How long to train for first Olympic Tri?

If you're planning (and acting on the plans) right now, then next summer should be feasible for an Oly. If you already have reasonable fitness in one or more of the three events, then it's definitely reasonable.

My first real tri (earlier this year) was an Oly. But i had the benefit of a good running background, plus a couple of years of cycling background. The big challenge was to learn to swim, and that seemed pretty daunting. But for others it can be running 10k that is the mountain to be climbed. But if you work at it over the winter, then you should be ready when the spring/summer rolls around.

I did the NYC tri this summer which is an oly and was in August. I had zero in the wasy of fitness and was in not such great shape this time last year. I started training after registering in october and really ramped it up around january. I finished in 3:04:56 I really wanted to be sub 3 hours but i felt great. I finished and that was a big deal for me.

Like others have said if you have a background in one of the sports that would help. I would have probably been in the 2:55 range had I been a stronger runner but now I know I have to work that much harder on my run for my first HIM in June. Best of luck to you

Most likely yes, but you really need to give more info for a proper prognostication.

It really depends on your goals (simply finish, finish in under 3hrs., finish in under 2.5hrs.?) and what your current fitness level is (20y.o. college swimmer, 55y.o. mom who just started jogging?).

Most people start off with sprint or super sprints but there is nothing wrong with doing an Oly as a 1st race. Even at Ironman race there is usually a few people who are doing it as a first triathlon.

Ok, well, I will give more info and maybe some can help me "build my base" as some of you stated I need to do. 

I'm 33, good weight, healthy, and have been working by lifting weights and cardio of running/walking since January.  I decided to do a Tri to challenge me since I met my other workout goals.  I am new to swimming, at least, the right way.  I'm not fond of running.  And I just got a road bike to start biking. 

So how do I make a stronger base?  I read a ton about LT and training in Zone 1 and Zone 2.  Still haven't done the test, but by what people say, my Zone 2 will peak at like 165.  So I have been trying to run in order to keep this below that number.  But at a half hour, my HR starts to dramatically increase, plus, I get bored.  So, do I slow down my speed (even though by this point, I"m running 6 mph, which is pretty slow, IMO) to keep in the zone?  Or just stop?  Is building a base dependent on time spent in the right zone, so the longer I stay there per workout, the better?  Or should I just stop at 30 minutes? 

I really want to run 5 miles, cause I never did this in my life.  But, my gosh, it seems like it will take forever and I'll be so bored I won't keep it up.  If I could go faster and complete it sooner, then that would be perfect!  I've been running 3 miles for weeks with no improvement.  So I must be doing something wrong.  Also, I get headaches when I run for a long time.  Any ideas how to stop these?

x2.

Two choices:

1) Just stop thiniking about doing endurance sports because the tears are going to blur your vision.

2) Find a way to suck it up.  The lack of focus is causing your HR to spike do to your laziness in posture and stride, keep your core engaged.  This is also causing the headaches because you are letting your head hang back, quit looking at the horizon and start looking 15-30 yrds ahead.

Best of luck,

Should be plenty of time as your already have some good fitness (not necessarily cardio). I took 1 year to train for my first tri which was a HIM. I had not been in a pool in 20 years, never ran more than 3 miles and had a very good cycling background. I used the full IM (next year in June) and the half this past august as my fitness and weight loss motivation. In the process I have dropped 38lbs can now run 10m in about 1:15 and have become a MOP swimmer (don't put much time in this one as logistics difficult)

I agree with others in that you need to find your motivation or it just won't work. For me it was about running 5 miles, then 6, then 7, etc. Once you get the distance then it was about running it faster. Same with the bike and run. Most workouts are a challenge to imrpove your personal best from the one last month and so on. Everyone has different motivations and goals but if you don't know what they are or do not have the focus and dedication to stick to them it will not work for this sport as it is almost completly about the self