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IM FLA 16 weeks away, having multiple issues, should refocus?

Joie SJoie S
in Coaching Forum 🧢

Hi Coach, 

I am in week 5 of my beginner IM plan for Florida Nov 2, 2013.  I have had an illness called valley fever for about 3 years.  Previous to said illness and a knee surgery (May 2009) I did IM FLA 2003 and many other triathlons.  However I didn't do much of anything from January 2009 to april 2010. IN April 2010 I begun moving and training again.  I progressed up to handling the outseason plan until I started the Ironman plan.  It seems as though I am good up to about 8.5 -9.0 hours of training a week then I begin to not be able to recover.   When I signed up for Florida in November 2012 I believed I would be able to handle the training (since I had handled it 10 years ago).  In week 5 of the training I am finding it difficult to recover each week, my hair has begun to fall out, I am tired most of the time.  I have had a ton of medical tests and all say I am clear except I have nodules on my lungs from the valley fever.  I am questioning if it is wise for me to stay the course and keep training to Ironman Florida or should I scale it back to find a half ironman and tackle ironman another year.  Also I am 51 years old.  I don't know if that makes a difference.  I hope you can help with this.  Thanks  Joie 

Comments

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    @Joie, you have to listen to your body. Can we try to cut the hours back to like 9 hours and see how it could work? Do you want me to get you some flavor of modified schedule??? Last thing we want to do is have you be in a bad place as you strive to do something good!!!
  • Joie SJoie S
    Yes that would be great. How long can I continue with 9 hour weeks and still have a chance at finishing Florida?
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    At the very least until the final 6 weeks; if we have to we can do even more in terms of reductions. But those last 6 weeks matter most.
  • Joie SJoie S
    OK I am glad to hear that news. I was feeling the chance to do ironman this year was done. I would greatly appreciate it if you could do the adjustments. Will you send me the adjustments or will they just show up in my plan? Thanks again for your help.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    I suggest something like this, which gets you one day off..what say you? It's 9 hours exactly....

    Monday -- Swim [1 hour] (your choice keep it to a workout from the week OR do 100s with perfect form).
    Tuesday -- Bike Intervals + Brick [1 hour]: 4-5 x 5' (5') at max sustainable pace; Run [15 minutes] in Zone 2.
    Wednesday -- Run Intervals [45 minutes]: 2 x 1 mile (4') at z4/TP effort.
    Thursday -- Bike Intervals [1 hour]: 4-5 x 5' (5') at max sustainable pace.
    Friday -- OFF
    Saturday -- Endurance Ride: 3.5 hours as 30 minute warm up then zone 2 effort, last 30 is a strong finish!
    Sunday -- Long Run [1.5 hours] : Starting at Zone 1 / LRP but building towards Zone 2 / MP for last part of the run. Every week you should be a bit faster overall.
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