Love 'em too! So shall we go with #2? One small thing...can we make the M in IMWI a red Mdot? I mean, it is Ironman and we are the coolest ever. If it looks weird, forget it. I'll start pricing out the decal order.
In an office hours call several weeks back, I discussed this with Patrick:
- Complete full OS through 3rd week of May
- Add swim hack in April
- hack through 10 days of HIM plan before 2 week vacation aka transition (6/2-6/16)
- HIM 6/19
- Begin 12 week IM training 6/21
Patrick's recent post about triathlon run training inside EN states that by the end of OS, you should be able to run a half mary. He makes no distinction between the plans.
This is basically what I did last year and PR'd at the HIM. (No vacation last year, which is why I was burned out after that point.)
20 week plans are for those beginning near zero. They ramp up to IM over 5 months. 12 week plans are meant for those that have done OS. We ramp up to IM over 3 months.
Think of this- last year, east coast folks went to ToC with JUST the OS under their belt, no outside riding. They STILL rocked that big bike week. The OS is getting the vast majority of us ready to hit the ground running for IM training.
BUMP to Linda and Nemo (And anyone else interested)
Here's where I think each of us has to really know ourselves- how our bodies individually react to training stress, training style etc. I can tell you personally, that I could not rock the TOC or TAB (tour around the block) with no outside riding. Many probably can and as coaches plans get written (like women's jeans) to fit the "average" person. This is where logging your progress over the seasons helps in planning the new one. Notes of things like fatigue, successes etc over the season can be extremely useful when planning your next year. Always more than one way... and what is right, depends on each of us. The best thing is not going it alone this year, so sharing info like this (thank you Michele, Beth and other chickas) is awesome!!!
I also fall into the camp that needs a bit of a bridge between the OS and the longer weekend rides of the HIM and IM plans as well. That way the ramp is consistent and gradual and I don't spend the first 2-3 weeks of the plan settling in and scrambling to recover during the weekday workouts.
Right now I find myself transitioning back to the original OS plans where it was LOTS of 85% work with 8-15 min intervals at FTP mixed in on the weekends. The work is still there but the order and duration (2-2.5 hours) agree with me so much more as far as the ride being repeatable week in/week out without ruining the midweek hard ride.
p.s. (I miss topic review!) I loved every minute of the ToC and was happy to make the jump from 3-4 hrs of riding in my basement to 25+ hrs. But...I also spent a month recovering from that.
I loved every minute of the ToC and was happy to make the jump from 3-4 hrs of riding in my basement to 25+ hrs. But...I also spent a month recovering from that.
Yeah- that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid!!! I dunno if that's even possible, but I'd like to try!
RE OS and going to longer rides. I had no problem going from OS Nov-Feb (and I probably didn't even bike as much as it said) to 3 and hour rides no problem when I was in FL earlier this month. I was shocked. Whether it was 40 mile ride or the 80 mile ride, I felt great to start to finish. So the Kool Aid that the intensity helps you build base at the same time as fast is right. Now, the saddle sore readiness is another issue. LOL. But seriously, shocking that I had no trouble banging out those miles.
So I've decided for the next four weeks or so I will do the General Prep (each one is 4 weeks). I may still switch to HIM, but would hack that a bit so that the workout structure is more like Prep and IM...where you just swim if you want Mondays and the hard work starts Tuesday.
Or I may do the IM 20 week which I got word via email yesterday
"The 20 week plan is the 12 week plan but includes GP Block 1 and GP Block 2 on the front end."
EN was very responsive, as always, to my queries yesterday.
hey girls ditto. I rode 65 miles two weeks ago and surprised myself by the ##mileage after it had been since IMLP in July 09 that I had ridden that far. right now I am going with 20 week plan, just cuz mentally it give me a good start point. nope I am not to 1/2 mary distance by end of april, will be close, just ran 6 last Sunday!! never could figure out that spreadsheet sorry I don't have excel and so what I could see didn't make any sense to me. but I don't have a lot on my summer calendar. in the past I have done the 20 week plan so I am used to that and don't get burned out mentally historically.
Since I am breaking up my schedule into two seasons, with two A races, Liberty HIM June 12th and IMWI Sept 12, I am going to just stick to my plan of jumping into week 3 of the HIM plan and hack it as I need to. Will then start IM 12 week plan June 21. I am believing that all the OS training and HIM training will be enough to do the job at WI come sept with only 12 weeks of IM training. I am feeling though that I need some volume soon, especially in the run department. I am with you M, not sure that I could do a 1/2 Mary right now. Mainly up to 6. I am trusting the HIM plan will anty up the volume. Not worried bout the swim or the bike, just the run, my weakest.
I know we have discussed this before, but is there anyway to look at mutiple plans @ ;once?? As I see it, the only option right now is to change your plan repeatedly in Plan Central.
Yeah- that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid!!! I dunno if that's even possible, but I'd like to try!
@Nemo- You'll be leagues ahead of where I was last year. No worries at all. I really was bringing minimal bike fitness to the table following the Dallas Marathon and only had two 2 hour basement rides under my belt before heading that way.
@Gina- why don't we just do screen shots each week? between all of us we have all the different plans covered. would be cool to see what all the differences are as we go along?
As a reminder, you know that you can always find PnI in the Training Forums, and specifically in the Micro and Macro Threads. We don't monitor these other forums and certainly not posts with 10+ pages . So instead of chasing your tails for days and days, just find us where you know you can find us and we can help you there...just sayin'.
My quick notes, based on the recent q's I've seen.
Difference between Beg, Int, and Advanced plans:
Basically, we see a decreasing need for us to be careful/nice to you with the advancement of intensitiy and volume as you move up the scale of ability. Also, keep in mind that we think in terms of intensity first, volume second. So the differences between the plans are expressed more clearly in the intensity of the plans, not the volume.
The net is that if the dial on the EN Training Plan Stove goes to 10, the Advanced plan will get you to a 10 in about 4wks, Intermediate in 6wks, Beginner in 8wks (must making this up for explanatory purposes only ). At some point the volumes of all the plans are about the same (sometime in race prep), but we have you doing more or less intensity based on your ability.
Going from OS to HIM or IM training plan volume
Now doubt that anyone doing the EN OS plans could jump right in to the HIM and IM plans, even week 1 of the 12wks plans. Yes, this will be a big jump in volume but, trust us, you can handle it. That said, remember that we have indoor and outdoor long bike and run options for the OS plans. You can use these to begin to lean forward on the volume in the OS plan, if you feel you need to do that before moving over to the IM and HIM plans. Now, if you're still doing the indoor volume because you are, in fact, indoors due to snow, rain, etc....it is what it is. In that case I'll remind you that today is March 31 and this thread is discussing a race in early September. You have PLENTY of time to get to where you need to be for IMWI.
Seeing multiple weeks of multiple plans
Please understand that you are paying us a small monthly fee to access to all of your plans. It simple doesn't make sense for PnI to let people paying us $x/mo have the ability to see ALL the weeks of EVERY training plan. Our compromise is the weekly volume and key events table in the Season Planning Spreadsheet. This way you can see the long bike/long run volume, placement of RR's, tests, etc, in your training weeks.
Let me know if you have any questions but, please, bring the questions to the training forum, not spin your wheels here in your own room...unless that's what you want to do
To jump on Rich's coattails here- Since I am in OS, and we are SUPPOSED to have gorgeous weather this weekend, I plan to go for an outdoor ride. Currently, the plan has the outdoor ride time as 2.5 hrs vs 1.25-1.5 indoors. Doing the outdoor rides, weather permitting, helps ramp up volume for those staying in OS through the end. For those done with OS, then General Prep may be the place to be, or just go back to OS for weekend rides since folks are planning to "hack plans" anyway. :-)
I think there are many options and you have to know your body, but also your mind- what are you comfortable with doing? DO you need to follow the plan? (and that is how I was when I trained for my 1st iron event with EN). This time around I am more comfortable with a bit more free form, messing around, but following the core.
Michele, that's a great point. The vets know what's to come, been at it for while now, and intruitively know the give and take. That's what's driving the discussion I think. In the end, we will do the major stuff together, but some of us will improvise on the margins.
Also for Rich...in many ways, all this talk is about connection between us. It's how women do it. Lots of blather to see who's where and what's what. We know where to find you guys!
Ok- so the other day I thought popped into my head... this is the first IM that I've done where the course wasn't my backyard. I've really been very spoiled by knowing the course inside out (probably alittle too much). I'm coming up in Jul to ride and had thought abt riding the course on the computrainer. Any other thoughts/input? Am I over thinking this? It's way to early to have weird IM stress! Think I better just go train!!
If we can't freak out here, then where can we? You know how much I love my CT. But riding the courses they have is NOTHING like being outside. I once tried to do a long ride on the FL course the first year I trained for it, and I swear I could barely turn the pedals in spots--and FL is flat! The CT is a wonderful tool for indoor training for intervals, 85%, etc. But as far as riding the courses go, I've never felt they work out so well. Go ride on the roads, hit some hills, you'll be fine. July is PLENTY of time for a dress rehearsal. However, freak out at will, whenever you need to.
Thanks Linda! I'll have to pick Nemo's brain a bit abt the differences since she's ridden both courses. Think they are similar except you don't have some of the downhills we have here to build speed for the uphill side. Remember Rich saying they were similar in the fact that they had technical decisions to make that could make or break your ride. Thanks for the input- I'll save my CT $'s and shell out for the RnP course cast!
I'm just having a get down, get serious kind of thing going this week. Usually takes that kind of a week to get my focus going and shore up the discipline! Pounds to lose, watts to gain!!
Kris- your memory is correct. The biggest difference I saw between IMLou and IMoo is that at IMoo you never get a chance to take advantage of a decent to carry you up the next hill. Every hill seems to start after a turn or from a flat section. Otherwise, the riding you do in KY is simply perfect training ground for IMoo.
As for knowing the course. I rode the IMoo course just once before race day (at EN Camp with Gina- what a great weekend!). Anyway- I then drove the course race week to remind me of the significant spots (especially some of those turns into a hill where you want to already be in the small chain ring before you make the turn). Honestly- that was enough. I was totally comfortable on race day.
If we ride the course 2 times during Cowgirl camp, I'm sure we'll all be very comfy on race day! (ok, comfy might be an over statement, but you get my point!)
My biggest concerns are just getting any hill experience on Fiona before race day. I never use the small chain ring out here- seriously, NEVER. So fears of dropping a chain are huge.
We've got the classic concrete wall/floor basement. Combine that with two people each having multiple bikes and we look crazy people to our non-tri-bike friends.
This is following a long-ish Saturday ride in the basement. Note the where am I/staring into space expression. It cracked me up so I kept it versus taking a better one.
Guess I need to get my name at bottom of list on one of the posters?
Done! You are on the list for Poster #2, which I believe is currently in Sheryl's hands. You are the last person on that list and as such, you have a few added responsibilities (ie, getting the poster to the team dinner on race weekend).
Guess I need to get my name at bottom of list on one of the posters?
Done! You are on the list for Poster #2, which I believe is currently in Sheryl's hands. You are the last person on that list and as such, you have a few added responsibilities (ie, getting the poster to the team dinner on race weekend).
I still have the poster! But thanks for the reminder Nemo, I will get that off to Sheryl, today!
Love the pain cave Leigh! That looks like a perfect cave, complete with tv, fan, lots of space and the concrete floor no worries about dripping sweat on nice flooring! Not to mention the other bikes hanging from the ceiling adds to the decor Thanks for sharing really fun to see how everyone else does the CAVE !
Comments
Beth, patches are great! Like # two best
Love 'em too! So shall we go with #2? One small thing...can we make the M in IMWI a red Mdot? I mean, it is Ironman and we are the coolest ever. If it looks weird, forget it. I'll start pricing out the decal order.
I also fall into the camp that needs a bit of a bridge between the OS and the longer weekend rides of the HIM and IM plans as well. That way the ramp is consistent and gradual and I don't spend the first 2-3 weeks of the plan settling in and scrambling to recover during the weekday workouts.
Right now I find myself transitioning back to the original OS plans where it was LOTS of 85% work with 8-15 min intervals at FTP mixed in on the weekends. The work is still there but the order and duration (2-2.5 hours) agree with me so much more as far as the ride being repeatable week in/week out without ruining the midweek hard ride.
p.s. (I miss topic review!) I loved every minute of the ToC and was happy to make the jump from 3-4 hrs of riding in my basement to 25+ hrs. But...I also spent a month recovering from that.
Yeah- that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid!!! I dunno if that's even possible, but I'd like to try!
RE OS and going to longer rides. I had no problem going from OS Nov-Feb (and I probably didn't even bike as much as it said) to 3 and hour rides no problem when I was in FL earlier this month. I was shocked. Whether it was 40 mile ride or the 80 mile ride, I felt great to start to finish. So the Kool Aid that the intensity helps you build base at the same time as fast is right. Now, the saddle sore readiness is another issue. LOL. But seriously, shocking that I had no trouble banging out those miles.
So I've decided for the next four weeks or so I will do the General Prep (each one is 4 weeks). I may still switch to HIM, but would hack that a bit so that the workout structure is more like Prep and IM...where you just swim if you want Mondays and the hard work starts Tuesday.
Or I may do the IM 20 week which I got word via email yesterday
"The 20 week plan is the 12 week plan but includes GP Block 1 and GP Block 2 on the front end."
EN was very responsive, as always, to my queries yesterday.
Since I am breaking up my schedule into two seasons, with two A races, Liberty HIM June 12th and IMWI Sept 12, I am going to just stick to my plan of jumping into week 3 of the HIM plan and hack it as I need to. Will then start IM 12 week plan June 21. I am believing that all the OS training and HIM training will be enough to do the job at WI come sept with only 12 weeks of IM training. I am feeling though that I need some volume soon, especially in the run department. I am with you M, not sure that I could do a 1/2 Mary right now. Mainly up to 6. I am trusting the HIM plan will anty up the volume. Not worried bout the swim or the bike, just the run, my weakest.
I know we have discussed this before, but is there anyway to look at mutiple plans @ ;once?? As I see it, the only option right now is to change your plan repeatedly in Plan Central.
@Nemo- You'll be leagues ahead of where I was last year. No worries at all. I really was bringing minimal bike fitness to the table following the Dallas Marathon and only had two 2 hour basement rides under my belt before heading that way.
@Gina- why don't we just do screen shots each week? between all of us we have all the different plans covered. would be cool to see what all the differences are as we go along?
Hi Gals,
As a reminder, you know that you can always find PnI in the Training Forums, and specifically in the Micro and Macro Threads. We don't monitor these other forums and certainly not posts with 10+ pages
. So instead of chasing your tails for days and days, just find us where you know you can find us and we can help you there...just sayin'.
My quick notes, based on the recent q's I've seen.
Difference between Beg, Int, and Advanced plans:
Basically, we see a decreasing need for us to be careful/nice to you with the advancement of intensitiy and volume as you move up the scale of ability. Also, keep in mind that we think in terms of intensity first, volume second. So the differences between the plans are expressed more clearly in the intensity of the plans, not the volume.
The net is that if the dial on the EN Training Plan Stove goes to 10, the Advanced plan will get you to a 10 in about 4wks, Intermediate in 6wks, Beginner in 8wks (must making this up for explanatory purposes only
). At some point the volumes of all the plans are about the same (sometime in race prep), but we have you doing more or less intensity based on your ability.
Going from OS to HIM or IM training plan volume
Now doubt that anyone doing the EN OS plans could jump right in to the HIM and IM plans, even week 1 of the 12wks plans. Yes, this will be a big jump in volume but, trust us, you can handle it. That said, remember that we have indoor and outdoor long bike and run options for the OS plans. You can use these to begin to lean forward on the volume in the OS plan, if you feel you need to do that before moving over to the IM and HIM plans. Now, if you're still doing the indoor volume because you are, in fact, indoors due to snow, rain, etc....it is what it is. In that case I'll remind you that today is March 31 and this thread is discussing a race in early September. You have PLENTY of time to get to where you need to be for IMWI.
Seeing multiple weeks of multiple plans
Please understand that you are paying us a small monthly fee to access to all of your plans. It simple doesn't make sense for PnI to let people paying us $x/mo have the ability to see ALL the weeks of EVERY training plan. Our compromise is the weekly volume and key events table in the Season Planning Spreadsheet. This way you can see the long bike/long run volume, placement of RR's, tests, etc, in your training weeks.
Let me know if you have any questions but, please, bring the questions to the training forum, not spin your wheels here in your own room...unless that's what you want to do
Thanks Rich for tracking us chickas down.....we heart u
I think there are many options and you have to know your body, but also your mind- what are you comfortable with doing? DO you need to follow the plan? (and that is how I was when I trained for my 1st iron event with EN). This time around I am more comfortable with a bit more free form, messing around, but following the core.
Michele, that's a great point. The vets know what's to come, been at it for while now, and intruitively know the give and take. That's what's driving the discussion I think. In the end, we will do the major stuff together, but some of us will improvise on the margins.
Also for Rich...in many ways, all this talk is about connection between us. It's how women do it. Lots of blather to see who's where and what's what. We know where to find you guys!
How perfectly stated! I could almost write a book with what I've written in the margin this year!!!
Ok- so the other day I thought popped into my head... this is the first IM that I've done where the course wasn't my backyard. I've really been very spoiled by knowing the course inside out (probably alittle too much). I'm coming up in Jul to ride and had thought abt riding the course on the computrainer. Any other thoughts/input? Am I over thinking this? It's way to early to have weird IM stress! Think I better just go train!!
Hey Kris!
If we can't freak out here, then where can we?
You know how much I love my CT. But riding the courses they have is NOTHING like being outside. I once tried to do a long ride on the FL course the first year I trained for it, and I swear I could barely turn the pedals in spots--and FL is flat! The CT is a wonderful tool for indoor training for intervals, 85%, etc. But as far as riding the courses go, I've never felt they work out so well. Go ride on the roads, hit some hills, you'll be fine. July is PLENTY of time for a dress rehearsal. However, freak out at will, whenever you need to. 
I'm just having a get down, get serious kind of thing going this week. Usually takes that kind of a week to get my focus going and shore up the discipline! Pounds to lose, watts to gain!!
As for knowing the course. I rode the IMoo course just once before race day (at EN Camp with Gina- what a great weekend!). Anyway- I then drove the course race week to remind me of the significant spots (especially some of those turns into a hill where you want to already be in the small chain ring before you make the turn). Honestly- that was enough. I was totally comfortable on race day.
If we ride the course 2 times during Cowgirl camp, I'm sure we'll all be very comfy on race day! (ok, comfy might be an over statement, but you get my point!)
My biggest concerns are just getting any hill experience on Fiona before race day. I never use the small chain ring out here- seriously, NEVER. So fears of dropping a chain are huge.
Sorry for the hold up but here goes.
First up- the pain cave.
We've got the classic concrete wall/floor basement. Combine that with two people each having multiple bikes and we look crazy people to our non-tri-bike friends.
This is following a long-ish Saturday ride in the basement. Note the where am I/staring into space expression. It cracked me up so I kept it versus taking a better one.
And lastly...the poster
Next stop- Marianne's place.
Nice pics, Leigh. I hope your sweat doesn't pool near those electrical cords
!!
Would all you racing Cowgirls please PM me your addresses?
Done! You are on the list for Poster #2, which I believe is currently in Sheryl's hands. You are the last person on that list and as such, you have a few added responsibilities (ie, getting the poster to the team dinner on race weekend).
I still have the poster! But thanks for the reminder Nemo, I will get that off to Sheryl, today!
Love the pain cave Leigh! That looks like a perfect cave, complete with tv, fan, lots of space and the concrete floor no worries about dripping sweat on nice flooring! Not to mention the other bikes hanging from the ceiling adds to the decor
Thanks for sharing really fun to see how everyone else does the CAVE !