6 weeks to IMWI
Hi Peeps,
It was a great weekend, that's for sure with RR #1 in the bank. A little headache-y this morning, and yesterday was at -50 TSB. I'm going to take myself out for a run, but will be guagiug how I feel and effort and time will go accordingly.
Also, I am up exactly 5 lbs from my weight on Friday morning. My eyes are really puffy. I know it's water retention from the RR, and fallout from all the carbs I've been eating. Anyone else have this going on?
UPDATE--run went great! A little stuttering at the start, but picked it up for 1 x mile; 2 x .5 mile; big hill home. I will admit I didn't sweat hitting the tempo target, and not sure that I did. Felt it best to pick up the pace for the distance and let it sort itself out for today. AIP this afternoon!
Happy day everyone!
Comments
@Linda - feeling a little puffy myself. These last two weeks have been really hard on the system, hard efforts, heat/humidity, GI is so confused....
GREAT run this morning. Best I've felt on a Z4 effort in months, comfortably back to my 'actual' Z4 time pre-piriformis injury in spring, great timing. Amazing what a day of rest will do.
Cannot believe we are T minus 6 weeks....
As some of you know, I got a little niggling in my calf on the run this morning that has me a bit concerned. I backed off the 3rd interval and then hit the pool for the swim workout. Then decided to cut that a little short in order to hit the hot tub for a few minutes to give the calf a little hydro therapy and then get home with time to do some stretching and rolling on the TP roller. The calf is under compression and on ice right now. I've come soooooo far and my only goal here is to get to the starting line healthy enough to do the race. So knowing it's T-6, and we've all just gotten RR #1 behind us, I feel a little relieved that I don't have to push this calf too much longer before I can just do the race.
When IM is over this year- I REALLY need to re-dedicate myself to some serious Yoga practice! Someone keep me honest on that front, please!!!!
We'll you guys were all nailing your race simulations this weekend I successfully crushed myself yet again. Here is my catching up from the weeked update:
Saturday - 4 hour ride hitting all the FTP and 85% intervals and then pushing as hard as I could the rest. Ended up with .811 and 248 TSS. Brick run went great with the first two miles very comfortable and under EP, then kicked it up and did almost 3 miles back at MP. 86 miles on the bike and 4.75 on the run in 4:30!
Sunday - Tried out my third masters team (First messed up my foot back in Dec, Second didn't go so well as I was the fastest person there). This group was MUCH better and there were definitely a number of faster swimmers there to push me (there were 9 people there and I was the only triathlete!). Ended up doing 3900 yards in about an hour of actual swim time.
Good thing Jim Hansen wanted to ride with me again because I was not motivated and my legs were sore. After a very easy 30' warm up and talk, I decided to just see how long until I popped (as I didn't think there was anyway I would pull off .85). I ended up holding .9 for an hour, then we took a quick stop and turned around. I was pretty sure I was done for the day but Jim went hard and I got fired up and somehow held it together until about the last mile of the ride. Ended up with 2:30 @ .867 and the overall ride with the slow wu @ .83. Thank You Jim!
Monday - so, I realized I was human again when it hurt to get out of bed, and I had to use the railing to walk down the stairs. Good thing I don't have to tie my shoes or that would have been a project too. First mile of my run was horrible: slow, painfully, and with horrible form. I decided that maybe 2 x 1.5 @ TP was not the best idea so I just ran slowly for a while. 4 miles in my legs finally felt normal and I wanted to attempt the intervals but knew it was smarter not to, so I did strides instead. Finished up with a few decent miles. All in all a pretty pathetic run for me but I'm glad I got up and did it!
We're really only half way there. We still have half our training left to do!
Linda - Up two pounds and a bit puffy. There were lots of carbs yesterday.
This morning's swim felt good -- although I didn't realize how sore my neck and shoulders were from all the time in aero on Saturday until I got in the pool. Ahhh.
My take on the "time" left is 3-3.5 weeks more of hard work and then taper time!! My TSB has been hanging in the -45ish zone on and off for the last 10 days and I felt it yesterday (-53). I feel like we all walk a fine line @ ; this stage and it's hard to know how deep to go.
Diddled around with the aero cover yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately, it rubs @ ; one point in the wheel revolution. Probably because of the 28 cassette, but if push comes to shove, I will go sans cover.
Slept 9 wonderful hours last night and sooo needed it! When I made my soy latte this morning I kept wondering why it tasted so sweet?? After I showered, walked through the kitchen only to find the espresso shot STILL in the carafe . Sheesh, IM brain !!
My week is a bit different as I am doing 2:30 run tomorrow and RR on Sat. Per Coach P, I will swim M-W-F and interval bike/run on Thurs.
Send me some Mojo tomorrow, we are expected the hottest week thus far this year. Likely to be 80ish with high humidity when I run.
You are WAY further than half way there. You may only be half way through the IM plan, but after doing the OS, some general prep and then a HIM for some, you really are in the home strech now.
As Gina points out, it's not to long before the taper starts now!
Random questions about rainy day racing:
1) Do you lower your tire psi? If so, by how much?
2) Anyone that runs an aero cover have trouble with it entraining water?
Yes, I do only run 105-110 psi, as I ride clinchers and most clincher rims and tires are listed as ~125 as the MAX. I did a bunch of looking into this a year ago and MAX is not alwasy best, especially on surfaces that are not perfect and for lightweight riders. I'm pretty light and IMWI routes are not exactly perfect (think stagecoach). If I ever race on an smooth course I may bump it up to 115 or more, but I have yet to find more than a mile of smooth road in the midwest .
I can't recall exactly what I found, but here is a good summary from Zipp for their (Vittoria) clinchers. They do suggest 3-5 lower for rain to answer your original question.
Recommended tire pressures by rider weight:
(<57 kg)</td>
(57-68 kg)
(68-79.5 kg)
(79.5-91 kg)
(>91 kg)
*Not to exceed 125 psi/8.6 bar
The above tire inflation pressures are recommended for optimal rolling resistance and grip. These pressures are for room temperature tires and rims. Tire pressures may increase as much as 25psi due to high rim temperatures caused by prolonged braking or as much as 5psi from high ambient or road surface temperatures.
Since I was keeping my family obligations in NY, I did not do the rides outside or RR. Saturday I did the intervals on the drainer and the time flew by. I never thought I would say that about 2 hours on the drainer.
BUT THEN... I came home yesterday and decided to ride inside (multitude of reasons). While I was away, Max was kind enough to load the IMWI course onto the Computrainer. IT WAS AWESOME! I stayed on the trainer for 2:15 and only got off because it was getting late. But I wanted to "go down" the hill on Garfoot. I was pretty much able to hold .85 with short breaks. Watching the video was incredible. And all you chickas- you were there with me!! If you own or have access to a Computrainer, I highly recommend the DVD. I am considering making this my regular Sunday ride until we race.
Since I am doing my RR Friday, I re-jiggered my schedule (by myself). Decided to do the long run today. I figured since I didn't have the heavy long weekend behind me, it would be fine. Went out for 2 hours and hit my paces, which did surprise me since it had only been 13-14 hours since my ride/ run yesterday.
I hear you all on the fatigue. I am sitting in the -40s pretty constantly. And I am having trouble sleeping, but I am still hitting the paces on the workouts. So I don't know if I should skip a workout and sleep. But I am waking without an alarm, not like I am dead asleep- which is my normal state
I can't believe we are under 6 weeks to go... uh-oh...
Good info, Matt. I think I am about 10lbs less than you (129).
Now, can I put you onto this dilemma:
http://endurancenation.us.dnnmax.com/Community/Forums/tabid/101/aff/24/aft/2873/afv/topic/Default.aspx
Gina- I'm so with you on the head game. 6 weeks left, but that's really just 3 hard weeks and 1 race rehearsal left. Then taper time. Only so many workouts left where I can get hurt- please God let me make it to the starting line in one piece!!!
Michele- I imagined myself on that rollercoaster road I like so much (don't remember the name, but I think it's the one everyone said had gravel on it this past weekend) with all of you around me. That made me smile big time!
Kate- I'm hoping to get time to come back up for another weekend of training with you. Work is totally crazy right now (August is always aweful around here) and I'm backing up multiple folks out on vacation- so it's iffy, but I'll keep you posted for sure! The trip was SOOOOO worth it for me last time.
Nemo- the road is Witte
If you slide the pump head straight off the value and don't mess around you actually lose no pressure taking it off. The noise you hear is the air in the hose traped between the closed value stem and pump body as this air is also at 110 psi and once you slide the pump head off it is realized.
Also, the higher is better thing does make sense on a perfect surface, but I have yet to find a road that smooth.
The Bike Tech Review data is pretty much the gold standard from rolling resistance and one the notes in the report is:
"Crr values are typical for very smooth surfaces - Crr on typical road surfaces may be 50 to 100 % higher"
FWIW, they run 120 psi and test on a very smooth test surface (Tacx Rollers) not a road surface.
Matt-that chart is really interesting. I always just pump tires to 120. never ever thought about this stuff really, just pump and go. Some times all this info drives me crazy
wondering out loud, if I should now reduce the psi to what the chart says....107 in front and 110 in back seems really low compared to what I am used to...decisons, decisions.......
You all are awesome,,,,cranking out the workouts today after the RR on Sat!
Ran inside today for intervals, went well. Legs felt great actually surprised myself. Jumped in pool for only 500 because wanted to do core class more!
swam in lake 2400 and ran a bit before so dog could potty and then ran after to total 10 miles! very warm here and well? I am soaked with sweat at run's end....the 1 mile repeats were not working out with my ham/glute.. if I dip down under 8:40 pace it hurts so instead I just upped the Monday mileage! anyways I like the Monday routine of swim and run. and the dog waits in the kennel in car in shade while I swim....I am just a slow swimmer, period. although out of the two guys that showed up, one is tng for World Duathlon in Scotland and World sprinT in Budapest! they whiz by me. anyways a nice run with Heather and my dog and the miles slipped by as we took note of all the shade trees and took our walk breaks in the sun. m
Totally unscientific but I would guess that anywhere between 95 and 125 would be total fine on race day and still make only a small difference in your overall bike split. I'm also sure that some people don't even bother to check on race morning and are running under 90 and some others think more is better and are running 140 in a tire only rated to 125.
Basically, as long as you at in the 100-120 range I wouldn't worry at all and just ride what you feel comfortable with.
Great swim in the books. 3,250 and today I did the workout as written. In true EN fashion it didn't "seem so bad," but by the last two reps of each set, I was like "come on, be done!" Overall, I liked the mix today and the progression suited me body and brain.
PS--for those who have been around a while, aren't these sets waaaay better than 50 x 50, and 15 x 150. OMG, mind-numbing those were. (But they did work. Damn Rich.
)
Thanks Matt
Had a good ride with Matt Ancona yesterday. Felt absolutely dead at the start but he fired me up at the turn-around which triggered the "you're being a sissy" switch in my head and I made a decent rally in the end. Plus it was nice to vent to him during the ride about my recent RR and training frustrations - felt good to get it off my chest. Thanks Matt!
3 x 1 mile run this morning went surprisingly well. Fastest paces I've done in these type of runs yet this year!
Swim at lunch was poor. Just not feeling it. Times were slow. Not sure if I should pull back on the swimming or do more. I'm thinking it's a combination of overall fatigue and a few weeks of putting in over 10K of swimming per week. What kind of weekly yardage is everyone swimming lately? I may have cooked myself in the pool.
Looks like the last 30/30 workout of my plan tomorrow with a brick run. Then long run Wednesday for me - yee haa! Hang in there everyone. Get some sleep. And, Nemo, take care of that calf. Now's not the time to be stupid and push it into a full-blown injury!
When this happens to me, I leave my watch at home and don't look at a pace clock for at least one or two full workouts. During those workouts I do mostly drills and only swim harder if it feels right.
I've re-taught myself bad habits before by trying to force myself to swim fast when my body wasn't feeling right and it got me no where.
Did the swim OWS this morning...there were white caps on Canandaigua Lake! The wind surfers were hauling a$$ out there and looked like they were having so much fun. It was quite a challenge swimming and I had to sight every 6 strokes instead of every 12. At around 700m out, I was 5 minutes slower compared to Friday's swim. Good practice for staying in the box and really concentrate on good form. Can't imagine Lake Monona gets like that, right?
Heading out for the run in 10 minutes...
Race day is close enough to say: "Whew! only a few more long rides and runs left!" on a good day and "Oh crap! Only a few more long rides and runs left!" on a bad day.
@Jim--a version of what Matt does in the swim works for me everytime. Based on what you're saying pushing ain't going to do it--backing off for the next swim will. I have a default swim of my own making that I do when I get to the point you're at. Long EZ warm-up (800-1000), then drill set of another 500 or so WITH FINS, then 400-500 pull with paddles. That's it. Sometimes I even cut it back to 1800, but never go over 2000. Makes a big difference, I'll tell you. Try it on the next swim, and see how it works. Nothing to lose; some rest to gain.
To answer your question, yes I'm swimming about 9000-10K/week. I try to do all the yardage in the workouts, but sometimes I tweak the sets more to my liking just to get through it all.
@Leigh--Going to get the bike fit on Friday, but I'm going to try and meet you guys if you're there early!
@Kit--if Walden Pond gets that rough (and it does), I"m sure lake Monona isn't immune. Bite nails.
Matt, don't scare me. I still think I need six weeks of Ironman polish on these previously outseason and HIM-worthy legs.
Swimming - I do what Linda and Matt do some days. I think it was reading all the Total Immersion books. If I am struggling, I go back to practicing drills and fix what is off. Sometimes, all I need is a few laps of backstroke and the head is back in the game. Other days, 1500 worth of drills is all I can muster -- or sets with our old bff from last season -- pull buoy.
2x1.5 in the books. First one 7:30 pace; Second 7:42, due not to my lack of oomph, but to lots of in the way stroller daddies. Was there a stroller daddy convention today? But both are soundly in IP land, so I will take them -- especially after the RR.