Why not change goals and break a PBR at the Duke race? Give it all you got and win your age group or like I said do a PBR. Its not how many but how much quality is there. We all good race 20 times a year but what good does it do us. I would hope we are striving to do better than just finish. That's just like going through the motions. To get better is to do better in each race not just show up and finish--is it?

My feeling is two weeks is too close. GFT is no slouch of a race, esp. the bike if the wind and heat is true to form. I'd pick one or the other and absolutely hammer it. I did GFT last year and did the Philly Marathon 5 weeks later and wasn't even really ready for that.

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"To give less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." - Pre

MattMizenko.com

I did IM Lake Placid in a little under 14 hours. I might get close to 13 hours this year if I can keep air in my tires this time and hydrate properly for a change. I am 47 and no way could I do what you are planning. My ability to recover is pretty poor. You might be a lot better at recovering, but at 44, I would be inclined to doubt it. When I was 22, it wouldn't have been a problem.

Youth is definitely wasted on the wrong people.

You are best equipped to judge. Best wishes.

Blah Blah Blah...

;-p

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Depends on what you want to get out of the Florida race. If you are just going to cruise through it then go for it. If you are going to race the Duke hard and then try it again 2 weeks later it won't work regardless of your age and recovery speed. I took part in a study at University of Waterloo years ago when I ran my first marathon (mind you I did it off of very low volume training) and they strapped my leg into a machine to measure how much force I could exert (both voluntary and involuntary... the electrical shocking on my legs was a bitch the day after the race when I could barely walk!). They tested me 2 days before the race then every day after until I could exert the same force as I did prior. It took 13 days and that was when I was 26 years old. I did the Ironman in Roth in 2001 and tried to race a mid-distance race (2k-55k-15k) 4 weeks later and my legs just wouldn't go hard for me on the run. I finished fine but couldn't really race it like I wanted to.

After a buddy and me did IMF2001, he was planning on running the Thanksgiving Marathon in Atlanta, 3 weeks later. I kept telling him that his legs were going to blow like a cheap Taliban landmine, but he wouldn't listen. He finished, but not well. It was also not a fun race.

Can you do it? Probably. Will your time be as good as your previous times? No. Will you enjoy doing it? I don''t think so. You may just end up being miserable out there. Not to mention that Clermont is the armpit of Florida, and no place to go for a vacation.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

I coach a girl whose older brother (24-25) raced in the Pineman full this past year. Less than a month later, he did Marine Corps marathon. I kept asking her why. I told her that his legs were going to be trashed. He did it and had his worst marathon ever, by alot. Afterwards he said "My legs just felt dead..." Get the picture. It's way too close.

tommy

Some guys just enjoy going to the races and doing the workout, regardless of finish time. If that's you, then you might consider doing the Half IM at GFT. If you do the whole thing (IM) you are going to be really miserable on the last 30 or so miles of the bike and you'll probably be walking a lot on the "run". But, if you really don't care about your time, and just want the experience and workout, then why not? Just don't push so hard you blow out a knee or otherwise get injured. For most of us this is an avocation, i.e., it's supposed to be fun. I don't know about you, but I don't let anyone else define fun for me. :)Good luck!

-Robert

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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank