General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING? Rss Feed  
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2014-01-05 8:02 PM

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Subject: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
I am doing my first IM in Florida in November. I used Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide (Triathlete Magazine) for my HIM last season and was pleased with my results. I felt like it was pretty bike-heavy, which is my weakest link.
I am considering using one of this plans from this book for my full IM, but haven't heard very many people talk about it.
Have you used one of these plans? I would probably hover mid-way between beginner and advanced. I have 7 years
of racing experience but mostly Olypmic triathlons. My longest swim has been 3100, my longest bike 55 miles and my
longest run is marathon distance but it's been a few years. I have the base, but have not found a plan that I love and I am
pretty comfortable with the way this book is laid out due to last season.

I am still considering hiring a coach but would love to go into it with a program that I am already considering...

Thanks.


2014-01-07 7:20 AM
in reply to: midwesttrimom

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
I used it for IM Wisconsin this past September. Like you, I had also used his plan for several HIM races. I thought it prepared me well. There was no time during the race that I thought I was under trained. I followed the level 7 plan. I missed 1 bike workout (1 hr) during the 24 weeks, so I was very strict with my training.

I think his plans might be a little swim heavy, but I certainly didn't regret it when the winds were blowing up those waves race morning! The only modifications I made to his plan was to incorporate many "hill" workouts for the bike. For instance, if the plan called for a 2 hour ride at moderate intensity, I would make sure that at least some of the ride included some hills or if on the trainer it included some simulated hill work.

Feel free to PM me with any questions you have. I plan to use his plans for all of my future races also.
2014-01-07 9:10 AM
in reply to: midwesttrimom

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?

Yes - I used it for my 1st IM. 
My only comment is that for me (and everyone will be different) as a slow runner, the long runs were not long enough. My next IM I was coached and we extended and increased the number of long runs. I felt this helped drastically. 

I think it's a great option for self-coaching - you can even mix and match a few levels depending on your strengths and weaknesses (swim and run on level 4, bike on level 6 - that kind of thing).

2014-01-07 3:17 PM
in reply to: lisac957

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Sensei
Sin City
Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?

I have used it.  Currently using a plan from it now just to sort of get back into tri.

There's pros and cons...   One item to me is both pro and con depending on my motivation.

The plans offer little variety.  I mean, Monday is swim intervals.  Tuesday is foundation ride, Wednesday is run and repeat. 

PRO:   So you know what you have to do basically every Monday (or T,W, TH etc) for the whole plan...  Sometimes that's nice to just get into a habit/routine.

CON:  The same repetition get's boring.  The BT plans sort of mix it up.  Different types of workouts and shuffles things around during the week a lot of time.

2014-01-07 3:32 PM
in reply to: Kido

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
Thanks. I would consider myself a fairly strong runner but it's been awhile since I've ran a marathon. I did several 2 hour runs
for my HIM and would average about 14 miles on each of those runs. I am thinking I should hit 19-20 on my 3 hour runs and that's
about where I max out. Is that far enough or would all of you suggest running more than that before the IM? I haven't a clue. I may run
another marathon (sort of for fun) if I am going to be doing 22-24 mile long runs, though. May as well.
I do like the idea of having a set schedule with little variety because I belong to a tri group and we have set workouts already so
it's nice for me to work around that. I also always have people to ride and run with 3-4 days per week so they can help
me through 1/2 to 3/4 of my workouts as needed. I also have three kids under the age of 11 and two are very seriously into
sports so most of my weekends are pretty filled. I have to be extremely creative and break up workouts, swim in between games,
hire sitters (my husband coaches) in the early AMs, etc. I will do MOST of my long workouts during the week but with my HIM
I simply adjusted my training.

I am thinking once I hire a trainer he/she can look at that schedule and tweak it to what I need. I have also not done ANY HR training and don't even really know where to begin. I always go HARD during shorter rides and runs because the group I train with is FAST (faster than me), do tons of swim intervals including speed, time trial swims every couple of weeks, short road races, shorter triathlons intermixed with training, and slower longer workouts. However, I really think I need to figure out my zones and purchase a device that will track my HR in all three disciplines. Thoughts?
2014-01-08 11:06 AM
in reply to: midwesttrimom

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?

My son and I used his book/plan for B2B this past year.  It worked well enough.  We finished 14:12 in our first iron distance race.  Could have gone further, but William had some leg issues on the run.  So i don't think the finishing time was a direct correlation to the utility of his plan.  

Previously I had used Endurance Nation for my half training and when I kept to that plan it worked well.  Given the economic times, I couldn't swing the cost of their full plan.  I tell you all this because Fitzgerald uses the RPE system and EN uses heart rate zones.  I have some difficulty transitioning.  For this upcoming B2B I am going to modify his plan slightly to include more interval work in the longer runs/ride similar to EN, but I'm going to use his plan again.



2014-01-08 1:18 PM
in reply to: spot

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Sin City
Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?

Originally posted by spot

My son and I used his book/plan for B2B this past year.  It worked well enough.  We finished 14:12 in our first iron distance race.  Could have gone further, but William had some leg issues on the run.  So i don't think the finishing time was a direct correlation to the utility of his plan.  

Previously I had used Endurance Nation for my half training and when I kept to that plan it worked well.  Given the economic times, I couldn't swing the cost of their full plan.  I tell you all this because Fitzgerald uses the RPE system and EN uses heart rate zones.  I have some difficulty transitioning.  For this upcoming B2B I am going to modify his plan slightly to include more interval work in the longer runs/ride similar to EN, but I'm going to use his plan again.

I roughly translated:

  • Moderate Aerobic Entensity = Z2 since a lot of the similar runs in a HR based plans are run in Z2.
  • Threshold Intensity = LT or high Z4
  • VO2 effort is basically Z3 (based on my v02 testing)
  • Recovery Intensity = Z1
  • Speed Intensity =  All out (like in the swim sprints) - so over LT.

I'm sort of going by memory.  I load my plan into BT and translate the RPE into zones because I like HR training because I would rather just look at my watch than constantly assess how I'm feeling.  But either way is fine in a pinch.

 

2014-01-11 9:37 AM
in reply to: Kido

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?

thanks for that.  that will help with the coming season

2014-01-16 3:17 PM
in reply to: midwesttrimom

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
I'm using the level 4 plan for my training for IMLP....Starts in about a week and a half. Fingers crossed this works well
2014-03-05 8:15 AM
in reply to: imdapman

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
I am using the Level 4 right now for my first Olympic of the season (early June) and will continue on for the HIM training at the same level. I used this HIM training last year and really loved it. I think I could easily cut some time off my HIM if I didn't piddle around in transition and "enjoy the moment" so much. )) I loved the race but now it may be time to buckle down a bit. Regardless, lets stay in touch and see how it goes. I still may hire a trainer for my FIM in November but thinking I will build a very healthy base through the end of June and go from there. Good luck to you!
2014-03-05 10:19 AM
in reply to: midwesttrimom

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
Jen

This is very interesting where can I get this training plan info? Is it a book?

Thanks

Carl


2014-03-05 10:36 AM
in reply to: Kido

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?

Originally posted by Kido

Originally posted by spot

My son and I used his book/plan for B2B this past year.  It worked well enough.  We finished 14:12 in our first iron distance race.  Could have gone further, but William had some leg issues on the run.  So i don't think the finishing time was a direct correlation to the utility of his plan.  

Previously I had used Endurance Nation for my half training and when I kept to that plan it worked well.  Given the economic times, I couldn't swing the cost of their full plan.  I tell you all this because Fitzgerald uses the RPE system and EN uses heart rate zones.  I have some difficulty transitioning.  For this upcoming B2B I am going to modify his plan slightly to include more interval work in the longer runs/ride similar to EN, but I'm going to use his plan again.

I roughly translated:

  • Moderate Aerobic Entensity = Z2 since a lot of the similar runs in a HR based plans are run in Z2.
  • Threshold Intensity = LT or high Z4
  • VO2 effort is basically Z3 (based on my v02 testing)
  • Recovery Intensity = Z1
  • Speed Intensity =  All out (like in the swim sprints) - so over LT.

I'm sort of going by memory.  I load my plan into BT and translate the RPE into zones because I like HR training because I would rather just look at my watch than constantly assess how I'm feeling.  But either way is fine in a pinch.

 

VO2 should be above threshold.

2014-03-05 3:29 PM
in reply to: strykergt

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?

i think i ordered in on Amazon. if memory serves it was less than 20 dollars

2014-04-16 3:08 PM
in reply to: spot

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
I am using this book for my HIM again this year. I am in week 7 of the training I believe. I am doing level 4 but adding in additional speed work on the track for running, longer swims, and more speed on the bike. I train with a pretty tough group of women so they keep me on my toes. When I have a day that says "run" 45 minutes that typically means "run as hard as you can without vomiting" with this group. So far, training with them has made my races go fairly well. I just tag long panting and dying on every workout but it's way faster than I'd be going if I were at it alone. Hee hee.
I am still tossing around the idea of using one of these plans for IMFL in November. Has anyone started their training? If so, what level are
you using and what do you like/dislike so far? I agree 100% about the lack of variety but since I have this group sometimes I just choose the more difficult workout. I.E. today's swim was only supposed to be around 2100 but I did my friend's workout and we swam 2300 and most of it was SPEED.
Thoughts? I would love to keep in touch on this.
2014-04-16 3:09 PM
in reply to: imdapman

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Subject: RE: Matt Fitzgerald's Essential Week-by-Week training guide- ANYONE USED THIS FOR IM TRAINING?
Originally posted by imdapman

I'm using the level 4 plan for my training for IMLP....Starts in about a week and a half. Fingers crossed this works well


How is it going? I am doing level 4 for my HIM right now. Gets a little boring but suits the purpose I think??
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