Tri / Triathlon / Triathlons - do they float your boat?

Have accident/liability stuff thanks to CTC.

its also the only way to get into the GB Age Group team, but not something considered when I first joined...

Ha. Very unlikely to get under 12 hours in IM Wales (which is about 115% of last years winner in my age group). Target is 13 (everything great) to 15+ (bad cycle and marashuffle).

50k running last week, biggest week ever. Easier ~32k this week as I'm giving blood tomorrow. Actually almost enjoyed my 15k long run yesterday.

Got a little more swimming mojo back, in-laws staying with us at the end of this week so that's the motivation I need to do a big swim on Friday (plus the HRM-Swim and Garmin 920xt makes it a little more interesting).

I expect to cycle about 10km this week. Meh. Will probably do the usual 200km ride in mid Feb so I need to start to get some miles in my legs for that.

8th overall in Saturdays off road duathlon, lost about 2.5 minutes in the run and 7 minutes on the bike, overall a good hard workout, although the distances were a bit short and I reckon another km of running and i'd have had the guy in front of me...

@Greenbank that's great work, I don't think I've run over 30k in a week since May!!

Between now and Brighton (mid April) the plan is a minimum of 30k a week, with most of the weeks >40k and peaking at 63k.

Haven't given much thought to how I'll adapt the running routine once the marathon is done and I need to put more focus on cycling and swimming but still keep the distance there for the IM marathon. Will start to think about this nearer the time. Simplest thing is to get back in the pool on a Friday for a proper swim and out on the bike afterwards.

good plan, I was unprepared for Brighton this year as I just didn't have enough time on my feet, for IM you don't need so much run training, partly because you probably wont run more than 6k without having a bit of a walk (everyone does - even the pro's) and its better to get training load from swimming and cycling for obvious reasons...

Last time out I tended to do 1 strength run, one long ish (6-10 miles) run off the bike and then one long ish run which I walked for 30 seconds every 3km and didn't go above 21km in the last couple of months...

Thanks, that's good info. I've started collecting various IM plans[1] to see how they're structured, and then I'll cherry pick the best ideas and try and mangle something into my limited schedule.

1. http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/training-plans-view.asp?planid=33&memberlevel=1 and I've got a 220triathlon one somewhere...
   

I used that beginner triathlete programme as the basis of all my ironmen before I got coached...

The volume is too high for me now but it got me 10:15 in imch and 9:50-something in imat.

I'll probably go back to an adapted (lower volume) version now I've ditched the coach.

http://blacklinelondon.com/ironman-wales-report/

this is epic...

this looks pretty heavy and also I really disagree with the no gym time philosophy, building up strength is key to triathlon, and while id argue that core strength is far more important than working on your guns, you aren't going to get much of that sitting on a bike all the time.

Beta firmware (6.13) for Forerunner 920xt which adds:-

"
Changes made from version 6.11 to 6.13:

• Added support for the latest running dynamics. These include: Ground Contact Time Balance, Stride Length, and Vertical Ratio (requires a new HRM-Run, the original HRM-Run with sw ver 6.60, or HRM-Tri with sw ver 4.20).
  
  

Changes made from version 6.10 to 6.11:

• Restored the version of the pool swim distance algorithm that was present in the 5.25 beta. This will improve distance accuracy for the users having problems with released software versions. We will continue to work on improving the pool swim algorithm in future betas.
  "
  
  

https://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=7627

Given Garmin's problems with GA firmware quality I'll skip the beta this time, plus it doesn't give me anything until I get a working HRM-Tri from Garmin.

hmmm, i have no idea what any of this means, or what id do with the information if i had it....

my only complaint with the 920 is that in the run mode i'd like the option of the same rest function as the swim mode, and that it updated my vectors yesterday without me really getting to make a choice, but they seem to be working fine still so i'm not too worried...

hmmm, i have no idea what any of this means, or what id do with the information if i had it....

I love numbers and data but that's going over the top (even Cadence, Ground Contact Time and Vertical Oscillation from the current firmware is completely unnecessary).

The only one that might be useful (not all the time) is Ground Contact Time Balance, which (once baselined) should help you see if you're over compensating for an injury should it shift, e.g. if you try and come back to running before a calf/shin/ankle/foot injury is completely healed and you end up favouring the other foot too much.

Other than that the other metrics look to be so strongly linked to pace that they're pretty much useless to all but those at the top of their game who are looking for the marginal gains that may come from striving for technical perfection.

It's running season for me.

Shorter workout than a ride. Plus it's easier to cope with the nordic winter when running.

Except I can't. My pelvis is locked. Can't maintain a decent stride. So my hamstrings tighten and my dodgy achilles play up. After 3 km I lose all feeling in my right foot.

Going to get treatment and rest. But this is ruining my training volume. To be honest triathlons arent looking possible right now.

Swimming is good though. Which is ironic as I only learnt to swim properly as I was enjoying my running too much to commit to just cycling.

Bollocks.

Wondering if/when Garmin will produce something like a Forerunner 925xt or 935xt, e.g. like the 920xt but with wrist based optical HR. If they could make the optical HR work reliably (including when swimming) then that'd be a major coup as you'd only ever need the watch and no strap (assuming you're not interested in most of the running dynamics stuff).

A shoe pod would give running data anyway.

the garmin shoe pod gives next to f-all information btw....

I'm very tired at the moment, but hitting my numbers in training so will keep pushing, I have a run to do tonight then a rest day tomorrow, which will hopefully get me back in a good place.

Numbers suggest I shouldn't be this tired...
CTL 98
ATL 111.2
TSB -13.8

but I guess the numbers don't take account of other factors that contribute to fatigue like work and late nights...

Its all about sleep.

If thats not working you're pretty fucked. One of the issues for us trying to train around life. Is that we do a lot of training in the evenings screwing sleep.

My numbers are much likeyours but with a+20 TSB. But not being able to run, or ride properly outside, leaves me feeling a lack of confidence. But meh. I only really want a decent base to build on in Feb.

my aim is a 110+ CTL (without cheating with a load of volume) by March ready for a peak in May for Mallorca 70.3 and then a rebuild up to 115+ for IM Bolton in July...

Things seems to be going well, 45 minutes at tempo on Friday was surprisingly painless and heart rate was below 150 for the most part, which given that I was doing 4:15 per km was quite pleasing, this mornings session was hard but I blame a non carby dinner and early morning start!

Weight seems to be the biggest challenge and perhaps why I'm struggling a bit at the moment, I think I just need to eat more while training, as running a small deficit is working on the weight but means I don't have a huge amount of reserve energy which means I crash pretty quickly!

I probably just need to keep a box of energy gels next to the turbo just in case...

On the subject of eating: Energy gels

As I'm in mara training mode at the moment, I'd like to carry some form of instant energy with me for those times to prevent a bonk. I can never really stomach a whole gel - Can you get mini gels or shots? I think I remember seeing some form of mini-cannister type thing marketted towards triathletes. Anyone have an idea what these were called?

Clif Bar Shot blocks look good - Anyone used them?

i have a variation of these that I bought to use for a home made gel I was trying a few years ago, the ones I have are food safe, and work well for energy gels if I want to carry a few at once.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/iNeibo-Silicone-Travel-Bottles-1-25oz/dp/B00X9IKKPU/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1450178594&sr=8-9&keywords=silicone+travel+container

I think high 5 do a specific gel flask as well, but don't know how big it is... if you are taking a drink it might be easier to just use an energy drink...

It's worth trying a few different brands to find one that you like the taste of, they range in consistency and content (high 5 are about 20g of carb and fairly watery, torq ones are exactly 30g, whereas zipvit ones are 56g) and its worth training with them as you'll get used to the taste as well as training your gut to deal with them.

Ah, after a bit of googling I've realised I was thinking of 'Saltstick'.
Something like that, but for gel/energy would be ideal.

Maybe I'll just buy a few PEZ from my cornershop