Fink for Outlaw 2012

only started about April last year, (buy a set of deep section wheels or get a coach for a year)

I was a bit shocked by the inc bike volume, but a 5 h ride feels normal now.........

Have we been spammed???

Quick question for those who have done multiple IMs. How do you get the motivation back year after year. I'm not scheduled to start training properly for another month and am just ticking over at the moment but even at that, I'm struggling with motivation. I did nothing over the weekend ( and it wasn't because I had loads of other stuff on, I just CBA) so I figured I would be fresh for this morning's swim session. I felt like crap. No energy what so ever. I ended up leaving the session half way through (very rare for me, at least  in swimming ) as I felt I was doing more harm than good. Now I accept I might just be a little run down or coming down with something at the moment but I am worried about having the mojo to go for another 30 weeks when I start Fink again and would welcome some tips from those who do it year after year. .

Orca - i am not one of those who have done multiple IM's - 2 so far, but I am beginning to look ahead, like you, and sometimes wonder if I will keep my motivation going in the months/years ahead.

My answer is to almost forget that I am IM training but just to carry on my training in the normal manner which has become part of the fabric of my life.  I cant imagine what i would do these days if I wasn't running and cycling in my spare time ( very little swimming ever happens in the Shady world!)

I look forward to the Sportives in the summer such as The Chiltern 100, Flat Out...' etc which I enjoy in their own right but which are obviously great for IM training.

I also have to choose events which motivate me such as Embrunman last year and challenge me as far as possible.

The day the training and Sportives all become a total drag is the day i know that i need to find something else.  But it might well be injury which stops my IM journey before I get fed up with it.....we'll see!       

 But would still be good to see you in a relay.

Silver Trucker wrote (see)

Same as just finish would be my goal and then find Cake for post outlaw gunniess and rum

 I will be easy to find feller. Word of caution the bar at the finesh line doesn't have guinniess on draft annoying but there are always ways and all that.

Doner Kebab wrote (see)

 hope to see cake at worksop hallween half - any other pirates doing it? or rutland for that matter?

 I'm afraid I've had to drop out of worksop as well because of stuff on. Not doing to great with races at the moment. I might pop down anyway on the bike to the start line depending on if got the time and if I have to go somewhere else or not. It's slightly annoying. Are you local to the area? If yes happy to meet up in the peaks some time and say hello on a bike.

Orca - hmmm - I know what you mean. But  prob best not to even think about it all at the mo.

I'm determined to be mentally fresh and am not going to do IM training until after Christmas. i've got a base and I'm maintaining it at the mo (except swimming) so at the mo if ever I get a 'that would be good IM training' type thought I shove it away.  Meanwhile have instead decided to work on my running a bit, speed in particular. So it's feeling quite wierd to go out and do a threshold run or some hill work or something which seems really short - but gratifyingly hard. It'll help IM a bit but the main thing is it's still training but is completely diff to IM stuff.  I did the Grim duathlon yesterday, am goign to give a local 10 miler a bash in a couple of weeks and may do the Grim 9 miler in Dec just because it's completely different. And just a bit stupid.

Orca you're a great swimmer so it's not going to kill you not to swim for a bit. Give yourself a break! (might give me a chance to catch up with you, too )

A quiet week for me last week, 5 hours, 3 swims, 2 bikes and just 1 run, nothing longer than an hour. 

When I checked back the previous 5 weeks had all been about 7 hours, so that seemed about right !!

Also Orca, if, when the Time To Train arrives - or during the training - you feel demotivated, just remember how brilliant Regensburg was before, during and after and that to feel that good again, you've got to train.And if you DO train, you'll feel fab again and it will all be MARvellous!

Thanks Hen for the motivation. I think the secret to Ironman motivation is to keep AH on speed dial

I start back running this week, first time in 6 weeks. Rather scary! Just planning 2-3 easy runs this week to reintroduce the concept to the body.

Decided to try something new so have signed up with local sub aqua club as I've wanted to get my diving licence for ages. Yay! Another sport I can spend a small (or not so small) fortune on. However I was a bit worried about the medical as I do have mild asthma but the doctor passed me so very happy about that. Last week was my first night of training. I'd forgotten what it was like to be cold in a pool!

OK. I'm in!

I have caught up on the posts to date, already learnt loads. The volume is my main concern. I work a 10 day shift pattern which obviously doesn't match weekly schedules, but I'll adapt. Will be ordering FINK for November bedside reading and inspiration.

I'm doing Dublin marathon this weekend so had planned a few weeks recovery to forget any training plan for a while. It  will be the cycling that I need to put in most effort. Hope to include some training by regular cycle commuting (when the spring comes!) This will be my first (and last?) go at the full distance with 2 HIM in the last 3 years. I think I'm capable of <15hrs but finishing will be great.

 I had thought that I'd wait and stick closely to a 20 week plan, as I know it will get difficult to maintain the enthusiasm. Luckily , as pointed out earlier in this thread, being my first attempt I have the fear factor to push me out the door! Having found this thread I'll go with the 5 Dec start date to start the "journey".

Have thought about Marazion Miiddle distance as a "warm up". A sea swim, so not quite the same as Outlaw, but will give some "race day" confidence. Not sure when entry opens.

Can't promise to post too frequently, but I'll catch up.

Welcome aboard Floreat.

A lot of runners recommend a 10 day or 2 week cycle.

ok first day of the Fink plan, it feels totally different to think in time, not miles, it's gonna take some getting used to.

OC - About junk miles, I junk mile every day, I power walk at work between 7 and 9 miles a day and don't count it as training, it's just my basic aerobic fitness. I plan to carry on as a little bit extra isn't going to hurt. So if you bike to work regulary then why change?

Cat- I did a marathon 2 weeks ago, although it would be nice to keep the distance up, I am really fed up of just running. I reckon if I plan in a 13 mile run every other week or so, until the Fink plan catches up, then that and the bike training should still keep me up there. (I am doing Stamford 30k race in Feb) so fingers crossed.