IMMT (AKA Swim was the driest part of the day!) - Race Report Francis Picard
|
Item |
Last year |
2016 |
Goal |
|
Swim |
1:16:10 |
1:12:15 |
1:12:00 |
|
T1 |
0:07:57 |
0:05:58 |
0:04:30 |
|
Bike |
5:50:42 |
5:55:03 |
5:50:00 |
|
T2 |
0:03:32 |
0:02:16 |
0:02:00 |
|
Run |
3:53:02 |
3:51:36 |
3:30:00 |
|
Total |
11:11:23 |
11:07:08 |
Sub 11:00 |
AG: 2015: 51
AG 2016 : 49
After swim: 68
After Bike: 78
After run: 49
Short report : Did Not meet any goal, therefore not happy, need to work more in the next months to do better at IMAZ. I know it's just a game, but I am a never satisfied person 
Long report :
As you all know, we got shitty weather this year at IMMT, it rained all day, huge winds, slippery road, name it, but I don't wanna take the conditions as being the main reasons of my results.
Swim:
https://www.strava.com/activities/684400891/overview
We knew they could delay or even cancel the swim depending on the weather, it was a sunny morning and it was fun to be able to do the swim, this lake is awesome for the swim and I love the energy when all people are jumping into the water.
The swim started really good as you can see my laps on strava, was going smooth until we made our way to the other direction where we started receiving big waves, was really hard and was happy to breath on the “good side” (I am a single side swimmer). I think most of the racers got a slower and harder time on their way back.
I put myself in the middle of the start and directly when right to avoid traffic, but the first 3-4 buoys were real chaos.
Bike:
https://www.strava.com/activities/685520687/overview
Per trainingpeak :
IF : 0.74
VI: 0.97
TSS: 320
I didn't get rain until KM 40 of the first loop and was seeing a bit of sun.. really far hah, was hoping that the storms will only pass with winds.
Finally it started to rain really hard, visibility was tuff and start feeling something behind my head, I received something cuz I start to bleed a little and it was burning with the sweat dropping. Don’t know or remember what touched me there.
I stayed on my hydration and nutrition plan as planned, but was peeing almost every 45 minutes after 2 hours. When its raining and I am outside, I always feel the need to pee, dunno if its related or not, the good news was that my hydration and nutrition was going well ?
At about 4:30, I calculated I would go over 300TSS and that my IF was wayyyy over my target of 0:65, I started to panic but tried to convince myself that I could run a good marathon considering it wasn't warm and it might stop to rain and I could run with dry feet.
On the second loop in the Duplessis section, we were yelled to slow down, I guess a big crash just happened, the curbs were slippery and I always get memories from my crash when I think about that.
Bike is really my limiter (maybe a psychological one - I crashed 3 years ago) and it was the hardest ride of my life considering the rain, the visibility and how the roads were slippery. I did a worst time than last year and what makes me mad about it ? I worked alot harder than last year, I came here to train 3-4 times, did 3X the 70.3 and it was my 2nd 140.6 on that course.
Was my first year racing with a PM.
Run
https://www.strava.com/activities/684410034/overview
When I started the run and look at my time, I knew it was possible to go sub11hrs If my run was about 3h40. Came out of the transition and told myself “here starts the race”, I love to run, this is my favorite part of the day, I didn't feel my legs were heavy and was really looking fwd to give it all there.
Was able to manage HR and have it increase in the middle of the run, which is something I always have difficulty with.
It all started well, even the rain stopped !! omg couldn’t believe it, but starting KM 10-12, it all came back and felt like I was on the bike again hah.. I even started to laugh at it in my head to switch focus because I knew what was coming for my feet. Was all wet at this moment, stopped at the RSN to switch socks
Around KM 26, I started to feel burns under my feet, blisters were starting to appeared. Tried to think about something else to stay positive.
Stayed on my nutrition plan, didn’t really the race saver bag for that race, so It was used to keep my gels in it and have something in the hands to play with.
KM 35, everything started to fall, I begin to shiver and feeling really cold, everytime the feet touched the ground it was like having a nail entering the feet.. so I started to do fast walk during 60 seconds then run 90 seconds. I was really pissed at that time because I knew that I would be missing my time goal and when I look at my last 6 KM splits, if I had ran at the avg pace, I would had done it.
When I passed the line, the shoes were not yellow anymore, it was all red and my feet looked like beef tartare, same for between the legs, I really got big burns that still hurt tonight.
Overall :
I was waiting for this race since last year, had big goals with going sub 11hrs but was confident my run could bring me there, but IM rarely goes as they are planned.
I don’t know if my bike issues are the fact of not being able to do all the run rides that are in the plan (can’t do all of them cuz of family schedules) or its the fact I started cycling 3 years ago and not a patient person (I know it was only my 2nd race - thats what my wife keeps telling me).
In the sametime, If I broke at KM36 of the run, maybe its because I executed my race correctly ? I don’t know, for me (for me!!) in my mind I am not suppose to walk during an IM marathon.
I am aware the conditions were hard, but I dont wanna make an excuse out of it.
Was really nice to meet people from the team before race at our team dinner and a lot of mojo was going during the run, really looking fwd to the next race!
I am already registered for IMMT 2017, this will be my third time there.
Whats next ? family vacation this week, 3 weeks of transition and start to rebuild for IMAZ.
Thanks for reading !
Comments
When I first saw your splits (actual vs goal), especially the run splits and saw your bike TSS + IF, it got me to one of the coach Rich's podcasts stating that north of 0,7 IF and 300 TSS on the bike, it can get tricky on the run. The blisters sure did not help.
Rest well, enjoy the holidays and we'll try and get a 10h45 or better in AZ
FP, I will argue you met the goals adjusted for the conditions that you were handed on race day. Your goals were set based on better more normal conditions like the ones you completed your RR1 and RR2 under. Hard to plan for big changes like the ones you got handed on race day.
A fews days of perspective will most likely help you better see what you actually accomplished.
I am stunned and amazed at many things frankly:
So many things to be proud of my friend! Sincere congratulations Ironman!
SS
@FP,
I'm with everyone else . . . I think you had an outstanding race. You just exposed the "problem" with time goals in IM. I wouldn't be surprised if weather adversely affects 75% or more of IMs each year, and we know that most aggressive time goals are set in a weather-neutral vacuum. But we have to have goals to keep us motivated to train for these things, right? My top goals now are AG placement. My times in my last three weren't that good, but weather played a significant role in all three, and I managed decent AG placings in all three. So, I left happy. But that's just me.
Here's the good news: Your IM journey sounds a lot like mine. I went 11:40 or so in my first one. Second one, I trained ridiculously hard for nearly a year, with a goal of breaking 11 hours. I thought it would be a piece of cake. Instead, I got 12.5 hours of pure suffering through freezing, sideways rain, followed by 48 hours watching my buddy/training partner lay in a coma (hyponatremia + hypothermia). I left pretty pissed off, but determined that I could some day break 11. In my six IMs since then, all under 11. And you're way faster, stronger and younger than me. I think even on a tough day (or an off day), you'll easily break 11 at AZ. And I wouldn't be surprised to see you finish far closer to 10 than 11.
Finally, re blisters: that's preventable. If you BodyGlide or otherwise lube your feet during training runs, stop! During the last month, do plenty of runs sock-less. Toughen those feet up. Make sure you're race-day running shoes drain (a lot of them don't), and have your T2 socks pre-lubed.
Enjoy the rest of the vacation. Looking forward to the Tempe Takedown.
MR
In ^^^ this^^^ spirit, some food for thought:
I've been following you on Strava... You've put in great work. This was a day when many well trained people imploded because of the conditions. To come within minutes of your goals on a day like THAT is an accomplishment to itself... Lots of good lessons learned here, recover, learn, launch to the next event from here.
I have no doubt that you'll break 11-hours at IMAZ with all the work I see you doing on Strava and how close you came on a tougher course at IMMT.
On the feet, trail running is great for destroying and then toughening them up. And it's a boatload of fun.
Congrats on a superb day. MR converted me last year, get away from time goals, or at least devalue them. We race each other and the conditions more effectively than we race the clock. That holds true for the true pros - saw an interview by Usain Bolt, who is actually racing the clock more than anything. He explained his 100 time was much slower than he thought he could do because the committee shortened the time gap between the trial and the race. Even at that level, we have to play the cards we are given.
Your efforts here on the team are very much appreciated. Agree with SS
I have no advice better than the WSM have already posted, other than to rest up hard. I am finding that the mental task of getting back on the training cycle is a serious challenge!
see you in Tempe
DS
im glad i read your race report, now i dont feel too bad. my experience was very similar to yours, KM 34 was when everything just crashed, my feet were hurting a lot because of the rain, i was cold and miserable. it was my first IM so anything that i accomplished was a PR, even 16:59
.
FP-
Piling on to what's been said; you had a great day controlling what was in your box. The weather is what it is. You should be very happy with that time and having that 2nd IM/ training in your legs now will no doubt help you crush AZ.
Cheers.
I also found this website on the IMMT facebook page : http://www.coachcox.co.uk/2016/08/22/ironman-mont-tremblant-2016-results-kona-qualification-analysis/
@David : Yeah maybe writting this report still pissed wasnt the best idea but didnt wanna be complacent about it. And yes my first language is French, I live in the only French part of North America
@Danielle : Thanks! we probably share the same feelings about our respective race
@SS : Thanks alot for the great comments, I really enjoy what I am learning from the team, this place is awesome !
@Mike : Thanks! as for using anything on my feet during my training, I don't at all and its the first time this happens to me, I never get blisters even on long runs... never even had a black toenail !! And if I look my AG.. well I improved a little
@Al: probably I need to do another FTP test when I will be back on the plan for IMAZ. For the run, the first 10km is my regular pace and was aiming to finish with being about 45 seconds over the avg first 10km. Yes my HR was dropping when I start being cold, it dropped around 110-115bpm.
@Scott : Thanks and I think your comment is that one I heard the most
@Gabe : last year was tuff (extreme heat & humidity) but this year was awful!!
@Doug : Thanks looking fwd to meet you in November ! that should be a fun race
@Lemuel : yeah that was tuff day, grats on finishing your first IM !!
@Josiah : Thanks !!!
@Brad : Same for me, was great meeting you after so long watching you on strava !! And I think you are right regarding the weather, having done last year, I was wayyy more ready for extreme heat & humidity than rain, winds and cold even if I did alot of rides in the rain and I keep running during winter in the winter at -40C. See you soon!
Big congrats Francis! Every time I saw you on the run you looked strong and focused! You learn from each of these races and you'll take that knowledge on to faster times in the future! Well done!
à+
Francis - I get where you are coming from but don't be too hard on yourself. The good news is you have a race right around the corner so you can take your learnings here and quickly apply them to IMAZ. Just a couple thoughts. When the conditions are less than ideal, you need to throw time goals out the window. Like Mike R. stated, focus strictly on age group placing at that point because the entire field is wrestling with the same conditions of the day. As I was reading your post what jumped out to me was that your FTP may not be set correctly. I know personally, there is no way I could get to 320 TSS for an IM bike, or if I could I would just be a pile of gu at the end with no hope of finishing, let alone running a marathon. You mentioned this is your first year racing with power. Have you done an outdoor FTP test? I would make sure I have confidence in my FTP before you start getting into the meat of IMAZ training.
On the run for combatting blisters, one thing I have started doing is filling up the insides of socks with Vaseline. I do this before I check-in my run bag so the socks are already "pre-lubed" when I get to T2 so I all I need to do if put them on along with my shoes and take off. This is a tip I received from Tim C. It doesn't completely eliminate blisters, but it does delay the chafing that inevitably comes. However, when your feet get wet, all bets are off.
So in summary, congrats on finishing as well as you did in tough conditions! But, take some time to reflect and then start to apply your learnings to IMAZ. Your fitness will be there so now it's just a question of fine tuning things and I think you will put yourself in a position to have a breakthrough race in AZ.
I look forward to following you to your next race and you never know I may see you next year at the event again!
It was wonderful to meet you and your family. Good luck with training and looking forward to seeing what you do next.
I finally went over my frustration/dissapointment and decided to focus of what went well and went wrong that I could improve for IMAZ. I am starting to look fwd to resume IM training... still in transition week 2, going through the pile of books that cumulated on the night table during the last 6 months
My wife told me that I might not progress as quickly as in other area of my life (ie carreer) being an impatient person I am pretty sure that somewhere in my mind I think I can be KQ within 2 years (lol! wtf; legacy is probably most realistic)
I learned alot this year within the team and I am really looking to bring it to another level.