Rafe Armstrong Macro Thread
Hi Rafe,
This is your very own “Macro Thread” where you and I can discuss any questions you may have about the Triathlon Season Roadmap (TSR) that I created for you here. This is also a space where we can discuss any big picture, season planning, race schedule and other related issues you may have going forward.
Welcome aboard!
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Thanks for getting me all set up. I got a little ahead of myself and went ahead and loaded up the OS plan to end on 2-5 not realizing it would take out the trial week that you had placed in there for this week. I did read over it ahead of time and remember that the main idea is that I am doing the run test on Friday and the bike test on Sunday with a rest day on Saturday. So it looks like the group I am joining is currently in week 5 this week? Just wondering if I am reading this right. I am familiar with most all your terms and general ideas and I think this will be similar to what I have been doing. I am looking forward to it. Also it looks like there is not a place that I record daily workouts? Is that right? No problem as I already keep up with everything in Training Peaks and WKO4. Thanks again
Rafe
Hey Rafe,
Your Triathlon Season Roadmap is here. On 12/5 I want you to load up the OS plan to end on 3/12. This will put you in Wk 1 of the OutSeason training plan, which is a testing week.
The Trial Week we have loaded into your training plan is a general purpose, 1st week in the house training plan, with testing scheduled on the weekend so that you can begin training with our zones right away. But since you'll be starting in wk1 of the OS (again, a testing week) no need for you to do the tests this weekend.
We don't have a training log feature on the website. We decided years and years ago to not enter that space where there are already so many other options available. Lots of members maintain training logs on Strava, Trainingpeaks or both.
Thanks but I'm a little confused now. In the text of the information I read from my email link it told me to load up the OS plan to end on 2-5-17 and it had a short first week included that had me testing this Friday and Sunday. But then I looked over the spread sheet of the road map and it shows the OS going until 3-12-17 as you alluded to above. So help me out, which am I to do? 2-5 or 3-12?
Here is where I got that from, sorry to be so much trouble but I just want to get started where you want me to start
have two options for you to connect with me about your Triathlon Season Roadmap (TSR):
Implementation of your RoadMap:
This is your RoadMap -- but it's still up to you to implement it by using the resources and plans on the Endurance Nation website. More importantly, you will need to "load" these training plans up into your training plan account yourself, according the schedule laid out in your TSR and the accompany screencast.
Loading up your first training plan:
Next week I want you to load up the 2017 Advanced OutSeason/Run Durability Training Plan, setting it to end on 2/5. Here's how you'll do that:
Good luck and welcome aboard!
Coach Rich Strauss
Rafe
Great! Welcome aboard!
Also I am thinking about adding Puerto Rico 70.3 and wanted to know your thoughts. I was thinking just keep with the OS training plan and just change to weekend bike ride to extend the time and drop the intensity to the lower end of Z4 or even upper end of Z3 depending on how I feel and maybe extend the run after Sat ride and extend the Sunday overall time a little?
Wow! I didn't really expect to do what I did on the bike test this morning. I having been pushing it hard and my legs have been feeling it. And weekend before last I decided to enter a 16.5 mile trail race and the terrain ended up being much steeper than I anticipated. I did well. First in the old man division but the steep decents gave me the worse DOMS I have ever experienced. Couldn't walk right or run for 4 days. But was still able to hammer the bike in training. In fact I did a hard bike w/o after I got home from the race since I had skipped it the day before the race to prep for the race. Probably didn't rest enough after that race. This weekends bike and runs trashed my legs since they were already tired and I didn't rest yesterday having done a light 45min bike spin and swam 3000 last night so I thought about pushing the test to tomorrow but decided to get on the bike and warmup and see how I felt. Heart rate looked good in the warmup but legs felt a little flat but decided to go for it and just get it done. Previous 5min test was 323 and today managed 340 which tied my all time best from late Feb last year. That was tough. Thought I had put too much into this to do the 20min test. But after 10min of easy spinning and surging I gave it a go. Last time 20min was 272 which was also near my best from last year. This morning I knocked out 290! Each 5min block was 280,285,286,303. The last 2min was 319. Didn't know I had that in me. Kinda surprised that at my age (54) I can still show that type improvement. Sorry so long on the post. Just wanted to keep you up to date since I don't post often.
Rafe
Re your season plan: your notes are fine, assuming that PR is a very, very low priority race for you.
Coach Rich, I am copying a post I made in the DEC OS forum which tells you what you need to know. In my last post I mentioned I might do Puerto Rico 70.3 but due to some conflicts I instead entered Florida 70.3 next month just as a B/C training race. Made more improvements on my FTP during this OS than I would have expected. Your high expectations on the Heads/Tails really challenged me to get it done. Here is a copy of the other OS post that tells more:
I know I have been absent from the forums a while. I work as a physician and NEVER EVER get sick. Last time I was sick was about 20-25 years ago! Well this year we had a nasty influenza virus going around that was not covered by our flu vaccine and you guessed it. I got it! Mid February. Put me out of commission for a good 2 weeks and I have been gradually getting back on board. Finally I have had some good workouts over the past 2 weeks. I did get to do a half marathon trail race about 1 1/2 weeks ago and did well. 3rd OA and faster than I did same race last year. Got in a few good hard bike rides recently and waited and pushed my bike test until this morning. I was able to get some more watts added to the 20minute test. Initially tested at 271 before the OS then mid way tested 290 and today was able to knock out 296. Can't believe I was able to push up that high. I am gonna wait a few days and do a run test. I have already shifted over to 1/2IM training plan and started up on about week 11 I think. I am signed up for 70.3 Florida as a B/C race just to train through and also will be doing 70.3 Gulf Coast and also 70.3 Chattanooga both in May. Hope to see some of you guys there.
Congrats, that great! Yes, it's amazing how valuable hard WORK is on the bike. Nothing makes you faster more quickly than going FAST, a lot and often :-)