Weekly Wrap-up 1/19/14 - I survived Base 1

I survived my 1st base training phase.  My aerobic base is now solid and I'm ready to roll into the higher intensity stuff.... plus even more volume.

This week I reached 20h28m of training volume.  Something to note as well is that I do not count rest during swimming, running or cycling workouts.  This was my TSS is calculated more accurately.

This weeks totals:

Swim - 11,350scy, 2h53m
Bike - 9h34m, 178.6 mi
Run - 6h21m, 51 mi
Strength - 1h40m
Totals - 20h28m, 16,261 cal, CTL 110.8, ATL 146, TSB -27.2, 1112.5 TSS

Training volume percentages - Bike - 47%, run 31%, Swim 14%, strength 8%.  As you can see, cycling continues ot be a focus and will be throughout my annual plan.

My ride today clarified the importance of working on the bike.  Holding around 210-240 Watts felt easy for about 1-1/2 hours, OK through 3 hours and I was really fighting fatigue the last hour.  I didn't completely bonk, but I think I actually bonked, but low blood sugar was partly a contributor.   Overall it was slow, but I had crosswinds the whole way so I never god a full benefit of tailwinds, and had a cross headwind the entire 2h45m ride back from the turn around.  I think I averaged 23mph going out and about 15 comming back.  Ya, it was that bad.  I had winter gear, 4 bottles and training wheels with a wide 28mm front wheel, so that really slowed things down. I pushed into a tempo pace for a good 20-30 minutes at the start of the leg home.

My Saturday 17 mile run felt pretty good.  My longest run in 16 years.  I think my running is coming along pretty well.  A little knee soreness seemed to go away and my PF on my left heel wasn't an issue.  My right foot soreness seems to keep getting better.  So overall improving.

A few things to work on.

1)  Nutrition - I need to put in my nutrition order through True Nutrition.  I want a custom maltodextrine, dextrose, fructose bland that I can use as a concentrated drink mix, supplemented with Powerbar Perform (on course), plus a couple gels.  I'm thinking 350 calories per hour is manageable.  Solid food is too hard to eat while holding aero and maintaining a steady pace, especially in a 70.3.

2) Annual Training Plan - I entered TSS estimates for all workouts and races from now until IMWI.  I found a few interesting things.  Overall I'll hit Kansas and IMWI with very high TSB's.  30+ to Kansas, 40+ for IMWI.  I'll also have good form for Steelhead.  Lake Goede, I'll be negative, but TSB will be climbing, so a good result should be possible.  Should be a fun season if I can stay healthy.

3) Race Schedule - I'm now thinking that doing Hyvee the weekend before IMWI might not be a bad idea.  It might be a good distraction.   I'm qualified for the Championship Elite Race.  I could put together a top 10 armature result.  It will get me one more solid open water swim in a race setting, in particular in heavy traffic with a mass start.

4) Lupus Foundation of America, Iowa Chapter - SO my fundraising kicked off... and hasn't really gone anywhere yet.  Looks like in will take a little pavement pounding to make things happen.


Next up .... Recovery & Testing week leading into Phase 2.  I get to do my first FTP test with a power meter.   I also have another Tempo TT to see if my run has improved.  I should see a little improvement with my cardio base having improved slightly.  So I should hit a higher pace at hte same HR compared to 4 weeks ago.

Participant Lists Up for Ironman Wisconsin, Kansas & Steelhead 70.3

It took a little work, but I was able to paste, format and sort the lists in excel.   There's approx. 2800 participants for IMWI.  330 for 35-39.  That means my goal of a 4th or 5th place would put my in the top 2%.   I see 2 familiar names in there already.  Scott Iott and Adam Zucco.  Both have gone under 9:40.  Adam is among the top 3 USAT points the last 4 or 5 years and has won it a few times.  Scott is the guy I'm targeting.   A little early to strategize.  But I could try and carry a 5 minute lead off the bike and see what i can do on the run.  He rode conservatively and was rewarded with a 3:05 run split.  It woudl be amazing to nail a sub 3:10 (A BQ time), but I'm not sure I'm that strong of a runner.  Zucco and most others in the 9:30-9:40 range ran closer to 3:15-3:20. 

Kansas is a different story.  One the list if Scott Bowe.  A regular on Slowtwitch and a a guy I raced at Pigman Long Course last year.   Also, the winner fomr Trizou is listed again.   Should be a fun race.  My first "A" race of the season.  It should give me an idea of goal paces for IMWI.

Steelhead - pretty early for a participant list.  But most solid age group racers tend to plan their whole season out.  I suspect many of the top age groupers will be at nationals to qualify for Worlds in Chicago next year.  That may leave it pretty wide open.  IT will confirm my final fitness level before I begin my taper for Wisconsin.
It should be a fun race season.        

Lupus Foundation of America, Iowa Chapter - Proposal Approved!

I recieved the e-mail this morning.   My application was approved for my proposal to solicit donors and use a race kit with LFA, IC logos and the donor names and logos on the back.  Now it's time to raise some money and put the graphics together.  

I think I've decided on the Desoto Rivera Trisuit.  http://www.desotosport.com/product/RTT1

I love the Liftfoil suit I've raced in the last 3 season (best pad I own).  It has a mostly white background other than black "vanity panels" in the waist region front and back.

I'm 1/2 tempted to get a white helmet and get some custom graphics.  But that might be one more expense than I need.

I'm giving myself 5 weeks to put everthing together so I can get it to the printer by the end of Feb. so I have it at hte absolute latest by mid April before my 1st race.



Training is rolling along this week.  Yesterday was a solid overreach comming off a long ride on Sunday.  I think that's a TSS of 350 for the 2 days. with today being even higher.  Tonights trainer ride might be brutal.  Oddly, I felt better after my 10 mile run than when I woke up.  I had a little left knee soreness.  My foot soreness seems a little better.  

If I can survive this week in 1 piece, I'm on my way.   The best news... Sunday's forcast just improve to mid 40's for a high.  Woohoo!  I have a 4 hour ride planned, so that's very ,very good news.  The thought of riding 4 hours indoors was not pleasant.

Weekly Wrap-up 01/12/14

Weekly Totals:

Swim - 12,900y, 3h53m
Bike - 164mi, 8h45m
Run - 40.3mi, 4h55m
Strength - 1h40m
TOTAL - 19h14m

Couple of milestones this week.  This was my highest weekly volume (hours) ever.  I came close to the 1000 TSS mark for the week.  As seen in my previous post, my power meter arrived.  I did my first outdoor ride with power.

I did have a one issue.  After having my best run in a long time, my Plantar Facitis kicked in.  I decided to skip one of my runs this week as a result, but will add 1 mile to next week (unless it doesn't get better).   Historically, dropping weight improved this the most.  

On the positive, my right shoulder keeps getting better and I feel like I'm getting my feel of the water back after making some stroke changes.  I continue to get stronger cycling.  The consistent volume I think is paying off.  The wind notwithstanding, I think I would have posted a solid average pace on training rims&tires.

The big improvement is my CTL has broken the 100 mark!  Wohoo!  The number was boosted a little as I went through and downloaded a bunch of my runs from my Garmin.  It turns out i ran harder than the basic pace estimator stated.  I think mainly due to the rolling hills on my regular routes.

Overall a solid week that proved I'm ready to handle solid volume without falling apart.  Now to increase that volume, then start adding intensity.

Next week should be a real test.  20 hours of training with bike mileage hitting almost 200 miles.  A "Real" week for an elite age group athlete.  The run mileage will be the challenge.  Nothing fast, but 50 miles planned.   I've never run that much with some much cycling volume.  The long run is planned for 16.5 miles or about 2 hours.  I might go for 17 miles if I'm feeling good.  On that note, I'll again have to start revisiting "the debate".  How far to I run in my IM build?  I'm thinking 2-1/2 hours will be my limit.  That should put me around 20-21 miles.  I don;t think there's enough benefit to run more.  I think I'm better of doing more quality at a 10-12 mile distance.

I hope everyone is enjoying my weekly notes.  Feel free to comment.

"In God we trust, all others bring data."

That's a quote I've seen on a Slowtwitch in a signiture line.  I brign it up because ultimately I'm a analytical geek.  Not a extreme Type-A personality by any means, but I love to have data.  To that end, today marks a milestone day.   My Stages power meter is scheduled to arrive.  I can't wait.  The way they talk on Slowtwitch, you'd think the that the mysteries of the universe will be unlocked, the seas will part and I will step out of the darkness of heart rate bases cycling training and emerge and stronger, faster, cyclist.   I do however beleive it will add more precision ot my training, allow me to pace better and give me repeatable data to compare wone workout against another day to day month to month etc.  It also can allow me to see aerodynamic changes, though I'm not sure if the 1 leg measurement of the Stages is precise enough for that.  It's likely to have probably 2-5 watts variation at times just due ot L/R variation.

The next new piece of equipment is minor, but still interesting.  I purchased a Garmin foot pod.  This will allow me to monitor and log my cadence during a run.   SO far, at least in my Kinvara Trail shoes in heavy tights, I seem to prefer 174-176 strides per minute.  When I do downhill and exceed 6:15 pace that goes up to 178-182.  When I try to increase turnover, I mostly seem to just speed up, rather than shorten my stride.  I think that's something which is easier to change on the treadmill where you pace is held constant.  

On that note... thsi morning's run was possibly one of the best runs I've had ever.  I cruised 10 miles in mostly zone 2 wit ha average HR of 147 but my average pace was 6:42!   That included about 1.5 miles on less than ideal hardpacked snow covered roads with my foot slipping some.   Not the most enjoyable, but in terms of pace, how I felt and the correspondinig HR, I was FLYING!   I mean a huge step shift in pace compared to heart rate.  I think it's probably a mix of several factors.  1) I've dropped 1/2-1lb in the last week.  2) My fitness is at a new peak with a CTL of 95 3) I run well even when my training load is high and I should be fatigued (TSB of -17), 3) Consistent mileage over 35mpw with most over 40mpw going back almost 4 months now. 4) A improvement in run economy, possibly due to using a treadmill that noisy and rattly, which encourages a smoother stride and footstrike.  In particula, and heel strick seems to cause the belt to slip.  I've also been using my Virattas more with zero offset and firmer cushioning.  5) Plyometrics, strides, hill repeats and weight training could be paying off with a stiffer leg on ground contact.

What was most noticeable was that my feet weren't sore at all (I've had soem sorness in my arch and top of my foot after soem runs).  And overall my fatigue was fairly low.  SO I just cruised 10 miles at a sub 7 pace just 1/2 way in zone 2, on a fairly hilly route, with some snow covered roads, with little fatige and with 16 miles already on my legs this week.  Wow.  I figure if i ran it at a 155HR (Open mararthon and 70.3 run pace) I'd be at a 6:20.  That's a 2:45 marathon and a 1:22 split for my 70.3. 

If I keep this up, I might be readjusting some of my goals.  To think, I still have 4-5lbs to drop.  In theory, that's another 0:10/mile right there.  Now before I get too optimistic.  I've also seen a slight drop in HR when my trainign load and fatigue goes up past a certain point.  I think I've heard that mentioned.  I need to probably monitor my resting HR when I first wake up to confirm.  A increase in RHR, can show a shift in overall fatigue.

Weekly Wrap-up - 1/06/14

The first week of base training is complete.  No real issues, except my long training ride, definitely felt long.  I think for my long ride next week I'll head outside.  It's calling for 39F... although some rain too.

Right on que, the weather has turned pretty brutal.  It's calling for -11F tomorrow morning and almost as cold Tuesday morning.  I rearranged my training schedule to push my long run to the end of the week.  My trail shoes should get some miles on them.

My right shoulder is feeling a lot better, so that's a relief.  I've made some more adjustments to my stroke that seem to have helped.  I was going the wrong way it seems.  I think overall I have to remember that realistically, at best I might get down to 58:00, and more realistically I go 60:00.   2 minutes isn't going to make that much difference, other than place me closer to my competition on the bike.

My mile really climbs the next 2 weeks.

Weekly totals:

Swim - 11,850 - 3h40m

Bike - 105.3 - 5h55m

Run 40.44 - 5h03m

Strength - 2h05m

TOTAL - 16h43m

ATL - 96.0

TSB - -7.6

CTL - 92.4

TSS - 750