Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 86)

I think you did the right thing.  I would just come back slowly,  it's better to be moving forward then not moving at all.  You don't want to keep tweaking it only to have you sporadically running all the way to LP.  Just take it one run at a time.  I did something to my knee last year (about 2 months before my first HIM), and I wore a brace shortly after it felt normal.  To this day I'm still wearing the brace only because it's been allowing me to run up until this point with no problems.  I'm nervous to take it off now and then end up going running one day only to re-injure it.  So find that routine that allows you to keep running.  

SEADOCHA - 2012-05-21 6:01 PM anyone here from Bootri? I haven't heard if he was still alive after Triple T! haha I am anxiously waiting on them to post results. I really do hope he is okay... it was a scorcher!

He tweeted me today to ask how it went. I passed him on the bike during the half and he said it went well. I am assuming he is headed home still. I know how you feel about the results too... I have been checking constantly all day!

SEADOCHA - 2012-05-21 6:01 PM anyone here from Bootri? I haven't heard if he was still alive after Triple T! haha I am anxiously waiting on them to post results. I really do hope he is okay... it was a scorcher!

HEY HEY!!! It was a great weekend... Them hills were insane all weekend and the run... wow... hope everyone had a great weekend and didn;t miss my posts too much!! lol

So I thought I lost my race report (6 pages) but I was able to recover it. I guess it's not too bad for 4 races. Anyhow, I'm waiting on posting the RR when I get my times. I just wanted to point out a few things that I learned for my first tri experience...

Do NOT rush into the water like you are Usain Bolt and think you can  swim like you are speedy Michael Phelps

Always remember to put your timing chip/anklet on

Have a checklist for the morning and check it off before you leave the hotel (forgetting water bottles is not acceptable)

 I'm also curious.... what do you clean your shoe/shoes off with after the race. I made sure I did a good rinse cycle yesterday. I felt like a true triathlete at mile 47. ahhhh,,,,peeeeeee!

I'm so ready for Lake Placid, so READY!

So my times are going to start getting heavy on the bike for time...but I have a question.

There are a couple weeks that are going to be 6:45min on the bike.  But I'm a faster rider than that for an Ironman...so should I still do the 6:45 even though I'll pump out 125+ miles? Is it going to do me any good, really?

I don't have anything that long.  My longest will be 6 hours, and that has gotten me around 104 miles.  So I'll be short for actually covering the entire distance at 6 hours untill I start to get faster on the bike.  I don't know if it will help to go that amount of distance since I've never gone that far. 

The water bottles you forgot -- many people, including myself, rinse off with a water bottle immediately after doing the deed.  I actually prefer to wait, grab one from an aid station, wait for a descent, make sure NO ONE is behind me, and then do the deed, then immediately rinse yourself thoroughly with the water bottle from waist down. 

And not only don't forget your timing chip; put it on your left ankle which eliminates the chance of it getting caught in your chain.  Just remember if you're sprinting for the finish with someone else, to lean with your left leg over the line first.  I did a race where I just edged out the runner next to me, but he beat me in the standings (and AG Podium spot) because although I crossed the timing mat finish line first; his timing chip was on his right leg and crossed the mat before mine. 

If you carefully build up to that mileage - Yes it will help.  If you jump up out too fast to that mileage, than you run the risk of injury.  At 125+ miles you also run the risk of getting a nasty saddle sore which can sideline you ; so be aware of that. 

I know a few guys who do at least one 120-miler before an Ironman.  Usually about 4-weeks out from Race Day.  From what I've seen with other people training for an Ironman, 120 miles is the magic number for how long you need to go.  And many just do it once.  For the Avg Ag'er 100 miles is more than enough.  112 miles is nice for the mental confidence boost.  Personally I don't see a need to go over 120.  For many of us the Risk will far outweigh the Reward.

Best of Luck

* FWIW - consistency on the Bike may be more important than uber Long Rides.  After my Rev3 HIM last year, leading up to LP my Long Rides each weekend were: 77, 84, 62, 62, 47, 42.  So I didn't even go 100 miles, but ended up with a 6:05 Bike Split on Race Day.  However I rode very consistently and had a lot of mid-week 40-mile rides.  For 2011 my monthly Bike Totals were - May: 556 miles ; June 494 miles ; July 307 miles not including the 112 on Race Day.  So for me, quality Long Rides and consistency may have trumped the uber Long Rides.  But I'm not sure ... as I do plan to raise the bar this year and do several centuries; and perhaps a 120-miler.  So only time will tell.

My schedule has (2) 100 mile rides, a (2) lap LP course-112 miles and then an 85 mile on the American Zofigen course in New Paltz (about 8700' climbing).

My question for the experienced IM athletes: Does the mileage count as much as the effort?  I've beeen told by several people lately that putting in harder efforts on the 2nd half of longer rides will benefit me more than just long, slow rides.

Thoughts?  Will you get more out of an 80 mile harder effort or a 100 mile Z2 efffort? 

Well, I've NO experience with IM, but I'll make this comment...FWIW

If biking fitness is at all similiar to run fitness, then there are many ways to improve. On LR's in marathon training, there is a progression by many coaches-

-first cover the distance-long, slow/steady runs

second-add some intensity-either longer segments of faster/tempo running or MP or medium-long segments of 1/2MP

third-do a 'fast finish' run

fourth-do a progression run-severe/negative split

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These are posted in order of difficulty and I'd imagine that cycling is similiar in terms of benefits.

My own, illconstructed, self-coached schedule for training has something like these incorporated into my final training block-in terms of intensity, but I really like to do my faster stuff on medLR's and medium long bike rides .

I usually do only segments of pacing at my 'goal pace' during very long runs/rides. I would believe that a fast finish ride/negative split ride would definitely help you improve much more than just riding easy.

For me lately, the long bike is all about dialing in my nutrition plan as much as it is training with distance or pace...

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Of course, I could ask you this question-which do you think helps your running more-the LR or a medLR with some pace? It just may be an answer based more on the individual. With tri-training, as well as marathon training, I personally believe you need long runs of 20-26 miles, but many would argue that you do not need to go that far.

(I did very well at my first and only ultra by doing lots of medLR's including 2 during one day a few weeks before the race. I went very s-l-o-w and worked on nutrition running to work. I also did medLR's with fast finish and lots of 1/2mp. It worked for me...)

WOW! I never thought about the timing chip on the left ankle. That is a great idea! My luck, it would get caught in the chain. I know they must come off easy because I was swimming and I found one floating in the water. I grabbed it and was going to turn it in but I thought it would mess with my time so I threw it back.lol. I did grab the number off of it and I reported it to the volunteer though. I felt like the biggest rookie this wknd, but felt so accomplished afterwards!

So, I think I have definitely hit a big slump. I am so exhausted every day and even have a hard time getting through work. I work as a physical therapist, so my job is not what one would call sedentary; I am on my feet most of the day.

The past 2 weeks, my Z2 run averages have increased to above 9 min/mile pace; prior to this, I was averaging around 8:15 min/mile. I struggled to get through my entire long run this past Sunday with my average pace around 9:20. To add, it has also gotten very warm with temps above 80 degrees, and it's killing me as well.

Today's Z4 interval run was aboslutely miserable and I pushed myself to try to maintain the pace I have in the past (around 7:20-7:30 for Z4) and I literally almost passed out.

Is this normal? Should I back off? I feel I really need a day to sleep in (which hasn't happened in ages) and have been tempted to call off work, but that's something I probably would never do. Hopefully this will pass...I have a half ironman on June 3rd to complete!

Hello everyone.  My wife and I are doing Lake Placid this year.  My second Ironman, her first.  We live in Delaware which is relatively flat.  This past weekend we did a supported ride called Storming of Thunder Ridge in Lynchburg, VA to get some hill training.  It was a serious wake up call.  There was a 13 mile sustained climb (6-8% grade) that was just brutal.  The descent was crazy.  I now know what 41 mph on a bike feels like.

Has anyone done this ride?  If so, have you also done Lake Placid and how do they compare?  We are doing the Fireman Camp in June so I guess I'll have my answer soon enough but kind of wanted to know what to expect.

Thanks,

Brendon

I have a question about which tires to use.
I have continental sprint tubular tires that are 200miles old.  Itll probably be 600miles old by race day.  Any of you use continental sprint tubular tires on race day at lake placid?

That does not sound too out of the ordinary to me, especially if you are not getting your rest. Remember that rest/sleep IS part of training. There are times when if it comes to skipping a workout or skipping sleep, you really should skip the workout. If you do not take the time to recover you are just wasting your time IMO.

The heat will make a big difference as well - especially as we get acclimated during this time f year. Remember back when we were complaining about how cold it was??? 

Also, everyone is different, but are you sure your zones are right? How have you tested them, and how long has it been since you ave done so. Z2 @ 8:15 and Z4@7:30 just does not seem like much "space" to work within to me...

Hi Brendon - welcome to the group! I have never done that particular ride, but I ride regularly in mountains that have similar grades, just not so long. Ours are typically 6~9 miles. You will find Lake Placid to be much, much easier than 13 miles of a 6~8% grade. That is real mountain climbing, while LP is really just hills, some of which are long.

I did find last year doing those long pulls in the mountains to be very beneficial in "flattening out" Lake Placid. You guys will do great!

I've never used them, but I really like the Zipp Tangente Tubular tires...Good luck!

I think you'll benefit from both.  Variety on the Bike is good. 

For one, I've found that the deeper I get into training the longer it takes for my legs to Warm Up before a Long Ride.  So I usually use the first 60 to 90 mins to Warm Up.  Then according to how I feel, according to the plan --which I occasionally follow -- some Long Rides are strictly about "Time in the Saddle" so they'll be a long ride with an EZ effort; some rides I'll try and insert Z4 intervals toward the end; some Long Rides will be a consistent Tempo Effort the last two hours.  A lot of times, to be honest, it's based on how I feel.  If it's mid-June, 90+ degrees and humid, it just may be about getting through the Long Ride in one piece

What does everyone plan on using for your wheel combo? I have a 50/88 setup right now and am contemplating getting an 88 for the front as well to have an 88/88.  

But I'm also 220lbs so getting blown around by the wind won't affect me as much as you skinny guys.

This is what Zipp recommends for LP.
http://zipp.com/speedshop/placid.php

Thanks for the advice. I chose to sleep in the morning (by sleeping in, I mean until 7 am :p) so I missed my planned a.m. workout. But I missed my swim workout yesterday as well...so I am going to try to squeeze those in after work. Problem with that, is I don't get home until around 8 pm; eat dinner, then get to bed. Wake up at 5 am the next morning, and start it all over again :p Hopefully I just need to get through this "slump"

Talking about heat, last Saturday's long ride, it was 94 degrees. Predicted temp for this weekend is 93. YUCK! The heat really sucks it out of me. On days like that, I tell myself that I would rather have rain and 60 degrees during the IM!

As far as retesting my zones, I have not. Not sure where to squeeze this in, and I dread it so much because I feel so crappy. But I know they are probably off. Any advice on which weekly workout to swap for zone testing? I am following the Fink plan. Tues/Fri have 1 hour runs with some Z4 efforts; Thursday is bike with Z4. Should I substitute these workouts?

Thanks!

You're tired?  WELCOME TO IRONMAN TRAINING   lol! 

If you're training for LP and you're not the least bit fatigued right now, you're either not training enough; OR you're lucky enough to have a schedule that allows for lots of Rest & Recovery. 

Not to advertise for another training tool website, but TrainingPeaks actually has a tool where you can track your fatigue level.  Up and down week-long swings in fatigue levels is super-normal for Ironman training.  I've always wanted to try and chart my fatigue cycle to see if I can better predict and plan PEAKS for Race Day. 

Remember that: "Rest & Recovery is a critical part of Ironman Training".  Your body needs downtime to absorb the training stress and fatigue and turn this into improved fitness.  Since, like me, you have a half-Iron on June 3rd, I would suggest cutting out maybe a workout or two between today, Thursday and Friday in favor of getting some much-needed rest; focus on getting your Long Run and Bike in this weekend; and then take a much-needed Taper Week from Monday through Saturday to rest and recover for your 70.3.  Then take the Monday off after your 70.3 (or do super-light spinning or super-EZ recovery work) and keep the workouts Recovery-oriented for Tues-Wed-Thurs and make sure you're fresh as possible for the Long Stuff on the weekend to start the last block of Peak Training. 

Here's a great article: http://www.kainperformance.com/the-importance-of-recovery/

I also read a good article written by Tim Deboom in triathlete magazine, where he says Recovery is the 4th discipline.  He argues that Recovery is Training.  Anytime his wife would come home and see him lying on the couch he'd look at her and say, "What?  I'm training!  ".  And he meant it.   

Zipp 404 front 808 back 165 pounds