CJ IMMD 2014 Race plan
This is my first, so please feel free to comments.
I used a lot of info from the Race plan Ian Kurth wrote 2 weeks ago for IMWI. Thanks Ian 
Ironman Maryland, September 20, 2014
Race Pillar
- Race Day is about EXECUTION, not fitness
- Execute with Respect for the bike course
- No Highs, No Lows
- Pain is temporary, pride is forever
- Honor Thy Training Self
Wednesday Sept 17
Leave Raleigh, NC early ~ 8.30 / Arrive in Cambridge, MD ~ 14.30
- Check in at hotel
- Settle in, check if forgotten anything
- Bike course recon – 90 min, max 30 miles, focus on “difficult” parts, i.e, turns, rest of the course with the car
- 30 min swim if I have the time/energy
- early dinner (18.00)
- back to hotel, movie
- 21.30 lights off
Thursday Sept 18
- Swim course recon – 30 min same day as race day (~7am)
- breakfast
- 10.00 go to the expo (max 1.5h)
- Hit the 11.00 Athlete briefing
- 12.00 Go to registration
- Recon site, transition areas, etc
- lunch
- Back to hotel prepare bags
- 17.30 EN dinner: River View at the Point Restaurant, 1A Sunburst Highway, Cambridge, MD 21613
- 19.30 IM welcome ceremony
- 21.30 lights off
Friday Sept 19
- Sleep in
- Large breakfast
- Sip coconut water all day
- Early large lunch
- Bags drop off / bike drop off after lunch
- Walk route from exit swim to bags to bike to bike out. 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, bath w. Epsom salt, massage (thank you hubby), early dinner (5pm), movie
- 21.00 lights off
- Smile. I am so lucky to be racing Ironman!
Saturday Sept 20
- 2am first wake up, eat ½ can coconut milk + 2 scoops of UCAN
- go back to “sleep”
- 4.00 second wake up,
- Feeling like a million bucks
- Eat ½ can coconut milk + 1 scoops of UCAN, coffee
- get dressed up
- Tri top, tri shorts, calf sleeves, +/-arm coolers
- Chamois Cream, body glide
- Timing Chip (L leg), HR strap, and garmin 910
- Dry pull over clothes for staying warm. Throw away sandals
- Conversation with myself in the mirror – make my training self proud, she’s been training hard for you racing self, so don’t screw up!
- 5am leave to Cambridge
- 5.30 get body marking done
- portos
- 5.45 Bike check
- Pump tires @110 psi
- Chain lubed, gearing double check, big ring, mid gear
- 1 bottle nutrition
- speedfill full
- Bento box with
- 1 Co2
- 1 tube
- tire tool
- 1 crack pipe
- Canister (with tums, B12, Tylenol, salt taba)
- (3x) ½ lara bars
- 6am get wetsuit on (if wetsuit legal)
- Head towards swim start
- Short warm up in the water
- Do a gel with water about 15 mins out
- 6.30 ready to race
SWIM:
“Just Keep Swimming!”
- Swim safe start - seed middle of the 1:10 – 1:15 group.
- Strong, smooth, relaxed stroke
- (1) Don’t let the water slip, (2) wide entry/pulling straight back/strong finish, (3) 4-count breathing.
- Only go as fast as form allows. If form fails, slow down.
- Draft on hips or feet - let that person navigate.
- Site @ 12 strokes
- COUNT strokes.
- "Race in my box"
- Hold ground when there is contact.
- Positive karma
Goal ~1.15
T1:
“Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
- Out and walk to strippers, wad up wetsuit and carry like football
- Hand off wetsuit to volunteer and ask to place in bag
- bike bag- HELMET ON AND BUCKLED BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE
- carry shoes while jogging to bike.
- Shoes on
- Pull bike off rack
- Start Garmin
BIKE:
“Set up a good run”
- First 8 miles - admin. JRA (~133). Settle in, confirm everything is good and working.
- Watch out for turns in town, squirrely riders, dropped bottles, etc.
- Bike is a 6h conversation with powermeter. FOCUS.
- Target goal: 140w avg for day
- HR 130-140
- HR in 130s, building to mid 140s by end. If 150, SLOW DOWN, you will pay it on the run, it’s ok to go under target goal power.
- Smooth, steady cadence around 80 rpm
- Super aero all day; Visuals: "I get small and punch through the wind" ... "Momentum is Speed"
- Every 10 min: sip water
- Every 5 miles: drink from liquid nutrition bottle
- Every 30 min: stretch (terrain will not allow to adjust position)
- Every 60 min: ½ lara bar
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 ~6.15
T2:
- Dismount / hand off bike.
- Take off Helmet on the move.
- Find bag, head to tent.
- Bag down & Open.
- Take off bike shoes
- Running shoes (on top), single rolled sock in each.
- Start walking out with Mega Ziploc Bag (including the Race bib)
- Hat/Visor on your head.
- Sunglasses on
RUN:
TURN INSIDE OUT. HONOR THY TRAINING SELF. DO NOT SLOW DOWN
- Commit to starting out SLOW 9:30 for 6 miles. HR <140</span>
- Followed by settling into 9:00 plus 30 step walk break
- HR <145 (will drift up to 155 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
- Switch to coke after 2.30 on the run
- Stay connected; work on relaxed breathing, focus on exhale.
- 8 miles to go. Take them 1 mile at a time. ABP
- Count people I pass
- 3 miles to go empty tank push HR to 160+.
Run Troubleshoot:
- Take the HR out conservative the first 2 miles of the run! That's the deadly pocket.
- If you get tingling fingers on the run, replace a gel with a banana and pop a salt stick.
BAGS (close bags in case it rains)
T1 – Bike bag:
- bike shoes on bottom, straps back
- Helmet
- Garmin
- arm cooler (if necessary)
Bike special needs bag:
- 2 x CO2.
- 2 tubes
- Long sleeve t-shirt (if weather is cold)
- Canister (with tums, B12, Tylenol, salt tabs)
- Bottle with nutrition
- Extra ½ lara bar (3x)
T2 – Run bag:
- Shoes
- socks rolled in shoes (with body glide)
- “Go bag” - large ziplock with race belt with number already attached, visor, sunglasses, canister (with tums, Tylenol, salt tabs, B12), 3 x ½ Lara bar
- Running bottle with nutrition
Run special needs:
- Long sleeve t-shirt
- canister (with tums, Tylenol, salt tabs, B12)
- Socks
- Running bottle with nutrition
On the bike
- 1 bottle nutrition
- speedfill full
- 2 Co2
- 2 tube
- 1 crack pipe
- Canister (with tums, B12, Tylenol, salt tabs)
- ½ lara bars (3x)
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Comments
Catherine, your IMMD race plan looks well thought out and filled with motivation. Something you might want to consider: I see that you will have salt tablets, but the first mention of actually taking any is for trouble shooting on the run if you have tingling. I think most EN'rs take them at regular intervals on the bike and run before having problems. I take one every hour.
Also, you plan to have "1 crack pipe" on your bike. But, I don't see where you packed any crack.
Good luck. Have a great experience.
Bob - I also take 1 salt tab per hour, it's included in my "nutrition bottles" that I'll have on the bike and the run. It includes other ingredients like UCAN powder, protein powder, BCAA, MCT oil, electrolytes, and adaptogens. Everything is super concentrate and I just drink water on the course. This is what I've been training with and it works for me.
Ahahah yes, I always keep a stash of crack, just in case I need a boost at the end of the bike leg
Thanks for your feedback guys!
Nice job. The exercise of thinking about these issues now will save mental energy and streamline your experience come race week. You added nice, specific detail, and it looks like you are setting yourself up for a terrific race.
For T2 - put EVERYTHING except your shoes and socks in your "go bag". As you are leaving the tent with your bag, put your race belt on, on the move. Everything else in there (visor, glasses etc) put on while moving. Gives you something to do during the 1st mile, and these tasks keep you from running too fast.
Good luck! We'll be watching and cheering!
looking forward to meeting you, I won't be at the team dinner, but I am sure we'll bump into each other on Friday.
I've done the modifications for the T2 bags. I guess the race belt is the first item from the bag to be put on, even before leaving T2?
Steve - my last RR was 6h for the 112 miles but my HR was kinda high when I started the run (might have been because the temp was ~95ºF) so I think I'll try to dial it down a little for the race. Pity you won't be at the team dinner, if we don't bumped into each other, we need to at least celebrate after the race!!
Have a fantastic race!
You note putting on calf sleeves in the morning. I'm not sure if IMMD is supposed to be a no wetsuit swim. Just be aware in a no wetsuit swim calf sleeves are not allowed so just in case have a backup plan for putting those on after swim if needed.
Good luck and enjoy your day!
From WTC Rules on Swimming:
4. When the use of wetsuits is forbidden, clothing covering any part of the arms below the shoulders and clothing covering any of the leg below the knee is deemed illegal equipment and is not permitted. Compression wear may NOT be worn DURING non-wetsuit swims, but may be worn upon the completion of the swim.