Bill Manard's Legend Free State 100 RP
Presented for your dissection/complaints/compliments:
Legend Free State 100 Race Plan (http://www.legendendurance.com/legend-free-state.html) - Sunday 7 June 2015
Race distance (mi): 2/80/18, Clinton Lake, Lawrence, KS. Uses the former IMKS course with some additional bike and extra lap run.
Random background thoughts: First race of this distance (first time I've seen this distance...) - thought it would be a fun test between 70.3 and 140.6. Intend to add 140.6 next year (targeting IMoo/IMWI). One prior 70.3 (2014 70.3 Miami - 50:24 (against current)/3:04:23 (on pace)/2:42:20 (burned/blew up)); previously 2 years experience with shorter races. 2nd season EN training. Tagged as A race, with AA race later this year IM70.3 Cozumel (because I love Cozumel anyway).
Training history: As no EN plan for this specific distance (for the obvious reasons), I took the intermediate half-distance plan and added some lower-intensity distance (using full-distance plan for guidance), especially in the last 6 weeks. The reason for selecting the last 6 weeks is because I had a 2 week vacation that interrupted training prior to that (got in some running and swimming, but didn't have access to even an exercise bike). I did miss some workouts in the last 6 weeks due to travel for work, but was consistently hitting 90% of planned volume each week. RR2 for bike wasn't great, since PM calibration was off with new PM; however, based on other WKO experience, should be able to aim for IF ~.69-.71 overall without difficulty on the run.
Stats:
FTP 203 (February test at end of NOS) - however have changed PMs since then and am not completely convinced of equality of outcome
V-dot 35 (same) - seems accurate at shorter distances, although I question at longer like this
Threshold pace for swim ~1:43/100y without neoprene, ~1:35/100y with neoprene
Weight 76 kg (ideal for me would be ~70-72)
Race venue: held at Clinton Lake State Park. Single transition race (T1/T2 same place), about 0.5 miles from parking area and finish line. Swim is 2 loops of 1 mile course; wetsuit legality TBD race day (when IM was here, 50/50 chance, from what I see). About a 30 yard run to transition. Transition in place without bags. Bike course is sealed surface country roads with potential for significant cross winds (20-30 mph), single loop with some doubling back on roads, constant rollers with ~3k feet gain. Run course is completely within the park, asphalt/chip seal (to my understanding), 3 loops. Temperature expected to be mid-60s at start, mid-80s with 60-70% humidity by end.
Pre-race:
Friday: work in the morning, pack in the afternoon. Standard race packing checklist for a local race, since we'll be driving (some details in race plan). Charge electronics (920XT, 500); make sure to take off charger when done and take chargers with me. Since these usually travel with me for work, this is a normal habit. Final check of bike on stand (gearing, brakes, etc.). Put bike rack on car and lock bike in. Pack transition bag and put in car. Quick light run if needed to burn energy (I hate taper week...).
Saturday: Load non-race suitcase. Bar for breakfast. Drop parrots off for boarding (yes, it's race prep...). Drive to Lawrence (4.5-5 h). Depending on arrival time, go directly to venue for check-in vs. hotel (staying in Lawrence proper). Pick up packet. Hydration through day with sport drink (GE or Skratch; use them both in training). Light pizza lunch on way with leftovers for evening, although may still go out for dinner. Drive at least part of bike course. Apply tats/numbers. Plan to get to bed (likely with melatonin) about 2100.
Race day (Sunday):
Awake about 0300-0400. Put on party clothes + 2 coats sunscreen. Morning ritual food - coffee + Bonk bar +/- another; sip sport drink until 30' prior to start. Transition opens at 0500 - try to be there at open. Set up transition area. T-mat at rear wheel with T1 supplies on left and T2 supplies on right. T1 has shoes, socks rolled up, sunscreen, arm coolers rolled up, chamois cream (for reapplication), bottle of sport drink, small towel, race belt (number must be worn on bike) with 4x gels and salt caps (SS+) in canister. T2 has socks (greased inside/rolled up), running shoes, same sunscreen, same hand towel (both moved over or dumped at T1), sunglasses, hat (don't need go-bag since number is already on). Bike has helmet and visor on bars. Bike on small ring, mid-cassette. Load bike with fluids (GE); ensure gel bites/bars are there.
After setup, about 0600, take a gel right before stopping drinking and apply final sunscreen. Offload fluids one more time before heading to the start. If WS legal, get suited up (with adequate TriSlide). If not, use swim skin. Chat with others in my wave (#2/silver, off at 0633). Work on ensuring I'm mid-pack (wave should be about 80 people based on recent registration info). Pacing/jogging/Cordz for warm-up; leave the latter with the spouse.
Swim: Hit the water at 0630 (first wave off). Position myself as planned above. At start (0633), get into a rhythm (long/strong/slow=fast) after working through the initial washing machine. Once on my own, sight off of buoys, make the turns close, only draft if the opportunity really presents itself. Goal time 1:07 (1:55/100y); cutoff 2:05.
T1: Again, slow=fast. Strip (if WS legal, use strippers if available). Go through normal rhythm. Work across line of gear in T1 section of T-mat. Helmet on, visor down. If sunscreen appliers available, take another coat. Jog bike to mount line and mount. Goal time 2:30 if non-WS, 4:00 if WS legal.
Bike: Big hill supposedly coming out of T1 (hence the gearing above). After cresting, settle in for next couple of miles, with primary goal of getting HR down to 130. Once there, JRA (IF = 0.65) for first 30-40 minutes; start eating and drinking. If comfortable at that point, depending on wind conditions and such, pick up to 0.69-0.71, staying down in the bars to extent possible (especially into wind). Flats @ 140W, up to 167W (at most) on big hills. VI 1.04 or less (watch on my 500). Goal is 40 oz fluid/hr on the bike, as a mix of GE and water (stomach doesn't like GE only). Goal caloric intake 250/hr, feeding from the course after my two bars (over 3 hours). This means a gel picked up per AS in addition to fluids. If bananas are available at mid-point AS, grab one. Goal Na+ intake is about 800 mg/hr, which means adding 1 SS+ cap/hr in addition to other nutrition (carrying 6 on bike). Goal time 4:45-4:50 (depending on wind); cutoff 8:30 (6:25 after swim).
T2: Slip out of shoes on downhill. Pop off bike. Jog to rack. Pull helmet Work through dressing sequence using T2 side of T-mat. Reapply sunscreen (or use volunteer if available). Hit the road. Goal 2:00.
Run: After initial hill, keep HR about 140-145 (same as bike finish if according to RR). Keep this, trying for 11:10-11:20 (Z1) pace for first 3 miles (3 AS). Walk 20-30 steps each AS. If doing OK at that point, push HR up to 145-150 with planned pace 10:50-11:00 (including walk breaks at AS). 920xt is set for 1 mile intervals to track pace. Watching HR is important due to heat on course - HR and pace are all that show on 920 primary screen. Aim for shade when possible. Ice in hat at AS. If not fully cooked at start of 3rd/final lap, increase to HR 150-155 with planned pace 10:00-10:30 (hard to predict as it can be widely variable in heat) as tolerated with best push to finish. Sport drink at each AS, gel every 3rd-4th (depending on stomach), pretzels if needed to settle stomach, cola if needed for energy (although continue once started). SS+ cap from belt every 3rd AS. Goal time 3:20-3:30; cutoff 11:00 (4:30 after bike).
Goal overall: Finish prior to cutoff. Planned time 9:30 (representing 4:00 pm). Bike is slower than prior 70.3, but this is a tougher course it appears.
Thanks for reading! I appreciate input.
Comments
Good plan. Having raced and trained over that course 100s of times, it can be very fast if you race smart, but the chances of wind and extreme heat/humidity are always high. Like Ed said, the climb out of T1 is nothing on the bike. But on the second and third run loops, 90% of racers will be walking it. The bike rolls relentlessly, with some decent climbs. You must flatten that course with steady watts. If you have a disc, watch for cross winds - I've been moved 5-6 feet by some of those gusts. Road conditions are good. The final big climb back into Clinton Park will be tough after 78 miles - be smart and prepare for the run. Run is very exposed, so good luck finding much shade. It' not my favorite run course, as the campgound path can get crowded (but this race won't draw like the WTC event did). But it's 10x better than the Miami course. Don't worry about cut-offs. You'll be enjoying the Freestate Brewery offerings long before those times come into play.
Best of luck.
Mike
@EE - Yep, I'll be there in EN kit, just like in my avatar here, just new shoes and a different bib. I thought you might be out there since this is fairly local for you. The last time I was in Lawrence was in college, and back then, it certainly wasn't for a race...
@MR - Current forecast (which is too far out to trust) is high heat/humidity with afternoon storms. I'll be in the 90% walking probably, or running at a 15:00 pace (which = walking...). No disc; running a FLO 60/90. However, even the 90 catches crosswinds a lot; my primary training ground is open fields where I frequently get 30+ mph gusts. As you know, anything will beat the Miami course, though; I still have claustrophobic nightmares. The good thing is that most of the 70.3 athletes will be off the run course, especially by the 2nd and 3rd laps, so that should help congestion. I just list the cutoffs to remind me; the only reason that I could see them being a problem is with a major mechanical or an injury.
Another question for anyone - it's my first race with a BSN bag. I'm thinking additional tube, single serve chamois cream, additional CO2, nutrition bar of choice, fresh socks. Anything I'm forgetting?
Thanks.
Bill
I will be doing the 1/2 distance and look forward to meeting/seeing/cheering you. 5th year (I think) for me at the venue and you will have no problem with cut offs. Will wear my EN top.
Alan