Quality Training and Quantity Training

There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding both the quality training approach and the quantity training approach. Many coaches take a hard line on one side or the other. In the short article (I posted below) Matt Fitzgerald does a nice job laying out the controversy. He concludes that every athlete is going to react differently to training and should therefore figure out what works best for them.

 

I agree with Fitzgerald's conclusion and I help the athlete's that I work with find what's best for them. That said, the majority of athletes I work with are pressed for time. For those who train less than 10 hours a week, every mile--slow or fast--is a quality mile. And when time is that limited, a training schedule becomes more complex. As a coach, it becomes more challenging to bring out the athlete's best performance and regulate the rest to stress ratio. I work very closely with the athletes that I coach to make sure they are making the most of that time. We make sure that the athlete is focusing on the things that will allow him or her to have the fastest overall finishing time.

If you (or a family member or a friend) are in the category of "I don't have a lot of time, how do I make the most of it?" please shoot me an e-mail. I'm looking to coach more athletes and I'm confident that I can help you get to the next level. E-mail me at jafecik@gmail.com.

Definitely check out this article:

"Is There a Such Thing as Junk Miles" by Matt Fitzgerald:

http://running.competitor.com/2013/08/training/is-there-a-such-thing-as-junk-miles_54006

Image from: http://oneeyeland.com/photo_gallery/runner_in_the_fog_mikko_lagerstedt_48923



Jon Fecik
jafecik@gmail.com
717-368-7198

Results!

Congrats to Ted Breault and Bill Palermo for breaking through challenging conditions to finish strong at Ironman 70.3 St. Croix. What a way to start the season!

Thinking about Recovery in Triathlon and Sport

I've been thinking about recovery a lot lately. It seems that in our culture, recovery is something to be earned through really hard work. Fair enough. The downside to this line of thinking, however, is that you start questioning if you did enough to deserve the recovery. When this idea get's in my mind, an unnecessary feeling of guilt swells inside of me as I spend time relaxing, sleeping, and preparing meals. I feel like I should be out working harder. I like the perspective Craig Alexander brings to recovery when he says "recovery is the fourth discipline." It suggests that recovery is not something to be earned as a bonus, but rather something essential to productivity. It's essential to getting faster.

 

Alexander also mentions that there is a "mental side of recovery." On a macro-level, this suggests that we need a mental break from training (i.e. the off season within the progression of periodized training; recovery days; days off; recovery workouts). On a different level, it involves actually allowing our minds to recover on our recovery days. We often tell ourselves to GO, GO, GO, so we can mentally keep up with our overwhelming lives and training (not to mention keeping up with everyone else who seemingly does more and better quality work than we do). This mindset may be good when we actually have to expend energy, but it slows down our physical recovery on our built in recovery days. The mental side of recovery involves turning off those "GO, Go, GO" sirens, allowing ourselves to rest, and enjoying that rest. 

Check out this video with Craig Alexander! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVpvKoEPSpA

If you're interested in  a triathlon coach, contact Power On Coach Jon Fecik! He can help you reach and exceed your goals!


Jon Fecik
jafecik@gmail.com
717-368-7198

Image from: http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2012/10/04/craig-alexander-the-game-face

Food Logging

The article I posted below entitled "Food logging: Is it worth the added stress?" contains some solid reasons to keep a food log. If you're trying to loose weight or attempting to increase your performance, tracking your food intake for a week or two can be illuminating. All information is good information and you might find something interesting about when and what you're eating that you've never noticed before. That said, make sure you are willing to analyze the information, make a plan to improve something, and stick to that plan. So often, we log information without the will to go any further. Logging--i.e. awareness--is the first step in a long process to improve part of ourselves.

 

http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/fuel-station/articles/food-logging-120213.aspx

 

 

Jon Fecik

USAT Coach

Facebook Page: Jon Fecik's Power On Coaching

e-mail: jafecik@gmail.com

 

Search terms: Weight Loss; Food Logging; health; triathlon

Image from: Parenthub.com

Mentally Strong, Successful Athletes

I'm posting this article, "The 9 Essential Habits of Mentally Strong People," on my coaching website because these habits are not only what make mentally strong people, they are the qualities of really successful athletes. The best athletes: see things as they are before they react to them; assume they will have setbacks; don't let the highs get too high or the lows get to low; assume that the situation is not always going to go as planned and is not always going to feel good; have a protocol on how to recover when things catch ...them off guard; assume there are options beyond failure, the best athletes know there is always more than one option to overcome any obstacle; are mindful to the best of their ability; persist; and let go of things they can't control.

One thing this article does leave out is that mentally strong people-- and best athletes--know that they are much more than one identity: The best athletes know that they are much more than their physical performance and career. Just for starters, they are also mothers, fathers, brothers, husbands, wives, children, readers, writers, thinkers, employees, etc. The best athletes know that they have these other identities to fall back on when things in their sport life aren't looking positive.

Read this article and try to apply some of these ideas to your own life and multisport career!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/18/the-9-essential-qualitie_n_4760403.html

Jon Fecik
USAT Coach
FB: Jon Fecik's Power On Coaching Page
Twitter: @JonFecik
E-mail: jafecik@gmail.com






Image: Helle Frederiksen, taken from Slowtwitch Forum

On Motivation

Motivation isn't something we possess, it's something we create. We create motivation by simply being there, doing the work, and building off of the work we've done. 

Put on your shoes. Tie your laces. Go.










Jon Fecik
USAT Coach
jafecik@gmail.com
Facebook Page: Jon Fecik's Power On Coaching
Image from: http://www.tomclarkphoto.com/archive/?p=274

Make Your Own Coconut Almond Energy Bars!

I've never made any sort of granola or energy bar before and my friend, health/nutrition Coach Lisa Federico, suggested that I give these Coconut Almond Energy Bars a shot. She sent me the following Coconut Almond Energy Bar recipe--that came from Runners World Magazine--which took about 10 minutes to put together plus 10-15 minutes of baking time. They are really easy to make, relatively healthy, and a good alternative to PowerBar or Cliff Bar products. So here it is:

Pre-heat oven to 350° (bars can be eaten without baking, but they are sticky!)

2 c oats

1 c coconut

1 c almonds

1 c cashews (walnuts are good choice as well)

1 c sunflower seeds

1 c chopped dates or raisins

1 ½ c peanut butter, or tahini, or mix the two

1 c honey            

1 tsp vanilla

Notes: Like anything else that you make, you may choose to use organic ingredients. I did. You may also add your favorite ingredients and/or subtract some from the list. I don't like dates or raisins so I left them out, but I did add some chia seeds. Also, try adding cacao nibs for a punch of antioxidants and good source of magnesium--which supports nerve and muscle function, bone strength, and circulation.   

Directions: Grease baking sheet. Roughly chop nuts. Mix oats and dates in a bowl. Heat PB and honey in a pot on the stove on medium low heat to make mixing easier. Then add the vanilla. Combine all ingredients and spread them onto a baking sheet. Pack about 1” high. One batch may not fill a standard size baking sheet....but I doubled the recipe so mine did. Place them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes so that they can fuse together. Let them cool and firm up for about 10 minutes. Then, cut them into bite size pieces. 

Enjoy! They are delicious, easy to make, and easy to carry during your next ride or run. Try them!

Want to know more about Lisa? I'd recommend her to anyone interested in improving their health and nutrition strategies. Check out her website at http://www.healthtrekcoaching.biz/.

Interested in a triathlon coach? Don't hesitate to contact me. My roster is quickly filling up, so don't wait!  

Jon Fecik
USAT Certified Coach
jafecik@gmail.com
717-368-7198