Well I decided to do my second IM, in Arizona April 2006. The thing is that I have 4 kids, including 2 month old twins, and work.
I am going to try and do most of the rides on a trainer and roller, as I did before my 5:35 bike split in Ironman Austria 2004, and go to the race without big expectations.
I think that time spent on trainers and rollers is more productive than on the road, except for the one long ride a week. 1 to 1.5 hours on the roller or trainer is much more difficult, mentally and physically than 2.5 hours on the road. any thoughts on this?
Not sure if this figure is of merit, but I read somewhere that you can knock off 10% of your scheduled rides time if you are on a trainer and get the same benefit.
Ex: 90 minut scheduled ride turns into an 81 minute indoor ride.
I’m sure this is just an estimate, but I think it warrants spending less time indoors if you have to.
If you don’t have many expectations you should be able to follow this plan. After doing IM CDA the last two year I think the key to your IM isn’t how many miles outside, but the quality of these workouts. If you are going to ride inside frequently this should provide a great opportunity for consistent brick workouts. I feel the key to IM is training the run enough to run a strong second half. So, many people go so hard on the bike and early part of the run and the second half is a tough slow experience. Don’t get me wrong the second half is tough, but proper pacing and hydration can help to minimize the damage.
i’ll probably get flamed for this, but…shouldn’t your newborns and your wife be your priority right now? maybe i’m wrong…just thought i’d throw my opinion out there. it just seems incredibly selfish to start this kind of training after the woman you love has just pushed two human beings out of herself. Shouldn’t you be focused on taking care of her(and your four children)? Anyways, I’m just a dumb college student…what do I know, right? Blah blah blah. I’m sure you’ll ignore me and start your training anywho!
My hat is off to you. You are indeed a brave, and likley a very organised man to be taking on IM training with those type of family commitments.
I only have one child and I decided, that after he was born in 1997 that I would indefinatley “retire” from triathlon. And I did. Other than some “fun” races that I did last year, I have been thoroughly enjoying my time on the sidelines.
"1 to 1.5 hours on the roller or trainer is much more difficult, mentally and physically than 2.5 hours on the road. any thoughts on this? "
I agree, but the mentally tough part IMO is the boredom of riding on a trainer. I live in a country where our climate forces us to ride trainers indoors for the winter months. I absolutely hate it - BORING.
But under your circumstances this seems like a logical approach.
Well, I can see your point, but I started triathlons when I had 1 child, did my first marathon when I had 2 children, and an IM when I had 2 children, now I have the twins (confused - 4 children total).
I find that being in shape, competitive and energetic gives much more to my wife and children than alot of other parents that have more time to spend with the family but are tired and not active.
I ride bikes with my kids, swim, ride rollerblades and skateboard, take them out to the park etc, we’re a very active family and I like it this way much more than sitting on the couch an reading a newspaper or watching TV.
My point is that you give back to your family in values (my son is very proud to have an IM dad, and he knows that you don’t quit when things are difficult), nutrition, health and happiness.
My first and only son is nearly 1 and I have been racing the longer courses for just over that period of time. I found that having the son (not me but my wife, well you know) made me so much more organised and I think I spend much more time at home at the same time as everybody else than I did when I did not have a kid. I have my training right down to the workout planned and tabled until November and a slightly looser plan right up till March 2006. I used to just train whenever I wanted but now with the organisation that has appeared from having the kid, I get much more benefit and actually train much longer.
Your post does not suggest anyway to make the problem possible and is very negative. Your life does not stop with kids, it just changes (for the better). You may as well have suggested a google search.
I was thinking the same thing the other day … trainer v. outdoor.
If you had titled your post, “Inddor v. outdoor rides”, you’d likely get more replies. The title of the post brings up images of you asking for “training plans” “how to organize” “the wife is mad” “how much sleep will I get”, as well as other questions … and the always present reminder about doing something that may take too much time away from your family.
I searched this site for “indoor versu outdoor rides” and stuff like that and found this article, linked by baldguy in April of 03. We can both likely use the info in this article.
I agree that the post is negative and not helpful.
However, I will say this, boy oh boy did I gat flamed for wanting to do an IM with a 17month old daughter. Why? Probably because I’m a woman. There is a huge double standard on this board when it comes to IMs and kids - it seems if you’ve got a penis, go for it, the board will bless your efforts. But if you have the boobies (which are no longer the food source for said child) then watch out! Your parenting will be called into question.
Don’t mean to hijack the thread but this really gets me steamed up.
It’s a personal decesion and every family situation is different. I am a man, and when my son was born eight years ago, I said good-bye to triathlon training at the level I was at almost completely. It was a very easy decesion for me to make. However, the difference with my situation is by 1997 I had been competing at a high level in triathlon for almost 15 years, so it had been a pretty good run to that point in my life and it was time to move on to something else.
**There is a huge double standard on this board when it comes to IMs and kids - it seems if you’ve got a penis, go for it, the board will bless your efforts. But if you have the boobies (which are no longer the food source for said child) then watch out! Your parenting will be called into question. **
It’s the same thing, no matter what the field. You could be trying to become a VP at the company you’re at, doing extensive research for a doctoral degree, etc … and the double standard would exist. Our society seems to expect very little (in the home) from men … especially in the parenting dept. Men, to our discredit, have done our share in forgetting, either intentionally or accidental, our role in the home. Being a great mom is expected. Being a great father is exhalted. I agree there is a double-standard … and it is likely something that deserves its own thread sometime.
Imagine if a mom, with 2mo twins, asked about IM training. Folks would be racing to their soapboxes.
It’s a personal decesion and every family situation is different.
True.
"Imagine if a mom, with 2mo twins, asked about IM training. Folks would be racing to their soapboxes. "
It’s a fair point and likely true, but not me. Any remaining double standard thoughts I had regarding women and work/sports/parenting were eliminated the day my daughter was born. It’s amazing what that’ll do to you.
That is true, but I have to admit I didn’t expect it here. I work in male dominated fields, am used to “running with the big dogs”, and have been called “a man trapped in a woman’s body” many times. So when I got flamed as badly as I did asking about juggling IM training and a young child, I was blown away, and pretty pissed off.
I hear ya, and after this IM, I certainly plan on hanging up the bike and goggles, so I can run with hubby and dd in the jogger. We want to have another child, so this is likely my only IM chance.
