Thanks for all the help leading up to IM Boulder. I doubt I could have finished without your advice!
I will probably do a couple 70.3's, and some shorter local races, for the remainder of the year. I'll let you know when I decide what I'm doing. Should I do that here, or do we still use the Season Plan feature of the web site?
BTW, my wife and I are planning to be in Kona this year to spectate. Mariah suggested I do the Ho‘ala IRONMAN Training Swim. If you have any other suggestions, of would like my help with club stuff (Sherpa-ing club members?), let me know.
I hope your recovery is going well. You can just tell me here when you’re ready to put in a few more races, but I do recommend a couple weeks off.
Yes to the training swim for sure. I also recommend volunteering to be at the finish line as that is pretty awesome as well. Other than that, there’s a lot of events going on that you want to be a part of but don’t require early action. Such as the underpants run. Will be great to see you out there!
I'm racing a sprint triathlon on June 30. I'm mainly there to support our local tri-club (they're the organizers) so I have no expectations. I'll treat it as a B-race or C-race.
Boulder is the first full IM that I've completed, so I'm not exactly sure how I'll feel on June 30.
I'm currently on week 1 of the Post-Ironman Transition Plan and this race would be at the end of week 3. My plan was to just stay in the Post-Ironman transition plan with the only modifications being to skip the week 3 Friday swim and make the Sunday run an easy 15-minute Z1 run. Sound reasonable?
You will be mentally ready but physically tired. It’s all good, just smiled the whole way through. Resting these first two weeks is critical, then the third week you can do one or two sessions where you work in some “race pace“ intervals just to stimulate your fitness and prepare your brain for the race.
I enjoyed following my teammates at Lake Placid. It helped perk my motivation a bit!
My plan for the rest of the summer is to do a series of four local Olympic triathlons - Aug 4, Aug 12, Aug 25, and Sept 9. My goal is to have fun and, hopefully, build up my speed. (For the first month after IM Boulder I felt like I was riding and running in molasses.) I'm currently using the HIM plan, with a couple modification: 1. I've replaced the Saturday long ride with the 2017 GF Int ride (lots of threshold and VO2max work), and 2. I'm keeping my runs below 45min (knee pain if I go longer).
Does this sound reasonable? Should I just go to the GF plan, or perhaps a short course plan?
I'm tentatively planning to do the Indian Wells 70.3 on December 9th.
@Scott Imlay - Glad you were following along. It was definitely an exciting day, and thankfully not too wet!
I think your strategy of using the half iron plan is perfect. You will have the fitness to do the shorter stuff even if you don’t necessarily have the speed itself. That said, you were speed will come around as you do a few of those shorter races on the weekends.
I agree that you should keep the run under 45 minutes for an hour, and if things don’t improve by early October in terms of duration/pain, we can modify the plan
It's been a bad week. I fell while lifting my daughter out of her wheel chair and injured both my left shoulder and my left knee (my daughter was unhurt). I think my knee is just a muscle strain but I fear my shoulder has some more significant soft tissue damage. I've had an x-ray so I know there is no broken bone. I have a referral to see an orthopedic shoulder specialist but it isn't until October 8 (trying to find another option).
In any case, I won't be swimming for a couple weeks at best, and I doubt I'll be able to run for a week or so. I tried running yesterday and the knee told me "NO" after less than a mile. I'll try riding my bike on the trainer this evening. Hopefully I can keep a basic level of fitness on the trainer. I can also walk, so I guess I'll be doing a lot of that.
This was supposed to be my first week in the HIM plan for 70.3 Indian Wells. Now I'm re-evaluating whether I should even do Indian Wells. Perhaps I should just recover from these injuries and focus on the out season. Thoughts?
I'm looking forward to spectating at the IM WC in Kona. Kelli and I will be there Oct 9 - 16. Does the team have some sort of get-together in Kona?
Update to Friday's message - my shoulder pain is improving faster than I thought it would. I have nearly full motion with little pain, but there is a disturbing "thunk/grind" whenever I raise my arm above my head. I'm planing to ease back into swimming later this week. We'll see how that goes.
@Scott Imlay - I think we have a lot in common when it comes to age, fragility, running issues and the like. You will want a minimum of 8 weeks of solid training to perform at Indian Wells 70.3. That means you have until Oct 15 to see if your shoulder and knee are up to the training. If not, then you really aren't ready for a fall outseason start either. So if you can't do the 70.3, you might consider resting up for a Jan OS start.
I fell off my bike a week before Ironman Norway and landed hard on my right shoulder. Although I was able to complete the swim, it's taken a full 3 months for my shoulder to feel right. We do not heal fast at this age! I've been to PT in the past for problems with both my right and left shoulder. My lesson learned from those episodes is that I need to do year round preventative work on my shoulders using elastic bands and small weights (aka 2-5 lbs) to keep my shoulders healthy. You might have to shorten your arm extension for awhile until your shoulder lets you reach out without any thunking or grinding. Indian Wells will be cold and wetsuit legal so you won't have to expend a lot of energy on the swim.
Same issue with your knee (BTW, I'm glad your daughter was not hurt!) You've got 3 weeks before you have to make the GO/NO-GO call so ease back to the running and stay conservative ... especially this week.
I don't know the answer to your question about a Kona get together but send a PM to Mariah Bridges and she should be able to let you know. Have fun on your Hawaii vacation.
I like your advice - October 15 is the GO/NO-GO. Of course, I'll have just finished spectating in Kona so I'll have to consciously damping my enthusiasm!
I certainly don't heal as quickly as I did when I was young! Triathlon training these days seems to be as much about managing the inevitable niggles and minor injuries as it is about doing the workouts. I don't remember it being that way when I was a runner in my 20's and 30's.
I have some elastic-band PT exercises from when I had tendinitis in my right (the other) shoulder, so I'll try lightly doing those exercises tonight or tomorrow.
Congratulations on your stellar performance in Kona @Coach Patrick!
I'm not going to the Indian Wells 70.3 in December. My shoulder and knee are healing OK, and I could probably have managed it physically, but my daughter is still in the hospital (2 1/2 weeks at this point) and I don't have the time or emotional energy to invest in training for a 70.3 at this point.
I'll do the November OS and plan on a spring or early-summer 70.3 (St. George? or Victoria?).
Thank you so much! We missed having you there but obviously totally understand. I think your plan is perfect. November out season with a run durability focus so we can continue building miles safely and get you back on track. No reason you can’t move right into an early season race given what you were able to get done this year. The key thing obviously will be managing to stay healthy. Please let me know if you need any more specifics or if you like to talk.
It looks like I'm coming to the end of the Nov Outseason. Kelli and I go on a 10-day vacation starting Feb 8, so I need a plan for the next two weeks. In truth, I missed most of the workouts during the last 3 weeks while sitting in hospice with Andrea, so I'm thinking of repeating weeks 12 and 13 of the OS. During the vacation I'll do the standard run-every-day plan. Any thoughts?
I'm not yet sure what my A-race will be this year. I was going to focus on short-course and 70.3's this year so I'd have more time with Andrea, but that changes with her passing. I need some big event to focus on, so I'll probably do an IRONMAN or Ultramarathon. Once the dust settles I'll let you know.
@Scott Imlay yes to repeating weeks 12 and 13 of the out season. It’s important that we wrap up this winter work and put a nice bow on it, and those two weeks should help.
Since your run volume has been fairly low, you can run daily but I wouldn’t have any right to go longer than 4 miles. In fact, you might want to alternate a 4 mile run day with a 2 mile run day during your trip so you have time to absorb the work and stay healthy.
When you come back, we can return to a focus on the bike as we sort out what the next best race is for you. Feel free to set up a call with me here for when you return: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min
@Coach Patrick I've signed up for a phone conversation on Thursday. I'd like to talk about long-term triathlon plans and race plans this year.
So far I've only registered for Victoria 70.3 (June 2) and three local triathlons in early July (sprint), mid-August (Olympic), and mid-September (unbranded 70.3). I'm hoping of doing an Ironman this year (still negotiating with Kelli). Perhaps IM Canada (close), IM Chattanooga (team event) or IM Cozumel (looks cool).
I've loaded the 2019 Half bike-focused plan (currently starting on Week 8) with a finish date of June 2 (Victoria).
@Scott Imlay That’s fantastic! I think you are really going to enjoy the challenge. Yes, the new course is totally legit. We cannot avoid looking into your bike gearing and making sure that’s appropriate for the race itself. After you complete a race any other race on the planet will seem easier… At least on the bike! 😂
@Coach Patrick I have an 11-speed Shimano 105 with a 50-34 crankset and an 11-32 cassette. I switched to the 11-32 cassette (from an 11-28 cassette) after I trained on the IM Canada course in 2016.
@Coach Patrick one question. I've currently loaded the EN Half Bike Focused to end on 6/2 (Victoria). I'm currently on Week 9 (just started Final Race Prep phase). You suggested having it end on 6/30 (CdA) which would move me back to week 5. Is the goal to get me back out of the Final Race prep phase?
In any case, loading the EN Full on 5/6 sounds like a good idea. Do you think I should switch to Run Focused from Bike Focused?
@Scott Imlay I wasn't sure how far along you were WRT training after the OS transition. If you are good, keep that rolling and you can sort out the "between race" period with me...deal?
I'm dealing with back spasms @Coach Patrick. They started Wednesday morning and haven't improved. I can barely walk, much less run or ride a bike. I'm seeing a chiropractor this morning so hopefully I'll be back in the saddle (shoes, swimming pool) by sometime next week. I suspect I'll have to build back slowely to avoid reinjury.
When I went through this last April (seeing a pattern here) you suggested I dial back to the L1 workouts for a while. Any other suggestions?
@Scott Imlay - Coach P is tied up running the EN camp over in Mallorca so I'm going to jump in for him. I've known a number of people with back issues and it can be debilitating. Ask your chiropractor and/or doctor if you can do water running until your able to walk/run/ride again. If the pain only comes on when you are bearing weight then water running can keep your muscles activated. It can be mind numbingly boring, but it is effective. I know a lady here in Tampa that just won the World Master's F60-64 800 meter indoor track title having only done water running the two months prior due to an injury. Also, as your back improves there are other options that can move your legs without impact ... like elliptical trainers. If you attempt either of these, I would suggest using the cardinal rule of running injuries ... i.e., if your back loosens up as you continue to exercise then all is good. But if your back is getting tighter as you continue then STOP. Best of luck with your recovery!!
Thanks @Paul Hough! The Chiropractor said I could swim this weekend if there was no pain, so I imagine water running would be OK if there was no pain. I've never tried water running, and have only witnessed one person doing it. I found something in the wiki about a 9-week deep water running plan that gives some information on technique. There was also a forum thread with a fair amount of information in 2016. It looks like I'd have to get a buoyancy belt or vest. Have you tried it? Do you know of any other resources?
@Scott Imlay - I used to do it regularly for 10 mins in the deep end at the end of a swim. If you do not use a vest, it makes a much harder workout. There's lots of stuff on the internet on how to apply it, but if you are going to be out there awhile then some waterproof ear tunes are a must so you don't pass out from boredom and drown. It will be a great test of your mental fitness!
Just loaded the run-focused IM Full for IM Canada.
My recovery from back spasms has been slow. I've run several times since but the last three times got progressively shorter. Not back, but right ankle and left knee problems (probably related to being twisted up from the back spasms). I finally decided to put myself in run-jail for a few days to let things settle down. My plan, at this point, is to run on Tuesday.
The truth is I haven't done any training since Thursday. Yesterday was the celebration of life for Andrea (my daughter) and we had a lot of family and friends visiting with associated activities. It was a good celebration, with over 200 friends and family members showing up to eat ice-cream and remember the wonderful things she did during her short life. The truth was, with all the emotion, I didn't have the strength to this probably isn't good news for my performance at Victoria 70.3, but the celebration was the highest priority. My A-race is IM Canada, and it's out far enough I don't think it will be significantly effected by a four day break.
You have an awful lot on your mind Scott, and you really deserved that life celebration for you daughter. But if it's any motivation at all, it appears that 2019 will be the last full Ironman at Whistler so make it count.
Comments
Thanks for all the help leading up to IM Boulder. I doubt I could have finished without your advice!
I will probably do a couple 70.3's, and some shorter local races, for the remainder of the year. I'll let you know when I decide what I'm doing. Should I do that here, or do we still use the Season Plan feature of the web site?
BTW, my wife and I are planning to be in Kona this year to spectate. Mariah suggested I do the Ho‘ala IRONMAN Training Swim. If you have any other suggestions, of would like my help with club stuff (Sherpa-ing club members?), let me know.
I hope your recovery is going well. You can just tell me here when you’re ready to put in a few more races, but I do recommend a couple weeks off.
Yes to the training swim for sure. I also recommend volunteering to be at the finish line as that is pretty awesome as well. Other than that, there’s a lot of events going on that you want to be a part of but don’t require early action. Such as the underpants run. Will be great to see you out there!
I'm racing a sprint triathlon on June 30. I'm mainly there to support our local tri-club (they're the organizers) so I have no expectations. I'll treat it as a B-race or C-race.
Boulder is the first full IM that I've completed, so I'm not exactly sure how I'll feel on June 30.
I'm currently on week 1 of the Post-Ironman Transition Plan and this race would be at the end of week 3. My plan was to just stay in the Post-Ironman transition plan with the only modifications being to skip the week 3 Friday swim and make the Sunday run an easy 15-minute Z1 run. Sound reasonable?
I enjoyed following my teammates at Lake Placid. It helped perk my motivation a bit!
My plan for the rest of the summer is to do a series of four local Olympic triathlons - Aug 4, Aug 12, Aug 25, and Sept 9. My goal is to have fun and, hopefully, build up my speed. (For the first month after IM Boulder I felt like I was riding and running in molasses.) I'm currently using the HIM plan, with a couple modification:
1. I've replaced the Saturday long ride with the 2017 GF Int ride (lots of threshold and VO2max work), and
2. I'm keeping my runs below 45min (knee pain if I go longer).
Does this sound reasonable? Should I just go to the GF plan, or perhaps a short course plan?
I'm tentatively planning to do the Indian Wells 70.3 on December 9th.
@Coach Patrick
It's been a bad week. I fell while lifting my daughter out of her wheel chair and injured both my left shoulder and my left knee (my daughter was unhurt). I think my knee is just a muscle strain but I fear my shoulder has some more significant soft tissue damage. I've had an x-ray so I know there is no broken bone. I have a referral to see an orthopedic shoulder specialist but it isn't until October 8 (trying to find another option).
In any case, I won't be swimming for a couple weeks at best, and I doubt I'll be able to run for a week or so. I tried running yesterday and the knee told me "NO" after less than a mile. I'll try riding my bike on the trainer this evening. Hopefully I can keep a basic level of fitness on the trainer. I can also walk, so I guess I'll be doing a lot of that.
This was supposed to be my first week in the HIM plan for 70.3 Indian Wells. Now I'm re-evaluating whether I should even do Indian Wells. Perhaps I should just recover from these injuries and focus on the out season. Thoughts?
I'm looking forward to spectating at the IM WC in Kona. Kelli and I will be there Oct 9 - 16. Does the team have some sort of get-together in Kona?
Update to Friday's message - my shoulder pain is improving faster than I thought it would. I have nearly full motion with little pain, but there is a disturbing "thunk/grind" whenever I raise my arm above my head. I'm planing to ease back into swimming later this week. We'll see how that goes.
@Scott Imlay - I think we have a lot in common when it comes to age, fragility, running issues and the like. You will want a minimum of 8 weeks of solid training to perform at Indian Wells 70.3. That means you have until Oct 15 to see if your shoulder and knee are up to the training. If not, then you really aren't ready for a fall outseason start either. So if you can't do the 70.3, you might consider resting up for a Jan OS start.
I fell off my bike a week before Ironman Norway and landed hard on my right shoulder. Although I was able to complete the swim, it's taken a full 3 months for my shoulder to feel right. We do not heal fast at this age! I've been to PT in the past for problems with both my right and left shoulder. My lesson learned from those episodes is that I need to do year round preventative work on my shoulders using elastic bands and small weights (aka 2-5 lbs) to keep my shoulders healthy. You might have to shorten your arm extension for awhile until your shoulder lets you reach out without any thunking or grinding. Indian Wells will be cold and wetsuit legal so you won't have to expend a lot of energy on the swim.
Same issue with your knee (BTW, I'm glad your daughter was not hurt!) You've got 3 weeks before you have to make the GO/NO-GO call so ease back to the running and stay conservative ... especially this week.
I don't know the answer to your question about a Kona get together but send a PM to Mariah Bridges and she should be able to let you know. Have fun on your Hawaii vacation.
Thanks @Paul Hough !
I like your advice - October 15 is the GO/NO-GO. Of course, I'll have just finished spectating in Kona so I'll have to consciously damping my enthusiasm!
I certainly don't heal as quickly as I did when I was young! Triathlon training these days seems to be as much about managing the inevitable niggles and minor injuries as it is about doing the workouts. I don't remember it being that way when I was a runner in my 20's and 30's.
I have some elastic-band PT exercises from when I had tendinitis in my right (the other) shoulder, so I'll try lightly doing those exercises tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks @Paul Hough ... keeps us posted @Scott Imlay
Congratulations on your stellar performance in Kona @Coach Patrick!
I'm not going to the Indian Wells 70.3 in December. My shoulder and knee are healing OK, and I could probably have managed it physically, but my daughter is still in the hospital (2 1/2 weeks at this point) and I don't have the time or emotional energy to invest in training for a 70.3 at this point.
I'll do the November OS and plan on a spring or early-summer 70.3 (St. George? or Victoria?).
Thank you so much! We missed having you there but obviously totally understand. I think your plan is perfect. November out season with a run durability focus so we can continue building miles safely and get you back on track. No reason you can’t move right into an early season race given what you were able to get done this year. The key thing obviously will be managing to stay healthy. Please let me know if you need any more specifics or if you like to talk.
Hey Coach,
It looks like I'm coming to the end of the Nov Outseason. Kelli and I go on a 10-day vacation starting Feb 8, so I need a plan for the next two weeks. In truth, I missed most of the workouts during the last 3 weeks while sitting in hospice with Andrea, so I'm thinking of repeating weeks 12 and 13 of the OS. During the vacation I'll do the standard run-every-day plan. Any thoughts?
I'm not yet sure what my A-race will be this year. I was going to focus on short-course and 70.3's this year so I'd have more time with Andrea, but that changes with her passing. I need some big event to focus on, so I'll probably do an IRONMAN or Ultramarathon. Once the dust settles I'll let you know.
@Scott Imlay yes to repeating weeks 12 and 13 of the out season. It’s important that we wrap up this winter work and put a nice bow on it, and those two weeks should help.
Since your run volume has been fairly low, you can run daily but I wouldn’t have any right to go longer than 4 miles. In fact, you might want to alternate a 4 mile run day with a 2 mile run day during your trip so you have time to absorb the work and stay healthy.
When you come back, we can return to a focus on the bike as we sort out what the next best race is for you. Feel free to set up a call with me here for when you return: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min
@Coach Patrick I've signed up for a phone conversation on Thursday. I'd like to talk about long-term triathlon plans and race plans this year.
So far I've only registered for Victoria 70.3 (June 2) and three local triathlons in early July (sprint), mid-August (Olympic), and mid-September (unbranded 70.3). I'm hoping of doing an Ironman this year (still negotiating with Kelli). Perhaps IM Canada (close), IM Chattanooga (team event) or IM Cozumel (looks cool).
I've loaded the 2019 Half bike-focused plan (currently starting on Week 8) with a finish date of June 2 (Victoria).
are at...in the meantime, 703 plan to VIC it is!!!
~ Coach P
Hey Coach,
I signed up for IM Canada this morning, so it's official! 😀
New bike course has almost 8000' of altitude gain. 🤨
Looks cool!
@Scott Imlay That’s fantastic! I think you are really going to enjoy the challenge. Yes, the new course is totally legit. We cannot avoid looking into your bike gearing and making sure that’s appropriate for the race itself. After you complete a race any other race on the planet will seem easier… At least on the bike! 😂
@Coach Patrick I have an 11-speed Shimano 105 with a 50-34 crankset and an 11-32 cassette. I switched to the 11-32 cassette (from an 11-28 cassette) after I trained on the IM Canada course in 2016.
@Scott Imlay PERFECT. I was a bit worried...sometimes folks don't check until it's too late! 😱
Here are your races:
Here's what I recommend:
This gets you training in the Half "mode" and then we can use it to transition into the Full plan for the remainder of your year.
Let me know what you think and if you want help implementing the unique weeks into
@Coach Patrick one question. I've currently loaded the EN Half Bike Focused to end on 6/2 (Victoria). I'm currently on Week 9 (just started Final Race Prep phase). You suggested having it end on 6/30 (CdA) which would move me back to week 5. Is the goal to get me back out of the Final Race prep phase?
In any case, loading the EN Full on 5/6 sounds like a good idea. Do you think I should switch to Run Focused from Bike Focused?
@Scott Imlay I wasn't sure how far along you were WRT training after the OS transition. If you are good, keep that rolling and you can sort out the "between race" period with me...deal?
I'm dealing with back spasms @Coach Patrick. They started Wednesday morning and haven't improved. I can barely walk, much less run or ride a bike. I'm seeing a chiropractor this morning so hopefully I'll be back in the saddle (shoes, swimming pool) by sometime next week. I suspect I'll have to build back slowely to avoid reinjury.
When I went through this last April (seeing a pattern here) you suggested I dial back to the L1 workouts for a while. Any other suggestions?
@Scott Imlay - Coach P is tied up running the EN camp over in Mallorca so I'm going to jump in for him. I've known a number of people with back issues and it can be debilitating. Ask your chiropractor and/or doctor if you can do water running until your able to walk/run/ride again. If the pain only comes on when you are bearing weight then water running can keep your muscles activated. It can be mind numbingly boring, but it is effective. I know a lady here in Tampa that just won the World Master's F60-64 800 meter indoor track title having only done water running the two months prior due to an injury. Also, as your back improves there are other options that can move your legs without impact ... like elliptical trainers. If you attempt either of these, I would suggest using the cardinal rule of running injuries ... i.e., if your back loosens up as you continue to exercise then all is good. But if your back is getting tighter as you continue then STOP. Best of luck with your recovery!!
Thanks @Paul Hough! The Chiropractor said I could swim this weekend if there was no pain, so I imagine water running would be OK if there was no pain. I've never tried water running, and have only witnessed one person doing it. I found something in the wiki about a 9-week deep water running plan that gives some information on technique. There was also a forum thread with a fair amount of information in 2016. It looks like I'd have to get a buoyancy belt or vest. Have you tried it? Do you know of any other resources?
@Scott Imlay - I used to do it regularly for 10 mins in the deep end at the end of a swim. If you do not use a vest, it makes a much harder workout. There's lots of stuff on the internet on how to apply it, but if you are going to be out there awhile then some waterproof ear tunes are a must so you don't pass out from boredom and drown. It will be a great test of your mental fitness!
https://www.verywellfit.com/tips-for-deep-water-running-2911362
Just loaded the run-focused IM Full for IM Canada.
My recovery from back spasms has been slow. I've run several times since but the last three times got progressively shorter. Not back, but right ankle and left knee problems (probably related to being twisted up from the back spasms). I finally decided to put myself in run-jail for a few days to let things settle down. My plan, at this point, is to run on Tuesday.
The truth is I haven't done any training since Thursday. Yesterday was the celebration of life for Andrea (my daughter) and we had a lot of family and friends visiting with associated activities. It was a good celebration, with over 200 friends and family members showing up to eat ice-cream and remember the wonderful things she did during her short life. The truth was, with all the emotion, I didn't have the strength to this probably isn't good news for my performance at Victoria 70.3, but the celebration was the highest priority. My A-race is IM Canada, and it's out far enough I don't think it will be significantly effected by a four day break.
No real question, just an update.
You have an awful lot on your mind Scott, and you really deserved that life celebration for you daughter. But if it's any motivation at all, it appears that 2019 will be the last full Ironman at Whistler so make it count.