This past Thursday, I was offered an incredible opportunity to get a road bike fit and take part in a Fizik saddle study at the Retül’s headquarters in Boulder, CO. Retül technology is a 3D bike fitting system designed for trained bike fitters to capture extremely comprehensive data as it relates to a rider’s position on their bike. The system is so sophisticated that it can produce immediate reports with millimeter-accurate digitizing tools which help to provide riders with the most accurate and dynamic fit possible. In my opinion proper bike fit is one of the single most important factors for optimal performance and efficiency, injury prevention, and comfort on the bike, so there was no way I was passing this up!

The first part of the session began with a full body analysis to see if there were any funky nuances going on with my legs, hips, feet, etc. Leg length discrepancies are highly common and can really affect your efficiencies on the bike. As abnormal as I am, luckily, my legs happen to be the same length!

We then moved on to test my flexibility. Fizik recently launched an advertising campaign for their men’s saddles called ‘Find your inner animal’. After lots of testing, Fizik found that a male rider’s flexibility lends itself to a particular saddle shape.

This ‘Spine Concept’ device measures your flexibility in 3 different levels. If you are not very flexible, you are considered a ‘Bull’, if you are extremely flexible, you are labeled a ‘Snake’ and if you’re somewhere in the middle, you’re categorized as a ‘Chameleon’.

I’m no yogi, but I did fall in the ‘Snake’ category.

The purpose of the study was test out the three new women’s Fizik prototype saddles that were designed based on the same flexibility standards as the men’s product line.

Before we got started with the saddle study, we needed to make sure that I was properly fit on my new Litespeed Ci2. We went through the full ‘Retul fit process’ collecting every possible measurement and angle a bike fitter could ever want!

I had been riding in a pretty aggressive position (which is probably why I couldn’t get comfortable), so we flipped my stem, moved my saddle slightly forward and straightened my saddle so that it was pointed one degree down instead of a degree up…I swear my level said it was flat when I set it up…my garage must be sloped :)

After getting my bike dialed, we proceeded to do a full spin scan which gives endless data about the workload, torque, etc on each leg during a normal spin cycle. We also added a shim to my right cleat to prevent a little pronation of my right knee.

The final protocol for the saddle test was to determine at which power output I was expending approximately 60% of my max effort. We went through a simulation similar to a lactate threshold test and found the appropriate wattage to use for the study.

The study itself was probably the easiest after all the initial setup. After the prototype saddle was secured in the proper position, I was re-attached to the Retül fitting system to gather the appropriate data then we performed another spin scan. I then did a 6 minute tempo effort at the pre-determined watts and my heart rate was measured and recorded every 30 seconds. We repeated this for each of the three saddles.

I wasn’t particularly impressed with the various saddles but then again, I’ve never been able to use a seat without a cut out. Even if it’s constructive criticism, I’m sure Fizik will be happy about it :) I cannot express how extremely thankful for the incredible opportunity and cannot thank Todd Carver enough for the new bike fit. I took the bike out Friday morning for a ride and it was a night and day difference!

Hello,

I have attached a photo of Marie Danais and I (Dave Harju) Saturday morning in St. Croix before the 70.3 competition tomorrow. I has been rainy here, but the temps are warm and humid like always.

This race, which is one of the hardest 70.3′s on the circuit due to the non-wetsuit choppy swim, hilly and technical bike and hilly/hot run. It is certainly a “tough-man’s” course and someone with the bike skills of Lance (Armstrong) is sure to shine here.

Thurs Marie and I ventured up the Beast and the QR CD 01 was awesome and responsive venturing up. Thanks so much to QR, Shimano (PRO) and Challenge tires for this amazing and fast bike.

That is all for now, we will continue our race prep and heat acclimitization for the big day tomorrow. Our homestay Dawn Jones is fantastic and our pro Canadian neighbour Grant is also a very nice guy.

Cheers, Dave

What the heck…..It’s a stupid clock!

I was absolutely, no question about it brought to the end of myself today.  Before this morning, I thought I was in shape (boy was I wrong!)  The point that I am trying to make is that I had an insanely difficult workout this morning and I blame it all on the “innocent looking” clock you see here.

Last night, I had a great meeting with a potential investment management client who also happens to be a top age group triathlete.  My friend and I spoke business for about 15 minutes and quickly got into the subject matter about which I am writing this post.  We raced together in New Orleans 2 weeks ago and he mentioned that he would like to talk with me about my training.  He asked if I would print out 1 month of workouts for his review.  As he began to pick through my daily training, he noticed that all of my work was completed based on heart rate level.  I confirmed that the foundation of my training was performed according to HR zones.  He kept reading and stopped when he got to the first swim workout.  The next few words that came out of his mouth would change me entire perspective on swim training.

“At what interval are you doing your swim sets?”  What, I asked?? ”How fast are you swimming your 100s?”  “How much rest are taking in between sets?”  Clearly, these were questions that I could not answer.  I explained that I had been doing 2 long swim session per week and that I was simply swimming for endurance.  He was shocked by my response and now I know wrong I have been.  I do remember when I was training for my first Ironman event and hired now fellow teammate, Bruce Gennari to coach me.  Bruce would write swim workouts for me back in 2008 and I guess I just got lazy and stopped following them.  My friend, Cliff was about to throw down a challenge and I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  Cliff (who is currently being coached by Siri Lindley) opened his notebook and layed out his current 2 week training block for me.

He got to a particular swim workout and told me that I needed to be doing 3 to 4 HARD swim workouts per week.  Cliff swam in college and understands the value of the aerobic workout the pool can bring.  He explained that by spending more time in the pool doing fast sets, I would be adding to my aerobic base and improving my lung capacity which would lead to better bike and run performances.  I regret to say that I had always felt like swim training was a necessary evil.  I would tell myself that a race was never won in the water and that I was a strong enough runner to pass everyone that beat me out of the water.  Again, I was so wrong….

(ENTER HUMBLE-PIE!!!)

Cliff challenged me last night to do 30x100s on a 1:40 interval.  He told me to add a 500 warm up to get the blood flowing.  This sounded very difficult but I HAD NO IDEA.  So I got up this morning and headed to the pool.  I never look forward to a swim workout so I begrudgingly entered the water.  I swam my 500 hitting the split button on my Timex Race Trainer Pro with each 100.  After my warmup, I determined that my turnover was roughly 1:30.  I looked at my good friend (shown above and hanging on the wall) and pushed off “at the top.”  The first 100 felt like a sprint and I imagine that it was because I had not regularly been swimming at that speed.  Easy enough, I thought…12 second rest and I was off on #2.  That next one hurt a bit more but I was still relatively composed.  When #3 came around, I was starting to get mad and by #5, the realization set in….I AM NOT IN TOP RACING SHAPE :-(…..

So the rest of the story, is that I could only complete 15 of my prescribed 30 100s.  Miserable, I know and what’s worse is that know my confidence is shaken.  All of the hours I have spent simply going up and down the pool at endurance pace have been all for nothing.  THAT’S RIGHT, I HAVE BEEN WASTING TIME.  My head is now placed firmly between my legs and I am feeling like a dang couch potato.  My humble-pie has been fully digested and I feel like crap.

BUT……NOW I KNOW AND NOW THAT I KNOW, I WILL GET BETTER.  I WILL GET FASTER AND MY AEROBIC BASE WILL ONLY GET BIGGER!!!! Cliff, I hate you brother, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!

This year, we are fortunate to have Champion System clothing as one of our new sponsors for the Timex Multisport team. I have been thoroughly impressed with the new cycling kits and thought you might like to know why their products rank really high on my apparel scale :)

Not only does the design and color pop aesthetically, their proprietary flatlock stitching design really compliments the overall look of the gear while also giving it a more comfortable feel.

With all clothing companies, there are endless options when customizing cycling apparel. You have choices with fabrics, sleeve types, seam types, zipper lengths, form fits, etc. Whoever did the designing on the Timex’s kits couldn’t have read my mind more perfectly as to what would be the best options :)

The flat seam designs on the sleeves and bottom of the jersey are my absolute favorite. The garment stays in place without riding up and it even looks really nice with a pair of baggy mountain bike shorts! I’m also a big fan of the full length zipper and the UV protection fabric that is lightweight and extremely breathable.

Some of the other nice features are the built in tags and the three large pockets on the back of the jersey. I also have to give a huge applause to Champion System because they truly do offer a great ‘women’s specific‘ line of clothing with superb fits. You can instantly tell that the cuts were truly designed for women the second you put the apparel on. The jerseys fit snug in just the right places and the shorts are the perfect length!

Not everyone is a fan of bib cycling shorts but I honestly couldn’t ride in anything else! It’s definitely not the most convenient when you need to go to the bathroom (if you’re a girl), but there’s nothing worse than having the top of shorts digging into your tummy while you’re riding.

One of the biggest concerns with bike shorts for most women is how tight the bottom seam fits around your quad/thigh region. The recent trend has been moving towards seamless legs and CS did a phenomenal job incorporating this in their products. The fit is much more flattering and so comfortable.

The silicon leg grippers help keep the shorts put so there is no cinching or riding up during all types of rides. This might be my most favorite piece of my entire kit!

The final great feature of the CS Razor Edge bib shorts is the mesh straps with the radio/ipod holder. The fit is just snug enough to keep everything in place but not too tight where it feels like your being squeezed into your shorts – trust me, I’ve had that feeling before! Overall, I’m really excited about our partnership with Champion System and really look forward to trying out all the great pieces they have designed for us. From various triathlon apparel to cyclocross skinsuits, we are going to be one good looking team representing a rockstar brand!

Each week, Roger Thompson and I take you inside the world of endurance sports with real world insight, interviews, news and news makers on the Endurance Hour podcast. Each episode is available for free here on iTunes and/or here on Stitcher Smart Radio. Find previous episodes of the Endurance Hour – Archive List.

In this April 30, 2012 free audio episode:  Interview with 2011 Wildflower Champion, Jesse Thomas, Lance Armstrong gets chicked for cancer, Ironman St. George preview and changes ahead for next year, the FINIS Agility Paddles, and so much more!

LISTEN HERE

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Follow me on twitter @IMDaveErickson and see more than 535 original swim, bike, run and athlete interview videos anytime on my Youtube Channel.

My other favorite multisports-related websites include, SwimBikeRunVideos.com, and IronmanUniversity.com.