I appreciate the help with the transition back - change is good!!
I still can’t access my Micro thread, or log into the main dashboard despite clearing cash, cookies and rebooting my computer. I keep getting a redirect error?
I want to dive into the power meter thread, and get that ordered, and up and running to keep hope alive for IMLP. 💪
It looks like Firefox is the secret sauce for me. I am able to access my micro thread, and will cross check the other feature of the site.
Do I need to be concerned that the tab when I am logged in says Dashboard Demo?
Ortho update - the bone is healing well. I need to give my toe another two weeks to heal otherwise I risk peroneal tendonitis. Ortho has every confidence that if IMLP happens that I will finish.
My neighbor has an inground pool, and rumor is he is opening on the 25th, so there is a chance I can start swimming again and pool running. As this point, I will pay the tab to open the pool. 🙂
My foot is too swollen (which is normal) to go into a bike cleat, so we have taken off the clip, and I am cycling in the foot boot, and clipped in on the left.
I have had the most success biking 5-6x a week, and combining yoga and weights. Walking for 20-30 minutes has been okay.
@Elizabeth Hornak Firefox for the win! 😂 We'll get this browswer thing nailed soon. Chrome changed the way it handles some security functions and it has caused a bit of a hiccup. Don't be concerned about the dashboard demo. Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along. 😁Thanks for adapting. (Hence your tag line!)
Love the secret pool hookup. We hope your swelling goes down in your foot, I'm glad that you found a way to manage it. Keep sending the updates.
Broken toe is on the mend. Looking to restart running next Wednesday. That should put me in the safe zone to avoid peroneal tendonitis.
Swelling is better, and I was able to get back into the cleat on my Tuesday ride.
I've been off from working out the past few days. I am working with Joe Hippensteel, who is a master kinesiologist to unwrap the rest of the hamstring / glute / piriformis stickiness. He has me a on an intensive stretching program until next Tuesday, which aligns with the return to run from the toe break.
My neighbor is most likely opening his pool next week (landscaping people where at his place this week), and I told his wife I would pay a gym membership to swim....either that or a few cases of wine. 😜 All of my pool toys are in my locker at work - trying to see if I can get into the building to get them.
Trying to stay positive, but am feeling that IMLP will end up IMCHOO.
@Elizabeth Hornak Great to hear that your foot is on the mend, you are back into a cycling shoe with a cleat, and that you found a good kinesiologist! 👊 I have found that so helpful and such a time saver. When you find a expert that can really dial in the stretches and exercises that apply to your troublespots. Gold! Pool trade for wine. Whatever it takes. "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" You will be one of the few ready to swim at IMLP. You are heading in the right direction, if IMLP become IM CHOO that just gives you more time to get your run back to where you want it. What are your goals for next week?
So, I went back to running yesterday, beginning with 5' walk, progressing to 10' run (sloooow), ending with 5' walk. Toe is still swollen, but pain is not inhibiting. I plan to use the above sequence Wednesday and Sunday, then gradually progressing on run time.
I am back on the bike today, and am looking at schedule to add back weight training.
I need to keep stretching and do yoga (above Joe is recommending 4 hours of stretching a day, which I don't have so I am looking at ways to get sequences done, and still work and have a life).
I agree, if LP becomes CHOO it is a win for me.
It is still super cold here in Rochester, NY, so I don't think it is a smart move to plunge myself into a warm-ish pool when it is 30 or 40 degrees outside. Next week, temperatures are soaring (I use that loosely) into the 60's, and I will reach out to my neighbors for a pool reservation.
My dog and their dog are chums, so I don't see much of an issue with swimming. If I bring wine or a cocktail, that should solidify the deal. 😜
@Elizabeth Hornak Beth, always good to hear from you! What a stubborn toe! 😂 Who who have thought it would take so long too heal. Your walk / run plan is spot on. I feel like this is a key time for you to read your body (toe) and be flexible with that plan. If is continues to be swollen, back off a bit and modify your progression. 4 hours of stretching - yeah, you really need to spread that out over the day 😄. Yes, to bike and weight training - both will help you maintain or build strength without the load bearing "cost" of running. Good call on waiting on the warm-ish pool water is a good idea! When it get to legit warm pool water - maybe the first swim will be a test of the wetsuit! Drop us another update next week or whenever you think of it. Talk to you soon. 😀
First, I took great comfort in Coach's zoom meeting tonight. As I've said in the groupme channel, I just wish IM would pull the chute so that we can get on with out lives.
As I am re-integrating what feels like everything, I am just going to take the build gradually so as not to stress my body or joints. And, I agree with @Steve boer, LP is not going to happen, so why stress about it?
That said, as I look at my plan, I am not sure how to follow it given where I am. Five hours on the bike? Not even close, double run days, not for at least 4-5 weeks. So, the question is, is there another plan that I can load (OS?) that is run / bike focused? The pool will be weather dependent (it snowed here yesterday), and the weather is basically going between cold and rain to warm-ish and sunny. I feel like my dry land training is pretty solid, so if I have to wait another week or so to get back into the water, I am not going to worry. I've been a swimmer for over 40 years, so I am good.
@Elizabeth Hornak - so great to see you at the meeting, and I'm glad that you found something in there that was worthwhile. I really feel for athletes, like you, who are really stuck in limbo at this time. To be honest, even if Lake Placid were to happen I would not recommend that you go there. As a friend, not as a professional. I do not see the upside and I do not believe the event would be anything like what we have come to expect.
Degree in that you have made good consistent progress this year. Especially given all of the challenges that we have faced on a society level, do you have done an admirable job. The question is, where do we go from here. We need to plan that's going to continue to move forward but give you the room to grow at a pace that feels right.
Given your current training load, I would recommend that you transition to her and get faster plan. These are generally shorter workouts with a bit more intensity. This would allow you to retain most of the volume you have now with only a slight increase on hopefully warmer weekends.
The increased intensity would also keep you on a growth pattern. My only concern would be making sure that you don't do the runs at a high level of intensity, replacing the zone for work with upper zone two or zone three temple work as you are able. Here is a screenshot of a week so you can see it for yourself.
Candidly, I just had a "moment" when I read your response.
Go ahead and make the plan change, and we will roll from there. That will take a lot of pressure off for sure.
One person in my network who is an MD and specializes in pulmonary medicine does not feel at this point that any large scale sporting events will happen for the rest of the year.....sigh......a friend who is a PA is surprised that IM has not cancelled.
There is always another year and another IM. The house we booked last year has extended the cancellation deadline until June 24th, which should be close to the time the official notification comes out. Big picture, given that I deferred from last year, I would get some comfort knowing what my options will be, or if I will be out the $750. 😔
@Elizabeth Hornak That was a very tough decision. I know it was hard for Coach Patrick to write. Taking a "moment" just shows how much you are invested in your goal and how much it means to you. 👊We are honored to help you continue to progress as an athlete. There is still plenty we can do to build on you fitness gains, learn more about fueling, execution, and mindset.
I made the changes to your Final Surge starting the new plan next week. We also modified the workouts for this weekend to transition what you have been doing to the new plan. The Get Faster plan is a great opportunity for consistency (weekday workouts are generally 1 hour or less) and a progressively longer weekend bike with some structure. There are 2x swim workouts a week, so as soon as you can tolerate that water temp in your neighbor's pool. It's game on!
@matt limbert Thank you for your kind words. I've been an EN member for 7 or 8 years now, sometimes in MM depending on my injury status🤪, and I know that @Coach Patrick doesn't take conversations like this lightly.
Plan looks solid and very manageable.
The temperature of Canandaigua Lake is about 49 or 50 depending on where the temperature was taken, so another 10+ degrees I will make the commute to the lake. We have kayaks, and my girls are certified lifeguards so they can spot me, and save me if necessary. ;)
The positive news from NYS is that the Finger Lakes, about 40' from me have met the Governor's 7/7 criteria to reopen. There is a YMCA in the village of Canandaigua (ironically not far from the lake), and I am checking to see if they are on the cusp of reopening. If so, I will check into a 3 month pass. My JCC is desperately looking at ways to re-open. As a furloughed employee, I know I will be amongst the first to know when we are back open.
I will reach out to my neighbor and find out what his vibe is. I have an angle on another pool, but at 10 or 15 yards across, I don't know if it is worth the schlepp or the time invested in doing a workout. My pool toys are stuck at the JCC, but my husband was able to bring his pull buoy home from his office. If absolutely necessary, I can order a kick board, and my other pull toys for a second set.
I know we briefly chatted about a power meter, but at this point, I can't justify the financial investment no matter how cool it would be, until I have a sense of what is going for the race calendar.
@Elizabeth Hornak Total bummer. 😢 But, a bit easier because you were prepared for it and wasn't totally unexpected. Now that it is a reality we can move forward definitively. Let's stick with the current plan. With these shorter workouts, you will be able to build some consistency and with only a slight increase on hopefully warmer weekends. The increased intensity would also keep you on a growth pattern. Remember, we are looking for frequency in running now and its okay to keep the runs easy and low intensity. This will develop your durability and give us the option to increase the volume or intensity following this block. We haven't seen the options from Lake Placid yet so lets focus finding a mental space and mindset where you are enjoying the workouts and finding some of the fun in you fitness. As something to consider, Coach Patrick is working with Al Truscott and some other team members to coordinate a virtual event at the end of August. 2 mile swim (or other activity) / 80 mile bike / 18-20 mile run. They are still working out the distances, some folks will go shorter - here is the forum post for more of the details. It will be a cool way to stay connected to the and share your experience with the rest of the team. All of us are looking for an "event." Let us know what you think.
@matt limbert Yup - I most likely was grasping at a race that won't be there when I posted. 🙃
Now, I can move on with my life, which is all good. Roof over my head, food in the pantry, wine in the wine cellar, cute puppy, and my daughter is still graduating from high school.
Plan makes sense, and I will slowly build back up to the 2:00++ rides. By the end of this week, I will be close to run / walking 3 miles a day ~ YAY!
My neighbor's pool is open, and I got in for a 26:00 swim on Saturday. It was glorious! Going forward, I am going to use Monday as recovery for stretching / a yoga practice. My swims will be weather dependent, pool toy free and straight yardage,. Fingers crossed that Rochester has seen the last of the snow until October / November.
I clicked into the forum discussion about EN VR-COVID19 style - I hope there is a NY cell.
............and with that the season is a wrap without even getting started. :(
That shared, I will continue with the plan that is loaded, but candidly, for the short term, I don't see building quickly to 2:30 hours on the weekend.
Given everything I've been through in the last year - my mom, injury, etc., (after my mom's death, I had such high hopes for 2020), I think dialing back a bit would be a good thing.
As I signed up as a relay with my daughter, Emma, we are giving serious thought to Atlantic City. I have access to three pools, and a lake, so swim training is not an issue. I would just need to ramp up the bike a little more, thus superseding my above post about dialing training back.
I did load the Intermediate sprint plan to keep myself low stress and busy.
@Elizabeth Hornak The intermediate sprint plan is perfect. Use it to build a few weeks of consistency and get some of your mojo back. By mid-July you might have a better feeling on where you are at physically and mentally for your next race. That timeline would give you 60 days to get your bike up to the 2.5 hr -3.5 hr mark. If you do it as a relay we can shift the focus of your plan a bit too.
So, LP has tentatively been rescheduled for 8/30. If it moves forward, I am going to do it. 10 weeks out, which plan to load so I can get in at least one race rehearsal.
I have other personal goals for 2021, and just don't want to drag it out another year. If the race is cancelled, then that is a conversation for another day.
I loaded the Full Bike Focused plan. There is a bit of jump in training volume and time here. It's totally doable but we need to really manage your run volume. You have averaged 6-9 or 60'-120' of running per week for the last 4 weeks. We will need to get you closer to 3.5' hours. We will need to be smart about this for the next 4-6 weeks. Definitely check the duration and do the level 1 workouts. During the first 4 weeks we want frequency, durability, and TRP (easy) pacing. I moved the intervals to later in the training block. We want to slowly increasing the run volume. I also moved the long challenge ride the July 4rth weekend. That ride is intended to be a long easy aerobic ride. How long would you be comfortable riding right now? You will get another few chances to do this ride so this will set a benchmark for later in the training block.
Our dialogue will be really important to dial in these first few weeks. We would rather be a bit conservative early. Please take a look at the run volume and the long ride on the July 4rth weekend and let us know what you think.
@matt limbert WOW! Thank you so much for hopping on so late on a Friday night. 🙏
One of my favorite lines is "I've done more with less."
So, the bottom line is, I get to work - micromanaging my whole life until IM pulls the plug, or gives it a go. The sad upside is I am still furloughed from my job, which gives me a lot of flexibility. I do have other work responsibilities, but not having to "go" to work creates pockets of opportunity.
I am still in PT for my hamstring (and progressing very well). Right now, I am having success at running 3x a week. I can slide in a fourth run as a pool run if necessary to build more run strength (I can capture my pool toys and flotation belt from my gym locker after they open on July 6. Let me know the safe range to increase run time. Right now, I am at 3.5 miles a day. I know that sounds low, but if you chat with Coach P, he can tell you that when I trained for LOU, my knee was a hot wreck and a half, and by doing the long run days on the elliptical and in the pool, I ran (with the exception of walking the aid station and first mile) that marathon. I banked the race rehearsal, and ran 16 miles, knowing if I had to walk the last 10, I could do so. All that said, this time will be different.
I feel that bike is low training stress, so I am not worried about the five hour ride on 7/4. What I do need guidance on is gearing. I live by *some* hills, and until I can find LP appropriate hills to ride, I feel that I need to focus less on speed and more on big gears (and when approximately to ride in them) to simulate LP course (which I will most likely not be able to course preview).
The split run on 7/2, I feel doing 50' on the road, and 1:15 in the pool is the safest best, unless I make the 1:15 into a walk / run type of workout.
Two of my neighbors have offered up an all access pass their pools - one is about 10 yards, and the other 5-7-ish. I am going to block the sets into time rather than distance. I know I do a 200 in about 3:25-3:30. I live about 40' from Canandaigua Lake, and if possible (weather and kayak support dependent) I would like to OWS once a week or bi-weekly.
@Elizabeth Hornak I love your attitude! 👊 Fist bump! You are so smart. Yes, 3x week running + pool run. Yes, the pool run as the split run is a great idea too! Let's start with 15-20' increase per week, spread out entire week. Using the ellipitical and pool running again (RE: LOU) is spot on. Your swimming options are a great place to start - if you do the tethered swimming you can go for a shorter duration for those intervals. Here is good video for some ideas, pay attention to his guidance on interval length and intensity while using the tether.
What is your gearing now? Front chainring combination? Rear cassette?
I like how you are thinking. Remember, we want to start a bit conservative. Let's rack up 2-3 weeks of solid training and then figure out where we can safely take it up a knotch. You have done it before and have a really good sense of what is right for you.
@matt limbert Well, that was fun for a week. 😂Now that IM has officially pulled the plug, I am Ironman-less in Rochester.
So, where does that leave me for a training plan? Back to sprint? Stay fit, have fun, low training stress? I think the DIY tri is equal opportunity in terms of distance, and my feeling is if I *don't have to hammer distances, I can focus on rebuilding to be smarter, better, and stronger for '21.
When IM reset for 8/30, I decided not to drink wine for 10 weeks, and now the upside is I can head down to the wine store and find a solid Brunello to say RIP Ironman 2020.
@Elizabeth Hornak Great to hear from you. That was just cruel, what IM did with that letter just a few days ago. It's like the Charlie Brown and Lucy football thing. I mean come on really?! Anyway. A fine Brunello is perfect. 🍾🍷
I like your idea of the DIY tri. We have 9-ish weeks. The distance is long and bit on the challenging side based on your current volume. You are always up for a challenge anyway! 😄 There are about 50 people already signed up. You already in the GroupMe. The mojo will only get better. You don't have to hammer the distances, and we like how you are thinking in the long term of how it fits into your larger 2020 to 2021 transition.
How do you feel about doing the last first 7 weeks of the HIM bike focused plan and then last 2 weeks for the taper into the DIY TRI. Afterwards, we can do a week of unstructured training and then do a bike bike specificity block to enjoy some fall riding. Maybe even plan for a monster ride to cap it off! After that you can talk with Coach Patrick and set up a Run Durability block (your hamstring will be coming around by then), followed by a OutSeason.
You can modify the HIM bike focused block further by doing the level 1 runs. Ignore the intervals and just run TRP or strides and maybe shorten the long runs. This will still give you the structure for swim, bike intervals, and longer bike rides. Plus you are smart enough to manage your run volume and balance it out it with some water running. Hmmmmm???🙄
I loaded this option into Final Surge, take a look and let me know what you think
I had a PT appointment on Monday, and he recommended heading back to a sprint plan, and dumping the time that would be allocated to volume training into my PT protocols and weight training. He feels in the context of IM 2021, it would be better for my body.
Once IM was cancelled, I accelerated some of 2021 plans (primarily yoga teacher training) to this year, to make way for training space for next year.
I will do the best I can keeping up. Things have kicked into high gear for me, and I can't guarantee being able to double when it is written into the plan. Right now, I think 2 bikes, 2 swims and 3 runs is about all I can absorb.
Just as a heads up, I am still on furlough. I thought I was going back to work 7/6, but, my employer, the Jewish Community Center is still closed. The pandemic assistance is scheduled to end at the end of July, and then I will only have unemployment. 😔Obviously this has all it has had an impact on the budget. I will let you know as we get closer to August if I have to go back to maintenance mode until I am back at work at a level at which I can carry long range extra curricular activities.
@Elizabeth Hornak 2x bike, 2x swim, and 3x run sounds like a great balance. Sorry to hear about your furlough. I'm sure the JCC would like to get back to helping folks out. Chat with Brenda before the end of the month - she may be able to give you some additional options. Use the red chat button that pops up when you logon to the Dashboard. That is the best way to get a hold of her. I love your tagline. 😀It is so appropriate right now - Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome! Talk to you soon.
Comments
Thank you for the Vimeo welcome back! So cool!
I appreciate the help with the transition back - change is good!!
I still can’t access my Micro thread, or log into the main dashboard despite clearing cash, cookies and rebooting my computer. I keep getting a redirect error?
I want to dive into the power meter thread, and get that ordered, and up and running to keep hope alive for IMLP. 💪
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak Thanks for the note. Happy to help. Did you subscribe to your thread?
Here is a good place to start for power meter discussion. https://endurancenation.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/comment/274826#Comment_274826
Matt, and Patrick.
It looks like Firefox is the secret sauce for me. I am able to access my micro thread, and will cross check the other feature of the site.
Do I need to be concerned that the tab when I am logged in says Dashboard Demo?
Ortho update - the bone is healing well. I need to give my toe another two weeks to heal otherwise I risk peroneal tendonitis. Ortho has every confidence that if IMLP happens that I will finish.
My neighbor has an inground pool, and rumor is he is opening on the 25th, so there is a chance I can start swimming again and pool running. As this point, I will pay the tab to open the pool. 🙂
My foot is too swollen (which is normal) to go into a bike cleat, so we have taken off the clip, and I am cycling in the foot boot, and clipped in on the left.
I have had the most success biking 5-6x a week, and combining yoga and weights. Walking for 20-30 minutes has been okay.
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak Firefox for the win! 😂 We'll get this browswer thing nailed soon. Chrome changed the way it handles some security functions and it has caused a bit of a hiccup. Don't be concerned about the dashboard demo. Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along. 😁Thanks for adapting. (Hence your tag line!)
Love the secret pool hookup. We hope your swelling goes down in your foot, I'm glad that you found a way to manage it. Keep sending the updates.
Friday morning update - 5/1/20
Broken toe is on the mend. Looking to restart running next Wednesday. That should put me in the safe zone to avoid peroneal tendonitis.
Swelling is better, and I was able to get back into the cleat on my Tuesday ride.
I've been off from working out the past few days. I am working with Joe Hippensteel, who is a master kinesiologist to unwrap the rest of the hamstring / glute / piriformis stickiness. He has me a on an intensive stretching program until next Tuesday, which aligns with the return to run from the toe break.
My neighbor is most likely opening his pool next week (landscaping people where at his place this week), and I told his wife I would pay a gym membership to swim....either that or a few cases of wine. 😜 All of my pool toys are in my locker at work - trying to see if I can get into the building to get them.
Trying to stay positive, but am feeling that IMLP will end up IMCHOO.
Cheers,
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak Great to hear that your foot is on the mend, you are back into a cycling shoe with a cleat, and that you found a good kinesiologist! 👊 I have found that so helpful and such a time saver. When you find a expert that can really dial in the stretches and exercises that apply to your troublespots. Gold! Pool trade for wine. Whatever it takes. "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" You will be one of the few ready to swim at IMLP. You are heading in the right direction, if IMLP become IM CHOO that just gives you more time to get your run back to where you want it. What are your goals for next week?
Hi, Matt and Coach P!
So, I went back to running yesterday, beginning with 5' walk, progressing to 10' run (sloooow), ending with 5' walk. Toe is still swollen, but pain is not inhibiting. I plan to use the above sequence Wednesday and Sunday, then gradually progressing on run time.
I am back on the bike today, and am looking at schedule to add back weight training.
I need to keep stretching and do yoga (above Joe is recommending 4 hours of stretching a day, which I don't have so I am looking at ways to get sequences done, and still work and have a life).
I agree, if LP becomes CHOO it is a win for me.
It is still super cold here in Rochester, NY, so I don't think it is a smart move to plunge myself into a warm-ish pool when it is 30 or 40 degrees outside. Next week, temperatures are soaring (I use that loosely) into the 60's, and I will reach out to my neighbors for a pool reservation.
My dog and their dog are chums, so I don't see much of an issue with swimming. If I bring wine or a cocktail, that should solidify the deal. 😜
@Elizabeth Hornak Beth, always good to hear from you! What a stubborn toe! 😂 Who who have thought it would take so long too heal. Your walk / run plan is spot on. I feel like this is a key time for you to read your body (toe) and be flexible with that plan. If is continues to be swollen, back off a bit and modify your progression. 4 hours of stretching - yeah, you really need to spread that out over the day 😄. Yes, to bike and weight training - both will help you maintain or build strength without the load bearing "cost" of running. Good call on waiting on the warm-ish pool water is a good idea! When it get to legit warm pool water - maybe the first swim will be a test of the wetsuit! Drop us another update next week or whenever you think of it. Talk to you soon. 😀
Hello!
First, I took great comfort in Coach's zoom meeting tonight. As I've said in the groupme channel, I just wish IM would pull the chute so that we can get on with out lives.
As I am re-integrating what feels like everything, I am just going to take the build gradually so as not to stress my body or joints. And, I agree with @Steve boer, LP is not going to happen, so why stress about it?
That said, as I look at my plan, I am not sure how to follow it given where I am. Five hours on the bike? Not even close, double run days, not for at least 4-5 weeks. So, the question is, is there another plan that I can load (OS?) that is run / bike focused? The pool will be weather dependent (it snowed here yesterday), and the weather is basically going between cold and rain to warm-ish and sunny. I feel like my dry land training is pretty solid, so if I have to wait another week or so to get back into the water, I am not going to worry. I've been a swimmer for over 40 years, so I am good.
I hope this makes sense. 🙃
~Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak - so great to see you at the meeting, and I'm glad that you found something in there that was worthwhile. I really feel for athletes, like you, who are really stuck in limbo at this time. To be honest, even if Lake Placid were to happen I would not recommend that you go there. As a friend, not as a professional. I do not see the upside and I do not believe the event would be anything like what we have come to expect.
Degree in that you have made good consistent progress this year. Especially given all of the challenges that we have faced on a society level, do you have done an admirable job. The question is, where do we go from here. We need to plan that's going to continue to move forward but give you the room to grow at a pace that feels right.
Given your current training load, I would recommend that you transition to her and get faster plan. These are generally shorter workouts with a bit more intensity. This would allow you to retain most of the volume you have now with only a slight increase on hopefully warmer weekends.
The increased intensity would also keep you on a growth pattern. My only concern would be making sure that you don't do the runs at a high level of intensity, replacing the zone for work with upper zone two or zone three temple work as you are able. Here is a screenshot of a week so you can see it for yourself.
https://us.v-cdn.net/6029573/uploads/506/Screen Shot 2020-05-14 at 12.30.38 PM.pngIf you think that will work for you, let us know and we can load it into your account!
~ Coach P
@matt limbert Keeping you in the loop a on this
@Coach Patrick
Candidly, I just had a "moment" when I read your response.
Go ahead and make the plan change, and we will roll from there. That will take a lot of pressure off for sure.
One person in my network who is an MD and specializes in pulmonary medicine does not feel at this point that any large scale sporting events will happen for the rest of the year.....sigh......a friend who is a PA is surprised that IM has not cancelled.
There is always another year and another IM. The house we booked last year has extended the cancellation deadline until June 24th, which should be close to the time the official notification comes out. Big picture, given that I deferred from last year, I would get some comfort knowing what my options will be, or if I will be out the $750. 😔
~Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak That was a very tough decision. I know it was hard for Coach Patrick to write. Taking a "moment" just shows how much you are invested in your goal and how much it means to you. 👊We are honored to help you continue to progress as an athlete. There is still plenty we can do to build on you fitness gains, learn more about fueling, execution, and mindset.
I made the changes to your Final Surge starting the new plan next week. We also modified the workouts for this weekend to transition what you have been doing to the new plan. The Get Faster plan is a great opportunity for consistency (weekday workouts are generally 1 hour or less) and a progressively longer weekend bike with some structure. There are 2x swim workouts a week, so as soon as you can tolerate that water temp in your neighbor's pool. It's game on!
Let us know what you think.
@matt limbert Thank you for your kind words. I've been an EN member for 7 or 8 years now, sometimes in MM depending on my injury status🤪, and I know that @Coach Patrick doesn't take conversations like this lightly.
Plan looks solid and very manageable.
The temperature of Canandaigua Lake is about 49 or 50 depending on where the temperature was taken, so another 10+ degrees I will make the commute to the lake. We have kayaks, and my girls are certified lifeguards so they can spot me, and save me if necessary. ;)
The positive news from NYS is that the Finger Lakes, about 40' from me have met the Governor's 7/7 criteria to reopen. There is a YMCA in the village of Canandaigua (ironically not far from the lake), and I am checking to see if they are on the cusp of reopening. If so, I will check into a 3 month pass. My JCC is desperately looking at ways to re-open. As a furloughed employee, I know I will be amongst the first to know when we are back open.
I will reach out to my neighbor and find out what his vibe is. I have an angle on another pool, but at 10 or 15 yards across, I don't know if it is worth the schlepp or the time invested in doing a workout. My pool toys are stuck at the JCC, but my husband was able to bring his pull buoy home from his office. If absolutely necessary, I can order a kick board, and my other pull toys for a second set.
I know we briefly chatted about a power meter, but at this point, I can't justify the financial investment no matter how cool it would be, until I have a sense of what is going for the race calendar.
Cheers,
Beth
So, now that LP is officially cancelled, continue with current plan, or assume LP is September, and flip back?
Sadly feeling adrift in Rochester, NY,
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak Total bummer. 😢 But, a bit easier because you were prepared for it and wasn't totally unexpected. Now that it is a reality we can move forward definitively. Let's stick with the current plan. With these shorter workouts, you will be able to build some consistency and with only a slight increase on hopefully warmer weekends. The increased intensity would also keep you on a growth pattern. Remember, we are looking for frequency in running now and its okay to keep the runs easy and low intensity. This will develop your durability and give us the option to increase the volume or intensity following this block. We haven't seen the options from Lake Placid yet so lets focus finding a mental space and mindset where you are enjoying the workouts and finding some of the fun in you fitness. As something to consider, Coach Patrick is working with Al Truscott and some other team members to coordinate a virtual event at the end of August. 2 mile swim (or other activity) / 80 mile bike / 18-20 mile run. They are still working out the distances, some folks will go shorter - here is the forum post for more of the details. It will be a cool way to stay connected to the and share your experience with the rest of the team. All of us are looking for an "event." Let us know what you think.
@matt limbert Yup - I most likely was grasping at a race that won't be there when I posted. 🙃
Now, I can move on with my life, which is all good. Roof over my head, food in the pantry, wine in the wine cellar, cute puppy, and my daughter is still graduating from high school.
Plan makes sense, and I will slowly build back up to the 2:00++ rides. By the end of this week, I will be close to run / walking 3 miles a day ~ YAY!
My neighbor's pool is open, and I got in for a 26:00 swim on Saturday. It was glorious! Going forward, I am going to use Monday as recovery for stretching / a yoga practice. My swims will be weather dependent, pool toy free and straight yardage,. Fingers crossed that Rochester has seen the last of the snow until October / November.
I clicked into the forum discussion about EN VR-COVID19 style - I hope there is a NY cell.
@Coach Patrick and @matt limbert
............and with that the season is a wrap without even getting started. :(
That shared, I will continue with the plan that is loaded, but candidly, for the short term, I don't see building quickly to 2:30 hours on the weekend.
Given everything I've been through in the last year - my mom, injury, etc., (after my mom's death, I had such high hopes for 2020), I think dialing back a bit would be a good thing.
@Coach Patrick and @matt limbert
Options for Musselman are out.
As I signed up as a relay with my daughter, Emma, we are giving serious thought to Atlantic City. I have access to three pools, and a lake, so swim training is not an issue. I would just need to ramp up the bike a little more, thus superseding my above post about dialing training back.
I did load the Intermediate sprint plan to keep myself low stress and busy.
Let me know your thoughts.
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak The intermediate sprint plan is perfect. Use it to build a few weeks of consistency and get some of your mojo back. By mid-July you might have a better feeling on where you are at physically and mentally for your next race. That timeline would give you 60 days to get your bike up to the 2.5 hr -3.5 hr mark. If you do it as a relay we can shift the focus of your plan a bit too.
@matt limbert
So, LP has tentatively been rescheduled for 8/30. If it moves forward, I am going to do it. 10 weeks out, which plan to load so I can get in at least one race rehearsal.
I have other personal goals for 2021, and just don't want to drag it out another year. If the race is cancelled, then that is a conversation for another day.
@beth hornak Let's do this!
I loaded the Full Bike Focused plan. There is a bit of jump in training volume and time here. It's totally doable but we need to really manage your run volume. You have averaged 6-9 or 60'-120' of running per week for the last 4 weeks. We will need to get you closer to 3.5' hours. We will need to be smart about this for the next 4-6 weeks. Definitely check the duration and do the level 1 workouts. During the first 4 weeks we want frequency, durability, and TRP (easy) pacing. I moved the intervals to later in the training block. We want to slowly increasing the run volume. I also moved the long challenge ride the July 4rth weekend. That ride is intended to be a long easy aerobic ride. How long would you be comfortable riding right now? You will get another few chances to do this ride so this will set a benchmark for later in the training block.
Our dialogue will be really important to dial in these first few weeks. We would rather be a bit conservative early. Please take a look at the run volume and the long ride on the July 4rth weekend and let us know what you think.
@matt limbert WOW! Thank you so much for hopping on so late on a Friday night. 🙏
One of my favorite lines is "I've done more with less."
So, the bottom line is, I get to work - micromanaging my whole life until IM pulls the plug, or gives it a go. The sad upside is I am still furloughed from my job, which gives me a lot of flexibility. I do have other work responsibilities, but not having to "go" to work creates pockets of opportunity.
I am still in PT for my hamstring (and progressing very well). Right now, I am having success at running 3x a week. I can slide in a fourth run as a pool run if necessary to build more run strength (I can capture my pool toys and flotation belt from my gym locker after they open on July 6. Let me know the safe range to increase run time. Right now, I am at 3.5 miles a day. I know that sounds low, but if you chat with Coach P, he can tell you that when I trained for LOU, my knee was a hot wreck and a half, and by doing the long run days on the elliptical and in the pool, I ran (with the exception of walking the aid station and first mile) that marathon. I banked the race rehearsal, and ran 16 miles, knowing if I had to walk the last 10, I could do so. All that said, this time will be different.
I feel that bike is low training stress, so I am not worried about the five hour ride on 7/4. What I do need guidance on is gearing. I live by *some* hills, and until I can find LP appropriate hills to ride, I feel that I need to focus less on speed and more on big gears (and when approximately to ride in them) to simulate LP course (which I will most likely not be able to course preview).
The split run on 7/2, I feel doing 50' on the road, and 1:15 in the pool is the safest best, unless I make the 1:15 into a walk / run type of workout.
Two of my neighbors have offered up an all access pass their pools - one is about 10 yards, and the other 5-7-ish. I am going to block the sets into time rather than distance. I know I do a 200 in about 3:25-3:30. I live about 40' from Canandaigua Lake, and if possible (weather and kayak support dependent) I would like to OWS once a week or bi-weekly.
Let me know your thoughts,
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak I love your attitude! 👊 Fist bump! You are so smart. Yes, 3x week running + pool run. Yes, the pool run as the split run is a great idea too! Let's start with 15-20' increase per week, spread out entire week. Using the ellipitical and pool running again (RE: LOU) is spot on. Your swimming options are a great place to start - if you do the tethered swimming you can go for a shorter duration for those intervals. Here is good video for some ideas, pay attention to his guidance on interval length and intensity while using the tether.
What is your gearing now? Front chainring combination? Rear cassette?
I like how you are thinking. Remember, we want to start a bit conservative. Let's rack up 2-3 weeks of solid training and then figure out where we can safely take it up a knotch. You have done it before and have a really good sense of what is right for you.
@matt limbert Well, that was fun for a week. 😂Now that IM has officially pulled the plug, I am Ironman-less in Rochester.
So, where does that leave me for a training plan? Back to sprint? Stay fit, have fun, low training stress? I think the DIY tri is equal opportunity in terms of distance, and my feeling is if I *don't have to hammer distances, I can focus on rebuilding to be smarter, better, and stronger for '21.
When IM reset for 8/30, I decided not to drink wine for 10 weeks, and now the upside is I can head down to the wine store and find a solid Brunello to say RIP Ironman 2020.
Let me know your thoughts on training plan.
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak Great to hear from you. That was just cruel, what IM did with that letter just a few days ago. It's like the Charlie Brown and Lucy football thing. I mean come on really?! Anyway. A fine Brunello is perfect. 🍾🍷
I like your idea of the DIY tri. We have 9-ish weeks. The distance is long and bit on the challenging side based on your current volume. You are always up for a challenge anyway! 😄 There are about 50 people already signed up. You already in the GroupMe. The mojo will only get better. You don't have to hammer the distances, and we like how you are thinking in the long term of how it fits into your larger 2020 to 2021 transition.
How do you feel about doing the last first 7 weeks of the HIM bike focused plan and then last 2 weeks for the taper into the DIY TRI. Afterwards, we can do a week of unstructured training and then do a bike bike specificity block to enjoy some fall riding. Maybe even plan for a monster ride to cap it off! After that you can talk with Coach Patrick and set up a Run Durability block (your hamstring will be coming around by then), followed by a OutSeason.
You can modify the HIM bike focused block further by doing the level 1 runs. Ignore the intervals and just run TRP or strides and maybe shorten the long runs. This will still give you the structure for swim, bike intervals, and longer bike rides. Plus you are smart enough to manage your run volume and balance it out it with some water running. Hmmmmm???🙄
I loaded this option into Final Surge, take a look and let me know what you think
@matt limbert
I had a PT appointment on Monday, and he recommended heading back to a sprint plan, and dumping the time that would be allocated to volume training into my PT protocols and weight training. He feels in the context of IM 2021, it would be better for my body.
Once IM was cancelled, I accelerated some of 2021 plans (primarily yoga teacher training) to this year, to make way for training space for next year.
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak Sounds like a good long term plan. Hornak 2.0! The Olympic Plan is all set in your Final Surge account!
Hi, Matt.
Thank you! :)
I will do the best I can keeping up. Things have kicked into high gear for me, and I can't guarantee being able to double when it is written into the plan. Right now, I think 2 bikes, 2 swims and 3 runs is about all I can absorb.
Just as a heads up, I am still on furlough. I thought I was going back to work 7/6, but, my employer, the Jewish Community Center is still closed. The pandemic assistance is scheduled to end at the end of July, and then I will only have unemployment. 😔Obviously this has all it has had an impact on the budget. I will let you know as we get closer to August if I have to go back to maintenance mode until I am back at work at a level at which I can carry long range extra curricular activities.
Best,
Beth
@Elizabeth Hornak 2x bike, 2x swim, and 3x run sounds like a great balance. Sorry to hear about your furlough. I'm sure the JCC would like to get back to helping folks out. Chat with Brenda before the end of the month - she may be able to give you some additional options. Use the red chat button that pops up when you logon to the Dashboard. That is the best way to get a hold of her. I love your tagline. 😀It is so appropriate right now - Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome! Talk to you soon.
Hi, Matt.
A very belated response. Thank you for pinging Brenda. She's already reached out. #sograteful. :)
Still waiting on the JCC, but am beginning to look at new opportunities....sigh..... improvise, adapt and overcome for sure.
Beth