Tallo Micro Thread
I have a hip injury that ain't getting better and is now impairing running. Short-run plan is water running, and if there's not a positive response (or it aggravates it further), I'll stand down from the run altogether and evaluate on a week-by-week basis.
Currently 9 (?) weeks out from Kona.
I want to make lemonade from lemons in the stand down week(s). This means bike and swim only. I'm I'm currently putting in the regular 1.5 / 5 / 3hrs EN biking, and about 11000m swimming as 3x sessions per week, what do you think of the following:
M 1.25h / ~3800m swim; speed and endurance focus
T 2h bike with FTP focus (total 20') and remainder abp
W 1.5h / 4000+m swim; endurance focus largely as 500m sets. Focus as race-pace with neg splits or descending
T 2h bike with vo2 to a total of 15' work; remainder abp. 30' swim as recover.
F 1.5h swim; speed/endurance focus. 30' bike easy.
S 5 to 5.5h classic EN bike.
S 4h ABP bike. 60 swim with main set as 30' tt.
Comments
objective number #2 is to maximize bike / swim fitness with the freed-up time and TSS from not running.
Ok, I don't know what the hip injury is, but assume you are exhausting all avenues for self-care/treatment/etc (www.athletestreatingathletes.com). In your plan above I see 5.25h swimming and 13h biking but no water running that you mentioned in the short-term plan. I am not sure how that would fit in or impact your set up.
Here are a few things in my head: hip injuries are the result of lots of work; and knowing you your training isn't in a bad place right now. So the hip is the first pushback that you are at limits for capacity to absorb work. I don't know what you have done all year, but your biking outline above is essentially 5/8 ABP training with FTP and VO2 on it…OUCH.
Here's a suggestion to have you show up sharp in Kona, not just with a lot of training under your belt:
Mon 1.25h / ~3800m swim; broken down as you will swim on race day. 10 x 100 fast (10" rest). 10 x 200 @ race pace (20") sighting 1x a length (cut rest here as you adapt/can handle). 8 x 100 fast again (15"), try to match early pace. So race simulation without "crazy long swimming".
Tue 1.5h bike with 110% FTP focus (4' or 5' intervals with equal rest). Aim for 20' of work here, raise number as you can. Every 4th week do a 20' test, trying to hold sustained 5' number from previous weeks. Remainder z2 / steady changing cadence on 3' intervals from 90 to 85 to 80 to 75 to 70, etc.
Wed 1.5h / 4000+m swim; endurance focus largely as 500m sets. Focus as race-pace with neg splits or descending. I am okay with this "long" of a swim just 1x a week, but honestly would prefer a 2k TT effort, then faster 50s or 100s around it. Finish with 30' of aqua-running?
Thu 1 2h bike with FTP to a total of 40' work (Your call on interval duration with rest as 1/3 of work interval); remainder abp.
Thu 2 30' of aqua-running? (Be careful where "additional" day to pool can be more "costly").
Fri 1 1 h swim; skill/speed focus. I would do a nice warm up then 3 x 100 (20") fast. Then you drill 600 as 50s, then do 3x100 (20") fast again…another 600 of drills, then one final 3x100 (20") fast.
Fri 2 30' bike easy (Bike not required here, maybe self care? Walking?)
Sat 5 to 5.5h classic EN bike - if you aren't already, I hope you are doing the Race Pace Plus stuff here…so if your target FTP is 200, you want to try to ride 220 for the intervals…or as an advanced peep, you can increase per rep (220, 225, 230, etc). Frame your workout how you plan to race the bike in Kona. My current bias is a fast / solid first three hours to Hawi, then steady on way back…perhaps another thread, but I could see riding .73 our there as .75 for first 3 hours to hawi, and then some flavor of .71/.72 on way back…dunno.
Sun1 2.5h ABP bike. Should be able to do more %-wise with a shorter window.
Sun2 60 swim with main set 2k pull buoy (no paddles). I would drill to warm up and try to stay long here…this is more frequency / skill than work this late in your week. And this could easily be shaved down if you are shelled.
Alternately, I could see you doing a 2k pull, then 30' of aqua-running.
And I definitely want to hit you up for King K bike execution tips ... during the Kona telecall last year, I remember you musing about a slightly more agressive approch on the way to Hawi (presumably to beat the winds), and I was thinking I might like to game that in 2013. I'll post in the Execution Forum and call you out there.