Fred D's triathlon training group CLOSED (Page 41)

nice work everyone, and Fred, almost a 100 miles running, while nursing a pretty significant injury is pretty Bada$$ in my book!!

Hell Hath No Fury

Did 1h15m on the trainer, i set personal bests in power from 5min up to 60 mins, the ones i am really proud of are 5 min @400w and 20m @ 365W, which puts my FTP in the 347W range.

time for bed!!!

Swim at 5am...if i can get up...uggghhh

Swim felt much better yesterday.  Planning to get to the pool Thursday and Friday as well.

This morning I rode the bike - Main set was 10x2' @20MP (1').  Felt pretty good.  It has probably been 4 weeks since i did a VO2 main set.  Planning on a EZ lunch run this afternoon if it is not storming.

Rudy:  That is a pretty beastly display of power.  Also excellent that you are making improvements in your 60MP.  That will certainly translate well to the HIM bike.

Fred:  You are putting up some solid volume numbers considering the injury.  I still think you are in real good shape for these upcoming races.

Pretty low month for me, but coming off oceanside and racing an Oly...  hasn't been much structured training.  Figired I'd cruise through April and May and then ramp up again for late summer and fall races

Everyone seems to be posting some really good totals for April - I'm very behind on my logs but will catch up and post.

Question for the group.  When it comes to running how do most of you split up your runs during Tri season?  I know that if you're training for a specific running race it may look different, but wondering how fast/easy/long/etc everyone does?

I recognize, and Fred has pointed this out to me (more than once) in the past, that running at an easier pace has substantial benefits.  I've taken that approach to heart, but with me mostly racing shorter distances this summer (starting in 4 weeks) I feel I need to up the tempo on some of the runs a bit so I've got some leg speed for the 7-10km distance.  For the record most of my runs the past couple of months have been almost all Z2, and I'm running these around a 7:40-8:00/mile pace.

All input and advice appreciated.

Question on structuring an in season bike trainer schedule (not following a set plan).  Ideally I am on the bike 3X a week, two approximate 1 hour trainer sessions plus a longer 2-4 hour ride on the weekend.  How should I structure the two trainer sessions?   2 x 20 every week?  or a variation, 4 x 10?   And then the other session?  

Typically I do a 2 x 20 or 4 x 10 for one and then something like a 45 minute set as 5' at "X watts", 5' at "X+10-15 watts"), 5' at X-10-15 watts", repeat X3.

Any input as to the efficacy of this training?  Should I be doing 2 x 20 every week?  Is the other workout a good one or should I be doing something else?

This is via any CT program, i.e. erg mode, ervids, etc.

Neil:  I would definitely agree that running slow has great benefit.  In fact, as I have gotten significantly faster in races from 10K to Half Marathon...my easy runs have gotten slower (i.e. run your quality sessions fast, run your EZ runs EZ).  I think too many people run their EZ runs too fast and do not perform well in their quality sessions because they are tired or sore.

I tend to follow a modified Barry P plan from over on ST.  Most are probably familiar.  I love it.  It has been 7 months since I ran less than 100 miles/month (I just discovered that looking through my calendar ).  The premise is 2 quality mid-length sessions and a long run sandwiched between very EZ runs.  I actually do not run long very often but always hit the 2 mid-length sessions.  Depending on your racing schedule and your running base is how you would structure those 2 quality sessions.  They could be a tempo run and then a track session.  For me, training for HIM they are usually a tempo run and a race pace run as I get closer to racing season.  Prior to that they were mostly just aerobic to build mileage.

Here is a sample structure: Off / Q1 / EZ / Q2 / Off / Long / EZ

This seems to work well for me but I also built up a big base over the winter running 145-165 mile months.  I would maybe start with one quality session (likely a tempo run) and see how your body responds.  Keep the remaining runs aerobic.

Chris: My .02:  For an in-season plan, I think alternating a threshold session (4x10; 2x20) and VO2 session (10x2; 6x4) each week is good for one of the workouts.  The other could be some longer sweetspot intervals and then maybe work through all zones on your long ride.  Be flexible with it though if it starts to effect the other 2 disciplines.

I don't have much research to back it up...but this is along the lines of what I was thinking.  Mix it up, and not so much VO2 max stuff in season unless you're planning to road race.

Last months totals.  This is the best month of training following a HIM I think I have had.  Feeling good about it.  Now if I could just get the hamstring at a 100% things would be great.

Chris, if i have to get on the trainer in the decent weather, which seems to be frequently lately, i try to do 1 vo2/anaerobic workout for about an hour, and one mixed workout  sweetspot/threshhold/vo2 max, generally in the 1:15-1:30 range, i mix up the workouts as i get bored quickly, our long rides are probably pretty similar, mixed group ride, lotsa climbing, paclining, attacks etc. Nice 4 hour mixed bag.

The trainer discussion is interesting as I have a feeling I will be on it a fair amount this winter.  We'll see, depends on how wimpy I am with the cold.  

Today's trail run was short but tough.  But, it ended with me climbing over some barbed wire fence.  I might not go that way next time.  lol 

Nice.

My quads are still sore from a HIIT class involving wayyyy too many squats. Tips for recovery, anyone?

This morning was an Aerobic ride on the trainer and just got back from the pool.  Main set at the pool was 10x100 @1:45SI coming in at 1:32ish.  I am feeling alot better in the water but definitely not fast.  Last year at this time I was doing that set and coming in at 1:25.  I had quite a bit left in the tank at the end but certainly not 1:25s.  Hopefully I can get back down to that in 6 weeks.  The pool was also scorching.  They usually keep it real nice but not today...I was sweating like crazy when I got out.

The funny thing is we complain about 1:25-1:35/100, when the reality of it is that anything around 2:00/100 is pretty much middle of the pack for Triathlon, at least at the local level.

  I am the same way, fast is never fast enough, but at least if i can keep the fish within a few minutes of me in the water, i will run most of them down on the bike. and then i get re-passed on the run, lol.

And 7min/mile run pace gets you smoked pretty good in my neck of the woods.  Kinda disheartening actually, seein a 210lb guy run a 21-22 min 5k and gets beat by 100 guys running 18-20's.

Umm...glad I don't live in your area with those run times.

Speaking of swimming, I really dogged it over the winter and am trying to now play catchup.  Anybody got thoughts on how much fitness/speed I can pick up in 4 weeks swimming 4-5 times, anywhere from 1700-2500yds per session?