Breaking this up into 2 blocks to align with BBC exit program.
Weeks 8->5
Mon - Swim (BBC called for rest day)
Tues - FTP Intervals / Transition Run (2-3 miles)
Wed - VLamax / Brick Run (3-5 miles)
Thu - Long Run
Fri - Swim
Sat - Long Ride, Run
Sun - Fatmax Ride (Pair with a swim or tempo run?)
Weeks 4-2
Mon - Swim (BBC called for rest day)
Tues - Vlamax (80-85% low cad) / Brick Run
Wed - Swim, VO2 Short Bike
Thu - Long Run
Fri - Swim
Sat - Swim, Long Ride
Sun - (Tempo Run?)
Week 1 - Standard Taper
The last week or so it has been a little tough to hit all the bikes and also find time for run durability sesssions, so I may prioritize the Long Runs, sprinkle in transition runs a minimum and if I can hit a Tempo or Cruise run then its a bonus.
I would appreciate some guidance on the Saturday long rides and comparing the IM plan with VLamax may be the reason for the question. Likely a majority of these will be indoors. IM plan called for the intense 4 hour rides with FTP intervals, helping to accumulate the TSS effect on less time, however a 70-75% ride with cadence work is not going to accumulate the same load in the time constraint. Can you give me an idea of a progression or workout outline for the next 6 weeks on these Saturday rides?
@Jonathan Benson - hey man, thanks so much for reaching out. I think your general approach is a really good one. I appreciate how much mental energy you put into structuring the training for maximum results. That's why you've achieved the gains you already have this season.
Building off of that, I think it's important to recognize that you have in fact done a great deal of work this season. The threshold power is up and you are very strong. With that in mind, we are not under pressure to make you any stronger right now.
Our focus is essentially adding the endurance, the far, to your fitness. Essentially you'll be riding at numbers that are easy for you, but will be stunningly effective on Iron Man race course. The peak of your FatMax is around 260...which is 3.3 W/kg.
Your ability to do so is predicated upon spending time in the aero bars and locking in your position of fitness in a nutrition. Doing so should give you more bandwidth to focus on the run in your mind pacing. After all, there's no such thing as a good bike followed by a long run.
I vote that we work on maintaining the four hour ride window, but that we increase the effort of the interview is over time to prepare you for that 260 effort.
Week 1: 230 W steady ride. Aerobars, cadence changes.
Week 2: 240 W baseline ride, "intervals" at 260 (4 x 20' @ 260, 10' at 240) remainder at 240W.
Week 3: 250 W baseline ride, "intervals" at 260 (5 x 24' @ 260, 6' at 240) remainder at 250W.
Week 4: 260 W baseline steady ride. Aerobars, cadence changes.
Sundays should be VLaMax ride done as 20 warm up, normal easy riding...then 60 to 90 minutes with 10' VLaMax intervals (low cadence) @ 85%, rest is 5' after each at peak recover. Progression could be:
Week 1: 90' total with 4 x 10' (5') @ 80%
Week 2: 100' total with 3 x 15' (5') @ 80%
Week 3: 110' total with 2 x 20' (5') @ 80%
Week 4: 120' total with 2 x 25' (5') @ 80%
Runs off the Sunday bikes should be at target IM pace and super well fueled...not thing flashy here. Flash can be on Wednesdays if you want to fit that in!
@Jonathan Benson I am looking through your data now. I was bit delay by some of the changes we have made to bike camp for the women's only version.
I'm super stoked and impressed with your 100+ mile ride at 257 W - back and forth on that 5 mile stretch. It was exactly at your recovery watts - I mean right at the peak of the curve. That is awesome.
WKO5 clearly shows a VO2max and FTP improvement over the course of the year - which is obvious but still really impressive.
There are a few other metrics that I am looking at to gauge IM fitness and use as potential targets for your next build etc. One of those metrics is Fatigue Resistance which is your power distribution curve AFTER you have spent 1000 kJ of energy. Essentially, how much power you can generate when you are a bit tired. (like after a 2.4 mile swim).
There are some other metrics like Stamina - which is measure of how fast your power distribution curve drops after the time you can hold your FTP. That time is called TTE (Time to Exhaustion) - essentially how long you can hold your FTP.
I'm still looking for a good gauge of VLaMax. There is no VLaMax metric (yet, they are "working on it") but I am looking at combination of existing metrics to see how we can use them to gauge progress.
Do you feel you have made progress on lowering your VLamax?
Its pretty tough to gauge right now. I have a few subjective points that lead me to believe its improving:
Current state: I am very fatigued at this point in the IM build. Consistent 9+ hour bike weeks since August and 3 weeks into 100 Days left to Run challenge.
Initially the new FTP of 385 was intimidating. The first few workouts at that level of work, I really wasn't sure if I could manage it. By my Sept 29th FTP workout [5 x 9' (3')] I was just ticking off the intervals without a second thought and I have started to push the last interval or two by several percent - getting into the low 400s to finish the last interval.
Chasing Daylight Race last Tuesday was a NP of 360w for 1:12. That is a lot of power for just shy 75' on a Tuesday following a race sim/camp weekend. I could have kept pushing in that range, but really didn't have a 6th gear for a sprint effort above 120%.
Low cadence work hasn't been taxing. Wednesday (day after chasing daylight), I did a 1:40 workout with 60' at 80%+ with low cadence work. HR stays low. In fact, using low cadence as a break from 80 cadence during these 4 hour rides has been great.
We can't forget the outdoor temps cooling off playing a role as well.
So I feel like if I were to shed this IM fatigue and test in November rather than race IM, I could put up some good numbers, but that is all pretty subjective.
@Coach Patrick@matt limbert Looking to book the call to think about next year, what races to try to sign up for, training beyond the JOS. Do I need to book a coach consult? Happy to do so, just let me know which level I need. Looking to discuss:
Race Schedule for 2021 (attack 70.3s or another 140.6), which courses, etc. I am really open to anything but want to spend the year doing what will net me the most experience.
Discussion on training gaps, areas of opportunity to focus on in 2021. Training focuses - Run JOS versus a Bike JOS. JOS alterations? VO2 vs VLamax
Volume targets - Look back versus look forward. Run miles, Bike TSS, Swim distance/frequency. I can follow the plans as prescribed, but wondering if there is anything additional I need to work toward for my long term goals.
Also with this - I plan to BBC retest coming out of JOS with the 12 week plan guidance which should set us up with good bike data for the season.
@jrbenson4@gmail.com This sounds super cool. I'm in! I really like what you are thinking about and talking through those options. Have you watched the roadmap series (here) - Phase 3 is all about what you are talking about. The first video talks about the S.W.O.T analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Oppurtunities, Targets or Threats) It's a great way to frame what you we are thinking about, then moves into Peak and Pursuit. Let me know what you think of those. I can look at parts of 2020 in WKO for the charts too.
Comments
@matt limbert @Coach Patrick
Need some assistance - 8 weeks to IMFL.
Breaking this up into 2 blocks to align with BBC exit program.
Weeks 8->5
Weeks 4-2
Week 1 - Standard Taper
The last week or so it has been a little tough to hit all the bikes and also find time for run durability sesssions, so I may prioritize the Long Runs, sprinkle in transition runs a minimum and if I can hit a Tempo or Cruise run then its a bonus.
I would appreciate some guidance on the Saturday long rides and comparing the IM plan with VLamax may be the reason for the question. Likely a majority of these will be indoors. IM plan called for the intense 4 hour rides with FTP intervals, helping to accumulate the TSS effect on less time, however a 70-75% ride with cadence work is not going to accumulate the same load in the time constraint. Can you give me an idea of a progression or workout outline for the next 6 weeks on these Saturday rides?
Thanks guys!
@Jonathan Benson - hey man, thanks so much for reaching out. I think your general approach is a really good one. I appreciate how much mental energy you put into structuring the training for maximum results. That's why you've achieved the gains you already have this season.
Building off of that, I think it's important to recognize that you have in fact done a great deal of work this season. The threshold power is up and you are very strong. With that in mind, we are not under pressure to make you any stronger right now.
Our focus is essentially adding the endurance, the far, to your fitness. Essentially you'll be riding at numbers that are easy for you, but will be stunningly effective on Iron Man race course. The peak of your FatMax is around 260...which is 3.3 W/kg.
Your ability to do so is predicated upon spending time in the aero bars and locking in your position of fitness in a nutrition. Doing so should give you more bandwidth to focus on the run in your mind pacing. After all, there's no such thing as a good bike followed by a long run.
I vote that we work on maintaining the four hour ride window, but that we increase the effort of the interview is over time to prepare you for that 260 effort.
Sundays should be VLaMax ride done as 20 warm up, normal easy riding...then 60 to 90 minutes with 10' VLaMax intervals (low cadence) @ 85%, rest is 5' after each at peak recover. Progression could be:
Runs off the Sunday bikes should be at target IM pace and super well fueled...not thing flashy here. Flash can be on Wednesdays if you want to fit that in!
~ Coach P
@Jonathan Benson I am looking through your data now. I was bit delay by some of the changes we have made to bike camp for the women's only version.
I'm super stoked and impressed with your 100+ mile ride at 257 W - back and forth on that 5 mile stretch. It was exactly at your recovery watts - I mean right at the peak of the curve. That is awesome.
WKO5 clearly shows a VO2max and FTP improvement over the course of the year - which is obvious but still really impressive.
There are a few other metrics that I am looking at to gauge IM fitness and use as potential targets for your next build etc. One of those metrics is Fatigue Resistance which is your power distribution curve AFTER you have spent 1000 kJ of energy. Essentially, how much power you can generate when you are a bit tired. (like after a 2.4 mile swim).
There are some other metrics like Stamina - which is measure of how fast your power distribution curve drops after the time you can hold your FTP. That time is called TTE (Time to Exhaustion) - essentially how long you can hold your FTP.
I'm still looking for a good gauge of VLaMax. There is no VLaMax metric (yet, they are "working on it") but I am looking at combination of existing metrics to see how we can use them to gauge progress.
Do you feel you have made progress on lowering your VLamax?
Hey @matt limbert ,
Its pretty tough to gauge right now. I have a few subjective points that lead me to believe its improving:
So I feel like if I were to shed this IM fatigue and test in November rather than race IM, I could put up some good numbers, but that is all pretty subjective.
@Coach Patrick @matt limbert Looking to book the call to think about next year, what races to try to sign up for, training beyond the JOS. Do I need to book a coach consult? Happy to do so, just let me know which level I need. Looking to discuss:
Also with this - I plan to BBC retest coming out of JOS with the 12 week plan guidance which should set us up with good bike data for the season.
Thanks guys!
@jrbenson4@gmail.com This sounds super cool. I'm in! I really like what you are thinking about and talking through those options. Have you watched the roadmap series (here) - Phase 3 is all about what you are talking about. The first video talks about the S.W.O.T analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Oppurtunities, Targets or Threats) It's a great way to frame what you we are thinking about, then moves into Peak and Pursuit. Let me know what you think of those. I can look at parts of 2020 in WKO for the charts too.