In preparation into the world of triathlons some research needed to be done about how to train for an adventure like this. Most people in the traditional triathlon group won't like what I have to say about how I train, and that's ok. I have my reasons for the way that I choose to train and I will explain them here. As you know, I am a Firefighter by my profession. It's an amazing career and a dream come true. It is also a job that can be incredibly hard; mentally, emotionally and physically. The largest cause of Line Of Duty Death's for Firefighters is heart attacks and strokes. Over 50% of the deaths every year are from something that is, to a large degree, preventable. So with that as the back drop, it only serves to reason that if I want to stay healthy enough to not only reach my retirement, but to enjoy it, I need to stay as healthy as possible. If my retirement was enough motivation, I have 3 beautiful kids that I love very much and love spending time with. I can not imagine not being able to get down on the floor and play with them, or chase them in the back yard or around the play ground. I stay active and healthy for myself, for my family and for my brother and sister firefighters who may have to rely on me to help get them out of danger. My sole responsibility everyday when I leave for work is to come back in the same condition that I left.
Before I got hired with the fire department, I was fairly active. I would run at work around the paramedic station, and lift weights at home. All in an attempt to be ready to be hired. After I got hired, my training went up a couple of notches as I had access to more equipment. A couple of years into the firefighting gig I heard about Crossfit and decided to check it out. If you've never heard of Crossfit or seen what it's about, it's definitely intimidating. But after trying it, I was HOOKED! I've been doing Crossfit for over 4 years now. Since that time, Crosffit has grown; although I think blew up, would be a better description. Crossfit now has sub-categories for a more specific training regimen for those who are looking into that. There is the Crossfit Football programming that has a higher emphasis on strength and conditioning. There is also a Crossfit Endurance programming, for endurance athletes. This is where I now find myself getting all of my training from. There are a lot of people who love to hate Crossfit, and there are multiple reasons to hate it. Some of the arguments are completely baseless, and others are from bad personal experiences or bad coaching. I feel that like everything, there is good and bad in the systems and that you need to keep an open mind and listen to your body.
So I subscribe to the Crossfit Endurance (CFE) programming. You can check it out at http://www.crossfitendurance.com/ Currently I am following the multisport athlete programming, and trying to stay consistent with the posted work outs. There are days, of course, where I'm exhausted from lack of sleep because of work or sick kids, and then I will have to adjust accordingly. But for the most part, I'm on track with their programming. I enjoy the programming and feel that it will lead me to success. I agree with the fundamentals of the programming; that the Long Slow Distance (LSD) training that is common with triathlon training is more harmful than beneficial. With the LSD training, you see various injuries from over use. Simply putting in the miles will not make you a faster or more efficient triathlete. CFE emphasises the need to use good form to be more efficient and therefore have less injuries. Form comes before intensity. Once you have to form, then you increase the intensity. CFE works using various interval regimens to stress various body systems; long intervals, short intervals, tempo and time trial work outs as well. CFE also has an emphasis on strength, and being a strong endurance athlete. Your days are broken into usually 2 separate workouts. One workout is a strength and strength&conditioning workout. The other workout is your endurance work out based on your sport. There is emphasis on sport specific training and drills to get the good form and keep the good form.
One of the big thing that CFE, and Crossfit in general, emphasize is the need to find your weakness and then work to eliminate them. Well for me, my big weaknesses are the swim and the bike. I've never done any competitive cycling, or cycling in general, before I got into this triathlon training. I haven't done any competitive swimming since Jr high (or middle school as they call it). But even that competitive swimming was just countless laps in the pool. There was never any coaching about good swimming form or anything like that. With the knowledge of those 2 sports being my weakness, I will train a little more than what the CFE site prescribes. This means more pool time, continued reading on the Total Immersion style to which CFE promotes. It also means more time in the saddle. This will usually come in the form of some Spinervals dvd's that we have here at the station. There are a few guys here at my station who are very serious about cycling and have a ton of the Coach Troy Spinnervals dvd's. I've done a few of them, and they are fun. They take the mundane of being stuck on the trainer and give you something to focus on and do. Since I am such a baby on the cycling scene, it's nice to have the vids to help push you with cadence and other things like that. Mostly the vids that I will use, will be the strength vids. Just work on getting stronger on the bike and being able to go farther and faster.
So why am I going with the CFE programming? Because I believe that it works. I like the shorter, higher intensity workouts. I like being able to spend time with my family instead of countless hours every week away while training. I like lifting heavy weights too. I enjoy being able to put more than 2x my body weight on a bar and squatting; or more than my body weight on the bar and clean it. I enjoy doing the olympic lifts, the technical lifts that could take a lifetime to master in themselves. I enjoy throwing weight around and slamming my bumper plates into the ground. I'm a Firefighter and I need to stay as fit as possible. But I also need to be as functionally strong as possible as well. I'm not a big guy to begin with; 5' 7" and 155#. I need to be able to have explosive power and strength to possibly help save my life, the life of one of my friends or the life of a complete stranger. Crossfit Endurance allows me to do that, and still be ready for the next triathlon.
Here's an interesting link to an article that I read on Lava Magazine on line: article link I found it interesting that the 1st thing noted was to "Lift Right". Now while they didn't say Crossfit or Crossfit Endurance, what was said was that single isolated weight training movements, like a bicep curl, has no real benifit. Instead they recomend "full-body, functional exercises while scattering in some explosive and heavy weightlifting to keep your muscles functional and fast". That is essentially Crossfit; constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity.
Here's a pic of me doing some pullups while at the park with Delaney strapped to my chest, while on vacation. You can't tell, but she was loving it!
