HIM two weeks or three weeks before IM: which is more ideal?
I know neither is going to be the stock response but that's not an option. 
I like racing and I'll pick a race over a training day 99 out of 100 times. That being stated...
I have IMAZ on November 18th. Austin 70.3 is October 28th and Oilman HIM is November 4th. Odds are that I may do one of those two races but I was wondering which makes more sense from a training/recovery standpoint? I see pros and cons for both.
Pros for three weeks out:
- More recovery time
- Race and then head straight into taper
Cons for three weeks out:
- Lose last long week of workouts as that would be race week. Last long bike ride would be four weeks prior to IM.
- Austin isn't my favorite race. The bike course really sucks.
Pros for two weeks out:
- I'll be able to get the last long week of workouts in (week of Oct 22-28)
- Mini-taper during race week as I'd be tapering anyway
Cons for two weeks out:
- Less recovery time
- How to handle week after HIM???
Comments
Given your starting assumption - you're going to do one of these races, no matter what anyone says - and your listed pos and cons, I would vote for the Oilman.
I'm also obliged to predict that, based on your comment "I love to race" (meaning you will work the run as hard as you can), you will have a run @ AZ which will be below your potential.
I admit that in 2009 I did a half ironman 3 weeks before an IM. I will also admit that I DNF'd the IM at mile 10 of the run. I don't think the HIM was the sole reason, but I believe it was a contributing factor.
All my IM runs are below my potential anyway so what the hell is the difference?
I'm just trying to really get my head wrapped around things.
I do recover well. I have that going for me. I usually feel fine the weekend following a HIM... with the exception being my last 70.3 when I had leg cramp issues and my legs were jacked up for about 10 days. NOLA 70.3 was three weeks after Galveston and while I decided to bail on the race two days before the race - I felt like a champ. Which makes me lean towards Austin but I'd prefer Oilman as far as races go.
I would tend to agree with the others also - since your going to do it anyway. Oilman becasue then you can just chill before your IM. I love to race more than I like to train also but you might want to think about it this way. You will likely be bombed after the last big training week, you will likely be bombed if the weather is particularly hot during your HIM and you may not recover fully for Arizona.
From my experience last year I did a real hot HIM 4 weeks out from IM Canada and I don't think I fully recovered after that hard effort because I struggled so much on the IM run because it was a real cooker also. I guess my 2 cents is to watch the weather and dial it down if it's going to be hot because your body is going to take awhile to recover if you hammer your HIM only two weeks out from Arizona.
I'm kind of reconsidering things a bit. The two or three week thing has me worried a little. I want to make sure I get my last big training week in three weeks out. Doing Oilman or Texas 70.3 screws the schedule up in that regard. I might do Beach2Battleship HIM (10/20) four weeks prior to IMAZ or I might do a late-September HIM -- probably Redman HIM, Branson 70.3 or Augusta 70.3 (9/22, 9/23 & 9/30 respectively).
Redman is probably the easiest logistically since I could drive there. B2B would be the best option from a family standpoint. Wife and I lived in NC prior to moving to Texas and the in-laws live near Raleigh (a little over two hours drive from Wilmington) so I could earn some possible SAU cred. I could do B2B and still hammer out one last 100 mile ride the following weekend (and maybe a long run during the week depending on recovery) and then go into taper mode for IMAZ.
I know doing one of the Sept races 7-8 weeks out is more ideal than the B2B option but going to OK, MO or GA isn't going to perk my wife's interest like NC.
Posted By Paul Hough on 12 May 2012 11:59 AM
How can you do b2b and hammer out a 100 miler a week later ? Are you suggesting that doing a full IM is good training for an IM just 4 weeks later? I want to hear what the coaches think.
The coaches would probably think that's pretty f'n stupid.
I said B2B Half. No way I'd do the full four weeks from IMAZ.
I'm awesome but not that awesome!
The smartass in me says why do you ask me what I think when you're just going to do whatever you want to do anyway. And that guy also says you're doing a great job of potentially boogering months of training, $$$$ in travel expenses, and putting on a really shitty show for your family in AZ.
I've seen dozens of people have sub par IMCDA races by racing late May, early June halfs. Dozens more have poor IMLP showings by racing the late June HIM's in New England. IMWI athletes racing halfs in mid-August.
Of course, I could be wrong and you could be that One Guy.
Prove him wrong, Neo.
Do you Double Dog Dare me?
In all seriousness... I know racing close to an A Race has its negatives and I'm fine with that. Just trying to figure out which scenario is less negative if I were to race.
Bob, I have an n=0 of experience with this. So any pronouncement I made would be pure speculation. However, my take on what Rich is saying is that whether you race two weeks prior, or three weeks, doesn't really matter. It is like saying there is a real difference between a high of 105deg and 108deg. Yes, there is a difference, but they are essentially indistinguishable.
I (we) know that you are going into this with your eyes wide open and that you will take complete responsibility for whatever happens. I wish you luck in whatever course you take.
I do not think that was a good idea, because it dorked around with the week previous and the week after...and then I was only 3 weeks out.
If someone were to "force" me to do a HIM in the last 6 weeks before an IM, I speculate that for me, 3 weeks out might be the best time. I'd move my long run for the week before the race to about Tuesday and only taper a few days. it takes me about a week to be mostly back from HIM, so I would tell myself that the HIM was my last hard/long workout weekend, then week 3 would be mostly recovery, week 2 would be solid mid-taper, and that leaves race week.
but...I am just speculating.