To think I can train for a half ironman in 8 weeks??

[SweatLikeAPigLookLikeAPig]

So like a total belter I signed up for a half-ironman back in Jan and now it's June and I've done barely anything...it's on in 8 weeks and I really want to do it. Partly because I want to complete the challenge and partly because I paid a bloody fortune for it! Am I being delusional here??

What's your current fitness level like? How far can you run?

Depends on your fitness levels. How often do you run/cycle/swim. Have you done any brick training?

Umm- what's your current level of fitness? Have you done an Olympic distance triathlon before? Even if you have a reasonable level of fitness such that you could complete an Olympic tri in a respectable time, you will be looking at 5-6 hours of hard effort. That will be swimming for around an hour, maintaining an average speed of 20 mph on a bike for around 2 -3 hours and running for a solid 2 hours.

Unless you know that you can do that, then I would have to say that you probably won't make it. I have done Olympic triathlons in around 3 hours (about half way down the field) and was doing 1-2 hours exercise 6 days a week for several months.

My friend - average fitness is training fir a half ironman. Her PT told her it takes 4m to train for a marathon but 6m to train for a1/2 ironman.

Unless you're already pretty fit I'd be a bit worried

No. If you could swim 1.5km, then cycle 30 miles, then run 10km, right now I'd say you had a chance.
What training are you doing right now?

Was just coming back to give some average times Thistle It's bloody hard work even with training!

Unless you are very fit now no you can't manage the training or the day without a very very high risk of injury.

What exercise do you do currently?

Ideally you'd be looking at double this timeframe so unless you are mega fit I'd try and transfer the money to the next one.This would allow you to develop a training plan that builds your endurance gradually.

Another one with the query regarding current fitness levels, and a disclaimer as I haven't done a tri, although have taken part in coaching session.
I have although done half marathons and a marathon, and do regular 100k plus on the bike and that's the point I'm getting to. To do the distances you're planning to do does require some structured training.

I'm presuming you've done some tri before, but if not, you'll also need to be practicing skills at swimming in a group so no hinderance or danger to you and any other competitors.

What's the route profile like for the bike? If there's some climbing you'll need to be prepared, same with run etc etc

And how is your confidence in transition?

If you're fitness levels aren't pretty good at the moment, why not opt for one of the shorter distances and go for sprint or super sprint if the event offers that ( most seem to)

Nope. I've done an Olympic distance, run a marathon and regular half marathons. Triathlon training takes up more than double the time because of the amount of disciplines you have to fit in, usually more than one a day (swim morning / bike or run evening). I hated every second of mine because I definitely didn't train enough.

A friend of mine just completed his first full triathlon in 10 hours but he was super fit already but his training took 6 months. He works full time and has 2 kids as well.

Do you have a decent road bike? I found the bike the hardest because I hadn't put in the miles on the road.

I would put off for a year for definite, especially if you want a decent time and to feel good at the end of it.

It is June so the 'I've barely done anything' would make me suspect no. Start training now and get in for the start of next years season.

Unless you are really fit, I don't think 8 weeks is enough time to prepare. Sorry OP, I think you should give this a swerve.

Had to log in for the first time in age to reply ... like the others say unless you are already super fit then probably not I'm afraid. Sorry. I'm doing my first half ironman in September and have just started the official training. But I'm coming off the back of the london marathon o I know I've got a certain amount of fitness from that.
Don't forget most tris of that distance have cut offs for each sector so you face the potential of being kicked off the course.
If you can't get your money back or swap it to next year there's a fb group called something like middle distance triathlon where you can probably sell your place.

Totally depends. I did a sprint triathlon on a whim once because I had an injury that was stopping me running much further than 5k, and was surprised to find that no one else enters triathlons casually.

They were clearly all club members, with tri-suits and special wheels on their bikes, etc. I had a normal swim suit and a rack on my bike. I looked like a dick.

It was more effort than I expected too - more comparable to a half marathon than a 10k.

So if you are currently more than marathon fit, then maybe you can do it in 8 weeks? I wouldn't be able to have though, even at peak marathon fitness.

I would love to one day, but I'll be setting aside a year for training.

Crikey Moses! Ok well the general consensus is in probably kidding myself. I would say I have good-ish general all round fitness?? I can definitely swim 1km in a pool, I can ride about 25 miles and I can definitely run 10km, I did it his morning! With that bit of extra info, am I still kidding myself? I've just moved house to a completely new area and I work 4 days a week and have Monday with my DS. If I'm going to attempt this then the reality it is evenings and weekends that I have available to train on. Having moved to a new area I have no friends or hobbies based here yet so I don't have that as a distraction. My husband is very supportive and happy to let me train as much as like, if only I could motivate my lazy fat ass. I also thought I would get skinny doing this...meh

Noooo go for it!

I ran the Paris marathon in April on absolutely no training. I'm unhealthy, never exercise (seriously though, I think the most I've ever run is 5k), and eat healthily but nothing extreme.

Did it in just under 6hrs so not a great time but to say I rocked up on the 22 degree heat start line, boyfriends running gear and last years 'fashion' Nike flyknits I was pretty damn pleased!!!

Not saying it's the same but everyone told me I'd 'seriously injure' myself doing it. Bollocks. Was tough but so worth it. Go for it!

How far can you comfortably swim in open water? That seems to be the thing that always throws a few people - have done all the correct training in terms of distance for swimming, running and cycling but no clue about how to swim in open water. If no open water experience I'd think you'd would really struggle. Otherwise, if you really get training from now, what's the worst that could happen?

Are you sure that it is a half-ironman you have entered? Those distances you are comparing it to are slightly shorter than an Olympic triathlon, which in turn is roughly half a half-ironman.

You are looking at more than doubling those distances- and doing them all in a single day. As a PP said, it's a bit different from a marathon as they are usually hotter on the cut-off times. An unfit person could run-walk a marathon and be knackered by the end but still stagger over the finish line, but unless you keep up a reasonable, if steady, pace in an ironman, you are likely to be asked to leave the course. Plus, there is the safety element in the swim. You need to be confident that you can swim at least twice the distance you are used to, and still be fresh enough to cycle 90km afterwards, without being so tired that you make mistakes in your bike handling and end up hurting yourself or taking others out.

If you are interested in triathlon, then definitely go for it. Start with a sprint, or if you are feeling particularly masochistic an Olympic distance and work your way up. There is every chance that you will end up being miserable if you plunge straight into long distance events, and end up doing yourself harm and/or having to drop out.

I've done a couple of sprint triathlons, a fair few half marathons and 1 full marathon but nothing much more than 5k in the last year a little bit of swimming and a bit of netball. Today's 10km was the furthest I've run in an ice age...

OP, you've done some stuff, any chance of looking at the event and seeing if you can change to a sprint? Or are there any opportunities to do the half IM but as part of a relay? ( whatever your best discipline is?)

Those distances look like olympic not half ironman distances.

Yep those look like Olympic distance distances. If that is actually what you've signed up for then go for it. If you were saying this and had longer to train for the the full half ironman then I'd also say go for it but unfortunately I just don't think 8 weeks is quite long enough.
With all due respect to the poster talking about the Paris marathon, I do think this is a different ball game, especially taking into account the cut offs.

I have a book which includes a 12 week half Ironman plan. Week one includes 2 weights sessions, 2x20 min swim, 1x40 min bike and 2 runs -30 &, 45 mins plus a 60min ride + 15min run. By week 8 you're on to: 2x weights,. 2x30 swim, 60 min ride, and a 30min + 60 min run plus 75 bike +15 min run brick session. By 3 weeks before race day (just before the taper) you get 2 weights, 240 min swims, 60 min ride , 45min + 2hr run and a 3hr ride + 30 min run brick session. It's 8 sessions a week. If you can do that for 8 weeks then you'll ace it! The book also contains a performance plan which is up to 11 sessions a week including 2 brick sessions, and including intervals on the bike and the run.

OP, if the distances are 1 km swim, 25 ride and 10 k run, then that's doable with reasonable fitness, even more so with a couple of months training. But if what you have entered is an actual half iron man, then maybe you need to rethink your event .

Good luck, hope you get it sorted!