1/2 ironman training plan?

Options
1…45679

Replies

  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    Options
    Most lakes that host swimmers will have measured courses e.g 'one circuit of the yellow buoys is 750m' or you can track it with a GPS watch although the accuracy when you look back at a map of your swim can be a little interesting at times. Have you got somewhere nearby you can go to swim? In our area the lakes tend to make you do an assessment & safety briefing before they'll let you swim independently thereafter so bear in mind you may have to wait a few weeks to get booked in for one if its a similar setup where you are.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Options
    See if you can find any tri groups in your area, they will have OW swims and at least you could find out where people do it in your area.
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    I have looked for tri groups. The tri group that is 20 minutes away from where I live is no longer active. The websites and email no longer work. My next guess is the tri group closest to where I live would be 1 hour away. I think that is too far for me.
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    I have recently had another b-day. I received a mat. I runner's belt to put my phone and gels. A little container on my bike to put my gels. I also got goggles, nose and ear plugs.

    I still need a wetsuit but I am getting closer to where I need to be. Any advice for a good but inexpensive wetsuit?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    Xterra has sales all the time, 40-50% off.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    Options
    @dee_thurman the most important thing with the wetsuit is getting the fit right. Don't buy before trying it on, or if possible, depending which online stores you have over there, order a bunch, try them on and keep the one that fits, return the others for free. It should be very tight out of the water but when you're in the water it'll feel significantly looser. Check YouTube videos on how to put it on and take it off properly as they'll show you how not to damage it (SO easily done with a fingernail) and how to get it into position properly and how to know if it's a good fit for you.
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    http://xterraoutlet.com/collections/wetsuits/products/vortex-sleeveless-wetsuit?variant=12552855875

    what do you think about this wetsuit?
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    Options
    dee_thurman wrote: »
    http://xterraoutlet.com/collections/wetsuits/products/vortex-sleeveless-wetsuit?variant=12552855875

    what do you think about this wetsuit?

    That's the wetsuit I own. Have used it for 3 years with no issues.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    dee_thurman wrote: »
    http://xterraoutlet.com/collections/wetsuits/products/vortex-sleeveless-wetsuit?variant=12552855875

    what do you think about this wetsuit?


    i have the vortex full sleeves.

    where do you live, and what race are you doing? you might be better off getting a long sleeved due to water temperature.

    i'm all about getting full sleeved wetsuits. the sleeves give you more buoyancy, and if a race is wetsuit legal, why short change yourself?
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    i will be attempting a triathlon in Michigan in August. The average temp is 77 degrees. I will also be doing a sprint marathon in Indy next month. I would say that the temp is going to be less than that.
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    I just finished my 40 mile bike ride this morning. 40/50/60 miles on the bike seemed really intimidating to me when I first sat out to do a triathlon. I know the feeling the first time I ran 13/15/17/20 miles for my marathon. I would say that long runs are much more difficult than the longer bike rides. My body doesn't get beat up the same way. I makes it more enjoyable to ride. I love running but when you are running every day and have long runs your body just feels different than when you get off the bike.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    Options
    I like long rides, the places you can take yourself, the scenery and things that you notice that you'd never spot or appreciate in a car. I especially love the heady scent of the flowers when you ride past a particular hedgerow or a Wisteria growing up the side of someone's house. I love how you're close to nature, the lambs in the fields, there's even a llama and a donkey someone has as pets near here, and this time of year you see all the baby ducklings and so forth. Its so much more than just 'training' :-D
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    i saw a baby fox, deer, beaver, all kinds of birds, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, etc... all on my ride. A bird actually swooped down and hit the top of my helmet today about 3 miles into my ride (first time for everything.) There is a really neat 60+ mile trail near where I live that is awesome to bike. I love my long bike rides in the early morning.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    dee_thurman wrote: »
    i will be attempting a triathlon in Michigan in August. The average temp is 77 degrees. I will also be doing a sprint marathon in Indy next month. I would say that the temp is going to be less than that.

    go full sleeves.
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    rode my bike yesterday for 25 miles and my heart rate was in my cardio zone for the first time. I didn't even think I was mike a concerted effort to go faster but I went 1.5 mph faster than I usually do and my heart rate averaged in the 130's. I don't know how I did it but I felt fine. I guess it was just a decent day (For me) on the bike.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    i find that to get my heartrate up on the bike, i need to be going at a pretty good pace. Running is a different story. Even an easy run i'm in a low zone 4, however it recovers quickly.
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    I went on a new route on my bike and felt like I was going the same pace that I always go but when I looked at it later I was going a little faster and my heart rate was up. I take that as a good thing. When I run, I run about an 8 minute a mile pace and I am usually around 130 - 140. I can stay at that pace and my heart rate pretty much stays right there. Sometimes I will go a little faster and it usually doesn't effect my heart rate all that much. Hills get my rate up but if I am around that pace that is usually where my heart rate is going to be.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    Biking usually also has a natural interval nature to it, recovery when going down inclines or coasting for stops.

    Whereas running has none.

    My range of HR on the bike for an avgHR of say 158 top of aerobic zone, would easily be 120 to 180.
    But running I could easily nail that 158 almost constantly except for lights.
    And the run would feel much harder.

    Actually, when I know I'm doing a pretty flat bike route, I'll sometimes set the lower HR alarm and try to keep it high the whole time, but below a certain point too. Usually feels much harder than normal attack the hills and recover type ride.
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    I don't know what happened in the past two weeks but I have increased my speed (without even trying) buy 2 mph. I used to average a little above 15 and now I am at 17.5. I don't feel like I am trying any harder or exerting more energy. I might be getting used to my shoes or just getting more used to my bike but I don't feel like I have been doing anything much different.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    Slightly different muscles are being trained - some efficiency improvements likely, and cardio improvements. Your lung and heart already improved from the running, merely applied to biking specific muscles now.

    Good job, now get to experience wind resistance more and more.

Categories