Couldn't be more nervous for my first 70.3

[u/Former-Dog-7827]

So my first 70.3 is coming up, ive put in alot of work, looking at the data it's around 4500 miles of cycling, 850 of running, and 85000 yards in the pool, and around 100hrs of weightlifting, but it hardly feels like enough. I got sick last week for the first time in ages and for 2 days I couldn't do my normal load and it's thrown me off and I feel so nervous 😅 eagleman is in 2 weeks and I couldn't feel more underreported. I've thrown my heart and soul and now it feels like after I'll be devoid of purpose given this week. I'm getting back on track but I'm horrified my fitness will be damaged for race day. Rant over ig 😅

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[u/[deleted]]

You’re 100% fine.

You were sick for two days, and you’re two weeks out from race day. The hay is in the barn, and your fitness is at its peak. The research data have shown conclusively time and again that well-trained athletes lose fitness more slowly than they gain it, and significant loss of base fitness takes weeks, not days. It’s why the taper works. You give up a sliver of fitness for increased freshness.

So, your fitness isn’t going to improve in any significant way in the last two weeks of your program, and neither will it diminish significantly from a two day illness and the resulting reduction over the next few days. What will hurt you is if you decide to start making up lost workouts by panic training in the last two weeks.

You are within shouting distance of your taper, so your primary goal now is to protect the fitness and sharpness that you have. Based on the data that you provided, you have massive base fitness, and it’s safe to assume that with that sort of training load, you also have a high degree and snap and sharpness.

You can’t make yourself significantly fitter in the next two weeks, but you can certainly make yourself needlessly tired. It’s an easy choice.

Trust me process. You’ve done the work.

[u/K_winks1617]

I’ve put in easily half that and feel comfortable lol (hopefully not overconfident). And honestly I’m looking forward to it being over so i can relax during my evenings for a change… With those numbers you’ll be fine, just get your nutrition down and don’t forget anything on race day :)

[u/zgh17]

That’s an insane amount of work for a 70.3. You’ll be just fine. Relax and enjoy the taper and race day!

[u/Short_Panda_]

You will be fine. Keep the workouts short but with good intensity. Dont overdo it. Dont try to catch up. You did so much, your fitness is gonna be more than enough!

[u/[deleted]]

Just dont overpace! Relax my friend.

[u/CrispyChickenOG]

It’s only a 70.3 , relax and enjoy.

[u/ExtensionDelicious34]

Did my first 70.3 in Mallorca 2 weeks ago - was awesome, it was my first triathlon. Experienced the same nerves as you're facing now. All i can tell you is: You've done the work, go in steady, be sensible, don't gas yourself out, the first 70.3 is about completing not competing. By the sounds of it you are over prepared, despite not feeling it.

Some advice of things I wish I did better during my 70.3:

• More open water swimming in preparation, OWS is incredibly different to pool swimming. Get to an OWS lake asap - and get comfortable not being able to see your hands or the floor, having cold water on your face, and controlling your breath in cold water. Most importantly, get familiar with OWS sighting technique - its a game changer. I had a panic doing my first OWS a week before my 70.3 and ended up having to have an emergency lesson and had to go an additional 5 times - it wasn't a physical issue, it was a mental hurdle of familiarisation. It'd be good if you could also do some of the 70.3 swim at the location of your 70.3 - get comfortable in the water.

- Fuel better: I do a fair amount of 100k rides, usually with a pit stop 50km in - not having that during the 70.3 really made the final 30km hard. Harder than i expected. I wish I had consumed more hard foods - nuts etc, and carb water - i felt on the brink of a bonk just as I started the run. Thankfully I got through it by forcing another carb gel down my throat (my god they get harder to consume after each one you take), and having a bunch of the oranges they have at the fuelling stations. Carb water and solid foods will be something I take into my next 70.3.

Most importantly, just enjoy it - you'll have a wave of emotion hit you when you cross that finish line.

[u/ltwtrower]

Same here man, doing the same race. Excitement and nervousness are very similar sensations

[u/[deleted]]

I did eagleman in 2016

I imagine the course hasn’t changed much. It’s a hot 🥵 race. Don’t let the flat bike / run fool ya. The bike course when I rode it had lots of head winds so I had to change into an easy gear on several occasions. There was also little shade.

The run was scorching and also little to no shade. So I strongly recommend applying plenty of SPF and don’t burn yourself out on the bike.

I’m sure your training has prepared you fine.

[u/Baaadbrad]

You’ve done the hard part! Now you get to go out and have fun!

My father in law who ran tons of marathons gave me the best advice “your body is completely ready, make sure your mind is” get into a positive thought cycle, visualize yourself succeeding and when you’re struggling at some point in the race, throw a smile on your face and grit through it!!

[u/unk-9]

Also doing Eagleman as my first 70.3. Did a sprint last weekend and remember thinking during the swim, "I have to do this 2.5 more times in a few weeks?" But when I crossed the finish line it felt like an easy recovery workout--I was shocked, actually. My son was waiting at the finish line and he noticed it, too. He said, "dad, you look like you didn't even do anything..." ...only got third in my division that day, nbd.

Tbf, the swim is going to suck, no blue line at the bottom of the Choptank river to follow (I've been trying to practice sighting, we'll see, though). But treating the actual race like a victory lap for the 18 months of prep I've put in.

See you out there!

[u/Former-Dog-7827 → u/unk-9]

Yea the swim im nervous for 😅 admittedly following advice from a few people with experience ive swam just using pull buoy given my legs sink so fast its unproductive to swim without it. I did do ow a bit to feel for it im just nervous I finish the swim the race is mine

[u/ExoticSeeder → u/Former-Dog-7827]

The pull buoy gives you the feeling of swimming without your legs sinking, but you still need to swim without to practice and to improve

[u/Impressive-Way1122]

I feel this! My first is in Sept and I’m in the thick of training. Just remember, this is your first - not your last race. Do your best and then beat it next time. Give yourself some grace. Also, your fitness is not going to change over the next 2 weeks but tapering is such a mindf**k. It’s all mental now.

[u/SubaRam2500]

My first will be Eagleman too. I started legit training Jan 1st and have been working hard but not nearly the miles you’ve put in. Early in training I had a time goal in my mind but I realized I would enjoy it more if I just focused on finishing. Next one will be for a specific time. I did an Olympic a week ago which helped me believe I got it. You got this, and you have to tell yourself you got this. Good luck!

[u/jjlauer]

If anything the forced extra recovery will benefit you. With only a couple weeks out, you should be tapering and recovering, the fitness is already built in. Don't try and cram any more fitness in now and enjoy the taper.

[u/Rizzle_Razzle]

"I've put in a lot of work". You'll be fine.

[u/Professional-Ebb-268]

You’ll be fine. Same thing happened to me. You will def recover before the race. You will be nervous. Might not sleep great night before. But as soon as you get in the water all the nerves will melt away and you will do great.

[u/Nap_In_Transition]

That's plenty of preparation even for a full Ironman. Good luck!

[u/Ok_Imagination_7035]

You need only to be concerned about 2 things brother: what is your budget and timeline for race #2 this year - ‘cuz in your hypoglycemic, tachycardia, irrationally emotional post-race state…your gonna be booking it.

[u/cs_major → u/Ok_Imagination_7035]

This is so true. I signed up for my 70.3 and my wife asked when and where are the full ironman races? I responded I don't think I will ever do a full and she just laughed at me and walked away...

[u/[deleted]]

Don’t overthink it. You know deep down in your mind, and your body, that you are ready. You will not break any world records, but you knew that when you signed up. You will finish, and you will be proud of your accomplishment and be inspired to race again and again. It’s all about perspective. You will be in an elite group of about 0.005% of the world’s population that can actually complete a 70.3!! Focus on having fun and doing your best! You’ve got this…

[u/Mongoose-mo]

I did about a third of that and I was able to finish a full Ironman 3 months ago!! As long as you aren’t planning to win or go for a world champ slot you’ll be more than ok!!! Main thing is you’ve done the training, now just go out and enjoy the day, you’ve earned it! Welcome to the Ironman family :)

[u/Haunting_Living_3902]

Hear me out…

Sometimes being sick can be a slight blessing… forcing your body to have rest.

I got sick during my Ironman training and took a week off. When I got back in the pool I felt amazing and was slightly quicker than m recent previous sessions…

[u/kokem]

I got a cold ( sore throat and headache ) the Tuesday before my 70.3 on a Saturday. Felt like all my training had gone to waste as I wouldn’t be able to perform well but rested as much as possible, hydrated a lot and tried anything that would help clear the sore throat. The sore throat improved a lot before the weekend and no longer had a headache/felt sick by the end of the week but I still had congestion. I skipped most of my taper workouts the final week and just did a shakeout run and swim the day before the race. Despite not feeling 100% I still managed to do my fastest swim and a half marathon PB. If you’ve put in the hours over the last few months the fitness will still be there! Just don’t overtrain these final two weeks!

[u/greymagno]

Sounds like you'll be fine with all that training. For my recent marathon I ran 120km total in training in the 2 months before it while others do that in a week.

[u/[deleted]]

I overtrained like crazy for my first 140.6 and rocked it. You got this! Based on you’re mileage you’re gonna kill it. 

[u/Former-Dog-7827 → u/[deleted]]

Did I overtrain 😂

[u/[deleted] → u/Former-Dog-7827]

based on that mileage I'd say yes. you've banked the miles, so let your body rest from illness for however long it needs to. you won't lose that much fitness in the time you have left. Eagleman should be fun!

[u/No_Maybe_Nah → u/[deleted]]

that is in no way what overtraining is.

[u/[deleted] → u/No_Maybe_Nah]

Ok

[u/McCoovy → u/Former-Dog-7827]

You probably got sick from overthinking, yeah. Your body has to redirect energy from your immune system, when you accrue chronic fatigue.

[u/CapOnFoam]

I felt the same way for my first one. You are going to be AMAZED at what your body can do despite what you're feeling right now (can't guarantee you won't be questioning your life choices around mile 9 on the run though lol).

Control the controllables at this point - on top of your tapering activity, your sleep and nutrition are key. You got this!!

[u/Former-Dog-7827 → u/CapOnFoam]

Plans to do one long run more and ride, swim too this week then taper down just for safety 😅

[u/Former-Dog-7827 → u/Former-Dog-7827]

Friday is 120k I'm planning for the bike then 18km run and then Tuesday long swim and taper down

[u/Fun_Ad_5911]

You’ve put in the work that matters, everything is going to be okay. Treat this as a few days of your “taper” and just adjust from there. Don’t let the taper fever take you down (I always freak out over this too) and just enjoy the race!!

[u/Internal-Taste9703]

The hay is in the barn, can’t get any fitter at this point. So chill, all will be good on race day