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Hi Patrick! I am starting the beginner OS tomorrow and am looking for advice about shifting my schedule around a little. I need M and W as my rest days, making Saturday my longer of the two weekend days if possible. I am very flexible on T, TH, Fri, and Sat. Can you give me some guidance on adapting the EN weekly rhythm to mine? For this week I plan to do the two tests on T and Th and do the Thursday workout on Friday and keep Saturday and Sunday as planned - make sense?

Thanks! Sarah

Comments

  • Sarah, thanks for checking in...here's what I suggest you do. This gets you rest on the other side of the long run, and an FTP bike you can really push (on Tuesday)...but you will probably be pretty beat by the Sunday run....so be smart there. Let me know what you think / how it goes!

    Mon - REST
    Tues - FTP Bike (Tues) -- even the brick here if you can.
    Wed - REST
    Thu - VO2 Bike (thurs)
    Fri - FTP Run (Wed)
    Sat - FTP Bike (Saturday)
    Sun - Long Run (Sunday)
  • Hi Patrick,

    Things are going great so far and I am loving it! Thanks so much.

    Two questions. First, next week I am supposed to test again (Mon and Wed). However, I am traveling for work (Boston) Tues mid-day - Saturday afternoon. Do you think I could do the bike test early Monday morning and the run test around 1:00? I would really like to get them both in before I go away.

    Second, after next week I am slated to move from OS to Swim Camp. In the swim camp schedule it has me swimming on M and W, can I swap Mondays and Wednesdays for Tuesdays and Thursdays without derailing things too much? I just can't get to the pool on M or W but can any other day but Sunday. Also my hip flexor has been bugging me a bit it is okay to trade some of the running in swim camp for biking to give it a bit of a break?

  • Sarah, yes you can do the double test, but I don't envy your legs! Please recover from the bike test properly, etc.

    You can move the swim as you like as well for swim camp, and yes to biking more. Please also make sure to hit www.athletestreatingathletes.com when you are on the plane and lay out some self care stuff so that you are taking care of the hip while we rest it a bit too.

    Can't wait until you join us here in the land of the North Pole (town formerly known as Boston).

    P
  • Thanks for getting back to me, I did the back to back tests with good success and then did a good 40 min run on Thursday.

    I was just making my game plan for this week and plan to swim T TH and Sat. I hadn't looked at the details of run/bike workouts and now realize they are a big step back. I ended up getting a lot of rest over the weekend due to travel, being a little sick and having a sick kid. So, my question is can I stick with the run and bike workouts from the OS as long as I am not feeling fatigued?

    Just FYI, the hip only seems to hurt when I am not exercising so I suspect it is a stretching issue...it really bothers me after sitting for extended periods.

    Boston was crazy with all the snow, I don't recall seeing anything like that even when I lived in northern Maine....I guess there isn't a lot of outdoor training going on!
  • Yes to regular OS workouts, and I am glad you are back on track.

    As for the hip, that's pretty common. What you'll want to do is avoid sitting still for extended periods -- st a reminder every 30' or try to lobby for a standing desk!! :)
  • Hi Patrick,

    I am getting ready to jump into we 10 of the HIM plan and I am wanting/needing to make some adjustments and need your help. First, I feel really strongly that I need a rest day. I am also wondering if I can shift some stuff to keep training hours closer to 10ish. I have good amount of time for training on TUES, THURS, FRI, SAT, on MON, WED, SUN I am less flexible but have an hour or so each of those days. If I could swing it to have Sunday off or nearly off that would be ideal. In terms of disciplines I need the most work on the bike, particularly hills. The run is my strength and I really want to maintain/continue to improve my run speed as that will be my strength in the race. Nth swim I can do, I am not worried but it is certainly not my strength. I would love to up the intensity on some of the days in exchange for a little less volume both because my time is crunched but also because I know I need high rest to stay healthy. If it is better for me to schedule a time to talk with you directly just let me know. If you happened to have any free time tomorrow I am wide open as I am off from work.

    Thanks!
  • Sarah - thanks for reaching out here...let's take a stab at this and then we can dig into a phone call further if required.

    Here is my proposal for you:

    Sun - Off day
    Mon - Your Tuesday interval run.
    Tue - Bike from Wed + Swim (no run here)
    Wed - Swim only
    Thu - long run day, optional "pull buoy" only swim here for extra yard if you want (final few weeks?)
    Fri - brick as 60' with mostly ABP work (Z3) followed by a tempo run between 20 and 30'.
    Sat - regular Sat ride and run
  • Hi Patrick,

    As I look to start my IM plan on the way to IMMD I would like to maintain a rest day, preferably Sunday. How would you suggest I work that in, if you think it is possible?

    Thanks!
    Sarah
  • Sarah, thanks for reaching out! A rest day on Sunday is possible, but to be honest it's tons easier if it's on Monday as both weekend days are critical for training! But assuming Sunday is best, I say we do this:

    Sun - Off day
    Mon - Your Tuesday interval run, Swim [Optional]
    Tue - Bike from Wed + Swim (no run)
    Wed - Long Run
    Thu - brick as 60' with mostly ABP work (Z3) followed by a tempo run between 20 and 30'.
    Fri - Long Swim (if you don't brick run on Thursday then you can do a short 30' run with strides here)
    Sat - Your Sat Long Ride and Run

    Your main friction point will be Thursday as riding after the long run is a bit challenging...but even if you can't hit Z3 I'll take a solid effort. This usually is a 2.5 to 3 hour ride on Sundays....so if you can get this to be 90 minutes...even if that means running in the PM or pushing it to Friday, that will work too!!
  • Thanks Patrick!  What would it look like if I took Monday as the rest day?  Thanks!

  • Sarah, if Monday was a rest day then we could move the long run to Sunday...and get in one more quality bike...like this:

    Mon - Off Day (or optional swim, done with a pull buoy)
    Tue - Bike from Wed + Short Run, Swim [Optional]
    Wed - Your Tuesday interval run, Swim
    Thu - Brick as 60' with mostly ABP work (Z3) followed by a tempo run between 20 and 30'.
    Fri - Long Swim (if you don't brick run on Thursday then you can do a short 30' run with strides here)
    Sat - Your Sat Long Ride and Run
    Sun - Long Run
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