Looking for season planning input/advice
Started a thread because I'm trying to plot out my season and am looking for feedback - from RnP, but the rest of the crew too. Including Wayne, who has the same goal races as me this summer. 
Background:
-Started my first OS in November - currently in week 18.
-A race is IMC on August 29th.
-B race is GWN (1/2 IM) on July 4th.
GWN is important to me. I realize it's somewhat close to IMC (8 weeks), but am willing to compromise (a bit) on IMC to do GWN. I have put it down as a B race and fought the temptation, for now, to make it a B++ race.
As I see it, when I'm done this first 20 week OS (in 3 weeks time), I have two main options. Below is what the season planning tool looks like for them (stuff in bold are the races I'm doing, italics are maybes)
1. Take a week off, then hop right back to the start of OS. That would give me 8 additional weeks of OS FTP goodness, then 12 weeks of race prep for IMC. The main downside I see to this approach is it only gives me 4 weeks of "specific-ish" training leading up to GWN.
2. Take a week off, then do 2 weeks OS, and then:
a) Do a 20-week IM plan (giving me 12 weeks leading up to GWN, and 8 weeks after)
OR
b) Do a 12-week HIM plan, do GWN, then switch to the IM plan for the final 8 weeks leading up to IMC.
OR
c) Some combination thereof.
Any thoughts? Thanks!
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Comments
Of course you could just do a full HIM cycle for GWN, but I fear that would also be a bit too much fatigue that close to IMC...anyone else?
Nothing to add...except to thank you for putting a screen shot of your season plan for us (hint hint). It REALLY helps us do the smartguy thing.
I vote for 2 (b) - 12 week HIM training module followed by last the 7-8 weeks of IM training. If you lack a long base (5+ years) of long distance training, sure, add some long rides & runs about 3-4 weeks before the HIM. If you've got years of IM training under your belt, you should do fine ramping up with 3-4 weeks of "far" in the 6-2 week time frame before Canada. That worked for me last year when I did IM AZ 6 weeks after Hawaii, and the year before with a series of 3 olys and one HIM in weeks 12-8 before IM AZ.
Hey Craig. Pretty ambitious plans but I guess that's what makes us a little on the wacked out side. I had thoughts of making the GWN an "A" race also but as Nemo said it is right at the outer edge of the no fly zone for racing before Ironman Canada. I have to admit that I had to look up the Sinister 7. I thought it was like the K100 or Canadian Death Race. I hope you aren't doing leg 5 because the altitude profile looks brutal. Looking at your plan that is the only thing that stands out to me because your race rehearsal is a week or less after that.
At any rate it looks like Option 2b is the best for you. If you did Option 1 you would probably run yourself right into the ground and have nothing left when you get to the GWN start line.
As for myself and it may seem a little general but this is what i'm planning. After the outseason i'm going to take a 3 week transition and work on my swimming and do some light workouts. Then i'm thinking of an 8 week General Prep which I do have a half marathon planned in. Then i'll drop myself into the 12 week Race Prep and to sharpen my racing up i'm thinking the Footstock Duathlon(B-), Chinook Olympic(B-) and GWN(B) as my events of choice. After GWN i'll be solely focusing on training for Ironman Canada and let the chips fall where they may.
Thanks for the great feedback everyone - much appreciated! I'll post a revised plan incorporating all of this.