For our Ironwoman- RunningMommy

[KSH]

Found this on my tri board. Very interesting stuff about preparing for an Iron"woman".

Enjoy:

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There's lots of trial and error involved when you're attempting your first Ironman. These days there's lots of advice floating around out there and it can get confusing at times. After over 20 years on the Ironman scene, I've seen some of the same mistakes made over and over again by first time Ironman triathletes.

Here are the top ten mistakes that I feel you should really try and avoid. Just possibly it will give you a better shot at achieving your Ironman goal.

(1) OVERTRAINING

Almost without fail, the first time Ironman will go into the race overtrained. The hardest thing to learn about your training, is when to rest. Its really difficult to convince some athletes that rest is an essential component of their Ironman preparation. Some will insist on training no matter how tired they are or how sore they are. They will completely forget to factor in the physical and mental effort they expend at work every day. Worse yet, as the big day approaches, they will start their taper far too late. They continue to pound out the mileage for fear they'll lose the conditioning they worked so hard to achieve.

Here are a few tips: If you begin a workout, and just know its going to be a struggle--you just have no energy--stop the work-out and go home. You obviously need more rest. When it gets really bad, take an entire week-end and do "nothing" associated with Ironman training. Go away for a few days. You won't lose a thing and will resume your training rested and refreshed. As far as tapering, your longest workout day should be "4 weeks" before race day. Begin your taper there.

(2) POOR DIET

ITs almost sad to see the effort some people put into their ironman training only to stall their strength and endurance growth with an improper diet.

Avoid the junk food, eat a proper balance of complex carbs, protein and fat. Enhance a proper diet with vitamin supplements.

(3) IMPROPER FINAL WEEK PREPARATION

Its so easy to get caught up in the hype on ironman week. Too much time is spent in restaurants eating food you don't normally eat.
Far too many athletes will do the swim course several times or hammer out long bike rides or pound through ten mile runs in the blazing heat. None of this helps you. You must stay relaxed and get lots of rest that final week. Before you arrive at the venue, make sure you have a plan set out for the entire week, right up to race morning.

(4) IMPROPER PRE-RACE HYDRATION

Either athletes will drink too much or not enough leading up to the race. You should start hydrating several days before the race. The rule of thumb is, when urine is clear and copious, you are properly hydrated. Too much drinking will flush too many nutrients out of your system and could lead to hyponatremia. More is not better. "Don't" drink too much on race morning. You don't want fluid sloshing around in your stomach during the swim.

(5) IMPROPER RACE-EVE PREPARATION

The day before the race is crucial! You shouldn't be doing much of anything. Rest is the order of the day. Stay out of the sun. Eat your final large meal early in the day.(I never ate after 4 p.m. on that last day). This gives your digestive system time to work. Do what you must do. For instance--bike check-in, pre-race meeting and then go back to your room and relax.

(6) POOR SWIM STRATEGY

It's an Ironman tradition to have mass swim starts and I can't see that changing anytime in the near future. Most races have upwards of 2000 starters in a congested swim area. To convince yourself that the best strategy is to follow the course markers is a recipe for disaster. To decide to wait a minute or so, and then follow the markers is still a disaster. When you look around, their will be hundreds of others waiting as well. Go in with a workable strategy. Avoid the crush. I have an excellent swim strategy on my website.

(7) MISTAKES IN TRANSITION

The last place you should be running, is in the transition area. If this is your first Ironman, there is absoulutely nothing to be gained by it. It will drive your heart rate up. It will cause you to make mistakes. Take your time. In the chaos that surrounds you, keep in your own relaxed space.

(8) GOING OUT WAAAAY TOO FAST ON THE BIKE

Relax!! Don't eat or drink for twenty minutes or so. Let your body adjust to the new demands you're placing on it. Then begin to fuel up for the bike ahead and keep nutrition and fluid on an even keel for the entire bike ride. Spin at a nice relaxed pace for the first 40 km or so and then pick it up a little to the pace you feel you can maintain for the bulk of the ride.

(9) ABSOLUTELY NO RUN PLAN

Don't just go out and wing it. Have a well-conceived run plan. Train months ahead for how you plan to handle the marathon. Its likely that not even 1% of first time ironman hopefuls will run the entire marathon. So train for this. Do long run-walks in training. In other words, try a three hour training run like this.

Run for the first 30-45 minutes and then begin walking for two minutes and running for 12-15 minutes and a steady workable pace. Keep repeating this for the entire run. In effect, what you're doing, is practicing walking the aid stations and running in between as much as possible. When you leave the bike-run transition try and get in as much mileage as you can before you begin walking.

(10) ABSOLUTELY NO EATING-DRINKING PLAN FOR THE RUN

As the marathon progress and your energy and endurance are being challenged to the max, the normal reaction is to try eating a bit of everything available at the aid staions. This is another disaster in the making. The last thing you need is cookies, fruit, coke, etc., etc. trashing your stomach. If you trained all year with gels and a certain type of replacement drink, then that's what you should stick with. Don't make the mistake of searching everywhere for a miracle cure. Is isn't there. The Ironman hurts. That is the nature of the beast. Don't let it get the best of you. Fight through it with an eating and drinking plan that you've thought out long before race day.

Everything I've mentioned here is covered and discussed on my "Ironstruck" website. I would be particulary concerned with having a proper diet and overall-race plan. Take the guess-work out of race-day. Know exacly what your swim plan will be. Proper diet and vitamin supplements are a must. Make sure your Ironman plans cover everything up to and including the race.


Hope this gives you a little insight.

For more racing and training tips visit my site...."Ironstruck" at:

http://triathlon-ironman-myfirstironman-ironstruck.com

you can also contact me anytime with questions you might have..........

http://triathlon-ironman-myfirstiron...ontact-me.html

[tprevost]

Excellent Information KSH!!!

I hope Denise will pay special attention to #1 and be okay with letting her body rest and recouperate (this is a HINT, Denise )

I personally plan on reading the info on the websites thoroughly as there is some great advise/information!

Thank you for posting this!

Tracy

ps. Denise, let us know what the Doctor says!

[Running Mommy]

Yep... I'm listening.
But I have to say.. That guy has been going on every forum I know of trying to hawk his website. ha ha
I did go on it a bit, but wasn't really in the mood. Maybe I'll check it out again.
My doctor called in sick today! So if I want to be seen I have to go to urgent care. Frankly I feel ok, so I'm going to wait another day. I'm not going to do anything long though. Just going to do my normal weekday stuff. I'll leave the long stuff for the weekend. This is my last long weekend then the *true* taper begins- as opposed to the illness induced taper! ha ha
I was crawling up the walls yesterday! I played three board games w/ my son. Now THAT is bored! I think he was even surprised when I brought out Battleship! ha ha Usually I don't have the patience to sit through board games...

[ytriguy]

Just a note to MOMMY about my website.....

After a career of some 22 years in the Ironman Triathlon, I thought it was time to give something back to this amazing event that has done so much for me and pretty well anyone else who reaches that distant finish line.

By its very nature, the ironman leaves the novice lost and with a thousand questions and the experience can be extremely overwhelming. I remember when I began this journey there were around 1000 Ironmen "in the world". There were really few places to turn for help.

I hoped that by building a site that covered as many aspects of Ironman preparation as possible, it would allow more people who have been "Ironstruck" realize their dreams. Pretty well all the information on the site comes from the countless mistakes I made over 14 Ironman races over 35 marathons and several 50 mile runs.

I have two options......I can sit and wait for the beginner ironman to trip over my site by mistake or I can go out and lead that same athlete to it by spreading the word on every forum, ezine article publication or any other method I can think of. I think its working. Last month I have almost 4000 vistitors from 46 countries.

The site "Ironstruck" is free to everyone and is non-profit with adsense ads that basically help pay the site fees.

Implying that I am "hawking" my site has overtones that I find disturbing. That's kind of what a snake oil salesman does when he sells his useless magic elixir from the back of a covered wagon.

If you find my site helpful than I hope you visit often. If you don't, thats fine as well.

However, don't discourage others from visiting. You don't have that right.

Maybe you know all there is to know now, but many people need answers to questions.

I'm sure you turned to dozens of people and sources who in the end were instrumental in you reaching the Ironman finish line. Nobody, but nobody can do this completely alone and without them your first Ironman would still be a distant dream.

It is every individuals right to bask in the glory of an Ironman success and never have to give anything back to the event, but please don't belittle someone who does.

Anyway, just my thoughts. Have a nice day. Ha Ha

http://triathlon-ironman-myfirstironman-ironstruck.com

[Lise]

ytriguy: I was surprised and disheartened to read your post here on the TE forum. Four months after your website was mentioned, you came here and took a shot at one of our members.

Did you read the post to which you responded? Beyond taking offense? Did you notice that she was sick and waiting to get in to see the doctor? So she wasn't really into your website that moment. Maybe she wasn't even thrilled with your promotion of it. Maybe she really felt like crap and wondered if she'd even get to be an Ironman that day. Her mild criticism of your site is a risk you run when you put yourself out there in public.

This Team Estrogen site is one in which we generally encourage and support each other. Sarcasm and criticism are rare here. We cut each other some slack for bad days. It's a "Women's Cycling Discussion Forum". They give us triathletes our own little corner to hang out, talk, laugh, and share. As you give back to the sport, please respect what we're doing here.

[Running Mommy]

Thanks Lise... Oh my, how shall I respond?? Or maybe I should just let it be...

Ohh I could go off on "ytriguy", but I think I'll take my grandmothers advice and "be the better person".

I wish you luck mr. ytriguy with the promotion of your website. Perhaps some will find it helpful, I for one, did not. It didn't have anything on there that I hadn't read on other sites, or from blogs of fellow Ironmen.
But like I said, perhaps others will- and that is great.
Best of luck to you in the future.
Peace.
Denise
AKA Ironmommy

[Lise]

Discretion is the better part of valor. I didn't appreciate him sniping at you. On "our" forum. Blech.

((((Denise))))

L.

[Running Mommy]

Just taking my late Grandmothers advice...

BTW- How ya doin' Lise?? It looked like Chicago was going to be a sauna this weekend!! I can handle the heat, but MAN you can keep the humidity!!

It was 118 here Friday, and 113 yesterday, but cooler today. I enjoyed my early am ride, but my pool session was MISERABLE!! Now I know why I've been avoiding the pool!! It must have been at least 96 degrees! I felt like I was suffocating. I guess that's an outdoor pool in AZ in July for ya!

[KSH]

Well, I'm kind of sorry for making that post in the first place now.

Sorry about that. It just seemed to cause more trouble than it did good.

[Lise]

OK, OK, I'll abide by your late g'mother's advice, too.

KSH, don't feel bad. You posted something you thought might help RM. *I* found it to be interesting reading. Especially since I know so little about the IM, don't really go to other sites, etc. I was stunned today that this guy came here *4 months after* RM posted a reply about his site and sniped at her. To WHAT end? He must've done a search on his site and found that post. Why should you feel bad? Makes me darned grateful for TE in general, that this sort of thing almost never happens.

Chicago is hot this weekend. We had our annual home group picnic down at the lake today. It was so fun and refreshing to run and jump off the cement path into the lake. At that place it's a drop of about 4 feet, into a depth of about 12 feet of water. You never know with Lake Michigan. It can be freezing cold, even at this time of year. But it felt delicious. My body was so hot after riding down there, and it was the perfect cool-down. Diving's illegal, and I've seen enough people with spine trauma post diving to not do it. I ran and jumped in and splashed around with my pals and climbed out and ran and jumped back in five or six times. Does that count as swim training? Rode my bike down and back, just 4 miles each way.

This week I swear I am going to train more like a triathlete. I've got a couple of days off after my 24 hr shift tonight/tomorrow. I've laid down to try to sleep a couple of times, but no success. I really don't like this aspect of my job. The anxiety of being on call, the sometimes long and demanding shifts. Sometimes it's quiet and I sleep. Entirely unpredictable. This is why I'm NOT in private practice, though. You're never not on call. *Shudder*

[Running Mommy]

Hey KSH- no worries!! Lise is right. I don't know why the guy got all worked up about it?? I *was* sick and prolly a bit cranky when I responded, and perhaps I should have used the term "promoting" instead of "hawking"?? Whatever! Splitting hairs if you ask me!
All I know is there for awhile I saw this guy on almost every tri website I go on "promoting" his site. And when I see something like that over and over, well... My spam o meter tends to hit the red zone- if ya know what I mean.
And the really funny thing is that in my post I actually said " maybe I'll check it out again"..
Ahh whatever!! But yeah KSH- NO WORRIES!!!

So it was warm eh Lise?? I wish we had a local OW source like that. We can't swim in Tempe Town Lake unless there is an event going on. If I want to jump in the open water I have to trek up to Lake Pleasant about an hour away.
Sounds like you had fun nonetheless. Heck isn't that what summer is all about?!
Have fun being on call. Hope you get some zzzzz's.
Oh- and KSH- how is the running going?

[Nanci]

Well, I think he sounded like a cry baby- and his site is boring.