If you are doing hard intervals, you'll probably want to warm up, especially for running. So your 30 minute session is basically going to be 20-25 minutes of intervals which isn't a lot when you factor in the recovery between intervals.

If you have done some long distance races before and finished respectfully I think you would finish the race but don't think the run would be much fun at all

I've done 11 IM in the 11-12hr range. I've never had much fun on the run anyway. 😂
But yeah, I'd prob have to plan on a few hours of misery.

Out of curiousity, why do you want to do this?

1. No time for a more conventional training plan but really want to do another IM anyway
2. It's an experiment, curious to see how it would work out
3. You don't like conventional longer training sessions but really want to do another IM anyway
4. Some other reason...

Sounds like you want to race a full IM while training for sprints. Doesn't sound like a good idea.

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Sounds like you want to race a full IM while training for sprints. Doesn't sound like a good idea
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Probably more training than some.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

Sort of all of the above. I'm 45, work 24/7 shifts and have 2 kids. I did my first IM in 99' and my last in 2015. I've trained for years in all sorts of ways. For my last few IM I didn't enjoy the journey. I enjoyed the event but not much of the training. Too many years of 12-20hr weeks. I'm done with that.
Now I train a few HIT sessions a week and it's fun. Really fun. I also like experimentation. I'm never going to get near my IM PR's and finish time doesn't bother me.
Figured it might be fun to try it out.
But I might just reach for another beer instead. <shrugs>
😊

Lol

Sounds like a plan for misery and a late night DNF

Fair enough.
You've more experience than me, so take my comments for what they're worth, but I would think there's a middle ground. I think 10 weeks is definitely enough to get up to distance for the swim and should be just about sufficient on the bike too but combined with building run stamina I think it's risky. I would be worried about the risk of injury if you try to build run distance that quickly while also fatigued from unaccustomed cycling and swimming volume.
Assuming you want at least 2 weeks of taper but won't allow any rest week in the middle, you have 8 weeks to build from a 30 minute run to be ready for 42.2km. I wouldn't want to go into an IM without having run at least 25km a couple of times in recent training. Let's say you're running 6.5km in 30 mins for your HIT only period, I think you'd have to run about 8km 10 weeks out and then increase distance 20% per week to hit 24km 3 weeks before the race and maybe similar again 2 weeks out.
You might get away with that but you might not. It's a pretty rapid distance increase.
I'd consider adding a longer run starting maybe 16 weeks or even switching it for one of the run HIT sessions if necessary. This would allow you to build some running volume with much lower risk. These wouldn't need to be terribly time consuming runs to make a big difference. If you were even doing hour long runs by the time your 10 week window started you'd be in a much better position IMO.

I returned from a 1/2 distance IM in Cuba last night. My latest under-training involved HIT work on the swim (Masters' swim team), HIT work on the bike (power meter-based indoor rides in cycle class) and a hand full of slow trail runs.

I got out of the water in second place overall female, held my own on the bike, and completely FELL APART on the run.

After reading Joe Friel's "Fast After 50" while on vacation, plus my own N+1 experience, I will never again forgo speed work in any discipline. It is simply a recipe to go slow. When time is short, go fast.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

Thanks for taking the time to reply. You make some interesting points which make sense. My theory flies in the face of conventional training, and I accept it would be a 'get me round' idea that might end in a DNF.

But with some tweaks I think it might work. And it would be a lot of fun experimenting with it and tracking my progress. In reality I would prob enjoy going for the occasional 6mile steady run as a change from HIT training. I guess my idea is just a change from a volume approach.

Your point on the run are valid. 1 hour of running a week, or 7miles is ridiculous. And the chance of injury in the race is high. The other week I decided to walk 13 miles to work. I did it in my heavy work boots, trousers and wearing a backpack. Most of it was on a leafy canal path through the countryside. I held 13-14min/mile and jogged a bit if my pace slowed. It took me just under 3hrs. The only training i did was walking my dog every day for 20min. By the end of the walk I was wasted. My feet were shot from the boots and my lower back was wasted from the weight of the backpack. But I did get to work and worked a 10hr shift before getting a lift home. I loved the adventure. It was a blast.

The idea is a work in progress.

Thanks for the reply Sally. Interesting. What did your usual week look like?

Just wanted to chime in here and say that this thread was missing one thing: Ben Greenfield.


I'll go back to studying.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

At the risk of earning a "Dan Ban", I will disclose my training plan.


According to Garmin Connect, for the month of February, I attended swim team 3 times, for a total of 5,000 meters, twice a hammer-fest and one 30 minute distance swim with my waterproof iPod.

I rode my new Cervelo P3 once for 10 miles (otherwise, it was in the shop with defective parts) and 3 one-hour HIT classes using power meter and heart-rate monitor enabled bikes.

Two trail runs, one for 30 minutes and one for an hour. Ouch, I really felt the absence of no fast running here. I qualified for Boston with a 7:43 / mile marathon, while this 1/2 was in 15:24 pace (dear Gawd, that's SLOW!). I truly believe at least one or two 30 minute sessions would have sped me up considerably.

Other than being kicked in the ribs while swimming, I have no soreness from the event.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

To which I reply what this thread needs is CaptainCanada and a reprint of a better training plan than mine ;-)

Monday:
AM: wake up, masturbate
PM: clean bike, drive to coffee shop and hang out and look like I am training

Tuesday:
AM: wake up, masturbate
PM: Go to pool, find excuse not to swim, soak in hot tub and flirt with female swimmers. Go to pub and drink beer.

Wednesday:
AM: wake up, think about masturbating, go back to sleep
PM: short run, as in from home to video store and back. Watch three movies. masturbate.

Thursday:
AM: run 28km, bike 180km, swim 5km
PM: spend entire evening bragging online about huge training week

Friday:
AM: masturbate
PM: masturbate

Saturday:
AM: sleep in
PM: watch video of Kona. Count as training.

Sunday:
Scheduled day off.
Cheat and masturbate anyway.

Like yours, this is theoretical. Sometimes I masturbate more.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

It's totally doable.
I Just Want to point out that your Heart rate in ironman will be slower for 10+ hrs, nutrition will also need to be figured out.
I'm no coach and had utilized Ben Geenfields Dominator plan for my first IM.
long training rides and long brick days will give you a better understanding how your body will respond to the race pace and fatigue.
Keep us updated!

Doesn't the 'T' in HIT stand for training? If so, you're asking about High Intensity Training Training - what's that??? :)

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This is like the amplifier that goes to 11.

Low intensity training should prepare one for the high intensity training.

If you gets rid of the low intensity training, what then?
1) You prepare for your high intensity training with more high intensity training?
2) You wait for your fitness to decline until every workout is "high intensity?"

Sounds like we are on quite different paths but were out of the starting gate at pretty much the same time. 1st IM (and 1/2) in 2000. On the stay married, so do IM every other year plan ever since. Am 53 now, went 11:20 @ Whistler on an average of about 13 hours a week of training. This year I am dabbling in Ultra stuff. Doing bigger weeks now in March than I was in peak season for IM but most is done at uber low intensity. But there are weekly hammer sessions on the bike and in the water. Will see what happens in Pentic. in August!

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http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

 
Worth a read if you're planning of going down that route.....

http://www.samiinkinen.com/post/11347268687/hawaii-ironman-secrets


Personally, I wouldn't. I like periodization, and to keep my day job.

Thanks for sharing this. I have not yet seen this training plan. Can't stop laughing!

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Not everything is as it seems -Mr. Miyagi

I thought IM is all about the journey?

Just do it, and come back tell us how it went. Why do you have to do IM? Just keep your 3hrs training for health reasons, and save your self money and potential injury doing full IM. Go to event hang out by the drink station and "feel the venue" and come back without racing, but "think" that you were racing.