What is the typical weekly training for IM?

[watchman]

I am curious what the typical training week is like for someone preparing for the ironman.

How many days per week ?
How many hours per day?
What is the percentage breakdown between Swim, Bike Run?
For how many months before the event?

I am just going to do Sprint and Olympic this year just wondering.
I have no idea so I thought I would ask.

mike

[karming]

I assume you are asking as you might be contemplating adding long distance racing in your future.

I think that your question will have a highly variable response depending on whether you believe in building a long slower base (more traditional thinking, I think) and then add intensity or whether you believe in more intense sessions then add distance.

When I trained for IMWI and currently for IMKY, I make it a goal to get in about 5-7 bike/runs per week and 1-2 swims per week (although this didn't always happen). I realize that it should be more swimmiing (as I don't have a great, or even average, swimming background). This typically will be 6 days/wk training and for me started about 11 months (which I found was too long- probably 7-9 months if you have the base so as not to get burned out mentally). Anyways time wise I am a total convert to less is more. My workouts are typically 45-60 minutes in duration and of high intensity (near but below LT) during the off season. This entails about 7.5 hours per week. About 10 weeks out which is typically when outdoor riding becomes more a reality, I up my time to about 10.5 hours per week (with a high of 12 hours) as I incorporate 4-6 hours rides.

When I first thought of doing an IM distance race, I did some research and was somewhat scared when I saw that people would train for up to 15-20+ hours per week. But I'm actually proof that it doesn't have to be that way. I believe that Mark Gorris is of the same school as I am as we used the same coach.

Hope that helps and good luck.

[Aussie Rob]

I'm a newb when it comes to IM, but here's what im doing right now.

6 days a week, twice a day, 3 swims, 3 rides, 3 runs, 3 weights. Three weeks up, one week down. All fairly low intensity stuff (base) with 1 run being 'long' and one ride being 'longish'. Totaling anywhere between 10 and 12 hours a week right now.

Ill be in this mode until April.

[watchman]

Rob
What does that mean 3 weeks up and 1 week down?

also twice a day? How does it breakdown?

alos How long is long?

When is the swim, bike , run fit in ?
can you list a typical week ?

yes I am think about it maybe for next year

mike

[JenCollister]

Last year, a typical week would be:

Monday - day off
Tuesday - 1 hr - 1.5 hr swim in AM, 1 hr bike in PM
Wednesday - 1 hr - 1.5 hr swim in AM, 45-60 min run in PM (before June, I also lifted weights for 30 minutes at lunch)
Thursday - 1 hr bike in AM, Yoga in PM
Friday - 1 hr-1.5 hr swim in AM, (lifted weights at lunch)
Saturday - 3-6 hour bike ride followed by 30-60 minute run
Sunday - 2 hour run

I'm sure you can do it with less time especially if you have a large base, but I had the time to give and needed the confidence boost. If you aren't going to hire a coach which is fine, you may want to invest in some Ironman training books.

[Aussie Rob]

My weeks look like this.

Monday - AM Swim 60-90mins, PM Ride 60mins
Tuesday - AM Weights, PM Run 45-60mins
Wednesday - AM Swim 60-90mins, PM Ride 60-90mins
Thursday - AM Weights, PM Run 45-60mins
Friday - AM Swim 60mins, PM Ride 60mins
Saturday - AM Run (60-100mins), Weights.
Sunday - Off.

This will all change when the weather breaks and i get into my build phase. Ill incorporate a wednesday fast group ride, bricks, long rides, longer runs etc....but i don't know how that will look on paper yet.

A "down" week is a relaxed week with lower volume etc. Typically around 7 hours of easy stuff a week, but the schedule stays the same.

[TimAckley]

Jen mentioned some books to look at which I think is a really good idea also... Before I did my first Ironman I read alot of books.. My favorite book was and still go back to from time to time is....

"Going Long" Training for Ironman-Distance Triathlons... by Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn

I put together myself my first training plan for the IM distance using this book.. and still use it, but it has been modified a few times...

[benmiralia]

Lots of theories, but everyone agrees on one thing. One day off a week. Also, the general rule is that it is better to be 10% undertrained than 1% overtrained. I am also a big fan of distance then speed. In all my years of running every elite athlete I spoke with gave the same response.

[watchman]

Ben

excellent thoughts

I like the Undertrain10% verses overtrain 1%

mike