IM 8 weeks apart

Mark Maurer

I'm considering doing IM Maryland but I'm doing the full Vineman at the end of July. Are 2 IM's 8 weeks apart too soon? What should I consider in making the decision to do IMMD as far as training? I've never done two IMs in one year so I'm not sure how to approach this.

GMAN 19030

I did IMC and IMFL last year and they were 10 weeks apart. I felt it was too long between. Short enough that you still got a great training boost from the first one but long enough that you had to really keep training between races. 8 weeks would be similar. That training between the two is mentally painful as you'll be in some degree of burnout from the first race.

IMO, two IM races in one year should either come in close succession or far apart (like an early season and last season IM).

I'm going with the former this year with IMC and IMMT three weeks apart.

Al Truscott

Mark - I've tried to do races closer together than 6-8 weeks, and it hasn't really worked out for me. Different experience than Bob. But I do think that, after training well for an IM, getting two weeks of good working recovery, and then going back at a final five week push makes IMs 8 weeks apart a reasonable separation. Again, that's the minimum separation I've has success with. (I'm talking about having two good races, not just finishing.) A few modifications to the plan help, like:

• No need for two race rehearsals, only one with two weeks to go
• No need for really long runs, a few @ 2 hours, and maybe ONE @ 135-140 minutes
• a couple of weeks of 2 x/ week bike intervals @ the start with only one weekly 3.5-4 hour bike, then 2-3 weeks of standard IM plan.
• Strict attention to keeping weight up (at least, that;s what I need to do), as well getting all the sleep and proper hydration.
• Construct your final taper on the fly depending on how things are going with two weeks to go.

BTW, I'm riding tomorrow from 10-2 PM in the Dupont area, if you're interested/free.

Swanie

Very timely post Mark as I am contemplating doing IM CdA and IMMd. Mine would be 12 weeks apart. My brother lives 70 mles from Cambridge, Md and he is going to do it. Can't pass up an opportunity to race with my Bro ('99 Kona Qualifier). Also with the cool team perk of early registration its a no brainer. I plan to do something like Al suggests but stretch it out another couple weeks. I'm an hour or so from Kona consideration so I don't need to kill myself but I would like to represent well.

Mark Maurer

Thanks Al. I'm interested in riding tomorrow add the weather is just perfect, but my employer has other plans for me. For some reason I can't get WSDOT to pay me to go for bike rides.

Mark Maurer

@Steve, my wife has family in Maryland and NC so it would probably turn into a mini family reunion as well. I checked the flights from Seatac yesterday and Alaska has a direct flight to Baltimore for less than $350 RT. It's looking promising.

Coach Rich

I have to note that over the years I've very, very rarely seen people say "wow, I really enjoyed the process of getting my head back together, training, and then racing/punching myself in the junk that second Ironman in a season!", regardless of the separation between the two events. 

 

8wk is about 2wks beyond the window within which you can expect to have a "good" second race, from a racing perspective. 6wk is the minimum...but just barely. 

IMO, it's the BIG mental cost that you should be most concerned about vs any training or racing considerations. 

GMAN 19030

So how about three weeks, Rich? 

William Crawford

How about 8 days?

Coach Rich

IM to IM in less than ~5wks:

If you and your family are totally cool with blowing a ton of cash and time on what will almost certainly be a very long, painful, slow, subpar day...go for it!

Yes, it has been done successfully before in the past. But, in my experience, those are the extremely rare exceptions.