Great Week! This week I'd like you to try to get in two bigger bikes on the weekend (Fri / Sat or Sat/Sun) if possible. Not 100% required but good for a different training stimulus.
If you can't, the week you are on is great -- I really like the balance between your endurance and your threshold work. IT's showing me you are recovered and on a good path.
Thanks for your reply. I understand you're very busy in Kona now.
Luckily, Friday (tomorrow) is available so I'll try two 112 mile bikes (and run) based on the official plan. Instead I'll make today easy (just a long swim).
Sorry! I thought you were racing at Kona this year too. I noticed you weren't when I checked the team tracker page.
So, here is my last update for week 6.
Mon: Swim 35' (pull)
Tue: Bike 80' (2x15'@Z4 + fast pedaling), Swim 25' (drill),
Wed: Run 80' (5x3'@5k pace + TRP), Swim 30' (recovery)
Thu: Swim: 80' (3800 TT@1:10)
Fri: RR ride (5:25 for 112mi) + Race Pace Brick (0:50 for 6mi)
Sat: Bike 112mi (5:35)
Sun: Run 105' (Z1 --> TRP --> Z1)
Two bigger rides were successfully done with slight fatigue left for the second ride. But I felt cumulative fatigue in my legs on Monday, so made today (Tuesday's ride) easy -- just @Z1. I'm going to make tomorrow's run easy too if I still have been tired yet. Then, which should I do for the Thursday ride, Threshold or 85-90%?
Sorry for the time change mixup! I was really disoriented... hard to believe how tired I felt even though I didn't race. :-) I must be getting old!!
that's an incredible weekend and great work for you. Thursday is already done, and I'm sure you have chosen wisely. The majority of the work is just about done, you just need to make sure that you're still absorbing its. That means good nutrition and good sleep every night and staying hydrated.
Sat: Bike 5:30 (112mi), Run 35' (brick, TRP), Swim 25' (pull, easy)
Sun: Run 120' (Z1 --> TRP --> push)
I had been feeling tired until Wednesday, so made these three days very easy. I started the Thursday bike as Threshold work intending to dial down if I started to feel bad, but successfully hit 100%. After Thursday I think I was back on track.
I have a few question about this coming Week 4.
First, can I skip the Bike FTP test which is planned on Tuesday, and do Threshold work instead? I did the test two weeks ago. If I did it I might drum out good numbers, but it is already much cooler here than in Malaysia, so I think I should ride the former numbers in Malaysia where the temperature is much higher.
Second if I skip the FTP Test how should I do after Tuesday? In the plan I am going to make Thursday easy and Friday swim only. Can I go on like this? Or should I put in the bike on Thursday as before? Any advice would be appreciated.
I'm really glad to doubt back the early part of the week until you felt good. Your ability to stay tuned to what your body needs/can do is one of the biggest reasons for your continued success.
I agree no need to test, it will be nice for you to have some form of an ABP ride this week if that works. But no pressure... I just think it helps you to stay sharp without the cost of the FTP work. But I know we need to balance against the final volume.
Thanks for your thought. I did ABP ride (85-90%) on Thursday as I felt very good when I woke up. I mean felt almost no fatigue in my legs. Here is my update.
Sat: Bike 5:25 (112mi), Run 35' (brick, TRP), Swim 20' (easy)
Sun: Run 120' (Z1 --> TRP --> Z1)
The big ride on Saturday went quite well but at Sunday run I couldn't hit any more than TRP. It seems it's time to rest to be prepared for the two big rides planned on this coming Friday and Saturday. Or can I drop either of the two rides? I'm afraid two big rides on end might make me exhausted two weeks out from the race. Anyway I'd like to rest or make the workouts easy until Thursday.
Thank you for the update! I would like to see you go easy until Thursday, Then do the long ride as scheduled on Friday. The Saturday ride should be shorter, In the three hour range. The Friday ride should be as planned, in Saturday should be easy for the first hour And then somewhere between .75 and .8 for the remainder -- so shorter but a little bit harder. This should do the trick since it will cut your bike volume down significantly.
I don't care about your Sunday run being fast at all, TRP pace is fine! You are so close… Let's hold it together.
Got it! Friday as RR and Saturday (shorter) from easy to ABP.
I made yesterday (Mon) OFF. Today only some easy swim. If I feel quite good when I wake up tomorrow, I'm going to do some Threshold bike, maybe 2x10'@Z4, and jog w/ stride on Thursday.
My concern is that it's likely to rain on Friday. In that case can I move up Sunday run to Friday and move two long rides to Saturday and Sunday?
First, the bad news is I had rain on Friday and had to move up the long run from Sunday. The good news is I could run with fresh legs and felt very good. Until then long runs had been done on Sunday with tired legs from long rides on Saturday, so I felt them a bit hard.
Akio, you are 100% ready. The only think you need to be mindful of is fatigue; but you've been so patient / smart with your training you should be good. By now you should be in 100% race set up -- wheels, etc -- and thinking Open Water Swim excellence, etc. Your race plan should be laid out, etc...are you excited to race again!?
Yes. I can't wait to race again after five months interval! Race plan's been ready based on my last year's racing at Malaysia. The overall courses are quite the same as the last year's. I know that my worst enemy is not my rivals but my own fatigue. At present I don't feel much fatigue and can sleep very well every day. I hope I can keep it up to the end!
I cannot lay my plan out in a few words here, but it is in a sense a package of race execution I learned in EN and what I learned from my last year's racing at Malaysia.
Fri: Run 30' (jog + 4x30" strides), Swim 75' (3800TT w/ headups: a little less than 72min)
Sat: Bike: 2:45 (intervals + ABP), Run 30' (TRP)
Sun (today): OFF
Training for Ironman has been almost done! All I have to do is just go to Malaysia. (I'm leaving for Malaysia on Wednesday morning. Seven hours flight with one transition) I still need some more push on Monday and Tuesday, don't I?
No really need to push, my friend. We just need you to be SHARP...do what it takes, but make sure you are rested after the travel and all your gear is assembled. I can't wait to track you!!!
I'm very sorry I'm so late to get back here! I didn't mean by "later" a week. When I returned home from Malaysia there was a ton of work to do eagerly waiting for me at my office. And my mother in my hometown suddenly fell sick in bed, so I had to go home to look after her. I finally got around to reporting to you the race.
Here is my result:
Swim 01:24:11 Bike 05:27:48 Run 03:35:03 Overall10:38:04 (T1 00:06:39 T2 00:04:23)
I owe it to your every advice and EN that I won the second place and earned the slot. The number of the Kona slot for my 50-54 AG was only two this year! There were three for the last two years, though.
Almost everything went well. The water was calm and warm (wetsuit not allowed). My swim time looks not good, but in fact the place was 20th among 50 competitors, so not bad for my swimming. Bike was just another Race Rehearsal ride I did over and over again. I kept riding at 70-75% of my FTP with upper limit of 85% for ascend, and finished at IF0.71, VI1.05, and TSS276. The bike lap was the first place in my age group. Just after starting Run at the 6th place, I was passed by an Aussie athlete in my AG, but I stuck to easy pace for the first 6 miles, and gradually went into my TRP, pushing for the final 10miles. I controled the running pace with Power as well as GPS, using the Run Power Meter Stryd, which I've been using since last December. It was so hot but came a shower when I ran about 13miles. The heavy rain (more like a torrent) continued for about an hour turning the run course into a river! Your RaceSaver bag was so helpful and pushed me on in the heat until it started raining. I was able to run to the end without slowing down and finished at the 2nd place. The run lap was the 1st place as well as that of Bike. The 2nd place is my PR, and I went onto podium for the first time at Ironman.
I'm so glad to report to you what I wrote above. I couldn't be happier than this. Can I take rest and enjoy my downtime for the time being? Or should I start up soon for the Kona?
Akio, congratulations!! You are so strong (and patient) -- a very formidable combination!
You absolutely can rest right now. I would like not real training for December...after two weeks you might really want to start doing something, but keep it to no more than 30 minutes a day. Let's plan on reconnecting in the new year!
Thanks for your comments. I started "Run Durability 1" ( but gradually from short to long as you advised) because doing nothing makes me gain weight before Christmas and the new year. In fact I already gained 5lb! Will start the Outseason in January. I'm sending my photos to the address later.
Hahaha! I don't need to qualify for Kona next year, so I'm likely to be able to ENJOY my training from now on. In that context looking forward to taking on the new Outseason plan in January.
Long time no see! Belated congrats on your Kona slot at Mont-Tremblant! I was excited reading your race recap on the blog. Sorry I have lost touch until now. I did the Outseason through IMP safely and am having IM Korea this weekend. It may sound silly to do IM only five weeks before Kona, but I have wanted to race in Korea because I have a lot of triathlete friends there. Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing you at Kona again for the first time in three years. This time I'm bringing my wife with me. I'll let you know my result of Korea after it. I hope I could break 10 hours and 10 minutes and win!
This time I had been aiming at the 1st place because there were none of my rivals in Japan in the start list and AWA Gold athlete was only me in my AG.
The swim course was a lake with rolling start. It was like a swimming pool and no problem with a bad swimmer like me. However I was hit in the head and caught in the leg many times by other athletes (almost Korean). Finished the swim leg at 1:22, 6 minutes slower than planed 1:16. The bike leg was a rolling hill course with a rather long (5 miles) ascent for the start. I tried to keep my numbers as in my other Ironmans and finished the bike at 5:08 (NP 195W, VI 1.04). I didn't feel fatigue in my legs, but started running at jog pace for the first 6 miles. At this time I was at the 2nd place with 12 minute behind, but I didn't know that off course. The run course was 3 laps with descent for out and ascent for back. I controlled the pace with Stryd Power Meter as in the graph. When I started my run leg, the temperature was not so high (83F), and started to cloud over, but I kept cooling myself using your Race Saver Bag. I started to push from the 16 miles mark as hard as possible till the finish line and finished at 10:15 (run 3:32), when I won by 36 seconds before I knew it! The 2nd place was a Korean athlete, who has been my best friends for 20 years. Fortunately (and I think it was a miracle because there were only 30 slots for this IM) there were 2 slots for my AG (55-59), and both of us were qualified.
That's it. So I would like to ask about the training for this coming Kona. For now I dropped into Post Ironman Transition Plan, and have been off since Monday. I know I have only 5 weeks until 10/14. How should I train for those 5 weeks? I don't expect the best performance at Kona, off course, but would like to finish with reasonable time! (if possible)
Comments
If you can't, the week you are on is great -- I really like the balance between your endurance and your threshold work. IT's showing me you are recovered and on a good path.
Let me know what you think!
~ Patrick
Coach Patrick,
Thanks for your reply. I understand you're very busy in Kona now.
Luckily, Friday (tomorrow) is available so I'll try two 112 mile bikes (and run) based on the official plan. Instead I'll make today easy (just a long swim).
Thanks & All the best with your Kona!
Akio
Coach Patrick
Sorry! I thought you were racing at Kona this year too. I noticed you weren't when I checked the team tracker page.
So, here is my last update for week 6.
Mon: Swim 35' (pull)
Tue: Bike 80' (2x15'@Z4 + fast pedaling), Swim 25' (drill),
Wed: Run 80' (5x3'@5k pace + TRP), Swim 30' (recovery)
Thu: Swim: 80' (3800 TT@1:10)
Fri: RR ride (5:25 for 112mi) + Race Pace Brick (0:50 for 6mi)
Sat: Bike 112mi (5:35)
Sun: Run 105' (Z1 --> TRP --> Z1)
Two bigger rides were successfully done with slight fatigue left for the second ride. But I felt cumulative fatigue in my legs on Monday, so made today (Tuesday's ride) easy -- just @Z1. I'm going to make tomorrow's run easy too if I still have been tired yet. Then, which should I do for the Thursday ride, Threshold or 85-90%?
Thanks!
Akio
Missed you in Kona,
~ Coach P
Coach Patrick,
It seems my update have crossed your message! I sent it yesterday. Can't wait for your comments either!
Thanks
Akio
Sorry for the time change mixup! I was really disoriented... hard to believe how tired I felt even though I didn't race. :-) I must be getting old!!
that's an incredible weekend and great work for you. Thursday is already done, and I'm sure you have chosen wisely. The majority of the work is just about done, you just need to make sure that you're still absorbing its. That means good nutrition and good sleep every night and staying hydrated.
You can proceed with the weekend as planned!
~ Coach P
Ha ha ha. If you are old, I, 54, have to be too old to run!
Now, this week's update:
Mon: Swim 30' (pull)
Tue: Bike 60' (recovery, almost@Z1), Swim 35' (intervals),
Wed: Run 80' (Z1 --> TRP)
Thu: Bike: 90' (2x20'@Z4), Swim 40' (pull)
Fri: Swim 75' (3800m + easy swim), Run 55' (jog + 4x30" stride)
Sat: Bike 5:30 (112mi), Run 35' (brick, TRP), Swim 25' (pull, easy)
Sun: Run 120' (Z1 --> TRP --> push)
I had been feeling tired until Wednesday, so made these three days very easy. I started the Thursday bike as Threshold work intending to dial down if I started to feel bad, but successfully hit 100%. After Thursday I think I was back on track.
I have a few question about this coming Week 4.
Second if I skip the FTP Test how should I do after Tuesday? In the plan I am going to make Thursday easy and Friday swim only. Can I go on like this? Or should I put in the bike on Thursday as before? Any advice would be appreciated.First, can I skip the Bike FTP test which is planned on Tuesday, and do Threshold work instead? I did the test two weeks ago. If I did it I might drum out good numbers, but it is already much cooler here than in Malaysia, so I think I should ride the former numbers in Malaysia where the temperature is much higher.
Thanks!
Akio
I'm really glad to doubt back the early part of the week until you felt good. Your ability to stay tuned to what your body needs/can do is one of the biggest reasons for your continued success.
I agree no need to test, it will be nice for you to have some form of an ABP ride this week if that works. But no pressure... I just think it helps you to stay sharp without the cost of the FTP work. But I know we need to balance against the final volume.
let me know what you're thinking!
~ Coach P
Thanks for your thought. I did ABP ride (85-90%) on Thursday as I felt very good when I woke up. I mean felt almost no fatigue in my legs. Here is my update.
Mon: Swim 25' (pull, easy)
Tue: Bike 85' (2x20'@Z4), Swim 50' (intervals)
Wed: Run 80' (5x3'@5k + TRP), Swim 40' (drill)
Thu: Bike: 90' (2x15'@85-90%), Swim 30' (pull, easy)
Fri: Swim 80' (3800m TT 1:12), Run 55' (jog + 4x30" stride)
Sat: Bike 5:25 (112mi), Run 35' (brick, TRP), Swim 20' (easy)
Sun: Run 120' (Z1 --> TRP --> Z1)
The big ride on Saturday went quite well but at Sunday run I couldn't hit any more than TRP. It seems it's time to rest to be prepared for the two big rides planned on this coming Friday and Saturday. Or can I drop either of the two rides? I'm afraid two big rides on end might make me exhausted two weeks out from the race. Anyway I'd like to rest or make the workouts easy until Thursday.
Thanks!
Akio
I don't care about your Sunday run being fast at all, TRP pace is fine! You are so close… Let's hold it together.
Thanks for your suggestion.
Got it! Friday as RR and Saturday (shorter) from easy to ABP.
I made yesterday (Mon) OFF. Today only some easy swim. If I feel quite good when I wake up tomorrow, I'm going to do some Threshold bike, maybe 2x10'@Z4, and jog w/ stride on Thursday.
My concern is that it's likely to rain on Friday. In that case can I move up Sunday run to Friday and move two long rides to Saturday and Sunday?
Thanks!
Akio
~ Coach P
I've got good news and bad news.
First, the bad news is I had rain on Friday and had to move up the long run from Sunday. The good news is I could run with fresh legs and felt very good. Until then long runs had been done on Sunday with tired legs from long rides on Saturday, so I felt them a bit hard.
So, here is my update for week 10.
Mon: OFF
Tue: Swim 45' (recovery)
Wed: Bike 70' (2x12'@Z4), Swim: 45' (drill)
Thu: Run 60' (jog + 4x30" stride), Swim 75' (3800m TT)
Fri: Run 100' (Z1 --> TRP -->final push for the last 1k), Swim 25' (recovery)
Sat : Run 30' (TRP), Bike 5:20' (112mi)
Sun: Bike 2:45 (60'@Z1 --> remainder@ABP), Run 50'@race pace brick
I think I can do the workouts of week 11 as planned, but Is there anything I should pay attention to?
Thanks
Akio
Coach Patrick,
Yes. I can't wait to race again after five months interval! Race plan's been ready based on my last year's racing at Malaysia. The overall courses are quite the same as the last year's. I know that my worst enemy is not my rivals but my own fatigue. At present I don't feel much fatigue and can sleep very well every day. I hope I can keep it up to the end!
Thanks
Akio
Coach Patrick,
I cannot lay my plan out in a few words here, but it is in a sense a package of race execution I learned in EN and what I learned from my last year's racing at Malaysia.
Here is my last update:
Mon: Swim 20' (pull, easy)
Tue: Bike 3x6'@Z4, Swim 45' (recovery, drill)
Wed: Run: 40' (jog + 4x30" strides), Swim 45' (long swim w/ headups)
Thu: Run 100' (TRP --> push to Z2)
Fri: Run 30' (jog + 4x30" strides), Swim 75' (3800TT w/ headups: a little less than 72min)
Sat: Bike: 2:45 (intervals + ABP), Run 30' (TRP)
Sun (today): OFF
Training for Ironman has been almost done! All I have to do is just go to Malaysia. (I'm leaving for Malaysia on Wednesday morning. Seven hours flight with one transition) I still need some more push on Monday and Tuesday, don't I?
Thanks!
Akio
~ Coach P
Coach Patrick,
I'm very sorry I'm so late to get back here! I didn't mean by "later" a week. When I returned home from Malaysia there was a ton of work to do eagerly waiting for me at my office. And my mother in my hometown suddenly fell sick in bed, so I had to go home to look after her. I finally got around to reporting to you the race.
Here is my result:
Swim 01:24:11 Bike 05:27:48 Run 03:35:03 Overall10:38:04 (T1 00:06:39 T2 00:04:23)
I owe it to your every advice and EN that I won the second place and earned the slot. The number of the Kona slot for my 50-54 AG was only two this year! There were three for the last two years, though.
Almost everything went well. The water was calm and warm (wetsuit not allowed). My swim time looks not good, but in fact the place was 20th among 50 competitors, so not bad for my swimming. Bike was just another Race Rehearsal ride I did over and over again. I kept riding at 70-75% of my FTP with upper limit of 85% for ascend, and finished at IF0.71, VI1.05, and TSS276. The bike lap was the first place in my age group. Just after starting Run at the 6th place, I was passed by an Aussie athlete in my AG, but I stuck to easy pace for the first 6 miles, and gradually went into my TRP, pushing for the final 10miles. I controled the running pace with Power as well as GPS, using the Run Power Meter Stryd, which I've been using since last December. It was so hot but came a shower when I ran about 13miles. The heavy rain (more like a torrent) continued for about an hour turning the run course into a river! Your RaceSaver bag was so helpful and pushed me on in the heat until it started raining. I was able to run to the end without slowing down and finished at the 2nd place. The run lap was the 1st place as well as that of Bike. The 2nd place is my PR, and I went onto podium for the first time at Ironman.
I'm so glad to report to you what I wrote above. I couldn't be happier than this. Can I take rest and enjoy my downtime for the time being? Or should I start up soon for the Kona?
Many thanks!
Akio
You absolutely can rest right now. I would like not real training for December...after two weeks you might really want to start doing something, but keep it to no more than 30 minutes a day. Let's plan on reconnecting in the new year!
Don't forget we have lodging and support for race week in Hawaii if you are interested....totally up to you: https://www.endurancenation.us/camps/kona-race-experience-camp/
Again, congratulations!!
~ Coach P
ps - We need to see a picture of you on the podium...you can email it to mariah@endurancenation.us if posting it here is a pain.
Coach Patrick,
Thanks for your comments. I started "Run Durability 1" ( but gradually from short to long as you advised) because doing nothing makes me gain weight before Christmas and the new year. In fact I already gained 5lb! Will start the Outseason in January. I'm sending my photos to the address later.
Thanks!
Akio
Nice and steady now, nothing crazy.
~ Coach P
Coach Patrick,
Hahaha! I don't need to qualify for Kona next year, so I'm likely to be able to ENJOY my training from now on. In that context looking forward to taking on the new Outseason plan in January.
Thanks!
Akio
Long time no see! Belated congrats on your Kona slot at Mont-Tremblant! I was excited reading your race recap on the blog.
Sorry I have lost touch until now. I did the Outseason through IMP safely and am having IM Korea this weekend. It may sound silly to do IM only five weeks before Kona, but I have wanted to race in Korea because I have a lot of triathlete friends there.
Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing you at Kona again for the first time in three years. This time I'm bringing my wife with me.
I'll let you know my result of Korea after it. I hope I could break 10 hours and 10 minutes and win!
Thanks!
Akio
Thanks for your reply.
I finished IM KOREA today at the 1st place in my AG (50-54)! TBC ...
Thank you for your words!
This time I had been aiming at the 1st place because there were none of my rivals in Japan in the start list and AWA Gold athlete was only me in my AG.
The swim course was a lake with rolling start. It was like a swimming pool and no problem with a bad swimmer like me. However I was hit in the head and caught in the leg many times by other athletes (almost Korean). Finished the swim leg at 1:22, 6 minutes slower than planed 1:16. The bike leg was a rolling hill course with a rather long (5 miles) ascent for the start. I tried to keep my numbers as in my other Ironmans and finished the bike at 5:08 (NP 195W, VI 1.04). I didn't feel fatigue in my legs, but started running at jog pace for the first 6 miles. At this time I was at the 2nd place with 12 minute behind, but I didn't know that off course. The run course was 3 laps with descent for out and ascent for back. I controlled the pace with Stryd Power Meter as in the graph. When I started my run leg, the temperature was not so high (83F), and started to cloud over, but I kept cooling myself using your Race Saver Bag. I started to push from the 16 miles mark as hard as possible till the finish line and finished at 10:15 (run 3:32), when I won by 36 seconds before I knew it! The 2nd place was a Korean athlete, who has been my best friends for 20 years. Fortunately (and I think it was a miracle because there were only 30 slots for this IM) there were 2 slots for my AG (55-59), and both of us were qualified.
That's it. So I would like to ask about the training for this coming Kona. For now I dropped into Post Ironman Transition Plan, and have been off since Monday. I know I have only 5 weeks until 10/14. How should I train for those 5 weeks? I don't expect the best performance at Kona, off course, but would like to finish with reasonable time!
(if possible)
Thanks!
Akio