Cross Tri/half Iron
 

I did my first Tri last year and my 2nd last month as a Clydesdale, both Olympic lengths. I know swimming is my weakest event and I swim a few days a week when I don't have my daughters. I have gotten to 8-mile run holding a 10 min mile time. I have done 50 mile runs and the swim isn't that much longer for a 70.3 distance.

I want to do a half Ironman next year. and advice for half Iron training? My goal is 2 Tri this year, my 2nd I want to do a Cross Tri, any advice going from a standard tri to a cross tri?

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Will do, Thank you!

You're a "Clydesdale" running eight miles at a 10 minute/mile pace? Props to you. Is that on just a run? Or is that in combination with other events?

I live in the desert so it's hard for me to do a lot of swim training, at least distance-wise. Best I can do is laps at the local public pool, but I don't really count it beyond regular exercise since it's a pool and it's too easy to "cheat" and take breaks. However, I try to do a "dualthlon" at least once a month. Because of the aforementioned desert, I may not do that quite as often in the summer. But I will map out a 16-20 mile ride and a 3.5-4 mile run and do those back-to-back with about a 5 minute "transition" time in between.

I'm so far beyond the age/ability to do even a half Ironman now I won't even consider a full Ironman. I wish I had done one 15-20 years ago when I was young enough. I think I'm even done doing Olympics. At this point I'm going to stick with sprints from here on. I have a sprint in Long Beach in about three weeks. This will be my fifth triathlon in 10 months.

From late 1980s to just about 5-6 years ago, I would participate in a handful of triathlons every season (summer). Mostly sprints, a few Olys here and there, and a few close to half-iron distance. I usually competed as a Clydesdale too, and was usually able to maintain an +/- 8-minute pace in the tri runs. Additionally, I was always running road races, with a one or two half-Marathons every year, and a full Marathon every couple years. Then, I had to have a hip replacement at 56 years old. And now I have a knee that needs replaced (thankfully it doesn’t hurt with I ride). I’m pretty much done with running. But the culprit for the failing joints in my lower extremities??? I think it’s so much pounding the pavement with a heavier body over the years. I’m 6’2” and maintain a body weight of 195-200 lbs. So much long distance running with a body like that isn’t doing the joints any favors. I began distance running in h.s. in 1976 when I was like 5’10 and 150 lbs. If I had it to do all over again, I’d scale back the long runs once my body weight got up to 170-175-ish.

Dan

I'm a clyde and have done multiple half-Ironmans (HIM) and one full Ironman (IM). The step from Oly to HIM is not that big. My advice - train each event but focus on putting in the km on the bike for training. As a non-competitive swimmer, just get through the swim. Time-wise its the shortest portion of the event and losing 5-10min to the front runners in your age group won't kill you. Then you have 90km to make that up. Sounds like you can more than hold your own on the run. Good luck.

8 mile run was just a run. I have done a 20 mile ride run 6 and keep a 10 min pace, I'm in the Seattle area so nothing is flat. I want to get my Olympic under 3 hours. Yes pool is hard to really use for training. It's not the same and anytime I do open water, I'm sucking water but no issues in the pool. I think part of my swim is mental.

I try to run on grass, dirt, gravel or something besides pavement when I run. I feel it in my joints much more running on asphalt. Some say shoes make a difference. I have 3 pairs now and went through 2 others, I do see some differences but also depends on what I run on. My issue with running is I get bored and don't enjoy it much. Riding is so much more freeing. That is awesome you have been able to do all of that! My hat is off to you especially in your older ages. I have been overweight most of my life and looking to just be healthy. I don't need to be skinny, just happy and healthy. My body weight probably doesn't help with the enjoyment of running though.

Thanks! Yes swim is my weakest event and I defiantly lose time on there, I have the same thought on losing a little time there isn't bad as I have plenty of time to make it up. This last Tri I focused a lot more on running to be good/better at 2 of 3 events. How was the step up to FIM? That seems like a huge step. My uncle did 1 FIM and he tells me I need to focus on my swim as it is my weakest and not very efficient on my glide.

I just did a sprint in Long Beach a couple weeks back. I've spent a lot of time (relatively speaking) in the pool this summer and it absolutely paid off. It was just a sprint, but my swim time was under 19 minutes. That translates to just about 2 minutes per 100 meters. Prior to putting that much time in the pool, my times were much closer to, if not more than, 3 minutes per hundred meters. I will say I absolutely felt it when I got out though.

But when I train in the pool I'm focusing very specifically on my stroke. I don't swim multiple consecutive laps, but I do it that way intentionally. I swim one lap, there and back, 50 meters, rest and stretch before the next lap. Again, I'm very specific about that because my goal is not simply improve just my endurance but muscle memory so that even as I tire, I still have the same stroke.

There's a triathlon in Santa Barbara at the end of the month. I haven't committed to it yet, but I'm strongly considering it. This is longer than a traditional Olympic, and it would be the longest triathlon I've done to date. It's longer than an Olympic but shorter than a half Ironman, I'm calling it a 1/4 Ironman.

Wow, I'm from HB. I did the OC Tri in May, much harder than my first one. That's much faster than me on the swim. I need to focus like that in the pool. I have done more for endurance, not as much on my stroke. I did focus on breathing before my first tri and that took a lot of time. More time is defiantly needed.

Best of luck if you do the Santa Barbara Tri. That's crazy it's that in-between unless that's common and I haven't seen it yet.

Anyone from NY?

I will probably do the long course in Santa Barbara this summer but that's probably the only one I'll do in Cali this year. San Fran is a little too far for me to travel.