I have determined, again, that triathlons, regardless of your fitness level come down to the run. As with Rocky Gap, my Morgantown Tri came down to the run for me to show overall improvement. My swim and bike have both improved, but my run has suffered. In my final analysis this means I won't go faster until I improve the run. For example: I improved my swim this year. I worked hard at doing this. I have a ways to go and I would like to get there, but the most I could hope to take off at Morgantown would be 2 minutes. Bike - worked hard at this also. I improved about 1 MPH. In this distance, I gained 1.5 minutes. I do see room to take off at best, about 4 minutes. So, do the math with me 2 minutes + 4 minutes = 6 minutes better, very best situations after a couple years of working really hard.
RUN - I did 26 minutes last year. I did 27.5 minutes this year. If I could get myself during a tri to my current 5 K pace (25 mins) when doing a stand alone 5K, Bam I just saved 2.5 minutes. If I could get to a below average high school cross-country runner (22 minutes) Bam another 3minutes. If I could get to what I think would be the best for a guy my size and age (2o minutes) Bam another 2 minutes. Total - 7.5 minutes in the run.
I have looked at the Hal Higdon run things, maybe you have to pay for the good ones, but he doesn't let me know how to go from a 25 min 5K pace to a 23 min 5k pace.
So, I found this link. http://www.time-to-run.com/training/10k/sub50.htm
I am going to focus this fall on getting my 10K pace to sub 45 min. I determined that my pace is near 55 mins (8:52 min/mile) at this point. I would be happy to get to the sub 50 min. But my goal by the end of November is to go sub 45. This would also get me to a sub 22 min 5K, which would be great.
Let me know if you think this is crazy. I keep seeing people who can't swim as well as me, can't bike as well as me still pass me in the run after I build sizable leads in the other two areas.
Actually Jim would probably be the best person to ask if my goal is possible. Even the training program above doesn't seem to indicate how quickly I could or should be able to improve. I essentially am no faster of a runner today than three years ago, I just feel a ton better after the race and don't hurt for three days. Matt also talked about focusing on this this fall for his 10K in NH.
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I think you are right, Craig. Focusing on the run is going to pay off the most. If you can speed that up (with fitness, as opposed to technique), your other disciplines will be benefitted as well, and you win all around. Just improving your efficiency with leg turnover and posture will gain you minutes though, since you spend such a large part of the race running.
This is pretty much all I am doing now. I have a general feeling that the bike will take care of itself. I ride it all the time to school and other places, but rarely for training, but I am not worried that it will suffer much. I just have to get in better shape, and running is the best way to do that. I will surely bike and swim at the Y, mostly for variety, technique, and cadence work, but I gotta get the run speed up or I'm totally toast. I don't care how large I am, I don't want to bring shame on all large men by being so dang slow.
We have to prove that our long legs and powerful muscles can be used to move quickly too.
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