We need to know how much training you are doing for the 70.3 and what your endurance sports background is.

My 70.3 training is probably 75-80% of what I do for a full. The only real difference is longer rides and runs on weekends, so it's not that hard to step up to a full after a half.

I'd target a November IM if you have a really strong 70.3 base. That might mean scrapping the marathon, otherwise you're waiting until 2020. You could put in a really solid IM build and specialty phase from Trainer Road in 16 weeks leading up to November. Ironman Cozumel is late that month and probably still has registration. Otherwise maybe Florida, or Arizona of they still have expensive spots.

My 70.3 plan is 20 weeks total, but I had a pretty solid run base going into it (raced several 13.1 earlier in the year before starting the program in April). The weekly mileage varies, but I'm doing each discipline 3x/wk. Longest swim has been 5000 yd (this was an outlier...the second longest was 3500 yd), longest bike has been 3 hr, and longest run has been 13.1. Most weeks have all swims around 2000-3000 yd, rides around 1:15-1:30 each (with a longer weekend ride over 2:00), and a short (3-5), mid (6-8), and longer distance (9+) run. There have been a few brick workouts (mainly long rides + short to mid distance runs) in the plan, plus sprint + olympic distance practice.

I have a distance running background. I've done marathon + half marathon frequently over the last eight years. I am new to triathlon, though. I certainly don't want to rush into a training program, but I figured I could use what I've built for the 70.3 strategically.

I hope this helps. Thanks again for the insight.

Pretty good base. Probably won't take you long to recover. You could rush it and do Louisville this year if you want to keep the marathon. If you're not in a hurry, I would just maintain decent fitness throughout the holidays and do a proper build for an early season IM next year, Texas or St. George.

Before you read the rest know that I'm not a coach and am firmly a MOP athlete for the full distance.


Do you want to just finish the 140.6 or race it? Would you be happy with just getting through it or would you need to know that you did the absolute best you could?

Depending on the answer to those questions, you are already really close to typical IM training minus the 4-6 hour bike rides. If you just want to finish comfortably (and not race), I bet you could be ready for Louisville. Otherwise, I agree that you should just maintain through the holidays with lots of swims/bike rides after the marathon. Then start your build for whichever race you are planning on doing between 4-6 months out depending on how well you maintained.


To answer your questions:
1. I spent 6 months of dedicated 140.6 training for my first IM. 4 Months for my second one which was less than a year later
2. You'll be ready in 8-10 weeks based on your background. You just need to build your weekly bike ride up such that doing 80-100 miles on a given weekend is NBD.
3. Louisville if you want to rush it. You could also race NYC marathon by doing IMLV - but I would say wait and do IMMT or IMLP next year based on your other post.
4. I PR'ed in a half marathon 2 weeks after my first 70.3. I can't imagine you'll take more than 1-2 weeks to recover from a 70.3. You may not be race fit 2 weeks later, but you'll be more than capable of training again.