Ironman Coeur d'Alene : Official Thread (Page 59)

Feb. Totals: Swim 7H35M
Bike 15H52M
Run 12H23M (some x-c skiing as cross training)
Downhill skiing - 6 days - 4 powder days

The gym I belong to started a 2-3 hour spin/endurance class. Has been great for the bike hours. Never thought I could sweat so much though. Yuck.

February's totals:
Bike: 18h 56m 01s  - 403.6 Mi
Run: 12h 46m 36s  - 80.4 Mi
Swim: 10h 45m 37s  - 25100 M

Bike and run about the same volume as last month, although run has gotten about 10s/mi faster at same heart rate but FTP unchanged (didn't push intervals hard enough, will fix that in March). I decided to try the Finding Freestyle program for 12 weeks to see if I can improve swim technique while I still have time, so swim volume is up quite a bit due to extra swim each week. Volume and intensity will really start picking up in March. After 13 weeks on plan, so far so good.

My first outdoor bike ride this spring.

Went 48 miles with 3500' of climbing. 15.5 mph avg.  Sheesh!

I probably should have done something that would have made me feel better about my winter training.  I also need to start pounding calories during these intense rides.

Cam,
I have a few questions based on a few suspicions...

It sounds like you are riding a road bike with clip-on aerobars.  If that is the case it is almost impossible to be well fitted for both riding on the bars and the drops.  You'll need to decide which one you want, and be fit for that... and deal with the slight discomfort when you ride in the other position.  With an experienced fitter (and a bit of luck), it's possible you can have two seatposts and seats (one in your nomral road position and one that is more forward/higher for riding in aero).  Look into a fasto-forward seatpost if that interests you.

In the interim, it sounds like you may be well fitted for your road postiion, but going into your aerobars causes your hip angle to become too acute.  This would expalain both the difficulty in unweighting the pedal and the "heavy" feeling as things get compressed (particularly if you have some bulk in your upper body or long legs or both).

If the goal is to ride in aero in the ironman, then I suggest getting your toad bike fit with a more forwad seatpost (and possibly a new stem or more/less spacers up front to) to be most comfortable in that position.  That way you can train how you'll race.  But jsut beware it will likely make standard road position feel slightly off, just like how you're feeling your TT position is a little off now.

The hip angle thing is important because you're likely loosing power with a closed hip angle too.  But ultimately I woludn't worry too much about what you are feeling... the most important question, if you are reasonably comfortable, is which is faster.  I suspect what I'm suggesting will make you feel better and be faster.  But it's possible on your bike, riding in normal road position could be faster.

If you are already on a TT bike and I'm off base here, let me know and I'll brainstorm something else.

Welcome Jared.

It's going to be really hard to simulate swimming without actually swimming, as I suspect you realize.  While you can work to improve your swim fitness with various exercises, you can't as easily work on your mechanics, balance, and "feel" for the water if you aren't in the water... and by the way... for any given swimmer who has X room for improvement in their swim time, I'd suggest that .75X is to be gained from technique, not fitness.  I actually think it's more, but I'm being conservative.

Within the limits you have, I agree with the advice to focus your "swim training" time on some high rep (very high rep) low weight upper body exercises, and extensive core work.  That strong core is going to be key to being balanced in the water, having a "hip driven" stroke, etc.  You can buy one of these or McGyver the same basic aparatus with some light resistance bands... and then "swim" to your heart's content in the living room.

Given your situation, and given the fact that you seem to be able to swim long distances without much prep, I'd count your blessings and [broken record alert] crush it on the bike and run training.  Your goal on race day will be to swim an easy 2.4 mile warmup, and then have your race begin.  There's simply not much you're going to be able to do to significantly improve your swim time if you don't have regular access to a pool (since you'll be able to work only on the fitness part, and not the technique part... and swimming is MOSTLY about technique).  I'd do simulated swim with bands and core work a few times a week... and then hunker down and get to that pool for a long/easy swim (with a few fast sets mixed in) when you can... but have confidence that in the race you're going to get out of the water and then spend the rest of your day passing all the people who swam too much way more than you.

This is called Kaptur's Kurse... you're being forced by circumstances to train like I've advocated most of us should (despite access to a pool) earlier in this thread.



Edited by JoshKaptur 2011-03-01 12:11 PM

Solid training numbers from you guys!  If I posted mine, you'd see that I've formally made the decision to withdraw from CdA for this year.  WTC already sent me my whopping $150 refund, and I was able to cancel my hotel with only a one night penalty.

There's a chance I may still come out and stay with my brother in Montana, and drive in for the day of the race to cheer you all on.  If you see a Janus inspirational poster on the bike course that says "sorry I missed you... the fish were biting.  PS what were you thinking????" that will be from me.

You now have every right to ignore my advice, since it's going to be very obvious I'm not practicing what I preach at the moment.  In fact, in the good old USA you've had that right all along -- my goal has been and will be to get you to think about HOW (and WHY is the secret to HOW) to train.  But I promise you I'm not going to advocate anything that I didn't do, or that I don't wish I had done and believe strongly is possible.  I'm not armchair quarterbacking you, even if it looks like it.

Hope you don't mind if I stick around -- I said back in my first post in this thread how much I was looking forward to being part of the CdA'11 community, and I still am (even though I'm not racing).  I think community is a HUGE part of why we do this, and also greatly enhances the training/racing experience.

I'd be the first to commend you for making a wise decision and to thank you for what you have added to the thread so far. I welcome your input as we move along and look forward to tracking your BQ and life balancing progress.

I also want you to hang around and see how BarryP does for me even though I am not strictly adhering to his plan. I hope I can confirm what we have read and heard from you and others.

Wow! I'm impressed and envious of the numbers people are putting up!!
I have a feeling the folks on here are going to be kickin some butt on June 26!

February's totals:
Bike:	18h 22m 16s  - 295.22 Mi
Run:	12h 57m  - 89.89 Mi
Swim:	11h 49m 12s  - 32500 Yd
Strength:	3h 00m

My goals is to stay consistent and not get injured.  Good luck to everyone in March!!

Glad you're sticking around Josh!!  You have some GREAT advice!  It has been VERY beneficial to me!  Thanks!  Best of luck on the BQ, when is the mary you are going to qualify at?

Great numbers everyone!  I was obviously feeling guilty about taking 2 weeks off in January, because February's numbers went WAY up!  Bring on March!!

February's totals:
Bike:	29h 17m 11s  (15h 6m 11s outdoors for 197.29 Mi + 14h 11m on trainer)
Run:	16h 26m 05s  - 109.15 Mi
Swim:	7h 43m  - 22200 Yd
Skiing:	1h 00m

Josh- Good l ck with the rest of your ventures.  Based on your passion in this thread it is effiedent that pulling out was not an easy decsion.  Thanks for all of your help and support. 
Kelly

You guys are posting some impressive numbers for February!  Here are mine.  As you can see, I'm really trying to build some bike fitness right now, at the expense of my swim training.  I'm hoping to get to the pool a bit more this month.

Bike:	25h 00m
Run:	11h 21m 29s  - 75.07 Mi
Swim:	1h 25m  - 4700 Yd
Strength:	30m

OK, here's what I need you to do.  Scout out some good fishing for us on Thursday.

Seriously though, I am sad for you.

My numbers were looking good up until last Friday at noon.  Felt a little off on my lunchtime run.  By 9 that night I was feeling way under the weather.  At the time I just thought it was a 24 hour bug and I could shake it in a day or two, since I "never" get sick, and when I do, I recover quickly.  So Saturday I forfeited my long brick, and likewise on Sunday for my long run.  I really hated to do that since it was finally beautiful weather here in Georgia, but I knew I needed to recover to keep from getting worse.  Well....it got worse....and worse, so that by Monday I was so deep in the pain cave that I forfeited a fun day at the office.  That afternoon I went to seek medical help and of course was promptly diagnosed  with having full-blown onset of late season flu.  Today, fever is finally under 100, may go in and work some tomorrow, not sure when I'll feel like working out again.  Mentally, I miss it; physically, not so much.  I thought I had the flu before if I got sick in years past.... but nope, I was wrong, that was not the flu.  I now know what the flu is.  Note to self: get a flu shot next year.

February's totals:
Bike:	14h 12m 27s  - 208.71 Mi
Run:	16h 35m 38s  - 104.87 Mi
Swim:	12h 05m 45s  - 32000 Yd
Strength: Near Death:	1h 14m 96h 33m 22s - 0.00 Mi

Sorry to see you're joining the "out of the race" club but I hope it all works out for you!

I am a HARD CORE sceptic.  I am that way through training with a research intense masters and a DVM.  If you are going to sell me something it better have science behind it.  So please know I have no pier reviewed study behind this - simply my own observational study.  However with the disclamer out there this is my post.

I notice a few sick days slowing folks down in the last few post.  I am proud to say despite many flu/cold/sick issues all over work and here at home effecting almost everyone - I am 2 years sniffle/fever/aches free.  I am like a lot  others working 40-60 hours a week and training 12-15 hours a week also.  I attribute some of this lack of sickness to eating well.  However, I have done that in the past and still contracted the once or twice a year cold etc.  I attribute the difference to relgiously taking a multivitamin.  I do not know if it is the antioxidant effect of vitmain E or the immune modulation of zinc.  Truth be told, I do not care. I take 7 premium insurance tabs (hammer nutrition) daily though.  Take it for what its worth

kstater39, we are buds and all, but they didn't teach you that at UGA vet school haha. I know that because my wife went there and only recently started taking her first supplement, vitamin D.

I get the flu jab every year and take 20 supplements (from fish oil to baby aspirin) daily and I still got sick for 5 nasty days over xmas.

I think we generally are healthier because we are healthier, not because of some multivitamins. we have stronger immune systems from all of our training and our age. Does that stop me from taking them? No, but I don't buy what you just tried to sell us either. Here is a good link on supplements efficacy from http://www.sportsscientists.com/:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tleu-qE2T48/TWtUEbVgnZI/AAAAAAAACAE/4QbAUTQ8sZ8/s1600/snakeoil_supplements_956.png

Next thing someone will tell me is to wear one of those titanium necklaces to shave 30 mins off my time at IMCDA 8)

Slayer, I have to say you are 100% correct, I have no proof at all.  The only nutricuticles(sp?) with any science behind them at all is fish oil.  However, like I also said I'll be taking them still.  At a minimum I get the recc vitamin E for males over 40 for sure.

I guess my totals are okay, less than Jan though...did have a weekend of no long bike due to travel for a 1/2 marathon...just sort of feeling behind though I'm probably not.  1st HIM is a month from today (2 April) though....that'll be interesting:

February's totals:
Bike:	18h 13m 13s  - 361.59 Mi
Run:	16h 43m 10s  - 122.55 Mi
Swim:	7h 59m 35s  - 22732.32 M

Feb totals. OK mine are not that great but I feel ok about them. Also not sure about miles. I do a lot of runs and bike with other goals in mind. I do hills or mile reps and other training things along with easy runs and rides. I shoule look at milage but just have not yet.

Run 13 hours
Bike 15 hours
swim 7 hours
soccer 5 hours:0
stength and core 10 hours