I'm doing a half Ironman in Dec. I'm a few months into training. It's been very, very hard. This is my first time doing a long race like this. It's been demanding, but fun. Here are a few pros and cons I've had (for anyone looking to get off the couch and try it out!).
-
-
Pro: Doing cardio 10-15 hours a week, sweating that much feels great. Having a goal/deadline made me 10x more disciplined about fitness. Hours in the pool without a phone is my fav. Training is more about nutrition than I thought, so learning about that has been game-changing.
Show this thread -
Pro: Its easy to see gains. I couldn't swim well before this, but I'm surprised how fast I've improved. Feels great. I thought 60 min of cardio was awful. But now that's just the warmup. Makes me proud of myself + expanded what I thought I could do.
Show this thread -
Pro: 10-15 hours is a lot of time, but it's not too bad. 60-90 min on school nights, and 2-4 hours on Saturday/Sunday. My weekends are dedicated to long rides/swims/runs. But it's cool. The alone time is great. The triathlon/weekend warrior community is super supportive.
Show this thread -
But the biggest pro: I hired a coach ($200/monthly). And because I have a goal, I've eliminated fuckarounditis with fitness. I've had this for years. Having a goal, a plan, and accountability...I should have created this setup years ago vs dicking around at the gym for years.
Show this thread -
Ok, now the cons, which are maybe bigger than the pros: 10-15 hours/week doing cardio is not at all the best way to get general fitness. A few hours of weekly cardio and weights would be better for general fitness. Easier. 3-hour bike rides suck and getting it done is an ordeal.
Show this thread -
Cons: It's freakin expensive. $2k bike/gear, $500 wetsuit, $400 watch, $1k random other things. I've actually gained 5 pounds since training. This is common. Burning 2k calories in a workout makes me overeat. Fighting that sucks. Still learning.
Show this thread -
Cons: for power athletes, doing lots of cardio just makes me feel skinny fat (even though I'm not that skinny!). My body would feel better/look better/respond better with 5-10 miles of weekly running along with heavy lifting.
Show this thread -
Cons: For most people, I bet doing fast sprint intervals weekly would be far more efficient and better. But for Ironman stuff, doing that training is a no go, so missing that sucks. Injuries: stress fractures, strains, soreness, feels like I'm teetering injury constantly.
Show this thread -
Ok, that's it. Overall, I'm happy I'm doing this. It's more fun than it is bad, but I don't know if I'll do it again. After, I will 100% create a new goal and get a coach. It's been game-changing vs casual excercise. Anyone have anything to add about their experience?
Show this thread -
1 more note to anyone who's fit now: don't stop. Losing my fitness after college, trying to regain is 1 of my biggest regrets in life. Regaining takes forever. I wish I had kept exercise in my life and maintaining a healthy life vs going from all in to nothing. But was burnt out.
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.