Congratulations on signing up, that's the hardest part. Kidding. :)

I'll throw a few things out there and others can add to it.

Stay consistent in your training.

Nutrition is going to be important so make sure you've worked this out before race day.

Don't make any last minute changes on or before race day.

You can have a decent time with a road bike. If you want to get a tri bike, you can look at entry level bikes from Felt, Cervelo, Kuota, Guru, QR, etc. Go to a shop and have them measure you and THEN determine which frame works with your body rather than making the bike fit your body.

There are a ton of books out there that can help, "Going Long" is one that comes to mind. I think it's geared more towards IM but it's still a really good book with tons of advice. The main thing I think you'll walk away with is long rides build endurance.

One real easy way to get the time down is to work on your transitions. People spend so much time on swimming, biking and running but spend very little time working on transition. It's like getting free minutes.

Other than that, brick training, climb hills, run hills and swim lots.

Sorry for the random thoughts.

Good luck!

Thanks peeps. I apprecaite all the help.

How many triathlons should I do before the HIM?
Thanks
-Mat

1. practice nutrition and what works for you

2. train over the distances so you are prepared

3. have fun! HIM's are a totally different beast but are a lot of fun

4. set training goals to keep you motivated (bike X miles in X minutes etc)

5. hire a swim coach if you arent a decent swimmer

its really up to you how many races you want to do before the big event. you already have the experience in tri to know the ropes. you can do as many or as few as you please, the only thing I'd reccomend is that your last tri before the half is atleast 2 weeks before it.

One tip i have not seen mentioned here is to make sure you know the course very well. Make sure you bike the course several times. Make mental notes of your shifting especially if there are any hills.

I had a terrible expirience in IM brazil. I did not know the course and really suffered the last two hills. I think overpowering thru hills I did not know caused me at least 20 mins of my overall time, 10;40

Tinparsnips-

Sounds good let me know how you make out. Good luck bro.

I am slowly starting training now. I am doing the 20 week program. I decieded to do 2 Sprint leading up to the HIM; I feel that an Olympic close to the HIM will tire me out a bit. It doesn't start to get warm here in Boston until late June.
-MC

I'm also doing my first half iron race this year: June 2nd, Black Bear Triathlon

I'll be sure to relay any first timer tips I discover as I go!

Wirebook-
Nice; I may take the advice of Sprint 2 months out then Oly one month out.

-MC

Dutch Springs, in Bethlehem, is a better option for OWS workouts. Beltzville limits the area where a person can swim, which eliminates the actual HIM course. It is also open to motorized boats. Dutch Springs is off of rt. 191 and Hanoverville Rd. It is a quarry that has been converted into a water park/ diving training center. My brother-n-law and his friends buy season passes and do their weekly workouts in the quarry. The visibility is tremendous.

I'm only about 20 minutes away from you and I teach in Bethlehem. When the weather warms up and you are interested in any long rides let me know.

Where are you staying, seems the hotels and the race ending not to mention the start are all far from starting and finishing? This race requires some careful thought with logistics.