determining my race time for HIM

ultrahip_00 - 2009-07-15 3:36 PM this is how my HIM time ended up:
swim was faster than training pace
bike was about 1 mph faster than my long ride pace (sprints or oly's are atleast 2.5 mph faster than my training pace)
run was at long run training pace

that being said, i think i got worked on the bike and was mentally out of it by the run, thus didn't push myself like i wanted to for the run.  (run was about 20 mins slower than standalone 1/2 marathon time).

trix - 2009-07-15 3:33 PM what is best way to determine a time for finishing a triathlon.  trying to establish finishing time for HIM.

I would love a sub 5 hr time.  but i don't know if that is pushing myself too hard or not... 

bachorb - 2009-07-15 9:40 PM My HIM swim (with wetsuit) is always exactly the same as when I do a straight 2100 yard swim in a pool (no wetsuit).

My bike is always a solid 2-3 mph faster than my average on long rides, but that's because I live in NYC (a ummmm......slightly congested area) so I always have a fair number of interruptions during any bike workout. Also, most of my long rides are 70-80 miles, which cuts into my average speed in training BUT the extra base gives me stronger runs. I find the bike is the hardest to go by in terms of comparing training pace to race pace because it's incredibly difficult to emulate race conditions on the bike if you live in a densely populated area. All the braking for traffic and other bikers etc really adds up over the course of a few hours.

My run is usually exactly the same as when I do long runs. I feel like the run is the easiest to predict because it's easier to simulate race conditions. My long runs usually aren't bricks but on race day they end up being the same because on race day a) I am fully tapered and b) my adrenaline is pumping a lot more on race day and by the last 1/2 of the run I am not holding back at all.

A sub-5 is very ambitious for your first 1/2 IM - I am not saying you can't do it, but don't beat yourself up if you don't. Judging from your logs you have pretty solid fitness on the bike, which will get you a lot, but everyone I know who does sub-5 1/2 IM's trains well over 10 hours a week. I wanted to go sub-6 in my first and I did it in 6:07 on around 8 hours a week. Five months later I did my second 1/2 in 5:03 on 12-13 hours a week, and nine months after that I did my third in 4:45 on 14-16 hours a week. My point is, aim high but don't be hard on yourself if you don't reach your goals. But don't underestimate the power of training 15 hours a week, either I think after you do your first 1/2 you will have a much clearer picture of what you can pull off and on what kind of training volume.

JorgeM - 2009-07-16 11:40 AM
when and where is your race? have you done a race rehearsal? any recent PRs (i.e. 10K, 500 yds swim, 40K TT, etc.)?