BTW, what’s this roll call thing?
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Monthly check in to moan / brag about how training has been the past 4 weeks. It’s optional, has zero structure or rules and everyone can talk about anything. Some report stats, others just random thoughts. It’s quite interesting to follow fellow athletes over the course of their season, sometimes we can learn a thing or two or might even find someone targeting the same race. It might even help with accountability if that’s what you’re looking for.
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I’m planning on starting to report as of Jan '22 
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well, Thanks TG333. My training has been random, low volume and the Mrs. Mgalex has been demanding. Swimming is rare, cycling is commuting and running has consisted chasing my small children around the lounge trying to get them to eat breakfast and dress for school. So, sprints mainly.
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As will I; most likely in the 2022 thread, once it opens. Keen AF to get stuck into triathlon again.
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Last week I was thinking about a way to make these way too early base workouts feel like it’s contributing to my IMFL race 11 months away. At first I was thinking about each workout being a brick in a pyramid, but didn’t like that, because if I was visualizing a triangular pyramid, if I lost some time in the macro base phase or macro build phase etc, it would look all kinds of wrong. Then it hit me, that you could think of each workout being like a brick in a skyscraper. Establish a strong foundation and wide base early on. If you really put in the work, your base will also be pretty tall and wide. Skimp on it, and it will be a touch narrow and probably lose a floor or two. The build phase is part that really climbs into the sky with bulk. Do less and you’ll be short. Do more and you’ll be tall. Finally the peak is kind of like the spire and ornamental top couple floors.
Then I roughly sketched out the Empire State Building in Excel and broke it up into a bunch of “bricks” that are roughly 30min in size assuming I’ll be averaging 12 hours a week every week for the next 11 months. If I do more, I get to make it taller. If I do less, it’s shorter. So here I am, already a couple bricks short. (Thank you COVID booster…) But I do really enjoy being able to add bricks every couple days and visually see my progress.
You are planning to do a full IM on 12 hrs a week?
that seems on the low end of time.
I train about 10-13 (peak of 13) for 70.3 ish race (that I have never done btw).
I have heard that is possible to train for a full race on less than 20hrs. But I have never seen it done, so I have no clue how a plan like that would work! (based on probably more than one week where you will have a long run and a long ride the same weekend). Not bashing, just curious.
Yeah, 12 hours a week spread out over 11 months. I’ll probably peak around 17-18 hours a couple times, but plenty of 10 hour weeks as well. Lots of 14s, 15s, and then probably also a couple 0s due to injury/illness.
EDIT: Oh, and yeah 12 hours average is kind of industry standard. Just hop on training peaks and browse the competitive Ironman plans. And again, those hours assume full compliance to the plan.
EDIT 2: Oh, and my 12 hours are just running, biking, swimming, xc ski hours. No strength, mobility, yoga, walking etc. is counted in that even though I’m doing that…maybe I should add that as the underground foundation 
I should probably get with the normal triathlete program of only quoting people my biggest week that includes everything related to the sport. “Those 22 hours weeks were really killer, but it was worth it.”
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AH!
that make sense.
the spread is so large that brigs the few weeks of 19-20 hrs down, because of the many weeks of 9-10hrs.
OK make sense…
Interesting… The people I follow on Strava that do IM, they seem to do 15+ week in and out (they seem to peak at 24hrs in a week).
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I am looking for some guidance. 60 year old, supposed to do IM in summer of 2022 after a few years out from last race and but been training regularly. I have a plan for the swim and run portion of the day, albeit likely run/walk, but seeking help on what from TR to use for the bike portion. I am concerned with my age, that it could be overkill with too much intensity, but then, wonder if adaptive training will mitigate that risk. Any insights appreciated.
58 here. I used the High Volume IM Plan this year with pretty good success. However, the previous two years I was pretty consistent with my training prior to using TR. My training partener 50 year old female, used the Medium Value IM plan with great results.
If unsure start witht the Low Volume Plan if it is not enough for you bump up to the MV.
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I think you’ve got it - adaptive training should mitigate that risk.
How much volume have you been doing in recent years?
max weekly would be around 10 hours, and less than that during off season. traditionally i have followed more of a maffetone approach, and didnt want sweet spot to wear me out with the greater intensity.
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Check out this thread. There are a bunch of people over 60 using TR and they might have some useful insight for you there.
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I did the tri bike plans prior to and after AT, I found that last summer using AT I felt that I was able to manage my fatigue the most in a few years. The prior tri bike plans would have some workout (Elephants +2 for example) that were very challenging to complete when you were fatigued from prior swim, bike and run workouts.
Its hard to quantify, but the workouts were “easier” to achieve compared to prior AT. When I say easier I still felt they were productive, just more achievable. TR’s selling point that I was getting the right workout at the right time.
I would put your race into the calendar and let AT do its planning. I also use my own swim and run workouts so I just update the time in the calendar over the scheduled swim/runs.
I average 10hrs a week in season, moving from lowHR training to any other model will feel very different, but don’t be put off. Sweet spot won’t destroy you - it’s not threshold and it’s not VO2 max - but obviously more effort than easy aerobic. I’ve been using TR indoors for years now, so I’m used to it but I did Slide Mountain last week after basically two months off the bike, my HR was 10-15bpm over MAF.
If you’re going for a full distance I’d suggest Low Volume until you’re used to TR workouts.
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That’s what I was planning on doing as well, only using TR to generate the bike plan. I didnt know which plan to follow, either a Full Triathlon plan or say Grand Fondo to get the bike portion.
Judging by the fact I keeled over in my only ever Iron distance race I’m probably not qualified to give responses here, but… I will anyway… Lol…
A few years back now but I did my fastest ever 70.3 (4:53) off an average of 7hrs in the 6 months build up to it. Then for Roth (when I keeled over on the run) I averaged 10. It’s hard to know whether that hourly rate caused the collapse but I was ill from the off, probably from stress and 1.5 banana’s on the bike leg and about 1litre of water. Everything else I touched just got thrown up.
I did also support a pal in Norseman in 2019 who got round (white t shirt) off around 8hours of average training. His average was definitely just that though as one week he’d do nothing and the next he’d do something like 12 hours commuting in and out of London. Work, kids… there was no way he could follow a plan.
Everyone’s different obviously. 12 hours for me is a huge average. But then again I’ve never made it round an ironman.
I’ve got Swissman in June and struggling to get 5 hours under my belt at the moment what with different things. But we’ll get there.
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As another data point, I finished Ironman Arizona respectably in the middle of the pack (13:43) with a biggest week of ~15 hours. If you want to be at the pointy end, more hours are almost certainly necessary. But that’s not the goal for most Ironman athletes (maybe even those dedicated enough to read forums about triathlon!). 
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