Hmm…looks like I didn’t do a weekly update this past Monday. Had I done so, here’s what my plan for this week would have looked like then:
Mon – Recovery swim, weights
Tues – 3 hour run
Wed – Red mist swim, weights
Thurs – Bike FTP 75′, Run 45′
Fri – RR Swim, Weights
Sat – RR Bike/Run 60′
Sun – Consider ABP Bike 1.5-3 hrs, run 30′
I made a specific decision to significantly separate the long run and ride this week, precisely to prevent fatigue on Race Rehearsal Day, as well as ensure I could get the entire run done without impacting downstream workouts.
While I felt “OK” the morning after the long run, I was worried that if I tried a hard swim, I would just make the fatigue hole deeper. So no swim yesterday.
I am following very closely not only feelings of fatigue and knee pain, but also length of naps and length of sleep, as well as weight and hydration status. ALL of those are on the correct side of the scale this morning. The morning of IM HI, I weighed 143#, which is not enough IMO. I am now 146, would like to hit 147 by IM AZ. I’m getting there by keeping my hydration status up, eating extra protein, and hitting the weight room 3x/week. I think I look better (I thought I was too lean in HI.) The past 3 nights, I’ve needed “only” 8 hours of sleep, with my naps dropping down into the low 20′ range.
I think it is very important that I complete the swim, bike, and run this Friday and Saturday. The gain for me will be at least 50% mental/confidence. I know my fitness is good, and I don’t think I will add much to it by doing an 80′ instead of 60-70′ swim, or a 5 hr vs a 6 hr bike. But I need to remind myself that the work is hard, and I can keep going past the point when I would really like to quit. In that last hour of the bike, the last 20′ of the run, the last 25′ of the swim, 100% of the game (and gain) at this point in the season is 100% mental, and I need some sharpening up and re-booting of confidence.
Last week on Saturday, I did 5 hours on Zwift, the first 2.5 with Brian and Sid (and a few others), first hour @ 2.0 w/kg/0.65 IF, then 75′ @ 2.5/0.8 IF, then a 90′ group ride @ race pace plus (2.3 w/kg/0.78 IF) , finishing with a 52′ race @ 2.7 w/kg/0.85 IF. No run afterwards. My total KJ were 2729. For comparison, last year’s IM AZ split was 5:58 @ 2792 KJ, 2.0 w/kg, 0.63 IF.
This Saturday, my goal will be to get in 6 hours @ race effort level with several in the EN IM AZ crew in a series of meet-ups. The advantage of the group meet-up, as you know, is we stay together even if we are working at different w/kg, just like a group workout on Zwift. That helps a lot. Then if I can get a run of 60′ after that, hitting 10:30-11 min miles, I will feel totally ready for the Big Day two weeks later. Anything I do on Sunday will be optional, depending on fatigue, etc.
I am paying a lot of attention to nutrition and hydration during my long rides and runs. I had an insight in the past week about long runs. I had been doing them on a local bike path, with water fountains 1-1.75 miles apart. After my 2 hr 15′ run a week ago, I got dehydrated. I realised that with my current speed, I am taking a lot longer between water stations than even 2 years ago. So if I drink the same amount at each stop, I’m actually getting less fluid. For the long run two days ago, I switched to a totally flat path, at a spot where I can do three different 6 mile out and backs, and carried a fresh bottle with me each hour, drinking and walking each mile. It started to hurt after 5 miles, but I found I could keep going at my new slow pace, and re-learned how to push through the physical desire to stop. Also, I took along a banana and had half after an hour, then again after the second hour. Don’t know if that helped, but I’ve never done it in races before, think I will this last time. (My rejection of bananas up to now has been to avoid solid food, and also a fear that I was still allergic to them.)
On the long rides, I have the nutrition and hydration dialed in. I’m using the same plan exactly as I have for my IM races over the past 5-6 years, so I know I can handle it and it works. Again, just doing it in training is primarily about being able to do it without thinking on race day, not that I really need that much fluid and calories on a training day. So I’ve got 5 bottles lined up with Infinit + a small amount of GE, two clif bars, and a flask of EFS gel all ready to feed my face at 15′ intervals.
My FTP interval workout this morning – 14′, 10′, 10′ (4′) going up Alpe d Zwift went well. I’ll take it as a positive omen that I finally secured the Milenstein wheels.
The Coach responds:
Thank you so much for the complete update. I agree that you were totally on track and I like to see how the workouts are stacking up. … I agree that you are in the position where strength is required for success.
really curious about your knee. Do you think some form of compression may actually help keep the swelling down and I need to keep running? Not a full rigid brace, but almost thinking of like some kind of a compression sock deal. Just curious. It came to me today during my run, I was wondering if reduce the swelling without impeding blood flow would allow you to run longer without messing up your bio mechanics.
I know that you were through the weekend, we can focus on sharpening up for Arizona. a few key bike sessions and some consistent swimming is all that’s needed as far as I’m concerned. What are your thoughts?