I'd say you'd be at a much higher risk of going in over cooked than under done. I would focus on recovery from your IM which was pretty quick on its own merits as your first priority. Also I'd say that your ability to 'add' fitness and performance between now and Kona would be minimal, I'd be focussing on ensuring you arrive at the start line as fresh as possible, while doing the minimum required to maintain your current level of fitness.

Agree with previous post (my experience 20+ IM through 29-43 y.o, 8.18 PB) First week you may feel ok, still stressed, but after that fitness and tonus will go down and it's good - body needs to recover energy, better not disturb it with any long distance tempo stress, let it accumulate.. May take 2-3 weeks easy Z1. Then just average, normal training, few "wake up" workouts like 60 miles tempo TT...

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Hare Krishna

Let me summarize:
- 1st IM
- 8:43
- KQ

First of all, congrats!

Second, you do realize that 99% of this board will hate everything about you, right?

I love seeing guys nail their first IM. The vast majority of people tell you to do that first one ultra conservative. But you can be fast on your first one (obviously there are a million things that go into that statement).

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Proud Member of Chris McDonald's 2018 Big Sexy Race Team "That which doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger"
Blog-Twitter-Instagram-Race Reports - 2018 Races: IM Florida 70.3, IM Raleigh 70.3, IM 70.3 World Championships - South Africa, IM North Carolina 70.3

Yes, I expected that since I have been on this forum for a while :) That is why it took me at least 10 attempts to write this post to try to distribute the stats that you summarized ;)

Screw 'em....

That is awesome, congrats!

Wow! Awesome job and you are getting GREAT advice. Recover and enjoy your first trip. From what I see you'll be back in Kona in future years to race. Rely on your fitness and recover......have fun!

My first IM is in 3 weeks. I'm hoping to go under 13:00.

I hate you.






In all seriousness, congrats! Enjoy Kona!

I laugh a little when someone that fast needs advice, but speed and experience are exclusive, but it shows you doing something right.

I have a few fellow coaches that have done "the double" several times. Normally doing Kona, then IMFL or IMAZ.

- do not run
- seriously, don't run Even after you feel OK, give it a couple more days.
- Bike easy and add in some swims the first week
- Add in some more bike and swim volume
Week 3, slowing build up some run mileage
Week 4, return to maybe 75% of peak training volume
Week 5, recovery week again.
Week 6 & 7, back to 75% volume. Add in some intensity
Week 8 - Taper, have fun on the big island, but don;t overdo it.

That all assumes you have no injuries, only normal soreness.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

holy shit! i have absolutely no advice for you. still new to this all, still think full ironman is a little insane. just wanted to comment on how awesome that is to be that fast on your first go and to KQ! i agree with the comment made about you being there in the future. there's never going to be a first Kona again so enjoy the experience and soak in as much as you can!

Just wondering, did you only qualify by about a minute? Looks like a tough age group. 4th pace @ 8:47 almost for sure didn't get in...

This^^^^^^^ My coaches told me that, I took them up on it, and it was an amazing experience. They have coached more IM winners than anyone, so I figured they knew. Enjoy.......

My advice regarding Kona...

Swim,swim and swim...

Don't know if your swim split of 58:xx was done with a wetsuit but Kona was my only IM swim over 1h... 1h04 actually.

I swam anything from 51-58mins in my IM swims with and without a wetsuit...

There's waves, currents and very aggressive field... it's by far one of the though swim
in the IM circuit don't be fool by the beauty shown on TV... It's not easy. You can lose a lot of time.

As for an overall advice for the rest of training you don't need to put in a lot of miles on the run until Kona,
keep it low volume on the run, you have just ran a marathon you don't another build. Small runs, again you
don't need to do another build on the bike... Keep things in lower mileage close to Race Pace don't burn yourself
by adding mileage...

You better get there just a tad under train but mentally fresh...

Honestly, no matter how much training you would add at this time, you will not improve much over your 8h43 performance.
You have much more to lose at the risk of getting injury, or burn-out!

Last thing review your nutrition plan and cooling plan, yup it's hot on the run be prepare... ;)

You will enjoy more the day and have plenty of fun on the course.

Good Luck.

Thanks for all the advice's. I will make sure to listen to my body and make sure that I am mentally fresh when the race starts.

38 days to go and one thing is certain I plan to enjoy the experience! :)

I got in on my first attempt this year. Same AG as you. See you on the start line! There is nonpressure now, just get there not injured and you will kill it.

While I have no current ambition to reach Kona, I have swum the course and run the highway. Just for fun...on a holiday

And I can say that of the several IM races I have done, Kona is on another level with regard to conditions.

Swimming in the sea has a couple of advantages, you are more buoyant, so a swim skin will do you fine, no fears there. But it's a crowded swim area. Go play a little water polo, if you can, and get used to the body contact. 58 minutes, versus 62 minutes is nothing in an eight hour day. Being efficient in transition will make that up. The water, when I swam, was clear, and the waves (on that day) were no bigger than what you get in a lake, so getting on and staying on someones toes might be a little easier than it is in most lake swims. Let someone else save you the energy you are going to need on the highway.

The highway sun is brutal, I ran a few miles in the afternoon, that alone convinced me (I tan like an albino) that Kona probably wasn't for me. Spend a lot of time dealing with heat. Because as you no doubt already know, if the heat gets to you, your day is over.

There's a lot to see in Kona, especially if you like whales. But I have to admit that I have never, ever, noticed scenery in a race.....

Hope you have a great day.