Ryan Mac’s HIM Focus Group - CLOSED (Page 21)

Great opportunity to increase volume on the bike and swim (assuming it does not hurt calf).  Sometimes things like this can be a blessing in disguise although I know you really wanted to work on improving your run.

So, how did the race go??

Hmm? My swim has felt like crap for the last 2 months. Bike....depends on the day. Run.....I have many more miles in me this year as compared to past years at this point so I have to think that my run fitness should be much better in my early races than the past 2 years where the first few months of the year were limited running due to injury. I suspect my swim time come race day will be about the same as last year, I'll take it if I can keep the bike the same power and hopefully my run legs will be a bit stronger. At 52 not losing ground is a win!

I have sprints on April 4th and 11th then nothing until Gulf Coast on May 9th. So, I will have a nice block before Gulf Coast HIM to focus on that. I am kind of at an "in between" point right now. Tired of training but nervous/anxious about the upcoming season. I always get nervous before races.....does it ever go away? The week before a race I will be constantly thinking about it, not sleep well the night before and just generally be anxious. Once the gun sounds I am fine. I have raced a lot the last couple of years and I'm still nervous for a race...whether its a local sprint or an "A" race that I have focused on for months.

Someone asked about "over distance training."  Looking back at my training leading into HIM races and again this year heading toward Gulf Coast my key workouts for the bike tend to build on longish intervals at just over HIM goal watts. So, last week's MS on the bike was 3X15 min @ 230+ watts on 3 min easy with a couple of 5 min sets after that @ 260+. This would build weekly and ultimately would end up with MS being something like 4X30-35 min @230+ on 3 min easy. I suspect goal watts for the bike will be 220-225 on race day. So, not really over distance but consistent longer intervals at higher than goal power. Total distance for those rides are likely to be more than 56 miles with warm up and cool down.

Similar for the run. Last week was 4.25 mile easy warm up then 3X1 mile @ around 7:10-15/mile on 1/2 mile easy. This week MS will be 4 miles. I suspect we will work up to 6X1 mile and then work on reducing the easy interval time or possible some 2 mile intervals.. I suspect my goal on the run will be 7:30-45/mile come race day....depending on the conditions. So, run training will likely top out with an 11-12 mile workout including the faster intervals.  

Since I am rambling on...here is a killer workout that I did leading into "A" race Olympic distance a couple of years ago. Warm up then: 6X10 min bike @260+ watts, after each bike interval quick transition then 1 mile run @ 7 min/mile pace. Goal watts on the bike for the race were 250 and the run was around 7min/mile.  It was really hot the morning I did it and I thought I would die. Getting back on the bike and generating power after each run interval was tough. In the race I think I ended up around 242w on the bike and sub 7 pace for the 10K run. Not fast for a lot of you but a good result for me. Actually, the race seemed "easier" than the workout.

Honestly, I'm having to temper my expectations quite a lot.  My current HIM PR was set at St. George 70.3 last year (followed it up with Buffalo Springs 70.3, which was the hardest race I've ever done, and Mt. Tremblant each a little slower than SG), so when I finally signed up for a flat race, I had expectations of setting a new PR.  I focused completely on running over the winter (dropping the bike and swim altogether) and managed to get slower over that time.  I was (and still am) dealing with a lot of personal stress in my life, so I don't think my recovery has been ideal, so the improvements have been quite the opposite.

Fast forward a bit and I started swimming and biking again.  My swim is okay (would probably be close to what I was swimming last year, maybe a minute slower, but not more I don't think), but my biking is definitely not where I want it to be.

I've taken a new approach to my run training....forcing myself to actually keep my easy runs easy (which means I haven't seen south of a 10 minute mile in a couple months now), and then doing one to two VO2 interval runs a week (30-60" @ VO@ on 30-60" recovery).  It's so hard to trust that this is working for me when I just feel like I'm always running slow, but I guess I'll see when it comes to the race -- the only real way to gauge it is to see how many places I lose in relation to what I did in races over previous years.

So, long story short, I'm tempering my expectations because I don't think this race is going to have the result that I'd initially wanted.  I'm contemplating Silverman 70.3 later in the year, but that's obviously not a PR kind of course (though, I suppose if my PR is at St. George, maybe it is!).  I just plan to continue training and enjoying it now that it's finally getting warm!  May try to get out for another long bike weekend in Hill Country over Easter weekend.

Excellent! Great job! 

So training is not going all that well for me - not terrible just not as focused and consistent as I like.

The antibiotics (which i am still taking) really made me exhausted last week - so i didn't train M-F.  I got some stuff in this weekend but intend to get right back to it tonight with swimming.  

I think for me - i just need to find a way to get back into a routine.  It was part of the reason I picked a Fink plan to do. But I also need to accept when I need rest.  I've also been sick more than usual.  Life is busy with a toddler and work. I have taken several Fridays off from work between now and race day so i can do my long ride or run on those days to give me more flexibility. 

As for the race. I have no idea. I need some more consistent blocks of training to indicate what I can expect. 

Well... my training has stopped from a structured plan.  On Sunday, my mom suffered a massive stroke and it's not looking good from a medical stand point.  However, we are hopeful and we know God can heal and do miracles.  Please pray for full restoration of her body here on Earth that will leave the medical staff puzzled.  I did a 25 minute run yesterday to the church and prayed.

x2 - I am really sorry to hear this. It's never easy. 

Glad you can use running as an outlet - and having loving family to lean on.  

Sorry to hear this. Hope your Mom improves and recovers fully. Best wishes to you and your family.

So sorry to hear this.  I think Marc and Jen both put it well....really makes you realize that training is a low priority when dealing with something like this, but may still provide a good outlet for you.  We'll be thinking of you, your mom, and your family.  Best wishes!

Gaug - i hope you're doing okay.  Let us know when you can.  No rush, be with your family.

As for me, i am picking things back up. Training is going well. I did a double yesterday where I ran home from work and then went swimming only about 1.5 hours later and was very happy my legs were not cramping. I am on my last day of antibiotics.  Now, i am really focusing on getting some good bacteria into me - probiotics and yogurt! 

I took tomorrow afternoon off from work so i can do my long ride - the weather and roads aren't good enough yet so it will be a trainer sweat fest. And it opens up the weekend a bit which will be nice.  Next week is a short week too so we'll be able to spread long workouts out.

Happy monday (?) everyone.

How was the weekend?

I was annoyed with myself on Friday - i took a half day from work with the intention of doing my long ride on the trainer in the afternoon which was 2:45 with a 15 min transition run.  I ran into a couple of people at the training course I attended in the morning and took longer to get home than I had planned and then I dallied. I did 2:10 and then the run straight to the daycare to pick up my daughter.  What is with that procrastination??

Anyway, the weekend turned out well and I had a solid week of training. Just to keep it up.  though, really, i was starting to worry about my race but then I checked my logs from last year and I was less consistent especially with the bike and still managed a good pb so if i get myself going now I'll be ready ... 

Back to the real world for me after 10 days off in sunny Florida.  I was able to run quite a bit and get a few rides and open water swims while I was down there.  Amazing how the heat and humidity can completely shatter me.  I blew up twice on some longer tempo runs and basically limped home with my tail between my legs.

We flew back Saturday and work has been stacked up so going to take me a few days to get through all that. 

Time to start cranking the bike back up and getting some more volume inserted along with high run mileage.

Speaking of Garmin, I am bailing on the multisport watches.  They are just to big and bulky and I dont use or need half the features.  I have a Garmin 500 on the bike and thinking of going to the Polar 400 for a running/all purpose watch based on DC Rainmaker review.  Any thoughts?