Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 40)

I waited till the rains stopped here on eastern Long Island, and went for my first Long Ride of the year outside.  A bunch of tips based on past experience popped into my head during the ride, and I feel obligated to share them.  When I came to these boards so many BT'ers freely helped me so I'd just like to pay it forward.

* I flatted at the end of my ride just about 7 miles from my house.  It would've been simple to call the wife and have her pick me up in the minivan.  But what good would that've done?  If I'm on the race course and I flat, there is no guarantee the service crew will be there to help me.  So I changed it myself.  Changing a flat during Training iss excellent practice.  You may have a friend or partner with you, do not let them help you.  Practice taking your wheel off, placing your bike down, and changing the tire entirely by yourself.  (If you've never done it, then accept help - have someone show you, and work up to doing it entirely by yourself.) 

The more flats you change, the better you will get at it; the more efficient you will become.  It's almost a guarantee with the amount of outdoor long rides we will be doing this training season, You Will get several flats!

And, if you do flat on Race Day, Don't Panic.  It's not a big deal.  5 to 10 minutes isn't a big deal in an Ironman.  And some athletes actually get back on the bike and have a faster split going forward having had a 5' break. 

* One of the reasons I flatted was because it had rained all night.  When it rains all the debris gets scattered on the shoulder.  BUT the REAL reason I flatted was because I had my Pro3 Race Tires still on.  If I had my Gatorskin Ultra tires on, the little pebble that pushed through my race tire would likely not have pushed through a gatorskin. 

There are many benefits to training on training tires and racing on racing tires.  A training tire is typically a more durable, puncture resistant tire.  Training on one means you'll likely spend more time training and less time changing flats and changing tires.  Training tires also have a lower rolling resistance.  They aren't as supple as a race tire so they will roll slower and require slightly more effort.  When you put your Race Tires on for Race Day, you will feel a difference.  You will be faster.  This is as much scientific-backed fact as it is placebo.  You will actually be faster and feel faster. 

The other benefit of saving your Race tires for racing is they will stand up better.  If you train on your race tires they will take a beating and your chance of flatting on Race Day will be greater.  I do like to take my Race Tires out for a few rides the week leading up to a race because they do corner a little more aggressively and there are slight nuances I like to familiarize myself with again.  Which usually takes no more than a ride or two. 

* Plan to do at least one Bike Ride in the rain.  Every three or four years IT POURS RAIN at Lake Placid.  We're talking 14 hours of downpours from dawn till dusk.  It's happened numerous times at LP in the past.  It very well could happen this year.  I suggest waiting till May or June when it's warmer out.  MAKE SURE YOUR CELL PHONE IS DOUBLE-BAGGED IN A ZIPLOCK BAG when you do this ride.  I remember my ride last year in a downpour with my training partner Mike.  It was actually exhillarating cause it was a warm downpour.  It was like a Shawshank Redemption moment.

* Record the mileage on your chain. Right before Lake Placid last year I took my bike to my local bike store and the friendly wrench Tom asked when the last time I changed my chain was.  To which I responded, Umm never?   He laughed softly and asked me how many miles were on my P2.  I guessed between 5 and 6,000 miles.  He told me a chain should be changed roughly every 3,000 miles - sometimes sooner.  I think my chain had stretched well over an inch.  This year I plan to get a new chain roughly around late April early May. 

I've had several bike wrenches tell me: After EVERY ride you should take your bike and put it on a stand or hang it somehow.  Take a clean rag, grab the bottom of your chain with it, and turn the pedals.  The rag will grab a lot of the dirt, sand and debris off the chain.  A few of my friends have a release clamp and they take their chains off entirely, clean them in a bucket of a simple green, and regrease them after every long ride.  This greatly increased the life of the components. 

* Be visible.  This is jut my own personal preference.  I wear a hign vis vest or jersey ALL TIMES. It blows me away how many cyclists I see dressed in ALL BLACK and some without helmet! I have a blackburn blinker on the back of my jersey, and an x-wing blinker beneath my seat.  I also assume at ALL intersections that no car can see me.  Even if the driver is staring straight at me.  The vast majority of cylcing accidents happen at intersections. 

* Many self-induced bike accidents happen at the very end of a Long Bike.  What I find is every time you do a ride of a longer distance, the newly-covered distance will be draining.  After a few 80-milers I feel good.  But when I bump up to 100 miles for the first time, those miles 81 to 99 are tough.  Fatigue sets in and my focus drops. 

Two years ago my buddy Sean was training for Lake Placid.  With 15 miles left in a 100-miler he hit a pothole in the rode and went over the handlebars and banged his shoulder and neck up pretty good a month out from Race Day.  The MRI came back negative thankfully, and he was able to do LP but slowly.  And he finished. 

Last year while riding with my training buddy Mike, at the end of an 85-mile ride, just 8 miles from his house he turned to say hi to a girl running he knew, and he inadvertently flipped over the handlebars.  Cracked his helmet.  And suffered a concusion.  He also broke his shoulder.  It was unnerving and heartbreaking to say the least (as once again) we were just a month out from Lake Placid.  He rested the shoulder for two weeks and his ortho gave him the thumbs up to swim, and he did.  Thankfully he too finished LP but much slower than he would have. 

The Moral of the Story is, for me, you're more likely to have an accident toward the end of a Long Ride than the first few miles.  The latter part of a Long Ride is not the time to be confident and relax and relish how far you've ridden that day; that's to be done after you are off the bike entirely.  The last miles of a long ride is for focusing and to be vigilant moreso than any other time on the bike. 

* And lastly, try and do your Long Bikes with at least one other person.  If my buddy Mike had fallen and I wasn't there, he likely would have tried to get back on his bike and ride back home on a busy road with a concussion.  Riding with others long is safer, it can be motivational, and it's just more fun

I grew up on eastern Long Island.  Where do you live/train?

One of my most recent epic rides was a century last year throughout Rockland, Dutchess, Orange county.  It was a warm day and rain certainly made the ride more challenging and memorable.  I wanted to get out front and pull the last 20 miles to "stay out of trouble" from fatigued riders.

I'm always amazed at how many cyclists don't know how to change a flat, degrease a chain, or other basic maintenance on their bikes.  Any thing can hapen out there...

Good luck w the training!

I grew up in Mattituck. I train with some guys out there and we often ride the hills up near the LI Sound in Rocky Pt and SWR.  Not many hills out there, but those seem to be the best around.

Good luck training...

I am in Rockland Cty now and am surrounded by hills (Harriman St Pk, Bear Mtn, etc).  Feel free to come up and train...

Yes, I do like it - partially b/c I've never been up there so it's nice to see landmarks before hand...and also, as he's pedaling away, he gives a few tips on how to ride the course for IM.  Like there's a false flat at some point near the start of the race and he said lots of folks blow up here b/c they feel good, they're psyched to be out on the bike, they're gettin passed by tons of folks and wanna play catch up.....don't go fast. Don't burn out! Plus, the scenery really is quite beautiful.  For a3 hr. trainer ride, it'll be better than just pedalling without a real focus or purpose.

Can you believe we are 10 weeks into the plan!?!  (This, of course, if you are following a 30 week plan....lol).

On a side note:  My son qualified for NCAA DII Wrestling Nationals ~ YAY!!  The tournament is being held this weekend (March 9th & 10th) in Pueblo, CO.  My whole family is flying out there to watch him (and his team ~ 6 of them made it!) wrestle.  Why am I telling you this, you ask?

I was just wondering if anyone is from that area?  If maybe someone could recommend good places to run?  I'm going to miss a bike or two while out there, but would like to keep my running schedule as close as possible.  My husband runs, too, so we will be running together.  Or, maybe good places to eat?  Or visit?  We are staying an extra day and plan to go to the Pueblo Zoo, but would love recommendations on other areas of interest!

I know people on here are from all over, so just thought it might be a good place to start

Happy Training!

I have it too, and like it. I feel like I'm getting to know the landmarks much better.

But remember that the course is not the one we will be riding in 2012. It was changed so that the 'out and back' is now in a different spot. I believe it is up in Jay now there with what is about a 7 mile stretch continuing straight on Rt 9N instead of going left onto Rt 86. The 'out n back' was previously in Wilmington, as described in the video with Coach Troy. It used to be a 'series of rollers'. I'm not sure what that section is like now.

But I have not done the course before so you'd have to get confirmation from someone that's done IMLP before...

Yes, you are 100% correct - it is the old course. The new oab section is less rolly than the previous one.  Right now, the trainer is set up, the IMLP DVD is in and Im on BT. I really wish this counted towards training.

For all the Finkster's out there 10 weeks down 20weeks to go.

Now that base is over I am going with my planned alteration of the Plan

Intermediate swim & run plans - Competetive bike plan this shall be interesting!!

I'm excited about making it through the first 10 weeks, and going onto the next phase.  Though at the end of this week I'll probably be asking am I going to live the next week.   

Keep on, keeping on

Hooray on the 10 week mark, 1/3 the way there!

With the new section of the plan I notice Sunday calls for a high cadence ride (short at first), and also what will become our long runs.  Are these to be done back to back?  Or separated out, being done at different times of the day?  Doing the ride in the morning, then later on going out for our run.

Keep training safe out there all, the ramp up has just occurred.

From what I read (I'll have to go back and re-read it)  Is that it's to be seperated.  He seems to use the Quick Change (QC) on the days where it should be back to back.  So I think I'll be seperating them unless I see the QC next to it.

I am going to do them separated my run in the morning and the bike in the evening . Due to having the long bike the day before

Question for the Finksters:

I am currently doing the intermediate plan; I noticed the competitive plan adds some brick runs after the long bike and some easy spins on days of long runs. I am nervous that the intermediate plan does not include this--should I change up to the competitive? This will be my first IM distance race; so far, I am managing well with the program.

Any suggestions? Maybe add a brick in every other week or so?

Thanks!

--Annie

When I read the book I asked myself the same question.  Since at the time I just completed my first HIM, I thought I wasn't as prepared as I would have liked.  So since this is my first full IM distance race as well I said to myself "Self, you want to be as prepared as possible, so do the competitive one" So I have been doing the competitive plan with the option if things get too crazy that I could go back down to the intermediate plan.  So far things have been going well, and I'll continue on with the competitive plan. I haven't looked at the intermediate plan but I'm not sure what your last week total volume was, (I was at 11 hours and this week will go up to 12).  It might be a pretty big jump to go from lets say 10 hours to 12 hours in one week along with the new added intensity.  I would be hesitant to make that jump in the first week.  The other thing to look at would be the total number of hours that you can put aside to train.  Knowing that the competitive plan maxes out at 20 hours a week might be more then you can put aside compared to the intermediate plan.  So if the family is ok with the extra hours of training, I think it's doable to work your way into the competitive plan to get the extra workouts in.  If things get to hectic you could always move back to the intermediate plan.  Of course I say this as going through this the first time as well so next week I could be writing you back saying "whatever you do, don't move to competitive plan, because your legs will fall off". 

Thanks for the advice! I think so far the competitive and intermediate have been the same as far as total hours (we did 11 hours last week I think). I think what I am going to do is add the bricks on Saturdays, just maybe at 1/2 the distance and maybe every other week; and add the easy spins on Sunday.

Like you said--these can always become "optional" if things get too tough or if I get a little overworked.

--Annie

My bike has arrived! Will pick it up tomorrow-just in time for an early springtime ride!

Pictures tomorrow...

What did you get?

New bikes are awesome!!!

ENJOY

A 2012 Cervelo P2, with some perks...my first tri bike...

Now I'll have to see if I can handle it. Must practice many hours...I'm so stoked right now.

Yes, new bikes are awesome.

I just rode outside for the first time in months ~ Yay!!

It was super windy, but warm and sunny.  It felt wonderful!

I know how you feel I just got fitted yesterday for my first new tri bike.  After they order it and build it I'll go in for my real fitting next Friday.  I can't wait to try it out.  Though I'm with you I'll have to practice many hours. 

Congratulations to you Jason! My appointment with the fitter lasted over 2 hours. My throat was sore from so many questions...and I took notes, of course.

What bike did you get??

(And nice ride outside, Stacie! I'll be jealous for another 24 hours. I'm looking forward to the wind since I need to see if I can handle the wind)