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IMCHOO Training Wk 8/17 - 8/23 2015

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  • EB - I really hope you get a good word on the knee and you are back at it in full soon! I hate to hear this, especially this close to time on target.



    Like many, this week was a mixed bag for me. I was pretty damn tired from Choo camp and felt it all week. I had a few good swims this week, including my 2.4, but had to skip my long run on Thursday. Saturday I got in 95 miles in about 5.5 hours. Yesterday I knew I did not have the legs for the bike, but tried the 1.5 hour run. It was not my best effort! I did not eat breakfast before heading out, so I don't know if it was lack of fuel or simply tired legs, but I struggled mightily. Ended up getting it done with a few walk breaks, but it was not pretty.



    At Choo camp, Mike Crosby was talking about how he started shedding weight pretty easily after his IM Texas camp a few years ago. I am finding that to be the case for me. Weight seems to be dropping off, which is something I am very happy about. I think I am down about 10 pounds since camp!! Now to keep this train rolling forward!



    It's a new week, and one week closer to the race, kids. Let's get this done!
  • @Pat - you are in BEAST mode... a couple more weeks and you are there!

    @EB - you have worked so hard this year... now you just need to get yourself 100% healthy

    @Everyone - I've been looking at the temps at CHOO. Keep in mind that the temps reported on the weather pages are air temps measured in the shade. When it says low 80s, that could very well be mid-high 90s in the afternoon sun on the asphalt.


    These last few weeks is a good time (especially for those of us that live in northern latitudes) to move our runs into the afternoon sun. There is plenty of time now for us to acclimatize to hotter temps. Doing all the runs in the cool morning temperatures will not help us on a hot race day.
  • Had a good week of training although very very fatigued.

    The long run on Thursday really took it out of me. I feel like I got dehydrated and never caught up even through the end of the weekend. I really need to focus on drinking more liquids whenever possible while working/resting.

    Friday's long swim accidentally turned out a little too long. I was swimming in the 28 meter side of the pool rather than the 25 yard side and didn't feel like doing the math and swam my normal laps. I ended up doing 4680 meters. Wow! That was a long workout. I knew I was going over but until I did the math I didn't realize just how long. I guess I won't be doing that again.

    Saturday long ride consisted of a 100 miler. The ride went well even though my HR was high and Power was low likely due to the heat. I did struggle towards the end because I stopped at store and purchased Powerade because it was all they had. Yuk! My stomach agreed and decided to do tumblesets instead of digesting for about the last 45 minutes of the ride. I couldn't muster up a run.

    Sunday's ride felt terrible but I got a solid 3 hours in with a 45 minute run prior to the ride. The heat is really just killing me right now and mentally I can't stand it. I am soooo jealous of those of you that get to train in nice climates. I wanted to do four hours but staying on the bike for 3 being so drained has to be viewed as a success.

    Looking forward to another good week ahead. I can't wait for the taper. These long workouts are starting to get old. I keep telling myself its all good mental training and I think completing these workouts at whatever pace is going to help us all cross the line in less than 6 short weeks.

    Good luck everyone!
    Brandon
  • What a bunch of rock stars we have in this group! I think we are all feeling the pain from the extra hours on the weekends...I'm feeling the stress for sure and trying my best to be "present" at home post workouts. 

     With all that said, I'm pleased with the last 6 weeks or so and am encouraged by the results i'm witnessing. Arizona in August has presented quite the challenge and has resulted in some very early morning workout start times. It's incredible how hot it is here at 3:30AM! But that's what we do...we get it done!

    I started my Camp a day late..mainly due to work scheduling. I did my 4K m swim on Friday...very pleased with my progress in the pool...1:39/ 100yds is the fastest I've ever swam this distance, so I'm stoked to see how this translates to the TN river! Saturday was a scorcher so I got an early start and rode in the dark for 2 hours before that miserable sun showed it's face. Felt good completing my first century ride of the season but my power was definitely lacking. However, I got in over 4K ft elevation gain and finished 100.2 in 5:20. I followed my ride with a 5 mi brick run that I almost quit after mile 1...I was worried that I may be jeopardizing the long Sunday ride by pushing too hard...but I found my center and pushed through. Not pleasant.

    Sunday was my long ride and I overslept about by nearly 2 hours! Much needed but not ideal given the sun would be up for the entire ride.I focused this ride on more evenly distributing power and locking in nutrition. Legs were a bit burned up by a long day Saturday but I felt okay after the first hour or so. I pushed hard, drank like a river and never got to point of feeling exhausted (which I assumed would happen at some point given the heat and wear and tear from Saturday.) This is the most eye-opening evidence to myself that the training is paying off! Quick recovery and much better endurance in the 5th/6th hour. I was certainly happy rolling into my driveway after 105 mi  (5:39) feeling good enough to shower quickly and take my girl to a nice lunch.  

    This morning I knocked out my long run. Ran 12 mi on some tired legs but was able to control my pace and HR the entire way. Wow! What a weekend...great confidence booster and can really see it a much clearer picture now of it all coming together! 

    Remaining hydrated has been the trickiest thing for me so far this year. I moved to AZ in April and am not used to having to consume this much liquids. I'm drinking ~50 oz/hr and it's still not enough. I'm assuming I won't require drinking this much in TN, but never a bad thing to be accustomed to drinking ALL THE TIME!

    A much needed rest day scheduled tomorrow that I'll be spending traveling with work...ugh! Curious to see how I bounce back on Wednesday! IN the meantime, you can catch me by the water fountain 

     

  • Michael,

    As I am struggling with similar hydration/heat issues, I have to ask:  Are you peeing during your long rides?  

    I have been drinking approximately 1.75-2 bottles (24 oz) / hour.  At home in NOLA, this results in zero (ZERO) pee stops.  I cannot drink any more and I have yet to pee while on a long ride.  Occasionally, I have to pee when I get home before I run but that is not the norm.  When I went to the Choo Camp, I stuck with my similar hydration strategy and had to pee 3 times on the bike and had to pee when I got off the bike.  

    I am treating the heat as the culprit for why I am not peeing on the bike.  The one week that I had in much milder temps at camp led to more realistic potty stops.  I'm just wondering if I should be looking at this differently.  One thing that I will try this week is to incorporate a few bottles of water only and see what happens.  To this point, it has been sports drink (Perform and GE) only.

    Thanks for the help.  Brandon

  • Hi Brandon,

    Great question! Early on, I was having the same issues as you. Upon completing my first sweat test (in June), I realized i wasn't drinking nearly enough! In Michigan (previous home), I was able to get by on 36-40 oz/hour with no dehydration issues. I quickly learned the extra heat/sun and dry desert conditions change things quite a bit and require me to drink around 10-15 oz more per hour (depending on heat level). On my long rides in AZ I stop every other hour to reload on fluids and usually pee. So typically for me, I pee about every two hours and use that as a loose indicator of my hydration level. If I don't have to go I go full-ham on the GE  

  • Well, sounds like there has been lots of ups and downs this past week between motivation, tiredness, heat, humidity, travel, work, family, injury (EB ??), and life. I will have to say that I've dealt with some of these as well especially the motivation and tiredness. Last weekend was camp weekend for me. Thursday was the long swim which I always dread thinking about endless laps in the pool. When I was done I thought I should be doing as many long swims like that as I can between now and 9/27.
    Friday was the long bike followed by the 6 mile run. I was definitely tired after the bike, didn't take in enough nutrition and wasn't sure how the run would go. I ran totally by heart rate and it actually felt really really slow but I know that's what we are supposed to do in those first 6 miles.
    Saturday was day 2 and the second long bike. I definitely wasn't sure how I was going to do given the fatigue from the day before. I was hoping for a minimum of 56 miles but told myself I would play it by ear. It always amazes me how our fitness and ability to recover improves over the training to the point where you can do these kind of back to back workouts. I just kept riding and in the end got in 110 miles. Couldn't believe it. That told me that sometimes you just have to get on the bike or strap on the shoes and get out the door. You never know how you're going to feel after those first miles/minutes.
    Sunday was the long run and once again didn't know how I would feel. Did the first hour at Z1, and then bumped it up. Bumped it up some more until the end and finished pretty pleased with camp weekend. I'm enjoying the rest day today though!
    Keep it up everyone! Get on the bike and put on the running shoes and you just might be surprised by how you can get through the workouts. I do realize that we have to listen to our bodies and give it the rest it may be screaming for but we also need to be training the mental side and what it's going to take to get through the second half of the marathon on race day.
  • A bit of good news. Went to my ART guy today. Fingers crossed with a tiny bit of run jail, whatever is going on should clear up with rest. I guess my IT band somehow got stuck under my quad. My knee was over compensating for this and caused the inflammation with the old injury. He's not concerned at all with the knee/adductor. More concerned with the quad/IT junk. I should be OK by long run this week... fingers crossed.

    I'm headed to the pool in a bit to do a big pull set. Let the legs rest up.
  • That's great news, EB!  Rest seems to be the hardest medicine to take.

  • @EB - I think that this is a blatant attempt at "secret tapering" so that you crush the field on race day! 

    Awesome that you are going to be good to go!

  • EB- so glad your knee is going to be ok!!

    I pushed my long run to today from Sunday and it was rough. I was sooo tired from our quick mini trip to the Cape but I Took a nap when we got home then headed out at 4:00. It was ok but pretty slow then the GI issues started. (Eating off my normal repertoire while away was not good). Couple of trips to porta-trees and I turned around early. Only 8 miles and I was shooting for 12. Frustrating but I did the best I could. I was impressed I even got out the door. Better luck this weekend!
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