IMAZ 2013 Race Execution Plan
I know this novel is extremely long. This is my first IM so I have tried to prepare myself as best as I can. This REP (Race Execution Plan) has been writing itself for the last few months. I have been thinking about it, dreaming about it, lying awake at night about it, training it, living it and breathing it for a year now. I have committed all of it to total memory. I didn't know what to include/exclude for your review, so I decided to just leave it all in there and have you sift through it (if possible). I know all of you are extremely busy and so I thank you in advance for any feedback, comments, suggestions, etc you have. THANKS!
-------------------------------------------------
Race Execution Plan
Race: Ironman Arizona
Date: November 17th, 2013
Location: Tempe, AZ
OVERALL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- Race with gratitude and humility. You are here not only on your own accord and effort, but also by the tireless effort, energy, knowledge, sacrifice, patience and understanding of family, friends, clients, coworkers, coaches and teammates.
- Give thanks/praise/glory to God for His bounty, strength and a great race day.
- “You are doing a 9 hour warm-up for a 10K race” (see Mental Execution Plan).
- Whatever time you post, it will be a PR!
- Finish Time Goal: 10:30 -/+ 15 min. Done as: 55 – 60 min swim, 5 min T1, 5:15 – 5:30 Bike, 5 min (or less) T2, 4:00 Run.
- Be able to watch the southwestern desert sunset at the finish line in the arms of my amazing honey and she in the arms of an Ironman (no, not Robert Downey, Jr. However, if he is also racing and beats me then totally understandable and I will cut in when I’m done).
BACKGROUND RACE LEADUP
- You spent approximately one year prepping for this A Race.
- Did the Advanced training plan with 97-98% compliance rate (other 2-3% was combination of either shifting order of workouts around, needing to truncate a workout by no more than <5% of what was scripted, or missed workout altogether).</p>
- Practice Races: Rev3 Williamsburg Half (6/23/13); Luray Oly (8/17/13); Patriots Half Iron (9/7/13)
BIOMETRIC AND FITNESS DATA (as of 11/10/13):
- Biometric –
- General: BP (aver) = 126/78; HR (rest) = 50.
- Goal Weight, Race Day = 175; Current Weight = 174.
- Goal Body Fat %, Race Day = <10%; Current BF % = 9.4.</p>
- Fitness –
- Swim: 1000m Time Trial Time = 13:52; 4000m RR Swims (aver): :56.xx
- Bike: Goal FTP, Race Day = 300. Current FTP = 292 (hit 296 on last Fitness Test and I feel like I’m at 300, but suspect data on last test and play it safe; stick with 292). Goal W/kg, Race Day = 3.8; Current W/kg = 3.7.
- Run: Goal vDOT, Race Day = 50+; Current vDOT = 50 (per 5K test at :19.53).
PRE-RACE SCHEDULE AND AGENDA
- OVERALL: Avoid crowds as much as possible, sanitize everything, stay off legs as much as possible, remove yourself from the nervous energy, anxiety, stress, negativity of others should it arise, avoid handshakes (fist bump!), stay focused and on task.
- WEDNESDAY (11/13): Arrive in Tempe. Get to hotel and unpack/reassemble Bike. Confirm that bike is in excellent condition. If problems, go to Tribe Multisport and get it rectified. Problems with luggage, equipment, reservations, etc? Deal with it calmly and stress free. Go to Target and get humidifier for room and sundries. Go to Safeway and buy all food/meals for remainder of week. Unpack. What did you forget?
- THURSDAY (11/14): Stick to agenda! Early rise, quick and easy Bike/Run no more than 60 minutes. Avoid the bike course (you’ve already been on it) as much as possible but also avoid traffic. Have water bottle with you AT ALL TIMES today. Sip H2O. “If you’re pee is clear, you’re in the clear”. Register at Athlete Check-in at 11:00am. Get in, get it done, get out. You did not train for a year to be at an Expo. EAT, EAT, EAT. Go to Athlete Briefing at 2:00pm. Try to get a sample of the Orange/Mango flavored Perform!! Team Dinner at 6:00pm. Start assembling race bags. Assess what you may have forgotten/need. Check functionality of all gear, equipment, electronics.
- FRIDAY (11/15): Stick to agenda! Sleep in (as much as you can). Finish assembling race bags. Have water bottle with you AT ALL TIMES today. Sip H2O. “If you’re pee is clear, you’re in the clear”. Pick up Beth from airport (arrive 10:18am). Find out where the 4 Keys talk is and get in as much of that as you can. Survey Tempe Beach Park area and look at transition areas. Review/Finalize Beth’s race day execution plan. EAT, EAT, EAT. Potentially go to Tribe Multi Sport for pro meet-and-greet and raffle (first to go if you’ve been on your feet too much). Potentially go to Athlete Dinner (nix it if you’re tired and/or dinner does not mesh with your nutrition plan). Movie date night with my honey!
- SATURDAY (11/16): Sleep in!! EAT, EAT, EAT! Have water bottle with you AT ALL TIMES today. Switch to Perform and sip all day. “If you’re pee is clear, you’re in the clear”. Swim practice at 10:00am (wait and let the throngs of people all go at 9:00am). Get in and out of water quickly (no more than 15-20 minutes needed). Back to hotel. Rest. Pack up bike and gear and drop off in transition at 2:00pm. Review Swim to Bike transition/landmarks/visual queues, bike rack placement. Look at entries and exits. Go over T1/T2 plan once again. Back to hotel. REST. Early dinner (7:00pm). Bed by 9:00pm.
- SUNDAY (11/17): Race Day! Up at 2:00am. Follow Nutrition Execution Plan. Back to bed. Up at 4:00am. Follow Nutrition Execution Plan. Final prep of race day nutrition/hydration. Get race kit on, sunscreen, follow Nutrition Execution Plan, grab remaining equipment/bottles/gear. Out the door no later than 5:00am. Arrive at transition by 5:30am at the latest.
OVERALL RACE EXECUTION PLAN
- Your success will stem from sticking to the plan and the proper execution of the plan for ALL FIVE COMPONENTS (Swim, Bike, Run, Nutrition, Mental) for your race. All components are intertwined, so screwing one up will significantly impact another (or others).
- Your race is a chain of events, only strongest at its weakest link. Keep all links strong!
- Stick to the plan, do not overthink it or second-guess it.
- Do not get caught up into someone else’s race execution and/or mistakes. Assume that the person passing you is either faster than you (tell them “good job”!), or they’re an idiot and you’ll see them again later (tell them “good job”!).
- Do not try to “make up for lost time”. If you’re off schedule, timing, etc. leave it alone and pick it up from there.
- You are doing a 9 hour warm-up for a 10K race!
- You are a huge roll of carpet that is going to start unrolling itself, getting faster as it continues to roll.
- Upon arrival at race start on race morning, pump tires, prep transition area, Garmin on, load bottles/nutrition, head to swim start.
SWIM
- Equipment: Reaction Helix wetsuit, tri top singlet, Desoto Forza shorts, tinted goggles.
- Implement Nutrition Execution Plan for Swim.
- Get in asap after the pro start. Jump out and away from the marina dock when entering the water! Do not simply slip into the water to avoid hitting the submerged concrete sloped wall!
- Acclimate to water temp, breathe easy, swim to warm-up. Pray for the safety of others and a good swim.
- Start where the Pros started! They must know something! If not possible, start at the front of the pack, outside right.
- Remember your visuals on the way out: the pier/jetty thing, bridges and the sun. Do not follow buoy line. Count your buoys (start cutting in at #6, hug #9 and then look for red turn buoy). Swing out wide if needed. Remember visuals on the way back (marina parking lot), count your buoys and hug the buoy line.
- When cannon goes off, READY, SET, SLOW! Rely on your Mental Execution Plan.
- Do not draft off anyone or follow anyone and assume the person next to you does not know what they’re doing. You do! Rely on only yourself.
- DO NOT swim with watch on or track time.
- Goal time based off of practice and RPE: 55-60 minutes. Goal HR should be 118-122 bpm upon swim exit.
- Take your time getting out, watch your step. Easy jog to T1. Smile! Look for your honey and blow her a kiss. Try to keep HR low/steady (even though you just saw her).
T1
- Thank the volunteer helping you! Grab your bag and work methodically. Smooth is fast, fast is smooth!
- Work from the ground -> up! Socks -> Shoes -> Arm Warmers -> Wrist Strap for Garmin -> HR monitor (strap already on) -> Sunglasses -> Helmet (SECURE BUCKLE) -> Grab bike and get out of there!
- Transition Goal time: Under 5 minutes.
BIKE
- Immediately after T1: READY, SET, SLOW!!
- Equipment: Cervelo P3, FLO 60/90 wheels with Wheel Builder Aerojacket wheel cover in back, latex tubes, Continental 4000S tires, Quarq Riken Power meter, Compact crank 50/34, Ultegra 11-25 cassette, Garmin 910XT, XLab Stealth top tube bag (2 CO2, tire lever, S! Caps, backup gel). Saddle bag (2 CO2, Multi-tool, rubber bands, electrical tape). Two spare tubes (butyl) strapped to seat post. Two rear bottle carriers, one on the down tub, torpedo bottle up in between aero bars.
- Apparel: Tri singlet top, Desoto Forza shorts, thorlo thick socks, Specialized tri shoes, Pearl Izumi toe covers.
- Goal Bike Metrics: Watts = 205-210 as steady, allowed up to 225 on Beeline ascent. IF = .70. TSS = 270.
- Data Fields setup on Garmin: First Screen = 3 sec Power / Norm Power / IF / Power Zone. Second Screen (Performance Check and Review) = Last lap NP / Last lap Time / Last lap Cadence / Last lap HR. Third Screen = Elapsed Time / Distance / Speed / Time of Day.
- Auto Lap every 5 miles. Adjust effort/pacing based off of Second Screen data review/check.
- Stay aero! Okay to push watts on downhill but watch cap on Watts. Take note of shifting wind conditions and adjust accordingly. DO NOT FIGHT THE WIND OR THE BIKE. Watch for (plan for) crosswinds on Alma School Road.
- Landmarks: Use planned tangents on all turns, STAY OFF THE SHOULDER ON THE BEELINE, remember “false top” at the top of Beeline, know that the landfill is your “7 mile” landmark.
- Bio breaks at mile 30-40, then again at mile 80-90. Find a volunteer (thank them!), point at them, get in the porta-john and out quickly.
- First lap is done at easy (180-190 watts)! RELAX and settle in. Implement Mental Execution Plan and Nutrition Plan. Second and third laps are done at goal watts (205-210).
- Look for Beth at the end of Loops #1 and #2 and at bike finish and remind yourself how luck you are and take note of her amazing beauty and positive energy.
- Get out of aero at mile 110 to prepare stomach for vertical position, switch to water only and take last drink and S! cap, increase cadence, keep HR low.
- Bike Special Needs: Only used for Plan B ops (see Mental Execution, Contingency Plans). Bag contains: spare tube, replacement tire, CO2, 2 hr Infinit bottle, duct tape).
- Goal Time for Bike: 5:15 – 5:30.
T2
- Hand off bike (thank volunteer!), smooth is fast, fast is smooth. Ditch arm warmers.
- Work from the ground -> up! Swap out socks -> run shoes -> put on fuel belt with race number -> grab Ziploc bag of gear (visor, sunglasses, sunscreen, bottles, extra gel -> get out of transition!
- Goal time: 
minutes.</p>
RUN
- Immediately after T2: READY, SET, SLOW!!
- Finish putting on gear, sunscreen.
- Equipment: Saucony Fastwitch racing flats, Thorlo run socks, Visor, Sunglasses, Fuel Belt, 2 bottles front side, 1 gel bottle back right hip side, S! Caps in front pouch and 1 xtra gel. Apparel remains the same (tri singlet and Desoto forza shorts).
- Reminder: skip first Aid Station. Implement Nutrition Execution Plan.
- Walk every mile! Do not skip this. Every time you are walking: Refuel/Drink, Pray, Run.
- Miles 1-13: Goal pace + 30sec (8:50 min/mi pace +30 sec). Miles 14-20: Goal pace (8:50 min/mi). Miles 21-26.2: Time to race! Warm-up is over!
- For Miles 1-13, HR should be 1.9 – 2.2 zone. For Miles 14-20, HR should be 2.2 – 2.5 zone. For Miles 21-26.2, take off HR strap. Go only by RPE and push as hard as you can. Last 10K is setup as 6 x 1 mile, 20” rests.
- Bio breaks at Mile 4, Mile 10, Mile 16.
- Landmarks: Watch HR on little rollers in Miles 0-2 and again Miles 13-14. Watch HR on climb at College Ave and Curry. Let ‘er rip at Lakeview, but settle back into pace when back on North Shore path. Once you turn from Priest onto Rio Salado on your second lap, know that you only have 1.3 miles to go!
- Look forward to seeing Beth at: Run start, Mile 4 aid station, just outside of Mile 6 aid station, Mile 10 aid station, (Repeat for Loop #2). Thank her, let her know and feel how amazing she is, quick kiss (groping/fondling not acceptable behavior).
- Run Special Needs: Only used for Plan B ops (see Mental Execution, Contingency Plans). Bag contains: band aids, ice pack, backup gel flask, Saucony Hurricane trainers, duct tape).
- Rely heavily on Mental Execution Plan at this phase of your race!
- Run Finish: SLOW DOWN (easy walk/jog) the last 100 meters or so! Do not sprint to the finish. Enjoy the moment, be thankful, high fives, bask in the accomplishment, savor the moment, try to separate yourself from others so that you can hear Mike say those words that have been ringing in your ears since watching the IMAZ finish last year, don’t forget to stop your watch.
- Run Goal Time: 4:00.
NUTRITION EXECUTION PLAN
- Pre-race (days leading up to race): Nothing new into your system. Unless you know exactly what it was made of or how it was prepared, do not eat it. Do not forget to EAT! Stay hydrated by making sure water bottle is with you at all times. Water Wed – Fri, Sat is Perform. Drink your Recovery Shake every day (Wed – Sat). Up salt intake on Fri and Sat. Continue with same nutrition plan you have been using for the last year (travel should not throw you off)!
- Morning of race: 2:00am = Applesauce, Protein Drink with Macca Powder. 4:00am = Clif bar, ½ Bagel with honey, 8 oz Perform. 5:30am = Banana with honey, Organic Mashup, 6 oz Perform. 6:30am = Gel, 6 oz Perform.
- T1: water rinse, 6 oz Perform, S! Cap.
- Bike: Onboard nutrition, no aid station support except for water. Done as 3, two hour bottles of Infinit nutrition (24 oz/hr = 300 cals, 70 carbs, 385 Sodium, 55 Potassium, 5 Protein). Torpedo bottle as 20 oz water. Self contained unit for 2 hours! Take only water at Aid Stations (Choose between Aid Station #4 at Mile 30 OR Aid Station #1 at Mile 42 for STOP #1, then Aid Station #4 at Mile 68 OR Aid Station #1 at Mile 79 for STOP #2), stops depending on timing of Bio Break needs. Identify volunteer that has water, point at them and grab bottle carefully as you roll through (thank volunteer!). Continue to roll as you refill torpedo bottle. S! Cap every hour (341 Sodium, 70 Potassium). Water only Miles 110-112. Xlab Stealth top tube bag has backup gel in it.
- T2: NO liquids or nutrition!
- Run: NO liquids or nutrition except for small sips of water for first 15 minutes. Wearing Fuel Belt with two, 6oz bottles up front (one is spare (water) and the other is Perform) and one, 6oz bottle for gel (4 gels with 2oz water) in right rear hip holster. Drink 6oz Perform every mile (52 cals, 13 carbs, 8 sugar, 142 Sodium, 8 Potassium) for Miles 1-20. One gel every 5 miles (done as 1.5 oz of liquid out of gel flask every 5 miles). SIP throughout every mile! DO NOT ingest large quantities/bolus at once. For Miles 21 – 26.2, switch to 4oz Perform every mile. Loosen cap of flask as you approach the aid station. Run to the END of the aid station. Identify the volunteer that has Perform (thank them!), walk while filling flask. FOR EVERY AID STATION: Walk -> Refuel/Hydrate -> Pray -> Run!
- Special Needs Bags: Bike = one, 2 hour backup bottle of Infinit. Backup supply of S! Caps. Run = one backup gel flask. Backup supply of S! Caps.
- See Mental Execution Plan, Contingency Plans for alterations to Nutrition Execution Plan if needed.
MENTAL EXECUTION PLAN
- OVERALL:
All components of your race execution are important, but this one (mental execution) will make or break your day. Completing this race has nothing to do with your fitness, and everything to do with your execution. DISCIPLINE AND PATIENCE ARE CRITICAL.
DISCIPLINE AND PATIENCE = READY, SET, SLOW!!!
Are you visualizing your success, or anticipating your failure?
REMINDERS: A) You are doing a 9 hour warm-up for a 10K race! Keep your head wrapped around going steady, even effort for your “warm-up”. Anytime you feel good/great, thank God and stay in your box (do not use this as an excuse to venture outside of the box or push it). 
You are a giant roll of carpet that starts to unroll itself when the cannon goes off at the start and unrolls with lightening speed for the last 10K. C) You have spent months banking effort and training into this day. You have invested much. You are now going to capitalize on your investment! Take your investment out in small bills throughout the day with one giant lump sum for the last 10K.
Beth is energy and love. She is your beacon. She is your light when you hit the darkness or pain. Draw from her energy, and know that seeing her is always the next thing to look forward to if you happen to be struggling (or, frankly, even if you’re not struggling).
Above all else, no matter what happens or how the day plays out, give thanks and glory to God.
- SWIM: Ready, Set, SLOW! This is not the race! SLOW DOWN. If you’re feeling like your HR is elevated, slow down. You know what 1:22 – 1:25/100 meters feels like as a goal pace, so stay inside that box. Do not think about your swimming or stroke. Think about the kids, think about work, review your bike and run plan, think and pray about the safety of your fellow competitors. Anything to get your mind off of racing the swim. No Ironman has ever been won or accomplished by climbing out of the water and then crossing the finish line. You’ve still got a ways to go, so SLOW DOWN. Time does not matter (do not wear watch)
Visualization = you are smooth, you are gliding, you are long. Think Michael Phelps.
Music = Bach Brandenburg Concerto #5 in D.
- BIKE: Ready, Set, SLOW! You have an expensive piece of electronics in between your forearms. USE IT! The numbers are your guide, not your RPE. Stay inside your box. The bike is an extension of you. You and it are ONE. Your upper body is completely relaxed, grip loose, your legs are like pistons. On the hills/wind, wipe your feet on the imaginary mat and complete the oval of the pedal stroke smoothly. You and the bike feel good! Do not let your mind drift. Stay focused and alert. Look for your landmarks. Be on the constant look out for free speed! Reminder: Have you peed recently? If not, why not? Fix it!
Visualization = Fabian Cancellara in the time trial at the Tour de France. West Ox Road training route (when on the Beeline, remember that YOU’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE when you ride the West Ox Road training route at home).
Music = Joe Satriani Satch Boogie and Summer Song; Van Halen A.F.U. (Naturally Wired); AC/DC Shake a Leg.
- RUN: Ready, Set, SLOW! I know you want to take off right now because you feel good, but don’t do it. It will come back to haunt you. You are still warming up for your 10K. Miles 0-13 are still in the hands of “Training Wolf”. Let him do his thing. You’re smiling, cheerful, thankful, blessed. Beth is God’s gift to you, so let her know it and feel it. WALK AT EVERY MILE. It works, you’ve planned your pacing around it, so don’t skip it for any reason. Miles 14-19, YOU FEEL GOOD. You have strength, energy, and you’ve executed a flawless race to this point. Reminder: Have you peed recently? If not, why not? Fix it! Miles 19-20, time to start shifting gears. Time to start shutting Training Wolf down and time to start booting up Racing Wolf. Rely on Pain Mitigation/Tolerance if needed. Test a few seconds of ramp up pace to see what you’ve got in the tank. One last kiss to Beth at Mile 20. Miles 20 - Finish, IT IS ON. Once you hit the marina parking lot, your warm-up is over and it is now time to race. It is now up to Racing Wolf. You are a machine. You feel nothing, and nothing phases you. You are numb. You have laser focus and are set on catching/passing the heels of people in front of you. Suck the energy out of people as you pass them on College Drive and Curry. Feel refreshed and in control on the downhill on Lakeside Drive. Know that you have been here before! The pain you’re feeling (see Pain Mitigation/Tolerance) only fuels your intensity and drive to compete. Something has been taken from you and now you’re going to go get it back. Round the corner at Priest onto Rio Salado and you only have 1.3 miles left! This is the last of your 6 x 1 mile intervals! You have rocket fuel coursing through your veins! You will claim victory and join the hallowed halls of those who have triumphed before you in less than 10 minutes!
Pacing Reminders (referring to the number (e.g. 9:xx min/mi, or 8:xx, etc) pace on Garmin in min/mi): For Miles 1-13 = “Seeing 9, you’re doing fine!” For Miles 14-20 = “Seeing 8, you’re doing great!” For Miles 20-Finish = “Steady pace wins the race!”
Biomechanics Reminders: knees up, pitched forward from the ankle, relaxed shoulders, breathing rhythm, light feet with high cadence. Don’t forget to do your “systems checks”!
Visualization = Miles 0-20 = Gumdrops, lollipops and unicorns. Miles 20-Finish = Don’t need gumdrops or lollipops and I’m riding the unicorn as fast as I can.
Music = Steve Vai Speed; Joe Satriani Speed of Light; Brad Paisley Mr. Policeman.
- Pain Mitigation/Tolerance
Queues = your pain is inconsequential. You are numb and need to block it out. While it may feel very real to you right now, it is insignificant in comparison to what others have experienced. Remember Wolfi (to reader: Wolfi is my son) laying in the hospital with paralyzed legs, metal probes being inserted into his flesh/quads for nerve conduction tests? You dare to complain about pain right now?? Remember I told you I would take the pain away from you if I could; I’m going to take it right now! Remember Pop as he lay dying, body succumbing to cancer. Remember his pain as you fed him his morphine. You have the gall to complain about your pain right now?? Remember I told you I would trade places with you and take your suffering if I could; I’m taking it now! Remember you have a Savior that loves you and was nailed to a cross and suffered/died for your sins. You have no right to complain of pain right now! Suck it up, move past it, and know that His strength will carry you forward.
- Contingency Plans
Plan A = Default. Everything is going according to plan. No mechanical issues, no stomach/gut issues, no orthopedic/muscular issues. Look! There’s a unicorn sucking on a lollipop! STICK TO THE PLAN.
Plan B = Slight hiccup in your race day. Deal with it calmly and with focus. If mechanical, you are setup/equipped to handle it so get it done. If dealing with your body, slow down, figure it out, fix it and get back on track. Get back to Plan A asap. May need to utilize Special Needs bags at this point.
Plan C = Things have gone awry. Significant issue has knocked you off track. Know that you will be finishing your day off of what you had originally intended, but that’s okay and go into “I’m just going to finish” mode and smile and be grateful. Most likely need things outside of what your original plan was. Look for it, find it, use it.
Plan D = Ain’t gonna happen. However, in the unlikely event that we’ve reach this point, this is not your day. If we’ve gotten to this point, try to get to the finish line before the cutoff. Do not give up. Take the IV out of your arm, exit the med tent and start walking and go finish this thing.
Comments
Wolf ... very complete. Merely thinking about all this gives you a good head start on the race.
Thoughts:
You're gonna have a great race!
Al-
Good morning! THANK YOU so much for your quick reply and sage advice! Very good and I will definitely heed your warning re: the pacing on the run. In reference to the toe warmers, my Achilles heel are my toes. Even at 60-70 degrees, my toes end up numb (I've had this my whole life; poor circulation I think as my hands are wimpy, too). I went with the toe warmers because I can still get in/out of the shoes quickly with them. I figured my feet may be a little chilled from the water when I start as well. I don't bother with them at the Oly or HIM distances because they only get numb for a short amount of time and recover quickly when running (never any issues with toes when running...assuming it's the pounding of running that is promoting circulation). However, I've noticed in my longer distance practices that my toes stayed numb well into the run and it was an uncomfortable feeling. I'm going to plan to switch socks out in T2 in the event that things got sweaty down there.
Looking forward to meeting you and hammering IMAZ with you!
Wolf
1) RELAX!!! while you ride, you will tense up, remember to relax your shoulders, your hands, and your back. On the run, you may tense up as you are pushing it. remember to relax your hands. The looser you are the longer you can go.
2) During the dark time of the run, i used the following phrase, "My racing self owes my training self." I have trained for months, my racing self needs to suck up the pain and deal with it for another hour or two hours because I owe this to myself.
Jonathan-
Thank you SO MUCH for your quick reply and your recommendations!
1) Thank you for this! I put these same reminders in my REP for myself (they are in the "Mental Execution Plan" section). It's cool that you picked up that this will be a key element for me.
2) Again, very cool that we are referencing the same thing here. I mention "Training Wolf" and "Racing Wolf" in the "Mental Execution Plan and keyed in on that in Coach P's video. That really spoke to me and allows me to know that there is "another me" inside me that will move forward and push hard.
Thank you!!
Wolf
Very nice and complete. Like the mental stuff. Almost wish I was racing AZ again this year with you folks. Maybe next year.
For the days before the race that you are drinking water, consider adding a Nuun tablet to each bottle.
Have a great day out there.
Robin-
Thanks so much for your advice and support! I really appreciate it coming from someone with your experience and knowledge.
Great head's up on the Nuun tablets. I will look into it, but since I've never had them before I'm reluctant to change anything or do anything differently so close to the race. Probably more paranoia than anything else...
This is a great plan, Wolf - your thoroughness and attention to detail have set you up for a terrific event. And your mental prep is perfect.
Minor notes:
-keep up with your visualization exercises through the week. You want to just play the movie of your perfect day again and again in your mind.
-with your FTP, weight and a compact crank, you'll be running out of gears on the return descents on loops 1 and 2 (there is typically wind by the time loop 3 rolls around). At 36-45 + mph, just tuck in, coast, be very careful of the others doing the same, and see these as rest minutes / banking heartbeats for the run.
-expect to mentally check out near the beginning of lap 3 bike. Do what you need to in order to keep interested and keep low.
-You're going to experience increasing congestion in bike aid stations on laps 2 and 3 as you pass those in the stations on their first laps. Be VERY VERY VERY careful and enter these with the mindset that other riders around you have blindfolds on for the next 50m. For whatever reason, AZ is particularly dangerous in these sections - I've seen entire groups flat-out stopped on the road to receive bottle hand-ups. Not good when you're flying through at 20+ mph.
Have a great race - it sounds like you're very well prepared in every way.
Trish-
Thanks so much for taking the time to read the Race Plan! AWESOME idea about the socks; would never have thought about it but totally makes sense. Just took them out of the drawer and put them in the suitcase!
Wolf
Dave-
Thanks so much for reviewing my Race Plan. I really appreciate it!
Excellent reminder about the repeated visualization for the entire week. The schedule/agenda and trying to get things done will easily distract me from continuing to "visualize my success" and what that looks like.
Man, you're good re: the downhill section and running out of gears! That's exactly what happened to me when I did RR #2 out there a few weekends ago. I did as you suggested and coasted and "tested" the pedals every few seconds to see if they would bite and if I had torque. Other than that, I just cruised. Seemed like it was a long time, but probably was only very short.
Again, keen insight! I've already calculated that in my head. Miles 70-80(ish) are usually times where I start to drift a bit. Accordingly, I've set markers out on the course for me for Lap 3 that I'm going to focus on and "draw myself to" to keep the focus and distances short. (e.g. Okay, now going to the corner of X and X. Did it. Okay, now going to corner with gas station. Did it. etc).
Awesome head's up re: the Aid Stations! Al had also mentioned that they get crazy. I'm hoping that, by having to only stop every 2 hours for aid that will minimize my risk exposure to the mayhem.
BTW: Forgot to mention something in my REP re: the mental stuff. I have a phrase that I say to myself like a chant to keep my bike cadence in check (if I'm not looking at that screen on the Garmin) and if I need to stay mentally focused and/or I'm not concentrating and staying tuned in to my legs. It goes: "WW-DTD"! or "WW-TCD"! I say it in a syncopated rhythm that times perfectly for an 88 rpm cadence. It stands for "What Would Dave Tallo Do" or "What Would Tim Cronk Do". Helps me motor when I start to fall off!
Thanks!
Wolf
Funny but true in one of my Race Reports I commented on how I caught myself not running tangents/apexes and I said to myself in the middle of a race Dave Tallo would not be happy with me! Re-read all his Race Plans..... Then relax for the last few days ... You are ready! Good SKILL!
Hey Tim-
Thanks so much for taking the time out to read my Race Plan and for providing your thoughts and comments! I really appreciate it!
Not sure if you saw my reply to Dave Tallo or not, but I will be using my "WW-TCD" chant a lot on Sunday!
Ready to hammer! Wolf
My chant or mantra to myself is...... Somebody wants it more .... I AM .... Somebody ......