Week 11 IMTX: What's Your BIG DAY plan?
Hey all, just watched the podcast from Coach R for this week, and he wanted to see us a bit more active in planning out our BIG DAY on Saturday. So let's have it. What's your plan for Saturday (or Sunday or Friday)? What are you doing the same this time vs last time? What are you doing different? Have you looked at the weather? Are you gonna end up outside the whole time? If it's cold, are you gonna buy some gloves to keep your thumbs from freezing up (
)?
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Happy Tuesday!
So, I'm just going to dive right into Saturday and not try to stress too much. I've had nothing but a positive attitude this year, and I want to keep it that way!!
Saturday morning, our gym opens at 8, so we will get our swim done, then head 15 minutes north to where we bike. I have my alarm set for every 30 minutes to remind me to eat, so I will pay very close attention to that. I'm having trouble figuring out what is just endurance issue and what might be bonking? We've had alot of wind lately (GREAT for Texas training), so I guess I'll pay better attention to when that is. I take in approx 300 calories an hour between fluid and bars. According to the chart on EN, because I'm a " big " girl, I should be eating over 400 calorie/hr. I'm kinda in shock about that.
We can run around the same area that we ride in. Gonna be a nice long Saturday !!!
Looks like great weather for us here. High in the mid 70s
Friday will be a rest day for me. I only run 3 days a week. Sunday will tooooooooo
Saturday-early morning (Monday swim plan)
Sunday -big day, start by 4 am up out to pool by 5, in water 5:30am (3000m) 6:30ish out dry off 20 min drive home. Jump on trainer by 7:15am (use
computrainer/trainer roads) will ride IM Texas course 4-4.5hrs of it. Finally, on to treadmill.
Nutrition- breakfast GF waffle with Natella x 2 YUM....glass of almond milk
- swim 1 bottle scratch on way/gel
- bike 8 bottles scratch,5-6 gel, 2 bonk breaker, 4 salt sticks ( drink every 10, eat 15 )
- run 3 bottles scratch, 3-4 gel
Monday day off or easy swim
Friday night:
Swim prep: Set out goggles and swim cap with tri-shorts and bike jersey. No nutrition on swim.
Bike Prep: Pour 3 bottles (24 oz each bottle) of Gatorade Endurance for Bike (2 in bottles, 1 in aero bottle). Set next to bike. Pour powder for 3 more bottles into baggies to be stored on bike, and mixed on course (ie at a gas station pit stop). Set out 8 honey stingers for bike. Set out gloves and long sleeve shirt next to bike. Set out glasses and helmet next to bike. Find good course for 210 minutes total. Load up bike course to garmin 510 and 910 (experiment with 910). Figure out pit stops at about 2 hours and maybe at 3 hours.
Run Prep: Fill 20 Oz hand bottle with Gatorade endurance. Fill baggie for a second 20 oz bottle of endurance. Set shoes with socks out. Set out Hat/visor. Get off the fence on the hat vs visor debate.
Saturday:
Wake at 7:00 (or earlier)
Breakfast: Peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread. 1 glass of water. 12 oz of Gatorade Endurance on way to pool. Salt tab prior to swim (toe cramps during swim have been bad).
Drive to Pool to start swim by 7:30.
Swim: 3100 yards total @ t-pace average should take me about 1:02 total. No nutrition during swim.
Drive home pick up bike, and head out the door by 9:00.
Bike: 5x20’ (5’) at 149 to 159 watts (note average heart rate for these surges for future use). Time is 2:05. Remaining 85 minutes at 139 to 149 watts (note average heart rate during this period for future use). Push the power, and hit the zones on the road for once. Hopefully finish bike by noon. One full bottle of endurance every 40 minutes. One stinger gel every 30 minutes.
Run: 30’ at 11:48 pace. Sit on it, learn it and love it. It feels and is slow, but it’s where I need to be for the first half of the run. 30’ at 10:14 pace (work the negative split), drop lower if it feels comfortable. 20 oz bottle of endurance every half hour. 1 honeystinger at 30 minutes.
Finish by 1:30, earn boo-koo SAU’s for staying with son 1 while son 2 and wife go to son 2’s buddy’s birthday party.
Step 4 (to be determined)
Step 5: take over the world.
@Ron: I don't envy you on that trainer. Why are you using bonk breakers in lieu of extra gels? I'm thinking of changing and putting them in as well, but I'm not sure I should if what I'm doing is already working. Is it just for the sake of variety?
careful with foods that have fat in them. like Bonk Breakers. maybe not good for most during a race?
that being said, i am experimenting personally. trying variety on the bike. various types of gels. perhaps a couple Honey Stinger waffles or Bonk Breakers near the beginning of the bike.
regarding gels. Gu on the course right? PowerBar gels have better electrolytes but I really hate their taste now.
Don't forget to carry some salt capsules for bike and run.
I also am having a hard time trying to find Endurance. I bought some off of Amazon, but it takes almost two weeks to get here from some random independent stores. My last order was canceled because they ran out of product? No stores carry them around here. That little container only lasts about 2-3weeks for me.
Great, thanks. Just ordered from them. Is it orange on the bike and lemon lime on the run, or vice versa?
Give me a bit to find it.
There it is. It was in the "how's it going" thread. Orange on the Bike, Lemon/lime on the run.
MY Big Day:
While it's still fresh on my mind. Plan was to get up at 5:30 and eat by 6 AM ( I want food done 2 hours before race starts so I don't get sick.) Well, I got up at 6 and ate by 0615----bagel with peanut butter, half an apple, and about 1/2 cup regular gatorade. Sat around waiting to leave, gym didn't open until 8.
Took Gu about 20 minutes before swim ( Just like I will on race day)
).
Wore my swimsuit to swim in, we are getting close to being able to swim outside soon! Finished swim in 1:12 ( my beginner plan read 3100 yards, but the math only added to 2900
Headed out to where we bike--about 15 minutes away.Plan was 1/3 bonk breaker every 20 minutes and 24 ounces Gatorade Endurance an hour----Chris, you mentioned maybe I needed to up the nutrition since I couldn't tell if I was bonking or it was just my endurance--well, it was the calories!! You were right!
Windy again, but what's new really. Got to halfway and stopped to put more nutrition in bentobox, wind and crappy roads make me feel unsafe loading while riding. Stretched back out ( was just starting to ache a bit). Stopped again about 10 miles later to put some lube on a part that was chafing ( WHO KNEW) but now I do, and will be sure to lube there. I was on side of road with hands in my pants, cars passing
Only had to miss one feeding, was feeling a little full...
OHOHOH before I forget. I didn't realize one of the bonk breakers was a protein one---Cookies and Cream, and I can't be certain it caused my issue---but about 10 minutes after eating one, my throat started kinda hurting---I panicked and thought I was going to have an allergic reaction, because it felt to be swelling up. Now, even an hour after I've finished the day, it feels the same, so maybe I'm just getting sick and my tonsils are starting to act up.
Took a gu 20 minutes before getting off the bike in prep for the run, and took just a couple of sips of drink after that. I don't want my belly sloshing around with water when I start run.
What I learned from the bike today, is that I need ALOT of hill work. AND I really need to learn how to pee on bike. I am a "not so fast" cyclist and need all the extra time I can get. I tried and tried, but it just wouldn't happen. I'll try it again next weekend!
Got back, stretched back, was having some good spasms. Got run going, brought water with me, and took Gu at 30 minutes. Kept my intervals RIGHT on at 4 min run/1 min walk except for one hill and once while looking for a water spicket at the local county workshop.
Overall, I felt I had a great training day. I know it's still early in the process, but I am happy to get all this support with yall!
All that being said, sounds like you really had a good day. Keep it up!!
Wanted to wake up by 7 and be to the pool by 7:30. Didn't happen. Woke around 7:45. And Wife wanted to run before I left for the pool. Potential loss of SAU's was negated by me letting her run before my workout, and finding a way to get son 1 to a friend's house, during a birthday party for son 2. Lesson learned is to be flexible, and make smart decisions, especially when SAU's are involved.
Anyways, I was at the pool by about 9. Pretty good swim, hit the splits. Like Latisha said, math didn't add up to 3100 yards. That's ok, I left the pool thinking I did a full 3100, and I had that confidence for the full day.
Bike: My goal was to push the bike today. BINGO!! I'm still no speedster, but I was happy with my bike today. Hit the numbers on the open road, and had my legs under me for the run. The biggest innovation I had was GEL FLASKS!!! I've been carrying gel in the individual packets, and fumbling with them to open them and suck them down on the bike. My wife used Hammer Nutrition Gel Flasks last year in IM Cor D'Alene, and it was much easier to get the gels in me when I just had to pull out the flask that holds like 6 gels, and slug it down really quick. IF YOU USE GELS, AND AREN'T USING A GEL FLASK, YOU REALLY NEED TO ASK WHY. Aside from that, nothing big happened on the bike. few unexpected construction zones, but that's it.
OH, one thing for anyone coming to IMTX camp next week, watch out for debris on FM1488 (toward the end of the ride). I saw a group of lady riders stopped to let one lady change a tire. I went out, and came back, and saw the same group of ladies stopped again about 2 miles down the road because of another blown tire (same biker). All that to say, 1488 has lots of debris. Be careful as you're riding it next week, and in the race in May.
Run was good. I started too quick, and paid for it in mile 2 and 3. But overall I was able to negative split the run, and drop into zone 3 and maybe even 4 for a bit at the very end. But I was about 2 seconds from throwing up whatever Gatroade Endurance was in my gut by the end. That's the first time that's really happened. Based on that, the biggest regret that I have on the run today is that I didn't get down a bit more nutrition in that first mile or two. I was able to suck down a single gel, but only because I only carried a 1 gel. Next time I need to put in an extra gel or two into that flask. And then I need to make sure to get it into my gut early.
Finally, as I'm sitting here typing, I realize my arms are a bit burned. It got a little bit warm and sunny today. I didn't wear any sunscreen at all. DUMB.
Things I learned today:
1. Gel Flasks are much easier than gel packets. During the race, I think I'm going to pre-load a flask or two with the on-course gel, and use that for my primary nutrition, along with Gatorade Endurance.
2. I can hit my bike numbers, and not pay for it on the run. Get out of my own head and go after it a bit on the bike.
3. Nutrition early on the run (and late on the bike maybe too, like Latisha says). Late in the run get used to the feeling of needing to puke.
4. Maybe plan a "tire change" sometime during a ride, just to see how it goes, without the added pressure of an actual tire change.
For my last half ironman, I used the gel flask. But used with Infinit Napalm for the run. Pretty convenient.
I forgot to mention that I FoRGOT my heart rate monitor. So, I tried to think of it as this: Technology may fail me race day. I went by feel, and went a tad faster than I thought I was going to be--BUT with the nutrition advice you gave, I think the extra calories helped.
I had trouble last year with nausea/stomach. Bonk breakers so far have done really good for me. No stomach upset at all on the bike, so I am going to stick with them.
My fear though, is that the Gatorade may have made my throat swell. Will try again Saturday and see what happens.
I like your # 2. That was my fear without my heart rate monitor this weekend, but I made it!!!
Love reading everyone's big days!
OHOHOH!! I forgot. I HAD A DERAILER ISSUE TOO AT THE START OF MY RIDE!!! Had to adjust it, and got it going. Wouldn't change through a couple of gears!