To add on, in periodization, you generally go from least specific to event (i.e. sprinting) while far from the event to most specific to event (i.e. long endurance and tempo) as the race approaches.
Considering you’re 16-28 weeks from your race, I’d just do the sprints rather than looking for alternates. It’s not like you’re doing tabata intervals. There will be plenty of time for VO2 and threshold workouts in your build phase.
That + lifting your ceiling. As triathletes don’t do much above threshold, our fractional utilization (FTP over vo2max) can reach a high %.
Hi everyone!
I am planning on registering for IM Mont-Tremblant which is in August of 2023. I was wondering if anyone could help me with figuring out how I should be training to ensure I am racing to the best of my ability come August.
I was planning on doing the Base, Build, Specialty High Volume Full Distance Plan (but w/ only 2 of the swims each week) but that only totals 28 weeks (12-8-8).
Would I be better off doing the Base portion twice? or the Build 2.5 times? or something else?
Really appreciate any insight that anyone might have.
Thanks!
Plan Builder is a good start.
Then check your limiters vs the actual course. It favors a strong cyclist. Can you stay near your target IF during the climbs? (If yes, you have a strong FTP!).
I did IMMT in 2014 and remember the bike course was quite hilly: some rolling, a couple long sustained & some punchy hills near the end. If you’re only used to pan flat riding at steady watts, then you gotta to inject training for those rolling hills both up and down. I practiced getting used to downhill riding in aerobars at speeds i wasn’t familiar with. I hit 80 kph peak on race day on the longest downhill.
Hi there @Power13, I read that you are (or were) struggling with proximal hamstring tendinopathy? I was in the middle of training up for my 1st full IM this winter/spring when I first noticed it and it progressively shot me down. First had to stop running, then biking, and by now all repetitive cardio (rowing, StairMaster, elliptical).
I’m now planning to take a full 4 weeks of any exercise and hopefully slowly build up again.
Do you have any tips to share from your own personal experience?
Just to add to what others have said, I would say it’s firing up the muscles triathletes tend to neglect in season with the focus on endurance. If you haven’t done sprints in a while this is a good phase to make that well-rounded athlete. If you have, then maybe try skipping forward a few weeks and looking at the workouts selected in the same ‘slot’ eg:
Sprints might fit in well if you’ve started some explosive lifting for this season though.
Hi, welcome back to the forum and welcome to the thread 
One of the things we tend to warn people of is structure fatigue - following an FD plan consistently for 28 weeks is no mean feat, it takes a toll. That doesn’t mean don’t train at all, or don’t train with structure, but it does lend itself to picking a different goal before starting FD.
For example, I’m focussed on swimming right now, and picked LV general build for some structure and variety in the background. My HV HD Plan starts at Christmas.
Hey gang. Training Calendar question. “A” race is Chattanooga IM 9/24/2023. I plan to do a 70.3 in May as prep. Is it best to build a plan with the Chatt race in mind and just let the 70.3 fall where it does in the training schedule or build a plan for the May 70.3 and then build for the IM in September? That would make a pretty short window. For reference I’ve done 2 70.3’s and AZIM…with pretty mediocre results.
You have plenty of time to have both as an A race….let Plan Builder do the work for you. Enter both as A races and it will figure everything out.
FWIW, I used to do a 70.3 in July as part of my build for IMWI every year….and I treated the 70.3 as an A race ( note: this was before I joined TR, but just illustrating that there is plenty of time between May and Sept to do both as an A race)
How much time would you need between races to treat them both as A races? I have IM 70.3 St. George on May 7th as my B race and IM CDA on June 25th as my A race, but I’m curious if I’m playing it too safe.
Hmmmm….I’m not a coach, so bear that in mind. 
But the timing you describe is similar to what I experienced between races like Racine 70.3 or Muncie 70.3 and IMWI. I was building my volume towards the full and used the 70.3’s as test races / building races, but absolutely raced them as A races. Taper ahead of time, full effort, etc.
But I am also an athlete who respond well to volume, so the best regimen for me leading up to a 70.3 was basically to follow a full IM plan, not a 70.3 specific plan.
This will also depend on your experience level….my first 70.3 wrecked me for over a week. By my last year doing tri’s. (5 years later), I could knock out a WC-qualifying race and be ready to resume training the next week.
So if you don’t have a lot of experience in triathlon, I would veer towards using the 70.3 as a B / Build event, not an A race.
Hey Mario….I mostly just rested. Did a few PT exercises, but I hated them and didn’t keep at it very long.
It probably took me well over a year to completely recover from it, but I was back training and racing the next season with a continual niggling sensation.
Sorry I don’t have much specific advice to give in regards to recovering from this.
I know what you mean, and I’ve tried to do the same, but no. Imagine yourself at the finish line of both races, which one would be most pleased to have done well? That’s your A race, everything else is B or C.
TR Plan Builder insists on something like 12 weeks between As.
Technically, I would treat it as a training race (B)(from a training perspective), but still do the race as best as you can. I am also doing Chatt full in '23, and will be doing Ohio 70.3 as my training race in late July. So, train as though you’re getting ready for Chatt, but mix in a small taper for your 70.3 race. I did this for Wisconsin in '21 and also did Ohio 70.3 as my pre-race to Wisconsin…it’s was more of a measuring stick for me and all my focus was on my full for the year, as it will be this year too. Hope that helps, and makes sense.
For Tri’s?
I used plan builder this year and had both SBT GRVL and Big Sugar as A races and they were ~2months apart and there were no issues w/ Plan Builder.
I thought it was 8 weeks apart for A races…
Yeah I’m not sure, I was guessing 12, but it’s been years since I considered more than one A race.
I feel like I get better progress across the board focussing on a single A race. Next year my A will be a local half distance despite IM Frankfurt a month later. As long as I don’t injure myself I believe I have the long course pacing experience to benefit from the planned half distance gains.
Been a bit MIA from the forums but raced IMFL today. Goal was a Kona slot and I got the last guaranteed spot. No rolldown luck needed!!!
I’ll post a full breakdown once I’m a little more sober and rested. 
Congrats…awesome achievement!!
Thanks for the note, Power13. On the one hand I’m relieved to hear people coming back to training and racing, but on the other hand it’s really challenging to have an injury without a clear plan on how to get back from it.
To not derail this thread I’ll start another–since I am still not 100% sure that all the symptoms I’m experiencing are related to the PHT.
