Gray Guys/Girls Master's Focus Triathlon Mentor Group--CLOSED (Page 12)

I have been through a bunch of series on Netflix while riding in the garage. One of my first years training I made it though "Lost". Can't remember how many seasons/episodes. Mostly entertaining while watching but I got to the end and it was like "What?" ....I could have learned a foreign language in the amount of time I spent watching that series.  

Hey Randy,

I just saw the Fluid tag in your signature.  I have been using Infinit for the past year or so.  Wondering if you have ever used it and if so, your thoughts on Infinit vs Fluid?

Never tried Infinit....been using FLUID for the last 2-3 years. I mostly use For hydrattion rather than the recovery products.

OK, I had that coming!

Donna,

You didn't mention if your test was in a short course yards pool or a long course meters pool.  Doesn't really matter as STP is calculated the same way, however it will either be yards or meters depending upon the pool you tested in.  For now, for the sake of discussion, I will assume yards.

You almost have this right.  You need the time in seconds so you have to do a quick conversion.

400 -> 8:14 = 494 seconds

200 -> 3:52 = 232 seconds

Using those numbers we get -> (400-200)/(494-232) = 200/262 = 0.76 yards/sec

That means at threshold you travel 0.76 yards per second.  To convert this into a more meaningful number, you divide the distance by the STP, so to determine your threshold pace for a 100, you divide 100 by the STP.  100/0.76 = 131.58 seconds, convert to minutes:seconds -> 2:11.58.  I always round that up to the next second, so your threshold pace is 2:12 per 100.

The first thing people always say is, "But I swim faster than that!"  Indeed you did during the test.  Your average 100 pace for the 200 was 1:56 while it was 2:03.5 during the 400.  Remember that the 400 and the 200 were maximal efforts during a time trial.  The 7.5 second per 100 average pace difference between the two tests clearly indicates that those paces were not sustainable for a long duration.  If we had the 100 splits during the tests, we would likely see a rather dramatic fall-off through the test.  That is precisely the point of threshold pace.  Your threshold pace is a pace that you can theoretically maintain for an extended period of time, generally assumed to be 1,500 yards/meters.

So what are the practical applications of knowing STP?

First it is an excellent race predictor.  Say you are planning to do an Olympic Triathlon.  An Olympic Triathlon swim is 1,500 meters = 1,640 yards.  We know that you can theoretically swim 1,500 yards/meters at threshold pace and 1,640 yards is only slightly longer.  So dividing the distance by STP:

1,640/0.76 = 2,158 seconds = 35:58

Your predicted swim time for an Olympic triathlon would be 35:58.  You would come out of the water with your heart rate solidly in high zone 2, low zone 3 and you would be able to attack the bike as opposed to coming out of the water in high zone 4, low zone 5 and already cooked before you ever see the bike.

You have already proven during your STP test that you cannot maintain an anaerobic pace for 200 or 400 yards, let alone the distance required for a Sprint triathlon or longer.  The true value of STP becomes apparent in training. Using STP you can target your training specifically to improve your STP (lower your threshold pace). by training at or slightly below STP you can increase your aerobic capacity and in so doing, you improve your threshold pace.  Yet many triathletes continue to train with swim teams at anaerobic levels that increases anaerobic capacity but does nothing to increase threshold pace.

You mentioned that you are going to start the Olympic base plan.  So using that as a guide:

Day two includes 5 x 100 @ STP +8, 20 RI.  That means, for clarification, 5 repetitions of 100 yards at threshold pace + 8 seconds per 100 with 20 seconds reset between intervals.  The plan was written in general terms so anyone can use it.  To make it specific to you, convert this to interval times.  So using your 100 threshold pace of 2:12, we get 2:12 + 8 seconds gives a pace of 2:20 per 100.  Then add the 20 seconds of rest gives us an interval time of 2:40.

Written so that it is specific to you we get, 5 x 100 @ 2:40.  Your goal is to hit the target pace, in this case, 2:20/100.  This will do a number of things; a) it will increase aerobic capacity, b) it will improve your ability to maintain a specific pace.  The ability to maintain a specific pace is a tremendous asset come race day as you can plan your race before you are in the water and know that you can execute the plan once you are in the water.

Digging further into the Olympic Base Plan you will find on Week 2, Day 1, 2 x 200 @ STP + 8, 20 RI.  Again, to convert that to YOU.  Take your 100 pace of 2:12 and add 8 seconds.  That gives a pace of 2:20 per 100.  Times 2 for a 200 gives 4:40 per 200.  Add the rest interval of 20 seconds, and your interval time is 5:00.  So in this case you would be doing 2 x 200 @ 5:00.  Once again, your goal is to hit the pace target of 4:40 per 200 or 2:20 per 100.  You want to hold a consistent pace through each repetition.  Meaning the second 100 is the same pace as the first 100.  You want to maintain the same pace through the entire set.

When you first start training using STP you will likely find the pace to be easy to maintain, possibly even slow.  I assure you, once you begin to get to longer workouts, as early as Week 2, Day 2, you will find it increasingly difficult to meet the interval times as you get deeper into the set.  Throughout the workouts, you should strive to maintain proper technique at your target pace.

I know that you, as well as countless others, try to avoid all the calculations and such.  As you can see, they really aren't that difficult and only take a few minutes.  You can print out the workout plan, sit down and make the calculations for the first 6 weeks in very little time.  Assuming you follow the plan, you will be pleasantly surprised when you do another STP test at the beginning of week 7, at which time you can make the pace and interval calculations for weeks 7-12.

Hope that helps a little bit.

Happy swimming!

Scott - thanks for the explanation on the swim threshold pace - you make it so easy to understand.  Now I just have to work my way up to a straight 400 so I can make use of it.

So either there is something wrong with the back tire on my bike or I am completely incompetent at changing tubes - 3 flats in the last 2 weeks and I'm not even riding outside, just doing rides on the trainer.  Everything seems to go right when I change it, but after just 2 or 3 rides I get another flat.  I think I'm going to take it to the LBS tomorrow after work and see if they can look at it for me.  I know the tire is pretty worn but didn't think it was that bad.  Hopefully they can help me figure out if it's the tire or me .

Janet 

Scott,

Yes, I do have build plans written.  I put the Sprint 3 workouts per week and the Sprint 4 workouts per week build plans up on the website today.  Workout notes for those plans will follow in the next couple of days.  The Olympic build plans are written, I just have to get them coded for the website.  Hopefully that will happen within a couple days.

Janet,

Thank you for saying so!

As to the flats, that sounds like the tube is not installed properly and you are getting pinch flats.  That or there is something in the tire.  Take a cotton ball and run it around the inside of the tire.  If there is something there, it will become apparent.

You can take the wheel to the LBS and ask them to show you how to change the tube.  They are happy to do it and it is good to see a pro do it.  I had to have them show me a couple times before I got proficient at changing out a tube.

The weekend is here!  What are your training/race plans this weekend?

I have a 5K on Sunday.  Supposed to be 50 degrees and clear so nice running weather!

I had a good hard swim this morning (well - hard for me) and just now I'm procrastinating about going for a 1:00 run (my cat is insisting on holding me down).

Tomorrow is another 1:30 on the bike/trainer and hopefully a rest day on Sunday.

Goal is 8:00/mile so 24:48.  Cheating just a bit cause my coach is running it with me.  He thinks I can beat 8/mile.  If I am sub 25 I will be dancing!  We will see what we will see.

Good morning. I have a trainer ride this morning with 3X3 min TT efforts on full rest sprinkled in....yeah those are going to hurt. Then a short run. Tomorrow is longish run followed by an easy 60-90 min bike later in the day.

Good luck at the race!

Have a good weekend everyone.

Scott, good luck on your race tomorrow!!

I volunteered at a 5k/10k this morning.  I had a 5 mile run planned for today and since my post was at the halfway point of the 10k, I combined the 2.  Ran 3 miles out to my spot, cheered on the runners, then ran 2 miles back (plus 1 mile walking).  After dinner I'm hoping to get in a trainer ride to make up for 1 of the 2 rides I missed this week due to the tire issue.  I took it in to the LBS yesterday and the guy checked it over for me.  He said the problem is the tire - the inside is very worn and is putting holes in the tubes.  His suggestion was to take the tire off my front wheel and move it to the back, then put the bad tire on the front since it doesn't move anyway.  That should get me through 6-8 weeks of trainer rides - I'll need to get new tires in the spring (which I was planning to do anyway). 

Tomorrow is a swim with the tri club in the morning, then an easy trainer ride in the afternoon.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!
Janet

Janet,

This is precisely why it is a good idea to have a relationship with the LBS.  They are always there and happy to help!  Glad you got the problem sorted out.

Oh, and thanks for volunteering at a race.  Not enough people do that and there aren't enough thanks for those that do!