i’m doing IMLP this summer (having done it last year) and am trying to fit in at least one or two races of quality beforehand to prep for july 24th. i am currently doing the rideau lakes cycle tour june 11th/12th (back to back centuries), and hoping to do a sprint race june 19th or 26th, but i’m hoping to do a long course (2km-55km-15km) or half before LP.
would doing a half on july 10th be too close, or just about right at the begining of my taper?
anyone done this before, what were your experiences?
Oh my gosh, don’t even think about it!!! Way way way too close. Don’t let anyone give you that “well, you could go easy” crap. Just get the idea out of your head right now. NO POSSIBLE WAY TO FULLY RECOVER. Anyone who would advocate a half 2-3 weeks out is not to be listened to.
I would say no, as does my coach (we talked about my doing Half Vineman a few weeks out for my last IMC and this one coming up). The idea is that 3 weeks out, just before starting your taper, you should be doing the last of your distance work. of course, this depends on you and your goals. If you are shooting for a 9:00 IM, and have a huge base, there may be some benefit. For most of us, the answer would be no. That is regarding 3 weeks out. Again, some would make a case for it, I’d say no. 2 weeks out - can’t even make a case for that. Unless the half is your A Race and the IM is not, there is no reason to blow your taper like that 2 weeks before a full.
I would agree that 2 weeks out is too close, but I have always wondered about the folks who say 3 weeks is too close. 3 weeks out from my IM I am scheduled for a 4.5 hour aerobic ride, a 30 min run and and 30 minute swim.
Then on the Sunday, a 1 3/4 hour run and 45 min bike. If I were to take it easy in the half on the Saturday, I would say that the half would be a good workout to replace all of the above. I think the key would be to take it REALLY easy. You would need some heavy duty discipline to ensure you don’t go out on the run and start really tearing it up because you are feeling so good. Everything would have to be done aerobic.
I guess I’m somewhat of an idiot because I signed up for a 1/2IM that’s three weeks and a day before IMCDA. However, this was going to be the only triathlon I could do before IMCDA and I’m using to test gear, fitness, food, etc. I did not want an Ironman to be my first race of the year. I am going in looking at it as a training day and will absolutely not push myself. I want to have fun on this one and not race the clock. After that, it’s taper time.
What about th Tupper Lake Half IM? I’s about 4 or 5 weeks before LP. Not a terribly hard course. And you can shoot over to LP the next day or two to check out and/or ride the LP course. It’s a short ride.
I would agree that 2 weeks out is too close, but I have always wondered about the folks who say 3 weeks is too close. 3 weeks out from my IM I am scheduled for a 4.5 hour aerobic ride, a 30 min run and and 30 minute swim.
Then on the Sunday, a 1 3/4 hour run and 45 min bike. If I were to take it easy in the half on the Saturday, I would say that the half would be a good workout to replace all of the above.
I think the key is that doing a half isn’t really replacing the workouts you described. The weekend you listed includes a day of recovery (or at least and evening, night and early morning) versus bringing in the extra muscle breakdown of doing the full tri. Even if you can muster up the discipline to go easy, you are still dealing with increased muscle fatigue of doing the workouts back to back, and of course the rick of injury from doing so.
