70.3 Run Analysis Chart

I was pretty happy to set a personal best for the run at the 70.3 World Champs in South Africa.

Previously, my standalone-half marathon personal best was 1:43. This was done in the tropical heat of Singapore. I had tried to beat it a few times in similar conditions but both times only achieved 1:44s.

So how did I hit a 1:38 after the swim and ride? The obvious answer was that I benefited from the cooler weather and of course more training.

But to be sure, I did an analysis of my past five 70.3 runs.

Objective:
Determine why my WC run was so much faster than my previous personal best.

Hypothesis
The run was fast due to the cool weather and my bigger base of training, which included speed work.

Items to look for

1. Do the VIs from the bike leg prior have any affect on the run?
2. Was there any correlation with heart rate?
3. How did the CTL, ATL, and TSB affect the run, if at all?
4. Did nutrition play a role?

In the chart above (broken up into two for easier reading) it is clear that the variable contributing most to the faster run, is indeed the weather.

I can't find any correlation between other items (see list above).



Definitions
RPE: Rate of Perceived Exertion, on a scale of 1-20. 20 = being so hard that you leave nothing in the tank. Basically, you are in a world of hurt.

HR: Heart rate

VI: Variability Index. This shows the smoothness of your power output on the bike. It is calculated by dividing Normalized Power by Average Power. A VI of 1.05 is considered the highest acceptable for the ride segment of a triathlon. Anything higher shows that you 'burned too many matches' or made too many power spikes, which will detract from your run.

CTL: Cumulative training efforts over the last 42 days. The higher this is, the more trained you are.

ATL: Fatigue over the past week.

TSB: Form. TSB = yesterday's fitness - yesterday's fatigue. The higher this is, the more rested you are.

Triathlon Training: The Value of a Coach

In 2016, despite having completed my fourth half IRONMAN, I didn’t believe I could do a full IRONMAN. The training load was just too demanding. I thought I would break under the pressure or burn out before I could even make it to the starting line. Injuries, work, family demands, travel. The list of excuses was long and real.

But for some reason, in late January of 2016, I decided it was time. I had done enough 70.3s, a few marathons, and an ultramarathon. And I still wasn’t an IRONMAN. So, I Googled triathlon coaches in Singapore and found one that was also a physiotherapist.

I was just recovering from a torn plantar fascia, and thought it would be ideal if I could be coached and be treated by the same guy. So, I emailed Bevan from Singapore Physio. He was at capacity, so he referred me to Colin O’Shea, who run COS Coaching. Check him out here: http://www.coscoaching.com/

I contacted Colin, not knowing what to expect. But after a quick conversation with him, I knew he’d be able to see me through my IRONMAN goal.

So, for the next 9 months and 394 workouts; 106 swims, 147 bike rides, and 141 runs, Colin dutifully prescribed me training sessions, advised me on strategy, and pushed me to my peak. On day one, I set three goals:

      1.       Break my half-marathon record (completed in April at the 2XU run)

      2.       Shatter my 70.3 personal best (done in August at Bintan)

      3.       Complete a full IRONMAN (read on)

My schedule looked approximately like this, with some variation:

• Monday: Rest
• Tuesday: Run and swim
• Wednesday: Cycle
• Thursday: Cycle then brick run
• Friday: Cycle or run
• Saturday: Swim and bike or run
• Sunday: Swim and bike or run

We used TrainingPeaks to schedule and analyse the workouts. This allows for in-depth dissection of the metrics that matter. TrainingPeaks also his its own metrics that I couldn’t live without, even if I were training without a coach. Things like Intensity Factor, Pa:HR, and Pw:HR.

This led to me studying and learning more about the streams of numbers I was generating and developing much greater insight into the causes and effects of what I was doing.

And along the way, while following Colin’s schedules, I found myself getting faster and stronger. In March, my FTP was 222, and in July it reached 257. My half-marathon in April was accomplished in a personal best of 1:44.

And in August, I reached my second goal, obliterating my 5:35 70.3 time and replacing that record with a 5:14. And I can’t forget coming in 2^nd in the bike split time for my age group in the 70.3 Cebu: 2:29. All I did was follow his orders, give feedback, and ask questions when needed.

Finally, I completed a full IRONMAN, minus the swim. It was cancelled due to sharks. Read about it here: http://cogblog-andrew.blogspot.sg/

 

Here are the key benefits of having a coach:

      1.       Structured and “correct” training plans and workouts

      2.       Someone that can answer technical questions, help with race strategy, nutrition, and more

      3.       Having someone constantly monitor what you do and how you do it – great for discipline

      4.       Positive motivation

      5.       Knowledge sharing and social interaction with other athletes under that same coach

Drawbacks of having a coach:

      A.      There is a cost

      B.       See #3 above

      C.       Some athletes may benefit from learning how to build their own training plans

So, do I have a coach now? No, because I’ve committed to spending time with my kids in 2018 and entering them in races. Looks like I’m the coach now.

I’m still training for as many races this year as I did last year, but no full IRONMANs as it’s a bit too demanding. There’s no point having a coach when I’m only kind of training part-time. But when I do go back, I know which coach I’ll call.

Which is Harder? A Half IRONMAN or a Full Marathon?

There have been quite a few discussions comparing the difficulty of a half IRONMAN with a full marathon, (Slowtwitch, Beginner Triathlete, and Cool Running) and I have thought a lot about it too, as I have done a few of each.

On the Slowtwitch forum, it's no surprise that most [triathletes there] think the triathlon is easier. Just about 42 of 42 people posting in the Slowtwitch forum agreed that a marathon is harder than a half IRONMAN. If we posted a question about the difficulty learning to play the drums vs the guitar on a guitar forum, you know what the answer would be.

The consensus from Beginner Triathlete and even Cool Running pretty much is the same, agreeing that a full marathon is harder.

The fact is, the one that's easier will be the one that you have trained the most for, that you love the most, and that you simply have a natural ability for. That's all there is to it.

However, if you only have experience in one (marathons or triathlons), and you want to know whether to consider entering the other, it's a fair question. Before I had ever done a half IRONMAN, I asked friends if it would be as hard as a marathon.

Let's break the events down into the following:

Training, Equipment, Preparation
The sheer complexity of training for a triathlon certainly beats just running. It requires much more planning, logistics, equipment, equipment maintenance, and don't forget, time.

I love the simplicity of just lacing up your shoes, and running out the door. There's no equipment to fiddle with, nothing extra to buy, nothing to break down, just you, your shoes, and the ground.

Figuring out a training plan that properly incorporates swimming, biking, and running in the right proportions and correct order is hard. With marathon training, you just run enough to avoid injury (not necessarily that simple), rest properly, and get some long runs in (30+k). While there are dozens of both marathon and half IRONMAN training programs to choose from, making a running-only plan work is much easier.

I might only run 7 hours a week while training for a marathon; my half IRONMAN requirements are 8-11 hours. I can do the 7 hours before my family is even out of bed; once I hit half IRONMAN training durations, it eats into my family's time. Especially when the pool is closed before dawn and the long bike rides may go more than 4 hours.

The complexities continue: Re-learning to swim well, finding a good pool that's easy to get to, getting a bike fit on your road bike to be suitable for a tri, buying a tri bike, fixing flats, adjusting the bike, finding nutrition and hydration storage on the bike, the list goes on.

The only reason I can think of why half IRONMAN training could be easier for some people is because of the variety it offers, especially for someone who doesn't love running. The fatigue and monotony of running day-in and day-out can take a toll over the 12, 16, or even 20 weeks you may be training for either event.

Completing vs. Competing
Some athletes race to compete, others are just happy to complete. This is all about how hard you exert yourself during the race. It also contributes to the difficulty of the training before the race - if you only need to complete an event, you may not put as much effort or energy into the training, you may miss some sessions, and you may not be as disciplined.

Personally, I am not happy to just complete any race. I have to do so as fast as I possibly can, racing against a personal goal. I can derive this personal goal from a past result of a prior race or from training. This is why if I can't put in the full training required, I will not race. A lot of my friends have said I'm ready for a full IRONMAN, and I know I could complete it, but I'm not ready to do it unless I can complete it well.

I believe the 42.2km of brutal pounding your body takes in a full marathon, when done at a level to compete, is worse than in a half IRONMAN in which you take a cool swim, do a paced spin on the bike (and coast, drink water, eat food - what luxury!), before doing a half-marathon run at the end (shorter than any long run you will have done in your marathon program).

Running means you carry your full body weight with you (not so on the swim or bike). Running means you subject your body to thousands of falls to the ground, creating impact your body may not want to take (not so on the swim or bike). Running means you cannot coast, glide, roll, or slide (not so on the swim or bike).

You may think that if you can finish a marathon in, say, 4 hours, but it takes you at least 5 or 6 hours to do a half IRONMAN, the marathon is easier. But because it's full-impact body pounding the entire time, the marathon is harder.

If you are only there to complete, a half IRONMAN is definitely easier due to the variety and the fact that swimming and cycling take less of a toll on your body than running. I have seen people walk the half IRONMAN run in its entirety and still finish well within the time limit. Try walking a marathon - you won't finish in time.

If you are racing to compete, whichever you have trained the most for and are better at will be easier.

Recovery
Again, the pounding your body takes running 42.2 km is greater than swimming 1.9, cycling 90, and running a measly 21.1.

That being said, after I finished the Seoul Marathon in March of 2015, I had no problems exploring the city, shopping, taking trains and taxis all over, and doing touristy sightseeing into the night. But I had trained very well for it.

Three weeks later, I finished the Putrajaya 70.3 in Malaysia, and needed a full day to recover. I was shattered. But I did no cycling training and very little swim training.

Conclusion
Which is harder? Plumbing or carpentry? Oil painting or watercolor? American football or soccer? Depends who you ask. Depends on what you know. Depends on what you have trained for.

But all things being equal, the act of running a marathon is physically more demanding than any half IRONMAN. Some in the Slowtwitch forum even think a marathon is harder than a full IRONMAN, because the pace is faster. You see more people walking the run leg of a full IRONMAN than a normal marathon.

10 ways to improve your triathlon time

A beginner's guide to a faster triathlon

There's no getting away from dozens of dedicated swimming, cycling, and running sessions if you are going to perform well at a triathlon, but the gains can be slow and hard-won. If two hours of running can only give you a 10-second gain (hypothetically), how many of those tough runs do you have to do to hit your goal?

There are more efficient ways of cutting your time, that don't involve endless hours of sweat or weeks of trial and error. You still have to commit to those endless hours of sweat, but in addition, you can consider the following. Each requires minimal effort but can cut your time considerably:

1. Case the joint - Free

OK, you aren't robbing the transition area, but if you scope it out in advance (the night before for an IRONMAN or Half IRONMAN) you may be able to steal a few seconds. In particular, look for your spot, marked by your bib number and maybe your name, and walk the transition. If it's a shorter race, and you can't visit the transition area the night before, arrive early.

Your spot will be marked with your bib number

Walk to the swim area. Then, walk the route from the swim, entering the transition area. Make note of where the timing sensor is, and the direction you'll have to trot, the shortest way to your bike. Then, walk from your spot to the "Bike Out" sign, and pay attention to where the line on the ground is. That is, the line before which you cannot mount your bike.

Next, look for where the bikes come in, where you'll enter, and trace your way back to the bike. Finally, follow the most direct path to the "Run Out" sign. Memorise this. Before I go to sleep, I like to replay it in my head, making clear note of each exit and entrance.

Some people attach balloons to their bike to make their spot easy to find, but I think that's amateurish and inconsiderate (they may get tangled in other people's things.) Some people will bring a bright towel which they will notice as they run up towards their bike. In the Bintan 70.3 I placed a large leaf on the ground in front of my bike.

2. Practice the transition - Free

Well before the event, you can set up a mock transition, complete with everything you'll have in your race. Bike, helmet, sunglasses, bike shoes, race belt, running shoes, sunglasses, etc. Then practice running up to your transition, getting on the bike, cycling, getting off the bike, and doing the run.

This is a good time to learn how to push your bike from the saddle while jogging in the transition area - it shouldn't swerve or fall, but roll in the direction you push it.

3. Ditch the gloves - Free

Save time, have one less thing to carry, worry about, and deal with.

4. Use elastic race laces - $5 - $15

Don't fiddle with normal shoe strings when putting your running shoes on. Get elastic laces. I like Nathan Lock Laces.

5. Use a race belt - $10-$20

Forget about pinning your bib to your tri suit. Just string the elastic ends of the race belt through the holes in the bib and wear that for the cycle and the run. To the rear on the bike, and to the front while running.

6. Wear a tri suit - $50 - $350

Changing clothes will slow you down. Wear only one thing for all three stages. A triathlon suit will have minimal padding (don't want to swim with sponges between your legs), no sleeves, and a zipper in the front. You will feel equally at ease swimming, cycling, and running in it. Try to find one that has gel padding, not sponge. It'll last longer and absorb less water.

It might not look very fashionable...

...but you swim, cycle (and run) in the same thing.

In cooler climates, you may wear a wet suit - but here in the tropics we don't need those so I'm only commenting on what to wear in hot weather.

7. Use aero bars - $80 - $500

Aero bars clipped on to my road bike

If you're using a road bike, the most effective thing you can do to make yourself faster, especially over a 70.3 or full IRONMAN is to use aero bars. For just a hundred or two, you'll get close to the position you would be in on a tri bike, shaving minutes on a half IRONMAN.

8. Wear triathlon cycling shoes - $100 - $400

Tri bike shoes usually have only one strap (as opposed to two or three for road bike shoes), and that strap may open the opposite way road shoes do. This makes it easier to quickly pull the velcro open from the inside of your foot to the outside. They also tend to have holes in them to allow water to drain out so your wet feet can dry off before the run. Last, they may have little loops to allow you to thread a rubber band through them and connect them to your bike, while they're clipped in to the pedals.

9. Get a bike fit - $100 - $500

Personally, I believe this to be one of the best investments you can make. In fact, I'd do this before buying any bike equipment or anything of real value. A bike fit expert will ensure you're seated in the optimum position to get the most power out of your body without compromising on comfort, all the while staying aerodynamic. Do it, it's well worth the pain you won't feel in your neck!

Here I am getting my road bike better fit for tris

I did this at Loue Bicycles (Singapore). Ask for Timothy - you will thank me later.

10. Wear an aero helmet - $150 - $500

You may look like an alien, but you will also be fast(er). This is one of those things you do before dropping $3k on a new wheelset, as the time gains vs the cost are well worth it.

Running in North Korea

Back in September I took a trip to North Korea, or DPRK, just for fun. I had read a lot about it for the past decade or so and I wanted to see what it was like for myself...my thoughts on that are long and not related to cycling or running.

So while there I just had to run. Problem is, visitors are not allowed out much on their own. Luckily, I was allowed to go out alone just around the parking lot of our hotel, Yanggakdo International Hotel. It's not big, but it was enough to get a mild workout done.

Situated on a tiny island on the Taedong river, the river that runs through Pyongyang, the Yanggakdo has a guarded gate. That was the limit to where I was told I could wander / run.

Google Maps view of the Yanggakdo Hotel

I explored the limits, running up to the gate, as far as I possibly could, without crossing it - despite the fact that the 'guard' was asleep.

It wasn't clear whether or not I could leave the boundaries of the hotel and go right up to the water, on the sidewalk along the river. This would mean leaving the hotel but where could I go? So I tried it and found it to be a great run - a well-maintained waterfront walkway, circling the outermost edges of the hotel.

A fairly pleasant place to run

Of course I recorded the run on Strava. No GPS devices are allowed in DPRK, so instead of bringing my Garmin 910xt (the watch) or the much-more-GPS-like Garmin Edge 705, I brought my phone, and used it in airplane mode (GPS signals are still available).

I created a segment from the hotel entrance to the gate, and I believe this was the first segment ever created in North Korea - I could find no others. Check it out here: Escape from Yanggakdo. However, others had run this route before I had, as evidenced by the segment results. There was even one other tourist out for a morning run while I was.

Turns out Pedro Queiroz has me beat by 10 seconds.

Here's a short video I shot of my run:


The locals run too, but they do it more freely. (I suppose "freely" is a relative term.) On a trip around the city I spotted a cool picture of a runner in front of one of the many stadia.

A painting of a heroic runner at the Kim Il Sung stadium

Also, the Pyongyang marathon is on 13 April, two days before Kim Il-Sung's birthday. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it, but would love to.

Trips to the Pyongyang Marathon are run by Koryo Tours, the same group I went to DPRK with. Find out more on their site.

Training for an 8-Hour Enduro

The Challenge
In just four weeks I'll be racing in an 8-hour off-road enduro. It was just announced a few days ago and I'm not really prepared. This leaves little time to train, but enough time to develop a strategy.

I'm most concerned with the following:
1. Hydration & Nutrition
2. Pace Strategy
3. Psychological State
4. Training

Here I am finishing a lap in last year's 12-hour night race

Hydration & Nutrition
I tend to not drink enough water, which is a real mistake in this oppressive, tropical heat of Singapore. Last year I did the first few laps with no water - I felt fine - but then about 6 hours in I was too dehydrated to push on. The ultimate way to learn.

Lucky for me, I have a good friend to coach me and monitor me for this race who knows what he's doing. He'll be racing vicariously through me - he's down with a broken ankle (from being drunk in Korea I hear). He has been racing and riding for maybe 20 years (me - only 4) and if I follow his advice I'm sure I'll benefit tremendously.

Because this race is in the format of laps around a course, with the winner determined by how many laps he or she completes over the period of 8 hours, I'll see him each lap. We'll have a pit and he'll be there (drinking beer I'm sure) and ordering me to follow his instructions on what to eat and drink.

For my long road rides (100km or more) or off-road races (usually about 45km) I fuel myself with Hammer Perpetuem. It provides me with the sustenance to feel neither full nor hungry, and prevents me from bonking. I've tested it enough to know that I need one scoop (135 calories) per hour.

Hammer recommends drinking a few sips of water after each slug of Perpetuem; I consume about 600ml of water per 4 scoops, which would amount to 1.2 litres over this race. This is following Hammer's "Multi-Hour Bottle" approach. Obviously that's not nearly enough water for hydration, just to make the solution go down.

Another approach Hammer offers is "The One-Hour Bottle", which they say is best when racing with support. For me, (one scoop per hour) it'll mean I mix a scoop in a bottle, fill it with water, and drink one an hour.

The benefit of this over the "Multi-Hour Bottle" is that it fulfills more hydration requirements. The drawback is it will only last one hour, not four. But that's OK because I'll have the option of stopping in the pit every lap, which is 6.8 km long.

In addition, I'll need plenty of other liquids, specifically more water and some kind of energy drink with electrolytes.

Then I'll need some more immediate energy source, like gels or some other sugars.

Pace Strategy
For all the mountain bike races I've ever done, even one 12-hour night race (which I didn't finish), I've always thought the best pace strategy is to start hard and fast, and grab a good position early on, and hold it till the end, if possible.

However, for a race this long, I think I'll just treat it like a ride. I will not attempt to secure a leading position at any time. I will just pace myself, steadily and consistently. I hope that my first few laps are not much faster than my final laps. Unless, of course, I somehow find that I have energy during those last few laps. Then I can nail it. But I don't foresee this happening.

I know myself. I will burn myself out too early if I'm not careful. 8 hours is a long time.

If I really pace myself so consistently, I believe others will drop out towards the end and I will be able to finish (respectably - say, the top half)! I'd be happy with that.

Psychological State
This relates to the pace strategy, in that I need to be mentally relaxed, and not over-anxious to hammer it when getting passed by dozens and dozens of others.

Last year - at this stage, late into the night, my psychological state was bordering on delirious

I need to strike a balance between staying competitive, to place as high as possible, yet having fun and still enjoying it. Once it stops being fun it's not worth it.

Next, I need to leave all mechanical and nutritional burdens to my crew, and not let them weigh on my mind.

Finally, some athletes use imagery or visualization to imagine the course, the lines, the actions, from a first-person point of view. This is said to reinforce the pathways between the brain and the body and can result in better coordination and technique. I'm not too sure about it but I can try it.

Training
Given the fact that I only have one month, I won't be able to train to a state of being fully ready to complete this race, on form, at a high level of fitness. But I have built up a decent base of mileage over the past 6 months. Last week I only did 162 km (exactly 100 miles), and I lack the endurance needed for this race.

I'll raise my plan a bit to include more frequent morning rides, and even longer weekend rides. I normally only do two morning rides (35-45km each), and a 120km weekend ride. I should do three morning rides and 162km for the weekend.

This weekend I will recon the course with my crippled alcoholic coach and try to find out the exact course. This will help me in the earlier point - psychological state - in that if I am keenly aware of the turns, berms, boulders and flats - the whole topography - I'll have that much more of an edge.

Last, one bold thing I could attempt ("could" and "attempt" being key) is my own 8-hour ride. Go to the course one weekend and see how many laps I can complete! That would be the ultimate and would set a real, actionable and meaningful benchmark for the final event.

The Course

Choosing a GPS Device for Strava: Mobile Phone or GPS?

I'm going to assume you know what Strava is - the website that times and maps your rides (or runs) and then compares them with others who have done the same ride or part of ride. You record the ride using a GPS device, and when finished, upload it to the Strava site and can then see how fast you were compared to others.

A screen capture of the Strava interface

I have been using Strva now for about nine months, starting with an iPhone. I always carry my phone with me on rides in case I get injured badly enough that I need to call for help or for other emergencies, so this is convenient.

With a mobile device (iOS or Android) you must download the Strava app, and then start it when you begin your ride. When you finish, click "end ride" and the data automatically upload to the Strava site. This is alwasy very easy for me, except about 2-3 times when the app has failed to record my rides. Strava has since rewritten the app and I don't think these bugs exist any more.

In November I bought a Garmin GPS from a neighbor who rides and who recently bought a newer Garmin. It came with the heart rate monitor and cadence sensor. I installed the cadence sensor on my road bike, and use the heart rate monitor on both road and off-road rides.

To use the Garmin is a bit more complex - first you have to ensure you have recieved a satellite signal, which I find can be difficult if you are moving or if the sky is very cloudy. (The iPhone gets a signal immediately via its 3G connection). Then, you have to press "Start/Stop" when you begin the ride and when you end.

The next step is to connect the Garmin to your computer with the USB cable (which also doubles as a charger). Now forget about the Garmin Connect site. Go to Strava.com, download some applet or driver from the site (which I had trouble doing in Chrome on a PC but no issues with in Chrome on a Mac), and the site will detect your Garmin.

Finally, you need to click on "Upload Activity" and subsequently select the events (rides) it finds in your Garmin using checkboxes, and hit "Upload". You can then name the ride, crop it, specify which bike you were on, and add comments or notes about it ("Saw pink pangolin" "Kristan made me sniff his gloves").

It will include any heart rate and cadence data that your mobile phone can't record.

So which is better? Originally I thought the Garmin would be superior for Strava, but eventually I realized the iPhone has its distinct advantages. Here are the pros and cons I see in each:

Mobile
Pros

• No need to buy a new device if you already have an iPhone or Android
• Upload happens instantly after the ride - no need to connect to your computer. Great when you ride fast in the morning and then rush off to work and don't have time to upload it manually.
• Can record speed, distance, and location even underground, in carparks, under heavy clouds or other places a GPS-only device cannot. This is due to its 3G connection. This is a major bonus for me.
• The app interface lets you see your speeds, history, records, and more - it even synchs with rides you did on your Garmin meaning it'll show your full Strava history

Cons

• Doesn't show real-time data - meaning during a ride distance or speed at any given moment will be wrong. Major drawback
• Doesn't record heart rate or cadence
• The elevation it records is amusingly innacurate - sometimes speeds are too - but the mapping and distance are accurate
• Drains your battery but has never killed mine - can easily handle 5-6 hours of recording so not an issue unless you'll be riding longer than that

GPS (Garmin)
Pros

• Real-time monitoring - this is invaluable to me, especially when I'm racing
• Has many other awesome features that could help you be a faster or more efficeint rider like averages (speed, cadence, heart rate), total distance traveled, sunrise and sunset, tons of data
• Specific to Strava, the heart rate and cadence are important in calculating the Strava Sufferscore, an estimation of how much pain you endured which considers heart rate level, distance, time, and more.
• Depending on the model you have you can see where you are on a map. Even some of the older Garmins that don't support maps can still help in navigation by at least showing your compass heading and a trail of where you have been.
• Water, mud, and crashproff to some degree

Cons

• They're kind of expensive once you buy the heart rate monitor and cadence sensor
• If you leave it plugged into your computer to charge it, then shut off your computer, its battery may simply run down without you knowing it - a big bummer when your ride starts (that's when you use the iPhone as backup)
• Spotty satellite reception at times, and slow to pick it up (up to 5 minutes)

If I had to choose one I'd still go for the Garmin, only for the invaluable race and training data I get from the heart rate monitor and cadence sensor.