2017 IMTX Week 17- Execution NOT fitness
Hey Team!!! I apologize for not checking in sooner but I have to say I am SO PROUD and EXCITED about all your hard work for your race rehearsals!!!! And now we are 4 weeks out from race week! So let’s get chatting. There are 4 Keys of Racing within EN. What sets EN athletes drastically apart from other athletes is the ability to know to race. You're putting in the training and doing a fantastic job of posting your information with the team to discuss but as you wind down your training in the next couple weeks you need to put your head in a space to have the 4Keys down pat. Even if you have been with EN for awhile, there is always something to learn or something you can teach to help someone else's race experience.
Not to reinvent the wheel here is a mixture of coaches perspective and a couple other race captains:
X - Race day is about execution NOT fitness
Theme for this week is important. Start visualizing your upcoming RR2 and Race Day in terms of simply Executing your Fitness:
The majority of athletes on race day are fitness-focused (look at my T-shirt, look at my abs/veins/etc, look at how fast I can go in the first hour of the bike, etc.). They think of race day as the application of their fitness to the course, the distance. They are wrong. Race day is about the application of sound execution skills to a long day. Your fitness is just along for the ride. Through our observation of many, many races we can tell you that fully 90% of athletes out there do not understand this and do not know how to execute properly. For the Endurance Nation athlete then, race day is largely an exercise is doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing!
Easy to read/comprehend the above, difficult to actually apply on race day, when you feel rested, invincible with adrenaline and the best you have felt during the entire training cycle. So important to start thinking and scripting this concept now.
Some other important notes- Check out the videos this week about sports specific tapering AND checking your gear! Start this NOW because race week WILL sneak up on you!!!!
Good Job team.... keep chipping away, two more weeks left of fitness
*** EN GEAR: Make sure to check out our AMAZING store at Trisports! http://www.trisports.com/endurance-nation.html
Comments
What is everybody doing re. water bottles for race day?
I have my special nutrition bottle in between the aerobars but need something for water.
I'm not super keen on a saddle bottle mount as I don't want to reach that far during the race.
I'm thinking to get a speedfil aerobottle to put on the downtube
like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Speedfil-Standard-Aero-Bottle-40oz-for-Frame-Down-Tube-Mounting-/172235992407?hash=item281a10ad57:g:dPwAAOSwB09YI8c~
What do you think?
Thanks
Cath
I have the speedfill between the aero bars with a regular bottle holder on the downtube and two rear hydration holders. But I'll probably use the front holders for GE and use the rear for a water to splash on me and possibly for an extra tube in a bottle.
All good questions, I should have been more specific.
I have liquid and solid nutrition "on board".
Liquid nutrition
Profile Design aero bottle between the aerobars with straw
Homemade Gu with 10 gr protein, 1 tbs BCAA, 1 Tbs MCT oil, and 90 cal UCANN per hour
One sip every 5 miles
Solid nutrition
In my Bento box (also debating about the best option for the bento box in another thread here)
LaraBars various flavor
1/2 bar every hour
In my special need bag, I'll have refills for liquid and solid nutrition.
During the long rides, I have an autonomy of ~3.5h with 2 water bottles on the downtube and a 2L camel bag.
Perfect for long rides BUT really not aero, hence my qst.
Been reading somewhere that round water bottles are really not the best re. aerodynamics so I want to find something better...
Been trying to reach back again on my ride today. Didn't like it at all and I feel I'll have to get out of aero position too often...
THIS bottle looks interesting, but I can't really refill it on the go - I could potentially use it for my liquid nutrition but it doesn't look very aero to me...
I will I'll have my aero bottle between the bars and a downtube bottle holder.
Im hopeful this works for me as it has worked in training and shorter distances. It also seems to make life a little easier during an ironman from what I've read. I have LOTS to learn.
I was happy that my slight pain I had on a Sunday run was Not there anymore. I skipped the Tuesday run and did a lot of foam rolling and massage that I think worked. Had a good bike yesterday.
@Gordon Polozola congrats on your run! Second longest run EVER!! Woup woup! I hope you celebrated at the end of the day
Mine was more like Tim - it was okay but didn't want to run another 8 miles... Had a bunch of "gear failure" and had to stop 5 or 6 times because of that. Got upset but did the work.
Only 2 weeks of hard work and then we start slowly to taper!
Almost there
PS: in case you wonder what type of gear failure one can have on a run - I ran with a fuel belt w. 4 water bottles (7oz) that I hadn't touch since my last IM in 2014... all the elastics were loose, I couldn't tight enough the belt around my waist and all the water bottles were dangling around, very annoying... tried to make knots to no avail, in the end, carried 2 bottles in my hands and had to drink 1/2 of the 2 remaining ones so they wouldn't move around too much...
I'm thinking about running with a water bottle but not sure yet. I do my long runs with a vest that has a bladder that I like. That's overkill considering all the aid stations but I do like to be able to take sips when I want.
When I got home I did a race on Zwift to get some biking in this weekend and I set a new FTP of 306. That works out to a 4.5 w/kg due to my weight loss from all the training. I guess the day of rest and relaxing really helped. In the off-season I got to 299 but it dropped to 275 when the bigger training volumes started. I thought that's where it would stay.
@Gordon Polozola I know where you are coming from. I've had a few outside rides that I really didn't enjoy. Mostly due to horrendous roads that shook me to death. That's great you got out again today.
For the second RR I think I am going to ride the roads near me that are hilly but don't shake me to death. Hopefully that will work out better.
I still am trying to work out my one thing so when I get to the point in the race where those voices start coming I've got good arguments! I've never done a full IM so I've not experienced those voiced yet. I'm good on pushing and not giving up, but this is unknown territory. Any help anyone has with this is appreciated.
Had to cut shorts 2 workouts - the bike on Sunday due to saddle sores really really painful and the swim today because of thunder....
So kinda feel down, but I know I have to #justshowup...
@Gordon Polozola , wait to go and push!!
@Tim Sullivan, yes, I have a 12 oz water bottle with my liquid nutrition. I sip on it and finish it just before the special need bag where I have another one waiting for me.
I think it's better to carry as little as possible.
Yeah - never found a very convincing "one thing" either, I just keep pushing and pacing... Maybe my desire to go to Kona one day, honoring the training self, or be satisfied with the effort I gave on race day.
@Tim Sullivan - my one thing was all kinds of things. What made you make the decision to do an IM? The challenge, the amazing accomplishment it would be, the bragging rights, in memory of an inspiring family member or friend - it all counts and you can pull on all of it. And I can guarantee you, that every time I or any other EN sees you on the course, we will be cheering you on, giving a high fives. It was fantastic seeing EN jerseys. I looked for them. We got this!
Ironman Texas Race Plan
Before Race: Bike tuned; new batteries; cleats tight; watch and 520 charged
Pre-Race:
§ Big Breakfast Friday, turkey poboy plain for lunch, pasta (light sauce; skip the meat) for dinner.
§ Friday hydrating with sports drink (moderate).
§ Bed by 8pm
Race Day
Wake up about 2am, eat banana (100), 3 4oz apple sauce (150), slice of bread & honey (150), PowerBar protein shake (200) (Total 600 calories). Go back to sleep, 2nd wakeup about 4-4:30; cup of coffee and PowerBar; bathroom
Transition, Pre-Race
§ Work from a checklist. Get in, get it done, get out.
§ Sip sports drink until 1 hour to go, then have 1 Honey Stinger
§ EN Team Pic
§ Minimal food/drink until 15' before start, then have a gel + water
Swim:
Line up 5’ closer to the front than expected time (1:15)
§ Swim only fast as your ability to maintain form and not out of breath.
§ Count your strokes. If your form starts to fail, slow down.
§ If thinking about drafting takes your mind away from thinking about form, don't think about drafting so much.
§ Anticipated pace: 1:47-1:49 if wetsuit; 1:54-1:56 if non-wetsuit
T1:
§ Helmet and glasses out of bag and give wetsuit, goggles and cap to volunteer to put in bag; apply extra chamois cream in ziplock; nutrition will be in bento (7 powerbar gels or can use gel from course); start Garmin 520 at bike rack; Shoes will be on bike; keep moving steady
Bike:
First 60', ride at .64 IF or 137 watts. Eat and drink and get HR down to 130 bpm (expect disconnect between watts and HR, drop into feeding and hydration schedule. For next 4 hours up to 144 watts; for remaining 1.5 hours ride at .68 IF or 147 watts. Goal VI= 1.04; Tylenol and more chamois cream at Special Needs; pee by Special Needs or drink more
Bike Nutrition:
2 bottles of PowerBar Perform or GE (on bike) in first hour; grab new bottle GE at every aid station and water to cool off and clean out mouth; go to second layer of volunteers
Honey Stinger waffle at start within 30 to 45 minutes
Base salt every 15 minutes
Depending upon heat -- 1.5 to 2 bottles of Gatorade Endurance every hour; .5 bottle water if too many calories
Gel (no caffeine in beginning) every hour
2 bottles of PowerBar Perform at Special Needs for change of carb mix
Projected calorie intake per hour per EN Calculator: 370-460
T2:
Prepare to remove shoes in last .2; peddle on top of shoes
Hand off Bike; get Run bag: socks, shoes and hat; grab EN planned run bag which I'll also use for ice (race belt with base salt tubes; Shot Blocks for change of pace; PowerBar Gel with Caffeine); helmet off and put in bag.
Run:
First 10k at avg bike heart rate (expected at 132 bpm; no faster than 9:45/mile)
Next 10k at up to 136 bpm
Run Special Needs – Tylenol, long sleeve shirt; skin tape; change of socks
Next 10k at up to 141 bpm
Last 10k up to 148 bpm
Final 1.4 miles – enjoy crowd and finish
Run Nutrition:
4 oz GE every aid station (walk through stations)
Base Salt when aid station getting close
1 shot block every mile for 1st 6 miles if feel okay; then one gel every 10k
Chicken broth if available!
Projected calorie intake per hour per EN Calculator: 270@Gordon Polozola , look at the bright side of the plan... It's "only" a 2.5h bike ride and a quick brick run... for normal people that would be a hardcore workout, but for ENers, it's our taper