Just checking in to see what total hour volume people are putting in the week leading up to a half ironman. Not looking for specific breakdown of s/b/r just total hours the week leading up.
For example I am up to around 12-14 hours per week thinking about dropping that down to 3 hours the week leading up the the 70.3; my legs feel a bit gassed.
Eleven.
.
I like to think I’ve nailed down a good template for HIM prep…looking at the training log for my last two HIMs:
Last 7 days (Sat-Fri) = 11:09 & 12:37
Last 5 days (Mon-Fri) = 6:05 & 7:24
These were tapered from peak weeks (Mon-Sun) of 21:06 & 22:36 respectively. Both were Saturday races…both with satisfactory results (all goals achieved). YMMV, of course.
you could just take 2-3 days off before the race and not change your training at all. if you can’t recover in 3 days of rest, you’re screwed anyway
If you’re usually at 12-14 hrs I’d go with around 7-8 hrs leading to the race, just do more of the volume at an ez pace but include the faster paced stuff if you aren’t totally dead to keep your body awake for the race…something like this below for a normal M-F 8-5 job.
M -2-3k EZ swim if you’re tired
T - 1.5- 2 hr EZ aerobic ride
W - 3k swim with some longer intervals (400’s)…only about 50-60% of normal # of reps here + 50’ aerobic run w 3 x 800 meters at 10k pace…
R - 1.5 ride with a couple 10’ (40k-half Iron pace) efforts…if still a little tired keep all the non interval portions of the workout ez’ier than normal
F - 2-2.5k swim with a moderatetely hard set…(10x100 on 5-10" rests) + 30-40’ aerobic run
Sa - EZ spin (30-40’) and possibly light jog 15-20’
Su - Race
Have successfully finished numerous HIM’s using the following - Week prior to race week = 75% of normal volume and race week at about 50% typical volume. Although I decrease volume, I actually increase workout intensity. I have experimented and find my body needs a longer period of decreased volume. Maybe it’s a sign of old age. One of the “cookbook recipes” I have tried is from the book, The Perfect Distance. It has worked for me as well. Good luck.
I train 16-22 hours a week, my final week is as follows (this assumes the previous week was a taper week around 12-14hours).
Monday: Swim 30-45min (2k-2.5k) easy (use alternate strokes such as back/breast/fly to facilitate recovery).
Tuesday: Bike A.M 45min easy spin, Swim P.M 15min dip, Run 20Min very easy…even walk some if you want or elliptical.
Wednesday: A.M Swim 1hr (3-3.5k) tempo w/race pace intervals and a few max efforts. Bike 1:30-45 with race pace intervals followed by 20min race pace tempo run.
Thursday: A.M Run 20-45min easy jog (depending on how you feel), P.M Bike for 45-1:15 easy/very easy (just get the blood flowing and them do some stretching/rolling work).
Friday: (sleep in) A.M Swim 15-20min easy swim with a few brief race efforts (2-4 x100), if i traveled then i will do an elliptical for 15-20 (1k) min to get the blood going and then do stretching/recovery work.
Saturday: (IF i am getting up at 4:30 on sunday i will get up on saturday around 7) A.M Run for 20 easy, stretch/recovery work, eat, cycle around 30-45min very easy, turn bike in, swim for 15-20 min easy with a few pace pickups.
Total hours Training around 6-8. Go by feel, if you at all feel tired do not work out at all, just take another day off. Recovery on monday-tuesday are the most important (get a lot of sleep on those days as well as thursday night).
Thx everyone!
Mike-
I like your taper seems very well thoughtout; 16-22 hours a week is a good workload for a HIM. I’ll use some of your race week routine.
The hay is in the barn.
Is it an “A” race?
That being said…about the same training volume -two week taper (I’m older) with 4 hours of training in the lead up week to an “A” race with the run (longer recovery) earlier in the week.
It says 11, but it’s actually 10…BUT it says 11!!!
Good luck
Not my “A” race, first 70.3 of the season but I stillwant to crush the dreams of my buddy and people in my age group.
The key is that the recovery occurs the week prior, therefore monday and tuesday are your last recovery days and the rest are preparation days. This taper will be too much if you do not come into this well rested. It has worked very well so far.
Doing Muncie next weekend.
Swimming 3 miles for various drills Friday night.
Driving to Indiana on Saturday (14 hours)
Easy 10 mile run Sunday to loosen up.
Easy swim in the Tippy on Monday, then all day with family.
Easy bike ride on Tuesday
Easy run on Wendnesday
Back in the Tippy on Thursday
All day at check in on Friday.
Race
Eleven.
Awesomeness achieved.
Frid: AM swim with a 2200m on the clock, afternoon 30-40 mile bike
Sat: AM swim in open water, 8 mile run on the clock, 20 mile ride in the afternoon
Sun: 56 mile bike and 2-4 mile brick run
Mon: off, massage
Tues: AM swim: 2000m hard with 50’s on the clock, lunch hard 4 miles
Wed: 1000m swim/40 mile bike
Thurs: 6mile run, 20 mile bike easy
Fri: Off-drinking all day! Massage
Sat: Race
Worked for me to go from 1st half: 5:52 to 4th half: 4:57!
Many of those tapers look like a tough week of training to me. I come from a running background so I taper like I would for a marathon: 50% volume 2 weeks out and 25% volume week of race. Keep intensity level high. This might be overkill but I would rather enter my A race over-rested than tired.
I can’t believe that many people can put in decent workouts the week before the race and not feel it after 4-5 hours of racing.