So you've signed up to your first Ironman race – or you're at least thinking about it – and are now starting to think about training. But with the majority of an iron-distance race taking place on the bike – 180km to be precise – just how much training should you dedicate to the middle discipline? Okay, let's break it down.
Focus on bike if you want big Ironman gains
Eleven to four weeks to go you must have achieved three of the following rides:
If you train by distance then you need to be able to comfortably complete 85 miles at least three times. Or if you train by time, then do 75% of your expected race time. So for example, if your target is 7:30hrs, then complete at least three rides of 5:40hrs.
The long bike ride: An advanced 3.5hr bike session for experienced triathletes
Ironman Wales’s bike course has a total elevation of 2,400m. To replicate this you need to experience 214m of climbing every 10 miles during key bike workouts.
Is a road bike or triathlon bike best for a hilly Ironman?
During the final 14 weeks, complete weekly time trials (TT) starting with 30min efforts above Ironman race-day effort, increasing this to 60mins over the last 12 weeks. During your two-week taper complete one 30min TT and in the final week do a 15min time trial, no later than five days before your Ironman.
If you’re time-poor, complete a weekly time trial and a recovery training technique session once a week, and a long ride once a fortnight replicating the effort and terrain.
A run of 20-30mins after the long ride will highlight how you’re improving on the bike. Once you become fitter and more efficient your runs will feel a lot easier.
My New Splitboard Sometimes Frightens and Frustrates Me—That’s One Reason I Love It
Skiing Is Broken. Can Indy Pass Fix It?
Youth Sports Alliance Wins Big for Getting Kids Outside
The Trouble with the Internet’s Most Famous Moose
The Iditarod Is Embroiled in a Controversy Over Moose Guts
Meet the Adventure Sandal You Didn’t Know You Needed
Can Golf Be an Endurance Sport?
How a Snowboarder Survived for 20 Hours After Being Buried in an Avalanche