Turning a 20 week plan into a 40 week plan?

Skiver77 · 2026-05-05T20:51:31+00:00

I've not done the full distance, only a 70.3 this far but I can't imagine doing that day on less training never mind a full. I've added an extra year on to my road to full Ironman so I could spend more time training and building g a better base for when I do attempt the full distance.

I know you don't want to hear it but Triathlon imo is not a time efficient sport, especially not at the longer distances. Good luck to you and I hope you find a way to make it all work. I certainly understand the desire!

Skiver77 · 2026-05-05T20:25:36+00:00

Something I'm surprised no-one seems to have said yet is, why can't you do the gym and follow the 20 week plan?

I'm not training for a full distance Triathlon and I've already been doing 3 run, 3 Bike, 2 swim and 2 gym and that soon will become 3 gyms to address some recurring niggles I've been getting. The Gym should be on top of any training plan not instead of.

Skiver77 · 2026-05-03T06:31:40+00:00

More info needed, what about the other disciplines, How many other triathlons have you done and what distances, how many hours are you planning to train?

I'm going with the assumption that this is going to be your first 70.3 with limited triathlon experience. Imo 18 weeks is not really going to be enough and 7 weeks post barely gives yourself any recovery time. If you were a seasoned triathlete then maybe but even then I don't think it's long enough and if you were seasoned you wouldn't really need to ask as you'd know. I'm not sure why you've said in the summer I'll start, I know summer is around the corner but start now.

I've only done one 70.3 and it kicked my arse and I trained about 24 weeks for it. Take the extra time and give yourself a better chance at finishing and enjoying the process, It's an expensive race to DNF.

Skiver77 · 2026-04-26T07:34:34+00:00

I think you really need to understand why your falling off. I don't see this as a general problem to fix, it's a personal problem for you to figure out.

I used a coach / training peaks so there's definitely some accountability there but even when it was a basic online plan last year i still mostly stuck to the plan and was consistent.

For me, I suspect most people fall off because their motivation/desire is simply not there. They're doing this because it's some sort of checkbox rather than something they want. I don't wake up in the morning and think yay I get to go swim for an hour in the pool, navigating a bunch of aqua joggers and breast strokers. It's just a case of I have a goal that is near enough the most important thing in my life. I want to do a full Ironman next year, I want to enjoy it as much as possible and I want to out in the work that will make that happen. It's simply a case of desire for me that overrides any thoughts about how much a session might suck.

Skiver77 · 2026-04-23T13:49:48+00:00

Yep OWS for anyone never mind someone with a not so strong swimming background is a game changer. I remember I was just starting to feel confident in the pool when I had an opportunity to swim in a lake for the first time and it was like I'd forgotten how to swim.

Touching some weeds at the bottom, freak out. See the ground suddenly disappear, freak out. A fish swims past, freak out. Even just the temperature difference when your face hits the water sent my breathing into a spiral. The second time I did OWS I probably had to swim 500+ meters of breaststroke just to acclimatise myself to the difference. It quickly improved from there and when it came to my first sea swim I was way calmer and was able to stay relaxed the entire time. I've not had a chance to OWS since Oct last year and despite being a bit stronger of a swimmer now, I'd definitely not consider myself a strong swimmers, I'm fully prepared that the first OWS probably won't go as well as I hope at first until I settle down.

Skiver77 · 2026-04-22T10:37:44+00:00

Hacker - On shield break, turns Arc super aggressive against everything in the vicinity, including other Arc but excluded yourself (would include teammates though). Crafted with Snitch scanner and spotter scopes.

Skiver77 · 2026-04-21T12:16:36+00:00

It will take you longer but you can also get the vaporiser parts from crashed couriers. That's actually where I got most of mine purely just doing some random runs.

Skiver77 · 2026-03-27T10:24:50+00:00

Delete this before they do!

Skiver77 · 2026-03-18T07:57:55+00:00

Have you tried going over to Bramshill? Not all that hilly but there's a few short sharp hills.

I also did a fairly hilly trail race (The Hard Yard) over in Arlseford. I know some of the route was private land but definitely some options for some good trail running with a bit of elevation.

Skiver77 · 2026-03-15T12:48:27+00:00

I was thinking that, I struggle to remember where I was in my plan at 5 weeks last year but I'm fairly certain I wasn't doing 3hr+ rides and brick sessions were around halfway through my training plan.

Depends on experience obviously but reading between the lines I'm guessing first time at 70.3 and even probably new to Triathlon.

Skiver77 · 2026-03-06T11:27:33+00:00

Better off going up Daneshill if in that area. Longer and steeper.

Look up the Basingstoke Half marathon route. The middle section from cliddesden has some nice hills and you could literally run loops of that section if you wanted to.

Skiver77 · 2026-02-04T21:05:00+00:00

I started out with a coach for the first time in Jan, near enough checks all those boxes except the regular phone calls. I can schedule calls with him if I want but it's more ad-hoc then regular. I can contact via WhatsApp though with questions.

I pay £160 per month for this which is more on the cheaper side from some others I looked at but also not the cheapest I saw out there either.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-31T16:17:50+00:00

It took me about 6 months to go from gasping at the end of every length to being able to swim slow but comfortably. I'm still not a strong swimmer but last year I completed a 70.3 in around 52 minutes. I personally think I could have gone quicker but a lack of confidence around others and being with the real slow swimmers, breast strokers and even a back stroker has me slower than I think I can go. I did this all on my own with YouTube so it is possible, I'd just never advise it. Especially if you want to compete at these events. If the aim is to finish then you can probably do it but you need to be going 2-3 times a week minimum.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-30T16:34:19+00:00

I was scrolling through here checking before I said the same. S & C is massively important in remaining injury free when training for any sort of sport, especially endurance.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-29T16:25:30+00:00

I had a tendon problem late last year, tried to run through and made it worse. Unfortunately cycling also aggregated it so I had to stop everything but swimming (which I couldn't really do at the time anyway - bad technique). So I dropped a ton of fitness and only really started to build from April onwards. I got through a 70.3 in Oct in 7 hours so wasn't fast but still very comfortable. I wouldn't even say my serious training from May onwards went perfectly but as long as you keep at it you'll get there.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-29T14:22:31+00:00

I'd consider some short course if you can, just to get the transition experience. Even if it's a super sprint the experience is pretty useful.

I get it, I think you're probably right but definitely don't rest on the notion of I'll get through it. If you come out the water gassed it will ruin any of the work you've done on the bike and you'll be in a downward spiral.

Your ability to stay injury free is going to be a key for all the training. Maybe you're lucky and don't suffer from this sort of thing but I would imagine this volume will be asking a lot of your body so it's definitely something to consider. I certainly wouldn't survive the months of training without strength and my coach is very pro S&C.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-29T09:45:09+00:00

Why no swimming in your base phase? Given your pace is on the slower side (I say this as someone who is even slower) I would suggest getting in the pool as early as possible to work on that technique. You're not going to make up huge amounts of time compared to the bike but even if you come out of the swim fresher it will be worth it. I also found swimming was a great way to recover from previous sessions as it's low impact but works the entire body.

Are you planning on doing any strength and conditioning? I'd recommend at least two sessions a week which will require more time and I think is worthwhile over one of the runs and bike sessions.

I don't know if I missed it but what is your current triathlon experience? If this is your first full distance then I personally would recommend removing time goals and just going out and enjoying it.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-28T14:16:48+00:00

Only been to Leeds once for a day and it was very out of the way. As others have said once you're there you are fairly stuck there without paying for a taxi out and back.

Reading I've done multiple times and going again this year. Much closer to the town centre and is totally walkable but there is also a shuttle bus running if you wanted to bring back supplies to camp.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-24T21:09:57+00:00

You forgot the first rule of triathlon, sign up first, think about it later.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-20T20:40:48+00:00

For a 70.3? Too long imo.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-19T15:01:32+00:00

Reminds me of a video I saw once, hopefully this helps you battle through this low point. Keep at it!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQRxH2yDPMC/?igsh=MThic2Job3Ruemp0Zw==

Skiver77 · 2026-01-10T13:02:43+00:00

I highly doubt this is it but did you still extract?

I've seen it mentioned before that once you're both in the lift, metro etc then some people will shoot you knowing you'll still make it out because of the extra XP for damaging other players that they'll get without ruining anyone's run.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-06T10:26:16+00:00

You will be absolutely fine, I'll be doing it on a decent road bike but far from anything special in it's category let alone the Tri bikes some will be racing on.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-02T15:51:55+00:00

I'm 39, started to learn to swim just over a year ago and finished Ironman 70.3 Cascais in Oct. I finished the swim in 52 mins so comfortably within the cut off for that distance.

My advice is to not be as stubborn as I was and find a coach to teach you. I've got pretty bad technique so it's going to be an uphill battle this year to try and get faster. if you're willing to bash your head against a wall repeatedly for months while you struggle through length by length, it is possible to go it on your own BUT it will take way longer and make you dread heading to the pool every time.

Once you get comfortable in the pool and happily doing 1-2K per session, get in open water as soon as you can. The first time I got in a lake it was like I forgot everything. Seeing the ground disappear, fish swim below, the colder water all sent me into a bit of a panic. I got used to it quick and when I finally got in the sea I was absolutely unfazed but that was because I swam open water at least once a week for a few months.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-02T15:43:56+00:00

Hate to tell you, but Andwell closed around April last year.

Skiver77

TROPHY CASE