Pre-podcast coach specific IMCDA RR
pre-STG prep: Weight 196, FTP 235 (est), vDOT 49 (5k pacing)
IMCDA prep: Weight 184, FTP 270, W/Kg 3.24, VDOT 44-45 (13.1 pacing)
Swim: Head cold without nasal passages at the start, but otherwise fine. Target was ~ 1:50/100 based on several 2.4mi OWS/wetsuit swims.
Actual race data: 1:18:18 finish time for a 2:01 pace
Garmin data: 4719 yds (2.68 miles) @ 1:40 pace (Garmin).
Assessment: I could feel the extra yards out there. I was all over the damn place. I sighted about every 20 strokes and could always see a buoy, but habitually was hanging wide right, super close to kayakers. I am happy with my stroke/efficiency/speed "in the zone", but direction "in the zone" flat out sucks. Pack swimming and staying on course - need practice ideas.
T1: 7:17. Basically, yeah, needs work.
Bike: No power meter, frustrating at first but then kind of liberating. Target: With heat, I did not really predict a target, but based on RR1 and RR2 was looking for 6:20 - 6:45 estimated. This was keeping HR in the mid-130's for the RRs.
Actual race data: 6:36 for 16.9mph
Garmin: Ave HR 144 (112-172). Since I did not have power to focus on, I tried to lower HR for first 60 minutes ave (HR/5mi): 138, 141, 141, 139 before drifting up (except first big hill on 95). Splits: 0-56 in 3:18, 57-112 in 3:29. Definitely mentally attempted to reduce power on the second large loop prior to run. I lost count of gatorade bottles - maybe 9-10? I had 2 bottles of water on top of that. Nutrition worked - was never hungry.
Assessment: My HR was on average 10 beats higher than my RR's. This can be interpreted as overcooking the bike. I recall Coach P saying that the HR is often higher due to heat, not effort. I don't really know which it was. At the time, all I had to go by was pedal pressure. And in truth, throughout the entire split, the pedal pressure was never a challenge. If I had to guess, I would say my NP was close to 190-195, primarily due to the hills. The 28 gear up the hills was super helpful, but HR was never below 150 despite the gear. Very proud of the descents - achieved new speeds of 40-41. Learned the lesson that there is no reason to steer at speed - relaxing the hands and forearms prevents wobble. Ass pain was a far bigger factor on the bike than leg/cardiopulmonary fatigue. The new adjustments on bike did not seem to cause any neck/back issues (I already had these pre-adjustments).
T2: 6:38. Again, needs work. The tent humidity was amazingly stifling.
Run: Based on RR1, and practiced every single long run after RRI, target pace first 7 miles was 9:45/mile. I picked 7 mile mark instead of 6 based on Hickman's intel that 7 mile is top of hill. During these RR efforts, HR would be 135-138. When it became clear heat was going to be an issue, I slowed that to approximately 11 min/mile (Truscott/Cronk weighed heavy on my plan).
Actual race data: 5:40 for 12:58 ave milage pace
Garmin: First 7 miles pace/HR: 9:54/145, 10:22/144, 11:19/137, 12:05/134, 11:25/134, 12:12/140, 11:26/131. With Truscott's advice, I did not try to speed up however. I kept this pace, I ran-shuffled each mile, including up the hills, walking about 20 steps for gatorade at the aid stations. Difficult to execute this new pace - the heat definitely played a role here, but also I had not practiced it. Sloppy - I was increasing and decreasing pace to compensate at each mile. I was able to manage this ~11:45 average pace until mile 18 and HR stayed 135-145 during this time. At that point walking was forced due to fatigue/heat/leg stiffness. Average walk time was 2-5 minutes per mile. Once I got to top of hill on second loop, I ran fairly quickly down the hill, was able to maintain a pace of about 10:30min/mile to about mile 21. Then walking forced (the heat on the flat path next to lake got me both ways). Run buddy found at mile 24.5, and we brought it in at about 10min/mile pacing.
Final time 13:48:57. Assessment: Looking at Hickman's report, I believe my run was a mental failure, but cannot rule out a bike management failure. Open to thoughts on this. I was not prepared for the level of pain felt - R hip bursa, bilateral achilles in particular. If I had slowed more on the bike, I would have spent that time literally roasting. I can't imagine that helping my run. The first 7 miles, and subsequent 8 miles, were pretty straightforward, my HR was in check and mental toughness in check. However, it is not lost on me that my break point at mile 18-19 corresponds perfectly with the EN mantra that such a failure happens due to excesses on the bike.
DS
Comments
- Have not totally committed yet, but very likely I will do Austin 70.3 this year with brother and now possibly wife.
- Am thinking CA 70.3 4/2016 then IMTX 5/14/2016.
- Considering IMAZ 2016 as AAA race.
- I notice that both you and Coach P are high volume running in respective prep for your IMs. I never hit more than 31, except on camp week, when I hit 40. Given that the IM starts at the marathon, why not encourage higher run volume?
- That said, my priority is bike ability. Thinking bike focus this summer prior to Austin prep?
- Can I improve on bike using trainer mostly?
- Can I improve on bike on 2 hour rides?
- Assuming I will not radically improve swim technique without a 1-on-1 coach, and that aint happening, how to practice going straight?
Pool availability/schedules and my personal schedule (and family commits) make the idea of a swim coach seem impossible, though I have no doubt the technique improvements would happen. From what I have read on EN, once you are near 35min or so swim split, better to spend time on bike/run.