Thai's 2014 Season Road Map (and the speed bumps along the way)

thaimai

Hi Coach,

Super excited to start but have a few questions and an update for my OS training schedule.

1) From what I was told, WildfFlower 70.3 run course is 60% trails and 40% road.  Where in my training schedule (OS or HIM plans) should I incorporate trail running to get use to it.

2) Vineman 140.6 has a few big hills on the bike course (2 loops) as well as the run course with it's 3 loops course.  Is there a chance for me to build hill climbing strength for these challenges during the 9 week IM plan between WF and Vineman?

As for my OS plan, I'm scheduled to start on Monday.  The snag is that I'll be traveling to Vietnam from 11/23/2013 to 12/8/2013.  I can only concentrate on running during this 2 week period.  There may be a gym with a stationary bike that I can use for a few days but I'm not sure how to adapt the plan to something like that. 

Any guidance for this period would be great.

Thank you!

Thai

Coach Rich

Posted By Thai Mai on 21 Oct 2013 11:45 AM

Hi Coach,

Super excited to start but have a few questions and an update for my OS training schedule.

1) From what I was told, WildfFlower 70.3 run course is 60% trails and 40% road.  Where in my training schedule (OS or HIM plans) should I incorporate trail running to get use to it. They are wide, graded trails / dirt roads. No need to practice trail running. That said, there are 3 significant downhills on the run so I always make a point of doing some hard downhill running in about the 8wks leading up to the race, to toughen up my legs. 

2) Vineman 140.6 has a few big hills on the bike course (2 loops) as well as the run course with it's 3 loops course.  Is there a chance for me to build hill climbing strength for these challenges during the 9 week IM plan between WF and Vineman? I wouldn't say the hills on the Vineman course are big. It's just a bike ride, nothing to worry about. That said, you'll be a much stronger cyclist by WF and stronger by VM. No special training required, in other words. 

As for my OS plan, I'm scheduled to start on Monday.  The snag is that I'll be traveling to Vietnam from 11/23/2013 to 12/8/2013.  I can only concentrate on running during this 2 week period.  There may be a gym with a stationary bike that I can use for a few days but I'm not sure how to adapt the plan to something like that. 

Any guidance for this period would be great.  We generally recommend you go heavy on the bike before a trip like this and then heavy on the run during trip. Heavy = higher frequency/add 1-2 runs to your schedule. 

Thank you!

Thai

thaimai

Thanks Coach!

Is there guidance on when to go heavy on the bike before the trip?

Can I modify the OS plan manually or do I have to write the 2 or 3 weeks bike intensive schedule on paper?

When you say add 1-2 runs to my schedule, you mean during the 2 week trip right?

Thai

Coach Rich

Posted By Thai Mai on 23 Oct 2013 11:10 AM


Thanks Coach!



Is there guidance on when to go heavy on the bike before the trip?



Can I modify the OS plan manually or do I have to write the 2 or 3 weeks bike intensive schedule on paper?



When you say add 1-2 runs to my schedule, you mean during the 2 week trip right?



Thai

I believe we have an article or two in the Wiki about how to modify your schedule for vacations. 

Sorry, you're not able to move workouts around, etc, in our web platform. We keep that very simple so we can focus ourselves on coaching you vs chasing a never-ending cycle of website enhancements. 

Yes, during the trip. 

thaimai

Hi Coach,

Due to logistical/financial reasons, I can't do Wildflower this year.  

Coach P said in my micro forum thread that he wants me to do a race before Vineman in July.  I have the sprint on May 18th that I planned on doing.

There's also an oly on April 20th that I can sign up.  Do you think doing a sprint and an oly before VM is a good idea?  If so, I'll sign up for the oly and change my Season Road Map according.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks

Coach Rich

Posted By Thai Mai on 14 Jan 2014 05:37 PM

Hi Coach,

Due to logistical/financial reasons, I can't do Wildflower this year.  

Coach P said in my micro forum thread that he wants me to do a race before Vineman in July.  I have the sprint on May 18th that I planned on doing.

There's also an oly on April 20th that I can sign up.  Do you think doing a sprint and an oly before VM is a good idea?  If so, I'll sign up for the oly and change my Season Road Map according.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks

Oly would be better, as the length of the run will keep you a bit more honest with your run training than a sprint race probably would. 4/20 works, as far as timing goes. 

thaimai

Thanks Coach.  So does that mean I have to load the IM plan on 2/17 after the Swim Camp to end right at VM?

And I'll just refer to the Self-Coaching Guide to integrate the oly and sprint into the IM plan, correct?

Thanks!

Coach Rich

Posted By Thai Mai on 17 Jan 2014 11:09 AM

Thanks Coach.  So does that mean I have to load the IM plan on 2/17 after the Swim Camp to end right at VM?

And I'll just refer to the Self-Coaching Guide to integrate the oly and sprint into the IM plan, correct?

Thanks!

On 2/17 you're going to load up the IM plan to end on the Sunday of Vineman. Go to your Training Plan page (under Training above), click on the Move/Change My Training Plan button and fillow the instructions. Yes, the Self-Coaching Guide talks about how to work races into our training plans. 

thaimai

hey Coach,

I didn't load the thread about Big Bike Week with the following questions so thought better to ping you in the Macro Forum.

In the 20 weeks IM Beginner plan, the 2 important weekends are the RR in week 15 (6/16) and week 18 (7/7).

Unfortunately I have to leave town on 7/11 until 7/18 which means I won't be able to do the 2nd RR on Saturday 7/12.

I assume that doing the RR on Saturday 7/19, just 1 week away from Vineman on the 26th is not a good idea. So I originally planned the 2nd RR on Saturday 7/5, one week early than what's on the plan.

You recommend a BTW either week 16 or 17 (in the other thread I started) to have the most benefit. Doing BTW on week 16 would be right after the 1st RR and if doing it on week 17, that would end on the only weekend I have left to do a RR before the race (that's assuming doing the RR on 7/19 is a no no).

Do you have any suggestions on doing the BTW? Should I skip it and stick with the 2 RRs?

thaimai

Oh I should've asked initially if this is more of a Micro forum question for coach P or something you handle. -T

Coach Rich

Ok, a few notes:

• Timing of the 1st RR isn't super critical, so fine to move that forward or back, as your schedule requires.
• Doing the final RR 3wks out vs 2wks is fine. 1wk out is no-go, as you said. What's important is that you plan for it, do it, debrief it in time to identify and fix any mistakes. 
• Getting in a high-ish volume week somewhere in ^there^ is bonus but not required. That said, you don't need to be any sort of special, recovered state when you do the final RR so having a big volume week before it isn't a big deal. Again, the purpose of the final RR is to be a planning and execution exercise. Fine if you're not feeling very fresh for it.