Ironman Arizona : Official Thread (Page 22)

Agree.  Different than the run or bike where a few long IM distances will suffice as distance prep.  You do not want in any way to question your ability on the 2.4 mile swim.  That should be something you have absolute confidence in based on practice, practice, practice.  

Again, unlike the run, swimming that distance does not come with the risk of injury.  Lastly, make 100% certain you can do it in open water, do it in cold water, do it with a full length wetsuit and do it preferably in a group setting.  Embrace surprises, work through them.  Try pool sessions where you do not allow touches on lap turns - flip in water and start next lap without a push.  

Also, think through how you might deal with anxiety in the event it hits.  It is perfectly ok to roll over on your back for a few strokes to get things under control.  There is nothing like an IM group start....

Swim training is as much about safety as it is performance.  I don't want to scare anybody but these thoughts have been very present since the drowning in IMNY.  That sounded like an anxiety related event and I have personally had them.  Just be prepared and know what to do.

I did a chip timed 2.4 mile ocean swim this morning.  Two loops of 1.2 miles with a beach turn around across a timing mat.  The ocean was great for a swim today; nice temperature and calm waters.  I finished in 1:05:06.  It was a great confidence boost for my swim.  Arizona should have conditions that will lead to a better time.  The way the river ("lake") is set up, the in water start, and being in a mass of swimmers for easy drafting will all help my time.  I was mostly swimming in my own water today.  I sighted well on the first loop, but added some distance to the second.  I felt great and only had a little bit of normal wear during the back half of the swim.  

Also got in 85 miles on the bike yesterday (+8 more as a recovery spin) and a 16 mile run today.  

Hello recovery week!  I'm racing a sprint on Sunday.  

Did a HIM distance race today. Didn't finish as fast as I wanted but I kept telling myself to slow down and save it for the run.

I did have some problems on the run though, seems a chinese buffet is not the best choice for a pre him meal. I know what your saying, why would anyone in there right mind do that. Well I've done it twice before for sprints and was ok. And I even took it easy this time at the buffet lol.

The good things though was that I made it through cramp free. Last year at this race I started cramping by mile 4 and I was left to walk it home the last 4 miles when my calves would lock up when I would start back running.

Had a good swim (for me) too. Usually I don't like to wear a wetsuit unless I have to. I've been making ti a point to wear it this year, well untill it was a 100 for a month long and water hit 90 lol.

But I finally got to that point today where I'm faster with than without. Swim was 45 min and I am hoping for 1:30 in Nov.

Destroyer, great swim time!

Sounds like some serious training going on.  My weekend turned into a kind of rest/recovery weekend due to my son's soccer tournament.  

Last week I swam in our local spring fed pool (68 degrees) in a sleeveless wetsuit and temperature-wise I was ok (although I don't know how people get in without a wetsuit - way too cold for me).  The plan is to swim there once a week from now until IMAZ if possible.  I know the water will be colder in AZ, but hopefully I'll be use to 68 by then, so 58-62 won't feel too much colder.

I was actually wondering about the water temp this year. In the midwest it's been hotter than normal. Not sure about AZ, but in general it seems it's just warmer everywhere.

Anyways looking at the historical data there were a few years that the water temp in the lake was around 66 on that weekend. This was before IMAZ was in Nov so maybe nobody else noticed it. I was just wondering if anything has changed that makes the warmer temp no longer possible.

I know I read somewhere that the dam broke and they had to rebuild it several years ago, but I don't see how that would affect water temp.

I'm hoping for 65+, but I'll be ready even if it's 59.

Today it's 86 lol

http://www.tempe.gov/wx/TownLake.aspx

ok so with all this cold water temp talk, I purchased some arm warmers (which I have never used) but knowing that I ill be cold I thought it would be a good investment to have even if I don tuse them. SO my question is wont you eventually get hot with them on after you warm up on the bike. DO they really work?  Or should I just man it up and deal with the cold.  What are you guys thinking/gonna do....about the following

Arm Warmers or Not?  - never used them

Neoprene cap or not - Never used this

VIsor or hat on the run or not- I never run with either just sunglasses, but Im considering bc they say it will be hot,  though I wonder what they mean by hot....cant be any hotter than it is now....so what are your thoughts..

I've used arm warmers before, but never for the swim.  If you plan to use them AFTER the swim, you can put them on in transition, but it will be hard while wet.  The best way is to put them on dry (before the race) and then roll them off.  Then during the race, you can roll them on.  If you get hot on the bike, you can always roll them back down or take them off and stuff them in a pocket.

Not sure about a neoprene cap.  I will practice here with one, but will decide when I get to AZ.

I never run with a hat or visor, either, so I won't be doing it at IMAZ.  Just sun glasses for me.  

Arm warmers - Nice to have if the bike is going to be cold, wet or windy in the morning.  Arm warmers can be pulled down to cover wrists only if you start to over heat.  Better plan on starting the swim wearing the arm warmers under your wet suit.  Pulling them on when your skin is wet is not going to be easy.  Most arm warmers are tech fabric and will dry in the blink of an eye during the bike leg.  I've run several early season HM's with sleeves on.  Usually once I start the race, I don't feel the need to take them off.

Neoprene caps - The caps I've tried offer just a little more insulation than wearing a silicone swim cap under race cap.  The chin strap may help keep ears warm, but for me makes breathing to the weak-side a bit more difficult.  I feel cold water on my face, which is exposed with 2x cap or neoprene cap under a race cap.

Cap or Visor - In hot weather a cap can be used to hold ice against your scalp. 

I've used a good neoprene cap in the IMAZ water, as well as silicone ear plugs to keep the water out of my ears.  For me, it made a big difference.

Also used arm warmers on the bike.  It's COLD when you first get on the bike after swimming in 60 degree waters!  I've never tried wearing them in the swim.  I had mine rolled up so they were easier to put on in T1.  I've also volunteered in T1, and it's hard to put them on cold wet shaking hands and arms.  Alot of athletes have numb hands in T1, so make things as simple as possible.

What exactly is the warm-up tent?  I'm assuming if you use it you can still race, you'll just have a slow transition time?  When I did IMFL in 2010, it was in the 30s at the start.  When I got out of the water and got my wetsuit stripped off, I was freezing.  After running up cold sand and then across cold concrete to get to the changing tent, my feet were numb.  I did do a complete change of clothes so that I would be dry to start the bike and will most likely do that in AZ as well.  Just curious, though, about the warm-up tent in case I feel like I need to use it.

My speed work is coming in many forms. Last month I was doing sets of 1 minute hill sprints, this month has been just flat 1 minute sprint sets that I do on the rollers.  Coming up, I get into longer 5 and 8 minute hills at threshold and the flat sprints get replaced with longer 3-5 minute sets at VO₂ Max.  Those are my Friday bike sessions.  On Monday's I'll be doing long blocks at threshold either broken into two blocks of 15 - 20 minutes or one long block of 30 - 40 minutes.  None of this is designed to be course specific training, just a general plan to get fast or die trying.

Is a Friday arrival enough time to get situated for a Sunday race?  I remember arriving for IMFL (Saturday race) on Wednesday and feeling like I had a little too much time on my hands.

Appreciate any thoughts on Friday vs.Thursday.

I'm arriving about a week early, but then again, my brother in law lives there and I'll be staying with him.

The wife and kids won't be coming until thur or fri though.

From a previous post/discussion...... I wore arm warmers on the bike last year at IM AZ and did not overheat.  I put them on in T1, but likely will skip them this year unless the temps are going to be colder than normal and expected.  I think that they would have helped warm me up the first 10 miles, then I would not have needed them anyway, and the time it takes to put them on can now be saved.

As for a neoprene cap, I did not ear one last year at IM AZ, but did wear one at Oceanside this March.  To be honest, I could not tell a difference.  I always wear 2 swim caps at races regardless of temp (just a habit now), and I do not think I can tell a difference of 2 standard or a neoprene cap.

On the subject of riding based on speed vs. HR, IM AZ bike course is relatively flat.  Even the incline on the Beeline Hwy before the turnaround is not that bad.  The more important thing to remember is that in that area, it is common to have a head wind while coming downhill (and sometimes a pretty good headwind).  So if you are trying to hold 25+ coming downhill, you will wear yourself out.  In fact, on the 2nd loop last year I think I averaged a higher speed going uphill than downhill.  If you have a power meter, by all means ride based on that - it seems to be the most consistent.

Personally I ride the course enough that barring wild weather, I know typically the speed range I should expect on each section of the ride.  Now, comparing that to any other ride, I find that I am able to hold a better pace on IM AZ course than other rides (but most of these have more ascent/descent).  So for what it is worth, IM AZ will be a pretty flat ride for you, with some wind that will slow your descent a bit (if that helps).