IM LOU Bike Pacing

jpmarchewka

https://app.box.com/s/9dsfs91lj0xvdyvm4zwkyrqu6axifxdu

Can anyone further explain IM Lou Bike Pacing from Coach P's slides above?

• Section 1: Looks like he says to bike in Z1/JRA for the first 15-17 miles?  Should I do this even if I have been training JRA for only 30min at the start during training? (intermediate plan)
• Section 2: looks like be about 10 miles.  Steady watts (understood)
• Section 3: 54 miles...says "Cap at Steady +15%"  Essentially zone 2 with maybe hitting z3 every once in a while?
• Section 4:  30ish Miles...says this where you fly but watts says "steady on the gas"... just stay in Z2?

Thanks for your help!

 

 

Paul Hough

Sounds like standard pacing guidance. But it's guidance, not hard rock solid rules...i.e., you don't have to wait exactly until mile marker X for a change of pace. The important thing is to go out easy. Too many folks start out full throttle and blow up around 70-80 miles. Start JRA, catch your breath, take a gel, and gradually work into it. Remind yourself that it's a long day...hold back...patience. Somewhere from 10-15 miles push it up to low Z2...then maybe mid to high Z2 ... say .75 IF versus .70 IF earlier. Last 30 miles, ease up to low Z2 again and a slightly higher cadence to prepare your run legs. Something like that.

jpmarchewka

Thanks Paul! I appreciate the help.

ezellrh

To add a little bit, I developed a pacing plan that was more event / location driven instead of based on specific miles or time. My plan looks almost exactly like what Patrick subsequently described in the video. That helps me just say, "hey self, this is a very specific and noticeable point of the bike ride (a turn to the out and back, a turn to the loop portion, the last turn into 42), now do this with your pacing." Having things based on what I see around me instead of a number on a dial allows me to understand what I want to be doing easier at a point where I need to be looking up and engaged with the course and riders around me instead of looking down at my Garmin worried about am I at mile 14 or 15. The 'where you'll fly' comment is based on the course itself. If you are able to hold pace on the way back in, you will go very fast without an increase in effort. It's basically a down hill return to Louisville and staying on watts will increase your overall average speed due to the elevation loss.

Good luck!

Coach Rich

Without looking at the map and knowing exactly where the miles are, if I were racing IMLou I would totally chill going out on River Rd, then bang a right at the church to go into the out and back. Down, cross the bridge, go up, flip it, come back, down, up again, then right at the church again.

I would start "riding vs warming up" when I exited that out and back.