It was around last summer that A Buyer’s Choice CEO and president Bill Redfern made the decision to ditch fast food in favor of mountain biking. Fast forward a year later and the 46-year-old has already completed three endurance races. These days, Redfern is training for a half Ironman, a goal he set for himself at the beginning of the year. He is on pace to participate in one this fall.
So how does he do it? Although Redfern’s athletic accomplishments might initially seem like an anomaly, by following a few simple guidelines you too can ready yourself for a half Ironman in as little as 20 weeks.
The first thing you’ll want to do is look at a listing of available events in your area. Target an event that’s between five to six months away from the day you begin training and, if at all possible, try to ensure that the half Ironman will take place when the weather is warm, but not brutally hot. Early fall is generally a good time of year to participate in a half Ironman, as the water is still warm.
Amazingly, Bill Redfern completed two international distance triathlons and a half-marathon while combating the blazing Florida sun. But because he trained under race-day conditions, his body became accustomed to them. The lesson here is that if you must race in extreme conditions, train in equally unfavorable ones.
To complete the swimming portion of the race, you must swim 1.2 miles in rough, choppy water. If you’re not comfortable finishing the swim in less than one hour, don’t sign up for an event that imposes strict cutoff times. You should dedicate the first two months to developing proper form and strengthening your core. Don’t push yourself too hard too fast. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, devote one day per week to long-distance swimming and two days to swimming shorter distances at a much faster pace. By doing so your performance will gradually improve and you’ll minimize the risk of overexertion.
The cycling segment is significantly longer than the other two, and therefore typically requires the most dedication. Most professional Ironman competitors favor long, low-intensity workouts over sprints. They also emphasize the importance of building strong, durable leg muscles. Remember, you’re going to need your fresh legs for the running segment. The last thing you need is to push yourself on the cycling segment, only to have your legs give out halfway through the run.
Speaking of the running segment, training for it is very similar to bicycle training. Start with modestly paced, long distance sessions and build up your speed gradually. As a general rule, don’t even think about your speed until you can run for at least an hour without feeling overexerted.
Eventually you’ll come to realize, just like Bill Redfern did, that while training for a half Ironman takes a great deal of dedication, it’s not the impossible task some make it out to me.
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