Using your IM condition to PR shorter races

I don't understand this.  Why?

Recovery.  Or lack thereof.

OIC.  Well the HIM is nearly a month after the IM.

A lot of people will use their marathon preperation and base to run PR's in shorter distance stuff about a month or so out from their race as it is enough time to recover and build up a short level of speed if you ramp it up right.  But as Birkie mentioned, it all depends on your base.

After all my fall marathons and my IM last year I went on to set PR's in 5k and 5 mile running races.

I'm going to test the theory out with my olympic I just signed up for next weekend as it will be 4 weeks out from LP and I am feeling pretty well recovered.

Parleying your IM fitness into a shorter race PR is one thing, but throwing another 5 + hour event into the mix 4 weeks later may not be the best approach to take.  I would hazard that unless your PR is already a little "soft" timewise (as in if it is not a true measure of what you can do normally) that you will have a hard time beating it.

But it is your choice obviously.

I'm in my 3rd week of (semi) active recovery from IMLP and I have a sprint  on 8/24 that I'm doing just for fun. I have NO expectations of a PR. Hell I've only run twice since 7/20.

I had thought about a new HIM 2 months from LP but I've since decided it wouldn't work for me. 

Well my current "PR" for a HIM is DNF so I'd say that is pretty soft. 

The problem is that as you recover from the IM, you will 'de-train' (lose fitness).  So you won't be levering your IM fitness, but only some percentage of it.  The alternative is to try to maintain your fitness post the IM.  But, as birkie noted, few people are able to do this successfully unless they have a big base and strong recovery capabilities.

In that case, your chnaces are good. 

I'm currently "struggling" with this. I want to fully recover,am taking it real easy but I feel like I can do more. I have longer term goals (Dec. Mary then IMLP 09) so I figure losing some fitness but "full" recovery is better than burnout or the the dreaded injury.

IM recovery is foreign to me!

Good question though Rog. Thanks 

Mike,

I really would advise against trying to extend your fitness past Louisville. As a few have stated before your recovery would not be optimal and as "easy" as a HIM sounds right now, it is still a tough day. Ideally you should really take it easy for two weeks (no running at all) after your IM and not start training with any real intensity until about 4 weeks out.  The benefit you will notice is that next year you will be rocking races due to the massive base you have built over the course of the last two years.

Do Louisville, race your @ss off...then take it easy for awhile. Go fish or watch football or something.

Good luck !

This confirms what I've read/heard. Getting a bit antsy myself but I'm trying to stick to it.  

Good info - thanks for sharing. 

I appreciate the advice and I respect your opinion.  The Atomicman is 4 weeks after the IM.    I looked back at last year's log and see that 6 days after my IM I biked 40 miles and then 2 days after that I biked another 40 miles.  I did not run for 14 days though.

"Intensity" and "training" don't really go together for me.  I do all my training at the same, slow, plod-along pace.  My running pace has been 10 min/mile +/- 1 minute for over 10 years.  My marathon pace is pretty much the same as my 5K pace.  :-)  I don't race other people on the course....I just plod along and when I finish, I finish.  I'm just honored that I'm able to be on the same playing field with real atheletes.

I will take your advice somewhat....but it's gonna cost me $25.   The Atomicman early registration fee ends August 31.  So I will wait till 2 weeks AFTER the IM to see how recovery is going before I decide.  If I'm back in the saddle and back into my lunchtime runs and feeling fine, I'll sign up.  Otherwise, I'll save it for next year.

~Mike

I researched this a bit last year for someone who was considering racing a few weeks after IMWI.  I came across a few recommendations to race shorter distances as a way to keep up motivation, but they were referring to sprint and olympic distances only.  Almost everyone seemed to agree with the 4 to 6 week recovery period.  Anyway, I included some of the articles in case you want to research this a bit more outside the forum.  Of course, I have no personal experience regarding this (yet), but the same advice coming from so many sources is hard to ignore.

Bouncing Back from Ironman
Post-Ironman Race Recovery from ironman.com
Post-Ironman Considerations: she gets to the point towards the end, but her point is that you can make huge offseason gains if you mind the 6 week recovery period.

Finally, from Dave Scott: "Possibly select a short race 4-6 weeks after your Ironman. No, not another triathlon, unless it's a sprint race or less, but preferably an open water swim or a 5-10K running race. Having a race goal, even if you're recovering from the big one, can revive your post-Ironman doldrums."

Good info.  The first article says "The bottom line is to listen to your body and not let the mental aspect get in the way. "  And this is exactly what I'm going to do. 

~Mike

ahhh...don't listen to me anyway...I did a 50 mile ultra 6 weeks after IM WI last year

Thanks for sharing those articles.They really hit home with how I'm feeling now.

I am 6 weeks post IMCDA. I havent done a damn thing until this week.

Several reasons why I havent, not the least of which is I told myself all year I was taking July off. Period. And I did.

My run the other day was just OK. My HR was a bit elevated for the pace I ran and my legs were a bit sore the next day but I expected that after 6 weeks off.

I think I am better for it though. Have done lots of walking and a social bike ride with my girlfriend but thats it.

I am doing a HIM in mid September. I think I can reasonably PR the thing. But, had it been closer to IM I dont think I would have tried.

It sounds like you have the right attitude to do the HIM a month out. Take it easy for a couple weeks after, slowly increase the duration of your workouts and then judge how you feel for the HIM. If you're shooting to make the distance and enjoy the day you'll be fine.

Last year after IMWI I did an Oly on 3 wks recovery. It was a great race with a lot of BTers and I went up to enjoy myself. I was not planning on racing it! I got on my bike and found my HR over 170 and thought, oh well, here we go! On the run I found myself chatting with other runners, high fiving people to motivate them and then shocked myself with a 2:12 OLY! A PR by 6 min!

Go into it relaxed and have fun and as you said, anything other than a DNF is a PR! You have to be the judge the week of the race on how you recovered from IMKY.

See you in a few weeks!!