No, there’s plenty of people on here who’ve had perfectly honest massive PB races in Barcelona.
2 Likes
Of course and I would never question the integrity of a fellow TriTalker… its just that rumor has it that there is a bit of drafting that happens there, and honest TT’ers could get frustrated 
3 Likes
2 Likes
Did you do it on the aero bars?
2 Likes
No and i didnt run after, and i had to have a lie down after lunch
5 Likes
I did my afternoon intervals session, ran 2km to track, warmup, 8km intervals and run home, around 16.5 km in total. Interval session was 1km at 4m/km, 0.6km at 5m/km I managed 5 reps on very tired legs, my fast reps were 4:09, 4:07, 4:09, 4:09, 4:06. I didn’t quite hit target pace, but pretty pleased
Today feels like an important training day, gives me confidence that I am on target.
I think that the next few days will be easy
6 Likes
It’s been a week or so since I gave in Update.
I am finally seeing some real gains on swimming. An extra day in the water (I should be doing another day as well) and focus on S&C is making a significant difference. with extra strength, I am able to slow things down, at the same time going faster. My Stroke rate has come down from 69-70spm to 58-59spm, with a slower stroke rate, I am able to think and observe what I am doing, keeping elbows high, focus on hand position, keeping one eye in the water when I breath. I am now back to swimming comfortably at 1:45/100, still not great, but big step in right direction. Over time I will start to bring stroke rate up, and hopefully speed will increase too
I had a bit of a dip in cycling form, but feel that I am well on my way back to my best. A combination of Long zwift rides, shorter ZRL races and at least one outdoor ride is paying off
As my foot is healing, I am able to add some proper mileage. Now averaging 50km per week. Mostly at 4:30-4:45/km pace, but also adding in some intervals and faster pace work. My Saturday Parkrun is around target marathon pace. I’m not where I was last year, but definately getting back on track. Nice to see that long runs outdoors at 4:30 pace are only mid Zone 2 runs
Big difference this year is S&C, I am spending 1-1.5 hours daily, about 1 hour on weights and bands, and 30-40 mins Indoor rowing. After 3 weeks, I am really noticing a difference
I seem to be coping well with the load. If anything I am feeling more energised now than I was a couple of weeks ago
17 Likes
How has your diet changed in order to keep your energy up with the extra sessions? Do you take any supplements? Even though I only do a fraction of training, I struggle to eat enough protein!
I’ve done Cairns 4 times. Bike can be described as rolling. Biggest thing that gets most (me) is the 45-60km of headwind from Port Douglas back to Cairns at end. Pace the first 120km well, have a solid aero position you can hold (+ be in a legal pace-line) and Cairns can be fast enough. That swim though - so choppy- - really chews up weak swimmers, which shall not be a problem for you.
2 Likes
What’s the humidity like on race day?
It’s FNQ, substitute ‘race’ for ‘any given’ 
Actually not too bad in June. There is usually only about a 5-8 Deg swing between summer and winter but the humidity is much worse in Summer
2 Likes
Enjoying/ slightly in awe of this thread. Sub 9 used to seem like the alien world of the pros & it’s amazing to think it might be in reach of some very talented/hardworking/smart-training age groupers here.
I’m guessing for the northern hemisphere athletes now is the toughest time? You’re building that base, but how do you know it’s working? The days are grey, short and cold. The races are a long way off. Even on the UK’s premier triathlon forum people are mostly discussing their DIY projects and how their job sucks 
Keep at it you monsters 
can’t wait to see it pay off in the summer 
11 Likes
3:10 marathon my experience is I can race IM quicker than I average on my training steady runs.
A day? Is that right, or do you mean week? 
Probably a Q for a different thread, but how much do you think you need, and do you eat meat at all? Matt spends time vegan (I don’t know if he is currently) so might be an interesting Q for him. I do agree with the idea (now I think accepted dogma) that endurance athletes do need protein, not just carbs, but I think general mixed healthy diet and it quickly adds up to get 100g a day (aiming 1-1.5g/kg BW) split as multiple 20-30g portions.
Eg:
- breakfast of oats and milk can be ~20g, without even adding nuts/seeds/some powder.
- 2x eggs 2x toast can be another serving of 25g
- beans, lentils, veggies etc quickly add up even if only few grams in each portion.
4 Likes
Thanks. I’ve heard it’s usually fairly calm earlier in the day and generally gets choppier as the AGs roll through. The 20th place swim was around 48 minutes last year, with the leaders doing 43 so suggests current assist/short if anything!
As @FatPom says, apparently not too bad. But I’m nervous that’s ‘not too bad’ compared to the summer furnace that makes you question every wet fart.
2 Likes
You’d be unlucky to cop it mega humid at that time of year. It can still be warm though and coupled with the wind that can be prevalent at that time of year, I’d be very wary of staying hydrated, as that wind can deceive you into think thinking you don’t need to drink as much.
2 Likes
As it happens was listening to a podcast on protein intake this morning, not news but I think it’s generally accepted that those values are pretty low for an athlete. At the upper end even more so I would’ve thought.
I had to pay attention to hit 100g a day. Chronometer app was suggesting I should double it with the exercise, but I think that’s too high. I found it hard to balance increasing protein but not fat. I spend a lot of time eating, so can only imagine what those doing 20+ hours a week are doing! Exercise, eat, sleep!
Just been watching a GCN test of fuels and apparently 1.6g/kg is the maximum per day that the body can deal with for an athlete in full training. On a rest day or for a ‘normal’ person it’s more like 0.8g/kg would be sufficient.
3 Likes
14 hour average for the 6 weeks since Christmas. One 9hr week whilst on nights M-Thur, the rest 15-16.
This week will be another low week, nights M-Thur (after doing F-S as well), and racing next Sunday so Friday Saturday post-nights will be spent trying to get some groove back, and then start training from Sunday once race finished.
Going well. Nothing major to report as no big progress checks but I think swim is currently <50 standard and improving. Running is survival at 5-5:15/km when the weather is hot, but if I get out on cooler days (even 20-25C) I’m running well enough to still think 3-3:10 is potential with expected progress of training.
Really need to knuckle down on cycling.
18 weeks to go.
8 Likes
I think the science indicates more can be useful, and I’m think sub9 training is at the extreme end. Unfortunately the research doesn’t become as specific as 3hr bike or 2h run equals X g/kg protein so it’s hard to be totally prescriptive right?
Most of the studies say that higher levels of protein on harder days or hard periods of training ‘are likely’ to be beneficial, or words to that effect. So if I could I would err higher than the recommendation than lower.
13:43 onwards is “protein for cyclists”
I cant find the older stuff I saw on triathletes but I theming the research is more generic anyway.