Welcome; your plan looks great but you might want to consider starting with some shorter distances at first (like Oly distance). Starting out with a 1/2 Ironman will be difficult but with the right training can be done. I'm in my third season and will attempt my first 1/2 iron-distance (god willing).

Best,

Dave from VA

congradulations to committing to a set of goals. if your ultimate goal for 2005 is to complete a full iron distance at the blue devil race, definitely spend a lot of time on the bike starting now. since you commute via bike, this should help you out a lot in adapting to this. make sure to find a training program fitting your fitness profile and to continue to progress on your weight loss by keeping regularly active and eating sensibly.

regarding your tentative race schedule, my opinions are as follows:

eagleman - might be early in the year if you are still formulating your goals for next year, and you may want to start off with a shorter distance. there are other nearby options for a half ironman later in the year which may suit you better (lower entry fees, smaller field, won't sell out quickly) such as mussleman (geneva, ny), and tupper lake tinman. you can find other area races by state by looking on www.trifind.com

westchester triathlon - a good race, and challenging, but if you're planning on doing blue devil, it's too close to the proximity of that race, and you'd be better off passing on it to put more focus on your A-race.

blue devil - you can get ready to do a full iron distance in one year. stay focused on your goal and try to learn as much as you can about the sport. there are plenty of options within the NYC area, so be sure to explore them as well. good luck in your training and in the pursuit of your goals.

Hey, it sounds ambitious but if you want the challenge and feel you can do it then why not?

Having said that, I would highly recommend at least a sprint tri before Eagleman even if it is just an informal club event. There is something about going through all the motions at race speed. I seem to learn something invaluable every time. I also think it will help the longer distances feel more enjoyable.

Welcome to the real world.

I agree with DC pattie that a 1/2 is a big step for your first race. it can be done but irt can also cause damage if not properly prepared for. I would recommend doing a few oly/sprint tri's before attemting a 1/2.

I didn't do a 1/2 until my second season and i was glad I waited as it kicked my butt but i was physically and mentally prepared much better in teh second season rather than the first.

An ironman in your first season is asking a lot. Depending on your training schedule it can be done but it is a greater time commitment than most people realize. It will dominate your life for 6 months. You can train to "just finish" but my approach to ironman is always to do my best not "just finish."



Good Luck.

Rather than starting w/ a Half-IM, why not do a Sprint or Oly (or both, or a few of each) first? You can learn SOOO much from them, rather than learn some quite painful lessons in a much longer event.

There are 2 Sprints in Harriman every season, June and Aug

There is an Oly in Kingston, NY every July. And lots of others...

see http://www.nytc.org/calender.cfm for a calendar of events, all of which are right in your "back yard".



As for doing a full-IM in yer first year, there are "13 weeks to a 13 hr IM" plans out there (do a search of this site, they get mentioned every few weeks), but they assume you have a decent base and some prior experience.

Best of luck, ride on-

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float , hammer , and jog

Hey, good luck training. I'm training for my first one ever too. I hope things work out for both of us.

Wow, thanks everyone! I'm still learning my own limits, and it's good to have more knowledgeable folks to keep my (over)enthusiasm in check.

The trifind link was very helpful. I've been working from active.com & USAT sites... there's far more to choose from than I realized. I think I'm going to keep the Blue Devil as my season's end goal, but replace the early 1/2 IM with a shorter event or two.

...because that way I'll be ready to finish 1st overall at Eagleman '06. ;)

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The more you can race, the less questions bug your mind before the race...especially when it comes to what to do in transitions. Transitions can be trained, though, if you have someone available to make you practice them, it won't be a big deal.

The Blue Devil Iron Distance race is great for a first time IM, simply because of the support available. You won't feel like you did an easy "first IM" when you're done, either...it's the real deal. Plus, you can do it for the cost of travel by raising enough money to cover the cost of the registration. That's right. There's some money savings right there. AND, it's for a good cause.

Ride, ride, and ride some more. In many ways, I think it is more important than running. WHY? Because you're probably going to be walking a lot! And, that's OK. Your job is to be able to bike 112 miles and still be able to move those feet along the ground...be it walking, running, or walk-running!

Congratulations on setting the goal. You can do it. Hopefully, I'll see you at the Blue Devil!

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

My advice would be to slow things down a bit and build gradually - over the course of a few years - to a full iron-distance race. You say that you are committed to becoming a triathlete, which I can only assume means that you're hoping/planning that this will be a lifestyle for many years. So, what's the hurry to hit the "glory" events? Yes, you can probably finish Eagleman and not be last, and yes, you can probably finish Blue Devil or any other fall iron-event, but I can almost guarantee that your experience at either will be better with other, shorter, races under your belt. Two options you might want to consider are Columbia (just southwest of Baltimore), which is international distance, towards the end of May, and the Mooseman 1/4iron on June 4th northeast of Concord, New Hampshire. Both races are run by extremely qualified organizations (tricolumbia.org and timbermantri.com), and your experience will be superb. Both are moderately tough courses, but nothing "over the top" (well, the Columbia run can be a hurter if you go too hard on the bike!). By June, though, you're into the race season and you'll find dozens of quality races from which to choose. About June 20 there is Escape from Ft. Delaware (piranha-sports.com) near Delaware City, and this involves a boat ride out to Pea Patch Island and a swim back to shore. Shop around A LOT, and enjoy the build-to-success approach!! There is a huge amount to learn about being halfway adept at triathlon, and you won't learn it all in one season. You're looking at a couple of big-buck races, and if money is really a serious factor, as you say it is, I'd recommend spending your bucks on less expensive races where your "rank beginner" status won't be such a fiscal liability!

In my own case, I just finished my 5th year of triathlon and completed my first Ironman, Lake Placid, in July. It was my 27th triathlon, and was preceded by nine half-iron distance races, the first of which was preceded by four sprints and one int. What I knew going into Lake Placid was COLOSSAL compared with what I knew in my first season - or the second, third, or fourth, for that matter. Consequently, I had a phenomenal time, the highlight of my life (55 years worth). I might've had a ball had I done an IM in '00 or '01, but I would not have felt half as comfortable in the process, I'm sure.

I don't mean to come across as negative or as "pissing on your parade", and I wish you well regardless of the races you choose. But have faith in the shorter races, as there are many great ones around, and keep in mind that practically any coach worth thier salt would recommend starting slowly and gradually building the experience required to comfortably tackle the longer distances. Good luck, and enjoy the ride!

FIRST OF ALL--HAVE FUN!

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

Great job with the weight loss!

I think #1 priority is to have fun!

I've been involved in triathlons for 4 years and started coaching 2 yrs ago. I swam in college and then gained about 40 lbs. So, I know where you are coming from.

I've now run 7 marathons, completed Hawaii Half twice, raced over 50 sprint & olympic distance races and recently completed IM CDA. So, my best advice is not to rush into the IM distance to soon!

I think having a goal of a half is great! Maybe you should try riding a century or training for a marathon.

#1 priority is having fun! I've found with the athletes I coach that enjoy training are more consistant which then results in improvement!

Good job & good luck!

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Enjoy the journey!