Minimalist IM Training (Page 3)

Who hatez BT?  I'm ashamed to hear that.  Those BT haterz need to go to the other forum A.S.A.P!

Group think wins, yet again!

The original poster posted just the latest thread on a topic as old as dirt - how little for how fast? Probably most (some?) people on this board could roll into Florida next week and finish the IM under 17. I could. Probably a few could finish under 11 cold. I could not. I bet there are some freaks who could train very little and go sub 10. I cannot. I also envy those 2 skinny basterds. I trained on the lighter side comparative to most everyone, but it worked for me. Some peers of mine looked down upon my low hours. Oh well. As someone stated earlier, many people on this board were good or great at something previously. That could be swimming D1 last year, or mullet-headed XC back in college in the 80s cranking VH from a cassette.

Conversely, some on this board were wicked chubby last decade or last year. Some compelling event brought them here. Unless you are sponsored and compete for large checks, this sport levels the field and chubby and thin enter the food chain when the gun goes off at 0700. How you get to the start is different for everyone.

When you cross that line and hear your name whether at 8.02, 11.11, or 16.59 it's the same - the feeling of a legal drug I wish I could package and sell for more than what the kids pay for jejo these days. 

I completely agree with this. Endurance is about going as slow as you need to in order to complete the distance and we all have a pace where we could go forever. As long as that pace is fast enough to finish a race before the cutoffs, you can finish any race with fairly limited training. It may not be the best idea and sometimes it's not pleasant, but it can be done.

As for me, I believed the hype from WTC that most IM athletes were training 20+ hours a week and you needed to train at least 15+ to do a HIM and I tried to ramp up to that many hours as well as up my intensity and all I got out of it was injured. So, of a necessity, I have had to cut back on my training and yet I still finish my races. Sure, I'd like to get faster and maybe even be a contender some day but it's going to take a long, long time given the amount of abuse my body can take at any one time. I'm okay with that.

P.S. A hater of what? 

This part I'll agree with - meaning, I think people who do limited training hours for IM often skimp on swimming, esp if they're already confident in the water.  It's such a small part of your day in an IM that the gains are small.

When I said I was often below 10 hours/wk, that was almost all bike/run.  Swimming eats up a lot of time.  Figure an hour at the pool translates into 1.5 or 2 hours if you have to drive there and change and get ready for work.

I'm not a fast swimmer anymore, not by a long shot.  But I can swim all day.  Meanwhile, I KNOW my running has a long way to go.  On a time-limited schedule, that's where I focus.  Some point in the future, if I'm FOP on B/R, then yeah - I'll be in the pool a lot more.

Apparently either that or 'group-drink'.  Or maybe you're supposed to mix them.

You're implying that he didn't cross the line into trolldom.

I did IMWI 2011 on about 10 hours a week.

I followed the free plans on Trifuel, but made occasional modifications. 

For example I swam only 3 miles total in training and dropped a bike or run once a week at least.  Workouts shortened due to laziness and family time with wife and 2 young kids.

The 6 weeks before the race I came down with a stomach bug and was unable to workout due to extreme diarrhea, first time I've ever been hospitalized in my life.  so my taper never existed either and wasn't even able to workout for the 6 weeks before the race.

Longest swim: 1 mile         race finish: 1hr 20min

longest bike: 72 miles:      race finish: 6hr 30min

longest run: 9 miles:         race finish: 4hr 45min

could have maybe gotten early 11's or high 10's if i trained as scheduled, but I was happy with my finish.  My wife already hated the training for it, couldn't imagine the dissatisfaction she would have given if i followed the training schedule.

Obviously, you guys don't see 'eye to eye'. Why not take it off line? BT really has no place for these types of posts. 

Thanks.