Until 6 weeks ago, I was a regular to this site. Training for IMAZ was going well. Then…I got a new job and my time for training (and posting) went “bye bye”. In the last 6 weeks I have done probably 2 bike rides of 25 miles each and 4 runs of about 5-7 miles each. Before that, I had about 2 years of solid training, with over a year of it tri specific. When my job started, I knew it would be near impossible to train so I resigned myself to pulling out of IMAZ. But now that it is getting close, I am tempted to go out and take it easy on the swim and the bike and do what I can on the run. Here are the critical questions:
Am I deluding myself?
Should I even consider starting?
If I start, what should I do between now and the race?
After all the hard work I put in leading up to the event, I am really having difficulty dealing with not starting. Just for a little more background, before training stopped I had done three 15 mile runs and four 90-95 mile rides, with one of the rides at pretty high intensity.
are you a good enough swimmer that there is no danger of you sinking and diying? if so, and you dont have any expectation, go for it, have fun and enjoy the day in a different way, you might end up walking a fair part of it but it still can be a really interesting experience.
until then, move as much as you can, a short run there, a swim, some bike…
i have a lot of my friends that were in good physical condition that just finished a ironman on a one day a week of training program. It took a long time but there challenge was to take part in the event and make it to the finish line. after the swim was done, they were safe and just had to ride there bike and do a long walk! They had a BLAST!!!
DO IT!!! just swim a ton and do a few trainer rides then come out and enjoy the day. I am having troubles also, not a six week lay off but an injured calf, my swimming and biking are great, Hopefully I can jog a 4 hr marathon in two weeks.
Depends on your race objectives. Presuming you were reasonably IM fit prior to this period, you could conceivably do the race with the focus on just finishing under 17 hours. You’d have to ride very easy and expect to walk a lot. You might start by alternating run/walk right from the start. It will be tough–I wouldn’t want to do it…but it can be done if you want it bad enough…
I am an above average swimmer (for a triathlete) and was projecting to swim right around an hour. I was thinking just tuck in behind the pack and do a nice easy swim in the 1:10 - 1:15 range. Enjoy the bike and survive the run/walk. I have felt pretty good on my 4 runs that I have done considering I have had no other training. Now that five extra pounds that I am carrying is another story.
Dude, seriously, come and collect a finishers medal, I have met some really cool people while walking at IM. I hope I don’t meet many this year (during the marathon).
You can do it, but you will not “enjoy” it. If you’ve only ridden 50 miles in the last 6 weeks, you will hit a wall early on the bike and this will play with you mentally since you will probably have about 70 miles to go, and then a marathon.
Even if you “take it easy” you’re still looking at what, 7 hours on the bike then a 6-7 hour marathon? So know what you are getting yourself into and refocus on the reality of it, not the “enjoy the bike and see what I can do on the run…” That will get you to about 9am ;^)
But like I said, I think you can, and should do it. You will regret if you don’t, just make sure you’re prepared mentally since you won’t be prepared physically.
You are totally good for it! Don’t withdraw, just go out there and have some fun and collect the hardware at the finish line. We’ll see you there under the Mill Ave. bridge!
Go for it! There is Nothing like crossing that finishline, I was close to dropping out myself had a nagging calf injury. I don’t expect to beat my time from last year but its worth to me. You will be so glad you did it!!!