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IM Ville Mojo Thread- Week 17, 14- 20 Sept
One month to go!!! Just two more weeks of hard work and then the hardest part (the taper) starts. Let's put our heads down, get the work done, take care of our bodies, and see this through. This close to race day, make sure you are making smart decisions around the rest of your life (additional stresses, other physical activities, etc). Now is not the time to take up full contact MMA for fun... 
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Keep on it everyone!
Last week: 13,000 yards swimming, 210 miles biking, 42 miles running. I was zonked this morning and pulled the plug on the swim as I would just have been going through the motions. So looking forward to the taper. Which reminds to share one of my favorite passages from the incomparable, and perhaps unstable, Chuckie V:
• If you've been training a consistent 30 hours a week or more, you might consider a Mark Allen-esque taper. Oh, and get a life.
• If you've been training a consistent 25 hours a week, you might consider a three-week taper.
• If you've been training a consistent 20 hours a week, you might consider a two-week taper.
• If you've been training a consistent 15 hours a week, you might consider a one-week taper.
• If you've been training less than 15 hours a week, you might consider skipping a taper until a few days out.
• If you haven't been training at all, you should consider getting off your lazy, shaven ass before it's too late, fatty.
1) I plugged ALL the training sessions from the 2014 Intermediate IM plan into my calendar way back in January/February, before the 2015 plan came out. The 2014 plan had me doing a big race rehearsal both this weekend AND next weekend, which I was prepared to do, but I just checked the training plan on the site and I see that this weekend only calls for a 5 hour bike and and 40 min run. Should I stick with back to back race rehearsals this week and next? I'm assuming the plan changed from 2014 to 2015 for a reason, so maybe I should adhere to the 2015 plan.
2) Regardless of the answer for #1, above, I need to move my long day from Saturday to Friday, as I have a black tie affair to attend on Saturday night and there's no need to be hobbling about on the dance floor when I have already taken the day off on Friday. But, because I am moving Saturday to Friday, I am going to move Thursday's long run to Wednesday.
3) I swim at a Jewish Community Center (JCC) and this week is a high holiday week, so the entire facility is closed until Wednesday morning. Thus, no swim today or tomorrow. And, if you saw my post to last week's thread, I didn't swim at all last week (I know... not optimal).
So, given all three points above, I'm thinking the following:
Monday: 30-45 min run (I'm tired and I need to get my new house in order, so I may skip this day all together).
Tuesday: 75 min bike
Wednesday: 180 min run - Ironman RR Run
Thursday: 45 min swim
Friday: Race rehearsal or 300 min bike/40 min run brick (depending on answer to #1, above)
Saturday: 90 min swim
Sunday: 210 min bike
In all above (except today), I'd follow the prescribed training sets for the given activity.
Sound about right??? Thanks in advance for the feedback.
Thom
So, I did my first insert of a picture. Sorry it is so big. Took me forever to figure out how to do it.
I just wanted to show my performance management from last year to this year. It includes my build up to IMWI last September. I don 't know how to read this totally, but it does seem that my chronic training load it much higher than last year. Paul and Danielle's post made me nervous because I am not putting out the volume like they are. I have been averaging about 16-17 hrs the last 4-5 weeks, before that it was closer to 10 hrs. Like Thom, I haven't been swimming much it is usually the first to go, and I also clipped a couple runs last week with two big ones, only leaving me with about 31 miles rather than the 40 plus assigned.
Any of you experts at reading these?
@Thom your plan looks good to me, balanced with a swim between two big bikes. The only thing I thought of with the swim on Saturday, you might be able to lengthen the Sunday ride or run a little after it since your long run was on Wednesday? You could also add another recovery swim Sunday if you wanted to make up some swimming.
Update from this weekend and today:
Saturday I hit a solid 90 miles doing the loops and a little extra on the IMWI course. It was really cold and a little windy. The next day, day of the race, it was warmer and less windy. Perfect day. I put in about 70 miles and stopped several times to cheer on and watch the bicyclists go up Midtown, down Garfield, through Mt Horeb, and across messerschmidt (spelling). I had a blast and climbed several new hills. The roads off the course are really nice. I actually like them better than the course as there are fewer cars, and lots of steep hills. I had an all around blast. Got to see John on his fat tire bike going up Midtown. He didn't know who I was but he smiled at me. I did learn that you can make ENers upset when you shout, Race Smart at them as they are big gearing up a steep hill.
I skipped my run this weekend. My quads were shot, and I think the two long runs took some out of me.
My goal this week is to complete every single assigned workout. This morning I got in the notorious Monday swim that I skip a lot. Felt good.
Thom, I would throw this up in a Micro thread for Coach P to look at, but one doode’s opinion (listen at your own risk).
1. There were a decent number of changes in the plan from 2014 to 2015, mostly in the volume of the bike and swim in the later weeks of the program.
2. I assume you haven’t done RR1 yet. If that is so, then getting a RR in this week would be key to me; however, I believe you need to also recognize / account for RR2 (much more important) next week.
3. Do you have the time / bandwidth to do the long swim on Thursday instead of Saturday? That accomplishes two things – a. pre-fatigues you for the RR on Friday. b. Allows more recovery / form maintenance in a shorter swim (where you’ll be tired after your RR) on Saturday. It’ll also save those dancing legs a bit ?
4. I’d think about dialing back the intensity (and maybe to a lesser extent the volume) on the Sunday ride. 3 hours at Race Pace Plus maybe? You’ll want to enable recovery and set up a quick turn for RR2 next weekend.
Again, these are just suggestions, highly recommend throwing this up in a Micro thread to make the coaches earn their pay. Good luck either way ?
If anyone really wants to feel bad about their volume, check out the load monster Tim Cronk put in this year. Insane!
Thanks! I'll post it on the micro forum for coaches' input. I did my first RR labor day weekend and I'm not sure three in the span of a month is good or bad.
OK - let the hackathon begin! After sleeping in two days in a row and skipping this morning's run, the Mojo Meter is back on 10 and I am going to surge to the end. Tonight I hit Snap Fitness on the way home for 35 mins of weights, then off for a 5 mile run. Tomorrow starts with swim make-up.
My BMC TM01 is back from Austria and I had a new chain and front brake cable/housing installed. Picked the bike up today and plan to ride it only a couple of times before the race just to be sure it is squared away. Most of my outdoor training will be on my Giant Trinity.
@Roy I am right there with you on the volume, I was looking back at what I'd done before IMAZ and I am not even close.
Missed swim yesterday, something came up at work, now I am stressed, we have a release going out which should have gone out today or tomorrow, now I am not sure. I will be traveling to the relay on Thursday. Ugh. I have more travel next week for work, so probably miss workouts. Oh well I will be well rested for the race rom my non training.
On the upside I did get in a decent long run last weekend, which is my last three hour run most likely. Boston registration tomorrow for me@Jay there is nothing absolutely nothing quite as therapeutic as a z1/z2 long run. Especially if the weather is nice. Have a great run.
Someday, I'm going to figure out how to measure my performance(and training) with Training Peaks. I know so many of you do and I've heard it makes a huge difference. That said, Stephan I couldn't even begin to try and help you out with your chart...thank goodness for Roy and all the WSM and coaches! Roy, good point about comparing volume...I look at Coach Ps volume everyday on Strava and say the same thing "am I doing enough". Then I get up and move my very tired body and the thought goes out the window :-)
@Stephan, super jelly you were in Madison on Sunday...lots of EN awesomeness on display-would've loved to have been there myself!!
Danielle, Definitely not you alone. However, I'm committed to doing every workout. Coach P told me frequency is my friend in these last weeks. I won't go the full distance all the time but I am doing all the workouts. Like Jay said, I'm all in. Glad to see him back in the saddle of awesomeness. I did my 2x1 mile and felt pretty good with my times, however my hip is bugging me a little right now. Got in a 2500 swim this morning so I'm a little over 5000 yards for the week. I will swim two more times and will BRUNELLE this week.
So, the other big news is that I put on my new wheelbuilder disc cover over my flo60 wheel. Never tried one of those, I plan to practice on it this week and weekend to see if I like it.
I've been told not to train on it, but for those of you that are wiser than me, can I get away with using it in training till the race, or should I take it off and then put it back on again the race week. Seems kind of silly to do that for just a couple weeks.
@Stephen, I don't think there is anything mechanically wrong with leaving your wheel cover on for a month. However, I would feel a bit Fred using it for training rides for that long. We each have our own hang ups.
I got a easy 5 mile run in yesterday morning and then prepped the folks at work that I wanted to be out the door at 3 to get a solid ride in. Well, the good ideas / "Hey Sirs" just kept coming at me and at 5, someone came into my office and said, "I thought you were leaving at 3?" I just gave him one of those looks. So I went home and changed my bike tire, tried to spool up all the stuff that goes with a trainer session, and my computer decided to update, Zwift wasn't working, and I got cranky trying to get it all to work again. 2 hours later, I gave up and went to eat dinner. I did get a solid 1:20 trainer ride in this morning (love me the new Richmond UCI course on Zwift, added to my FTP), and hope to get a swim in a lunch and a short run after work. If all else fails, at least I got a ride in.
In other news, my wife says its starting to feel really good in the Ville, so maybe it won't be a heat-fest for race day. Way to early to be talking about weather, but what are you going to do? Also, if you need some motivation to get to the finish line even faster, Season 6 of the Walking Dead starts that night. There's some motivation!
Wierd day for me. Drove to an olympic pool this morning and did 4000 long course meters (4374 yards) in a high quality session. But my heart rate was jacked all day. Went home after work and laid down for 15 mins to calm myself down then did a 32 mile trainer ride with the hardest sets (3 x 20 mins) at .75 IF. Didn't want to go high intensity after the spike I felt most of the day.
Tomorrow's low is upper 70s with 100% humidity. I'll decide in the morning what I feel like doing.
Keep it coming everyone!
Anu, I forgot to say I'm jealous about the Boston thing. I don't think I can ever run fast enough to qualify. I would have to really work hard and only focus on running I think to come close. Not going to happen.
So, who in the heck is Fred? Guessing Flintstone. Hadn't heard that expression before.
I will try the wheel out today. My problem is that I am not very mechanically inclined. I don't have an extra training wheel at this point that has a new enough cassette to match my new chain and derailors, I could go get another new cassette and use a trainer wheel. That way I wouldn't have to put the cover off and on again.
May hack the short swim for tomorrow and do it today so all I have is that monstrosity of a long run tomorrow. It is still supposed to be in the upper 80s today and tomorrow and then it drops to low 70s for the weekend. Nice.!
TWO MORE QUESTIONS: SORRY: 1) Anyone planning on driving or riding a small portion of the course Thursday before race day? I would like to if I get there in time. 2) Is there a way to do a little open water swimming there before the race. I probably will not get to do so until that time. I also like to get water on my shoulders before the swim start. I guess that won't be possible if we are in a long line waiting to jump in? I imagine that crowds things up in the water if people are doing that right after they jump in.
Using a disk wheel (or cover) for training is generally considered a Fred move ... same as wearing an aero helmet outside of a race. Don't be offended...we've all been Fred at one time or another. I have gone out with a disc wheel in high winds to test handling and for a variety of other reasons. Do what you have to do.
FTP last night on the trainer. 2 x 18 at .96 then 30 minutes at .70. A few more long rides to go.
@Stephan - I think you should try the Wheelbuilder in training. Remember, nothing new on race day! Also, I expect to arrive in Lou early afternoon on Thursday. Would like to see some of the course. I believe the water will be open one morning for OW practice but there is no warm up on day of race. Oh, and BTW I liked your chart above. Don't know what it means but the color is great!
@Danielle - your volume and quality of work will have you well prepared. No doubts! You've got this!
Jay, that is awesome. I have mine to do tomorrow and I am dreading it. HOpe it is as therapeutic as you and Anu are saying it will be. You are awesome.
Got in my third swim of the week. I'm one more swim away from my Brunelle.
Went for a massage at lunch. That was great. Tonight, I will go out and fred about town with my cover from wheelbuilder. Hopefully, no one will see me. It is good to know that Jay is supporting me in case I get spotted. I kind of feel like you Jay in that I want to practice on what I am going to race with. It is super windy here today, so it will be interesting to see what it is like.
Today I crapped out. AM - 3700 yards swimming (good). Tried to run afterwards and pulled the plug. Tried again tonight and only made a mile before pulling the plug again. I'm not hurt, just exhausted.
For everyone, to prevent taper madness, I'm going to put together some 'take it or leave it' notes about the race and the area the week after our race rehearsal. Some general recommendations or 'check this out if you have time' stuff. I just don't want to get too far ahead of myself with training still on the table. I would also like to nail down a time that we can all get together for a team photo. I will be missing the dinner for my daughter's birthday party, but would love to meet/greet/coffee it up at other times if there is interest and availability. Again, we'll turn to this stuff the week after next.
I got in a 5 mile run at EP this morning and then 1:30 on the trainer at lunch, focusing on race pace plus effort. I'm up all night on duty at work, so I'll be sleeping most of the day tomorrow but hope to get a long swim in tomorrow afternoon in prep for this weekend's workouts. Steady Eddie.
Keep on it everyone, lots of fatigue being reported (and felt in my legs too). Make smart calls and get to the start line in good condition.
1 x 20 mins (as 10 mins @ 200 watts, 10 mins @ 210 watts)
1 x 15 mins (as 5 mins @ 210 watts, 10 mins @ 220 watts)
1 x 10 mins (as 5 mins @ 220 watts, 5 mins @ 230 watts)
1 x 5 mins (as 1 min each @ 230, 240, 250, 260, 270 watts)
Roy and Jay, would love to join you guys for a tour of the course and a little riding on the out and back. I will likely leave La Crosse on Wednesday afternoon after work, and go a good chunk of the way and stay somewhere in a hotel and then come in on the morning Thursday, or if I leave early enough, I will arrive in Louisville in the late evening Wednesday. Its about a 9-10 hr drive.
Either way, Thursday would be the best day for me to do the course tour. That would be fun to do it as a group.
I finished my 18 miler, was not as enthusiastic or pumped up about as others, but I got it done. Legs hurt now.
Yesterday, I felt strong on the bike, and had fun riding Fred style with the wheel cover.
Rain is starting and the warm weather is changing to cooler fall temps again. Today's run was humid and hot though. One last hot run.
Tomorrow I hit the swim.
Jealous of all of you who got in 18 miles. I will probably just total 20 this week but that was part of my plan. Last week was 42 miles running and next week I want to hit 45 before the taper. A single long run is more effective, but volume will help me compensate.
Today was supposed to be a swim day but was hacked to a bike day. I'm doing a sprint on Saturday with my son and can't do the scheduled bike rides so I'm hacking again. Today was 2 hours on the trainer at ABP. Ran out of hours and didn't get any swimming done. Plan on swimming tomorrow morning and then repeating the 2 hours on the bike. Will run whenever I can.
Coach P told me to build the sprint and if I felt good I could race the last mile. That's gonna be interesting. I'm thinking of doing a little FTP test on the road during the bike. Then will probably do the run twice to get in a few more miles. Right now I'm more interested in volume than sprinting. Y'all keep up the good work. Stephan and Jennifer had great runs today.
Tomorrow I will swim long, which will be day 5 of swimming this week. I think I have the swim consistency down. In fact my hair and skin hate me right now, so I'm definitely getting in the swim volume
On another note, looks like I will be traveling to Lou solo
Danielle, It will be great to spend time with you and the others. I'm coming solo too. My spouse is getting tired of these things. Way to go on that run. Wow. You and Jay really kicked it.
I made my Brunelle this week, second week in the year over 10,000. I actually broke 11,000 by a few yards. Shoulders feel like they are going to fall off. Swimming is not my strength.
Weather has turned cool here. Will watch my wife run in a half marathon tomorrow before heading out for another Fred ride on the bike. Good thing there aren't a lot of people here in rural wisconsin. No one will likely see me.