the average Ironman competitor – age-group competitor, mind you – swims 12,000 yards per week, bikes 230 miles a week, and runs 48 miles a week. He or she does this for seven months prior to an Ironman. This is according to WTC’s own statistics.
I always see this at IMNA write-ups. But for the life of me, I cannot imagine that the “average” participant (as opposed to “competitor”) has the time to do that.
The average speeds/time would seem to be something like: Swim 20 mins/1,000 yds = 4 hours Bike 18 mph = 12.8 hours Run 8 mph = 6 hours
Speak for yourself. I enjoy my time out. I don’t consider it work. It’s fun…or I wouldn’t do it…
Since he’s the one who posted it I believe he was speaking for himself.
I think a lot of people tend to embelish on their training. maybe that was their biggest week leading up to the race. If they are training that much for 7 months and aren’t banging down the door of being a pro athlete, then I have nothing but pity for them.
I always see this at IMNA write-ups. But for the life of me, I cannot imagine that the “average” participant (as opposed to “competitor”) has the time to do that.
The average speeds/time would seem to be something like: Swim 20 mins/1,000 yds = 4 hours Bike 18 mph = 12.8 hours Run 8 mph = 6 hours
Total = 22.8 hours
Like I said in another thread… My guess is people are about as honest when surveyed by IMNA about their training habits as they are when their dentist asks them how often they bush their teeth: “Doc, I brush 3 times daily and floss after every meal!” Sure…
the average Ironman competitor – age-group competitor, mind you – swims 12,000 yards per week, bikes 230 miles a week, and runs 48 miles a week. He or she does this for seven months prior to an Ironman. This is according to WTC’s own statistics.
I always see this at IMNA write-ups. But for the life of me, I cannot imagine that the “average” participant (as opposed to “competitor”) has the time to do that.
The average speeds/time would seem to be something like: Swim 20 mins/1,000 yds = 4 hours Bike 18 mph = 12.8 hours Run 8 mph = 6 hours
Total = 22.8 hours
I’d say that’s pretty accurate for people finishing under 12 hours, and especially at Hawaii. 14+ hours? - well, it’s taking that long for a reason.
I’d say that’s pretty accurate for people finishing under 12 hours, and especially at Hawaii. 14+ hours? - do they train at all? Dude, thats not fair. I trained my #$(^ off to own a 14:30 time. I am darn proud of it as well
From the BOP (15:24) I can tell you that average weeks of about 10 hours (peaking at 15) were MORE than adequate. Would that be adequate if I cared to get good? Probably not, but don’t let that propoganda dissuade you from trying IM even if you don’t have over 20 hrs/wk to train.
the average Ironman competitor – age-group competitor, mind you – swims 12,000 yards per week, bikes 230 miles a week, and runs 48 miles a week. He or she does this for seven months prior to an Ironman. This is according to WTC’s own statistics.
Total = 22.8 hours
So the ‘average’ IM competitor does 23 hours per week ? This means a significant proportion do more ? Sorry, but thats got to be a bit of a lie from the WTC surely…
This quote of average training volume was for Hawaii Ironman participants only, not all Ironman participants. That said, I have done Hawaii twice and I’ve never come close to those averages. Mine are more like 8000 yds swimming, 170 miles biking, and 30 miles running per week. A few of my big weeks will reach their numbers but I can’t imagine averaging those numbers, unless I only worked part time.
Every time I see these things I wonder if others really swim 4+ hours a week. I strugle this time of the year to get 2 hours a week. Even in the summer, I would be lucky to get 3 hours. Am I really missing the boat when it comes to swimming? It just seems that it has the least bang for the buck and the least real chance of seeing improvements. More running = faster run splits. Gains in the swim are hard to make for those of us who started late in life. True?
A few weeks ago, someone over on gordo’s board took a survey on people’s training volume and then applied a regression analysis to find the amount of training it would should take to get around a 10h IM time.
He came up with these #s:
10700m Swim
185mi Bike
31mi Run
(weekly averages)
The bike # is probably a tad low, but 10km of swimming and 30 mi of running is probably a decent figure.
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who can run a 3:30 marathon at the end of an IM on 31mi/wk of running. And I’m not sure how you go sub-10 with a run much slower than that.
That said, I never put much credence in the WTC “average” numbers, but they are roughly what it takes to be consistent sub-10.
I’ve found that a good mix for any level is “run twice as much as you swim; bike twice as much as you run” for balance – I’m at 3:00 swim / 6:00 run / 12:00 bike, for 21:00 total during the heaviest 5-6 months.
I want to see time not distances as a training volume. Distances as a target creates low quality junk mileage obsession in some people.
This seems to dictate 3 hours swimming, 10 hours biking, 4 hours running at a glance. 17 hours ? That seems doable for most wanting to be competitve at this distance.
I do think these stats are fairly accurate - for those 6-7 months a year - for for people who get to Kona. In general the people who get to Kona train about twice as much as every one else in my experience in working and training with many of them over the years. Many of them do work part time or take big chunks of time off or have very flexible schedules.