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Training For IM During Winter Months

[Deleted User][Deleted User]
in General Training Discussions

Hi:

I am seriously considering signing up for IM New Zealand for 2013.  It has always been on my bucket list for Ironmans and I might be at a family reunion in SE Asia around that time so it would be easier to fly to New Zealand from there.  That being said, I live in NYC.  I looked at the calendar and the 12 week period for my IM plan would start December 9 which would mean doing almost all my long rides, including RRs on my Computrainer, unless we have a very, very mild winter.  I don't have an issue with the swimming or running in the winter.  I will run outside in all weather.

I'm looking for  advice from other people who've managed to do all their bike training indoors while training for an IM.  Did you find it affected your performance?  Any helpful hints?

Thank you,

Joanna

Comments

  • robin sarnerrobin sarner

    thinking of doing nz too sometime.

    Did St. George last year. May 2011.   Lots of indoor biking.    sick for the race so can't say how the fitness was but fitness was great for august ironman race.  

    As you may know, Andy Potts, pro, does most of his biking riding indoors.

    is pretty tedious though doing the biking indoors.    though a lot more time efficient so you have more time to do other things.

    roku.   wired into headphones.    essential.         also use pandora radio a lot.

  • TerryOTerryO
    We aren't pros. But even the pros training indoors don't do it out of necessity. I did this for Coeur D'Alene out of necessity and it sucked. Obviously it's possible, but it's not easy. As for performance, the harder you train, the better you'll do, inside or out. I just found it increasingly hard to train hard as time went on. If you're mentally tough, and can fight tremendous boredom, you'll do fine.
  • selinahselinah
    the last couple yrs I have done CdA and living up in Canada has meant that I have only got out on the open roads 2-3 time prior to the race (I am also restricted by having 3 little munchkins as home, as well as crappy Cdn winters!) and although not the most fun, you can train indoors just fine. My advise would be to find a local tri group you can hook up with - I trained with one where we did bricks at an indoor track every Sunday and then twice weekly group sessions on the computrainer. Having other people to train with relieved to boredon for at least a couple of sessions a week - and as for the rest of the long hrs logged on the trainer at home alone... I can vouch for the fact that it HUGELY builds mental toughness :-)
    My performance increased massively this year by the way, so its all in the quality of training you can get in - and boring as it is, trainer riding is quality, if a little boring!
    But it can be done for sure - good luck!
  • Joe CrispinoJoe Crispino
    I am seriously considering doing the "boneisland tri" in key west which is this coming January. If so, I will be experiencing the winter training thing myself here in upstate NY. My major concern would be getting comfortable with ALL indoor swimming with no open water training for 4 months prior to the race. Any thoughts on that?
  • selinahselinah
    My 1st open water swim this yr was when I tested the lake 2 days prior to CdA (and same last yr) - its not ideal, but if you are confident in the water you will be fine. I'm not a great swimmer (around 1:13-1:15IM) but I'm super comfortable in water so pool or lake, doesn't matter to me I come out totally non-stressed...
    You can also do some sighting drills etc in the pool just to get used to that part of the technique
  • new2703new2703
    Joe wouldn't worry about it at all. As long as you are comfortable enough in the open water and during race situations, it shouldn't be a problem. After a twenty year break the first open water swim I did was in a race. Had no problems at all.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Mentally tough for sure. OS right into 12 weeks of IM...so you are looking at 14+12 or 26 weeks of work. You can do bike rides as work sessions max of 3 hours...but last 8 weeks is all the long rides as written!!!
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

     Just a plug for bike commuting in all conditions except snow/ice (unless you're frrom the Twin Cities? - they're crazy there) as a way to "train" outdoors in th ewinter months. Granted, the Pac NW where I commuted from 1997-2010 2-4 x/week has mild winters, it is dark and rainy. Proper equipment - lights, fenders, etc - a good attitude - "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing" - is essential. I found I could stomach 45-80 minutes of almost any conditions as a supplement to hard interval sessions of 60-100 minutes. I see no need to spend 3 hours on a trainer. Also, a BBW someplace dry at the right time can inject the necessary volume.

  • Tom GlynnTom Glynn
    I've done Spring IMs for the past few years; IM TX 2012, 2011, IM SG 2010, CdA 2009 and Arizona when it was early too.

    I live in CA, so no horrible winters, but I still train inside a lot. I don't mind treadmills and trainers. I swim in heated outdoor pools and typically my first or close to first open water swims are at race venue.

    To me, if you can handle indoors, no problem. Otherwise pick a later one!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    Thanks all for the advice! Sorry for the late response, work has taken over my life!

    After much contemplation, I will skip IMNZ for 2013. I think it will be too hard to focus on training when in Asia for the family reunion and worrying about where I'm going to SBR in the last 2-3 weeks before New Zealand. I will do IMNZ at a later date when I can just train right up to the time I leave for the race.

    @Joe: As for no open water swimming, the last 2 years in NYC I have not done any open water swimming except for races and I have been fine.

    @Al: Bike commuting is not an option for me unfortunately.

    So now thinking Regensburg or Sweden!
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