Need input on rest-of-season goals
Hi Team (and apologies in advance for the long post),
My big goal this year was to finish my first half-ironman. I selected Racine 70.3 as the "A" race and completed it this past Sunday. I didn't really have a clue what my time would be – only the notion that I could probably hit 5:15 and sub-5:00 if conditions were "ideal".
Conditions were not exactly ideal – it was extremely hot (mid-90s and apparently the heat index was triple digits) and I was in the last AG to start. That said, I managed to execute well and get 4:48:48.
Aside from being really happy with the outcome, I feel I now have a baseline sense of my capabilities on a flat and fast course when I have prepared well and stuck to the plan.
I followed EN execution guidance to the letter and believe I executed very conservatively. My overall ride IF was 0.83 with VI of 1.01. Coming out of T2 I knew I only needed a 1:50 run to go sub-5:00 so I really held back to mitigate the risk of implosion.
Before Racine my plan for the rest of the season was unclear other than I would try to do Steelhead 4 weeks later (Aug 14) since I'm on vacation the following week at a rental house under 30 mins from the race site. I really didn't have a plan for how I would train for it and one option was to say my season ended at Racine and just go with some ad hoc training and "residual fitness".
Now there are two other things that complicate:
1. I got a roll-down slot to Vegas (Sep 11) and I took it. Why did I take it? I'm not entirely sure to be honest, other than it's kind of cool to be able to do something like that and I don't know that I'll have the chance to do that again.
2. I keep thinking – really wondering – what kind of run I'm capable of in better (i.e. cooler) conditions and when executed a slightly less conservatively. My VDOT implies an MP of 7:19 and I averaged 7:31 at Racine. It was a big negative split with my last 5 miles all under 7:27, and each of those miles faster than the prior one. Mile 12 was 7:13 and mile 13 was 7:03. I felt way too good after I finished. So too much left in the tank. And it was 95 degrees. Clearly I could have done better.
So with all that long context, I'd love some input on how to approach the races in Vegas and Steelheead. In an ideal world I would:
a. Use Steelhead – apparently a flat and fast course – as an opportunity to get a PR, executing less conservatively on the run (in my control) and hoping for better conditions (out of my control)
b. Treat Vegas as a "really cool experience" and also an opportunity to get some experience on a more challenging course. Clearly the course will not let me get a PR, and I'm not of the caliber to really be "competing" at an event like that.
The problem I have with going for all the marbles at Steelhead is that with the race 3 weeks away I just don't know if there is any sort of training that would support "peaking" for optimum performance in that timeframe. And if I try, would it leave me in a position where I am so undertrained for Vegas that it is just painful and embarrassing and I couldn't enjoy it and have fun?
The alternative is probably to do a 7 week training build oriented to Vegas, and either (i) treat Steelhead as a "big day" workout and train right through it, or (ii) skip Steelhead entirely. I'll have a lot of trouble skipping it because I really enjoy racing, I have done very few races this year and will be staying really close to the race site.
If anyone has thoughts or input on how I should approach these races and/or my goals for them I would be most appreciative. In particular some thoughts on the feasibility of "peaking" for a race in 3 weeks would be terrific.
Cheers,
Matt
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Comments
- How's your head? If all of this still sounds fun -- good. Go forth! But you are setting yourself up for a pretty long season.
- What are you race plans for next year? If you have signed up for, oh. St. George, and need to get yourself into a very early OS, those three halfs might not get you adequate recovery time.
- You could always do Steelhead as a aquavelo - Swim, bike, done.
The person I can think of that might have the best thoughts is Matt Sullivan, who did two halfs two weeks apart.
I think Beth has the right approach. What sounds fun? If doing both races is good mentally and physically for you then go for it. It is a very long season. Also, what about your family? How does all this fit in with them?
I did Racine and Steelhead in '09 when they were two weeks apart and it was a bit much for me. I was 45 at the time though. I raced very well at Racine with a 4:42 and then mentally didn't have it for Steelhead. I didn't discover that until mile 35 of the bike.
All good though. I jogged the run and enjoyed myself.
Another option is to take some unstructured time. Go out and work hard but do it by feel. Find a group ride and go crush yourself. Don't follow a plan. Don't wear your Garmin, etc. I find that I need to do this regularly. May be hard for a data geek like you though.
If you're going for a PR, then I would shoot for Steelhead for that. I've heard the Vegas course is pretty tough.
I think you can do both (PR Steelhead and Peak for Vegas) if you want.
As long as the weather is better at Steelhead, setting a PR will not be a problem. It's equally as fast as Racine, so a hopefully cooler temp (plus more confidence as it is not your first HIM) should give the PR, even without peaking/tapering.
My advice would be to start following the HIM plan based on Vegas being the A-race this way you are working towards peaking at Vegas. As others said just train right through Steelhead. Simply do the race instead of your Saturday brick that week, then take Sunday off to recover. If you feel like you need it take the Friday before off, otherwise just do your normal workout. You can call it a Race Simulation if you want, but I would just treat it as a race with no taper. Make that your only "Race Simulation" before Vegas.
After that you can see how your body feels and more importantly if you are mentally ready for another month or so of training. Then decide if you want to train hard and go for broke in Vegas, or if you want to take it easy and enjoy the race.
BTW, Nice work in tough conditions!
- Recovery from Racine is fine. I was a bit stiff on Monday after the race but by Tuesday I was in the pool. I haven't run or biked yet, but that's due to work and being on 3 business trips this week…I'm jonesing to get in a run tonight…
- My head is fine…I'm ready to do more training and racing…I have done very few races this year (one Olympic and Racine) and to be honest I think looking forward to 2 more races will keep me really motivated.
- Plans for next year are completely undefined. It won't include Ironman (unless I win Kona lottery). And I'll be taking Oct-Dec as my "offseason" with only running. JOS for sure.
- Good comment about my family Matt S…I was prepared to call Steelhead as the end of the season because that was the "agreement"…but they are game for a bit more…Vegas would only work if they could come too…
- I think the "train through Steelhead" is actually the only way to successfully do this. If I am totally spent after Steelhead I can always take the "residual fitness" approach to Vegas, but if I don't spend the next 3 weeks up to Steelhead going full bore, there won't be much "residual fitness" left by the time Vegas occurs. The huge question in my mind is how much impact "training through" will make on the ability to PR at Steelhead. Matt A seems pretty confident the impact isn't too big, and I'm guessing he's right based on how my body seems to work. I'll probably do a mini-taper where I cut the Thursday run down to an hour and turn the Friday swim into 1500yd with 10x100 sprints or something like that.
Well, time to load up the plan I guess…
Any others with thoughts? I'd love to hear them…