Brad MinusI am a USAT Level I Certified Triathlon Coach, a Healthy Running Certified Running Coach, a Lydiard Level II Certified Running Coach and an RRCA Certified Running Coach. I am also certified in Personal Sports Nutrition and am working toward being a certified Obstacle Course Coach as well.My clients tend to be new runners and triathletes in the over 40 age groups that are looking to finish their first endurance challenges, reach for that first podium finish, or just strive to get better. I get such a euphoric high, watching clients, and friends, cross that finish line. The smiles on their faces knowing they just conquered their goals feels so much better than crossing the finish line myself.

The Revolution 3 Florida 70.3 is 5 days away and I feel like I am still working out pretty hard for this “so called” taper week.  The workouts are shorter in duration but a little more intense.  Yesterday’s workout ended up being a 4 mile tempo run on Bayshore.

I started, as always with a warm-up of Dave Scott drills, ballistic stretches, high knees, hamstring leg-ups, booty kickers and bounders.  My main set consisted of a 1 mile run at an 8:15 minute mile, Four 3 minute sprints with 45 seconds rest in between, and another 1 mile run at 7:45.  I cooled down with my usual routine of 50 walking lunges, 50 monkey lunges, 50 squats, 50 crab walks and static stretches.  Does that sounds like taper week to you?  At the time I didn’t, but afterward I understood.  I was fatigued to a point where I was recovering fast, but I felt like I could do more.  I am not sure if it will actually do anything for me as far as strength or speed, but it did boost my confidence, which was just fine with me.

Bayshore Tuesday Morning

This morning (Wednesday), I looked  at my plan and an expletive was about to come through my mouth for two reasons; a) I didn’t sleep well the night before, and b) I really thought this was taper week.  As I perused the scheduled butt kicking I was about to give myself, I realized I might have been wrong.  Here was my bike trainer workout this morning:
Warm-Up – 50 single leg drills on each leg, 100 single leg drills on each leg, 10 minute spin in the small chain ring
Main Set – (and get this) Pyramid Intervals: 1 min sprint, 1 min spin, 2 min sprint, 1 min spin all the way to 6 min sprint, 1 min spin and back down to 1.
Cool Down – 15 min spin and 1 mile transition run

I didn’t expect a workout of this intensity this morning, but at the conclusion, dripping with sweat, I realized how ready I was for this weekend.  I might not do as well as I did in Augusta, but I am sure going to give it one hell of a try.

Speaking of workouts, the off-season is coming up and my goals are to develop some leg strength that will allow me to average 24 mph on the bike comfortably, arm, core and back strength to allow me to propel in the water, run faster, and stay in the aerobars longer on the bike.  I also would like to increase my flexibility to keep relieving pressure on the injury in my lower back.

Here is one of the first workouts I ever did to comeback from my back injury which helped me attain the base cardio, core and strength I have today and which has allowed me to enjoy the success I have been having. (Well, at least I think it’s success.)

Warm-up: (1 set x 10 reps)

• Walking Knee Hug
• Lateral Jumps
• Fwd Lunge w/ Overhead Reach
• Jumping Jacks
• Reverse Lunge w/ Twist

Core (3 sets x 10 reps)

• YTLI Raises
• Swiss Ball Plank
• Single Leg Glute Bridge

Strength – Supersets (3 supersets x 10 reps)

• Prisoner Squat/T- Push up
• Dumbell(DMB) Reverse Lunge/Inverted Row
• DMB Single Leg Romanian DeadLift/DMB Push Press
• DMB Lateral Lunge/Pull up

Cardio Ciruit (20 reps of each exercise x 3 rounds)

1. Kettlebell Swing
2. Burpee
3. Squat Jump
4. Shuttle Run