Did Texas 70.3 last weekend, have NOLA 70.3 in two weeks... how should I approach training next week
Gang,
I did the Texas 70.3 on April 1. I have NOLA 70.3 on April 22. I didn't do a darn thing this past week until Friday. Did an easy IM pace 50 minute bike on Friday, 20 minute swim and 40 minute run on Saturday and rode 50 miles today.
Today's 50 mile ride kicked my ass. I had no gas in my tank the second half of the ride. I'm obviously still recovering from last weekend. I'll just rest/taper the week of NOLA (4/16-4/22). I'm perplexed in how I should approach this coming week. Should I continue to take it easy? Should I try to get in one last 90 minute run later this week? Should I bust out some FTP sessions? I want to make sure I'm not losing any fitness (probably won't) but I really need to make sure I'm recovered and rested (very important).
Thanks!
Comments
Working back from NOLA, surely you need to be fully rested to do justice to that race?
So, given the fitness you took into Texas, and the fitness bump you will have got from that race, you should be thinking recovery first IMO.
A week after the HIM, you should be ready to start doing some prep work for the next race. You probably don't need a *lot* of "far" stuff; you do need "fast stuff". Like at least twice per week for both run and swim, and once for bike: 6-10 x 50 swim; 6-10 x 30 second strides for run; 10-15 minutes of VO2 max work on the bike (say, some hill repeats done hard if you can do that outside, or trainer stuff inside.) Then whatever else you want to do at an easier pace, so you feel like you are not getting stale.
Me, I'd also do once each weekend a 30 minute warm up swim, a 40-45 mile bike, followed by a 20-30 minute brick, more like @ IM pace, not @ HIM race pace, but with maybe 30 minutes of harder biking, and 10-15 minutes of harder running towards the end of each. The idea is to keep your form without tiring yhourself out. Hard work and some miles, but not to the point of feeling fatigued.