Called Half
What is a Half Ironman?
What is a Half Ironman?
In the event you have graduated beyond the realm of short course triathlon, you could be looking at upping your workout routine and racing experience beyond the Sprint or Olympic distances to the Half Ironman distance. What considerations should you think about and how should you train for it?
A Half Iron is simply just another type of multisports racing – it’s not necessarily a Herculean feat just because it has the word “Ironman” contained in its name so don’t let that intimidate you. In the Sprint Tri, you swim for 1/2 a mile, ride for 13 miles, and run for 3.2 miles – Not too scary of a proposition for a beginner triathlete. In the Olympic race, you swim just short of 1.5km, saddle up on your bike for 40km and finally run for 6.2 miles. If all that sounds taxing enough, the Half Ironman means swimming for 1.2 miles, biking for 56 miles, and running for 13.1 miles (a half marathon). The next mainstream event that’s harder than this is the “full” Ironman, which is swimming for 2.4 miles, riding for 112 miles, and running for 26.2 miles. (I call this “main stream” since there are other even longer distance triathlons known as “ultra-triathlons”.
Anyone serious about competing in a triathlon or someone that truly wants to test their skills and endurance should think about working their way up to the Half Ironman event. While competing and finishing a Sprint or Olympic event is definitely accomplishment enough, few people seriously consider the Ironman distance – it is truly a large commitment in time and effort! So, planning to compete in the Half Ironman means really pushing yourself to the limit of endurance without having a goal that’s out of your reach.
When you’re ready to step up the training for a Half Ironman, one important thing is to pace yourself in terms of your training schedule. Simply doubling up on your schedule or pushing yourself beyond your limits or skill is not going to properly prepare you. Any experienced triathlete can tell you that for any race – regardless of distance – you need to work on your strength and speed as well as your endurance. Depending on your individual strengths and weaknesses you may need to either work on core and overall strength specific to the swim, bike and run or simply slim down so that you can go the distance without carrying any unnecessary weight. Strength training specific to the triathlon disciplines is also important, but obviously not pushing huge weight in the gym which is not functionally useful for swimming, cycling or running is not efficient use of your time – triathletes are not bodybuilders! To maximize training time, many athletes utilize training tools such as heart rate monitors, run pace monitors, cycling power meters, and even swim “ergometers” so they can monitor their training output over certain distances under different types of training load and guage any fitness gains (or even losses suffering from overtraining or fatigue!). It’s also beneficial to train with a swim coach or masters swim club to help improve your technique in the water or a run group to keep you on track and motivated. A personal trainer that specializes in multisports can also tell you if you need to focus on any specific element that will help your performance on race day – which could also include psychological barriers and not just the physical skills (general race anxiety, fear of open water swimming, fear of failure, etc etc can be a huge limiter for performance.)
Training for and competing in a Half Ironman Triathlon could possibly be one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do, but when you actually complete the event you’ll discover it’s likely one of the most rewarding.
Two and a Half Men Season 3, Episode 5 – We Called It Mr. Pinky
|
|
Coaster Storage Entry Way Console Table/Hall Table, Brown Finish $143.53 Dimension: 38″L x 14.5″W x 31.625″H Finish: Brown Material: Wood Traditional Brown Finish Storage Entry Way Console Table / Hall Table. Hall table crafted from solid wood and veneer construction. Features 2-Door Cabinet for storage. Some Assembly required…. |
|
|
Corelle Livingware 8-1/2-Inch Luncheon Plate, Winter Frost White $3.49 Product FeaturesDishwasher safe for long lasting patternsMicrowave and oven use for versatilityCoordinate with popular corelle dinnerware patternsBreak and chip resistance for carefree durabilityStackability for cupboard space efficiency Amazon.com ReviewExceptionally durable and lightweight, Corelle plates and bowls are known for their superior space-saving stacking and their resistance to chippi… |
|
|
The Pampered Chef Cut N Seal #1195 $16.10 Make crust-free pocket sandwiches for your kids! Simply place filling between two layers of bread, then cut and seal. 3 1/2″…. |
|
|
Be Here $3.49 13 tracks. Saw cut into title spine…. |
|
|
American Classic (Special Edition with Bonus Track, My Buddy) $26.45 Special edition features a bonus track! 2009 release from the Country/Pop icon. American Classic is Willie Nelson’s return to the Great American Songbook, a crossover standards album by the man who invented the genre with his landmark, best-selling 1978 album Stardust, which has been certified five-times Platinum by the RIAA. Produced by Tommy LiPuma and featuring guest duet partners Norah Jones o… |
|
|
Lazarus $14.49 The first single from Germany taken from Porcupine Tree’s 2005 album Deadwing. The Radio Edit for the title track is backed with 2 non-album tracks ‘So Called Friend’ and ‘Half Light’. Atlantic…. |
|
|
1-2-3 Magic – Managing difficult Behavior in Children 2-12 [VHS] $39.99 This 1990 production has been getting good words on Web parenting message boards and for good reason: it works. Dr. Thomas Phelan, a clinical psychologist, developed the program for his own children when they were young and in the thralls of hyperactivity and sibling rivalry. The two-hour show features his explanation of the program interspersed with dramatic scenarios and parent testimonials. T… |
|
|
Sunforce 22005 12-Volt MotoMaster Eliminator Folding Solar Panel $95.00 Imagine being able to charge your cell phone, MP3 player or portable video game console while you catch some rays on the beach. This versatile and portable solar power panel can recharge the batteries on many consumer electronics, or simply power them outright. Sunlinq Folding Solar Power Panels are lightweight, flexible, weatherproof and durable CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) solar cells… |
|
|
BodyGard Pager-Style Personal Protection Alarm with Palm Sized 130dB Alarm, Wrist Strap, Belt Clip, and Emergency Strobe Light $19.99 This little personal alarm packs a punch in the form of a shrill 130dB emergency alarm. It’s palm sized, and a little bulky with a depth of just over a half inch. Size wise, it’s a little smaller than a deck of cards. The reason for the extra girth is so it can accommodate a standard 9-volt battery (battery sold separately). This allows the PPS30 to harness maximum energy to make the alarm ext… |
|
|
Eureka: Season 3.0 $14.06 The first eight episodes from the third season–including “Bad to the Drone,” “Best in Faux,” “I Do Over,” “Here Come the Suns,” and “From Fear to Eternity”–have been collected in a two-disc set. 5 3/4 hrs. total. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English (SDH); deleted scenes; audio commentary; featurette. **8 episodes on 2 discs. 5 3/4 hrs.**… |