To IM or not to IM?

I'm trying to decide on my goals for the next 12 months.
For a variety of scheduling reasons I won't be able to race a Tri longer than a Sprint until March 2010.
At that stage, I have 2 choices.
I can front up for Mooloolaba OD or I can try Port IM.

I've done 1 HIM, where I blew up on the run and finished just under 6:40.
I have an OD PB of 2:53.
I've never done a marathon.
My longest ever ride to this point is 100 kms.
I'm 10 kg overweight.

My goal for the HIM was 45/3:15/2:10 - which ended up being 40/3:07/2:50 ish
In my mind, I'd be looking at IM splits of 1:25/6:30/4:30 if I got stuck in to training.

So, based on that, do you think it's plausible/advisable for me to target the IM or try to get an OD PB at Mooloolaba?

(It's kind of like Alex's hypothetical person on Trannies a while ago, except I'm realer)

That hypothetical person is part of the reason behind this site. You just can't ask those questions on there.

I think it is entirely plausable for you to do the IM distance. Those times, I am not so sure. Infact, for your first IM I would suggest not locking yourself into any time goal that is faster than the cut offs. The run is just not something you will be expecting. You will hear carry on about the 36km mark of the marathon in a run only event as where it gets hard. IM gets hard at the 150km mark of the bike and you are a long way from home still. A 6:40 half would have me thinking about a 15ish IM. Just for pure comparrison, I did a 5:56 then a 13:51 at WA 6 weeks later followed by a fair bit of training then Port in 11:15? I don't recall. Could have been 11:45 actually. Either way, my point is that the first one is just about getting there and getting the experience to be able to then start thinking about time. My first one, my aim was to run the first 4 hours and if close enough to home, keep running. Unfortunately it took me 4 hours to go 30km and walked the last 12 in 2 and a half hours.


So, what I would then do is to think if I could train to be able to swim 3.8km, get out and ride 180km then run 42.2km. Think what sorts of things you would need to do to be able to achieve this.

As far as the swim, you are in great hands with Trent. I try and swim with him once every couple of months for some stroke correction and then back to the Cycos thing. If you can, try Tuesday mornings at Yeronga with Cycos. You could tie it in with a ride to and from as I recall you bike commute and that would be a pretty worthwhile day.

For the bike, 180km is a fair way. You are on 100km rides now and for my second IM I did a longest ride of 115km. My second IM was the second time I had gone 180km on the bike. What you need is a method to ride your bike 180km and be able to run as far as possible off it. I am not saying don't ride 180km in training but don't get tricked into thinking you have to. I would think more about time. A long bike of 6 hours will do. 6 hours is a long way. Do that twice maybe with a little run off it so yoou are aware what it feels like to run off it and can have a go at putting fuel in straight off the bike to see what works gut wise. I have destroyed a very good IM before by taking too muuch fuel the first 10 minutes and went from Hawaii contention into the alien space ship 10 minutes later.

As for the run, a 4:30 is running the whole way. Not running fast but a moderate jog will take you that long. My first open marathon was 4:34 and I ran the whole way. If you have got off the bike behind your 6:30 goal split, suddenly you have a whole lot of pressure on that run. I really can't stress enough to forget a time goal on race 1. What I do suggest is that you run the river loop at some stage. 37km of undulations. This will give you a fair idea of what it is like to run a marathon without haaving to do so.


The biggest thing here though is motivation. Getting up every day. Staying in the pool the last 15 minutes. Not cutting the corner home on the longer runs. Do this for 4 months and you will be fine.

Now that I have finished being such a negative nancy, I say if you want to do it, go for it.

sign up for the long one, good chance you will still easily beat me.
A LOT of similarities there between us. Ill be there for my first (hopefully)

or do Mooloolaba.

I think the answer depends on how much time you can devote to training, and if you REALLY want to go long, not just a half arsed desire to do it. I personally dont like OD at all and have always had the goal of an IM before I turn 35. I turn 35 on race day of Busso next year, so that would have been ideal for me in some ways, but I cant see myself training for an IM through winter, so looks like its Port Macquarie Sunday March 28th 2010 for me. Accomodation already booked. bring it on!!!!!!!!!!
(would it be bad to take longer to do the run at Shepparton than the ride? )

I turned 35 yesterday AZed

Alex, I know what you're saying about the run time. I can relate that to my HIM plan.
I figured there was no way I would be going slower than 6min/k in the HIM.
I know I'd have to be alot more committed to training than I have been, especially in the Pool.
Some good ideas there thanks Alex.

AZ and Tyno. I have the first piece of your puzzle. Starting right now, no more self depreciating talk. Nothing negative, nothing saying 'can't'. It will take a little while and you will have to think before you talk but I guarantee you it will be an enormous help to your triiathlon aspirations.

Aaaaaannnnnd , GO!!!

I am currently bordering on 20k over race weight at 115kg. I am not allowed to run and see my knee doctor Nov 19 and expect, due to the fact I've lost no weight, he will say I can't run. I have a mate who has had an inoperable cancer in his head for the last 9 years, two weeks ago, he had a stroke at 44 and is currently paralysed down his left hand side. He had been training the house down for 45k of off road running as part of the sri chinmoy triple tri sunday week.

Seize the day, enter away, don't put any pressure on yourself other than finishing because you never know when you won't be able too. I thought about some things last weekend and entered IM NZ.

Oh, and Crowie had never done a marathon until he came 3rd at IMOZ, he has now only done 4 of them and you know where they were - don't let not having done a marathon put you off at all.

If you even half want it, go do Port - no regrets.

What I like about doing IM's is the training aspect of IM's. I enjoy the time spent with mates getting out there everyday without having to total destroy yourself.

IM training for me brings out a great lifestyle change that is life changing and I still am highly addicted to the difference in training for IM's as opposed to training for sprints.

Ultimately though, the day itself is one you'll never forget regardless of the outcome. It's that one day of the year you get to feel like a superstar and you get to share it with so many other people, those you train with, compete against, and of course family and friends.

There is somethng about IM's that is community spirited and you get to meet a lot of very cool people along the way.

fluro

Dave, select the goal that excites you the most. It is the one that will get you out the door training......and enjoying it!

29 days until I become an ironman...

I say go for it, both of you (enter AZed, dammit !!)
You have plenty of time to build up base and train to a level that might maybe not be your best you could be, but it will be enough to be able to enjoy the day. That's my approach. I wanted to be fit enough to know I won't suffer like a dog and border on giving up the whole way. Things can still happen, but otherwise I'm confident I will have fun at least during the bike . The run is the great unknown, but hey, that's the challenge !!

I have my 'dream-goal-time' also, but I know things would have to be perfect for that to happen. So I concentrate on having fun and enjoying it. This is what I have been dreaming of for so long, my personal lifetime-achievement, it would be a shame if I missed out on enjoying it just because I'm a little slower than planned.

So if you want to do it, do it, as Matt says, who knows if you'll be able to do it the year after ??
Same goes for you AZed, don't put it off any longer !!

OMG...the hypothetical person returns!!!!

My suggestion is that if you decide to do an IM, commit to it with your heart and not just your mind. If your heart isn't in it, then the journey is going to be hard before you even start training.

Be sure you've got a strong reason & motivation to do an IM (ie, why are you doing it?)...it's a big step on from what you've done before, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Ok - positive it is. thanks

Silvia - id have entered by now if I had the money. Have to get next weekend out of the way first. Physically and financially, Then all the money goes in the piggy bank just for a race entry <- not an easy thing to justify in the current household budget. but Ill be doing mybest.
I think ebay could see some action over the next month. (that or ill need to buy myself a balaclava and start hanging out with the people that live just over the river)

Dave,

I'm in the same boat, your time splits would just about make the 2 of us go side by side if we did the same race. For me it's a question of the training - do I have the time to commit to it. At present I'm lucky to get 6 hours of training in a week which is the big factor for not committing yet. I get the impression I need to double that to even start thinking about it - perhaps those that have been there can comment on that.

My situation will change, I'm just coming off a year where work caused the family (and training) to be neglected, that's gone so over time I won't be needing to make up for lost time with the family and be able to be more selfish in the training department.

Joe - I know what you're saying about the training hours.
That was my major undoing for the HIM - not getting out there.
I had a chat with my partner last night - asked her how she'd be if I was training up to 20 hours a week. If I build to a 6 hour long ride and a 3 hour long run - theres 9 hours gone already.
She was supportive, but I'm not sure she realises just how much it'll control my life.

Campbell - the challenge is the main motivating factor. If I did Mooloolaba again, it would pretty much be just another race, but this would be a massive achievement.

Dave Tyno wrote:
She was supportive, but I'm not sure she realises just how much it'll control my life.

.

what ive learnt here is that as much as the training does control your life to some extent. She doesnt necessarily need to hear/know about it for the rest of the time when you arent training. eg after a big session, dont spend the rest of the day talking about it and how good/bad it was and what you have planned for the next one. Save that talk for the training partners and friends.

Tyno if you really want to do an IM I am confident that you can acheive it. After reading your race report from the HIM I get the impression that you have the determination to acheive anything.

From a selfish point of view it would be great to see you there. Plus it helps so much to see a mate running out there with you to yell abuse and encourage to

Tyno
it sounds a bit corny but if you Want to do it ...really want to not just that would be a cool thing to do - then jump in !! you showed at GCHIM enough mongrel to finish when plenty would have pulled out.give yourself every chance of enjoying the day and commit to consistent training...no need for superman type regime but regular planned training.I got thru my 1st IM on a beginners program off the net and averaged 11 hrs and biggest week of 15.not massive and my goal was to finish but not need the medical tent !! Alex is right on about the run...my 1st was around 4.40 . longest run in training was 28km.was able to run/jog to 30km then shouted myself some walk thru aid station time.best feeling EVER to go down that finish...
1st straight mara this year and increased running in general - hope to cut some fat off my next IM run.
don't focus too much on time but more on getting thru each leg the best you can and enjoying the whole experience.
Dave (Dingo)

Well, as it stands now, I've set myself a goal of doing a PB on the 28th of March.
It could be at Mooloolaba or at Port.
I've set myself a 12 hour week this week.
I've had to juggle a few sessions, but I think I'll get them done.
My next main goal is a 25k run - Kurrawa to Duranbah on Dec 13th.
If I can keep training through Xmas/New Year and I'm feeling OK about things, I'll enter by Australia Day.

HI Dave

You will never forget the experience of doing the Ironman, not only the race, but the entire event, the days leading up to it and the days after whilst you are there in Port Mac Town.
But you will also remember the training it took to get there.

GO FOR IT!!

Not many people were the perfect weight, or the perfect speed.... many of us are far far far from perfect but make of it what you will.

You dont have to win your age group, you just have to get there in under 17 hours.

You cannot compare IM with any other race.

Just go do it and never look back!!!


fez

The biggest reservation I have at the moment is the swim.
I did 40 minutes at GCHIM, so I'd be looking at 1:2x at the moment.
I checked results from last year, there were a few around that pace, but I'd be happier if I knew I'd be faster than that.

Wouldnt worry about maybe 10 minutes in the swim in the scheme of things mate. From what I gather it would be more beneficial to finish that 1:20 swim feeling fresher that you probably currently would, rather than be a little bit faster and knackered. I will be aiming for a similar time. (maybe)

Tyno you will beat me out of the water. I am realistically looking at 1:25.

Reading the responses to Hiltz thread over on Trannies, all the reasons people give him NOT to do it pretty much apply to me. Well, except the potential and the injuries.

Has me thinking again.
I've accepted the fact I'm not going to do Mooloolaba. It's selling too fast and I didn't want to enter until next year if I was going to.
So, it basically boils down to getting enough done to enter the IM or trying to sustain a build up through to Yeppoon, with probably Canberra and Gold Coast marathon in there.
Then try to do GCHIM or PMHIM next year and PM IM in 2011.

It can be done, but essentially, is it want you want to do?

What outcome are you looking for that only an IM can give you???

fluro

Paul F wrote:
What outcome are you looking for that only an IM can give you???

I'm not really one to ponder that kind of stuff.
For me, the motivation is more to do something that I find challenging.
19 months ago, I hadn't contemplated doing a Tri.
13 months ago, I thought the people doing GCHIM were totally nuts.
I still think IM is nuts, but I understand wanting to do it and want to do it myself.
I guess the biggest thing is having the self confidence to commit to it 100%.

I.E. Don't give myself the "get out" clauses of "Oh, I'll see if I can keep training over Xmas" "I'll see how the first couple of months training go, then decide"

Better save up the $705

Got a feeling I may have made my decision on this same question now. Possibly not what I was initially hoping for. A 4 month plan may have become a 28 month plan.