The Ironman Training 2022 Thread

Sorry to read this. Its seems to be really spiking again in the UK and I am doing my best to stay out of peoples way as well. I would see how you feel three weeks from now. I will hopefully see you there.

Good luck to anyone at IMUK, IM Austria and Roth today!

Runners and riders from the forum:

Roth
@Jur1nator
@Nelson_Dechant

IMUK
@Stoof
@Benwgoodfellow
Conditions damp and cool at IMUK which will make things sketchier on the bike but should allow better run performances.

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Strangest thing I’ve ever seen from a triathlon group

Someone saying that cliff bars have too much added sugar and someone should make a healthier version of them.

What on earth are you eating them for if it’s not just for the sugar content? It’s a bit like saying vodka has too much alcohol

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Good bike time on that course. With this long climbs it’s definitely not a PR bike course

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Okay everybody it’s time for roll call!

How was June? Finished a race or just started your training? Injury caught up or set a new PB?

Tell us all about it.

@toribath
@sloanekathryn
@Nelson_Dechant
@pstalley
@wyku
@dfquigley
@SRDen2020
@eagleallan
@kcem1983
@simo429

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@HMG
@mikemckinney
@tikka
@justindoestriathlon
@mikepstein
@NYC
@MK_2
@andrewbryson
@Nervous_Energy
@bfrostieone

@mgalex
@windyyet
@ericgabriel11
@teamsuchevich
@matthewgreer
@mrtopher1980
@jasonm71
@DanF
@philippephlop
@velopiano

@asteryx
@Jur1nator
@bbdude
@ealarcon
@ivokrakic
@olly
@agbatten
@stoof
@amnesty
@smooh

@crosshemi
@TG333
@billabong
@grifter1981
@slainster
@gesteves
@mgringle
@joelrivera
@michael_tate

@teetopmlp
@nicco
@benwgoodfellow

Edit
Ben did pretty good at IMUK.

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Thanks, Joe. June went great:

Screen Shot 2022-07-05 at 5.30.07 PM

  • Full compliance with the bike and run portions of the high-volume, half-distance plan. I didn’t miss or fail any workouts, and got a little bump to both my cycling FTP and running CP. I’m feeling pretty strong and motivated.
  • Crowds and high Covid cases kept me out of the pool the entire month, but I was able to do a couple open water swims a week. I’m not quite following the plan, but at least I’m getting some distance in.
  • Raced my first triathlon (race report) and my first half marathon (race report), both with great results. These two races just left me hungry for more, so I’m considering signing up for another race before IM 70.3 AZ in October. I see registration is still open for IM 70.3 Boulder… so tempting… :thinking:
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Raced IM CDA 70.3

Felt a bit off all week leading into the race - just not sharp. I skipped a few of the last couple workouts hoping that I would feel fresh on race day.

goals - S 30/ B 2:45/ R 2:00

Swim I seeded a bit to far back, swam 31, but swam at least half the race by myself. Was usually woozy upon the swim exit, almost landed on a photographers.
Bike was fine, felt good, road 2:50 which was a bit disappointing as I just didn’t feel awesome.
Run, damn I am slow. I was going fine till mile 10 and the warm day and my malaise convinced me to walk a couple times. Just wasn’t in the right headspace to grit it out. Ran 2:10, for an 5:40 overall which was okay for an average feeling day.

Monday went to a work travel/conference (I mean super spreader) and tested positive Thursday so I am out of Oregon 70.3.

Gonna take a week to recover and then get back going, need to lose some weight. I can’t keep racing expecting good results carrying 20+ extra pounds.

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Im70.3 CDA report: hot, couldn’t find power.

IM Canada and Florida prep: underperforming. RIP.

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All is well, thanks for the call up @JoeX .

Near the end of my build I was struggling with motivation a bit, so the focus of the last two weeks in June were more on maintaining my sanity. I did my long runs on mountain trails, not sweating the pace. Went out to ride my bike as if I was 13 years old a couple of times, randomly sprinting green lights and town signs and making sure to overtake absolutely everyone I met on the road including tractors. Some MTB and easy open water instead of hard work in the pool.

Fitness however is great. My run interval splits are within seconds of my best 70.3 seasons, swim splits are good, power on the bike is good.

Whats curious is that my FTP hasn’t moved since March. I only retested twice and the results were the same. I did not do much structured intensity, which would usually drive my FTP. Instead I was really careful to not overdo it and avoid cooking myself. In previous seasons I would often despair that by the end of build I was knackered and performance outside the TR ramp would not improve or get worse. This year though I keep improving. I’ve PR’ed the 70.3 bike leg in early June on 0.3w/kg less than previous years. My target wattage on the full distance bike leg from past years now feels like an easy sunday cruise. This is my first season, half or full distance, where I am actually feeling ready for a specialty phase and don’t feel like I’ve got some catching up to do.

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Thanks @JoeX

Swim; Planned 11h completed 4h 45 min
Bike; Planned 16h 30min Completed 8h
Run Planned. 6.5 Completed 3h 30 min
Total: 16h 15 min

Well what a topsy turvy disaster of a month! After two consistent months it all went wrong… and right.
I’ve commented a lot already but I had a weeks holiday with the family which causes an enforced low vol week. Then I trapped a nerve in my back reducing me to being unable to do ANYTHING (On the same day as new wheels!) For 3 weeks. I was in a 15 day race of recovery. From crawling in agony. Dosed in pain killers. Slowly movement came back after nine days back on a bike (not riding) to barely able to sit on the TT bike 3 days before. Then on the Friday I fell hurt my left hand and knee (I’m totally left handed) unable to bend or pick up a bottle.

Saturday 26th night. Being told by family don’t race. Ha, How to make me fight. You can’t keep a triathlete down. HELL NO.
With a three week taper, a trapped nerve, barely able to bend, unable to tie my laces and unable to grip with my only dominant hand, I was standing in a wetsuit, at 05:15… BOOM! Sod it, LETS DO THIS!

I made the swim cut, then my race started. A windy day, in pain and adversity, injuries, what injuries? A 6:16 time and a huge smile… 69 of 100. That’s why we do this. NOW 12 weeks to Weymouth 70.3……

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No still here Mate, just missed the W I think :thinking:

Well, 1st Ironman :+1:
IM UK on Sunday. Was it the perfect race? certainly not, Very much a U-shaped performance but loads of lessons learned. Looking forward to putting in a more consistent performance at IM Wales in September.
The Swim went really well for me. 3rd out the water with a time of around 56ish (Tracker has 53, them 6 mins in T1 which is wrong)
Onto the bike & into the lead early. Feeling good for the 2hr opened the gap to 7mins at 100km, then the bonk started to set in. Had lost a bottle with 160G carbs & just couldn’t drink the volume of on course Gatorade to make up that deficit (had to pee 6 times though the day). Was really struggling to do low Z2 on the final lap. From 6mins lead to 6.5 back in 6th within 40km, the legs & head had gone.

Was 100% sure that the Run was going to be a downwards spiral of pain. But by starting steady, taking on fuel & pulling energy from the atmosphere. The legs came back, my mindset flipped & I got back in the race. The final 10km was my fastest by far, pulling back 2 places to finish 4th Overall in 09:48:27

Don’t suppose many Negative splits during the Marathon after a massive positive split on the bike. What a Roller Coaster Ride of a day!

Run - 3hr 9min - 42.9 km Run Activity on July 3, 2022 by Ben “Wilf" G. on Strava
Bike - https://www.strava.com/activities/7409811588

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I had my first race of the year on 6/12. It went reasonably well despite feeling underprepared for it (thank you Covid). Looking at the times (31.5/2:25/1:32 for 4:35), I should be happier with the race than I am. The other June highlight was the annual Tour de Donut. We’ve got a local lake w/ a 7mi loop. We ride it 12 times, stopping for donuts every lap. It ends up being 85 miles and a dozen donuts. The crazy ones will then run a lap for a baker’s dozen (I passed on the run this year). The rest of June was a week of recovery following the 70.3 and the the first week of a 5 week build leading up to IM Ohio 70.3 at the end of July.

The Numbers:
wk 22: Total: 15 hr, Bike: 9.5 hr (6 rides), Run: 4 hr (3 runs), Swim: 1.5 hr (3 swims)
wk 23: Total: 8.5 hr, Bike: 4.5 hr (4 rides), Run: 2.25 hr (3 runs), Swim: 1.5 hr (4 swims) Race Week
wk 24: Total: 10 hr, Bike: 6 hr (3 rides), Run: 1.5 hr (3 runs), Swim: 2.5 hr (4 swims)
wk 25: Total: 15 hr, Bike: 8.5 hr (4 rides), Run: 3.75 hr (3 runs), Swim: 2.75 hr (4 swims)

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Hey Everybody!

I have managed to keep the training really consistent through June across all three disciplines; started getting down to the lake too which has been really refreshing. The runs are getting incrementally longer week on week, and are actually feeling really good. Really happy with where my training is currently at. Just 2 more months of super consistency! :man_running: :man_running:

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@JoeX Thanks for keeping it going. My report is simple - no training at all, nada whatsoever the last 2 months. A lot of travel and serious lack of motivation.

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I’m racing my first half ironman in 4 days! I don’t think it has sinked in yet… or synced in.

I did a mini tri last week (bike to the pool, swam 3x 400 since i didnt have time to get the 4th set in due to limited pool time, bike back and ran 15k)
My toes chafed a lot…but that pain went away at 13k… But my leg still isnt happy about that effort (previous longest run was 12k)
I just hope im back to 90% + come race day.
Also used rouvy to simulate the course and didnt realize there were so many 15%+ sections on the climbs… I guess i’ll be spending a lot of time grinding in the easiest gears

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