Jeff Leslie Season Plan/Macro thingamajiggy
Coach,
2014 tentative plan (ie....this is the one you suggested to send to you BEFORE submitting the official season plan form so you don't have to redo my plan 3 times b/c I'm a moron and planned poorly!).
My last race this year is this weekend, Austin HIM, Oct 27.
Which OS should I do/when to start? What to do in meantime after Austin HIM, considering the following:
My 2014 A race is IMTX May 17 (my birthday!). First full IM for me.
Registered already for IMTX training camp with Coach P March 20-23
Possible HIM I can do prior to IMTX: Tall Texan HIM March 30 or HITS Marble Falls April 26 (not even sure why I mention this, I know it's too close to May 17).
Late season race - Austin 70.3 late october 2014.
Probably throw in some olympics locally in June/July depending on mindset and how IMTX goes and whether I'm alive, etc.
Does IMTX camp count as a big bike week or big tri week? Should I do an additional BBW or BTW?
Should I submit this formally as is, or make additions/changes, etc?
Do you want me to include the olympics I'm thinking about in the summer, or just do those with mini-tapers and not have you worry about trying to "schedule" them for me?
Thanks,
Jeff
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Comments
Coach,
I submitted my 2014 season plan last night. I know you are doing a million of these right now and may not remember this when you do mine, but I'm taking a shot! I have two points that I'd like to make. Background: I just finished Austin HIM two days ago. Had a great race, much faster than last year, felt great the whole time. What a difference racing with a good plan, power, and nutrition strategy. I know this is due to EN. My A (AA actually!) race this year is IMTX, my first attempt at a full IM. Really don't want to die of death from heat/humidity.
Point #1 - In my plan, I included a HIM in March, which is 7 weeks before IMTX. It's also one week after the EN IMTX training camp, which I'm signed up to do. I included this HIM because it is very convenient for me and cheap. It's <1hr drive from my house, no overnight stay, well-supported by LBS, etc. However, I do not HAVE to do this. I just thought it would be a nice motivation and chance to race again. It is a very challenging bike course (for a Texan!), with lots of short steep/fairly steep rolling hills ("Hill Country" of south Texas)...good test of ability to keep VI low. I have had a hard time running at prescribed pace off the bike in Olympics at this location, because of the hills (and heat in July/August), I think. Main point is that if you think this will be detrimental to IMTX training or is too close to training camp, etc., just tell me or nix it for me. I'd "like" to do it, but won't cry if you say no!</p>
Point #2 - I joined EN last winter, too late to start OS (with a spring HIM scheduled), and so I've never done the OS. You mentioned in your replies to my preliminary/informal plan (see below) that you thought I should not do either OS this winter? I am scared to death of IMTX, mainly because it's my first and I'm sure it'll be hot and humid. So, I am very motivated to do whatever it takes to get as fast as I can. I did Austin HIM last weekend in 5:38 (112/282 AG). So, I am already not fast....ie, my stupid slow is quite slow! I know I can't get fast in one year, but whatever I can do, I am willing to do. Since I live in San Antonio, I also CAN do my RRs in heat, to try to perfect nutrition/hydration as I think that is more important at IMTX than most other races? I definitely want to take this week off, but honestly am as motivated as one can be and feel I could start OS next week if you agreed (or think it is not "stoopid"!). In the end, I trust your judgement and "forest rather than the trees" approach to coaching age-groupers, and I'll do whatever you prescribe. I feel like I might be missing something if I don't do an OS plan, after all of the good things I have heard and read? On the other hand, I don't know what the alternatives that you would prescribe would do to me/for me, so I'll trust your experience and advice.
Thanks in advance for all your advice and coaching. I look forward to what you prescribe.
Jeff
Coach,
Just making sure you still have my season plan in your queue?
Thanks.
Coach,
I'm in week 2 of GF plan. Wondering if I should do the Tour of Sufferlandia (9 days, beginning Jan25) or just stick with the GF plan? I might be able to get in a swim or two and/or run or two during the tour.
Thanks.
Yes, that's fine, but highly recommend you still run at least 3x/wk during that stretch. Any length or intensity but just run, to keep your frequency.
Lk
@ Leslie....Thanks. I was supposed to do HITS Marble Falls last year, but crashed two weeks before it on my last RR ride, and broke my collarbone. The HITS folks were great, though, and allowed me to transfer my entry fee to this year's race (2014). So, I have a "free" HIM that I could do there. But, it's just too close to IMTX, so I will not be doing it.
I tried to do Tall Texan last year (I've done Tiny Texan (2012) and small Texan (2013), and they are fine....reasonable support, etc. Jimmy Britton puts on nice events. I tried to do Tall Texan last year, but it was ~40 degrees when I got on the bike, after a shortened swim (the buoy's had been blown all over the lake!) and I bailed out after 5 miles b/c it was soo freaking windy and cold that it was not even close to "fun". I knew I had HITS a month later anyway. But then I crashed!
Glad to see you're digging into the website, etc. As far as "etiquette", usually we don't comment on folks' macro or micro threads....they're for one to one communication with the coaches. However, if it is some specific knowledge that you have about the question (such as race quality like your comments, or similar problem, etc.), I think it is OK to chime in. I've done it accidentally too, when folks don't clearly label the thread as "macro" or "micro".
Most of us have a running "macro" and "micro" thread....the coaches always answer those, within 1-2 days generally. They might not read every other thread....but they WILL read those.
Hope that helps. Welcome. Where do you live?
Jeff
Coach R....you can ignore this....just talking to a new member....should have PM'd her. Sorry.
Coach R,
After IMTX (my first full) I had planned to do IMMD. You did my season plan, recommending I start with GF plan wk 3 after two weeks off from IMTX. I tried to start those workouts in the 3rd/4th weeks after IMTX and was just not able to do diddly squat. HR through the roof, no Z4 run pace, FTP probably down 15-20 watts, etc. After 5 wks, I'm starting to feel better, and now probably beginning to get some of my "fast" back (although I'm not fast!).
Not solely due to above, but mainly due to family/kids' activities this summer, Texas heat (what was I thinking when I signed up for a mid-September IM???), time off of work for travel to MD, etc....I have transferred my registration to Austin 70.3 on Oct 26. I need to work more on my "fast" anyway, and just can't find the mojo to train for another IM this summer. I've done Austin the last 2 years, so I think it'll be a good benchmark for how I'm progressing.
So, I was wondering if I should re-submit a season survey, or if you just wanna tell me what to do? I'm assuming I should do the last 12wks of HIM plan, and do the GF plan until August 4th (12 wks out from Austin)? But....maybe you wouldn't recommend I do all of the last 12 wks of HIM plan?
I hate to burden you with another survey, but am happy to do it that way if you prefer? Sorry.
Jeff
Please submit another survey and I'll do it next week. I'm at IMCDA this weekend. Thanks.
Done. Sorry to make you do another....although it's pretty simple!