What can we learn from Kona Power Files

JeremyBehler

 In prep for my 2013 season which includes Racine 70.3 and IMWI....I'm looking to apply as much learning as I can from my 2 years with EN and training with power.  

I'm looking at improving my run efficiency via cadence and form and have received some great input in this thread: in members.endurancenation.us/Training...spx#126895

I was recently looking at the power files from a few pros in Kona that are posted on TP.  

Pete Jacobs - 4:35 split.  285 TSS 4.0w/kg  Avg Cadence 91 www.trainingpeaks.com/av/LYF277P6TUS7EMKPZ6637MQG5I

Luke McKenzie - 4:37 split 282 TSS 3.7 w/kg Avg Cadence 74 www.trainingpeaks.com/av/L7FDIGBUE57CRFWGUXNTCOAOXE

Michael Lovato - 4:52 split 274 TSS 3.6 w/kg Avg Cadence 86 www.trainingpeaks.com/av/DDZQNJKZD2J4DCEFYRRQCPMCF4

Luke seems to be a bit of an outlier.  His split and TSS was almost the same as Jacobs, but his w/kg was 7.5% lower.  Most surprisingly, his cadence averaged 74!  

I'm really focusing on my bike in the offseason. I had a 5:11 split at IMAZ last year, but IMWI is a much more difficult bike course.  I averaged 171 watts (2.2 w/kg) and my pNorm was 175.  TSS was 383.  Average cadence was 81.  FTP was 258.  I followed the bike up with a decent run of 3:47.  This was my first IM. 

As I look to improve my bike power and efficiency, I am hoping some of that carries over to running, particularly the cadence and turning my legs over more quickly.  When I saw Luke's data I was perplexed that a 7.5% lower w/kg and very low cadence resulted in similar time and TSS.  

What (if anything) can we take away from this as we prepare in the offseason?

tim cronk

Those links arent working for me. But I remember looking at them shortly after KONA. My take away was they were all obvious positive splits. More power in the first half than the second. At first I was a bit surprised but after listening to Coach P and some others the theory is to ride a higher power when you can and recover on the downhill which is big enough you cant keep the power up anyway. The other thing to keep in mind is these are Pro's and they are racing. I think us AG'ers staying with the tried and true even power split thru the whole course makes sense! But the one thing I do think we can learn from these files is the TSS number 275-285 is a good range to aim for!

Gordon Cherwoniak

I can't see the files either.  So I'll just build on Tim's comments.

Cadence is individual but we should look at the run splits as well.  No good bike if you walk the run.  I know what Pete did but the other two pro's I can't recall.  Also take a look at the crucibiles that have been done and the keys are TSS, VI and no power fade in the second half.

Coach P mentioned that once on the queen K he was going to push a little to take advantage of the lower winds in the morning so this brings me to course specific race execution.  Coach R and many memebers have posts detailed rides of the IMWI course.  Getting that VI down below 1.05 and having something in the tank for the last 20 miles(?) allows you to pass a lot of people on that course.   See the Wiki as there are recordings of past 4keys talks as well.

For you at 2.2w/kg get that up and secondly get the gearig correct so that you don't have a crazy VI.  Is there a typo in your information 2.2 w/kg and a 5:11 bike split?  The TSS of 383 is a usually a factor of being on the course longer.  After 6-6:30 you can't do much about the TSS if your already riding a .67-68 IF.

Also the w/kg seem a little suspect, that is low to me.  Coach P was 4+, I want to say 4.2-4.3 and rode a low 5 hour.  So is this position on the bike or some under reporting of the FTP who knows.   

Gordon

JeremyBehler

Gordon - w/kg is correct, but is expressed in actual race watts, not FTP. My FTP is 3.4watts/kg, and I believe P's is 4.2-4.3. I know that's usually the way we talk them, but I was using the actual race wattage for direct comparison to the Kona data.

Good thoughts on the run....I'll see if there's anything to learn from that.

Tom Glynn

Here is a better link http://home.trainingpeaks.com/races/ironman-world-championship-kona/2012.aspx

I didn't notice all the power data is these articles. I always find their IF scores to be very interesting. Most of us mere mortals cruise an IM somewhere around a 0.70 IF. These guys, if the numbers are to be believed, push in excess of 0.8 IF. Mind you, they are on the course for a much shorter period than you & I, but they are really moving.

I also agree with above in that race tactics are much more import to a pro because they don't get paid if they don't win.

tgarson

@Tom

How much less time they spend on the bike is definitely an essential component to their ability to ride at such high IF's, but as you stated, that is moving regardless. And likewise, as you alluded to again, pro race tactics are just such a different world than us mortals that I think you have to be very, very careful about what your takeaways are if you intend to apply any lessons to your execution approach as an AG athlete.

Definitely things we can learn from the pro's about the physiology of going fast, but truly racing an IM is far more dynamic than any individual race execution plan. As RnP always remind us, stay in the box and race *your* race. That is not the case at all for pros, if you are gunning for the podium you are forced to react to the moves of other pros and often forced to gamble it all on a move of your own. When you race all or nothing, it is no surprise that we consistently see world-caliber pro athletes utterly implode on the run-- there often is a price to pay for all that high-VI, high IF riding.

Coach Patrick

Just my 2 cents, but you should be 100% focused on FTP building work (aka OS) until like April...then we can worry about fit / form / speed, etc. The closer we get you to an FTP of 300 the more damage you'll be able to do!!!