Ironman Coeur d'Alene : Official Thread (Page 40)

I'm Ms. Ostrich then because I am just thinking of what I can do today. I've been reading everyone's comments but haven't posted much lately for that very ostrich reason. My coach doesn't have me starting the plan until 20 weeks out. Until then, I've been running, swimming and biking but less so. I'm still trying to get completely over a sciatic/piriformis/hammy thing that's slowed me down since September.

So, I'm right there with all of those on the 20 week plan and just trying to maintain my fitness for a couple more weeks so I can official start the plan and also not think too much about the end.

Thanks for all of your inspiration and information. Keep it coming!

This will be my third time with the BT 20 week plan.  The next 4 weeks are more base building for me. 

As far at the ostrich comment, that is the only way to do it. I learned my first go around that you need to take it week by week or you will make yourself crazy.  My first year I remember looking head and saying to myself there is no way I am going to be able to get in 20 hours of training in one week.  Don't worry - you will do it, just take it one week at a time.

Happy training!

Hey guys I posted this in another thread but wanted to make sure all my fellow CDA'ers saw it.  If your like me you missed the showing of IM Hawaii 2010 due to family holiday functions and poor planning.  I found that on the universal sports website you can now watch online IM Hawaii, Arizona and Florida 2010.

http://www.universalsports.com/triathlon/index.html

Always motivates me to watch these events....   Happy Training!!  Stay Motivated!!

13. For workouts and races over 60 minutes in length, finish a pre-exercise food or fuel three hours prior to starting

Let's assume you've been really good, you've been training hard (yet wisely) and remembering to replenish your body with adequate amounts of high quality calories as soon as possible after each and every one of your workouts. Great! You've now built up a nice 60-90 minute reservoir of premium muscle glycogen, the first fuel your body will use when your long race begins. Don't blow it now by eating something an hour or two prior to the start of the race!

Do you know what happens when you eat within three hours of exercise? Your muscle glycogen stores get burned much more rapidly& in long-duration events that's definitely not performance enhancing! For workouts and races lasting longer than 60 minutes (perhaps up to 90 minutes at the most), refraining from calorie consumption for the three-hour period prior to the start is crucial because you want to preserve your glycogen stores, not accelerate their depletion.

Let me tell you -- this is something people just don't practice enough.  I had a series of flats within a couple month span last year that got me very fast at changing a rear tire.

The other thing to watch out for is that a lot of people don't ride on their race wheels prior to the event.  Since CdA is early season, you might not have miles on those tires.

Put 50 or so miles on them prior to race day.

This is good advice.  lets talk tubular wheels for a second.  I have raced tubulars for years.  Had 404's, now have 808's.  On sprints and oly's I do not carry anything, if I flat... game over.  I have never flatted (knock on wood).  Obviously during the IM I carried a spare tire, but had NEVER changed one myself in my life.  I understood the concept, but never actually did it... Until Mile 78 of IMLP!!  I was lucky, because the spare I carried was one I had previously used on the wheels, so it was stretched out.  nonetheless, it took me ~12 - 15 mins to change it.  I then proceeded to spend the next 34 miles worrying about flatting again because I had no more spares and so concerned about the time I lost that I did not drink anything in fear I would have to stop to pee and lose more time(this catches up to you on that marathon thingy they have you run last)...

IMCdA Gameplan.  My race wheels currently wear 1 continental (back) and one tufo (front) tire, the conti has 2 oly's and a sprint, the tufo has 1 oly and a sprint (flatted my matching conti the day before one of the oly's and tufo was the only one the shop had.... errrrr... hate mismatched tires!!!!).  My plan for IMCdA is to pull BOTH of those tires off the rims, replace them with 2 NEW Zipp Tangente tires, do at least 1 oly on the new tires and carry both midly used tires with me in the IM.  I will also ride around  a bit when I get to CdA to get a few miles on them.   If you go to the bike shop, buy a tubular tire, strap it to your seat post and then have to get that sucker on the wheel during the race without ever unfolding it, well, let's just say it will NEVER happen.  You have to stretch tubular tires, alot... 

So there are 4 advantages to this approach... 1) Both of my spares will already be well stretched 2) Both of my spares will already have some glue remnants on them, which will help them to stick to the rim 3)  I will have two more shots at practicing mounting tubular tires myself (I will of course go to my shop and have them make sure i did a splendid job) and 4) this may be the most important, my tires will match!!

Another good point, a few extra grams for a tougher tire/tibe is weight well spent.  50 grams will not slow you down nearly as much as a flat.  After flatting 100 times in training I went to Continental Gator Skins, which are fairly heavy, but I have only flatted 2 times in 4 years and they last 3000-4000 miles.

For tubies there is a treatment (I cannot remember the name, have to call my old shop back in FL) which works like the slime stuff.  Sorta proactive fix-a-flat.  Only costs a few bucks a tire and you have to get the tires re-treated every year cause it dries up I guess.

Bottom line, flats suck, flats during races REALLY suck, flats during an Ironman REALLY REALLY SUCK!