Longest Run/Ride in HIM Training (Page 2)

I roughly followed the Beginner HIM plan for my HIM last year. I did notice, as you did, that the longest ride would not be enough time for me to ride the race distance, even at race effort. This is probably true for a lot of people without a strong cycling background. So I built up my long rides by distance, until I hit 100 km (62 miles). At my speed, depending on weather, road conditions, and energy levels, that was usually around 3:40-3:50. I did do one longer ride (85 miles) but that was just to keep a friend company when she was training for a century ride. Once I got to 100 km, I pretty much did that for a long ride every week, and gradually built my brick run after from 20 to about 50 minutes (maybe 2.5 to 6 miles at my usual pace). My longest stand-alone run was 2 hours, maybe 14-15 miles?  I usually did them on Saturfays, and the bricks on Sundays. Wouldn't recommend putting those two key workouts back to back, but with traffic here and my work hours, I don't have many other options short of doing long runs on a treadmill after a 10-hour work day! The longer bricks were enough for me to figure out hydration and nutrition, and I had no trouble finishing the distances in the race.

While I never did a brick run longer than 6 miles in training, my first HIM attempt ended up being more of a long brick. Due to horrible weather (high 30's to low 40's, rain, sleet), I switched to the duathlon, which was shortened to a 29 mile ride plus half marathon run due to snow on the higher elevations of the course. While it was a miserable race (I ended up signing up for and doing another HIM the following month), it was useful in helping me get a better idea of how a longer run would feel after biking hard--if I do a HIM again I might consider trying a different brick with a shorter, harder ride followed by a longer run.

Again, consistency >> max distance in training. 

That said, I went up to 65 miles with 4000ft climbing in my last HIM build, and it went great. I probably averaged about 55 miles for every long ride over the entire block, rarely going under 50, but never going over 70. Most of my rides were 3-4 hours, which was perfect for the HIM. Interestingly, on race day, I was happy that the bike was done since my back and legs were starting to get sore, but once I hit the run, I felt like a rock star. I don't think you need more than 70mile bikes for HIM.

My own take on it though is that people don't run enough for HIM training. I looked at several free plans (trinewbies, etc.) and all of them are really light on the run. To the point that I know for sure that even for me, with pure running background, I would NEVER be able to have a good day with that little run volume. Most of those plans maxxed the run at 80 mins, whereas most beginners will be running well over that time on race day and closer to 2 hrs. Basically, be realistic about your run split with your training. I've seen a lot of people on this forum crash on the run and instantly blame their bike, when the reality was that they had no chance to put up a decent run split given their very low (usually <20mpw) run training. 

Forgot to add - I have pure running background, so I knew I'd be running a lot more than a typical balanced triathlete. My max runs were 2hrs 20mins, but I probably averaged closer to 1hr45mins for a long run, and preferred to never go shorter than 90mins. 

I honestly didn't feel that this was too much. I'm sure some will argue that I should have spent more time training the bike, and I'm not going to argue with that, but for sure, I was very happy with my run result and how good I felt in the entire run leg. 

Of course, if you don't have that type of running background, be careful - your long runs might be dictated more by your capacity to run them without injury than what you would like to do in an ideal training world.

Did my first HIM last year, did pretty well I think, beat my goal at least.

My longest ride was 100k fun ride I did, although my normal long ride each weekend was ~ 50miles

My longest run was ~ 13.5 miles, although my normal long run was about 10-13.

My longest swim was ~ 5k, although my normal swim sessions were about 3-4.5k

All of these answers assumes a strong base, in that your long run, in any given week, won't be more than 50% of your weeks total, something like that. The steady build, especially in running, is really important. 

That's why using a set plan is a very good idea. 

Lots of good suggestions thus far.  My longest brick last year was a 120km ride at 80% FTP.  That was the same goal wattage as the actual race.  I then ran 8km off the bike, which was just under 40min.  I liked this approach simply because I had to push myself further at race pace, and then run almost 1/3 of race distance just under goal pace.  This was a great chance for me to find out exactly how my pacing felt, as well as my nutrition.  I figured the longer ride would allow some simulation of having the swim beforehand.

P.S.  Don't neglect your swim training.  Too many people focus on the bike and run, and forget to factor in that they've just spent 35-45min horizontal in the water.  That takes a fair bit out of you.

So I was curious and looking at my Trainingpeaks in the 9.5 months I trained for my HIM from nothing I did 18 bricks (2 swim/bike bricks and 2 bike/run bricks with previous coach, she liked swim/bike bricks), then 14 with my current coach (started April 2012).  In addition before every race my current coach has me do a mini tri (like 500 swim, 20 minute ride, 1-2 mile run) that for some reason my body likes and responds well to to it, and it's done two days before the tri with the day before being a rest day (she says I could also rest 2 days before and do the mini tri the day before but I like to take off the day before).

20/2, 25/2, 30/4, 35/2, 40/4, 55/5, 25/3 (not in that order).

I just had my first brick in building up for RAGE HIM on 4/20, 35/2.  I soft pedaled the last half mile and did not have lead leg at all, it was awesome.  I love bricks

I have a swim background and will get in many 3000m OW swims before the race so I'm not so worried about swimming which is why I don't even mention it.

So for the bike - what do you feel like you're training the most? Your endurance, your legs, your butt, your confidence?

The point about consistency makes a lot of sense, about it not being just about the longest, but how consistent. I will have to keep that in mind.

Long run should be closer to 1/3 of the weekly volume.  50% can be asking for trouble.

I would agree...but considering you would need to run a minimum of 39 mpw just to do a 13 mile long run in training...it just isn't going to happen for most people.

The OP is training for an upcoming HM so her run base should be in good shape.  39mpw seems to be on the high end but it's a good amount to finish really strong. 

I think 31mpw will work as well:  13/8/5/5 at peak.

Or 25mpw (minimum):  10/7/4/4.  =)

Before my last HIM My longest workout was a 110 km ride/8 km run brick.  The next day I did a 20 km run. (2 weeks before the race)

a few weeks before that, my longest stand alone ride was 100 km.  My HIM was not by goal race so I had a short build and a short taper before the race.

I also did a spring Half marathon a few months before and my longest run up to the Half marathon was 26 km.  I really like the spring half marathon/early summer HIM combo.  that way you just have to maintain your run fitness during the big bike build up.

(the numbers above are pretty close to what I have done for my other half ironmans, though the brick itself was probably longer, in 2011 I was specifically training for a HIM and my longest ride was 100 km, also did a spring half marathon that year.)