The Road to Regensburg - RR#1
EN only has a small contingent going to Regensburg so I'm throwing this out to the haus...and to put pressure on myself. I'm racing at USAT 54 this year, but I've stepped up my training and still have dreams of getting a Kona Slot (3 spots in my age expected at IMRG). If it doesn't happen, then I hope to posture myself when I age up to 55-59 next year. Regensburg will be my 4th IM,and I've gone all the last 6 weeks. I feel like the previous training cycles have helped me absorb the work better than in the past. I'm following the 12 week plan with a special week 6.5 I put in the middle. Here's my week 6 race rehearsal:
Thur - long run split into two sessions. This is one of the new ideas I"m trying this year. I am taking some of the long runs and splitting them into a double on one day so I can maintain quality despite the Tampa summer. A single long run in the summer degrades into a shuffling sufferfest. Results: AM- 10.16 miles @ ;8:34 pace. PM - 8.00 miles at 8:35 pace. It was MUCH hotter in the evening so this was a pretty good result, especially since I started on somewhat tired legs.
Friday - 4500 yards in a 25yard pool (200 WU and 100 WD). 4200 in 1:14:51 as 37:08 and 37:43. This is a new pool best which I attribute to a lot of work on left arm catch. Regensburg should be wetsuit legal so I hope to go 1:10 or better there.
Saturday - 115 miles as 112 RR + 3 spin. Heat index today was projected at 116 so I knew this was going to be rough. I had a yogurt with granola, banana and Diet Coke to get ready then left the house at 6:20am (79 degrees at this point). I hit 56 miles at 2:45 flat but could feel myself getting hot after 60 miles. At 72 miles, I stopped at a 7-11 to refill my bottles with gatorade; and took the time to slug down a Diet Coke and a small Icee. Went through 1 GU and 3 Roctanes on the ride but had plenty of calories from all the drinks. Took a salt tab before the ride, another at 1 hour into the ride, then every 30 mins from there to the end. It worked...no cramping. Excluding my water stops, I did the next 56miles in 2:48 for a 5:33 total + 3 more easy miles. Got home and went straight to the garage fridge for a drink and lo and behold...the iron sherpa had a large bowl of cut watermelon and a fork ready for me! Can't beat that (she says that I can do any race I want that requires a passport...it's like mega SAUs). I drank about 30 oz of liquid then prepared to head out into the sauna. Ran my 6 miles as: 1- 9:14, 2- 8:32, 3- 8:25, 4- 8:24, 5- 8:32, 6- 8:55. The first mile was spot on, but then I thought I would press the pace...was feeling pretty good at the time. However, by 4 miles I was really feeling the heat, and by 5 I was really suffering. It would have gotten very ugly if I had gone any more than 6 miles.
Apart from being too aggressive on the run in that kind of heat, I'm feeling good about my fitness. As long as Germany doesn't have a monster heat wave, I'm hoping to have a good result. At a minimum, today would have been great training for IM Texas. Hats off to all of you that suffered in that heat.
Comments
@ Matt - that is a real compliment coming from the Yoda Master for Executing in the Heat! All the best on your double this year...looking forward to following those races.