I’m signed up for IMFL 70.3 (5/16/10) and IM Brazil (5/30/10)…I’m finishing up my training schedule for 2010 but not quite sure about the intensity for IMFL 70.3, definitely this is a race sim for IM, but should I go full steam and crank it up all the way or should I go easy since I’m tapering?
This question gets asked fairly often. I think you will get advice from -go for it, you’ll recover fine–to no, don’t even try. I think the best answer is…depends on your fitness and which is your A race. be careful of going to hard on the run in Florida and getting injured 2 weeks later. I can not race without racing and 2 weeks is not enough for my age, recovery and fitness. I have tried and got injured. Many on here say it is no problem.
I know, I did not help at all. You have a lot of questions to ask yourself. Not sure it is an easy answer.
It’s a personal thing related to how well YOU recover. For me, I do my biggest week two weeks before an IM culminating with about a 7 1/2 hour workout exactly two weeks before race day, so a HIM would fit perfectly into my training schedule 2 weeks prior to an IM personally. I tend to recover pretty quickly though.
x2 with Karl on your fitness level at the time, followed closely by any injury status. That should be your deciding factor.
I am a MOP AG’r and did the 2 week thing with lake stevens and IMLOU.
I went 4:49/10:30. I just took 5 days off after LS, did some zone 1-2 rides/runs, easy swims and three days before the IM i did a zone 3, 2 hr ride. I felt really good for the IM and felt i did very well for a first attempt at the distance.
Does anyone actually consider these things before they sign up for races anymore? 
I couldn’t think of a worse idea than a hot HIM with a rugged run course two weeks prior to an A race IM requiring overseas travel…that’s a lot of flying, transferring, stress etc on a fatigued body that should be recovering.
Well maybe asking a bunch of strangers an important question without qualifying the scenario first (your history, background, experience, etc?) might be worse…I dunno.
I did consider that and thought it would be a good race simulation in the miserable Orlando heat. I know that I can recover in 2 weeks but my question was geared towards intensity at HIMFL, cruising vs redline.
For the records, I live in FL so Orlando is a few hours away by car, and I’m flying business to Brazil so I’m planing to ZZZZ like a baby on the outbound…different story on the inbound flight after partying in Rio de Janeiro after IMBR.
Cheers.
I know that I can recover in 2 weeks but my question was geared towards intensity at HIMFL, cruising vs redline.
All good on the travel arrangements.
Hate to nitpick but this statement is somewhat contradictory to the thread, as “recovery” itself is hugely dependent on the intensity of the preceding workout(s)/race(s).
I must ask, have you done an IM before? If so you’ll know what the last half of the marathon feels like. Do you know what the last half of the marathon feels like two weeks after a long intense day of racing from which you’re still carrying deep residual fatigue? Or even whether or not you can gut it out for 26 miles on some minor injury you picked up at a careless moment during your taper? These are the questions you should be asking yourself…no one can answer them for you. If your answer isn’t a resounding yes, then you’d be silly not to err on the side of caution.
It’s been said plenty of times before…"the hardest part of Ironman is getting to the start line". Not to say you can’t do it successfully, but you’re just making it a little harder for yourself than it needs to be IMO. It looks like your mind is made up on racing the HIM so I can only urge caution…
Cruise.
What a buzzkill.
Why should people think before they enter races? That spoils everything.
(should that have been in pink?)
G
The problem I see with doing the HIM is that you will be recovering instead of training for your IM.
The last 2 weeks before your IM still has work in it and you will be missing workouts in a very important period of training.
jaretj
If you have already done an ironman, then you should already know the answer to this. If not, then I suggest you go hard enough at the 70.3 but if you start to feel pain or over-exhaustion, then back off. Both the 70.3 and the full iron are typically extremely hot races. Recovery includes hydration.
Also, are you going for some award, podium, qualification?
I’ve done several HIM, first IM…with this post I was looking for reaffirmation that I have to cruise in FL to make it safe and injury-free for BR. Thanks
No award or podium so as you said I have to play it by ear in case of over-exhaustion, I did HIMFL this year and it was extremely HOT…tks
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Hang on…the 70.3 might just be the A event for some people, with the Ironman as a long day of touring and doing an event with all that pointy end 70.3 fitness. Why is everyone so focused on Ironman that it can’t possibly be a B event in a season?
For the record, 3 out of 4 IM PB’s were done off the back of really good half Ironman’s 2 weeks out from the Ironman…that’s not saying that the Ironman results may have not been better, just saying that it can be done without the Ironman turning into a nightmare/disaster. All depends on fitness, goals and priorities.
Well I wouldn’t have assumed the IM was the A race if he didn’t mention the HIM was a simulation in his first post…his subsequent responses (including further use of the word) seemed to validate my guess.
In an ideal world, I would race a half about 9-10 weeks before (in the middle of big mileage, but with almost a week of taper and a week of recovery) and 3 weeks before, then taper … But that’s just me, I like rest. I know dudes who have finished great iron mans 14 days after great half irons …
I was kind of picking on your post, as I knew the OP’s intention…More making a general commentary that an Ironman does not need to be an A race, but everyone seems to treat it as such. Sure, its a long distance, but it does not need to be the A event for the year, just like a 10K can be the A event and a marathon can be the B event that leverages fitness created for a PB 10K.
On a side note the probability of success in an Ironman is somewhat lower (for most) than at shorter events, AND you perhaps can only do 1 IM per year (maybe 2)…where as shorter races, you can do many and have many shots at meeting your goals. I’ve seen too many people sacrificing everything for an IM (family, job, sleep health etc), have a crappy race and go into a depression. I don’t see that happening so much with the guys that focus on shorter racing…just saying (for the record, I am racing an IM next year, yes I’ll prep well for it, but it’s not the main event for my season).
Dev
No advice for ya, but just wanted to give a shout out to a fellow Boiler on here (at least I assume you are a Purdue guy)! Good luck in 2010…
Nick, its simple…not everyone has the same interests, desires, dreams and turn-ons as you. Your apparent “testiness” is a reflection on your attitude and your’s alone…don’t deny those chasing other goals and targets their space and time to pursue their own idea of “fun”, or their own “holy grail”, regardless of how mis-placed it may appear to you. If they fail miserably and regret decisions past then so be it…this is how we learn and grow (for some its the only way). C’mon man, don’t be such a grumpy old prick…
Hail Purdue…and rooting for Drew Brees to make it to the SB XLIV
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