What did we learn about on our long run today

Robert Sabo

Rich  please no history or math unrelated to running

 I did a sort of long RR.  My vDOT is not the 56 it was 2 years ago pre hamstring issue.  It is not the 47.6 calculated by my best 10k in a workout.  I have  been running Tempo as my fastest miles.  This pace is 15 sec slower than prior IM pace.  my last long runs were just over 17 miles in 8:12 and 8:00 avg pace with 123 avg HR.  I have run a few IM marathons at LP in the 3:30's but this aint happening this year.  I figure sub 9's and I'll be happy.  So today I went first 6 in 8:50-9 with HR 123ish and then went to 8:45-50 same HR.  A little slower on 2.4 mile bridge with 3 hills into wind.  I carried GE and water and had 4 gels and Base salts.  Refilled water at fountains.  The first 14 were very easy and almost effortless and then I got off the Ocean city boardwalk and lost my ocean breeze and I got hot.  I drank my fluids and stayed steady.  Last 5 miles were 8:30/8:30/8:14/8:05/7:44.  The first couple were ~130 and the last mile HR was 140.

In Madison I will stick with 9 min miles for the first 6 and then go to 8:45's and wait till I get through the hills the second time  to pick up the effort.  I will be very careful not to spike HR or increase the pace in response to crowd related excitement.  4 oz every mile at this pace is almost 28oz/hour which is more then I usually drink on the bike per hour.  I really like the Base Salts which are the salt supplement on the course.  They keep your mouth salty slimy in a good way as opposed to sticky dry mouth. 

The run taper has now started.

 

Peter Noyes

I think I have my run sorted out as well. Two weeks ago I did 20 miles with the first half pretty conservative and pushed a bit on the 2nd half, but very controlled. The weather was cool and my nutrition was spot on. I averaged 150 BPM, which is the same as the first 16 miles I did at IMCDA last year. At the end of 20 miles I still had a lot of life left in my legs.

This past weekend I did 19 miles where I pushed the whole time, it got up to 82 degrees, and I got behind on hydration. This was a controlled effort through 13 miles, but then it turned painful. I averaged 159 BPM.

Also, 3 weeks ago I did 18 miles on a hilly course in the heat and I averaged 159 BPM there too, and that also was a tough run.

I have now proved to myself that the low 150s is where I want to be through mile 18, and obviously how important hydration is.

John Withrow

I actually did mine on Monday "sort of". My training is way different this yr given my "minimalist effort". So all of my long runs have essentially been split long runs around my commute with my morning commute of ~12.6mi and then sit at a desk for 10 hrs, then run the 12.6mi back home. This was the first week it was cool (actually raining my entire return leg). Was also the first time I had a faster return leg thanks to the fastest 4 miles of the whole day being my last 4 negative splitting each of them. I'll take it and hope the split runs are enough come race day. Hitting my stride though as 2 days after that run I did an impromptu 2x20' "FTP test" on my bike commute home and hit an all time highest ever tested number. Then the next day did a progression run where I intended to run easy, but felt good so just sped up every single mile... Starting to hit my stride, hopefully I can carry it forward another week or two, then roll into my taper.

Alan Brown

It was tough, although probably the best one yet!  i could have gone a few more miles, but wonder about 8 more.  Then I did 5 1/2 on the trainer today, due to rain, and that may have been harder!   Gotta remember, that's why they call it an Ironman!

Coach Rich

I learned that I will probably play a defensive strategy on race day, as my competition will have to chase me down given my lead on the swim and bike. I expect to swim a :56-57 and ride 5:03-05. Notes:

• My "do no harm" HR on the run is about 135bpm, which also happens to be my AHR on my RR long rides. 
• Before this past long run, my long run AHR was about 142-145bpm
• So I plan to come off the bike, lock in this 135bpm for miles 0-6
• Then, rather than increasing the effort at mile 6 to get up into the low 140's, in my long run last week I just stayed at 135bpm and reallly focused on staying hydrated and fueled. 
• RPE rose but pace and HR stayed the same. 
• I did push the effort in the last ~4-5mi, getting into the mid to high 140's. 

^This^ resulted in 8:20 pace @ 135bpm with 3lb net weight loss vs 8:28 pace @ 144bpm with 7lb net weight loss two weeks before. I figure an 8:35-40 average pace is possible, with walking the latter aid stations, etc. Basically, I truly have to just not slow down rather than trying to make something happen. 

I feel that this conservative strategy better fits my swim and bike strength, and leverages the endurance vs speed work I've been focusing on this year, cracking 1k running miles for 2015 this weekend. More importantly, across all of my long bikes and runs I've learned that staying hydrated is the key for me. So a lower HR helps me with that strategy. 

MattAaronson

Rich, I think a defensive strategy is without a doubt the right approach. With some many turnarounds you will have a great idea of where you stand and how quickly people are gaining on you. While they expend energy to chase you, you will conserve energy which will hopefully enable you to dial-up the pace later in the race as they get closer. The key thing is not to do that until you have to since some of those chasers will gain a lot at the beginning but then slow down and not be gaining as quickly later in the run (and of course hope that you can dial-up the pace...easier said than done!!!!!).

Coach Rich

I have no illusions in my ability to outrun a guy in the last miles of an Ironman who has run me down for the last 20+ miles. Rather, this is how my day when in '02 when I went 10:05, 4th M30-34, and KQ'd. I unexpectedly came off the bike 15th OA and switched my head to "just don't fuck up" mode, realizing that they would have to catch me.