The Ironman in 2019 thread

[JoeX]

Hi, I’ve started this thread primarily as therapy/support for anyone subjecting themself to the Full or Half distance training plans!

Please do post anything you want, getting through the plans and to the start line is not easy, and I know I’ll need some group therapy to keep me going and others probably will too

This will be my sixth season in triathlon and hopefully my most successful - I hope it will be for you too.

I’ve just ramped gently up into Full Distance Mid Volume Base, 2nd week and my legs are already complaining, my usual light sleeping replaced with ‘sleep of the dead’ and a plateful of grilled meat is starting to look like a light snack

What’re you up to?

[JoeX]

Scanned through recent posts to gather a few potential contributors…
@Kiwi @Charlie_1980
@GeorgeAnderson @Amnesty @Hsatt @tribuddha @octopusx @JulianM @GB1 @Mrlavalamp

[Simo429]

70.3 for me in 2019 or possibly 2 before having another crack at 140.6 in 2020.

Never done an IM race all mine have been outlaw both half and full and next year will be no exception but 2020 I am thinking Maastricht, Bolton doesn’t interest me at this time.

[Amnesty]

I will try my first Ironman in 2019 (30.June Mainova/Frankfurt).
I’d start on 10th December with the low volume plan. Until then I build up my running volume and do some other unstructured training: 4x running, 2x swimming, 2x bike /week.
My TSS progression looks like this:

TSS goes down when low volume starts, but intensity goes up. Right now I am only doing Z2 work.
But maybe I fill in some additional runs or do longer runs during low volume base…

[GeorgeAnderson]

What a great idea Joe.

This will be my 1st Ironman - Ironman Lanzarote on Saturday 25th May 2019. My plan starts in 2 weeks time.

Really looking forward to it.

I’ll be doing the Low Volume plan.

[Simo429]

Lanza is a dream race of mine

[Amnesty]

Wow, nice race! It’s a dream race of mine too.
I never considered starting there because of the early date and the long winter training in Germany.
But if I survive the Trainerroad Plan on the trainer and the Ironman Frankfurt, I will go for it in 2020!

[Simo429]

My issue is that its always during term time. In 30 years time when I am retired I will be able to do all these bucket list races although maybe due to climate change IM UK will be exactly like Lanza is now and Lanza will be a ball of fire.

[JulianM]

I’m in for this - what have you got lined up for the year Joe?

I tend not to follow the tri plans but use the cycling plans and swim and run on top of that. No races for a long time for me so cycling is on the back burner, currently in Wk 3 of Traditional Base mid volume. Trad volume should take me until around Christmas then it will probably be Sweet Spot Base and Sustained Power Build before the TT season starts. Currently I’m following a 5k Pfizinger running plan for a bit a base speed and swimming a lot!

I’m in the fortunate position of already having qualified for Kona next year so that will be my main focus with maybe a couple of HIM’s during the summer. No decisions on those yet though.

[stevenbrandes]

I’m doing Ironman Wisconsin in September and am approaching my preparation like this:

August-September: 6 Weeks of overgear Sweet Spot riding
October: Sprint Triathlon Build (Quick hit of HIT training)
November-December: Sustainable Power Build Medium (Big Focus on Cycling)
January-February: Olympic Build
March-April: Hald Distance Specialty Phase
Early June: TTT Triathlon
June: 3 Weeks Base Phase
July-August: Full Distance Specialty Phase

TTT is a super hill route and off of my power profile my weakness is VO2 max compared to my FTP. I dont think this helps me with hilly races, but with TTT and Wisconsin thats what I am dealt with. The plan is to use the off season months to build base while always working on my weakness w/ the 1x weekly vo2 Max work.

[mrlavalamp]

Good stuff! Planning on St. George and possibly San Diego (70.3s) in preparation for a BQ attempt at St. George marathon in October, and then shooting for a sub 10 hour at IRONMAN Boulder in 2020. We shall see!

Focus for the winter is definitely 4-5 runs a week + weights and yoga!

[JoeX]

Yes I’ll probably modify the plan as well. More for convenience and motivation. The only thing I’m sure doesn’t work for me is interval runs - I always catch minor injuries that mess up my week.

Im enjoying swim at the moment, but I’ll be focussed on run through Q1 2019. Not decided how that will affect the plan yet.

As for events, I’m frustrated with health issues and over training these last two years, so I haven’t booked my events yet. I’m aiming for fitness in May and again in August, so perhaps Lanza or Copenhagen.

[Amnesty]

How would you modify the plans?

[wfenwick]

Starting to plan out my season’s races and am excited to integrate TrainerRoad into my preparations.

March-April - Working on selecting a 70.3 Destination Race, recommendations welcomed!
June - Escape from Alcatraz (I know not IM…but excited)
July - Ironman Lake Placid

I’ll do a handful of running road races earlier in the season most likely as well, 10k-Marathon distances

[JulianM]

Lanza and Copenhagen would be great, both very different though! I did think of doing Copenhagen this year but it would have been a late entry after DNF’ing at the Outlaw with mechanical issues.

YOu’re right about avoiding minor injuries - it’s those more than anything else than mess up the consistency of training.

[JulianM]

It can be tough doing an early season race but if you can cope with long indoor sessions it is doable. I raced IM South Africa in 2017 training mostly indoors - the hardest thing for me I think was the lack of outside swim training. The first time I got my wetsuit out was a few days before the race.

[Murph333]

Good idea,

I am doing IM Mont Tremblant in Aug 19

I am starting with Sweet Spot Base, until mid Jan when i will start the Full Distance Mid Volume plan. I have done to IM before (Mont Tremblant and UK) but i took all of last year off and got fat (but it was fun doing so), so I’m starting from the basement again

[Scheherazade]

My goal race next year is likely to be Calgary 70.3 (third time at that race/distance). Currently doing trad base with the swims and runs from full distance base. I’ll switch to the HIM plan in due course but won’t need to do that until Feb/Mar so trying to get some decent base built in the meantime.

Biking is my strongest suit so hoping that the consistency in swimming and running between now and next summer will pay off.

ETA: Just saw you are considering Copenhagen. That’s on my list for if/when I do a full so will be interested to see what you think of it.

[JoeX]

Hi Amnesty,

Not decided yet, but likely to be;

Swim: lower volume but more intervals, more interested in technique and consistent training. I “need” less here, but this year I want the benefit of the low impact training this time.

Bike: lower priority than previous years, my FTP is slowly but steadily rising but I have a clear problem in executing outside. Outdoor rides minimising time above Tempo and below Endurance (TR zones) to maximise results within a manageable TSS.

Run: limit long runs to 2hrs, tempo runs over interval training. Regular running the priority until March.

[JoeX]

I found the Olympic Base to be a good precursor to the Half Distance plans this year. I was very close to doing SSB now, but given my priorities the tri plans are a better fit.