IM Ireland for me!
Not a fan of swimming then? 
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Apologies if this was asked/answered elsewhere - for those that did a 70.3 in the ramp-up to the full IM, how did you handle taper for the 70.3 (B race)?
I have Atlantic City 70.3 in week 6 of my build phase for IMCZ. Should I plan to train through it? Use the normal week 6 workouts with reduced intensity? Sub-out the workouts for other ones? Thanks for the guidance!
It’s built into the final weeks of build - in other words there isn’t much taper it’s just relatively easy except for the race - swap in week 8 for week 6, then use the next two weeks for 6&7 bearing in mind some recovery time depending on how much race day affected you.
Theoretically the training volume you’ve had so far should mean a half distance won’t knock you off your feet, and you can go straight into week 1 speciality. In my experience the two/three days after a half are easy effort only.
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Thank you all for your suggestions. I am a TR novice and planning to use it for a full distance due august 2020.
What I don’t really understand is why TR doesn’t offer a longer IM program than the current one. When you add the base-built-speciality for IM, you end up with 28wks. I would think many would like a program longer than that. And many have usefull tips on how to combine different parts of different programs to ”fill out the year”. So why doesn’t TR have a program that streches say 40 or 48 wks or so? I have seen such programs for instance at Trainingpeaks.
Anyone? Thanks!-
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My understanding behind the reasoning that 40-48 weeks is a very long time to train can be quite mentally daunting. So to give users a better chance to complete, you’re better off doing extra base & build if you’ve got extra time.
Also this helps with sickness/life events if you can’t follow a plan gives a buffer, rather than trying to jump back into your plan where it’s left off.
Plus taking a week or two off can also help with the fitness/mental energy. I know when I’ve taken time off I lose some fitness but bounce back pretty quickly and often get gains that I might not have if I hadn’t taken the time off.
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Hi, welcome to the thread!
It’s a fair question - I’m one that thinks you need a year or two to prep for your first full distance triathlon.
However, that doesn’t mean 12-24 months of structured training. As @jonesy says, you need a break from structure. It just does your head in - hence this thread!
Have a look at week 1 Low Volume full distance base, check out the bike, swim and run session, identify any weaknesses and ask yourself if you’re capable of doing them. If not, look at building up to the volumes before starting the plan, for example I think there a 1h40 min run in the early days that would be a shock to most cyclists.
Lastly, long course triathlon should not be your first triathlon. 12-18 months out from your first, you want to be looking at sprints, olympics and half distances.
I’ll be looking at my fifth Ironman in 2020, previously I’ve used sprint and Olympic plans to “bring me up to speed”, this time around I’m using Sweet Spot Base.
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Thanks. Have done full IM 2013 and 2015 and HIM about yearly since. Never used any structured training though and never trained more than 2-3 times a week. Therefor i am a bit curious how much better i can become by following a years structured training program. And if my body can take the increase in trainingload. So, in that sense I am a novice…
Thanks again!
Kees-Jan
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Great, well done. Structured training can be a bit of a shock, it was for me, I wanted to throw my bike over the fence after my first FTP test.
Have a go with sweet spot base 1 low vol now, which leaves space for a couple of outdoor rides you might want to keep doing.
At least, that’s what I’d do. 
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Have not signed up yet, but i do plan on doing IM Mont Tremblant again. Hopefully way less travel for work this year and can get a good bit of training in
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IMUK 2020 for me, I start my training in November; TR long distance plan with the runs and swims substituted for club training sessions. Up until then I have a marathon to train for with Sweet spot base low volume to keep the bike ticking over.
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Sounds like a good plan. Thx!
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I did IM Austria this year. Got over the finish line and said ‘right, got that out of my system!!’
I am now working out which one to commit to for next year.
I pity my girlfriend!!! heh heh
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Haven’t registered yet, but I’m 99% sure I’m doing IM Texas in 2020. It will be my first full-distance! I’m already nervous. I’ve done a couple of 70.3s and been doing Olympic distance races for several years. I’m planning on doing the TR base-build-specialty plans at mid-volume. Last year I did only Olympic distance races and followed the TR sequence at high volume, but it was too much for me both in terms of volume and intensity. Good luck to everyone!
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Haha - The sea is mighty cold…
Just registered for IM Mont-Tremblant. I’m also in for Mont-Tremblant 70.3. My plan is to follow base-build-speciality full distance mid volume starting in January. That being said, I don’t have a good track record in terms of plan compliance. We’ll see. It will be my first full.
Until then, I have an half-marathon in 2 weeks and after that it will probably be mostly mountain biking and swimming.
I had planned on taking a break from Ironman this year, but with the 70min+ wait for mechanical support (total delay of about 80min), plus a delayed start of 15min+ due to a different Charlie Foxtrot, my A race this year was a miss. I still feel like there’s unfinished business. However, my plan to focus on road and gravel cycling next year remains intact.
While I do not have cycling events planned, other than perhaps https://www.alpenbrevet.ch (Gold route) (the 2020 date is still TBD), I am planning on some tri-specific events. First, is Long Course Weekend Wales, which is just a lot of fun (and the family will be joining me this coming year). Second, is Rapperswil 70.3 because it’s nearby. Third, I am on the fence on doing IM Barcelona as a workout to see where my cycling fitness is. So, I may or may not do Iron next year.
Not that we’re talking 2021, but this is to setup a 2021 season where the likely A race will be Vitoria-Gasteiz in northern Spain. I find that I really like flat courses after Copenhagen a few weeks ago. I thought about going back to CPH, because I really did enjoy that course and love the city. As a training event, I may do IM Nice or another race because I believe doing IM Zurich as a workout 4wks before IM Copenhagen this year really helped me (plus LCW-Wales 2wks before Zurich). But that’s all still TBD. And maybe by then I’ll decide on CPH over V-G, dunno.
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Ironman UK 2020
…but shhh, don’t tell anyone. it’s a secret!
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Hello @JoeX,
Thanks for starting this thread, was looking forward to it being spawned at some point
I’ve finished my 2019 racing season and am looking on doing more in 2020. I’ve finished recovery after Ironman 70.3 Gdynia and resumed base training (SSB1 LV) suplemented by a Garmin Coach half marathon plan and swimming twice a week. So far so good, no sessions missed for 3 weeks now!
As for races, registration for the events I want to sign up for is not open yet, but I am planning:
August 2020 - Ironman 70.3 Gdynia
September 2020 - Challenge 70.3 Almere-Amsterdam
Will keep you posted, keep up the good work lads 
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I think I’m going to go for Lakesman Full Distance as my backup event if I can’t get into the Fred Whitton Challenge. Trouble is by the time I’ll find out about the Fred Whitton the Lakesman might be sold out 
If it is, no IM in 2020 for me; not much else really works for the dates of an adventure marathon I want to do.
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