Ironman St. George Utah 2010 (Page 5)

Just thought I would join the discussion.   I just reg. for the Ironman Utah last night and I am so pumped that I finally get a chance to race an actual Ironman.  I have been trying for a couple of years now to a) get into an Ironman and b) find one that I could work in around my work schedule. 

I have a training questions: 

I am weakest at the run and seeing how everything I have read about this race says the run will be tough I want to considerate on improving my run leg.  The question is: I have the opportunity to run a marathon in mid February and was wondering if this would be a good ideal? 

Depends...  are you worried you can't complete a marathon and want to finish one before St George? That may provide some benefit, but honestly, in my limited experience, "running a marathon" won't make you stronger.  Mike Ricci has advised here for people in similar situations to train for the marathon, but run a half marathon as a race.   Same training benefit, very little recovery.

You're looking at a good week or two (depending on you) of recovery after running the full marathon, about 8 -10 weeks out, right in the middle of your training cycle.

Haven't done a hilly IM, but I've done a few hilly HIMs, and if it were me I would do the majority of my long runs in the hills.  You are going to need strength as well as endurance

just my .02

Thanks for the advice.  I have done a marathon, so metally I know I can do it.  Everything I am reading and my plan calls for a 3hr LSD at the most.  So I may just stick to the plan.  You have a good point about the recovery.  After the last marathon I did I lost about a week and a half of training do to soreness. 

I guess the good thing is I live in the Texas Hill Country so most of my long rides and runs are on rolling hills.  

Just thought I would let Ya'll know that I called 2 hotels last night and they are all booked up.  I finaly got a room on the third try and that lady said they are going fast.

I am staying at America's Best Inn and Suites - $95/night.  I reserved just a couple days ago.

 FYI for anyone wanting to use rewards for frequent stay plans, you may not want to mention that you're there for the IM.  I had called several hotels just asking about rates and I was told more than once that IM/WTC had set the rates for that week and I needed to reserve my room through the St george IM website.

See you there!

Ha!  That's why my friend and I decided to get connecting rooms instead of sharing!

It looks like you can still sign up. On the Ironman page it shows community fund entry only. But if you go the St. George site and click on register it looks like you can still get in.