Training sessions

Many people have been asking me about my training schedule, how much do I train?, how do I train?, at what time and with whom?, how am I progressing?, etc. so I decided this post will address this issue.

I’ll tell you how I train for this competition and how I’m getting prepared for the 17 continuous hours I’ll have to face on race day. I’d like to emphasize that this is how I’m preparing and I’m sure other athletes (I’m talking as if I’m one of them!) train in a different, and probably better, way.

As you already know the competition is a triathlon and consists of 3 sports one after the other so I’ll comment on each of the three stages separately and hopefully you’ll get the picture of a regular week for me.


Swim


For me, the hardest one of the three sports because it is very technical, I’m too slow and I never ever swam before. For that same reason swimming is a little boring for me and, sometimes, just a mean to assure I’ll get to the bike on race day. Don’t get me wrong, it is an excellent sport but I’m not fond of it yet!


Usually I’ll swim 2-3 times a week, two of this sessions in a pool and the third one in the ocean. The distances vary from session to session but I started with 1.1mi as an average and now I’m swimming around 1.6mi per session with a maximum of 2mi in the ocean about a couple of weeks ago (it is going to be 2.4mi in the Ironman so I’m pretty close). This sessions usually take a little more than an hour.


The swimming equipment is quite simple: a swimsuit, swimcap, goggles, hand paddles, a buoy and a wetsuit for ocean swimming (despite the use of this suit, when you enter the ocean at 06:00 in the morning you’ll still get very cold!).


With my speed in the water I should finish the swimming stage in approximately 01:40 hours but I’ll better aim at 02:00 hours and avoid the stress. The trick for me is to relax in the water, swim and hope it ends up without too much thinking on how much is left.


Bike

The second one in terms of complexity for me, and the second stage in an Ironman. There’s also lots of pedaling technique and cadence but I’ll settle with an acceptable rhythm to complete the 112mi of the race in a little less than 7 hours so I can leave some gas for the marathon. At least this stage uses intensively my legs which is what I’m used to using because of my basketball and soccer background.


On a regular week I would cycle 3 times. Two of them are a 01:30 – 02:00 hour sessions (about 25 – 40mi depending on the day) and the third one is a long session (about 90-112mi). I started the long sessions with about 55mi and this last weekend I did my first 112mi (100% of what I will do on race day) in 06:20 hours! We always go out in groups on Saturdays with a car behind us just in case we nee the protection. I take this time to thank Carlos’s parents that always go along with us on the road.

The equipment and logistics involved in this sport are a little more complex. Bike with aerobar, helmet, gloves, tools (just in case) and lots of provisions. Hydration beverages and some cereal bars to eat on the road. Yes, on the bike you have to eat since you can’t, or you won’t, on the other two sports.


The additional complexity in this stage resides in the fact that you are depending on an external element, the bike, and if it breaks down it can bring down your dream of crossing that finish line (believe me, it has happened before!). On the other hand, you have to wish you do not encounter a strong wind against you because in that case your speed, and with it your physical stamina, is going to decrease considerably.

With my current training speed, I shall mention I’m of the slowest ones in my group, I’m aiming at finishing the 112mi in almost 7 hours. I prefer to take an extra 20-30 minutes on the bike and not finish cramped rather than going faster and then not being able to run at all (believe me, it happens too!).

The trick for me here is to divide the 112mi into smaller parts and aim at small goals each time. If you think 112mi from the beginning you can feel overwhelmed by it so I’d rather think of 9-10mi blocks (approximately half an hour each).


Run


You might think this one is the easiest one of the three stages. After all, how hard is to run on a steady pace for some hours? Luckily for me, although it’s not easy, it’s the least complicated one on individual terms. I say in individual terms because after 2 hours swimming and 7 biking there’s not such thing as easy or less complicated!

Anyway, it relies mostly on leg exercise which should be a familiar excercise for me.
In an average week I’d run from2 to 3 times. Two of those sessions are 10mi runs and the long one, on Sundays can be as long as 20mi. Sometimes I’d run after biking jus to practice the transition because it is quite hard to run after long hours of biking.


For marathon experts, it is quite known that keep running after the 20mi mark is very complicated. Marathon finishers usually call this mark “the wall” ‘cause, apparently, you feel you have a wall in front of you, and you just feel you can’t go on. Obviously lots of people go on and finish the race and that’s exactly what I’m gonna do so I’ve asked my friends not to introduce me to “the wall”. If I ever get to know it, it better be the day of the race. I’d rather not be influenced by other people’s experience (although I respect all different points of view!).


The logistics here are quite simple again: a pair of running shoes (I wear Puma’s Complete Infinitus and I’m actually very happy with them), a running short, shirt and ready you are.

If I keep my training pace I should end up the marathon in approximately 04:30 hours but that seems quite difficult, even more considering that on that particular day I will start the marathon after 9 hours of previous “warm up”. I’d better aim at around 06:00 hours and avoid the extra pressure.

The trick for me here is to keep a steady pace. Any change in your rhythms wears you out too much so if I get passed by someone I have to stay focus and respect my own pace if I want to make it to the end. If, and only if, I feel I have some gas left on the tank I will increase my speed on the very last miles but that won’t cut more than a couple of minutes of the clock.


Others


Besides all I’m telling you I have to do some muscle support weight lifting twice a week so I end up doing like 11 sessions of training on a regular week.


You have to add up to all these hours the regular working hours plus the time I invest in the campaign, in this blog, etc. That leaves you with very little time to sleep. Resting is extremely important and this department is still pending for me ‘cause I manage to sleep only around 5 hours per day, except on Sundays when I can rest and sleep a little bit more.


There’s a fourth sport that you have to consider when getting ready for a competition like this one. You can’t leave it out ‘cause is the foundation that’ll allow you to keep up with the hard work and training plans and will allow you to get in one piece to the day of the race: nutrition. I’ve already lost around 8-9 pounds training, although I’m eating large amounts of food all day long, lot’s of pasta even on breakfast!


Just for you to get the picture, on a given Saturday (about 5-6 hours of biking and 30-60 minutes of running) I’d burn about 4,000-6,000 calories. That’s about 3 whole days of regular diet (based on a 2,000 calories daily diet) burnt in just one day so nutrition and food are fundamental. I supplement my food with vitamins, egg protein, Ovo Power, Maltodextrine before every practice and Glutamine after for proper muscle recovery.




Final comments


Do I stick to this plan 100%? Imposible! At least for me due to my other responsibilities. There’s always something else going on: working late, family reunion, unforeseen events, injuries or just plain accumulated fatigue that won’t let you train.


What I do have realized in my mind is that if I ever miss a training session that it’s not going to make a huge difference the day of the race. This means I won’t stress or try to make it up by training double sessions the next day. This last statement it’s not an excuse for not practicing enough or purposedly miss the sessions. That’d be just crazy thinking on the day of the race.


To get prepared for an Ironman it’s not just the sports part, it’s a lifestyle that you just have to assume and that implies personal habits, family environment, work environment, social environment, etc. It’s a huge sacrifice that will pay off at the finish line. In my case it’s even a larger sacrifice since I’m completely new to this sport but the reward of knowing these children will be able to have a better future is enough motivation to go on.


Whether you are competing on an Ironman or not, the motivation of being able to grant these children a second chance should be enough to drive you to support us. It’s 730 children today, and thousands in the future, if we help the community keep on the great work they’re doing now, that we can provide a future for.


Let's do it!


Our goal: their future