SBR Utopia ~~~~ Permanently OPEN!! (Page 103)

That's the only complaint I remember too. Other than the tropics guys complaining about the supposed onslaught of complaining from the northerners.

And I took 3 full days off last week due to a light cold. Gradually working things back in with smaller workouts or overall days. Make sure you're better first!

Wishing I had an actual mountain a bit closer. Interesting race there.

Looks like the mentor forums are rotating once again.  Are we getting a new thread set up?

Yeah, that was a rough week and a half!  The last couple days were back in the 80's....now it's back to winter, with temps in the 50's to 60's

I know everyone's experiences are different in training and racing, but I'm somewhat similar to you.  Biking is my strength, and running my weakness.  

The one thing I think I would do differently is not do so many really long rides in training.  I think I did about 12 or more 80+ mile rides in a 16 week span leading up to my taper.  It didn't seem like a big deal to me because I like riding, and riding that distance isn't anything new to me.  But I had to sacrifice a lot of intensity, and I also think the overall volume started to catch up to me during the end of my training.  If I do IM again, I think I'll limit myself to about 4 rides over 80 miles, and a lot of 50-70 mile rides with intensity.  I think it's a more effective way to build up TSS, and you're ride is done sooner, allowing for more recovery time.

I got caught up with the IM "distance" and just did a lot of volume in training.  I was a lot more successful with HIM training that had a much better mix of volume and intensity.  And when you play around with TSS calculators...you start to realize that more volume doesn't always mean more training stress.

Anyway...just my experience.  

ETA:  I just went back and looked at my logs.  Yep...12 long rides over 80 miles...10 of them were over 97 miles.  What the heck was I thinking??? LOL.

It's not to say that 80-110 mile rides are bad for IM training...just that I was overdoing it for me personally.  I was also trying to run high volume, so something had to give.  I feel I would have been better off backing off on the bike...substituting volume for a little more intensity, and allowing myself to have a little more productive run training.  Even though I was running a lot of miles (most weeks around 40 mpw, peaking at 50+), almost 95% of it was very easy.  No tempo miles or anything like that.  

I guess bottom line...don't get too caught up in the IM distance where you feel that it's all about miles, miles, and miles.  I've done many 100+ mile rides before...I had done 3 stand alone marathons before and dozens of 18+ mile training runs.  There really was no reason for me to focus on so much volume rather than just building up fitness.

Originally posted by mndymond IM MOVING BACK TO YEGGGGGG (Edmonton) for ERRRRR! First choice! No more angst! I'm debating what to do with myself. Everyone else is working right now...haha. Don't say swim...

kickset

Btw, I ended up grabbing that Ruster bike case with a Black Friday discount.  The frame bag is really not much larger than a guitar case.  Anyhow we'll see how it goes at Alcatraz  

Scheduling/race question for you guys.   Looking to do an IM next year.   Was headed Whistler way again, but my masters coach is perhaps doing Louisville, and so now that's on the radar.  Quick trip, probably solo, long weekend.

Whistler
-done it once, but beautiful
-challenging bike and run but I would not pick a course on hilly vs. not hilly basis
-likely to be windy and hot
-Have a hotel in the village
-Shorter and cheaper flights ($300 ish and 3 ish hours).  .

Louisville
-Different course
-Could be hot, could be snow, could be perfect
-Friend may be racing
-More expensive and longer flights (6 plus with 1 stop and $400+). 
-Three weeks before, at the end of the last build, I have a dive vacation to Kona and would miss two weekends, just prior to taper.
-Probably $200-300 more expensive all in

Any thoughts, wisdom, guidance?  Anyone done Lousville and can comment?  I am perfectly happy doing Whistler again.

Eta thinking more I think Canada is wiser so maybe answering my own question.   I can fly up to Vancouver after work Thursday and make the short drive to Whistler Friday, reducing Friday travel time.  Lousiville would require all/most day Friday travel or a Thursday red eye.  Neither ideal.

LOL, well racing in the pit of hell just adds to the challenge, right?   I tend to agree with you on Vancouver and parts north

There are a few Ironman races I can't imagine signing up for it I didn't live close....Ironman Texas is one, Ironman Louisville is another.  There just doesn't seem to be any compelling reason to visit Louisville -- especially when Whistler is on the table!  That said, Louisville should be somewhat more palatable now that it's changed to an October race, but I'd rather pick a race in an exceptionally beautiful place.

I've been through the Louisville race. It's really a fine place that should be in the mix with a number of other places to go do. Nearly every complaint about it was overblown, save the heat. And that's been mitigated by the date change. There isn't really much exceptional about it, but think I could say that about a large majority of the NA IM events. It should be thought of right up there with Maryland, Chattanooga, or a number of other events going on. That said, it's up against Whistler which is one maybe 2 or so IMs that might actually get me to go long again some day.

The one issue is, well, Canadians....