The Ironman Training 2020 Thread

Im echoing what others are saying, it doesn’t seem that strength is your limiter, it’s probably your technique. Better technique will automatically lead to less fatigue during your swim sets and bring down Times overall. The thing with strength training is that it will get you to the pool with more fatigue in your swim system, making it even harder to swim with excellent form. It might also give you an excuse to slack on technique because strength.

Think of it like running with a backpack full of rocks. More volume and strength might make you a bit better at carrying those rocks. Improved technique is shedding those rocks.

I might add „swim better“. Adding volume without excellent form is a waste of time. Find someone to point out one or two elements in your stroke and start working on those with full commitment.

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I am assuming you’re new to tri. If so then just follow the builder guide. For you the base is of more benefit.

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not exactly new… been in the sport since 2013… 1st half iron distance in 2014.
This half iron in July would be my 10th race in that distance…
just starting to properly train with power… hoping to be able to improve further… before this it was all RPE…

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Yeah, I’d echo @Alen‘s advice

Base in TR isn’t really what we traditionally think of as base. You might assume that your general training fitness means you don’t need to do a Base plan, but it’s generally untrue.

As you’re new to structured plans best to do a base plan first. :+1:

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Does anyone use headphones in the pool? I am thinking about investing in one seeing as I find swimming such a chore especially the long steady state stuff

Hey @JoeX Been doing a bit of drop in’s in the thread and haven’t given an update.

Been focusing on volume this season, so this last block I did 9k, 8k, and this week will also be 8k in the pool, hoping to get to where I can get in 2-3 10k weeks as the final build up to my A race and that swim is only 1.2k since most of the Xterras have odd length swims depending on the venue.

Otherwise, this current block is focusing on aerobic capacity, similar to a sustained power type block for bike/run. Did 6x4 min @ 105%, then 5x5 @ 105%, and was able to mostly complete those, but this week the 4x7 @ 105% was just a bit too hard, but after the rest week I’ve got coming up, I plan on repeating teh 4x7 before attempting two weeks of 4x8. The run training parallels this as I first did 6x1k repeats at ~ 10k pace, last week I did 5x1k+1x2k, this week I’ll be doing 4x1k+2x2k, so after the rest week I’ll repeat the 4x1k+2x2k, then move on to 4x2k.

After that block is over, I’ll move on to some sweet spot work, but haven’t figured out how much I’ll be doing yet. Overall, with this focus on sustaining power, I don’t think my actual FTP/threshold paces won’t be going up that much, but I hope to be able to race at a lot higher percentage of FTP.

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That’s an interesting approach, let us know how it pans out over the weeks :+1:

The only easy swim I have is the 400 warmup. After that I’m always focusing on some thing or grasping for every oxygen molecule in the air. I couldn’t imagine listening to anything. But if you ever find gills in the aftermarket, I may join you. Lol

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Swimming for a non-swimmer like myself is always a struggle between fitness work and technical work. Its kind of a ying and yang. Opposites but can only be understood when coupled.
Better technique and you can get away with less fitness, better fitness and you can get away with worse technique.
If I am getting a lot of fitness from the other 2 sports and S&C, my main focus has to be technique.

So… what is the most successful path I found for myself?
It is a reverse periodization model in which I take at least a couple o months doing a lot of 25s and 50s with good rest ratios and at least a monthly video analysis.

Only close to a B or A race I introduce the long work (together with sighting, open water and some intervals where the “rest” is just leaving the water and running around the pool).

I always aim to get into the pool minimum 3 times per week even if one or two of the sessions are just sneaking a mere fast 200m after a run workout. Frequency is the crucial variable to keep the feel for the water.

This kind of approach is the best speed bang for my time buck. 3 to 4 months with 2 hours per week at most was more than enough to get pool PRs from 25 up to 3800 meters last season.

I should add that I have always been an avid consumer of video analysis from youtube and I swim in a pool where getting underwater film is very straight forward.

My main source for proper technique is

Brenton Ford publishes a new video analysis every Friday and the clues and tips I got from those were priceless. Unfortunately they do not run clinics or camps in Europe where I am.

If you combine it with some Swimsmooth and Tower26 philosophy, you can self coach yourself easily and the journey becomes very enjoyable end creative.

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Its not reverse periodization. Its simply periodization for an IM. Non specific building to specific for that event

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I have sympathy and I’ve considered myself, but no.

‘Being present’ I think is the phrase Gerry Rodriguez T26 uses, and it is important during swims, even the long sets.

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I have the Finns headphones. I’m not a good swimmer, and I don’t really like it to be honest, so for me to justify the longer 2-3km practice swims I “treated” myself with that purchase. I find it works good, not great but not bad. I wouldn’t bother with them for a 30min swim but for that 1-2hr I like them.

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<78% is recovery and warmups
78-82% of my critical power is my easy run zone
82-88 is for long runs/overdistance work [during the season)
88-92 is marathon target
92-96 is Half target
96-102 is threshold
102-105 is 5k
105-110 are quick interval work
110%+ sprints and peak strides

I like music on the pool deck so i can get in the zone during my brief rests or during kick sets. Otherwise, I just get into monk mode.

Thanks for sharing that chart. looks at last 70.3
173 TSS, 2:33 time, and 0.82IF. In the “Good range for most age group athletes with good preparation” block, and I pulled off a 1:35 run split, which is pretty good for me. I’d say my n=1 review of the chart says it’s spot on!

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I think that and the previous one are good guides if you’re lacking any direction.

I’m mindful that some people are way below some of those targets. We tend to assume the elites all push to the right of those graphs, but one of the KQers posting here was the other way - iirc he had gone only 68 or 69% for a ridiculously fast bike split!

Agreed. Effortless swimming is great and Brenton even helped me out with recommending a club to join while i’m in Sydney, what a top guy!

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Hey guys, I have been getting a bit of numbness in the man areas after about 30 minutes in aero position.

What might this suggest about my position?

I’ve been thinking I could move my seat forward a bit, which might mean I am less stretched out and put a bit more weight back onto my sit bones. Does that sound right?

I will say, I haven’t had a fit, but plan to next month.

What saddle are you running? That usually has the biggest impact.