5-weeks is definitely long enough to recover and race again. Take it easy the 1st week after the 1st race but don't slack off for the whole 5-weeks.

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Dtyrrell

IMO, the best options for doing two in one year is to space them far apart (six months or so) or do them close together (5-6 weeks is optimal in my mind).

Each has their pros and cons. Doing them far apart means that you will have two full builds which means a very, very long year of training. Doing them close together means "train once, race twice" but you really have to worry about recovery.

I've trained both ways and prefer doing them close together.

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thanks guys.

i have IMOO and IMLOU 4 wks apart next year and was wondering myself.

The problem isn't so much recovery, it's that to have a good race, you have to taper, which means shedding fitness. Then you have to recover, which means shedding more fitness. So your perfeomance in both is compromised because you need a solid 4 months and ideally closer to 5-6 months to rebuild your fitness and do a full taper for a 2nd "A" race.

Realistically, both end up being "B+" races not "A" races. You do a shorter taper for #1, then after recovering 2 weeks, you do maybe 1 week of moderate training (similar to weeks 1 of a 3 week taper, maybe 20% below you peak build training load), then a 1 week taper again. That's at least how I'd do it.

You'd really have to feel out the bike in #2 and probably execute a little bit more conservative power strategy and really, really, rally be sure to go out easy on the run. I think you'll be potentially living on the edge of disaster.

The big element will be home consistent and how much volume you have in your base and builds in the 12 months leading up to these races.

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TrainingBible Coaching
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x 2 on what GMAN said...far apart or close together. I also don't mind "semi far apart" in that I mean something like 8 weeks In that case you have time to fully recover but the next "build" is barely 3 weeks long and then time to taper. Whether I do them 3, 5, or 8 weeks apart, my focus in between is almost zero long bikes and certain zero long runs. Just a lot of high intensity stuff in between to jack the threshold/FTP up in each sport, because how fast I can go for over long is largely determined by 70% of my FTP in all three sports. Having said, that when they are 3-5 weeks apart, there are zero run intervals...just swim and bike. At 3 weeks the only hard training is around 12 days to 16 days after the first one, then time to back it off again. Lots of hard swimming is my friend and the bike training is short hard 30-120 second intervals with lots of rest in between and if I feel good some longer 6 min to 20 min at 1000-120% FTP.

I think getting caught in the "trap" of trying to do long 18 mile runs and 6 hour rides in between is a waste of time and undue family/job stress none of which bode well for one's mental state going into race number 2 (and don't underestimate the mental "I'm ready to fire again for 9-17 hours" readiness). Your body takes MONTHS and YEARS to adapt to have Ironman endurance and you CANNOT lose it in a few weeks if you are doing some endurance work.

The main thing is to do a full taper for the first race, take the first week post race really lightly, then the second week go about 2/3rds pre-race normal volume & intensity - it will probably be a bit of a struggle. Then the 3rd and 4th week - 2/3rds of normal, then week number 5 (race week) - cut back only slightly on what you have been doing between races and only really "taper" the last two or three days - IOW don't taper, just rest.

The key is to keep the intensity going and combine it with just enough volume that you don't lose fitness, but also light enough that you don't add fatigue. Looking at it from a PMC perspective (sport specific not all sports combined) - after my long rides and runs my TSB would be ~0 going into the long ride/run, and ~0 the second day after the long ride/run.

Here's a brief description for what I did between two IMs I did in 2011 - though they were six weeks apart. The next time I double that close I'll follow the same formula.

Link Here

FWIW - I feel I was stronger at the second race then the first race - the performance was definitely better.

I did IM France 3 weeks after I qualified for Kona in IM Cairns. Felt pretty good in France. I did the alp d'heuz long course tri about 3 weeks (maybe it was 4) later and felt fine too.

I always seem to recover pretty well though.

I've done this in 4 weeks before. Did Kona & then IM Florida. Upon getting back from Hawaii, I got sick & was in bed for around 2 weeks. Did virtually no *training* just a short exercise after getting healthy (less than an hour a day), then turned around & PR'd in Florida & KQ'd for the following year at Florida. It can be done but will take a sh*t ton of rest & willingness to resist any serious level of training between.

There is no issue with making the first race a A race/ doing the proper taper arriving in peak shape. That would be my recommendation and then, hold that fitness for the next race. That is a page out of the book of Brett Sutton, when doing ironman back to back in close proximity. It can work if you have a solid preparation for the first race.

the following 5 weeks are a lot of intense but shorter session and a few longer sessions. it s a long time to hold fitness but it s possible to a extend.

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Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
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depends on age. qualified late for kona raced 6 weeks later. Had an ok race but not a quality one but I was 69.

Didn't Joe Boness do three IMs in 5 weeks- Florida, GFT (which he won) and Kona? This was about 10 years ago.

I believe Joe went 4 IMs in 5 weeks. Just add IMWI in there....

I did LOU and MOO this year; albeit, just to finish. Fitness was not an issue (although I did have some unique personal issues). I'm pretty sure I could finish CHOO next week. Would have love to have been the one to do the LOUMOOCHOO trifecta!

I might try to go with the plan you laid out. I will be racing Boulder and MOO next year 6 weeks apart.

Just trying to wrap my head around how you can possibly do 4 IM's in 5 weeks as well as he did. He must have spent a small fortune in massage!

Joe went 4 IMs in 5 weeks

Jeebus!

As I recall, it was 2010. He was finishing IMWI in 10:10 and I was going out for my second loop of the run, and he waved and encouraged me to keep going. I believe he always stops in the finishing chute to give his wife a hug, which is big props in my book. I guess that's why they call him Iron Joe. I really miss racing with (certainly not fast enough to race "against") this legend of our sport.

C'mon back, Joe, let's do St. Croix again!

As I recall, it was 2010

Then then he's done it more than once. I saw him win at GFT about 8 years ago when he did the triple.

crazy!

http://www.slowtwitch.com/...less_phenom_167.html

Joe has done 4 Ironman in 6-8 weeks three times. In 2006 he did IMWI (AG Record), Kona (#1 AG) GFT (First Overall). IM FL (AG 1st). He did 3 in three weeks once and many times 3 in 4 weeks. The last one was 2010.


His training program can be found in several articles on the internet and at least one here on the forum.

Should anyone else try this? I don't think so and I believe it was not good for his long term health. It sure was a fun ride though, all that travel and making hew friends. Today is his 59th birthday and if he tries a comeback, it will not be back to backs again.

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