Ed Eovino's IMTX race plan
IMTX Race Week Plan
Tuesday May 12
Leave KC between 9-10 am and drive straight through to Allen TX... Arriving approx 6pm...dinner...sleep
Wednesday May 13
30 minute run...Breakfast… Leave hotel at 10am... Arrive in the Woodlands at 3 and proceed directly to PP... Quickly cruise the expo then check into hotel... Dinner... Relax
Thursday May 14
30 mile ride on chip seal section early...Not looking good for 4keys 10am.. 30 minute run afternoon… Banquet
Friday May 15
Big breakfast...EN 4 Keys 10am ... Drop bike and gear bags… Lunch... Order a take home chicken breast and a little pasta for dinner… add salt to food… take a 3-4 salt tabs throughout the day today… sipping Gatorade all day…
Saturday May 16
3am...Apple sauce... Honey stinger... Banana... Protein shake
Wake at 4:30 ( like you were sleeping... Suuurrreee) coffee... Quick shower to loosen up… body glide… sunscreen
Sip Gatorade until start... If hungry eat a Powerbar .. Leave for transition 5:30
Set up bike... Two bottles filled with Gatorade Endurance... Fill salt tab holders... put gels in tube mounted bike bag…a couple sticks of gum (so you don’t grind your teeth as everyone races you up the hills… then proceed to fall back)… Put bike computer on... Calibrate... Fill tires... Put rolled up cooling sleeves on bars...Go to swim start
Stretch... Suit up 15 minutes before start... Wetsuit or swim skin...lots of body glide on neck and shoulders...10 minutes before start Power gel.
Make a game time decision... Do I think you can win this thing? If answer is yes... Just go balls out right from the cannon and race as fast as possible to keep up with the lead pack....
If answer is no... Seed myself with the 1:10-1:15... Start easy... Good form... Concentrate on breathing... Smile... Because I’m finally here and this is the validation of all the hard work I’ve done... Follow the plan that's gotten me here... It won't get hard until way later... Enjoy this..
Once I enter canal… start working through mental checklist for a smooth T1
Transition One… Exit water… easy up ramp…goggles to forehead.. pull string on wetsuit or lift zipper tab on swim skin...arms out and pull to waist … If wetsuit…find burly dude who looks like he has something to prove…
If swim skin… strip to waste and find T1 bag… when you have bag goggles and cap off
T1 bag contents… helmet with visor …bike shoes (opened to maximum width).. one zip lock bag with 3 gels and a power bar wafer bar (opened)..
Find a chair outside or sit in grass… there’s way too many people in the tent at this point.. strip swim skin… put on shoes… bag in pocket… helmet on with visor up… go find bike… yelling out number as I approach… maybe I’ll get lucky with volunteer… take it easy here… slow… steady… smooth… don’t get caught up in the chaos… find a clean place to mount and go… smooth… easy… defensive… when I’m out of the chaos of T1… visor down… arm coolers on… start drinking as soon as I can..
Bike:
Bike nutrition plan…
3 bottles Gatorade Endurance in first hour with Powerbar Vanilla gel and a Salt Stick tablet at :30 and 60 minutes..After first hour 2-3 bottles/ hour depending on temp… looking for 400-450 calories/ hour… so if 3 bottles no gel… if 2 bottles add a gel per hour… salt tabs consistent on the half hour. When I need something solid… Powerbar wafer
FTP… 278
First 30 minutes… JRA… … slowly building watts during first :30 to 190-195.. Then… settle into 190-195 watts with emphasis on smooth efficient EN race execution through mile 40… no surges…consistent power to pedals… working on nailing the VI
At mile 40 move the watts to 200 and stay here until the chip seal at mile 50… rollers here… be careful! If it feels better at 190 stay there and make it up in the faster section 60-65… 200 watts the rest of the way in.
If it’s windy.. …aero… streamlined… focused on my numbers! If not windy…good! With 30 miles to go start picking up water at aid stations and get soaked… arm sleeves… jersey…
Primary bike focus… well fed… hydrated… cool…
Bike special needs bag
1 Tube/1 CO2
Transition 2… at about 2 miles out stand on pedals and do a little stretch…pick up the cadence a bit for the rest of the way in… flip visor up… easy dismount.. hand off bike and work hard to be smooth and steady… don’t get HR racing in transition… yelling number as I approach ..get gear bag… when you have bag unclip helmet… find chair outside…
T2 bag contents.. shoes with a sock in each rolled up and ready to put on… water belt with one 20 oz bottle with 2 packs of Gatorlyte powder inside (pocket of water belt has 4 packs of Gatorlyte powder and salt tabs (hope I don’t need these)… race belt with 8 Powerbar gels (4 vanilla 4 strawberry banana)… ziplock bag with hat… sunglasses and a cooling towel
Helmet off… bike shoes off… socks on… shoes on.. water belt on.. race bib on… grab big ziplock bag and go…. Find volunteer on way out for sunscreen and have them fill 20 oz bottle with water..
Run..
Run nutrition plan…
Gatorade at aid stations… fill rest of cup with Gatorade solution… drink… ice in hat.. douse cooling sleeves and towel around neck… gel before every 3rd aid station… repeat until I can’t drink that anymore and switch to coke or whatever I can get down… salt tabs as needed… trying to keep shoes dry!
Run special needs bag..Socks and some duct tape
VDOT… 46-47
First 6 miles at 9:10-9:20 keeping HR as close to 135 as possible using short walk breaks to help slow down if necessary… then 8:50/ mile… but this is all a guess… because I’m going to have to factor heat in… if it’s hot 85-90 may have to add 1:00 to 1:30/ mile to keep the HR in check… feed off the energy of the crowd… and when the dark times come… don’t slow down!
Thanks for reading… and please let me know what I’m missing or where I’ve run afoul…
Comments
I'm really getting excited for the EN IMTX team!
Great, well thought out plan Ed.
Now, let it flow and just execute on race day. If something does happen exactly the way you have rehearsed it and written in the plan, let it go and flow with it, don't let it shake you or hold you back.
One thing I do upon Swim exit after the strippers have my suit off is that I run through the tent and I hand all my crap to a nice volunteer on the other side somewhere. I don't try to spend time putting in all back into a bag. Every time, some volunteer has been willing to do it and I have always found all my stuff to be in place when I return.
As always, not matter what happens during this day bro, KMF!
SS
A couple things:
1. EN 4Keys is on Thursday, not Friday.
2. When will you make your decision between wetsuit and skin suit? Will you go with wetsuit if it's above 76°F water temp?
Hey Ed,
I love the detail of and enthusiasm in your RP. I wish I were racing it alongside you. It’s been fun following all your hard work, and I look forward to watching your successful race day. In my early IMs, I had complex plans with pre-mixed nutrition, stops at Special Needs, Fuel Belts, and a focus on consuming a ton of calories, especially on the bike. That was the rage back then. Since then, my plans have become more and more simplified, and my caloric intake is now less than half what it used to be. Simplicity = fewer things to remember, fewer things that can go wrong. I only mention this because parts of your RP remind me of my plans 10 years ago. Here are a few things that jumped out at me:
Swim: Plan on a speed suit, but make sure you get at least one or two practice swims in your wet suit this week. Last year, we were surprised with a WS swim, and it felt very awkward because I hadn’t swum in it for 6 months. If it’s WS-legal, a large Band-Aid on the neck is a simple solution to defeating chafing. The canal is actually fun. Tons of spectators 5 feet from you the whole way.
T1: If like last year, the bags will be in a couple of rows, and you will most likely have to find/retrieve your own bag. Put some bright tape on your bag and memorize where it is race morning before walking to the swim start (the bags may have moved a bit since the day before). The tent at TX is pretty large. With a rolling start, you shouldn’t have an issue finding space in it. And I don’t recall there being any space to sit outside. “One zip lock bag with 3 gels and a power bar wafer bar (opened)” – really? Is there no room in your bento? No room on your stem to tape 3 gels? I also don’t necessarily like the thought of trying to put on arm coolers while rolling, with lots of nearby competitors. I’d put them on the wrists in transition, roll them up during the jog to the bike or after settling in. T1 at TX is relatively short and easy. I didn't rush, but definitely kept things very simple and always moving (I literally sat for 5 seconds) – enter tent, find volunteer to re-pack swim gear, shoes on, arm coolers around wrists, start jogging, put helmet on and buckle during jog to the bike. I think I was less than 3 minutes, whereas tons of people were 7-9 minutes. A lot easier to shave 5 minutes off a transition than the run.
Bike: You’ve ridden the course at least 2x, so you know what it is. The first 40 miles are really fast, really easy. It gets interesting from there. There will be wind – count on it. You just don’t know where and how strong. Odds are, you’ll have a headwind the back half, which will make 65-80 a true mental battle. Aero is the only way to beat the wind. Personally, I wouldn't drive out to the chip seal on Thursday, especially after 2 days of driving. It’s just chip seal and wind – nothing technical or steep that you need to practice. I would spend the time chilling. But that’s just me. Your focus on early hydration is spot-on and critical for success. 3 bottles of Gatorade per hour, however, is a ton. I know you’re bigger than me, and it may be hot, but be smart. If you start burping it up or you get bloated, ease off. Speaking of, 400-50 calories per hour is also a lot. If you’ve practiced it and are 100% confident, go for it. Again, though, be smart on the back half. If your stomach starts rebelling, cut back on the calories. For the last 10-12 miles (30 minutes), I stop eating and just consume water and an occasional sip of Gatorade, and get off the bike with a very happy gut. Nailing nutrition and hydration is quite difficult. But if I’m going to err, I prefer to overdrink (side effect is wet shorts) and undereat (side effect is I eat a gel at the first run AS). Overeating is asking for trouble; under-drinking is a guaranteed prescription for a long, unpleasant “run.”
T2: There’s a pole near the dismount line, if they do it like last year. I didn’t view it as a target, but apparently lots of people ran into it. As long as they have carpet down like last year, you can leave your bike shoes on the bike and jog barefoot.
Run: You’re going to carry a 20 oz. bottle of . . . water? And 8 gels? On second thought, I guess that makes sense because where on the course could you possibly expect to find water and gels?
I just carried a zip-lock of salt pills and maybe a leftover gel from the bike. As soon as you leave T2, there’s a big group of volunteers who will sunscreen you (you run through them on Laps 2 and 3 also). I usually go through 2 or 3 gels on the run. 8 gels is just plain nuts, IMO. Again, just be smart. You may have to force yourself to drink on the run, but don’t force too much food. At the end of each aid station, after a thorough ice bath (ice in hat, top, shorts and arm coolers), I grabbed a cup of ice water for the run to the next aid station. I never felt the need to carry a giant jug of water. I like the run because it’s broken up into many different sections, which gives you lots of little windows in which to work (stupid dirt admin area outside of T2, parking lots, bridge, park, quiet wooded area, trail, McMansions, river walk, more silly admin, more river walk, repeat). There are lots of turns, stops, and starts, with a handful of short/steep ups and downs. Avoid surging on these. If hot, hydrating and keeping core temperature down are Priorities 1 and 2.
You’ve put in the work. Top off the tanks, taper smartly, fine-tune your plans, execute and – above all – enjoy a day you’ll remember the rest of your life.
Swim... I've used the wetsuit for every race I've done so I'm pretty comfortable in it... I would much prefer to wear it. The swim skin is new. I wore it in the pool the other day over my kit and it made me a little nervous. It was getting a little tight on the guys. The same thing happens when I wear a wetsuit and don't flood it with water. I'm going to wear it a few more times and see what happens... I hope it feels better in subsequent attempts... I'd hate to have to go with a wetsuit if it's on the warmer side... I don't want to get behind on the hydration early. As for wetsuit practice... Do you even remember KC Florida guy? Not really a lot of opportunity.. maybe I might rethink the open swim the day before.
T1... less moving parts...agreed. My bento can hold about 6 gels... That doesn't leave any space for the wafer... so I figured...if I have to put that in my race kit... there's no cost to adding a few gels..
Bike... KC spring has prepared me for the wind... not so much for the heat.... although this week is in the mid 80's (Whew... a load off my mind to run a few times in some moderate heat). I might take your advice on not riding the chip seal section.... It would be a huge inconvenience... or...I might do it if I get an early start on my wed drive from Allen. It doesn't seem like too big a detour from my route into town... I might need to burn off some excess energy!
I'll agree that 3 bottles is a lot... but I'm a sweater... and worse... a cramper... I have no plans on trying to drink 3 bottles/ hour other than hour 1... but if it feels like I'm standing at the entrance to the furnace of Hell...I'm drinking up! As for 400 calories... yes high... but you couldn't imagine the cost of dragging around an extra 40 pounds on race day... I think your caloric needs might be less because of all the floating around the run course you get do do..I imagine you looking like the astronauts on the moon moving through the course...lol
If it starts to not sit well or I feel bloated I'll pull back a little... skip a feed cycle... flexibility... advice taken
Run... 20 oz bottle is for the Gatorlyte mix... again cramper...
This is only IM number 2 for me... first time bad nutrition caught up to me at the midway point of the run. I admit have no idea what I need here... I know what I've done in long runs (gel every 3 miles) and I know what I've done in RR's ( gel at mile 3)... but with only a 6.5 mile run there isn't enough time for the train to derail... so I'm going at it planning for the worst... I can always ditch the extra baggage... maybe I'll carry 4 gels and throw the rest in T2 bag... less moving parts but still prepared.
Again... thanks Mike
@ Thanks Vic... hope I get to see you race day!
@ Chris... thanks for the correction...I'll make the adjustment. I'll decide on the wetsuit/swim skin when the weather situation becomes a little clearer... like I said to Mike... I'd feel much better in it... but don't want to overheat... You're almost there... rest up... try not to go crazy as the work load lessens up..
@ David... thanks... can't wait to get started!
I will hand off that stuff to a volunteer... Stay flexible in my plan... And most importantly...KMF...
Ed ... you sound very well prepared. Like Mike, I'm going to through out some questions about your run plans. Why do you want to carry an extra 2 # around your waist? Live off the course! Gatorade Endurance has plenty of calories and electrolytes. Listen to Coach @ the 4 Keys: "You're never more than a mile/10 minutes from an infinite supply of calories and fluids."
And, even at temps of 70F, a VDOT of 46-7 should have you running 9:45 or so in the first 6 miles. When my VDOT was in that range, I did a number of IM marathons at even or slight negative split with times varying from 4:03 (64F) >> 4:45 (95F). Don't bugger your race in the first 3 miles of the run. STUPID SLOW is the mantra in that first 30-45 minutes.
I have to agree with your pacing guidelines too... I had a tough time keeping the HR down on my run yesterday (first signs of heat here in KC 83 degrees)... For the race I'm not going to do the first 6 by pace... looking to try to keep my HR at the same level I exit the bike for those. I've worked in 2-3 walking breaks/per mile to try to keep the pace slower... tough... but I will work at getting even "stupider" (slow)
Thanks Al... if you can think of anything else feel free... IM race panic is starting to set
This is what is GREAT yet again about this group! Thanks for letting us all learn from you all!
Enjoy the day ED!!! look forward to tracking you and everyone else!
@ Thanks Ann... EN is a special community... everyone feeds off of...and learns so much from all the Mojo!