some thoughts on IM

[robreddy]

so lately i have been talking with the Wisconsin-Westside Three (Rob, Dave & Tim) about IM training and prep. All great stuff and soo helpful for me to tink through. Most has been on training and schedules, but this also go me thinking through some other things. I know many folks are getting into the base phase of their LC training as we speak.

So just to share here is an email I was putting together......

so i know you are getting far more than you all probably wanted -
but.... now i'm starting to think and plan for next year in some
seriousness, started regular training this week and talked w jim
lamastra monday night which got me geeked up a bit.....

with too much time to think while i swam at lunch i remembered some more stuff that i know i need to focus on. don;t really care how many IMs you have done - each is very difficult to prepare for and in the end to be even moderatly successful you can;t fake your way through the preparation.

training plans are fantastic, they look so pretty on paper - but to be honest they are only a part of what makes you successful. to be able to execute the plan and do all the other things to prepare for IM here are some of the things i know i need to refocus on during my base and into my build phases (even more stuff will come in the build and race prep phases).

1. ROUTINE - i have to be sooo consistent in almost everything I do from training to work to social and life in general. i gotta get into a pattern so that i can go week by week with very few interruptions and almost live on auto piolit (sp??) this can be really tough and takes a lot of planning. as i get more and more into the season more and more tough choices have to be made and some sacrafices choosen.

2. NO REST DAYS - my build has none - not necessarily the smartest idea - but i have done this for a long time and have gone upwards of 150 days straight training so it is nothing new. not sure this is what i would recommend for everyone - and i know i have to watch my self carefully and NOT be afraid to take a day off when i need it. that is somehting i have made a mistake on in the past.

3. SOCIAL LIFE - winter is when i have tended to have the largest/busiest social life beyond my general tri firends and the type of things we all do together. this year Brazil is a bit early - so i need to temper the socal stuff a bit earlier than last year - still you gotta have some fun now as once the true build starts social stuff really tapers off. i have found building a good network of tri friends who also like to be social in the ways i am is a great thing - these people dont party as hard and understand when you leave early or bail.

4. EATING - i know you guys are far more knowledgable than i on this one and have far better plans. i love to eat and honestly cant figure out/dont have the time to figure out a very technical eathing plan. here are the things i have to focus on.....

eat more grilled chicken, some fish and steak - buy
high quality food
more fruits - three or more pieces every day
more water - i hate drinking water
no fast food at all - i'm pretty good on this all the
time but still
more whole grains when possible
cut out additional eating after dinner - middle of the
night snacks
cut back on eating out (v hard for me)


5. SLEEP - my sleep has sucked for the past year or more - got to work to get 8 hours a night - and that needs to bounce up even more when build starts. in IM training i really believe you cant get enough sleep - this is when you really recover

6. "OTHER" LIFE STUFF - kids, family, business travel, GFs - all that stuff needs to be delt with directly - find times and places for
everything but also let these folks know what is going on.

7. RACING - i'm of the belief that all other racing is just some form of training - short racing is detrimental and you gotta be willing to get beat by folks you know you are better than to have a really big performance at IM - in general racing is limited and has a far larger purpose than simply doing the race. always working on some part of IM during other races. Check your ego at the door

8. HEALTH/INJURY FREE - what is the saying prevention is worth a pund of cure. well when you are IM training prevention is worth a ton of cure. I do everything in my power to not get sick - that means staying away from snoth nosed kids (my own included), holding my breath when someone sneeses or coughs around me, getting sleep, eating rite, staying away from alcohol 9swear alcohol makes you sick - breaks down the ammune system) - really what ever it takes. And once sick I do everything in my power to get better BEFORE kicking the training back up. Same things goes for injuries - try to avoid them at all costs which means lot of preventative maintance cause i'm getting old (swimming can be the #1 preventative maintance activity if done correctly IMO). For both these items there is a lot that can be said for once you are sick or hurt giving your self the proper time to RECOVER - think all of us get back into the training way to fast.

9. NETWORKING - when you do IM IMO you need an enormous support system in a variety of ways. No one person can provide all the help you need. developing a network fo people you can talk to, train with, get information from, complain to - what ever is very important.

SOOOOO - how about some discussion??? what do people think - ideas, opinions, suggestions, debate - Buller Buller Buller

r

[Aussie Rob]

I'm not sure i have much value to bring in this thread as i still consider myself a newbie after only 1 season, but here's what i do know (even if its not enlightening).

1. GROUP TRAINING - helps me enormously. It keeps me honest, motivated, and makes training fun when it would otherwise get monotonous. That said....

2. DON'T BE AFRAID TO DO YOUR OWN THING - if i have to break from the group, i will. Last season was very generic in terms of training for me, but this year is going to be much more specific. IT might mean i don't swim on monday nights with the club, or i have to turn back early/lag behind on saturdays long run because the groups pace is taking me out of my target HR zone (d**n this new contraption! )

3. TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH TOO SOON - just don't do it. I tried, and now im carrying an injury i constantly worry about, and have no idea how long it will take to get better. Dumb dumb dumb....i wish i could have fall back so i could have avoided this.

4. MOTIVATION - remember why you're doing this. I tell myself why every morning when i trudge down to the pool at 6am when i could be sleeping till 8. I am NOT a morning person.

I'm going to find it hard not to race just for fun this season. I know everything has to be geared to Moo, but i really want to try and hammer some races this year, and i really want to do GCT HIM. I wasn't ready last year, and although i met my sub 6 goal, i feel like i could smash that time this year. It's 4 weeks out from IMMoo, and theoretically i could do it, then begin a 4 week taper....but i fear that the unseen or unfelt toll will stay hidden until about mile 5 of the IM marathon. That's my biggest worry. I'll miss the sprints too....i think they're just pure fun.

[JenCollister]

With only 1 Ironman under my belt, I'm hardly an expert, but I do live with a 7-time Ironman, so can offer some perspective. I think Rob Reddy's comments are very on-point.

The key to my success was consistency. I rarely missed a scheduled workout. I did take one day off a week, because I needed both the mental and physical break, but then I got back to it.

Matt and I also get sports massages from N. Chagrin Sports Medicine (Kristen B.) every 4 weeks. She's a pain nazi, but keeps me going. When I had the ITB trouble, I went to Dr. Torzok who would work his magic, but also set me up with orthotics to correct the bend of my leg.

I also believe in making sure that if you have to miss workouts that you never miss the key workouts. For me, key workouts were the longer stuff. It is where I practiced nutrition and enhanced my endurance.

For the most part, I avoided group workouts, because I just didn't have time to drive all over town. More drive time = less sleep time and sleep is definitely an IM athlete's friend. However, I did schedule group workouts near me that I could tailor to my specific needs. Consider it. We always need new training leaders.

Oh, and I agree with Rob R. that not every race can be hammered. There is value to racing, because it preps your mind and forces you to practice transitions, but hammering can lead to injuries or a flat A race.

Okay, enough of my $.02.

[Nathan]

Of course what Rob Reddy has said is very beneficial so I won't bore you with anything more. I will just give a personal example.
After finishing IMFL the first week of November 2007, I took 6 weeks off and did nothing but swim on weekends. By the time I got back into a consistent running routine, it was January 1st and I knew I would have to accelerate my days and weekly miles to be ready for the Miami Marathon. Well, I have not pushed past 30 miles a week, nor more than 14 miles at a time. Nor more than 3 days a week. And I have been slower with each passing week. Bottom line - I'm not physically ready to finish the race well so I am not doing it (not that it matters, but I did not even sign up for it). For me, completing a race makes no sense, if in doing so, you risk an overuse injury.

Long story short - listen to your body and don't rush back into training. Accelerating too fast will lead to injury and might just ruin your year. I've back off on the weekly miles and am once again getting faster. And I am injury free which is the important thing.

[m gorris]

Some good stuff here Rob et al

Regarding point #6, I might be able to offer some words of wisdom for those of you with a spouse/family. Find ways to incorporate your spouse and/or children into "some" of your training. Obviously, you are going to have some key workouts that can not and should not be missed. Many of these will be long in nature and leave you pretty spent post workout. There really is no place for anyone on these days except yourself and your training partners

However, both Lisa and I have found that making some of our workouts family affairs really helps to keep a balance.

Two examples:
3 week days a week Lisa is at home with the kids. Spring through Fall she takes them on what she calls an "adventure." We live close to the towpath, so she will load 'em up in the double jogger or put the youngest in the single jogger and oldest on his bike. They take off for a "destination" that can be anything from the towpath bridge to drop homemade boats off of, ice cream store down in Massillon or even something as simple as the Citgo gas station up the street. Whatever the destination, their is always something fun in it for the kids. Does Lisa get in the best workout? Heck no; lots of stopping to wait for our son on the bike, pushing him up steep hills, slow pace pushing the jogger, potty breaks...you name it. At the end of the day she still is doing something and it usually takes up a good portion of the morning, and a good portion of the "workout" can be beneficial to ones overall fitness

#2 Mountain Biking
This is one we do a lot of. Many of our vacations revolve around the mtb's and trailers/trail gator. We can get in a vaca and some fitness all in one
I remember one day a few years back, training for IMFL . Had a 60mile/ 3 hour road ride scheduled. Beautiful Fall day, had been training pretty long the previous few weekends. Well, instead of my long ride solo, I decided to change to a family mtb ride. Still went 3 hours, towing my son and supplies for picnic. Was it a 3 hour road ride tucked in the aero position on my finely tuned tri bike? Again, absolutely not. Once again, though, at the end of the day did missing that one ride really kill my training? I would guess no, and the 3hrs on the mtb wasn't like a walk in the park either.
I also find that when I feel like I am spending too much time away on weekends doing a long ride I can half my road ride and spend the other half later in the day with the family out on the mtb's.
I guess it is all about balance but with a little imagination it can certainly be done
Good luck on your training all you 140.6/70.3ers

[Aussie Rob]

I mothballed my mtb last summer in favor of the road bike. I'm going to bust it out every other weekend this summer. I love it, (and spent way too much money on it, cost more than double my road bike) for it to sit unused again.

Reckon it's a useful IM training tool? Please say yes!

[Jack Carney]

I have found that having a coach helps me because although I am disciplined in my training I find I almost never skip a workout when I am sending in to someone for review. I also don't have the time or skills to design a good program for myself. I rarely get in the group workouts as I am an early morning and evening guy who gets them in around my work and kid schedule. I have learned a ton from this forum and the many knowledgeable people who post here. I also value the races I do and they are the best way to judge your fitness and test your nutrition and race plans.

I have taken a big break after IM MOO and hope it hasnt been too long. I have had a crazy life both personally and business wise and I am having a much harder time this year getting workouts in although right now I am starting in earnest my program leading to IM Louisville.

Social life? What is that?

[MattCollister]

You definitely have to deal directly with your GFs. All of them.

[MattCollister]

Cross training?

I've become sort of a born again weightlifter in the last several months. It's nothing complicated. Bench presses, overhead presses, squats, deadlifts and cleans and power cleans. Moving a lot of weight around. 5-10 reps to max. That, combined with a lot of calisthenics. Pushups, pullups, dips, situps, kettlebell, etc. And weekly yoga.

I am beginning to feel better than I have in years. Strong again. I am running very comfortably, including my longer runs.

[Charlie]

Bike maintainance.-Learn it. take time for it.
We spend LOTS of hours riding. giving 1/2 of an hour a week Keeping the chain clean, checking cables, tire ware, and so on can prevent lost training time.

[m gorris]

Rob
By all means bust out the mtb!!! Of course, the long training rides still need to be done on the road/tri bike, but mixing in the mtb for a 2-3 hr ride on occasion won't hurt. You should get a nice crossover effect. If you take you mtb off road, your bike handling and pedaling skills will definitely get an upgrade

Matt
Boy, I could not agree with you more. I used to "throw the weights" around 2-3x's a week year round. Also did core work 3-4x's a week. With all the long distance training the past few years I let this aspect of my training slip to next to nothing. Guess what happened last year.....INJURED!! Coincidence...not sure, but being north of 40 I am not taking chances and have re-discovered the joy of weights/core work