A couple of months ago, I asked this forum if I was ready to enter a Oly distance race. You said, go for it and I did. I had a really great time and finished with a time of 02:29:22. I did not race “all out” and finished feeling like I had left some time on the course.
Thanks for the encouragement and support.
Now, for the question. How does one access ones readiness for a 1/2 IM race? To be more precise, how do I determine if I’m ready for the 2005 Wildflower long course?
what does ready mean? i.e. Ready to finish the race feeling good and not injured with no time goal? Ready to win your AG? Ready to finish MOP?
If it is ready to finish healthy, regardless of time here are a few thoughts:
Can you comfortably run 90 minutes?
Can you comfortably complete a 3 hour bike ride?
Can you swim 2500 yards in a pool non-stop?
Have not done WF long, but I’m familiar with the course. Hills, hills, and more hills… Readiness for one may not be readiness for another. What is your goal for the race?
Congrats on your Oly finish.
what does ready mean? i.e. Ready to finish the race feeling good and not injured with no time goal? Ready to win your AG? Ready to finish MOP?
If it is ready to finish healthy, regardless of time here are a few thoughts:
Can you comfortably run 90 minutes?
Can you comfortably complete a 3 hour bike ride?
Can you swim 2500 yards in a pool non-stop?
Good point. Soryy for the lack of detail. A MOP finish would be fine. This would be a “B” race for me so I have no intention of racing it.
I can cover the distances you mentioned and regularly in my weekly training.
Have not done WF long, but I’m familiar with the course. Hills, hills, and more hills… Readiness for one may not be readiness for another. What is your goal for the race?
Congrats on your Oly finish.
First off, thank you. The bike seems to be my strongest event so I’m not that worried about the hills. Well, I should say, I’m worried but hills on the bike are a hell I seem to be able to handle; “running fast hell” is a different kettle-o-fish.
My goal, which I should have stated, is to have a strong finish somewhere in the MOP. This would be a prepatory race for my “A” race in sept (Big kahuna 1/2 IM).
I am in no position to give advice, but I usually do. I would just go do one on Saturday. Lay out your course, plan your transitions and do it. It’s not a big deal.
I would just go do one on Saturday. Lay out your course, plan your transitions and do it. It’s not a big deal.
What a great answer! You mean I could just do it? 
Do many people do this? Should I complete the entire distance or scale it down the way people do for marathon training?
I’m a dope, so I would just do it. I always overdo things–it makes lesser things seem like a walk in the park–you “own” them. I would be careful to watch my pacing on all legs, work your nutrition/hydration supplementation just the way you would plan to in the race. Keep track of your heart rates, etc. Dont try to kill it. Next time work each leg a bit harder. Evaluate your results. Did you push too hard on the bike, did you go out too fast on the run. Were your legs dead on the run? At what mile? This approach isn’t for everyone, but you are obviously pretty fit, from your Oly time. Much more so than I am. I also assume you have done each of the distances independently as part of your training? In other words, it would not be your first 56 mile ride, or first 1/2, or first 1.2 swim.
I’d swim 1.2 in open water without a wetsuit, bike 56 on hills, and run 8 or so, all on race pace. By mile 8 of the run you’ll be able to feel out how the last 5 will be; not doing the last 5 really helps with recovery time.
Caleb
I’m a dope, so I would just do it. I always overdo things–it makes lesser things seem like a walk in the park–you “own” them. I would be careful to watch my pacing on all legs, work your nutrition/hydration supplementation just the way you would plan to in the race. Keep track of your heart rates, etc. Dont try to kill it. Next time work each leg a bit harder. Evaluate your results. Did you push too hard on the bike, did you go out too fast on the run. Were your legs dead on the run? At what mile? This approach isn’t for everyone, but you are obviously pretty fit, from your Oly time. Much more so than I am. I also assume you have done each of the distances independently as part of your training? In other words, it would not be your first 56 mile ride, or first 1/2, or first 1.2 swim.
Sounds like we have “over doing it” in common.
Yes, I’ve done each of the distances individually but never back-to-back. This would certainly tell me if I’m ready or not.
Thanks.
You are ready for a half IM - no worries. Pacing is key. You’ll do fine.
I like a 40 mile bike and 8 mile run as a practice race pace brick to assess my half IM fitness.
Wildflower is a very hard course. Swim is the swim of course. The bike starts with some climbing right off - easy to blow your race right there. Then theres flats for a while - then a good climb - followed by a set of rollers that can really hurt. Then the run is trails - mediocre footing - some steep short climbs - twisty - and it can by 100 degrees. Its a hard race. Hard to pace well - hard to run well. Good news is that if you do wildlfower - Kahuna will be a walk in the park…I’ve done 5 half IM’s in the past 2 seasons - only one that really hurt and I totally bonked was Wildlflower…
Dave
I’d swim 1.2 in open water without a wetsuit, bike 56 on hills, and run 8 or so, all on race pace. By mile 8 of the run you’ll be able to feel out how the last 5 will be; not doing the last 5 really helps with recovery time.
This makes more sense–and Caleb is well worth listening to.
Readiness for the 1/2 IM cannot be determined before the race.
You must train for the race and complete the race first.
Once you complete the race, if you are able to drink a six pack of beer and make love to your wife/GF/SF and wake up the next morning in a good mood…
…you were ready for that race.