General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year? Rss Feed  
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2016-09-20 7:27 AM

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Subject: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
On another thread people were saying a year was PLENTY of time to train for a HIM. I've done sprints and an oly, coming in with the stragglers. Didn't do much this summer but want to really commit for 2017. I have 10 months before a local, fairly flat race HIM (what I look for).

Starting with a beg sprint plan with a length that meets me where I am. I'm down to running a mile. The day I ran/walked for 2.2 miles I payed the price and had to rest for a week. Can only swim 600yds per session before I'm beat. Do have a trainer for my new bike.

Couldn't fit in a sprint plan and an oly plan that would leave me with the time to do a HIM plan. Today I figured out that in week 7 of the beg oly plan I would be able to do the number of minutes required in the first week for the level 2 (out of 10) plan in Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide.

What do you'all think? I want to commit, but also am tired of surviving and pulling in the rear at races. My other thought was to go for speed at the oly distance and commit to HIM in 2018, but fear I'll probably lose focus and not be ready in 2018.



2016-09-20 8:48 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?

I've not done a 70.3, so take this for what it's worth:

In my experience as a runner, it's much better to build up to a significantly longer distance over time. There's only so much load your body can take, and if you are having a tough time on sprint distances, going to 70.3 might be a massive stressor on your body. If a goal of yours is to really improve on your times in the sprint or standard, why not spend the winter focusing on building your run or bike (or both) fitness? Start working in longer distances at your endurance pace. You'll find that your fitness will increase dramatically, and your speed will also increase.

One of my goals is to do a 70.3, too. Originally, I thought I'd get a year under my belt at the sprint distance and then go for a 70.3. After doing a few sprints this year, I've decided to follow my own advice put the 70.3 off at least a year or two. I finished FOP, but still recognize that it was very challenging and that building up the fitness to a significantly longer distance is best achieved over a period of years.

If you decide to make the leap this upcoming year, good luck, and let us know how it goes!

2016-09-20 8:52 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma


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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
I did a sprint tri (my first tri) in late summer 2015 at age 60. I did a hilly HIM in late June 2016 and finished, back of the pack. But a finish. I had a heavy travel year with work, so training wasn't what I wanted it to be but I managed to get enough of it in to get from sprint to HIM in less than a year. So it can be done IMO.
2016-09-20 9:13 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma


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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
To me it sounds like you need to figure out what you are looking for with your long term physical fitness goals. If you want to complete a HIM to check the box then 10 months is certainly enough time to get you to a place where you could do that. But there are decent odds that it would not leave you wanting more. If your goal is to stay fit through multi-sport training and you find joy in racing then I think the sprint/oly distances are a good match. The training is more manageable. You can race more often. You'll probably cross the finish line and want to do another one. These are all good things.

I don't think there is anything wrong with any distance it just depends on the person. There are plenty of older people that can go easy and long (really long) and they're cut out for IM over Olys. There are plenty of young studs that are design to tear up a sprint/oly course. Every athlete type is good. Do whatever you think will leave you wanting more because the goal is to keep yourself training year after year, getting fit and healthy and having fun. Of course, there are bucket listers out there (nothing wrong with that) who want to complete the big distance that one time. This group can make it to the start line in ten months no question.
2016-09-20 9:20 AM
in reply to: Gatornate

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
What Gatornate said ^^^ It all depends on what you want to achieve and WHY you want to achieve it.

It is my DREAM to do HIM, but I have it on my calendar for 2019. Why? because I want to make sure I am ready. I want to make sure I enjoy it. I want to make sure I don't suffer or survive. In a meantime, I'm going to enjoy, have fun, and build my endurance with Oly distance.
So yeah, it all depends on what you want.
2016-09-20 11:18 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?

As others have said I think you need to be really clear (and honest) with yourself about what you want to achieve, both this year and further down the line, as well as how badly you want it.

You can make predictions about the time you will achieve in a HIM if you do it in 2017.  Will you be happy with that time?  If so go for it.  If you decide that a HIM is not possible this year then commit to it for 2018 but have other short term goals in place, such as improving your speed.  Whilst these may be stepping stone to the HIM (ultimate goal), you should still see each stepping stone as a big goal in itself, otherwise you will find it hard to fully commit to and, like you say, lose focus for 2018.  You cannot make a 2018 HIM your only focus - it is too far ahead.



2016-09-20 11:56 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
If your looking to finish a HIM then yes 10 months is enough time.

Find an 18 to 20 week plan to use. Here is the key many people do not stick to the plan and cut out milage- this can be a disaster. If you can do the plan(all of it) you can finish.

The plans assume you have some basic fitness so you may need to start early. I would suggest you set up swim lessons(actual lessons not self taught) now and work the swim hard for the next 4 months. Then start a 20 week plan repeating the first 4 weeks twice to help you build a good base.
2016-09-20 4:22 PM
in reply to: mike761

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Thank you for all your input. I think it comes down to how will I feel dragging myself over the finish line. Not good, while I can say I did it, the immediate context is I did it less well than everyone else (I know I'm not supposed to care, but I do).

When I close my eyes, I'm happiest seeing myself as a MOP, fast (for me) and strong. Now I'm fat and slow, so realistic distance is oly. When I think about it, 10 months to get fast in an oly is not much time!

Another question for you guys - working consistently how much improvement can I expect in my times. I don't know how the shore eventually appears, still ride my brakes going downhill and my 10K is at an 11mpm pace.

If I stick to one of my plans, do consecutive custom BT plans - beg sprint --> beg oly --> intermediate oly plan - what would a reasonable time per mile be? I feel like a 48 min 10k is too big a goal. Is a 54 min 10k too conservative a goal?
2016-09-20 9:59 PM
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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Honestly it all depends on how much time you had. I went from my first sprint one year to a full IM the next. I was also single, no kids, and didn't need to work OT at my job so I had a really ideal situation. If you do Oly or HIM both are possible if you put the time in it. You don't need to be putting in 20 hours a week but following a plan that slowly ramps you up should cause you get faster, lose weight, and feel more confident. Your first Oly or HIM won't be earth shattering. I'm good at them now but it took a lot of work to get there. My first ones were no where near where I am now. So you need to remember your first ones are a starting point and with more work on your existing base after a race, you will get faster!

Your run goals might be a little high but that's ok! You might want to look at seeing a nutritionist. I saw one and it helped...but I tend to still eat a lot of junk still. Getting some weight off will help the most though. Also less stress on your knees is a good thing because you can do some tempo and speed workouts with a less chance of getting injured. I think a 54 minute 10K is very doable for you if you put in the work and train smart: Slooooooow ramp up and then start to add little by little speed work and tempo workouts. I would suggest HR training to help get to where you want to go. There's a lot of threads on it but you can always ask the question and people will be more than willing you help show you the way.

Edited by Blastman 2016-09-20 10:01 PM
2016-09-21 8:47 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma


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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
A few things I would consider:

1. Goal setting in any facet of life has to involve attainable goals. If you set the bar too high then it becomes a psychological detriment. Be honest with yourself and set a goal that forces you to push yourself past limits but allows you to get to a place you are capable of.

2. Goals in sports don't have to be based on time. After my first tri I decided that the way I would measure success in a race was how strong I felt during the run, regardless of finishing time. If I put those shoes on and was able to run with the feeling like I was under control and able to push myself (as opposed to "hang on") then I considered my race a success. Others may disagree but for me that was a sign that I paced my bike well and I allowed myself to test my limits running instead to hanging on for dear life. After some time racing like this I had a better idea of what my body was capable of under certain conditions and I started setting time based goals for myself.

3. Based on what little information I can gather from your post and your profile I wouldn't worry about your run time now. Get out there and train in a manner that will allow your body to absorb it. See what your training paces are and then use that as a jumping off point for what a reasonable race time might look like. Daniels and McMillian have tables that give suggested training paces based on races. Go find a local 5K and see what kind of time you turn in. Then go here and see the suggested training paces https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/ Then slowly build your run up at a safe rate.

If you do that the fitness will come slowly but surely.
2016-09-21 9:26 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?

IMO I think 10 months is enough time to get you to a HIM.   I also think you will get quicker at shorter distance races from the benefit of increasing your base training for the half. 



2016-09-21 9:39 AM
in reply to: Goggles Pizzano

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Try not to over-think things. I did my first HIM even before I did my first OLY. I would just make sure I rode my bike 3x a week with long rides on weekends up to 3 hours etc. and ran some HM's leading up to the race.

If you do get to a cozy MOP in the OLY distance it won't be too much of a stretch to train for a HIM though.

When you look at HIM training plans you'll see the frequency of running/riding etc. and that should paint a picture.
2016-09-21 11:03 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma


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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Originally posted by MuscleMomma

Thank you for all your input. I think it comes down to how will I feel dragging myself over the finish line. Not good, while I can say I did it, the immediate context is I did it less well than everyone else (I know I'm not supposed to care, but I do).


Well, that HIM I did as only my second triathlon ever felt very good when I crossed the finish. I was definitely back of the pack, but I finished something I'd been excited about since the day I registered to compete. I got a little misty at the finish line, not because I was exhausted (I wasn't) but because of the thrill of the accomplishment.

I suppose some here might call my first HIM a bucket list thing, because I honestly didn't care how fast I finished. My goal was simply to finish. If I never did another HIM I'd accept the "bucket lister" moniker. But there will be more of these, and now the goal is time improvement. Registration came up for the 2017 Coeur d'Alene 70.3 yesterday and my only dilemma is whether to sit out a year (with my travel schedule training for HIM was challenging) or do it again in '17. I am retiring next summer, so training focus won't be an issue going forward.

As others have posted on this thread, 10 months is enough time to train for a 70.3 but the bigger question is whether you will be satisfied to simply finish your first 70.3 versus turning in a "fast" time.
2016-09-25 10:11 AM
in reply to: HaydenHunter

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Thanks all
For now just starting out slow and steady - super beginner times so as not to get hurt. Am leaning heavily towards doing better at oly distance.
2016-09-25 8:37 PM
in reply to: #5199356

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
February was my first 5k, completed a HIM today(70.3 not an ironman branded race).

It's doable, just set goals along the way and make it happen!
2016-09-26 8:27 AM
in reply to: #5199841


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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
If you're just after a finish, plenty of time.


2016-09-26 8:38 AM
in reply to: ElToppo

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?

I think that trying to get fast at an OLY requires about the same commitment as finishing an HIM.

My last OLY training plan (where I was gunning for high end of MOP) had similar volume to what most HIM plans have, the only difference is that I didn't push out the long run (topped at 8 miles) or the bike (topped at maybe 40-ish).  If I had been doing an HIM, I would've pushed out that 8 miles to like 11 or 12, and replace my weekly 90' sweet spot ride with something longer and more tempo-ish.

2016-09-26 8:56 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Looking at your picture, I am going to say that we are in a very similar demographic. If, like me, you were not athletic in your younger days, it takes longer to build up physical fitness than it does for someone who ran track in high school or swam in college or whatever. I have also noticed that it takes me longer to get in shape than it used to. These disadvantages are what they are, and triathlons or other activities keep them at bay, but it does mean that the "rah! rah! If I can do it, anyone can!" attitudes may not be realistic. I have also noticed that if I ramp up my training too much, I either get injured or sick.

There is nothing wrong with taking a little extra time to build up your fitness. It does not make you less of a triathlete if you do sprints or olys instead of HIM. Shorter races can be a lot of fun, and the training for longer races is tiring. It concerns me that your limit is running a mile. There is a lot of building up to do. Take your time, enjoy the process. If you try to rush it, you will be frustrated, but if you take is slowly, you can savor your progress and are more likely to stick with it.

Also, don't try to plan for 2018 just yet. If I were you, I would pick small, achievable goals that help your training. For example, set a goal time of 27 or 30 minutes at a 5k. Or go to the pool and see how far you can swim in 45 minutes or an hour. There is no need to rush into anything.
2016-09-26 9:23 AM
in reply to: happyscientist

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?

Also, don't try to plan for 2018 just yet. If I were you, I would pick small, achievable goals that help your training. For example, set a goal time of 27 or 30 minutes at a 5k. Or go to the pool and see how far you can swim in 45 minutes or an hour. There is no need to rush into anything.

I sort of agree and sort of disagree. I think it's a good idea to pick goals that are achievable next season. But, there's nothing wrong with also setting a goal of 70.3 in 2018. That might influence the goals for 2017, such as finishing a standard with good nutrition and execution, or running a 10k in 50 minutes or whatever. 

2016-09-26 12:05 PM
in reply to: LundyLund

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Originally posted by LundyLund

Also, don't try to plan for 2018 just yet. If I were you, I would pick small, achievable goals that help your training. For example, set a goal time of 27 or 30 minutes at a 5k. Or go to the pool and see how far you can swim in 45 minutes or an hour. There is no need to rush into anything.

I sort of agree and sort of disagree. I think it's a good idea to pick goals that are achievable next season. But, there's nothing wrong with also setting a goal of 70.3 in 2018. That might influence the goals for 2017, such as finishing a standard with good nutrition and execution, or running a 10k in 50 minutes or whatever. 




I think everyone is different in planning. I have plenty of friends who plan just for one year at a time. I plan long term (probably because I work on budgeting and analysis ), thus, I have a race plan for another 5 years. Again, I think it all comes back to the question what one person like to achieve and why. There is plenty of folks who did IM after sprint, or went straight to IM/HIM. Others enjoy going from smaller distances to bigger/more challenging ones.

I actually love the fact that I can see my progress every year with different races, with the crazy long course being the cherry on the top some time in 2025...

As for the pace goals, I would stay realiztic and just try to see how your training goes. My 5k improves from 11 min/mile to 8:40, but my 10k in Oly was worse than the 10k-race by 12 minutes. Interesting fact: my half-marathon pace is under 10 min/mile, while Oly 10k pace is over 11..... So keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that play a role.
2016-09-29 8:43 PM
in reply to: marysia83

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
My question was is it possible to go from beg --> HIM. By beg I mean that I am back to running a mile at a time. I could do more, but then I hurt something and am out for a week.
If I was doing even 5k's I'd be more optimistic, but maybe given my age (and yes my weight doesn't help) I don't see being able to build up to the distance as slow as I need to. Maybe I'm just being too timid.

I can reevaluate later, but I would have to register for HIM on Oct. 4 if I'm going to do it.
Appreciate the input, will go with the long view, working up to oly and then speed at oly distance. Don't fall out of shape, take a month off and then move right into HIM training for 2018.

Want to be as good as all of you guys!


2016-09-30 6:15 AM
in reply to: MuscleMomma

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?

Originally posted by MuscleMomma My question was is it possible to go from beg --> HIM. By beg I mean that I am back to running a mile at a time. I could do more, but then I hurt something and am out for a week. If I was doing even 5k's I'd be more optimistic, but maybe given my age (and yes my weight doesn't help) I don't see being able to build up to the distance as slow as I need to. Maybe I'm just being too timid. I can reevaluate later, but I would have to register for HIM on Oct. 4 if I'm going to do it. Appreciate the input, will go with the long view, working up to oly and then speed at oly distance. Don't fall out of shape, take a month off and then move right into HIM training for 2018. Want to be as good as all of you guys!

 

I have not read all the replies but I think I can relate to what you are saying. 

I struggle with running and have to take mileage build up very slow and am timid for the build due to a history of foot injuries. 

For perspective - I've been able to run what I consider consistently since July. I've been making tiny increases monthly but my main focus is continuing to run consistently 3 days a week and not injure myself. I started back very slowly with 2 mile run/walks 3 days a week. I have been able to continue running 3 days a week and move from a run/walk to all running. I've been able to add a bit of distance to one of those runs per week making it my "long" (I use that term loosely lol) run of 4 miles. In October I would like to test out adding a 4th short run to my weekly running every other week.

Along the course of the last 3 months it has been as much of a mental commitment as physical. I have learned over the years not to trust my body when it comes to running and while I never gave up, I also stopped believing I had any potential. Maybe this is something you are going through also? These last few months have been a lot about just getting out the door and believing in myself again, respecting what my body can do, and creating that mental routine that this is now something I am going to do without anymore excuses. I am not hurt, I am not running enough to hurt myself so get over and get out the door. If I have to do it slowly so be it. Also I think it takes time to gently allow the tendons and ligaments in my feet and ankles to adjust.

I don't meant to make this reply all about me, just sharing my perspective as a person beginning to run again.

Personally I am planning to continue to build a run base through winter. Hopefully by spring I will be in a position to build a bit of speed with some pick ups and add enough distance so that I can complete in an OLY next summer with a respectable run. I am conservative about race goals though and my swim/bike are not concern. If you are building in those two sports also that is an additional concern. I have raced a HIM once. I was injured for a very long time afterwards so when I start to think about races I am thinking more about where do I want to be after that race is over. I want to race a distance I can manage and not be totally broken down when it is over. I do not want to start from THIS place again because I am so broken down and injured from making a big goal. You have to decide what is most important to you. 

Good luck with your decision!

 

2016-09-30 4:39 PM
in reply to: ElToppo

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
As others have mentioned, be very careful to avoid running injuries (I suffered 2 separate injuries within the same 3 months when I first started HIM training).

I trained using the BarryP 3:2:1 program and was able to avoid any further injuries. The BarryP 3:2:1 program is described here: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read the original posts by Barry P (links in that thread), the key is to run slowly (fast can lead to injuries), stick to the plan, and don't exceed mileage more than 10% / week (and even that can be aggressive, listen to your body).

Good luck!

2016-09-30 6:53 PM
in reply to: windandsurf

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Subject: RE: Possible to go from beg-->HIM in a year?
Thank you, thank you.
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