I am planning on doing my first Ironman in 2010 and wanted to get some advice on a training plan to cope with my schedule. After my training experience this past year for two 70.3 distance races, I found that even on the best of week’s, I would only finish about 80% of my planned training program. I have always wanted to do an Ironman but it seems like it is very difficult to fully devote myself to proper training without it affecting my work performance and family time so I thought of way to possibly make it work.
I found an 18 week intense Ironman training program that requires 6 days a week of training. Originally I thought this would be impossible with my schedule but then I thought, what if I stretched that exact training program over a 36 week period? This would give me 2 weeks to complete 6 solid days of training . This would also allow for more rest and allow for more weight training/cross training when time does allow and I would be able to complete 100% of the workouts. Has anyone taken this approach to a training program? What would be the negative effects of this? Obviously the most important part would be getting in longer rides/ runs but that should not be a problem as I usually have a Saturday or Sunday morning available for those.
From my experience, it most likely will affect work performance and family time. For me, 2 years ago seriously affected. This year, not as much, but still is happening. No matter how well you manage time, there are only so many hours in a day. If you truly want to do an IM, you need to count on it affecting your life for several months.
My advice for what its worth: start planning, and in a way, training for it now. Train enough now, this fall, and this winter at a volume that builds a base but doesn’t screw up your life. Don’t get out of shape. Do a long slow build of building up a base. That way, you won’t feel like you’ll need to do an “intense” plan.
Not sure what your goals are, but my belief is that if you build for a long time and then focus on key workouts in an Ironman specific period next spring/summer (depending what race) you can have a good IM day without breaking the bank time-wise next summer.
However, if you’re not in shape when next winter/spring come along, you’ll most likley feel/need to go heavier training volume and will probably have to make more sacrificies in other parts of your life.
Also, no matter how much your family is on board (my wife has always been great), there will come a time(s) when they feel like you are choosing IM training over them. And you probably will have to. Just be ready for it.
I’m training for my first iron distance this sept. I am especially bad at balancing family, work and training. I figured I could do maybe 12-13 hrs max a week I have not particular time goal but to cover the distance (though sub 15 would be awesome) I read don fink’s book becoming iron fit and he has a couple plans but I went the ‘just finish’ plan that max’s out at 10 hrs a week. it’s a 30 week plan and has kept my training consistent which has always been my problem and why I’d recommend against the spreading out the 18 week plan over 36 weeks. just my guess but think your body has be used to a certain amount of training volume for a ironman. also out there somewhere on the web is gale bernhardt’s 13 weeks to a 13 hour ironman plan that max’s out at around 13hrs a week. know others that have sucessfully used this plan in the past.
If time is a limiter for you, concentrate on three solid workouts per week: a long bike of 4 hours or more, a long run of 2 hours or more, and a long swim of 1.5-2 miles or so. The rest, though important, is supplementary to these core workouts for training to complete your first Ironman.
I would not recommend spreading an 18 week program over 36 weeks. A good training program includes workouts that are timed specifically so they are completed within a certain proximity to your Ironman. Spreading the workouts out over double the time ruins this timing. Look for a training plan that you can attain on your schedule without modifying the timing of the workouts.
I have not done an IM so the only thing I can reference is marathon training (just wanted to give full disclosure). My experience is that they call it a plan for a reason, it is designed to get you ready but only when followed. It is hard to know how well a plan designed for 18 weeks would prepare you when done in 36 weeks. You will end up doing individual workouts far more rested and without the residual fatigue that the plan intially assumed you would be doing them with. This is not always a good thing. Do you think doing 100 pushups is the same as doing 20 pushups, rest, 20 pushups, rest, etc…?
A more personal example. For my first marathon I followed a plan that had a medium length run the day before my long run. I found it easier schedule-wise to swap the medium run with a short run scheduled three days before the long run. So I would run 10miles Wed then 5mi Fri then 20mi Sat instead of 5mi Wed then 10mi Fri then 20 Sat. I believe this negatively effected my performance on race day. The difference between doing a 20mile run the day after a 5mile run and doing a 20mile run the day after a 10mile run is significant. When I got to the later miles on race day I was not as accustomed to running on tired legs, which my plan (had I followed it) would have prepared me for. I would worry the same thing could happen to you if you try to IM train on an 18 week plan over the course of 36 weeks.
Doing a long run, long bike, and long swim in one week is not the same as doing all three spread out over two weeks. Just my opinion.
Some people may flame me for saying this, but to me, and in my training, training for the “first half” of anything is much harder and more time-consuming than training for the “second half.” i.e. training for the first 13.1 miles of a marathon, or training for a half marathon takes way more time than training for those next 13.1 miles. I look at it as the same for a half ironman to full ironman. Honestly, your weekday stuff probably won’t change that much, at least mine doesn’t (which is where I will probably get flamed). The only real noticable difference is your long runs and long rides. Your long runs for a half ironman may have topped out at 13-16 miles. What is an additional 5-8 miles on your long runs? That’s all you need. Your long rides for a half may have topped out around 60-70 miles? You only need an extra 30-40 miles, or around 2 hours, to bridge the gap to training for a full distance race.
I also second BeIronFit as a good resource to get ideas for training plans for different hours/week that you have to train. I roughly follow the intermediate program and rarely go over 15 hours a week…and I’m slow, so those hours don’t cover as many miles as many others.
I agree with the above post - not really much different than 1/2 training.
If you can manage an hour a day of training most days and either a weekday where you do a 2-hour long run followed by two long rides on the weekend or an hour a day during the week and a long ride and long run on the weekend, you will be fine. I think it only effects work performance if you go crazy obsessing about what is on the cookie cutter plan. Make your own plan or train by feel, just make sure you are able to ride 100 miles and swim 2.4.
Find a week that you can hit 100% of the workouts. Repeat it week in and week out, taking an easier week every 5-6 weeks.
Weight training/Cross training are not going to be what you need to get you to the finish line of your IM…unless you have very obvious strength imbalances.
Getting out and doing something almost every day during the week is key. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but you do need to swim, bike, and run.
Try to develop a good base of fitness, and then in the last 12 or so weeks before the IM, try to be as much of an ‘athlete’ as you can, telling your friends and family that you’ll be back when it’s over.
Maybe I should explain my situation a little better and that will help. I finish my 70.3 races in around 5 hours and as far as Ironman goals, I have some time goals in mind…11 hours = great day, 12 hours = more realistic, but I really just want to finish the race while enjoying the day as opposed to making it a 12+ hour day of suffering and crawling to the finish line and I by no means want to take on an Ironman by just doing the “minimum.” I have always kept it a high priority in my life to stay in as good of shape as possible and I will have a very good base leading into 2010 and I’m even doing IM Longhorn in late October so keeping a solid base will not be an issue.
Also, I usually have a decent amount of training hours available throughout the week but problems arise when something unexpected comes up at work where I have to work late or take a client out to dinner at the last minute, etc., etc. and then my training plan gets all screwed up and leaves no time for training for that day. I can usually count on something coming up a couple times during the week that will not allow me to do any sort of training. I am also not a big proponent of doubling up on workouts when I have time because I know its a recipe for an injury.
So my theory behind the 18 week plan turned to 36 is to allow for the unexpected work/ family thing to happen and when it doesn’t, I would be able to get in some lighter workouts. I honestly don’t think being “too rested” would be an issue. I know that plans are designed to get you to a certain amount of fatigue but I have being running half and full marathons for a few years and my major problem was not getting enough rest which resulted in poor performances and injuries.
Maybe my solution should be to be more productive at work so I can get out earlier as opposed to being on ST! Thanks again
Find a week that you can hit 100% of the workouts. Repeat it week in and week out, taking an easier week every 5-6 weeks.
Weight training/Cross training are not going to be what you need to get you to the finish line of your IM…unless you have very obvious strength imbalances.
Getting out and doing something almost every day during the week is key. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but you do need to swim, bike, and run.
well worth repeating.
Try to develop a good base of fitness, and then in the last 12 or so weeks before the IM, try to be as much of an ‘athlete’ as you can, telling your friends and family that you’ll be back when it’s over.
For real time limited people that is almost all you can do. A good base of fitness. It will take many many years before real hard training in the last 12 weeks can be usefull.
From what you’ve posted, you’re actually no busier than the typical amateur IM athlete with a full time job…
*Obviously the most important part would be getting in longer rides/ runs but that should not be a problem as I usually have a Saturday or Sunday morning available for those. *
Also, I usually have a decent amount of training hours available throughout the week but problems arise when something unexpected comes up at work where I have to work late or take a client out to dinner at the last minute, etc., etc. and then my training plan gets all screwed up and leaves no time for training for that day.
For you it’s a just a matter of priorities…good things take time and sacrifice.
If you want something bad enough you’ll make the necessary sacrifices…you just don’t want it bad enough.
There’s no shame in that, we all have different priorities…just letting you know there are thousands and thousands of others out there doing more with less.
I had a similar problem going into my first Ironman. I worked, went to school (MBA), and my wife took a job in a city that was 2 hours away (I commuted there every weekend). Oh yea, I also had to train. Three words saved my insanity: HIRE A COACH. He/she should be able to structure your training schedule to your lifestyle and needs. It will cost you money to get one, but I looked at it this way, if I didn’t pay someone to schedule my workouts, I’d have an easier time skipping them.
I hired a coach who was very reasonably priced, and he worked with my greatly with my schedule. Which included all of the above, plus, moving to Australia, and moving back to the United States. He does everything remotely now, but I have his number on my phone and call him every couple weeks to give him a heads up on how I’m feeling and what’s working or not working for me. Needless to say, that was 2.5 years ago, I don’t see stopping this service anytime soon.
From what you’ve posted, you’re actually no busier than the typical amateur IM athlete with a full time job…
*Obviously the most important part would be getting in longer rides/ runs but that should not be a problem as I usually have a Saturday or Sunday morning available for those. *
Also, I usually have a decent amount of training hours available throughout the week but problems arise when something unexpected comes up at work where I have to work late or take a client out to dinner at the last minute, etc., etc. and then my training plan gets all screwed up and leaves no time for training for that day.
For you it’s a just a matter of priorities…good things take time and sacrifice.
If you want something bad enough you’ll make the necessary sacrifices…you just don’t want it bad enough.
There’s no shame in that, we all have different priorities…just letting you know there are thousands and thousands of others out there doing more with less.
I was not trying to point out that I was busier than your typical age group triathlete, in fact, probably less busy than most, just simply trying to give specifics on my lifestyle in order to maximize my training and wanted some advice as far as stretching an 18 week plan into a 36 week plan. MY priorities will always be 1.) family/friends 2.) job 3.) hobbies aka Triathlons…The day I realize training for an endurance race becomes a priority over the first two, will be the day I give up Triathlon. Sure there are people that do more with less in this sport and thats great for them, but at the end of the day they will still have the same finishers medal that everyone else receives who competes in the sport whether you finish in 9 hours or 17. There might be a few things in life worth sacrificing your family and job for, but triathlon is not one of them.
not sure what is meant by-pick a week you can hit 100% of the workouts? does this mean, say if he can hit all the workouts when its only a 10 hour week, repeat that?
and I dont understand how stretching over 36 weeks? many extra rest days?
I agree with the poster about training for the first half…remember you are doing double the race distance but this does not mean you are doubling your training hours.
I was just making a point that, given a little perspective, I believe you now understand…you’ve actually got a reasonable amount of time & resource to prepare smartly and make something good happen. Use it wisely…
If you are referring to my suggestion to pick a week you can hit 100% of the time, then it means that I think that hitting every workout that you have planned…3s, 3b, 3r for example…for a total of 10 hours is better than only hitting 80% of the workouts you have planned. And, you do it week after week after week…with an ‘easier’ week (probably less intensity) every 5 or 6 weeks or so.
It’s great to be able to say that you work, you do this, you do that, AND you trained XX hours this week. BUT, if those XX hours leave you shelled for the next several days, your work suffers, and so does everything else, and you ‘only’ train 0.5*X hours the next week, then I personally think that the a couple of more doable weeks strung together is better. You can spin it either way, but I think that the consistent volume approach for the majority of the year followed by a focus period works better if you are really busy. It’s especially better when you find the volume that you can maintain and then fit in some ‘more’ when time frees up.
I think that the original poster was indicating that he’d stretch out the main workouts in the 18 week program over 36 weeks by fitting in the workouts over a 2 week instead of a 1 week period…didn’t specify if the non-workout days would be off days or what.
You have the same schedule issues most people with jobs and families have. But, if you read this message board, you wouldn’t know it - rather, you’d think everyone trains 15+ hours per week. So, on behalf of the thousands of triathletes who prioritize work and family time ahead of triathlon training, here is my suggestion (bear in mind that I am at best a MOP triathlete) - if you miss a workout, you missed it, don’t try to cram the missed workout into a later day in the week and don’t redo your schedule for the remainder of the week. Just move on to the next workout in your schedule.
Big hours are overrated. Train during the week like you would for an Olympic, then do your big stuff on the weekends. In you have a lot of vacation days, take a Friday off every 4 weeks and make it a huge training day (leaving weekend open for family). Also consider doing long runs on Thursday - running in dark before work (coming in at 9AM). Always have your running/swim gear in car in case you can sneak in some short workouts.
Work week - 1-2 masters swim, 1 group ride & 1 windtrainer intervals, 1 tempo run & 1 long run
Week end - Saturday Long Ride w optional swim, Sunday Medium ride + Run
Also, dont go huge every weekend. Sounds likeyour a solid athlete. Do a race pace 56m ride Saturday and a 1/3s 12 miler Sunday every so often. That’s < 4-5 hours over the weekend.
Work very effectively while in the office. You can do more in 7 hours than most do in 10 if focused. I wouldnt tell everybody at work what youre doing. No reason to have them looking for you to come in 30 minutes late or taking a longer lunch.
At the end of 18 weeks of training you will be have had enough, 36 weeks you will be burnt out and have no motivation. You said you were churning out 5 hour half Im so you have a pretty good fittness anyway.
Sounds like the issue is getting the 6 days a week of training maybe you go for one of those power of 2 theories, that are espoused 2 per discipline per week, sat long bike, sun long ride, long swim on a weekday and then you have 5 other sessions that are less time consuming to fit in. This could be done in 6 days or less and not have too much impact on the family.
Anyhow I have zero coaching credibility, just that I have thought about the minimalst approach at times instead of thsi 20 hour per week crap. Speaking of which it is time to train