Having a few triathlons under my belt now (both sprint and olympic), I’m hungry to do a half Ironman next August. I live in the midwest and have a few questions.
What is the best 70.3 in the midwest? I’m looking at Steelhead in Benton Harbor, MI.
What is a good (and simple to understand) training plan?
What is a good nutrition plan to follow during a HIM? I know it is personal, but any help is appreciated. I’m 6" 165lbs.
Any other good points of advice from the experienced?
There are more than one “great” HIM events in the Midwest. Rev3 will introduce one at the Wisconsin Dells in August. Wisconsin Dells has multiple family attrations if you travel with significant others. No I do not have a connection with Rev3.
Without knowning anything about you or your capabilities/talents:
-would it be wiser to try your first HIM with a swim leg in a smaller lake than Lake Michigan?
-nutritional plan needs to be tried out in training months prior to the big event. There are several individuals found on this forum that specialize in this area. I hate to mention names as I don’t know all that frequent this forum but I did receive some indirect help from “Brian”
-training plans are numerous and also related to you, your skills and lifestyle. In simple terms, physiological (fitness) gains should arrive with a program of increasing workloads with adequate rest. Swimming requires more technical skills to improve when compared to the other two events.
Good luck.
I did Steelhead, in 2010 and I thought it was a great race. That being said, if I was there this year or prior years when they cancelled the swim I may have a different opinion. If it was my first ever HIM, I would likely pic a differant race. IM Muncie 70.3 is in July, and Rev 3, in Sandusky in Sept.
I used this plan as a base (I made some adjustment) for my first HIM and I was ready.
http://www.trinewbies.com/tno_trainingprograms/tno_HIM.asp
As far as nutrition, I think a balanced diet is always good, thats the good thing about training, you can eat more.
I try to train the way I’m going to race. It it’s going to be hot, train in the heat, hilly bike, train for hills, etc.
Good luck!
A good first HIM in midwest is Pigman in Palo IA just outside Cedar Rapids typically mid to late August. Smaller field than a 70.3 so a little less intimidating. Steelhead has cancelled swim a few times recently, Muncie puts on a good race but is a larger turnout, Racine is also a good event but the swim runs the risk of some really cold water.
Love Muncie 70.3 in mid July! Flat water swim, beautiful ego boosting flat bike course that is completely closed to traffic, and rolling run.
If I was going to do another 70.3 it would probably be Racine.
That said there are a lot of races that are not IM branded. Cedar Point would be near the top of my list.
There are also a few of smaller HIM races in Ohio put on by HFP racing you may want to look into.
You will need to decide if you want the big race experience or not, Steelhead is a big race, rather well put on and part of the IM70.3 series. Muncie is well put on too but it sure has been hot both times I did it. I probably got lucky with the great weather at Racine when I did it.
Training plan…Matt Fitzgerald’s book is solid, you will have write out the codes, any plan that has you training at your max sustainable volume would be fine for starters.
Search on nutrition here and you will find lots of info and opinions.
Don’t over-ride on the bike is the best advise I could give.
jaretj
Door County Half in mid-july is an excellent race.
The heat almost killed me at Racine this year…
Branson 70.3 is awesome.
Without knowning anything about you or your capabilities/talents:
-would it be wiser to try your first HIM with a swim leg in a smaller lake than Lake Michigan?
There are some nice/unique things about this swim. You swim parallel to the shore, in the direction of the current. The water is also typically crystal clear, sandy bottom, and usually very mild temperature…much nicer than most of the inland lake races, in my opinion. But it might get a little choppy…or worst case, cancelled like this year’s swim.
The Kuparisaari Triathlon is a smaller half-iron race in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It’s cheap (early registration is under $100), there’s ~100 people so you don’t have to worry about getting dunked in the swim, and the course is beautiful. Bike along Lake Superior, run to the top of a hill and get one of the most amazing views of the Keweenaw… yes, I am biased, because I started this race in 2010, but seriously, it’s awesome. Awards this year were kickass (Deneen Pottery hand-made mugs, local honey), and there’s really awesome shirts (bamboo/organic cotton blend with a Betsy Bowen woodcut design on it), and of course- Cornish pasties (the famous “yooper” food; miner’s meat-and-potato-in-a-pastry meal) at the finish line.
A good first HIM in midwest is Pigman in Palo IA just outside Cedar Rapids typically mid to late August. Smaller field than a 70.3 so a little less intimidating. Steelhead has cancelled swim a few times recently, Muncie puts on a good race but is a larger turnout, Racine is also a good event but the swim runs the risk of some really cold water.
X2 on Pigman. Great race and low key.