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February OS 2018 Week #14 - Final Test Week

Here we are at week #14 - the final test week!  Hopefully, everyone overcomes any butterflies and gets through their tests successfully.

We are supposed to take our final FTP test.  I will use Zwift.  Hopefully, everyone is used to the format (as painful as it may be.)  It is basically a warm-up, a lactate threshold 5-minute test and then 20 minutes all out.  To get our FTP, we take our average watts from the 20 minute interval and multiply it by 95%.

For the run, it is recommended that we do a half-marathon.  Alternatively, we could run a 10K.  This may seem a bit surprising since we have been doing 5K tests for the rest of the out season.  However, we are supposed to go longer to see where our VDOT is for a distance closer to our IM/HIM runs.   I will go back to a flat, relatively car-less park near a beach by my house and do 13.1 miles this weekend.  It will be painful, but a good workout and a very good data point to set my run pacing for my HIM race plan.  

Next week, I get back in the pool.  It is has been months since I had to jump into a cold pool at 5:15 am...  I, um, can't wait to get back at it.  In the middle of my "swim camp", I am doing the American Zofingen duathlon with a contingent from EN.  I am doing the half distance - 2.5 miles out and then back on trails up a small mountaintop, then 29 miles of hills on the bike, followed by the same 5-mile run, another 29 miles on the bike and finally a third time up-and-back on the mountain for my third run.  After the duathlon, I will start honing in on my HIM in August.  Oh, and I signed up for the Philly marathon in November.  (Next year, I will shoot for my second full IM.)

It has a been a pleasure working with everyone in this Outseason.  Wishing you all great success this race season!  I will be looking out for you on Strava and the EN homepage.  Knock 'em dead out there this year!

Comments

  • @Patrick Marsh thanks for leading the Feb OS and keeping us encouraged each week. I finished the OS strong then murdered the BRC camp. It’s amazing how the OS work on the trainer translated to riding in the mountains. I tested 2x beginning and end of OS with 262 and ending at 280. All the work works and the three phases of the bike focus plan continually challenged me.

    Im a week into swim camp and it’s slowly feeling normal again. Keep up the work leading into the rest of your season, Feb OS can be tough since it’s considered a late start with less participants so CONGRATS everyone. You are now prepared to crush the rest of your season!  
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