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Am I ready for Oly distance?
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 2007-07-03 5:53 AM |
Extreme Veteran  380   Frome, (Nr Bath) Somerset |  Subject: Am I ready for Oly distance?I've been 'discussing' my next race with my partner who doesn't think I am ready for doing longer distances than I have done up to now. I completed a 800m/30km/7.5km race this saturday in 2:08hrs my place wasn't great -90/153 25/40 in my age group. I enjoyed the race, although I struggled slightly on the run but I think that was partically because the course was so dull. (It was straight out on a flat tarmac pavement in a straight line turn around and back for 3 laps! It was difficult to gauge pace and I found the surface very unforgiving) I generally have no problems on this distance and have done bricks to this distance so I think it was a combination of teh course and I could have done with some food. So, my next race is on 23rd Sept - I haven't entered yet as trying to decide between the sprint and Oly distance - What do you think? Could i be ready for the Oly by then? This will be my last race this season and I want to make it a good one. Thank you for any advice and comments. Jess |
| 2007-07-03 6:10 AM in reply to: #870027 |
Pro 4353 Wallingford, PA | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? An Oly really isn't all that much longer than the race you just did... I think you could certainly be ready to do it by September. Pick one of the training plans here that suits you, jump in at the point that would have you finishing the plan in time for your race, and go for it! You mignt not be ready to do an Olympic distance race TODAY, but the race your targeting is almost 3 months away - plenty of time to get ready, IMHO..... |
| 2007-07-03 6:12 AM in reply to: #870027 |
Pro 4827 McKinney, TX | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? Looking at your logs, I think you could be ready by then. But the real question is, what do YOU think? How do you feel about your current distance? Are you struggling to complete them physically? Are you dead afterwards? You have to decide whether you are ready or not. |
| 2007-07-03 6:26 AM in reply to: #870027 |
| Expert 638 | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? I'm pondering the same question right now for me. I can do the distances, I just think I need to really work on my nutrition. Double the length of the race, and the questions of when / how much nutrition you will need on race day becomes more important. |
| 2007-07-03 8:03 AM in reply to: #870027 |
Master 1938 La Crosse | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? jessicadawn - 2007-07-03 6:53 AM I completed a 800m/30km/7.5km race this saturday in 2:08hrs my place wasn't great -90/153 25/40 in my age group. -snip- So, my next race is on 23rd Sept - I haven't entered yet as trying to decide between the sprint and Oly distance - What do you think? Could i be ready for the Oly by then? I think that your ability to race an Oly is based on your training volume, not the last race you did. So if you think you can keep up (or increase) your volume at its current 400 minutes per week, making sure that you have some long bricks thrown in there, then YES, most certainly, you can do a September Oly. But you should most certainly try some longer bricks, and make sure you've got some long swim workouts too. I've been looking at your logs, and I think that you did a 1hr bike/1/2 hr run brick last Friday. Do more of that -- work up to a 2hr bike and a 1 hr run brick. This will give you the confidence to do longer distances, as well as getting comfortable with the run transition. |
| 2007-07-03 8:06 AM in reply to: #870041 |
Master 1938 La Crosse | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? Hazelmn - 2007-07-03 7:26 AM I'm pondering the same question right now for me. I can do the distances, I just think I need to really work on my nutrition. Double the length of the race, and the questions of when / how much nutrition you will need on race day becomes more important. Well then, you start practicing nutrition in training. This was a thing for me last season; I had to figure out how much I needed on the bike to keep from bonking on the run. It turned out that I needed something solid on the bike along with around 2 bottles of liquid, making sure to stop drinking 20 minutes before the end of the bike. Anyway, until I did a bunch of long bricks in training, I didn't have any way to figure out that was what I needed, and I wouldn't have had a very pleasant oly-distance race. Practice nutrition! Get up in the morning, go for a long brick -- figure out the nutrition you need for the race. |
| 2007-07-03 8:07 AM in reply to: #870027 |
Master 2491 | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? I just did my first Oly+ on Sunday and followed the advice for Oly beginners in the following article: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=... Edit: Something I don't see in this version of the article is the nutrition advice, which was to consume 2 bottles on the bike, one with your sports drink, and down 1 gel with 3 or 4 miles to go. Do one more gel at the midway point of your run, just before a water station. It was good strategy advice and served for a positive first experience at the distance. The race you just did is so close in distances that you could definitely be confident and ready come September. Edited by monkeyboy64 2007-07-03 8:16 AM |
| 2007-07-03 8:18 AM in reply to: #870027 |
Extreme Veteran 380 Frome, (Nr Bath) Somerset | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? Thank you all. I will definately try to increase my training over the next few months and the point about longer bricks is certainly valid I do try to do one at least fortnightly and would do more if I have the time. My boyfriend seems to think I should stick at the shorter distance and try to get quicker and achieve better placing before contemplating any longer distance. My point is that I may do better over longer distance as its a different type of race. I feel I am built for endurance rather than speed. I've never been the fastest, but I can keep going. I certainly felt fine during the race and afterwards on saturday. I think I could have done more but certainly I couldn't have gone any faster. |
| 2007-07-03 8:27 AM in reply to: #870141 |
Champion 5575 Butler | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? jessicadawn - 2007-07-03 8:18 AM Thank you all. I will definately try to increase my training over the next few months and the point about longer bricks is certainly valid I do try to do one at least fortnightly and would do more if I have the time. My boyfriend seems to think I should stick at the shorter distance and try to get quicker and achieve better placing before contemplating any longer distance. My point is that I may do better over longer distance as its a different type of race. I feel I am built for endurance rather than speed. I've never been the fastest, but I can keep going. I certainly felt fine during the race and afterwards on saturday. I think I could have done more but certainly I couldn't have gone any faster. I definately think you can do it. The oly is not that much farther than what you have already done as long as you increase your volume. As far as sticking to sprints and getting faster or going for the oly that is a personal choice. Me personally I like the longer distances and would rather be a little slower when I do a sprint. Some people would rather be faster at a sprint and never do an oly. That is just your personal choice. You have to decide what you want.... Speed or distance. |
| 2007-07-03 8:28 AM in reply to: #870141 |
Master 1938 La Crosse | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? jessicadawn - 2007-07-03 9:18 AM My boyfriend seems to think I should stick at the shorter distance and try to get quicker and achieve better placing before contemplating any longer distance. My point is that I may do better over longer distance as its a different type of race. I feel I am built for endurance rather than speed. I've never been the fastest, but I can keep going. I certainly felt fine during the race and afterwards on saturday. I think I could have done more but certainly I couldn't have gone any faster. Yeah, go with what YOU want. Do you want "better placing" in this sport, or do you want to feel like you've accomplished something by completing longer distances, or do you want to go about challenging yourself to do something you haven't done before? Any of these are laudable goals; but only you can decide what goal has meaning for you. |
| 2007-07-03 9:01 AM in reply to: #870027 |
Member 97 Woodland Park, CO | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? Based upon your logs, and others on this site, I think you could do an Oly tomorrow. Maybe not at the pace you want, but - I'm just saying... Maybe I'm naive (OK, I'm sure I am), but as I look at others' logs, I'm starting to feel a bit inferior when it comes to time spent training. I am only able to consistenly commit to about 4-6 hours a week - mostly on the 4 hour side. I have been following a plan (as much as I can fit it into my schedule), and my A race is 9/2/07 - an Oly. I know I can complete the race - it may be quite slow. I'm trying not to let comparisons with others completely trash my confidence!  Anyway, you should do what you want to do - don't listen to others that may deter you. You'll only know what you are capable of if you take the risk and go for it! |
| 2007-07-03 9:24 AM in reply to: #870037 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? KenD - 2007-07-03 6:12 AM Looking at your logs, I think you could be ready by then. But the real question is, what do YOU think? How do you feel about your current distance? Are you struggling to complete them physically? Are you dead afterwards? You have to decide whether you are ready or not. Ditto. Looking at your logs, you seem like you could do an Oly distance. Keep in mind, that sometimes our mind can push our bodies past that last little bit that we are struggling with. |
| 2007-07-03 9:29 AM in reply to: #870214 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? wannabeatrier - 2007-07-03 9:01 AM Maybe I'm naive (OK, I'm sure I am), but as I look at others' logs, I'm starting to feel a bit inferior when it comes to time spent training. I am only able to consistenly commit to about 4-6 hours a week - mostly on the 4 hour side. I have been following a plan (as much as I can fit it into my schedule), and my A race is 9/2/07 - an Oly. I know I can complete the race - it may be quite slow. I'm trying not to let comparisons with others completely trash my confidence! Anyway, you should do what you want to do - don't listen to others that may deter you. You'll only know what you are capable of if you take the risk and go for it! Well, this is a total thread hijack... but I took a look at your logs. I am not a coach or anything like that... but I have a coach so I kind of look at what I do compared to others training for my distances. OK, are you a STRONG swimmer? Were you a competitive swimmer? If not, then you need to find some more pool time. I was a competitive swimmer and my coach has me doing around 7,000 yards a WEEK. Although I'm lazy and typically only get around 3,000 in. The key is that you know you can swim the distance and get out feeling like you can do more. As for your cycling... yes, you need to get more long rides in. The miles you are putting in right now, might be OK for a sprint, but you probably need more for an Oly. Again, you want to be able to ride 25 miles and get off ready to run a 10K. You seem to have the running distances down though. Your miles there are spot on. But, are you a good runner, or do you struggle in this area? With your limited time, you need to try to focus your efforts on your weak event. I know for me, if I have a choice between a swim workout or a run session... even though I hate running, it wins out because that is my weak event. |
| 2007-07-03 9:37 AM in reply to: #870141 |
Extreme Veteran 367 | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? jessicadawn - 2007-07-03 9:18 AM My point is that I may do better over longer distance as its a different type of race. I feel I am built for endurance rather than speed. I've never been the fastest, but I can keep going. I certainly felt fine during the race and afterwards on saturday. I think I could have done more but certainly I couldn't have gone any faster. I'm right there with ya, sister. I may not be speedy, but I'm stubborn to the finish Tell your boyfriend to go run his own race |
| 2007-07-03 10:26 AM in reply to: #870027 |
| Elite 3130 | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? jessicadawn - 2007-07-03 4:53 AM I've been 'discussing' my next race with my partner who doesn't think I am ready for doing longer distances than I have done up to now. I completed a 800m/30km/7.5km race this saturday in 2:08hrs my place wasn't great -90/153 25/40 in my age group. I enjoyed the race, although I struggled slightly on the run but I think that was partically because the course was so dull. (It was straight out on a flat tarmac pavement in a straight line turn around and back for 3 laps! It was difficult to gauge pace and I found the surface very unforgiving) I generally have no problems on this distance and have done bricks to this distance so I think it was a combination of teh course and I could have done with some food. So, my next race is on 23rd Sept - I haven't entered yet as trying to decide between the sprint and Oly distance - What do you think? Could i be ready for the Oly by then? This will be my last race this season and I want to make it a good one. Thank you for any advice and comments. Jess Jessica - usual disclaimers (I'm not a coach, didn't sleep at a holiday inn express last night, etc) , but based on your logs I would say you can definitely prepare for an Oly in 2 months. My weekly volume totals are similar to yours, and I have completed 2 Olys and 2 Oly-length duathlons in the last 2 seasons. (Mind you, I'm not setting any speed records and am consistently finishing in the bottom 10-15%, but finishing nonetheless.) I have also discovered that when you go from sprint to Oly not only is the event itself longer, but the competition level is on average much higher as you do not see as many "casual athlete" participants as you do in sprints (at least that's the case in the races I have done.) One thing that I believe has limited my performance at this distance is lack of consistent longer sessions - e.g. 9-10 mile runs, 40-mile bike rides, etc. - that really help build the endurance to keep going after 3 hours on the course. For what it's worth...
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| 2007-07-03 10:53 AM in reply to: #870268 |
Member 97 Woodland Park, CO | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? << Well, this is a total thread hijack... but I took a look at your logs. I am not a coach or anything like that... but I have a coach so I kind of look at what I do compared to others training for my distances. |
| 2007-07-03 11:26 AM in reply to: #870027 |
Member 36 Birmingham, UK | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? I'd say the best way to make sure you are ready to do it is to sign up for it (at Oly distance)... The sooner you commit, the sooner you will step up the training! Craig
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| 2007-07-03 4:34 PM in reply to: #870559 |
Expert 1023 Malvern, England | Subject: RE: Am I ready for Oly distance? You DEFINITELY can be ready if you want to do it and you can put the time in for training. I was in your position last year for my first Oly in September. Have a look at some of the training plans on here to see if you can make some consistent training time. I worked towards my "long" stuff being 1 and a half times the race distance then I knew I could comfortably do it. BTW if you're anything like me and need a definite goal to aim at SIGN UP FOR THE RACE NOW! It may help with motivation if ever you need it (don't we all!) |
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