Ironman 70.3 New Orleans : Official Thread (Page 4)

A friend of mine has a bed and breakfast in the Garden District and I'm staying there. It's the McKendrick-Breaux House.

Spring winds can be brutal. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will be a slow day at the wind factory.

How is training coming along? Since the weather has been a little warmer, I've been able to get more time on my bike. Just can't do multiple hours on the drainer. I was feeling behind, but I know that's just my nerves (and regret for not sticking to my off-season bike plan). Still not where I wanted to be at this point. Adding another bike day to my week!

I dropped out of the full race due to my foot but my wife offered to do the mixed relay and run for me. That relieved me in many ways. Now I won't fear the bike wind at all haha.

Training is going well apart from running. Here is what I blogged a minute ago:

Bike was pretty hefty again giving me a very nice bike base and the swim continues to be decent volume and consistently quality. Nice to add the OWS in now. Strength continues consistently and that seems to be helping for core (and vanity) purposes. I dig it!

Run which improved from January to February is still pretty much on hold which caused me to drop NOLA down to relay with Mrs. Slayer. Still think the total rest method will prove best for healing but not speed.Shoot for Raleigh 70.3 instead.

I'm feeling pretty good with my training so far but this week I have been really tired. I decided to take today totally off.

Bike: 18:14:43 213 miles; several trainer sessions that I don't log mileage for

Run: 16:03:02 113.64 miles

Swim: 7:24:14 23,600 yards

Strength: 4:55:00

I'm sad about the input time for cycling. I should have had more trainer sessions but school has been burning me out and academics take priority. I'm SUPER sad about swimming I wanted to be at about 40,000 yards. March I'm planning a big week of swimming after spring break with minimal running and cycling. Going to hit 35-40k yards, and it should revive some old muscles I lost in time for a sprint at the beginning of April.

So for those of you who have done a 70.3 before...any unconventional wisdom to share?

Most of us have heard, "take it easy on the swim", "ride within yourself on the bike", "eat/hydrate on the bike so you don't bonk on the run", etc. What can you veterans share that newbs to this distance don't often hear?

Training is probably not enough, but am hoping to kick it up soon. I bike commute here in Memphis so get 16 miles in a day at least from that and then try to do a long ride on the weekend. They've been in the 40 to 50 mile range. Am really hoping the weather starts to warm up soon so I can up my biking distances. After one more bout of snow and highs in the 30s, we're finally showing some nice weather coming.

Running is going well. I run twice a week - one short and one long run. Last weekend did 14 miles without problems. I'll keep pushing it up until I get to 16 and then try and keep my base around there.

Swimming is my strong suit. I've done a couple of 5K swims this year as well as a normal three swim a week routine of two one-mile swims and one two-miler.

In the next week or so, I'll start adding brics in to the mix.

My adjusted training schedule for the month of March:

Sunday: Long Bike - 50 to 65 miles.

Monday: Swim - 30 minutes / Run - 6 to 8 miles.

Tuesday: Rest.

Wednesday: Swim - 30 to 35 minutes / Bike - 28 to 35 miles / Run - 6.5 to 8 miles.

Thursday: Strength Workout / Bike - 15 to 20 miles.

Friday: Long Run - 12 to 15 miles.

Saturday: Long Swim - 60 to 70 minutes.

Anybody already formulating their plan for the race?

I'm going balls to the wall for the swim. I want to finish in <25'. Hoping the water is cold but history has shown its usually borderline for a wetsuit. The bike is going to be adjusted based on wind, push a little harder than I normally would going into the wind and stay slightly under my goal perceived exertion with a tailwind. (I'm racing electronically naked)

The run is easy to pace in terms of effort. Comfortably fast the whole way, as long as I nail my nutrition.

Goal intake is going to be 250 calories/hr, so a gel every 25 minutes on the bike. Fluids I don't know how to measure oz/hr so just going to go by feel, haven't gotten it wrong yet so... when I get to the run its going to be the same plan except hydration and food will be going off of the course.

I've never raced a 70.3 before but I do have some helpful tips.

If you're not that strong of a swimmer, start way on the outside. Your total distance increase does NOT change that much (less than 50, do the pythagorean theorum if you don't believe me :P). You lose feet to swim off of but you don't get kicked, and you don't get burned at the beginning. Since the swim course is an M, sighting will be very important so you don't overshoot or overadjust the turns.

Take advantage of people on the bike that are ahead of you if you're faster than they are. Approach them directly from behind so you catch a draft up until the point you pass them, where you'll gain some free speed and get slingshotted ahead (make sure you call loudly you're passing on the left so they don't swerve into you. The silent passing cyclist can get tackled), essentially leapfrogging. Its very nice if theres a long line of spread out cyclists =P

you plan to finish the swim in under 25 minutes?

you may be first out of the water. i'll let the pros know they have some serious competition.