Home Chat General Chat

Worried about Ironman yet?!!!

I am on a head on collision with my first Ironman (UK 2nd August) and im starting to panic!!



My training is going ok. I have had some one to one swimming lessons and have gone from a non swimmer (ie couldn’t even swim one length front crawl at xmas) to completing 100 lengths non stop last week, all be it at the slowest pace known to man!



Have run a couple of half marathons (1.41hr & 1.35hr) and my weekly long ride is up to 3.5hrs. Training distances will be stepped up now but just aware that I am a million miles away from where i need to be and the clock is ticking. My first open water swim will be this Sunday (which I am very nervous about), and plan to do a middle distance tri next month.



Anyone else doing Ironman this year and starting to worry?.... and can any experienced Ironmen/women offer any words of wisdom?!!!



Comments

  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    Doing IMUK and had plenty of battles with the demons!!!



    Happy with my swim. 3.8km pool swim in 1:09:50. Open water and a wetsuit should see that down a bit.



    Longest bike to date is 4:45. Covering about 140km. Also stepping this up for the next 12 weeks!



    Longest Run is 2:30. And doing roughly 20-25km in that time. Will take this to 3 hours but that'll be it.



    Still never feel like it's enough. I doubt any amount of training will feel it's enough. Unfortunately, the event is the great unknown. Having some great mood swings with it at the moment. Excitement that is uncontainable and I spend all day talking, training and planning it. Then petrified worry where I hide! It's all very amusing for the GF.
  • Have you considered doing a few training sessions invloving all 3 disciplines?

    Part of my training plan is to do 1/4 distance, 1/2 distance, then full distance building up to race day.

    It might make you feel a bit more comfortable about it.
  • al_fordal_ford Posts: 119
    The more I train, the closer it gets, the more daunting it seems...!
  • Wannabetri - Sounds like you have got it sorted. you are miles ahead of me. I did my 100 lengths in just over 50 mins, which is pretty slow, but im not worried about being slow at the swim. I intend during May to complete a couple IM distance swims and bike rides, so fingers crossed with them. My GF hasnt told me she is sick of me talking about it yet, but i know she is!!! Still cant help it though!



    backtothecaves - Thats a fair point, i do plan on doing a couple of half distances in training, to understand how tough the run will be. Definetly do not plan on doing a full ironman distance in training, i wont see the family for the whole weekend! Prob wont go down to well!!



    al-ford - good luck mate. We are all going to need it.



    My take on it at the moment is that it is going to really hurt and at some point i will be hanging over a kerb in a mess, just the more training i do the closer to the finish this kerb will be!!
  • BARNYBARNY Posts: 157

    Hmm I was worried (also doing IM UK) but since the weather warmed up I am much happier as really starting to get the quality sessions in.



    A great training session was advised in an issue of 220 last year when I was trianing for IMCH...



    Get up early go to lake or pool and swim the full distance.



    Come home eat and rest fro an hour and then go out for a 5hr bike ride.



    Come home eat more and for an hour and go out for a 2 hour run/ 13mile



    All at race pace (SLOW).... the whole day is not about speed its about endurance and keeping your energy up.



    I plan to do this session next weekend and will use it to gauge where I need to work on. Its not one to do in its entirity too often maybe once now and once as yoru final long session.



    This is how the bricks roll at ironman baby! its a good model to use for doing swim + bike or long bike + run or swim + long run.. as its not as damaging as your ussual bricks so doesnt kill you off for the next week.
  • I have to confess I'm doing a 1/2 Ironman in September so doing half and full distances is a lot easier for me, and I can't imagine how you are all feeling with it being much closer, and twice the distance I'm doing. Good luck to you all, especially OP
  • EdstgEdstg Posts: 83
    a quick insight into being 4 weeks away from IM Lanzarote....



    Apart from feeling totally inadequate and constantly asking why i thought i would ever be able to do this, waking in cold sweats in the middle of the night, wishing i could get an injury so i could pull out gracefully, worrying that i have got my nutrition wrong and that all 1599 other competitors will laugh at me for even turning up, feeling nothing will ever repair the mental damage from not finishing - having to leave my job as all i have talked about it this stupid race and when i come back and tell them i had to stop.



    Apart from that, i'm feeling strong and ready.









  • Edstg - Good luck mate. Has your training gone to plan so far?
  • EdstgEdstg Posts: 83
    thanks conehead and hartattack.



    everything has gone pretty well. i have struggled with a few injuries and some over training, hence the injuries probably - but i feel as though I am as ready as you can be without ever having done one before. I mainly want to enjoy it as with baby number 3 due in august i think it may be the last long distance race i do for a while. I'll do a post race report

  • sevenspudsevenspud Posts: 45
    Worried... to bloody right!!! Only done 1 sprint last year, doing IMUK this year.



    Couldnt swim either last year and decided on Aug 1st that I would learn and do IMUK, ironic its on Aug 2nd (1 year of swimming).



    Did an IM distance swim last week and took 1:35, hoping for 1:30 in wetsuit on the day. Biking going well, upto 4.15 time wise and will start to up this now, I'm an ok biker, ok in that I'm aiming for 6-6.30 hours.



    Running is my strongest discipline, run a marathon last year and swore never again after really pushing myself, so just why I'm planning on running a marathon after all that swimming and cycling I'm not to sure???



    Hope to do run in 4.00-4.30. That would give me an estimated time of 11.30-12.30 which seems totally unrealsistic. I sometimes wonder if i'm going to complete. Have trained hard for the 16 weeks so far and still feel not enough done.... guess time will tell.
  • ipay1980ipay1980 Posts: 84
    think about it every day! have i done enough, have i not, how has that injury set me back etc...



    i am training for my second ironman. my main comments would be have confidence in your training plan (on assumption is planned correctly); put the miles in on the bike; get your nutrition strategy sorted; and when you training listen to your body - if it saying need a rest, try to reschedule the next day for a rest day.



    they are brilliant events, and as conehead suggests, despite the pain and self questioning during the event, you will love it!



    has everybody sorted accomodation for the ironman? i am sorted now, but was really tough to get some self catering facilities!
  • Slightly off topic, but what are everyone's nutrition plans like???? I'm doing Hellvelyn this September then plan to do IMUK next year.

    I'm following the Ironfit programme so I'm sorted there. Just struggling with what foods to eat to get the amount of calories in that I'm burning off.



    Any examples of meal plans or snacks etc



    Good luck everyone. I'm volunteering this year so I'll see you at the finishline.

  • agent_tiagent_ti Posts: 306
    In terms of what to eat, its just lots! I properly eat 5/6 fairly sizeable meals a day and will graze on fruit etc throughout the day if I get hungry. This helps to offset all the training.



    Am also doing IMUK this August, and although I have lots of moments of self-doubt, I just remember the good sessions, where times were good and I felt good. If I can do that when I'm training normally I should be fine when I have had a proper taper. But will be interesting to see how the body copes halfway through the marathon....
  • al_fordal_ford Posts: 119
    @ ipay1980 - not sorted accomodation, was going to camp but now the missus is pregnant she doesn't want to sleep on the floor. Looks like I'll be making a few phone calls this weekend to sort something out - any suggestions?
  • sevenspud - 1.35hr for the IM swim is quality considering you couldnt swim! I would be over the moon with that. I will be attempting the 152 lengths shortly. I have my first 5hr bike ride planned for the morning.



    I have booked a hotel in the middle of Bolton, which i am now regretting because could do without drunken northerners waking me up singing football songs at 2am! Def gonna look for somewhere further out in the sticks for some peace and quiet. Any suggestions?



    firefightergaz - really do hope i get to see you at the finish mate!!
  • gomiboygomiboy Posts: 59
    11 weeks away from my Ironman and I am absolutely TERRIFIED! I'm constantly thinking about how to get out of it without losing face - my wife, my mom, my uncles and aunts, my in-laws, everyone in my company - they all know what I'm trying to do. And other than my brother, who is always a negative git, they all think I can do it! Are they INSANE?



    I am absolutely terrified I am going to be DQ'd for not finishing the swim in time (2 hours) and also not finishing the bike (9.5 hours to complete both the swim and the bike). I am also terrified I will simply die, or cry, or look the total idiot. I'm worried I will make some stupid mistake. I'm worried that I'm overtraining, and will end up injured; or I am worried that I will undertrain and not be able to complete, and it takes a special kind of nutty to think those two opposing thoughts, often on the same day or even in the same hour!



    Not going to stop me, though - I am going to do this. And since all I want to do is finish, I will do that too.
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    Should you worry more when you feel like you don't need to worry about it?!?!? [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image] (Not that this is me! - Just Curious!)



    I have the Big Day planned soon!!! It's the concept BARNY put early.



    Up at 4:00 a.m. - Breakfast

    6:00 a.m. - 3.8km Swim (approx 1:10)

    7:30 a.m. - Meal

    9:00 a.m. - 5 x 30km Loop Bike (approx 5:00)

    3:30 p.m. - Meal

    5:00 p.m - 6 x 5km Loop Run (approx 3:00)

    8:00 p.m. - Call ambulance. Drown in ice bath. Die. (Any of these are a possibility!)



    Conehead - I actually prefer the wetsuit and openwater.

    1. More bouyant

    2. I am quicker

    3. Swim nemisis are not present / not obvious (can pretend they are elite!) [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image]



    Will let you all know how this goes! It is scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday 4 May!!![image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m6.gif[/image]

  • ipay1980ipay1980 Posts: 84
    i was really keen to go self catering, as do not trust chefs in many budget hotels. most of the holiday cottages are booked, and also they prefer people for the week.



    so me and a mate who are doing it have ended up in southport in some self catering apts, that look great. they prob about 30-35 mins away in the car. i decided to go somewhere where there were relatively main routes between the two, so even if slighltly further, can cover the miles quicker!



    they are called cumbria court apts, PR9 0BF. Was £285 for 3 nights.



    hope you can find somewhere closer, but i am relatively happy with this. Oh yeah, i had to book this quick, because i had paid a deposit for a cottage, and then the lady refunded me, saying that she had double booked, but i think that she had got someone for the full weeks, and not just 3 nights! but the one am at now, have got a reciept and confirmation!



    good luck in your quest!
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    Damn them people! What did they think they were doing?!?!?![image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image]



    They clearly do not know who you are!
Sign In or Register to comment.