Are you interested in doing an Ironman?

Are you interested in doing an Ironman? If the answer is yes, then do read on! We have some excellent information for anyone considering taking on this tough challange. Ironman coach, Julian Nagi has put together the below information pack. For further infomation, please contact Julian directly at juliann@theparkclub.co.uk

Ironman – Choosing The Right Race

Taking on the challenge of an Ironman for the very first time is a hugely daunting prospect, there are so many factors to take into account it can leave your head in a total spin. It really is an area that requires considerable thought to ensure you have the best experience possible. All too often I’ve seen people that are drawn to exotic locations in the hope that they might get hot weather and a great sun tan without ever considering what the potential disadvantages of this could be. An Ironman is tough enough, throw in hot conditions without being used to racing and training in this heat and you could be asking for big trouble. We are all unique and have individual needs when it comes to racing and training. Weather and climate should be one of the many factors that you take into account when choosing your first Ironman race. Planning and preparation are key to ensuring a great first experience and this should happen before you actually start your training. Each race will have advantages and disadvantages and you will have to spend some time thinking each option through. Below are some of the factors that you might want to consider when making your decision.

Course type

There are 22 Ironmans around the world that are raced over a total distance of 140.6 miles and each one is very different. They can be hot, cold, hilly, undulating, flat, wet, humid, and so on. They all have a certain personality that will appeal to some but not to others. It is essential to look at your own strengths and weakness to see if a particular course suits your abilities. You will find all the information you need regarding the course type and profiles on each race website, this can be found at www.ironman.com (then click on events). Be sure to read the profiles correctly as they tend to use different measurements which can be misleading, if in doubt speak to someone that has already done the race for advice.

Sea swim

A sea could be one of the toughest options to go for if you are not a confident swimmer. There is a chance that there could be strong currents and even large swells if the weather conditions are poor, but on the flipside the day could be a beautiful one and the water might be flat as a pancake. If in doubt then avoid this type of swim but if you are a good or strong swimmer this should pose very few problems. If you do decide to go with this option then just remember you need to practice in the sea before you race, the more practice you get the more confident you will be come race day.

Lake swim

This will be the easiest swim option due to the fact that there are no (or very little) currents and certainly no swells unless the weather conditions are atrocious. There has only been one time that a lake swim was cancelled on the day of an Ironman and that was in New Zealand in 2007. The weather was so bad that there was a 3 foot swell in the lake, forcing the race organisers to turn it into a duathlon. Sometimes you just can’t plan for these things!

Bike courses

When choosing your race, one of the two most important factors you need to consider is the bike profile, the other is the run profile. This is the part of the race that takes the longest to complete so be sure that you don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you are a very weak climber then avoid hilly courses and go for a flatter course or one that is slightly undulating. If you are a strong climber or the type of person that relishes the challenge of a tough bike course then a hilly bike course might be the right option for you. If you are an average cyclist then go for an undulating or flat course. It is also worth considering what body type you have when choosing a particular race. Generally, the lighter, leaner and smaller athletes will be able to cope with climbing hills more efficiently on the bike or run. If you consider yourself a tall, heavier athlete then you might be better suited to a less hilly course where your power can be more efficiently used. That being said, there are plenty of taller, heavier athletes out there that are exceptionally strong on the hills. Its all down to confidence and ability, so if you know that you dread going up and down hills then steer clear of the hard bike and run courses. The key factor here is that you will be racing over 112 miles so find a course that suits your abilities or best relates to the type of training territory you are able to train on. There’s no point doing a flat ironman bike course if you live in a mountainous area with no flat sections to train on and vice versa. You have to make all your training specific to your chosen race, this makes race day preparation a whole lot easier.

Run courses

There are also a whole variety of different run courses depending on which Ironman you choose and again, this is a hugely important area to consider. An Ironman is tough enough as it is, so you can imagine how much tougher this becomes if you throw in a hilly run course at the end! Only the strongest of runners should consider this as a first option and those that simply love running up and down hills (they are out there!). For most people a flat or slightly undulating course would be ideal. The run is, without doubt, the hardest part of an Ironman so the flatter the course the better. Each course will also have a different structure for the 26.2 miles. Some will be out and back, others will be laps (this is helpful with pacing) but each one will test you in slightly different way so give some thought to what type of run will suit you.

Home or abroad?

With the increased popularity of Ironman racing around the world there are some amazing destinations to choose from when doing your first ironman. One major downside to going abroad is that financially it’s going to hit you harder. There’s no getting away with it - doing an Ironman can be expensive. This is going to be a major factor in most peoples race choice. Race entry, equipment, training camps, hotels, flights, bike carriage all need to be factored in before making your decision. If you want to keep costs down then early planning and booking is essential. If you decide to go abroad then make sure you book your accommodation as soon as possible so that you get your first choice at the price you can afford. There’s nothing worse than leaving it all too late and finding that the only rooms available are at the only 5 star hotel in town. Be warned, races fill quickly and so does the limited surrounding accommodation if you are not in a major city. Get in quick and just remember you’ve only got yourself to blame if you leave it to the last minute.

Flights should also be booked ASAP to get the biggest savings possible and remember to factor in bike carriage, this is a perfect example of a hidden cost. Most airlines will charge extra for taking a bike and bike box and the cost will vary from airline to airline. So if you’re thinking of going abroad you are going to need a new bike bag or box (a box ideally as they are much stronger and safer) and these can be quite expensive. You can usually also hire them from certain bike and tri shops, you then need to contact the airline ASAP so that you know their conditions for bike carriage. Let them know well in advance that you will be taking a bike box as it needs to be booked in on your flight booking. Also let them know the exact dimensions and total weight of the bike box and bike.

If abroad, you also need to give thought to how you are going to transport your bike box to your accommodation as this might be a considerable distance from the airport. If you don’t decide to use a taxi or bus then hiring a car is always a good option and can quite easily be arranged when you book your flights, just be sure to check that it has adequate space to carry a bike box as they can be very large and wont fit in all vehicles - especially if there are others in your group with bike boxes too.

Other factors such as jet lag should be considered if you’re going long haul, so it’s a good idea to get out there as early as you can so you can settle into the new time zone as fatigue will be an issue for at least a few days.

Food is also an important factor to consider because if you are used to using certain food products which you know work well for you when racing then you shouldn’t expect them to be available if you are travelling abroad. Your best bet is to take as much as possible with you. The last thing you want to do is to unsettle your stomach prior to racing. I’ve seen it and experienced it myself in the past. It’s also a good idea to contact your hotel to see what type of foods they supply if you are relying upon them for food.

If you are going to a hot location its always wise to make sure you have air conditioning in your room to help you sleep. I stayed in a hotel at Ironman Austria in 2005 that didn’t have air conditioning when the average daytime temperature was above 35 degrees celsius and 23+ at night. I barely slept a wink as the heat was unbearable. Be sure to check for this when booking hotels or accommodation if you think this might be an issue for you, even it does cost that little bit extra - comfort is paramount.

As you can see there are many factors to be considered if you decide to go abroad but don’t let this put you off because most people have an amazing experience when travelling and racing in a new country. The most important factor is to be thorough in your preparation so you know what to expect when you get out there. Leave no stone unturned and make provisions for all situations.

Obviously a home country first Ironman has a huge number of advantages. Firstly, cost is reduced considerably which is a huge bonus. The money saved here could be put to much better use by buying that new piece of equipment that you’ve always wanted or you could put it towards doing a triathlon training camp abroad which will inevitably take your fitness to the next level. With a home country Ironman you also have the opportunity to go and train on the course as much as you like, this is essential to achieving peak performance. Never underestimate what course knowledge can do for your confidence when racing, the better you know the course the more efficient you will be when you race. What this also allows you to do is to make all of your training specific to the type of course you will eventually race on. Another advantage is that friends and family are much more likely to be able to come and support you on the big day. It can be empowering and confident boosting when you see a familiar face cheering you on, just when you are thinking of giving up.

Time of year

When choosing your ironman race it is essential that you consider how the time of year of your chosen race will affect the quality of your training. This is all dependant on where you live in the world so you need to understand the seasons and how they affect your training. When you consider your annual training plan you actually have to work backwards from your chosen Ironman race date and design your training and scheduling of races accordingly. It is important to remember that you will be doing your largest volume of training in the 3 months leading into your race date so its important that these months don’t fall in line with the coldest months of the year where you live. The training is hard enough for an Ironman but imagine having to do all your big training sessions in wet, cold, icy conditions! You are going to really struggle and the motivation to get out there will be low. These are also very dangerous conditions for training and could lead to a nasty fall. Whatever race you choose, make sure you have a good climate in which to do those big months before your ironman race. It will make the experience so much more enjoyable and safer.

Over the years I have spoken to numerous athletes that I coach in the UK that have wanted to do Ironman New Zealand or Ironman China, both of which fall in March every year. Living in the UK the coldest months of the year tend to be from November through to March, so affectively when you think of the whole training period for an Ironman which is usually 7-8 months, all of their training would be done through the winter which is pretty tough going and far from ideal. Most change their minds when I point this out but that’s not to say its not possible, because if the urge to do a particular race is strong enough you will have the motivation to get out there and do it in all conditions. However, if you’re one of those people that gets on the turbo as soon as its wet and cold outside then training through the winter months might not be for you.

You will also be at a much higher risk of picking up illnesses (colds, flu, chest infections) due to lowered immunity from training during this period. I see it year after year and the fact is that clients who are training during the winter months spend a larger amount of time ill. This can be hugely frustrating as it interrupts your training programme, not to mention unhealthy for your body and mind.

As I’ve mentioned above, look at the race date, work back and make sure you set the year up so that it all works well for you.

Half Ironman

It is essential that you factor in doing half ironman about 8-12 weeks before you do your Ironman (you can do it closer but the earlier the better is ideal to ensure adequate recovery). This is a major part of your build up where you will be able to test pacing and nutrition strategies, it will also take your confidence to a new level if you perform well and if you don’t, you then have time to make changes in your approach for your big day. You will find a full listing of 70.3 races at www.ironman.com (click on events). You should also be aware that there are many other Ironman & half ironman distance races out there, these include the hugely popular Quelle Challenge races in Roth and now Barcelona – see www.challenge-roth.com & www.challenge-barcelona.com.

Weather and climate

It is very important that when considering your first ironman race choice that you look at what the expected weather and climate of the actual race day might be. Some races tend to be very hot, others have a milder climate and some can be very cold (Norseman would be good example of this). Ask yourself what weather conditions you prefer and what in conditions you have raced successfully in the past. Then try and find a race to suit, all this information will be present on the race website you just need to make the effort to find it. There is absolutely no point in choosing a race that’s going to be very hot if you know you perform appallingly in hot temperatures. Temperature can really make or break a person’s race and you have to prepare yourself accordingly. If you expect it to be hot then you have to factor this into your training and nutrition plan and this is where a good coach will help you. The worst thing you can do is not to prepare yourself and then wonder why you didn’t finish or performed poorly.

It should also be said that sometimes you just can’t plan for the weather. Sometimes they get it right and it follows a pattern from previous years and sometimes you just get freak years.

The key factor is to get online, speak to people that have done the races and do your homework and always remember the 6 P ‘s – Perfect, Preparation, Prevents, Piss, Poor, Performance.

Race entry date!

One thing's for sure with the ever growing popularity of Ironman, races are filling extremely quickly so you need to know what date race entry opens. There’s nothing worse than setting your mind on a particular race only to find out that its already full. Ironman Florida, for example, fills in about 3 hours after race entry goes live a year in advance and most of the popular races will be full in 1 –2 days. Some races (usually the hardest races) take much more time to fill. Races like Ironman France and Lanzarote are good examples of this. You should also remember that all races are now filling extremely quickly however small, so if you intend using a set or races for your preparation then you should enter them ASAP and avoid being disappointed.

At the end of the day each person will have different reasons for choosing certain Ironman races, some people want to do a fast course that will hopefully result in a fast time, others relish the challenge of the hardest Ironman courses and consider time to be insignificant. Some want the glitz and glamour of say, Ironman France in Nice whereas a different person might want a pancake flat course like Ironman Florida. Whatever your motivation, there will be a course to suit you and your goals. You just need to make the effort to find it. No Ironman is easy but you can make the whole journey and experience much easier and enjoyable by considering the factors listed above.

Most importantly, speak to people that have done these races and whose opinion you trust. Ask lots of questions so you start to build up a picture of what a race experience might be like. Then, if you start to get a really good feeling about a particular race then go for it and be ready online with your credit card as soon as the race entry is open!

Good luck!

Julian

• Julian Nagi
• BA (Hons)
• BTF Level 3 Coach
• Premier Diploma in PT & Sports Injuries Therapy.
• www.firstironmancoaching.com

New Members

020 8740 4599