Triathlon: Time for a Plan

[andygates]

Twelve weeks from my A-race, an Olympic distance triathlon, and it's time to get the Plan in action.  For the next few weeks it's swim technique and run mileage buildup with some base 25 milers on the bike.  Then the first Crash Week, high-volume high-intensity berserk stuff.  Then a recovery week, a steady week, and the first test: a half-marathon.  Following that, it's some bricks before the second test: a sprint triathlon surrounded by a surfing break (!).  Then it's more skill work - open-water swim in particular - and higher volumes, and then a second Crash Week with really monster volumes.  A recovery week follows (with only one session a day) before the race build and taper.

Goals en route: a sub-2h half-marathon.  1500m big swim sets.  A sprint tri that feels fun and easy.  Comfortable and confident open-water swimming.  A 25TT in 1:15.

It starts with a run tomorrow morning.

I'd forgotten how motivating ball-shrinking fear can be.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I've only got five weeks!

I don't have time for any of that!

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Ah but you're probably fit and a competent swimmer, O anonymous poster, and it's way too early in the season to be doing an Oly so it'll be a sprint. :)

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

Why was I anonymous?

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Thought it was you. Probably weren't logged in.

[skean.livejournal.com]

You know, some people might wonder at the "recovery week follows (with only one session a day)". And how did I know that you were going to be sticking crash weeks in there?

Not being a pessimist, but have you got a contingency plan? i.e. "1 week leeway so I can do nothing if I burn out/pull something/catch flu (not a cold, I mean real flu)". Last year when I was just doing the running training, I had a period where I was just starting every session tired, wasn't sleeping, and wasn't improving. I had to just stop for a week - when I started again, I had my spring back.

BTW, are you using any particular guide to plan your sessions? I'm a couple of weeks behind you to my first A race and I'm wading through Friel to plan my countdown. I'd be interested to see a sample of your plan if you're willing to share?

[andygates.livejournal.com]

I'll mail you a copy of the XLS later. It's kinda Freil-inspired. The contingency plan is to just do less of it, and with almost all training plans I end up doing 60%-75% of what I intend to do.

Aim for the stars, hit the moon kinda.

Anyhoo the bike I could do now, albeit slowly. The run I'd be rotten rat balls at right now, but plan to have tidied away after the Half. And the idea with the swim is to build big-set distance to get to doing 1500m-ish big sets (in a sort of warmup-400-1500-400-goofaround structure) by shortly after Easter. I can be tardy on everything and I'll get around.

So the plan is partly so stiff because it already expects some non-compliance due to either fatigue, colds and sulks, and it would be resilient to shin splints too - I've had those before and know the drill. The one thing it doesn't accommodate is a major injury, but I don't think you *can* plan for that. If I break something, I rewrite the plan and/or reschedule my races.

[andygates.livejournal.com]

What's your addy? The CS one bounced. Mail me at andyg AT ravenfamily DOT org.

[n-decisive.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with your goals!

How long have you been training/doing triathlons?

[andygates.livejournal.com]

It started with a dare last New Year - I'm bad with dares. Found I enjoyed them, silly me...