Long rides before HIM

I was reading The Perfect Distance recently, which states there's no need to ride more than 3 hours as your long ride.  So there's one in defense of the beginner plan.  Other plans go much longer.  Training Plans for Multisport Athletes, for example, which has a 5 hour ride during the peak week. 

Personally, my goals this year involve some long distance rides (two centuries and a 145 mile) in the early season, and these rides are dictating my volume.  But I am not looking to qualify for anything or win anything... I'm just looking to have fun and get some experience at long distance riding.

Last year I probably did 15 50+ mile rides with longest in the 75 mile and I did a long slow hilly 6-7 hour ride too.

If you have time do more. They may not be necessary to do the race, but better bike fitness will help you in two main ways...perhaps bike faster and also get to the run fresher.

I remember last March I did my first 50 mile ride and it was a challenge somewhat. Now I ride 40-45 and it is easy other than being cold here in MA. 

I like to ride so always want more and longer and I was injured a couple times so my coach had me riding more to build fitness as I couldn't run a few weeks here and there. 

FWIW, last year (my first tri season) I used the beginner HIM plan as my guide, but I decided to bike over 3 hrs a good few times.  The bike still ended up being my weakest segment...

In a few weeks I'll be starting the BT 20wk HIM plan, which includes 11 rides three hours or more, including two at 4:30.  I've been focusing more on the bike recently so I may very well do more than 11.

(I am not a coach by any means) If it were me I would do as many as possible that life allows. Time in the Saddle is a priceless thing. Getting those legs ready to handle 56 and more importantly not be wasted when you still have 13.1 to run is the key.

I really don't understand only going to 50 miles in training when the race is 56 and still a half mary to run.

Yes.  It's this one: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=651

I really didn't start putting in the miles for my June HIM until after Boston in April, but I think I had in a few 70+ rides and maybe a 90 or 100 ... can't remember, I'd have to go look at my logs.

Certainly can't hurt to have some solid long rides.  I personally don't consider something a "long" ride unless it is over 60 or 3 hours.  And I try to get one of those in a week once I ramp up my cycling again.

I did two 62 mile rides and a handful of 50 mile rides before my HIM.  I sorta followed the BT plan, realizing that I was probably a bit slower than the plan dictates.  I made judgement calls to make sure I still had the distance needed.  So, yes, I rode over 3 hours and yes, I made sure I ran at least one HM prior to the HIM race.

Best advice I received was to make sure to run at least 1 mile after doing a 60+mile bike ride.  That gave me a lot of confidence on race day. 

Actually, that's not the right plan. The training plan the OP is referring to is a free plan. The reason for the max bike of 3 hours is in the plan description. It's for someone with somewhat limited endurance experience, maybe a few Olympics or one HIM, and also a limited number of training hours. Longer rides are certainly better, but you don't have to put in huge hours in order to safely finish a half iron distance race.

Are you better off with longer rides in preparing for a HIM? Yes. If you can get them in, do it. But if you have limited time to train, this is a very workable plan. It was designed to get you across the finish line safely even if you don't have the time for 5 hour rides.

It's been used by many, many people and we get emails every year from people who've used it successfully. 

The reason you don't train to 26.2 miles is due to the physical toll on your body.  I am no physiologist, but in my humble opinion it's pretty hard to overtrain the bike unless you've got mechanical/knee issues.   My goal doing HIMs was to get to the point where a 56 mile bike was a "medium" ride. Point wasn't necessarily to just get thru 56 miles, but get thru 56 miles and then 13.1.

I know before my HIM I did a couple century distance rides, and a number of 75+

Before my first HIM last season, I only did "long" rides of 40, 52, 37, and 44 miles. I think more than that is better, although some of those had significant running after, and once, before. For my HIMs later in the season, I was biking a lot more - 50+ miles most weekends.

I think for a HIM you should be biking 50 miles at least every other weekend, if not more often. But as others have said, you can substitute a hard 2hr ride for an easier 50-60mile ride and probably get just as much out of it. But, being able to ride 56miles should not be 'hard'.

good luck,

tom