how well do you swim? the swim in the choptank can be rough. it's def 2x more difficult than the quassy swim.

the immd bike is EASY compared to the quassy bike. there are a few sections that can be windy, so if you're light, the course will be harder compared to a heavier rider (i'm 56kg on race day).

the immd run is also easier than the quassy run. but you tell me. compare your hardest half run to easiest/pancake flat full run. the flat course makes you tend to run faster, which you'll still pay for in the end.

i did immd in 10:29, i did quassy this weekend 5:24. fitness wise, i'm better in the swim, par on the bike, and a little off on the run... if any of that helps..

I am a slow swimmer, but I should be fine with the distance, I am pretty slow on the bike and running as well. I did not find the up hills on the bike too bad at Quassy, I was more intimidated by the downhills, 40mph is about the max I am comfortable with, I had people passing me on Sunday who had to be in the low 50s and it was pretty wet in some of those sections.
I completed Quassy around 6:20, I would like to think I can do a little better on the bike for average MPH in MD, run will probably be similar or a little slower, around 10 min/mile pace. Thanks.

The half is not any easier than the full, you just go faster.

Another thing to consider when focusing on Maryland is riding flat, in aero the entire time is not easy. I've done IMLP and IMMD same year, and in some ways it's nice to have those uphills to change cadence, get out of aero, and downhills to "rest" relatively speaking. Riding in similar cadence (I think I switched between 2 gears tops at Maryland depending on wind direction) for the full 112 miles constantly in aero is tough in different ways than a hilly course is.

or as we all know in training, "it doesn't get any easier, you just get faster."

If you know how to shift your gears and pace properly (though most do not) it all comes down to duration and how you trained for the event.

Is a 10 hour IM harder than a say a hilly 5:00 70.3? Yes, it still is because you have a 3-1/2+ hour run at the end, vs. 90+ minutes.

If that 70.3 was flat and it took 4:30, does that make it dramatically easier? No, because then you should be running and biking faster and a 15-20 minute shorter bike, doesn't make that much of a difference.


As mentioned, being aero for 4-1/2+ hours without little break is a different challenge.

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In my opinion IMFL was harder than the Half at Triple T.

jaretj