Ergometer Training with Coach Tim & Coach Al

Athlete Testimonial from Scott A.

Scott A. completed the 2010 San Francisco International Marathon in a time of 3:29:20

I can now check "Complete a Marathon" off my bucket list and it is all because of Coach Jared. I had trained on my own in the past, but kept running into injuries once I hit a certain mileage total. Coach Jared took a look at specifically what I was doing and what my goals where and created a personalized plan that fit my running style and ability. He continually kept up with me about progress and how I could continually improve. Additionally, his workouts were custom tailored for me as a runner, so not only was I gaining the mileage needed, but was also having a really great time with the variety of workout options. What amazed me the most was the personal attention and customization that Jared put forth to me as an athlete. Coach Jared knew exactly how to push me to be my best and because of his direction not only did I complete my first marathon, but I surpassed my goal and am already thinking about my next race. I cannot thank Coach Jared enough and I am very happy that I will have the opportunity to work with him again in the future!

Cyclocross Ride with THE MAN

Friday morning, I had the pleasure of riding with Olympic Triathlete, Jarrod Shoemaker. But first things first, this wasn't the typical ride you would expect one of the fastest men in the world to be on. Instead, it was an off-road ride on our cyclocross bikes.

As many of you know, I have been spending as much time on my 'cross bike as possible since triathlon season ended. It is a lot of fun to get off the road get in the dirt, on the grass and covered in mud. So this was the perfect opportunity to ride with a top athlete and pray I didn't get dropped.

So, Jarrod met me first thing Friday morning at Wheelworks (on my day off) and we finished building up his new CX bike. We put together a killer build and Jarrod topped it off with an SRM powermeter (drool!). We then took his race bike (a Trek Madone 6.9 with DI2) and duplicated his fit on the CX.

A few minutes later, his coach, Tim Crowley (USA Triathlon Coach of the Year) showed up and we pushed off. Immediately we kicked up the hill that is Mill street and then dropped into the off-road section. Rock Meadow is a surprisingly fun trail area nestled across the street from McLain Hospital in Belmont. We dropped in, had some fun going through the flowing single-track and fire roads. 40 minutes later we worked out way over to a field to practice some 'cross race skills.

Despite the fact that Jarrod had never raced a cyclocross bike before, he picked up the dismounting, runs and remounts very quickly. On his first time, he looked significantly smoother than I have ever looked. Stupid elite athletes!

Soon after, we called it a day and went back to the Wheelworks to do some final tuneups on his bike. It is a rare experience to be able to ride with an elite athlete and that is why triathlon is one of the most exciting participant sports out there. I can line up on the same start line as the best ever and we will have the same race experience. No other sport can you have this!.

Yesterday was Jarrod's first race and unfortunately a pair of flat tires ended his day early. Today is the second race and then tomorrow, Jarrod, Tim and I will be hosting a seminar at Wheelworks (Monday 6:30pm) talking about the "secrets" of the pros. Should be lots of fun and hopefully we fill the joint.

Regardless of how many people show up, I will not only be a participant in the presentation, I will be a student of the sport. Learning from the best is always a privilege, as was riding with them.

Cheers,

Jared

Gear Selection

Despite the 330+ day count until Ironman Wisconsin, I am always trying to figure out where I can grab some free speed. There a a bunch of things to consider, especially for the bike leg:

1) Hilly vs. Flat course

2) Road Quality

3) Bike Handling skills

So, taking those things into account, I have already decided on what wheels I will pull out of the quiver for IMMoo (yes, there are cows in Wisco').

I will be running a Zipp 1080 rear wheel and a Zipp 808 front. Here is my logic:

1) This is a hilly course, more specifically, about a 40 hill course. Therefore, although I love running a disc rear, I am going to take advantage of the weight reduction going with the 1080. Also, because the 1080 front is significantly heavier than the 808 front, I decided to drop some "aero" and go with the lighter wheel. Compared to my 2010 race wheels (Zipp 900 disc and 1080 front, both clinchers), going with the 1080/808 tubular will drop more than 2 lbs. off the weight of my bike and that is HUGE

2) The road quality up in Wisco is pretty good, except for a lot of chip asphalt. Although it is smooth (compared to Boston), it does create a lot of rolling resistance. Because of this, I am going with tubular wheels (tires that are glued to the rim) because you can run higher pressure. This will help cut down on the resistance and run a bit smoother.

3) Bike handling is a strength of mine. In my home town, I was riding on very windy and twisty roads, so learning to corner/descend/climb was very important. With 16 years of road riding under my belt, I take advantage of this whenever I race. Tubulars are ideal for this since they corner better than clinchers and roll faster.

Deciding on my wheelset, even this far out, is important so it is one less thing to worry about. And, dropping that much weight off the bike is phenomenal. Tri bikes are not light and using the wheels to keep the weight down is excellent.

That is what I got for today! Pretty much just logging miles and having fun riding the CX bike in the mud.

Hope everyone is having as much fun as I am!

Cheers,

J

Big News...Revealed

Pro Triathlon Night at Belmont Wheelworks

Join 2008 Olympian, Jarrod Shoemaker, for a special event at Belmont Wheelworks on Monday, October 25 at 6:30pm.

Jarrod Shoemaker will talk about his experiences training for Olympics and for the ultra-competitive ITU triathlon circuit. Joining Jarrod will be his coach, Tim Crowley, the 2009 USA Triathlon Coach of the Year and Coach Jared Gell, of Competitive Instinct Multisport, to discuss how his training methods can be used by the everyday triathlete. Triathlon is an accessible sport and learning the training skills used by the top professionals will help you have your best triathlon season ever in 2011.

Bios:

Jarrod Shoemaker
The premier Olympic Distance (ITU) triathlete in the United States for the last several years. Jarrod represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics where he finished 18th overall. In 2009, Jarrod won the World Championship Series (WCS) race in Hamburg, came in 7th overall in the WCS standings then ended the season by winning the Duathlon World Championships. Jarrod, continued his success in 2010 with a USA National Championship and ended the year ranked 13th in the world.


Tim Crowley
Tim is a Level III USA Triathlon Elite Coach. He was also named the 2009 USA Triathlon Coach of the Year, for his amazing work with Jarrod Shoemaker, Alicia Kaye and other top athletes. An avid student of the sport, Tim has been instrumental in bringing some of the most innovative training techniques to his athletes and to the coaching community. Recently, Tim has been at the forefront of using power-based tools analyze swim stroke.


Jared Gell
Jared is the Head Coach of Competitive Instinct Multisport, LLC, located in Somerville, MA. He believes that all athletes, regardless of ability deserve the coaching benefits that had been previously reserved for only the top professionals. Coach Jared focuses on creating a program that suits each athlete's goal's, lifestyle and fitness levels.

STAY TUNED

We have some really big news later today. Stay Tuned...

(if you can't tell, we are really excited!)

Rain Out

Yesterday, it absolutely poured in the morning. I like to think I am pretty tough when dealing with the elements. I have ridden my bike down to 8 degrees and have run in sub-zero. However, the kryptonite to my "Super" workouts is definitely cold rain.

I don't know what it is, but cold rain is absolutely miserable. Maybe it is some repressed memories from having to stand outside waiting for the school bus growing up. More likely, it is just a combination of being cold and wet and there is some innate knowledge that it can lead to sickness...I don't know.

However, outside of my complaints about the weather yesterday (and the rest of this week), there is a purpose to this post. I missed a workout yesterday. Thats right, I didn't get on the bike...but you know what, that is ok. Stuff like that will happen, whether it is health, climate or whatever causes you to miss a workout. There are a whole lot of training days ahead and living up in the Northeast, weather is always going to be an issue.

Hold on for a second, I do have to say one quick thing in this post - - I don't want to hear any bragging from anyone who lives in a more temperate environment. That means no mocking from you Florida or California peoples...

Ok, back to the post:

Luckily, I have learned a few things about training in this environment. Clothing is something you shouldn't cheap out on. CI Multisport partner, Craft of Sweden, makes the absolute most kick-ass base layers and apparel on the market. I absolutely swear by them and they are essential for getting out in the crappy, nasty weather.

Pretty much, for training out here, you need to:

1) Base layer - to get the sweat off the skin (its like cold rain)

2) Thermal layer - to keep you warm

3) Weather layer - to keep the elements from cutting through #'s 1 and 2

So thats what I got for you today. I am going to finish my coffee and get out for a medium long run (about 8 miles).

Later,

Jared