I can't leave a depressing post up on top. So lets change the subject.
In my visualization of Ironman Florida 2006, which I am finishing have no doubt about that, I plan out my comfortable times to finish each leg and still have a cushion of time at the end. I am building into this plan a single word-FUN. Even though all this training can be draining, frustrating, enlightening and long, if the race isn't fun then why do it, right?
So tell me what you think and maybe add your own personal goals in the comment box.
Swim 2.4 miles: 1 hr. 15 minutes
T1: 15 minutes
Bike 112 miles: 7 hours (average 17 mph, plus including 30 minutes of tire changing)
T2: 15 minutes (including hamstring rub down by ART tech or massuse)
Run 26.2 miles: 4.5 hours (average 10 minute miles)
TOTAL TIME: 13 HOURS 15 MINUTES
With the Grace of God and some good luck, I think is a realistic to finish, still have fun and not visit the medical tent when I am done. If training goes very well over the next 500 days, then a sub 12 hour would be easy to obtain.
In my visualization of Ironman Florida 2006, which I am finishing have no doubt about that, I plan out my comfortable times to finish each leg and still have a cushion of time at the end. I am building into this plan a single word-FUN. Even though all this training can be draining, frustrating, enlightening and long, if the race isn't fun then why do it, right?
So tell me what you think and maybe add your own personal goals in the comment box.
Swim 2.4 miles: 1 hr. 15 minutes
T1: 15 minutes
Bike 112 miles: 7 hours (average 17 mph, plus including 30 minutes of tire changing)
T2: 15 minutes (including hamstring rub down by ART tech or massuse)
Run 26.2 miles: 4.5 hours (average 10 minute miles)
TOTAL TIME: 13 HOURS 15 MINUTES
With the Grace of God and some good luck, I think is a realistic to finish, still have fun and not visit the medical tent when I am done. If training goes very well over the next 500 days, then a sub 12 hour would be easy to obtain.
7 comments:
It's fine to set goals, but plan on setting the main goal to finish. If you finish under 17 hours, you'll still be an Ironman. I wanted to finish Ironman Wisconsin in 13... it actually took 16:39 because of mechanicals and because I wasn't used to swimmng 2.4 in a wetsuit...
I have vaguely the same goals though. 13 hours or so if I can have a really strong training season for it.
I wouldn't even know how to begin setting a goal and then a training plan to reach it for such a long race. What did you base your goals on? a sprint? an olympic?
You're both awesome for training to do it in the first place. I still can't commit to it... that's a long way to go.
F.I. your right, to finish is the main goal and I meant to include that in the first paragraph right next to fun.
Its most important to finish a race but what are the internal goals. In any race I set 3 internal goals other than finishing, I will finish under 17 hours unless I am pulled off the course against my will.
1. Decent time, IMFL is in the 13 hour range.
2. Great Race, IMO for me, in the 12 hour range.
3. Worst case scenario (in any other race like say a 5k or marathon this is what I can mentally and emotionally accept and discuss with people without having to vomit on myself), for IMFL 2006 this is the same a my primary goal-FINISH. So yes, in this event, finsihing is my worst case scenario, not a bad worst case to have.
TarheelTri, I set my listed times based on a fun and relaxed race based on a long training plan.
I am not a strong swimmer. I have 2 hours 20 minutes to finish the swim and will use it all if I have too. I have looked at the splits on a few IM sites and personal observation at IMAZ this year and came to the conclusion that 70% of the swimmers were out of the water by or around this time.
I do not believe that 17 mph is a fast bike pace. I sustain that now for a decent clip and with the time left for training believe this is a realistic timeframe plus as I said extra time for mechanicals.
I am a runner first. I know how my body reacts to marathons and what my physical and emotional limiters are. I also know my marathon pace. I have had much better marathons under ideal and less than ideal conditions and worse under perfect conditions. I think 4.5 hours is about right.
My plan to the T...is to finish. If I finish sub 13 great. If I finish sub 17...great! I just want to finish and finish in one piece...fun is the key. Relish the moment!
It's hard to say what times/paces are realistic for someone else without knowing what their half ironman pace is right now (most folks say take that, double it, and add an hour) or your standalone marathon/century bike/2.4-mile swim times are. Of course, a year of training is a very long time, too! I'm going to make the final decision about IMFL about 2-3 weeks from now, I think, but I'll have tiered goals like you too. #1 goal is always to finish upright and with a smile on my face, and get a medal (which means within the time limit). Anything more than that is just bragging rights.
I'm going to give IM-FL a try this year. My goals are as follows and depending on the next 20-ish weeks of training, we'll see how close I am to them:
1. No ambulance. (Always the first goal)
2. Finish.
3. Enjoy the race.
4. 1-hour for the swim. I can usually crank out a mile in around 25 minutes sans wetsuit. I'm hoping with the suit and a little luck, an hour should be within my reach. If not, it takes longer.
5. Bike: 6.5 hours. That course is very flat. The big "hill" is a bridge near start/end of the loop. The biggest concerns are (a) the heat (running on the east coast in Sept./Oct. will destroy any heat-type endurance I build in July/August) and (b) fuel/salts. Eating on the bike over my last 100-mile ride wasn't pleasant and it was way easier than I thought to skip some of the nutrition. Got some time to work on it, but I think that is going to be the biggest challange. They say you eat on the bike to surive the second half of the marathon, right?
6. 5.5-6.0 hours for the run. I'm a suck-tastic runner. A stand alone marathon (my first earlier this year) took almost 5 hours. I was jamming at the 4-hour pace for first 14 miles and then started to slow and slow and slow. I had one guy tell me IM marathons are easier then stand-alone marathons, but I think he was lying.
We'll see how my first 1/2 Ironman treats me on the 12th. It should be a good test of putting all this stuff together. I think that will be great IM-FL test as both courses are plenty close in format -- hot and flat, no shade.
those are excellent goal times. i'm not a strong swimmer, so my time at imfl was longer. i took exactly 7 hours on the bike and was extremely conservative. i think you could probably do it in 6:30. 10 minute miles on the run is very difficult. that's an outstanding run time for a marathon, let alone doing it as the last leg of an ironman. that being said, it's always healthy to set ambitious goals. now post these everywhere so you're always reminded of them. i didn't finish imfl with a great time, but i did do exactly what you are emphasizing - i had FUN. sure, i could have killed myself and probably taken 1.5 hours off of my time, but heck, it was my first IM and i just wanted to finish and enjoy it. i've never regretted that decision.
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