In this article, we discuss some of the basics of swim training for a beginner Ironman. We look at how you can structure your sessions, how many a week and for how long to help you on your way to your first Ironman 226
Training for Ironman can be a daunting prospect, so we’ve put together a how-to guide for the run to get you on the right track to make your first Ironman triathlon as fun and straightforward as possible.
An Ironman triathlon (also known as full distance, 226 triathlon or 140.6 if your old school like us) consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km run. These are completed one after the other, with athletes finishing between 8 (pro’s) hours and 17 (cut off time) hours. The training for this type of event will take some dedication and consists of multiple months of training, with most athletes training six days a week on average with multiple sessions on some days. As you can imagine with the distances and times involved, a good portion of this training will include lots of time swimming, cycling and running, and one of the key sessions for any aspiring Ironman athlete is their long swim, bike and run, which can be up to 6 hours at a time for cycling, which can be a logistical nightmare for a self-coached beginner athlete.
Taking on an Ironman triathlon isn’t always an easy decision and having a well thought out, and structured training plan will make things much easier to fit in around your normal already hectic schedule. Plus, following a training plan has been shown to improve your success rate up to 2x that of an athlete who doesn’t.
Historically most athletes we see regard themselves as poor or average swimmers, and this is usually the one area where athletes, in general, are most worried about. Ultimately the swim only makes up approximately 5% of the overall distance on the day, but it is the one area with some focus and persistence that can make or break your race day. For most athletes improving your technique whilst building your ability to cover the distance is all that’s needed to end up having a great day.
We would advise splitting your sessions between the following (assuming three sessions a week):
One significant addition to these is open water swimming, and all Ironman Swims will take place in open water. You will need to have the confidence to swim in it too. Take a look at what type of swim you have for your event and try to get in a similar environment at 4-6 times before your race. Even getting in open water once or twice before will give you the confidence to complete on race day. For more information, on the sessions we offer on this and help/guidance, email us at [email protected].
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