3 weeks out from Ironman 70.3 Boulder Triathlon

Three weeks out from the Ironman 70.3 Boulder Triathlon and we are in the heat of the summer in Minnesota!

 

Mon Rest day  + 1,200 yards of open swim (since it didn’t work out over the weekend)

Tue 60 minute interval bike followed by 20 brick run before work + 20 mile aerobic run after work

Wed 2,400 yards interval swim

Thr 60 minute interval run + 70 minute recovery ride (to and from work!)

Fri 2,100 yards recovery swim

Sat 60 mile ride followed by 6 mile brick run

Sun 13 mile run + 1,800 yards of open swim

 

Swim 6,500 yards

Bike 60 min interval + 60 recovery + 60 miles

Run 20 minute brick run, 20 min recovery, 60 min interval, 13 miles, 6 mile brick run

  

Takeaway from the week

It was the middle of the three weeks of intensity before Ironman 70.3 Boulder. Because my open water swim fail on Saturday, I spent a bit of my rest day on Monday getting in 1,200 yards of open water swimming after work. The goal of that session was to practice sighting and my breathing pattern for sighting. I breathe every 4th stroke to my right so I’m sighting every 8th stroke. It is easy to get off and sight/breathe out of turn in open water but I think it is something that will get better with practice. The buoys in the race will be to be right which will be super helpful so I won’t have to look as far ahead as I’m doing now across the lake.

I did my 60 mile ride on my small chainring on Saturday morning. My electric gear shifting system was low on battery so I couldn’t move to the big chainring which I do most of my riding on. It was interesting to see my stats, particularly my average heat rate and normalized power, on the small chainring versus the large chainring. My heart rate average was 7 beats lower but my normalized power was 20 watts lower.  I plan to go back to my large chainring 🙂

I didn’t hit my race pace miles on my long run on Sunday. I averaged 9:50 per mile pace in the heat and had a good run; not pushing myself much and enjoying the morning. Should I have pushed more and hit race pace? I’m not sure and only time will tell (in 3 weeks). I’m trying to figure out how much to give in practice as I don’t want to “peak” early and leave that for the race….or in my case, did I peak too early back in May training for Liberty 70.3?