The Ironman Training 2020 Thread

Ironman VR

Wow, what’s this going to be like?

Athletes will compete in the traditional age-group categories and for select virtual races, will have the opportunity to earn qualifying slots to the 2020 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand scheduled to take place on November 28 and 29, 2020. Virtual races will begin on Fridays at 6 p.m. GMT and close Sundays at midnight GMT with the first competitive race, Ironman VR1, debuting on April 3. The format and distances may vary each race weekend. The Ironman Virtual Club platform will utilize connected devices and be compatible with most wearable technology and app trackers. Upon completion of a race, athletes will receive a finisher package including the collectible Ironman VR medal and finisher tees for that race. The Ironman Virtual Club will additionally provide an activity-based loyalty point system designed to motivate athletes as they train and reward them through merchandise, discounts and special benefits.

During each weekend of competition, there will also be a Women’s and Men’s Ironman VR Pro Challenge. Two professional female athletes will compete on Saturday and two professional male athletes will compete on Sunday for prize money. Anyone around the world will be able to tune-in to the head-to-head battles through the Ironman Now Page on Facebook Watch. The coverage will also follow the competing age-group athletes through User-Generated Content shared on the interactive platform, allowing athletes to see how they match up against fellow competitors through live look-ins and leaderboard updates. Additionally, every Monday at 6 p.m. following the race weekend, the Ironman VR Rolldown Show will provide the best action from the weekend and an interactive live awarding of the 2020 Ironman 70.3 World Championship qualifying slots. During the live coverage, the Ironman Foundation will also run Facebook fundraisers to provide support for our traditional host communities.

Hey everyone,

Hope everyone’s keeping safe! I’ve really enjoyed keeping up with this thread while not contributing this year.

I’ve just returned to the UK 3 weeks before my contract in Sydney was finished and 3 weeks before my trip around Australia and South America started. Pretty gutted but also happy to be home with family at this time.

I’m planning to use this time to increase running and cycling volume. For running I’m going to use the BarryP 6 runs a week at low intensity to increase my volume.

Alongside this would I be better using sweetspot plans or IM plans and removing swims and runs? Plan to start with low volume and move up to medium when I’m adjusted to the TrainerRoad workouts after 6 months off them.

Thanks!
Jack

I’ve restarted the High Volume SS Base plans in the last week or two as my running races have all been cancelled. I hadn’t swum since Kona so that’s no real loss at the moment and as long as I stay well it’s a good use of time.

At risk of sounding like a public service announcement, please all be careful and follow the advice around social distancing and the like.

While I’m not by any means in the front line of treating those with COVID-19 I am an NHS nurse and some of the behaviours I’m reading about large numbers of people congregating to make the most of the spring like weather this weekend are just madness and will absolutely lead to more deaths that otherwise wouldn’t have happened. While most who contract the illness will ultimately be fine many will not and those could easily be my, or your, parents, grandparents or friends.

Racing will start again at some point so i’m trying to keep fit and treat now as another base phase of training. As for me, I’m still hopeful that moving to Perth will happen even if it is delayed by current events and I still have an eye on IMWA or the 70.3 next December assuming things are setting down by then.

7 Likes

Just restarted Mid Volume SS Base 2 plan as my A race might be postponed or cancelled (70.3 Aix).
6 weeks of this and hopefully I could switch back to to tri plan if we are allowed to run & swim. So, my A race is in August now, fingers crossed.

Be strong at home.

1 Like

Well, with all the turmoil out there. I’ve decided to scrap my plan and start again.

I’ve left my ‘end of august IM’ as the only event, to give me something to build towards and re-planned via Plan-Builder

:man_shrugging:

2 Likes

Same here, I could put in the Base phase full distance and remove all the swims, I’m 28 weeks out from IM Barca, but even that seems optimistic.

I’m going to see if I can easily cope with 3 bikes per week on SSB LV2 combined with 3 runs per week out of Run Less Run Faster 10k plan. 6hrs/week roughly.

It’s day one of schooling from home for two of our kids, I think it’s going quite well but the mrs is losing it, and I’m feeling quite tired already.

3 Likes

Interested by the Run Less Run Faster stuff. Is there an online ressource for that apart from the book?

1 Like

They have an app for the “Run Less, Run Faster”. It will ask you some questions and plot out a schedule to your goal event. It has a nominal one time fee that is possibly cheaper than the actual book.

2 Likes

Yeah the app is cheaper than the book but personally Inthink anyone should read the book - it’s only £6 or £7 on Kindle iirc, and well worth the read.

Imo lots of people modify RLRF without understanding that theres more to it than 3 runs per week, and end up failing or in injury.

1 Like

Run less, run faster is tough. Did it once and beat me up and difficult to hit the paces. Good luck and hope it works for you.

I am a Pfitz person now but still modify that slightly when doing or training for an actual event.

It’s worked really well so far, no niggles, and I’ve set PBs at a variety of distances including half marathon :grinning: Shame my marathon was cancelled otherwise I’d have a full review to give :grimacing:

I don’t know how you approached it, but even on the RLRF Facebook group few people are adhering to the protocols. Most skip the prerequisite 3 month mileage, skip the cross training, run more than the key runs, don’t adhere to the paces on the key runs, and don’t do strength work…which is why I think reading the book was a revelation for me.

1 Like

Thats awesome to hear. For me I need more volume at slightly slower paces to get faster. Maybe when did that program (5+ years ago) i more than likely put my targets way to fast. I still have the book.

1 Like

That’s what I did about three four years ago, I got a free copy of the half plan off the net and ran as hard as I could for the intervals…was injured in about six weeks :slight_smile:

I’m sure it’s still not for everyone but I think it’s worth revisiting.:+1:

1 Like

I really liked this part of the book. It frames your progress as a bigger project than just running.

FWIW a few years ago I tried the Nike Run Club app that has a coach function for 3-4 runs a week. I was progressing really well with it and it adapts the plan and paces to how you feel/do. Was never this tired before from only running :slight_smile:

Has anyone tried modifying the triathlon plans for be 2 weeks of build with 1 week of recovery? I’m just finishing HDBaseLV and just failed at Dade -1 (even after i adjusted to 110%).

The second half of base i find hard and V02 max is a particular weakness.

Also not sure how i should modify the VO2 work as i’m looking at those workouts (long and high pulls 115 to 120%).

Looking for some advice on how to take things. Send help. Lolllll

@JoeX @Nate_Pearson @chad @Jonathan

1 Like

Go to calendar and after the 2 weeks just push the 3rd week and insert in your recovery rides. Then rinse, repeat moving forward. After you get the recovery week in there you can copy it and put in a future blank week to save you some time.

Hope that makes sense.

So

Week 1
Week 2
Week 4
Week 3
Week 5
Week 4
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8

Thoughts on how to do modify the V02 max work given my difficulty with those workout or just give them a go.

Something like this. It will make the plan slightly longer but it could work for you. Add the plan on the calendar and then:

Week 1
Week 2
Push week 3 and add in your recover ride week
Week 3
Week 4
Push week 5 and copy prior recovery weeks rides
Week 5
Week 6
Push week 7 and copy prior recovery weeks rides
Week 6
Week 7
Push week 8 and copy prior recovery weeks rides
Week 8

For vo2 max i would just lower the intensity a little if needed to make it more manageable.

I think consensus is that vo2max power can vary a lot between individuals and the FTP as determined by the ramp test can be off the mark for some. For vo2 try adjusting so that you can complete your workout. It is better to complete an entire set at 110% than to quit 120% half way through.

How hard should these be? Depends on fitness and genetics, almost throwing up (but getting through) is a good anchor point.

1 Like

A failed workout - and we’ll set aside what failure is for now - is no big thing. HD Base LV has something like 90 workouts (SBR), if you didn’t start even start Dade -1 you’ve got a lot of work in :smiley:

A session where you’ve struggled or missed intervals can be from a stressful week (I don’t know anyone globally chilled out right now), lack of sleep, a skipped meal…lots of things…or just not enough space between workouts.

I would look at everything, and give myself some leeway before drawing conclusions. :slight_smile:

I think @ericallenboyd has it for shuffling the weeks about :+1:

2 Likes