Toughman WA - HIM RR#1 Review
HIM RR #1 –
This will be my second HIM, as last year’s bike accident wiped out any racing I was planning. This year’s NOS and the training that followed it has been an exercise in perseverance. 12 ½ weeks into the OS, I was put out of commission for a month by a strained SI joint. I was at a Vdot of 54 and an FTP of 275.
In Late March I developed a metatarsal stress fracture. After 7 weeks of ½ milage and three weeks of building my long run and weekly volumes, I am now able to add in intervals.
Due to the above injuries, and the conservative nature I have approached training, my fitness level remains unknown/untested. I’ve kept the bulk of my running in the 8:30 – 8:00 pacing range. I’ve run a 10k at a 7:41 pace, including two slow warm up miles. Yesterday’s Z5 intervals were at a 6:39 pace in the heat, and I had to keep slowing myself down at that.
I have put in a lot of work on the trainer and bike a couple hundred miles while in FL last April. In late April my FTP test was 272.
I have been following the HIM plan though late nights with the kiddos have resulted in missing 20% of the long bike wko’s and 30% of the pool wko’s. Not where I want to be, but at least I’m racing.
Onto the RR
Swim
2200 yd swim was completed on Friday afternoon, as I could not fit it in on Saturday morning. I hadn’t swum this distance recently, so I was unsure of how to pace it. I completed it in 37:18 or a 1:42/100. I pretty much sandbagged the swim, as there was plenty left in the tank.
Bike
Course: Flattish rails to trails trail with support out of my car, with each out-and-back being 15 miles.
Equipment: Full part dress: EN M2 skin suit, aero helmet, rear wheel cover. I had a torpedo between the aero bars and a second bottle on the down tube, water bottle in back to rinse off.
Nutrition hourly: 2 bottles of HEED (course offering), ½ of a Powerbar, Two salt tabs. 350-400c/hr
Pacing: .80 of 272 FTP = 216w, first 30’ at .70 or 190w
2:50 for 56 miles
NP: 204W
IF: 0.75
VI: 1.03
TSS: 160
Starting temp was cool at 48 degrees which required less fluids and more solid food to maintain calories. I skipped the first planned pit stop as I had a lot of fluid and food remaining. During my first stop at mile 27, I realized that the key I had did not unlock the door. Bummer. I finished my ride on what fluids and food I had on board. 500c consumed, which was 550 short of my plan. Peed 4x, so I was well hydrated.
My wife and kids met me with a spare key and we went to breakfast. Run was delayed two hours.
Digging into the details here, I noted that my IF and NP are lower than I had planned, but pleasantly surprised at where my VI was. Part of that is attributed to the first 30’@ .70 and some starting and stopping along the course. Of concern is that I logged 24’ above 232W and wonder how spiking those watts will affect my run.
The one equipment mistake that I made was not switching out my 12-32 cassette for the 11-23 I plan to race with. I experienced too many gaps when flattening out the course.
Run
Plan: 6 miles at an 8:30 pace. Hydrate with 4 oz HEED every mile, gel and salt tab at start and at mile 4.
Actual: By the time I started my run, the temp was almost 90 degrees, not the 65-70 when I got off of the bike. My planned 8:30 pace spiked my hr above 150, so I had to take some walk breaks to bring it down.
Mile 3 was the turnaround where I refilled with 16oz of HEED, and soaked myself with water. I just ran out the last 3 miles and let my hr fall where it may, which ended up at 164. It was definetly hard at the end, but that was more from the heat.
I am interested in the group's keen observations and recommendations so that I can implement them on RR#2 coming up in two weeks.
Comments
Sounds like you're progressing for this race a month away. It's, like, totally flat, right? On the ocean, so no heat issues, let's hope.
The advantage of basing a run off of HR is that it allows you to control your pace no matter the terrain or temperature. Instead of letting your HR rise to 164, it might've been better to keep your HR at the planned level, even if that meant slowing down from a planned faster pace. The RR is only 6 miles, right? Who knows what you could have managed, had you (a) run right after the bike and (b) gone the full 21k. Don;t let too hard an early pace on the run jeopardize the full value of your advantage there. If you;re feeling frisky after mile 10, then open up the jets.
Yes, that event will be totally flat. Even though the trail I chose is flattish, I still had 1,000 ft of elevation gain. I would be surprised if it gets above 70. There will be wind for sure.
I'm can't remember exactly what I was thinking on the second half of the run. I should have stuck with the plan and kept my hr under 150.I am a believer in HR management for sure, but a counter point - what is happening in your 'heart' is more important IMO. Your narrative leads me to believe you are most anxious to race after a long painful ordeal. So race. Let it out. Recall HR is not ultimately comparable from one to another, knowing what your personal tolerance is takes a hell of a lot of practice, and maybe >150 is feasible over 22k. Will not know unless you try.
I guess I am itching to race this season. I really enjoy the training aspect, and to be honest, racing makes me very anxious. Mostly from all of the family issues and the logistics involved with them.
Even with the two set backs, my fitness has increased over the past two years, I just don't know where that is. I have five weeks to drill this down. I have a goal finish time in mind, though the wind may impact that. I really want to nail the bike portion EN style, that is to: stay in my box, low VI, hit target watts without burning too many matches, follow nutrition and hydration plan. Basically all of the aspects required to set up a great run.
Al T. has taught me a lot regarding HR in both training and racing over the past few years. His comments are usually worth gold when implemented effectively from my experiences of racing in hot and humid conditions.
First, good looking RR1 man! Low V.I. on the bike despite the elevation changes, not easy to do. Looks like you got off the bike around 141 BPM or so and respected your NP targets.
During the run, 90 degrees is just a bitch to deal with. You noted you will not have that kind of heat on race day. Also, I noted there was no swim before the bike and run on this RR.
My plan for RR2 would be to complete the swim first, execute the bike the same, then hold that HR to low 140s for the first 3 miles of the run. From there Z2 pace or HR through mile 10. During an HIM, once I get within 3 miles, the gloves come off, I go totally RPE. I purposefully do not look at my HR/PACE. I leave it all out there and leave nothing on the table for that last 5K. If I see somebody with my AG number, we are not friends until I cross the finish line, (then we can be friends again.....)
Good luck to you Phil!
SS
Swimming before the bike is logistically tough, though possible. I will have to think on how to make that work. It will most likely require an OW swim at first light, so I can get on the course before it gets too crowded.
Thank you.