Help Trent Prough Decide if an IM plan is possible now

Trent Prough

Just thought I'd throw out there my situation and see if I'm crazy or it is doable to some degree in completing an IM.  Here's my situation:

So I was in some of the best shape of my life last year completing IMLou then after short break go run the Tucsan marathon in December and BQ.  Took another short break and started the OS although knowing I'd probably stop to get the ongoing hernia I had had for over a year.  So In mid February I had a lap inguinal hernia surgery on the right side.  Rough first week after but slowly healed up and by second week doing light jogs and 3rd week light biking.  Head on vacation in Hawaii and did easy running and some biking and even by the end of vacation did some serious climbing pushing myself to see if healing was going okay so I'd be ready for BRP camp.  Home from vacation I got back into some training some what and headed to BRP not really ready but feeling pretty good and ready to test fitness and push to get back in the swing of things.  I had a great BRP camp and it gave a fitness boost I needed as 2nd week back from camp my FTP went up 10 watts and through down a 18 minute 5k test.  So this is 11 week post op and I'm at work doing some heavy lifting all day (Big stone rock patio pavers laying) and by the end of day could feel I did something to the hernia area.  Next day still biked and felt it but thought it would go away after awhile.  Next day running 10 miler then biking after I really felt it in the area serious pain etc.  Called doc on Monday and said take it easy 3 days, ice, see how it goes.  Still had pain although different after the 3 days and noticed a little knot above area where hernia was.  Doc said come in and lets see what's going on.....

Good news and bad news.  Not a reoccurring hernia and no surgery needed again (biggest worry).  But tore mesh and muscle where its attached which means 2 to 3 weeks swim/bike/run jail.

The help needed is that puts me at around 11 to 10 weeks out from IMMT that I'd planned to do.  Seeing I was coming around shape-wise but not the greatest of winter training being off for surgery, then a bump from BRP, but now possible 2 or 3 weeks off, do you think I can formulate a ramp up plan and still show up and do the IM?

I've been told by some it's okay to go do a race for fun and not so competitive and go for that sub 10 etc... but I've never did it yet and don't know if I get to the race if I'll be able to hold back all the way.  Anyway was signing up and paying for race this weekend since price increase coming after but am I being silly thinking I can try this is  that sorta timeframe???

Thanks in advance for any advise from past experience trying such a thing or advising against if know of cases that didn't go well.

Shaughn Simmons

I will if you will Superman ....

Satish Punna

IMO 5k,10k, and 1/2 mar are fun.  sprint tri is fun. Aquabike is probably fun.  I don't see much point of putting myself through a 1/2 or full IM for fun unless it was in some exotic destination and even then that's debatable.

Never had the hernia experience myself but I have cancelled myself out of 1/2 IM due to injury limiting training to the point where I didn't see myself performing at my best.  

if you are a competitive person  I think you will want to compete no matter what and will probably ignore whatever signals your body is sending you at the point- you already did that with the biking and 10 mile run above.  

based on your time frame above: you are looking at 2-3 weeks of no activity then a 8 week careful build and 2 week taper, more or less.  Probably doable- barring any setbacks- but you may not be at your best.  

I don't know if you can be certain how the healing process will play out until you are healed.  Maybe it would be better to hold off on registering until you see how the training is going in a few weeks?  

Al Truscott

@Trent Prough  - Things to think about, based on my own personal experience with success and setbacks over the past 20 years of my tri-life:

• What's missing for me in your post is the "why". Why are you so driven right now to do an Ironman in three months that you're willing to risk a lot - $$$, over-training injury breakdown, failure at the race itself. Is this your last chance to ever throw down a great 140.6?

• You already know this, but Ironman racing - the preparation and execution - is easier and harder than most people think. Easier to get ready for and complete than the general populace imagines. And, much harder to get properly ready for and execute superbly than most triathletes, even those who've down a number of IMs, understand. You correctly note that you are (like a lot of us) an insanely competitive individual, who has proven he can overcome a lot more than most people ever get thrown at them. It is impossible for me to imagine that you could do a conservative training plan, the kind required to let you fully heal, or be a "participant" rather than a "racer" on race day.

• Just a reminder, a good IM result takes, IMO, a good six months minimum to three years (or more) to get ready for. That's steady, daily, consistent training, not training continually interrupted by recoveries from even minor surgeries and setbacks.

Scott Giljum

The concern I have for you is that many of us will fall into the mindset that you are "behind" with the time off and will then try and overdo it only to tesult in some other type of injury or just a lot of fatigue as you ramp up in a way that might be too fast. I tried it much of last year and kept getting hurt after killing it for a few weeks. If you can truly keep that mindset in check (basically the understanding that who you are now is not the same guy who finished Lou) and truly do it for fun, etc, I think you could. If you are not wired that way (it took me a number of false starts to prove to myself that I just couldn't do it that way) then I would be cautious about going ahead. Could you just transfer the entry and allow yourself a more reasonable ramp time?

Paul Hough

Let it go.

Paul Curtin

Trent – On the drive back from Blue Ridge camp you and I talked a lot about training and racing and many other topics … it was a great conversation.  Later that week, after we were back at our regular lives, it occurred to me that the best application of your talent is on shorter courses.  At least for now

It feels like you’re asking for encouragement to do an IM.  Well, I say don’t.  The signs are obvious.  You’d be taking the reactor to 105%

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZB3ZclZtZg

My inputs:

• Heal first; “I've been told by some it's okay to go do a race for fun”. This does not apply to you, and of course you already know this 
• Train for Olympic distance; enjoy the success of your phenomenal capability to go fast; and from a practical standpoint your business is thriving from the strong housing market; put the extra time in there and grab that opportunity instead of IM
• Plan minimal work activities to accommodate your next IM; perhaps when you age up; I have no doubt you’d get a KQ, just stack the deck in your favor when you decide to go for it 

Here’s the CC race.  If you’re healed in time we can race the sprint:

http://www.hfpracing.com/events/fit/caesarcreek/eventinfo.htm

Doug Sutherland

Elsa baby. Let it go. Having done my share of hernia surgery and walking my wife through the process with her mesh repair, best bet is to let that thing heal maximalmt. Unfortunately, you are simply stronger than the scar tissue connecting mesh to abdominal wall, so while you could feasibly do MT, why? Defer it or let it go, heal for a season, crush it in 2018.

DS

Jenn Edwards

Hey Trent.  

Wow - had no idea you've been going through all that.  Got a little recovery going on myself but haven't see the other side yet so no hindsight for ya.  I will say, based on what you've outlined here, I don't see the "why" as Al noted, especially, "why now" when you have a lifetime to nail a future race.

Now I'm not a doctor, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but @Al Truscott  is/was so I'd defer to him on the medical front.  I AM a Kenny Rogers fan, and think "The Gambler" is worth a listen for 3' of your time.  Even if you know the lyrics already, listen with your situation as context.  I just did and found quite a bit resonates.  

Best of luck! Be #Ninja smart!

John Withrow

@Jenn Edwards said:

I will say, based on what you've outlined here, I don't see the "why" as Al noted, especially, "why now" when you have a lifetime to nail a future race.

What She^^ Said...

Doug Sutherland said:

Unfortunately, you are simply stronger than the scar tissue connecting mesh to abdominal wall, so while you could feasibly do MT, why? Defer it or let it go, heal for a season, crush it in 2018.

What he ^^ said...

Paul Curtin said:

It feels like you’re asking for encouragement to do an IM.  Well, I say don’t.  The signs are obvious.  You’d be taking the reactor to 105%

• Heal first; “I've been told by some it's okay to go do a race for fun”. This does not apply to you, and of course you already know this 

What he^^ said...

DAVID RICHMOND

“Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.”

Can u do it? Of course
Should u do it? I don't think u should
IM is not going away... no need to rush it

Brian Hagan

Not to go against the crowd here, but it looks like the last 6 weeks you did approximately 14 hours per week and looks like you may be on your way to a 20 hour week depending on what you have planned this weekend.  You originally posted this in mid May.  It is now 7 weeks later.  Do you feel good?  I mean, you are booked in the @Shaughn Simmons IMMT EN frat house.  My guess is you feel pretty fit now compared to 7 weeks ago.  In hind site, those 2 weeks off, could have been the rest you needed to start this build.  If you have an answer to "why", then do it.

Robert Sabo

I think your work is way more stressful on your repair then SBR.  But I'm not necessarily disagreeing with any of the above comments.

Trent Prough

I have come to find out after 4 or 5 weeks of pretty good training and build up in a pretty quick fashion that the SBR if I don't do anything above FTP or FT does not cause any pains or issues at all.  Most all my training has been Z1 or Z2 with really only 1 day each week with some FT intervals that I've kept a good hold on pushing too much at all.  Have did a couple 112 mile rides followed by 6 mile runs and been fine.  Only time I've had issue is like @Robert Sabo said at work when lifting too much.  So now I know my limits at work and watch the lifting and Im pretty good shape.

All that said I'm going to go for it and continue the training and give it a whirl and have a little fun.  As for the why --- If I don't do this then I will not race this year at all (no other races even short or 70.3) and that simply means no fun on this side of my life this year.  Schedule and other commitments just won't allow any other times and I've fought through cancer 3 times so far and who knows when that'll ever limit me again so while healthy I'm gonna have a little fun and what a better race with an epic group of people.

I'm even good if things go array and i finish 15:59 I'll still have fun!!!

Al Truscott

Trent Prough said:

... 

I'm even good if things go array and i finish 15:59 I'll still have fun!!!

Since you've decided, repeat this advice to yourself at least daily from now to the race.

"Fun is the one thing money can't buy"...Lennon/McCartney

Paul Curtin

Trent is a feral triathlete; there's no way to contain the wild animal in him.  Stay healthy my friend