Im Lou...

[Starfish]

Star- the only thing that would stop you from doing an IM with little training, but as many hours as it takes you to complete it IMO would be the swim. You really have to be conditioned to do 2.4 miles in the water. But as long as you can do a century, you could walk the 26.2 miles afterward. Esp. with the open buffet every mile.

I totally believe you. Actually, I didn't mean doing it with little training. I meant training pretty long and hard...but for endurance, rather than any speed. I used to be a competitive swimmer, so I believe I could do that distance with proper training and OWS coaching. I know I can do the bike distance. I'm guessing I could walk the whole way (not happily, not without pain, probably not without injury). I don't mean this is a foregone conclusion...just that I think I could endurance train enough to somehow struggle through the distance, if everything went just right, someday.

But, all this to make my point: once you add in the time limit...Oh My Gosh...I am not at all sure I could EVER do it, despite the right training program. So, I definitely agree with you...the time limit MEANS SOMETHING!