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IMFL Week 14 of 20 - Building Long on top of Fast
Weeks 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are THE WEEKS were the LONG IM work takes place.
Welcome to the insanity! 
Hope all have arrived to this point healthy, focused and hungry for saddle time! Had my first taste Saturday, and it was about the 3.5 hour point where I was no longer having fun.............but pushed through
I encourage all of you to share your detailed nutrition on long runs/bikes, as well as any performance metrics like HR, NP, V.I., temperature, wind, etc.....
I will do the same going forward and look for advice/comments along the way.
Checked off the swim at lunch......legs are a bit tired from the weekend work but hopefully ready by tomorrow morning.
Have a great week all!
SS
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Thanks for keeping me motivated, SS. With the coaches putting more emphasis on HR, I have been too and assume you are. If so, what trends (if any) are you seeing develop and how do you plan to apply them on Nov 7?
My "low" volume plan with all quality/no junk continues, with me finally cracking 10 hours the last 2 weeks (unlike the 15-23 hr weeks, with 6 centuries, I did for NZ). The result the last week, however, has been that I continue to carry excess fatigue (TSB is still lower than any time during my last two IM builds, outside of camp weekends). I'll continue to call it proof that this is working, but this morning's 2x12' Z4s were definitely flat (235w felt like 250), but the brick run felt effortless.
My long rides continue to give me HR readings below my typical IM (135 at TX, 133 at NZ), which is a positive: 61 miles at 197NP/121HR, 80 miles at 197NP/122HR, 62 miles at 209NP/124HR. Two more weekends at 60-75 miles at goal race watts + 20~w, then three centuries in a row to dial in that 5-hour power (would love 180NP or so, as my last two races at 165 still had me moving pretty well).
But my long run HR readings have been consistently higher over the last 3 weeks compared to my traditional 142-3, probably due to the heat/humidity that's been hanging around, but perhaps too to some of the fatigue: 14 miles/7:51 pace/147HR, 15 miles/7:51 pace/147HR, 15 miles/7:44 pace/147HR. At TX, I held steady 142-3 the whole time, in heat, finished with a good time. In NZ, I held 141-42 until 16, dropped to the low 130s from 17-24 as the wheels disengaged from the axles, averaged 138 overall, crap time.
Weight down to 151, 3-4 away from RW. A colleague asked me yesterday if I have been sick. Spent time on the foam roller last night. Cried a little.
Monday's swim was good, managed to push the "sprint" sets, and used a pull buoy on the 400's(gives me the same feel as a wetsuit).
Tuesday's interval run done in the a.m., and now I have to work 16 hr days Tues. and Weds., which means I've missed Tues. swim and Wed.interval bike. Hopefully we can get this Plant back on-line, and I can get back to the routine with long run Thurs. I occasionally have to do this at work, and don't even try to get workouts in, the cost of lost sleep makes it counterproductive. Not a good time to miss any workouts, but rarely have I had a training cycle that a little "life" didn't happen.
@ Mike - thanks for sharing the detail and plan going forward in terms of training strategy! Looks very smart and well thought out in terms of build. Riding 65 - 70 miles a goal race watts +20 sounds like HIM pace with HR as a secondary measure. Hopefully weather will get better as temps become more reasonable in the coming weeks.
@Mark - You've been really consistent. Take the Tues/Wed off and try to get the work / sleep thing done. Those two days aren't going to make a difference in your fitness but, losing sleep to try and fit in a workout could kill your weekend work.
I made it through Tuesday, always a bitch for me. 2 hour, .91 intensity bike and evening run on hills at 90 degrees.
Bike:https://www.strava.com/activities/398035722
Also got swim number two for the week done this morning, 3,600M and pace/form is improving a little over the prior weeks.
I'll be sticking to these two a week intensity bike workouts (with long ride on Sat) for a couple more weeks before converting to the Sat/Sun ride schedule. Also implementing 1 mile Z4 intervals on Wed and within the Sun long run ........just trying to hang on.
Happy Hump Day All!!
SS
Wednesday is my quality run day. Today I "tested" using a submax test that I like more for IM prep. 20min warm up to 135bpm, then 30min at 135 for distance and 30min at 145bpm for distance and a 10min cool down. My expectation is that on a good race day I should be able to hit that 135bpm pace (9:52) but that it will take 150bpm to get it done. Then a good swim at lunch.
As far as nutrition goes, I'm not fueling anything under 2hrs. I don't need it and it jacks with my blood sugar the rest of the day if I do.
I am about 200cal per hr on my 5hr rides. I might experiment with upping that to 300 if I feel weak in RR1. I am going to do a metric IM for RR1. Part of a camp weekend. I want to see how much hr drift I am getting on the run.
Getting back on track with long run yesterday evening. Switching Thurs. runs from am to pm because 1 they're getting too long to do before work, and 2 that's when I'll be running in FL.
Had a hard time getting started, most of first 6 mi. like a "jog", did manage to pick it up some. I'm not use to running in the evening, but got it done: 13 mi. @ 2:17 time includes hyd./walks and p stops.
Will get Fri. swim done after work.
Did manage to snag a FLO disc in their sale yesterday-never ridden with a disc, but I need all the advantage I can get.
@Mark - nice score on the FLO disc! I use a wheel builder cover over my PT on the back wheel (been doing that for years) and an 808 on the front. I ride a 12 year Lite Speed Saber dinosaur...not near a sexy as all the new bikes........and probably a bit heavier.
@Jimmy - you are amazingly consistent as I watch you on Strava - must be that veteran tenacity coming out!
@Paul- be nice to have your personality and veteran experience at IMFL. Just sign up regardless!
Thurs bike and run done. Friday Swim and run done. Tired body check!
Visualizing 8, 25' intervals for Saturday holding steady power a tick or two above my goal race power while fueling ~400 cal/hour......somewhat overwhelming thought at the moment.....
Have a great weekend all and be safe out there!
SS
Closing out Week 14 - its in the books with no injuries!
19.5 hours, 101 mile long ride, 16 mile long run, 1,343 TSS using accurate baselines and one tired body/mind.
Long bike - (ran a 5K first with 1X1) Nutrition went well and cooler temps in the first 2 hours helped. I increased my intake by consuming 3/4 of a power bar on the :40s vs. 1/2 and that caused no issues. I drank a total of 2.5 gallons of GE (20 lbs of fluid in 5:15) and weighed the same when I finished. Last two ours it was 85 degrees and I had problems holding the last two 25' intervals at steady watts....need more practice.
Long run - did it on the track and had one of my best negative split runs. Time included a quick walk for 20 secs every two miles to down 12 ounces of GE.......I started the run around 6 pm - 86 degrees and the sun went down such that the second half was not an issue in terms of heat.
Trying to absorb what I just did to myself.
All have been very quiet this week. Onward to week 15!
SS
2 weeks post IMChoo and I have jumped into IMFL. Put together a decent week this week. 16 mile long run Thursday, traveled back to Shanghai Friday and managed 110 on the bike today. Dropped into Advanced week 16 and hope to get a couple of full weeks completed prior to the race.
This weeks totals: 2700 swim 139 bike 26 run 820 TSS and CTL of 129