Race Plan - Dave Tallo Kona 2013
Dave Tallo, 43
FTP 275, weight ~150, VDOT 53
Strategic Pillars
1. Execute with Respect for the race
2. No drama
3. Leverage experience to exceptional performance
Race Week
-approx 2300 cals/day plus replacement of training cals. Green, lean and clean.
-all situations, ask "Is this adding to, or depleting my energy?"
-lots of sitting, avoid walking anywhere if you can drive, keep off feet
-stay in control of all situations
-OCD handwashing and purel; if someone sneezes, run the other way
Day before race
-in advance, write itinerary: where to go and when, menus and venues for meals, follow schedule using 15min blocks
-get in, get done, get out
-salted everything.
-Denny's team breakfast. Pancakes. Last coffee no later than 1030 am.
-sip electrolyte drink all day
-gather bags
-Lunch as small 'clean' pasta or burritos w flour tortilla, chicken, mild salsa, rice
-230 / 3pm arrive at check in, work from list
-big smile all day
-walk route from water to bags to bike to exit. Think about places to run fast, run slower, shortcuts.
-Look for 2x landmarks and markers for bike rack position. Note row/column of t bags.
-get outta there fast
-afternoon: stretch / light yoga, DL movie from itunes in room and relax.
-Sunset with SO to give thanks
-sit for dinner w extended fam by 6:30, be grateful!
-dinner as bland white pasta, red sauce, chicken, white bread
-put on timing chip left ankle strap before bed (safety pin neoprene strap)
Sleep by 9-10PM - "I'm grateful to be racing and damn lucky"
Race Day
-wake at ~2/3am for 4 x Ensure
-wake 4:00
-"I feel great"
-EN singlet, craft shorts, Garmin
-Get to race Time TBD
-quick list of Admin (more to add later): water in profile bottle, salted gatorade on bike cage, PT computer attached and secured w extra elastic, inflate wheels to 115, chain lubed in easy gear, attach 4 x clifs, gel flask, sunglasses to bars w elastics, outta there
-find somewhere quiet to sit, chill, light stretch, sunscreen
-continue sipping water
t minus 30
-swimskin on, make way to water
-spash around with warmup including 4-5 x 'hard' intervals
-gel at 10 mins to start
Swim
Goal of 1:04 - 1:08
-Seed near r and outside
-find big dude to get behind at start, gauge speed, use his big draft
go
-hard for first 400 (NTD - approx marker for 400 is past Kona Inn). Quick strokes, hard pull, natural kick. Hard pace based on muscles, form and fitness ... NOT adrenaline. Be in control.
-you'll get hit; hold your ground and keep making forward progress
-muscle fatigue: first 400 will be over soon, just keep hard pace
-settle into race pace with longer pulls, lift heels to kick and maintain body position, count strokes
-keep key 3 in mind: early catch, high elbow, strong finish
-stay on hip or feet and enjoy the ride
-REALLY stay on hip or feet on return
-effort: remember ... it's a race
Exit and t1
-Look at t1s of previous years and aim for fast
-grab bike and go
Bike
-HELMET ON AND BUCKLED BEFORE EVEN TOUCHING BIKE
-shoes on pedals, flying mount and go, tighten straps once moving forward on bike
-Bike Planned IF .74, approx TSS 275, Goal time irrellevant
-think "range of watts" - 190 to 193; 200 to 203; etc
-First 5 mins / industrial park as 190, easy spinning, take time putting things attached to bike in pockets (Clifs in jersey pockets, glasses with arms inside helmet straps, gel flask in shorts pocket at back).
-Safety first.
-DRINK!
-climb K highway at 210 max
-200 out along Queen K to 30 min mark
-keep very very very low in this section and ensure helmet is flush against back
-coast 2 x large downhills
-eat early - stomach is normally setled right away and harder swim will have taken more cals than normal
-Do what you need to in order to ensure there is the mental real estate to keep making good choices all morning.
-from 30mins in to bike finish: keep on 200 watts, with terrain features at 210 and climbs at 220. Stay on gas steadily, don't come up during descents until 40mph or so. Look for opportunities for free speed = keeping momentum on rollers, legal drafting, etc. Lots of people will go out too fast on the bike = Free Wind Shadows from pretty much first half of lap 1 onwards.
-Bike is a 5h conversation with your powermeter. No siteseeing.
-Stay low all day with head tucked down and turtled
-general strategy point: if feeling **great** after descent from Hawi, make descision to bump to 203/ 213 / 223. easy spin on downhills while staying low. After airport, make decision about output recognizing a net elevation loss and need to run a marathon
-Visuals through ride: "I get small and punch through the wind" ... "I am light and strong"
-1 /2 Clif every half hour with water. Gatorade on the :15 and :45. Switch from Clifs to gels at about 3.5h
-Minimum 2 full bottles water plus Powerdrink ever hour
-2 x lava salt every .5 hour
-make sure you're still peeing hourly at 3+ hour mark
-pick a landmark around the 3/4 point that will coincide with your normal point of losing focus / drifting mentally (probably Moana Kea Resorts). This is the cue to get your head back into it.
-Mile 110: unstrap shoes, drop to 190, easy light spinning, get mind into t2 game
t2
-aim for 'best in class' t2 time based on past races (~1:30?)
-t2 flying dismount, drop bike and gogogo
-turn race number right away so volunteers can see and grab your bag
-helmet unstrapped once past dismount line, take off while running
-sit down, dump bag, socks and shoes on, grab hat / baggie of sunscreen bundle, crack cold pack into activity and put on lower back, get movin'
-just carry hat and sunscreen until everything is settled, then put 'em both on when you're underway. if this is hard, you're going too fast
Run
-assuming currrent forecast of 80s and no cloud
-alternate gatorade and gel at every aid station. Grab 2 gels every time: one for next aid station and toss in pocket to eat as you roll up to station IOW, always have an 'emergency' gel pack in your pocket.
-don't break stride for pee breaks - just keep moving
-run smart: take tangents, follow shortest paths anywhere
-run start: Hit power on on Garmin (wear on wrist from start of day powered off)
-start as shuffle with Key Bobby McGee look-fors: forward lean from chest, footstrike along stance line, quick turnover at 90rpm, eyes on 6 ft ahead on road
-"I am light and strong"
-paces / efforts based on last year's run execution:
-opening pace w HR cap of 150
-back down to if RPE too hot, and adjust slower every few minutes unti RPE is very easy
-run entire race, keeping consistent miles
-mile 6: if on pace, drop to HR cap of 158
-If first 6 at too easy pace, just adjust ... gradually and later
-Mile 12: how do I feel? If it's an HONEST "great," and running at higher 150s, keep on. If running with HR higher than 160s, drop pace and walk aid stations. If feeling anything else, figure it out.
-Hills: remember form to maximize mechanical advantage, make tactical choice at each hill whether to bump to higher effort to climb (HR cap 165), or maintain pace
-walk up Palani. Someday I'll run it.
-mile 18: toggle garmin to "time of day," keeping moving, and take stock for a minute. Breathe; control. Figure out what will be needed to get to the line. One last reminder of running with perfect McGee form, then go and run with heart.
-move from "reserved, internal focus" to "gutsy, external focus." Pass people and steal their energy. Try to get pace to STRONG. Keep turnover, keep form, don't walk anywhere. Images of Peter Reid in Kona, Mark Allen, Luc Van Leirdre; find anything that gives you energy. BIG FRICKEN SMILE
-"I am light and strong and breathe energy"
Other
-No bike Special Food bag. Put break-open instant ice packs in Run bag.
-Bike setup as front BTA bottle for water, water in behind seat carrier, 4 clifs and gel flask in jersey, 2x extra light tubes on bike with c02, lever and minipump onboard. Contact lenses in storage.
Risk Management and Contingencies
-blown tire or minor: come to a stop, close eyes and beathe deep for 5 s, and get on with a calm fix. Think Crissie, not Normann.
-major: you're lucky to be doing Ironman. Use it to learn something on race day: maybe try a run PB using McGee 8/1 run walk.
Say 'Mahola' at the end.
Comments
Sorry not there to help with swim draft.
Shoes on bike ok at kona?
Belt race number needed on bike? Not needed at other irons. That is lots of drag if rules do not require.
Have you considered coach Ps bigger first half bike watts? Because of coasting after hawi, etc. consider bigger watts say from waikaloa up to hawi????
Have fun.
Race for yourself and no one else. The rest of us care you're there, not how you do. Make YOURSELF proud.
Good Luck.
Thank you so much for putting out yet another race plan that I continue to learn from. Just love your attention to detail and go over it several times.
Pretty sure no race belt needed on bike.
Q on swim???? -Seed near r and outside .... Is that rear and outside or front and outside??? I was thinking for me left/rear outside with a planned 1:15 swim?
My plan is much simpler but starts with your number #1 Strategic pillar... Execute with Respect for the Race just below what I think I can do and enjoy the day!!!
Look forward to that smiling face on the course.... CYA at Denny's!
Good luck Dave and aloha!
Thank you for sharing your race plan. I can see that I have much to learn!
Have a great race and it will be so exciting to virturally know someone.
Best,
Beth
Dave,
Nothing to add other then have a great race. I'll be following you on the tracker.
Gordon
Picture perfect as always Dave. Thanks for sharing, as always, lots to use and learn from.
This is your day! May you: Execute it. Enjoy it. Relish it. We all are proud of and happy for you, and look forward to hearing your stories and seeing that race day and finish-line smile!
For a guy who hasn't done a full yet, it is amazing how many things one needs to remember. A little scary in fact! I will reference this in April/May for sure as I prepare for my first full. Thanks for sharing. More helpful than you realize I bet.
Jeff
Thanks for sharing your plan Dave,
I like this item in the Bike section of your plan: "pick a landmark around the 3/4 point that will coincide with your normal point of losing focus / drifting mentally (probably Moana Kea Resorts). This is the cue to get your head back into it".
Never considered!