First Half Ironman - Workouts Per Week

Just finished my 1st HIM earlier this month low MOP for AG (50+ male non-athlete 6'/168#).  Had done several tris of sprint-Oly distance. 
Total volume in 6 mo was roughly:
75,000M swim
1450mi bike (but I've got many years of solid endurance riding base)
280mi run

Looking back at my logs (not posted on BT unfortunately) I generally did 2-3 workouts/wk per sport.  IMHO that was minimal training.  Poor pacing during event (high Z3 ave HR on bike/Z4 ave HR run), but I was gassed in last 1/3rd of the run fighting leg cramps. 

IMHO- 3 workouts/wk in each sport is not excessive.  HIM distance requires respect from most less-experienced triathletes.

I don't have a lot of experience like Oldteen but I did training for all my life. I was in the army and train a lot for international competition in the army. I can tell you it's usual to train 6 days a week. We have, in triathlon, to be good in 3 different sports and be good in all of them. If you only check a guy who like to run a marathon, he will run 5 days a week and more. In triathlon usually we train 3 times in each sports and do weight training and core. That's a lot of time. Only to cross the finish line that's a good chalange and to finish in the middle of the main group that's an extra. Ask a runner or swimmer or biker and tell them you like to be good in that sport and train only 3 times a week and they will tell you it is a good thing but not enought to be good. In triathlon that's a good training for us. Less than that, you will be able to do sprint, maybe Oly but for an Half or Iroman you have to train more seriously. I did triathlon in 1990 to 1994 and stop after that. I start again this year and it's rough. I'm not nervous but I like to be at the same level I was when I left competition and that is impossible. To much time to do nothing and lost a lot of cardio. I will be back but I try to train 6 times a week 3 times in each sports plus core and weight training. I don't think is to much.

Did my first HIM on 4 bike/3 run/1 swim per week.  No rest day.  Finished in 5:36 (age 48).  Had done 2 Olys and 3 sprints previously.  Bike was far and away my limiter...good runner...used to swim on HS team, but not seriously for 30 years (swam around :34 on race day off that one swim per week).

3/3/3 sounds right, if not light. It all depends on your starting fitness and your personal capabilities.

I had decent st?a?r?t?i?n?g? ?f?i?t?n?e?s?s?.? ?At 51, f??or my first HIM, I swam maybe 6-8 times total in the six m?onth?s? prior to the race, and did maybe 10-12 bike rides. However, I had done some mediocre training for a marathon I ran a month prior to the HIM. I'm not a great swimmer, but I can maintain a steady pace for a long distance. I just worked my way up to the race distance, did it a few times and figured it was enough. I had biked extensively for many years and had a very solid base, so I didn't train much there. I did a few longer rides to figure out nutrition, and some short brick runs off those rides to see how well the nutrition worked. My marathon training was less than stellar. During the marathon I got some huge blisters on my feet that caused me to only be able to run 4 times after that race until the HIM. Still, I set a reasonable goal of breaking 6 hours and had no trouble making the goal. Prior to doing the HIM, I had done considerably more than ?the race distances many times, so it was just a matter of doing them all on one day.? ?

I am training for my first half and I'm doing 3 sessions of each sport per week plus weight training and core. So far my distances are still quite low so it's not a huge time commitment yet. However, closer to the event as I build up my distance (and time) I will probably do less weights and core and focus on cycling, running and swimming.

Thanks everyone for the advice.  I think I will stick to 3/3/3 (plus strength and core training) and see how that goes.  As far as over training is concerned, I'm pretty sure (at least for me) it's synonymous with inadequate sleep.  I just really need to piece everything together at this point - stick to the training program, follow the prescribed intensities, watch my nutrition, get enough rest, etc, etc...

Based on what I have read on this site and some people I trust if something has to give it should be your strength training.  I am also doing 3/3/3 right now, though sometimes only swim twice a week.  I would love to strength train as I really enjoy it but I honestly don't have the time or energy for it right now and know the s/b/r is most important.

I use plans from that book, and found that they work very well for me.  I used "level 4" for my two hIM's, and am using "level 3" for my current IM training.

no background here and i went to a bridge 12 week plan from BT.  finished in 5:40.  run was my limiter i didn't do enough of it.

if you can swim the distance comfy, highly recommend working on bike & run.

nrodrigo, you have a good book in my opinion.  I did my first half IM last year (Longhorn 70.3) and used the level 6 plan I believe.  I finished towards the front of the pack in my age group I think (30 to 33%).  My plan called for 4 bikes a week (usually a bike on Friday that I always skipped due to family time).  So I did the 3/3/3.  Very rarely did I miss workouts and if I had to miss my long weekend workouts I made them up on Monday and Tuesday and just carried on with the rest of the weeks plan.  Make sure you have fun training, that is what it is all about and you are right about making it to the finish line.  My first IM was going to be IMLou this year but due to a bike wreck on 6/30 I had to have shoulder surgery and am out.  Oh well I will make another stab at it next year.

I've done mostly Olympics and am planning to do my first HIM next year.

I see lots of people are saying 3/3/3. I don't understand why you'd possibly want to swim more than once per week? I used to swim once a week in training for sprints and Olympics and realized that, since I'm comfortable in the water, that was a waste of time. This year I only swam every few weeks while biking and running more and it worked to great benefit - my swim times were the same and my bike times improved solidly.

If you've done Olympics before, a HIM swim is not much longer. Why spend hours in the pool to improve your swim by a few minutes when those hours on the bike can improve your time tens of minutes?

I aim to finish the HIM in the 5:45 area - the swim in the 40 minute area. That's about 10% of the race. Why spend 33% of my workouts on swimming? Or if you're working out about 10 hours per week for a HIM, why spend more than 10% of your time (an hour) on swimming?

Assuming you are comfortable in all 3 sports - focus on where you can make the most improvement.

I am using typically 3 or 4 swims, 3 bikes and 3 or 4 runs.  Why swim so much someone asked?  I just learned to swim late last year, and to go 1.2 miles would destroy my day if I don't get more comfortable in the water.  I'm not necessarily training the swim to get much faster, but to get through the swim with less effort.

If someone has a background in one of these disciplines, you could probably get away with less - I saw someone pulled a 34 minute swim on one swim a week.  Good luck for a total noob like me even finishing the swim on one swim a week!  I know a few ex-marathon friends who can do minimal running and still post 1:45 on the HIM, but that's also not me.  With zero background in any of the disciplines, the equation changes and you have to do the miles.

At this level of training, you also have to make the workouts count.  I've read the junk miles thread and it's interesting, but I don't currently have the time in my life to add much more training without some family stress - a trade off I am unwilling to make.

To keep from drowning.  But that's just me.

If you're an experienced triathlete, which you should be if you're contemplating a HIM or greater, I don't see why drowning should be a legitimate concern.

Once you've done 10, 15 or 20 triathlons, even if you aren't the fastest swimmer, you should be able to get in the water and swim for an hour without issue.

If you're uncomfortable with the swim for a HIM, then fine, go ahead and swim more, but I certainly don't think regular swimming is essential for a strong, safe or fun HIM experience.

Well since this is beginnertriathlete.com, there are many here who are inexperienced, even going into a HIM.
Drowning or simply struggling through the swim is definitely a legitimate concern and shouldn't be taken lightly, IMO. Especially when most HIMs are open water mass starts... something most of us don't get to practice every day.

I believe a lot of it comes down to the fact that going for a swim (driving to a pool or lake, shower before, shower after, change of clothes, etc.) takes a lot more effort than walking out your front door for a run or a ride. I understand that, but would rather see people put in the effort than struggle through a 1.2-mile swim.
 

I think it depends upon how comfortable he is in the water.  If he's very comfortable covering the distance I could see going 2/4/3 instead of 3/3/3 but one thing to consider is that you can often swim when you shouldn't be running and maybe not biking either. You can often swim on days that are theoretically rest days from bike or run.

But a lot of folks aren't that comfortable doing a 1.2 mile open water swim, especially if it's their first HIM.  In those cases it's beneficial to continue to improve in the swim, not so much to be faster in the water but rather to be more efficient and get out of the water having wasted less energy (including less nervous energy).

Completely agree that if someone isn't comfortable with the swim they should practice swimming. My general complaint, outside just the context of this post, is that if you're doing a HIM or IM how are you not comfortable with the swim by now? Way too many people do HIM or IM before they are ready. The number of people who make a HIM or IM their 1st, 2nd or 3rd triathlon or something similar is just dangerous and always unbelievable.

Lastly, very good point that when the legs are sore, swimming is great exercise and a pseudo rest day.

i read your responses and thought of this many times.  why do i do workouts swimming 2000-3000 yrds 3 times a week. 

i think there are a couple of points one is being more efficient.  not a drowning issue or anything else issue. 

i don't know what you swam in an olympic distance but if i can efficiently swim 22-24 min olympic swim, that saves alot of energy for the rest of the stuff.  same goes for HIM and IM distance.

also for a shorter race, you will never simply win AG unless you can swim...i just did a sprint and came out of water 5th, ended up 5th, i could never make up the time.

I am using the Fitzgerald Plan right now for a Nov HIM and am using the L10 option.  It is 4/4/4 with a rest day on Monday and I still feel like sometimes I could be doing more.  I am guessing you are doing L1-L3 based on your OP and if you are following it as designed there is no way you will be "overtrained".  The L1-L3 plans usually peak at around 10hrs/week and at that volume overtraining is not even in the realm of possible.  If you are fatigued it is more than likely from poor nutrition and/or lack of sleep.   Something to think about...



 

Fully agree with this post...total newbie here with a modrate running background. I have done a few short races and doing my first HIM on 31 Oct. 6 weeks into base training my plan is 2 swim / 4 bike / 2 run...I am weak at swim and bike. My coach has got be to focus on bike at the moment - but then swithch a bit more to swim...

My main objective is to complete well - not necessarily with a time in mind...

I suffer a bit from performance anxiety - where if I haven't spent much time on a discipline - I'm not sure I can do it! So i need to do all three in parallel...

Good luck! 

There were several posts recently from people who were humbled by the HIM distance. It's a long day and a long race, and the training should reflect that. Just because it's half of IM distance doesn't mean it's not a grueling day !