Standard Bank Ironman 2016 (10 April)

[clivem]

Help. Just entered IM PE for 2016!  First time.    

[MDW]

Ok, totally off topic question. If you did a 98km run, which is equal to say 56km (oceans) + 42km marathon. The comrades is 88km, only 10km shorter. Why is this an acceptable risk but splitting it over two weeks is not?

I'm not sure I understand the question. But even a 42km take a person around 6 to 8 weeks to recover from. The problem with ironman is it requires 3 disciplines and anywhere up to around 25hrs of training a week, a ultra such as comrades only see peak weeks of around 12hrs. The amount of damage on the body and requirements to fit both in will only do major harm, the human body wasn't designed to load to this extent especially if u are not an extremely well trained athlete and even if in the case u were it won't make a difference, the body will fatigue the risk of injury and or organ damage is high on

The risk factor it's must now worth it. I have worked with many athletes who have insisted on doing the double ironman and comrades in the same year most have completely hurt themselves. You can't argue with medical facts as I said the mind is stronger than the body damage is damage whether we like it or not it's damage. I have seen heart attacks, knee replacements, immune system issues, massive infections on an annual basis due to suppressed immunity and all this in the name of overdoing it. I think people need to be smart about their battles and pick them well. If you going to do an ironman put your focus into it and train properly for it so u can get your body through in decent shape without risk. If you going to do ah ultra then make that your focus and train well for it so the journey is not hazardous. It all boils down to risk management and there is a risk. Splitting up mileage is the way athletes spread the volume to allow greater recover period inbetween without doing tissue damage which requires much longer term recovery. Not sure that answers the question lol

[dman2]

I'm not sure I understand the question. But even a 42km take a person around 6 to 8 weeks to recover from. The problem with ironman is it requires 3 disciplines and anywhere up to around 25hrs of training a week, a ultra such as comrades only see peak weeks of around 12hrs. The amount of damage on the body and requirements to fit both in will only do major harm, the human body wasn't designed to load to this extent especially if u are not an extremely well trained athlete and even if in the case u were it won't make a difference, the body will fatigue the risk of injury and or organ damage is high on

The risk factor it's must now worth it. I have worked with many athletes who have insisted on doing the double ironman and comrades in the same year most have completely hurt themselves. You can't argue with medical facts as I said the mind is stronger than the body damage is damage whether we like it or not it's damage. I have seen heart attacks, knee replacements, immune system issues, massive infections on an annual basis due to suppressed immunity and all this in the name of overdoing it. I think people need to be smart about their battles and pick them well. If you going to do an ironman put your focus into it and train properly for it so u can get your body through in decent shape without risk. If you going to do ah ultra then make that your focus and train well for it so the journey is not hazardous. It all boils down to risk management and there is a risk. Splitting up mileage is the way athletes spread the volume to allow greater recover period inbetween without doing tissue damage which requires much longer term recovery. Not sure that answers the question lol

Thanks, that was I asking!

[clyde79]

Clyde absolutely impossible to recover from an ultra in 2 weeks, on a physiological level cellular breakdown occurs even if you run it easy this takes the average man anywhere from 6-8weeks to recover from its not possible to speed it up over that distance. The problem with most South Africans is their minds are stronger than their bodies it's why we see such severe illness and injury in the sporting communities South Africans over do it simple.

 

You are absolutely right, there are certainly (too) many people that over do it. I am saying the op or anyone else for that matter needs to know their own limits.

 

Personally I don't believe it would take 6-8 weeks to recover from an ultra distance event where you have not pushed yourself to the limit. On a physiological level, I find, not pushing yourself hard limits the damage. (I am saying this from my own personal long distance training where I have taken calculated breaks during the run and run at a comfortable pace. After these training sessions I don't feel broken and I feel I could have run more. Once my muscles have recovered, I find I can run again easily and well.) Aside from the physiological, from what I have read for a marathon, the glycogen levels in the muscles return within about a day while the muscles generally take a week to return to full strength. At this point you should be able to run with correct form again therefore avoiding injury.

 

On the flip side not being fully recovered either from muscle damage or physiologically will certainly mean a loss of form. This (or bad form to start with) will eventually lead to something going wrong.

 

And by the sounds of it the correct decision was made to leave Oceans for another time.

[MDW]

To be honest even holding back does damage. We have tested and proved his. Recovery will mainly depend on age but this is how it goes. Two types of muscle fibers in the body running at a normal Pace which is say medium to hard and emulates your training over a marathon distance will certainly do damage. But the minute you modify the pace to slow it down you working different muscles, your other fibers become dominant when they are not during training and they get overworked causing cellular damage. It's not about glycogen that's only energy system related and to be honest I change run 50km's on water at a slow pace because I change use my fat stores for fuel and won't touch my glycogen stores at all oxygen is more than sufficient

So what's the proof, simple tests were run on athletes at different paces varying distances and musicale biopsies carried out on a week to week basis. The average athletes had recovery times of 4-8 weeks the longer the distance the older the athlete the longer the recovery. This was very evident in muscle tissue structure no hiding it. Structures active recovery in tended to increase recovery up to about 15-20% again dependent on athlete. Many in their heads thought they were recovered but speeds, times and biopsies showed far from.

[MK Killer]

Hello all,

 

What half distances (or other races) are there, besides 70.3, that would be valuable to do in 2016 in lead up to to IronMan?

[MDW]

There are many midlands ultra is awesome, prestige ultra, TRI Rock, jailbreak, best is to go onto triathlonsa website and check the event calendar there to see what's best suited to you :-)

[MK Killer]

There are many midlands ultra is awesome, prestige ultra, TRI Rock, jailbreak, best is to go onto triathlonsa website and check the event calendar there to see what's best suited to you :-)

Hi there,

 

Unfortunately triathlonsa schedule contains very little.

 

Tri Rock JHB is 3 weeks prior to Iron Man so not really an option?  I recall prestige ultra also being quite close before?  When is Midlands 2016 - can find any info?

 

Jailbreak is 2015 - so specifically trying to find the "right training event" in 2016

[MDW]

3-4 weeks before for a half is an awesome time :-) to test the legs 2 is too close though

[New2tri]

Hi there,

 

Unfortunately triathlonsa schedule contains very little.

 

Tri Rock JHB is 3 weeks prior to Iron Man so not really an option?  I recall prestige ultra also being quite close before?  When is Midlands 2016 - can find any info?

 

Jailbreak is 2015 - so specifically trying to find the "right training event" in 2016

Think I read Midlands will be 06/03/2016. Also pretty close.

[IceCreamMan]

Trirock 2015 was mid feb, where do you see the date has changed?

 

Midlands is normally the first week of March and Prestige the second week of march.

 

IM in April 2016, if trirock still mid feb its perfect timing.

 

I did both trirock and midlands in lead up to IM 2015, in hindsight I should of only done trirock which I was hoping to do in 2016 as build up to IM. may opt for the midlands if trirock is too close to IM

[MDW]

I don't agree ironman is April 10th so midlands ultra is absolutely perfect if it's 6/3 no reason not to use it as a tester it's a quick recovery from a half distance :-)

[MK Killer]

Trirock 2015 was mid feb, where do you see the date has changed?

 

Midlands is normally the first week of March and Prestige the second week of march.

 

IM in April 2016, if trirock still mid feb its perfect timing.

 

I did both trirock and midlands in lead up to IM 2015, in hindsight I should of only done trirock which I was hoping to do in 2016 as build up to IM. may opt for the midlands if trirock is too close to IM

On their facebook they responded to the question of what dad TriRock cradle would be in 2016 - 20 March 2016

[IceCreamMan]

On their facebook they responded to the question of what dad TriRock cradle would be in 2016 - 20 March 2016

Thanks man. At my age I don't want to be doing a tough half 3 weeks before IM. Will opt for Midlands then which is 5 weeks out.

[MDW]

If u older than me will be slightly agreeing ;-)

[clivem]

Any recommended places for accommodation for IM stay?  Thanks