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thines009.
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February 7, 2021 at 6:09 pm #10223
thines009
ParticipantI am 24 weeks out to IM 70.3 Ohio. I am going to start the “maintenance” workouts from the 80/20 Triathlon book. I will do those for the next 6 weeks and then start the 18 week HIM training plan. I am 60-64 age grouper who was never a good swimmer and don’t really care to get any better. I’ll swim 1500 – 2000 once a week but don’t have any interest in swimming more than once a week. The 80/20 plans call for swimming 3 times/week and my question is what can I do during those other 2 days to get a similar metabolic response. Should I just do another run or bike with similar heart rate zones that are called for in the swim on that day, or would I be better off not over-working my legs and do upper body strength work instead.
February 8, 2021 at 6:16 pm #10235David Warden
Keymaster“and don’t really care to get any better…” Oh, man. That made my day. Love the candor!
First, our triathlon plans split the 80/20 intensity balance between the swim and bike/run. Meaning, if you isolate the bike/run you’ll end up with 80/20 easy/hard, and if you isolate the swims you’ll end up with 80/20 easy/hard. This baseline just helps set the stage that your bike/run can be managed separately without messing up the plan.
Therefore, one option is don’t add anything. Just bike and run as scheduled and do your once a week swim. Your bike/run maintain a self-contained plan-within-a-plan
Another option is to level up. Since you’re dropping ~1 hour of swimming each week, go from the Level 1 to the Level 2 70.3 half ironman plan. That will, as you suggest, increase your metabolic response automatically by adding the bike run in the perfect balance built into the higher level plan.
But, I think the best option is to replace those two swim sessions with two strength training session. The hours remain the same, and you’re adding the perfect thing to add for a 60+ year old (strength training). We offer free and premium strength plans that plug in right on top of your 80/20 plan. See https://www.8020endurance.com/plans/strength-plans/
You *could* add an hour more of run and bike, but then you’d have to manage the 80/20 ratios for those extra hours, and frankly the strength training will do better for you than the extra bike and run.
David
February 8, 2021 at 7:28 pm #10237thines009
ParticipantThanks David,
That is really helpful, thank you very much for your thoughtful response. I figured there was no need to beat around the bush on my lack of interest in spending anymore time in the water than I need to. I’m sure if I posted that on the slowtwitch forum I would be told to man up, get in the pool, watch videos, hire a coach, blah blah blah, so I appreciate your judgement free advice.
I will for sure check out the strength plans.
Thanks again.
Tom
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