My Racine Ironman 70.3 Training Plan

After my training v. working out revelation, I've gotten more focused on what the next few weeks will look like as I approach the 70.2 Ironman triathlon in Racine. I enjoy going to CrossFit twice a week, and I feel like it's making me stronger and more balanced. I'm looking forward to testing out my fitness level later this month at the Egg Shell Shuffle half marathon to see where I stand.

In the meantime, I've tried to create a training plan that incorporates CrossFit, as well as sufficiently prepares me to run several time during the Ragnar Relay.  I reviewed several training plans before melding together my CrossFit workouts with a Tri Newbies plan. I roughly plotted it out on a calendar, which took me a ton of time. E-mail me if you'd like an invite to look at this closer.

A few highlights:

More runs in these pants, please

• On the advice of Steena, I'll be doing many of my runs in the middle of the day. I need to prepare for hot, sweltering, miserable weather.
• In intend to do many of the midday runs on tired legs. Again, this is good practice for what I'll experience race day. It's also great practice for Ragnar.
• The plan calls for CrossFit Endurance workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is my required strength/cross training, which is integral to any type of training (whether you ski, skate, run or play golf, cross training should be a priority. Here's why). 
• I will work out twice a day frequently. On a practical note, I work roughly 9-10 hours a day, so it would be difficult to get up early enough to bike 30 miles and run for 50 minutes. 
• Weekends will be used for brick workouts whenever feasible (a brick is where you do two sports back to back, named as such because your legs will feel like bricks).
• I realize I likely will not complete every workout indicated. That's life. I'm a professional person, not a professional athlete, so all things in moderation.
• While this plan in no way addresses nutrition, I want to stick with a Weight Watchers way of eating.  I'm feeling much more lean after a few weeks of following the outlined eating. More than that, I'm feeling less impulsive around food, which was my main goal in trying this experiment.

  

  Lots of swims in this, too
• Training starts in earnest March 18. I've built a solid base and now is the time to get serious, get focused and get fast.
• Before I get started, I need to get my bike fitted. I bought cycle shoes, the cleats are in the mail and my first formal fitting is in my future.  If you know of a great place to get this done in the Chicagoland area, e-mail me.

My mantra: Intensity/Intent. I want to focus on increasing my intensity and giving this my all. I didn't pay a nearly $300 entry fee to be mediocre, and I'm not getting up at 5 a.m. every day to aimlessly ramble through my workouts. Every session should count and have a purpose, because I am training an athlete, not working out to look a certain way.

I need your advice, feedback and guidance, Internet people.

And luck.

And pixie dust.

And chocolate. Lots of chocolate.