RR1-First one ever--
Hi All:
So, I had to do a RR this past weekend, and would like to write about it and get feedback. I am a noobie!
First of all, I am SO happy I was able to meet Michele and Carly, and that you chicas came with me. I had to get it done b/c we were put off by rain on Saturday and on Sunday it was Easter, so had to go at daybreak. THANK YOU for joining me. So great to meet you guys and to learn from your wisdom!
So, here goes:
I have no idea if what we did would clasify as a race rehearsal, mostly b/c I don't know how it's possible to really "race" in the Boston area! It was Easter morning, so limited cars, we chose a route that took us away from the city (we saw all of our summer houses in Dover
), but still-there were stop lights, stop signs, we were in a group, etc. I do feel like I learned a lot though, which I suppose is a good thing.
I don't think I really learned though until I got to the run. My bike felt good and strong, but I had a hard time hitting my paces in the run. I didn't start off slow b/c that just seemed impossible and I was enjoying getting to know Michele. We would go slower, but then get to talking about something, usually something like IM or scuba diving, which of course got us excited so our pace increased. So, My EP+30' is 11:30. We were doing 10-10:30. Felt fine....until I tried to get those last 3 miles up to 9:30 MP. We were also on trails, which was hard anyway (don't want any sprained ankles after all of our hard work!) I was able to finish at a 9:30MP, but it was hard, but I did it. I guess the wierdest thing is that today I am not sore, but after a race I am b/c you are pushing so hard. But, if you're not pushing so hard EN-style, but sticking with HR are you supposed to be sore after a RR? I still have so much to learn. I am not using power...
Anyway, let me go back to the beginning:
I followed all of the pre-race steps. I didn't do the 2am feed.
Woke up at 5:00am and ate bagel with sunflower butter and nutella. 1/4 banana. Begain riding at 6am.
Nutrition: Used Infinit solution (243 cals) in 3 bottles for the ride. No problems. So easy! Did not take in anything in addition, including water. That's correct, right? No salt tabs or anything either.
I don't use power or plug in my results to a program, so not sure of my actual numbers (just read Kevin Mepham's RR which is so awesome, and perhaps I will get some sort of device so I can be more accurate. Any recs?)
My legs felt fine on bike. I kept a cadence of about 90 the whole time, even on hills. I watched my heart rate, which I think probably stayed a bit too high the whole time, but I've wondered if my HR was right anyway the whole time during OS. It's so hard to find a flat course in Boston to really do a good test! But, as I said, no issues, felt good, no bonking, etc. Sat in all the hills, easy up. Things were fine (from what I knew).
As I said up top, I noticed on the run that I didn't feel I could really hit my numbers and wish now that I had run on pavement to see (will do that next time). Overall, I think it was good.?--OH, I only drank water on the run. It had warmed up by then, had to strip some layers off, poured water on my face and head too. I guess for the actual race I would have to take in a little bit more nutrition on the run.
I did have a headache when I got home, and felt better after eating a huge Easter meal...but, drank water and gatorade too after finishing
I think next time I will try to remember my heart rates at intervals the way Kevin had his power at certain points...
Let me know what you think!!!
Comments
A key comment that stood out to me is, "I did have a headache when I got home"!!! Add in a swim and a longer run and you could be in trouble. For Me, I monitor how I feel on the bike and for the remainder of the day after I get off the bike in order to truly judge how my nutrition plan went. You having a headache when you got home could be an indicator of being a little dehydrated and or down on calories or sodium. Bottom line: What was a little headache on RR day could be a bigger issue at the race.
Were you "race day" hydrated before your ride? Meaning, Plenty of sports drink/water the day before and morning of... ? If yes, you may need to add some water to your bike and or up the amount of fluid you were taking in during the run. All pose some unuque challenges during a RR if your logistics support is limited.
For your next RR or just a long bike ride, you may want to weigh yourself before and after to see how many pounds you are down when your workout is over. This can be a good index on hydration/fluid loss...
Of course, the wiki has great resources and a podcast on race day nutrition...All very helpful.
I would also recommend on your next RR keeping to your paces as best you can although I know how nice it is to run with a partner...
Great Job!!!
1. Headache - You probably got dehydrated on the run. At your next RR, practice your nutrition all the way through the RR.
2. Pacing - You went out too fast at the start of your run and you saw what the impact is on the rest of the run. For your HIM, think about being less than halfway through and feeling like that. This is a good time to get use to just how un-natural running that slow can feel.
Another suggestion is to practice your pre-race nutrition. Are you planning to eat a bagel one hour before the event or try the Rich's super secret squirrel 2 am liquid feeding? The time to figure out that a liquid breakfast won't hold you is not on race day.
As far as being sore after the RR, it depends on your fitness level. If riding 56 miles @ 85% is a short ride hardly worth getting out of bed, then you aren't going to be sore. If it's oh wow I rode 56 miles then you might be. Most of us are somewhere in between.
Thanks for your feedback. I will try the 2am meal for RR2. I did follow the rest of the pre-race routine-big lunch day before, early dinner, early bed, hydrated, etc.
I am a heavy sweater, but didn't use salt tabs b/c we started out cold-ish (55), but it warmed up to 70-something (?) at the end. I was hot, so will try that if the weather is hot again for RR2. Just to be clear with Chris G's comment. I did not use concentrated infinit, I used the regular solution (2 scoops-20oz. water bottle) It is correct that I do not drink water on top of that, correct? I know if I used a concentrated solution then yes, I would...? I do realize now though that 3 bottles was not enough b/c my odo said 3:44, so probably shoud've taken in almost 4 bottles (1 per hour). During the run I drank 4 of those small bottles from my fuel belt above. I'll still have to figure out how and when to eat on the run b/c from what I've read it's good to stop using the infinit about 20 mins before bike ends and wait to eat until about 20 mins into the run--correct?
Looking forward top RR2 to see if I can work out some of these tweaks. Thanks again, everyone!
For the run,a good trick that I use, Stolen from Coach P, is to carry a water bottle during the run. Its annoying but helps me keep to my proper pacing for my longer runs in addition to helping me stay hydrated.
On the comment you made " I used the regular solution (2 scoops-20oz. water bottle) It is correct that I do not drink water on top of that, correct?" that is incorrect. Nutrition and hydration are two separate issues. You should plan on taking down 1 - 20oz bottle of Infinit per hour for nutrition. This is different than the amount of fluid that you will need for hydration. Depending on the temps you might need anywhere from 20oz-60oz of liquid per hour to replace what you have lost in sweat. The actual amount depends on the heat, your sweat rate, size, etc... This is where the use of a sweat trial comes in handy. There is a link in the Wiki on how to do a sweat trial if you are interested.
On the question of stopping fueling on the bike, most people find that stopping fueling about 20 minutes before T2 gives their stomach time to empty so they don't have gastric issues on the run. As far as when to start taking down fuel, I actually find it beneficial to take down calories during the "stoopid slow" portion of the run. As my intensity ramps up, my desire to take down calories decreases, so I try to front load a little. This works for me, but that is what the RR is for so you can find what works for you.
Man! I am so confused. In another conversation I copied the EN Recommendations:
STRONGLY recommend limit of 200-250cal/hr, regardless
of source, then go higher only if you need to.
1.5-2 bottles of fluid/hr
Doesn't that together mean-regular concentrated infinit? Or is this saying that the 200-250/cals IS the regular infinit (the powder mixed non-concentrated)
and THEN I also have to take in 1.5-2 bottles of fluid. So baiscally I'll be swigging the infinit solution every 10 mins and a water every 10 mins?
If this is right I have definitely NOT been doing this. I'm so sorry to be such a noobie, but I have to get this right.
I did the sweat test. For every hour I need to replace about 16oz of fluid. So, again-the fluid in my regular infinit solution does not count towards this. I need to drink in an additional 16 oz/per hour.
OK, wow. I need to readjust my situation.
@John-if you could just confirm this is correct--I have followed all procedures otherwise from the wiki, etc...
Going to get me some water....
The 200-250cal/hr is the regular mixing instructions for Infinit depending on your specific formula. One serving (2 Scoops to 20 Oz water) will give you 200-250 cals. So if you drink one bottle per hour that will provide you with your 200-250 cals. However tis only gives you 20 ounces of fluid. If you only need 16 oz of fluid in an hour, then this will be fine. However, heat enters into this equation. If you only need 16 oz of fluid when it is 50 degrees out, you will need more when it is 90 degrees. You just sweat more in the heat so you have to replace more fluid in the heat. This is why you think about nutrition and hydration separately. Let me give you an example:
You normally train in 50 degree temps an only need 1 bottle of fluid per hour so you mix your Inifnit and you are fine. If you drink one bottle of Inifint per hour, you get your 200-250 cals/hour and your 20 oz of fluid per hour.
You decide to do the Hotter than Hell in August in Wichita Falls, TX. Average race temperature 102 degrees. So you decide that you need to take down 60 ounces of fluid per hour due to the heat. So you mix up you Infinit the same old way, 200-250 cals per bottle. Except you need to take down 3 bottles of Infinit per hour to meet your hydration needs. You are now taking down 600-750 cals per hour. Way outside of your tolerance. This is why you think of your nutrition and your hydration as two separate things. Instead you would have wanted to drink your one bottle of Infinit over the course of the hour and supplement with two additional bottles of water to get to the 60 oz of fluid per hour that you figured that you needed to keep from being dehydrated.
So just to summarize. The fluid in the Infinit does could toward your hydration needs, but you may need to supplement this with water as conditions warrant.
Make sense?
Sweat test today indicates that I need between 27-33oz/hour. I drank 17.5 oz/hour.
I have felt much better today after my workout than I did last weekend after my race rehearsal. The only difference was 4 miles less biking and 20 mins less running, so I think it was a legit workout to "test" a bit more since I'm a noobe.
I lost 2.6lbs--is this a normal amount of weight to lose? I peed 5 times, and can't imagine drinking more, but guess I need to since I drank 17.5 oz/hour when I seem to need at least 27. I drank 72 oz today in the whole time on bike & run (infinit):
2.6x16/24=41.6/62.4+72=113.6/134.4, div. 4.12=27.57/32/62 oz per hour. This is correct for a sweat test, right?
I had 730 cals pre-ride. Felt a bit bloated and never hungry on the workout. Burped maybe 5 times or so. Stuck to all my HR zones and paces on run. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. Peed every 45 mins though. Is that normal? Would pee so much more if put in 10oz more per hour like sweat test indicates. Have to figure out how to hold all of this fluid for an HIM!
Also, I tried to keep my cadence at 90. Is that correct for a HIM? I figured if I dropped it to 85 I might go a bit faster with more power and my legs could handle it. I am such a noobe that I don't know if that makes sense that going at 85 cadence with more power would be faster than 90 cadence with less power.
Sorry to be so clueless, but I'll get there slowly but surely! You have to put yourselves back in my shoes when you were just starting out in endurance racing way back when!!!
Thanks for any continued feedback--