With two new members joining Endurance Nation a day, we get a lot of questions about our coaching approach and how it could work for them. Aside from asking folks to read our radical manifesto, it’s important to take the time to make things a bit more personal. Here’s a letter right out of my inbox…
+++++++
Hello,
Couple questions…it seems like I am doing a lot of short workouts focusing on speed. I FULLY understand I need to improve my speed but will the workouts get longer as time goes on. Just concerned for getting in the longer distances I need. I am feeling very insecure with my training so far, that I am not doing enough to accomplish my goal. I don’t want to be last…I want to look “like an ironman competitor” not like a spectator.
No sweat on the speed vs distance thing. This is the standard reply that we hear once folks get inside the Endurance Nation house. Our primary goal as coaches is to give you the work you NEED to do to get fit, get faster, and get ready to race. The plan you are using is version 5.0, meaning it’s the latest iteration with 5 years of revisions. They only get better / tighter / more specific each year.
To give you perspective, your desire to go longer / do more is a function of what everyone else is doing / what you think is right for IM training. There are a LOT of people out there doing 6hour zone 1 rides to prepare for IM Florida..and it’s March right now. That, from our perspective, is a coaching cop-out…sure it’s easy to dump a 6 hour workout on someone, but it’s not what they need. We’d rather have you do 2-3h of good work and then do 6h with this new fitness. Inside EN, we build FAST, then put FAR on top of your FAST. Doing the go longer, then taper + get faster thing (like everyone else says to do for IM training) just doesn’t work. Normal folks can’t handle farther + faster @ the same time.
You might feel “behind” your peers now, but you will be “ahead” soon enough. A great IM race day is predicated on your knowledge of your fitness/capabilities and your ability to execute a race plan. Our methodology gives you intimate knowledge of your body + fitness, instead of having you spend countless hours on googlemaps in an attempt to find a 6h ride. This knowledge, combined with our insistence on planning (just search the forums for pre-IM procedures like we have going on for IMAZ right now) will help you to be ready to not only race to your fitness, but out-race fitter people as well. It’s a powerful combination.
Also, I have been trying/ struggling to lose some weight since starting training (appr nov is when I started) it seems like my weight never goes up but alo doesn’t go down. I’d like to loose at least 10lbs (I think it would really help my overall training experience). I have heard weight training helps and would like to do some but as you know I don’t really have to spare time to go to the gym. But I am definitely able to fit it in during my at home time. I have bought a yoga video which includes strength work but I want to do all I can. Any advice or suggestions?
Women + IM training is tough. Your bodies respond very differently to increased aerobic work / huge caloric demands. From my experience, most guys drop weight and women actually gain some. Case in point, I have coached 6 couples to IM finish lines — same coach, same schedule (for time, etc), same MEALS, totally different weight outcomes. I think a large part has to do with men having larger muscles, i.e. when I do 2h in Z2, my muscles require a lot of fuel — and will burn it. The same is not true for women.
Before we send you into the gym, remember that the workouts you are doing are also “work” as we have them laid out. They aren’t easy, so you should see an increase in calorie burning — this ain’t no “noodle around in zone 1″ plan! Second, make sure have nailed your “out of training” nutrition: see my Primer for Athlete’s Weight Management as well as the article Eat to Train vs Training to Eat. Let’s jump through these hoops first before we start adding more to your schedule.
That said, I am a huge fan of yoga, so I totally think you should put it into your program!
Keep me posted!!!
P
Popularity: 11% [?]
