Posts Member

I think it depends on what your goals are Steve...if you are only interested in a finish..fine. If you are looking at a specific time at either race...then you're asking for trouble.
Go hard at IMC and you might not make it through IMoo.
Several years ago there was an article in a tri magazine..I tried to find it... about a guy who was doing this. He wrote to their advce column..they said they wouldn't recommend it however this is what you do since you probably won't listen to reason anyway...Basicaly do nothing between the races...swim a little, bike on the trainer a little , take some walks, but don't run. Sleep a bunch, eat a fair ammount.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Posts Member

An idea so bad it defies comprhension.

Posts Member

Thanks for everyone's response.

I apologize for being unclear in my initial post.

I was more looking for people who have DONE this already and not so much looking for people who have NOT DONE this but just opine as to whether or not it's a good idea and if injury is a risk.

Suffice it to say that after several 24-hour adventure races, 11 years of doing triathlons, multiple ironman finishes, and being stupid enough to jump out of an airplane with 120lbs of combat gear in pitch black from only 1,200 feet....I am well aware of the audacity of this undertaking.

I was rather trying to ferret out advice from those people who have actually completed 2 or more ironman races with very little recovery time between races and what advice they had based on their experience.

Irrespective of this, thanks to all those who have already taken the time to opine.

Posts Member

It's not a question of your physical prowress, but rather the point. If you just want to prove you can do it, have at it, I'm sure you can in the 17 hours allowed. It's not audacity, it's a novelty to me. Personally, I race to win, not finish, that's where I find the glory. To each his own.

Posts Member

I usually don't go in for flame jobs...but, mdd...YOU ROCK!
I am not a fan of folks who start a thread, then slam the responses...

Posts Member

Feels odd being a voice of dissent. I personally think the flaming is over the top and unwarranted.

If someone was saying they wanted to do their first ironman and listed that they summitted multiple 14ers in colorado, have done many 12hour to day adventure races, pointing out that they believe they have the fitness and mental stamina/audacity and the like would they get the same response?

Yeah, 2x ironmans may seem too much for most of us, but there are also people out there who do deca-ironmans. :eek:

Hell, for Luis Alvarez's feat of 10 ironmans in a year he was averaging one every 3 weeks.

The thread was started specifically, asking for information on 2 long races close together. He apologized about being unclear in his initial post and clarified things, thanking people for their responses and pointing out that he's looking for real-life experience...then added details to help us understand why he (I'm assuming "he" here, apologies if I'm wrong) is physically/mentally ready.

The only part I read that strikes me that could be contentious is the use of "opine". Maybe there's a better word to get across the meaning, maybe not, but this is a board, a written forum...why make things difficult and assume the worst of someone? :confused:

Posts Member

I sensed a certain attitude...sort of like "You haven't done this so I'm not talking to YOU!"
Maybe we have assumed the worst of someone...but the questioner assumes that the folks who responded do not have the experiences he was looking for, and therfore should not have responded...Not all of us feel the need to say "Well, when I did this..."
VTIRON has the experience.
Others who have posted have back to back ultra experiences that make an IM look like a oly...OR back to back training sessions that were harder than race day.
A Kona bound athlete responded as did others who are fresh off an IM and have fresh perspective...WE do tend to forget how nasty it can feel sometimes.
By posting his experiences the questioner makes me ask the question...why is he asking us? He seems to have more than enough experience to know his limitations.
Those who answered in good faith were flamed, albeit politely, for trying to help....that is bad form.

Posts Member

...and in my view, flaming back is in similar poor form. If I want to read flamewars I go to slowtwitch. (note, I like reading through slowtwitch, there's some great people and a lot of great info. It's also a different community than I see here.) Unless people know each other well, and can take it in a joking manner, all flaming does is degrade a community.

Yes, the OP could belong in the, "attention seeking thread started by someone who has low self esteem", or the OP could simply have presented something in just the right way that it doesn't jive with everyone's thought process. It reads to me as people are making bad assumptions on both sides: assuming the answers were from people without similar experience...assuming the OP's response was an intentional flame.

We can discuss back and forth all day the "why" and the "how it can read". I still believe that on the basis of something that could be interpreted different ways (as is evident by this discussion :p), that when we don't know anything about that person, and then pile on and flame away, is poor form and not what I'm used to experiencing on Trifuel.

...and I do understand the reasoning and the reaction to those posts. I simply disagree in this case as I look towards the more positive possibilities rather than jumping to the negative.

Then again it is all a matter of perspective. I could be completely wrong and it could be a cry for attention...I just don't believe that. I see it as an occurence of human miscommunication rather than attention-garnering flamebait.

Anyways, tubular gluing awaits (first time :eek: ).

Posts Member

I hate flaming...And I'm willing to admit I've done it at least twice at trifuel and admonished others who have done it...Guess I'm human...still, somthing about it rubbed me the wrong way...sorry.
I love it here because we don't flame...I hope others will join me...I'll do my best to avoid it.

Good luck with the gluing Riv...it's really NBD and saves a ton of bread!

Posts Member

Shouldn't be bad if you pre-stretched the tires...Things will be tacky but just remember,once the tire is on the rim, to center pull the tire up and re-seat...don't try and slide it. give it a spin at arms length..it will be obvious if it's out of kilter.

Posts Member

I didn't mean to offend...just mean to search for advice. I didn't mean to stir a ruckus and apologize if anyone took it the wrong way.

As you can imagine, finding people who have done this is quite difficult (but found 2 on/through this forum !!!) so that's why I wanted to post.

I think it's GREAT that someone did 6 IMs in 60 days for charity! That's really what prompted me to do my first IM after my wife became deathly ill I too used the IM as a backdrop to raise money for charity.

There are a TON of newbies in triathlon today that do IM races right away so I pointed out my previous endurance experience as merely a frame of reference for potential endurance induced injury exposure.

I am quite surprised, however, at how mean people can be in a rapid fashion. I was taken aback by this.

Irrespective of what has already occurred, thank you for the time you've given.

Posts Member

Steve ~ I suppose I can't speak for everyone, but let me try to at least say not to be put off by the initial reactions and never visit Trifuel again. Sounds like you've got a lot of experience that could be of real value to other Trifuelers, and I for one would be interested in hearing about your adventure as you train for and do this back-to-back.

I think occasionally new members have popped up with initial messages saying "Hi, I weigh 300lbs, and just did my first 1mi fun walk over the weekend. So I figured why not go the distance and signed up for an Ironman 6mos from now. I just signed up for swimming lessons, and my brother said I could borrow his mountain bike. Any advice?" As you pointed out, that kind of thing does happen. And it does tend to set off visceral reactions.

I think your first message, without the context of your experience, might have been interpreted the same way as the plan of someone who might not fully understand the extent of what they are planning to do. But, it sounds like you do, so the initial reactions other than still some ohmigosh-are-you-crazy-but-we're-pulling-for-you can hopefully be put behind us.
best of luck!

Posts Member

Steve, I did IMC and IMHI in 2004 and they were 7 weeks apart, did fine at both races and lived to tell the tale. I did not suffer any after effects like overuse injuries, URI's or anything like that. What's key is what you do between the 2 races, and if they are 2 weeks apart, the answer is probably ALMOST NOTHING.

Good advice for post-IM recovery is to do almost nothing for a full week and then ease back in, but everyone is different. The week after IMC, I took a full day of rest, and then for the next 4 days I swam about an hour a day. Then on Saturday, I rode easy for 2 hours (also swam an hour) and on Sunday swam 1 hour and ran 30 minutes. The following weekend I was able to do a 5 hour ride.

My advice to you would be to swim as much as you can tolerate, ride a couple of hours 1 week after your first race, and then do 3-4 really short runs of :20-:30, and then hit your second race. Of course, all these workouts are subject to removal depending on how you feel. Oh and be extra careful to practice PERFECT nutrition between races. Vitamins, lots of protein, sufficient carbs, good fats, all that stuff. The nutritional piece of recovery is paramount in asking your body to do another race in 2 weeks.

My last bit of advice would be that if during IMWI you feel horrible (as compared to just sucky as you expect to feel in an IM), that you consider dropping out. If you at all feel like you are on the edge of injury, just stop. Life is too short to suffer lasting consequences from something like that.

Only your body will know at the start of the second week after the first race whether it will tolerate the second. Be especially careful of your bike pacing on the second one, ESPECIALLY at IMWI. The course is difficult, and it's easy to wear yourself down even if you haven't done another IM race 2 weeks prior.

If you make it through the second race, then I would definitely take at least 2 weeks off from anything except swimming as tolerated.

Let us know if you get through both!

Posts Member

Yeah, there's always going to be some "ohmigosh-are-you-crazy-but-we're-pulling-for-you" going on around here ;) Then again, the longer I'm in this sport the less anything seems like too much.

It could also be from the fact that one of my teammates did Ultraman not too long ago (basically the Hawaii double-ironman).

Definately agree that nutrition and rebuilding the race damage between races is the key along with your pacing.

Posts Member

Interesting thread ... don't remember this one from earlier.
Good luck with the 2 IM - So, what is your plan for each race? Hard in one easy in the other? Just try and finish both?

I'll be doing IMWI again - maybe see ya there!

Posts Member

I recall a friend who I used to know, he was a NYC Police Captain and he did a double Ironman I think it was held in Georgia. Suffice to say that a year later he was seen helping out at a Duathlon on Long Island and he appeared to be walking as if he was crippled. I observed him after the race getting into his vehicle with much difficulty. He was a pitiful site.
All this within a three day period.

Posts Member

Medium in both I'm guessing. I'm a middle-of-the-pack guy and am not setting any speed records. Based on my previous IMs I'll like to go sub 13 in both both sub 14 is more realisted. I've only done a 13:17 and a 12:46.

I've spoken to my coach as 2 close friends who've done 10+ IMs and 5+ kona races and they all said this is no big deal if I race them conservatively. Now that's the type of peole I like to surround myself with!!

Not to poo poo on others who've posted with negative energy but...where's the LOVE man? :)

Thanks to the other poster with the IMKY/IMWI referral. I'll look them up. While this year those races were 2 weeks apart as opposed to 6 days next year when I'll do them...it's all the same and their insight will be helpful.

I'll check back in periodically.

I'm continuing my quest to fund a medical research grant of $60,000 so in the meantime, if you'd like, please encourage me by visiting the following:

My charity fundraising: 2foraa.org

My blog: 2foraa.blogspot.com

(Please keep in mind that I won't start blogging for about a month or so.)

Posts Member

Ditto for IMKY -- although I don't believe as big of rollers as the WI course (I've never done WI though).

Posts Member

Man I didn't catch this thread when it started. I'm amazed by the agressive responses. Glad Steve- is still posting around here since Trifuel is a friendly comunity and that's why I'm here.

Posts Member

LOL!

No, I am lucky enough to have everything I need.

BUT may I make the humble suggestion to those who released negative energy and would like to get back good karma after realizing that I'm not a couch potato looking for attention...to simply donate what you can afford to:

2foraa.org

Spread the love !

(Please be forewarned that I am shamless when and relentless when asking for donations. :) )

Posts Member

You can do it and many others have successfully.

My husband is known for his back to back IM and even triple races. He did his first in 1994 and it hasn't killed him yet. He just finished his fourth triple - Kona, GFT and IMFL. 9:44, 9:38 and 9:22.

His biggest piece of advice is active recovery. After your first race, keep moving. Don't let your muscles and joints "freeze up". He does a post race "recovery run", which consists of a very short jog, stopping as soon as he feels the legs start to loosen up. This may only be a few minutes. Swim and bike easy in the weeks between races.

Your success depends on your fitness base and how much the first race takes out of you. It is a matter of mind over body, you have to be committeed to making it work.

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