Ironman Wisconsin : Official Thread (Page 5)

If it makes you feel any better for IM '10, I got a stress fracture 4th met and was off running for 5 full months (not a step taken).  I didn't start back in any meaningul way until late March/early April and I was totally fine come race day.  No fretting allowed.

Wow, I really appreciate the encouragement Ben, Hanz, Suzy, thanks!  It really did make me feel better.  I am going to a shoulder guy next week so at least things are moving in the right direction...doubt I'll need surgery but if I do I want to get it over with in plenty of time to heal.

I have a question for the group:  What is your training plan "plan."  Coaching, from a book, BT, other website, etc.  Starting from now thru next September...

I'll go first:  I am still working out what my approach will be.  I am going to speak to a coach I know about what he could offer us (DH is doing IMOO to), but I am leaning towards either BeIronFit or possibly a BT membership plan.  Just a little worried about the length of 30 week plan in BeIronFit, but I do like the time based schedule...maybe shorten it a bit.  

For the off season, I have really stepped up my strength training, and for now am focusing on between 30 to 90 minutes of either running or biking (since swimming hurts).  Priority to healing my shoulder and my super tight hammies.

My plan is a 17-week plan starting mid-May that I developed myself based on a lot of reading, other plans, etc... this will be my 4th IM race, so I know what works and what doesn't work for me, and what key sessions I need to include.  The goal this year is to maybe actually improve my time...??!

My main focus right now (until end of February) is short sessions / drills that will hopefully help build some speed; with the exception of increasing my long run.  I'll hopefully average 6-10 hours/week until then.

In March/April, I will begin to increase the bike/swim endurance sessions with the goal of my long sessions being: 2500m swim, 3 hour bike (I don't get on the road usually until May), 15 mile run; by the end of April.

Happy training to everyone!!

This article was posted in Lava and gives some good insight into the idea of coach vs self-coached

http://lavamagazine.com/training/the-self-coaching-conundrum/#axzz1disD2QcV

Myself personally, I prefer to coach myself, at least for the time-being. I used Matt Fitzgerald's book my first year and soon realized how it is just a template to follow and does not, in any way, address any individuals weakness/strengths. It was, however, a good introduction into training with soem theories and workouts that I walked away with. This is what I believe mostly coming out own pre-written plans, they are just a template. However, hiring a coach can be completely different, or sadly the same exact problem. There are a lot of coaches out there who coach merely to support themselves, and others that do it, not only to support themselves, but also for their passion and to pass on their own knowledge to others as well. A local pro in Madison has done a terrific job of not only coaching their athletes, but building a local team in the process, and being a great ambasssador for the sport.

But for me personally right now I like self-coaching myself. It adds to the challenge to find the right equillibrium of what to do/not to do, and how to adjust my training accordingly. It also lets me deviate and readapt my plan whenver and however I want, some coaches do not want this to happen and try their best to steer away from "deviating from the plan". And finally I myself cannot commit the 100, 200, even 300 or 400+ dollar monthly payments that are required.

With that said I will start my IM specific training in mid-May. My one challenge is planning around 4 weddings in August, of which I am standing up in 2 (so 2 bachelor parties to go along as well), and a week in Montego Bay in June for another friends wedding (Open water simming clinic!). But I already have some ideas going of how to structure my training based on the past couple years and what I have learned works and doesn't work.

I have been considering using a coach or most likely a training group.  If anyone knows of a good one in the Madison area I am open to suggestions.  As of now I am leaning towards theEndurance House group.  I was a catcher at IMWI 2011 and saw quite a few of their group finish.

My only restriction is the cost.  I would prefer to keep the cost somewhere between $500-$1000 for the full program.  After going over everything I need to buy/replace/upgrade for IMWI 2012 my wife is already really unhappy (understatement of the day) with me.  I knew I should have just lied to her.

I came about as close as one could to having a coach (we broke it off after I realized that it wasn't going to work out -- I respect him a lot; it just wasn't right for me).

So, I'll be self-coaching.  I've spent an enormous amount of time researching training methods, thinking about my own training, and even taking graduate courses in exercise physiology.  So in some sense I think I have the information that I need.  At the same time, I think that the biggest limiter (for me) with self-coaching is honesty, and I think that I have some work to do there.  For example, I think that I went into my most recent race subconsciously thinking that recent successes on the bike (at short course racing) meant that I could take a pass on the serious bike preparation (for a long course race...) and I paid for it dearly in the race.  That's the sort of thing that an objective third party would notice in a skinny minute, but the power of self-deception is, well, powerful.

I've actually toyed with the idea of 'mutual coaching', where two people act as a kind of reality check on each other's training (for no money -- just a cooperative effort).  I just made this idea up, and obviously it would take the right two people to make it work, but I think it could work, in principle.  In some ways, mentor groups can play that role, though the members of mentor groups do not in general attend to one another's training at quite the level of detail that would be required to make it work.

Name: Lea.Kirdatt/Lea

What is yourIronman resume? IMCDA 2011 and in 2 weeks IM Cozmel

Why did you choose Ironman Wisconsin? I live in Minneapolis so it's close for training, and I have 4 Team Members that are racing it as well.

What are you goals for IMWI 2012? To finish strong, leave it all on the course and have Fun!

What are you most looking forward to? Running into the finish chute, and hearing Lea Kirdatt you are an Ironman!

Veterans any advice you can give early on? Have a plan, and have fun

I am a coach, so I will be writing my own plan. I usually race only with HR. My usual goal to to finish feeling good, and that I did everything I could that day. Using just HR really helped me keep things in check in CdA (very hilly like Madison) and allowed me to come off the bike feeling good. I had taken my computer off my bike, so I had no idea how fast I was riding.Can't wait to meet you all over the next year!

SORRY for the formatting error on my last post!

A few other options I would persue would be first BBMC. It is a local team out of Madison that is ran by local pro Blake Becker. They have a large consumption of triathletes not just in Madison but from the state as well, and from what I have heard it seems like someone on the team is always willing to train in the Madison area. Blake also has weekly team training sessions and come the summer months it seems as if they are happening everyday. I have not been apart of the team, but I am seriously considering joining next year. I can send you along some contact info if you want. As for cost I think he structures cost on whether you are being coached or just training with the team.

Oh and I think most of the team did IMWI last year so everyone was training for a common goal.

Welcome to the group and good luck at IMCOZ!

I was able to find his website fairly easily.  He was the 3rd "Blake" in the google suggestions. Thanks for the info.  BTW, I sent your picture from IMWI this ear to friends and told them I expected hem to top your outfit for IMWI 2012. 

So my SAGA for IMOO has officially begun. I had the MRI-artheriogram (dye injected into shoulder) today and since it was at the hospital my husband works at, the Radiologist did me the courtesy of an initial read.  

She says a pretty decent labral tear, posterior from the 12 to 6 o'clock position. So I am assuming my Ortho is going to want to operate, and I am going to see if he can do it ASAP because it looks like rehab will take me right up to June (maybe earlier, hopefully not later). Assuming this will keep me out of the water, but able to run/bike, I think I can manage this.

This is not really how I wanted to spend my off-season, but I suppose I could freak out and assume the worst, or I can just try to stay cool, hope for the best, and keep myself as strong and fit as possible given the constraints of recovery.

But still, poop.

Its a good news/bad news prognosis, but with all things considered I am sure you will be ready when its time to toe the line. FWIW, I did not start swimming in '10 until May, and did not swim over 2K until July and I was fine. This time off from swimming should give you lots of time to work on your bike and run, which are the largest parts of the race anyway. If I were you Quincy I would look into the thought of doing some core work focus on the off-season if you are cleared to do so. This can really help your swimming out before you step back into the pool.

I'm in Canada, not a holiday here this week, though my birthday is on Friday and my work Xmas party is on Saturday.

Coach is starting to ramp up my training.  I have 11:15 planned for this week.  Mostly he is adding stuff into the middle of the week not on the weekends.  Long workouts are still at 2:00 trainer ride on Saturday and 10 km run (for me a little over an hour) on sundays.

I'm getting tested for lactate threshold next week (biking) and the week after (running).  I'm really looking forward to this testing.  A friend had it done in the August and since then has taken 1:30 off her 5K time (after not being able to drop it at all for a few years) and has increased her time trial bike speed from 33 to 36 km/hr.  Those are huge improvements!!!

Gee, thanks Ben.  This is the second reminder I got about MOO today. Too early for me to start thinking about it yet!

 In the event anyone is interested, I thought I would pass along this free training event leading up to MOO.

Thanks for the info.  (love the course videos too.) I wonder if I have enough freq flier miles and hotel points for that. 

I prefer 40 weeks, 1 day, 23 hours, 22 minutes.