Ian Kurth 2014 IMFL Race Plan: 40 y/o Ian vs. 26 y/o Ian
IMFL 2014 RACE PLAN - NOVEMBER 1, 2014
Age 40, FTP 286, VDOT 50, wt 175
5th IM race, 2rd IMFL
Revenge race against dipshit 26 year old overconfident, undertrained Ian at IMFL 2000.
This is an experiment to see what older, wiser, better conditioned 40 year old Ian can do with EN training and execution guidance.
Seemed like a good idea at the time of registration...
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 distance
Best Races After Slowest Starts -- Plow horse; Diesel.
Steady Effort Wins the Day
PROCESS focus, and strong DEFENSE until permission to race at Mile 18.
No Highs, No Lows. Consistently in the moment.
Pain is temporary, pride is forever
Honor Thy Training Self
Dig deep Honey Badger, go get the prom queen
Race Week
Query: "Is this adding to, or depleting my energy?"
Off feet. Podium legs frequently
Checklists. Minimize stressors
Smile. I am a lucky SOB.
Tues. - 10/28
Leave Wausau after work. Drive til midnight with entire famn damily. Stop at hotel.
Wed – 10/29
Finish drive to Panama City, FL; plan to arrive around 8p.
Check into condo, quick unpack
Thurs. – 10/30
6:30am banana and oatmeal/ peanut butter
7:00am – Swim (Easy effort, just to get comfortable)
Eat larger Breakfast – eggs and pancakes
Walk down to IM Village, get registered and pick up transition bags
Athlete Check-In is on Wed, 10/29 from 9-5 p.m. and Thursday, October 30 from 9a-5 p.m.
NO athlete check-in on Friday or Race Day!
IM Expo
Lunch pasta and chicken. Salted.
Back to condo to settle in, start laying out bags and checking all.
Pack Transition Bags, and visualize, practice transitions
5:30p ?Team EN Dinner - Bonefish Grill - 641 W 23rd St, Panama City, FL 32405
5:30 p.m.- 7:15 p.m. IRONMAN Florida Welcome Banquet
Fri – 10/31
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):
MANDATORY bike & gear bag check-in on Fri, 10/31 from 10-3 p.m at the Boardwalk Beach Resort - East Lot
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
Back to hotel for a nap, read.
IRONKIDS Halloween Festival: Friday October 31
2 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Trick or Treat in the IRONMAN Village
3 p.m. - IRONKIDS Spooky Dash:1 mile Fun Run in costume
Get bottles/stuff ready for Sat morning drop off
Wear podium legs
Light dinner @ 5:00pm - pasta, chicken, white bread.
In Bed by 8:00 pm -- Final review of Race Plan
Smile. I am a lucky SOB to be racing Ironman
RACE MORNING (Sat 11/1):
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
Coffee
Naked Juice plan B
Toasted Bagels plan C
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 socks/sandals
Drop off special needs bags
5:15 am Head to Transition get body-marking done.
transition area will be open on Saturday, November 1 from 4:30-6:30 a.m. for body marking
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
6:50 a.m. Pro Start
7 a.m. Age Group Swim Start
SWIM:
The Swim -- Just Keep Swimming!
Seed with 1:10 group on buoy line.
Accept the swells, chop, and current.
Dolphin dive under swells to get out
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 jog to tent. Consider skipping strippers to avoid being “wet and sandy” working wetsuit down as I jog
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
Transition pillars:
Eliminate friction points
Smooth, efficient - “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
Goal < 4 min.
BIKE:
Bike // Pacing -- Steady + Aero Wins the Day
“SHOULD” vs could
"STAY AERO"
"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
unload Ziploc Mega Bag:
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
Bike is a 5h conversation with powermeter. FOCUS.
Target goal 205w avg for day (.72 IF).
VI <1.02</span>
IF .67-.72
TSS<290</span>
Flats: Real time power at 195-205
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.
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.
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 33 miles (beginning of loop) 185-195 watts
Next 50 miles 195-205 watts
Ride super aero / turtle style when able.
Big gear stand with cadence change after each aid station
Keep box expanded, constantly review systems check
Pee at least once more.
Mile 80/Pine Log State forest is landmark to REFOCUS.
Continue steady march as others around fade
Bike // End:
Last 33 miles 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 5:20)
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 (approx q15min)
Powerbar, then gel every other lap (approx q30min)
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 shoes, grab bag, and get it done while running.
Goal: <2 min, aiming for 'best in class' t2 time based on past races</span>
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.
Process oriented thinking
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’s for 6 mi.(HR <135)</span>
Followed by settling into Z-1 8:10’s 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
In the park, second turn, bring on laser focus and start ABP mentality
8 miles to go, every step is towards finish. 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.
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, NO WALKING.
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Comments
Great plan. I think your big BR engine will play well in PCB. You've got the key details down. On Wednesday, make sure you take frequent stops on the drive, maybe every two hours. Get a good walk in. Perhaps some strides when you arrive in PCB. Those long drives can be a leg killer. It's going to be 50 degrees race morning. Been there. The sand will be freezing cold. Like ice. Flip flops or a couple pairs of throw-away socks. And the bike will likely be quite cold the first 10-20. I wore cotton throw-away gloves, along with arm warmers, and was glad to have both. The bike is nothing but persistence in aero, steady watts, low VI. The hard part is the neck, back and hips the last 30. I like standing up and stretching every 15 minutes. If you're super flexible, every aid station may be good. If not, I think more often is better. But that's just me.
I'll be there next year for my 3rd attempt, with the team. Can't wait to watch the team next week take on PCB and wish you the best of luck/skill. Enjoy.
Mike
@Paul - Thanks. We'll catch up as some point in PCB. I'm hit or miss on the team dinner. We're somewhat at the mercy of the hatchlings (ages 3,5,7,and 9)...
@Mike - I am as flexible as a 2x4, so I will take your advice on mo' standing mo' better! Thanks.
@Tim - Helmet is visored. I occasionally use immodium on a PRN basis to treat runner's squirts during races. Bento box is stocked with bike repair items, and isn't big enough for all food, so the pocket system to which I have defaulted. Thanks for the tips - esp on the rice paper. I like that nutrition hack.
@Bruce - I think I saw that Vegas placed the odds in favor of 40yo as well!