Bruce Thompson's IM MT Race Plan
Here is my plan. All comments & suggestions welcomed!
Thursday:
Drive to MT & get checked in at hotel and pick up race packet. Pick up bikes at TBT. Go for easy spin & 22 mile recon ride on Lac Superior section of the course. Talk to Tim Couch about the course. EN dinner.
Friday:
Short swim early to get a sense for where the sun comes up, walk to T1 from exit. Go on another short ride on the run course to make sure bike is ok. Check out town. Early dinner. Make up gear bags.
Saturday:
Big breakfast early– pancakes, eggs, OJ, meat
Short swim after breakfast, then big lunch – chicken or turkey sandwich by noon, rack bike and drop off gear bags, back to hotel to rest, review training log
Dinner – early meal @ 5 pm, grilled chicken, pasta with marina sauce, bread. Bed by 9.
Race Day:
Wake up at 4 am
Breakfast: 2 bananas, 2 bagels, 2 bowls cheerios, coffee. 1 power bar 1 hour before swim start, sip on 20 oz Infinit
Special Needs Bags: drop off bags, put Infinit bottle into SN bags
Transition: work from my list: pump tires, check brakes, check garmin, fill torpedo bottle with water, rack Infinit bottle, use toilet, get in/out, find a quite place to rest, maybe go back to hotel room to rest if enough time. Feel blessed that I “get” to race an Ironman.
Swim: wet suit, plastic bag with cap, goggles, body glide. Drop off clothes bag. Warm up swimming a little, then rest last 2-3 minutes, pee. Get in 2nd row of wave. Go semi hard at start, then settle in, find feet & go steady to end. Site every 15 stokes. Kick harder last 100 yards to loosen up legs. Walk first 5 steps out of water, then begin running. Goggles up & strip wetsuit down to waist, use wet suit strippers, cap and goggles off while running to T1
T1: Get bag & find a seat. Put on headband, glasses, helmet, grab shoes, go. Start garmin at bike, Steady jog to mount line & put on shoes at mount line.
Bike: 180-185 watts first 30’, then 190’ watts for next 15’, then target 195-200 watts for rest of the ride. Goal: 195NP for entire ride. Cap watts @ 220 on all climbs. If above 80F, back off by 5-10 watts. Get and stay aero the whole way except when speed falls below 12 mph on climbs. Target HR: 130-135. Drink water right away. Drink Infinit after 10’, and sip at each 5 mile lap. Take water bottle at each aid station & refill torpedo, pour extra on back of my head. Take a banana at 2 hours into ride. At BSN, get Infinit bottle, and bagel. Take banana at each aid station. Pee 3 times, including last 5 miles.
T2: feet out of shoes last ¼ mile, unstrap helmet while running, put body glide on toes, socks & shoes on, grab run go bag (visor,scaps, race belt, Quick Shot with Infinit bottle).
Run: Put on stuff in this order while running: visor, race belt, Quick shot bottle with Infinit and Scaps in pouch, adjust fit of everything while running. Take short, quick strides. Count strides for first 3 miles to get turnover right. Target pace – 9:15 first 3 miles, then 9:00 next 3 miles, then 8:45 to mile 18, then whatever is left to the end. Keep HR under 140 thru mile 18, then let it drift up to 150+. If above 80F, adjust pace targets upward by 30” per mile. If above 90F, adjust pace targets up by 60”. If hot, focus on HR, and not on pace. Walk 10 steps each aid station just to drink water. Take 2 cup water at each aid station, take cup of ice, and sip Infinit after drinking water. Take a banana as needed. Take 1 Scap at miles 0, 6, 13, 20. At RSN, drop bottle, visor & get go bag with new Infinit bottle, head band, extra Scaps. Put on stuff while running. Count people I pass to keep mind occupied. Focus on keeping turnover at 180/min in last half of race. Drop bottle at mile 23. Race all the way to the finish line. Smile when I cross the finish.
Comments
Bruce - you're ready. You know the drill … "Pay attention to your nutrition and your pace, your time and place will take care of themselves." Let your body do the racing; trust your training and your race execution strategies.
I've become a big believer in the use of HR and RPE on the run. Acting as a rein in the first 6-8 miles (high Z1), then as a whip in the last 10 (low >> mid Z2).