Tough day, sounds like you were getting demoralised from the start? Ironman was described as a science experiment by someone s few years ago. So many variables to contain and keep the wheels on, not the simple fitness of shorter racing. I’ve missed turns on shorter events, learned always to go back on myself rather than continue, but luckily never had it happen in long course. Still, you are brothers with Joe Skipper on the directions front at least
Without the run in your legs you could be race fit again pretty soon so still time to test yourself…
I wasnt demoralised, the swim was tuff but I was chuffed I’d got through it. Your right with a clear head I should have turned around and gone back but I just wasn’t thinking straight.
Apparently another rider saw a turning late and crashed trying to make it. Sounds like you have reason to complain about signage if it’s affected multiple athletes…
Yeah, race brain is not to be underestimated haha! I’ve been loading all my bike courses to my head unit ever since I missed out on a state titles for the same reason
Sounds like a good swim/bike effort though, so hopefully some good practise/validation if you have any races planned for the future… 44 weeks with no missed workouts is fantastic, so I’d be stoked on that alone!
race went “ok”. Some digestion/hydration issues that manifested themselves during the run. I think overall the plan set me up pretty well. If I were to do it again, I think I would have done more longer outside (unstructured) rides than I did. My strength is the bike, and I think I over-relied on it and focued to much on the run. Hard to tell, only time I have done a full IM
Appreciate the feedback. Been trying hard to focus on race nutrition during training and mixing in long outside rides with shorter indoor rides, hoping to get the best of both. Again, congratulations and thanks!
Already into August… Same old story - some good weeks interrupted by travel. I spent the majority of July in Tokyo training through the heat/humidity and long work hours. The long days were pretty exhausting but the heat training has helped massively now i’m back in the UK. Swimming was difficult logistically in but 50m pool access helped a lot despite the low volume.
Overall I feel like the fitness is coming as I approach taper time for IM Copenhagen. This will be the first time I’ve looked at my stats for the month - unsure if they’ll line up with the subjective impression… [Edit: they do, biggest volume month despite several travel days]
B events:
2nd April - Paris Marathon [DONE - easy 3:41 running with my brother[
14th May - Struggle the Dales sportive [DONE - 6:45 NP 239 TSS 336]
28th May - Edinburgh half marathon [DONE - 1:23]
17th June - Highland Cross (20 mile mountain run and 30 mile cycle) [DONE - 4hrs 3 minutes - 13t/713]
A event:
20th August - IRONMAN Copenhagen
Any tips for tapering greatly appreciated. Longest run last week (3 weeks out) of 37k at ~target race pace followed by 5hour ride the following day (swapped cycle/run days due to travel). Testing gear and food on a long brick on Saturday then slightly shorter run before I plan to dial back the volume gradually towards race day Aug 20th. Does that sound reasonable?
Additionally, any good reference for pacing? Aiming for 70-75% on the bike for a target of ~5hrs @ 235-250w. Run maybe 5:00/km if I go well, but no idea of a good yardstick as this is my first triathlon… Swim i’ll take steady, maybe 1:10 as a guess.
I have a similar issue. TR is recommending a 4 hour, 15 minute ride (Putuo) only eight days before my full-distance IM. Actually, the adaptive training just recommended bumping it up to a greater amount of time, but I chose to skip that adaptation.
Doesn’t a 4+ hour ride strike you as excessive? FWIW, I’m doing the mid-volume plan. I think I’m more likely to go with the original ride that is listed in week 7 of the specialty phase, which is 3 hrs, 15 minutes (Allegheny). I guess that’s the nature of adaptative training and TR in general, sometimes you have to do your own thing and reject its recommendations.
Flag it to support - I’ve had problems with progression on the IM plans creating multiple
long rides. Mine was fixed with an AI FTP detection in speciality phase.
I think the team are just focussed on regular cyclists, not the extreme workouts we get into. Progressive overload is more complex for triathletes rhan cyclists imo.
Thanks for the suggestion. I took your advice and contacted TR support. The rep told me the problem was I had not entered the race into my calendar. I had assumed that, by putting the training plans into the calendar, TR would know my race was at the end of the specialty phase.
But as it turned out, entering my race didn’t make a difference. Since the addition, AI has twice suggested I extend my 4:15 minute ride to five hours. No way I’m doing 4+ hours only 8 days before a full-distance race. It has also suggested other adaptations in the final two weeks of taper that would be more difficult and, in my view, too much for a taper.
I guess it’s just something we have to watch out for. What works in a taper is pretty individualized, and I like a fairly modest cut-back, but my sense is that TR’s taper too aggressive.
Apologies again for the late roll call, I think this is the last year I’ll be running this thread - I just cant keep up with everything at work and home and train etc (let me know if you’d like to take over for 23/24 season….but it is roll call time
