Bike Race Pace Vs. Running
184
Member
358 days
psychosyd posted 21 weeks ago.
allways respect the run. Hold back on the bike too make sure you have a strong run, especially if this is your first race at this distance. After this race you can modify your pacing accordingly. You will be much happier finsihing strong, than crawling or walking across the finish line.
BTW 4000X 5days a week? Those are huge pool miles. Are you doing speed work? Long slow swims? I train for IM, and don't log that sort of miles.
Put more energy into running.
767
Member
795 days
tsilcyc posted 21 weeks ago.
I did a test a few years ago with a HIM. I did the math and figured that if I went all out on the bike, I would gain more time than I would lose on the run. On paper this looks good but the reality is I suffered like you wouldn't believe. And nothing is more demoralizing than getting passed on the run as you're progressing getting slower. I have never done that experiment again. I save plenty for the run and it's a great feeling to haul a** to finish up the race.
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3337
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1324 days
RV posted 21 weeks ago.
Tough to find that pacing - go too hard on the bike and you will slow down or walk on the run course - and all the guys passed on the bike will blow right on by. Having a great bike split and a lousy overall is not really any consolation. Best to feel that you held some back and then give it all on the run.
Ya, those are huge yards in the pool - better to get out of the pool and get some more time in improving the run - would seem to be a better use of the time.
RV
It takes a long time to get good. - Scott Molina
Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. - Rich Strauss
622
Member
477 days
Iron Dan posted 21 weeks ago.
I agree with everyone else. If you hammer the bike to hard, those will be the longest and most painful 6 miles of your life. Go out and push hard on the bike, but save some for run.
I also agree that the 4000 yds. 5x a week is extreme. I would back that off and work on getting your run better.
365
Member
807 days
kkocan posted 21 weeks ago.
If it were a sprint (400-600 swim, 10-15 bike, 5k) then yeah, go all out and don't hold anything back. But for olympic you need to use some restraint as the bike is longer (+/- 1hr) and the run is long enough that you can be in a world of hurt.
If the bike is your strongest event then you should be able to hold back some and still finish the bike in decent place and hopefully hold on for the run. You may improve a minute or two or three but the extra effort could be lost in the first 2-3 miles easily if you are spent coming off the bike.
Me, I'm a swimmer first and a biker second and a runner last. So I can coast to a 28-30 minute half IM swim without trying too hard for example. If I were to really push things I could maybe go 26 minutes, but those 2 minutes would by far not be worth it vs the energy spent to get a lousy 2 minutes up on the competition.
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2008 Main Races:
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44
Member
932 days
csaf31 posted 21 weeks ago.
If you hold back a bit on the bike, you will much more energy to pass more people on the run. When you start passing people, it creates a mental edge that pushes you go harder and faster. Besides, you need to save up the energy to sprint to the finish line.
830
Member
1400 days
catwood posted 21 weeks ago.
Its tough to figure it out. I did 3 oly's in 4 weeks on reasonably similar courses last year and found...
1:13 bike -> 44 run (hard bike, painful but perfect run, puked right after I crossed the line=perfect pacing)
1:11 bike -> 46 run (hammered the bike on a slightly harder course than the others, slowed way down the last 3 mi of the run)
1:13 bike -> 44 run (biking legs didn't feel 'there' slower than the other 1:13, but felt good on the run)
All races ended up within 30 sec of each other in the low-mid 2:24 range.
some more older data most recent to oldest ->
1:15 -> 44 (2007 early season)
1:13 -> 52 (2006)
1:45 -> 50 (3000 ft of climbing) (2006)
1:22 -> 52 (flat tire) (2006)
1:10 -> 63 (2005)
1:15 -> 51 (2005)
I've found that you pretty much go as hard as your can, but you don't bike it up to the limit for the last 15 min like you would in a bike tt, instead you just continue at that semi-sustainable pace. You just have to find that balance point in your effort. For me that's a little harder than I feel like going on the bike so I feel good until the last mile of the run and from there adrenaline can bring me in. Definitely experiment. For your first Oly, do what feels best, but at some point, race a couple in a row where your fitness and courses are similar and experiment a little. You can go pretty hard and maintain your run, but once you pass the optimal point, your run blows up pretty quickly (ex my first 2 Oly's in '05).
7
Member
338 days
acoulsonwright posted 21 weeks ago.
This isn't answering your question but without knowing more about you but.......
I agree with others that 4000meters of swimming 5 times per week is a lot (our college workouts were 9x~6K/workout to give you an idea) and, unless you're fast, taking up 7.5-10hrs/week. Your swim schedule is more along the lines of a pro triathlete concentrating on HIM and IM.
You might be better off cutting your yardage in half for most of those swim workouts and doing a short run/bike after. Or, if you are really set on improving your swim think about getting a new coach or regiment that can give you gains with 3 or 4 sessions per week at 3000meters.
Just an opinion.
1125
Member
897 days
UFTriGator posted 21 weeks ago.
acoulsonwright wrote:
Your swim schedule is more along the lines of a pro triathlete concentrating on HIM and IM.
I think pros go a lot harder than you think. I do 6x5k and I only do Olympic, plus I know lots of guys that swim more than I do.
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-Matt
Not fast enough.
Ok, so many of you know i've been posting recently, as I am getting nervous about my first olympic distance.
I made a comment about the swim, which I should now have under control swimming 4000yds x5 days a week, but the question now is different...
Q- Should I push my strongest leg really hard, since my run is not that great to begin with? My bike is by far the strong of my 3 events, and I did a training ride of 27 miles (st.anthony's 26.2) to see what I can avg roughly and my avg on that ride was 23.8, with someenergy not expended.
Do you guys think I should keep that pace or go faster, and just have a slower run? or save energy for my slow run?
lol
Thanks