Ever wonder what it’d be like to train for a half ironman? 2 years ago when I began working as a personal trainer, I met Ali Furrs and taught her how to box. Since then, she’s been training with me every week and has become a great friend to me. Ali has been working as a Doctor of Physical Therapy for 3 years now at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. Ali is one of the most bad ass, hard-working women I know and is not only a great fitness role model but is also a truly authentic and fun-loving person. In this article, Ali goes into detail about what it’s like to prepare for a half ironman, the ups and downs of such a time-consuming training schedule and advice on how to be in your best shape ever. Read on to hear Ali’s awesome story and follow her on Instagram @alijoy_f to see more of her fitness inspo.
Ali’s Story
The
sport of triathlon is not new to me. I’ve done several sprint and Olympic
distant triathlons but this year I decided to take on the half ironman. Back in
January, I signed up for the Eagleman 70.3 in Cambridge, MD which takes place on
June 9, 2019 (this weekend!). Over the last 5-6 months, I’ve dedicated my time
and energy training to complete 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles of biking, and
13.1 miles of running in one race.
Her Training Regimen
I
followed a “simple half ironman training guide” but improvised with some of my
own workouts. I organized and reorganized my training schedule depending on
work or other commitments but for the most part I stuck to the plan. Here is what a typical training week looked
like for me…
Monday:
REST
Tuesday:
BIKE
Wednesday:
SWIM & RUN
Thursday:
BIKE
Friday:
SWIM & RUN
Saturday:
LONG BIKE
Sunday:
LONG SWIM & RUN
During
the days that I biked (Tues/Thurs) I also did strength training. That included
upper body strengthening, lower body strengthening, stability training, and
cross training (boxing & basketball). As the race approached I did some
running after by bike rides as well to get used to the transition as I would on
race day.
Her Favorite Workout
My
favorite workouts to do, not because they’re easy and I like them but because
they challenged me and made me feel like I was accomplishing something, were single
leg stability strengthening (i.e. single leg deadlifts, split squats, balance
on a BOSU, anti-rotation drills, etc.). Single leg strengthening workouts involve
the entire leg up to the hip including the core and foot. Hip and ankle
stability become essential with endurance training as fatigue sets in and can
apply to all three aspects of the sport (swim, bike, run).
How Boxing Shaped Her Training
Boxing
was also a fundamental part of my cross training thanks to Diana. At first I
thought I’d stop boxing for a while so I could focus on my training but I found
that boxing provided a great outlet for stress in addition to serving as a huge
foundation builder. It requires hip and core stability to absorb force and provide
a solid foundation from which to throw and dodge a punch. But it also requires
shoulder stability for maintaining position and preventing injury with impact
after delivering a punch. I incorporated this into my strength training days
once a week (i.e bike in the morning before work, box with Diana after work).
Cross training is so important to work on different muscle groups, prevent
overuse injuries, and to prevent burnout.
Her Tremendous Sacrifice
Now
don’t get me wrong, it’s easy to talk rainbows and butterflies about the
aspects of training as I believe my training has been successful. However, I’d
be remiss if I didn’t say it came with a cost. The time commitment necessary
for training was probably the most challenging part of this mighty endeavor. I
work 40 hours a week, have a dog and a home to help my husband care for, a
husband to put first, and a social life that I like to be involved in. Without
my husband this would have been impossible. He was a tremendous help and took
on all the morning dog walks as well as some evening walks so I could get to the
gym or on the road to train. He maintained the cleanliness and sanity of the
house and relinquished the cooking to me. He was also supportive when I was
gone most weekend mornings on long training rides or in the gym for hours (yes,
hours). He truly held strong to his commitment to helping me be successful in
achieving my goals.
The Ultimate Reward: Best Shape Ever
As
for the most rewarding part of training, you’ll have to ask me again after the
race but right now I feel like my best most bad ass self. I’m probably in the
best shape of my life and feel like I can accomplish anything. Not only am I in
great physical condition but I’m also more disciplined, efficient, and make the
most of my time available.
Strength in Numbers and Positive Self Talk
I have an amazing team of supporters from friends to family to friends of friends and coworkers alike. You need support to be successful, to build you up, give you encouragement, and to hold you accountable. It’s easy to receive support, it feels good. What holds people back the most, especially in long endurance races, are mental blocks and lack of mental toughness. Think about it, you’re with yourself and your thoughts for several hours day in and day out; negative self talk is bound to make its way in there at some point. Mental blocks are hard, so what I do is set achievable goals even within a session. Small wins make you feel accomplished and ready to tackle the next goal. And positive self-talk and self-reflection go a long way. There is also no shame in taking a few days to a week off of training to reset and prevent burnout.
Try a Triathlon out for Yourself
Don’t
let my wallowing in lack of free time get in your way from trying this out
though! Triathlons are so fun and very doable with the right training! My
advice to those who are interested in triathlon is to just sign up for one or
start with a relay. The atmosphere of a relay race alone will get you hooked
but knowing you don’t have to do the whole thing is a good way to start. The
great thing about triathlons is that if you’ve never done one you HAVE to train
to finish it. By signing up, you have committed yourself to training and are
less likely to back out. They are usually expensive enough where you won’t
consider backing out either. There are plenty of online resources for coaches,
training plans, podcasts for tips and tricks etc., and there are races all over
the world.
Triathlon or Not; Ali’s Advice
For
those of you that I have just convinced to never do one of these but want to
stay fit and active, my advice to you is the following…
- Find
a friend to work out with
- Join
a group
- Take
fitness classes
- Hire
a personal trainer
- Sign
up for an event (race)
- By
new workout clothes or shoes
- Follow
fitness bloggers/influencers on social media
- MOST
IMPORTANTLY: set achievable goals
Everyone
has their own interests and own fitness journey but it has to start somewhere
and that’s with YOU saying YES.
She Found a lot to Like About Herself
As
I’ve said before, I’m not new to triathlon, but this experience has been
completely different than any other I’ve had (including marathon training).
I’ve never spent so much time in my own head and the longer I stayed there, the
more I found to like about myself. I’ve learned to be humble as I’m not the
fastest in any of the three sports. I’ve learned to be selfless as I reflect on
the sacrifices my husband has made to help me succeed as well as the ones I
have made to keep him number one. I’ve learned to set goals, stay positive and
take pride in the goals I have achieved. And I learned that I am loved and
people are rooting for me to succeed. Triathlon is a new happy place for me and
I’m excited to see what is in store for me on June 9, 2019.