Training Week 3: 12/31/07 - 1/6/08

Planned Training
Monday - 12/31/07:
AM - Run = 40 min done
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Tuesday - 1/1/08:
Rest day! Happy New Year! New Year's Resolution = stick to the training plan!
Wednesday - 1/2/08:
AM - Run = 1 hr done
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Thursday - 1/3/08:
AM - Bike = 1 hr 10 min done
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim (make-up swim) done
Friday - 1/4/08:
AM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
PM - Run = 1 hr 20 min done
Saturday - 1/5/08:
AM - Bike = 1 hr 30 min (minimum) ride. Will do the 24 Hrs in the Old Pueblo MTB course. done
PM - Strength = core workout
Sunday - 1/6/08:
AM - Bike = 3 hrs done

Weekly S/B/R/ Compliance (based on BT training plan):
Swim = 231 min/190 min = 121%
Bike = 355 min/340 min = 104%
Run = 217 min/180 min = 120%

Total SBR training time for Week #3 = 13.4 hrs

Monday, 12/31/07 Update:
Every week I look at the plan and think "it's not that bad." But when you stick to the plan and do every single workout it wears you down. I think that's the toughest part...sticking to the plan and not bailing out on any swim, bike, or run workouts. I used to bag at least one workout a week. Not anymore! That one workout could mean the difference in 6 minutes on the course. I also run and bike if it's terribly windy out. I figure that gives me lots of practice for race day no matter what the weather throws at me.

Today there was ICE on the pool deck at NOON. What the hell? I thought this was Tucson, dang it! I got in and swam anyways, like an idiot. Speaking of swimming, I'm adding an extra day of swimming on Saturday. The training plan calls for a 2300 yd swim on Monday (I did 2800 yds), then 3250 yds and 4200 yds later in the week. You can tell this plan was written by a swimmer. But I know my swim volume isn't up there yet after only being back in the pool after 2 consistent weeks. 4200 yds is pretty close to the Ironman swim distance of 2.4 miles (4224 yds), which I am NOT ready for after 2 weeks. I can probably do about 3000 yds in a single workout, but that would be it and it would be ugly at the end. Anything more than that would be disasterous, and would require lifeguards using that hook on a pole thingy to drag me up from the bottom of the pool. And I don't want to touch the bottom of the pool. Let me give you this little mental image. The bottom of the UA Hillenbrand pool is FREAKIN' NASTY. There are hundreds of swimmers that go through that pool a day. There are several hairball "jellyfish", random band-aids, kleenexes, and sometimes other fiberous materials (I shudder to think what) at the bottom of that pool alog with mysterious black spots. So I'd like to avoid touching the bottom of that thing. Oh, back to the training plan. So I'll be doing my usual 3 swims of the 1 hr Master's workouts, and add another 1 hr Master's swim workout on Saturday to catch-up the yardage. So the total weekly swim volume will stay the same. This is all perfectly legal. Ignore the man behind the curtain.

Tomorrow is a rest day! So glad...I seriously need it.

Thursday, 1/3/07 Update:

I've shuffled around some workouts. I found out Butz Jeans and Piece by Piece Wear is having a sale Saturday morning, so I'll be going to that to use the gift card Zac got me and get some stylin' stuff. This is the serious fashion stuff, like what you see on Project Runway and whatnot. Stuff that they use words like "fierce" to describe. I'll change into my mountain bike gear there (Julie won't mind...he he) and then we'll head to the meeting point for the 24 hr course ride.

Since I was going to swim on Saturday morning before the ride, I decided to swim today and hit the noon Master's swim. I'll be going to the 6AM swim tomorrow, because there is some big college swim meet and they'll be using the pool at noon. So that means another wonderful morning of getting up at 4:45AM to put on a swimsuit and get in the frigid pool. I hope the temperature outside is above freezing this time. I feel like I'm living at the pool and I'm always swimming. I constantly smell like chlorine no matter how much lotion I put on. Then it just smells like flowers + chlorine.

I'm off to put on a new shorter stem for my Blur mountain bike. I've moved the seat back and that stretches me out in the cockpit, causing lower back pain. So I visited Mike at ABE and he gave me a 70mm stem to switch out. I just need to bring the old one back in. Very cool. It will give me an excuse to wash the bike, which is still filthy from the Dawn 2 Dusk race. Yes, I'm a very very bad bike mommy. But it's a mountain bike dang it, and it's not supposed to be clean. Still, this is excessively dirty. I'll throw the new stem on and try it out on Saturday's ride. I'm looking forward to hitting some trails after being stuck on the tri bike so much this week. Why can't they have an off road Ironman? Wait, they probably do. And I'm not stupid enough to Google it. Yet.

My purty new Blur (back when it was clean):

Training Week 2: 12/24/07 - 12/30/07

Planned Training
Monday - 12/24:
AM - Run = 25 min done
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Tuesday - 12/25:
AM - Bike = 30 min, Run = 20 min (brick) done
PM - none
Wednesday - 12/26:
AM - Bike = 1 hr 20 min done
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Thursday - 12/27:
AM - Bike = 45 min done
PM - Run = 30 min done
Friday - 12/28:
AM - Strength = 45 min core routine
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Saturday - 12/29:
AM - Bike = 2 hr done
PM - Strength = 45 min core routine
Sunday - 12/30:
AM - Run = 1 hr 10 min done

Weekly S/B/R Compliance (based on BT training plan):
Swim = 180 min/145 min = 124%
Bike = 279 min/275 min = 101%
Run = 187 min/145 min = 129%

Total SBR training time for Week #2 = 10.8 hrs

Tuesday, 12/15/07 Update:
Sunday we ended up going for a hike with my brother, and hiked 4.5 hours and 8.2 miles up the Agua Caliente Hill Trail (~2200 ft of elevation gain). So much for a "rest" day.

I picked up a new seat for the tri bike. The other one is way too painful and causes numbness in places women don't want to be numb. The new one seems to work well, so I will keep riding it for awhile. It has a cutout that goes all the way to the nose of the saddle, so it looks like I'm riding on a pair of tweezers or something.

The training schedule this week seems to be easier than last week. I have all of this week and next week off from work, so I am definitely attending all of the noon Master's swim workouts instead of the evening workouts. It's still freezing cold out at noon, but the sun is up and I try to reason that that makes it somehow warmer. After each workout I jump in the dive tank since it's heated 10 degrees warmer than the lap pool. It is sinfully delicious. That's the only way I can describe it.

Friday, 12/28/07 Update:
Today I did the stupidest thing ever...got up at 4:45AM to go to Master's swim at 6. I couldn't go to the noon or evening workout due to other activities, so if I was going to swim today this was it. For 15 minutes I contimplated going to another pool later in the morning, but realized it would be just as cold out. So I got up and went and got in the pool while it was 25 degrees out. We couldn't even see 25 yards down the pool from all the steam. I figured the cold air would make the water feel warmer, but it didn't. I was just cold AND wet. My swim gear froze over on the deck during the swim workout. I think this qualifies as some sort of strange Tucson polar bear's club.

Training Week 1: 12/17/07 - 12/23/07

Planned Training
Monday - 12/17:
AM - rest done (heh)
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Tuesday - 12/18:
AM - Bike = 1 hr 10 min trainer workout (Spinervals) done
PM - Strength = 45 min workout (Pushups, Dips, Pull ups, Leg Press, 3 sets of 50 jumping jacks, Squats, Core routine.) done
Wednesday - 12/19:
AM - Run = 30 min easy run, Strength = core routine done
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Thursday - 12/20:
AM - Bike = 1 hr trainer workout (Spinervals) done
PM - Run = 40 min easy run, Strength = core routine done
Friday - 12/21:
AM - Run = 35 min easy run, Strength = core routine done
PM - Swim = 1 hr Master's swim done
Saturday - 12/22:
AM - Bike = 1 hr 15 min ride done
PM - Run = 8 mile long run with Zac (Changed to 1 hr scheduled run due to Zac's injury) done
Sunday - 12/23:
Rest day!


Weekly S/B/R Compliance (based on BT training plan):
Swim = 171 min/140 min = 122%
Bike = 204 min/200 min = 102%
Run = 231 min/165 min = 140%

Total SBR training time for Week #1 = 10.1 hrs

Monday, 12/17/07 Update:
Yesterday Zac and I journeyed up to Surprise, AZ for the Desert Classic 30K run. We decided to do the relay, which consisted of a 5K, 10K, 10K, 5K run (in that order). Zac wanted to do 10K then 5K, so that left me starting out with the first 5K. My goal for the whole thing was to not push it too hard, as I had to get started with IM training this week.


Here are the results:
Lap 1, 5K, Elaine = 29:45 (9:36 min/mi avg)
Lap 2, 10K, Zac = 1:02:42 (10:06 min/mi avg)
Lap 3, 10K, Elaine = 1:03:20 (10:13 min/mi avg)
Lap 4, 5K, Zac = 28:54 (9:19 min/mi avg)

Total = 3:04:41 (9:55 min/mi avg)

That was my fastest 5K time (previous best was 9:50 min/mi during one of the summer aquathlons) and 10K (this was my first 10K). I was just glad to stay out of the 11s. I was happy with averaging 10 min/mi for the whole thing, especially since last year at this time I was averaging 11:30s - 12s for runs that were about 6 miles in length. So I think the base fitness is finally starting to show.

Tonight I kick of IM training with Master's swim. I haven't been in months, and the last time I was in the water was the Blue Water olympic tri in mid-November. So this workout should be interesting. Hopefully I'll survive the 2000+ yards. I should be back where I was swim-wise after a few weeks of sticking with the swim training 3X per week. I'm just not looking forward to getting in the pool when it's 40 degrees outside. At least the pool is heated to 80 degrees (according to the website).

Thursday, 12/20/07 Update:
My quads are in a perpetual state of pain. Ever since the race on Sunday they have been hurting. I'm trying to avoid stairs, but that's hard to do when you live in a 2 story house. After all, the only functioning bathroom is upstairs. I guess if it got bad, I could live in the RV in the front yard. Just when my legs start to feel the slightest bit better I go and run more, like an idiot. Saturday is not going to be pretty. It's going to be a whole lot of ugly on the Tucson streets.

The pool is freakishly cold. The thermometer says 80 degrees, but it's a lie. Last night I seriously considered bringing my wetsuit. Sure, I'd look like a goofball to all those Master's swimmers, but then again, the guys are wearing speedos. Who are they to criticize? You can't stand around on the deck because the air is cold, and then you go and get in a pool with cold water. My fingernails had turned purple by the time I got in. I looked like a corpse. I hate being cold, and cold and wet is worse. I'm definitely attending the noon swim workouts during the next 2 weeks when I have time off of work. Other than being cold and uncomfortable, swimming is going well for the first week back. I've taken the first few workouts slow, focusing on form. Everytime I take a break from the pool, I have to get back into it slowly. My head has to get used to the side to side rolling again, and if I push it too much I get really nauseous. Puking in the pool is not a way to make friends, and the guys in speedos will look disfavorably upon you. But after a few weeks of regular swimming I go back to normal. It's just something I've discovered over the years, and over time it has gotten better.

I'm not looking forward to Saturday's training. Did I mention it will be ugly?

Don't eat the paste

The Endurance Nation "Four Keys" To Ironman Execution
by Patrick McCrann on December 12, 2007 in Triathlon Training

I'm flying home from IMFL, the last Ironman of the 2007 season, and the end of a long season of Ironman coaching, speaking, clinic-ing and spectating. I'd like to take this time to deliver to you, one last time, the end-all, be-all of how you should race Ironman. Frankly, because after six years of full-time Ironman coaching I'm tired of seeing people screw it up! We're absolutely, 100% convinced that what we're going to share with you works. Our observations this season -- and the results of our athletes -- speak for themselves. Note that we're writing this a little tongue in cheek, using humor to get our point across. This is the style of our live schtick, delivered to you in pixels.

First, our CVs... Rich: Ironman coach since 2001, has personally coached 200+ Ironman finishers. Over 800 athletes have used Crucible Fitness training plans since 2005. I have delivered pre-race talks at 2-4 Ironman races per year since 2003 to about 50-70 athletes per talk. This year alone I've:

Conducted race specific training camps (ie, how to train and racing Ironman) on the IMLou, IMLP, and IMWI courses for over 70 athletes. Delivered pre-race talks at IMCDA, IMLP, IMWI, and IMFL to over 200 athletes. Ridden motorcycle support for IMCDA and then stood at the turnaroud at mile 7 for three hours. Rode the IMLP course backwards during the race, then stalked the run course on my bike. That is, I've seen, first hand, hundreds of athletes hammering up a hill at mile 60, and the same athletes walking at mile 10. Patrick: Triathlon coach since 2002, with over 150 one-on-one athletes and 400 training plan athletes sucessfully hitting the finishline in the last five years. I have conducted over 15 race-specific and epic training camps. My personal best is a 10:01 at IMUSA and a 10:37 at Kona 2007.

In short, we have a lot of experience with what works, what does not work, and we've honed this message through the results of our athletes, our observations while being ON the course during the race, and the feedback we've received from pre-race talk attendees.

This is the official Endurance Nation Ironman Kool-Aid, we hope you enjoy it. Help us help you!

The Four Keys

1. Execution, not Fitness. All you've done for 9 months is build a vehicle. Ironman racing is about how you DRIVE that vehicle, it is NOT about the vehicle. The majority of athletes on race day are fitness-focused (look at my T-shirt, look at my abs/veins/etc, look at how fast I can go in the first hour of the bike, etc.) As coaches we can make you stronger, but we can't fix stoopid if you decide to race your own way.

2. The Line. Nothing on race day really matters until you reach The Line on the run. The Line is the point at which continuing becomes very, very difficult. You define success as simply not slowing down at The Line. EVERYTHING before The Line is simply about creating conditions for success for when the Line comes to you.

Additional Kool-Aid flavored thoughts we'd like to put in your head regarding this point are:
A successful race = a good run. There is no such thing as a good bike followed by bad run, period. In our world, if you showed up with solid run fitness, had a "good" bike and a poor run, we will ALWAYS assume you boogered your bike pacing unless you are missing a limb or are in the ICU with an intestinal parasite. If you think you can ride faster than we're telling you, prove it by running well off the bike first (preferrably not attempted for the first time on IM race day).

Ride your "should" bike split vs your "could" bike split. Your Could split is what you tell Timmy you could ride on a good day, when you're out together for your Saturday ride. If you say you "could ride a 5:50," your Should split is likely 6:00 and defined as the bike split that yields a good run (see above).

Don't eat the paste. Ironman in general, but especially the bike leg, is at best a special ed class: you only have to show up with your C game to be at the head of the class. If you find yourself doing the opposite of everyone else, you're doing the right thing. If Jimmy and everyone else is in the corner eating the paste, don't join them! Sit down, do what we're telling you, and don't eat the paste! Lots of people passing you in the first 40 miles? That's good, don't eat the paste. Going backwards through the field on a hill? That's good, don't eat the paste.

Think you made the mistake of riding too easy? You now have 26 miles to fix that mistake. Make the mistake of riding too hard? That mistake now has 26 miles to express itself, to the tune of X miles at 17-18' walking pace vs X miles at 8-10' running pace. Do the math. How is that bike split going to look as you are walking/shuffling the last 10 miles of the run? Every time you feel yourself about to get stupid, look at where you are. Are you at The Line? No. Then sit down, shut up, do what you're told and don't be stoopid. Please.

3. The Box: all day long you are going to race inside a box defined by what you can control. Ask yourself "What do I need to do right NOW to create the conditions for success at The Line? Is what I'm doing right now counter to this goal? From what we've seen first hand on the IM courses this season, we believe you should ask yourself "Am I participating in some short-term tactical masturbation?" If yes, STOP!!

On the swim, the Box is the space your body occupies in the water: focus on your form and the rest will come. On the bike, the box is probably about one aid station long. On the run, the box begins as 2-3 aid stations long but often diminishes to "from here to the next lampost/manhole cover/mail box." Regardless: Keep the box as big as you can for as long as you can. Keep in the box only the things you can control. Let go of the rest. Exercise this decision-making process inside your box: Observe the situation, Orient yourself to a possible course of action, Decide on a course of action, Act (OODA Loop).

4. The One Thing. If you swallowed the Kool-Aid we're serving you here, you will show up at the Line, in your Box, ready to git'erdun and simply not slow down. But we're not done yet. There is still some psychological stuff you need to address.

During the course of your race day, expect your body to have a conversation with your mind: "Look, Mind, you've had me out here slogging away for 132 miles. This is really starting to get old and very painful. You need to give me a good reason to keep going forward. If you can't give me a good one, I'm gonna slow down and you can't stop me!" Before the race, you need to ask yourself "Why am I doing Ironman?" In other words, you need to determine what is the One Thing that put you in this race? To finish in the daylight with a smile on your face? To run a 4:10? Whatever your One Thing is, be absolutely clear and rehearse your mind/body debate beforehand. But be warned: your body can be a helluva good negotiator at mile 18, especially if your mind hasn't prepared its rebuttal arguments beforehand.

Unity of purpose creates clarity of focus, yielding breakthrough performance.
What have we not talked about so far? The things you are likely most torqued about: heart rate, pace, speed, watts, how to eat, what to drink, etc. We believe that if you can keep yourself focused on the Four Keys above, the rest of the day is relatively simple and you don't need to worry about these relatively small details. In other words, all the whizbang guidance in the world can't help you if don't have your mind right about the Four Keys above.

But because you're a Type A Triathlete and you want the details, here they are:
The Swim: Swim only as fast as your ability to maintain form. When you feel your form go, slow down. Counting strokes is an excellent technique for bringing your mind out of the race and into the Box of maintaining your form.

The Bike: JRA (Just Ride Along) for about 45-60'. Then shift from JRA to Easy (5:45+ should split) to Steady (sub 5:45 should split). Guage how well you're doing by how well you're NOT doing what everyone else is doing. REMEMBER: Don't eat the paste!

The Run: Jog for 4-6 miles, with a jogging, do-no-harm pace and heart rate cap. Jogging is defined as a pace you could sustain for hours if we kept feeding you. After 4-6 miles, shift from jogging to "running," running comfortably, getting what you need, and preparing yourself for the Line, where things become very uncomfortable. At the Line, just suck it up and giterdun.

Conclusion
That's it, that's as complicated as racing Ironman needs to be and we can't say it any more simply. We've basically given you a Vegas betting strategy, having managed and observed many rolls of the dice. If you sit down, shut up, do what we tell you, you will have a good day. But as you stray towards the Ricky Racer side of the execution scale, you begin to rattle the dice.

Training begins again for 2008

I'm starting to get everything together to begin training for IMAZ again, including this blog. I've re-painted it, re-named it, but left the 2007 history there. It's all part of the story.

I'm going into the training this time at a different place than where I was last year. I'm 10 lbs lighter than when I started last year's training. I've almost got my nutrition plan dialed-in after starting completely over with it. Last year's training was all about fear of the race and the distance. This year I'm not afraid of the race or the distance. This year's training is all about getting ready to attack the course, no matter what it throws at me. If there are 40 mph winds on the bike course again, then I will be prepared. I've already completed 2/3 of the race in horribly windy conditions, so completing the full race this time around should be more than doable. Last year was a dress rehersal, and I now know a bit more about what to expect to be successful this time around.

I've compared 3 different training plans: the 12 week Beginner Triathlete (BT) plan, the 20 week BT plan, and the 13 week Gale Bernhardt plan. After plotting each in EXCEL, I've selected the 20 week BT plan, but will only do 17 weeks of the plan. Last year I followed the 20 week plan and burned out trying to stay focused on it. The 17 weeks will hopefully help with that. I also couldn't start IM training 3 weeks ago due to other issues. So 17 weeks seems to be a good fit. However, most likely I'll bump up the long rides and long runs by a bit.

I'll be going into the training this year with much better base fitness than last year. I'm already able to run longer than the plan calls for, and I plan to do a few half marathons within the training. After all, the run portion of the IM is just 2 half marathons.

Each week I'm going to keep track of my compliance to the training plan to help keep me accountable. I'm going to try to keep the number of missed workouts to a minimum. Thankfully my BT blog keeps track of all of my distances and times against the training plan, so it will be easy to report that data here.

I should mention that they have introduced a second IMAZ race for November 2008, but I am signed up for the April 13, 2008 race.