Athlete Resources

★★★Training Swing Days Ω

Cliff Scherb ·

✍ Training swing Ω day - Training swing days allow you to move your schedule around a missed session to another day. When you see this day in the calendar it means it is the best day to add or shift a missed session as follows;

-Should only be a Swim, Bike or Strength Session and not run. Runs are too risky to cause an injury when being moved.
-If you would like to adjust the schedule for a run, move it on the calendar and ask your coaches blessing please : )
-Swing days should not compromise the rest of the week and often times a swing day will also have another session so be mindful that you cannot truly "make up" a session.
-You may also add on an extra one hour to 90min of easy riding on your long ride provided it is done in Z2 or less and also no more than an RPE of 5! That equates to ~50-70TSS points. More than this and the schedule may need a modification.
-When all else fails... let it go. You can't make up a session and there lots of sessions ahead that are important. Move forward and upwards!

Featured
★★★How to adjust your weekly schedule when "life happens" using swing days
★★★How to adjust your weekly schedule when "life happens" using swing days

From time to time your schedule and life will dictate your training. Even with the best of intentions and timing, finding the time to train can be a challenge. Our coaches have put these notes together for you to get back on track.

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★★★How to update your Tristar coaches with your races and training schedule in training peaks
★★★How to update your Tristar coaches with your races and training schedule in training peaks

This short video demos how to update your race calendar and weekly training schedule with our coaches.

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Training Peaks, Athlete Resources, Coach Cliff Scherb

★★★Efficiency Factor - signs your aerobic capacity are improving.

Cliff Scherb ·

We have known for decades that if heart rate during an all-aerobic (below lactate/anaerobic threshold) workout rises while the intensity (power or pace) stays the same then the athlete is not operating efficiently and his or her aerobic endurance is questionable. The same is true if heart rate stays the same and power decreases or the pace slows.

Training Peaks

★★★ Variability Index of outputs for Swim - Bike - Run

Cliff Scherb ·

Variability Index is a way to measure how smooth or “variable” your power output was during the ride. It is calculated by dividing your Normalized Power by your Average Power. A steady and even output, like during a triathlon, should have a VI of 1.05 or less. During a criterium race your VI may be as high as 1.2 or more. Learn more about this key metric…

half-ironman

★★★Half Ironman TriStar Athletes - TSS projections based on intended bike split

Cliff Scherb ·

This chart allows you to determine the total training stress and intensity needed for your upcoming half ironman race.  The higher your FTP, the faster you split and therefore higher your target intensity factor should be.  You should start with the estimated bike split first, then review your hardest rides to make sure you have done rides of this training stress (TSS) and then look to find the  corresponding intensity factor or (.IF).

Video data review - understanding the TSS pace chart in context with a race output - Tristar Athletes Peter Ekvall's data reviewed at the Maine 70.3