Feeling good! I think I've dialed in my run pace. I'm doing my RR this week on the bike and I'm testing a power output that hopefully will work well. Swimming is ..well, my weak point! I guess it's always good to know I can find my bike pretty fast at T1.
John, any idea if wetsuits are definitely out? I'm probably going to order a speed suit in the next couple of days. Anyone else concerned about the lack of swim suits?
The guess from the WTC rep was no chance in hell. There is a practice swim this saturday and CBI Tri is the following week so we should have a better read on the water temps, but we have been having "near record highs" the last couple of week.
Hi all, Getting pretty close! My schedule has been as hectic as ever but finally feeling like I'll be able to handle it, despite the missed workouts, etc. Did a 10 miler with solid pacing on Thursday and then swam the full distance (in a pool but still...) on Friday. I'm preparing for no wetsuit but swimming is definitely my weak point too... actually come to think of it, so is my bike and run :-). Saturday was tough: did manage to do the MS work but only about 2.5 hours total. Sunday was a good solid 3 hours at Z3. Did a sweat test too and fear that training (mostly indoors) in PA will not prepare me for TX heat. I think my modified goal should be to just finish with a smile and no worry about time. Probably the right thing for a first IM anyway. Hope everyone else is doing well.... looking forward to seeing everyone soon! Stay safe and healthy all...
@Paul - Not a huge amount that you can do about the heat/humidity. You will read some stuff on the forum about running in the sauna, riding the trainer with too may clothes on, etc... I was training for IM AZ last fall and working there in Collegeville PA. It was tough every week going from cold morning runs with little humidity to doing my weekend rides back in Houston and ending up with my 30 minute brick in 95 degree heat in the blazing sun.
The best advice I can give you is don't let if freak you out. The bike will be no problem. It will be like biking in PA in August. Hot, but very manageable. Just stay on top of hydration. When you get to the run, just realize that the heat and the sun are going to zap you. Your pace will be slower than on those 50 degree morning runs in PA. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly. If you have one of the EN race singlets, that big back pocket is perfect for sticking a cup of ice in at each aid station. The conditions will be mean that you will want to take advantage of the ice and the sponges. At the 1st aid station grab 2 sponges and stow them away like they are your most prized possessions. Too often about halfway through the race the sponges start to mysteriously disappear as the people ahead of you start hoarding them.
Most importantly don't let your concern about the heat get in your head. If you have to slow down because your heart rate is increasing, so be it. You have the fitness in the tank, you have watched the 4 Keys video so much that your like a sugared up 3 year old watching Thomas the Tank Engine (Or what ever the toddle set watches these days that makes their parents want to jump out the second story window so they don't have to hear that stupid song one more time), you are going to do much more than just finish.
Just to give everyone an idea about current conditions: Water Temp in Lake this Weekend 79 degrees High today 90 degrees Humidity 80 percent Winds 20 MPH out of the SSE
Looks like the high temps between now and IM Weekend will be holding between 85 and 90 degrees.
Comments
John, any idea if wetsuits are definitely out? I'm probably going to order a speed suit in the next couple of days. Anyone else concerned about the lack of swim suits?
tom
Getting pretty close! My schedule has been as hectic as ever but finally feeling like I'll be able to handle it, despite the missed workouts, etc. Did a 10 miler with solid pacing on Thursday and then swam the full distance (in a pool but still...) on Friday. I'm preparing for no wetsuit but swimming is definitely my weak point too... actually come to think of it, so is my bike and run :-).
Saturday was tough: did manage to do the MS work but only about 2.5 hours total. Sunday was a good solid 3 hours at Z3.
Did a sweat test too and fear that training (mostly indoors) in PA will not prepare me for TX heat. I think my modified goal should be to just finish with a smile and no worry about time. Probably the right thing for a first IM anyway.
Hope everyone else is doing well.... looking forward to seeing everyone soon!
Stay safe and healthy all...
The best advice I can give you is don't let if freak you out. The bike will be no problem. It will be like biking in PA in August. Hot, but very manageable. Just stay on top of hydration. When you get to the run, just realize that the heat and the sun are going to zap you. Your pace will be slower than on those 50 degree morning runs in PA. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly. If you have one of the EN race singlets, that big back pocket is perfect for sticking a cup of ice in at each aid station. The conditions will be mean that you will want to take advantage of the ice and the sponges. At the 1st aid station grab 2 sponges and stow them away like they are your most prized possessions. Too often about halfway through the race the sponges start to mysteriously disappear as the people ahead of you start hoarding them.
Most importantly don't let your concern about the heat get in your head. If you have to slow down because your heart rate is increasing, so be it. You have the fitness in the tank, you have watched the 4 Keys video so much that your like a sugared up 3 year old watching Thomas the Tank Engine (Or what ever the toddle set watches these days that makes their parents want to jump out the second story window so they don't have to hear that stupid song one more time), you are going to do much more than just finish.
Just to give everyone an idea about current conditions:
Water Temp in Lake this Weekend 79 degrees
High today 90 degrees
Humidity 80 percent
Winds 20 MPH out of the SSE
Looks like the high temps between now and IM Weekend will be holding between 85 and 90 degrees.