IMAZ Week 9 of 20 - “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters
Welcome and sign in please!
Hopefully everyone's big weekend went well. Please use the thread to share any details, thoughts, questions, etc. with the group.
My weekend was a little different as I skipped the big weekend due to work and family commitments. Instead I put in a big ride on Sunday that included some SAU time, a 40 minute FTP effort and then an hour plus of ABP. Here's the link - https://www.strava.com/activities/376057887/
Tomorrow I'm planning to run early and swim late. Should be interesting since it's been a couple of weeks since I've been in the pool.
Oh, in case you're wondering, the quote is from Ernest Hemingway.
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I love the quote! Another one is ' be process oriented, not goal oriented' (not sure who said it)
i pretty much followed week 8/20 which followed week 8 of 'get fast' so I actually had two weeks of testing.
My bike test last week was a bust. This week I optimized conditions, and didn't overachieve the VO2, and had the best test ever on Tuesday. Not only did I achieve, for the first time in 2015, my highest FTP from 2014, I surpassed by 3 Watts (144 to 155!). I even saw 200 W (4/kg) the last minute of the 20'. (see below)
I did swim tests both last week and this week. Sadly, I have improved form, am much more comfortable in the water and am actually liking swimming, but not one bit faster. And last, I only did a run test this week. I didn't change my vdot but since conditions were miserable (hot and humid) I consider that a win. And runbiyou actually says to take a vdot point off if conditions are 'less than ideal'. So I feel if I tested in perfect 50 degree weather I would've gained a point.
I had to work yesterday so did the one hour swim in the afternoon, and did a 3 hour bike this am (ABP, not steady 75%) followed by 4 mile run (again in full sun, 100 degree heat). Nutrition went well.
@Betsy congrats on your impressive FTP test.. HUGE and at the right time
I won't be too active on the IMAZ board as I'm currently focussing on KONA... Hoping to recover and bring my A game to IMAZ in Nov... Expecting big things and really looking to shut the season down afterwards!
I've been in the Colorado mtns this week, hosting ENer Bob Nelson and wife since Wednesday after doing swim/bike/run on both Mon & Tues. The bikes were what amounts to TTs uphill on Maroon Creek (7 miles, 1600') and Castle Creek Rds (12.5 mi, 1600') These are my go to routes for testing my fitness at various IF levels. I was actually able to set an all time PR on Castle Creek, going under 59' for the first time ever.
Then the Nelsons arrived, and I asked Bob, who's doing Tahoe 70.3 next month, "What do you want to focus on?" He was planning on a Big Bike Week, so off we went. Independence Pass on both Wed and Thurs to watch the bike race (5 hours, 60 mi, 5700', then 13 mi, 1600') with a run on Thurs. Another run Friday, then Race Pace Plus 3 hour ride on River and Fryingpan Rds, featuring another PR for me on the downhill (2% down grade into the wind) portion of Fryingpan. Both those PRs were on my TT bike; the other rides were on my new road bike. I'm learning what everyone else already knows: the same power gets you farther on the TT bike. Duh! And, another trip up Castle Creek today. Weeks total: 20 hours, 6 rides (200 miles, 14.5 hours), 5 runs (3.75 hours, 25 miles) and 2 swims; 1,047 TSS. Whoever said swimming is not a drag on fatigue never tried it at 8000' elevation. 2700 TSS pts over the past three weeks, with my CTL back up to 121 from a low of 107 following LP.
The two key things for me this week have been a big boost to my bike fitness keeping pace with Bob, and getting my running legs back slowly after a too much too hard too soon issue with my R hamstring and glute after IM LP. Upcoming week, I'm planning on following the EN plan, but probably transposing days. EG, tomorrow will be Sunday's ride; Tuesday will be Thursday's run, split, etc.
Good job and enjoy the new zones
I did my first "ironman" training ride yesterday. ...my GRP is a full 15w higher than current FTP....and after 2 hr of riding at what was really z3+/lowZ4 my hr decoupled and I punched out just shy of 3hr. Z1 brick ok till the z2 back....HR z4.8 and z3 when walking even. I suppose I'm being to aggressive till I get some real (longest ride has been 2 hr last 9 months) duration/endurance in me.
Did a modified Sunday ride tonight. Mostly Z1-2 2:30 with cadence work (Spinervals 1hr in middle @Z2) feel like 2.5hrs is when I start to loose it
....needing the volume it seems. https://www.strava.com/activities/376813930
On the otherhand.....
When looking at the data from AG Nationals.... If I was to pull out the steady 20 min chunks...or the overall average....or NP I get well above my last indoor test #s. I had seen consistently higher #s outdoors in the past as well. BTW: NP:294, IF 1.32, VI 1.12, AVE-P 1hr:288 HR AVE 150-165 during steady efforts.(1:09 official time -PM has transition in/out too) Right now I've been using FTP of 220 Would have dilled up FTP ...but my >2hr rides have made me re-consider.....
I really love getting my long runs done in the morning. The city is so quite at this time of day and the few other runners that I pass always give a wave or nod of acknowledgement.
Now off to get dressed and get my ass to work.