Beginner 1/2 Ironman Plan Group (Page 57)

Travel's done for now (after Spring Break followed by a longish conference out of town), so I'm back to start up some serious training for Steelhead on August 14. Since I'm working very slowly and gradually on my running after a tendon injury, I'll be doing some run sessions in the pool still while adding mileage SLOWLY to the mix as I go. But it's about time I started adding some intensity to my swim and bike workouts: any cheering-on anyone can offer would be much appreciated!

Tomorrow's plan: swim first thing, then run in the pool immediately after. I'll be tweaking the BT plan to fit with my work schedule.

*cheers all of you on in your respective training*

What a bummer that the road are bad, but how nice to be able to preview the course!!  That has to be a huge confidence builder!  Three weeks are going to be up before you know it!

You and I are on a similar schedule. I'm also returning from SB, 5 lbs heavier, and ready to get back to training after a five week low intensity tendon recovery schedule. A race is also the Steelhead! Training starts back up tomorrow in the pool!

Go Us!

Yep- the course was dismal and through the total hood.  I am glad I got to ride it but won't want to do it many more times.  Yours is so damn soon! I can't believe it.  I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but assuming all goes well do you think you'll want to do another HIM shortly?  If I wasn't running berlin marathon in September I absolutely would, but still might consider HIM Miami...

Good for you for pre-riding your HIM course!!!  I wish I can do that.  Hopefully, my week training in Las Vegas gets approved so that I can be in NV the week of my HIM and preview the course all I want!!!  Definitely a confidence builder for sure!!!

Regarding my bike, it's a 2009 QR Caliente with Zipp 404s.  I had a super deal on it and I think it's what you call robbing (not literal of course). Fit me perfectly too but I might have a too aggressive fit for my own good and I will fix that.

I also had an excellent workout today.  Me and the buddies decided to ride their time trial course this coming Saturday.  It was through the Palos Verdes mountains.  It was a 10 mile loop that we were planning to do 2-3 times but the weather wasn't agreeing with us and it was raining near the top of the hill.  It had a 15% gradient for about a mile and we climbed 1550 feet total.  It took us an hour to do 11 miles!!!  Well I was really disappointed that we were only able to do it once and it got me pumped up to do a long run.  It's also because I ate such a heavy brunch after the ride hehehe...  Well I decided to run our ride!  I ran a half marathon with 1350 feet of climbing.  I did it in a 2hrs and 13 seconds.  I know it's pretty slow but I was taking it easy on the downhills and was trying to "preserve" the joints.  I felt pretty good after the run and I decided to soak in icy water for 20mins and hot water for 20mins more.  Legs are tired but not shot.  I think I might be remotely ready for my HIM as well... 

We got a good training group in this thread that's for sure!!!

"Get ready for a battle with the voice inside your head." I like that. That's excactly how I feel when I swim. I have to convince myself I can do it, especially with these longer workouts.

I swam a 2000 today in the pool, I changed the voice inside my head's mind!!!!

Here's what I didn't know about swimming, but I do now:

-I start to get dry mouth "cotton mouth" after lap 32

-My swimsuit starts to chafe my back after lap 30

-My finger's get a bit tingly after lap 35 

@popsracer: Marathon on a whim?  Good luck with that and more power to you.  I don't think I'll do a marathon this year, maybe next year and that's a big maybe.  It's amazing how the plan trains our body to get used to the strain.  It also doesn't hurt if you recover pretty quick like myself.  I had 6 hours of sleep and went for a swim at 5:30am.

Anyways, I did a 2000m time trial today and did it in 36:40.  I'm fine with that time 'coz I wasn't gased or anything.  I'll make up the time on the saddle and on my feet

Wow - you guys and gals are kickin training butt!

Awesome Job!!!

Go Us indeed! I did 2050 in the pool this morning (accidentally misread some of the directions, oops), followed by 1:30 pool running. Not sure if that counts as a brick, but it's the first time I've made it for a SWIM in a while, so I count it as a victory!

Way to rock the Monday, people!

Hello everyone,

New to this thread. Training for Steelhead and maybe a second one after that one.  I was last year's last person to make cutoff.  It was hilarious! I was already hurt in my calf and was walking.  I had 1.5 miles to go.  I asked the course marshal how much time I had left.  He said "oh! you got 20 minutes; you'll be fine." "Dude!!! I'm limping here--what part of this is not clear to you?! LOL.  It was the most painful 1.5 miles I've ever ran/dragged.  But dang it, I got the medal and the car sticker.  And I also biked past a 310xt on the side of the road.  Didn't want to stop and slow down--yeah, right.

This year, with better training, a chiro that will keep my temperamental left calf in check and more running experience, I'm guessing I'll PR it. Unfortunately due to family issues I wasn't able to start training in Jan/Feb.  Just started on the 15th.  I'm doing the 20 wks program focusing on running. But my swim mojo is still there; distance wise not speed.

Good luck to everyone this season!

 -FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!!! so get in there and pretend you're the fastest fish in that pool!!

 -do you take water/electrolytes with you?

 -use body glide in your swimsuit.

-not sure about the last one. are you wearing paddles?

-consider getting a waterproof mp3 player and put really happy/funky music.

what exactly is running in the pool? with your nice shoes or barefoot? I just started walking/running and I'm trying to prevent the same injury I had last year when I just started in the sport. So, for my first 2 base months, I'll be using a treadmill and not run outside. So, is there really a benefit of running in pool? thx

You can train for a race in very warm conditions relative to your home place:

You can train your body to push out the limit of the max core temperature you can tolerate. You do this by using heaters in your training room.  I logged 1,800 miles over 90 days in the middle of winter on my trainer while keeping the room at 92 degs with radiation and convection heaters.  I live in the Midwest and the cycling event was in the Caribbean.  I kept the room with dry heat; the best way to train your body for higher temps.  Don't simulate humidity. That's a cooling mechanism.  You want to train in the hottest/dry condition you can tolerate.  Doing this will not only train your body it will also teach you how many fluids and electrolytes you need to consume.  I kept a very detailed notebook of my liquid intake to determine this.  Without this knowledge you can underestimate fluids consumption in a tropical setting and can easily overheat and cramp.  

Quickly checked out your logs - doesn't look like you are following the Beginner HIM Plan.  Is that correct?  Are you logging ALL your workouts as well?

Thanks for checking out my logs!  I have logged all workouts since Jan 1.  I'm following a custom Beginner Plan...4 days bike, 4 days run, should be two days swim but because of where I live I can only get to my lake on Sundays.  One off day a week.  You can check out my monthly totals.  Does it look like I'm not getting enough training hours in?

Your monthly minutes seem great but its hard to know without distances.  That being said, your volumes look good.  I think you're getting enough training in but should be trying to get as much outdoors in as you can especially as it warms up.  Try to start really tracking the miles.

Ok, thanks! I will start tracking miles as well.  I always put my miles in for my bike to calculate average pace but the distance doesn't show anywhere on my log.  Am I missing something when I enter my info?  Definitely can't wait to get outside more!

Yes, there's something you must be missing.  Perhaps you're entering it on an iphone or something (that happened to me when I did).  On some I'm seeing your average pace, on others not.  You should have time, pace, and distance all entered.  You can look at my logs to see what I mean.  Not that mine are anything exemplary,  but it's helpful to have distances is all I'm saying.  

What I do is usually import from my garmin, but when I don't, I input the time, then the distance, hit calc for the pace, then enter any comments and save the changes.  The results have always been pretty clean.  Good luck, and we're happy to have you! Welcome!

Welcome to the thread! Your training looks great to me but I know nothing My race is also in June and I've been following the BT plan as closely as possible. My longest bike rides have been 2 hours and longest runs 1.5 hours. Sounds like your doing great.

Swim focus week for me. I'm trying to cram all the swims into 4 days to limit my time driving to the pool. Today I combined 2 workouts and did not really pay attention very closely. Well, I combined two sprint workouts - the 9 x 100 and 16 x 50. The total distance was not bad but I feel like I'm still trying to catch my breath LOL!