Help with weekly schedule
Hi Coach,
I am new to the program and want to integrate the local schedule and work schedule with the training plans you have laid out. I want to make sure I am not mangling things.
Questions:
1) I have been doing my long workouts on Friday and Saturday so I can spend some quality time with my family on Sunday. I would still do some training i.e. swim or shortish run, but it wouldn't be a HUGE block. Is this ok?
2) We have a large scale and pretty fast group ride on Wednesday nights in my town and it is a lot of fun. Should I stop doing that in light of the bike sessions I have on my training plan now?
3) My tri club has a track session on Thursday nights (the day I am apparently scheduled to do my long run) is this "tweakable"
4) In years past, swimming has been a strength and running a weakness. Is it possible for me to switch out a swim for a run?
Thank you for the time,
Justin
Comments
Yes moving the weekend workouts to Friday/Saturday is fine and actually it's fairly common on the team -- it means it were basically moving the week forward such that the next Monday happens on your Sunday. Monday is typically a swim with a short run so that should fit your schedule just fine. Given the other changes you want to make to your week to accommodate your friends, I suggest that you plan on your long run on Tuesday followed by the Wednesday night hard ride and then Thursday night track. The difference between a Tuesday morning long run and a Wednesday evening group ride should give you enough time to recover. In fact you might want to insert your second swim on that Wednesday morning.
Riding with a group is totally fine, it'll help you get fit and only serves to make the rest of us jealous. :-)
And finally to swim -- you may want to dedicate a little extra time in the final few days of the plan. For now were just getting ready to do that final push.
Hi Coach,
I am not sure if this is the right place for this post, but I am concerned that leg strength and more specifically muscular endurance may be a limiter for me. (My quads give out around 8-13 in on an IM marathon.) Do you recommend any sort of weight training programs? I know that I don't need to squat a VW beetle, but I am concerned about this particular limiter and have heard that some athletes have seen significant improvement from strength work.
Thanks for your time!
Justin
It's most likely related to be there by pacing or your bike/run nutrition. Can you give me some more insight there on how you have ridden and fed yourself -- that will give me a lot more information on how to proceed.
My problem hasn't been cramping, it is not like "if I push it too hard, my quads are going to lock up" is it more like my quads are hurting with every step regardless of effort.
The same problem happened during a recent 50 mile run at mile 30. A whole new level of agony for 20 miles. During the 50, I started to feel it when we hit some small rollers and the descents really made it worse.
Thanks for your help and insights.
Justin
I'd love to see any race photos you had from the run section to check out your form that could be very insightful. I'll try and upload a picture below of what happened to me at the end of the Boston Marathon you can see how far I am leaning back -- my quads are basically shot.
While I wait for you to get back to me on those pictures, can you clarify that this issue never really happens in training? As in, on a regular 18 mile long run, you have no problems.
Thanks,
Justin