How hard can it be, eh?

Izoard

Welcome to the Duffer's Guide to attempting an Ironman in 2010.

Vital stats:
Age:39
Height: 6ft
Weight: 90kg
Wife/Kids: Yes to both (kids 7,4,4 & 2)
Job: Flogging software in crazier parts of EMEA (Africa, Middle East, Russia, Pakistan etc..) - Way too much time away from home
Injuries: Slight niggle in right achilles, but otherwise fine.

History:
Roped into a marathon in 2000, which was the start of an interest in triathlon. Have done a bunch of Olympics since then (hovering around 2 40 - 2 45 for a fast course).

11 Marathons to date
PB 3 26 - London 04
Most recent: 3 39 Connemara 09

2 HIMS
I guess Eireman doesn't count due to lack of swim, but recorded 6 20 @ Ireman in 2008

Challenge:
Have made it this far with no training plan, other than the enjoyment of swimming/biking/running for as long as time allows.
Not sure that this will get me to the finish line for an Ironman, so I'm hoping that a commitment to record what I'm up to will result in a little more dedication to a plan.

The Plan:
1) Get the weight down to closer to 85kg
2) Using one of Finks' plans to get me ready for an IM at end July/early Aug 10.
3) (Re) join a tri club
4) Hook into a masters swim club if time allows

Expected intermediate goals:
DCM 09
Connemara 10
Tri Athy 10
W200 10
Beast of the East 10

First Actions:
1) Negotiate with the wife re; IM sign up
2) Invest in a HRM

RJM22

Best of luck!

asimonov

Not hard at all! Good luck.

Izoard

Given the good weather lately, I've been commuting on the single speed (a modest 8km or so, but keeps things ticking over)

I get the feeling that the courier's view you with slightly less distain on the ss, but that evaporates when they see it is not a fixie:-)

Anyways, I see the rent-a-bike scheme is up and running...I think it is a great concept, but wonder if we are culturally ready for it.

In general, it is still not cool for adults to be seen using a bike as their primary mode of transport...:(

RacoonQueen

Good luck with the log. I'd love to do an Ironman someday.

osnola ibax

Izoard wrote: »

In general, it is still not cool for adults to be seen using a bike as their primary mode of transport...:(

dye think?. I've been feeling very cool flying into work on my new bike, with shiny blue helmet and everything, whilst simultaneously saving the planet like a good hippy should....... Oh yeah you're right

best of luck with the log, can't understand ye ironmen, phenomonal

Izoard

No sign of my Garmin 310 yet, so still enjoying the "just run" approach.

Did 11km on Friday and a beautiful 22km around the roads of Ballymoney (Wexford) early on Sunday morning.
All at the same pace (~5min per km), but lovin' it!

Izoard

So, you mention to your "nearest & dearest" that you are thinking of an Ironman, and the various responses range from "that's nice..." to "lunatic".

Was surfing around on UK forum the other day and got a little more exposure to the murky world of multiple IMs.

Normal people undertaking phenomenal endeavours...

MCOS

Nice one an IM log Best of luck and I'll watch with interest

Izoard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_6tOzt-nfM

Love it!

RedB

Best of luck with the IM prep. Will be cheering you on across cyberspace with similar great intentions someday.

Izoard

Have been acquiring a few toys lately, so each time I make it to the office in Dublin, a new delivery awaits!

First reaction...wow! this baby (310xt) looks big...I assume there are some benefits to wearing a laptop while training.

Suspect that the next few weeks training will involve figuring out how this thing works...

kennyb3

Izoard wrote: »

First reaction...wow! this baby (310xt) looks big...I assume there are some benefits to wearing a laptop while training.

ha ha pmsl

Izoard

A couple of days of kiddie vomiting put paid to the weekend training window, so a 2.5hr run beckons very early on Thursday morning:-(

I've been daydreaming about the IM for the last while, so have kinda forgotten about the DCM...need to get my ar$e in gear!

Anyways, strapped on the Garmin and took it for it's maiden voyage at lunch time.
Set the device to stun 5km per minute and off I went.

The eh, "vibrating action" is pretty handy, particularly if you train with music, so would be unable to hear the standard alarm.

Did my standard run in 53mins, measured at 11km...scarily aligned with the "gut feel" measurement system employed until now.

Have been fishing around for a masters swimming session and now that Templeogue College pool is re-opened, I'll give that a crack..just need to be in the country on a Tues/Wed!

Finally, great to see the uptake on the Dublin Bike scheme...renews my faith in my fellow Dubliners...

Izoard

No chance of a long run this weekend, so stumbled out of bed at 5am for the second long run in the build towards DCM.

What a beautiful morning for a run though! No wind, nice and warm, and just a couple of foxes for company for the first hour or so...

However, the Garmin has had a sobering effect on timings.

I've always assumed I run at one pace, whether over 10km or marathon (allowing for a slow drop off for the last six miles) and that is around 5min km or 8min miles.

For a relatively short run of 15miles, it took me 2hours 5min, averaging 8.32....

I'm not conciously running any slower than marathon pace, so clearly I'm able to push a little harder when in a crowd, but this felt like a normal pace this morning.

Anyways, will look to do a 2hr 30 or so next time out, but is likely to be another early morning start. I suppose it is good training for the heavy training blocks in the new year.

asimonov

Izoard wrote: »

However, the Garmin has had a sobering effect on timings.

I've always assumed I run at one pace, whether over 10km or marathon (allowing for a slow drop off for the last six miles) and that is around 5min km or 8min miles.

For a relatively short run of 15miles, it took me 2hours 5min, averaging 8.32....

I'm not conciously running any slower than marathon pace, so clearly I'm able to push a little harder when in a crowd, but this felt like a normal pace this morning.

Anyways, will look to do a 2hr 30 or so next time out, but is likely to be another early morning start. I suppose it is good training for the heavy training blocks in the new year.

5am, where you down the country? was it dark?

You might find that although the perceived effort is consistent the pace goes up and down depending on nutrition, residual fatique, time of day etc. What can feel an easy pace one day, can be hard the next. Have you started using the HRM strap?

Izoard

asimonov wrote: »

5am, where you down the country? was it dark?

Ran from home in Rathfarnham, dark in places but generally well lit and the sun appeared around 645 or so...

[/quote]You might find that although the perceived effort is consistent the pace goes up and down depending on nutrition, residual fatique, time of day etc. What can feel an easy pace one day, can be hard the next. Have you started using the HRM strap?[/quote]

Yes for the HRM...ave 155, which was the same for my faster (sub 8min mile) 11km on Mon.

RedB

5am :eek: Hardcore! Well done

Izoard

My beloved nipple plasters fell off towards the end of my run yesterday...slightly uncomfortable, but thought nothing more of it.

Went out today for a 4-5km recovery and got 400 meters before I was yelping in pain.

Reminde me again, why is it that men have nipples?

Izoard

Up and out at 5am again this morning...lovely conditions, no cars..beautiful!

The Garmin continues to point out that I have been fooling myself all these years with my training pace...17 miles in a tardy 2hr 25mins:eek:.

However, I can generally up the pace on the day itself, so despite the facts (:)), I'm still hopeful of going under my 3 39 from Connemara in '08.

MCOS

What time do you go to sleep at night to be up for a 5am LSR?

Izoard

MCOS wrote: »

What time do you go to sleep at night to be up for a 5am LSR?

Normal time..in the sack by midnight, usually.

I generally find the hardest part of the 5am start is not turning over in the bed.
Once the feet hit the floor, it never seems as bad (unless it is p*ssing down outside, then it is straight back under the covers:))

Izoard

Managed 31km/ 19.25m in 2hr 45 this morning and glad to get it out of the way.
Hopped on the bike (via school drop and a spot of voting...) into work and felt a lot better for having kept moving.

Might try for a 3hour sometime late next week and start to take it down a bit from there.

Contrary to most known scientific evidence, I'm not a big fan of the taper, prefering to run reasonably long up to a week before a marathon...probably explains a lot:)

Izoard

Away all last week, so zero training and even worse diet crimes:D

A few beers at the Leinster snore-fest on Friday night (repeated on Sat night!) put paid to any non-family related activities for the weekend, so I hopped out of bed this morning, in a blaze of motivation!

Run: 19.5miles - 2hrs 50
Slow, but felt fine...lame excuse, but every traffic light for the last hour of the run was red and v.busy with traffic...might have knocked oh, 5 mins off my time!

Bike: 14km round trip to work

Swim: 1,000m @ 21m 43 - really enjoyed it.

Will do 2 or 2hr 30 next week and then look forward to the joys of the DCM!

Izoard

Hovered over the "pay now" button for a while, but Ironman Switzerland here I come!

Abhainn

Just catching up on your log Izoard. Good man for starting one.
I'll be looking on with interest.

Time management will be the key. Especially jugging with a very young family (including twins?) and the efforts of IM training. At least you don't have a dog that needs walking regulary:)
Have you thought what your max weekly hrs will be during your peak phase of training?

Izoard

Cheers Abhainn,

Of course there is a dog!:)

Lovely boxer, but for the most part, I've managed to off-load the exercise aspect to the boss of the house.

I haven't looked at the Fink plan in a while, but either way, I doubt I can commit to more than 14 hours pw at the peak phase.

Based on my experience, if I have to make training sacrifices, it will always be on the speed side of things, as I cannot afford to miss the weekly long sessions.

RedB

Izoard wrote: »

Hovered over the "pay now" button for a while, but Ironman Switzerland here I come!

Fair play to you. Best of luck and enjoy the whole experience. Will be lurking in the background, following your log to see how its done so don't spare us the gory details! It'll be therapeutic

asimonov

Izoard wrote: »

Cheers Abhainn,

Based on my experience, if I have to make training sacrifices, it will always be on the speed side of things, as I cannot afford to miss the weekly long sessions.

if you have to make sacrifices, maybe the dog or one of the smaller children (but not the boy) would be best.

Izoard

Friday - Lined out for my first coached swim session with the club for oh, 4 years or so:-) Really enjoyed it, as it was the first "social" training session in a long time, although I truly hate any drill that involves floats - kicking for Ireland, but going nowhere....

Have had a head full of cotton wool since then, so did not do my last LSR over the weekend...in fact haven't ran for nearly a week!

I'll look out for the yellow balloons at the start on Monday and see how long I can hang on for...

Izoard

For anyone worried about the chances of finishing an IM...a few wise words from Master Tunney:

"Now if you just want to finish an IM none of the above really applies, finishing below the cut off (2hr swim, 8 hour bike, 7 hour run) is probably achieveable with no training for a healthy < 40 male."

Hope the missus doesn't hear about this....lifetime ban on the long run & bike will be on the cards.

Izoard

2nd swim session with the club...lots of good tips, but I think it will be a bit like a golf lesson for me - Grand on the range, but head goes to mush when I step on the first tee.

At the end of the day, the aim is to get to the end of the IM swim with as little energy expended as possible, so if I can even lock on a couple of improvements, I'll be happy.

DCM on Monday...haven't ran for nearly 2 weeks - not the taper I've been planning, but really looking forward to it.

Purchased a couple of packets of Jelly Tots..they were life savers in getting me over the Hell of the West in Connemara!

Izoard

Aside from the 2-week no-running taper and a few cut corners on the LSRs, the biggest potential limiter on my DCM performance was the decision to don the bat suit at the last minute.

A loose combination of banter with the kids, mid-life crisis and a couple of recent fancy dress parties and next thing I know I'm dressed as the Caped Crusader lining up beside Krusty Clown (manfully wrestling the 3'30 balloon straped to him).

Having knocked out a 3 39 in Connemara this year, my plan was to hang on to the 3 30s for as long as possible, before being dropped, but hopefully making 3 45.

Within 1km, the 3 30s were heading off in the distance and I was already feeling the extra heat. Damn!, this could be a long day.

However, while this was a slow, painful running experience, it was by far the most enjoyable with a running (literally) banter with the excellent crowds all the way through.

By mile 20, I was cramping heavily in my quads and hamstrings, but limped on to finish in 3 57.

On reflection, this might have been a handy learning exercise in the art of permanent discomfort...useful for the horrors ahead in the IM marathon.

No running since, but a couple of 1,500m recovery swims and bike commutes later, and the legs are beginning to return to normality.

Will now start to spend some time to motivate myself to move away from the "just swim/bike/run" training approach of the past years, to something more focused in prep for Phase I of the IM training starting in Jan.

Congrats to all who took part in the DCM, but a particular chapeau to the volunteers and people who come out to support...all makes for a cracking day!

Krusty_Clown

Fair play to you for going through with it, particularly as it was a last minute snap decision (do you always have a batman suit n the wardrobe, just in case? (points to some deeper issues ).. I wasn't sure if the American girl standing between us, was running with you, as she seemed to be in 'Robin' colours, but her costume was awful, not even a mask.

Congrats again. Not a pb, but agreat achievement nonetheless, and no doubt good prep for the hardships ahead!

RedB

Izoard wrote: »

Will now start to spend some time to motivate myself to move away from the "just swim/bike/run" training approach of the past years, to something more focused in prep for Phase I of the IM training starting in Jan.

How's the motivation going Izoard?

Izoard

RedB wrote: »

How's the motivation going Izoard?

Hey Red...been battling an epic dose of man flu (aka mild chest cold), but enough to have me doing sfa for the past while.

From next week, for the days I'm in Dublin, I have 3 1-hour slots carved out per day, where I can get moving on some high intensity sessions - something that I have never really embraced in the past.

Looking forward to getting back at it!

ultraman1

best of luck with ur IM training,nice to meet u in donadea

tunney

Did you pick an IM?
What club did you join?

Izoard

ultraman1 wrote: »

best of luck with ur IM training,nice to meet u in donadea

Thanks Ultra...still having difficulty comprehending your Conn 100 story:)

Izoard

tunney wrote: »

Did you pick an IM?
What club did you join?

IM CH.
Loose affiliation with Pulse, but my training slots of 5-8am and 9pm-midnight, are not very club friendly:(

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

IM CH.
Loose affiliation with Pulse, but my training slots of 5-8am and 9pm-midnight, are not very club friendly:(

I know that feeling, anyways good luck with the training.

RedB

Izoard wrote: »

Hey Red...been battling an epic dose of man flu (aka mild chest cold), but enough to have me doing sfa for the past while.

From next week, for the days I'm in Dublin, I have 3 1-hour slots carved out per day, where I can get moving on some high intensity sessions - something that I have never really embraced in the past.

Looking forward to getting back at it!

Hang in there Superhero. Glad to hear you're looking to bounce back strong.:cool:

Izoard

Donned the running gear at lunch time and headed off into the great outdoors to wheeze my way around 11.8km from work (city centre) along Sandymount Strand.

Very strong SE wind coming off the bay, so ended up with some unintentional intervals:-)

11.8km
59 min
Av. HR 168
Max HR 183

First run outing since DCM - was loving it out there, but my work colleagues are avoiding my hightened cough n' splutter routine ever since...

catweazle

How are you finding the Garmin 310 Izoard, bought one at the weekend but it will take a while to come to me from Israel, are they hard to use??

asimonov

Izoard wrote: »

Donned the running gear at lunch time and headed off into the great outdoors to wheeze my way around 11.8km from work (city centre) along Sandymount Strand.

Very strong SE wind coming off the bay, so ended up with some unintentional intervals:-)

11.8km
59 min
Av. HR 168
Max HR 183

First run outing since DCM - was loving it out there, but my work colleagues are avoiding my hightened cough n' splutter routine ever since...

Good to see you back at it Izoard.

Izoard

catweazle wrote: »

How are you finding the Garmin 310 Izoard, bought one at the weekend but it will take a while to come to me from Israel, are they hard to use??

It is pretty straightforward...my problem is paying attention to the display (aka run faster!).

The last couple of times it has taken 4-5 mins to find the GPS feed, so if you can, leave it out on a window ledge which you are getting ready.

Garmin Connect is easy to use, but I would be a novice user currently...

BTW, I got mine form Israel as well...best price and no issue with it!

RedB

Izoard wrote: »

my training slots of 5-8am and 9pm-midnight, are not very club friendly:(

Well done Izoard. Glad to see you found another slot!

Was thinking of getting a Garmin 405 myself from Santa as a mate has it and gives it the thumbs up. Any particular reason you went with the 310?

Izoard

RedB wrote: »

Well done Izoard. Glad to see you found another slot!

Was thinking of getting a Garmin 405 myself from Santa as a mate has it and gives it the thumbs up. Any particular reason you went with the 310?

I was kinda sold on the waterproof aspect of the 310xt, but I've since talked to a few people who have used the 405 in the water and have found no issue (i.e. it still works after an OW swim).

Certainly, I prefer the look of the 405 vs the USS Enterprise-vibe of the 310.

catweazle

Good ya I went with them as well, 240 for the lot and 100% feedback twas a no brainer, did you get caught for import duty I asked him to mark mine as gift??

Izoard

catweazle wrote: »

Good ya I went with them as well, 240 for the lot and 100% feedback twas a no brainer, did you get caught for import duty I asked him to mark mine as gift??

No problems there..quick delivery and no "extras"....

MCOS

So cool that we have 3 IM logs running here!! You going to do the IM as the caped crusader?!!