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half IM (ish) in 2 months

I'm thinking of doing a middle distance tri in October this year (if it's not already full) and want some advice on if you think i will be able to get up to speed / distance in time.

I already compete in sprints (pool and open water) but am not at my fittest right now. i have done a few OW swims covering up to 2k with a rest at about half distance, am running for an hour twice a week (can do a 10k in around 45 min at moment), but i'm not getting a lot of cycling done (in fact only a few turbo sessions). however i used to be a decent rider 10 mile tt in 23.00 and 200k audax rides no problem, but that was a few years ago.

any advice greatfully recieved

Comments

  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    I'm in a similar position, but actually booked in to do mine at the end of August.

    Five pool based sprints, one OW OD, a few OW swims, some Aquathlons, but decided to step up to HIM to test myself, ficus my training, and try to learn as much as I can before a full IM next year. Not too sure how i'll get but the only way to find out is have a go.
  • MrSquishyMrSquishy Posts: 277
    Can't offer any advice, but I believe Bopomofo stepped up from OD to do his maiden HIM this year having made the decision 7 weeks or so prior to racing. If you search hard enough on here, he put a fairly comprehensive review of his day out.
  • I have my first Half IM in 17 days (Germany IM 70.3) and I am still a triathlon Virgin. I have done one duathlon but apart from that I have only ever done running. I have also never swam OW... will let you know how that goes down on the day
  • JellybabyJellybaby Posts: 180
    Shaunmills - You've never swum open water and you're going to have your first OW experience at a 70.3?? I'd strongly suggest that you get to a lake and have a crack at it - whereabouts do you live?

    OW is very different to pool swimming. Easier cos you have a wetsuit on, harder cos you don't have the end to grab onto if you run out of puff. I don't want to worry you, but some people who don't expect to do so will panic the first time they try open water just because of the cold and how different it is to the pool.

    If you live around london somewhere I'm going for a swim and a ride with willtri on saturday morning. I can pick you up from slough or gerrards cross station and take you over to liquid leisure to swim with us.

    doogle - you thinking about the new forest half? Think scotty burrows is doing that too. there's the Little Woody at the end of August too which I'm having a crack at.
  • clv101clv101 Posts: 45
    shaunmills, If you're near Bristol you might be able to join Badtri for their Sunday morning lake swim?
  • combatdwarfcombatdwarf Posts: 258
    I agree with JB - try and get to an OW venue!!

    However don't be discouraged if you are a strong swimmer I swam in Wibmleball lake for 10mins, one month before UK 70.3 and that was my sum total of OW experience before the race.....and (although I am a good swimmer) I still managed to come in in the top 100 for the swim.....it just all went wrong after that...(have a read of my race report on my website for all the things not to do in a 70.3 distance!!)

    The key things to be aware of are the restriction imposed on your shoulders by the wetsuit (even a really gucci one!!), try to focus on technique and the aqua ruck at the beginning (if you are not a good swimmer go at the back and wait for this to die down)

    Also practice sighting in the swimming pool

    Iain.
  • doogledoogle Posts: 58
    event i'm thinking of is the overflow event in the new forrest on 4th October. looks quite good with a 1300m swim and 2 lap bike followed by mixed terrain run.

    know i can run a half marathon (1.35 pb), and am swimming more than this distance every week, only running after the bike and nutrition i'm wary of.
  • combatdwarfcombatdwarf Posts: 258
    Nutrition is the really big challenge I found....I used High5 all the way through training and I thought it would be fine under race conditions....

    My nutrition plan was:
    1hr before race - High5 Energy Source (ES) Extreme
    10mins before swim 2x High5 IsolGel Plus (Caffeine)
    ***Here is where we had the 1hr15mins delay due to mist***
    SWIM
    T1/BIKE -
    500ml ES Plus
    Water/Nuun + 3x IsoGel/hr
    T2/RUN
    Water + Coke in last 30mins

    It all sounded great but I cramped up early on and it continued throughout - I think it was a combination of dehydration and the Gel/Energy Source overloading my system...I ended up bloating/dehydrated and only just finished...

    For an olympic on Sunday I tried:

    2x Gel 1 hr before the start
    Water/Nuun on the bike with Gels at 25/50/75mins

    This worked much better....

    On the run from the bike only brick training can help really - I found doing 8x (5min run/10min bike/5min run) with a 20min warm up/cool down worked quite well....

    Hope it helps
    I.
  • Thank you for the offers guys, but unfortunately I live in Germany... and don't have a car, that being the main problem. I also can't speak much of the language, so it makes finding places and people more difficult. I am hopefully going this weekend to the Frankfurt Swim location and just do an hour or so there.

    And your comments.... I am not a strong swimmer, back in January I couldn't do 25m front crawl, so had to start from scratch basically. I can swim 2k easily in a pool now, and do this at least once a week, with some 1/1.5k's aswell, but I am definately not a strong, nor fast swimmer, with 2k in a pool taking 54 minutes normally. And do I have a 'gucci' wetsuit... not particularly, infact the opposite, I have a hire one that costs £50 for the season.

    I am scared for the swim, not so much for the distance but I am afraid I may panic and struggle to control my breathing. Once this is out of the way I will feel a bit better. It is a deep water start as well to make things even more interesting.

    Biking - I have not done 90km yet, only 80km a few times, but nothing with the hill profile that I will face on race day. Running I am normally fine, can run a half marathon in 1:33, but have not done too much brick training, not long distance stuff anyway

    Basically what I am saying is..... If I get a DNF I would not be too surprised We will see
  • I did 1500m today at the germany IM location, and actually quite enjoying swimming OW. Certainly made a change from swimming in a 50m pool. Hopefully this will be enough for race day in two weeks
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