TRAINING LAB RABBIT
Off-season primer
Weeks 15-18 of our plan to help you
recover and prepare for 2007
By Gale Bernhardt
The November issue marked the
second month of our quest to
build foundation fitness through
the winter months. That issue outlined
the training plan to get you through the
six weeks from Thanksgiving through
Christmas. This month, we will continue
to lead you through the off-season, and
we have included the option of doing a
5K or 10K running race in week 18. At
the end of week 22 you also have the
option of running a half-marathon. To
order back issues of the October and
November issues, which detail weeks one
through 14 of our Lab Rabbit off-season
training plan, please be sure to visit
triathletemag.com.
In this training block you are taking the
strength you have built in the weight room and
transferring it to the pool by using paddles in one
swim workout per week and to the bike by
riding hills. You also will begin to work on
lactate-threshold running and cycling speed.
Why work on lactate threshold if you are
using this off-season plan for half-Ironman-and Ironman-distance racing? Great question.
One path to improving performance is to develop a solid base of fitness (which you have been
busy building), followed by lactate-threshold
work for six to eight weeks. After you boost LT,
then you can take one of two paths, depending
on your training results and race distance. One
approach is to hold training volume relatively
constant and continue to work on LT speed.
The second path is to return to building event
endurance to a peak while allowing enough
time for a good taper.
The second option is a good choice for the
Ironman-distance racers—if your LT moves
from 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart
rate, you’ve increased the capacity of your
aerobic engine. You can go faster yet still remain
aerobic. For example, if your maximum heart
rate is 185 and you can move your lactate
threshold from a heart rate of 148 to 167, you’ve
developed a more efficient and powerful
aerobic engine.
On page 88 is an overview of your the
training plan for weeks 15 through 18. Notice
that training volume continues to build
through week 17. Now, let’s look in greater
detail at the workouts for this training cycle.
Specific preparation phase: Weeks 15 to 18
Strength training: Strength training now
shifts to the Power Endurance phase. There
are two options here. One option is to do
the weight-room work and no plyometrics
(see sidebar on page 87 for more on
plyometrics). In this case, warm up cycling
or running for 10 to 30 minutes, then do
the same strength-training exercises you
have been doing, but complete 3 to 4 sets
of 8 to15 repetitions of each exercise. Reduce
the weight on the hip-extension exercises
and on any other exercises where you were
lifting heavier weights in the Maximum
Strength phase. If you select this option,
reduce strength-training time to one hour.
The second option is to include basic
plyometrics. See the sidebar on page 87 for
specific instructions.
Swim: As with previous columns, specific
swim workout details are not included. The
aerobic, speed and form workouts carry the
same descriptions as in the previous months.
For all swims, make the main aerobic set in the
1000- to 2000-yard or meter range. These
swims can be broken into intervals.
John Segesta/ wahoomedia.com
The only new swim-workout terminology
used in this training block is Force Work.
In Force Work training sessions, include
paddles for a portion of the main set. If you
are using paddles for the first time, begin
with a total of only 200 to 300 yards or
meters per workout and progress from there.
Bike: The Friday rides are primarily
aerobic, but you can begin to add some gently
rolling hills to the sessions. The Saturday rides
are multi-faceted workouts for building
endurance, speed and strength. Ride the hills
with a strong effort. You can include all training
intensities within the ride, but limit the leg-searing efforts at LT and above in the first
workout. Begin conservatively. As your training
progress continues, you can build more accumulated time at and above lactate threshold.
