I’m going to be training for my first full next year and I’m starting to plan things out. I read Be Iron Fit and I really like the 30-week intermediate training plan. I currently average about 10 hours a week so this plan looks completely doable. I also like the day-to-day structure of the plan as it ought to fit in well with my daily work/life schedule.
The only thing I need to work out is effort level on the bike. The plan is HR-based for bike and for run. I do have a Quarq power meter and would like to train and race based on this. The long bike rides simply say Zone 2 for HR. Later in the plan it includes some pickups at Z4 for HR. I know those don’t translate directly to a specific power zone so I’ll just ask it this way - what % FTP should I be riding my long bike training rides? The book says that you should race your full Ironman at 68% - 78% of FTP. Would this be the adequate for the long bike training rides?
Surely the book defines the HR zone system it is using somewhere? You should be able to translate that to power zones pretty easily.
It does go through setting your HR zones, but it doesn’t go into it very deeply and doesn’t even do it based on LTHR. It simply says, lab testing is best, but if you can’t do that, these zones are this percentage of maximum HR.
I don’t have a perfect handle on my HR zones for cycling anyway. I have a much better feel for my run HR zones based on my run LTHR. I simply subtract 10 from my run LTHR to get my bike LTHR and then use the Joe Friel HR zones from there.
But back to the original question - what power zone (or % of FTP) should you do your long training rides for full ironman training?
forget this crap. Go to the local T, Th, Sa, and Su group ride. Fit all your swimming and running around that. Do that for 30 weeks and you’re set. no power or heart rate monitors needed.
also, don’t look for a plan that is “doable”, look for a plan that will help you achieve your goals.
finally, your goals at the moment should be to get faster, faster, faster. Getting faster and race pacing are two different things. don’t rehearse your slow IM ride for the next 30 weeks. The IM ride should be the easiest ride of your season.
I’m going to be training for my first full next year and I’m starting to plan things out. I read Be Iron Fit and I really like the 30-week intermediate training plan. I currently average about 10 hours a week so this plan looks completely doable. I also like the day-to-day structure of the plan as it ought to fit in well with my daily work/life schedule.
The only thing I need to work out is effort level on the bike. The plan is HR-based for bike and for run. I do have a Quarq power meter and would like to train and race based on this. The long bike rides simply say Zone 2 for HR. Later in the plan it includes some pickups at Z4 for HR. I know those don’t translate directly to a specific power zone so I’ll just ask it this way - what % FTP should I be riding my long bike training rides? The book says that you should race your full Ironman at 68% - 78% of FTP. Would this be the adequate for the long bike training rides?
I used that book for my first IM IT was great.
For my 3rd and 4th IMs I moved onto power based training and perceived effort rather than HR.
The power percent range you quote for a long ride would would about right and correlate with the HR zones in the book for me. That would be for a steady long ride that would feel too easy for the first 2 hours but after that I would need to concentrate.
I
Unfortunately, this doesn’t fit into my work, more specifically life schedule.
also, don’t look for a plan that is “doable”, look for a plan that will help you achieve your goals.
Well, the “just finish” plan was also doable. The “competitive” plan was not doable based on my time available to train. The “intermediate” plan was “just right” as far as fitting in with the time I have available to train (average 12 hours a week…maxing out around 15). Seeing as this will be my first full, just finishing is my main goal. I think I’m capable of a 12-13 hour day (this is IMFL, not IMTX!), but honestly I don’t think anyone will remember my time 48-hours after the race is done but they will remember if I finish or not.
don’t rehearse your slow IM ride for the next 30 weeks. The IM ride should be the easiest ride of your season.
This is the kind of information I was looking for…
find a plan that will maximize your time available. Pro tip: swim, bike, and run as frequently and consistently as possible.
Go to the local T, Th, Sa, and Su group ride.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t fit into my work, more specifically life schedule.
also, don’t look for a plan that is “doable”, look for a plan that will help you achieve your goals.
Well, the “just finish” plan was also doable. The “competitive” plan was not doable based on my time available to train. The “intermediate” plan was “just right” as far as fitting in with the time I have available to train (average 12 hours a week…maxing out around 15). Seeing as this will be my first full, just finishing is my main goal. I think I’m capable of a 12-13 hour day (this is IMFL, not IMTX!), but honestly I don’t think anyone will remember my time 48-hours after the race is done but they will remember if I finish or not.
don’t rehearse your slow IM ride for the next 30 weeks. The IM ride should be the easiest ride of your season.
This is the kind of information I was looking for…
I personally don’t go by HR much (or really, at all) on the bike, having a PM.
As for % of FTP, assuming it is a reasonably-accurately estimated FTP, you’re probably looking at something like .68-.75.
Lower % if you are a slower biker, higher % if you are faster.
(reason being - a stronger biker will be done in say 5-ish hours, where a slower biker will be out there longer, 6+ hours, and should pace accordingly)
You want to do as much work as you can on the bike, in the time you have to ride.
Don’t just noodle around in z2 for 4-5-6 hours, when you can be doing some actual work in there, and get a better training stimulus.
There’s no “harm” in riding “too hard” in training. That’s what cell phones and convenience markets are for.
IF you blow up, fine. Call for a ride, or stop and grab a coke and a candy bar, and shuffle back home.
Next time, you’ll be able to go longer, and/or harder.
Hi Michael
I used the Don Fink competitive Ironman plan for my first Iron distance at Ironman melbourne this year. Finished in 10.08 although the swim was half distance due to rough conditions and I had to water run for the last 8 weeks due to an achillies injury so no long runs.
I used power on the bike and did my bike training using Fink’s times but lots of intensity like the Endurance Nation guys recommend. Also read Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan’s - Training and racing with a powermeter.
Really glad I biked hard in training then just raced at 70% of my FTP which was 175 watts (ftp 250) with the first hour at 160 ish.
bike took 5.26 with 1 mechanical and 1 toilet stop.
Hi Michael
I used the Don Fink competitive Ironman plan for my first Iron distance at Ironman melbourne this year. Finished in 10.08 although the swim was half distance due to rough conditions and I had to water run for the last 8 weeks due to an achillies injury so no long runs.
I used power on the bike and did my bike training using Fink’s times but lots of intensity like the Endurance Nation guys recommend. Also read Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan’s - Training and racing with a powermeter.
Really glad I biked hard in training then just raced at 70% of my FTP which was 175 watts (ftp 250) with the first hour at 160 ish.
bike took 5.26 with 1 mechanical and 1 toilet stop.
How was the water running and did you feel like crap when actually running in the race?
Get a coach. I tried doing the same thing your doing and it was hard guessing at the power numbers. A coach solves that problem and is a second set of eyes to help you figure out and adjust your training plan as you go.
To go faster:
Get a coach first
Get a power meter next
Get fast wheels last
the water running sucked but got some earphones and kept at it
The run felt great for the first 10ks then everything started to hurt
I’ve got no large intestine ( ulcerative Colitus operation) so needed four toilet stops-bugger so the run took me 4 hours
I figured it was going to hurt regardless
.
