Beach 2 Battleship Iron Distance : Official Thread (Page 17)

Ugh.  Supposed to be a long run and long bike this weekend.  Instead I played nurse to a sick family (one wife, three kids).  The run didn't happen, although I did bike 5 hours today on the trainer.  I can't claim that was fun.  I'm hoping to be able to run tomorrow -- time is running out to get these long workouts in!

I did my last long run this weekend. BAD weekend, though. My cat, indoor only 6 year old, likes to run out to the grass line and chew on grass. Well he got out at some point on Thursday and I didn't catch it that he was out. Just no motivation all weekend. I ran 2:20 instead of 2:40 because I wanted to go through the neighbourhood calling him and looking for him.

Just for the record, he came back last night. Skinny as hell and starved but in good health.

Completed a 103 mile ride on Sunday.  This morning a 7 mile run and a 3000 yard swim.  I am doing one more 100 plus bike ride next Sunday and a 10 mile run afterwards.  Going to try and get in a 13 -15 mile mid week. 

Sounds like you were talking bout your long run!!!

Yeah

What's amazing/funny/weird about my long run is I wasn't sore afterwords. I could still walk, I didn't look like an old man the rest of the day and I was able to get out of bed the next day without taking 10 minutes to get to a vertical position.

Either I'm about to die and just numb or I might actually be getting into some kind of shape OTHER than "round" ... Hmmm

I was thinking the same thing this morning.  Before I started training for this IM, no way I would have done a 56 mile ride, 6 mile run, next day 103 mile bike, and up this morning at 4AM to do a 7 mile run followed by a 3100 yard swim and not be hurting.  Chalk one up for the 50 plus crowd!  I been eyeing your logs and you training looks great! Keep and eye on the cat so you don't short cuts these workouts!

I can't say that my long run today left me feeling as good as you guys.  An incipient calf problem flared up after 10 miles and although I finished the run (possibly a mistake) walking is not fun right now.  I guess I'll see what it feels like tomorrow morning.  Tapering can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry your calf is acting up Michael. I have a hip flexor that is giving me grief but I am muddling through it. Training is going well despite that- did all the long runs and bikes that I have planned so far but like some of you, I am ready to be tapering and am having a hard time getting mentally ready for my final loooong workout before the race (5:30 - 6:00 on the bike, hour run). Other than that, its getting closer....

how long is everyone's taper?  i have a 3 hour run scheduled for 11-03-10 - just 10 days prior to the race.  i was thinking that i would knock this down to 2 or 2.5 hours.  that seems to be a little bit of a long run just 10 days prior.  what do you guys think?

i am doing a considerable amount of riding on a trainer as the race is mostly flat and in the aero position.  if i ride on the road, it is mostly hilly and difficult to maintain aero. 

also - this is my first ironman and i am nervous as all get out.  what is everyone putting in their special needs bags.  i have a thousand other questions as well.

any other advice is more than welcome.  i am new to this site, but really like how it is set up. 


thanks and good luck. 

Welcome!  I was nervous before my first IM too.  Heck, I'm nervous again...  Once the race starts, though, the nervousness goes away and you just get down to doing it.

OK, I'll preface my response to your main question by saying that in my (unprofessional!) opinion, a 3hr run is not productive at any time.  I think that 2.5 is about the right limit.  After that, the recovery cost begins to get so high that whatever marginal gains you might have made by going another 30 minutes are outweighed by lack of subsequent quality training because of recovery.  My (unprofessional!) advice is that long runs for IM should be 2-2.5 max, and should include a good bit of quality pace (not just slow plodding).

Whether that's right or not, I'd also say that a 3 (or frankly even 2) hour run 10 days before is a bad idea in general.  You will not reap the full benefits of a 2 hour run in just 10 days, but you will suffer the penalty of recovery.

For what it's worth, my last long run (and bike) is this weekend.  Then the taper begins.  I will do one or two moderate (1:15-1:30) runs early during taper.  (This is a pretty common length for me to run at least once per week, and I know that I recovery from it pretty quickly, assuming I don't try to go too hard.)  But even those won't be as close as 10 days out.

My (unprofessional!) 2c.

Again, welcome to BT!  Hope to see you out there.

I've already done my last 2+ hour run. I've got a 1:30 left and a number of 10K runs but those don't take much of anything to recover from any more. My last long bike is Sun with a 6 hour joy ride. I think 3 hours is the next weekend and it goes down fast from there.

I am not doing the Full, just the Half. I am with Experior on the 3hr run being not such a good idea just 10 days out. I am of the belief that it takes about 2 weeks for the body to experience the effects of training (obv this is a ball park number and differs from person to person) so the chances of you seeing any gains from the 3hr run are not great in my mind. (these ideas are what I have learned over time and are just my opinion.)
In my case I have a 15 miler planned on Tues 26th, so that is 18 days pre race. I will still do a couple of 10 milers after that (last 1 being on Nov 2nd) but in my case those are runs that fall in the 60-70min range.
Not sure what your training has been like, but I would think you might be better off if you go for about 2:15 - 2:30hrs about a week earlier, so around the 25th/26th. Depending on if you feel you have recovered enough after  that you can go around 80-90min on the 2nd and that would be it for you long runs prior race.
Good luck on your 1st IM.

In my unprofessional opinion, I agree. I also agree w/the general consensus that the long runs required for a stand-alone mary should not be nearly the same as those for IM training. At least for those who are seeking to merely cross the finish line in a respectable time. Consider that most folks don't have the bike endurance for an IM. So any effort over a 2 hour run (I would even argue 1.5 hour) should be dedicated to the bike. This also means that your legs should be "fresher" for the bike training which would entail laying off the running. Consider also that when you get off the bike, you running muscles will already be "warmed" up. So, a stand-alone long run session won't come close to the real IM race experience. (Think shorter BRICK runs to gauge nutrition plan!) Consider lastly that you will not run anywhere near the pace you would run a stand-alone mary. I think this stuff puts IM long run training sessions into perspective.

For my unprofessional training, the most I ran for my first IM training was a weekly 13 mile run. Did it anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours. I'm doing the same this year & hoping for a 4.5 mary.

Good luck & join us for some pasta! 

X whatever on the 3hr run being a not-so-good idea that close to the race. Daryn (qrkid) is a very experienced and FAST runner so I would listen to what he says. I don't know the other guys that posted the same thing but I agree with the sentiment.

Regarding the taper, I have my final loooong workout tomorrow (ride) and then a 2hr run on Sunday. Then tapering starts officially with a moderate week next week, a pretty easy week the following and a VERY easy week before the race. During the taper I have a couple of mid-length rides (40-60 miles) and one more 90 min run (about 11-12 miles for me) in the middle of next week and then nothing longer than an hour until race day. Mentally I have almost started tapering (having a hard time getting motivated these days) but can't quite taper just yet!!

Everyone,
Thank you so much for all your advice.  I would love to get together on friday morning for a quick swim. 

Couple of other questions. 
- are you guys changing suits/shorts at T2? or are you just going with your tri shorts?   i am thinking that i will just keep my tri shorts.  i heard some folks say that they are changing outfits. i will probably change socks. 
- i have a garmin, but the battery won't last for the entire ride and run, so i guess i will use it on the run.  i am getting a bike computer this weekend so i can track cadence, mileage, time, and heart rate. 
- special needs bags -  i have no idea what to do with this....a spare tube, co2, more body glide?, nutrition...and for the run special needs bag i was thinking a long sleeve shirt, nutrition, head covering, etc.

I was going to use bananas and hammer gel mainly for my nutrition and some gatorade endurance formula and power bars.  i have experimented with other items but these work best for me. 

i would like to catch up with some of you guys for a pasta dinner.  is this something that i need to sign up for through the race website.  thanks again for everyone's input.  i really appreciate it.  i do not have anyone else i can ask questions to.

OK last year (not racing this year...) I had an extra tube and CO2 in my bike special needs---I trained and raced with what they had on the course for nutrition---so Heed, water, Hammer gels, and Hammer bars---this did require a quick stop at the one aid station where I wanted a Hammer bar---the fluids and gels they had in hand but had to turn to a table for the bar.  I didn't even stop for bike special needs.

I rode without socks like I always do but did put socks in during T2---just wore a one piece trisuit other then that.

In my run special needs I had a long sleeve tech type shirt in case the day went badly and I was going to end up running after sunset----didn't end up need run special needs either.


And just to pile on---3hr run at any point for IM training is not worth it....so 10 days prior is REALLY not worth it!

3 weeks ACK!

Last long bike to do on Sun then a bunch of 1 to 1.5 hour rides and runs.

Last weekend & the previous, I did two centuries (well, just below the 100 mark, but it was hilly!). I'm wondering what my last long bike ride should be this weekend. What are you guys aiming for? 

I've been training all stinking year (IM Louisville) so I've focused on speed and short bricks the last couple of months. But fwiw I'm racing an Oly this saturday and riding 50 running 15 sunday. This will be my last "big" weekend.

I'm looking at a 5 or 6 hour bike. Last long bike.

I've not heard anything new so I'm working on my own plans and I've got these as my only two times/places besides race day. In other word here's what I'm doing:

Friday morning, 7:00ish:
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
275 Waynick blvd,
Wrightsville Beach, NC
across the street is a public beach where we can get a last swim of about 1500 meters in.


Friday afternoon/evening 5:00ish:
Fat Tony's
131 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC
(910) 343-8881 ?

Yeah, it's good food

Last 5:00 bike done. I just had a Mountain Dew throwback with real sugar to celebrate

Woo hoo! Last long ride--99.xx miles (supposed to be 100)--is done. Was a crappy ride, a chronic injury is acting up, but I'm done! The taper begins!

DG--

Would you consider 4:30 at Fat Tony's, so we could be eating by 5 pm?