Mark Lane's 2014 IM LOU Race Plan
This is my first full, yes I am nervous! My main goal is to finish. I did the Intermediate IM plan pretty much verbatim, and even at 56, I am basically injury free! Please, any and all suggestions are welcome.
Wed. Drive half way. Have dinner, spend the night at Mom's. The Interstate is within a mile of her house, I'd be in trouble if I didn't stop.
Thur. Arrive in Louisville. Check into Race, and hotel. Freshen up go to team dinner.
Fri. Big breakfast. Bike course recon. Ride a little, drive a little. Back to hotel for nap then dinner. Pack bags.
Bike Bag-Blue Towel, Bike shoes, riding gloves, helmet, sunglasses, tube of Aquaphor. Ziploc bag w/ HR monitor and 2 powerbars. Either Desoto bibs and EN jersey, or EN tri kit. I am still undecided which to wear, and change before the run.
Bike Special needs-Orange extra tube and CO2, tube of Aquaphor, few bandaids, 2 caffeinated powerbar gels, 2 powerbars, saltsticks.
Run Bag-Red Run belt, visor or hat, 2 caffeinated powerbar gels, pack of "blocks", Saltstick canister.EN kit if I wear bibs on the bike. Nutrician will be in run belt pouch.
Run Special needs-Black Saltsticks, bandaids, 2 caffeinated pb gels, small container of vasilene.
Sat. Try to sleep in. Big breakfast. Do practice swim at race site. I know this is not recommended, but for me it is very helpful to "feel" the water before the race. Very easy effort. Back to hotel for lunch. Check in bike and bags, short transition recon, then back to hotel for a nap and movie. Light dinner and early bed time.
Sun. 4am rise. Put on Timing Chip! Coffee, banana, 2 cups applesauce w/ protein powder,cliff bar, sip on sports drink. ~600 cals. 5am Head to Transition get bodymarking done, put bottles on bike, pump tires, check over bike, turn on Garmin. ~5:30am head to swim start. Have a gel about 15-30 mins out still sipping sports drink.Hand off morning clothes bag-Green.
Swim Have goggles and cap!! Follow line into the water, and try to get a little space. Do not get caught up in adrenaline, but establish my pace and rhythm. Per Coach R on the weekly training videos, on Fri. long swims I've been just jumping in and going because I don't think there will be any warm up at race. Just stay in form, don't worry about time and get it done.
T1 Get bag, dry off, change into all bike gear, lube up liberally, get bike and go. Stay smooth, no reason to rush, but no dillydallying either.
Bike I plan to use mostly on course nutrician except bars, and a few caffinated gels. Plan is 2 bottles perform, 1/2 bar, and a gel per hour. ~350 cals, almost 1000mg Na. Planning on washing down food with water, and if it gets very hot adding more water and a Saltstick every hr. First hour of bike is JRA. Then settling into .68x237w=161w, keeping HR in 120's, using my "4 gears", no power spikes on climbs, and staying conservative til mile 80, then downhill to T2.
T2 Get bag, change into tri kit, relube especially under arms, put on socks/shoes, racebelt, and go. Stay smooth.
Run Using my pacing guidelines, start very conservatively, also watching HR. If I feel ok, I'll use gels, and switch to chomps later when it gets harder. Drink 4-8 ozs Perform every aid station. Walk as needed for HR control. If it's hot, have some water and saltsticks, at mile 18 start having some coke. Keep running, dig deep, and finish!