Just pulled this from an old USA Today archieve, this is nuckin futs, I don’t even do a 1/3 of this in my training…
USA Today interview with Hunter kemper:
Can you describe a typical training week?
I would swim six times in a week, run six to seven times and bike about six times. I would bike on average about 12 hours a week, I’d run between six and seven hours a week, swim maybe eight to nine hours a week, and I’d do weights about 3-3½ hours a week.
The mileage on that: You can approximate about nine to 10 miles an hour of running, so about 55-65 miles of running a week. Biking is about 20 miles an hour, so it’s about 240-250 miles per week. Swimming — 5,000 meters a day is what I average, so you’re looking at 25 to 30,000 meters a week, which comes out to be about 15 to 17 miles.
I remember reading this article around the Olympics last year. We all exaggerate our numbers to brag to friends and I think he was doing the same. I think he took his peak week, added a little and said that’s what he does every week. I have no doubt he does a lot, just not quite what he claims.
You roadie dudes are clueless. I can do a 30 hour week on the bike (have many times), but that is biking only. Once you throw in any more that 4 hours of running, your bike miles have to drop big time. That being said, 7 hours of swimming 12 hours riding and 6 hours running, 3 hours wts, does not seem outrageous at that level. The ITU folks I knew training down in Austalia during our winter, did prettty well the same stuff as the Ironman guys.
top 10? i think he is @ the numba 1 spot in the ITU world rankings… first american ever… i still can’t get over the amount of time spent training… eeek
He is #1 mostly because he has done more races than anybody in the top 8. Tim Don has won three races this year to Hunter’s one. I think Lessing would still be #1 if he was still doing ITU races.
That’s ALL he does…train and recover…oh, and some sponsor stuff, travel and the like…but he’s not holding down a 40-60 hour a week job…or even Francois’s French 20 hour week…
Those numbers don’t seem all that outrageous if you can imagine the rest of your week dedicated to recovery…
“Once you throw in any more that 4 hours of running, your bike miles have to drop big time.”
I agree. An hour of running is worth at least 1.5 of cycling. You have a much higher HR and the wear and tear on your body is WAY more. Even very elite runners only log ~15hours/week.(~100miles)
12 hours of riding is like CAT 4 level, that is all I am saying, if it is possible to go to the olympics on 12 hours of bike training (plus running/swimming) then I am amazed
and I am not clueless, hell, I know what it takes to get there
I am going to a private cycling camp in Dec, 350-600 miles and 30,000-60,000 of climbing - I am training for US Nationals
That’s a big week - better bring my freeze dried Linguica
.
Well, SAC, we can be sure that you can’t just quit work and suddenly bump up to those numbers…it would probably take 2-3 dedicated years to pump volume up to those numbers SAFELY…assuming you start from an average AG 12-15 hours/week.
I guess I should qualify my statement, though…those numbers don’t seem outrageous for someone who has worked to that level (not necessarily #1 ITU athlete).
But again…the key is having the time to recover. That is quite a bit easier when you have the OTC helping…
SAC, I don’t think those numbers are outrageous if you don’t have to do a 40-50 hour work week on top of things. Granted, he is probably doing in the range of 10-25 hours (wild guess) of dealing with admin, sponsors, speaking engagements etc, but 25 hours of training plus 25 hours of work is very doable. Even if you have one day off per week, here you go:
Mon: Ride to pool (30 min), Swim 60 min, wts 30 min, Ride to work (30 min), ride home (30)
Tue: Run 90 min - Ride to work 60 min, Ride home 30 min
Wed (Day off): Swim 60 min, Ride 5 hours, run 30 min
Thu: same as Monday
Fri: Same as Tue
Sat: 6 hour ride, 30 min run
Sun: 1 hour ride, 2:30 run
Total ~28 hours…not something you would do week in and week out, but you could take a day off work once in a while and actually pull this off.
GaryCA, I am saying you are clueless because when an ITU guy does a “balanced week” this is what they do, to ensure they have legs to run 65 second 400’s on the track. You don’t get to 31 min 10K speed without doing very specific run workouts. This is why these guys get to the Olympics. On the other hand, when they are doing bike focused weeks, trust me, they are doing more volume and intensity than you CAT3 roadies.
Not sure what you are getting at with that comment SAC.
1)…surely I never said that just because someone can do that kind of volume they will be on Hunter’s level…that’s another issue entirely.
2)…the original post outlines a program that probably averages 30 hours a week…that leaves him another 20-30 hours if we assume he dedicates the same 50-60 hours to his full time avocation that I do…surely those additional 20-30 hours take care of the lion’s share of commitments as well as recovery stuff…
I’ve known a couple of elite level athletes…the kind, like Hunter, who solely pursue their sport…thats the kind of time they dedicated to activities SOLELY sport related…seems reasonable to me.
Anyway…still not sure what angle you are going with on that comment, SAC.
And surely, as well, I never said that ANYONE could do those numbers…if thats what you are getting at.
It just doesn’t surprise me that he does those numbers is all I’m saying. Just like it wouldn’t surprise me to see 40 hour training weeks coming out of Peter Reid’s IMH build block.
