Stanbaugh 2014 IMCoz Race Report
Rich Stanbaugh
IMCoz Race Report
2014
Summary vs Goals
? Have fun & enjoy the week with my family
? Execute a pre-race week that gets me to the starting line 100% ready
? Execute the plan and adapt as needed
? Leave everything on the course
X Achieve time goals
|
|
Strategy |
Goal |
Result |
Comment |
|
Swim |
Balance/Form |
1:20 |
1:19:14 |
162 in AG / Poor Start |
|
T1 |
Don’t stop |
Fast |
6:17 |
Unlucky Position / Baño |
|
Bike |
PNORM = 175, VI ≤ 1.02 |
5:30 |
5:49:52 |
28 in AG / Windy |
|
T2 |
Don’t stop |
Fast |
4:32 |
Baño |
|
Run |
HR ≈ 145-150à 160-165 |
4:00 |
4:37:59 |
52 in AG / Sick / GI |
|
Total |
Stretch: Close to 11:00 |
PR 11:52:40 |
11:57:54 |
42/267 & 407/2,292 |
IMCoz was my 3rd Ironman in 2014 (4th total). I signed up for this race following IMMT as a means of stretching my fitness until the end of the season and as a reason to take my family on vacation. This year I learned a ton: Living in a northern climate (Michigan) and training for early season (IMLC) and late season (IMCoz) events is tough – both physically and mentally. Training on a trainer in cold weather for hot-weather events is hard. Long rides on trainers is mind numbing. It is hard to focus on the tri-bike when your friends switch to mountain bikes. Three IM events in 12 months is a lot (although JW makes it look easy!)
I did not meet all my goals for IMCoz… but I made progress and feel good about the race.
Going into the race, I thought that the course looked super fast. I anticipated super hot/humid and a little bit windy. We got super windy and a little warm.
Race Week
- Acclimate: Executed run & hydration plan
- Wind/waves only allowed me to swim Saturday. Typically pre-race Saturday is a do-nothing day. Swim was limited to 20-minutes.
- Pre-race nutrition according to plan
Pre-Race
- Well rested leading into race. 6 hours of sleep + 3 hours of laying around leading up to the race. Woke up at 3:15 without alarm
- ≈800 calories of apple sauce, Red Bull, sports drink, Honey Stinger Waffles & Power bar
- Nearly the first into T1, zero stress / zero rush getting ready.
- Moved to Swim start, sitting in shade sipping sports drink and Gu pre race
Swim – 1:19:14 vs Goal 1:20 / 162nd in AG
This is a phenomenal swim venue! I struggled in the beginning – missing the pre-race practice sessions was an issue (I have very little ocean swim experience). Although I met my pre-race time goal, I would grade the swim as average. I little better work in the first mile would have made it a really good performance.
- Started front left of group, swimming straight to markers, trying to shorten course as much as possible
- Was surprised that current was slightly against for the first ¾ mile, at which point it switched to behind.
- Swim felt good, but was S-L-O-W for the first ¾ - 1 mile with avg of 2:40/100yd (!?!) – averaged 1:30/100yd for the remainder of the swim.
Take aways:
- I need to find about 10 minutes on my swim next year. My 50/100m speed relative to my 1,000m speed is too slow.
T1 – 6:17
- All paths through T1 were not equal, and I had an unfortunate bike position
- Had to take time to Pee in T1
Take aways:
- I need to adapt to riding the long rides with only a triathlon chamois.
- There was really no reason for me to go to the changing tent – could have gone straight to bike and saved time.
- Consider learning to ride with no socks
Bike – 5:49:52 vs Goal 5:30 / 28th in AG
Windy and lots of ugliness/crashes/snaky riding! Having said that, I executed my plan. Maximized legal drafting and, apart from the pros, was only passed a couple times all day (testament to a poor swim).
Completing the second loop, my PNorm was 175w (on target) with PAvg = 172w with VI = 1.017 (on target). HR was a little high, averaging about 156, but this is not unusual for me on race day.
Finishing the second lap, average speed was ≈ 19.6, pushing my estimated finish time from the 5:30 target to ≈ 5:45. Based on this, I dropped the target PNorm to 170w. I finished the race with PNorm = 173w & PAvg = 169w and VI = 1.024.
The wind increased each lap, and the last one was brutal. My mind and body felt like I had ridden at IF of 75% rather than just over 69%. I was aero and pedaling then entire ride – probably < 10 minutes sitting.
Nutrition on the bike was as planned, ≈250-300 calories, 900mg Sodium and 30-40 oz each hour & I peed 2x – not early enough though. Power was diminishing and then jumped back up after the the pee (kind of like how a dog runs around after a bath??). With about 45 minutes to go, I started having some stomach issues. Nothing severe, but struggled to get the last two bottles down.
Take aways:
- Get stronger
- Learn how to pee sooner on the bike
- Figure out how to tolerate the calories / heat / liquid mix better
T2 – 4:32
- Put shoes on and forgot calf sleeves – had to re-boot
- Changed Socks – nasty and wet
- Peed again in T2
Run – 4:37:59 / 52nd in AG
Leaving T2, I felt comfortably uncomfortable. My legs felt pretty good, I kept thinking about Al telling me to go STOOPID SLOW, To get my HR down and get calories in while I could.
My HR was coming down, got it into the low 140s (again, channeling Al) and I felt awesome. I wanted to run. About 6 miles in, I grabbed a Gatorade, drank it and puked! That was immediately followed by GI “waves.” I had a little bag with 3x Tums, 2x Imodium and 1x Zantac in it… I took them all. By the time I completed the first lap, the “waves” had stopped and I felt stable, but each time I tried to get more calories in the “waves” started again.
I made a choice to cut the calories and try to hold on as long as I could. I was able to take a couple ounces of water at every other aid station and a sip or two of Pepsi at alternating aid stations. It was hot running in the sun. I knew that I would pay a price for no calories in the second half of the run, so I tried to maintain my pace rather than chase my goal time… thought that would give me a better overall result.
HR climbed to low 150s by the half way point (2:10 split), then it started getting hard. I was run-walk to each aid station, but the walk went from 5 steps to 10 to more. HR fell to 123 by the last full split and I finished at 135 vs the upper 160s that I would normally see. Second half split was 2:28.
I caught up with a friend at mile 18 (she was on 10) and we ran the last lap together. We were both struggling and finding a friend was awesome for me – I owe her big time!
Crossed the finish line, got guided to a chair, and the darkness closed in. I had a tremendous spewing/dry heaving session as they moved me from the wheel chair to the cot in the medical tent. They gave me an IV and some drugs that I can’t remember the name of and I felt good in about 30 minutes – awesome in about 45.
Take aways:
- I have to work out how to keep the calories up in the heat without getting sick
- Run fitness needs to be a major focus going forward. 4 IM and I am still not within 45 minutes of my run potential.
- Two guys in my AG finished 45 seconds ahead of me… there is no reason for that – CHASE EVERYONE DOWN
- Forcing HR down was absolutely the right move – Always listen to the EN WSMs
Overall…
This wasn’t my best time in any event, but it was my best finish… but still do not have the execution right – there is still free time for me to have by improving execution.
I loved the course and would do it again in a minute. I feel incredibly lucky to have had my family and friends with me for the Thanksgiving weekend.
Special thanks to Team EN for all the advice, help and support!
Comments
I don't wear socks on the bike leg (unless it's freezing like IMFL this year), if my shoes don't cut into my feet. I bought a new pair this year and did a few rides to test them out, then my IM RR without socks, but had a pair with me in case I started having issues. Once the shoes pass the RR test then I know I'm good to go in a race. In a race like Coz, you certainly don't need socks on the bike.
I swore that race off after last year's draftfest, but with the introduction of wave starts, I think I will go back for round 3 some year. It is my family's favorite IM destination.
But ... you're getting there. You rode a VERY steady bike. Don't worry about the IF - in winds, a lot of effort gets wasted just trying to stay upright and stable, effort that doesn;t get translated into forward progress. Makes for a slower bike AND run.
@JW - likewise, very nice to meet you in Mexico. You are a complete STUD - I really admire the approach you took to this season and this race.
@Tim - the help you gave me leading into IMMT is exactly what lead into my plan for this race. I've studied your IMTX and 70.3 MT files for hours, comparing them to mine to help understand what to change. I ended up going with a 50/34 & 11/25 for this race so that I essentially had one tooth between nearly all my gear combinations, allowing me to keep y cadence high and shift as the wind changed to steady the ride / reduce variability. I'm pretty happy with my improvement here, but couldn't have done it without your help.
I hadn't even considered that my stomach problems could be a more traditional Cozumel issue... that is entirely possible. I don't typically get sick like this on race food.
@Paul - there was a lot of drafting going on in this race too. There has been in each of my four races. The wave start did spread people out on the course - I can imagine that it was really bad in the past. 3-loop bike tracks are just too crowded for my liking.
@Al - you must have been exhausted Sunday night, because you were in my head most of the day. While the wind was raging, I was thinking about you in Kona & Arizona. As I started the run, you were there telling me to eat. When things were going bad, you were there telling me to get a plan to finish... You spend a lot of time writing thought comments and responses on to peoples questions, race plans and reports. I've read hours of them... you have no idea how much they help. Thank you!
@Jimmy - ditto - thanks a ton for setting up the dinner. See you at IMFL!
I'm going to spend the rest of the year without a plan. Going to swim / bike / run when it sounds fun and do whatever kind of workout my friends are doing or that sounds good at the moment. Going to use the down time to put together a plan for next year. I made it to 42nd in AG - now I need to move to single digits. That means I need to find 90+ minutes.
By January, I will turn that goal into specific goals of power, VO2, swimming and race weight with a plan to bridge where I am today with achieving those targets... and then it is back to work.
Thanks for the help!
I plan to start hitting Fraser soon... if not this weekend, then next.
Always willing to help sort out your data - just say when ;-)