Quote Originally Posted by KSH View Post
Colby, DO AN HIM this year! DO IT! It's laying the base for an IM.

My HIM is in October.

I have a coach... so that's my training plan. Now, I just have to do everything he tells me to do. He gives me one rest day a week, yet somehow I always end up with two. Oopss!

Otherwise, if you join Beginner Triathlete and pay a small fee for the Bronze plan, you can have access to training plans made by a coach. It would be money well spent and cheaper than a coach (although mine is only $85 a month- and he gives me weekly training plans).

Once you get a HIM under you, you can make the decision on the IM. Your HIM will be earlier enough in the year that you can probably find an M Dot IM for 2008.

As for me, unless I do a non-M Dot IM, I can't do an IM until 09.
Good advice, KSH. I'm a little concerned that July 8th would be too soon, otherwise I'd sign up for IM 70.3 in Lake Stevens, WA, which isn't TOO far from where I live. I don't mind traveling across the state. There is a HIM locally, small race, August 5th. There are at least one or two more within decent driving distance, the latest being September 15th. I am crazy and would like to run the marathon again at the end of November, so I guess I have to be careful about going too late.

Hmm, food for thought... could I really ramp up by July 8th, today being April 18th? That's 3 months, or 11 weeks. Seems tight. August 5th might be better, another 4 weeks. Plus I'd get to sleep in my own bed the night before.

If I did an Iron race, I would love to do IMCdA, which means I'd also get to sleep in my own bed the night before. That's June 24th, and last year it sold out in two days. That means if I want in, I'd signing up this year before I even do a HIM. Of course, if we follow the Tri Girl model of "just do it" signups, that doesn't matter. What a serious commitment. I'm usually a last minute commitment type of person (bad colby).

If I didn't sign up, I'd be in the non-Mdot for 2008 and committing like you in 2009 if I wanted Mdot.