Targets To Reach Before Entering Ironman Lanzarote 2015

In Which I Set My Targets High (And Far)

I’ve had a good think about where I want to be, fitness wise, before I make a chuffing big investment (financially, and fitnessly, not to mention the time it’ll take!)

At the moment it’s 17 months til Ironman Lanzarote 2015 but I’m sure that’ll fly by, and so want to make the most of each training day/week/month.

For the rest of December I’ll be running/biking like I have been, not pushing anything and enjoying Christmas. As soon as January comes around though, so does the dedication and training. (As soon as Jan 2nd comes around anyway. Not starting on new years day with the hangover I plan to have.)

Entry for Ironman Lanzarote 2015 will be around £370.
Holiday to Lanzarote will be about £350, each. (Suppose I’ll take Sarah.)
Then there’s spending money too, so it’s a big cost when it’s all added together, too much to not give it my all in training!

I figure that if I improve my running by about 10% by May 2014, get more time on my bike and get my swimming sorted then I’ll have a decent base to build on for Ironman 2015.

Here’s what I’m aiming for:

Running
5K in under 23 mins. (Best so far 24:19)
10K in under 50 mins. (Best so far 54:54)
1/2 Marathon in under 2 hours. (Best 02:07:54)

Minimum distance per week:
Jan 10mi, Feb 15mi, Mar 20mi, Apr 25mi, May 30mi.

Cycling
Minimum per week:
Jan 20mi, Feb 30mi, Mar 40mi, Apr 50mi, May 60mi.

One long ride a month (minimum) of:
Jan 10mi, Feb 20mi, Mar 30mi, Apr 40mi, May 50mi.

Swimming
Learn front crawl.
Go swimming at least one a week.
Be able to swim 160 lengths by May. (Best at the minute is about 8…)

Other
Complete 30 day challenge in Jan.
Complete a short distance tri before May.
Save up the Ironman entry.
Be around 13st. (182lbs.) Currently 14st 2lbs (198lbs)

Then, if I can manage all that, I, Marc Hemingway, get to start a 12 month Ironman Lanzarote training plan. Is that a reward? I’m not so sure…

In Other News:
I have been known, from time to time, to talk in my sleep. Normally Sarah says I was muttering and she couldn’t make out the words, but apparently last night I woke her up around 5am by moving around in my sleep.
I then turned over, and said (loudly, according to her):

“THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS WEATHER.”

The Road To The Road To Ironman Lanzarote 2015

In Which I… Oh Dear.

What: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run.
Where: Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote
When: May 2015
Why: I’m wondering that myself…

In the 18 months since I started running, I’ve completed 7 x 10k runs, one 1/2 marathon and 2 full 26.2 mile marathons. I don’t think that that’s too bad for someone who struggled to run to the end of the road a year and a half back!

Not to take anything away from marathons (or any other distance for that matter!) but I’ve done a couple now and wanted to go bigger and go further (literally, it seems) so I decided it was officially time to get another challenge under way.

Ironman.

An Ironman triathlon has been in the back of my mind since I first saw Ironman Tony and Rob finish Ironman Lanzarote in 2012 (which inspired me to take up running in the first place), and I think it’ll be chuffing impressive to finish the same race, especially within 3 years of starting running!

Entry to 2015 doesn’t open until the day after the 2014 event, so I won’t be officially entered til then, which is why I’m on The Road To The Road To Ironman.

Before I enter the race I need to improve all 3 disciplines, running swimming and biking, and have been looking into targets to reach by next May to prove to myself that I have the dedication needed. That’ll then give me 12 months to get proper race fit. (Unless I give up. Or like, die from exhaustion.)

I’ve not finalised my targets yet, but will have them up in a week or so. (Any suggestions welcome!)

Also, Ironman Tony says he’ll help with my training so that’s a start!

Both Nigel and Four Burgers Rob are entering 2015 too, and as far as I know so is Martyn. Plenty of us to keep the motivation going!

Recovering from flu at the minute so not done any training for a week or so (not the best start…) so spending my time reading any and all training/nutrition plans. So far, so inspired!

As always, all advice and/or constructive abuse is welcomed either on here, Twitter, or my Facebook page.

17 months and counting…

Oh poop.