Chesapeakeman Race Plan
Pre-Ramble. After Texas the reality of Ironman racing quickly set in and delusions of Kona quickly faded (for now). For the record, I had and have no expectations of kona qualifying for a while. My focus/ plan has been to steadily improve from year to year and race to my potential. As this is my second year racing and first for IM races, I knew training for a second IM would be both mentally and physically tough so I needed to make some slight changes to the plan.
After Texas, I took two weeks off from training with the exception of some easy swimming during week 2. I then decided to break the plan into phases. Breaking into phases was mainly for the run to prepare my body for the difficulties ahead.
Phase 1 ( easy build) - 4 weeks: for the run it was about 4 runs per week with heart rate in zone 1. This continued until HR 1 and Pace 1 matched. The last 2 weeks added strides to one run, usually friday as per plan. Because the run was light, I focused on the bike riding anywhere from 4-5 times per week. These consisted of EN plan rides plus some VO2 work and sometimes and easy Z1 ride. Swim: approximately 2 times per week.
Phase 2: Preparing for Speed work: 2 weeks. Bike continued to be the same. Run substituted one workout for interval type training, swim 1-2 per week.
Phase 3: Meat and potatoes. 5 weeks. Run focus at this time was on FTP work. Each week I would alternate how the FTP work was performed. One week was as per plan and the following week would be sustained Z4 runs. Bike was pretty much as per EN plan. Swim: 2 x per week.
Phase 4: Race prep plus doing what I feel I do best. 3 weeks. Wanted each workout to be successful so I could go into race with a positive outlook. Run as per plan except all ftp work will be sustained. Bike as per plan but instead of FTP work have been doing sweet spot longer hold work. Taper will be as per plan in terms of distance but with previously mentioned changes ( ex. when it calls for 2 x 1 mile repeats, i'll do 2 miles at Z4 Last week will be exactly as plan.
For all long runs only warm up and main sets were completed. Physically, I have felt pretty good all plan long. Struggled a little mentally at week 17 but that passed and now ready to go.
Race Plan:
Morining Nutrition: Wake up a 4 and eat 3 cups of unsweetened applesauce, scoop of protein, banana, bottle of perform and have a cup of coffee. One hour before race have powerbar and water. 15 minutes before swim eat a gel with h20.
Swim: Under 1 hour. Will probably be the only one in a sleeveless wetsuit 
As this is a much smaller race, i really don't see a crowded swim being a problem.
T2: 3-4 minutes. Removal of wetsuit begins as I am coming out of the water. Taking off the legs takes less than 20 seconds. Grab gear and go.
Bike: Goal power is 205 with heart rate staying under 135. During training was able to maintain approximately 200 watts with hr 127. Pace in the beginning will be monitored by RPE and heart rate. Nutrition on the bike is 1.5 bottles of fluid per hour with one s cap in each bottle. I'll have to look at course offerings and see how sodium levels compare to perform and make proper adjustments. If temperature rises above 86 degrees will increase to 2 bottles of fluid. Every thirty minutes will eat power bar and or gel. Will start with power bar and as day goes on switch to gels. Will do a special needs bag this time with coke.
T2: 3-5 minutes. Drop bike put on number belt,socks,shoes, visor and sunglasses if needed..
Run: Goal pace is 8:30-8:40 with heart rate below 145 until after mile 18 then its go time. After which Ill try to maintain pace or faster with HR being monitored to ensure no last mile collapse. Pace and HR will be monitored to ensure proper hydration. At every aid station will take 30 steps or less. Goal is to not exceed 30 steps. Nutrition: as per Core diet plan/ same as Texas.
Going into last long week before taper time, I feel pretty good and ready. It will be interesting as I will not have completed a single RR prior to this race. Regardless, I feel confident and pretty dialed into what I think I can handle
Comments
The only thing I didn't like is your targeting 205w vs a proven thru training 200w. Heard somewhere once that your iM ride should be your easiest ride of the year. Iow train harder than you race (for IM distance) That is why I like the EN race pace plus long rides. Read the race reports they are littered with target watts much higher than actual(myself included). During training it's easier to hold a higher NP due to lots of micro rests for pee stops , refueling, traffic, etc, this may only add 10-15 min admin time but those breaks add up. That can give you a false sense of 5-6hr power. On race day you will have the swim take some out of you and then no breaks while racing , specially on that flat course. Go over the data of your long rides just to make sure of your race day target
Tim's right ... you can't "approximate" your bike efort on race day, it has to be tested and proven. Three things I use for cross-checking:
You may already do this, but if you have an interval function on your power head unit which shows interval IF, that is a great way to control effort. New interval every 15-minutes.
As long as you are paying attention to HR on the bike and the run, Coach P and others have suggested that the run HR should start out at about the HR you are seeing in the last hour of the bike. Personally, I like to keep my HR on the run in mid-high Zone 1; for me, getting into Zone 2 at any time until the last mile, ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT, usually results in walking within 10 minutes. Again, Coach P recommends trying to hold a steady HR thru most of the run, although he does think low Zone 2 is possible for a WELL-TRAINED athlete. I'm not sure how you decide if you qualify to let yourself work that hard. Be careful out there.
The only thing I can think of, as I'm a Core Diet guy too, the sweat rate test you had done for your IMTX race and the conditions you did the test. You know it is going to be much cooler for Chesapeake and your sodium fluid levels may change a lot. You don't want so much fluid rolling around in your stomach that it effects your racing.
You have come a long way in short amount of time. When you put this race to bed take some down time it will be good for the soul.
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At David. Thanks for advice on adjusting NA levels and fluid levels and Amen to time off once this race is over.
I think when its going to be cool and dry and we know were not going to consume as much fluid , might consider mixing perform a little heavier or think of an additional calorie source.
I'm tracking that the first aid station on the bike is after the 10 mile out and back which should put us near mile 20 before we hit an aid station. Athlete guide recommends at least two bottles on your bike before you leave T1.
just wanting to make sure you saw that..
The brighter guys have hit the more important points for you to consider - I'm just going to add some filler.
Transitions: If the setup is the same as previous Chesapeakmans, I want to see transitions at 1 minute, or less. I suggest you take a look at last year's race results, find the best t1 and t2 times, and aim to match those. Practice if necessary, on and off course.
Swim: Again, if I remember correctly, the Choptak (sp?) can have some good currents that *might* adversely affect your siwm time. Just be mentally prepared for this possibility, and do what you need to in order to not get freaked (and make bad decisions) based on a longer swim.
Bike: As I've mentioned in other RRs/plans, be prepared for the mental breaking point that arrives at hour 3 or 4 ... and commit to staying aero and on the gas. This is particularly acute because there is no terrain on course, you might be riding completely sole, and the boredom that accompanies that breaking point gets amplified.
Here's something to think about: what if you were to execute at 200watts until hour 3, and identify a fixed point-in-time where you make a decision whether to bump to 205?
Stay low.
Run: Is it three laps or four? Can't remember. Either way, think about executing / racing on a 'lap' basis. That is, lap 1 is insanely easy, lap 2 is regular pace, lap 3 is hold on to regular pace / get through the suck, and lap 4 is 'leave it on the course.' Oh - and be prepared for the adversity of a mostly-unshaded out-and-back.
Given your run strength, I would (literally) map out the calcuated chances, then, by running the plays as if-then scenarios that could occur in laps 2-4 of the run. So, "If I feel great in lap 2, here's what i'll do ,,," and so forth.
And coming in with a "figuring things out" frame of mind is a pretty neat way to approach an execution - couple this with some mental exercises of envisioning breakthrough / remarkable / performances, and you might surprise yourself on race day!
Not that i'm super fast, but mentally i'm prepared to ride solo for much of the ride. I ride solo for all training rides so no biggy. Also prepared for an empty run course for the first lap.
was wondering about the current as I suspect there is one. I'm hoping to get a sense when I get there next Thurs. John, I think what Dave is saying on the swim, if you think you are going to swim a sub 1 hour but get out of the water and see 1:05 on the dial, Don't Freak. it was probably the current.