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First IM Training Plans

bgreinke's picture
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started by bgreinke on April 12, 2009

So after all of the feedback from folks on this site, I'm about 95% sure I'm going to sign up for my first IM later this week (the other 5% is making sure the wife is OK with all of this). The race would be Redman which is 23 weeks out. I'm coming off my third half IM a week ago so I have a decent level of fitness now, but I want to make sure my training plans going forward are adequate.

After looking over the IM plan on this site, I like the idea, but I don't have the free time with a toddler to do multiple workouts per day that many days per week (2/day on 2 weekdays is about all the family situation will allow). As to the weekends, I can get one long workout per day, but 2 is almost unheard of now with the kid. I also have the luxury of having every other Friday off (good for LONG bike rides which the wife is working and the kiddo is at daycare). My plan was to use a slightly modified version of the Level 2 IM plan in Matt Fitzgerald's Training guide. I can get all of the weekly long workouts in, but I need to cut from 9 per week to 8. I can get into details of where I'm planning to cut if anyone cares, but my basic question is, if I'm getting my distance work in, am I going to have an issue come race day by not putting quite as many hours in during the week? Also, if I have to cut, which 3rd workout per week would be the preferred workout to cut? Thanks for the input.

Braden

jonovision_man's picture
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jonovision_man posted 31 weeks ago.

I'm curious to hear the responses... I'm in the same boat (kids!)

Without doubles and with a rest day, I end up with 6 sessions per week. 1 long bike, run, and swim each week, and 1 other bike, run and swim. The shorter bike is where I do my most intensity, the shorter run is in the low zones but hilly (per Friel) and the short swim is all technique and drills.

Kind of simple, but who said it had to be complicated...

jono

projectkendall's picture
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projectkendall posted 31 weeks ago.

I'd alternate the workouts you cut, swim one week a bike the other (depending on your schedule strenghts and weakness etc...)
I've never been a big fan of the double workouts. I've been a quality over quanity kind of guy since going to the longer distances and build quanity through progression up until the race.
My wife and I just had twins, but before I signed up for the two 70.3's we sat down and discussed in great length about my training plan and balancing baby duties.
Now we're about 3 weeks in and although I'm generaly more tired things seem to be going to plan.
Also with that many halfs under your belt, my opinion would be your just about there with your fitness to finish a full IM.
I do 1 big workout each day,
this will be what my biggest week in july will look like going into a late Aug 70.s, but this the final week of a 4 week build period, where the distances and intensities varied according to each weeks goals
Final prep week, everything except Thursday's Swim is to dail in Nutrition and race pace.
Mon-swim/bike (3500 meters/ 44 miles)
Tues-OFF (Unless we can arrange a ez swim and or massage)
Wed- Long Run (15 miles)
Thurs- Swim (4800 m)
Fri-BRICK 44m bike/ 8 mi run
Sat-OFF
Sunday-Long Bike (115 mi)
Keep in mind I get up about 3am now to do the baby stuff then train before work. On Tues and Sat I will take the girls on by myself so my wife can do her stuff...pedicure etc..
Hope it helps

nyfan21's picture
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nyfan21 posted 31 weeks ago.

I have no kids and I just follow the plan but...

I would first ask how long did it take you to finish your HIM's and how did you feel afterwards?
Are you planning on just finishing the IM?

What I have heard is that getting in the long weekend workouts are important and focus more on the bike if you need to cut anything don't cut out on the bike.

burnman's picture
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burnman posted 31 weeks ago.

With the possible exception of sponsored pros, everyone has "life" issues that affect their training schedules. If you want to do the full, you have to commit and sacrifice to accomplish as much as YOU see fit. Otherwise, you're probably setting yourself up for 23 weeks of disappointment. If you do need to make a cut, weigh the relative strength of your disciplines and eliminate the one that needs the least attention (note that I didn't say the weakest link). Let's say that you're an average runner, a mediocre swimmer, and a slightly better cyclist than you are a swimmer. Swimming may be your weakest link, but it is a much smaller component of your day than cycling, and probably requires less attention. Therefore, cutting out a swim workout and putting more time into your cycling will give you a greater overall benefit. The downside to cutting out swim workouts is that they're typically the shortest and will buy you the least amount of free time.

FWIW, I have two kids (3 y/o and 20 mos) + a full time 8-5 job, and I do a LOT of schedule acrobatics to hit my training schedule each week (14-18 hrs). In the periods where the kids are awake, and I'm not at work, I'm with them (not training) 90% of that time. I hit the plan around 60% of the time, and fall short about half as much (usually not by more than an hour). The rest of the weeks, I'm actually able to put in some extra hours. Long story short, it can be done ... just not always easily. Embrace the early morning and late nights.

jonovision_man's picture
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jonovision_man posted 31 weeks ago.

burnman wrote:
Embrace the early morning and late nights.

Yup! Tuck in kids, head to pool. Wake up and run before anyone wakes up.

Only problem is biking, requires sunlight and lots more hours.

jono

TriSooner's picture
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TriSooner posted 31 weeks ago.

bgreinke wrote:
I'm about 95% sure I'm going to sign up for my first IM later this week (the other 5% is making sure the wife is OK with all of this).

Since you'll be doing 100% of the training, that seems to be about the right 'approval' ratio.

bgreinke wrote:
2/day on 2 weekdays is about all the family situation will allow . . . if I'm getting my distance work in, am I going to have an issue come race day by not putting quite as many hours in during the week? Also, if I have to cut, which 3rd workout per week would be the preferred workout to cut?

2-a-days twice a week is plenty. One way to arrange it is to do combo the two events which require the least amount of time: Swimming and Running. So, 30:00 AM swim and 1 hour PM run in one day is still less time than a 2 hour PM cycle. Take your weekday time volume into consideration and try to find the balance there.

You can easily get away with probably 5-6 hours during the week, if the weekends are 'longer' (and by longer I mean during the peak phase you are on the bike for 6hrs on Sat., and 3hr run on Sunday). And on the weekend you really only need one long workout per day (hence the 6 hour bike, 3 hour run). And here's something heretical: Bricks for an Ironman are over-rated. Take it for what it's worth; it's just my opinion from experience. Work on being a better runner, getting as fast as you can get, and developing endurance to cover the entire distance, then worry about those first few hundred meters off of the bike. What good is being comfortable when you first go from bike-to-run if the remainder of your run is miserably slow? So your first 800 meters from T2 was solid. What about the remaining portion? Train for the entire run distance first, then work on the short run from T2 to get your ‘run legs’. It would sound just as silly if someone said they were working on their 'out of the gate' first quarter mile while they struggled to do a :30 5k. You’d probably advise them that if they really wanted to improve, they should work on overall speed first before they worry about a finishing kick. So, don't get bogged down worrying about how you are going to manage putting in a run after your long bike if family responsibilities preclude that. Your legs will be dead enough the next day that you will get the idea of what it will be like.

And finally, nix the swim as your third weekly session. (And if you have been - up to this point - hitting the gym for weight sessions, that goes too.) Overall training time typically falls into the 50% bike, 30% run, 20% swim ratio, so the swim gets the short stick anyways, so you can pick up the distance in the other two weekly swims. Also, as I'm sure you can tell, a good 2.4 mile swim is 1hr; a good 112 mile bike is 5hrs, so you can clearly see the swim takes way less time.

bgreinke's picture
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bgreinke posted 31 weeks ago.

Thanks. As some have already mentioned, I'm already doing the 4 AM (before the kid wakes up) and 8 PM (after he's in bed) workouts. Thank God for the bike trainer or I don't know how I'd get any hours in there during the week.

The way the plan sets up already has biking on one day and the swimming and running the following day (same thing TriSooner said). Odd weeks have long bike, run, and swim on the weekends which I'd get all three in. On even weekends the plan has brick workout on one day with the other day having another run or bike (rotates) that is slightly longer than the bike or run that's part of the brick on the other day. Where I'm kind of leaning at this point is cutting the third swim on the odd numbered weeks and cutting the 4th run or bike on the even weeks and keeping the bricks. Most of the these aren't short runs but 45 min - 1 hour runs...a good overall workout not just focusing on the immediate transition period after the bike (maybe that'll be good maybe not). So in the even weeks I'll still get three bikes and runs, the volume will just be a bit lower than during the odd weeks. And since every 4th week is a recovery week anyway, I think this makes sense.

Braden

Delaneys_Dad's picture
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Delaneys_Dad posted 31 weeks ago.

I have a three year old daughter and am a single dad so I hear ya about time.

Currently my workout schedule consists of the following:
Mon-Friday
5:00 AM 5-10 mile run
8:30 PM 2 Hr Bike on Trainer
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Long
I mix it up here with Bricks and long runs and bikes.

During the week at work I close my office door and sneak in some core excersizes and theraband workouts.

Hey it isnt perfect but I still think I can be ready for my IM in late November.

I was a distance swimmer/breaststroker in College so I can cheat on the swimming side until a couple months before the race.

Anton's picture
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Anton posted 31 weeks ago.

+1 to cutting the third swim. I've done three, heading for 4 IM's and a dozen HIM's on two swims a week.
My time is a mid pack 1:20 for IM and :40 HIM. If you are bound and determined to be closer to 1:00 you'll have to go with more swims.
As to IM's I think: "The more time on the bike, the better you'll like."
And don't obsess. If you miss a workout once in awhile to be with the spouse or kids let it go. Don't worry about making it up. As long as it's only "Once in awhile" you'll be aces.

"If e wishes to sweem in dangerous waters, oo are we to deny im?
-Chef Skinner
http://antonspath.blogspot.com

macker's picture
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macker posted 30 weeks ago.

I have done 2 IMs with 1/day workouts (2 young kids, job, wife etc). 11:42 IMLP and 12:45 Kona (lottery). During the week, I would do a maximum workout of 2 hours. Long stuff on weekends.
I would usually do 2 swims a week, sometimes 3 but I knew i would not get a lot of benefit from an extra swim (mabye a minute of 2 over an IM) whereas another run/bike would be better (for me anyway). 3 or 4 runs, 3 bikes.
Typical week:
Monday - Swim and Run, (4-6mile run)
Tuesday - Bike (up to 2 hours)
Wednesday - Mid-distance run, up to 12-13miles toward the end, but lots of 5-10s
Thursday - Bike/Run, ie 1 hour ride, 5-7mile run Brick
Friday - Swim and short run
Sat - Long Bike - 2-5 hours
Sun - Long Run - 2-3 hours

TryScott's picture
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TryScott posted 30 weeks ago.

jonovision_man wrote:

Only problem is biking, requires sunlight and lots more hours.

jono


Trainers are an option, but I'm more of a fan of riding with lights. Hardly any traffic at 4:00am.

brittda's picture
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brittda posted 30 weeks ago.

TryScott wrote:
jonovision_man wrote:

Only problem is biking, requires sunlight and lots more hours.

jono


Trainers are an option, but I'm more of a fan of riding with lights. Hardly any traffic at 4:00am.

+1 to the head light. I have a Night Rider and an additional one that blinks (and a flashing tail light). All you need.

macker's picture
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macker posted 30 weeks ago.

It's funny, I hate riding in the dark..I am actually scared (I know what a P*@!*) so I would do my 4.45am rides on the trainer...even some for 3 hours!...but I would also do an hour on the trainer sometimes and once it got light, hit outside...