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IMAZ Week 17 Execution, not Fitness
Welcome to week 17, only four more weeks to go!
An impressive amount of work done last week, you guys are really turning up the heat.
Key #1: Execution, not Fitness
Summary: All you've done for 9 months is build a vehicle. Ironman and Half Ironman racing is about how you DRIVE that vehicle, it is NOT about the vehicle itself. The majority of athletes on race day are fitness-focused (look at my T-shirt, look at my abs/veins/etc, look at how fast I can go in the first hour of the bike, etc.) As coaches we can make you stronger, but we can't fix stoopid if you decide to race your own way.
Advice: The best way to handle this is lock in on the Four Keys and focus on what really matters - being ready to and then actually implementing your race.
- Pre-Race / Taper: The closer you get to your race, the more you'll be hit with the magnitude of the event that's coming. The best way to get ready to handle that (self-imposed) pressure is to do all your training to the best of your ability. Dealing with anxiety in the final lead up to your race is a great deal easier if you have done the best you can given your life, time-commitment, and abilities.
- Race Week: The theme here is doing what you need to do, then getting out of Dodge. The more time you spend around folks who are freaking out, the more likely you are to freak out -- it's that simple! Know what you need to do and get it done; connect with a few key people and then return to a quiet place where you can focus.
- Race Day: There will be countless times during your day when other athletes will attempt to convince you that Fitness is more important than strategy. They will race you to the top of a hill in the middle of no-where, they will cut you off in the swim, they will regale you with stories of epic training on the run. Each of these instances is an opportunity for you to put the Four Keys system to work!
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AMEN!
You guys look great! Keep inspiring!
SS
You are in the home stretch gang, the work is loaded up now. Get your rest, stay healthy and safe! Rooting for you all!
@Clark-sta warm!
@Tim-this AM my HRV was highest ever, up 11 points, and I was wiped out the day before. Not what I expected
2 miles @z1,a z4, and Z5. My swim stuff is always in the back of my car and ready for tonight. I too am trying to get it all in right up to the Saturday of week 18.
Tuesday swim is in the books - https://www.strava.com/activities/417179699 3600 at a mostly steady pace. I really like my new tempo trainer. Between that and my focus on bilateral breathing, I feel like I'm at least making some progress on stroke efficiency. That said, I still really don't like swimming...
Work has been bumping lately also, so time management is a real focus.
Tonight is bike / run and tomorrow is my run RR. Man this is happening fast.
Good training (and resting) to everyone. Keep your spirits up and your motor running. Each day presents opportunity and today's good decisions become tomorrows speed/strength/endurance.
@Clark-sounds like you and I are in the same place with swimming-tempo trainer, stroke efficiency. I never seem to get any faster no matter how much I improve stroke. I'm waiting for the major aha! Moment when it all comes together. I keep telling myself I like swimming better, usually when I'm done with a swim I believe it.
Today's bike done, 60' of week 16 on trainer road, which means only 2x15'. I didnt have high expectations but met my goals:
1x15 @ .95IF all upright on hoods. 2nd 15' .9IF but over 2/3 in aero. Legs had more in them than I thought!
Intermediate plan doesn't have a run on schedule today so yeah for me! I have morning off work tomorrow to get the run RR done, and probably the extra swim too
Hang in there everybody! Light at the tunnel...
The bike last night was TOUGH. I'm not sure when Z4 got so hard, but I guess it's been a while since I've done a Wednesday Z4 ride since I modified the week after camp and then I was sick last week. Regardless, it took everything I had to hang on for 2x20 Z4.
https://www.strava.com/activities/417753484
The run was better.
https://www.strava.com/activities/417779927
And the run race rehearsal this morning was awesome.
https://www.strava.com/activities/417964424
Hopefully your week is going well also!
I've been meaning to ask this. How do you connect to strava? The only way I knew was the app in iPhone but it drained my battery so I quit using it. I am a computer loser.
My long run done too. Very pleased. Hit all my paces including z4 on mile 17! Felt great. Weather has really cooled off lately. Over summer months with extreme heat I dialed paces back a vdot point but back to my cool weather paces now.
Had planned on quick swim before work but schedule got changed and had to come in an hour earlier than planned. Not sure it will happen this pm
If you need more info let me know and I'll either get you more detail or I'll find the DC Rainmaker post where he walks through it.
I fell asleep on the couch last night while watching tv with my wife. I had the remote in my hand dangling over the coffee table, until she took it. I can't tell if that's funny, pathetic or both. Guess I was tired. I hobbled to bed when she went to bed and didn't move until the alarm went off. Yay sleep!
Nine days until taper. Keep moving forward!
1. I thought WTC was NOW finally allowing shoes on the bike in T1... but in the AG it specifically says shoes and helmet must be in the bag... Then goes on to say nothing loose on the ground... Will have to confirm wether or not we can leave shoes on the bike?
2. Swim Direction- when they originally announced the TT start I am pretty sure it was going to be clockwise (they just never updated the map) however it no appears to be counter-clockwise? or is the map still wrong? this really doesnt matter but will confirm anyway?
3. Morning bags can't be accessed until 6PM? Funny since they tell you to put your clothes, car keys , hotel keys, etc into this bag... What about early finisher? That seems late?
4. Run SN is not depicted or mentioned... Assuming its normally at the beginning of lap 2?
1) I don't know what the rule will be, but I found the ground in transition to be quite sandy with lots of loose dirt and grass. I'm not sure what to think about running from the tent to the mount line barefoot. Probably worth checking out before hand.
2) Same recollection and questions as you regarding the swim direction.
4) Last year run SN was just past transition, at the start of lap 2, shortly before the EN cheering station.
No change in swim course.
What is changing is the start. Rolling start with chip time starting as you enter the water. They will likely make the turn around closer to make up for the distance added from steps to previous start under Mill bridge.
All I can tell you about shoes out of T1. Last year I was going to run barefoot and put shoes on at bike. The volunteers absolutely would not let me out of t1 until I put shoes on.
Had a nice 5 hour beeline ride yesterday with David Ware, who has been visiting the valley this week. A little windy. Today, did 3 hour ABP ride on Fountain Hills to McDowell mountain park. Wicked wind-gusting like last years IMAZ. good practice I figure-I am accepting it will be a windy day.
I never got Friday swim in-going to join a group for OWS at Bartlett lake
In regards to the swim course, the main IMAZ page references a clockwise one loop and the map of the course tab says it's a one loop counter clockwise. Perhaps the main page for IMAZ is a typo?
Betsey, what kinda temps can we expect on race day? 75-85?
Logical analysis would dictate that the swim should go counter clockwise. Reason: finishing from the clockwise direction would mean everyone would try to climb up the far left side (as you are getting out) of the stairs, as that would be the first spot they come to. Counter clockwise allows the swimmers to approach the stairs head on (perpendicular), making it a lot easier for them to spread themselves out across the stairs as they *try* to exit.
Also, ignore any water temps you are seeing now. Over the years, I've noticed that those temps will often fall by a degree every day or two in the week leading up to the race. It will probably be 63-4 F on race day.
Wrapped up the week with 16hrs , 11500TSS , 11,200yds swim, 183 miles bike, 33 miles run...... Longest bike was 4hrs/85 miles and longest run was 1:45/13 miles.... Kept the intensity on the high side all week , hence the high TSS numbers.... Feeling very good....
@Chris, +1 on Al's comments regarding temperatures. Last year was my first IMAZ so I don't have his depth of experience, but I can tell you that by 4:30 or 5:00 it felt cold out.
I had a strong Saturday ride that was broken into two rides due to weather. I got ~78 outside and then another 22 inside on the trainer. It actually worked out pretty well for me from an execution standpoint since I used the inside work to hold higher watts than I was holding outside.
Sunday was a travel day for me, so no ABP ride. I did the Monday run Sunday night so hopefully I get some bike time today.
Saturday met Betsy and we rode abut 85 miles (she had already done her run). I managed to double flat again. (In the last 3 years I think I have had 8 flats on that curse, thankfully none during IMAZ. 3.2 mile run after. Legs were toast. The knee hurt but not too bad.
Sunday was recovery and return to St. Louis. Did a 5k walk with my wife. As the day went in the knee got very painfull. By the time I got off the plane it was as bad as before I got the cortisone injection. Will need to talk to the doc this week.
All told, even with 2 days off and 1 day of just swimming hit almost 1300 TSS, possibly a record for me.
We are getting close everyone. 1 more week of training and then time to taper! Woo Hoo!
SUN: https://www.strava.com/activities/415910197 IMAZ Real Course 1 lap on computrainer ...recorded watts will be off on Garmin/strava....but computrainer watts held at 190-200 = exactly 1 hr up and 52 min down. Trainer watts always 20 or so lower than outside for same RPE/HR and the no gravity effect resulted in a bit slower times but pretty close to PLAN.
MON: Some MTB riding to Tire shop not worth mentioning and a quick swim https://www.strava.com/activities/416498421
TUES: RR Run on track 18ml at just under 2:54 https://www.strava.com/activities/416957124 Helped my confidence in a realistic 4:20 goal time 4:<10 ish if all well. <br /> WED+ THR SAUs/New JOB
FRI: Shortened so Harder Bike https://www.strava.com/activities/418769770 No wind and weird HR bumps made pacing feel ...off. felt like power was reading too high for RPE but HR matched that expected for the watts ...but speed seemed slow for the #s. Mostly Z3-4 with some >Z4 intervals. 2:40 50mls Then a really short brick run building from (9:00 Z2 to 8:00 Z5) 2 mls. Run felt good. Cant say Bike felt bad just...weird.
SAT: OFF ARMY and a wedding.....
SUN: APFT PU/SU sucked 43/45 ("good for my age") but run was OK @ 13:53 for 2 miles (W/U HR/Garmin LOL) -beat all the 'kids' Chest sore today because I've avoided Pushups with this shoulder issues. Gots to get my strength workouts goin again once IMAZ over!! No Swim due to car (clutch out) died.