Fink for outlaw 2013

REst day after an entire week off with the lurgy, really hoping that I'll feel well enough to start again tomorrow.

hope you clear soon Ali......

swim done and it was a new PB........seems like getting regular sessions in does improve your swimming

seren nos wrote (see)

Just been looking at finks just get around plan and notice there is only a couple of bike rides over 4 hours in it....does anyone know if it has ever been done by following that bike pattern........that would only be about half the distance..........I like his ideas but wonder if he is coming from a fit cyclists point of view ......meaning emphasis on the swim and run

Hi Seren. Just checked my spreadsheet from Outlaw 2011 when I broadly followed Fink's get round plan. Looks like I bottled following the plan and went longer on the "long" rides. 7 rides longer than 4 hours.... mostly 5-hour jobs, but one 7-hour biggie on which I "practised" my bonk skills. I think it would be an uncomfortable race day without training beyond 70 miles minimum.

Somebody asked "what to wear under my wettie", I'd advise minimal mucking about, unless the weather is VERY cold and wet. Tri kit's designed for the job. Having complicated kit plans for T1 and T2 does not just add time.... it adds complication, risk and stress, which you can well do without if you're doing your first IM and worried about cut-off times and such like. Honestly... just worrying about a race belt, sunglasses and a hat can be enough when you're stressed. Do yourself a favour if you're new to the distance... get dressed in a single race kit for the weather, put your swim stuff over the top, race. One less thing to worry about .

thats what i thought slower re Fink..........I didn't want any newbies following fink to the letter and then finding that it didn't get them enough bike practice for the day............

If no one has successfully done it then i would recommend that they all think about doing more on the bike than he says.........

The majority of people who fail in ironman fail on the bike

sounds like good advice seren and STIL. am going to have a look at my plan for later in the year and see if i can 'up' some of the bike times - maybe even do a couple of 100 mile sportives as practice

Swim #18 and 30 min run done this afternoon.  And a big pot of lentil soup made beforehand so it was all ready to come home to.

loving my rest day. and the kids made cake.....

Les Boules ... consistency is the key and consistency of hours rather than mileage

I would be happy with a lot of 5-6hr bikes rather than 1 x 100 if that makes sense, get used to being in the saddle for a length of time if you are likely to be on the bike or 7hrs plus

thats what i was thinking for all levels.lots of 5-6 hrs rides.maybe a 100 or two sportives to give you the confidence and help with nutrition...

just fink only had the majority of rides under 4 hrs

The 100's are only needed from a mental point of view IMO .. to get in to that magic 3 digits

Thanks M...eldy, that's v helpful. I'm going to stick to the intermediate cycle plan as much as I can as it progresses up to 5.5 hour rides (but one will be a 6hr + with the century ride, and you're right, that's more psychological than anything).

I most fear overtraining, as I've done it so many times before for marathons and my only half IM, that I fecked myself up pretty badly. I will try and trust in the Fink plan. I suppose he wouldn't have published if his plan wasn't successful..

Was just kindly informed by my colleague that he guessed today was my rest day, as I didn't have frizzy hair, an unkempt appearance and red swim goggle impressions around my eyes all day. Charming 

Most definitely .. and especially in the early days I would keep to the structure of the plan, fit in the sessions in the time given if you can and dont feel pressured to do the sessions if they take you over the time
Once you are further down the line and into the training then you may find what your levels are and can start to build on bike hours ... its usually bike hours that fall short of requirement and swim hours that go over

Trust in the plan and listen to your body

Huge thanks. This is such helpful stuff for someone who has a tendency to panic over-train 

Remember back to marathon plans .. they didnt jump in with 3 hours at marathon pace   

I read somewhere recently that these base hours 'are not training, its exercise' and I think that this is a good way to see it

1hr zombie swim done having done 36mins Z2 run this am. Tired so slow

I'm doing a 52m sportive which I will bike to/from making 70, and a 100m for my sanity. Bike is my weak area in terms of speed endurance I can keep going but that's no good when there is a cut off

brick done which is a good thing cos if it had been a run I would have given up as it is very icy out there! glad I have trail shoes

yes frozen snow looks icy here..long bike looks like it will be prosponed..might do long run instead