So for 2005, I am attempting the (in my opinion) ambitious IM Wisconsin/IM Florida double. I don’t think I can do it myself (If I do, I’ll just end up riding 60 miles a day, every day, all summer, like I used to before I started to learn to “train” rather than “exercise”). What coaching services do you all recommend?
Last year I used CTS, and switched from cycling to multisport half-way through. That was okay, but I think I want a company a little more tri-oriented. I’m a graduate student, so money is very limited. Does anyone have a suggestion on a good value program that has some personalization?
I’m not sure about the “personalization” component that you’re talking about or how important that is to you, but if the coins are limited and you’re looking for a good solid IM training plan, check out cruciblefitness.com and click on “coaching”
.
there are obviously a great selection of coaches on the group. If you are looking for full time face-to-face coach, I am out, but if not. Check out our website, www.fastsplits.com we are based near Boston and we have Karen Smyers on staff. We coach a number of successful local IM athletes and many of them have done double IM years.
I don’t know what “money is limited” actually translates to in $, but you might take a look at Michael McCormack (triathloncoach.com). His site has lots of examples of his thinking, which is clearly very different from the conventional approach.
I to have been toutured by Mean Mike P for a year and a half. He is the master of pain ;-). I have enjoyed my training and racing since the first lash of his whip. I am getting faster to. I am very good finish carpenter and a bad coach.
As you look for coaches it’s great to have options. You can interview a number of them and find out who fits for you. It’s important to get a good coaching ‘fit.’
Jay’s been awesome and taken me from a coach potato to a fit dedicated athlete today. He’s always available to talk to, very compelling and a knows his stuff. Just another option.
I second this, Mike is helping me to achieve training and results that would have taken years to figure out on my own, if ever at all. Delivered weekly via email.
He makes the most of my limited training time and really does an excellent job of mixing in just the right amount of hard work with recovery, enough so that the workouts are tough, but not so hard that I cannot complete them and recover for the next day.
I expect that my overall 40k wattage will raise by at least 40w by next summer with Mike’s training, and help me to set a goal of a 54~ minute 40k TT at the USCF Cal. state TT championships.
Just do your Ironman Wisconsion plan, race in Madison in Mid Sep, take three weeks of active rest, replicate your “final three week build pre Wisconsin” in October (weather and daylight permitting) and then taper for a couple of weeks and let it rip at Ironman Florida.
You build aerobic fitness over years. You won’t lose it between Ironman Wisconsin and Florida. The more likely scenario is that you will over do it in between the two events.
I don’t know if Dave Harju is coaching anyone, but he won Wisconsion and was top 5 at Ironman Florida. He seems to have figured out how to do well at both. You can PM me and I can pass you his email.
I would recommend Michael McCormack to anybody who should inquire.
He trained me from June-Dec 2004 in the lead up to my first IMWA and I am very happy with my performance.
Cost effective and results are what you want , that’s what you will get. Different but effective , especially if you are on a time constraint. I work 50-55 hrs a week and trained an average of 10-12 hrs a week Max.!
Thanks for all the great info guys. I was worried that all the coaching services out there were #300-$800 per month. That seems a little extreme, no?
If everything goes according to plan, I’m going to have a LOT of time to train this summer in preparation for Wisconsin and Florida. I’m kind of tempted to “train like a pro”, for whatever that’s worth, to see how well I can do. I think I’ve got the base for it. Has anyone else been in these fortunate circumstances, and if so, how did you train/who coached you?
CCF - I wasn’t going to reply to your 1st post b/c you didn’t explicity ask until now.
I did the duce in 03 (Moo and Redneck Rivera) and it went really well. I originally signed up for IMFL as a back-up for any trouble at Moo. At is turns out, Moo was pretty touch with the heat that year, so I perhaps came out of that race in better shape (due to going slower) than I expected. 1 week off and then started up on the IMFL plan (which basically the same but with flatter rides in aero position)
I sub’d a few rides for MTB ventures to make things a bit more “fun” in the fall…and my high week was week 5 rather than 6 (reducing my taper time), which was fine.
I’m also a cyclist and IMO is the key part of pulling off the duce…