IM Talk Podcast - Triathlon 2.0

I had the privilege of being on another one of the top Ironman podcasts, IM Talk, which is based out of New Zealand. The topic was my new book, Triathlon 2.0, but we also just dipped into Run With Power, which they discussed having me come back on the show to chat about in the future as well.

If you're a long course triathlete, this is a podcast you certainly know. They are on episode 513!

Thanks and enjoy! The interview starts at about 44:00.

http://www.imtalk.me/home/2016/4/25/imtalk-episode-513-jim-vance.html

Coach Vance

Ironman World Champs Pacing and Downhill Segments Study

If you read this blog regularly, you know I do a lot of study on triathlon race dynamics, especially the Ironman World Championships. There is a fantastic study I was a part of over the course of almost 2 years, with students and staff from the University of Connecticut, and was recently published in The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. We found some very interesting correlations between performance and downhill pacing, at the Ironman World Championships.

Specifically, we saw that athletes who maintained faster relative speeds on downhill segments, and who had smaller changes in HR between consecutive up and downhill segments were more successful relative to their goal times. The study shows where these segments were in the race, according to the bike and run course profiles. You can read the study here.

Many thanks to Evan C. Johnson, J. Luke Pryor, Douglas J. Casa, Luke N. Belval, Julie K. DeMartini, Carl M. Maresh, and Lawrence E. Armstrong on their hard work to make this great study happen.

Enjoy!

Coach Vance

Triathlon Science - Release Date March 8th

Order Triathlon Science Here

A 2-year project I worked on with Joe Friel and a host of incredible minds and names in endurance sports, comes to fruition on March 8th, 2013. I wrote one chapter, and edited each chapter, (more than once!) It was a huge project, but one that I am extremely proud of, as there has NEVER been a book like this. 

This book takes a look at what science and research has to tell us about EVERY aspect of the sport, and how we can apply that information to training. We went and got the best and brightest, coaches, MD's, PhD's and more, and had them write for us. It is an amazing compilation, and I believe most national governing bodies for the sport will make this 600+ page book their textbook for coaching education courses.

Here's a list of some of the contributors, which is impressive in its own right:

Bob Seebohar
Matt Fitzgerald

Bruce Mason

Dave Pease

Ross Tucker 

Neal Henderson 

John Post, MD

George Dallam

Gale Bernhardt

Hunter Allen

David Warden

Stephen McGregor 

and more...

Here's some of the reviews already...

“The scientific information discussed in Triathlon Science will give every reader a deeper understanding of the how and why behind a training program. It is a great resource for coaches and athletes alike.”

Linda Cleveland-- Coach Development Manager USA Triathlon

“Triathlon Science is invaluable for any athlete looking to decipher the vast information available and achieve immediate results.”

Adam Zucco-- Triathlon Coach 2009 USAT Developmental Coach of the Year, Five-Time Hawaii Ironman Finisher

“Joe Friel is a founding father of our sport, so you can be confident that Triathlon Science will be a valuable addition to your triathlon library.”

Gordon Byrn-- Founder of EnduranceCorner.Com, 2002 Ultra Man World Champion

Hope you get a chance to enjoy this great book, and send me your thoughts on it. I'm already working on book #2!

Coach Vance

Race and Disc Wheel Dilemma - New Data

One of the common questions people ask me about is race wheels, and whether they are worth it. I've always thought worth is a relative question, based as much on budget as performance. I remember asking Joe Friel why he always rode such nice wheels on his road bike, (Zipp 808's), for all his rides. He responded with, "Jim, by the time these wheels are worn out, they'll be obsolete anyway." Very true.

I came to ride the wheels I would race on, all the time. I was training on a 404/808 combination with a PowerTap, and on race day I would just add a disc cover I bought from Wheelbuilder.com.

A disc cover is simply two pieces of plastic which attach over the wheel securely, and make it a full disc wheel, in essence.

I had heard from John Cobb at a wind tunnel camp, (one of the aero gurus), that the disc cover was, "not as good as a disc wheel, but pretty darn close." Considering the investment difference, I was fine with pretty darn close.

Then I read this study, by Wheelbuilder.com themselves, and how the disc covers did compared to uncovered wheels, and solid discs. They even compared an 808 covered and an open-pro rim, with little to no dish.

Now, Wheelbuilder.com is in the wheel sales business, and the disc cover sales business, so one might argue their results are not independently verified, but one could argue by showing an open-pro with disc cover does better than an 808 with one, that they would likely be losing money if they sell open-pro's instead of 808's. (This doesn't take into account the rolling quality of the 808 vs open-pro, or bearings).

Perhaps it's time to put a disc cover on that wheel, and saving yourself some dough!

Coach Vance