Ironman training books

I'm looking at Going Long and/or Be Iron Fit.  Which others?  Would welcome comments and opinions!  

There's one by some chap called Andy Holgate.....

Read that one!  Bit weird ... he doesn't like mud.

Looking for books with training programmes.  Be Iron Fit is sounding good, decent reviews.

training books bore the living daylights out of me - they are usually dull with a capital D, U, L and L.   especially that Joe Friel one - dog it kept sending me to sleep.   I don't think I got past the 1st couple of chapters....

but then I find sporting biographies dull as well - I did this, then I did that kind of thing for most of them....

curiously that one of Mr Holgate's I did read all the way - the bastard still didn't mention me in it though.......

Going Long I haven't actually got but The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel is a must-read, even if you don't stick with everything he says. 

Be Iron Fit (Fink) is good.

If you want to train with power, have a look at the Coggan/Allen book, Training and Racing with a Power Meter (and actually there are a few good articles on cycle-oriented training on Flamme Rouge that are inspired by this).

For diet, either (or both of) The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition by Anita Bean & Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald. 

Lore of Running is good despite not covering tri, particularly if you're interested in the physiology of endurance activity.

For swimming, a lot of triathletes use Total Immersion by Laughlan, though personally I've never got on with it. The book is improved a lot by the video.

To get your head in the right place,  there's The Winning Mind by Seb Coe. I haven't actually read this but I'm informed of it's brilliance by a guy who actually wins stuff!

Finally for inspiration, get your head into Holgs' book Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run. Chrissie's autobiography A Life Without Limits and I Came To Win by Macca. A great piece of Iron distance history is covered in depth in Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald. 

That should keep you going.  

fat buddha wrote (see)

training books bore the living daylights out of me - they are usually dull with a capital D, U, L and L.   especially that Joe Friel one - dog it kept sending me to sleep.   I don't think I got past the 1st couple of chapters....

but then I find sporting biographies dull as well - I did this, then I did that kind of thing for most of them....

curiously that one of Mr Holgate's I did read all the way - the bastard still didn't mention me in it though.......

 

You feature in the sequel, something about donuts

I agree with SlowEngineer about most of them, I found the Bible to be a bit science heavy, like Noakes book "The Lore of Running" but both arre very good for dipping in and out of.

I used Fink to good effect for my second Ironman.

In terms of inspiring triathlon stuff - also see if you can get your hands on a copy of "Not Normal Behaviour" by Stuart Staples. Long out of print.

First Triathlons and Becoming an Ironman - are anthologies of peoples experiences, 2 or 3 pages each. Both worth a read.

Thanks guys...

Read Andy's book, of course, and Chrissie's biog is great.  Not Normal behaviour was pretty good, too.  And I've read Becoming an Ironman, very inspiring.  I love reading true-life experiences (hence my enjoying these books), and find them very inspirational.  So now looking more at serious training tomes.

Many thanks for recommendations.  My birthday soon ... so will chat to the missus and point her at Amazon!

Tim

Mmmm .... donuts ..... 

I've recently finished The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters.  I found it an interesting read and can see me using its learnings across family life, sport and work.  Well worth a read in my humble opinion.

As for the others, I really like the Going Long book by Friel & Byrn and the Training and Racing with a Power Meter by Coggan & Allen as they both apeal to my inner Science Geek.

Can't get on with Friel's "Bible", it bores me silly, same with his "Your Best Triathlon", which seems to be a re-hash of the Bible - maybe he needs some cash?

I've got Training Plans for Multisport Athletes by Gale Bernhardt, some good ideas.  Ironman Start to Finish, a 24-week training plan by Paul Huddle and Roch Frey.
Ironman Race Week. the final 7 days, by Paul Regensburg. And 2 oldies for nostalgia - Dave Scott's Triathlon Training, and The Complete Triathlon Book by Matt Fitzgerald.

Can't get on with Friel's "Bible", it bores me silly, same with his "Your Best Triathlon", which seems to be a re-hash of the Bible - maybe he needs some cash?

I've got Training Plans for Multisport Athletes by Gale Bernhardt, some good ideas.  Ironman Start to Finish, a 24-week training plan by Paul Huddle and Roch Frey.
Ironman Race Week. the final 7 days, by Paul Regensburg. And 2 oldies for nostalgia - Dave Scott's Triathlon Training, and The Complete Triathlon Book by Matt Fitzgerald. And of course Going Long. Gordo has a brilliant website out there too.

Going Long is a twat of a book to get your head around unless you already know what you're doing in some detail. Be Iron Fit is much easier and more prescriptive if you're looking for somebody to put it on a plate for you.

Brilliant mention, Holgs, of the brilliant Stuart Staples and "Not Normal Behaviour". I was lucky enough to work closely with Stu for many years before I'd even heard of triathlon. He was nutty as a fruitcake then and is becoming more volatile with age. He recently took up Tae Kwan Do, and after 1 lesson entered the UK Open Championships; full contact against a whole bunch of Pro's from around Europe. As the oldest man in the tournament by 10 years, he got a bye into Round 2, where he had his face mushed by some 17-stone Polish Gorilla. What a brilliant outlook on life that guy has.... and glad to say he's making a return to Ironman after a few years in the Wilderness wrestling snakes, doing 24-hour mountain bike races, ultra running and learning Dutch!! 

Slower - that amused me about Stuart and Tae Kwan Do, can't say I'm suprised though having followed his Ironman adventures. Good luck to him on his return to Triathlon.

Learning Dutch!  That's a bit extreme. 

And thanks for the tip, Slower, I think I'll pick up Be Iron Fit to begin with.