General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM Rss Feed  
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2012-03-19 1:17 PM

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Subject: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM

I was just wondering about peoples opinions on the time between doing a practice tune up 70.3 before doing a full IM.  I've done HIM before, but this will be my first year doing a full.  I've been trying to plan my race season and would like to do a local HIM that's 3 weeks before LP, but only if it won't hurt my performance at Lake Placid.

Doing research, I have been getting conflicting opinions. I've heard everything from 3 weeks being good because it can be your last long weekend before the taper and just not to go hard on the run (which I can see being hard to do in a competitive setting), and that if you can't recover from a 70.3 in three weeks then you're not in shape for a full IM.  And I've also heard the opposite, that it's too soon and not enough time to recover.  So for people who have done IM before, what's your opinion on the ideal time between a HIM and full?  



2012-03-19 2:00 PM
in reply to: #4103187

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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM
My personal opinion is that 3 weeks is WAY too short. I'd say like couple months...6-8 weeks before.

Again though, it's what works for you. For some people, 3 weeks would be ok. But I'd choose to err on the side of caution. Race day isn't the time to realize that 3 weeks was too short.
2012-03-19 3:24 PM
in reply to: #4103187

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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM
I would NOT do a HIM 3 weeks before your first IM.  I am also of the opinion that one does not do a "practice" HIM to prep for IM.  If you want to race a HIM as a preliminary goal to focus your training efforts, then that can be useful.  Having that "ONE BIG RACE" out there as your only race can be a mental challenge.  And racing (any distance) is good training.  But there is no reason you need to do a HIM as a lead-up to an IM.  Don't 'squeeze' one in just because everyone else is doing it.  Train smart and trust your training.
2012-03-19 4:02 PM
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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM

runnerx - 2012-03-19 3:00 PM My personal opinion is that 3 weeks is WAY too short. I'd say like couple months...6-8 weeks before. Again though, it's what works for you. For some people, 3 weeks would be ok. But I'd choose to err on the side of caution. Race day isn't the time to realize that 3 weeks was too short.

x2.  HIM 6-8 weeks before IM.

2012-03-19 4:47 PM
in reply to: #4103187

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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM

3 weeks out in most training plans is peak weekend. A lot of times this means 100+ mile rides, 2.5+ hour runs, 2.4-mile OWS, etc. (before anyone jumps, yes I realize not every training plan is created this way. Just the ones I've done in my personal experience).

A Half Ironman will not come close to the workouts on most plans for that weekend. My advise is to do the workouts planned for that weekend and if you want to do a HIM to stay in sharp race form, do it like others said, a few months out. That way it will likely fall right into the suggested workouts for that time frame on your plan.

 

2012-03-19 5:40 PM
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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM

All posts above make great points.

What worked well for me last year (I'm doing the same this year) was to train hard with a slightly beefed up HIM 20 week plan for a 70.3 in early June with an IM about seven weeks later.  I bridged the seven weeks with a ramped up cycling focus with key workouts being a 65-75 mile ride each weekend.

What I learned was that I was not as prepared for the run and I suffered greatly.  This year, I'm supplementing my HIM plan with additional running volume with swim and biking about the same at this point.  I'll also get as many longer rides in 6 - 8 weeks before the HIM as I really felt this focus period vaulted my cycling to another level.

 



2012-03-21 9:28 AM
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2012-03-21 10:32 AM
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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM
For what it's worth, I'm doing a half iron distance race on August 26th as a fitness gauge before IM AZ in November.  That's the timing that I figured would allow me the ability to re-focus on a particular discipline if something is terribly out of whack in August.
2012-03-21 11:04 AM
in reply to: #4103187

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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM
Well for what its worth, my peak week is the same time as Newyork fans in terms of timing, but its 19.5hrs.  Although its my first IM, I've been doing endurance triathlons/running (HIMs and running up to marathons) for 15 years and I'm training in the hopes of doing more than just finishing the race. But regardless, I switched to doing Harryman in May just in case, so thanks for the advice.  
2012-03-21 11:10 AM
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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM

I did Augusta six weeks before IMFL.  It was great, far enough out that I could go pretty hard but have plenty of recovery time.  It was also nice having a longer race in there as just training gets pretty boring.  It also gave me one last chance to practice "race day".  So I am a proponent for doing a HIM before the full.  But, more like 6 - 8 weeks, not 3. 

As was said, 3 weeks out is a high volume week for most people.  Looking at my schedule last year at 3 weeks out it was:

Swim: Drills with the team on Monday then 4100 yards on Friday (out of town Tue & Wed)

Bike:  trainer ride 1 hr with drills, then a 5:30 hr ride on Sunday

Run: shorter run during the week, 1 hr transition run after Sat bike the a 3:30 hr run on Sunday.

So 3 weeks out was a pretty big week for me. I wouldn't get nearly that if I did a HIM.   

enjoy,

Duane

2012-03-21 11:36 AM
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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM

elrasc06 - 2012-03-21 12:04 PM Well for what its worth, my peak week is the same time as Newyork fans in terms of timing, but its 19.5hrs.  Although its my first IM, I've been doing endurance triathlons/running (HIMs and running up to marathons) for 15 years and I'm training in the hopes of doing more than just finishing the race. But regardless, I switched to doing Harryman in May just in case, so thanks for the advice.  

Excellent choice!  Harriman is a very tough HIM.  It's far enough out that you can train for, taper and race it.  Take a short recovery and then get into your final IM build weeks.  I actually did that when I raced LP.  Also did an Oly about a month out which was a great, (realtively) high intensity workout.  No taper or major recovery needed so it didn't mess with the rest of my training much.



2012-03-22 8:33 AM
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2012-03-22 10:46 AM
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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM
Yeah, I didn't mean that to come out in a negative way, so I'm sorry if it did.  I just meant that I think there's a difference in the recovery between someone who is training just to finish (and therefore probably pretty wiped out after, not that there's anything wrong with that) and someone attempting to do more than that.  As in someone training 10hrs a week versus someone training 20hrs, there will probably be a difference in how well prepared and therefore how fast a recovery a person has. Not that either is right or wrong, I just didn't want it to come across that I was just trying to scrape by, in which case a HIM would really take a long time to recover from.  I in no way meant to imply anything about your training, and wow for sub 10 hrs!  
2012-03-22 11:11 AM
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Subject: RE: Time between "tune up" 1/2 IM and full IM
I've done a half 3 weeks out from a full before, without ill effects...had all the long training done by the weekend before and prob did a long bike the weekend after.  But I am slow by most standards, and pretty much any long effort like that is just a long training day.  This year, my last half will be about 8 weeks out...just the timing of races works out nicely.
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