Fink for Outlaw 2012

I am in.........joining the thread and planning for Outlaw.

A little background on me. Done a couple of sprints and OD’s the last couple years in an attempt to get fit and find a sport that fits around my family. I have a couple of young kids and although I don’t want to go to seed, finding a way of training and competing (should say completing) whilst putting family first is important to me.

So the journey starts...Back in July last year I had the pleasure of watching my husband complete Outlaw as a pirate. Since that day I knew it was a dream I had to chase. The event and pirate philosophy was brilliant and the fact that he did it without compromising work or family commitments was even more inspirational.

My basic plan is to Fink it and 'Just Finish'. My view on this thread is that the benefit will be in the shared experiences of novices and learning from the wisdom of the experienced ones amongst us. The thread should not try and replace the Fink book (or any other training plan), go and buy it. The price of the book is the same of a bottle of wine (need to change thinking.......price of a tub of isotonic nutrition powder!) .

For the next week I am on holiday in Spain. The opportunity for a warm weather training camp?........Yes, if your idea of a holiday is some gentle cycling and running with some less gentle eating and drinking.

That means I'm old too Cake,  . One of my fav films

I know its not much to most of you, but I just did 10 lengths of front crawl without stopping , get me!!

Well done bburn!

I'm another one who is better at reading than training!

Thanks OC for all your tips. 

Muffin Top - yes, I do agree that it is wise to buy/read the book. This thread is not a substitute. But hopefully it will help encourage and support each other as we go.

Thanks, still a long way to go, but little steps and all that !

Another reader here too, Fink & Friel by my bedside, no wonder OH says I'm becoming obsessed

i think it's good to read the books to give you an overall flavour of what's coming and what you need to manage.

OC - glad you like Friel/Byrne, too.   You've captured lots of the things I like about them.

One of their main things - which has been mentioned on this thread - is to concentrate on your limiters. Ie if your weak spot is swimming but you're a strong runner, do more swimming and less running.  That's really important if you're basing your training around Fink. One size def doesn't fit all. So really good point that OC's made - ignore what everyone else is doing/has done. It's awful when your max bike ride so far is 70 miles and you're talking to someone who's already done 100, twice! But it doesn't matter.

+1 for Run/Walk by the way.  Same as OC here - runs of more than an hour are run 9 mins/walk 1 min.  Really takes the pain out of a) doing LSRs during training and b) The Day.  Doesn't seem as daunting and helps you to keep your average speed up.  Well, does for me, anyway.  In both IM runs I might even have done negative splits.

OC and AH, it's really useful to have your advice.

As somebody coming to this as a runner, it's really tempting to fall back into running 5 or 6 times a week, because that my comfort zone. Also, I know it sounds a bit daft, but if I don't run, I have this guilty niggling worry that, firstly I'm not training hard enough, and secondly, I'll "loose my running fitness" and end up not being able to do it anymore.

I know it's stupid, because my goal isn't just be be a runner anymore, but it's difficult to break the habits and the mindset.

Or maybe it's just me!

bburn - I know eXACtly what you mean.  In fact I had a crisis of running confidence recently and have embarked on a period of run-specific training until IM starts again at Xmas. But you're right - you have to be prepared to change your mindset for IM training. Having said that, you never know - some people smash their running PBs off IM training.

And, don't worry... once you get into IM training you certainly won't be feeling you're not training enough!

bburn plodder wrote (see)

OC and AH, it's really useful to have your advice.

As somebody coming to this as a runner, it's really tempting to fall back into running 5 or 6 times a week, because that my comfort zone. Also, I know it sounds a bit daft, but if I don't run, I have this guilty niggling worry that, firstly I'm not training hard enough, and secondly, I'll "loose my running fitness" and end up not being able to do it anymore.

I know it's stupid, because my goal isn't just be be a runner anymore, but it's difficult to break the habits and the mindset.

Or maybe it's just me!

 Nope was me the other year as well when I started on this ironing lark. As above consentract on your weak spot. Already been mentioned but take the opertunity before you start the training plan to get into the habit of training and get it so your lifestyle is happy with it. It's a generic plan and don't beafraid to change your plans alround life instead of the plan. This thread going to be very useful for folks once your well into the plan or you might get cabin fever.

A big part of the point off things like the pirates isn't the kit it's the muteral support while your at the coalface training. So don't be afraid to say BOO!!!! this sucks please give me a kick up the bottom sometimes.

It's going to be fun honest. Trust me I'm a muppet!

Hi there,

I've just signed up for Outlaw too and hope to join the thread!

Some really useful and interesting posts here.

I've done a few sprints and an oly, but never done anything like this before. Do quite a bit of running but not particularly fast.

Hoping to follow Fink as well, but may end up doing a bit more biking, 'cos that seems to be my weak area.

Not really sure what I'm letting myself in for but hey ho!

marafun over...bring it on!!!

enforced recovery, due to Fink being out of stock at Amazon.....I wonder why?

whats 'The life of Brian?'

I got the Life of Brian thing!

Cake wrote (see)

 Nope was me the other year as well when I started on this ironing lark.

I tried it today JEvans - and no!

Unless I did it too fast.