Triathlons are tough. There is no way around it. Whatever distance you want to complete, doing one is a big project from start to finish. Likewise, training to have good results in swimming, cycling, or running is a big project, but combining all three starts to look overwhelming. This article will try to break down
Ironman training: The Comprehensive guide to your first Ironman Triathlon Read More »
Image by Unplug. Dave Simonson had finished three ironman competitions before he entered the power meter project in 2007, so I knew he was a very experienced athlete. However, if you don’t know about training, it is doubtful that you can finish three ironman competitions. Dave entered the project because he recently had purchased a
Ironman Increased Threshold Power with 62 Watts in 12 weeks Read More »
Heart rate monitors like Polar and CardioSport have been the most used strategy in triathlons because these events have such long durations. If you like to use a heart rate monitor for pacing, triathlon and especially ultra distance triathlons are definitively the place to wear heart rate monitors. It is clear that when a constant tempo is the ideal pace in a race situation, then there is a good chance that your heart rate will show you how tough you current workload is. In cycling races the workload (Watts) is very inconsistent (sprints, jumps, hills, breaking, corners, etc.). In a traditional triathlon race there is lot more consistency in the power output, thus there is a lot better correlation between heart rate and workload.
Power meters like SRM, Ergomo and PowerTap are very common among pro triathletes, but actually they would be at least as helpful for beginner triathletes. When a triathlete enters a competition for the first time, he will realize that it is very difficult to get an efficient pacing strategy. It is very tempting to hunt down the opponent in front of him and it is difficult to save the energy for the final part of the race (hint: there is a run AFTER the bike race in triathlons”¦)
Even though there is a better correlation between heart rate and workload in triathlons, there is really good arguments to start considering power meter training. By knowing your critical power outputs for the distances you compete in, you have the best opportunity to optimize your training program. As an example I would like to mention Dave Simonson who participate in the power meter project. He has gained several watts because he has learned how to pace himself and trained at the right intensity.
Heart rate monitors are good for pacing, but they are still influenced by several external factors (temperature, caffeine, level of recovery, etc.) This indicates that there is a great potential for beginner triathletes to improve their performance. Power meter training improves their skill for pacing and that is one of the most important non-physiological skills in triathlon
Power Meter Training for Beginner Triathletes Read More »
Improving a three time ironman’s endurance sounds difficult, but that is exactly what my job is with Dave Simonson. He performed four critical power tests last week and you can see the results below:
Test results
| Critical Power Tests | 5sec | 1min | 5min | 20min | Body Weight |
| Week 1 (Watt) | 850W | 450W | 290W | 219W | 90.6kg/199.8lbs |
| Week 1 (Watt/kg) | 9.4W/kg | 5.0W/kg | 3.2W/kg | 2.4W/kg |
Comments from Jesper Therkildsen:
When I look at Dave’s power profile I can see that his performance at 20min critical power is too low compared to his 5min critical power (CP). When I look at his 5min CP I would expect him to do 20Watts better in the 20min CP. Thus, the primary goal for Dave is to improve his power in long intervals. This goal is achieved by learning to control the pacing strategy and by increasing his physical performance at these challenges.
Dave will train 6 to 7 hours per week and have to work with intervals three times a week. There are three kinds of intervals that he will use: Short 3min intervals to build VO2max, repeated 6min bouts of high aerobic intensity and finally long 15min pacing control intervals.
By doing the intervals very frequently he has a good chance to get familiar with pacing strategy and that is especially important at his competition pace. Triathlon differs from regular cycling in that way that the pace is almost 100% controlled by the athlete. It is not about tactics at all. It’s a question about self control and physical performance. Power meters are very useful for long endurance competitions like ironman triathlons since it is possible to plan a pacing strategy based on your previous rides. I hope that Dave will improve his performance at long distance through better and more efficient pacing.
I expect that these intervals will increase his performance at 5 and 20min critical power (and his 112miles ironman avg. power.)
Pacing Strategy is Essential in Ironman Competitions Read More »