Bruce Thompson 2015 IMMT Race Plan
This is my 2nd time racing IMMT. Last year I won the men 60-64 AG with a time of 11:05. I’m not sure I have that kind of race in me this year but I’m going to give it my best each and every moment. I’ll string together hundreds of good moments and let the results be as they may. I feel very fortunate that I “get” to race an Ironman.
Thursday:
Drive to MT & get checked in at hotel and pick up race packet. Pick up bikes at TBT. Go for easy spin with JT on a 15-20 mile recon ride on Lac Superior section of the course. Dinner with friends @ Coco Pazzo.
Friday:
Short swim early to get a sense for where the sun comes up, run to T1. Check out expo & town. Feet up most of the day. Early dinner. Make up gear bags.
Saturday:
Big breakfast early– pancakes, eggs, OJ, meat
After breakfast, go for short ride and 1 mile run per Dave Scott’s advice to JT. Then big lunch – chicken or turkey sandwich by noon, rack bike and drop off gear bags, back to hotel to rest, review training log
Dinner – early meal @ 4:45 pm at Coco Pazzo, grilled chicken, pasta with marina sauce, bread. Greet Trevor and Cory. Bed by 9.
Race Day:
Wake up at 4 am
Breakfast: 2 bananas, 2 bagels, 2 bowls cheerios, coffee. 1 power bar 1 hour before swim start, sip on 20 oz Infinit
Special Needs Bags: drop off bags, put Infinit bottle into SN bags
Transition: work from my list: pump tires, check brakes, turn on garmin, fill torpedo bottle with water, rack Infinit bottle, get in/out, go back to hotel room to use toilet & rest. Feel blessed that I “get” to race an Ironman.
Swim: wet suit, 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. Site 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: Get bag & find a seat. Put on headband, glasses, helmet, grab shoes, go. Put on shoes at bike, steady jog to mount line. Press garmin start timer button after mounting.
Bike: Get settled into aero position and stay there. Breath! Just ride along and watch for unsafe riders. Ride @ 180-185 watts first 15’ to bring HR down to 130, and eat & drink. Ride 190’ watts for next 15’, then target 195-200 watts for rest of the ride. Goal: 195NP & 90 cadence for entire ride. Cap watts @ 220 on all climbs. Kill ‘em with cadence!! 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 1 hour into ride. Stay in control on climb to Lac Superior and push the watts on the descent. At BSN, get Infinit bottle, and bagel. Take banana at each aid station. Stay aero and push the watts on the descents. Pee 3 times, including last 5 miles. Hold the watts for the last 20 miles and I’ll pass tons of people who went out too fast.
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,headband, race belt, Quick Shot with Infinit bottle).
Run: Put on stuff in this order while running: race belt, headband, visor, Quick shot bottle with Infinit and Scaps in pouch, adjust fit of everything while running. Take short, quick strides. Go easy on the first uphill in mile 1. Count strides for first 3 miles to get turnover right. Target pace – 9:15 first 3 miles, then 9:00 next 3 miles, then 8:50 to mile 18, then whatever is left to the end. Keep HR under 140 thru mile 18, then let it drift up to 150+. If above 80F, adjust pace targets upward by 30” per mile. If above 90F, adjust pace targets up by 60”. If hot, focus on HR, and not on pace. Walk only 10 steps each aid station just to drink water. Take 2 cups water at each aid station, take cup of ice, and sip Infinit after drinking water. Take a banana as needed. Take 1 Scap at miles 0, 6, 13, 20. At RSN, drop bottle, visor & get new go bag with new Quick shot bottle, head band, extra Scaps. If really hot, put dry socks and shoes in RSN bag. Stop to change socks and shoes. Put on dry stuff while running. Count people I pass to keep my mind occupied. Focus on form & keeping turnover at 180/min in last half of race. Stay in the present; perfect form. Drink coke after mile 20. The race will be decided in the last 8 miles so begin pushing the pace after mile 18. Go to the dark place from the turn around until I cross the finish line. Race all the way to the finish line. Smile when I cross the finish.
Comments
Bruce, good plans are anticipated from good racers, and you don't disappoint. You had a fantastic race last year, perhaps your personal LTB performance. This year you have had challenges which interrupted your training. I would never predict a less than equal result, but I trust you will not compete against Bruce T. in last year's race. I have no suggestions, but I do have a question. Don't you put 3 times strength Infinit in your down tube cage, and get another at the BSN? Is that the Infinit Go Far version? And, do you use the same 3x strength on the run? Good luck to you and JT.
@ Tim...thanks. I feel like i'm back and excited to be in shape to "race" and not just "participate". I sweat like crazy and my feet get drenched with sweat. I get blisters really bad when mt feet get soaked, so that is why I have a contingecy plan to put on dry footwear @ RSN. Also I wear calf sleeves for the entire race, not b/c I need the compression, but I've found they help keep my feet drier on the run. I can run so much better that way. Still, I know what you mean about being uncomfortable anyway after mile 13. I'll decide at about mile 12.5 if I want to change footwear. I've never done it before in an IM but I want to ready in case I decide to.
@ Bob...Yeah, I don't think I have the same race in me this year that I did last year, but who knows. My swim and bike are just as strong, but my run fitness still lags last year at this time due to my hip injury this spring. Yes, I do put a bottle of 3x concentrated Infinit on my down tube, and get another bottle of the same at BSN. Each bottle has about 800 calories and 2000mg of sodium. For the run I carry 2x concentrated Infinit in a hand bottle and get a 2nd one at RSN. The run formula is slightly different from the bike formula...10% less calories/hour, 25% more sodium, no protein, and caffeine added. I'll get water on both bike & run for hydration. I'll add in some 1/2 bananas from the course if feel "empty", and I will add in some coke on the last 10k of the run after I drink all the Infinit. Some people don't like carry anything but I've done all my long training runs carry it so I'm use to it. I've found I like this better than a fuel belt and I've raced IMs with both methods.
Try not to over think it on race day - let your body do the heavy lifting. Your mind is just along for the ride, to bring out the whip @ mile 18.