5 weeks out (for the first time and the last time.)

I really decided to push the bike thing this week (at least this weekend.) My training is coming along & I feel good. However, I'm starting to get questions like "are you beginning to rest/taper yet?" The answer is NO; as I explained to one of my questioners "I am still building my fitness, rest comes after fitness and I'm not there (fit for IRONMAN) yet."

It better come quick, though! I'm running out of time...

Last weeks training:

Monday: REST

Tuesday: Bike 2.5 hrs

Wednesday: Swim 45 minutes & strength train

Thursday: Run 1 hr

Friday: Swim 1 hr & 10 minutes..

Saturday: Bike 106 miles...Long day, 2 Powerbars, 2 Gels, 3 Water Bottles (not enough) and I couldn't wait for it to end...

Sunday: After some food & wine (and a great night's sleep); I awoke and ran 2 hrs..felt surprisingly good.

I need to get my bike tuned up. Something is sluggish (can't be me!) and there is no reason to make me work harder than I absolutely must. Next week I'll dial back the weekend and focus on my mid week training.

Happy Birthday today to my friend (and IRONMAN inspiration) Rachel. She celebrated her day with a 106 mile ride of her own. You go girl!

PS: I may very well NEVER do this again, but never say never?

Frank Pucher

Training Complexity

There seems to be a trend in triathlon of trying to make things more complex than they really are. We've all seen it and we all seem to be a part of it. All you need to do is run a search here on the Web or pick up a multisport magazine and you can work your way into a serious confusion-based tizzy.

I myself have a short list of blogs I like to track every few days but in recent times more and more of them seem to be filled with detailed scientific graphs and indirect advertisements pushing comprehensive training/tracking software programs. There are lengthy, complex write-ups filled with obscure terminology on how I should train. Phrases like "satellite cells" and "sensory acuity" and "central governor" (more commonly known as "brain", an apparatus more and more coaches and athletes seem to be overtraining) are applied far too frequently. Worse yet, at least to me, are the proliferation of abbreviations, as though you're supposed to know what they stand for long before you've ever read them…TSS, LDH, AeT, IF, ATP, COD from UPS, IOU, DUI, RSVP, etc (etcetera). But to me it's NBD I just view it as BS!

My guess is most the authors who pen this sort of **** probably don't fully comprehend what they're saying but come to the conclusion that the phrases sound pretty damn cool and thereby makes them look equally as hip. After all, employing the use of complicated language is a pretty damn good way to make it seem like you know what you are talking about. To me, however, it sounds quite condescending, as though the author of such garbage is almost trying to talk above the rest of us. After all, if others can't possibly identify with what you are lecturing on about, then they're not about to question your authority! The assumption is made that you must know what the hell you're talking about, which of course, isn't always the case.

I have thus (is that really a word?) decided to SIMPLIFY my training philosophy. This should save you thankless hours performing research and hundreds of dollars in magazine subscriptions.

Here's how Simple (my training) philosophy is:
1) Enjoy my training
2) Make sure my training has me improving
3) Make sure that improvement is specific to the event I'm training for
4) Believe in the training (this, of course, is entirely dependent on the above)

My HS coach from way-way back said to me.."There are many training plans (to train to win), the one that works best is always - the one you use."

Thanks Coach! I still believe it.

Frank Pucher

9 Weeks Out

The weather was actually pretty decent this week. I got a few (2) good runs in and even got a few (2) swims in (actually that was indoors?) I even started the week with an awesome bike ride of (albeit indoors too.) Looking at it objectively, the weather was good and my training was mediocre. But fortunately work has been excellent!

Here was last weeks training:

Sunday: 3.5 hrs of riding (no LOST DVD's so it was very boring)
Monday: 40 minute swim
Tuesday: Nothing-Nada-Zilch
Wednesday: 1hr run-felt good
Thursday: (see Tuesday)
Friday: 35 minute swim
Saturday: At Beach..1 hour run, felt a little tired?

My friend Rachel called my the other day on her way to NJ via Wisconsin, actually she called from Indiana. We spoke travel, training & nutrition. She told me that with our 1/2 Ironman coming up next week "the important thing is to just finish." She also laughed at my feeble nutritional plan (for race day) and my lack of "bike training." I agreed, the important thing is to finish. As long as it's under 5 hrs & 30 min...anything else is un-acceptable-to ME.

Just finish is a strategy for those that dip their toe of the unknown. Having done 1 of these before, I can't help hold myself to another standard.

Frank Pucher

10 Weeks Out

Another busy-crazy fast week. We had HIBACHI 10 Dinner on Friday night w/ the Fitness 121 TEAM (Minus Bobby.) Bobby was getting the results of his shoulder MRI and will be having surgery on May 28th. He's strong and has an amazing pain-threshold so he'll be performing pushups in no time.

As for my body. I'm holding up O.K. I just got fitted for some new orthotics so I should be good to go for the final push to IRONMAN.

Here was last weeks training.

Sunday: 2 hr Bike indoors.
Monday: 40 minute swim.
Tuesday: Rest/day off.
Wednesday: 1 hr run-felt very good.
Thursday: 90 minute bike indoors.
Friday: 35 minute swim. Strength Work in the p.m.
Saturday: 90 minute run.

I'm feeling pretty good but getting a little nervous about the temperature of the Lake I'm about to jump into in 2 weeks. I told my friends that I'll be the "high pitch-lady like screaming" they hear; about 1 minute after the gun sounds. I'm praying for a HEATWAVE in Northeast PA over the next 10 days. That water IS going to be COLD.

Frank Pucher

11 Weeks Out

Another week already? I don't know where the days go!?

Sunday: Long Branch 1/2 Marathon, running an easy "unofficial" 1:39. Felt good, arch hurt several times, but overall not bad.
Monday: 40 minute swim.
Tuesday: 90 minute bike, strength work in the p.m.
Wednesday: 1 hour run, not feeling so good. Arch ok, but stomach was "blahhh"
Thursday: 90 minute bike, strength work in the p.m.
Friday: 45 minute swim, felt pretty good!
Saturday: a very humid 90 minute run. Felt good and arch seemed ok.

I still haven't picked up my bike. Work has been busy and time is short. That is GOAL # 1 this week. I'm feeling very balanced in my training as of right now, I'm a little concerned about the hills coming my way on the bike, but I'll climb that mountain when I reach it.
I may need to start doubling my workouts on some days as this will be a TRIATHLON?

Frank Pucher

12 Weeks Out

I had every intention of this being a "stellar" week. However, the weather and work schedule had other plans.

Sunday: 90 minute run, felt very good -except for the arch pain that still exists.
Monday: Swim 60 minutes
Tuesday: Bike 90 minutes & strength train.
Wednesday: Bike 60 minutes
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: I'm very Rested again today.

I ran the Long Branch 1/2 Marathon on Sunday and "surprise" felt very rested and ran well.
Following my run I proceeded to stand around in the rain for another 4hours watching my friends/clients finish their races.

Next week had better be a better training week as I have 4 weeks till a 1/2 Ironman scheduled in PA. I plan on picking up my Bike (finally) this week and getting back on that saddle.
Perhaps next week will be stellar?

Frank Pucher

13 Weeks Out

I picked up some new running shoes last week and I figured it was time for me to start putting them to use. Besides, the weather was amazing, my bike was in the shop and the clock is a tickin.

Last weeks training was as follows:

Sunday: Rest Day
Monday: 40 minute run & strength train
Tuesday: 2 hour bike indoors
Wednesday: 45 minute swim & 40 minute run
Thursday: 2 hour bike indoors & strength train
Friday: 1 hr bike indoors
Saturday: 90 minute run outside (nice warm Florida like weather!)
Sunday: 50 minute run outside, again a nice warm day.
-Overall I felt good this week. I would have like another swim but my schedule didn't allow for it.

The coming week, I will try to focus on my swim a little more. Maybe 3x this week with some more strength work. I plan on running the Long Branch 1/2 Marathon Sunday as a "quality training run" and perhaps run around 1:35-1:40.

Frank Pucher

14 Weeks Out

Last weeks training; a comparison guide for my friends and the curious.

Sunday: 80 minute run, very windy - felt OK.
Monday: 40 minute run, ran in "old" running shoes w/o my orthotic. Bad idea for anyone & bad idea for me. My arch has been aching since.
Tuesday: 90 minute bike indoors & strength training.
Wednesday: 1 hr swim. My farthest-furthest? swim ever. Felt surprisingly good-well?
Thursday: 90 minute bike indoors & strength training.
Friday: 40 minute run w/ new running shoes & orthotic. Arch still ached-hurt?
Saturday: 90 minute run. Felt really good and arch appears to be getting better. I also dropped my bike off for repairs/tune up. Next weekend I'll venture out on my wheels.

It was a pretty good week for the most part. I am glad I got some more running in. I do wish I had an extra swim day, but work has been really busy. I'm going to aim for 2 days of swimming, 3 days of cycling and 3 days of running next week.

One final thought. For many years I've been asked by people who know me "any marathons coming up?" or "you still running?" Lately; I've been asked "how's the triathlon training coming along?" A stranger (to me) approached me at lunch the other day and asked "are you that Triathlon guy?" I smiled and said "Yes I am!"

Frank Pucher

15 Weeks Out

Last weeks training; a comparison guide for my friends and the curious.

Sunday: 3.5hrs on my bike trainer, consuming water every 15minutes, Gatorade on the 30 & Powerbar 1 per hour. Lot's of VH1.
Monday: Swim 40 minutes, nothing fancy. Felt good, first day in pool in 2 weeks. Strength work in the p.m.
Tuesday: Bike 1.5hrs indoors. Felt OK.
Wednesday: Run 1hr outdoors, cool/windy. Felt good.
Thursday: Bike 1.5hrs indoors. Felt OK, again. Strength work in the p.m.
Friday: Swim 40 minutes (short on time today, wanted 1hr). Felt good.
Saturday: Wind/Rain and needed day off.

Overall, the week was good. I would have liked another run along with some more stretching time, but I'll take what I can get. I have changed my lunch routine this week also, more chicken and rice (I need more calories than my salad was providing). Like my training, my diet will go according to how I feel.

Next week I need to drop my bike off for some serious maintenance work. Handlebars, wheels and gears all need "fixing". I'll perhaps focus more on my run next week as (Ironically) I'm starting to feel less comfortable in that discipline.

Frank Pucher

I hear ya...

One of the mistakes many trainers make (in my opinion) is to not "listen" to their clients. There is a saying: "90% of communication is non-verbal" and I believe that to be so. Many times clients will come in and say "I want to lose weight" or "Get stronger, feel better, have more energy..."

If I take them at their word I would dive right into a series of exercises that are in line with their goals.

The problem is that many times, client goals & wants are not
symmetrical.

A client may have the goal of losing weight but doesn't want to change their eating habits. They may have the goal of having more energy but don't want to come in on their off-day to do some extra Cardio work. This can be frustrating for the trainer and ultimately for the client as they sense the trainers frustration.

I suggest that clear communication of Goals, Needs, Wants & Expectations be explored and articulated during the assessment.

I have learned through many failures to "listen" to my clients; not just their words, but their expressions, mannerisms and body language. As a Fitness Professional it is important to always keep our energy level high during each session with every client, however the session will crash and burn if the programming selected doesn't match what the client wants. Rather than fight a losing battle, I suggest that you give your client as much work as they can handle-that they want! The important thing is that they are making progress in a safe & enjoyable fashion. When safety or enjoyment are lost, so too is the client. Ask for feedback frequently and trust me, if your client wants to be pushed a "little harder" they will tell you verbally. If you are pushing them "too much", you might be not "listening enough." So keep your eyes, ears & mind open.

Frank Pucher