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Jodi's micro questions

Coach Patrick, I have been doing a bit of trail running and got my first ultra under my belt. Rich started me on a plan this week with my only A race being Chatt IM. The first part is Run durability. He has me scheduled for 1 swim per week for the foreseeable future, which I am sure I need, but I hate. I called my pool today and found out they are closing Friday for three weeks. (College campus). My question is should I even bother to swim once on Thursday if I know I won't swim again until after Jan 6th? My only other pool option is outdoors and I am just not into that. I know you are gonna say something about swim chords (see I do read the wiki) but I don't know what they are or what to do with them. Help!

Comments

  • @Jodi...JODI!!! Hey, do you want to get on a plane and punch Greg C in the face for that holiday card or what?? Goodness his family is beautiful....anywho...just fill up the bathtub and visualize!!!! image

    Ok, you are right, that's a pile of junk if you can't get in there for three weeks. Instead, let's do some core work and get you in a competent, functional space from which you can work on your swim! Check out the Total Body Routines from the bottom of this page here:

    http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/91/Default.aspx?topic=2011+Maintenance+Workouts
  • Patrick, I am in JOS, but I snuck in a half mary this weekend without permission, er..without targeted training for it. Sorry. I actually followed my instructions from last year about going ez the first three and then hitting the middle 7, then giving what I could til the end. It worked and I actually improved 2 minutes over last year! My question is if I plug my half mary time into the formula I get different (faster) zones than from my 5K test at the beginning of the JOS. Should I change my run zones? And just a note, my daughter won her age group!   Also, question about my bike test. I started JOS with a bike test that was 25 watts faster than last year while training for IMLP. Do you think this is an error or do you think the mountain runs (marathon and 50K) made me more powerful?     Thanks! Jodi
  • Jodi, upwards and onwards ... yes to the new numbers...we hold them unless you prove in your workouts that you can't. Note on the run you might need to half the difference between your old Z4 and your new Z4 for a week until you adapt.

    That's SUPER AWESOME about your daugther. You'll have to bring her to the next race!!! image
  • Disappointing bike test and I am confused as to whether or not to change my zones. My first bike test in week 1 of JOS was surprisingly good...25ish points higher than my last test months ago. After about 5 weeks, my pm died and I replaced the batteries. Since then the numbers are not as good, and really back to where they were last season. I am thinking that the new numbers are accurate and the older numbers were somehow false. Do you agree? I am still struggling with the PM technical part, but I know that it helped so much training so I don't want to abandon it.
  • @Jodi, have you done a reset or calibrated it after replacing the batteries? That can help resolve any fuzziness.
  • Yes I did recalibrate it. I also am confused. When I do the 5 minute test, I have to stop and clear the computer, then stop and get my numbers. Then when I do my 20 min test I have to stop and reset again. Is that right? Am I supposed to use the interval function? well, I forgot to stop the PM on my cool down ride home so I had to use average instead of normalized, but I don't think it would make that big a difference. I realized today that everyone else in JOS is in week 7 and tests next week and I am in week 8 somehow, so I'm gonna retest next week. How do I get back to week 7? Every time I log on it puts me back to week8. Sorry for the rambling. I need help!
  • Jodi, you should use the interval function...just hit lap...it can record up to like 999 laps...so you warm up...then at start of 5' test you hit lap (this starts lap 1)...then you hit lap again at the end (ends lap 1, starts lap 2)....then when ready for 20' test, you hit lap again...ending 2, starting 3, etc.

    You will have to adjust the "end date" of your plan under Training Plan / My Plan / Move Change Plan....set date to be one week later.

    Here's a bit more information here: http://bit.ly/1lgUXaB
  • @Patrick, I have just finished my first week of half iron plan. I am cycling on Wed, Sat, Sun. My bike group rides Tues, Thurs, Saturday. I understand the need for back to back on Sat and Sun, but can I switch my Tuesday swim/run for a spirited bike group ride? And then do Tuesday's plan on Wednesday? I'm talking about not just one week but every week. (I can't do Thursday because its my long run day.) I miss Saturday group rides because my daughter has all day track meets. (You get some strange looks in South Georgia when you set up a bike trainer and ride in the parking lot of a track meet.)
  • @Jodi, of course you can do that. The Thursday run might suffer a bit...or at least you should cautiously monitor how your legs are holding up so we don't put your health in jeopardy. Because of the Wed/Thurs runs, I don't think you need to brick off the Wendesday bike (that is now on Tuesday). Deal?

    ps I want a picture of you on the trainer at a track meet...in the parking lot!
  • Weather got in the way of my plan this week so I snuck out this am for a 2 hour ride. Unfortunately I crashed. Nothing broken but I have a very sore shoulder. I don't see me doing anything this weekend, and I don't know if I can swim Monday. I'm guessing your gonna say, "no problem don't stress, just rest," but...any ideas on what I can do? I know you been here before.
  • Jodi please have your awesome hubby check your bike, all the bolts, etc. Good to have another set of eyes on it. I would just focus on long walks until you feel normal again...I would try to spin on the trainer if you can.....see if you can weight bear. And by Monday you should have a good idea of what your ROM is and if you need furhter follow up!!! Please keep me in the loop....
  • Coach Patrick, I just finished an Oly race and dropped into my ironman plan at week 8 which is a test week. I'm not really feelin' the test week thing. Am I just a wimp or can I go on to week 9 or back to week 7? 
  • Do week 7 then skip to week 9 no problems!
  • I'm confused about the Sunday run. I am in week 9 of IM training plan for beginners.I have a vDOT of 35. I assume I am to do the pre ride run and not the post ride run. Is that correct?

    Jodi

  • Jodi the instructions will tell you-I don't have them in front of me. If your VDOT is at a certain level or lower, you do the longer run and shorten the bike before it. If your VDOT is high enough, you stick with the regular plan!
  • Coach,

    Is this where I should ask for help following a big day protocol? Here I go... I had to skip the swim as the day before I got diagnosed with shoulder tendonitis, most likely from poor technique on my open water swim the week before in the ocean going against the current. My doc gave me an injection in the joint and told me not to swim.

    The bike went great. I rode 4 hours and was very comfortable most of the time. It rained on me twice. I did pop out of aero more than I wanted to. I was really working on my nutrition, which is where I may need help. I calculated that I needed to drink 24 oz of perform per hour. Using IM perform and eating one gel per hour gave me plenty of calories, but left me short on the sodium, so I added one salt stick capsule to each bottle gave me close to 1000 mg per hour. My problem was I stayed one half bottle behind on my fluids the entire ride. I carried 2 full bottles and my aerobottle held 16 oz. I stopped at a store and got 32 oz of powerade to which I added another salt tab, but at the end of the ride, I had 16 oz of powerade left. This made me short. I was 16 oz from fluid requirement, 875 mg short on sodium, and just 100 calories short on calories. I pee'd twice on the bike!

    I went into the run feeling good. I carried with me 3 x 8 oz perform , each with a salt tab mixed in. I walked 30 steps per mile and chugged 4 oz., so I was right on the money,HOWEVER, at mile 3 I started to have stomach issues and found a port a potty by mile 4. The port a potty stop costs me three minutes, but other than that, I had no problem staying in my zone one pace. Unfortunately, after that stop, I felt the stomach rising up again in rebellion, but my run was almost over so I got home. The problem is that this is what happened at the end of my last ironman and I need to know how to prevent it. Was this because I did not nail my nutrition on the bike? Or was it because my stomach really does not like all the things I am forcing it to deal with?

    Any guidance will be appreciated. Jodi

     

  • Perform plus Powerade is no bueno. Need to carry perform powder to remix as you go. Otherwise it's a good plan. Let's try again this week...remember your are training your gut just like your fitness!!!
  • OK, I will try again. I am scheduled for a long ride (270 min) Saturday and a 30 min run BEFORE it. Since the problem occurs after, I am guessing you want me to do the long ride and then a 60 min run. Correct? Sunday is also a ride day (210 min) with a run before it, so I will stick to that, right?
  • Yes to your sat run after and Sunday before. I like where your head is at!!
  • OK, I did a 4.5 hour ride and drank every ounce, ate every calorie and got in every mg of sodium as planned. It was not fun, but I got it down and on time. I ran the planned 6 miles with 4 oz consumed per mile with the salt tab added. That was worse, but again, I got it down. My run was zone one (easily) and I had no issues with needing the portapotty, BUT I really felt uncomfortably full. I'm hoping I won't feel this way the whole marathon. Thoughts?
  • 1 - impressive!
    2 - can you write out what you consumed for me? Might not be 100% required... :)
    3 - again impressive...and good to know you _can_ if required. Remember you'll be "behind" after the swim vs this weekend's ride...
  • Ok, for breakfast I had a half bagel with peanut butter and jelly and 8 oz water. I then jumped on the bike and started drinking. I consumed one (24 oz) bottle per hour (checking every half hour and catching up if needed.) Each bottle contained 3 scoops im perform and 1 capsule of salt stick. The bottle then contained 210 calories, 740 mg sodium. I ate one powergel per hour which added 110 calories and 200 mg of sodium. That made my hourly total 24 oz, 330 calories, 940 mg sodium. I did this for hour 1,2,4 and almost hour five just before getting off bike. For hour three I ate a bonk breaker bar (might be on course as they are a sponsor) instead of gel, which was 250 cals and 170 mg sodium. Just wanted something solid. The whole ride I felt overly full. Stopped to pee twice on the bike. Got to the run and strapped on a fuel belt with 3 x 8 oz bottles, each with 1 scoop of perform and 1 salt cap, and drank 4 oz per mile. I stuck to my zone one pace of 11:00 min miles, but I ran 6.0 miles, so in just over 1 hour I drank 24 oz. with 210 calories,740 mg sodium. Had I been continuing, I would have done a gel at that point, but to be honest, I shiver at the thought of doing that gel based on how my stomach felt.

    A few things to note...I finished my run at 1:30 pm in 93 degree weather. Heat index  was 98. My run was on newly paved asphalt in my neighborhood. I tried to stay in the shade but probably only had shade 35% of the time. If it were cooler like it will be in Sept in Tennessee, I wonder if I need that much sodium. I am normally not a heavy sweater. Nope, I haven't done the sweat test this year.

    Considering taste only, the perform seemed very sweet and strong. So just tough it out? I know you say there will come a point when I can't eat anything on the run. I kind of think that was going to happen soon if I had continued. Also really wanted to abandon the perform in favor of something not as strong (but I did not) and think that may happen in the race. Is there a formula for when the earliest is that I can stop eating and then stop "performing" every mile? I think every other mile alternating with water is something I could do. And one more thing, I haven't been forcing the fluids during my long runs. I am guessing I need to do this. Will this help?

  • Thanks! Remember you won't eat a bagel with PB just before the bike where you eat a ton. Next time get up have a natures valley crunchy bar (the 2 in one packet kind) and some water/coffee about 90' before you ride. I would also ditch the bonk breaker for a power bar --- and I'd only do 1/2 to replace the gel (1/2 PB = 1 gel). In fact I would do hour 1 = 1/2 power bar, hour 2 = gel hour 3 = 12 Powerbar, then gels. Remember you eat on the :15 minute mark, not at 60' as you will have just swim 2.4. (Hence the earlier, lighter breakfast.)

    The salt is there to aid absorption...so keep that up. On race day you could include some water but not a ton...the perform will be sweet, but it is different bike and run flavors.
  • Coach P, I am in week 17 of ironman shooting for Choo. I have my RR next Saturday. My son is unexpectedly coming home that Friday night thru Sunday morning to speak at an Academy function on the Navy's dime. I want to change my week a bit and wanted to run this by you. I would like to do my RR on Friday, take Saturday off and do my Friday swim on Sunday. The Sunday swim works with an OWS planned that day. What do you think?
  • Brilliant. Thursday keep the run to the AM and nothing hard...very cool to see the kiddo and to have him doing so well. I expect some pictures and good luck with the RR!!
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