Wolf's Macro Thread
Hey Rich- Glad to be back in with EN! I just started up again online at the beginning of the month.
Problem is that I have not been dutiful in the training plans at all. No Run Durability, no Outseason, etc. I've been doing (unrelated) workouts and have been running with my son who I'm training for his first half marathon (he's 10 years old, so our pace is usually around 9:00 - 9:30 min/mi so slow and steady) and have been on the rollers on the bike but nothing intense like FTP, 2 x 20's, etc. I've only been in the water a handful of times and they were pretty light duty swims.
Here's the problem: I have the Kinetic Half on 5/10 (B race) and the Challenge Atlantic City Full on 6/23 (A race) and am feeling very under prepared. I'm 100% into the prep now and loaded up the OutSeason plan today (it loaded onto Week 7), but I'm nervous about the timing and amount of time I've got until either race.
Question: stick with the Season Road Map as-is and just drop in and start gettin' after it? Or, do I reload with something else at this point? Let me know your thoughts when you get the chance.
Thanks! Wolf
Comments
Half marathon at 10yo! Very cool! My nephew has been running 5ks with his dad, he's 9, will be 10 in April.
Please take the Season Planning Survey, under the Training tab above, and I'll plan it out for you.
Hey Rich- Thanks for the quick reply! I think I may have been too hasty in reaching out to you. I think I was just being a big wussy. I dropped into the OutSeason plan and yesterday I did the 2 x 20' and hit okay numbers (260 w) and then followed that up with the 4 x 1 mi run at Zone 4 after a quick rehydrate and pee break and hit okay numbers (averaged 6:48 min/mi) there as well. It hurt like hell, but I'm not as far off as I thought I was in my head. Unless you suggest otherwise, I'm going to stop being a wuss and get after it and pick up with the training as-is. I definitely need to test, so maybe do that next week? I will also resubmit a Season Planning Survey if you feel that's the route to go and will do it right away.
Yeah, my son is a bit of a beast. He ran his first 5K when he was 4 years old, has done a number of 10 milers now, has been MVP and All-County in both lacrosse and football (quarterback), and will be doing his first open water Oly tri with me this summer. He wanted to do a Half marathon two years ago, but I told him he had to wait until he's 10 (even with that, I have to "fudge" his age to get him to the minimum). He definitely pushes me and inspires me...so I've got to stop being a wuss and get back into Ironman mode!
Hey Wolf,
Stay in the OS for now but please take the Season Planning survey as well and I'll get that done this week.
Hey Coach-
Submitted the Season Planning Survey. Needed help on two things:
1. Need to decide between doing the Luray Oly on 8/16 (I'd be doing this one with my son) OR going to Milwaukee on 8/9 to the USAT Age Group Nationals for Oly (I qualified last year at the Luray Oly). Basically, is it "worth it" going to the USAT Age Group Championships?
2. I'm also doing Ironman Arizona on 11/16/14 (A race) but there wasn't any space for me to include that in the Planning Survey.
Thanks!!
Hey Coach- Got the update to the Season Road Map and have uploaded accordingly. Thanks!
Different question: I submitted a "crucibles" file back after IMAZ by following the instructions in the post race email. I haven't heard back (or know where to look) regarding the comments, etc on it. Where would I go to look for this? Thanks!
Patrick does those. I've reached out to him to answer you here.
Hey Coach-
Okay, things have definitely gone awry for me the last time I emailed you. Basically, my Outseason and now early season training has been a total bust. Just got off 3 weeks of walking pneumonia and inner ear infection. Been traveling a lot, felt like crap so training has been sporadic at best. Managed to pull off a half marathon with my son about two weeks ago and then took a week off to finally kick the sickness out of me.
Soooo, long story short, I've now overhauled my season and will be taking the season survey map again. ARGH! Will be dropping Challenge AC and another early HIM I had planned (too much travel and family commitments coming up plus I don't feel like I'm anywhere near where I was last year at this same time) and am instead doing a HIM in June and then the remainder of the season I communicated to you earlier will stay intact. I pulled up my big boy pants and dropped into the Advanced HIM training plan to prep for my HIM on 6/15 which I am now considering an "A" race (mostly just because I'm pissed off that my original plan for the year has gone kaput).
Okay, will take the survey and then await your sage advice. Thanks as always!! Wolf
Hey Coach-
SORRY FOR THE LONG POST! Need your help and will follow up this post with submitting a new Season Planning Survey. Season continues to be a wash for me as far as racing goes (just haven't had the time/schedule) but I have managed to keep up with workouts. I've been hacking my way through the Get Faster plan for the last few weeks and that is scheduled to end next week. Need help with determining the best way to move forward.
Of note:
1. I feel like my fitness is going okay. I will be testing again next week, but my current numbers: SWIM 1K: 13:48; FTP: 292; VDOT: 50.
2. I have a 50/50 chance that I may be able to do a Half Iron on 9/6. Again, due to scheduling. If I do get the chance to do it, it will be a B race for me.
3. I'm schedule to do IMAZ in November. I REALLY WANT TO RACE THIS THING THIS YEAR!! Meaning, last year IMAZ was my first IM and I'm new to the sport. I went through IMAZ to "just do it", "have fun", "complete my first IM", etc. I did the race conservatively and have identified multiple places where I could have gone harder, pushed a little more, and I basically feel as if I left a lot in the tank when I was done. Not disappointed in this because it was mission accomplished, but now I feel as if I can go out and really give it a go to actually race and not just do it. Weakest link for me continues to be the run.
4. I know that anything can happen on race day, weather, nutrition, etc. However, I'm a numbers guy and having goal numbers to strive for help motivate me and give me targets. So, my goals for IMAZ 2014 are: SWIM: I know I'm a sub-60 min swimmer, so I'm shooting for a 55-60 min swim. I think I could have done that last year (did 1:02) but I held way back because of fear of the unknown. BIKE: Last year, I did a 5:16 Garmin time with a 5:24 clock time (other time was spent stopping to pee...I'm working on this!). This year, I want to hit a 5:10 bike split and I feel that I can get myself to that if I correct the things I see in my numbers from last year. RUN: Here's where I really want to excel! Last year, I did a 4:08 and ran a nervous, fearful, anxious, conservative marathon. I didn't push at all, especially because I saw so many people imploding around me. I have learned a lot since then, have been reading the EN forums/wiki religiously, been focusing on pushing my running to get faster and I really feel like a 3:50 marathon is something I'm capable of doing. That's my goal! I just can't be a wuss.
I realize none of these numbers will get me on the podium, but that's not what I'm trying to do. I want to race this thing in a way that I feel I'm capable of achieving.
QUESTIONS: How do I proceed from here? Do I jump into the HIM Adv plan with the 50/50 shot that I might do that race (read: good to do a "build phase" from now until start of Sept, then jump into the IM Adv plan)? Do I focus on continuing to try and get faster/stronger right now and then jump into the HIM plan (or forget about the HIM altogether and only focus on IMAZ)? Should I do the HIM so I have a "practice race" under my belt (it will be the only race for me before IMAZ)? What is the best way for me to move forward to really focus on being prepped, locked and loaded to rock IMAZ?
If you made it this far, thanks!
Hey Wolf,
Looking strong! Your numbers are similar to me when I'm in IM shape. ~54-56' swim, 300-305w FTP @ 155lb, ~50-51 VDot, I think. You're taller than me so I likely punch a smaller hole in the wind, but I've always figured I "could" ride about 5-5:05 at AZ, based on my times at hillier courses. As for the run, do the math on a marathon time for your VDot E-pace and that's a good goal. I think you'd be closer to ~3:40-50 on great day? You're certainly lean and have the build for it.
I'd like you to load up the Adv IM plan when you're done with the GF plan and roll with that. You'll then work that HIM plan into the IM plan, as a training race. Would be good if you could get that race in but not required.
Good luck!