2016 IM Texas Week 17- #EN4keys
#EN4KEYS WEEK 17
YES- its true!! YOU ARE ROCKSTARS!!!
Well Texas Crew we are 4 weeks out from race week and there are 4 Keys of Racing within EN. What sets EN athletes drastically apart from other athletes is the ability to know to race. You're putting in the training and doing a fantastic job of posting your information with the team to discuss but as you wind down your training in the next couple weeks you need to put your head in a space to have the 4Keys down pat. Even if you have been with EN for awhile, there is always something to learn or something you can teach to help someone else's race experience.
Not to reinvent the wheel here is a mixture of coaches perspective and a couple other race captains:
X - Race day is about execution NOT fitness
Theme for this week is important. Start visualizing your upcoming RR2 and Race Day in terms of simply Executing your Fitness:
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.). They think of race day as the application of their fitness to the course, the distance. They are wrong. Race day is about the application of sound execution skills to a long day. Your fitness is just along for the ride. Through our observation of many, many races we can tell you that fully 90% of athletes out there do not understand this and do not know how to execute properly. For the Endurance Nation athlete then, race day is largely an exercise is doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing!
Easy to read/comprehend the above, difficult to actually apply on race day, when you feel rested, invincible with adrenaline and the best you have felt during the entire training cycle. So important to start thinking and scripting this concept now.
Good Job team.... keep chipping away, two more weeks left of fitness
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I am looking forward to getting through these next two weekends of riding. We had great weather in South East Michigan last weekend, and this coming weekend looks good as well for riding outside.
I am also noticing the 18 mile run on Thursday. Last week, I did not bring any food or water (I know duh!) and was starving the whole run (it was after work). This week, I am going to eat something small around 2:00 and take plenty of water / nutrition on the run.
Enjoy your week everyone and good luck swimming, biking and running (and eating and sleeping)!
Ironically, the upset in the routine has brought unexpected down time and reduced my stress. That's because no school = no homework, & after school activities have been canceled, lastly people are encouraged to stay home. Life is simple.
They canceled the open water swim for this Saturday and are thinking of canceling the sprint tri scheduled for April 30 as mentioned in the article above. The flood waters have gone way down and we expect some beautiful weather for the next few days. It is unfortunate this set of circumstances; however, I have confidence they will work something out. I would not be lucky enough to be able to quit training now, though my body is begging for it. I am focused on wk18 RR. With my luck they will postpone it a month and I will get to do both wk15 and wk18 RR again. (ha, ha...I am crying just thinking about it)
Honestly, I can't imagine them canceling it. Not when there is to much money involved and so many people counting on this race taking place.
The only thing that concerns me at this point is another round of rain right before the race. This last set of storms will dry up quickly, and may have helped clean out some of the watersheds of bacteria and fertilizer. We had the same thing happen last year, and the course was fine. The Woodlands itself was a swamp prior to being developed. When they developed it, they had to drain off all the water. The means for doing so are still in place and actively working. But if another round comes through right before the race, then there may be some issues with bacteria/fertilizer in the water for the swim (again, those may have been washed out by this last round). Next year's race, being a month earlier, will really have an issue with this. But I think you guys will likely be in good shape.
The big background on "why" the bike course hasn't been approved has NOTHING to do with Ironman/WTC or construction projects that are currently active. The race is being used as a bargaining chip between county officials that are trying to get other projects approved. The County commissioner here in the Woodlands doesnt want those other projects, but wants the race. And county commissioners outside the Woodlands do want those projects, and probably dont really care as much about the race. If they give in and help get the race back on track, they're hoping to get concessions on those projects from the Woodlands Commissioner. Local politics at its worst.
I've hesitated to comment on all of this with you guys because this stuff is all VERY MUCH OUTSIDE YOUR BOX! Get back in your box and stay there. Haahaa. Control the things you can, and let this stuff work itself out. Have a good weekend of training. It looks like you guys are doing awesome and it's going to be a lot of fun watching you guys cross the finish line after 140.6 miles on May 14th.
Finishing up big week for me. Took off 2 days from work to do a mini camp. Monday was a real toughie. 6hr trainer session as 2hrs at 20w under IM target, 2hrs at target and 2hrs at 20w above target. Those last 2 hrs were brutal! then back to work tues to thurs with 3 swim sessions and some shorter runs. Then friday a "metric IM". 112k bike then 26.2k run. I prefer this to EN RR. But thats just me. Easy week next week to consolidate.
couple questions:
1) there will be a coach web or call sometime before the week of right?
2) do we all get together down at the venue sometime?
thanks! Good luck on your RR week!!!
sheri
The bike course dilemma has been frustrating and I have been following it as well. Most recent news said it will be posted TOMORROW!! But I LOVE Chris' advice. This is outside your box- nothing you can control- so focus on what you can do which is keep on ROCKIN!!
@Sheri- Coaches usually do plan a webinar or call but I will confirm this with you and get back to you! And yes! There will be an organized meet up and there is a picture usually taken on race morning!! more details on this to follow in tonights post!!!