Tri-Maine Series - Training & Preparation

Powermeters: The Latest Training Tool for Triathletes

By Thomas Murray, M.D.

Over the past 10 years, heart rate monitors have become common training tools for triathletes, cyclists and runners. Training programs based upon percentages of threshold heart rate have proved effective in helping athletes train at certain pre-determined intensity levels so as to improve the amount of work that can be performed at threshold and to help gauge effort during training and competition.

Now with lower cost technology coming to market, many triathletes and cyclists have discovered the latest training tool – the powermeter.

A powermeter provides cyclists with real-time information about the amount of work they are performing based upon the force being applied to the pedals as measured by wattage. Unlike a heart rate monitor, which captures the slow rise in heart rate as aerobic effort is increased, a powermeter provides a cyclist with immediate feedback about the intensity of the current effort.

By training and racing with a powermeter, a triathlete can gauge his current effort in relation to his functional threshold power (FTP) e.g., the maximum average wattage that can be sustained over a one-hour time trial. For example, if a triathlete with an FTP of 300 watts finds he is pushing 500 watts on a climb during the bike leg of a competition, he can back it off quickly without going into the red zone. Conversely, an athlete using a heart rate monitor only to gauge effort might discover too late that he has gone too hard too early in the race. Since heart rate is a lagging indicator of actual physiological effort, this athlete may quickly be overcome with lactic acid and be forced to slow down to recover before resuming a well-paced race effort.

During a sprint triathlon like the Iron Bear or the Wild Bear, a triathlete using a powermeter may decide to dial-in their wattage at 95% to 100% of threshold during the bike leg of the competition. In the example above, the triathlete with an FTP of 300 would select a wattage range between 285 watts and 300 watts. With the aid of real-time feedback from the powermeter, this triathlete will be able to increase effort if wattage falls below 285 and decrease effort if it rises about 300. As a result, this triathlete is able to contain his effort within a sustainable range and maximize efficiency on the bike. Without expending undue energy, this triathlete will have plenty left in the tank for the all-important run to follow.

Have you used a powermeter to train? Have you found it to be effective?

Look for future entries of racing and training with power in this blog.

Dr. Thomas Murray, an avid cyclist, is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He is President of the Maine Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Dynamic Warm-up

Michael J. Mullin, ATC

Dynamic warm-up and flexibility
Flexibility is a key component to athletic performance enhancement and injury prevention. By being able to move more freely and efficiently, the body is always in a better position to respond to the next task. As with every aspect of your training program, you should maintain an awareness of your body position and mechanics while performing every repetition of every exercise. An increased cognizance of how your body moves during controlled activity has tremendous carry-over to athletic participation. For all exercises, repeat 10-15 repetitions for each side where appropriate.

Finger floor touches
Stand with feet a little wider than hip width apart and your back straight. Staring straight ahead, go down and try to touch the floor with your fingertips while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Exhale while you reach and inhale upon your return. Make sure to have knee travel in a straight line towards the second toe.

Palm floor touches
Stand with feet a little wider than hip width apart and feet slightly pointed outwards. Keeping back straight, go down and try to touch the floor with your palms while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Exhale while you reach and inhale upon your return. Make sure to have knee travel in a straight line towards the second toe at all times.

Leg swings
Standing on left leg with right leg suspended and your arms in running stride position, swing your right leg while counter swinging your let arm.

Knee to chest
Standing, grasp one knee with both hands and bring it towards your chest. Lower and repeat on the opposite side. Go up onto the toes of the opposite foot while grasping leg as able.

Lunging with torso twists
Starting in a standing position with arms crossed out in front at shoulder height, step forward onto your right in a large step position. Making sure to keep front foot planted, drop back knee towards the ground while rotating body to the right. Pushing off from the right foot, return to starting position and then immediately perform the same on the left side. Focus on extending through the hip. Repeat 10 times on each side.

Leg grabs
Grasp one leg at the knee and ankle and pull it towards you rotating the hip while walking, then repeat the same on the opposite side.

Resisted running
Stand facing a wall with feet about 3 feet from the wall. Lean forward into the wall so both hands are on the wall at shoulder height. Roll through one foot and then the other like you are running, driving the opposite knee towards your chest. The landing through the foot should be toe to heel and push off should be heel to toe. Perform for 2 sets of 30 seconds.

Diagonal chops
Standing with feet a little wider than hip width apart and hands clasped out in front of you. While looking at your hands and leading with your thumbs, bring your arms and your trunk up overhead to the right and then down to the left foot.

Semi-squat trunk rotations
Stand in a semi-squat position with heels planted and arms clasped out in front of you. Slowly rotate your trunk to one side while leading with the thumbs and then the other. Make sure head continues to rotate as well when performing.

Michael J. Mulln, ATC is a clinical athletic trainer at OAPT with more than 14 years of experience. Michael has co-authored a book titled “Comprehensive Approach to Sports Injury Management” and a chapter in “Knee Ligament Rehabilitation” called New Techniques in Cartilage Repair and Replacement”.

Paleo Diet for Athletes

Will eating like a caveman help you win triathlons? Joe Friel thinks so.

In his book titled Paleo Diet for Athletes, world renowned endurance coach and author, Joe Friel, claims that a diet consisting primarily of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, nuts and seeds has distinct ergogenic benefits for athletes.

Initially skeptical of the paleo diet advocated by co-author, Loren Cordain, Friel tried the diet as a means of proving to Cordain that such a diet was inadequate for athletes who needed large quantities of carbohydrates to fuel performance. In Paleo Diet for Athletes Friel relates that he initially felt terrible as he weaned himself of grains, breads, pasta and dairy products in preference to a paleo diet high in fruits, vegetables and lean meats. After three weeks, Friel claims that he started to feel better, his recovery times improved and his training took off.

Prior to switching to the paleo diet, Friel writes that he was unable to train more than 12 hours per week before his body would break down, and he would become sick. On the paleo diet, the 12-hour barrier disappeared, and soon Friel found that he could train 20-22 hours per week. He grew stronger and faster as he consumed unlimited amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as proteins rich in branch chain amino acids – notably lean red meat and seafood. In fact, Friel claims that eating considerable amounts of lean protein is what helps athletes recover from difficult workouts and prevents upper respiratory infections common among endurance athletes who routinely stress their bodies with heavy does of training. (Note: vegetarians need not apply.)

Many health conscious athletes have made the switch from simple carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and sugary cereals. These athletes have moved away from foods containing transfat and high fructose corn syrup. They eat organic, whole foods, but are they ready to eat like a caveman? In Paleo Diet for Athletes Friel and Cordain take healthy eating to an all-new (make that pre-historic) level, one that many of us will find difficult to adopt.

OA would like to hear from athletes who have tried the paleo diet. Does it work for you? Is it sustainable? What are the challenges of eating like a caveman? Have your performances improved?

Wild Bear Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon

On Saturday, June 23 at 8:15am, 300+ race participants will discover why the Wild Bear is so aptly named. Featuring a one-third mile, open-water swim on scenic Range Pond; a 16-mile bike race; and a 5K run – 2 miles of which is off road on trails; the Wild Bear is the best short-distance adventure race that rural Maine has to offer.

“Range Pond is pristine,” says race organizer Will Thomas of Tri-Maine Productions, “and the bike ride is chalk full of surprises.”

Now in its second year and at capacity for both the triathlon and the duathlon, Wild Bear was designed by Tri-Maine to be more of an adventure race than its series predecessor, Iron Bear. According to Thomas, Range Pond State Park is a fantastic venue – a wooded setting with rolling landscapes and a “real backwoods Maine wilderness feel.” Whereas Iron Bear has more of a college, campus feel, Wild Bear is just that – wild.

“It’s kind of hard core out in the back woods of Maine,” relates Thomas. “At the same time, Wild Bear is clearly a ‘first timer, friendly race.’”

Participants may wish to test the bike course once or twice before they do the race. The ride starts out as a 4-mile flat course. There is a sharp right hand turn, and then, bang. There it is. A wall. The ride turns up for .25 miles with an average gradient of 10%. “Last year there was a lot of carnage,” relates Thomas, “People didn’t expect the steep gradient, and their gearing was not where it should have been. Chains came off. People came off their bikes. More than a third of the field walked their bikes to the top.”

Oh, and watch out for the train. Thomas tried to determine its schedule to work around it, but apparently there is no pre-determined schedule. People could get stuck waiting behind the train, kind of like the pro cycling peloton in the 2006 edition of Paris-Roubaix.

Beginning promptly at 8:15AM, racers will go off in waves of 50-60 people by age category. The fastest swimmers will go first. Thomas is looking for a winning time in the neighborhood of 1:05. He has sited local triathletes Rob Smith and Kurt Perham as possible winners. But watch out for the ladies. A majority of this year’s participants are woman, and a “wild bear” with a fast time could be hiding among them. There are also a bunch of unknowns participating from states as far away as Colorado, South Dakota and Florida. In fact, a total of 11 states are represented at this year’s Wild Bear.

The only thing certain about this race is that it is sure to be wild!

Did you participate in the Wild Bear last year? If so, tell us about your experiences. What should readers know?

Transitions – the 4th Event

Local triathlete and multisport coach Kurt Perham refers to triathlon transitions as the “ultimate in low hanging fruit.” By transitioning from T1 (swim to bike) and T2 (bike to run) quickly, a smart triathlete can take seconds, even minutes, out of a competitor.

Transitions should be just that – fast transitions from one leg of the competition to the next. Kurt recommends a “Keep It Simple” strategy for setting up the transition area and moving from one event to the other.

• Set up your transition area in a methodical way. Two pair of shoes, a bike helmet and a visor for running is all you need.
• Clip bike shoes to the bike in advance for a quick transition from the pool. (Note that this is an advanced technique; so do not attempt it unless you have practiced it in advance of your event).
• Put baby powder in your bike shoes so your wet feet slip in easily.
• Once set up, clear the transition area of all other distractions, including bags and miscellaneous belongings. Don’t let yourself be distracted when you enter transition. Grab your stuff and go.
• Begin stripping the wet suit as you exit the water.
• Use quick-tie shoes for running.
• Don’t dilly-dally. Get it done. A transition should take no longer than 40 seconds.
• Be sure to know and follow the rules of the race when transitioning (e.g., the helmet strap cannot be unbuckled until your bike is racked).
• Practice transitions until you have it right.

For triathletes looking to improve their transition times, Kurt will be conducting a transitions clinic on June 19 at 6PM at Peak Performance Sports. For more information, contact Kurt at kurt@personalbestmultisport.com.

What It Takes to Win a Sprint Triathlon

OA asked Kurt Perham of Brunswick what it takes to win a sprint triathlon like Iron Bear. Kurt should know - he placed first in the Men’s 35-39 class, and he took fourth overall with a time of 55:14.

“If you look at those of us who placed in the top 5 positions, we all train for half or full Ironman® triathlons. You would not consider any of us ‘short-course specialists.’”

To Kurt, this implies that those who put in more time training their aerobic systems and building a solid base have the upper hand when it comes to short course events like Iron Bear. By training at a greater volume, longer distance triathletes have the aerobic conditioning necessary to win short distance events. At race time, they simply turn it up a notch.

According to Kurt, a professional coach and owner of Personal Best Multisport, the more volume you can sustain without becoming injured or overtrained, the stronger you become. “The biggest mistake people make when training for triathlons is not enough frequency. People tend to go too fast and log too few miles. For example, I might run a 5:50 pace for the 5K portion of a sprint, but I mostly train near a 7:45 pace for my base.”

As he prepares for the Wisconsin Ironman this fall, Kurt’s weekly program consists of 12,000 to 15,000 yards in the pool, 150-400 miles on the bike and 40-60 miles of running. “People ask me why I run so much, and the answer is simple: Runners win triathlons. Personally, I am stronger on the bike, but if I could be anything as a triathlete I would be a great runner.”

Ultimately, it comes down to efficiency and economy of movement. The triathlete with the strongest aerobic base is able to up the pace for short distance events and come out on top. By slowing it down and increasing the volume, aspiring triathletes can improve their performance at sprint triathlons like Iron Bear.

Aerodynamics – Does it Matter?

By Thomas Murray, M.D.

Much has been written about the importance of aerodynamics on the bike. Tour de France riders spend thousands of dollars and hours of time in wind tunnels seeking the smallest amount of aerodynamic advantage. But many of us probably think that bicycle aerodynamics serves little importance on shorter races like those featured in the Tri-Maine Series.

On May 5 at the Seacoast Time Trial – part of the Maine Time Trial Series – we had a real world demonstration of the importance of aerodynamics on the bike.

Three cyclists each equipped with power meters raced the 13-mile course at a threshold+ effort. Each rider wore a time trial helmet and a standard issue Portland Velo Club skin suit. The course was relatively flat, with a cumulative elevation gain of less than 290 feet.

Rider 1, weighing 172 lbs, rode a Trek carbon road bike with clip-on aero bars with Bontrager Race X Lite wheels and averaged 288 watts for the course.

Rider 2, weighing 160 lbs, rode an entry-level Felt S-32 Triathlon bike with a Mavic wheel set and averaged 286 watts for the course.

Rider 3, weighing 166 lbs, rode a Scott Timetrial frame, full aero, with Zip 404 wheels and averaged 265 watts for the course.

The results were an unbelievable testament to the importance of aerodynamics.

Rider 1 finished the course in 33:00 with an average speed of 23.64 mph.
Rider 2 finished the course in 31:27 with an average speed of 24.80 mph.
Rider 3 finished the course in 31:13 with an average speed of 24.99 mph.

Rider 1, with a standard issue road bike, was clearly the least aerodynamic of the three. Rider 1 and Rider 2 pushed an almost equivalent amount of power (288 watts vs. 286 watts), yet Rider 2 finished quicker by a margin of 1:33. While Rider 1 outweighed Rider 2 by 12 pounds, the effect of gravity is thought to be minimal on a flat course like this, which is substantiated by an analysis of Rider 2 and Rider 3.

Amazingly, Rider 3 rode more quickly than Rider 2, both of whom rode time trial bikes. Rider 3 pushed 20 fewer watts on average than Rider 2, and he weighed approximately 6 lbs more. But Rider 3 – the Rider with the most aerodynamic bike and body position – still finished faster than Rider 2 by 14 seconds! More importantly, Rider 3 took 1:47 from Rider 1 over the 13-mile course.

Triathletes seeking to improve their times on short courses like those featured in the Tri-Maine series would be well advised to evaluate their aerodynamics on the bike. As you can tell in the real world example above, a more aero rider is able to prevail over a rider who produces more power. Faster speed with less effort is the name of the game.

For more information on bicycle aerodynamics and a terrific chart showing the relative cost of each item on an “aero shopping list” with estimated time savings, visit http://damonrinard.com/aero/aerodynamics.htm.

Dr. Thomas Murray, an avid cyclist, is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He is President of the Maine Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons.