First time IMer - 2 in 1 year ?
I'm a new EN team member.
I've been a triathlete for 10+ years, and compete in 2+ HIMs per year. I'm stepping up to the full distance in 2014. I was thinking about registering for IM USA Lake Placid in July, and then race IM Arizona in November. So, just about 4 months between IM races.
My question for the experienced full IM racers on the team; is it too much to plan on doing two full IMs in the same year, when I'm just moving up to the longer distance training now?
While I have a general idea of the additional training time commitment going to full from half, I'm more concerned about recovering and race prep for a second full IM, 4 months later. In my mind, I keep thinking, not advisable, but achievable.
What were your experiences in recovering after your first IM, and what was your ability (motivation & body) like to be able to build for another race, soon after? Thanks!
Marc Tanguay
Comments
There are a lot of ENrs who have doubled and even tripled in one year, so it is certainly doable. In 2010 I did IMCDA and IMAZ. The difficulty is mental (the motivation piece), not physical assuming you give yourself several weeks to recover from the first. When I started my 2nd IM block of training, it was kind of like being on a merry go-round ... here I go again! You need mental fortitude and the backing of your family if you are going to push it that much in one year.
Four months is an ideal spread between IM races, if you are willing to put in the required work in the half-year leading up to the first one. Taking about 3-6 weeks to transition/recover from #1 (there is some info on this in the wiki topic: Transition), then rolling back into a 12 week IM training block works nicely.
When I started out in triathlon, I did my first two IMs 6 months apart. I learned a lot the first time around, and the second one, I had a very successful race.
#1 suggestion, shoot a query to Coach R in the Macro thread for help in setting up the ideal season-long training plan to accomplish your goal.
As the others said.
Two in a year is a great thing as long as separated by at least three months. If the first race not ideal, you can bring the fitness forward. Recover well from the first first.
1st IM: Florida Nov 2006
2nd: Arizona April 2007 (5 months after 1st)
**Joined EN April 2008**
3rd: Coeur d'Alene June 2008
4th: Florida Nov 2008 (5 months after 3rd)
5th: Coeur d'Alene June 2009
6th: Arizona Nov 2011
So, two times I've done two IMs within months of each other. I took complete down time after the first for a few weeks, then slowly ramp back up into bigger miles.