I've been thinking about shuffling my plan around to fit in all the club sessions I used to go to. But basically decided not to, although it shouldn't have an effect as long as you get the sessions in the week and especially your long run and long bike. Could be interesting in a couple of weeks when the number of sessions goes up! Also decided not to as I might as well get used to riding for a long time on my own...
Think you can mix and match al_ford. Sometimes the only way I can get the time in is by adapting the sessions. This weekend I split long bike into 2 x 2hrs (Fri and Sun) also did my long run sun morning (only 50 mins) and on saturday went to the gym to sweat some ale from night before (light 1n hr brick session).
I have not yet followed DF plan to the letter, I mix and match a lot, I set a plan on sunday for the following week as I know what work is likely top throw up and when I am likely to be able to train. It usually involves 3 swims, 3 runs, 1 bike, 1 turbo, 1 brick, 2 weights. I then pencil in ? sessions for weekend like extra weights or swim.
So how does everyone feel 10 weeks into training at the end of base phase and start of build phase?
Personally had a good week this week, swam 3k for first time, good 3.30 bike yesterday and a 1.50 run this morning.
My body has gradually adapted to HR zone training and I am feeling better for it, time now to pick up some speed during the long end of long rides and also at start of runs.
The course announcement last week means that I am going to get some mountains in while out on the bike, dont think the climb is as bad as some are saying on tritalk, but better to get used to climbing I think.
It has been an interesting 10 weeks! Dealing with injury and illness, proper training and lots of it, but it's going great! My knees appear to be holding up, and am running properly, even if a bit behind schedule, and I have found that my HR has dropped quite a bit during training at the same speed/intensity and I can control it a lot better! Really enjoying it so far, and looking forward to some speed work, and killer brick sessions at the weekends!
In terms of climbing, living in Manchester means that most of my rides outside involve heading into the pennines and doing a lot of climbing anyway, so I'm not too worried about that. I am also very close to Bolton, so am hoping to reccee the course a few times over the next couple of months, so will report back when I have.
al_ford, make sure you do some of the longer bike sessions on your own, you need to be training yourself to not get bored on the ride too! i know it doesnt seem possible but sitting pedalling a bike around for 6 hours plus is very draining mentally, more so than physically if you go into the race properly trained!
HELP!! i do my swims on the way home from work but i forgot to write todays one out[:o], could anyone let me know what todays one is? i'm following the intermediate programme. really appreciate the help![:)]
jon_g - I'm still doing some long rides on my lonesome, but joining a club ride mixes it up a bit.
If you do a reccy on the IMUK course let me know what gearing you use on your bike and how it feels. Not sure if a compact is the way to go. I use a standard and ride around the hills of the Cotswolds and I cope ok, not sure how it'll translate onto the steep stuff up your way.
Same as firefightergaz, I'm eating loads and sleeping loads.
i am actually considering joining the local cycling club so i can get through some of the longer rides too.
and eating and sleeping?! loads. i cant seem to eat enough. i eat pretty much whatever i want as much as i want and the weight is just falling off me at the moment. and sleeping loads too. my only problem is work gets in the way[:D]
I certainly need to sleep more. I'm sleeping 8 hours a night, and will have a nap in the afternoon if I have time. Ah the joys of being a student! If I have a night out, then I'll definately need a nap to catch up on the sleep!
I've also started calorie counting, partly to try and lose the last bit of winter insulation I had, but mainly to ensure I am actually eating enough. Average day, I eat my way through 3500 calories, going up to 4500 with a long saturday ride
agent_ti - good luck withthe student thing .... they were the days. Plenty of time for drinking and partying and then sleeping it off. Hey what are you doing on the forum at this ungodly time in the morning?
If you do get to do a reccy on the IMUK bike course keep us informed of the horrors that await us and what gearing you use.
I'm up at this time, because annoyingly, doing an engineering degree, I am in uni pretty much 9 til 5 everyday. Still managed to go out, and stumble home at 4 this morning though...
Will let you know about the course when I do it, currently running a 53-39 upfront with an 12-26 on the back, which has seen me up pretty much all the climbs in the peaks, so I'm hoping that will be ok
Well, week 10 completed and not a session missed! I've had to cross train 2 runs due to a slight knee injury but apart from that i'm pleased to have my spreadsheet all ticked!
Yes, I know sometimes its okay to miss a session, but I get great satisfaction from not missing them and I don't feel like i'm ever overtraining.
I had myself weighed and measured at the start of the season, I was 89kg and 7.1% BF. Just did the same this morning and was 84.3 and 6.5% so I guess the training is working well. Losing some bulk muscle as well as fat unfortunatley, good for triathlons but bad for the beach!
Fitness seems to be through the roof, I got lost on my 3 hour cycle on Sunday so ended up doing 6 hours and about 90 miles - then ran about 7 miles. I had intended to cycle from London to Silverstone to help my sister run the Half Marathon there. I had built in 2 hours rest upon arrival, but I had problems with my new Garmin 605 and so got lost, kept going though and arrived 45 mins after the race had started. Bolted down a bowl of porridge, shoved on some running stuff (never done T2 so fast in my life!) and ran off to find my sister! Thankfully she had just run past my mum so found her on about mile 6 and did the last 7 with her - thankfully she was only running about 9.3 min miles so quite nice and gentle for me. The telling point was that although I felt knackered finishing the bike, as soon as I started running I felt great and my legs were fine and full of energy still.
Monday I woke up afer a good 12 hours sleep and felt pretty much fine, managed the swim and weights I had planned fine and then up this morning for a 75" session on the turbo trainer fine.
All in all - big thumbs up for Ironfit. 19 weeks and counting...
Same here with the eating, training twice a day and long sessions on weekends is burning up the calories. People telling me i'm losing weight when i'm not is anoying also. Training hard on heavy weights at least twice a week to avoid losing muscle mass.
Sleeping loads and generally enjoying all the time i'm training. Cant follow the swim sessions tho, impossible for me to swim 3k including drills and sets in an hour. Tend to follow same principle just less yardage.
I've got a 2006 specialized tarmac sl, just with some clip ons. Going to put a tri-specific saddle on it though, as spending hours in the aero position isn't the most comfortable on the toupe saddle, whose padding on the nose consists of the fabric covering the shell....
Would love to be able to afford a TT bike, but finances mean that will have to wait til next year at least. Also depends on the course, will let you all know when I reccee it
07 Giant TCR C2 for me with profile cobra TT bars and HED stinger 50's. Wheels could change though as they are tubulars and am dreading a puncture. Anyone else riding on tubs? anyone who has rode course advise on road quality?
Not going to ride course in advance so any tips be great.
Specialized Roubaix...unless a windfall comes my way!
Will add the aerobars which are currently on the turbo training bike.
Mavic Aksium wheels at present, probably stick with these unless a cash injection appears.
what gearing are you planning - I've got 52/39 chainset and 12/25 cassette. Hoping this will get me up the hills and keep me going along the flat. Don't really want to go down to a compact. I'll have to check the inclines on the course and compare it to the hills around the cotswolds where I do my training.
Anyone else feeling constantly knackered from the volume of training?
Have changed my routine a bit to include a longer run on Friday and longer ride on Sunday. Taking Saturday as rest day and easy run on Monday instead of Tuesday. Having said that the Saturday rest day is about to be taken over by 3rd swim session as I've found a 7am-8am masters club down train at the local school.
I've found my swimming suffers if I try to swim in the evening after a run session.
Up at 4.30!!! I'd be in bed before dark if I was up that early.
I'm sleping 8 hours a night and do feel tired a lot, luckily 5 month old daughter now goes through the night without waking.
Not going to change my gearing, 52/39 with either 25 or 27 on back, prob 27 just in case.
Had a big 2 weeks of running and can feel soreness in my shins so am easing back on the runs, instead hitting the bike and pool hard as I have a week off work.
What are your thoughts on the main climb of the bike? I dont think it looks to bad, did a couple of 20% climbs yesterday that used to get me to max HR, not yesterday though still had 20 beats to spare, again think the training is working, ave HR also a lot lower during training compared to similar sessions pre base training phase.
I do feel though as if I have lost a bit of power, not sure if I have? or whether its due to the constant training and tiredness in legs? Anyone else feel the same?
Feeling a little tired lately and lost a little enthusiasm for training. Hoping the easter hols will perk me up with a bit of excessive eating and maybe drinking. Its been a while since I sinned and ate chocalate and had a few beers. Also thinking of reading Joe Friel going long to get a bit of motivation.
Running and biking going well, swimming seems to have got harder! Still least favourite discipline, going to go and do long swim this afternoon, have done one 3k swim may try a little further today (the boredom of it!!! bring on the lakes[:)])
Managed a 3.8km pool swim on friday. Dont think I will swim that far again until 2 august. It took me 1:35 which is a bloody long time in the pool. With a 151 turns!!!! Still 8 months ago could not swim 4 lengths so it was a massive confidence boost.
Picked up the Joe Friel book from a mate and am finding it hard work at the moment. The Fink book seems much easier reading and his plans more user friendly.
So we are neally at the half way stage, who is doing what with regards races?
I agree with some of the previous posters with regards to loosing abit of enthusiasm. Just every week is such a struggle trying to fit all the sessions in as well as work and gf/family/friends.
I've ended up dropping one of the runs, it just didn't quite seem to fit the pattern of the workouts - as its all relatively similar in volume except this one spare run (the Monday one I think it is) that doesn't seem to do anything different. The other 3 sessions that you do fit the standard build of - long, intensity, medium. Also this way it works out as 10 seperate sessions (if you could all the bricks as 1 each and do 2 weights sessions) which is much easier to fit into a week.
I am generally tired and need to sleep alot but do sometimes have really good sessions and my splits are going down so i'm happy that i'm not overtraining and it is all working. Also I worked out yesterday that my 3k swim, then 3:30 bike and 30" run was nigh on an Ironman 70.3! The fact that I can do it and then get back up for training this morning gave me a real boost.
I was just wondering - does anyone else fancy spending a weekend cycling the bike course? I haven't managed to find an olympic distance race anywhere near in the week that you need to do, so i'll probably just try and set it up from the pool, to my turbo to a run - but all pretty much flat out to replicate the race experience. Then got the UK 70.3 wihch is just 1 week out from where its supposed to be. But at some point I fancy heading up to Bolton and doing it up there - would just be nice to have some like minded (crazy) company!
I'm hoping to do the bike course in 6 hours so that should give some indication of my pace. Anyone interested let me know....
Comments
I have not yet followed DF plan to the letter, I mix and match a lot, I set a plan on sunday for the following week as I know what work is likely top throw up and when I am likely to be able to train. It usually involves 3 swims, 3 runs, 1 bike, 1 turbo, 1 brick, 2 weights. I then pencil in ? sessions for weekend like extra weights or swim.
Personally had a good week this week, swam 3k for first time, good 3.30 bike yesterday and a 1.50 run this morning.
My body has gradually adapted to HR zone training and I am feeling better for it, time now to pick up some speed during the long end of long rides and also at start of runs.
The course announcement last week means that I am going to get some mountains in while out on the bike, dont think the climb is as bad as some are saying on tritalk, but better to get used to climbing I think.
What are peoples thoughts on the 1st 10 weeks?
I'd really like to hear that the zones is working like it seems to be for Seven spud.
I'm looking forward to starting on the 4th of Jan 2010!
In terms of climbing, living in Manchester means that most of my rides outside involve heading into the pennines and doing a lot of climbing anyway, so I'm not too worried about that. I am also very close to Bolton, so am hoping to reccee the course a few times over the next couple of months, so will report back when I have.
Happy training!
I'm up to week 6 of the base phase. So far so good, kind of!!!! A few things I have learned:-
a) You need to stretch, stretch and stretch. I picked up a pain in my left knee-caught ITBS before it manifested. Tight hamstrings are a killer!!
b) You need to eat more. The sheer volume of training means your burning tonnes more calories. Loads of people have commented "are you losing weight"
c) You need to sleep more, or I should say you WILL sleep more!!!!!. I could fall asleep stood up some days.
But all in all happy with why I'm doing the training...........come hell or high water I will get that mdot tattoo on my leg[:D]
It 500wu, 8x50DR, 4x200 @ 20s, 6x100 @ 15s, 3x50 @ 10s, 8x50 DR, 300cd
If you do a reccy on the IMUK course let me know what gearing you use on your bike and how it feels. Not sure if a compact is the way to go. I use a standard and ride around the hills of the Cotswolds and I cope ok, not sure how it'll translate onto the steep stuff up your way.
Same as firefightergaz, I'm eating loads and sleeping loads.
i am actually considering joining the local cycling club so i can get through some of the longer rides too.
and eating and sleeping?! loads. i cant seem to eat enough. i eat pretty much whatever i want as much as i want and the weight is just falling off me at the moment. and sleeping loads too. my only problem is work gets in the way[:D]
I've also started calorie counting, partly to try and lose the last bit of winter insulation I had, but mainly to ensure I am actually eating enough. Average day, I eat my way through 3500 calories, going up to 4500 with a long saturday ride
If you do get to do a reccy on the IMUK bike course keep us informed of the horrors that await us and what gearing you use.
Cheers, Al_ford
Will let you know about the course when I do it, currently running a 53-39 upfront with an 12-26 on the back, which has seen me up pretty much all the climbs in the peaks, so I'm hoping that will be ok
Yes, I know sometimes its okay to miss a session, but I get great satisfaction from not missing them and I don't feel like i'm ever overtraining.
I had myself weighed and measured at the start of the season, I was 89kg and 7.1% BF. Just did the same this morning and was 84.3 and 6.5% so I guess the training is working well. Losing some bulk muscle as well as fat unfortunatley, good for triathlons but bad for the beach!
Fitness seems to be through the roof, I got lost on my 3 hour cycle on Sunday so ended up doing 6 hours and about 90 miles - then ran about 7 miles. I had intended to cycle from London to Silverstone to help my sister run the Half Marathon there. I had built in 2 hours rest upon arrival, but I had problems with my new Garmin 605 and so got lost, kept going though and arrived 45 mins after the race had started. Bolted down a bowl of porridge, shoved on some running stuff (never done T2 so fast in my life!) and ran off to find my sister! Thankfully she had just run past my mum so found her on about mile 6 and did the last 7 with her - thankfully she was only running about 9.3 min miles so quite nice and gentle for me. The telling point was that although I felt knackered finishing the bike, as soon as I started running I felt great and my legs were fine and full of energy still.
Monday I woke up afer a good 12 hours sleep and felt pretty much fine, managed the swim and weights I had planned fine and then up this morning for a 75" session on the turbo trainer fine.
All in all - big thumbs up for Ironfit. 19 weeks and counting...
Sleeping loads and generally enjoying all the time i'm training. Cant follow the swim sessions tho, impossible for me to swim 3k including drills and sets in an hour. Tend to follow same principle just less yardage.
Would love to be able to afford a TT bike, but finances mean that will have to wait til next year at least. Also depends on the course, will let you all know when I reccee it
Not going to ride course in advance so any tips be great.
Will add the aerobars which are currently on the turbo training bike.
Mavic Aksium wheels at present, probably stick with these unless a cash injection appears.
what gearing are you planning - I've got 52/39 chainset and 12/25 cassette. Hoping this will get me up the hills and keep me going along the flat. Don't really want to go down to a compact. I'll have to check the inclines on the course and compare it to the hills around the cotswolds where I do my training.
Anyone else feeling constantly knackered from the volume of training?
Have changed my routine a bit to include a longer run on Friday and longer ride on Sunday. Taking Saturday as rest day and easy run on Monday instead of Tuesday. Having said that the Saturday rest day is about to be taken over by 3rd swim session as I've found a 7am-8am masters club down train at the local school.
I've found my swimming suffers if I try to swim in the evening after a run session.
I'm sleping 8 hours a night and do feel tired a lot, luckily 5 month old daughter now goes through the night without waking.
Not going to change my gearing, 52/39 with either 25 or 27 on back, prob 27 just in case.
Had a big 2 weeks of running and can feel soreness in my shins so am easing back on the runs, instead hitting the bike and pool hard as I have a week off work.
What are your thoughts on the main climb of the bike? I dont think it looks to bad, did a couple of 20% climbs yesterday that used to get me to max HR, not yesterday though still had 20 beats to spare, again think the training is working, ave HR also a lot lower during training compared to similar sessions pre base training phase.
I do feel though as if I have lost a bit of power, not sure if I have? or whether its due to the constant training and tiredness in legs? Anyone else feel the same?
Feeling a little tired lately and lost a little enthusiasm for training. Hoping the easter hols will perk me up with a bit of excessive eating and maybe drinking. Its been a while since I sinned and ate chocalate and had a few beers. Also thinking of reading Joe Friel going long to get a bit of motivation.
Running and biking going well, swimming seems to have got harder! Still least favourite discipline, going to go and do long swim this afternoon, have done one 3k swim may try a little further today (the boredom of it!!! bring on the lakes[:)])
Picked up the Joe Friel book from a mate and am finding it hard work at the moment. The Fink book seems much easier reading and his plans more user friendly.
So we are neally at the half way stage, who is doing what with regards races?
I agree with some of the previous posters with regards to loosing abit of enthusiasm. Just every week is such a struggle trying to fit all the sessions in as well as work and gf/family/friends.
I've ended up dropping one of the runs, it just didn't quite seem to fit the pattern of the workouts - as its all relatively similar in volume except this one spare run (the Monday one I think it is) that doesn't seem to do anything different. The other 3 sessions that you do fit the standard build of - long, intensity, medium. Also this way it works out as 10 seperate sessions (if you could all the bricks as 1 each and do 2 weights sessions) which is much easier to fit into a week.
I am generally tired and need to sleep alot but do sometimes have really good sessions and my splits are going down so i'm happy that i'm not overtraining and it is all working. Also I worked out yesterday that my 3k swim, then 3:30 bike and 30" run was nigh on an Ironman 70.3! The fact that I can do it and then get back up for training this morning gave me a real boost.
I was just wondering - does anyone else fancy spending a weekend cycling the bike course? I haven't managed to find an olympic distance race anywhere near in the week that you need to do, so i'll probably just try and set it up from the pool, to my turbo to a run - but all pretty much flat out to replicate the race experience. Then got the UK 70.3 wihch is just 1 week out from where its supposed to be. But at some point I fancy heading up to Bolton and doing it up there - would just be nice to have some like minded (crazy) company!
I'm hoping to do the bike course in 6 hours so that should give some indication of my pace. Anyone interested let me know....
Running at about 5 min a km atm so about 6k during that time. But still, I did a longer swim and bike!