IM 16 - 17 hours club

The general Fink training thread is great, but sometimes I think I want somewhere to retreat to for a bit of reflection on running my own race so not to worry about the people who are swimming 3k, biking oooodles of miles and running 8 mm splits. 

And for those of us planning 16 hours + at Outlaw, are going to be seeing a lot of each other on the run so we might as well get to know each other now!

Anyone else care to join me - or is it just me that has the occasional wibble that I'm going to be spending 9 hours on the bike and limping 26.2 miles after??  Thats assuming I don't drown first.

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Comments

  • Hello Soup Dragon, glad you created this thread.

    I am with you for certain, on speed or lack of. I currently manage 1:10 for 50m swim and have managed 21 mins for 800m as part of Winterswim. My runs are at about 12 to 12.5 min mile pace, so I am aware of the need for a bit of oomph to get me through the swim part within the time limit. My cycling is pants and so I am part of Team "Steady does it with the PSOF", Steve F is my bike leg man, then I am doing the run.

  • I'll be right behind you Soupy!! Mine is a 'Let's see if I can bliddy well finish it first' plan, before daring to think about a particular time!!
  • Soupy, I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to do on the day.  People ask me what time I'm aiming for and others tell me what pace I should be aiming for in each leg to achieve a competitive result.  However, it's all for nothing if I don't finish. 

    I'll be aiming to get over the line under 17 hours so I can lie in my tent afterwards knowing the training was worth it.  If I get out the water in 1:10 (ha!) and grind my bike towards a potential 6 hour split (I can but dream), only to bonk by a grass verge somewhere well before the finish, I could only look back and think it was for nothing.

    I hope to finish feeling I am worthy of all the advice and help I got off here.  The main advice has been to train to finish, and to 'race' at the pace that will give me the best chance to do that. 

    I don't know if that helps, but all things being well I'll be meeting you several times along the route.

  • Steady CJ......I read that as a 1hour 10 minute for a 50 metre swim :0...........i am slow swimming in a pool but i thought that maybe you were going to struggle big time.......... image
  • Hats off to all of you - 16-17 hours for an Iron Man sounds incredibly fast -  
  • Yeah, you bloomin' speed freaks you. image
  • Nice thread Soup .... I will (barring miracles) almost certainly be the 16-17 hour brigade for outlaw and/or IMW (again) , will be nice to have some piratey company
  • Slagiatt - I've gone under 16hrs but not by much, can I be included in this group too? Still in for IMW up to now.

    "get out of the water in 1:10" - oh ha ha ha - best I've ever managed is 1:48. As you can tell, I'm not much of a swimmer! But swimming's not everything, when I did my 15hrs 51 my swim was a horrible 2:09!

  • I think all of you aiming at finishing in 16 to 17 hours deserve a fecking medal- i know you will get one anyway image . Until i just read these posts, in my ignorance, i have never even thought of 9 hours on a bike THEN a mara. i might(or might not - we'll see) be able to do it faster but i doubt i would have the willpower to do 26.2 after 9 hours in the saddle. Good luck to all
  • TJ1004TJ1004 ✭✭✭
    Hi Soupie

    Count me in, I'm the same as Vt'd no idea what time I will finish in but think 16/17 hours is about right.

    Can't swim distance yet, can't bike distance, can't run distance. Only done 2 sprints slowly and a hm.

    All I know us that I will keep training and do my best.
  • Hurray - I'm not on my own. Welcome to the exclusive club everyone. image

    TJ1004 - yep thats my attitude, keep training and do my best.  I'm sticking to a zone 2 heart rate no matter how slow that makes me because I don't want to burn out or get injured.  Better slow and getting to the end than not even making the start line.

    I've got a swimming lesson tonight in an endless pool. I'm learning TI and still doing drills.  Not even swam more than a 25m length of the pool for the last 4 or 5 weeks. The theory is that while I'm learning a new stroke I don't want to continue to imprint my old inefficient one but its a bit unnerving.

    DK - I'm hoping to only be in the saddle for 8 hours!  "only" (gulp). But  my ride at the weekend averaged 13mph. image

    I'm sure we can all do this. We might just need to keep reminding each other.

    image

  • don't panic about not being able to do any of the distances yet.  If it's your first one then you won't be able to... that's why you've got months of training ahead of you still to do.

    Keep the faith - you can & you will do it!  Whether it's pretty or not will depend on how much you give to it - some good DNA helps too image  

  • should have added ... if anyone wants to use me to bounce ideas around happy to assist.  Done 2 of these things now, mostly off 6-10 hour training weeks (with lots of weeks off due to work/injury/CBA).  I'm sure that most peeps have sorted their mentors out by now but the offer is there. 
  • kittenkat wrote (see)

    If it's your first IM, then 'training to finish' is very good advice. image

    Nice thread.

    Agreed, but train away from the cut off and not up to it, you need to build in as much contigency as you can  image
  • I agree with Meldy, 16-17 hours is cutting it fine, it takes a lot of mental strength to chase cut-offs all day. 

    More importantly it leaves nothing in the bag for contingency.  Finishing an Ironman is as much about the mental challenge and overcoming problems on the day, id say its unusual for most of us to complete an Ironman without something unplanned happening, punctures, injuries, stomach problems, fueling issues etc etc.

    Whilst I can understand the sentiment there seems a recurring theme of people trying to claim they'll be the slowest. 

    Lets turn all this energy into a positive, 16-17 hours is a long time.  If you cant see yourself finishing inside 16 hours there is something wrong with your training, your motivation or your goal.  Yes by all means aim to get round but leave something in the bank in case your day doesnt go to plan.

    Im not being meaning to be mean but give yourself a talking to!  Dont be a DNF on the day from lack of preparation whether that be the appropriate training or mental preparation.
  • Just want to add that this stuff isnt a walk in the park, its January now, yes a lot of you are worried but do something about it.

    After posting the above I went back and refected on Soupy's post.  Not picking you out individually but self doubt is something we all have.  You can have doubt about completing the swim, how long the bikes going to take etc etc.

    The only way to deal with doubt is to do something about!  e.g. lets say youre a weak cycling.  Well ask yourself how many miles a week are you doing?  is it enough?  if not do more?  What are you doing this weekend, whats stopping you pushing the planned 3 hour ride up to a 5 hour ride?

    Now come on Pirates, we're all in this together.
  • Concentrate on what you will do and not what you wont do or cant do


    Barlos is right, this thread is an excellent 'Just finish' thread and you will get all the help and encouragement but put a positive spin on it, get away from that cut-off, use the training time wisely, take advantage of good weather windows and JFDI, no one else will do it for you


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  • Yes this is a good thread, im not trying to trash the the thread and its good that we motivate each other. 

    Chances are some of you will be really surprised by your performance at Outlaw.  Ive seen similar sentiments expressed every year, some of whom expressing them knuckle down and hammer out a sub 13.00 some take longer but you get out what you put in. 

    All im saying is think about the goal youre setting yourself, are you making every opportunity of the many many weeks until race day?
  • S'what I said too   image
  • On that note, there is a 1 hour run with my name on it.  I could easily stay here on the sofa but time to take my own medicine image
  • Even more importantly Ive got a chick'in to pay back image

  • You have got no feckin chance Barlos !!!
  • If you train just to eat cutoffs it is highly likely you will fail.

    Ironman is about dreams. Dream higher and realise it. Put the focused training in. Really think about what each session is trying to achieve and you will see the results.

    Ironman can be tough. Make it easier on yourselves and put yourself in the position to do well for you.

    Then on the day live in the moment - anything can happen.
  • Oh and barley should be your ironman hero. Listen to what he says - he's got a lot of experience of doing better than others though possible.

    Still thing he'll get chicked.
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