IMCDA Race Plan: Bill Lowe
Bill Lowe IMCDA Race Plan.
Bike Drop, Saturday, 6.28.2014/Race Day, Sunday, 6.29.2014
(First, I borrowed from Jason Brandt's plan and have adjusted to my HR approach and other notes, etc...any comments appreciated! Day by day itinerary, packing list and projected split times for my family to help them watch for me on the race are all separate documents that I have completed.)
Saturday Bike Drop:
On Bike:
_two tubes, two co2, powerbar perform peanut butter out of wrapper in open zip lock, salt tabs.
Sunday Race Wear/T1/T2 Bags:
Swimwear:
_Wetsuit, Goggles x 2, race cap and silicone cap.
T1 Bag:
_Garmin Watch (wear band and HR monitor for swim but not actual bulky 310 watch), Socks, Bike Shoes, Helmet, Zoot sleeves, Sun Glasses, Sunscreen, Inhaler (add gloves and wind/rain jacket if nec)
T2 Bag:
_Small camelback pre-filled w Perform, Extra socks if bike socks soaked , Asics Running Shoes (gel cumulus), Running Shirt, 1 gal Ziploc (hat, salt tabs in zip lock go-bag, sunscreen, 1 gel)
Bike Special Needs: Tube, CO2, Tire
Run Special Needs: Won’t use
RACE DAY Pre Race Specifics:
0330 Breakfast 2 cups applesauce, 1 scoop whey protein, 1 banana, 1 bottle sports drink, 1 small coffee, small v8, usual vitamins.
0430 Race Day Outfit: EN Tri Top if I receive in time, otherwise my backup Team Type 1 top, Black Bike Shorts over Red or Green Running Shorts to match top, Timing Chip, Garmin watch band and HR monitor (watch in T1 bag). Sunscreened. Light pants and long sleeves for wear before wetsuit and post race. 1 Gel and 2 Sports Drink for drinking pre race, one salt tab for pre swim, two bottles of Perform for bike, extra inhaler for pre swim.
0450 Leave Hotel w/Family, bring bike pump –Park at CDA resort lot or if pressed for time have family drop off and meet up via cell phone.
0530 Body Marking, Check Tires, Fill drink bottles w Perform, return bike pump to family. Drop special needs bike bag.
0600 Take salt tab, drink bottle of Gaterade, use inhaler, give to wife.
0615 Drop morning clothes bag, final pee, pull wetsuit up halfway or all the way if cold.
0625 Make way to beach and seed in the 1:10-1:12 vicinity, pull wetsuit over top half if not already done.
0640 Swim Start Begins, expect to be in water NLT 0650. “I am a torpedo!”
Swim: Plan 1:10-1:15 swim. Plan to seed with athletes around me looking to swim 1:10-1:12. Light jog into water until knee depth and start swimming. Plan to swim harder than race effort for first 200-400 yards. I’ll be a little out of breath but know that will subside when I get into my groove. Will be looking for the right set of feet to follow (ones that I can swim my planned effort with and don’t constantly run into their feet). Sight as needed and depending on my perception of fellow swimmers swimming the right direction and aiming for shortest line swim distances. Start out breathing every two pulls if nec, get to 3/2/2 rhythm that I liked at Wildflower! End of lap one, expect legs to be a little wobbly but just get right back in and do it again, think how great it is to be alive and involved in this wild and crazy fool thing. Don’t look at watch during swim, let the time be what it is and remind yourself this is the only place you are significantly using your arms so you can push a little harder than you think, be a torpedo in the water. Exit water, don’t fall in front of family getting out of water!
T1: Goggles, Cap comes off and remains in wetsuit sleeve, find wetsuit stripper, jog to T1. Look for family along the way. Find volunteer, shout out number and/or retrieve my own bag. Find spot outside of tent. Socks, Shoes, Helmet and Glasses go on there, I don’t want to get grass on my feet running to bike and then have to try to clean off. If volunteer assist have them lather sunscreen. Run with bike past mount line.
Bike: Focus on getting heart rate down, lots of folks will pass me. Aim for 120 HR for first out and back lake miles. Remainder of race target 125 and eventually 130 if temps mid 80 or lower (starting 5 lower than last RR, per Al and EN good advice, need to be more conservative on bike (don’t trade good bike time for poor follow up run, think about marathon to come while riding!). No surges, no competing with others, let them pass me, eyes glued to road and Garmin HR. Aero the whole way except for turns and aid stations. Follow EN hill guidance, smooth out the hills and keep pushing on crest and downhill until speed hits 35 or my comfort factor for conditions.
Drink and drink often. Drink until I am burping and belching the Perform back up. Goal will be 3 bottles of on course perform per hour but can go a lower since temps trending much lower than desert where I trained. Small bites of PowerBar Peanut Butter over duration of course to get some variety of sugars in system. One salt tab on the hour. Getting most calories and sodium from high volume of Perform. I sweat more than anyone! 3 bottles per hours does put me slightly over my nutrition needs calcs, but I want to err on the high side. I train in 90-100 degrees in AZ, so I can dial back if temps below 90, more if below 80. I can do 60 oz per hour at 90-100 degrees no problem, my body takes it and needs it! Again, will err on the high side, if peeing too much that will be sign I can drink less.
Mojo: Stay on target, Stay on Target, Don’t worry what those around me are doing. I am going to ride my race. No draft except the legal kind when passing, ride the smooth asphalt of main road not the debris strewn shoulder, cut angles if safe and allowed…
Coming back in town on final leg, prepare for upcoming transition. Easier gear and faster cadence.
T2 Hand off bike, jog to transition and call out race number to get bag, sit down, fresh socks if nec, shoes on, new run comfy shirt, camelback on, helmet in bag and grab Ziploc with hat, salt tabs, gel, sunscreen. If there is a sunscreen volunteer take extra as needed.
Run. 10:00/mile for 6 miles, walk aid stations 30 seconds. Take 2 salt tabs up front and 1 every hour thereafter, inhaler upfront and every 2 hours. 10-12 oz of sport drink per mile, filling 60 oz camelback every 5 miles. Can dial down and fill less often if cooler temps. Have camelback off and open as I run into aid station, hold up high and yell for fill up.
Mile 7-18 9:30/miles. Target HR 125-130, keep pace count higher, nice flat stride, smaller faster strides on hills. Can walk 30 secs at aid stations if nec to bring heart rate down as nec. Continue nutrition routine. Don’t refuse sponges or ice when offered.
Mile 19 Just don’t slow down or walk outside of aid stations. You worked way too hard to go get weak mentally here. Push through to the end so you can be proud. I want to be able to say I tore the last 8 miles up (maintaining pace will qualify, not a sprint!). I want to be strong here, I want to do the passing and feel stronger for it. Revisit the multiple “one things” I’ve thought about which are going to keep me from giving in to race day discomfort or negotiation.
Finish and become an IRONMAN!!! Should not sprint in the finish chute, enjoy the glory, smile, raise hands and be glad to be alive …, thank the volunteers, EN members, and most importantly my family! Eat, drink and get potassium into system which I run low on. Get warm clothes on. Stay up and watch my sister come in too, she signed up because I did and I want to see her finish, assuming she does not beat me!!! Know that I have a great family 4th of July vacation to enjoy, probably soaking in an Idaho river drinking some beer. Be thankful.
Comments
Bill - you could potentially have an interesting dilemma. Training in stupid hot temperatures, then finding yourself biking in the 50s in the AM, low 60s after noon, and running 66-70-66 as the afternoon progresses. The amount of hydration you'll require *might* be significantly less (up to 50% less!) than you have trained for. If you find yourself needing to pee every hour on the bike, you'll figure this out early on. The worry is that you overfill your stomach during the bike and the early part of the run, setting up problems in the latter half of the run.
You've used the Camelback in training and I know you like to sip thru out the run. Race how you trained, in this case; nothing new. But I hope that after you get this finish under your belt, the next time you go for an IM, you consider running without it. It's an extra three pounds of weight, bulky on the back, and a hassle to deal with in aid stations. Like carrying an anchor or parachute with you. If you have to have fluids with you between aid stations, a full cup squeezed shut @ top works just fine, and weighs a lot less. And if its water, and a hot day, you can pour it on your head if you don't drink it.
Thanks Al. Given the likely lower temps and if they play out, I will shoot for 2 bottles of perform per hour on the ride initially and sub in some Gels. As the day progresses and based on temps, I can up the Perform volume. I have experienced not enough hydration a lot, but I have never experience the too much part, so not sure what that might feel like, warning signs, but I will assess like you say based on if I am peeing too much, probably the best read up front.
Thanks!!!
Bill
ok, a couple modifications based on feedback and the weather forecast showing temps not likely to get even to mid 70's at peak. I've trained in 90-105 degrees here in AZ, so needed 3 bottles of perform per hour and used a Camelback on the run to help get that volume of fluid more evenly available, but I'm obviously not going to need that much hydration at CDA.
_will reduce perform volume to two bottles per hour on the bike from 3. Will substitute some gels to get to equivalent nutrition. I have done this previously, so I am familiar with it and my body tolerates almost anything I eat.
_will not run with 60 oz Camelback since I am am comfortable that I can get lower need now of 2 cups at once per aid station. This will save me carrying 2-3 pounds extra eventhough that felt like nothing compared to the 100oz Camelback I trained with. But 2-3 pounds per step over a full marathon is a lot, especially when I am already lifting 190 pounds and the run is my weakest link.
_Coach or anyone, does anyone have an extra large EN tri top they can bring so I can borrow, rent or buy, something like that. I'm not sure the one I ordered several months ago is going to get here before we leave this Tuesday. This might be my only IM and I was hoping to race with the team in team colors, use for the team pic, etc...I think Christina was in the same boat last time we communicated, so she might need one too.
Thanks!
Bill.
Also, I like how you have adapted your fluid intake for the cooler weather. I'm still trying to wrap my head around such cool weather - haven't had weather like that in TX for a long time!