Watching the Hawaii Ironman World Championships broadcast on TV or Youtube, is enough to motivate any triathlete to want to train and complete and Iron Distance event. I have completed there 8 times and was a spector once. Being there live, coaching 3 athletes the months leading up to their day, watching and cheering was enough to want to compete again.

How to Choose Your First Ironman.

 

Before you go sign up for an Ironman event keep in mind the following tips as you start to prepare your body and mind for the training.

Get Started: Motivation
Preparing for an ironman is the first and most important step. During the many weeks of training, you need to develop motivation and an iron-will along with building stamina both mentally and physically. Building a positive mindset and visualize the goal every time you train and expressing your WHY, your reason for training for an Ironman event, will keep you motivated.

Get Started: The Right Gear
Run: Invest in a running gait analysis and purchase the right shoes to ensure that you’re comfortable during the long hours of running to help avoid injury.

Bike: While they are many similarities between bikes, they all fit different. You want to invest in a professional bike fit to the bike you plan to ride hundreds of miles on during your training preparation. Consult with a bike expert or coach to decide if a tri or road bike is right for you and spend money on a bike fit.

Swim: TriSuit, wetsuit, tank and shorts? Shop around now for clothing as some of the popular brands maybe sale. As you get closer to your event, be sure to train in what you plan to compete it.

Extras to bling out your bike: Water bottle cages in front or on the back. A bento box to carry food on your top-tube, race wheels, gamins, power meters and more. All not necessary but will help create the experience.

Get Started: Nutrition
Consult with a coach and or Registered Dietitian who specialized in athletes. Experience in training what nutrition and hydration needs you will race with. I recommend learn and practice with what is offered on the course.  Daily nutrition is different then fuel for training. It is really important to eat a well-balanced day to day combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fats,  and fuel your training with sports nutrition bars, gels, electrolyte drink and sufficient water  during your training to help enhance performance and recovery. The consumption of protein, carbohydrates and good fats is very important as your energy expenditure increases with training. As a rough breakdown, during training, I follow the a diet composted of 65  carbohydrates, 15% proteins and 20% of unsaturated fats.

Get Started:  Training

Ironman training is demanding and breaking your training year into different phases makes is manageable. To minimize the risk of injury, new ironman distance athletes should give themselves at least 6 months to prepare for their first ironman.  Build up the training volume slowly. A general rule is that you shouldn’t increase your distance by 10% in any week. Also, build recovery weeks into your training where you reduce the duration and intensity of your training for a few days to give your body time to recover and strengthen. A progressive training program reduces the chance of you over-training and suffering injury. Plan a mental and physical break from training one day a week as a reality test.

Get Started:  Log

Keep a log of your training progress. This will ensure you can see where you are now, and track where you want to go. You can look back to see how far you have come, vs how far you have to go, which leads to increased motivation to get you to the finish.

Get Started: Recovery and Prevention of Injury
Listen to your body and rest more if you need it. Plan recovery/rest periods during your training, they are just as important as the training itself. This way your body gets a chance to recover, lessening the chances of injury and allows it to grow stronger. You need to pay attention to how your body feels. If you feel pain or fatigue you should rest and not push yourself through the pain. It’s when you fail to read the signs your body is giving that injuries take place.

Get Started: Enjoy the journey
Finishing an ironman is an extremely rewarding experience and the satisfaction you will get is like nothing else.

Whether you are training for your first ironman or participating  in your 20th, follow a progressive training program, to avoid injury and get to the finish line. Focus on your daily nutrition and training fueling plan, follow a structured training program and get adequate sleep. If you do that, you’ll be in great shape.

Wendy Mader is a 15 time Ironman Finisher, 2008 Ironman World Champion and Ironman Certified Coach. View her website at www.t2coaching.com and contact her for more advice t2coachwendy@gmail.com. Check out my coaching and training programs.