Am I capable of Finishing the 2012 Outlaw? - Triathlon

Cheg

16/03/2012 at 22:56

Hi all,

I was just having a little crisis of confidence and so thought I would pick the collective brains of the forum.

My athletic background is as follows:

I've been running for nearly 3 years, I try to run a race a month from 5k to marathon, with my first ultra next month at the two oceans.

I cycled LEJOG in 13 days last summer and have commuted to and from work since then, but no rides of any significant distance since.

Very little swim experience. Have done 1900m in 47 mins at a pool last week and did a 400m time trial in 9:30.

O and never done a triathlon.

With 15 weeks to go till my tri:

1)can I complete it?
2)where should my training focus be?
3)are there any key time trials I should do nearer the time to assess what shape I'm in?

Thanks for reading. All comments welcome.

Slagiatt

pirate

16/03/2012 at 23:16

Well for what it's worth your training and experience sounds like it is miles ahead of where I was on my first IM last year , so in my opinion not only will you finish , but you'll have time to get fed and showered before heading back to the finish line in time for me and the other "bop"ers to finish

cougie

pirate

16/03/2012 at 23:19

I really can't see it being a problem but I'd focus on the bike.
You'll probably do the swim under 90 mins. Well within cut off.
Then there's just the bike and run to do. Simples.

Flat Foo..ted

17/03/2012 at 05:32

Over training probably best start tapering now tbh.....

Cheerful Dave pirate

pirate

17/03/2012 at 06:57

There was me thinking this would be a "I can't swim and don't own a bike, can I finish Outlaw 2012?" post. You're starting from a better base than many.

Completing the distance won't be a problem. Get out on the bike, it won't take you long to get back to your LEJOG endurance on it. Do some OW swims, getting up to race distance. Key time trials? After your long rides you'll have an idea of how long the bike will take, and your run pace is likely to be a bit slower than your ultra pace.

M..o.use

17/03/2012 at 07:15

If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't.

Cheg

17/03/2012 at 11:02

O thanks guys. Feel lots better. I have joined A tri club and am going on a 40 mile group ride tomorrow, but the long rides proper will start post two oceans.

I'm hoping to get up to iron distance in the pool and then i think open water starts in may.

The run should take care of itself and I am running Edinburgh at the end of may.

Any tips on the outlaw itself?

Cheerful Dave pirate

pirate

17/03/2012 at 11:06

See the 'non-training related Outlaw questions' thread, Cheg.

M...eldy

pirate

17/03/2012 at 17:49

or any of the 2012 training threads

O.rangeCannon (kona-7) pirate

pirate

17/03/2012 at 20:42

the non training related outlaw thread is a classic if i do say so myself

so you can run miles - you do ultras ffs
you can bike miles.... (lejog is solid base traning)
your swimming is ok.......

do a couple of swims a week.... one for consistency, one getting slowly longer - add 100m a week and you will be at 3.9k by race day

keep the running ticking over,
but you are already fit enough here. as everyone else says, bike fitness is whats needed most in IM, so try and ride long once a week building up from x hrs to a 6 hr ride. If its 'easy'. then regular 6 hr rides each week / over distance rides are next

throw in the odd 30 min run off a long bike to get the idea of how slowly you will be running on race day.. IM running is all about not slowing down, not running fast

everyone is in a different place, but you sound like you have a pretty solid base.....
Do some specific training post your ultra, (ie bike, bike, swim, bike, bike and bike some more) and you will be fine

btw if you're speedy along with having endurance (and therefore gonna beat me) then all the above advice is wrong. You have no chance and should throw in the towel next year and start a john newsom 3 year plan

Edited: 17/03/2012 at 20:46

M.ister W

18/03/2012 at 10:06

It sounds like swimming is your weak point but your cycling and swimming are so strong that as long as you make it out of the water you'll be fine. TBH you sound pretty much like me in 2007. I ran a 50 miler in March then ramped up my bike mileage and swimming. On race race day I was out of the water in 1:35 then spent the rest of the day overtaking. The ultra running will help you keep the pace up when you hit the run, which is such a good feeling as most people will be flagging.

Cheg

18/03/2012 at 11:10

O a John Newsom 3 year plan, so you are a fellow IM Talk listener Cannon? I was meant to do a 3 year plan, but succeeded in booking UK 70.3 which clashed with a friends wedding, and so I thought why not just go the whole hog and do Iron distance

Swimming is definately my weakest of the three disciplines, but after today's 40 mile ride at 15mph with the tri club I am broken! Also managed to get two punctures and needed big help changing them, so if transitions are the 4th discipline then bike maintenance must be the 5th!

Ok post Ultra I am all over the long bike rides, O and I do have Edinbrugh end of May that I would like to PB at

Ridgebackmax

18/03/2012 at 11:18

3 year plan? Most pirates follow the 6 month plan

M...eldy

pirate

18/03/2012 at 11:20

3 year plan? I'd die of boredom

O.rangeCannon (kona-7) pirate

pirate

18/03/2012 at 19:07

Cheg wrote (see)

so you are a fellow IM Talk listener Cannon?

Isn't everyone - or they should be......
I am the 'Essex Bucanneer'!

Cheg

18/03/2012 at 20:22

O nice, I am yet to contribute and get myself a nickname perhaps after I successfully complete the Outlaw I will contribute something to Bevan and John's Kona fund.

Gladys M.

18/03/2012 at 21:04

Must contribute at some point. I think I need a new name!

Prince Siegfried

18/03/2012 at 21:35

Emmanuelle? As in Nurse Gladys ... ?

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