Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 24)

Last year on the Intermediate Fink plan, it took me till early March before I felt fine/comfortable doing 10 hours a week, without any excess fatigue.  And then of course as soon as that happened, within a few weeks the volume built and I crashed with fatigue!! 

I've only done Ironman Training twice before, and from my short experience, I find for me it comes in waves.  I usually have a 2.5 to 3 week wave of lots of energy and I'm just amazed by the consistent volume I'm able to produce.  And then the fatigue hits (and sometimes it hits HARD!) but the fatigue for me usually only lasts 5 to 7 days.  And lots of times when I start training, I'll feel better.  And I'll be able to complete my workout just fine, but then I'm fatigued immediately after. 

When we get into the meat and potatoe months, May & June, I found that on many of the longer weekend workouts it took a good 40 to 50 minutes just to warm-up!!  It wasn't until an hour into my 5-hour long Bike session that I began to feel 'good'. 

But yeah, right now at the beginning of training I just feel mini waves of fatigue vs. lots of energy.  I suspect like last year though, the waves will continue to get bigger and bigger.    

The problem with "feeling" your way through training is when the big volume months hit, you're so close to the training you can't see the forest through the trees.  Not to mention it's tough to think straight cause you're so fatigued.  That's why a plan is invaluable cause all you have to do is focus on each day at a time, each training session at a time; and just focus your efforts on getting through the next pre-planned training session.  This is just based of my experience.

It's good that you have the weekend plans written out though.  Although what are those workouts based on? Did you just wing it?

This is like doing self-surgery ; and self-surgery is messy!!   

You can get a plan FOR FREE!!  Or for very cheap.  I have the Fink Intermediate plan on excel spreadsheet.  I'll email it to you. 

I 'felt my way through' the nutrition aspect of the race, and paid for it dearly.  I won't be making that mistake again.  Remember, we're training for an endurance event that starts at 6 AM and if we're lucky, we'll finish around 6 PM.  You want to be as well-prepared as possible.  A smart-focused training plan (like Fink or a BT Plan) that has worked for hundreds and thousands of other triathletes it's a smart move.  Trial and error...  errr ... not so much.   But I genuinely wish you luck!  It sounds like you are "insisting" on being stubborn and learning the hard way.  But I cannot fault you as I've learned far too many things that way. 

I had bad ITBS back in Oct/Nov 2008.  I religiously foam roll ever since and THANK GOD it's never come back.  The foam roller is your friend.  I also spend a few minutes every day stretching my hip flexors, glutes and hammy's.  The IT Band is attached to the tensor facsia latae (sp?)  which attaches into your hip flexor, which attaches to your glute and piriformis (your butt).  Look up IT Band stretches on youtube.com and just spend 10 mins a day doing them.  Often if any of these muscles are tight they will pull taut on the IT Band and cause it to rub on the outside of the knee bone, which is what causes the pain. 

Lay on your back, put a towel around the back underside of your knee (your knee pit if you will ), and pull it to the opposite shoulder.  You should feel a stretch in your glute.  Do both sides 2 to 3X.  Sit up, and cross your leg over your other other leg and stretch toward your toes.  Do this standing up too.  This stretched the IT Band and top of the hip.  After a few weeks of consistent stretches like this, you'll likely loosen up the myofascial material attached to the IT Band and it won't be so tight; thus it shouldn't rub.

Oh, and when you foam roll make sure to slowly bend your leg at the knee back and forth. 

Thanks DC.  I have found the Fink intermediate plan in another thread earlier today.  Ive compared it to my weekend plan and see that I have way too many miles on mine.  I agree about the tree through the forrest analogy.  I will utilize the Fink plan.  I have already mapped my/our dates into it.  The Quassy week I flipped with the week before which already had a HIM in it so it should align nicely.  About the Fink plan; every swim is 1:00 and I didnt see any variety or interval training for swimming.  Is this right? 

Seadocha,

sorry to read about the knee pain.  early into my IM training 2 years ago I started having a lot of IT Band issues.  I started using an IT Band strap and was able train pain free and without interuption.  That simple little strap was a miracle for me.

Hi Jim.  Smart choice deciding to use a plan!! I can totally respect and identify with you wanting to feel your way through training.  Heck, I only wore a $14.00 timex watch for Lake Placid last year.  No garmin, hr monitor, power tap, etc...  Why? Cause I just wanted to dial into how I felt, feel the flow of the race and enjoy the day without gizmos or gadgets.  And because I stayed within myself and kept an honest Zone 2 pace, I had a great swim and even split the bike.  However, I tried to 'feel my way' through the nutrition aspect and it backfired.  Badly.  I really don't like counting calories, and I feel like robot drinking a certain amount at certain times and eating a certain amount at certain times; but I've come to terms with the fact that that's exactly what I must do if I want to execute an Ironman race from start to finish and achieve my potential. 

In 70.3's  I can 'wing' my nutrition.  But only because it's a much shorter event.  An in Oly's and Sprints, a gel and maybe some sips of water are all the nutrition I need.  And just like I can 'wing' training for a Sprint, Oly or even a 70.3 & still have a succesfull race; the Ironman-distance takes no prisoners.  Just like the Marathon.  If you want to have a succesfull day at either event you must be prepared properly.  And the only way to do that is by following a training plan.  And the bast majority of athletes don't even follow a plan 100%.  But as long as you follow it to the best of your ability, and nail down at least 75 to 80% of it, you're going to be in decent shape for the race.  If you follow it 100% ; chances are (save a bike mechanical) you're likely to have a magical day.

But I know guys who haven't followed a plan, or followed less than 50% of the plan, and there Race Day day is always far-far from what there potential is, and often they blow-up. 

Oh, about the swim - now that I'm done rambling!   Fink's swim plans have lots of variation!!  And lots of intervals!!  I'm always doing 50's, 100's, 200's & 400's!!  He has a dozen plus different swim workouts and 80% of them have a Warm-Up/Main Set/ Cool Down.  And the intervals are in the Main Set.  The other 20% of his workouts are straight swims - which I think are crucial for the mental aspect of swimming an endurance distance. 

I am NOT affiliated with Fink at all.  I actually found him through the message boards, and every single person who used his plans was happy.  You can buy his 2nd edition book on Amazon for 15 books.  It's a great book and he has three plans in the book, with all the details.  I highly recommend the small investment as it will reap you a large return.

My training is still moving along.  I haven't missed any of the Don Fink plan yet so I'm feeling good about that, (Though I know some dates coming up in Feb and March where I'm going to have to move stuff around because of being out of town).  So far I havent' had any fatigue problems which is making me kinda nervous (thinking I'm not going hard enough or long enough).  I know the hours of training are going to be going up so I'm preparing that this first base phase will get me through all of it in one piece. 

On a side note I think I'm going to be upgrading to a Tri bike,  Will I have enough time in the saddle to actually ride it at LP, especially if part of it is on the trainer during the winter months?

Now I find out that more family members are going to be making the trip up to see me.  What's today's date? How many more weeks do I have?  I'm think I'm having a panic attack already.  reminds me of a scene from a movie I once saw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfrueeBmfXo

Sluggo and DC I purchased a foam roller this past week and yelped like hell at the beginning of the week. I def think it has helped tho. I was using the stick the previous week and I'm def not giving up. AFter the treatments the other day, resting, icing and extra stretching I'm having a great day even know it was a rest day.haha. Tmrw on the bike will be a test to see how it goes. I'm glad I got the massage and ultrasound though. Think it has def. helped. Thanks for the input on the band Sluggo. I was thinking about one of those next!

For me, the band only worked for about 40 to 45 minutes each run, and then the pain returned.

The more you do the foam roller, the less it will hurt.  I feel almost zero discomfort with it now.   

You have plenty of time and a couple thosand miles of outside riding in April, May, June & July to acclimate to a tri bike.  PLENTY of time.  And something tells me 'Bob' wouldn't be able to finish a Sprint distance let alone an Ironman. 

Glad to hear everyone's training is going well.  Sorry to hear about the injuries/pains.  I'm in the same boat (heel bursitis/PF/?.....no one seems to know what it is....bummer).  Oh well, still moving along the plan (Fink ~ Competitive) well, just modifying the run for now.  Time will tell.

Talking about fatigue/exhaustion.  When I trained for my first IM, I likened it to being back in the toddler phase ~ I was hungry and fussy all the time and I took lots of naps

I did my 1.5 hrs today on the trainer watching the Lake Placid course video with coach Troy.

For the most part, he stresses that you must be within yourself on the first loop and go steady but not too hard. He has you spinning the small chain ring and gear 15 during the flat parts-nice and easy holding a 90 cadence. (He also suggests that you take an easier gear if it is too hard). When going downhill, he ups the cadence to 100 or more-again using the small chain ring and the 15 or 18-to simulate the ease of the pedal stroke when going downhill.

For the early, short uphills, he changes to the big chain ring and gear 15-trying to hold a cadence in the 80's. This burns and is 'moderate' in intensity but is more realistic to actually climbing a hill in real life using the small chain ring and a higher gear like 23/5/7...

I haven't got to the long uphill yet...I'll let you know next week...

Basic Bicycle Shoe Cleat Positioning
http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/cleats.html 

Knee Pain and Bicycling
http://www.cptips.com/knee2.htm

You should have enough float in the cleat that that should happen. 

kristinc0916 - 2012-01-21 8:47 PM How's everyone's weekend going? I've got a long way to go but have gotten to that "foggy" feeling after long/hard workouts already a few times. Problem is, the workouts aren't too hard or long yet. Little bit at a time and consistency is key.  Happy training everyone

I had a great snow run today.

Don’t you get a lot of endorphins from training? 

So last week I hurt my right shoulder.  I did a swim set, then a strength session with a PT and he put me through a lot of upper body work.  For over a week now it's been sore.

I skipped my strength session and a swim this week (and didn't replace it with another workout since it is recovery week in my ironfit plan).  I'm headed to see a doc on Monday to check it out.  I've never really injured my shoulder before, but based on some research online, it seems to be rotator cuff pain/injury.  I put IcyHot pads on it a couple of times, not sure if that would be of any help.  It doesn't appear to bother me on bike/run.

Any thoughts on what to do for this kind of pain?