MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3

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MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
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2009-08-06 9:48 AM

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Subject: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
I am currently averaging around 6-7 hours/week.  Can I just up it an hour or two?  My goal time for Eagleman is 5:59:59.

Edited by pga_mike 2009-08-06 9:48 AM

2009-08-06 9:50 AM
in reply to: #2331517

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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
Commentary, as always is welcomed and encouraged.
2009-08-06 9:54 AM
in reply to: #2331517

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Not a Coach
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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
Not (nearly) enough info.  What are you going to do in those 7-9 hours?  How long will you train at that level?  How long have you been training at your current level?  What are you current paces in the 3 sports? etc, etc...
2009-08-06 10:55 AM
in reply to: #2331517

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Expert
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Colorado Springs, Colorado
Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
The minimum is zero, but that's not what you're looking for.

If you can do the swim in 40 minutes, the bike in 3 hours, and the run in 2:10, plus transitions you will break 6 hours. Can't really tell from your log if you're capable of holding these paces for that distance.

FWIW, I finished my first HIM and only did 6-8 swims total, and a relative handful of longer rides, plus I did almost no running in the month preceding the race - and I finished under 6 hours. But I had also completed 6 marathons and a bunch of century rides in past years so I had more of an endurance base than you seem to have.

Can you ride 56 miles in 3 hours easily? Can you hold a 10 minute pace on tired legs easily? Have you figured out your nutrition plan that will allow you to have enough energy to go the distance?
2009-08-06 11:04 AM
in reply to: #2331517

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Expert
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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3

I think this falls under the old, "where there is a will, there is a way" Smile

The plans that I have used for HIM are something more like this:  Average volume around 11-13 hours with some of the easier weeks around 9 hours and maximum weekly volume around 14-15 hours.

 



2009-08-06 11:12 AM
in reply to: #2331517

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Sneaky Slow
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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
I did my first HIM last September, a flat course.  Went back and looked at my graphs, and my average weekly training time was 6 hours and 30 minutes.  My three biggest weeks were 11 hours or so, all were over 2 months out.  Had life stuff going on that interfered with training.  I finished the race in 5:55.  A friend who did the race with me, her first HIM, finished in something like 6:30, and did even less training, with less base than I did.

Which means exactly nothing with respect to your question... IOW, what JohnnyKay said.

Edited by newleaf 2009-08-06 11:16 AM

2009-08-06 11:17 AM
in reply to: #2331517

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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3

Hmmm...

If I were shooting for a <6 HIM (and I pretended to in 2006) and only had 6-9 hours per week I'd work towards 5(ish) hours biking, 3(ish) hours running, and a generous hour swimming each week. 

Swim twice a week for 40 minutes/2000 yards each expecting to finish the swim in 35 minutes.
Run three times a week, 40 min, 60 min, and 90-120 min and shoot for a 2:15 run split.
Bike three times a week for 60, 60-90, and 150-180 minutes and shoot for a 3:00 bike split
This gives you 0:10 (total) for transitions. 

You can work out the math to see what pace you'd need for each and how close you are.  For my IM  the plan (BT Intermediate) called for alternating long-run and long-ride weeks. 

In 2006, I was pretty good about the swimming, pretty good about the riding and not-so-good about the running.  For the bike, I pushed pretty hard in training and managed a 2:45 (20+ mph) split.   Running was mostly "going through the motions" and I did have a couple of long runs (8-11 miles) but I never pushed the pace and ended up with a 2:44 run. 

2009-08-06 1:23 PM
in reply to: #2331517

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Veteran
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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
Really depends on your endurance starting point, as everyone said, but I made it through on an average of about 6 hours a week of focused activity: 2 days of biking: one long (2+ hours), one sprint/interval/climbing workout (1 hour); one good swim (45 mins); 2 runs, one long (1-2 hours) and one sprint/interval workout (45 mins.) Really had to focus to make the shorter rides and runs count.

Prior to the Eagleman 2009 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnogvTB2upE), I had a handful of tris under my belt over the previous 2 years and counted softball as my sole athletic outlet for the 10 years prior to that. You can do it!


Edited by Akrakowski 2009-08-06 1:23 PM
2009-08-06 2:00 PM
in reply to: #2331517

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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
From the "Training Plans for Multisport Athletes" book, for the 27-weeks to a HIM program... here are the weekly hours:

1- 9:30
2- 9:45
3- 9:45
4- 7:15
5, 6 and 7 - 10:30
8- 6:45
9, 10 and 11, 11:00
12- 6:45
13- 10:15
14- 11:45
15- 12:45
16- 7:00
17- 11:45
18- 13:30
19- 14:15
20- 7:00
21- 12:45
22- 14:30
23- 15:30
24- 7:00
25- 12:15
26- 8:15
27- 3:45 plus race

Now I won't hit all those numbers simply because I swim 1/2 as much it requires.


2009-08-06 8:31 PM
in reply to: #2331517

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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3

To answer some of the questions.  In March, I ran a painful 5 hour marathon after injuring myself during my last 22 mile training run (Which I did at a 9:45 pace. Too fast!).  My original goal time was 4:20.

I will be running Disney Marathon in January, so my running should be ok.

This fall and winter.

5 hours running
3 hours biking
1 hour swimming

After the marathon, I will floppity flip the run and bike times.

2009-08-06 8:46 PM
in reply to: #2331517

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Master
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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
I pretty much train at the volume you'd be doing, am doing my first half in a couple weeks and am hoping to break 6.  I didn't really know I was going to do a half until about 6 or 7 weeks ago either so that doesn't help but I want to do it and like a challenge so why not...

I've never done one before this and would absolutely love to train more, but it is unrealistic and I already only sleep about 5 hours a night just to get in what I do.

I think 8 or 9 hours a week is fine to hit your goal, BUT I think you need to work on your bike alot based on your logs.  That is by far and away where you will shave the most time off at this point.  Just my opinion...

2009-08-06 10:08 PM
in reply to: #2331517

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Champion
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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
Depends what phase of training you're talking about.  I went 5:36 in my first HIM and peaked at about 10 hr/wk...but only went just over 10 hrs twice.  In general, I was around 7 - 7.5 hrs/wk.  I definitely think you can get by on less, but maybe not get to sub-6 (I had a strong running base, including a recent sub-4 mary, going in, so that made things a bit easier).  My attitude about most racing, btw (and fwiw) is that you need to build your minimum weekly workload to equal the approximate time and distances you'll be covering in the race.  So--by that strategy--you should build to no less than 6 hours a week (big weeks obviously more):  Minimum 2K swimming, 50 mi. riding, 14 mi. running every week by the time you're at peak phase (which for most people would mean at least 6 hours).  Some people are going to consider those too minimal, but I'd stand by them as weekly minimums.
2009-08-07 2:49 AM
in reply to: #2331517

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Pro
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Subject: RE: MINIMUM Weekly Training time for first 70.3
I would say for the average beginner triathlete, 9-10 per week (10-12 would be better). You need to build lots of endurance in the beginning and that takes time. If you already have very good endurance (maybe from another sport that you have been doing for years...), then you need to work on speed and technique and that takes less time per week (basically just maintaining your endurance); probably 7-8 hours per week.
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