Ironman Coeur d'Alene : Official Thread (Page 41)

gremlin327 - 2011-01-13 3:15 PM

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. 

cam111 - 2011-01-11 8:21 PM

Bit of background, this is my first IM (completed Austin 70.3 last October with a slowwwww 7hr time)

JoshKaptur - 2011-01-12 5:18 PM Add me to the eyes wide open camp, but only because I am self coached.  I need to know what the purpose of todays workout is, as it fits within the context of the various training cycles (mini, meso, etc) that I'm in.  If you have a very good coach then I agree, you can just focus on today.  But if you are self-coached, even if you are following a canned plan, you likely should try to develop a bit of context and awareness about your training.  You should understand why you are doing what you are doing, because that's the only way to know if it hurts just right, too much, or not enough.  I also think it is very helpful to use nearly every training session to mentally rehearse race day.  Some might be afraid of "burnout" to focus singularly on a goal for that long, but for me the dividends were huge on my debut IM.  Even though it was my first, I felt like I was a seasoned vet because I had gone over it so many times in my head.  For example, I had run the last 10 miles of that marathon hundreds of times in training, forcing myself to keep it under control and focus on mechanics and envisioning the glory that awaits when you keep going.  I had dialed in my bike pacing and held it consistently while staying in aero for multiple hours dozens of times with no conversation, no attention to the scenery, etc... so I was ready for the focus that requires on race day.  I had paid attention to what I ate and drank, and what the conditions and workout were like, and how my body felt about it, on every long workout... so that I knew how my body would respond regardless of what the weather was like.  Even the silly stuff, like when I got the runners trots on a long run once... I didn't focus on making it to a gas station... I focused in my mind of keeping it all together until I got to an "aid station" and then I focused on being as quick as I could be and getting back out there at my targeted run pace right away.  It was all mental race prep, any chance I could get.

All that to say, it's my personal belief that lots of people show up to an IM in better physical shape than their finish time will reflect at the end of race day.  For most of them (barring an injury, events out of their control, etc), the day falls apart due to poor race execution.  Mis-execution, at its very core, is a mental mistake.  And it's a part of you that can easily be neglected during training, but that will benefit from training just as much as your body will.

trinitwit - 2011-01-15 12:54 PM With ironman, it's all about the training. The race is just an afterthought.  If I really didn't enjoy the training, I wouldn't be here.  Besides, I think it's beyond just training, it's a life style.

rnner66 - 2011-01-14 12:35 PM We have a bit in common - Austin 70.3 was my first HIM (6:34) and CdA 2011 will be my first IM. I just wish it were race time!

3Aims - 2011-01-15 1:19 PM



Same here.  Longhorn was my first HIM and CdA is my first IM. 

JoshKaptur - 2011-01-15 10:39 AM

I prefer:

Ironman is 90% preparation.  The other 50% is execution.

I understand your point, but get nervous for those thinking of the race as an "afterthought."  If you mean (which I think you do) that most of the work happens before the race and that the race itself is just a long catered workout, I agree.  But if you don't recognize that mis-execution on race day can negate boatloads of smart training, then we disagree.

cam111 - 2011-01-15 7:35 PM It's great to have some teamates on this journey.  I'm not sure how Austin was for you both, but I was greatful for three key takeaways:

1.) There are real athletes out there, and I'm probably not one of them (remember the Pros who started late due to the traffic and blew past us at 28mph around mile 40...) so I have to be the best I can be.
2.) Maintaining composure durning challenging times can determine the difference between success and failure (I got tangled up in a crash on the bike around mile 50...can give more detail later if interested)
3.) A half-Ironman was a very long day and I am ever respectful for anyone who attempts, let alone completes a full Ironman.

I have to admit that this is having a bit more effect than I would have expected...for instance I woke up at 3:30am the other morning from a dream (nighmare) where they moved the race up by a month and I was frantically explaining that they couldn't do that because, "I wasn't ready..."

Maybe it's helping...since that fateful morning, I've been in the pool every day and thouroughly exhaused from any training I can squeeze into my schedule (dont look for any posts after 8:30pm).

There is a pro/coach here that is putting a training session together in CDA over Memorial weekend to pre-swim/ride/run portions of the course in preparation.  He has athletes from all over the country who are going to join, if interested I can pass on the info (I'm sure more participants will not be a problem).

Other than anxiety of not being prepared, what do all of you use for motivation?

C

cam111 - 2011-01-15 8:35 PM



Other than anxiety of not being prepared, what do all of you use for motivation?

C

cam111 - 2011-01-17 10:20 AM Does anyone have or has anyone seen a bike profile with the % grades listed?

cam111 - 2011-01-15 7:35 PM

It's great to have some teamates on this journey.  I'm not sure how Austin was for you both, but I was greatful for three key takeaways:

1.) There are real athletes out there, and I'm probably not one of them (remember the Pros who started late due to the traffic and blew past us at 28mph around mile 40...) so I have to be the best I can be.
2.) Maintaining composure durning challenging times can determine the difference between success and failure (I got tangled up in a crash on the bike around mile 50...can give more detail later if interested)
3.) A half-Ironman was a very long day and I am ever respectful for anyone who attempts, let alone completes a full Ironman.

I have to admit that this is having a bit more effect than I would have expected...for instance I woke up at 3:30am the other morning from a dream (nighmare) where they moved the race up by a month and I was frantically explaining that they couldn't do that because, "I wasn't ready..."

Maybe it's helping...since that fateful morning, I've been in the pool every day and thouroughly exhaused from any training I can squeeze into my schedule (dont look for any posts after 8:30pm).

There is a pro/coach here that is putting a training session together in CDA over Memorial weekend to pre-swim/ride/run portions of the course in preparation.  He has athletes from all over the country who are going to join, if interested I can pass on the info (I'm sure more participants will not be a problem).

Other than anxiety of not being prepared, what do all of you use for motivation?

C

leopard8996 - 2011-01-17 12:57 PM I'd be interested in the details on the Memorial Day thing. I have gone to CDA every Memorial Day weekend (and plan to again this year) to ride the full course on Saturday followed by a short transition run and then Sunday I run the CDA 1/2 marathon which is partially on the IM course. It's a great last long weekend before I start my taper and a perfect opportunity for people from out of town to see the course. If anyone is interested in joining me I'd be happy for the company and I have all the (hydration/SN) logistics dialed in if we don't do the camp like event.

cam111 - 2011-01-17 11:20 AM

Does anyone have or has anyone seen a bike profile with the % grades listed?

JoshKaptur - 2011-01-15 12:39 PM

I prefer:

Ironman is 90% preparation.  The other 50% is execution. And 50% mental.

I understand your point, but get nervous for those thinking of the race as an "afterthought."  If you mean (which I think you do) that most of the work happens before the race and that the race itself is just a long catered workout, I agree.  But if you don't recognize that mis-execution on race day can negate boatloads of smart training, then we disagree.

pga_mike - 2011-01-17 8:14 PM

I am doing this for my health, but I also would like to finish that long, catered work out.  A lot.  I mean a real lot.  Like a whole lot.  I really do.

So for me, it is about a race.  And I enjoy about 80% of my training.

pga_mike - 2011-01-17 7:14 AM

So for me, it is about a race.  And I enjoy about 80% of my training.

Other than anxiety of not being prepared, what do all of you use for motivation?

C