General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete. Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2010-12-29 10:47 PM

User image

Regular
1893
1000500100100100252525
Las Vegas, NV
Subject: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
So I was reading the book and it says you can train for an Ironman in 12 weeks.  Looking at the schedule, the longest workout is 3 hours on the bike, 2.5 hours running, one hour swim.

Can that training plan really work?! 


2010-12-29 11:26 PM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Pro
4339
2000200010010010025
Husker Nation
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
You can "train for an ironman" in one day really. Finishing in the same day you started (or finishing at all) based on that "training"? That's probably a different discussion. I s'pose there are people who might be able to do it (you know, people who are involved in professional cycling or marathoning for example), but I'm guessing for the stereotypical age-grouper it's a long shot at best.

Full disclosure: I have never completed an Ironman.
2010-12-30 6:10 AM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Veteran
195
100252525
NAF Atsugi Japan,Medford OR.
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
I consider myself to be a decent athlete.....I'm 36 years old, have a couple 4 hour marathons under my belt, played football in Jr. College and have been crossfitting for over a year and my IM Arizona training is going to go well past two years.  Can it be done? Sure, but isn't the journey to the ultimate bucket list goal and big life moment what it's all about? 
2010-12-30 10:44 AM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Pro
5361
50001001001002525
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
I'll bet he'll sell a lot of those books.

Put them right next to the "quick weight loss" ones.
2010-12-30 12:39 PM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Pro
6011
50001000
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.

It depends on how you look at it.  I used Gale Bernhardt's 13 Weeks to a 13 Hour Ironman plan this year.  With that, I finished in 12:34.

What's misleading, is when people hear that, they think all the training was only 13 weeks.  The reality is that the plan notes the following prerequisites:

"Athlete Profile. You are an experienced triathlete. You have completed sprint and Olympic-distance races. Life, however, has your clock in a stranglehold and training time is at a premium. Before beginning this plan, you are capable of swimming three times per week, about an hour each time. You estimate you could hold a 1 minute 45-second to 2-minute pace per 100 yards, for the 2.4-mile swim (total swim time of 1:12 to 1:25). Cycling currently includes being able to comfortably go an hour and a half or so. You're thinking you could average somewhere between 15 and 16 mph for 112 miles (total bike time between 6:15 and 7:30). Your long run is in the 1:15 to 1:30 range. You think you could manage a marathon pace of 10- to 11-minute miles (total run time between 4:15 and 5:00). up to this point, you've been training around eight to 10 hours each week, which is very comfortable.

Your typical training week is fairly light during the week, due to a long list of commitments. However, weekends are open for longer training hours. You need at least one day completely free from training each week because it keeps you healthy and in good spirits."

I actually trained nearly constantly for 2 1/2 years before my IM, and in the months leading up to it, followed a HIM plan up to a HIM in early July, then after about a 1 week recovery period started on the 13 week plan for an early November IM.

IMO, it's a mistake to hear "12 week IM plan" and think you only need to train for 12 weeks.  You still train for months in advance, and only follow the IM plan for the last period right before the race.  This is similar to BT's 12 week HIM to IM Bridge Plan.

2010-12-30 1:07 PM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Regular
1893
1000500100100100252525
Las Vegas, NV
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
I myself can't imagine doing an IM after 12 weeks.  That's adequate training for a Sprint, MAYBE an Oly.


2010-12-30 5:16 PM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Pro
5361
50001001001002525
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
Well, I completely meet the requirements of the Athlete Profile.  On the fast end, as well.

Guess I better sign up for one.
2010-12-30 5:34 PM
in reply to: #3268820

User image

Pro
4339
2000200010010010025
Husker Nation
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
morey000 - 2010-12-30 5:16 PM

Well, I completely meet the requirements of the Athlete Profile.  On the fast end, as well.

Guess I better sign up for one.

That's the spirit!
2010-12-30 6:05 PM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Elite
3315
20001000100100100
Miami
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
wasn't there a guy who just took his friends challenge not too long ago without training a single day he just went out and did it in like 15 hrs?

i know he was some soccer player...
2010-12-30 6:37 PM
in reply to: #3268873

User image

Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
trix - 2010-12-30 1:05 PM wasn't there a guy who just took his friends challenge not too long ago without training a single day he just went out and did it in like 15 hrs?

i know he was some soccer player...


and raised a good chunk of change for charity in the process.
2010-12-30 9:09 PM
in reply to: #3268820

User image

Pro
6011
50001000
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
morey000 - 2010-12-30 6:16 PMWell, I completely meet the requirements of the Athlete Profile.  On the fast end, as well.

Guess I better sign up for one.
My point is that it's not 12 or 13 weeks of training. It's months or years of training, and these types of plans are just the last 3-4 months before the race. That's why they work. It's like saying I can design a 21 day IM plan, but the prerequisites are that you already train 15-20 hours per week, including long swims of 4000 yds at a 1:45 pace, long rides of 100 miles at 17-20 mph, and your weekly long run is 18-20 miles at a sub-10 min pace. There's nothing special or inferior about these plans, they're just not the whole training picture.


2010-12-30 9:16 PM
in reply to: #3269075

User image

Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.
TriMyBest - 2010-12-30 4:09 PM
morey000 - 2010-12-30 6:16 PMWell, I completely meet the requirements of the Athlete Profile.  On the fast end, as well.

Guess I better sign up for one.
My point is that it's not 12 or 13 weeks of training. It's months or years of training, and these types of plans are just the last 3-4 months before the race. That's why they work. It's like saying I can design a 21 day IM plan, but the prerequisites are that you already train 15-20 hours per week, including long swims of 4000 yds at a 1:45 pace, long rides of 100 miles at 17-20 mph, and your weekly long run is 18-20 miles at a sub-10 min pace. There's nothing special or inferior about these plans, they're just not the whole training picture.


That's a good point.  If you really read the athlete profile closely...it basically says you should use this plan if you already think you can do a 12-14 hour IM right now.
2010-12-31 6:27 PM
in reply to: #3267373

User image

Master
1790
1000500100100252525
Tyler, TX
Subject: RE: Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete.

That was the first triathlon book I read a few years ago.  I probably bought it because the title suggested that completing a triathlon would be an achievable goal.

I thought a lot of the information in the book was great, particularly for a beginner looking at sprint triathlons.  I don't think that a low volume plan is a great idea for training for an Ironman, though.

Brian

New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Tom Holland's The 12 Week Triathlete. Rss Feed