Oxygenaddict Triathlon Podcast

IRONMAN Bike Pacing: Power Guidance, Your TSS Budget, Outdoor FTP & Gearing for a Strong Run | Ep 595

Oxygenaddict Triathlon Podcast

Show Notes

How hard should you actually ride the IRONMAN bike leg? The answer is more nuanced than simply copying the pros. And getting it wrong often leads to a long walk in the marathon. In this Q&A, Coach Rob Wilby breaks down the numbers behind smart bike pacing so you finish the bike with enough left to run well. In this episode: Why your FTP percentage has to drop the longer you're on the bike (and why backwards-engineering a pro's 82% will blow your race apart) The TSS budget cap that holds true whether you ride 4:30 or 8:00 (plus theequivalent for 70.3). And why it only works if you're properly race-fit Normalised power vs. average power: how spiking out of corners and standing up short hills burns matches you need for the run. Why the first 60-90 minutes on the bike should feel like the easiest of the day Why you MUST do an outdoor FTP test and why it must be done in race position, in race kit, on a flat out-and-back. "My race-sim TSS came back way over 280, should I worry?" How to check your FTP setting and use Best Bike Split to model a realistic, run-friendly pace Gearing for hilly races: why going to a 36-tooth cassette (or even a 1:1 ratio) saves your legs - especially on hilly on courses like Wales. Why all IRONMAN bike courses aren't equal and how to make your long rides mirror your race day terrain, descents and corners included

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More from Oxygenaddict Triathlon Podcast

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Your questions answered by coach Rob this week: How do you rebuild confidence after a DNF? A listener pulled from IRONMAN Wales with hypothermia asks how to come back. Rob covers debriefing with your coach, modelling your predicted race, carrying a spare tube with tubeless tyres, and kit planning so you protect your finish rather than your finish time. What bike TSS should you target for a 70.3? After finishing IRONMAN Wales at around 350 TSS against the 280 target, Andy asks what the equivalent is for the middle distance. Rob explains the TSS starting point and the % of FTP guide. How do you train for an IRONMAN on 12-hour night shifts? A police officer working 60-hour weeks asks how to structure training. Rob covers why a long work week isn’t a recovery week, how HRV tracking takes out the guesswork, and keeping the habit going.

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Sep 30, 2026

Feeling flat during your taper? Worried you've never ridden the full 56 miles before your first 70.3? Coach Rob answers listener questions on why tapering feels rubbish (and why you'll feel so much better by race day), and why you'll ride faster on race day than in training. He also covers whether you need a TT bike for Ironman courses like Austria (spoiler: there are probably more impactful upgrades to make first), how to train for the swim in a lake, and how fit you need to be a year out from IRONMAN. Plus athlete success stories from Ironman Wales and Leeds.

Sep 23, 2026

This week Rob answers more listener questions, plus a couple of brilliant finisher stories. Sophie's racing her first 70.3 in Australia and needs to fit her race simulation weekends around travel - I explain her options for rescheduling Chris hit serious GI issues on the bike at IRONMAN Leeds. Rob explains why pacing (not fuelling) is often a big culprit, and how to build carb intake in training even if your longest ride only reaches 5-6 hours. Samantha has three weeks of travel 14 weeks out from her full-distance comeback race, and wants to hold onto fitness without turning the trip into a training camp. Plus two inspiring listener stories, including a 12:15 finish at IRONMAN Copenhagen after a 12-month transformation.

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