Steve Hall RR #1.
This is my first 112 mile RR. I previously did the 1/4/1 hr and felt pretty good. On this ride, I had a few issues and I think I let the power get away from me on the bike. My plan on the bike was try to go around 215 watts. If I was around 215 watts I was okay. If I was over 220 I would back off. If I was above 200, I was okay with that, which is where I think I let it get away.
I found a loop that was around 28 miles. So I planned on doing that so I could come back for bottles of hydration. During the first 30 minutes I tried to really keep it easy. The first 5 mile lap was 196 NP. About .69 IF. One thing that happened in my first loop is I was going slow compared to effort. I found the culprit near my house. I had forgotten to tighten the screws on the brake pads when I had switched them out and they pulled back and were rubbing the wheel. I partly fixed it on the road but then got to the house and tightened everything with the allen.
I peed essentially three times on the bike. I figure the first one was due to the green tea and water in the morning. But, I'll take it. I have worked on taking in more fluid in because I know I sweat a lot during the run. So I roughly took in 212 ounces on the bike. I say roughly because there is always a little bit on the bottom it adds that up in 9 bottles.
I've been having an issue on my left glute. It actually hurts to sit directly on it and it tends to radiate to my left hamstring when riding and I even felt a twinge in my inner left thigh at the groin. If I sit and place my chest to my knees I feel it 'strain'. I am not sure what it is, but it sure reared it's head in the bike. Pretty badly around 90 minutes in. I think it kind of went numb or I stopped thinking about it at the 4 hour mark.
The ride is here.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/av/2TQUIBGAQZN6BIVAIB3XBAKHDI
I think I will slightly change the strategy to stay above 205-210 instead of being okay above 200. I used 285 w as an FTP value even though my FTP tested at 300. I plan on using 285 for Tahoe. It wasn't until I started writing this that I see the value in going 285 in this training. I messed it up on the planning of the bike portion. But, I'll take the hydration.
The run was pretty in uneventful. I got off the bike got my fuel belt and started the run. I felt the usual awkward self and about .2 miles in I looked at the pace and noticed it was too fast. So I kept backing off trying to keep the HR around the bike HR. 145 or so. I really tried to keep it under 150 for the first 3 and under 160 for the last 3. I had a slight side stitch but it was a welcome feel as I knew I was pretty good on the hydration side. I did pretty good with the HR but the hill heading back in kind of crept it up. But overall, I felt good. It was getting warm 79 but the dew point was pretty low, around 60. Humidity was only around 60 % so it felt pretty good.
The run is here:
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/av/FJVMXZFHNG2RE36GQEA2MZZZ2Y
Takeaways were decent hydration, which consisted of 3 bottles on the bike. 1 BTA, one down tube and one behind the saddle. I drank from the down tube and behind the saddle on the loops. It wasn't until the 2nd and 3rd loop which I extended a bit where I started dipping into the BTA bottle. I changed out the DT and behind bottle every loop. 48 ounces every 1h 20 m approximately. The bottles consisted of 3 scoops of powerbar perform. The BTA bottle was 2 scoops at 20 ounces. During the long rides, I had been getting hungry so I tried a technique a friend told me about. I mashed down on two pieces of bread to thin them out and but a very very thing layer of pb and nutella on each piece of bread. Put it together, cut them up into small squares and freeze them. When I got hungry I would nibble on one or two. That really helped with that hunger feel and I had no issue.
I can't let the power get away from me. I am definitely going to push more next time and probably use 300 depending on how I feel.
I'll take any other critiques or suggestions.
Comments
Is this your first Ironman? You've clearly got speed and fitness, so nailing execution (and nutrition/hydration) on race day should be your key focus over the next month.
Were you running @ your long run pace? If so, you are capable of a 3:10-3:18 run split; that is a tremendous asset in an Ironman and you should do everything you can to position yourself to take full advantage of that.
I don't know about "pushing harder" on the bike, either in yhour next RR or on race day. According to your TP analytics, your TSS was 293, with an IF of 0.73, and a variability index of 1.01. The TSS and IF are right at the top of the range you want to be in in order to assure yourself a good run. And that VI is other-worldly. To me it means you've got no wiggle room to work harder on the bike by pushing the watts or riding "steadier". You nailed your RR bike perfectly, and should not expect to do better except by improving your FTP.
As to the watts to target on race day, the studies I've reviewed indicate that the average loss of FTP from sea level-ish to 6200' is about 6-7%. So aiming for a 5% altitude discount is aggressive, but probably manageable in your case.
What I mean by pushing harder on the bike is not letting myself go too easy. I allowed myself to be okay above 200 but not above 220 unless it was a climb and out of my hands. I don't think 200 was a good bottom point and thought maybe 210 to 225 for the 215 FTP. I didn't like the TSS at 293. I really thought it would be more like 260-275, but so it goes. So not really 'pushing' harder just not allowing myself to settle on lower numbers, if that makes sense. Is that type of change wasteful, even I do see it as minor? I am sure not much is 'minor' after 100 miles on the bike. But just changing what is allowed I guess.
Steve, one other thought: "You never know where your limits are until you go past them."
Because you had such a good RR #1, you could afford to see what happens when you gamble with your bike pacing or effort on RR#2. The risk is, you'll have another good RR, and still be able to hit your run pace for those six miles. But a higher VI and/or IF (than you had in RR#1) on race day might not let you carry that pace for another 20 miles.
Here's the thing: you're paying good money to Rich and Patrick not only for their training plan, but for their expertise in race day execution, which, frankly, is what differentiates them from other coaches. Based on their experience with 1,000s of IM finishers, your bike performance documented in your TP file is IDEAL for an IM race, but is really pushing the limits. I doubt you could improve on it in your next RR, or on race day, unless your FTP improved.
You've got a chance to do big things on Sep 22nd. That will require discipline, patience, and humility.