WWSD?
This is long but I've tried to include all relevant info. Looking for some experience and/or insight. In short my pre-IM (IMMT) 'big day' of training went south and I'm not sure what to take out of it. I'd say training to date has gone well but after yesterday I am left with more doubt than confidence. I'm attempting to cement MOP status at the IM distance and was feeling good about it until yesterday.
Training summary to date for 2012 is 3,100 miles biking, and 1,100 miles running and a bunch of open water swimming this spring/summer. At the 70.3 in Tremblant I put up a 23 min PR at the distance and after biking at AP=175w/NP=200w (19.1 mph) was able to run strong (for me) the whole way consistently running 8:45/mile to finish with a 1:53 (open PR of 1:43 on a downhill course). I have a boat load of 40-50 mile rides (at 200+ watts and occasionally running 5 miles after for 'transition' purposes) and last 5 weeks a 80-90 mile ride (at 180 watts) feeling pretty decent throughout all of them. My run fitness (for me) is feeling good with a handful of comfortable 20 milers and a slew of 16 milers all done at 9:00/mile. This week was my big week in terms of volume, coming in at 200 miles on the bike and 45 miles on the run (or 20 hours total including swims). After my 90 mile ride last week I raced an international du the next day in scorching heat and had no trouble running 8:00/mi in both runs (fast for me - see above).
So yesterday I attempted my 'big day' race simulation with a 2 mile swim, taking a short break and then heading out on the bike. Started to feel the power just drop out after about 4 hours on the bike. Soldiered through a difficult 2 hours to finish up the bike. Oddly enough in looking at the files my avg power was about the same for the first 4 hours vs the last 2 hours (although VI/NP came down in the last 2 hours). My goal effort for the bike was AP=165w/NP=180w which I fell just short of at AP=161w/NP=177w (for 17 mph - gah!).
After getting off the bike and changing clothes, having a snack/water I felt a fair bit better than I did on the last 2 hours of the bike and headed out to attempt the 10 mile run. Short story is I made it 5 miles and quit. HR wouldn't come down under 170 and felt mild difficulty in breathing/dizziness etc.. Legs were a little tired but they didn't seem to be the limitation. I was attempting to run 9:30/mi. Potential factor: despite drinking over 6 litres of water (~ 200 oz) during the bike I never had to pee, seems like a warning sign in retrospect. Lastly - frustrated by yesterday's conclusion I joined Mrs. Rhino on her long run this morning instead of taking the day off and very comfortably ran 10 miles at 9:45/mile with the HR staying nice and even in the low 130's (140's on the uphills) despite it being hot and shadeless. I actually feel pretty good today considering the 8 hour training day yesterday.
So my question is how to apply the accumulated knowledge from yesterday/today to maximize success in 4 weeks at IMMT?
Is my bike fitness so much lower than I thought that I should revise my target wattage (150w?) and look for a solution to keep it under 200w on the hills (good luck to me heading to Lac Superior)? Would resigning myself to a 7 hour bike split setup running the marathon? Am I just strung out at this point and can expect a similar output on the bike will allow me to run 10:00/mi with the recovery from the taper period coming up? Would ensuring I take in enough liquid to have to pee at least once (twice?) on the bike have prevented the meltdown on the run? Lastly - should I bump up the long rides in my taper weeks (at least the first two) to get another couple century rides in or is it to late at this point to scramble for bike endurance? I was hoping to parlay my 5:30 at IMMT 70.3 into a 12:xx at the full - is this wishful thinking based on the above?
This is long but I've tried to include all relevant info. Looking for some experience and/or insight. In short my pre-IM (IMMT) 'big day' of training went south and I'm not sure what to take out of it. I'd say training to date has gone well but after yesterday I am left with more doubt than confidence. I'm attempting to cement MOP status at the IM distance and was feeling good about it until yesterday.
Training summary to date for 2012 is 3,100 miles biking, and 1,100 miles running and a bunch of open water swimming this spring/summer. At the 70.3 in Tremblant I put up a 23 min PR at the distance and after biking at AP=175w/NP=200w (19.1 mph) was able to run strong (for me) the whole way consistently running 8:45/mile to finish with a 1:53 (open PR of 1:43 on a downhill course). I have a boat load of 40-50 mile rides (at 200+ watts and occasionally running 5 miles after for 'transition' purposes) and last 5 weeks a 80-90 mile ride (at 180 watts) feeling pretty decent throughout all of them. My run fitness (for me) is feeling good with a handful of comfortable 20 milers and a slew of 16 milers all done at 9:00/mile. This week was my big week in terms of volume, coming in at 200 miles on the bike and 45 miles on the run (or 20 hours total including swims). After my 90 mile ride last week I raced an international du the next day in scorching heat and had no trouble running 8:00/mi in both runs (fast for me - see above).
So yesterday I attempted my 'big day' race simulation with a 2 mile swim, taking a short break and then heading out on the bike. Started to feel the power just drop out after about 4 hours on the bike. Soldiered through a difficult 2 hours to finish up the bike. Oddly enough in looking at the files my avg power was about the same for the first 4 hours vs the last 2 hours (although VI/NP came down in the last 2 hours). My goal effort for the bike was AP=165w/NP=180w which I fell just short of at AP=161w/NP=177w (for 17 mph - gah!).
After getting off the bike and changing clothes, having a snack/water I felt a fair bit better than I did on the last 2 hours of the bike and headed out to attempt the 10 mile run. Short story is I made it 5 miles and quit. HR wouldn't come down under 170 and felt mild difficulty in breathing/dizziness etc.. Legs were a little tired but they didn't seem to be the limitation. I was attempting to run 9:30/mi. Potential factor: despite drinking over 6 litres of water (~ 200 oz) during the bike I never had to pee, seems like a warning sign in retrospect. Lastly - frustrated by yesterday's conclusion I joined Mrs. Rhino on her long run this morning instead of taking the day off and very comfortably ran 10 miles at 9:45/mile with the HR staying nice and even in the low 130's (140's on the uphills) despite it being hot and shadeless. I actually feel pretty good today considering the 8 hour training day yesterday.
So my question is how to apply the accumulated knowledge from yesterday/today to maximize success in 4 weeks at IMMT?
Is my bike fitness so much lower than I thought that I should revise my target wattage (150w?) and look for a solution to keep it under 200w on the hills (good luck to me heading to Lac Superior)? Would resigning myself to a 7 hour bike split setup running the marathon? Am I just strung out at this point and can expect a similar output on the bike will allow me to run 10:00/mi with the recovery from the taper period coming up? Would ensuring I take in enough liquid to have to pee at least once (twice?) on the bike have prevented the meltdown on the run? Lastly - should I bump up the long rides in my taper weeks (at least the first two) to get another couple century rides in or is it to late at this point to scramble for bike endurance? I was hoping to parlay my 5:30 at IMMT 70.3 into a 12:xx at the full - is this wishful thinking based on the above?