JohnnyKay and Fred Doucette's HIM/IM focused Mentor group-CLOSED (Page 62)

So I have my first HIM coming up next weekend and I started the taper this week.  Now seems to be the time when I start thinking about some of the true unknowns in this race for me.  One thing I was recently reminded of is that there will be wetsuit strippers at this event.  I've never had this luxury in a race nor do I have any idea how to execute "the strip".  Can someone enlighten me as to how this process works?

Yep, got it.  Gel with water + sports drink at other aid stations.  I'm hoping I can run somewhere in the low 1:40's (maybe break 1:40, but we'll see) so I figure I'd probably get no more than 2-3 gels total on the run.

Had an awesome ride of hill climbing today.  3 loops.  First time I ever did 3 loops, always only did 1 or 2 in the past. 

1st Lap - 25:05, 280 watts (282 normalized), 167 bpm. 

2nd Lap - 27:03, 253 watts (255 normalized), 167 bpm

3rd Lap - 26:00, 260 watts (263 normalized), 171 bpm

I set a 20 minute power personal best at the end of the 1st lap at 285 watts.  Who knows what it could have been if I actually targeted a 20 minute all out.  I didn't give it my all because I still knew I needed to do 2 more laps, and the first 5 minutes at of that lap at 262 watts didn't help either.

My previous 20 minute best was 274 watts, so I'm pretty stoked I was able to ride at 93-102% of that number for longer than 20 minutes, and 3x consecutively.  Granted, it takes about 13 minutes to descend the hill with all the switch backs...so there was a good amount of recovery.

I really want to find some time to schedule an all out 20 minute test on this hill.  I honestly think I can burry myself into a hole at 300 watts.

Nice numbers Jason - always great when we can see improvements.

On my own positive note, and speaking of power, I got my PT back yesterday.  Really impressed with how fast the Cdn distributor turned it around and got it back to me.  They only received it on Tuesday and I had it back on Thursday!  Rode it on the trainer last night and all seemed good, and the numbers were where I expected them to be, so I'm happy.

Oh, and I get to suffer through a 20min power test next week, so this came back just in time.

Eff, eff, eff.  10 days out from Racine and my 2 1/2 yo has a runny effin' nose.  This is my worst nightmare.  Please send all positive vibes that we don't catch a cold here.  This is my doomsday scenario and why I probably won't train for an IM next year.  I know I sound like chicken little here, but these colds my kids bring home can be vicious.  Worse than the crap DH brings home from the ER.

Sorry to hijack, glad the powertap is back.  Oh, and vis a vis nutrition, I alternate sports drink and water, but it took some experimentation to figure out I shouldn't start out with sports drink...icky tummy feelings.  On the run I don't do a gel more than 45 minutes together...but I weigh less than most of you guys, so I don't need nearly the calories.  And I've mixed sports drinks and gels, and lived to tell the tale, but I try not to do it as a rule of thumb.  Plus it tastes gross.  

Rode with a gel flask for the first time, and loved it so much, think I'm gonna run with one in Racine...

Hope the cold doesn't travel to you.   Good chance that it doesn't.  Don't worry about it, since there's nothing you can do about it one way or the other.  get as much rest as you can and you'll be fine!

I'm cussing like Quincy. I ran on the trail (I've been water jogging) for the first time since my HIM yesterday. The ran felt awesome, my legs felt great. This morning my foot is a total mess. I ran 3 miles and my foot feels as bad as it did after I did the HIM 2.5 weeks ago. Looks like I'm out for the rest of season.

Crap.

Don't give up too soon!  You can maintain a lot of fitness biking & aqua jogging (and swimming).  Enough to get by in some tris with minimal running (as long as the foot heals up enough to run during them).  I know you've had some ART on the foot, but have you been to see a sports med doc?

If it is bad enough to keep you out, then take advantage of the time to let it heal well.  Focus on those activities that don't stress it and rebuild your running gradually in the off-season.  Stay positive!  And good luck!

You're right. I looked up some races on tri find. There are a couple of options for Oct. 2nd. It just depends how my healing goes. If it's like the PF I've had I could be laid up a long time. On the other hand I had a torn tendon in my foot once that healed in a month. I had to wear an ugly black boot but it was really not a big deal at all. My feet are just a constant problem - super flexible with no arch. I can always aqua/bike too if I really want to race.

I have not been to a sports doc but I have been to the podiatrist (back in May). The podiatrist took an x-ray but did not see anything alarming. He also did not know that I was going to continue to increase my running mileage. I am reluctant to go to the sports med doctors around here. Long waits, not great bedside manner, talk really fast, rush through your appointment, immediately request an MRI for everything and charge a lot.

Thanks for the encouragement...yesterday was definitely stressful.  Every moment I didn't feel awesome, I was convinced I was coming down with something (someone's in the taper, haha).  Plus my daughter woke up with the sniffles and a sore throat too.  Good news is if the boy did have something, it's already clearing up, which is a good sign.  Last time he brought something home we all were blowing our noses for 3 weeks, it was awful.

So, I'm thinking allergies, which I can live with!  But I am hedging my bets with the vitamin C, good idea Fred.

Dina, my feet are my weak spot too...I really start having pain in the ball of my foot if my mileage goes above 25ish a week.  Marathon training was terrible, and this year I am not going to even attempt any of the mileage I was doing last year all because of my feet.  Hoping yours is a tendon and not PF.  Keep us up to date.  

So this week I need to get new tires (massive flat last ride...rode thru glass or something), rent race wheels and hopefully bento boxes that fit our bikes.    Nothing new on race day is for other people.  

I also need to get one lake swim in to see if my new goggles fog up in the cold water, warm air/body interface.  For some reason in the last few weeks, every pair of goggles I own has become unusable (foggy or leaking).  Anyone had any luck with keeping goggles from getting foggy.  Any secret tricks I don't know about?

Hey all I am returning from my MIA status. With the 4th last weekend, and a friends wedding this weekend I have not had much time to get on. I am racing in Racine this coming weekend and last week was supposed to be my final big build week, but time allowed me to start my taper a bit early. Had to take the weekend off for the wedding so here I sit a week out, and trying to be optimistic that my extra rest will actually benefit me more then those final big sessions.

I also get my race wheel rentals on Wednesday (Zipp 808/Sub 9 Disc) so I am excited to see how it works out.

My plan for taper is simple; nothing over 2 hours and start to really cut it back Thursday. My arms the past couple weeks have been really sore  from my two weeks of my highest volume at the end of June so I am really trying to get my arms ready for Sunday. Biking I feel great about so lots of easy spins and maybe a few intervals to keep my legs "topped off" through the week. Running is progressing but I will keep runs under 6 miles with tomorrow being my last longer run. Then it will just be maintaince running mostly all at HIM pace.  

Just capped off my biggest training week ever.  Over 18 hours, with 14 hours on the bike.  And looking at my TSS score, those 14 hours were pretty legit.  Total score for the week was 1113, where my previous high TSS score for any MONTH was 2637.

Going to be another tough week for me on the bike again.  I leave for Georgia for work training on Saturday, and won't come back home till the following Satrurday...so that will be a recovery week as far as training.  I plan to use the hotel gym just to run a few miles and maybe get on the exercise bike for a little while just to burn calories.

I have big problems running in heat and the forecast for Sunday in Racine calls for temps to reach anywhere from 92-100+. Good thing I am in the first wave after the pro's, so hopefully I can start the run before it gets too hot out. On the flip side the water is going to hover around or below 60 so I have a nice natural ice bath post-race waiting for me. Oh and my wheel rental comes in today!

Question for the group - how flexible are you?  And do you think your flexibility (or lack of it) helps or hinders your training, racing, and recovery?

I rate myself a 3/10 (and I'm being generous).  I've read that many runners are naturally a bit tighter and being too flexible can actually be a bit of a bad thing when you have too much elasticity - but I'm not sure how correct/incorrect this is. 

Just looking for everyone's perspective.

I share your problem.  Not much you can do other than hydrate as much as possible and pace yourself slower.  How much slower is the $20,000 question and I think everyone is different in how they handle the heat.  Enjoy the swim!