I have been reading a number of posts on weight loss goals and strategies. I’m trying to set some realistic “offseason” goals–and as I review my limiters, I know that the extra weight I am carrying is probably the most critical area I need to focus on. I have competed in a number of triathlons and most recently finished three 70.3 distances. I typically train during the winter and participate in late Spring races. Next year IMSG is on the radar as the peak race and my first IM. While I have enjoyed the 70.3 distances and have felt good about my results–the full distance and the hills of IMSG are a significant concern for me.
I’m 6’2 and just over 200lbs. I am built more like a defensive end in football than a Kenyan marathoner to say the least. I have a lot of upper body weight (I have wide shoulders and a big chest). My coach has encouraged me to see if I can’t drop some weight to improve performance and I have met with nutritionist and recently got weighed/measured hydro-statically.
Based my current weight in relation to my body fat%, if I was at 10% Body Fat, my weight would be 199lbs (close to where I am today). If I got to 6% BF, my weight would be 190lbs. That range of 190lbs to 200lbs seems to be my best potential from a weight standpoint. This weight range is so much heavier than those of athletes and friends that I try to compete with during my races (regardless of perhaps having a lower BF%).
From a performance standpoint, in my last 3 70.3 races, I have finished in the top third of the swim. I have finished in the top 10 percentile of cyclist and then my lowly run brings me back to MOP status as I am below average. In each race I have finished feeling great and feeling like I could go on for more miles; but my running pace doesn’t really increase or decrease. Two weeks after my last 70.3 race, I ran a half marathon and while I felt great in both races–my run times were very similar (only 20 secs per mile difference). I ran a marathon recently and my pace was very consistent there as well. In all running cases, my time is below average and I wonder how much I can expect to see improvement in my run standings so long as I’m 20lbs heavier than my competition.
I want to continue to train my weakness (the run)…but I almost feel like areas like swimming (which a strong upper body is a plus) may be the area that I should focus my efforts to improve and try to remain consistent on the run. Again, I feel great when I’m running, but my pace is not as quick as I would like it.
With all of that background, I’m curious who are some of the heaviest triathletes out there that are competitive and even compete for AG spots? I’m trying to set realistic goals and I have so many people infer that I should be playing football or basketball…or even just swimming or cycling as opposed to running or triathlons due to my build.
I also wonder if I should nix the weight training I’m involved with. I’m not questioning or want to start a debate on the merits of weight training–I only want to know if weight training is creating more mass/weight than I need. I love to weight train and I feel like it helps my power and metabolism–but I also wonder if I should cut it out in an effort to cut some more weight.
When you were given those numbers of what you would weigh at different BF% was that assuming you still have the muscle mass you do today? I would think with the your build as you describe it, that losing muscle mass would be just as important instead of getting down to a certain BF%. I would think that if you started to eat 500 calories less than your resting Metabolic rate and just biked a good ten hours a week that you would start to see results. but it’s just a guess in the dark
Yes, the numbers were based on what I weigh today. I got the test just two weeks ago. I agree, losing muscle mass may be a key factor in improving endurance performance.
Your question 100% depends on what your end goal in triathlon is. If you are not too concerned about sticking with a MOP finish in races and would like to continue to look like a defensive end, then go ahead and keep lifting. I know for me it was hard to stop lifting and give up all of the upper body muscle I had worked so hard to develop. But if you would like to see your weight drop and your times drop with it, I would say that you probably should stop lifting, at least for a little while. I was a fat boy catcher in college and spent ALL of my spare time lifting weights. When I switched to triathlon and decided to get serious about it, I completely stopped all forms of strength training. Over the course of a year and a half, I dropped from 223 and bottomed out at 169 before holding steady for the rest of the season in the low 170’s. Yes, I lost a lot of muscle, but my times dropped significantly (I still have a long way to go). My weight has jumped back up to the low 180’s and I am struggling to get back down (admittedly, consistancy in my eating has been my problem.) to where I was last year. I am a staunch proponent of strength training, but to attain your goals, you may want to lay off of the weights for a while and let your body restructure itself.
Disclaimer: I have no actual basis for these statements other than person experience and the limited research I have done on my own.
I am 6’1" and race between 190-195 lbs. Your results and mine tend to mirror each other…good swim, good bike, “mediocre” run. I raced all distances when I was younger (I’m 55), but I have stuck mainly to sprints in these last years as the short runs tend to limit the time damage and I can still podium in most of the races I do. I have tried, hard, to drop to 180-85, which was my weight at my first Kona 20 years ago, but I swim more and run less these days and this is where my body has settled.
I think you could go faster if you dropped the weight, but it does truly depend on what your goals are. If you want to stay with long course, it probably is important to weigh less to reach your potential. But…you can still be a fit triathlete, and (should you stay at 200 lbs) place well in the Clydesdale division, if that is what you choose.
THANK GOD, finally some big boys like me. Started doing tri’s last year at 6’ 2" and starting weight was 253lbs. i hoover at 205-210 now (mainly because of chineese food) but my weak spot is my swim, i’m average on my bike but have finally got the run down to my desired goal. I easily race 5k’s in under 24 minutes and finished my first 13.1 in 1hr 56 min. im not super concerend about rankings or winning i’m just out there having fun, i’m not seeking the podium and i’m not trying to just “complete” the race, i’m out there joking around while riding and running and having fun.
heres the only thing i can suggest about running that alot of guys posted and helped me, the only way to improve is to log miles & speed work, i didn’t believe it ,but it worked. i told Barry on here my goals, he gave me a plan , i worked it to death and at mile 7 out of 13 i got faster and finished the race strong and with 4 minutes to spare.
look around for BarryP’s run plans they really do help, i ran 6 days a week with 1 off for a few months.
You Rock if you’ve already done 3- 70.3 races thats my next race, judt did a double sprint and hated it. olymp or half with an occasional sprint from here on
I’ll bite. Disclaimer n=1. 6’2" weightlifter for life.
Began 6 month IM training plan last year at 225lbs, barely lost 5lbs over first few months despite heavy training load (pun intended). Went cold turkey on all strength training with 4 months to go and the weight poured off. Toughest part was looking in the mirror and not seeing the chest, shoulders and arms I worked so hard to earn. The best part was how much better I could tolerate the mileage. Raced at 200lbs (yeah, I know still fat to most of the people reading this) and it was well worth it!
Of course now I have dreams of racing at the ST standard for a 6’2" athlete of 170lbs but my Southern Belle wife is a petite version of Paula Deen. Maybe in my next lifetime.
Bite the bullet- kill the strength training, dig deep and find out what you are capable of.
Now I will return to my bench press, squat rack and Shrimp 'n Grits dinner. Best of luck.
Yes, you have disadvantage on the run, particularly at near 200lbs.
Yes, you are still too heavy for optimal race weight.
Matt Reed is 6’4ish and is one of the fastest guys in the world. I’m sure he has a smaller frame than you, but clearly being tall is not a disadvantage.
I’m a lot shorter than you, but my BMI is still higher than yours - and I’m still FOP on the run. Yes, it’s still harder for you given your overall size advantage, but you still should be able to get to MOP if not FOP on running. Have you run a pure run training cycle - 70+mpw? If not, you’ve got a LONG way to improve.
I am 6’6’’ and 205,
I was 238
and I lift weights ( shhhhhhhhh)
When I am not prepping for testing most of the weight lifting I do is bodyweight exercises…pushups, pullups, chin ups, dips, squats, and ABs
If you are doing enough SBR, you can reduce muscle mass while still retaining power.
One of my employees is 5’7’’ , 165 pounds and bench pressed 275 his last PT test
Change up your lifting routine and pay attention to your diet
Good luck
I’m alot like Mark, just a couple years younger. I like to race at 185 if I can, and I’m 6’2". I like to lift weights. I’m 52 years old and don’t want to try to gain lost muscle back, so I lift 3 days per week. I have an arthritic hip that limits my running, although I was a collegiate miler 30 years ago.(limit may be relative…I can still easily get 30-35 miles per week, but slower then I used to be…much slower…again, relative) My answer depends on your age, and I didn’t see it. If you are under 40, go for it. Quit lifting and see where you can go if that’s what you are after. RUN!!! There is no better way to shed the lbs. Run everywhere…park your car in the furthest spot and run to the grocery store. RUN!!! If you are over 40…relax. Lift weights. Strength is important as you age…speed is not.
Keep in mind…I’m just throwing my opinion/experience out to you…it’s your body, you have to sift through this stuff and decide what you want and what will work for you. There are no “experts” on your body and your fitness. Don’t believe otherwise…you are responsible for your health.
I recently posted a smiliar inquiry regarding the impact of weight loss (I am 195 lbs and 6’1"). Every article I read highlights weight loss as the most effective time reduction strategy, however I was surprised at the actual time saved after researching it. It seemed much less impacting than I thought it would be.
Here is my “rule of thumb” time impact (assuming drag and aerodynamics do not change), from a 10 lb loss of weight over a 70.3 triathlon:
Swim:
Not significant measure, drag and form significantly impact time over any weight loss
Bike:
1 minute saved, 10 lb weight loss results in an average .1-.2 MPH increase in total velocity without any change in any other factors (equipment used, watts, drag, etc). This does not include time saved due to acceleration or hill climbing by being lighter. Changes in aerodynamics and drag are significantly more impacting than weight loss.
Run:
4 minutes saved, rule of thumb is 1 minute saved per 3.1 miles (or 2 seconds per lb per mile).
If anyone thinks differently please provide insight.
Where did you get the 2 seconds per lb. per mile formula? Not ready to try and refute it, but seems a bit light to me. I’d like to see the research behind it.
I’m similar size to you. Last year I was racing at ~215. I managed to drop about 15 pounds and now I walk about 200-205. Since hitting 200, it has been a real challenge for me to lose additional weight. I’m a pretty muscular guy. Most of my weight is in my ass and legs. I’m logging what seems like a pretty good number of hours also. Also, I haven’t lifted in about 2 years. For me, I don’t think it’s a weight lifting issue. It seems to be more of a self control issue with food and having fun on the weekends. I dropped below 200 this winter when I was trying to improve on my 5k times. I was able to get a little below 200 but it felt like I was starving myself. Strange that at 200 I start getting skinny comments and my girlfriend start complaining. So, based on my experience, I don’t think laying off the weights is going to help you drop the weight. It’s going to take eating a lot less.
I do not race anything long. I have only done sprints. Last year was my first year and I wasn’t very competitive in AG last year. I raced Clydesdale at most of the races. In one of the last races of the season I raced AG and placed 4th.
This winter I upped my mileage to 30-35 mpw. I was only at 50 mpm for most of last year and even less during the summer as the heat here in Texas killed me. The increase in mileage helped drop a lot of time off my running. I’m now over 5 minutes faster in my sprint tri 5k. This winter I plan to up that even more this winter and hopefully work up to 45 mpw and break my goal of 20 minute 5k. Not sure I can do it at this weight though. I’m going to try though and maybe get a little more ambitious with my weight loss.
I trained pretty hard this winter with upped running mileage, Masters Swimming and lots of power based trainer workouts. I’m competitive AG this year but these are not huge races. Most only have 200-300 athletes doing the sprint and sometimes the faster athletes competing in a different distance. I’ve finished in the top 15 and the top 10 overall in the last two sprints I’ve done. 4th and and 1st in AG in those races. Running is my weakness as well. In my last two sprints, I’ve been top 15 swimming, top 5 bike, and can’t crack top 25 running. I attribute this to my weight since my tri 5k is pretty close to my open 5k. Don’t think it’s a bike fitness issue at this time.
I recently upped my run mileage and hope to do that even more this winter. Going to try to break 20 minute 5k and if necessary I may try to drop that weight.
I have found drinking green tea after meals helps me get leaner, also make your breakfast+lunch bigger and dinner smaller. If you are a very muscular build i would not try and loses lean muscle mass because. Go to a triathlon and look around and everyone is a skinny Bit&h use your strength as a strength where possible. Also with hard training over months/years your body will become more triathlete like. Also if you love weight training keep it going!
Where did you get the 2 seconds per lb. per mile formula? Not ready to try and refute it, but seems a bit light to me. I’d like to see the research behind it.
Yeah that seems light to me too. I improved my 5k by about 3 minutes mostly from dropping 7 pounds. Not only that but it should be based on % of current weight. For example 10 pounds on a 120 pound girl or 10 pounds on a 250 pound clidesdale? Don’t want to seem nit picky, but just sayin…
I’m in the bigger side of a triathlete too, but smaller than most of you. I’m 6’0" and 180lbs and still growing at 18 years old.
I used to be concerned with my weight, I wrestled for 4 years in highschool, so worrying about weight used to be a way of life. When I got into triathlon, I finally looked at myself in the mirror one day and said “fuck it, there is no way my body was build to have 6 pack abs and wiry little legs.” I feel like since then, I have just let my body do what it wants to and I feel like I have gotten quite a bit faster doing that. I remember reading an interview with Michi Weiss, and he said he has always been a big framed guy, and due to that he has a large cardiovascular engine that has enabled his success in triathlon. But that said, he’s only 175lbs and 6’3" with no fat on him.
But here is my question: In shorter races, could you gain more from being big on the swim and bike than you could lose on the run? Basically, even though being a fat ass slows me down on the run, could I make up for it on the swim and bike for an overall improvement in speed?
Weight is not really much of a factor on the swim. I’ve seen borderline obese people come out of the water with the elites.
You can also get pretty fast on the bike and still carry a fair amount of excess weight.
But, you can’t get away with being heavy on the run and go fast.
So, to your question. Yes, you can definitely make up for your lost time on the run if you are fast enough in your swim and your bike. Once you get to a certain speed in the water, it takes a lot of work to improve your overall swim time. The bike is a different matter. If you can get fast on the bike, that can definitely offset your loss in the run.
Here’s what I calculated in time cutting variables on an Olympic course:
Every 10 second improvement in 100m swim pace will save about 2.5 total minutes
Every MPH increase on bike will save about 3 minutes
Every 10 second improvement in 1 mile run pace will save about 1 minute total
So if you go 1 minute / mile slower on the run, you will go 6 minutes slower, but if you increase your bike speed by 3 mph, you will go 9 minutes faster.
hmmm. That is interesting. But improving 3mph on a bike split is no small task.
I’m no expert, but my school of thought is, if you let your body do what it wants to naturally, it will be the best for your performance. In highschool, cutting weight and other weight loss for wrestling took a huge toll on performance.
Really? My body wants to smoke weed, drink tequila, date strippers, eat mac n cheese with bacon juice and watch reruns of star trek. I try not to do what my body wants. But maybe I’m unique.