Training for Ironman St George and Ironman Canada started in earnest for me in October last year. I have this training log that I use to record my workouts. It's a pretty neat tool but could be a little faster and little more slick on the user interface side. I upload my workouts from a Garmin Forerunner which I'll talk about in another post.
What's new this time around is that I'm working with a coach, Chris Hauth (a genuinely nice guy, an '92 and '96 Olympian representing Germany, and he's *won* a few Ironman races). He's coaching a few of my friends as well.
The workouts have been/are super efficient in terms of time and effort, and I'm also working out strictly on heart rate and also interval training. I just don't have time for any bad workouts, and his philosophy of doing something every day and getting enough rest and recovery to move on to the next level is proving to be right.
I'm also doing a bunch of (cycling) spin classes but the spin classes are based on wattage. We use a CompuTrainer in class which you attach to the rear wheel of your bike, and it adjusts the resistance on your wheel based on what watt resistance level you give it. Training by watts and high cadence and going to a ton of spin classes is also new this year.
In any case, St George is coming up, May 1 and Canada is right around the corner at the end of August.
*Updated for Mike, (removing thingie which was just the CompuTrainer)*
Also, adding below, the difference in training with Chris vs IronTeam.
The differences:
- I'm training using time versus distance e.g. 2 hour run vs 10 mile run
- I'm doing lactate threshold tests to determine my workout zones and bike wattage
- I'm training on strict heart rate, at a "Zone 2" primarily using a heart rate monitor
- I'm training on the bike using watts/power
- I'm training on bike focusing on cadence, less hill work, and sustained effort
- I've got a good bike fit
We'll see if it translates into a better time. It is translating into far easier and manageable (even pleasurable) workouts.