Coach Rich's ~July Training Update

Coach Rich

If you haven't already, please see my last training update here, for the complete backstory, etc. 

Quick Summary:

IMLP Plans: I'm 100% certain I'm only doing the swim and bike at LP. No need/no interest in doing any of the run, see my running notes below. That said, friggin' Dino has been talking smack for a couple weeks now basically shaming me into putting up the fastest bike split in M45-49 at LP. So that's my goal. I just wish I had my WI'15 w/kg and fitness so I could put up a tasty bike split with a true TT effort. That said, my goal is to absolutely destroy myself and be at the Lake Placid Brewery with an Ubu Ale no later than 1:30p on Sunday, 7/24. Gotta have a goal... 

Swim: I've been swimming, but not as frequently or as long as I would like or need to. I have a significant mental barrier with swimming longer than about 45-50', which nets me ~3200-3500y/m. Lots of kinda-hard 100's and 50's with volume on either side of those. I went to Belmont Shores in Long Beach yesterday to swim open water and I could really feel the lack of true swim volume. So I'm gonna do my best to hit 4k per day until I get on the plane to IMLP. 

Bike: is coming along, per usual. I'd put my FTP at about 275w right now vs ~295-300w for IMWI'15. Weight is 166lb vs 152lb race weight and it's the w/kg difference that's really bothering me. But my FTP and w/kg progression is on the Kona vs LP timely. Today I did a sorta TT effort (actually, > RR but < TT) for 112 to see where I'm at. 4:58 on my usual course without any aero whizbangery. I may have put up 4:48-50 a couple times last summer on a similar course. Oh well, Kona vs LP timeline. 

And, in the "when am I gonna learn" column, my weight loss perfectly tracks how diligent I am about logging, as you clearly see in my graph on MyFitnessPal what happens when I do/do not log my diet vs exercise. 

Run: this week will be 4 x ~4.8 mile runs. Things with my right leg are improving while I'm learning, in parallel, how to manage the leg. 400mg of ibuprophen about 30' before run start and ice afterwards lets me run with pain at about a 4/10 and pain free all day. I also went for a hilly 5mi hike on Thursday and will definitely make that a 1-2x/wk exercise. 

My long term plan is to run 4x/wk, probably as 3 x 5mi and then veerrryyy gradually dial up one run to around 8-10mi if the leg can handle it. Then 2x hilly hikes per week. I think ^this^ plus getting back down to 152-153lb in time for Kona should have me able to run/walk about 9-9:15 pace for the Kona marathon. 

Notes re long term, do cool shit column:

• I'm soooo wiggin' for a solo moto/camping 4-5 day walkabout when I finish Kona. Point the KTM north/northwest and explore the Sierras in the fall.
• Deep into a planning a bank heist so I can buy myself a very nice mtn bike in the fall/winter. I'm beyond over the road riding in my area. Want to use fitness + bike + van to get out and explore more. Bikepacking looks fun and one of moto-buddies is really into it so I'm going to hit him up for resources.  
• Very excited about the move of IMBoulder from August to June. June is perfect timing for me and that's looking like my comeback race for '18 when I turn 50. 
• Looking at a string of fun cycling stuff next spring, early summer, to include an Everest attempt in my backyard, Mulholland Challenge, crushing a KOM for a organized century in San Luis Obispo that I accidentally got (ie, ride the tri vs road bike and actually pay attention to what I'm dong this time ) BRP, ToC, Al's CO camp, and maybe see what it takes to get a Leadville slot. 
• Around all of this I want to pick up hiking and backpacking. The general theme I'm seeing with my head is that I'm wayyyy burned out traditional training in roads in my area. I really need to get out out out there with my fitness in '17 if I'm going to be able to be all-in in '18. 

Thanks for reading!

Jennifer Eckert

Boy, I felt like you were echoing my feelings about training on the roads in my area. That coupled with open water swimming only has me ready for IMMT to be here already! I have the cool mtn bike already and want to do more of that here in Idaho along with great hiking!!! I tell myself...6 more weeks...you can do it! Keep the faith!

Elizabeth Hornak

always appreciate reading your update. You keep it real and remind us to do so as well.

Mark Maurer

Thanks for the update Rich. While I don't wish any athlete injury and the consequential struggles, it's good to see how someone else is handling that. After hiking around in New Zealand for a couple of weeks this spring I decided that I want to do more. Then my wife showed me an announcement about the Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon where the last 6 miles of the marathon have a 4000' elevation gain. Registration opens next Sunday so assuming I get in I'll have a major reason to incorporate trail hiking into my training. My dog will love it.

Al Truscott

Rich - I totally get that after 15-20 years of banging our heads against the Ironman/140.6 immovable object, it is good to have a long range plan that includes fitness, fun, and maybe a little less biking and running.

Here's a thought...Olympic distance triathlon rewards the superior swimmer much more than 140.6 or 70.3, given the relative time in water vs on wheels. Short, intense bike training, runs of 10k-10 mi max, and water sessions hitting 45 minutes all work well. Sounds perfect for keeping Coach Rich fit, with less saddle time and less risk of running breakdowns. USAT and ITU nat'l and international races can be fun - big race hype and vibe like IMs, but without the all day slog. If you *must* go long, the "long-distance" is HIM to qualify for a 4.5K/120K/30K race. 

Paul Hough

Thx for the update. I enjoy reading about other folks goals and changes in motivation. Also interesting to hear where you are and what you need to do to get where you want to be in Oct. Good luck.

Coach Rich

Al, great point, I hadn't thought about Olympic distance racing. That would be the perfect distance given where I see my run being for the foreseeable future.



Also, planning to get a dog after Kona to replace Riley. I really miss the doode around the house, especially now that I'm coming home after long rides to an empty house and I could use the constant running accountability.



To everyone else reading this, here is some advice from a guy who's been at this game for a long time and has seen many, many generations of triathletes begin the sport, move up in the distances, move sideways to other sports, drop back into long course triathlon, etc:

Commit yourself to living a fitness lifestyle. Being fit and doing stuff to keep you fit is just who you are, what you do. Triathlon then is merely the current expression of that commitment to a fitness lifestyle. Next season you may move up or down in the distances, or do something else altogether. But as you build your fitness for long course triathlon, don't lose sight of the fact that you're building a vehicle for doing cool stuff...which may or may not be always defined strictly as swim, bike, run.

scott dinhofer

@ Rich & Al - another way to skin this is to do more epic fun races. I realize that the Kona Carrot keeps getting further and further away for me and in fact isn't as much of a goal as I may have thought it was previoulsy. Now I am seeking out fun events that require epic fitness and the adventures I enjoy.
I did the Sea 2 Summit Tri a few weeks ago with Tim C, (1.5 mi swim, 92 mile bike, 4.7 mile hike/ climb to top of Mt Washington)
I did the Austin Rattler 100(k) MTB as a tune up for the Leadville MTB100 this summer. Again, more adventures in the CO mtns as I acclimate for a week before with hikes of 14ers & more.
in 2017 I am planning on doing the SOS Tri & seeking more adventure types of events!

thekidduxc

Coach Rich - it is you whom has inspired me to do fun things with my fitness; and to make fitness a lifestyle and a conscious choice.

Keep at it, you will figure this out.

Onward

Paul Curtin

Everyone should have a do-cool-sh!t list ... way better to focus on that than a regular sh!t list

Dogs ... yeah there's overhead for care and such ... but it's way worth it ... and for my wife Mo and me ... two is better than one

Coach Rich

I've had dogs for 20+ continuous years so big hole in my house to not have a pup around.