Newbie - College Student from IA
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RV posted 49 weeks ago.
Welcome.
To this point you have not yet competed in a tri of any length?
Can training for an IM be done in the time frame you laid out? Yes it can. Even training to 'just' complete the IM is a very large time commitment. You would need to be building base over the winter and early next year - then get on a good beginner IM training plan.
Will you be doing any other races prior to the IM?
I would definitely recommend doing one or two HIM's.
IMWI is a tough bike course - lots of rollers. You would want to ride the course a couple times if possible - I think you were from Iowa? So that may be possible.
If you are able to put in the time - it is doable. Good luck - let us know how you progress.
RV
It takes a long time to get good. - Scott Molina
Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. - Rich Strauss
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kylie posted 49 weeks ago.
Welcome to the site!
My boyfriend did tris before, some during (I think) and after chiropractic college. I will show him this and perhaps he will comment (you never know :)).
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RV posted 49 weeks ago.
Congrats on a great race!
RV
It takes a long time to get good. - Scott Molina
Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. - Rich Strauss
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IronAdge posted 49 weeks ago.
Wow fast reply, this is great!
I have not competed in any organized tri ever. The extent of my tri experience is a 5k run a short single track bike and a canoe race with laid back transitions.
I have not decided or really looked into any other races prior to the IM. I know of a half IM in Iowa but it is in mid August, not sure if that would be too close to the Madison event, and there is another in early June in MN. I would be very up to competing in a sprint tri - half IM/marathon along the way.
Madison is about 3 hours east of me, I could very easily ride the course several times through my training.
I talked with someone who completed IMWI and he suggested putting myself through something though to prepare for the IM(he rode across IA in 24hrs for his 'pre-IM test'). A half IM sounds perfect.
I have the time and am willing to put it in. Any advise that is willing to be shared as far as scheduling/weekly goals would be great. Not taking anything away from the IM, it makes me smile while sending shivers up my spine, but I have been through my own world of 'hell' in wrestling and am hoping some of that will carry over and help me through to completion.
Also you commented, on training 'just to complete' the IM being a large time commitment and probably tough. However, I do not just want to compete I have a goal to do it in less than 14 hours. I will put in the time.
Thanks for your response!!
“I like a man who grins when he fights.”
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IronAdge posted 49 weeks ago.
kylie;80027 wrote:
Welcome to the site!My boyfriend did tris before, some during (I think) and after chiropractic college. I will show him this and perhaps he will comment (you never know :)).
Wow! That would be great. I have no clue how the balance between keeping up in chiropractic college and training could turn out, so any insight would be appreciated.
“I like a man who grins when he fights.”
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kylie posted 49 weeks ago.
The part of an IM that is really tough is the nutrition and hydration. You need to know what your body will and won't accept when working hard and tired, and know what warning signs of your own body to listen for. A half IM can be a good way to test your plan, but even there if it works the IM can be a whole other beast. Just something to keep in mind.
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RV posted 49 weeks ago.
Also you should take a look at the following two books:
Triathletes Training Bible:
http://www.velogear.com/prodinfo.asp?number=VP+TRI2
and Going Long:
http://www.velogear.com/prodinfo.asp?number=VP+FGL
These will tell you how to prepare and train.
RV
It takes a long time to get good. - Scott Molina
Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. - Rich Strauss
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cayman posted 49 weeks ago.
Welcome to the site and welcome to the wonderful world of triathlon. Your goal is reachable with alot of hard work, both physically and mentally, knowledge is power in this sport.
Find out if there's a tri group on campus, it'll be a good source of information and training partners. Racing is the best experience. Get in as many races as you can, including an HIM if possible--speaking from experience. Fall and early season duathlons are good ways to get in saddle time and the all important bricks.
http://www.trifind.com/ia.html
Below, just some general structure about training. RV mentioned the 2 essential books. You will lean out with the training, but the build and peak phases may come after wrestling season. I'd still check in with your wrestling coach though.
Good luck, man. You will do this!
BASE PHASE: This is a low intensity training phase allowing you to get stronger gradually to avoid injuries further into the season. It is also meant to help you be consistent in your workout – allowing you to adapt your training program into your lifestyle. Since this is an adaptation phase, do not exceed the recommended workout allocations as this will only cause you to burn out or get injured as our training intensities increases. The Base phase has an emphasis on weight training, core exercise and swimming.
BUILD PHASE I: This is a period where Intensity levels are gradually increasing. Swim Drills and track workouts are incorporated into your workout.
ACTIVE RECOVERY I REST 1: Active recovery period. Allow your body to heal and recover. You will enter the next build phase stronger.
BUILD PHASE II: Open Water swimming is incorporated into the workout. Brick workouts Bike/Run are introduced in this phase. Distance and intensity levels are gradually increasing. Weight training is decreased. Track workout is introduced for speed work.
ACTIVE RECOVERY II REST 2: Active recovery period. Allow your body to heal and recover for higher intensity workouts in the peak phase.
PEAK PHASE: Intensities & distance are at its maximum level. You will be race ready at the end of this phase. There is no weight training in this phase. Endurance training allowing you to “Go Long” is emphasized in this phase.
TAPER: Active recovery period. Intensity levels and distances are decreased. Let your body recover so you can race at peak state by the weekend.
john
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
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IronAdge posted 49 weeks ago.
cayman;80098 wrote:
Good luck, man. You will do this!
Thanks so much for all your replies!
Currently I am running, taking a swim class, biking 2-3x a week and will be wrestling for a solid Base Phase. The wrestling is a pretty intense and physical workout for my whole body with numerous 2 a day work outs with sprints and lots of weight training, they don't call us the hardest/insane workers on campus for nothing. This should give me a great base.
I plan on starting the Build Phase come the end of March. As I may have mentioned earlier I have a SS Mountain bike which gives me a pretty good burn, however, the road bike that I use is severely out dated(my Dad used it in his college days). I have some extra money from working this summer and am planning on investing it on a good tri bike but am pretty clueless as to what would be a good starting bike. I plan to put a lot of miles on it, there is a group of guys that ride 2x a week throughout the winter. I love hearing from you all. Thanks again!
“I like a man who grins when he fights.”
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IronAdge posted 49 weeks ago.
So I talked with the LBS today about the differences between a Tri bike and a road bike. Himself having experienced both suggested very strongly a road bike. He said that the tri bike was not made for climbing or going down hills and can be very dangerous due to so much weight on the front tire, inability to turn, and distance from breaks. He also thought that I would not get in as good training here because it was so hilly and that if I were going to get a tri bike I would want to train on level ground. He stressed that I would not want to ride it on any hills. This was kind of shocking to me. He also mentioned that most tri'ers were using road bikes these days but adding aero bars. So that is the extent of my searches on finding a bike. Feel free to chime in :)
“I like a man who grins when he fights.”
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kylie posted 49 weeks ago.
Well while I have also heard that a road bike has better handling, I think that is a bit extreme. I have ridden my tri bike almost exclusively through all my training -- including some very hilly stuff. I've never had an issue with it. Sure, on the steep stuff I keep my hands over the horns instead of staying in the aerobars, but that is a choice to make on that terrain.
Many tri folks are using road bikes with clip on aerobars -- but not all or there wouldn't be so many tri bike options out there now!
I'd say it really comes down to your goals... riding exclusively for/in tris, I think a tri bike is just fine. Doing some group rides you might want a road bike, depending on the group and how serious the rides are.
I'm definitely not a bike authority though :)
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Hello,
Over my numerous web searches I came across this site which I have found to be awesome. A little about myself: I grew up competing on the local swim team every summer from the age of 7 to 18. In a fairly competitive atmosphere I did well as a sprinter, beating several High School state qualifiers, although never going out for the (High School) team because I chose to wrestle in the winter instead. My swimming events consisted of nothing more than 100yd sprints and I have no distance experience other than the 200IM which I remember being very tired at the end of. I like to think I have a fairly good stroke from the years of practice.
I hated to run. Up to this year in my life I have hated to run. This past Saturday did I go out and run the furthest I have ever ran, 10.5 miles(about 85 minutes). Since mid August I have ran around 15-25 miles a week, the first time I have included distance running into my schedule. Something I couldn't do without my music ;)
I love to bike, however I have ridden a road bike only a handful of times but I do mountain bike 2-3x a week on my single speed. I am looking at getting or using an old road bike to start getting in some long rides.
As I mentioned earlier, I wrestled in High School instead of sticking with swimming. I did fairly well placing at state several times and now continue the sport on a very competitive college team. A great atmosphere and sport, most of my conditioning has come from wrestling itself and sprint workouts. Wrestling itself has given me discipline and the right mental state of mind I think I will need to have to complete an Ironman. This year is my senior year, last year when I ended the season my weight ballooned to 215 from 174. However I just lost 30 lbs(since I started running and eating better) and I am now 185 and feeling great.
So here is the thing, I have plans to go to Chiropractic School next year(in July or in October, I haven't decided yet) but I desperately want to finish an Ironman. I can get in the Madison Ironman through the Collegiate Championship Division. I am taking a swimming class from the coach on campus in 4 weeks so I can start getting in the water and I am slowing making more time to do long road rides as well. Wrestling will be coming up, which is very demanding on my body but I want to be active getting in training for the run/bike/swim...all which require different kinds of shapes.
My family is also worried about me also going to my Chiropractic school(a big commitment) in July and finding time to train into the September race, I'm thinking I may hold off school until October to get this thing done.
I am looking forward to conversing with all of you who share the same desire as me, to be and Ironman. Hopefully I can gain some insight on what to do over the winter while balancing wrestling for some good off-season training. And by the time April rolls around I can have a day by day regiment of what to do.
Glad to be here,
Andrew
“I like a man who grins when he fights.”