Am Zofingen Race Plan
"Better late then never.", my mother used to say. My first race of the year is upon me in just 5 days. I don't know if I am ready, but only time will tell.
Here is my execuation plan:
- Race: American Zofingen Ultra DU (5mi/84mile/15mile)
- Date: Sunday: May 16, 2010
- Start Time: 7:30 AM
- Predicted Weather: Partial Cloudy, High of 70
Tale of the Tape
- FTP: 215
- vDOT: 47
- Weight 160
Friday
Take bike to LBS to have quick tune-up.
Saturday
Sleep in as late as possible. Go get a hair-cut and then have lunch with the family. After lunch head out to the race location (1.5 drive). Register and packet pickup somtime between 3-5 pm. Head back to the hotel, put feet up and relax for the remainder of the day.
Hydrate all day on water and gatorade. Light dinner.
Race Day
- 3am: Wake up and consume 500-600 calories. Go back to sleep.
- 5am
- Eat light breakfast.
- Apply sunscreen.
- Head out to race site around 6:30am.
- Setup transition and drop off special needs bottle.
- Hit porta-potty and then find a quite place to chill.
- 7:30am: Start Race
Run #1
- Pace: 10 min/mile. Get a feel for the course and the hills, but don't kill myself. No real calories needed yet. Hydrate as needed but go light, will have plenty of time on the bike.
T1
- Put on bike shorts, jersey and shoes.
- Helmet, sunglasses and Edge 705.
Bike
- Nutrition
- One 3-hour bottle of Infinit on the bike and one 3-hour bottle in special needs bag.
- One bottle of water on bike tube and one in jersey pocket
- One package of Clif Shot Blocks for emergency calories
- Gears
- %FTP=70, TSS=286
- 1st=143, 2nd=151, 3rd=158, 4th=166
I paced the bike exactly like an IM even though it is only 84 miles. I believe with all the climbing that it will take me approximately 6 hours to complete. The course offers one aid station at the start/end line and then special needs at the half-way mark. I plan on grabbing 2 new bottles of water every loop.
Try to hold 1st gear watts for first 1/2 hour. This may be tough since the first 2 miles is half of the two major climbs. I will do whatever it takes to climb the hills realizing that I am buring matches. Other than that try to set at 2nd gear as much as possible.
Grab 2nd nutirion bottle on half-way mark of 2nd loop.
T2
- Strip bike shorts, jersey, shoes and helmet.
- Put on running shorts, shirt and shoes.
- Sunglasses and Edge 305.
Run #2
- 1st 5 miles: 9:30-10:00 min/mile
- 2nd 5 miles: 9:00-9:30 min/mile
- 3rd 5 miles: Whatever I can manage....
Depending on how I feel going into this I may incorporate a run/walk strategy during the climbs. I feel that this may help keep me running longer through the entire 15 miles.
Walk the aid stattions. Alternate water/sports drink between the aid stations. Grab gel packet if needed.
Post Race
Try at least one of those Irish Car Bombs Chris G has been promoting....
Thanks for everybodys support!
Pete
Comments
sounds like a pretty good plan. It is not an easy course to pace because of the really steep bits. Save watts where you can and hope for the best. The vets say that the third loop of the ride is where run speed and fitness goes to die.
The only thing I did not see was a mention of having lots of different clothing options. The conditions can be super variable. The is a distinct elevation weather difference between the bottom and top of the peaks on the run course. It also could be muddy depending on how much rain. What are you thinking for shoes? I will have light trainers and trail shoes with me and make a game time decision.
Also keep in mind that there are not the kind of aid stations on the run like you might be used to. I think there is one up at the top and then another [maybe] where the run kinda goes back by the pavillion. About 3 miles in it goes maybe 100 feet away back in the woods. Kinda stinks cause you can hear it and kinda see it. Very different than an IM.
LC is a huge challenge and will be an awesome accomplishment. One of these days I will do it myself. Looking forward to meeting you. I will be easy to find in my EN jersey or 4 keys shirt.
Looks good. You may want to consider some calories on the first run since you will be out there for almost an hour. You want to stay topped off as much as possible.
Good Luck!
@Paul: The race is in New Paltz, NY. Yes, I am riding a road bike w/o any aerobars. I don't know about light wheels. They are the Velocity Deep V wheels. So I guess they could be lighter.
@Chris: I had planned on simply running in my Nike Vomero road shoe, which is the only shoe I have ran in for over a year now. I could bring a pair of trail shoes, but run the risk of using something I haven't really trained in. Do you recommend that I carry some water/nutrition with me during the run, or are they aid stattions close enough that I should be okay?
@Tucker: Thanks. This year UI think I will save the car bombs until the end.
@Matt: Do you think I need to consume calories during the first run or in T1 before hitting the bike?
@Nemo: Thanks for the support.
I would consider taking some during the run. Maybe 30 minutes in. I wouldn't do it in transition. Focus on getting on the bike then you have plenty of time to feed.
Good idea to be conservative on the first run---it's quite a hilly course. There's no shame in power hiking up the one steep climb and making up some time on the downhill if you're comfortable trail running downhill.
Have fun!
As for the shoes, regular ones "should" be fine as it looks like it will be pretty dry for the next few days. Some people swear by trail shoes for AZ, others race in flats. The downhill sections are almost all on "carriage roads" so there are no real issues with twisting ankles on rocks or roots on those sections. The uphill sections are rougher but at least in my experience I was not going fast enough that it was a problem. There is one cool section where there are planks over a wet area and you get to jump over a stream but shoes should not matter there. In reality the difference will not be huge.
As for eating on the first run, I Do not think there will be any aid up on the course for the first loop. Would you eat a gel or take in water during an IM swim? Seems like it is unnecessary. There will be plenty of time for eating and drinking on the bike.
I think Chris is right about feeding on the run. I'm over thinking it.