Question for you and or anyone that has followed TR’s tri plans and have a Garmin. How did you all do the planning on the running/swimming side?
As much as I like making the workouts in Garmin and push to my F6X/edge any shortcuts you have found if any? And are you adding them after the fact to TR calendar?
Also if I decide to not swim for a while but do the bike/running I just leave them there correct?? How does AT approach these workouts as technically they don’t push to a watch etc.
If you’re following exactly, meaning doing the swims and runs, you just check off a box as you do them. Regarding putting the workouts on my watch, the swims I would not. I just write them down. The runs are basic enough you can just set it up pre-run using the intervals feature on your watch. One short cut for the runs, build the basic skeleton in TrainingPeaks and save that workout. Then drop into your calendar on the subsequent days. You can then change each week’s workout because typically it’s the same structure, just longer/more intervals. You can then set your TP to automatically push workouts to your garmin calendar, which will also update your watch.
RE AT and missing runs or swims, it doesn’t change the cycling workouts but will suggest swim or run adaptations only if you miss a run or swim. It won’t adapt your cycling workouts if you miss a run or swim.
Thank you and I totally forgot about the TP push to GC calendar. I will just ignore the swimming for a few months and probably start up first of the year.
Been cycling a lot last year and just started back with running a month ago. I sure missed it, especially trail running. Only really been serious about cycling time wise for last 2 years and it is getting there.
Edit: I am not a TP premium user so not sure if the GC thing works. If not no worries as I have really enjoy GC.
I did sustained power build followed by climbing RR in 2019 to prepare for the Mont Blanc half (80k bike w/ 1900m climbing). The sustained power build isn’t really that much different from the tri plans and a nice way to change things up a bit, but don’t expect any major improvements the tri plans wouldn’t give you. Climbing RR is really not ideal as a prep for a tri, even with a course as brutal as Mont Blanc.
If you’re looking to take it up a notch I’d stick with the tri plans and either add additional workouts to address weak areas (be it high power intervals, long low endurance, whatever) and focus more on excellent execution.
Thank you! I appreciate that honest feedback. You bring up a good point. Even the descriptions overlap a little. I have had success sticking to their Tri plans before so perhaps I should continue with what has been working well for me already and modify where I feel appropriate like you and others suggested.
@IvyAudrain Question:
When building out a long-course event in plan builder, we’re given this intensity selector. In a full distance race, the bike will often be moderate to tempo. But that becomes ‘race pace’ and arguably all out for the distance/goals. Should we be selecting 4/5 effort level?
My “off-season” usually happens in weird ways. For instance I took a month off this summer for some rest because my races were early spring and late fall (although this was cycling and not multi-sport). So I’m just coming off of 4 weeks off with TSS down to about 30% what it would be during a “season.” Planning to do the 80/20 plans this winter preparing for Galveston and Tulsa 2022 
I’m going to use a cycling coach this time around given my history of pushing way too hard and getting burned out, leading to needing a couple of weeks off. We are using WKO5 to push the PDC toward full-distance IM over the next 9 months.
Re: earlier question about Sustained Power Build, that plan is incredibly hard but incredibly rewarding. I did the High Volume version earlier this year. Lots of longer VO2 max and threshold efforts really push the FTP way up there. I don’t know how you would balance it with running and swimming though if you really want to nail the entire plan as it is written. That being said, I think you could cherry-pick the workouts with longer VO2 max efforts (the 6-8 min intervals) to get a lot of the juice for a little less squeeze.
Good question! If you feel like your race efforts end up being an 8 or a 9 at times, but you’d like to aim for a 5 at Tempo, It might be a good call to mark it as a 6 or 7 to make sure you’re effectively speaking to what you anticipate that effort will feel like for you.
Definitely don’t need to stress about selecting the right race effort too much, because with AT, you’ll be pushed to try to target the appropriate zones and elicit as much improvement as possible before race day. Selecting the correct race effort is less important than developing those zones and knowing how you’d like to race it, meaning, what you consider a 8 or 9 now in terms of numbers may feel like a 5 or 6 come race day.
Everyone engages in these events differently though, if you think you’ll be struggling to maintain moderate (low tempo numbers), maybe pick 4. Although it doesn’t sound like you’re there as an athlete anymore. 
The selection corresponds to a TSS in each leg of your race, so I choose accordingly. I wouldn’t choose 9 for any Ironman event.
@IvyAudrain Are these selections relevant to the plans built or AT in any way?
I mean… It all depends…
If you are a strong cyclist and your run goal is just not to die, then TR will absolutely 100% work.
The runs are OK. But they will more than likely not make you a faster runner… just a person who can finish a run after a hard bike ride.
Same with the swims… My swim goal is always just finish, I go in the water scared, shaking, and thinking this will be a very painful death. Yes, I am that terrified of the swim… I wish I was kidding, but I am not…
That why the TR swim wo, work for me… I just need something that get me to swim 1.1 mile and I am good with it. But if you are a fish, and you want to finish to 10 out of the water… 100% certain, TR will not get you there.
TR works for most people. Because most people are not super strong on the 3 sports… If you are a like @toribath said
Then, you will need something else.
I was a strong runner once upon a time… Now, in part because TR, I feel I have regressed in my running.
Even before the injury, I would feel my running was not as strong as before. Yes, I would still finish with top 5 runn on most of my tri races, but that was not translating my old strong 5k times. I think it because of the bike heavy (understandable) approach of TR.
Thats why for ME, a coach has been the best thing I have ever done to get me out of my funk. I feel well balanced in the bike on on my runs (which I still need to work on hard to go back to where I was 2 years ago). Now a coach is very personal thing. You need to find your person. I am VERY VERY VERY lucky to live in the area where we have an excellent tri coach (an ex tri pro, physical therapist, who competed in for a spot in the 2016 US triathlon team) who is very approachable and have really help me out to get out of the funk than i put myself in few months ago… Not everyone is as lucky tho… so how you select a coach? Find someone who has a coach and see how the coach works for him/her and look for other people who use him/her as coach and see if you like the progress. And based on that make an educated decision…
I am in need of new cycling shoes…
Mine are no less than 6 years…probably 7…
They are a bit nasty…
I am trying to decide if getting tri shoes is worth it…
I put my socks for bike rides because I dont want to deal with them right before the run…
Also, i never do the jumping into the bike I see on races… I do not have that kind of abilities…
so I put my shoes and run with them to the starting location and just normally mount the bike… like a normal person would…
So what would people recommend… strong road cycling shoes…or comfy tri shoes?
Good question! You’ll receive the same adaptations throughout your training regardless of what you choose for event intensity. What makes a difference is the discipline you select for the event, which of course changes the plan, and then you’ll get and the relevant adaptations along with it to target particular systems. 
Hoping to solicit the opinions here of the TR Triathlon hive mind.
I’m looking to try and KQ next year at either IMAZ or IMFL in the M35-39 AG. As a tall (193cm) athlete I’m always going to be on the heavier/powerful side on the bike and on the run flat is king for me. I’m equally comfortable swimming in nasty ocean chop as murky lake water, so the swim is no real concern for me. So that being said which course do you think would give me the best shot?
Depending when is IMFL next year…
November MIGHT give you decent weather in FL… and when i say decent I am talking about > 75, full sun, but lower humidity…
But we have days in the 90s in November…so thats that… it can be VERY VERY hot,
I am not sure about AZ…
also a couple thoughts to consider - not to be a downer
IM’s will likely continue to have reduce slots until all the WC races/deferrals are cleared out. 26 slots per race, that means there will only be 1 or maybe 2 slots at most for the biggest age group.
The late fall/winter races are popular to try to qualify at since it gives the most time to recover and then train for the WC race. So the field can be deep depending on who shows up.
Have you looked at both races results historically to see where you would potentially land result wise, you will need to be at a fitness/speed level to win your age group.
Fl - is hot - can be humid - flat - and congested
AZ - is hot - can be windy - has goathead thorns on the roads - and congested
However the outcome - best of luck and enjoy the journey
I went with road shoes for my most recent pair (LG Milan Boa) - - I’ve only got to race 3 tri’s in the 2 years I’ve had them so I’m happy with the decision. 
I managed to do flying mounts with them as well, but maybe if I was looking for even more speed on a sprint race or something I’d go with the slightly easier to get into tri shoes. I tend to have more issues with cold feet than warm feet so I appreciate the more closed in road shoe than my previous tri shoes as well.
Yeah, like you say it all depends on who shows up. But IMFL 8:55 gives you a great shot at a top 3 position. Wheras IMAZ is a bit more all over the place, but anything sub-9 would be a good bet there. I’m kind of calling the competition a wash at this point since it’s impossible to predict, but if I had to give an edge, I’d say IMAZ might have slightly slightly weaker competition.
This is the biggest thing - - getting on the podium (or maybe even a step or two off) in the M35-39 AG would have almost been a lock for getting a KQ slot, but now you have to pretty much count on winning the AG.
I’ve not raced either …
However FL also has a reputation for questionable legal/ aka blatant draft packs every year due the flat course - you could have a huge engine but can get negated from others who skirt the ethical line
also your profile say MN for your location - doesn’t that mean you will be in the dead of winter?
Another thought - have you considered something with a rolling/hilly bike that breaks up the groups and a flat run
I’m thinking the Kona slots backlog might be pretty close to resolved then. IMFL 2022 will be slotting out 2023 slots. So you have the Feb 2022 Kona, then the Oct 2022 Kona. Trying to get an Oct 2022 Kona slot this June yeah would be a nightmare, but hopefully by Nov 2022 we’re back to something more akin to normal.
