“to get from middle to front you have to learn how to get the load higher”
So if I am understanding this correctly, you are saying that the difference between MOP and FOP is that FOP creates more load on the arm / pedal / leg and this results in greater force production, hence greater speed. Isn’t that like saying the difference between MOP and FOP is that FOP is faster? I think we all agree that FOP is faster than MOP, the question here is how to get there, i.e. how you “learn how to get the load higher”. I’d love to hear a couple of suggestions from you on how to learn this skill, for example bike trainer sessions. Do you advocate short, really hard intervals (like 5 x 3 minutes type of thing) or do you prefer longer, grinding intervals (40 minutes at FTP, for example)? In another thread, I was asking about intensity on the trainer and it seemed as though most people were telling me to stay away from high intensity, even though I am time-limited (3 x 90 minutes on the bike each week at the moment). What would you recommend for someone who has 90 minutes on the trainer and would love to make the jump from current level (4:44 for HIM) to FOP?
I have to work in 4 minutes and the I have no more time for a bit on this so to answer your then I am done.
e.g. new cyclist last year FTP of 250 watts, now at 290 watts and 70.3 worlds in his first tri.
The main work loading at 300+ watts for 30sec - 2 min intervals.
loading for 20-30 sec at 400 watts. once he leaned that load phase and how to be more relaxed to do it 290 felt like 250 12 months later.
He still did z1-z2 and that helped loss a few lbs and stay fresh
now for an exmaple of the slow paced athletes for reference another client had a ironman time of 16:49 in 2018 he had a coach pushing 90 % zone 1-2. which he gave up on due to injury and exhaustion. started 6 weeks before the race with me.
2019 he did 12:59:00 doing what I just suggested. now he is aiming for sub 12 this month. FORCE LOAD FOCUS.
same as lifting wts. you don’t get strong/ fast with 5 lb weights.
I have to work in 4 minutes and the I have no more time for a bit on this so to answer your then I am done.
e.g. new cyclist last year FTP of 250 watts, now at 290 watts and 70.3 worlds in his first tri.
The main work loading at 300+ watts for 30sec - 2 min intervals.
loading for 20-30 sec at 400 watts. once he leaned that load phase and how to be more relaxed to do it 290 felt like 250 12 months later.
He still did z1-z2 and that helped loss a few lbs and stay fresh
now for an exmaple of the slow paced athletes for reference another client had a ironman time of 16:49 in 2018 he had a coach pushing 90 % zone 1-2. which he gave up on due to injury and exhaustion. started 6 weeks before the race with me.
2018 he did 12:59:00 doing what I just suggested. now he is aiming for sub 12 this month. FORCE LOAD FOCUS.
same as lifting wts. you don’t get strong/ fast with 5 lb weights.
I am FOP.
I finished 3rd in my AG at St George worlds this year.
Here are some of my attributes:
I train 50 weeks per year.
I have been doing this for 12 years.
I do three weeks hard followed by one week easy.
The hard weeks involve 10 hrs of cycling, 44 miles of running and 16,000 yds of swimming.
The easy weeks involve 4 hrs of cycling, 20 miles of running and 15,000 yds of swimming.
Most of the year the hard weeks contain - 1 Tempo running effort (6- 12 miles at hard pace), 1 Tempo cycling effort (1- 2 hrs at hard pace), 1 Swimming sprints workout
For at least 3 months of the year I also do running and cycling sprints.
I bought an expensive bike (used) got it fitted and bought expensive wheels (used). I think the wheels and fitting are important. The expensive frame- less so.
I stretch after each run workout- it helps me feel less sore.
I build volume slowly. Never increasing more than 10% from previous week.
I try to continue to train easy EVEN when I am sick or injured.
I try to eat nourishing food. Beets, liver, vegetables, fish, yoghurt.
But I also eat a ton of junk food.
I was a slow division 1 swimmer.
I believe that I have a 1/100 type of talent for swimming.
And a 1/10 type talent for running and cycling.
I am talented. But there are a lot of people in the world who are more talented.
Do you work???
I dream of having enough time to have a weeks like this: I have to re structure my work weeks to at best get 2 maybe 3 weeks like this a year. Little jealous you have the flexibility to do those big weeks the finiteness level you gain from them is amazing.
I would also tell the OP I am decently fast (I still go faster then a lot of young guys) and I avg 10-13 hours a week these last few years.
I have worked my way up to MOP. IN Chat, I literally finished 49% in my age group (40-44 Male). Is it possible to move up to the front? Ive only been riding a bike since 2017 and only doing IM’s and 70.3’s since 2018. I ask if it is possible because I am not minutes away - I am hours away.
Swim is normal. Bike is really bad and run is really bad even though I stay in power targets. But in training I have no problems.
You need to stay calm and work for another 3-4 years. averaging 13-15 hours in a week will be a good match.
Bike with trainer road ( or else), run with local run coach. Focus on everyday training and RECOVERY, SLEEP, etc.
Another way- get a good triathlon coach to work with. But consistency and recovery will be the main factor.
To the OPs original question:
It was a long way for me and still is. There is not one answer to the question, because everyone is different.
Important is to identify your weaknesses and work on that.
To find out what your weaknesses are is not so difficult: you just look at your times in result-lists and compare that with the best in your AG.
Then the more difficult thing starts: find ways to work on your weaknesses. Often it is trial and error, and the problem is that it can take a long time (for example two years for a certain deficit) until you find out if the change you brought in your training was useless or useful.
Of course a coach could help, but that is not always the case. I did things with coaches but the ideas of them did not get rid of my weaknesses at all.
Oops! Didn’t see this was an old thread. Thanks for the up-dates Velocibuddha. Lots of people asked questions that take long term commitments to see any results. It is nice to hear what you have done in the past 4 years.
I see. I’ve been debating on whether or not I should coach myself. 2 years into the sport & I’ve made a ton of fitness gains through a coach, but sometimes feel like I know my body better, so therefore could better decide how much intensity vs. z1/z2 work to do. Just skeptical about not bringing the best out of myself.
I only coach myself because of money. If i could, i would have a coach and i know i would be faster. Unfortunately that’s not an option with other priorities in life. A good coach will absolutely make you faster, IMO.
Noob gains. The faster/fitter you become, the harder it is to get faster and fitter.
Having a coach isn’t a dictatorial relationship. There should be flexibility in there and a lot of communication so if/when (and it’s always when) you go off script, the coach can adjust the plan going forward to keep you heading towards the goals
