Pace my HIM

Triathlon Forum
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Over the last few years, I have gotten decent at pacing my IM efforts, but I always am a little off on the HIM goals/targets.

Here is some data that should help:

I haven’t done a true FTP test in a while, but I have been able to hit 2 x 20 at between 230 and 250 for the last several months, mostly on the trainer. Historically, I have been able to do a 40k TT at around 235 or 250 watts. I have put in some hard bike time and since I am hitting good numbers indoors, I am thinking that my outdoor FTP is around 250.

Recently I have posted some run PRs. At 10k I did just over 40 minutes (wasn’t an all out effort), did three 5ks recently all around 18 to 18:30.

On same HIM course last year, I rode 2:23 on something like 180 watts and ran 7:20s off the bike.

I am in better shape this year, so I setup a training day yesterday where I would dress me and the bike like race day and do 56 miles and then run 6 all mimicking race conditions.

I aimed for 210 watts on the ride, which I hit dead on (209NP/210AP) for 2:20 spilt (full aero kit). I am fairly aero and will be more so because I was carrying some extra drag that wont be there on race day; there was also a pretty big wind differential over the course of the ride, so in good conditions, I will be under 2:20 for sure. I stopped 2 times to move bottles around, both stops were under 1 minute; I stopped the watch for those breaks. I loaded the bike into the car and then started running aiming to run 7:05s.

I did 6:57, 7:01, 7:03. . . I was feeling good, so I decided to pick it up some, I went 6:46, 6:33, and then went all out and did 6:11.

So after that, I am pretty sure that my 210 and 7:05 goals were to conservative. So the question for the ST hive mind is: what AP and what run pace?

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we cant know. we dont even know how close this HIM is.

I would say stick to 210 on the bike and aim for 6:55 for the first half of the run and then maybe pick it up.

Riding the bike too hard costs more than it rewards (air density). 10 extra watts means you are raising the intensity factor quite a lot and will probably suffer more than necessary and for what? 2 minutes on the bike leg?

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Race is three weeks from the date of the rehearsal Ride. Ask any information you want to know, I was just trying to keep it brief.

we cant know. we dont even know how close this HIM is.

I would say stick to 210 on the bike and aim for 6:55 for the first half of the run and then maybe pick it up.

Riding the bike too hard costs more than it rewards (air density). 10 extra watts means you are raising the intensity factor quite a lot and will probably suffer more than necessary and for what? 2 minutes on the bike leg?

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You are very aero. You’re going the same pace on 190W, that I and most probably need about 220W to hold. I’m guessing your not a big guy. You targets sound pretty good and 210 is probably a logical target since your FTP sounds like it’s around 250… that’s 84%. A good safe number you should be able to run well off of.

I can’t help you on a the run. I’ll just remind you to go out easy the first mile and “get your legs back”. Even if that means running 7:15-7:30 for a bit. If your like me, you’ll have to remind yourself that it’s not an Olympic and running a 5:50 out of T2 is a very bad idea. Slowing to a 7:15 for the first 1/2 mile or so to get your legs under you will feel like your crawling, but can pay off the last 10k. If there are any hills the first few miles, really, really watch your efforts and double check your breathing rate. IF your breathing pretty hard, you’re probably going too fast. This should be a low zone 3 pace… breathing hard means you into zone 4 and will be crushed by the 1/2 way mark.

I’d just run the 1st 1/2 at whatever pace is right between zone 2&3, then as mentioned, pick it up a little at the end. Another target can be to run about 30 sec slower per mi than the average pace for your last Olympic distance race.

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You are very aero. You’re going the same pace on 190W, that I and most probably need about 220W to hold. I’m guessing your not a big guy.

I am a small guy (5’7" 142ish), I ride a very aggressive position on a very aero setup, and I pay attention to the little details. The 24 mph on 210 yesterday was actually under my baseline speed for that wattage. The wind and the extra crap on the bike limited me some. On race day, with 210 and better wind conditions, I would hope to be in the 2:18 range.

Because it is a training ride, I won’t get accused of cheating (I hope), but every other time I post speed and power (concerning a race), I am labeled a cheat.

I usually have to post a picture or something for people to believe the speed vs wattage. Beats me why I am so aero, I have never been to a tunnel or anything, all I know about aerodynamics I learned from reading this forum (and 9 years of engineering education).

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You are very aero. You’re going the same pace on 190W, that I and most probably need about 220W to hold. I’m guessing your not a big guy.

I am a small guy (5’7" 142ish), I ride a very aggressive position on a very aero setup, and I pay attention to the little details. The 24 mph on 210 yesterday was actually under my baseline speed for that wattage. The wind and the extra crap on the bike limited me some. On race day, with 210 and better wind conditions, I would hope to be in the 2:18 range.

Because it is a training ride, I won’t get accused of cheating (I hope), but every other time I post speed and power (concerning a race), I am labeled a cheat.

I usually have to post a picture or something for people to believe the speed vs wattage. Beats me why I am so aero, I have never been to a tunnel or anything, all I know about aerodynamics I learned from reading this forum (and 9 years of engineering education).

I don’t see why it’s not possible. If you keep all the extra crap off your bike, and have a good position, now reason you’ve can’t go that fast on those watts. A 5’7" 142lb rider will have a much smaller arms, legs, frontal area that a more average size 170lb 5’11" rider. Look at Jordan Rapp, I bet he can hold that pace on 220 watts because he’s tall but a more slender build and has a good position and pays attention to little things. Of course he rolls at a 70.3 cruising speed of something like 28-29mph on 310Watts. I think I only get to maybe 27mph… and can only hold that wattage for a 35 minute sprint distance bike leg… not 2 hours.

There’s another runner type on here built like you that just turned pro… “fartleker”. I bet his FTP isn’t much higher than mine… Just a WAG, but I bet he’s only averaging maybe 280 Watts to cruise at 28-29mph and ride 57’ Olympic distance bike split.