Dana Burns IMoo Sorta Race Plan
Backstory, IMAZ last year was my 6th IM and I had just lost my dog and was to start a new job the day AFTER IMAZ! After all the drama leading up to AZ I missed breaking 12 hours by 21 seconds
. The breakdown of my SBR were on point it was my transitions where I lost time due to screwing up up my multi-function mode on Garmin. My 5th IM was in MOO 2014 when my watch got ripped off in the swim so I didn't know my time and finished 1 hour faster then I thought
. HOWEVER, I had like 19 minutes of total transition times!!
Fast- forward to MOO 2016, I have a new dog and I LOVE my demanding new job. However, in March I fell out of my bike trainer on tri bike plus had road bike re-fit (wrong fit), have an undiagnosed injury to my sacrum. I missed IMSG and IMLP this year because of this injury and I'm seeing another Specialist this Wednesday. I did have an MRI which was inconclusive other than a grape-size Tarlov cyst located at S-2 Highly unlikely the pain is from the cyst as they're known to be asymptomatic.
This is my time goal and have no clue what will happen Sunday.( A lot slower than 2014).Please add (ish) after each target.
Swim - 1:21 to 1:25
T-1 7:30
Bike- 6:30
T-2 4:00
Run- 4:40 - 4:50
Over all finish if it's a not so painful sacrum day: 12:59. IF it's REALLY bad 13:30 or if it's pure excruciating pain-- 16:59 
Thursday-
Arrive around 4:30 PM take hotel shuttle to Best Western Plus (stayed there in 2014) and if I get in on time walk to team dinner 1/4 mile.
Friday-
Walk to Starbucks for coffee or maybe meet some fellow EN'rs for breakfast, Practice swim and 4keys. Hop in a car of someone willing to let me and view the bike course. SKIP the welcome dinner-- in 2014 it was like prison food (NOT like I know from experience).
Saturday-
Starbucks or maybe breakfast or maybe meetup with some fellow EN'rs for breakfast. Get bike dropped off and bike run bags Bike bag will have, towel, sunglasses, shoes, helmet, spray sunscreen and a zio lock bag ( Advil, salt,eye drops). Run bag will have running shoes, socks rolled down, sun screen Go Bag- Visor, race belt and 6 Roctane GU's Advil & salt. Maybe cooling towel chilling in a bag of water--depends on weather. Get an early dinner somewhere-around 5:30 pm.
Race Morning:
Wake up at 4:00am and have a cup of coffee. Prepare a bagel with peanut butter and banana. Apply sunscreen and chamios butter,HR strap and 920xt Garmin. Put on tri kit,warm clothes over kit. Try and eat in room and head out about 5:00 am with chip on ankle, bags, bottle of water to sip on with left over breakfast if not eaten. SNB- IsAgenix AMPED Powder 2 tubes and 2 CO2's and a treat of some sort. I usually never eat the treat but I like looking forward to the possibility of the treat!! SNR- bag of Advil, salt and a treat. ( I never use SNR). Get body marked, thank volunteers, load drinks in profile bottle, one to rear hydration system, add 3 Cliff Blocs to fuel box, bag of Advil and salt. Tape Bonk Breakers inside profile storage ( must tape or it will bounce out). Check tires, start putting on wetsuit with glide, heading to potty line with water, 1 Gu, goggles and cap.Turn in warm clothes bag. Eat Gu about 1/2 before swim start.
SWIM- Position near ramp (?) more to discuss on this, i was pummeled 2 years ago-- cap and goggles came off and you already know about the watch. I just want to stay as far away from all the moo-ing around first turn.Out of water, find a good wetsuit stripper,run up helix-- grab bag with (helmet,sunglasses shoes and extra little bag of what ever isn't going on bike and shove in back pocket. Run with shoes to my bike.
BIKE- Let people pass me, eat every 30 minutes. Ride the hills like we've been taught and God only know's what i'll do about Barlow, I just don't want anyone to cause a crash.
Dismount bike, pass to volunteer while thanking them. I usually take shoes off and run with them in hand.
Grab run bag, put on EN visor,glasses on head, lube up feet with Vaseline,sock,sock shoe,shoe, tie,tie--grab baggy with 6 yummy flavors of GU's, a few salt capsules and Advil. Shove in back pocket while remove baggy I had in back pocket for bike. Hate to say it..BUT I will most likely potty in T-2 before exciting unless someone can convenience me to get out of transition and go on course those potty's tend to be backed up with people who didn't go in T-2. Based on my lingering in transitions I SHOULD GET OUT>>>> Get sunscreen on and thank volunteers.
Run- walk every aid station for about 30 steps, I need to fine tune when to eat Gu's but usually take in 6 until mile 17 when I'm Gu'ed out. This is when I switch over to chicken broth/water combo for the remainder of the run. About mile 20 I take a few sips of coke.
Cross the finish line with a smile on my face and grateful to have made it to my 7th IM finish. I am not expecting much and need to allow myself to walk parts of the mary due to injury but I pray for a miracle
Advice welcome and thanks for reading!
Dana
Comments
As to Barlow...I'd consider walking up it vs. riding it. I will ride a similar time (I think) to you and had to ski up is vs going straight up. It's pretty dang steep. My watts were high and HR was super high too. I think it will be worth it to walk to save the legs for running. There was a lot of bike course discussion in the August 7-13th thread just after many of us rode it at camp weekend. You may want to take a look at that thread to see what folks thought.
PS..you will have to hug up the Buchers for me now and again!
Thanks so much, Trish. I got lucky on the pain scale, in my tush anyways. I'm so glad we finally met in person and look forward to racing with you again!!
I will totally relay the hugs. ??