Ironman USA Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 28)

This is what I posted earlier today in Fred's mentor group forum about my training:

To say it publicly, I want to KQ (its kind of scary to say it publicly because then people start to have expectations).  I don't think its going to happen at IMLP, mostly because I don't think my bike will be where it needs to be (watts/kg ratio will be too low to really work the hills and still have what I'll need to run a 3:50 or so marathon).  Based on my current fitness and my planned training, I can't see myself going faster than 11:30 and that's not going to get me a slot at Placid.  IMLP is going to essentially be a really good dry run for IMFL in November.

Now, with regard to training, I work one-on-one with Doug Maclean at QT2.  We've been working together since June of 2010.  As Kathy correctly stated, QT2's general philosophy is to safely reach critical volume at all three disciplines in order to maximize your speed potential at any given race.  The reason for this is to build peripheral system durability-- essentially when long course racing your legs (and head) give out long before your cardiovascular system and the best way to improve that limiter is through lots of aerobic volume. 

If you look at my logs, QT2's method to safely get an athlete to critical volume is through lots of aerobic base training.  After HalfMax last year I took two full weeks off and then went into three four-week base cycles, in which I raced at the end of each rest week (as a side note my annual plan is based off of 900 hours of total annual training).  I'm now in the fourth week of a single 4-week build period and will go back for another set of three four-week base cycles before building into IMLP.  With my base and build cycles the volume increases slightly every week (I've gone from 14 hours/week in October to about 18-19 hours/week now and will max out at 26 hours/week), the real difference between base and build cycles is intensity.  During base cycles all of my work (except for Sunday bike intervals and races) is in QT2 Zone 1 (aerobic pace, which is about a Joe Friel Z2).  Keeping my intensity to Zone 1 is tough, but really training slower has worked to make me much faster (I actually just wrote a post about this in my blog -- www.purringhedgehog.com)  and completely injury-free.  During build phases we add in work in QT2 Zone 2 (Friel Zone 3) and some Best Sustainable Efforts.  Now I lack base, so I have lots and lots of base this year, going forward (into 2012 and 2013 I will have less base because I've will have already built a strong foundation).

The other half of the getting faster equation is working on my body composition.  I work with Leslie Reap at QT2 (the nutritionist is part of the coaching package) at trying to get my BF down to about 12%.  For me, the training is much easier than the body composition. 

Since starting to work with QT2, I've PRed every time I've raced.  I've knocked over 30 minutes off my half time to get down to 5:29 (on a long bike course), taken my Olympic down to 2:37 and my half marathon to 1:53.  Based on my training, I should see even bigger PRs in 2011.

One final thought -- I don't necessarily think that I do "high volume" training, I think of it more in terms of doing the volume I, personally, need to do to reach my goals. 

Double post.

Edited by kaburns1214 2011-02-02 5:30 PM

That's well said. To the person that asked, I wouldn't get too caught up in "volume" and "totals" that other people do. It's almost meaningless without the context of the plan and background. 100 hard miles run vs 150 all easy...20 hard hours of intervals on the bike vs 30 hrs easy....it's not apples to apples and hard to put into a box of what is best IMO.

There isn't anything wrong with having ambition!... ..I say GO GET 'EM kaburns

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I would agree with acumen here....hard to compare everyone's training...

we all have goals and plans, stick to your and you'll be fine.


I like what Kelly has to say, and I'm familiar with Qt2....they put a lot of people on the start line in Kona, and have a system that is proven. the one thing they do that I don't agree with so much is the whole "Core Diet" thing.

Everyone talks about the willingness to work hard to get to kona, and that's how they're going to get there, with hard work and lots of training.

I seldom hear people talk about what they are not going to do. Or, what are they going to remove from their lives to make it happen.

For those few spots that exists, your going up against guys/gals who work just as hard as you, AND isolate themselves from the world. Remove themselves from situations that don't align with their goals (this mean saying no to friends!) People who put their lives on hold with the sole thought of racing in Hawaii.

It's not about the hours; it's about the sole commitment of achieving a goal.

It's important to know that some don't have to make this commitment due to genetic gifts. In all likelihood, your genetic gifts would have been exposed at a very early age just by participating in youth athletics and gym class, which probably would have led you to run or swim or play some type of sport in college.

Even if they didn't bloom at an early age, after 2-3 years in triathlon, training at a decent clip, you would know if you are genetically blessed; if you have to ask you aren't.

If not genetically gifted, and Kona is the goal, I think you need to simplify your life as much as possible and remove everything that is a distraction from that goal; because that is what it takes absent genetic gifts, that is the type of person you are competing with.

I think Qt2 understands this, and as a result, if you can back up their training, you will basically be committing to the goal, and if you can hit their critical volume, you'll find a pretty committed person who is willing to remove a lot of stuff to get it done.

With Kelly, I don't see someone who has high volume....I see someone who understands what it takes and is willing to remove a lot of things in her life, things she probably enjoys (sacrifices!), for an overall goal, as a result of that understanding, she is able to outwork those around her.

Edited by cusetri 2011-02-03 8:31 AM

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I totally agree and with what I'm trying to do, that's the harest part. 

I have a very understanding husband, but as understanding as he is, we still have conflict from time to time because right now my non-work time largely revolves around training.  As proud as he is of me, I can definately drive him crazy, but I couldn't do it without him (if nothing else I need his fantastic bike fairy skills). 

I love what I'm doing (both on a day-to-day and a racing basis) and I think that with sacrifice and hard work we can celebrte our second wedding anniversary in Hawaii.

Regarding the above posts (training vs social time, aka balance), have you seen this article in the Wall Street Journal?

"A Workout Ate My Marriage"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703439504576116083514534672.html

Not going to be biased about the article as I will admit that I am guilty of things listed in the article, but  I think it is a good read about finding balance and perspective in your hobbies. I think this article could have "triathlon" or "marathon running" swapped out with any other hobby it would still have the same meaning.

A good triathlon friend of mine has shown me that you can still train hard for an Ironman AND have a life on the side. I am not giving up the good things in life throughout training. I am NOT going for a Kona slot nor will I ever, I just want to do the best that I can do while not sacrificing living the good life.

Now when it comes to May, June, and July, I will surely be learning my limits

Very well said .... I'll never forget reading an article in either Triathletes mag or Runnersworld that said that our athletic ability is 60% genetic, 40% our work....it blew me away

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Spiritual Enlightenment

Edited by Dream Chaser 2011-02-03 9:29 PM

I know someone mentioned before not to worry about the mileage that others are logging. We all have different goals and are following different plans. I'm curious though the duration of plans that people are following. My plan is a 24 week plan and I start this week. It seems like most of you have started already and are on 30 week plans. So my question is what plan are you following and how many weeks is that plan?

I'm doing a 24 week plan myself which starts Monday, Feb. 7th.  I'm using Matt Fitzgerald Level 6 IM plan...had used Advanced BT IM plan last year and Beginner BT IM plan the year before...wanted to try something new and more challenging for IM-LP.  Looking forward to Monday (actually a rest day in the plan, what a way to start training!!) 

I am also doing a Matt Fitzgerald plan. I am doing level 4 this year and I did level 1 two years ago for my last IM. I think level 4 and level 6 are similar but level 6 increases the distances/duration of the workouts. I'll be curious to know how you like it compared to what you have used in the past.

I am being coached. He has done Lake Placid himself and has coached MANY people through Lake Placid, so I am just doing whatever he has given me. We started up Jan 1. Now come May 1, I am starting the Ironman specific schedule with him. Basically it will be the main 12 week meat of his coaching plan.

20 week BT intermediate plan for me.

I'm using same coach as I did last year. I took a little break from coaching after IMFL and started back up 3 weeks ago.

Something is wrong with the formatting of Page 35 of this thread on my computer. Maybe its just me!

Anyway, I am doing a 30 week Be Iron Fit program so next week begins week 7 of the plan.

Actually, It is more of a 29.5 week plan. I got the worst stomach flu on Wednesday afternoon which has pretty much knocked me out of training for a few days. Tomorrow is the built in rest day anyway so I'm just going to take it as is and resume training (very lightly) on Tuesday. For now, just trying to get back to a normal diet!

Glad I had so much extra gatorade laying around the house though! And this helped me inch a little closer to race weight I guess. I'm also glad it happened so early in the season and not during peak or anything (knock on wood!)

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend! It's sunny in the upper 40s today in DC!

Ryan

It hit 41 in NYC this morning! Felt like spring! The mornings are getting lighter earlier and the days after getting longer for sure. Now if this snow would just melt....

It's warm here today..about 40. I wish I could ride outside today...maybe tomorrow on my cross bike. Roads are still a mess, lots of snow, no ice, and lots of puddles/water.

I'm going to Vegas for a few days later in the week. I've located a place to rent a bike and may see of I can rent a road bike the day my husband is in meetings and rent a mountain bike the next day and go riding with him.

The thought of outside riding makes me smile..it's been way to long since I've been outside on a bike!

I will be doing the Matt Fitzgerald plan also (level 6) but I tweak it some to fit my schedule.  My swimming and running base are already above what it starts out at so those are two of the things I will not regress on.  I will just build on what I already have.

I am doing the beIRONfit plan modified to meet whatever I have going on in life from week to week. I have used the plan before, and it seems to work for the goals that I have had in the past. Naturally, the closer I follow the plan the more likely I will perform better. However, there is a balance that needs to exist that I try to keep in the forefront of my mind. I am on week #7. If I can dial in weeks 7 - 10, then I feel that I will be exactly where I want to be in my training. I also supplement the plan to add in some core/strentgh work as well...as time permits.

Having said all this, yesterday, my training consisted of 2 hours of shoveling snow and a 1 hour spin bike ride.