But for you, it’s just keeping the biking and running ticking over and go swimming!!!
You’d have been sub-9 with a “normal” swim time. (Where it’s normal for the finish time)
I did 1:48 on debut in 2008
2009 I swam a 1:13 on the same course
Then in 2010 I went 0:59
I got injured after my debut 2008, and worked on my swim for about 13 weeks, which is where the 30 minutes came from.
From 2009 to 2010, it was (and I said this on another thread!) hopping in the pool and doing 1km pull, paddles and bands after a weights and core session.
Or doing the same after a bike session (back in 2009/10 most indoor bike training was done on a spin bike staring at a wall at the gym!)
Understood but be confident that with the right approach you can build to the high volume…
Interesting character…
Mostly 4mmol at the track - there’s no reason not to do 2mmol for control and consistency (although we work to 1mmol above resting for longer stuff). But i have the capacity to test in the field.
Certainly propose to do some filed testing on the bike.
This chap is a pretty good swimmer but we are still focussing on getting swim time down so that he can afford to relax and have an easy swim. The objective being to get onto the bike fresh…
From memory, I rarely swam over 40-50 minutes in the pool and going to OW was maybe once per week in the summer (as it was a hassle and 15 miles away)
I’d probably do 3km maximum - lots of 20 * 100m at race pace off small rest intervals.
Plus loads of drills, form work etc.
Swimming was varied, but I didn’t swim with a squad (again, time, as the gym/pool was opposite work)
If you can swim with a squad now, I’d say do.
Back in 2018/19, I’d say that was the biggest thing to get me up to speed again.
I’d never do 1hr sets on my own, but it flies by with a squad.
You biked 4:30 and ran 3:15, allow 5 minutes for transitions and it’s so close, that it’s really all in that swim.
Are these the most effective, and cost effective, high intensity workouts though?
If you’re racing you’ll always be putting these to the limit which may not be the best way to get the adaptations you want, then there’s the recovery and impact on the quality of your next session.
Amazing stuff, looking forward to following along in admiration and at times horror at what you are putting yourself through. Just listen to your body and stay injury free!
Good luck with this. It’s both an opportunity and a danger.
I learnt the hard way when I went from a stressy full time job to a stress-free 3 day/week job.
I could train more…so I did. But I didn’t get better. 3 months in I was flying (this was April), but by the business end of the season I was on fumes and tracking back I could chart a slow decline from April that lasted the rest of the season.
The real kicker was Zwift racing, and shoe horning that on top real life midweek club TT’s and frequent weekend racing.
That said, if you get the balance right (as Depeche Mode said) it’s there for you if you can sort that swim out and conditions play ball on the day.
I was quite proud of a sub 10 as a M50-54, sub 9 is insane!
Yeah, I did that in 2017 or 2018 I think. Burned out about a month before race day , my vo2 max intervals were the first indicator it was like inflating a burst balloon.
But I think Matt already had high volume last year, and last week was a high spirits thing right, I think if he keeps a lid on it - small increases he’s be fine.
And I am a year older. Will be a pretty massive effort to go Sub 9.
I have swum 1:05 before in training, so I know I can do it. I really missed the swim squad last season, I am really hoping that this is where I get the gains.
I am more confident in getting my run time down. On the bike I can go faster, the issue is going faster but not destroying my run. I need to be out of the water with the good cyclists, hopefully I can then get a better bike time
You’ll only be out of the water with the fast cyclists if you get in the Sub 9 wave right? Otherwise you’ll be in with all the other oldies, of whom I’d imagine very few will be going under 5h.
Wish you the best of luck in this, and will be following your progress. At your end of the race there are no quick wins or low hanging fruit, so I’d imagine it’s mentally harder to persevere with and trust the training.
I can offer nothing constructive - the year I did Roth it was blooming boiling and came nowhere near your target, other than good wishes and to say I will be observing with interest
Good luck Matt, I think there’s at least 15 minutes to be found in the swim.
I think we need some kind of M50’ish research project here.
I’m thinking @chickenboy with his lab testing and scientific approach, and semi-retired aero guru @TROSaracen
All 3 with plenty of natural talent.
Then we need a benchmark, in full time employment, little to no talent, diet of parmo’s (don’t even look that up southerners ), Guinness & Starbucks. Training program based around chaos theory aka make it up as you go along, and as aero as Spongebob
If only I could think of somebody for that benchmark
), Guinness & Starbucks. Training program based around chaos theory aka make it up as you go along, and as aero as Spongebob 
