Half Ironman - 20 Week

This plan does start of at a higher volume and maintains it throughout the plan.  See the volume graph.

Will this be too much of a jump in volume for you at your current level?  If so, perhaps the Beginner 1/2 plan may be better, it starts off at a lower volume.  See graph.

Though if you have a 3:30 ride coming up, it looks as if you are finishing week 5 in the second month.  At the end of the second month, you are still building into a 4:30 ride for week 8.  After that, you will hit 4:30 again later in the plan but mostly stay around 3:30 for the long rides. 

If this is too big of a volume jump, then that is an issue that the Beginner plan may address in slowly building.  But if you are used to this volume and can handle a 3:30 ride...then continue as most people have the most issues with bike volume, and this will help to maintain that with 3:30-4:30 rides after week 5.

I was using this plan at this time last year.  Due to family constaints I missed several of the long rides and most of my rides were on a trainer, even with good weather.

So no comment on the training volumes.  Will just say to make sure you take full advantage of the long rides to nail down your nutrition, especially the sodium and potasium intake as without my long rides I wasn't able to do that and came up way short on electrolytes by the time the run (walk) rolled (no pun intended) around.

It looks like you're talking about the Silver Membership 20 week plan. At my fitness level, that plan would have me injured in 2.5 weeks easy. But then again, I'm a 300-400 minute a week average kind of guy.

The Bronze 20 week plan has a lot less volume and that's the one I'm thinking of doing. It seems perfect for my level of fitness, if not a bit light a month in; but at this time frame in the plan, I think it should be on the light side.

I'm thinking that the people who are complaining about the plan are probably a bit more used to my level of volume. Looking at your logs, the Silver seems like something that you could handle.

I'll charge on through, then...thanks! I'm enjoying the current training volume. I don't feel over-tired, and am not intimidated by the distance.

I was just a bit worried because I had a couple of comments from people who have much more experience (than me) in the sport.

tupuppy: will do on the nutrition plan. I’ve been putting it off.

cordova: I used the beginner plan last time, and I loved it. Hope you have fun with it as well.

I just finished the 20wk HIM and on to the 20 IM now.

I say stick with it and make sure to watch the HR zones. Keep them low and make the time. Forget about distance and speed, they will come.

As for the long rides it was bad weather or dark and I had to do on the indoor trainer. One good football game or a couple of movies helped.

good luck ....

I am using the plan and 8 weeks left.  While the time seems long early, just remember the pacing.  You have to do it right or it could lead to injury or just state of tired all the time.  I found the weekends to be too much without enough recovery.  So, I pulled the long run to Thursday and long ride to Sunday (some times).  I think the key to the plan is the long stuff early.  If you skip or miss, you will get less out of the plan.   

I travel lots and have to play with the plan some.  I would not let the plan rule your effort.  Just try to build over three weeks, then take a lower volume week (as the plan is designed).

 Good luck!