Never.  No intention of ever doing an IM.

You went a little font crazy there...

The first time I saw one on TV. 

I think it's about the heart, not where you're at physically.  If you want it, you can train for it.  But you're paying a big price to train for it, so its not something I would consider if I just felt "meh" about it.

I knew I wanted to when I first stated in tri's.  But it wasn't until almost a year in that I signed up for one.  Of course it was for a year later so it was 2 years until I did my first full. 

I just knew I wanted to do it and knew I'd figure out how to do it once I signed up

enjoy,

Duane

I knew it was time when I could look over a 6 month block on the calendar that knew I could commit to the training schedule without much stress.  For me the biggest hurdle was the time constraint, not a physical constraint.

Any well thought out training plan can get you physically ready as long as you have time to actually get in the training.  Or at least a good portion of it.

I always wanted to do one since I got into the sport, but it wasn't until I finished my second HIM that I felt it was doable* and I believed if I didnt try it now I would regret it years from now...but thats just me......

*doing IMLP 2013, hence the disclaimer since I have not proved it was doable for me.

Now I am dizzy with that red font

I know I'm not ready, because I'm not yet willing to dedicate up to 20 hours per week to training...

Someday, though, I will.

They usually publish the date and even starting time for the race!  I add it to my BT race log and it puts a green race square on that date. 

When do I know I'm ready for it?  Training tells me that.

When do I know I'm ready to sign up for it?  When I'm willing to commit to the training required. 

IMHO...similar to one of the above comments, being ready for an IM is like being ready to get married, have a child, start a business. I've done all of those things, and I wasn't ready for any of 'em, I just jumped in with a huge desire to do it and made it work out. So moral of the story is...you ain't ever gonna be ready if you keep askin' "When do I know when I'm ready?"

Again just my opinion but...you may never be READY, just figure out how bad you want it, 'cause I imagine that when you get off the bike or maybe halfway through that marathon in the IM it's gonna be gut-check time!

So, if you want it bad enough, then go for it!!!

By the way...you don't have to scream at us, either, we can read you just fine while using your inside voice. 

When I witnessed one with my own eyes. It's like nothing else.

Like a moth to the flame....

I think that number gets tossed around a lot but it's more the exception than the norm.

I probably averaged closer to 10 over the course of a year.  Plus someone like you could really blow off a lot of the swim workouts and still place strongly on that leg.

I know I'd average lower... but I'd likely peak around there. Especially if my bike doesn't get much faster! And that would be after many, many 10+ hour weeks.

mktoson said almost all of it for me.  To be more specific though, you need 2 things:

1. Time to train -  This generally means that you're family is not only "ok" with you spending extra time training but they are supportive of the goal.  It also means that you're work life is in a manageable place. Starting a new career and training for Ironman are tasks that should probably be separate.
2. Genuine excitement - There are going to be days that you'd rather not be out for a long bike ride, but there should be many more days where you are enjoying the training and even giddy that at the end of it all, you will be and IRONMAN.

Well said, I am in the process of deciding between my 2nd HIM or my 1st IM.  They are running on the same day April 13, 2013 the HITS series up in Napa, Ca.

My first HIM was not pretty, but I learned TONS and am in way better shape today that I was then for sure.  So I have until Dec. to get in on early registration pricing and will make the decision before that if it will be the half or full (leaning towards the full though).

For my first IM I averaged under 8 hrs/week.  That was enough to get sub-10 finish.  Quality is job 1.

Understood. But for me, personally, I'd be 10+ hours per week due to how I'd like to train, and the paces I train at.

Sub 8 hours per week training for an sub-10 ironman finish is really on the pointy end of things. You're either really talented, or have a significant background in one or more of the sports that allows you to shortcut training for one or more of the sports but still be FOP.

I'd bet that if you took 100 BTers and asked them to do the same, probably maybe 3-4 of them, if even that, would accomplish a sub-10 IM on 8hrs/week. If you discount the ones who have either been collegiate endurance athletes or have already gone sub-10 or low 10s very recently on much higher volume training, it'll probably be even fewer, like 0-1 people.

When I train for Olys, I'm about 10hrs/week, and at peak, essentially every workout is a quality workout, be it swim/bike/run. A lot of serious suffering. I trained so hard that I got an irregular heartbeat since I was stressing my body so hard. Even with that quality, I doubt I would even have been able to pull of a 14 hour IM with my complete lack of distance training.

Heck, an 80 mile bike training ride takes nearly 5 hours for me - at 8hrs per week, that leaves almost no time for anything else!

Yes, but you must realize that a sub 10 (let alone a sub 10 on under 8 hours/ week) is not even close to the norm.

(Humblebrag, perhaps.)

When my husband said he wanted to have a baby and I said I wanted to do an Ironman first

Seriously, like others have said, there isn't a "perfect" time for most of us -- most non elites have family, job, etc. commitments. It's a matter of having enough time and money and energy.