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Oh dear god, an ironman...............

The realisation of what a monstrous task this is, has pretty much just hit home this weekend. I've been training pretty well, minus the broken toe.



Swimming is feeling bloody awesome. Very comfortable and smooth. Not much effort. Long Bike up at 4 1/2 hours, holding a low HR and still moving forward. Running is taking some time to get up there, but holding a decent HR for sessions.



Yesterday, I put together my first real brick. 2:26 bike (76km) and then 31min run (6.3km) and I was out on my arse for the run!!! Could not control my HR (150 instead of 135) at all and physically couldn't bring my speed down any slower without walking.



I am now slightly concerned (at best) that bringing all 3 together is going to be the most scariest tri experience of my life to date!
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Comments

  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    It does exactly what it says on the tin!

    Keep the faith, keep training, keep yourself in reality and you'll get there.

    Its' not easy that's why fairweather IM do not exist - there are no shortcuts or easy answers your epiphany this weekend will help you if you use it positively
  • al_fordal_ford Posts: 119
    nice one wannabetri.



    I did a 45min run after a 4hr bike yesterday and then slept on the couch for the rest of the afternoon much to the annoyance of the misses! The thought of a gentle run later today does not fill me with excitement!

    What IM are you up for?

    I'm doing my first IMUK in August and just starting to realise how much effort is involved.



    I've got the Stratford marathon in 4 weeks and I'm sure that'll be a massive wake up call.

    As treefrog says if we take this wake up call as a positive we'll be in better shape come the IM, well that's the plan.
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    Gunning for IMUK too. My first long distance tri. I'm doing an 8 mile race this weekend, a couple of 100mile sportive's, half IM in June then the big one.



    I feel your sleeping pains!!! I was yawning from 4pm onwards and was wanting bed by about 7pm. The realisation that a 13 hour IM would be finishing at this point didn't help!!! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image]



    I feel I am going to go brick mad and add on a run each bike.
  • BARNYBARNY Posts: 157
    I'm doing IMUK too this year.



    As far a bricks are concerned do them, they are good for you. But I did IM Swiz last year and the best I felt was on actual race day starting the marathon..



    Dont do too many bricks you might over do it or at least give it another moth or so to elt your body get used to doing a long run a long bike a long swim and a lot more every week.



    Tired all the time but isn't food great!
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Yeah! The book's so good, I bought two copies - one for a friend. Not quite finished it yet. Will post a review when I have done.
  • sevenspudsevenspud Posts: 45
    IMUK for me too, first one.



    Wannabetri and al_ford are you guys doing fink competitive? im doing intermediate and so far only short bricks.



    Did 4 hr bike yesterday, felt good. Quite a few people telling me to not overdo the running to early tho. Shins felt sore last week after 2 weeks heavy running so trying to get lots of bike miles and swims in.



  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    Bit of a scare this weekend - I did my first longest training cycle - 77mi in 5 hours. And when I first got off the bike, i thought there is NO BLOODY WAY i could run a marathon right now! I did calm down after 10 minutes or so and was walking up and down stairs and such, but not doing bricks yet. That's for this week.



    Still, quite scary. I'm doing the Forestman July 12th, and I've got 2 hours for the swim (no problem there I think), but 7.5 hours for the bike and it's 55 miles further than I went on Saturday! The ride I did was quite rolly and the weather was shite, so one hope is that the IM course is flatter (New Forest, so should be flatter than the Sussex and Kent countryside) and being in the forest I won't have to deal with high winds, rain, and hail either (it is in July) but it did put the fear of God into me.



    I still think running is going to be the hard part, but I'm doing a 1/2 marathon beg May, two Olympic tris (mid-May and mid-June) and a full marathon (end May) for training. So I think that training is good and I'll have some race experience.



    And brick sessions start tomorrow every other day until the end...



  • sevenspudsevenspud Posts: 45
    gomiboy wrote:




    I still think running is going to be the hard part, but I'm doing a 1/2 marathon beg May, two Olympic tris (mid-May and mid-June) and a full marathon (end May) for training. So I think that training is good and I'll have some race experience.



    And brick sessions start tomorrow every other day until the end...







    Sounds like a bit much in may, sure many others on here would advise you not racing the marathon for a pb 6 weeks before a IM distance race?
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    Not not not running for a PB - i'm out for a finish only. I'll be quite happy to finish in 5+ hours if I feel like it. I just want to run the distance is all. Oh, any watch my wife's bum as she leaves me in her dust. :)



    The only thing I need to do is complete the whole bloody ironman in less than 17 hours (6:00am to 9:30pm ish) so a 5hr marathon would be fine with me.

  • al_fordal_ford Posts: 119
    I've got Stratford marathon at end of April. Also just looking to finish to see what it's like...bloody hard I'm sure. Main reason for doing it is to see how I cope with a couple of gels and water. Sports drinks tend to upset me on the run but that's another tale of woe and soggy pants!



    Sevenspud - fink competitive for me. Although have changed the routine a bit, using it as a gauge for number of hours and training intensity. Can only mange 3 runs a week including brick otherwise my body starts to breakdown.



    Good on bike, poor on swim and average on run. Just praying it'll all come together in time.



    And yeah food is great...
  • al_fordal_ford Posts: 119
    Conehead - your thoughts on



    marathon - 14 weeks out (if feeling sh*te I will take the detour at 12m and complete the 1/2 course)

    Sprint tri - 8 weeks out

    1/2 IM - 5 weeks out

    IMUK - week zero and counting
  • al_fordal_ford Posts: 119
    Cheers Conehead - guess I'd better buy the book now to return the favour.
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    Conehead - you're saying things I was already thinking strongly about. My only worry is that I am quite strong on the bike, and pretty good on the swim, but the run is and always has been the hardest part for me. I've been working much harder on that than on anything else as I know it's a vulnerability. I will definitely think long and hard about your advice, though - it does sound very reasonable. And since the wife is thinking about bailing on the marathon as well, might be easier and I won't look like quite such a wuss if I do.



    Other than Conehead (Thanks for the tips!) any other strong opinions about running a marathon as part of IM training?
  • sevenspudsevenspud Posts: 45
    Everything I read says no. Wanted to do Paris next week and aim for a time, was advised not to if I wanted to concentrate on IM training.



    Did marathon back in September (1st one) and went full out at it, was 2-3 weeks later when I felt like my legs were back to normal. Ran a pb half marathon 5 weeks after the marathon so the physiologic benefit was good or was that partly due to the increase in training for the marathon?



    I could not however of carried on with IM training at the level of where you should be 6 weeks before IM.
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    My race season is pretty empty in comparison to a few people here!!!



    8 mile run race - This Sunday

    80 mile sportif - Mid May

    Half IM - Start of June

    IM - Start of August



    Was thinking of popping in an Olympic in Mid June as a final IM race pace practice session.



    Conehead - Shall be on the prowl for the book. Available from all good book stores I hope!!!!
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 335
    Conehead - Shall be on the prowl for the book. Available from all good book stores I hope!!!!




    be warned you might have to stay up all night in order to finish it and you'll irritate everyone with the snorts of laughter[:D]
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    Two is good enough for me, as I know not what I am doing only what i don't want to do.



    I'm happy to run-walk-run the marathon, but I do not want to die or get the dreaded DNF.



    I think I'll skip the marathon in may and take it as a rest day instead.
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    Jogging (or yogging - the J may be silent) sounds fine with me.
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    the man, the man punt Baxter



    sorry i'm adding to this
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    Rule Number One : No touching of the hair or face.



    And that's it!







    Anyway, regarding the original post I am going run crazy going to have a crash week to try and have a break-through. Read it in a book (Not by conehead!)[image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m11.gif[/image]
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    Conehead wrote:


    yes, j-ogging or y-ogging. With Baxter and maybe some jazz flute afterwards.



    I may have just de-railed this thread.

    I'm reporting this post to the moderators as highly offensive.



    Jazz flute is for little fairy boys.



    And your hair looks stupid.
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    So back to reality, what about running an olympic 3 weeks before? Henley is the weekenbd of the 21st June.



    I'd like to do a race-pace workout, and that way I've got at least 2 weeks to recover. Thoughts?
  • sevenspudsevenspud Posts: 45
    gomiboy wrote:


    So back to reality, what about running an olympic 3 weeks before? Henley is the weekenbd of the 21st June.



    I'd like to do a race-pace workout, and that way I've got at least 2 weeks to recover. Thoughts?



    Are you following any plan?



    3 weeks before should be the start of your taper, your longest runs and bikes just behind you.



    Surely your IM pace is slower than your Olympic pace? or do you mean do an olympic distance at IM pace?



    Cant see a problem with the latter? but this is my first Im training period and start of triathlon for me. Fink says an OD 12 weeks pre IM and a Half IM 8 weeks pre IM.
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    sevenspud wrote:
    Are you following any plan?



    3 weeks before should be the start of your taper, your longest runs and bikes just behind you.



    Surely your IM pace is slower than your Olympic pace? or do you mean do an olympic distance at IM pace?



    Cant see a problem with the latter? but this is my first Im training period and start of triathlon for me. Fink says an OD 12 weeks pre IM and a Half IM 8 weeks pre IM.



    I am following a plan - 3 weeks load, 1 week unload, and 2 weeks of taper. I meant doing an olympic at IM pace, just to practice transistions and basically get a 'free' S-B-R brick session. I'm also doing an olympic tri about 8 weeks before IM day, but unfortunately there are no 1/2 IM at the right time before the full deal.



  • al_fordal_ford Posts: 119
    Take an OD tri as a brick session with added transition benefits.

    The distance should be no problem and could be a good moral booster...hey that OD was easy, might go for a recovery jog now! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m16.gif[/image]
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    That's the hope, thanks! [8D]
  • ironkavironkav Posts: 259
    What do you guys think is the time needed to train for an ironman? From Beginner triathlete.



    Im not doing one this year, working on my swimming this year, but I am fairly fit. I run a lot and bike a lot.



    First tri is this year, and my first marathon.



    btw fair play wannabetri





  • agent_tiagent_ti Posts: 306
    I reckon to finish an ironman, youre looking at 6 months of specific training, to be competitive you'll need some good years of fitness, and at least 9 months of specific training. I did my first tri last july, this august I am doing IMUK. I was lucky in that I've spent the last 5 years rowing, training up to 10 times a week with the odd few weeks off, so was fairly fit and had done a bit of cycling before. I started doing don finks BeIronFit plan at the start of the year, and reckon I could probably just about finish the IM now (in about 16 and a half hours), but aim is sub-12 hours in august, maybe even 11.
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    I've got 3 years experience in this sport but nothing has prepared me for the sheer volume of training for the Ironman. Thankful to have some great support behind me! I've been training since turn of the year for the August IMUK and have written my own periodisation plan following a lot of literature review (Not yet Conehead's book).



    Have my biggest week of 18.5 hours coming up in 2 weeks time!!! Let you know how it goes!!!



    Did anyone know running had such a pronunced catabolic effect? I appear to have misplaced 2kgs this week...................
  • ironkavironkav Posts: 259
    HI,



    I too plan to do the "BeIronFit" program. Its a great book and most of my knowledge and comments here on 220 are from that book.



    My plan is though..



    This year 5-6 triathlons 2 Sprint + 3-4 olympic and 1 marathon.



    Next year. Ironman somewhwere in Europe plus some olympic and a half iron built into the don fink training



    I hope I get to book a place in time for the one I decide to do.



    Just on amazon ordering "how triathlon ruined my life".



    IK











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