I have been doing Ironman Triathlon for some time now ... I did my first Ironman (Ironman Germany) back in 2006. I am a slightly overweight, not to fast, middle age bloke that enjoys getting out there and doing it.
- I am not a natural sportsman.
- I am not a racing whippet.
- I do not have unlimited amounts of time to devote to training.
BUT I get round.
In the time I have been competing, I have mentored and helped a few others in similar positions as me through training, to get to the start line of their chosen long distance race, and then to finish line within the cut-off. So as another campaign looks to get under way, I thought I'd post my thoughts/notes to those I help here.
I must say, I am not a qualified coach preaching the ideal and there are other approaches than mine, but this is AN APPROACH that seems to work in the real world of the complicated lives us ageing age-groupers seem to lead.
GOAL SETTING
My first thoughts are on Goal Setting:
These days a lot of races sell out almost as soon as they go on sale, so most people start planning at least a year in advance. A year is a long time. You need to have goals that will help you maintain focus across the full year. I am not talking the small more detailed stepping stones here but instead I refer to the big picture goals ... what are your goals for you long distance a race?
Now don't go running of and thing and write on a big piece of card "I will finish in 10hrs 35mins" and stick it to your gym wall. Take a step back and breathe. Goals for your first Ironman (and possibly for subsequent long distance races) should be along the lines of ...
- Make it to the start line.
- Finish within the cut off(s).
- Finish in a time of xx:xx
and maybe even
- Qualify in age group
And your goals should be approached in that order of priority. The most important thing is getting to the start line. 12 months is a long time and may things can and WILL go wrong.
- Lack of motivation
- Injury
- Illness
- etc
Next you need to focus on getting round in the cut-off time. This is not just the overall cut-off, which can range from 15-17hrs depending upon the race, but any other intermediate cut-offs, such as ...
- Out of Swim
- Midpoint bike
- Off the bike an onto run
- etc
Only when you commit to these first two goals fully can you then start to have dreams on faster times.
Next time, Goal 1: Getting to the start line.
