How many years had you been racing before you did your first 140.6? Any tips for a rookie on making it to the finish?
20 years and still counting,
Tips? Why rush it?
I did Ironman Hawaii in my third year in the sport, back in 1986.
Here is one, and only one, predominant insight into Ironman:
Ask yourself this question: **When was the last time you did consistent, moderate level exercise non-stop for 10-15 hours? **
In the grand scheme that is what you are preparing for: 10-15 hours of moderate level aerobic exercise. You simply have to develop a strategy to last that long in the event, including the tactics of what you will eat, how much, when you will eat it, how you will carry it, etc.
The thing that differentiates Ironman from triathlon is duration, and the increase in duration from 70.3 to 140.6 distance is a significant leap not only in terms of distance but in terms of the demands placed on human physiology. You need to add calories for a race as long as a 140.6. You need to have a viable nutrition strategy. You need to pracice race day nutruition in advance.
Most importantly- you need to be trained in such a manner that you can perform 10-14 hours (or more) of non-stop, continuous exercise- and that means duration, duration, duration.
If you look at most new Ironman distance athletes’ experience everything goes fairly well through the first 6-8 hours, then the wheels start to fall off. It becomes this awful, gritty survival experience of just putting one foot in front of the other. It’s just finishing, and there is no “racing” involved, strictly survival and finishing- in that order. There is a more elegant experience even for the new athlete. It is simply about putting in the duration to have the endurance to be able to last the event in relative comfort.
Bottom line: Develop a nutrition strategy, practice it, adapt it, train to go the distance and the duration. If you do that and you have a good race plan in advance, you’ll likely have a good day.
Tom, does your reply suggest that a more practical way to decide whether you’re “ready” for a 140.6-distance race is your ability to do a cycling double-century, or all-day hiking/mountaineering trek, rather than getting your 70.3 time below X:XX hrs? It’s an interesting idea, since pacing/logistics are so different.
I did my first IM last year. It was my second year in triathlon, and at 19, I certainly considered myself a ‘rookie’.
Even without a big base of triathlon fitness you can finish IM. I don’t dispute that a big base is an advantage, but suggest that it’s not a necessity to finish. However, the quality and frequency of your training will be the deciding factor in whether you pull off a 10, 13 or 17 hour race.
My advice for your first IM - plan your race and execute. Make sure you know your capabilities so you can pace yourself accordingly (ie. don’t blast the bike). It’s a day you’ll never forget, so make sure you remember it for the right reasons. Good luck!
my first year I did two sprints, two olympic, two halfs and a full IM. Had smoked 5 packs a week for 10 years, never swam a lap in my life, never ran so much as a 5k. Finished the halfs and IM MOP for my AG. Never EVER NEVER listened to any of the local fools singing no you cant, you gotta do it this way. My second year was similar except almost all top 5 AG and a top OA half. Dont believe the hype, sign off ST and sign-up for IM…go buy a foam roller first tho
3rd or 4th year in and had done at least one half each of the 2 years prior. Best advice would be to get a coach and follow the plan.
10 years of marathoning and 8 years of olys and 1/2’s. Job and kids had as much to do with it as getting the body ready, but I do believe it takes several years to get the body ready…depends on what kind of experience you want - a death march or a race.
thanks for the input guys. i’ll be starting my second season this year, defending an age group win in a couple races. i’m gonna spend a semester in Australia spring 2010, which is the same time my tri club is sending a bunch of people to race in IM New Zealand, and how am i supposed to pass that up? it’s a year away and i’m already gettin psyched and training hard. i’m working to make it more of a race than a death march.
*How many years had you been racing before you did your first 140.6? *
End of season two.
*Any tips for a rookie on making it to the finish? *
Mate, forget the “tips” and just stick to your sig line…seriously. No need to over-complicate it…
I am not a believer in the “pay your dues…race for 3 years…build up over several seasons…”
It is a stand alone event that requires a good deal of preparation to be successful (definition of successful will vary). There is no magic time frame or buildup in my eyes to do “your first”. I do believe this exist to do “your best”. Would I have gone faster if I waited 2 years and trained Olympics and HIM’s…maybe but that isn’t what I wanted to do and certainly not how I approached my first marathon after racing nothing more than a 5K.
For me it was one sprint duo, one sprint tri both over 2 years ago. Started bike training and swimming on regular basis last June, I have been running for a long time. I did a HIM as part of prep and did IM Arizona with decent result in November. I did not just want to finish and set a time goal that I was told was also not a good idea. So the answer from me is simple…whenever you can manage the training load and set goals appropriate with your abilities.
My advice is probably as useful as the advice I received last year given all the variables that we do not know. So I say if you have the desire just go for it! I have no regrets and look forward to doing another.
Good Luck!
First season. I signed up for Madison without ever having done a tri (or ridden a road bike, or swam a lap in my life). Tried to learn to swim over the winter, which was a huge hurdle for me. Picked up a used tri bike and started riding in the spring. Did a half IM and two Oly’s over the summer to practice transitions and to force myself to get some “long” swims in open water with other people (yes, 1500M is still a long swim to me). Went to Madison last September and had a blast. Hooked for life. The 140.6 distance is something to be respected, but nothing to be feared.
If your going to Autralia , you will run into many triathletes down under. train with them and learn to suffa. (ozzie slang)
Don’t be affraid of the distance or the fun that you have training and traveling abroad.
Taupo is a great first race. It will treat you like an old friend. In the years that you reflect on that first race…
it will be like your first love. the smell of the air, the birds music, the mountain sights. Just grand and worth every once
you put into it.
Savor the journey!
Dusty
Ist Ironman in Nz (Auckland) 1990
34 since
I have been doing Tri for 10+ years and have a high level competitive swimming background since I was 8. I am doing my first IM this June. If I’m not ready now, I don’t know when I’ll ever be.
I have a race strategy (pacing plan per leg, nutrition plan that has been practiced at higher intensity, time goal).
I have also received a ton of advice and been told not to worry about my time, just finish and feel good. That’s fine, but when a very conservative pacing plan puts me at a pretty competitive finishing time, its hard not to dream a little.
We’ll see.