Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 25)

Nice, James!

I'm heading out for the first time in a couple of weeks. Due to scheduling conflicts, the last time I ran outside was 2 weeks ago (5K race-I ran the course 3 times for my LR equivalent-once in warmup, race, once cooldown). Then to the pool for my LS. (planning on doing 500M repeats).

Today the snow is on the ground and I'm going to go with my trail shoes. I have an old pair with screws in the bottom for days with 1-2 inches of snow but today I don't need them. It's never good to try to run with more than a few inches as that means the roads are not plowed and it is just not fun to jump in snow banks to avoid collisions with large metal objects.

What's on the agenda for you today?

Matthew,

Now is the time to recovery your shoulder.  As much as you would want to drive forward in swimming or strength training recovery trumps all of that.  It could be a simple thing but ANY prolong pain is not good.  This should be addressed by your doctor. 

I am doing an hour on the CT then a swim tonight.  This is a recovery week for me so intensity and volume will be down a bit.

I missed this........

Ha Bobby, The stud has left this muffin along time ago. 

sorry to hear about your shoulder. I had an issue a few months back with my shoulder. It was on the same shoulder I broke my collarbone on years ago (I've always had some issues with it since). I was at work one day and opened a drawer and something just cracked and felt like I had pinched something(worked out the upper body hard 2 days prior). Later that day and the following week I felt like something was torn. It took a couple/few weeks to heal up. I didn't swim or lift for5- 6 weeks. I think it was something in my rotator cuff as well. Hopefully your doc can assist with some healing. Maybe he can prescribe someone to do some ultrasound??? I went to the chiro the other day for a knee issue and the ultrasound, combined with massage and adjustment (along with rest) has def. helped! Good luck. It only took me a couple weeks to get my consistent feel back in the pool, so if you need to rest, now is the time. I know it sucks hearing that though! Good luck!

X2.  If swimming hurts it, don't swim.  That's awesome that you can Bike and Run pain-free.  Definitely (and obviously) listen to what your doctor has to say. 

With the severity of what this 'appears' to be,  I would drop strength training all together.  I would stay out of the pool for 10 full days.  If after 10 days you can "Air Swim" with no discomfort, then go to the pool and give 500 to 1000 meters slow and easy a try.  If the pain or discomfort goes over a 4/10 then stop.  And rest it for a full 2 weeks before trying to swim again. 

I separated my shoulder back in the summer of 2008.  I got an x-ray and went to an orthopedist.  My AC Joint was separated, but my injury was such that I was allowed to swim again once the pain subsided and I was given permission to swim as much as I could endure the pain as my condition couldn't be made worse .  If your condition is a rotator cuff, that's a whole nother ball of wax.  And I know nothing about them.  Are you seeing a General MD or a Orthopod?   I would strongly recommend seeing a Bone Guy if it's financially feasible. 

The positives here are, again, you can Bike and Run - which are BY FAR the two most important disciplines.  My training buddy last year fell off his bike 80 miles into a 90-mile ride and broke his shoulder a month out from the race.  He was still able to swim a very slow 2.4 miles but still had an awesome race.  The swim is an IMPORTANT discipline, for sure.  But of the three it's the least important.  (But that does not mean to neglect it!)

And just a word on Strength Training, I personally know plenty of sub 11 Ironman Triathletes that DON'T do a single drop of strength training.  So don't sweat missing the ST.  And the only Strength Training that has been proven to help Triathletes is Core Strength Training. 

So what are you now... a bran muffin?  LMFAO!!

We're one week away from being halfway done with our first of three blocks!! 

That's how I like to wrap-my-head-around this training, as three 10 week blocks.  Next Sunday we'll be 50% done with our first block!!  It's going by fast. 

For us Fink / Be Iron Fit folks, we're now done with Base 1 and heading into Base 2.  I took it way easy this past recovery week.  I'm feeling very fresh and looking forward to the next few weeks.  I've also got a few races coming up so that'll add to the fun.  I've got an 11 mile trail run in two weeks then over the following month a HM trail run and a HM.

I'm jealous.

We really have nothing good like that, except a very hilly HM in late Feb, here in CT. I've done this is the past and am not in HM shape, still base building...but getting to do races in the winter

...NICE!

Dream Chaser - 2012-01-21 5:30 PM

triguy1043 - 2012-01-21 2:04 PMDid my 1:30 cycle today 30 mins at 70 RPM. I do not have a power meter will this help me prepare for Placid? HR was a Zone 2 HR

Probably not going to help. Instead you should've spent 90 minutes on the couch watching tv and eating a big bowl of ice cream! But seriously... I'm following Jorge's Winter Cycling Plan until first week of March. And then following my Iron Fit bike plan. I too don't have a power meter, so I'm using HR. What plan are you following? Do you have a HR monitor?

Bobby, and all others

I am Riding at Z2 pace with a HR monitor. I was hoping the 30 mins of 70 RPM would build strength. I am riding 70 RPMS in a tough gear and tension. I know I have to spin up  the  the hills.  If that is not building strength what can I do to build strength on the bike on the trainer? 

Doesn't Jorge's plan go against what were are supposed to be doing 26 weeks away it seems like a lot of high intensity workouts rather then strength building and endurance.

My winter training is going well.  Lots of arctic long run days, hours on the trainer and last Thursday's run group in a raging snowstorm.    I love this thread to keep us all motivated.  There have been so many days when it is hard to get started.

I have a 30k road race at the end of March and today did 22.8km with no ill effects.  I think I will be ready All that poor groundcover running makes you strong

Here's triathalon MOTIVATION.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu60n_v5lZI&sns=fb

Remember, the work done during these cold days will pay off on race day in July...

I have been doing all my running on trails right now, much easier on my foot.  

Today was fun.  The road up to the trail head was blocked off due to the ice, so we (my hubby & I) parked at the bottom, ran up to the trail head and then hit the trails.  It was beautiful!  Ice covered everything and there was a slight fog, too.  We slid all over, especially going down hills.  We were careful though, very slow ~ had lots of fun!

The local running group puts on a trail run race series (Dirt Days) that starts in March.  We've done it several times in the past and plan to participate again this year.  Looking forward to that.

Also, I will be running the Flying Pig Half in May.  I don't think I'm going to do a HIM leading up to LP this year; I haven't decided for sure, but think I may just do some running races and cycling tours.

I can't wait until were all talking about how HOT it is (I love, love, love the heat!).

Here's to a great week of training!!

triguy1043 - 2012-01-22 3:48 PM

Dream Chaser - 2012-01-21 5:30 PM

triguy1043 - 2012-01-21 2:04 PMDid my 1:30 cycle today 30 mins at 70 RPM. I do not have a power meter will this help me prepare for Placid? HR was a Zone 2 HR

Probably not going to help. Instead you should've spent 90 minutes on the couch watching tv and eating a big bowl of ice cream! But seriously... I'm following Jorge's Winter Cycling Plan until first week of March. And then following my Iron Fit bike plan. I too don't have a power meter, so I'm using HR. What plan are you following? Do you have a HR monitor?

Bobby, and all others

I am Riding at Z2 pace with a HR monitor. I was hoping the 30 mins of 70 RPM would build strength. I am riding 70 RPMS in a tough gear and tension. I know I have to spin up  the  the hills.  If that is not building strength what can I do to build strength on the bike on the trainer? 

Doesn't Jorge's plan go against what were are supposed to be doing 26 weeks away it seems like a lot of high intensity workouts rather then strength building and endurance.

Intervals are strength building.  You don't need or want endurance on the bike right now.  Jorge designed his plan specifically for the wintertime.   It's designed to increase your power on the bike. 

Low cadence/ high tension rides will do that too.  But if you do them continously you may mentally burn yourself out; whereas the intervals are varying in length, repetition and effort - and done so by design to ellicit specific physiological responses from your body.   

Low cadence/big gear work isn't a "magic" workout to build strength on the bike. What really matters is how much power you're producing, i.e. there's little difference between doing 200 watts at 70 rpms and 200 watts at 90 rpms. If you don't prefer to think about it in terms of power, a Zone 2 effort at 70 rpms is not doing much differently than a Zone 2 effort at 90 rpms. It's all your endurance zone. As long as your cadence is in a "normal" range, you should just pick what you're comfortable with.

Threshold and VO2max intervals are a great way to build your bike fitness in the winter. I've never seen Jorge's plan that everyone refers to here, but it sounds like it includes those sessions. Intensity can be your friend in the winter.

I dropped my bike today on a batch of ice going over a bridge.  Not a big deal as far as the bike goes -- it is my commuter, a Marin hybrid, and I was only going about 5 mph -- but I slid on my left hip for a yard or so and smacked my head into a concrete wall.  No injuries that I'm aware of yet.

But, damn.  Now I need a new helmet.

Safe training to all of you if you have tough weather.  Don't do what I did!

Jeremy, picture our bodies as highly customizable, unique but human machines.  We are the engine that powers a bicycle.  We're machines; however, we are 'human machines'.  We need to fatigue our bodies and stress our systems with stimulus in order to make our bodies adapt and grow stronger.      

Right now during the wintertime, the objective is to add horsepower our engine.  Come springtime we can then methodically increase the distance thus adding endurance and extend that strength and horsepower for greater lengths of time.  The 'human engine' can only PEAK at long endurance distances with maximal power for a short period of time. 

Adding endurance is not difficult.  As we get older the body actually gets better at adding endurance.   (However, we get slower not faster ; but can go farther.) 

Adding strength and power is more difficult.  As we get older it gets harder to add strength and power.  (It's more efficient to add strength and power when not building endurance.)

So this philosophy as I've studied it and understand it (none of this is my original thought!) wintertime is ideal to add strength and power through shorter duration/high intensity training because A.) You are solely focusing on one objective  B.)  You can only "peak" and carry your max power/speed/strength at endurance distances for a finite amount of time C.) Endurance is easier to add; plus it's mindnumbing folks in colder climates who cannot ride outdoors.      

The worry should not be cycling for 112 miles.  With the right climate and motivation any one of us in this forum can climb atop a bike right now and cover 112 miles.  The objective is to be as best prepared as possible on July 22nd to ride 112 miles from start to finish as evenly and strongly as possible; and to get off the bike with enough energy and strength to run a solid, consistent 26.2 miles.  Aside from proper pacing and nutrition, the best way to accomplish this is not by riding low-intensity 60 & 80-milers in January.  It's by building a powerful cycling engine in January/February, and then crushing an 80-mile in May/June and bleeding the strength an power into longer rides closer to the Ironman so we can than taper and hopefully PEAK on Race Day. 

Again, studies prove it's easier to add Endurance; harder to add Strength and Power.  From everything I've read an been taught it's more efficient to first have Speed and then stretch that Speed into Endurance.  It's much less efficent to have Endurance and then try to add Speed afterwards.  

Very well said, DC!

I come from a running background and would take one minor exception to the above---and change 'speed' to 'strength'. It is always the rule to base build first-working slowly on endurance, with low intensity training-not long distances just lots of short and medium distances and then extend into longer distances.                                                                                                     (Long distance tri-training has a progression ofdistance throughout the base and build phases. The peaking workouts prove to the athlete that they are ready for race day at the distances they need.)

Power (like hill training in running) and short/medium intervals with big gears on the bike is speedwork in disguise but it is not true speed-it is strength training. Reps and intervals in running (and strides) and high cadence interval spins in biking are true 'speedwork.

Lydiard always went from base to hills/strength (power) in running/training and it makes sense for bike training. Base>Strength-Power/Speed(Sharpening)/Peak/Race

Here's a bunch of lessons I've learned from running over the past decade...for anyone interested

It's a bit old (I posted this 3 or 4 years ago at cool running) but the stuff in there is still pertinent.

http://coolrunningboomers.pbworks.com/w/page/16477606/Dale