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2014 Season Roadmap Update

bukshibukshi
in Coaching Forum 🧢
Hi Rich,

Thanks for the 2014 Season roadmap and screencast. I was pumped to receive it and get started and finished my 2nd TOUGH 120 min Saturday trainer ride today. I also received today's note about switching from the Bike Focus to the Run Durability plan. Consequently I've been running through the Three Year guidance and Marathon improvement plan.

I just wanted to get your specific thoughts on why you feel this is most appropriate for me. On one level I feel like I qualify as a seasoned athlete to take this on, and my run suffered a bit in my last IM, but there's no question that I have the greatest room for improvement on the bike.

So let me know. If this was broad guidance for a particular category of triathlete then I get it. Otherwise I think your original plan made more sense to me. If we stick with any sort of Bike Focus prior to OS my one question is how to take on the OS plan in the early weeks in particular when the bike work at least is not as heavy as the Bike Focus plan. The 120 Sat ride is a good example as is Tuesdays 2 x 18' Z4 intervals.

At any rate, I think extra work and big improvement on the bike has the strongest correlation to my overall improvement, but obviously I value your opinion and experience highly.

Best regards,
Arun

Comments

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Hey Arun,

    My concern is doing the BF plan (high intensity cycling) and then go right into the OS plan, and doing all of _that_ through the holidays. Maybe a compromise by doing the RD plan but keeping 2-3x bikes per week?

  • bukshibukshi
    Ok. Digging further into the Bike Focus plan, I see what you mean. So I think your suggestion is a good compromise.

    In order to pull off 2-3 bikes a week I could start by swapping out the 1 swim of the week -- substituting the Thurs bike focus plan workout perhaps? Any other suggestions for the workout, and ideas for introducing a possible 3rd bike?

    Finally, if I followed your revised roadmap correctly this would drop me into the last 12 weeks of the OS. At what point would I test? Just work it in to my first week?

    Thanks again, Rich.
    Arun
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Arun Mathur on 26 Nov 2013 10:58 PM


    Ok. Digging further into the Bike Focus plan, I see what you mean. So I think your suggestion is a good compromise.



    In order to pull off 2-3 bikes a week I could start by swapping out the 1 swim of the week -- substituting the Thurs bike focus plan workout perhaps? Any other suggestions for the workout, and ideas for introducing a possible 3rd bike? Yes, drop the swim and get the third bike by repeating the interval session.



    Finally, if I followed your revised roadmap correctly this would drop me into the last 12 weeks of the OS. At what point would I test? Just work it in to my first week? Yes, you can work into wherever/whenever you feel you need to test to reset your training zones.



    Thanks again, Rich.

    Arun

  • bukshibukshi
    Hey Rich,
    When I switch over to the OS Plan should I go with Advanced or Intermediate?
    Regards,
    Arun
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Arun Mathur on 18 Dec 2013 11:51 PM


    Hey Rich,

    When I switch over to the OS Plan should I go with Advanced or Intermediate?

    Regards,

    Arun

    Arun,

    You indicated Intermediate when you completed your survey, per the definitions below:

    Intermediate: Men/Women -- 11:00-13hr / 11:30-13:30 Ironman, 6:00-5:15 / 6:30-5:45 half Ironman

    Advanced would be sub 11 IM and sub ~5hr half.

  • bukshibukshi

    You are correct, Rich. Up until now, I have been feeling really good about my performance and fitness.  If I had a put a goal down for IMLP it would be 11:15, but on a good day I feel I'm capable of breaking that time and just wasn't sure if the Advanced plan was something I should entertain (since I'm feeling so good).  Maybe I should just look at the plan???  Still, my overall approach is to work as hard as I can and then determine towards the end after all the testing and simulations how things stack up for me.

    NOW, in the past week, I've been struck with a case of ITBS. After having gathered much data and personal consultation, my current prognosis seems to be about 2 weeks of running downtime, after which I need to manage the issue like an injury.  I have none of the classic structural/strength issues - I've just made great strides and worked myself into this place without a proper release of tension in my strengthened muscles.  With the official 1/6 OS start date a week away, I was planning to stick with the Intermediate plan and tread softly for the first couple of weeks focusing on the bike work and maybe substituting some swimming for my runs and get back to plan in Week 3 (God-willing).  I think I have some extra fitness points in the bank that this approach will work for me, but lastly wanted to get your thoughts.  

    Best regards,

    Arun

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Arun Mathur on 30 Dec 2013 01:15 PM

    You are correct, Rich. Up until now, I have been feeling really good about my performance and fitness.  If I had a put a goal down for IMLP it would be 11:15, but on a good day I feel I'm capable of breaking that time and just wasn't sure if the Advanced plan was something I should entertain (since I'm feeling so good).  Maybe I should just look at the plan???  Still, my overall approach is to work as hard as I can and then determine towards the end after all the testing and simulations how things stack up for me.

    NOW, in the past week, I've been struck with a case of ITBS. After having gathered much data and personal consultation, my current prognosis seems to be about 2 weeks of running downtime, after which I need to manage the issue like an injury.  I have none of the classic structural/strength issues - I've just made great strides and worked myself into this place without a proper release of tension in my strengthened muscles.  With the official 1/6 OS start date a week away, I was planning to stick with the Intermediate plan and tread softly for the first couple of weeks focusing on the bike work and maybe substituting some swimming for my runs and get back to plan in Week 3 (God-willing).  I think I have some extra fitness points in the bank that this approach will work for me, but lastly wanted to get your thoughts.  

    Best regards,

    Arun

    Sounds like you're a toss up between INT and ADV and I was going to say to go with the ADV for the OS until I saw your last paragraph. Maybe go with the ADV OS but tone down / INT-ify the run workouts as you need to until you feel confident? Then later in the season / near the end of the OS we can talk about INT or ADV IM plan. 

  • bukshibukshi
    Cool. I'll do that. And maybe cross my fingers that I'm back in good running form very soon.
  • bukshibukshi
    Hi Rich, the advanced plan is working out well for me. I've been struggling with the running a bit but am mostly through the wood on ITBS and run fitness is better than ever really. I am going to be on vacation from 3/11-3/18 which blows up Week 10 of my OS. I should be able to run but I have to be careful not to overdo it. So basically I can get enough work in to maintain my fitness... So should I just repeat week 10 and extend OS one week, cutting Swim Camp down to 1 week before IM training plan kicks in. Or should I get in whatever I can and push through to Week 11?

    Regards,
    Arun
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Arun Mathur on 01 Mar 2014 05:16 PM


    Hi Rich, the advanced plan is working out well for me. I've been struggling with the running a bit but am mostly through the wood on ITBS and run fitness is better than ever really. I am going to be on vacation from 3/11-3/18 which blows up Week 10 of my OS. I should be able to run but I have to be careful not to overdo it. So basically I can get enough work in to maintain my fitness... So should I just repeat week 10 and extend OS one week, cutting Swim Camp down to 1 week before IM training plan kicks in. Or should I get in whatever I can and push through to Week 11?



    Regards,

    Arun

    Do what you can for Wk10 of the OS, given your vacation, and just continue with OS Wk11 when you get back. Don't make any other downstream changes to the schedule. That is, the timing of Swim Camp and your entry into the IM plan is more important than what happens with OS Wk10

  • bukshibukshi
    Hi Rich,
    Appreciate all your guidance. I transitioned to the IM advanced this week and things are going well. Next week, my wife and I are flying to California for a wedding on Friday morning and returning Sunday night. So I could get a run in on Saturday but likely nothing on Friday and Sunday. So what's your suggestion for restructuring this week? Swimming plus shift long bikes and long runs for Mon through Thurs. actually I don't think I could pull off more than one long 3-4 hour bike ride during the week...
    Thanks again for your help!
    Arun
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Do "a" long bike and "a" long run, whatever you can get in, before your trip so that it's done and you don't have to worry about it. Anything else you can get in would be bonus. If you have to choose between the long bike and long run, keep the long run at all costs. Enjoy Cali! Crazy hot out here in LA though...

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