Julian Cass 2017 Official Coach Thread....
@juliancass - thank you for reaching out. I saw your note about changing the race and I looking that's fine. A lot of the flexibility in changing your schedule hinges upon how consistent you're training has been this season.
Since I don't really know how diligent you have been all year, I will need some input from you.
My preference is to have you work steelhead into your training plan but to save the camp week for afterwards. No words, you would race on Sunday, take Monday and Tuesday off, then do the remainder of camp week which puts your long run on Sunday and Friday Saturday long rides. What you do on Wednesday and Thursday is really up to you.
Since I don't really know how diligent you have been all year, I will need some input from you.
My preference is to have you work steelhead into your training plan but to save the camp week for afterwards. No words, you would race on Sunday, take Monday and Tuesday off, then do the remainder of camp week which puts your long run on Sunday and Friday Saturday long rides. What you do on Wednesday and Thursday is really up to you.
I say this because you'll need to recover after steelhead anyway, so we might as well use that to our advantage and set up camp week. According to my math, steelhead is in week 14 so I don't think there really needs to be any change.
If you want to reply back to me with some more specifics, I'm happy to help you out in more detail!
If you want to reply back to me with some more specifics, I'm happy to help you out in more detail!
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Comments
Hi Patrick
Thanks for the feedback, maybe Steelhead wasn't such a bad idea then. I have done it 2x before and am looking to get a feel for any run improvements this year in time for Chattanooga.
Regarding diligence, I have stuck to the plan this year better than before, principally (a) higher motivation and (b) far less global work travel. I have seen a significant improvement in running thanks mainly to keeping up with the RD program earlier this year and a new habit of more frequent runs than before. Bike FTP at 251 is 10% above where it has ever been before, no major changes to swim.
The week after Steelhead I am at IMMT supporting Dawn, I could do camp week then and have planned to bring the bike but my primary goal that week(end) is Dawn so any training on my part is likely to be more fragmented than I would like. I have just done a camp week this past week supporting Dawn on her rides but I kept runs to max 10 miles, so in total I did 200 miles bike (81m then 113m following day), 30 miles running (run test Tuesday, couple of short bricks, then 10m Sat and 10m Sun). I only got in 8,000 yds of swimming. I have not intended to have last week count as a camp week as I thought it was too early for CHOO. (It was nice to get close to the top of the Strava EN leaderboard though...). So I either have to delay camp week until 2 weeks after Steelhead, or try and fit it around everything else in M Tremblant. Your thoughts on that?
Thanks Patrick, look forward to seeing you in MT soon
I personally do a long run on race day itself on everyone's on the bike, so maybe Saturday is a long swim in the lake in the short run to fill that space. This means you could bike long maybe on Thursday and Friday? If that's the case, then maybe we get creative by having you do a little more cycling – even if it's indoors – earlier in the week. If you can get 200 miles in at Tremblant. And we can get in 40 to 80 miles at home, that's a massive bike week for you. I suggest you investigated and find out.
Here's your updated Season Plan, as promised. This is where you'll return to post all your "coach" questions as responses; I'll see them and reply. This first post is my best outline of how to proceed with your races, but you can ask any / all questions you want. So post away, know that I reply here usually M/W/F each week.
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Your Notes
Hi Patrick
I am entered for IM Chattanooga this year, looking to improve significantly on my 12:02 at CHOO in 2017. I would be very happy with an 11:30ish time. Last year was a huge PR for me (100+ minutes) so I realize this is quite ambitious to take another 30+ minutes off within a year. I have no Kona aspirations just looking to better my own time vs myself. I believe any significant improvement has to come from the run (4:52), possibly less bike coasting too, I coasted 26 minutes at CHOO last year at least 50% of which was trying to find downhills long enough to pee on. The run has, I feel, the most potential to improve.
Will also do one or two 70.3's, this will be Steelhead and/or maybe Ohio too. No other races for this year.
I am currently running every day for the 100 day EN Run Streak which comes to an end at the end of Jan. I have never run so frequently before, although my weekly mileage is generally <20m I am seeing a lower HR develop which is encouraging. I am not currently doing any intervals or other work, just running daily. I bike on Zwift 2-3x a week, 30-90 minutes. No swimming but some (short) Vasa work which will build when I feel more inclined to be doing it.
I managed to lose 8 kgs prior to IMCHOO in 2017, I have put 3kg back on since. I would like to get lower for CHOO this year maybe another 2-3kgs vs 2017. Again, this might be ambitious especially with the beer I have sat next to me right now.
Your Races
Ironman Chattanooga (2018-09-30) #IMChatt_18
Season Update
These are your recommended training plans, including the date you should start each one (sometimes you won’t complete a full plan but transition to another one). You can change your plans on the Training Plan page by clicking the Move / Change button. Learn more about each plan on the Training Plan Central Page.
Coach Notes
I like the goals...they are ambition but attainable. And you don't know what two good years, stacked, can do for your performance. It starts with that consistent, unsexy run right now...that we build through January before you drive into the February OutSeason®. From there you'll recover (Swim Camp) and move into the Bike Focus plan to gain some critical bike strength before the final race push.
I'd like to see you racing in Zwift (if you aren't already) and maybe joining some of our longer (and still pretty hard) rides. The body comp will come, so stay focused!
Let's get to work!
~ Coach P