WOW! What a group! @Brian SmithI would have given up a lot sooner.
Friday: Swam with the masters group early morning. No issues here. I actually did my longer swim Thurs. Friday was IM work and doing starts off the block! Fun for a former college swimmer. Wish the swim was longer in the IM!! Bike: Headed straight from the pool up to Cartersville. Completed 100 miles with about 5K elevation change. https://www.strava.com/activities/1174602780 Focused on nutrition. I actually scaled back on calories and included sips of water here/there. I think that actually helped. I still hit that wall and low point from mile 80-90. I just don't have the bike confidence I'd like to have or the skills, and quite frankly I don't love the bike...but....I dug myself out of the rut and finished. Ate some Tums the last few miles. Run: I think taking in fewer cals and more hydration helped. I only experienced minimal GI discomfort on the run. Took the 20-30 steps each mile to simulate the aid stations. Overall I think it was a good day despite some lows.
Saturday: I just didn't have it in me to go all the way back up to Cartersville. So I stuck closer to home to do the second 100. That involves a 2.5 mile stretch of road out and back for a 5 mile loop. Yep, it was going to be a long day. I started out feeling creaky from the day before. The saddle ACHED! But eventually things went numb and I got to work. I started to feel pretty OK at about mile 30 or so. The sun came out and my hands thawed out. Continued working on the nutrition, taking sips of water. Stopped at mile 55. I was meeting a friend and then called my husband to check in on things. That's when it turned south. Long story short, I had to end the ride to go take our beloved dog, Montana, to the vet. It was "time." We think he suffered a stroke the evening before and just couldn't recover. He was a yellow lab and lived a fun filled 14 years. Well, needless to say, after that the day was shot. I actually attempted to complete the remaining miles on Zwift, but 3 miles in, just wasn't the day. Missed the 30 min run too.
Sunday: It's a new day. Got in a decent run today. My legs felt fine and I was surprised at how "good" I felt. Maybe it was from the missed milage the day before. My only complaint was that my feet hurt a little at the end. Did 15 miles in the same time as I did it on 8/31. I felt good about that. https://www.strava.com/activities/1177436168
@Sabra Gonzalez strong work! Yes, everyone is good a great job! With the impending bad weather in the Southeast, the temps here in SC were in the high 50's this morning with a nice breeze. Wasn't sure how the run was going to play out, but in end I am really happy with the out come as I started out with an easy first my and then ran the next 11 miles all within 10 seconds of one another and the final mile my fastest and a bit of a cool down. This weekend was a great bump in volume and confidence.
- Thursday Night did the swim, due to timing issues: 4,150 meters in 1:38.02, yes I am a slow swimmer, but stayed consistent in pace for roughly the whole time, and the kids swim team coach at the gym told me that he has been paying attention to my stroke over the last few months and sees progress...BONUS to reading and following EN protocol.. :-).
- Friday initial ride, as you may have read above, what I ended up with was: 26.2 miles on the bike with all the issues and 30 miles on the trainer afterwards fora total of 56.2 miles. Then I ran 6.02 miles in 56.37 minutes. Did the weekend swap of Friday and Saturday, by the end of the weekend, not sure that was a great thing to do.
- Saturday: Opted for the long ride. 113 miles in 6:36.22, with 3 breaks to stop and relieve, one front time blow out, karma from the day before still with me this tie one the front wheel, couldn't get valve off and extension off, too tight, weed up taking me about 20 minutes or so. On mile 65 I started pedaling squares and spinning as my back derailed battery decided it did not look the cold and went on me. I opted to keep riding the rest of the distance with one high and one low gear, after all what re you going to do in a race right? I figure with the front wheel issue, and the pedaling squares it cost me about 45 minutes plus on the day at least, so that is what i decided to finish the milage even over 6 hours. Then went for a 30 minute run and only did 2.77 miles, felt a bit weak.
Before the big I drank a bottle of gatorade and then on the ride I drank 4 - 24 oz bottles of GE, had 5 power bars and 12 gels (temps were 47 -53 degrees out). Felt ok on the bike, but for sure after the run and on the drive to family's house I was nauseous, woozy and had some breathing issues. Bonk, not sure, or maybe it was the lack of proper nutrition? The 50 plus mile day before riding this distance?...met the wife, kids and family for dinner and they all said I looked like a ghost, pale face, stomach issues, exhausted, etc. Was able to eat, but still felt the effects all night and into today. Low blood sugar, not enough food, not sure...any suggestions would be helpful.
- Sunday: Unfortunately had to attend a celebration of life event for a close friend who past this week suddenly, he didn't want a funeral, but for a party, 59 way too young, makes you think! Just tried to do the long run on the treadmill, just not into it, still feel a bit like yesterday, head, stomach, breathing, etc. Body feels ok, but maybe it is the fatigue both mental and physical today who knows, only ran for 43 minutes and 3.78 miles...
Lessons Learned: - Garmin 520 battery life still stinks, regardless of how much you have turned off. - Sram batteries do not like the cold even when charged, was under 50 for most of my Saturday ride. - Only buying 80 mil tubes from now on, and taking the valves off ahead of time, even if they are too long and stick up too far on the front wheel. - Carry more than one tube from now on as well - Rolling resistance to me will now be a farce, maybe I need gator skins for the amount of punctures over the last two days. - Nutrition: once I think I have it dialed in, I don't need to figure this out some how, maybe I need snicker bars! - Remember at 60-80 miles when my head says "why am I doing this", your 7 year old and 3 year old told you "daddy be confident in yourself and you can do anything" (they listen to me I guess whooo hooo) - Being my first IM (not my first tri), and being the competative spirit I am; after today's events with my friend and watching the effects of Irma on friends lives, I do not have time goals any longer, I have a goal of finishing - for me, for my children, for my family, for my friends and for all those who cannot do or do not have the opportunity that we have here in front of us, whether its IM LOU or any other race planned.
@Brian Smith - tough day, btw, what SRAM batteries? E-tap?? concerning and curious as I am considering putting E-tap on my P5 after KY. (winter project)
Some serious work going on in here Congrats & Shout out to @Paul Curtin for his IM70.3WC performance yesterday!
re-entry per @Dave Tallo's question to a normal week after a huge volume week was rough. I did not get in my swims early in the week due to life issues, and swimming 3 days in a row wasn't in the cards as my shoulder that I had surgery on 2 years ago is flaring up a bit.
I managed to pull together an OK week with 800 TSS, the most solid part of my week were my runs as I capped off the week with a 10 miler on Saturday @ 7:55s and a 13 miler yesterday at 8:10s. Yesterday's was a highlight as I spent an hour or so zwifting with the APB group and am a total convert.. Have to tweak a few technology issues, learn my way around Zwift controls & figure out a better way of supporting my laptop & phone near my bike...
Feeling concerned with lack of bike volume, but I got in 3x 90+ miles last week and have a volume / altitude camp coming next week!
@Jeff Kane That's some serious trainer time! @Brian Smith A lot to be learned from you experiences. Hopefully its smooth sailing from here. @Sabra Gonzalez You had a big weekend. Your Sunday run motivated me to get out there! @Paul Curtin - Great work at 70.3 Worlds! @Bill Eckert Fantastic work this weekend! @Scott Dinhofer There is plenty of bike time ahead. I am sure you will get a ton in at the upcoming camp!
It definitely got better for me after Friday. My weekend was pretty successful looking back.
Friday: Swim 3.8K Bike - 2.6 hours 48 miles - Bent chain - Went to Bike shop Bike - Zwift 1 hour - 18 miles - so 76 total for the day Run - 1 hour 6.5 miles
Saturday: Bike - Zwift 5 hours - @Scott Giljum joined me for 90 minutes and made the time go by. After he left, I watched College Game Day. Run - 45 minutes - 4.7 miles Went to MSU / WMU football game
Sunday: Bike 2:20 Zwift Team EN Sunday ABP Ride - 50 miles Cut Grass Ran 2 hours - 13.1 miles
Totals for the week was Time: 21:06 TSS: 1256 Swim 8311 Yards Bike 241 Miles Run 41.5 Miles
Yes sram etap, overall I love it, had mechanical on my Trek before this, and wanted electronic when I built my dream bike.
Just note the back battery seems to go faster than the front, obviously because of the shifting amounts. They say you get about 3,000 shifts out of the battery life, but I assume that is much less when the weather is colder, rather I know it is much less. Overall I like it though, and can show you how I mounted it on my bike if you are looking or that winter project, as I consulted with a lot of people including the Cervelo peeps at the slowtwitch road show in Chicago on where too put the small junction box, but I am also running the high V, so it was easier to attach. Still like mechanical on my road bike, but for the tri bike wouldn't ever go back.
@Scott Dinhofer ... I think there is zero cause for concern about bike volume in your case. Imho, you could do maximum 3 hour rides post LP, and still slide into an October race well prepared.
to everyone else - so much great stuff going on. Impressive!
Just continuing to roll with steady work here. Nothin sexy ... just a guy who runs and rides his bike. I'm trying to claw back some of the erosion of Red Mist paces over the few weeks, but seems that I'm running out of runway, and I'll have to be satisfied with getting back to where I was in July.
@Scott Dinhofer I will try and take some pics for you this week before I leave for Germany for work, or I can always show you in KY as well, as I will be there too...
Comments
Friday: Swam with the masters group early morning. No issues here. I actually did my longer swim Thurs. Friday was IM work and doing starts off the block! Fun for a former college swimmer. Wish the swim was longer in the IM!! Bike: Headed straight from the pool up to Cartersville. Completed 100 miles with about 5K elevation change. https://www.strava.com/activities/1174602780 Focused on nutrition. I actually scaled back on calories and included sips of water here/there. I think that actually helped. I still hit that wall and low point from mile 80-90. I just don't have the bike confidence I'd like to have or the skills, and quite frankly I don't love the bike...but....I dug myself out of the rut and finished. Ate some Tums the last few miles. Run: I think taking in fewer cals and more hydration helped. I only experienced minimal GI discomfort on the run. Took the 20-30 steps each mile to simulate the aid stations. Overall I think it was a good day despite some lows.
Saturday: I just didn't have it in me to go all the way back up to Cartersville. So I stuck closer to home to do the second 100. That involves a 2.5 mile stretch of road out and back for a 5 mile loop. Yep, it was going to be a long day. I started out feeling creaky from the day before. The saddle ACHED! But eventually things went numb and I got to work. I started to feel pretty OK at about mile 30 or so. The sun came out and my hands thawed out. Continued working on the nutrition, taking sips of water. Stopped at mile 55. I was meeting a friend and then called my husband to check in on things. That's when it turned south. Long story short, I had to end the ride to go take our beloved dog, Montana, to the vet. It was "time." We think he suffered a stroke the evening before and just couldn't recover. He was a yellow lab and lived a fun filled 14 years. Well, needless to say, after that the day was shot. I actually attempted to complete the remaining miles on Zwift, but 3 miles in, just wasn't the day. Missed the 30 min run too.
Sunday: It's a new day. Got in a decent run today. My legs felt fine and I was surprised at how "good" I felt. Maybe it was from the missed milage the day before. My only complaint was that my feet hurt a little at the end. Did 15 miles in the same time as I did it on 8/31. I felt good about that. https://www.strava.com/activities/1177436168
- Thursday Night did the swim, due to timing issues: 4,150 meters in 1:38.02, yes I am a slow swimmer, but stayed consistent in pace for roughly the whole time, and the kids swim team coach at the gym told me that he has been paying attention to my stroke over the last few months and sees progress...BONUS to reading and following EN protocol.. :-).
- Friday initial ride, as you may have read above, what I ended up with was: 26.2 miles on the bike with all the issues and 30 miles on the trainer afterwards fora total of 56.2 miles. Then I ran 6.02 miles in 56.37 minutes. Did the weekend swap of Friday and Saturday, by the end of the weekend, not sure that was a great thing to do.
- Saturday: Opted for the long ride. 113 miles in 6:36.22, with 3 breaks to stop and relieve, one front time blow out, karma from the day before still with me this tie one the front wheel, couldn't get valve off and extension off, too tight, weed up taking me about 20 minutes or so. On mile 65 I started pedaling squares and spinning as my back derailed battery decided it did not look the cold and went on me. I opted to keep riding the rest of the distance with one high and one low gear, after all what re you going to do in a race right? I figure with the front wheel issue, and the pedaling squares it cost me about 45 minutes plus on the day at least, so that is what i decided to finish the milage even over 6 hours. Then went for a 30 minute run and only did 2.77 miles, felt a bit weak.
Before the big I drank a bottle of gatorade and then on the ride I drank 4 - 24 oz bottles of GE, had 5 power bars and 12 gels (temps were 47 -53 degrees out). Felt ok on the bike, but for sure after the run and on the drive to family's house I was nauseous, woozy and had some breathing issues. Bonk, not sure, or maybe it was the lack of proper nutrition? The 50 plus mile day before riding this distance?...met the wife, kids and family for dinner and they all said I looked like a ghost, pale face, stomach issues, exhausted, etc. Was able to eat, but still felt the effects all night and into today. Low blood sugar, not enough food, not sure...any suggestions would be helpful.
- Sunday: Unfortunately had to attend a celebration of life event for a close friend who past this week suddenly, he didn't want a funeral, but for a party, 59 way too young, makes you think! Just tried to do the long run on the treadmill, just not into it, still feel a bit like yesterday, head, stomach, breathing, etc. Body feels ok, but maybe it is the fatigue both mental and physical today who knows, only ran for 43 minutes and 3.78 miles...
Lessons Learned:
- Garmin 520 battery life still stinks, regardless of how much you have turned off.
- Sram batteries do not like the cold even when charged, was under 50 for most of my Saturday ride.
- Only buying 80 mil tubes from now on, and taking the valves off ahead of time, even if they are too long and stick up too far on the front wheel.
- Carry more than one tube from now on as well
- Rolling resistance to me will now be a farce, maybe I need gator skins for the amount of punctures over the last two days.
- Nutrition: once I think I have it dialed in, I don't need to figure this out some how, maybe I need snicker bars!
- Remember at 60-80 miles when my head says "why am I doing this", your 7 year old and 3 year old told you "daddy be confident in yourself and you can do anything" (they listen to me I guess whooo hooo)
- Being my first IM (not my first tri), and being the competative spirit I am; after today's events with my friend and watching the effects of Irma on friends lives, I do not have time goals any longer, I have a goal of finishing - for me, for my children, for my family, for my friends and for all those who cannot do or do not have the opportunity that we have here in front of us, whether its IM LOU or any other race planned.
Some serious work going on in here
Congrats & Shout out to @Paul Curtin for his IM70.3WC performance yesterday!
re-entry per @Dave Tallo's question to a normal week after a huge volume week was rough. I did not get in my swims early in the week due to life issues, and swimming 3 days in a row wasn't in the cards as my shoulder that I had surgery on 2 years ago is flaring up a bit.
I managed to pull together an OK week with 800 TSS, the most solid part of my week were my runs as I capped off the week with a 10 miler on Saturday @ 7:55s and a 13 miler yesterday at 8:10s. Yesterday's was a highlight as I spent an hour or so zwifting with the APB group and am a total convert.. Have to tweak a few technology issues, learn my way around Zwift controls & figure out a better way of supporting my laptop & phone near my bike...
Feeling concerned with lack of bike volume, but I got in 3x 90+ miles last week and have a volume / altitude camp coming next week!
It definitely got better for me after Friday. My weekend was pretty successful looking back.
Friday:
Swim 3.8K
Bike - 2.6 hours 48 miles - Bent chain - Went to Bike shop
Bike - Zwift 1 hour - 18 miles - so 76 total for the day
Run - 1 hour 6.5 miles
Saturday:
Bike - Zwift 5 hours - @Scott Giljum joined me for 90 minutes and made the time go by. After he left, I watched College Game Day.
Run - 45 minutes - 4.7 miles
Went to MSU / WMU football game
Sunday:
Bike 2:20 Zwift Team EN Sunday ABP Ride - 50 miles
Cut Grass
Ran 2 hours - 13.1 miles
Totals for the week was Time: 21:06 TSS: 1256
Swim 8311 Yards
Bike 241 Miles
Run 41.5 Miles
On to the next week!
Yes sram etap, overall I love it, had mechanical on my Trek before this, and wanted electronic when I built my dream bike.
Just note the back battery seems to go faster than the front, obviously because of the shifting amounts. They say you get about 3,000 shifts out of the battery life, but I assume that is much less when the weather is colder, rather I know it is much less. Overall I like it though, and can show you how I mounted it on my bike if you are looking or that winter project, as I consulted with a lot of people including the Cervelo peeps at the slowtwitch road show in Chicago on where too put the small junction box, but I am also running the high V, so it was easier to attach. Still like mechanical on my road bike, but for the tri bike wouldn't ever go back.
slide into an October race well prepared.
to everyone else - so much great stuff going on. Impressive!
Just continuing to roll with steady work here. Nothin sexy ... just a guy who runs and rides his bike. I'm trying to claw back some of the erosion of Red Mist paces over the few weeks, but seems that I'm running out of runway, and I'll have to be satisfied with getting back to where I was in July.
I will try and take some pics for you this week before I leave for Germany for work, or I can always show you in KY as well, as I will be there too...