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2013-07-08 4:49 AM

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Subject: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
Trained well for each leg leading up to my first Oly for next weekend. What's a typical week look like volume-wise? I planned on doing one solid run, swim, bike workout (all separate) and then one of each workout on the light side and 2 days off before the race...sound reasonable?

Edited by Nhmountainman 2013-07-08 4:55 AM


2013-07-08 5:21 AM
in reply to: Nhmountainman

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
If this is your A-race, then forget any "solid" sessions during the week of the race. A light bike, a light run and a light swim is about perfect, but the rest of the week, just relax and recover, eat well and drink plenty of fluids. The week of the race is too late to train for it, you're not going to get faster, but do too much and you will get slower.
2013-07-08 6:18 AM
in reply to: Nhmountainman

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
Most people do best by reducing volume, but maintaining intensity at, or above, race intensity. I like to use short bike/ run bricks to practice transitions during race week too.
2013-07-08 6:43 AM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
Same deal here, first Oly is on Sunday.

Today: 20min trainer, 20min Run
Tomorrow: 40 min trainer
Wednesday: 40 min easy run
Thursday: 1500m easy swim
Friday/Saturday: not a damn thing.
2013-07-08 7:53 AM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
Originally posted by TriMyBest

Most people do best by reducing volume, but maintaining intensity at, or above, race intensity. I like to use short bike/ run bricks to practice transitions during race week too.


So, for race week, you would be running at race pace? How long, and how often? Would simply incorporate some shorter speed portions into a longer run?
2013-07-08 8:22 AM
in reply to: Nhmountainman

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
Keep the intensity and volume low, and just stay loose. I hesitate to give you any more advice than that, since I've no idea what your training has been for the event.

Personally, I'll decrease my volume, but I usually put in a midweek bike/run with a little "edge" on it -- somewhat hard, but not extreme. Just depends how I feel. Swimming stays about the same. I've got an Olympic this weekend myself -- I've just come off of a hard 2-week cycle. We'll see how I do!

Ken


2013-07-08 8:38 AM
in reply to: GoFaster

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?

Originally posted by GoFaster
Originally posted by TriMyBest Most people do best by reducing volume, but maintaining intensity at, or above, race intensity. I like to use short bike/ run bricks to practice transitions during race week too.
So, for race week, you would be running at race pace? How long, and how often? Would simply incorporate some shorter speed portions into a longer run?

Running I tend to like getting in maybe a few miles solidly in threshold. Makes less difference to me whether it's a straight tempo or broken up into say mile repeats on short recovery, just so long as I get it in and am working up around where I want. One of these has been nice with the rest of the time making sure to be really easy, with maybe some strides.

On the bike I've liked getting in a workout over threshold. Say like 5 x 4' up in VO2 territory on near equal rest has worked well (also known as A Very Dark Place), but I don't know that all 5 would be necessary. I already tend to do a good deal of work up in threshold, so this workout tends to kind of open up to working harder and race day seems a little less difficult. Otherwise I'd probably make sure to get in a solid larger block threshold workout far enough out to recover well and be able handle this one well.

Both of those tend to be earlier in the week. In the day or two before I'll get in something very easy for the most part, but pick up the pace on the run to about expected intensity for just a few minutes. The bike will be similar and at or over for just a few minutes. Mostly just long enough to go past the anerobic/aerobic changeover. The rest of it is really really easy, light and quick feet for both. Basically not much more than a warm-up.

2013-07-08 9:19 AM
in reply to: GoFaster

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?

Originally posted by GoFaster
Originally posted by TriMyBest Most people do best by reducing volume, but maintaining intensity at, or above, race intensity. I like to use short bike/ run bricks to practice transitions during race week too.
So, for race week, you would be running at race pace? How long, and how often? Would simply incorporate some shorter speed portions into a longer run?

Yes, at race intensity/pace/power (whatever metric you use to measure intensity).  Assuming that your training in recent weeks has been race-specific, you've been doing some work at this intensity already, so short sessions at it won't take anything out of you, but they will help most people avoid feeling "flat" on race day.

The length and exact intensity of the session depends on the athlete's fitness level and how fast I expect them to finish the race.  For example, someone finishing an oly in 2:20 can race at a higher relative intensity than someone who I expect to take 3:20, and they likely have a higher overall fitness level, so they can do a longer session at a higher % of threshold.

A sample session for someone who I expect to finish in the 3+ hour range who has trained at adequate volumes and intensities the last few months before an oly might do something like this in the week before the race:

":35 Bike/Run Brick - Set up a transition area like you will use for the race. This session includes transition practice.
Bike - 10 min build from HR Zone 1 (RPE 1) to mid HR Zone 3 (RPE 4-5), 15 minutes in HR Zone 3 (RPE 4), then a quick transition to a 10 min transition run in mid HR Zone 3 (RPE 4-5).
The intensity / paces of this training session should be similar to the upcoming race."

I've had athletes do as many as three sessions like this in race week, starting with sessions that might be longer, and ending with a shorter version of it 1-2 days before the race.

 

2013-07-08 11:13 AM
in reply to: Nhmountainman

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
I'm also doing an Oly this weekend. Although it is not an A race for me (I'm training for my first HIM later this year and I'm using this race as training), I'm still tapering. My week looks like this:

Today: rest or very very easy 20 min jog/walk (last week volume was brutal, especially Thursday and the weekend. I need to recover)
Tuesday: masters swim class, followed by a zone 2 30 min run
Wednesday: trainer for 50 min with 20 min at HR zone 2 and 15-20 min at HR zone 3, followed by a 30 min HR zone 2/3 run where I will look to run at my race pace for about 1 mile
Thursday: masters swim class (it is at 6 am, so I'll get 48h rest before my race)
Friday: off
Saturday: race day!!

My total volume for this week will be around 3.5h-4h, without including the race. The last 4 weeks I've been doing between 10 and 12h, so I'm hoping that this will be enough to be in good shape for my Oly without sacrificing my HIM training.
2013-07-08 12:33 PM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
Originally posted by TriMyBest

Yes, at race intensity/pace/power (whatever metric you use to measure intensity).  Assuming that your training in recent weeks has been race-specific, you've been doing some work at this intensity already, so short sessions at it won't take anything out of you, but they will help most people avoid feeling "flat" on race day.


Ben & Don - thanks for those replies.

As for the quoted part, epic fail for me. Most of my recent running has been Z2 effort level, with limited intensity. Guess we'll see how things shake out on race day.
2013-07-08 12:48 PM
in reply to: Nhmountainman

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?

Pretty much what Ben and Don mentioned.  A few workouts with race pace or slightly above race pace efforts, but the duration of that effort doesn't need to be long, and shouldn't really impact you the next day since your overall volume is also being reduced.  You're not doing these to increase fitness, but rather to stay sharp.  While it is important to let your body recover from a big training load, you also don't want to lose too much fitness by simply taking unnecessary days off.  Of course if you really aren't sure...it is still better to err on the side of too little than too much.

As far as the last couple of days leading into the race, I still like to keep active...usually an easy ride, short run, and short swim. spread through those last two days.



2013-07-08 7:44 PM
in reply to: Jason N

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Subject: RE: What's your training week look like before on Oly?
I think I have taken a little bit of advice from everyone. We'll have a good week and let it fly this weekend...thank you guys for the thoughtful advice!
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