Can I expect to do this a year from now?

I don't like to race a lot...too much time away from training and to me, a waste of $...races are expensive! Anyhoo-yes, for last' year's IM I did most of the training solo. IM is a very lonely sport. You can't talk while you swim...there's a 4 bike length rule b/w bikes and "no blocking" so you can't ride side by side and chat... The run is where you get to be social if you choose to, but my then you're really tired...then you find someone who is your speed and try to "liven things up" so to speak. The smartest thing I did was invest in a coach...mine is Sheldon Glick out of lantana, FL... I met him "on the internet" and then met him in person...he's been coaching me for over a year! Pretty much...this is my race sequence leading up to IMFL... 1st race: Emerald Pointe sprint triathlon-October 06 2nd: Gulf Coast Triathlon-half iron-May 07 BRAG (Bike Ride Across GA-not a race, but I biked 525 miles in a week!) june 07 3rd: Ackworth Sprint Tri relay (Swim and bike legs-I was injured for run)-Aug 07 emerald Pointe Sprint relay...swim leg-Oct 07 Ironman Florida -November 07 So far, for tri's I've only done the Gulf Coast half iron again...

Sherry,

You have a online coach? All this time I assumed you had a live, in person coach. If its a online coach, how does that work. What are the pro's/con/s of a online coach? How does he check your workouts? How does he help you with lets say, swim technique?

Thanks

Curt

For me it was a COST factor. My coach has done several ironmen...places in his age group...has been sponsored...

The CON...I see him in person maybe once a year

PRO-I talk to him on the phone almost daily...constant email contact, etc.

I use an online workout log to check  the status...he puts up the workouts, I fill in the info on my end.

For swim technique I use a local coach for private lessons when needed.  Edited to add...My coach is $50ish a month...local well-respected coaches are 200+ a month. One of them whom I know personally...and his athletes...he has trouble getting their stuff to his athletes on time. I have zero patience for that.

 

I hate how this site formats responses...I typed mine out and it looked nice,,,then it got all smooshed together. Anyhoo... I've also rode a bunch of centuries as part of training...for IMFL I did them solo, not organized...for LP, I chose the organized route... For IM Arizona in November I'll be doing more solo...

Thanks for all the Info Sherry! It just seems like such a huge step.  I want to do it, it's just the idea of all the training and then failing.  I guess that is what is stopping me.  The idea of being able to do something like that is just so foreign to my body and mind. I'm waiting to hear back from the local tri-club, if they don't get back to me, they have a meeting next thursday, so I'll just show up there and see if I can find any local coaches or a local support group. Thanks again Scott

If you are serious about getting to your goal of an Ironman...I would suggest a personal coach to guide you in your journey. You have to believe in yourself and in your coach. That will get you to the finish line!

Comfort yourself in the fact that you live in California where you have access to some of the best training areas and probably one of the best supported areas for biking and multisport in the country.    Louisiana, as a whole, seems to have an aversion to exercise in general since we are one of the fattest states in the country and lately, in my personal opinion, what seems like the least tolerant states when it comes to bike safety and governmental support of bike / running paths on any of our roads.  My brother and his family live in Davis, CA and I was floored when I got to experience the miles upon miles of bike paths that meandered through the entire city.  I on the other hand try to commute to work one day on my bike and I get a McDonalds cup full of soda thrown at me at 35 mph, multiple close, honking buzzes and two near fights.  All this and I was riding ON the white line!   Heh.   I digress...   What I'm tryin' to say is enjoy California man!   I am tempted to dump my conservative ways and become a peace lovin' hippy and make a move to California.  

A coach will be the next logical step when you want to pursue the longer distances such as a 70.3 or longer.  What a coach will bring to the table is STRUCTURE!  Planned workouts and what to do and when to do it.   My problem earlier this year was I was running too much.  I love the run and after completing my marathon and was transitioning to triathlon I was still training with my running philosophy.   I was doing WAY too much running and not spending enough asstime on the saddle and time in the drink.   Now I don't run nearly as much, I have structure in my swim training and I spend way more time on the bike.  

Anything is possible man.  Just look at the success you had with losing weight.   Take your time and enjoy the races you do to start off.   Multisport is fun and the races are blast.   I've yet to do a tri where I finished and thought it was a 'bad' race.  Unorganized?  Yes.  Tough?  Killer!  Bad?  NO WAY!  It's multisport and what can be better than getting to be a kid again that swims, bikes and runs! 

Now, keep in mind that the bike will probably be a little more expensive than that crappy BMX you had as a kid but I promise you it will be a lot faster!  :)

Best of luck!

Chad