Mark's Victoria 70.3 Race Plan
This is a little later than I wanted to post it, but it's done for now. I appreciate all comments and questions.
Victoria 70.3 Race Plan – June 14, 2015
Pack up Thursday using checklists. Pack up the car with everything except perishable items to be ready for early Friday departure.
Get up at 4 on Friday and pack up perishables, make sandwich and coffee for the road and out the door by 4:45 for 8:15 ferry at Port Angeles.
Once in Victoria get some lunch and recon the bike course. After the recon go to the village and get checked in. Decide if we’re going to do the bike run brick at that time. If not, check in bike and then check out swim venue with a short swim. Take a walk around the expo and go check into the cottage. If it’s late maybe just stick around for the athlete briefing, if we go check into the cottage we’ll go back for the athlete briefing.
Have a nice dinner and relax.
Saturday, sleep in and have a nice breakfast and lunch. Hang out at the cottage and read. Work on training plan for Penticton. Make sure all the drinks are made and gear is charged. Race number on belt and all clothes and equipment packed and ready to go. Have a nice light dinner and a glass of wine and early to bed.
Up at 4:00 and have breakfast of muesli and a bagel. Drink some Osmo preload. Head down to shuttle at 5:00. Set up transition according to checklist. Eat a powerbar at 5:45, sip on skratchlabs until right before start, head to porta-potty. Get into wetsuit and down to the swim start by 6:15 for 6:30 start. Do some dynamic warmup and deep breathing to center and get ready for the swim. Wave start but I’m not sure how big the waves will be. If big and crowded, line up on outside, if manageable, line up toward the middle towards front.
Take off and swim hard for 100 yards, grab some bubbles and settle into cruising speed. Draft when possible but don’t be lulled into going too slow by an easy draft. Concentrate on form taking a breath every two stokes. If stroke starts to fall apart breathe every 4 strokes for a couple of cycles to get the feel back. Swim until my hand hits the bottom.
Up and out of the water quickly. Head to first free wetsuit stripper. Gather up wetsuit and wad it up as I’m running to the bike chanting “slow is smooth and smooth is fast”. Helmet on, sunglasses on, shoes on bike, grab a rice muffin and stuff it into my mouth and chew on the way out. Mount, feet in shoes, settle in and start drinking. Keep power between 185 and 190 for the first 7 miles. Let people pass and keep in my power and game plan. Drink, breath, settle in. After the first 7 miles pump up the power to 200-205. Don’t exceed 220 on the hills except for really steep short hills where the gearing fails me. Pick up water at aid stations and mix with concentrated Skratchlabs. Drink one bottle per hour unless it’s warm and then 1.5 bottles per hour. Eat every 45 minutes and take a gel at mile 51 to get ready for the run.
Leave shoes on bike, dismount and move briskly into T2 but still thinking slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Rack bike, off with helmet, on with socks and shoes, grab go bag and head for the exit.
First 3 miles as Z2+30 seconds (8:18/mile). Eat a clifblock (margarita with extra salt) every mile, alternate water and gatorade at every aid station unless the stomach starts sloshing. Pick up the pace at the start of mile 4 to Z2 (7:48/mile). Stick to the eating and drinking schedule as long as possible. If stomach starts to resist reassess and change tactics. Keep ticking off other athletes, thank volunteers and smile. At mile 10 keep to Z2 or pick it up if possible. Start singing Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Pick up the Tempo” in my head.
Pick up the tempo just a little bit and bring it on home,
Head’s been whining and the legs have been draggin to long, (sorry, I had to customize it)
Time will take care of itself so just leave time alone,
So pick up the tempo just a little bit and bring it on home,
Bring it on home!
Pick up the tempo a little every mile until 13 and then just take it in through the chute. Cross the finish line and rejoice.