Training to Get Faster
Each month in our newsletter we list some of the improvements of our athletes. This doesn't happen by magic or some special pill, but most of it is from what we do in the off-season. This time of year, right now, is when you get fast for next summer.

The following protocol only pertains to athletes who are time limited, have been training for at least three seasons without injury, and have a sufficient aerobic base. Not to get too technical but if you are an experienced triathlete with a few seasons under your belt and take a month off from triathlon training, I am going to make a huge assumption that you have a sufficient aerobic base. Actually, my assumption isn't too huge.

Within each week, we do have our athletes execute swim drills, bike pedaling drills, and running drills. This is important in the off-season. So is the easy long swim, the easy long bike and the easy long run. The definition of 'long' can be argued but for our purposes at D3 I like to define a long swim as somewhere around an hour. A long bike may be 90 minutes and the long run somewhere between 75 and 90 minutes.

With those two pieces of training out of the way, we get into the 'no fluff' side of training. There are no two ways about it. We hit it hard. Very. Hard. VO2 hard. In the pool, on the bike, on the run (treadmill or outside, weather permitting) and in the weight room.

Dr. Max Testa is considered one of the best cycling coaches in the world. I had the pleasure of listening to him present at my USAT Level III Coaching Certification class in 2005. What I walked away with was that in the words of Dr. Testa. 'strength equals speed'. The stronger you are, the faster you will race. The stronger you are, the more watts you can push on the bike, the faster you can run up a hill, and the faster you can swim. 'Getting stronger' means doing more hard work than you are currently doing, and raising your lactate threshold or MLSS (Maximum Lactate Steady State). Note, I did not say work harder, but do more hard work. There is a big difference there.
Taking this point even further, I looked into what the strength coaches think about strength and endurance. Mike Boyle is the premier strength and conditioning coach in this country and maybe the world. Alwyn Cogrove is an Olympic level strength coach of triathletes, boxers, soccer players and others. It is Alwyn's belief that that maximal strength levels should be achieved prior to endurance or energy system development. Quoting Alwyn, 'If we haven't built up appreciable levels of power, speed or strength, then what the hell are we trying to endure? A low level of power? A low level of speed?' Conditioning coach Mike Boyle once pointed out that:
'It is significantly easier to get an explosive athlete 'in shape', than it is to make an 'in shape' athlete explosive. The first will take weeks the second may take years.'
Does that make any buzzers go off in your head? If you don't have speed and you go out to ride long, what are you learning to endure? Riding slow? Riding at a low level of power? Do you see how riding long, slow miles at 16mph is only going to make you good at 'riding at 16mph? For example, wouldn't you rather build your base speeds up to 20+ mph in training, so that when you add in endurance you can do your long rides at 19-20mph? Even better yet, learning to push 400 watts in training will make pushing 200 watts MUCH easier. A 200 watt average at an ironman race like Arizona or Florida will net a 160 lb. triathlete a 5:15 bike split. Being stronger means going faster.

Next month I'll talk more about specific workouts. In the meantime, take a look at our "12 Week No Fluff Winter Plan" here -
it works. Trust me on this.

2006 Ironman Arizona

After Ironman Hawaii 2005 I had thought about turning professional. It had crossed my mind before, but I had a great day in Hawaii and it really boosted my confidence. After some serious consideration I decided to take the plunge and get my pro license. This would mean I would now be racing against the best the sports has. I knew my chances of qualify for Hawaii were slim since it is even harder to qualify as a professional. This was a sacrifice I was willing to make to make a dream come true. After getting the word from the Global Triathlon Group that I could race professionally I decided to race Ironman Arizona on April 9th. I had raced it last year and liked doing an early season race.

My training was good and steady if not spectacular. I wasn’t in the type of shape I was before Hawaii, but that is to be expected. I just wanted to have a solid day and not be the last finishing pro. While I secretly harbored dreams of winning the race or being in the top 5 I also feared embarrassing myself on the course. I had to focus on myself, do what I could on race day and let the chips fall where they may.

Race morning came and I woke before any of my four alarms could go off. I had my usual breakfast, filled my water bottles and headed to the start. My dad and wife made the early morning trip while my mom, sister and nephew slept in. I was anxious, but having done this race last year I knew where everything was. I pumped up my tires, made sure the bike was ready and took care of my transition and special needs bags. We found an out of the way spot to relax and concentrate on what was ahead. At 6 25 I put on my wetsuit and made my way to the swim start. Being in the Pro Wave, we get a 15 minute head start on the rest of the field. I dove into Tempe Town Lake and started my warm up. The water was nice, not too cold for me as I heat up quickly in the swim. After some cruising around and short accelerations I lined up at the start. It was interesting to see some of the favorites right next to me. No one seemed too concerned and it was as if everyone was at the local coffee stop. We got the word that we were 1 minute from the start and instantly things changed. No one was talking and it was time to get ready.

The cannon blasted and it was time to start the journey. There are two great things about starting up front. One, there are only about 100 athletes starting so it’s not the usual crowded, contact filled beginning. Also, the first 200-300 yards are fast, but not the all out frenzy that happens in the Age Group mass start. I think it’s because everyone knows that it’s a long day and there is no point in red lining it so early.

My plan was to build into the first 400 yards and I was able to do that. I was surprised to find that I wasn’t being left behind and I settled on a set of feet quickly. A group of about 7 of us got in a line and it stayed that way until we hit the turn around buoy. At that point I could see that there were 2-3 athletes in front trying to break away. I decided that I could bridge up to them and draft the faster group. It took some effort, but eventually I was up to the break away. As it turns out the others in the group tucked in behind me and we were all back together. At this point I was a little worried. The pace felt very easy, but when I pulled out of line to accelerate, I couldn’t pass anyone. So I stayed on the feet in front of me. I was mentally prepared to see over an hour. My goal time was 55 to 56 minutes for the swim. Rounding the final buoy I started to think about my transition and visualize myself having a smooth and uneventful T1. I was shocked to see my time. Standing up I could see my watch and it read 55 something. What a great way to start the race.

I kept that positive mentality with me onto the bike. I wanted to start at a steady pace and simply find a rhythm. I was hoping that there would be some other guys around me to key off of, but I was all by myself. The course was three loops and mostly flat with some longer slight uphills thrown in. The first loop was lonely. I passed a few female pros, was passed by two male pros and for the rest of the time I was on my own. I paid a lot of attention to the signals my body was giving me and my new Power Tap. This was my first race using the Power Tap and it was giving me a good signal. My watts were high, almost too high. I was hoping to be near 250 watts but was consistently putting out 300. When I looked at my heart rate I was right where I always am so I knew my effort was right. I figured if my Power Tap was off, then so be it. I wasn’t going to back off since the other signals were spot on. I was trying out a new hydration strategy and must have had a bit too much concentrate in my first bottle since my stomach was became a bit uneasy. It wasn’t too bad, but I have rarely had any type of stomach discomfort while racing. It was hard to get in calories and having some of my nutrition bounce out of my singlet on the rougher sections didn’t help. I stayed steady and by the 2nd loop I was surrounded by age group athletes. Despite the number of people I went relatively unimpeded toward T2. I went back and forth with a few pro men I know from Boulder but after 10 miles of close but legal riding one guy took off while the other blew up. I was racing my race so I was happy with the effort I was putting out. As I neared the end of the ride I was worried about my lack of calorie intake. I thought positively and figured that I would be able to run hard no matter what. My bike ended in 5:00, just off of my sub 5 goal.

Starting the run I knew it wouldn’t be a stellar day. I was hoping to run under 3 hours, but that was not going to happen. My pace wasn’t as fast as I was wanted, but I thought if I didn’t slow down too much I would be fine. I evaluated myself quickly and thought that I could still run under 3:10. The beginning of the run was much like the beginning of the bike, I was completely alone. I saw some pros at mile 2 headed the other way and for the next 8 miles I only saw aid station volunteers. Having no one to chase down or out run was a strange feeling and I kept trying to push myself. It is odd racing in a void. It is hard to gauge your effort and your concentration can easily leave you.

The run was also three loops and was very spectator friendly. Coming by my family I tried to look my best, but I was starting to hurt. By mile 12 I was really wondering how I was going to finish. When I saw my wife for the second time I said “I’m dying”. I didn’t listen for a reply as I shuffled past. I couldn’t get in any calories and the Coke just wasn’t doing it. I simply kept moving forward hoping that things would turn around. Then at mile 17 or so it happened. I cracked. I had never walked a step in 4 previous Ironman marathons, but I couldn’t keep running. I walked a bit and started to run, then walked some more. At the next aid station I walked through taking all the Coke and Gatorade I could. As I started to run again I began to feel better. My stride rate picked up and mentally it was a great boost. I said I would run to the next aid station, but when I got to it I was able to keep running. My pace was quickening and I knew at this point I would at least finish. I did walk another aid station at mile 22 and ran the rest of the way in.

Crossing the line I was completely spent. When I stopped my whole body just shut down and I crumbled to the ground. The volunteers came to pick me up, but I didn’t want to move. Finally the grabbed me under the arms and dragged me away to the med tent. I actually felt OK, it was just the sudden stop that made my body shut down. After lying down and getting some food I felt OK and walked out to see my family.

We went out for some food at a restaurant close by and we chatted about the long day. My family went back to the hotel while my wife and I met up with an athlete that I coach who had come with his wife to see the race. We sat in the bleachers watching finishers come through in droves. It really is special to watch them as they finish their long day. For some it is obviously their first and the excitement is incredible. Others are ecstatic because of their time, while others are just happy to be done.

Until next time…
AJ Johnson

If you live to be 80 years old, you will have spent 698,880 hours on earth. My race at Ironman Hawaii took me a total of 9:22:36, just a fraction of my potential life span. But what a difference that fraction can make.

I arrived in Kona on October 8, one week before the big day. My best friend Ryan and I had a direct flight from Denver and settled in to the Kona Seaside Hotel. Our accomodations were right by the Pier. It was a perfect location. While there were some Ironman athletes around, it was still pretty light and getting in and out of the water for my morning swims was easy. While I spent the day resting or doing short rides and runs, Ryan was driving all around the Big Island seeking out waterfalls and places off the beaten path. Things went smoothly, I registered on Tuesday, and was getting good sleep every night. Since we were trying to do things on a budget, Ryan had brought his camping stove along and each night we would boil water and have rice or pasta and add boiled chicken in for protein. Breakfast was oatmeal or cereal as our room had a small fridge, and we ate a lot of PB&J's for lunch. Thankfully on Wednesday my parents arrived and we moved to a condo about 1 mile south of the pier. It was more of the same, eat, sleep, run a bit.

I did drive out to Hawi and rode the final miles of the climb to the turnaround. Although I remember it from 2004, I wanted it fresh in my mind so I would have no surprises on race day. Thursday my wife Courtney came in and finally the whole gang was in Hawaii. I love having everyone there with me. It's so fun to be able to share this experience with those you care about. I was pretty calm all week. I knew that I had put in all the solid training I needed and had no doubts on my preparation. Besides, what can you do in 3 days to make things different? I had all of my transition and special needs bags prepped and ready. I went through them about 5 times to make sure everything was in place and then took them down Friday night for T1 and T2 bag drop off and bike check in. It all went accordingly and it was back to the condo for pasta and chicken. I always have pasta and chicken the night before a race. We gathered around the table, my dad made a little toast, and dug in. Around 8 I retired to the bedroom to watch Gladiator on my computer. I went to bed around 9 and slept well 3:45 came early and I didn't need all 4 alarms that I set.

I got up, and went straight to the kitchen for breakfast. Breaky consists of 1/2 cup Bear Mush (think Cream of Wheat) with 1/2 a banana and some honey. After that I sip on some PowerBar Endurance until about 30 minutes till start. My dad dropped us off as near as he could to the pier. Court, Ryan and I walked the last 1/4 mile to the start. Ryan went off on his own after wishing me good luck and Court and I got in the line for special needs drop off and body marking. Since Court is photographer she has a media pass that let's her come into transition with me. It's great because not only do I have someone to chat with, but she can help carry the bags, pump, water bottle and other stuff I lug around. I got to my bike, pumped up the tires, filled my AeroDrink, made sure the shoes were in the right spot and the bike was in the right gear and headed out. Now I have an hour to kill before I need to get in the water. Unfortunately, Courtney and I got separated and I couldn't find her. I made my way to the spot my parents and I agreed on and waited. I did some stretching and arm circles and hope Court would show up before the start.

My parents arrived and we took some last minute photos. Unfortunatlely Court never showed. It was the first time ever that I didn't see her before the start of a race. I took of my wedding ring, kissed it and put it in my bag, I normally would hand it to Court. I tell her that I race to get back to my ring and her, so it was odd not having her there. 6:40 and time to get in the water. There are 1800 people trying to get in at once so it's congested to say the least. I bumped into a good friend of mine and client named Gary. He and I waded in to our knees and watched the pros jostled for positon. I turned to Gary and told him what I always tell myself during a race or hard training day, "Where would you rather be today?" Here we are at the pinnacle of Ironman racing and it was great. We wished each other good luck and swam into the Pacific. In 2004 I started right up front on the inside, and it didn't work well. So I started up front, just on the outside. All 1800 age group competitors were bobbing in the water and you could feel the electricity.

Without warning the cannon fired and off we went. There was the usual contact, with one individual trying to punch me in the side to make room for himself. After a little hand to hand combat I got a bit of clear water and moved up. I didn't see any buoys for a while, but I had about twenty people to my left and right so I knew I was on course. I caught a good draft and just waited to hit land.

We finally got back to the pier and I crossed the mat in just under an hour. The change tent was crazy. Lots of guys all rushing to get on helmets, sunglasses, race tops and get out to their bike. My transition was uneventful and I got out to my bike and on my way. The first 10 miles or so are done as a loop in town and they are very fast. I hit mile 5 and saw my parents cheering by the side of the road. I hit the turnaround point, saw the family again and made my way out to the Queen K. Early on I just try to settle in, get some calories down and find a rhythm. I downed 1/2 a PowerBar after 30 minutes and settled in for a long ride. I had a lot of guys going by me at this point. I knew from last year that the winds don't pick up until 25 miles past town so I bided my time. Well, the winds didn't pick up like they normally do. I debated on pushing a bit more, but the winds can pick up any time and turn a great ride into a suffer-fest in a hurry. I kept downing my PowerBars, Endurance and salt tablets on a regular interval. My stomach was fine, the legs were good and my pace was faster than I was hoping for. The last miles to the turnaround in Hawi the wind picked up a little, but it was nothing like 2004. I spun up to Hawi and grabbed my special needs bag. I grabbed more Endurance, another PowerBar and a PowerGel. I made my way back to town. The winds stayed calm and it was a fast ride in. I stood up a bit on the climbs to stretch my back and use some different muscles. I finished the ride in 5:10, around what I was hoping for.

In to the tent again for another manic change. I put on new top, slipped on shoes, my D3 visor, sunglasses and a volunteer put some Vaseline under my arms. On my way out some volunteers lathered me up with sunscreen and I was ready to go. For the first few miles I just settled in to a pace that I was comfortable with and let the legs go. They came around really quick and I felt good from the start. The first 10 miles are an out and back along the shore. This is the only spot where there are spectators. It's relatively flat with a few rollers. There's a good amount of shade, but no wind to keep you cool. My stomach was good and the Coke and water were going down well. Through this portion I felt great and would pick out a runner ahead, focus on them until I passed them, and found another target. I made my way up Palani Road, a steep incline about 1/4 mile long. There's a lot of people cheering on this section because it's slow and painful, perfect for spectating. You make a left on to the Queen K again and start the long 5.5 mile section to the Natural Energy Lab. This portion of the run can be brutal. There's no shade, no crowd and it's mostly a slight uphill. I had run this section earlier in the week to be mentally prepared for this part. I saw Ryan on the road with his camera and he cheered me on. I hit the 1/2 way point of the run and saw that I was on pace for a 3:05 marathon. This really got me motivated and I just wanted to hold things together. I felt great and kept picking off groups of runners. Making the left down into the Energy Lap I saw my friend and occasional training partner, Michael Lovato. He was obviously having a tough day and struggling to move forward. I gave him some words of encouragement as I went by and he gave me some words of encouragement. The bottom of the Energy Lab is the hottest point of the race. The air gets hot and heavy and it seems like the temperature goes up 10 degrees. Coming out of the Energy Lab I knew that if I could just hold it together I'd have a great time. With 10k to go I just focused on each aid station. I kept taking Coke, water and Gatorade at every station. The final mile of the run is great, except for the hard downhill going down Palani Road. It is murder on your quads after 24 miles. I knew I was going to finish, and have a new PR to boot. Coming down Ali'i Dr. was amazing. I was giving the fans high fives and pumping my fist. I saw my parents again and gave my dad a high five. I was looking for Courtney since she is always at the finish line and saw her with her camera in hand, snapping photos. As I crossed the line she and two volunteers came to help me. I grabbed Courtney and hugged her as hard as I could. One volunteer put a lei around my neck and the other gave me a towel. I put my arm around Courtney and started to make my way to the food.

I had just run a 3:06 marathon to finish in 9:22:36. It was over an hour faster than my time last year, and a new IM P.R. by 20 minutes. I couldn't believe what I had just done and I was in disbelief. I saw my parents and gave them the biggest hug I could manage. Ryan showed up and we were all back together after a long day. After a few pieces of pizza, I walked to the table to get my finisher's medal and shirt. I started to feel a bit dizzy so I went to the med tent and put my feet up for a bit. I felt better so we made our way to a restaurant that overlooks the finish line. I ordered a burger, fries and the biggest Coke I could get. It was great to finally relax and enjoy looking back on an amazing day. After dinner Courtney, Ryan and I made our way to the finish and watched people come in for an hour. It was really cool to see some of the over 60 competitors come in. They are truely inspirational. We made our way back to the condo and it was time for bed.

The next week was spent sleeping in, body-surfing and eating. It was a great way to recover from the effort and spend time with my family. I couldn't have imagined a better trip. The race was more than I dared to dream of and an experience I will never forget.