Ken Adler Micro
I am currently entering the end of the week 7 OS intermediate program.
I see that week 8 includes retesting for bike and run. I feel a retest for my run is very important as I have made some great progress.
I have made great progress on the bike as well. However, being new to EN, I believe my initial zones were not set well due to my own issues performing the initial test. As a result I have been tinkering with them over the 7 weeks. I feel strongly I currently have them very well calibrated based on the recent 2x15 Z4 and 10X1.5 Z5 intervals.
How can I alter next weeks schedule to include the run test, not include the bike test and also continue with the OS strength building on the bike?
Ken
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I notice I have no problems doing 10 to 15 minute bike intervals over past weeks intended to be Z4 in the 245 to 252 range.
When I do a 20 minute power test I am also right in this range. However when I plug this 20 minute result into the EN calculator my new Z4 drops dramatically as Z4 is computed at 95% of the 245. Should I use these lower training ranges or keep my Z4 in the area I have been using?
(My 5 minute test is 296)
Next week (week 9 of intermediate OS program), I am on a business trip to CA, so on Wed and Thursday mornings I will likely not have access to a spin bike for the recommended Thursday important workout. On Thursday morning I will be in Menlo Park with some great hilly running and would not mind running again or making Thursday the hard run day. I can ride the bike Monday, Tuesday or Friday.
(Wed morning will be in the middle of LA with no great outdoor running, just the gym treadmill)
How should I adjust the weekly schedule?
Thanks
Mon - Off per plan
Tues - ride per plan, no run, extend bike to like 75 or even 90' with additional time in Z2/Z3 as you feel.
Wed - treadmill run with strides at the end, think 45' mostly steady Z2 with some faster pace stuff at the end.
Thu - hard run in hills day, warm up well!!
Fri - off to recover.
Sat/Sun as planned, although you could extend the Sat ride a bit. So we lost "a" bike workout here but it's only the VO2 session...and we get to take advantage of the hills and maintain the recovery process. I see it as a win/win. What say you?
Patrick, that is genius. Thanks for your help.
The fun running and longer bike on Tues and weekend works!
I assure you, all work no fun except for these work outs.
However in a few weeks I am heading to Austin for a week of fun and will need some help rearranging.
Thanks for your help do far
Patrick,
First bump in the road. Have a really tight IT band / TFL that is now having me nervous about running to much.
Have been able to do all runs up until now but feel I need to back off a bit. This has been coming on for several weeks and really felt it last week after doing the 4X400 and a 10 mile hilly weekend run last week. Took two days of running off before the 10 miles on Sunday and felt fine when I started but sure felt it that evening
I am currently in week 10 of the OS Intermediate plan. I have had great run speed improvements and am now as fast as I have been. Perhaps getting faster not now a priority given risk of long term injury. What do you think? If you agree is there a way to change the run workouts to reduce risk of injury?
Went for a massage last night and the experienced therapist who is a competitive runner indicates nothing serious at this point. Feels a bit better this morning but will be many more days at a minimum before it is a distant memory
Biking and swimming zero issues.
I think you plan on two more massages (1x a week) as you pick up the self care regimen at home (20' a night); great stuff on www.athletestreatingathletes.com to help you with that.
For running, I'd suggest cutting it down to 30-45' a session, mostly steady running. Let's look at frequency (4-5 runs as 2 brick, 3 of the 45' ones) vs speed or distance. IOW, take the 4 hours you were probably running and break it up into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Happy enough with the race performance, but within a few hours of the finish was down and out with cough, cold ad low grade fever. Took Sunday and today off.
How and when do I start things back up?
Please update me on how you are feeling here when you get the chance!
Partick,
I do go to doctor and got as 5 day Zpack on Wendesday. Am much better though not quite 100%,
Did a one hour pretty hard indoor bike Thursday followed by a 40 minute easy run after having had the four days off. 40 minute mid intensity swim on Friday.
Saturday did a moderate intensity outdoor 3 hour bike. Course and conditions were tough: 4,200 feet of elevation in 49 miles. Ride temperature was 30 and winds were 18MPH. Feel like a crazy person to have ridden out doors in that and then take the last pill from my course of antibiotics as soon as I finished. I think it will be fine as pace was kept very moderate by a friend who was looking for a constant wattage moderate ride.
On a positive note my hamstring / hip tightness has improved a great deal from the time off and the massage program!
Let me know what you think and if it is wise to jump back into the plan. i may want to modify the running quantity or intensity as am really thinking that if i keep that level of speed work up it will not end well.
Thanks
I think that you are ready to get back to the plan, but yes to adjusting the run.
HOWEVER, I see that you are due to end the OS next week, so I suggest you go to the Training Plan Page then Move/Change your OS plan to end on 4/19, so you can do weeks 12 thru 14...then 1 week of swim camp (maybe we adjust to two given your swim weakness) before the Get Fast plan.
Let's move that massage stuff to a slightly less aggressive plan...say every 2 or 3 weeks (a bit further apart than you are at now).
Let me know what you think!
Thanks for the response.
Some other considerations. I am doing AmZof on 5/17. Does this impact what I should be doing now? This is the main reason I forced myself into the 3 hour ride this weekend
I can not mentally endure the indoor trainer much longer. Is there a realistic way to accomplish things like 10" to 20" Z4 on the road where there is uneven terrain and needs to slow for traffic? Would it be OK to do rides where i have that much time in the zones but it is broken up into materially larger amounts of smaller pieces?
My swim is weak so keeping me a 2 weeks swim camp seems important.
Good news is my cold is gone! Was one week of hell
(Followed one of the rides with a 20 minute z2 run that also felt great)
Now what for this week? Remember speed work on the run is risky for me as strained TFL/hamstrings are just now about completely recovered. Running at z2-z3 not an issue. My short term goal is Amzof in mid May long term goal is IM Chattanooga in late Sept. I am OK with some Z5 run work but I think it needs to be les than indicated in the OS plan
Next weekend can be a big one as my wife and one remaining child at home are away.
(Followed one of the rides with a 20 minute z2 run that also felt great)
Now what for this week? Remember speed work on the run is risky for me as strained TFL/hamstrings are just now about completely recovered. Running at z2-z3 not an issue. My short term goal is Amzof in mid May long term goal is IM Chattanooga in late Sept. I am OK with some Z5 run work but I think it needs to be les than indicated in the OS plan
Next weekend can be a big one as my wife and one remaining child at home are away.
1) shift in anticipation of the hill
2) pull up vs pull down when climbing
3) really get back on gas trying to carry speed of descent into flats (that will keep power up).
I like you doing tempo during the week vs FTP. Let's goes tempo Tuesday, tempo brick run on Wed and regular long run on Thursday (short on Wed but get it in).
This weekend is longer Sat than Sun. If weather plays along. I say 4.5 and 3.5. Sat is for time, ride steady not flashy. Sunday is the hard ride, more ABP....see if you can bear SAT numbers.
Patrick,
Thanks for the weekend agenda. Mission accomplished. Had 4.5 hours (with Scott Dinhoffer) Saturday with 178 NP. Sunday was 3:10 with 190 NP. Both days were filled with Z4 intervals and much climbing.
Season road map now has me starting the swim camp tomorrow. I do notice that swim camp has the purpose of not only jump starting swim but also resetting legs after the OS. In my case the legs are totally reset today from taking some time off in past week due recovery from a race a few weeks ago, hamstring pull (now completely recovered) and taking it easy a few weeks due to a cold. (Last run longer than an hour was a half marathon race on March 20)
Given immediate goal of mid course American Zofigan on May 17, would be great to hear what you think I should be doing to supplement the 3 swims a week in the swim camp.
(As always, keep in mind my main goal for the year is solely IM Chatanooga in late September and as a reminder I will have a 12 day training hole in early July due to a family vacation)
On a separate note, saw your rides this weekendon Strava. Completely inspirational!
I'd say Mon / Fri are swim only days these two weeks, and Tues/Thurs are steady runs...ideally building them both back up to the 60-75' range. No rush here on that (with Hammy) but we want intentionality.
Once you get thru swim camp we can have you add some shorter runs as needed. That ok?
AM Zof is a coming!
Thanks
I suggest you workout in your preferred race kit and set up for the next few days so you are "ready" for that, and I would consider cutting the run interval session down from bigger repeats to 3 x 3' at Z5 with 3' rest after each -- make it about 45 minutes.
Sound good?
Key for me has already been to cut down speed work from that recommended as yes it makes me faster, but risk of injury is huge in my case. Feeling great at the moment so your idea works