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IMSantaRosa Training July 11 - July 17

Mariah BridgesMariah Bridges
in Ironman Santa Rosa


#EN4Keys

/ THE LINE 

Prepare your mental game. In so doing, remember there will be cumulative fatigue building throughout race day.  So important to follow your plan, race your race and prepare for THE LINE.  

EVERYTHING before The Line is simply about creating conditions for success for when the Line comes to you.

  1. A successful race = a good run. There is no such thing as a good bike followed by bad run, period. In our world, if you showed up with solid run fitness, had a "good" bike and a poor run, we will ALWAYS assume you messed up your bike pacing unless you are missing a limb or are in the ICU with an intestinal parasite.

  2. If you think you can ride faster than we're telling you, prove it by running well off the bike first (preferably not attempted for the first time on race day!).

  3. Ride your "should" bike split vs your "could" bike split. YourCould split is what you tell Timmy you could ride on a good day, when you're out together for your Saturday ride. If you say you "could ride a 5:50," your Should split is likely 6:00 and defined as the bike split that yields a good run (see #1 above).

  4. Don't be a Caboose, be an Engine! Ironman in general, but especially the bike leg, is an exercise in consistency. You don't need straight-A's to win your day, you only have to show up with your C game to be at the head of the class. If you find yourself doing the opposite of everyone else, you're doing the right thing. Lots of people passing you in the first 40 miles of the bike? Everyone else sprinting out of T2? These folks are making your race day easier by showing you what not to do; it's up to you to resist the urge to join in!

  5. Think you made the mistake of riding too easy? You now have 26 miles to fix that mistake. Make the mistake of riding too hard? That mistake now has 26 miles to express itself, to the tune of X miles at 17-18' walking pace vs X miles at 8-10' running pace. Do the math. How is that nice bike split going to look as you are walking/shuffling the last 10 miles of the run adding another hour and forty minutes to your overall finish time?

**ADMIN ALERT**

 Ironman Santa Rosa Pre-Race Webinar - July 12 @8pm EST. Register HERE

*** If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. You're almost their rock star EN'rs can't wait to watch you unleash on the Santa Rosa course**


Comments

  • Tom BoxTom Box
    Looking forward to the webinar tomorrow.  I did my 2 hour run in the warmth of the afternoon today. Hay is going into the barn!
  • David HowardDavid Howard
    No 2hr run ...or Z5 stuff.... Achilles still not but 85% sense  last big run last week.....may give the elliptical a try.
    Shoulder started giving me some pains and running short on time after 1500m swim tonight. hadnt swam sence over a week and it took 600-800m to get feel back.... actualy felt good after that.
    Super crushed at work hoping not to have to work SAT too.  Yeah.... so much for the 3x 112+ bike weekend.... and its going to be low 84 and > 95 by 0800....so not so great for final RR SAT.  May do a 5hr trainer ride SAT and do the RR SUN....we'll see. 

    I've never gone into a HIM/IM feeling so unsure of pace/power goals/estimates. All RRs and long runs/rides have had so many confounding factors from excessive heat or data wonky or injury issues or crazy wind etc.  Ive also never ran a marathon w/o a few 18+ mile runs ....but this time my RR cut short to 16 and no other long runs above 14mls....and most with stupid heat limiting effort....

    Did do 2 x 3hrs Bike this weekend at 'real' home at moderate effort and felt pretty good.

    https://www.strava.com/activities/1076299733
    https://www.strava.com/activities/1076299755
  • Wendy WatsonWendy Watson
    Here is a link to Matt Dixon's take on the IM Santa Rosa course.  ( I can hear the cries of "Heresy!! )
    Thought it might be of interest due to the included comments from the race director about the bike and run course.
    https://purplepatchfitness.com/races/courses/ironman-santa-rosa-course-overview?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20170712newsletter
  • Jacklyn MooreJacklyn Moore
    @Dave Howard- Your adaption to the heat is going to pay large dividends on race day. You have the wisdom and patience to go the distance. You go this! 

    Delayed my long run to today because I was having some GI issues with a slight fever. Felt much better today and did well on my run. Webinar tonight was great. 

    Tomorrows plan is another OWS RR. Planning on doing the 112 mile bike on Friday with lots of family support. No hubs this time. I'm going it alone. Just like race day. 

    Have part of my Race plan done. Man is it big! I think i'm getting to detailed. 
  • Tom BoxTom Box
    I had to switch my RR#2 around because of work.  I did it yesterday with a swim in my endless pool, followed by 112 on the trainer on zwift, then 6 miles outside in the heat.  I pushed the bike a little bit by averaging my 5 hour power from previous workouts (about .75 IF).  I was definitely tired by the end of the bike and didn't know how the run would go.  Managed to follow my HR for the run which was just a slow race day pace.  Not sure I will do that IF on race day but it was a good rehearsal.  I'm still planning on long bikes on Saturday and Sunday.  Definitely looking forward to tapering!

    Time to work on my race plan.
  • Sheila LeardSheila Leard
    Tom - when you do that kind of distance on Zwift, do you take little breaks just like if you were riding on the road? Things like getting water, stop lights, etc.  
    Really impressive!!
  • Jacklyn MooreJacklyn Moore
    Went up to the lake and did my Swim rehearsal OWS. That was the best feeling swim yet. Pace wasn't any better but I was very comfortable. There was a lot of chop and wind. No problem. Powered through.

    Plan to bike the 112 tomorrow. I have a family maned aid station at 4 hours. They will be swimming and I will be working. Sigh. No rest for the tired, saddle sore Mom. It's going to be HOT and windy again. I have changed up my nutrition a little. Cut back on calories some. Lets see if that doesn't help with my stomach. Went from 230 cal/hr to 170 cal/hr. I can always eat more. 


  • Tom BoxTom Box
    @Sheila Leard, I take the occasional bathroom break, but in general it's pretty continuous.  I get all my fluids and gels lined up on the windowsill next to my bike, turn on the fan, open the window unless I want to simulate the heat and humidity, turn on the tv and just start riding.  I just concentrate on holding my power in the zone I'm training for and go.  If the tv doesn't hold my attention then I listen to podcasts.
  • David HowardDavid Howard
    I'm planning on getting 112-120 tomorrow.... May have to go indoors Sunday. The computrainer course has too much steepness in first few miles but maybe I will sim ride it ....  May try a post ride run.... Achilles about 80% by no running since over a week.
  • Jacklyn MooreJacklyn Moore
    Yesterday was a long, hot day in the saddle. 113 miles done. IF 0.67. Avg power 98 watts. NP 99. Felt pretty smooth and steady. The hardest part was getting splashed by my torpedo every bumb. That really sucks. I did a 20 mile loop x4.5. My family was a rolling 4 wheeled aid station. They met me at the park every lap for a refill and soak down. They then went and ran errands and played in the river. They had my lap time down to with in minutes. Lap #3 and 4 were faster than 1 &2. Temp was 93 when I got home. Weight was = pre/post ride. Drank 1 bottle every hour and peed x4. Still felt thirsty when I got back. 

    Hope everyones RR is going good. See you soon!!!!!
  • David HowardDavid Howard
    Great Job @Jacklyn Moore !
    Between work, weather and mechanicals didn't quite have the final "camp week" as planned...but still got 260 miles on bike and miles ridden where good-steady race pace or decent Z4 mid week stuff.

      Swim is ...well... no worse and last 2 wetsuit race distance swims have been cut short by time at just short of the full 2.4 miles ...I'm pretty comfortable with pace/time and am "OK" with settling for a goal of 1:10-1:15 come race day.  As long as I don't get bronco-spasms I'm cool with just doing a "jogging" pace. Will be dialing up frequency as Taper kicks in.

    Run....well its a mystery.... I never did get a decent RR. Longest was 16 steady or 17 split.  This heal/Achilles pain has had me back waaay off. and drop my VO2s.  Its still there...but slowly getting better.  It seems like if its not 90+ degrees (like all my runs have been for last 2 months) I should be able to do a 4:00 -4:15...... So that's my goal ...would love to break 4 finally...but cant imagine it will be possible this time. Didnt budge my VDOT one bit in 4 months :(   

    so here are my last few WKOs from strava.  Unfortunately my 1 true full 112 9116 actual) RR ride was w/o garmin and HR. (It did record to my Newton PM but it reads ~30 w higher than Vector and I dont have it set up on this laptop for screen capture)
    https://www.strava.com/activities/1084965830  Part 1
    https://www.strava.com/activities/1085206575   Part 2   SAT   (PM #s Lower than usual likely due to one pod dead battery)
    https://www.strava.com/activities/1087066360

    https://www.strava.com/activities/1087068521

    So now on to taper !  
    I actually feel better today than yesterday....legs not bad at all.   HR was lower by 10bpm till the heat and wind came up but even then not like yesterday.....musta been the beer i had last night as recover beverage ;)

    Great webinar by Coach.  I'll have to watch again.   

    @Tom Box  (wont tag BTW)  I "could do" 112 @ .75IF  but not sure I could then do a suffer free run after! Ive done some HIMs that I was shooting for IF of .8-.82 but HR/RPE had me closer to .76 in final review and I must say my Run felt rough after about 10 mls in... Id imagine this would translate to 18-20 mls for full when that extra .5IF may be felt.

  • Tom BoxTom Box
    @David Howard  yes, definitely will not be riding an IF of .75.  That being said, it was the day after the long 2 hour run so I was on tired legs.  My biggest questions right now revolve around how much lower than my 5 hour power "should" I ride in the race.  I've looked back through some of the 5 hour power discussions and I gather that 10-20 watts lower on race day is a good target.  Right now my plan will be to start the bike at 20 watts lower and gradually increase to about 10 watts lower by the end.  I feel fairly confident given my race rehearsals and previous Ironman's that that will be a good target.  Race day temperature will obviously affect the effort.  I'm trying to formulate all this now as I compose my race plan.
    Bummer about your achilles problems.  I wouldn't worry about not getting longer runs than 16-17 miles in.  I've done only one 18 miler this build with the other long runs being around 14.  But I've tried to be consistent even if it was a 3 miler at Z1.  Just trying to build the durability.  Hopefully you've been able to get some consistent runs in.  I didn't realize you are training in the heat and elevation of El Paso.  That should give you an edge come race day.

    Despite a crazy family schedule this past weekend I did manage to get in 112 on Saturday and about 70 on Sunday.  By far my biggest week of the build with 320 miles riding and 24 hours of total training.  I'm definitely ready for the taper.  Saturdays 112 was spent as another race rehearsal testing the power I can hold and then seeing how I felt afterwards on the short run.  Sunday was Zwift with the EN group (if you haven't done this, you should.  With the discord voice communication app it's just like riding outside with your buddies)


  • David HowardDavid Howard
    @Tom Box.  Sounds like you're right on target.  I can't say I've gotten allot of quality running in....lots of 2hr stuff.... coming from HIM prep then heat limited runs that limited pace so really not 100% on my guestamite pacing strategy. Missed a majority of the brick runs too.
    I feel like I have done enough to still have a good day.... And physically I'm really not too beat up.  Shoulder is "ok" so far and foot isn't much worse today post run.....had some gut issues yesterday but not too disconcerting.  Again, most of my issues is with how data driven I train/race and so much this season has been 'noise' and junk data.  That said it has had me do allot more by feel.....and That has me confident in a flat steady 20mph bike at low-income HR... with my heftier weight and really aero bike should be a plus on the net downhill ride.   I'd like to go under 4hrs on run... but I have nuthin to support that capacity except a HM 1:52 run 2 months ago with no on course nutrition. I'm happy with shooting for <4:15   

    So now hard core taper!  Lots of TENs and foam rolling .... likely still baby the foot.
  • Jacklyn MooreJacklyn Moore
    Just posted. IMSR run coarse change. We will be doing three laps instead of two. We can pick up SN bags at mile 6 and mile 18. 

    Don't forget to sign up for dinner guys. Looks AMAZING!!!!!! I looked at the menu and have NO IDEA what I want. To many yummy choices. 

    Well it's Taper week. WOOT WOOT!!!
    See you all in a couple days.
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