Free IM training programs ?

I used this program for IMOO this year and had what I felt to be good sucess. 

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=441

I read thru the BT plan yesterday.  I like the swim workouts and will probably use many off them.  For me it seemed like the bike and run volume built up too fast, but it is a 20 week plan so there is not a lot of time.  The other downside is that it does not call for any weight lifting.  This would be ok if you were able to bike and run in the hills but since you are coming from Florida you might want to do a little lifting. 

Like someone else mentioned, I like Gale Bernhardt's 13 week plans.  She has two...one is "13 weeks to a 13 hour Ironman", the other is "13 weeks to a SUB-13 hour Ironman", the second requiring a bit more of a time commitment to the training.

She first published the original 13 week plan in Triathlete Magazine (June 1999) and you can find it on their website here:

http://www.triathletemag.com/story.cfm?story_id=1533&pageID=1732

http://66.77.216.76/exec/triathlete/chart.cfm?publicationid=92

The sub 13 hour plan was also published in Triathlete magazine, but can't recall the excact edition right now.  I have it at home.  I can't find this one free on the net, but you can get it from her website for a fee:

http://www.trainingpeaks.com/gale/

Although I think a better idea is to just get her book, Training Plans for Multisport Athletes.  I see there is a new (2nd) edition which has just been released or is soon to be released.  And the 2nd edition includes the sub 13 hour plan, plus, of course, numerous other plans for all race distances.  Money well spent, IMO.

http://www.velopress.com/triathlon.php?id=231

I believe this link is the 2nd edition of her book from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Training-Plans-Multisport-Athletes-Endurance/dp/1931382921/ref=reader_req_dp/104-9858456-6830345?ie=UTF8

-Steve

I think that G B's book also has a 26 week program as well if the 13 week programs seem a little daunting.

I don't know about the one on this site, but I've always heard good things about all the programs on here.

Like you say, a plan such as Gale's 13 week plans assume you're already a fairly experienced triathlete and have already been training.  I just look at these plans as a guideline to help me structure the final 13 weeks of my IM training, not the complete start to finish plan.

And, I think it's important to look at any canned training plan as a guideline, or reference.  You likely need to tweak the plan to make it work for you...to work around your life, your other races, your strengths and weaknesses.  I'll tend to shift the workouts around within the week, and tweak or sometimes eliminate some workouts.  For example, I think Gale's plans are too heavy in swimming, and a bit light in cycling.  You can tell she comes from a swimming background...30-35% of the total training time dedicated to swimming which will constitute just 10-15% of your race?  Doesn't make sense to me.  So, I tend to trim back the swims and give some extra time to the bike.

-Steve

NO....For a true IM taper you should cut volume at least 3 and preferably 4 weeks out to ensure maximum assimilation of training and adequate rest of the muscles. Not to mention you need a little break before the race.