IM Training Question (10 months out)

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2010-07-28 9:15 PM

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Subject: IM Training Question (10 months out)

My first Full IM is next year in May 2011.  I am currently "following" the 20 week BT plan .  The plan is a 5 month plan, but the IM is 10 months away.  Therefore, I am not really following it to the T at the moment.  For the most part I am following the S,B,R days, but the time I am putting is much more that what it calls for.  It just seems to little right now, and I don't feel like I get a good workout out of it if I put the recommended time in.  I have completed 3 HIMs and various Olys. 

My question is, should I back off the distance now?  Or should I just keep doing my distance and then start it once 5 months out?  Again, looking at the program 12 weeks in, it is pretty easy for me at this time. 

I just dont want to burn out, so I am looking for recommendations from experienced BTer's that have trained and completed a full.

2010-07-29 6:23 AM
in reply to: #3011218

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Subject: RE: IM Training Question (10 months out)
i think there is a tendancy to start out all gungho after signing up for your first IM.  The trouble is making sure you don't burn out.  10 months is a very long time.  I started training with my coach 10 months before IMFL this year (my first IM as well) and he actually scaled back what I was doing. 

My advice - 1) if the plan you are looking at looks too easy, get another one.
                   2) between now and when you start your plan, make sure that you are a) rested and b) can handle the volume of training in the first couple of weeks with relative ease. 

Take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm not a coach (or an expert of any kind), but my opinion is that if you are doing more than what your plan calls for 20 weeks to IM and you are 40+ weeks from your IM you are doing more than you should and it could bite you in the arse.  (unless you are planning a HIM for the fall and then plan on taking a bit of time to rest and recouperate.)

Edited by Daffodil 2010-07-29 6:24 AM
2010-07-29 7:48 AM
in reply to: #3011463

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Subject: RE: IM Training Question (10 months out)

Daffodil - 2010-07-29 6:23 AM i think there is a tendancy to start out all gungho after signing up for your first IM.  The trouble is making sure you don't burn out.  10 months is a very long time.  I started training with my coach 10 months before IMFL this year (my first IM as well) and he actually scaled back what I was doing. 

My advice - 1) if the plan you are looking at looks too easy, get another one.
                   2) between now and when you start your plan, make sure that you are a) rested and b) can handle the volume of training in the first couple of weeks with relative ease. 

Take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm not a coach (or an expert of any kind), but my opinion is that if you are doing more than what your plan calls for 20 weeks to IM and you are 40+ weeks from your IM you are doing more than you should and it could bite you in the arse.  (unless you are planning a HIM for the fall and then plan on taking a bit of time to rest and recouperate.)

x2 on not burning out.  10 months is a long time training wise, so if you try to have super focused IM training the entire time, you might struggle.  I'm not planning on starting my IM specific training for IMTX until January of February.  Until then I'll train for other stuff and keep improving my fitness, but not with the IM in mind. 

2010-07-29 7:58 AM
in reply to: #3011218

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Subject: RE: IM Training Question (10 months out)
There are a few BT Winter Maintenance plans that are pretty intense that you might like. They are a lot of hours, but they focus on off-season things like strength and core. You could use that for awhile, then maybe move to a HIM plan, then IM plan, or whatever works for you.
'

I do wish there were more 52-week IM plans out there in the world. I haven't been able to find one except for extreme novice ones. It really is something you are thinking about for a year, so why not have a plan tailored to that fact?
2010-07-29 8:28 AM
in reply to: #3011218

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Subject: RE: IM Training Question (10 months out)
bridgeland - 2010-07-28 9:15 PM

My first Full IM is next year in May 2011.  I am currently "following" the 20 week BT plan .  The plan is a 5 month plan, but the IM is 10 months away.  Therefore, I am not really following it to the T at the moment.  For the most part I am following the S,B,R days, but the time I am putting is much more that what it calls for.  It just seems to little right now, and I don't feel like I get a good workout out of it if I put the recommended time in.  I have completed 3 HIMs and various Olys. 

My question is, should I back off the distance now?  Or should I just keep doing my distance and then start it once 5 months out?  Again, looking at the program 12 weeks in, it is pretty easy for me at this time. 

I just dont want to burn out, so I am looking for recommendations from experienced BTer's that have trained and completed a full.



As others said, 10 months of training can be harder on the mind than the body specially since we do this for fun.

I would define your weaknesses, that is the stuff you need to work the most and spend time improving that (i.e. better swim technique, increase run frequency, increase bike power, etc.) and don't do IM specific training right now. Just traing addressing those limiters do some fun stuff like running a half marathon, do an open water swim race, ride a road race or supported ride.

Right now is the time to work on that stuff you won;t once the IM training begins!
2010-07-29 10:38 AM
in reply to: #3011218

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Subject: RE: IM Training Question (10 months out)
There are a few 36 week programs out there.   I started one in January and I am currently in week 28.  36 weeks is a long time, but I don't feel burnt out yet.  My wife may feel a little differently, though.  Going into it, I knew 36 weeks of structured training would be hard on my mentally, so I wasn't as adamant about my training as I am now.  If I missed a workout, no big deal.  I even took weeks 14-15 off for vacationing.  I feel like weeks 1-13 really prepared me for the meat of the training that has started in the last 20 weeks of the plan. 

If, or when, I have it to do over again I will do things a little differently.  I wouldn't consider myself training for an IM until 20 weeks out.   At 20-40 weeks out I would: 1) train my weaknesses.  2) train for another event (half marathon, marathon, etc...) 3) prepare my body to be able to handle the first couple weeks of the plan easily.  I can say that I will not follow a 36 week plan again.

2010-07-29 10:53 AM
in reply to: #3011218

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Subject: RE: IM Training Question (10 months out)
I divide my year up and figure out what I want to work on in each phase.  I'm up north, so I put extra, specific work on running and biking when I have lots of daylight in the summer, and then work swimming back into my schedule with more frequency in the winter.  If your plan is, say, 36 weeks, you can line that up with your event and then use the rest of the year to put emphasis on your weak areas.
 
2010-07-29 12:35 PM
in reply to: #3011218

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Subject: RE: IM Training Question (10 months out)

Thanks, this really helps.  This site just flat out ROCKS!!  I will definaltely scale back and focus on improveing my weaknesses.  I am going to do a couple of sprints, and some half and full marathons along the way as well.  I'll stick to the plan when about 20 weeks out. 

This is going to be a fun and interesting journey.   

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