What’s more important, more long rides or long runs? I have those nagging doubts, wondering if I’m running enough. Biking comes easier to me so I wonder if I’m just taking it easier on myself by choosing more long rides.
My first IM was this summer with a marathon time of 4:17, really wanted an even 4 hours.
I’ve been dealing with IT band issues for some time and have about fifty days to go to my last race, Silverman.
If you have to choose, I’d say the bike is more important. And if you can’t run due to an injury, then make the long rides even longer (7-8hr range). If a long run is totally out of the question, try shorter but more frequent runs if possible. Just my 2 cents (but worth only 1)
Just remember, there is no such thing as a “good” bike followed by a “bad” run in an IM…
I should add my reasoning: I don’t know of anyone that has ever gone into an IM with good run fitness but underdone on the bike and have a good race. A long swim and 112 miles is just too long to complete if you are underdone and still have anything left in your legs for a good run. I’d rather be in better bike fitness and at least put myself in a position to possibly suprise myself with a good run on “fresh” legs (legs not beat up from a bunch of training). The bottom line though is that it WILL be a long day if you are not ready in any of the disciplines.
Word
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I will totally agree that the long bike is more important. You can’t “fake” 112 miles on the bike, but you can certainly walk the marathon if you really have to.
You can fake the swim/bike if you need to. I didn’t do any sig. swim/bike training for IMCDA this year (longest ride was a 24.8 mile oly race and maybe 200 miles of total biking in 3 months) but I was running regularly. I knew I wouldn’t race well so planned on cruising the swim/bike and then running at least 2 miles and 14 at most. My swim time was the same as the year before (where I had decent balanced training) but the swim conditions were better/faster this year. My bike time was 30 minutes slower and felt pretty good. I figured I’d die on the run but felt fine for 14 miles then stopped as planned. I ran about the same pace as the year before. I had some GI issue on the run and would have melted after that but I’ve melted at each of my other 2 IM’s at mile 12-15…so I think you can “fake” it.
Dave
EDITED for Clarity:
Actually riding 30 min slower is HUGE. Riding 30min slower may be the reason you felt good on the run to the point where you stepped off. Riding that 30min faster may have left you feeling like crap at mile 2.
Always train your weaknesses…after you figure out the source of your IT band issues.
IT band stuff… I had quite the long thread about this recently, search “coping with / preventing IT band trouble,” maybe it’ll help you. Foam roller has saved my life 
Francois had me riding long (5.5h) with a 40-60 minute run on Saturdays and then a moderately long run (14-16 mi) on Sunday morning. Despite fighting a headwind for 90 miles at Kona and wondering how i was going to run at all, since my legs were shot, I had a great run (Q’d for Boston). I was ready to run on dead legs. I felt great the whole run. This was despite my limited run training during the week, and I had had an achilles injury (due to my cleats slipping forward) just 2.5 months beforehand, which required me to aquarun for a few weeks.
My point was just that you can run o.k. in an IM with mainly run fitness if you cruise the bike. If you have minimal bike fitness - you’ll obviously lose time on the bike - for me about 30 minutes (I looked it up - it was actually 24 minutes). If you have minimal run fitness and walk 3-4 miles - you’ll lose the same amount of time. You can fake the bike - you can fake the run - you just need to slow down and pace yourself with the fitness that you have - either way you’ll lose some time. Saying that the bike will ruin your run if you have minimal bike fitness isn’t true in my opinion (as the poster I initially replied to implied).
Dave