Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread (Page 21)

Alright everyone some advice needed:

I have been planning all along to ride my road bike with aero bars as it is lighter, has my compact gearing and is overall more comfortable (Scott CR1).

I also have a P2C that I was not planning on riding.

After talking to a coworker (multi time Kona dude) I am rethinking this due to the wind.  I know the TT bike has major advantages in the wind.  If I swap out my standard gearing for compact would it be worth it?

What would you do?  If I can ride the TT bike solely for the next couple of weeks (hundred miler this weekend) would it be worth it?

I am honestly concerned about making the bike cutoff in the wind...

Edited by sportyj 2010-03-30 1:36 PM

I say ride what you find most comfortable AND have been doing your training on.  I think to make changes for something that may, or may not, even be a factor is risky.  Maybe it WON'T be windy.  And if it is.  Deal.

I vote for the TT with your compact up front. I think I remember you have a wheel with a 11-28, so swap out that wheel. The TT is free speed down the canyon AND if it is windy, you can hide out.

Mike

What he said...

Personally, I'd have swapped out either the crankset or the cassette on the P2C before now and have been training on that, but if you have a preference for the roadie and have been doing your long rides on it, I wouldn't change at this point.  Having done one HIM on a roadie with clip-ons before I got my TT bike, I didn't find it to be that much different, frankly.

Thanks everyone...I am a big believer in "don't make stupid decisions before race day" and yet I am falling into that trap!

Maybe it won't be windy. And if it is.  Deal.

Love this!

Edited by sportyj 2010-03-30 3:10 PM

Good Choice!!  Stay with what you have been doing.  Now is not the time to be making any bid changes.  It is going to be a great day with little wind and perfect weather.  We are all going to tear it up at St. George!!!!!!  Bring on another big weekend of training.  I am ready for taper!

Eddy 

I can't believe it's just over 2 weeks till taper starts...  Hard to believe it's just around the corner.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind if it was next weekend.  I think I'm as ready as I'm going to be.

I would so love an excuse to not do my last two big rides. 


I am definitely in countdown mode, though:  One more big-ish run (this Sunday), one long ocean swim (not sure when, but that's no biggie), two more 100+ mile rides (next two Saturdays).

I am with you.  After another Century this weekend and a 16-18 mile run I think I will be as ready as I can be.  I am ready for taper.  This has been the toughest IM to train for me.  Since I signed up my wife has had our 3rd child, I changed jobs 2 times and started traveling more, and Texas has had what we consider a rough winter to train in.  I have learned a lot and I will probably never do another early season IM!!!  Or not until my kids are much older.

Eddy 

Yep.  The light is at the end of the tunnel.  Two more 5k swims (one tonight).  All my long runs are basically done.  Just a 10 miler and 15 miler left.  Next two weekends I need to get close to 100 mile rides in each.  I can basically count all my long training days left on one hand...

Well, I know it's usually a bad idea to make changes so soon to race day, but I did. I changed my cassette. Got myself an 11-28 yesterday. I haven't taken a ride with it yet, but plan on doing a nice long, hilly ride this weekend. I hope it works out!

And I'm no longer stressed out about this damn race. I've done all I could. I'm still gonna work hard for the next 2 weeks, but I think I'm as ready as I can be. If I don't make the cutoff times and DNF, so be it. I'll try another IM somewhere else (somewhere else FLATTER!). No use stressing out about it anymore.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

18 mile run done yesterday and thankfully only one more of these. This weekend is the last long ride and run for me then it is recovery and taper. I feel under prepared but it is what it is.

I now have a 11-28 cassette, not really by design but it was already on the race wheels I am borrowing. Not much of a difference from the 12-27 I have been using but it may help on the second lap. I still need to get in a swim in the new wetsuit and plan on doing it at the gym. Can't wait for the funny looks, oh well don't really care.

It seems that with taper comes all of the logisticas planning, or at least I am putting it off until then. New car that is smaller means I have to get a rack with a cargo box and a hitch for the bike rack. There is also getting the family ready for their logistics of the day which means giving them a rough timeline of where to see me...

Now that i am no longer worrying about my training, i am worrying about the details of the day. Transition bags, special needs bags, what-ifs...Guess I will roll with it and see how it all goes.

4 weeks 3 days of training left. 10 days till taper, but who's counting. I have a long brick Saturday 90/10 with an easy 12 mile run Sunday. Then another 120 mile ride next weekend and one last 18 mile run Sunday and then it's taper time.

I feel good about my training this month. Because of injury prior to my last IM I only got one 18 mile run in for my long run and I've already done two 20 mile runs at a much faster and easier pace. Totals for the month after todays training are:

March's totals:
Bike: 35h 17m 24s - 691.31 Mi
Run: 20h 22m 41s - 175.9 Mi
Swim: 14h 40m - 46500 Yd

How'd your totals end up? Hopefully everyone is feeling great and in a good physical AND mental state.

I personally don't think that switching to a 11-28 counts as a change...  As long as the bike is tuned, it shouldn't be an issue.  Don't sweat it if you are.

Trust your plan...


My take on it?  Even though you are doing the same volume, they are splitting it up to get you a little extra rest.  I have read that the last month (even with some weeks of high volume) are still sort of taper weeks.  You my do less high intensity stuff, spread out or break up long workouts, etc...

I have it penciled in to ride the course on Sat. (if anyone is interested) so I will soon find out myself BUT, how is that long downhill section?  Is it so fast you need to scrub speed?  Do you coast it?  Or can you still run a big gear?

Personally, I would HATE to have to brake and I would also dislike having to just coast/spin out...  That would mean that I'm not getting the most speed I can.  If I still have to pedal in Z2, then I know I'm going as fast as the course would allow.

Jim I have ridden the loop five times now and I am about as familiar with it as I am going to get. Once you leave Veyo you have a small drop and then you climb the volcano outside of town. Shortly after that you drop down into the Damerron Valley. I kept my watts up a little (like at 220) and flew up the small incline there. Once out of the valley, the downhills start. I never touch my brakes through all of those. I actually tried to pedal and keep my watts at 170-180 and was able to keep my speed on the steeper parts between 35-40 mph.

Unless you run into bike traffic, there is no need to hit the brakes until you hit the right hand turn back into Ivins. That turn won't sneak up on you either -- there is a decent approach to it so that you see it coming for a while. There is a stoplight at the intersection, so there is little chance you won't see it.

Mike

If I was you, I would ride the P2. The TT bike was designed for triathlons with a geometry that uses your muscles slightly differently. Plus the aero advantage, especially in the wind will be substantial over the long distance. Remember when we were riding the "east side huge ride" and into the headwind, Josh says "I kind of wish I was on a tri bike right now."

I'll be riding the Argon E-112 with a 55-42 up front and a 12-25 in the back. Of course at this point I am just glad that I can ride. We'll see if I make it through on my little bit of training.

This sounds more and more like my 'flat' ride I typically do for training (well, the flattest around here).  It's a solid 2-3% going out for 20 miles then the turn around.  I typically try to get 12-13 mph on the way out and turn to do 35 or so coming back.  All in Z2 and spinning (unless I have a good tailwind).

I think that is an accurate assessment Jim. Reading what I do, some would advocate very little effort on the downhills because the increment speed increases will be minimal. I think I am just going to keep my watts at 170-180 coming down the canyon and see what happens. I still haven't really put a plan together yet for that portion of the bike.

Mike

Argh!!!!!!! My husband is on his way to come and take me to the emergency room. I just fell down the stairs and I think I may have broken my ankle.

So much work. So much trainng. So close. It would take a miracle to be able to do the race now.

What am I going to do?

Oh, God, Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

Deep breaths...find out if it's broken first.  If it's sprained, you may be able to race.

I had the same immediate reaction when I fell and blew up my hamstring three weeks before Vineman, but ended up getting to the finish line (sucked, but I finished).  Don't let yourself get too distraught until you're sure of the extent of the injury.  *fingers crossed*

Edited by tcovert 2010-03-31 3:10 PM