Coach P IMTX Volume Week 2 Report
From my personal blog....
After being beaten down by my own plan in March, it was a few more weeks of calibration before heading into another volume week. This is part of my early season build-up to Ironman Texas. I usually race with three to four months of outdoor training and miles in my legs, but this year I am transitioning directly from a 20-week OutSeason Training Plan into a 12-week Ironman Training Plan.
Most of my weeks follow the basic Endurance Nation focus on ROI, with quality workouts preferred to piling on the volume. As a veteran triathlete with lofty performance goals and a flexible work schedule, I get to add in some additional volume.
Big Week #2
My goal in this second week was to hit peak bike and run volume, with an eye towards maintaining the swim. I structured the week such that my running happened early on with "recovery" days following them, then a bigger weekend of riding....capped with one more long run.
Here is what the week looked like:
Weekly Stats: 11,600 yds Swimming; 264 miles Biking; 58 miles Running; 25 hours Training.
Prior to this week, my peak bike mileage had been 230 miles (40 miles running that week). My peak run mileage had been 50 miles (170 miles biking that week).
How I Made It Work
You can see the swims bounced around based on the time I had available. Monday's run was split into two sessions, but the others were all solo efforts. I used some new bike routes to keep myself sane on the weekend, and rode indoors on the trainer during the week to get the time in during non-work / non-kid time. I stacked my work to give me time on Friday and Saturday, and then did my long run at 2pm on Sunday so my wife could workout and we could have a morning as a family.
My Report Card: A 9 out of 10
I am pumped I completed the week pretty close to my targets. I was hoping for 12.5k swim and 280 on the bike, but given how consistent my performance was all week I can't be unhappy. I was able to bike 112 on friday in 5:27, and my 18 mile long run on Sunday saw me average 6:54 on a hilly course with 6:40/mile pace for the final 6-mile loop.
My Secret Weapons
I got 8 hours of sleep a night, no exceptions. This is critical for a big volume period. I ate a TON during every workout so there was no bonking...if anything I probably gained a few pounds this week! A new iPod Shuffle kept me running solo without going insane. And all of you, my online peeps and the members of Endurance Nation who keep me honest and focused...you all rock.
Next Steps
I took two full days off, and now am starting to get back into a basic week. There will be little flash this week for training as I have a full plate of work commitments and a little girl's b-day to celebrate. Next week we have our Ironman Texas Rally on the course, and that will be my final chance to put up some good bike miles in a final, abbreviated volume push. Then it's time to really dial things back for the race.
Business Update
I have discounted my 1:1 consult sessions to $125 for the limited future. I really enjoy working with folks in this intimate setting and am hoping to jumpstart this practice with an eye towards having more time come June. If you are interested, you can learn more on the consult page here. I have worked with athletes, entrepreneurs and everyone in between. Whether you have a fitness / race goal or a business project, I can help.
Comments
Coach ... what were the effort levels on your runs and bikes like? Specifically, did the long runs inlcude any significant time spent faster than EP?
Just wondering, why did you choose to pack all your running into massive long runs, instead of say, running more frequently and spreading the mileage more evenly through the week?
@Al, my runs were all just faster than EP (7:15 instead of 7:28) save for Sunday where I let it rip a bit (6:54 avg, last 6 at 6:40).
@Ansom, I stacked the runs so I could have complete non run / rest days. I have found that I need some more recovery from the longer sessions....in big week #1 this year I tried the consistency approach but it really wore me out. Plus I can only run between 9-2 when my kids are in school (and only swim then too, actually 11:30-2 there) so my time is limited!
@John, thanks!
@John, I have been playing this game for waaaaay too long...that's all that means!