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70.3 training question

Hi,
Wimball will be my first 70.3 this year (OD training seems so easy in comparison...)
Anyway, thanks to the sunny weather today I've just got my 50ml route down to 2hr42 and this week my long run is up to 10mls in 1hr30.
I'm roughly following http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon-traini ... aining.php, and seemingly things are going to plan with about 10wks to go.
My question is that I'm feeling that after completing the 56mile bike I''ve not got the legs for my current long run distance (this is just a feeling btw, not something I'm physically trying to do at this point).
Am I worrying unnecessarily, is this a mental thing, and will the taper will bring me through?
Cheers
Ade

Comments

  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Try not to worry too much.Most of middle/long distance racing is not so much the distance but to be mentally prepared and nutritionally sufficiant for the race.
    You know you can do the distance.
    If I could be bold as to suggest,that you may just need to drop the effort abit on the bike to ensure a better run with fresher legs.Better to give two minutes on the bike and gain five on the run,than lose ten on the run for the sake of a two minute better bike split.Trial and error,balance and attrition.
  • largeadelargeade Posts: 166
    Thanks jon,
    I did figure it is just mental, but was wondering if it was a normal feeling or if I'm lacking something.
    I'm pushing the long bike time hard because theres no decent hills round here - I only get 550mts of ascent over 90km but Wimball is 1785mts.
    I take your point though and will back off in the race.
    Cheers
    ade
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    I have the same problem,living in the flatlands.So to compensate I try to push a higher gear but maintain the same HR.Just to strengthen the quads and calves.
    See how you feel by doing an OD brick training session but reducing your bike output and see if it does make a difference to how you feel.You might not have to back off as much as you think.Best of luck.
  • FirestarterFirestarter Posts: 120
    I would tack on a run (2-3mile to start with) on the back of EVERY long bike you do. That way you'll know the pace you can sustain during a race. It will help your peace of mind also.

    Racing shouldnt be guess work it should be the execution of months of tried and tested training sessions.

    You'll also find that when you get off the bike after a long ride your legs always feel a little "second hand" but after a 10 minutes or so of running that feeling generaly fades and you can concentrate on your pace and nutrition for the run.
  • okennyokenny Posts: 231
    What do you guys generally try to do on steep hills regarding effort?

    Stay sitting and maintain a constant target heart rate, or allow the HR to increase for the duration of the climb?

    I am also training for a 70.3 with the Trifuel program, for me however it's IM Germany 70.3 in August.
    (just started the 20 week program 2 weeks ago)
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Not being particularly adept at hills due to my size,it would depend on the gradiant and duration.
    For a short hill I may try to push hard and use the momentum and my weight for the descent as I hit the top.
    But for long course I would try to spin up in the lowest gear to save my legs from getting hammered too early.
    Hr would not work for me personally.The other day I hit a 10% hill,lowest gear and my HR went stratospherically close to my max and I was only doing 5mph.The ride aim was to hit an ave of 140.A lighter rider would have cruised up the hill at a lower HR.As Firestarter has said,trial and error,find a hill that resembles something like the climbs for your 70.3 and experiment.Best of luck.
  • largeadelargeade Posts: 166
    I'm 6'3 and 14st2. Sitting, spinning and trying not to vomit definitely works for me. I suspect theres no stopping heart rate rising with the kind of hills that Wimball has.

    So I've been practising a 100m ascent over 1500m with a peak gradient of 10% (beacon hill in Fleet), sometimes five-six times in a session. Its been useful because now when I do it twice in the long ride and it doesnt affect me anywhere near as badly as it did back in Jan.

    BTW theres a recent thread on TriTalk about this: 'Climbing in the saddle'

    @Firestarter. thanks - I'll be putting the 2km in after Sunday's ride. Although my mouth goes dry just thinking about it ;-)
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