Hi,
I’m new to triathlon, did a sprint this summer and loved it. I’m in good shape but do limited cardio, mostly weight training. I swim (about 1,000m) 2 or 3 days a week, run 2 days a week (5/6 miles total) and bike once every two weeks (15-40 miles). Is a half iron next September too ambitious? Was looking at an olympic in June as well. Since my running mileage is so low and have never run long distances, I’m wondering if it’s too much. Thanks!
Half irons can be pricey ($250-300), so it might be best to see how you do in an Oly race before signing up, the earlier the better (maybe you can find one in May?) How well you are able to run during the 10k will give you a good idea how your training is going. 70.3s also don’t tend to sell out too quickly, save for the most popular, so you can probably wait a bit to make the decision.
Next you need to think about your goal for the race If it is just to finish, and you’re ok with walking a substantial fraction of the half marathon, the answer is almost certainly, yes, you can do it. If you want to run the whole thing, and meet a time goal, you’ll have to increase your training load quite a bit to accomplish that. Even to finish, you’ll need to work quite a bit on your bike fitness, but there is time to do that if you get on the trainer this winter and get riding outside early in the spring (assuming you’re in cold weather country).
All that being said, I would encourage you to focus on Oly’s next year. A lot of people get obsessed with increasing distance quickly then have poor results, sometimes leaving the sport. A well run Oly race is a very hard effort. 2.5-3.5 hours of racing is a lot of work and I personally find that I enjoy this distance the most, despite being a poor swimmer. The training fits in well with my life, I can race more often than if I do longer races, and I actually can do other things the same day as the race. Recovery from 70.3s tends to stretch out a few days to a week for me…
Training for a 1/2 IM is a bigger time commitment. See how much time you have for training to determine what race distance. Racing an Olympic and a half marathon would be the next step.
I went from total non-triathlete (as in had to buy a bike, pair of running shoes, and goggles) to a half-Ironman in about 11 months. Not sure that’s the norm, though. I planned my training and racing carefully to ramp up to it.
You are going to have to do more volume if you want to have fun while participating in the race.
At your current volume it’s probably too much.
jaretj
Thank you for the replies. I definitely want to do well and not walk. I have a lot of time during the days (only work at night) so finding time to train won’t be an issue. I will focus on the oly and see where I’m at after that. Just wanted to see if it was a ridiculous thought to think about a half IM.
If you’re willing to put in the work, then it is certainly doable and not too ambitious. As the other poster said, if your goal is simply to finish, then it can be done with relative easy (so as long as you remain committed). If you have lofty goals re: a certain time, that may take quite a bit more effort.
I will preface my advice with my background:
- Did a sprint tri years ago and did well in everything except the 800m swim (took me 30 minutes and I had to told onto a kayeker).
- Left the sport for several years because I didn’t want to invest time into my swimming (to other poster’s comment - be committed otherwise you may get frustrated and want to leave the sport like others have).
- Last year I registered for the 2014 Ironman Florida (still could barely swim – managed to swim 100m without stopping), but was committed to learning (and I’ve made significant progress).
- Getting through my first 70.3 (basically starting from square one) was done over the period January through August (note: my goal was just to finish and only developed a goal time prior to the race, not prior to my training block)
I’m not a coach, so take my advice with a grain of salt:
- Swimming 1,000m 2 or 3 days a week is great, but tells me nothing about your endurance / times / technique, etc. I would join a master’s group and swim a minimum of 2x week, 3x if you need extra technique help and come from a non-swimming background (it’s amazing how quickly i lose my stroke after taking time away from the pool). The group will also help keep you motivated.
- 2x a week running should be fine, but you can always shorten the 2 runs (do them during the week) and add a longer run on the weekend (I would suggest this plan - lets you do some “speed” work as well as endurance work).
- Bike 3x a week (I started with 2x 1 hour spin/power workouts with 1x endurance ride every Saturday). Over time I ramped up my weekday rides as I had more daylight, but you just need to find the rght balance of time/intensity so that you aren’t leaving yourself too tired to get in the rest of your workouts. Do you need to ride longer than what you think it will take you in the race? No (quality can better than quantity so long as you have a proper race plan and are sure not to light too many matches too soon). Can it be mentally beneficial to ride longer? YES!
Again, I took more of a minimalist plan to training for my Ironman (peaked at 18 hours a week – 5 hours swimming, 8 hours biking, 5 hours running). A 70.3 can be done on less, but everyone is diffrent (different time to recover, different naturaly talent/abilities, etc.).
look around at some training programs, beginner triathlete has some free ones. look at the peak volume in those plans, whether olympic or 70.3. if that sounds like what you want to build towards then work backward from your goal race to now and then start swimming, biking, and running more. it should be do-able if you put in the work.
Depends what you mean by too ambitious. If your ambition is simply to complete it comfortably within the cut-off time, and be fit enough to have fun while doing so, it should be fine. If your ambition is to get a reasonably respectable finish in your AG (say top half) then it’s certainly possible, but requires that you train pretty effectively and have at least average form and genetics. If your ambition is to be at the pointy end (say top 10% of your age group) then you’re going to need to train pretty well (recommend getting a coach or at least spending a lot of time reading up) and have pretty good genetics.
Also depends what your long term ambitions in triathlon are. If you want to be in the sport for the long term, and want to be getting podium spots, there’s a lot of sense in spending a year or 2 getting fast at the shorter distances, and then stepping up to longer distances off that base.
Not too ambitious.
I went from 200lbs on Jan 1st and having never ran even a 5k to 154lbs Nov 1st when I did my first 70.3 and finished in 5h30m. It can be done.
Hi,
I’m new to triathlon, did a sprint this summer and loved it. I’m in good shape but do limited cardio, mostly weight training. I swim (about 1,000m) 2 or 3 days a week, run 2 days a week (5/6 miles total) and bike once every two weeks (15-40 miles). Is a half iron next September too ambitious? Was looking at an olympic in June as well. Since my running mileage is so low and have never run long distances, I’m wondering if it’s too much. Thanks!
If you’re already training regularly, can get your hands on a training plan, and think you can put the time in then there is no reason you couldn’t do a half-distance race. Take a look at the volume of training you would need to do in the half-IM plan you’re using and if it seems reasonable that you can commit to following through with the plan then you shouldn’t have a problem. I raced a half-IM after only doing a few sprint races before and it worked out fine for me.
Thanks for the replies everyone! By too ambitious, I mean I don’t want to do the half and get myself injured. Was just wondering if that’s enough time to safely adapt. I’m more than willing to put in the work, so just want to do it the right way.
Since you are willing to put in the work it is definitely doable.
I did a half in my second year and I started from pretty much nothing. In fact I did an Ironman in my second year as well although I would recommend a person not do that until they are a better runner that I was.
If you built up to swimming 3 times a week with your long swim near ~3000 Meters, you biking up to ~100 miles/week and your running up to 20-25 miles/week you will be able to complete with no problem.
Obviously more would be better but that should be enough to get your body ready for a 5.5 to 7 event.
jaretj
2014 has been my first full year of triathlon racing and I completed a couple of Sprints, an Olympic and a 70.3…all at the age of 47.
I had a decent level of run base coming into this year and used the Matt Fitzgerald Level 4 plan to complete the 70.3 in 5:20.59. I stuck to the plan religiously and didn’t miss a single training session.
If you train smart, rest and recover well then you’re only inhibitor is your mind. Go for it and race hard!
Hi,
I’m new to triathlon, did a sprint this summer and loved it. I’m in good shape but do limited cardio, mostly weight training. I swim (about 1,000m) 2 or 3 days a week, run 2 days a week (5/6 miles total) and bike once every two weeks (15-40 miles). Is a half iron next September too ambitious? Was looking at an olympic in June as well. Since my running mileage is so low and have never run long distances, I’m wondering if it’s too much. Thanks!
I did Boulder 70.3 (in June, 2014) and I couldn’t run a mile without being winded the previous October. You are better off than I was and I was able to complete the 70.3 without issue, even had a decent bike split. I like the approach, jump in with both feet. Just be aware that it is a huge time commitment to get the base you need.
It’s very doable. I went from being a fat smoker couch potato (270 lbs and pack a day) to a 70.3 in 14 months and finished in 6:02 which was a middle of the pack finish in the 40-44 AG
It took a big financial investment which I could afford since I’d quit smoking and a huge time commitment which I was determined to commit to. I was also able to get my wife’s blessing which is important since the hours of training can have an impact on you SO.
So yes it’s very doable for someone in your shape. It’s a matter of finances and want to.
Cartsman,
Why do you say if I want to be competitive to go more slowly building up? Will the half set me back for a while? While I don’t expect podium finishes, I do want to be competitive.
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement, I’m very excited to do this.
you can totally do this. at 51 i went from couch potato to ironman in a year and i’ve done that same IM each year since. i used teh BT plans and had a great time. go for it!
Hi,
I’m new to triathlon, did a sprint this summer and loved it. I’m in good shape but do limited cardio, mostly weight training. I swim (about 1,000m) 2 or 3 days a week, run 2 days a week (5/6 miles total) and bike once every two weeks (15-40 miles). Is a half iron next September too ambitious? Was looking at an olympic in June as well. Since my running mileage is so low and have never run long distances, I’m wondering if it’s too much. Thanks!
Depends on how you want to do. You could easily finish one even now if you ask me. I had never cycled beyond riding a BMX as a kid and a handful of MTB outings 14 years ago. I never swam competitively. I got injured ice climbing in February last year, and when I could finally start running again in June, I figured I’d do a half IM that August on 8 weeks training. It was my first tri ever. It wasn’t pretty, but I finished (6:30), and I had a fun time doing it. My top 3 max rides in prep for it were 52, 32, and 28 miles…
People put too much stock on whether or not they are “ready”. Life is short. Just do it. What’s the worst that can happen? It’s hard?
Completely do-able. Went from a sprint to full in 14 mos.