4 Ways To See If Your Plan Is Working

My Menu of Submax Performance Measures

The reason WHY your program is working is a topic of endless debate.

• Don’t Debate

• Keep Working

4 methods to see if your program is working.

1. Capped Heart Rate Routes

2. Lactate Testing

3. Progressive Benchmark Sets

4. Decoupling

Next week, I’ll share my thoughts on the Nordic Method. It’s not what I was led to believe.

Olav Aleksander Bu is a Norwegian Coach, who I watch closely. Bu describes the velocity:duration curve as the single most important metric for us to track

¹

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I’ve been tracking velocity for a long time.

Here’s how I do it.

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Capped Heart Rate Routes

Simple game:

1. Choose A Route, or Climb

2. Set A Heart Rate Cap

3. Go As Fast As Possible, under the cap

4. Let Strava Keep Score

You don’t need Strava, but it makes it easier.

What you want to track is pace vs heart rate.

This game is going to nudge you into thinking, “how can I get the most speed for a given effort.”

In rolling courses, you’ll find yourself looking for opportunities to settle heart rate before the next hill.

Pace and heart rate management are essential race skills.

Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

Capped Heart Rate TTs Choose A Known Course, or Climb Goals: • Fastest Time • Learn Where More Effort = More Speed • Learn To Pace Long Efforts Cap, either: • AeT+5 bpm (Steady) • FTHR -12 bpm (Zn 3) Avoid Grey Zones: feelthebyrn.substack.com/p/your-first-l… Let Strava Keep Score 👇

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Lactate Testing

How do we use lactate effectively?

Test over time.

One lactate test is a dot.

A series of tests, combined with our field performance, will show a pattern.

Are we improving, or not?

Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

@Alan_Couzens I'd add... Are you certain you are doing what you think you are? Smart training works, guaranteed, if it's not working then dig deeper Consistency? Sleep? Spontaneous tempo? Energy deficits? Zones too high? Excessive load? Undiagnosed illness? Blood work check?

What do we see in my series of tests.

1. We can see a linear profile (August 2022, Red) changing to a normal profile (January 2023., Thin Black Line).

Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

Lactate Profiles Are Fitness Profiles • Common Profiles • How To Train Each Profile • Positive vs Maladaptations I've had all 4 Profiles • You can "see" the curves in performance data • Lactate testing saves you time & mojo Let's dig in

2. We can see the role of time in athletic development. The tests span August 2022 to January 2023.

Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

2. You Will Not Notice Sustainable Change • Take Photos • Establish Baselines • Write Down Why You Started • It's A Long Game I returned to structured training in April 2002 I didn't notice anything until December

feelthebyrn.substack.comThe 30-Day TestThe first principle is you must not fool yourself -- and you are the easiest person to fool. -- Richard Feynman If you self-medicate with drugs or alcohol then you’re going to have a story wrapped around your usage. My story is beer helps me fall asleep. It’s easy, and wonderful, to knock myself out…

3. We can see lactate for a given power declining. Aerobic threshold (AeT) shifted from 107bpm/150w to 116bpm/200w. Threshold-Minus (T-) effort shifted from 127bpm/210w to 134bpm/250w.

Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

@GuruAnaerobic I think the most important adaptation is lactate stays 'low' for a longer time In my picture, AeT shifts to the right, Z1 and Z2 become wider This will lead to an improved tolerance of the training required to improve Z4/Z5/VO2max performance

Look for positive directional moves over time.

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Benchmark Sets

I like progressive benchmark sets.

• Pace

• Power

• Heart Rate

My two favorite swim tests are:

1. 5x400m (descend on 10s rest)

2. 2000 meter best-effort TT

Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

@JetSetGeorges @Alan_Couzens @doctorinigo My preferred pattern for the 2K TT 2000 Best Effort 100 Steady, 400 Fast, 100 Steady, 400 Fast, 100 Steady 300 Fast, 100 Steady 200 Fast, 100 Steady 200 Fast Shorter versions of my favorite sets 👇 docs.google.com/document/d/1ah…

docs.google.comSwim Game 2022For Every Swim: RELAX SLOW your breathing rate DEEPEN your breath Three-stroke breathing pattern - if you need more rest to maintain three-stroke breathing then take it (also slow down) TURNS Flip turns off every wall Long off the wall Tight streamline Breathe on the 2nd stroke off the wall Just...

I’ve been using the 5x400m set, short rest, each one a little quicker.

October 1st / December 20th

1. 6:50 / 6:36

2. 6:36 / 6:21

3. 6:16 / 6:10

4. 6:09 / 5:59

5. 5:56 / 5:40

• Directionally positive ✅

• Keep doing what’s working

Tips:

• Short Rest: we’re not testing recovery capacity, we are testing pace management

• Interval Duration: 5x400 is a 30-minute test, if you are benchmarking an Ironman athlete then have a look at 800s. As an elite, I’d do 1000s.

• Long Progressive Sets show hidden limiters.

  Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

  Benchmark open water just like pool swimming • laps/loops • wear an HRM • track pace / max & avg HR • compare solo, to drafting • see what you gain from hitting the gas (not much) Prove the wisdom of sitting-in Learn to recover while moving

  

  Gordo Byrn @feelthebyrn1

  The benchmark set is 5x400 • Each one quicker than the one before • Short rest between them (5-10s) • #1 to #3 are three-stroke breathing Fit swimmers are not panting down the lane - moderate fitness will let me do the set b/l 3 the whole way With the results...

• Running: If you’re at the track, consider using a partner to have a look at lactate. Page One of this document is my favorite protocol.

• Cycling: You can use the progressive set I outline in this article.

Whatever protocol you choose, compare like-for-like.

• Look for directional improvement.

• Day-to-day results can be noisy.

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Decoupling

My testing looks great. I’m crushing, right?

Not so fast.

Short-duration tests can mislead and nudge us towards ramping up the intensity before we are ready.

Testing for decoupling provides a reality check.

1. Pick an easy effort

2. Stay well fed and hydrated

3. Hold that effort

4. Watch heart rate vs pace/power/feel

• What’s Easy? Start by averaging a power/pace that is BELOW aerobic threshold, stay in the Green Zone.

• How Long? Depends on your event and goals. Cyclists, build up to 4 hours. Runners, build up to 2 hours. Marathoners, I recommend supplemental cycling up to your race duration.

As an elite ultradistance athlete:

• I could run in Zone 4 for two hours without decoupling.

• I could ride at aerobic threshold for seven hours without decoupling, after swimming 5000 meters.

Combine those, you’ll get exceptional race results.

It starts by building foundational fitness.

Additional ideas inside this video I made for you.

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Keeping It Real

My advice:

1. Focus on directional moves over time.

2. Good enough is good enough.

3. Aim for exceptional stamina, without decoupling.

4. Resist the urge to add sustained intensity, don’t risk your consistency.

5. If an Endurance & Strength approach is working, then KEEP DOING IT.

Don’t debate.

• Do Work

• Track Performance

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