Hi All, i’m planning '20 and I really want to do a full IM but the only race i can fit in my schedule is 3 weeks before a half IM that i’m already signed up.
In terms of priority, the full would be my A race and the half my B race so, my current plan is to do the Build and Specialty Mid Volume Full IM plan, but i’m a bit lost on what to do to fill the 3 weeks gap between the full IM and the half IM.
Thought about taking easy(a few days off followed by easy rides) on the week after the full and then do the two last weeks of the half IM plan. How does that sound?
Also, for anyone that did this in the past, any advice to keep a training mindset for another race after going trough the cycle of a full IM? How to deal with the heavy toll that all the training takes on our minds and keep going after having(hopefully) achieved a goal?
Between races be careful with being too structured with your training, listen to your body. Active recovery following the first race will help you feel better, so do some sort of gentle exercise in the days following your first race. Odds are that if your training block for the first race went well, you’ll have good fitness for both races. You might surprise yourself.
I would second kbd’s advice about listening to your body, you’ll know best afterwards in terms of if you can get back into structured training or not and how quickly.
But in terms of planning now, my N+1 from doing my first IM distance this year was while general fatigue was high the feeling of deep leg fatigue wasn’t as bad compared to a standalone marathon. I took a week off any running, but managed a recovery cycle the next day (and commuted each day that week by bike). I guess due to the higher level of fitness before the race I was able to jump back into some sort of training the week after and then a little more structure the week after that (so the week of the race for you). Funnily enough I raced 3 weeks later as well, a half marathon, and managed to PB on that.
Good idea. When I thought about taking it easy on the week after the race I didn’t think about limiting training to the bike( or even some swimming). That would help ease myself back into full swim bike run training.
My N=1 was an IM in 2017 and I purposely didn’t sign up for the 70.3 5 miles from my house the following weekend, thinking i’d still be beat up.
I took a handful of days off, sat around, ate pizza, but I was pretty much ok again within a few days. By the following weekend I was a monster on the bike, posting my fastest ever times over local segments. I really regret not having done that 70.3 as it would have been a PB for sure.
Not sure if I gave a full answer in the IM 2020 thread, but if it were me I wouldn’t plan for it.
Most advice is not to run after Ironman for multiple weeks, even if you reject that you won’t be in peak form for the 70.3. I’ve only been “okay to train” after one Ironman event, and I don’t think it was coincidence that I suffered shin splints later that season.
If you have to do a full this year, and it has to be that one, fair enough and go for it… but I’d mentally make the 70.3 an “optional” race, or catered training day Plus, other competitors just love it when their A race is your C race
Hey, yes, i did take your advice into account. I just started this thread to see if I could reach a broader audience. You’re right, after an Ironman it is hard to keep the same level of engagement so the next race is degraded to B or C automatically but I’m no top contender for the 70.3 worlds. I’ll be happy if I can finish it within the performances I’ve been having but, what if it all goes down after the full IM and I just mentally or physically give up on training so I go all the way around the world to walk a half marathon… That would suck
Get in the pool 2 days after the IM. Swim easy and use it solely for recovery. Fins w/ a gentle, long kick help. This isn’t about training, it is recovery. Swimming is the lowest impact discipline of the three, so use it abundantly in the week after your IM.
3 days after the IM, do a gentle spin. No more than an hour and no more than 60% FTP,…probably even less. This is just spinning and getting your legs moving again. Swim again.
Ride / Swim the rest of the week, increasing time. You can also add some more effort into your swims as the week goes by. If your legs feel up for it, do a couple of short runs at the end of the week, but at a VERY easy pace and pretty short (less than 5k).
The second week, you can increase intensity on the bike if you wish. Add some more mileage to your runs, but keep it easy. resume swimming as normal.
For the third week, treat it like any race week before a HIM.
You should probably also accept that you won’t have a great performance on the run for the HIM…
Just be careful and listen to your body…let it dictate most of your efforts.
Yes, I did. There are plenty of HIM options but very few fulls. Unless I missed something it would be either Louisville in October or Florida in November.
Plus, other competitors just love it when their A race is your C race 
