General Discussion Triathlon Talk » What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner? Rss Feed  
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2015-03-09 9:14 PM


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Subject: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?
Will be doing my first HIM, Ironman 70.3 New Orleans in 6 weeks and wondered what a goal finish time should be for me? This is only my second tri, did a Sprint tri last year. I'm a slow swimmer, 2:40/100m and average on the bike. My last half marathon time from 3 months ago was 1:59:00. Currently doing the Beginner HIM/RPE training plan on here and so far its going really well and I feel really good. Any insight is appreciated.


2015-03-10 7:41 AM
in reply to: Albert L

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?
There are probably "beginners" at HIM with really fast Oly times who could approach 5 hours, and people who will be lucky to do 8. If you swim 2:40/100m then you can do the math; it will take you close to an hour to do the swim, if not longer. (I'm assuming you can keep up 2:40/100m for nearly 2 km of continuous swimming in open water, not that 2:40 is your best 100m time in a pool.) Not sure what "average" on the bike means for a guy, or what age you are. Let's say that most beginners in the average range would take between 3 and 4 hours to bike 90 km. How much you slow down on the run from the open half marathon depends not only on run fitness but also how much the bike and swim take out of you, your nutrition, hydration, etc. I tend to run well off the bike and in my first HIM I was only 10 minutes off my open HM time. Probably a bit less differential than average, as my only HM run each year is in quite hot, humid conditions while the HIM run was in more moderate ones. So I would count on no faster than 2:15, maybe slower if you tire a lot from the swim and bike. (More likely in your case as you seem to be a very weak swimmer.) Plus transitions, which tend to be a bit slower in a longer race. So somewhere in the 6:30 to 7:30 range would be my guess.
2015-03-10 7:45 AM
in reply to: Albert L

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?

With the very, very limited info I'd wager...

Swim: 54 to 60 minutes

Bike: 3:20 to 3:30

Run: 2:30 to 2:45

Finish time around 7 hours would be my guess.

2015-03-10 11:42 AM
in reply to: Albert L

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?

Baring an injury, your speed over the next 6 weeks isn't likely to change much so extrapolate your long ride pace and long run pace into approximate 56 mile and 13 mile efforts.  

Can you go faster?  Probably...

Can you go slower?  Possibly...race day can be dramatically different than what you've experienced in training.  Consider the following examples.  What nutrition will you use for your HIM?  Get nutrition wrong, including the meals a day or two before the race, and all bets are off.  Have you done your long runs in the heat of the day?  Expect to be running 11AM--1PM or later which can be brutally hot, especially if you've been running at 5AM.  

2015-03-10 9:30 PM
in reply to: McFuzz

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?

6:51.27

2015-03-10 11:35 PM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?
6 hours


2015-03-11 8:23 AM
in reply to: gordongecko


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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?
Sorry for the limited info. I am 45 years old, 5'5" and 167lbs. I'm in reasonably good shape for my age. Swim is my weakest sport with run being my strongest. Thank you all for the input. My guess is Swim - 1hour, Bike -3:30 ahd Run - 2:20 = 6:50 plus transitions would be around 7:00 give or take. With it being my first HIM, I am just going to try and complete it and try to improve for future races.
2015-03-11 8:55 AM
in reply to: Albert L

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?

Originally posted by Albert L  With it being my first HIM, I am just going to try and complete it and try to improve for future races.

Sounds like a better goal than one based on time.  Good luck & enjoy!

2015-03-12 4:22 PM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?

Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Originally posted by Albert L  With it being my first HIM, I am just going to try and complete it and try to improve for future races.

Sounds like a better goal than one based on time.  Good luck & enjoy!

I'll respectfully disagree with JohnnyKay and a lot of other BT'ers who contribute greatly to this site and downplay time-based goals.  

The reality is almost every one of us has a number rattling around in our head about what a "good" race time will be.  It's important to acknowledge this and understand how to deal with it.  Pretending it doesn't exist isn't the right answer.  

It's also important to understand that there are things within your control and outside your control that influence this entirely arbitrary but highly personal time goal.  You can't control the weather, nor can you control the course (unless of course you're willing to become a RD and convince others to run your ideal course).  You have limited control over some other aspects of the race (you can take your bike in for a mechanical checkup and tune-up, but that only reduces the chance of a mechanical failure, it doesn't eliminate it).  Then there are things you can control which include whether you hit the snooze button or get up, get dressed, and exercise or whether you eat 4 brownies in one sitting.  You also control whether to do the tempo run or hill repeat called for in your training plan or switch to a leisurely pace/route because it's more comfortable.  

How important is it to hit your personal time goal?  Some people in this sport spent fantastic amounts of money on gear, special nutrition, training camps, coaches, reading materials, etc.  Some spend fantastic amounts of time training.  Each is a personal decision reflective of this goal compared with all of our other goals in life.  If you're like most of us, at the end of the race, whether you hit this time goal or not, you'll still have your full-time job, you'll still have a bed to sleep in, and you'll still have loved ones who love and respect you as much as they did before the race started.  

AlbertL has gone through in his head and estimated a 6:50--7:00 finish time.  Assume for a few minutes that race day conditions are ideal for AlbertL.  If he finishes in 6:48, he'll be very pleased that he finished faster than he expected.  If he finishes in 6:56, he'll still be happy...he finished within the range he expected, but will probably spend more time replaying parts of the race wondering where he could have shaved a minute here and a minute there.  If he finishes in 7:02, he'll probably have a nagging feeling that he should have been faster somewhere and somehow and will spend some time reflecting on his "unfinished business."  

Here's maybe another perspective:  

AlbertL, you pass the 12-mile mark on the run and look at your watch which shows 6:49:00.  You hurt, but you only have 1.1 miles to run and finish the race. If you can pick it up to a 10:00 min/mile pace, you can finish < 7:00:00.  Do you pick it up or do you shuffle along to cross in 7:01:18?  

There's only one right answer, and it comes from you, AlbertL, not me nor from JohnnyKay, nor anyone else.  

 

2015-03-12 5:59 PM
in reply to: Albert L

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?
5.03 was my first Half. It varies. It could be sub 4 hrs for an elite but a newbie to long course tri who has a 1.50 Oly or 8 hrs for a new to the sport older person...

I would put you over 6 hours if I was to guess. Your run is okay but your slow swimming will exhaust you way more than an experianced swimmer who is swimming under 1.20/100.
2015-03-13 8:26 PM
in reply to: Albert L

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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?
I did my first HIM a year ago.
I believe the key number is not finish time (although that's important) but pacing.
You need to find your pacing for SBR. Of course that will add to your finish time. With the big prize of a finish time on the line, you may screw up pacing 1/2 way through the bike.
Just focus on your pacing numbers for each sport. Based on your info 7 hours sounds very doable and if you pace well, I bet you'd hit 6:30.

If you don't pace well then you're walking the 13.1 mile run and your finish time goal goes out the window.
Best of luck!


2015-03-16 8:39 AM
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Subject: RE: What's an estimated HIM finish time for a beginner?
I have done my first 70.3 in 2013. Seven months before the race, I was watching some ironman videos on youtube and I liked the challenge. I registered for a 70.3, then bought a bike and started taking swim classes. It was my first triathlon ever and I had no endurance background, in 2012 I ran a 20k in 2h19. I followed the Beginner 1/2 Ironman 20 week training plan averaging 4-5 hours a week (at that time I thought I was training too much! ). I was 93kg for 1m83 at the beginning of the training, and 83kg 20 weeks later. During my training I was more worried about the swim but, on race day, I discovered that it is all about the bike ! . I had a nice and easy swim in 37mn, a very long ride in 4h01 and a painful run in 2h09, 7h03 total time. If I had to do it differently, I would focus my training on the bike..
I was happy with my race, but since I crossed the finish line, I am obsessed with the idea of getting faster.
My guess is that you will finish between 6h30 and 7h00. Good luck!


Edited by Lassaad 2015-03-16 8:56 AM
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