Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Prev Next
Re: How do you determine your optimum race weight? [The Real Animal] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
The Real Animal wrote:
I've found this advice the best. 10% fits best for triathletes. Don't kid yourselves that triathletes have "significantly" more muscle mass the runners of the same height. A few kilograms at best. So I've found 10% below Stillman's height/weight ideal for most triathletes. Not the 20% that Co was - sheesh!

http://www.serpentine.org.uk/.../advice_frank01.html
http://www.serpentine.org.uk/.../advice_frank02.html

Just a note, some of the figures in one of the articles is a little incorrect. (I think from memory the 56.2kg should be 50.2kg.)

I don't have much trouble staying well below the formula noted. Getting 10% below is tough. I did it for about half of last season, this year I am about 4 to 5 pounds over the formula*.9.

I am a short guy (5'7") but have a generally larger frame (wide hips and shoulders). Anecdotally, I think that I am even leaner right now at 139 - 140 than I was last season at 134 - 137. This is just based on how some clothes fit and where I am starting to see odd looking veins popping out (higher and higher up the abdomen).

With regard to results, I have PRd some this year with the extra weight (faster at 1 mile on track, faster 5k on road, slightly more power at 40k TT), but I haven't had as easy a time running in the extreme heat for sure (especially in training).

That is all anecdotal and may all be in my head, but it sure looks like I will do this year's A-race Ironman a few pounds heavier than last year's. We will just have to see where the chips fall.

Getting down to 134 requires that I am a super asshole to people that I love; I just don't want to be that guy on the CHANCE that I might be a little faster. Last time I got that low, it was facilitated by an injury that put me out for a while and allowed so major dieting while not training.

Ironman Certified Coach

Currently accepting limited number of new athletes
Quote Reply
Re: How do you determine your optimum race weight? [BrentwoodTriGuy] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
BrentwoodTriGuy wrote:

Is there a perfect answer for this question... probably not unless we start talking about body fat percentage; which I would assume is under 5%. But NO, it is not n-5. That is so far off it hurts to think about. I lost 15 pounds for IM Cozumel and was 3% body fat on race day. A lot of people would say that was perfect. I would not. I just raced IMWI at 10lbs less than typical weight (7.5% fat). I was happy with that but could have easily lost 2 more pounds (but let's be honest, that wouldn't have affected my overall time).

Most people live by the 8% rule. Which, if 150lbs is race weight, you can gain 12 on the offseason.

3%? Did you miss the pink font?
Quote Reply
Re: How do you determine your optimum race weight? [stop2think] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
stop2think wrote:
BrentwoodTriGuy wrote:


Is there a perfect answer for this question... probably not unless we start talking about body fat percentage; which I would assume is under 5%. But NO, it is not n-5. That is so far off it hurts to think about. I lost 15 pounds for IM Cozumel and was 3% body fat on race day. A lot of people would say that was perfect. I would not. I just raced IMWI at 10lbs less than typical weight (7.5% fat). I was happy with that but could have easily lost 2 more pounds (but let's be honest, that wouldn't have affected my overall time).

Most people live by the 8% rule. Which, if 150lbs is race weight, you can gain 12 on the offseason.


3%? Did you miss the pink font?

No pink BUT I'm estimating the percentage. I was scary skinny... like cancer/aids looking....what we joke about as being "good race weight" on these threads. My skin literally waved in the water when I went free diving a couple days after the event.

I weighed 151lbs on race day and my body mass with no fat at all is roughly 147lbs. Hence the 3% guess.
Quote Reply
Re: How do you determine your optimum race weight? [bufit323] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
this may be a total load of crap as a way to estimate race weight, but as a senior in high school (and active in sports) i was about 170 lbs. my ideal race weight also seems to be about 170.
Last edited by: Ellsworth53T: Sep 15, 14 15:02
Quote Reply
Re: How do you determine your optimum race weight? [Ellsworth53T] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I was a swimmer in high school, I'm about 30 pounds lighter than I was then. Although my body fat is probably similar. That was almost 21 years ago though.

Ironman Certified Coach

Currently accepting limited number of new athletes
Quote Reply
Re: How do you determine your optimum race weight? [The Real Animal] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Never knew about this Stillman method before this thread. Did the calculations - for my height and based on Stillman? That's as fat as I've been in 10-12 years and the couple of times I 'ballooned' up to that weight I could feel it and it wasn't a good feeling. So that's what the average person feels like weight-wise, huh? At 10% below, it's about right on my best race weight over the last 5-7 years, so ST is right on. I'm at maybe 6% below now - OK, but still could drop a few. Overall, for me, this prediction is nearly perfect (with the -10% correction)...
Quote Reply
Re: How do you determine your optimum race weight? [CaptainCanada] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
When my family starts saying I'm too skinny, that is a sign I know I'm just about right.


Dave Stark
dreamcatcher@astound.net
USAC & USAT level 2 certified coach
Quote Reply

Prev Next