big day debrief
... I love the icons by the way... Just had my first big 6 hour day of the beginner IM plan. This week's podcast suggested a debreif of sorts, and I came up with a few questions.
#1 - I have a profile design aero bottle, but I think it also makes me swallow air. 
Anyone else have this issue or do I need to re-learn how to drink? I don't think I have the same problem when I just grab the bottles from my frame, but that means I have to move around more, and when I am in a headwind (which is often) I don't like getting out of the aero position.
#2 - I worry I may have fallen off my hydration on the bike, and I did feel pretty wiped out near the end (again, over an hour of headwind). Thought I would croak on the run, but a gu seemed to fix me right up. I wasn't able to get my exact goal paces but I was able to negative split and felt surprisingly good. However, there is no way on gods-green-earth I would be able to keep those paces for 26.2 miles after a 112 mile bike (and they were slower than my target). 
At this point should I feel like I could go forever coming off the bike? I'm about 10 weeks out from race day...
Comments
Julia - Don't worry about your training times now; you'll be spending the next two months building yourself into a racing machine. Two key checkpoints will be 7 hour days six and three weeks out from the race. That last one should give you a much better picture of where your fitness is for the race. But even then, you will go faster on race day at the same effort level in those race rehearsals, due to the taper rest factor, and a host of other issues, such as a closed course, the pull of the other riders around you, any aero improvements you make to your cycle or yourself, etc. Focus on completing each of the workouts as they come up, and try to hit the pace and power targets based on your recent testing. I promise you, the EN training plan will get you to the start line ready race to your potential.
Aero bottle - Me, I used to use the Profile, but gave it up years ago and went back to bottles on my frame, and the ones they give up at the aid stations, which are ten miles apart. Everyone has to find out what works for her, and if you feel more comfortable without the profile and its straw, then go for it. That said, sometimes the straw gets little holes in it which draw in air - maybe that's an issue?
A big part of training, especially the long rides followed by a run, is to learn just what works for your and what your needs are in hydration and nutrition. Keep attentive to the details there, and over the next two months, you'll get more comfortable with the amount and timing of your fluid and calories.
Thanks for the input, Al! I am relieved to hear that it's not time to worry. I think I am going to ditch the aero bottle - or maybe just have it along partially filled and only drink when the headwinds get crazy. I'm in science, so all this training is a happy data collecting oasis for me. I'll keep experimenting with the nutrition & hydration. I'm already learning quite a bit!
I think it's also helpful to have a timed routine for your nutrition, as in sports drink every 15' (+water), and gel every 45 or 60'. And just recycle that. Eating on race day is 90% habit / 10% mental....and now is your chance to make this something you just DO instead of something you need to THINK OF. Nice work!
good job! I just did mine, too (a few days ahead of schedule).
As far as my aquacell, I do get a bit burpy, but I get that way after drinking run Infinit, too... for me I think it's the infinit as drinking it while running, I burp like clockwork - not so much on the bike. That said, I just ordered a speedfill, and hope to have that in place for my first RR at the end of the month.
I second what the coach said about a nutrition strategy and timing.
I also appreciate Al's advice, as always!
@ coach P... I actually have a timer within my garmin that goes off every 5' and I sip something - gatorade or H2O. It works out well so far, and it was actually on during this session, but I was all chatty with a newly discovered fellow member of the haus so I don't know if I may have forgotten a reminder or two. Also - I am wondering if I should set it back to 10 minutes and drink more @ 10 or keep it at 5 and just sip here and there - I will have to play with that too.
@ Becky - ohthankgoondess that I am not the only one. But it sounds like yours is drink specific, where as I think this is bottle specific, but I'd be interested to hear about the speedfill thing!
Thanks guys for the thoughts!