Ed Croucher's Coaches Call Micro
2017 Planning
I wanted to give a little background for my upcoming coach’s call. This is the first year since joining EN that I have not improved on my race finish times. I have maintained very good overall fitness and my body comp is unchanged. (5’10" – 155 lbs)
I started with EN in September of 2013. Since that time, I have completed four Ironman races and three ½ Iron races. I felt like this year, 2016 would be a breakthrough season. I had hoped to finish my "A" half Iron race under 5 hours and the one Ironman race I scheduled under 11 hours. Several things happened that did not allow me to accomplish those goals. For the ½ Iron race, I injured my foot a few days before the race. I swam well and rode my bike just how I wanted to set up the run. The injured foot kept me from running at the pace I was capable of and ultimately fell 10 minutes short. Due to a family health issue, I was not able to get the run or riding volume in preparing for Ironman Wisconsin. I swam pretty well and the bike went well. I did not follow the plan for the run and definitely paid for it. I am not unhappy with how the race turned out. I could have made a few adjustments and placed much higher. My only real disappointment was that I feel that course has a lot of potential. Given the conditions on race day, I feel I could have really taken advantage.
Looking forward to next year, I have registered for IMMT. I am looking forward to racing up north and hoping for race conditions like I experienced this year in Wisconsin. I want to set myself up for my best finish. I really believe I need to build my bike strength and am looking for guidance to do that. I do not have a ½ Iron race scheduled. I normally race in late June, but this year my youngest will graduate from high school. So, I will have to do some looking for a race that fits in the schedule. As IMMT is scheduled for August 20, I plan to do either the December or January OS. Leading into that, I would like to focus on the bike.
Comments
Before we start…we need to make sure that you are recovered and that you stay that way. So I recommend that you commit to a set hour of sleep each night so that you're on a good schedule. Good nutrition follows this; not perfect but good enough to be healthy.
Your window is 10/1 to 12/31 -- so you have 13 weeks to break things up. The program is basically something like this…with the left side being work and the right side being recovery. These recovery blocks are key so you don’t accumulate too much fatigue and short circuit the rest of your season.
3/1 - Phase 1
3/1 - Phase 2
4/1 - Phase 3
Phase One: Restart and Durability
Running — I think we can sort of under ability right away and lock it in so that you're not tempted to run further, or harder. So this is a daily run for Monday-Saturday. Sunday is OFF. NO RUNNING ON SUNDAY. Run distances are below.
Biking - We want to get back to work in a way you can sustain. So we start with 90% work. Three quality sessions a week on Tu (60) / Th (60) / Sa (90). Biking is on trainer, with Tu/Th the same, and Sat a bit longer and more aerobic.
1.1 - Run daily 2.0 miles // Tu+Th = 4 x 8 (2) @ 90% // Sa = Twice through 5 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
1.2 - Run daily 2.5 miles. // Tu+Th = 4 x 10 (2) @ 90% // Sa = Twice through 5 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
1.3 - Run daily 3.0 miles // Tu+Th = 3 x 12 (2) @ 90% // Sa = Twice through 5 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
1.4 - Two days off this week. Running back down to 2 miles at a time. Only one ride on the weekend, all aerobic.
Phase Two: Back to FTP and Durability Continued
Running - Durability continues…no cheating!
Biking - FTP is Back to normal, but not for long…time for 110% work.
2.1 - Run daily 3.0 miles // Tu+Th = 1 x 8’ (2) @ 95%, then 3 x 3’ (5’) @ 110% // Sa = Twice through 7 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
2.2 - Run daily 3.5 miles. // Tu+Th = 1 x 8’ (2) @ 95%, then 4 x 3’ (5’) @ 110% // Sa = Twice through 7 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
2.3 - Run daily 4.0 miles // Tu+Th = 1 x 8’ (2) @ 95%, then 3 x 4’ (6’) @ 110% // Sa = Twice through 7 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
2.4 - Two days off this week. Running back down to 3 miles at a time. Only one ride on the weekend, all aerobic.
Phase Three: The Run Durability Settles In, Work the Bike!
Running - Durability is a good number, but nothing fast!
Biking - FTP is Back to normal, but not for long…time for 110% work.
2.1 - Run daily 4.0 miles // Tu+Th = 1 x 12’ (3) @ 95%, then 4 x 3’ (5’) @ 110% // Sa = Twice through 8 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
2.2 - Run daily 4.0 miles. // Tu+Th = 1 x 8’ (2) @ 95%, then 4 x 4’ (6’) @ 110% // Sa = Twice through 8 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
2.3 - Run daily 4.5 miles // Tu+Th = 1 x 12’ (3) @ 95%, then 4 x 3’ (5’) @ 110% // Sa = Twice through 8 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
2.4 - Run daily 4.5 miles // Tu+Th = 1 x 8’ (2) @ 95%, then 4 x 4’ (6’) @ 110% // Sa = Twice through 8 x 1 (1) @ 120%, then 30’ @ Zone 1-2 easy.
Last week of this block is the run challenge…go all in…no biking here, but run it out. Ten you’ll have a few light days before the OS kicks off on 1/9/17.
Let me know what you think!
~ Patrick
Patrick, Thank you. On the rest and recovery page, I am getting good sleep nightly and eating smart. I can follow this plan.(I was going to say attack but that sounded too aggressive) I like the daily run. That will help me start the day. The volume is very manageable for an early before work run. As the run distance is short, my execution will be 1/2 mile warm-up(not part of the plan distance), one mile at Z1 and the following distance at TRP. My intent is to get most of this done on the Treadmill. This will also give me 12 hours between the run workout and the bike. I am going to start at the FTP level I had going into IMWI (254) and work at the numbers you set.
Coach, I wanted to give you an update on my progress through the pre-OutSeason plan. I am currently in week 4 of Phase one. This is the recovery week. Yesterday was a rest day. I did not run or ride but I did get to the pool. That was my first swim since IMWI and it felt like my first swim period. My pace was not horrible. I did a CSS test to establish my base. I lost 8 seconds on my threshold pace. (1:39/100 current vs 1:31/100 pre race) (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1419051827) That swim has convinced me of how important swim stroke maintenance is throughout the year. I will be adding two swim days weekly. During the 3 weeks of scheduled bike work I missed only one ride. The miss was caused by an extended work week of six days and a college visit for Avery on the seventh/Saturday. That Saturday was the missed interval ride (10 x 1') total bike time was 1:30:00. During my week 3 Saturday ride, I blew my tire during interval # 10. Rather than change the flat, I extended the run from 3 miles to 6.2 miles. (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1415857052) I based 90%(228.6W) for my mid-week bike workouts on an FTP of 254W. That was my last FTP test. I have been doing all of the intervals in the aerobars. Thursday was 3 X 12' intervals. I hit each interval (231W, 230W, & 233W) (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1413229121) Feeling confident that the bike legs are getting stronger. My running is good. I have been doing a few runs each week on the Treadmill early morning before work. The difference between my foot pod & the treadmill is noticeable. On the mill, I just run until Garmin says I hit the plan distance. When I ran outside Saturday, I felt great. My focus for that run was cadence and feel. It is so hard to get a great feel on the treadmill. That is especially true for me early in the morning.
As I look further into the plan and training for next year, I have some questions. I am going to do IM Syracuse 70.3 on June 18. If IMMT is my A race, that is week 11 of the IM plan and 8 weeks after exiting the Jan OS. During week 14, we have scheduled our family vacation. It may be a coincidence, but it is going to be in Tremblant. Please keep that in mind and offer any suggestions. Doug Johnson has reserved a camp site for the IMLP weekend(Week 16). He is planning that as a training. If this weekend works for me, I will go with him. I actually toyed with racing IMLP, but that is a very expensive training day. I am focused on performing the most effective training I can so I can be prepared for the best race performance possible.
(1) Swim stroke maintenance is key, but I don't think it's your real limiter. So I'll reserve judgement until I see a few weeks of what the plan looks like in Strava, and give feedback then!
(2) Solid on the bike there...keep rolling it. Nice to see the 3 x 12s coming up from 222 to 230, etc...just sit on it as it keeps rolling up; we adjust when the gains don't come naturally!
(3) Just keep the runs steady. F the pace, run for distance by HR....so put that HRM on already!
For vacation time, just cut OS to be Week 11, 12, 14 (Skip 13)...then a full vacation week, woohoo! Yes to training over LP race weekend. 10x more fun than actually racing...all the racers are so jealous!!!
Keep it rolling!!
~ Coach P
I am at the end of week 3 of phase 2. I have the VO2 intervals for Saturday left. RDP has been going steadily along. I may have extended a few run WKO's, but nothing big. I have not been steady with adding the swim. Work over here has been a little frantic. A bunch of early start times eliminated my before work run. Trying to add a swim on top of the run or the bike/run was too much. So, I did make it to the pool once this week where I worked on bi-lateral breathing. That is definitely a limiter and from what I am reading a big key to swimming straight. I will be at the pool today for a second shot. Over the 3 weeks I have run six days each week. The plan called for 3.0/day, 3.5/day & 4.0/day on six days of running. Week 1 total was 20.7 miles for ave 3.45 miles. Week 2 total was 21.4 miles for an ave of 3.57 miles. I also added 11 miles of walking. This week I am at 18.8 miles for ave of 4.7 miles.
I have completed each bike workout. This week I substituted a FTP test for the Tuesday WKO. I figured since the WKO planned was an FTP interval, that this would be a good WKO and let me know where I am. I was not rested, I ran and swam on Monday. I started the 5' VO2 a little low but continued to build watts throughout. For the first 3 minutes I had my cadence a little too high right at 90 rpm and only developed 274 watts. Over the next 2 minutes I dropped my cadence a little and averaged 295W. My HR for that interval was 167 bpm. On the 20' interval I was focusing on pacing. I wanted to start a little low and build throughout. I didn't achieve the levels I thought I would. However, I did pace the effort as I wanted. The first 10 minutes I held 258W. That was encouraging but the next 5 minutes were a struggle. I lost some watts during that period only averaging 253W. I was definitely in the work zone for the next 5 minutes. My HR averaged 170 bpm for the final 4 minutes. I pulled the watts back up and finished with 259W for the 20' period giving 246W for 95%. This is 8 watts off the 254W FTP I have been basing my interval goals on. Since I have been hitting those zones, I am not going to change my setting. Thursday, I pushed the 8' interval to 100% and averaged 254W. I also hit each of the longer 4' intervals above 110%.
Next week is the recovery week for the bike running down to 3.0/day. The plan says 2 days off with 1 ride Z1/Z2 only.
3' @ 281W
3' @ 285W
3' @ 289W
3' @ 280W
3' @ 280W
3' @ 282W
Ave 309W, 1.22 IF
3' @ 280W
3' @ 278W
3' @ 278W
3' @ 280W
3' @ 281W
3' @ 282W
3' @ 281W
3' @ 281W
Ave 315W, 1.24 IF
5' @ 282W
20' @ 259W
4' @ 280W
4' @ 284W
4' @ 282W
20 VO2 Intervals
Ave 313W
Great stuff here...I am pleased with how the video to work is progressing. The first Tuesday aside(because we're arrested) the rest of the living pretty close. The fact you can move from three minute for minute intervals and slightly increased the wattage is an excellent sign.
And let's not forget that the FTP work has also gone up, all while you have increased your run mileage. So far, so good!!
You have one more block of the RDP to go and I hope we continue to see the improvement.
I would encourage you not to go to the pool just yet. Yes learning how to bilaterally breeze is an important component to swimming straight. But more important that is simply developing the awareness of which where you normally go, and then incorporating a corrective measure within your current stroke cycle. For example, if you know you always drift left, then after every Second breath (eight strokes?), You take one right arm stroke your arm at 2 o'clock instead of 12 o'clock on the dial. This will help reorient you without too much effort.
Now if you happen to swim in a gigantic Swede
No matter where you go, Then it will be exciting problem. Do you have any vision issues? Do you have trouble following other swimmers who are swimming straight?
I ask these questions because finding the answers to them Will relieve you of the need to get to the pool. And in all honesty I would rather you working some functional strength training that will benefit you when you do get to the pool then have you go swimming right now. I don't know if you have a TRX system, but something like this would be super easy (in addition / to complement the work Coach Rich has outlined): http://www.triathlete.com/2015/08/training/trx-for-swimmers_120270
Please keep me posted!
~ Coach P