I’m looking for some suggestions on how to design/allocate training sessions for Ironman Lake Placid with only 4 days available a week for training. I currently work 3 days a week (usually 15+ hr shifts as a nurse) so training is out of the questions on those days. The good thing about working crazy long shifts is that I have 4 free days of training. My schedule is usually MWF with Tues, Thurs, Sat & Sun off. How can I condense a normal 6-7 day training program into 4 days?? I have 8:45am to 3:45pm free during the week (kids are at school) so I would like to have training sessions finished up by the time they get home. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
What kind of shape are you in now? It’s possible… if your goals are realistic (i.e. just finish or maybe better depending on current history/fitness). What are your goals? Not time per se, but generally?
I’m looking for some suggestions on how to design/allocate training sessions for Ironman Lake Placid with only 4 days available a week for training. I currently work 3 days a week (usually 15+ hr shifts as a nurse) so training is out of the questions on those days. The good thing about working crazy long shifts is that I have 4 free days of training. My schedule is usually MWF with Tues, Thurs, Sat & Sun off. How can I condense a normal 6-7 day training program into 4 days?? I have 8:45am to 3:45pm free during the week (kids are at school) so I would like to have training sessions finished up by the time they get home. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
Yes, I have had a husband and wife team in my group who trained around both of them on shift work and both doing Half/full IM training. The wife was an emergency nurse. At this point in her life, she qualified and did Vegas every year, and although she has not done an Ironman, her husband who works shift has done a couple of IMs in the same time frame. Can certainly be done very successfully and they pulled it off around having teenagers who they have to shuttle around to many competitive sporting events. They are just super organized.
Lots of people have done it, I used to work 3X13 hour grave yards sun/tue/thurs.
I actually found the training easier than a normal 9-5, lots of folks who work heavy industry or fire fighters nurses etc race well at IM. You just need to schedule the training and see how it interacts with work etc.
Maurice
what did your training schedule look like?
I’ve done several HIM’s with times recently ranging from 4:52 to 5:09. My open half marathon is 1:29. I would say that my overall fitness is pretty good, but I don’t want to underestimate the training needed for a Full Distance. I need to figure out how to break down my swim, bike, run schedule on those 4 days off. I would like to fit in 4 runs, and 2-3 rides (one or two of them being longer 2-3 hours) and i have to find some time to swim as well.
You’ll get better advice on specifics of that type of schedule from the others already replying but you have a starting point to do better than just finish. 
I realize your job is very hard with extra long days, but FOUR days a week OFF? Why are you even asking this question? That is enviable, you have it made.
Most 5-day-a-week people have trouble getting in 1 60 min. & 1 30-min session M-F and you have what, 6 hours or more, Tues & Thu with no kids to worry about?
Unless your errands, chores & honey do list is a mile long, you have ZERO worries, time-wise.
I’m no coach but you can definitely do it. You might not have a KQ time but I bet you can have a solid race. I’ve done four Ironmans and each time I train for one I find myself on the bike more and more. With all that time off during the day you should be able to get some solid longer rides in. If you can swing it get a coach and he/she will make it work. But as always with training you’ve got to be realistic with your goals based on your current situation. When I was pressed for time I would do more bricks like run 30 min to pool, swim 30 mins then run back another 30. I’m a true believer that if you get the important long ride in for the week and the long run and complete with out injury you are on track.
Tuesday long run and a swim (1-1:15 masters but maybe not during your available times?)
Thursday trainer for at least 1.5-2 hours and swim again
Saturday long ride outside and maybe always run off this bike for 2-6 miles depending on where you are at in your training.
Sunday another ride outside for 2-3 hours.
Due to the limited time maybe you do a week like this and then do a week in which you switch one the swims for a run?
If it was me and I had to drop something due to time it would be the swim due to the time spent driving to the pool, changing etc…spend that time on the bike. Just my two cents.
Again, I have no experience coaching but I think its doable all day. Just gotta want it and then make it happen!!
I’m looking for some suggestions on how to design/allocate training sessions for Ironman Lake Placid with only 4 days available a week for training. I currently work 3 days a week (usually 15+ hr shifts as a nurse) so training is out of the questions on those days. The good thing about working crazy long shifts is that I have 4 free days of training. My schedule is usually MWF with Tues, Thurs, Sat & Sun off. How can I condense a normal 6-7 day training program into 4 days?? I have 8:45am to 3:45pm free during the week (kids are at school) so I would like to have training sessions finished up by the time they get home. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
umm YES.
i just think it’s important for you to get plenty of rest after each long day of work.
My girlfriend is a nurse who does shift work and trains 6 days a week for running… 3:07 marathoner. It can be done, and done pretty well.
If I could recommend one thing it would be to at least do a recovery workout, like a 20 minute super easy run on one of your work days, so at least you’re doing something. All those little runs really add up.
You might be looking for a blue print, this is not a blue print.
Tuesday:
Usually all off, work prep etc
Wednesday:
Wake up from shift, usually a longer swim 4-5km with 800’s 1kms
Thursday:
AM: 2-3 hours ride intensity focus, hills sometimes a TT (nap in between work outs)
PM: group track intensity run, about 1:15 with warm up etc then work graveyard.
Friday:
Wake up from shift, swim usually IM pace intervals ie 7-10X400m @ IM pace
Saturday:
AM: “tempo” or above IM pace ride 2-3 hours
Noonish-1pm: 5-15km tempo run
PM: easier swim/recovery/drills set 45 min to 60 min
Sunday:
Longer ride, with 30-60 run after, then nap, then work.
Monday:
Wake up from shift then eat/coffee then long run.
Keep in mind that I was 28 (circa 2000) recovered well, no kids, partner who was away working a lot etc. So I had free reign to train. I also had issues with this program getting a quality long run I could get the miles in but pushing the pace was tough after walking 15-20km with 20 pounds of tools work boots etc. I had a PB of just under 10 hours, the problem was that I had to qualify for IMC at the time and went 4:25 in Victoria, missed my spot and had to race the next week end in Stony Plain (got my spot) so there was a bit of racing in there as well.
For you I think the question is what do the week ends look like? Family time or free pass to train? Also finding the right day of the week to do your long run so you can recover well and still get the other stuff in would be pretty important, (I think this was an issue with the above schedule) also I would suggest saving a few vacation days so you can take a fri/mon off during bigger weeks.
Maurice
Maurice, this is exactly what I was looking for when I posted. I’m hoping more people with similar works schedules can post/share their workout breakdown of s/b/r. i def need some help designing a plan based on my four day schedule. i’m thinking i should run 4 days a week (if not more), 1 longer ride and a med ride and swim twice a week… I def like your idea of taking a day off here and there during the longer training blocks. thanks for the input and please keep the ideas coming.
Well in my opinion this is a pretty ideal situation… Forced rest makes for good sessions and lots of time to train on the off days is just imba. I would knock it off something like this:
Day 1: Long swim 5k+ and then 2h bike with quality work
Day 2: Long bike with offbike run
Day 3: Quality swim and shorter bike, tad longer offbike run
Day 4: Long run, might throw in some quality work such as fast finish etc, extra session in weak sport (if its running do some rehab/flexibility work).
All in all this is 7-8 sessions.
You’ve got to make the most of the time you’ve got = intensity in every workout.
Tuesday:
Swim
Bike Interval workout
Thursday:
Swim
Run Interval workout
Saturday:
Long ride w/ intervals + short T-run
Sunday:
Long Run
M/W/F OFF
You’ve got to make the most of the time you’ve got = intensity in every workout.
Tuesday:
Swim
Bike Interval workout
Thursday:
Swim
Run Interval workout
Saturday:
Long ride w/ intervals + short T-run
Sunday:
Long Run
M/W/F OFF
X2 on this. I completed two Ironman races… One as a night shift RN and one as a day shift RN. Totally doable.
You’ve got to make the most of the time you’ve got = intensity in every workout.
Tuesday:
Swim
Bike Interval workout
Thursday:
Swim
Run Interval workout
Saturday:
Long ride w/ intervals + short T-run
Sunday:
Long Run
M/W/F OFF
One change I would make to this kind of schedule is make Tuesday a long ride and Thursday a long run, so trade what is here on Tuesday and Thursday for the Saturday and Sunday workouts. You are getting good rest before and after those workouts and leaving the weekends when the family may want to see you more open. On a day you are doing a 5 - 6 hour ride there is not much going to happen before or after so the day is shot.
I’d also put a swim day on Wednesday. If you can make it great, if you don’t then no real harm. Helps with swim volume and recovery from the long Tuesday ride.
I would advise against that change. You’re going to sacrifice run interval quality on sunday after threshold work on saturday. Given this is a very low volume schedule, quality needs to be primary importance for stimulating fitness.
You could probably move the long ride to the weekdays and then do a threshold bike saturday/long run sunday. Long run is generally lower intensity and can be done on tired legs.
I’d throw in a short easy run on the short bike day if you can fit it in. Even if only 25-30 minutes.
Send a message to docfuel on the forum and ask him how we planned his training (he won his AG at IMAZ and went on the qualify for Boston, off the bike, in Kona).