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2015-09-05 4:38 PM


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Subject: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
Hello,

I am new to the forum and I was looking for some advice.

I have never entered a triathlon and my main sport is cycling. I probably rack up 3k miles a year in the saddle and consider myself reasonably capable. I've completed several full day rides this year and can cover 100 miles in around 6 hours with 3/4,000 ft of climbing. As it stands I am looking to train for a big challenge at the back end of next year and I was wondering about and ironman? This is obviously a massive step up and a massive challenge, but a lot of the reading I have done seems to indicate that the biggest challenge for most people is the bike ride. Given that I could probably complete an ironman cycle route in under 7 hours tomorrow, is this a good enough base to target a full event in 12 months time? I have no base in swimming or running, but I am more than happy to put in the hours to add these to my existing ability.

Am I dreaming or is this a realistic target?


2015-09-05 10:23 PM
in reply to: #5138968

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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
Welcome to the forum!

This is my 3rd year of racing and I just raced my first HIM this year. I decided to take a slower approach so I could enjoy the journey and not get burned out. Obviously you have the fitness for one leg of the race but it would be a big challenge to maintain your bike fitness AND train for a 2.4 mile swim and a marathon on zero base in those areas. Can it be done...sure...I have a friend that did it under similar circumstances. It took him 16.5 hours on a flat course with a wetsuit swim. You probably have a better cycling base than he did but he had (due to favorable work/financial conditions) lots of time to train.

Personally, I'm having a lot of fun racing the shorter stuff. I'm somewhat competitive in my age group (local sprints) so I'm in no big hurry to move up. I had a blast racing my first HIM this summer and I think I'll stick to that and shorter distances for the time being. HIM and shorter allows you to have a life outside of triathlon.

Good luck with whichever direction you decide to go.
2015-09-06 6:54 AM
in reply to: #5139002

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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
Most likely. I come from a distance cycling background and put in about 5 to 7k milrs per year. I had little run or swim background and started training for Olympic distance, working up to a 140.6 in about a year following a plan with a 13 to 14 hour time as a goal. It was a 13 week plan. Anyway, my time was 13.5 hours and while I liked the journey, I did discover that I really like the old distance the best. Long story short, a year should be fine,.
2015-09-06 9:55 AM
in reply to: SkinnyDogg

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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance

It's possible but for sure not the ideal way to get to an IM.

Learning to swim well can be challenging for adult learners even if you learned to swim as a kid.

I'm a big believer in enjoying the journey and not rush. I did my first IM 5th year after I started doing tris. Each year I did a longer race, sprint first year, oly second year, ect.

Something you rush and don't do as well as you can, is that satisfying to you?

Cycling actually is the easiest for most to master. Swimming and running are both more technical and skill makes a difference as does time doing the sport to build endurance.

2015-09-06 10:42 AM
in reply to: SkinnyDogg

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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
I actually think the swim is the most challenging for the majority of people. Can you do a IM in 12 months? Yes, if you train properly. I would start my swim training/lessons now.

2015-09-06 11:04 AM
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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance

Yes, accomplishing an IM within a year is a realistic goal for you.  Depending on your current swimming and running ability, and how much you commit to the training over the next year, you'll have a good race day or a death march or a DNF. 

I've finished several IMs myself.  I started as a cyclist like you, having been able to ride centuries. My first century was in 2002, my first triathlon in 2003 (learned to swim for that), my first marathon in 2005 (I was a terrible runner), and my first IM in April 2006. 

Please forgive my long post, but there's a lot to cover. 

Swim - can you swim a front crawl aka freestyle now? If not, then get started now with a class or 1-1 instruction. Don't try to fake it yourself from day one. Swimming is a technique sport.  Unless you are Tarzan, you aren't going to muscle your way through 2.4 mile swim.  And even Tarzan didn't then have 112 & 26.2 to go. So you have to learn how to swim efficiently enough to finish 2.4 miles in the water and then continue your day. And it's open water, which entails crrepy crawlies in the water (mostly imagined, some real), wind, swells, and other athletes beating on you (intentionally and otherwise).

Bike - so you can ride a nearly flat standalone century.  Yay for you, because that's table stakes for IM. I say "nearly flat" because most IMs have more climbiing than that, some twice that. And then after your 112 ride, you still get to run 26.2, which makes the ride quite a bit different.  After that 2.4 swim, you have to be able to ride 112 and still have enough left in the legs for the run.  So many people finish a six hour ride and then follow it with a 7 hour walk-a-thon.

Run - ah, the run. My favorite part of race day! It's not a marathon, BTW, it's a run. A marathon starts with you fresh, hydrated, fueled, waiting for the gun to start your 26.2 mile run to glory.  An IM run starts with a bike dismount, running into transition on wobbly legs, getting your bag, swapping your bike shoes for running shoes, helmet for hat, and out from T2 you go for the final leg of your IM glory day. 

Running is hard on the body.  The run is where most people run into problems (pun intended), both in training and on race day. Running is also technique, like swimming, but not as much. Running is mostly a slow build up of distance and speed.  Running also requires frequency and consistency to training.

Here's my plan-for-success for you:

First, pick your race. I have a great list of suggestions for North America, but I see you are in England.  So you'll have to do your own figuring on that to find October or November IM-distance races.  September is likely too soon.

Second, your plan includes building swim fitness over the winter and leting cycling fade a bit.  Plan on swimming three or four times a week, 30-60 minutes at a time, to gain skill. Swimming is perishable skill.  Four times a week at 30 minutes is better for beginners than twice a week an hour at a time.  Get some personal training, swim analysis, or consider Total Immersion type training.  Your goal is to be comfortable swimming non-stop 2000 yards by spring. That leaves you time to double that by November. 

Third, start that running now. Fall is a great time to run outside. "Marathons for Dummies" is a good book on the subject of running marathons and much will translate.  You should be able to run a half marathon by February.

Fourth, plan your spring and summer race schedule to gain experience for race day.  Some half-marathons for running, sprint and Oly tris for gaining experience at T1, T2, open water swimming etc.  Find a half-IM to do as a training race six to eight weeks ahead of your IM race. 

You'll probably have a 30 week training plan for your October or November race, so your fall and winter plan is to get ready to enter that training plan with not just a good cycling background, but a pretty good running and swimming ability too. If by the end of January you can swim 2000 yards on Friday, ride 60 miles on Saturday, and run 13.1 miles on Sunday, then you are well situated to double all that by November.

Let's not forget the mental determination, time commitment and expense of IM training. How old are you? Are you a finish-what-you-started type of person or what? Are you married or have a significant other?  Is he/she committed to support your goals? Do you have children? How old are they? Do you have a flexible work schedule? Lots of free time and disposable money?  Those things all make a big difference in your ability to accomplish this.

Skim through the recent Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? thread to read about a guy who had guts and determination, but really didn't put in the training time to be successful. (TL;DR - he signed up for IM Nice, didn't train, and tried to fake it.  DNFed on the bike as I and others expected).



Edited by brucemorgan 2015-09-06 11:09 AM


2015-09-06 11:50 AM
in reply to: brucemorgan

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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
great post Bruce, to the OP a 70.3 is also a great accomplishment as are the other distances. Full IM's run every year, they will be there in 2017 and will always be there when you are ready.

With the 70.3 you will certainly be able to show your strength on the bike but also only have a manage a 2km swim and a 1/2 marathon.
2015-09-06 12:56 PM
in reply to: SkinnyDogg

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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
You will have 17 hours. If you can complete the swim within the cutoff, then do the bike in under 7, you could just walk the marathon and cross the line. So yes, assuming you can physically swim the 2.4 miles.

The bigger question: is that what you want? If so, then go for it, but if you want to race it, then I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to run the marathon, then I think it will take more than a year to build it, unless you are genetically predisposed. From what I've seen, most peoples' (including my) first year or two of running can be filled with injuries as you get your body used to a sport that has so much pounding.

I did my first IM a year to the day from my first triathlon. However, I had 7 steady years of running going into it and I was a swimmer in high school, so I just had to get proficient enough a the bike which was new to me. However, since it is not a load bearing event, I felt I could push it and get up to speed within a year. My first IM wasn't what I wanted, as I "survived" it instead of "raced" it at a 12:10.

If it's just crossing the finish line that you want, you will have no issue. But I think it would be really tough to get your running to where you would need it to race it, just due to the nature of running.
2015-09-07 4:22 AM
in reply to: brucemorgan

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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
What a great post from Bruce.
I'm new to the sport, and lurked on this forum for a while. If I took one thing away from the advice posted, its 'build slowly and enjoy the journey'.

Yes, I appreciate everyone is different, as are their circumstances - but ive heeded it.

Maybe I have a 70.3 in me, i'll let you know. In the meantime swim,bike, run and enjoy
2015-09-07 3:30 PM
in reply to: Shakeybear


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Subject: RE: Turning Cycling Fitness into Ironman Performance
Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback. Some really great advice, particularly the post from Bruce.

Since writing the original post I have made my first tentative step into the pool. I managed 30 lengths (750m) of front crawl, but a bit stop start. I'm hoping with a bit more practice and work on my technique I should be able to complete the 30 lengths in one go and build from there.

With regards the running I'm currently doing circuits once/twice week and this includes some 'indoor running'. I'll add in a few dedicated runs over the coming weeks and see how I progress.

Given the advice my plan is to spend the Winter maintaining base miles on the bike and indoor trainer to keep my fitness and add in the swimming and running. Agreed that the full IM may be a bit of a stretch, but if I set this is the ultimate goal and it results in a competitive 1/2 IM in 2016 I will be happy with that? I suppose there are always going to be circumstances outside my control e.g. injuries, so I'll just put in the hard hours and see where it leads.

Thanks
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