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IM 16 - 17 hours club
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I'm in the same boat Podds. I trained harder than ever last year with Min's guidance and did intervals and everything but still only got a 5:40 marathon. The heat on the day had something to do with it but I would still have only got 5:30. I'm just not fast, which is why I like to challenge myself with endurance events because I'm sure as hell not going to get any good race times for that finish line buz. I'm even limited with half marathons I can enter cos many have a 2.30 cut-off which I can't meet any more.
Barley - I know what you are saying, but I don't think any of us are holding back and sub 16 would be wonderful, but on past experience its unlikely. I'm not actually bothered about being last so long as I'm not way way last and wondering if the finish line is still going to be up. Thats just stressful.
The starting point for the 12 week programme isn't that different to where you end up at the end of the intermediate Fink base 10 week period. Fink intermediate week 11 calls for a long ride of 2hrs 30 and a long run of 1hr 15mins, so in reality the 12 week programme is condensing the last 20 weeks of Fink intermediate into 12. It is therefore assuming quite a decent base - how many people can really run for an hour if they are not already reasonably well trained?
I don't have the Fink just finish programme in front of me but I would hazard a guess the starting point for the 12 week programme is higher than the end of the Fink base period?
It wasn't for me at Bala 2 years ago but the pirates were fab and out on the course about a mile from the end and again at the pseudo-finish line..... Antwerp no such probs but then I was 45 mins faster!
Had to have a row with the organisers at Bala to get my finish time in the days after the race too and I wasn't even last!!
This lot have a cut off towards the end of the run apparently if they think you aren't going to make the 17 hours...........
Great news on the bike drafting benefits of being an okay swimmer. I had been focusing on the negatives of not overtaking anyone for 16 hours and having to deal with the mental anguish of hundereds of people going past me.
Hopefully lots of nice bottoms to look at and pirate shouts of support as many of you go past
Definately agree that we shouldnt be "aiming" for a 16-17 hour finish .. but i'm with Pods .. some of us are just plain slow
and have to accept that there is a certain inevitability about where in the field we are likely to end up. I consistently finished in the bottom 5 of just about everything i enterred in my first year of Triathlon.. BUT.. I am happy enough in the knowledge that being last is still a bloody sight bigger achievement than not getting out there and having a go.
Something that helped immensely for me last year was getting some swim coaching, only had a couple of sessions but for me it was money very well spent and I wish i'd done that a lot earlier. Made the world of difference, both in terms of time taken, and energy saved . If you havent got the cash to spend on coaching , or dont have access to some through a club, then try to get someone to film you swimming and study that (get permission if filming in a pool - save yourself those awkward conversations with angry parents) ... i pretty well guarantee that when you watch it back , all that stuff you studied on you tube and swim smooth and thought you were doing properly wont bare much resemblance to what you are actually doing (or maybe that was just me ?). Seeing what you do wrong is a huuuuge step forward in improving it . Any extra minutes you make on the swim will help make reaching that ride cut off a bit more achievable.. especially given Barleys comments earlier about the accidental drafting benefits from getting a decent swim and then being overtaken a lot
I am with Podds and Soupy and Slagiatt, my aim is to finish but as a slower person, making the cut offs is part of the deal. I am in a relay team, doing swim and run.
I can swim 1500m in 41 mins and 800m in 21 mins, so for the distance that means about 2 hours to finish, allowing for panic in the start melee, swimming non stop for so long and also being in OW. Yes I know we still have 19 weeks to go, but realistically how much quicker am I going to get. For 400m it has taken 4 months to get one and a half minutes quicker. That is with coaching and having minor injuries.
One of my main reasons for going as a relay team, was that my cyclist is a reasonably fast cyclist and I am one of the worlds worst cyclists (57 miles in 6hours), so it should help as I am probably going to end up doing a 5.30 marathon.
imuk i did 16.08.....a 6 hour marathon....but its one of the proudest most spine tingling moments (caught by c4..even said my name. and shown to the nation) of my life (i'm 42 btw).
look....its not about back slapping....its not easy...16 hours with nothing to think about but how much pain you are in takes guts...but this can be done and then when you have a medal, a tattoo or just a smile you can be very very proud.
they wont take the finish down either...unlike bala!!..
lol... this appears to be a positive side of being right at the back as i also got my 5 seconds of C4 fame for being almost the last one to finish in IM Wales last year.
AndyB is spot on though ... without doubt the best feeling in the world crossing that line before the clock says 17.
there is a positive side to being a boper...its back there that people really learn about themselves....really find out what they are made of..its not that tough for the 21 year old who has money and means to train and the youth to stay injury free...for us lot its a fight!!...what can you learn about yourself if you've never been in a fight (to quote Tyler Durden).
Based on my ability to screw things up spectacularly, I'm going to hang around here I think.
So hi all!
I didn't know we were in the company of TV stars.
I agree about swimming lessons. Mine have cost a fortune but I'm seeing results and more importantly enjoy my swimming much more. No idea what my swim time will be. 1900m at the Vit took me 52 mins, so double that, allow for the panic at the start and extra distance then subtract improvement from 1:1 lessons. I've sort of got 1hr 45 in my head but its anyone's guess.
Had so much respect watching all of the final finishers at Ironman Wales running in the col, wet and blustery conditions, knowing some of them had been on that run course for 7 hours!!
Thats sort of what worries me, how I'll find the mental strength to keep on going for all that time. If the weather is crap and I'm cold and tired and hurting I'm going to have a lot of demons to fight if I'm to stay out on that course. But if I quit that effort and training and pain would be for nothing so thats what I'll have to remind myself. How did the other bopers manage? Slagiat - the weather at Wales was dreadful, did you ever consider quitting?
some great advice is to hook up with other if you can...keep each other company...your dark times will be different so you can encourage eachother.
Ironman is no time to be shy...if you see somebody ahead get to them and have a chat/moan about how you cant run anymore.
DNF
http://andysironmanattempt.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html
SUCCESS
http://andysironmanattempt.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html
Considerred quitting just once ... near the end of the ride when it was looking seriously doubtful that i'd make the cut off .. second loop and knowing what hills were still left to climb. Ponderred it for a moment then decided that it was pretty stupid to give up without giving it my all. Made it with a handful of mins to spare.
What helped me a lot... i had a note taped to my bars of "reasons to do this" .. and rightly or wrongly the best one on that list was to prove some people that laughed at the prospect of me completing it wrong
... the opportunity to be smug was a great motivator
i felt dead proud cheering you in slag - and i'd only met you the day before!!
Have just set up new turbo trainer - is it normal for wheel to make slightly squeaky sounds as I bike? Also should I be getting separate tires for indoors? Looking forward to testing it out later!
SeaBiscuit - good point, thanks.
My turbo doesn't squeak. Have you got the roller too close? Mine has 3 different settings for different sized wheels and to begin with I put it on the wrong one. Just went for the middle setting before reading the instructions (doh!). I haven't got separate tyres cos I know I wouldn't bother to keep changing them over and I've spent so much money already that I don't want to be buying a spare rear wheel/cassette just to turbo. So far my tyres are okay and hopefully with the lighter nights I'll be outside more than in now.
Slag - taping notes on your bars is a great idea. Gloating over those who say I can't is one of my motivations too.
Andy - I'm never shy lol!
Thanks everyone. This all goes to remind me how important the bike is. If I'm losing the will to carry on at 80 miles in then its going to be harder still to find the inner strength to get to 140.
My swim coach says exactly that Andy - if I can swim 400m effortlessly then I can swim 3800m. She coached someone to a mile swim who ended up doing a 10k swim instead. And another IM she coached only did a 400m ow swim in training and stormed the swim on the day so I'm taking solace in that. I'm not concentrating on swim distance but on good effortless technique for now. I will do some distance though cos I'm not that brave to go in without having done a 3k swim. On that note I'd better get out on my bike.
You'll make the swim, especially if your swimming has come on even more than last year!
I'm worried about the bike, which is why I'm doing LEJOG in April! About 1000 miles in 10 days! If I can't do the bike course after that there's no hope for me!
Does anyone know roughly when the lake at Shepperton opens? I'm looking forward to trying out my new wetsuit!
Hi, everyone, thought I'd "de-lurk".
I just got back from my luchtime swimming lesson very depressed. Everytime I think i'm making progress, I seem to take a step backwards and it just feels impossible again.
I was having a bit of a wobble of confidence, thinking to myself, "what if I do all this training and miss the swim cut", "Ive still never been out in open water" and "then I'm a slow cyclist, blah blah blah,"
Anyway, reading everybody's comments above cheered me up, so thanks
Am experimenting with the turbo trainer, but not sure what the 'normal' setting supposed to feel like..
Thanks SeaBiscuit
Not sure about the turbo, mine is a really basic one off Wiggle, I use my gears to change resistance, so it doesn't have any setting. Sorry ! Not much help I'm afraid!
Not trying to be argumentative just don't get it.
Currently feel a bit like bburn, low on swim confidence.
just remember...the swim is much easier than you think it will be!!
for the turbo put it in setting 4 (if its got 10) and just use your gears....get a PC in front of you and go to turbotraining.co.uk.
dont fret too much...as long as your HR is up in z2 it doesnt matter.
well i just ventured out for a very cold and very hilly (2k ft climbing) 22 mile ride....it was a mistake...as soon as i got to the other side of the hill it started to rain with no alternative but to go the long way round!!!
nice to be out riding though instead of the brain destroying turbo trainer!!