Just now getting back from the beach. I have to admit riding on a big comfy banana seat beach cruiser felt super weird. I was able to get my 1Xz4 run in on Monday and swam (first time in a salt water pool... love it!) 3,000 meters yesterday. I am also feeling a bit tired but trying to just listen to my body. Not sure I will hit all of the 6 min Z4 intervals on the bike tonight, but I am looking forward to going out and riding for an hour. @tim every time I would go out to dinner, you were in my head saying "the only thing that can hurt you now is over eating..." Part of me wanted to slap you in the face a little... but thank you nonetheless. I may have not stayed in my box very well at the end of the day, but now that I'm home I hope to fall back into routine.
I had a soccer coach who always told me "get there. then rest." It's been a huge part of my training regimen, and I hope to have it carrying me through those 26X1 mile repeats : )
The 3x6'Z4 bike session felt really hard. I was pouring sweat like It was an FTP test. I don't know if it was because I ran first or what but got it done nonetheless.
3800yd swim as per plan. Had to use pull buoy to avoid kicking and aggravating the achilles. Planning on trying the run tomorrow but if I start to hurt, I'm shutting it down. I iced it several times today and its still tender when touched, but its not terrible.
I've been running with plantar faciitis since just after I signed up for this race in early November, so I hope to be able to tough it out for a few more days.
Forgot to mention that I too got a new chain. Apparently, I really needed it! Among other things, the little things overlooked or not thought are what make me feel so glad to be a part of this great group of folks!
That's it. I am going to lbs tomorrow to get bike checked out. No matter how much I do to adjust the fd, I drop the chain pretty much every ride. Time to admit that I need a grown up to look at it.
Question- for Florida, Wednesday of race week some of us got together and rode a bit of the course. I know that most of y'all spent a couple of days on the he course already but is anyone planning on being in town on Wednesday afternoon and if so do you want to meet up and ride for an hr or so?
I have been reading all your posts, but just getting around to reply. Awesome advise going back and forth.
First off... @ J. Lombardi- I'll be praying for you, your Mom, and your family.
@MR- Your're actually faster than me on the swim. My fastest time was 1:04:38. Maybe you can lead EB and I. Seriously, we can definitely work something out so take turns drafting off one another.
@CK- I enjoyed reading your proposed race plan. We have similar time goals if I were to execute the ideal race. Hope your Achilles mellows out.
@JL- I love how everyone is so supportive of you. You come up with some great questions that are reminiscent of preparing for my 1st IM. You are very thorough and probably a great Dr because of it. I agree with what the others have said, less is more at this point. Don't stress over it. You've done all the work. Trust it.
I have normally done my scheduled weekend rides on weekdays (Thurs/Fri), which means I was probably the only one that did 6hrs on the frickin' trainer on Thurs/1 hr TM run. Little did I know everyone was on the same page as to shorten that final RR. I probably would've done the same. Having said that, holly **** @Annie. You are the trainer queen having done most of your long rides on the trainer. Brutal.
When I did that final 6hr trainer ride RR on Thurs, (because we had 50 mph wind gust because of the hot Santa Ana conditions), it exposed some serious concerns for which I have lost sleep over. It was 91*, 9% humidity when I perched under the umbrella in my backyard. Hours 3.5-5 hrs on the trainer were really hard. I could really feel the heat. I executed nutrition as I had successfully done in the past 2 RR, with the exception of having increased Perform intake by 50%. I remembered what @TC said about drinking in the heat being dictated by what your body is saying. I was thirsty, so I drank.
I then went to the gym for my 1 hr run, and by mile 2, I was already in damage control. I had stomach cramps, was feeling fatigued, sloshy stomach which was making running quite uncomfortable, slight headache, and highly elevated HR. My avg HR on the bike was 126bpm. I read on the wiki or somewhere, where Coach advises that whatever your avg HR is on the bike on race day, to increase that amt to 10-15 bpm for the run and that you could run that all day. With that rationale, my HR on the run should have then ranged between 136-141. I was at 152 bpm by the end of those 6 miles, and could barely hold my pathetic z1 pace.
It has been a huge blow to my confidence in being able to execute on race day. I reached out to Coach P and we went back and forth discussing my nutritional intake amts, etc. Keep in mind I'm that chick who doesn't sweat when she trains, unless it's a short z4 interval on the bike. I'm the one that gained 0.5 lbs during our sweat test a few months back. Even during Thurs 6hr trainer ride, maybe 2 drops trickled down. I'll be glistening, but not sweating much. Coach P was having a hard time coming up with a solution. He asked if I had been feeling sick or fatigued, as that, along with dehydration is what would show that type of elevated HR on the run. He said he had never encountered someone who sweats so little in the 10 yrs he has been coaching and said he wanted to refer me to someone (nutritionist?) for an expert advice on addressing this issue. That just transpired last night.
I'm very, vey concerned that if I were to over hydrate that I could find myself dealing with "Hypoanatremia," which mimics the symptoms of dehydration. Often times it's overlooked because people think the athlete needs to hydrate exacerbating the problem with often fatal results. None of you would have this issue, because you all sweat it out. My nutrition is not properly making its way out during hot conditions, and I assume, humid conditions. I balled my eyes over this last night and could barely sleep. The only game plan I have is to take in more 2 sodium pills/hr instead of 1 to assist my body in getting all that out. I just need to be smart and disciplined and be able to listen to my body if it's telling me something is terribly wrong. To be able to discern that guiding voice and to listen to it above all else.
@Linda, I'm sorry your RR did exactly what it's designed not to do. No dr/coach here, but when I lived, trained and raced in SoCal and CO, I too swore I didn't sweat. Moved to the Midwest, discovered I did sweat. Moved to FL, discovered I sweat like a pig. You rode outside in 92 degrees, dessert-like 9% humidity, no wind, and presumably no frequent ice baths. The fact that you weren't sweating, had a high HR and felt like crap after 6 hours in that oven doesn't surprise me at all, as you were probably way too hot (i.e., one form of heat sickness or other). I'm quite familiar with Hyponatremia, but the folks I know who have suffered from it did really dumb things, like nothing but water and Power Bars throughout an entire IM. I think you'll be fine if you make a good hydration/sodium plan, with some contingencies if things go a bit awry, and stick to it. You'll probably sweat like never before in TX, but I would arrive as early as possible and see how you react to the conditions. The lesson you should take away from your RR is that you've got great bike fitness and need to focus on your hydration. Nothing more. It will get you through the swim and bike. If you are hot/hungry/bloated/thirsty, etc. on the run, you can address it then. Once you settle on a plan, you have to let the plan take the reigns while you relax and re-build your confidence. Stress and anxiety will not help at all.
Back before IMWI 2012 I added a little "chain catcher" to my bike per Coach R's instructions. My lbs put it for for about 20 bucks. It keeps the chain from never dropping when switching rings. Get one of you don't have one ASAP! Or Coach R or P will kick you on the nutz! (Their words, not mine...).
Last 8 mile run done! Whoop whoop!!
Have a great day y'all! So looking forward to meeting everyone!
@ Linda. First off...Holy Sh*%! 6 hours on the trainer? I decided my 4 times of 5 hrs was plenty for this chica!
The first thing that stood out to me was the super duper low humidity levels as well. I lived in Phoenix for 11 years and I don't think I ever broke a sweat... I actually sweat like a pig, and will be a hot mess by the end of this thing!
Didn't it say somewhere to take 1000+ mg sodium an hour? I have been popping 3-4 salt stick pills and hour plus what is in my drink. This may be a great place to start. How much sodium are you actually taking in?
Since I am about as far away from a medical professional as you can get, and not having read your plan/time goals, my #1 piece of advice would be to slow down if you feel poorly, and then pick it back up when the feeling passes.
I fear putting a time goal on myself for fear of making bad execution decisions as the days goes on. I figure my time will be what the clock says it is when I finish.
Stay positive! You have trained your ass off!!! You have done all the work!!! The only unknown is the weather. And having done ALL of my training inside, the one who should probably be freaked out the most is me...
Last "big" run is done. Just over 9 miles. Knees and hips a little achy at the start, which is standard taper fare for me. Loosened up after 2, actually felt good. First 7 at auto-pilot pace (8:15-25), last 2 around 7:30-45. No Z3/4 sprint for me. Lots of ice and compression afterwards.
Some very significant pre-race events for me this afternoon: haircut @2, massage @4.
@JA I was planning on riding part of the course on Wednesday. I will pick up my bike Wednesday AM from TBT and then probably head out to a section of the course early afternoon. I was planning on going to mile ~45 and doing the loop of about 15 miles that coach P talked about in the webinar.
@ Linda...your gut does seem to be a conundrum. Not sure what to suggest, other than seconding RS comment that if you're drinking Perform only, you should not expect to become hyponatremic. Drinking water only while sweating profusely will definitely lead to hyponatremia though.
Regarding sweat though, it is important to remember how this works, physiologically. We all sweat different rates, etc., but how much we sweat depends on temperature, not relative humidity. It SEEMS like we sweat more in humid conditions, but that is only because it doesn't evaporate. So, your sweat rate @ 90 degrees is the same in dry and humid conditions (or very close at least initially), but you end up soaked in humid conditions because the sweat won't evaporate. The way sweat helps to cool us, unfortunately, is by evaporating (think of how ethyl alcohol on the skin feels "cool"....that's due to rapid evaporation). So, in humid conditions, sweating doesn't help us very much. Skin temp rises, core temp then rises, sweat rate then may go up even more, in sort a vicious cycle. So, in AZ or the high mountains, you may feel like your not sweating much.....but you are if it is hot. You don't feel as hot because the evaporation actually is working to keep you cooler. In a swamp (aka...The Woodlands in May), you get soaked and core temp just rises and rises because the sweating is not helping you much. I believe that this is why this particular venue is so difficult.....it's always hot (upper 80's at least) and always humid (Houston has much more miserable summers than other parts of Texas for this very reason). This is also why a little breeze on race day might be better in the long run than a still day. It's amazing how much cooler it can feel with a little breeze blowing.....vs. man I hate this headwind!
Well, my last Thursday run didn't quite go as planned. I decided to take it real easy due to the achilles and do about 8 mles. I planned on seeing if my shoes may have caused and/or exacerbated my achilles problem. About a week and a half ago, I put some heel cups in my shoes to see if I could get some relief from my plantar issue. It worked a little, but may have caused the new problem? So today after each mile that circled me back to my vehicle, I either switched out my shoes or removed the heel cup to see if I either were causing a problem. I think the heel cups may have been the culprit, but I put them on after the 4th mile and by the 5th, I was hurting pretty good. However, in my last two runs, the 4th mile is about where I start feeling the problem anyway, so I don't really know if that's it or not I'm just going to leave them out next time and not experiment anymore.
I have a few questions about transitions for anyone who can help:
Is there an aid station near T2 or is the first one out on the course?
I have some glide and a small towel in my T2 bag that I don't intend to take out of T2 or get back. Do I put it back in my bag, throw it in the trash or what? I don't want to be penalized for littering.
How soon do you have to put on your race belt during the run? I'm wondering if I should put it on in T2 or have it in my "Go Bag" and put it on while running?
@ CK....great questions....I shall wait for the answers too!
Couple more to add: 1. It sounds like you HAVE to go through the changing tent? 2. Can someone explain the strategy for getting bike shoes on and mounting the bike and avoiding the chaos of the "mounting line" (aka...."falling over like dominoes line")?
@Linda... Jeff L. did a great job explaining heat/humidity/sweat. I learned a lot from that post Thanks Jeff. Some things missing in your post were ... Was this the same nutrition you have been using on your other long rides ? did you have a fan? , how much did you drink? did you pee? how concentrated was the perform? Sounds like you were overheated and your body was not absorbing or processing the perform and that is why you felt sloshing and bloating. If your body wasnt processing it , could be do to heat, too concentrated, working too hard , drinking too much , or not enough sodium ? Not enough sodium is very doubtful as there is enough in perform all by itself and small peeps like you and I should definitely not need additional salt while taking perform IMO.... I stick to my theory of drinking to thirst and not targeting any specific number of oz's per hour... Hyponeutremia is also highly unlikely unless you are just drinking water which just flushes thru your body.... I'd also be hesitant to add more sodium at this point... Stick with your plan you have been using to ride outside with , but know this if you feel those symptoms on race day the ONLY way to alleviate them is to slow down until you can handle it.... Really curious as to how much perform you drank? My perform intake various from maybe a low of 15 oz per hr to 30 oz per hr for extremes but usually falls right around 20-24oz.... This has been plenty for my but is very light for most people.
Been back in NH for 3 weeks now and finally did my first outside ride today. Full race gear and bike set up. By the looks of the forecast that might be the only one. 3 mile easy brick run after. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/495582489
Finished off the day with a 90' massage......needed it.
Feeling weird, anxious, etc......normal in other words.
Key #1:
1. Execution, not Fitness.
All you've done for 6 months is build a vehicle. Ironman racing is about how you DRIVE that vehicle, it is NOT about the vehicle. The majority of athletes on race day are fitness-focused (look at my T-shirt, look at my abs/veins/etc, look at how fast I can go in the !rst hour of the bike, etc.). They think of race day as the application of their fitness to the course, the distance. They are wrong. Race day is about the application of sound execution skills to a long day. Your fitness is just along for the ride. Through my observation of many, many races I can tell you that
fully 90% of athletes out there do not understand this and do not know how to execute properly. For the EN athlete then, race day is largely an exercise is doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing!
@CK... first hoping your foot gets better fast! T2 usually has something to drink but not a real aid station.... Use anything you want in T2 and put it back in your bag and you'll get it back. If you don't care about it , bring it with you, use it when ready, there are plenty of places to discard stuff legally. Not sure exactly when you need to have race belt on. I usually put on socks and shoes, my watch and race belt are in hand , grab bag is in mouth , as I move thru T2 the belt goes on , then the watch , then the bag goes into my hands, and I settle in a little before bothering with the bag.
@JL... T1 and bike shoes.... yes they make you go thru the tent , I wait to see where my bike is and how the set up is before I decide to put shoes on in the Tent or Carry them with me to the bike and put them on there (I usually put my shoes on in tent and carry glasses and helmet to put on while moving but I have on occasion run all the way to my bike with shoes in hand then put them on at the bike) .... As far as mounting your bike just keep going past the line until you can find a clear spot , after mounting , stay vigilant for all the idiots looking at clipping in, messing with there computers and basically doing everything except riding their bike.
nice SS! Split run today. SLOW hour right out of bed this morning. Everything hurt. Then 30 min of z2 at lunch. Second run felt great. Dropped bike off at lbs for chain catcher and check over.
I will spend an hour in the pool tomorrow but I seriously doubt that i will do another race rehearsal swim. Im not willing to use the mental energy to power thru another 3800M of staring at the black line.
@CK - I was thinking that I would put my race belt on in t1. Don't they want you to have your number on during the bike? @JL - Ive only done this once but the bike mount line wasn't that big a deal. I was still fresh and alert at that point. I did put my shoes on in the tent and run with them to my bike. My shoes are really comfy but don't go on easy on the fly. If the temps look reasonable I may leave my shoes on the pedals coming in to t2 though. @CK - I am also using a Go Bag (big zip lock) and figure that if I have to carry it for a mile that isn't so big a deal as slow as I plan to run. Anything to cut down transition times.
Thanks for all your valuable feedback and encouragement.
@MR- Thanks for your perspective. That helped a lot and it made me feel more reassured.
@JL- What you wrote is congruent with the articles that I read on the subject. The reason why I felt it might be an issue is because of the slushyness in my stomach as I started the run, possibly pointing to my body not able to absorb and process it out. Definitely encouraging seeing your point of view.
@Annie- In my past RR I consumed 454mg sodium/hr, via Perform, powerbars, shot bloks, GU & 3 salt tabs. For this current RR, I consumed 660mg sodium/hr.
@Tim@SS- Yes, I used the same exact nutrition as my 2 past (successful) RR. The big exception here is that I increased the amount of Perform I took in. I went from using 13 oz/hr during past rehearsals to 20 oz/hr on this rehearsal. It was obviously hot and drank when I was thirsty.
-Yes, I had a big fan on the floor pointed towards my side.
-I have normally peed 4x in past RR's, and only 2x (very little) during this one.
I am scheduled to have a 45 min phone consultation tomorrow with Jesse, the guy Coach P referred me to. I think he's a nutritionist. I'll confirm when we speak. According to Jesse's preliminary assessment, he thinks that it's more of a heat acclimatization issue, rather than a nutrition issue. Although he thinks there's still room for improving my nutritional plan, but obviously don't have the time to take all the test, etc. He said he'd show me a few techniques for acclimatization... which will surely be passed on to my peeps!!!!. Will report back tomorrow.
@jimmy- I too have a chain catcher and you're gonna be a happy camper.
Last long"ish" run last night 8.5 miles in 1:07hrs...no real hurting, took it easy and dialed in pace to avoid any "last minute" injuries
Feeling pretty good, will take it easy today (some swimming) and on the weekend probably do a relaxed 30 miles or so in the R3 road bike that I have not used much since I got it as a deal this winter. P3 is already in the bike shop in Columbus waiting for TriBike transport to pick up
Weather here in Ohio was surprisingly hotter than in The Woodlands during the last few days.
Haircut tomorrow and celebration of my son's 5th birthday at home with Ninja Turtle theme, what can be more fitting to "ninja execution"???
And like Jimmy, I decided not to do a 4th swim RR today, but it didn't start off that way. I wanted to do another RR in my swimskin just to get more used to it. I usually eat a GU shortly before I start, but after starting I realized I had forgotten to eat it. About 1400 into it, I felt my blood sugar dropping. So I stopped, ate the GU and got back to it. Ended up doing a total of 3000. Even before starting my heart just wasn't in it. Today is my birthday. No one should have to swim 169 lengths of a pool on their birthday, right?
@CK Happy Birthday.... Mine is Monday and its a swim day NO I won't swim 169 lengths.
Swim only day today... 3000yds just under an hour... WU , 22 x 100 alternating fast/slow , 10 x 50 alternating fast/slow, CD..... Resting http://connect.garmin.com/activity/495997744#
Happy Birthday Gentlemen! It is amazing how, the older we get, the better looking we become......and, in Tim's case, faster as well....
Nice work closing out the long run Gonzalo.....looking like a veteran.
Linda, smart move to get some focused help. Sounds like it was your warmest RR, you peed less, lost more liquids, took in more but had a rough time processing all of it...........My guess is you will be dialed in by race day with the added expert help.
Do not think of the bike as a split followed by a run, with a split. Last I checked Ironman was still a triathlon with ONE time above your head at the finish line. Bike splits are the goals of the 90%. Don't be part of the 90%.
If you think you can ride faster than I’m telling you, prove it by running well off the bike first. Don't eat the paste. Remember, the vast majority of athletes out there don't know how to execute. If you find yourself doing the opposite of everyone else, you're doing the right thing. If Jimmy and
everyone else is in the corner eating the paste, don't join them! Sit down, do what I’m telling you, and don't eat the paste! Lots of people passing you in the First 20 miles? That's good, don't eat the paste. Going backwards through the field on a hill? That's good, don't eat the paste. Think you made the mistake of riding too easy? You now have 26.2 miles to fix that mistake. Make the mistake of riding too hard? That mistake now has 26.2 miles to express itself, to the tune of X miles at 17-18' walking pace vs X miles at 7-8' running pace. Do the math.
Been working on my RP for quite a while, but when I saw so many out there today, I decided it was time to finish mine up and toss it into the mix: http://members.endurancenation.us/F...fault.aspx
Honestly, when I read Tim's, I was relieved that our execution plans looked so similar. But when I saw that my estimated times were so close to his, I started second-guessing myself and thought about revising them up. But after a quick punch to the zipper, I decided it was far better to go in overconfident than underconfident. So, it's officially out there, unedited. If I go 13:50, I'll just claim afterwards that I had food poisoning, heat stroke and a stress fracture.
Appreciate any and all input, positive or negative, from this great group.
Comments
Just now getting back from the beach. I have to admit riding on a big comfy banana seat beach cruiser felt super weird. I was able to get my 1Xz4 run in on Monday and swam (first time in a salt water pool... love it!) 3,000 meters yesterday. I am also feeling a bit tired but trying to just listen to my body. Not sure I will hit all of the 6 min Z4 intervals on the bike tonight, but I am looking forward to going out and riding for an hour. @tim every time I would go out to dinner, you were in my head saying "the only thing that can hurt you now is over eating..." Part of me wanted to slap you in the face a little... but thank you nonetheless. I may have not stayed in my box very well at the end of the day, but now that I'm home I hope to fall back into routine.
I had a soccer coach who always told me "get there. then rest." It's been a huge part of my training regimen, and I hope to have it carrying me through those 26X1 mile repeats : )
3800yd swim as per plan. Had to use pull buoy to avoid kicking and aggravating the achilles. Planning on trying the run tomorrow but if I start to hurt, I'm shutting it down. I iced it several times today and its still tender when touched, but its not terrible.
I've been running with plantar faciitis since just after I signed up for this race in early November, so I hope to be able to tough it out for a few more days.
Posted my "final" Race Plan in the Race Execution forum. Input/feedback appreciated.
Regarding my fatigue/overtraining/what is wrong with me questions, Coach P chewed me a new one.....
.
First off... @ J. Lombardi- I'll be praying for you, your Mom, and your family.
@MR- Your're actually faster than me on the swim. My fastest time was 1:04:38. Maybe you can lead EB and I. Seriously, we can definitely work something out so take turns drafting off one another.
@CK- I enjoyed reading your proposed race plan. We have similar time goals if I were to execute the ideal race. Hope your Achilles mellows out.
@JL- I love how everyone is so supportive of you. You come up with some great questions that are reminiscent of preparing for my 1st IM. You are very thorough and probably a great Dr because of it. I agree with what the others have said, less is more at this point. Don't stress over it. You've done all the work. Trust it.
I have normally done my scheduled weekend rides on weekdays (Thurs/Fri), which means I was probably the only one that did 6hrs on the frickin' trainer on Thurs/1 hr TM run. Little did I know everyone was on the same page as to shorten that final RR. I probably would've done the same. Having said that, holly **** @Annie. You are the trainer queen having done most of your long rides on the trainer. Brutal.
When I did that final 6hr trainer ride RR on Thurs, (because we had 50 mph wind gust because of the hot Santa Ana conditions), it exposed some serious concerns for which I have lost sleep over. It was 91*, 9% humidity when I perched under the umbrella in my backyard. Hours 3.5-5 hrs on the trainer were really hard. I could really feel the heat. I executed nutrition as I had successfully done in the past 2 RR, with the exception of having increased Perform intake by 50%. I remembered what @TC said about drinking in the heat being dictated by what your body is saying. I was thirsty, so I drank.
I then went to the gym for my 1 hr run, and by mile 2, I was already in damage control. I had stomach cramps, was feeling fatigued, sloshy stomach which was making running quite uncomfortable, slight headache, and highly elevated HR. My avg HR on the bike was 126bpm. I read on the wiki or somewhere, where Coach advises that whatever your avg HR is on the bike on race day, to increase that amt to 10-15 bpm for the run and that you could run that all day. With that rationale, my HR on the run should have then ranged between 136-141. I was at 152 bpm by the end of those 6 miles, and could barely hold my pathetic z1 pace.
It has been a huge blow to my confidence in being able to execute on race day. I reached out to Coach P and we went back and forth discussing my nutritional intake amts, etc. Keep in mind I'm that chick who doesn't sweat when she trains, unless it's a short z4 interval on the bike. I'm the one that gained 0.5 lbs during our sweat test a few months back. Even during Thurs 6hr trainer ride, maybe 2 drops trickled down. I'll be glistening, but not sweating much. Coach P was having a hard time coming up with a solution. He asked if I had been feeling sick or fatigued, as that, along with dehydration is what would show that type of elevated HR on the run. He said he had never encountered someone who sweats so little in the 10 yrs he has been coaching and said he wanted to refer me to someone (nutritionist?) for an expert advice on addressing this issue. That just transpired last night.
I'm very, vey concerned that if I were to over hydrate that I could find myself dealing with "Hypoanatremia," which mimics the symptoms of dehydration. Often times it's overlooked because people think the athlete needs to hydrate exacerbating the problem with often fatal results. None of you would have this issue, because you all sweat it out. My nutrition is not properly making its way out during hot conditions, and I assume, humid conditions. I balled my eyes over this last night and could barely sleep. The only game plan I have is to take in more 2 sodium pills/hr instead of 1 to assist my body in getting all that out. I just need to be smart and disciplined and be able to listen to my body if it's telling me something is terribly wrong. To be able to discern that guiding voice and to listen to it above all else.
Advice/re-assurance would be greatly appreciated.
Last 8 mile run done! Whoop whoop!!
Have a great day y'all! So looking forward to meeting everyone!
Linda. Issues like hyponatremia should not be an issue if you are drinking mainly Perfrom.
The first thing that stood out to me was the super duper low humidity levels as well. I lived in Phoenix for 11 years and I don't think I ever broke a sweat... I actually sweat like a pig, and will be a hot mess by the end of this thing!
Didn't it say somewhere to take 1000+ mg sodium an hour? I have been popping 3-4 salt stick pills and hour plus what is in my drink. This may be a great place to start. How much sodium are you actually taking in?
Since I am about as far away from a medical professional as you can get, and not having read your plan/time goals, my #1 piece of advice would be to slow down if you feel poorly, and then pick it back up when the feeling passes.
I fear putting a time goal on myself for fear of making bad execution decisions as the days goes on. I figure my time will be what the clock says it is when I finish.
Stay positive! You have trained your ass off!!! You have done all the work!!! The only unknown is the weather. And having done ALL of my training inside, the one who should probably be freaked out the most is me...
Last "big" run is done. Just over 9 miles. Knees and hips a little achy at the start, which is standard taper fare for me. Loosened up after 2, actually felt good. First 7 at auto-pilot pace (8:15-25), last 2 around 7:30-45. No Z3/4 sprint for me. Lots of ice and compression afterwards.
Some very significant pre-race events for me this afternoon: haircut @2, massage @4.
@ Linda...your gut does seem to be a conundrum. Not sure what to suggest, other than seconding RS comment that if you're drinking Perform only, you should not expect to become hyponatremic. Drinking water only while sweating profusely will definitely lead to hyponatremia though.
Regarding sweat though, it is important to remember how this works, physiologically. We all sweat different rates, etc., but how much we sweat depends on temperature, not relative humidity. It SEEMS like we sweat more in humid conditions, but that is only because it doesn't evaporate. So, your sweat rate @ 90 degrees is the same in dry and humid conditions (or very close at least initially), but you end up soaked in humid conditions because the sweat won't evaporate. The way sweat helps to cool us, unfortunately, is by evaporating (think of how ethyl alcohol on the skin feels "cool"....that's due to rapid evaporation). So, in humid conditions, sweating doesn't help us very much. Skin temp rises, core temp then rises, sweat rate then may go up even more, in sort a vicious cycle. So, in AZ or the high mountains, you may feel like your not sweating much.....but you are if it is hot. You don't feel as hot because the evaporation actually is working to keep you cooler. In a swamp (aka...The Woodlands in May), you get soaked and core temp just rises and rises because the sweating is not helping you much. I believe that this is why this particular venue is so difficult.....it's always hot (upper 80's at least) and always humid (Houston has much more miserable summers than other parts of Texas for this very reason). This is also why a little breeze on race day might be better in the long run than a still day. It's amazing how much cooler it can feel with a little breeze blowing.....vs. man I hate this headwind!
Well, my last Thursday run didn't quite go as planned. I decided to take it real easy due to the achilles and do about 8 mles. I planned on seeing if my shoes may have caused and/or exacerbated my achilles problem. About a week and a half ago, I put some heel cups in my shoes to see if I could get some relief from my plantar issue. It worked a little, but may have caused the new problem? So today after each mile that circled me back to my vehicle, I either switched out my shoes or removed the heel cup to see if I either were causing a problem. I think the heel cups may have been the culprit, but I put them on after the 4th mile and by the 5th, I was hurting pretty good. However, in my last two runs, the 4th mile is about where I start feeling the problem anyway, so I don't really know if that's it or not
Is there an aid station near T2 or is the first one out on the course?
I have some glide and a small towel in my T2 bag that I don't intend to take out of T2 or get back. Do I put it back in my bag, throw it in the trash or what? I don't want to be penalized for littering.
How soon do you have to put on your race belt during the run? I'm wondering if I should put it on in T2 or have it in my "Go Bag" and put it on while running?
@ CK....great questions....I shall wait for the answers too!
Couple more to add: 1. It sounds like you HAVE to go through the changing tent? 2. Can someone explain the strategy for getting bike shoes on and mounting the bike and avoiding the chaos of the "mounting line" (aka...."falling over like dominoes line")?
Been back in NH for 3 weeks now and finally did my first outside ride today. Full race gear and bike set up. By the looks of the forecast that might be the only one. 3 mile easy brick run after.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/495582489
I was about the write the same questions/comments Tim just pointed out Linda. Did you pee on the bike? What exactly are you drinking? , etc...
@ Tim - my legs were sore after reading your brick efforts today. Way to lead!
My swim yesterday: http://www.strava.com/activities/138512045
Today's Tapered run in the rain: http://www.strava.com/activities/138863842
Lunch hour recovery swim: http://www.strava.com/activities/139001806
Finished off the day with a 90' massage......needed it.
Feeling weird, anxious, etc......normal in other words.
Key #1:
1. Execution, not Fitness.
All you've done for 6 months is build a vehicle. Ironman racing is about how you DRIVE that vehicle, it is NOT about the vehicle. The majority of athletes on race day are fitness-focused (look at my T-shirt, look at my abs/veins/etc, look at how fast I can go in the !rst hour of the bike, etc.). They think of race day as the application of their fitness to the course, the distance. They are wrong. Race day is about the application of sound execution skills to a long day. Your fitness is just along for the ride. Through my observation of many, many races I can tell you that
fully 90% of athletes out there do not understand this and do not know how to execute properly. For the EN athlete then, race day is largely an exercise is doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing!
KMF or in other words, IMUA!
@JL... T1 and bike shoes.... yes they make you go thru the tent , I wait to see where my bike is and how the set up is before I decide to put shoes on in the Tent or Carry them with me to the bike and put them on there (I usually put my shoes on in tent and carry glasses and helmet to put on while moving but I have on occasion run all the way to my bike with shoes in hand then put them on at the bike) .... As far as mounting your bike just keep going past the line until you can find a clear spot , after mounting , stay vigilant for all the idiots looking at clipping in, messing with there computers and basically doing everything except riding their bike.
Split run today. SLOW hour right out of bed this morning. Everything hurt. Then 30 min of z2 at lunch. Second run felt great.
Dropped bike off at lbs for chain catcher and check over.
I will spend an hour in the pool tomorrow but I seriously doubt that i will do another race rehearsal swim. Im not willing to use the mental energy to power thru another 3800M of staring at the black line.
@CK - I was thinking that I would put my race belt on in t1. Don't they want you to have your number on during the bike?
@JL - Ive only done this once but the bike mount line wasn't that big a deal. I was still fresh and alert at that point. I did put my shoes on in the tent and run with them to my bike. My shoes are really comfy but don't go on easy on the fly. If the temps look reasonable I may leave my shoes on the pedals coming in to t2 though.
@CK - I am also using a Go Bag (big zip lock) and figure that if I have to carry it for a mile that isn't so big a deal as slow as I plan to run. Anything to cut down transition times.
@TB - I will reach out to you wednesday. Maybe we can ride together.
Thanks for all your valuable feedback and encouragement.
@MR- Thanks for your perspective. That helped a lot and it made me feel more reassured.
@JL- What you wrote is congruent with the articles that I read on the subject. The reason why I felt it might be an issue is because of the slushyness in my stomach as I started the run, possibly pointing to my body not able to absorb and process it out. Definitely encouraging seeing your point of view.
@Annie- In my past RR I consumed 454mg sodium/hr, via Perform, powerbars, shot bloks, GU & 3 salt tabs.
For this current RR, I consumed 660mg sodium/hr.
@Tim @SS- Yes, I used the same exact nutrition as my 2 past (successful) RR. The big exception here is that I increased the amount of Perform I took in. I went from using 13 oz/hr during past rehearsals to 20 oz/hr on this rehearsal. It was obviously hot and drank when I was thirsty.
-Yes, I had a big fan on the floor pointed towards my side.
-I have normally peed 4x in past RR's, and only 2x (very little) during this one.
I am scheduled to have a 45 min phone consultation tomorrow with Jesse, the guy Coach P referred me to. I think he's a nutritionist. I'll confirm when we speak. According to Jesse's preliminary assessment, he thinks that it's more of a heat acclimatization issue, rather than a nutrition issue. Although he thinks there's still room for improving my nutritional plan, but obviously don't have the time to take all the test, etc. He said he'd show me a few techniques for acclimatization... which will surely be passed on to my peeps!!!!. Will report back tomorrow.
@jimmy- I too have a chain catcher and you're gonna be a happy camper.
Feeling pretty good, will take it easy today (some swimming) and on the weekend probably do a relaxed 30 miles or so in the R3 road bike that I have not used much since I got it as a deal this winter. P3 is already in the bike shop in Columbus waiting for TriBike transport to pick up
Weather here in Ohio was surprisingly hotter than in The Woodlands during the last few days.
Haircut tomorrow and celebration of my son's 5th birthday at home with Ninja Turtle theme, what can be more fitting to "ninja execution"???
And like Jimmy, I decided not to do a 4th swim RR today, but it didn't start off that way. I wanted to do another RR in my swimskin just to get more used to it. I usually eat a GU shortly before I start, but after starting I realized I had forgotten to eat it. About 1400 into it, I felt my blood sugar dropping. So I stopped, ate the GU and got back to it. Ended up doing a total of 3000. Even before starting my heart just wasn't in it. Today is my birthday. No one should have to swim 169 lengths of a pool on their birthday, right?
Swim only day today... 3000yds just under an hour... WU , 22 x 100 alternating fast/slow , 10 x 50 alternating fast/slow, CD..... Resting
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/495997744#
Happy Birthday Gentlemen! It is amazing how, the older we get, the better looking we become......and, in Tim's case, faster as well....
Nice work closing out the long run Gonzalo.....looking like a veteran.
Linda, smart move to get some focused help. Sounds like it was your warmest RR, you peed less, lost more liquids, took in more but had a rough time processing all of it...........My guess is you will be dialed in by race day with the added expert help.
Swam 200, 3800, 200 meters this morning in 50M pool. Did not feel like it but did it. http://www.strava.com/activities/139256413
EZ run with strides outside: http://www.strava.com/activities/139256413 felt exceptionally hot and must have lost 1 lb+ of water weight.
Key #2: The Line
Do not think of the bike as a split followed by a run, with a split. Last I checked Ironman was still a triathlon with ONE time above your head at the finish line. Bike splits are the goals of the 90%. Don't be part of the 90%.
If you think you can ride faster than I’m telling you, prove it by running well off the bike first. Don't eat the paste. Remember, the vast majority of athletes out there don't know how to execute. If you find yourself doing the opposite of everyone else, you're doing the right thing. If Jimmy and
everyone else is in the corner eating the paste, don't join them! Sit down, do what I’m telling you, and don't eat the paste! Lots of people passing you in the First 20 miles? That's good, don't eat the paste. Going backwards through the field on a hill? That's good, don't eat the paste. Think you made the mistake of riding too easy? You now have 26.2 miles to fix that mistake. Make the mistake of riding too hard? That mistake now has 26.2 miles to express itself, to the tune of X miles at 17-18' walking pace vs X miles at 7-8' running pace. Do the math.
http://members.endurancenation.us/Forums/tabid/57/aft/4714/Default.aspx
Been working on my RP for quite a while, but when I saw so many out there today, I decided it was time to finish mine up and toss it into the mix: http://members.endurancenation.us/F...fault.aspx
Honestly, when I read Tim's, I was relieved that our execution plans looked so similar. But when I saw that my estimated times were so close to his, I started second-guessing myself and thought about revising them up. But after a quick punch to the zipper, I decided it was far better to go in overconfident than underconfident. So, it's officially out there, unedited. If I go 13:50, I'll just claim afterwards that I had food poisoning, heat stroke and a stress fracture.
Appreciate any and all input, positive or negative, from this great group.