Ironman - Sure how hard can it be

ironmanwannabe

I've decided 2010 is to be the year I do an Ironman, I've lurked here for a while and have read with interest some of the blogs and thought "Sure why not, now or never really". I'm fit enough from GAA and should be able to ramp up training. I don't really want to "just finish" and am targeting 10:29:59, a reasonable but achievable time I think. I've a young family and a stressfull time consuming job so I know it won't be easy, or perhaps even possible, but I might as well give it a lash. Sure what harm? All I can do is fail.

I don't come from a swim, bike or running background but I have some experience of each. I've missed all pre season and early season training this year due to an injury. I could be described, and have been by some, as a bit of a lard arse but I'd hope to get this shifted when I get back into training. Which starts today!

The purpose of this blog is to motivate myself by making my training public and to log missed sessions as much as hit sessions to shame myself into getting out of bed in the mornings.

So here goes, any and all advice appreciated now or in the future!

catweazle

Best of luck with it, reminds me of an office to ironman blog that was here a while back. Have you any ironman in mind this year, they get booked out quick

Abhainn

Good luck with the training and log. Have you completed in any triathlons to date?
Sub 10:30 would be a fine accomplishment with only a handful of Irish competitors would have come under this during 2009. Also some IM's have more difficult courses / weather conditions than others with IM Lanzorate & China among the most difficult.

ironmanwannabe

catweazle wrote: »

Best of luck with it, reminds me of an office to ironman blog that was here a while back. Have you any ironman in mind this year, they get booked out quick

Was thinking of IM Austria with this crowd
http://www.nirvanaeurope.com/eventdetails.php?m=10.124
read some good reports on it here.

Abhainn wrote: »

Good luck with the training and log. Have you completed in any triathlons to date?
Sub 10:30 would be a fine accomplishment with only a handful of Irish competitors would have come under this during 2009. Also some IM's have more difficult courses / weather conditions than others with IM Lanzorate & China among the most difficult.

I have completed a triathlon before. I'd like to consider myself a reasonable swimmer, biker and runner.

Surely 10:30 can't be that difficult?
A 1:15 swim, a 5:15 bike and then a 4:00 marathon? How tough can that be?

I think IM Austria is a fast course. I believe some lad broke the Irish record there last year so it has to be fast.

Maybe it is tougher than it seems but sure all I can do is try, and perhaps fail.

ultraman1

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

A 1:15 swim, a 5:15 bike and then a 4:00 marathon? How tough can that be?

.

easi peasi;)

mloc123

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

I think IM Austria is a fast course. I believe some lad broke the Irish record there last year so it has to be fast.

This might be more to do with the lad in question than how fast the course is

griffin100

Good luck...a sub 10.30hrs would be a fantastic time. In IMUK last year that would have got you to within touching distance of Kona qualification. I assume that you've wraped up T1 and T2 times in your overall swim and bike times? As you say a 1.15 swim and a 4hr marathon are very achieveable. A 5.15hr bike however is a different league, you'll need to put in some serious time on the bike and have a decent bike for that me thinks. Congrats on having the confidence to put up such a fast target time. Looking forward to reading your log.

What distance tri did you complete before and in what time. Friel mentions that for most triathletes you can take it that your IM time will be x 5 your OD time - a broad statement but he does know what he's talking about.

kennyb3

Not trying to discourage you as new bloggers in particular need encouragement, but you know its only 4 months and 22 days to go dont you? Your only starting back today?

Like you'd want to be doing some serious training at present (or just prior to injury) to be getting up to IM fitness within 4 months.

Also a 4hr marathon might sound okay, but it will be after 6 and half hours exercise already.

Also the whole 'I'm fit enough from GAA' and 'should be' able to ramp up training are very worrying.

You could be in for an expensive and painful experience, why not do a HIM this year and a full next year?

Also maybe some more details might help.

Running
- half marathons or marathons, how many and times?
- cycle with a club? long spins/tours completed and times?

and so on.

ironmanwannabe

griffin100 wrote: »

Good luck...a sub 10.30hrs would be a fantastic time. In IMUK last year that would have got you to within touching distance of Kona qualification. I assume that you've wraped up T1 and T2 times in your overall swim and bike times? As you say a 1.15 swim and a 4hr marathon are very achieveable. A 5.15hr bike however is a different league, you'll need to put in some serious time on the bike and have a decent bike for that me thinks. Congrats on having the confidence to put up such a fast target time. Looking forward to reading your log.

What distance tri did you complete before and in what time. Friel mentions that for most triathletes you can take it that your IM time will be x 5 your OD time - a broad statement but he does know what he's talking about.

I did a pool based sprint tri last year.
Is a 5:15 bike that hard? Its only a 34kph average. Must get out at the weekend and see what I can average.

kennyb3 wrote: »

Not trying to discourage you as new bloggers in particular need encouragement, but you know its only 4 months and 22 days to go dont you? Your only starting back today?

Like you'd want to be doing some serious training at present (or just prior to injury) to be getting up to IM fitness within 4 months.

Also a 4hr marathon might sound okay, but it will be after 6 and half hours exercise already.

Also the whole 'I'm fit enough from GAA' and 'should be' able to ramp up training are very worrying.

You could be in for an expensive and painful experience, why not do a HIM this year and a full next year?

Also maybe some more details might help.

Running
- half marathons or marathons, how many and times?
- cycle with a club? long spins/tours completed and times?

and so on.

I hadn't realised that it was that close. Thats a minor concern alright!
I've not been doing much and really haven't done much for about 9 months so it could be an uphill challenge. A very steep one at that.

A 4:00 marathon is 5:40 a kilometer, is that not a brisk walk? Very brisk, but not exactly running.

I'd like to consider myself fit enough and I hope I can ramp up, but the worst that can happen is I fail.

Why not a HIM? Assuming thats a half ironman. Dunno, doesn't appeal to me really.

Details:
Running - A few halfs, 10 milers and one marathon years and years ago.
Cycling - When I do cycle, I cycle by myself. I've done some long spins, suppose it depends on your definition of long, but nothing in a good long while.

I'm going to do some test sets, I see these recommended in places to gauge where I am and where I need to be.

Assuming the goal times outlined what would people see as required results to able to achieve them:
400m swim? 7:00
40km TT? 1:05:00
10km run? 38:00

catweazle

A 4:00 marathon is 5:40 a kilometer, is that not a brisk walk? Very brisk, but not exactly running.

Good job you didnt put the above in the general section if some of the sub 4's saw that comment there would be uproar. A brisk walk

rainbow kirby

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

A 4:00 marathon is 5:40 a kilometer, is that not a brisk walk? Very brisk, but not exactly running.

*gives the frowning of a lifetime*

dare2be

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Ahem... NO!!!

I'm curious to know wherer you plucked 10:30 from in the first place?

Cloud cuckoo land possibly?? Should he go and read the other IM logs he will know the training input required for such an event

kennyb3

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

I did a pool based sprint tri last year.

just the one and a sprint and now you want to go to ironman distance? and to open water?

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

Is a 5:15 bike that hard? Its only a 34kph average. Must get out at the weekend and see what I can average..

34kph is very fast esp over 180km. I was fit from soccer, running etc all the things you are no doubt, took up cycling last year and took me 3 months of doing 200km a week to go from 26kmph to 29-30kmph and that was only for 30-40km's. best of luck with 34kmph over 180km if you dont cycle with a club or do some serious serious cycling yourself.

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

I hadn't realised that it was that close. Thats a minor concern alright!
I've not been doing much and really haven't done much for about 9 months so it could be an uphill challenge. A very steep one at that...

I think you ll be your physio's best patient.

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

A 4:00 marathon is 5:40 a kilometer, is that not a brisk walk? Very brisk, but not exactly running. ...

What did you do your last marathon in? 5.40 p/km is no walk esp not when you ve to do 42 of them in a row.

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

I'd like to consider myself fit enough

The usual i do GAA, im fit is it. GAA is full of sprints it is not an endurance sport per se

Why not a HIM? Assuming thats a half ironman. Dunno, doesn't appeal to me really.

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

400m swim? 7:00
40km TT? 1:05:00
10km run? 38:00

how many of these could you hit right now?

roversrunner

Poor WUM.

| |

Does not an ironman make.......:D

mitresize5

I've a feeling this is one big wind up to be honest

griffin100

I've a feeling this is one big wind up to be honest

I certainly hope it is (I'm waiting with baited breath for Tunney to come in and gently explain to the OP what a 10hr IM requires training and talent wise - I miss Tunney )

pgibbo

griffin100 wrote: »

I certainly hope it is (I'm waiting with baited breath for Tunney to come in and gently explain to the OP what a 10hr IM requires training and talent wise - I miss Tunney )

LOL....+1...was just thinking the same thing earlier.

Is it April 1st already?

tridying

is this guy for real... i am hitting 16 to 18 hours training per week and wont be close to his predicted time.

jb-ski

mitresize5 wrote: »

I've a feeling this is one big wind up to be honest

i hope this is a wind-up.

i'm starting to feel pretty inadequate, that i can't just pop out
sub 11 IM's or sub 4 marathons at the drop of a hat:)

But best of luck, look forward to seeing you progressing from GAAman to Ironman!

--amadeus--

Not to worry, it's either a wind up or:

catweazle

RoyNeary

What's so special about this Tunney one? Yer like a pack of wolves.

RodSteel

Tunney is a legend around these parts. Check out his blog, good reading. He got up on his bike after crashing in an ironman (ruptured artery he said :eek:) and proceded to try and finish the race. He also had a colision with a bus I think(but not in an ironman race), that didnt stop him either...Hes a bleedin Terminator...

RodSteel

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

I've decided 2010 is to be the year I do an Ironman, I've lurked here for a while and have read with interest some of the blogs and thought "Sure why not, now or never really". I'm fit enough from GAA and should be able to ramp up training. I don't really want to "just finish" and am targeting 10:29:59, a reasonable but achievable time I think. I've a young family and a stressfull time consuming job so I know it won't be easy, or perhaps even possible, but I might as well give it a lash. Sure what harm? All I can do is fail.

I don't come from a swim, bike or running background but I have some experience of each. I've missed all pre season and early season training this year due to an injury. I could be described, and have been by some, as a bit of a lard arse but I'd hope to get this shifted when I get back into training. Which starts today!

The purpose of this blog is to motivate myself by making my training public and to log missed sessions as much as hit sessions to shame myself into getting out of bed in the mornings.

So here goes, any and all advice appreciated now or in the future!

Hope it goes well for you. I will follow your progress with interest. Can't give you much advice as I'm purely a runner.

griffin100

What's so special about this Tunney one?

the first rule of A/R/T is you dont talk about Tunney

the second rule of A/R/T is YOU DONT TALK ABOUT TUNNEY

:D:D

I think the OP is Tunney - his description fits in with Tunney (GAA backround; recent injury; busy job and family life; etc). His swim / bike / run base standards would be similar I think to stuff Tunney has posted here before.

This pool based tri that you did last year OP......you didn't manage to win it did you?;)

DustyBin

griffin100 wrote: »

I think the OP is Tunney - his description fits in with Tunney (GAA backround; recent injury; busy job and family life; etc). His swim / bike / run base standards would be similar I think to stuff Tunney has posted here before.

Hmmmm....
That does actually make sense
After re-reading the opening post I think you may be onto something griffin100

dario28

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

A 4:00 marathon is 5:40 a kilometer, is that not a brisk walk? Very brisk, but not exactly running.

Dumbest thing I have read on boards this year........no respect for 26.2 enjoy the pain

tunney

griffin100 wrote: »

the first rule of A/R/T is you dont talk about Tunney

the second rule of A/R/T is YOU DONT TALK ABOUT TUNNEY

:D:D

I think the OP is Tunney - his description fits in with Tunney (GAA backround; recent injury; busy job and family life; etc). His swim / bike / run base standards would be similar I think to stuff Tunney has posted here before.

This pool based tri that you did last year OP......you didn't manage to win it did you?;)

Work has been mental, I was made aware of the thread yesterday but what can you say really that hasn't already been said, and I've struggled to formulate a response. Both to the OP and to those responded quite so aggressively. While I understand that I never finished my IM, 10:30 is not out of this world.

1:15 swim - If I can swim 1:09 and go 300m off course and have a broken collar bone, 6 minutes slower is not going to impress really.

5:15 bike - I echo the sentiments of others that the challenge is the bike. Not doing the 5:15 but doing it in such a fashion that the CHO usage does not exceed 2.5g per minute. Most attempts at decent IM times fail because of this, a sub five bike can still result in a pants time if it was overcooked.

4:00 run - Assuming a well paced bike I really see no excuse for a 4:00 marathon.

4 months and 21 days is a challenging timeline. However again, assuming the OP works with the best coaches, the best sports scientists, has access to the best equipment, and that the OP really really wants it - it may be achievable.

(Apologies for those that were waiting on me to come on and go nuts as I usually do. I'm very very tired, very very busy and really apathy is my new middle name)

griffin100 wrote: »

I think the OP is Tunney - his description fits in with Tunney (GAA backround; recent injury; busy job and family life; etc). His swim / bike / run base standards would be similar I think to stuff Tunney has posted here before.

Not to drag this OT too much but I'm almost offended at his. In fact I would be if I didn't now know who you were and hadn't spent last night drinking five bottles of wine with a mutual friend My targets for last year, and I had the testing to back this up, were 1:00, 4:59, 3:20 inclusive of transition. Me do a 4:00 run??? "run"?????

Anyways I hear a breakfast roll calling me.

griffin100

Not to drag this OT too much but I'm almost offended at his. In fact I would be if I didn't now know who you were and hadn't spent last night drinking five bottles of wine with a mutual friend My targets for last year, and I had the testing to back this up, were 1:00, 4:59, 3:20 inclusive of transition. Me do a 4:00 run??? "run"?????

Apologies, I didn't mean to offend. I wasn't having a go at you or the OP. I have no doubt that you could do a sub 10.30hr IM (one of the reasons that I asked you for bike advice when I bought my new bike was that I think you know what you're talking about). I was questioning the sanity / seriousness of the OP and the fact that someone could come on here and start a training log for an IM race with 4 months training and do such a time - I assumed it was meant as a joke by the OP. All my posting is done in a light hearted manner (far from agressively).

Now I'm intruiged as to the mutual friend. If you drank 5 bottles of wine with one person then I've only got 1 or 2 friends that it could be . None of my club mates know you as far as I know, but its only club mates and 1 or 2 others who know who I am on here.......hhmmmm

ps. seriously impressive targets, at that stage you'd be finished the race when I'd be starting the marathon.

tunney

griffin100 wrote: »

Apologies, I didn't mean to offend.

I was joking, Greg told me you had a sense of humour but he was obviously lying

griffin100

I was joking, Greg told me you had a sense of humour but he was obviously lying

I dont think I know a Greg. Are you sure its me he knows? There could be more than one overweight-bald-midlife crisis-IM wannabe with a resemblence to me with a training log on here (no offence meant to any of the other IM loggers ) although on one else here is doing IMUK as far as I can tell.

ironmanwannabe

Some interesting responses. I do have to wonder if the vitriol expressed above is an honest assesment or an attempt to reinforce egos as to the nature of their own times and results.

Day 1 of training was a two and half km swim. I've not swam in yonks so it near killed me. Still you can't beat that red hot feeling across the top of the back for confirmation that work was done.

Also manged to fit in the guts of a hours run since that, again my running hasn't been happening for lord knows how long so to say that the legs felt heavy and dead would be an understatement. Very very very slow running, painfully slow but still an awful lot faster than 5:40 per km.(well a bit faster)

Got a lend of some gadgets from a friend. Coolest one was a power meter - a gadget called a PowerTap. Seeminly he has "gone wireless and doesn't need a wired one". I'm sure that statement makes sense. Not quite too sure how to use the thing, which is all a bit academic as the batteries are dead in it. Not sure which type it takes but I'm guessing its not AA.

tunney

Good luck with this.

I can highly recommend the Austrian hospitals, very professional, cheap too. Sounds like they may be required.

kennyb3

i think this should be a hilarious read for the next few months. glad im signed up. make sure you update daily. and let us know where you are doing the training so we can come watch a master at work

jb-ski

ironmanwannabe wrote: »

Some interesting responses. I do have to wonder if the vitriol expressed above is an honest assesment or an attempt to reinforce egos as to the nature of their own times and results.

This log is going to be fun!

Best of luck with the training (sincerely).

jb

Rineanna

I've been alterted to this thread and it appears to be a wind up. Reading through it, doesn't seem to be going anywhere fast anyway. So locked.