One Year to first IM?

I would suggest reading the Sprint To Ironman in a Year thread in the Iron Distance forum.

It has a lot of these questions.

One of the basic answers is Ironman isn't going anywhere.  So why not take the time to build up slowly.

I personally wouldn't commit to one till I had done some of the shorter distances first.  Probably at least an Oly, maybe a HIM.

I replied in the other thread, but I'll say the same here.   Totally doable if the info about your training up till this point is accurate.

I went from non-athlete to comfortable 12:23 IM finisher this year in just about a years time...so if a guy like me can do it with no base fitness to start with, someone like you should have very little problem.

I would say don't bother with the other thread....that thing is definitely skewed towards those that have no background in the sports.

If you really want to do an IM, do it.  It is very possible.  You've done marathons so you know something about endurance.  Sign up and train hard and you'll have a great experience.  But understand that for most people the challange of an IM is actually the training not the race.  Training 12+ hrs a week takes a lot of commitment and discipline.  Do the training and the race will be the reward.

~mr

I read this last night and was thinking about it int he pool this morning.  I've seen this posted time and time again here and it always struck me as procrastination.  While the IM is not going anywhere, our lives are in a constant state of change.  Get married, have a baby, have a second baby, start a new job, get laid off from your current job, start a new relationship, move across country.....or get injurred.  There are all kinda of things that can change that makes the time to do an IM "not right".  If your situation right now allows you to train and do an IM and that is your goal, do it.  Doing shorter distance tris are not necessarily going to increase you IM performance.  Training is going to increase you performance.  If your goal is to KQ the sooner you start training for an IM the sooner you will KQ.  It might take you a couple of years of doing IMs before you KQ but don't waste a few years doing Olys and HIMs if KQ is your ultimate goal.

I think this depends on where you are fitness wize.  The OP seems to be in good shape and maybe able to get to IM comfortably in a years time.

For those off the couch rushing to IM is probably not the best answer.

I am simply suggesting doing some shorter race first to have some idea what to expect before you sign up for a full.  But I tend to ease myself into things and stick with them a long time. 

I understand and we all need to use wisdom and do what is right for our situation but for some people the 'larger than life' goal of an IM is the only thing that will get them off the couch!  Some people use the "oh, you can do THAT" as a motivational tool.

Almost anything is doable so that question is easy to answer.  Wether or not something is prudent is a much broader question and varies from individual to individual.

If you just want to finish an Ironman, you could do that tomorrow.  Each event of the tri isn't that hard to complete.  It's more a battle of will and nutrition at that level.  2:15 for the swim is EASY for anyone with any swimming experience.  The bike is 8 hrs. 30 minutes (10:45 from start)... EASY.  The run is 5:15 to cut off or 16 hours from start.  Even at just making the cuts the run is pretty easy for anyone with any type of running base.  The battle is being out there for 16 hours and the nutrition to keep your body going.  A 20 week program would have anyone with some base at a point where they could finish the IM easily.

Now, if you want to do well... you're going to need a strong  base to start.  Some experience to know how to deal with "issues" that come up and a good training plan to work out speed.  From where you are, 1 year is MORE than enough time to do that.  I would recommend doing at least 2 or 3 century rides prior to the IM and at least 1 HIM to help understand how your body will react to longer efforts and nutrition.  There are many online programs that can outline what you need to do.  The key is to train with the nutrition you plan to use in the race and to "Test" how your body will react.  I can tell you from experience I made several changes to my nutrition plan and transition plans after doing a HIM.  The HIM for me was a disaster, but the IM was much more smooth (except the broken elbow I susstained 36 hours priort to the start)...

There is nothing really hard about IM at 16 hours (I'm sure for soom this isn't the case but for what you've already done I would say it is the case).... however, it's a different world at sub 12 hours.  Set a clear goal and train for it.

  "Obstacles are those frightful things we see when we take our eyes off the goal." ~ Henry Ford

given your current fitness level I would say you are ready to COMPLETE one now. lol. Now if you want to go for a specific time than 1 year is more than enough but I would suggest doing a 1/2IM first just to give you some idea of what a good time for you might be. I think a sprint or Olypic is a bit too short to really judge what your full IM time may be.

I gave myself 1 1/2 years but I needed to get healthier in that time and used IM as the goal for my weight loss (35lbs YTD). I have never done any TRI and signed up for 2 so far....a 70.3 and the full IM in Couer d'Alene in 2012. I plan on finishing and secondary goal is to be around 13-13.5hrs which I think is realistic. Once again I have never done a TRI but came form bike racing and lots of swimming though not competative

I've taken the 3 year build up plan, and attempting my first full IM this Dec.

For some folks, going into IM right away works, but for me not. I am glad I did a few HIM's and Marathons prior to thinking about signing up for the full. Knowing more of what sort of commitment to training, and the intensity of it all that is required is important for me.

If it's something you want to do, then do it. 

If you want the training "in the bag" before you commit, you have two options:  First are the independent events (Redman, Vineman, Rev3) that don't sell out a year in advance.  Second is to spend more $$ and sign up for an M-dot through the Community Fund (or even more $$$ and the executive challenge). 

Also consider the "growth" of signing up before you've got the training "in the bag."  Yes, it can be a bit scary, but we occasionally get nudged away from our stable operating point and this is a change to deal with that better. 

Ironman does not check for your Sprint, Olympic and 70.3 completion certifications before letting you into a full Iron distance race, and I would not let your doubts or questions keep you from doing it.

Your ability to complete that distance will be determined (among other things) by your consistency to your training.

Whether you think you can or think you can't -  you're right!

Thank you all so much for the encouraging and helpful responses!  I braced myself in posting because I am so used to getting the “who are you kidding” response when I speak my dreams outloud.

Sorting through my mixed feelings and reading your respses, here is what seems to be the basic summary of my debate:

Sign up for the Ironman already!
1. I’ve given it time and investigation, I’m not going on a whim here: I really wanted to do this at the end of last year, but was holding off so as not to make rash decisions. However, I was obsessed: I read books, have been dissecting Friel’s Bible, and have done my base training in that style.  I have also been training with triathletes [on the running and spin bike parts] enough to have a “feel” for what it involves.

2. With my training/fitness I think it’s mostly a matter of  having a target race. I’ve gotten to the point where doing an endurance weekend [back to back long workouts] with a 3hr+ brick than a long run around 3 hours is pretty routine. I’m an endurance athlete and generally it takes me about an hour just to get going and feel good.  Of course the stamina required to do an Ironman is a whole new level—but I don’t think it’s a matter of “can I get there” so much as I need to know this is what I’m doing so I can build on towards that.

3. Timing.  As much as I hate having to make a decision so far in advance, the year does possibly give me adequate time to address fill the “holes” needed to be a triathlete in to my athletics: long rides, open water swims, dealing with bike issues and gear, and of course, practice races.

Hold off…another year?
1. I don’t think it’s so much a question of whether I could physically do what is required as it is will I like it enough to do it. On the one hand, I’ve been running/biking/swimming as a “second job” enough to already be practicing the sport, but I haven’t been a specialized triathlete, I typically zone in on the running with the biking backbone and swimming supplement.  As crazy as it sounds since I swam competitively most of my life and spent more time in the pool than at school, I now get bored easily in the pool. I find the ability to swim comes back fairly easily, but will I be able to make myself do enough to be ready for an ironman? Is it possible that I could just hold a swimming backbone with a couple workouts a week along with the brick/race practice? I’m not sure if I would want to take on daily swim practice again.

2. experience: I am very intimidated by bike speed and maintenance. Again, I have adequate time to practice…but would it be better to be practicing + seeing if it’s something I really want to do as opposed to practicing because now I REALLY have to do it.

3. Gear: I’m not sure what’s required, but I’m a pretty bare bones athlete so far…

As far as the timetable is concerned, here is my rough idea:
Winter 2012-2013: base building [weekly backbone rides-likely indoors as I live in the Midwest, pool swims, and running maintenance.
Spring: I’d like to run Boston again… so running focus, with tri base practicing more outdoor riding

Summer: small triathlon practice…hopefully building to Muncie HIM(?)

Fall: Peak for full IM—considering Florida if I can figure out a reasonable way to pull off the trip without being completely solo for such a big race

This is the thinking that has me leaning towards signing up for one, even though my original plan was to do the tri buildup this year as I had intended to this past year: I think having that race pin pointed at the end of the year is what I need TO be motivated to build my training that way. If I put it off another year, there's no point for me to be out riding 6hr and I've even found myself [this past summer] never minding doing a tri at all. If I new I was going to do it this year, I'd have that year to make it happen--both the training and the learning fo the mechanics.