IMAZ Race Plan

Rodney Poepping

Race Plan:

Two weeks before:

Enjoy the Taper and try not to work out to hard the last week, trust the training that I’ve been through. Try and keep my nutrition on point. This is the time to eat well and not fall off the wagon. Trust my training and be more present with the family.

Start packing by using the checklist I created. Make sure everything I need is packed and ready to go. Don’t go crazy with every possible scenario just pack what I know I will need. Start to dial down caffeine to help make my body more susceptible for race day.

Week Before:

We are driving to AZ. Enjoy the 2-day drive and try not to be anxious. Before I go to bed start visualizing the race and walking through it mentally. Picture people passing on the bike and not trying to play chase. Continue to use the mantras “run your race” and “It’s not the fastest it’s who slow down the least”

3-1 days before:

check in and enjoy the festivities. Remember to have a great time. You’ve worked so hard for this don’t miss the joy of all the festivities. Get to bed early and just try and relax. Be smart about carb loading and hydrating.

Day before:

Check in my bike. Turn in bags. Don’t stay at Ironman village too long. I may or may not do the practice swim. We will see how I’m feeling and if I think it will benefit me. Get home and put feet up and try and relax.  Don’t forget to continue carb loading and hydrating. Eat lucky dinner of spaghetti and meatballs J

Morning of:

Get up at 11-12 and have a quick easily digestible meal and go back to bed. Get up early and have a good breakfast and coffee. Try and stick to your normal routine as best you can. Use checklist so you don't forget anything. Get to race early. Walk through check list at transition and make sure everything looks good. Sip on Skratchlabs until 1 hr. before race.

Race:

Take a GU 15 min. before race.

Swim:

Seed myself at 1:20. START SLOW. Keep telling myself “it’s just another training swim at the reservoir” Don’t worry about everyone else. Try and settle into my pace early. Count strokes and follow bubbles. Remember good form is the key.

Goal, 1:20 min.

T1:

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. No wasted movements but no need to rush. Eat a uncrustable and change clothes.

Goal: 6 min

Bike:

Trust my numbers. Settle in early and stay in aero. Try and sit at 190 watts and see how that feels. Push toward 195-200 on downhill of Beeline. Don’t slowdown or give away free speed on the way back. Stick to drink schedule of two bottles of Gatorade every 1:20(40 min. a bottle) if I need more fluids supplement with water. Be prepared to consume more because of heat. Eat one uncrustable every 1:15 and take a salt pill every hr.  goal is to pee at least twice. Don’t chase people and ride my race. Remember to ride in my box and ride the race I SHOULD not the race I COULD. Keep telling myself “I’ll catch them on the run”. Stop at special needs bag for a quick stretch and resupply but try and keep moving besides this.

Goal time: 6 hr.

T2:

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. No wasted movements but no need to rush. Eat a uncrustable and change clothes. Don’t forget to relube.

Goal 7 Min.

Run: Start slow. Use HR as guide and run first 6 miles with relatively low HR. Remember: the first ½ mile will suck, your heart rate will spike, embrace the suck… but by mile 2 you will feel invincible, SLOW DOWN…I know you feel great and you think you can hold this pace but you can’t.  SLOW DOWN J build HR over next 12 miles. (Self Talk at mile 6): Time to get to work. Put your head down and do this…don’t worry how far you’ve gone or what lies ahead just get through this mile. You’ve had to work for everything in your life, this is no different. Get to work.   Race starts at mile 18 and last mile is full out best effort. Take saltpill and GU every hr. walk the aid stations and make sure and get Gatorade and water at every aid station. Switch to coke at hr. 4. Remember to stop every time I see support crew and thank them for being there. Make it a mental game of 26 segments and try and keep a steady time. Remember to give away my sunglasses to great volunteer as soon as it gets dark. Stop at special needs and stretch but besides that always keep moving.

Goal 5:15

Most Important things:

HAVE FUN

Remember why you’re doing this

Remember mantra “there is always more to give”

Don’t miss the small joys along the way

Laugh a lot

Don’t take myself to seriously

Goal: Finish…Big Crazy Goal: Under 14

Thanks for reading.

tim cronk

Enjoyed your list of most important things. I get not needing to rush through transitions but there is no reason to give away free time. Why not just eat that uncrustable once your settled in on the bike that way at least you are moving forward?  Dont wanna change your plan (hopefully you trained it)  but your really gonna eat an uncrustable and then run?

Gary Lewis

Not sure if they have a practice swim, you may want to verify that.  The water in Tempe town lake is murky, for lack of a better word.  You can not see your hand when it is stretched out in front of you.  If you have never swam in water like this before, take the opportunity to do a practice swim.  It really helped me the first time I swam there.

Al Truscott

You've internalized your week and your day, now let it unfold the way you envision. I'm reminded of what Mike Reilly says just before the swim start of every Ironman, "The only thing you can control is your attitude." And it looks for sure like you've got that under control.

Rodney Poepping

Thanks for all the feedback.

@tim cronk I am not eating and then running. I copied T2 from T1. Great advice about eating on the ride.

@Gary Lewis I have heard from multiple sources that it's worth it. So I'll be there for the practice swim , Fo Sho.

@Al Truscott Thats a great quote to remember.

Coach Patrick

@Rodney Daulton - looking good here my friend. Remember to roll with the punches out there on the bike; take the speed the day gives you and don't fight for anything more. Excited to watch you race!