Countdown to the start has begun - a few thoughts
There was a "vets" thread for the OS elsewhere that I thought was pretty good...perhaps someone can dig up the link and set it here...but with about a week before we start, I thought it was worth giving a few thoughts for our Jan OS group:
- Dec 31-Jan 6 should be a REST/RECOVERY week. Most of us can handle "modules" of somewhat different lengths before we need to relax or we'll burn out. This is the first year the OS has intentionally been 14 weeks because the previous 20 was too long for a lot of folks. A lot of us in the Jan start group have already had our "off" time a long time ago and have been doing some kind of unstructured training just to keep in shape. Don't blow it before you start! No 20 mile runs on Jan 3 because of a New Year's Resolution, etc etc etc! Start Fresh!
- We will all be tempted to "overachieve" from time to time (particularly on the bike), and there is a good article on this in the Wiki. Short version: it's both easier to overachieve and easier to get in trouble from too much VO2 stuff. Be really careful overdoing it there. As you are getting stronger (especially if it's your first OS), you might find yourself doing like 105% on your FTP intervals. That's pushing pretty hard, but it's less "dangerous" to most people than forcing in extra VO2. The Golden Rule is don't do anything today that is going to affect your ability to do tomorrow's workout.
- The first place a lot of us "see" the fatigue is in our inability to do that end-of-workout 85% biking or the MP running as MP (as opposed to having to run it slower). We can often do the "hard part" just as we should but can't bring ourselves to do the medium effort stuff. This doesn't mean you're about to blow up, but take it as a warning sign.
- If you swim, make sure it doesn't affect the rest of your work (assuming you aren't a total newbie at swimming). I personally despise my own swimming mediocrity, but I have also learned that about 6 weeks is what it takes for me to go from zero swimming to reasonable swimming. I will probably swim some during the OS, but it will be very, very moderate. And I admit that it's mostly a psychological thing for me.
- Other than the tests themselves, the first week or two feel pretty easy for a lot of folks. Just go with it. It'll get hard enough for you. Trust me. :-)
Good luck everyone! REST UP NEXT WEEK– MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY!
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Another tip that I might add (and need to follow myself!) is to watch the nutrition/weight/body comp. What I have struggled with post-IM training is that I can't eat 3,000 calories a day without those little 6hr. bike rides. To improve watts/kg, you can improve FTP or drop weight, or both. But don't get too crazy and cut back too much and compromise ability to do WKOs and recover. (I'm sure there is stuff on this topic scattered about the wiki)
Party on, JOSrs!
(Or, as we in the NOS group affectionately pronounce it - "hosers').
Despite the rivalry between the two groups, I'm sure everyone in the NOS group will agree that we want ya'll to BRING IT and have a great OS! Load up the pain train - WOO WOOOO!!
This week I will do 2 half marathon trail races( yesterday and New Years day). I will rest my sore legs and hope to be rested enough to test well next week. Either way I'll work with the numbers I get and go from there.