1/2 Ironman training plan

I used the plan last year.  Overall, it's very good and you will be able to finish the 1/2 no problem if you follow it.  That said, if it has a weakness I'd say it's in the bike volume.  If you can, I would try to work in some more long rides into the plan.  I actually used the plan to get reday for an oly and then repeated parts of the plan to get to the HIM while adding more biking.  This worked very well for me.

I'd second that opinion. I used it last year and could have definitely used more time riding and less time running.

I'm using the silver member HIM plan right now which I believe has much more cycling than the beginner one. I think I will be well prepared.

I'm following the gold plan (more or less) for my August HIM.

It has significantly more bike volume (3 hour rides already) than the bronze plan. Also alot more run & swim volume.

I've been swimming more than the HIM distance all year.
I've run 70% of the HIM distance already in training.
I've biked 70% of the HIM distance already in training.
(This is the 4th week of the plan.)

I started out on the beginner 1/2 IM plan (followed it for the 1st 3 months) and got the same advice about the bike volume. I just recently switched over to the regular HIM plan which I'll follow until my race in August. It has somewhat higher volumes in all the sports. I do feel like the beginner HIM would have prepared me well too, but I was feeling a bit more capable after those 1st three months so I switched over.

I used it pretty much as is.  I increased the swim portion because of Masters Swim Practice, but otherwise left it.  It took me to a 5:12 HIM in 6 months after my hamstring rehab.  I found the key, for me, was to stick to the intensities. 

Also, don't be afraid to increase the distances!  Unless it's in a taper week, knock yourself out.  Just don't cheat yourself on the short side.

Edited by Marvarnett 2006-04-12 11:37 AM

I found one that seemed to address the bike issues above and fit my schedule a little better on another site (gasp!):http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/training-programs/half-ironman-training-program-001306.php

I did the Scott Herrick's half IM plan. I used it (more or less, mostly less) to train for my first Oly and then redid it to train for my first half. In my first year of tri's with only a mini-sprint, an Oly, and another mini-sprint behind me, it took me to a 5:38 half. I think it's an excellent plan and believe I would have easily busted 5:30 if I had been more disciplined in following it. I had a week and a half in the heart of the schedule where I missed most of the workouts along with other key workouts along the way, plus I did very little the 2 1/2 weeks leading up to the race. I think this, not the plan, was the reason I ended up with 9:45 miles on the run.

I'm using his IM plan for Lake Placid. I was originally planning on using Mike Ricci's plan, but after comparing the two, I just had a gut reaction that I preferred the Herrick plan. Given my experience with his 1/2 IM plan, I'm confident that this will get me across the line with a solid time as long as I stick to the workouts.

Thanks for the replies everyone and the encouragement. I think I'll stick with this plan as its my first ever tri at any distance. Just needed to know that the plan would get me to the finish line in one piece.