One Last Stop Before the Chicago Marathon… McDonald’s for salt packets
Bet you never thought a Sports Dietitian would ask you to stop at a fast food restaurant! But for those of you who are “salty sweaters”, I am asking you to do just that. Why? Well, after you’ve ordered your Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich – without mayo for those who need to watch their fat intake – please make a stop by the complimentary condiment stand and grab a handful of salt packets. You have probably ignored these little salt packets your entire life, but they can very well play an important role in allowing you to complete your next endurance event. But we’ll get to those salt packets in just a minute…
Marathons, and other endurance events like cycling and triathlons, have become wildly popular. In Chicago, for example, we host the World’s Largest Triathlon, with almost 8,500 participants. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon closed registration this year with 45,000 marathoners! All these athletes have spent countless hours training, and learning everything they can about pacing, tapering and gear. How many of these athletes know their sweat rate, though, and more importantly, how to use it?
Sweat rates measure an athlete’s sweat losses during exercise. To measure your sweat rate, you would follow this procedure: 1- Take your pre-workout weight and subtract your post-workout weight for your weight loss factor (175 – 173.5 = 1.5 lbs); 2- Convert your weight loss factor to net fluid loss factor by multiplying the weight loss by 16 (1.5 lbs x 16 (fl oz/lb) = 24 oz; 3- Add ounces of fluid intake during workout to give gross fluid loss (24 oz + 20 oz = 44 oz); 4- Divide your gross fluid loss by your workout time in hours, to give you your sweat rate per hour (44 oz / 1.5 hrs = 29 fl oz / hr).
Typically, sweat rates are used to develop highly individualized hydration plans. As you can see, the individual in the example above is a profuse sweater. He can quickly become dehydrated without taking in appropriate amounts of fluid. But is hydration the only issue that this athlete needs to consider – No! I’d like to take you Beyond the Basics: let’s look at sweat rates, and the implications for those endurance athletes who produce profuse, salty sweat.
Now, please note here that I highly recommend that any athlete who is a “salty sweater” (those that have the crusty white film on their face/body/clothes after a long training session) should seek evaluation from a Sports Dietitian or a sports medicine physician. These “salty” athletes are at higher risk for Hyponatremia, which is a very dangerous and potentially fatal condition, occurring, most often, during endurance and ultra-endurance events.
Hyponatremia is a very complicated physiologic condition, but simply put, it is when blood levels of sodium have become dangerously low. Some of the symptoms of Hyponatremia can be nausea/vomiting as well as lightheadedness/dizziness, and swollen extremities. I’ve had numerous clients who have described their experience as generally feeling “horrible and very weak”, “cloudy, unable to focus”, and with swollen hands, twice normal size. If you’ve ever experienced these symptoms during endurance training or an event, combined with noticing the salty film on your face/body/clothes, you may have experienced Hyponatremia.
So we know that one of the causes of Hyponatremia in endurance athletes, is profuse, salty sweating. And we know that an athlete’s sweat rate is highly individual, and will change with the intensity of the exercise, and with different weather conditions. But even those who know their sweat rates, and consume sports drink to their individualized hydration schedule, can be at risk if they don’t consume additional sodium to compensate for their sodium losses from sweat.
Sweat contains around 2.25-3.4 grams of salt per liter. A liter is approx 4.2 cups, or about 33 oz. Translation: For every 2 pounds of sweat loss, your body is also losing a significant amount of salt. Knowing your sweat rate in various weather conditions will allow you to then prepare for your hydration and sodium needs. A Sports Dietitian can thoroughly assess your hydration and electrolyte needs, and develop a plan to help you meet these specific needs. This plan should be adapted to your changing training schedule – what you need to train for a half marathon or Olympic triathlon can be quite different than your needs when you are training for a full marathon or Ironman event. So, how do you begin to address this issue?
My first suggestion would be to add Sweat Rate tabs to your training log. Post-It brand has tabs you can write on and stick to the page sides of your training log. On a tab, you can write the Heat Index (temperature and humidity calculation you can get off NOAA.gov website, search bar: heat index calculator) and your sweat rate. Then in the log you can document the specific info. For example, a tab would say “106/29oz”, which would denote a sweat rate of 29 oz when the heat index is 106 (90 degrees F + 70% humidity). You would continue to complete sweat rates under different weather conditions, so then you would have data points. Eventually, you will have enough data points so that you can create your own Sweat Rate Chart, for easy referral. Acclimatization will also affect sweat rates, but this will give you a general rule of thumb.
My second suggestion for “salty sweaters” is when you know you are going to be sweating profusely, consume a salt packet under your tongue prior to starting the exercise, and at least each hour of exercise. This is in line with recommendations given by Dr. Lewis Maharam, the Running Doctor from Runner’s World Magazine. Each salt packet is approx. 1/8 teaspoon salt, which is about 287 mg sodium. This salt intake should be in addition to the sodium contained in your sport drink, and you should shoot for a total of at least 1000 mg sodium per hour, as tolerated. Some athletes will need much more than this, but a Sports Dietitian or Sports Medicine physician should be consulted if you are experiencing symptoms even with additional sodium consumption. If you are racing in an event, go to the med tent immediately, and relay your symptoms and what you’ve consumed so that they can treat appropriately.
One more important thing to note when taking Sweat Rates – if you gain weight during exercise and experience swollen extremities, this also may be a sign of Hyponatremia. The cause of this type of Hyponatremia is a bit different, but more evidence is pointing to elevated levels of ADH or anti-diuretic hormone (sometimes called vasopressin) in some people. If you gain weight and have swelling during exercise, it is important to go see a Sports Medicine physician, and explain to him/her your symptoms.
So, for those profuse “salty sweaters” out there – the next time you visit your favorite fast food restaurant for the healthy options that they offer, don’t forget to grab some salt packets! They will take your endurance performance Beyond the Basics.
Written by PPL Sports Nutritionist Linda Samuels, MS, RD, LDN
Balancing Life and Triathlon Training
“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them — work, family, health, friends and spirit — and you’re keeping all of them in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”
— CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises
I have been asked more than once how I am able to put the amount of hours into training and still be committed to being an excellent father and husband, as well as maintain a successful day job. The short answer is that it’s not that easy, but with some careful planning, it is not that hard, either. I have outlined a few tips that have worked for me, and hopefully there will be a nugget or two in there for you, as well.
- Family comes first….ALWAYS. I don’t care if I am trying to qualify for Kona, in the best shape of my life, need a quick stress relief, whatever. My family and their needs are my first obligation. I like to “bank” points with my wife and kids. In that way, I can build my bank account, and when my turn comes around, I can make that small withdrawal.
- Make early morning become routine! Although, I always refer to rule #1, this rule is golden for all of us that have kids. I am talking about 4am (and even earlier) for those long workouts. I have found my athletes that get up and do their workouts before anything else, are the same ones that complete every workout, and are also the same ones that routinely improve throughout the season. Of course, be safe, and join groups (yes, they are out there! I have a group ride that meets at 4:30 am on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Routinely, 2 or 3 guys already have 20-25 miles in by the time we meet.) If you are going to try this, I suggest working into it slowly. Get up a ½ hour earlier, and go to bed 15 minutes earlier.
- Try not to obsess over your workouts, races, or anything triathlon. My wife has often told me that she loves that I work out. She loves that I am in good shape and an excellent role model for the kids. However, it bothers her sometimes when I always want to talk about triathlon, my next workout, my last workout, my last race, or the latest gadgets. She also is fine with the time I devote to working out, but not the time I take to prep for those workouts, or time I take to recover, etc. etc. And I agree, it can all add up. I have made it a point to only talk about triathlon when someone else brings it up. I do my preparation when no one is around (late at night, once the kids go to bed. I am not only packed, the car is packed, clothes out, etc.). When I get back from a ride or long workout, under no circumstances ever act like I am tired. I will play with the kids, mow the lawn, and wash the car, or whatever. I think this also helps my recovery, staying a little active, as opposed to lying on the couch.
- Deposit more than you withdraw. As I mentioned in rule #1, I call this banking time. I make sure everyone in the family has time to do their hobbies and fun things. I enable that. I coach when I can, I volunteer at their school and during their swim meets. I make sure my wife has fun with the girls and can get away from the kids, who every so often cause her undue stress. When she plays Bunco (a Friday night ladies game, that gives them an excuse to drink wine and play a dice game), I use those nights to play games with the kids. And then I will write lesson plans and get to bed early. The point is, the less you can make it seem like you are always biking, swimming, or running, the more apt the family will support you and your hobby (remember, it’s just a hobby, too!).
- Be creative. Involve the family! I center my races around our vacations. We have had vacations all over the Midwest. We have a training camp every year with the Salt Creek Triathlon Club near the Wisconsin Dells. The kids love their camp friends (my friend’s kids) and then we stay a few extra days and hit up the water parks. When we travel, I will ride my bike and have the rest of the family meet me somewhere down the road. The kids love it. As they have gotten older, it’s gotten tougher, but it is another strategy. And most races have kid’s triathlons now. I have often run to the kid’s practices and/or games, as well.
- Love the training, enjoy the journey. I have never told my wife that “I have to work out”. I always say “I get to work out today”. Its subtle, but it makes a big difference. If she asks me, “what do you have to do tomorrow”, I just reply, “I GET to ride my bike for 3 hours!”. I really do mean it, but it also shows her how important and how much enjoyment this sport brings to me.
- Clean up after yourself. Another thing I always try and do is make sure my water bottles are clean and put away. I make sure my clothes are put away. We can make a huge mess with the leftovers from training. Make it unnoticeable to everyone else.
- If you are always doing long course, try short course. I realized the big drain on the family was Ironman training. Let’s face it; it takes a bunch of time. I haven’t done Ironman in two years and my family appreciates it. I do too, because I have gotten much faster. By concentrating on speed and intensity, you will get faster, too. And then you can take it back to long course after a little layoff.
- Find an understanding spouse! Sure this one is a little harder, but I have been blessed with a great wife who really enjoys watching me race. She is somewhat of an amateur photographer, so she loves to take pictures of me and my friends. She even gets nervous for me and is probably the number one fan out there. I work on a game plan, so that she knows where I will be and at what times. Of course, we are very open in our communication and we both understand each other’s wants and needs.
Those are a few of the things that have really helped me continue to train for as many hours as I do. It helps to have a good job, and facilities to shower and clean up. I can get a workout in at lunch almost every day. Yes, this means I am eating at my desk (or just having a cliff bar), but it sure helps. I have always found the busier I get, the more organized I also get, and the more things I can accomplish. I am hoping that you can utilize some of these tips to get your training volume up to where you would like it to be.
Thank you, Scott Schmeiser, PPL Coach, USAT Coach
Goal Setting for Triathletes
Triathlon is a sport with endless challenges and a lifetime of rewards if you are willing to take the journey. Beginning with goal setting will give you the map to reach the grand rewards that you dream of and all the smaller triumphs along the way.
All of us are stressed for time, and setting goals is like writing a shopping list. If you don’t make a list before you go to the store you will probably get most of what you wanted, but you may forget some of the big-ticket items. Taking the time to figure out what your goals are will allow you to focus your training on what is important to reach those goals.
Start by writing down some different goals. Brainstorming is always a good idea to start. Write down your triathlon dreams; the things that you wish you can accomplish. It is ok if these seem out of reach right now. After you write them down and work towards those dreams they may become more realistic and become goals down the road. Then lets think about long-term goals. What has your triathlon career looked like so far? Write long-term goals for where you want to be two years from now. Where do you want to be at the end of this season? Each set of goals should get you closer to the next and closer to the dreams that you first wrote down.
So that those goals start to become more realistic there are some rules that you need to follow when you begin to pair down your list and formulate specific goals.
- Set specific measurable goals (aside from those dream goals we talked about early on).
– Doing your best is always something to live by, but when it comes to setting goals make it more concrete. Instead set a goal to improve your pace on the run to 7-minute miles in an Olympic distance triathlon.
- Make sure your goals are challenging.
– All of the goals should push your limits. If the goals that you set are too easy, they will not motivate you enough to reach those goals. Make sure the goals are realistic too. Setting a goal to improve your 100 pace in the pool by 20 seconds in two weeks is not a realistic goal.
- Use all three types of goals. Process, Performance, and Outcome.
– Outcome goals such as winning your age-group or beating another rival have their place, but using only outcome goals can hold you back. Outcome goals have a weakness in that you are not purely in control of the end result. If the world champion shows up to your local sprint race, you might have a home run race, but still not win.
– Instead use Performance and Process goals.
– Good examples of Performance goals in triathlon relate to improving paces in the swim or the run, increasing a lactate threshold power output on the bike, or lowering your transition time on a known course. These are all specific measureable goals.
– Process goals keep you in focus and help you reach your Performance and Outcome goals. Focusing on an increased turn over on your running stride or maintaining a strong catch throughout the duration of the swim portion of the race exhibit good process goals.
- Have a purpose for each training session.
– Setting ‘practice’ goals will keep you motivated and interested in what you are doing. Make sure every time you head out the door there is at least one thing you want to accomplish on that day.
- Keep it positive.
– Say “improve quality and duration of sleep” instead of “stop staying up so late”.
The last final touches are all together. When formulating your goals make sure that you have short-term to long-term goals. They should all work together to meet those end results. You can plan as far ahead in the future as you want, as long as you make the clear steps as how to get there, you can meet those goals. I have provided a worksheet to use for a season’s worth of goals. Use the steps to reach the long-term goal over the course of a season. Ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve this year?” Follow the 5 rules above to formulate your stairs to success. The last step, write them down, print it out, make them permanent. Share your goals with those who are close to you and get their support. Reaching your goals is not a solitary task. Now you can help them set goals in their life too. Now go, enjoy your journey. Reach your goals; one step at a time.
Gould, D. (2010) Goal setting for peak performance, In J.M. Wiliams (Eds.), Applied Sport Psychology (pp. 201-220). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Written by Greg Reznich, Petersen Performance Lab coach, USAT Level II
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, warmer weather and longer days are finally here, and that means it’s time to start training outside again. As you do, it’s important to remember to keep yourself safe during our training. There is no reason to end your season before it even starts by failing to take measures to keep yourself safe. Unless you are fortunate enough to live where you can run entirely on trails for all of your training, you will end up running on a road at some point. Following a few simple rules for running safely will go a long way to making sure that every run is a safe run.
Be Visible
This rule is very easy to accomplish. Regardless of the time of day you are running, wearing a neon green or neon orange garment with reflective strips front and back is highly recommended. I choose to wear a safety vest, which allows me wear it over any type of clothes, which is useful as conditions and temperature vary greatly from day to day. I wear the vest whenever I’m running, day or night. If I am running in the morning or evening at dusk, I supplement the vest with a lightweight headlamp ( worn in the front ) and a couple blinking red LED lights clipped on to the vest. My friends and I joke about impersonating UFOs, but it is virtually impossible for a driver to miss noticing us. The added weight is negligible as well, even if when wearing a headlamp. Most running stores will carry these visibility items. Some will also carry headlamps, but if your local running store does not, try a general sporting goods store and looking for the lightweight camping/hiking gear. If you are unable to find what you’re looking for at a local store, there are numerous sites to order gear from on the Internet. It all will be fairly inexpensive, less than the cost of a pair of good running shoes for all of the items mentioned here, including the headlamp.
Be Aware
The next important aspect of being safe is simply being aware of your surroundings. It is critical to maintain situational awareness. Know where traffic is coming from in front, behind, and to your sides. Anticipate where vehicles can come from and be You should generally run on the “left” shoulder of the road, facing into oncoming traffic. You will be able to directly observe the traffic that is going to pass closest to you. You should closely watch each approaching driver. Make sure that you are seen, and that they are taking action to make sure they don’t hit you. If you think a driver is not moving over or doesn’t see you, step off the road. No workout is ever so important that it’s worth getting hit! It is also important to be aware of traffic that is approaching from the rear or the side. If you are crossing an intersection or driveway, it’s possible drivers may attempt to turn across the road and cross into your path. For this reason especially, I urge you not to run with headphones. If you are listening to music, you’re not listening to traffic, and you have lost critical situational awareness. Even if you are running on a path, wearing headphones prevents you from hearing your fellow triathlete cyclists approaching from behind.
Another component of being aware, is to make sure people know your plans. If you’ve seen the movie or read the book 127 hours, you realize the importance of making sure someone knows where you are going and when you expect to be back. Your exact route isn’t required, but at the least a general idea of the area you’ll be running, and how long you plan to be gone. It’s also important to carry ID of some sort, whether it’s an insurance card, a driver’s license, a road-id isn’t important as long as it’s something with your name on it and a phone number of someone to contact. There are many things that can go wrong on a run, and having some way to contact someone is important. Especially if like me you rely on your cell phone to remember all your important phone numbers. You may just need to call someone for a pickup due to a twisted ankle, but if you can’t remember any phone numbers it can be a long walk ( or limp ) back home.
Run Safety Wrap-up:
- Do, run facing oncoming traffic.
- Do, wear highly visible clothing every time you run ( neon green/orange is best ).
- Do, wear flashing lights if you run when it’s dark ( this includes dawn and dusk )
- Don’t, wear headphones.
- Do, carry ID.
- Do, let someone know your route, especially if running solo.
Now that you know what steps to take to help ensure your safety while running, let’s get out there and train!
Safe training!
Coach Chris
Written by Brett Petersen, MS, CSCS
In this article I will briefly discuss the different styles of running and how they relate to running performance. The majority of the article will relate to the explosion in popularity of barefoot running, discuss the positives and potential negatives of attempting to run barefoot (or in barefoot style shoes). I will then wrap up with discussing the Vibram Five Finger shoes, which are a popular barefoot style shoe, and how to incorporate running in them. While there is a plethora of technical information contained in this article, I invite you to look at the summaries and conclusions of the article, which contains the information that is important to you, the runner.
There are three types of runners: rear-foot strike (RFS), mid-foot strike (MFS), and fore-foot strike (FFS). It has been shown that the fastest endurance runners tend to be FFS runners (2). The reason for the different types of running styles is not clear, but a recent article published in Nature, (3) one of the top ranked peer-reviewed journals in the world, may shed light on the differences and may support the idea of barefoot running. In this study the authors looked at foot strike kinematics in five groups of runners while they ran on a track at their preferred endurance speed. The groups consisted of 1) runners from the USA that wear shoes 2) Kenyan athletes that grew up running barefoot but now wear shoes 3) runners from the USA who grew up wearing shoes, but now run barefoot or with minimal footwear 4) Kenyan adolescents that have never worn shoes and 5) Kenyan adolescents that have worn shoes for most of their lives. Lieberman, et al found that runners who wear shoes and who grew up wearing shoes have a RFS when wearing shoes and also barefoot, though they tend to have a flatter foot placement while running barefoot. Runners who either grew up barefoot or switched to the barefoot style of running were predominately FFS runners. The authors state that while high-heeled running shoes are more comfortable, they do limit proprioception and make it easier to heel strike. Furthermore, many running shoes have high arch supports and stiffened soles. This may weaken foot muscles and reduce arch strength, which then leads to excessive pronation, greater demand on the plantar fascia, and lead to plantar fasciitis.
While running, at foot strike, there are ground reaction forces that occur. In RFS runners this collision force can be 1.5-3 times the body weight of the runner (3). The impact transients travel rapidly up the body and may contribute to injuries such as tibial stress fractures (4) and plantar fasciitis (5).
Lieberman, et al (3) found that at similar speeds, the peak vertical force that occurs during the impact period of the run stride are approximately three times lower in habitual barefoot runners who FFS compared to runners who habitually wear shoes and RFS while barefoot or in shoes. On average, the impact force in RFS runners either barefoot or with shoes is roughly 1.75 to 2 times body weight compared to FFS runners who are barefoot who experience impact forces approximately .5 times their body weight.
With the increased interest in barefoot running, shoe manufacturers have developed products to mimic barefoot running while protecting the athletes from stones, pieces of nails, glass, etc. One such shoe is the Vibram Five Finger Shoe. Recently, a study compared the running gait in experienced barefoot runners while they ran barefoot, running with Vibram Five Finger shoes, or in a conventional neutral protective shoe (7). The authors of this study found that stride length and stride frequency were lower and higher when running barefoot compared to wearing the Vibram Five Fingers and conventional running shoes. Furthermore, there were significantly lower values of peak vertical force at impact while running barefoot compared to running with standard running shoes. Compared to running barefoot, stride frequency was lower while running in the Vibram Five Finger shoes. Stride frequency was 91.2 strides per minute while running barefoot compared to 88.3 strides per minute while running in the Vibram Five Fingers. There was a trend for the stride frequency to be higher while wearing the Vibram Five Fingers (88.3 stride per minute) compared to conventional running shoes (86 strides per minute). Furthermore, of interest is the authors found a difference in peak vertical force at the impact across conditions. The peak vertical impact forces were 1.59 times body weight while wearing Vibram Five Finger shoes, 1.62 times body weight while running barefoot, and 1.72 times body weight while wearing conventional running shoes. The impact forces were statistically significant lower while wearing the Vibram Five Finger shoes compared to running in conventional shoes (7).
In looking at how the foot strike occurred, it was found that the foot strike occurred similar in the Vibram Five Fingers to barefoot running in that the foot was more plantarflexed compared to the conventional running shoes. This leads to more of a forefoot strike compared to the rear-foot strike that is common while wearing running shoes. This leads to reduced impact forces on the heel of the runner.
An important finding in this study (7) is running with the Vibram Five Finger Shoes led to a significant decrease in oxygen consumption compared to the conventional running shoe. Values of oxygen consumption were similar between barefoot running and running while wearing the Vibram Five Finger shoes.
The authors concluded that the Vibram Five Finger shoes are an effective means to imitate barefoot running and provide protection. This protection allowed the runners to push off more vigorously compared to barefoot running. Evidence for this is the higher pressure under the metatarsal head, higher step length, lower step rate, and higher thrust peak force compared to barefoot running. It appears the Vibram Five Finger Shoes offer the benefits of barefoot running, while offering the protection of a running shoe (7). Furthermore, running in Vibram Five Finger shoes does improve running economy, and this is appears to be due to a combination of decreased shoe weight (compared to conventional shoes) and running gait that is similar to barefoot running.
To summarize up to this point, it may be that fast runners adopt a fore-foot strike pattern to avoid the high impact forces that would occur with a rear-foot strike. Furthermore, the fore-foot strike mimics barefoot running, which is known to improve running economy. While the fore-foot strike, reduces the braking action that occurs with a rear-foot strike (heel strike), this author will acknowledge part of the improved running economy associated with barefoot running is partly due to lack of shoe weight. Running economy improves .5-1% for every 100 grams of reduced shoe weight (1)
In writing this article, a similar article appeared in Triathlete Magazine that put the blame of increased running injuries on the barefoot running phenomena on minimalist shoes and barefoot running, despite the fact that injuries rates in runners have remained stable despite the advent of shoes with more cushion and motion control (6). I decided to ask an expert in the field, Gina Ponegetti, MPT, MA, CSCS, at Accelerated Rehabilitation. Here are her thoughts:
1) I love Vibrams, I agree that they make the intrinsic muscles of the foot and foot stabilizers work. They allow the pronation that happens naturally and work the supinators to get the person out of that position upon toe-off phase of gait. They inherently also then work the hip rotators (external rotators work eccentrically upon pronation phase of gait and concentrically upon the latter phase of gait to un-pronate). In shoes that are too stable, as American’s tend to have, it disallows any motion of the foot (i.e. stiff orthotics, over-corrected people in pronation control and orthotics and medial arch buildups)
2) grass is best, for shock absorption
3) in the overweight, new runners, over-runners, etc., they are more likely for any injuries. But especially in Vibrams. Typically, 1) plantar fasciitis, 2) sesmoid irritations, 3) neuromas, and 4) “perceived” tendinitis, which is really just overworked tendons and muscles that are not used to working as hard in the supportive shoes and need to get used to it, or … the muscles themselves are weak and Physical Therapy exercises are needed to strengthen these for proper foot support (i.e. lateral peroneals, medially the posterior tibialis and flexor hallicus, as well as occasionally the popliteus and plantaris, since they are involved in tibial torsion/rotation which happens more in Vibrams due to subtalar and talar/crural joint motion).
So, should you try the Vibram Five Fingers? The answer really depends on the individual athlete. The most important considerations are the biomechanics of the athlete as well as body composition. While being a heavy pronator does not necessarily preclude one from running in minimalist shoes, such as the Vibram Five Fingers, extra caution is warranted and extra work should be performed to increase the stability of the runner, i.e. ankle strengthening and stability, as well as improved core strength (in particular hip abductor strength). If one is carrying extra body weight, I suggest first focusing on increasing the percentage of lean body mass, thus decreasing the amount of impact that occurs while running in minimalist shoes. While Vibram Five Finger shoes have been shown to decrease the impact forces, there is still very little cushion compared to conventional shoes to protect one from the impact forces that do occur.
If you decide to run with the Vibram Five Fingers, it is critical that you ease into the shoes (please also see my blog at https://coachbrett.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/vibram-five-fingers-2/). The first run in them should only be about 5 minutes. One way to ease into them is to run for five minutes and then switch back to your regular running shoes for the remainder of the run. Then each week, add a couple of minutes to each run with the Vibram Five Finger shoes. Once you have reached about 30 minutes of continuous running in the Vibrams, then increase the volume by 10-15% of each run that involves the Vibram Five Finger shoes. Of course, there will be run workouts that do not involve the Vibrams. Depending on the length of the long run, you may want to complete your entire long run of the week in your regular running shoes. Furthermore, due to the increased thrust peak vertical forces (how hard you push off) and corresponding increase in peak pressure on the metatarsal heads (pressure on the balls of your foot), I would hold off on wearing the Vibrams for track workouts until you are completely comfortable in them. The bottom line is moderation is key. Take your time getting used to them!
In conclusion barefoot running and running in minimalist shoes decrease the impact that occurs during running, increases running economy (as shown in decreased oxygen consumption at a given running speed), and may decrease the likelihood of injury. However, patience is warranted, and one must transition slowly to minimalist running.
1) Burkett LN, Kohrt WM, Buchbinder R. Effects of shoes and foot orthotics on VO2 and selected frontal plane knee kinematics. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 17:158-63, 1985.
2) Hasegawa H, Yamauchi T, Kraemer WJ. Foot strike patterns of runners at the 15-km point during an elite-level half marathon. J Strength Cond Res. 21:888-93, 2007.
3) Lieberman DE, Venkadesan M, Werbel WA, Daoud AI, D’Andrea S, Davis IS, Mang’eni RO, Pitsiladis Y. Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners. Nature. 463(7280):531-5, 2010.
4) Milner CE, Ferber R, Pollard CD, Hamill J, Davis IS. Biomechanical factors associated with tibial stress fracture in female runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 38(2):323-8, 2010.
5) Pohl MB, Hamill J, Davis IS. Biomechanical and anatomic factors associated with a history of plantar fasciitis in female runners. Clin J Sport Med.19:372-6, 2009.
6) Richards CE, Magin PJ, Callister R. Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence-based? Br J Sports Med. 43:159-62, 2009.
7) Squadrone R, Gallozzi C. Biomechanical and physiological comparison of barefoot and two shod conditions in experienced barefoot runners. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 49:6-13, 2009.
That is a great question. I am not sure, but I have found the perfect shoes for me. It was quite a process, and took a few years to accomplish, however it was worth the journey. I am able to run more often, run faster, and most importantly run without injury. And no, I am not going to tell you the brand name, because that wouldn’t help you, as your feet are different than mine. Not to mention, when you find that perfect shoe, the manufacturer usually modifies it for its next release and it no longer feels the same, anyway. I would much rather tell you how I went abou t finding my shoe, so the next time you go to find the perfect shoe for you, you have a little more information to make the right choice.
When I started triathlon, running was my least favorite discipline. No matter how long or how slow I ran, it seemed that something on my body (knees, feet, hips, ankles, etc.) was sore after every run. I dealt with it, but I never looked forward to running like I did swimming and cycling. I was advised to go to a running store with knowledgeable people and have them find a pair of running shoes that fit me. I took this advice and found out that I over pronated with both feet, but moreso with the left. I went home with a brand new pair of stability shoes and the confidence that I now was going to be able to run faster and longer.
What I found was that the shoes gave me blisters at first, and although I seemed to have less aches and pains, my joints still didn’t feel great. I was stretching afterwards and warming up properly, but not getting the results I thought. I figured that running would always be painful.
Then while swimming in Silver Lake, I met a chiropractor, who performed ART (for another blog ,but I am a big fan of Active Release Technique). He said that he wore orthotics and also told me that they could help me. After some thought, I was fitted for orthotics the next week, and started running with these in my shoes. And although they took some getting used to, they did seem to make me feel better. And I started going longer with less pain. I even put the orthotics in some neutral shoes, and that seemed to work, too. However, after a period of time, I started to have ITB issues and also my feet seemed to go numb (on the bike and after about 10 miles on the run). I had no idea why this was happening.
This is about the time I hired a coach. One of the first things we did was a gait analysis. He was also, able to spot my overpronation (among other things like: low stride rate, hip sagging, no forward lean, heal strike, etc.). But instead of prescribing a certain shoe or orthotics, he showed me strengthening exercises. We re-built my run gait with short 400m sessions and lots of drills. The exercises were short and easy, but extremely effective. Exercises on the wobble board, exercises with a sissel plate, and other excercies to make my feet and ankles much more stable. We got rid of the orthotics ,and we went to a neutral shoe. We even did barefoot running intervals (short, of course…see Brett’s previous blog). I was doing short runs in running flats with no stability without pain. Today, I run any race 13.1 and shorter in flats. If I don’t stay up with the exercises, I notice some of the nagging issues coming back. So, I still do them 2-3 times a week. I work on my running form constantly. I do other foot exercises at my desk (like the towel pull in drill by scrunching toes). I walk barefoot when I can.
I will mention that I did have to go with a wider shoe. I ended up getting a Morton’s neuroma while I was wearing the orthotics. It seems the orthotics scrunched my toes together (I have very flat feet) and it irritated the nerve in there. All along, I thought it was cleat position on the bike. The wider toe box (I will mention New Balance, here b/c they do come in all widths), really has alleviated this issue.
So, now I am pretty happy with my shoes. I still try different brands, but for me I find that a neutral shoe, with a wide toe box, good cushioning in the forefoot, and a low heel profile (to further promote midfoot striking) helps me to run further and faster. And isn’t that the reason we do this anyway?
And now to the point of my long story. Instead of trying so many different kinds of shoes, or settling for a heavier and sometimes non effective stability shoe, you may want to skip that and start strengthening your feet and ankles (and hips). There are many exercises on the web and they are extremely effective. I would also suggest getting a run gait analysis by a qualifed person. By modifying your gait, you will have the ability to run with less injury, which will give your body the ability to run more often, which will result in running faster. Finally, I have found that rotating two pair of shoes really makes them last longer. Keep track of your miles on each pair (via your training log that I am sure you are keeping up to date). When they get to about 300-350 miles and you start to get some aches, it’s most likely time to replace them. And when its time to replace them, bring them into your running store, they more than likely will be able to donate them to a charity or even give you a discount on your new pair. Until then, keep running faster, longer, and injury free!
Posted by Coach Scott – USAT and USAC Certified Coach for PPL
As a professional bike fitter, I frequently come across two different scenarios with clients. One is an athlete coming in to be fit on a bike where we make it through the extensive background interview and about 10 minutes into the fit and I end up telling the athlete the bike is not the right bike for the athlete. Either the size within the brand is not correct or the geometry of the bike is not correct. The other scenario is where I have an athlete that wants a certain bike, for whatever reason, and they want to know what size bike to get. These are both very serious situations and one in which proper planning and knowledge is necessary. All too often someone wants to ride the bike of the latest champion or they fall into the trap that just because a certain advertisement says model X of brand Y is the fastest bike on the market (by that logic there are about a half dozen bikes on the market that are the fastest based on the latest issue of Triathlete magazine).
So how does one go about picking the correct bike? I have experienced some athletes attempt to use some of the online calculators out there and the problem I have with these calculators is they assume every athlete with the same body dimensions are the same in terms of physical fitness and flexibility. Not every athlete that is the same body dimension in terms of leg and torso length can fit into the same bike due to hamstring flexibility issues (not to mention lower back issues). For example, two athletes with the same general body dimensions may find one fits better on a 50 cm Felt DA while another fits more comfortably on a 51 cm Orbea Ordu.
This brings up another important point regarding picking a bike. You cannot choose a new bike when switching brands based on your current bike size regardless if you are comparing a road bike or even a time trial/triathlon bike. This is due to difference in geometry between bikes. So how do you compare bikes? The easiest way is to compare the stack and reach across bikes. To put it very simply, stack is the height of the front end of the bike and reach is the length of the bike. An example will help clarify this.
One of the bikes in my stable was a 54 cm Felt B2 with a 90 mm stem. This bike has a stack of 51.0 cm and a reach of 41.5 cm. Let’s pretend I am neither a professional triathlon coach nor a professional bike fitter and decide I want to change bikes and go to a Blue Triad. The closest fit with the Triad model is a ML, which has a 55.8 stack and a 41.4 reach. The reach is dead on. However, I did not have any spacers left on top of my head tube with the Felt, which means I will not be able to get as low on the Triad. Would I be comfortable on the Triad? Likely. However, I would not be able to get as low in the front end as my body would allow. A better option would be a 52 cm Trek Equinox sizing up in the stem to a 100 mm stem.
The take home message is you should never buy a bike solely based on marketing or assuming sizes carry over. To determine the proper bike, you need to determine how you fit on the current bike, take the proper measurements and then compare the stack and reach among the various bikes out there to make any necessary adjustments for the new bike. In the above example, you can see that by crossing brands, I would have to size down one model. Furthermore, one must take into account the number of spacers above the head tube and the stem length of the existing bike, If you are riding a bike with 4 spacers, you can go up in the stack of the new bike (or vice versa), if you are riding a tri bike with a 75 stem, you may want to get a bike with less reach.
The alternative is to go to a shop with trained, knowledgeable staff that have a size cycle or the equivalent and be and then determine the proper bike based on stack and reach for your new bike based on the fit on the size cycle.
Where do you go to compare bikes? Dan Empfield has developed a nice chart at slow twitch where you can compare the various brands and models
So triathletes are known for jumping on the bandwagon to purchase anything that will make them faster. Anyone that has read any triathlon or running related magazine the past few years knows that barefoot running is the latest craze. In order to address this market, shoe companies have brought out a range of products which include the Nike Free, Vibram Five Fingers, Saucony has the lightweight neutral shoe (not quite as extreme as the Five Fingers or Free), Newtons (a shoe that is designed to assist one in running more “barefoot like”, which by nature is forefoot), and New Balance will release a shoe later this year. There is growing evidence that running barefoot is helpful in developing improved running economy; however, that is the place for a full article which I will release a little later. For now, I will give my opinion on running barefoot and review my experience with the Vibram Five Fingers. When I state barefoot running in this blog, I do not mean actual barefoot. In today’s society of road debris, including broken glass, truly running any distance barefoot is just plain dangerous. What I am referring to with barefoot running is running with barefoot style shoes, such as Free or Five Finger shoes.
While barefoot style running can be helpful for many, it should be approached with caution. If there are any structural issues that are affecting one’s run gait, barefoot running may not be for you. If you are a heavy runner, I recommend losing the extra weight (if there is extra weight to lose) before attempting to run barefoot, as barefoot style shoes by nature have little or know padding. Furthermore, there is an adaptation process to running in these style of shoes and one should gradually build up the time spent running in these shoes. For example, for the first workout, run in the barefoot style of shoe for 5 minutes, come back home, and then swap out the shoes for your regular shoes. Each week gradually increase the time spent in the barefoot style shoes. How long can you build up to? One of the things I love about my profession is I can always answer, “it depends.” 
Lighter, more neutral runners can have more run volume in these shoes than other runners that are heavier and/or have biomechanical deficiencies. The take home message is increase run volume with caution. Moderation is key. It is worth the trouble? My opinion is the work that is being performed to strengthen the foot muscles and the muscles that control ankle movement are definitely worth incorporating at least some running in barefoot style shoes.
Vibram Five Fingers
A month ago I received a pair of Vibram Five Finger Shoes to try out. For years I have run in a similar product, ran barefoot on the track, treadmill, and soccer fields; so, I went a little longer than what I would recommend for an initial run in these shoes. The maiden run was for 20 minutes. The things I noticed right off the bat are 1) there is essentially no padding at all, so watch out for any pebbles on the road and 2) your feet have complete movement. Just like you are running barefoot. I really liked the latter aspect. After about 15 minutes into the run, I could feel serious blisters developing and thought to myself, if others are having this same issue. Given the popularity of Vibram, I should buy stock in Nu-skin.
After the initial run, I decided to hold off on running in the Vibrams for a few days to let the blister heal, but the blisters were not so severe to prevent me from running in my New Balance 905s (a neutral, lightweight trainer) or affect any other workouts. When I did resume running in the Vibrams, blisters were not an issue. I am now running up to 40 minutes once or twice a week to work my feet and ankles and have no issues. However, moderation is key here and I am a neutral runner.
Do I recommend these shoes? Yes, for the right athlete. If you are a lighter athlete with a neutral run gait, go for it, but only for some of your shorter run workouts with the objective to work the ankles and feet. Do I recommend these shoes for someone that is a heavy pronator? To a degree yes, but the time spent running in these shoes should be limited and you need to also perform ankle and foot stability exercises and core work. Please see my Core Strength Training Article. After all, a significant objective in wearing these shoes is to work the ankles and the feet, which may very well correct the biomechanical deficiencies, such as significant pronation.
Core Strength Training
Brett Petersen, MS, CSCS – Petersen Performance Lab
Coaches, including myself, routinely recommend core strength training to improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury. There is increasing published research that shows core strength training does improve athletic performance and may decrease the likelihood of injury while training and racing. In this article I will present some examples of this scientific research.
First a little background as to what core muscles are. The core muscles are generally considered to be the muscles around the abdomen, back, and pelvis. The muscles of the shoulders and neck are sometimes included in the definition of core muscles. These muscles can be considered stabilizer muscles that are critical in activities because they influence the parts of the body that are not always connected to the core muscles. For example, in an activity such as running, the foot and ankle are immovable during ground contact and stability of the core is required to prevent unnecessary and potentially dangerous ankle and knee movement. For this reason, hip weakness may play a role in knee and ankle overuse injuries in runners (1).
There are six types of movement that the hip can perform. Hip flexion is the movement where the leg is moved directly in front of the body, such as if your are trying to touch something in front of you with your foot. Hip extension is the reverse, such as when you move your leg back directly behind you. Hip abduction is when you move your leg directly to the side from your body. Hip adduction is when you are moving the leg back towards the midline of your body (an example is trying to squeeze a Swiss ball between the legs). Hip internal rotation occurs when you are rotating your leg to point your big toe towards your opposite leg. Hip external rotation occurs when you rotate your leg to point the big toe away from the midline of the body.
While some research has yielded conflicting results in the area of improved athletic performance, a recent article published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2) has shown that a program consisting of 4 sessions per week for 6 weeks led to improved 5K run performance in marathon runners. The 5 core exercises the participants performed for each of the core strength training session were designed to target the abdominal, back extensor, and hip extensor muscles. The researchers found that the group that participated in six weeks of core strength training (on top of their regular run training) had a greater decrease in their 5K time compared to a control group that performed their regular run training but did not participate in the 6 weeks of core strength training (average decrease of 47 seconds vs 17 seconds). The authors suggest that the reason their research found increased run performance compared to research not showing improved run performance is the number of core strength training session per week was greater (4 sessions per week) compared to others (2).
In terms of injury prevention, numerous studies have examined the relationship between core strength and the incidence of running injuries (1,3,4,5). Niemuth, et al. (1) recruited two groups of runners (injured and injury free) and examined core muscle strength in the two groups of runners. The six muscle groups tested were hip extensors, hip flexors, hip abductors, hip adductors, hip internal rotators, and hip external rotators. It was found that strength imbalances of the hip abductors, adductors, and hip flexors are associated with lower extremity overuse injuries. Specifically, injured side hip abductors and hip flexors were weaker, compared to un-injured side muscles. The injured side adductors were significantly stronger than the un-injured side muscles. There was a trend for injured side hip external rotators to be weaker, but the difference was not statistically significant. The authors concluded that adding hip strengthening exercises to strengthen weak hip muscle groups might prevent running injuries or aid injured runners to return to training.
Recently, an article published in the Journal of Athletic Training (3) found that individuals with patellofemoral pain (pain in the front of the knee) have compromised hip strength compared to individuals without pain. The weakness found was in hip abduction and external rotation (3). These results are consistent with previous results showing hip strength abnormalities are associated with patellofemoral pain (4). Weak abductor strength has also been associated with iliotibial band (ITB) friction syndrome (compared to unaffected leg and injury free runners)(6).
So what is the take home message? Weaknesses in the core muscles are associated with lower limb injuries such as patellofemoral pain, ITB friction syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fascitiitis, and lower leg stress fracture. Improving core strength and balance may decrease the likelihood of injuries. Finally, improving one’s core strength may lead to improve run performance.
1. Niemuth PE, Johnson RJ, Myers MJ, and Thieman TJ. Hip muscle weakness and overuse injuries in recreational runners. Clin J Sport Med. 15:14-21, 2005
2. Sato K, and Mokha M. Does core strength training influence running kinetics, lower-extremity stability, and 5000-M performance in runners? J Strength Cond Res. 23:133-40.
3. Boling MC, Padua DA, and Alexander Creighton R. Concentric and eccentric torque of the hip musculature in individuals with and without patellofemoral pain. J Athl Train. 44:7-13, 2009.
4. Robinson RL, and Nee RJ. Analysis of hip strength in females seeking physical therapy treatment for unilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 37:232-8, 2007.
5. Zifchock RA, Davis I, Higginson J, McCaw S, and Royer T. Side-to-side differences in overuse running injury susceptibility: a retrospective study. Hum Mov Sci. 27:888-902, 2008.
6. Fredericson M, Cookingham CL, Chaudhari AM, Dowdell BC, Oestreicher N, and Sahrmann SA. Hip abductor weakness in distance runners with iliotibial band syndrome. Clin J Sport Med. 10:169-75, 2000.
A Discussion on Training Plans vs. Coaching
Written by Brett Petersen and Steve Janowiak
This article will discuss the differences between using training plans and hiring a coach as well as outline the benefits and drawbacks of each. Furthermore, at the end of the discussion there will be 12 statements by athletes as to why they chose to work with a coach or chose to go with a training plan.
First and foremost it must be stated that training plans are not coaching and athletes following a training plan must understand that they are not being coached by a professional. However, most triathlon and endurance coaching companies offer training plans. The benefits of training plans are:
- they are less expensive than individualized coaching.
- they provide guidance for new athletes as well as those athletes that cannot or choose not to invest in coaching.
- they generally lead to improved performance when compared to unstructured training.
- they allow a wider range of people to experience the sport of triathlon in a more structured way than training on their own.
A well respected coach posted on the USAT coach’s forum that she offers training plans at no charge on her website as an avenue to identify new prospective athletes and to help athletes get started in the sport of triathlon. This is a great reason to have training plans because not all athletes can afford to pay for personalized coaching and she made the important distinction that the training plans that are offered are not coaching.
The drawbacks of training plans are:
- they only work to their full potential if you are exactly the same type of athlete (physiologically and mentally) the training plan was originally written for.
- they ignore the uniqueness of the individual athlete.
- they do not take into account that an athlete will have a sick day, an injury, an emergency, family trip, or any other reason for missing workouts
- there is no accountability to one specific person.
Having the experience of training a wide range of athletes from newcomers to the sport (with varying abilities and time available to train) to elite athletes; we can state that all of those athletes have different bodies that respond to training stress differently. Postulating that human beings are so similar that an athlete can reach their potential by simply providing a range of training plans that an athlete can choose from or that a coach can provide them is disingenuous and arguably borders on fraud. When an athlete is coached individually it takes a lot of time for the coach each week but providing a training plan to multiple athletes does not. It is no surprise why almost all coaches offer training plans. Some coaches have even gone as far to admit that when they looked at the maximum number of athletes they could coach individually and the amount of revenue those coached athletes would generate they realized they could not raise a family or live the lifestyle they desired so they either moved entirely to a training plan system or offered training plans in addition to individualized coaching.
So why are training plans inferior to individualized coaching? One example will help make this clear. A training plan will often consist of about 50 percent of the training to occur on the bike. The rationale is simple because about 50 percent of a triathlon consists of the bike leg. What if the athlete is an extremely talented cyclist, but poor runner or swimmer? There are some training plans that do put extra emphasis on an athlete’s weak discipline, but what happens if during the training plan this weak discipline now becomes the strong one? Taking this one step further, it is not uncommon for an athlete to have a physiological/performance limiter within a discipline. The athlete may be a relatively weak runner compared to cycling, but the specific weakness may be the aerobic capacity of the athlete and not the lactate threshold of the athlete. So now an athlete would need to (1) identify the very specific limiter within the sport and not just the discipline itself, (2) find a training plan that addresses the weak discipline as well as the limiter within that discipline, and (3) have the training plan structured in such a way so that it switches emphasis when the discipline is no longer the limiter (which is impossible to know ahead of time).
Training plans fall short also when training day(s) are missed unexpectedly. If an athlete misses a day or several days, what do they do? Far too often we have heard of athletes that are following a training plan become injured or sick or go on vacation and then wonder what to do. There are many coaching companies that do allow consultation if this situation arises and this is definitely a step up from the generic training plan.
Now let’s discuss individualized coaching. The benefits of coaching are:
- training zones and future training can be adjusted without the need to wait until the next testing protocol
- it is designed for the individual athlete and the individual athlete’s unique physiology, schedule, and goals.
- if an athlete becomes injured or ill, etc. the training can be adjusted moving forward to take into account the injury, illness, or otherwise missed training.
- there is accountability for the athlete to one specific person.
The drawbacks of coaching are:
- that it is significantly more expensive that training plans.
- that it requires detailed feedback from the athlete on how the workouts went.
- that it requires the athletes to be committed and complete the workouts as prescribed.
Since coaching is designed for the individual athlete, this provides superior results when compared to a training plan (when this coaching is done by a qualified professional that has knowledge of exercise physiology). By way of example, a knowledgeable coach will adjust training zones and workouts without waiting until the next testing protocol, which allows training to constantly evolve with the corresponding increased fitness. This is something that cannot occur with training plans. This continually training evolution is the hallmark character of coaching that truly differentiates coached training versus training plans. This includes adapting the training based on tests sets, progress as observed via training logs (HR and wattage or pace data), and the athlete’s strengths and weaknesses (in terms of disciplines and physiology).
Here are a couple of examples to further illustrate this point. One of the most frequent tests Brett performs is the bike lactate threshold test. This is a graded exercise test that evaluates the relationship between blood lactate, HR and power. The results of the test includes the athlete’s lactate threshold (which is a strong predictor of performance), and the athletes peak power output (4 minute power output) otherwise known as VO2max power output (1, 2, 4, 5). In analyzing the results it can determined if the athlete should be spending more time training to develop his or her lactate threshold or if the athlete should be performing more VO2max intervals to develop peak power output. Furthermore, the curvature of the lactate profile is analyzed in conjunction with the athlete’s preferred race distance; and then training is designed based on this information. This is the same type of testing and progressive coaching that takes place at the Olympic training center. By analyzing these test results, a coach can design specific training to address specific limiters. Not just sport specific limiters, but physiological limiters within each sport.
Another example is while analyzing the athletes’ training data, one of the most important pieces of data analyzed is the relationship between heart rate and the workload (pace or power) and training effects (decreased heart rate at a given workload) over time are identified. A common run workout is one mile run repeats at zone 4 intensity. The workout usually has specific run paces to target to ensure the athlete is at the top of zone 4 during the one-mile intervals. Over time the same pace will lead to a lower heart rate (HR) due to training effects. While analyzing the training logs, decreased HR will be observed at the given pace, and future training will be adjusted so that the athlete needs to run the intervals at a faster pace in order to maintain the same HR. Depending on the type of training the athlete is working on; other intervals (marathon pace, repeats, and VO2max intervals) can be adjusted from this feedback. Furthermore, if the athlete can successfully hit one type of interval (threshold), but not another interval (VO2max), then training can be adjusted to work on the weakness. This adaptability, even without test sets, is what truly differentiates coaching from training plans. The feedback gained from detailed training logs is extremely valuable and leads me to on of the biggest benefits of coaching and the primary reason knowledgeable coaches continue to encourage their athletes to be as detailed as possible in their post-workout descriptions.
Different athletes respond to training stress differently and also recover differently. One athlete may respond best to one recovery day every seven or ten days whereas another athlete may respond best to a recovery day every five days. An athlete who is single with little to no family commitments that is working part-time should receive different training than an athlete who is married and/or with family commitments who also works full time. A coach should write training based on how the individual athlete is responding to training while taking into account life’s commitments.
Injury management is another are where working with a coach is superior to following a generic training plan. A coach can adjust training if an athlete develops an injury such as a sore hip, knee, or develops ITB syndrome. For example, the coach can substitute running with SPECIFIC aqua-run workouts (3) and a slight shift in focus to the sport disciplines that do not aggravate the injury can occur.
To summarize, there is a major difference between hiring someone to provide a training plan and hiring someone to be your coach. The major drawback to training plans is the lack of adaptability while the major drawback to coaching is the cost. Coaching does cost more than training plans, but the saying is just as valid now as ever; “you get what you pay for.” The main difference between having a coach and following a training plan is the adaptability and continual adjustment that occurs with coaching versus a training plan where 12 or 16 weeks are laid out in advance. The adaptability, which is unique to the individual athlete, is the major benefit of hiring a coach. The major benefit of using a training plan is the low cost. There are numerous free training plans for essentially any type of race or race distance available online.
It is important to state that training plans are not bad but they should not be used or expected to provide similar results as following the guidance of a knowledgeable coach. There are numerous benefits to them as outlined in this article. It the professional opinion of the authors that one needs to view (1) training plans, (2) training plans with accessible modifications from a qualified coach, and (3) coaching, all on a continuum.
Finally, a few athletes were asked why they chose a coach or a training plan. Here are excerpts from their feedback:
Athlete #1 (chose to hire a coach)
I believe you get what you pay for. I see it everyday in my business. From quality of product to the level of service, I strongly believe this.
I have done training plans for running events but really didn’t get the one-on-one feedback I was looking for, so I was always questioning myself.
For my goal of doing an Ironman, I wanted something that was customized for me based on testing various thresholds and performances along the way. Seeing if progress is being made, measuring that progress and then altering if need be.
I also think you need some level of accountability (though personally I am very self-motivated) and feel you don’t get that with a training plan. Only a coach can tell you particular feedback on the specific workout you just did. Or insist you do something ‘harder’ or ‘easier’.
Knowledge and experience is another positive for hiring a coach. When questions arise you have a source you can go to for answers. They know you and your situation and can address it the best way possible…from technique to educational they become your go-to-source.
The benefits for me far out way the cost differences.
– structure to my workouts, for my specific needs
– motivation to keep me moving forward
– successful in helping me meet my goals
Athlete #2 (chose to hire a coach)
“For me, one of the biggest reasons is the customization that a coach brings to fit my actual work and race schedule, than a pre-ordained plan. I feel that working with you, I’m able to achieve more, with the same training time, through a plan that is customized to me, than a generic off-the-shelf plan. I know there are many similarities between me and xxxxx’s plans, but there are quite a few differences as well, working on improving our respective weaknesses, which a generic plan wouldn’t be prescribing.
I think for many, especially athletes early in their careers and planning for shorter distance racing for fun, a general plan/program is possibly a better value. For me, I want to reach for my ultimate potential, and using a coach to tailor a plan specific to my weaknesses and strengths and work schedule allows me to get closer to achieving that potential. Especially since my goal is to be competitive at the Half Iron and Full Iron distance of racing. The more competitive you want to be, the more working with a coach is important, to help tune/tweak a program to specifically fit an individual and their goals.
There is also the ease that comes from having someone else “do the work” in terms of analyzing and planning what is needed. It is difficult to be truly objective with one’s self. A coach is much more objective about what training is needed, and prescribing it. Trying to work up my own plan to achieve the same results would require cutting into my training time.”
Athlete #3 (chose to hire a coach)
1) Wanted something more personal that was fit to ME than a generic training plan.
2) Having a coach oversee what I was doing would help me to work on my limiters, instead of doing the things that I really like to do all the time.
3) Better chance at getting to the starting line injury free. Avoid overtraining.
4) Ability to ask questions and better understand how fitness and physiology work
5) Would like to dabble in coaching myself, and it will be much easier having been coached
6) Wanted someone local (or somewhat local) I could talk to about race strategy, nutrition, and anything else.
7) Learn from someone that has experience in all distances to learn from their good races and bad races.
Athlete #4 (chose to hire a coach)
“Quality – A coach has made my training more manageable, which means I can do more of them. Training wasn’t bad with a self-coached workout, just not as good. Plus a coach holds you accountable asking about workouts and adjusting them based on how things are going.
Adjustment period – I would say that it surprised me how long it got used to having a coach. Getting to know each other, learning strengths and weaknesses.
Pick a coach that compliments you – I have the endurance, I don’t need someone telling me to got out and ride 6 hours what I do need is someone saying how to ride that 6 hours. As a specific example your science background and number crunching augments an area of weakness in my knowledge base and area of interest. I don’t think I need lots of “encouraging” words. Many athletes need the encouraging words so they should find a coach accordingly does that make sense
Realize that a coach isn’t going to do the workouts for you. You need to provide feedback on the workouts.”
Athlete #5 (chose to follow a training plan)
1. I felt I needed more experience in order to benefit from hiring a coach
2. When I paid for plans I felt like I needed to do exactly what the plan called for.
3. Trying to keep budget for triathlons low.
4. The best benefit I enjoyed from a coach was the questions answered and the human element of training with a coach.
5. One benefit from purchased training plans I liked was the integration with BT website.
Athlete #6 (chose to follow a training plan)
As far as reasons for the training plans vs. coach.
1) wife won’t approve the $$
2) I am a hard head and I like to setup my own plan and research things
3) I am not a specialist and I am just trying to achieve 1st time things. For example just finish an IM. Then I just wanted to do 10% better. For the tried try I would like to do 10% better again. I do not have a huge goal like qualifying for Kona that would require resources far past my own analytical skills.
4) I am hardheaded and do not listen to others coaching well.
5) I believe that academic and physical achievement is 90% persistence and personal fortitude. It is hard to teach someone to push through their comfort zone(s).
Why I would use a coach:
1) I would like to hire a coach for attempting to qualify for Boston. I need pointers far past my skill level to achieve that goal.
2) a coach (or person) that has “been there” is great for motivation and confidence
3) work on form and/or diagnose problems. Usually in one-time coaching sessions. That is the best thing I have found from the SCTC club.
Athlete #7 (chose to hire a coach)
“I decided to hire a coach because a pre-written plan could not talk back to me and answer my questions! That is worth its weight in gold.”
Athlete #8 (chose to hire a coach)
1) I have used online plans such as Hal Higdon for half marathons and modified versions of that for my first marathon. I believe they will “get the job done” as far as completing the event, especially for a beginner. With that said, I was looking to make significant improvements on speed held over a long distance, in a short-time period. I believe I needed a customized program so that I could be pushed to the maximum without getting injured; i.e. not have too easy of training so I wouldn’t hit my goal but also not be overworked so I would be injured and then have to take time off. I did not have time for trial-and-error otherwise I would miss my goal. This also includes a flexible plan that adapted to my progress vs. a cookie-cutter plan that was fixed for an 18 wk+ period. I suppose I was especially sensitive to a customized plan because I was looking to make a big improvement in a short period of time.
2) I needed a plan that could be tailored to my schedule which means I could make some real-time adjustments. I also wanted a challenging training plan for schedule based on a working parent, i.e. not on an athlete who is paid to work out 2x a day, take a nap, etc.
3) I wanted to talk to a “real person” – I tend to have a lot of questions. I wanted feedback on my progress. Also I like to hear the coach’s opinion considering he has real “hands-on” experience in this area. I like to hear “tricks,” tips, etc. including mental/sports psychology behind things – which I believe is important in endurance events.
4) I wanted someone to coach me on the track. I find this is a workout that can be more effective in person (although I know not everyone can be coached in person due to proximity issues).
Athlete #9 (chose to hire a coach)
“I wanted someone who could monitor my progress and make changes to the plan based on the result. I think this is especially important for triathlon where you probably have one sport that you excel in and one you don’t. Most canned plans assume some generic level of expertise in all three sports. I wanted someone who would push me/encourage me when I needed it (e.g. swimming or TTs) and sit on me when I need to back off and recover. “
Athlete #10 (chose to hire a coach)
“HA- well because I think I am really smart and I know what I am doing!! (I still think I am pretty smart and know what I am doing) That and you can’t tell your plan that you are tired or that your biking work outs are too easy and it will spit out new stuff for you. A coach will hopefully alter your training to give you as an athlete the most benefit. I also think having a coach gives me as an athlete another link in my motivation…just someone else you want to prove yourself as a good athlete to.”
Athlete #11 (chose to hire a coach)
“For me as a personal trainer or fitness professional, whichever you prefer, I know the benefits of having a coach compared to a training plan. A training plan typically is much harder to adjust as training progresses, especially for people that aren’t familiar with training at all, whether it is for endurance events or general health and weight loss. They are usually cookie cutter to an extent and can’t take everything into account that goes on with the athlete/client. If a client or athlete slacks off for a week or two it’s hard to adjust a training plan for the regressions that will occur, and it will occur, whereas with a coach or trainer these regressions or short set backs can be overcome fairly quickly as opposed to trying to play “catch up” with your training plan. People as athletes or clients are not perfect and set backs will happen and often times do even if everything is followed to a T. Therefore it’s important to be able to make these minor adjustments on the fly and recognize them as they occur to keep things progressing in a positive direction so the client/athlete keeps improving.
For me personally a training plan won’t check up on me and keep me motivated and accountable, whereas with a coach you do get the accountability, motivation, and support. I’m no different than my clients or the regular person. Am I in good looking shape yes, but I have the same problems many other people have. I can come up with a million excuses to skip a work out, and I’ll have a coach to answer too when I do miss a workout, (Sunday’s ride will be hard to get in I have a friend coming in for the weekend.) I know what I want to do and accomplish, but I recognize the fact that I probably won’t be as efficient and effective at coaching myself, and I want that unbiased view and opinion of another professional. I’ve also thought about coaching people in the future and wanted the coach athlete experience and potential mentor.”
Athlete #12 (chose to hire a coach)
“My reasons for hiring a coach versus paying for a training plan were simple; I wanted to become a winning athlete that was not constantly plagued by frequent injuries. Triathlon is a complicated sport to become proficient at because you are training for not one, but three very different sports. I knew if hired a personal coach I would more than likely make it to the podium this year. Not only did I remain injury free this season, I met all of my personal goals and then some. Without the guidance of my coach I do not think my season would have been as successful as it was.”
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Petersen Performance Lab 