Peter's IMCDA Race Rehearsal #1 Plan
Race Rehearsal #1 Plan
Background:
31 year old male
134 pounds
FTP: 231
vDot: 56
First Ironman
Have not done sweat test yet, will do that this weekend to validate this plan
Breakfast:
4 cups apple sauce
1x scoop of whey protein
1 banana
16 oz of Perform
Coffee
(I used to do the 2x Naked Juice but I had nutrition problems in my last race so I want to try something different)
Bike:
Will do 112 miles on a flat bike path (2 out and backs so I can refuel at my car at the halfway point)
Nutrition goal: 330 calories an hour
24oz of perform per hour
1 double lattle powergel per hour
~800 mg Sodium Per hour
Riding plan:
Set Garmin 910xt to show Distance, Elapsed Time, 3s Power, Lap Power
Set Garmin to Auto-lap every 5 miles
Plan is to ride at 0.72 IF (166 watts)
Ride first 30 minutes at 150 watts
Eat gel on the 30 minute of each hour
Sip perform every 5 minutes
Stay aero as much as possible
Run:
Nutrition goal: 330 calories per hour
12oz perform per hour
2 double latte powergels per hour
Run plan:
First 3 miles at LRP + 15s (8:05 min/mile
Next 3 miles at LRP (7:48 min/mile)
Eat 1 gel at the 30 minute mark
Will carry 10oz bottle of perform and drink at every other miles
Questions:
- I believe I ate way to much in my last HIM and really paid the price. I want to attempt a much more minimal fueling plan, especially since I am on the lighter side. However, I am a bit worried I won't be taking in enough fluids. I don't want to give up the gel because I really like the caffeine. Should I supplement with water? I guess I will also see how the sweat test goes.
- Is the +30s guidance on the run universal for all paces? I don't know that I can hold myself back that much. Is my target of +15s ok?
Background:
31 year old male
134 pounds
FTP: 231
vDot: 56
First Ironman
Have not done sweat test yet, will do that this weekend to validate this plan
Breakfast:
4 cups apple sauce
1x scoop of whey protein
1 banana
16 oz of Perform
Coffee
(I used to do the 2x Naked Juice but I had nutrition problems in my last race so I want to try something different)
Bike:
Will do 112 miles on a flat bike path (2 out and backs so I can refuel at my car at the halfway point)
Nutrition goal: 330 calories an hour
24oz of perform per hour
1 double lattle powergel per hour
~800 mg Sodium Per hour
Riding plan:
Set Garmin 910xt to show Distance, Elapsed Time, 3s Power, Lap Power
Set Garmin to Auto-lap every 5 miles
Plan is to ride at 0.72 IF (166 watts)
Ride first 30 minutes at 150 watts
Eat gel on the 30 minute of each hour
Sip perform every 5 minutes
Stay aero as much as possible
Run:
Nutrition goal: 330 calories per hour
12oz perform per hour
2 double latte powergels per hour
Run plan:
First 3 miles at LRP + 15s (8:05 min/mile
Next 3 miles at LRP (7:48 min/mile)
Eat 1 gel at the 30 minute mark
Will carry 10oz bottle of perform and drink at every other miles
Questions:
- I believe I ate way to much in my last HIM and really paid the price. I want to attempt a much more minimal fueling plan, especially since I am on the lighter side. However, I am a bit worried I won't be taking in enough fluids. I don't want to give up the gel because I really like the caffeine. Should I supplement with water? I guess I will also see how the sweat test goes.
- Is the +30s guidance on the run universal for all paces? I don't know that I can hold myself back that much. Is my target of +15s ok?
0
Comments
Peter,
My notes:
On the bike if I do 2 bottles of perform per hour and no gels then I hit the calorie target and the sodium is higher so I will try that.
On the run I will up the perform and then go down to 1 gel per hour on run. I really feel like I benefit from the caffeine, at least on the run.
The IM run is often where you'll...run...into digestion problems that are caused by dehydration. So you definitely want to steer towards even more of a fluid plan on the run. It's also where you want to be prepared to go light on the cals -- again, your body is on a edge and it doesn't take much later in the run to tip it over. But you're never more than ~8' away from an aid station and infinite calories to fix an issue.
Yeah, when I saw your calories plan for the bike, and fluids for the bike and run, I thought, Hmm, should I let him give that a try, and find out it might be a disaster? Coach R has taken care of that for you.
There are two schools of thought about nutrition here in EN, I've noticed. One is to use the formula which generates the type of load you planned for; the other is to try and find out what are the minimum calories you need, shoot for that, and fuel up if you undershoot. I think the higher calorie plan seems to work OK for bigger, younger guys, while the lower calories approach seems to work better for smaller and/or older guys and maybe for most females. You;re young, so your digestive system can probably handle almost anything you throw in it, but at your size, and with the anticipation that the run will be your killer leg, I;d definitely vote for seeing if you can do well on 200-250 cal/hour on the bike, all from liquid sources.
As to fluids, you probably need to assume 24 oz/hour if the temps are 55-60, and add more water on top of that as the temps increase, as per Rich;s notes.
Now, on the run, you wrote "12 oz Perform per hour". (You're too young to get this reference, but, "You cannot be serious!") You might need 8 oz of fluid every aid station - IOW, every mile, or more if you can handle it. I almost always dilute the perform or coke 50/50 with water, to get the fluids i need, to aid in the absorption of the sugars, and to avoid taking in too many calories. 200 -220 cal per hour running at a good pace is about all I can handle. I run with about 4 oz of gel in a bottle (EFS), and take some at miles 6, 12, 18, maybe 60-70 cal worth each time.
Once you get your nutrition plan arranged, you need to learn about the impact of biking on your IM run. You have a fair bike engine and a massive run engine. No matter what you do on the bike, you are still going to be running slower than you think you are capable of, and that will be your biggest hurdle to overcome on race day - learning just HOW SLOW you need to go in the first half of the IM marathon. It will frustrate you, knowing that you can go faster at mile 13, but it would frustrate you even more to be walking at mile 18. So heed the plan, and do whatever it takes to trot along at your LRP + 30 seconds for the first half of this RR. The day is about learning pacing and nutrition, not adding to your fitness with an awesomely hard workout.
Do you end up drinking some water on the bike as well? If I do nothing but perform I am still going to have 350 calories per hour (each bottle is 175 calories).
Yeah, I count on about 16 oz/hour of sports drink (Infinit and Perform), and supplement the remainder of my fluids as needed with H2O. My sweat test sez that's a minimum of 8 additional oz an hour, going up as the temps rise into the 70s. The remainder of my calories come from EFS gel (about 100/hour) and Perpetuem solids (chewable tablets 30 cal each, one/hour)
Race Rehearsal Plan Take 2
Breakfast:
3 cups apple sauce (Reduced from 4)
1x scoop of whey protein
1 banana
16 oz of Perform
Coffee
For the bike I will do a two lap course. I can carry 4 24oz bottles. (1 in aero bars, 1 on downtube, 2 in jersey)
I will carry 3 bottles of perform and 1 bottle of water. I will replenish at my car half way through.
Bike plan:
Perform: 210 calories per hour on bike (570mg sodium)
1 SaltStickCap (210mg sodium)
This will give me 210 calories per hour and 800mg sodium. Temperatures should be low on Friday so I think I am fine with the 24oz of fluid per hour, but I will have extra water just in case.
Run plan:
2 50% diluted 24oz bottles of perform. (210 calories total) (570mg sodium)
1 SaltStickCap (210mg sodium)
I will have some backup gels with me in case I feel a bonk coming, but I don't think it will happen. I already tried the lower consumption on last Saturday's 5 hour ride and I felt fine.
Nutrition is one size fits one. We really don't know yet what your needs are. To save you from a potential bonk, I;d suggest taking along a gel flask as an emergency measure. If/when you notice that you really need, say, 260 cal/hour, you'll have an option to give it a try. No different than the endless calories available should you need them at IM aid stations.
Some gels flow more easily than others, e.g. EFS, Powergel, Hammer, compared to GU.