Peter Greagg's Micro thread 2014
Hi Coach
Not sure if I should have posted here, or in the Run Durability Group, but decided to put it here?
I have completed Run Durability 1 & 2, and am at the start of week 3 in Run Durability 3. I had planned to start my Outseason after Run Durability 3 had been completed (in two weeks time).
I now notice that the PDF in the wiki "Long Term Ironman Marathon Improvement" appears to imply that I should have already started my OS (in conjunction with Run Durability 3)?
If it is OK to continue with what I had planned, when should I start my 28 day run challenge? Either at the start of my Outseason, or 4 weeks later? Also, with the 28 day challenge, should I just run the same distance each day or something different? The wiki says to dial back the intensity of these runs, to what pace should that be?
BTW, I am running really well with my RPE falling along with falling heart rate, but pace is quickening! My Z4 intervals have progressed from 5:40 mins/km to 5:15 min/km. I am running better than for at least 3 years. Should I plan a run test, or just continue to run by feel? And if I am to test, how should I fit that in?
Comments
Your test would be at the start of the OS!!
Does that help?
I am running 5 hours a week at the moment and really enjoying the mix of volume and pace, plus the trail running for the 60 min and 90 min runs — the 90 min runs (according to my Garmin xt310) have a rise of 100 metres, whereas the 60 min runs have a rise of 70 metres. While GPS elevation measurements are notoriously poor, these are challenging runs with heaps of climbing.
Just touching base as have completed the Intermediate OS/Run Durability hack. My FTP at 210 watts is the same as the last few years after the OS.
On the other hand, my running is great. My Vdot has risen from 34 to almost 40 (the highest this century). Third last week of OS, I had 4 days off with extreme fatigue and when I started running again I tweaked my Achilles. I ran through it for a week but as it wasn't getting any better, I had more rest and rehab. So I didn't do my run test.
I am in week 1 of swim camp. and I am running well again.
My A race is IM Australia 1st Sunday in May, and 10 weeks earlier I have a Bplus/Aminus HIM (Feb 22).
I assume I will load up Intermediate HIM plan after swim camp week 2 — does this make sense?
Secondly, do I hack the HIM plan to account for the Run Durability work I have been doing since early June?
In summary for my Run Durability HIM hack, keep HIM Z4 intervals, and 4 other runs. Of these 4, one will be on hilly terrain around Z2, while all the others will be @ GRP. The long run will have a 30 min wu, then GRP. Wednesday's brick should be kept to 20 mins.
So I have the length of the long run (as per HIM Intermediate Plan), the hilly run (60 mins), and Wednesday's brick is 20 mins (are these correct?)
Also, how long for the other runs (in the last 6 weeks of the OS, I was doing a total of 45 mins for each brick)?
Thanks also for the suggestion of extra bike work during the HIM build — I am semi-retired I so can easily do 3 day bike blocks. I will get back to you when/if I feel like that to finesse the details.
(BTW, I loved the picture of you and the girls at the Turkey Trot!)
Looking forward to following your continued progress!
I am in week 18 of Intermediate HIM plan, with the Run Durability hack.
I hurt my Achilles 16 days ago and have been resting it with rehab (concentric stretching on a step).
I am now pain free and can run again.
But what running should I do in the next 18 days?
Before injury, running was going great, as was the rest of the training (eg highest Vdot this century, highest FTP etc).
After the HIM (which is my B+ race), I have my A Race, IM Australia on May 3 (10 weeks after the HIM).
I have done 4 runs of 30 min each (every second day) at around my GRR.
I will do a 60 min run on Sunday (in 2 days time), and then do the sharpening runs as in week 20 plan.
The bad news was that I couldn't even hold GRR for more than half the run.
I only used a TSS of 182 on the bike. I have previously run well after bike TSS in the high 190s, so am quite sure the bike execution was fine. I felt good and sharp on the bike, had a VI of 1.018. Also my RRs had bike TSS around 205 and I still ran well afterwards.
My last long runs were 90 mins on 1/1, 130 mins on 8/1, and 120 mins on 15/1 — because of Achilles problem, the only other running I did from 19/1 was 6 times 30 mins.
I am assuming the bad run was as a result of such a limited run training.
My Achilles is a little sore after the race but didn't trouble me at all during the race. It feels pretty good today.
Now my A Race is Full IM on May 3, which is 10 weeks away. I am seeing the sports doctor next Wednesday, and am assuming he will say I can start to rebuild my running.
I was doing the Run Durability hack which for the HIM was Mon 60 mins of terrain challenging run, Tues FTP running, Wed 30 mins off bike, Thursday up to 120 mins, Sat 45 mins before bike. Note Fri and Sun had no running. All running was GRR (or better) except Tues (FTP) and Thurs which had 20 mins wu usually between GRR and EP.
Questions: is this what I should be trying to rebuild?
I am sure the Achilles had a role in the outcome, but I'd still like to have a bit more detail before I go crazy with recommendations.
For example, if you could talk about your bike and run nutrition as well -- did you pee on bike? How much fluid across the bike, type of fluid, how many calories, Etc.).
Let's get some hard numbers and then we proceed, in the meantime let's make sure you are resting up for a bit so you can handle the final push to your IM. I suggest you take it easy through Friday and then pick up your weekend with the regularly scheduled plan...
Okay then, here is the run file https://connect.garmin.com/activity/703979996
My Vdot was 38 to 40 at the end of the OS, giving me a GRR of 6:12 mins per km, and my first RR I managed the 5:40 mins per km in the second half of that run, which was my MP based on that Vdot..
Peed twice on the bike, used Infinit with 200 cals per 24 oz bottle, and drank almost 3 bottles. Also had a gel around halfway on the bike. This is what I did in all my long rides.
On the run, I used on the course drinks etc and took some at each aid station while walking to drink it. Not sure of the content of the drinks but it is/was a recognised legit athlete's drinks.
It was in the high 20s degrees Celsius, so not really hot.
Of course it is possible I didn't use enough fuel. This season I cut my cals from 240 to 200 per hour based on my better body composition. That said, I did notice on some of the longer bikes, I needed more fuel. On the run in the race, it didn't occur to me that the dramatic slowing in the second half could have been fuel related.
I'd suggest a gel on the bike every hour or every 45', depending. Worth testing on your rides...if it doesn't hurt, keep it. Odds are no one training session is close enough to the cumulative need of a race situation (if you haven't done so be sure to check out our calculators as well, under Resources / Wiki / Nutrition / Sweat Test).
Let me know what you think!
Thank you so much for the feedback on the race — I'll get back to you on my reactions to your suggestions regarding fuel etc.
If I could be so bold as to ask about reintroducing running, given tomorrow is the start of week 12 of Intermediate Full?
Since 19 January I have only done 6 times 30 mins of running, plus the 20 km race last Sunday and havn't run since the race.
High level summary — my rehab from my Achilles is taking longer than I hoped, and you are so right about me needing more fuel for racing, probably 50% more, and probably more sodium as well. I will practice the increased fuelling in training.
Details.
After the race (10 days ago), my Achilles was quite sore for 3 or 4 days. But then I could do my heel-drops pain free, and be pain free all the rest of the time. So I did a 30 mins run yesterday, and my Achilles is still quite sore today. I saw my Sport Medicine Doctor today and he thinks the gap is too big between 3 x 15 heel-drops, three times a day on the one hand, and 30 mins running on the other. He has suggested that I do the heel-drops with a backpack on with weights in it, and when these are pain free, to try running shorter than 30 mins. Once I am able to build up to a weekly run load of 4 or 5 runs of 30 mins, pain free I will get back to you to map out where we go from here. Does this make sense to you?
In terms of race fuelling, you are absolutely correct that I was severely under fuelled! On the bike I probably need around 320 cals per hour, rather than the 200 I have been training with and tried to race with. My lean body weight is around 60 kgs, so 1.3 times 60 is 78 (gms of carbohydrate), which translates to about 312 cals per hour. For the run, I will have a gel each hour plus around 200 cals, again which is quite an increase from what I was trying. So thanks for giving me that feedback on my race.
BTW, I will also add more sodium per hour. I was using 600 mgs.
The fueling will take some time to adjust to, but you'll enjoy the outcomes I promise!!!
I have already noticed the improvement in my 5 hour RPP Saturday rides — an IF of 0.75 for the whole 5 hours last Saturday.
I have another question.
I am in week 13 of Intermediate IM plan and have noticed that I really can't do Camp week in weeks 15 or 16 (Easter).
I am keen to do Camp Week and hoped week 14 (next week) would be okay.
What do you think?
I think Week 14 is fine, just follow week 14 through Wed, then Thursday off / swim only before Camp Weekend.
You will need to factor in some recovery time on the other side though...can't wait to hear how it goes!
Just checking in with the results of Camp Week. Friday was 6 hours 15 mins @ IF of 0.70 for 180 kms. Saturday was 5 hours @ IF of 0.70 — I could have gone on but was out of drinks etc. Sunday was 2 hours 20 min run.
I have noticed that I am a lot more mentally aware deep into the long rides than I used to be. I figure it must be the much better fuelling.
My Achilles, while still a bit tender, isn't hurting when I run — my sports doctor tells me it is okay to run provided it doesn't hurt while actually running.
My GRR was 6 mins 12 per km before my injury. In fact almost all of them were around 5 min 50 per km. Post injury, now all my runs appear to be in the 7 min to 7 mins 30 per km. I am just happy being able to run at all!
I figure I should build up the volume again before worrying about any speed — what do you think?.
Yes to the volume first -- the only run "speed" I might suggest is a few short strides at the end of a few runs a week (once you are all warmed up).
Let's keep a solid focus on keeping your Achilles happy!!
Hey Coach
BTW, before I start, I must apologise for being so 'High Maintenance'.
After the injury, my run minutes per week have been 70, 140, 230, 260, and 320 (this week). The Achilles is slightly tender to push on but I am in no pain from there when I run. I am still running slowly but my weekly run pace average has improved from 7 min 40 per km to 7 min 20 per km. For reference, my LRP before injury was 6 min 35 per km.
As you suggested, I am doing 5 strides at the end of many of my runs.
It is the start of week 17 in my Intermediate IM build.
Unfortunately, just at the 4 hour mark of my RPP bike wko yesterday, my derailleur got jammed in my spokes and wrecked the derailleur and broke several spokes. The session was epic as my Np was 160 watts (IF=0.8) for the ride at that stage. So until my LBS can fix my bike, I am stuck on my Computrainer in my Pain Cave.
So I have two questions.
First, could I shorten my bike sessions as I am stuck on my trainer (more intensity?) until my bike is repaired?
Second, how should I move forward with my running now, particularly in the light of question 1.
BTW, I don't think I can/should add any more swim volume as I am averaging around 14 km a week at the moment, and am on a swim roll at the same time.
You fitness is high but so is the fatigue so let's now get crazy with modifications -- still all the self care you need, etc. It's almost taper time!!