Training Advice From a Five-Time Iron(wo)man

If you were to hold my hand out right now, I’m pretty sure you couldn’t get it stop shaking. Healthy Living Summit is a little over two weeks away and I’m currently running high on adrenaline and anxiety. We’re in the home stretch now, which is AWESOME because it’s almost here and I can’t wait to share everything we’ve been working so hard on the past few months, but – HOLY COW! – there’s still a lot to get done.

Luckily I have an awesome team this year who are working just as hard to put all of this together. We’re down to the nitty gritty – finalizing cocktail party surprises (photobooth? what? did I just say that?), ordering name tags, and mysteriously requesting everyone’s shoe sizes at the last minute (that was a fun one to track down). When it’s all done it will be worth it. Until then I’m biting my nails and reminding myself “it will all get done. it will all get done.”

I had to gobble up lunch quickly this afternoon between conference calls.

Pretty much yesterday’s salad between bread. Tomato, avocado, goat cheese, hummus, and some balsamic vinegar. yum.

Side of blue chips and salsa.

I updated the Wedding Page! Click over to see my four “somethings.”

Interview with Brooks ID Member Jennifer Pinto

Earlier this week I had the chance to talk with Brooks ID Member, Jennifer Pinto. Brooks I.D. stands for Inspire Daily. These two simple words guide the principles of the program. Brooks I.D. is made up of over 800 members who are active in their running communities and share a passion for the Brooks brand. They are runners who are winners in their own right: Winning their age divisions, accomplishing their personal goals, pushing their own limits, and, by extension, encouraging others to do the same.

The cool part about the program is that it’s not just elite runners – this program is made up of runners of all shapes and sizes who are out there inspiring others.

Jennifer, of course, embodies all of those things. She started her running career specializing in the 5K and 10 distances at Jacksonville University, before jumping to the world of triathlons in 2005. Admitting she was the last one out of the water for her first triathlon (been there, done that), she has since gone on to compete in FIVE full Ironmans and fourteen Half-Ironmans, including three Kona berths. I’d say that’s impressive.

I had a chance to ask for her advice on training as I dream of one day attempting my own Ironman finish, and this is what she had to say:

First of all, FIVE full Ironman finishes? Congrats!!!

Thanks it has actually only been 4 finishes and one DNF (I got pulled out of IMTX last year for heat exhaustion at mile 21 of the run)

I’m training for my second half Ironman, with the goal of completing my first full in 2013. What scares me the most is the time commitment required to train for the full. How many hours would you say you spend training each week, and how do you fit it all in?

There are a bunch of ways to train for an Ironman. I would recommend you reach out to a company called Endurance Nation. They create programs around the working family.

For me, my job has me traveling all over the world so it makes it a little harder to train consistently. I like to put in 20 hours a week, but it depends on travel and how my body is handling the load. The biggest thing to fitting it all in is planning. I look at what my coach has me doing for the week and I fit it around my work schedule or any important family obligations.

I am lucky to have an understanding and supportive husband. He does some of my training with me just so he can spend time with me!

In your opinion, which of the three sports take the most work to train for?

I hate swimming! So I would say that takes the most “work”. If I ever have a kid I am going to start them swimming early because it is so hard to learn the skills later in life.

Bike takes the most time, so that’s the hardest part to fit into a busy schedule.

Running is my favorite so I am always up and ready for a run.

What’s your favorite training workout?

This is a hard one because every workout has a specific goal and I understand what I am working for.

Swimming – I would 20 x 25 pull followed 200 swim

Bike – 5 minute hard/ 5 minutes easy X number of repeats is really the bread and butter workout for getting stronger

Run- we do what’s called an endurance run where we do 3- 5 mile tempo effort within a 10 mile plus run.

What is your can’t-live-without training gear?

My must-have gear includes: my Brooks Ghost, my Timex Run trainer GPS watch, and my Quintanna Roo TT bike

What are you favorite shoes to run in?

training run – Brooks Ghost,

hard workout – Brooks Launches

Racing – ST5

Any tips for those of us with aspiration to complete a full Ironman one day?

Make sure your family is behind you, you can’t do this without their support (and having them at the finish line makes everything worth it).

Take each training day one day at time, don’t ever look at a whole week. I tried to think about what I have to do today and focus on getting that in.

Lastly, listen to your body. This is supposed to be fun, so enjoy the process!

Thank you, Jenn!

She makes it sound easy, doesn’t she?

Honestly, the closer I get to my next half ironman, the less afraid I get of it. One race at a time.