Wendy DoubleMussel Race Plan
I will be doing the doublemussel this upcoming weekend - in a mere 6 days - technically less than 6 days for the mini . . . so, here is the plan
Mini-Mussel
This is a traditional sprint course. I have done it once, and know the course well. It is in my backyard - no surprises from the course perspective. It will be a very emotional race, however, due to Michael's death on the course last year. I need to be prepared for the fact that this is not a race - it is a celebration that we are all alive and healthy enough to participate.
The race starts at 9, Registration is at HWS from 6;30 to 8:30, so if I can't stop by on Friday, I will need to pick it up in the am. I want to get to transition by 7:30/7:45, and will bike down, so I need to leave my apartment by 7:15.
I am in swim wave 4, and usually the swim stresses me out, but I have come a lot way on the calmness factor, so I am not worried. They will be really big waves, but the swim is in the canal, so lots of room. I plan to swim on the left side to make sure I do not overswim the distance. I will try to swim this race faster than I usually do.
I will stay focused in transition to get onto the bike. Get the wetsuit half way down as I run, get it stripped down, and then take off the cap, goggles and ear plugs (don't lose them for the next day)! I will dry my feet off and put my socks on and helmet. Then move towards transition out.
I need to keep my legs in check on the bike because I have a long ride on Sunday. I will take it easy on the bike - enjoy the ride and the downhill and get myself back with strong legs. I will make sure to have drank gatorade and had 1 or 2 gels to make sure I am set for the run.
Quick transition in - switch the shows, and put on the mussel hat and out for the run. I will try to keep a 10 minute pace on the run, and certainly now over 11 minutes if possible. I should not need any nutrition on the run.
Finish the race and then race to the graduation party . . .
Timing goals - not really sure, except I want the run to be less than 30 minutes, and the overall should be less than 2 hours. Not going to look up my time from the last time I did this race.
Try to rest and keep my legs elevated for the rest of the day at the party.
DoubleMussel - the big day!
The race starts at 7, so I want to be at transition by 6. I will need to leave my apartment by 5:45. I will get up at 5 and have breakfast of a bagel with cheese. I will work on fine tuning my nutrition this week.
For the swim, I will have new goggles and be ready for the long swim. The waves at the beginning are always pretty big, but I will just keep going. Once I get to about half way, we turn into the canal, and then it gets to be an awesome swim. Again - stay to the left to avoid wasting distance. I would like to swim it in 45 minutes, but that might be ambitious - should be less than 50 though.
Transition - same as yesterday - focused and moving forward.
For the bike, I know the course and want to do it relatively fast, but it is just not a fast course for me. My body knows what to do on the course. My goal is to get past both ghost bikes and stay in the game and have no bike issues. I would like to finish the bike in less than 3:30 if possible.
For the nutrition, I will have the front bottle with nuns, second bottle of water with nuns, and a small bottle with gatorade. I ran out of water in Syracuse, so I may need go grab another water bottle at an aid station - I hope not, but I will if needed. I will have gels at 45, and every 30 minutes after that, and gatorade at the 15s.
When I get to the run, I will be tired. My first goal is to get to the 2 mile mark outside the park. I will then focus on the inner loop - I have done it many times and want to run the course - not walk it at all. I will not stop at any aid stations until I get to cross over lane and then on barracks road. If I have to walk up barracks, that is okay - I just hope the drums are still playiing by the time I get there!!! I will enjoy the downhill on slosson and then just grind it out to the end. I will enjoy seeing my cousins at mile 10 and then just keep it going not to be walking for the last 5K.
I can do this!!!!
Mini-Mussel
This is a traditional sprint course. I have done it once, and know the course well. It is in my backyard - no surprises from the course perspective. It will be a very emotional race, however, due to Michael's death on the course last year. I need to be prepared for the fact that this is not a race - it is a celebration that we are all alive and healthy enough to participate.
The race starts at 9, Registration is at HWS from 6;30 to 8:30, so if I can't stop by on Friday, I will need to pick it up in the am. I want to get to transition by 7:30/7:45, and will bike down, so I need to leave my apartment by 7:15.
I am in swim wave 4, and usually the swim stresses me out, but I have come a lot way on the calmness factor, so I am not worried. They will be really big waves, but the swim is in the canal, so lots of room. I plan to swim on the left side to make sure I do not overswim the distance. I will try to swim this race faster than I usually do.
I will stay focused in transition to get onto the bike. Get the wetsuit half way down as I run, get it stripped down, and then take off the cap, goggles and ear plugs (don't lose them for the next day)! I will dry my feet off and put my socks on and helmet. Then move towards transition out.
I need to keep my legs in check on the bike because I have a long ride on Sunday. I will take it easy on the bike - enjoy the ride and the downhill and get myself back with strong legs. I will make sure to have drank gatorade and had 1 or 2 gels to make sure I am set for the run.
Quick transition in - switch the shows, and put on the mussel hat and out for the run. I will try to keep a 10 minute pace on the run, and certainly now over 11 minutes if possible. I should not need any nutrition on the run.
Finish the race and then race to the graduation party . . .
Timing goals - not really sure, except I want the run to be less than 30 minutes, and the overall should be less than 2 hours. Not going to look up my time from the last time I did this race.
Try to rest and keep my legs elevated for the rest of the day at the party.
DoubleMussel - the big day!
The race starts at 7, so I want to be at transition by 6. I will need to leave my apartment by 5:45. I will get up at 5 and have breakfast of a bagel with cheese. I will work on fine tuning my nutrition this week.
For the swim, I will have new goggles and be ready for the long swim. The waves at the beginning are always pretty big, but I will just keep going. Once I get to about half way, we turn into the canal, and then it gets to be an awesome swim. Again - stay to the left to avoid wasting distance. I would like to swim it in 45 minutes, but that might be ambitious - should be less than 50 though.
Transition - same as yesterday - focused and moving forward.
For the bike, I know the course and want to do it relatively fast, but it is just not a fast course for me. My body knows what to do on the course. My goal is to get past both ghost bikes and stay in the game and have no bike issues. I would like to finish the bike in less than 3:30 if possible.
For the nutrition, I will have the front bottle with nuns, second bottle of water with nuns, and a small bottle with gatorade. I ran out of water in Syracuse, so I may need go grab another water bottle at an aid station - I hope not, but I will if needed. I will have gels at 45, and every 30 minutes after that, and gatorade at the 15s.
When I get to the run, I will be tired. My first goal is to get to the 2 mile mark outside the park. I will then focus on the inner loop - I have done it many times and want to run the course - not walk it at all. I will not stop at any aid stations until I get to cross over lane and then on barracks road. If I have to walk up barracks, that is okay - I just hope the drums are still playiing by the time I get there!!! I will enjoy the downhill on slosson and then just grind it out to the end. I will enjoy seeing my cousins at mile 10 and then just keep it going not to be walking for the last 5K.
I can do this!!!!
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Comments
I am doing the Half Ironman on Sunday and so is Freeman. Perhaps we could meet up somewhere for a team pic. I did the HIM 2 years ago, when we had the severe thunder storm. The one thing I noticed is that at the aid stations on the run they have Hammer and salt tabs. I use gatorade and powerade gels, so I will be wearing a belt to hold my goods. I used what was on the course 2 years ago but I had some cramping issues the last bit of the race and do not want to come up against this time.
You did not mention your fueling strategy during the run. As for running and not stopping at the aid stations - if you say you are going to be tired when you get off the bike, why would you not stop at the aid stations, get in what you need and then run to the next aid station? No matter how tired I am I always tell myself that I can run 1 mile which is usually where the aid stations are situated. Just a thought.
I am a local in Geneva, and will be hanging around the Finger Lakes Triathlon Club tent - do you want to meet there for the photo? It will be close to the swim start. Let me know what time. I will be working at the Finger Lakes Gifts and Lounge after the athlete briefing at the smith at 4:30 if you want to stop by. It is neat shop and has great musselman cards and photos. It is just down the street from the smith.
Happy tapering!