Ironman Florida : Official Thread (Page 45)

I have one more long week of training as well!  Hard to think about another looong ride/run when everyone is tapering, but I have learned that 3 weeks of taper is too long for me personally. Plus I"m starting to freak out about every detail as it is!!!

3 weeks left!!!!  I'm looking forward to getting this done!  

http://espn.go.com/espnw/more-sports/8487901/espnw-little-thing-cal...

To anyone who doubts their ability at IMFL, read this article.  Inspiring!

Wanted to get a long workout in, but my body was not having it. I thinking staying up watching the Tigers beat the Yanks was the reason. 1 more week of build/long workouts and then taper. While I haven't gotten the biggest runs/rides in, my mileage has been pretty good for me. 

I'm ready for the race to get here so I can stop obsessing and revolving my life around it

New skins on my bike - check.  New shoes with 1 long run under their belt - check.  New goggles - check.  Think I'm ready.

Not sure what some of you consider taper by my first taper week is not that much different that other weeks.  Weekdays are the same this week.  Sat 2 hr ride with 1.5 hr run (negative split)  Sunday 3 hr ride.  Yea, less than this weekend but not kicking back

enjoy,

Duane

One day into taper and I'm already having my first taper-tantrum

I've got a three week taper planned, cutting volume about 20% each week, so about 12 hrs. this week.........best races by far have been the ones where I've erred on the side of "over-resting", but then I read stuff on here and elsewhere about people doing 2 week taper instead of 3, etc., so now I'm doubting myself.

Last long run was Sat. a.m., 18 mi. at just under 9:00 pace, legs were wrecked from the previous day's 112 ride followed by 4 mi. run so I was shocked I still had a solid run in them.  These last four weeks or so I feel like I've been on fire, several moments where it's like it wasn't even me out there, just felt so strong, went 5:27 at Augusta and I truly didn't push it that much at all.  So I don't know, I think I'm ready and I'm confident I can not just finish but maybe I can have a 4:30 run, then I think no I'm not ready, this is 140.6 miles, I've never done this before. 

And after Sat. run it was almost like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders, because now here I am, in this last phase, just don't do anything stupid and all will be well, it's right there.  Then last night I have this weird dream that lasted the whole night about the race, I can't even remember what was going on but it wasn't exactly good. 

So I'm tired and run down and coughing up phlem, and my head hurts.

I don't know, wtf.  No point here really, no question, guess I just need to get my s___ together.

Do whatis right for YOU not someone else.  I would submit that if you are feeling tired and run down its time to REST!!!  There is so much that can happen in 140.6 miles.  Prepare the best you can, have plans A, B and C control the things you can control and let ther rest of the stuff go.  It will be fine.

Ok.  I will rest, I will trust my plan and my instincts, I will rest, I will trust my plan and my insticts, I will rest, I will trust my plan and my instincts, etc. etc. 

Medium build week for me.  Don't want to wreck myself by pushing to peak distances, but I think a 3 week taper is bit much for me.  Biked 100 miles yesterday.  Probably will go 75% of peak distances this week...or at least that's the plan.  

As for freaking out...not there yet. Still have to 'perfect' the engine first.  I think I'll start freaking out when I take my bike to the bike transport folks next week.  I'll have to start packing ahead of that so that's when I think the nerves will kick in.

Having said that, I'm getting really excited for the race.  It's been a long time since November 5, 2011, at 1pm Eastern when I registered for the race on my laptop upstairs in my home office.  Now it's just about time to prove to myself that I have the strength, physically and mentally, to be an Ironman.  I've been working towards it all year, so I'm looking forward to it.  

As for expectations, I'm going with the Average Joe's team motto (from the movie Dodgeball)...aim low.  Not expecting to go very fast, just hoping to finish before midnight.  I think/hope I will, but I'm going to IMFL with slow expectations since this my first IM.  I'll worry about speed at another race.

Happy Monday everyone. 

I feel that I am physically ready but I guess I am still am having Nutritional issues...

I just got done with an 8 Hour Trainer ride and 2 mile run yesterday. I felt great through the entire thing the last 45 minutes or so on the bike I got a slight headache but other that that I help constant HR and watts the entire time and the run felt nice and loose. However, about 30 minutes after I was done headache got worse, I felt nauseous/upset stomach and kinda dizzy. I had 20-30 OZ of water most hours one was 40. ( I gained 1.5 pounds during the ride but I figure a lot of that "gain" was a soaked shirt) I also had 2 Hammer Gels per hour with a Cliff bar spread out in the middle couple hours.
 In the past I have had major issues with dehydration in my HIM but I was still Clear throughout the ride and don't think that was the problem even though the symptoms feel very similar to how I felt after being dehydrated in Galveston. My only thought is that maybe electrolytes/ salt is low? or maybe even my stomach doesn't want that much gel... I hope to only be on the bike for 5:45- 6 hours anyways but that leaves a marathon left for whatever happened to settle in and make my day looong. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Monday water & weather outlook:

Water temp at Pensacola and Dauphin Island is around 77.5.

 http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/egof.html

Now, don't start freaking out, just start considering race plans if it is much warmer than you originally thought.

15 day forecast is calling for highs in the low 80's and upper 70's during race week.  Again, take it with a grain of salt, but as of now, it looks like we will be a little warmer than the last two years.  They are "predicting" for it to cool off some race week, but I don't think we're looking at anything too bad.

If you give that course a high of 70, low of 51 wight light winds, we can throw up some super fast times. 

that would be fantastic...and little to no wind thankyouverymuch.....as long as you are taking orders on the weather

Ahhhh, the best laid plans............nice work man, that's an amazing time

Are you taking in any additional electrolites other than what you are getting from GU.  If not, that would be my guess.  Have you tried NUUN?

Is there a reason you don't use sports drink? 

An average endurance athlete looses about 500 mg sodium / hour (and more in hot weather or if you are a larger athlete).  Going the Hammer Gel and water route or even the Hammer Gel, water and electrolyte tab/salt tab/nuun route makes it hard to replace all the electrolytes you're using (Hammer Gels have only 25 mg of sodium, which is about as low as you can get -- compare 200 mg of sodium in a Power Gel and 125 mg of sodium in a GU Roctane). Even if you add a Nuun tab in per hour that's only 180 mg of sodium (for a total in your case of 230 mg of sodium -- less than half of what you're loosing). 

Also 2 Hammer Gels per hour and water is only 180 calories per hour.  Unless you're on the Bob Seebohar plan that's low.  Obviously calories needed varies depending on a lot of factors (height, weight, gender, intensity, durations, etc.) but 180 calories / hour may not be providing you with enough available energy (I could go into a long discussion about glycogen stores and fat metabolism, etc. but generally speaking 180 is low). 

For comparison, last year on the bike I drank 24 oz / hour of Perform and took a Power Bar Gel every 30 minutes (so 430 calories and 970 mg of sodium).  I am 5' 8", 160 lbs and rode a 5:50 bike split.

If you can tolerate it, I would suggest trying to take in more calories and sodium. 

Did you drink any water??

What do you use on the run?? 

Lets talk nutrion plans.......

Here is mine:

Breakfast: 1.5 Bagels with peanut butter, 1 banana, sips of gaterade, gel(~1000kcal)

30 mins before swim: 1 Powergel (110 kcal)

Bike: 3.5 powergels (110kcal, 600mg sodium) per hr (~360kcal/hr on the bike). I might grab a banana or two as well. 1 bottle of water per hr

Run: Coke/water at almost every aid station (I estimade each coke is roughly 50kcal so about 350 kcal/hr on the run)

Actually yes my coach is does use the Seebohar method. So I am not too worried about the Calorie levels. I did forget to mention I had a Cliff Bar between hour 4-5 ( does not really help electrolytes and such much but boy did taste good!). I am  5'7 135 So I am a pretty small dude.

I had no clue till today that Hammer had so little and power gel had so much. My coach used power gel  which makes more sense two of those would be 400 vs 50... When I rode the Hotter N hell hundred 5 years ago I did take a salt tab every 30 so my stomach should be able to handle it without to much worry. I will give some more electrolytes thought and maybe even using some  perform. I  trained with it for months with no issues just have to force myself to remember to drink real water with my gel better.