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The Macro Thread -- Get the Coaches' Advice on Season Planning, Big Picture Stuff

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  • @Chris, that sounds good, stay in the OS as long as you can stand it, as it's our best tool for making you faster.

    re: the training plan thing. Please post in the admin forum. Daniel and P are banging on the training plan platform and they may need to whack the box or something. They have the ball on that, thanks.

  • @Marianne, please use the Season Planning Tool to help you lay out your season and decide if you need to do the 12 or 20wk IM plan.

  • @Ben, sorry we missed your post. It gets crowded in here sometime. Hint (for everyone): write briefly and in bullet points vs long narrative

    1. Just follow the plan from Week 1. Probably not a good idea to jump into the middle of it given your knee.
    2. Recommend you give it a couple weeks of "just running:" no pace goals, let you knee tell you how long/short to run. Put together a couple/three no-problem weeks, then consider getting on the OS run plan proper. You mind yourself on Week 3 for the bike and Week 1 for the run. Not a problem, you can figure this out. If the knee is just not working for you:
      • Recommend you continue to stand down, hard, from the run. No need to half-ass train through a running injury. Just don't run, don't do funky cross-training stuff. Instead, work with a professional to get it rehab'ed correctly.
      • Add 1-2 bike sessions (just duplicate the interval sessions), assuming your knee is fine with the bike. IOW, use the knee injury to stand down on the run, work hard to fix it, and plus up the plan for the bike, becoming a much strong cyclist while you fix your running wheels.

     

  • @Kathy, set it to end on the date of your race, so that you're starting the HIM in week 2orwhatever. Notes:

    • You'll be fine with jumping into Week 2
    • The timing of stuff on the backend of the plan, the last 4-6wks, is pretty important so you don't want to mess around with that. Better to SWAG things on the front end.
  • @Trent, yes to GP1 and fine to add cycling volume if you want/can. Not a huge priority though. I continue to learn that cycling volume is over rated. I'm seeing huge gains by just drilling myself as hard as I can every ride.

    HIM: what are you goals for the HIM? I can tell you what you'll get out of ToC and what you'll see leading up to the HIM:

    • Plan for just about zero running during ToC. We will likely ride 30+hrs that week. Pretty sure we did about 25hrs last year and that was with two short days due to rain. No chance of that this year so volume is giong to be very, very high. And the days are just too busy to get in anything else. You "might" be able to squeeze in 2-3 quick Strides sessions but that's about it.
    • You're going to feel pretty flat for 7-10 days...just in time to race a half and put you under for another 5-7 days after the race.

    If it were me I'd:

    • Deliver a beating to Trent at every opportunity during ToC...
    • Stand down, hard, when I got home. Probably nothing or swim only through the following Wednesday.
    • Go for a short run, Strides, etc on Thursday, just to get back on my running legs as soon as possible. No need to worry about losing any cycling fitness...you'll have plenty in the bank.
    • Then, in the next 10 days I'd try to get in 6-7 runs of any length. Focus would be high frequency and to sort out what intensity and volume feels right. Again, no need to worry about the bike here, it's all in the bank.
  • Posted By Nemo Brauch on 29 Mar 2010 04:39 PM

     Hi guys, I'm slowly getting back from the running injury and I'm at a decision point where I could use your help.

     

     

    I’m in Week 9 of the OS (for bike only) and thus start a block of VO2 stuff this week.

    I’m not doing any of the OS run workouts.  I’m instead doing my own “return to running” thing.  I’m currently up to 2x20’(1’) as my “long run”.  If things continue to progress, I should be up to one full hour of running in about 3 weeks (on or about 4/18).

    I have TOC scheduled for May, and Eagleman HIM on 6/13, and of course IMWI.  My goals for Eagleman are simply to not get injured, enjoy the day with friends, then recover well and start the training for IMWI with a healthy (and hopefully fully fit) engine.

    My initial thoughts were to just stick with the OS through the VO2 block over the next 4 weeks, and then hop into the HIM plans.  But I really think I need to get back in the pool starting NLT April 4 so I get a good 8-10 weeks of swimming (keep in mind TOC is gonna kill a good 2 weeks of swim/run training in May).

    Sooo- should I skip the VO2 block and switch from the OS to the HIM plans now?  Or should I continue with the OS, do the VO2 Block, and just add a swim hack 2-3 days a week?  

     

     

     

    Bump- I think I got lost in the crowd 

  • Posted By Joanna Ip on 24 Mar 2010 08:35 PM
    Hi RnP:
    I'm reposting as it got lost! image


    1/11/2010 15    
    1/18/2010 16 1    
    1/25/2010 17 2    
    2/1/2010 18 3    
    2/8/2010 19 4    
    2/15/2010 20 5    
    2/22/2010 21 6    
    3/1/2010 22 7    
    3/8/2010 23 8    
    3/15/2010 24 9    
    3/22/2010 25 10    
    3/29/2010 26 11    
    4/5/2010 27 12    
    4/12/2010 28 13    
    4/19/2010 29 14 Run Race Run Dist 4.7 miles
    4/26/2010 30 15    
    5/3/2010 31 16    
    5/10/2010 32 17    
    5/17/2010 33 18    
    5/24/2010 34 19    
    5/31/2010 35 20 Sprint Iron Clad 
    6/7/2010 36 21 Half Rev 3 Half
    6/14/2010 37 22    
    6/21/2010 38 23    
    6/28/2010 39 24    
    7/5/2010 40 25 Big Day  
    7/12/2010 41 26    
    7/19/2010 42 27    
    7/26/2010 43 28 Race Sim  
    8/2/2010 44 29    
    8/9/2010 45 30    
    8/16/2010 46 31 Race Sim  
    8/23/2010 47 32    
    8/30/2010 48 33    
    9/6/2010 49 34 IMWI  
    9/13/2010 50 35    
    9/20/2010 51 36    

     Ok, here's my screenshot of my season.  Based on this, I should switch to what week of the half ironman plan after my run race?  Should I take a transition week after my half? Or continue with the race prep before I do the 12 week for IM Moo?

    Thanks,

    Joanna





     

  • RnP,



    Here is my training plan for the rest of the season. This is the first one I've done, so please don't be too harsh.  Thanks.



    12/21/2009 1 Out Season

    12/28/2009 2

    1/4/2010 3

    1/11/2010 4

    1/18/2010 5

    1/25/2010 6

    2/1/2010 7

    2/8/2010 8

    2/15/2010 9

    2/22/2010 10

    3/1/2010 11

    3/8/2010 12

    3/15/2010 13 March 21 ING Half Marathon

    3/22/2010 14

    3/29/2010 15 Pool opens!!!

    4/5/2010 16

    4/12/2010 17

    4/19/2010 18

    4/26/2010 19

    5/3/2010 20

    5/10/2010 21 Transition Wk 1 (May 15 Peachtree Int'l Oly Tri

    5/17/2010 22 Transition Wk 2

    5/24/2010 23

    5/31/2010 24

    6/7/2010 25 June 13 West Point Oly Tri

    6/14/2010 26

    6/21/2010 27

    6/28/2010 28

    7/5/2010 29 July 11 Chattanooga Waterfront Oly Tri

    7/12/2010 30

    7/19/2010 31

    7/26/2010 32

    8/2/2010 33

    8/9/2010 34

    8/16/2010 35 August 21 Tri Peachtree City Sprint Tri

    8/23/2010 36 Big Day (Aug 28 or 29)

    8/30/2010 37

    9/6/2010 38

    9/13/2010 39 Race Sim (Sept 18 or 19)

    9/20/2010 40

    9/27/2010 41

    10/4/2010 42 Race Sim (Oct 9 or 10)

    10/11/2010 43 Vacation

    10/18/2010 44

    10/25/2010 45

    11/1/2010 46 November 6 Florida Ironman

    11/8/2010 47 Recovery

    11/15/2010 48

     

  • RnP

    I am going to re post this question in a better format. I hurt my leg and have been out 4 weeks- no bike or running. I am now back and fine. Schedule is as follows:



    5/16 Olympic (C)

    6/27 Buffalo Springs 70.3 ( was A now B race )

    7/18 Olympic (B)

    9/19 Branson 70.3 (B)

    10/17 Austin 70.3 (A)



    Planning 17 weeks of OS then dropping into 12 weeks of HIM prepping for my A race in Oct..

    Questions:

    1. Should I do about 4 weeks of HIM training prior to Buffalo Springs, stay with OS, or just bag the race totally?

    2. With race season coming quickly should I start swimming although technically still in the OS?

    3. Does the race and training schedule I have outlined work?



    Thanks, jeff braaten

  • RnP,

    As we've discussed in another thread, I pulled the plug on the OS a few weeks ago, stood down for a week, and picked back up at week 1 of the OS. Did that for 2 weeks, was traveling last week (no workouts, but lots of walking and time on feet at an exhibit), and went skiing this weekend.

    The plan was to do another 4 weeks of OS, then jump into the 12 weeks of IM plan to build to Placid. However, I'm a bit concerned, as last year, I had some difficulties adjusting from the OS schedule to the general prep/HIM schedule (big shift in # of hours in a week). So, I'm thinking that I may be better off getting those growing pains out of the way over the course of the next 4 weeks, by switching over to the IM plan (which basically means doing a month of General Prep now, instead of doing a month of OS). My thought is that by doing this, I'll be ready to put on the blinders at t-minus 12 weeks, rather than stepping into a hornets' nest at that point.

    Thanks for the thoughts!

    Mike
  • Posted By Nemo Brauch on 30 Mar 2010 07:04 PM
    Posted By Nemo Brauch on 29 Mar 2010 04:39 PM

     Hi guys, I'm slowly getting back from the running injury and I'm at a decision point where I could use your help.

     

     

    I’m in Week 9 of the OS (for bike only) and thus start a block of VO2 stuff this week.

    I’m not doing any of the OS run workouts.  I’m instead doing my own “return to running” thing.  I’m currently up to 2x20’(1’) as my “long run”.  If things continue to progress, I should be up to one full hour of running in about 3 weeks (on or about 4/18).

    I have TOC scheduled for May, and Eagleman HIM on 6/13, and of course IMWI.  My goals for Eagleman are simply to not get injured, enjoy the day with friends, then recover well and start the training for IMWI with a healthy (and hopefully fully fit) engine.

    My initial thoughts were to just stick with the OS through the VO2 block over the next 4 weeks, and then hop into the HIM plans.  But I really think I need to get back in the pool starting NLT April 4 so I get a good 8-10 weeks of swimming (keep in mind TOC is gonna kill a good 2 weeks of swim/run training in May).

    Sooo- should I skip the VO2 block and switch from the OS to the HIM plans now?  Or should I continue with the OS, do the VO2 Block, and just add a swim hack 2-3 days a week?  

     

     

     

    Bump- I think I got lost in the crowd 

     

    Nevermind, I've mulled this over a lot and here is what I'm doing (unless you have some compelling reason to do otherwise).

    Now- TOC:  OS Workouts with the Swim Hack and my own progression on the run (only I'll be adjusting slightly to follow the weekly format of the IM plans so I have some time to adjust to that weekly schedule & line up workout buddies)

    TOC-Eagleman:  3 weeks of recovery/taper to race day.   I have no idea how I'll feel after TOC so this is gonna be play by ear stuff.  Likely lots of swimming, maybe I'll get in a RR since that's pretty low intensity stuff

    Eagleman- June 21:  1 week of recovery from the race and ramp- again, how I feel.

    June 21:  Join everyone in the 12 week IM plan

  •  RnP

    Couple of questions:

    1.  Thursdays are tough days to get long run of IM plan in for me. I am usually heading to work at 5:55am and realistically can't train until 4:30pm most Thursdays.

    -In order to get the run in should I do it Wed night? Or do it Thursday pm?

    -Split the volume in to am and pm run? 

    -Also I have flexible Tuesdays - could I move Thursday run to Tuesday?

    2. I am doing a 103 mile bike ride in a couple of weeks with 10,000 feet of climbing - for that week should I schedule 110 min run for Wednesday? Or Tuesday?

    Thanks,

    Tom

  • Hello friends with advice,

    I left "da Haus" this winter after my trial period ran out.  Now I'm back and was wondering if I could get back into the Dec group plans as I was following those before I left.  I only have one race this season and it is late (Sept) but I like following plans to keep me on track.  As of right now I don't have a plan by EN (understandably) but would like to pick up on the last six weeks of it if you all think it is prudent.  I've basically been following a schedule that looks something like this:

    Mon- off, Tues- TH 2X20 (2') 95-100%, Wed- TH runs with a mix of a couple of 800's (3') with some miles (5')/1.5 miles (5') something totaling around 6-7 miles with warm up and cool down, Thurs- Bike (Sufferfest videos of downward spiral/fight club) 1 hr, Fri- OFF, Sat- sufferfest again, Sun- TH runs with a combo like Wed.

    I don't mind being punished and take breaks if I feel I need them and have no problem doing so with a newborn in my "Haus".  I haven't been absolutely religious with the schedule, but I have gone from a FTP of 190 to 209 to 222 and a VDOT of 36(9?) to 44 with really minimal running (knee problems forever, and just too late at night to get out).  

    Should I just continue this route or do you think the OS plans are better?  Thanks for any input.

    Dan

     

  • RnP,

    I am close to the end of the OS and have 20.86 weeks until my "A" race, IMLOU, on 8/28/10. I followed the plan pretty well except for the month of February. I moved my family to Savannah for a new job so that month was really bad in terms of training. I have been back on it for the last several weeks. My "B" race is the Gulfcoast HIM on May 8th.

    I'd like to start the 20 week Beginner Ironman Training Plan now unless you have another suggestion. Thanks!

    Mark
  • I'm due to start my General Prep (12 weeks) tomorrow, 5 April, after taking a 2-week transistion. I went to the plan and put in the General Prep Block 1 Beginner with and end date of 20 June. I'm due to begin my Race Prep on 28 June as my A race is in September. I do not see anything for my plan to start tomorrow as I would like (12 weeks GenPrep is what I've planned for). I went and read Patrick's entry explaining Block 1 versus Block 2, which he says is only 8 weeks (4 weeks Block 1 and 4 weeks Block 2). So when will my Gen Prep start. I want it to start on 5 April and continue for 12 weeks, at which time I plan to transition to my 12-week Race Prep.

    How do I input my 12 week Gen Prep plan to carry me from 5 April to 20 June? When I put in Block 1 when does it start? I'm unable to view it. There's no "numbers" as it says to click on to view it.

    Thanks.

    Jay (who's rested up after a 2-week transition)
  • Okay, IRT my previous entry above I figured it out. It appears I have to update my plan in 4-week increments (x3). I updated my plan using the end date 4 weeks out. Then, when I get there I'll just add another 4-weeks of General Prep and continue once again to get my 12-week General Prep to carry me out to Race Prep start.

    Jay
  • Hi RnP!

    I'm in week 12 OS bike (and 9 run).  Per prior questions, I'll be starting 6 weeks of HIM training in 2 weeks to get ready for Eagleman on 6/13.  I was checking out the new training plan tool and am not sure which option to select when I'm ready to change plans - not sure if the last 6 weeks of the 20 week plan is different from the last 6 weeks of the 12 week plan.  if so, which should I use?

    That leads me to the next question... after EM I'm going to take a week off.  At that point I'll be 20 weeks out from IMFL.  Should I do the 20 week IM plan?  Per other threads, I've read that I only need 12 weeks to be ready - in which case I'd do 8 weeks of general prep -- if that's the route I go, there are lots of options for that (I'm guessing I'd do one of the intermediates, but I don't know what the difference between block A and block B are).  Help...

    I hope these aren't dumb questions.  Thanks!

  • @Joanna,

    1. No need to transition after your running race, unless you feel (mentally) that you need the break.
    2. Recommend you load up the HIM plan to end on Rev 3 and just jump into the plan wherever it puts you. I think you'll be fine and if you need help adjusting the week we can do that in the Micro thread.

    See the Self Coaching Guide, in the Wiki, for what to do the week after Rev 3. I think the race is a tiny bit too close to IMWI for you to do a transition week after Rev3, but the guidance in that wiki post will help you will making sure you recover from Rev3 before stepping into the IM plan.

  • @Becky,

    Last 12wks of the 20wk plan are identical to 12wk standalone plan.

    After EM:

    • Load up GenPrep2 plan. This is weeks 4-8 of the 20wk plan.
    • Do 8wks of GP2. I say do this because GenPrep1 will be too easy for you, after your training and racing for EM. So, instead, just do GP2 twice, then load up the 12wk IM plan.
  • @Mark, sounds good, you can load up that plan yourself by going to your Training Plan Dashboard, and selecting the Move/Change Your Training Plan link. Select the plan you want, the date you want it to END on, and you should be all set.

  • Posted By Clinton Fletcher on 30 Mar 2010 08:11 PM

    RnP,



    Here is my training plan for the rest of the season. This is the first one I've done, so please don't be too harsh.  Thanks.



    12/21/2009 1 Out Season

    12/28/2009 2

    1/4/2010 3

    1/11/2010 4

    1/18/2010 5

    1/25/2010 6

    2/1/2010 7

    2/8/2010 8

    2/15/2010 9

    2/22/2010 10

    3/1/2010 11

    3/8/2010 12

    3/15/2010 13 March 21 ING Half Marathon

    3/22/2010 14

    3/29/2010 15 Pool opens!!!

    4/5/2010 16

    4/12/2010 17

    4/19/2010 18

    4/26/2010 19

    5/3/2010 20

    5/10/2010 21 TAPER Wk (May 15 Peachtree Int'l Oly Tri

    5/17/2010 22 Transition Wk 1

    5/24/2010 23 Transition Wk 2

    5/31/2010 24 (1)

    6/7/2010 25 (2) June 13 West Point Oly Tri

    6/14/2010 26 (3)

    6/21/2010 27 (4)

    6/28/2010 28 (5)

    7/5/2010 29 (6) July 11 Chattanooga Waterfront Oly Tri

    7/12/2010 30 (7)

    7/19/2010 31 (8)

    7/26/2010 32 (9)

    8/2/2010 33 (10)

    8/9/2010 34 Transition Wk 1

    8/16/2010 35 (1)August 21 Tri Peachtree City Sprint Tri

    8/23/2010 36 (2)Big Day (Aug 28 or 29)

    8/30/2010 37 (3)

    9/6/2010 38 (4)

    9/13/2010 39 (5)Race Sim (Sept 18 or 19)

    9/20/2010 40 (6)

    9/27/2010 41 (7)

    10/4/2010 42 (8)Race Sim (Oct 9 or 10)

    10/11/2010 43 (9)Vacation

    10/18/2010 44 (10)

    10/25/2010 45 (11)

    11/1/2010 46 (12) November 6 Florida Ironman

    11/8/2010 47 Recovery

    11/15/2010 48

     

    See my revised #s in red. I think you should take more time off at the end of the OS, esp with that race. Then you have 10 weeks to play with pre IMFL focus. I'd like to see one or two epic bike trips in there. This is when you would be using the Gen Prep 1 + 2 plans to guide your training, but I'd like to see you put in one or two 400-500 mile weeks on the bike. This can be 90' a day in the AM, 30 x 5 = 150....then a weekend double century or something. You'd have to put down the golf clubs...  Thoughts on what your life says?

  • @Dan, please check your email. Thanks.

  • Tom,

    Recommend you switch Tues and Thursday, given your schedules. Ditto for the week of that ride, doing the long run on Tues to separate it from the ride. Just play it by ear the week after the ride.

  • Hey guys,

    Similar question to Tom's above. Starting in May and going through IMWI I will have my Friday afternoons free from work. Once I transition to the IM training plan, I'd like to use those afternoons to knock out my biggest training demand in terms of time: the Saturday long bike. If I do that, though, I'm having trouble with how to structure the rest of my week, especially the long run and the ABP bike. Here are some thoughts that crossed my mind:

    Monday-Wednesday: follow plan as written
    Thursday: Swim
    Friday: OWS swim in AM / Long bike in PM
    Saturday: ABP bike
    Sunday: Long run (OK to to do long run on bike-tired legs or would that be good IM prep anyway?)

    OR

    Monday-Wednesday: follow plan as written
    Thursday: Long run (shelling my legs for Friday long bike?)
    Friday: OWS in AM / Long bike in PM
    Saturday: Off or ABP ride
    Sunday: Off or ABP ride

    I like the 2nd option because it's less taxing on the family (having a free day on the weekend) but am I setting myself up for long bike workout struggles? Family has given clearance for either, though.
  • Posted By Rich Strauss on 30 Mar 2010 06:07 PM

    @Ben, sorry we missed your post. It gets crowded in here sometime. Hint (for everyone): write briefly and in bullet points vs long narrative

    1. Just follow the plan from Week 1. Probably not a good idea to jump into the middle of it given your knee.
    2. Recommend you give it a couple weeks of "just running:" no pace goals, let you knee tell you how long/short to run. Put together a couple/three no-problem weeks, then consider getting on the OS run plan proper. You mind yourself on Week 3 for the bike and Week 1 for the run. Not a problem, you can figure this out. If the knee is just not working for you:
      • Recommend you continue to stand down, hard, from the run. No need to half-ass train through a running injury. Just don't run, don't do funky cross-training stuff. Instead, work with a professional to get it rehab'ed correctly.
      • Add 1-2 bike sessions (just duplicate the interval sessions), assuming your knee is fine with the bike. IOW, use the knee injury to stand down on the run, work hard to fix it, and plus up the plan for the bike, becoming a much strong cyclist while you fix your running wheels.

     

    Thanks, Rich.  Knee feeling better but those run intervals are tough!

    • How should I split a 14 wk OS between threshold/VO2/threshold blocks (before starting 1 wk transition and 12 wk HIM)

       

    thanks,

    Ben

  • My short game has been taking a beating.  I'll be able to cram in an epic week somewhere during general prep.  Forming my own neighborhood tri club to make the rides less monotonous.

  • @Jim, how about:

    Tues long run

    Friday long ride. Ride AM, swim PM or as recovery after the swim. I don't like your Friday PM long ride, as that gives life all day to screw up your long ride vs getting it done first thing.

    Saturday off

    Sunday ABP ride

    This gives you a lot of separation between your long, very important training events.

  • @Ben, I don't think you need to make special changes or adjustments. If you want, for the bike, just create 6-10 x 1' intervals, across your week, at "about as hard as you can go" for 1 minute. I'm experimenting with the same and just that little 10' of crazy hard work across my week is paying off big returns.

  • @Jeff:

    1. You can use the outside options for the long bike and long run volumes in the OS plan to lean forward on the HIM volume a bit. For a very successful HIM, all you "need", beginning maybe 4-6wks out from your race, is a regular 3hrs long ride and 1:30-45 long run. You can simply add Z1-2 volume to the existing OS long bike and long run workouts, keeping the main sets the same.
    2. I recommend you start swimming ~6wks out from your race.
    3. Yep, werks
  • R and P had the triple whammy back in January
    * coworker had to go back to Mexico to for personal reasons so my schedule went to 12/14 hours a day
    *found out were going to be having another little one due in the fall so my plans for clearwater are a bust
    * The big one is I rolled my ankle on the treadmill doing speed work and it was a 6 week problem and a huge hit to my mojo.
    Spent feb and march just riding and with all the late hours at work was able to loose 10 lb. off the belly so I did have one good outcome. Have started running and ankle feels good but the time off has hurt my times. Wildflower is 3 weeks off so need to get into the pool and start with race training and get off the outseason. Rich, sent you a cashiers check for the Joule, are they in yet?
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