This is for next years planning, as we have a nice 1/2 tri which will be 2 weeks before my first full. Would it be ok to do this for fun? I’m a very strong cyclist and the bike for both events is the part I can’t wait to do. The swim will be ok and the run will kill me. I would swim hard bike hard and just jog the run. I know this should be taper time but is that really as neccesary for someone who isn’t fully trained. I can see a full taper if you’ve fully prepared and are really in need of a full taper. The course also is fairly close to the full circuit. I did 3 oly distance tri’s in a row on the weekend this year with a bicycle race on the “empty” day either before or after the event. This was doable but not recomended, and I just include that to show the level of cycling I am capable of as that seems to be the area that can kill a good “full” if not on form. Any thoughts.
It would be a bad idea. If you are dead set on it, do the swim and bike portions, jog 3-4 miles of the run then stop and go home. Call it your last trial run for the IM.
"I know this should be taper time but is that really as neccesary for someone who isn’t fully trained. "
-it’s even more of a reason to skip it. The recovery from a 1/2 is significant and two weeks out isn’t the time to play games with your first IM. 6-8 weeks out would be much better.
If you can REALLY make yourself just jog the run, then you’re okay. Otherwise, I’ve got to agree with Marty. In my experience it takes a good 3 weeks to recover from a 1/2 if you really race it hard.
I had the same dilemna earlier this year. I initially thought that I could do the swim and bike, then run 3 miles and call it a day. Then I realized if I was having a good day I would not be able to stop running once I started, and a hard 1/2 marathon 2 weeks before a full IM is not a good idea. Perhaps if you leave your running shoes at home so there is no possibility of doing the run . . .
My taper for IM is 3 wks it always seems like an eternity, but i am fresh and fast on race day( the PRIORITY ). Doing the swim bike would be fine , but if your any thing like me you wont stop the run early. Maybe have someone hide your running shoes the night prior. it would feel like a DNF too.
on the otherhand if you’re 35-39 and racing IMCdA, do the half 
cheers
If you race it hard, I agree with everyone else that it is a bad idea since you should be tapering 2 weeks out. However, if you swim and bike and only cruise on the last 1/3 of the bike or even do surges for some tempo training then it is ok. I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to drop out part way through the run so I’d probably leave my racing flats at home and just jog the run but I’d have to finish the race since I’ve never DNF’d a race… An even better idea would be to skip the race altogether or do a sprint at the same venue for some speed work if they have multiple races that day and not put yourself into a situation where you might get carried away.
I was thinking of a jog walk thing, kind of the training I’ll need for the marathon anyway. I think I may give it a go as it sounds like the run is the bad thing, and I think I can back off and go easy. I’m pretty paranoid about causing a running injury and usually keep my head about me. Alot of this of course is contingent on many things, as the only thing cast in stone is the IM. My job allows alot of training and the run will be the thorn no matter the time.
If it’s an option at the 1/2 you’re so interested in, you may want to consider finding a swimmer and a runner and doing a relay. That way you could do the bike course, which sounds like what you’re so interested in doing, and it won’t feel like a DNF.
It’s a thought…
A
The question should be, can you do the swim and the bike, staying in your lower aerobic zone for the 1/2? If you go to the race thinking I will bail out for a portion of the run but hammer on the Bike, then it probably is not a good idea. I have pondered this question many times in scheduling my upcoming season. That is my dilema. I love the bike, so I think for me personaly it would be tough not to knock out a fast bike split. I just don’t think I have the restraint.
JT