RR #2 - gearing up for 2010 Eagleman 70.3
Okay, this past weekend was my 2d ever RR... think it went well, at least as well as I hoped! Any thoughts, particularly on getting nutrition on the bike, are appreciated! My plan was to really focus on bike nutrition and pacing this time. Last RR I only got through 1 of 3 infinit bottles on the bike... didn't bonk but wanted to do better. I also upped my HR range on the bike (I'm an HR athlete), the first RR I programmed my watch to allow me the range of Z2 through Z3, this time after warm up, I wanted to stick to Z3 to see how I felt on the run.
I did the RR on Sunday as opposed to Saturday since I live close enough to the course (2 hours) that I wanted to head out there - but wanted to avoid crazy holiday Bay Bridge traffic. That said, I didn't take Saturday off (I did take the Fri off the day before my last RR). I was a day behind all week and did Friday's workout Saturday, so I was on the normal week schedule and the appropriate level of tired. I had a smoothie ready to go (in the neighborhood of 500-600 calories) and drank it at 2am... back to bed. Up at 4:30, made peanut butter toast and a cup of coffee... loaded up the car and was off. Stopped for coffee on the way and drank most of a 20 oz bottle of water on the way to the park.
Clipped in and was rolling out of Great Marsh Park at 8am. I'd taken 2 S! Caps before starting. On the bike I had my dual chamber aquacell filled - water in the big chamber, infinit in the little chamber. For the bike I'd made 2 bottles for the 3 hours (3 scoops in each as opposed to 2, playing with making them more concentrated for the 1st time bc I know I won't get through 3 bottles).
The ride:
I did the first 30 minutes easy... looking at my numbers, my average was below Z1 threshhold and my avg speed was around 16mph. The next 2.5 hours were fine. As I mentiond, I set my Garmin to beep below Z3 and I got beeped at for being too low a lot...but I felt I was going at a sustainably tough pace factoring in wind and heat (sunny, windy, hot out... just like race day). My first 75 minute segment I think my avg speed was around 19.8- very happy with that bc of wind and my avg HR was in the upper Z2 range. True to the course, at mile 40 I hit a wall of wind... I HATE that 10 mile stretch... Garmin was beeping that I was too low during that stretch but there was no way I was gonna push it as it was tough riding... Mile 52 means freedom... light winds and the final stretch... I was hitting 23mph and outta gears... loving life but paying attention to my cadence. The second 75 minute segment my avg speed dropped to 18.8 and my HR was in the low Z3 range. Finished the 56 mile loop in about 3 hours even. On tired legs, I'll take it - hoping for a sub 3:00:00 finish race day and I think that's realistic depending on the winds.
Ride nutrition:
Pre ride I took 2 S! Caps. During the ride I got through 1 entire 20oz bottle of Infinit (approx 340 cal) while riding (I did have to refill the aquacell but my 2d chamber isn't very big) and water. I took another S! Cap around mile 45. I was hydrated, as I had to use the bathroom starting about mile 30... and took care of that in transition (no good places to stop on the course and, well, I just don't know how folks can relax enough to take care of business while riding).
Run:
First 3 miles were Z2 +30" - which for me is around a 9:26 pace. I managed to hit that (actually, 9:24) and felt okay. Legs were good, amazingly... I felt like I was slow, but I was at my target pace - hmm... maybe I'm actually getting fitter/faster. 
The second 3 miles I was not successful hitting my Z2 (8:56). I don't think it was because my legs were tired - I think it was more a factor of the HOT sun and humidity (very much a true race day simulation). My Garmin was beeping incessantly for me to speed up. Almost chucked the thing. 
I stopped to walk and take water and infinit at the turn... I walked twice more in the second half for about 30" each time. I figure I'm gonna walk through the water stops race day... I didn't run my Z2 pace but I tried, regardless it was a good split and I managed to go at about a 9:12 pace average for that 3 miles. I'll take it. 55:50 total. That's an improvement from my last RR (6 miles in 60 minutes and I was cooked) and last year's EM effort.
Run nutrition:
Huge swig of hammer gel and water in transition before I got going. Another S! Cap to start. Had my fuel belt with 20 oz of water and 20 oz of infinit on me. I think I went through 10 oz of infinit and not sure about water bc some got dumped on my head. I had another S! Cap at the turn around bc I was sweating buckets...
All in all I think the day was successful and it was very much like true race day - heat, wind, sun... I seem to be okay with lower calories on the bike... but I do get twinges of hunger (at which point I take another swig off the infinit bottle). My body recovered well from the day bc yesterday I got up and did the 45 minute run at about 7:00 (I will say that I was very thankful that there was only one hard mile segment....but the legs felt okay - it was another sweltering day and the heat just zaps all energy out of me) and almost immediately went out to Sandy Point to get an OWS in - did 3 laps around the buoys swimming about 35 minutes... legs feel good today but I opted to sleep in and will do the brick tonight after work.
Comments
P
thanks coach P!
@Tucker - no cross winds yesterday, but I've been out there before (including April) when they were wicked and I had trouble controlling my bike with my tri-spokes. Fingers crossed for winds like yesterday for the race - tough but manageable. I'm going to gamble against using my disc wheel this race bc I won't know conditions until day of and my handling skills are still weak after my long recovery... likely I won't use the tri spokes either to be safe (didn't have them for the RR) - that said, had it not been for a crash in Aug followed by hand surgery in Jan, the tri spokes would be on my Felt for the race without a second thought especially after Sunday's ride. My bike mojo isn't where it should be. Hope this helps.
Looks like you had a great RR, Becky. Sounds like you really have things dialed in. Now it's time for the finishing touches this week and the taper next week. You will crush it!
Thanks so much for such a detailed RR - very informative! I predict you will have a great run after your smooth bike!
I see you are doing Timberman. I did it last year (and had no clue about nutrition, I cringe to think about it) - it was extremely hot as well so your Eagleman strategies will likely serve you well
@Kate - thanks for the thought... I actually forgot I had the S Caps in my back pocket until I could feel the sweat dripping down my arm... will definitely try to remember that race day.
@Aimee - thanks for the compliment and the heads up about Timberman. Looking forward to it, I've heard it's gorgeous.
Here's a pic of me and Kate after our brick... too bad we didn't get a before picture. Hot, sweaty... but happy to be done!