When you are hitting performance levels you have never seen before I always wonder what if I started earlier in life. Of course life gets in the way then but really looking forward to what you can do in Roth
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Who knows, possibly I could have been a half decent MOP Pro 15 years ago, doubt I would have had the tallent to make it to the top. On the face of it, my current performance looks OK, my times are closer to the Proās than MOP triathletes, however, all I have really proven is that I can increase my fitness to a very high level, what is totally unknown is whether I have/had any real tallent, and that is what is needed to perform at the top.
Its nice to play the what if game, but I am pretty pleased where I am
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Once you are in that group they tend to drag you along with themā¦it would have been an interesting life styleā¦
nine weeks out from Rothā¦athlete going well, but recent covid interrupted a big block of trainingā¦
1.17 test half marathon last week in a longer runā¦a bit faster than predicted race day pace, but a confidence booster for athlete (and coach!)
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Must be a quick runner if just a bit faster than race pace
Thereās a few minutes to play withā¦so i will rephraseā¦quicker than predicted race paceā¦
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Last weekend, I went with a friend to Roth, the aim was to get some practice in on the course, in particular, I wanted to make sure that I knew the bike course as well as possible. It was a truely excellent weekend. Tim is a good athlete, aiming for sub 12 at Roth, so a bit slower than me, which was really nice, as I spent the weekend at much lower intensity than I would have done solo.
The weekend started on Friday with a 33km run. Tim had a work meeting, so only ran the first 10km. I felt really good, so just ran.,ā¦ stupidly taking no nutrition or fluid with me. By 21km I was desperate for water, unfortunately there is no water, no shops, in fact nothing at all on the route. At 33km I ran past the hotel, my plan was to grab a drink and gel, and complete the final 9km, however, I decided to end my run there, which was certaily the right call. 33km @ 5:30/km, and other than being thirsty, felt very, very easy, no aches or pains.
Next morning we were at the Rothsee at 0800 for a swim. The water was 14 degrees, despite water being a bit cool and pulling a float, I was really pleased to swim 2:01/100m for 2100m - actual pace was probably around 1:55 as I had to breastroke (watch doesnāt record pace), while working out where the hell I was due to rubish sighting.
Out of the water and back to hotel to get bikes, and we did an āeasyā lap of the course. I averaged 30.5kph @ 160w. Practiced race pace on the climbs, and worked out how much speed I could carry on descents. Generally stuck to cycle paths, rather than road, which made ride a bit slower, road improvements leading up to and through Hipolstein and over Solar are excellent. Including ride to and from course covered 105km
Then onto run from Roth the Buchenbach, then back to Roth, up to Canal and return to Roth. 22km, first 10km running with Tim @ 6:15/km, then 12km @ 4:45/km (this time with fluids)
On Sunday morning went for another swim. Same pace 2:01/100m, overnight rain dropped water temp to 12 degrees. Much better sighting than previous day, effort level was easy. FInally did a 12km run from Roth to the Canal and back, nice easy pace.
A lot of mileage over the weekend, but low intenisty, and I feel great this morning, no fatigue. I am really pleased with my swim, it is at around 20s/100m faster than I was OW swimming at this point last year. With warmer water, people to draft and not pulling a float, I am confident that I will be swimming around 1:47/100m at Roth (1h7m IM swim time)
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How is training coming along Chris- 5 weeks out? That run volume pick up?
You are going to ride quicker than 5.05 - its a quick course bar last 30km headwind (+2k short).
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Too busy training, but I will reply 
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Yep thanks Bosco, as you point out now 4.5 weeks to go. This screenshot of CTL etc probably speaks volumes for the effort.
Especially in the context of the previous years Iāve done tri, and from what I said at the start of this thread. Iāve managed to really increase the hours, with lots of aerobic work. Last 9 weeks hours (of SBR): 15-17-18-16 - 10.5 - 20.5-19.5-20.5-21.5(planned this week) = Big shift considering I averaged 8-10hours across previous years, and only 10-14 hours through the peak periods.
This has come with much less harder intervals with huge reduction in the work at and above the second threshold (FTP etc), with nearly everything being at or below half-ironman effort.
Been 10 weeks since I was hit with the hip flexor tendinopathy. Pretty much no significant running since then (66km in March, 77km in April, always with it flaring afterwards) replaced with lots of isometrics and glute work, but fingers crossed Iām just getting back on my feet now. Too late to have any significant run build so will be an unknown, but the huge swim-bike volumes are transferring across: I feel better running now and lower HR for pace than I did pre-injury.
Swim has gone from average of 6km a week before 2019 Ironman up to 18km average for the past 10 weeks. Reality is swim might be 30-60s quicker, but hopefully big aerobic fitness for later on in the day.
My heart rate is getting lower and lower whilst exercising for the same power, to the point I donāt think I could get it within 10 beats of max even if I wanted to anymore.
Another thought dump would be itās turning cool here. Could do with a late autumn heat wave as prep, maybe should think about proper acclimation.
And final thought is I wish Iād done a lot more on bike equipment. Thatās something I still think Iām losing speed on and if Cairns goes well Iāll take a lot more seriously in future if I do want to chase those extra 10 minutes.
Plan
5 weeks out: Finish off this week as another big testing week.
4 weeks out: Huge deload - Iām working 4x nights, so use it as start of an unconventional taper
3 weeks out: Pretty much a full week of hard training again, but hopefully much fresher than I am now. Hope would be to really hit each session, and not long enough to really build deep fatigue.
2 weeks out: First half of the week finish off some hard work, start nights on the Thursday night so again just total recovery from there and stay loose
1 week out: Finish nights 9am Tuesday morning. Fly to Cairns 2pm Tuesday afternoon. Mix of relax-get body clock reset, do a tiny bit of work to get back up to speed. Race Sunday.
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Iād consider a sauna heat protocol. In 2019, race day hit 27 and impacted the race a lot more than it should. Great work on training, shame on run injury. I still do not care what science tells me - when I am swimming a lot my running improves.
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I think you will be fine, with my foot injury, I was running very little from November through to March, and then did a Marathon PB in early April. I think that you are doing the right thing, keeping some easy effort low mileage runs, once fully recovered, youāll be running well within 2 or 3 weeks
Same here, however, I am still able to push my HR to my MHR when I have a rest day before. When tired I struggle to get my HR up
Iāve been travelling this week, and doing daily 20km runs @ 4:30-4:45 pace (definately not easy pace). I wonder when you are working nights if doing something daily @ higher intensity than normal, might be a good idea?
3 weeks out youāre not going to get any fitness benefits, so not sure that a big week is a great idea (although its the sort of thing I would do)
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I am getting a little concerned about cramps. I hardly ever suffer from Cramp, however, recently I have been getting minor cramps while running and occasional cramp in my legs at night.
I have been doing a lot more long runs, 4 days of 20km per day, a 100km ultra, a marathon a 34km run followed by a 22km run all in the past 8 weeks. No sympoms of injury, just occasional cramp. Could I be missing something in my diet?
More recovery would be my first thought. Even if youāre feeling good there will be a lot of repairing going on.
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Yeah Iād agree with this. Thereāll be thousands of microscopic tears in your muscles from all that effort, all knitting back together.
Good food, stay hydrated and give your legs as much recovery as you can.
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I guess this week was a bit of an experiment, running a half marathon 4 days in a row, all in under 1h40mā¦ while suffering a minor hangover each time (as I write this, doesnāt sound very sensible)
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Hey MS, I have done silly stuff like that, including the minor (or sometimes major hangovers).
I find it certainly builds resilience and the overall load is great and if you can come out the other side not injured you will a stronger runner for it.
Having said that, I cannot help with the cramps, maybe drink more 
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tell me more
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Thatās hot for winter! Not sure what I am missing hereā¦ā¦
Outlaw 2013.
It was hotter than the sun.
Thatās just a fact.
I was pissing about supporting, had a few ciders from CoOp out on the course, then a few more back at HPP, then gingerly cycled home.
Bloody great day out.
I donāt know what people are moaning about.
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