Ian Kurth 2014 IMWI Race Plan
Special thanks to all those ENers (notably recent race plans from Coach P, Dave Tallo, Tim Cronk, and Al Truscott) who came before me and shared their wisdom and execution pearls. I have taken portions of these plans that align with my objectives and have incorporated them into this document. Not my first race plan, but first published... Go easy - I'm shy.
IMWI 2014 RACE PLAN - SEPTEMBER 7, 2014
Age 40, FTP 286, VDOT 50, wt 175
4th IM race, 3rd IMWI
Race Pillars
Race Day is about EXECUTION, not fitness
Have the discipline, humility and patience to set up the opportunity for a good run
Execute with Respect for the bike course
Best Races After Slowest Starts -- Plow horse; Diesel.
Steady Effort Wins the Day - Plow horse; Diesel
Process focus, and NO Racing Until Mile 18.
No Highs, No Lows.
Pain is temporary, pride is forever
Honor Thy Training Self
Dig deep Honey Badger, go get the prom queen
Race Week
Eat green, lean and clean.
Query: "Is this adding to, or depleting my energy?"
Off feet. Podium legs frequently
Checklists. Minimize stressors
Smile. I am a lucky SOB.
Thurs. – 9/4
Morning leave Wausau 7:30, breakfast, drive to Madison; plan to arrive around 11 am.
Check into hotel
Walk down to IM Village, get registered and pick up transition bags
IM expo
Back to hotel to settle in, start laying out bags and checking all.
6pm – EN Team Dinner (salted) at Founders Room of Monona Terrace
Back to hotel to settle in to bed by 8:30pm
Fri – 9/5
6:30am banana and oatmeal/ peanut butter
7:00am – Swim with EN group (Easy effort, just to get comfortable)
Eat larger Breakfast – eggs and pancakes
10:00am – Four Keys Talk at Overture Center for the Arts
Lunch pasta and chicken. Salted.
Back to hotel for nap
Pack Transition Bags, and visualize, practice transitions
5:30pm IM Dinner at Monona Terrace,
Dinner at Tornado Room with Jen. Red meat. Salted.
Sat – 9/6
Sleep in!
8:00 am Big Carb - Pancake/Waffle breakfast
Sip Coconut water all day
12:00p Good sized early lunch - pasta, chicken, rice. Salted.
Drop off after Lunch (by 1pm):
Walk route from water to bags to bike to exit. Think about places to run fast, run slower, shortcuts.
Look for 2x landmarks and markers for bike rack position. Note row/column of T bags.
Back to hotel for a nap, read - UM vs ND @ 2:30 CST. GO BLUE!
Wear podium legs
Get bottles/stuff ready for Sunday morning drop off
Light dinner @ 5:00pm - pasta, chicken, white bread. Salted. @ Concourse Restaurant
In Bed by 8:00 pm -- Final review of Race Plan
Smile. I am a lucky SOB to be racing Ironman
RACE MORNING (Sun – 9/7):
3:45am wake-up
I feel like a friggin’ million bucks
Eat Breakfast:
3 cups applesauce, 1 scoop protein powder, banana, Coconut water and power bar
Naked Juice plan B
Shower.
Get Dressed:
EN Tri top, tri shorts, calf sleeves, +/-arm coolers
Chamois Cream, trislide, body glide
Timing Chip (L leg), HR strap, and garmin 910
Dry pull over clothes for staying warm. Throw away sandals
5:15 am Head to Transition get body-marking done.
Portos
Bike check (5:45)
put 2 bottles of infinit on bike
+/- armwarmers on bike
pump tires - 115 PSI
bento box check, with tire tool and tube under seat check
Chain lubed, gearing double check, big ring, mid gear
Garmin mounted and turned on, secured with extra elastic, synced with Quarq and HR, Auto off disabled
Swim Setup.
6:00a get wet suit on (Garmin 910 left arm set to OWS).
6:15 EN photo
Head toward swim start.
Do a gel with water about 15 mins out - keep sipping Perform.
6:30am ear plugs in, cap over goggles
6:40 in water
SWIM:
The Swim -- Just Keep Swimming!
Seed between buoy line and ski jump, several deep. Line up around 1:12 group.
Strong, smooth, relaxed stroke
(1) High elbows with cadence, (2) wide entry/pulling straight back/strong finish, (3) 3-count breathing.
Only go as fast as form allows. If form fails, slow down.
Draft on hips or feet - Put someone on my left - let that person navigate.
Site q 12 strokes
COUNT strokes. Jeopardy theme song
"Race in my box"
Hold ground when there is contact.
Positive karma
Nutrition:
1 Powergel 20 min. Before
1 coconut water before
Goal: < 1:14
T1:
Out and walk to strippers, wad up wetsuit and carry like football up helix
Hand off wetsuit to volunteer and ask to place in bag
bike bag- HELMET ON AND BUCKLED BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE
Race bib with GPS on while running
Carry Ziploc Mega Bag as you head to bike:
Salt/Pill canister for left hip pocket
6 x ½ powerbar (in ziplock) for right hip pocket.
4 GU’s (in zip lock) in middle pocket
carry shoes while jogging to bike.
At bike, empty ziplocks to volunteer
Shoes on
Pull bike off rack
Start Garmin
Transition pillars:
Eliminate friction points
Smooth, efficient - “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
Goal < 8 min.
BIKE:
Bike // Pacing -- Steady + Aero Wins the Day
“SHOULD” vs could
"Flatten the hills"
"Race in my box"
“Set up a good run”
First 5 miles - admin. JRA. Settle In, confirm everything is good and working.
Watch out for squirrely riders, dropped bottles etc
Bike is a 5h conversation with powermeter. FOCUS.
Target goal 200w avg for day (.70 IF).
VI <1.05</span>
IF .67-.72
TSS<290</span>
Flats: Real time power at 195-205
Short Climbs: Real time power capped at 230 (IF .80)
Long Climbs: Real time power capped at 220 (IF .77)
HR 125-135
HR in 120s, building to mid 130s by end.
Smooth, steady cadence around 92 rpm
Shitty swimmer mean lots of wind shadows for Lap One and start of Lap Two.
Capitalize and sling shot
Super aero all day; Visuals: "I get small and punch through the wind" ... "Momentum is Speed"
Bike // Early:
Start Garmin 500
Note early HR and work to get it down.
Smart first 10 miles on stick to first climb -- don't force it
1st 16 miles "stick"185 watts "JRA"
Start fueling with 1/2 Powerbar @ 15' mark.
Fluid targets = 1-2 bottles per hour of Perform.
1 salt pill an hour.
Pee by Mile 30.
Bike // Mid:
1st loop 40 miles 190-200 watts
2nd loop 40 miles 195-205 watts
Ride super aero / turtle style when able.
Keep box expanded, constantly review systems check
Ride tall / good gear / front of saddle when climbing (Horeb, Old Sauk, Timberline, Midtown)
Smile and encourage gear mashers
Maintain momentum and Messerschmidt, Witte, and Verona run in.
Water on armcoolers for hills, etc.
Pee at least once more.
Tylenol at hour 3.5.
Start of second loop is landmark to REFOCUS.
Continue steady march as others around fade
Bike // End:
Last 16 miles "stick" 200-210 watts
Stay cool by dumping water the last 15 miles of the ride.
Stretch as needed.
Mile 111: unstrap shoes, drop watts, easy light spinning, mentally review T2 steps
Stop Garmin 500 and hand bike off
Risk Management and Contingencies
Minor (ie blown tire, penalty etc): come to a stop, 2 deep breaths, and execute a smooth fix.
Major (broken chain, spoke etc): Fortunate to be racing Ironman. Use it to learn something on race day: Try a neg split run
Goal time: Irrelevant (expect around 5:50)
Bike Nutrition:
Plan to drink 1-2 perform off course per hr.
Perform 9 bottles (1.5/hr) = 1600cal
Auto lap on Garmin every 5 miles signals drink
Powerbar, then gel every other lap
2 gels 220 cal
6 - ½ Powerbars = 720 cal
Salt tab every 4th lap (q1 hr.)
Goal is to pee min of once per loop and coming in stick
Target: 400 cal/hour (2300 total)
T2:
Transition Pillars:
Smooth, efficient - “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
Eliminate friction points
Everything into a ziplock bag (hat, sunglasses, nutrition, tylenol, gum, lomotil) and do all admin stuff in run/walk out of T2 — toss on your shoes, grab your bag, and get it done while running.
Goal: <5 min, aiming for 'best in class' t2 time based on past races</span>
Flying dismount / hand off bike.
Take off Helmet on the move.
Find bag, head to tent.
Bag down & Open.
Shoes (on top), single rolled sock in each.
Start walking out with Mega Ziploc Bag.
Hat/Visor on your head.
Sunglasses on
Turn 910 to run and start
Cooling towel around neck, get it wet.
Eat banana on the move.
RUN:
Run Pillars:
Do no harm first 6 miles
Solid defense til mile 18
Race hard after 18 - bring out the one thing trump cards
FOCUS. COUNT. TURN INSIDE OUT. HONOR THY TRAINING SELF. PROM QUEEN.
Commit to starting out SLOW 8:30 + 20 for 6 m.HR <135)</span>
Followed by settling into Z-1 8:20 plus 30 step walk break
HR <140 (will drift up to 150 later miles)</span>
Stay wet with water flush, wet sponges and ice.
Run all tangents, shortest route
Go to end of each aid station for drinks, walk 30 steps and resume running immediately
Stay connected; work on relaxed breathing, focus on exhale.
Pee while running if possible
State street second turn bring on laser focus and start ABP mentality
8 miles to go. Take them 1 mile at a time. ABP
Pass people; count “kills”
3 miles to go empty tank push HR to 155+.
Switch to coke at stations if haven’t yet, pinch to drink in order to drink on the fly
Run // Lap One -- Diesel Engine Strong
Keep HR as low as possible for first 2.5 miles.
Stay cool by dumping water the first 2 miles of the run.
HR target is 130-135 on Lap One.
Run smart: take tangents, follow shortest paths anywhere
Great form --
shoulders before hips; high hands; chin up
slight lean; midfoot strike; smooth cadence.
Tall, efficient, engaging glutes
Speed is Not Slowing Down - Easy miles in control, final miles with mind/heart.
Run // Lap Two -- Empty the Tank
HR target is 145-155 on Lap 2.
Consider speed walking observatory hill.
Mile 18 move from "reserved, internal focus" to "gutsy, external focus."
Pass people and steal their energy.
Try to get pace to STRONG.
Keep turnover, keep form, don't walk anywhere.
Aid Station Process:
Sponge for face; squeeze over head.
Water for head/neck cooler.
Ice in hands.
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Comments
Great plan Ian, although Im a bit concerned about your mid Sat prep. Will likely leave you feeling a tad blue. Back up plan for a sure cure would be to catch ESPN at 8:00 pm that evening. Wouldn't need to watch long to cure your ills.
Say could you give me your thoughts on the Tylenol at third quarter of the bid ride, and also on the run. Is there no issue her alike I hear there is with Advil?
Florescent tape on your bags and chamois cream smeared under the of your rear bike seat lip (where you can easily get at it are the only suggest I'd have)
Going to be great to be out there with you Ian. Will be cheering you on from behind as we pass on run course!
Good catch about the fluorescent tape. Need to add that. Thanks for the chamois butter tip. Never too much of that for the bits... Looking forward to see you in Madison, and kicking some butt on course!
@ Tim - Thank you for the review. Your comments/opinions are always insightful and helpful. You are right. The 910 on the swim is for review only. Last year I swam 2.8 miles according to the 910, and I view that as an opportunity for improvement. Data junkie curiosity only.
Race belt in T1 is the myathletetracker gps dealio for the fam. Once on, I will just tuck the tracker in a pocket.
I have tried powerbars in rice paper, and I think the concept is pretty slick. I got that idea from YOU. I have these in a separate ziplock for compartmentalization, and so they don't get soggy from a wet jersey. If the weather forecast looks like a downpour, I will reconsider this system.
Tylenol is not scheduled, but I give myself the option of taking late in bike or at beginning of run. ABSOLUTELY NO IBUPROFEN. You are right. Probably not necessary, and debatable to be more taxing than of benefit.
Thanks for the tip on scheduled feedings. Frankly on the IMWI course, there are only scattered places that are conducive to eat/drink, and there are many places that require concentration/hands on the shifters/no farting around. Just using the auto lap as a reminder generally buzzes between 12-19 minutes and I then look for opportunities the course allows to fuel. Just simpler for me that way. For IMFL - I am all in on your scheduled time system, though.
Looking forward to read the Race Report. You did great on the race!
Good luck! You will rock it!