Thank you Sebastiaan for your update! This is exactly what I was looking for so we can keep you on track and making the most of your training time (quality versus quantity)!
For your travel, I do NOT recommend sitting on a stationary bike or a bike you are NOT fit for for more than a very easy recovery spin (60 minutes or less). Otherwise you significantly increase your risk for injury. When you are home and have your bike fit for you, your priority workouts must be your long workouts (swim, bike and run) each week. However IM is all about consistency, consistency, consistency. Without consistency, you can’t expect your build cycles to progress appropriately allowing your body to adapt to the stress of the Ironman distance.
Nutrition also is vital, as you are finding. Be sure to be tracking calories, hydration (ounces) and electrolytes. As we discussed in the clinics, you need 1.5 – 2.0 times your body weight in calories PER HOUR on the bike, minimum of 1 bottle (20 ounces) and 400-800 mg of sodium PER HOUR. This is a starting point…
For swim workouts, it is recommend that you always do drills. Swimming is 85% technique and 15% endurance. So, yes the workouts are there for a reason particularly with practicing drills every single time you get in the pool (or open water).
Finally, as for bike rides, the DC Tri Club’s website has a great list of area cue sheets. Hopefully this will give you a few more options. I also recommend that you find training partners. Independent Ironman training will really wear on you.
https://www.dctriclub.org/training/cue-sheets/
Keep up the solid work Sebastiaan! Your participation here was very helpful and insightful. Hopefully others will share too!
