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Keeping 70.3 fitness after race....
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 2009-10-03 10:15 PM |
Member  38  St. Johns |  Subject: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race....After successfully finishing Ironman Augusta 70.3 in 5:09, I'm looking to keep fitness at that necessary to compete on that level monthly. Anyone know of a plan that keeps you at that level after a week of recovery? I'm looking to keep the training level up (I utilized BT's 1/2 IM training program), compete in a marathon this fall and resume 70.3 competition in late Spring. Edited by schott2 2009-10-03 10:18 PM |
| 2009-10-03 10:46 PM in reply to: #2441268 |
Extreme Veteran 582 Denver, CO | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... I don't have any advice for you...sorry! But, I'm in the same place you are and will be very interested in what other people have to say! |
| 2009-10-03 11:06 PM in reply to: #2441268 |
Master 1610  Kirkland, WA | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... for a half, i figure atleast 1.5 weeks to 2 weeks to fully recover (for me), but it is very dependent on the person/volume etc. Are you hoping to do a 70.3 monthly, or shorter events? I think doing (2) 70.3's with a month between them is doable, but more than that could be pushing it. . since you will be in constant recover-taper mode. |
| 2009-10-04 7:26 AM in reply to: #2441301 |
Member 38 St. Johns | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... I don't plan on doing 70.3's monthly or even bi-monthly, just want to keep the fitness level up so that if I decide to convert up to full IM next year, I'm just that much closer. I'm sure that if I do Orlando 70.3 next year I don't have to start at the beginning of the 20wk program. There has to be something out there that brings us back to the last build phase or something soon after recovery..... |
| 2009-10-04 8:27 AM in reply to: #2441268 |
| Master 1963 | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... First of all, that is a SMOKIN' time  . Congratulations!Second, I think that it'll be tough to maintain your fitness as it stands now. What you want to do is maintain a baseline of fitness that will give you a solid base from which to go again come the spring. Your HIM fitness was a peak of 20 weeks, that's tough to hang onto. There are some winter maintenance programs here on BT. See here. The winter is also a good time to work of deficiencies in any of the disciplines (like swimming etc) My 2 cents, and I'm not a coach. |
| 2009-10-04 9:32 AM in reply to: #2441268 |
Extreme Veteran 438 Surprise, AZ | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... Don't worry about keeping your fitness at a high level year around that is how you get burnt out and injured. If Augusta was your A race I would take some time off. The deeper your training the longer the recovery. Once you build your fitness it come back faster each time. It is good for you body to have some down time then rebuild itself, it will usually come back stronger the 2nd time and 3rd ect... Coming off a 70.3 it won't take much to get into marathon shape. My 2 cents |
| 2009-10-04 11:33 AM in reply to: #2441458 |
Master 1651 Breckenridge, CO | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... merlin2375 - 2009-10-04 7:27 AM Second, I think that it'll be tough to maintain your fitness as it stands now. What you want to do is maintain a baseline of fitness that will give you a solid base from which to go again come the spring. That is certainly one approach that many people use. IMO, how you train in the "off-season" totally depends upon your goals and how much you enjoy the training. IMO, if you love the training and you desire to get faster there's no reason why you can't maintain your pre-HIM training load straight through the "off-season" and come out the other end being faster and with better fitness. IMO, until you near your genetic potential (which almost no one here has) and gains become very difficult, taking time off and/or significantly reducing training load for "offseason" simply degrades your fitness level starting after about a week. It's true that it's much easier to return to a fitness level than get there initially, but improvement is largely the result of training over time. If you spend some weeks degrading your fitness and then some more weeks regaining it, you'll be far behind where you'd have been if you just kept training to improve. Again, if you don't enjoy the training, and/or either don't care about improving quickly or are at a fitness level where improvement isn't really very possible, then what I've written doesn't apply to you. Focker - 2009-10-04 8:32 AM Don't worry about keeping your fitness at a high level year around that is how you get burnt out and injured. I do not agree. IMO, "burnt out" depends on how much you truly enjoy the training. IMO, the probability of getting chronically injured is highly dependent on how you've conditioned your body to handle the training/racing loads that you're asking it to perform, and the decisions that you make wrt the minor issues that pop up in most every athletes training regiment. |
| 2009-10-04 12:05 PM in reply to: #2441268 |
Pro 4828 The Land of Ice and Snow | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... It was my plan as well to keep up my HIM level of fitness..........and then 4 weeks ago my knee decided to go kaploowey on me. So I have taken a step back out of necessity . And I am NOT enjoying it...............  |
| 2009-10-04 6:10 PM in reply to: #2441268 |
Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... Nevermind maintaining. I wanna get faster! But I will take a little time off first.... |
| 2009-10-04 6:30 PM in reply to: #2441268 |
Master 2202 Canton, Michigan | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... I'm not a coach, but your not going to keep your peak fitness level from a HIM, etc. This sport is normally built in cycles. Build it up, peak, race then fall back and recover. Do over and become stronger and faster. That's not saying you can't keep going and doing races, but you won't be able to peak for every race and when you think about it, isn't that why we do this crazy sport. Sorry but from my limited understanding there is no holding onto the holy grail for long. |
| 2009-10-04 6:32 PM in reply to: #2441268 |
Master 1927 Guilford, CT | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... I think I'm faster now then I was in August after my HIM. I see no reason why you can't just maintain your workload and get better. I'm planning on coming into the spring ready to go hard and tackle an early season HIM on my way to redemption at Timberman. I guess you could call it a baseline, but I want that line to be slanted upwards and not flat. Your already fast, so I vote you just keep it going. You have a sub-5 in your sights for next year. |
| 2009-10-04 6:42 PM in reply to: #2442016 |
Master 1927 Guilford, CT | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... rottieguy - 2009-10-04 6:30 PM Right, so peak for race. A couple weeks of sluggishness and recovery, then starting a step or two back from where you were. Then build for a few weeks and you can be right where you were on your way to better things, right? You don't peak and drop off a cliff for two months do you? I agree with what you're saying, but I don't think he's talking about holding his peak forever. He just wants that base fitness right?I'm not a coach, but your not going to keep your peak fitness level from a HIM, etc. This sport is normally built in cycles. Build it up, peak, race then fall back and recover. Do over and become stronger and faster. That's not saying you can't keep going and doing races, but you won't be able to peak for every race and when you think about it, isn't that why we do this crazy sport. Sorry but from my limited understanding there is no holding onto the holy grail for long. |
| 2009-10-04 7:21 PM in reply to: #2441423 |
Member 38 St. Johns | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... Edited by schott2 2009-10-04 7:22 PM |
| 2009-10-04 7:37 PM in reply to: #2442043 |
Member 38 St. Johns | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... Thanks to EVERYONE for their input and comments..... I enjoy training and think I'll continue to maintain a baseline for HIM based on the last month prior to the event. My goals are to get faster on the bike and more efficient in the swim (translating to speed and energy conservation). |
| 2009-10-04 8:06 PM in reply to: #2442043 |
Master 2202 Canton, Michigan | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... acumenjay - 2009-10-04 7:42 PM rottieguy - 2009-10-04 6:30 PM Right, so peak for race. A couple weeks of sluggishness and recovery, then starting a step or two back from where you were. Then build for a few weeks and you can be right where you were on your way to better things, right? You don't peak and drop off a cliff for two months do you? I agree with what you're saying, but I don't think he's talking about holding his peak forever. He just wants that base fitness right?I'm not a coach, but your not going to keep your peak fitness level from a HIM, etc. This sport is normally built in cycles. Build it up, peak, race then fall back and recover. Do over and become stronger and faster. That's not saying you can't keep going and doing races, but you won't be able to peak for every race and when you think about it, isn't that why we do this crazy sport. Sorry but from my limited understanding there is no holding onto the holy grail for long. So using your reasoning after I get done with these 18 to 22 hour training weeks, then taper for 3 weeks for my IM on Nov 7, I can take a few weeks to recover and then build right back up and perform at the same level within a short period of time. Not happening, it's a fairy tale! Could I do the distance again, sure but would I be maxed out and peaked for my best performance, no way in heck! Maybe it works for others, but I plan on one peak and thats for my A race. Then I will fall off a cliff and do relaxed easy non structured training as I do every winter before getting back at it, and I will improve next year. Then in 2010 I'll start a new program for my next HIM next September and come back even stronger.
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| 2009-10-05 9:20 AM in reply to: #2441522 |
Not a Coach 11473 Media, PA | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... breckview - 2009-10-04 12:33 PM merlin2375 - 2009-10-04 7:27 AM Second, I think that it'll be tough to maintain your fitness as it stands now. What you want to do is maintain a baseline of fitness that will give you a solid base from which to go again come the spring. That is certainly one approach that many people use. IMO, how you train in the "off-season" totally depends upon your goals and how much you enjoy the training. IMO, if you love the training and you desire to get faster there's no reason why you can't maintain your pre-HIM training load straight through the "off-season" and come out the other end being faster and with better fitness. IMO, until you near your genetic potential (which almost no one here has) and gains become very difficult, taking time off and/or significantly reducing training load for "offseason" simply degrades your fitness level starting after about a week. It's true that it's much easier to return to a fitness level than get there initially, but improvement is largely the result of training over time. If you spend some weeks degrading your fitness and then some more weeks regaining it, you'll be far behind where you'd have been if you just kept training to improve. Again, if you don't enjoy the training, and/or either don't care about improving quickly or are at a fitness level where improvement isn't really very possible, then what I've written doesn't apply to you. Focker - 2009-10-04 8:32 AM Don't worry about keeping your fitness at a high level year around that is how you get burnt out and injured. I do not agree. IMO, "burnt out" depends on how much you truly enjoy the training. IMO, the probability of getting chronically injured is highly dependent on how you've conditioned your body to handle the training/racing loads that you're asking it to perform, and the decisions that you make wrt the minor issues that pop up in most every athletes training regiment.x2! There is almost zero reason why the typical AG athlete can't hold/build their HIM fitness year-round if they wish to do so. |
| 2009-10-05 9:48 AM in reply to: #2441268 |
Coach 10487 Boston, MA | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... schott2 - 2009-10-03 10:15 PM After successfully finishing Ironman Augusta 70.3 in 5:09, I'm looking to keep fitness at that necessary to compete on that level monthly. Anyone know of a plan that keeps you at that level after a week of recovery? I'm looking to keep the training level up (I utilized BT's 1/2 IM training program), compete in a marathon this fall and resume 70.3 competition in late Spring. I would suggest to take a week or two easy (maybe some days off) to recover from the race, then do 2-4 weeks of unstructured training. That means to remain active and do stuff to maintain your fitness but be flexible with your training, specially if you are nursing any minor injuries. There is no specific goal in the short term so have fun doing stuff you wouldn't normally do (i.e. cyclo cross, mtn bike, trail running, x country skiing, etc.). in the mean time set your goals for 2010, define your schedule and how long your off-season prep phase will last (i.e. 6-12 weeks) and through that focus on working on your limiters. IOW if your limiter is running then run more and maintain biking/swimming with a few sessions per week. If cycling is your limiter then do 3-4x session x week with threshold and tempo work while maintaining swim/run. You won't be able to remain in peak fitness but that doesn't mean you have to let your fitness go away. Summary: 1. Take some time easy/off to recover mentally and physically - this doesn't mean let yor fitness go away, it just means doing unstructured training 2. Set goals and work towards imrpoving limiters 3. build up upon the fitness you already gain |
| 2009-10-05 9:49 AM in reply to: #2442210 |
Master 1651 Breckenridge, CO | Subject: RE: Keeping 70.3 fitness after race.... rottieguy - 2009-10-04 7:06 PM So using your reasoning after I get done with these 18 to 22 hour training weeks, then taper for 3 weeks for my IM on Nov 7, I can take a few weeks to recover and then build right back up and perform at the same level within a short period of time. Not happening, it's a fairy tale! The OP was talking about a HIM fitness level. (Since I've never been at what I consider a IM fitness level, I have no idea what's possible at that level.) But at the HIM level, I'd just taper for a week and then take 3-7 days off afterwards depending on how I feel. By doing that, I lose zero fitness and could probably do another HIM with the same results after another week or so. Since my current training load which I've ramped up to over 2.75 years is comfortable for me, I don't require (nor want) an "off season". No fairy tale. It's just a matter of having a certain fitness level compared to the race distance. I'm certainly not saying there's anything wrong with your training philosophy but it's just not the only option. As I said, what's possible at what I consider the IM distance training load for me, I do not know. |
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