That’s news to me, because I averaged 9 hours and 45 minutes per week before Ironman Italy and finished in a reasonably respectable 10:32.

Did I KQ? No. Did I finish comfortably before sunset? Yes

I keep seeing people argue that training 8–10 hours per week is completely insufficient for an Ironman. I disagree whole heartedly.  Not because 10 hours is the perfect amount for everyone. It isn’t. But because a focused and consistent 10 hours can take you much further than people think.

About Myself

I grew up playing basketball all throughout high school, lifted weight consistently and rode mountain bikes as often as I could. 

I only started running in the summer of 2019 at 24 years old, got my first road bike in the summer of 2020 and learned how to swim lengths in the winter of 2021. I then completed my first 70.3 in the spring of 2022.

In October of 2022 I ran a 50k Ultra in 4:09 (2nd in age group) and decided after that I’d focus on doing an Ironman so I hired a coach for a calendar year. 

I Still Had a Life

During the build, I was working as a production manager at a large animation studio. We were in the middle of delivery, so I was regularly working 45–60 hours per week. I was also not living like a monk.

I still went out with friends or coworkers at least twice a week. I did not have a girlfriend until the final month of the block, so admittedly my schedule was more flexible than it might be for someone with a partner and children.

Data

Link to Strava Training Log Everything is public

Across the 16 weeks before race day from May 29 to September 17, I averaged 9 hours and 45 minutes per week.

48.6% Cycling
25.1% Running
16.2% Strength Training
9.28% Swimming
0.31% Other

My longest swim was 59 minutes and 3km  longest ride was 5 hours and 173.98km and my longest run was was 2:08 and roughly 28km (done on treadmill)

https://preview.redd.it/blly2nofbthh1.png?width=403&format=png&auto=webp&s=aacc1f9cd78fdb9807ccd2aaaa48f8552a8adf1b

Race

The race was not flawless. Because I have a history of cramping, I became overly worried about electrolytes and loaded up far too aggressively before and during the race. I paid for that decision on the back half.

My official nutrition strategy eventually became:

1. Take in fuel.
2. Find a porta-potty.
3. Repeat six times.

Despite that, I finished in 10:32. The fitness was there. My stomach was simply conducting its own separate endurance event.

https://preview.redd.it/a051ncjebthh1.png?width=1211&format=png&auto=webp&s=e0d0828ab7f5502f0340a77cb54eb023d2f12b3c

What my takeaways are:

1. Quality over quantity

My coach and I made sure nearly every session had a purpose.

Most bike workouts included structured efforts. My runs were not padded with mileage just to make the weekly total look impressive. I swam consistently enough that the water felt comfortable, even if swimming remained the smallest part of the week. There was very little training done simply for the sake of accumulating hours.

2. The long sessions mattered

The long rides and long runs were the foundation of the block. I never missed a long ride and missed only one long run, after a bee sting caused an allergic reaction. 10 hours per week does not mean avoiding long sessions. It means being more selective with everything around them.

3. Tired legs were not a reason to skip

My coach had one important rule: Do not skip a session just because your legs feel tired.

There is obviously a difference between normal training fatigue, injury and genuine illness. But learning to train on slightly tired legs was part of preparing for the later stages of an Ironman.

4. Consistency beat heroic weeks

I did not need random 18-hour weeks followed by several days of exhaustion.

I needed to train consistently, week after week, without constantly digging a hole that disrupted work, sleep and the rest of my life.

The point

I am not saying everyone can or should prepare for an Ironman in fewer than 10 hours per week.

Training history matters. Athletic background matters. Speed goals matter. Recovery capacity matters. Family and work demands matter. But saying 8-10 hours is completely insufficient is just as misleading as saying it is enough for everybody.

10 well planned hours can absolutely be enough to finish an Ironman and in a respectable time as well.