Weekly update, Oct 28…4 weeks to go before IM AZ.
I am realizing that I have had a long, hard season when I look over at my door, where I post my race bibs from the past year. There’s not enough room at the top where I leave space for my A races. Looking back at my training diary, I have not had much of a break since winter of 2018 (20 months ago.)
The first week after Kona was totally ad lib, using subjective feelings of tiredness during and between activities to determine how far/hard to go. This past week was a bit more structured:
Monday: Treadmill run 3.15 mi, weights, Zwift Bump Race @ IF of 1.023 for 27′ (2nd Place
Tuesday: Run 5K/30′
Wednesday: Swim Tempo 200s for 2900 yds; Run 5K/31′ (took a class in disc brake maintenance @ nite)
Thursday: Bike home from grand-daughter visit 23 mi/1:47
Friday: Run 3.44 mi/33.5′; weights
Saturday: Bike on Zwift, five different events, 4 hr 10′, IF = 0.762, TSS 242, KJ = 2100. The first 45′ were 0.94 IF, most of the rest split between IM pace, recovery intervals, and race pace +.
Sunday: Swim 10 x 300 on 30″ @5:40/50; Run 9 mi in 1:26
I did find myself needing to sleep 9-10 hours on some nights, as well as take 40-50 minute naps most days. And my weight seems to have dropped a pound in the last week. After the hard cycling and running efforts, I am noticing a bit of excess swelling/sorenes in my right knee. But I did feel strong at the end of each of the weekend’s long efforts, so I’m going to up the volume this week, and space out those long efforts a bit more, with the run first, to try and get more recovery; I’ll be riffing off of the IM minimalist plan:
Monday: Day “off”, meaning 25′ in the weight room.
Tuesday: Zwift Masters race (so I can compete against other 70+!!!) for FTP Intervals; Run second 45′
Wednesday: Swim Sprint Intervals “3”; Run 45′ ?
Thursday: Long Run – 2 plus hours – we’ll see how far I can go…I’m thinking I can actually do double what I did yesterday.
Friday: Bike ABP vs Recovery x 1:30
Saturday: Bike 5 hours/100 miles/2450 KJ/270 TSS/0.735 IF on Zwift; Run x 40′
Sunday: Swim Red Mist x 1:15 (maybe only 9 x 400)
I’m intending to win this race in Arizona. I know I have been adamant about not taking the Kona slot should that happen, but I am having serious second thoughts about that. A big reason: The ITU changed their long course WC in Holland from 3K/120K/30K (2nd week of Sept) to 3.8K/180K/42.2K distance. Since I don’t have a chance to do the “shorter”/saner Long Course WC, I might as well go for the Big One once again, and finish it this time, when it won’t be in the middle of such a massive year.
Mentally, I’m feeling pretty good and optimistic about racing in Arizona I’ve NEVER had a bad race there, and I have every reason to feel I should once again have success on that course.