2016 IM Canada Week 9- IT'S OFFICIAL!

Laura Becker

Week 9-GUESS WHAT IM CANADA TEAM?
You are NOW officially in Ironman Training!
At 12 weeks out from Canada, Coach Rich and Coach Patrick have now crowned and officiated you into IM world. Most of you are coming off OutSeason, some maybe Bike Focus, Run Focus, ect.. some of you tested in the last couple weeks and now it is official. The great thing about Endurance Nation Ironman training is, you don't have to kiss your family friends and coworkers goodbye for the next 12 weeks. With effective training for the "everyday athlete" you should still have time for a life outside of compression socks and power meters!
Make sure to watch the videos, podcasts and blogs that are attached to each week of training on the website. They are located on the right side of the your training page.  CHECK THEM OUT! Maybe listen to them as you stretch, roll or recover or as you fuel up for a workout.  
SOOOO where is everyone?? Who’s doin IM Canada?? Introducing yourself- let us know where you are from? Is this your first IM? Anything you wanna share about yourself. Because  WE ARE A TEAM and we want to support each other the best we can. So now lets hear it, make some noise.... Any questions for the team?
Like my picture reminder says.... MAKE SURE TO REST! As the 5th discipline in IRONMAN training, it often gets overlooked. Remember to rest. Your body (and your family) will thank you!
Peace, Love and Sweat!
- Your trusty Race Captain, Laura
Don’t forget to post on your workouts and keep us in the loop! If you have a pic or video to post remember to use #EN4Keys! Let’s seem some SWEAT! HERE WE GO!!
#EN4Keys  

Mike Westover

I guess I'll start. I've been doing tris (and swimming freestyle) for a little under two years. Last year I moved up to a half with Lake Stevens, and this will be my first IM.

Training has gone well so far this week. I went easy on Monday after racing a duathlon Sunday, but I was able to get back to full speed faster than I expected. During Tuesday's swim I set a PR for 100m, and the total of 3400m was by far the longest I've gone (though I did grab a pull buoy for the last 500m as I felt my form deteriorating). Today I ended up combining the long run.

Paul Hough

Associate IM Whistler member here - doing IM Switzerland the same day as you guys. I was off schedule early in the week recovering from the Blue Ridge Cycling Camp last Sat-Sun. I cut back on intensity and volume through Wed but hit it hard Thursday with a 4000 LCM swim in the morning and a 6 mile run with 2 x 1 mile at old man hard pace. 1500 SCY swim this morning, 15 miles on the bike trainer with technique drills and plan to run 4miles tonight. I did a 16 mile run this past Sunday while I was in North Carolina.

I hope to break 11:30 at Zurich (my 10th IM) but it will depend on how I run. I'm getting slower every year now no matter what I do. Just a fact of life thing you have to deal with.

Douglas Sutherland

This is my third yr with EN, my second IM. Doing Victoria en route. I entered the full plan 2 weeks ago due to post IMCDA anxiety! Since CDA was such a heater, I still do not know what I can expect yet from a performance perspective, so I'm just focused on trying to be mentally prepared for every workout and watch my weight.

Fun to read about stud swimmers. I am getting the yards but it ain't pretty. Convinced we have lead in the water here...

I moved up the long bike today and netted 75mi. Dreading the ABP tomorrow??

Francis Picard

I am doing the other IM Canada (aka MT), so gonna chear you up the way !

Paul Hough

Zurich will be IM#10 for me. I hacked today's plan and pretty much turned it into a Big Training Day. Started off with the "Original Hurricane Man Rough Water Swim". This is a 2.4 mile OWS straight, pt to pt, straight down the coast at St Pete Beach. Today was my 6th time doing the race and it lived up to its billing this year. It wasn't epic, but the water was choppy, with strong breakers and continual swells further out. I stayed past the breakers but you had the swells coming in from your right the entire way resulting in lots of sighting to stay on course. The water was 74 but this is under USA Swim rules, so no wetsuits, swim skins, tri suits, etc. Textile bathing suits only below the navel and above the knee. I swam 1:13:06 for 15th of 20 in my AG. Not bad since this race attracts mostly swimmers and a few triathletes. Of the 14 in front of me, only one was unattached and the others were all USMS team affiliated. I thought it was a pretty good time given the conditions and figure I should be in sub 70 min shape with a wetsuit.

After the swim I did a quick change and jogged 3 miles. I did not make it up to Z3 on the way back...totally beat from the swim effort. Drove home, did errands, took an hour nap and put off the bike until 3pm.

For the bike, I pulled out Spinervals #45, Showdown at the Coyote Corral - a structured 4 hour Z2 workout. I got in 76 trainer miles in 4:03, but it put a mental hurt on me. Despite the late start, I was still a little zapped from the morning. Like Doug, I'm dreading tomorrow.

SAU status: all good here. I picked up a beautiful piece of handcrafted pottery in South Carolina last week and gave it to her right after I got off the bike. Plus I'm taking her to Switzerland. This is how I get my training chits!

Douglas Sutherland

Paul, I do not really understand how you get it all done man. Beast.

It became evident yesterday that a 3hr bike was not in the cards. Too much family stuff and the body was just not there. Since I have Monday off work, plan to hit the ABP then. Went for a 45 min run yesterday, hit 3-4 quality Z2 miles. However, the rest of the day I was an absolute zombie. Combination of TSS and trying to maintain a caloric deficit - very clearly my calorie math is not correct, or my inner endomorph is becoming more insistent. Either way, the night ended with a 2lbs burrito and beer.

I am going to attempt a red mist deal today, try to make up the 45 min run I missed Tuesday, and get about 12 hours sleep before tomorrow's ABP.

robin sarner

Doug perhaps just move on to next week and not do makeups. I make liberal use of days off if i can't get moving.

Outdoor 100 miler in Chehalis yyesterday. Great route. Great weather. Small local ride for some benevolent organization. First long one since last year. 234 np. Bit of work to do but status is about where i need to be.

13-14 miler today if i can get moving.

robin sarner

so this will be finish number fourteen for an Ironman.      last year at Canada my only dnf.      training going fairly well.   

I am planning on going hard.     but if there is luck problem this race, am also signed up for CDA, Idaho.  

have to get in the pool soon.     doing most training on the Vasa ergometer so far.       will so how that works out.     

heading up to Whistler this coming weekend. 

 

 

Paul Hough

The fatigue hit me bigtime today. I slept 9 hrs and felt blah anyway. Jogged 5 miles at stupid slow pace and could barely stay awake at church. I knew I had to take a nap after lunch before trying to bike. I thought I would be out 30 mins, maybe 1 hr at most, but I woke up over 2 hours later and it was 87 outside. So back on the trainer, but I only had 90 mins (got in a little quality) since I promised to take the family to see Captain America-Civil War. THAT was an outstanding movie if you like the comic movies (which I do).

Robin - I will be interested in your thoughts on the VASA after IM Canada!!