Home› Racing Forum 🏎

coach p. positive bike and run splits.

robin sarnerrobin sarner
in Racing Forum 🏎

 

Question specifically for coach P about his recent race.    Maybe you’ll be answering this in your race report coach. So you did great bike and race legs.   But, you had positive splits for the bike and run.   As this is not in keeping with the EN race execution recommendations, I would like to hear your personal thoughts about this on the day.     Especially as Regensburg is in a week and I’m hoping to push the bike and run.

Doing negative splits for bike and run makes sense to me from the EN discussions.      However, hardly any of us ENers actually do the negative splits.      Some folks do positive splits as they feel that they want to use the energy when they have it?     In an Ironman, even with shooting for negative splits, the pace ends up with positive splits though the exertion level is actually a "negative split"?

Anyhow, just would like your personal thoughts on your race and how it relates to EN race philosophy as we all move forward.

thanks.

Comments

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Good question! My bike was positive split by two minutes, the run was significantly positive split due to stomach issues and cramping (see my report for details: http://bit.ly/ozrUrK). So I'd consider the bike a wash due mainly to changing conditions (increased wind), although my power did drop a bit it wasn't much. My non EN execution was pushing it right away instead of building my effort...but I did so in a way I could sustain for the rest of the day (like EN sez).

    The run was another story. I had decided early on to push the pace a bit by purposely going out knowing that I'd slow down over the run INSTEAD of holding back the first 6 miles...what I didn't plan on was losing 10 lbs during the day and having my stomach shut down on me -- gotta work on that next time. This strategy allowed me to pass over 30 folks in the first 5 miles, but meant I was holding on in the last five. Kinda funny that I ended up avg'ing 7:44 pace when my LRP is, you guessed it, 7:45. image That said I am confident I could have put down a 3:18 if I had remembered to drink water on the bike.

    Bottom line is how I paced my bike and run are for the top 1% on the day (I was 38th OA, 19th AG out of ~2500). The negative splits have been done (really!); but not by many. The point is to have guidance that allows you do dole your energy out across the entire day in such a way that you don't slow down massively anywhere. IOW I didn't push at mile 20 - 40 on the bike because I had energy, I was pushing to make up for my swim and to join the faster pack. I did so in a way that didn't kill me, and I was okay....but again a very verteran decision!
  • mattsullmattsull

    Coaches, Feel free to jump in here but you will often see people on the pointier end running more of a steady pace from the beginning of the run and not giving up the 3 minutes. 

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Well, my AG didn't show that kind of steadiness, but with my goals being so high/competitive I knew I had to run as close to my overall time potential. I figured that trying to gain back my 3 minutes later in the day would prove insurmountable. But now with my hydration issues, looks like I could have EN-ed it and been alright. Hindsight is 20/20!
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Robin,

    Find for me where we say we want you to negative split, by time, the bike and run.

    The goal is to negative split your EFFORT. Easier in the first half of the bike so you have more resources to answer the bike in the second half, when it always get harder (hotter, windier, fatigue sets in, neck and back start barking, etc). Same for the run, you go easier in the first 6 miles so you have more gas in the tank with which to answer the run when it gets much more difficult.

    We want you to negative split the mental and physical effort you apply to both the bike and the run. Total bonus if this results in an actual TIME negative split. This very, very rarely happens despite the best execution.

  • robin sarnerrobin sarner

     

    Coach P.    Thanks for the good info.    Great race.

     

    Coach R.    Right.    Negative split the effort then.

     

    Matt.     Ok.

     

    So I need to continue to process all this and make it work for me.   Regensburg will be my fourth ironman.     My last two irons, was sick preceding so unable to start at full capacity.    NOW (fingers crossed), I feel great with the taper and all.

     

    Maybe I have the potential to be in the 1%.     My vdot is 54 and I have been hitting the run workouts well.     My ftp is 340 (>=4 watts/kg).    Have three >= 100 mile bike rides within five weeks holding .7 (240 watts).    My best iron swim is 59 minutes.    Let’s see if I can put it all together.
  • Jeff SullivanJeff Sullivan

     FWIW I was working the bike aid station @ 20 mi @ IMLP. During LP camp I remember Coach P talking about his bike strategy -JRA until the turn up 86 - that's where the race begins - so i was watching to see how that played out. 1st lap coach was with a rather pedestrian group (comparably speaking) - as i knew couple in that group from our local club - 2nd lap coach had clearly seperated himself and was riding towards the front of the race - seemed like his plan was working 

    I saw him on the run a couple of times and he looked good. Last time I saw him he crested the big hill and turned left towards the finish - i knew he would be under 10:00

    On a side note - watching the pros on the bike course - the speed &power they displayed - was remarkable 

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Good luck to you Robin...it's show time! image
  • robin sarnerrobin sarner

    thanks coach.

Sign In or Register to comment.