15 May 2001

Hi everyone,

Please read this message carefully and save it !

After 2 races, I believe everyone is fired up for the season and want to get a good results at future races. Here''s some very important training tips you should consider when training:

1# Plan your races and workouts (Periodization, mesocycle). Like any other endurance sport, the best way to get faster in triathlon is to use supercompensation training theory, it means overload your system with volume and intensity for 3 weeks and recover for a week. If you don''t plan the recover week on your schedule, you''ll probably lead to a overtraining...... So, if you guys wants to go fast at San Jose Intl. (just an example) 5 weeks out, you''l have: 1 taper week (race week), 3 hard training weeks before the taper and one recovery week before the 3 hard weeks

2# The second important thing to consider is how to plan your workouts in a week (microcycle) The same theory of working and resting is applied, let''s say you guys do Turbo on Tuesday, Track on Thrusdays and the long aerobic workouts on the weekend. Monday should be an easy recovery day, where you could do a easy short run (max. 30') or bike (max. of 90') and a long aerobic(easy) swim, Tuesday you have a hard bike workout at night so if you are planning to do something else that day, it has to be aerobic also, Wednesday you can work on your strength (hill repeats for bike and/or run) at a low HR, you can add a hard swim, Thrusday, thrack at night so, same as Tuesday, easy workouts for bike  and/or run, Friday should be off for running (recover from a quality workout the night before and preparing for the weekend) and/or swim and bike. I personally take the day off completely, it''s good not only physically but mentally. Saturday, long aerobic, I mean AEROBIC bike ! ride followed by a T-Run (very important !) and optional easy swim, Sunday long aerobic run and an optional easy spin after the run alternating with a shorter Tempo Run (quality race pace run).

I guess it's a lot of info for now, I 'll go through the details like how much and how hard on the next Training Tips.

Please e-mail me or come to see me at the Track or at JCC if you have any questions or comments.

You guys have a great day and see you tonight!

Sergio Borges