Triathlon - Full-distance training program = 2 x Half-distance program?

Hi there,

I would appreciate your feedback on this: would it be sensible to just double the training program for a half-ironman as I prepare for a full-distance? If not, can you highlight the differences?

I've completed 2 half-distance last year and am now looking to attempt a full-distance, but am not sure what program to follow. Thanks.

great question, I would guess that is not a very good plan...look forward to seeing what someone in the know says.

Hi,

If you send me a copy (as a private message or if you want post it on this thread) of your half ironman program I can give you some ideas based on what i've done in the past.

Mark.

I don't think it is quite as simple as doubling your HIM plan. For one, the time on the bike in the full will be as long as the race in the HIM for many. You're probably not going to want as much intensity for the full as you would in the half. Your pacing for the full is not going to be the same as the half. Mark seems to have some full experience, and i think there are many others here that could help.

It depends on how many hours you are training for your Half-IM. If you're training 20 hrs a week, no increase needed, maybe just longer workouts. But if only training 5-10, an increase is needed. I'm doing my first full IM in 7 weeks, and have been training an average of 15hrs a week.

You really can't just convert it because of intensity of certain work outs, interval time, pace, duration, rest periods. There are plenty of cheap or free IM training plans.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I actually don't have a 1/2 IM program that I've followed. Rather, I mashed together training schedule for 1/2-marathon and 1/2-century and combined that in my last training for a 1/2 IM. I wasn't looking to go fast, but rather just wanted to make sure that I could complete it in decent time (last one in 9/06 was approx. 6 hours). Now, I'm not sure if that strategy would work (i.e., mash together marathon and century training) for a full-distance.

I guess the base of my question is: would a home-made training program work, or would something organized and available on the web for free download be a safer bet? I think I have the endurance, but it's never been tested to that extent. The thought of going beyond 9 or 10 hours is enough to make me doubt myself and my previous make-shift training plan. Thanks.

What IM are you thinking of doing?

I'd say 4-5 bikes and runs a week, 3-4 swims a week.

For an Ironman the most important workouts are obviously your long ones. Ideally, you want to have 2 days (on after the other, so weekends are good) where these key workouts take place. Lets say Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday will start with a pool swim (preferably with a squad, don't waste your time swimming straight laps, make sure you break it up and mix intensity and easy swimming together or you won't improve much). This should be followed by a long bike ride. This ride really depends on your ability, if your around 6 hours for a half I'd say you'd be looking at around 7hrs for your long bike. After this ride you should do a 30min/40min run. (Note: I dont think its imperitive that you do one after the other, have an hour or two break between each workout if you feel like it).

Sunday should be basically a long run day, you need to work this up to about 2hrs 30mins, no further. Try and find some offroad tracks with nasty hills, this will improve your running out of sight. If you feel up to it, throw in a 25km hard TT on the bike before this run.

The rest of your sessions should be based around these two days, so I wouldn't care what you do. Your other runs however should be no longer than 1hr, and bikes no longer than 3hrs. Swimming, just do what you can.

You should aim to get in about 6-8 long rides and runs.

I know of several full-time work/family guys who used this formula, 1 went 8.58, and the other went 9.45 (with a 4.26 bike split!). Of course they were going pretty damn hard in those long sets, but I'd think that if you just did the stuff above at a pace that suits you, you would get through your IM quite comfortably with a decent time.

Good Luck!

Mark.

What IM are you thinking of doing?

Hi, I'm signed up for the Wildflower (early May), and will probably do a Century or two between that and the Full Vineman (early August).

I'd say 4-5 bikes and runs a week, 3-4 swims a week.

For an Ironman the most important workouts are obviously your long ones. Ideally, you want to have 2 days (on after the other, so weekends are good) where these key workouts take place. Lets say Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday will start with a pool swim (preferably with a squad, don't waste your time swimming straight laps, make sure you break it up and mix intensity and easy swimming together or you won't improve much). This should be followed by a long bike ride. This ride really depends on your ability, if your around 6 hours for a half I'd say you'd be looking at around 7hrs for your long bike. After this ride you should do a 30min/40min run. (Note: I dont think its imperitive that you do one after the other, have an hour or two break between each workout if you feel like it).

Sunday should be basically a long run day, you need to work this up to about 2hrs 30mins, no further. Try and find some offroad tracks with nasty hills, this will improve your running out of sight. If you feel up to it, throw in a 25km hard TT on the bike before this run.

The rest of your sessions should be based around these two days, so I wouldn't care what you do. Your other runs however should be no longer than 1hr, and bikes no longer than 3hrs. Swimming, just do what you can.

You should aim to get in about 6-8 long rides and runs.

I know of several full-time work/family guys who used this formula, 1 went 8.58, and the other went 9.45 (with a 4.26 bike split!). Of course they were going pretty damn hard in those long sets, but I'd think that if you just did the stuff above at a pace that suits you, you would get through your IM quite comfortably with a decent time.

Good Luck!

Mark.


Mark, thanks very much. Obviously, I'd do these long runs no a step/grade, right? I don't think you meant that I should do a repeat of these weekends (i.e., do 6 to 8 weekends of: swim + 7 hr rides on Sat., and 2.5 hr run on Sun.) during the training phase?

My plan is about 12 to 13 hours. A sub-13 would be sweet. Thanks again!!

Ideally, yes you'd want to repeat that weekend 6-8 times


However, if your aiming for something around the 12-13 hour mark, I'd suggest building up to one of those weekends (so, aim to have the longest weekend 3 weeks out from your race, and build up to it over 6-8 weeks). So start at say a 1hr-1.5hr/3hr-3.5hr bike 9-11 weeks out, and build it up gradually.

Completing that biggest weekend will give you alot of confidence about comfortably completing the race.

Just remember also, it's the training that makes you an Ironman. Come race day, just have fun and relax, If you've done the work, I think you'll really surprise yourself and go alot quicker than 13hrs!

Mark.

I've used a plan from Triathlete magazine, I think it was 13 weeks to a sub 13 hour race.
It's a big jump from a half to a full, a BIG jump, though I found Wildflower to be harder than the Ironman. I did Lake Placid the same year i did wildflower and with the same group of friends, "at least it's not wildflower" became our mantra.

How did the 13 hours to a sub 13 training plan work for you? I wish I would have seen that earlier...

Well 1jacktripper there are a few free training programs for full iron like this one: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=441

You can follow that or base it off of that.

I've used a plan from Triathlete magazine, I think it was 13 weeks to a sub 13 hour race.
It's a big jump from a half to a full, a BIG jump, though I found Wildflower to be harder than the Ironman. I did Lake Placid the same year i did wildflower and with the same group of friends, "at least it's not wildflower" became our mantra.

Hi, if possible, can you point me to this 13 weeks to sub-13 hr race? I would love to do a comparison of that one vs. the one I'm about to implement.

Re: Wildflower, it was my first year in '06, and boy did I get more than I bargained. It was a great race, and the course felt difficult enough that I was nearing tears at the finish line. I can't wait to get back there this year.

How did the 13 hours to a sub 13 training plan work for you? I wish I would have seen that earlier...

Well 1jacktripper there are a few free training programs for full iron like this one: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=441

You can follow that or base it off of that.


Thanks, Jstyle. That is actually the program I'm about to implement. It looks pretty reasonable.

Hi, if possible, can you point me to this 13 weeks to sub-13 hr race? I would love to do a comparison of that one vs. the one I'm about to implement.

Re: Wildflower, it was my first year in '06, and boy did I get more than I bargained. It was a great race, and the course felt difficult enough that I was nearing tears at the finish line. I can't wait to get back there this year.

Here you go I prolly would have used this had I known about it 3 months ago... http://training.active.com/TransactionManager/viewPlan.do;jsessionid=CA5D97BC479A00B76BFC6572507BB4AF?tpId=47

Hi, if possible, can you point me to this 13 weeks to sub-13 hr race? I would love to do a comparison of that one vs. the one I'm about to implement.

Re: Wildflower, it was my first year in '06, and boy did I get more than I bargained. It was a great race, and the course felt difficult enough that I was nearing tears at the finish line. I can't wait to get back there this year.

I'm also signed up to do the Wildflower. Was it more difficult because of the elevation changes in the course? I'm wondering if I should add a lot more hill training to my workouts.

I'm also signed up to do the Wildflower. Was it more difficult because of the elevation changes in the course? I'm wondering if I should add a lot more hill training to my workouts.

Hi there,

I'm probably not the best person to advise you of training needed for Wildflower. Last year WF was my first half-IM and it was a torture-fest. I cut up my knuckles when I scraped into the divider right off T1 (and knocked down some woman...I was so embarrassed), and probably silently cried all the way up that first hill. Nevertheless, it was great fun. The bike course, now that I think back, probably wasn't that bad, if you're used to, and sadistically enjoy, hills. Don't forget also that the running course also has hills, and they appear much more insurmountable because of the hills you gobbled up during the bike portion.

All and all, if you dread and loath hills, then you will want to incorporate more of those into your training for WF. See you out there!

(ps., just found out that the spin instructor in my local gym is signed up for the same event (long course), so I really can't go out there with lackadaisical effort. No more "i'm a newbie" lame excuses.)

Here you go I prolly would have used this had I known about it 3 months ago... http://training.active.com/TransactionManager/viewPlan.do;jsessionid=CA5D97BC479A00B76BFC6572507BB4AF?tpId=47

I think it is a great plan...I have a copy of it somewhere.
I did a 13:30 in frankfurt, it would have been under 13 hours if I hadn'thad some...shall we say, female issues.