Tom Box's IMTX 2014 race execution plan
Stats:
age 55
10th IM, 3rd IMTX
IM PR 11:32 AZ 11/13
FTP: 288 (based on 20 minute test, power chart shows it to be in the 265 range)
VDOT: 45-46
weight: 159 3.98 w/kg
Goals:
Swim strong but without breaking down form. Hold bike watts at .7-.72 for entire ride. Hydrate consistently just as I did in my RR’s. Run an even pace as long as possible. Dig deep for last 6 miles. Surprise myself with an incredible performance that was executed to perfection.
T1 bag: helmet, shoes, sunglasses, towel, powergel, small body glide, chamois cream pack, sunscreen spray.
T2 bag: shorts, shoes, socks, compression sleeves, towel, sunscreen spray, go bag with arm coolers, neck gaiter, hat, salt stick tabs, 2 power gels, race belt.
Run special needs: powergelX3
Warm Clothes bag: swimskin/wetsuit, goggles X2, cap, body glide
Tuesday: travel day. easy run after checking into hotel
Wednesday: 11:00 leave to register and pick up bike from TBT. Drive out to mile 50 for 15 mile course recon ride and to test bike set up.
Thursday: Bike 30’, run 30’ according to plan. 4 keys talk at 10:00. Big lunch. Team dinner at 5:30. Charge Di2 battery.
Friday: Swim at Venue for recon purposes only. Drop off bike and bags by noon. Relax at hotel until pick wife up at airport at 3:00. Early light dinner then in bed by 8:00.
Saturday: Awake at 4:00. 800 cal breakfast. Sunscreen, race kit on, timing chip on secured with safety pins, Garmin 310XT on wrist. Leave for transition to arrive by 5:30 with bike pump, warm clothes bag and run special needs bag. Check bike, fill torpedo, turn on Garmin, check settings and leave on bike turned off. Walk to swim start by 6:10. Drop off run special needs then sit down and relax. Get away from people. Powergel as walk to swim entrance.
Swim: Start just behind the line at the front, find a kayak to hang on to until just before start. Start controlled but pushing my pace for the first 300-400 yards. Form, form, form. Find a draft if possible. If possible be on the inside at the turns. Don’t be too far left in the canal (too crowded!) Kick a little harder the last 50 yards.
T1: Unzip swim skin and strip to waist as I run to my bag. In tent apply chamois, body glide and spray on sunscreen. Run with helmet, sunglasses and shoes to bike. Eat power gel on run to bike. May put shoes on in tent or at bike depending on where bike is located. Switch on Garmin as soon as I arrive at bike. Helmet and shoes on and head out with bike. Sunglasses in mouth as I run with bike. Find some space and mount. Start Garmin as I cross the line. Need to be efficient!
Bike: 0.68 IF until the first aid station. After that 0.70-.72. Goal is to keep power consistent even on the downhills. I tend to coast too much on the downhill sections thinking it will give me a break. Most of my training has been on my trainer without coasting so I should be able to do this. Auto lap set for every 5 miles. Will stare at my 3s power as much as possible with occasional checks of the average lap power. Garmin set to alarm every 5 minutes to remind me to take 3-4 gulps depending on temperature of day. This gets me 36-44 oz per hour of perform. Gel every 20 miles. Refill torpedo prior to each aid station, grab perform at beginning, place in cage behind seat and then grab a water for cooling. Stay aero as much as possible. Use salt stick if late in the bike having trouble drinking perform. Goal is to pee twice. Spin and stretch some in the last mile of the bike. No goal time but may be able to hit the 5:40 mark based on training.
T2: Remove Garmin and place on wrist. Reset to run settings as running to bag. In tent remove cycle shorts, put on run/tri shorts, compression sleeves, socks, shoes. Quick spray of sunscreen. Grab go bag and go! With go bag in mouth, put on race belt. As I run past a volunteer with sunscreen get some on my hand so I can put it on my face and neck. T2 is where I can save some time from other Ironman's but moving fast after getting off the bike has been difficult. May leave shoes with bike if the hot cement doesn’t look like an issue. Having a go bag should save me time as well.
Run: As I run to first aid station which should only be a few hundred yards from T2, put on my arm coolers (unless I opted for this in T1), neck gaiter, hat. At each aid station, grab ice to put in hat, arm coolers and neck gaiter pockets. Run most of the way through the station until the last perform table. Walk 30 steps while drinking 6 oz perform. Sponges and water to cool. Power gel every 4 miles. Start alternating coke and perform at each aid station starting at mile 10. First 6 miles, 9:30 pace. Miles 6-18, 8:55 pace (with walk breaks should even out to 9:06 pace. At mile 18, keep steady and don’t bring the line any closer. Dedicate each mile from here to the end to a family member and pray for that person the whole mile. Mile 21, push through (this is where I started really slowing down in IMAZ). Mile 23, unleash the beast! Imagine I am in position to claim the last Kona slot for my age group and there is someone only a minute behind and gaining. Push it to the end!
The truth is you can always run faster. Sometimes the truth hurts!
Comments
From the looks of the plan, you are chomping at the bit to get going! You've probably heard this before; if so, regard this as underlining the point. It is counter productive to take a running pace onto the course on race day. The only value of having a pace in mind is as a rein - if you find yourself running faster than planned, SLOW DOWN. But don't use it as a whip. If you find yourself going slower (I'm willing to bet, given your VDOT and the heat you'll have, 100-1 you'll be going slower) don't use the pace as a whip. Rather check first with your RPE, asking, Does this feel harder than my race rehearsal? Do I think I could hold this pace for the next 4+ hours (or however long you have left to go?) If the answer to either is "No", SLOW DOWN. If both answers are yes, then check your HR. If you are in the first half of the run, and your HR is in Zone 2 (above 75% of max HR), SLOW DOWN. In the second half of the run, it's OK to let your HR SLOWLY drift up to mid Zone 2 (80% of max). Fatigue, temperature, sun, humidity, dehydration all will affect your ability to run at your LRP, and RPE + HR are much better tools to keep at the proper effort level to achieve your stated goal, which is to not slow down in the last 8 miles of the run, no?
Looks like a well-thought out plan Tom. Looking forward to meeting you.
Two minor (and I mean minor - 'cuz you have hit the important things):
-change draft 'if possible' on the swim: 'absolutely, positively find feet and ride on the draft.'
-walking aid stations ... one of the hidden goals of the walking the aid station strategy - besides giving yourself a carrot - is to get your HR down so you can absorb nutrition and fluids. So, instead of running most of the station, and then starting to walk as you hit the beverage of your choice, I would prefer to see people walk for about 30s, or whatever, leading up to when they get their food/drink, and let things in the body settle in order to continue taking on calories.