OS Bust
I suffered a pretty severe groin pull over the Christmas holiday, and lost pretty much my entire OS as it was extremely painful to bike and run for months (at the time I was about 2 months into the OS). Restarted the last 6 weeks of the OS, but at significantly less fitness, especially the running where I need to generally ease into it to prevent any knee problems. As I'm coming to the last two weeks of the OS I'm a bit discouraged that I won't be moving into the IM plan (IMWI) with the fitness I'd like (I'm almost back to where I was just before my injury).
I know I need to readjust my expectations for finishing the race, but how much I need to adjust them is a constant internal debate! Does anyone find that they are able to add some "fast" while building their "far"? Since this is my first year with EN, I have no idea what to expect. Any insight would be much appreciated!
Comments
Might be a good topic on the Chat tonight with Rich though. Maybe I'll join tonight and ask. Wanna join me?
I agree with Gina and Nemo... as a fellow injured athlete, I started OS twice myself and my running was 3 weeks behind cycling... and left earlier than I'd planned to do more HIM prep than I planned to gear up (since my fitness beginning OS wasn't where it should have been)...I ended up with 14 weeks biking, 11 weeks running - then jumped into the last 6 weeks of HIM. We'll see how well it will do me this weekend. But I'm amazed how much I did gain in OS even on the abbreviated schedule.
Sorry to hear you're in this boat - but I'm sure you DID make some gains... and are being really hard on yourself. Def talk to the coaches about where to jump back in and what realistic goals are. Don't do too much and reinjure yourself! Good luck!
The fast on top of far is really about your rate of return in the OS. Yes, the OS is pretty intense and reallly focused on speed, especially the run intervals. However, that doesn't mean that we aren't doing very similar work in the HIM and IM plans. If you look at your plan, you'll see plenty of FTP sets and lots of 80-85%/ABP (always be pushing) time.
A lot of your gains can be about how you specifically adjust to the training load. Some people really build watts in the OS, while other don't build it in the OS, but respond by being able to increase their watts once the IM/HIM training plans hit. Given that your fitness is slowly increasing, I'll bet that you'll see the gains as you get into the training plan. I find that I gain watts in different ways depending on whether I'm in the OS or the HIM/IM plans. For instance, I don't feel like I gain a lot of watts in the HIM/IM plans (maybe 5-10), but I notice that I can sit on 80-85% for a longer amount of time and even hit 90% for a while without feeling it in my legs. In the OS, my legs feel large and I get a better watt increase, but the 80-85% stuff kills me.
Stay the course with the plan, working your way back into it as your body allows. You'll be in great shape for your race.
-Keith
Getting hurt sucks. Coming back is hard. Super frustrating because you expect to be back where you were instantly. Even worse is that too much too soon just makes it worse. You will gain serious fitness during the IM plan. You will likely get back to where you were and then some. I started training with power the same week [or maybe even the week after] I started on the EN IM Plan a few seasons ago. I think my first test was 246 and ended up racing with an FTP of 311 a few months later. While some of that was learning to test there were serious gains in fitness made along the way as well. While I assume that your concerns are based on reading about how it is hard to make gains in run speed during the IM plans when you are coming back from a layoff the equation is a little different. You will be running strong by IMMOO. Work the plan, the plans work.
Going backwards in FTP and Vdot is part of the process. You can't always expect to be in top shape and as fast/strong as you ever were. It is a huge mistake to just assume that you are starting a season [or in this case coming off an injury] as strong as you were last season. It is not only unrealistic it leads to injury and disappointment.
-12wks is a little late to be changing the plans too much, ie the length of the long bikes, long runs, and adding extra credit intensity to those
- adding too much intensity will change how all of that works together
- focus on nailing the bike and run intervals, make sure those happen
As Keith noted above, the basic plans have a ton of work in them already. Sure, missing the OS sucks, but it's not like you aren't going to be fit and ready to race by the big day. You might not be as fit as you WANT TO BE, but focus instead on being a FIT AS YOU CAN BE and you'll be fine! Life throws tons of curveballs...it's how you handle them that matters!
Good luck!
P
Coming from a man who likely typed that from his wheelchair right now- that means a LOT!!! Thanks for the perspective P!
Jennifer,
It really is about fitting your training, and your race day goals, into the box that your body has given you right now. What's done is done. As others have said, the IM plans are hard and will build a lot of fitness, yes, even get-faster-fitness, in the next 12wks. But what's more important is putting your head in a realistic space about what to expect in training and on race day. You'll just go nuts if you keep "I coulda been at this place by now."
I got thrown a big health curve myself, and it knocked me for a loop and a half. I'm on the mend, but I'm not where I was, or where I thought I would be at this point. But instead of wasting energy on all that, I'm just planning the work and working the plan. I'll be as good as I can be for WI, so what more can I ask of myself? Bonus with EN is if you execute properly, you maximize your fitness in ways that others around you have no idea how to do. The execution piece here can take your fitness even farther than you think possible. Just accept where you are NOW, work the plan, and you'll be good to go. That I know for sure.
More good points that I need to remember, especially that EN is not just about far on fast, but about execution. Definitely moving me past coulda/woulda and toward what I still can do. Thanks guys
Jennifer,
The injuries do suck. I took it really easy so I thought on the run and still had achillies issues this year. As for fast while training for far. Yes I think there are some gains there just not a good as the OS. I am coming off the couch last summer and completed the OS with great results. For reference 180 FTP to 220, then 234 when I finally got outside. Vdot was 29 and I'm now at 37. I just finished the 4 week general prep where there is some similarities to the 12 week IM plan and I tested last week with a 7 watt bump in FTP and 3 points on my vdot (weigh loss is a big benefit here). This is just my experience this year.
You should get back the lost gains easier then see some improvement. Also take in to account that there will be cumulative fatigue and the taper will help with that.
Gordon