Training confusion - can you help sort me out?

I used the BT Winter Maintenance plan before I started the 1/2 IM plan. I felt just like you - swim good, bike and run can both use work. I couldn't decide, if I work only on the run then I know my bike will suffer (plus I got a new bike that I really wanted to ride). It was winter so I really could not face a bike heavy plan knowing I would be spending the majority of the hours on the trainer.  The winter maintenance plan kept me working in all areas without tearing me up.

Just an idea for you check out. 

Just my opinion from vast amounts of experience in injury, illness and training or not training or kinda training through and past all that ...

I'd nix the half-mary. Getting from 5k to 21.1k in essentially 5 weeks (allowing for taper) is a recipe for aggravating injury and developing whole new ones.

There's a 16-week free HIM plan? Nearly all of them except bridging or intermediate plans are 20 weeks ... and that, IMO, is really what's necessary for a first half-iron ... so you might be looking at end of April/beginning May. (I don't know, I'm not the world's best counter. Ask anyone who's ever swum with me ... )

That gives you, give or take, 5 weeks to get ready to start a half-iron training program. The ones here suggest you be able to consistently (I take that as 2-3/wk) swim 40 min, run 60 min, bike 90 min.

Swim's fine. So look at a plan--and though there are many fine free ones, you won't find a better value of almost anything anywhere, never mind the boggling tri-resources (of which plans are just a part) of the paid BT memberships--that'll get you thereabouts in 5 weeks.

I'd probably make the cycling pretty easy. Not a lot of hard stuff or crazy hills. Some is generally good. Just not a lot. Coming off illness and injury, you want to take it easy getting up to 90 min a couple/few times a week in 5 weeks.

Hey Laurie

That's the question of a billion different answers. Ask 10 people and you'll get 10 answers, ask a whole forum and you'll get thousands! ha ;-)

Re the knee - is this still painful to run on now? What kind of rehab have you done with it to date? Are you doing any PREhab work now (if it's better)?

Re how many times to SBR - The vast majority of triathletes train too much. Too long and too frequently. We don't get better while we train, we get better while we recover. How people think they'll recover sufficently hitting 5-6 runs a week I'll never know!

For you, it looks like injury prevention is a key factor to consider. If you start hitting it too hard and adding loads of volume, you'll likely end up watching that race in May ;-( So it's really key to keep the mindset of quality over quantity.

3 of each is sufficient each week for sure. If your swimming is good, and you're not too worried about that and want to spend time on another discipline, then just ensure you keep the sessions quality and focused. Every one needs a purpose. 

Biking is the one we can get away with a bit more on. But still, no need to smash 5-6 a week! Keep quality higher than volume. Interval training and hill reps are great for getting fit and strong on the bike, but you'll want to watch that knee too, just in case it flares up at all???

Re running - that'll depend largely on the knee. If it's not healed, you won't want to damage it more, and running loads will. If you're a good runner - then like with swimming, you cold get away with 2 quality sessions a week, but maybe 3 if you can do this pain free. Really important not to go 'ball sout' and end up back at square one.

The other thing you'll DEFINITELY want to look at is some specific strength training to help you remain injury free, as well as some prehab work like foam rolling for instance. Strength training doesn't mean bodybuilding work by the way, but specific workouts and exercises you can do to bulletproof your body and become a machine!

Maybe a week could look like this: 

M - swim morning, strength evening

T - bike evening

W - Run morning, strength evening

T - swim morning, bike evening

F - Strength morning

S - Bike to run brick session morning

That sort of thing could kick you off nicely . . . 

I agree with others that you should postpone your 13.1. IMHO you need a shorter goal from here.

as far as your question about how many times per week for each event.

Swimming- because it is your strength I would stay with twice a week and increase to 3 two weeks before your events.

Biking- I do well with 3 to 4 times a week depending on time constraints. If you only get 3 one week try hard to get 4 the next.

Running - I mostly do 4 but if I feel like it I'll add an extra short run.

The key for me is to go easy and slowly increase the mileage. When you get healthy and feel the need for speed you can add interval work to your bike and run.

Don't be afraid of slow.

Oh crud Yanti, you're right!  I just did the math and I should start the plan in April.  Crappity crap crap!  Now I'm REALLY panicking!    I guess I'm glad you pointed that out though.  Ok, so I'm working with 4 weeks before my plan starts.  Oy.

In that case, the half-mary is definitely out.  I won't be prepared even if I really focus on it and especially not if I'm a few weeks into the HIM plan.  I have to admit that I feel better just admitting that I shouldn't do it.  I think I've known that for a few weeks but haven't wanted to give up.  But it's more important to me to get steadily stronger and last the whole season than to push too far too soon.

I have a prescription for physio but am trying to avoid it as I really can't afford it.  So I've been doing progressive running (adding 5 minutes each time there's no pain and subtracting 5 if there is pain) and lots of stretching and foam rolling.  The rolling has been immensely helpful.  My quads are extremely tight and my hamstrings are very loose which has caused my knee issue so I'm working to loosen my quads.  I know I should try to tighten up my hamstrings too but anything that shortens them grosses me out so I struggle a bit there.  I know, I know - suck it up buttercup.

I didn't see the winter maintenance plan before as I'm not a silver member.  Perhaps I'll upgrade and do the first 4 weeks of the run-focused plan and see how far that gets me  before the HIM plan starts.  Does that sound like a decent idea?  Hopefully it doesn't cost the moon.  

I forgot that the winter plan was not free. I would just be careful with running if you are not 100%. It does not get any easier once you start the 1/2 IM plan.

I had a spell with patella tendonitis this summer/fall. Compression knee wraps helped a lot for me along with foam rolling like you are doing. I finally got tired of messing with it and tried ART from the chiropractor. It worked wonders. I was shocked.  

Good luck!