Weekend Workouts - March 16th and 17th

Amazing weekend planned for everyone this weekend.  Weather is cooperative so get out and enjoy the sun too.  There is still time to register for our M2 .5 Fe Training Day Saturday.  Don't go party too hard for St. Patrick's Day as we have some fun on the Polo Fields planned to get people ready in their aero bars Sunday.

Saturday - M2 .5 Fe Training Day

Great prep for Oceanside, Wildflower or mid-season IM's!

Starting at Aquatic Park, we'll swim one or two laps, or as much as you are comfortable with.  Your bikes will be safe under the watchful eye of our volunteers.  From AP, we'll ride over the bridge to the end of Bolinas Lagoon and back on Highway 1.  T2 is located in the security of the M2 Studio.  Changing into your run gear, the run takes you along the waterfront to Lyon Street Stairs, back down through the Presidio, up again along the Ecology Trail, then returning to the Studio along Chrissy Field and Marina Green.  

Cytomax and Muscle Milk will be on hand providing fueling and recovery options!

Sunday - Polo Fields TT Practice

With some tired legs from Saturday, or fresh legs looking for a hard workout, head over to the Polo Fields to practice riding in your aero bars, or TT bike before your next race.  This offers a safe environment to play around with your positioning for the fastest, and most comfortable options.  Uber biker Chris Phipps will be on hand to offer advice and show off what the aggressive TT position would be.  Yes, he is tied for the Strava KOM for the Polo Fields as well.
  

Participating in M2 Group Events

M2 Group Training members are of course welcome for all rides/runs and events.  Gold Pass members who wish to join in on weekend rides and runs can upgrade their pass $25/month each.  10-15 pass members can use a class pass to attend either.  Please email deacon42@gmail.com or mccormack.m@comcast.net for details.

Weekend Workouts - Feb 9th and 10th

Another banner weekend up in the North Bay, just have to let these pesky rain showers pass, but Saturday and Sunday are looking good!  This weekend brings us to Wilson Hill for our ride, and most peoples' first dip into Aquatic Park for a swim/run brisk Sunday morning as we help our Escape From Alcatraz athletes acclimatize to the colder waters.

Saturday Ride: Lucas Valley - Wilson Hill - Petaluma
56 and 71 mile options

56 Mile Option

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71 Mile Option

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Sunday Swim/Run - Aquatic Park & Escape From Alcatraz Run Course 10 to 11.5 miles

30 minute swim in Aquatic Park, followed by a tour of the Escape From Alcatraz run course, you have two options when returning after the Sand Ladder.  For 10 miles you can follow the course back, or for 11.5, take a more scenic and challenging route through the Presidio.

AP - EFA Course with Presidio Return

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Participating in M2 Group Events

M2 Group Training members are of course welcome for all rides/runs and events.  Gold Pass members who wish to join in on weekend rides can upgrade their pass $25/month.  10-15 pass members can use a class pass to attend either.  Please email deacon42@gmail.com or mccormack.m@comcast.net for details.

.5 Fe Training Day - March 16th

Perfect way to jump start your year, or see how your training is progressing.  M2 is giving you the chance to tackle the Half Iron distance in a low key, low stress way.  THIS IS NOT A RACE,  just an organized, big training day that allows for you to experiment with your race execution.  To get the most out of this day, we recommend taking extended "transitions" to refuel and be physically and mentally prepared to take on each leg.

For our first year we are excited to have Cytosport and Muscle Milk on board to help fuel you during and after the day of training!

When: Saturday-March 16th, 8:00 AM
Cost: $30.00
M2 Gold Pass or Group Members: $30.00 with $10.00 credit to next month
Where: Swim Start - Aquatic Park, San Francisco
Bike and Run Finish: M2 Revolution Cycling Studio

Register: Click here for M2 Revolution's class registration site
- Select the "M2 .5 Fe Training Day" tab
- Click "Sign Up Now"
- To finish the purchase you will have to create a profile on M2's booking portal

Logistics:
- Mandatory run Gear drop off and packet pickup Wednesday through Friday from 5-8pm at the Studio.  Bike numbers provided to help identify participants.  Waivers must be signed at this point.
- To electronically sign waiver you can click here 
- At packet pickup, M2 will provide a transition bag for transport of your wetsuit and morning clothes back to the studio.
- We recommend riding to the start line if in the city.  If arriving from out of town, parking is available at the end of Van Ness.  Other options are to park at Marina Green or in residential areas and ride over.  Some parking areas have time limits so park at your own risk.
- Collect wetsuit and morning clothes at M2 after event.
- Full showers and facilities available after event

The Swim - 1.2 Miles, or as much as you want

Starting at Aquatic Park, you will swim two loops around the perimeter for approximately 1.2 miles depending on current and how far in from the pier you swim.

Water should be in the mid 50's, so wetsuits are strongly recommended.  No lifeguards will be present, so swim at your own risk.

Once finished, there are showers to rinse off, then head to your bike!


T1 - AP Bleachers

M2 will provide monitors to make sure your bikes are secure and collect wet suits after their use.  All gear transported to the studio for pickup later.  Cytosport/Muscle Milk will be on hand providing hydration.

Bike - Four Corners-Stinson-Bolinas Lagoon-Hwy 1

Riding North from the city, along scenic roads, the route climbs Mt. Tam through Four Corners, then Pantoll, and down Panoramic to Stinson.  Heading out along Bolinas Lagoon and a short loop, its now its time to dial in your pacing to make you sustain a good effort, nad have legs left for the run.  Rolling terrain and some sharp climbs could test your pacing abilities.  Bonus climb up Fillmore while back in the city, but suggested route is Union Street to Polk.

Detailed route sheets will be made available to those unfamiliar.

Bike Route

T2

The M2 Studio will provide a secure location for your beloved bike, as well as a nice place to change into some dry/clean clothes for your run.  Take your time and fuel up.  This is not a race, just a training day.  Again, we will have plenty of fueling options provided by Cytosport in the studio!

Run - Aquatic Park-Marina Green-Lyon Street-Presidio-Hoppers Hands

Short cruise down Polk, back to Aquatic Park.  The route takes you along the waterfront along Marina Green and up Lyon Street Stairs.  Fun trail run through the Presidio and down to Crissy Field.  Running out to Hopper's Hands, then return along waterfront, back to Aquatic Park and then up Polk to M2. 

There are many places to stop and get water, but we recommend carrying something as this is a long training day, and you will need both the hydration and calories.

Run Route

Finish back at the studio, get cleaned up and enjoy some NCAA basketball action with Championship Weekend going on.  Light food and drinks provided.  Definitely time to try out some Muscle Milk to speed your recovery and provide your body with some essential nutrition after a long day!

Wetsuit/Morning Clothes Bag Recommendations
- Bring an extra water-proof bag to keep clothes dry
- Do not leave valuables in this bag!  M2 is not responsible for lost/stolen items.  No car keys, phones, wallets, etc. please.
- Be reasonable with size.  If its too big/heavy, it risks being left at Aquatic Park.  You must fit everything in the bag.  No tying it onto a larger backpack. 

Gear Drop Recommendations
- Running Shoes
- Hydration belt
- Shorts, shirt, socks and hat/visor to run in
- Dry clothes to change into after event

2013 Bay Area Calendar of Events

Will update as we find more races and develop more events.  Races spotlighted are for the Bay Area, or M2 Athletes have registered.  All are welcome to join in on M2 Monthly Events, additional fees may apply.  Dates are subject to change.

February
Major Races
2/3 - Kaiser Half Marathon
2/24 -San Bruno Mtn. Half Marathon (Trail)

March
M2 Events
3/16 - M2 .5 Fe Day: Tackle the Half Iron distance at your own pace and see how your race planning is working before actually racing.  Semi supported route, with secure "transition" locations to take the ease off your day.  More details coming in the next few weeks.
Major Races
3/2 - Woodside King's Mountain Half Marathon and 5 Mile
3/3 - Escape from Alcatraz
3/9 - Romancing the Island 12k & 25k
3/16 - IM Cabo San Lucas
3/17 - Emerald Across The Bay 12k
3/23 - Napa Valley Trail Marathon & 10k
3/30 - Oceanside 70.3

April

M2 Events
4/27 - Double/Triple Diablo Day: Starting from Walnut Creek, take on Mt Diablo once, twice or three times with the M2 Group
Major Races/Events
4/5-4/7 - GGTC and SF Tri Club Wildflower Training Weekends
4/6 - Golden Gate Headlands Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k
4/7 - SF Rock n Roll Half Marathon (Formerly the "Other" US Half Marathon)
4/7 - Santa Cruz Half Marathon
4/7 - Texas 70.3 - Galveston
4/13 - Muir Woods Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 7 Mile
4/13&14 - HITS Triathlon Series - Napa
4/14 - Ironman South Africa
4/15 - Boston Marathon
4/18-21 - Seat Otter Classic
4/20 - Silicon Valley Long Course and Sprint (Morgan Hill)
4/21 - Silicon Valley International (Morgan Hill)
4/21 - New Orleans 70.3
4/21 - Napa Valley Silverado Half Marathon & 5k 

May
M2 Events
5/11 - Geysers Ride
5/18 - Tour of California Mt. Diablo: No transport for this one, but surely a large contingent will ride.
5/19 - Tour of California SF to Santa Rosa: Waiting on route details, but M2 will arrange transport home from Santa Rosa.  Last year saw over near 200 cyclists take on the SF to Santa Cruz route with M2.

Major Races
5/4 - St. George 70.3
5/4 - Napa Valley Vintage Half Iron Triathlon
5/5 - Napa Valley Sprint Triathlon
5/5 - Divas Half Marathon and 5k
5/4&5 - Wildflower
5/9 - Bike to Work Day
5/11 - Wild Boar Half Marathon & 5k
5/18 - Ironman Texas
5/19 - Morgan Hill Sprint Triathlon
5/19 - Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim
5/26&27 Alcatraz Challenge

June
M2 Events

6/20 to 6/23 - Lake Tahoe Training Camp: All aspects taken care of by M2 and partners, all you need to do is get to Tahoe in one piece, and we will do our best to keep it that way with a full extended weekend of training and events.
Major Races
6/1 - Hawaii 70.3
6/2 - Vineman Monte Rio
6/2 - Alcatraz "Escape from the Rock" Duathlon
6/8 - Boise 70.3 
6/8 - Lake Tahoe Relay (Run)
6/9 - Folsom Sprint and Olympic Triathlons
6/9 - Golden Gate Triathlon
6/15 - Crissy Field 6 & 12 Hour
6/16 - Reservoir Triathlon - Olympic and Sprint (Morgan Hill)
6/21 - Lake Stevens 70.3
6/23 - Ironman Coeur d'Alene
6/29 - California Sprint Triathlon (Pleasanton)
6/30 - California International Triathlon (Pleasanton)

July
Major Races

7/13 - Vineman 70.3
7/14 - Jungle Run Half Marathon and 10k
7/20 - Trans Tahoe Relay (Swim)
7/27 - Vineman 
7/27 - Barbs Race
7/28 - Ironman Lake Placid

August
M2 Events

8/3 - Shasta Century
Major Races
8/4 - The Giant Race
8/4 - Boulder 70.3
8/11 - Folsom Long Course Triathlon
8/18 - IM Mont Tremblant
8/25 - IM Canada
8/25 - IM Louisville

September
M2 Events
9/7 and 9/8 - Go big training weekend
Major Races
9/7 - Big Kahuna
9/8 - 70.3 World Championship
9/14 - Headlands 25, 50, 75 and 100 Miles
9/13-15 Triathlons at Pacific Grove
9/22 - Santa Cruz Triathlon
9/22 - Ironman Lake Tahoe
9/28 - Big Sur Trail Marathon & 5 Mile

October
Major Races
10/6 - Bridge to Bridge
10/4-6 - Scott Tinely's Adventures
10/12 - Skyline to Sea Marathon and 50k
10/12 - Ironman World Championship
10/13 - Tri Girl Tri - All Women's Sprint Triathlon
10/26 - Napa Wine Country Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k
10/26 - Stinson Beach 12k, 25k, 37k and 50k

November
Major Races
11/2 - Stinson Beach Marathon, Half Marathon and 7 Mile

December
Major Races
12/14 - Hark the Harold Angels 12k & 25k
12/14 - Rodeo Beach 8k, 20k, 30k and 50k
12/29 - Woodside 10k, 17k, 35k & 50k

Weekend Workouts - January 26th & 27th

Last weeks ride down south on the coast was a good one for the group.  Sun and witnessing the massive surf coming in for Mavericks, capped off another great session, improving our fitness and riding skills.  

Saturday Ride

This weekend, we'll head North on Hwy 1 to add some varied terrain through Olema, and a good benchmark climb out of Muir Beach.  Pacing, as always, is important so that you have the strength to take on the final climb with authority, instead of "surviving" the climb.

This route is 55 miles from Mill Valley, and 75 miles from the city for those looking for some extra work.  The rolling terrain of Highway 1 allows for more group work, along with building your overall bike skills with gearing and pacing.  

Sunday Run

Taking on some more trails in Marin, the group will tackle the other side of Mt Tam by running our favorite Bon Tempe Lake loop.  With routes from 8-11 miles, this is a great day to jump in on a very scenic area.  The The gentle climb out of the town of Ross is perfect for a warmup, then the rolling  and well maintained terrain provides a great environment to work on your endurance.

Our friends at Gu Energy have provided a good supply of water bottles.  All in attendance at our run on Sunday will receive one!  Thanks Gu!

Participating in M2 Group Events

M2 Group Training members are of course welcome for all rides/runs and events.  Gold Pass members who wish to join in on weekend rides can upgrade their pass $25/month.  10-15 pass members can use a class pass to attend either.  Please email deacon42@gmail.com for ride and run for further details.

Weekend Workouts!

Looks like another dry weekend ahead so plan on some fun up in Marin for a good ride and some fun in Golden Gate Park for our run.  Definitely a day for layers for the ride as it will be chilly to start, and get to 50 for the high.

Saturday Ride - McInnis Park, San Rafael - 9:00 am

Starting from McInnis Park (directions here). Looking forward to another early season fitness-building January ride.  M2 will be doing the shorter route on account of baseball tryouts at noon.

General effort for all riders is steady-moderate.  Hills can see a bit of an edge - pace-line pulls see an obvious edge to the effort, but not crazy disproportionate.  All riders should look to return through Nicasio-Lucas Valley Road at the same pace/watts as when they set out - proper pacing.

We have a lot of newer riders who we want to get up to speed with proper group riding dynamics, the purpose of which is safety and a generally enhanced ride experience.  Hence, a quick review of some ride notes that are outlined in Pacelining/Group Riding 101 sheet sent earlier and linked here.

*  When the group resumes pedaling after a stop sign, traffic light, pit stop, etc., PAY attention and quickly fall into line or else you will lose the group.  We want our rides to flow - very simple.

*  If it is your turn at the front of the pace-line, ride steady without suddenly stomping on the pedals, slamming away on hills, or conversely coasting on gentle downhills.  

*  When you are done with your pull, check for traffic, pedal to the side and then ease up, as opposed to suddenly stopping pedaling and only then pulling off to the side which causes everyone behind you to suddenly brake.  

*  Attention to these pointers and the Pace-lining 101 bullets (please review) will make it much easier to integrate into a ride group.  Riders who are not so strong can find themselves riding and learning alongside stronger cyclists by becoming comfortable with sitting in a group.

Where we are early into the season project, my group will do brief re-groups in Nicasio and Pt. Reyes Station. 

Skills Clinics
Brett and I will be doing another couple of clinics in coming weeks where we have a smaller group and practice many of the things described in the Pace-lining article.  Highly recommended for newer riders and those who are graduating from tri-club rides.

Participating in M2 Group Rides
M2 Group Training members are of course welcome for all rides/runs and events.  Gold Pass members who wish to join in on weekend rides can upgrade their pass $25/month.  10-15 pass members can use a class pass for a ride.  This weekend everyone is invited.
McInnis Park - Hwy 1 - Marshall - Cheese Factory: 63 Miles - 4 Hours
(Maps are generated with Kilometers)

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McInnis - Olema - Point Reyes - Nicasio: 46 Miles - 3 hours
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Sunday Run - Golden Gate Park, Buffalo Paddock - 9:30

Heading towards the beach along JFK, we'll be going counter clockwise around the park using mostly trails.  We will have 2 workouts going again today.  The main workout will be a tour of Golden Gate Park with the map below.  Ending at the Polo fields at 6.5 miles, we will do some threshold work, running 2-4 loops on the dirt.  Each lap is 3/4 of a mile.

For those wanting to set a good benchmark this weekend, our own Mike Vulanich is heading up a group to set a 5k TT mark.  They will join the main group for a 2 mile warmup, then head to the Polo Fields for their Time Trial and cool-down.

Golden Gate Park Map: 6.75 + Polo Fields Loops - 90 Minutes

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New 2013 Kits! Ordering open now!

M2 has been tinkering with a new design for a few years now.  An epiphany finally struck for  our new iteration to keep you looking and feeling great out on the roads and races.  When you look good, you feel good.  When you feel good you go faster!  

Here is a sample of the near final design for the 2013 kits.  Make sure you get your order in by December 3rd, no exceptions!

Visit Voler's ordering site by clicking here.

Recommended Training Kit essentials: 

Cycling Bottoms - recommend bibs for menLong-sleeve and short sleeve jerseyVest Vest (in the absence of a vest a gore-tex frontal base layer works with long-sleeve to keep warm)
Tri Tops and Shorts to finish the look for your races!

Big weekend at the races for M2 athletes!

M2 athletes were across the west taking on Big Kahuna and Vegas for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.  Congratulations to everyone as we can see some great improvements for everyone.   Some notable finishes needs some attention and praise as these athletes have been putting in big efforts all year coming back from injuries, or just having a break-out season.

Big Kahuna - Santa Cruz, CA

Virgilio Pigliucci - 4:21:49 1st AG and the fastest run in his AG too!
Nick Giometti - 4:37:30 2nd AG, only losing out on the win by 24 seconds
Megan Lewis - 5:46:06 4th AG with her best race of the season
Lauren Skinner - 6:10:36 9th AG Great swim bike combo for the day
Illeana Figueroa - 5:39:25 6th AG Improving in all 3 legs from Wildflower earlier in the year
Amanda Schoenberg - 6:28:19 Taking the big leap into the Long Distance races
Deirdre Geary - 7:04:13 Improving on her Vineman 70.3 result from July


Rounding out the weekend, Mike Vulanich was taking on the world, and the heat, in Vegas for Ironman 70.3 World Championship.  This race, with a non-wetsuit swim, bike course that rivals Wildflower, and temperatures hovering at 100 degrees lead to a brutal day that Mike took on and prospered in.

With a stellar 4:43:47, Mike landed 15th in his Age Group, and well into the top 100 Amateurs for the day.

Athletes Take on IM California 70.3!

Some impressive results coming out of Oceanside this weekend to kick off the season!  Regulars at M2 took home some PR's and some hardware to boot!  Nothing like some nasty weather to bring out the best in you as there was cold temperatures in the air, and the water, to compliment the light rain that left a film of grime on you bike to make it look like a warzone out there crossing Camp Pendleton.

Highlights:
Kyle Welch fresh off his IM New Zealand race taking a win in the M50-54 division
Dan Ross finding some redemption to an injury shortened 2011 with a podium 4th place M30-34 and Vegas spot
Kahn WU took 15 minutes off his bike split from 2011 and finished 13th in M30-34.  He also had a sub 30 minute swim which was amazing given the conditions and waves entering the harbor.
Brett Miller coming off his injury and finishing 9th in M35-39
Faith Bolliger put together a great full race and finished 9th in her division too!

Full results from Ironman

Congratulations on a great race to the rest of the M2'ers out there as well.  Lindsey Kasnick, Michael Caughlan, Bita Sistani, Lauren Skinner, Evan Lieginger, Renee Shaening, Dierdre Geary, PJ Gallagher, and Ryan Long.  Sorry if I forgot anyone.  It was a tough day out there an everyone should be proud of their early season result and use it to plan and motivate for the rest of the season.

p.s. Skinner, aren't you supposed to be a swimmer?

Running/Track Questions for M2

Some questions came up during our run this past weekend which are great ones to answer for anyone wanting to take the steps to work on speed.

M2's Training Group had a great run through Golden Gate Park, with a mini track session built into it at mile 6 to help improve people's turnover.  Some in the group weren't familiar with how a track session should work so some basics had to be laid out.

Track Sessions:

- The common start is the corner of the track where nearly all events start.  It is best to start workout there because there is a specific start/stop point.  Many times athletes when given a vague start/stop will take a little leigh-way and not do the entire effort.  A specific point does wonders mentally to helping people complete tasks.  At Kezar, the common start is the South East Corner of the track.
- Stay out of lane 1 unless you are in an interval with good pace
- If you hear "Track", it is a polite way of saying, "Get out of my way!"
- 200 meters is a half a lap
- 400 meters is a full lap
- 800 meters is 2 laps
- Breathing is a very important part to take into consideration for track workouts since you are increasing effort.  If breathing is erratic, a side stitch can be created, and a crash in effort.  Making sure to take deep controlled breaths alleviates this.  One way to do this is by breathing in a 3:2 pattern (should be able to hold a conversation-Conversational Pace), 3 steps to breath in, 2 steps to breath out.  As the effort increases you would go to a 2:2, and even to a 2:1 breathing pattern, making sure to fully exhale.

I first stumbled onto this breathing pattern in High School during Cross Country training.  Reading about it, they also described that there is a large amount of extra force expended at the beginning of an exhale.  Consistently exhaling on the same leg over time would lead to an imbalance, but also injury to that side and the 3:2 breathing breaks that pattern.

Not that anyone did anything terribly annoying on Sunday, but here's a note on track etiquette for everyone.  I wrote it last year in a bit of a fit due to some oblivious folks, but I got over it.

http://clydesdaletriathlon.blogspot.com/2011/03/track-running-for-dummies.html 

As the season progresses, don't ignore the value of increased run intensity along with distance.  Both are just as important.

Here are a few great resources if you want to jump into some track/speed work at Kezar:

SF Tri Club - Tuesdays at 6:45 - Lead by Tom McGlynn, former Olympic Trials Qualifier - www.sftriclub.org
GGTC - Wednesdays at 6:45 - Lead by Dorette Franks, profession triathlon/track coach - www.ggtc.org
San Francisco Road Runners - Tuesday 6:30 - Lead by our very own Jenni Kirk - http://sfrrc.clubexpress.com/
Golden Gate Running Club - Wednesday 7:00 - 1 of multiple club coaches to lead - http://www.goldengaterunningclub.org

Not sure of pricing, but all are about the same at around $160 for the season with discounts for members of each club. 

M2 has a plethora of speed workouts to utilize on your own, or on the High Speed Treadmill.  Even if you are injured, you can still jump on the Alter-G and get some faster turnover work in with these workouts.  Another great resource at M2!  Reserve Here

Sunday's Route - 9.6 Miles

CycleOps 400 Pro - Guest Post - Stefan Irion

With classes filling up, and the season cranking up, an impressive addition to the studio has been the 400PT bikes in the front of the class.  These are a little different as they have an electronic tension mechanism, instead of the knob tension to get resistance.  It takes a little instruction to use it effectively so we asked Stefan to break down some basics for everyone.  

Here is Stefan's first impressions of the 400PT from his own posts on IrionMan.

Having fun on the Cyclops 400PRO

I was riding the new M2 toy 400PRO in this mornings class  at M2 and I thought I share my thoughts, well knowing that this was the last time I rode the thing (because you will all jump on it now). 

While it appears to be similar to the 300 in physical appearance, the resistance dial is a mere dummy and you control the wattage using the little joystick on the right of the Joule head unit that you never used before. Pressing it down cycles between 'gear', 'target grade' and 'target power', while nudging it up or down moves the set value up or down (you guessed that). M2's recommended warm-up is on 'gear', where a higher number indicates an easier gear. I would find a sweet spot and then go up 2 (easier) for the cadence and down 2 (harder) for the stand. 

Moving into the main set of intervals it's pretty simple. Put it to 'target watts' and dial in the watts you estimate you can hold. Note that the unit will make you overachieve this target by about 10-15 watts on your average (ie you set it to X watts and you end up averaging X+15watts). A clever trick is to keep the 'gear' in a high gear so that when you come off a hard effort you can push down on the toggle switch and it becomes easy to pedal/rest. This works great, but there is a slight delay in ramping up and down and it's a bit tricky for very short intervals (ie 20s). Also the watts you are actually pushing fluctuate quite a bit (set point X, will make you push X +/- 20 watts), you can either like this as a rode-like feeling, or hate it. Your choice. I like it.

Overall fun experience, give it a try

----------------------------------------------------

There are currently four 400 Pro's in the studio, so feel free to try them out. 

Start of the Season and Avoiding the Training Sludge

With January coming to a close its a great time to start evaluating the effectiveness of your training time and if this is consistent with the season's goals.  Our M2 training squad has gone through some amazing weekends so far with our rides along the coast, Nicasio/Pt Reyes and Petaluma loops, and runs in the Headlands and on Tam.  Those athletes who are attending classes and group events will have seen a remarkable change in fitness in just one month's time - all good!

Take a step back and try to assess what you've accomplished to be able to plan next steps.  

Some big races like Oceanside, Wildflower, St. George and Texas are coming up on the horizon, is your training matching what you need for these events?  Don't be alarmed, there is still time to get the work done, but finding the best schedule to perform your three targeted workouts for each event, and making it a habit is paramount right now.

Here are some questions to ask yourself and possibly some guidelines to aid in assessing if you are on the right track:

Am I training enough or too much?  Triathletes have a habit of piling on just for the sake of it.  Triathlon does not have to take life as we know it, just be smart about it. 

Do you have at least 8-9 workouts a week? 2-3 swim, 3 bike, 3 run? Consistency is what helps you improve more than purely piling on distance.  For example, two 6 mile run, plush an 8-10 miler on the weekend is better than trying to make up miles by maxing out a weekend run.  More than 3 workouts is great, just remember to not interfere with other focused workouts to accomplish.  Consistency and proper execution of key workouts will be more effective than gloaming amorphous training sludge.

What is your total weekly hourly workload?  8, 10, 15 hours?  For our Half Iron folks, 6-8 hours is acceptable this time of year.  Those with Ironmans in May should see at least 8-10 as we enter the month of February. 

Are you coming to each workout ready to accomplish an objective?  At least one of each swim/bike/run should be a near fresh endeavor to bring some intensity and challenge yourself through an M2 cycling class, track/speed run workout, or pushing it in the pool.

Do you have a good handle on your weekly schedule?  Setting the time aside, or just finding the best fit into your week is an important aspect of training.  The earlier you figure out when and where you can perform your workouts at a normalized schedule, the better you'll feel about how training will affect you in not just a personal, but a professional level as well.  

Ideally, you will be attending M2 group rides/runs.  Having observed individuals and groups over the years, those folks who are generally consistent in their attendance always make, by far, the most progress in their fitness and performance.  

As is always the case M2 is available via email or in studio for questions or direction.  Very excited with the group so far and look forward to the race season approaching!

For a friendly reminder, classes are now as below with the addition of some great time slots.  It has been busy at the studio and demand warranted an expanded schedule.

Monday: 6:15 AM (NEW) and 6:15 PM

Tuesday: 6:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM

Wednesday: 6:15 AM, 5:30 PM and 6:45 (SF Tri Priority) PM 

Thursday: 6:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM 

Additional weekend classes are added with inclement weather.  Stay tuned to M2's Facebook and Twitter pages for the most up to date schedules.

Winter Illness and Recovery

The winter months can be an exciting time for athletes who want to make large jumps in their fitness and speed, it is also a time that can put you further back at the same time if you don't deal with colds and viruses properly.  With the Holidays, less sunlight and other stresses in your life, the immune system takes a hit over the winter.  M2 is here to help guide you through coming back after getting knocked out of training from illness.

#1 Fever = No Exercise

While refraining from exercising while running a fever might seem obvious, consider that after offering the above advice to a new athlete at the time, I was admonished for such silliness where this same athlete years back somehow managed to train through pneumonia.  We were not a good match as things turned out.

#2 Aches = Light exercise at most

Preferably easy swim or gentle bike versus run.  Common sense here.  Do not be guided by the obligation to train so you do not lose fitness, but instead by whether a light exercise session might get blood stirring and leave you feeling better as a result.

#3 Chest Cold = Light exercise, short duration, low intensity

Important to respect lower intensities and no excessive duration.  Chest colds can be very draining and if you only drain yourself further and prolong recovery by force-feeding training.

#4 Head Cold = Moderate to L1 intensity 

With many head colds, I have often found it helpful to train at L1ish type intensity, or 10-20 below run LT.  Though not a pretty sight at times, such training can help clear the throat and nostrils of gunk that might otherwise remain stuck there.

Diet

Liquids, soups, vegetables, fruits are always good health agents.  Hopefully as an athlete you have already incorporated a good balanced diet, but maybe this is a chance to start?

Resumption of normal training:

First thing, do not worry that you have lost all your hard-earned fitness, that would take weeks of inactivity for this to occur.

Second thing, do not blast away the first day or even the send that you feel largely normal.  Test the water first with an easy workout, and assuming positive signals, you can upgrade to moderate and then moderate + L1 intensity.  Give a little watts or run pace and don't worry about it.  You should be good to go thereafter assuming the body responds well.