Jcody,

I think you could do it! If you have a good background in cycling and running and the distance does not scare you than go for it. Look, I started in trialtlon with no cycling experience and I would swim and run for fitness. It really only took me the better part of a full year to really get ready (small amount time all things considered). So, I guess it will depend on your goals for the race and the TIME you have to train. In my experience, to do well at that distance you have to have the time. Some swear there are high intensity programs requiring less in terms of time, but I found the way to get it done is put in the hours. Good luck!

I'm in your age group and waited 2 years and did 2 half IM distances before I decided to go for the full distance (this summer). I completed the first half IM race but I was not happy with my performance. There were many things I did not take under control. I wanted to try one more time, The second race I was prepared for the distance and enjoyed the race. The distance makes you use different strategies, no matter how well prepare you are. In race day is different. Jumping to IM distance from Oly distance is hard to do. It's doable if you have the base training. I raced the halfs, kept wrking hard, gave my body the time to go long and now I'm giving myself the chance for IM. At 44, married, fulltime work, etc,etc, it's hard to meet the training hours to prep the race but I have the experience of training long and racing long, my body will take hit and I will able to suck it up. For Jason and Deejay is a piece of cake because they are 20-24 for us is different.

"piece of cake"

I dont know about that, LOL. But yah, im sure we recover faster at a younger age. I guess thats all the more reason for me to do it now rather than later.

go for it, just make sure your and your family are aware of the time commitments you will be taking. If you are serious about this, IM training will definately change you as a person. Also at work see if they will allow you take half-days, I found this to be a big training bonus, 1/2 day a week off for 16 weeks is a big help. Follow the Base - Building formula for a min. of 12 wks, 16 better. Put in the long days but remember the recovery, recovery at our age is a must for success.

your hours are bang on, this year my biggest change is getting up to 6 hr. on the bike asap, i will be there next wk. over three months before the event. At that point i will work on my speed within the long rides going forward, the more long rides, the better your endurance gets plus on race day the ride will seem like a piece of cake and the run, well, lets just say i hope its a death march vs a death crawl. The endurance the bike gives you is remarkable, last night i ran 2 1/2 hr., couldnt belive the speed and how low my heart rate was, when i hit the door my wife questioned where i had been, because i sure didnt look like i just came off a 2 1/2 hr. run. ride that bike !!!!!! I find that doing long runs and long bikes are better spaced about every 9 to 10 days vs every 7, to get in the rest and then insert those hard days i find that 7 days comes to soon, i also do the two weeks of 16 to 20 hrs. then cut back to 8 or 10 on the third week. this next tip is still in the testing mode but so far so good, drinking a ulta shake vs. power bars, gel, etc, this stuff is what old folks drink when they cannt eat solids, 355 calories in a little 8 oz can, non dairy, different flavors, i poured 3 cans, 1065 cal (= 5 power bars) in a water bottle and consumed it last week on a 5 1/2 hr. ride, chase it with a little water had no problems, lots better than trying to eat solids, that along with accelerade in my nerdy camel back is all you would ever need to get you fully fuled by the special needs station. you can get this stuff at any grocery store, look for the "extra calories" variety, check the labels. The swim, well, cant help you much there, i swam a 1:15 and all went well, this year, like the bike have already done 3, 1:15 swims in the pool, last year none, just long lake swims, to early for lake swims here, but the more lake swims and competitions to get use to the start the better, i like to schedule my lake swim followed by biking big hills immediatley after and a short run(good use of a 1/2 day! ) The run, run in the heat of the day as much as you can. last yr. there was not a hot day in the great northern prairies, on race day there was!!!! it crushed me(would guess it cost me 30min). in a nut shell, read lots, come up with your own program, stick with it, work on your mind and mental toughness, on race day, be cool and soak it all in, and stick to the plan. I was shocked at some of the people i passed on the run, they were people that inspired me(locally) but it was all about the bike to them and they paid the price. one other thing, on every training, swim, bike, or run , focus on technique at all times, get better by doing it better! good luck.

I sure hope so...I did 2 sprints (one swim was cancelled) and 1 olympic last year; probably do the same this year as prep for my priority race...the Duke Blue Devil in 5 months. It was my goal last year when I started thinking triathlon to do an IM distance "in 2005" and then I found out I was going to be a father. Then I found the Duke race and what it stands for and started thinking about how things are possible for other people with circumstances, so why not me! Anyhoo, I'm going for it and plan on being prepared and you sound like you're way ahead of where I am (granted, not far at all yet for me). I'm going to use pictures of my son and I at the finish line as an example of what is difficult, but possible in his life, not to mention what it'll do for me! In short, I applaud your journey and wish you good luck on its completion!