I'd say your training should fall somewhere between IM and 70.3 volume. I don't think there's a lot of info about just how to train for it because there aren't a lot of events like it. If you're 70.3 fit then you'll be fine so long as you pace the first 3 races properly. And this can be challenging because of all of the climbing on the course. At the end of the weekend I felt pretty beat up, but I don't think you need Ironman volume because you don't have to bike 180k or run 42k at any point in one shot. Good nutrition over the weekend is also something you should put some thought into if you want to perform your best.

I did NOT feel like racing Sunday morning, and I had thought I'd done alright pacing up to that point, but in hindsight I had gone too hard in a couple of the races.

Your training should be for a very hilly 70.3, and as with any event regardless of distance, at your maximum sustainable volume.

Your execution should be to stay within yourself on Saturday, ride nearer 70% and stay under threshold on Sunday so you can run within 15 min of your best 70.3 run.

I've done the event 11 times, I'll try and answer any question you have.

Edit time for run

Daniel was pretty spot on. I would take a 70.3 plan and increase it 25-50%. You will be fine at that point.

It's all about holding back on the early races really. The course is very hilly on the bike, and even the run it tough. The super sprint on Friday can take a lot more out of you than you would think.

I am usually a 2:25 oly guy and I went 2:50 and 2:55 there on Saturday (it was 38 deg that morning so transitions were a lot slower than usual as I really dried off well and added extra gear). Part of that was holding back, and the other part was the terrain. On Sunday I wasn't real enthusiastic about the half, but I got through it OK.

For training my thoughts were to stay run heavy 40 miles per week following a BarryP like program so 5 or 6 days per week, with a long run around 10 - 16 miles and go with a trainerroad 70.3 high volume plan and masters swim 4 days per week.

Raceday was thinking keep the run in Zone 2 or 3 and ride and swim hard for each race. Obviously for Sunday just leave whatever I have left. I'd like to go sub 11 total as that's where my full ironman time is.

Why would you assume that someone training for a half could increase their volume 25% to 50%?

What caught me by surprise were the downhill runs on the trails and the affect they had on my knees. My goal was to finish and I trained for it like a half with as much hill training on the bike and computrainer as I could get. Since my running was fine, just increased the distance and did some uphills, never thought about the downhill or I would have practiced this more to get my knees conditioned. Also, practice swimming with out using any of your lower body. In the afternoon oly I severely cramped up below the waist, so had to swim the last 100 yards using just my arms. The American Triple T...best triathlon experience I have ever had.

My girlfriend and I did it as a co-ed team many moons ago. We did it two years in a row and the first year it was the first time either of us had even done a 70.3.

I don't recall doing anything special for training just making sure to get in some longer trainer rides and runs. I think we would generally go 2 hour ride Saturday plus 90 min to 105 min run. Sunday would be big day with a hard 4 hour bike with 45-60 min run off the bike then later an easy recovery swim.

I think the only thing I would recommend doing is do a few big weekends where you put in some good quality and distance back to back on saturday and sunday or if life allows friday, saturday, and sunday. Just give yourself enough time to recover after.

In my opinion it isn't as much about the training going in as it is about proper pacing, nutrition, and recovery during the weekend. I saw a lot of people that pushed a little harder than they should have during the super sprint and first olympic only to crumble on Sunday

I've done it twice, and both times did very well (per my own expectations). Podium in 40-44 AG last year.

I've always kept training really simple; I used the Be Ironfit ironman plan and aligned it in such a way that week 22 of the plan (the week where you're supposed to race a 70.3) is the week that ends with Triple T itself. So I just considered week 22 the end of the plan. Both times I did it I raced above my expectations and my best event was always on the final day.

I never did weird stuff like train an olympic in the AM and an olympic in the PM like several friends did or train bike-swim-run stuff... none of that. I went into the race with sufficient fitness and focused on execution, and making sure to eat enough as fast as possible after every event. And have a beer every evening.