It’s the the new year and my resolution has now taken effect: training (seriously) for IM Wisconsin. I’m wondering: what are the 1 or 2 top training tips you IM veterans would pass down to an IM virgin?
If it helps, here’s a bit about my background… I’m 28, and as I said in a previous post, I’ve been training 10+ hours a week for the past 3-4 months (without rhyme or reason). I swam in high school. Ran XC and track in high school and college. Ran exclusively for 6 years after college (2:33 marathon pr). And dabbled a bit in road racing for a year in college when I had a stress factor. I did a few tris in the early 90s, but haven’t done any since.
This one is easy: patience. Not easy to execute for most of us “type-A” triathletes, but invaluable advice for both training and racing. Stay focused, stay patient, achieve small gains over time and before you know it you will be hopping off the pier in Kona saying “Wow! I’m here already? Cool.”
#1 training tip. DON’T OVERTRAIN. It’s really easy to do training for your first IM as your motivation is so high. It’s better to come in 10% undertrained than 1% overtrained. First IM I hired an online coach. The workouts were relatively short but intense. The next year I followed Gale Bernhardts 13 weeks to a sub 13 hr IM and knocked 2 hours off of my previous years time - doing less.
Great question: The key workout is the long brick. 100 mile ride (or slightly longer)with an 18-20 mile run. The timing before the race is individual. Some need a long taper, some not. It seems like you may not need any more than two of these for some people. I feel this workout helps you prepare specifically for 10-12 hours of continuous exercise and helps build a “confidence base” going into the race.
One advice I get a lot from IM vets here(locally) is LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Just because your plan says 1 hour tempo run in Zone 4 does not mean you have to do it. If your tired, go EZ or rest. Like Friel says, tayloring training plans is an art not science.
Only done 3 IM and still searching for that one good day. Are there any?
IM is an experiement of one. Don’t be afraid to do it your way. On the other hand, if you’re going to be in the sport for awhile, and with your potential, perhaps a coach might vastly shorten the learning curve and lead to some pretty cool results.
The danger of over training cannot be over emphasised - In South Africa there is a 90km road race (running) known as the Comrades Marathon - average of 13000 athletes run it each year - the legendary Bruce Fordyce who won it a record 9 times (and held the world 100km record at various times) maintains it is better to arrive at the start of an endurance race around 5% undertrained and a kilo or 2 overweight - NEVER the other way around (overtrained and under weight). In addition do not overrace in you lead up to your priority race - Sports Scientist Tim Noakes has a book out called the Lore of Running - rather heavy reading but some great info on how to avoid overtraining. Well worth the investment as although the book is running based a lot of the theory applies in general to endurance sports - even has a few chapters on Mark Allen and his training principles…