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Springtime Adventures




Well into the warmer weather, Sun is rising earlier and setting later, able to run in more sunlight. A big October coming for everyone!! the block of training for C2K & UTK, racing in Orange, getting married and a training camp!!!



Segments


  • Training Talks - 

  • Weekly training review - Strava - Training Peaks

  • Upcoming Sessions

  • Athlete Interview - Heather Duffy - OCC

  • Upcoming Races - Sydney Marathon

  • Running Experiences - SNL Kosci Honeymoon Newy & SNL Pub 2 Pub

  • Socials - Sundays Long Run

  • Coaches Corner & COMPLAINTS - Training Diary’s of the C2K 

  • Athletes Questions - Training Zones - Dr Will O’Çonnor

  • QF’s with Benn - 

  • Outro Song -  Pure Shores, All Saints https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZLGthToczpvnL5Eoy6yrY?si=6989b834a951451c

WELCOME - NEW ATHLETES

  • Erin Brown

  • Hayden Seiler


TRAINING TALK

  • Last week's training sessions (Strava)

  • Strava Leaderboard

  • Strava Segments 

  • Training Peaks - SNL Group 

UPCOMING SESSIONS

RACE RESULTS - 




RACING CALENDAR 


2024

  • 15/09 - Sydney Marathon

  • 5/10 - Lonely Mountain Ultra

  • 22/11 - Coast 2 Kosci

  • 28/11 - Ultra Trail Kosciusko

ATHLETE INTERVIEW - 

- Heather Duffy (OCC)



How did the build go leading up?

      Really well I think. I knew I needed climbing legs, so spent most of my time building that strength up. Also I knew it would be warm so spent 

      a few sessions in a sauna.


What was the goal for the race?

      I knew I had 4 climbs to get through, and that the cut offs would be tight.


What shoes did you wear?

      Was planning on Brooks Caldera's, but when I tried them over there they were tight on my feet - I can only assume an effect of the heat and altitude. Ended

      up wearing Linda's old Hoka Speedgoats, which were perfect.


What was the best part of the event? 

      The whole just being there.......


What did you find the hardest section or part of the race?

      After the 3rd climb, the Trient to Col de Blum section. The climb itself was like all the others, about 4 - 5 km's and 7 - 800 m elevation each one being steep and rocky.

      However after the climb there was about 4 km's of although flatish, it was just a big rocky trail, some of which had chains attached to pull yourself up over. It reminded          me of the Larapinta Trail ridges, or rock hopping around a headland at the beach at high tide. I was thinking how dangerous it would be in the dark, and around every         corner I was hoping I would see the checkpoint - but it seemed to take forever. The heat also made it tough out there.


What didn't work or went bad?  

      Everything went ok. The aid station food wasn't the greatest, and being so hot I was filling 4 soft flasks each time I could, plus I had another litre on my back. 

      I had studied the course really well, but had misjudged the length of the rock climbing section, so then started getting a bit worried about cut off's that I hadn't thought

      would be a problem.


How did you overcome the challenge? 

      Just kept concentrating on the 4 climbs I knew I had to do. Forced dry savory biscuits down. Plenty of water fountains around, so just kept drenching myself.


What went well? 

      Pleased with the hydration and nutrition. Pleased I had spent about 10 days there before hand to acclimatise to the heat and altitude, and see what the terrain was

      going to be like. I also think I did ok on the technical downhill stuff. Once my brain realised that the rocks weren't going to move when I stood on them, I was able to      move faster than I usually do. 

Best and Worst moment? and Why?

      The word 'brutal' has been thrown around a lot, and it is a very tough course, but I actually enjoyed the challenge of the whole thing. 

      Worst moment was probably when the cut off time for the last checkpoint at the top of the final climb ticked over, and I realised how close I was - and thought back to 

      standing at the bottom before the climb, where I would have spent a good 5 minutes forcing in some dry biscuits, trying to get 4 full soft flasks arranged into my pack,      pulling out my headlamp, and giving myself another soaking from a nearby water fountain. But even that wasn't too bad - I knew I had made it up all 4 climbs.


Did you celebrate? 

      Not really. The whole trip was amazing, and although everything had held together during the run, afterwards my knee swelled up, and was so painful - to the point I was      swallowing panadol just to get some sleep for a couple of days. Appointment to see Jess made!


What’s next? 

       I do have an entry for GNW 30, but I'll see how I feel closer to that. I'll sort a few niggles out (like my knee), looks like I'm sweeping a section at UTK, and then I think I'm 

      chasing someone around Tarawera for a bit. The whole UTMB thing has really inspired me to try and get back to the good old days though. I am very proud of what I did         over there, but I know I am capable of better.



RUNNING EXPERIENCES


  • Sunday - Social Runs

  • Lonely Mountain Ultra 5th October (Week before Nicole and Benn's Wedding) celebrate and race in Orange

  • SNL Kosci Honeymoon NEWY (26-27th October)

  • TRAINING PEAKS


SOCIALS

  • Sunday Runs - All welcome (Broken Back Mountain)


COACHES CORNER & COMPLAINTS - TRAINING DIARY - C2K



ATHLETES QUESTIONS - Training Zones (Dr Will O’Connor)

Dr. Will O’Connor, a sports scientist and endurance coach, is known for his approach to training zones, which helps athletes optimize their performance by training at the right intensity for different physiological adaptations. Here's an overview of his training zones:

Overview of Training Zones by Dr. Will O’Connor

Dr. O’Connor's training zones are typically based on heart rate, pace, or power metrics, depending on the athlete's sport (running, cycling, etc.). These zones are designed to target specific energy systems and optimize different aspects of fitness, such as aerobic capacity, lactate threshold, and VO2 max.

The Five Training Zones

  1. Zone 1: Active Recovery

    • Intensity: Very low

    • Heart Rate: 50-60% of max HR

    • Purpose: Promotes recovery and helps clear metabolic by-products from previous high-intensity efforts.

    • Duration: Typically used for recovery sessions or cool-downs.

    • Perceived Effort: Very easy, can comfortably carry on a conversation.

  2. Zone 2: Aerobic Endurance

    • Intensity: Low to moderate

    • Heart Rate: 60-70% of max HR

    • Purpose: Builds aerobic base, improves fat metabolism, and increases endurance.

    • Duration: Longer sessions, often forming the bulk of training volume.

    • Perceived Effort: Comfortable, steady effort, breathing is controlled, can talk in sentences.

  3. Zone 3: Tempo

    • Intensity: Moderate to high

    • Heart Rate: 70-80% of max HR

    • Purpose: Develops sustainable speed, improves lactate threshold, and enhances stamina.

    • Duration: Medium to long efforts, often used in tempo runs or steady-state efforts.

    • Perceived Effort: Challenging but sustainable, can speak in short sentences.

  4. Zone 4: Threshold

    • Intensity: High

    • Heart Rate: 80-90% of max HR

    • Purpose: Improves lactate threshold, increases ability to sustain high-intensity efforts.

    • Duration: Shorter intervals or sustained efforts near race pace.

    • Perceived Effort: Hard, difficult to maintain a conversation, focused effort.

  5. Zone 5: VO2 Max

    • Intensity: Very high

    • Heart Rate: 90-100% of max HR

    • Purpose: Increases maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), improves speed and anaerobic power.

    • Duration: Short, intense intervals with longer recovery periods.

    • Perceived Effort: Very hard, breathing is labored, speaking is difficult.

How to Use These Zones in Training

  1. Base Building: Focus on Zone 2 during the base phase to build a strong aerobic foundation.

  2. Threshold Work: Incorporate Zone 3 and Zone 4 workouts to improve your ability to sustain faster paces.

  3. High-Intensity Training: Use Zone 5 sparingly to improve your VO2 max and anaerobic capacity, usually in the weeks leading up to key races.

  4. Recovery: Include Zone 1 sessions to aid recovery after intense workouts or races.

  5. Periodization: Adjust the emphasis on different zones depending on your training cycle (e.g., more Zone 2 in the early season, more Zone 4 and 5 as you approach race day).

Practical Application

  • Heart Rate Monitors and Power Meters: Use devices like heart rate monitors, power meters (for cycling), or GPS watches to stay within the desired training zone.

  • Testing: Perform periodic fitness tests (like lactate threshold tests or VO2 max tests) to accurately determine your training zones.

  • Adjusting for Conditions: Be aware that factors like temperature, fatigue, and terrain can affect your heart rate and perceived effort, so adjust your training zones accordingly.

By understanding and applying Dr. Will O’Connor’s training zones, athletes can structure their training to achieve specific adaptations, maximize performance, and avoid overtraining. This approach allows for targeted improvements in endurance, speed, and overall race readiness.



Thanks for joining me @ Beve with Benn. Stay tuned for updates. Post your questions and updates on racing


Stroke No Limits Coaching - stick to the mantra of my 3 D’s #desire #determination #discipline



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