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first timer half ironman

Hi guys,

How many hrs per week should i be looking to do for my first middle distance next may or june? I ahve completed one winter's training since last october of approx 6 - 10 hrs per week, mostly easy endurance building and skills.

Any ideas?

Comments

  • diddsdidds Posts: 655
    *blows cheeks out*

    To be honest i think its more about what you can fit in, and what you do with it quality versus quantity wise.
    I'm not at this level yet, but next season hope to be so its an area of interest for me too. I have read about people that successfully train for HIMs on the hours you mention (up to 10 maybe), but there is also a great deal of where you are coming from, and what your natural abilities and endurance is etc.

    I would say (guessing) that at some time you are going to need to be able to do a few longer rides of around 3-4 hours just to get used to be in the saddle for that long, and at least some 9-10 mile runs (if not full half marathon lengths) just to get the endurance in your legs, but assuming you can build a decent base over winter I suspect (hope) its not a case of having to put in 15 hour weeks or anything as high as that.

    I chum did his first HIM distance a couple of weeks ago on a whim... he signed up only 6 weeks before it, and all he had been training for was an Oly. True, he has a few years under his belt at tri and has a strong swimming background, but nevertheless on an Oly training schedule which i doubt often broached what you have outlined he did a 6 hour 70.3.

    Don;t suppose this helps at all... hopefully someone that knows what they are doing will be along in a moment!

    didds
  • diddsdidds Posts: 655
    doesn;t look like one can edit a post now...

    anyhow, said chum is Bopofumo of this parish!

    didds
  • transittransit Posts: 163
    Like Didds said, just depends what you want to achieve. I think with a general base of fitness and not carrying too much weight you should be fine on those hrs. I did my first HIM last year at The New Forest. Was pretty hilly but did a few 3hr hard rides of 56miles, about 8 miles top run and swimming a couple of times a week. Finished in 5hrs 25 or something - really pleased. I obvioulsy did alot of other shorter sessions too and was doing this for a good few months but all told was probably doing the same amount as what you are suggesting. I think it's a goer, good luck!
  • combatdwarfcombatdwarf Posts: 258
    When I trained for the UK HIM this year I maxed out at 14hrs for my longest week....unfortunately due to a nutrition/cramping disaster I only came in at 8:54...

    One lesseoned learned is make sure you practice the full race distance WITH your nutrition strategy before the race save having GI cramps/bloating/vomiting later

    Also if it is your first try to make sure you train for running off the bike after 4+ hrs it definitely feels different than a 40km ride and run....

    I
  • combatdwarfcombatdwarf Posts: 258
    Also have a read through my blog - I trained for this around having two small daughters and a ton of random work commitments...it can be done...
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Blimey! I've only just noticed this new forum and I find that I've already got a [dis]honourable mention! Cheers, didds.

    Yes, I'm guilty of making the decision that has now been recorded in the annals of stupidity: entering my first 70.3 with only 6 weeks to go and no specific training.

    So: from that viewpoint, here's a few things I wish I'd done...

    1) Made the decision a bit earlier. Obvious, I know. What might surprise you is that I never really thought "Wow, I wish I'd trained for 18 months for this". I reckon I'd have been far happier if I'd given myself 3 months to prepare rather than 6 weeks, but that is all. Doing your first 70.3 is worth months of training in terms of experience and mental advantage.
    2) Done more 'train low' stuff. Should have gone out for some long rides pre-breakfast on a Sunday morning. This doesn't suit everybody. I'd have been happier if I was better prepared for nutrition on the go, and going out pre-breakfast would work for me as a training method. Obviously, the idea would be to eat your breakfast during the ride, rather than before.
    3) Done more long rides. Lots more. I was still sticking to my OD type 50km rides and bricks. 90km on the day turned out to be a bit too much of a step up with that run afterwards. I found myself wishing I'd been smart enough to do some 80-100km bike + 30min run efforts.
    4) Ditto long runs. I'd been out for a couple of 90 minute efforts, but again most of my running was concentrated around an OD-like 45-60 minutes. Again, some 2hr runs or some 30-60min bike rides followed by 2hr runs would have been smart.
    5) A two-thirds distance practice about 6 weeks before would have helped enormously, I reckon. Say 1500m/60-70km/15km. Something lasting (for me) about 4.5 hours, maybe.

    Sorry, can't really say much about the swimming as that was always going to be my trump-card - 1900m doesn't bother me. Not that I was ever aiming (or even able) to be 1st out the water, but I was hoping to swim at a pace that would leave me feeling completely fresh and relaxed. In the event, that pace saw me get out of the water at about 37-38 mins.

    Most importantly, you need to make sure that the 70.3 is not some massive unassailable mental wall. It is doable. If you've been training for 6-10 hours/week for 9 months then you're probably getting close to the endurance that you'll need to do it. You may not have much speed, but if you're aiming for the finish line rather than the podium then you must be getting close.

    Never mind next year, enter one this year.

    Good luck!
  • sparrowsparrow Posts: 1
    Thanks for the advice guys. Really enjoying the forum and realising that I'm not the only one who's whims aren't necessarily the smartest.

    Finally pulled my finger out two weeks ago and entered my first tri after years of saying that I wanted to give the sport a go. Unfortunately thought it would be good to start off with a HIM as it looked like a bit of a challenge, a few days later realised it probably wasn't the smartest idea considering it is now 5 weeks away. So signed up to swim lessons and a sprint this weekend, see how it goes. Bricks look like the way forward, certainly didn't feel like a run after my first long cycle last weekend.
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