Fast Twitch Tri-FULL (Page 55)

Hi Steve, Thanks for the info on Timberman!  I would definitely like to talk it over (I'll PM you), as I haven't talked with anyone that's actually done it (just read a ton of RRs).

You can see where the hills are on the race site elevation maps - looks like one cranker on the way out, and then the backside of that is the cranker on the way back. I might have to set up a day to hit the courses (half the bike, or so - so I get the hill from both directions - and then a loop of the run), as I do know a couple folks from here that are doing it and might want to go.  Always tough to get a "kitchen pass" for a full weekend day away, especially as I'm dragging them all over New England for racing this summer anyway!  

In looking at it, there's a bit over 2,000' of climb over the course.  There's a hill loop I do here that is killer and is about 2,500' over ~40 miles.  I'm guessing that it's going to be tough running after the bike, as that's a lot of hill to NOT attack.  Do you just spin up a big hill, or do you push just a leeeeetle harder?  Not sure, as all I've done is two sprints last year.  Will get some feedback from a race this weekend (just decided to do it, as this is a "rest and test" week for me) that is between a sprint and an Oly and has a couple hills, and will definitely get more of a sense after doing the VT Trifest Oly on June 30th.  BUT, it'd be great to know how you approach hills...

As for training, I've been doing a bunch of OWS's at Walden and just LOVE the pond vs. the pool.  Yesterday did 2,000yds at a very doable effort and swam ~1:28/100 for the distance.  This was with a wetsuit.  So, is swimming with the wetsuit ruining my form (as it's a crutch)?  Do any of you do OWSs without?  

I'd like to switch ALL of my swims to the pond, as it's soooooo much nicer (and actually closer) than the pool, but I'm concerned about not doing the interval and form work that the pool is so good for.  Thoughts?

OK - have a great weekend all.  Will report back on tomorrow's 5k (which I am going to try to NOT PR, although that's tough) and the tri on Sunday.

As an aside, the HM that I'd mentioned a few months ago was last Sunday (Boston's Run to Remember) and I decided to be a pace bunny for Kim as she went for her PR.  She crushed it (ran a 1:49), set 11 PR's - including her fastest mile EVER… at mile 12-13!! (a 6:46 after running hard - harder than her target, for sure - for 12 miles).  Was an awesome venue, special day, and great outcome (not least cuz grammy watched the kids and we went in and stayed in town Saturday night!!).

That is all (one of my usual small posts).  

Matt

Hi George,

Congrats on the swim!  Swimming 1100 in a straight line is something a LOT of people (ahem… like me, perhaps??) have to sight a lot to do, and it's a lot faster than swimming fast for 1,500 in a serpentine pattern to cover the 1,100!

As for stride count, and forgive me if we've had this conversation before, if you're using a Garmin device on the run, I'd recommend a cadence "pod" for your shoe.  Kim and I each have one (bought refurbished for like $20, and it just pops onto your laces) and have found them VERY useful for tracking cadence and working on turnover.  We've both gone from mid-80's to low-to-high-90's depending on effort level, to the point that I can dial in a higher cadence by feel even for a slow run (and it has DEFINITELY helped with the transition to running in Newtons).

Just a thought, and something that we've found helpful (and cheap, if you already have a Garmin - if not, I remember Nike having something similar, but am not sure).

Good luck!

Best,

Matt

Steve - you are one of the true gems here on BT - GREAT info!!  Many thanks.

I am going to try to get a few of the folks from around here that are doing the race to do a big day up there in July.  Take a Saturday and drive up early, ride most (or all) of the course and then do perhaps ~6 miles off the bike on the hillier part of the run course.  Having never done a HIM, this is a somewhat daunting prospect - but I'm super excited about it.  Too much so, I think, as it's creeping into my consciousness as my "A" race - and relegating my Oly's to B+ (June 30) and A- (July 21) status.  I'll still taper for at least the week prior to the 21st, and the 30th is at the end of a "rest and test" week, but I'm definitely going to alter some of my training to include longer and slightly less intense efforts than if I were just doing the Oly's.

I will definitely pay attention to the Hints below as I pre-ride the course, and will pay attention to the gearing (might re-ride those spots a couple times!).

I also did my first tri of the year this past weekend (RR link is here: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/RaceLog/races-view-container.asp?...   I don't know how to make the links active here, unfortunately).  It was a bit longer than a standard sprint, so a good gauge of fitness for an Oly, methinks.  I did a 5k the day prior (whole family did great, which was fun - Kim and I got AG podiums, our oldest was 2nd OA in the mile and our youngest set a mile PR) and it was hot… and a little hilly… and it was my first race on the tri bike… and there were locusts, and floods, and fire from the sky… and… and… EXCUSES EVERYWHERE!  

Kidding, although my run was about 30 seconds/mile slower than I'd hoped.  I'm thinking I need to work a bit more on the bike fitness for the run, but was really happy with my paces and results, as my run is now about even with the s/b portions (unlike last Fall where my run was slower, proportionally).  Wish they were all faster!  I was 15 OA, which was super for me, and 7th in my AG - which was just a bit boggling.  I came across the line faster than I ever had… and see a bunch of middle aged dudes hanging out and chatting.    I was shocked at how strong the 45-49 AG is, but now I know what I "should" be able to achieve!  Back to training, and hard, now.  

Hope you're all getting along well with the training and racing!

Steve, thanks again.  George, keep after it (great progress)

Best,

Matt

Go Bruins and Sox!

Dave - congrats on the progress and, more, on the AG podium!  Very impressive, especially after my run in with the speedsters in the same bracket.  Nicely done!

Steve - thanks for the additional thoughts.  I have been struggling a bit in figuring out just how to structure the training (never mind the pacing!).  While you're kind to say that I'm basically not a noob, I've only done 3 tri's - all sprints - in the last year, and this will be my first full season of racing since I was... well, let's just say I had a full head of hair then and now approximate more of a cue ball... 

Here's what I'm thinking.  I'm using Friel's "Your Best Tri" book.  Basically, just finished the Build 1 section with 3 weeks (4, really) of build and a week of "rest and test," the tests being the 5k and tri last weekend.  I'll now do 3 weeks of Build 2, with the "rest and test" week ending in the VT Oly (a "B" race, as there's no Peak/Taper - just a lighter than normal week).

I HAD been planning to then do a 2 week peak and one week taper leading in to the July 21 Oly, with a sprint on the 14th - then just lollygagging about Nantucket for a week and looking at the Fall schedule later.  BUT, with Tman 4 weeks out from the Oly, I'm trying to tweak as follows:

Build 2 as planned, with Oly on June 30 after a rest week.  Then over the 21 days prior to Nantucket Oly, doing something like one-plus week of build, a bit less than one week of peak (and maybe even a bit heavier on volume than the second week of the peak as described by Friel - which basically gets more and more race-like in terms of pace, here for an Oly), then a taper week (I still want to do well in this Oly).

Then with 4 weeks to T-man, take a day or two as off/light after the race and get 2 weeks of HIM-specific workouts from Build 2, one week of peak (the second week of the 2 week peak as described by Friel) and one week of taper. 

I'm hoping that builds sufficient fitness but lets me hammer the Oly and comfortably finish the HIM (and maybe even race it a little - tough for me to not race if I have a number on my belt... which is something I have to look out for here, and makes understanding my HIM pace critical, but that's for another post, I suppose!).

For me, the Friel plan has been between 10.5 and 13.5 hours during the build weeks, with 6-7 hours on the "rest and test" weeks.  Pretty balanced plan, I think, with a nice mix of duration and intensity (although less intensity than I was doing for the run-specific HM and 10k blocks earlier this year - and I kinda miss the track!).  The peak weeks are 8-10 hours, and race week tapers are 5-7 plus the race.

OK, fair game for anyone (or at least the very few who are still reading after this massive post) - whaddya think?

Thanks!!
Matt

RR fixed, i think.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=491421 

Enjoy, if so inclined!

Also, an additional question wrt Oly v HIM.

Thinking about changing my plan more to the HIM distances/paces, but am not sure if that will have a significantly negative effect on my Oly times, or if the extra volume (and a tad less intensity) will not have that much effect on my ability to move on an Oly.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!
Matt 

Congrats on the swim - that's terrific!

As for running better off the bike, I suspect that biking more will help.  Better bike fitness = better ability to run at target pace off the bike (if the issue is not hitting a target pace that is something like your open time minus so many seconds per mile).  

The only way to either go faster on the bike (or, not go slower) and still hit your reasonable target on the run is to be stronger on the bike, I think.  I underlined the reasonable target bit as I think the run expectation should be a bit slower than your open times...

Others?  I'm just going by what my legs tell me, so there might be better "received wisdom" from the tri-tribe!

Matt

Nice!  Just off the podium (bummer), but first on the swim - pretty sweet.  Congrats on a great race.

What's next?

Matt

RR up.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=493897   

Had a GREAT time at my first Oly. 

Dave, I'm sure the extenuating factors will all help for the next race - but isn't Pittsburg SUPER hilly?    I guess not if it's all along the river.     Good luck!

 Matt