SBR Utopia ---- Permanently OPEN!! (Page 47)

yuck. I hear what you are selling, but I'm not buying that "Reverse IM" nonsense. Besides, you never do that in a race - why do it in training?

nice work as always, Ben. But from the sounds of it you actually did ADLP (A Dimly Lit Place).

Today's masters was mostly intervals at T-Pace, but I did bang out my last 100 wide-open for 1:16, and my fastest 25 was :15 from a push. know that is nowhere close to the fishes in the group - but I was very pleased as I have not been hitting that speed since last spring when I was swimming 18k per week - right now I am only around 9k. My balance in the water has really felt "off" for the past several weeks, but today I felt nice and clean.

Those can be interesting.  Keeping the same send-off would really make it hard. For me it'd be managing the recovery as I have a very substantial difference in speed between strokes.

Thanks all for the input on bike bags/boxes and flying.  Still not sure whether I'll fly or drive - uncharacteristically stuck cycling between the two options.  (I am, candidly, often wrong but rarely in doubt).    Have to decide shortly, though, so will advise...

Short swim this morning - tight on time with family stuff - but felt great.  I'm getting to enjoy the pool as much as the open water - almost - which helps.  

Rest of the day is rest, as the Better Half and I have a HM tomorrow.  Not an A race, but I want to be fresh enough (first race of the year) that I won't do a 3 hour ride today  - although I'm tempted, as the temp is above freezing and the sun is out!!!

What else do you all have on the books for the weekend (in addition to the crit - good luck there!  That is a LOT of turns!)?

Matt

I did a 2 x 20 @ 96% on the trainer this morning, headed out for a 45 min run in a bit.  1:40 run tomorrow with 10 mins @ T-pace.

I had a good swim yesterday, doing 10 x 100 on 2:00 all fast.  Tried to get them all 1:10 or better but I dropped down to 1:11 for the last few.  Going that hard with lots of rest gets the triceps and lats screaming for mercy.

40 laps of 0.6 miles sounds like bike handling skills, tactics and the ability to handle constant surging will determine how well you do!  Good luck!  

Matt, good luck with the HM tomorrow, what's the course like?

Do remember that Rev3 always has an aquabike option as well. Swim, Bike, Done is kind of fun when the running isn't going so well.

I'm going to try that swim this week.  Should be wonderfully sucky (although my time might be a BIT slower per 100!).

Thanks!  Course is fairly fast.  Two major hills at 3 and 12 miles, which I don't really mind.  A good portion is along the water in New Bedford - which is quite scenic.

Given the weather, a (perennial) question for the group:

What would you wear?  31 - 33 degrees during the race.  Severe clear skies (sunny!).  15 mph wind from the land (not off the water).

I'm thinking either compression socks, shorts and a long sleeve single layer on top, with knit gloves and hat (cheapo, so I can toss those if I warm up).  Considering running tights and adding a light windblocking vest, as the wimpy option (or maybe a trash bag on top that I can toss?).

What would you all wear?

Matt

That's almost the exact conditions I had for my HM a few weeks ago.  I wore tights, long sleeved shirt and a vest (for the pockets).  I should have gone with shorts as I was overheating, I was trying to decide last minute when I realized everyone was headed for the start line so I didn't have time to change into shorts.  I started with gloves but no hat - gloves lasted less than 5 mins.

Thanks!  Certainly seemed to work out for you.   

I'm strongly leaning toward high socks and shorts (quite the look, I know).  

So, did the vest feel like too much?  I'd run nekked if I could, but don't want to get my core temp low...

Matt

The vest was great running into the wind but with the wind at my back I was hot.  I had to zip and unzip accordingly.

Race sim today, one of my best race sim workouts I've done.    :30 ez run 9:15ish pace, 2:30 bike with 1:00 at 230ish and 250ish each and warmup and warmdown; 40 minute descending run.   Great confidence builder

Nice!  Looks like you will be pushing a few more watts in NOLA than you did in Miami?

Maybe sightly more?  Miami was 222 NP.  Wind profile should be similar, headwind out, tailwind in.  Plus it's a TT start and I think I am somewhere near the middle-end, so should have some slingshot opportunities.  But would really like a solid run, in the 1:50 range......   So am a little wary of pushing too much.   Certainly not 250....

Similar stroke strengths here, though back is ok. Placing me at masters was tough on IM night because of it. Would be even worse now as free & fly are much stronger than when I used to go! Surge ahead, then jam it up, then break away again.

My mom (63) trotted off with a 1:49 half-marathon today.  I think I need to work harder!

Yowza!  That's pure awesome.  Congrats to her!

I hope you got some of those genes! 

Matt

20 Km run today at just (slightly) under Mark's mom's pace.    Winds were 30 gusting to 50 and just above freezing but I went out in shorts anyway as that felt downright tropical compared to the rest of this winter!