Gray Guys/Girls Master's Focus Triathlon Mentor Group--Now Open (Page 22)

Have fun tomorrow Janet.  Looking forward to hearing how it goes.

First Oly is done.  I’ll post a full race report a little later but there’s the highlights. 

Swim went well.  I was slow (as expected) but never felt uncomfortable or panicky.  However, I am apparently totally inept when it comes to swimming in a straight line.  I got off course multiple times.  I'm sure I swam a lot more than 1500!  Definitely need to work on sighting.

The bike also went well for the most part.  It helped that I was familiar with most of the course from riding it on the weekends.  The second loop was a little tougher – I still can’t easily drink while riding so I know I didn’t take in enough water/Gatorade while I was out there.  Something I need to work on before August for sure. 

The run was bad.  I think it was mostly from not drinking enough on the bike (it was pretty warm by the time I got to the run).  I ended up walking more than running.  But I finished – my only real goal for this race. 

I am questioning my ability to do a HIM in three months though.  This race was tough and I’m not sure I’ll be ready to handle double the distance on the bike and run before August.  I’m planning to spend the next 7 weeks or so putting in a lot of time on the bike – doing some group rides with the tri club and some harder trainer rides.  I’ve got another tri on July 10^th (.6mi/20mi/4mi) and I'll decide after that what to do about the HIM.

Janet

Nice job Janet.  I'm sure it's nice to get that under your belt.  Look forward to the race report.

This is a taper week for me with a century bike race planned for this coming Sunday.  I rode 63'ish miles on Sunday and focused a lot on endurance, nutrition and hydration.  Also kept a close eye on the power meter; keeping the watts and HR down and making the best for speed as I could manage.  It was hi-probability for rain on Sunday and I got caught while about 5 miles from home.  I'd planned to ride longer, but did not like the risk of riding in the rain, especially when cars have their wipers on.  So I packed it in at 63 miles. I felt like I could have easily gone the planned 75 as while I was somewhat tired, the legs felt reasonably strong and HR was not too bad either.  Today is total rest with some really easy spinning segments later in the week.  Hope all have a good week.

Ciao ... Dorm

This week is a taper week for me before a century ride next Sunday.  Any thoughts on what activities I should do later in the week prior are appreciated.  Today was total rest, but I'm thinking to do at least some easy endurance, lo-watt spinning later in the week.  Thoughts - comments?

Thanks ... Dorm

Congratulations on your first Olympic Janet!

Well, the good news is, since you swam more than 1,500, you know you have the HIM swim down!

I'd say hit the bike really hard between now and the HIM.  There is a saying, "You can't have a good run without a good ride."  If you are strong on the bike and have good race day bike pacing, you will set yourself up for a strong run.  Between now and the HIM I'd suggest over/under intervals at least once a week as well as threshold intervals once a week, then balance that out with a long endurance ride and maybe a second, shorter endurance or tempo ride if you have the time.  Obviously you need to get the runs in also but I would certainly consider a strong focus on the bike.

More than anything a HIM is about race execution.  That isn't to say fitness isn't important but both HIM and IM courses are littered with the bodies of VERY fit individuals that didn't execute their race properly.  The key is determining the bike pace that will allow you to run your race.  The easiest way to do that is adding a brick after every bike ride - even the hard interval rides.  That will have a dual effect, a) it will get you comfortable running off the bike after a high effort, and b) it will allow you to begin to zero in on the bike pace that allows you to run the best (I wouldn't just suddenly add a brick after every ride, I'd work up to that over a couple three weeks).  I would also do a couple of race simulations 3-5 weeks before the HIM.  It doesn't have to be the full distance, nor does it necessarily have to include the swim.  You want to ride far enough at expected race pace - I'd say minimum of two-thirds the expected race ride duration - so that you can determine if you can run at expected race pace following that type of bike effort.  The simulation would look something like ~ 2-3 hour ride at expected race pace, followed by a 60-minute run, also at expected race pace.  You will learn a lot from that and the following weekend, you can repeat the simulation and adjust your bike pace up or down to perfect your run pace.

Congrats again Janet!

Hey Dorm,

First question, when you say "next Sunday;" do you mean this coming Sunday May 29th or next Sunday June 5th?

Next question, are your training logs current?

It's hard to go into specifics without knowing the answers to the questions I asked so I will offer some general thoughts on a taper.

I don't particularly care for the term "taper."  I think it is misleading.  I find a better term for what you are doing prior to a race is "Peaking."  Tapering implies you are doing less, which you may or may not be doing depending upon what your training has looked like.  Peaking on the other hand implies honing your skills and raising your race day potential to a very high level.

Peaking for a race is about feeling fresh.  You aren't trying to build fitness, you aren't trying to increase strength or get faster; you are trying to rest, recover, and maximize your performance on one day.

Three basic guidelines for the peaking/tapering period -

1. Volume should gradually drop (shedding residual fatigue)
2. Intensity remains or slightly increases (maintaining form)
3. Frequency remains or slightly increases (increasing sharpness)

Finally a taper is done on the premise that there has been sufficient training volume to create residual fatigue.  If training volume is low, there is no need for a true taper.

Hope that helps.

Congratulations Janet.  Pleased the race was a good experience for you.  Looking forward to reading your race report.

Good advice from Steve and Scott already.  You will be fine.

AKDave - My daughter (in Prince George, BC) sent me this video of a family of bears breaking up a triathlon in Alaska.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMy3U-bjC1o

It is just 2 minutes long and dated May 20, 2016.  

Thanks guys!  Finally feeling back to normal today (except for sore shins which I don't really understand).  Here's my full race report.  Took yesterday off, today will be back to bike training!

Janet

Thanks Scott.  Yeah, not too worried about the swim distance anymore after Sunday.  My only concern now is whether or not it will be wetsuit legal.  I'm going to be doing some practice OWS without one this summer just in case it's not.  

As for the bike and run training - my plan is to do some group rides on Tuesdays (starting next week) with the tri club.  They do anywhere from 17-25 miles+ depending on the weather and how soon the sun goes down.  Some of them do a run afterwards so I'll join them some nights.  Then a harder trainer ride on Thursdays (combination of Sufferfest videos and interval workouts from a book I have a home), with a longer ride/short run brick on Saturdays.  I'll add in a fourth ride on weeks when I can.  For right now with the run, honestly I'm just going to concentrate on completing the distance, even if it includes walking.  Once I'm feeling more comfortable with my biking, I'll worry a little more about the run.  

I think if I can get my nutrition worked out (along with getting the training in) I should be OK for the HIM.  I know I can make the swim cutoff, if I can maintain 14mph on the bike (which I should be able to do) I can make that cutoff, and as long as I can keep moving on the run I should be able to make that cutoff too.  I'd like to be able to do a little better than just making the cutoffs though.  I know I'm not going to win anything, but I want to be happy with my time.  

Janet

George - this reminds me of a video I saw last week from the Kansas City triathlon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ac88SPoi7g

It's a little hard to see, but that's a deer who decided to join the swimmers during the race.  You just never know who (or what) might show up at a race .

Janet

Scott, thanks and yes my log is up to date.  Wish I'd looked at it a bit more as there are lot's of blank days in there .  Today I'll do roughly 40' or so on the trainer at 75% FTP, and keep cadence >85. So there's room for maybe one more session with the remainder of the week?

The race is this coming Sunday, May 29th, and will be my hardest test yet as the elevation gain from the climbs is 9,156'. The toughest climbs are: John's Creek beginning at ~60 miles and Mountain Lake Rd at 98 miles.  There will be many, many people who alternate walk/ride up the last 4 miles - Mountain Lake Road, and I feel I'll certainly be one of them.

I rode 63 miles (2,100' climbing) on Sunday 'til the rains came, and felt pretty good at the end.  I worked hard to save my matches ... easing back a bit on climbs and especially flat roads, plenty of water, NUUN, Stingers, gels, et al.  I'm counting on riding with a group most of the way which will help conserve a lot of energy as well.

Dorm,

When I looked at that ride profile a slight shudder went down my back.  That final climb looks like it might make grown-ups cry!

If your logs are up to date then your training has been a bit on the light side for a ride of this difficulty so you probably don't really need to "taper" per se because you likely don't have that much residual fatigue.  What I submit you need to do is "peak" or sharpen your skills.  You want to sharpen your feel for the road and you want to make sure you are sharp in the skills you will need on race day.  With those climbs, you are going to need to be comfortable in the small chain ring, possibly with a high cadence so during the few days left before the race you might consider a couple shorter rides (30-45 minutes) in the small chain-ring.  These would be more form drills than actual workouts.  The goal would be to increase sharpness.  After warming up for at least 15', spin at as high a cadence as you can maintain without bouncing in the saddle - goal would be to work towards > 110 RPM.  The smoother you are throughout the pedal-stroke, the less bounce you will have, and the more evenly you will be applying power - which will pay dividends on the climbs.  Remember that because of the physics of the pedal stroke, when you have a higher cadence you are applying less force per pedal stroke but the cumulative effect of the higher cadence will be higher output (higher power for less perceived effort).

From your training it looks like you will be on the bike for ~ 6-7 hours.  My suggestion would be a target FTP <65% FTP.  Yes, that isn't very high but 6-7 hours is a LONG time.  I would also set red-lines for myself on the climbs, both power and HR.  Something like 68-70% FTP effort for < 3-minutes, 65-68% FTP for extended long climbs.  HR I would keep in Z2 - period . . . until you can see the finish - then it's time to empty the tank and GO.

When you finish this one, you need to get one of the jerseys they are selling.  I think if I completed this ride I would wear that jersey everywhere I went for the next month!

Good luck and have fun!

Here's a short video from my race on Sunday.  It was taken by a drone at the park, so not much footage of the bike course (just bike in and out) but gives a good idea of transition and the swim and part of the run course.  Kind of neat to see it from above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I_baZUVtNA

Janet

I watched both videos.  First I was amazed at how fast the deer was moving.  Then the drone triathlon video was pretty neat to watch as well.  The transition area looked massive.  There must have been a lot of athletes.  Our local races are considerably smaller.

I just reread your race report and I had a couple thoughts if you don't mind.

Canadians have this bad habit of apologizing whenever we bump someone.  Our coach is Australian and he says don't apologize (don't move over for other swimmers either) just keep swimming.  So, don't move for people it costs you some momentum each time.  On the other hand I always try to keep in the thick of things even if I'm not drafting off anyone because there is still a drafting benefit.

As for sighting, I have trouble with sighting on buoys until I get closer to them.  So I usually look for something taller, brighter - a very tall tree, colourful building or a notch in a mountain - anything that stands out large and easily recognizable.  Swim for that then as you get further along switch to the buoys.  

I am terrible at drinking on the bike as well but I always try to make sure I get at least 60grams of carbs per hour on the bike from my liquids.  Whatever is your favourite.  You could also check out the waterbottles with the big straws that they hang on your handlebars.  I've never tried them but they might work for you.

Check out Honey Stinger Chews for the bike.  I just pop a couple in my mouth and suck on them as I ride in addition to what I'm drinking.  Not bad on the run either.

Scott - thanks.  And yes I know ... this will be my toughest challenge yet!  A lot of riders will be walking up parts of the final climb!  My issue still is - just to get up these climbs requires me to go minimum at 100%-110% FTP.  I'm in the 'little-little' gear, maxed out on watts with nowhere lower to go, and cranking out 4mph at 60'ish rpms.  My bike setup is: a compact crank with an 11x30 rear cassette and again nowhere lower to go. 

For this past Sunday's ride I spent a lot of time focusing on saving my matches - how to maintain a good pace with lower watts, including a lot of time in the small chainring.  I'd be cruising at 20mph, 85 rpms at 125w and shift to a higher gear, with 60 rpms and at 90w to keep the same speed.  Things like this are what I'm working on as to how can I keep up a good speed at the lowest watt output.  To me, saving my matches is critical along with nutrition and hydration.

As to the rest of the week ... perhaps do 1 more hi-cadence session on Thursday at 60%ftp and that's it.  From there - total rest until the gate drops.  Thoughts - comments?

Dorm

George - thank you for your thoughts.  They are much appreciated.  I actually have one of those waterbottles with the big straw for between my handlebars, just haven't mounted it yet (on the agenda for this weekend ).  Probably should have done it before the race.  I'm thinking that I'll put Gatorade or some type of electrolyte drink in that and then have water in my other bottles.  I'll be practicing with that the next couple of months.  I'm not a big fan of chewy things (don't like stuff stuck in my teeth) but I never considered just sucking on them, might have to give that a try.  Something else to practice this summer.  Thanks again!

Janet

The transition was in a parking lot normally used for boats and trailers so it's pretty big.  I think registration was capped at 900 for the race with 850ish actually competing.  It was really nice to have so much room in transition - normally people are bumping into each other, knocking things down, etc. - but the downside is the distance between swim in and bike out was pretty long.  I'm curious to see if they allow more people to register next year since there is clearly enough room for more.  

Janet

If it were me I would do one more fairly short, 30-45 minutes, easy high-rpm ride on Friday and then take it easy on Saturday.

Have "fun!"

Janet ... just read your race report and sounds like you had fun.  And from the overhead video, the weather and venue looked to be awesome!  I'm sure you're glad to get it under your belt and move on to the next.  Don't know if your bike is a roadie or a tri-bike, but grabbing water from a bottle cage is definitely an acquired skill ... one that I still have not fully mastered.  I usually grab it with my right hand only, and usually while coasting.  I like to wait to when I get to a flat section or a longer decent where I'm usually coasting. I prefer the Camelbak bottles ... they cost a little more but the valve closes - opens with a squeeze and water's not sloshing out.

Another item (and someone else also commented on this) is "moving over" to get out of the way.  If someone is coming up behind you, it's their job to pass - not yours to make it easy for them and harder for yourself.  Overall, I hope it was a good experience for you.  Cycling strength and bike handling does take time to develop, but it seems you're determined.

Great job ... Dorm

Thanks, Dorm!  I have a road bike and grabbing the bottle from the cage I can do OK (like you, on a straight-away while coasting), but I seem to have trouble putting it back.  My bike skills and looking down still need work.  I also have a Camelbak bottle - it fits well in my cage and keeps the water semi-cold even when it's warm out.