Ed Croucher's 2018 IMLP Plan
This will be my 8th full Ironman race. It is #7 as an Endurance Nation Team member. I am dispensing with the full plan for my race week. It will include the proper amount of Swim, Bike and run Taper activity for me. I intend to eat well and smart throughout the week. During race week I will setup my bike and charge my electronics. I will get good sleep and I will arrive at the start prepared to race. The only variation from my following plan is what I will wear for the swim. I have been here once before with the water temperature hovering in the mid 70’s. I spent a lot of time worrying about that then. Not this year. I have a Roka Viper Swim skin that I will bring. If I need it, then it will be my fastest swim leg not in a wetsuit.
Race morning starts the same as every day. I wake early enough to drink my breakfast, have a cup of coffee and let the coffee work. My wife Elaine who is my number one supporter and “Super Sherpa” will drive me towards the race start from the rental house and then I will walk to the start. I walk right passed the special needs where I will drop off my bags. Over the last 7 races, my special need bags have held less and less. Last year at IMMT, I didn’t have any. However, this year I will have a bag at each. My run bag will be first. There will be a caffeinated drink in that bag. I think I will freeze this drink so it will melt as I swim, bike and run one loop. Hopefully, when I arrive on the run it will still be cold. In my bike special needs bag I will have a 3 times concentrated bottle of Infinit. My fueling goal is 8 bottles during the bike. From there, I will walk over to T-1 stopping for body marking. Pump up the tires, turn on the computer and calibrate the power meter. Upon completing this, it is time to head towards the team picture and the swim.
I will get a good warm-up swim and then
line up behind the 1:05:00 sign. When it is time for me to enter the water, I
am ready. I am not nervous but anxious to swim. I will swim smooth and fast. I don’t
need to sight very much because I can see the line. I need to keep my turn-over
fast but stay in control. When I exit
the water after the first lap, I need to take several deep breaths and refocus.
I will get back in the water and make lap two as fast as lap one. When I am
exiting the water from lap two, it is time to get my brain going. I need to get
through the timing gate and to the strippers quickly. A quick thank you and I
am off. My goal for the swim is 1:10:00.
T-1 is for racing. Once the wetsuit is off, I need to be up and running. My goal for T-1 is sub 5:00. I can relax on the bike so get moving! I need to move quickly through the racks, grab by bag, find a seat and empty my bag on the ground. My helmet is the first thing on and buckled. I wear a shield so no glasses. The weather forecast will determine if I wear arm coolers. If I need them, this is when I will put them on. I will quickly put on my bike shoes grabbing my bag and wet suit. I am up and running to my bike. As I run through the tent I will hand my bag and wet suit to a volunteer. I will thank that person.
As I grab my bike, I will wake the computer and spin the crank. I will jog along with my bike to the mount line. The mount line is super technical. It is a downhill start and loaded with racers. However, I have been here before and I am focused. Once I get one foot clipped my bike will be rolling. I can only control me and my bike. I will let gravity give me speed but I will be on point here. I need to get down the hill, safely make the left turn and then the right turn. After I get up the quick spike passed the lumber store I can begin my ride. This is where I will check my heart rate and settle down. I will also begin my fueling repeating drink and breath. As I get to the airport, I will check my watts. I want my NP to be no higher than 165 at this point. As I roll passed the ski jumps and over the bridge, I will be in control. As I turn to the uphill, I am going to hit my lap button. For the first lap, I want to keep this 5 mile section under 170. I need to drink often and pee if I can. From that point there is just less than 5 miles to the decent. I need to keep my watts focused and not get excited. There is speed on the “Bobsled” road. I can use it but I can’t burn any matches. Once on the downhill, it is time for bike handling focus. The first section is the fastest part of the course. Before I start down I do a quick look around for other racers near me. The road service is in great shape so stay in the middle. As the steep section lessens and the road bends to the left, get ready to pedal. Once I can feel pressure on my pedals it’s time to get going. This section is till fast but pedaling will add good speed and loosen me up. Just before the S-curves, it gets steep again and it is back to bike handling. Once through the curves and down the remaining hill I turn left onto Route 9N. There is 9 miles of steady riding with almost all of it in the aero position. Steady watts here under 170 will give me lots of speed. Trying to ride over that will make the rest of the day tough. I will make the right turn at Jay, sit up and hit my lap button. No need to burn matches. This mile and one half is going to take me 8 to 9 minutes. I need to keep my watts at 200 or below. Over the next 16 miles, there is plenty of speed. I need to keep my watts at 170NP. On the out and back to Black Brook and then up to Hazelton, there are a couple of things to remember. The road is narrow. Stay alert for the other racers. As I pass Bilhuber road, there is a climb. Sit up and just get over it and don’t burn matches. As I come to the end of Hazelton road, be very careful at the aid station. Just grab water and rack it. Turn right back onto Route 9N and settle. There is still some fast riding before the climb. This is where I can fill my bottle. When the climb begins, I have about 4.7 miles to get passed White Face. The White Face out and back is narrow. When I turn onto the road, I need to turn on the bike skills. There is about 7 miles remaining on the first loop. I need to keep my watts at 170NP. As I turn to the “special needs” station, I only need that one bottle. I will be yelling for it as I roll hoping they will hand me the bottle and I won’t need to stop. Lap two begins. It is the same as lap one with the only addition being a caffeine gel or two when I am riding on 9N. My goal for the Bike is to drink 8 bottles of fuel, pee often and finish at 6:00:00.
T-2 begins as I am on Mirror lake drive before the “special needs” station. I need to open my shoes. Once I have turned into the Olympic Center, I can pull my feet out of the shoes. At the dismount line I need to have a safe dismount and hand my bike off. As I run to the bag rack, un-clip my helmet. I need to grab by bag, find a seat and empty my bag on the ground. I need to take my helmet off put my cap on. Quickly roll on my socks and slide on my shoes. Stuff my helmet in the T-2 bag. Grab my go bag and get moving. My goal here is 2:00. As I leave the tent, clip my race belt on. Grab a drink and some ice. As I leave T-2 start my watch.
Mile one of the run is a system check mile. Where is my heart rate? How do I feel? Everything is downhill for almost a mile. Breathe and think. Get over the hill at the lumber yard and really settle down. Where is my heart rate? These are easy miles. Get down the hill and over the bridge. Enjoy River Road. I need to drink at every aid station. By 4 miles in I should be able to feel where my pace is going to be. Goals on the run are to hold a steady pace all day. When I get to the special needs station, I need to grab my drink and get it in me. Loop 2 is a constant status check. Keep the heart rate up. Keep the cadence up. Keep the pace up. There are 4 hills on this course and I need to run each one. My goal for the run is to drink throughout and finish at 3:50:00.
Comments
What is your HR limit/goals for first 10 - 40 miles of the bike? Those are the miles, as you know, where lots of non-veterans get stupid when focusing only on one metric. As @tim cronk advises, don't sand bag bike but save the bike turbo for the back half and show the bike strength from miles 80 through to T2......170NP is goal for bike? What is that IF?
Ass is saddle and aero on flats and downhills, no power surges, reset lap on bike computer as terrain changes frequently to stay focused on the 170 NP bulls eye. Do what it takes to pee 2+ times on the bike. Not peeing by mile 40? ...take note, re-adjust, make it happen.
I know that you know this but it helps to say it, reinforce it, etc....what is expected HR ceiling for first 6 miles of the run, i.e., no higher that last 90 - 120 minutes of bike HR....?
At mile 130.6, the gloves come off, forget about HR, all the patience and discipline for the first 130.6 miles comes into play here in the form of fire and brimstone for the AG competitors.....God help them...........
KMF!
All looks good. Have a plan if your personal nutrition gets lost or dropped. No need to sit down in T1. If you have time, put your helmet on as you're jogging with the TA bag, then remove your shoes, handing the wet suit and empty TA bag to a vol. Easily save 15-30 seconds. I like that 165-70 watt target. Keep things out of the 200s except for the steep parts where you just have to go to 210 or 220 to keep moving in your smallest gear. But there are only a few short sections like that. You have a history of going around 6 hours in Placid, but don't worry about time. If you nail your nutrition and watts, that's cause for celebration whether it's 5:50 or 6:05. The reward, either way, will be a great run.
I think your Avg HR on an IM bike is usually low 130's? So, probably looking to run around 10 beats higher? I know you ran slower than you wanted to at IMMT (131 avg hr) and MOO (129 avg hr) and I know you ran a recent long run at LP at 139 avg hr. I think the LP run course is tailor-made for HR running. Too much up/down to try and hold some pace. If your last hour on the bike is low 130s like I expect, perhaps shoot for 135~ until you get to the river section, then move to the high 130's/low 140's and stay there. It'll feel easy at first, but will progressively get more difficult to keep that HR up. Don't allow HR to spike on the two climbs back into town on the first loop (hard cap at 145 or so?).
Most of all, have fun and appreciate the fact that we still get to go out and play like kids.
MR