JUAN VERGARA – IMFL 2014 REVISED AND FINAL RACE PLAN
Having received fantastic input from the haus, here is my revised and final race plan for IMFL
JUAN VERGARA – IMFL 2014 REVISED AND FINAL RACE PLAN
This will be my second full distance (following IMLC march 30th 2014 where I finished 6th place in my AG 55-59. (169 overall) with a total time of 11:24:04.
Based on this past experience, tons of EN wisdom / advice - and what I have achieved in training since - the following is my plan for IMFL 2014.
TARGETS:
EXECUTE, EXECUTE, EXECUTE WITH EN NINJA DISCIPLINE !!!! STAY IN THE BOX …. STAY IN THE MOMENT
…. FOCUS IN THE PROCESS … FORGET THE OUTCOME.
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DISCIPLINE |
PROCESS |
TIME TARGET |
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SWIM |
swim as fast as I can maintain perfect form and direction. |
01:05:00 |
|
T1 |
minimize moving parts in T1 and proceed slow-smooth-fast. |
fastest in AG |
|
BIKE |
dial back bike execution to IF 0.72 and increase run execution capability; stay focused to deliver lowest possible VI – Eat drink as planned below. STAY AERO, STAY AERO, STAY AERO. |
05:30:00 |
|
T2 |
minimize moving parts in T2 and proceed slow-smooth-fast. |
fastest in AG |
|
RUN |
out of T1 run 8:45 for as long as necessary to lower HR to 135 and thereon never exceed 135bpm or 8:15 pace - while executing nutrition as planned. Walk 20-30 steps every station. Grab all ice possible to lower temperature |
03:48:00 |
|
TOTAL |
ENJOY EVERY MINUTE BEFORE-DURING-AFTER WHILE FOCUSING ON DISCIPLINED EXECUTION THE EN WAY… ALL THE WAY!!!! LET THE OUTCOME BE A CONSEQUENCE !!!
|
10:30:00 |
It is a VERY aggressive target and while originally I had decided not to have time targets, Mike Roberts, Al Truscott, Tim Cronk and JW have convinced me otherwise; thus, considering how hard I have trained, I will race to KQ-PODIUM-PB (in that order), SMARTLY leaving all I have on the course …...
TRAVEL AND PRE-RACE WEEK: arrive early in Panama Beach to adapt to the 3 hour time difference between home in São Paulo (Brazil) and Western Florida. Long flight with connection in Atlanta.
Departure from São Paulo monday october 27th, Arrival in Panama Beach tuesday october 28th, race saturday november 1st (plenty of time to adapt). Stay at The Boardwalk Condo (walking distance to transition). Train and eat exactly as prescribed in EN IM week 20 and Core Diet pre race nutrition plan. Register early on wednesday (upon opening of registration), walk the expo and never come back!!!!! Thursday: prepare gear and bags as described below EARLY AFTERNOON and then attend EN team dinner (looking forward).
NUTRITION:
I have been following CoreDiet race nutrition guidance for the past 3 years and done very well with their recipe. Nutrition was not the issue at IMLC or training since, therefore I will continue following their guidance.
GEAR:
Thursday … The day to check ALL GEAR AND PUT NEW BATTERIES ON HRM, FOOTPOD, QUARQ:
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MYSELF: |
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The new EN gear, all red, this is my newest secret weapon (which did not arrive on time for IMLC!!!!) |
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Given 95% + chance of wetsuit race, will again wear desoto coolwings , CEP calf sleeves from the start.. |
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Plenty of Mission Anti Chaff all over!!! |
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Garmin 910 fully charged - turn on 20 minutes prior to start |
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Garmin HRM strap. |
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BIKE |
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Front: GARMIN 510 / Aero bottle with Perform (handle bars) / 2 large Saltstick dispensers on aero bars fully loaded / NUTRITION SCHEDULE VISIBLE (don't trust memory for nutrition). 2 power bars cut in 4 halves (prepared for easy open) - Sunglasses (clean) IF COLD FORECAST: ROLL DISPOSABLE ARM WARMERS INTO AEROBARS and DISPOSABLE GLOVES |
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Frame (XLAB STEALTH POCKET 200): 1 flask with 4 non caffeine PowerGel / 1 bottle Perform (downtube) |
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Behind seat post (xlab carbon wing): 2 x C02 cartriges + 1 pitstop + mini-tool kit + disk inflate valve extension, 1 spare tubular tyre, 1 flask with 4 x caffeine PowerGel |
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all bottles frozen, put on am / Garmin 510 charged, checked and turn on am) |
and prepare the bags:
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T1 BAG(WITH VISIBLE COLORED MARK AND NUMBER … JOHN WITHROW STYLE!!!): |
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Helmet (Giro Attack) /THINK IF SWEAT BAND??? |
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Bike shoes IF VERY COLD FORECAST DISPOSABLE VEST |
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BIKE SPECIAL NEEDS (for emergency use only) |
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1 extra tubular tyre + 1 extra pit stop + 1 extra co2 cartridge |
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Mission Anti Chaff |
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T2 BAG (WITH VISIBLE COLORED MARK AND NUMBER JOHN WITHROW STYLE!!!): |
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Shoes w/ Orthotics & footpod – Used socks (inside shoes) |
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Ziplog go-bag: lens cleaner, 1 banana, Sun visor, wristband, Run race belt with number + 1 flask Powergel caffeine + 12 Cliff blocks + 1 small salt stick dispensers fully loaded |
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RUN SPECIAL NEEDS (for emergency use only) |
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Dry socks / Bandaids |
FRIDAY BEFORE RACE DAY: stay inside my hotel, mostly in my room, legs up as much as possible …. Leave only for bike and bags check in at defined time of day … walk transition to locate bags/bike, study terrain from swim exit to bike bag pick up, to T1 to bike position, to mount area, to run bag pick up … and return to hotel …. Stretch a couple times during the day … Plenty of movies loaded in iPad …. Eat exactly as prescribed by CoreDiet, last light meal 6:30pm (small bowl of pasta and grilled chicken going to bed almost hungry) and attempt lights off 9pm (Melatonine handy just in case needed).
RACE DAY:
Wake up 3:30am and have breakfast: Apple Sauce, banana, Whey, 1 bottle Perform. From there on, do everything very slowly. Time to leave room/hotel TBD on location. (Estimate 4:15). Take bottles, sunglases, Bike Garmin pump and SN bags.
Drop SN bags first then
Arrive T1 at opening time of 4:30am, frozen bottles in, secure sunglasses and bars, check wheel pressure, turn on Garmin 500.
Exit T1 asap and relax.
Walk back to hotel room for “toilet meditation session” J –.
05:45 eat one power Bar + Salt Stick - Wetsuit legs on in room – Disposable Socks on - Back to Beach
06:20 wetsuit upper body on and be ready to seed early leaving the T zone at the very front.
06:45 take one power gel w/8oz water + 1 saltstick and, and “be one of the first “in the water”. After the anthem, look over the crowd, see where the fewest people are in the middle front and aim for that spot.”
THE SWIM : Aggressive start to get up with the fast folks feet and stay “glued” to their bubbles with controlled kicking and then settle into race pace, ideally behind “faster feet” all along, totally focused on FORM-FORM-FORM AND GOING STRAIGHT!!. Go only as fast as good form is maintained. Be prepared for swells, chop, current and the occasional jelly fish.
T1 : THINK SLOW IS SMOOTH AND SMOOTH IS FAST but …. “run past all the people laying in the sand for wetsuit strippers, pull upper part of suit off while running, SCREAM number to volunteer and grab bag, enter tent, hand bag to volunteer, pull suit down over waist, sit , pull suit off legs while volunteer dumps bag, pick up my shoes in left hand, helmet in right hand, exit tent, helmet goes on while running to bike, shoes go on at bike, grab bike, turn Garmin on and run to mount line”.(Timm Cronk style!!!)
THE BIKE: EXECUTION-EXECUTION-EXECUTION!!! FLATEN THE FLAT COURSE!!! DRINK-EAT-DRINK-EAT ACCORDING TO PLAN. Ride @ 65-70% through mile 33 (beginning of loop) make sure HR back to “normal” then settle into 72% all the way (aggressively, but smartly). Skip first aid station (use bottles on the bike) – As of second station grab Perform (to drink) and water (refresh) at all stations. Eat per CoreDiet plan every 30 minutes (starting with Powerbars, followed by non-caffeine PowerGel, Followed by caffeine PowerGel, saltsticks every hour, 1x 24oz bottle of Perform every 45 minutes … adjusted to temperature). Just before each of the aid stations top off myself with Perform on downtube and top off aerobottle . At the aid stations, grab and rack perform first, then grab water and stay cool. When temperature raises be soaked as much of the day as possible. Don't squirt face as glasses will smudge. Down my back, my neck, etc. Stay aero, stay aero, stay aero, stay aero.
Stretch immediately after aid stations (or on any hills) then put my bike in the big gear for 30-60 seconds and maybe even stand for 5-10 seconds (to give my legs a little variety to avoid quad cramping) - then get ass back down on those aerobars. Stay aero, stay aero, stay aero, stay aero
PATIENCE-PATIENCE-PATIENCE!!! Stay aero and relaxed all the way (use small hills and turns to rest the butt!!! Without leaving watts target!!! DISCIPLINE-DISCIPLINE-DISCIPLINE).
Seize the opportunity to Pee at the few rollers in the course.
STAY IN THE BOX “ignoring” distractions: drafters, bumpy section before and after SN
MANY people will be sitting up like a sail in the last 20 miles, remember JW said this and smile if neck is sore or lower back hurts, just stay aero and pedal target watts.
When T2 visible slowly take feet out of my shoes to prepare to dismount VERY CALMLY (this is not an ITU race)
T2: THINK SLOW IS SMOOTH AND SMOOTH IS FAST but …. “ SCREAM number to volunteer and Grab T2 bag, Run to tent entrance, sit to put on shoes, grab "go bag", helmet into bag, stand up, out RUNNING thru the tent. After I get on the course, I open my go bag. Visor, wrist band (to wipe nose), race belt/number, gel flask, and sunglasses, un zip EN singlet. Eat banana + 1 saltstick”. Zip down tritop.
THE RUN : EXECUTION-EXECUTION-EXECUTION!!! DRINK-EAT-DRINK-EAT ACCORDING TO PLAN. Run the EN way … out of T1 use go-bag items distribution to slow down … run 8:45 for as long as necessary to lower HR to 135 and thereon never exceed 135bpm or 8:15 pace - while executing nutrition as planned and running the tangents. Walk 20-30 steps every station and use them lower temperature and to to stay 100% within nutrition plan EAT-DRINK-EAT-DRINK ( 1 cliff block every two miles, 1 gel+saltstick every hour, hydrate!!!… do everything the EN way: DISCIPLINE-DISCIPLINE-DISCIPLINE!!! …
IF HOT: use the sponges and water and ice. Then focus on nutrition, and if possible leave the aid station with a full cup of ice. If possible a cup of ice in kit top and another in hands. Hold the ice in hands and ditch the cup. Also chew on the ice on the go. IF NOT HOT: ignore and keeps the feet dry and the walk breaks short.
JW’s advice : In the last half of the marathon, take 5-10 seconds while running and get within sight of the aid station to mentally assess state of being. Do I need nutrition? Salt? Fluids? Am I hot? How is my HR? Can I see straight? This 10 seconds won't slow me, but it might save a meltdown. This forced self-assessment is great to bring back to reality .. after the aid station need to disconnect my brain from the pain and just run like I know how. Keep that brain disconnected until I can see the next aid station then take stock of myself again. Repeat this process every mile (especially the last 10 or so). Process, process, process. Focus on the moment and not on the outcome. When it comes to the run, treat it like 26x1mile repeats at easy pace. Each mile is its own event.
Focus on form each time it gets hard!!!
Remember “WHY” when it gets harder: SET AN EXAMPLE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS SHOWING THAT HARD WORK WORKS AND WILL MAKE YOU HEALTHIER AS YOU AGE.
And when it GETS EVEN HARDER THAN HARDER its time to draw the reserves of mental strength and hear Al saying : Slowing down on the run is not an option.
If you are not in a very dark place your last 6-8 miles, you are NOT racing hard enough
Very important: last quarter mile to zip up kit top, only stop the clock (and look at it) at least 10 seconds after the finish line ….. the picture is MUCH more important.
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