Less than 2 months to race day - Checking in on the 2019 GiddyUp crew
Hello IMTexas ENers!
We are 59 days out now - things are getting REAL! Last weekend was our "Challenge ride" a change in the training protocol from the former Big Training Days. How did the Challenge go for everyone? I ended up crating a 7 hour challenge ride workout in Zwift, with 30 minute sections separated by 30 seconds of all out effort to keep the legs awake. I chose the Volcano route for 6 hours and unlocked all the Volcano achievements in Zwift, also leveling up to 17 in the process. I hopped onto our EN ZEN GroupMe group for some extra team mojo and it paid off big time - I love this team!
LESSONS LEARNED from the ride:
Get my aero bottle back in action
I need more time in the aero position
I need a better saddle position for these long rides.
What are your takeaways from this last weekend's ride?
Comments
I had to move my schedule around (and will this week as I am heading out for the 4.5 hour ride shortly) due to sharing one vehicle with my hubby here in FL. I rode on Friday in a new area with few road crossings. Power meter was dead on arrival, so did the sets by HR and rpe. I came back from MI on Tuesday to a very warm FL. Much warmer than usual. I had a slog of the double run the day before. NOT HEAT ACCLIMATED! At all! The ride went ok, fueled ok, found where the water and restrooms are. Not my fastest ride especially on the flats here, but managed 73 miles in 4:15. The brick was pure torture. It was real feel 90 on a pretty park path, but unlike the bike path that was along a highway and open to wind and breeze, the trail was not. I thought my head might explode. For real! I walked a BUNCH to dump hr over and over and only covered 4 miles in 50'. No bueno. So the takeaways are this:
:its ok to go slow when not heat acclimated...should have gone even slower on the run.
:need a bit more food for the ride to keep pacing up during last 25% of ride
:prehydrate if temps are expected to be high
:I will be acclimated come race day due to 5 weeks in FL, but if I were still in Michigan (or somewhere cold) I'd get on a heat protocol the last 2 weeks for sure!
@Jenniferlyn Kryvicky a 7 hour indoor ride is either incredibly amazing or kind of crazy! I’ll go with the former :)
I’ve been doing my long rides indoors also but I’m closer to 4.5 hours, which I think is pretty long. For me is getting going right away and having the ability to dial in nutrition that matters most at this point for me. I’ll need to get outside at some point!
I’ll start art doing a sauna protocol in the next week or so to practice the heat acclimation. Some years Texas has been extremely warm, others, not so much. It’s always windy though :)
Long runs are up to 2 hours and I’m feeling pretty good!
@Tom Glynn and@Trish Marshall what is the heat protocol?
Yeah I ended up doing 6 hours that ride but most my weekend rides are 4-4.5 hours as well. My challenge rides I try to hit 100 miles of possible just to get add much aero time as possible. I am prayong for some warmth in April here in Michigan so that I can get in at least 1 or 2 outdoor attempts. I did a huge bike focus month in February to bump fitness so now I an dialing in the finer details and switching focus to run durability and swim strength.
One thing that worked for me in extreme heat is ice in the crotch. At Gulf Coast (mid 90's and no shade) last May I negative split the run by doing what you did Trish, managed HR by walking when needed at first to keep it under my bike average HR, then quickly got on a BASE salt intake protocol, 2 licks every mile with BASE Rocket Fuel and on course Gatorade Endurance as needed. By the last 5 miles I was running and feeling amazing while everyone else was on their death March. I dumped iced in my crotch every aid station and it helped keep my HR in check - game changer. Used this protocol at IM70.3 Ohio in July as well and it was a life saver.
I like ice too. I usually put some in my hat and then down front and back of tri suit. For shorts, I'm always afraid of chaffing and I try to keep water off my shoes to prevent blisters.
For sauna protocols, there are a few things out there. Tim Ferris is a biohacker and always seems to take things to the edge. Read his blog on saunas with a little caution :) https://tim.blog/2014/04/10/saunas-hyperthermic-conditioning-2/
I spoke with Stacey Sims a few years ago and I'm much more aligned with her thinking. Here is a web clip of her ideas. I'll attach a pdf she gave me also.
stacy sims, once the chief scientist at osmo nutrition, worked on a sauna protocol for heat and altitude adaptation.
could not find her proper protocol online but you find a summary below and its described here: https://bikerumor.com/...aling-with-the-heat/
seems pretty simple to me if you have access to a sauna after your workouts for 7 days in a row.
here a summary of the basics:
Within 30 minutes of finishing training, you want to be in the sauna. In these 30 minutes, you won’t rehydrate, (your protein recovery drink is okay, but no other fluid). The strong stimulus of some dehydration is key to the adaptations of this protocol. The MOA: with dehydration, there is reduced blood flow (due to less blood volume). When you head into the sauna, the hot environments signals blood to come to the skin for thermoregulation. With this, there is decreased blood flow to other organs, in particular the kidneys. With reduced blood flow, there is reduced oxygen- registered as a drop in the partial pressure of oxygen at the level of the kidney stimulates EPO and plasma volume production. The other aspect is the strong heat stress “resets” your thermoregulation thresholds- eg you will start sweating sooner, and your sweat will be more dilute (thus racing, 100’F will *feel* like 65’F).
Do this seven (7) days in a row. The first day you may only tolerate 5-10 minutes, by the 7the day, 25-30 minutes is attainable. SLOWLY REHYDRATE OVER THE COURSE OF 3-4 HOURS; otherwise, you “kill” the stress response to increase blood volume and reset thermoregulation set-points. The best way to monitor hydration is to use pee sticks. You may find your USg post sauna is>1.035. Slowly rehydrate to reach 1.010-1.015 (this should be your morning urine status!).
the upshot:
This protocol works for both heat and altitude. The connection between the two environments is the blood volume expansion- increased red cell for oxygen uptake and delivery plus increased plasma volume for circulation and sweating.
disclaimer:
Sauna bathing is similar to hard exercise in terms of the responses of your cardiovascular system and hormones involved with controlling your blood and body fluid volumes. Therefore, sauna bathing should be maintained only for as long or as hot as you feel comfortable. Above all, it should not be undertaken in a competitive manner!
do not drink (alcohol) and sauna, etc, etc.
Hi Kids,
Sorry to report, I won't be making it to tow the line on 4/27 with you all. A few things conspired to derail me, but the end result is I won't be making the trip.
I will be sending mad Motor City Mojo to you all on the day and hope you all have a fantastic day at the IMTX course!
@Jorge Duque I will make that beer payment someday!
Race well all!!!
Well, that’s bummer!
I’m nearing exhaustion so I guess I’m on track 😳
Tom