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I'm aiming (crossed fingers) to do my first HIM in September. For those of you who have done longer distance tris, how important is it to have done each of the individual distances before the race? I've done the swim length and today my SO and I rode 55 miles. But I don't know if I'll be able run 13 miles before the race. Is it more important for me to keep working on it or to go for shorter bricks?
I don't think you need to run the 13.1 before the race. I would suggest getting a long run in before the race (8-10 miles) just so you're prepared for the run.The HIM programs I've followed in the past have had me doing up to a 1:50 minute run (longest in the training- for me that's about 10 miles). I would say to do a long-ish brick (maybe 30 min. to an hour off the bike). Just so your legs are prepared.
I'm no expert, but this is just based on my own training and programs I've followed. http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon-tra...n-Training.php
I rode the full bicycle distance at least once a week. I swim the swim distance 5 days a week, and I never ran the run distance until the race. I do swim/run short bricks 2 days a week and swim/bike short bricks 2 days a week. If I do it again, I will do the run distance once a month.
Good LUCK and have fun, just do what you CAN between now and september!
It's fine to do the swim and bike distances. For my HIM training plans, I have actually ridden up to 65-70 miles.
Look at it this way... 56 miles needs to be EASY. Just a typical weekend ride-ya know? You shouldn't see the distance as "That is so far!"
You can train- even overtrain the distances for the bike and swim and come out fine... but with running it's easy to get injured. So if you only do a couple of runs up to 8-10 miles you will be fine.
I personally don't do long bricks. I didn't do it for IM training nor for my HIM training and I think it's fine. My coaches for 2007 and 2008 thought so to- that's how they wrote my plans.
Short bricks are beneficial I think, and I do one a week. I go ride a very steep hills for an hour (up and down!) and then I run 3 miles right afterwards.
Good luck! YOU CAN DO IT!!!! :)