Kona, Week 17... (plus Video)

Coach Patrick

Lots to think about as you head into the final month of prep. This is a big week for you, but you still need to balance the work you want to do with the work that is going to help you achieve your race day goals -- they aren't always one and the same!  Happy running...enjoy the video when you can! 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsgdufdKeSE

Dave Tallo

Really great stuff in here. Nice work.

Coach Patrick

Dave, thanks man! Can't wait to see you out there on the Big Island!

Mark Maurer

Thanks Coach P, good information for a Kona virgin like me. I've never done two IMs in a year before, much less 7 weeks apart. It will be interesting to see how my body responds. I had a good week of training last week in NC, but I was on vacation and mostly just training and resting. (Closest thing to being a pro that I've ever been.) Being back at work and getting ready for my daughter's birthday and visit and catching up on household chores has been a rude awakening this week.

Coach Rich

This week through wk19 I'm (1) catching up on missed homework and (2) trying to shoehorn as much as I can into my travel to IMChat next week. Planning to run pretty much every day through wk19 to miracle some durability in my legs. I'm also swimming as much as I can this week and next because highly doubtful I'll be able to swim at all in Chattanooga.

And like I'm sure many of you have been doing, I'm fleshing out my plan for race day, practicing mental rehearsals, setting goals and targets, etc

[Deleted User]

I sat in the sauna today for 20 mins. What's a good amount of time to be hanging out in the sauna before heading to Kona? Boy did I sweat!!

Jennifer Eckert

I've been doing that too! I try for 20 min after a long swim. Supposed to be 100 today in Sacramento. That will help!??

Dave Tallo

Carol ... The protocol I've been following is for the two weeks pre-arrival, I hit the sauna as

-30 mins per session immediately following a workout (and while the hr is still elevated),

-4x a week.

-drinking lots of water. Usually a 2l pop bottle of cold water, or more. 

Then, I go on to real acclimatization via training and living in the heat for 14d while in Hawaii.  

I believe the pre-arrival stuff has been shown to elevate blood plasma volume, but I think the sweating (and excessive drinking that the sweating requires), and getting used to being 'uncomfortable' in the heat are the bonuses that might be even more useful.  Think of it as "training to train."  Maybe better put as "acclimatizing to acclimatize." 

.

JeremyBehler

No sauna time here.  Would be nice but just don't know where the time would come from.   I'm already skimping on sleep more than I'd like getting 6-6.5hrs per night.  I'm hopeful a full week in Kona prior to the race will yield some benefits.   Likely doing my RR this weekend on the trainer due to weather but will be a benefit from a heat training standpoint.

I can't wait for this weekend to pass and officially enter taper mode.   I reached the point last week where accumulated fatigue from training hits hard.   I'm feeling good and strong, but definitely ready to be done.    I gotta hand it to you animals that do multiple IMs in a year   Two IMs in back-to-back years has been difficult.