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Chris Oubre's IM Boulder Race Plan

  • Bio

This is my fifth full Ironman.  I’ve completed 10 half Ironman races.  

I’m 40, 171 lbs. 6’1”.


Goals

This is my second Ironman of the year.  For this race I want

  1. Not panic and complain in the beginning of the swim

  2. Tighter transitions vs Texas.

  3. Avoid GI distress on the bike,

  4. Have the first mile of my marathon be the slowest mile of my marathon.

  5. Not walk past the end of an aid station.

  6. Build my heart rate in the last third of the run.

  7. I want to hold off the dark place for as long as I can, then I want to PUNCH IT IN THE NOSE!


Differences from previous races

Altitude!  I will arrive at the race site six days before the race to try and acclimatize

Lessons from Texas

  1. I must have a top on between me and the wetsuit.

  2. I cannot use power on the run in the same way I can on the bike.

  3. Gatorade Endurance is to strong and I must take more water in with it

Race Morning

  • Boulder High School is a 10’ drive from the condo. I want to be at the race site for 4:15 AM
  • Wake up at 3:15 am.
  • Have a 2 cups of Cocoa Pebbles (323 cal)  with a scoop of protein powder (90 cal) and ½ cup of milk (70 cal) plus a cup of purple grape juice (140 cal)  (623 total calories)
  • Drink a cup of black coffee.

Warm up

  • Lightly sip sports drink
  • Get to the bathroom early and often
  • 10' warm up jog
  • Grab everything out of the morning clothes bag
  • Place shoes and pullover in morning clothes bag
  • Put on flip flops
  • Turn wetsuit inside out and roll it up my body.
  • Get in the water and swim 200
  • Eat gel 15-20’ before
  • Do cords just before getting into the line

Swim

  • The swim can be broken into thirds. 1400 out, 1000 over 2000 back
  • Self seed with 1:35 swimmers (planning to swim 1:25-1:35)  I hate being swum over and would rather swim around people.
  • Avoid the initial melee. Settle in and focus on lowering my heart rate.
  • Sight every 12 strokes
  • Tempo Trainer set to 62
  • Breath out

T1

  • Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.  
  • Jog while getting T1 bag
  • Don’t sit
  • Butt’r my undercarriage
  • Put on heart rate strap
  • Put on sunscreen.

Bike

Base FTP 280
Altitude reduction factor 7%
Effective FTP 260
W/K = 3.48
Long ride HR’s typically in the low 140’s
Texas data
  • AP 179
  • NP 187
  • VI 1.04
  • IF 0.691
  • HR 144


Setup

  • Gatorade on torpedo mount
  • Water or down tube
  • Repair kit in saddle bag or  single bottle rear mount
  • 3 cliff block packs opened in bento
  • Salt pills in bento
  • 1 butt’r packet in bento

Execution

Pacing

  • First 10’ get heart rate down to 135
  • Then Till 10 miles: Target IF = .65 - .69  Keep watts in the 170s
  • Then up power to 185-190 (target 0.73 IF).  Let heart rate drift to 145 if needed but below 150
  • Best Bike Split prediction is ~ 5:17
  • Don’t get greedy on the downhills
  • Check lap IF
  • At special needs place ziplocks in jersey and eat waffle
  • Before dismount: drop gear and raise cadence.  Check current heart rate.

Nutrition

  • Watch is set to chime every 10’
  • 1 block every 10’
  • 1-2 bottles of fluid/hour. Mix of Gatorade and water.  Don’t over drink if it’s cold. Be sure to add enough water in with the Gatorade.
  • Change out bottles at each aid station regardless of amount left
  • 1 salt pill every 40’
  • re -butt’r every 2 hours


Mental State

First 10 min:

  • Goal is to amp myself down and get heart rate in check.  
  • Happy to finish the swim.  Take in the atmosphere. Recollect on the journey that brought me here.

Till mile 10:

  • Goal is to get game ready.
  • Stay in my box and play defence.  I am not Ricky Racer. I can’t win here but I can lose here.

After mile 10

  • Goal is flawless execution
  • I am a ninja.  This is my power.  This is what I do. I have been here before

At special needs

  • Goal is process check
  • Did I pee? How did I do on my nutrition?

Till mile 110

  • Goal is mental focus yielding flawless execution
  • What mile am I at?  What are my numbers (power, IF, ride time)?  What is happening right now at this moment?

Till dismount

  • Goal is prep to transition
  • Enjoy the satisfaction of a bike well executed.  I am not making up time I am preparing to run.

Troubleshooting

  • If I get a flat, that’s ok.  Take my time and do not change my nutrition plan.
  • If I get a draft penalty it’s ok.  What a great time to pee. Do not change my nutrition plan.

T2

  • Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.  
  • Change socks
  • Remove ziplocks from jersey if still there
  • Butt’r undercarriage
  • Grab go bag and start walking out
  • Get sunscreen from volunteer

Run

vDot 48 (based on 5k run test)

Texas Numbers

  • AP 228
  • IF 0.79
  • VI 1.04
  • HR 143
  • Moving power was ~ 240-245

Execution

Pacing

Mile 0-1 GO SLOW.  Keep heart rate ~ 138 or lower

Miles 1-18:

  • no faster average HR from last two hours of the bike ride. (~138-145)

  • Look at power numbers and learn what power number generates my target heart rate

  • Use that power number on the hills and just after aid stations to help stabilize my heart rate.

Miles 18-22: Push power up.  Relax heart rate limit Start counting calves

Miles 22-finish: Push power up.  Dig deep


Nutrition

  • Alternate Water and gatorade at aid stations
  • Salt pill and Gel every fourth aid station 4,8,12,16,20
  • Refill Ice every aid station
  • Switch to Coke if unable to take in gel
  • Red Bull starting at Mile 20

Mental State

Till first aid station

  • This is not a 70.3!  
  • Take in the atmosphere

Till Special Needs

  • Don’t bring the suck closer
  • These are my numbers and that’s ok

At Special Needs

How am I doing?  Am I still sweating?

After Mile 18

  • Respect my training self.
  • Remember that guy who couldn’t go to the movies with his family.  
  • Remember your wife who sacrificed for you!
  • Because your Chris F#cking Oubre!
  • Because I don’t know what I’m capable of.  I haven’t found the limit yet.

Finish

Cruise the carpet and soak in the accomplishment.  Kiss my wife and just revel in the moment….unless the clock says XX:58.  Then I’ll allow myself to push the finish.


Troubleshooting

  • If I get a headache, get some caffeine
  • If my stomach feels bloated, increase the water and decrease the gatorade balance
  • If I feel a cramp, take a salt early and adjust time.
  • Am I trying to talk myself into a walk?  SLOW DOWN! I’m going to fast.

Tagged:

Comments

  • Hello @Chris Oubre -- a few initial thoughts:
    • Already completing Texas will help you immensely for Boulder
    • Will you have your bike top on under the wetsuit, or is that top only for the swim?  
    • Consider swimming with the HR monitor, that will save T1 time
    • Cocoa Pebbles ... I chuckled when I read that in your Texas plan, and again reading this ... there can't be more than three Ironman athletes worldwide who eat Cocoa Pebbles for race-day breakfast  :smiley:
    • For the Texas swim I recall you had agita when you jumped in the water.  If Boulder is cold it may hit again (it happens to me a lot).  Just plan to breaststroke for 30 seconds or so until your breathing is under control
    • You've become much stronger on the bike.  Kudos!
    • Did you track power on the run at Texas?  I'm curious if trying to push run power actually results in an increase in power, or just helps avoid a reduction in power
  • Two things I love about this plan:
    • A superb job of analyzing, learning from, and acting on recent IM experience
    • An overt emphasis on mental state and internal mantras to help with focus and performance.
    Those two should provide an great opportunity for continued improvement. Take advantage of it...

  • @Chris Oubre
    Can't wait to meet you! You are pumped.

    Mr. Cocoa Pebbles if you are ever sent to the penalty tent ... don't pee! You could get another penalty or DQ. It almost happened in Santa Rosa in the PT a guy just let it go and the official was livid. The official took the situation to the head officila and she said he lived with the fear of a DQ all day, let this be  a stern warning. We all thought it was funny. 
  • Good detailed plan. Nothing to add to above comments, except what does "re -butt’r every 2 hours" mean?
    I like how you have process goals, vice outcome goals, and mental cues throughout the race. Good luck!

  • Solid plan. Good luck
  • Thank you for taking the time to look at this plan.  I'm sorry for the delayed response.

    I've learned somthing from my recon run on the Boulder run course.  the elevation gain is very sneaky.  It was easy for me to go to hard on the uphill.  My effort felt disconnected from my heart rate and power which were telling me that this was too hard.  This will be soooooo valuable on race day to help me keep to my plan and trust in the hardware.

    -I will wear my bike top.  It was wasted time in transition trying to put it on.  It's going to be a hot day so I won't mind the extra wetness.
    - The HR monitor always falls to my waist in the swim.  I am not comfortable cranking it any tighter than it already is.  Since I'll have to fix it anyway, I'll just save the hastle.
    - It looks like Boulder will have a section of water availible pre-race.  I plan on hanging out in  there for as long as I can.
    - On the run in Texas my average power was 228.  my moving power was ~ 240-245.  In texas I tried to push effort/power at mile six per the standard race plan.  Immediatly after that I started walking.  that's why this time I'm waiting till mile 18.

    @Sheila Leard Good tip!  Only of they have a porta potty.  

  • @Chris OubreI like all the goals upfront.

    3) Bike GI - I can't remember exactly the issue from the first IM, perhaps this is the GE being too strong.  I sit here thinking about all the cocoa pebbles notes.  Could the GI distress start with the breakfast?

    If you are going with water ensure you have upped your salt intake to compensate, given the relative temperature difference to Texas. 

    I've got some number discrepancy that I like you to consider Texas data shows .69 IF  you are targeting .73.  Again can't remember the full extent of the GI issues, perhaps this is a valid target.  You note HR in the Low 140's for long rides.  Texas you had 144, that's mid for me, for Boulder you are allowing a drift 145-150.  Again watch you are looking for what you should ride not what you could ride. 

    Run - you are alternating water and GE and aid stations.  Will you have enough fuel?  IF you go GE station 1, then water, GE station 3, then on station 4 you get the gel, GE station 5, then water only station 6.  I'm worried about the 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, aid stations particularly later in the day.  I'm assuming you have practiced this so just a note  that you may have to add in some calories at some point.  Perhaps put some block you your go back to have as a backup. 

    Have a great race.
  • @Chris Oubre I've never done Boulder but a recurring theme from past race reports seems to be (besides the altitude which you already noted) is the heat, a very dry heat, that sucks the moisture right out of you. Do not hesitate to drink to thirst , and adjust other cals as necessary. Depending on how serious you are, there are lots of moving parts in T1-2 that can be eliminated .  Good Skill
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