Coach P Goes Epic Pre Kona
So before LP I put in two big weeks for weeks 7 and 8 (of 12 to race) before dialing things back. It wasn't easy, but I really enjoyed dropping some weight and felt like it really had me peak well for LP.
In an attempt to recreate that same block, but with a bit more oomph for Kona, I am going Big for weeks 6, 7, 8.
It's Thursday and I have put in 12.5 hours as 12k swim, 80miles on bike, 22miles running...then this weekend in Louisville I will be doing 3 x 6 hour rides and 2 x 1 hour runs. This will put me over 32 hours for the week and set me up for some recovery next week when the girls start school.
Just putting this out there as I need to have some help staying accountable!!! 
~ P
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Comments
Any specific goals at Kono for you?
IMO, 3 x 6hr rides suck, especially in that heat. I'd recommend 6, 5, then see how you feel for day 3. Get the runs done early early in the morning before your rides
Coach,
That's a big week in Louisville along with the EN race events and being on the course all day. Not to mention the first week of school will keep you busy not sure that qualifies as recovery.
Gordon
By accountable, do you mean help keeping you from going off the deep end?
I'm on day five of a big (bike) episode (maybe 8 days total?) just before the start of my 12 week race prep for IM AZ. I've been doing this sort of thing for years, and I think I *finally* have admitted to myself that I agree with Rich. He's always shouting about how anything longer than 4 hours is tough both mentally and for recovery, especially if done day after day. I always go into these BBWs thinking I'll throw in several 6 hour rides, and keep wondering why my work rate tails off at the end of the "camp". On Monday, about 45 miles into my planned 100 mile/6 hour ride (remember, I'm at altitude with 2 cat 2 and 2 cat 3 climbs in this route), I realized - Rich is right - there's not going to be any value in this ride past about 65-70 miles, I'll just be trying to survive to get home, and worried about my next long ride up Independence Pass to watch the race in two days. My conclusion: 5 days of 3-4 hour rides is just fine, especially if done at a reasonable training pace (HIM intervals). Then I can convert one ride to 5+ hours with IM intervals if I feel like it.
Just for the record, here are my totals so far and the plans for the next 3-4 days:
Swim: 2.2 hours, 6 K (R.I.P, 66 minute IM swim split.)
Bike: 16 hours (but 6+ were on my mtn bike going up the Pass, and back down in the rain way too slowly.)
Run: 2.5 hours/17 miles
Next three days:
Swim: 1 hour in a lake/reservoir I found here which is 68.5F!
Run: two 30 minute bricks and one 40 minute drill-type session
Bike: 4 hours/80 miles (flat ride, steady pace), 2.5 hours/35 miles (will include a 7 mile segment as an uphill sub-FTP interval from 8200-9600'), 3 hours/45 miles (7600-9800', IM pace uphill)
So I guess that will add up to 32 hours in 8 days? Then, next week will be easier than normal, as I get 1-2 days off due to my daughter's wedding. I can't imagine going at that pace for 3 weeks, though. The hardest part for me is getting enough calories and hydration day-to-day to keep my weight up.
Sounds fun. Dunno where you're finding the hours in the day to do this ... my epic weeks have been falling in the 27-hour-tops range, and at that, I am eating, sleeping or training and that's it. I like the 3 x 6 personally, if only as another experience in the endurance lab to see if you can do it. Definitely a limit stretcher. I'm guessing you'll hate yourself for the decision around hours 2-4 of day 2, and then you start to see the end in sight, and you'll have a big CTL spike to ride out. Nice place to ride.
I hear you, Al, on the need to eat. I went from 184 to 177 in four days...now back up to 181, but it wasn't pretty!
I'll ask you some of the Q's I asked Rich shortly after his Epic blocks:
1) After accumulating the training stress, and having some consequent fatigue after the big weeks, was it worth it on balance?
2) do you think this type of training accomplished the 'oomph' you were after?
3) Could you do something like this in the build to the First IM of a season, or do you think it requires (or best leverages) the big engine that con only come after a very large season is mostly done? Is the completion of a First IM a prerequisite?
As well, I'm really looking forward to the outcome of you and Rich comparing notes on the lessons of the Big Week Experiments you undertook this year.