Pace, not race.
There's a huge former NFL lineman who's done about 14 IM's at his race weight of 320 told me, "I know I can't really race it, but I sure can pace it." I have a HIM coming up on Saturday and I don't want to race it, I want to pace it. I want to use it as an LTD (long training day) before going to California and be summarily dropped, crushed, spanked, and humiliated for a week. (But it'll be fun....
) Problem is, I'm already jumpy and cranky and I don't want to go through that whole prerace performance anxiety bs. That's harder to deal with than the race itself. I'm trying to think of things to think about in order to just pace it with efficient transitions, a steady, 75% bike and a long training run at MP. I really do want to dial back the effort and was thinking of just doing half the run but I hate seeing dnf next to my name and I have a couple of croney/nemesis 45+ AGer's that will be there. See, it's already started. I don't want to bag it entirely because I think it is always helpful to me to have a couple of race day experiences (most notably the swim scrum) along the way to the A race. I guess I have to just make up my mind and stick to a plan.
What says the nation? Insights? Thanks.
Comments
Is there an aquabike option?
Chris,
I don't know if I could do it. Why don't you want to race it? I know my legs were trashed for a week after last year's 70.3 A race (all due to the run) , but you'll have a week to recover before ToC.
I could pace the swim, that's easy. Just show up and swim, think form.
Will you be able to ride 75% on a 70.3 course? Why not shoot for 80-85% and see how you place in your AG.
The run? I could pace that for sure, then let it rip for the final 5K. That way you get to treat it more like a B race than a long training day you paid for where others are competing like you'd want to.
But that's just me. I intentionally have not reg'd for any other Tri races other than IMLP because I know myself.
Dave
I'm with Dave. The cognitive dissonance of pacing while all the people and hoopla around me says "race" would be too much. The fact that you are already feeling pre-race anxiety demonstrates your body is smarter than you - it knows there's a race coming up, and is putting all systems into competition mode. Race it or don't do it.
@Dave- I rode the bike course yesterday for one loop and came in at 252np (about 80%) felt good. So yeah, I think I would end up hitting the bike hard 85+ and then just do the run. My "let it rip" for the final 5k looks nothing like most folks "rip"
As for the Wed night fury ride not being what it was last week, you know you can't keep putting up huge numbers week after week. How many of those wiry roadies are doing the same run volume as you? Ebbs and flows. You still got some good work in.
Just be careful on the run. Do the 3 7 3 plan and if your legs feel ok, keep at it. If not stand down or walk it in. Wasn't it White Lake last year where you had the hammy thing?
You might just suprise yourself this year.
Dave
If you have a number on you might as well race. I think the difference between races A-B-C is really the amount of taper and how deep into the well of pain you want to go over the last few miles. For a half you do not care much about go in with zero taper [maybe move the scheduled long run to tuesday instead of Thursday and not go long Saturday] and let it rip. If you decide not to dig really deep over the closing miles, that is fine also. Not caring or trying hard in races kinda leads to not caring or trying hard in races...
@Dave- I've done more consistent running this spring and the OS than I ever have before, and as of a 12 miler on Tues I have had no real issues, so problems on Sat would be a bummer.
Thanks for the input.
cm
I agree with much of the advise above and would just add that racing the race will give you a boost of fitness like no workout can, so if you recover correctly next week you may surprise yourself and come in to the ToC and just be ready to put the hammmer down and have us all chasing.