My Most Read Blog Posts of 2012

The following are the five most read posts on my blog in 2012. There is only one that is new to the list. The others are perennials.

1. A Quick Guide to Setting Zones (November, 2009)

This one moved up from #3 last year. If you want to know how to set your heart rate, power, or pace zones for cycling, running or swimming this should help. It takes you through the step-by-step process of setting them up. It’s one I send readers to who have questions along these lines.

2. Road Bike Posture (September, 2007)

This one was also #2 two of the last three years - #1 in 2011. It discusses hip position in a seated position on a road bike and shows examples of two riders, one with a position I like and another that’s not quite as nice, but common.

3. Simplified Base Bicycle Training (December, 2008)

This was #5 last year. It’s basic advice for the road cyclist in the winter months. Here I discuss “Christmas Star” riders, training patiently, and the 3 abilities I have riders work on at this time in the season.

4. Cleat Position (January, 2007)  

This was the first blog post I ever wrote and it continues to be one of the most read of all time. It is slowly slipping down the list having been #1 or #2 for the last five years. Here I discuss a midsole alternative to the traditional forefoot cleat position for cycling shoes. There have been numerous comments posted to this blog by readers, many of which describe their experience after moving their cleats. Some with pictures. There have also been follow-up posts to this blog which you can find by doing a search on “cleat position” on the home page www.joefrielsblog.com. And, yes, I still use a midsole cleat and wouldn’t go back.

5. Why You Need a Power Meter (January, 2012)

This is the only new addition to the list. And its popularity confirms what I find no matter where in the world I travel to speak – more roadies, triathletes, mountain bikers and other cyclists are adopting power-based training. Just a couple of years ago if I asked a crowd of 100 at one of my talks how many have power meters, two or three hands would go up. Now it’s more like 25 to 30. There are probably lots of reason for this, but contributing factors are more products available in the past year and prices have remained stable or even come down a bit. In a few years I expect to see well over half of an audience using power meters in addition to their heart rate monitors.

On to 2013.

Comments

[Jan]

Joe,
I have followed your training for some years and for this season I have my A-race (Ironman-distance)in the beginning of october. I have some problem with my lumbar so I will not race cross-country skiing this winter as I normally do. How should I train during Winter/spring? If i follow your 23 weeks plan I should start base the first week of may, but up until then?

[Joe Friel]

Jan--I'd suggest you start base whenever ready. Once you've completed base 3 repeat it until it's time for build to start. Once you start repeating it you'll probably be able to handle more training load. This is a great opportunity to develop really great base fitness.

[Bert]

Hi Joe,

I've been revisiting the training bible after my first couple of years of consistent and periodized training. My general pattern during that time has been rides of about 1 hour on weekdays, with long rides usually being 3.5-5 hrs. My biggest problem as a racer has been endurance - despite what I think is pretty high volume compared to my competition (Cat 3 road racers), I've only once finished a >2 hr road race without cramping and getting dropped, despite rarely experiencing cramps in 4+ hr training rides.

In looking at the suggested hours breakdown, I notice that there are very few rides >2 hrs on my schedule, but there are more rides in the 1.5-2 hour range than I've done in the past. My pattern has been 45-70 minute weeknight trainer sessions with 3-5 hr weekend long rides. My question is two-fold. 1) Do you think that the lack of 'middle-distance' in base and prep periods has hampered my endurance? and 2) Is it fine or even beneficial to substitute a 1.5 and a 2 hour endurance ride by a 3.5 hour ride?

Thanks a lot,
Bert

[Armi Legge]

Great post Joe, Quick question -

On page 248 of Triathlete's Training bible, you have a chart to help predict your 1RM for strength training. Do you remember where you found that or have a reference? Thanks and keep up the great work.

[Joe Friel]

Armi--I sure don't. Sorry. Wrote that in 1997 and I'm afraid my memory isn't that good.

[Joe Friel]

Bert-- Your questions: 1) Do you think that the lack of 'middle-distance' in base and prep periods has hampered my endurance? A: You seem to be defining endurance as not having cramps. Those aren't exactly the same thing. So I'm not sure which you are more concerned about. If aerobic endurance, then the key is doing lots of miles at a steady z2-3 effort. Not a function simply of saddle time. If cramps then search for that on my blog to read what I've already written. 2) Is it fine or even beneficial to substitute a 1.5 and a 2 hour endurance ride by a 3.5 hour ride? A: Depends on what you do as far as intensity. Duration accounts for only about 40% of your performance (assuming you are beyond the first 3 years of serious training). Intensity is the other 60%. Focus on that instead.

[Beto]

JOe, whereas Z2 is Aerobic energy zone and upper Z4 is the Anaerobic Threshold, what kind of energy is used in Z3 and Z4? Mixed aerobic oxygen + Glycogen?

[Joe Friel]

Beto--One is always using carb and fat for fuel. As workload increases (approaching or exceeding anaerobic t-hold) carb useage increases. As it approaches aerobic t-hold, fat use increases.

[Duncan Lally]

Joe

I am tracking heart rate as I prepare for a half-marathon in Geneva Switzerland, and am exploring-creating WKO charts to help me track my progress.

Quick question - for today's long run of 11k I stuck to my aerobic pace zone using my Garmin, but my heart rate zone distribution was mostly at sub-threshold and tempo. (Set my LTHR for running 2 days ago using your 30 minute test).

Any thoughts? The pace didn't seem too bad but I wonder if I should reduce my pace in future to lower heart rate so that I train mostly in the aerobic HR zone.

As a general point - do HR and pace zones mostly match up, in your experience?

Many thanks!

[Joe Friel]

Duncan--I like to have athletes use heart rate for these workouts in the first 3-5 weeks, until efficiency factor plateaus. Then I like to go to pace (or power on bike) until EF stabilizes. Then it's time to go to anaerobic threshold training. Good luck!

[Bobby Stanley]

Joe

When I am doing a cycling workout (well say an AE ride). It's hard to keep my HR in zone 2 due to downhills, uphills, wind, etc. Is there a certain speed that I could look to aim for? Lets say based on 24 mph. Thanks

Bobby

[Joe Friel]

Bobby Stanley - No, speed doesn't work on a bike due to head and tailwinds (and other variables). That's why power is so valuable on a bike.