Hi again,
I’m doing immt this summer and I’m looking to go 5h30 on the bike. Is there any way to calculate “ballpark” how watts I’d need to push to obtain this time?
I know a lot of factors can come in effect that we don’t know, I’m just looking for an estimate here ;).
Thanks!
Hi again,
I’m doing immt this summer and I’m looking to go 5h30 on the bike. Is there any way to calculate “ballpark” how watts I’d need to push to obtain this time?
I know a lot of factors can come in effect that we don’t know, I’m just looking for an estimate here ;).
Thanks!
You should think about doing the reverse, ie, typing in the number of watts you can hold and still run well, and then get what time your bike could be. Setting a time goal for the bike can very easily blow a race.
Hi again,
I’m doing immt this summer and I’m looking to go 5h30 on the bike. Is there any way to calculate “ballpark” how watts I’d need to push to obtain this time?
I know a lot of factors can come in effect that we don’t know, I’m just looking for an estimate here ;).
Thanks!
You should think about doing the reverse, ie, typing in the number of watts you can hold and still run well, and then get what time your bike could be. Setting a time goal for the bike can very easily blow a race.
That’s what I’m planning to do, I feel like I could push hard and hit 5hours but die on the run, or hold back a tad and run well.
It’s hard to figure out what you can push that wouldn’t blow your run tho… any tips on figuring that out?
Most people would do well with an IF of < .70. I did MT two years ago and to go under 5h and run you’d probably have to be in the > 4.2 w/Kg @ FTP club and bike conservatively. For example, someone with an FTP of 300W, very aero and riding at .70 IF or ~210W NP.
The climbs at the end of the 2nd loop will kill your legs if you over-biked or under-fueled. Another thing, it’s very very easy to hit a high VI on that course. If you’re a smooth climber and won’t spike your power too much you’ll be OK.
Most people would do well with an IF of < .70. I did MT two years ago and to go under 5h and run you’d probably have to be in the > 4.2 w/Kg @ FTP club and bike conservatively. For example, someone with an FTP of 300W, very aero and riding at .70 IF or ~210W NP.
The climbs at the end of the 2nd loop will kill your legs if you over-biked or under-fueled. Another thing, it’s very very easy to hit a high VI on that course. If you’re a smooth climber and won’t spike your power too much you’ll be OK.
IMMT was my first ironman and i’m a back of packer so take this for what its worth. and also the conditions were really rough due to weather. make sure you’re climbing a LOT in your training. as you read the reviews the course is broken down into a few segments. but Montee Ryan had some rollers on it, and HWY 117 was pretty flat or slight rolling… except the 1st mile or so out and last back… its a longer climb. when you get to Chemin Duplessis, you’re going to need to spin up really well. some short/punchy and steep climbs here. last thing you want to do is go too hard and blow yourself out at the end. the bike course does allow you to pace yourself pretty well
You’re right that there are a ton of other factors that play into it. Your aerodynamics, size, weather, etc.
But if you want an n=1, I went 5:35 last year in the rain on a NP of 167 watts. I used bestbikesplit, and it was pretty much dead on for me. Again, this is just me, so don’t look too much into it.
Okay, wow!
I saw another guy of my size/weight say he averaged 200w to go 5:30 last year so I guess that’s about what I’m aiming for.
Thanks for confirming.
I rode a 4:51 at Tremblant at around 230 watts, which was a bit under my goal wattage, but around two minutes faster than BBS predicted. This was under pretty hot and humid conditions in 2015. I’d really fine tuned my position and setup heading into the race. In 2013 I biked 5:06 on nearly identical watts.
I rode a 4:51 at Tremblant at around 230 watts, which was a bit under my goal wattage, but around two minutes faster than BBS predicted. This was under pretty hot and humid conditions in 2015. I’d really fine tuned my position and setup heading into the race. In 2013 I biked 5:06 on nearly identical watts.
Mind if I ask what your size/weight is? Just as a reference.
X2 on Best Bike Split. All your questions will be answered there. You can adjust pretty much every variable.
I rode a 4:51 at Tremblant at around 230 watts, which was a bit under my goal wattage, but around two minutes faster than BBS predicted. This was under pretty hot and humid conditions in 2015. I’d really fine tuned my position and setup heading into the race. In 2013 I biked 5:06 on nearly identical watts.
Mind if I ask what your size/weight is? Just as a reference.
6’ and around 170 lbs on race day
“I saw another guy of my size/weight say he averaged 200w to go 5:30 last year so I guess that’s about what I’m aiming for.”
Unless you mean you are aiming to avg 200w, I don’t think you grasped what TG suggested above.
Your split is the output. The watts you can maintain is the input and is what you should be focussing on. Chasing a particular time is a foolish approach.
“I saw another guy of my size/weight say he averaged 200w to go 5:30 last year so I guess that’s about what I’m aiming for.”
Unless you mean you are aiming to avg 200w, I don’t think you grasped what TG suggested above.
Your split is the output. The watts you can maintain is the input and is what you should be focussing on. Chasing a particular time is a foolish approach.
I was looking at what I should be aiming for, `watt-wise’ in order to achieve a certain time… as I said, I’m looking for a ball park estimate, I know a lot of factors come into play…
I just think it’s better that I aim for something over going in blind without knowing what the result would be.
You should not be “aiming for” any particular time.
Aim to make the watts you can handle as high as possible. Whatever time that results in…it is what it is.
You should not be “aiming for” any particular time.
Aim to make the watts you can handle as high as possible. Whatever time that results in…it is what it is.
Sorry… misunderstood what you were saying!
I get it now 
“I saw another guy of my size/weight say he averaged 200w to go 5:30 last year so I guess that’s about what I’m aiming for.”
Unless you mean you are aiming to avg 200w, I don’t think you grasped what TG suggested above.
Your split is the output. The watts you can maintain is the input and is what you should be focussing on. Chasing a particular time is a foolish approach.
I was looking at what I should be aiming for, `watt-wise’ in order to achieve a certain time… as I said, I’m looking for a ball park estimate, I know a lot of factors come into play…
I just think it’s better that I aim for something over going in blind without knowing what the result would be.
You can “aim” for anything you want but in the end unless it’s an appropriate effort for your fitness level, you will be in big trouble. If your FTP is 250 coming in to race day, you will never come close to the 200 watts for 5.5hrs you are “aiming” for. You just won’t be able to do it. If your FTP is more like 300, then sure you can conceivably put down 200 watts for 5.5hrs and still run.
What is your FTP now?
As kdw says, your split is an output, not an input to the equation here. On race day, assuming you know how to ride with a power meter, you will ride to the correct power that will allow you to run well. Figure that is between 65% for someone inexperienced at the full distance, to around 75% for someone who has been there a number of times and is comfortable going that hot. It doesn’t matter at all if your goal is 200 watts if 200 watts is not in the range of your abilities.
“I saw another guy of my size/weight say he averaged 200w to go 5:30 last year so I guess that’s about what I’m aiming for.”
Unless you mean you are aiming to avg 200w, I don’t think you grasped what TG suggested above.
Your split is the output. The watts you can maintain is the input and is what you should be focussing on. Chasing a particular time is a foolish approach.
I was looking at what I should be aiming for, `watt-wise’ in order to achieve a certain time… as I said, I’m looking for a ball park estimate, I know a lot of factors come into play…
I just think it’s better that I aim for something over going in blind without knowing what the result would be.
You can “aim” for anything you want but in the end unless it’s an appropriate effort for your fitness level, you will be in big trouble. If your FTP is 250 coming in to race day, you will never come close to the 200 watts for 5.5hrs you are “aiming” for. You just won’t be able to do it. If your FTP is more like 300, then sure you can conceivably put down 200 watts for 5.5hrs and still run.
What is your FTP now?
As kdw says, your split is an output, not an input to the equation here. On race day, assuming you know how to ride with a power meter, you will ride to the correct power that will allow you to run well. Figure that is between 65% for someone inexperienced at the full distance, to around 75% for someone who has been there a number of times and is comfortable going that hot. It doesn’t matter at all if your goal is 200 watts if 200 watts is not in the range of your abilities.
Okay, that makes sense.
My ftp is 310, my 3h trainer rides average about 250w, depending on how hard I train the days leading up to that long trainer session.
Another data point for ya, I too rode it this past August in the rain, did a conservative 170w average, 5’10 177 pounds, ended up with 5:42.
I rode a 4:51 at Tremblant at around 230 watts, which was a bit under my goal wattage, but around two minutes faster than BBS predicted. This was under pretty hot and humid conditions in 2015. I’d really fine tuned my position and setup heading into the race. In 2013 I biked 5:06 on nearly identical watts.
Nate - just wondering, the numbers you quote, are they AP or NP?
Mine ended up quite different at IMMT, due to the hills I guess (and freewheeling the downhills!!), and shitty pacing on my part.
AP was like 170, but NP was 193…