1/2 IM as a leadup race to IM

has anybody done a 1/2 IM race as a leadup race for an important IM the week before the main event?
How did it feel, too close, ok, great tuneup?

I consider doing the 5430 Tri in Boulder Colorado on the 20th and then IM Lake Placid on the 27th, does this sound crazy?

This is my 11th IM race and I will have the appropriate training to do around 10:00 or so in IMLP.

What you think?

I am not qualified to dispense coaching advice. For myself that would be a little close if I was going hard. I may do it if I did it at IM race pace and watched my heart rate monitor.

I think one week is too close. Maybe at two weeks out the 5-6 hour workout would be ok. One week out should be real rest. You aren’t gaining anything except maybe mental race sharpness, and that is pushing it. I don’t think any coach in the world would recommend it.

If you’ve done 11 IM races and plan on finishing IMLP in 10:00, you know a heck of a lot more about what your body can handle than me.

What is your taper normally like? Are you trying to change things up to have a break through race? What and when is your longest training day before an IM?

I’m not asking these questions because I plan on giving you advice, I am just curious what a vet like you does before a race. You’ve got to have some reasoning behind trying this, what is it?

One week, PLUS air travel and the change in altitude? You do sound crazy - stick with IMUSA and race faster.

First of all I like to say that anybody can give anybody advice! Exchange of experiences is very important, if you don’t you will not only not get better but most likely get worth!

So it doesn’t matter weather I do 10h or 12h, it’s just important to know that somebody doing 10h will have a different training than somebody doing 14h.

And about my tapering…

years ago I always did a hard bike workout (5h hard) the weekend before a race, then just rest and maybe some 20min slow stuff to loose up but not really training. My personal best with that taper was around 9:30 at Ironman Switzerland

Then I switched to doing that two weeks out of the race but sort of didn’t feel sharp at the race, maybe it’s because I’m getting older I don’t know.

But the main point is I don’t do anything the last week but train fairly hard up to that.

No personal experience with that one. Joe Bonnes might be the one to talk to. I do recall a number of folks doing Muncie followed by LP (2 weeks). I’ve got a friend who is at the threshhold of qualifying who routinely trains at the 1/2IM distances the week of LP, over 3 days, and then does the race. Going for #12 you’ve got to know what your capable of. All that to say, if it looks like something that will light the fires, why not? Does it sound crazy? Like Daffy Duck on speed :).

right on…it does sound crazy, I know, but no guts no glory!

If you look at Dave Scotts tapering when he collectet his wins, it looks like the hard week of anybody else!

I talked to Joe at LP last year and I think we all know his answer, but we also know that what is working for him doesn’t neccesary work for anybody else.

Now I didn’t tell the whole story…I’m doing IMCA on the 29th of June, then maybe Boulder on the 20th of July and then LP on the 27. lol. sounds like fire now?

The quick and obvious answer is, “no”. It’s too close to an IM.

However, people do, do this and seem non the worse for wear. It really depends on what your performance goals are for Lake Placid. If you are a 10:00 guy then I would think that you have fairly high performance goals. With that sort of time a trip to Ironman Hawaii could be in the offing, if you wanted to go. It would be a shame to be shooting for that and then blow-it due to faituge from a race the week before.

Last year did 1/2 IM on 6/29 another 1/2 IM on 8/18 and full IM on 11/9. Worked like a dream. Plenty of time to tune up nutrition and equipt. and a nice taper. Good luck. ted3

Does this mean you guys think it’s ok to do the Worlds Toughest Half IM 4 weeks before IM Couer d’Alene?

Now the answer to that is definitly YES!

It depends however on your level of training but if you train for an IM you should be in good shape four weeks out.

I’m doing Coeur d’Alene too, sounds like it could be a fast race.

see you there

Now the answer to that is definitly YES!

It depends however on your level of training but if you train for an IM you should be in good shape four weeks out.

I’m doing Coeur d’Alene too, sounds like it could be a fast race.

see you there
I’m not so much worried about being in shape but in recovering adequately to pr at IMCDA(shouldn’t be too hard - it’s my 2nd). I’m really debating the merits of doing Worlds Toughest half IM vs my monster training weekend 4 weeks out. Maybe this is a topic for another thread.

Smokin! Ya gotta luv the big dreams.

We’ll have to hook up at the LP awards banquet. I’ll push your wheelchair :). What am I saying (LOL), I’m scheduled right now for Ibiza, 1/2Max, LP over a 10 week period. I’ll need one if I do that schedule!

My $0.02…

I think that it depends on your idea of racing the half. I have done two ironman races and don’t think that if I raced a half hard the week before that I would have done as well (I was 9:58 and 9:51 so around what your goal is). If you could bring yourself to do it for training and not go deep into the well then I don’t think that the volume is an issue a week out. However, if you’re competitive (shooting for 10:00 at Lake Placid tells me that you are competitive) then it is real hard to back off when you’ve already started your taper for the big one and someone that you normally would beat easily goes flying by you. I would skip the half and just train uptempo to avoid getting sucked in to a performance that could mess with your main race.