Tom Meehan Micro Thread...
@Tom Meehan - Nice call today; good to catch up and I'm pumped for your positive personal changes (even if that means RI is losing your fam!). So here are my thoughts for you after this call:
1. You own swim style -- let's just keep it rolling. You have time to IMLou, so 2x a week for technique is PERFECT. You don't need to worry about logging more than that until August 1 (but the baseline IS important, so no skimping!).
2. As you follow the Balanced Half Marathon plan, enjoy the bikes but keep the intensity down to Zone 3 vs Zone 4. It's "work enough" but won't put you in a bad way with your heart. This will be a common thread for us...I don't think Z4 is your friend....so let's not go there for a while.
3. Finally I'd like to sort out a good recovery metric for you. Something we can track consistently that might warn us before you end up in a hole with your training. There are many options...hours of sleep per night, or resting HR in the AM or even just subjective how do you feel....what do you think?
Onwards!
~ Coach P
1. You own swim style -- let's just keep it rolling. You have time to IMLou, so 2x a week for technique is PERFECT. You don't need to worry about logging more than that until August 1 (but the baseline IS important, so no skimping!).
2. As you follow the Balanced Half Marathon plan, enjoy the bikes but keep the intensity down to Zone 3 vs Zone 4. It's "work enough" but won't put you in a bad way with your heart. This will be a common thread for us...I don't think Z4 is your friend....so let's not go there for a while.
3. Finally I'd like to sort out a good recovery metric for you. Something we can track consistently that might warn us before you end up in a hole with your training. There are many options...hours of sleep per night, or resting HR in the AM or even just subjective how do you feel....what do you think?
Onwards!
~ Coach P
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Comments
1. I took advantage of the TI discount code and ordered their 1.0 course. Definitely want to rebuild the stroke from the beginning.
2. I will make those adjustments to the plan and use Zone 3 power for the prescribed Z4 intervals.
3. I am a numbers guy so I will measure and record resting HR.
Can I give access to a Training Peaks acct (not currently a premium member)? Is that something beneficial to you?
Tom
I promise I won't change your TPcom profile picture to TB12, etc.
~ Coach P
Anyway, I have started to settle into a training schedule. I chose to do a weekend of cycling until I move the wife and kids next weekend. Not quite epic distances (30, 20, day off, 30) but just getting back on the road.
I have changed my racing calendar as I have not done a triathlon since 2014. Here is what I have come up with based on a build of local races:
Then I will see how things are progressing. I am registered for Ironman Louisville but may decide to put it off for a year. Instead I would do a half-ironman (Naptown tri) on October 1st in Indianapolis. I will finish the year with a marathon somewhere (maybe Cape Cod).
What are your thoughts on the plan for this year?
Thanks,
Tom
Great call on the riding; good idea to just scope out the area as well. Don't forget Strava is a great way to find out what the locals ride, simply by doing Segment Explorer and reverse engineering the ride from the folks who have completed the segment. Here's an animation that could help:
As for your season, remember that your "work" portion begins at 12 weeks out from race day...which is July 17th. So you have time to get fit / settled before you get there. You can keep it loose on your own schedule, my only suggestions would be the following targets:
- 20 miles of weekly run mileage, one run over an hour.
- One long bike a week of 3 hours.
- Daily "something" even if it's a 20 minute run. Anything to keep the fitness consistent.
I know you can figure out how to get ready for a Sprint tri, but you are welcome to load the last few weeks to end on that race (under My Plan) and then we adjust you back. Let me know what you decide!~ Coach P
I am flying back to RI next weekend to move Liz and the boys this way. I will keep consistent the next few days as I will be off for sure on Friday and Saturday.
I put a season road map request into Rich and will wait for his suggestions for stacking the plans.