Question:So far about what you're doing in season. But what in wintertime (and how long
is wintertime in your area). Here in middleeurope it's a long time you can't
go by bike nor go running. Only swimming is boring. What are you doing?
Answer:
I am trying to determine how much time I should devote to training this
year. I want to move up to the Olympic distance. I have been training
4.5 hours/week for sprint distances(2 hrs. on the bike), and I can finish
pretty well. I want to know if you guys train by the mile or hour per
week and how much of either for different distances.
I finish just below mid pack so take my training sched with a
large grain of salt.
In season I typically (not like those people that lie through
their teeth and CLAIM to train a gizillion hours a week) swim
three times a week for 30 min each. I have one relaxed/technique
swim, one killer threshold swim of 100-400 metre intervals and
one of 1500m at slightly below race pace. (that's 1.5 hours if
you're keeping score at home). I ride 3 times a week as well. Two
1 hour rides one is intervals, 3 min hard, 3 min easy. I do one
hill repeat (about 8% 1.5 miles long, as many times as I can in
60-90 min) and I do one 2 hour ride on the weekend at
moderate pace. I run 2-3 times a week for 30 min also. Once again
I do one interval track session, one easy run and one hilly run
at moderate pace.
That totals 7 hours per week and TriSpouse complains about every
minute of it. In the month before a half ironman I bump up the
running and riding times by about double, with a week of taper
before the race itself. (about 12.5 hours for those weeks)
As you can see, it's not really that much and the results show
it. I don't mind not winning, I'm only race for the draw prizes
anyway. It's also fun to make TriSpouse get up early on sunday
mornings.
If you are only doing 30 mins 3X a weeks
that means that you can't be that guy that I see every time I go
swimming in the gold pool. ( think he probably swims 45-50 mins
anyway ) So the search for TriDork continues.....
I THINK the guy you are referring to is nick named "bob" for
his bobbing action when he swims back or breaststroke. He swims
every lunch hour and does EXACTLY the same workout every day. His
real name is Dave. If I had his body, I'd be going alot faster
than he does. Even with my body I go faster than he does.
With my recent descriptions of myself, you may also be
confusing me with Walter. He's an ex swim team member (10 years
ago) that let himself go and is now trying to get back into
shape. He isn't particularly fast but you can tell he has the
technique still. His weight is dropping and his times are too.
As for me, I usually swim in the evenings with the masters
group. In the summer I'll be in the pool most tuesdays and
thursdays at lunch time. I can be easily spotted (as long as the
cap lasts) in my Esprit Triathlon swim helmet. It's white with
red letters. I also swim almost exclusively with pull bouys to
save my arthritic hip.
Next time you spot me, stop me and introduce yourself. Same goes
for any other trigeek lurkers etc out there. I love meeting
rst'ers and unfortunaltely missed Wildflower.
I followed it for a while and it seemed to work pretty well. The only
reason I got away from it was injury (not related to the program) and
I never have gotten back to it. Maybe I should....
I simply can't find the time in my schedule to do the
training you do. And while I think I could train for maybe 10 hours a
week, I doubt my body would hold up if I did much more. I find the focused
hour a day works for me and my goal of moving into the top third of
finishers. (Right now I'm in the middle of the pack - last race was 46 of
91 in my age group) But if you can sustain that training without injury,
keep going. If you start getting hurt, think about cutting back and
joining us slugs in the middle of the pack.
PS - I read an article in runners world this month about trading six days
of 5 mile runs to three days of 10 mile runs - more intensity and more
rest yields better results, the argument goes. Particularly true for old
folks in the masters division. I thought this over and decided it is more
important to me that I get out of the house every day than it is to go
faster.
I just had to jump in on this one. 7 hours a week? I MUST be
doing something wrong!! Or just overdoing it. I loosely base my training
on Sally Edward's recommendation of doing 3X the distance you want to race
each week. And the belief that you need to do something at least 3 times
a week to gain proficiency. I'm focussing on the O-distances this season.
The "normal" routine (don't think I've had a normal week yet!!):
Swim: 2X Masters workouts = 3 hrs = 8500 yds (okay.. so that's overkill,
but it's a great program and I'm there, so why not? Also I used to sink
like a stone.) Plus an ocean swim (30 min) on the weekend if my "wildlife"
buddies are able to coordinate. Total Distance: 8500-10000 yds. Time:
3:30.
Run: 3X /week. 1 LSD day of 8 miles (1hr 10min). 2x 5.3 mile hilly runs
(45 min ea). Try to sub a track workout for one of the hill runs (1.5
hours- it's a group thing). Total distance:18-19miles. Time: 2:40 to
3:30.
Bike: The toughie- I'm still struggling to get close to 75 miles a week
on a regular basis. 1 25-30 miler on the weekend (1:30-2:00 hrs). 2
shorter rides during the week of 20 and 10. (1:45). Distance: 65-70
miles. Time: 2:15-3:45.
Total time: 8:30-10:45
Overall, I seem to be pretty well balanced in each area when it comes to
placement on each leg of a race. I would say give extra time to your
weakest area (that WAS swimming for me.. probably the bike now!!!).
