Coaches & WSMs - What's the latest date I can begin preparing for IMAZ?
We're 13 weeks out as of this coming Sunday. Post disaster at IMCDA I've had to back off to get my low back (disc, facet joint) pain back on track. It's finally coming around (knock on wood). Doc says go for it and start training. Since early July I've been S-B-R consistently with a couple of cool vacations in between. I throw in some Bike intensity a couple days a week and I believe my FTP is maybe 5 watts off of my peak. Got both Road and TT bike fit properly by Max Testa. Head is on straighter than it's been in awhile too. I've done 4 IMs.
I still need to make sure I'm out of the woods on this low back thing. I don't want to jump into training too quick and be back at square one.
How late can I reasonably start training and still finish IMAZ...yeah, you read it right, finish is pretty much the goal. I'd rather show up with super low expectations than do what I've done time and time again and be disappointed.
Comments
Apologies to others not as gifted as you, but you could finish an IM today, simply on the fitness you currently have. Consider: you can certainly swim to make the 2:20 cut-off; 10 minutes for transitions; 15 mph average for the bike (or go 18 mph and rest as often as you like) gets you to 5 PM, then walk/jog 26.2 miles in 16 minute miles leaves you plenty of time for dancing in the finishing chute at midnight.
But I suspect that's not *really* what you're thinking about. 12 weeks is enough time to get in reasonable shape to have a decent bike/run in an IM. One key to it is to recognize that you are going into that training with the FTP and the VDOT you currently have - no illusions about trying to get "faster", just building up the ability to apply that fitness consistently over the course of the 11 hour day you anticipate.
Now is the perfect time to test your VDOT and FTP, and then draw up realistic targets for race day based on those numbers. The IM AZ course is ideal for making such a translation. For example, someone with a 48 VDOT can expect to be able to run a 4 hour marathon, and someone who can do a 40 km TT in an hour can bike 5:30, given the flatness of the course and the mild weather (high 60s/low 70s) which prevails.
The other key is avoiding getting injured while training. So following the Advanced plan, which ramps up quickly, is probably not a good idea, even if you anticipate going under 11 hours. You can always switch to the advanced at 4-6 weeks in if you find you are not getting fatigued, and your muscles and joints are holding up well.