After perusing the Best/Worst race thread- I am very interested in the Ohio TTT race. For those of you who have done the race- what training advice do you have? How did you structure your training week, what kind of mileage were you doing, and what other changes did you make in your training as opposed to training for 1 day event?
Thanks!
KJ
I’ve done it twice and have been succesful with a training plan that mixes olympic distance training with ironman. You got to be able to go long but be able to put in some hard efforts throughout the weekend.
I think the main things that separate the two that I incorporate into my training are the following:
Hitting two workouts of the same discipline in the same day- I’d do two bike hill workouts or two hilly runs in one day
Also in prep for saturday afternoon I would do a tough 90 min ride and then head to the pool and do a tough set. Gets you used to taking in enough salt/ liquids to keep you from cramping.
This race requires alot of physical and mental strength. I definetly think leg strength and aerobic pacing are key
Probably should have done some more mental training sessions…may have helped to get me out of bed on sunday morning.
Finished twice, MOP.
Be real with your race strategy. That’s training, right? Honestly, train yourself away from thinking it’s a race, and more toward thinking that it’s awesome to be out there. If you race either the prologue or first race on Saturday, you’re done. Doesn’t matter what kind of work you’ve done.
Hills. Hills. Hills. Find a hilly bike route, and when you’re done, find a 1 mile hill to run up. Then swap your cassette to something easier. Repeat.
Do a simulation day…similar to Saturday race day, where you’ll work for 6 hours, just not in the normal order. Find a way to swim, bike, run, then bike, swim, run. Get your nutrition adjusted based on how this goes. You’ll know everything you need to based on 1) whether you cramp in the swim on tri 2, and 2) how you feel on the runs,
Find some cold water. It averages 62ish, if I’m remembering, if you’re not comfy with cold water, go find some and swim in it until you’re cool (no pun intended), and finally,
Find a running route, for training, that includes 3 mi of uphill on trails, with rocks, roots, and gullies - something that forces you to watch foot placement. That’s the course, might as well practice it, no? And downhills are as important as uphills.
Oooh, I complely blew past your original questions.
Awesome! Thanks for the tips. I love trail running and cold water doesn’t bother me so I should be good there. I just have to make some fake hills here in chicago on my trainer…
I’ve done TTTOH six times
Train for a hilly HIM and use realistic pacing for the whole weekend. It’s not that different from HIM training, you just aren’t going to be able to go as hard on the bike on sunday as you normally would.
jaretj
I think you need to be in top-half IM shape or MOP IM shape to do well at TTT. I was training for IMLP and did TTT for a training weekend. I was in survival mode all weekend. Handled the distances just fine and was strong enough to keep going, but my pace was pretty slow and easy. The hardest thing is to wake up Sunday morning knowing that you have a tough half IM in front of you. I think it’s more of a mental thing than a physical thing assuming you have the fitness. Feels pretty amazing crossing that line, though. Finishing TTT helped my confidence going into IMLP.