Are You Ready to Complete an Ironman?

Going to the gym is great, you get to build up your muscles- hopefully the kind of muscles that will reel in a hot mate and impress your friends. However, that is not what it is all about when it comes to weight lifting and strength training. We exercise so we can do things better in our lifestyle and everyday activities. If you like to run marathons, you probably hit the treadmill or trail to train- likewise with any other type of competition. Playing sports is a huge motivator for many of us, and when we work out we get better. So, how about putting your training to the test and going for the ultimate in fitness, endurance and stamina- an Ironman Triathlon.

What’s an Ironman Triathlon? You know the one, with the yearly footage of some poor athlete turning into a silly band and falling to the ground from the grueling course.

An Ironman Triathlon is a long distance triathlon race that is part of the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) series. It consists of a 2.4 miles swim, a whopping 112 miles bike race, and a 26.2 on foot marathon as the final leg of the race. This race is done in that listed order with no breaks allowed in between each course. There is a 17 hour limit to complete the course that starts first thing in the morning. The swim must be done in under 2 hours and 20 minutes, the bike portion has to be completed by 5:30 pm (after the swim of course), and the finishers have to cross the line before midnight.

Now, if you are still reading and think you can handle it…the article below has some real considerations about competing and completing in this competition.

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Month 1

Training for Ironman normally takes 20 to 36 weeks, depending on the physical state you’re already in. The first month of your training should focus on preparing your body for the rigorous physical activity you will be undergoing. Consider this time as a month-long warm-up, wherein you build up your endurance. This is the time to focus more on your techniques, especially in swimming. Keep your sessions at the low-intensity level. Expect to be training for 8 hours every week, and take a week-long rest after one month of training.

Month 2

Here is the time to focus on your strength and endurance for every sport. Each week, concentrate on doing just one aspect of the triathlon, whether running, swimming, or biking. As the training hours increase here, make sure you regularly keep your physical health in check to avoid any injuries. Remember, it’s not recommended that you join a marathon or race at any time during training. The recovery period after that might make you fall behind on your Ironman training. After four weeks, you can give your body rest for one week.

Month 3

By this time, you will be training for an average of 15 hours every week. Keep watch of your mental health at this point, and make sure you don’t overdo it. You can lessen the intensity of your workouts, but do not cut back on the hours. The less you train for the triathlon, the less likely you are to finish the race.

Month 4

Here is where you build up your fitness to the optimum level. By this time you should have a general idea of your overall stamina and endurance level. This is the time to focus more on tweaking your techniques and concentrating on improving each aspect of the race. The key here is consistency. It’s best to go easy on yourself during the first few minutes of each race, otherwise you’ll end up walking the final half hour of the triathlon.

Ironman triathlon training is more than just about your physical health. It also requires hard determination and mental conditioning. Just make sure that you’re dedicated to your training regimen, and you will surely succeed in finishing your first Ironman triathlon.

Source

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The key to training for an Ironman is constantly increasing your training.

Watch this video for a nutritional training program….