I know this is a common sort of thread here, but would appreciate ST feedback. I am FOP at 70.3 (reliably top 10 in WTC races, no podiums, times 5:30 - 5:50), 50-54 AG, able to commit 12-15 hrs/week to training. Due to work my opportunities to race are v limited, but I want to do IM NZ as my first full-distance, opportunity just arose. I live in the US Northeast, so bike miles in particular will be a challenge. Thoughts?
What are your goals other than finishing?
3 months out is roughly when I start to ramp up my mileage, before which I’m only riding upto around 3 hours any one session and running upto 90 mins. I’m usually 10-12hrs a week if I’m lucky (young kids) and adding in the long run and long ride takes me to 15hrs. I’m not on the podium or anything, but I’m not a million miles away from 10hrs on a fast-ish course. I’m around 4:40 for 70.3.
In my view the 3 months bit isn’t an issue, but you’ll want to get a few longer rides and runs in.
Goals, in approximate order of priority: 1/ Get the experience of my first full-distance race under my belt, to see if I actually can enjoy that level of suffering. 2/ Finish in a time that would lead me to aspire to a possible KQ next year or, more likely, the year after (when I age up). 3/ See a beautiful part of the world.
Goals, in approximate order of priority: 1/ Get the experience of my first full-distance race under my belt, to see if I actually can enjoy that level of suffering. 2/ Finish in a time that would lead me to aspire to a possible KQ next year or, more likely, the year after (when I age up). 3/ See a beautiful part of the world.
I will equate the first goal to finishing, which I think is definitely very doable with your background and with the training time you’ve got. For the second goal assuming you haven’t just been sitting around so far this off-season and are ready for some key sessions then that should also be possible I think. The last goal I think doesn’t require any discussion.
You can easily finish an IM with HIM of that time.
12-15 hours is more than enough to get you there in a reasonable time.
Without too much pain.
The bad news is that for your AG you would need to be closer to sub 5hrs HIM and certainly sub 11 hrs IM for a KQ.
There are guys sub 11 hrs in my age group and thats a few above yours.
You can easily finish an IM with HIM of that time.
12-15 hours is more than enough to get you there in a reasonable time.
Without too much pain.
The bad news is that for your AG you would need to be closer to sub 5hrs HIM and certainly sub 11 hrs IM for a KQ.
There are guys sub 11 hrs in my age group and thats a few above yours.
As someone about to enter the 50-54 AG next year I would say you need to be in the 4:30’s for HIM and close to sub-10 for IM KQ.
You can easily finish an IM with HIM of that time.
12-15 hours is more than enough to get you there in a reasonable time.
Without too much pain.
The bad news is that for your AG you would need to be closer to sub 5hrs HIM and certainly sub 11 hrs IM for a KQ.
There are guys sub 11 hrs in my age group and thats a few above yours.
As someone about to enter the 50-54 AG next year I would say you need to be in the 4:30’s for HIM and close to sub-10 for IM KQ.
Seriously, 50 is the new 30!
I fully expect that by the time I’m 60, KQ will equivalent will be a 4:40 HIM, no joke. Dead serious.
You are right, although there were a lot of slowpokes in the 15-16hr range at Kona, makes you wonder how they got there sometimes. They didn’t all have a flat.
You are right, although there were a lot of slowpokes in the 15-16hr range at Kona, makes you wonder how they got there sometimes. They didn’t all have a flat.
Yeah-I don’t understand what happens at Kona.
I had a good race at IMAZ13 and finished 4th out of 6 qualifiers.
I had a total crap race at Kona and finished 48th out 271.
OK maybe 50 legacy and lottery people.
But how does that make sense?
Thanks - yes, I see the challenges. I revisited my recent results and actually did 5:07 at Timberman…which was still ~18:00 from the AG winner. A bit more info - I’m 3 years into the project, self-coached, willing and able to invest in coaching and camps to aim for the next level. I believe I have (at 70.3) 4-6:00 of ‘low-hanging fruit’ if I put in some real swim volume (which I’ve neglected because I suck at swimming), and 4-7 minutes on both bike and run with more focus and structured training. And maybe drop the same 10 pounds everyone else is trying to drop. So it’s a stretch but not a pipe dream to be up front at that distance. 140.6 is another frontier altogether…
Well…on a fast track with a deep field, I guess. M50-54 winner at Timberman 2014 went 4:41; Muskoka '14 winner was 5:12. 4:30 would definitely do the trick!
Thanks. Yes - it’s those >3 hr rides I’m having trouble with. I can spend 2 hrs on a trainer, or battling January slush, snow and salt, but it’s really hard to deal with much longer than that in MA in the dead of winter. I expect to hear from the ‘suck it up, buttercup’ guy shortly.
I have always regarded time on a trainer should be counted the same way as dog years.
If you can go a couple of hours on a trainer without shooting yourself the IM is easy.
I don’t ride outside from september to june and I have no trouble with the IM ride.
(wish the same could be said for my run)
As for KQ, you will only know the answer to that after you have done the IM distance.
HIM may be half the distance but it’s really only a quarter of the effort.
Thanks. Yes - it’s those >3 hr rides I’m having trouble with. I can spend 2 hrs on a trainer, or battling January slush, snow and salt, but it’s really hard to deal with much longer than that in MA in the dead of winter. I expect to hear from the ‘suck it up, buttercup’ guy shortly.
Get a fan or two, bottles and nutrition within reach, Netflix on, chamois cream. Take a few short breaks, do intervals with a couple of minutes in between easy spiinning. I decrease interval duration starting at 60 min, 50 etc…By the end they get shorter and shorter so it’s more manageable mentaly. I used trainerroad and built custom workouts as they don’t have many over 3h.
My longest indoor ride training for IMFL was 4h30m. I’ve done several over 4h as my long ride and a 3h+ Thursday morning ride almost every week. It can be done 
Agreed. Time on the trainer is 100% mental. My longest session is 3hrs (done quite a few of those) and when I first got my trainer I couldnt handle more than 45min. Just a mindset thing, although obviously a structured workout is key (TrainerRoad for example) and a mixture of movies, series, podcasts, sport on TV is key
I did IM Los Cabos last March. I live in Canada and 100% of my bike training was on the Computrainer. I had an okay bike and would have loved to have been 6-8 minutes faster. If I had been able to train outside I may have been faster, maybe a bit slower. If you can do 2-4 trainer rides of 3-4 hours comfortably you will be just fine. I didn’t KQ at Los Cabos but I did in July at IM Lake Placid (and turned down my slot). I believe my IM LC base was a big factor. I think you will be pleasantly surprised how well the trainer prepares you. Grinding it out for 3-4 hours is huge for your confidence, and it definitely makes mental toughness. Good luck in your training and don’t forget bricks every 7-10 days. I don’t mind making these comments as next year I will age up from 50-54 :-))
Given your fitness level, getting ready for an IM in 3 months shouldn’t be a problem at all. You can probably post a pretty solid time too.
I got ready for my first IM in 3.5 months, with only a running background to lean on. Zero swim and zero bike fitness. It was stupid, but I got it done and finished in a resepctable time (11:25).
Just enjoy the process and fit in what you can. I think you’ll do great.