11 April 2009

change of plans.

I've been following the Half Ironman 20 week program from BT.com. It's been too much. It averages about 800 minutes (13.3 hours)/ week, and maxes out at 1000 hours (16.66 hours)/ week. It's too much for me. I know my IM training program will bring me above that, but I am just not there yet.

I decided to switch to
Olympic to HIM bridge - 12 week program. It doesn't start for me until 04/20, so I think I will do the first week 2x.


green - bike
yellow - run
purple - swim
red - strength

This plan averages between 8 hours/ week and 13 hours/ week. I am feeling much more comfortable with this plan. It will still be a challenge but will not be impossible for me to complete. It's demoralizing to see myself so far under my weekly goals.

I feel better.

10 comments:

  1. You can only do as much as your time permits.

    You switch to a program with less volume, and increase quality, and still get a lot out of it.

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  2. Sounds like a good decision. You need a plan that works for you.

    Hang in there!

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  3. I think you need to do what you feel most comfortable with. You will definitely get the volume in before your IM, so no need to totally burn out before then!

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  4. If you are any kind of swimmer you should focus more on the bike. Your running base is in great shape.
    When I max out, I will be doing around 30 minutes swimming, 6 hours biking, and a couple hours running per week. (just to give you a comparison)

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  5. You have to make sure you feel comfortable with you plan. If you can't log all the workouts that the plan is asking for then you'll feel demoralized every single time you'll look at your times.

    Good decision :)

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  6. Knowing that the plan wasn't working for you shows a lot of maturity. It can be really hard to admit that you need to take a step back...but for sure you will be better for it this season!

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  7. I think being able to keep your confidence up and not dreading your workouts is a huge part of training. I think you made the best decision for your training.

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  8. [apoligies for length of comment]

    Personally - I find the a lot of the BT.com plans a bit too much. I have a couple of different books that I use and then we have a great local coach that stays sensitive to quality not quantity sessions for those of us with jobs and other responsibilities that do not include wearing tri shorts and such.

    As for your question (not too personal at all), I am thinking about posting soon about the whole thing. We have had to be quiet about a lot of stuff because we had information we shouldn't have had yet...blah blah blah...long and short of it, we met a sibling set that we have been in the process of "matching" with the county...we met, we loved the kids but the foster family freaked us out and now my husband is upset (fost parents have emotionally adopted the kids and left no room for a 'forever family'), so husband wants to look at other matches, I was in same place now not same place, the whole thing has turned into a big mess which left me in the week from HELL last week...(emotional and soppy for days)...plus, the only thing holding up our final certification right now is our flipping pool. We have a gym that we built next to the pool. The building has sliding glass doors that open to the pool area (which is completely fenced). We are now in the process of filing for a waiver from the state over this sliding glass door. It is a bit of a mess.

    Right now, this is where we are in the process - continued limbo.

    I was thinking about your training last week on my ride thinking "I should just train for an IM, that will distract me and keep me positive."

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  9. You are absolutely doing the right thing Trish! We believe in you!!! Brian

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  10. You will be fine bringing your hourly volume down. I mean, you already have a running base which includes a MARATHON! :)

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