The long workouts in Ironman training are about more than just conditioning my body to workout for a long time. They are a chance to learn about how to fuel my body come race day. Today I learned a lot!
I rode 36 miles today, followed by a 2.5 mile "transition" run, which is designed to get my body used to running off the bike. The ride took about 2 1/2 hours, most of it on city streets, but with a bike lane almost the whole way. For fuel I brought along animal crackers, a granola bar, and some energy chews, which are specifically designed for endurance sports (according to the ingenious marketing at least); for hydration I had a 22 oz. bottle of water and a 22 oz. bottle of mostly Gatorade mixed with water. I finished both bottles, but only ate some animal crackers. I should aim to get 200-300 calories an hour on the bike, and I think I probably only got about 250 calories total during the whole 2 1/2 hours. Also, it was in the mid to high 80s during my ride and I am sure I should have drunken more than 42 oz. of liquid over 2 1/2 hours. I was covered in salt and at no point during my ride did I feel even the slightest urge to pee. I felt okay most of the ride, though the last 10 miles or so I was very tired. But it wasn't until I started running that I immediately noticed my mistake. I had fueled myself on the bike, to complete the bike ride. In triathlon, you fuel yourself on the bike for the run. Probably the most important aspect of the bike leg is to set yourself up for a good run, in large part by fueling yourself adequately on the bike when it is easier to ingest fuel. I didn't even think about the run until I was off the bike, and I felt it immediately. I felt weak and tired for most of the 2.5 mile run. The good news is, my legs felt great! So it was a good indicator of my physical ability to transition, and it was a great learning experience for what to pay attention to next time.
The Ironman Arizona bike legs includes a 10-11 mile gradual hill, which we cover 3 times each way, so 3 uphills and 3 downhills. This means that for me to be successful I need to get both stronger (for the uphill) and BRAVER (for the downhill!). On my last long ride, which was on the Ironman course, I was going upward of 27 mph on the downhill without even trying. If I don't have the balls to take advantage of gravity come race day, I am literally giving away free speed!
I rode 36 miles today, followed by a 2.5 mile "transition" run, which is designed to get my body used to running off the bike. The ride took about 2 1/2 hours, most of it on city streets, but with a bike lane almost the whole way. For fuel I brought along animal crackers, a granola bar, and some energy chews, which are specifically designed for endurance sports (according to the ingenious marketing at least); for hydration I had a 22 oz. bottle of water and a 22 oz. bottle of mostly Gatorade mixed with water. I finished both bottles, but only ate some animal crackers. I should aim to get 200-300 calories an hour on the bike, and I think I probably only got about 250 calories total during the whole 2 1/2 hours. Also, it was in the mid to high 80s during my ride and I am sure I should have drunken more than 42 oz. of liquid over 2 1/2 hours. I was covered in salt and at no point during my ride did I feel even the slightest urge to pee. I felt okay most of the ride, though the last 10 miles or so I was very tired. But it wasn't until I started running that I immediately noticed my mistake. I had fueled myself on the bike, to complete the bike ride. In triathlon, you fuel yourself on the bike for the run. Probably the most important aspect of the bike leg is to set yourself up for a good run, in large part by fueling yourself adequately on the bike when it is easier to ingest fuel. I didn't even think about the run until I was off the bike, and I felt it immediately. I felt weak and tired for most of the 2.5 mile run. The good news is, my legs felt great! So it was a good indicator of my physical ability to transition, and it was a great learning experience for what to pay attention to next time.
The Ironman Arizona bike legs includes a 10-11 mile gradual hill, which we cover 3 times each way, so 3 uphills and 3 downhills. This means that for me to be successful I need to get both stronger (for the uphill) and BRAVER (for the downhill!). On my last long ride, which was on the Ironman course, I was going upward of 27 mph on the downhill without even trying. If I don't have the balls to take advantage of gravity come race day, I am literally giving away free speed!
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