planning for 1st 70.3 Advice needed

Since I am also a BOP sort, I will tell you that I think that's too much volume (the Oly) the week before a HIM.  This summer I did the Door County Half (great race, btw) which is the same weekend as Racine.  I looked at my training from the weekend before and it was much shorter stuff, spread over the two weekend days. I got my plan from a real coach, not something I cooked up.  Based on that only, I don't think that would be a good weekend for an Oly for you, no matter how slowly you did it.

Sounds like you are on the right path and asking the right questions.   In my opinion moving from the Olympic distance to the 70.3 is a big step - nutrition during the race becomes key.   I am sure you found the move from the sprint to olympic a big one in terms of endurance required.  Now multiply that times two - or maybe 3 when you move up to 70.3!  If you could truely use the olympic as a training day - go easy on the bike and easy on the run - and use it a prep day for the 70.3 a week later it could be done.   An Olympic could take a lot of you energy and may make the 70.3 a week later a lot more difficult if you go to hard in the olympic.  The question for you is can you use it as a training day to make sure your plan is good for the olympic, work on nutrition and just use it as a practice day.  For your training plan you would want it totally focused on the 70.3 and work in the Olympic the week before.

Good luck and I am sure you will get a lot of great advice from others here.

I would be really interested in hearing exactly what the sort of training has been, the general speeds, etc.   Someone mentioned "don't crush the Oly, take it slow like 3 hours" - that's not slow for everyone.  My Oly PR is still over 3 and I was definitely trying.  Also, you cannot compare a 10 miler and a 10k to an Oly and a HIM.  WAY different.

My point mainly is that the folks who are saying "no big deal", probably absolutely believe that for themselves.  But for an admitted BOPer, that's another thing. 

I hope Don will take that into consideration.  I would add that someone who calls themselves a "half marathoner" might be better able to do this than someone who's hitting the 13.1 for the first time in their HIM.

You guys are super.

A bit of back ground. I’ve been running for 2 ½  years now. Did 5 13.1s  (PR 2:18) and one 26.2 in the first calendar year of running. I’ve done 4 more 13.1s and two more 26.2s (PR 5:30) since then, along with the 2010 Chicago Tri (Oly distance 3:40).   

For 2011 I’m registered for Key West 13.1, Flying Pig 26.2, Hospital Hill 13.1, Trinona Oly Tri, Chattanooga Oly Tri, Chicago Oly Tri. 

The HIM training plan (from Triathlete  Mag) I’m considering,  has me doing essentially what would be an Oly Tri the weekend before race day, only it is spread out over Fri, Sat Sun.

If I do Racine 70.3 (with my oldest Daughter) it would follow Chattanooga by a week. If I hold off and do Branson 70.3 (with my youngest Daughter) I would have the Chicago 26.2  three weeks later. 

I may just have ambitions larger than my ability.  BTW I’ll be 56 in Jan.

Hey Don!  I think you can do all the races you want, just have to be realistic about the outcomes.  I always have "too many" races on the calendar in general.  But I just thought the HIM was pretty hard and I want you to be totally ready. 

I will say that Racine has a rep for being a bit "easier" because the bike course is easier.  But it can be very hot and Lake Michigan is temperamental.  I vote you do Branson anyway!  You have a lot of time to work out the tail end of your schedule to bridge the gap between the recovery and final prep for the marathon.    Just keep the marathon in mind.  You'll have to be working on the marathon volume during the half iron training.  If you can afford it, I really recommend a coach.   Unless you're very adept at planning training, I think a coach is great when you have a difficult race schedule.  That's been the case for me, anyway.

Thanks BikerGrrrl,  My youngest has done several HIMs and her hubby is an IM. They have a great local coach. So far, I’ve been self-coached. But 2011 will be an intense schedule 

I gather, the marathon 3 weeks post would be better than the Oly the week before.

An added benefit of doing Branson… I can spend Monday in the cool waters of Lake Tannycomo  fly-fishing (my second addiction)