Find a training plan and follow it, trust it, work it. Whether that's through a book like Fink's "Be Iron Fit", or through the plans at a place like Beginner Triathlete, or if you get a coach. Find something you're comfortable executing and follow it.

I am right there with you. Half iron in 2015 then the plan is for the Ironman in Madison in 2016. Following a training plan right now, and am starting to look for a coach for the summer and through the ironman. Good luck and feel free to friend me if you want to support each other.

<- Noob Triathlete as well. Started this year after seeing my 55 year old father kick butt in a Sprint and Oly distance. Complete my first sprint on 9/6 and my first Oly on 10/12. Planning on doing Ironman 70.3 Augusta next year and Ironman Chattanooga in 2016.

Set a goal for myself to do a sprint in 2015. Would love to connect with some MFP that are in same boat

I'd like to set a half ironman as my major goal race (might as well take the plunge before I get even older!). Was thinking about Racine, but now I'm second-guessing it and wondering if that's too early in the season and maybe will choose Steelhead instead. I'll pick my other races based on what I plan for that.

Well, I signed up, so that should help give me the motivation to be consistent. It's just the time of the overall event that scares me a little. Luckily the running is the thing I'm most confident about, so it's nice that's last. I also signed-up for/just started a Computrainer bike training class which should help get that going despite the weather.

I did one sprint this year (after 1 last year), a long sprint (almost international distance), an international distance and 3 half marathons this year...signed up for a sprint, the long sprint again and a 1/2 IM distance this coming October (Beach to Battleship in Wilmington, NC)...kind of freaking out about the 1/2 IM because of the distance...but I'm working on my base more this winter with steady sessions of swimming, biking and running that won't burn me out but that still challenge me. Plus I have a steady plan already in place for the last 20 weeks leading up to the big race. No plans for an IM ever...I just never have any ambitions to ever run a marathon;) haha...
Would love to have more friends to bump ideas off of and rant about the ridiculousness of our training sessions, haha!! So addicted to this sport;)

Racing halves is all about pacing/nutrition on the bike. Basically use your training to figure out where you can push your bike to but still be able to get off and run. Generally it's right below your LTHR. Stick to the number/feeling/whatever your metric is.

scott091501 wrote: »

Racing halves is all about pacing/nutrition on the bike. Basically use your training to figure out where you can push your bike to but still be able to get off and run. Generally it's right below your LTHR. Stick to the number/feeling/whatever your metric is.

This is going to be the challenge for me, for sure. Back when I was doing Oly distance I'd typically be undertrained on the bike and do worse on that element than the other two. The one time I pushed it on the bike (and had been spending more time biking) I had a terrible run (granted, it was also the hottest one I've done, which could have been part of it).

I finally decided to go ahead and buy a road bike and get started training on it. Last year I rode a lot, but never pushed myself to get any speed, and only had an old mountain bike. I was actually quite pleased with my bike fitness at the Computrainer class I did (given that I haven't been doing anything besides spinning since October), so am excited to start training.

For the record, planning my first half this year at 45!

Hoping for my first half iron this year as well. Completed two years of sprint tris so far and loving it.