Training Wk Aug 10 - Aug 16 2015
Week 14
Guess what week it is? RACE REHEARSAL WEEK!
If you're headed to camp this week: you will have Coach Rich on hand to tell you what to do, ask questions, breakdown your performance and me to SAG so some of these tidbits you won't need, however it can't hurt to hear it again. Looking forward to seeing you all out there. We will have Gatorade Endurance for you on the course, water and I'll grab some cokes and pretzels but other than that, you're on your own for nutrition. I will have bike tubes, CO2 and a bike pump for emergencies but you need to have those supplies on you as well. I won't be there on race day so don't use the SAG vehicle as your first line of defense. I can carry nutrition for pit stops if you have anything super special you use but I can not drive all around the course as your personal aid station. We will talk more about this when I see you all Thursday but just wanted to make sure. If you have any questions, you know how to get in touch with me 919-961-4393 mariah@endurancenation.us (and the GroupMe should be starting Thursday as well) or coach.
If you are not headed to camp this week: pay attention, read more in depth in the forums on Race Rehearsal weekends. There are also videos and podcasts from Coaches you can listen and learn, however, here are the highlights. I would recommend if you have specific questions for Coach Rich or Patrick, GET THOSE IN THE MICRO/MACRO forums NOW! Don't wait to ask them a questions on Friday night for Saturday morning!
Things to Remember:
- Rest! Cumulative lack of recovery can impact race rehearsal - Can take a break Monday or Thursday if you need (If you're going to camp then this works out great as Thursday is your travel day)
- Workouts that are focused and require the most dedication:
- Point of a RR - coming up with a plan. Line it up. Blow it up, Screw it up. You do that NOW not later. Go through the drill.
Think at the start of this week.
- What do i need for saturday to get ready BEFORE the day. Get your equipment dialed in.
- Pacing
- Get out there and JRA - 1 hour 1.5 then to steady pace
- Fueling plan
- Run - first three miles LRP plus 30” per mile. First three miles to settle in - mark the transition and take stock of how you feel
Alright CHOOCREW- Stoked to see some of you this weekend and the rest of you make sure to post in the forum or social media so we can see your hard work this week. I am so unbelievably proud of you all for the talking going on in the forums. This is hands down going to be an awesome group of EN'rs and I can't wait to watch you crush it.
Here for MOJO if you need it. Otherwise, go out there and make us proud.
Comments
For those of us that aren't headed to camp our training plan calls for similar workouts to last week with our first race rehearsal/camp week scheduled for next week. That being said, I'm considering a race rehearsal this weekend anyways. I've been trying to figure out what my 5 hour power number is and have really crushed myself on the bike the last 2 weekends. As of this moment the lower intensity of a race rehearsal ride sounds very appealing.
I haven't formulated a plan yet for my race rehearsal but honestly, it won't be anything elaborate. Nutrition-wise, every week I really focus on eating on the bike the same way I will on race day. So when it comes to a race rehearsal or the actual race I don't even think about that. One thing that will change slightly for me is my run nutrition. Typically, I like to run on an empty stomach. However, during my rehearsal I will eat half a banana as soon as I start running, otherwise, my run nutrition stays the same as a typical long run.
Let me tell you, those weekend rides kicked my a## this week! I ran 5 miles this AM and it felt like my shoes were filled with concrete! The last 2 miles I finally started to feel a little better. All day at work I was dragging. I could've slept all day. That's probably one of my biggest weaknesses during training, not getting enough sleep. If I'm not careful, eventually it catches up to me. Tonight I will be in bed early. After work I got in 4200 yards in the pool. Again, the 1st half of the swim, I didn't have much in the tank. I think riding in the aerobars for 8.5 hours this weekend really affected my shoulders. The 2nd half of the swim was a little better and I was able to pick up the pace a little bit.
From the posts there is obviously a lot of great work going on. It's very motivational to read and definitely keeps me going. I hope you all are absorbing all of that work and taking care of your bodies!
Whoo hoo! I'm loving this week! Yes, it's only Tuesday. And I'm not going to camp. But ... so far this week, I've hit the swim and this morning's run, and am looking forward to today's swim. Planning to do a longish ride on Thursday (~80 miles -- crazy that that's only "longish" now
). Early swim Friday, then driving up to Pell City for Saturday's Toughman AL. Still trying to figure out how I want to race it -- probably normal 1/2-IM execution on swim and bike, then an IM-style run.
Can't wait to see the live reports from camp!
John- Glad you're cleared for training! Just keep listening to your knee and playing it smart!
Catherine- Good luck at Toughman!
Was off Mon. and did the Z4 run tonight. The rain stopped long enough for the wife and I to bang them out! Question: When trying to hit Z4 pace, how do you all account for elevation? I run on a pretty flat rail trail, but it is a teeny uphill grade out then down going back. I always try to hit the assigned pace out and then faster back so I'm hitting the targeted pace on a GAP (Graded avg pace) basis in Strava. Just curious. Here's the run:
http://www.strava.com/activities/366910938/laps
@Catherine, I consider 80 miles a long ride! Good luck this weekend!
@Kim, nice work getting those Z4 intervals in! I think you're approaching them the right way. I live in an area that is essentially pancake flat. I always do my Z4 intervals in the exact same locations on a run route so I know in one spot there is a net gain and it is "acceptable" to run that interval a tic slower. At another location there is a net loss and I know I have to run a little faster. That one is fun because I can hit Z5 pace a lot of times!
I was able to hit the Z4 intervals this morning before work. During last weeks run after the Z4 intervals I was able to cruise at Z 2.5 for the remainder of the run and felt great. Today, I definitely still had the weekend workload in the legs so I ran the rest of the run a little bit slower than Z2. After work I hit the swim and felt much better in the water than I did yesterday. I faded towards the end though. Part of that is the 2nd day in a row of big yardage and the other part is that the pool was exceptionally warm. My hands and feet were all pruny when I got out of the water. Keep tearing those workouts up everybody! Don't do too much damage before camp though!
@ Doug -- Thanks! I consider 80 miles a long ride, too, but compared to what the Campers are doing this weekend ... well, I'm just a piker! And good job on that run and swim. I find that if I keep up the swim frequency (even 1500 yds or so), I'm much smoother and feel better during the real workouts. And I hear you on hot pools -- why can't we mere mortals find a pool that is at a humane temperature?!?! Make sure you are drinking enough! My pool is a balmy 83-85 degrees, and I find that I go through 2 bottles of Gatorade Perform + added salt in 90 minutes or so! Before I started getting really serious about swimming with nutrition, I would fade and struggle mentally to get through workouts.
And ... best laid plans of mice and men. Planned to substitute today's FTP/interval session with the sweat test. But three year-old woke up this morning with that horrible croupy cough and won't be going to school. So no riding today.
That croup had BETTER be gone by tomorrow! And of course now I'm paranoid about getting sick. (Yes, it's all about me and my training! Right?)
I've also decided to move most of my runs to the treadmill for now. It's just too hot to build mileage outside. Finally got Apple TV up and running in the pain cave, so by the time IMCHOO gets here, I *might* be able to talk about the latest season of Game of Thrones!
@Catherine, you're definitely not a piker. I drank a lot yesterday. Need to drink more I guess. Hope your 3 year old gets better and you don't get sick!
@Tom, you crushed that run, nice work yesterday!
Well, the days here are getting noticeably shorter. So, I ran before work today and did my ride afterwards. I probably have time to do the wko as a brick however, the shadows were getting long at the end of my ride and I don't need to be fooling around running on the shoulder of the road at dusk. Run went well and my average pace was a little faster than MP. The ride this afternoon went well. I nailed two 15' intervals at z4 and then added on some Z3 time at the end.
Got the 2x15' done at .93 & .95IF. That's all.
Off to camp tomorrow!
Wowzer peeps sounds like a week of ups and downs for all. Well it is Thursday now all is going as well as expected. Swimming I just found and outdoor pool just down the road from me that is free and open till we go into our taper. Running has been a challenge this past week. I am unable to dust it up and get the fast zone work in. So just slugging it out and keeping injuries at bay is what it is al about. Biking this week has been awesome a plus side for me. I did a RR last Friday and was happy with the results as well as meeting the zone workouts this week.. Brenda and I have issues coming up this weekend with a wedding and friends/teammates competing in IMMT and doing an RR, only so many hrs in a weekend.For those going to camp rock it out, for those training local ditto !
I got in the long run today. That thing never gets easy. Once the mileage starts getting over about 13, those last 3 or 4 are always tough for me no matter how far I'm running. I was able to get in 18 for my longest run since IMLP last year. Major focus on recovery from now until Saturday.
Looking forward to hearing all about camp and everyone's impression of the course.
Big swim on Friday with some long sets at paces I was satisfied with. Saturday I was planning on riding long and then running after. I was able to put down a solid 5 hours on the bike but my legs were just crushed and the run didn't happen. I needed a recovery day Sunday so I just rode short (45 minutes?) at .50 IF and a 2 mile EZ run at 45 seconds or so slower than my EZ pace.