The Ironman race result can be impacted by many variables (weather, puncture, injury, sleep, sick etc) but does not mean that the preparation and ironman training tips or plan was wrong.
This is a list of items I attempted during 2024 to set myself up for success for years to come by correcting technique, incorporating recovery, speed and intensity with some smart planning.
For Ironman first timers you might want to read 11 Rookie Tips for First-Time Ironman Beginners first. I think if I did all of this while training for my first Ironman attempt it would of been over whelming. The goal for my first race was just to follow the race program to best of my ability.
My last 3 Ironman events I have just been happy to get them done. Slowly improve on my PB times in a sustainable manner. This year I had an opportunity to solely focus on ironman training and change a few things up. Also, wanted to final figure out how I can stop cramping on the run.
This is list of things I set myself to do at start of the year to help improve…
Focus on Shorter Events to practice
Wanted to emphasis on speed vs long and slow. Previously was using ultra trail runs was the focus to build endurance. My races were all about getting it done than thinking about performance.
Targeted Port Macquarie 70.3 and trained with Perth Triathlon Club who had a program for Busso 100 that was same weekend as Port Macq in May. âś…
As I was focusing on shorter events I also signed up to do Sunshine Coast 70.3 (Race Review of why I bonked) in Sept and got a free ticket to the Perth Half Marathon in October (1.45) which both were PBs.
Higher Intensity Training Sessions
Higher intensity was also a common theme this year as I was concerned on race day I was pushing a lot harder than in training leading to cramping. My training still was 80% endurance and 20% intensity.
Training with Adrian Allen from Gym Craic Podcast on weekends helped push each other breaking up long 4-5 hour rides into smaller 15min sets alternating out in front. Coupled with indoor watt bike sessions and threshold runs I was no longer just turning up and getting a session done.
Swim Stroke Correction
Did this few years back with Swim Smooth but the triathlon club had organized Brenton Ford from Effortless Swimming to do a group session in August. This also motivated me to do squad sessions weeks leading up so could maximise the benefit from the session. âś…
Prioritize Recovery
Going quicker can lead to injury so started doing 3 times p/ 8min ice bath session at the Cold Plunge Therapy | Ice Baths Australia | Recovery Lab and using compression bootsâś…
Running Technique Analysis
One of the big benefits of being in a triathlon club is getting recommendations from club members on what works for them. Mario recommended this before and seen big differences and so did I.
Ben at Front Runner did the analysis but also took me outside and got me feeling the difference of landing my foot on my sole vs heal. This quickly improved my cadence without extra effort. âś…
New Race Runners
Had Brooks Glyercin that are perfect for long slow z1 runs but wanted something which was more performance focused so went for New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4. Also, got their tempo runner that is same style that I could use for tempo/threshold sessions. âś…
Stop Cycling & Run a Marathon for Pace
After Port Macq originally targeted Rottnest Marathon but was 6 weeks after Port Macq and needed 2 weeks to recover changed plan and targeted Bibra Lake Marathon a flat course perfect to set a PB. Got a program from the PTC run coach with some great tips.
Stuck with the 4 hour pacer and got the job done even though my ankles were all cut from the new runners and it was pouring rainâś…
While training I just focused on running 4 times per week and cycling and swimming were not a priority. Towards end of program started bringing them in again but the priority was the 4 runs. This made a huge difference.
For my first Ironman I set a goal of just finishing a marathon which took 4.45 (see my race results). The goals were always just finishing with a time in mind but this time I training to hit that time. I tried to always finished faster on fatigued legs and did intervals in my long runs of race pace.
Purchase New TT bike
I thought this was a huge blocker but was persuaded its not the bike but a bike fit and the legs I should invest in as the frame makes minimal difference to power. ❌
Get More Aero on Time Trial Bike
This was the compromise of not buying a new bike and making sure I could get as aero as possible on the bike. Got a bike fit done at exercise institute.
Also, added some tape inside my Giro helmet to hold in position. Will probably shave my legs and considering making my own DIY disc wheel all recommend by the GTN guys…
Calorie Conscious Weight Loss
Weight Lose is something I always struggled with but dropping 5-6kg making me leaner stronger and ultimately faster. Training for IM requires fuelling properly so this was about controlling portion size and identifying dense calories like mayo with chips etc. Also, to limit drinking alcohol.
Start of the year was 91kg and couldn’t get below 86kg in middle of year but weighted myself in November and am down to 83.9kg âś…
Build Bike Strength ironman training tips
Start Indoor Cycling Training | Exercise Institute once p/w to increase strength and go to gym session twice per week. These were really tough and my legs were in agony after the sessions, actually stopped 8 weeks out from Busso as they were taking too long to recover but plan to pick back up. ❎
Get Scientific about Nutrition
Actually treat each long session as a learning opportunity. Map out nutrition and plan how to get 90g carbs each hour. Also, take salt tablets each hour. There was one session I didn’t take salt tablets and ended up cramping so think that was a huge learning. âś…
Your mix should provide at least 600 mg of sodium per hour and up to 1200 mg per hour if you are a salty sweater or are susceptible to muscle cramping.
I’m using Hammer Nutrition which has per serving of 2 tablets with 80mg of Sodium.
Daily Triathlon Focused Stretching
The cramping in quads could be coming from multiple different things but I was never really religiously stretching. Try pliability and Dynamic Triathlete apps which were great. Pliability for gamification and user experience and Dynamic Triathlete had great videos and directly related to triathlon.
A followed apps for a few month but stopped. Now I try to do the couch stretch and some hip flexors stretch’s every morning or at start of any gym session. âś…
Not Missing Long Sessions
From marathon / ironman training tips I realized the importance the long weekend sessions were to the program. If I miss something miss the weekday sessions. For IM after Sunny Coast 70.3 there was only 6/7 big sessions which was doable. âś…
From looking at the data you can see the 3 training peaks for each training cycle. Last week I completed 18.5 hours (excluding recovery). I built up towards that total which meant I could complete the sessions with good form even though fatigued it was never all out so didn’t take days to recover.
This is the compound effect of having my base from years before has meant that mentally it hasn’t been that hard. I haven’t suffered mental fatigue compared to other years. Physically the 8-9 months of consistency has made huge difference.
Being honest I don’t think I could of or even wanted to do this a few years ago. Last year I averaged 10-12 hours per week training and started in middle of October. âś…
Try Different Training Plans
For Port Macquarie I followed the PTC training program but after Bibra Lake where I followed a plan online I felt I was holding myself to account more and was nice to try something different.
My marathon training program was based on that Triathlon Plans | 80/20 Endurance but ended up going with Dynamic Triathlete as I had tried out their free 70.3 plan for Sunshine Coast and that worked out pretty good.
Approach was slightly different with a brick on Tuesday after each indoor bike session for 1 hour run. On weekends was doing long ride Saturday with 15-30min run of the bike. Sunday was endurance swim in morning followed by a long run in afternoon.
Got worried about no long bricks so did 4 hour bike and 1.45 run with Adrian from Gym Craic Podcast at the start of the final training block which went really good but them no long run on Sunday which I missed so reverted back following week. Also referred to other programs to see what they did Super-Simple-Ironman-Training-Plan1.pdf âś…
Stick to the Ironman Race Pace Plan
When Adrian Allen set a goal of sub-11 hours it inspired me to start thinking differently and be more ambitious in my goal setting.
Before this I was thinking sub-12 which in truth should be possible with the solid year as I did 12.20 last year. Now I have set a stretch goal of sub 11.30 which should push me while staying within my race pace.
Using the Triathlon Race Pace Calculator | MyProCoach™ I have determined my race zones.
These are great guides.
I deliberately didn’t do a new FTP test so I wouldn’t be over ambitious and try push the bike. Bike sessions have been targeting close to 200 watts now will target 190 as normalized power measure. Last year I finished at 170 NP at time of 5.44.
Ironman Race Pace Calculators
Using Triathlon Calculator — Race Time and Pace Calculator helped me set goals of:
- sub 1.25 swim,
- sub 6min t1,
- sub 5.35 bike,
- sub 5min t2
- and sub 4.15 run.
There are a few minutes I can scrape off my transitions which I plan to actually time and practice. Use a race nerds race belt with water bottles this year:
- Previously guessed the nutrition on the run so the race belt has all my required nutrition.
- Lost a lot of time on the run slowing down and stopping at every aid station. Even just not slowing down and running through and stopping at the end of aid station would help a lot.
- Avoid needing the first aid bag so have Deep Heat and Crampfix in my race belt.
Breaking it down will help keep focus and not get overwhelmed. If one leg doesn’t go to plan I should still get sub 12 which is a primary goal and still a 20min PB on last years attempt.
A sub-11 and even sub-10 are possible if I could keep on compounding my training. I think with the solid base this year it should mean I don’t take months to recover from the Ironman which was the case before. The training means I’m properly prepared for the race. My pace isn’t going to magically change on race day. Need to respect the distance and process.
Its the run in particular I think I can do a faster pace than that (especially after doing the 1.45 half marathon and even the long brick was hitting 5.30s easy as on fresh legs)
So I actually asked people on Reddit Pacing Ironman Run : r/triathlon to get opinions and they overwhelming agree with the above.
Some good tips was run to feel, checkout heart rate and look at negative splitting if you are feeling strong. This is what I have been practicing last few weeks and going slow and then quicker after 20km is actually harder you might think.
I’m just reminding myself the Ironman run is not where you want to be going out to set run PBs. as much as you want to.
Race Results to PB
IM WA 2024 will always be remembered for the race I got my pacing perfect to end a big year of triathlon events with Thomas/Shane while training with Adrian. Completed it in 11 hours 8 mins taking a whooping 1 hour and 12mins off last years time.