I think I’m more of a “Finisher” than a Finisher given the bike leg was cancelled Got my medal though! After long consideration and poring over race dates, I can’t reasonably fit in an IM and doing another adventure marathon with my race buddy, so I’ll take 2020 off from full distance and come back strong in 2021. Right now I reckon I’ll aim for New Zealand as it also has a half that my buddy can do while I do the full (he sees my training hours on Strava and has sworn off ever doing a full!)
Time off means I can spend some time on my mountain bike, do another road coast to coast, maybe do the South Downs way (MTB or on foot) as well as some marathons to build experience.
Well yeah; I can grind out a half or two I had a blast at Holkham but the date probably clashes next year so might aim for Outlaw Half Notts or Outlaw X.
I’m out this year I’m afraid. Couldn’t get my running sorted due to ITB issues. They were caused by the metalwork in my femur following my hip fracture. Had the metalwork removed only to get a surgical wound infection. Now focussed on recovering from that and getting stronger as I’ve lost quite a bit of weight in the process.
Just want to post a brief race report on my first triathlon (ever). It wasn’t quite 70.3 or IM. It was the 5150 Bela Bela event (still under the IM brand). I’m 5 weeks into Build phase on the LV HIM plan, so event came just after mid-plan recovery week.
Pre-race prep wasn’t good at all. Was off-sick with gastro enteritis the previous week which meant I had to skip a few sessions. We also had some car troubles on route to the race, so it ended up being a 16 hour drive. Not ideal. Despite that, I was more excited than nervous which I took as a good sign.
Swim: 1500m: 28min. This was better than anticipated. I’ve only learned to swim in Feb this year, so to be able to swim under 2min/100m was unexpected. Wetsuit legal swim in a shallow dam. M35-39 and M40-44 combined to form the wave start. Had a bit of “contact” at the start, but I was prepared for it and wasn’t put off being in the “washing machine”.
T1: 4 minutes. A bit better than I hoped for. Could still be quicker, but I got everything done that I needed to and was out of there without issue
Bike: 1:28. It was 37 degrees (C) so very hot. Many many competitors were stranded with tire blow outs. I had no mechanical issues fortunately. Biggest issue I encountered was that the Carbogen mix in my Shiv’s fuselage (internal bladder) was extremely HOT. (Bike check in was 9:45-10:45 and our swim start only at 12:00). Couldn’t drink it at all. Fortunately I had frozen a 600ml bottle Carbogen and a 600ml water bottle which I had frozen, behind the seat. Not ideal, but better than nothing. Probably biked a bit hard. I dont have PM or even a bike computer, so just went by feel.
T2: 2mins. Not much to report here other than I was happy with my dismount and didnt face plate when I got off.
Run: 1:06. Very disappointed with this. I’m able to do much better than this. Factors which contributed to this: 1) didnt drink enough on the bike 2) altitude (I live at the coast and this was at 1400m) 3) maybe went a bit hard on the bike.
I cramped for the first 2km and just walked it. Once I hit the first aid station things went much better and I was able to pick up the pace. Heat was ridiculous and once I realized I wouldn’t break 3hrs, I eased off and just enjoyed the experience.
Final finish time: 3:08.
I have 11 weeks to go until Challenge Cape Town. Have 2 more Olympic distance races before that though. In 3 weeks just a small local event in town and then in 8 weeks time the second leg of the 5150 African Triathlon Series. Looking forward to these just to gain more race experience.
Thanks @JoeX IMCZ training still on course. A few weeks into the IM build phase and suffering harder workouts as a result of a recent FTP increase. So I guess that means it’s working! Run volume has ramped up to 16 miles on the long weekends and I’ve managed (knock on wood) to avoid running injuries that have plagued me in recent years.
Immediate focus is keeping up the discipline as the weeks wear on and prepare for IM 70.3 Atlantic City in September as a trial run for nutrition, pacing etc for the full IM. Hoping it’s a hot weather day so I can get some sense for what Cozumel will feel like. Living in the Northeast won’t afford me much of a heat acclimazation as we get closer to the race in November.
Anyway, good luck to everyone else grinding away on late season races. It’s mentally tough, but every workout is one step and pedal closer to race day.
I’m leaving for France tomorrow morning. First time I return to the Haute Savoie without a downhill bike and a road bike instead!
My swim will be bad, I did not spend much time in the water. My diary says I accumulated a massive 33k. All year. Bike will be fine, I dropped a few pounds and sit now comfortably at 4.1 w/kg which should be plenty. Run is a bit of a question mark. In April I reached the best run form of my life, followed by a botched marathon that took me months to recover from.
So no expectations. The podium is too far away, there is nothing to qualify for and no PR to be had. Means I can enjoy the race for once.
Oh and since I saw the first plans for 2020 - I just signed up for 70.3 Oman in February
@JoeX I am doing 70.3 CDA in June 2020 so far. Probably going to also sign up for 70.3 North Carolina when it opens up next year as it is close to where I live in GA. I did 70.3 Chatty in 2018 and want to hit most of the races around my area (quite a few of them) since little travel is required.
I believe you said we will be doing a 2020 thread at some point.
Packing up the bike today for ITU Worlds then Challenge Amsterdam-Almere. Feel like running long but i’m going to back it off for the next few weeks. They say it’s better to be 50% undertrained than 1% overtrained. Seeing the amount of people too injured to make it to the start line I believe this!
Nice job. Back off the pace a little when it’s really hot. My guess is that you also went too hard on the swim. People don’t realized how much energy they use and how much they sweat during the swim.
@JoeX, I have IMAZ this year on tap. Training is going well. Doing a 6 week base, 8 week build, and 2 week raper. Currently in week 3 of base. I’m also signed up for IM penticton in 2020. Haven’t decided which halves i will do yet.
@Joex still training for Nice 2019! Had a quick one week recovery from Calgary 70.3. This week hard training, next week a little lighter, and off to France on Sep 2nd.
Last week in Calgary I had an excellent bike, 3.3w/kg NP (250W @ 76kg), and PB on the run, 1:23:37, but a relatively weak swim for me, poor sighting, swam too far! So over the next couple weeks I’ll be trying to dial that in while keeping my bike and run legs ready to go.
Thanks for the shout out. I’m in the last week of HIM build and getting ready for specialty. Training is going well I have been 95% compliant with the workouts and I feel like I will get a decent boost in FTP on next weeks ramp test. What I’m most excited about is I think I have finally gotten past some shin splint issues and have been able to really nail the runs the last 2 months. October will be here before I know it. I feel like I am on track to beat my goal time of 5:30.
I was hoping to do another Olympic event this year, but the one i wanted to do is already full. So currenty i’m floundering a bit. No swimming, 1:27 half marathon last weekend. 25 TT this weekend which should hurt nicely. I’ve registered for 70.3 Les Sables d’Olonne 2020 and will probably do Outlaw Nottingham Half. PB this year was 5:01 at Holkham Half by mostly doing Half Distance BBS low volume plans. So planning on Mid volume for 2020, but i’ll leave that discussion for the Ironman in 2020 thread
Hey Joe, thanks for the shout. I’ve been thinking it was time for a check-in.
Have savageman 70 coming up on Sep 15, so right now doing my 2nd of 3 planned big weeks just prior to my taper. Training is going well, and will be traveling over to pre-ride the course this weekend.
I’m hoping that my power plan from best bike split isn’t a bit too overzealous, but I hope to get in 2 or 3x20 minute segments at planned race power. Expected NP of about 240 for just over 3 hours… but not much time over threshold. Big change from xterra racing with lots of time over threshold, just a lot longer.
Otherwise training is going well, doing some bits of tempo in my long ride/runs in favor of indoor/weekday intensity sessions. I want to get in some good specificity so curious to see how I feel on the later half of those longer runs. Last one was 20k, looks like final long run will be just under 25 k.
Got my medal though! After long consideration and poring over race dates, I can’t reasonably fit in an IM and doing another adventure marathon with my race buddy, so I’ll take 2020 off from full distance and come back strong in 2021. Right now I reckon I’ll aim for New Zealand as it also has a half that my buddy can do while I do the full (he sees my training hours on Strava and has sworn off ever doing a full!)
You’ll be back in the 2020 thread, mark my words 
