Iron distance and 70.3 four weeks later.

It does depend on a lot of variables such as your age, background, fitness, how hard you push on your IM race and your bodies ability to recover.

For me, with six years of endurance sport background and a lifetime of sporting background, I just couldn't recover in time to do a 70.3 four weeks later. There are no fixed times. I do nothing for two weeks and then gently test out how my body feels with some very short and low intensity workouts to see how my body feels. It seems to take me about six weeks before I can put in a decent training session.

I do remember reading once that some people get a fitness 'spike' a few weeks after IM and feel like they're on top of the world as their body enjoys the adaptation benefits of the IM session itself so hopefully that will apply to you.

Everyone's different and this is only one mans experience. I don't think it helps me that I'm over 200lbs so my legs take a hell of a beating during that marathon.

I would be concerned with the mental recovery as much as the physical recovery. I have only done one IM and I was spent mentally for a while. So much that I didn't do much the whole next tri season. I enjoyed basking in my accomplishment and had zero desire to start training again, not to mention being race ready in 1 month.
Good luck.

Andrew

I did IM Canada 8/27 (2d IM) and then Miami 70.3 10/27 (8th HIM).   I found (at age 46) that I was not fully recovered until at least 4 weeks out, allowing me a little build and then taper into Miami.  Personally, I would not have enjoyed an IM at the 4 week mark.  As it was, I was able to PR at the 8 week mark and felt I went in fairly well rested and trained (although my run mileage was not great).

Edited by ChrisM 2013-10-30 1:58 PM

similar to ChrisM, I did IMMT on 8/18...I monitored my recovery process fairly closely, as this was my second IM.

I started to cycle easy as soon as I got back from the trip, which was about 5 days later. Very easy stuff initially, and then added in some light running.

I'd actually suggest swimming right away if you have a race coming up (I didn't). Swimming is probably the easiest to get back into without damaging yourself in recovery.

My progress was steady and felt pretty good after about 2 weeks. Nothing was "race ready" but still at an easy pace.

I don't think I felt that strong until after 4 weeks, and at the 7 week mark did a 24hr MTB race (but kept it to only 8 laps).

If I had a 70.3 to do after 4 weeks from an IM, I probably would not be completely recovered nor ready to push it hard. I could probably get through it.

Some of my friends that did Kona IM did XTERRA Worlds (Oly off-road) 2 weeks after. Don't ask me how they did it, but they survived.

I couldn't imagine i'd get so many answers, covering all my thoughts on the issue.
Thank you very much gentlemen!

Regarding the races, no, i don't intend to push hard either.
It's my first iron distance and i plan to enjoy it. (like it's possible... )
Also the next race, my second 70.3, i do it because it's in a city i love and wanna get the excitement of racing in those streets.

Thank you again very much. And if anyone wants to comment on the training plan i intend to start in 2 weeks, please feel free.
http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/ironman-workouts/

Edited by Yiannis74 2013-10-31 3:58 AM

Walk, swim and bike slowly. I couldn't do it. It takes me a full month to recover and another 2-3 weeks to get back up to speed training wise. You should be able to walk 20 miles a week the week after your IM and that will maintain some run fitness without killing your legs.

Edited by Baowolf 2013-11-02 12:54 PM

Gents, thank you all for your replies.
It's some time i decided to skip the Iron distance for this year, since i had already registered for the 70.3.
Will try my best at this one, then rest and start after xmas to prepare for my first Iron in June 2015.
Thank you again.

IF someone here who was there at Kerrville,Texas Half Iron , there was a guy who Redman Full and did KErrville Half a week after anyone remember this dude's name???

I finished my first IM on May 17th this year. The first week after the race was rough, I was able to swim and bike easy, but not running, even at an easy pace. My legs were fine 2-3 days after IMTX, but I fatigued easily on the run and I just didn't feel good.

This second week, I am swimming at a fairly identical effort (still a little less volume, but same intensity) than I was doing before the race. I am also back at cycling at similar intensity, but not volume. I only run once this week (I will be running this weekend too), it was an easy run and I felt great.

So I think that I will be pretty much recovered after a couple of weeks. I am hoping to start ramping up my volume again in all 3 disciplines next week and see how I feel. I think I could complete a 70.3 by week 4, had I registered for one, although I am not sure it will be my best race ever.

However, as many people commented before, recovery is very personal for a very different number of reasons. You can recover fairly quickly, but it may take me longer. I will recommend you to do a HIM 8 to 12 weeks before your IM and see how you feel after that one.

Depends like people are saying. For me, I was a little spent mentally after my IM last year (first one) but a week after that, I signed up for a marathon and therefore I had a goal and something to train for again. Recovery for me was 2-3 days off and then light everything (no intervals at all) for a week or so. I did run 13 miles 6 days after my IM and i did it in pretty good time but I could tell my body was tired but it was more of a mental push for me since I knew I could train again but I just needed to ease into the intensity and find a reason to. My marathon was ~8 weeks away, more than 4 weeks for sure but I still SBR to keep my fitness going. Listen to your heart and make sure wear an HR monitor to make sure you aren't pushing too hard for 1-2 weeks.

I've done a few IM's over the years and can tell you I would have zero interest in racing a month later...It takes me at least three weeks to really start hitting previous wko times but mentally, I would have no interest in racing that long that soon.