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Ironman Wales Training Plans: Don Fink vs Trilife
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Hey folks,
I've signed up to my first Ironman race (Wales 2014) and I'm torn between two training plans. The first is Don Fink's 30-week Competitive programme, the other is a race-specific 36 week plan designed by the guys from thetrilife.com.
As it stands, I own a copy of Don Fink's book and it seems to be a good, general plan to follow. However, the much more expensive plan from the Trilife seems to be tailored for the Ironman Wales course and you also get some help and advice from the coaches. This sounds ideal but I'm wondering if it's worth the money!
I'm planning to start my training in the New Year either way but I would really love to hear if anyone has followed one of these plans and what they thought about it?
Thanks for your help!
Cheers,
Ben
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Comments
either way......make sure you get lots and lots of bike mileage in and lots and lots of hills.......
... and then some more hills
use the plan that suits you and suits your life, IMO there is no need to pay for these plans when there are many free ones out there (beginnertriathlete.com) and a wealth of information on here
And more hills, both for bike and run, and few harder swim (with paddles etc) to build strength.
Used Fink for the first two, and there is a lot of swimming. Use an adapted Joe Friel plan now, altered to suit the 'older' athlete, so just more rest really.
I've never paid for plan, always used a published one. Get to Tenby a recce the course, then you'll know what to train for. Spend the money you save on buying a plan on a proper bike fit, and some swim training
Hey guys,
Thanks so much for all your replies.
It sounds like Don Fink's book will do me just fine, as long as I throw in tons of hill training for the bike!
MTRIumphant - good shout on the recce. I was thinking of signing up for the long course race weekend in July to get a feel for the course. I think that a proper bike fit and some swim training is also very much needed so will aim to do this before the training begins!
Thanks again and hope you guys have a great Crimbo!
Cheers,
Ben
long weekend is brilliant./for the swim and the bike.I wouldn't bother with the run because its a different course to the Ironman and it would probably take too much out of you running a marathon on tired legs at that stage of training.....
Hey Seren Nos, thanks for your reply. I was thinking of doing just the half marathon on the Sunday which will hopefully be fine from a training perspective. Looks like a fun event so can't wait!
Cheers,
Ben
I'm doing Ironman Wales as my first Ironman and have been looking at loads of different training plans - a lot of people in my club favour Friel (Going Long) but I think I am going to go with Fink - as soon as I started reading it, it just seemed to make sense! Luckily for me I live in mid-Wales so hills are not a problem for me. I agree with previous comments that the Long Course weekend is worth doing - the swim and bike more than the run! Po lwc with your training
Just to add my (probably slightly biased) viewpoint, I started out with Fink as an outline, but my training resembled the concept rather than the detail. It's designed for American city-dwellers. For the past two years I have had an online coach from the Trilife, and he got me to Kona this year (OK - so the secret's out!). I don't know what their off-the shelf programme is like, but if it includes some personalised input then it would be worth thinking about, and in my view they are a great bunch of coaches.
Also, if they do a familiarisation day in Tenby (I don't think they have thus far but it sounds like it could be on the cards) it would be really valuable - I went on their IMUK familiarisation day because I knew I had to win my age group to get my Kona slot, so wanted as much course information as I could get, and it certainly helped a lot.
Your Long Course weekend plans sound a good idea, though, whatever you decide
.
Wow - congratulations on qualifying - that is awesome!!!! I'm in the enviable position that as of the end of March 2014 I will be able to train full time (always look ont he positive side of redundancy) so I am hoping to combine Fink with strength training and pilates. Won't be able to afford online training but have the added advantage of only living an hour and a half's drive from Tenby
VJ15 - thanks!
If you really are planning on training full-time (15 up to 20 hrs per week), isn't it worth thinking about spending £1 per hour to make sure you aren't blowing away that time? Invested well, that time may pay back in the future.
No, I don't have a deal with any coaching company!
I'm sure it is but unfortunately my redundancy payment will just about cover rent and bills
Sorry - I hope things get better soon
.
Don't get me wrong - my job was becoming something I didn't want to do so I'm happy to get redundancy - it just doesn't leave me with any spare cash
So-how excited are you for Kona???!!!!
Hej guys. Just read back through this - is there a new thread on similar subjects? I've not entered Wales every year since it started, and next year I might just do that - by which time I'll be 52 and been knocking around triathlon on and off since 1993 but never done anything longer than standard distance...