Category Archives: Books

Triathlete Magazine’s Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide Book Review

Triathlon Training Nirvana!

Essential Week by Week Training GuideFor anyone who has ever decided to embark on an endurance event, you inevitably get to the point where you have no idea what you should be doing on a daily basis to train for your event. Many people try to figure it out by themselves and may experience limited success, but as you progress towards longer distances and attempt to be competitive, you must decide to either hire a coach or try to find a legitimate training plan. I have turned toward Triathlete Magazine’s Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide, written by Matt Fitzgerald.

For the abundance of information that is contained in this book it is an absolute steal for $20, fortunately $20 was the list price long ago, you can now purchase the book for a lot less with a little bit of research. If you have a decent library system in the city you live in, you may also be able to find it there, something I have done multiple times until my wife finally bought me the book because she was tired of me running to the library every 3 weeks to renew, or pick up a different copy because my renewals had run out. The book is also available in electronic formats for your e-readers, but I have read that it doesn’t format like it should, so it renders the electronic version useless. I do not have an e-reader and have not been able to personally confirm this to be the case, so be cautious.

There are multiple scheduling tips, basic triathlon information and other helpful items, but the meat of the book is the triathlon training plans. The book is great because it provides 10 levels of training for Sprint, Olympic, Half Iron and Ironman distance triathlons. The book provides a training plan for all levels across all distances. Level one is geared towards the beginner and each plan gets more difficult as you progress towards level 10. The author does a great job of explaining which level would best fit your fitness level, goals and time restraints. I have been able to choose different plans for different times of the year when my work and family demands are increased. It is easy to pick whether you have time for 2 workouts per discipline per week or three. No matter what my circumstances or goals, one of the plans has always worked for me. One of the most comforting feelings a triathlete can have is when they are lined up at the start line and feel completely confident that their training will get them to the finish. This comforting feeling for me began when I started using this training guide.

Triathlon Training guidesIf there is one thing I don’t like about the book it is all the coding involved. As you can see there are codes for each day of the week. Examples of some of the codes are RLI4 (Run Lactate Interval) or CFR5 (Cycling Foundation Ride). You must then turn to the correct page that has the definition of the code to determine the details of what your workout for that day should be.

Triathlon SchedulesOnce you get used to some of the terminology you can find the information more quickly, but you always have to go to the code definitions to find out how many intervals and/or total time. This also makes it a little difficult to get a general idea of what type of training is required during the week. I will typically take the information (see below) and place it in a spreadsheet. It is a little bit of work, but most triathletes have quirks and want to see the information in a manner that fits them best. I just add another tab to my Excel spreadsheet which contains every little bit of training detail for the current year.

Triathlon Training Plan

The Bottom Line ~

This book should be a great resource for triathletes of all levels. If you don’t want to pay a coach and you need a detailed training plan, check out this book. It is well worth the money and you can be confident that Matt Fitzgerald and Triathlete Magazine provides you with a wealth of information and a training plan that is specifically designed for you. Be honest with yourself when choosing your plan and you can’t go wrong.

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The Essential Swimmer – Book Review

The Essential Swimmer BookFor those of us that are not born seals, like Kris, you work, and work, and work, and work at your swim stroke.  And even after all that work, you look over with envy and that guy or girl in the next lane because they are gliding along like it isn’t even a challenge.

I fight a never ending battle with swimming.  If you don’t believe me, there’s a video of my technique on the bottom of this post.  You’ll see there’s lots to improve. (Note: This video was taken before I got this book.)

In looking for books on swimming there are some that are like bibles and others like illustrated books for kids.  I was happy to find The Essential Swimmer by Steve Tarpinian. This book is a nice manageable size, with good writing, aimed at swimmers of all levels.

I found this book to be short, simple, and to the point.  His description of the free-style technique stroke is thorough and I don’t know why, but it finally clicked.  It made sense and I could see and understand what he was talking about.  (Note:  Don’t read this book on the bus, you’ll want to practice the technique he describes and if you do this you’ll look a bit odd – I speak from experience here.)

The book may look a little old school since it uses illustrations, but I actually think they are more helpful and less distracting than full-color photos.

I also like that he thoroughly describes the phases of stroke cycle in one chapter. In the next, he diagnosis the most common weaknesses and flaws in the average swimmers stroke, followed specific drills to address each flaw.  I really liked the organization and structure of this book.

Finally, I really appreciated the chapter about setting up effective workouts complete with:

  1. Warm-up
  2. Drills
  3. Main Workout
  4. Drills
  5. Cool-down

Long-time swimmers probably know this pattern without evening thinking about it, but for those of us that came to swimming later in life, knowing what to do, in what order, is very helpful.

The Bottom Line ~

If you are looking for an easy to understand, quick read on improving your swimming stroke than The Essential Swimmer is a great place to start.  The majority of the book focuses on freestyle technique, but there are sections about the other big strokes, clothing, accessories, race starting techiniques, flexibility, etc.  The book is very thorough without being overwhelming.  The book is very affordable at a list price of $12.95.

Ben’s Swim Video a.k.a. How Not To Swim:

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Marathoning for Mortals Book Review

You can be a “Regular” and Run (or Walk) a Marathon

Marathoning for Mortals Book CoverI will always contend that anyone can run a marathon, it mostly lies within the mindset of the individual. Once the individual believes that they can do it, the finish line is in sight. But just because you believe you can do it doesn’t mean that it will be easy, especially if you don’t seek the help of others who have already completed the 26.2 miles. I learned the hard way. As I was preparing for my first marathon I was trying to figure it out all by myself. I pushed way too hard and injured myself, delaying my first marathon by a whole year. While I was recovering from injury I had plenty of time to read and came upon “Marathoning for Mortals” by John “The Penguin” Bingham and Jenny Hadfield. This book led me to healthy and smart training and laid my framework to eventually become an Ironman.

What I love most about this book is that it focuses on what they call the “regular person.” The authors don’t try to force a one program fits all mentality to all its readers. They recognize that everyone is different and they try to provide basic training tools, plans, hints and wisdom. The authors focus on the basics which makes this book perfect for people who want to start running and those who have only been running recreationally. This book is not for athletes who are looking to podium. There are plenty of books that go into specifics that will be much more helpful, but this book is great for those who are looking to be more active and want the challenge of a full or half marathon. I have passed this book on to a half-dozen people in my neighborhood who have all graduated to multiple half marathons (including my wife who used to hate running) and a few who have completed full marathons.

The author’s love of running almost jumps off the pages and readers who are not world-class don’t have to feel intimidated because more than once, “The Penguin” lets us know that he is slow…but speed shouldn’t matter for most first time marathoners.

The book is separated into five sections; Getting Started, Training, The Toolbox, Game Face and Training Plans. First-timers should use this book to guide them through the entire process of first thought of a marathon to recovery after the 26.2 miles. The provided training plans are also a great tool which are separated into walk, walk/run, run/walk and run for both the half and full marathon.

The Bottom Line ~

This book is not written for seasoned athletes and those looking to qualify for Boston on their first attempt, but if you have set a goal to do a half or full marathon without a whole lot of long distance experience, it would do you a lot of good to get your hands on this book. The book will teach you the basics of what you need to know to get to the start line and finish the 26.2 miles.

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The Triathlete’s Training Bible Review

The Triathlete's Training BibleIt’s getting to be that time of year when serious triathletes start thinking about their next racing year.  The last season’s shortcomings are still top of mind, and the search for that competitive edge begins.  Some people turn to nutritional supplements and others look for better equipment.  The seasoned athlete knows that the only way to better performance is through proper training.  The word “proper” can be completely unique to every athlete, and leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

For the triathlete interested in an extremely thorough and very scientific approach, Joe Friel’s The Triathlete’s Training Bible is as good as it gets.  I don’t know if there is anybody as respected in exercise physiology as Friel.  In fact, I think there are many people who buy this book because of its authority.  But that authority is a two-edged sword. The word Bible in the title is very appropriate.  It’s a thoughtful, information-rich, slow read.  This is not the kind of book that you will finish in a week and start to implement.  In fact, like the Bible, it brings up conflicting arguments and debates and sometimes leaves the reader with more questions than answers.  The great part about this book, is that it gets better with every read.

I usually try to spend some time when making my annual training plan (ATP) to go back through and review key concepts from the book.  I especially like to hit areas that I feel were particular weaknesses in my previous racing year.  I did read this book once from cover to cover, but I feel like that is probably unrealistic for most athletes.  Also, many of the concepts would have been more confusing if I hadn’t already worked with a certified cycling coach who taught and used the same training methods as Friel.

I really think one must analyze their personality as to whether or not this book would be an effective resource.  If you are the kind of athlete that is methodical, thoughtful, and thorough – then this book will be helpful.  If you are bit more gregarious, random, and rushed in your training, you will most likely get frustrated.  In either case, know up front, that this book will present a serious commitment to both your time and attention, but that’s precisely why it’s worth it.

I really respect Friel’s expert knowledge and I agree with his core philosophy of training.  He also has a great blog that you should consider subscribing to and read for the most up to date training science.  I was blown away, when he personally responded to and followed-up about a training question I emailed him.  I wish his training camps were more affordable because I’m sure they would be very helpful.

The Bottom Line ~

This book presents a very thorough, analytic approach to training.  At over 300 pages, it’s not a quick and easy read.  For the triathlete that is dedicated and serious about training, this book can be immensely resourceful.  It has a great appendix with many ideas for various workouts and will help you plan an effective training year.   I would recommend that you carefully consider your personality, available time, and  dedication before buying this book.

But remember, “Great things are not done by impulse” – Van Gogh

 

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“Racing Weight” Review

Racing Weight Book CoverOne of the topics most near and dear to all endurance athletes is weight.  Up until reading this book I was obsessed with thinking I needed to lose weight so that I could be faster, tougher and a better athlete.  I’m willing to venture a guess that I’m not alone in this obsession. You folks debating about whether or not to weigh your food know who you are.

While certainly “lightness” is critical to performance, we tend to hyper focus on this one issue. In Racing Weight, Matt Fitzgerald does an excellent job approaching weight as a multi-dimensional issue. I think this is wise and represents a more healthy, holistic approach. For example, in a quest to lose weight you might actually be losing muscle instead of fat, thus reducing your potential for performance.

One potential challenge for some with this book is that Fitzgerald thoroughly documents his ideas with various scientific studies.  I found this information very interesting, and I like to know how experts are drawing their conclusions. Some may find that it makes it a bit of a slower read or too technical with so much data.

The basic idea of the book is that racing weight is achieved for a brief period of time each year, when you are competing in that A-priority event. To try and stay at your racing weight all year will most likely have negative physical and emotional side effects.  However, this doesn’t mean that you can let yourself go and balloon up in weight during the rest of the year either.

For me the most fascinating concept was the the 5 components you should be considering as part of your weight management plan:

  1. Improve Your Diet Quality
  2. Balance Your Energy Sources
  3. Time Your Nutrition
  4. Manage Your Appetite
  5. Train Right

I found that in my own eating, Diet Quality and Nutrient Timing were two very important areas that I was paying virtually no attention to.  Reading this book helped me to realize that diet and reaching your racing weight are more complex then the simple catch phrase “drop some lb’s.”

The Bottom Line ~

If you are really serious about a healthy diet and reaching a weight for your highest potential – this is a great read.  As mentioned above there is a lot of supporting data and scientific research that some will love, and others will grow tired of.  In addition to the racing weight plan, Fitzgerald explains how you can estimate what your racing weight is and how to reach your goal.  He also includes information on what various elite athletes eat, a healthy recipe section, and a great chapter about supplements.

 

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