Matt Foster REV3 Knoxville Race Plan

dmatthewfoster · May 13, 2014 3:20PM

Hi all:

Please review and comment on this race execution plan. This isn't my first rodeo, but it's the first time I've ever taken the time to think it through and commit to a race plan. Basic stats: Age 39, 187 pounds. Heavy sweat rate, so fluids are a top concern. I've raced the course before, but it's been several years.

Saturday:

Lunch in car.
Arrive Knoxville ~ 1 pm.
Arrive: check in to hotel, let girls roam and play. Go to expo for check-in.
Shake-out run with son: 15-20 minutes easy.
Sip on powerade zero, munch on pretzels all day.
Drop off bike in transition, and walk to swim start. Time the walk from hotel to transition to swim start.
Gear check at hotel, lay out clothes for morning.
Dinner with family; early to bed, early to rise.

Sunday, pre-race:

5 am wake up.
Breakfast: bagel + peanut butter, coffee, start sipping gatorade. Listen to music to smooth the rough edges.
6:15 - Walk to transition area. Eat zone bar on the way. Set up gear, air the tires, final gear prep. Start walk to swim start.
Chill with Will (my son).
7 am: Clif Shot + gatorade.

Swim:

Hop in water before my wave. 4 minutes easy warm up.
7:20 am start. Start in front, to the side (either one is fine).
Begin to push at the turnaround (0.40 mile mark).
Goal: 30-33 minutes.

T1:

Take it easy tiger. HR will skyrocket here.
Put on Zensah compression here (?) [Makes no difference to me on the ride, but a must-have for the run. Might as well do it here?]

Bike:

Nutrition plan: Clif Shot Blocks on the :30's; 1/2 Bonk Breaker on the :60's; Salt tab on the :60's; 1.5 bottle gatorade in the first hour, 1 bottle each hour thereafter. Will need to pick up one extra gatorade on-course; if hot, take water to pour for cooling.
Strategy: Ignore everyone hammering out of transition. Ignore everyone hammering up the hills. Hard ceiling of HR 155 bpm during the ride.
Out of transition: bring HR down to 130 (Zone 2), hold it, start nutrition after it's under control.
Mile 7: First climb of the day. Keep HR below 145 (Low Zone 3)
Mile 10: Second climb of the day. Keep HR below 145 (Low Zone 3).
Miles 12-20: Focus on fluids. Get aero and comfortable. HR from here forward is Zone 3: 145-152 bpm.
Out and back between 20-24 is followed by a climb.
Mile 37: Third climb of day. Save some matches to burn in the final 10 miles.
Out and back between 44-47 is followed by Fourth Climb of the Day.
Rollers for rest of course: flatten the hills, have confidence in your training.
Goal: 2:50 - 3:00

T2: Easy does it.

Run:

Nutrition plan: Clif Shot (with caffeine) every :30.
NEED ADVICE: I train with Fuel Belt so fluids are always handy. This course is well stocked, so I can live off the course here and feel lighter without the added weight. But should I?
Strategy: SLOW THE F DOWN OUT OF TRANSITION. It's a slight downhill start, and I will want to start too fast.
Miles 1-3: 8:45 - 8:55 pace. ~155 bpm
Mile 3: Push to 8:30 pace ~ 165 bpm
Mile 3.6: Steep climb at Kingston Pike crossing. Keep HR around 165, let your pace slow. Make up the lost time on the downhill side of the climb. What goes up will come down.
Mile 4.3: Slow climb hill. Keep HR under 165 on this hill, make up the lost time on the downhill.
Miles 4.9 - 7.3: Generally rolling area, ideal for cruising. Flatten the rollers, keep pace at 8:30 avg. Don't worry about HR.
Turnaround at mile 6.2.
Mile 7.5. Slow climb hill. Flatten it.
Mile 8.1: Steep climb at Kingston Pike. This will hurt. Welcome the hurt with a smile and thank the volunteers at the crossing. Don't slow down.
Mile 11.3: Turn back onto Neyland Drive. Dig deep now. Remember to keep a reserve for the uphill finish.
Goal: Sub-2:00. If I execute, this can be a PR in a 70.3 run.

If I execute I can beat my prior time of 5:42.

Random gibberish running through my head: Excellence is a process, not a single act. Execute the process; the results will take care of themselves. Don't forget that one year ago you couldn't run. Don't forget that one year ago it was all a question mark. Don't forget that 11 months ago, running a 10 minute mile was impossible. The impossible is possible today. Be glad, it melts into wonder.