I think I'll be joining you in the IM to Oly!

I think elite AGers do around a 4 hour ride/2 hour long run - at least that's what a few local guys do. Two years ago I was at 3-3.5 ride/1.5-1.75 run and that was more than adequate (I am not elite).

Total training 8-12 hours was fine. Get in quality sessions.

My .02 on racing flats is if you are looking for the podium go for it otherwise save your feet. Personally, I am fighting MN so I stick to the supportive shoe. You are talking seconds per mile here - not minutes.

Shoes on the bike in transition for a short race is helpful if you practice. I watched a bunch of people almost crash at Ralph's last year trying to do the shoe thing coming out of transition - kind of comical, but really dangerous if you have not practiced. Use a rubberband to hold the cranks in place so your shoes do not drag all over the place.

Other tips - get a good base that will carry you through the whole season and plan a mid season break for a week or so. Being the fastest guy in February means nothing.

Thanks!

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Kestrel Syndicate
Macca Fan Club

I am in the same boat this year and the big thing for me is just shortening the long ride and run from 6-7 hours and 3+ hour respectively to 4 and 2 like previously mentioned. I am not planning on changing much else except trying to get some speed in there!!

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Banger

It’s all about how much time you want to invest in training. My OLY and IM training will not differ this year with the exception of about 8 weeks out form the race. Loads of volume for both.

What I think you should do is set out an amount of time that you can spend training and then work within that. A 2 hour long run is not a good idea if you are only running 3-4 hours a week. You're out there to have fun, stay fit and may compete with a few friends and local rivals right? Don’t risk getting hurt and killing what fun you could have had by trying to hit a cretin # for different workouts. The human body will do amazing things as a one time only feat. With minimal training you will be fine racing up to Oly distance and still have a great time. You may need longer recovery time because it will hurt you more but who cares?

Set out a total volume training time. Divide up the sports within that time. Stick to the rules in regards to long run time, intensity and what not. Got questions? Hire a coach or go buy a book. All you need to know will be in one of the many great books out there. I would recommend Wes Hobson’s book. Great guy and great coach.

http://weshobsonperformance.com/...&Category_Code=M

Or post you total traing volume here and we can give some suggestions.

You know it's funny you would think most people would want to go the other way, you know from Oly to IM. that is what I would like to do, but I find my self in the same boat as you. Family comes first and so Tri training takes a back seat.

I am 33 and usually end up top 5 in AG and top 10 overall here is what I did last year until I stopped racing in July

Run about 3-4 times a week for 30-60 min

1-2 runs at fast tempo for 5K to 10 K depending on my next race sprint or OLY.

1 run between or after Tempo Runs at a very light jog for about 30-45min

1 brick run or long run for about an hour. Brick is about 40min bike and 20 run

Swim- 2 times/week for hour usually 3-4K Yard per WO

Bike About twice during weekdays and go long on Sat 50-80 miles, weekday rides are no more than 1 hour long

So basically I do about an hour a day on the weekdays, unless I swim in the AM before work. And Saturday is my long day, but usually no more than 4 hours. Almost everything I do I at pretty high intensity, with one easy day during the week and one day off, Sunday. Otherwise it is full out, trying to pack as much in as possible in as little time as possible. Not sure if this helps but I hope it does.

BTW not sure where you are in IL, but if you're in the Chicago area you should come check out a great sprint in my home town of Valparaiso, IN on July 9th

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I'm just a 10 cent rider on a $2,500.00 Bike

The rule of thumb I've heard is that there's no need to ride more than 3 hours as your long ride, or run more than 9-10 miles as your long run when training for OD races. Speed work is obviously a higher priority.

I've been pretty fast in both the clydesdale and AG competitions I've done using that rule of thumb, with the same goals as you have.

I like racing flats and usually leave my shoes clipped in for OD races.

Ed, here is a pretty simple routine you could get into (mostly aerobic & strength early on - then race pace type efforts on hard days when you are ready) ... just some ideas.

Mon - easy / off day / EZ swim

Tues - Run quality (hills, tempo, repeats etc.) / swim ez/moderate efforts

Wed - Bike/Run combo (aerobic - maybe 60-75min bike / 15-30min run) - Maybe swim w/quality?

Thursday - Bike quality (hills, tempo, repeats etc.)

Friday - Run Aerobic(steady effort) - Swim w/ race efforts

Saturday - Long Ride - no need for more than 3:00 (in season-close to a race you can go less)

Sunday - Build up to 1:30 during base - once you are in season no need for more than 1:15 / Swim

Hope that helps!

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Dave Latourette
http://www.TTENation.com

Good advice.

I'll add this (mostly running)
Run often, run hills and run faster than training for IM, especially if running is your weakness. 25 mpw is fine but 35 is better. Frequency helps: 5 or 6X a week if you have time (2-a-day maybe: 3 miles a.m. easy ... then 3 miles p.m. tempo or part of a brick, for example)

Tempos are great, but the track works too. Just don't hurt yourself. Build up to 6X800 at 30+ sec. faster than your 10K pace: When I can complete 6X800 at 2:45 with 2 min rest, I know I can do a sub 37 10K and run a 39 at the end of a tri.

many IMers say it's really hectic, intense and no time to relax compared to long races. So transitions are more important, of course. Top people do 30 sec. transitionsif its a little race with a small trans. area.

As far as swimming, 3X a week is perfect, with a bit more intensity maybe? I would guess 45 min. one day and 30 min. the other two. Won't comment on cycling, since that's my weakness.

At Oly distances (10 races over a couple seasons) I've improved a lot, from 2:30 to 2:11. Like anything, it's little things here and there that make the difference. Eight hours training a week is enough, and 12 hours i(5-6 on bike; 4-5 running and 2 swim) should be enough for all but the super elites, IMO. Lots and lots of little bits of everything is key. I think its cool because a 3 mile run or a 20 min. swim 'count' as workouts. I bet most IM-focused people wouldn't 'count' such little workouts.

Good luck!

Agreed on the runing, which is by far my worst event. And running hills, which I do but forgot to list is great. On the other hand, while going to the track and doing workouts is great and I am sure I could use it, time is the issue for me, and I think for ED now. I basically have an hour total a day to workout otherwise I would not see my boys at all, and piss my wife off in a big way. So I am left with deciding to spend 15-20 driving to and from a local track and then only working out for about 40 min. Or spending all 60 working out by just going out the front door.

Hell I am to the point that I actually run to the pool and back home in my swim suit to save time and get an extra run in. I suppose I could trying running to the track as well, but by the time I got there it would be time to turn around and head home

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I'm just a 10 cent rider on a $2,500.00 Bike

Thanks for all the info!

Below is what I am doing now, as it gets warmer I hope for longer rides and runs on the weekends. In training for IM's the last two years I decided I liked long rides so I will try to do longer rides whenever my 4 week old son and 15month old daughter allow. Long runs shouldnt be a problem with a baby jogger. I will throw some intervals in all my workouts, just depends on how I feel and what I did the day before. I always try to do hard day then ez day but will do hard hard if I know im going to have some days off.

Monday: Masters Swim 1.5hr

Tuesday: Roller Hockey 1hr (high intensity) (will replace with bike in April)

Wednesday: Day Off or EZ bike or EZ run 45min - 1hr

Thursday: Master Class 1.5hr or opposite of wed 45min to hour (in spring will be masters class)

Friday: Run 4-6 miles

Sat: Master Class 1.5hr, bike 1.5-2hr then short run if time permits (in spring will ride 2-4hrs)

Sun: Run 1-2hr and swim if I have time (in spring run maybe 2-2.5)

I have the Multisport Training plans book, I plan to take a closer look at that.

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SUPPORT OPERATION REBOUND:
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Kestrel Syndicate
Macca Fan Club

"Hell I am to the point that I actually run to the pool and back home in my swim suit to save time and get an extra run in"

Hope it's not a speedo. That might get you in trouble.

I'm lucky. I live 1.1 miles from one of the best-surfaced HS tracks in the state (10 lanes) and 1.1 miles from a state park with a few miles of hilly trails.

It's worse, actually I wear one of those old 50's style training suits. You ones that look like super short shorts. Sometimes I throw pair of umbro type shorts over top for the run, but then i look like I have pissed myself for the run home and that isn't good either.

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I'm just a 10 cent rider on a $2,500.00 Bike

For short course, I don't do more than 2 hour ride followed by a 30 minute run, and a 75 minute run. Depending on terrain, that gets me 35-40 miles on my long ride, close to 4 on the brick run, and 9-10 miles on the run.

Seems like adequate overdistance to me for a 40k/10k race.

You need to do them faster that's all. Sometimes, I'll go hard on the last half of the bike brick and then run sub 7 minute miles on the run part. As you get close to race season, you'll need to do some hard standalone runs too. Race pace for 20-30 minutes, after a warmup.

I would recommend racing flats, except for the fact that you say you are a clyde. You might want to be careful with that at your size if you have had any injury issues.