Even All Three

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2009-08-01 6:38 AM

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Master
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Subject: Even All Three
I recently met with a usat coach to help me bump up my running a notch. It was an extremely helpful meeting. She looked at my running form on the track, and also went over my BT logs, and really zoned in on my mistakes.

One of the things she said that I'm not sure about, tho, is that I should try to even out my split rankings at races. She called it "Even all Three". I am strongest in the bike and I admit I do set out to kill the bike course at races. As such, my bike split rank is always top 3 in my AG, whereas my swim and run are more middle of the pack in rankings. Honestly, this is working great for me, so I hesitate to change it. I can see easing up on the bike a little in hopes of a better run, but if I ease up enough to bring it down to middle of the pack, then won't my overall result be worse? Shouldn't I race my strength?

I looked at some race results and very few athletes have "even all three". She does, tho! I think maybe she is just really strong in all three disciplines. I am going to try this at my next race, which is just a "C" race for me. Just to see if it changes my overall ranking. Any thoughts?

2009-08-01 6:44 AM
in reply to: #2321069

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Sneaky Slow
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Subject: RE: Even All Three
I did great at this in my first season of triathlon... BOP swim, BOP bike, BOP run.

Didn't do as good job last year, BOP swim, MOP bike, MOP run.  Injured this year, so no data. 

In all seriousness, I don't really think the idea of "even all three" is necessarily a great thing in and of itself, but, perhaps if someone strives for that, it forces them to train their weakness?
2009-08-01 6:52 AM
in reply to: #2321069

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Even All Three
I'm a very unbalanced triathlete....depending on size & who shows up in a race BOP swim, FOP bike, and back of MOP run...on a good day.

I've tried and tried to improve my swimming and this year I'm making gains maybe front of BOP no way I am I riding that slow..makes no sense. 

Is her idea work on your weaknesses to bring it up to your strength level or go easier on your strength racing so you can do better on your weaknesses?

I see balanced or even triathletes yes and they place well as they are good at all three.
2009-08-01 7:17 AM
in reply to: #2321075

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Master
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Subject: RE: Even All Three
KathyG - 2009-08-01 7:52 AM

I'm a very unbalanced triathlete....depending on size & who shows up in a race BOP swim, FOP bike, and back of MOP run...on a good day.

I've tried and tried to improve my swimming and this year I'm making gains maybe front of BOP no way I am I riding that slow..makes no sense. 

Is her idea work on your weaknesses to bring it up to your strength level or go easier on your strength racing so you can do better on your weaknesses?

I see balanced or even triathletes yes and they place well as they are good at all three.


This one: "go easier on your strength racing so you can do better on your weaknesses?"
2009-08-01 8:02 AM
in reply to: #2321069

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Subject: RE: Even All Three
My swimming has become a strength, so starting in July I backed off swim training (volume) in order to focus more on building my bike and run conditioning (volume and intensity).


Edited by Mainer22 2009-08-01 8:03 AM
2009-08-01 9:32 AM
in reply to: #2321069

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Subject: RE: Even All Three
I like the saying, "Train your weaknesses and race your strength."

However, there's no reason to leave it all on the bike. Push as hard as you can without being detrimental to the run.

2009-08-01 9:39 AM
in reply to: #2321069

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Even All Three
Are we talking about sprint races?  If so, aren't you going pretty much all out in all three anyway?

If we're talking about, say, HIM, then sure, maybe slowing down on the bike will help out overall -- obviously this depends on the extent to which your biking is, now, slowing you down on the run.  Maybe a few experimental bricks are in order?  I don't know, but obviously the guiding principle here should be to lower your finishing times as much as possible.  It isn't obvious to me that the right way to do that (for all people) is to 'even out'.  Some of the AG winners in my races are quite strong in all three, but others aren't, though they do all of them tend to be strong-ish runners.
2009-08-01 11:08 AM
in reply to: #2321072

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Subject: RE: Even All Three
newleaf - 2009-08-01 4:44 AM I did great at this in my first season of triathlon... BOP swim, BOP bike, BOP run.

Didn't do as good job last year, BOP swim, MOP bike, MOP run.  Injured this year, so no data. 

In all seriousness, I don't really think the idea of "even all three" is necessarily a great thing in and of itself, but, perhaps if someone strives for that, it forces them to train their weakness?


Exactly what I was thinking. LOL. I'm looking forward to making things a little less even in my upcoming tri.
2009-08-01 7:18 PM
in reply to: #2321069

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Subject: RE: Even All Three
My take on the advice is that you should have a goal to elevate the swim and the run to to the same level as the bike.  To do that you must spend more training time swimming and running.  While your bike results might drop slightly, the gains you make in the swim and the run should give you an overall better finish...
2009-08-01 7:23 PM
in reply to: #2321739

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Subject: RE: Even All Three

Coach Morse - 2009-08-01 7:18 PM My take on the advice is that you should have a goal to elevate the swim and the run to to the same level as the bike.  To do that you must spend more training time swimming and running.  While your bike results might drop slightly, the gains you make in the swim and the run should give you an overall better finish...

So train you weakness and race your strengths? (the bear always has good advice)    The only caveat is to not go so hard on your swim or bike that you crater the run....



Edited by ashort33 2009-08-01 7:24 PM
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