Is iit being too ambitious to aim for half-ironman in the next 18months?

seren nos

I think me and Dave are agreeing now..yes anyone can do it if they want....but it isn't easy....

 You have to put in the hours.,and the more limitations you have....age, sex, weight, genetics.........etc..then the more work you have to do.......

well done on your progress.keep going and you will improve.the speed of the improving will depend on how much you do...

Ridgebackmax

Age is just a number i am 54 whacked out some half mara PBs 2 years ago that i voulfnt get anywhere near in my 30/40s its all about quality of training and consistency get a good training plan stick to it no excuses and make every session count ( that dosent mean mullering yourself every session neither) follow the plan

M..o.use

It's difficult to say the things that we want to say without sounding critical so I'm going to do my best to put my two pence worth in, whilst summarising and agreeing with my triathlete colleagues above.

You can do a half in 2016 if you want to, but you have some limiting factors.

1. You are CURRENTLY too slow.  Notice I say currently.  You will need to train more and improve your times before you do a half ironman.  Most races have cut offs (around 8.5 to 9 hours).  You need to be able to get round within that time. At present, you wouldn't.  If you train well and consistently you will improve your times.  That much is obvious.
2. You are CURRENTLY overweight.  That will slow you down.  Fact.  That will also make you feel very uncomfortable on race day because you have to carry that weight around with you.  You need to lose weight.  Training should help you to do that but you may also like to think about having a chat with someone who knows about diet.  It's a fact that if you are carrying less weight, you will move faster.  If you can train 6 times a week, the weight should start to fall off you.  If you are type 2 diabetes, this will only serve to help you.  Going back to a slimming class or getting some sort of help/advice may be useful for you when it comes to your diet.
3. Your current bike probably won't be permitted under the rules of the race.  You would need to investigate that depending on which race you chose to do.  We could give you several sets of rules to review, but they may not be applicable.  You'll have to trust us on this one.
4. Less important, but still a point.  You need to develop your road cycling confidence.  You can't race with a friend and you need to be able to ride on the roads regularly to train.

If you work at training regularly and consistently the first 2 points will look after themselves.

 

SuckitupButterCup

See this is what I love about the Pirates lots of support - TNLN take on board what Mouse and everyone else has said and just get out there and do it.  

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

seren nos wrote (see)

I think me and Dave are agreeing now,

sex,

Diary note I agreed with Seren (although I never said it was easy)

Hadn't thought of sex as a limitation to training. is that a Welsh thing ?

Although I suppose spending all Sunday morning playing hunt the bed snake, does rather cut back on time on the bike

Ridgebackmax

Your a very naughty boy

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

Chuckling at the banter now. A friend has two road bikes and she said i can borrow her old one.will check later in year that offer is still open as no room in shed until we have got rid of my daughter's first ever bike and would want to keep it safe.



Dont worry Dave starting to develop a thick skin!



Went swimming this morning and swam continuously for 55 minutes doing 1150metres.

M..o.use

And that's lovely but you need to be doing at least 1800m to 2km in that time (just to give you some measures and ideas of what to work towards.)

mathschick

just thought I would add a bit, although most of it has been said already

1. Weight - even training for a marathon earlier this year I didn't really lose weight, if there is one thing I have learned it is that you can't lose weight through exercise alone, you need to watch what you eat. If you struggle to know what are the right amounts/right things to eat, then somewhere like slimming world/weight watchers might help. Or your local doctor's surgery might be able to help out with an eating plan. 

2. with consistent training you will get quicker. Why not focus on the sprint tris that generally don't have any cut off times to worry about until you get your sprint tri time down to something like 1:30 then you will be at a good stage to start going longer.

3. You definitely need to be using a road bike for anything longer than a sprint tri for all the reasons others have said. But by all means build up some road confidence using your mountain bike, and have some fun on some off road trails too

It is meant to be fun too, so make sure that you are enjoying what you are doing or you will never keep it up for long enough to make much of a difference

good luck

SteadyCJ

I managed to finish the Outlaw Half this year, previous attempt I was not fast enough for the bike cut off. This year I still only had 15 minutes to spare before the final cut off.

This year I was consistently doing 8-10 hours a week training and loads of training on the bike including several solo rides of 50 miles on a route that would be similar to the race route.

It was hard work but well worth the effort.

Ridgebackmax

Well done CJ done the work and got the reward

Magna Carter

M..o.use wrote (see)

And that's lovely but you need to be doing at least 1800m to 2km in that time (just to give you some measures and ideas of what to work towards.)

But, don't panic TNLN... it can be done....I was a truly awful swimmer... and now i'm just awful!..... in 6 months of concerted effort, i've gone from 55 min miles (ie, not much quicker than you) to 28 min miles, by swimming 3 times a week for about an hour a time.

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

Another a first for me on the cycling front- the first being I cycled on my own on the local roads - only did 4.15 miles but its a start, The other first - yesterday (sun 3rd aug) cycled in total 38.99km with a friend all on the road.

 

Ridgebackmax

Well done from little acorns....

SuckitupButterCup

Yayayay good work chook

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Great stuff...   Got to be IM Wales next year

Jen Hart

Well done on your foray out on to the roads Tri, I was out on Sunday and took in hinckley/ bosworth en route and unsurprisingly there were loads out with it being such a lovely (if very windy!) day.

just for info, I was entering the Leicester Castle Classic sportive this morning and noticed this event:

www.entrycentral.com/GOTRIleicester

and wondered if it would be of interest ( you will certainly have no problem covering the bike distance now  -6 miles on closed circuits) and it may possibly suit you travel wise.

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

Looks good may enter this as should be able to get there by cycling! Cloding date is next weds. So much for lichfield being ladt tri for season.

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

I was on a purple bike with a friend coloured lady you may have seen me ; did you go through centre of market bosworth? Found it hard work going back though was out fir iver 3hours longest ever time on bike.



Done nearly 6km on new bike so far. May get a road bike next year when have room in shed! Really getting into my cycling now

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

How far is the Leicester Castle Classic Sportive & whens that tsking place & where- is it snoption for me not this year though.

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

Excuse typos in posts above.

Jen Hart

Hi, the sportive is the same day and 100k, covers south and west Leicestershire.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/113784/Leicester-Castle-Classic

frankly they had me at the promise of a pie and a pint!

there's the pro team kermeese race taking place in the afternoon so all in all, should be a good day out!

I'm sure you'll be fine cycling to the tri event if you decide to enter, should be a47 all the way just about and will be nice and quiet at the time of day you'll be setting off.

good luck if you decide to go ahead!

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

Have decided not to do Leicester Castle GoTri & just concentrate on preparing for lichfield & the TONF sportive.



Another milestone achieved on saturday ; cycled to pingles leisure centre in nuneaton,warwickshire with a friend then went out with another friend- did 30 miles so 36 miles in total (10k plus 50k) all on my second bike.

SuckitupButterCup

Good work  

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Yeah... Keep it up now

Jen Hart

Good stuff Tri, glad it all seems to be coming together. See if you can get a few hill sessions in before October so there won't be too many surprises for ToNF - at least the Autumn route misses Beacon Hill but then you'll be ready to take that on when doing the 100k next May!

SuckitupButterCup

PS the Pirates are on facebook too

TRINOLONGERNEWBIE

Hope the hills are not too steep! Hoping weather is dry in october for TONF. Think i need to work on getting up hills without too much effort & speed so i can enter an olympic distance tri.need to work on open water swimming & my running too.

GraemeK

Getting up hills without too much effort?? I know exactly what you mean, but it never gets easier, you just go faster.

Jen Hart

Weather was glorious last year! There is a bit of climbing as Charnwood possibly only area of the county with some cat 4 climbs ( I think Beacon Hill is classed as a 3, but as said before, it's not on the Autumn route) 

second GraemeK's comment! Just keep working on those miles and maybe head over to Ulverscroft area on a longer weekend ride ( via Thornton and Bardon) and do some repeats round Polly Botts Lane area.