Value of a Half IM when training for an IM?
I would love people's thoughts and experiences on the value of doing a Half IM if your "A" race for the year is a full IM.
More specifically, I am doing IM Louisville in August and had planned on doing a Half IM in May or early June (as a "B-/C+" race). But the more I think about it, the more I keep coming back to the question, "why?". This is clearly not a race rehearsal. And having done seven Half IMs previously, its not like I need experience racing this distance or racing in general.
I guess I could see the value of doing a Spring Half IM if I was doing Florida or Arizona late in the year to help break up the season from a mental perspective. But is the monetary cost of a Half IM along with several days of modified training really worth it?
And would I potentially benefit from staying in my OS as long as possible with just a minor transition time before jumping right into my 12 week IM plan instead of stoping my OS earlier and doing a mini Half IM plan and then enetering the IM plan?
Feedback?
Comments
#1 Point - You WILL benefit more from staying as long as possible in the OS and then transitioning to IM plan with 12 weeks to go. The bigger question is, will it be more fun than racing a HIM? Probably not.
For me, I have crossed this bridge several times. Most of the time I wish I could get the money, time, brain damage and training time lost BACK by NOT doing the HIM before the IM. There's a little voice in me that keeps saying "it will be good practice" and yeah, that might be true but the ROI isn't there. If you've raced long course before, you'll be good to go.
I'm doing IMCDA in June and it will have been 15 months since I have done a triathlon when I toe the line at IMCDA. Yes, I will be nervous as hell on June 24th knowing I haven't done a race in so long. But I believe I'm doing the right thing. I deliberately avoided sign-up for Oceanside 70.3 (which I love) so I could #1 - not have the downtime cost associated with a race and #2 - spend more time focusing on important IM training. I'll let you know how it goes.
an interesting question that I too am wrestling with
the is a local HIM that I did last year and I have been racing long course for a long time that is the end of April and I am doing IMCdA. In the end I decided not to go there and to only race the IM
I am doing a road century at the end of my 5-day BBW, the week before I drop into the 12 week IM plan. Might impact the first couple of days, but not likely much in my opinion. I am then also inserting a Big Tri Week 5 weeks out where I will try to also hit 350 cycling miles, while adding in running and swimming.
For me it has been since 1998, the last time I did an ironman race and my highest priority through June is executing the EN day.
My long run fitness certainly benefited from the HIM training, so with the timing I have I am happy I traned for and did the HIM last Sunday.
[Is the monetary cost worth it?] I say no. You have plenty of experience at the HIM distance.
I think you will get more out of staying in the OS as long as possible, and then executing the 12-week IM plan, over exiting OS early, doing a Half, and then jumping mid-way into an IM plan.
If you can find a sprint/oly that fits into your OS and/or IM plan, go for it. Racing is why we do this. And it is very gratifying to no-kidding see the results of all your OS work on a familiar race course.
Cons:
Financial cost
Time away from family for two days
Time off from training plan for 1-3 days before & 1-3 days after
Pros:
Gain Race experience
Joy of competing
Chance to test out new equipment in race setting
What else am I missing here guys?
I'm with Paul ... I lke to race, and as long as I don't think it will harm my actual "A" race, I go for quantity over quality, tending to bundle races together, like 2 olympics, then, a week off, then an HIM. My advice - as long as its more than two months away from the IM, do any race you feel attracted to. Racing itself is the best training.