Chasing the Kona dream and a Mai Tai cocktail

pgibbo

Well done Fran. Good read & result.

Why did you not use the one piece in Barca but did in IMMT?

Enjoy the downtime and the Kona party

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

pgibbo wrote: »

Well done Fran. Good read & result.

Why did you not use the one piece in Barca but did in IMMT?

Enjoy the downtime and the Kona party

I was carrying an extra 3kg from IMMT and looked a bit of a fat sh1te in it Should have worn it though as it is probably worth a min or two over 180km.

Shell to Run

Congrats and really enjoyed the race report. Will take on board the marathon section for DCM and how you stayed focused. Cheers.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I will keep this short. In summary this year was my best year in terms of performance, highlights being,

4 top 10s across various races
A decent AG placing in IMMT with a pb/breakthrough (for me) performance
Another strong pb performance in IMBC with pbs across all three disciplines and lowering my pb again by 26mins.
I raced lots, almost 20 races and the most I have raced in any season to date.
Attitude to training, racing and general enjoyment for me this is the biggest highlight.

So a good season and I achieved 95% of what I wanted to do for the year. Next year I am resisting the urge to go long again, if you hear me talk of IM you have permission to shoot me.

I have not decided what the races or goals are for next year as I want to mentally switch off for a few weeks but likely to be a few HIMs, Michelle wants us to do a spring marathon and perhaps a long course duathlon somewhere.

RacoonQueen

When I saw you'd posted was just going to ask if you were sticking with Tri next year or going to revert to cycling focus. I'll wait a couple of weeks and ask again.

Kurt.Godel

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I raced lots, almost 20 races and the most I have raced in any season to date.
Attitude to training, racing and general enjoyment for me this is the biggest highlight.

Have to say, that enjoyment comes across in this years log. A very good year for you Fran. Any thoughts on "racing yourself fit" as a concept? You seemed to get better as the year went on.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

RacoonQueen wrote: »

When I saw you'd posted was just going to ask if you were sticking with Tri next year or going to revert to cycling focus. I'll wait a couple of weeks and ask again.

No need to wait, I will be doing tri next year and the year after if the body allows. When i start to slow down then i will have a rethink:)

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Have to say, that enjoyment comes across in this years log. A very good year for you Fran. Any thoughts on "racing yourself fit" as a concept? You seemed to get better as the year went on.

Yeah its been an enjoyable year, IMMT was very much the goal for the year but well placed races throughout the season were both enjoyable and good preparation to get race sharp.

On your specific Q regarding "racing yourself fit" it's a nice concept but requires €€€ and time to travel from/to races. Don't get me wrong you need races to sharpen up as they bring you on and give you something to learn and work on coming out of them. For me though you need to have clearly defined what your goals are for the season. If it's to do a 2hr OLY distance race then you set your season (training and racing) towards that to give yourself the best chance possible.

If you are just mindlessly racing all year with no specific goal in mind then you are not going to get the best from yourself and would likely suffer with motivational issues. Everyone needs something to work towards and some structure around it. Of course on the flip side nothing wrong with just doing it for the craic if it makes you happy and you don't take yourself too serious.

Any reason for the racing to get fit question?

mossym

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

For me though you need to have clearly defined what your goals are for the season. If it's to do a 2hr OLY distance race then you set your season (training and racing) towards that to give yourself the best chance possible.

If you are just mindlessly racing all year with no specific goal in mind then you are not going to get the best from yourself and would likely suffer with motivational issues. Everyone needs something to work towards and some structure around it. Of course on the flip side nothing wrong with just doing it for the craic if it makes you happy and you don't take yourself too serious.

excellent point. can race every weekend of the year if you like, hell both days, but if doing sprints/oly's they are not going to get you fit for a HIM/IM. goals need to be identified. at a guess your 5 hour bikes did more for your end of season results than any of the races


interesting interview with lionel sanders post kona. one of the favorites for the 70.3WC, full time pro, training every day, was winning HIM at will early season. had raced 70.3 all season, and lots of it, but had done no IM specific training. had no long bikes /runs done. wheels came off on the bike once he hit 3.5 hours. even with all the training/racing he had done

course that's all stepping up in distance, if the goal is oly, and you race oly, then that's a different matter.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

mossym wrote: »

at a guess your 56 hour bikes did more for your end of season results than any of the races

I FYP There is a reason why there was no fade on my bike in IMMT and Barca.

I often had my own guys over bike for this very reason! PMaldini used to love them:p

pgibbo

Did you do many 6 hour bikes Fran?

Also how did you find the double run days that hit marathon distance?

mossym

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I FYP There is a reason why there was no fade on my bike in IMMT and Barca.

I often had my own guys over bike for this very reason! PMaldini used to love them:p

the email notification i got doesn't have the strikethrough so it came out as 56 hour bikes

Kurt.Godel

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Any reason for the racing to get fit question?

20 races in an IM season seems a lot, I presume you swapped intense sessions for weekend races. I could be way off the mark, or using the wrong term.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

pgibbo wrote: »

Did you do many 6 hour bikes Fran?

Also how did you find the double run days that hit marathon distance?

I think i did 3 of them in total.

Double long run days are great, first 10min of the second run is usually horrific but then you get moving. Certainly helped with running a 6min negative split in Barca.

MojoMaker

Can you quantify what overbiking means in this instance JB?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

20 races in an IM season seems a lot, I presume you swapped intense sessions for weekend races. I could be way off the mark, or using the wrong term.

Half of them were mickey mouse races like 5k or bike racing. The majority of those races were used as a quality bike or run and were local and easy to get to. There was probably 2-3 races used as a build up and in fact in the last 12 weeks of the IM specific phase for me there was only 3 races. An OW swim race (used for training) a TT (used as a bike hit out) and 1 actual tri (used to stop me getting bored from IM training;))

MojoMaker wrote: »

Can you quantify what overbiking means in this instance JB?

In this instance, 10-15% over IM bike distance or estimated bike split with a good chunk at IM intensity. In my case typically riding for 6hrs so 45min-60mins over estimated bike splits. I do that session and give it to my own athletes more for the Psychological benefits than the Physiological ones.

Pmaldini

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I FYP There is a reason why there was no fade on my bike in IMMT and Barca.

I often had my own guys over bike for this very reason! PMaldini used to love them:p

LOVE!!!! that wouldn't be the word i would have used:D but you are right, they really helped me and i would recommend to anyone going long to do sessions like this.

MojoMaker

Thanks Jackyback. Would 50% be a good chunk btw?

rodneyr1981

Hi Jackyback

Did you do any of these 10-15% over IM bikes in between IMMT & Barca?[font=arial, sans-serif] Cheers[/font]

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

MojoMaker wrote: »

Thanks Jackyback. Would 50% be a good chunk btw?

Yeah 50% would be a fair chunk of time allocated at IM intensity. The thing with IM intensity though is that for most of us its .70-.72 IF, it should feel like an effort but still if you were to do a 5hr hour bike at that intensity you should be recovered enough to train the next day. Certainly worthwhile doing a full 5hr or 6hr ride at IM intensity, it will tell you a lot if its a realistic pace to hold on race day.

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

Hi Jackyback

Did you do any of these 10-15% over IM bikes in between IMMT & Barca?[font=arial, sans-serif] Cheers[/font]

No, i think the longest was 4.5hrs in between. Focus was more on shorter and sharper sessions to keep things ticking over.

EC1000

Enjoyed your race report. Have signed up for the race next year

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

EC1000 wrote: »

Enjoyed your race report. Have signed up for the race next year

Good luck you will enjoy the race and the area, especially if you like your coffee and crepes:).
If you have any questions closer to the time drop me a PM, i have done 1 half and 2 fulls there so know the area and course very well.

RJM85

mossym wrote: »

the email notification i got doesn't have the strikethrough so it came out as 56 hour bikes

I presume you'd be doing them at a little below IM pace.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Well done Fran.

You should do another in a month

Would a marathon suffice:)

mossym

RJM85 wrote: »

I presume you'd be doing them at a little below IM pace.

the way JB works i'm not so sure.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

mossym wrote: »

the way JB works i'm not so sure.

Done at HIM or OLY pace.:D

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I was emailed by one of my athletes asking what i do in the off season, i have fun was the reply.
This weekends fun will consist of a 200km audax cycle on the Saturday with Dolan and then DCM on the Sunday with Tango. DCM was for fun but i think Tango is starting to take it seriously. He even believes he has a legit chance out running me

RacoonQueen

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I was emailed by one of my athletes asking what i do in the off season, i have fun was the reply.
This weekends fun will consist of a 200km audax cycle on the Saturday with Dolan and then DCM on the Sunday with Tango. DCM was for fun but i think Tango is starting to take it seriously. He even believes he has a legit chance out running me

You in Dublin for a beer after?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You in Dublin for a beer after?

Maybe a quick one as i will be getting a lift back home.

Steroo

Great race report and video.

Signed up for next year, first long race.

Any accommodation recommendations ?
Would it be nice area for a week family holiday with small kids ?

Thanks

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Steroo wrote: »

Great race report and video.

Signed up for next year, first long race.

Any accommodation recommendations ?
Would it be nice area for a week family holiday with small kids ?

Thanks

Miami Aparthotel is probably the best ni have stayed in but i would imagine it is now booked out.
Hotel Neptuno or the Apartments connected to the hotel also good
BIL stayed in Hotel Serhs Oasis Park with his young kids and said it was very good.
I think its good for a family getaway, close to restaurants, cafes and close to the beach. Serhs might be best option as they have kids activities i believe.