i would add a little bit to dre’s fine breakdown. i came from a similar biking background, and running background as yours, but did not know how to swim at all when i signed up for an IM.
swim - you have a wetsuit. you essentially paddle a surfboard ( your wetsuit) for 90 min and you are done. no problem. slight problem with the insane washing machine of guys pulling you backwards by the ankles, and pushing off your shoulders with their feet and such - that will be a shock. IM swim is trully a freeforall. there is nothing remotely like it in all of cycling including a mad dash to the singletrack. be prepared, and do not freak out. those tri-geeks are absolutely insane to each other in the water - somebody touches your ankle kick like a mofo. somebody brushes your shoulder slip away like a olympic judo champion.
bike - any cat 3 can tt the 112 in 6 hrs. as a expert mtn biker you will need to read a little on IM pacing. just ride it. marvel at how much the IMers brake going around controlled 90 degree corners (!!).
run - employ a run/walk. run a mile, walk 30 seconds. do this on your next run. you will be amazed. with a 30 sec ( or a minute for starters . . . .30 sec every 1/2 mile . . .whatever . . . ) walk break from mile 1 to mile whatever you can go all fucking day long. who knew ??? the Im will coincidentally have food every mile so just tell yourself you are training for the IM, not for a marathon. you are not a runner so don’'t bother training like one. if you can run/walk 9 min miles you will be passing people like they are dead the whole race back around the 11:30 to 12:59 range.
Mr. Mike offers golden advice on the running. As far as the swimming goes, don’t sweat it – when your girlfriend stops laughing (don’t worry, my wife has been laughing at my swimming for the past 5 years and you become immune to it after awhile) and starts coaching you, your progress will amaze you and keep you motivated. I predict (with smart training) you will not only have fun getting to the start, but will have a great first Ironman.
oh, i forgot. IMHO if you are a cyclist first and foremost just stay so. that is the thing to be, anyway. with the run/walk thing you are gonna be fine in the run, and nobody is going that fast anyway. build up slowly to a 20 mile run/walk 30 sec walk on a mile run and that is all you are gonna need to get the job done. 3- 4 times a week max, and do some as bricks off the bike and there you be.
some guys will be going to masters swim and shit, spending 90 min at the pool 3-5 times a week. for what? gains past say a 75 min Im split are w-----a-----y diminishing returns. you have to be logging serious pool time to get much better than that. conversely, any fool can go to the pool 2-3 times a week by himself on his lunch hour for 45 min or less and hack his way to a 75 to 90 IM swim split. i am proof enuf of that. swimming sucks, and for your stated objectives whaddyawanna really be doing? i’ll take being out riding instead of living some high -school- swim- team masters hell anyday, if all the latter is gonna get me is 5-7 minutes in the IM.
Start with short slow runs and occaasional striders (Fartleks) and gradually add distance. Do mostly softer surfaces, especially initially, so you don’t break down. Only one or two longer runs per week. Initially these might be only 1-2 miles, slowly working up to 1-2 hours, 1-2 times weekly, with shorter runs twice weekly. If you overdo it too soon, you have to take backward steps. You have a year–don’t be in too big a rush. You can do most of your endurance miles on the bike.
ooops - one last thing. you will find that serious runners look upon that run/walk deal as something akin to a triple crank at a crit. dunno if that is the best analogy but you get the gist. it is not cool, with serious runners. it takes the pain and mystique of a marathon and throws it out the window and that bothers them.
nevermind the serious runners. for a cyclist trying to finish a decent IM it ( run/walk) will work like a charm. in training, to keep you injury free, and in the race as a food break. with it, you can still ridelike you want, and do the Im run easy-cheesy and as fast as you please.
I’m in the same boat running-wise. I’ve no plans to do an IM, but I’ve signed up for my first 10km run in September. I’ve downloaded the 5km beginners and the 10km beginners training plans from halhigdon.com and plan to do them back to back. Started the 5km on Monday. First week is 3 * 1.5miles and it builds from there.
Aerobically it’s easy, but I’m taking the softly, softly approach…
Talked about the swim with my girlfriend last night. She had similar thoughts about diminishing returns. She thinks I can probably get to 1:20 without going crazy, and perhaps 1 to 1:10 if I’m dedicated. I like swimming, but only when I’m in a warm, tropical ocean…which I don’t have. So I’m thinking 3, maybe 4 times a week for the swim, which will also provide good active recovery for my (hopefully) newly found running legs.
Found the Galloway site when I was looking for running plans. I’ve already started something similar (run/walk) to try and get some running miles in without getting injured. I’m certainly not worried what the runners think of my style, or lack thereof. Of course, I do want to look good on the bike
Good advice from lots of people already. All I can add is to say IMC 05 is very doable for someone like, the hard parts are: a) signing up, b) not getting injured due to too much running and c) over training (see this a lot with 1st timers, been there myself)
If you are from Vancouver area there are lots of groups (masters swim and tri groups) and a few good coaches.
t-t-n’s suggestion about walk run is very sensible idea, will alleviate some of the stress of the long runs (and help recovery)
If worried about swim get some one on one coaching (other than the GF, its easier on the relationship!) and get in some swim miles this winter. In fact you can start now, join up at Fast Lane (kits pool) lots of coaches, lots of tri heads preparing for IMC so you will be in good company. We also go off Kits beach for some open water swims at least once a week.
Yep, I’m from Vancouver. G-friend is with Pacific Spirit tri-club so she knows where all the swims are (she’s starting the Kits open water swims next week). I’m planning on starting swimming next week so I can find out now just how much work I have to do in the upcoming year. I guess I’ll need to buy a wetsuit some time…
Thanks. Maybe we’ll run into each other some time.
Your situation is almost identical to mine last year when I did Ironman Canada for the first time. My only other triathlon was a half-ironman earlier that summer. Like you my background was in road cycling/racing. One year before IMC, I couldn’t swim > 25 yards without stopping. At that point I went to a total immersion camp and focused on swimming for the next year. My longest run before IMC was 13 mi. Though my time was not stellar (14 hrs), I finished. There is no shame in walking all or part of the marathon if needed and as you will see, many do. Crossing that finish line was one of the most emotional experiences of my life, rivaled only by having children and getting married. Whether you finish in 9:00, or 16:59, you are a “ironman.” Therefore my recommendation is that you “go for it.”
I like hearing this. It really does seem that it’s going to come down to the run…and this is where I need to put in some time (obviously the swim as well). Signs are beginning to point to yes for me…thanks.
