Ironman Training Hours (minimum)

Triathlon Forum
21

Irish -

It is totally possible if you (1) maximize the few workouts you can do each week and (2) get your family behind you and, if possible, (3) involve them in your training or train invisibly. I have done 3 IMs, two on less than 12 hours per week and one on 14. The times were MOP, best of 11:53, but always do-able and never without risk of injury or with any particular misery that would keep me from doing another. My work schedule is actually longer than your’s and with no consistency - I’m a trial lawyer, so each week varies. You have two free days to get in the long bike and run. After that, it is all filler stuff on the short side. Be creative to sneak in your runs. For example, if your wife goes with you to hockey practice, run or bike there and meet up with the family. Have someone drive you to work some days, then run home. I assume you get lunch, sneak in a workout then. There are many creative ways to sneak in these 30-45 minute workouts. When I say train invisibly, do some things before the family wakes up and after the child goes to sleep.

22

I thought I should just copy my answere from an earlier and similar thread.

"Probably depends on your limiters but here comes my input based on … myself.

15:38:41 =200 hours/year (2004)
13:49:58 =250 hours/year (2005)
14:39:33 =250 hours/year (2006)
12:55:28 =340 hours/year (2007)
12:12:24 =350 hours/year (nov 2008)

These hours are not evenly spread out! Competitions has been in july/august and the autumn have been a real slacker time. This year I have had weekly hours (january-july) with 7 to 14 hours.

It has not been my intention to train as little as possible, but to gradually build hours, have fun and gain “speed”.

23

If you have done an ironman or a few 1/2 ironman races before you will know what it takes.

I think you will need to be able to do a 45-60min run at the lunch break of some of your working days.

The ‘Tribodyboarder’ guy gave a good reply first up. i agree with him, but the other comments above have merit also.

It is surprising how little training you can get by on. The last week is taper but the 10weeks before that is important.

If I couldn’t train I would focus on trying to eat less and more healthy to lose weight. It will be more easy to do if you are slim/thin around the waistline.

G.

24

Vineman is a pretty flat course like Az, so not as much stress as some courses.

Doc,
I’ve raced SOMA and VM 70.3. I would not say the bike course for VM is “pretty flat”. I agree it’s not as hard as some but enough hills to keep you honest.
BTW: nice family:)

25

For my 1st Ironman (CAman) which I did after racing one 1/2 IM, my 36 week training load was:

Swim 26 Miles
Bike 2012
Run 511

I ended up going just under 13 hours at 12:59 on a fairly fast course but it was very windy (30 mph+) and hot (90+) and the bike course was 8 miles long. Race no longer an option as it is no longer being held.

My 2nd Ironman (IMAZ), which I did after dislocating both shoulder 2 years earlier, 36 week training load was:

Swim 16 Miles
Bike 1310
Run 421

My time showed the low training, it really was all I could handle at the time due to various personal reasons and the shoulder injuries: 13:09. I wasn’t a big fan of the course to be honest. 3 loops on the Bike and the Run was brutal. It was also hot and windy. This was my least favorite of the 3 IMs I have done.

My 3rd Ironman (Vineman), I got serious about, except for the swim hehe, and did the following 36 week load:

Swim 12 Miles (all in the last 8 weeks)
Bike 2635
Run 670

Doubling my bike and 1.5X my run really helped my time and even with lower swim training I was able to pull off a 1:12 swim with a total time of 10:35. I really liked the course, and the wind heat wasn’t too bad last year. My favorite of the 3 courses I have done.

I am currently training for IM CDA and hope to qualify for Kona. I am 17 weeks into my program and here is my current load with projected totals:

Swim 58 Miles (Projected: 100)
Bike 1369 (Projected: 3500)
Run 396 (Projected: 900)

I am currently averaging about 12 hours pw, though that will jump to 15-18 (18 only for a few weeks) very shortly and will persist till I start tapering 3 weeks out from the race. I have a career that takes ~ 50-60/week on the job and am married (going on 16 years) and have 2 kids (13 & 7). I am finding that ~15 hours per week is the absolute maximum time I have to give to training and that includes waking up at 4:30-5AM every morning and often willing to train until till 10 PM to get it done.

I am not sure how others can give 20+ with professional careers. I could in theory add maybe another ~3 hours to my week if I counted walking (2 miles per day) and my daily bike commute (~10 miles round trip), but I don’t consider those activities “training” since they are done at a leisurely pace.

I would say if you can give around 8 hours pw to training you can finish assuming you’re in reasonable shape. I would spend the majority of that time on your bike, which is going to be the killer your 1st time at this distance. Whats left should be spent running, with just 1 or 2 sessions of ~1500 yards in the pool per week. Prior to the race, maybe 3 or 4 weeks out, do a longer open water swim at ~2 miles so you feel comfortable with the distance and then don’t sweat it. As long as you can swim the 2 miles straight without resting or having to switch strokes, you’ll make the cut off easy. Something like the below schedule would work:

Mon - Run 8-10 (2 hour run)
Tues - Ride 50-60 (3 hour ride)
Wed - Off
Thurs - Run 3-4 (30 min run)
Fri - Ride 10-20 (1 hour ride)
Sat - Run 3-4 (30 min run)
Sun - swim 1,500 (30 min swim)
Total = 7.5 hours

If you started next week, your training load would be for a 25 week cycle:

Swim: 21 miles
Bike: 1500 (assuming minimum)
Run: 350 (assuming minimum)

This is a light enough load that even with your schedule you could fit them in. The one area of concern would be your long ride per week. The irony here is given the light load, the long ride becomes the absolute cornerstone of this program. You miss it, you’re really going to jeopardize your chances of success. I would say this program is more in line for a 1/2 IM but will get you across the finish line for a full-IM as well. If anything has to give, drop your swim workout, until about 8 weeks out from the race. Do the long ride and run every week.