I turned 41 last week and hitting 15stone has persuaded me that it I need to do something about my fitness!
I did IMUK in 2007 and since then have done nothing sport related! Two wonderful children, marriage and my career taking off all meant that training got dumped to the bottom of the pile.
So my question is, how do you think I should go about regaining the fitness I once had, what are some realistic goals for a first season back, and how long is this journey likely to take?
If any of you have been in a similar position and can share some stories that will give me hope, I could really do with them at the moment. Currently it looks like a massive mountain to climb
I’m in the same boat, although I’m just swimming now. I will get on the bike a bit this summer, as I committed to a charity ride with a group of friends, but my back doesn’t really allow me to run much, and I never liked running to begin with.
I actually haven’t set any actual performance goals for the year. The only thing I’ve set is that I want to maintain some consistency, so that means swimming at least every other day. I haven’t quite met that, so I added in some lunchtime swims to make that up.
I started back in the water in the beginning of February. I struggled with Master’s practices for the first month and a half, having to skip repeats due to cramps, or feeling lightheaded. This last week, something’s finally clicked and it seems like I have the fitness now to make it through the whole practice feeling strong, and I’m not gasping for breath between repeats to the same extent.
The trick, for me anyway, is not to look at the mountain. Just look at the path to the next bend in the road.
Same boat here. I’m 47 now and my last IM was 2007. Gained 25kg since. But in august last year I subscribed immediately for another IM in 2014 and started training like an idiot…Got injured within a few weeks ;-). Than I bought Hoka’s and compression socks. Problem solved. The older you get, the less time you have to take it easy…
I returned at the age of 46 after some down time. I hired a coach that helped facilitate the learning process for me. I learned new training trends. I remember learning about Zones for the first time.
The best to you. The hard part is remembering my old race times and not being able to touch them at an older age. I now just enjoy swimming, biking and running, and I try not to worry about my times.
As others have mentioned, take it nice and slow. I returned to the sport after a 4 year layoff due to a hip problem and after having it resurfaced & rehab I am able to get back out there and now do it for the love of the sport. That is a great feeling! Do it for yourself, for your health, enjoy the process & remember why you got into in the first place. Wish you all of the best!
I am in a similar position now. Several years of laziness, and 40-50 lbs overweight. Current Fitness Level: “Untrained Slob”.
I am starting on the bike, and my key requirement for the bike is to go easy enough that I can go every day.
I may add in some weighlifting (gasp!) in the next month or so. But, my goals for the next 6 months are purely for improved health. Any improved performance is a byproduct.
Nonetheless, keep in mind that heart and muscles will adapt somewhat quickly, and in a few months can easily have way more capacity than the ligaments, tendons, and joints. That is how lots of injuries happen.
Not quite as long a layoff… 09 was last IM. But, literally did nothing as was focused on building a business, having first child, etc.
43 now.
On a whim, signed up for Norseman lottery last fall. And got a spot.
Gulp.
How’s that for biting off more than you can chew??!! Lol.
Had actually started running somewhat last summer as my wife wanted me to run a marathon with her (Disney, this January). That served as a good starting point for me. Was, for me, quite overweight last fall. 206. By marathon, had dropped to 195.
Starting Jan 10th or so, started my IM training program. Started slow, and have really been doing everything pretty easy.
I can tell you - it does come back. And it’s coming back quickly. Already down to 185 (eating better than anytime in my life) with a goal weight around 175-77 (I’m 6’3") and back up to 12-14 hours per week training. Won’t be able to do volume from past years… but working for more quality, etc).
The bad news: Norseman is going to be tough. Literally a MASSIVE mountain to climb!
The good news: In 07 & 09 I was deep in KQ pursuit. And came up short each time by a few spots. Blinded me a bit to why I like doing this. With Norseman, no such ambition. Of course, would like to get a black shirt, but whether that is 30th, 80th, or 160th place… doesn’t matter. And if a white shirt, doesn’t matter either. Will be awesome challenge no matter what.
I’m having a blast with the whole process of getting the feel back in all three disciplines.
And it does come back. More quickly than you probably you realize.
I have just downloaded the form and am going to join my local tri club, and tonight look at my time and figure out at least three sessions per week I can start with. After that who knows
I have a friend who did the Norseman, he said it was tough, but epic in a way on other ironman has been for him! Not sure if it is still semi self supported? And not wishing to worry you, but he then went on and completed a decaironman! Something about tough challenges
Just about 100% self-supported. Think they may have a few aid stations on run, but you have to supply your own support team/car for bike, run, and scramble up the mountain.
Never say never… but I think this is the limit for me. Or should I say, my wife thinks this is the limit for me.
I took several years off after building a new house (the irony is that I picked the location for the house because it was easy to run and ride from there).
The first year back (2009, at the age of 42) I started training around April 1st. Did a small handful of sprints and aimed for a December marathon. I started by trying to get out on the bike as much as I could, it was hard to get back into the mode of training a lot so the first couple months were hit and miss. I would do around 3 rides and 1 or 2 runs the first 2 or 3 months. I was fat and slow during the summer but by fall was ready to go.
The key to me was just getting my mind back to wanting to train. I’ve never been injury prone at all so I never really worried too much about doing too much, I was much more likely to do too little.
I set my marathon PR that December (ok, it was a pretty low hanging PR), set a 1/2 IM PR the next year (and again the year after) and have done 2 IM’s since. I haven’t been able to get an IM PR this time around yet and not sure that I will since time is not as available as it was in 2002 but I have had my second best time.
The fitness came back pretty quickly once I got my brain back in the right place. But that took me 3 or 4 months to do.
I’m 63 and haven’t done a triathlon for three years. I still ride, swim and x-country ski regularly but hardly ever run any more. I’m contemplating maybe doing a sprint or two this summer. I’m not top race fit, but figure since I’ve still been active that it shouldn’t be too hard to get back there. Are you planning on doing another IM right away or would a sprint or oly be enough at first?
Sprints and maybe an oly, possibly in the longer term I might see about a HIM.
I am not sure I want to be out of the house for all the hours that ironman training required for me, and being at home but recovering from a training week means less fun time with my children.
I think the real reason I want to get back is so that I can be a positive healthy role model for my children, if I can achieve that then any distance I do will be a win for me
I took about 6 years off because of family and career. I
Like you, I was in my early forties and had gained a bit of weight. So, with the blessing of my wife (and my doctor), I started racing again.
I chose to come back with an IM - did not want to rev up heart rate after a few years of couch sitting! I chose an IM that was a year out and split the year into quarters. The first three months was simply trying to find the time to re-introduce exercise into my life. The goal was to be doing some type of fitness for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week. The second quarter was focused on weight loss. I really started to watch my food intake, stopped alcohol and ice cream for a while, bumped up the workout times to around an hour and made sure I was at 6 times a week.
That left me in good shape to be at a 30 week IM training plan. Take an off the shelf version or get a coach - chose a beginner or intermediate plan.
I found that I had to realign my goals and could not worry about ‘getting back to the shape I was in.’ I was rather good in my younger years and it’s just unfair to try and compete against my younger self. I just don’t see myself ever running or racing tris as fast as I once did and I know I can’t win them anymore. So, the goal I set for the IM was to be ‘better than average.’ I calculated that time from the previous year race results - and that was my goal time which I achieved. It was very hard to go from a winning/podium/KQ attitude to ‘better than average.’ But, I also had to consider that I was coming from the sofa and just completing an IM after those 6 years of being a sloth was a pretty good goal.
After that first year, I felt great and the goal for the next year’s IM was to be 1 hour faster. I met that goal. Now I’m back down focusing on the HIM distance and thinking about going shorter to the olympic distance. But, I just don’t know what my goal for the shorter race would be as I can’t race against my younger self times - and those distances are really just about time.
Like others have said, take it easy and go slow. Keep it fun and remember why you love to do this.
I agree with getting signed up for events, it’s a good carrot that will keep you going. I signed up for our Provincial Masters champs (they’re in 2 weeks) and once that is done I’ll be signing up for Worlds in Montreal. I would have done it already, but I need seed times to enter, and I haven’t officially qualified yet. I can qualify pretty easily, so I’m not worried about that.
My wife commented this morning that I’m looking slimmer, so that’s a nice perk too
So my question is, how do you think I should go about regaining the fitness I once had, what are some realistic goals for a first season back, and how long is this journey likely to take?
I took 10 years off from cycling from age 33 to 43.
Took about 5 months to get FTP level back, doing max efforts of 2hr or less every other day, with more rest if necessary. I disagree with taking it slow… unless you want it to take a very long time.
Of course IM endurance is another matter. Once your <FTP “base” is settled, I’d focus on longer efforts and eventually a solid few months of nothing but longer efforts (as easy as necessary). Rest when needed. Then cut volume and increase intensity to peak for the race.
How long it takes will depend somewhat on how many years of endurance training you’ve already had and what shape you were in in 2007… and how bad you are now of course. I’d give it year to get in decent IM form… and you will probably progress slowly for the next 10 or so.
Last tri in 2007. Bike raced 2008/2009; knee surgery and rehab 2009/2010, back to bike racing 2010-2012. Last year was a wash and I’ve spent the last 7 months in a deep funk but am coming out of it. Back swimming, riding a little and walk/jogging.
I went from 1989 to 2008 without riding or swimming. Did do a little running enough to do two marathons and an occasional 5k. Bought a bike in 2008 and jumped back in the pool. Talk about triathlon changing in the time it really did. Since 2008 have done 2 half marathons, several 5k and two sprint triathlons. Really just enjoy the training aspect and don’t really have any big plans to race again.
