Hawaii Ironman World Championships 2008: The 1st Kona Update

Leading up to this year's 2008 Kona event, I'd like to post my training as an attempt to keep myself honest and give you, the reader, a bit of an inside glimpse at my personal training regimen.

This trip to Poland (see previous post, written in a vodka-fogged state, but thoroughly spell checked) was my "last hurrah" before jumping into my Kona training hardcore. As is the bane of many an Ironman triathlete, I am somewhat concerned about one injury that crept up during Ironman Canada on August 25 - a hamstring strain.

The strain related inflammation has subsided, but it has now been eight days since the race, and I cannot climb stairs without a sharp stabbing pain in the left lateral knee (close to IT band attachment), cannot run for more than two minutes, and cannot ride a bike without the same sharp stabbing pain. I still have 2 days before arriving back into the States to begin my training for Hawaii, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed, icing, stretching, and staying off my feet. I will also visit the doctor when I get home.

Based on anticipating another week before the leg is ready for heavy bike volume, and the fact that I am already signed up for a couple more races before the big day, here is the tentative plan for Hawaii:

Week of August 31 (return from Poland on Sep 3):
Run (Thu/Fri): Light 20-30 minute aqua jogging or outdoor jogging, depending on knee status.
Bike(Thu/Fri): Very light 30 minute spin session. 4-5x 90s accelerations on Friday's workout to test knee.
Swim (Thu): 500m warm-up, 10x100 on the 1:45
Swim (Fri): 500m warm-up, 20x50 on the :45-50
Race (Sat): Palouse Sprint Triathlon
Endurance (Sun): 75lap endurance ladder or 1 hour open water swim, 2 hour light ride depending on knee, 90 minute run

Week of Sep 7
Run: 3-4 45-60 minute runs (depending on whether cycling is possible yet): at least 1 mile-repeat workout, 1 hill repeat workout, and one 90-120 minute run "off the bike" on the weekend if not racing Black Diamond Half Ironman.
Bike: Dependent on knee. Need to do 6-12 minute long tempo hill repeats to prep for Kona, likely on backside of Argonne (total, 75-90 minute workout). Will also be doing higher intensity VO2 max workout indoors (1-4 minute intense intervals, 60 minute workout) with humidifier/heat fan. If knee is good, will try to ride 3-4 hours on the weekend.
Swim (45-60 minutes each): 1: 400-800m interval sets; 2: 100m sprint repeat/skills workout; 3) 60 minute endurance or pool open water swim
Race: May race Black Diamond Half Ironman in Seattle. Won this race last year and have free entry. Will probably skip all other workouts this weekend if I race it.


Week of Sep 13: Taper week for National Age Group Championships - sorry, can't share all my secrets. Will train a total of 7-8 hours.

Week of Sep 20 (high volume week):
Run: Will do long run *early* in this week, as soon as legs are recovered from Age Groups. Long run will be 20-22 miles, probably at hottest time of day. Other runs this will be lighter, to maximize recovery. Weekend some speedwork/hill repeats. 4 runs total this week 45-60 minutes long, other than long workout.
Bike: Continued VO2/hill tempo work. Will ride every day this week for 45-75 minutes.
Swim (1 hour each): 1: 300-600m intervals; 2: 100m sprint repeat/skills workout; 3) tempo endurance swim (1000-1500m intervals); 4: open water endurance workout

Week of Sep 26:
Begin Hawaii Taper (late taper, but my fault for racing Age Group Championships). Plane leaves on Oct 4th. 3 hour indoor Computrainer bike ride with full heat and humidity on Oct 3rd. Total training volume for this week 10-12 hours.

Week of Oct 4: Hawaii Taper in Kona. Total workout volume with be 4-5 hours.

If the hammy heals, this should be a good race. Typically, I would try for a couple more volume weeks and a 3-4 week taper, but time is finite!