Iron distance nerves

I think it is normal to feel nervous. IM is a big event, takes lots of dedication and training and stuff can happen.

Clearly you have skill set to train and do one. Maybe it is a lot of new things..first IM, first child..wondering how it will all come together.

I found my IM year was a huge mental growth time as this may sound sort of strange, believing that I could do what was necessary to train for an IM was the biggest battle for me.

Enjoy this next year it will be great!

Well, if you still have your arm in a sling, it will be a little bit difficult on the swim for sure.

Just be prepared as much as you can - especially the nutrition.  You have experienced the 1/2 IM, so you have some knowledge.

You'll be fine.

Hey Matt

I know how you feel.  I am also doing IMKY in 2009.  Nerves are killing me already!

Gwen

x2 on this, i was right there with you this past year.  my first was IMCDA 2008, i have a one and three year old and didn't miss a beat with family stuff....   its all about reallocating your time, for me i was up at 4:30am to get to the pool by 5:15am to get swims in, i bought a computrainer to help me knock out the bike stuff and i am fortunate to work at a job that has a pool, gym and the flexibility to do my weekly runs under two hours at work.  we put our kids to bed at 7:30pm so i could always hit my computrainer or treadmill to get the workouts in after dark as well.

but time is precious, i watched little to no tv, did not stay up on politics or news, the house probably became a little messier and in general everything kinda took a back seat to my training except the family.   thank god for my wife being understanding.....which by the way you need to get her on board with this.....trust me!!! 

in all it is very very doable, but you have to make it a priority!!!  you won't regret it, running the last 300 yards at CDA was my landing on the moon, not as cool as my wedding day or kids births but right behind them......

I am in the same boat but without as many races in the books as you.  I have 2 yr old twins and was nervous about finding the time but fortunately I have a great wife who is willing to put up with the crazy schedule.  The weekends are the hardest but really only towards the peak phase of training.  Early on most training can be done before my kids are out of bed.  My race is in 3 weeks. 

Read "Be Iron Fit".  Even if you do not use the plans it has some great ideas on time management and stories on different people and how they cope with the amount of training required.  Also, all of the plans are based on time and not mileage so it's easier to fit into a schedule.  Good Luck!

It's all about BALANCE.

I am totally with you on the nerves.  I have two little ones of my own (3, 4), have never run a marathon, have never swam 2.4 miles, and haven't done any kind of race in over a decade.  I did bike 112 miles once 17 years ago, so I got that going for me.

I'm banking on the suggestions others have made above.  Early morning/evening training sessions while the kids are ~asleep and little else besides family/work/training between now and IMKY09.  I'm also planning on putting in less OT at the office this year.  Will be interesting to see how this all works out in practice.  At this point, I feel about 60/40 that I'll be able to pull this off.

I would think one issue in trying to do this with a baby on board would be making sure you get enough rest.  My oldest son didn't sleep well at night for his first year, so I was always pretty tired.  IM training through that would have been difficult for me.  My second slept well after about 5 mo, and that wouldn't have been a problem.

I'm getting nervous too!  I feel like between training and school it's going to be intense!  But I don't have any kids or a SO here with me so that definatly makes it easier!

I'm a month out and JUST did my longest swims, longest bikes, and longest runs EVER.  And I'm still short of the 112 and 26.2.  Talk about nerves!

But I figured, if I did what was asked of me, put in the time and effort, it will come together...

With regards to time?  You just make time.  Less TV, fewer times going out (like hardly ever), more early mornings, less sleep (which sucks), the house starts to fall apart, no vacations...  etc...

Ah, the life!

what everyone else said.

What helped me was to take it a step at a time, and know that you do not have to do it.  If everything comes apart, you can always quit.  My milestones, were:

1) make it through the winter and develop a run base
2) prepare and do the 1/2 IM at Buffalo Springs Lake
3) start the IM training and take it  a week at a time.   - sub milestones a couple of 100 mile bike rides
4) make it through the biggest training of the plan
All those are done and I've got plane reservations and a starting slot for IM Florida in 19 days.

I still cannot believe I'm actually going, but the nerves come and go.

Good luck - you've got much more training under your belt than I did.  I've never done a marathon.  Plan to do one on November 1st

You wouldn't be human if you weren't nervous -- perfectly normal.  What might help is sitting down and writing out your concerns.  Then you can build a gradual plan that will address each concern.

 I am a little biased on the next point but you could also ask for a copy of Going Long for Christmas...

 gordo

That sucks I wish you had better support, however, I dont think it matters whether you are a woman or man.......   not all guys get support and understanding from their wife either....of course everyones situation is different.  But I would tell you that it will be worth it, if you have taken this on to do you will find the reward is worth the sacrifice.  I loved having my family there to help celebrate but it was (for me) more an individual accomplishment more than anything.  However, I wouldnt toss my marriage away and do perminate damage to my kids for Ironman either....

Anyway, hope things turn out good for you, at least you will get support on BT