Are you an Elite or pro? just wondering because I thought that race was in September and 15-17 hours seems like an aweful lot of volume to be doing this soon. I usually wont hit 15 hours per week until about 16 weeks out, the up to 20 until 8 weeks out...then taper 3 weeks out. but that is just me.

I would definately re-evaluate the plan you are using, if you are having trouble putting in that type of volume this early, then I would guess that this plan has you ramping up to 35-40 hours per week within 10 months???

If I were you, I would bag the plan, spend a few months in a single sport focus or a few blocks of single sport focus and start about 6 and a half months with a different sort of program. I am doing IMAZ in April and I am not doing that much volume. lets see, this week, I am at about 7 hours, tomorrow another 1.5-2 hours then a big weekend. I also think that Sunday is a bad day for a rest...unless you have other days completely off work/school during the week?

bottom line, this is way to early to start training like that, pick your weekest event swim, bike, or run, and focus on it for a month, train like that is the sport you are training for, after that month, pick another one, mix it up a bit and have some fun because you are gonna peak like a few months early if you are doing that sort of volume now.

First IM?

I don't do Iron distance, but I agree that 17 hours seems awfully high for a race that is 10 months away. I would guess that all but the top-level competitors would burn out pretty quickly at that volume, and the very fact you're asking the question suggests you're not a top-level competitor (no offense, of course!).


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I'd build strength on the bike and get some running miles in plus swimming during the winter, trying do do long easy rides on the trainer is kind of pointless when you have 6 months of outdoor riding weather prior to your event--strength and tempo on the trainer and get outside when it's over 25F and the roads are free of snow, just a couple few hours this time of year for your outdoors rides

Agree with others...now is the time to do strength work and technique improvement. You have plenty of time before you'll need to start doing 6+hr days on the weekend.

I spent $400 on a Tacx flow trainer that provides me with a measurement system for cycling during the winter. I base 3 days a week on the Tacx and record every workout and either improve in watts, less recovery or more duration or I just get off the bike. When I start racing in March, I have the strength to ride hard and have the fitness to start riding 3-4 hour rides (that's all I need for the racing I do) right out of the box.

For the next 4 weeks, you might want to try what I'm doing and see how you like, maybe ditch one of the days if it's too much--

Every other day on the trainer:

Day 1 1 min on 1 min off, high resistence, 50 rpm's. do 10, add a couple per week. Rest a minute when done, do power tempo at 80 rpm's med resistence. Start 25 mins, add 10 mins per week. Warmup 20 mins, cd, whatever. Use a fan, HR should not be all that high.

Day 2 4 x 10 mins, 90 rpm's HR should be below AT. % mins recovery week 1, decrease recovery each week down to a minute.

Day 3 Tempo--below your AT, start 40 mins, go up 10 mins a week.

Do for 4 weeks, then take an easy week. If you have the facilities to do a test (i.e. borrow a powertap, end of the easy week is a good test time)

Go run and swim a lot on other days, if it's not blizzarding go ride 2+ hours outside on one of the weekend days.

WOW, way too many hours, no wonder you are burnt!