Nov 100K run and Jan OS peeps
I'm starting with the Jan OS group.
Like a lot of people I think, I've aready been "off season" for a little while and I'm debating what to do with myself a little bit.
What are you doing for the next couple of months? Just "staying active" and running? Or are you going to start the "Run Block" so that it ends with a week off before the Jan OS starts? Or what? Thoughts? I don't want to burn out for spring/summer, but I could use some more strength at that HMP-->MP pacing than I had this last year and a little better run endurance.
I'll confess that this year I'd like to keep up the 90+ minute run as a regular thing to hit the ground with that well in hand in spring, though I know that's not necessarily recommended for the pure OS.
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Just making lame suggestions. I am doing the November OS. My first event is Ironman California in March.
William,
If you can handle the mileage the Nov 100K would not be a bad way to get a run focus in. I think that you could just shut it down for a couple weeks in December (totally off or transition type stuff if you get ansy) and then get a week or two of pre-os stuff getting back on the bike and you would be set to roll in to the JanOS.
Gordon
If triathlon is your lifestyle, avocation, long-term athletic endevour, you really should be running year round. If having some structure helps you do that, choose one of the options already noted above.
I think this applies to cycling as well. When I was bike commuting, I had an easier time at training and racing. Last two years without that have been harder, not easier.
Motto from my commuting days: there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.
@ William - I think the Nov 100k challange will get you plenty engaged and fit (and a great excuse to chow down on turkey day). Then a week or 2 of EZ stuff over the yearend holidays and you'll be strong but rested for the Jan OS.
For me, I just loaded of the 6 week Advanced Bike focus plan per Coach R. This plan has some serious FTP and VO2 work in it. I just did an FTP test and came away with 265 watts and 3.55 w/kg. I'm doing this bike plan now because the bike was my relative weakness vs. the top 5 guys in my AG at IMWI. Got to find 30' on that bike course next Sept. This plan still has 3 days of running (intervals, tempo and long run) per week. If I'm feeling fatigued during this, I'll probably backoff the intensity of the runs but keep the frequency. Net, I should go into the OS with a strong bike base and satisfactory running base too. I'll take it ez for about a week or 10 days before we start the Jan OS to get rested up.
Maybe I was unclear. Definitely no couch potato here. I definitely want do do something that will strengthen my run. I'm just a little mystified about what that ought to be because I don't want to defeat the purpose of shortening the OS, which I think is a good idea, based on my last couple of years.
@Al - Unfortunately (a) my commute is 2 miles door to door; and (b) I have to move kids to school or soccer or swimming or something of that sort almost every day, so the commute thing just isn't practical or even meaningful when it is. I do like your motto, though!
@Gordon, I would probably hurt myself jumping straight to 100K/week (not month), but I did that kind of running volume pretty easily 3 years ago over the winter. (70+ mi/week was the limit...never did 80). I've been doing about 30-35 the last few weeks. Pretty conventional stuff. One long run 90-120 min, one tempo run (MP-HMP segments), one other run with hills or TP or something. A fourth if I could fit it in. The early darkness has affected my outdoor biking more than the absolute temperaature. I tend to have the time to bike in the late afternoon to evening, so I've been plying with trying to learn to ride rollers or doing a few hour-type not-quite-OS rides. And oh yeah swimming a bit, too.
@ Bruce, that was the complement of what I was thinking of.... signing up for the run-block and just setting it to end with a week's break before the OS starts.
I just haven't used any structure since Oct 1....just a bit of common sense and unstructured not-too-intense work...but still 9-10 hours/week.
1. Replace the "other run with hills or TP or something" with a VO2 session. Personally I like 10' W/U then 2x1.5'(1.5'), 2x2'(2'), 2x1.5'(1.5'), working your way up to 6x2'(2'). If you can handle it I really like 6x2'(1') but that is a killer.
2. Make sure you fit in the 4th run. I think the difference between 3x/week and 4-5x per week is utterly huge. If you have 2 quality runs in the mix (i.e. the tempo and the VO2) plus the long run then the rest you can do between EP and MP. Incidentally, I also think that for managing offseason weight the running makes a big impact.
3. Sign up for some races in the range of 8k to 10-miler. I don't know how many you have in Ames, but in Chicago there are a ton of fall races - all quite inexpensive - and it's really great for ensuring a hard effort...in my case, I can ALWAYS seem to put out a bigger effort in a race than in a hard workout. Last weekend I did a 15k and this weekend I'm doing a 10k. The turkey trot will be a 5-miler. Then I think I'll do 1-2 gimmicky "wear a santa hat or antlers" kind of races in December. But all told it'll be 5 or 6 races in Nov/Dec which is a great set of hard efforts PLUS motivation to do some good running between the races to ensure I show up with respectable speed and fitness.
Btw, I can't condone swimming for you, Professor Jenks...based on your fitness and swim splits you are the picture-perfect example of the EN approach to "no swimming in the OS". You'd get a LOT more out of the 4th and 5th runs I think.
Thanks for the thoughts. A couple remarks...
1) I have thought about the extra fast stuff (VO2 sets). I have found in past OS's that it's that last bit of intensity that puts me on edge, so that was one reason i was mostly saving that stuff for the real OS. This past year, I really stubbled, though, on the HMP-MP running when I was (because of an injury) not running that much. I could do the really fast stuff, but I am not convinced entirely that I ever really built up that "tempo" speed/distance that is so critical for the HIM race. This combination was why I'd been favoring that flavor of "quality" before the real OS starts.
2) Yes, i agree about the 4th (or even 5th) run.
3) There are plenty of runs somewhere around if you're willing to drive a bit. I may do some of that. Nov 9 is the last weekend of Soccer matches, though, and Nov 16 begins the first of string of swim meets. (for the kids) Not entirely uninterrupted, but you get the idea. Anyway, those weekends mean sneaking runs in, not racing. But if I can, I'll do a few. I also refuse to run outside when there is significant ice on the ground...but again, that's not yet been an issue.
4) On the swims, I totally see your point. I did get caught up in actually enjoying the swims having gotten (a little) better at them. (I actually swam a 7:3x 500 mid-workout last week...) Low "cost" way to keep up a bit of total volume a bit without hurting the legs. But you're right, they shouldn't stand in the way of a 4th run. Usually that's not the issue, but you're right to set that priority for sure.