Betsy's 2015 IMAZ Race Report
Betsy’s 2015 Ironman Arizona Race Report
I have to preface this by claiming one thing: I live in Scottsdale Arizona because I really like being warm and dry.
RACE GOALS:
1. To continue to learn and improve over previous years. I am 59 this year so oldest in age group-2016 is my year!
2. To smile and have fun-this is just a game
3. To finish without injury
12 WEEKS IM TRAINING
SWIM-my swimming is still a work in progress. I spent 1-2x/week during JOS just working on different form drills. Early fall I read a TI blog talking about importance of front quadrant as opposed to the pull. This resonated with me as I knew that pulling harder just made me more out of breath but not faster. Started taking TI lessons again early September and spent a lot of time back in TI drills. Had an 'ah ha' moment about lengthening and hand entering straight (not crossing midline). I didn’t really follow the EN workouts. I did get the full race rehearsal swim in and a couple of back to back 2000s. I am not scared of the open water or IM distance so am committed to getting technique down for a someday 1:15 IM swim as opposed to a lot of ‘speed’ sessions with bad form.
BIKE:
FTP-150 (3w/kg)
I got 100% of the bike training in. Week 15 back to back 100s on the beeline, week 18 race rehearsal and all the other long rides. I had all the weather conditions out there (except cold and rain), lots of windy days like IMAZ 2014. I felt I could make my 6 hour goal.
Nutrition dialed in.
I did make significant bike changes right before the race but I think i handled them ok. My shop where I have done all my fittings is going out of retail so I was able to get a pair of 58 Reynolds for $1500 (not quite as good as Stark's $1200 I missed out on). I have a 650 power tap I was no longer using since last year I traded up from my 650 kestrel to a 700 P3. At 5 weeks out I thought I gave them ample time to build the power tap into the wheel. I was told 2 weeks before ironman that it wasn’t going to work and I needed to graduate to the quark so of course I said OK. It all came together Monday before Ironman. I took the bike home and did a power test Tuesday am- and new FTP was 158-almost the 10 higher I was told it would be measuring at the cranks vs rear hub. So it felt good and I know where my .7IF will be so was happy. But, the joule which was supposed to pair, did so poorly-I got 2 numbers, a power number and cadence, no avg, max or any other data. So I went and got the garmin 810 too. Figured that out over the next day. I have to say, I like it much better than the joule. I Set up the front page with the data I wanted. I took the timer off as I didn’t want to focus on that (take me out of the box). I rode the bike around neighborhood Wednesday-Friday to make sure I was used to the feel. Last I changed my aero bottle to speed fill Thursday before race.
RUN:
vDOT-38
I made a concerted effort to do all the runs, probably about 85% successful. I had a good run rehearsal and made all my paces. Missed some of the low priority runs. I ran with the metronome this year and used a waltz beat set at 60 to get my 180 cadence. I found the metronome helped me do my chi running form focuses.
RACE DETAILS
13:17:40
Swim 1:46:23
T1 9:46
Bike: 6:17:43
T2 10:17
Run: 4:53:38
Race week:
Tuesday-got an upset gut-had to be careful with fiber. Worried it wouldn't resolve
Thursday-got to registration in afternoon, in and out quickly. Had a nice dinner with the Wares.
Friday-finished packing bags-utilized check lists, repeatedly reviewed them, team dinner
Saturday-racked bike. Saw some friends late afternoon, favorite dinner-homemade curry chicken and Sticky rice.
In bed at 9:30, don't think I fell asleep before midnight. Kept rehearsing Sunday checklist.
Sunday-up at 3:30, dressed, nutrition (separate bag from day bag, didn't want to forget it in day bag like last year) in car. Bullet proof coffee and full fat yogurt-500 cal
4:30 leave, easily in parking lot at 5. Learned from previous years that arriving after 5:15 the lines are too long to get in lots quickly, causing lots of anxiety. Arrive in transition, got chores done, using checklist, easily made 6:15 pic
Drank bottle aminos while waiting in swim line. Positioned at back of 1:30 swimmers
Swim
Goal 1:30
Dress: zoot 3mm suit, Neoprene cap/earplugs
As soon as I jumped into water I immediately hyperventilated. Purely a physical response-no thoughts of fear or doom in my head; but, I could not put my head in the water and swim. I breast stroked a bit, tried to put head in and swim and got worse. This continued for what seemed an eternity. I held onto canoes three times. I had visions of DNF.
FINALLY, i started swimming. Then I was fine. I had tempo trainer set at pre-determined rate, focused on front quadrant, long smooth strokes, counting strokes. sighting every 6. I never was passed, was passing others. I had Very little problem with getting hit or kicked. No problem sighting, staying just left of buoys.
Hands and feet weren't cold. Did feel cold in chest area. No problem peeing/at least twice in water
Exit, feet on bottom step, pulled up by volunteer, around the corner, two more volunteers pulled suit off easily (over garmin, was worried it would hang up)
Ran fast to transition (cold)
Challenge-getting started. The only other rolling start I've done same thing happened. Next time, accept the rapid respiratory rate and just breast stroke without attempting to put my head in the water until settled down, continuing moving forward. I was only 13 min off goal so it wasn't an 'eternity'
Challenge two-I'm a rock in the water. I will continue my TI lessons (12/21 is next scheduled).
T1 (goal less than 9 min)
Grabbed bag (easy to find with psychedelic duct tape and blue ribbons). Ran into tent
Followed check list:
I had arm warmers/tube socks rolled. Plan: Volunteer help put them on but leave them around wrist.
Due to cold I took extra time for her to pull both layers up. Folded black garbage bag under Tri top-I put four hand warmers in bag before putting on. Headband, sunglasses, helmet. Toe warmers under toe covers of shoes, carry and run to bike where I put shoes on and go.
Challenge:
My T1 time was about same as last year. I would have saved at least 2min if I could've just put warmers on wrists and left. Something to strive for next year, but I hate cold and that thought trumped speed at that mome
Bike (goal 6 hour)
I got out to Rio Salado, into aero position, and started my warmup to Shea, .6-.65 IF. People zooming by me-that's ok. I realized early I had messed up my Garmin watch-turned timer off instead of pushing Triathelon transition buttons. Oh well, didn't want to obsess about time anyway. Turned it on, advanced thru t1 to bike. Then I realized my Garmin 810 wasn't giving me a HR reading. So, scrolled watch to HR page on watch, had power/ cadence/ and really cool: pedal balance on 810 so I felt set. Took a few minutes to get aero bottle straw positioned perfectly and working. Downtube bottle straw (with concentrated nutrition)perfect-grateful I would not be pulling it out of its cage every 20 minutes. Feeling toasty warm with arm coverings and chest warmer. Turn around at shea, felt I had to really poop-got off bike at porta potty (first time in four IMs). Then went back down beeline, revving up to .7IF. Starting to feel warm but decided not to peel down arm warmers. That turned out to be a great decision. Repeated this trip two more times. Rain started on my second trip up beeline and rained pretty much rest of bike. I was feeling cold only in my exposed areas-shoulders and knees. Chemical warmers under my Tri top worked entire bike ride. Last trip down beeline and back to transition I remember just wanting to be done and in that warm change tent-that kept me focused and pedaling hard.
Nutrition plan was for 6 bottles of water and draining my concentrated nutrition bottle on downtube. I managed four bottles water and did get all my liquid nutrition-BCCA, Base salt and tsp MCT oil-6 servings. I Also ate four servings of my solid nutrition. This year it was mashed yucca with butter/cream. Golf ball sized wrapped in cellophane, just bite and suck out like a GU. 20g carb
Not too sweet and yum.
Peed 3 times-good thing about rain, definitely nobody noticed!
Challenge:
Time was 15 min over goal time. I had the one potty stop, really slowed for turns once it started raining. I did stay aero the whole time except for aid stations and turns. Did I leave some out there? maybe.
I kept cadence high entire time, meaning small wheel in front on outbound to Shea. I believe this has really helped my run.
Last, i learned a lot this past year about position and pedal stroke. I had problems for two years and getting worse with numb right lower leg/foot off bike. I finally figured out it was sciatica from Adamo seat-it's too wide anteriorly. I changed To a Sella Turica (very narrow in front) and problem solved. Then on long rides I noticed my right side of back really locked up-I intuitively started consciously leaning left to take pressure off and gradually cured this problem. The Garmen 810 with its Balance reading objectified this for me: unfocused, I find I'm 52:48% favoring right side so whenever I looked at that, it reminded me to lean left. Last, on my first 100 mi ride I got excruciating pain in right mid foot. That taught me to focus and ride with a flat pedal stroke instead of pointing toes down. By race day I had all these corrections in place. No back pain, no foot pain, no sciatica.
T2 (goal 4 minutes)
I wanted to be in that warm tent!!!!
T2 plan out the window. If it's warm, get bag, sit outside tent, running shoes on, grab 'go bag' and go! Last years t2 less than 4 min. NO WAY THIS DAY!
I went inside tent-had volunteer peel off soaking wet arm warmers/tube socks. I had a dry pair of arm warmers in go bag, had volunteer get them on. Put on running shoes. Put on visor, belt/bib, tied extra shirt around waist. Took garbage bag out of shirt and put it on like a shirt, then wrapped up in a warming sheet. Finally left.
Crowd cheered as I left-'don't worry, you will warm up!'
10'-ugh!
Challenge: mental toughness: stick to the plan despite the cold weather
Run (goal 4:30)
1-6, easy to maintain goal +30'
7-20, maintaining goal (at least through mile 16)
20 on, slowed down. I did rally last 2mi to have strong finish.
HR stayed in 146-149 range. That's down from low to mid 150s. Before I heard in run durability webinar I already had planned to do more slower running to decrease my z1/2 HR
Challenge: I committed cardinal sin of changing nutrition: I decided to continue my concentrated nutrition in flask for run. I've had that on run but never concentrated form.
Miles 1-3, at aid station took sip then water. Experienced immediate dumping syndrome and rush to porta potty. After 3rd time I got the message and went back to sips of water/Coke/broth and was fine. This mistake probably cost me 5-7 min.
Challenge 2-not slowing down. I felt the best I remember on an IM run-my hips and legs weren't hurting, a combination of using high cadence on bike, maintaining good form and run durability; Just not enough durability to keep pace where I wanted from mile 20 (well, maybe mile 16) on. In
I didn't have any quad/hamstring pain day after-mostly sore toes.
Challenge 3-weather. Actually, after I warmed up in first mile, it was perfect running weather. The mud trail on mile2/15 slowed us down but no other footing issues. It sprinkled a few times and I would briefly put on my black plastic bag shirt but finally discarded it about mile 20
Summary:
All in all, not entirely the day I wanted but not a disaster either. It's funny, but this reminds me a little of pregnancy-how fast I forget the miserable parts and am ready to do it again next year! In many ways, I had a better attitude this year despite the weather challenges. And, no injuries!
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