Something to Think About: You Don't Just Need More Power. You Need to Waste Less of It.

Personally, I race at 200-plus pounds. I am never going to win the award for the lightest guy on the start line. So, historically, the objective has been to just go produce more power. But, as I am in my upper 50’s now, increasing power is becoming harder, so I started focusing on the other side of the equation, how do I avoid wasting effort.

• On the bike, how much of the power you are already producing are you wasting through lack of efficiency; that is, what you are losing to your surroundings; that is, wind, heat, humidity, road conditions, etc…; then, there are the things you are responsible for: position, your helmet, your tires and tire pressure, and how much time you’ve practiced remaining in the most effective aero position and holding it when you are tired.

• In the water, your body position and stroke; that is, not how hard you pull, but how much of that pull actually moves you forward.

• On the run: wasted motion, braking with every step or letting your form completely fall apart when you get tired.

Then there is what you are losing inside your body and are you ensuring you are taking in enough calories, water, and electrolytes to keep moving. Most of what it wastes comes out as heat. Think about that number. On the bike, your body is only about 20-25% efficient at turning the calories you burn into work at the pedals. The other 75-80% becomes heat. At 200 watts, that means your body is also producing roughly 600 or more watts of heat it has to get rid of — like trying to race with a space heater running inside you.

And getting rid of it isn't free. Your body sends blood to your skin to cool you, and that blood is then not available to deliver oxygen to your working muscles. You sweat, and that sweat is water and electrolytes you have to replace. The hotter and more humid it is, the worse your body is at shedding that heat, so your core temperature climbs, your heart rate drifts up for the same power, and eventually your power falls — not because you suddenly got weaker, but because your body chose keeping you safe over keeping you fast.

That's waste you can work on: heat training so your body gets better at cooling itself, cold fluids, ice, and shade when you can get them, and pacing and fueling so you don't dig a heat hole you can't climb out of.

You can't put a power meter inside your legs, so this one is harder to measure. The idea coming now — with core-temperature sensors and heat training — is simple: can you produce more watts at the same heart rate and the same core temperature as before? If you can, your body got better at turning calories into work, not just heat.

Be thoughtful of your fueling strategy — there's no power without calories — so, stay cool when you can, and train consistently enough that your body gets good at the patterns you ask it to repeat: pedaling, running, swimming

In simple terms, don't try to fix everything. Pick one leak per sport.

• Bike: Pick one mechanical or position change — tire pressure, a cleaner aero position you can actually hold, a faster helmet or kit choice. Test it at the same power on the same stretch of road or trainer session. Gather your power and speed.

• Swim: Film one short swim or ask someone who you know is a good swimmer to watch you. Are you fighting the water, or moving through it? One technique fix, repeated, beats muscling harder.

• Run: When you get tired on your next run, shorten the wasted motion first — quick turnover, stand tall, and lean a little forward. Don’t just slog.

• Fuel: Look at your last long workout and where did you fall apart. Where did your Heart Rate just drop as your body gave up. If you were on the bike, what happened to your cadence and power effort. Did you fade because you were unfit, or because you under-fueled?

Do that for a few weeks and you'll find something every athlete finds: free speed isn't free. It's speed you were already paying for — in calories, in training hours, in hard work — and then throwing away.

Focus on getting ready for the Start Line; then, once the race starts, it's Relentless Forward Motion with a heavy focus on not wasting effort!

About the Author

John Bye is a USA Triathlon Certified Level 2 Coach based in Golden, Colorado, and the founder of Bring Your Everyday Beast Coaching (B.Y.E.-BEAST LLC). At 200-plus pounds, he is a relative giant in the sport and understands the challenges of racing as a high-BMI athlete. He coaches highly motivated athletes of all shapes, sizes, and ages — including his 'Wolfpack' team ranging from first-time triathletes to competitive age-groupers. John has completed well over 150 triathlons at all distances, including multiple Team USA World Championship appearances, Ironman 70.3 World Championships, and Ironman World Championships in Kona. Visit www.bye-beastcoaching.com or contact him at hijohnbye@gmail.com or 312-320-9606