Training Plan Update

There are a few common themes that find their way into many of the triathlon books I've been reading.  Two of them are influencing my training plan:

• First, something that I've already implemented, is considering your needed fuel for each workout stage -- pre-workout; during the workout; post-workout.
• Pre-Workout:  The resources below recommend some type of calorie intake prior to the workout.  I'm grabbing something small immediately before beginning. 
• During the Workout:  If a workout is going to exceed an hour, the resources below consuming carbohydrates during the workout.  This is something I was getting wrong, and am adding to my long workouts (mainly bike rides).
• Post-Workout:  The resources below recommending fueling up within 20-30 minutes post-workout with a combination of carbs and protein.  This makes sense to me.  
• Second, these avoid 'gray area' training.  That is train for endurance by going long (but slow) and train for strength by going fast (but short).  The 'gray area' is when you train long and hard.  You're not helping your endurance and making it tougher to recover.  Two things I plan on trying (focused on running for now):
• I'm going to start trying 30/30 interval training to make sure I have a strength workout, replacing the sprints I've been doing.  Essentially I plan on warming up for 10 minutes and then run at 90-95% of full power for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of light jogging. The plan is to repeat the run/jog combo 10 times to start and then increase the number of repeats.  See more discussion of the training here and here. 
• Based on the discussion in Triathlon Running Foundations, I'm going to adjust my 'long' run of the week.  I've been focused on completing the run without stopping irrespective of my BPMs.  For now, I"m going to switch to run/walk to keep my BPM at, or below, my target.  For me, this is a target of 135.  I'm been going over (way over) this number in my long runs.  See the table below.  Run/walk is likely going to make my workouts more manageable... hopefully they do result in the endurance gains.  (Joe Friel in Your First Triathalon gives his blessing on run/walk for beginning runners; which he does note is contrary to many recommendations. This book indicates "zone 2" heart rate is for endurance and aerobic training and that for running newbies "zone 2 is slow jogging". That seems about right.)  This podcast goes into more detail about the theory.
• Here's how the book suggests estimating your BPM target (based on the Maffetone Method)--with a number of important caveats:
1. 180 minus your age;
2. Subtract 10, if you're recovering from major illness or injury in the past year;
3. Subtract 5, if you've modified your working in the past two weeks because of sickness or injury;
4. Add 5, if you have been training for 2+ years without illness/injury.  
5. Done!
• My calculation (135 BPM) looks pretty consistent with this recommendation (if not on the low side).

[Update: 4/23/20] My first run targeting a 135 BPM was much slower than my previous efforts (4.37 mph (ave); 8.72 mph (max)). I had to walk once almost every lap to keep my BPM near my target.  According to Strava: 132.6 (ave); 145 (max).  The benefit is that I feel better (a lot better) after this run than my previous 'long' runs.  In fact, I decided to lengthen my effort and run a 5K.  I'll use this pace as a baseline to see if this new approach bears fruit.  If I can increase my pace and have my body feel this decent, I'll consider this experiment a success. 

[Update: 4/26/20] Targeting 135 BPM makes the running much more accessible to me.  I've decided to make my long runs the longer of (i) the time my training schedule recommends or (ii) a 5K.  The hope is that (i) will become longer than (ii).  On recovery weeks, I'll run based on the time in my schedule. 

Baseline:  5K @ average pace: 42:40.  (Way below average for my age -- 33:13, according to this website.)

Previous Long Runs

4/16/20	154.4 (ave); 168 (max)
4/9/20	163.5 (ave); 184 (max)
4/3/20	156.8 (ave); 173 (max)
3/27/20	160.8 (ave); 179 (max)
3/20/20	159.9 (ave); 181 (max)

These concepts are found in the following resources:  Your First Triathlon; The Triathlete's Training Bible; Triathlon, Loving it is easy; Outperform the Norm: Triathalon; & Triathlon Running Foundations. 

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