gauging fitness 6 weeks out from IM.....
Background:
Me: 36 yo new to triathlon. My A race this year was Ironman Boulder. Overall prep for that race went "reasonable" I thought but ultimately the race blew up (likely 2/2 extreme heat and inability to acclimate to the altitude/poor planning) and ended up DNF mid bike. after that race (june 10th) I stuck with a decent run schedule (~ 20-25miles/week) but biking and swimming tailed off as I tried to catch up on life... starting August 20th got back to more serious training. I don't think i'm quite where I was at entering boulder but think I've held on to some of the fitness gained over the last 6 months. So the question.....
I've been thinking about trying again for Ironman Louisville on Oct-14 which is just 6 weeks out. I am currently transitioning jobs so have a much freer schedule than previously (don't start work until Nov 1). What I'm wondering is how one might gauge where one's fitness is? While I do want to try again I want to be reasonable also (ugh i didn't just say that....) and would hate to throw away the money/time/effort if I really don't have a reasonable shot to gain the necessary fitness in the available time (especially as I dont have a long history of fitness and sport and dont have that multi-year base that many in the group have...I'm just really not sure how to gauge where I am...
thoughts?
thanks so much.
np
Comments
Here's my advice, FWIW...given your status as "...new to triathlon...biking and swimming tailed off..." I'd suggest looking locally for a sprint or Olympic distance triathlon to jump back into the game with. You're in So. California, right? Luckily, the weather still holds there, and a number of events can be found on the USAT web site, eg in Malibu, Playa del Rey, San Dimas, Mission Bay/San Diego, etc.
Ironman isn't going anywhere, and you are young. If you want to really test yourself in the sport, there is plenty of time to build your fitness, and your racing smarts, by competing in shorter events first, and then start a new season end of October the EN Way, aiming for a bigger goal next year.
Racing is fun, and racing shorter distances is even more fun than IM. I remember my first year, I ended the season in October with a Sprint in Oceanside, and that whetted my appetite to the point where I did my first IM in Florida the next year. There is a lot to triathlon outside of the training and racing grind that is Ironman, which can teach you much when you do get to those Big Ones.