Mario Arbesu Micro Question
Coach(es),
Two quick questions regarding this weekends training. I am currently on Week 2 of the 4 Week Preseason Plan and this is what I have on the plan this weekend.
Saturday: Bike: Easy/Steady at conversational pace @ 65-75%/Zone 1-2/Easy to Steady Include 3 x 10’ as 5’ standing big gear / low RPMs, 5’ easy spin. Coach Notes: Use standing time to work core and gain improved control of bike on varying terrain; sit/stand to shift during these intervals if necessary.
Sunday: Run: 60 minutes....
My questions.....
1. Is it a big deal if I swap the workouts such that I bike on Sunday and run on Saturday? Granted I suspect that this move alone will not completely derail my training but, for future reference, I was curious about how important you thought it was especially considering that Friday is a rest day anyways.
2. More importantly, I need help trying to understand the bike instructions. I tried going though the definitions but this one has me stumped. At some point during my ride i will perform three 10-minute sets. During those 10 minutes i am supposed to spend 5 minutes in the "big gear" (high resistance) and out of the saddle ("standing") with the other 5 minutes in an easy spin (low resistance/high cadence?) ? No set rest intervals as long as i get in the 3 intervals at some point during the ride. I would bet a lot of money that i am misinterpreting the content of the 10 minute interval.
I am also curious whether i am using the Macro/Micro Forums correctly but I figure you will let me know.
Thanks
m
Comments
I am sure you get this question a lot but i couldnt find anything on the forums. I apologize about the length of this. Last week in the outseason plan, i did both the bike and run tests. My issue/question is with the run test and pacing going forward. Technically my result was a 23:10 (i do not have the exact numbers in front of me but its pretty close). however, if you were to tell me to run a 5k race this upcoming weekend, I would be willing to bet big money that my 5k time would be at worst a low 21 minutes. Normally I would accept the fact that I am not in prime running shape and the result is what it is. But this isnt the first time I have been through this (i'll spare you the details). I am convinced that either adrenaline really works for me or I just dont have the mental toughness to run all out without chasing somebody. Some friends are trying to convince me to do a 5k on November 16th. I can potentially use this to re-test.
Nevertheless, this weekend i ran at the paces described in the plan (pace instead of HR...left my HR strap at home unfortunately) based on my test numbers. And while it wasnt a cake walk, i did feel like I was leaving something in the tank. I'll make this even more complicated. I ran the test in Miami on Wednesday with temps in the 80s. This last weekend I went to support some friends running IMFL and did the run up there with temperatures in the 40s. On a side note, that race was epic.
So...the question....is there a point where I should adjust my zones? Or do I blindly trust the numbers until the next series of tests? I have a call with Coach P next week....I can wait until then to discuss as this may be tough to answer via an email.
thanks
m
Quick question regarding rest intervals on both the bike and run. Should I be hitting a particular pace for these? Last wednesday i tried the 3x1 mile with the 4 min RI. When i started the program I was trying to maintain the Z2 pace (because it mentioned you should hold that pace for the remaining time) during the rest intervals. But I gave up on that as I have been unable to maintain my zones after the 2nd or 3rd attempt. Actually its been difficult. It occurred to me that maybe I should really rest and not run....or something in between. Same goes for the bike.
Then again, maybe my zones are off...or maybe i just need to buck up and run faster.
Thanks,
m
Good question! See this question "What effort should the “rest” intervals be at for running and cycling?" in the Wiki / Self Coaching / Master OS Page / OS FAQ Document here: http://bit.ly/1td8nnQ
Bottom line is rest well to ensure better repeat intervals. I walk the first 1/3 of the rest interval, roughly a minute, then jog the rest of the time between Zone 1 and Zone 2. Then it's time to do your next repeat!
This is going to be a hard question to word. After watching the video, the warmup section made me remember a question i have every time i start my workout which applies to both the bike and run workouts. I'll try by giving a specific example.
My workout on Wednesday is a 60 minute run (3x1 mile + run the rest of the time at Z3). If I do not have a time constraint, I will warm up for 15 minutes, do the main set (lets say it takes 30 minutes). My "remaining time" could be either 15 or 30 minutes depending on whether or not I am supposed to include the warm up in the 60 minute total run time. So what is the intent here? Should I count the warmup as part of the total training time? Obviously its not a big deal at this point (and i know the Main Set is all that matters) but I am trying to get a feel for the intention.
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving,
M
We count the warm up time in the workout, so you'd just have 15 minutes left by the end!
The plan was....15min warm up. 4 x 400 @ 7:28min/mile with a "full rest". I programmed the watch so that my rest intervals would be 1 minute. I thought it was going to be a little too fast but i also had a feeling the pace was going to be really slow. Ran outside and it was actually a little warm. For the record, I am pretty used to track workouts so unlike some of the other workouts, I did not feel like i was going to have a learning curve with this one. My plan was pretty much to run hard but not to sprint and believe me....i tried to hold back.
Interval 1 - 1:42 (6:49 min/mile pace)
Interval 2 - 1:40 (6:45 min/mile)...funny thing is that i tried to slow down
Interval 3 - 1:42 (6:50 min/mile)
Interval 4 - 1:45 (7:01)
As you said in the video, just because I can run that fast doesnt mean I should so I feel like I messed up here. My issue is that....it really didnt feel that difficult although tomorrows workout may tell me otherwise. So, next week, I will try to do this again at the goal pace but I have to admit, i think that pace is really conservative. So, my question is...should I consider the goal pace stated using the calculator as gospel and not change it....or should i stick with a pace that i can maintain throughout the workout?
Second question....My run for tomorrow is the following "MS: Accumulate 12' of Hills at 2% to 4% grade"....its been this for the last 2-3 weeks. Living in Miami, you might as well be asking a person in the desert to go find a lake he can swim in. My "hills" basically consist of a nearby overpass of which i have to do repeats. As I run the overpass, I cant help but think that doing these is still better than those doing the workouts on a treadmill. But if you have any alternatives, I would love to hear them.
Merry Christmas to you and the family,
m
You might be better off sticking on the treadmill for those hill workouts instead of trying to get the work done outside. You probably have no need for a gym membership because it's so warm down there even in the winter, but that may be a good alternative for you. If you can't get to the gym to fake some hills, and I would do just a regular run in zone two with some strides at the end for the same duration as you were scheduled for the Hill run.
Not sure if this is a macro or micro question. My first week into Get Faster and I did not realize that I would be skipping the initial test week. So my question is really about what paces should i use and should i retest? Let me go through the 3 sports:
Swim: I have never done a swim test with you guys. I'll probably just do that tonight instead of the workout.
Bike: In the last week of the OS program (3 weeks) ago, i did a final bike test. So I think I have good numbers there.
Run: This is the tough one. There was no run test in the OS program and instead we were to find a 13.1 to race which i had a solid PR. I could put the race numbers in the calculator and use those times. I could also repeat the test which would use the same "standard" course that I have been doing my previous 5k time trials. My "fear" is also that things have been heating up here in a hurry. My 13.1 was done at practically ideal 50° temps (which I doubt we will see again this year in Miami). This weekend, somebody turned up the heat here in South Florida and temperatures are getting into the high 70s/low 80s. I can adjust my times based on your temperature calculator spreadsheet which seems impractical, or I can just repeat the test at some point. I could just sort of wing it also, i dont think my current paces are way off and i tend to try to push the boundaries a little anyways.
So....how fast should i run? Lol
Thanks,
m
I think i need some sort of sanity check or confidence booster at this point. I am two weeks into the Get Faster program and I have to admit, that the last two weekend bike rides (150 min) have been killing me. As a newbie here, this is the first time my rides have gone beyond 2 hours and definitely my first time going that long with some intervals getting thrown in. I start the workout, i do pretty well for the half and am able to get hit my numbers (although on the lower end). But then that second half of the workout comes around where i am supposed to sustain a power level and the wheels come off (not literally). I know for certain, i need to work out my nutrition as i have been getting so caught up with the intervals and the timing, i forget to drink. I also recognize these last two weekends have been getting hotter (80s) and windy. I also suspect that since my ride is completely flat (I think the total elevation for the 2.5 hours was 72 ft and that probably has more to do with errors in the garmin) I have heard it makes it a little more difficult to hold a consistent power. I dont know if that is true but I really want to believe it.
Anyways, I just need to hear that this is normal or if there is something i am doing wrong. I was feeling a little frustrated this weekend. On the good side, i feel really good about my running.
Totally unrelated, i tried to include EN on my USAT profile. It looks like you have to identify a state first and then it gives you a list of clubs. So where is EN officially?
Thanks,
m
Feel free to do the FTP work...then ride Z2 / Z3 as you see fit. I don't need you to be AWESOME...that will come once you've adapted to the new plan / training load.
I am sooooooo jealous of your weather....
Ps - no idea on USAT..I have asked on the Dashboard!
Two questions. First, i have my Half Iron RR run which says...2 hours or 11 to 13 miles (whichever comes first). Can you provide some guidance regarding the 11 to 13 miles? Its flat terrain here so I suspect I will be running the full 13 miles but is there a reason I would want to cut it to 11 miles (besides sanity...lol)?
The other question is more along the lines of using power on the bike and I wondered whether I should put this in the Power forum instead. Lets say I am doing an interval on the bike and I am supposed to keep my Lap NP at 95%-100% (Z4). I will try to stay north of 100% to account for slow downs associated with turns, bad road conditions, traffic, etc. But inevitably, my average (lap NP) will be well below my target, so much so that in order to get hit my target, I have to really hammer it and put in some time well above the target. I recognize that I need to be more consistent on the bike with regards to power but that is going to take time. So I have two options:
Accept the fact that I cannot change the past, continue to ride a little above my power zone and hope for the best OR hammer it until i hit my numbers even if it leads to giant spikes (which would kill my variability numbers). Does my choice between the two above change depending on whether its a training day or a race? I struggle with this in the flats of Florida, I can only imagine what this must be like for everybody else.
Thanks,
m
For a training day, just work harder. Hammer or not, harder is better. Do what it takes to do more work!
Now, if you are in a race simulation or looking at "NP Lap" values that you are using to specifically manage your VI, then we don't want hammering we want consistency.
Just finished Raleigh 70.3 and Coach R has me back in the Get Faster Program. This is my second time going through the program so I pretty much know what to expect. I kind of just wanted to check in. My question is about the hill/plyometric exercise.
MS: Hill Repeats as 6 x 40" Up + 5" Sprint (2') The Up part is bounding, big strides like a plyometric workout; the Sprint is just that...timed right for the top of the hill so you can gain real speed. Recover after each repeat by walk/jogging downhill.
I recall going through this earlier in the year so I want to get this out of the way. Can you be a little more specific about what I am trying to do here? Should I be slowing down and going for height here? Increasing my stride? A few months ago i did a little of both but always felt like I was missing something.
m
Only difference is that you sprint over the top...there should be some info in the Resources / Wiki / Running area as well...
To give you some background, I am at week 5 of the Get Faster program gearing up for the second half of the HIM program which ends with Augusta 70.3 at the end of September. According to the plan, I have a 2.5 hour bike on Saturday followed by a 75 minute run on Sunday.
The twist for me is that I will be heading out the Clermont (where you did your winter camp) this weekend with the intention of getting in some biking in the hills which I never get to practice. For the record, I am very familiar with the Clermont area and the good riding spots. My question is.....do you think i should alter the workout plan for the week given this opportunity? I could bike on both days, but then again getting a run in that includes some significant climbs may also be beneficial.
I can only imagine what it would be like to "finish" an interval half way up Sugarloaf when I get to "rest" on the second half of the climb.
Regards,
Mario
Note monday/tuesday of GF week 6 might be a bit rough...
No response necessary i just wanted to update you on my trip. After putting in about 100 miles on the bike (including over 6000ft of climbing..which is probably nothing to you guys), 9 miles of running, and enduring temperatures in the 90s (and I think over 100 at some point), the whole time I was thinking "F-the plan...just get in two great days of riding." I appreciate you guys keeping it all in perspective for me. Result: had a great time and I think i am stronger for it.
Although....I am feeling it today and i am not looking forward to my bike intervals tomorrow.
I cant believe its been this long since I have asked any questions....but i can assure you have i have reasonably holding to my plan
I wanted to get the official opinion on this and while I did some searching on the site, the one thread on this was 5 years old and I was curious if you had any new thoughts on this. The question is....What is the "EN philosophy" on Group bike rides?
As a part of the OUS plans (and now Swim Week for me), there have been longer and more flexible rides where I could go out with the old group. I find that the regular plans (and the intervals) do not lend themselves to riding with a group. Even though i have several friends at about the same bike ability as I do, once you try to do an interval of any kind, it just doesnt work. Even if the group were open to doing the same workout, the different FTP levels and the effects of drafting make it impossible to hold an interval.
I can see that as I get closer to my A race (IMChoo), I would need to do more solo work to establish my numbers but that is a while off. So as an EN team member, I am destined to a life of solo riding or is there some compromise that you guys have found to be just as effective as the intervals.
Thanks,
m
I tell people this...you know your Wed Ride has a total of 45 minutes at FTP...so your goal is to get "that" done in your ride. Could be a few pulls, maybe some hills, working to get back on the group, etc. Whatever it is, as long as you can say you spent approximately 45 minutes in Zone 4, Coach P is happy!!!
I would check using Strava or Training Peaks afterwards to see if I filled that bucket, etc.
Does that help?
I got hit with a nasty bug this weekend, so turns out I couldnt test this out. But I think with this group we do a good job of keeping a paceline with enough rotations that i will be in the front for enough time anyways. Seems like these group rides tend to push me harder than i would go solo anyways so I can try it out this early in the season. I'll let you know how it goes.
In the meantime, I have a completely different question regarding the IMChoo Camp this year. First of all, i am 95% certain that i will be attending and really looking forward to it. Actually the question is on behalf of some of my friends that may come up with me for the camp. The page mentions that there is a 12 week plan that is included for non-members. Is week 12 of that plan intended to be "race week" or is it "camp week"? a 12 week plan seems short for a full IM and the camp mentions that it includes a strategy for the remaining weeks. So, i thought maybe the plan was just to get you to camp rather than to the race. These friends down here are also doing IMChoo and debating whether to do the full EN membership, purchasing a 20 week plan or enrolling in the camp and using this 12 week plan. While I can tell them about the benefits of the full membership vs just getting a plan, i am not sure what to tell them about the plan included with the camp.
Thanks,
mario
Hey Mario,
The 12wk plan that's included with the camp is the last 12wks of the 20wk plan that you have access to here as a member as is meant to be loaded up to end on race day. So your friends would simply follow the plan to IMChoo, beginning 12wks out. This 12wks is the Race Prep period of our plans and we assume that people using the 12wk plan aren't starting from zero
.
Highly recommend your friends create trial memberships so they can try out all of the benefits of the team. Don't forget to have them email us at friend@endurancenation.us to get a "secret link" to a 30 day vs 7 day trial. And if they decide to join the team, you'll get a free month of membership for each of them who joins. Not sure how many people you're talking about, but if 3x of your friends signed up, for example, that's serious savings for you and for them.
Feel free to have your friends contact me directly about the camp, rich@endurancenation.us
Not sure which coach but I need some quick rearranging due to an unexpected trip for work.
Training for IMChoo. Coach Rick has me on the Get Faster program for another two weeks. However, I am heading to dallas on Thursday. I think this weekend, I will not have a problem running but swimming and biking are more than likely out of the question. I was thinking i could get in some extra biking during the week on the trainer and run heavy Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning (I hear great things about the Katy trail). Or, maybe i could do some biking on the stationary bike using the hotel gym which would probably suck something awful. Or is getting in the extra rest over the weekend may be good before the plan gets deep into the IM long rides.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
m
yes I suggest that you plan on biking Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday of this week. They can do your long run on Saturday morning and any other runs you can fit in on Friday and Sunday. But no serious pressure there. Outside of the FTP ride you have planned for Wednesday, your other rights can be anywhere between Zone 2 and Zone 3 depending on how you feel.
The most important thing you're ready for when you get to Texas is just the heat, so pack the proper clothes and hydration resources. :-) Ideally you will be back on track by next week. Let me know!!
~ Coach P
I have been pretty much training under the radar but holding to the plan that Rich put together earlier in the year. I am pretty sure I asked the exact same question at about the same time last year but here it is again. The "A" race is IMChoo at the end of Sept. I am at Week 12/EN Full-Intermediate. The weekend before was a 4hr bike (Sat)/2hr bike (Sun) on the weekend. This weekend is the "big day" workout. I cheated and looked ahead the next weekend and its another 4/2hr bike weekend.
I am once again heading up to Clermont, which I think you are familiar with, to get a taste of some elevation. I feel like swapping the weekends and doing the "big day" next week. Is that the best course of action or should I just enjoy the hills this weekend with no set routine and get back on schedule next week?
Regards,
mario