Did 10:37 at IMFL. Obviously it helps to race a more benign course such as FL since it’s flat and generally good weather.
Well, if you whipped off 5:10 Soma truly on 5 weeks training, then you are in the ballpark. What is your size and body composition? You might be able to gain a lot of speed simply by shedding pounds as you average 16 hours per week from now till April.
Regardless, for friends who have done many Ironmans, I always suggest to set “ideal goals” that are at most 15 min faster than current PB. Anything bigger, and what you set yourself up for is hammering out of T1 to chase this new elusive goal, killing yourself by mile 60 of the bike and going 30 min slower than the previous PB.
Better to aim for something like 2 min off swim, 5 min off bike, 5 min off run, 2 min off transitions. Then if you “blow” it on any leg, there is still a chance of making your overall goal with a slightly faster run.
The reality is that the swim will be what the swim will be. Onto the bike if you are “behind” from the swim, there is an inclination to make up “lost time”. Never try to make up lost time. The way to make up “lost time” is by not slowing down on the last 13 miles of the run, not by picking things up during the bike or early in the run.
As you can see this results in a very realistic strategy to PB, but not one that will give you a 1 hour improvement.
Anyway, talk to your coach about the strategy for this elusive PB. A goal without a plan is a dream. Just like in the Navy, when you go on deployment, you have a goal, and a plan and you execute each bit of the plan. Consider this another deployment. Now figure out how to get ot the goal.
Dev
Dev,
Thanks for the advice. Luckily, I live in Hawaii where its easy to swim in the ocean, bike on the island and workout thru the winter! I will train hard and follow my coaches plan and hopefully break 11 come April.