Looks like you'll do just fine at IMA. I'm doing IM Switzerland in just over a week and I wish I would have had more swimming, but I've put more focus this year into my run and bike. I don't think I'll have a swim like I did in Brazil (56 min) but the time I hope to cut off on my bike and run should make up for that.

You still have time for some metal training, have you seen this book: The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training You might be able to read some of it on you flight over to Austria.

Good luck!

Absolutely agree...I was on my own for IMWI training from Dec-March. I was trying to do what I thought I should be doing based on what others did. Got a coach and he fit my plan to my real world life (job, wife, kids etc...) and has maximized my training time to get the most bang out of the time I have.

I am still averaging 12-15 hours per week and know it will step up soon, but my goal is to stick to his plan and not compromise too much.

Not everyone can afford a coach. I know athletes that follow a plan in a reputable book and do just fine.

I'm not, and never will be an Ironman, but to go back to your question: I can identify with missing (or skimping on) the long bike rides - that's what I really need to work on. Long rides obviously consume a lot of time, but it's especially hard where I live, since I have to drive to where I'll ride. Still, with better planning, I can and will get better at doing them.

It would be great to have a coach - but no way to swing that financially - 4 kids and the first starting college with the other 3 each a year back - I'm lucky I can afford the entrance fees!
Tho I hope people don't think that those of us without coaches are any less committed or serious about how we train - just a matter of economics.

I skipped on the swimming bigtime.

Once I had done the minimum to convince myself that I would make the swim cutoff with a comfortable margin. I focused on biking and running. Its only 13% of my race anyway.

My flopping about in the pool on my own was not making myself go any faster. I wasn't willing to go find a masters swim class.

Having said that I did swim the course once and biked it about 5 times before my race. That went a long way towards reducing my self doubt.

I don't necessarily agree with this. I think a coach is a monetary luxury that some of us (esp. those of us with kids and/or other monetary priorities than triathlon) aren't always able to shuck out the money for.

Personally, I think coaches are great (after all, I am one, LOL). But I have never used one myself and have finished well in many races over many distances. I think coaches can give you direction and organization if you are feeling that you are needing it, but not everyone needs or wants that direction. And one can be very very committed to this sport without going to the expense of hiring a coach.

I also think that for some people, hiring a coach can add to the stress of an event rather than taking the stress away. I can't tell you the number of people I met at Ironman who were obsessing about the taper week plans that their coach laid out. "I'm not supposed to swim today according to my coach" (but the water was flat and blue and lovely that day and ugly and choppy the next when they were allowed to swim) or "My coach says I am suppose to do a 3 mile run this morning and 15 miles on the bike this afternoon." Which is fine if that's what you want. Personally, I like my pre-race days to be up to my discretion and do the things that I feel will benefit me most in the moment, according to wind, weather, course conditions, and how I'm feeling. I actually just : blogged about this very thing. I actually like my workouts to be the same way. I would think about hiring a coach if I wanted to qualify for Kona in some year, but for my own personal goals I don't see one as essential.

Again, I think coaches are great, they're just not necessary, even to "finish well".

Ouch - that IM bike leg must have been tough!

Not an attack so please don't take it this way but have you ever competed in anything at all liketrack, cycling, swimming, cross country, or whatever where you did have a coach like high school or college or anything? Did they teach you something that you bring to the table now at a race since you do so well? Granted there is a lot you can read about or learn about in books or online (Trifuel rocks. I see that most if not all of the podiums in most races are made up with people that either: a. have a coach now or b. did this sport all through school and they were coached then which built up form and the mindset.