Ironman USA Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 11)

Having just finished a marathon also, I agree that it was one hell of an experience.  And even though, I didn't come anywhere close to my time goal, I feel like the miles I put in for training are invaluable.

Nice work! I did the same thing and signed up for IMLP before doing a full marathon...I guess it is good that I have a short memory for pain...haha

1. Is this your first IM?
This not only is my first Ironman, it is the first time I have attempted anything of this magnitude

2. Have you done LP before?
Since I have never done an Ironman before, I obviously have never done Lake Placid before.  We did volunteer last year, as I'm sure many of the rest of you did as well.  We (my husband, 2 sons, and myself) did ride one loop of the bike course.  In case you did the same, I was the one with the flat tire, grateful to have a son willing to change it.

3. What are your goals for the 2010 race?
Finish before midnight - along with my husband - and live to tell about it. 

4. How/Why did you select the Lake Placid Race?
We selected Lake Placid because our 2 sons decided to do this one and challenged us to join them.  Several years ago my husband and I challenged them to do a 25K run with us.  Now they have challenged us, raising the stakes just a little.

5. Do you have any specific questions that you wish addressed about LP (the race, training etc)
I have so many questions, I wouldn't know where to start.  A couple are:  how to find training time when so many hours are spent at work and is it wiser for older competitors to schedule more recovery time in their training efforts?  But mostly I am hoping to observe and learn from you all.  Thanks in advance for all the pearls you share.

training time:
don't look to add training to your current schedule.  Instead, sit down and eliminate 1-2 hours per day of stuff you currently do.  Then, backfill with training.  There is things to eliminate, and sleep should be last on the list.  Things like a lunch hour, commuting in your car, TV, internet, dinner with friends (just for the final 12 weeks until LP), can more then allow for your training time.

A mistake people will make is trying to train 1-2 hours per day without removing anything from their lives. 

Recovery-you bet!  As we age, recovery takes longer.  check out endurancecorner.com for a piece that ChuckieV wrote on recovery...it is really good.

Running will be the key for you, as that beats you up the most.  Run on dirt trails, packed snow and uphill as it beats up your legs less. dont be affraid to RUN SLOW.  Like really slow.  Your goal is to finish before midnight, so just get the miles in.  The faster you run during training, the more recovery you are going to need.   

MASSAGE.  Final prep for LP, I was getting 1 massage a week; expensive but worth it.

ice baths after my saturday long sessions were money.

compression tights--love them for after long training.

EAT HEALTHY.  once you hit 10+ hours per week, you'll be hungry often, and will get the sense that you can eat whatever you want.  while you probably wont gain much weight earing pizza 2x per week, it will slow recovery.  Think green veggies and good proteins.  Also, dont skimp on the good carbs after big workouts....whole grains, sweet potato....good fats are great for keeping you healthy....think avaocado and olive oil, nuts, seeds.....


it is all about slow, little changes everyday.  NOW is the time to work on your diet (I'm learning this too!), as changing your body through diets is a long process.....

most important piece:

HAVE FUN.  enjoy this process, July is going to come fast....and keeping this fun will be the best form of recovery you have.  Involving the family will be easy as it sounds like most are doing it, make sure you keep it fun with each other!  Share goals with each other and make each others journey part of your lives!

good luck!

1. Is this your first IM?
Yes sir!  But I've done 9 marathons, 3 of which were ultras and I have another ultra in a week (provided my hip is ok, it's hurtin now!).  Plus I'll have two more done before IMLP (Boston and maybe one in my hometown). 

2. Have you done LP before?
Nope, but a lot of my friends have.  I've done a few HIMs and I plan do do one before IMLP as well as the fireman training camp and maybe another trip up to ride.

3. What are your goals for the 2011 race?
Goals in order of realism:
FINISH
Finish while having fun and want to do it again
Beat some of my friends on the course
Go Sub 14 (just tossin that number out there, I'll evaluate after some research)
Beat ALL of my friends on the course (as one is a Pro, this WON'T happen, ha!)

4.How/Why did you select the Lake Placid Race?
It's close to me and a lot of friends have and will race it.  And, you know, it's time to HTFU and race IMLP!

5. Do you have any specific questions about IMLP 
I suspect I'll be asking a lot and reading the board a lot.  I found a few training plans and I'll stick with those, so I guess that's it.

I'm STOKED!  I hope to meet some of you folks this year in training and then at IMLP '11.  Good luck everyone!

~Dave

Edited by mendeldave 2010-11-16 2:20 PM

I plan on doing the Kinetic half in prep for Placid. Well run race (Setup events does it), good course (rolling bike, somewhat hilly run).

Hope to see you there!

Thanks everyone!

Docswim - That's great - I haven't heard any news about registration yet though so hopefully we'll know the date soon. You live in Reston? Do you train with a group up here? I'm in DC Tri club. Need to figure out a way to get some decent hill work in mostly flat DC so I was thinking about weekend trips out to skyline.

Less than 250 days to go until we're racing IMLP!!!

Setup announces ahead of time when the registration opens and that race typically does not fill right away.

I am on RATS and Team FeXY and we do rides just about every weekend with varying speeds/distances. I don't think Skyline is great training for LP. Skyline is significantly (12K of climbing vs. 7K for Placid) hillier and you spend almost the entire time going up or descending (not pedaling) where Placid you should be pedaling almost the entire time. Though I don't think it is perfect Placid training, I still plan to make a few trips - if you can get through Skyline, the Placid course seems somewhat easy. Plus it is awesome up there - no cars, pretty, etc.

There are a ton of great rides in Leesburg and west of Leesburg that offer terrain somewhat similar to Placid. Let me know if you want to jump in for ride once the weather gets warmer.

To cusetri
Thanks for some great advice.  Although I have not thought of it that way, it makes so much sense to subtract first and then fill with training.  Although my initial response is that I don't think there's all that much I can subtract, if I am honest, I know there are places to free up some time.  It does mean making changes, but I guess if I don't make changes, I won't realize any changes in my fitness and preparation level.  I have never had a massage, but am getting the message that now might be the time to start.  I have already been to endurancecorner and will be back. 

Again, thank you for useful and practical advice.  Just reading it gives me incentive to start making the changes that will be needed.
Chris

Thanks!

Is anyone else planning on spending a great deal of time on the trainer this winter?  I just recently started my bike focus and I'm loving the intensity.  Once the snow melts in the spring, I'll be back out on the roads to rack up the long rides.  Speed and power all around is my goal this winter.

I'll be on the trainer a lot.  I have a solid run but need to put in time on the bike.  I hate riding in the snow/cold, so that means the gym indoors or on my cyclops trainier, which I think might be broken.  

What are people's thoughts for those exercise bikes in the typical gym.  If I plan to put a lot of time on one of those, will it be ok (assuming my trainer is, in fact, broken?).  I'll do a lot of spin classes too.  Once it's warm, I'll be out for a LOT of long weekend rides.

Oh, and maybe I'll swim too ;-) 

Yep!

I plan on doing a lot of trainer workouts, of course even in nice weather I get stuck on the trainer a bit because of the job.  It's boring and long, but a good movie or a couple of hockey games on the x box keep things moving.

I plan on doing a lot of trainer workouts, of course even in nice weather I get stuck on the trainer a bit because of the job.  It's boring and long, but a good movie or a couple of hockey games on the x box keep things moving.

I plan on doing a lot of trainer workouts, of course even in nice weather I get stuck on the trainer a bit because of the job.  It's boring and long, but a good movie or a couple of hockey games on the x box keep things moving.

It started to snow yesterday and was -10C today...and will be that or colder until April if I am lucky...Welcome to the dark, windy, cold north...

Fail. Haha.

I have a lot of spinervals, DVDs and TV series and a huge TV in my bike room. YAY!

I will work hard on the training doing most of my training with the goal of raising my FTP but those are rides usually under 75' and they are hard. I may do a bit longer rides in zone 3, but most rides will be under 2 hours.

In the past if it was 30+ I'd ride outside a time or two a week but last two years I haven't done as much outdoors in winter.

Off season I hope to work on running more volume and gaining durability and hopefully get a bit faster.

Starting in March I'll be riding longer outside.

But now I'm not yet 2 weeks post my last IM, so just easing back into training. So far my recovery seems to be going better than last 2 IMs.

Mixture of trainer, spin bike and occasional outside ride for me.

I have some short very hard efforts that I do weekly and I use a spin bike for them but for the other sessions usually the trainer or outside if I can.

Anyone planning training blocks up at LP April/May?

I plan to go up and ride the course at least once, maybe twice.  Thinking as soon as it is warm/comfy out, so yeah, April and May. 

I'm also very likely doing that fireman training camp.  It's cheap, hardcore/ yet low stress and they drink a lot of beer the last night ;-)

Im doing the May Fireman training camp

Then I am doing a June camp with my coach

I also just got a computrainer and I was able to get the Placid video as a package.

Hoping this will be enough course recon prior to race day.

Time to come out of the closet:

1. Is this your first IM?
Yup, Iron Virgin.

2. Have you done LP before?
Nope. Volunteered in 2010. Yelled, screamed and danced with tears running down my cheeks at the finish line for the last two hours.

3. What are your goals for the 2011 race?
Get through the training and toe the line healthy. I have a "wish" for a finish time, but until I really start putting in the miles I can't really set a goal.

4.How/Why did you select the Lake Placid Race?
I live in NYC and since so many NYers do the race the support should be great.

5. Do you have any specific questions that you wish addressed about LP (the race, training etc)
Too many. I've followed last years thread and have reread it a couple times. My biggest limiter right now is my propensity to get shin splints. If I get over that hurdle, I'm sure there'll be another one to negotiate. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

I'm doing Jorge's Winter Bike Program and loving it!
I'd like to get a coach starting in January, but am really finding it difficult to justify the $.
The Fireman camps up in LP look great and am considering doing both.
I am staying at Shulte's for race week.

That's about it for now. Since I'm officially out of the closet now, I guess I can actually join in some of the fun conversations now.

Happy training everyone!

Last time I did LP I went up in May and again in June to train. I like the idea of a camp if cost is reasonable. I'll have a coach so I don't need a lot that a camp may offer, but having supported rides and runs would be nice. Normally my husband sort of meets me up here and there which means he can't enjoy time in LP doing his own thing.

June date is weekend I'm doing a HIM or HIM aquabike as I rolled over entry from this year. May date may work for me.

Any other camps you guys know of that are reasonable?

I'm close to signing up for the Fireman camp in May. Thoughts?