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Vincent Sivirine Official Coach Thread

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 Monday & Friday each week.


Power User Tip: Click the Star icon by the Title of this thread to subscribe, and you'll get email updates when I do reply.


Coach Notes:

Here are my thoughts for you in a coach video:


Post Race

Training & Targets

  • 4:15 marathon means a long run pace of about 8:45 per mile (open marathon of 3:50)...so we will need to build you up to that.
  • Also, it would be great for you to post some racing pictures here to the forum So I can see what you look like on the bike and on the run.
  • Sync Garmin OR Strava with Final Surge: https://www.finalsurge.com/GarminConnectSync

Your Races

  • 06/23/2019 - Chattanooga (TN) Waterfront - Olympic
  • Ironman Wisconsin (2019-09-8) #IMWI_19 


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 within Final Surge by clicking on the Training Plans > View My Plans. If you need help manipulating your plans in Final Surge, be sure to check out our Help Site. Remember, you can learn more about each plan and find related plan resources on the Plan Descriptions and Resources page.

  • Last updated by Coach on 05/15/2019
  • On 5/13/2019 Load the    Post Ironman Transition Plan, All Levels (4wks) to end on 6/9/2019
  • On 6/3/2019  Load the  -- EN*Full Bike Focused  to end on 9/8/2019
  • On 9/9/2019  Load the  -- Post Ironman Transition Plan, All Levels (4wks) to end on 10/6/2019
  • On 10/7/2019 Load the  -- Run Durability for Triathletes 1 (9 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 11/3/2019
  • On 11/4/2019 Load the  -- Run Durability for Triathletes 2 (8 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 12/1/2019
  • On 12/2/2019 Load the  -- Run Durability for Triathletes 3 (7 months out) -- 4 weeks to end on 12/29/2019


Your Notes

I've done one Ironman each year since 2013 (except in 2014). Embrunman (France), IM Louisville (2015, 2016, 2018), IM Florida (2017) and i just completed IM Santa Rosa last week end. Best time 12h30 (FLorida), Louisville and Santa Rosa were ~ 13h15. My goal for Santa Rosa was to be able to run the marathon in ~ 4h30 (my PR is 4h15 for the Atlanta marathon back in March 2019, very hilly race) but i failed, i think because of incorrect pacing on the bike. I ran/walked a 5h10 marathon.

I'm racing IM Wisconsin early September 2019 will the same goal to run the marathon in 4h15/4h30 for an overall time of between 12h and 12:30. Then i will finish the season in Wilmington for North Carolina 70.3 in late October 2019 with the goal of a 5h15 race. My swim times are around 1h08 to 1h15 on the IM swim, bike times between 5h45 (Florida) and 6:15 (Santa Rosa). I'm not a good runner (i weight ~ 185 lbs). I focused last winter and this winter on running, PRs are 48 min for 10K, 1h49 for half marathon and 4h15 for marathon. I train with a group of friends, masters swim twice a week (Mondays and Fridays), then bike and run by myself (following my own plan - worked well for running but not well for IM runs).

I'm probably at least 10 pounds too heavy but have difficulties losing weight especially during training season and overall i consider my fitness level okay. I train on average 10-12 hours a week with more hours on week ends.

Let's get to work!


~ Coach P

Tagged:
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Comments

  • Hey Coach, here are 4 pictures from IM Santa Rosa. It does not seem i have a good position on the bike, i'm very high and not really aero. What do you think?

    Vincent


  • @Coach Patrick

    Copying our email exchange from this morning here so that it's in the right place for future reference

    =================================================================================

    Hi Coach

    Yes thank you for the call this morning.


    1 - TrainingPeaks: 

    username: vincent30005

    password xxxxxx (please refer to email or ask me again)


    2 - Races: 

    for dry runs you could look at the Atlanta Marathon in March 2019, Atlanta half marathon in March 2018 and 10Ks in February and very early March 2018.

    for tris, IM Santa Rosa last week, IM Florida in November 2017 (5:45 bike with low TSS and Normalized Power but followed by a 5:15 run under 85F...), IM Louisville 2018 (but the swim was shortened and the bike was frigid cold, nevertheless i was able to run the first half of the marathon in 2:15 before having to walk). All my 70.3s (Augusta August 2017, Chattanooga May 2018) were under very warm weather which resulted in miserable runs.

    Short courses you could look at Westpoint Olympic in April 2018 with a sub 50' run.


    3-4 i will upload pictures and will look at the body composition course.


    Cheers,

    Vincent




    On Thu, May 16, 2019 at 10:13 AM Patrick from Endurance Nation <patrick@endurance-nation-569926241d88.intercom-mail.com> wrote:

                                                                                

    Endurance NationHi Vincent,


    Thanks for the time today...here's what I was looking for:

    1. Your Training Peaks Username and Login so I can see your race data. 
    2. I have you list of races, but if there is any particular race you want me to look at (great bike! really solid run! Nutrition problems at mile 10!), then you can let me know. 
    3. Pictures of you on the bike / run to your Forum Thread
    4. Check out the body composition course I have online just as a primer to have you thinking.

    Oh, and walks with the dog!!!! 🤣

    ~ Coach P

    Ps set up a call with me for the week after next: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/30minso we can talk next steps WRT your training and race goals. 

     


  • @Vincent Sivirine - thanks for the follow up and for getting me those images...they are incredible race pictures. Almost Hollywood quality!

    For the Bike:

    • Your knee should be 90 degrees, not less. So should be on the purple lines, but you are on the red (and it's beyond the top of the pedal stroke, so likely worse at the top).
    • You have room to move your seat forward more (red circle) and you like being on the nose (forward) so it's a no brainer.
    • Your shoulders are behind your pads/elbows so there is extra tension there that a better position will relieve.

    My recommendations:

    • Mark seat rails with tape in front of seat clamp.
    • Mark seat height with tape.
    • Move seat up 2cms to 2.5 cms, move seat forward as far as it can go. Test it out. You might have to lower it a bit to be comfy, but your position will be mucho better. 👍

    On the Run:

    • Biggest delta will be body composition...your best ROI.
    • Next is hip mobility, through lunges and pigeon stretch!


    Your Run Goals...let's discuss in our next call (you set that up right) so we can go over the data together...okay?

    ~ Coach P

  • @Coach Patrick

    Thanks for the great feedback.

    I have not received my bike from Tribike yet but as soon as i receive it i'll start adjusting the seat as suggested.

    As for the weight yes i agree, i also saw the pictures 😥. I've started logging everything again in MyFitnessPal and being focused on eating right. I've following few podcasts of yours and i have the right mindset now so weight should drop as weeks go by (targeting 1 pound a week eating smart but not getting on a diet to not interfere with training needs).

    I'll also incorporate lunges and pigeon stretch.

    Talk to you next week,

    Vincent

  • Hi @Coach Patrick

    First I hope you're enjoying a great Memorial Day weekend! it's a great day here in Georgia, plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 90s. We have a call on Tuesday and i wanted to ask you few question we can hopefully cover during our call:

    1 - i updated my zones in FS after you loaded the plans which means i only see "zone 3" for example and not the details (pace, HR or watts). I read that you have to remove the plan and reapply it to take advantage of the zone details. Is this something I can do (which plan am i on?) or do you have to do it?

    2 - for "watts zone", ie zone 3 is for me from 191 to 221 watts. Is this average or normalized power? i know I have to try to keep them very close to each other but where i live is pretty hilly and with traffic (stop signs, red lights etc..) i've never been able to keep a VI lower than 1.10. I did my workout this morning using NP zone 3 (i was at 218 NP and 192 AvgPower for this segment of the workout, VI 1.16)

    3 - because of the high temperatures (not crazy humid yet but we're going to get 100% humidity soon), which "zone metric" should i mostly focus on? heart rate or power or pace. It's really a question for my runs: in the winter i can run 8.30 minutes pace and be in zone 2 for HR but for the same course with the heat and humidity I will end up in zone 3 or even higher during a hot humid late afternoon July run

    4 - Finally i've got serious with my weight, logging everything in myfitnesspal and aiming for about a pound a week witihout doing anything stupid, just trying to eat healthy. I'm at 187 and probably raced IM Santa Rosa closer to 190 :-(

    Thanks

    Vincent

  • @Vincent Sivirine - Thanks for the call today...I enjoyed catching up. Here are my thoughts for you:

    • Added 2.5 weeks of Bike Focus block to the plan starting on this Thursday;
    • You can read up on that online here under the training section
    • You might need to update the zones for that plan (5/30 to 6/16)

    Reminder that I will help you with the zones if you need help, but let's see how things play out.

    In terms of targets:

    • 2lbs a month would be a great change for you, and sustainable.
    • I'd like to test your FTP in mid June again; my hope is with your rest (thru now) and the hard bike work (2.5 weeks) that we'll see a nice bump!)....maybe 15 to 20 watts!

    ~ Coach P

    ps keep me posted on the travel plans!


  • Hi Coach,

    The Epic ride is in the books and i think concluded the bike focus three week plan you gave before starting the 12 week IM plan (which starts today). I did my 8 hours and i went fine except the lat 30 minutes when i wanted it to get done, butt was aching and i was dreaming of a veggie smoothie, was overdosing on sugars..

    Key takeaways were nutrition (11 Gatorade Endurance bottles, few gels, saltsticks), i came a bit short of my 462 calories / hour target but i rode easy and Garmin showed I burnt around 2900 calories so my calorie intake was on par with calories consumed even if below my target. I will need to dial in my nutrition over the next few weeks, i realized that i'm drinking too much at first (probably for the first 3 hours and 5-6 bottles i had to pee 5 times, i only peed three times in the last 5 hours) and will probably need to slow down initially on the bottles and replace with gels or bars. But i felt good until the end, heart rate stayed low at 110 on average and power was low as well (powermeter died at the end but i was i think on a 140-150 average power, course was relatively flat). Position on the bike was good, no back or pain ache. But i'm happy it's done!

    I will most definitively go to France, the Alps from July 14 to July 31st and will bring my road bike with me. I looked at the plan and i think i should be able to do all the workouts there, especially those i would have done on the trainer (it's easy to get to high watts when climbing..).

    Preparing for the swim that is starting this week i have done a swim test, i did the Swimsmooth CSS test (400 followed by 200) and swam 6:41 and 3:11, so apparently my pace is 1:45. I also did the EN test but landed at 1:50 for 1000m. Maybe i was tired that day but i will redo the test when not tired to ensure i have accurate results.

    Running is going well, i like the easy 40 mns + 5 x 20" strides and i feel i'm running stronger.

    My weight is now 184 (down from close to 190) just on healthy eating, no dieting.

    I've spent much time on the forum learning from race reports and also on the wiki section, it's pretty awesome. I've also ordered the tri kit from Castelli to represent EN at IMWI.

    Finally two of my friends have asked me for more information about EN so i'm also trying to recruit :-)

    That's it. I'm now embarking on the last 12 weeks with one key focus on the bike, that is to refine my nutrition and improve smooth/smart pedaling.

    Please let me know if you have any questions,

    Happy training,

    Vincent

  • @Vincent Sivirine

    Welcome to your SECOND MONTH  inside Endurance Nation!


    To help you continue your progress, we have a few short questions for you. You can copy the questions and put your answers in your reply to this thread (no need to copy the questions, just keep the numbers the same!).


    ** Rankings **

    Please rate the following items on a Scale of 1 to 3 (1 = Unsatisfactory,  2 = Satisfactory, 3 = Great!):

    • Swim Fitness:
    • Bike Fitness:
    • Run Fitness:
    • Weight / Body Composition:

     

    ** Subjective Information **

    • What is Your Biggest Improvement So Far?
    • In What Area Do You Need Additional Support?
    • Would You Recommend Endurance Nation to a Friend?

     

    ** Additional Learning **

    Now that we are beyond the initial learning curve of Endurance Nation, it's time to give deeper into some additional resources that can really help you out.

    You have several options:


    ** Need Coach Input? **

    Don’t forget you can schedule a check in call with Coach Patrick online here: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min


    We are looking forward to your answers!

  • @Brenda Ross

    * Rankings

    Rankings the following items on a Scale of 1 to 3 (1 = Unsatisfactory, 2 = Satisfactory, 3 = Great!):

    • Swim Fitness: 1-2 (between 1 and 2). Swimming is probably my strongest of the three but I'm always unhappy that I've hit a plateau and can't swim faster than a 1:45 / 1:50 pace per 1,000m
    • Bike Fitness: 2 - I see that I'm progressing fast with the bike focus from these past few weeks. Reaching level 3 of bike fitness probably means I've been able to lower my weight even more.
    • Run Fitness: 2 - i have a long way to reach run fitness 3... that will come next year after a strong offseason focus on running
    • Weight / Body Composition: 1-2. I'm losing weight (down to 184 from ~ 190 a month ago) but i think my target body comp has to be closer to 165 / 170 lbs and that will take much time to get there

     

    ** Subjective Information **

    • What is Your Biggest Improvement So Far? nutrition on the bike and off the bike (ie eating healthy); i did not like the picture of me running at IM Santa Rosa...
    • In What Area Do You Need Additional Support? not much at this time, i think you guys are doing an awesome job.
    • Would You Recommend Endurance Nation to a Friend? I'm very happy I joined EN, I have already recommended EN to two friends who are considering it and if one of them signs up we will be growing the team in Alpharetta GA :-)


  • @Coach Patrick

    The post below is what i sent last week but i forgot to tag you and probably you did not see it. This week went well, i am feeling stronger on the bike, swimming again was fun (Pink Mist went much easier than i thought so that's good), there is only one workout i sucked at, that was the Thursday morning tempo run (run 1 of 2 of that day). I did this workout outside and near my house is pretty hilly and it was close to 100% humidity that day so i had to walk few times and finish slower than the workout called for. I'll do better this week, will be more prepared.

    I'm also focusing much more on nutrition on the bike but i still have to improve, yesterday i did not eat everything i was supposed to eat, today i consumed everything i was supposed to but with the heat and humidity Garmin estimated i burnt 1500 calories for a 150 mn ride (600 calories an hour!) and although i consumed 460 calories x 2.5 i still felt i was light on nutrition during the ride (and that was kind of confirmed by the Garmin calories burnt number, if it's reliable). The issue i have is that i can only carry 4 bottles on my bike and therefore i'm autonomous for only two hours.. i have not figured this one out, maybe the solution is to know i have to refuel every two hours but this breaks the ride too much...

    I have a question for you, that has to do with the gearning for IMWI. I'm riding a 34/28 but don't really like it. I had a 36/26 before and switched for the 34/28 as i read it was what EN recommends for Wisconsin... is that really needed? i don't like the gaps on the 34/28 and was thinking that a 36/28 or a 34/26 would not be so bad outside of the few steep hills on the course. What do you think?

    Please let me know if you would like me to schedule a call to touch base on the last 10 weeks or if we're good for now.

    Thanks

    Vincent

    ===============================================================================

    last week post

    The Epic ride is in the books and i think concluded the bike focus three week plan you gave before starting the 12 week IM plan (which starts today). I did my 8 hours and i went fine except the lat 30 minutes when i wanted it to get done, butt was aching and i was dreaming of a veggie smoothie, was overdosing on sugars..

    Key takeaways were nutrition (11 Gatorade Endurance bottles, few gels, saltsticks), i came a bit short of my 462 calories / hour target but i rode easy and Garmin showed I burnt around 2900 calories so my calorie intake was on par with calories consumed even if below my target. I will need to dial in my nutrition over the next few weeks, i realized that i'm drinking too much at first (probably for the first 3 hours and 5-6 bottles i had to pee 5 times, i only peed three times in the last 5 hours) and will probably need to slow down initially on the bottles and replace with gels or bars. But i felt good until the end, heart rate stayed low at 110 on average and power was low as well (powermeter died at the end but i was i think on a 140-150 average power, course was relatively flat). Position on the bike was good, no back or pain ache. But i'm happy it's done!

    I will most definitively go to France, the Alps from July 14 to July 31st and will bring my road bike with me. I looked at the plan and i think i should be able to do all the workouts there, especially those i would have done on the trainer (it's easy to get to high watts when climbing..).

    Preparing for the swim that is starting this week i have done a swim test, i did the Swimsmooth CSS test (400 followed by 200) and swam 6:41 and 3:11, so apparently my pace is 1:45. I also did the EN test but landed at 1:50 for 1000m. Maybe i was tired that day but i will redo the test when not tired to ensure i have accurate results.

    Running is going well, i like the easy 40 mns + 5 x 20" strides and i feel i'm running stronger.

    My weight is now 184 (down from close to 190) just on healthy eating, no dieting.

    I've spent much time on the forum learning from race reports and also on the wiki section, it's pretty awesome. I've also ordered the tri kit from Castelli to represent EN at IMWI.

    Finally two of my friends have asked me for more information about EN so i'm also trying to recruit :-)

    That's it. I'm now embarking on the last 12 weeks with one key focus on the bike, that is to refine my nutrition and improve smooth/smart pedaling.

    Please let me know if you have any questions,

    Happy training,

    Vincent

  • @Vincent Sivirine this is great stuff!!! Kudos I’m getting that epic ride done. I huge part of that is not only the fitness but the lessons learned, and it sounds like you got a healthy dose of both!!

    Don’t worry so much about being too much too soon, usually the swim takes care of a lot of those excess hydration that you might be bringing from starting a ride after a normal breakfast, that Cetera. That goes doubly so if you are going to be racing on a hot day. Maybe cut the first hour down if it’s a cooler day or you are starting very well hydrated.

    Four bottles on your bike is pretty good. Are usually put one more in the back of my bike jersey so that gets me another 30 minutes. For a five hour ride day that’s really only one stop which isn’t terrible. I have no problem with you stopping every two or 2 1/2 hours to get hydration and they start again. It just means better quality cycling overall.

    Let’s use the 145 pace for your swim paces, that’s 100% OK.

    For the bike, can you tell me what the front ring and the back ring ratios are? For example is it 53/39 and then 12/34? Thanks!!

    ~ Coach P

  • @Coach Patrick , i have a compact so 50/34 in front, and 11/28 in the back. In the past i had a 52/36 in front but i decided to go to a compact to lower the power on the hills... but i'm not a huge fan anymore, i don't like the gaps in the gearing.. but maybe it's better for Wisconsin.. what do you recommend?

    Also i forgot to mention that i'm going to France from July 10th to July 31st. I will have access to running (there is a place which is relatively flat for about a 5 mile loop (that i can do multiple times), to a pool (25m) but for the bike it's going to be hilly no matter what. That should work fine for the workouts i would do on the trainer at home, as for the long ride that should work well.. what do you recommend? keep the plan as is or modify? for France i will take my road bike with me and i will have a 50/34 in front and a 11/30 in the back.

    Thanks

    Vincent

  • @Coach Patrick

    I will be in France from 7/15 (Monday) and back in Atlanta on 7/31 (Wednesday). I looked at the plan and i think it will be fine. the easiest for me will be to run (at around 4000 feet of elevation) but i should be able to swim (hopefully not too many kids swimming/playing in my lane) and bike as well (nothing is flat there and i don't have a trainer).

    I finish this week workouts and even if i struggled on the FTP workouts (8 minutes then 12 minutes at 235 are much harder indoor than outside [i did 2 x 35' at around 230-240 but on the trainer it's much harder..]) i feel i'm getting stronger when riding on week ends. The pink mist is going fine and the runs as well. I'm switching to HR from pace (as per your advice on last week's video) due to the heat and humidity. So overall pretty good. My weight balloons after the week end workouts (sugar overdose?) and goes down gradually to Fridays (183 pounds this week). If i don't stuff my face with too many croissants and baguette in France i should be able to be close to 180 by end of July and maybe i can get close to my goal of racing in September at 175.

    Please let me know if you want me to schedule a call, if not we'll probably talk when i return at the end of July.

    Vincent

  • OK, playing catch-up here, thank you for your patience. I think given your gearing in the back, that a 52/36 is fine. The 50/34 recommendation was beore there was a mid compact option. I agree that returning to the 52/36 is fine.


    I agree, you should be 100% fine in France following the plan. My biggest concern is the altitude changes for you, so give yourself a few days to get into the rhythm, don’t force the effort on the run or the swim.

    As for those long rides, I’m still looking for total time in the saddle. You could do the intervals on a local hill and that would be fine: interval up turnaround coast back to the bottom. The long rides will just have periods of work with recovery and that’s OK. I can’t imagine you will return home from France a worse cyclist for your time there! 😂

    I like how you have noticed the weekly rhythm of your weight. A lot of that is due to the compensation from the longer weekend workouts as your body needs to “bounce back“ from the work. Theoretically as you get more accustomed to that schedule he will have less of an “bounce.“ Remember, the fact that you can shed that way by the end of the week means it’s predominately fluid related. As long as the general trend is heading where we want to, you are all set.

    I will be following your workouts I think our best bet is to plan on connecting in early August when you return. You can always bump for me here if you have an intermediate question that needs to be resolved while you are abroad.

  • @Vincent Sivirine


    Welcome to your SECOND MONTH  inside Endurance Nation! 


    To help you continue your progress, we have a few short questions for you. You can copy the questions and put your answers in your reply to this thread (no need to copy the questions, just keep the numbers the same!). 


    ** Rankings **

    Please rate the following items on a Scale of 1 to 3 (1 = Unsatisfactory,  2 = Satisfactory, 3 = Great!):

    • Swim Fitness: 
    • Bike Fitness:
    • Run Fitness:
    • Weight / Body Composition:

     

    ** Subjective Information **

    • What is Your Biggest Improvement So Far?
    • In What Area Do You Need Additional Support? 
    • Would You Recommend Endurance Nation to a Friend?

     

    ** Additional Learning **

    Now that we are beyond the initial learning curve of Endurance Nation, it's time to give deeper into some additional resources that can really help you out. 

    You have several options: 


    ** Need Coach Input? **

    Don’t forget you can schedule a check in call with Coach Patrick online here: https://calendly.com/pmccrann/15min


    We are looking forward to your answers!

  • @Brenda Ross, @Coach Patrick


    Apologies for the late reply. Here are my answers:


    ** Rankings **

    Please rate the following items on a Scale of 1 to 3 (1 = Unsatisfactory, 2 = Satisfactory, 3 = Great!):

    • Swim Fitness: between 1 and 2. I have not been swimming a lot (~ 2 or 3 max sessions a week), i was happy with my swim before traveling to France but here i suck. Maybe it's the altitude (~ 3000 ft), maybe the pool but I'm slow (my 400s were about 20 seconds too slow last week). I'm not overly worried though, worst case I'll swim 1:15 at IMWI as i did at Santa Rosa few months ago
    • Bike Fitness: between 2 and 3 (i'm not sure i feel comfortable with ranking myself as great :-) my FTP have increased to 257 from 252, all the workouts here in the Alps are just pure joy, i just feel strong on the bike and i like it
    • Run Fitness: same, between 2 and 3. I was struggling running with pace in Atlanta given the heat and humidity so i switched to HR and i felt i was getting stronger, here where it's dry i do the Tuesday run sets easily despite the altitude. I'm also feeling good for most runs
    • Weight / Body Composition: i'll give myself a 2++. I'm down to almost 180 pounds from way over 187 when i started with EN (Coach P asked for a picture of me on the run and oh boy did i hate it - so i'm more focused now and the weight is dropping. My goal is to race IMWI at less than 80 kgs / 176 pounds. I'm around 13% body fat so i have potential :-)

     

    ** Subjective Information **

    • What is Your Biggest Improvement So Far? body comp is important but i feel that i've learned a ton in terms of pacing, race strategy and execution. Besides i have not missed many workouts so i feel i'm much more consistent in my training and i see my metrics improve in TrainingPeaks (fitness went from low 80s to over 110 today)
    • In What Area Do You Need Additional Support? I'm targeting running the marathon in less than 4:30 which would be great vs. past races but i really want to be able to run faster. That will be my next goal for 2020
    • Would You Recommend Endurance Nation to a Friend? Yes of course and i have (although they don't want to switch now as they are heading into their key races in few weeks... but i guess if i'm able to have a good race in IMWI and especially run better than usual more friends may be convinced that i have the secret sauce with the EN team :-)

    I will schedule a call with Coach P when i return to the US early August and will look at the additional training links you attached to your post.


    Cheers

    Vincent

     

  • @Coach Patrick

    Quick question for you... i'm flying back to the US next Wednesday 7/31 (will get to Atlanta mid afternoon). Then i'm supposed to start Camp Week the next morning. I was thinking i could delay it by a week so that i get over jet lag and recover from the trip ? or would this be a bad idea and screw up the last weeks of training? i may be able to do it next week but i'm a bit concerned about both the jet lag and the weather change (we're having 75F / 80F here during the day but 65F in the mornings with very little to no humidity, and Atlanta is probably 90F with 80% humidity..).

    Things are going well here and i'm doing my own mini version of your 2020 Alps camp (although it took me over 6 hours last week to do 110 km and i saw that your camp has 110km per day for 7 days... epic!), biking and cycling are good but my swim is bad.. the pool is not perfect (can't flip turn on one side and i have to share my lane which i'm not used to :-)

    My FTP has increased to 257 (before my mini Alps camp, must be higher now :-), i've calculated that i should stick to a power of not more than 180w for IMWI (and less for the first 20 or so miles) and for my run (my Stryd power is 273 and Stryd indicates i should run the marathon around 225w). I know we will have time to talk about it later but directionally am i looking at these numbers the right way?


    Thanks, happy training and I will schedule a call when i return to Atlanta.

    Cheers

    Vincent

  • Thank you for checking in, although it’s hard to talk to you when you keep saying that you are in the Alps! 😂

    I agree that your bike and run Fitness have undoubtedly grown with your time in the mountains, there is no better way to build endurance and muscular endurance been challenging yourself against gravity. Sounds like you’ve been able to make it a great trip, so kudos to you.

    I agree 100% that we should delay camp week. Instead, I assume you’ll have a decent amount of catching up to do when you get back it will be great for you to prioritize your swim during that time so we can get it back on track. It’s not the worst thing to have to build up the swim as an intermediary step. It will keep you busy, and it will allow you to re-integrate to the US time zone more easily.

    You can simply drag and drop the workouts in Final Surge to re-order the weeks as needed. Even though you are a swim focus that first week, I still want my long run a long ride even if they are just on the weekends. And I Deleigh your swim will not impact your sleep window in the first two days upon your return.

    I look forward to connecting with you when you are back!

    ~ Coach P

  • Thanks @Coach Patrick

    So i moved the workouts around for this week and next. This week is "enjoy the bike and run", next week is "ok now need to catch up on the swim". You guys are going to have a blast next year in your France 2020 camp. I need to move out of Georgia to Colorado or Utah... i love these long painful climbs :-)

  • @Vincent Sivirine That is perfect. I think holding off on the swim for a few more days is wise. I agree with you 100% on the cycling camp. I dread the hills but love the feeling of climbing them... especially when I am done! 😂

  • @Coach Patrick

    Just to give you a short recap of the week now that I'm back in Atlanta. I just completed an 18 hour workout week with the long ride from last week that i had to push from last week end to Monday and yesterday i did the long ride for this week. So i will enjoy tomorrow off!

    Overall I'm feeling quite stronger, my TrainingPeaks fitness is now at 116 and should be over 120 by end of next week when i complete rehearsal camp week. I just ran 2 hours in 90% humidity (fortunately wasn't too hot, only mid 70s) and was able to almost hold TRP pace (~ 6min/km) as i was focused on HR pace (under 140), so despite the humidity the HR was on target and generated a pace that was close to TRP. My legs were heavy from yesterday's long ride: i was riding with a friend, we did two 48m loops, the first one was exactly what i wanted in terms of pacing, steady efforts (except the sprints every 30mns) and controlled efforts, and we rode 2h38. The second loop got out of control and we went quite hard and rode 2h32. It left me pretty wasted but that was awesome as it showed me what not to do in a race: for barely a 6 minute faster loop i wasted lots of energy and i clearly would not have been able to run a marathon. It was really eye opening, so when i do my race rehearsal on Friday i will off course focus on a steady pace (my FTP is 257 [before i went to France, i suspect i may be slightly over 260 now], so a 0.70 IF means riding at 180 Normalized Power and trying to keep a low VI (ideally 1.05).

    My plan was to ride the first loop at 175 and the second one at 180 and to always keep my HR as close as possible to 125 (i assume it will be low 120s first loop and high 120s second loop because of the heat). I will have ice in my car to pour on me after the first loop.

    I think i have my nutrition dialed in, 6 Gatorade endurance bottles (1/hour, i get sick if i drink more), 18 SIS isotonic gels mixed with water (22g carbs, 90 calories each), 2 bottles with "the right stuff" pure sodium, it worked fine this week end so i will confirm next week that it's still ok.

    Anything else I should focus on?

    I booked a phone call with you on 8/13 so we can debrief after my week camp experience.

    4 more weeks, it's coming fast...

    Happy training,

    Vincent

  • @Vincent Sivirine thank you so much for the detailed reporting! I think you’re in a great place right now with regards to the key workouts and doing everything from a nutrition perspective in the pacing perspective to get ready. It’s easy to find excuses as to why you can’t do all of the work when the training starts to build up. I am pleased to see that you are still making it happen. Your nutrition plan sounds slightly complicated but good.

    Can you tell me exactly how many bottles or ounces of fluid you drank across that bike ride?

    Also, do you carry external salt pills? I want to make sure you can add salt to your drinking regimen without automatically consuming some of your critical fluids.

    How will you manage all of those different fluids versus on race day on your bike? I would like to know what the plan is for that.

    Looking to forward to our call this week!

    ~ Coach P

  • edited August 12, 2019 1:07AM

    Hey @Coach Patrick

    I still don't have a solid nutrition plan, i have been experimenting but I'm not fully there yet.

    Yesterday was my first RR, I did the same ride i did last week but this time controlling my NP and it ended up slow (i stopped at 6 hours but i was on track for ~ 6h30 for 112m) and my NP ended up 157w with 1.10 VI, 0.61 IF. It was brutally hot (probably over 100F under the sun) and i got bad sunburns which made my brick run miserable (had to shorten it to 50 minutes and had to walk few times after the 30' mark, the heat (and maybe incorrect nutrition earlier) was unbearable. So kind of a missed opportunity for bike R&R.

    Last week ride

    https://us.v-cdn.net/6029573/uploads/044/0JTV2NW4NK93.gz There was an error displaying this embed.

    Yesterday's ride (first two loops are the same, i added about 20 mins yesterday to make it 6 hours)

    https://us.v-cdn.net/6029573/uploads/774/6GU9BXSLTOLC.gz There was an error displaying this embed.

    Today i had to do another 6 hours but the weather was crazy hot and humid and i had to call it a day after 3h30m of riding, i couldn't stand the heat and sun. So tomorrow i'll finish camp week with a 2 hour run on the treadmill, i'm fed up with the Georgia summers... looking to move to Minnesota :-) -

    my next bike RR is in two weeks and i will try to shoot for between 0.65 and 0.7 IF, definitively 0.61 yesterday was too low although i did feel really good (despite the heat) when i finished the bike.

    My nutrition yesterday was 8 bottles, that included the following and clearly i under-fueled. Should have drank more. I nevertheless peed 4 times (although the last one was pretty dense yellow)

    For race day i was thinking i would start the ride with 2 bottles of e-Fuel (Crank Sport) and then switch to Gatorade and have two more eFuel bottles waiting for me at Special Needs and then switch to Gatorade again. The issue is that if i only drink Gatorade it makes me nauseous after hour #4. In total i was counting on between 8 to 10 bottles (1400 to 1800 calories) combining eFuel and Gatorade.

    I will also take water to pour on me if it's hot and to drink (maybe with salt tablets) if I'm sick of the sports drink taste.

    Additional nutrition would come from SIS isotonic gels previously mixed with water (easy to drink), one bottle at the start and one bottle at special needs. Total 16 gels for 1,400 calories. I also get a bit sick of the sweetener taste after i while but i have not found a better way to get my nutrition and this stuff is not sweet (more like applesauce). I would also grab few bananas at aid stations to complete nutrition and have a real food taste in my mouth.

    Salt is the issue. Gatorade and eFuel would each bring ~ 300 mg of sodium for a total of between 2,400 and 3,000 mg that i would need to complement by either 3 TheRightStuff pouches (~ 30 ml each, so i can put three in a small Hammel gel flask, put a very little bit in my mouth [super tangy and hyper salty] and wash with water) or use salt pills (I've been using Saltsticks but if not i could use Base or whatever you recommend).

    I know nutrition is very personal but I'm willing to try other strategies if you think the above is complicated or not recommended. I tried before to go with only Gatorade but after bottle #6 i wanted to throw up..and i just want to use bottles on the bike, no refueling system like an XLAB torpedo or equivalent (too messy and i think dangerous when refilling at aid stations).

    Apologies for the very detailed report (wife and daughter went shopping so i have too much time on my hands :-), yes this nutrition thing and pacing (last week too hard, this week too easy, need to find happy medium) are not dialed in yet.

    Let's talk on Tuesday,

    Vincent

  • @Coach Patrick

    Finished camp week this morning with a 2 hour treadmill run and i was very pleased with it. At least on the run i have my nutrition dialed in: 1 gel with water every 30 minutes and gatorade endurance every 30 minutes on the 15/45min mark (so drinking either water or Gatorade every 15 minutes). i had two bottles for these two hours.

    Pacing was also really good, i followed the guideline of starting slow as if i was starting the marathon (zone 1 plus 30 seconds per mile), held it for 3-5k and then went faster. The treadmill unfortunately broke mid run so i had to take a 5 minute break in the middle of the run while i switched to another treadmill, and i was able to finish strong wrapping 20k in the 2 hours which is my run pace. It's crazy how much of a difference a slower start makes...And i did not have to face another heat stroke since i ran indoors.. all good.

    I'll swim easy tomorrow, i'm really happy with the way this run went. Hopefully i can repeat it in Madison..

    Vincent

  • FANTASTIC! Having that great experience really makes all the difference; now you have confidence in your abilities AND the process!! Not to mention your reign of terror on ordinary treadmills. 🤣

    Nice work,


    ~ Coach P

  • @Vincent Sivirine


    Welcome to your THIRD MONTH  inside Endurance Nation! 


    This month we focus on helping you become more independent as part of your growth as a Self-Coached Athlete.  Whether you are planning your season, preparing to race or transitioning to a new endurance challenge...Team Endurance Nation is ready to help!


    If you haven’t done so already, please set up your Month Three Coach Call here.



    ** Training Focus **

    We consider anytime in your season when you are more than 12 weeks away from your event to be a training focus. There are different phases of training (OutSeason®, General Prep, Sport Specific), but they are fall under the same umbrella. 


    Now that you are through your first two months of Endurance Nation, You have learned a few key “rules” of how we play the game, and you are ready to take charge of your experience.


    Training Lesson Recap:

    • No single workout is more important than your health, or your season goal. 
    • Prioritize your “key” workouts each week, then fill the rest of your space. 
    • We can always fix over rested. We can’t fix broken, exhausted or sick.
    • Have a specific goal for each training block - what is the desired end state?


    Taking Charge:

    • You should be comfortable moving your own workouts around at this point. 
    • You can change plan ability levels as needed to keep yourself on track. 
    • You can use the Test Week at any time to confirm a fitness change. 
    • If you want to take a different path that we suggest...do it and keep us posted!


    ** Racing Focus **

    Once you are within the final 12 week window to your event, it’s time to really focus. From key workouts to nutrition to logistics, there’s a great deal to cover. There’s a fine line between a great day and a day where you want a total do-over. 


    Key components of your final push should include: 


    • Simulation Workouts to replicate the mental, physical and nutritional scenario you expect on race day.
    • A tried and true nutrition plan for your event; this is your last chance to lock it in!
    • Draft and review of a Race Plan to make sure you are 100% ready to take this on.
    • Optional rest as needed, and a defined taper in the last two to three weeks as necessary. 
    • 13 Weeks out from your race you should be getting a race preparation email and an invitation to GroupMe - if you haven’t gotten that yet - let us know! 


    ** Additional Support **

    In addition to The Forums and other Team-related support, you still have the chance to connect with Coach Patrick across your first year. Right now it’s time for your three month call with Coach Patrick; and you can book it here.


    Tip: Find all your other call windows across your first year, please visit the EN Staff page


    Be sure to check out our Three Year Plan in Resources / Wiki so you can see how we recommend improving from season to season. 


    Coach Phone Consults

    If you are looking for support above and beyond the traditional Endurance Nation experience, you can book a consult with Coach Patrick. These are billed at $100/hour and Can be on almost any training or racing topic. Please click here to learn more / get started. 



    Congratulations for moving forward with you training as you build to your race goals. We can’t wait to see what you are capable of this season!

  • edited August 16, 2019 6:09PM via Email
    @Brenda Ross

    Thanks for the email. I talked to Coach Patrick yesterday and i think i'm
    in a good place. Can you help me understand next steps in terms of support
    and calls with him? this was my third call i think and i don't intend to
    talk to him again until probably after IMWI for him to give me a plan for
    North Carolina 70.3 in October but more importantly to discuss what i do
    next, either the Offseason program or the Marathon Plan and then talk about
    2020 goals. Then i would expect i would get feedback from him via my
    personal page on the forum as i have been doing over the past weeks.

    Is this the way communication is supposed to go? with my membership am i
    allowed a certain number of calls a year or per training period? i really
    don't know so i would gladly take some direction here.

    Thanks
    Vincent
  • @Coach Patrick

    Quick weekly update following our call last Tuesday. Something clicked in my brain and i finally understand how to ride efficiently.. yesterday long ride and this morning ABP were done on 5k intervals (on my Garmin 530) which makes it much easier to track if i'm on power target or not. For both rides i managed to keep my VI lower than 1.05 on a pretty hilly course where in the past i would typically show 1.20+. Learning to ride steady the EN way...

    Also i simplified my nutrition after our talk and focused on drinking Gatorade Endurance, front load nutrition on bike and run, and use Saltsticks and gels. Also worked very well.

    And finally my weight is down to 178 (from 187+ when we started, remember that ugly picture at the beginning of this tread). Things are in a good place. 3 weeks to go.

    Happy training,

    Vincent

  • @Coach Patrick , i've published my IM Wisconsin race plan in the racing forum

    https://endurancenation.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/26000/vincent-sivirine-2019-im-wisconsin-race-plan)

    Please let me know if I missed anything, thanks

    Vincent

  • @Vincent Sivirine just catching up here. Regarding the phone calls, now that you are beyond your third month they are more of an as needed basis. I’m not militant about tracking how things work, it’s more a function of having time to dedicate resources to our newer members and creating content for everyone. Having those guidelines allows me to distinguish between someone who needs the occasional help at someone who is clearly trying to re-create one on one coaching Without paying for it. I think us talking after Wisconsin would be great.

    I’m very pleased to see you figured out the smooth writing as well as the auto lab punctuality, it is certainly a game changer in terms of managing your effort and being as steady as possible which is our endgame!

    Looks like You have gotten some great race advice from our team already! Only a few more weeks to go…

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