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Week 0 of 12 The Road to IMAZ
Hi all,
I'll be posting on a weekly thread from here to race date for 2014 IMAZ, daily workouts / discussions for the EN IMAZ team.
This week will be a testing week for me then followed by the 12 Week IM plan.
Optionally, I have also created a Strava club for those wanting that view: http://www.strava.com/clubs/105691
Don't be a lurker, the more you give/communicate/put in, the more you will get out of this group and be able to use to your advantage come race day!
Welcome all!
SS
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Took an easy week last week after an epic fail (my 1st DNF) in my HIM on the 11th. Still not feeling 100%, but did a solid 3hr ride on Sat, then stood down on Sun. Heading out for a swim and light run this afternoon. I plan to hit the tests this week ( Wk 8 ) too, and set a baseline for IM plan. As of 3 weeks ago I was above last years peak in all three, so Im hoping to add on some power and speed in the next 5-6 weeks.
Since I already did an IM end of June, and just did the USAT Nationals short course last weekend, I'm not going to really start the IM prep until Sept 8th. Until then, a Big Tri week, and two weeks of Get Faster, per Coach R.
Mary congrats on IMMT. Outstanding!
Yes last year the lake was a little bit warmer than the year previous, I recall it being about 65-66 last year. In 2012 it was colder ~ 61-62. Still not frigid, but some folks need more neoprene for those temps so if you use a cap or booties when its cold, best to pack them just in case.
For me this year, it has pretty much been a bust, had knee surgery 8/7. Have not trained since June 2 on the run or 7/2 on the bike. Just got the go ahead to start swimming and biking (gently) but no running until after I see the doc 9/10 at the earliest. IMAZ is going to be a very long day this year...
@Al-"a little swimming (2000yd) and short run (8.3)-no wonder you win your age group and I don't! Sounds like a blast In Colorado-retirement must be very nice.
@Mary-2012 AZIM was the Sunday before thanksgiving. The week before lake temp was 65 deg (very nice-we have a 4k splash n dash event) then a cold front moved in 4d later and lake temps 60-61on race day. My hands were numb, many people with hypothermia in med tent. 2010/2011 were similar. Last year (and now this year) the event was held a week earlier-and water temp was again 65 for race day. I'm told that is why the date has been moved up. I'm counting on temps of 65 but of course anything is possible
I'm in week 8 get fast, also testing. I'm mixing up the schedule and swam today. I'm still learning to swim and have finally got all elements of stroke together: maintaining high elbow, early vertical catch, timing, but alas, still a rock. But a good looking one. I get lots of complements on my form and am much more comfortable in the water. My local swim Coach paraphrased the EN mantra: 'slow is smooth, smooth is EVENTUALLY fast.' I'm patiently waiting for eventually.
I'm not expecting much on run test due to the heat but have been rocking the bike so expecting some gains there. Had a great ride yesterday on a road I'd never been on-Sonoran parkway west and north phoenix. For those who know the area, we tackled Rio Verde 9 mile hill each Sunday in July (our tour de Rio verde)
2,400 yd recovery swim complete over lunch today.
@ AL - congrats on a well deserved KQ race this year! A blessing to have you with us at IMAZ!
@ Mary - congratulations on your IMMT performance Sunday! Get some well deserved rest and Coach R's advice. great to have you!
@ Rian - you are going to do a lot of damage with the FTP/kg and vDOT combo if you know how to apply it to the course this year!
@ David - welcome - you're veteran past will carry you through!
@ Betsy - Fine work executing the 8 week GF! Several of us are testing this week also. Strava is a cool tool for some of us that will show the group activity daily as well as the hours put in each week. Definitely not necessary and it is yet another site to upload information into.........there is also an EN club as well. You can join both clubs and share your workouts across both simultaneously as well as see all others in the club and what they are doing. You can also comment back and forth.........My name on the IMAZ strava club is KMF Man for those of you choosing to use this tool, you will not find Shaughn Simmons on Strava........
Happy testing this week all!!
SS
Also, I meant to poll the group regard CAMP possibilities:
Week 13 - Labor Day weekend - supported by EXCEL and Beyond Coaching
Week 15 - per schedule - Week ending Oct 12th
Week 17 - Weekend ending Oct 26th - also supported by EXCEL and Beyond Coaching
Anybody considering any of the above dates for CAMP?
SS
I need to find some mojo as I head into the Get faster plan for a few weeks before 8wks of INT IM plan. I have a SLAP lesion (75% tore) and am avoiding surgery right now.....no time seems "convenient"....so I've been a little bummed out about the prospects....
Went out for a ride today that I knew would be short on WU and my prior best time on the Out 27min/back 26min would be a bit more than TUES plan called for 2x15' Z4....but it was nice out for a change and I wanted to see if I could get to my goal of hitting 25min on the "back leg" but wanted to still ride the Out strong.
Strava = 3rd on the out 26min and now KOM on the back 24:49 so bested my goal (23.2mph and 341w AVE). I just raced the Vineman at a NP of 165w/FTP 220w! Wow being pissed off really gets your power up LOL Not sure I wana change my zones to match my 20min 343w yet. (I just raised them based on a sprint tri from 2 weeks ago at 298w/20min which was huge bump.) Brick run felt good as well.
Considering the TriRock Asbury OLY if my shoulder feels OK SUN (have been doing no swimming except the sprint 2 weeks ago -8thOA on swim LOL-felt Ok till driving home).....never did an OLY or an Ocean swim/beach start......kinda freaks me out-all the more reason to do it
Happy to be moving back to Tucson in OCT!
Week 0 - FTP test done: http://www.strava.com/activities/182444135
Brick run: - http://www.strava.com/activities/182444126
About 135 cumulative TSS so not too terrible - but let's face it, that last 5 minutes of the FTP portion of the test does really, really suck!
Thank God that's over for a while.....I summarized my results on the link provided.
Hope all have a great day out there today!
SS
@Shaughn-3.6W/Kg-pretty AWESOME! My goal has been 3.25 but not there yet.
@David H- I have a small SLAP lesion, 2:00 left shoulder. I avoided surgery. If you have a large one and instability you probably will eventually need surgery. I used 'cold laser' treatment 2-3x pet week at my chiropractor and attribute that to my healing. It doesn't feel like anything is happening but the 'cold' wavelengths emitted due 3 things: draw blood flow to the area of treatment, deform hemoglobin molecules to unload more oxygen and stimulate mitochondrial production of ATP for healing. It's easy and relatively cheap and I think worth a try
Camp-i am available the 2nd and 3rd weeks. Busy over Labor Day weekend.
@Betsy - thanks - the EN bike workouts are real work and will have you churning out 3.25+ in no time!
Looks like 10/26 is sizing up to be the most common CAMP date so far.....
Wed morning swim slog for me: http://www.strava.com/activities/182861131
1 test down, 2 to go yet this week.......
Nice test Shaughn!
Has a great run yesterday at lunch in the rain: 1mi wu, 3mi@6:36 (z3), 2mi@ 6:45 (z2) and then a terrible bike test in the evening. Legs were jelly and couldn't push any watts to save my life, sot I bagged the test and made it a 4x5' FTP exercise. #sigh#. I'm not surprised as I've been battling fatigue for a couple weeks and just confirmed my Thyroid levels are off again ( I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis) , so I started a new increased dosage of my meds today, hopefully I will normalize quickly and can really get to work in a week or so. In the meantime I have to throttle my workouts day to day based on how I feel, I can be up or down from one end of the day to the other. Luckily we don't really get started till next week…..
As for camp, that weekend means David Ware from at Louis can participate
I did my bike test today after a total rest day Tuesday. Now my last test during short course training (I didn't retest at start of get fast) I actually dropped from my high at or near end OS. 153W down to 149. I didn't believe it so I never changed my parameters. Now I've worked really hard and even felt like I worked really hard on this test and got a whopping 2W (in my opinion) -155W/3.1w/kg. Or I could look at it as a 6W gain.
Good luck to all who are testing this week
Way to go Betsy! Always moving forward!
Had a great swim test tonight and hit my season goal of 1:30/100!! So if I can hold onto that I'm quite a bit faster already than last IMAZ.
Not sure if I'll run test tomorrow or do a long run with 3 x1 milers in it.
@Betsy - Fine job with the Bike TT! Improving over your OS exit is hard to do! Even maintaining that wattage shows a lot of work! Well Done!
@Rian - Holy mother of GOD! Great Swim stats! Well done! ......please don't laugh at mine...
Run TT this morning complete: http://www.strava.com/activities/183329279
...nothing spectacular......
Week one is soon upon us!
SS
David, hang in there brother. Rest and recovery is most important for you, if you don't do it right, you won't be able to race at all. And with all the years of experience and consistency you have, I'd bet you'll bounce back FAST when you've recovered.
Shaughn good job getting that done this AM in the heat. Ugh.
I rolled out 13mi this am, putting down z2 &z3 paces for most of it. I did not do the 5k TT in my plan, I know nothings changed, so it was a better use of my run to get more Z2/z3 work in.
Keep on truckin' !!!
Rian-major congrats on swim! I can't imagine being that fast!
I was going to run test Saturday but I know with the heat my Vdot will probably fall (and I won't want to believe it). Maybe best to just do a z2-3 run also....
Even though not on the schedule, I do plan to ride with my Sunday group 50-60mi
Swim/run this morning complete:
http://www.strava.com/activities/183763679
http://www.strava.com/activities/183764074
@ Rian - strong Half Mary work there!
I vote for Betsy as race captain this year! Any body second that vote?
SS
Long Ride / Brick Run check.....
http://www.strava.com/activities/184247753
http://www.strava.com/activities/184247657
Have not felt that great since Wednesday for some reason but started to feel better finally as of this morning......was worried about this morning's long ride/run given the heat we are dealing with here but fortunately it all worked out.
Good luck out there today all!
SS
Hi all...Bruce Thompson here. I'm joining this group since I'm signed up for AZ. I just finished IMMT, and thought I'd have 12 weeks to get ready for AZ. But now I've got to make a little trip to the Big Island in 7 weeks and do another one of these crazy races. So I'm not really sure what my training is going to be or what a race plan will look like for AZ. Coach R & I are going to figure that out after Kona. Right now I'm just recovering for 2 weeks.
I hope everyone stays healthy and good luck with training.
@ Bruce - I watched you and the rest of the team eliminate the competition virtually for IMMT! Amazing job done! Sincere congrats on a well deserved KQ performance!!
Rare DAY OFF here for me......
Happy Sunday all!
@Bruce-congratulations on IMMT and your KQ! Nice problem to have, I'm sure you will figure out how to fit it all in.
@Shaugn-hope you are enjoying day off!
I bailed on run test yesterday as I slept in an extra hour and started about 7am with temps approaching 100. Did 9 mi with 3 warmup/cool down slow pace, 3mi z3 with my pit bull girls-they usually pull me along z4-5 but weren't having it. Then 3mi z2 on my own.
Today 50 mi ride in 2:50 with Sunday group-good climb into McDowell mountains to Toms Thumb trailhead. Shaughn, I down loaded Strava to my iPhone but forgot to turn it on??.
And last, had another 'aha' moment at swim lesson Yesterday (I'm a ROCK)-keeping my ear against shoulder to minimize drag and resistance. So now i get to do one arm drill focusing on 3 things: high elbow, ear to shoulder, and eyes straight down(or head in line with spine)
@ Daniel...Welcome to EN. There are many very experienced ENers racing AZ with you - Al Truscott, Robin Sarner, Tim Cronch and others. They will help you with any question that you have and give you lots of mojo race week. You're in the right place. Don't be timid with your questions. Looking forward to meeting you.
@ Betsy...nice work this weekend. don't you love those "aha" moments? And thanks for kind words about my KQ. I'm still in disbelief.
I've been gearing my training since Nov 2011 for this upcoming IM AZ. I'm hoping to use 2+ weeks on the Big Island to keep things rolling, using the race there as my RR #1. So far I'm injury free and not fatigued. I keep reminding myself you can't cram for an IRONMAN. I'm finding its a BIG advantage to no longer have work getting in the way of my training and recovery.