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Featured Coach: Endurance Training International
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Offers online personalized, certified coaching and consulting services for
runners, triathletes and duathletes of all levels and distances.
Coach: Derek Kite
www.Eti-kite.com
Endurance Training International was
founded by Derek Kite in 2006 and became
an LLC in 2008. With a broad base of
knowledge and experience in running,
duathlon, and triathlon, Derek’s main goal is
to become a leading source of coaching
services for endurance athletes worldwide.  

Here at ETI we strive to provide you with the
best - the best training, the best resources,
and the best support. Our services are
unlimited. Whether your desire is to be fit and
healthy or to reach the next level of racing, our
aim is to help you achieve your personal best.
Using our successfully proven technique (the
philosophy of frequency),  we refine and
Question for Derek Kite:
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Q:   Every time I run my shins get sore either during the run or the next day. I know this is common but everyone I talk to that has this problem just quits
running or only walks. I like running and hope there is another alternative. - Jana S.

A:  That's seems to be a problem with many runners at whatever level, including "yours truly."  Most likely, it has something to do with lack of strength.  
Runners calves tend to get very strong while the shin muscles (actually the front part of the calf) stay weak.  The weakness can also come from the feet and
ankles.

Question:  What do I do about shin splints?
Answer:  Time to strengthen the shins!

1.  Theraband work with the ankles, to strengthen shin muscles.  Black (strongest), red or green (weakest).  Cut about 2 feet of the band and tie it in a large
loop.  Anchor it to the leg of a couch, or something else close to the ground that won't move while doing the exercise.  Sit a few feet away from the anchor and
wrap the band around your foot while leg is straight.  Pull foot back 30 times while in 3 different positions using only ankle and shin muscles.  1.  Straight
back.  2.  To the right.   3.  To the left.

Repeat this process 2 to 3 more times and do it 3 times per week.

2.  Bare foot sand walking.  Go to the beach or local sand volley ball court.  Walk around for 15 to 30 minutes.  This is about the best thing you can do for foot
strength.  I usually throw a frisbee for my dog while in a volley ball court, (that is, if I'm not working at the beach).  

3.  Write imaginary letters with your feet.  
You can do this with or without shoes.  Write capital letters with your whole foot using your toe as your paint brush.  You can do this while watching TV or at the
office.

Remember:  Repetition is the key.

Be sure to get running shoes that fit properly.  This in itself may remedy the problem.

Derek Kite
www.eti-kite.com
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Question for Derek Kite:
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Q:   I am training for a 70.3 in July. I am trying to not only build my base but build speed. How often should I incorporate speed work in my routine?

A:  I believe whole heartedly in speed work, though there are many variables involved in answering this question:  time; how much base you have; what type
of training tools you have.

If you don't have a lot of time, you can actually build speed work into 40 to 60 percent of your training.  Let's say you can swim 3 days, bike 2 days, and run 3
days.  I would have you working some type of intervals on at least 2 of the swims, 1 ride and 1 run.

If you have more time to train, it will give you more time for building strength throughout the schedule.  You would do roughly the same amount of interval work
as the previous paragraph.  The difference would be that you would have more workouts in each event.  This would bring the overall percentage of interval
work in  your schedule down.

Ex:  4 to 5 days of swimming per week:  At least 2 days would be speed work, on occasion, 3 days.  The other 2 to 3 days would be very easy work with drills.

3 to 4 rides per week:  1 to 2 of these days would be intervals.  1 day would be an easy spin and 1 day would be long.

4 to 5 runs per week:  1 to 2 days would be intervals.  2 to 3 days would be easy runs.  1 day per week or every other week would be a long run.

Tools like indoor wind trainers and treadmills can greatly cut down on your overall time of training.  They can also make every training session hard.  There
are no red  lights or down hills when training inside.  Everything is specific and hard.
Derek Kite Pic
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Question for Derek Kite:
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Q:   I am running my 1st Ironman in about 4 months.  I have never run a marathon and was wondering if you thought it was a good idea to complete one
before the IM?  Or would that require too much recovery and interruption to my training?

A:   When training for the Ironman, it's not so important to do the whole marathon distance before the race, especially if you are only 17 weeks from your race.  
When Pro Triathlete Sam McGlone is training for the IM, Cliff English (her coach) has her do a hard two-day block, three to four times during her lead up to the
race.  She will build by about 1/2 an hour each time.  The first of the two days will be a long, solid brick and the second day will be a 2.5 hour run.  These are
usually done on a Saturday and Sunday, 4-5 weeks apart.  The final one should be about 21-28 days from the race.  In a 4-month period, you have time for 3
of these 4-5 weeks apart.

Example:
14 weeks from race:  
Saturday:  solid combo/brick (swim - bike - run):  equipment ready
Swim:  45-50 minutes (solid efforts - race specific)
Bike:  5 hour ride (focus on cadence and nutrition)
Run:   40 min run (quick cadence and rhythm)
Sunday:  Long run:  2 hours as 3x (35min aerobic - 5min easy jog)

9 weeks from race:  
Sat:  Combo/brick (swim - bike - run):  equipment ready
Swim:  50-55 min (solid efforts - race specific)
Bike:  5:30 ride (cadence and nutrition)
Run:   50 min run (cadence and rhythm)
Sun:  Long run:  2:15 as 3x (40min aerobic - 5min easy jog)

4 weeks from race:  
Sat:  Combo/brick (swim - bike - run):  equipment ready
Swim:  55-60min (solid efforts - race specific)
Bike:  6 hour ride (cadence and nutrition)
Run:   1 hour run (cadence and rhythm)
Sun:  Long run:  2:30 as 3x (45min aerobic - 5min easy jog)

Remember to take the next 2 or 3 days very easy, with maintenance work only.
Question for Derek Kite:
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Q:   I did IM CDA in June. I had a hamstring issue that needed to heal so I took a couple week break and kept doing some fun stuff. I ranged from about
50 -75 miles a week on the bike, couple days swimming and recently got back on the run and have built up to about 20 miles a week on the run and I feel
good. Didn't want IM to be only race of the season and waste all my fitness that I built with my IM training so I just signed up for a 1/2 Im Distance mid
sept. I have read about "blocks of training" to help rebuild fitness.  With 3 weeks of training is there a block of training I can do to ramp up quickly?
What do you suggest? - J.H.

A:  Yes and No.

No:  Blocks of training have to do with a long period of training, ie… (a 1 year build towards next year’s IM CDA).  You split up that year in order to train your
body for different races, and different weather periods.  Ex:  indoor most of the winter because of snow.  

Yes:  You can simply add this small block to your whole period of training, (this year).  You had a problem with your hamstring, but you are probably still in
pretty good shape.  You need to maintain that fitness and do 2 to 4 key workouts before your half IM.  You probably want to focus on distance rather than
speed because speed will tend to harm the hamstring more easily.  Do a smaller taper with less speed.  Focus on a good diet so that your mind is ready for
the race.

You may want to see a chiropractor.  One of your joints may have slipped out of place causing the hamstring pain.  This is often overlooked.

Derek Kite
www.eti-kite.com
Question for Derek Kite:
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Q:   I am a decent swimmer meaning I can swim but am not very fast.  I have problems turning right so I site every third or fifth stroke.  I feel as if I am
going very slow and am not keeping up with the pack.  I also have gone through about 8 pair of goggles trying to find a pair that don't leak.  Can you give
any advice on speed, staying straight or goggles? - Ray M.

A:  Ray - These are all great questions.  Sounds like you need a good coach, especially in the swim.  The questions you have asked may have a lot to do with
body position in the water.  

1.  When you say you're having problems turning to the right, I'm guessing you're having problems breathing to the right.  If pain is causing this problem, it
may be time to see a chiropractor to see if there is a problem with the neck or upper back.  Chiropractors may not be the answer, but they can be helpful in
finding the answer.  They can show you where the problem is, so that you can deal with the specific strength and flexibility issues.

ex:  If you are not getting enough rotation in your stroke, it can lead to problems with your shoulders.  When you finish a long or hard swim, you should be sore
and fatigued in your Lats and Tris.  If your shoulders are really sore,  you are probably swimming to flat in the water.  I dealt with this for 3 years while learning
how to swim.  It lead to many neck and shoulder problems, mostly pain in the rotator cuffs.  It also lead to pain while turning my head to breath.

What you can do:

1.  Get your cadence up by shortening your stoke.  You are not racing in the pool, you're racing in the open water.  Shortening your stroke will make it much
easier to breath to the right while your body is rotating.

2.  Think of your arms as a kayak paddle.  When one is out of the water, one is in the water.  This will also make it easier to stay with pack.

3.  Spend more time with the back of your stroke than the front.  More can go wrong with the front of your stroke while in a pack.  People can hit your arm or
keep it back while your trying to get it forward and into the water.

4.  Your hand should enter the water at shoulder width and close to your head (maybe 4 to 6 inches in front of the head).  This will be a tough habit to get used
to.  When you finally get it down, then the rotation will come much easier.  

Sighting:

1.  It's actually good to sight every 6 to 10 strokes.  If fact, while with a pack, you should do more than half of your sighting under water.  Lift your head a tiny bit
with your eyes staying under water.  Look for the feet and the bubbles in front of you.

2.  Staying with the pack in the swim is very important because of the draft.  You can actually get almost as much of an advantage in the swim as in the bike.  It
may not feel the same, but if you lose the pack, they can actually put minutes on you.

Goggles:  I don't know what to say about fit except that when you find that perfect fit, buy 20 of them!  I've been known to clean out one type of goggle in a store
because I'm afraid that I may never see them again.

You may not even be dealing with these issues.  This is why I suggest a coach, someone who knows how to deal with each of your specific needs.

Cheers,

Derek
www.eti-kite.com (Endurance Training International)
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