Garfield2010 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Dude, I believe everyone should customize their own training program. I have tried various approaches with mixed success over many years.... For example this year I have taken the following approach:- (preparing for the IM in November in Cape Town) - normally my cycling is the strongest. -- I am concentrating on my run this season. I have only started cycling this week.-- I do not swim at all. Will only start at the end of September. (swiming take 90 minutes, Cycling 6 hours and running 6 hours, see why?) On this topic I could probably spend 3 hours a week on my swim, but will only get around 10 - 15 minutes off my time, I rather spend this on my run to gain hopefully an hour) -- Last year I tried an approach of train less but more often. This however did not work for me. Every half IM (70.3) I did, my body started to shut down after around 4 hours. THis year I have already done a few events which took me 4 hours + complete so hopefully my body is getting used to the feeling. For example I have done the walk the Talk's 30km's which took me 04h30. Other than this I have also kept back a bit more on the daily cessions. Train twice a week in the gym and then go long on Saturdays. Will see how it works out for me. Other views will be appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The OriginalSpartacus Posted August 16, 2011 Share I apologise for my ignorance, but surely you cant work on time? I can do a 10km run in 50min or 70min, and I will benefit more with the faster time. when I say time I mean your goal is time regardless of distance. So if you go out for a 90minute run at 6 min / k or 4 min / k depending on your schedule training zone the distance is immaterial. The emphasis is time in the saddle or time on your feet. Even my speed work sessions are focused on time, in the past I used to say warm up 5k then 6 - 8 x 1000m sprints now I will go for 20 minute warm up with 6 - 8 x 4 minute sprints. One of the main reasons for focussing on time is a psychological one, when I was focused on distance I always left my target zone and pushed too hard because I wanted to cover the distance in good time (my ego took over) which left me over-trained and injured. Now I focus on time and forget about how far I am going, this enables me to stay in my scheduled zones and get a quality workout in each session that I train. When you focus on time and forget about distance there is no space for your ego to kick in and ruin your workout. Every 2 weeks I will do a 12min TT and measure the distance to see how my speed is coming on to be able to set realistic goals for race days which are obviously measured in distance. If I am off my goal race pace per kilometer I will pick up the intensity in the speed work or hill sprints to get stronger. Hope this all makes sense. Edited August 16, 2011 by The OriginalSpartacus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The OriginalSpartacus Posted August 16, 2011 Share Dude, I believe everyone should customize their own training program. I have tried various approaches with mixed success over many years.... For example this year I have taken the following approach:- (preparing for the IM in November in Cape Town) - normally my cycling is the strongest. -- I am concentrating on my run this season. I have only started cycling this week.-- I do not swim at all. Will only start at the end of September. (swiming take 90 minutes, Cycling 6 hours and running 6 hours, see why?) On this topic I could probably spend 3 hours a week on my swim, but will only get around 10 - 15 minutes off my time, I rather spend this on my run to gain hopefully an hour) -- Last year I tried an approach of train less but more often. This however did not work for me. Every half IM (70.3) I did, my body started to shut down after around 4 hours. THis year I have already done a few events which took me 4 hours + complete so hopefully my body is getting used to the feeling. For example I have done the walk the Talk's 30km's which took me 04h30. Other than this I have also kept back a bit more on the daily cessions. Train twice a week in the gym and then go long on Saturdays. Will see how it works out for me. Other views will be appreciated I thought you were giving up on Triathlon?? glad to see you are sticking it out despite the costs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamMTBer Posted August 16, 2011 Share when I say time I mean your goal is time regardless of distance. So if you go out for a 90minute run at 6 min / k or 4 min / k depending on your schedule training zone the distance is immaterial. The emphasis is time in the saddle or time on your feet. Even my speed work sessions are focused on time, in the past I used to say warm up 5k then 6 - 8 x 1000m sprints now I will go for 20 minute warm up with 6 - 8 x 4 minute sprints. One of the main reasons for focussing on time is a psychological one, when I was focused on distance I always left my target zone and pushed too hard because I wanted to cover the distance in good time (my ego took over) which left me over-trained and injured. Now I focus on time and forget about how far I am going, this enables me to stay in my scheduled zones and get a quality workout in each session that I train. When you focus on time and forget about distance there is no space for your ego to kick in and ruin your workout. Every 2 weeks I will do a 12min TT and measure the distance to see how my speed is coming on to be able to set realistic goals for race days which are obviously measured in distance. If I am off my goal race pace per kilometer I will pick up the intensity in the speed work or hill sprints to get stronger. Hope this all makes sense. Gentleman, If I may ask a question, where to practice swimming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grondpad Posted August 16, 2011 Share Gentleman, If I may ask a question, where to practice swimming. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zula Posted August 16, 2011 Share Gentleman, If I may ask a question, where to practice swimming. A pool is a good start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield2010 Posted August 16, 2011 Share I am I have already entered the Cape Town Challenge and bought flight tickets etc and will then do the Prestige Ultra in December and the Buffelsporrt which is cheap. Thereafter I will hang up my compression socks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamMTBer Posted August 16, 2011 Share A pool is a good start Sorry the original poster, don't enjoy hogging a post. But some say............... The pool doesn't replicate the ocean or dam that you will swim in. And all of us - I assume work....... So that leaves the pool and darkness, and I feel water is water.. What you guys say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The OriginalSpartacus Posted August 16, 2011 Share Gentleman, If I may ask a question, where to practice swimming. Swimming is the exception I work on distance for that as the sessions are usually broken up into 50m, 100m, 200m.... splits. Open Water swims though we sometimes work on time and intensity instead of distance as it's not always possible to measure distance in the open water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenard Posted August 16, 2011 Share Back to basics for me, from next week. Hope the shins will last this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The OriginalSpartacus Posted August 16, 2011 Share Sorry the original poster, don't enjoy hogging a post. But some say............... The pool doesn't replicate the ocean or dam that you will swim in. And all of us - I assume work....... So that leaves the pool and darkness, and I feel water is water.. What you guys say? oh, I understand your question a bit better now the pool and the sea / dam are very different. a dam is not as big a jump but the with the sea you have much stronger currents and tides etc. 1500m in a pool is not 1500m in the sea, in my personal opinion if you can manage a strong 1500m in the pool you will manage the same intensity in the sea for about 2/3's of the pool distance. I have raced more races than I can remember in the sea and very few in a dam. My usual 1500m time in the sea is around 21 minutes, my best dam swim is under 19 minutes (hope that puts it in perspective?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robrider Posted August 16, 2011 Share I apologise for my ignorance, but surely you cant work on time? I can do a 10km run in 50min or 70min, and I will benefit more with the faster time. I think if you are going to use ratio's you should use the time ratios of the event rather than the distance ratios. For e.g., during the race you may spend 1h swimming and 3 hours cycling. Then the ratio is 1:3. That would be more reflective than the km of the event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The OriginalSpartacus Posted August 16, 2011 Share I think if you are going to use ratio's you should use the time ratios of the event rather than the distance ratios. For e.g., during the race you may spend 1h swimming and 3 hours cycling. Then the ratio is 1:3. That would be more reflective than the km of the event. +100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield2010 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Train without a wetsuit in the pool. Ensure you dont kick yourself away when you turn and dont rest. Try and emulate continous swimming. The salt water and wetsuit will give you great bouyoncy (floating-ability) on the day! And as Spartie says... add a few minutes to your swim,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamMTBer Posted August 16, 2011 Share oh, I understand your question a bit better now the pool and the sea / dam are very different. a dam is not as big a jump but the with the sea you have much stronger currents and tides etc. 1500m in a pool is not 1500m in the sea, in my personal opinion if you can manage a strong 1500m in the pool you will manage the same intensity in the sea for about 2/3's of the pool distance. I have raced more races than I can remember in the sea and very few in a dam. My usual 1500m time in the sea is around 21 minutes, my best dam swim is under 19 minutes (hope that puts it in perspective?) Thanks.... Spartacus Swimming is by some distance my weaker of the 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joobs Posted August 16, 2011 Share I have actually gone from training 4 x swim, bike and run down to 3 x swim bike and run. For me it is more about quality than quantity and the other day after reading on the internet I had always thought that you trained and then recovered. When in actual fact (In my head at least) it should be you recover to train. And by that I mean if you train and then recover you will always train hard, but you will never be able to go as hard as you can in your training. But if you make sure you are well recovered first and then do say a quality track session you will be able to go faster and harder for longer, because you are well recovered. So by going harder and faster, after you recover again you will be stronger than before. So now if I wake up in the morning or I am feeling flat and tired after work I skip the session all together. It is not often, but I would rather skip the session and be fully recovered and ready for the next one, and be able to give it 100% And I also do race for positions sometimes, it all depends what my focus is on, because sometimes it is a training race to test things out... And as someone said before everyone is different, so what might work for me, might not work for other people.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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