Ironman swimming in the pool

Posted on March 22nd, 2024 by Eric Neilsen

Swim Start Ironman World Championship view from Kona Inn on Ali'i Drive

If you are preparing for an early season Ironman, this is a great 4000yard/meter workout you can insert into your training plan. Also, good for swimmers preparing for open water swims and/or the time crunched athlete. Ironman swimming requires the ability to build into swims making early pacing critical to maximizing your performance.

The workout
1 x 600 Free Warm
3 x 400 Faster pace per 100 than 500 this should be easy since 500 was warm up
4 x 300 Faster pace per 100 than 400's
5 x 200 Faster pace per 100 than 300's
2 x 100 Cool down
Total 4000

Intervals
600 on 1:00 rest
400's 300's and 200's on your normal base example 1:30/100M
so 400's on 6:00, 300's on 4:30, 200's on 3:00
100's on :10 sec rest mix strokes as you like

You could repeat this set every 3-4 weeks to measure your improvement as the season progresses and it works well before a bike session as the first part of a swim/bike brick. You could incorporate the use of paddles and/or swim buoy depending on level of swim experience. Generally speaking, ironman swimming requires good upper body endurance and mixing various forms of pulling into your training can be very helpful.

Please email me at coacheric8@gmail.com with topics you are interested in learning more about.

Coach Eric

Masters Swimming – The workout and lane flow!

Posted on November 1st, 2023 by Eric Neilsen

United States Masters Swimming (USMS) got started in May of 1970. Read more HERE on the history of USMS. I started my masters swimming career in the mid 80's and started coaching in 1991. Over the past 35 years I have been fortunate to have some great mentors and have learned many things from the athletes I coach. Writing a good workout takes a bit of planning by the coach and combined with managing the lane flow leads to a great workout for the swimmers. Here are some thoughts I have on doing just that.

How to write the workout
- Identify the goal of session
  - Free - Sprint, Mid, Distance, Tri/Open water
  - Stroke/IM
  - Technique
  - Combo
  - Repeat distances 25’s, 50’s, etc...
  - Aerobic, Anaerobic, both
  - What the pool dictates
- Warm up
  - With a 60 minute session, I give them 10 minutes of easy swim, kick, drill on their own. Masters bodies have many different warm up needs. Some swim, some talk on the deck but whatever works for them in those 10 minutes. Speed days I like to give them 15 minutes of general warm up. Some dryland exercises are also good prior to getting into the pool.
- Transition set
  - Can really be anything that helps them transition the heart rate up and a technique focus component as well.
- Main set 1 or 2
  - Depending on the workout goals 1 or 2 main sets is more than enough
- Cool down
  - I always encourage it but generally leave that to the individual

How to explain
- Written
  - White board - Write legible, write BIG, Use black or blue pen that shows up best for those aging eyes
  - Printed for each lane - Print a copy of the workout that each lane can have. Helps for those that can not see the white board and those that process by reading what they are doing
  - Pre workout email
  - Find what works best and it might be a combination of all
- Verbal
  - Group - Talking to the whole group at the beginning of practice to go over goals for the day. Need a big voice for this!
  - Individual lane - Giving each lane their instructions. Usually intervals to swim on, number or reps and lane order suggestions. Make sure FOB knows what to do. More on this later.
  - Individual - Individual instruction, short cues to help swimmers with technique or questions about the set.
- Visual Demonstration
  - Swimmer - Often very helpful for experienced swimmers in the workout to demonstrate technique or a specific drill.
  - Video - Having swimmers see the correct way to do something is very helpful. Also, having them see themselves swim so they can make the needed adjustments.
How to execute
- Lane Dynamics
  - Set the lane up for success… managing the flow. This is one of the things IMO that separates good coaches from great coaches. A great coach will monitor this and make micro adjustments to swimmers, rest intervals and set objectives to fine tune the session. I sometimes like to describe lane positions much like riding a bus: Front Of the Bus (FOB), Middle Of the Bus (MOB), Back Of the Bus (BOB).
  - Front Of the Bus (FOB) - This is your lane leader and critical for the lane functioning and flowing well. Must be reasonably good with the clock, pacing and counting laps. When giving instructions to the lane/group, make sure FOB is onboard. If FOB is not good then MOB and BOB have the potential to go astray and lane chaos quite possible. One thing that helps the whole lane is a set of 25’s or 50’s where everyone in the lane gets to be a FOB, MOB and BOB. This helps the swimmers appreciate all the work a FOB must do to keep the lane flowing and also gives confidence to the MOB and BOB that if put into a FOB position, they can lead the lane with confidence.
  - Middle Of the Bus (MOB) - The majority of the lane falls here with order TBD based on type of set and who is wearing what. Often swimmers that could lead but would rather follow due to pacing or clock skills. Lots of the MOB and BOB also like to draft as that is easier 2-4 seconds per 100. Along those lines the MOB can really have some speed variances if you combine the draft + using gear; it is not uncommon for swimmers to have 7-10 second per 100 differences in sustainable speed.
  - Back Of the Bus (BOB) - Usually the slowest swimmer in the lane, does not want to be in anybody’s way, has no desire to lead, just wants to follow/draft. Having an off day but wants to be a part of the lane. BOB shares many of the characteristics of MOB but generally just a slower pace that can still function in the lane. Depending on pool dynamics, BOB could be asked to move down a lane and lead if the current lane has too many bodies. Same goes for a FOB that could be moved up a lane and be a BOB or MOB
  - What are you wearing?
    - Paddles, Fins, Snorkel, Buoy - Can change flow of lane and swimmer speed 7-10 seconds per 100 and interval capacity 5-10 seconds per 100. As noted above this has big impacts in the MOB.

There are endless combinations of swimming sets to create workouts. Combining that with good lane management will help give the swimmers you coach the best possible experience.

Have fun with it all, Coach Eric

Fall… a time to ponder.

Posted on November 3rd, 2016 by Eric Neilsen

2011 Europe bike trip: 3000+ miles/4 months and a lot of time to ponder life!

As we prepare to set our clocks back this weekend, fall is always a great reminder to slow down a bit and take inventory of the past year. I find myself reading more and seeking out quite time to just think... or not. A good friend of mine had forwarded along some quotes he liked and I thought, why keep those to myself.

Below are some that have been around and others you may find new to you along with an original from yours truly. I hope 1 or 2 of these resonate with you and be just what you needed at this moment in time.

"We all need empty hours in our lives or we will have no time to create our dream" - Robert Coles

"The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison." - Ann Wigmore

"Your attitude determines your altitude. The better the attitude, the higher you will soar in all things you choose to pursue with a passion" - Coach Eric Neilsen

"Simplicity and harmony are the ultimate conditions to be attained in all things". - Horace Fletcher

"Draw a circle around yourself - invite people in or keep them out. We are the creators of our social geometry. Calculate your volume". - Rachel Wolchin

"Don't limit your challenges, challenge your limits". - unknown

"A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others". - Ayn Rand

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence". - Confucius

"Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it". ~André Gide

"The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer". ~Edward R. Murrow

"Just as the old, looking back, idealize the past, so the young, looking forward, idealize the future. Illusion is the stuff of memory — and is at the heart of hope". ~Dr. Idel Dreimer

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it". - Charles R. Swindoll

Ironman 70.3 Boulder 2016

Posted on June 21st, 2016 by Eric Neilsen

Ironman 70.3 Boulder 2016

Pre-race: Got up about 4am and had some bullet proof coffee for my pre-race meal. About 300 calories in all. Then just sipped water the rest of the morning. Filled up 2 water bottles with Infinit and did a few core exercises to help wake my body up. After a couple visits to the bathroom, it was time for the beautiful sunrise drive down to Boulder Reservoir.

Sunrise over Boulder Rez

The Swim: After taking on the FAST Masters coaching position last fall, I needed to make some adjustments to my own swim training. First, I increased my Vasa Ergometer training sessions to help save time and create a very specific training stimulus for the race. Second, I incorporated more 25's "crazy 8" style into longer pulling workouts. Crazy 8's are 8 strokes as fast as you can go, then easy to the wall on :40 or :45. This helped remind my body how to move fast. Lastly, I swam more with snorkel, buoy, paddles and ankle strap in pull sets along with sets of 20 x 25 @:30 just snorkel and ankle strap. I really like the latter for training to sustain a higher stroke rate.

As we lined up for the swim start, my buddy Dean "The Diesel" Davis suggested we work together (me follow him out) then settle into our rhythm and that's what we did. The two of us and another swimmer spent our 29 minutes working our way forward on the course, navigating the swimmers ahead from earlier waves and just like that, we were headed for T1.

T1: Ouch!!! Running a fair amount on concrete I managed to nail a couple of rocks right in the same spot on my forefoot. I remember thinking, "this is going to hurt later," but race day adrenaline took care of the discomfort. Quick wetsuit strip, shoes on, helmet and off I went.

The Bike: After 7 years it was time to upgrade. The training combined with some improvements in technology (P5 and race wheels) made for a fast ride. Patrick Ray at Rocky Mountain Multisport dialed my ride in -- I'm a pain in the butt when it comes to making sure my brakes are in good working order (not rubbing the rim). Patrick also made another suggestion regarding cleat placement on my shoes to help minimize the amount of stress/fatigue that the calf muscles experience during the ride.

Heading out of T1, I hear Patrick yelling "Go Get It Neilsen" and that was the plan once the body settled down out on Diagonal Hwy. Starting in the second to last wave of men, there was a lot of bike traffic on the road ahead. Fortunately, they had a wider section of road for us to ride on during some of the earlier miles to make passing a little bit easier, but you still had to watch out for the "orange road cones" as those can hurt at 30mph.

Trying to dial in power between 200-215 watts, I zoomed up towards Airport road, flipped a u-turn and back down Diagonal to Jay Road which is part of the old course. Then heading north on 36 out of Boulder and right onto Neva Road for a really fast section down to 63rd St. This was a bit sketchy as 2 cars had myself and others grabbing the brakes.

Car #1: Decided to turn off 36 onto Neva the same time as myself and a couple other riders. Cars are part of the course at times, I get that, but why turn off onto Neva then proceed to go SLOWER than the cyclists. For those that know this part of Neva, the right, left, right turns before it straightens out were a bit nerve-racking. Once we got straight on the road again all was well until...

Car #2: My heart skipped a beat as two other riders were even closer to the potential accident. Three of us were rolling along close to 30mph when Car #2 passed us and braked hard to SLOWLY turn right onto a dirt road. The two riders ahead of me braked even harder, swerved left into potential oncoming traffic (fortunately none), and resumed their route. I was lucky and only had to sit up and hit the brakes hard. The three of us arrived at the left turn onto 63rd just shaking our heads thankful that nobody had T-boned the car.

Heading up 63rd I knew that half of the bike course was done and made sure to stay on top of hydration as the day was quickly warming up. Left turn on Nelson and back up to 36. This was a key section of the ride as I knew from training on the course that if I could keep my power around 230 watts going back up to 36 I could ride a strong and steady pace to the finish. Mission accomplished! I picked up a water bottle before making the turn onto 36. Another 2-3 minutes before things leveled out a bit before the downhill rollers into Lyons, right onto 66 to 75th and into Hygiene, by far the fastest section of the course of the day.

After going through Lyons and over the train tracks (thank you race officials for laying protection down there) I was feeling good but backed off the power just a touch to start prepping the legs for the run. The last miles went by quickly and I was able to get out of the saddle a few times to stretch the legs and back. Rolling into Boulder Rez, I felt confident the ride went well and I caught up to the only guy that had passed me during the ride.

T2 After bike dismount, run in and proper bike racking, I sat down to get my socks and shoes on because I find trying to put them on standing up I wobble all over the place. Once the feet were ready, I grabbed my hat, watch, race number and sunglasses and starting running towards the exit while getting all that stuff in order.

Transition Tip: Save time and do things in motion whenever you can.

Upon exiting T2, once again I see Patrick Ray (now wearing a chicken hat) cheering along with a whole bunch of NoCoTri Teammates. What a great way to start the run with a smile on my face.

Starting Lap 2 Photo JT Freyermuth

The Run: No surprises here, 2 laps, no cloud cover and the temp was going up. The Plan: Keep it simple, control the first mile or 2, ice in the hat immediately, settle into pace for the day with the mantra "I am a Runner." Hydration strategy every aid station was Gatorade/Water to start, then shift to Coke/water, Gatorade/Water. About 5 miles in, take a bit extra walk time to get more fluids in, more ice and adjust pace down with heat rising (after living, training and racing in Kona for 8 years, I've learned how to manage heat well and make adjustments early enough to avoid the "death march" of lap 2). I learned this the hard way a couple times for sure, but I knew that it would pay off today.

Just before the 5 mile aid station the two leading women were going by me on their 2nd lap and it was race on for sure. I still had Lap 2 on the run to go and after passing my cheering friends at "Tent City" again it was time to increase the mental focus and hold pace. Around 8-8 1/2 miles I once again took a bit longer at the aid station. This ensured enough fluid in the body and ice in the hat. Past mile 11 I took one last hydration load as I knew after that, there would be no stopping until the finish. Those last 2 miles across the dams were tough and I needed to really dig to hold onto pace.

Last miles on the Dam. Focus time!

With a new finish area this year the last 1/4 mile took us through the boat storage area, around transition and into the grassy finishing straight which was a welcome site for sure. Crossing the line I was spent and it took a couple of minutes to stop having tunnel vision. Finish line staff kept us moving along and hydrated. I got a couple bags of ice to put on my neck and tuck into my jersey top to start cooling off.

Finish Chute Photo JT Freyermuth

Podium L-R Eric Neilsen, 2nd, Terrance Ramirez, 4th and Tom Trauger, 1st

Summary: I'm always grateful to have the opportunity to do the things I love. Racing here in Northern Colorado with teammates and friends makes it that much better and helps bring the best out of me. A BIG THANK YOU to my crew that keeps me going. Sharon Cook, Dylan Schubert, Patrick Ray @Rocky Mountain Multisport, Scott Barrow Massage, Craig Depperschmidt @Rebound Physical Therapy, Infinit Nutrition, FAST Masters and... "The Diesel" 🙂

Winter Crosstraining

Posted on November 20th, 2014 by Eric Neilsen

Looking for some fun, winter exercise options? Have you considered snowshoeing?

It is a great way to keep your cardio fitness gains from the summer months while exploring some quiet and peaceful places in our Colorado winter wonderland. Snowshoeing requires a good base level of fitness so some sport specific training prior to tackling the trails is a good idea. First, a few things that will help make the trip a success and then some training considerations to better prepare you.

Gear – For starters, when it’s time for the first hike, rent snowshoes or borrow a pair from a friend. Just make sure to try them on before heading out the first time. Trekking poles are another item that many find helpful for additional balance and support as trail conditions vary. Packing the appropriate gear will make the adventure that much better along with some tasty snacks. Dressing in layers allows you to be flexible by adding or peeling off layers depending on your effort and the weather. Visit http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/snowshoeing-first-steps.html For more specific info on gear check and snowshoeing tips

Safety – If it’s your first time out, going with a friend or group that has some experience is a good idea. Make sure to check the weather report and trail conditions before starting. A saying we use in the ocean is “when in doubt, don’t go out” and this would apply here as well. Conditions can change quickly and there is no shame in turning around early on a hike or not starting one in adverse conditions.

Where – Rocky Mountain National Park has miles of trails to explore. http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/winter_activities.htm

Training - Here we have the nuts and bolts to get you ready for your snowshoe adventure. You will need to focus on cardio exercises that are sport-specific to best prepare you for the demands of snowshoeing. Walking or hiking outdoors on a rolling to hilly route would be a good place to start. This can also be accomplished by varying the incline on a treadmill if no hills are nearby. Other cardio options to consider would be a stair-master or elliptical trainer and taking the stairs whenever you can goes without saying. A blend of low and high intensity aerobic workouts will keep the training varied and better prepare you for the demands of the hike. Once you are comfortable walking at least 45 minutes, then it would be time to try some of your walks with a small pack, preferably the one you snowshoe with. This will increase the load on your hips, legs and upper body muscles so good form (posture) is important. If you are planning to hike longer distance or terrain that has a lot of elevation gain/loss, you will benefit from adding a little bit of weight to the pack and/or extending the time of your longer walks.

Strength and Flexibility – If new to strength training, then consulting with a trainer at your gym would be a great place to start. This will help take some of the fear out of the gym, but more importantly help minimize the chances of injury getting started. If you plan on just doing your own thing, start slow with body weight exercises and/or light weights that you can comfortably lift 12-15 times and one set is plenty if starting from scratch. If you have been in the gym already, then two sets of 12-15 repeats will be a good starting point. Focus on large muscle groups targeting the hips, legs, back and shoulders. Some lower body exercises to implement (but certainly not limited to) would be: Squats, lunges (both forward and backward), hamstring curls (machine or swiss ball) and single leg ¼ squats. Upper body could include: dumbbell rows, push-ups, shoulder press and tricep extension. The muscles of the lower leg and ankle will be under increased load as well, so a couple of simple exercises to include would be calf raises and walking on your heels, toes, inside and outside of your feet. Flexibility is always an important part of any program and everyday good health. Make sure to include stretching for the psoas to open up the hips, along with leg, back and chest muscles to help keep that good posture. Snowshoeing at times may require you to take steps bigger/higher than you are normally accustomed to over varied terrain.

Happy Trails!

Coach Eric

Improve your swimming technique… Train with a center mount snorkel.

Posted on October 28th, 2014 by Eric Neilsen

Recently I returned to using a center mount snorkel for part of my swim sessions in the pool. I forgot how much fun this is when air is always available & also realized that my stroke needs some tuning up. Typically I will start with it during warm up swimming 2-300 yards at an easy pace. Then, gradually building the distance on some shorter sets as I get used to flip turns again while not swallowing water coming back to the surface. I have also been incorporating into my cool downs to help me refocus on my technique before ending the training session. Here are some of the things I like about training with the center mount snorkel.

Swimming: First and foremost, it allows the athlete to focus on technique without having to turn the head to breathe. Often times, breathing strokes will cause a swimmer to become unbalanced in the water causing them to wiggle from side to side or worse yet, compromise body position with sinking hips, legs and feet. With the snorkel the swimmer is able to keep their head in a neutral position, working on good body alignment and balance in the stroke. Athletes with breath timing issues can learn to time their breathing without turning the head. A great drill for this is 4 x 25 rest :10 seconds with snorkel timing your exhale to the pulling arm you wish to breathe on. Then swim 1 x 50 without the snorkel breathing to pulling arm side you just practiced. Repeat 2-3 more times.

Kicking: With the snorkel, like swimming allows the athlete to maintain good body alignment and can reduce stress put on the lower back if kicking too much with a kickboard. Beginners can start with 4 x 25 flutter kicking rest :10-15 seconds. Arms stretched out overhead at shoulder width holding onto the bottom of a kickboard to help stabilize. Once this skill is acquired then try the 4 x 25 without the kickboard arms stretched out overhead at shoulder width or in a streamline position.

Drills: I like to do what I call a progression scull. This is where the athlete starts in the front scull position, arms stretched out in front at shoulder width 14-18 inches below the surface of the water. Start with some gentle sculling movements then gradually progress the scull through the freesytle pulling pattern until you reach the finish of your stroke. Like above 4 x 25 on 10-15 seconds rest will do and then swim 1 x 50. If done correctly, you should really feel a good connection with your hands to the water. Single arm swimming is also good with the snorkel as it allows the swimmer to coordinate hand/arm speed through the pull to their hip speed. Doing single arm pull with the non-pulling arm stretched out in front is a good way to start. I like this position as it allows the swimmer to feel a nice long body line from finger tips, through shoulder to hip. Also, since you don't have to breathe, you can pay attention to that lead arm when pulling to make sure it is not crossing center, the elbow is dropping or exhibiting other deviant behavior.

If you have not used a center mount snorkel before, I highly recommend giving it a try. Typical cost is between $30-$40. Be patient as you get used to breathing with the snorkel. Keep the repeats short so you can keep the technique focus at a premium.

Train Smart...Race Fast

Coach Eric