Just got back from IM Alaska. What a fantastic race venue! It hopped up to the top of my IM list , displacing Tahoe and Whistler for most scenic course. They shortened the swim to one loop due to 56F temps and air temps being just below that with wet conditions. Smart call from race organizers. At the time of the announcement they also subsequently shortened the race by 1:10 hrs to 15:50 hrs but I heard they reinstated the 17hr finish at some point. The bike course is rolling and a lot like CDA. On a dry day I suspect you can fly on it, on the wet rainy day we got it was slick and a bit tricky with the winds in some places. The run is gorgeous with about 1600ft of climbing overall but also scenic - including along Auke lake, through campus, on both the track and baseball fields of the local high school and a section through a rainforest trail and marshy area that is beautiful…a few parking lots and near a gun range to keep it interesting.
The whole town of Juneau was jazzed about the event and everyone was super nice and helpful. The volunteer support was amazing , even in the wet/cold. I loved everything about this event. We stayed to whale watch and fish afterwards. There is a lot to do there and the race stuff happens north of town so no overlap on cruise ship happenings. However, you need to get to Daves at the food trucks downtown near the docks if you want the best fish tacos of your life.
I’d go back but I’m back in Full Ironman Retirement :). Just short stuff and 70.3’s for me until my pals peer pressure me into something different or IM announces another race in a super cool place.
Anyone have experience jumping from LV to HV tri plans?
Since last November I have been on the Half Distance LV plan for my 2 early season 70.3s (June and July). My reason for LV was to nail CONSISTENCY after 2 years of on and off training.
I’ve now switched over to HV for my 2 late season 70.3s (October and December). It’s only been 2 weeks, and mind you it is base phase, but overall I am finding it much easier to mentally and physically get up for my sessions than the LV. I felt like every session during LV, while short, just had so much intensity that it was really taking a toll on me.
I’m about four months into the high-volume half-distance plan and so far I haven’t had any issues sticking to it, if anything it’s been hard to resist the temptation to add more volume or intensity to it, which right now I feel like I could handle.
IMO, the LV → MV → HV progression for the HIM and IM plans are the tamest jumps in all of the TR plans. Generally speaking, LV->MV adds 60-90 minute a Z2 bike ride during the week. The other rides increase some in duration, but still 2 workouts during the week and a harder ride on the weekend.
MV->HV basically only changes out the weekend hard ride for a long endurance ride.
Contrast that with the SS plans where MV and HV just add more SS work and no easy rides.
I have no idea what it does for the runs/swims since I don’t follow them.
Just to add - high, medium or low volume really isn’t about fitness, it’s about the time you have to train (and recover). Low volume isn’t easy and it isn’t meant to be, high volume isn’t hard.
Checked in for IM Copenhagen, bib 1804 in case anyone wants to follow.
Last minute call for opinions: Socks or no socks on the bike? I’ve always ridden sockless on half and full distance, without issues. Shoes are clipped in in T1. Only upside I see are 4-8 watts which Silca promised me.
Any votes for socks? If so, how do people manage the logistics? Socks in bag? Socks in shoes? Running on socks? Running barefoot and putting on socks at mount line?
Aw, jeez. If you’ve practiced without socks I’d be inclined to go with that, though I guess socks would be a less risky move than the other way around
I’d probably have them in the bag at t2 and run in them, unless you have mad skillz and can get socks on damp feet while you’re moving. Having your shoes already clipped in is preferable in my experience, and I definitely wouldn’t want to be putting them on while trying to hold a bike upright at the mount line.
Well the rack seems solid……. I’m trying the old not the TT for its first outing. I don’t THINK that there are any low bridges on our route to west Wales.
I did LV LD Tri this season. I typically replaced the indoor endurance with an outside solo ride.
The base portion went very well.
The build part was brutal. Maybe because i let the aiFTP increase my ftp or maybe because of B and C races along the way (2 HIM and a 11h long MTB race). Probably the both combined.
I struggled with the threshold workouts for several weeks. If I was rested, there were ok. Next year, I’m going back to a 2:1 ratio during build.
not the TT for its first outing. I don’t THINK that there are any low bridges on our route to west Wales.
