Dave Tallo - Race Plan - Kona 2014
Dave Tallo, 43
FTP 275, weight ~150, VDOT 53
Strategic Pillars
1. Execute with Respect for the race
2. No drama
3. Leverage process and results to exceptional performance
Race Week
-safety first
-hibernation mode
-approx 2300 cals/day plus replacement of training cals. Green, lean and clean.
-all situations, ask "Is this adding to, or depleting my energy?"
-lots of sitting, avoid walking anywhere if you can drive, keep off feet
-stay in control of all situations
-addendum: no sandals. closed-toe shoes. (this might be the pinnacle of pre-race OCD, but I've actually stubbed and injured my toes a few times i the past wearing sandals.)
-OCD handwashing and purel; if someone sneezes, run the other way
Day before race
-in advance, write itinerary: where to go and when, menus and venues for meals, follow schedule using 15min blocks
-get in, get done, get out at checkout
-salted everything.
-Denny's team breakfast. Pancakes. Last coffee no later than 1030 am.
-sip electrolyte drink all day
-gather bags
-Lunch as small 'clean' pasta or burritos w flour tortilla, chicken, mild salsa, rice
-230 / 3pm arrive at check in, work from list
-iPod as isolation mode-keep stimulation at a reasonable level
-big smile all day
-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.
-get outta there fast
-afternoon: stretch / light yoga, DL movie from itunes in room and relax.
-sit for dinner by 6:30, be grateful!
-dinner as bland white pasta, red sauce, chicken, white bread
-put on timing chip left ankle strap before bed (safety pin neoprene strap)
Sleep by 9-10PM - "I'm grateful to be racing and damn lucky"
Race Day
-wake at ~2/3am for 4 x Ensure
-wake 4:00
-"I feel great"
-pinned up EN singlet, hincapie shorts, Garmin
-Get to race Time TBD
-quick list of Admin (more to add later): water in profile bottle, salted gatorade on bike cage, PT computer attached and secured w extra elastic, inflate wheels to 95, chain lubed in easy gear, attach, gel flask, sunglasses to bars w elastics, outta there
-find somewhere quiet to sit, chill, light stretch, sunscreen
-continue sipping water
t minus 30
-swimskin on, make way to water
-spash around with warmup including 4-5 x 'hard' intervals
-caffeinated gel at 10 mins to start
Swim
Goal of 1:04 - 1:08
-Seed near r and outside -get ready for cannon
-find big dude to get behind at start, gauge speed, use his big draft
go
-hard for first 400 (NTD - approx marker for 400 is past Kona Inn). Quick strokes, hard pull, natural kick. Hard pace based on muscles, form and fitness ... NOT adrenaline. Be in control.
-you'll get hit; hold your ground and keep making forward progress
-muscle fatigue: first 400 will be over soon, just keep hard pace
-settle into race pace with longer pulls, lift heels to kick and maintain body position, count strokes
-keep key 3 in mind: early catch, high elbow, strong finish
-stay on hip or feet and enjoy the ride
-REALLY stay on hip or feet on return
-effort: remember ... it's a race
Exit and t1
-Look at t1s of previous years and aim for fast
-grab bike and go
Bike
-HELMET ON AND BUCKLED BEFORE EVEN TOUCHING BIKE
-shoes on pedals, flying mount and go, tighten straps once moving forward on bike
-Bike Planned IF .74, approx TSS 275, Goal time irrellevant
-think "range of watts" - 193 to 195; 203 to 205; etc
-First 5 mins / industrial park as 193, easy spinning, take time putting things attached to bike in pockets (Clifs in jersey pockets, glasses with arms inside helmet straps, gel flask in shorts pocket at back).
-Safety first.
-DRINK!
-climb K highway at 215 max
-193 out along Queen K to 30 min mark
-keep very very very low in this section and ensure helmet is flush against back
-coast 2 x large downhills
-eat early - stomach is normally setled right away and harder swim will have taken more cals than normal
-Do what you need to in order to ensure there is the mental real estate to keep making good choices all morning.
-from 30mins in to bike finish: keep on 203 watts, with terrain features at 213 and climbs at 223. Stay on gas steadily, don't come up during descents until 40mph or so. Look for opportunities for free speed = keeping momentum on rollers, legal drafting, etc. Lots of people will go out too fast on the bike = Free Wind Shadows from pretty much first half of lap 1 onwards.
-Bike is a 5h conversation with your powermeter. No siteseeing.
-Stay low all day with head tucked down and turtled, shoulders narrow and shrugged.
-general strategy point: if feeling **great** after descent from Hawi, make descision to bump to 205/ 215 / 225 easy spin on downhills while staying low. After airport, make decision about output recognizing a net elevation loss and need to run a marathon
-Visuals through ride: "I get small and punch through the wind" ... "I am light and strong"
-1 /2 Clif every half hour with water. Gatorade on the :15 and :45. Switch from Clifs to gels at about 3.5h
-Minimum 2 full bottles water plus Powerdrink ever hour
-2 x lava salt every .5 hour. Baggie of salts tucked into short leg
-make sure you're still peeing hourly at 3+ hour mark
-pick a landmark around the 3/4 point that will coincide with your normal point of losing focus / drifting mentally (probably Moana Kea Resorts). This is the cue to get your head back into it and have a caffeine gel.
-Turn after Aquatic centre: unstrap shoes, drop to 190, easy light spinning, remove garmin, get mind into t2 game
t2
-aim for 'best in class' t2 time based on past races (~1:30?)
-t2 flying dismount, drop bike and gogogo
-helmet unstrapped once past dismount line, take off while running
-sit down, dump bag, socks and shoes on, grab hat / baggie of sunscreen bundle, pull on shirt and stand into race number belt, get movin'
-just carry hat and sunscreen until everything is settled, then put 'em both on when you're underway. if this is hard, you're going too fast.
Run
-"focus"
-assuming currrent forecast of 80s and no cloud
-alternate gatorade and gel at every aid station. Grab 2 gels every time: one for next aid station and toss in pocket to eat as you roll up to station IOW, always have an 'emergency' gel pack in your pocket.
-don't break stride for pee breaks - just keep moving
-run smart: take tangents, follow shortest paths anywhere
-run start: Hit power on on Garmin (wear on wrist from start of day powered off)
-start as shuffle with Key Bobby McGee look-fors: forward lean from chest, footstrike along stance line, quick turnover at 90rpm, eyes on 6 ft ahead on road
-"I am light and strong"
-paces / efforts based on last year's run execution:
-opening pace w HR cap of 150, run tall and economically
-back down to if RPE too hot, and adjust slower every few minutes unti RPE is very easy
-run entire race, keeping consistent miles
-mile 6: if on pace, drop to HR cap of 158
-If first 6 at too easy pace, just adjust ... gradually and later
-Mile 12: how do I feel? If it's an HONEST "great," and running at higher 150s, keep on. If running with HR higher than 160s, drop pace and walk aid stations. If feeling anything else, figure it out.
-Hills: remember form to maximize mechanical advantage, make tactical choice at each hill whether to bump to higher effort to climb (HR cap 165), or maintain pace
-run palani with little steps and body lean
-mile 18: toggle garmin to "time of day," keeping moving, and take stock for a minute. Breathe; control. Figure out what will be needed to get to the line. One last reminder of running with perfect McGee form, then go and run with heart.
-get extra drive from one thing that has been your commitment for the last 364 days.
-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. Images of Peter Reid in Kona, Mark Allen, Luc Van Leirdre; find anything that gives you energy. BIG FRICKEN SMILE
-"I am light and strong and breathe energy"
Other
-No Special Food bags.
-Bike setup as front BTA bottle for water, water in behind seat carrier, 3 clifs and gel flask in jersey, 2x extra light tubes on bike with c02, lever and minipump onboard. Contact lenses in storage.
Risk Management and Contingencies
-blown tire or minor: come to a stop, close eyes and beathe deep for 5 s, and get on with a calm fix. Think Crissie, not Normann.
-major: you're lucky to be doing Ironman. Use it to learn something on race day: maybe try a run PB using McGee 8/1 run walk.
Say 'Mahola' at the end.
addendum: Heat Management
Bike
-continued jersey soaking, hydration as written
Run
HR is the first thing to monitor
-bare core, rolled up, singlet pinned as "man-bra" to have minimal fabric coverage
-wish I had the guts to rock a speedo on the run. Dare to dream; some day.
-sponge, cold water dousing at every aid station
-grab two cups of ice at each aid station, consolidate them into one cup while on the move, and either (a) put ice in hat and let it melt, (b) put ice in man-bra and let it melt, (c) carry ice in bare hands and let it melt, (d) all of the above.
lessons leared in the past: rhe humidity of Kona obviates the usefullness of cooling sleeves, gloves, jerseys or other garments ... best strategy is bare (but heavily sunscreened) skin, and taking in whatever is on offer for cooling whenever it's available. Expecially ice. But most importantly, not allowing core temp to rise early in run or as a result of any effort spikes will let me stay on top of the heat.
Comments
Good luck Dave, Look very much forward to following you!
Love the "-effort: remember ... it's a race " ........
May the force be with you!
SS
"Bike is a 5h conversation with your powermeter. No siteseeing" Yup, I need this one! Although I need to add "If you literally start talking to your bike, eat/drink more".
Good luck Dave, but it looks like you don't need any!
Go have some fun!
Mark, this exact scenario happened to me at Kona in 2012. While I'll do what's necessary to mitigate the risk (new battery in hub, hard reset and clear memory of Garmin, etc), I ran through that scenario many times in trying to ingrain (or at least develop a high awareness of ) what the Rate of Perceived Exertion ought to be at various times, at various places along the course.
(The first time I raced here I had my power meter go out on me, my goggles flooded and I washed out my contact, I had a flat, and I woke up on race morning with a cold. I like to think I covered the majority of race calamities and developed world-class resilience that year!)