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Seans Micro Thread // BBW?

Sean SullivanSean Sullivan
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I'm sorry if this is clearly covered elsewhere, but I am currently planning on IMFL.  That makes tomorrow the start of week 13 of my Intermediate IM Plan.  I completed IM TX (great race) and Steelhead 70.3 (fairly poor result) this year.  

I am not in love with my cycling right now (I seem to fade late in the long rides ... after 2-3 hours).  I am considering adding the Big Bike Week volume clip this week....

I have most of this week off (mon-fri off) saturday and sunday i work 7pm-7am and can train a couple hours each day (up to 2.5 hours or so each day).

is this an appropriate time in my training cycle for the BBW or should I just try to make sure to hit all the workouts on week 13 of the plan?  any modifications ?

 

 

Comments

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    This is a great time....but only 4 days and don't push the weekends as rest will be important to regroup for next week. Note late ride fades are usually nutritionally related. You might not be getting in enough calories for the whole adventure. A BBW might be a good chance to try a lot more fluids/CALS to see what that does for you. Maybe break it down with me here?
  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan

    Nutrition...that's a good point.  I had it very well dialed in for IM but have been 'winging it' a little more recently.  I will try to be a bit more dilligent.  I do seem to be able to go about 2 hours without difficulty, which I am guessing is about when my glycogen is completely depleted and the nutrition starts to really matter.

    4 days, what does that look like day by day?  I did 2 hours yesterday (37.xx miles).  I was following the intermediate suggestions in the BBW training plan, so should I just do the first 4 days, or some combo?  By the way, the wednesday workout does not list a suggested time or distance.  

    thanks for the quick reply

  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan
    Went 57 today. More calories, less fade image
    What do you suggest for wed-thu-fri-sat-sun BBW workouts
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    40/50/40/80/off. That puts you at 305 miles which is L-E-G-I-T.
  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan

    The weather has NOT been co-operating....

    I start week 17 IM plan monday (for IMFL)

    I work 12 hour nights (always) and usually move my long weekend workouts to full days off usually later in the week (thu-fri).  so here is my recent workout histoy, actual questions to follow:

    Week 15

    Mon - run 45 min

    tue/thu - swim 53 mins each

    wed - bike 75 mins (interval ride)

    fri - bike 5.5 hrs, run 30 mins

    sat - bike 5 hrs

    sun - run 100 mins

    week 16

    mon - off

    tue - swim 50 mins

    wed- interval ride 80 mins

    thu - run 40 mins 

    fri - (terrible weather so i ran instead of my long ride) run 142 mins

    sat - (worse weather + work night) swim 30 mins  (THIS IS TONIGHT)

     

    i work tonight until 7 am, sun 7pm-7am, mon 7pm-7am.  so i would normally do workouts up to 1-2 hours on sun, mon, maybe 2-3 hr max on tues.  normally i would do long workouts then wed / thu / fri.

    there is no way i can do that 300 min ride i elected to skip on friday due to the driving rainstorm....it was brutal....so do i just start week 17 as is?  should i try and add any volume?  i did a BBW in week 14 (297 miles) so I am guessing I am OK with bike, but just checking since it is a test week and extra volume may skew results, or lack of volume may skew it the other way!

  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan

    update:  ran 30 mins @ z2 today.  felt good.  i couldn't get into the pool today and woke up late for work so it is all i could squeeze in....here is my plan for week 17, is it OK?

    mon - test ride

    tue swim (mon w/o)

    wed bike 300 / run 40

    thu bike 210

    fri swim 90

    sat run 180

    sun run 45, try to swim 90 (or i may be able to swim this workout thu)

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Sean - A tough weekend for sure, but that whether not only affected you but thousands of folks. I think you handled it well and I think the week you've lined up here looks great. In fact I expect some good numbers from that bike test tomorrow.

    The only adjustment I would make to your week just to keep it to just the swim on the Sunday. No need to run right after such a long effort on Saturday. The long swim will set you up to roll right into the next week.
  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan

    Great, thanks for the help!

  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan

    Thanks for the help...you called it

    FTP went from 225  -->  233

    VO2 went from 272 --> 255  (I guess from all my long rides?  or just an outlier.  it was about 30 degrees colder today, I had about 5 minutes less warmup and was wearing more clothes...my HR today was 168, last test was 169 for the VO2 portion)...not much different.  My HR for the FTP was 170 avg for both tests.

    I'm also down about 1 kg so I figure I can ride the IMFL course 112 miles in about 4:35.  (just kidding)

     

     

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