Fink for Outlaw 2012

That's seems like a massive amount of training on what look like random weeks.

20 hours in week 1??? For me, that would be the fast track to illness and injury!
What is the thinking behind it?

Orca wrote (see)

That's seems like a massive amount of training on what look like random weeks.

20 hours in week 1??? For me, that would be the fast track to illness and injury!
What is the thinking behind it?

Silver Trucker wrote (see)

Why are you weeks so random hours wise? Wk1 20hrs? wk2 8hrs? Wk21 1.5hrs?

During Dec and Jan (weeks 1-9)  I was doing loads of "random" stuff in the gym. Spinning, aerobics, rowing, swimming, steppers, cycling, treadmills etc etc, all geared towards nothing in particular.

Some days were very long (e.g 73k of rowing and 14km swimming (both non-continuous) You could put all that down as base training.

I think I decided to do the race and entered at about week 9-10

Once entered I started "training" I had absolutely no plan whatsoever and just did what i felt like on the day.

Swimming -  I'd done some long swims during weeks 1-9, but from week 10 I only did 3 race distance swims.
Average 2800m per week (week 10-25)

Cycling - Nothing much in Dec -Jan.  Started on the road February.   Longest ride was 103 miles, plus one 90, an 80 and couple of 70s.  I had some ITB trouble and barely cycled for the last 5 weeks.
Average 80 miles per week (week 10-25)

Running - Three 15 milers and a 18 miler on the treadmill during Dec -Jan . I did a 16.8 miler in week 11. a 20.2 miler in week 15 and a 21.7 miler in week 18. that was it for long runs.
Average 18.6 miles per week. (week 10-25)

(Week 21 - 1.5 hours - I had a bad cold.)

To me you had a great race but did it mean your personal expectations?

Have you done another since with a more structured plan? Just curious to know if there was a difference in performance.

This looks like being the 2012 equivalent of last year's "Iron Distance Training thread", which I found really inspiring and motivational. I did Outlaw last year as a newbie and loved it. If you lovely folks have half as enjoyable a journey as I did, you'll find it enormously worthwhile and fulfilling. I've entered IM Wales for 2012 and I'm undecided whether to do other races, because my lovely and supportive other half is doing OUtlaw, and that's our prime focus for the year.

I followed Fink fairly closely last year and found it really solid. Just checked my log and I averaged just 9.1 hours per week over 30 weeks. That went up to 12.3 hours per week for the last 7 weeks. I went from being a lardy, retired, front row rugby forward with no endurance sport background to a 12:40 finish at Outlaw, which I was pretty proud of. So if that rings any bells with any of the newbies, perhaps you'll be reassured that what seems crazy now is very achievable for anybody. Some things I think were important;

- Do stick to the heart rate training. You'll feel snail-paced and ashamed for a while, as dog walkers overtake you on your run, and kids on BMX's whizz past you on the bike. But your pace will increase in time, and come the run leg of Outlaw, you're not going to give a toss how quickly you can run 6k
- Focus on the prime workouts. It matters more that you commit to a long run, bike and swim and just fit stuff around it
- Do your bricks. I didn't do many and I really ought to have done more
- Be patient. Finishing your first Iron Distance event will feel less and less likely for a while as your training progresses, which may sound counter-intuitive. But when I started off, it felt like a jolly adventure. It was only when I was doing 10-mile runs on a Saturday and then 60-mile rides on a Sunday that I started to freak out a little at the enormity of it all

Hope that helps. Have fun!

Although it is Fink for Outlaw, I now have the book and am using it for the single enduroman in early June. As it happens I started yesterday. I have had to develop it into an 8 day week due to me working shifts but with the amount of work I think 2 days off a week will be OK. It is 28 8-day weeks until Enduroman so I will need to lose 2 weeks somewhere but I'll worry about that after the base phase. It makes a lot of sense to build a big foundation before any higher intensity stuff. A house would crumble without it and I'm sure your body is the same.

I have found some great stories/personal accounts etc on here that are all really inspiring to me to really get on and do it! I have been lazy for 6 years sports wise but in that time have either been working or child minding as myself and Mrs Chilli work opposite each other. Now the kids are both in school all day I have really enjoyed getting out on my bike again and continued to do a bit of running. I hated running before and only did it because it seemed to be easier to fit a session in rather than getting out on the bike. Its all like a fresh start.

Anyway, here's to next year and the 6 months in between.

Orca wrote (see)

To me you had a great race but did it mean your personal expectations?

Have you done another since with a more structured plan? Just curious to know if there was a difference in performance.

My target was sub 13 hours;

swim - expected 1:15  - actual 1:08:46

bike--- expected 8:00  - actual 6:51:40

run---- expected 3:30  -  actual 4:25:02

The swim was better than expected and the bike was a lot better.  With hindsight a 3:30 run was a totally unrealistic target, I got to about 15 miles and resorted to a run/walk stratergy.

What I gained on the bike I lost on the run, which still brought me in under target so I was happy enough at the time. Over the years I have become less and less happy with my performance and that is why I'm doing the Outlaw.

I didn't do another triathlon until Bala Standard this year.  A nice 7 year gap that included no swimming or cycling.

Sorry if this has been asked before but can't be a**ed to go back on the thread.....

Has the new Fink edition 2 book got anything in it markedly different to Edition 1?

can anyone who has done Outlaw before let me know what drinks/bars/gels they have out on the course?

I figure that I might as well start practicing with stuff to try and get used to it.

high 5...

The drink was a berry flvour, and we gave out lots of fruits of the forrest gels.....
They are not bad....... 

There were also bananas on the bike (but we ran out after about 5 hrs)

Someone else way help with the run, but the year before they also had cola and jafa cakes, (nicely melted)

From this years race info sheet;

Nutriitional Information
High5 will once again be the official Outlaw Triathlon partner. On both bike and run course there will be High5 Energy Source Citrus and High5 Energy Gels and Energy Gels+ - mixed flavours

Just read thru the rest of the info and can't see anything about loos on the run course, does anyone know if there were any? (just in case)

The ready salted crisps were the best thing in the world after 20 miles fo the run.....I still can't stand the sight of High 5 products though

I had a really usful bike session today. An expereinced rider toook me out and taught me loads about cornering and descending. 

I can reccomend this to anyone eles new to biking as it has made me feel more confident and I am sure will help a lot . I cant afford to waste any energy braking too much and certainly dont fancy falling off.

Nice one Steady

That Happychap has a lot to answer for

Lanza week 3 training done . 
Run focused week with a big bike tacked on on sunday.
Also got to my tri club's swim for the first time ever.

My program does not seem to include rest weeks.....  so I have 2 big weeks to come, getting in volume / base before the white stuff hits