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First Ironman

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  • 17-01-2009 10:18pm
    #1
    dealhunter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34 ✭


    I am doing Ironman UK in August and could do with some advice as it is my first shot at the full-iron. I am reading Joe Friel's "Going Long" book and finding it very helpful but I am having difficulty setting out a suitable training program. Does anyone have any advice of setting out such programs? A complication to the season is I have managed to get a place for the London Marathon in April but have heard rumours that doing a full marathon during training season is a bad idea, how bad...?
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    #2
    911sc
    Registered Users Posts: 859 ✭✭✭911sc


    dealhunter wrote: »
    London Marathon in April but have heard rumours that doing a full marathon during training season is a bad idea

    I don't think it is a bad idea if you just run it rather than race it. Take it as a training session rather than trying to beat your PB.


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    #3
    hunnymonster
    Registered Users Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    There is a little over 3 months between FLM and IMUK. So long as you have done marathons before and recover well from them there is no reason to do both. If it generally takes you a month to get running properly again after a marathon then consider defering one or other race.

    I did a marathon 5 weeks out from an ironman last year. Was 3rd in the marathon and PB's in the IM. I made sure I ran the marathon at my lSR training pace (hr < 148) and was on the ike the next day and running the day after (throwing up on a boat in the channel the 3rd day but that's another story!)


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    #4
    tunney
    Registered Users Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    dealhunter wrote: »
    I am doing Ironman UK in August and could do with some advice as it is my first shot at the full-iron. I am reading Joe Friel's "Going Long" book and finding it very helpful but I am having difficulty setting out a suitable training program. Does anyone have any advice of setting out such programs? A complication to the season is I have managed to get a place for the London Marathon in April but have heard rumours that doing a full marathon during training season is a bad idea, how bad...?

    You can probably do both - but not both properly.

    The bike miles will interfere with the run training and vice versa IMHO.


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    #5
    dealhunter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34 ✭dealhunter


    Thanks for the help guys. It was fourth time lucky trying to get into London so feel compelled to do it even with the Iron in August. I have only ran one marathon before and recovered pretty quickly but it was the end of the season so did not have to jump back into a hectic training schedule. The Iron to me is more important than London so judging by your replies the best way to take it is a bit of normal long run pace. Thanks guys.

    Hunnymonster you sound like a freak, respect. Were you having a go at the cross channel..? If that is the case have you heard of the Marathon des Sable..? Have put my name down for 2012, can't wait!


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    #6
    hunnymonster
    Registered Users Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    funny you should mention the marathon des sables.... you might want to check ack for a race report in April :-) But no, I'm not a freak it was mr hunnymonster who was swimming the channel!


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    #7
    OuterBombie
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭OuterBombie


    dealhunter wrote: »
    I am doing Ironman UK in August and could do with some advice as it is my first shot at the full-iron. I am reading Joe Friel's "Going Long" book and finding it very helpful but I am having difficulty setting out a suitable training program. Does anyone have any advice of setting out such programs? A complication to the season is I have managed to get a place for the London Marathon in April but have heard rumours that doing a full marathon during training season is a bad idea, how bad...?

    Howdy,

    I did IMUK back in 2007, the course may have changed since then but its a tough race. I had plenty of experience in training and organising plans but I decided to purchase an online plan from a coach I met while racing out at Wildflower in Cali in 2006. His website is www.endurancenation.com. It was only about 90 yoyo's and I was pretty happy with it, meaning I just stuck to the plan instead of questioning it (which is what would have occured had I done it up myself). That said there should be plenty of local coaches that could help you out.

    Consistent training for the IM should be your goal, and is most definitely the hard part, the race was pretty easy in comparison to some of the sessions I went through that year.

    If it was me, I'd skip the FLM. However, it wouldn't really be that negative to do both. Note however that the IM marathon is a completely seperate beast to a stand alone one, its all about avoiding slowing down!

    Enjoy the year and best of luck with it.

    Ray.


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    #8
    hunnymonster
    Registered Users Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    IMUK has completely changed. It's in Bolton now!


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    #9
    OuterBombie
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭OuterBombie


    Jaysus, was bad enough in Dorset!

    Change of plan maybe, do FLM, cancel IMUK and enter Lanzarote for 2010 :cool:


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    #10
    dealhunter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34 ✭dealhunter


    How bad can Bolton be...?


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    #11
    OuterBombie
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭OuterBombie


    Ah, its probably grand.

    I believe the race got moved from Dorset due to the consistent bad weather that they've gotten there the last few years. The year I did it the campsite (and the carparks around the venue) were a mudfest. The race was slightly delayed due to athletes being delayed on entry because of bogged down cars, what a nightmare!

    I entered IMUK to get an Ironman under the belt, it was close to home, I could get the ferry over and be back over the weekend so no long period off work, plus it was near the end of summer so more time to prepare. The bonus as well was that I figured conditions would be close to that of training at home.

    Unfortunately it was the worst summer in ages, before last summer that is! By the time the race came around I was seriously p*ssed off with training in poor weather and was hoping we'd see some nice south-west England summer conditions for race day. Typically enough it poured rain and was freezing with north-east force 5 winds. The lake was cold and wet, the bike was cold, windy and wet and the run was feckin rediculous, with a double out and back on a hilly dual-carriageway into that mentioned cold wind. :eek:

    After all that, it was a great experience and god knows, can't complain about the weather too much, had 30 plus years of it at this stage. However, triathlon is a sunny day sport and images of ironman for me are always based around Hawaii or someplace warm and sunny. After the race, a fellow finisher commented that it was comparable to "doing a bungee jump in your local Dunnes carpark". I tend to agree, there was just no allure to the race, based unfortunately on the venue and moreso on the weather.

    You never know, Bolton could have it all.

    Ray.


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