I recently had someone ask me “How can I run faster?”  I have found that the best way to get faster is to do a combination of speed work and tempo runs during the week.  If you are just building up your running base or getting back into running after some time off or an injury, I recommend starting out with either a speed workout OR a tempo run each week.
After about 4-6 weeks of working on your base, then you can add a speed workout and a tempo run to your weekly schedule.  (So, if you are just starting to build speed - in my example below - you could alternate each week with a Speed Workout OR a Tempo Workout, then after building up your base - you can restart the plan and include BOTH a Speed Workout AND a Tempo Run each week).  I want to emphasize that it is important that you don’t increase your overall running mileage by more the 10% each week - this will help to prevent injury.

For your speed work, you can do a combination of 200, 400, or 800 meter repeats with 200 to 400 meters of walking or jogging in between each set.  The number of repeats can vary and build each week.

For your tempo work, you can start out with 1 mile at a certain pace and build each week increasing the number of miles that you run at a tempo pace.  The tempo pace can be at a 5 or 10k pace or half-marathon/marathon pace depending on your upcoming race or goals.  A tempo pace can also be a pace slightly faster than your normal run pace if you are just building your run base.  These tempo paces should not be very comfortable as you start out the plan, but as you build your running fitness you will notice the tempo paces become a little easier to maintain.  (Doing a tempo run in a training plan gives you a good idea of how it will feel during a race - you can practice some mental toughness during training that will help you on race day!)

You do not need a track to perform these workouts, in fact it’s a nice challenge if you can find a route with a few rolling hills…. because no race course is ever perfectly flat, right?  If you do not want to mess with calculating a certain distance, or maybe you don’t have a watch that can measure distance yet - then run for a certain number of minutes - for example 1 min sprint, 1 min easy and repeat this 5 times during a workout.  You can increase the number of sprinting minutes and recovery minutes each week.

I’ve included a sample build set below.  I like to do my speed workouts on Tuesday and my Tempo workouts on Thursday - this also aligns with the Cal Tri FREE 70.3 race plan.  https://californiatriathlon.org/coaching/training-plans/ (Please note that this example does not include any swim or bike sets or additional recovery runs that an athlete might do during the week)

Week 1 = Speed Workout - half mile warm up, 2×200 sprint with 200 jog/walk, 1×400 sprint with 200 jog/walk, half mile cool down
Tempo Workout - 1 mile warm-up jog, 1 mile at 10k Race Pace, 1 mile cool down

Week 2 = Speed Workout - half mile warm up, 4×200 sprint with 200 jog/walk, 2×400 sprint with 200 jog/walk, half mile cool down
Tempo Workout - 1 mile warm up jog, 2 miles at 10K Race Pace, 1 mile cool down

Week 3 = Speed Workout - half mile warm up, 4×400 sprint with 400 jog/walk, 1×800 sprint with 400 jog/walk, half mile cool down
Tempo Workout - 1 mile warm up jog, 3 miles at 10K Race Pace, 1 mile cool down

Week 4 = Speed Workout - half mile warm up, 6×400 sprint with 400 jog/walk, 2×800 sprint with 400 jog/walk, half mile cool down
Tempo Workout - 1 mile warm up jog, 4 miles at 10K Race Pace, 1 mile cool down

Week 5 = Speed Workout - half mile warm up, 8×400 sprint with 400 jog/walk, 2×800 sprint with 400 jog/walk, half mile cool down
Tempo Workout - 1 mile warm up jog, 5 miles at 10K Race Pace, 1 mile cool down

The combinations and possibilities are endless when it comes to bringing variety to building your speed  — did I tell you how much I LOVE running?….. I could really talk about running ALL day!

-Coach Sara

Here are some quick but intense workout ideas for swim, bike, and run:

Only have 1 Hour to Bike?
Here’s a workout that I found on triathlete.com - it’s an ITU based workout that gives you a wide variety of zones in a 1 hour bike session.

Warm-up

As a busy mom with 4 kids and double-digit training hours each week - I want to give you a few ways that I keep myself organized and scheduled.  I will first state that it’s NOT always perfect and things don’t always go as planned but I feel like having a system to stay organized and planning my week helps me to “feel” more balanced and prepared.

On Sunday, I sit down with my family calendar and plan out WHEN I’m going to get my workouts done and WHAT other obligations that I have for the week.  I have a bike trainer in my garage and don’t have any other option but to run outside so those 2 things are always set for me… and this often means running in the early hours of the morning.  (But that first break of dawn is my favorite time of the day!!!)  If I can sneak in a bike ride during the day outside, that’s a bonus for me!  I check my local pool schedules ahead of time and note any pool closures and pool opening times.  Nothing worse than getting to the pool to find that the local swim team has a meet!

Then I plan the times that I will do my workouts and for me this is primarily around my kid’s schedules and teaching during the school year.  I schedule most of my workouts in the early morning but HOW early depends on the duration of the workout or if it’s a double session.

In addition to planning my workouts, I will mostly plan the meals for the week and this includes snacks and recovery fuel.  That way I’m not standing at the fridge looking for something to eat when I’m done with a workout.  I also keep a snack bin in the fridge with some quick grab-and-go type snacks.  For example:  apple slices, cheese sticks, snack bag of seasonal fruit, snack bag of nuts, or hard boiled eggs.

If I have a very early session, then I will usually fill my water bottles and workout fuel and put them in the fridge at night.  That gives me an extra 5 minutes of sleep in the morning!   If I have a swim workout in the morning, I will write the workout on a post-it note and stick it in a ziplock bag to take with me on deck.  I will also fill a water bottle and put any paddles, pull buoy, or kick board that I need right in my swim bag so I don’t have to search for them in the dark in the morning.

All of these little things really add up for me and help me to stay organized when my training load increases and my life gets busy.  If you’re not sure where to start - start with one of these items I suggested above and see how it works for you.

I also keep a training journal each week of my training that needs to be done and also my results from each session.  I like to look back on a previous session to see how I did  - it gives me an idea of how I’m improving over the course of a training cycle.  I also add my strength sessions into my training log for the week so I can allow time for these to get done.  I have found that strength and rest is just as important as the training itself when it comes to preventing injuries and becoming a stronger athlete.

What tips do you have for organizing and balancing your training in your life?  Put your suggestions on our Cal Tri Forum.  https://californiatriathlon.org/

Setting Heart Rate Training Zones
The easiest way to calculate your Maximum Heart Rate is a simple paper-and-pencil calculation. Subtract your age from 220. The result is an age-predicted maximum beats per minute.

Example:  20 year old athlete
Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) 220 - 20 = 200

Please note:  This method does not take into account your fitness level or inherited genes, which can make your true maximum heart rate 10 to 20 beats per minute higher or lower than the age-predicted number.  This is the most basic method to use and it’s a good place to start to get your training zones established.  You can also do a 30 minute run test or 30 minute bike test and measure your actual heart rate numbers during the test to establish your training zones (You can email me for more details on this method if you would like to do these tests)

It is also worth noting that your bike and run heart rate MHR number will slightly vary.  There can be a 5-10% difference in your bike and run MHR.  But for a basic establishment of zones - one range of numbers will work.

Now you’ll need that pencil, paper, and calculator again to calculate your training zones:

With my example: of the 20 year old athlete - here’s the training zone ranges

Zone 1 - 60-65% of MHR = 120-130
Zone 2 - 65-75% of MHR = 130-150
Zone 3 - 75-82% of MHR = 150-164
Zone 4 - 82-89% of MHR = 164-178
Zone 5 - 89-94% of MHR = 178-190
Zone 6 - 94-100% of MHR = 190-200

If you don’t have a Heart Rate Monitor - it’s no problem, you can train on RPE or Rate of Perceived Exertion.  This chart (taken from ilovebicycling.com) below describes the zones and efforts.

Our friends at Performance Bicycle are making some fantastic past-year model Road & Triathlon bikes available to California Triathlon members at unbelievably low prices.  Many are discounted 75% or more! If you thought Shimano Di2 was out of your reach, think again! Treat yourself to a late Valentine’s Day present that you will cherish for years to come.

Bike stock is limited. Please click on the link below for the complete list of models and sizes available, and instructions for getting the special Cal Tri pricing.  Thanks!

Bike list - Special Cal Tri Pricing

California Triathlon is proud to announce the launch of the 2017 Grand Prix - California.  For complete details see today’s press release and the Grand Prix web page

Simone Maier Bartlett is a working mom, triathlete, and CAL TRI EMPOWER ambassador in Santa Monica, California.  We asked her to share her recipe for these delicious bars that provide an energy boost during long rides, training days, and races.

These Vegan Power Bars have saved my life many times over going up the Santa Monica Mountains on our regular Sunday rides. They are absolutely amazing and give you such a power boost while being all healthy and vegan.

They are very easy to make and are much cheaper than all the alternatives in the store. Plus, you really know what goes in. That being said you can mix it totally mix it up every time you make them. I sometimes add more puffed millet and rice to make them lighter, I also like raisins; but the cranberry & dark chocolate combination has proven to be my favorite. The bars are also great for kids.

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 1⁄4 cups rice crisp cereal (puffed millet works great as well!)
1⁄4 cup hemp seeds
1⁄4 cup sunflower seeds
1⁄2 cup cranberries or dried cherries
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vegan protein powder vanilla (Juice Plus)
1⁄4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1⁄2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, brown rice syrup
1⁄4 cup roasted peanut butter or any nut butter you like
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup mini non-dairy chocolate chips

Directions
1. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with two pieces of parchment paper (one going each way).
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, rice crisp cereal, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, sesame seeds, chia seeds, cranberries, protein powder, cinnamon, and salt and mix.
3. In a small saucepan, stir together the brown rice syrup and peanut butter until well combined. Cook over medium to heat until the mixture softens and bubbles slightly, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. I sometimes add a spoon of water just to make it easier to stir later.
4. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the oat mixture, using a spatula to scrape every last bit out of the pan. Stir well with a large metal spoon until all of the oats and cereal are coated in the wet mixture. The resulting mixture will be very thick and difficult to stir.  If using the chocolate chips, allow the mixture to cool slightly before folding in the chips. This will prevent them from melting.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, spreading it out into an even layer. Lightly wet your hands and press down on the mixture to even it out. Use a pastry roller to compact the mixture firmly and evenly. This helps the bars hold together better. Press down on the edges with your fingers to even out.
6. Place the pan in the freezer, uncovered, and chill for 20 minutes, or until firm.
7. Lift the oat square out of the pan, using the parchment paper as handles, and place it on a cutting board. With a pizza roller (or a serrated knife), slice the square into 6 rows and then slice them in half to make 12-16 bars total.
8. Wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap or foil and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, you can store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Caitlin Nicholas is a USAT Level 1 certified triathlon coach who volunteers her time and expertise to support California Triathlon.

As triathletes gain more experience in the sport, goals and expectations often change from reaching finish lines to posting faster finish times.  They may adjust their training to address those areas where they feel they have the biggest ceiling for improvement, asking “How do I get faster on the swim? On the bike? On the run?”  The mind does not immediately go to transitions, but these also present opportunities to shave precious seconds (or minutes) off of your time.

Transitions have been called triathlon’s fourth discipline.  Having an organized and well-practiced approach to your transitions will not only save time; it will also ease stress and set you up for better performances as you go from swim to bike and bike to run.

Checklists can be extremely helpful. Here is one that I’ve prepared to help you think about and organize your transitions:

Before the race

 Arrive early!!! Many transition areas are first come, first serve. Get there when it opens and snag a good location (i.e. on an end or near a sizeable landmark). Bring a brightly colored towel so you can easily spot your transition location. Flags & balloons can also be helpful though sometimes race officials won’t allow them. Count the number of rows from the entry or exit.

 Practice your plan: arriving early gives you time to set up your transition and place the items in order of use. Whenever possible practice transitions so you are fully seasoned on race day.

 When setting up your transition place items in order of use. For instance, have biking stuff up front and place all needed items in your helmet. (sunglasses, nutrition, gloves, etc). Behind your helmet you will have running shoes and running hat with all needed running items in hat. (Nutrition, handheld water bottle, etc)

T1 (Swim to Bike transition)

 When exiting the water, start unzipping and pulling down your wetsuit to waist. By the time you get to transition, it is an easy pull off and go.

 Be a minimalist: wear what you plan to wear underneath your wetsuit. Changing clothes adds time. Ideally a one-piece skin suit is best.

 Roll your socks: if you must wear socks, roll them for easy application

 Clip your shoes to your bike. After you practice this a few times (DO NOT TRY THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME RACE DAY) have your shoes clipped to your bike. That way you can grab your bike and go. Once you mount and start riding then you slip your feet in and buckle

 Run with your bike: run instead of walk your bike to the mounting point. This will shave off time.

 Have all items ready to go on the bike: Water bottles filled and on bike and if possible nutrition stored on bike. It adds time looking for needed items and picking up items and putting them in your pocket

T2 (Bike to Run transition)

 When you come back from your bike, have running items ready to go in your running hat (i.e. gels, handheld water bottle, etc)

 Have running shoes unlaced and ready loosened and ready to go. If possible buy speed laces. These are laces that lock and tie with a single pull and shave those minutes you use tying and retying those laces.

General

 Use a checklist the night before and have everything ready to go by the door. (I know many folks who have forgotten necessary items such as helmet, bike shoes and even their bike!)

 Practice! The only way to get good at anything is through practice. Practice transitions whenever possible.

 Good luck!!!