Schmize's Group - FULL (Page 6)

Good luck Mikkel.  You are going to nail it.  For sure.

And Angelo, if I am ever near the keys, I will be there is a heart beat.

AJ - I am a huge fan of HR training.  I think, when done right, its the best way to improve your fitness over time.  With that said, how do you know your HR zones?  If you are basing it off of Max HR or some other calculator, most likely its incorrect.  Your run zones will be different (usually higher), than your bike zones.

The best way to do your HR training is based off of Lactate Threshhold.  This is where your body starts producing lactate in excess.  Imagaine a cup with a hole in the bottom.  If you pour water into it slowly, you will never fill the cup up (thats z1/z2).  If you start pouring faster, then it will fill up and ultimately overflow (thats when you start producing more lactate than the body can remove).  Its also the time you start burning more sugar (body has a limited supply) as opposed to fat (body has unlimited supply...even if you are at 5% body fat).  So, for endurance events, you will last much longer burning fat than sugar.  This is why I am a big fan of LSD runs, walk/runs, etc.  They all build up the aerobic system.  Once that system is built up, you then can layer on speed work, etc.

Testing for LTHR is important.  At the end of this post is a way to do the field test.  Another way is your average heart rate based on a 10K.  If the test seems daunting, a 5K might work, by figuring your ave. HR over the 5K is about 105% of LTHR.

Back to your question.  If you are jumping out of Z2 (once you get your LTHR, then just plug that into Friel's calculator for your zones.  Its on Mike Ricci's website, or I can email you an excel format), this means your aerobic system needs to be further developed.  In comes walk/runs.  Or walking on a treadmill at steeper inclines.  In general, if your HR is spiking and not caused by hills, winds, cardiac drift, you need to slow down (even if its walking).  Teach your body to burn fat and you will be able to go longer, and in the long run (pun intended), you will also go faster.  Its counter-intuituive, but it works. I am proof. 

TEST: Make sure to warm up well for 10 to 15 minutes before starting out. The field test is going to be an individual time trial of 30 minutes. The effort should be very hard, but not so hard that you slow down at the end, think race effort of about 10k running or 30k bike time trial effort. It's best to do this on a track in order to control for hills and avoid changes in effort that could be associated with external factors such as traffic. Another good option is to find a 5k, 8k or 10k race (which ever you think would be closest to a 30min all-out effort). This can actually produce better results since you have the motivation of the other runners to keep you going. Again, the goal is to go as hard as you can sustain for the entire 30min without slowing and finish with nothing left in the tank.

Start the time trial and make sure to press the start button on the heart rate monitor. After the first 10 minutes press the lap button and press the lap button again at 30 minutes. Cool down 5 to 10 minutes easy. The average heart rate over the last 20 minutes is your lactate threshold estimate.

Angelo -  A HRM is a great tool, especially if you are going longer.  For sprints, probably not needed.  And even for olympics, you can get away without one.  But for the longer distances, its a must.  Great tool to also tell if you are overtraining/undertraining.  Keeps those easy workouts, in the easy range.

Mikkel - going to read your RR.

Mikkel,

I am glad you have a grip with what is going on.  15-20hrs is a TON of training.  You are going to do great in orlando.  And you will hopefully slow down a bit and get everything else back in shape.  It is a tough balancing act, no doubt.  Believe me, I have 3 kids.  I have taken this whole endeavor slowly building up to the IM.  Each step of the way, I have made sure to get buy in from the family.  At around 12 hours +, tris will affect work.  After that, the family.  I have made some sacrifices where I don't workout afternoon (rarely does it ever happen).  Other things can be done, but family definitely comes first.  And then work b/c you need the money to buy tri equipment!

Anyway, your story inspired me, so I am going to go down to Orlando this weekend.

OK, the truth is I will be down there with the family visiting Disney World!  I had no idea it was the same weekend as your HIM.  Not sure how things will play out, but maybe I will see you.  How long will you be down there?  There are a couple other midwestern BTers that will be down there racing, too (travisb?, tridds).

Should be a good time.  And not to put any pressure on you, but I expect a sub 5 hour race.  Hey, I have expectations of my mentees!

Good luck and HAVE FUN!