Halfway Self Assessment
Whoa oh, we're halfway there! Name that tune. 
Just thought I'd start a thread for folks to weigh in on how they're doing thus far. What have you learned, what will you do differently if anything? You get the idea.
For me, I went through a tough stretch in weeks 7 thru 8. Cummulative fatigue and holiday stress creeped up on me and manifested itself in a loss of power on the bike. I used the feedback from all of you to help me assess and I backed off a bit, and got some rest. The 30/30's came at a perfect time for me to change things up.
I've been happy with my running, even though I've yet to see a vdot improvement. I do need to make sure I do the brick runs more consistently, even if they're not bricks. After the holiday run challenge, I didn't do any easy runs last weeks. Just the hard workouts. I need the short easy runs for consistency.
I'm looking forward to days getting longer allowing for more daylight to run after work.
Finally, I also need to be more consistent with stretching, strengthening, and overall nutrition. I've done ok, but can do better. I'll use the halfway mark of the OS to kick start it again.
Dave
Comments
Can't believe it is half over...seems to have happened quick. Feeling good overall. Being off the bike for 10 days or so over the holidays was a nice break for me. Do not seem to have lost anything. Ran a lot the last couple of weeks as I was up at the camp with no bike and then traveling. Somehow ran more last week than during the run challenge, go figure. This morning I was feeling pretty banged up from doing that killer brick after skiing so I did a really slow short run which seems to have loosened everything up at bit.
Best part is that I am about 7 pounds lighter than I was last year at this time. Feel like if I can keep it up and stay focused that I will be a great place once the temps warm up and real riding can begin again.
That would be Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer.....
I'm in pretty good shape OS wise. I resume swimming this week, actually did a couple of 1500yd workout last week just so I don't completely embrarass myself at masters.
Bike: Very Happy with where I am, but not satisfied. Looking through my old notes from the hack last year, I was targeting 273 watts for the pVo2max stuff. I'm targeting 310 watts now. Nice to see the gains from 9 months ago. FTP is at an all time high as well. This week is the hard stuff for me Vo2Max wise, move into the 3/3 stuff. I remember them well......
Run: Getting the work done. For what every reason, I don't see much, if any, gains in the OS. I feel stronger though. Same pattern as last year. Once I throw some volume on my run I see a few vdot point bump. I'm hoping that is the case again this year. I have a Half Marathon in March, so I may mix up the Sunday run going forward to lengthen it a bit. Do some long tempo.
Head Space: All systems go, took a down week around the holidays, just a good time to recharge, just ran when I had time and made sure I was on the bike at least once. That really helps the mental side. IMO
This group is killing it and I'm glad I'm along for the ride.....
Bike: I had done 2x20 intervals a month before at 210, and it wasn't too tough. I estimated my FTP at 225 and got going. The first weeks were much tougher than they should have been. I think I overestimated by VDOT by 10 points or so. I missed a few intervals along the way and skipped one workout, but mostly did the plan exactly by using erg files on the CT. The week 8 test was messed up because my daughter kicked a ball at the CT 10 minutes into the second 20, and ripped out a wire. I missed another bike workout waiting for a replacement. I had done 237 for the first 20', and had a NP of 233 through 20+2+10 minutes. Based on RnP's advice, I didn't redo the test but instead set my FTP at 230. I think that's a real gain of about 15 points so far, and we'll see how the test goes in three weeks.
Run: The opposite of the bike. I had done a 5k in late September at a VDOT of 50.5, and a 10 mile race the first weekend of October at 49.25. I didn't test the first week, but did run a 10k race that weekend with a disappointing VDOT of 47. I thought I was still feeling the after-effects of the flu, so I set the paces using a VDOT of 48.5. All the runs were easy, so in retrospect, I should have gone with the higher VDOTs from my races 5-6 weeks before the OS started, considering I had only taken two weeks off. I ran a 5k on New Year's day with a VDOT of 51, and feel like I could have/should have pushed a bit harder. The runs since then have been tough as my T pace has gone from 7:00 to 6:44. I find that manageable--it's the HMP and MP that seem fiendishly hard. All in all, my run hasn't improved that much. Maybe the new paces will kick it higher. I'm hoping to run a 40 minute 10k somewhere along the way. My time in the Army Ten Miler October 4 was 1:09:25, and I'm hoping to beat that by a couple minutes in the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler on April 11. (10 miles is my favorite distance, and I'm lucky enough to live in DC, which hosts the two most prominent 10-mile races in the country. 5k and 10k hurt the whole way through, while a 10 miler only gets miserable the last three miles or so.)
I'm hoping to get my swim back in shape starting this weekend in Puerto Rico. Somehow open water swimming in crystal turquoise water is much more enticing than the 25y local pool at 6 am. And since I'll miss the dreaded Saturday bike, I might as well make up for it with a little swimming.
Bike: I started off the OS feeling like I was at a good place as far as entering the OS, then in week 6 (coinciding with getting sick), my PT showed up and I learned really fast that I wasn't as strong as I thought. It's amazing what happens when you switch from HR to Power. I plan on doing a new FTP test this week as the last one was at the beginning of the flu and I don't think it was overly accurate. The one thing I can say without a doubt is "POWER is the way to go if you want to see crazy improvements."
Run: I've been getting the work done as prescribed and have had a vDot increase of a couple of points as of the last test. I to need to get more consistent with the bricks on Tuesday; it's been hard due to the lack of day light and the icy conditions as of late. Regardless, I don't feel like I've lost near as much fitness with running as I have on the bike (I know it will come back quickly once the remnants of the flu/crud disappear).
Overall, I have totally enjoyed the experience of training with the group and participating in the OS. I've learned a ton and can't wait to see how it translates come race season.
Haven't had a major downturn or downtime, which I attribute to working the intermediate plan which is lighter on the run, especially.
Very happy with my head space. About 85% of the workouts I want to do, about 15% are just suck it up and get it done. When this ratio shifts more towards 50-50, I'll take a couple of days off. And like it.
My bike feels strong....FTP has come back nicely and I am almost at the same FTP I had at the end of last seasons OS. Starting the power clinic this week, so that should help, although I'm a little skeerd.
Run is coming back too, and again, I'm almost at the vdot I was at at the end of last seasons OS. My legs were a little dead during yesterday's run though. I'm sure it was because of the sadistic Sat ride/brick. I'll have to watch that over the next few weeks to make sure I'm rested enough.
All-in-all I'm very pleased considering where I started from in Nov. With another 10 weeks of OS, I'm hopeful for some more good gains and want to go to the ToC as strong as ever.
has not been going very well for me, my daughters hockey season kills me. I just started reworking my cellar to set up a real pain cave. Cycling in my garage was killing me when it is 10 degrees out.
Running has been going pretty well, I have been doing my interval work at 6:40 to 6:30 pace which is good.
No more excuses.
Not much to say on the run. I'm just glad I only missed one week of riding with the injury and that I am able to start easing back into running now. Hopefully my fitiness will come back by March 21st so I can at least run a half marathon as fast as last year.
This group as been awesome for motivating me on the bike workouts...can't thank you guys enough!
Hi Team,
Great Thread! Steve and I are actually way past halfway in the OS as we need to bow out in a few weeks to start the IMSG plan. The race is May 1st. "HOLY CRAP".
I started the OS basically as high as I have ever been on the FT. I have never really trained at this FT. Let me explain. I hit it just before Oceanside 70.3 last spring, raced and got injurd in the race. Healed in 5 weeks. Built it back up to same level just 2 weeks before IMLP. Raced and then recovered. Trained all fall with Steve for IMHI and in NOV had built back to that high FT. So this was really the first time to train at it. Does that make sense??So I am happy to say I can complete the workouts and am probably at the same number. I did not retest in week 8 and plan to retest in a few weeks as I exit the OS. Overall I feel fit and strong. I had initially hoped to increase my FT but when I got to training at that high FT it was all I could do.
My run feels amazing. I will retest my Vdot in a few weeks also as I exit the OS. I feel like I have speed and good endurance now. I have been running longish each week either on trails or hilly roads. FINALLY my calves and legs in general feel strong. Not so achey after each hard run. Steve has been digging out my sore spots and he is a huge part of my success this OS.
I LOVE training with all of you!!!
Thanks for being there!
XO Carrie
I haven't heard anybody describe it in quite that way but I like it!
I love the OS and I consider it my reward for putting up with cold weather and an inability to wear flip flops. As the weather outside is truly frightful these days, the "on" season remains this abstract thing out there that I vaguely ponder from time to time but lack the ability to truly comprehend. So I'm just hunkering down and hugging my bike trainer and trusting that when it's time to get outside I'll be mentally ready for it.
Keith, I'm in Silver Spring and doing Placid. Are you planning to go up for the training weekend in June? If so, we should consider carpooling.
Overall pleased with the OS. Incremental gains in FTP and Vdot and as P said, "up is up". My A race is early this year, mid April, so that's accelerating everything. I usually am fittest in Sept/Oct, probably like most of you, but I really feel that this OS has me ahead of the game. I have done all but 1 OS Advanced workouts, to the second and intensity, so the work's getting done.
I have realized that some days are just gonna be 95% days and some days are 100+% days, you just have to work it and move on.
Just started swimming again last week, got my first 1 on 1 lesson today and feel good about the comments I got, nothing surprising but I think this coach has the right approach. She understands triathlon and her first question was " when is your A race ?". How cool is that ?
Thanks to all of you for the great comments and inspiration.
I have to say as an EN newbie, and first time IM'er, I am pleased thus far, with my improvements. My V-Dot is probably one of the lowest in the Haus, but it has gone up a couple of ticks. My running tp has gone up and I feel faster. My bike is making progress. I am training with HR, and no power, so I realize that is a disadvantage. However, my avg. mph has increased by 2-3 mph since the start of the outseason, and it is harder to reach my Z5 HR. I'm having to really mash to get the HR up. I guess that's a good thing?
I have hit most of my workouts, with the exception of the week I had the flu, which I backtracked and did when I was well. And, I missed perhaps a total of 2 workouts, in differing weeks. I have really worked my arse off, to hit these and do the hard work, even though I'm working 12 hrs. per day. I get up in the a.m. and get them done. I have been (inconsistently) doing weight training, and am getting a bit more consistent once again. The one thing I have been lax on is core work. I have done some, with Pilates Reformer, and ball crunches. However, I have not been doing core work on a consistent basis. Additionally, my nutrition, which I had done very well on, up to the holidays, has taken a turn for the worse. I am addicted again, to sugar, after several months hiatis. Thank you Holiday! ARGH! 
And, although I'm trying to get back to eating clean and lean, my body fat % has creeped back up, per my Omron.
I haven't been swimming, but will resume again in the next week or two. My A Race is IMLOU in August. I am planning to do Muncie Endurathon in July, Indy Mini Marathon in May, and a few short distance races in running and tri. My biggest disappointment with myself has been the body fat/weight issue. I've been at a standstill for 2 months. Other than that, I am pleased with my training, the comraderie and push from everyone in the HAUS, and most of all, Rich and Patrick, for their amazing program and knowledge!
10 weeks have gone by so quickly. I have two mantra's that I tell myself every morning - "progress, not perfection" and "greatness is by choice and discipline" the latter is from Jim Collins"good to great". I don't think I could have achieved what I have done as of today without the help of the haus. the encouragement, the stories, the honesty is great to hear everyday. my A race is coming up in May and each day that gets closer I feel stronger and better prepared for this race. I am excited to see what I can do on the bike after the snow melts and my running has been steady progress. recently, i have been monitoring my weight and following alot of what Patrick has offered. no eating after 7pm and keep the dairy/white carbs low. my goal for my a race is to get to 202lb. at the start of the OS I was 240 and now 225, its been tough with the holidays but "choice and discipline" will make the difference. thank you everyone for your comments and encouragement.
The 30/30's are a nice change. Mental place is good.
This team is AWESOME! Thank you all for carrying me along on your wave of motivation and inspiration!!
I can't believe that it is 1/2 way already!! It doesn't seem possible. I have just in the past few days felt like I was hitting the wall. Fatigue, difficulty hitting the intervals. Hoping to get over this quickly though, took yesterday and today off and maybe tomorrow, we will see how it goes. Overall though I am doing well, running well and still trying to become a biker. Just excited to see what I can do at the IM distance!
Again great team vibe, love the support from you all!
Happy with my consistency & bike gains. Feel my goal of 270 watt FTP & 4.0 w/kg is, after all, within the realm of possibility. Though my third year with EN this is really the first time I've consistently gotten the riding done due to some quirky health issues in '08 & '09.
My running hasn't improved much. Hoping the track work will pay off like it has in the past. Thinking it will.
Heading to Florida for several days on business in a couple weeks. Plan a mini run focus down there. Looking forward to seeing palm trees... Will do my soul good.
Also hoping to jump in the pool sometime soon, though not sure when. Don't want to do it half-assed, so waiting for myself to develop a plan. Lots o' drills in the early stages.
Thanks all. Nice group!
Wow! I can not tell you how much this off season plan and focus has helped. Over the past few weeks I am reminded of where I could be and the metal down sides of the the typical off season.
When training on the bike I often stop into our local cycling center. It is comprised of 12 Computrainers and the ability to race six on six or a combination there of. Anyway, every time I stop in to do my WORK there are several buddies in there slaving away at the clock. Many are logging those 3-4 hour rides at zone 1-2 with the occasional zone 3 work.
I am so happy to be in the house not only to put in the shorter workouts but to know that the tough effort is paying off. I have experienced fantastic gains already (FTP: 29 WATTS and Vdot: 4 points). I hope to have similar gains by the end of the OS.
Overall the team if great and the comments help to affirm the journey and direction I have wanted to head for years.
really enjoying the OS so far. Spent the first half focusing on the run and now am switching gears back to focusing on the bike. Feeling good and hoping to build on the next 10 weeks! Great group to work with.
Personally, I am excited to see the results of my body comp focus paying off, and having some intermediary winter TT goals is keeping the focus on the bike. I would like to see some run gains, particularly b/c I set some high goals for the 2010 season, but I am not sweating it right now. I think that anything more than I have right now would be too much..as it is I am concerned about overreaching for Boston. Might have to break the glass on the bison jerky box on the wall, grab some McKeever Merlot and chill for a bit.
As a coach, I want to reiterate that while we want to you get faster / stronger in the OS by seeing results, just b/c you don't see the results right now doesn't mean they aren't there. I like the resolutions around body comp (see my guidance here and my accountability here) and core and flexibility. These are easily tweaked and added...but please don't worry about the work...it's in there!
Well, this is my first full OS with EN and when I look back to last winter when I was "self-coached" and just running and riding without any particular focus or goal there's just no comparison. This is by far the best shape I've ever been in in January. Most of that is working the plan, of course, but a lot of that is just the pure motivation and inspiration I get from the EN team in general and the Nov OS group in particular. Whenever I feel like turning off the alarm and going back to sleep on a dark, cold morning or bailing in the middle of a tough interval I think of this crew and it keeps me going.
On the bike I had a minor mojo crisis a few weeks back when I discovered my Powertap was busted and had probably been giving me incorrect numbers for weeks (months?). Thinking I was at a certain FTP and discovering maybe I wasn't was a blow to my confidence but the encouragement of this group kept me pushing hard as I switched to HRM and RPE for my workouts. (Note: Repaired PT is due back today so I'll soon learn what my "true" numbers are."). I'm now convinced that no matter what my new FTP turns out to be I'll emerge from this OS a much stronger cyclist than last season.
For the run some knee issues forced a layoff in weeks 6-7 but with the recent VO2 track workouts I can really feel my speed picking up. I have no doubt I'll be faster once race season starts. Goal is to remain knee-pain and injury free once the run volume starts to ramp up.
I've been hitting the pool 1-2 times a week during the OS just to do some drills and try to keep my feel for the water (and keep my body comp in check) so I don't lose what meager proficiency I have.
Overall, I'm going into almost every workout feeling motivated and excited so I'm in a very good place mentally right now. Very pumped to tackle the 2nd half of this beast with you guys!
-Chris
Bike: I have been feeling really good on the bike. This is only the third year of riding a bike, seriously I mean, I knew how to ride a bike. I feel like have gotten much stronger on the bike. FTP up 20 watts from start of OS and I think I didn't have the best test either so who knows where I am. I really can't wait for my first race at the end of April to see how much I can improve on my bike split. It's a 29 mile bike in a sprint so essentially it is a bike race. Hoping to drop a bunch of minutes off that.
Run: I came into the OS feeling very good about my run. I had been training for a half marathon where I thought I would go 1:45 but birth of daughter and a little illness stopped me from racing. Have gained 2 points in the Vdot and hoping for two more. Testing on the treadmill has been a pain and will not do that again. I felt great during the Run Challenge as well. I have really come to enjoy running. Have almost gotten too fast to take my dog which would be very sad as she loves it so much.
Body: This will be my third year of racing. First year I had to be 225-230 when I began training. Last season I raced around 200. I always had put on 10-15 pounds in the OS but this year have remained around 198-202 which has been great. I really need to dial in my nutrition as I want to race this year 185-190. Free speed!!! I may not have lost any weight here in the OS so far but have to say that my legs look ridiculous. Quad muscles are just popping compared to what they were. My wife was commenting on them the other day. I know it will only get better and better.
Mind: I have definitely started to hone my mind in. Been really hunkering down mentally during these recent bike workouts. I used to think the intervals at 85% were physical but have since realized they were always mental. I just power through them now because I know I can do it. I have also gotten the confidence in myself that I will race well this year based upon my experiences so far in the OS.
So in short have been loving it but much more work to do.
Tucker
Bike - We have a wonderful love/hate relationship with the 30/30s - but it is getting more loving as time passes. I just wish it could be outside with something more interesting to push towards. I have improved greatly on my control of the bike and feel much more comfortable.
Run - As I am training for a marathon in May I hit a block with running. So, I took a mental check and decided the block was all mental because my legs kept on running. Working on the mental part right now - - House and Netflix...
Swim - Does taking my 21 mth old to swimming lessons count? Seriously, have not swam at all. I feel really comfortable with my swim right now.
I can clearly see where I need to work and the areas that I can just keep on going with - thanks for all of your support!
-Jo
Bike - really feel like the workouts are paying off. FTP rose by ~ 10% (231 to 254). Looking to see if maybe I can reach 270w (indoor) by the end of the OS. But certainly feel much stronger mentally & physically on the bike.
Run - Not as much improvement here, but all my fault. Have not done many of the brick workouts because frankly it is just too damn cold to go out for a run here in Ottawa Canada when I am all sweaty after the bike ride. Should still be doing the runs at a different time, but have not put the right focus on the run. That is one of the main improvements for the 2nd half. Still, some mild improvements on the run over the last 10 wks.
The other thing I need to focus on is the tangential stuff - body composition, flexibility, and some core/upper body strength. I'll need to put together a little program to work on these. I think I'll give that 100 pushup challenge thing a try.
Also I just found out from work that they want me to go to Toronto for 4 weeks in Feb/March, and probably India for 2 weeks in March/April. That is going to be a challenge to work around. Gotta make as many gains as I can right now and make the most of it.
So, since the New Year I have been sick, so that bites. Blew my ankle out last week and can't run, can't ride at the intensity needed yet, Can't kick in the pool.
Don't feel bad though because all the awesome TEam EN MOJO that happens my core training for the past two weeks has been better than ever. The pool BOUY is my friend so Swim Hack is ON with all bouy work.
Keep the good vibes coming because it is all that has kept me going after the Christmas cookies!!
Also, looks lie Santahas a PM he forgot to deliver, so when the ankle is good by next week, I should be full blown into training with Power!!!
Keep up all the good work. And keep on the twitter updates bc that is easier to get than getting online al day.
hey nov os peeps!
great thread Dave...my forum mojo is weeaaak this out season but I am doing the work for sure. Shuffling workouts a little more this year~weird...last year was my first IM and NOTHING else was scheduled. Now that I have done one, I have included some other goals as well this year so I do shuffle the deck a little.
FTP has creeped up since the start, my running is better than ever and I am pretty pumped about stuff. Last year I swam, this year...haven't been we except for the shower! Ready to put the kool aide to the test!
JC
Working hard and staying smart is where I'm at. Until week 10, I did 99% of the workouts, except a couple of short runs. I hit every pace in every workut. I'm quite proud of that. I owe it 100% to taking the rest as indicated. Any extra mental-health swimming I did was EZ drills and EZ swimming of no more than 1500m. It had no impact on my recovery.
Last week I could feel some extra fatigue building--not just tired, but I was at that place of feeling "frayed around the edges." I made it through the week's workouts, but will now stop any extra swimming until I feel ready to add it back in. I also took Monday and Tuesday off to regroup. Ready to pick it back up again, but will stand down if I need to in order to keep going strong to the end.
Re FT and run...I started this OS at a very respectable FT for me. Don't expect major gains, but will chip away at it. Running is coming along and the Vdot is improving. That's always my weakest link.
Also having fun with this all the way around! Wishing you all a rockin' OS part 2!
Been feeling great on the bike. My first OS with a PM and I'm loving it. Still working on the kinks of using it and downloading data, but really like it.
Need to focus a little more on the running. Intervals are scary and very hard for me. This week I decided to put my all into and get it done. I just kept saying "push hard for 1/2 a mile, then you get a nice recovery!". Also first season with a garmin and loving that as well!
Body comp is still a struggle, but making progress!
Keep it up, team! You guys rock!
Nice to see everyone doing so well, and working so hard. This is my first OS and I am very positive.
I don't have any power, but I know that my bike has improved. I have moved two times now to a more difficult gear to keep in the same HR and the hour seemsto go quickly. I cannot wait to get out on the road and test myself. I have been a poor biker and a worse runner. I am sure I will be able to change that by the spring. I really miss the pool it is the one place where I started out strong but I am sticking to the plan,.
The running has mentally gotten much easier, I used to have to psych myself up to go out. Lately I have been (sort of) looking forward to the Z5 runs. I have been mainly running on the treadmill for the longer runs, and my Z1 pace is very comfortable, even in the hot Y. In March or April I will go back to my running club and amaze all my friends.
I am very happy where I am right now, and the potental improvement keeps me coming back every night. Bring on the next 10 weeks!