Carla T's first HIM Race Plan Draft
This will be my first HIM. I've proven I can finish races I enter, but feel I only executed one almost as well as I trained for. I have finished three 1/2 marathons, one without walking; a handful of IronGirls (sprint). In the past I've mentally dedicated myself to training well when life issues changed those plans (death of both parents and another relative and all the goes with it before that.)
A friend highly recommended EN after doing her first IMFL. So, I made the commitment and here I am. Honestly injuries, weather and illness have made it so I haven't done 100%, but no complaints as to where I am for what I've done.
Goal: Finish/cross the line feeling decent, not like I will pass out-no time goal, just finish before the cut off
Friday: Pack in the morning from my checklist, bring race day checklists! Drive to Eastern Shore drop off luggage at condo
Check in around 2 before Athlete Briefing which is at 3 PM-bring ID and cash for USAT, attend meeting
Drive to friends' house-do scheduled bike and run-shower at her house, dinner with her, back to condo for relaxing night 
Nutrition: water, Perform, healthy snacks and pasta for dinner
Saturday: Relax?? Nutrition: water, Perform-large breakfast, medium lunch, light dinner, healthy snacks. Prepare 4 large bottles of Perform-freeze 3, and two small bottles-freeze both for run.
Bike check in (11-8), do early!
Jump in and do Recon Swim-get used to brackish water, try wet-suit and decide yes or no to wearing it
Meet up with Kortney and any other EN folks at Hyatt or wherever it is decided this week
Figure out Gear bags-never done before, does this race have them? Go off checklist if yes
Remember-not for time! Do my race!
Bed early......
Race Day: Nutrition: 5 AM: 3 applesauce pouches, 1/2 bagel with PB, small iced coffee, Perform, banana IF it is perfectly ripe, skip if not 7:30: Powerbar, sip water 8:00: 1 non-caffeinated gel
After setting up transition and getting body marked-good idea to return to condo until 7:30ish as swim start isn't until 8:20? Or stay around alone for two hours??
8:20 swim start-45-60 min
T1 Change into shirt before heading out
Bike: 4-5 hours 1 1/2 bottles of Perform per hour, 1 gel/or 2 Energy Blasts/or 1 Block every 20 min; if feeling hungry 1/2 Powerbar at point of hunger Potty break at park/45ish minutes out if needed, pass if not
T2 keep sunglasses on, grab Ziploc and go-easy to start
Run: 3 hours Perfect race: jog every mile and walk each aid station, OK and no worries race: jog at practiced pace and walk 30-60 steps when break is needed, It is what it is race: get to the finish line with a smile and feeling decent even if it means a fast walk the entire time, ice every aid station-keep cool!! Tape fingers together if still an issue will know after Friday's run
I plan on wearing my run belt with two bottles of Perform and my Energy Blasts; I know I won't be able to stomach hot gel at this point. Will use race nutrition if I run out. Sip Perform every mile, 1 Energy Blast every 1-2 miles as how stomach/hands are doing (no increased hand swelling needed!)
Remember I can do this! No doubting or trash talking allowed! Keep SMILING! 
Cross the finish line even if I am the last one in (the only waves behind me are F 25-34 and M 25-29)
Temps are predicted to be around 80, so not TOO hot.
Comments
A few thoughts for you-
1) Why are you considering no wetsuit? The wetsuit can cut down on energy you spend keeping yourself afloat.
2) Yes to going to bed early! Make sure you work backwards from when you want to be in bed. Somehow time always creeps up on me and by the time I eat and get everything sorted out, its later than I was planning. Also, don't fret if you can't sleep well, just try to relax. Try to get good sleep the whole week leading up to the race since it might be tough to sleep the night before.
3) Make sure to have checklists for what you need to setup in transition and work solely off this- for instance- pump up tires, lie out shoes, bike computer on, etc. Details details!
4) As for going back to the condo or not, I'd say unless it is RIGHT there, it'll be more stress. Roads might be closed, travel is always stressful, etc. Do you like the excitment of race morning or does it freak you out? If it'll rev you up in a good way, hang out where the action is- pretty exciting. Otherwise, try to find a quiet spot and relax, mentally rehearse, whatnot.
5) Have a plan for where to line up/place yourself for the swim- remember, think through the details now and it'll cut away from stress on race day. I'm not familiar with Eagleman, but there are generally recommended places to seed yourself to avoid a lot of contact if that isn't your style.
6) Any plan to rinse salt water off you in T1? I've never done a salt water swim for a race but I think I've heard of rinsing off... others may no better. But anyways, I'm detail oriented :-) Think through every step of T1. Socks/no socks? Race belt?
7) Do you need 4 bottles of Perform for the bike? I'm assuming there is a bottle exchange, so you just need enough to get between aid stations.
8) Details on pacing the bike and run? Do you ride with power? Or use HR/RPE?
9) Your HR may be way up when you start the bike (mine usually is). Think about waiting to start nutrtion til that comes down a bit.
10) For your run plan, what will determine if its "perfect race" vs the others. It is ALWAYS easier to walk, and if you've put that option out there, it is going to be mighty tempting. This isn't easy. It isn't suppose to be and thats why we do it. Yes, obviously there are good reasons to walk, especially the 30+ steps/mile, but I'd put clear "rules" on when you will push yourself to run vs. walk. Just an example of why this matters- did an Olympic today on a bum hip, so I had to do the run as run 4min/walk 1 min (that's where I am in my return to running). Ended up with the 3rd fastest run time in my AG. A lot of people out there were walking, and I think I ended up running more than they did. I think it made all the difference that I had a rule/plan of the 4:1, wheras they had planned on running and when it got hot and hard, they quit. I bet most of them could've stuck to a plan better than the ad lib stuff, but that walking is tempting once you start it.
So the theme of my comments is think through ALL the details, as you will be more prepared (and post them so you can get mroe feedback) and less stressed. Also, make sure you know the EN 4 keys- especially having your 1 thing. It helps.
I'll be rooting for you!!
A couple of things:
1. if you want someone to swim with on Saturday, I am planning on hopping in for a quick swim after I get through registration and bike racking. Just let me know. Cell is 240-678-4613. I am not exactly sure what time I will end up getting out there (daughter has soccer in the am on Saturday), but more than happy to connect for that.
2. I would absolutely wear the wetsuit if the swim ends up being wetsuit-legal. Water temp is currently 71.2 or something like that, so it is looking good!
3. I 2nd what Rachel said about checklists - have a laminated checklist for race morning and I follow to the letter, so I don't have to think about anything. This is super critical for transition, because there are always butterflies, and I don't know about you, but when I get nervous, I don't always think clearly, or function in a methodical way!
4. I would absolutely NOT go back to the condo. The parking gets dicey after a while, and you don't want that to stress you out. Also, in the past, I have gotten to Great Marsh around 5:15 or so and had no problem with parking. Last year, I was a little later, and thank GOD my husband drove me because parking was insane. Better to arrive super early and have more time than be stressed out!
5. For the swim, there is quite a bit of room between buoys at the swim start... if there is a favorable current, starting further from the dock will be a little better b/c you'll catch more current. I, personally, just put myself near the front and toward the middle... it works for me. There is a little bit of jostling at the beginning, but I usually tend to start of as relaxed as I can so I don't fall into the trap of swimming fast with the initial mass. If you are not a strong swimmer, or tend to get a bit panicked at the beginning of a swim start, I would probably just pick a space toward the back of the group.
6. Rachel mentioned rinsing off... there are no rinsing stations at Eagleman. You just suck it up and are a little bit salty all day.
7. As Rachel mentioned as well.. you probably don't need four bottles of Perform on the bike. There are a few aid stations/ bottle exchanges, and it is sure nice not to have to be so loaded down.
8. For the run, do you need to wear your Fuel Belt? They will be serving Perform on course, so you'll have an opportunity for that every aid station.
I also really really really agree with the above on setting rules for walking. Especially when you are hot and tired, once you let yourself walk, it is really easy to justify why it's ok, and MUCH harder to get running again.
Also, the temp forecast has been creeping up... I would just plan mentally that it is going to be HOT. That way, if it isn't, you will be pleasantly surprised! This will be my 4th Eagleman, and it always gets hot. Last year was the coolest it has been in the time that I have been attending or racing the race, but for some reason this course makes it feel hotter than it really is. Thankfully, they are always well-stocked with ice! The bike course CAN be really windy. I was just out there last weekend riding, and it was SUPER windy on the back half of the course. if you train with power, you just have to remember to keep that relatively constant... ie. don't pedal harder into the wind. There will be all kinds of people doing that, and they will probably fry their legs for the run.
And yes, we should all meet up for sure! Just send me a text or give me a call if you want to connect.
1. I really do not enjoy swimming in my wetsuit, though I have practiced in OW with it. I have never panicked during a swim, but the wetsuit definately gave me anxiety before swimming and it took awhile to get moving. I've done two swim's in 74 degree temps and it felt perfect. If it is colder I will use the wetsuit, it just isn't what I'm used to.
3. Still tweeking my checklists, but feel pretty good about them.
4. Someone suggested going back, but I do think that will bring more stress. Thanks for your advice and Kortney said the same thing, so I'll be hanging out until my swim start.
5. Kortney gave some good pointers, so I will be making a plan this week about where I'm going to start.
6. I will get more detailed with my thoughts and actually write them down so I can know my plan-thanks!
7. I only plan on my three bottles of Perform on my bike, making 4 to have one race morning for my pre-race nutrition. I just needed to remember to make it the night before
8. I do HR, but my HR watch started acting funny this weekend. I really can't replace it, so I will be pacing the way I've been training. I did ride some of the course and got a good feel of how hard I was working with headwind, so I'm planning on that. I know my "run" pace-I do a lot of talking to see where I am zone wise.
10. I honestly don't plan on walking the entire 13.1 miles. Realistically I have never gone the full bike distance or been on my bike longer than 3 hours. I feel I will be able to get it done, but just don't know how I'll feel after the bike ride. I plan on doing a walk/run. Hoping the 30-60 steps is what I can stick to, but I mentally am prepping myself, I guess, that as long as I get to the finish line feeling decent it's OK. I may be starting my period this weekend, so I really don't want to over think too much as that has been a factor in training in the heat. I REALLY plan on finishing this "race", so whatever it takes I plan on doing.
@Al Thanks for looking and giving input. I know you know your stuff and endorsing Rachel's advice is reassuring
@Kortney
1. Would love to meet up for a swim and will call you closer to race day. Thanks so much!
2. see #1 for Rachel-I do think I'll be in a wetsuit
3. I am tweeking my lists and will study them
5. Thanks for the advice-will formulate a plan
8. I've practiced with the fuel belt and heard they use an orange flavor which I haven't tried. I figure the more familiar stuff the easier it will be to take. I definately plan on using the course nutrition.
Thanks again-I'll be prepping more today.....
I'm staying 1.6 miles away from the Swim start/transition. Transition closes at 6:45 AM. My swim wave goes off at 8:20. Is is dumb to consider walking to the Park?
My other option is driving to the shuttle point which is 2 miles from the place I'm staying-I'm thinking I'd need to leave very early to deal with parking.
Any thoughts?
If you have someone with you, have them drive you and let them worry about parking. You will appreciate it, they will feel needed. Then you can take them to dinner later! Maybe pal up with an ENer to pick you up. Otherwise you might consider to drive to, park, and take the shuttle. Do what you can to reduce whatever may cause you additional anxiety. Leave yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go, get prep'd and relax. Its much nicer and a better experience to have more time than less: if you have time to sit and talk with other EN teammate and racers, rather than worrying and rushing to be on time.