There isn't anyone I know who does Ironman without a coach. Do you have one?

Nope, that I don't have. I assume you are suggesting I get one!

I've never done an Ironman, but know lots of people that have. They have all had a coach give them detailed plans for workouts, nutrition, and racing. I can't speak from personal experience, so hopefully some one else can.

But from my observation, I would recommend one.

IM isn't done at the intensity of a half, so you will need to learn to pace a bit better. But if you can do a half well (5:xx time is pretty well), then moving to a full isn't much of a problem if you get some longer workouts and a good build in.

For Calgary, was it hot, were you dehydrated, or did you push the bike too hard? That would leave anyone feeling like they don't want to go long when you have to struggle with walking in that situation.

If you are doing 70.3 in 5:20 after "blowing up on the run", you are biking too fast. You said you are a 4:00 marathon runner, so you should be able to run very close to 2 hours in a 70.3. As for 140.6, it is done at a much lower intensity and is all about pacing and nutrition. You shouldn't feel like you are working too hard until the 2nd half of the run.

More information would be helpful. How many hours/week did you train leading into your two 70.3 races? What was your nutrition like on race day? For me, 70.3 is much harder to execute than IM. IM is all about going slow for a long period of time. Training for that boils down to volume, consistency and learning your body.

A coach can be a great resource, especially if you are new to endurance sports, but definitely not a requisite for a successful IM.

This year I think I charged the bike 2:37. My first go at the 70.3 bike in 2013 was 2:46....however, my first go at the 70.3 run in 2013 was 1:53 and my second go at the run was 2:06. I think I need a serious lesson in what a proper pace feels like. Albeit, the heat was a factor (26 - 27 ish) and I had some mechanical issues on the bike which limited my climbing gears. Which I felt lead to aiding in my run demise. But certainly, I need to learn to pace better on the bike. Thank you.

There isn't anyone I know who does Ironman without a coach. Do you have one?

I assume you are being sarcastic?

After this weekends 70.3 (Calgary) I found myself deep into a world of pain as I blew up on the run.

Do you ever bike/run in training? If a race is the first time you run after biking, you probably don't know how fast you should be biking to leave enough in the tank to complete the run.

But my questions is, how can I possibly dig that much deeper to complete a full Ironman distance? Do I need more experience and years more of training?

A few more years of training will not help if you do things in a race that you don't do in training. You just have to learn to pace yourself.

Due to family and a crazy work schedule I achieved around half of my training. I will add it up tonight for a more accurate number, but I think 6-7 hours weekly average was only achieved. With 1 long ride... I know that sounds low. My training did not go as planned. Which leads me ask myself, if I don't have time to achieve the training I set forth for a 70.3, how can I possibly find time for a 140.6.

Race day nutrition started with a fried egg sandwich, sport drink and oatmeal. Course nutrition saw two sport drink bottles, lara bar and 6 gels between the bike and run. On the run I had beverages at every aid station.

Good point...looking back I did very few brick workouts. Maybe 2. I see that can be improved on.

I am not. I'm sure I'm naïve and that there are people that have done Ironman without a coach. But in my experience, I have not seen it. Hence why I also made a plea to others with more personal experience.

I am getting the feeling that with some focused and specific training, rather than jumping on the trainer in the basement for an hour at a time, I might be able to get to where I want to be.

Calgary course was begging people to hit the first 40k hard as it had 90% of the elevation gain over that first part....against the wind as well. What did you do over that first part of the bike?

Plus, that run is no joke. Those ups and downs killed my quads at the turnaround.

I struggled on that run as well and thought I paced pretty good power wise. Even pulled back a bit on the first half and still ran like crap.

It is tough to have a good 70.3 on 6 or 7 hours/week of training. A 5:20 is pretty impressive on that amount of training. But it is probably impossible for a relative beginner to have an enjoyable full IM on that training. The training has to fit around the rest of your lift (not the other way around). If you can't consistently swing it for ~4 months, then you are probably not going to enjoy the experience.

If you can find the time, then I would seriously consider Trainer Road. I was shocked at how hard you are expected to work on the trainer. Find 30 or 40 minutes to run on a daily basis and find a Masters swim group that you will look forward to attending a couple times each week. Small, consistent investments in smart training pay big dividends.

Thanks for this. I will check out Trainer Roads. My hurdle (like so many) is juggling 55-65 hour work weeks, family, choirs etc. I don't need to sing the "woe is me song" as this is almost everybody's reality. I am now realizing that the training I have been doing is simply maintain my fitness, not improving. Over the past 6 months, I bet I swam 6 times.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Unintended typos can be funny.....

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To answer another poster - I have done 2 full's w/o a coach, and 4 with a coach. The first 2 used a free training plan from BeginnerTriathlete.com, but w/o the experience of knowing how hard I should be working, I'd say that plan prepared me well for finishing but with not very impressive times. Contrast my coach, who writes in specific-to-me training intensities and balances that with other feedback (fatigue) and I have pushed through to much better outcomes. However, if you are in to reading a bunch and experimenting with yourself, I suspect one could get much more out of free sources than I did.

As others have said, the pacing is different for the full distance.

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To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

What would your target be for an ironman ? Completion or a target time ?

WD :-)

HAHAHA! Funny how that one worked out.

I am not sure if setting a time goal for a first timer is smart. So lets say I double my 70.3 time and add a few hours??? Sub 12 hrs. But I might be way out to lunch on that.

Been doing Ironman since '82. None of my friends, nor I use a coach. Yes, these are Kona racers too.
But we have studied the sport and read a ton. Swim coaching is always helpful, and tri coaches are a nice luxury, but necessary? No!
Just beat regular on Slowtwitch with a thick skin ;)

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Team Zoot So Cal

I don't have a coach (other than squad swimming) and I know plenty of others that don't. I work, have kids, am time poor and just can't commit to a training program, like a lot of others. So my training volume is low, 7, 8 hours a week. I did a 4.48 recently, nothing to write home about, but OK considering I only do 1 x 50km shop ride a week. IM volume was no more than 10 hours. Perhaps if you want to KQ or podium get a coach, but there is a wealth of great information on the net, plus plenty of free programs. I think the only reason for me getting a coach would be if I'm not reaching my targets in training and goals. I'm pretty sure if I doubled my training, my 70.3 times would improve significantly

I am not. I'm sure I'm naïve and that there are people that have done Ironman without a coach. But in my experience, I have not seen it.

I did 2 and never had a coach and never thought of having one. At the time, I also never knew a fellow competitor who hired a coach. Times must be changing.