Rev3 Anderson HIM and bike execution/garmin questions
Ok, last race pace brick this weekend and things seem to be coming together nicely, a good race to finish the season would be lovely as I have raced like crap this year. Anyways ..
I've downloaded both the Power Webinar and the Racing with power links here at the site, been riding with my Power meter for about 6 weeks and working on "flattening" all the courses I ride just to practice. I've read the documents MANY times but want to make 100% sure I have everything straight
I'd call the Anderson course "medium" hilly (ride with GPS link) and know that some of the hills are going to put me well over my climbing zones in the EN Power Racing Calculator just to get up the hill. I can keep my HR low on the hills with granny gear but the power is going to be up at FTP I'm afraid as I'm a bigger guy. I like to spin up the hills and keep my cadence high but the power average will be mid 200's when my goal watts are 200
Do you folks just handle the steeper hills as easy as you can and keep the HR in check there? Also after climbing the hills i notice that my Pnorm will be higher for that lap than what I would be shooting for, Do you just go back to the Goal Watts after the hill and let the Pnorm be what it is? I.E. 5 mile lap with a good climb has higher NP than a flattish 5 miles?
What field do you prefer to look at to make sure you're keeping yourself in check? Lap-NP ? PWR-3s ? PWR-10s? other?
Regarding the calculator, my last Race Pace brick was on a flatter course and I rode that in 2:48 @ 200W (ave HR 150 and TSS of 163). Figuring this course is tougher but I'll have race wheels and aero helmet etc I'd figure a similar time, 2:45 on chart with a 78% or 79% IF, more on the safe side to make sure I have a good run. Am I on the right track?
Thanks, and sorry for the flood of questions
Comments
Coming from the POV of a little peep- There is no way I can stay within the power guidelines on some hills. In 2010 when a large female EN contingency did IMWI, we went to the training camp and found we could not get up a hill without falling over if we went at "goal" hill watts. The solution was to keep the watts as low as possible without going so slow that we fell over, then resume proper goal once over the crest. This meant more gears and paying very close attention to the PM.
During a race I am ONLY looking at my CURRENT watts. I want to stay near my goal as much as possible and not chase some arbitrary NP or AP in search of an elusive goal. If you are trying to make your NP or AP an exact number, you will go over your goal too often- chasing a number.
I look at HR as a guide, I do not follow it unless it is getting way out of whack- then this is a nutrition/ hydration issue usually.
When I am looking at flattening the course I ride, I am looking at my VI after I download, in order to see how well I did. During the ride, I am looking at current watts to be on target for my goal.
When I am doing an ABP ride, then I do follow AP and try to get a number, because I am not worried about being over too much. I am getting stronger.
I am not sure what the IF for HIM is. If .79 is what the wiki advises, then you are on the right track.
You just have to minimize the excess amount over FTP (ex, 250 instead of 300w) and decrease the amount of time above FTP and return to normal as soon as possible. That'll keep your VI low, which is definitely the overall goal.
On a hilly IM course, such as IMCDA, my VI was 1.04 or 1.05, if I recall. Coach R nailed IMWI last year with a 1.02 or 1.03. Very impressive.