SBR Utopia Season II - OPEN (Page 67)

Originally posted by spudone I figured out my races for next year, finally.  Unfortunately August isn't going to work out so I couldn't sign up for IMMT.  Current plan is New Zealand and Whistler.  Those should use up most of my vacation days

Jeez, you couldn't find any better locations?

I sure hope the fitness comes back quickly!  It's disheartening to do a ride profile that was completely manageable before and just blow up....but it is what it is.  I decided to take the break, now I'll deal with it.  And remind myself to never do that again!

As for the saddle, I did lower it.  I've dealt with far too many saddle-related issues to forget that!

I think there are a lot of experienced folks who can race a lot during an IM year, but they likely have LOTS of experience and a huge fitness base.  If it's not your first rodeo, but maybe your 5th or 6th (in maybe your 10th or 15th season) then I'm guessing there are a lot less unknowns you have to prepare for.  You likely have your nutrition down, and you don't rely on as much of the weekend workouts which can allow you to race more often.  You also may recover faster.

For most of us though, an IM year means less racing.

Originally posted by spudone I figured out my races for next year, finally.  Unfortunately August isn't going to work out so I couldn't sign up for IMMT.  Current plan is New Zealand and Whistler.  Those should use up most of my vacation days

It's ok to take an off year like that once in a while.

What is it going to be like training for a March IM?  Can you ride outside year round?

Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by spudone I figured out my races for next year, finally.  Unfortunately August isn't going to work out so I couldn't sign up for IMMT.  Current plan is New Zealand and Whistler.  Those should use up most of my vacation days

It's ok to take an off year like that once in a while.

What is it going to be like training for a March IM?  Can you ride outside year round?

Why on God's green and sunny Earth would someone not ride outside year round? 

Originally posted by Jason N

Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by spudone I figured out my races for next year, finally.  Unfortunately August isn't going to work out so I couldn't sign up for IMMT.  Current plan is New Zealand and Whistler.  Those should use up most of my vacation days

It's ok to take an off year like that once in a while.

What is it going to be like training for a March IM?  Can you ride outside year round?

Why on God's green and sunny Earth would someone not ride outside year round? 

Why even on God's white and cloudy Earth wouldn't you? 

(exceptions made for ice)

Originally posted by mcmanusclan5

Originally posted by Jason N

Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by spudone I figured out my races for next year, finally.  Unfortunately August isn't going to work out so I couldn't sign up for IMMT.  Current plan is New Zealand and Whistler.  Those should use up most of my vacation days

It's ok to take an off year like that once in a while.

What is it going to be like training for a March IM?  Can you ride outside year round?

Why on God's green and sunny Earth would someone not ride outside year round? 

Why even on God's white and cloudy Earth wouldn't you? 

(exceptions made for ice)

Let's try to keep the curse words (the i word) to a minimum ok?

I really need to win the lottery and move to Hawaii.

Looking for some mid week ride suggestions.

For the first 10+ weeks of my IM training, I was on my road bike.  I loved it.  On weekdays I would ride out into some valleys and do some short hill repeats, and basically just ride at a pretty good clip.

Now I've realized that I've got to get back on my TT bike.  The days are getting slightly shorter, so I'm keeping my weekday afternoon rides confined to a 4 mile loop that is pancake flat and it's much safer to ride the TT bike there.  Less traffic, less side streets, long straighaways where you just put your head down. 

This past Tuesday I did a 12 minute WU, 3x20' at sweet spot (230-235) with a 5-7' recovery in between, then another 12 minute CD. 

Any suggestions for other workouts in the 90-110 minute range specified towards the last IM build?  Would going back to some 75ish minute rides with 5' intervals at VO2 be beneficial?  2x20's?  I'm pretty content with where my FTP is (around 260-265ish) and just looking for the type of mid week rides I should be focusing on in the last 6.5 weeks of training.  Actually more like 4.5 weeks when you remove the taper.

I would keep riding my road bike if I didn't feel my neck needed some time on the TT bike to acclimate.  Pretty common for me that the first 2-3 weeks back on my TT bike makes my neck feel like crap, but then after that I can ride long for hours with no issue.

Any advice or suggestions appreciated.

Originally posted by Jason N

Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by spudone I figured out my races for next year, finally.  Unfortunately August isn't going to work out so I couldn't sign up for IMMT.  Current plan is New Zealand and Whistler.  Those should use up most of my vacation days

It's ok to take an off year like that once in a while.

What is it going to be like training for a March IM?  Can you ride outside year round?

Why on God's green and sunny Earth would someone not ride outside year round? 

Sometimes it gets chilly.  Might not even get above 60.  You need to go indoors on those days to avoid frost bite

Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by spudone I figured out my races for next year, finally.  Unfortunately August isn't going to work out so I couldn't sign up for IMMT.  Current plan is New Zealand and Whistler.  Those should use up most of my vacation days

It's ok to take an off year like that once in a while.

What is it going to be like training for a March IM?  Can you ride outside year round?

I don't really mind running / riding in the rain but the problem up north is that the days start getting very short.  I still have a pretty good trail I can run on in the dark with a headlamp but I'll be doing a lot of cycling on the indoor trainer.  Not much different from any other year though

I don't think you need the shorter intervals right now.  For midweek rides, considering your race is in October, you should be pretty race-specific.  But midweek rides are time limited so you can be pushing harder than what you do on the weekend.  You're on the right track.  N x 12min / 15min / 20min are good options, where N=3-5.

That's kind of what I figured.  I figured that 4x15' and 3x20' was around where I should be at for weekday rides.  But was just wondering if I wanted to add variety if I should err towards 5x12' or 2x30'.

Always!

Was going to add something like 2x30' or maybe 1x45' to what you had already said. If you haven't done any VO2 work in awhile, then maybe a few of them in there, but not really sure you'd need an entire workout focused on that. Like maybe hit 1 or two after one of the other workouts or interspace them.

I was doing a lot of V02 work prior but I like your idea to break up the monotony of some of the longer sets.  Maybe instead of a 4x15', do 3x15' but add a 5' interval before and after.  I usually do better with a 5' interval to start anyway...kind of opens up the legs.

I'd also try to work something in that's not pancake flat, partly to break up the boredom, partly to practice doing your intervals at constant power / low VI on different terrain.  If the roads allow... safety first of course.

Edit: Another option - do somewhat shorter intervals for about 45-60mins, then hop off the bike and run 3 or 4 miles.  Quick way to keep the # of run days up.

1x4' @ 290 and 3x15' @ 230 worked well today.  Meant to get in a last 1x4' at the end but it was getting dark.

I think I might try to take a couple hours of vacation on Tues/Thurs for my last 3 week block to ride out in a different area that has some change in terrain and pretty safe to ride.  Probably worth the extra 30 minutes it takes to drive there as I think it would be good practice managing my VI and climbing in my aerobars.  That's a big key to Kona IMO...none of the hills require you to sit up, and the wind can be strong enough that staying down on your bars even while you're only going 10 mph makes a big difference.

How do you know you're IM training.

You're out early, running 9 miles...just cruising along and ignoring pace.  Just keeping the effort and HR in check.  And then it happens.  Your GF comes out of nowhere and runs by you.  In any other situation, it would be no effin way...but you just let it go...put your tail between your legs, and accept your in the middle of IM training.  LOL.

But good for her I suppose.  She's trying to do her first marathon in December and I've finally convinced her that frequency would help...so she's up to around 4x a week for now...but I still need to drill her on running mostly easy.  She's probably going to be around 10:30ish pace for her marathon, but I can't yet convince her that she shouldn't be trying to run 9:00-9:15's for most of her training runs.

DINGDINGDING... winner.

I find myself in exactly the same (but a completely different) situation.  Better half is full in marathon training and killing it, and so has been outrunning me for the last couple months! 

Of course, I've been married long enough to know when it's a good thing for her to run circles around me.    Kidding, as I'm actually super proud of the way she's running this year - it's actually a blast to watch her getting faster... and faster... and faster!

Matt

Friendly reminder that one of BT's finest, Yanti, is racing IM Japan today (they're a day ahead).  Race will kick off in a few hours.  I'll have to double check on cutoff times as I could have sworn the old IM Japan had a 15 hour cutoff.  Not sure about this current one. 

In any case, I'll be pulling for her. 

Karmic vibes already on the way (not sure how long it takes a vibe to make it to Japan from Boston)

Hope she has the time of her life!