Can an Average Runner Become an IRONMAN?

Week 2

I wanted to jump in the pool 3 times this week. It was a panic-induced desire based on how badly last Wednesday’s short time in the pool went. My Coach backed me off the ledge and encouraged me to take on 2 swim sessions a week and to get another lesson scheduled in the near future. Okay, done and done.

Sunday – Half hour swim. Did this with my 8-year-old daughter in the lap pool. She instructed me on my kicking. I think I’ve got that close to “right” now. The rest…??? How does anyone ever breath and swim at the same time?? = 1/2 hour

Monday – 1 hour on the bike while prepping for the next day’s training facilitation (not ideal, but doing what works!) + 3 mile run = 1.5 hours

Tuesday – Athlete Zone group strength class = 1 hour

Wednesday – Bike ride with a friend! = 2.25 hours

Thursday – Half hour swim. Breakthrough!!!: I swam a length of the pool breathing bi-laterally appropriately! This is a personal miracle. Those side arm swim drill things are paying off!! Even though they still feel majorly awkward… = 1/2 hour

Friday – off

Saturday – Cycling class + 5.5 mile run = nearly 2 hours

TOTAL = 7.5 hours

Breakdown…

• S = 1 hour
• B = 4.25 hours
• R = 1.25 hours
• W = 1 hour

It’s week 1.

I wasn’t sure until this week that I was going to register for Ironman, so I didn’t have a training plan. After registering (and catching my breath), I took to my calendar and immediately started penciling in “my routine.” Strength on Tuesday, cycling class on Wednesday, rest on Thursday, run Friday morning… “Oh my gosh! What am I doing? I don’t know how to swim!! (or at least not like a real swimmer does!) I have got to switch this up and get some pool time. And I have got to increase my volume. I can NOT let a monthly just slip on by. Then I’ll be down to 11 months with nothing to show for it!”

I panicked. So I penciled in swim time on Wednesday morning.

And I planned out 6 hours of workout time. It’s time to steadily increase. I feel like I’ve got to build my volume up to 10-12 hours a week over the winter – so I’m ready to go into those final 6 months of training.

Week 1 –

Sunday – Bucktown 5k (Got a PR! So that was fun); ran there and back = 1.5 hours (Then drove up to Madison, visited with friends, and volunteered for 4 hours at Ironman Wisconsin!)

Monday – Registered for Ironman. That’s enough for today!!

Tuesday – Strength class = 1 hour

Wednesday – Planned a half hour in the pool. It was terrible – more on that here – got out after 15 minutes. Cycling class = 1.25 hours

Thursday – off

Friday – Ran 4 miles = 40 minutes

Saturday – Cycling class + 40 minute run = 1.75 hours (yes I rounded up)

TOTAL = 6 hours

Okay, now I’ll break the hours down by sport because my Coach told me that I don’t want to just willy nilly (she used more technical terms) increase my volume. You want to ideally increase in each sport by 5 to 10% each week. Ah…yes, this makes sense. We’ll see if I have!!

S (swim) = 15 minutes (Ugh, I have GOT to change this!)

B (bike) = 2 hours

R (run) = 2.75

W (weights/some kind of group strength class) = 1 hour