IM New Zealand
Here's a thread to get talking IMNZ. There's at least 3 members racing in March 2015 and probably others with experience to share!
This will be my first IM. I've raced 3 HIM's in the past 12 months in my build up. One of those was the Taupo HIM so I know the course! I still have a lot to learn in the 6 weeks between now and race day!
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I'm in. This will be IM #7, but only #2 with EN. Screwed up the swim and faded on the bike in my last one, but still somehow managed to place respectably in my AG. Goal this time is to climb a bit higher in the AG ranks. I'm medium in all three disciplines - no strength, no weakness. We arrive on Wednesday before the race and will spend a week post-race on the South Island.
Chris, Leslie and I spent last weekend riding on lots of bumpy (chip-seal) roads and climbing lots of challenging hills. Tire width, tire pressure and gearing are big question marks in my mind for IMNZ. Would love to hear your description of the true road conditions between Taupo and Reporoa and how steep the climb is out of/back into Taupo.
Chris, the only unsolicited advice I would add about making the jump from 70.3 to 140.6 is that they are two very distinct animals. IM is much more strategic and requires a good plan and even better discipline to implement. Even small mistakes early in the IM involving pacing too hard or not fueling properly may feel OK at the time, but they have cumulative, downstream effects that will haunt you later. So, I would encourage you to read everything you can about race execution in the Wiki, write out a plan, practice that plan thoroughly in your first RR, make adjustments where needed for your second RR, then exercise discipline on race day to follow the plan and the process, let the time take care of itself.
Looking forward to seeing you both in Taupo in a few weeks. Safe training.
Mike
Having raced a half on the course, here are some things I can say about it.
Swim: fresh water lake, not as buoyant as the ocean. Good markers in place for sighting. Looks like it is warming up nicely now to about 20c. There is a long uphill run to T1 including stairs.
Bike: the first climb comes very early so not much time to settle in. It's not too steep or long. The return climb is longer but easier. My easiest gear was 36/25 and it was fine. Having said that I know EN protocol calls for EASY and 28 on the back would be good to have as an option. As for the chip road, it's no big deal really, but I think it causes you to carry tension in the arms and makes the undercarriage a little more uncomfortable. Just make sure bottles are secure, Garmin is tethered, all bolts etc checked. Bike shop pro has told me 25mm tires are best and to inflate no more than 100PSI.
Run: mostly flat but deceptive hills at the far end (south).
The weather is the one to watch out for in Taupo. It could be anything and it can change during the day. So have kit options in case of wind or rain!
@Chris, sorry for the slow reply, but your response was exactly what I needed. Feel much more knowledgeable/confident now. Thanks so much. I ride a compact 50/44 and I'll probably go with my 12-25 on the back instead of my 12-23, to give me one more easy gear to climb without grinding, even though I can't always find that "sweet spot" in the middle of the 12-25 when riding flats. I know Leslie is looking at her gearing as well, but I watched her climb some tough hills a couple of weeks ago like a billy goat with a standard front and 23 or 25 rear, so I'm not too concerned about her.
From all reports, the swim sounds pretty spectacular. Relatively small field (not like the 3k+ we see in some of the US IM races), incredible visibility and cool water. Goal here is to try to follow Leslie's bubbles, as she actually swims better than she rides.
As for the bumpy roads, I'll be riding high-quality 23mm tubulars, which I'll inflate to around 90 front/110 rear. Unlike clinchers, tubulars won't pinch flat if too little psi. My frame won't handle 25s on the back, and I don't want to buy a new bike and wheels just for 2mm (plus, my wife would hurt me if I spent $$$ for such a trivial reason).
I've heard that the run is flat and I've heard it's really hilly; as suspected, it sounds like it's comfortably in the middle of those two extremes. Mild rollers help me a lot during a marathon because I get to utilize different muscles instead of concentrating the punishment on one set. My run secret weapon is that our place is located on the beach about 1.5k into the run. I'll get to pass my wife 6x.
Hope the training continues to go well. 3 more weeks of work, then the taper begins. Stay safe.
We'll see how I do on the swim...I'm working out my swim plan today with OK/good/GREAT goals, so I'll let you know how soon you'll see me on the bike @Mike
And on the run, our flat is a block in from the beach, but also on the run course, so once we all get together and meet our respective support team members, you'll have a fan club 12 times on the run!!! One of which is a two year old who is working on is "HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT IRONMAN?!?!?!!" I'm sure folks will love that on the course
I'm getting wrapped up around the axle about decisions re race day a bit....might post this on the gear forum and see opinions -
-I was planning 25mm on back tire, but can't find any to buy to fit a 650c wheel
-I have a standard on front and 25 on rear (thought they were 27or28). Wasn't planning on changing it as I handled the hills at JVC OK, but now wondering if I should change it.
-Have an old aero helmet, don't love it, wasn't planning on wearing it., but Mike got me thinking about it. Honestly, my average I'm guessing will be around 18, but I'll be cruising higher than that obviously downhill and on the flats with no head wind....is it worth it??
-New wheels......so......I'm kind of old school....Had an aluminum bike with toe cages for two years, then finally got aerobars, then treated myself to a tri bike before my first Ironman 5 years later. My husband kids about getting race wheels for his bike, and my response is for him to lose 5 lbs
The run is what it is for me. I tend to tune out and focus on form, different drills each mile. It will be a win for me if I don't spend more time in the port potties than through the water stops this time around
We get to taper in 3 weeks?!?!??? I can already feel the AHHHHHH.
@LS, okay, you asked, so here goes:
Swim. Who cares what the time is? It's a triathlon, and the swim is 10%. Courses are often long, crowded, choppy, etc. I've come out of the water at 1:05 and have been near the front of my AG, and I've come out in :58 and barely cracked top 20%. Just get in good aerobic shape, don't taper too much, be competitively relaxed and focused throughout the entire swim, swim your swim (which, for you, is awesome), let the chips fall where they may. My goal is top 10-20 in my AG, regardless if it takes me :56 or 1:10 to do so. The day is waaay to long to get caught up on time goals for the swim, especially when "failing" to meet some arbitrary and ultimely meaningless time goal can deflate your focus and morale. Safely off my soapbox . . .
If you're only going to spend $100-200, aero helmet is the single best investment you can make. Period. With our 40% off team discount, get a Rudy Wingspan for $162. I love mine. It's half the weight of my old Giro aero, comfortable and fast.
I have great news about your crank/cassette. You are driving 650c wheels, so you need to have a regular crank and not a compact. That's because 650c give you a couple extra teeth of gearing over 700s. So, if someone says you need a 25 to climb a hill with 700c wheels, you only need a 23 to climb that same hill with 650c. So, your 25 on the back today really = a 27. And you don't need a 29 or 30. In short, you're fine and ready to roll, as is.
Tubulars vs. clinchers. On most road surfaces, most riders are probably still a bit faster on good tubulars. But the gap has diminished to such a point that many top pros now ride clinchers. I only ride tubulars because that's what my wheels are, I've had them a long time, and I'm too cheap/lazy to change. If you're really good at changing a clincher tire, I would stick with clinchers. If you're going to get a power meter based in your rear wheel hub, get clinchers to train on (then put a wheel cover on the rear wheel for race day and turn it into a disc). Otherwise, you'll have to buy a clincher PM wheel for training and tubular PM wheel for racing. If you have a compelling reason to go with tubulars (i.e., you want the very lightest and fastest wheel/tire combo out there and $ isn't a barrier), then you must go spend some time with someone knowledgeable and learn how to change one. Several weeks before the race, not days. I can change a tubular faster than a clincher, but I've been around them a long time. If I were you, clinchers. Just have a good mechanic install latex tubes in the clinchers before the race (don't do it yourself unless you're really good), then use standard butyl tubes as spares if you get a flat. The latex tubes are faster and will bring the clincher even closer to tubular speed.
Portos on the run? No thanks. I've only had issues a few times during long, hot bike rides or runs where I didn't hydrate properly. As in, lose-6-pounds type of WKOs. My theory? The majority of IM racers don't hydrate properly on the bike, especially early. Whenever someone tells me that they walked porto-to-porto on the run, I ask them how many times they peed on the bike. Usually answer is "none" or "once, I think, maybe a little." For me, minimum of 3. And not 3 little dribble incidents. I typically shoot for 2 bottles the first hour, then 1.5/hr thereafter. Unless it's hot, then it's more. As long as I'm consuming plenty of salt (Horleys/Gatorade/Perform/other sodium sources), chances of hyponatremia are low. Only side effect is perpetually wet bike shoes. Another key - for me - is not eating too much the last hour of the ride. Maybe one gel. Starting the run with a full, bloated stomach is a recipe for pain. Finally, running those first 5-6 miles very, very easy (i.e., the same HR as you averaged the last hour of the bike). You go easy the first hour fully hydrated with a non-bloated stomach, you're good to go.
Wheels - OK, so got it, stay with clinchers. I only have a power meter on the computrainer, so I don't ride/race with power. (maybe I misunderstood the power meter comments.....cause I'm not that knowledgeable on them). I'll look for a wheel cover for my rear wheel.....not sure if that even makes sense (if they are sold that way?) but I'm about to find out
The run...yeah, my problem was/is sugar. I didn't know that until a little over a year ago when I started becoming fat-adapted. Then the whole world changed for me in life and in triathlon. Now that my general and race nutrition is completely different, life is much better. Agreed all nutrition points on the bike and run. That first hour on the run is KEY. @Chris I CANNOT stress enough how this is one of the biggest ah-ha moments between HIM and IM. 26.2 miles, after 112 on the bike is a completely different animal than 13.1 miles after 56 miles on the bike. Seriously. Take that first hour (or two if you can hold yourself back) at a pace that is the same HR as your ride HR. SLOW. Then progress into faster paces easily. The person who goes the fastest during an IM is the person who slows down the least.
If longer term, then there are tons of considerations. If you're happy with your bike and plan on sticking with 650s for a while, great. Now, most in EN will say the very best investment you can make is in a power meter. If that's part of your plan, then your choice of wheels is at play too. PMs can be built in your rear hub (like Powertap), crank (like Quarq), or pedals (Garmin Vector). The crank types pretty much stay on one bike and you can swap out wheels, meaning it's easy to have training wheels and race wheels. If you plan on training on two bikes (i.e., a road bike and a tri bike), then you should put the PM in your pedals or in your hub so you can swap them from bike to bike. If you go the hub PM route, you should put it in a fast race wheel to use while training and racing or in a training wheel and throw on a disc cover for racing. Me? I have a Quarq crank, so I train on clinchers, throw on tubulars for racing.
I probably made things worse, but I tried. Enjoy the basement this weekend.
I can't add much to the wheel discussion, that's on my shopping list next season. I bought my P3 a few months ago so the gear budget is maxed out. I'll be on the standard Mavic Cosmic's that came on the bike. I'll also be in my road helmet. I was actually on the verge of getting an aero helmet when I heard the commentators at Kona say some pros are going back to road helmets for the better ventilation which may outweigh the aero penalty. Don't know if that's right but it was enough to defer my decision.
One thing to keep thinking of: The weather. Swim times and effort required will be dramatically affected by wind. It could be glassy flat, or quite choppy. The start of the bike could be quite cold, like as low as 5c (sorry don't know what that is Fahrenheit). When I raced there in December there was no wind, perfect cycling conditions, but we can't count on that by any means. Also, not much Ozone layer down here so the sun is really harsh. For these reasons I'm biking in a cycling jersey to protect the shoulders and will start with arm warmers too. I've practiced running in the jersey too and thinking of staying in it for the sun protection. The "what to wear" question has been and still is one of my dilemmas.
My biggest issue right now is that I need to improve my saddle comfort. I have a ISM Prologue which has been fine until recently with the bigger distances. For today's ride I swapped it for my ISM Attack from my road bike. Just the same. Either way I am sure both are much better for me than conventional shape saddles and it's too late to make changes in that department anyway. Maybe a change of shorts is required. Or some other cream. Right now my method is bodyglide on the skin and chammy cream on the chamois. Off to the forums to see what I can find.
Have you guys been training with the Cliff Shot gels? I'm not sure I like how thick they are, so have switched to Powergels which I plan to take a supply of to last through the bike.
You guys in your big volume weekend or did you change it out for the recent JVC?
Clif shots: they're fine, but I can stomach anything. They are a bit thick and need to be swirled with water in my mouth to go down better. On the bike, I mix things up a bit. First couple of hours, I eat Clif Bars because I can eat anything at that point, want to front-load some calories and they're tasty. I then move to Power Bar chews for a couple of hours. All of that is in my bento. I'll have one or two Power Gels (w/ caffeine) the last hour, and they'll be taped to my stem. Will rely on course gels for the run.
Saddle. I have a couple ISM saddles and love them. But they fit my sit bones perfectly. If it's a bone bruising issue, probably a fit problem. It it's a superficial grating/irritating issue, it's a matter of gradually building saddle time and getting the right shorts + lube combo. Body Glide plus chamois cream works for most of us, so that's probably not it. My saddle pain ended forever when I finally caved and bought a good pair of bibs. I still think I'll race in shorts, but all training rides are in bibs. I tried DeSoto, but was between sizes. Sugoi RS fit perfectly and are like a dream. And don't forget - you rode 11.5 hours last week, and threw down 300+k over two days this past weekend. My undercarriage would not like me either.
Yes, no camp week for me this weekend. Still recovering and absorbing the JVC punishment. I'll get in a pretty big week this week and Wk 17 could be even bigger, depending on where I land on the fatigue scale. It's always a balancing act for me these last few weeks.
I'm unique on nutrition, being fat adapted, so I don't use race nutrition...have to carry it all on me or in my special needs bags. This is the first full that I've done this way, so we'll see how it goes.
WRT saddle comfort - I too struggled with saddle comfort for years. I did switch seats to a Cobb, and did like it better, but it wasn't until I was re-fit on my bike that it truly got better. Probably not something you want to mess with this close to race day, but definitely something to think about in the future.
No camp for me this weekend either, although Coach P gave me a brutal brick to do yesterday Ride 90 - Run 30.....X 3
How's everyone feeling with 4 weeks to go?!
I'm physically not too bad, but mentally in a haze! Still plenty of big workouts to come.
I forgot to mention my travel plans. I'm driving to Taupo from Auckland on the Thursday morning. Staying at Baycrest which must be very close to you Mike. Maybe we can all catch up on Thursday afternoon or even Friday for lunch perhaps.
If there is anything you need help with before you arrive in NZ just let me know. Shipping, buying nutrition, whatever. Happy to help.
Just make sure to get to Taupo before check-in closes on Thursday. You're staying right next to our place - The Gables. As for stuff, the only things I can't travel with are my pump, CO2 and Pit Stop. Hopefully I can borrow your pump and buy the latter two in Taupo.
Training is still a struggle for me. Some days the Achilles is OK and I can do quite a bit. Other days - like yesterdy - after my ride - I couldn't walk at all. Just need to get through this week without re-aggravating it, then rest/heal for three weeks. I'm mildly optimistic. But not overly worried. I've done a bunch of these things, and enjoying NZ is the primary goal of this trip.
Off for another ride. Stay focused for a few weeks, then the fun begins. See you in Taupo.
Mike
I'm sure you guys got the email with the race guide and bib numbers. What I didn't see in the email was the fact that function tickets are now for sale, if you plan on attending and have folks who want to join you (you get into both for free with your race wristband, so no need to do anything if you're going solo). To purchase, just go to the website > Athletes > Pre-Race Information > Function Tickets. I think it cost me $127NZ to buy a ticket for both events for the boss. A bit pricey for a meal, but if we skipped both and went out to dinner, we'd spend more than $127 at two restaurants. Plus, it's IM New Zealand - no way I would miss either event!
I see Chris' training on Strava, so he appears to be finishing up strong. And I know Leslie got in 5 hours on the trainer last weekend + a rare outdoor run. My Achilles is actually getting a little better (which is an enormous relief, as there have been days where it was too painful to walk), but tomorrow's final long run will be the big challenge. Otherwise, I'm a bit tired, my clothes don't fit anymore, I'm a quite sick of sitting on a bike for half a day, and I'm ready to taper, heal, pack and fly.
Mike
My training was going gonzo....until I got sick.....Well, first the hub got sick, then the kiddo - it was inevitable given that I've been near the red line of fatigue with life and training. Somehow, I'm not that worried - As much as I'm nervous for this IM, I'm not anxious, which makes everything just that much less stressful
So glad to hear your achilles is getting better Mike!! that taper will be money for you for sure.
WRT the IM events, I'll talk to my crew. Because of my very limited diet - I'm guessing I'll skip the meals - but I'll check with everyone to see what the best plan of action is. It's a struggle for me because as much as this trip is about the IM, I am also seeing my BFF who I haven't seen in 3 years, and I want to cram in as much time with her and her family as I can while we're there. I think us getting together for a meal is a must. Because we are renting a house with a full kitchen and yard w/BBQ, maybe I can talk my crew into hosting lunch/dinner? As long as you don't mind commotion of 4 kids under 5
Mike will you be using your US phone in NZ?
Chris, do you have the Viber App on your phone?
Just trying to think of the best way to communicate when in country.
@Leslie,
No worries about the WTC events. If they don't line up with what you and yours want to do, skip 'em. I usually skip the ones in the US and only went to the awards ceremony lunch at TX because I never would have forgiven myself if a Kona slot rolled down to 12th and I wasn't there to claim it. Despite my injury, the stupid/overconfident side of my brain still plans on going top 10 in Taupo and seeing if the Kona Gods shine their light down on me.
Regardless, make sure you have registered an account on ironman.com and, in your profile, include your affiliation with EN. Even though there are only 3 of us, there may not be that many participants from the huge tri team division. If we place, we'll get to go up on stage with Mike Reilly (3 of us got to do that at TX).
Group meal/get-together sounds great. Wed dinner, Thu breakfast & lunch, and Fri breakfast (I'll be flat on my back after 11am on Fri) all work for us.
Re phone, I'll have mine. I convinced my uptight, cheap boss (me) to give me an international plan for two weeks. And we'll have wi-fi in our condo, so I can communicate via the iPad as well.
Good tip, thanks. I'll declare anything over $100. My bike will be spotless, and we are required to have the wetsuits dipped/cleaned at the Expo before we can get in the lake.
Forgot to mention your illness. Don't fret it. It's what happens during IM builds. My family brought the plague home last week, and I've been fighting it for several days. We just need to squeeze in a couple more longish runs and rides and we're good. Skipping a few WKOs because you feel lousy is actually a good thing, not bad. And I'd much rather get sick now than 4 days out.
Let's plan on coming to my flat for a meal/coffee.....still trying to figure out the best time - we can do that as things get closer.
I'm entering my 8 year old in the kids run on Friday morning which should be fun. Then sort bike racking etc and by then it's lunch and rest.
My mobile number is 021 737476. If you are dialling from a US number it would be 0064 21 737476. Otherwise facebook messenger? Or Skype. I don't have viber but could get it.
Looking forward to this weekend's rides!
Chris - I just friended you on FB (I think....did you just get married????) so FB messenger isn't a bad idea - although I won't be checking mine that often. I won't have my phone on - but have computers/ipads - we'll figure it out
Guys I'm sure you've noticed that the sodium content in the on-course Horleys Replace and Clif Shot Gels is not high.
That's one of the reasons I am carrying PowerGels on the bike, but even then my schedule has me in sodium deficit according to the EN nutrition calculator. That is one of the reasons I had planned for an Ems Bar on the bike, but that's a hopeless solution and I am changing that to Saltstick Caps which I have done some practice with too.
I've not had problems during Race Rehearsal but very aware that there is another 32km to run on the big day.
Lesley this is irrelevant to you I guess but Mike are you concerned about on-course sodium content and have you planned around it?
Chappo,
Thanks for the heads-up. I had noticed that Horley's sodium content is about 2/3 of what we find in Gatorade Endurance (current US IM drink) and Perform (previous US IM drink) - Horley's appears to be 196mg per 12oz bottle instead of 300mg in Endurance. So, the shortage is about 100mg per bottle, which means I'll take 3 Endurolytes salt pills (80mg each) per hour on the bike and run (instead of my usual 2). I've experimented a ton with salt pills and can handle a lot of them with no discomfort - my skin just gets a little salty. I'll put 15 in my bento on my bike and put a zip-lock baggie of 12 in my T2 bag to carry on the run.
The most common IM mistakes I've made and have seen people make for many years are:
1) Under-hydrating, especially during the first 2 hours of the bike. If you're dehydrated at Mile 40, you probably won't be able to dig out of that hole. Yes, you must be conscious of hyponatremia, but if you're taking in enough salt, the side effects are peeing a lot and having a good run.
2) Under-salting (see above).
3) Over-eating. I once ate 600 calories per hour on the bike because big calories were the rage. Not surprisingly, I paid for it on the run. Just plain stupid for a 150-pounder (70kg in NZ speak). Now I consume more like 225/hr, maybe closer to 300 if it's hot and I'm drinking a lot.
4) Over-powering, especially the first half of the bike and the first 1/4 of the run.
This, of course, is just me.
Well, for my first IM, I would have to say that you and the rest of EN have got me more educated than 95% of the 400+ first timers on the start line in just 10 days from now.
Thanks again!
I know Chris and I are done with our last run of any significance and hope Leslie has knocked it out as well. At this point, it's just a matter of keeping the limbs loose and fresh. It takes two weeks for a long/intense workout to soak in, so there's absolutely nothing we can do at this point to improve endurance, speed, etc. The worst thing we can do is over-do a workout and carry in needless fatigue to next weekend.
As Chris promised would happen, the silly weather forecast seems to change every day. Yesterday, it was supposed to be beautiful, no wind, on March 7. Today it's calling for steady rain all day, gusts up to 40mph! The good news is, everyone seems to think the temps will be in the high 60s/low 70s (20-23C) for most of the week. I've only done one IM in the rain, and it started raining before the swim and never once stopped for even a second. Consequences? Lots of bike crashes because people took corners too aggessively with very high psi in their tires. The NZ course doesn't have too many turns, so it shouldn't be an issue.
The other side effect was horrible chafing. I cried each time in the shower for 2-3 days afterwards. A little in the armpits, a lot in two particular spots on the chest (blood), and a ton between the legs (too sore and inflexible to survey the damage post-race). Whether we get rain or not, my solution will be to BodyGlide everwhere a seam meets skin (arm holes, waist, leg openings), water-proof band-aids under the singlet/jersey, a single-serving pack of Chamois Butt'r taped to my stem for any needed re-apply on the bike, and another pack of Butt'r in my T2 bag to be carried on the run. Finally, I'll turn my run socks inside-out on Friday and apply a pretty good amount of Butt'r to them as well. Put them on in T2, and I should be pretty comfortable on the run.
I'll double check my run shoes tonight to make sure they have drainage. If not, I'll be getting out the drill.
Chafing won't prevent you from finishing, but just like severe blistering, it adds an unnecessary, very unpleasant element to an already difficult day.
Coach P has a good video on racing in the rain, with the most important message being bike safety.
If the wind really is up, the water could be choppy. I'll relish that because I know I'll handle it better than most of the field. Shortening the stroke, keeping the head down, using my height to keep a long waterline.
2 or 3 years ago bad weather reduced the race to a 70.3. The other contingency plan is duathlon. Either way, disappointment will have to make way for a focus on the revised format.
Or, the forecast will be totally different by tomorrow!
No more training for me. Just a transition practice tomorrow including all three sports to check all my gear and make sure the T bags are sorted.
In terms of tapering, you need the most time away from long/intense workouts for run (3 weeks out), then bike (2 weeks), not much at all for swimming. In fact, most LD swimmers really don't taper much at all for LD swim events. Regardless, it's all good. Real work is done. What we do the next 7 days will only have a marginal effect on race day.
You guys had me pretty anxious with all your weather posts - I hadn't really prepared myself for *cold* - then I remembered my car read -8 degrees on the way to the pool this morning. So even a 50 degree high sounds like rainbows and gumdrops to me