Tri / Triathlon / Triathlons - do they float your boat?

Somewhere coastal by the look of their twitter as well...

@mrtea silly question perhaps but are you sure a half ironman is right?

People seem to think that longer distance race is the way to develop but there's serious merit in getting faster over an Olympic or sprint tri. It also doesn't require the same training levels...

I've just got the first draft of my IM training programme and it starts with a 16 hour week and peaks with one 24 hour week. I hope my wife doesn't divorce me :s

I'm not sure really… I just fancy a challenge and am up for dedicating more time to training. Saying that you might well be right, I have done three Olympic distances now and none have been very fast. The last one was Padstow and it was hard! Maybe I should stick to improving my Olympic times for the next year at least.

Do you guys set yourself some sort of maintenance plan for over the winter?

I;ve got to re-learn how to swim, thats the first goal for me.

Tbh- if you feel like it- just do it! There's literally no point in caring beyond that, unless you're competing, or its going to ruin your life.
Which it could do, but probably won't.

Try the distances individually, if you like it/ find it OK, do it.

My plan is roughly
2x 1hr swim - one focused on speed and technique, the other focussed on distance.
3x short run sessions focussed on intervals, hills or speed work
1x long run
1x long fast paced club ride with a switch to the tt bike when the weather gets a bit better again.
1 x stretching/core session (yoga/pilates)
2 x strength sessions

The rest of the week will include a c.10 mile commute on a brompton most days.

This is basically what I've been doing for the last 6 months except I haven't done many long bike rides and there has been only one short run.

Looks good to me.

I would on occasion swim the 3.8 kms without a wetsuit, so you know you can do it, especially if wetsuits are not allowed on the day. Maybe teaching you how to suck eggs, but also train with the wetsuit, do the distance in open water to make sure everything is comfortable.

Another tip, when you pick an event, check what gels, etc they are dishing out free. If you like them/agree with them, use them is training. Then you know you are good to use the event stuff and you don't have to travel with and carry a tonne of gels etc with you, like I did.

All good advice!

My distance swims will be in open water as often as possible (this means every week from May onwards, but there will be some over the winter and I hope to be able to swim 3.8km in an hour by june ish when I'm fresh,

I think most IM.distance races use a wetsuit whatever the weather due to the benefits they offer, but I suppose doing the distance without wetsuit will give extra confidence on the day...

Damnit Ed, which one?

Decided a couple of weeks ago that next season I want to do a half Ironman distance triathlon. I havent started training yet, but the training plan Biarittz posted makes me want to go for the full Ironman. No way I ever finish one of those though so I'll just stick to the original plan.

Repost link for new page: http://triathlete-europe.competitor....ining-Plan.pdf

My cycling fitness is just fine so I wont have to focus too much on that.
Swimming on the other hand will be a serious problem. I didnt swim since... I can't even remember!
As for running I used to get out there once or twice a month for a 5km run to come home totally exhausted and feel the aches in my legs for three days.

So I have lots to work on and I'm quite busy.. I just hope I can make it. I plan to do an Olympic distance early season and the half Ironman later in the season. You guys recon thats a good idea or should I have more experience and try some short (sprint) distances before I get to it?

Also I'm not a fool, so I know I wont be finishing first but I do want to get everything out of me thats in here. Transition speed included. Now I reckon transitions will be much faster if there are no socks involved. Is it worth it to start training without socks on the bike and run? I really don't feel comfortable that way so if it isnt that worthwile I wont be doing that...

@eyebrows probably the uk ultimate one, but hoping to get some more assurance from my best mate that he's not booking his wedding that weekend...

having been swimming in the jubilee river this morning i will never again complain the water is too cold at triathlons...

You use wetsuit?

Yes, water temp was 10 degrees!!

I think most IM.distance races use a wetsuit whatever the weather due to the benefits they offer, but I suppose doing the distance without wetsuit will give extra confidence on the day...

It was close in Austria, but we were lucky to have colder weather the week before and water temp came in well under. The previous year water temp was 26 degrees and wetsuits were banned. Apparently lots of people just walked away from the start and did not compete.

Time (if you'll pardon the pun) to take the pee now and ask if anyone is interested in a Garmin 910 XT. I bought it for my IM training and event and it was great, but now it is not getting used. It is the perfect Tri GPS system.

Watch, ANT+ device, charger etc. No damage, as new condition : £180

Link to example

Good price.

HR included?

I'm defo interested.

Sadly not HR as well.

That would be giving it away :-)

Any feedback on going sockless?

It's faster to go sockless if you can htfu enough, like anything get used to it slowly, a couple of short runs/rides here and there with plenty of talc.

I just assumed it was the norm so got on with it tbh.

My feet did get cold in some early season tris though.

At the end of the day the biggest transition gains come from being organised and having practised whatever you decide to do.

I'm sure there are some very quick people who put socks on, and I definitely would use them for anything longer than an Olympic race.

If you run sockless normally, you should be fine.
First tri- didn't train sockless, ran event sockless:

There was worse not pictured.
Nowadays I'd probably try and put socks on, tbh.

ouch

For ironman I always go with socks... I'm happy to give up 30 or so seconds in T1 for extra comfort for the next 9 hours.

As I aim for half Ironman, sockless is now no-go. I doubt that all the htfu pays off the couple of seconds gained in transition when I'm not even trying to win anything.

This looks like a good warm up.
http://longcourseweekend.com/event-info/about.php

May get involved.

Can anyone lend a hand? Will pay in beer and spiced beef and smiles.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread119276.html#post4001400

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/an-interview-with-the-iron-cowboy-james-lawrence