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Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? (Page 3)
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 2015-04-27 8:11 PM in reply to: 5Sigma |
 928   |  Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed?Originally posted by 5Sigma I can see there is fair sentiment of 'this isn't going to turn out well'. I would definitely agree that this will be extremely difficult for me and very painful. It's interesting to see that some people think I have chance, yet others are certain I will not. I really have no idea how its going to turn out for me at this stage. I think most people agree that it is the bike stage which is going to crush me the most. I can't really argue with this, the challenge of course vs. my experience is fairly significant. I did manage to do my 100 mile cycle yesterday and I refrained from drafting. I managed 6:47 of moving hours over the 95 miles my Strava recorded. While I was happy with the time there are a few important caveats. The course included breaks with food etc. The rest times will have certainly helped improve my overall time. The total climb was only about 60% of Nice. I didn't do a 2.4mile swim before hand, and I didn't feel at all like running a marathon afterwards. I did learn a lot from the ride though. I need to work out a pace strategy for my bike ride and I need to work out a nutrition strategy. When I did my marathon last week, I had a predetermined pace and food strategy. It worked well and I finished in good condition. Yesterday's ride was the complete opposite. I had no plan or data for pacing myself, and I kept finding myself getting hungry and running out of fuel. With some tech and practice I think I can work these out over the next few weeks, to at least give myself as good chance as possible. Riding lots of hilly miles in these next few weeks is essential. Regarding killing myself and others, I'm not so convinced. I'm not going into the event having not done an open water swim in a wetsuit, I can do the distance in the pool. The main risk is managing myself around many other people. I'm going to try and avoid being in the thick of it if I can, and I will likely be at the tail end of the pack. I'm expecting a 1:45 swim. The bike is a lot more of the risk and Nice cycle has claimed a few lives over the past few years. What I would say, I am pretty cautious when it comes to descents in particular. I'm not going to be weaving around or slamming on the brakes at random points, I know what points the wheels lock, I am cautious of gravel etc. Also, I don't expect there to be great many people overtaking me, I'm going to be pretty near the back from the word go. It sounds like you know what you're getting into. Time to just get more practice in and prepare for a very long day. |
| 2015-04-27 9:05 PM in reply to: Goggles Pizzano |
Master 3022  | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by Goggles Pizzano "The people telling you to go for it here are not people who have done Ironman races. The people who are telling you to stop are the people who have. You have to be a special kind of stupid to ignore this advice."There's a couple of people in this thread that have done 140.6 and said he could probably finish. But let's not let facts get in the way here. Carry on. I knew this response was coming. The advice for the OP to not start the race is sound. Extremely selfish act if the OP goes forward with the race. |
| 2015-04-27 10:19 PM in reply to: 0 |
| 1053 | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? I'd already chimed in earlier but I wanted to add a bit. First, after watching those videos, I REALLY wish I could do this race. It looks awesome. Other than that, you should have had the same level of focus 8 months ago that you have now. Even though with training (again *with training*) this is something most people can do, it's not easy. And the only thing you have going for you is that you are young, and though not specifically trained for this event, you seem reasonably fit. So physically you probably can pull this off, considering ONLY your physical fitness. The major concern that most people have here is your ability to safely navigate the course and not be a hazard to other participants. I'm going to assume that the few people here saying "don't race" is not going to deter you from starting. Frankly, if it was me in your shoes, I probably would be even more motivated to race just prove them wrong. However, their concerns are well founded. So again, assuming that you will be on the start line come race day: Regarding the swim: It is a 3.8k swim, however with no open water experience, you are probably pretty lousy at sighting, and that 3.8k swim could turn out to be much farther, also, unless you practice sighting, it will be an extra movement that will tire you out more. The wetsuit should help, as will the salt water. I think it would actually be pretty hard to actually drown wearing a wetsuit in salt water, but it doesn't mean that you won't panic. You will very likely be hit or kicked or otherwise pummeled during the swim at some point. Even trying to stay out of the way, with that many athletes in the water, you will cross paths with someone. And staying at the back of the pack, you may run across more people working in a breast stroke which makes it more likely for you to get kicked pretty hard. So you said you will get out for some open water practice and this is probably one of the most important things you can do. However swimming in a 10k event is pretty ridiculous, I don't even know why you thought it was a good idea to sign up for that. Even though there will be lifeguards, its not their job to drag you out of the water because you went in unprepared. Even when I was fully ready and trained for an IM doing 10-12k yards per week, I wouldn't even consider doing a 10k open water swim. Get out in the open water, but seriously, a 10k swim??? If there is something you shouldn't do, it is that, and please don't take it as a challenge. You ever get a bad muscle cramp when swimming? Well in your next session, when you are in the middle of the pool, start trying to swim without one, or even both of your legs and see how far you get. Then imagine yourself out in open water. Regarding the bike: You acknowledged that the descents could be dangerous. You are wise to think this. Don't go in all "race mode" and think you are giving up free speed. Take it easy, and be wary of other riders. If you don't know what "keep" or "hold your line" means, you better figure it out and be able to do it. Other than that, if you want to finish, you better be set on a nutrition plan. And speaking of a nutrition plan, can you ride ok with one hand? You will have to eat and drink while riding. Also, are you going to cause a pile up at a bottle exchange?? Figure these things out now. Regarding the run: Great news!! If you make it this far, even if you screw up really bad, it is very unlikely that you will seriously injure or otherwise kill someone!!! I don't see you managing much of a run. So between a shuffle and a walk you will just suffer to the finish. Just make sure you hydrate and eat. Edited by ImSore 2015-04-27 10:40 PM |
| 2015-04-27 10:43 PM in reply to: 0 |
New user 1351 Austin, Texas | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? To the OP, if you do actually decide to race, my advice for the swim other than avoiding the crowds as much as possible is to stay close to, and communicate with the kayak supporters. If you ask one of them to pace along side you, they will do it, and there's no shame in asking them. I honestly don't know what the swim support is like at Nice, though I can't imagine it's not just as good as it is in the states. When I was a kayak volunteer at IMTX, they told us to stick with anyone that asks for the help, and that's what I did with one guy who needed to stop and rest every 10 min or so. I followed him for over a mile and a half. From the perspective of a volunteer in a boat, I was actually quite surprised in a bad way about how many people were not prepared for the swim, and it does indeed make for a dangerous day for everyone if one person is not prepared. The told us that if we saw someone in distress in the middle of a big crowd of people, that we should just power through all the swimmers in our kayaks, and not waste any time being polite, to get to the one in trouble. That's a dangerous situation. And of course if you make it to the bike, take the downhills really slowly and carefully, and make sure your brakes are in top shape. It's too much of a risk on that course to fly around corners just to make up a little time. Best of luck. Edited by trijamie 2015-04-27 10:46 PM |
| 2015-04-28 10:20 AM in reply to: Guest |
| 3 | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? I finished Ironman Wisconsin in 2013 as a brand-new triathlete and trained only a little more for the race than you did. If you stick with your current training plan (lots of long, hilly bike rides and open water swimming) I think you’ve got a shot at finishing. A little about me: I was a distance runner for several years before the IM and although I had absolutely zero tri experience (couldn’t swim 25 yards using the front crawl, and I hadn’t owned a bike since I was a kid) I decided to sign up for the IM together with one of my best friends. We live in Madison and as a runner who loves racing, I just couldn’t resist joining her. My year of training did not go at all as I had hoped. I switched jobs, worked more than 60 hours/week for much of the year, traveled abroad for a month, and got married 3 months before the race (and planned our wedding for 130 people in less than 4 months). I only managed to train 3-5 hours/week for most of the year. I did put in a solid 8-week block of training where I averaged 9 hours/week between late June and late August. Most of my bike training was in 30-45 min. sessions on my bike trainer, and I rode my bike a grand total of seventeen times outdoors before the race. I’m such a new cyclist that I don’t have bike shoes (let alone tri bars) and yet I felt perfectly safe on the Ironman course. Living in Madison and training on the course was a huge advantage – I knew exactly how quickly I could take each downhill turn and stay safe. (By the way, IM Wisconsin is also known for having a challenging bike course.) I used a Speedfil and added a homemade maltodextrin mix so that I wouldn’t have to take my hands off of the bike to eat and drink. I did six open water swims before IM. Luckily I felt completely comfortable in open water from the start and I wasn’t the least bit afraid during the IM swim. I started at the very back of the pack and wasn’t hit or kicked once. I even learned to draft during the race. And I’d like to mention that the swim was especially tough that year due to strong winds – more than 100 people didn’t finish the swim. I am not encouraging anyone to train this way, and a lot of people would not have been able to pull this off. For instance, I’m extremely fortunate to have been so comfortable in open water. The risks of panicking in the swim and crashing on the bike are very real. But I wanted to give the OP some hope, because I see a lot of similarities between us and I think you’ve got a shot. Just make sure you truly are comfortable in open water before the race, stay far away from the pack in the swim start, and PLEASE be very careful on the bike descents – they can be highly dangerous. Go slow, go slow, go slow! If there’s any chance you can ride the bike course in the coming weeks, do it! (I see that you’re living in England.) If I were you, I would probably skip the half ironman and spend the weekend in Nice if you can swing it. For new cyclists, familiarity with the bike course is very important. At the very least, ride the bike course by car before race day. There’s a lot of good advice here already, especially from Jason N. Emphasize the bike in the coming weeks, swim in open water, remember that hydration and nutrition are all-important, and don’t over train. You may have noticed this is my first-ever post on BT. I’ve read a lot of great advice here over the past two years, and the similarities between my own situation and the OP’s inspired me to make my first post. Like the OP, at least a few people thought I was crazy for attempting the Ironman with so little experience and training, and I wasn’t at all sure that I could finish. But FOR ME, racing the ironman was the right decision and one of the best experiences of my life. On race day I went slow and stayed safe, and in spite of my lack of training, I enjoyed every single minute of the race. Given the unexpected turns that my life took in the year before the race, I trained the best I could (and the OP might be able to say the same). I don’t think you’re ‘stupid’ for doing this (assuming you find that you’re comfortable in open water, and go slowly on the technical parts of the bike course). Good luck OP!! (And please make the smart decision and drop out if you have any safety concerns.) |
| 2015-04-28 10:27 AM in reply to: newtriathlete2013 |
Extreme Veteran 3025 Maryland | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by newtriathlete2013 I finished Ironman Wisconsin in 2013 as a brand-new triathlete and trained only a little more for the race than you did. If you stick with your current training plan (lots of long, hilly bike rides and open water swimming) I think you’ve got a shot at finishing. A little about me: I was a distance runner for several years before the IM and although I had absolutely zero tri experience (couldn’t swim 25 yards using the front crawl, and I hadn’t owned a bike since I was a kid) I decided to sign up for the IM together with one of my best friends. We live in Madison and as a runner who loves racing, I just couldn’t resist joining her. My year of training did not go at all as I had hoped. I switched jobs, worked more than 60 hours/week for much of the year, traveled abroad for a month, and got married 3 months before the race (and planned our wedding for 130 people in less than 4 months). I only managed to train 3-5 hours/week for most of the year. I did put in a solid 8-week block of training where I averaged 9 hours/week between late June and late August. Most of my bike training was in 30-45 min. sessions on my bike trainer, and I rode my bike a grand total of seventeen times outdoors before the race. I’m such a new cyclist that I don’t have bike shoes (let alone tri bars) and yet I felt perfectly safe on the Ironman course. Living in Madison and training on the course was a huge advantage – I knew exactly how quickly I could take each downhill turn and stay safe. (By the way, IM Wisconsin is also known for having a challenging bike course.) I used a Speedfil and added a homemade maltodextrin mix so that I wouldn’t have to take my hands off of the bike to eat and drink. I did six open water swims before IM. Luckily I felt completely comfortable in open water from the start and I wasn’t the least bit afraid during the IM swim. I started at the very back of the pack and wasn’t hit or kicked once. I even learned to draft during the race. And I’d like to mention that the swim was especially tough that year due to strong winds – more than 100 people didn’t finish the swim. I am not encouraging anyone to train this way, and a lot of people would not have been able to pull this off. For instance, I’m extremely fortunate to have been so comfortable in open water. The risks of panicking in the swim and crashing on the bike are very real. But I wanted to give the OP some hope, because I see a lot of similarities between us and I think you’ve got a shot. Just make sure you truly are comfortable in open water before the race, stay far away from the pack in the swim start, and PLEASE be very careful on the bike descents – they can be highly dangerous. Go slow, go slow, go slow! If there’s any chance you can ride the bike course in the coming weeks, do it! (I see that you’re living in England.) If I were you, I would probably skip the half ironman and spend the weekend in Nice if you can swing it. For new cyclists, familiarity with the bike course is very important. At the very least, ride the bike course by car before race day. There’s a lot of good advice here already, especially from Jason N. Emphasize the bike in the coming weeks, swim in open water, remember that hydration and nutrition are all-important, and don’t over train. You may have noticed this is my first-ever post on BT. I’ve read a lot of great advice here over the past two years, and the similarities between my own situation and the OP’s inspired me to make my first post. Like the OP, at least a few people thought I was crazy for attempting the Ironman with so little experience and training, and I wasn’t at all sure that I could finish. But FOR ME, racing the ironman was the right decision and one of the best experiences of my life. On race day I went slow and stayed safe, and in spite of my lack of training, I enjoyed every single minute of the race. Given the unexpected turns that my life took in the year before the race, I trained the best I could (and the OP might be able to say the same). I don’t think you’re ‘stupid’ for doing this (assuming you find that you’re comfortable in open water, and go slowly on the technical parts of the bike course). Good luck OP!! (And please make the smart decision and drop out if you have any safety concerns.)
I take issue with your use of the word "Race" you completed an ironman, good job, but you sure didn't race one. Wisconsin isn't Nice. What was your time in Wisconsin? |
| 2015-04-28 1:28 PM in reply to: dmiller5 |
| 3 | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Hi Dave, You’re right, my time was very slow (my goal was to finish before 16:59, which I did). The OP has the same goal as me – to make the cut-offs and become an official finisher. To a well-trained triathlete, my Ironman might not seem like a ‘race,’ but it did to me. I gave it my all that day (and in the 12 months prior to race day – I honestly couldn’t have trained better without seriously slacking at work or completely neglecting my family and friends; as I said, I had an unexpectedly busy year). I don’t consider myself a triathlete – I’m a runner with a new-found love for open water swimming. I just wanted to finish Ironman Wisconsin because I watched that race for many years and it is AWESOME and I wanted to take part in it once in my life. 2013 was the year for me (when I could train with my friend and before having children) even though I was a complete beginner. So yes, I’m a ‘finisher’ rather than someone with a competitive race time. But to me (and to all of my proud family and friends who watched me give it everything I’ve got) it was a race. You’re also right that Nice isn’t Wisconsin (I know that Wisconsin isn’t the toughest course out there, but you have it admit that it’s tougher than most). I did a little more research on IM France since posting and it does appear to be a very challenging and potentially dangerous bike course. I think that the OP should check it out before race day if at all possible and then use his best judgment. |
| 2015-04-28 3:24 PM in reply to: 0 |
Master 2406 Bellevue, WA | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed?
Being able to train on the bike course is a TREMENDOUS advantage for both confidence and safety on race day. Originally posted by newtriathlete2013 You’re also right that Nice isn’t Wisconsin (I know that Wisconsin isn’t the toughest course out there, but you have it admit that it’s tougher than most). I did a little more research on IM France since posting and it does appear to be a very challenging and potentially dangerous bike course. I think that the OP should check it out before race day if at all possible and then use his best judgment. Wisconsin's has a reputation for a challenging course is mostly in North America, which is better known for courses like Florida and Arizona. Here's total elevation gain in feet (from a 2008 list, courses probably changed but not France and not Lake Placid and not Wisconsin (I think): 1. France 11193 Franch is top of the list in elevation gain. And watching the YouTube videos will show you how technically challenging that course will be to ride in race conditions. This is not a multi-lane highway. I've heard Wisconsin is a well maintained straightforward, non-technical course with hills. That'd be like Canada and Lake Placid, which I've raced. I've done a lot of riding, and I have a lot of respect for the IM France bike course. Apparently our intrepid OP does not. Edited by brucemorgan 2015-04-28 3:25 PM |
| 2015-04-28 3:39 PM in reply to: 5Sigma |
Lethbridge, Alberta Bronze member | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Unlike some, I think you should try it. Try not to burn out this late in the training though. Especially under-trained, I'd recommend a longer taper. You won't gain much fitness these last few weeks but at least you can show up healthy and well rested. Your bike time for 95 miles doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, and the twenty-some miles after that are going to really test you if you get that far, but I expect you are learning too so maybe you have a chance. Please, please, give us a race report. Even if it's a spectacular fail, the report could be valuable to others in your situation. A finish under the cutoff would be an epic tale. |
| 2015-04-29 6:33 AM in reply to: 5Sigma |
Extreme Veteran 473 Chelsea, MI | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Just pedal up the hills and coast down. You can do it. It has been done on less training. Don't believe the haters. They just want you to believe that it takes some huge amount of training to accomplish this goal because if you do it their finishes will seem less significant. I think you can do it. It wil be tough and it may be painful, but that is all temporary. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. |
| 2015-04-29 7:31 AM in reply to: maverickbassets |
Member 1748 Exton, PA | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by maverickbassets Just pedal up the hills and coast down. You can do it. It has been done on less training. Don't believe the haters. They just want you to believe that it takes some huge amount of training to accomplish this goal because if you do it their finishes will seem less significant. I think you can do it. It wil be tough and it may be painful, but that is all temporary. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Coasting down some of those hills can easily put you at speeds of 50 mph plus. There seems to be a lot of people here that don't understand how dangerous riding hilly terrain can be. Some bikes start to vibrate at 40+ mph some at 50+ mph, has the op every delt with that? On hills like that you also have to worry about brakes fading, if you can't handle the hills you'll be on your brakes all the way down and may lose them. 112 miles of flat riding is easy, add 11000 ft of gain and its entirely different event. My son ride a couple of times a year, he can hang with me on a 100mile flat ride at 20+mph, but he is toast when we ride our local roads with 2500 of climbing in 25 miles. The ocean swim all depends on the conditions that morning, I've had friends that went to Olympic swim trials not able to put their face in the water for the first half mile because of water temp, and them not used to open water swims. Make sure you get body marked well before the event so they can identify you. |
| 2015-04-29 8:16 AM in reply to: dmiller5 |
Elite 3779 Ontario | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by dmiller5 Originally posted by newtriathlete2013 I finished Ironman Wisconsin in 2013 as a brand-new triathlete and trained only a little more for the race than you did. If you stick with your current training plan (lots of long, hilly bike rides and open water swimming) I think you’ve got a shot at finishing. A little about me: I was a distance runner for several years before the IM and although I had absolutely zero tri experience (couldn’t swim 25 yards using the front crawl, and I hadn’t owned a bike since I was a kid) I decided to sign up for the IM together with one of my best friends. We live in Madison and as a runner who loves racing, I just couldn’t resist joining her. My year of training did not go at all as I had hoped. I switched jobs, worked more than 60 hours/week for much of the year, traveled abroad for a month, and got married 3 months before the race (and planned our wedding for 130 people in less than 4 months). I only managed to train 3-5 hours/week for most of the year. I did put in a solid 8-week block of training where I averaged 9 hours/week between late June and late August. Most of my bike training was in 30-45 min. sessions on my bike trainer, and I rode my bike a grand total of seventeen times outdoors before the race. I’m such a new cyclist that I don’t have bike shoes (let alone tri bars) and yet I felt perfectly safe on the Ironman course. Living in Madison and training on the course was a huge advantage – I knew exactly how quickly I could take each downhill turn and stay safe. (By the way, IM Wisconsin is also known for having a challenging bike course.) I used a Speedfil and added a homemade maltodextrin mix so that I wouldn’t have to take my hands off of the bike to eat and drink. I did six open water swims before IM. Luckily I felt completely comfortable in open water from the start and I wasn’t the least bit afraid during the IM swim. I started at the very back of the pack and wasn’t hit or kicked once. I even learned to draft during the race. And I’d like to mention that the swim was especially tough that year due to strong winds – more than 100 people didn’t finish the swim. I am not encouraging anyone to train this way, and a lot of people would not have been able to pull this off. For instance, I’m extremely fortunate to have been so comfortable in open water. The risks of panicking in the swim and crashing on the bike are very real. But I wanted to give the OP some hope, because I see a lot of similarities between us and I think you’ve got a shot. Just make sure you truly are comfortable in open water before the race, stay far away from the pack in the swim start, and PLEASE be very careful on the bike descents – they can be highly dangerous. Go slow, go slow, go slow! If there’s any chance you can ride the bike course in the coming weeks, do it! (I see that you’re living in England.) If I were you, I would probably skip the half ironman and spend the weekend in Nice if you can swing it. For new cyclists, familiarity with the bike course is very important. At the very least, ride the bike course by car before race day. There’s a lot of good advice here already, especially from Jason N. Emphasize the bike in the coming weeks, swim in open water, remember that hydration and nutrition are all-important, and don’t over train. You may have noticed this is my first-ever post on BT. I’ve read a lot of great advice here over the past two years, and the similarities between my own situation and the OP’s inspired me to make my first post. Like the OP, at least a few people thought I was crazy for attempting the Ironman with so little experience and training, and I wasn’t at all sure that I could finish. But FOR ME, racing the ironman was the right decision and one of the best experiences of my life. On race day I went slow and stayed safe, and in spite of my lack of training, I enjoyed every single minute of the race. Given the unexpected turns that my life took in the year before the race, I trained the best I could (and the OP might be able to say the same). I don’t think you’re ‘stupid’ for doing this (assuming you find that you’re comfortable in open water, and go slowly on the technical parts of the bike course). Good luck OP!! (And please make the smart decision and drop out if you have any safety concerns.)
I take issue with your use of the word "Race" you completed an ironman, good job, but you sure didn't race one. Wisconsin isn't Nice. What was your time in Wisconsin? No need to be a douche - most people "race" the Ironman distance. It may be slower than what you can do, but they all race the clock or their goal time. Some may consider it complete rather than compete, but you don't need to belittle how they define their participation in the event. And their time only matters to them. |
| 2015-04-29 8:39 AM in reply to: GoFaster |
Extreme Veteran 3025 Maryland | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by GoFaster Originally posted by dmiller5 Originally posted by newtriathlete2013 I finished Ironman Wisconsin in 2013 as a brand-new triathlete and trained only a little more for the race than you did. If you stick with your current training plan (lots of long, hilly bike rides and open water swimming) I think you’ve got a shot at finishing. A little about me: I was a distance runner for several years before the IM and although I had absolutely zero tri experience (couldn’t swim 25 yards using the front crawl, and I hadn’t owned a bike since I was a kid) I decided to sign up for the IM together with one of my best friends. We live in Madison and as a runner who loves racing, I just couldn’t resist joining her. My year of training did not go at all as I had hoped. I switched jobs, worked more than 60 hours/week for much of the year, traveled abroad for a month, and got married 3 months before the race (and planned our wedding for 130 people in less than 4 months). I only managed to train 3-5 hours/week for most of the year. I did put in a solid 8-week block of training where I averaged 9 hours/week between late June and late August. Most of my bike training was in 30-45 min. sessions on my bike trainer, and I rode my bike a grand total of seventeen times outdoors before the race. I’m such a new cyclist that I don’t have bike shoes (let alone tri bars) and yet I felt perfectly safe on the Ironman course. Living in Madison and training on the course was a huge advantage – I knew exactly how quickly I could take each downhill turn and stay safe. (By the way, IM Wisconsin is also known for having a challenging bike course.) I used a Speedfil and added a homemade maltodextrin mix so that I wouldn’t have to take my hands off of the bike to eat and drink. I did six open water swims before IM. Luckily I felt completely comfortable in open water from the start and I wasn’t the least bit afraid during the IM swim. I started at the very back of the pack and wasn’t hit or kicked once. I even learned to draft during the race. And I’d like to mention that the swim was especially tough that year due to strong winds – more than 100 people didn’t finish the swim. I am not encouraging anyone to train this way, and a lot of people would not have been able to pull this off. For instance, I’m extremely fortunate to have been so comfortable in open water. The risks of panicking in the swim and crashing on the bike are very real. But I wanted to give the OP some hope, because I see a lot of similarities between us and I think you’ve got a shot. Just make sure you truly are comfortable in open water before the race, stay far away from the pack in the swim start, and PLEASE be very careful on the bike descents – they can be highly dangerous. Go slow, go slow, go slow! If there’s any chance you can ride the bike course in the coming weeks, do it! (I see that you’re living in England.) If I were you, I would probably skip the half ironman and spend the weekend in Nice if you can swing it. For new cyclists, familiarity with the bike course is very important. At the very least, ride the bike course by car before race day. There’s a lot of good advice here already, especially from Jason N. Emphasize the bike in the coming weeks, swim in open water, remember that hydration and nutrition are all-important, and don’t over train. You may have noticed this is my first-ever post on BT. I’ve read a lot of great advice here over the past two years, and the similarities between my own situation and the OP’s inspired me to make my first post. Like the OP, at least a few people thought I was crazy for attempting the Ironman with so little experience and training, and I wasn’t at all sure that I could finish. But FOR ME, racing the ironman was the right decision and one of the best experiences of my life. On race day I went slow and stayed safe, and in spite of my lack of training, I enjoyed every single minute of the race. Given the unexpected turns that my life took in the year before the race, I trained the best I could (and the OP might be able to say the same). I don’t think you’re ‘stupid’ for doing this (assuming you find that you’re comfortable in open water, and go slowly on the technical parts of the bike course). Good luck OP!! (And please make the smart decision and drop out if you have any safety concerns.)
I take issue with your use of the word "Race" you completed an ironman, good job, but you sure didn't race one. Wisconsin isn't Nice. What was your time in Wisconsin? No need to be a douche - most people "race" the Ironman distance. It may be slower than what you can do, but they all race the clock or their goal time. Some may consider it complete rather than compete, but you don't need to belittle how they define their participation in the event. And their time only matters to them. Most people do not Race an ironman. My 12 hour ironman was not a race, it was survival. There is a huge difference between racing, and completing. If you are there to participate fine, I don't care. but you sure aren't racing. Races are for people who want to race. Its not the hugs and cuddles feel good tour for people who want pats on the back. Maybe if more people had some respect for the sport, we wouldn't have these threads. |
| 2015-04-29 8:51 AM in reply to: dmiller5 |
Extreme Veteran 2261 Ridgeland, Mississippi | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? |
| 2015-04-29 9:03 AM in reply to: maverickbassets |
| 1053 | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by maverickbassets Just pedal up the hills and coast down. You can do it. It has been done on less training. Don't believe the haters. They just want you to believe that it takes some huge amount of training to accomplish this goal because if you do it their finishes will seem less significant. I think you can do it. It wil be tough and it may be painful, but that is all temporary. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I'm pretty sure the majority of the "haters" along with myself (I consider myself a non-hater) are more concerned with having this athlete be able to safely navigate the course and not be a hazard to other participants, rather than having his potential finish somehow diminish their achievements. I think almost everyone has acknowledged that it can be done on little or no training depending on the individual. But given the fact that he is admittedly woefully unprepared, he really hasn't given himself the best chance of finishing. I didn't find the most recent numbers, but in IM France in 2011, the DNF rate was 11%. So injuries, crashes, mechanical problems, etc... can make up some of this number, but in comparison, the DNF rate for Lanzarote that year was 2.1 %, so I'm sure it doesn't help that IM France has one of the most difficult bike courses of the Ironman races, along with a 16 hour cutoff (as opposed to 17 hours for most of the IM races). As as far as finishing in general, for those who DNF and those who finish, I don't think it would be a stretch of logic to make the assumption that people who are less prepared make up a higher % of those who DNF. And if there were some way to know the DNF rate for those athletes who attempted an Ironman averaging "less than three hours per week" of training, I'm pretty sure that number would be MUCH higher than the average. With regards to safety, I think it is not unreasonable to say that it is more of the inexperienced and unprepared swimmers that end up hanging on the kayaks, or require rescues and need to be pulled from the water. In addition, its not unreasonable to say that inexperienced riders can cause unsafe situations during the bike leg. And the fact is, the bike course at IM France can be dangerous, as evidenced by the 30 year old British triathlete who crashed and died there two years ago. Therefore again, I am pretty sure that it is more of a concern about the safety of the OP, as well as a justified skepticism of his chances of finishing based on his admitted lack of preparation that have motivated the far majority of responses. |
| 2015-04-29 9:20 AM in reply to: dmiller5 |
Master 10208 Northern IL | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by dmiller5 Originally posted by GoFaster Originally posted by dmiller5 Originally posted by newtriathlete2013 I finished Ironman Wisconsin in 2013 as a brand-new triathlete and trained only a little more for the race than you did. If you stick with your current training plan (lots of long, hilly bike rides and open water swimming) I think you’ve got a shot at finishing. A little about me: I was a distance runner for several years before the IM and although I had absolutely zero tri experience (couldn’t swim 25 yards using the front crawl, and I hadn’t owned a bike since I was a kid) I decided to sign up for the IM together with one of my best friends. We live in Madison and as a runner who loves racing, I just couldn’t resist joining her. My year of training did not go at all as I had hoped. I switched jobs, worked more than 60 hours/week for much of the year, traveled abroad for a month, and got married 3 months before the race (and planned our wedding for 130 people in less than 4 months). I only managed to train 3-5 hours/week for most of the year. I did put in a solid 8-week block of training where I averaged 9 hours/week between late June and late August. Most of my bike training was in 30-45 min. sessions on my bike trainer, and I rode my bike a grand total of seventeen times outdoors before the race. I’m such a new cyclist that I don’t have bike shoes (let alone tri bars) and yet I felt perfectly safe on the Ironman course. Living in Madison and training on the course was a huge advantage – I knew exactly how quickly I could take each downhill turn and stay safe. (By the way, IM Wisconsin is also known for having a challenging bike course.) I used a Speedfil and added a homemade maltodextrin mix so that I wouldn’t have to take my hands off of the bike to eat and drink. I did six open water swims before IM. Luckily I felt completely comfortable in open water from the start and I wasn’t the least bit afraid during the IM swim. I started at the very back of the pack and wasn’t hit or kicked once. I even learned to draft during the race. And I’d like to mention that the swim was especially tough that year due to strong winds – more than 100 people didn’t finish the swim. I am not encouraging anyone to train this way, and a lot of people would not have been able to pull this off. For instance, I’m extremely fortunate to have been so comfortable in open water. The risks of panicking in the swim and crashing on the bike are very real. But I wanted to give the OP some hope, because I see a lot of similarities between us and I think you’ve got a shot. Just make sure you truly are comfortable in open water before the race, stay far away from the pack in the swim start, and PLEASE be very careful on the bike descents – they can be highly dangerous. Go slow, go slow, go slow! If there’s any chance you can ride the bike course in the coming weeks, do it! (I see that you’re living in England.) If I were you, I would probably skip the half ironman and spend the weekend in Nice if you can swing it. For new cyclists, familiarity with the bike course is very important. At the very least, ride the bike course by car before race day. There’s a lot of good advice here already, especially from Jason N. Emphasize the bike in the coming weeks, swim in open water, remember that hydration and nutrition are all-important, and don’t over train. You may have noticed this is my first-ever post on BT. I’ve read a lot of great advice here over the past two years, and the similarities between my own situation and the OP’s inspired me to make my first post. Like the OP, at least a few people thought I was crazy for attempting the Ironman with so little experience and training, and I wasn’t at all sure that I could finish. But FOR ME, racing the ironman was the right decision and one of the best experiences of my life. On race day I went slow and stayed safe, and in spite of my lack of training, I enjoyed every single minute of the race. Given the unexpected turns that my life took in the year before the race, I trained the best I could (and the OP might be able to say the same). I don’t think you’re ‘stupid’ for doing this (assuming you find that you’re comfortable in open water, and go slowly on the technical parts of the bike course). Good luck OP!! (And please make the smart decision and drop out if you have any safety concerns.)
I take issue with your use of the word "Race" you completed an ironman, good job, but you sure didn't race one. Wisconsin isn't Nice. What was your time in Wisconsin? No need to be a douche - most people "race" the Ironman distance. It may be slower than what you can do, but they all race the clock or their goal time. Some may consider it complete rather than compete, but you don't need to belittle how they define their participation in the event. And their time only matters to them. Most people do not Race an ironman. My 12 hour ironman was not a race, it was survival. There is a huge difference between racing, and completing. If you are there to participate fine, I don't care. but you sure aren't racing. Races are for people who want to race. Its not the hugs and cuddles feel good tour for people who want pats on the back. Maybe if more people had some respect for the sport, we wouldn't have these threads. Racing vs Completing is being used to categorize intentions more so than actual speed. Don't equate "in the race" with "racing" here.People trying to race can still be well off the podium. People just going for completion could still end up on the podium. |
| 2015-04-29 9:37 AM in reply to: brigby1 |
Extreme Veteran 3025 Maryland | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? right...and you think a guy who hasn't trained and has no clue what he is doing is racing? |
| 2015-04-29 9:52 AM in reply to: 0 |
| 812 Katy, Texas | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? |
| 2015-04-29 10:52 AM in reply to: ImSore |
Extreme Veteran 473 Chelsea, MI | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? This could be the funniest thread I've followed in a while on BT. In some posts you are all worried about the OP and how he will be a danger to others. My guess would be very few of the people on that course that day properly prepared and at any time could be a danger to others. It's not like he's never ridden a bike for crying out loud. He can hit the breaks. He's ran and he's swam. Stop acting like Ironman is some kid of elite race. News flash it isn't in terms of general participation. Most of the people competing are going for the finishers medal not the Kona qualifier. Without them the race doesn't exist. I guess the standard is if you aren't shooting for Kona you shouldn't be out there? If that is the case then 12 hours really isn't any better than 17. You weren't even in the vicinity of the "race." 12 hour finishers get the same participants medal and t-shirt as the 15 hour finishers right? I say once more. You can do it and it has been done and will continue to be done by folks with less training than you have. You already paid now go have some fun. Be safe and get your "every bodies a winner" medal. |
| 2015-04-29 10:56 AM in reply to: ImSore |
Master 2406 Bellevue, WA | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by ImSore Originally posted by maverickbassets Just pedal up the hills and coast down. You can do it. It has been done on less training. Don't believe the haters. They just want you to believe that it takes some huge amount of training to accomplish this goal because if you do it their finishes will seem less significant. I think you can do it. It wil be tough and it may be painful, but that is all temporary. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I'm pretty sure the majority of the "haters" along with myself (I consider myself a non-hater) are more concerned with having this athlete be able to safely navigate the course and not be a hazard to other participants, rather than having his potential finish somehow diminish their achievements. I think almost everyone has acknowledged that it can be done on little or no training depending on the individual.... Therefore again, I am pretty sure that it is more of a concern about the safety of the OP, as well as a justified skepticism of his chances of finishing based on his admitted lack of preparation that have motivated the far majority of responses. Exactly! This has nothing to do with thinking IM needs a "huge amount of training" to puff up our own accomplishment. That's just nonsense. If the OP said he was racing IM Arizona or Florida, I'd offer encouragement and advice but he could easily finish from where he is now. If he was racing Wisconsin or Canada or Lake Place, I'd tell him it was going to be a sufferfest on the run if he didn't pace the bike slowly, and to be careful on the descents. The OP would be fine had he chosen a more "starter" IM course - lake swim, non-technical course. But instead, he picked what I think is the worst possible IM for a person in his situation. IM Nice is an ocean swim followed by a very hilly (most ascending in IM) and technically difficult bike course in IM. He really is a danger to himself and others, especially on the bike. If he's as careful as he should be, I think it's unlikely he will make the time cutoff. |
| 2015-04-29 11:04 AM in reply to: 0 |
Master 2406 Bellevue, WA | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by maverickbassets My guess would be very few of the people on that course that day properly prepared and at any time could be a danger to others. It's not like he's never ridden a bike for crying out loud. He can hit the breaks. He's ran and he's swam. Stop acting like Ironman is some kid of elite race. News flash it isn't in terms of general participation. Most of the people competing are going for the finishers medal not the Kona qualifier. Without them the race doesn't exist. I guess the standard is if you aren't shooting for Kona you shouldn't be out there? If that is the case then 12 hours really isn't any better than 17. You weren't even in the vicinity of the "race." 12 hour finishers get the same participants medal and t-shirt as the 15 hour finishers right? I say once more. You can do it and it has been done and will continue to be done by folks with less training than you have. You already paid now go have some fun. Be safe and get your "every bodies a winner" medal. Your guess would be more accurate if we were talking about say IM Arizona or Florida, which are "easy" as IMs go. Those races attract bucket listers and the one-and-done crowd, and there is nothing wrong with having "finish an IM" on your bucket list. But still, the majority of people on the IM start line got there with much more "proper" training than the OP. At the athlete's meetings, they always ask "hold your hand up if this is your first IM" and at Arizona, it will be about 40% of the field. "Keep your hand up if this is your first triathlon" and there are always a dozen or more hands in the air. Arizona is a good race for that. But you won't see too many of them at IM Nice, or Kona, or Lanzarote. Those are a far too tough for most bucket listers. Most bucket listers aren't going to train as little as the OP and combine with that poor training with IM Nice. BTW, it's a "finisher's medal" not a participant's medal. You get it after you cross the finish line. And most hand out hats at the finish line, not a T-shirt. Edited by brucemorgan 2015-04-29 11:07 AM |
| 2015-04-29 11:20 AM in reply to: dmiller5 |
| 3 | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? In response to Dave: I’m actually a pretty good runner – I often finish in the top 10% of my age group, including a couple of podium finishes – so I’m no stranger to ‘racing.’ And I pushed myself just as hard in the Ironman as I have in any running race. My advice to go slowly on the bike was for safety’s sake and to avoid burning out before the marathon even starts. Like Brigby1 said, I’m talking about intentions rather than speed. I spent a year preparing for the Ironman as best I could and I put my heart and soul into the race. It wasn’t a ‘hugs and cuddles feel good tour.’ I consider myself an athlete and I tested the limits of my abilities all the way to the end, even if I did finish at the back of the pack. Don’t underestimate the amount of preparation it takes for a new triathlete to make it to the finish line of an Ironman. We’re not talking about a 5k here. Labeling me ‘a guy who hasn’t trained and has no clue what he is doing’ isn’t exactly fair. Mostly because I’m a woman  Rather than add any more fuel to the fire, I’m going to bow out now. |
| 2015-04-29 11:23 AM in reply to: newtriathlete2013 |
Extreme Veteran 3025 Maryland | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by newtriathlete2013 In response to Dave: I’m actually a pretty good runner – I often finish in the top 10% of my age group, including a couple of podium finishes – so I’m no stranger to ‘racing.’ And I pushed myself just as hard in the Ironman as I have in any running race. My advice to go slowly on the bike was for safety’s sake and to avoid burning out before the marathon even starts. Like Brigby1 said, I’m talking about intentions rather than speed. I spent a year preparing for the Ironman as best I could and I put my heart and soul into the race. It wasn’t a ‘hugs and cuddles feel good tour.’ I consider myself an athlete and I tested the limits of my abilities all the way to the end, even if I did finish at the back of the pack. Don’t underestimate the amount of preparation it takes for a new triathlete to make it to the finish line of an Ironman. We’re not talking about a 5k here. Labeling me ‘a guy who hasn’t trained and has no clue what he is doing’ isn’t exactly fair. Mostly because I’m a woman Rather than add any more fuel to the fire, I’m going to bow out now. I was referring to the OP, not you. |
| 2015-04-29 1:24 PM in reply to: brucemorgan |
Extreme Veteran 473 Chelsea, MI | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Bruce I see your points and they are good. I still think everyone creates their own challenge. For folks on here to say the op is a danger to others on the course and himself is like assuming most who commented have not finished an Ironman. I think for some the challenge is in completing something you don't think you can accomplish. Not is signing up for things you can. If I had the means to get to IM Nice I would have for sure picked it as my first IM. Who picks the easiest? Sane people I guess. With that in mind the OP did a marathon and has done some biking and some swimming. Sure not in IM format and not at the climbing heights required to finish easily, but maybe that's not the challenge. Few can put in all the training for a great race on the IM course and even more experience unpredictable issues during the race that nothing can prepare you for. I think the OP may be doomed, but unlike the so called IM experts who "race" IM (in 12 hours LOL) I think it can be accomplished. Good luck Mr. OP I hope you can give a bib number and finish the race. Even if you can't trying to is half the battle and you can still purchase a finishers coat or get a tattoo. |
| 2015-04-29 3:11 PM in reply to: maverickbassets |
| 1053 | Subject: RE: Ooops, I signed up for an Ironman. Am I Doomed? Originally posted by maverickbassets Bruce I see your points and they are good. I still think everyone creates their own challenge. For folks on here to say the op is a danger to others on the course and himself is like assuming most who commented have not finished an Ironman. I think for some the challenge is in completing something you don't think you can accomplish. Not is signing up for things you can. If I had the means to get to IM Nice I would have for sure picked it as my first IM. Who picks the easiest? Sane people I guess. With that in mind the OP did a marathon and has done some biking and some swimming. Sure not in IM format and not at the climbing heights required to finish easily, but maybe that's not the challenge. Few can put in all the training for a great race on the IM course and even more experience unpredictable issues during the race that nothing can prepare you for. I think the OP may be doomed, but unlike the so called IM experts who "race" IM (in 12 hours LOL) I think it can be accomplished. Good luck Mr. OP I hope you can give a bib number and finish the race. Even if you can't trying to is half the battle and you can still purchase a finishers coat or get a tattoo. Triathlon is not inherently a safe activity, I hope you would agree to that. The risk is not incredibly high, but there is risk. I'm not sure about Europe, but for officially sanctioned races in the US, you are required to have medical insurance, there is a minimum number of lifeguards per participant, and the event is required to have a medical staff on hand. And it is a fact that, many people have been injured, and people do occasionally die. And it is fair to say that some of these incidents have occurred because of poor judgement. So why would people on this thread question the OPs judgement? Here are a few quotes: "I have no base fitness nor much previous experience of cycling or swimming." "My training thus far has average just under 3 hours per week." "I've managed about 6 or 7 rides on a real bike outdoors." (With no open water experience), "I have a 10 km and 5km open water swim events booked before the Ironman." (this one really gets me) (Regarding the 10k swim) "Well, it's an event with lifeguards. Its also a rowing lake that is easy to escape to the side if I am struggling. I have no idea if I can do the 10km but I will give it a go. In terms of distance, I have managed the 3.8km in a pool, so I am not completely green on this." So let me break this last one down He hopes to finish the IM swim in 1:45 minutes. So lets be incredibly generous and say he thinks he can keep up the same pace for the 10k swim. He plans on swimming for 4 hours 36 minutes in the open water, with virtually no experience. Is he going to swim in an exact straight line? Has he practiced sighting during his 3.8 k pool swim, and does he even realize how many times he will have to lift his head up to see where he is going? So give his lack of experience, if it were even possible for him to swim for 10k, he would easily be in the water for 5+ hours. Has he considered nutrition and hydration while in the water? Is he going to have a personal safety vessel following him? And what if he cramps and get into trouble? Cramps can hit hard and fast, and you really can be screwed even if the shore is nearby, and lifeguards don't make saves 100% of the time. My brother was a lifeguard and has had people die during attempted rescues. So he is going to do this event saying "well they have lifeguards" and "I will give it a go." I really don't think he thought this out much. Its when the OP posts stuff like this that make me SERIOUSLY question his judgement, and puts me in the mindset offering as much safety advice as possible. Because it leads me to believe that he may very well not make the best decisions. And I'm not commenting at all on intelligence. It's very likely just his age. So when people are concerned, it is not a frivolous assumption. Its a difficult event with some inherent risk. The OP is untrained, and its fair to say physically unprepared (not saying he cant make it to the finish), and he has displayed some evidence of poor judgement. I'm also not saying don't race. I'd totally go for it. But please heed the advice given. Get out in open water and practice (not in attempting a 10k open water swim), and be careful on the bike. Again, please post the bib, I'd really like to see how this turns out. Good luck. |
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