Races and training / transition strategy
I'd be great to know what summer HIM races folks in this group are planning on. And also interesting to know what OS you are (or were) in, and how you plan to transition to the HIM plan.
I am in the JOS, scheduled to end 5/21, with my "A" race - and first-ever HIM - as 70.3 Racine on July 17.
I have been debating a fair bit as to if I finish the OS then do 8 weeks of the HIM plan, or if I cut out of the OS early and do more of the HIM plan. The coaches (and wiki) are pretty confident that completing the OS should be fine, even for a 70.3 "first-timer".
Looking ahead at the HIM plan there is clearly a hughe volume jump from the OS. So I am contemplating doing a "modified OS" for weeks 17-20 which would involve to adding swimming and lengthening the Saturday bike to match the long bike from the HIM plan.
If anyone has thoughts on that or would like to share their own strategy I'd love to hear.
Cheers, Matt
Comments
Was in the pool during the transition time as I wanted to 'find the water' again prior to getting into the HIM plan and starting without my form. So far so good.
I would be curious to hear your experience on the longer HIM plan compared to the 12 week version, wonder what the first 8 weeks look like vs starting at week 9.
Anyway - thanks for starting the group, hopefully we will get more members engagetd.
@ Matt - sorry about the late reply - I was using my post OS downtime well!
I think your plan sounds great for a number of reasons:
1. the last few weeks of the OS really wear on you mentally, so a little variety might serve you well
2. I didn't swim at all since August, and felt like a barge when I went to the pool this week. A few OS swims before you enter the half IM plan should help you "get up to speed" quickly;
3. If you don't have any running races greater than 10k planned before the half IM, your Sunday run should be able to tolerate the increased bike mileage on Saturday.
That's my $0.02 after completing my first OS. But don't let the intensity drop of the prescribed OS workouts.
My "A" race is Musselman 7/17 -also my 1st HIM. I was NovOS and presently working thru 3 wk of gen prep - 12 wk HIM race prep to start 4/24.
I think the modified OS is a good idea - I've found the longer rides of gen prep a big change (sore butt) - also the HIM plans look run heavy the first 3 weeks. Christian is spot on about the fatigue @ end of OS - in fact I think my fitness peaked around wk 18. Last couple weeks was tough to hit power #'s and keep the mojo going. You might consider some transition somewhere along the way - that helped me a bunch.
Jeff
My current plan is to start swimming next week (week 16 JOS) with a couple of very easy and short pool workouts.
Then the following week (which is 12 weeks from HIM), begin my "modified OS", which will involve:
- Changing the Thursday bike to VO2 max instead of FTP
- Doing the HIM bike on Saturday
- Swimming twice a week, although probably a bit shorter than the HIM plan, maybe ~45 min/session
I'll do that for weeks 17-20 of the OS, then pick up the HIM plan fully in week 5.
At least that's the goal...now let's see how it actually pans out......
After seeing your times from the other thread, you shouldn't have any problems with the race.