Speeding Ticket in Stanley

My favorite training buddy made a visit to Boise this past week, my youngest brother John.

John invokes the sort of training (friendship) that is truly satisfying...challenging, but not in a way that is destructive. We covered some good miles this past week and had a few laughs.

Now into the taper period before Lake Placid. As this summer has been pretty disruptive, I lack the typical consistency that I'm accustomed. In order to gain some clarity as to whether or not I was fit enough to race my typical hr goals, I modified some of Gordo's aerobic endurance tests and completed them last week. If you haven't read his "4 pillars" discussion, here is a link:

http://www.coachgordo.com/gtips/endurance_essentials/the_four_pilla...


I modified the run and bike tests similar to the way I race in that I like to go progressively harder throughout the session, expecting a concomitant increase in pace. If the pace is falling off despite the ability to raise the hr, then I likely need to adjust my hr goals down.

The swim test is modified differently...based upon a different gordo swim suggestion I like. Philosophy is different in that you intentionally go out hard, then try and hold your race pace. This likely represents race situation for most people.

Gordo’s suggested aerobic sessions during one week to assess aerobic endurance for Ironman in bold. My modifications inserted below

Swim – One and a quarter hours, long course (50-meter pool), continuous aerobic swimming with three stroke breathing

My pacing test (Gordo suggested swim):
Choice w/u


Then 5x400 as
fast/mod-hard/steady/mod-hard/fast


Take 30s rest on the first one and that is your send off for all 5

Last swim should be same speed as first

#2/#4 should be about 15s slower

#3 should give you about 5s RI
--


(My modification is: repeat 5 x 400 on same interval as above steady effort)

I would reassess goal pace if the last 400 isn’t the fastest, even if only by a couple of seconds.


Bike – Six hours, continuous aerobic riding

My pacing test:
1 hour easy or 10 beats below goal hr.

then 4 hours of steady, elevate hr on climbs using proposed ceiling, never rest below steady goal hr. 1 6-8 min break halfway to refuel, but get going as quickly as possible.

Last hour, (3) 15 minute efforts with hr 3-5 beats above goal hr, separated by 5 minutes at steady

This last hour is critical…if you cant pull (3) 15 minute efforts at the end of only a 6 hour “steady”ride, how are you going to run a marathon?


Run – Two and a half hours, continuous aerobic running

My pacing test:
30 minutes easy, 10 below goal marathon hr.
45 minutes at hr within 3-4 beats below goal hr
45 minutes goal hr
30 minutes above goal hr.
For me, if I’m fit and have chosen the right hr, I can hold ~1 beat avg. higher than goal for the last 30 minutes with an 5 sec/mile faster pace.
I would reassess my goal hr if I couldn’t raise my hr/pace at the end.

*****
So, how did I do? I will certainly be more conservative than last year at IMC. I was really fatigued by the end of 2.5 hours, I still had a 10k to go. The swim was fine and my powermeter shut off after 20 minutes of the ride, so it was all on feel. I finished reasonably strong, but not quite the fitness I've had in the past.
******

I finished a ride back into Stanley with a pretty strong tailwind and slightly downhill, cruising 30 mph for about 15 miles. As we approached the city limit and speed limit signs, I slowed down and John cruised around with a quizzical look on his face. "Why are slowing down?" "Didn't want to get a speeding ticket in town!"

Ahhhh, nothing like good training buddies.

J