Am I crazy?

Not at all. I did 2 sprint distance triathlons my first year. The next year I did 2 more sprint distances, then a HIM. I spent the 6 months training for it. My goal was to finish, nothing more.

My two pieces of advice:
1) find someone to train with. Without a training partner who has at least similar goals, a lot of your hours will be spent alone....and it's very lonely riding 50 miles alone.

2) make sure your family understands the time constraints. My fiance is an endurance athlete who is extremely supportive of my endeavor to become an Ironman, the rest of my family does not understand and it has caused a lot of strain.

Delete for duplicate.

Edited by Rooster519 2017-03-06 11:41 AM

Thanks for your honesty! I fell in love with running over the past 18 months. Did several 5ks, 2 10ks and a half marathon. I completed the half pretty soundly, just under 2 hours and felt pretty good after it. Over the first 10 months, I lost 100 lbs. It's been a huge change and now I'm taking the next jump into triathlons.

Thanks for this. I definitely appreciate the advice!!

No, you're not crazy. This sport is fun...trying to see what's possible.
I've only done a couple of HIMs but I like the distance...it's more strategic than the shorter distances since pacing and nutrition play a bigger role in your successful completion.

Obviously, biggest thing is being able to ramp up the training volume that adequately prepares you for the race.

Toward the end of your build prep you'll be doing a 60-70 mile ride on a Saturday followed by a 11-14 mile run on Sunday. Oh yeh, you'll need to fit about 8k+ of swimming into your weekly training too.

I'd say if your body can handle a 100 mile bike week with a 20-30 mile run week and 8k of swimming, you'll be ready.

You are not.

My first running event was a marathon.
Never done tri shorter than a HIM.
Did full IM after 2 years of Tri.

details:
48 YO
3 kids
very busy at work

After 30 years of sitting on the couch, I decided to tri. My first was an HIM, did an IM 6 months later. Did I set any records or get any podium appearances? No. But I finished. Victory! Set your mind to the task. The body will respond.

First - nope, you are not crazy.
Second - Congrats on the weight loss and commitment to a healthier you

Not crazy at all, different people take different paths.

The best bit of advice I have is listen to your body, it will tell you if you are going too hard, too fast, or trying to over do it.

Do some research and/or get a coach if you can and enjoy it.

Not at all. Some people are just much better at longer distance. I have a friend that has never done anything less than HIM, and most races are IM or even longer (ultraman). He can literary go forever, but drop him in a sprint and he's back of the pack. Just not explosive by nature.

With that said, make sure you are ready for a HIM, the step from OLY to HIM can take people by surprise.... it's not "just a little bit longer", it's a whole lot longer.

If your question is "Am I crazy?" then I'd suggest that we don't have enough information to fully assess your mental state.

From my perspective you can do it.

I went to the gym at age 59-1/2 and did my first triathlon - a sprint - that summer. Breast stroked my way through the 400 yard swim. Rode my mountain bike. Less than a year later, after buying a road bike with clip on aero bars and training reasonably hard given my travel schedule, I competed and finished my second triathlon at almost age 61. It was the Coeur d'Alene IM 70.3. I did train in the pool and pick up a crawl stroke along the way. Finished last season with a couple of sprint tris.

Good on you for the weight loss and fitness focus you've undertaken. I lost nearly 40 lbs between when I started and when I raced in the HIM. That's the best feeling in the world.

I heard your story. It's very similar to mine. Well done on the lifestyle changes!
I too lost 100+ lbs.
Not sure about the rest of your story. I was on the short side of my 40s and had never been active. I wasn't totally sedentary, but I was far from active. I liked to eat. A lot. I still do.

I signed up for my first sprint...and I hadn't run more than a mile in 35+ years. I was down about 70 lbs by that point, though and had done 15 minute bouts on the treadmill. Plenty of time on Arc trainers and elipticals. Lo', my brother schedules his wedding for that weekend. Knowing that it's a popular race, I called the director to let him know I wouldn't be there and he could fill my spot if he wanted. He offered (quite nice of him) to transfer my registration to another race a few weeks later. Dumb- me didn't realize that it was closer to an Olympic than a sprint. The open water swim didn't scare me. The 4 mile run did.

By the time it rolled around, it was cake for me. Did a few more short ones...did that one the next year, then tackled an Olympic the year after. A year later, did my first half.

That being said...you are wayyyy further along in running than I was. As long as the swim's no issue (and I mean...no issue in that you're confident you can do an open water swim with tons of other people...and reasonably get through it)...and you recognize you can't totally hammer on the bike....(and of course, barring the unknown)...you'll complete it just fine.

Now, if you want to RACE it....find a plan....follow it and you'll way outperform your expectations. I used/use the Super Simple one...because I'm a Super Simple kinda triathlete. The only thing that's different is you have to pay a little attention to nutrition/water...etc. Not necessarily to the point of getting all detailed and science-y....but you gotta at least know what doesn't work. If you've never had a couple ounces of cola during training....don't take any during the race. That kind of thing. In training, you can find out if a couple gels here and there or a banana as needed will work. And I do suggest finding ones that agree with you and take those....or check ahead and see if the kind they're offering at the race agree with you. Big difference between 2.5 hours and 4-6 hours. Not to the point where you necessarily need an exacting plan, but enough to 'tide' you after that 2.5 hour mark when you've used up anything in the tank.

I actually think most active people with fair swim/bike/run can complete a 70.3 with decent success. That success rate is amplified if they have a good head on their shoulders and follow any reasonable plan.