Too much too soon

Brick Session

Just want to get some feedback or opinion of those of you who may have undertaken the same plan as I have in my head at present.

Heres the deal, I am a 43 year old male, 15 stone, full time emplyoment, wife and 2 kids and all that comes with them. Last year was my first year in Triathlon and I did 7 sprint distance tri's and finished them all ok. .

I have this mad plan in my head to take on an ironman distance event this year, looking at the Hardman in Kerry. Swimming would be my worst, max I swam was probably close on 900m in 2011. I have cycled the Ring of Kerry in 2010 which is the route for the hardman and have done a half marathon in 2010 and a few 10 mile runs in 2011.

Has anyone else made such a big leap and how did you get on? I have the bones of 7.5 months to train for it so I feel that have the time.

jester1980

Hey, i'd be in similar situation as yourself but would hope do do the ironman next year, took up traithlon and running last year too and did a good few races as well. This year my goal was to get a marathon or two under my belt and a half ironman as well. Have you ran a marathon before???

Good luck to you anyway whatever your decision.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I completed one last year, in hindsight its probably not advisable to jump straight into one off the back of a few sprint distance races, not that it stopped me:rolleyes:. Most would say build into over time with some OLY & HIM distance races first.

However the mind is a strong tool and if you are as stubborn, determined and goal driven as i was when i set out training for it then there is no reason why you cannot do it.

Oryx

How fit are you? How much base do you have? I'm going for my first IM this year, and other than being female and lighter , my situation would be similar to yours. I have an extra year of training and racing under my belt, thats all. I asked almost the same question about IM a few months ago. Our main difference would be that I have done a lot of 5-6 hour races in the last two years, and I hope that will stand to me.

IMO, sprint races bear *no* relation to how the longer races feel. They require different pacing and training.

I have no doubt that you could train for and do this. Theres also no reason why you shouldnt try. The only thing to bear in mind is that it will probably hurt more (both the training and the race) than if you wait and gain more experience.

RedB

Brick Session wrote: »

Heres the deal, I am a 43 year old male, 15 stone, full time emplyoment, wife and 2 kids and all that comes with them. Last year was my first year in Triathlon and I did 7 sprint distance tri's and finished them all ok. .

Has anyone else made such a big leap and how did you get on? I have the bones of 7.5 months to train for it so I feel that have the time.

You may have the time but you may not have the base . Do you have a strong background in any of the Tri disciplines?

I'm in a similar position to you as regards age/family etc and I'm aiming for my first IM in July but I've been building for a longer period. I started 3 years ago and did 2 Olympics, the Sean Kelly 160k cycle and a HIM off little background or training and suffered as a result. The next year I did 2 marathons, more cycling as well as 2 Olympics and a HIM and still suffered as I didn't do enough training or structure it right. Last year I did the Wicklow 200km cycle, 2 Olympics and a HIM and suffered but not as much as I still hadn't done enough training :rolleyes:. I'm stubborn enough to keep going to the end but each time I was left unsatisfied. It takes a lot of training to manage to complete a marathon satisfactorily and a base helps makes it easier. Similarily for all the disciplines. If you look at a training plan cold you can imagine that each of the sessions is manageable but its the cumulative effect and effort that you don't see but which a base helps with. In conclusion my advice would be to build that base properly over a longer period of time by doing some Olympic Tris well this year and maybe a marathon to see the level of effort you're letting yourself in for (Do a lot of cycling also ).

duffyshuffle

Most people do races in the summer then don't train for months and lose it all anyway. You've got loads of time to complete one, pretty much anyone with any training history and not excessively overweight could train to complete an IM in 7.5 months if they wanted to, they mightn't go that fast but its plenty of time to build the distances up, depends how much you want to do one

griffin100

Before you start training ask yourself do you have the time to put in the training required to finish - can you train 6-7 times a week? It's a big jump from SD to IM.

You can train to finish an IM in 7 months off a low enough base but you wont be quick and may suffer on the day.....but don't let that put you off. Buy Don Finks book and have a look at whats required to complete his 'just finish' programme (his plans are generic but give an indication of whats required). Lots of people will tell you its not possible but it's up to you, if you put in the training you'll do it.

Brick Session

Thanks for all of the feedback so far guys (& lady).

My original plan for 2012 was 4 Olympic Tri's over the summer months, the Lost Sheep in Kenmare in Sept and then the Dublin City Marathon to finish out the year. Then for 2013 the plan was to do IM Austria in July.

However, a seed was recently sewn when someone spoke about the Hardman in Killarney in August and it is in my head ever since.

After doing the ROK cycle and Sean Kelly 160 plus a number of other sportifs last year, I would be comfortable that the cycle in Kerry is fairly handy :rolleyes:. It is just the bit before the cycle and after the cycle that will be new territory.

My current level of fitness is as you would expect after Christmas and a course of anti biotics for a chest infection. I have given a lot of thought about the time needed for training. I can fit in 2 hr cycles before work in the morning, can go for a run at lunchtime and live beside a pool and the sea so can swim in the evenings. Long swims, cycles & runs can fall into place at weekends as they are required during the summer months.

I would plan to fit in brick sessions during the summer evenings or mornings to suit.

This is terrible, when you get something niggling in the back of your brain that you cant shift. I will continue to train as normal (well starting back swimming with the local tri club tomorrow night) while I wait for my Don Fink book to arrive from Amazon and then maybe make a final decision.

Brick Session

Ok so I have decided to throw caution to the wind and do the Hardman. I have spoken to a number of IM finishers in the Waterford Tri club and they tell me that once I put in the effort and the training, follow a Don Fink plan (adapt to suit my life) then I should be ok and will finish.

Yes, I know that I may suffer on the day and will ask myself WTF :mad: did I enter this for but I am confident that I will succeed otherwise I would not go for it.

I wonder should I start a training log up here to add the the countless others or would anyone be interested in my mundane training. I find reading other logs and race reports interesting (now & again). :cool:

Now for the off to a great start bit; my wife was out running on Monday night last and went down off the edge of a kerb and tore a ligament in her ankle so she has been in a cast and on crutches since. This means I have taken on the role of both parents which has been made slightly more difficult because the kids are on school holidays (aaaagggghhhh). So while I tend to my wifes every need & do all the housework, try and hold onto my job, taxi the kids everywhere, shop for my house and the mother in law and everything else that comes with running a house (major respect for my wife and all she does that goes unseen) all my plans for swimming Friday night, running today, cycling tomorrow now have to go on hold for a few weeks. Oh well!!!

RayCun

Brick Session wrote: »

I wonder should I start a training log up here to add the the countless others or would anyone be interested in my mundane training. I find reading other logs and race reports interesting (now & again). :cool:

Sure, start a log. There aren't many logs that people read for literary merit, but it'll be useful for you to keep track of your training, and when you look back at it you may notice things you missed at the time, like early warning signs of injury or overtraining, or see your progress in different sessions. And if you find it useful, then other people training for similar events may also learn from it.
(If you like, I can move this thread to the logs area and you can use this as your log)

Brick Session

@Raycun,

Yes please can you move it so?

Regards

B.

Brick Session

Just in case anyone is interested here goes.

After a hectic week of nursing to my immobile wife, taking on the chores of the house that my wife normally does unseen, contending with the 2 kids who were getting bored on their Christmas holidays I decided that I needed to get out of the house before I hit the Jameson big time and was going to start back in earnest at swimming training on Friday night. Got into local sports shop to get the hand paddles as instructed by swim coach and headed home. By the time I had the dinner done and and cleaned up after it, I missed swimming training so plans had to be shelved until Saturday morning.

I was going to go for a handy run Saturday morning while the lad was at rugby training until her indoors announced that her running buddies were collecting her on Saturday morning for coffee which meant I had to take the 6 year old daughter to rugby training also. Ok, I decided that I would change plans and go for a run after lunch. This was ok until the lad decided to wake the whole house on Friday night, a row ensued between father & son and while he went back to sleep I was too wound up too sleep. :mad: So I was wrecked all day Saturday, no running. :mad:

Not to be beaten, I went to the shed Saturday night, got the bike ready for road for the planned 2 hour spin at 9am Sunday morning, laid out all the winter cycling gear on the kitchen table and collapsed into bed around 11.30 after getting the whole house to bed. Alarm set for 8am, I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

One snooze, second snooze, third snooze and eventually turned off the alarm at 8.40 and said f*ck it, I was having a lie in. Got up out of bed around 9.30 when the little lady demanded I get her breakfast and turn on the TV. Back to bed until 11.30am. Got up, had a shower, put on running gear and had breakfast

Eventually, I brought the lad to swimming training for 1pm, dropped him there with his coaches and hit the road. I managed a slow (ave 10.34 min mile) for 5.2 miles, happy with that as I had no running done since mid November. Legs only slightly sore today

In Summary, week 1 of my Ironman training totalled a 5 mile run at a 10.30 pace. Overall, after the week I have put in at home, I am happy with this because I was extremely tempted to get that litre bottle of Jameson with my name on it in Tesco's on a few occasions.

Have entered for the John Treacy 10 miler in Dungarvan on the 29th of the month so looking forward to that.

Brick Session

Legs got sore on Monday night Tuesday morning but I was determined to run on Tuesday night. So I dropped the lad to swimming training and off I went. 4 miles on the nose or 2 laps of the prom in Tramore including the bit at the bottom to be exact, ave pace 10.18 min mile.

Wednesday; managed a lunchour swim at a steady and comfortable pace. Did 100m real easy to warm up and 100m x 5 with 30 second rests between each 100m at a slightly faster but nice pace. Then 100m cool down at a slow pace. Try to concentrate on my stroke and amount of strokes per pool length.

Today, after dinner and homework and cleaning the kitchen I got out for the bones of a 4 mile run. 3.79 to be exact @ an ave 9.59 min pace. Left leg a bit sore but I am putting it down to being rusty.

Good news is that her indoors has the cast off, but still on crutches . hopefully it wont be long and she too will be back on the road. And in the kitchen :eek::eek::eek:

catweazle

Good luck with this brick - its one I am interested in doing myself but I may not do it this year!

Brick Session

Thursday 12th Jan

Had to be forced out the door by the threat of a slap of a crutch as I had no interest in a run. Did a 3.79 miles @ Ave 9.59 per mile.

Friday 13th

Swimming with the Tri Club, group lessons, 100m warm up, various drills which I can't remember, then the paddles and fins were used for drills, first time using hand paddles, felt a bit weird TBH. Felt tired at the start of the session but got into it after about 40 minutes. 6 x 100m sprints with 30 second rests between. 200m cool down.

Saturday 14th

LSR - 7.88 miles @ Ave 10.25 per mile on a hilly course. Going to set up the HRM for the Garmin watch so will start recording HR shortly.

BennyMul

Good luck with the training, Im also going for my first one this year with no tri experience.

may even see you in Killarney.

Brick Session

@ benmul, go for it. I might even see you there sure. All still positive so far.

Brick Session

BennyMul wrote: »

Good luck with the training, Im also going for my first one this year with no tri experience.

may even see you in Killarney.

Are you going to do the Joey Hannon or the Hell of the West? Might see you at them to see how you are getting on with the training

BennyMul

Brick Session wrote: »

Are you going to do the Joey Hannon or the Hell of the West? Might see you at them to see how you are getting on with the training

I do hope to get in one of them, not sure which yet . will head to Athy and a few others.

what ones do you have listed?

Brick Session

So far I have only entered the Olympic at Athy. I am not too bothered about the rest, I might do the Joey Hannon Olympic on the 29th of April as a guage to see how my swimming holds up.

Brick Session

18 Jan 2012

After reading almost half of Don Finks book "Be Iron Fit" now I know that I can and will finish the Ironman I have made my plan. My training or 30 week program starts on January 29th so I am ok to concentrate on running and a little swimming until then.

One thing that he is telling us is to lose the mileage and train in blocks of time and in Heart rate zones. So last night I tried this approach and instead of going for a 4 mile run, I went for a run for an hour. Amazing how so much of our efforts are controlled by our minds because I did a comfortable hours running in what is called zone 2 (aerobic pace) and when I checked at the end of the run, I had completed almost 6 miles. This is slower than what I am used to (not by much) but the thing about it is I felt I could have kept going for another good while. I did not measure HR but I felt very comfortable. I am looking forward to starting this 30 week adventure using one of Don Fink's programs.

Oryx

I'm on week 7 of Don Fink intermediate right now, and while Im not sticking to it to the letter, Im trying to hit the times he gives. His strategy of time rather than distance does work though, particularly now in the lower intensity zones. I'll let you know how it feels once I hit the build phase.

Brick Session

@ Oryx, thanks for that. I am going to do the intermediate program myself so I will be interested in how you go. Are you training for Austria given you are on week 7 / 8 at this stage? My week 1 starts next week on the 30th of January. Starts with a rest day, nice one. Doing the John Treacy 10 mile on the 29th so happy days.

Friday 20th Jan, Run. Trying the new concept of HR and time as opposed to mileage. As it was a lunchtime run, time was not on my side so I ran for 40 minutes at a ave HR of 146, this is in my zone 2 so perfect. However, my left leg is playing up no end and I have now discovered that it is my IT band that is playing up.

Sunday 22nd Jan, Run. LSR decided to go out using HR & time, planned for 90 minutes but it turned out to be 101 minutes by the time I got back to the car and an ave HR of 145. For anyone who may be counting, this worked out at an exact 9 miles on the nose @ an ave of 11.15 min miles. This is considerably slower than my normal pace but I will follow the Fink plan to the letter, I am a bit OCD that way. I suppose I will be thankful later for building the correct base. Left knee still sore, playing up at 1.5 miles, 2.5 miles and about 4 miles, however it did not pain me after that. Used the foam roller when I got home, Jesus did that hurt, so hopefully it will help in the long run.

Oryx

Yes I'm training for Austria. Keep an eye on that knee and IT band issue. Now is the time to sort that before you hit higher mileage. I see a sports physio about once a month if I'm training hard to prevent small problems becoming big ones. This is your last week of normality then before you start crunching the numbers. Good luck with it.

Brick Session

Went to the Physio today, heres the prognosis, IT band on both legs really tight and lumpy, in particular the left leg where it was really bad where the IT band joins the tendons at the knee, hence the soreness. After a good rub down and stretch I have to rest the legs for a week. So no 10 mile run in Dungarvan this Sunday.

However, we should be all good to start week 1 next Monday with a rest day. .

Brick Session

Week 1 of the Intermediate plan is going well. Adjusting to the 6am starts but it is good to have the training done before work so it does not impact on evening family time. I will update the sessions on Sunday as I am done on the laptop for tonight.

Brick Session

Good old Don Fink starts his training plans with a rest day so I had no problem getting through that on Monday although due to family constraints I did my Tuesday swim on Monday night. Swim was scheduled in the program to take 1 hour, it must have been desigend for Michael Phelps cos I was only just half way through with approx 1000m done in an hour. Had to call it a day cos homework was waiting. Good solid hour so was happy with that.

Tuesday, up at 6am, cup of tea and a slice of toast and on the run for 6.30am. 30m minutes @ zone 2. Nice way to start the day. Cold though. Amazed the amount of people out walking in Tramore at this hour.

Wednesday, up at 6am, same breakfast, out to the shed to the turbo trainer, 30 mins on the bike in zone 2, quick change into the runners and a 15 min run in zone 2. All good.

Thursday, bike again in the shed, this session was 30 mins at a cadence of 100rpm plus in zone 1. Held an average HR of 135 and an RPM of 103.

Friday called for a 30 min run in zone 2 and had the second swim of the week with the weekly swim session with the Tri club. Swim was a disaster as it was a lot of speed work which frustrated me and I was ready to pack it in after 30 mins, however a few minutes to have a chat to myself and to the coach and away I went again at a slow pace doing my own thing. finished out the hour but was glad it was over.

Saturday was an hour on the bike but due to family comings and goings I had to do this on the trainer in the shed. 1 hour, my longest spin ever on the trainer, was not too bad, thank God for the i-pod. Could not find the portable DVD player as it was in the only place in the house that I did not check. Got the hour done in a HR of zone 2. Week 1 nearly done.

Sunday and a 45 minute run in zone 1 was just what the doctor ordered to finish the week. A few beers watching the rugby match and was pleased with myself that I had week 1 behind me. Pity about the result in the rugby though. ah well, Wales played better than we did so they deserved the win.

Oryx

Well done on your first week. 29 to go! Keep a record of your distances they are useful to have when checking progress.

Brick Session

Monday 6th Feb - Rest Day

Tuesday 7th Feb, 35 minute run in zone 2 @ ave HR 145 BPM, followed immediately by 1 hour swim, 300m warm up, 200m hand paddles, 100m freestlye, 2 x 200m fins, 100m cool down

Wed 8th Feb, brick session 33 minutes on the turbo, quick change into the runners and 16 minutes run in zone 2 @ ave HR 139 BPM

Thursday 9th Feb AM, 34 minutes on the turbo in zone 1 @ ave HR 136 BPM and a high cadence ave 105 RPM.

Thursday 9th Feb PM, 46 minute run in zone 2 @ave HR 148 BPM. This is actually tomorrow mornings run but I have other plans.

Brick Session

Friday 10th Feb, Swim with Tri Club, 7pm to 8pm, approx 800m of various drills etc. Technique has gone to pot lately so working on that more then distance at the moment.

Saturday 11th Feb, 97 minutes on the bike @ ave HR 136. First time on the road on the bike since last August, while it was great to be off the turbo and on the road, I felt the hills etc. However, despite the wetting I thoroughly enjoyed the spin. Covered approx 38 kms. A few aches in place that I had not had for a while.

Sunday 12th Feb, last session of the week called for 60 mins run @ Z1 - Z2 HR. Did 64.5 mins in zone 2, could not bring the HR down into Z1 this morning to save me life. Really felt yesterdays cycle in the ankles etc for the first few miles but setled down once warmed up. Ave 150 BPM HR and covered approx 6 miles so all good. Week 2 done.

Brick Session

Just a quick update to say that I have not given up. Following Don Finks intermediate programme to the letter of the law, just a bit too tired to be going at the laptop during family time. I will update from my training diary as I get a chance.

Week 3 & 4 in the bag, legs holding up ok, no return of the IT issue and using the foam roller as well as stretching religiously after every session. Going for my monthly rub down on Thursday so all good so far.