Am I getting to ambitious?

Gary Lewis

I'm trying to decide on what to do next year. I wanted to poll the experts and get a feel for how long you should train before deciding you are ready for IM.

I have done a few SC races and I'm not sure how long or if I even could pull off an IM distance.  I am volunteering for IMAZ this year, which would get me a spot in 2016 if  want it.  Since I live close by, it is the most logical choice.

Should I do Vineman 70.3 next year as a warm up, and get the experience, or is a half and a full too much for a beginner in one year?  Should I just do AZ 70.3 next fall and shoot for 2017 for IMAZ?  Vineman would give me a few months between races.

Let me hear your thoughts and experiences on when you felt you were ready for an IM.  

Gary

rlh2000

I don't think the issue is if you can pull off the IM race, it is more in the training. With EN, you could definitely be very prepared coming from where you are and race an IM next year. However, the race is just one day, it is really the training that is a totally different beast than SC. Your decision should be more around are you ready to commit that sort of time to training. Trust me, I am not able to hit every work out on the plan, and it still is a major amount of time. Look at the IM plans and think about how that fits into your life. This is where I think it is helpful to first do a season of 70.3. That will give you a taste of the training and help build your mental fortitude as well. A more just preparedness thing is your base mileage, especially in running. Yes, you could do a fast track to IM, but your chances of injury are far reduced if you have a good base of at least 25 miles/wk.

In general, if you want to do it, I'm sure you can. But Ironman ain't going anywhere, so you can test the waters more gradually as well, and that might make you enjoy the journey more.

scott dinhofer

I personally find that if you are training year round, doing a strong out season, following the EN protocol, you can easily ramp up in the 20 week IM training plan.

by example: I sat on the couch in 2012 due to a medical diagnostic process, started running again in June 2013, from June - November, built up for the NY Marathon. I only started seriously running around late July that year. I backed off Nov & Dec



For 2014 did the Jan OS, rolled into training for IMMT in August, I missed the first two weeks of July(roughly 8-9 weeks out from the IM) where I climbed Kilimanjaro, so hiking at altitude and a few runs & swims(in Instanbul) at the end of the two weeks counted for something. This all resulted with a strong performance in Tremblant.

I have been working with the philosophy of not wasting the IM training and continuing, which I did and followed through with a successful IMAZ performance as well.

2015 was again a challenge, I had rotator cuff surgery in December, within a week i was on the bike doing FTP Wkos & some running within 2 weeks. I had a strong January, followed by an anemic Feb & March as my mojo sank for other reasons. I ramped up hard in April with the upcoming TOC camp & then carried that through to LP. I felt ready and prepared for LP, but as you may know, I had issues with a Herniated disc literally 3 days before the race.

Bottom line is this, following the EN plans works. If you are ever at a 4 keys talk, the Coach's will elicit a laugh from the audience by asking "how many people here nailed every workout?" Follow the plans, make sure you try to hit your major WKOs, build a strong base, try to ensure hitting your high volume workouts as they really give you confidence going into race day...



as for the Vineman question - I don't want to speak for the coaches, but typically doing an HIM does nothing for you in preparation for an IM. That said, if you focus on it as a big training day, where you will need little recovery, it can be fun & confidence building. I actually view short races as something that gets in the way of my overall training regimen..

Lindsay Blumenshein

Honestly, I feel like really only you can answer the "Am I ready?" question. What does being "ready" mean to you? Is the goal to just finish? Is the goal to rock it and attempt a KQ? Are you patient enough to wait another year (to build up fitness & do a 70.3 or two)or so before chasing the IM dream (I wasn't). I feel like your individual answer to those questions help you decide if you're ready... so with that, here's my experience and maybe it will help you answer the questions you need to before pulling the plug...but also take this with a grain of salt because I haven't actually finished an Ironman yet and, who knows, maybe my answer will be different after race day.

I am racing my first IM in a few weeks (Wisconsin!) I did my first 70.3 this June. Prior to this season I did a handful of sprint races and 1 Olympic...so pretty much the furthest thing from "ready" to race an Ironman.

I decided to go for it because I wanted to expose myself to the journey of Ironman training and I am at a point in my life right now where I can be as selfish as I want to be with my hobbies, that might not always be the case. I have loved almost every minute of training, and honestly, I didn't feel that way when I was training for sprints or Olympic distance races because the challenge didn't feel big enough. I wanted a BIG goal to chase this year and for me that's going to be just finishing.

On the other hand, I am very aware that had I taken another year or two to work up to the distance I would probably be in better shape, have more fitness, more experience, and probably would end up having a better race than the one I am going to have in a few weeks...but I don't care. I am happy I did it this way. I feel like the journey of training for Ironman has made me fall in love with and respect the sport more than I would have otherwise.

I started training with EN towards the end of October (10-ish months out from race day). At which point I was taking walk breaks during a 5k and had never biked more than 30 miles. Last weekend I biked 100 miles and then ran for an hour right after! I'm scared about the race but one of the things that I don't question is whether or not I am physically capable of completing the distance. EN helped get me there. If you commit to the training, you can be ready!

Paul Hough

What do you WANT to do and are both willing to train for and have the time to train for? For me, I had been running seriously for decades so long course was a natural progression. I did a half, Nice distance (like 2/3rds), and full within 18 months of transitioning from a runner to a triathlete.

Shaughn Simmons

Do it.

Sign up for IMAZ 2016, make it your A race.  Everything else should be focused on that one goal.

You can trust this team and these coaches to get you through that journey as long as you make the commitment in your mind.

Time to double down, waiting another year, IMO, is not an advantage.

SS

Al Truscott

You sound like you are exactly where I was when I started my triathlon career, back in the previous millennium (OK, 1999). Never ran until 1-1-99, did a few sprints and olys that summer. Decided to do a half the next year, went dormant until after ski season. On  a 13 mile run (my longest ever) in March, I said, "Hmmm... maybe I can do a full Ironman?"  and found myself on the start line in Panama City six months later. If your goal is to have a perfect race the first time you attempt the distance, and anticipate it as a one-and-done thing, sure, wait a few years. But if you are in this to find out what you;re capable of, you can certainly do as Shaughn says. Ironman is easier to do and harder to get right than most people imagine. And the only way to get on the road to getting it right, is to actually race the dang thing. Strike while you've got the fire in your belly, and see where it takes you. IM AZ is SO hard to get into, if you are already volunteering there, take advantage of that, is what I say.

jaleslie

Posted By Al Truscott on 07 Aug 2015 01:12 PM

Ironman is easier to do and harder to get right than most people imagine. 

 

 

That is the best summary I have ever heard.  Period.  

Gary Lewis

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

@Lindsey, I'm excited to hear how you make out in your first full IM and what you have to say after its over and if you felt the 70.3 was beneficial for the experience and training.

@Al, good to hear how a seasoned veteran started out with the same thoughts. I'm not looking for a "perfect race", but If I do go one and done, I want to feel that I made the best decision leading up to race. Anything can happen on race day. I have more than a year to get ready, so I'm hoping its enough. "the only way to get on the road to getting it right, is to actually race the dang thing." - but do you think a 70.3 is the right stepping stone, or are they so different, its not relevant? I have the feeling, I may be asking you a lot of newbie questions over the next year.

Gary

Coach Rich

Gary,

My thoughts for you:

• If the idea of doing an Ironman sounds "fun," then do it. If not, then don't do it. By fun, I don't necessarily mean unicorns and gnomes on every ride...the training can be a grind but the work and the process is rewarding. So if this is something you feel you should vs want to do, then I say don't do it. In the end, this is all just a game and if you don't enjoy it then don't do it.
• As Al and others have said, Ironman isn't as hard as we'd like the rest of the world to think it is . People often dramatically overestimate that work and fitness that's required to finish. Finishing well and/or going fast(er) are another conversation but if you spectate at an IM, you'll be struck by how unremarkable most everyone is after about 14hrs race time. 
• Doing an HIM in route to an IM certainly isn't required. But I highly recommend you put an HIM or other event(s) on the calendar in route so that you have smaller, shorter term goals to focus on vs putting your head in an "I'm training for an Ironman" space for months and months. 

Go here and watch this video that I made to support our Short Course training plans 

Gary Lewis

Rich,

That video was EXCELLENT.  It really covered many of my concerns and questions, including some things I had not thought about.  It also encompassed what I believe some of the other members were trying to express.

G