Beginner 1/2 Ironman Plan Group (Page 87)

Couldn't agree with you more, but sh*t happens on the course and expectations need to be adjusted real time when you are out there so that you don't jeopardize that primary goal of finishing.  It was very humbling to see strong competitors go down on the course and pack it in.  I'm sure these folks logged the same if not more ours than me and also had set time specific goals.  Was finishing a foregone conclusion for these folks?  Maybe . . .

For me, I set a base time goal and a stretch time goal.  After about 30 mins into the run, I knew my stretch goal was out the door, but the because my base time goal was still intact, it kept me motivated and less dejected.

The other thing I would add to the mix is that, despite being surrounded by 2500 other competitors, I spent the 5+ hrs out on the course in isolation.  That's a lot of time to spend in your own head dealing exclusively with yourself. I found myself thinking about stuff I never would have imagined.  If you add to this the pre-race anxiety, emotion combined with an early wake up time, it makes the race also emotionally and mentally draining.  With a depleted mind and a depleted body, the chances of things going wrong are increased.  Race smart!

You boys are reading too much into my light hearted statements. Just finish to me is finishing within the zones I have practiced and set in training. That is all. It does not mean I will be out for a joy ride while I am admiring the scenery. For me to try to exceed the paces I have attained in training while racing my first HIM in 90 degree heat would be seriously foolish. I have been given advice from some very experienced triathletes who have all recommended to pace easier than you think you need to on the bike in those kind of temps to try to avoid nausea and vomiting on the run. So, that is what I will do!

Didn't really mean to start the whole just finish vs. max effort debate. For me to hit my target paces will take my max effort to just finish. It is all one concept to me.

All these race reports about the "death runs" are spooking me

I've been carefully getting back into running w/ slow runs after my neuroma setback last month, which seems to be under control for the moment with conservative treatment (Before that, my longest run was 5 mi. in April). Did my longest jog in a while this morning (3 mi., total 43 min between WU, jog, CD) before a sprint this weekend (planning easy 1.5 mi. Friday), which should make 10 mi. for this week. You can check my logs for background.

If I increase by 10% each week (planning on adding an additional easy 1-mi. run day starting next week), I'm not going to hit 20 mpw until early August, 8-9 weeks before the HIM early October.

I'm confident in my swim and bike, but just want to finish the run w/o injury.  Is this a reasonable goal given my limiter?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Joe,

At the moment in the race you decided your stretch goal was out the window and you switched gears toward your base goal, did you feel disappointed or defeated?

It seems like a very interesting moment in a race where you succumb mentally to the course/conditions/percieved physical limitations you're experiencing. I know you have to be realistic and safe about things in a race, but did having two time goals; a stretch and a base, give you an excuse not to see if maybe you'd recover later and be able to make up the time lost from when you were feeling like crap?

I hope it goes without saying that I'm not questioning your strategy or tactics and I'm still totally stoked that you kicked as* in such conditions, I'm just curious about the mental side of the sport and feel there's something to be learned from you all as you complete your races. 

Trigal,

My thoughts about "just finishing" weren't really directed at you as much as just opening up the conversation. I'm just starting to think about how to organize my HIM expectations/goals and need all the advice I can get. In my two Oly's these past three weeks I proved to myself that finishing the HIM won't be a problem. Originally, that was my goal.

Now I need to set new goals. But is it wrong to only set a best-case scenario race time in your mind. If I know three miles into the run, for instance, that there's no way I can make my best case scenario time, what keeps me going hard. Again, I've not yet mastered the go hard for the sake of going hard mental game yet. I need tangible goals. Now I'm rambling......sorry.....I just don't have anything else to think about right now.

Being adaptable is a critical part of endurance racing from the sounds of it. We all know what good days and bad days feel like, and who the heck knows what kind of day you'll have on race day, right?

I also think racing your own race is really important, especially on course when competitors are passing you. It's so easy to get caught up in trying to pace someone who's just barely faster than you. This is what I've learned in my long 2 race career.

I don't think I'm zen enough yet, nor do I have the experience, to accept the beauty of the race for anything other than a mental and physical test whose as* I want to kick! I want to race smart, but I also want to race fast; leaving it all out on the course. For my HIM, I want to embrace the pain that will come, try like hel to fight through it, and finish absolutely dead tired spent from head to toe. For me, that's what a good race will be. Nice swim effort, paced bike effort, and then steadily increase my run splits based on my physical condition. And the last mile is gonna be an all out effort.....I've already decided. I want nothing left in the tank when I'm done. The more pathetic the finsih lilne photo, the better :-) If I have the energy to raise my hands above my head for the photo, I haven't gone hard enough.

Now, that's all real easy to say as I sit here on my couch in a 68* air conditioned condo with the smell of a fresh batch of granola baking away in the oven. Come August, when I'm at about mile 5 or 6, it's 90* outside, my legs are cramping, I'm out of energy, and I'm still running in the opposite direction of the finish line, perhaps I'll feel differently - LOL

Until then, BRING IT ON BABY!!!

p.s. Has anyone seen my remote control? Judge Judy starts in 10 minutes - LOL

p.s.s. Go Canucks!

DV - My thought process in establishing a two tiered goal was that I don't have enough experience to accurately judge what is good race time for me at a distance I've never done.  A 5k/10K road race or a mile swim - sure, I have a pretty good idea as to what number I should run.  But, at 70.3, I simply had no idea what to expect.  I've also in the past set goals which I have easily busted through - which means they were poorly conceived goals and I didn't want to set the bar too low.  After following the plan, I clearly got in better touch with my fitness level and what I thought my capabilities were - but then again, I had no prior race experience upon which to judge those capabilities. 

At the end of the day, I ain't qualifying for Kona or winning my AG so any time goal is really just an arbitrary point with no real world consequences.  I don't think setting two goals was cop out or a crutch, but the recognition on my part that I shouldn't be schmuck and let a single time goal define the value of my effort.  The worse outcome for me would have been to let my failure to attain my stretch goal to diminish my effort or accomplishment.  In my mind, how would I explain to my children that I was disappointed with doing my best - pretty hypocritical, huh?  None of us do this to put food on the table or to pay the bills.  We are all so lucky to have the health and means to pursue these efforts.  The two goals I set for myself allowed me to set my sights high, but also to keep myself grounded in reality. 

I think my testosterone was a bit high earlier today!

You guys are awesome. Thanks for the great thoughts about racing.

It's my recovery week and I'm going CRAZY!!! Tomorrow is a 30 minute ride .... and that's it - ahhhhhhh. The next day has NOTHING planned - ahhhhhhh. I'm cautious to add anything because I want to trust the plan and stick to it.

Joe - what you said about your kids is perfect. I guess in the end for me, setting a time goal is important so I have something to push for. Not meeting it though, will not be a big deal. After all, I'll be a Half Ironman!

Ha ha, you crack me up. Nothing wrong with talking it out.

My kids are only 3 & 5. They don't give a crap if Mommy races a sprint or a HIM. They just want their chocolate chip cookies and bedtime stories .

Wife and I are discussing a potential half distance race in August. It is a new race in the same lake I have done a couple of Olympic distance races. TriGreen Half in Keyesport, IL on August 20. That gives me some time to come up with the race fee and regain my confidence.

I know I can do this.  I got back in the water this morning and did 2100m with 4 sets of 200m kick/200m pull buoy.  I am going to sit down this weekend, look at the beginner 1/2 IM plan, and tweak it to try to address my weaknesses.

My first tri a couple weeks ago I had 2 goals set. The first since it was my first was to finish. The second and goal I wanted was 245, I came in at 247. I was not disappointed at all and I never switched goals either. I went all out "TRIing to get my goal. With 5k left I had to do it in 20 minutes to get my goal. I made up my mind right there i would give it my all to tri and get that goal. I know I left it all on the course even though I missed it by 2 minutes. There is nothing wrong with multiple goals you have a realistic one and one you would love to get. Never give up!! The only way I would be disappointed is if I quit and I wasn't hurt. If I don't finish because my body gives up or I'm to slow for the cutoff so be it. I will usse it for motivation for the next one.

Had a decent bike training yesterday, my legs and body were still tired from my century Saturday. I ended u with 20.6 mph average for 69 minutes. I have a 30 minute run planned tonight after my kids game.  

Happy training!!

Nice job on your race. You knailed that last 5K!

Century ride and I haven't met yet. I haven't even met half century, but plan to in the next few weels!

Heather,

I eat a gel ten minutes before the swim start, drink 140 calories of Ironman Perform on the bike as well as eating a cliff bar, then just drink water on the run as needed.

Heather:

Gel before the swim (with a bit of water to wash it down) and a gel 20 mins before the end of the bike with water and sports drink on the bike for hydration.  No need to eat during a 10K - just water as needed.

Are you doing Philly Tri on 6/26?

Ok, thanks I will practice more with gel during my w/o's.  I read a neat tip last week...keep a few gels in a flash and add a little water to make it a bit easier to go down.

I am doing Philly Tri JoeP, are you getting kicked in the arse by Lemon Hill (twice!) as well?  It is prob a little early in my training to go for an Oly, but the location works for me and there are not many (or any, I know of) opportunities for Oly's in the city. 

I had a neuroma a couple of years ago. Not fun! I had to get a shot of cortizone to get rid of it. Of course I am not very patient.

My suggestion for getting back to running without injury is run slow. It has been suggested on BT pretty frequently to run at a pace which leaves you feeling like you could have continued running without stress so that you could wake up the next day and feel like your on fresh legs. Especially for the longer runs. When you are building distance don't worry much about doing any speedwork.

I just followed the plan and didn't think too much about how many miles per week I was running.

I have family committments which do not allow me to run Philly.  It is a great race, well run, but can get very crowded on the bike (especially going downhill).  Early weather report looks good for Sunday and next week won't be too hot.  With the Schuykill running 72 degrees right now, the race should be wetsuit legal .

As for nutrition, you will find that you get a better sense of what you need as you get further into the plan.  Everbody's constitution is different so you may find you prefer solid nutrition over the more liquid variety.  Play around with it to see what suits you best.  I used various forms of nutrition for my HIM (Perpetuem, gels and Powerbars) in order to keep me interested in eating.  In the midst of the race, it is easy to forget to eat.

Found this article to be very apropos based on recent posts - best of luck to all those who are racing this weekend!

http://www.trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/5-mental-race-day-tactics-to-turn-you-into-a-triathlon-ninja

Nice article!!! I loved the motivation, I do Triathlons to look good Naked. If it works it works LOL

I like that article Joe! Going to read it again this morning.

I'm still stalking the weather. Went to bed at 8:00 last night with a massive headache. I thought it was allergies. Then a massive T-Storm came through in the middle of the night. Tons of rain and even some hail. At least my headache is gone! Now the forecast calls for more T-Storms all day and tomorrow morning.

One thing we can't control is the weather Maybe it will turn around.

Went for a quick 50 minute ride today for fathers day. I avg 18.6 and went 16 miles, the ride went over 5 big rollers out a back. On the way out it rained a little but wasn't to bad. I felt great and I feel like I am getting back into the grove. I have been bike shopping trying to figure out if I wanted to upgrade my road bike to a carbon fiber or a tri bike. I am leaning on keeping the road and buying a cervelo p2. Only bad thing is I will have to sell my dirt bike. I am starting week 11 on the plan with a few changes to meet my schedule and have a little fun to

Happy Fathers Day everyone!!

Well after an hour and half rain/lightening/thunderstorm delay we actually got to race! I did it! I really can't believe it. I'll get to work on a race report as soon as I get my splits. I forgot to look at them before I left the race today. Everything went really smooth though. No major issues besides I am just a slow runner but I knew that already . I think my finish time was around 6 hours 14 min. I wanted to walk so much more than I did. It took a lot of mental strength for me to will my legs to turn over. Mental attitude was more than half the battle today.

Follow the plan everyone! I did not miss very many workouts at all. I did a few rides longer than it called for but other than that I really did not change much at all (besides moving things around to fit my schedule). Even down to the last taper week. The plan will get you ready!

Nice job and Great time!!!