It’d be really cool if you could pair a RaceRanger to your bike computer and get a Varia-like alert that someone is behind you or passing you. The number of close calls I’ve had because someone I’m passing swerved into my line without looking over their shoulder…
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Currently only signed up for IM Lake Placid, and wondering if anyone here has out-of-town accommodation recommendations? Will be travelling with two kids under five, and cannot afford the in-town options. Plan is to find somewhere they’ll be entertained, and which isn’t too far away from Lake Placid so as to minimally inconvenience my race-day chauffeur. It’s my first triathlon and I’m having a hard time thinking through all of the weekend logistics, which would obviously be easier if we stayed in town but $$$
So…First month 2025 done. Here my overview:
Run injury after 7 weeks done so started running last week again.
Swimming is a little better then when I started in september (most swims around 1:58-2:00/100m avg. But that is the slowest in my local tri club (but as newbie maybe not so bad). But still a lot to do for the swim and run parts…bike form is still ok.
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I’ve got a couple aspirational Triathlete questions for some more experienced people. If this should be a separate thread let me know…
Background: I’m a Cat 2 road cyclist, 330FTP, ~180lb, currently training 13-15hr/wk with the occasional 18-22hr. I swam through high school but haven’t run or swam consistently in like 10 years.
Goal: Do an Ironman. but not just complete one, I’d like to be fit enough by then to feel like I’m ‘racing’ it.
Questions:
- Most ‘beginner’ guides I see are focused on people who are beginners in all sports. Knowing that it could be a while until I can actually get much good aerobic stimulus through running. How would you go about adjusting cycling training while introducing running?
- What would be a realistic timeline to have in my head to be fit and durable enough to put in a good ironman effort? 2yrs? 3?
- Has anyone done crit races while focusing on longer tri training? I enjoy the crit racing and would like to do a handful a year while also training for tris. How do you handle not just the races but also the higher intensity training to be sharp enough to do alright in crits?
I appreciate any insights people have! Thanks!
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@mwglow15
-Adjusting cycling while introducing cycling : Be carreful with fatigue management. There’s a lot of chance that you’ll not be able to train the same way you did in cycling. Consider reducing cycling volume and frequency and introduce running. Even if you are aerobically fit, running is a high impact sport on the body with lots of biomechanical constraints and you need to stay away of injuries. Avoid intensity at first, and try being comfortable with 50’/1h run.
-Hard to say. Just be patient ans consistent. Ironman running could be frustrating as it depends on how pace your bike, weather, nutrition, hydration… It could be more relevant to assess your fitness on a shorter distance such 70.3 or olympic distance.
Having said that after 6 to 8 months of solid training you should be fit and race ready.
Ironman is a different story…
-No idea with crits n’ tri …
Enjoy the the training
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Good month of training. For me a gamechanger was filming my swim above and below the water and having a coach review it at least once every 2 weeks. Then incorporate drills specified to your needs. I did this for 6 months and went from the 1:45-1:55 range to sub 1:30/100m.
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My first full Ironman this year, and a tough one. Ironman Wales in Tenby. I am 61 this year and had cancer issues last year involving an operation. Then also had ankle surgery later in the year!
I have done a half distance about 5 years ago, and a number of competitive Standard races.
I am hoping for sub 14 hours.
Swim is my weakest discipline. Around 2 minutes CSS.
Bike is my strongest although I will be on my aero road bike not a triathlon bike. I used to race but only cat 3 level.
Running is now returning after essentially a year off. I have been doing around 30-35 km a week running, and did a sub 23 minute parkrun last week where I was trying to run a tempo pace not flat out. I ran a 1:45 half marathon the year before last on a hilly course, and with a bit of training am sure I can get back there. Longest run this winter is 14 km but gradually building.
Is sub 14 realistic for that course?
I am still developing my training plan but intend to do 2 of the indoor intensive rides indoors following TR but adding two outside rides so I am riding 4 times a week. I have a plan for swim and run, I have run marathons years ago so a good idea how to develop my run fitness.
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Very cool. I also want to do that but you need a pool that allow that filming :(. You started new 6 months ago or did you swim before? I started 4 months ago and went from 2:20 to 2:00/100m now. Looking now to go to 1:50/100m
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I don’t know the course but with that strong bike and pretty ok runner, that must be doable a lot under 14h? not?
I follow the TR half distance plan but still not sure (because new swimmer and running is till only base miles) if I will be better just focusing on swimming and running my base miles. And then start a Sweet Spot bike progression block. My bike form is pretty good so maybe it is better to try and up my sweetspot duration towards 1x90-120min…
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Well done to Bretsky and Stino, straight in there for Roll Call!
I’m gambling that everyone who has posted here gets notifications that the thread is suddenly active rather than copy and paste all the usernames as it’s quite a faff with the ten usernames per post limit….
Let us know how things have gone for January 
Mine has been tepid, with a series of personal events in my life I’m still dealing with so training is way on the back burner but swim bike and run feel okay when I’ve done them. And it’s all indoors at the moment.
Will see how things pick up in February.
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Hey herbie. I would not set a time expectation for your first, but it’s useful to have some idea in terms of planning your effort and nutrition for the day
You’ve got a decent idea of your strengths and weaknesses so I think you’ll be in a good place on race day.
Wales is one of the hardest courses out there, but it’s doable, and with patience (and good bike maintenance!) you should be confident of finishing - it just won’t be as fast as flat courses.
I’d be hesitant to have much confidence in parkrun times or very old triathlon times, and your age and injury would put a priority on recovery than pace imho.
I would do a half distance (race or simulation) around July/August or a 4h/1h brick session at 65% FTP/Z2 run to get a good sense of what you’re capable of.
I’d be very careful of doing a plan based on your marathon training experience for run, as you really need to think about all three disciplines together how they impact your body and how you adapt from those sessions.
EDIT
Just had a look around and sub 14 would get you in the top 5, sub 13 would get you on the podium for M60-64 so you might want to factor that in
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Okay-ish first month for me. AI FTP docked me 6% off my FTP after the holidays so my cycling workouts have felt somewhat easy. I’ve stuck pretty closely to my plan and I’ve been doing the Tour de Zwift at Z2 pace to add additional volume. Running was going well and then I started getting some pain near my hip so I dialed it back and have been doing some rehab exercises on my own while I wait to see if I can get an ortho appointment. Haven’t started swimming yet because winter but I’m planning to start this month. Still hopeful I can do the races I signed up for; I got a notification I have silver AWA status this year so it’d suck even more if I can’t race this year and take advantage of it 
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It was such a pain in the ass I ended up writing a Google Sheets script to generate the roll call for me last year.
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Thanks for feedback. Appreciate it.
My recovery is pretty good considering age. I use HRV and also know my body pretty well now. I am also over mg injury now max after ankle surgery am able to run more than I could before the injury was diagnosed.
My last triathlon isn’t too long ago (July 2023,) and I got the first qualifying slot for Europeans so the background is there.
I agree following my old marathon training isn’t going to apply but I have started building my running back nice and slowly . My running is coming back nicely. . I mentioned my parkrun but know it’s in no way indicative of running time for IM. 6 minute per km is my aim. My long steady runs are around 5:20 pace at the moment.
Although it is my first full IM I do want to set myself a realistic target and top 5 in age group seems realistic if I can remain injury free.
I am excited for it.
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If my primary calendar/scheduling tool is TrainingPeaks, and I follow up with analysis in Intervals.icu, is there a fairly easy to generate the data for monthly roll call without having to spend a bunch of time adding up numbers?
I do so much of my training indoors and on different treadmills (due to work travel) that probably tracking hours is about all I can reasonably do.
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The totals page in intervals.icu has a nice summary of your activities you can copy/paste or screenshot, that’s probably the easiest.
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First week of Jan was still getting over covid, so I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much volume I’ve been able to squeeze in; goal was 10+ hrs/week, been around 12-13.
Need to find a swim instructor like some of you are describing… with no technique background I’m around 2:00/100 and feeling stuck.
Appreciate the wisdom from those more experienced, as like a few others doing my first IM (lake placid, July) this year and having a hard time figuring out expectations as I do also want to ‘race’ it – subjective as that is, I suppose it means the wheels not falling off in the run.
Anyway, good work all!
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It’s a very tough course.
Sea swim
Very hilly bike course with some steep climbs.
Run course is basically 4 loops up and down one long hill.
Sub 14 would have got me top 5 in age on last year’s results.
I’m pretty happy with January. Averaged 5 workouts/week despite a lot of traveling, with 21.5 hrs total and at least one seven-hour week. Weekly goal right now is 6 workouts and gradually increase volume to 8 hours.
Obviously I need to swim more (can only do 75m without stopping so far), but I can only swim when I’m home and I was only home for 3 days in January, so 
. First event is a half-marathon in March, but what I really care about is being ready to do a couple of sprint tris this summer… and hopefully NOT coming in last.
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Currently training for ironman 70.3 Valencia end of April, first time using trainer road, going OK I think. I do get a lot of yellows and reds saying “high training load” which is odd as I’m just following the plan. Is there a way to adjust?
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