IMTX 2016- Week 19 THE BOX
THE BOX WEEK 19
First things first- the bike course. Not a good solution- but it is what it is. Huge shout out to Mark for posting the course in the Execution forum. There is some GREAT feedback there about how to execute on this new course. Check it out here! http://members.endurancenation.us/Forums/tabid/57/aft/20838/Default.aspx#226671
The biggest thing to remember is that you are TRAINED and ready to EXECUTE this race. This is a situation that is tough to deal with but as a team it’s important to remember to stay positive and keep your best foot forward...which is NOT easy. Looking at posts on FB and other social media outlets...there is a bunch of negativity just floating everywhere…. And understandably so. HOWEVER- if you let your mind believe and go down that road...it will be hard to recover. Your MIND and ATTITUDE play a huge part in this….SO lets keep our AWESOMENESS GOING!!!!
This week think about YOUR box, what you learned in RR1 and RR2 and how you can keep the box as large. Remember you are not out there trying to make anything happen on race day. You are keeping that box as large as you can for as long as you can, you're focused, calm, collected and executing ninjas.
All day long you are going to race inside a box defined by what you can control. Ask yourself "What do I need to do right NOW to create the conditions for success at The Line? Is what I'm doing right now counter to this goal?
Advice: On the swim, the Box is the space your body occupies in the water: focus on your form and the rest will come. On the bike, the box is probably about one aid station long. On the run, the box begins as 2-3 aid stations long but often diminishes to "from here to the next lampost/manhole cover/mail box." Regardless:
Keep The Box as big as you can for as long as you can.
Keep in The Box only the things you can control. Let go of the rest.
Exercise this decision-making process inside your Box: Observe the situation, Orient yourself to a possible course of action, Decide on a course of action, Act (OODA Loop).
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Comments
Lanzarote next year!
In my case, I have been doing a LOT of soul searching this weekend. I have done IMTX 3 times before but have never trained as hard and focused so much on the race as I have this year so I had high ambitions to take a significant chunk of time off my PR. I am not looking to place or to qualify for Kona, I am simply racing against myself. So with the shorter bike I feel that my primary reason for doing IMTX is no longer valid no matter how well or poorly I do on the day.
So I have made the following decisions:(1) Do IMTX anyway - its a terrific event in a fantastic location, the new bike course will add a completely different feel to the race (irrespective of distance) so the usual challenges of headwind and chip seal road surface are not going to be affecting us this year (right?!). New challenges of a very high number of corners and a completely different wind direction will make it interesting. I will miss the wonderful Texas scenery but maybe there will still be some sights on the ride.
If I had decided to not do IMTX I could probably get a refund on my hotel but the rest of the cost is already sunk, so if I signed up for a different race around the same time or maybe a half (St George anyone?!) I would be adding a great deal of additional cost anyway.(2) Sign up for another late season IM in 2016 - Late on Friday eve after a few glasses of wine (first alcohol for a month, I have been really serious about IMTX!) I signed up for Ironman North Carolina in October, there are a lot of races still open this year, my wife also does IM and she is doing Mont Tremblant this year so I looked for something that allows us to train at different times, hence I chose NC. It means more cost but I can drive there so the total cost compared to IMTX (flights, Tribike transport etc) is lower.
This weekend has been a very satisfying Race Rehearsal weekend, I cut short todays ride due to the new shorter bike course and er, did todays ride on a fat bike...other than that it has been a solid weekends endurance and confidence building riding, swimming & running over three days.
Jimmy has a good point to make on the reasons for doing IMTX this year. An Ironman is an Ironman, both from an achievement point of view and also the full experience and enjoyment/satisfaction. I am not sure if two IM's in one year count as two towards legacy but I guess I will find out. So my A race has moved away from IMTX this year to North Carolina in October which I would not have imagined being the case only 72 hours ago but there it is.
Jimmy - I have friends in Europe who have done Lanzarote and loved it :-)
For me, the training it takes to be consistent leading up to race day is really the IM in and of itself.
Race day is indeed a very special day, however, it is just the execution of what I have sacrificed for and worked for over the past several months.
No way I would miss race day, even if the bike course was a little shorter and it was my first time. You show up and complete that course on race day and you are an IM! A few miles less on the course (which is really your taper coming into the run anyway) makes no difference. You still have to execute and battle through that run and it will feel just as tough as if you had biked those few extra miles.
I recommend you guys go into this respecting it as any other IM in all respects, pacing, nutrition, execution, etc. Protect your mind from wondering into those negative areas between now and then. Pay BIG attention to the message in the opening thread from Laura this week. So important and easy to underestimate.
Find strength in supporting your team mates from here to the finish line.
I'll be watching and praising all virtually from Dallas.
KMF!
Awesome thoughts guys. Yep, we've got this. #letsdoit!
Let's all be proud of our training ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I would like to add one more thought and one wish: Don't worry about a few miles; make sure you are very careful particularly during the bike section AND do not crash! Make it to the finish! This is a lot more important.
Take care everyone
Frederick
PS. Long and tough swim this morning. Looking forward to the taper!!!!
Frederick
https://www.facebook.com/FSRCoach/
Take care everyone.
thanks for posting this chris. It is interesting stuff. The pavement quality looks really good. Much much smoother than what I am used to in Boerne. Looks fast. But it also looks technical. And it looks hard to keep safe from a traffic management standpoint. Lots of residential roads and a metric ton of intersections to manage. I hope WTC will be prepared! This is getting me excited! ready to get out there. Could be a fast course.
The opening of the course is on good roads with a wide shoulder
• Six Pines, Timberloch and Grogan’s Mill are the same as last year. Stay on Grogan’s Mill vs. taking the ramp onto Woodlands PKWY.
• Right on SawMill, which is an intersection.
• The next light brings you to Left on Sawdust Rd. It is a fairly busy road but will be well managed early in the morning.
• Follow that around to S Park Dr. This is Not an intersection but just before a busy intersection; it is a tight Right turn and has cement curbs with no shoulder; two lane road.
• Westridge Rd. Budde Rd, and Pruitt Rd. are two lane roads which are short with 90* turns nice back road to avoid traffic.
• Flirting with major highways begins now. Right on I-45 feeder road. It is especially important to be aware of automobiles on these roads. The pavement is in fair condition, and expect hills in the form of entry and exit ramps.
• Right on Crossington Way is just before the Grand PKWY & before the climb up the entry ramp for the PKWY. Look for it on your Right (90* turn), there is no sign; it is a two lane road.
• At the stop sign take a Right onto Energy Dr. There is decorative cobble stone around this area.
• Left on Springwoods Village PKWY at a light – Right onto Holzwarth Rd. This is new construction so the ride should be peaceful. Don’t get to excited about racing yet there are still a number of turns to be made.
• Right on The Grand PKWY Feeder will take you up a ramp, then Left “U-turn” over Grand PKWY (which is currently closed) Left on Grand PKWY feeder and then up another ramp and Right on I-45 feeder.
• Left on Spring Stuebner will take you under I-45. This is a very busy intersection - pray.
• Right on W Hardy Rd. is yet another feeder but more of a two lane, farm to market road. Left on Caroline is right after and takes you over the first set of Rail Road tracks.
• Right on Aldine Westfield is a two lane road with no shoulder and construction. Again - Pray.
• Left on Spring Creek I never saw it so I skipped Birnam Woods BLVD. It is probably better that way since the flow is counter-flow of traffic.
• Left on Cypresswood Drive is where I would race. This is a residential neighborhood with shade and older roads in good condition; smooth. It is a long, flat, winding stretch and a good place to enjoy the ride.
• Left on Cypresswood Loop at Equestrian Center will slow you way down. It is probably the tightest turn of the day on a downward slope onto a road that is covered in sand, dirt and rocks due to recent flooding. They will need to do some major work to clean this up. As of today it is a mess! You go under the road and back up the other side. Quick little heart rate spike.
• Left on Cypresswood headed to 1960.
• Right on 1960 but stay to the right because it is a busy 6 lane road. IM rides on the the shoulder. If you choose to pass outside the cones (cones are questionable) be sure you are clear. This is a long stretch of flat, open road with lots of sun.
• Right on Hardy toll rd. feeder/ Hardy Rd. Left on Hardy Rd. “U-turn” and come back to 1960. Go back over the Rail Road tracks.
• Right on 1960
• Right on Cypress Slough (Cypress Preserve Park). Nice newly constructed roads. The road was closed so I had to turn back to 1960.
• Right on I-45 feeder. I believe Cypress Slough will keep us off of much of this which is good because it is full of cars & there is no shoulder. Driver awareness is questionable.
• Right on Spring Park Center, residential road with concrete curbs and cars parked on the road.
• Left on Spring Point Dr. Residential with some shade.
• Right on E Cypresswood Dr. Right on Exit towards Hardy rd.
• Left on W Hardy rd. Narrow two lane road with no shoulder, a farm to market/feeder road that parallels the train tracks.
• Left on East Louetta Rd
• Right on Lexington Rd.
• Left on Spring Cypress Rd.
• Right on I-45 feeder
• Veer right towards U-turn under I-45
• Right on Spring Stuebner Rd. This is a long flat area as well.
• Right on Northcrest Dr. which goes under the Grand PKWY, over rail road tracks and into an established residential neighborhood. There were cars parked on the street, lots of stop signs and 20 MPH. Follow this through the golf course.
• Left on W. Rayford Rd. Pass the first Agusta Pines entrance and carry on to the one with a stop sign.
• Right onto Agusta Pines PKWY. These residential roads are for driving not parking and are clear and smooth with Big Texas Houses.
• Left on Agusta Pines Dr.
• Right on Strake
• Right on Creekside Green Dr. This one goes right by my house, you may attempt the EN Gang sign if you wish.
• Follow this down and around the traffic circle which dumps you out on Left on Creekside Forest dr.
The videos that Chris posted show this section. This is up to mile 50/55. I should have gotten pictures of the washed out turn but didn’t. They will get that fixed.
..Right on Strake, Left on Agusta Pines Dr., Right on Agusta Pines Pkwy, Left on W Rayford, Right on Northcrest Dr, turn around at Spring Stuebner Rd. and head back.
Dana - thanks for the terrific course detail!
Jimmy you're going to be perfectly tapered! Dana - thanks for the deets. Sorry I won'g make dinner - hafta pick up hubby at the airport. ONE week to go... #letsdothis!!!
@Dana - Thanks for the detailed course recon. It's hard to follow reading it....It must have been hell trying to drive it! It will be interesting to see for myself but i'm certainly hoping on race day it will be well marked and well managed by race officials.
Just a heads up to anyone looking to swim next week. I reserved a lane from 8-9am wednesday, thursday, and friday at the pod aquatic center. It's a 10-15 minute drive from the race venue and there is no limit to the number of people we can put in the lane. I figure if we get enough people we can forget about circle swimming and just swim up and down the lane next to each other for some open water practice.
Seriously, if anyone is interested just show up and the lane is under my name.
I am excited to welcome you guys to The Woodlands. I wish I could be your personal valet to enhance your stay, but you are supposed to be off your legs and staying away from crazy anxious people, so that is out. My husband and I plan to drive the course on Thursday so keep that in mind if you want to ride along. Have a good Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. See you soon.
I do plan to see my family on Thursday at some point... I am trying to do both, with the Team Dinner and assembling my bike. Le sigh - we will see how this all goes. I am trying to figure out my personal schedule in correlation with the schedule that I have to adhere by, and not get stressed out in the process. My bike bag still has yet to arrive from the U.K., tho it appears to now be in NY somewhere, sorted. Looks like I am taking Ophelia on the plane with me, and not shipping her.
Does anyone know how the expenses fair for oversized luggage vs sporting equipment? I am flying United. It is $150 or so for sporting equipment - a standard rate I learned from my last flight for the camp.
If you try and fly with it as oversized baggage rather than declared as a bike there is always the risk they don't take care of it in the same way but even that is open to debate. United will tell you their liability is specific to bikes so if you declare it as something else and there is a problem they may not be helpful.
In all the times I have flown with my bike on United I have never had a problem, both with my bike in a bag and also sometimes in a hard case. I have always declared it as a bike.
Which bike bag have you got coming from the UK?!
I chose this specifically because I also ride XC and DH, so I wanted something I could use for any of my 6 bikes. I would like to go to Whistler next summer. Their bike park is amazing!