My next race is challenge penticton. I have been trying a number of different things in training this year, compared to last. I thought I would take the opportunity to document them hear, make some predictions, and see what happens.
I had a discussion with Kristaps Petrovs, my friend and personal trainer, which would be summarized as "If you are going to give advice to clients, you should try these things out first to see what effect or value they have".
1. Heat training. I think that it will be very hot at penticton this year, possibly 37 degrees Celcius. ùthese conditions, hydration and fueling really become critical elements. As well, we will see how well we have all prepared. For my heat training this year, I am using the steam room. Recently an article wwas published, by the winner off Western States 100 for several years. One o fthe pieces of advice was to acclimitize to the heat, and she would sit in the sauna for up to 45 minutes. I have built up to 20 minutes in the steam room before Ijust have to leave, but this is an improvement over the 5 minutes Ilasted when I started this. Side effects Ihave noticed already is that the heat is not bothering me as much during our hot hot summer, and Ican sleep even when the house temp is still high . In previous years, the room temp would have to be below 20 Celcius before I had any chance of sleeping.
I have also done a few runs dressed in the winter outfit, or doing the long sunday run in the afternoon heat. Ithink that Iam acclimated enough, as the heat is not bothering me. This last sunday our pace was 5:30 or faster per km, and the temp was in the high 20s. My hope is that I will survive the heat if I can nail my hydration and nutrition.
2. Nutrition. In the same article from western states, she states that she is using a combination of perpetuem and gels in her fuel bottle. Because they have different kinds of sugars in them, they are absorbed through different pathways, the upshot being that you can absorb more calories per hour this way. Now, in western states, they do their fueling a little different, having their own support crew at each aid station.. Therefore, she was able to make a 2 hour bottle (for instance) and get it replaced at next aid station.
For Ironman, I get one chance to get a new bottle, at special needs at the 120k mark on the bike, so I have to mix mine a little thicker. I have been making a 6 hour bottle, with 6 scoops of perpetuem (for my weight, it should be 9) and putting a couple of salted caramel gels into the mix. It has turned out to be tasty as all get out, but with an interesting effect. At first taste, it is way too sweet, and you start thinking, ugh Ihave drink this for the next 5 hours. But as the day wears on, it tastes better and better. I think that as the day wears on, your stores deplete, that you start craving sugar more, cause you need it. No fueling problems so far.
3. Hydration and Salt. Always a hot topic. Last year at this same event, Iwas still undecided about salt caps and their role in my race, and in health in general. During the race, Ihad one at every bike aid station, then on the run, I saw that people were taking 4+ caps at aid stations, so I decided to take more. Iam firmly in the camp that salt caps help on race day, and they are a key part of hydration.
We are also starting to think that salt might have a role in hydration. Too much salt causes you to retain water? Is this not what we want during our races, to retain the water we need? Overall, the north american diet has far too much salt, with its attendant health risks. But as athletes, we need to look at it a little differently.
So the plan for this year? I am going to have 2 caps with a bunch of water before the swim start. I tend to pee like crazy once Iput the wetsuit on, its almost a pavlovian dog thing, without the drool. The thinking is to start the day with salt and retaining water, see if I pee less and are more hydrated. On the bike, Iplan to have 2 caps at each aid station. My dispenser only holds 6 caps, so I will need to refill at special needs, and take 2 caps while I am there. For the run, Iwill guage it based on how my hydration feels, and any time that I take a larger drink of water, I will take a salt cap. I will have taken 2 caps per hour while biking, so will aim for around the same rate while running.
4. Brick workouts. Eh, I dont like them. They are easy to abuse, if thats the right word. Ihave heard stories about people doing huge bricks of 6 hrs on the bike, followed by a 3 hour run. And these same people wondered why their Ironman didnt go so well. They were still beaten and tired three weeks later after that brick. For me, the real value of the brick is to test fueling and hydration from the bike. So you go for a 20 minute run after a bigger bike ride, and see if you bonk. If not, you got it right on the bike.
The other arguement for brick workouts is that it helps you get used to the feeling off the bike, where it takes some time to come back to normal. I have been doing tris for 7 years now, and the run never really gets easier, you still feel wobbly and sore. So why practice that? Do it in several races, and now you know what to expect.
The secret to running better is not brick workouts, but simply getting better on the bike. Simple theory, if the bike does not take so much out of your legs, they are better when you go running.
For this race, I am only going to do about 2 brick workouts (i am not counting the 2 races I have done as bricks, but Iprobably should. Ithink it will make little difference to my run, and I have set a pretty low bar to beat last year.
