Bruce Thompson Long Course Worlds Race Plan
Objectives: Enjoy my visit to Sweden since I’ve never been there. Feel glad that I’m able to do this race since I was injured in March and not sure that I’d be recovered in time (I’m 98% recovered). Focus on superior race execution. Finish strong as part of Team USA. Let the time be what it will be.
As extra motivation for this race, I’ll be racing as part of medalsofhonor.org. It matches up racers with families of fallen American soldiers. I’ll be racing in honor of Staff Sergeant Mark Stets who fell in Afghanistan in 2010. I had a special dog tag made that I’ll wear in the race. It has Mark’s name on it and that he is “racing” with TEAM USA at this event. After the race, I will send my race finishers medal, the dog tag, photos and a letter to medalsofhonor.org who forward it his family.
This is a unique race distance: 4000 meter swim, 120k (75 mile) bike, 30k (18.6 mile) run.
Pre-Race:
Sunday June 21: Arrive Stockholm. Walk around and get on time zone. Take it easy.
Monday: Go for a short run. Maybe find a pool for an ez swim. Do some site-seeing, museum.
Tuesday: Play it by ear.
Wednesday: meet Team USA at 9 am at City Hall. Bus trip to Motala. Get bike from RaceDay Transport & get checked-in.
Thursday: Team USA stuff. Buy CO2s for bike. Go for ride & ez run. Team USA stuff.
Friday: EZ swim venue. Bike check in. Hang out with team USA. Parade of Nations & pasta dinner.
Race Day:
Wake up at 6 am
Breakfast: 2 bananas, 2 bagels, 2 bowls ceral, coffee. 1 power bar 1 hour before swim start, sip on 20 oz Infinit
Special Needs Bags: Not sure if they have these. If so, drop off bags, put Infinit bottle into SN bags.
Transition: work from my list: pump tires, check brakes, check garmin, fill torpedo bottle with water, rack Infinit bottle, use toilet, get in/out, find a quite place to rest, maybe go back to hotel room to rest if enough time. Feel blessed that I “get” to race for team USA.
Swim: wet suit, neoprene cap,plastic bag with cap, goggles, body glide. Drop off clothes bag. Warm up swimming a little, then rest last 2-3 minutes, pee. Get in 2nd row of wave. Go semi hard at start, then settle in, find feet & go steady to end. Sight every 15 stokes. Kick harder last 100 yards to loosen up legs. Walk first 5 steps out of water, then begin running. Goggles up & strip wetsuit down to waist, use wet suit strippers, cap and goggles off while running to T1
T1: Run to bike. Put on arm warmers, headband, glasses, helmet, gloves, grab shoes, go. Start garmin at bike, steady jog to mount line & put on shoes at mount line. Be prepared to put on rain jacket.
Bike: Since I’ve never raced this unique distance before (75 miles) I’m going to pace this like an IM and see how I feel the last 25 miles. If I feel good, I may push the power by 5 watts above the targets listed here. So all this means I start @ 180-185 watts first 30’, then target 190-195 watts for rest of the ride. Goal: 190NP for entire ride. Cap watts @ 220 on all climbs. If above 80F, back off by 5-10 watts. Get and stay aero the whole way except when speed falls below 12 mph on climbs. Target HR: 130-135. Drink water right away. Drink Infinit after 10’, and sip at each 5 mile lap. Take water bottle at each aid station & refill torpedo, pour extra on back of my head. Take a banana at 2 hours into ride. If have BSN, get Infinit bottle, and bagel. Take banana at each aid station. Pee 2 times, including last 5 miles.
T2: feet out of shoes last ¼ mile, unstrap helmet while running, put body glide on toes, socks & shoes on, grab run go bag (visor,scaps, race belt, Quick Shot with Infinit bottle).
Run: Put on stuff in this order while running: visor, race belt, Quick shot bottle with Infinit and Scaps in pouch, adjust fit of everything while running. Take short, quick strides. Count strides for first 3 miles to get turnover right. Target pace – 9:15 first mile, then 9:00 next 2 miles, then 8:30 to mile 12, then 8:30 for last 10k. Not going to use HR monitor, and go with RPE as an experiment. If above 80F, adjust pace targets upward by 30” per mile. If hot, focus on RPE, and not on pace. Walk 10 steps each aid station just to drink water. Take 2 cup water at each aid station, and sip Infinit after drinking water. Take a banana as needed. Take 1 Scap at mile 6. If have RSN, drop bottle, visor & get go bag with head band, extra Scaps. Drink Coke for last 10k. Put on stuff while running. Count people I pass to keep mind occupied. Focus on keeping turnover at 180/min in last half of race. Race all the way to the finish line. Smile when I cross the finish.
Comments
Bruce, you're going to be a terrific representative of our country. I love your positive attitude and wish you a great experience all around. I'm going to check out medalsofhonor.org. Sounds inspirational for you and if it helps the family of the fallen, what could be better?
Paul...looking forward to seeing you there. my cell is 847 951-3090. I guess i just assumed that they gave out finishers medals, never been to a race that didn't. Maybe I'll just have to race a bit harder. Oh well, I'll still send the dog tag to the family.
@ Tim...thanks. I had to take 6 weeks off running in March-April to let my left hip and lower back heal up after I got injuried trying to keep up with some BQ runners 20 years younger than I (that was good lesson in humility). Had to DNS two running races and one sprint tri that I had already signed up for. Got lots of PT & rest. Foretunately, the injury didn't bother me swimming or riding so I was able to stay in good cardio shape by doing a little extra on those (love the tri cross training). Started running again about May 1 and May was tough, and slow. Hip was ok but I really lost my run fitness, and my legs had no spring in them. But in the last 4 weeks it seems to have come back. I've been able to do two 13 mile runs and one 15 mile run, and my avg pace/mile was better with each long run (8:20 avg pace on the last 13 miler). I did a 10 mile run this past Thursday and after an ez 4 mile warm up, I was able to run the last 6 miles at 7:45 pace. That's still not where my run fitness was this time last year, but I'm happy to be at this spot considering where I was 3 months ago. So I'm confident that I can finish the 18 mile run in the LC Worlds in a repectable time. Given the travel to Sweden, I'll get 3 days of easy workouts (no bike until I get to Motala later this week). So I should be plenty rested.
@ Bob and Mike...thanks for your encouragement.
Bruce: enjoy the day, and all the pomp surrounding it. Gather memories, and then forget it all and turn it over to the race machine. Good luck!