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Maintaining triathlon base fitness: how and how much?


Snytjie

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So: I'm no more the man I was on 29 March 2015. Although expected I am unpleasantly surprised by the sharp decline in fitness I experience following IM.

 

I hoped to maintain fitness through a tuned down program consisting of endurance work mixed in with strength and conditioning, the latter being a complete new activity for me. I wanted to maintain a long ride and -run every two weeks of 90k and 18km respectively. During the week I have one 66% session of the long ride and run alternated with a strength and conditioning session in each discipline. I swim 40min when I have time or want to, but have a dedicated S&C for it every week.

 

The past weekend I did a 70km cycle and was much relieved to be done with it. What was before a simple 8km recovery run once a week on the beach now leaves me sore and not thinking I can run much further. Thinking about 18km running makes me feel ill... For all practical reasons I'm back to where I was one and a half years ago.

 

I don't want a highly stressed training regime through winter because that would seriously endanger both my career and marriage. I really thought I'd retain roughly 50% of my fitness through a toned down schedule. Now it seems that I'd have to a.) ramp it up if I want to maintain such levels, or b.) loose most of what I had for IM and (almost) start over again in August or so. I don't like either.

 

What do you do/experience with regards to maintaining some meaningful base fitness during the off season?

 

Edit PS: I was dreaming of doing IMSA in March 2017 followed by IM France in July. That **** ain't flying as is...

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I'm 43, so at this age I just can't afford to start all over from scratch again. Just takes too long to get back from zero. So we keep things going at sort of 40-50% of IM training effort during winter. So during the week we try to do 3 x 1 hour runs (maybe 1 a bit longer), 2 x 45 spinning sessions and 1x 2-3 hour mtb ride, with the odd swim/gym weight session. So nothing too serious, but enough to keep things ticking over. Needless to say the red wine/red meat consumption takes a dramatic upturn during winter! :-)

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So: I'm no more the man I was on 29 March 2015. Although expected I am unpleasantly surprised by the sharp decline in fitness I experience following IM.

 

I hoped to maintain fitness through a tuned down program consisting of endurance work mixed in with strength and conditioning, the latter being a complete new activity for me. I wanted to maintain a long ride and -run every two weeks of 90k and 18km respectively. During the week I have one 66% session of the long ride and run alternated with a strength and conditioning session in each discipline. I swim 40min when I have time or want to, but have a dedicated S&C for it every week.

 

The past weekend I did a 70km cycle and was much relieved to be done with it. What was before a simple 8km recovery run once a week on the beach now leaves me sore and not thinking I can run much further. Thinking about 18km running makes me feel ill... For all practical reasons I'm back to where I was one and a half years ago.

 

I don't want a highly stressed training regime through winter because that would seriously endanger both my career and marriage. I really thought I'd retain roughly 50% of my fitness through a toned down schedule. Now it seems that I'd have to a.) ramp it up if I want to maintain such levels, or b.) loose most of what I had for IM and (almost) start over again in August or so. I don't like either.

 

What do you do/experience with regards to maintaining some meaningful base fitness during the off season?

 

Edit PS: I was dreaming of doing IMSA in March 2017 followed by IM France in July. That **** ain't flying as is...

 

 

I'm 43, so at this age I just can't afford to start all over from scratch again. Just takes too long to get back from zero. So we keep things going at sort of 40-50% of IM training effort during winter. So during the week we try to do 3 x 1 hour runs (maybe 1 a bit longer), 2 x 45 spinning sessions and 1x 2-3 hour mtb ride, with the odd swim/gym weight session. So nothing too serious, but enough to keep things ticking over. Needless to say the red wine/red meat consumption takes a dramatic upturn during winter! :-)

 

 

Yep, consistency is the key...don't stop completely, keep ticking over... its a lifestyle not a diet :clap: Every once in awhile change the routine or intensity to challenge yourself slightly otherwise your body gets used to the routine.

 

In my experience about 15 km running / 2 hrs cycling per week is the bare minimum. Swimming is not critical to do all the time but some form of overall body training such as gym or bodyweight home exercise regime to maintain your core and upper body muscles (especially as you get older) is a good idea.

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I am maintaining with 3 swim sessions a week, 2 runs one of which is 13 to 15 km the other 7, 2 spin classes an at least a 75 km cycle. Around 10 hours a week but then I have enter 70.3 in August. Also after working up to IM I did not want to lose my fitness levels by much.

 

Just ticking over...will enter 2016 so it all starts again come August.

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I am maintaining with 3 swim sessions a week, 2 runs one of which is 13 to 15 km the other 7, 2 spin classes an at least a 75 km cycle. Around 10 hours a week but then I have enter 70.3 in August. Also after working up to IM I did not want to lose my fitness levels by much.

 

Just ticking over...will enter 2016 so it all starts again come August.

 

10 hrs just ticking over? :eek:

That's my very good week for 70.3 :blush:

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10 hrs just ticking over? :eek:

That's my very good week for 70.3 :blush:

I am a crap athlete out of water so I need to work

 

Plus with the amount I am eating anything less an I weigh an extra 10kilos come spring

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I am currently doing swims whenever I find time and around 30kms of running and 150kms of cycling. But I am training for 70.3 Durban so not the best example

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