Value of Support

As endurance athletes, we put a lot of time in our training regime, which requires sacrificing time with family, friends, and sleep. In order for us to be successful, it is so important to have the support from our family. Personally, without the support and sacrifice of my family it would be extremely hard for me to be able to put in the hours and dedication to meet my endurance goals.
From a coaching perspective, an invaluable resource is when a 'team' or class supports one another. As both a coach and competitor, I find it extra motivating to be surrounded by people who give words of encouragement and push each other to push through a set, and push themselves beyond what they thought their limits were. it forces you not to "dog" through a set. It is both an uplifting and driven experience.
I told my athletes the other day that even though triathlon is an individual sport, the triathlon community and competitors are a very tight knit group and always support each other, whether it be on a training day, or in a race. I remember when I did IM FL and I was around mile 100 or so, people would pass me and say things like "You're doing great", 'You're almost there" - these simple words of encouragement helped so much to get me through the race. Even in these first 3 weeks of training, I know my athletes are becoming better because of of the training, as well as each other.
In conclusion, support those around you, and they will reciprocate so you can all meet your goals and push yourself beyond what you though was possible.

VO2 Max

A term frequently tossed around in endurance sports is VO2 Max. VO2 Max, in layman's terms, is the size of your engine to perform a specific sport or how much oxygen you can take in and process. In other words, how much oxygen (volume) your body uses per kilogram of body weight during 1 minute of exercise at your max level. An seasoned athlete would be in the range of 40-60. Claims have been made that Lance Armstrong has a VO2 Max in the mid 80s. For amateur athletes, getting your V02 max is a great way to find your baseline, as well as get your lactate threshold, heart rate zones, power zones, and your caloric burn rate of carbohydrates and fats. Typically, the test should be administered 1-2 times per season.
Your V02 max is mostly determined by your genetics, but is trainable up to 20-30%. Also consider this; an athlete that has more power, less body fat, better endurance, and can sustain anaerobic threshold can compete, or even beat someone with a better V02 max. From an ametuers perspective, if you stick with your training plan, V02 max becomes less of a factor when competing with other athletes.
So, what other factors effect your VO2 Max - age: over 40 and your V02 max will decrease if your a male, for females it may take a little longer. Altitude can also be a factor, the higher you go, the lower your V02 max. Body fat also has an impact on your V02 max - the less body fat, the higher your V02 max.
The test should be performed by a coach or professional and involves wearing a mask that will send your data to a computer. The test usually takes about 1 1/2 hours and the professional will sit down afterwards and explain the test results to you.

Visualization

One very important, and often overlooked aspect of training is mental preparation. The importance of mental visualization, or seeing yourself be successful, was popularized in the early '90s and has been an important part of sports, and everyday life since. Before you go to sleep, visualize yourself being successful, whether it be giving a presentation, confronting a co-worker, or participating in a race. Be sure to paint a mental picture of yourself, how you are feeling both mentally and physically, and most importantly, you being successful. Visualize your surroundings, and get a sense of what distractions/temporary roadblocks could come up and how you will handle them. Do this repetitively over the course of the weeks before your event, and you will be successful.
Often times when I'm running on a treadmill or spinning I use this technique to push through hard sets. I visualize the top of the hill, the finish line, or my competitor. This always helps me push myself to another level and successfully get through the set.

Let the Training Begin

Yesterday I began my 36 week Ironman Wisconsin training - right now I'm only doing about 8 hours a week, plus 1.5 hours of weight training a week. The longest workout this week will be a 2 hour bike ride on Saturday. I'm in a prepatory phase right now which means I'm getting my body prepared to endure 2 a day workouts and a lot of time in the pool, bike, or on a run. Let the fun begin!!

This week is also the beginning of my triathlon training class at 7 Flags. I've got a great group to work with and I'm extremely excited to be their coach. This week we're focusing on building an aerobic base, as well as focusing on technique drills.