I did the NO 70.3 Sunday and ran a 1:52. I thought I should be able to run about a 1:40. Ran a 1:29 half marathon recently on similar course and biked 82% of FTP using power. Times were 31min swim, 2:37 bike and 1:52 run. How can I best improve my run on the 70.3? I used a garmin but no HR. I tend to prefer running on feel. Held 7:40 for 5 miles then started struggling. Any help is appreciated.
Looks like you ran out of gas my friend. First time at the distance? Swam too hard? Tough conditions? Bad nutrition strategy? Hard to say without more info.
All the things nippy said + probably a lot more mileage.
JJ
X2 on lots of missing data. Hard to help without more detail on bike and run mileage and nutrition.
My first instinct is to blame energy output in the swim and bike portions. Second is nutrition. Third is fitness level. Fourth is mental fortitude.
i did just about the same as you. Road 80% of my FTP and died during the run. I thought it was due to the muggy hot conditions. The aid stations had hot gatorade. I’m thinking I had a salt imbalance. Could this be your case?
What power did you put out to bike 2:37?
I had an avg power of 190W on a powertap on the 2:37 bike split.
Have done 2 other 1/2 irons and had times of 5:21 and 5:16 to this 5:07. IM AZ last April 11:58.
I still haven’t figured out how to run well off the bike for that distance. I can run 6:45 pace for 13.1miles but ran 8:35 for the race. That seems like too big of a gap. I used Infinit and a couple of gels. I think I just went out too fast on the run and that killed me. I probably should have gone out 8:30 and then moved toward negative splits. I went out 7:40 thinking i could do 7:30 pace and blew up at mile 5.
other thoughts?
I agree. It sounds like you are pushing yourself much too hard in the beginning of the run. Rather, you should probably start off with a pace that seems to easy, then pick it up as you go along. Aim for negative splits. And realize you are running after swimming and biking, so you can’t expect your run to be as fast as your stand-alone runs.
You PR’d by 9 minutes and you ran faster than, what, 90% of the field… the title of this thread should be “I Had a Great Day in New Orleans!”
I had an avg power of 190W on a powertap on the 2:37 bike split.
Have done 2 other 1/2 irons and had times of 5:21 and 5:16 to this 5:07. IM AZ last April 11:58.
I still haven’t figured out how to run well off the bike for that distance. I can run 6:45 pace for 13.1miles but ran 8:35 for the race. That seems like too big of a gap. I used Infinit and a couple of gels. I think I just went out too fast on the run and that killed me. I probably should have gone out 8:30 and then moved toward negative splits. I went out 7:40 thinking i could do 7:30 pace and blew up at mile 5.
other thoughts?
I ran 6:51 pace 2 months ago for the 1/2 and blew up with a 9:09 pace in N.O. off of a 2:31 bike split.
Some days you get the bear, Some days the bear gets you.
JJ
I had an avg power of 190W on a powertap on the 2:37 bike split.
Have done 2 other 1/2 irons and had times of 5:21 and 5:16 to this 5:07. IM AZ last April 11:58.
I still haven’t figured out how to run well off the bike for that distance. I can run 6:45 pace for 13.1miles but ran 8:35 for the race. That seems like too big of a gap. I used Infinit and a couple of gels. I think I just went out too fast on the run and that killed me. I probably should have gone out 8:30 and then moved toward negative splits. I went out 7:40 thinking i could do 7:30 pace and blew up at mile 5.
other thoughts?
That gap is definitely too big. I do 1:30 in an open half and 1:32-1:35 in a HIM run. I actually think you went out at an appropriate pace, so I wouldn’t change that. You either didn’t eat enough, or you pushed too hard on the bike. You’re probably capable of breaking 5 hours if you leave a little bit more on the bike next time.
can some others post their gap b/w the open half marathon and HIM times on the run please? thanks.
Your numbers are almost exactly like mine for my first HIM last year. My stand alone half mary is around 1:33. I biked 2:37 on a flat course @ 190 watts avg and ran 1:54 off the bike.
For me, it seemed that my two biggest problems were heat acclimization and not enough 6-10 mile runs off the bike in training. I am hopeful that I have addressed the latter problem this year. Still worried about the former.
i think i need some longer brick runs too. that and the pacing may be my 2 biggest issues, followed by more miles on the bike. i ran 6 miles off a 40 mile bike ride at 190W and 25 min open water swim 2 weeks before the race at 7 min pace and felt great. it is those last 6-7 miles that are killing me.
“can some others post their gap b/w the open half marathon and HIM times on the run please? thanks.”
3-5 minutes. To paraphrase Rich Strauss, no such thing as a bad run after a good bike.
“For me, it seemed that my two biggest problems were heat acclimization and not enough 6-10 mile runs.”
Fixed it for you…
1:40 off the bike
1:34:55 standalone
.
My Nov. 2008 1/2 marathon time was 1:36, did not leave everything on the course.
My benchmark w/o so far 85mi bike Z2-3/9mi run Z2-3, would come back with avg 22.0mph (don’t have power meter)/ 7:15-7:20 run after, not too much strain on the run. I have repeated similar numbers 3 times prior to NO. Trained in Kansas City all winter, no heat acclimation. Did not taper or peak as NO was a “B” race for my upcoming Ironman 70.3 Kansas that is “A” on my calendar.
New Orleans:
30:49, 2:27, 1:44 splits
Just like you, here how it goes: mile 1 7:24, mile 2 7:32, mile 3 7:45, mile 4 7:52…to stabilize at 8:04-8:01 for mid to late miles. My swim and bike pace were on target with bike HRM showing high Z2 for the first 1/3rd, than low Z3 for the latter part, felt good not over exerted. Hydration was on target, 1100cal Infinit on the bike (I am 155lbs).
I searched for that pace during the run that would be sustainable for the conditions: 80F, 74% humidity and 3/4 of the course into the wind. With no heat acclimation, this is how it came out for me. I think hot temps/wind on the run played a major role for me as I had no training time above 50F. I am a heavy/salty sweater. I did not blow up on the run, but I could have. I managed to pull back the pace on the run at the last moment. Avg pace shows 8:00/mile. I think if I had started at 7:45-7:50 would have been manageable to the end. First 3mi were upper Z2, up to mile 8 all uper Z3, after that low Z4 to the end.
I don’t think you are alone with that experience from the race. I think many of us had a similar performance.
did you weigh yourself after the race? I would guess nutrition, bike pacing, or going out a bit hot on the run. The first mile or two I get my legs under me. i don’t really push it until the last 5k. do you train on your race bike in the aerobars? Something doesn’t add up with that big of a gap.
Distinction noted, and you are of course correct. Although don’t runs off the bike still count as “runs?”
FWIW, my stand-alone 10Ks are around 40-41 mins and I generally run around 43 and change in an Oly race after riding in the 235-240 watt range. So its somewhere b/w mile 8-13 where I was falling apart in HIM races.