IMLP2022 - Pre-race hill training

Training
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Hi All - Got great feedback last time I posted so hoping for the same this time from this great group!

Doing my first IM in Lake Placid. Cycling is my weakness and I just moved to an area lacking hills. I just completed TR’s high volume IM70.3 plan. I increased my FTP from 190 to 215 (I’m 6’ / 208). My two best rides were 76.9 mi / 4,635 ft in 4:52 and 71.3 mi / 2,378 ft in 4:04. I need to get stronger cycling and especially climbing so I’m not fried at the end … so I can run.

While I can get climbing reps w/ Zwift I really REALLY like the structure of TR. So my reasoning is watts are watts, endurance is endurance, and cardio is cardio :slight_smile: …

Thinking between now and when I officially start TR’s medium volume full IM plan (probably in December) I would do SSBMV II and then MV Power Build. I’d like to start my IM plan much stronger at cycling than I am right now. What do you think?

Since it’s usually 5-6 hours on the bike w/ these plans I’m hoping to still squeak in one long swim and ~12 miles running on top of it to maintain the other disciplines.

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Power on the flat = the same power on a hill, you just go slower for it. Develop your power on the flat and you’ll be fine for the hills/ mountains. I’ve done the Marmotte, 312 etc and a few other mountain and hilly events after moving to the flat lands of Eastern England.

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I think this will do you plenty good for LP. One of the challenges with that course is there really aren’t many places to rest. You effectively leave transition, climb a bit to the Keene descent, a handful of miles there down to Keene, then it’s flat/ rolling out to Jay, a short climb, flat/ rolling again on Hasselton, then the long climb to town. None of the climbing in and of itself is particularly steep or challenging IMO, you just need to be prepared to be putting out power for the entire ride, don’t expect any breaks.

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Thanks for the input. It’s interesting now that I’m somewhere without hills, there really are no breaks … it’s a different style of riding. I’m so used to climbing and then using descents for a break!

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