3 posts tagged “triathlon”

REDUX of 112 mile RR (Race Rehearsal) but instead of a flat ride … this time had over 4000 feet of climbing & 1 hour run on July 28^st  report by the numbers – as an engineer in a former life – I always say è you can’t have too much data …

 

I had two 112 Mile RR (Race Rehearsal) rides recommended by my training plan from Rich Strauss of Crucible Fitness, but I added this add'l RR for two reasons. 

1) To get a warm/fuzzy about riding the Louisville course and implementing good pacing on the hills.

2) Since Coach Rich said, that the long downtime between the 2 56 mile laps last week & the downtime for the flat repair of another rider would tend to invalidate the results of the Race Rehearsal, since hips & shoulders would got extra time to recover from the sustained aero position riding and that was a lot of recovery/rest time.

 

This second RR (like the one from a week ago) was paced as recommended by Rich based on the monthly TT testing using my Ergomo Power Meter and other testing.  The training plan has been fantastic è I think the plan may need some tweaks since I am a 54 year old masters triathlete ...

 

Felt great throughout the ride but (probably due to the 100+ Heat Index) not quite as good as last week.  And even though all runs are hard for me, this run was definitely tougher than last week ... I definitely needed the power of wearing the Crucible Fitness Kit ...

 

I rode 5:35 for 112 miles hilly and some wind on the second 56 mile lap.  I ran 10:01 pace for almost 6 miles and finished within 2-1/2 pounds of the weight that I woke up with.  (The run pace was probably still at least 30 seconds per mile faster than I can run IM)

 

Prep è  Nite before prepared the bike, all of my water bottles & my feed (bottle see below for contents)

Sleep è 6 hours – Twice as much as the last 112 RR

 

Breakfast è@ 4:45 WGT=159 èQT Gatorade, Powerbar, è WGT=161.5  

112 mi RR - 1st 56 mi:

  Duration:    2:43:16

  TSS:         143.9 (intensity factor 0.727)

  Norm Power:  200

  VI:          1.07

  Distance:    55.708 mi

  Elevation Gain:   2113 ft

  Elevation Loss:   2119 ft

               Max  Avg

  Power:       494  186  watts

  Heart rate:  139  125  bpm

  Cadence:     115  87   rpm

  Speed:       46.5 20.5 mph

 

 

NOTE: about 4 minutes between 56 mile loops to get five full water bottles from ice chest & run to the restroom

 

112 mi RR - 2nd 56 mi:

  Duration:    2:52:20 (2:52:33)

  TSS:         124 (intensity factor 0.657)

  Norm Power:  181

  VI:          1.08

  Distance:    55.657 mi

  Elevation Gain:   2136 ft

  Elevation Loss:   2129 ft

               Max  Avg

  Power:       486  168  watts

  Heart rate:  143  131  bpm

  Cadence:     116  85   rpm

  Speed:       47.9 19.4 mph

 

Entire workout (177 watts):

  Duration:    5:35:36 (5:41:47)

  Work:        3558 kJ

  TSS:         269.1 (intensity factor 0.694)

  Norm Power:  191

  VI:          1.08

  Distance:    111.365 mi

  Elevation Gain:   4252 ft

  Elevation Loss:   4249 ft

               Max  Avg

  Power:       494  177  watts

  Heart rate:  143  128  bpm

  Cadence:     116  86   rpm

  Speed:       47.9 19.9 mph

 

NOTE: about 4 minutes transition to get running shoes, hat, & fuel belt (w/55 oz of Gatorade) and put bike back into van

 

Bike 111.4 miles = 5:35:36 19.9 mph on a course with over 4000 feet of climbing  

• Feed Bottle è Total 350 cal / hour & 300 mg sodium (+ other electrolytes) / hour è Hammer Sustained Energy 15 scoops è 1700 calories & 560mg of sodium + 3 x 100 calorie servings of raspberry Hammergel + 11 x 100mg sodium Endurolyte caps
• Water è 260 oz total water on bike è 130 oz (5 x 26oz bottles per / 56 mile lap)
• HR 128 bottom of Zone2

Run 5.4 miles = 0:54:42 minutes - 10:01 pace è

·         Gatorade è 55oz was about 10oz / mile

·         HR 136 upper Zone1 w/ some Zone 2

Weight

• 159    Before breakfast
• 161.7 Before 1^st 56 mile bike
• 161.6 After    1^st 56 mile bike
• 158.6 After    2^nd 56 mile bike @ Start of run
• 156.6 After run

Temperature

• 76 @ beginning of bike and brisk wind that picked up as the bike went on and H.I. (heat index) was over 100 for last 1/3 of bike)
• 95 @ beginning of run è typical Arkansas Late July – H.I. over 100

 

Post workout è Endurox R4 26oz (3 scoops), 26 oz Gatorade, 26 oz water

 

My 112 mile RR Storyè

 

The appointed starting point was COOK(s) Landing … Just north of the BDB – www.bigdambridge.com

 

A few minutes before 6am, just like last week,  area was hopping as over 40 riders pulled up and started getting ready for a great ride … (All rides are good) … the riders included Marianne & Heather (doing IMKY), Chris I. & Emily H doing a ½ IM, and others doing HHH (Hotter ‘n Hell Hundred, MS150, or BDB100 (Big Dam Bridge100 è www.bigdambridge.org ) ...

 

There were some photos taken and can be found @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dewonn43/sets

 

After Coach Rich, said you can’t do a race rehearsal ride waiting on other people … I started this ride on a mission.  I rolled out in race mode and stayed there for the 112 miles except for a few minutes between 56 mile loops to grab 5 water bottles from the cooler in my van and run to the restroom. 

 

The first 56 mile lap was right on NP (Normalized Power) 200 watts & TSS / IF (Training Stress Score & Intensity Factor) of 143.9 (0.727).  This was about right on my plan … but I was actually faster even with the over 2000 feet of climbing than I was the previous flat and a little windy 112 mile RR.  Perhaps due to the increased heat I did not feel quite as good as the previous weekend.  So using the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) principle from dear ole Coach Rich (Strauss of www.cruciblefitness.com ) … I decided to dial it back a little for the second 56 mile lap since the HI (heat index) was supposed to be 100+ early in the second lap.      

 

The second 56 mile lap was NP (Normalized Power) 181 watts & TSS / IF (Training Stress Score & Intensity Factor) of 124 (0.657).  By staying even more aero than on the first lap and being very conscious about rolling over the top of the hills and grabbing all of the free speed available … I was only 9 minutes slower on the second lap.  As Rich would say, Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast. 

 

Last week under cooler conditions … my HR for my two 56 mile laps was 108 & 110 BPM … for this 112 mile RR my HR was 125 & 131 BPM with the HI (heat index) reaching well into the 100’s.    

 

My Sustained Energy from Hammer Nutrition (with 340 cal per hour) with added electrolytes all mixed up in one bottle for the entire 6 hours has worked well on both  112 mile RR rides.

 

For bike hydration I had a bottle in my pocket … because I was a little short on water as I finished up the bike on the previous 112 RR … I also had a 30oz aero bottle, 26oz seat tube bottle, & 2 x 26oz bottles behind the seat … plus a feed bottle on the down tube … this allowed me to do each 56 mile loop non-stop. 

 

After few minutes to put my bike in my van, grab my fuel belt with 55oz of Gatorade, and hitting the bathroom, I started my run.  The run was harder than last week, probably due to the 105+ heat index … each mile I drank about 10oz of ½ strength Gatorade and ran what felt hard (all runs are hard) … ran 10:01 pace with a 136 BPM HR (top of Z1) ... it was 95 degrees & 105+ heat index, sunny, & humid … just about perfect for an end of July Arkansas day …

 

I ran down the North Little Rock River Trail (paved trail for riding, running & walking) … this area is now kinda surreal … Due to the fact that the Arkansas river has had this area under water for weeks and the vegetation has been killed up to the high water line …

 

And presto as quick as this whole RR day had started it was over … it was then time to grab that recovery drink, and go home and shower off the road film from all of that riding (Actually I went to rescue a rider that was still on the road with bike problems) … Until the next one … as I always say “All Rides are Good” …

Sunday May 20^th was the Four States TRI in Texarkana ...

Mike Riley and his crew did a super job with the race … This race has been growing each year … There were about 200 entries this year … I have done a lot of races … and I really can’t think of anything they could do to improve … except to Post directions to the race site online somewhere

 

The race features:

1)       Friendly event personnel

2)       Chip timing by the www.atomicracingsystems.com crew and they always do a great job

3)       One turn on the swim course

4)       Nearly closed to traffic bike course

5)       Closed to traffic run course

6)       Great American Flag lined finish chute

7)       Great post-race Food & Drink

8)       Awards (on time) & give away(s)

 

The race & the great weather provided an excellent time to visit with TRI friends that live outside of the area … and it was a great time to hang with training partners also …

 

Daniel Agnew tore up the course record … but Beau Theriot (from The Ride) made him earn it …

 

Now that Daniel is getting some coaching from Chris Hunt (Masters winner and 4th overall at this race), it is scary as to how good he can really be ... 

 

2 guys age 60 finished ahead of me because they beat me by 2 minutes on the swim even though I was happy with my swim … Note: the water was a little murkey ... so I could not see the lane line

 

I was about a minute quicker with the wetsuit … but I gave some of that back when the zipper stuck after the swim …

 

My Ironman Distance Training Plan from www.cruciblefitness.com (and getting my weight under 160) helped my to my best time ever by 2 minutes on this course and a fast last mile on the run ... So I was happy with my results inspite of missing an award by a few seconds ...

 

BUT è I was still 4^th in age group (even though in the top thirty over all) … I had to sprint in the long finish chute to try to hold onto 3rd position ... but as we neared the finish line ... I felt as if I could get a cramp in my right upper hamstring ... And in that delerious moment ... I was able to focus and think rationally that I had a 56 mile training ride after the race and a lot of important Ironman training in the coming days/weeks ... so I backed off to avoid injury ... still very happy with my improvement in this race .... without doing Sprint specific TRI training ...

 

2^nd 3^rd & 4^th in my age group were separated by a total of 20 seconds … Tic – Toc – Tic – Toc …

 

 

Even though my transitions for this race had a few problems … my T1 + T2 time was 3^rd overall (I took a couple of seconds to start my power meter & at T2 I grabbed my Garmin and I had to mess around getting it turned on because of poor planning and not already having it on before the race started) …   

 

I raced my TREK Madone, since I had not had time to get race ready on LUCY yet.  I felt a little down on power on the bike (possibly due to weight loss program & current Ironman training) so I tried to hold it steady instead of pushing too hard and ended up 13^th overall on the bike (just under 23mph) but the restraint on the bike probably helped my run (along with the light weight) … I ran the first mile too slow because I was catching people that I usually never pass on the run so I held back for a while …  

 

Run Mile splits were 7:38, 7:15, & 6:52 (one if not the fastest last miles I have ever ran at the end of a TRI)

 

Photos can be found on my photo site in the set titled (click on the link to the right)è  2007 Four States TRI    

 

Results websites è

4 States TRI overall   http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/84847_199530_2007.txt

4 States TRI agegrp  http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/84847_199529_2007.txt

 

After the award festivities concluded I drove back to Arkadelphia and rode the De Gray ½ bike course (56 miles) and then went home

 

Danger ... Danger Will Robinson !!!!!! ...

Only True TRI - Geeks need look any further ... NOTE: danger of information overload exists ...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

…

Below are the stats from my power meter for the 4 States TRI & the following 56 mile DeGray ride

Entire workout (253 watts):

    Duration:                 34:22

    Work:                     504 kJ

    TSS:                55.2 (intensity factor 0.982)

    Norm Power:     253

    VI:                           1.04

    Distance:                12.838 mi

    Elevation Gain:       197 ft

    Elevation Loss:       200 ft

    Grade:                    0.0 %  (0 ft)

                                   Max     Avg

    Power:                    483      244      watts

    Heart rate:              150      145      bpm

    Cadence:                104        82      rpm

    Speed:                    34        22.7     mph

DeGray ½ Bike course after the Four States Race è the 1^st & last 8 mile nasty bumpy section is continually getting worse … needs new pavement bad … rode the last 8 bumpy miles easy which brought speed & power for the ride down a little …

 

OVERALL this was a great training ride ... obviously having raced hard 4 hours earlier and then hanging out and then coming back for this ride ... slowed the effort.  This was also my 1st time on LUCY on a course with twisty downhill sections and there were some trafficy section that I was a little tentative on ...

 

Note: my distance was measured from the entrance to the parking lot … so it was a tiny bit short  

Entire workout (208 watts Normal Power):

    Duration:                 (2:53:30)

    TSS:                188.9 (intensity factor 0.808)

    Norm Power:     208

    VI:                           1.09

    Distance:                55.467 mi

    Elevation Gain:       2388 ft

    Elevation Loss:       2333 ft

                                   Max     Avg

    Power:                    516      191      watts

    Heart rate:              141      128      bpm

    Cadence:                116      79        rpm

    Speed:                    38.7     19.2     mph

Each interval below is a road segment between intersections for turns

Interval 2:

    Duration:                 25:26 (25:35)

    Work:                     327 kJ

    TSS:                       34.9 (intensity factor 0.907)

    Norm Power:           234

    VI:                           1.09

    Distance:                8.064 mi

    Elevation Gain:       479 ft

    Elevation Loss:       272 ft

                                   Max     Avg

    Power:                    463      214      watts

    Heart rate:              138      130      bpm

    Cadence:                106      81        rpm

    Speed:                    34.3     19.0     mph

Interval 3:

    Duration:                

    Work:                     70 kJ

    TSS:                       8.4 (intensity factor 0.856)

    Norm Power:           221

    VI:                           1.31

    Distance:                2.445 mi

    Elevation Gain:       118 ft

    Elevation Loss:       312 ft

    Grade:                    -1.5 %  (-197 ft)

                                   Max     Avg

    Power:                    516      168      watts

    Heart rate:              138      126      bpm

    Cadence:                100      76        rpm

    Speed:                    38.7     21.3     mph

Interval 4:

    Duration:                

    Work:                     88 kJ

    TSS:                       8.3 (intensity factor 0.841)

    Norm Power:           217

    VI:                           1.04

    Distance:                2.492 mi

    Elevation Gain:       79 ft

    Elevation Loss:       62 ft

    Grade:                    0.1 %  (16 ft)

                                  Max     Avg

    Power:                    331      208      watts

    Heart rate:              136      129      bpm

    Cadence:                98        81        rpm

    Speed:                    29.5     21.3     mph

Interval 5:

    Duration:                 27:16

    Work:                     334 kJ

    TSS:                       31.5 (intensity factor 0.833)

    Norm Power:           215

    VI:                           1.05

    Distance:                9.918 mi

    Elevation Gain:       305 ft

    Elevation Loss:       551 ft

    Grade:                    -0.5 %  (-243 ft)

                                Max     Avg

    Power:                    407      204      watts

    Heart rate:              139      131      bpm

    Cadence:               106      82        rpm

    Speed:                   32.2     21.8     mph

Interval 6:

    Duration:                

    Work:                     32 kJ

    TSS:                       3.3 (intensity factor 0.913)

    Norm Power:           n/a

    VI:                           n/a

    Distance:                0.834 mi

    Elevation Gain:       16 ft

    Elevation Loss:       7 ft

    Grade:                    0.2 %  (10 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                              364      223      watts

    Heart rate:              129      137      134      bpm

    Cadence:                56        83        76        rpm

    Speed:                    15.7     23.2     21.1     mph

Interval 7:

    Duration:                 ()

    Work:                     134 kJ

    TSS:                       12.2 (intensity factor 0.819)

    Norm Power:           211

    VI:                           1.03

    Distance:                3.751 mi

    Elevation Gain:       56 ft

    Elevation Loss:       56 ft

    Grade:                    0.0 %  (0 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                              353      205      watts

    Heart rate:              129      137      135      bpm

    Cadence:                40        92        82        rpm

    Speed:                    5          25.2     20.7     mph

Interval 8:

    Duration:                

    Work:                     128 kJ

    TSS:                       11.2 (intensity factor 0.804)

    Norm Power:           207

    VI:                           1.01

    Distance:                3.666 mi

    Elevation Gain:       52 ft

    Elevation Loss:       30 ft

    Grade:                    0.1 %  (20 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                    126      287      205      watts

    Heart rate:              104      137      131      bpm

    Cadence:                29        96        84        rpm

    Speed:                    6.5       24.3     21.1     mph

Interval 9:

    Duration:                

    Work:                     30 kJ

    TSS:                       2.6 (intensity factor 0.806)

    Norm Power:           n/a

    VI:                           n/a

    Distance:                0.771 mi

    Elevation Gain:       13 ft

    Elevation Loss:       13 ft

    Grade:                    0.0 %  (0 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                    109      291      206      watts

    Heart rate:              126      134      131      bpm

    Cadence:                80        97        88        rpm

    Speed:                    17.4     20.7     19.3     mph

Interval 10:

    Duration:                 31:40 (32:54)

    Work:                     365 kJ

    TSS:                       32.1 (intensity factor 0.78)

    Norm Power:           201

    VI:                           1.05

    Distance:                9.894 mi

    Elevation Gain:       538 ft

    Elevation Loss:       279 ft

    Grade:                    0.5 %  (259 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                              378      192      watts

    Heart rate:              106      138      129      bpm

    Cadence:                28        101      78        rpm

    Speed:                    3.2       34.8     18.7     mph

Interval 11:

    Duration:                

    Work:                     86 kJ

    TSS:                       7.1 (intensity factor 0.74)

    Norm Power:           191

    VI:                           1.03

    Distance:                2.499 mi

    Elevation Gain:       62 ft

    Elevation Loss:       72 ft

    Grade:                    -0.1 %  (-10 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                              312      185      watts

    Heart rate:              123      132      129      bpm

    Cadence:                57        93        79        rpm

    Speed:                    1.3       24.7     19.2     mph

Interval 12:

    Duration:                

    Work:                     124 kJ

    TSS:                       13.2 (intensity factor 0.855)

    Norm Power:           220

    VI:                           1.16

    Distance:                2.405 mi

    Elevation Gain:       328 ft

    Elevation Loss:       131 ft

    Grade:                    1.6 %  (197 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                              374      190      watts

    Heart rate:              105      141      125      bpm

    Cadence:                41        116      69        rpm

    Speed:                    4.7       30.6     13.3     mph

Interval 13:

    Duration:                 27:40

    Work:                     246 kJ

    TSS:                       19.3 (intensity factor 0.647)

    Norm Power:           167

    VI:                           1.13

    Distance:                8.221 mi

    Elevation Gain:       269 ft

    Elevation Loss:       509 ft

    Grade:                    -0.5 %  (-236 ft)

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:                              371      148      watts

    Heart rate:              95        132      120      bpm

    Cadence:                49        99        74        rpm

    Speed:                    5.2       36.7     17.8     mph

2003 4 States TRI
(Texarkana, TX)
6/24/2003 - 09:16

June 22, 2003 (my 50th Birthday)

Swim - 650 yd    Bike - 13 miles  Run - 3 miles (all closed course) 

If you weren't there ... you need to put this race on your calendar for next year ... Great course, post race food/beverages, chip timing, & cash to the overall winners ...

Left LR at 4am with Kevin G ... and arrived at race site around 6:30 ... using some good directions from Bill C. and then went thru pre-race routine ...

There were many CATS members there ... and they gave me a birthday card (with added words of wit/wisom) that was very much appreciated.

Great day for a Triathlon ... weather, water, & course were great.

There was one swim wave and the transition area was setup well. 

For a Birthday race, I had a good day ... with only CATS member Chris P. beating my transition time & only 4 guys were more than a few seconds faster than my bike time ... of course the swim was another thing ...

The bike was a challenging experience, I had one guy (not in my age group) that nearly sucked the rubber off my rear wheel for most of the bike course (following distance must be 3 bike lengths to avoid a "drafting" penalty) ... after persistently telling him that he was too close ... I tried speeding up and he hung on ... so I slowed to make him pass and while he could go 23-26mph while drafting ... I dropped him at the 1st bike turnaround by cornering fast ... but he mustered the energy to come back and grab my wheel ... but he would/could not go around ... after I forced him around me a couple of times ... I found that he could only go about 22mph without drafting ... so I just had to go on knowing that he was getting a free ride ... (Difficult to say how much ... but I assume that this affected my overall bike time and the beginning of my run)

In the end ... I was second in 50-54 (only because the fastest in that age was pulled up to the Masters 50+ award) ... My time was fast enough to have won my previous age group ... along with many others ... but would have only have been 4th in the 55-59 ... so go figure ...

Chip Timing Results can be found at http://brittonbikes.com/timing/results/4-states/4-states-results.html

On the return trip from Texarkana ... I met Emily and we rode the CATS 1/2 Ironman bike course ... (it was 93 degrees ... after racing I should have had more fluids and electrolytes on the 56 mile ride ... but I did finish ... and as usual learned some new things for future reference)

Bill Crow, David Wonn, & Krissa Torian