My suggestion to ease your worries is to actually go volunteer at a full Ironman race. You will see a range of body types and fitness that will persuade you that you can do it, and you won't be out of place.

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Sharon McN
@IronCharo
#TeamZoot
Clif Bar Pace Team 2003-2018

Why the rush to do a full? Go fast with a few 70.3's. Build some resilience. Being 175 pounds and being 63 inches isn't really being in shape, maybe being fit.

It sounds like you have a great deal of support with your club, I'd recommend a coach to help structure a strategy so it addresses each of your concerns. I would begin planning your life for the next 18 mos ( race schedule, vacations, etc) so there is minimal impact to training, you can build a better base and see how your body changes and fuels in the next 18 mos. most important thing is staying injury free- Happy Training!

If you're more or less ready for a 70.3 now, then it should absolutely be possible to be well prepared for an IM distance race late next year. Bear in mind, a lot of guys on Slowtwitch are somewhat obsessed, many of them are elite and many think nothing of 15hr+ training weeks. Don't assume this is the norm for IM competitors (you probably already know that from your training buddies?)
I did my first IM having previously only done a single Olympic distance and 70.3 and a lot of adventure races and duathlons ranging from sprint distance to 70.3 equivalent. I know I've given figures before on here but from memory I think I peaked at about 13-14hrs per week for just a couple of weeks. Most of my training was a siz month run in and averaged under 10hrs per week. Not ideal for a fast time, but adequate to complete it without embarrassing myself. Work and holiday commitments outside my control made a mess of my training plan in the last 3-4 months and I still got by. With 14 months to play with, you can choose the best way to proceed. If you're concerned about weight and wear and tear, I'd suggest maybe considering a phased approach:
1st: Do the 70.3 and see how you get on. Do you end up with any injuries? Do you feel like you could have slowed down a little and gone longer? Are you still enthusiastic to do a full IM?
2nd: If you decide you do want to do the IM, but you're not sure about the approach, I'd suggest you take a step back and identify what (if anything) are likely to be the biggest problems that could stop you or make it less of a success. This might be weight, it might be training time, it might just be confidence.
3rd: Perhaps ring-fence the last 6 months for building volume and race specific training
4th: Realise that you have 8 months to work on the weaknesses you identified without having to combine this with race specific training.
5th: Make a plan and start following it.
6th: Review and tweak the plan as you go along to ensure it remains appropriate and is getting you where you want to go.

Honestly 8 months is a good amount of time to work on any limitations. If you're starting with 70.3 fitness and have 14 months, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to get there. If you're not sure you can find at least 10hrs a week to train in the last 6 months, consider if it's a better idea to find a different challenge. Otherwise, be confident you can do this, make a plan and start chipping away at whatever might hold you back.

I agree with Sharonmcn but see how your 70.3 goes first. People of all different ages, sizes, shapes and speeds do IM's.


"My suggestion to ease your worries is to actually go volunteer at a full Ironman race. You will see a range of body types and fitness that will persuade you that you can do it, and you won't be out of place. "

This is an excellent post.
OP, best way to get your feet wet is to jump in. Don't be afraid. The worst that you can do is not finish and you will learn a lot. But I'm fairly certain you'll finish given your enthusiasm.

Marathon alone at that BMI sounds dangerous to me--not worth the risk of injury IMHO. The training is not the part to worry about IMHO.

Disclaimer: I injure myself basically at every road marathon, takes months to recover. I've finally given up.

Anybody at that BMI can easily do the swim/bike program though. Try to have fun with it and enjoy the improvement process

Personally I think the oly and 70.3 are the sweet spot distances for a hobbyist

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//Noob triathlete//bike commuter//ex-swimmer//slower than you

There is no rush to do an Ironman.

You should focus on health and not your weight. Spend a year training consistently and focus on your diet. If you think of getting healthy first, your body weight will come around and you will build up endurance through exercise. Focus on consistency and forget about setting a goal like an Ironman. Do shorter races to keep your interest up, but get out there day after day and combine that with healthy eating. That will prepare you for doing an Ironman one day.

Think more long-term or you will lose interest, you won't be doing your health any favors and will struggle with your weight. Exercise for enjoyment and eat for health and then worry about completing an Ironman. There are so many who burn out from the sport because they focus on the end result instead of the process in getting there.

do you want to complete an ironman, or do you want to complete an ironman within top 30% of your ability..

meaning:

i can finish any ironman at any point in the year with no specific training. i'm guessing in 14-15 hours. i'm confident that my peak abilities is in the mid 90's and i generally finish in the 10's and 11's depending on training.

i'm 5'3" and on race day 123 lbs for a race i'm trying to PR and 130-135 for all other races.

trust me when i say that you'll REALLY feel those lbs after mile 10 of the marathon.

eat well (whole foods, vegetables, cut out the junk and processed foods) and con't with your current training and you'll watch the lbs drop. if you con't, you should be in the 140's by imfla next year, and feel amazing.

after doing 8 IM's, i really suggest people train hard and enter an ironman when they think they can run the whole marathon (whatever pace "running" is for you"). i'd much rather wait a year and run all 26.2 miles than rush it and walk 6-8 miles of the race.

john

Do the 70.3. Wait a week or two. Assuming all went reasonably well - go for it!

Disclaimer: I did the above with my first IM scheduled for LP 2018 in July. Syracuse 70.3 was my first half this past June. Did NYC oly in July. AC 70.3 coming up in two weeks. I'll be honest - the run in Syracuse was not my finest hour(s). I need to really work on my run endurance, and the heat, hills and wind on the bike in Syracuse didn't help my cause going into the run.

I'm not elite - just a (below) average triathlon hobbyist. I'm using AC as a gauge to average out my feelings about Syracuse with another race, then plan out the remainder of the months leading up to IMLP next July. If you're anything like me, once you pay the $800+ for the entry fee and $1k for lodging, you're invested and will do the work! Personally, in my non-professional opinion, you'll lose the weight as you train more and more. Just don't dive into the cheeseburgers.

The run-walk and repeat intervals during the IM runs are popular with many AG participants. Something to think about in an attempt to finish-finish in a reasonable time frame and void significant body injury. Good luck.

Thank you! I agree and was invited to be a race sherpa at IMFL in two months. One of our teammates is racing and so we are all going to cheer him on. He is actually one of the ones that's really been encouraging me to take that step. But thank you for the feedback! Great tip!!

Very true! And that is a perspective I was not considering. It certainly would be pretty awesome to focus on actually racing a race instead of surviving it. My only defense to doing a full now would be because I am not married and have no children. Nothing is tying me down other than my job, which gives me the summers off. But what you are saying makes total sense and definitely something to think about.

Thank you! Yes, a coach is invaluable to these bigger races. I signed up for Galveston 70.3 twice and didn’t even get to the start line because I was training myself and wound up injured both times. I was also much heavier and my body fat percentage was stupid high. I have been working with my coach since March. She’s awesome and has made me feel so completely ready to race this half coming up in a month.

I copied and pasted your steps and have them listed on my fridge and my pain cave. That breakdown is absolutely perfect! I really appreciate your feedback and insight. Your first point was kind of what I was thinking as well. The deal was if I can finish RyanMan 70.3 in one piece, financially could support it, have my coach’s support, and felt like I could do it after 70.3 miles, then go for it. And the reassurance that there is enough time to train safely is much appreciated and that there is enough time for a baseline to be established. So thank you for this post!

I agree with her too. I was actually invited to go be a race sherpa at IMFL in november and actually might as well volunteer since I’ll be there anyway. Watching that finish line is going to be so stinking cool!

Thank you! I would like to think that I could. The support is there, the coaching is there, the desire is there.

Great advice! Thank you!

I swear by run-walk. Jeff Galloway is a smart man. Using run-walk is how I PR'ed my half marathon and how I plan to survive RyanMan 70.3 and the Louisiana Marathon as well. It was the only strategy that helped with recovery and a strong finish. Most of my training friends and my tri coach swear by it as well.

I was in your boat about 10 yrs ago. I thought I'd never do an Ironman and now have done several. Losing weight will help and can also decrease running injuries. My problem was I overcomplicated my training. Unless you want to go sub-11 hours, this isn't necessary. Looking back, these are what helped me the most:

SWIM - join a Masters team if possible / swim at least 3 hours per week / sprinkle in some open water workouts if possible / swim 4200 yards non-stop at least twice

BIKE - Do two challenging Trainer Road workouts per week + long rides on the weekends / build up to two 6-hour rides, a month apart / game-changer for me was consistently riding 4 hrs Sat followed by 3 hrs Sun, every other weekend / a power meter stands as the best investment I've ever made for tri training

RUN - run every day if possible, even if only for a mile / build up to 40 mow (add 1 mile per wk) / keep it slow, but push yourself occasionally / easy runs on rolling hills will work wonders / the IronStrength video has been a godsend and somehow fast-tracked my running without causing injury


Good luck

Fellow triathlete teacher (also still with a planning hour, unlike many in our district). I've done three 70.3 distance races. They were fun, but I'm going back to short course for the next season.

I can't believe you're looking at a full during the school year! I know for me life gets busy in September - all the hours and energy teaching demands, coaching both at school and for my kids, etc. I know most people do 140.6 while working full time, but for me it would make so much more sense to peak for a late August or early September race.

Best of luck with whatever you do!

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

Wow, I really like how you have all your bases covered. It looks very balanced with not only endurance but strength and speed as well. Could you tell me more about the Iron strength video?

Hi fellow tri teacher! The reason that I picked this race is because it's flat and fast compared to the ones that could be done in the late july, early august. I live in Louisiana and we have no hills. In fact, if we want to practice hills, we have to resort to riding up and down overpasses. So, most of us triathletes in this neck of the woods look for flat courses because it's the terrain that we train in.

I'm actually a band director and I teach at two schools. The kids are used to seeing me walk my bike through the hallways already because most of my shorter training rides are immediately after school. But yes, it's crazy tough balancing it all and as much as I would like to drop to an olympic race, we don't have them around here. Triathlon is not a blooming sport down here......yet:)

Thank you all for your comments and feedback. It's given me a lot to think about and I think I'm going to wait a little bit.

Since I last posted, I've dropped about 15lbs and for the first time that I can remember, no longer considered obese. I meal prep twice a week and eating almost completely clean.

My plan is to race my 70.3 on October 8th and maybe stay with the 70.3 distance for a bit. Once I can race the race instead of just surviving it, I'll talk with my coach then.

Again, thank you all for your feedback! I am COMPLETELY grateful:)