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2016 IM Canada Week 16- Rest/Run/Swim up a storm!
Week 16 Rest/Run Focus/ Swim up a storm!
Hey ya’ll!! How did the weekend go? I loved reading about your plans and seeing some more posts in the forum!! KEEP IT UP!!!So this week has a few pretty important notes.
Mandatory for Camp Week Completers! You must rest to consolidate the work you have done. If you did NOT complete camp week, you may do the workouts listed beginning on MONDAY.
It also is a Run Focus Week! If possible, aim for 6 to 10 miles more than your "typical" week by either inserting another run day or adding a small amount to every run you do. BUT this is entirely optional, it simply plays into the coaches separate build / taper approach for managing fitness by discipline across your Race Prep phase.
This week you will also have another 4200 yard swim (which will be seen in the following weeks as well). These can be used as Swim Race Rehearsals. Here are a few notes about that…..
Anything that takes your mind off of your form is counter productive
Your primary pacing tool is counting your strokes allows you to focus on technique and you will be in a pace where you can maintain
Set yourself up for the artificiality of the chaos the swim start will have on race day — rather than warm up (since you most likely won’t have that on race day) dive in and swim faster to replicate how it will be on race day then drop into your race pace- however pay attention that you aren’t dropping into a pace that is slower than your goal race pace
You will never be able to fully replicate the “washing machine effect” like race day but work on your mental focus for that effect. Focus on your legs and try not to kick too much.
Only swim as fast as your ability to maintain form.
Practice siting : 50 meter pool site 2x per 50
25 meter pool site 1x per 25
OWS use judgement
Only site with your eyes so you don’t drop no chin out of the water
** Alternative **
You COULD just do this--- Train like you Race
Keep crushing it Canada Crew!!!!-- so proud of you all
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I did the second long bike today. I wanted to avoid the highway as much as possible so I did the Callaghan climb to the gate six times. A total of 87 miles and 8100' of climbing in 6 hours, at 0.63 IF. One more bear sighting as well.
A few other notes on the course
Today - full on IM training. Up early for 2 hours on the trainer with Spinervals #43, Aerobic Engine Builder ... pretty much a Z3 workout. Tonight - jog over to the pool for 1500 yards quick swim, then finish running 5 miles total with 4 x 3 mins.
I did a split long run today, including the Lost Lake part of the run course. It had a few small hills but no worse than Victoria. The path is much wider than Victoria's, mostly paved but there are a couple of miles of dirt/gravel. Tomorrow is off for me, then back to normal training on Thursday.
Have a good vacation, Doug!
Up early for 3500 SCY followed by 1 hour trainer ride with the "SHIT" - Spinervals 34, Super High Intensity Training. I used everything I had to make those intervals and am downright exhausted. Taper for Saturday starts now. Can't wait to get on the plane this afternoon and just sit.
paul. racing where in the pnw ? let me know if you pass by Tacoma. what is scy ?
doug where in Hawaii ? for neck/back problems I have adjusted my bike fit this year - widened arm rests and made the fit a bit less aggressive.
mike. bike course descriptions - sounds about right.
some race thoughts ::: practice banging out a 1.5 hour aerobar session - pemberton flats. consider shoe actual shoe laces - need shoe security on the irregular gravel path part. practice running the downhills - good chance to get speed without increasing heart rate - careful on the gravel downhills though.
I am headed to Kauai today for a 5 day break, though i am headed there with 3 kids and my wife's foot looks like a pumpkin after a bee sting. I have heard the biking options there are poor, other than mountain biking, so I am going to run/swim like mad. Besides, the bike is kicking up the neck (Robin - I already decided to go a little less aero, esp for this course. I would like to go back for IMAZ later this year though) and it is in the shop getting race tune up. I might do a mountain bike thing for fun, or cycle up Waimea canyon, which I have heard it the only nice ride there basically, and tough.
Training has been on point though. I will move my long run to this weekend, and plan on early morning runs and afternoon swims over the break. I will do the long run in the afternoon so I can feel some heat/humidity to maintain solidarity with our Florida contingent, and just in case Robin is right and IMC gets hot.
Mike- thanks for the recon info.
In my long run today I covered the run course from the village out to Green Lake. It's all paved, except 75 yards or so on a wooden bridge. Heading out to Green Lake you're running among condos and the a golf course. Once out there you're along the lake, then in the woods, then between the lake and highway. There are a few gradual hills with maybe 30-50' gain but otherwise it's pretty flat. The path is about 8' wide and will have two-way traffic on race day so it could be congested until the half ends around 5:30.
Doug, good luck with the training in Hawaii. When I've run there in the past I had to slow way down (maybe 1 min/mile) due to the heat and humidity. If you do some ocean swims, watch the rip currents! If you get out for some snorkeling, I highly recommend Tunnels, Ke'e, and Poipu Beach Park (get there early for parking at Tunnels or Ke'e). I think your assessment of the bike options is right. I remember most of the roads being narrow without much of a shoulder so I would stay away. Waimea may be better (and it has some fantastic views) but I'd still be careful.
Robin, agreed on good shoes for the gravel. I usually am pretty aggressive running downhill but I started to get a big hamstring cramp when I tried that in Victoria, so I may hold back a little. One area where running off the bike may be different from open running races.
The trade yesterday, shopping, pool, bloody mary landing... well, I dropped a day yesterday, but will be better for it. It is hot and humid at 72 degrees at 6am. I am pre-hydrating before a 2 hour run. Yikes. Memories of IMCDA'15 returning....
I have heard about tunnels - we are going to go early tomorrow - good thing about Kauai and the 3hr time difference, we wake up at 430am ready to go, should be able to beat out the locals.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007DLVLCK/
Friday - easy 5K run in the morning, built my bike and rode 21 miles with 3583 feet climbing. It was pretty hilly, not sure it was that much, but such is what the Garmin reads. It's a two loop course, so turn is only 6.5 miles from start, but 10 degrees colder from elevation. Had a vest on, but it was flapping too much on the descent so I'll just freeze tomorrow instead. Going with arm warmers, gloves, sleeved suit, and toe covers. Warm going up, cold coming down, repeat.
I got my long run in today, 14 miles in 2 hours. Hot and humid, but truly fun to see the ocean vistas, and the breeze was nice, not to mention soaking in pool then a trip to Hanalea bay. Ate like a olympic swimmer the rest of the day. My swim got cancelled due to sharks seen in the bay, so will try again tomorrow. The water looks perfect for a swim, I found out they have a 3K swim race here in July which looks like fun.
I got in the long ride and run today. I was tired but did 5 hours at IM target NP. I started with some hills, then a long flatter stretch where I could stay aero to mimic the Pemberton flats.
Paul, I hope the race went well. Duathlon nationals seems to draw some really fast runners.
I also swam 2000 LCM in the afternoon, but didn't have a lot of pop in the effort.
Sunday morning - about to hit the hotel exercise room for 45 mins weights, then a slow 2 mile jog before driving to Portland.
everyone sounds like they are having a good and varied time. Paul to Penticon !
don't tell anyone, don't want to jinx - having my best build in years.
did a 5.5 hour Kickr bike this week. np just a bit over race goal. one more long long bike next weekend, again with the race goal time of 5.5 hours. try to push the np 5-10 watts over race goal.
anyone use a Kickr ? my Quarq power generally agrees pretty well with it. but to be sure, I have switched to the mode where the Quarq output drives the Erg mode. So I going by full Quarq output inside and out.
last long long run today. 19.5 miles. 16 miler next weekend at quickish pace.
I will be staring a relative taper sooner then our plans. two weeks after a killer bike weekend is not enough for me.
Thurs long run on TM. The weather is amazing here in Salem OR, but I have 2 young daughters (you may meet them in Whistler!) and have a hard time leaving them for that long. Was hitting zones great and thought I could add some time as Rx by the plan, but only got 5 min over. Better than nothing.
Friday was very fatigued and new the long weekend was ahead. Stepped out the door and just started putting one foot in front of the other. It was slow, but got the workout in.
Sat am: skipped the swim and went straight to the bike. 100mi finished with light elevation and strong winds. Added 8 watts to my avg from RR last week. Finished at 2pm went straight to church where I am the music leader, went home at 5, then drove to the lake for a swim. I swam competitively in college so have some advantages there. Wanted to do two laps of 1.2 miles, but my wedding ring fell of around 800 yds in!! After flailing up and down in the deep, murky water, I gave up and finished the lap, drove home.
Didn't eat anything on drive home. Wanted to get the run in. After 2 miles I wanted to knock on a neighbor's door and ask for food. I found a wild apple tree with half ripe fruit. I inhaled a couple apples and made my way home.
Tough day. Many lessons learned.
Today's 3hr bike went perfect. Had to ride to a city 25 miles away to meet my daughter. Took a round about route and arrived after 2.5hrs. Needing 30' , I took off on an unknown road called mistletoe. Rounded a corner and saw a hill that went straight up. I laughed and said WTH. Sure was fun coming down.
Run was perfect race pace.
Fueling is key for me. Still experimenting. I believe I have the right plan, just seeing if I can keep down more. Up to 30oz/hr on the bike, 2 rice balls (rice, peanut butter, honey, banana, base salt. Bite size balls wrapped in non stick foul.) and one gu gel/hr.
Hit the water Saturday got 1000y in 20 minutes in Hanalei Bay (technically St Regis beach), but I think I must have gone out at low tide (?) as I found myself pretty well buttressed in by coral/rocks. I hit the coral with my hand twice, and stopped. Don't want to hurt the coral. I found another spot I am planning to try out today a bit east of the hotel. The swim I did get in felt solid though. Mike R's swim thread is paying dividends. Later I did 45 minutes on one of the spin class type stationary bikes. Even with a view of the pool/ocean and Metallica I could not do it. So uncomfortable. I need Robin's talents. Intervals at max resistance x 5 minutes instead of a 5 hour ride = not a fair exchange, but something. I followed that with a solid 1 hour run with strides. Heat was present but not a factor this second time around.
Yesterday I threw out the training plan and took the family on a 6 mile hike from Ke'e beach to the Na Pali coast. Wife put at least a 25lbs pack on me with gatorade/water/food/crap, which made for a solid hike. The views are crazy good from this natural stair master. At the turn around point my 4 year old asked for and received a bail out, so the 2mile hike back included her 40lbs on top of the back pack. Not sure how many TSS that is, but I was cooked at the end of it!
Robin= I have been using the same first gen cyclops fluid now for 5 years. Maybe I will upgrade for this winter. You happy with your Kickr?
Paul= amazing work in Bend. Congrats.
If you don't mind a wheel-on trainer, the Tacx Vortex Smart is a good deal. You can get it for $325-$350 from Europe (starbike.com, bike-discount.de), and it has a lot of the new features like erg mode (set the power you want and it will hold that power).
For direct drive, then the Kickr or Tacx Neo is the way to go. Neo is quieter but more expensive.
There is also a new one on Kickstarter called the STAC Zero. It uses magnets for resistance (no contact with the bike) so is totally silent other than your drive train sounds. DCRainmaker just reviewed the prototype and was very positive. Pre-orders are going for ~$350 with a power meter, ~$310 without.