Hi,
I just started using Intervals.icu, loving it so far! Looks like an amazing platform and a great community. This is the first time in my life I’ve posted anything in an online forum so I’m new to the etiquette of it, hopefully I’m doing this right - if this in the wrong place or has been covered then apologies!
I’m currently building my race calendar for next year. I want to do a DIY Ultraman 355 (as in, do the distances myself, near to me, on terrain I know, supported by friends, without all the costs and limitations that would go with doing an “official” one). I want to do this in July/August 2025, followed by Ironman Wales in September 2025. How much recovery time would you suggest, based on your experience, between something like UM355 and IM Wales? As the UM355 date can be whenever I want, I’m wondering how much time to give myself between the two?
I was thinking that with a well planned recovery period I could use the bounce-back in fitness from UM355 to benefit me for the IM, so hopefully I could do UM355, recover well for an appropriate amount of time, do some light taper type training for a week or so and go straight into IM? I could not care less about finish time/age group placing, the value in this for me is the experiences not the competition so my goal would just be to get round and finish well, competing near the top of my ability is not on my radar so I don’t need to be peaking, just safe.
I’m 36, almost daily training for about 3 years now, 90 minutes for a half marathon, 320W FTP, I moved up to 70.3s last year and I’m moving up to full Ironman this year. Still a beginner but I’m confident I can do the UM355 next year.
Thanks for any advice!
So many “it depends” on this.
Firstly it’s 100% going to depend on how hard you go on the UM355. Even going easy, that’s a big volume and you’re likely to carry fatigue for a good while. If you go hard…
Couple of examples from personal experience.
I ran Loch Ness marathon in very early Oct, ran very hard, got a good PB, but was drained for weeks after it. Just no spring and quite psychologically flat. Running was a chore, and I felt I had no capacity. But 6 weeks later I did a local HM and suddenly I felt fresh and strong again, almost overnight. So I think 6 weeks post hard marathon effort for me.
After doing Barcelona IM, I felt I had a similar 6 weeks of feeling ‘blue’ and weak, but then transitioned into winter maintenance mode.
Finally, after a massive one day bike (250mi) at really easy pace I usually feel sluggish for about a week.
Hard to say how that translates to UM355 → IM, and especially for a different athlete. But I’d say to give your self as much time as possible. If you bounce back earlier you can always just string out the weeks before taper, I guess.
Good luck!
Thanks for the reply, that’s really helpful. Looks like maybe 6 weeks is a good lead in time then. I think that would be fine if the fitness would still be there after recovering and could carry over to the IM, would you expect that to be the case or would you think I’d need a mini build after 6 weeks of no big sessions?
Loch Ness marathon is on my to do list for the next few years, looks like a really good one!
Maybe a gradual return to longer sessions over the 6 weeks? Personally I’d get back to swimming and biking pretty much straight away, but at lower intensity. Good luck with it!
Loch Ness is a really lovely run. Beware the initial long downhill, it takes a lot out of your quads. Also it can be really exposed waiting at the start, so take an old warm sweater and maybe a bin-bag!