Friday 5: Tips for Ironman Training

Crossing the finish line at Ironman Mont Tremblant in August 2015

I am participating in the Trifecta Friday Five link-up hosted by Cynthia at You Signed Up for What, Courtney at Eat, Pray, Run DC, and Mar at Mar on the Run.  This week's theme is "anything goes", so I would love to share a few tips that I learned from Ironman training.


1. Be Selective when choosing your race -The Ironman is a huge commitment. Take a look at several races, talk to people who have done the race, look up information on-line, etc. to make sure it is the right fit. For example, if you dislike hilly terrain and are not used to training on it, maybe Ironman Lake Placid is not for you. Or if you live and train in a cold climate, but then find yourself in the heat of Ironman Texas, it could be a struggle. Of course, with the proper preparation, anything can be done, but try to take into consideration all of the variables of the event.  Will your family & friends be there to help sherpa? Do you have young children that will be there? Is there housing close to the event for convenience, etc.?  I could write an entire post on this, but briefly, envision the entire event from start (the day you arrive) to finish and imagine how it will work. This may sound like overkill, but the last thing you will want is extra stress about things outside of the race, so if you can pre-plan, it will take that piece out of the equation.

A view of Mont Tremblant Village, it was Beautiful & Family Friendly!

2. Get Help  - I would recommend hiring a coach if it is within your means. Once again, this is a big deal and a number of things will come up during your training that you will be thankful to have an expert on speed dial to ask questions! It is also great for time management. The training is intense and time-consuming, so having someone put together your training plan is very helpful & efficient! However, if this approach is not for you, joining a local triathlon club can also be very helpful resource.

T2 Bags all lined up!

3. Talk to other people who have done the distance - Chat it up with other friends that have done Ironman distance races. Listen to their experiences, lessons, & advice. You will hear different things from each person, but take away the information that best applies to you and your plan for completing the event.

Bikes racked & ready the day before the event

4. Don't worry about other people's training plans - By this I mean, listen to personal experiences, as mentioned above, but don't get caught up in comparing training plans.  If one friend has done 2 century rides during training & your plan only calls for 1, don't worry about it. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses & goals for the race. "Trust Your Training" and the process.

Ironman Treats at the Athlete's Banquet 2 days before the race

5. Be flexible -Training for an Ironman is a long & time consuming process. Be flexible, you will miss a few workouts and that is ok! Most training plans allow for that so don't stress out if this happens. However, if you can find ways to move your workouts around to get everything in, that is great! For example, if you have a 3 hour ride & 30 minute run planned on Saturday, then end up in a time crunch, perhaps you can move it to Sunday & do a shorter workout on the Saturday.

These 5 tips are just a few of the numerous things I learned throughout the 8 months I spent training for Ironman Mont Tremblant. Please feel free to comment below if you have any specific questions.

Have a Great Weekend!!



Linking Up with: Motivate Me Monday