Hoff's 2017 IMLP PLan
Mostly
adapted from Last Year's race plan
Looking
for comments, missing items, questions - this is where the team effort shines!
This is my 8th IM start, 2nd time at LP, but I have ridden the course forwards and backwards a number of times. Fully trained for it in ‘15 despite having to pull out on race day from herniating a disc 3 days earlier
Bike:
Cervelo
P5
Choice
of Disc or 808 rear(wind dependent), 404 Front, all mounted with new Conti TT Tires, Latex Tubes
compact
Q rings 52/36 front 12/28 cassette.
Btb Xlab
torpedo
1 cage
behind seat.
Garmin
520
Stats:
Height
5’8
Weight
(151 or less) please don’t snicker…
FTP –
272 – ok, you’ve done the math & are laughing, please keep it to
yourself 
Vdot –
48?49? - ok stop ROFL at me, please 
Wednesday
Run 30' early AM - Drive to
LP
Shortish?
2000 yard swim?
Supermarket for items in house BUY HIGH CALORIE EARLY AM SHAKE, gatorade & bananas FOR SUNDAY
Thursday
Early AM team swim (time? ____) or is this Friday?
Registration – go to AWA line
INSPECT
& CLEAN BIKE - Check flat tire kit, tubes, tools, etc (Bike has completely been gone over by LBS 1
weekago )
Team
Dinner – 6PM Crown Plaza
Charge
Garmin 520 & 920 watch
Configure
both garmins for no autopause
Configure
multi-sport screens on 920XT
Time for
riding the descent? Or push to Friday?
Friday
Pack
bags
Race
Morning bag
Sunscreen
Plastic bag
with TP in case for porta potti
phone &
earphones
Band
aids for nipples
Chamois
Butter
Timing
Chip on Ankle
HR
Monitor Strap
Garmin
WatchEN Tri Suit
Morning
Clothes Bag
Body
Glide
Wetsuit
Goggles
Work
gloves bought in hardware store to toss after first aid station if needed
Sweat
pants/ EN Jacket/ winter run hat If needed/ for after race
For BIKE
Garmin
520
BTB
water bottle mixed w gatorade
arm
warmers – old socks with toes cut off to be placed over aerobars, put on after
leaving admin miles in town
T1 Bag
Helmet –
Giro Aerohead or Scott Cadence+ (road Aero) will only use scott if stooped
humid & hot
Tri
Shoes
Sunglasses
(only wit Scott helmet)
Bike
Gloves
Rain
Jacket (if expected) throw away version
LS North
face shirt if temps deem it(willing to dump this at an aid station)
T2 Bag
Sunglasses
if not using scott helmet
Running
shoes – Hoka Biondi Red
GO BAG
(ziplock) including hat, number belt, small packs of chamois butter, 2 Race
Saver bags
Sox – Red
Running
BSN Bag
2 Spare
Tubes
2 Spare
CO2 Cartridges
RSN Bag
Empty -
nothing
Friday
7am Team
swim – what time?
10:30 am
4 keys – Palace theater Main Street?
ride the
descent 3x with driver to bring back to top
Drive
the new out/back to get completely familiar with it, if possible from time
constraints, ride it
drive
run course - recon
what time of day to run per plan, 30'
Saturday
Bike
& Bag Drop off TIME? (afternoon when less people)
Movie or feet up watching Netflix
Take half Xanax at 7:30PM – go to
sleep!
Sunday –
2:30 AM wake up – high calorie shake
Back to sleep
4:30AM
wake up, coffee to get me going & bodily functions in gear
eat
banana start drinking gatorade
Apply
body glide, nipple band aids, Chamois butter, sunscreen
Head to
Transition
Body
marking
Put 520
on bike & torpedo bottle on bike
Borrow a
pump (or am I bringing mine and giving to sherpa?) pump tires to 95 psi
team
photo
Swim -
Goal Time – 1:09
Line up
with 1:05-1:10 group, GET ON & STAY ON the cable Expected time 1:08 – 1:12,
stay
FOCUSED on technique, you’ve got this
T1 – Goal Time
Take off
top of wetsuit as exiting swim – leave on goggles & cap until wetsuit top
is off
RUN
after wetsuit is off
Dump
gear on ground, CALL volunteer over to stuff bag, tell them to take the gift
card gift card, Helmet on
sunglasses
on if using
Other
clothes as needed
Shoes on
per last year, careful running on concrete oval and making the turn down the
aisle of bikes. Look for announcer and yell out race # to them
Bike - Goal time – 5:35
FTP – 270
(272 according to Strava)
5hr
power – 185
Target
Power
Ride 190
per discussions with P to effect a 15’ lap NP of 185
Hills
can spike to 195-205, controlled power when out of saddle
LAP
button on garmin every 15 minutes (time alert is set) or reset at the bottom of
major descent.
Hourly Nutrition (worked
out using EN Leventhal Calculator) and used successfully last year
1.25
bottle of Gatorade & bottles for race, get one down ASAP in first 30’ to
get ahead
1 mini
cliff bar or 1/3 banana (that's the size they are usually cut to)
1 gel
Time
goal based on 5:47 bike last year.
LEAVE
SHOES ON BIKE for T2
T2
Dump run
stuff on ground
Helmet,
clothes, any bike stuff in bag
Sox on
Shoes on
sunglasses
already on from bike?
Visor,
number belt, anything else, in go bag
CALL
volunteer over to stuff bag, tell them about gift card – GET MOVING
Put on
race belt after departing
Run –
Goal Time – 3:47
comfortable
pace working up to 134-136
HR
Run at
135 - 140 as needed for hills
Miles
are averages (working on run plan based on HR w Coach P)
Walk aid
stations ONLY enough to get liquids down & drink, eat on the run, save
walking Aid Stations for later miles
Remember
it is very easy to run miles 1-6 & 15-20 too fast since they are mostly
downhill...
Lock in
on HR of 136? after
4 miles
Hills, watch HR, and slow down.. they will come, they will be very painful on
the 2nd loop, remember a slow slow run is faster than a fast walk,
that said, walk to get HR below 1483 as needed on hills
Have
stood outside the Brewery for 3 years cheering people on, remember this is the
top of the hill, run from there if walking!
Hourly
Run Nutrition
Alternate
H2O & Gatorade at each aid station
Mix up
solid food – mini clif bars, 1/3 banana, gu taking a solid at every 3rd –
4th aid station
edit - get clif blocks ASAP from aid station and have one block per mile
NOTE ON
GOAL TIMES –
I hate
them, I hate writing them. I know what I can do under optimal conditions, shizz
happens & we will have to deal with it when it does.. Hoping for dry cool
weather, but one never knows and certainly not until at least within 24 hrs of
go time, and even then, in the ‘dacks, anything can happen.
Goal is to stay in my box, focus on what is going on now, solving problems when they come up (and they will and Keep moving forward…
Now, the real goal, because ^^THAT^^ is warm and fuzzy. My Signature line has said “IMLP with no excuses.” First and only excuse is that I missed my body comp target by 7 lbs…
That said, last year with poor run mileage, I put together a great race and pulled out a 10th in AG. Last year I could not start running until late January and I only executed 3 training weeks in excess of 30 miles. This year I began running 25 mile weeks on November 1, consistently increasing mileage to the point that I have run in the low to high 40s per week for the last 12 weeks.
From a PMC perspective, I worked pretty hard with @tim cronk to get the right input #s for S B & R on training peaks to ensure that CTL would not be overstated. With the exception of a bit of a mental reset for 3 weeks after IMPR 70.3, I’ve had a very consistent build as per the PMC below. CTL peaked after my berkshire mini camp with @Brad Marcus last week at 154 and has been over 140 since the first week of June at AL Camp.
My goal for this week is to try and KQ. Period. What will that take? What does it mean? Simply put, flawless execution from start to finish. It will require me to run an epic run off a tough bike. It will require being in a pretty Shizzy place for the last 8 miles of the run. It will require me to accept what @Mike Roberts wrote about his KQ at IMNC last fall “I wasn’t prepared for just how hard those last 6 miles were.” It will likely mean not high fiving people across the finish line, but getting held up & supported by volunteers and possibly going to the med tent. In simple terms it will require getting into the deepest hurt locker I’ve entered, or blow up trying.
Comments
Great plan overall.
Swim:
I think you should start at the very front of the 1:05-1:10 swim group. Most people overseed themselves and you'd rather get swum over y a handful of peeps than get slowed down by the 50 ahead of you that you might fall in behind. And get to the cable and stay there. Run to T1 (not jog).
Bike:
Be extra careful when you mount the bike. Don't ruin your race in the first unsafe 100yds! Pedal the entire downhill to Keene "at" race watts (don't sleep here). You have 2 full lanes, use the whole road to carry your speed. You cannot practice this in the days before the race, but raceday is a dream on that downhill!
Run:
The second turn-around at the end of River Road is your "go" point... Even though your are all-in on KQ, your real race starts there... Get there as smart and fast as possible, but your race for final position really starts here... This means the last time up the hill to the ski jump will suck. Don't walk at the top. Turn your brain off and just f-ing run! Townie hill will REALLY suck this 2nd time around... Catch the guy in front of you. Don't walk your HR back down here... HR be damned at this point... And after the turn at the top of Townie hill, continuing to go uphill all the way to the brewery will suck, suck, suck. Catch the guy in front of you. Do not listen to your legs at that point. Do not walk and do not slow down. If it doesn't hurt, you're doing it wrong. Your world view should get very small here... The last out-and back is hell, but the KQ slot is on the line... Skip these Aid Stations. Sprint the f'ing stupid oval that is between you and the finish line. They have great medical staff at IMLP, somebody else will clean you up after you fall across the finish line (ask me why I know)!
$250 to the charity of your choice if you beat 11:07:23!
(your W/Kg and VDot are both higher than mine were in 2013)
$250 to the charity of your choice if you KQ
(they work independently, but please win both...)
Go get it buddy!!!
Move up on the swim. Make sure you spend 95% of that swim on the feet of folks faster than you. Don't give yourself the freedom to take a break, enjoy open water and catch your breath. On the cable/feet the whole way.
Streamline your TAs. Don't need to stop in T1 unless it's gonna be really cold/wet, which is always a possibility. Spend downtime between now and next Sunday figuring out how to steal 60 seconds.
You know how to ride the course. Keep that VI as low as possible, hydrate and feed (not too much) like a robot.
I think your first overarching goal of the day should be to get out of T2 in top-___ in your AG, regardless what your S or B times are. You're racing for place, not time. What AG position will make you take calculated risks on the run and race your ass off? If it's only 1st or 2nd, don't ask for your placement from anyone as you exit T2 and just pretend you're in 1st, with a full stable of fast horses on your heels. But if it's Top 10 or 15, maybe ask. Whatever will motivate you. But I think there's too much defensive talk in your run plan. I know TC totally embraces walking at aid stations - and I definitely listen to him before listening to myself - but we're not TC. For me, walking the stations immediately went out the door when I committed to racing. It's first to the finish line, period. Do you think the guys trying to run you down will be coasting on Miles 1-6 and 15-20? Hell no. That's where you put time on those following your plan. "Comfortable" pace out of T2? GMAFB. Are you willing to potentially sacrifice - literally - another finisher medal for the shot at a podium spot? I'm not at all advocating that you abandon EN philosophy altogether and run yourself into a brick wall. But I am advocating that you adopt an entirely different mindset and approach. It took a few years for Al to finally convince me to just . . . race. I just found a note that P sent me before last year's race: "They don't give those things out for free and there will be at least 20 other dudes gunning for your place who would likely kill you to have it." That's your arena. Super-pumped to see what you bring to the fight.
Taper smart, refine a few things, build just enough swagger to walk into Placid next week to put a smack down on your AG.
MR
I should rephrase my mile 1-6/ 15-20 narrative, the truth is, I run these miles fast, I run fast downhill, just like I ride the Keene descent hard... As for walking aid stations.. that's a moving target for me, I don't drink well on the run, as I advised my daughter for her first half mary this year, "walk only as many steps as it takes for you to down a cup of water/ gatorade, then get going!"
the ONE thing I've already decided is that I am going for this, getting into the hurt locker as deep as I can or blowing up trying. I don't need another top 10 finish, unless it comes along with THE prize..
The best thing about this day is that my general motivation is that people are watching. This year, those people, @tim cronk @Al Truscott @Coach Patrick @Mike Roberts @Danielle Santucci @Mariah Bridges and others will be on the side of or on the course, pushing me...
I will have THE race of my life..
thanks for the good words, looking forward to the smack talk in LP!
The difference between the top few guys in an AG is typically narrow so everything counts. And you can never underestimate the mental game and how valuable it is. I thought I was digging deep and hurtling when I KQed at IMMOO but realized it was nothing compared to miles 17-23 in Kona. Our mind has built in self preservation mechanisms that shut us down well before we reach our limits. Those self preservation mechanisms aren't needed when you have a gaggle of top notch medics from race support. The combination of a strong body and stronger mind is the killer app of triathlon.
Race hard. Will be following along from WI.
@Scott - Overall great plan.
Couple things for you to consider:
Why spend the admin time on Friday riding the Keene descent? Technically it's not difficult, I've seen you seen you ride fast on much more challenging descents. Your time might be better served riding those first hills outside of transition or perhaps riding the run coarse.
Secondly, in the spirit of keeping your transitions simple & fast, forget the arm warmers, gloves & other things that will only get in your way & slow you down.
You WILL have the race of your life. Looking forward to watching it happen.
Mark
- *Now* is the time for thinking and emotions; *race day* is the time for simple execution based on preparation.
- During the race, don't let feelings of confusion, despair or elation enter your mental space; you are ALL business.
- The run is like Chinese water torture, a drip-drip-drip of progressively increased sense of effort (with no change in grade-adjusted pace).
- Turn that torture into a positive: "I am in awe of how powerful I am, to be able to continue with such strength under these conditions."
Thoughts on the plan itself:- Consider not wearing a watch on the swim, so you have no absolute overall number to chase, just process points along the way. Put it on in T1 (as a back up to the bike computer only) or in T2
- YOU OWN THAT CABLE! Don't get into any fights, but have the attitude that it belongs to you, and you will stay on top, within your box. Others trying to horn in are simply not on your sonar screen. IMO, It's worth 3-4 minutes to just keep your head down and swim.
- A low VI is King for you on the bike, which includes your signature downhill efforts.
- RPE, RPE, RPE, then HR, HR, pace is for information purposes only on the run.
Next week, anything I can do to help, just let me know.good points, have thought them through hard before firing this off. Descending keene is not hard, descending it at the pointy end (which includes the strava segment) is truly Withrowesque, that type of mastery, which is free speed and probably a minute on the bike course on both descents, requires practice.. I know the hills outside of transition and that I need to ride my watts up and down them. I may ride the new out/ back and also plan on driving the entire bike course even thought I know it. Wilmington will be different carrying speed into the hard left turn instead of the super hard right you used to make for the Hazelton out/back.
arm warmers may not even be on the bike, if they are, they will be on the aero bars. gloves will not go on right away, probably tuck them in my leg band and just get going on the bike.
@Robert Sabo - yes, we both do have targets.. unless your training has gone bad, and i know recently you had a setback, i saw a much stronger biker in you at PR this March. I think the timing of your illness a couple of weeks ago won't hurt you as it forced some rest at a point where the hay was in the barn... looking forward to pushing each other to the end!
@Al Truscott - you make a good point. I think the most important metric to me is stroke rate, as I've been trying to get it down with a longer harder pull, that's when I swim fastest. I am considering just having the watch display stroke rate on a large display (which i can read with a flick of the wrist out of the water) and having time/ distance on the small display which i cannot read on the fly, except maybe during the run between laps.
*Knowing you, I strongly suspect you were focused 99% on beating JW's KOM and about 1% on IMLP during those one-miles sections in the middle of the descent. My unsolicited piece of advice is, chase non-IM goals on days other than race day (i.e., next Wed or Thur) and try to ride a more steady wattage and HR profile next Sunday. The run is where the Kona slots get distributed. And those huge wattage and HR spikes, albeit limited to 5-6 minutes, have downstream effects. How much? I don't know. But I do know that, this year, you would rather say post-race that, "I was only 59th on the descent today, but I KQ'd" instead of "My 4:22 marathon wasn't my best, but I got a pretty online trophy."
P.S. If you were in my AG, I'd probably be betting you that you can't win the KOM and sustain 600w for an entire minute in the middle of each descent.
good luck! Stay focus you can do it !
@Francis Picard - smaller donations are also welcome. http://fundraise.worldbicyclerelief.org/The-hoff
I wouldn't bother riding it in your admin days before the race... It has a TOTALLY DIFFERENT profile on the day of the race anyways. And I'm pretty sure it's impossible to take the KOM on a "non-race" day anyways so save your legs... During the day of the race you get to use the full 2 lanes instead of just staying on the shoulder or even in the far right downhill traffic lane that you can do in training... You know how to ride fast downhill. just ride fast downhill and carry all of your speed through the slightly technical stuff by using the entire left lane of the road to setup the turns and carry your speed. ...and use other riders to slingshot around them to pickup and carry even more speed, aim for their back wheel and zip around them when you get close (a la NASCAR).
I also don't have the longer KOM anymore
as for the LP hill, I've got a diff technique and it gets me low in control, last year was a bit windy, so i had my hands on the bullhorns and my chin on my armrest with cheek against my btb bottle, this is actually lower than you would get in the aero bars... I also don't know where the segment is, I just was riding to keep the power curve flat and go fast...
As JW reccomends above, lock in on someone ahead, and pass them. I did that in my 2013 PRd NYC Mary on the bad hill on mile 24.. I know what it's about..
but to answer your question, absolute HR limit for these purposes is probably 152 - 154, and that IS pushing it.
have your stryd packed!
thanks for all! I aim to inspire you to go beyond what you think is possible next week in Santa Rosa!
p.s. I was so inspired by your run effort and by the awesome picture of the good looking guy with the short old dude on your Fundraising page that I put in the full amount (You were also wise to choose a picture from my favorite race of all time). You can't control who else shows up on race day. And in your case, there seemed to be a whole bunch of other "who else's" that decided to show up in Lake Placid this yr in M50-55. Keep playing this game as hard as you do and the stars will eventually align for you.