Half Ironman 6 weeks before ironman?

I'm also doing the Fink plan and have been considering a HIM five weeks before I do IMCDA.  Right now, I'm leaning towards not doing the HIM. 

I figure recovery could take two or three days at least and I might not be 100% for a week (I'm 53).  That would wipe out one of the last two peak weeks of training before taper.  If I had one extra week, as you do, I think I would be more likely to go for the HIM.

The last 2 years I did Augusta 70.3 before IMFL.  One year was 6 weeks out and last year was 5 weeks out. Worked out well although the 6 weeks was better.

Duane

The last 2 years I did Augusta 70.3 before IMFL.  One year was 6 weeks out and last year was 5 weeks out. Worked out well although the 6 weeks was better.

Duane

I'm also doing the Half 6 weeks out and Olympic 7 weeks out. My plan is to do the Olympic quite hard, 90-95% effort, and do the Half Ironman at around 75-85%, especially keeping my run (21.1) pace solid without pushing the limits. I'm also going to use the Half as a nice solid training run with the thought of "pacing" and not "racing."   If all goes to plan and I pull up well then a semi long run with 4 weeks to go and a semi long ride 3 weeks out from IM are on the cards. All determined though on how the body is feeling at the time.

Racing an oly will be MORE beneficial physically than doing a slow, ez HIM.  Pacing & nutrition in an HIM, while important, do not correlate with pacing & nutrition in an IM. 

Racing a HIM is a good fitness guage, as you mention.  But racing one 6 weeks out tends to be more disruptive to IM training than is optimal at that stage.  Many people do this and are 'fine' with it, so anyone who feels better doing it this way has lots of company.

This year is 4-5 weeks.  I'm flip flopping back and forth if I should do Augusta before IMFL this year.  I did Augusta last year.  According to the Fink competive plan, I have several key workouts that I don't want to miss.  Plus the fear of having a freak accident and having only 4 weeks to recover is on my mind. 

There's little good reason to be doing a HIM 4 weeks out from an IM.  If you are at all worried about it, skip it.

As I said, many people feel the same as you.  And racing a HIM is very different than going ez and using it as a 'training' day.  If you are going to do an HIM, I always belive you should do the former.  If doing so is going to compromise your IM training, then I always believe you should pass on the HIM. 

The mental benefits can be achieved for most people simply by doing a race sim in training.  And the pacing, nutrition testing is certainly better done that way.  Using an HIM to test your IM race plan is folly (even if you 'think' it worked).  It does test your fitness and race experience is always useful.  But, in that regard, an oly or sprint also 'works'.  If the confidence of completing an HIM is critical to your IM prep, then you should consider doing one as you have done before.  Just remember, this can backfire too.

I agree with JohnnyKay. My first two years I did a bunch of races. Sprints/Oly... This year I'm doing two about 4 months apart.

The money I could spend od'ing on event's I spent on 1) nice vacation 2) some cool tri-toys.