Don't know your definition of enjoyable, but don't think you'll use that word to describe your first IM!

Good luck with whatever route you decide on!

 
Find a different race if you can transfer. If you are looking to just be able to claim you have done an IM then go to IM Boulder and doggie paddle, spin, and walk the course if needed to say you did it. However, if you want more than that, I would suggest the prior route, find a different venue if possible.

If you can't transfer to a different venue then I would seriously consider chalking this one up to an ID10T error. Forget the money, its not worth it if its your first IM, new baby and momma in tow and you are not "ready" for the race. Yup, sucks you lost some money. I would rather lose some money than have one of the worst racing experiences of my life.

^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^

Furthermore, unless you live as close as Denver to this race and Momma and your INFANT child can stay home, then from this woman's perspective, you are making a spectacular mistake dragging a child that small onto a plane and inconveniencing a nursing mother who isn't getting enough sleep already. This is SO MANY WAYS OF WRONG that I am dumbfounded you are even considering this. Many races await, but the mother of your newborn child and the welfare of that baby should come FIRST. And on top of that, you just had surgery...OY!

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DFL > DNF > DNS

They would not be coming. I would never want them to do that. I have training in Denver that week and wanted to do a short race. Didn't find one and jumped on this one, mistakenly. I have family at home who will help while I'm gone. Like I said I feel like I should reschedule if it's an option.

Pull the motherfckn pin. If you live in Boulder or Denver go and pick up your free stuff then tell them you're not racing. Walk around the expo and lament that you're not in shape. Go home and enjoy the new baby and your wife. Do the race next year.

If you can't get a transfer or refund then maybe just do the swim just for the experience. That way you don't have to transport the bike but you probably learn from being part of it.

Bag it! Transfer to a fall IM and schedule a half 8-12 weeks before. Show a little respect for the distance in your approach to training. E.g., a lot more volume but with a reasonable amount of time to build up without breaking down.

Yup^^^^

Ok so see if you can get a transfer to another race. Probably unlikely but you may as well try.
But if you're going to be there anyway for your training course...

This is what I would do:
1. Do the training and then make the call during race week. Anyone can do a short taper like I did for IMTX, you just won't feel nice and fresh on race day.
2. I wouldn't just pick up the free stuff and then not race. I would treat it as a supported training day. You just need to get into good enough shape to survive the swim (easily doable in 8 weeks) and not be destroyed by the bike. As for the run, you can do a run/walk on race day and get through it. So if you cannot do the race transfer, then just do the training and you will know by race week if you're confident enough to start. If you're not , then just don't race.
3. Don't try to "catch up" or "make up workouts" on a downloaded plan. You need to listen to your body and push it just enough to create an adaptation without destroying yourself. I would just simplify the whole thing. Run at least 30 min a day, one long run per week as long as you can without it making you super sore. Bike 3-4 x per week, go long 1 x per week if you can make it happen (might be hard to do with an infant having arrived, that would be my #1 concern). Swim 3 x per week, if you have a good masters program that should help.
4. Don't stress about training or the race. You already have enough life stress so don't add to it. Just do what you can and then decide closer to race day. Having a baby in the house calls for a lot of flexibility. If you're trying to stick to a schedule, that could stress you out even more when you can't get it done.
5. FYI - You can't put an infant in a stroller until they are about 6 months old. Their neck cannot support their head enough to do that.

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Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |

This. For the love of god, do this.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Go to the expo, pick up your freebies and then go out to a bar and booze it up. Skip the race and then head home to your wife and baby. You can decide whether or not to tell your wife you skipped the race and partied hard.

I'm wondering why people are even saying go to the expo. You'll get a bunch of fliers for races, a backpack for a race you didn't do,, a can of Red Bull and some other shit you will never use. Skip the expo go straight to booze

Good point. In that case, just leave your bike in the car at the airport, change your flight to Vegas, party really hard and then blame the Iroman for making you sit on the couch for 2 days after you get home.

I say try and get a refund. I half a$@! My last one and it ruined it for me. Not saying i wouldnt do another one but i def am burnt out. Not a pleasent experience. I would hate for you to have a terrible first experience and never want to do it again.

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2020 Team Zoot MTN

I agree with Rob Gray, with one variation. I was recovering from a fractured ankle once and couldn't run, but my doc said it was OK to do the swim and bike if I wore a brace. To completely avoid the temptation after the bike, I did not check in a T2 bag. If you do not want to walk the "run," just skip it. You can learn a lot from just doing the swim and bike -- especially pacing, nutrition, bike setup, etc. -- that will help get you ready to do an IM when you are better prepared. You won't learn much by walking 26.2 afterwards and, even at your young age, you have a pretty good chance of injuring yourself (and a really good chance of being completely miserable) if you try to do much running.

sadly, WTC has a 45 day limit on transfers... you'd likely lose the money at this point but it doesn't hurt to try and ask nicely?

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

If your wife is cool with you training and SLEEPING as much as you'd probably need to in order to somewhat enjoy the race, then go for it.

If you're going to be getting little sleep and struggling to get the workouts done, then skip it. Recovery from your surgery, spend time with your family and once your child is on a more predictable daily schedule then start training a little and find an IM for the fall or 2018.

Just wanted to thank everyone for the tips!



Cancelling is obviously not an option since we are beyond the 45 day cut off. Should have made this thread a couple days sooner. Oh well!


Let me just be clear, I am NOT abandoning my family for the sake of a race. I am on leave and vacation for the next few weeks which makes this situation not as bad as someone who comes home from 40hr/week and tries this. I am helping mom out tremendously and let her sleep through the night. My wife supports me in this and I wouldn't be doing this any other way. Doing this race puts me out of town just 1 or 2 extra days as I will be there for work anyways. My mom is moving in in a couple weeks and will be here to help out as well. So theres that.


My solution is to take opportunity to nap when the baby does to catch up from the night before. Then after I am I use the next nap interval to do some work on the trainer. When its cooler I take the baby out on the Bob with the carseat adapter utilizing safe sidewalks. I don't do z4 work with the stroller. Keeping it aerobic. The stroller has shock absorbers so really he sleeps through the runs. Where I live there are Saturday morning open water group swim followed by a group cycle. Once my mom is here I will have more opportunity to get a longer work out in. For now Its intervals.

As some have said, this will likely SUCK but as a first race I will take all the experience I can get, which includes remembering to plan and periodize my training much more carefully the next go around. Having done a century before I know the bike segment alone is going to kick my butt. Put a 1:20 swim in front of it and I am sure I will be ready to quit if I gave myself an excuse before I even start the run. I cant imagine I will be cramping on the bike so long as I keep my nutrition plan together. I will not run through an injury but wont quit because I'm tired. Wherever I have to stop, I will.

The goal for me for my first IM was sub 12 hours and that might have been doable if I hadn't had the 3-4 week lapse in my routine. Maybe I didn't explain my tri-sport routine carefully but given my base that I have maintained for the last couple of years I don't think is a Couch-to-Ironman situation. Just wasn't on a specific plan to follow. I am thinking I will do ~1:30 on the swim (taking it easy), 6:00 on the Bike (taking it easy), and 4:00 on the run (doing my best to finish strong given the circumstances). I figure with the loss of fitness from those 4 weeks I gain an hour.

Honestly, I'd rather Did Not Finish than Did Not Show Up.




Thanks again!

Let us know how you get on. I've been in a similar situation myself a couple of times.

First time I pulled the pin and didn't go. I was gutted but it was the right thing to do (I did swiftly booked an autumn marathon as a consolation event). Second time it happened I went for it - I took it easy on race day, and I did ok, but the last 10 miles of the run was horrible. Not horrible enough to stop me driving a few hours home that night, but I did question my sanity a few times as the sun was setting. Both were the right decisions based on the situation at that time.

But seriously, let us know how it goes.

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Swim. Overbike. Walk.

I'd give it a shot with the only goal being making the cutoffs.

Plan to swim for 100-110 minutes, transition for 10 mins, take close to 8 hours to bike (ie about 14.5 mph with 3-4 5 minute breaks for peeing/stretching), transition for another 5-10 and then jog/walk the run. You will have about 6 hours to do this so if you can average 12 min miles or so you should be good.

In my opinion, most people who do well in an oly can pull this off, but it won't be pretty. Be very careful with hydration and at the first sign of rhybdo setting in during the run/walk, bail. Good luck.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment