Here’s a link to the article.
The prerequisite is an experienced athlete.
It’s a well laid out plan. Many people have had success with it…My hat is off to Gale in putting together a plan that allows people to have a life as well.
As a point of clarification, if I remember correctly, the 13-week plan is not included in Gale’s Training Plans book. But you can find the 13-week plan here:
I am guilty as charged (ie. did not read the book). I still have an issue with anything that says, “13 weeks to a 13 hour Ironman”. Its like the titles on the National Enquirer at the grocery store checkout “lose 7 lbs in 7 days”. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is. To me, it falls into the same dubious marketing that at times Frank Day has used to make power improvement claims with PC’s (and I am a PC user and I swear by them).
I have many friends that have tried many a time to break 13 hours. It is a huge deal to them. Some just don’t have the genetics regardless of sweat and toil to make sub 13 happen. So when someone trivializes it in the title regardless of content of the “actual plan”, yes, I have a beef with it and I invite Gale to jump in and defend the branding of the plan as the plan described by you folks is not really what the title would suggest 
You estimate you could hold a 1:45-2:00 pace, per 100 yards, for the 2.4-mile swim (total swim time of 1:14 to 1:25.) Cycling currently includes being able to comfortably go an hour and a half or so. You’re thinking you could average somewhere between 15 and 16 mph for 112 miles (total bike time between 6:15 and 7:30.) Your long run is in the 1:15 to 1:30 range. You think you could manage a marathon pace of 10- to 11-minute miles (total run time between 4:15 and 5:00.)
This is what I was referring to earlier. Add up the times she listed as “prerequisites”, and you get a range of 11:44 to 13:55.
One might question whether the described athlete would even need this plan? I’m guessing it is just intended to tie everything together in a nice, short, race prep period.
(Possibly talking out of my rear, here) It likely receives more glory than it deserves.
I think for most folks being able to hold a swim pace of 2:00/100y, 16mph for 112 miles, and 11min/miles for 26.2 miles is “two year’s” (approx) worth of work.
Yeah, and those “12 weeks to bigger biceps” routines work best if you can curl the 80-pound dumbbells before you even start the program. =)
Some of the onus is on the customer/reader. She does provide the “prerequisites” to provide realistic expectations.
Again, my original thoughts when reading thearticle was “If I can alreayd do all that, why would I need this plan?”
Awesome. Thanks to you and Brian286.
I read the plan and there is nothing wrong with thinking that 13 hr isn’t reasonable. There has to be a few caveats added, however. Things like don’t do 1 or 2 half IM’s withing that 13 week period. Don’t have more than 20% body fat, etc.
“You estimate you could hold a 1:45-2:00 pace, per 100 yards, for the 2.4-mile swim (total swim time of 1:14 to 1:25.) Cycling currently includes being able to comfortably go an hour and a half or so. You’re thinking you could average somewhere between 15 and 16 mph for 112 miles (total bike time between 6:15 and 7:30.) Your long run is in the 1:15 to 1:30 range. You think you could manage a marathon pace of 10- to 11-minute miles (total run time between 4:15 and 5:00.)”
When I read that part, my first reaction was that while I couldn’t quite hold that swim pace (I’m very slow in the water), the bike and run paces looked ridiculously easy. My last marathon, for example, was at an 8:35 pace. The catch, of course, is that you have to string the three together, and I don’t think most of us Iron Virgins have any handle on just how much that will degrade our paces, although obviously it will.
My other thought: Is there an “10 Weeks to a 10-Hour Ironman” plan anywhere? 
<< defend the branding of the plan as the plan described by you folks is not really what the title would suggest >>
What, we don’t get enuff Pros and coaches defending themselves around here for ya already?
OK, her training plan lasts for 13 weeks, we are agreed on that.
And, if you are able to successfully complete the program, then you have a reasonable chance of finishing an IM in 12-14 hrs (and sub-13 is in that range). Since nothing is ever guaranteed, particularly in an IM, I don’t think that is unreasonable, or sensationalistic.
I don’t think calling it “13 Weeks to a Sub 13 Hour IM**”
**“If you are not a genetically-challenged outlier, in which case it might be way over 14 hrs; sorry, ya picked the wrong parents, there’s nothing I can do for you.” would sell as many copies.
There is a 10 weeks to a sub 10 hour Ironman.
The prerequisite is that you have done a sub 9 hour Ironman 10 weeks out from your next ironman, then you go into doughboy mode and show up for your second Ironman and you will go 9:59 without breaking a sweat. oh yeah, you have to either enter Ironman Austria or Ironman Florida. Of course, the sub 9 hour prerequisite is in the fine print
I think you are right. Stringing all three activities together is the key. AND addition nutrition to that program is key. Personally, I think nutrition is key.
For example, one huge mistake I make is not taking in as much fluid during training as I do during a race. I do my weekend long runs (11-16 miles) with only two bottles of Gatorade (I hide one in the bushes and pick it up on my second loop). My course has mile markers. To do it right I would take a cup with me that I would pull out at every marker during my runs, fill it with liquid and drink. I would also take in salt tablets, and drink coke during my runs. I would also practice drinking more Spiz/Hammer during my long bike rides, and drinking in a lot higher volume during the bike. And I would practice carbo loading before racing all the time. At the end of my trainings I suck down EnduroRx. Great for recovery, but I feel like I need to drink some on race day after each leg. But I don’t do these things, and this is where I go wrong - I show up on race day and while I have a solid nutrition plan, it is nothing like my training days.
So when I plan my new training program (I’m going to try Gale’s) I am definitely going to incorporate race day nutrition into it. Physically I’m solid, but my nutrition needs significant improvement.
My other thought: Is there an “10 Weeks to a 10-Hour Ironman” plan anywhere?
No kiddin’. Why on earth would I want to train 3 weeks longer to go “three hours slower”? Talk about a waste of time!
=)
Greetings Twitchers ~
A friend of mine dropped me an email to let me know that successful and loyal fans were defending my training plans. He thought I needed to know people were saying good things “behind my back.” Thanks to the athletes that have used the plan(s) and shared your success.
There seems to be question about where the titles for the plans come from. The most popular plan in my stable remains the “13 Weeks to a 13-Hour Ironman”. (Which now must read 13 weeks to a 13-hour ironman distance race.) This plan was born at the request of Triathlete magazine editor T.J. Murphy. He asked if I could write a column to help people train for an ironman distance event with the least amount of training possible. After that column was written, the question was “How about 13 weeks to a sub-13-hour Ironman?”
Know that with all of my plans, my goals are: To help athletes succeed Make it easy to follow a plan Minimize injury risk Give the reader as much information as possible, given the space available (be it a magazine column, book or internet column) Get as many people as possible enthused about triathlon
All of my pre-built plans come with an athlete profile and athlete goals. As you all know, it makes no sense for a first year beginner to use the same plan as a seasoned veteran. It also makes the title of a column quite cumbersome if I say “13 Weeks to a 13-Hour Ironman, if you can x, y, z…”
I’ve had people write me to let me know that they have “survived” an ironman distance race on only 9 hours of training. That’s great for them. I just wouldn’t recommend that technique to the average athlete.
So there you have it. No trickery in the titles intended. Just trying to keep the title descriptive, short and sweet(?) with enough information for the reader to decide if they should read the first paragraph or not.
Stay healthy and fit ~
Gale Bernhardt
Awesome! Thanks for chiming in and explaining more, Gale.
I love this forum!!!
Gale, thanks for the info. Can you discuss how much you go into nutrition? (not in the article, but in your book)
oh sure, she only registered so she could sell something!
welcome aboard!
if I remember correctly, the 13-week plan is not included in Gale’s Training Plans book.
NO. It is in the book.
Could not agree with you more since your weekly averages are about all I do, and finished my first IM last sat in 12:16.
I believe exercise has to be a life style. I am doing something 12 months a year. None of this fad training, IMO.
Dave
For a small discount and royalties, I will come up with catchy titles for the TPeaks plans I plan to use this upcoming year. Here goes …
Eight weeks of Excellently Efficient Base Training (Base 1)
Ten Weeks of Totally Terrific Base Training (Base 2)
Tremendously Tri-tastic Twelve Week 1/2 Ironman Plan. C’mon, you gotta gimme somethin’ for saying “Tri-tastic”? A round of applause, at least?
Then, the 13 weeks to a 13 hour Ironman (used for a 1/2IM race).
Maybe we could work on a ‘Seventeen Sensational Weeks to a Seven hour 1/2 IM’ plan for me. =)
Swim, bike, run, eat well, repeat for 4-5 years.
That’s the essense of triathlon. There are no shortcuts.