IM Louisville

[kevin]

I just started the 36 week plan for IMlou. I am doing the first two weeks twice(couldnt wait to get started). Is anyone doing Louisville and has anyone done it in the past with mikes pragram? Just wondering how results have been. Thanks to mike for the great site and support.

[Laurie Belcher]

I am also training for IM louisville and using the 36 week plan. I'm doing some of the workouts in the first 2 weeks of plan just to get used to the time I will be spending on training. I'm changing it around some due to work schedule and using my masters practice for the swims. I've heard only good things about this program. I couldn't wait to start training either!

[TriMom]

Hi Kevin

I did IM Lou last year and will be doing it again in 2009. I used Mike's program, and will use it again. I went through all my training and race season injury free. I totally give credit to Mike's program. I am not sure where you live, but we're in northern Wisconsin, so I made sure to get used to the heat. A lot of time spent in the sauna.

Good luck and keep in touch! There is an IM LOU group on this site as well!

Kim

[kevin]

Thanks for the input. I live in michigan, I will be riding the course a couple of time this summer, I have family a few hours from louisville. Do you think the sauna helps? Do you just sit there?
Kevin

[TriMom]

Hey Kevin

Sorry I am replying so late. As far as the sauna helping I would have to say a big YES! I live in Wisconsin, so living in Michigan you know...a lot of snow, and cold weather. A friend of mine who has done Louisville 2 times, and qualified for Kona both times gave me the tip. I really make it an effort to get in the sauna at least 4 times a week. I will try and schedule it right after a work out, as it seems to help with recovery, and overtime I really got to enjoy it. I've had some bad experiences with heat in the past, and didn't have any last season, so I will follow the same thing again. Hope training is going well.

[Steven T. McLean]

Hey TriMom,
Tell me more about this sauna thing. I too live in MI so I am in the cold as well. Do you exercise in the sauna to get the HR up or are you just sitting in the sauna to get used to the heat and humidity? How often and for how long each time?
Thanks, Steve

[kevin]

Did some more looking and ran across this from the Badwater site.

http://www.badwater.com/training/webbonheat.html

There seems to be quite a bit of info on heat training within the site. Seems if it works at Badwater might be worth the read. Hope it helps.
Kevin

[Steven T. McLean]

Thanks for the info.
Steve

[Steven T. McLean]

I just started the plan for IM Louisville as well. I too could not wait to start so I did week 1 for 3 weeks. I did not train every day as I was trying to slowly get used to this much training. I just started week 3 of the plan yesterday. I feel great so far. I am mostly a runner so I am really working on swimming and cycling technique. I have had trouble with plantar fasciitis in the past related to over training for a marathon. I still have a nagging pain in the left foot but it is tolerable. I am hopeful that this plan will keep me injury free. There are 2 other people in my area who are signed up for Louisville as well. I do know one person who has done this race in the past and he says it is usually very hot. He also noted that the bike route is quite hilly.

[Laurie Belcher]

I live around the Louisville area.It will be hot and HUMID and the course will be continuously hilly.My biggest obstacle will be running in the heat. I have a nagging IT band injury, so I may train for the marathon using the run/walk method to be on the safe side. Good Luck!

[Scott Perschke]

I did Louisville in '07. Love the swim start but not the river itself, the bike is hilly but rolling, only 1 or 2 longer climbs. Similar to the region I live in (north of Baltimore). The run is very flat. It is all HOT! I'm going to Lake Placid this year, hoping it won't be sooo hot there.

[Brian Teller]

I'm in week 15 of the training regiment listed here. Hopefully Ironman Louisville's heat won't beat me down too much. However, I know from past marathon runs, I wither in the heat. I will be focusing on adapting as much as possible to the increased humidity and temps. Anyway, I'm going to do a 1/2 iron distance in Prospect, KY, which is outside of Louisville, so I can get a feel for the area.

Also, are people doing a lot racing to get ready for this Ironman? Since it's in late August I've signed up for 2 - 1/2 iron distances, 3 - olympic distance tri's and a marathon. I'm figuring that beginning in April, I'll do at least one - B/C level effort race.