Key Workouts
Aug 13, 2011
Wow, an entire 7 days to recover from the brutal downhill running at te Death Race!
I have chosen my course, dates and prepared my equipment for my last key workout for triathlon this season. After this, i can look forward to a wonderful taper!
The workout: 91.25km cycle/21.1km run on consecutive days, Sunday August 7 and Monday August 8th.
How it went: It took me a good 2 hours to prepare my bike, nutrition and transition. I wanted to wear the race gear (trisuit, tt helmet, race wheels, etc) and eat my race food. I wanted to mimic race conditions as closely as I could. I set off on Sunday at 11:45am. Temperature was 14.0C. I biked at a 6-7 PE, with HR avg 147 and Power 233. I ate 1 hammer bar and drank 1 bottle of perpetuem. my time was 2:30:45. Transition to run in 2:09.
Then I started the run at a PE 6 and felt excited and strong. I ate 5 Gu Chomps on the run. I did not drink anything as it was still below 16.0C. I made it through the run, really struggling for my last 2km. My time was 1:32:02. I was exhausted and felt so tired. I went to sleep in a kitchen chair for 10 minutes. My stomach was slightly queezy. I had finished with a PE 7 and gone too hard.
Went to folk fest, relaxed, had some sushi and a booster juice for dinner and a good sleep.
Monday, repeat of Sunday, with some minor adjustments. 9 chomps on the run, 3 water bottles hidden in bushes around the run course and an extra bottle of water on the bike.
I was leaving at 4:15pm, after work. The temperature was significantly hotter, 27.2C! I started off easy on the bike and stayed relaxed. I gave up 3:30 compared to Sunday, but it was an excellent trade, as I averaged 8 beats/min less overall at 139 and my wattage was 219. I had a 2:07 transition and started out on the run, feeling strong, but at a slower pace.
The run was also relaxed. I felt good right through, but was saving energy in the tank. I was 3 minutes off pace halfway, but made up two minutes of that with 2.5km to go. In the final 2.5km I felt great. I finished in 1:32:01, 1 second faster. I also felt like I could run another half marathon! And it was much hotter to boot! This was a great experience.
These workouts taught me the importance to bike strong, but to value some conservation. Also to run strong, but also to conserve. In the last bit of the race, to give it with a little bit more and feel great all along the way.
This is a big confidence booster going into Ironman Canada. And now, I taper!!!
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