PREP FOR IRON SUCCESS
Want to tackle Ironman in 2019 but worried about money, kit and rarely seeing your friends again? Tim Heming asks a selection of top British coaches, elites and age-groupers for their problem-solving 226km advice
Q How much money will it cost me? A “With good shopping skills you could buy all your kit for around £1,000. Entry fee, travel and accommodation at a UK event might cost another £1,000. I’d add in a bike fit for £150-200. If you’re on a tight budget, there’s enough free information available to figure out the rest, but if your swimming sucks, paying for coaching will help. Also, physio bills are £50-75/ hour. So stay healthy!” Simon Ward, 220 Tri Coach of the Year Q Will I ever see my friends again? A “It’s definitely possible to make triathlon a social affair and I’ve made many new friends by joining a tri club – combining training with a social life is great! It does depend on your performance goals and priorities, though, especially if you’ve family commitments, too.” Ruth Purbrook, fastest female British age-grouper at 2018 Ironman Worlds Q How do I choose where to race? A “With so many options, it can be overwhelming. What drives you? A race with lots of support? A flatter, beginner-friendly course? Something close to home? A destination race so you can holiday afterwards? An ocean, lake or river swim? Are you better in hot, humid weather? Answering these questions [turn overleaf for more] will help guide you.” Laura Siddall, 2018 ETU Long Course Champion Q Do I need a tri bike and aero gear? A “No. When I started in the sport, we were all on standard road bikes and wore blocks of polystyrene on our heads. When starting out, comfort is more important, and a standard road bike may even allow you to go faster on descents or around corners. Also, unless you can hold an aero position for most of the 180km, most of the benefits of having a tri bike are lost.” Dr Andy Kirkland, sports coach at the University of Stirling Q How much do I need to train per week? A “There are no hard-and-fast rules. A better question is: ‘What time can I commit to training?’ Account for family, friends, food preparation and other life ‘stuff’ in your calculations. If your aim is simply to complete the distance, minimal training will get you to the finishing line, but enjoying the experience and going fast requires greater commitment. I’d rarely consider coaching an athlete for Ironman who couldn’t commit to an average of three sessions per
“Winter is a great time to plan your nutrition for Ironman so you’ll be confident come race day”
discipline per week. This would be around 8-15 hours per week. I would also include several preparation races in the training programme, including a range of distances.” AK
Q How do I create a nutrition strategy? A “We all have different needs and tastes, but winter is a great time to think about nutrition planning for Ironman and testing products so you’ll be confident come race day. Check what nutrition will be available on the course. If it doesn’t agree with you, think about how you’ll carry your preferred nutrition.” Robbie McNab, coach at RnR Tri Camps
Q Do I need to have done shortdistance triathlons and a 70.3? A “No. A lot of people do shorter distances first, but many also jump straight in. I’d recommend doing a tri to experience what it’s like before an Ironman, but it’s not a requirement. Sometimes not knowing what’s in store helps!” RP
Q When do I need to start my training plan? A “It depends how fit you are to start with and what your goals are. Assuming a reasonably fit starting point and a goal of completion, then six months of consistent training will get you into good shape. I wouldn’t recommend anything less for first timers. If you’re a weak swimmer, have a low starting base, or if you want sub 10hrs then you’ll need longer.” SW
Q Should I swim 3.8km, ride 180km and run 42km before it? A “No. You’ll likely hit the distance in the pool and perhaps on the bike as you build up your endurance, but it’s rare to run a full marathon in training – or a standalone event – leading into the full race. Running is where we need the most recovery, which can impact other key sessions. Yet some want the confidence of going into their race having run marathon distance and it can be achieved on a double-run day, where the running is split between a morning and afternoon/evening session with a break in between.” LS
Q How can I pace my race properly? A “Caution, months of training can be ruined once ‘race mode’ kicks in. Remember, it’s your race and most of the time you won’t know who is alongside you, nor their athletic background, so don’t pace off them. During training, include ‘race pace’ sessions, so that you learn how your body feels at a given intensity. If you have an event in mind, check the course profile – or recce the course in advance – as this can influence how you plan to pace each leg.” RM