he will make that gain. The swim is there, always has been. It’s the one sport he always did, and even when he didn’t race, he swam hard. His run has fallen off, but he has 2:40 Ironman split to fall off from, so it is realtive. And his low 1:20+ half bodes well for him to get back to a good marathon. And last, but definately not least, he still has his physiology for the heat in Hawaii, and the confidence of conquering that race many times to fall back on mentally when things get tough. And one thing you can count on over there, it will always be tough somewhere for everyone, even the winner…

8

I’m thinking that if Dave races Kona, he’s show up closer to 4:45 bike shape than 5:00…but I have nothing to base this on, other than he is Dave Scott, and he won’t want a pile of younger Eurostud age groupers spending the first three hours blowing by him on the bike…

9

Like I said, his 2"36 half split is a long ways from 4:45 for the full, and still a ways from 5 hours. He is a smart guy, and one of the best pacers the sport has ever seen. He will do the ride that allows him a chance at a low 2:50 run, and I just don’t think that 4:45 will allow him to do that. He will pass all that Eurotrash, uh, I mean studs, (-; in the 2nd half of the marathon, and that thought will keep his competitive juices in check. I just think that he can’t ride much faster than Joe does, or even as fast. But he should blow the doors off him in the swim and run, and that should get him under the 9 hour mark…Like Iron3fit says, father time catches up, but I’m just not as pessimistic as he is…

10

Dev,

I was talking to Dave a few months ago and he said that, he does not get to cycle as much as he wants, due to quite a bit of business travel. As you know, running while you are on the road travelling is way easier. You can run any time any where, where as cycling requires more logistics and things in place to get it done. So I am not surprised that his cycling may be the weak link. BUT, he is likley only one focus block away from getting it back to a decent level.

My predictions assuming ideal conditions:

Swim - low 50’s
Bike - - 5:00
Run 3:00 - 3:10

Overall time = 9:00

Not bad for 50+!!

11

…hey guys, how did the Molina thread turn into a Dave Scott prediction thread?

OK, since we are on Dave, I can see Fleck’s point completely, as I have extended periods of business travel which puts a dent into bike training…the only solution…try to bike every day possible while at home…Monty, your points about Dave being one of the best pacers ever, is excellent…what the heck did all you guys do without powermeters???

Seriously, its amazing the times that the guys put down “in the day”, with no electronic gadgets.

12

…hey guys, how did the Molina thread turn into a Dave Scott prediction thread? \

Blame pdxjohn, he started it…More on Molina, did you guys know that he had two brothers that were also budding pro triathletes? Shaun Molina actually raced pro for a couple years and podiumed in a few races. I think the other one was Phil, and if I remember correctly, Scott told me when he first got started, that Phil had the most talent in the family. Another fuzzy memory that perhaps Scott can confirm or deny. Neither brother had the drive however to stick it out like Scott did, and they did have a pretty big shadow to compete under…

13

So, I was reading the latest interview on the main page, this one an interview with Scott Molina…nice to see that he is on the “20 hour per week program” year round

ST: Tell us what your typical workout week looks like.

Scott: I generally workout approx 20 hours/week year round. I may do a little less if life conspires against me, but I work very hard at preventing that. I like to do 2-3 sessions day. If life is going as I want it to and it generally does, that’s what I do. I’ve been unable to run many weeks each year for the last 3 years so have tended to ride and swim more.
When I’m running some, but not specifically training for an IM a normal week looks like this: 3-4 gym sessions, 4-5 swims, 3-4 runs, 3-7 rides.

Monday – 50 minutes gym (mostly upper body) then straight into the pool for 50-80 minutes swim. Perhaps a ride of 90 minutes – 3 hours in hills if weather is decent.
Tue – ride 90-120 minutes, run 60 minutes, lower body gym.
Wed – swim 60 minutes, run or ride – could be anything!
Thu – like Monday
Fri – swim an hour – might even do something fast, easy run
Sat – long group ride or bike race
Sun – optional day but I always do something.

I paddle my kayak a fair amount too when I’ve got a running injury or I’ve got a Multisport event coming up. I love working out. That’s the bottom line for me.

It is just really nice to see that after all these years, the fire to train and lead the “lifestyle” is still there…as for keeping Joe Bonness away, that should not be a problem when he hits 50…poor Joe, all these ex pros are hitting 50-54 and he’ll have to keep them away to stay on top of the Kona podium!

If Skid reads this post, I just wanted to say thanks for all the years of racing that many of us fans followed in the 80’s…that USTS winning streak (amongst other things) were regular parts of our training ride banter “back in the day”.

…as for 3 hours per day keeps Joe Bonness away…I’m not so sure…more like 5 hours per day and the ability to recover like the USPS team in the peak of Lance’s win streak…

Dev

3 hours a week in the gym. Yet ANOTHER of the big 4 who lifts weights. oh my maybe this is why the new generation of triathletes with all the wizz bang equipment, power meters, etc still can’t turn the times the old school guys did.

.

14

Seriously, its amazing the times that the guys put down “in the day”, with no electronic gadgets.
I you need to be able to do that if you want to be a good triathlete. If you train that much should know your own body so well that you can race an IM purely on feeling.
Molina seams to be a smart guy so i don´t buy that he does 20h/w all year b/c that seams plain stupid…i don´t understand the obsession for doing hour after hour af training. It´s what you do during those hours that is important not how many (ok, totalt amount of hours is important to some degree).

Merry X-mas!

(I didn´t do spellcheck so hope you understand) :slight_smile:

15

…hey guys, how did the Molina thread turn into a Dave Scott prediction thread? \

Blame pdxjohn, he started it…More on Molina, did you guys know that he had two brothers that were also budding pro triathletes? Shaun Molina actually raced pro for a couple years and podiumed in a few races. I think the other one was Phil, and if I remember correctly, Scott told me when he first got started, that Phil had the most talent in the family. Another fuzzy memory that perhaps Scott can confirm or deny. Neither brother had the drive however to stick it out like Scott did, and they did have a pretty big shadow to compete under…
Maybe I should really stir things up by throwing out Mike Pigg’s name. What about his return, Pigg Power?

16

“i don´t understand the obsession for doing hour after hour af training.”

Believe it or not, some people really enjoy training.

Haim

17

“i don´t understand the obsession for doing hour after hour af training.”

Believe it or not, some people really enjoy training.

Haim
Haha, i like to train too and don´t have anything against others who train lots. What i meant was that there seams to be a culture there more hours = faster times and i don´t agree to that 100%.

18

OK, someone start the Pigg thread…I am sure Mr. Skid won’t mind if we insert all his competitors into his thread :-). Jocke, I think that these guys were really fast because they were talented and simply “upped the ante” in training and loved to do it more than the next guy. As for lifting weights, these guys had no clue what was actually needed to go fast from a pure triathlon perspective as we know now…they just did what the athletes in the single sports did, threw the individual volumes and protocols together (including weights which swimmers often do) and tried to do it all in a week, did it till they blew up, then took a few days of downtime (or not…as Monty mentions above) and then repeated. They established the training protocols for tri that we use today…they were just the lab rats in the research lab…now we get to use the full blown product that is ready for prime time to get faster…electronic gizmos and all :slight_smile:

OK, Merry Xmas…I’m outta ST…got to participate in setting up the Santa visit to our home!

Dev

19

OK, someone start the Pigg thread…I am sure Mr. Skid won’t mind if we insert all his competitors into his thread :-). Jocke, I think that these guys were really fast because they were talented and simply “upped the ante” in training and loved to do it more than the next guy. As for lifting weights, these guys had no clue what was actually needed to go fast from a pure triathlon perspective as we know now…they just did what the athletes in the single sports did, threw the individual volumes and protocols together (including weights which swimmers often do) and tried to do it all in a week, did it till they blew up, then took a few days of downtime (or not…as Monty mentions above) and then repeated. They established the training protocols for tri that we use today…they were just the lab rats in the research lab…now we get to use the full blown product that is ready for prime time to get faster…electronic gizmos and all :slight_smile:

OK, Merry Xmas…I’m outta ST…got to participate in setting up the Santa visit to our home!

Dev
Okay I’ll bite…
MIke never was able to do the ironman thing he did finish what top 4 the year molina won I think(too lazy to look it up I was there as a volunteer that year 1988 but not sure if that was piggs best ironman year).
ANYway didn’t he come down with some parasite that screwed up his bodies ability to abosorb calaries or some wierd thing or disease where he can’t do endurance events anymore… That and his twins which are what somewhere between 8-10 now?
Don’t think mike pigg will be at an ironman. He sure could out hurt everyone else in the shorter races for sure.

20

3 hours a week in the gym. Yet ANOTHER of the big 4 who lifts weights. oh my maybe this is why the new generation of triathletes with all the wizz bang equipment, power meters, etc still can’t turn the times the old school guys did.

He didn’t say he lifts weights: more likely he is doing stability, core and plyometrics for whatever specific weaknesses he has. For example, it would be plain stupid to do upper body weights and then do a swim set.