Beginner 1/2 Ironman Plan Group (Page 48)

DV 1 - 2011-02-28 8:22 PM 1. Welcome new posters! Nice to hear you're out there and enjoying the process. Lot's of questions and energy in this "beginner" thread :-)

2. By all means modify training plans to meet your needs. If you have the right attitude, your modifications won't jeopardize the plan....they may even help if you modify up!

3. Decided today, after about six hours of research online about IT bands, Bicep Femoris issues, hamstring issues, etc... and combining that with my visit to the ortho doc, triathlete accounts online and my gut feeling about the issue I'm having..... to fight this battle head on.

     First - it's gonna take a few more weeks of seriously modified training (no real running, light spinning, lots of swimming)
     Second - that may do the trick, and it may not. Either way, it's the logical starting point.
     Third - these next few weeks are going to include more stretching and hammy/glute/hip exercises than I've ever done before. As far as I can tell, 9 times out of 10, IT band or bicep femoris issues are the result of imbalances somewhere in the muscular structure/length of the large muscle groups in the legs. So balancing and strengthening these seems to be the go-to first step in PT. Combined with massage therapy, that's a good place to start. 
     Fourth - massage therapy 3 times a week

I feel a combination of really pissed, really sad (like almost crying sad), and encouraged that it will heal. I'm really...REALLY... playing it safe with this issue. It's such a MINOR, dull pain that most people woulld probably just say HTFU and train right through. Lots of my research said DO NOT DO THIS.

Staying positive - 2500 meter swim tonight followed by an hour of P90X stretching and another hour of isolated glute/hammy/IT band/Hip and Calf stretching. Now enjoying a glass of wine!

Train on everybody. The season is here for some, and rapidly approaching for the rest of us. I can't wait to start hearing how everybodies HIM's go this year! Mine is Aug 14th. Three weeks until Week 1 of my 20 week plan begins - woo hooooooo

JoePetto - 2011-03-01 6:55 AM 

other than a desire to see how far I can push myself. 

fifetriguy - 2011-03-01 6:53 AM

Hi Pops.  Yes I love living in Scotland.  As well as Tri I am 175 through the 283 mountains over 3000ft (we call them Munros).  I am planning to do the Aberfeldy HIM which is in highland Perthshire.  The swim is in a Loch. 

popsracer - 2011-03-01 10:45 AM Aren't you afraid of swimming with that monster? Oh wait, that's a different Loch.

fifetriguy - 2011-02-27 8:42 AM Fifetriguy from Fife Scotland.  53 going on 23 depending who you listen too.  First dabbled in tri in late 80's!!  Now back and loving it!!!  HIM this year and hopefully a full next year.

wcocco - 2011-02-28 11:13 AM Hi everyone, I have been reading the posts for awhile now, but since I officially started the 20week plan today for my half IM in July I thought I would introduce myself. I have only done two previous sprint triathlons prior to this, but I feel I'm ready for the challenge. My swimming has come a long way, last year at this time I couldn't even swim one length of the pool, I couldn't run more than 5-10 minutes at a time. Over the wknd I'm proud to say I did a 7mile run, and I swam around 1850yds this morning, so yeah I feel I'm ready...I do have one question for anyone who cares to answer, I'm doing a half marathon in May. I recently got my lactic acid levels tested by a friends coach, and he suggests running 4 days a week until the half marathon . I just don't know if I should cut another workout, I was thinking if cutting a swim, but after this morning I was thinking maybe not . I'm a single mom, who gets plenty of help from family, but I don't want to push my luck if you know what I mean. At this point, I guess my time on the races is not as important as just finishing them. So what do you all think, should I try to fit all 4 runs/week with the plan or should I substitute a swim or a bike for a run?

JoePetto - 2011-03-01 6:55 AM Hey All:

I've been lurking around this Board and now decided to man up.  I'm in week 6 (or 15) of the plan with my first 70.3 on June 12th - Eagleman in Maryland. 

This will be my second full season after completing 3 sprints, 2 Olys and a Half Mary in 2010. I've never been a great athlete and I have no natural talent other than a desire to see how far I can push myself.  That said, in the last year I have far exceeded my initial goals and am still in the process of determining what I can and should expect from this 41 yr old body.  I'm very lucky in that I have a great family situation (2 kids and tri newbie wife) and a job (which gets in the way at times, but allows me to pursue this tri thing).

In terms of training, I my very motivated and enjoy the effort and the solitude of training alone in the early hours of the day.  Living on the East Coast, this winter has been tricky to ride outside, but I've run consistently in temps of less than 15 degrees (yet I haven't taken my X-mas present out on the rode yet).  Very much looking forward to the spring.

With 5 weeks of training under my belt, I can't believe how much stronger I've gotten.  I find the plan itself to be failry easy to follow, but not always conducive to my schedule.  I've had to switch around workouts based on "life" but have tried to keep the themes and timing of the workouts consistent with the plan. 

My biggest challenge is (and will be) getting long rides in during the week.  With some tinkering, I should be able to accomodate most of the scheduling.  Any wisdom out there on how best to rearrange mid-week schedules?

Looking forward to the ride!

slackjaw5 - 2011-03-01 11:36 AM Well, I am in week 16 of the plan.  Been able to follow it pretty well, though most of it has to be inside... lots of snow/ice this winter in Maine, and I hate running, biking in the cold (teens and low 20s).  Last year I did a few races a sprint (2nd one ever (did it for time this time), an Oly (1st one) and a half Marathon this Feb.  I'm looking for that next challenge and the HIM is the next one.  Definitely making me master my scheduling abilities w/ 2 kids in sports and a wife that coaches 3 seasons.  I'm getting used to the 5:30 am work out, though I was never a morning person, but it's the only time that is truly mine!

Glad to see so many seem to like this plan, even with tweaks due to 'life'.  I don't have enough knowledge and need to be told what to do and when and how hard! ;-)  Hope it pays off in June (1st HIM).  I am very excited! 

ShawnR - 2011-03-01 1:48 PM Well, I am another one on this plan. I have done one Olympic and a few sprints. Last year, I just ran doing two marathons. I wanted to come back to Tri with a better running base. Whether or not I maintained the base over the winter is another question. Training for the marathons taught me how to follow a plan (easier than tri's with only one sport to do) as I did not have a good record of following the training plan as religiously as I should have, previously. I hope to do better this time.

Although I have seen a lot of comments on rearranging the schedule, how much can I do before I should be looking elsewhere? Is the order there for a reason?  ie Sat is a rest day, before the long bike, on purpose? I found this odd as the majority of people would do long runs and long bikes on weekends I would have thought? Not me as I am a shift worker but I will be running and biking with a Mon to Fri guy. So I made Mon my rest day, to recover from two long days. I have seen schedules where the off day precedes the longer workouts.

advice?

Thanks to all who post here. 

Forgot, my race is Racine70.3 on July 17 and the plan for me started yesterday (off day :-) )

I am a bigger lurker than a poster

kathy caribe - 2011-03-01 3:19 PM

I think I'm looking forward to next week being a recover week.  I was really flat on today's 60km bike.  Weather is warming up and we're consistently at 28/29C with humidity in the low to mid 70s.  Not summer weather yet - i can still run midday.

Sea lice were reported up the coast so I'm hoping tomorrow's swim won't be a huge regret but local divemaster says they're not finding them yet.  Maybe I'll wait for them to come back from tomorrow's morning dive before I swim.