I don't think doing an ironman as a training session is worth it.
stick to good training week ends like 100mi sat with short run off the bike, and sunday long run and easy ride or a long brick on saturday like 5h-1h to 1h30' and a long ride the next day, but going through a whole IM as a training session is just way too long. if you want a mega day, spend 8h on the bike and run 30' off the bike.

if you want to do a training race, do halfs.

I am not suggesting not to do the vineman, they are far apart and recovery should be ok, although you have not done one, and so you can't tell before how it will take to recover..personnally for an athlete who has never done one, I'd stick to one Im the first year and see how the athlete recovers. if you decide to race both, don't train through the vineman. have a solid taper, take it as A race #1 and then Fla. but do not take the vineman as a training session.

I'd agree with Francois. You could end up with a 100F (or generally +85F) day and fry yourself. I have a friend who always does the full VM relay as prep for IM FL. The past three years, she has done the full swim, the full bike, then has a relay partner who runs the full marathon while she goes for a short brick run.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Thanks Francois. Someone else I respect told me the same thing - make your longest workouts mega bikes with short runs after, or long double bricks (bike,run,bike,run) with short run segments.

Thanks Cathy. I do do a lot of long bike rides after an early morning swim workout. Not exactly the same ticket, but close. I actually thought about doing something similar but running the first 1/2 of the marathon. Although - not sure I want to spend the $300 to do a brick.

What I'm really trying to figure out is the fueling & hydration and the correct pace to allow a continuous run (or at least not too much walking) at the end.

Maybe a better question to ask is what is the longest workout people do when training for an Ironman and when in the schedule do you do it?

Just an observation: If you do a local Ironman event, then THAT would be your FIRST Ironman event. ;>

Seriously, though. The others are right. Don't sweat being able to do the distance at FLA if your training is good. Sounds to me like you are having the age-old confidence waivering about being "up to the task." Don't worry. You'll do fine. FWIW, NO Iron-distance race is a TRAINING EVENT in the context of preparing for another race. No matter how hard you go, its a tough day.