cl60guy wrote:

I guess essentially this is yet another 'can I KQ' thread. What I am looking for is some input from guys that are fairly regularly getting to Kona in M35-39 and what sort of splits they put down in Tremblant. I am considering attempting to qualify next year, and just looking for some feedback whether my times from Tremblant are in the ballpark of guys who can usually make the cut, and even use them as a gauge of where I need to get to in order to have a shot.

I had a pretty solid race, pretty much came in close to the times I was expecting at 4:28. 27:15 swim, 2:28 on the bike (legit - no drafting, IF of 0.82), and a 1:27:30 run. Bike I was hoping to be a little closer to 2:26 (although bestbikesplit basically told me I had no chance in hell, but I didn't believe it!), but ended up being about 10 watts lower on the power that I planned. I attacked a few of the packs in the first 30k of the race and I think the power spikes took a little too much out of me. Felt the quads twinging on the Duplessis and decided to take it easy to try and keep them from cramping up. I had hoped to run around 1:25 on the regular course, so I feel like my run time was on target considering they more than doubled the elevation gain of the standard course.

So, my question is - do these splits point towards me having a decent shot? Not sure which race yet - Muskoka is close, I know the course inside out, is an easy drive, but timing sucks. CdA, and Whistler have much better timing, but logistically are much tougher.

Cheers

Thanks for the kind words on lap #2! ITB issues since Feb limited me to a max of 20 mpw and an hr long run. My focus for next year will be getting that run fitness and speed back.

Muskoka could be a good course - the bike will be challenging. I rode a 2:35 for the half last yr and that was right near the top of AG rides. The full won't be quite as hilly due to course configuration, but there are very few flat sections - hopefully it won't be longer than 180k (the 70.3 bike was actually around 58.5 miles). I imagine a bike split of around 5:10-5:20 will be where most guys looking for a KQ will ride. Overall times will definitely be slower than IMMT. Your run strength would help you at Muskoka as it's also quite a hilly run.

I say you are definitely in KQ range, but your bike is relatively weak given the engine on display in the swim and run. You're bike should be closer to 2:22 on that course given what you can swim and run.

The story of my life! Always has been my weakness, it seems no matter what I do in training I always seem to plateau around 4 w/kg which isn't that bad I guess, but being 6'-2" and 153 lbs race weight seems to serve me a lot better in the swim and run than on the bike. Climbing is a bit better, but lets face it, on a course like Tremblant if I push 3.2 W/kg that amounts to around 220 watts, the guy who weighs 25 lbs more and pushes 260 watts, his 3.2 W/kg will pretty much trump mine all the way until Duplessis, at which point there isn't enough time to get back in the game!
I really felt stronger on the bike going in to Tremblant than I feel showed up in the results. Two weeks out I did the Brunel TT which was a pretty hilly 31k and averaged 40.6 kph on 282 watts (Dev you probably know the course as it was the first and last 15k of the old Muskoka chase - straight out Brunel until turning around just before South Portage.) The next day I did the Lake of Bays gran fondo which was the whole Muskoka 70.3 course (minus the single lane bridge in Dorset, we just stayed on the highway which cuts out one fairly significant hill up to hwy 117). I wanted it to be a steady tempo race simulation ride so I only sat in with the group periodically through the first 15k or so, then after Dwight hung about 50m behind the lead group so I could be in the aerobars and out of the draft until they started to yoyo back and forth a lot approaching Dorset so I decided to pass. I put my head down and just pushed what I thought was around my HIM effort (went by feel didn't look at the numbers until afterwards) and fully expected the pack to shut me down a few miles down the road. I felt great on the flat stretch through to Baysville, and never looked back once but I could see the shadow of one guy right on my wheel. When I sat up and tried unsuccessfully to grab some water/calories in Baysville (I bounced both my bottles out the brutal roads at the beginning) I found out that I had two guys on my wheel, and the pack was nowhere in sight. Settled back in at the front of the paceline again and shortly afterwards it was down to two. I was still just setting a steady pace, but now also thinking about the win! I knew if I attacked on south portage and could get out of sight I would probably be gone (unless I bonked since I was now riding the 94k on absolutely zero calories) Still feeling good on south portage so when that nasty steep hill came and I saw it was gravel I attacked and never saw the guy again. Hung on as best I could hoping not to bonk and ended up crossing the line with just under a seven minute gap. I rode the muskoka course in 2:31 which was 12 minutes better than my previous PB I set in the 2013 70.3. All this to say that I felt like my bike was really solid heading into Tremblant, maybe my taper wasn't great, maybe it was just an off day.
I think sometimes I unconsciously hold back too much on the bike because I am thinking about the run. I only racked up 168 TSS for the ride so certainly I had room to push a little harder. That being said I was also thinking about an earlier half I had done where I hit the same TSS and then dropped a 1:22 run-which is stupid fast for me (even on a flat course under optimal conditions), and felt great doing it. So I knew I could run really well off of 170 TSS. 180-190 TSS was a bit more of a question mark.
I've never done a really high volume cycling period, so maybe I'll try that over the winter. I've always felt like the running and swimming just came a lot more naturally.

Tell us more about you mix of training. You might need to bike more or run more frequntly to get better quaslity on your rides.

I think your on the bubble if you pick thed right race and execute.

I'd maintain with your top line watts, 2:22/2:23 on the Tremblant course should have been in reach. Or maybe you were on Gatorskins :-)