Hawaii Ironman - Preparing to Hurt, Hawaii Style

Howdy, been a while since the last blog, good signs I have been doing more training and less talking!

With 12weeks to race day, I have ramped up the duration and intensity over the last few weeks. Memories of the work put into Hawaii campaigns past, and the imminent month of October closing fast has me training consistently harder and longer.

The best Ironmen and women who qualified top of the class at Ironman’s worldwide will be there. The age group ranks run very deep, and most have come to RACE the Hawaii Ironman, not just complete it, as is the case in most other events!

My age group (40-44) is always one of the strongest, filled by lads with loads of strength endurance, and also a number of ex pros coming back after a hiatus from family commitments etc. I expect that the winner in my category will go sub 9:00hrs.

Looking back on my 2experiences of racing Hawaii, they couldn’t be more different.

I’ve seen the best and worst that Hawaii can throw our way, which helps me prepare for all eventualities.

I had a solid race in my first on a pretty temperate day, no big moments, it was relatively calm, and it clouded over for the run, a dream day really, swam well, rode well, and ran well.

The second time though was a different matter, with the trade winds howling, it was a massive battle all day. I remember resorting to laughing when I wasn’t hanging on for grim death in the gusty side winds on the return to Kona. With 20k to go on the bike and I felt like I was going at 20km/h, the winds were so strong and gusty. I jumped off the bike, but my back was toast, as I had chosen to hold on in the aero position against the wind, vs. sitting up like a lot of the other pro’s did. I hung on for a very slow run. When I finished, I think I swore never to put myself through that again, it wasn’t fun, it just hurt.

Let’s just say that a cushy qualifier in New Zealand and a Hawaii Ironman when it’s kicking are worlds apart. I actually do worry sometimes for the guys that qualify at a race like Busso when they have never done Hawaii before, dead pan flat, then going to Hawaii with the rollers and the weather.

My body over the past 6weeks has been procrastinating quite a bit, with niggling strains slowing my progress as I tried to ramp up the training. But I am not 29yrs anymore, so it’s something I just have to factor in, and be better with my prehab. Finally though, it looks like its back in the groove I’ve and hopefully sorted it all out and am ready to train like I should with no further issues.

Right now it’s all about readying the body to hurt for 9:00hrs. Being not blessed with lots of speed or power, I have to rely on my aerobic fitness and leg strength. In other words I have to bullet proof the body to handle the course and the wild weather that the Big Island can throw at us.

I am going into the hardest phase of my training, with 2 to 3 key sessions a week of aerobic threshold training for bike and run, the sustained chewing nails style intensity sessions. These are not fun, and before the set I can get quite antsy as I know how much I will push myself and how much it will hurt. I couple this with some aerobic power fartlek training, to get the zip in the legs to handle the rollers on course on the Queen K. The Tan Track and Kew Boulevard are the perfect training grounds for the rollers of Hawaii, so getting to know them quite well....AGAIN!   

Our team also had a pleasant surprise too a few weeks ago. Another one of my athletes qualifying for Hawaii, with Jo Coombe ripping her race at Ironman France, with a 1:18hr pb. I am not often surprised by an athlete’s performance, but Jo had one out of the box, but it was no fluke. Jo trained the house down; her commitment to the task over a long prep was what made her fly on race day.

This was a real fillip for me as a coach and athlete 4months out from Hawaii.

It reminded me that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

Kristy and I have Yeppoon in 4weeks, it will be a good hit out for us.

Then will come some acclimatization in Northern Australia to get used to the heat that we will see in Kona.

Anyway back to training

Foz and (Kristy and Joey)