Well last week I planned to start sweet spot base 1 and got sick, this week I am trying to start it and my parents are ill so I had to pick my lad up from school.
2 Likes
Ah well 
better than half way through I suppose!
There’s a lot of caveats to mention but brushing them away for a minute, I think you have a great ambitious goal that you are considering for the future. I think it’s a great idea to be vocal about it, pursue it and see where your end up. Keep improving and if it doesn’t happen next year who knows about the one after it!
1 Like
Thanks @JoeX, I guess you got a good point. I shouldn’t get too caught up in the time, it depends on the course profile and conditions anyways.
Still though, I guess I am more just looking to see if those “numbers” are grounded. Basically if anyone has done those times based on those power numbers, etc. I feel like I am experienced enough to say that my “guesstimates” are not overly optimistic but it would be nice to know I am not out to lunch. But yea, breaking 13 would be a win. However, I really think the win would be running 3:30 off of a somewhat good ride. I think if I get over 11 hours in the next Ironman something went very, very wrong 
1 Like
Again I think the times are not important per-se (and the KQ is more of it it happens awesome, but its not the goal), but I would like to at least get an idea of what to expect. I don’t know many people who are pushing a sub 10 (if any) and especially people who are younger doing it, so my sample size is n=0 right now.
Would be nice to just hear what the “minimum” watts/kg was to allow someone to run a sub 3:30 marathon (even if the course was a pancake) and they were average aero-wise. Just to get a ballpark figure for myself. But eh, whatever happens happens. The legit goal for that race is to try and nail a 3:30 or lower off the bike. TBH the rest is pretty gravy.
It so much depends on the course, day and other things than your FTP… which makes it hard to predict.
If you want a ballpark idea what people do in general with a certain swim fitness (Swim pace), FTP and run fitness (pace) you could listen to the kona qualifier episodes on the podcast from last year and this year, where this is discussed. I think last year the interviewers were a bit more thorough at asking about it.
There’s a certain ‘survival bias’ though because these are people with those numbers who could put them together into a well executed race, whereas others drop off.
The table @JoeX cited is probably good guidance for a solid run afterwards. For bike splits you can put your race course and personal/bike characteristics in best bike split (you can try the demo version). That should give you an idea and you can predict the impact of FTP changes and aero adjustment. While this has worked great for me in the past, there are some riders for whom this hasn’t predicted well…
1 Like
Hi Guys,
Just joined TR, i’ve been doing triathlon for 6 years mainly 70.3’s and Full Distance, this year the intention was to qualify for Kona 2020 in Vichy, target time 9:30, sadly due to the bike course change, heat and just not being strong enough on the bike, then the legs blowing up on the marathon 12hrs was the finish time way outside of where is needs to be.
I had a coach but given the successes of people qualifying on TR I thought I would give it a go the A race for 2020 is IM Switzerland or Lanzarote.
I would really appreciate if the more experience members could point me in the direction of a good plan, the main area I need to improve is power on the bike without letting the other two disciplines suffering I train between 12 - 14 hrs a week
5 Likes
Good point. Its pretty early to get all gitty about this anyways. I had a listen to the Kona podcast and that’s kind of where I realized my numbers “seem” to translate well on paper, but like you said, that assumes the individual can put the pieces together well.
At this point perhaps its more worthwhile praying to the triathlon gods for a good race 
thought I would ask the question though.
I did Galveston in 2018 and it was COLD, but made for a great run. My 70.3 PR was there. It’s a drivable race location and likely a lot of friends will do it.
Gulf Coast is another drivable race. There’s no question about the weather though. Guaranteed to be a scorcher!
1 Like
@Achin I am sure you already thought of this but just go to best bike split and put in your numbers to see what it would take NP wise to get what you are looking for.
I did it for 70.3 Chatty before my 2018 race and it was only 5 min off my actual finish time. I ride road bike with aero bars and at the time not very aero.
1 Like
Hi and welcome Kirby73!
If you’re aiming for Lanza and you’re new to TR you’ll want to be starting the Low Volume Full Distance (LV FD) Triathlon Base soon.
Use the Calendar feature to add LV FD Specialty finishing on Lanza Race week, then add LV FD Build ending the week before Speciality starts, then add LV FD Base ending the week before Build starts.
If you’ve got any free time before Base starts then start Base a few weeks early to allow for holidays, injury and sickness.
Also, have a look at the chart a few posts upthread and see how much you overbiked the last event.
Edit:
Actually I’ve already done the count back from Lanza, so Base training should starts w/c 11/11/19 at the latest.
1 Like
Interesting stuff… I haven’t really got the practical application of the chart for planning my race strategy either, but is applying it to my past result the way to do it?
For my race in the summer, my bike split was 5:45 with a IF of 70% and a TSS of 284. If I am interpreting the chart right, I was in the “good range” i.e. dark gray. This checks out because I was able to run continuously during the marathon (ignoring that I went out way too fast 
) and ended with 3:57 split.
So can I draw any of these conclusions for future races?
-
I could ride at a higher intensity, say 71%, accumulate a similar TSS, thereby going faster and still be confident I can run a similar effort of the bike (albeit at a more even pace)
-
Instead of inputting IF into best bike split, it would be better to put in TSS to get a bike strategy
-
I suppose both of those are the same question, can it be boiled down to… for future races should I always aim for a TSS of 280 ish, knowing I can run off that?
3 Likes
Short story: Yes!
1 Like
Ironman wales is a lumpy course with over 8k ft of climbing, I’ll be spending a bit of time in the aerobars but also a fair amount of time sitting up on the hoods. Am I better mixing the sessions up so I’m spending some time aero and some time on the hoods. If so, do I use my aero position Ftp which I haven’t yet tested or my sitting up ftp? Current ftp is 359, can I expect a big drop when I test in aero position?
Good idea. I think i’ll just try to get as strong on the bike and run as I can and throw the 66-68% FTP into best bike split and see what pops up. The course is not released anyways so hopefully on leadup in the spring I can get a better idea of what I should shoot for.
Really happy about the numbers though. If that translates to a good race? Thanks for the advice!
1 Like
Hi all,
Thanks everyone for all the great info here. I’m sure my question has been answered in some form before here or on the podcast, but I’ve not found it…so thought I would post here.
After alternating between running and cycling over the years for general fitness, I found TR a couple years ago, started structured training, and have enjoyed the improvements. Huge fan of TR and recommend it to everyone who will listen.
I started doing triathlons about 18 months ago, so far just sprints and Olympics. I am completing Half Distance Base, Build, and Specialty next week, in preparation for my first half, IM Waco 70.3 on Oct 27th. I have followed the plan pretty closely and feel very ready to complete this in what I will consider a respectable time.
All of my training partners are doing IMTX 140.6 on April 25th, 2020. This is a great chance for me to continue my training with this group and complete my first full. So, finally, my questions. After taking a week or so of recovery, should I launch into Full Distance Base, Build, and Specialty? If I trim a few weeks off of the base, that will give me 25 weeks in total for the plans, which would align with the race. But in looking at the Base phase weeks, the TSS is well below what I’m doing now. Should I be concerned about “taking a step back,” or is this is the whole point of this periodic training, to change training mode, recover, and get ready for the next season of training to a higher place? Should I stick with the plan, or substitute some additional build for some/all of the base?
1 Like
Hi Chado, welcome to the thread!
In my opinion, no.
Training is not about continual build up of TSS, even if it seems to be. We work in cycles, building up to a peak before backing off both on a monthly basis and annually. After yourA race, take some down time, do something that isn’t triathlon.
Starting the next batch of structured training means building up slowly again, switching to Full Distance means a lot more running and swimming too, half distance is great but a different intensity and much different durations.
I would go ahead as you suggested with a plan restricted to 25 weeks, but I’d be concerned that you’re working through without an off season and expect plan compliance to become a challenge.
Welcome!
Don’t worry about the drop in TSS, your body needs rest. After a full 70.3 block more than a week. Your idea to start over with the base plan is good, but early on I might suggest to not concern yourself too much with volume and intensity. Take another week or two to review your training, lifestyle and technique. Remind yourself where the fun is.
I usually go for more MTB riding and trail running to allow for done variety before the drudgery of structured indoor training hits me again.
2 Likes
@JoeX Put me down for IM Wales; yes I was lucky enough to get a slot when it opened for general release 
Still deciding if\what half I might do in the spring, Ill update once I know.
4 Likes
I’ve been looking at a UK warm up race next year. I’m doing IM Vichy in August.
I’m not sure if I’m doing a half (never done a half), an easy paced full, or not doing a warm up race 
2 Likes