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Sabra Gonzalez Chattanooga 70.3 Race Plan

Ironman Chattanooga 70.3 – Race Plan

 3rd Time’s the charm, they say.  This will be my 3rd IM Chatt 70.3 and will make it my 6th HIM.  I love this race and consider this my home course being so close to the Atlanta area. 

 Friday, May 18

Drive up to Chattanooga and check into Courtyard by Marriott located just a few blocks from transition.  Unload then walk to transition area to Athlete check-in.  Attend one of the late afternoon briefings.  Buy more BASE salt and vials at the BASE tent. Meet up with friend and have dinner out. Race numbers on bike. Bed at a decent time.

 Saturday, May 19

“Sleep in”

Eat breakfast and then do a light shake out run. Drive course and do course recon.  During the day, I’m drinking GE and salting my food. Maybe meet up with EN folks??

Last minute bike check then drop off bike.  Remembering to let out air in the tires to avoid them popping in the heat. Notate landmarks for my rack location.

Lunch out and grab dinner (or eat something from home, most likely) NLT 6pm

Back to hotel, stay off feet, relax.

Make bottles for next day to get me through swim start and to the first aid station on the bike. Lay out nutrition to add to bike the next morning, make salted jelly sandwich for b’fast .

Apply Tri Tats Lights out 9pm

 Sunday, May 20 – RACE DAY!

4:03 am Wake ready to face the day 

Make coffee

Get dressed – 920xt, Road ID, Sports Bra, HRM, tri kit, t-shirt and jacket over top

Put on timing chip w/ safety pin

Socks and shoes to keep feet warm, rain jacket if needed

 Pre Race Breakfast:

Coffee w/ turbinano sugar and almond milk

Naked Smoothie w/ Almond Milk

Salted jelly sandwich on GF bread

Small banana

Use bathroom

Grab morning clothes bag/Sherpa bag containing: bike pump, wetsuit, cap & 2 pair goggles, GE to sip, clif blocks, Body Glide, Phone, headlamp, cheap flipflops

 5:30am –set up transition area. Have XL Zip lock bags in case of rain to place running shoes/socks inside

          Turn on Garmin and calibrate

          Pump tires to 95-100psi

          Add nutrition/ Base Salt to bike

          Fill Aerobottle and place bottles on bike

          Double check Garmin that it’s set to the right profile

          Check Garmin again!

Take bus to swim start, drinking GE, Find sub 30 min swim seeded section. Sit wait it out. 20 min before start, 3 clif blocks, drink water/ pee where I can. Body Glide on neck and ankles. Wear the wet suit.

Hand off any last minute items to Sherpa.

 Swim

Jump in water, stay calm, but GO!

Swim upstream and around the first buoy, find my rhythm, and relax.  Just swim, this is what I know. Try to find feet. I never seem to, though.

Once around the buoy, keep the rest of the buoys on my right sighting for the exit.  Start thinking transition… Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Get out of water, unzip wet suit half way, and get to a wet suit stripper. Jog to T1 trying to keep HR from spiking too high. Take off cap/goggles en route to bike.

          Bike shoes, ON, no socks

          Helmet, ON Buckle it! Make sure shield is there. GO! 

Bike:

Start Garmin

For whatever reason, I have never been able to properly capture data for this bike course. I have updated all devices and have put in fresh batteries in my HRM, cadence sensor and power meter.

 It’s about 5 admin miles out of town to the GA state line. There are a couple of railroad crossings to be cautious of. Watch for flying water bottles and other debris. Use this time to get the HR down, start drinking GE and don’t blow the Watts. Let them pass me. Goal: HR 145/150, Overall Goal Watts: 155-160 this will be top end Z3

 As many may know from my past race plans/reports and in speaking during Le Zwift rides, the bike is my biggest challenge, mentally and physically. Being a strong swimmer I’m usually out in front and all the strong bikers come roaring past. It is what it is and I just hang on tight and stay out of their way.

My plan for this race is to “push” it slightly here, still keeping HR and Watts in control to set up the run, but perhaps, less conservative on the bike as in the past. The course is net uphill to the Hog Jowl climb. It seems like it gets windy on the back side of the bike course after Hog Jowl. I need to keep the watts the same. It’s net downhill through Chickamauga.  Get through town then spin up Chickamauga climb without a huge spike in watts. Descend carefully and get back to transition. 

 Nutrition:  In speaking with Coach P, he suggested only loading GE in my aero bottle and one on my down tube because of my height/weight (5’2” 118#).  Usually I have aero bottle, down tube, and 2 on the back…this weighs too much.  I will use the Aid stations for GE refills, water for splashing to keep cool. I just hope I don’t miss grabbing a bottle like in Haines City.  I just need to remember to slow up enough to grab bottles. DON’T MISS.

 Aim to drink 24oz GE, 2-3 blocks, and Base Salt/Hour. That will give me 256-289 cal/hr. If I feel a “fade”(usually after the 2 hr mark) switch over to the caffeine blocks. Be sure to keep up on cals on the back half more than in Haines City

 Aim to pee at least once. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, start thinking transition.

 T2:

Dismount bike and run to rack.

          Bike shoes, OFF

          Helmet, OFF

          Running socks, ON

          Shoes, ON

          GO BAG – contains: EN Visor, Sunglasses, Zip Lock Bag, Race Belt w/Race Number (contains: clif blocks, Base, Imodium)

          PEE?

          OUT

Run:

Miles 1-3 – Aim to keep HR at 150 for first 3 miles. Take it easy through Tri Club village and up the first hill out of town. Nutrition strategy will be if I can stand GE drink that and eat a couple of blocks. Otherwise, if my stomach churns, then it will be Coke/Base/Water for the duration which worked in Haines City.

Miles 4-9 – HR up to 160. Pace should be around 8:05, descending

Miles 10 – 13.1 – HR 160+ Whatever is left

Cross that finish line with a huge Smile grateful to be able to do this sport!!

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Comments

  • Great plan @Sabra Gonzalez.  Just remember the bike course doesn't go all the way to hog jowl.  1/2 course takes left turn early up Andrews hill (worse because steeper, but certainly shorter).  Just be in right gear when you hit the bottom of that climb.  I think your swim will set you up for a good bike, and you have been killing the hang on rides recently so just trust your training.  I think despite people passing you will have a great bike on this course.  Have a great race.
  • Just a couple things:
    • can u put bike shoes on your bike and slip them on once your rolling? This might be something that just doesn’t work for you, no sweat if not.
    • Smart to stay inside your box on the bike, let’em go and save some watts for Andrews. I have always been able to hold good speed from hog jowl to Chickamauga, small grind up hill but stay aero and keep the power up on the downhill at mile 43ish all the way into town. 
    I’ll be there cheering you on, see you soon. 

  • You're going to do awesome! You made me chuckle when you said that you seem to never find feet....it's because you're super fast, lol! 
    I'm sure you know this, but I didn't see it on your checklist so just throwing it out there - small gear on your bike in T1.
    Also, you're a super strong runner and this is 70.3 so I think you could go by RPE after mile 3 versus going by your HR.  Maybe use it as your second check. 
    Go get them!
  • + 1 on racing primarily by RPE...use HR as a whip or a rein, as needed, but as an experienced runner/triathlete, you should know by now what *feels* the right effort level, which should be, at any given moment, the answer to the question, "Can I sustain this effort from now to the end of the 13.1?"

    Pee in T2? I almost always do in an HIM (always in an IM). My thought is...there are way more porta-potties in transition. Relying on finding an empty one at any given aid station during the run is a crap shoot (pun intended). I know after 3+ hours of swimming/biking, I can't hold out for another 145+ on the run, might as well get it over with. Then, there are those who just pee while running...
  • You know this course well and will crush it! I agree, from following you on Strava and Zwift your bike has definitely improved. If heat might be a factor, have a plan for cooling off during the run. e.g Race Saver bag/ice. Race strong!
  • Thanks so much, everyone, for your comments and encouragement!  @Josh Church I would love to say I'm coordinated enough to do a flying mount/dismount but I've never really practiced that. "Nothing new on race day" right?!  Looking forward to meeting you! @Daria Matthews and @Al Truscott - You are right, I will run by RPE this time and use HR as my back up. Pee in T2!! Get that out of the way!  @Derrek Sanks - Thanks for your words of encouragement. I will channel the Zwift Mojo!! 
  • Can't wait to follow your race. Your bike appears much stronger this year and I think you are going to kill it. I agree with using RPE and I would use the HR aa a whip at the end.  If you feel like you might be fading near the end try pushing that HR back up.  Have fun amd enjoy the race!
  • Hi Sabra -- Chatty is a great city and an outstanding race venue, I love it there

    You've got a great plan for race day.  Given your race experience and consistent training, you should have no problem hitting the targets and finishing strong

    On the bike, I'm not a fan of using both HR and power limits.  One or the other is always out of line, and that can lead to unnecessarily scaling back your effort.  Suggest you consider going by HR for the first 5 miles until you hit the GA line, then switch to watching power for the remainder.  Push a nice steady Z3 power and forget about HR; it will move up and down but that's no different from a Zwift race.  At mile 40 keep pushing the power if you're feeling good.  You'll probably see that hardly anyone is passing you at that point

    The run is your secret weapon (although the cat's out of the bag as I know how fast you are).  Depending on the conditions and how you feel, don't be afraid to start pushing at mile 4.  From looking at Strava you ran plenty of miles with HR in the mid 160's.  You'll be able to easily hold that if you choose to run hard

    I'll be cheering for you and following on the IM app ... have a great race!!!
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