How We Did IT - '09 vs '11

Note to self: delete cookies after web search

While there is a direct correlation with the number of Ironman summer’s I’ve had and the number of times my wife and I have conceived a child, that’s not the “it” I’m talking about.  Perhaps another day.  The “it” that I’m referring to is how I qualified for Kona in 2009.

While there are a lot of things that actually go into it, much more than what can be covered in one blog post...here's a summary of my training volumes.

Stepping back from my 2011 season, I now have a rough gauge on what I did in ’09 versus what I didn’t do in ’11.  (see, my OCD training logs are good for something!)  After all, putting in the work is how results are achieved.  My 30 week lead-up to LP was relatively short on volume but high on the intensity (this was a new approach for me).  See below, reported in hrs spent.

 This summary shows nearly a 20% reduction in total volume (hrs) from my 2009 IMLOU effort.  While it’s very hard to quantify intensity of hours spent, I can tell you that in ’09 I didn’t train with a power meter and in ’11 I did.  The result was a significant decrease in volume but an increase in biking intensity for hrs spent.  One can argue quality vs. quantity all day, but in my opinion, there is no substitute for big bike volume (to an extent)

So considering my ’09 time at IMLOU (9:46) vs. my ’11 time at IMLP (9:55) I can deduce the following: 

 

SWIM

My 1:01 swim at IMLP was an embarrassment.  I was shooting for 0:56, and it serves me right for the paltry 23 hrs I spent in the pool.

BIKE

With my power meter I was able to make significant improvements in my biking strength and economy.  While I was 5 min slower in LP(harder course), I’d like to think that I spent my time much more efficiently this year on the bike!  At a rough estimate (20%), 47 fewer hours is over 800 fewer miles.  (that’s a lot of walks to the park and hundreds of trips up and down the slide with my boys – and that’s huge!!)

RUN

Surprisingly, on fewer hrs I was able to run my best ever IM marathon. Not my fastest but most consistent.  I took it out in 1:39 and was able to bring it home in 1:41.  Rather than big run miles, I attribute this to proper bike pacing and realistic run goals.  Also noted is that I was in marathon PR shape in the Fall prior to my 30 weeks kick off. (read: big run base)

OTHER

In my training log I track “other” as time spent doing core exercise and yoga.  A few less planks and Trikonasana’s, I guess.  Kinda hard to quantify, but I had to have been a little weaker and less ‘one’ with the Earth….at least that’s what Yogi Rodney would like to hear!

So at a glance, 10hrs a week is not enough for me to be in 'get to Kona' shape.  It was close, but I need more than that.  I need to get in the pool more (or do I?), log a few more big rides (1x100miler is not enough), continue running at a volume/intensity to avoid injury and maintain a core body strength and stretching routine.

I know that’s pretty vague, but that’s enough for now.  Next time, geared with the knowledge from this comparison, I’ll walk through my goal training plan and volume targets for my 2012 season.