For various reasons, it has been a good while since I truly raced a HIM (canceled swims, broken clavicle, other important schedules, etc). Done bunches of sprints, OLYs, and 2 IMs, but no HIMs in last couple of years.
I have an HIM 2 weeks from today and I have one really good data point. Today I went out and did 56 mile bike at 193 watts (full race kit, AP = NP, IF =.81, VI =1.003, FTP hasn’t been verified in a little while though), took 7 minutes to load car, then ran 7 miles at average of 7:14 pace, though to be fair, I was around 7:18 to 7:20 for the first 6 and decided to throw down the last mile to prove to myself that I had plenty left in the tank, that resulted in a 7:04 mile and a side stitch near the end (last half mile under 7:00 min pace).
Nutrition practice was basically spot on and verified (though I have a couple of points to clean up based upon weather conditions on race day).
Here is the question, the data point from today is with me carrying a pretty good fatigue load (literally highest ATL and TSB since IM build last year). Day before this I ran 10 miles including a 5k PR in the middle and road an hour plus in Z2, in other words, I think I will probably be able to go faster when rested.
Since I plan on tapering for the race and showing up well rested, how would you tweak the targets above (also realizing that a swim will be involved prior to these). Swim conditions will be fair to mild, I will probably come out of the water around 30 minutes, the bike split will probably be around 2:25 (if I stick with 193 Watts). Weather conditions should be similar to today.
Personally, I’d stick with the same targets that worked today and in the last 4 miles give it whatever you have left.
But here are two relevant points to consider.
What will the temps be on race day vs today, probably getting warmer every day I reckon.
Are you a solid finisher? As I recall you had a solid iron distance race in the fall, so you can start to trust your judgement a little more.
ok three points
What was your hr response to the run? Was it steady or increasing?
I have never had that happen to me (I do his before every A race), but I usually do it 3 weeks out. Schedule and weather just made that impossible this time around.
What was your hr response to the run? Was it steady or increasing?
Great question, HR was increasing for first few miles, then holding steady at around 152 until I kicked last mile and got it into the 160s.
Temps are absolutely something I will consider. Today I had 70s with moderate humidity (arm Warner’s for first hour on bike in 60s).
If we get into 80s, I would probably use same bike target and reduce run to 7:30 for first half or so (and of course tweak nutrition),
Per your other note, I did have a solid IM, but am surprised my bike fitness came back so fast. I worked run hard for Dec/Jan/Feb for a Mary; just got back to high quality bike training for about a month.
If I read between the lines, it sounds like you’ve been off the bike enough in the last few months to suspect a bit of fitness loss. If that’s a fair assessment, unless you take the time to do a (minimum) 30 min FTP test to reset your race pace zones, I’d back off the IF to around .75 to .78 on the bike for the first quarter of of the bike, then slowly ramp up to up to .79 to .81 by the third quarter and then hold it there for the last quarter if you’re still feeling good. You’ll lose bike fitness pretty quick, so your FTP is probably lower than you think. You won’t lose a whole lot of speed between NP 193W (at your IF.81) and NP 180W (approx. your IF .77); tough to say exactly without knowing your speed at a given power, but maybe 5 minutes if you hold 180W for the whole 90 km (number pulled out of ass, so anyone out there feel free to correct with math)? You can’t “cram” training, so with only two weeks to go, use your natural talents to their advantage and minimize the losses in your weakest discipline by **not **blowing yourself up in it!
If I read between the lines, it sounds like you’ve been off the bike enough in the last few months to suspect a bit of fitness loss. If that’s a fair assessment, unless you take the time to do a (minimum) 30 min FTP test to reset your race pace zones,
I do believe that I am probably down some from my FTP of last season (240). I have had intentions of doing a solid FTP test (and may get one in this week) but a good FTP test is a fairly big interruption to training and doing it on dead legs (which is common in this phase) really doesn’t give a helpful point. As a result, I have just stuck to doing more race specific stuff and setting up a good full rehearsal knowing that my FTP was probably down a bit. If I thought I had 240 FTP still, I would have aimed at 205 today.
Out of curiosity, since I was able to run really well off 193 today, why would I try something less? Didn’t I prove today that 193 works on fatigued legs and would thus be easier to hold and run with on fresh legs?
How much do you weigh, and what kind of wheel set up do you run? I go 2:25 on like 245 watts.
I am 136 lbs, 5’ 7" using a FLO60 Front and a wheel cover back. Bike is P1 without any crap on it with Omega front brake, bell javelin helmet and tight race kit and slammed with a negative stem. Course is made for speed, 20 miles in one direction with no auto traffic, only needed to make 3 180 degree turns the whole 56 miles, only MUST break aero 4 times total whole time (in addition to U-turns), though there were a couple of times when I encountered pedestrians/cyclists where I broke aero for a few seconds… Wind was mild today as well.
I have also gone 25 mph on 240 average for a 40k TT (that was prior to a few improvements, so I am likely better today than I was then).
Out of curiosity, since I was able to run really well off 193 today, why would I try something less? Didn’t I prove today that 193 works on fatigued legs and would thus be easier to hold and run with on fresh legs?
I was basing the suggestion on your posted 0.81 IF which I assumed was probably more like 0.85 (since your FTP measure is possibly down due from lighter training compared to your IM build up last year). If you raced a HIM at what was actually a 0.85 IF, although it’s “only” a Half IM, you might be a tad higher risk of compromising, if not outright blowing up on the run if the longer fitness isn’t quite there and you mess up hydration/nutrition. You’ll set your bike leg up nicely with your faster than average swim, and then you can just settle in easy for the first quarter of the bike. It won’t cost you very much in time to back off for the first part of the bike, and since your run appears to be a strong discipline, you can kick the last 5 or 6 km if you’re feeling good and more than make up the time given up on the bike without the risk of blowing up with a few K to go.
A suggestion would be to substitute your next 2x 20’ (or 3x 20’) Sub Threshold workouts with 30 min warm up followed by 1x 30’ FTP Test, then 10 min easy spinning as cool down then hop off or, if you feel up to it, add on 1x 20’ at 89 - 92% of your new FTP. If you are feeling a bit tired for the FTP Test, that’s okay. You can take 95% of the result as a good estimate of your race day FTP (knowing on race day you’ll be fresher).
You’re a pretty fast guy and similar profile to me. I’m 132 lbs and 5’5", FTP around 270, 1:22 flat out half marathoner. I did I race simulation ride for HITS Ocala half, IF 84, and felt awful trying to hold 7 min miles for an hour run. Carrying fatigue really cramps your style, and with a little rest on race day I rode the bike course at IF 93 because it just felt way too easy, and then I had a seriously slow run. All this in mind, I would recommend a conservatively higher race day wattage, maybe IF 85, and solid discipline. Don’t leave it all on the bike course, but make sure you drop a bike split to be proud of. Good luck!
132 lbs and 5’5", FTP around 270, 1:22 flat out half marathoner.
Damn, I am not in your league yet.
Best FTP is 240, I don’t have a recent HIM to post, but I just went 19:08 at 5k, which was a really big PR for me (day before the rehearsal noted above).
I am guessing you are closer to 4:15 at HIM than to 4:30. Am I right?
If I have an awesome day, I have a shot at 4:30.
That will require me riding a little harder than 193 watts and then running at least as well as I did yesterday.
If we get perfect conditions I might go for it. But if temps pick up, I will probably aim at NP of 193 and then start off running 7:25s and see what happens and how I feel.
Haha no I’m not quite a 4:15 guy, my fastest is actually 4:30 exactly, the race mentioned above, and its only my fastest because the course it real quick, I didn’t race all that well, paced hard on the bike and melted on the run. Wise people will always tell you that you will have a faster time if you have a well planned pacing strategy and ok fitness than if you are the fittest guy in the world and have no clue how to pace. Knock 'em dead!
unless you take the time to do a (minimum) 30 min FTP test
Tried to do this today, my target was 250 watts. Circumstances were not perfect, but I was able to go AP/NP 231/232 for 30 minutes (with 20 min warm up and 10 minute warm down).
Important notes/caveats:
Course required that I make a 180 degree turn twice
On four occasions I had to slow/coast for bridges and turns
Had to slow/coast a few times for peds
I am carrying pretty high fatigue level
At end I didn’t feel like I was dead
With that in mind, I don’t think my FTP is that far from what I established with my 40k TT (240 watts).
I don’t think that I am back at 240, but I am very confident that I am over 220, if I had to guess at it, I would say I am at 230. Which means that my 193 would be IF of 0.84, which would still put me in my wheelhouse of between IF of .8 and .85 for HIM.
Will write up a true race report shortly. Summation: 31:43 on swim, 2:23:03 on bike on NP of 196, AP of 194, VI of 1.012 and a run of 1:35:49 (7:19), actually negative split the run by a little (10 seconds or so with last mile of 7:04). Pretty close to my rehearsal day.
in my HIM in the bike i ended up going the same pace as in an olympic. That taught me to suck it up and work harder in the olympic, but the HIM is a fun distance overall