Fink for Outlaw 2012 - Page 18 - Triathlon

Les boules

24/10/2011 at 19:05

What does everyone like about the Fink plan? There are so many plans out there it's hard to choose, and after a 70.3 of which I had 3 colds over 5 months, I realise the downside to overtraining and not properly resting on my rest day.

I read an interesting article about minimalist IM training, that it's the quality of the sessions and not necessarily the hours. Yes, one long run and cycle per work, but other sessions take in less mileage, with an average weekly total of no more than 13 hours per week.

Anyone know of, or has tried these types of plans?

Orca

pirate

25/10/2011 at 09:46

I believe I only averaged 11 hours a week on my first one and still ended up completely over trained.
Fink's Intermediate plan only has that much in the peak phase of the Intermediate program. An average weekly total of 13 hours a week can add up to a lot of training!

Just Finish Program
Base Phase – Just Finish Program – Weeks 1 to 10
Begins with 3 hours a week, concludes with almost 7 hours a week
Averages about 5 hours a week

Build Phase – Just Finish Program - Weeks 11-20
Begins with around 7 hours a week, concludes with about 9 hours a week
Averages about 8 hours a week

Peak Phase – Just Finish Program - Weeks 21-30
Begins with around 10 hours a week and remains at that for 8 weeks
Averages about 9 hours a week

Intermediate Program
Base Phase – Intermediate Program – Weeks 1 to 10
Begins with 6 hours a week, concludes with 11 hours a week
Averages about 8.5 hours a week

Build Phase – Intermediate Program - Weeks 11-20
Begins with around 11 hours a week, concludes with about 12.5 hours a week
Averages about 11.5 hours a week

Peak Phase – Intermediate Program - Weeks 21-30
Begins with around 13 hours a week and peaks at 15 hours a week
Averages about 13 hours a week

Competitive Program
Base Phase – Competitive Program – Weeks 1 to 10
Begins with 6 hours a week, concludes with 11 hours a week
Averages about 8.5 hours a week

Build Phase – Competitive Program - Weeks 11-20
Begins with around 12 hours a week, concludes with about 16 hours a week
Averages about 13 hours a week

Peak Phase – Competitive Program - Weeks 21-30
Begins with around 16 hours a week and peaks at 20 hours a week
Averages about 15 hours a week

Edited: 25/10/2011 at 09:48

floreat salopia

25/10/2011 at 10:02

Orca-good weather and a PB would be perfect!.

Frodo-I lived there as a lad and follow the Town.....real football!

Last long run of marathon plan today a quick 10 miler.

*Frodo*

25/10/2011 at 10:42

A proper Monner then, Floreat

My other half is also an avid Town fan (used to play for the Blue and Amber away supporters too), fingers crossed for a straight promotion campaign this year - couldn't stand yet another heartbreaking near miss/Wembley trip!

Good luck in Dublin

Artful Hen

25/10/2011 at 11:57

Flat Foo.ted wrote (see)

I'm renaming AH as Mother Hen for all the parental style advice she is handing out on this thread...

You mean I'm bossing everyone around???

Oh yes you reminded me: go to bed nice and early because sleep is your friend.

Orca

pirate

25/10/2011 at 15:41

Btw Postie, are you doing Outlaw? Seems very early to be starting Fink.

Oh hang on, did you say you were planning to repeat the first few weeks to just get your body used to that kind of training?

Silver Trucker

25/10/2011 at 17:19

Hi all I'm now on week two of fink plan and will repeat first three weeks till start 5th Dec just trying to get myself used to following a plan. I'm also finding it hard training to time instead of distance. So this is what I'm trying, 1) keeping to training zones 2) training to the times 3) still having a distance to target. Ok what I mean is that priority is to keep to the HR zones and close to the training times as possible ( I used to go for 5k runs but feel good so carry on for 10-15 or even 20k) but also have a distance in mind to cover ( most of my runs I know the mileage for so hard not to think about distance) but if HR slows me down or time runs out then not to worry about mileage. Does that make sense cause I've confused myself

Edited: 25/10/2011 at 17:22

M,oFo

25/10/2011 at 17:37

I'm worried that I'm going to struggle to get back into training. Since the Vitruvian I've only done one run/swim session with the Frome Tri Club and spent the rest of the time sitting on the sofa eating junk...

Artful Hen

25/10/2011 at 17:56

Trucker - makes sense to me! Top idea to get used to the time thing if that's what you think you'll do for real when it all starts. It's so easy when you're feeling good and fresh at the beginning of the programme to do more than the programme says. And, as we've all discussed, sometimes that's ok. But it can be a danger i so it's good to develop the discipline. Slowly, slowly catchee monkey etc.

Silver Trucker

25/10/2011 at 18:07

Artful Hen, that's my point I'm gonna stick with the time training I'm not going to do what I used to and do more when I don't need to

I think the mileage thing will drop of as time goes by and I'll just do HR zones and train to time.

O.rangeCannon.... Extravalanza here I come! pirate

pirate

25/10/2011 at 20:47

mofo

jfdi!!!!

Running Postie pirate

pirate

25/10/2011 at 21:18

Orca wrote (see)

Btw Postie, are you doing Outlaw? Seems very early to be starting Fink.
Oh hang on, did you say you were planning to repeat the first few weeks to just get your body used to that kind of training?

I am doing the bike leg of a relay team at Outlaw ( then Vit in Sept), I just want to train to IM standard just to prove to myself that I could do it.... if I wanted to and also lose some of the weight I have put on by being very lax about my training!. The reason I am not entering solo, is, I have had enough of running marathons, in particular,the marathon route of Outlaw(did it last year and had a really cr*ppy time of it). It also means I will get to see the OH finish(he's a tad quicker than me) .

I am planning to repeat the first few weeks of Fink until the D day.

Orca

pirate

26/10/2011 at 09:51

Ah OK, I understand now. I don't think it's something I could do though as I don't think I could put myself through the IM training without having an IM race at the end of it. But I get where you're coming from.

Mofo, I've been feeling the same way. I've just been swimming, eating, putting on weight etc etc. I start IM training on November 21st (giving myself a 2 week cushion to account for work and life getting in the way during the 30 week training cycle) so over the next four weeks, I'm easing myself into it, improving my diet, starting to fit in one run and cycle a week, bring it up to 2 a week by the time training starts. Like OC says, it gets to the point where you just have to bite the bullet.

O.rangeCannon.... Extravalanza here I come! pirate

pirate

26/10/2011 at 10:26

Orca wrote (see)

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.

well... year 3 hits and here we go again.
I had a month off, and now I am raring to go..... 3 reasons I think

I found entering a hard, early race is motivating!!!! ie I am racing 6 weeks ahead of Outlaw.... and its harder that concentrates the mind a little....
I struggled last year, and ended up getting a coach - now someone tells me to do and its all a bit easier to get going
The thing I am missing is having a life.....
It was nice not getting up early
I was supposed to start painting the house but oops. Training is way more prefereble to DIY

AndyB99

pirate

26/10/2011 at 16:41

hey people...for those of you that are unsure about HR zones and especially base training...as i was last year...he's a good simple article on why low HR training is the right thing to do...i'm following the maffetone method right now till December to build a proper base...so maybe if your itching to get going this is a place to start rather than repeating weeks of the training...one other bit of advice....be patient...i promise if you start now all guns blazing you'll be sick to death of it come may...and you'll miss your peak or peak to early.

anyway...Base training

http://www.markallenonline.com/maoArticles.aspx?AID=4

Soup Dragon

26/10/2011 at 17:03

Thanks Andy, thats a very good article. Not sure about his calculation for aerobic training zone though. Sounds a bit simplified. But I'm sold on the endurance base philosophy.

AndyB99

pirate

26/10/2011 at 17:08

well if you look up maffetone method there is a whole book on it...and it uses that calculation.
its not the simplification i'm struggling with...its the low HR...i'm 41...so based on that calculation my max HR should be 139.....and i'm just about able to keep it in that running down hill...but flat it rises a little above it...and i have to walk up hills.
It makes for an easy workout

but it supposed to get more stable at faster speeds as you go on.
Just an idea for something to do while you wait for December the 5th!!

Soup Dragon

26/10/2011 at 17:15

Hmmm - I'm 53 so I'd have to train at 127 or 132 if I add of 5 for age being nearly 55. Parker's compleat idiot calculation gives me a training zone at 70% of 142 and even that is hard to keep down.

Les boules

26/10/2011 at 20:40

@Orca, thanks for the Fink info. I think I may get that book. The programme I used for the 70.3 was on Beginner Triathlete which is a bit of a misnomer given the IM plan peaks at 18 hours per week. Recipe for burnout..

@Andy: 'm aware that monitoring your heart rate is essential, not only during training but also at rest. General rule of thumb is that if your resting HR (first thing in the morning before you get out of bed) is 10% higher than it normally is, your body is under stress, and you have to either skip training that day or take it really easy. These past ten months have made me realise how important rest is and 18 hours per week doesn't allow for much rest!

I'll get Fink and see what he says.

marshallini

26/10/2011 at 23:15

Orca wrote (see)

I believe I only averaged 11 hours a week on my first one and still ended up completely over trained.
Fink's Intermediate plan only has that much in the peak phase of the Intermediate program. An average weekly total of 13 hours a week can add up to a lot of training!

I've just dug up my 2004 training log;

Average 10:30 hours a week - I was struggling in the last few weeks before the race, I could've been over trained or just suffering with an unrelated random illness?

wk 1 - 20 hrs . wk 2 - 8 . wk 3 - 10 . wk 4 - 17 . wk 5 - 13.5 .
wk 6 - 18.75 . wk 7 - 18 . wk 8 - 5 . wk 9 - 2 . wk 10 - 8.25
wk 11 - 15 . wk 12 - 15 . wk 13 - 9.25 . wk 14 - 9.25 . wk 15 - 7.75
wk 16 - 16.5 . wk 17 - 12.25 . wk 18 - 8.25 . wk 19 - 8.75 . wk 20 - 6.25
wk 21 - 1.5 . wk 22 - 9.25 . wk 23 - 3.75 . wk 24 - 2.5
wk 25 - 16 - Race week: (includes 12:38:08 for the race)

I'm on week 6 of my preparatory training and I've averaged 18.7 hours a week;

Wk 1 - 22.5 hrs . wk 2 - 23 . wk 3 - 16.75 . wk 4 - 14 . wk 5 - 17.25