# Ask the guy that just finished his first Ironman **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 15, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868 "2010-09-15T17:00:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/1 "2010-09-15T17:00:28Z")
As the title suggests, I just finished Ironman Wisconsin in a time of 13:41:35, and my wife did it in 14:20:12. If anyone out there is considering it, what’s stopping you? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/2 "2010-09-15T17:38:14Z")
Good for you. My Wife did the Madison IronMan last year. Can’t remember her time though. In November it’s off to Tulsa for another one. Last weekend she did the Harvest Moon 70.3 in Aurora Colorado. I just go along for support, and often volunteer. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/3 "2010-09-15T17:41:55Z")
Dude, awesome on you both. I used to do 1/3 scales and would get weak-kneed at the prospect of stringing 3 of them together. So… when’s your next one? ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/4 "2010-09-15T17:42:26Z")
I’m aiming for a “sprint triathlon” next year, if my legs will let me. I really want to at least run a marathon by the time I’m 40. The main obstacle is that I have an issue with my lower legs due to an older injury. I’m only just getting back into running now after over two years of struggling with it. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/5 "2010-09-15T17:42:47Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Good for you. My Wife did the Madison IronMan last year. Can’t remember her time though. > > In November it’s off to Tulsa for another one. Last weekend she did the Harvest Moon 70.3 in Aurora Colorado. I just go along for support, and often volunteer. Volunteers made the race for me, so on behalf of every other athlete let me extend a heart felt thanks! ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/6 "2010-09-15T17:45:21Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Dude, awesome on you both. I used to do 1/3 scales and would get weak-kneed at the prospect of stringing 3 of them together. > > So… when’s your next one? We desperately want to do Ironman Canada, but didn’t register in time, and the charity slots cost $1,150.00! Now that we’re “part of the club” we’re going to check with some friends to see what they’ve got planned. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/7 "2010-09-15T17:45:48Z")
Will you do another Ironman? How many hours a week did you spend training, and how long was your training program? Did you train by yourself, with your wife or in a group? My husband recently got into triathlons and after watching him do the Chicago Tri sprint distance last month, I’m kicking around the idea of training for one myself. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/8 "2010-09-15T18:00:14Z")
How difficult is it for you to conveniently access the different training regimes? Like for running most anyone can find a good route, be it in the city or country. But biking, that’s more difficult. I used to live in a good place but now I’m nowhere near long, lonely roads and hate stationary bikes. The swimming? Do you have a pool? I’ve toyed with the idea of hooking a line from the side to a belt I’d wear as ours is too small to do laps. Just curious if these are easily accessable for you. Hope so! ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/9 "2010-09-15T18:04:54Z")
I finished my first one awhile ago. I’ll finish my second as soon as it comes out on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/10 "2010-09-15T18:10:39Z")
> [@Judith\_Prietht](#): > > Will you do another Ironman? How many hours a week did you spend training, and how long was your training program? Did you train by yourself, with your wife or in a group? > > My husband recently got into triathlons and after watching him do the Chicago Tri sprint distance last month, I’m kicking around the idea of training for one myself. Do it! Overall, I find the training actually fun. My wife and I trained for a marathon a few years ago and I found it so dreadfully boring. Every day just grinding out the miles. But with tri-training it’s all about variety. Monday swim Tuesday bike then a short run Wednesday swim then bike Thursday temp run and weights Saturday is a long bike ride with a short transition run Sunday is a long run and weights. So I personally liked having _something_ ever day, it keeps me motivated. But I also liked that it was always something different. And it is also entirely flexible. If you feel like swimming do it, if it’s nice outside and you want to go for a bike ride instead, do it. If if hurts when you run, spend more time on the bike or doing weights. My wife and I trained together using [Start to Finish Ironman Training 24 Weeks to an Endurance Triathlon](http://www.amazon.com/Finish-Ironman-Training-Endurance-Triathlon/dp/1841261025) which I can’t recommend highly enough. For any level, especially beginners. I think we will do another Ironman, but I’m not sure which one. The damn things fill up so fast, and require that you register a year in advance. We’ll also definitely do more olympic and half-ironman tri’s next year. Our training program was 24 weeks (we started it 26 weeks before the event to give time to recover from injury). Not sure how much time we spent. Our Saturdays were completely devoted to long rides of 7-8 hours. Sundays were about 3 hours, then probably 1.5 hours most other days. I estimated at our peak we were training 20 hours per week. But we really enjoyed 90% of it. Wednesday mornings we met up with friends to swim in a nearby lake. I’d organize group rides with friends on Tuesdays and Sundays. It really helps that we know a lot of active people. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/11 "2010-09-15T18:14:37Z")
Hats off to you! How do you feel today? What’s stopping me (more accurately, slowing me down until it heals) is my right knee. In the meantime, I’m working on the swimming part of the triathlon. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/12 "2010-09-15T18:14:46Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > How difficult is it for you to conveniently access the different training regimes? Like for running most anyone can find a good route, be it in the city or country. But biking, that’s more difficult. I used to live in a good place but now I’m nowhere near long, lonely roads and hate stationary bikes. The swimming? Do you have a pool? I’ve toyed with the idea of hooking a line from the side to a belt I’d wear as ours is too small to do laps. > > Just curious if these are easily accessable for you. Hope so! Yes, we’re lucky that the Twin Cities are extremely run and bike friendly, especially from our house. But we did have to get out and away from the city in order to do really long rides. We needed a lot of hills so that meant driving the 30min to River Falls, WI. We also joined a gym that is just 1mile away with a pool, spin classes, treadmills, and weights. And also used the university pool when they had long course. I take it for granted, but we grew up swimmers, so I’m used to doing laps. And I can see how it’s not as convenient for most people. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/13 "2010-09-15T18:27:08Z")
Good show, old bean. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/14 "2010-09-15T18:50:36Z")
I’ve done a few “sprints” and that is enough for me. I am no ironman. Congratulations on your awesomeness. How much time do you spend on transitions? How do you deal with changing into and out of bike shoes? Was it difficult starting the swimming with all those others? When is the next one? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/15 "2010-09-15T18:53:25Z")
Over 13 hours for an _Ironman_? You must be a really slow reader… What? Oh…this isn’t a comic book thread? Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Greenhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/0ea827/32.png) [@Greenhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenhorn)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/16 "2010-09-15T18:58:56Z")
7:19 in T2? What the hell were you doing in there? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/17 "2010-09-15T19:04:40Z")
> [@Greenhorn](#): > > 7:19 in T2? What the hell were you doing in there? 😉 Changed into running shorts and changed my socks, you don’t really want to know why. Lubed up a lot and took some electrolyte tabs. Also took the longest piss of my life. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/18 "2010-09-15T19:04:50Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > How difficult is it for you to conveniently access the different training regimes? Like for running most anyone can find a good route, be it in the city or country. But biking, that’s more difficult. I used to live in a good place but now I’m nowhere near long, lonely roads and hate stationary bikes. The swimming? Do you have a pool? I’ve toyed with the idea of hooking a line from the side to a belt I’d wear as ours is too small to do laps. > > Just curious if these are easily accessable for you. Hope so! If I may speak for my Wife… We live rural mountains, so running, at least in summer isn’t too much of a problem. For swimming she goes to the recreation center in town. Biking is another issue alltogether. No problem in the summer, but the long winters chase here inside. I bought her a [computrainer](http://www.racermateinc.com/compu_pro3d.asp) for her bike for x-mas. It’s a computer program and training stand that hooks up to a computer and your bike. **emack** - No prob. It can be fun, and passes the time. I suspect though the volunteers at the water stations for the Harvest Moon caught a lot of shit last weekend. And is was not there fault and way out of there control… They ran out of water and only about half of the bikes had gone through. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/19 "2010-09-15T19:08:39Z")
Way to go! Very impressive time and, frankly, just finishing is very impressive. The whole thing is very inspirational to a newly minted runner like myself. Yesterday I sent in a lottery request to get a bib for the 2011 Boston Marathon running as a charity fund raiser for my company. You never know who you’ll inspire. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868/20 "2010-09-15T19:11:49Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > I’ve done a few “sprints” and that is enough for me. I am no ironman. Congratulations on your awesomeness. > > How much time do you spend on transitions? How do you deal with changing into and out of bike shoes? Was it difficult starting the swimming with all those others? When is the next one? The swim is madness! I actually relax and spend quite a bit of time in transition, which is also why I avoid sprint tris. Personally, I think too many people add unnecessary stress on themselves trying to rush through the transition. And make themselves uncomfortable during the race as a result. As for bike shoes: I use a small towel to dry my feet off. Set up my socks folded down. And then keep my bike shoes unstrapped. Never really had a problem getting in and out of them. As for sneakers, I swear by [these laces](http://www.fitsugar.com/Gear-Review-New-Balance-1063-Running-Shoes-2810114). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-that-just-finished-his-first-ironman/553868.md?page=2)