I think there are more entry places for IMW this year and it hasn't sold out previously but both Outlaw and IMUK sold out super-quickly for 2013, so you never know.
Foggy. I don't think it will sell out..unless Henley falls through.........I doubt that will happen but i know they are still having problems in some areas sorting out the bike course...........if in the remotess chance that does happen..i imagine IMW will fill up very quickly as its the same date so people will what an ironman distance race to do.......
Can I ask what people do about swimming training? I started going to my tri club’s swimming sessions in December. Now that the training programme is about to start I’ve been wondering about the club’s swim sessions vs the training plan. Do you just do the swim sessions and trust in those, or do you drop the club’s swim sessions when your programme starts and stick to that? The early bit of the plan probably has a similar number of total lengths to the sessions we are doing now, but will not be enough within a couple of months. I was thinking largely doing my own thing but also conscious that people talk about the importance of joining a club for the swim help. Thanks....
For my first ironman, i tried to stick to the Fink plan and bombed out, In the hour i would get about half of what was required. I swam 1.28 that year.
Last year i did my own thing, spent more time in the pool rather then rushing to finish a set and spent a lot longer in open water and got the swim down to 1.11.
I don't have the option of swim/tri club with my job, so will again do my own thing this year.
If you have access to a swim club...I would use those sessions...at least for one of the sessions...its easier and more fun when in a group...as long as you get the time in then you will be fine...
i always do my own thing, PL, but only because I'm a lazy, gutless, coward of a swimmer. If I grew a pair, I'd go to my club's organised sessions and get thrashed.
My advice.... stick with the club swims and once the warm bit of spring comes, drop one of them for a long, easy, open water session.
Posably a marketing trick but it turned out to be true for IMUK, but they just tweeted that IMW is nearly full, So if your still thinking about entering, get them skates on.
Whatever swim plan you adopt, get some sea swimminh practice in and get used to swimming in a bit of a swell, used to open water (not just calm lakes).
i agree wit the above - club swim sessions are more motivating.
also I did no sea swimming until the day before the race. If you leave it late then they do a couple of orientation swims on the peceding days - these are recommended
I've got to re-stock my stash of gels, energy bars and drinks soon and figured I may as well get used to using the same ones that are given out at feed stations during IMW.
Does anyone know which ones are used? I know the drink is Gatorade but which one? Same for the bars and gels; I think these are Powerbar but which ones?
I remember making sure that the last feed station I ditched everything and got 2 waters because they came in the Ironman Bottles, the Gatorade was in the standard green gatorade bottles (yes, I am that shallow)
Gatorade Lemon Thirst Quench and Powerbar gels it is then. Good heads-up about the bottles as I too am that shallow that the prospect of getting a plastic bottle with Ironman printed on it excites me.
Sports suppliment shop GNC are selling Lemon Gatorade Series Pro 02 350g powder (i.e. Lemon Thirst Quench) as used in IMW with a buy one get one for £1 promotion. You do need to sign up for their gold discount card but it's just that and not a store credit card or anything. It works out about six quid per tub, which is a fair bit cheaper than I've found it anywhere else so I bought half a dozen. The guy in GNC told me the offer ends tomorrow, so get in there quick! The offer is also online.
I must admit I didn't really touch the Gatorade on the race course. Nutrition on the bike came from an aerobar mounted bottle with 16 gels added, topped up with water, and then all washed down with water. The odd banana and slice of malt loaf thrown in for a change, and a couple of extra strong mints, just for variety.
Run was just survivial, water, gels, bananas, and then onto coke for the last 10km loop.
Having assisted on an aid station, the strength mix of the Gatorade can vary considerably, so don't try to get too scientific about how many calories you'll be consuming from any drinks from them.
Interesting to see your food and drink intake for the event, duly noted. I too am a big fan of malt loaf, the most underated energy food out there!
I'll give Gatorade a go as I have to use something when training and have never used it before so think it's best to try as I'll almost certainly take it from the feed stations on the big day. I learned the hard way on the Etape du Tour a few years ago; I took my own powders but it was incredibly hot and I ran out so I tried the official energy drink for the first time at the feed stations and it was awful (don't recall what it was). Water was fine after that, although they eventually ran out of that too and I had to stop at a cafe to buy some.
I also now have a ton of the stuff in the cupboard to get through !
I decided to blog my way to Tenby, started a couple of weeks ago, for those interested you can find it here http://aztecorange.blogspot.co.uk/
Probably a bit basic for pretty much anyone on here I would imagine, I am aiming it at my work colleagues & the parents at my kids schools who have shown such an interest in the last few months. They all think I'm soft in the head.
Nice one Final RV. I know loads of people do blogs when they do an IM but I love doing mine, just writing any old rubbish helps me keep focused and it'll be something to look back on when IMW is a distant memory.
Comments
Does IM Wales normally fillup or are places available later in the season?
I think there are more entry places for IMW this year and it hasn't sold out previously but both Outlaw and IMUK sold out super-quickly for 2013, so you never know.
http://chasethepotato.wordpress.com/
Foggy. I don't think it will sell out..unless Henley falls through.........I doubt that will happen but i know they are still having problems in some areas sorting out the bike course...........if in the remotess chance that does happen..i imagine IMW will fill up very quickly as its the same date so people will what an ironman distance race to do.......
Seren/ CTpotato
Ill probably get Lanza out of the way first and then see what situation is. Thanks .
Can I ask what people do about swimming training? I started going to my tri club’s swimming sessions in December. Now that the training programme is about to start I’ve been wondering about the club’s swim sessions vs the training plan. Do you just do the swim sessions and trust in those, or do you drop the club’s swim sessions when your programme starts and stick to that? The early bit of the plan probably has a similar number of total lengths to the sessions we are doing now, but will not be enough within a couple of months. I was thinking largely doing my own thing but also conscious that people talk about the importance of joining a club for the swim help. Thanks....
For my first ironman, i tried to stick to the Fink plan and bombed out, In the hour i would get about half of what was required. I swam 1.28 that year.
Last year i did my own thing, spent more time in the pool rather then rushing to finish a set and spent a lot longer in open water and got the swim down to 1.11.
I don't have the option of swim/tri club with my job, so will again do my own thing this year.
Leah - I've always gone the other way and dropped the plan (I too used Fink) in favour of 2 x club sessions a week plus 1 x long swim.
I only got my swim down to 1.17 though.
i always do my own thing, PL, but only because I'm a lazy, gutless, coward of a swimmer. If I grew a pair, I'd go to my club's organised sessions and get thrashed.
My advice.... stick with the club swims and once the warm bit of spring comes, drop one of them for a long, easy, open water session.
Posably a marketing trick but it turned out to be true for IMUK, but they just tweeted that IMW is nearly full, So if your still thinking about entering, get them skates on.
i agree wit the above - club swim sessions are more motivating.
also I did no sea swimming until the day before the race. If you leave it late then they do a couple of orientation swims on the peceding days - these are recommended
Finally got my arse into gear and entered. I am in
I've got to re-stock my stash of gels, energy bars and drinks soon and figured I may as well get used to using the same ones that are given out at feed stations during IMW.
Does anyone know which ones are used? I know the drink is Gatorade but which one? Same for the bars and gels; I think these are Powerbar but which ones?
http://chasethepotato.wordpress.com/
On the run aid stations in 2012 it was:
Drinks
- Water
- Gatorade Lemon Thirst Quench (mixed from powder)
- Pepsi (flat)
- Power Horse
Gels:
- Powerbar various (with and without ceffeine(
Other:
- Banana
- Ritz crackers
Bike, can't help sorry, only worked on a run station
Bike was water or Gatorade lemon as well.
I remember making sure that the last feed station I ditched everything and got 2 waters because they came in the Ironman Bottles, the Gatorade was in the standard green gatorade bottles (yes, I am that shallow)
They also gave powerbar bars and I think bananas
Worry not Silent, I did exaclty the same in 2011.
Thanks both.
Gatorade Lemon Thirst Quench and Powerbar gels it is then. Good heads-up about the bottles as I too am that shallow that the prospect of getting a plastic bottle with Ironman printed on it excites me.
chasethepotato.wordpress.com
Sounds like I need a nice baggy cycling jersey so as to pretend to be the team bidon boy & stick 12 bottles down my jersey.
I wonder how many are on eBay the next day!
I know i saw a finishers tshirt on ebay 3 days after
30 weeks today.
Fink starts tomorrow with a day off.
Nothingbeats a plan that starts with a rest day
I even got twelve 20 second rests in the swim today, this Fink bloke is great.
Sports suppliment shop GNC are selling Lemon Gatorade Series Pro 02 350g powder (i.e. Lemon Thirst Quench) as used in IMW with a buy one get one for £1 promotion. You do need to sign up for their gold discount card but it's just that and not a store credit card or anything. It works out about six quid per tub, which is a fair bit cheaper than I've found it anywhere else so I bought half a dozen. The guy in GNC told me the offer ends tomorrow, so get in there quick! The offer is also online.
http://chasethepotato.wordpress.com/
I must admit I didn't really touch the Gatorade on the race course. Nutrition on the bike came from an aerobar mounted bottle with 16 gels added, topped up with water, and then all washed down with water. The odd banana and slice of malt loaf thrown in for a change, and a couple of extra strong mints, just for variety.
Run was just survivial, water, gels, bananas, and then onto coke for the last 10km loop.
Having assisted on an aid station, the strength mix of the Gatorade can vary considerably, so don't try to get too scientific about how many calories you'll be consuming from any drinks from them.
Interesting to see your food and drink intake for the event, duly noted. I too am a big fan of malt loaf, the most underated energy food out there!
I'll give Gatorade a go as I have to use something when training and have never used it before so think it's best to try as I'll almost certainly take it from the feed stations on the big day. I learned the hard way on the Etape du Tour a few years ago; I took my own powders but it was incredibly hot and I ran out so I tried the official energy drink for the first time at the feed stations and it was awful (don't recall what it was). Water was fine after that, although they eventually ran out of that too and I had to stop at a cafe to buy some.
I also now have a ton of the stuff in the cupboard to get through !
http://chasethepotato.wordpress.com/
I decided to blog my way to Tenby, started a couple of weeks ago, for those interested you can find it here http://aztecorange.blogspot.co.uk/
Probably a bit basic for pretty much anyone on here I would imagine, I am aiming it at my work colleagues & the parents at my kids schools who have shown such an interest in the last few months. They all think I'm soft in the head.
Nice one Final RV. I know loads of people do blogs when they do an IM but I love doing mine, just writing any old rubbish helps me keep focused and it'll be something to look back on when IMW is a distant memory.
http://chasethepotato.wordpress.com/