Race Plan Tim Cronk IMFL 2012
Disclaimer's , Excuses , and Whining.
1. Just completed KONA . 2. Broke clavicle 7/18 3. training on old bike between KONA and IMFL with different fit, crank length , different gearing, no PM using CT. 4. Very busy and stressful , condensing 2 homes to 1 with moving, closing, etc. 5. Haven't been sleeping well since returning home from KONA probably cause of #4. 6. Tweaked lower back moving a couch. 7. Feeling a bit tired and run down.
Why I don't care about any of the above.
1. I am a lean/mean EN racing machine. 2. Recovery from KONA has gone very well. 3. Confident in my abilities, believe in my training and execution. 4. Having the support of family, friends, and Team EN on the course and on the athlete tracker.
Training...
Structured the IM build for IMFL as the "A" race with KONA 3 weeks prior as the 2nd Race Rehearsal. Peak week was 2 weeks before KONA or 5 weeks before IMFL... Taper for KONA was a short 1 week.... 4 rides of 5-5.5hrs all with IF .75-.78 and TSS of 290-315 , KONA would be the 5th long ride in the build and was the easiest ride @ IF .72 and TSS of 273....Run mileage was more than normal thru frequency and split runs building from low 30's to high 40's per week , NO single run was longer than 2:10 and 16 miles.... The 3 weeks between have been 1 week of easy recovery work , 1 week of medium distances and re-introducing some intensity, the last week will be normal taper.... Key workouts of note have been the 2 long bikes of 2.5hrs with 110min @ .80 done as 4 x 25 and 1 x 10 , 1 FTP ride of 3 x 8 @ .95-.99, 1 ride with 5min Vo2 done in 30sec intervals , 2 long runs of 89min 11.5 miles and 68min 9.3 miles using run/walk strategy but much faster than EP , 1 run with 2 x 1 @ HM pace.... Couple long swims 4200 yds and 4000 yds... So completely relying on the work that was done pre-KONA and just concentrating on recovery and nutrition.
RaceWeek....Not relaxing but it is what it is....
Monday.... 45 min swim and then moving the last few big items in the house (contracted mover) Tuesday.... 1hr bike 3 x 7 @ .85 , 2 mile brick run.... closing on the house in the afternoon.... Weds masters swim class and 4 mile run with 3 x3' @ Mpace flying to PCB weds afternoon... Thurs... 15 min splashing around in wetsuit , pickup bike from TBT test ride 20-30min, 2 mile run.... packet pickup ... hope the 4keys is in there somewhere, EN dinner .....Friday check bike, feet up, execute pre-race nutrition, get my head into the game.... Can't wait for Saturday it may actually be more relaxing than the rest of the week.
Goals... 1. KQ very unrealistic at IMFL but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. 2. Sub 10hrs which is needed to be top 3 anyway (coming close to all my SBR PR's will get me near 10hrs) . 3. PR of sub 10:22 4 . Simply race to the best of my ability on that day and be happy with the outcome no matter what!
Swim--Goal 1:05.... only because I swam just under 1:06 @ IMFL 2 years ago.... My 2 non-wetsuit races this year were 1:13 and 1:15 which is a far cry from 1:05 even with a wetsuit.... My garmin measured wetsuit swims post crash led me down the path thinking my swim was better than it is... Will line up 2/3 of the way to the right and almost in front, will take my lumps and bumps with the faster people in the effort to get those few minutes. Will try to swim more straight out , instead of following the buoys for half the first leg out and then merge into the buoy line. Concentrate on effort the entire swim...Nutrition pre-swim is bottle perform and 1 gel.
T1 .... Goal top 5.... The weather is predicted to be low 50's which means mid 50's around 8AM.... I can handle those temps for 30-60min and then it will be warmer.... This will be key for me keeping things minimal... Helmet, glasses, shoes , slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
Bike....Goal NP170-172 , IF .75 , guessing this will net a low 5hr bike split... Rode IMFL 2011 in 5:21 on NP165 , Rode IMTX in 5:02 on NP 172... So the math works....Plan is to JRA for about 5 min building right up to IM pace and then holding it there as steady as the notorious draft packs will allow.... I've had good luck with this execution and don't normally warm up longer than that on any training rides... So its been practiced a lot.... The key goal is to not burn those early matches by going to far over goal watts... Nutrition on bike is 20-24oz perform per hour , cliff bar, cliff blocks consumed in 60 calorie bites every 30 min , and 1 gel at 85-90 miles , 250-300 cals per hr. NO SN !
T2... Goal top 5.... socks, shoes, bib on.... everything else in a hand held bag...slow is smooth and smooth is fast....
Run.... Goal PR the Marathon with a sub 3:51 but looking to get down around sub 3:45... Pace goal of 8:30-8:40....Similar to the bike I will settle into this pace very early while paying attention to not burn those matches by going faster than 8:30.... Will use the run/walk strategy starting at mile 1 , looks like the weather will be high seventies and not too humid so I'm hoping to not spend too much time cooling down with ice and water like KONA/IMTX... Also be nice to run with dry shoes for a change.... Will evaluate how things are going at mile 20 , if good , this will be my line , whether is actually picking up the pace or just maintaining the one I have thru increased RPE! Nutrition for the run is gel flask with 4 gels and 1 for the pocket , sip of gel every 3 miles takes me to mile 18 with water , carry gel at mile 20-21, perform all other aid stations , switch to coke after the last gel, 20-24oz per hr of fluid estimated and 250-300 cal per hour. 1-2 Saltstick with the coke but non-prior on the run or the bike.....NO SN.
Bottomline... The entire race is going to be largely based on RPE.... The KONA/IMFL double so close is a huge unknown.... I'm preparing myself to dance that fine line of could vs should ,being just slightly uncomfortable all day and then entering that "risk zone" looking for that perfect balance to maximize what I have. That is what this race plan is all about trying to get myself into that mental game . Finding the edge of that envelope I'll call the risk zone could go either way. No matter what, I will learn something and be happy with the outcome.... When the pain is gone I may even say I enjoyed it.... Like one of my favorite EN athletes is fond of saying I'm lucky to be racing this IM!
Misc..... My Heather is racing IMFL as her 3rd IM.... Hoping to see her on the run course for a kiss ! 7IM's started w/6 IM's finished this has become a ritual!
Pre-Race Nutrition will be my usual plant based carbo loading of oatmeal, sweet potatoes, white rice, banana's, coconut water, dark chocolate, hemp seed, nut butters, etc.... feel free to ask questions or look up one of my other race reports if interested...
Comments , questions , suggestions are very welcome!
Comments
Not for this race. But in the future. Had you thought of trying the HR modulated run pace that would give you faster splits for the first half to 2/3 of the run? So negative splitting the effort still but not the pace. Or do you think you do the best with a consistent pace through the run?
Thinking about this a bit more, and playing armchair tactician, there might even be a chance to game it against your goals and keep it interesting. So, while keeping in the EN execution paradigm, also choose a time somewhere in the day where you give yourself permission to commit. Maybe mile 80 on the bike. Maybe mile 1 in the run. Wherever it is, this is where you're now officially going after the sub 10 / podium / pb / golden rings / whatever. This is going to sharpen your focus just enough to have you pushing things a little more than you might otherwise choose. This lines you up to live a nightmare between 18 and 26, but you're still pacing to get to these and be able to not slow down. From there, bury yourself. repeat: bury yourself. Even though your're a seasoned race, you'll be surprised at the depths you can plumb ... it took me something like 15-16 IMs before I found that place, but that's where remarkable achievements and results reside.
Anyhow ... do us and yourself proud, Sir.
Best wishes to Heather.
Dave
Tim - I think you're still "early" enough in your IM career that your mind and motivation remains fresh. And you have some revenge issues from your last (non-Kona) IM having been taken away from you. We've all got our own personal methods of getting into what Dave calls the dark place (I prefer to think more positively, at least in advance, about it). For me, it's getting mad and scared, Mad at something, somebody, anything. Maybe I'm mad because I had a crash and couldnt' do the race I'd been shooting for over a year (we've both been there). Maybe I'm mad because somebody I passed on the bike passed me back on the run and NOBODY does that. Maybe I'm scared I'll look bad to all the folks following back home (it's not true, but it works for me.)
Anyway, you get the idea: fairies, unicorns, and "I'm just here to see what I can do" don't work, not for what you want to do. It's gotta be intensely emotional and personal to enable you to tap into those hidden reserves Dave hints at. You know the cliche, "But you gotta really want it." That's the only way to get from the Should towards the Could effort. JUST DON"T GO THERE TOO SOON.
He said as he tries to psyche himself up for Arizona
Look, if you come 5th, not sub-10, no KQ and you start up with some bullshit like you have in the "Disclaimer's , Excuses , and Whining" then there is no patience for that. You had better come back with "I committed and didn't make it". Or, even better, "I committed, and I fu*king shattered myself and can't walk for the next week and the results are what the results are".
If you're halfway through the bike and it's not happening today, and all the "Disclaimer's , Excuses , and Whining" turn out to have a real and profound impact, then I get it, I understand. In that case, don't commit. Enjoy yourself. Save it for another day. Stop to give Heather a kiss or maybe even pace her to a run PB.
But there's no halfway. You are a competitor.
(btw, two quick points, (1) you should look for sub-5 on the bike if the conditions are good and (2) you are looking quite good to KQ, you have set yourself up for this, SO BELIEVE IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Matt -- I need to save this post and read it before my next race! You got me fired up I almost wish I could take my bike and jump in this thing! (Not really)
Good luck Tim!
I get the impression that there is conflict within you. On one hand you point out stressors and distractions but negate that in your next section. From there the plan is focused and determined to PR at minimum. In the end you sum up by being open to being on the edge of discomfort.
If you don't want to commit, that's fine. I don't believe it though. I believe you really do want to commit - to keep the fine line well behind you - to seek that dark place, Dave T's 'nightmare'.
Quiet the noise in your head, ignore the outside distractions..... time to get the game face on.
Swim and bike are all about execution for the run. And when you run, run like you mean it.
In the end I think you will crush this race or you will come home chewed up by it. I'm betting it's the former.
Best of luck for those things you cannot control and as you often say "good skill" for everything else.
#BestMotivationEver >> Matt A & Dave T
The untraditional approach and goal of the race plan was to put it out there , hold myself accountable, and prepare my mental game as part of the process.
The Disclaimer, Excuse, Whining section... while real ... shoulda been posted in pink.... cause I really dont care about those..... EVERYTHING in the Why I dont care about any of the above section trumps all excuses. Make no mistake I am prepared to commit in fact I already have by writing this down... Responsibility is mine.
Just like the words of wisdom that helped talk me out of racing too soon after clavicle surgery , this thread has morphed into yet another great example of EN support, knowledge, and good advice. I too have read and reread the posts. Seemed to surface at the same time of a few other threads about the mental game showing just how important it is.
Thank you everybody for getting pumped up and motivated for IMFL 2013.
Now I'm convinced you are ready. It's gonna be good.
Have a great race out there.... i'll be watching thru the day rootin' for you all the way!