Jeez - 17 hrs for a 1/2??? Sounds like overkill. The swim is just a warm up for the bike. If you can swim the 1.2 in 30, your fine. To go 5:15, concentrate on 40 - 50 mile bikes until you get the average speed where you want for the 56. Remember, you only need to average 20 for a 2:45. Once you get the speed, then increase the long bikes to whatever you feel like (probably a couple of 70's). Running, who knows. I am the lousiest runner. I've done a 1/2 in 5:20 with a 1:59 half mary and I was getting passed by everyone on the run. For the record I trained about 9-10 hrs/ week. .02

3 hr ride mostly aerobic

2 hr ride with some Z4 work

1 hr ride w/ drills or short pickups

2 x 1 hr run (1 easy, 1 with some goal race pace)

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8 hrs

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Marty Gaal, CSCS
One Step Beyond Coaching
Triangle Open Water Swim Series | Old School Aquathon Series
Powerstroke® Freestyle Technique DVD

  If you just make your long run and ride a little longer or an extra easy swim it should bump it up to 17 hrs. If you're 17 hours this week is way more than last week or any other previous big week, watch you don't over train just to fill the hours. if you're only running a brick and two runs a week and swimming 3x a week, I would think 17 hours is too much to try and fill. Last spring my longest week was 14 or 15 hours and that was 4 swims, 4 runs and 3 rides, one ride was 4.5 hours. I usually increase running and swimming with frequency and riding with duration.

For me, swimming and biking are the easiest and safest ways to get in volume. 17 hours is quite a bit, I'm usually very happy with 12-15, and getting ready for the two IMs that I did I topped out around 20-21, but only for a week at a time on a couple of cycles...probably 13-15 of those were biking. What is your long brick? I typically like to alternate an IM type weekend and a long brick weekend.

3 x 80 minute swim = 4 hours

Long run = 1.75 hours

Long ride/short run = 4.5 hours

2 bikes during week = 2 hours

1-2 runs during week = 1.5 hours

Total = 13 hours 45 minutes, and that looks like quite a bit to me.

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Brandon Marsh - Website | @BrandonMarshTX | RokaSports | 1stEndurance | ATC Bikeshop |

I'm using the training bible as the basis of my training plan. I'm currently in the 2nd base period so my hours are high this month and next. After base period I'm at 14-15 hours a week until the race.

In my base, this week I've got 15 hours which includes 3 swims totalling 3 hours. I can finish the half swim in 30' on this training so I'm focusing on my cycling instead of more swimming. I'll have a 4 hour brick which is around 65 miles on the bike, just below race pace and a quick 5 km run. I've got a 2 hr run for around 14 miles and a 1 hour run with a metronome as a skills drill. Bike will end up with a 1.5 hr hill session on the c-trainer and a 1.5 hr session including 1 hr in HR zone 3. Finally, Sun. morning I'll have an easy 2 hour bike.

This has been a pretty tough week, but I can finish everything with good quality. The problem is next week, Base 2 week 3. I need essentially the same week as above except add 1:45 to the total time. For example, change the hill workout to 2 hours and the Z3 cycling workout to 2 hours! Also, my shorter 1 hour run turns into 1:45! These long workouts are just a little too much for me, yet I wonder if using up the extra time with an extra workout or two is really going to help me much?