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2015 TX IM how's it going!

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  • Ed, make sure you download Coach P's version of the map, and not the standard IMTX map. There's a slight difference (for safety's sake) in the way we will be riding out of town. We'll be avoiding Woodlands Parkway on the way out of town because it's just not safe to ride on up near the hotel.
  • On the first day I think we head out together... I'm going to make sure you guys don't lose me right at the start!
  • Ed are you speedy?  Chris and I are not super speedy.  Would be awesome if we could all ride together.  I had a call with Patrick today.  He said I should not worry image  But I worry because I'm terrible with directions image  We will all be together Fri and then we go at our own pace the next day. But I'm happy to ride any pace if it means I'm with others image
  • I filled out the questionnaire and put I think 18-20 for the first day... Then 20+ the 2nd... The second day I want to ride my race pace of 205-210 watts... Don't know what that'll translate to on that course/conditions.

    I'm sure Patrick's right... He's done it a bunch of times... And like you said... We'll be riding the beginning together on Friday where the most turns are... You're only going to have to know a few turns to make it back... You'll be fine. I'm only getting the app because I'm an over planner...
  • Okay.  You rock Chris.  Lots of great advice!  Your poor wife on her race!  I would flip out if my watch stopped before the race began. I think the 910 does have the map feature.  I will work on it today image 
  • I have been working on this all morning.  Is there no way to upload the TCX file that Patrick gave us into Garmin Connect?  How do I manually do that many turns??? Seems like a lot to do manually?
  • Unfortunately I have the GARMIN 910.  For the life of me I can't figure out how to get it from the RIDE with GPS to garmin connect.  Unless do I have to pay for PREMIUM?
  • I'm going to go ahead and input the map (probably tonight) into Garmin connect. I'll see if I can make the course public, and you guys can import it maybe.
  • RIDE GPS emailed me that I can't do the upload from their site to Garmin Connect at this time.  IT's something they are working on for the 910.  So I guess I have to input the course manually?  Did you have a chance to do that? What is the easiest way to do it?
  • Hmmm. I'll get it plugged in tomorrow (ran out of time last night, and was on a business trip all day today). Then post it as a public route and see if you guys can download it.
  • OK, so anyone that wants a copy of the EN Camp Bike Route in Garmin Connect, try searching for the following:

    EN IMTX 2015 CAMP BIKE

    Some joker named cdavis made it. If someone would try it out and let me know if this works, and maybe even compare it against Coach P's maps, and make sure I didn't forget a turn and send you into the interstate on accident, that would be cool...
  • How do I search that? I went to COURSES and entered it in KEYWORD..but nothing comes up
  • That worked Chris!!! Now it's in my watch...have no idea how it works..or how to check your turns..but can try later this week image
  • Sweet!! I'm going to plug my bike course into both my 510 and 910 this weekend just to see how it works on the 910. I might also look at doing the same thing for the run course, but i'm really skeptical how "turn by turn" instructions will work with a run course.
  • How are you guys doing this weekend! I think Chris, Ron and Ed (and me) are the ONLY people in this group that post anything image Hope your BIG DAY PROTOCOLS went well!
  • Latisha's in there too, and Eric. And I've seen a few more people starting to poke their heads up. This is gonna be a pretty good group I think, when all is said and done. There's some smart cookies around here. And I need their help image
  • Big day done yesterday...

    I entered the week completely spent. The ABP ride on Sunday just about did me in. I had to skip my run on Monday (a first for this build) and felt pretty bad until Wednesday. To complicate things... I was starting to get some heel pain.. so I launched a preemptive strike by purchasing a pair of Hoka's ( normally run in Newtons). I did my 6 mile run on Tuesday in them and woke up in the morning barely able to walk... pain had shifted to the ball of my foot under my big toe... great!

    Thursday... felt good enough to attempt my long run... and felt good for the most part... a little over 14 miles in just under 2 hours... but again woke up with pain in the morning... decided to skip Fridays run as well to be ready for the Saturdays BD.

    These days are pretty tough for me logistically. I work midnights.. and 7 days a week for the most part. I did take a weekend off for the last BD... but since I'm going to IMTX camp next week I decided to just tough this one out. Woke up after 5 1/2 hours sleep and just started getting stuff ready... bottles... nutrition... bike in car... all the regular nonsense. Got out the door by 2 and was in the pool by 2:30... swam slow but steady... finished up and transitioned to the bike in the Community Center parking lot.

    I had my bike at the shop the day before to install a new bottom bracket... tires... and for a pre-camp tuneup. So it was quite surprising to have my bike struggling to shift.... I guess they didn't adjust my derailleur... thanks Joe! When I buy my new road bike... guess whose not selling it to me? I had to stop 3 times in the first 30 minutes to get it shifting right. I was struggling after... just couldn't hold my power... wind was blowing and just felt like I was working too hard for what I was doing. After about an hour it dawned on me that I didn't air up the tires!

    I stopped home after two hours to refill my bottles and threw the bike on the stand... put the pump on them and found 40 lbs... jeez... no wonder I felt like this... at least I didn't get a pinch flat... Struggled with focus the next two hours... but got done just before complete darkness... and geared up for the run...

    Decided to reduce the impact on the foot and stick to the TM... run was good... felt like I still had plenty in the tank... Ate... showered... and got to go right back to work... Oh the fun of IM training!

    Lessons learned... don't work on these weekends... and check your tires!

  • Ed you should be proud of yourself for getting it all done under those circumstances!  I do hope that foot heals fast!  Be careful trying new shoes!  I wonder where the heel pain started?  or why?  Did you need new running shoes (maybe the old shoes are GOOD for you, but you need a new pair)? I have lots of clients who don't get new shoes often enough who put lots of miles on them!

     

    I had the same issue with my bike!  Could not get it to go into the big chain ring! Just had it have a tune up days before! I rode 2.5 hours before it would finally go into the big chain!!! All those wasted down hills coasting!   My bike is at the shop right now so they can figure out why that keeps happening! 

    Anyways..if you can do what you did..you can do anything!  I think it's awesome you never gave up!  Looking forward to meeting you next week!

     Patrick said he will email us tonight with a schedule for this week.  I have run test and bike test on my schedule and really don't want to burn myself out before our big weekend.  Hopefully he has some good guidelines for what we should do for training Mon-Wed before camp image

     

     

  • Big Day done!

    Ed, mental prep is worth 10 fold!

    Well day started 4am, it drilled into me ( no alarm needed ) most days??
    Swim start 5:35am-3300m 1:08 started off on good pace but felt little laboured 500 in, might just be from swim yesterday. ( 1 gel, hemp pro milk shake and 1/2 bottle scratch ) goggles foged right up just like last year(good practice)

    Bike start 7:45 4hrs on trainer using Trainer Roads and Comp Trainer, best Bike Split "IMTex and loud music and Tour of California, (6 gel, 1 bonk breaker, 4 salt sticks and 7 1/2 bottles of scratch 16oz. Felt real good other than the fact old mans bladder 3x no peeing on basement floor??

    Run start 12:00 on TM 7mile, as per it took about 15-20 min to settle into pace but again felt real good! Empty bladder again at 5mile. ( 1 gel, 1 bottle and 1 salt stick.)

    In all I feel good with my plan, not sure if I should dial back liquids a bit ( pee way too much but who cares on race day"no stop" ) ?? I think I will add another 10-15sec on run pace for first 8mile as well.
  • @ Kim... was hoping for some guidance from Patrick about the training week... thanks for getting in touch with him.

    When I get tired I heel strike pretty bad. My volume has picked up... and with my transition off the TM the past couple of weeks... I think it's just breaking my form down a little. I feel much better today... so I'm not too worried about it.


    @ Ron... I'm having the same bladder problem... lol. I just figure under the sun on race day we'll appreciate the time we spent forcing that stuff down in training... You've done TX a couple of times... and you're from the Canada to boot... have you had a problem adjusting to the heat on race day?
  • Hey guys, coach P said to stick to the normal plan the first half of the week. Since it's a test week, we'll need a little bit of rest, which is what we get during a test week. You can check out his response in my micro forum. I'm on my phone, so I don't know how to post the link.
  • Sounds like you were a ROCK STAR today! Great job!
  • Two things.
    1) Is it only 3hrs. on the bike? Mine says 4. Should probably do the longer version due to upcoming spring break with no bike.

    2) wanted to share that I overdosed on caffeine for last weeks big day. Normally do chocolate GU but mixed it up with power bar 2x the caffeine. Had a funny kind of headache that night and the next day. Could not figure it out; stress, tension from the hard work and to little stretch, slept wrong, migraine? So many choices. Got up 4:30am, couldn't sleep, and had Excedrin Migraine + coke. Little bit later had my regular 2 cups of coffee. It was day 4 of continuous headache when I figured it out. I took in way to much caffeine and my body is still trying to detox. When I did Gatorade and GU all was well so back to that this weekend.
  • Hi Dana! Is what only 3 hours on the bike?  Do you mean Big Day Protocol from last weekend?  It was 4 hours.  This week is the Bike test and then some of us have camp. Are you coming to camp?

     

    Glad you got the caffeine thing figured out! Yikes!

  • So I've been using Honey Stinger Gels for nutrition, and buying in bulk, and i'm planning to make the change to the GU gels for the race. I ran out of Honey Stingers this last weekend. Should I get a few more Honey Stingers, to make it through Camp? Or should I make the jump to GU on the long camp rides?
  • You campers will do a different ride, LUCKY! I have a 40' run and 240' bike Saturday and Sunday is 180' bike. I have to move that to Friday/ Saturday due to daughters lingering birthday celebration. Sleepover with 5 11y.o. on Friday night. Can't control the crazy on Saturday morning so will have to do the big day on Friday.

    Still messing around with caffeine headaches each day. Sometimes it is first thing in the morning b/c I have not had my coffee or in the afternoon after my body has burned up all the caffeine. Been through this before when I went off the caffeine during pregnancy. Swore then I would never do caffeine again. On the bright side, I think I can run again. I am going to skip the run test so I can run on Friday after the long bike. Wish me luck.

    Don't forget to share your camp experience. I will be eagerly anticipating reports, pics, and valuable insights from you guys.
  • Man Dana, you gotta kick those headaches to the curb!! Any chance of going cold turkey on the caffeine?

    If it makes you feel better about camp, it looks like rain both bike days, so it's going to be a bit of a suffer-fest.
  • NO rain, no rain. That is the new mantra. Makes for scary slick riding. My big brother, skilled cyclist, wiped out on a beach cruiser last summer while taking an easy ride with his son. It was gross, belch. Road rash all over arms and legs with a few divots here and their for good measure. We don't want that.

    Yes, I can cut out the caffeine cold turkey but I am just not willing to yet. Headaches and me are like peas and carrots. I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking I like the attention they bring me cuz I complain about them so much. Truth is I get nervous talking about the migraines b/c I fear just thinking about them or talking about them will bring one on. No worries, I will endure. Shared b/c nutrition is such a focus for me right now and it relates.

    Have a decision to make. Fellow expat and 5x IM finisher is taking a bike ride, with security, this Sunday. It would mean being away from the family all day but I get to ride outside. It would be hot, muggy and did I mention outside. Ideal for IMTX training. Thing is I would have to move the other hard work out back to Saturday so they were back to back and that is the rub. Can't control the crazy that day, and I risk botching that work out, plus that makes 2 days away from the family. There is a lot going on that I need to be present for but I fear this is an opportunity I can't pass up. This decision may require Coach consult.
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