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Dave's Ironman Arizona 2013 What happened to my run?

david waredavid ware
in Races & Places 🏁⛺

 

Quick story: IM PR @ 11:05, 4th in AG.  Amazing, for me, bike split of 5:22 but sad run at 4:27.

 

Long story: This was my 4th IM, 2d time at Arizona.  Last year I went 11:18 and knew that I could do better.  I wanted to try and be more consistent with my training.  Last year after the race I wrote: “My biggest obstacle is going to be consistency and mental toughness.  It is just too easy for me to lose interest and cut short or simply avoid doing a workout.  If I am going to do what I think I am capable of, I am going to have to commit to do the work.”  Well, I am not sure that I did better in my training: See chart below:

 

 

 

Sep-12

Sep-13

Oct-12

Oct-13

Nov-12

Nov-13

Totals 12

Totals 13

Swim

 

 

 

 

Activities

2

7

10

8

3

4

15

19

Distance mi

0.8

6.35

12.33

11.82

4.12

4.32

17.25

22.49

Time

0:27:50

3:27:37

7:03:43

6:34:24

2:08:26

2:20:05

9:39:59

12:22:06

Bike

 

 

 

 

Activities

14

9

10

8

4

3

28

20

Distance*

213.47

81.79

252.41

113.33

0

0

465.88

195.12

Time

20:29:01

14:18:04

24:49:29

16:53:41

6:50:38

9:03:17

52:09:08

40:45:02

Run

 

 

 

 

Activities

15

18

13

13

5

5

33

36

Distance

96.31

86.18

97

90.41

31.97

27.85

225.28

204.44

Time

19:18:48

15:00:32

14:02:53

12:57:53

4:45:26

3:55:13

38:07:07

31:53:38

Total

 

 

 

 

Activities

41

44

47

41

14

14

102

99

Distance*

310.4

174.91

362.5

217.58

3

32.14

675.9

424.63

Time

46:38:44

41:35:25

Comments

  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    Dave, we are the same age and I read your RR carefully and with great interest. Frankly, I am amazed at how well you do off of so little training. From my perspective, your swim and run training are fine given the results, but you have insufficient bike training to hold that pace. Also, the way your splits fell off, it sure looks like you went out too fast and paid the price. Changing nothing on the training and only slowing up the first 10K might have given you that sub 11.

    Now the other possibility. My run times have really slipped the last couple of years. I have been trying everything I know to get some speed back, but I suspect aging is a large part of it. I also suspect that aging impacts people differently. How else to explain the folks who are more than a significant deviation faster than the next guy in their age group; e.g., the IMAZ winners of the 55-59 group and the 65-69 group. Still, you are doing something right so I would not make major changes other than trying to invest a little more time on the bike.

    Congrats again on a superb result. BTW, I took my family to the Desert Botanical Gardens when I did IMAZ in 2010...we really enjoyed it.
  • tim cronktim cronk
    David, After meeting you and watching you race @ IMMT this year I coudlnt wait to watch you at IMAZ.... Congrats on that Podium!... Say Hi to Barbara!
  • Bruce ThompsonBruce Thompson

    Dave - Congrats on a fantastic race.  4th in AG!!!   Well done, and it seems you believe you can go even faster next year.  I think you can too. 

    I was working the T2 bags and saw you come in.  I wasn't quick enough to get over to your bag and get it for you (I was trying to get bags for as many ENers as I could), but you looked great.  You were moving thru T2 smoothly, quickly, no apparent stiffness. Clearly, your  fast T2 time reflects that.

    In terms of your run, I noticed your data for miles 11 & 25.  Both have the exact same mile split (10:19), and nearly identical HR data (126 vs. 124 bpm).  Your cadence did increase slightly but not much.  This tells me you were running well within yourself and smartly too.  Granted, the temperature was probably lower at mile 25, and this may have helped. Still, there clearly was no bonk going on here.  I guess I agree with Paul that perhaps you started out just a tad too fast. The only other thing I can think of is this maybe you just backed off slightly after the start to conserve your strength for the end. 

    Congrats again!! I look forward to racing with you next year as I'm signed up for both IMMT & IMAZ.

  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    Dave - if that is what you do on 4 hours of bike training a week ...

    I agree with Paul - getting a more solid 12 weeks of bike training (actually, weeks 12-3 before the race) going into your next IM will make all the difference on your run. I've noticed many times that people can have great IM races with compromised swim or run training. But skimping on the bike training means something has to give on race day, no matter how fit your running is, or your mental approach. Nail ALL of the EN prescribed bike workouts in the 12 week build leading up to IMMT and IMMZ, bike the same as you did @ AZ, and I bet you can drop 20 minutes or more from your run time.

    Don't be satisfied with 4th place!

  • david waredavid ware
    Thanks guys! I think deep down I know I need to commit to do the work, but I just always seem to find excuses. Only IM next year is IMAZ so I will really try to get the biking in! For me the mental challenge of consistent hard work has always been the biggest obstacle.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Hey Dave,

    Great race and hard to argue with a 4th place in your AG on a day that was generally much faster than last year across nearly all AG's, I believe.

    I agree with the comments made re a focus needed on bike training and that you may have gone out too hard. To this I add that if you're putting up a 4th place performance like this on the training you described, then you could REALLY crush it with more focused training. Your performance is also notable in that you're not a tiny, whippet like guy. You're probably 175-185lb or so?

    Hope I didn't just call you fat...

  • david waredavid ware
    Thanks Rich: Please keep that in mind for my next year's plan. I haven't seen the underside of 180 since I started weights about 2 years ago. Probably raced right at 185. As always I greatly appreciate all the support and love from the team and know that I would not have been even close to this without EN!
  • david waredavid ware
    Oh, and Rich, as a bigger guy I like to think of myself more like a greyhound than a whippet... ;<{)
  • MattAaronsonMattAaronson
    Awesome job coming 4th in your AG!! Like others, I'd suggest some more bike training. It looks like you rode on average twice a week in Sept/Oct with the rides averageing under 2 hours each (maybe you did a long ride 3hr and a shorter 1 hr??). I suspect you could really improve your bike fitness and it would have positive benefit on your run...unless you had lost a lot of run fitness, specifically endurance, in the last few months (a possibility), my best guess is that the bike is where you can help yourself the most. But hey, this is one of the ultimate EN "high ROI" stories I've heard...minimal training to the Ironman podium!!! Congrats!!
  • david waredavid ware
    Thanks Matt: I always appreciate your insight. I did do more longer rides this year than last but typically 1 long and 1 short/hard ride on average. I was a sprinter in college, so usually worked very hard but only for a short time. I think that has carried over to my training, some 35 years later...
  • rboglerbogle

    Shoot, it looks like you had a great day to me! Congratulations on the podium finish in a ridiculously fast year. I think the WSMs and Coach have called it on the bike training. It was great to see you in T1 and out on the course you looked strong, calm, cool and collected. Hope we get to do again together next year!

  • david waredavid ware
    Rian, i will look forward to seeing you next year also. thanks!
  • david waredavid ware
    Rian, i will look forward to seeing you next year also. thanks!
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