Mary Russo's 2018 Ironman Lake Placid Race Plan
IMLP Race Plan
This is my 4th Ironman and 3rd at IMLP. I last raced IMLP in 2016. In some ways this feels like my very first Ironman, because I know how tough it’s going to be and I am wildly anxious about getting through the day. Some background, I completed Ironman Lake Placid in 2014 with Endurance Nation. It was one of the best days of my life.
Following the race, I purchased a tri bike (yep, I did my 1st Ironman on a road bike), took all of the advice about body comp to heart, got some additional insight on a medical issue that was a mystery that training for IMLP helped me solve (I suffered a stroke in 2011 and spent 3+ years trying to figure out the cause). In 2016, I returned to Lake Placid with knowledge, experience, and training to see how much I improved. Regrettably, the day held a special message for me. While I PR’d my swim by 13 minutes, and my bike by an hour, I was only 3.5 miles into the run and my world went dark. What I learned later is that I became dehydrated and for me, dehydration and stroke are linked. I spent hours in the med tent and was finally released but my day was over. I have since set a timer on my bike to drink fluids every 5-10 minutes and I wear a cooling towel on the run. I completed IMMD in 2016. I had a bike fall last year resulting in a torn rotator cuff and had meniscus surgery 3/23/18. My fitness isn’t ideal but I want to complete this race with the knowledge that I have now to manage thru whatever weather happens over the course of the day. I don’t plan to be speedy but I really, really, really want to finish this race before midnight.
Thursday
● Bike (run course and left up the cherries & bears) and Swim (swim only if time permits).
● Attend Pre-race dinner
Friday
● Swim, bike, run taper (30, 30, 30)
● Attend Four Keys Talk
● Sip Electrolytes all Day
● Smart Lunch + Snacks -- SALT!
Saturday
● Final Review of Bike / Bags
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T1 Bag: ● Bike Shoes on Bottom ● Ziploc Mega Bag (between shoes): ● Salt/Pill canister for left hip pocket ● Glasses ● Arm warmers, rolled ⅔ of way. ● Light gloves ● Helmet
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T2 Bag: ● Hand bottle: ½ tab Nuun electrolyte ● 2x Saltstick tabs in mini pouch of side pocket. ● Sleeve of Clif Blocks, caffeinated in side pocket. ● Race number belt + number. ● Hat ● Banana ● Pink Tech and comfy shorts ● Cooling towel ● Bullfrog sunscreen spray |
● Drop off after Lunch:
○ Walk route from water to bags to bike to exit. Think about places to run fast, run slower, shortcuts. // TAKE PICTURES!
○ Look for landmarks and markers for bike rack position. Note row/column of t bags. // TAKE PICTURES!
○ Back to Hotel to Chill, Stretch, go to Mass
● Light Dinner by 6pm -- pasta + chicken meatballs.
● In Bed by 9pm -- Final review of Race Plan.
Saturday Night
1. Apply TriTats
Morning Bag:
4. Swim Cap with Goggles.
5. Back up Swim goggles.
RACE DAY Wake Up
1. Eat Breakfast:
a. 4.5 cups applesauce, 2 scoop protein powder, bottle Nuun drink, bottle of Skratch to transition
b. Coffee
2. Get Dressed:
a. TriSuit
b. Chamois Cream
c. HRM (Snug)
d. Chip on left ankle; Sunscreen
3. Drop off Bike and Run Special Needs bags
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Special Needs Bike: ● (3) Bottles Infinit ● Sleeve of Nuun ● Extra front tube ● Extra rear tube ● 2 x CO2 rubber banded to tubes above. ● ½ PB & fig jam on Ezekiel bread ● Extra Chamois cream |
Special Needs Run: ● 2 x clif blox ● Packet of Skratch mix in baggy. ● Extra chamois cream ● Mentos in ziploc. ● Long sleeve tech shirt (Navesink Challenge) |
5. Head to EN photo by 5:55 am
Transition Final Check
1. Nutrition bottles on the bike
a. Three bottles of Infinit (1 & 2 = Rear cages; #3 = X-Lab; Water w/Nuun in down tube.)
2. Sleeve of Clif Blocks
3. Chain / Gearing Check
4. Left pedal at 9 oclock
5. Garmin mounted (Power on and Calibrate).
6. Tire pressure check.
7. 5:45am XrCel
Team Picture -- 6:00am – White town building on corner
Final Prep
● Cap, goggles.
● Clothes and phone into dry clothes bag.
● Hand off bag / drop it off to Bob.
PreSwim
● Goggles under cap!
● Water and XrCel at 20 minutes.
● Easy warm up if possible with a few short efforts.
The Swim -- Just Keep Swimming!
● Start strong and smooth, stay in control.
● Focus on: (1) rhythm and high elbows, (2) front-half / pulling with elbows, (3) 2/3-count alternate breathing.
● Never stop moving!
T1
1. Grab Bag and go into tent. Head band, glasses, socks, shoes.
a. Arm Coolers over wrists if needed
b. Take out shoes.
2. Hand wetsuit & T1 bag to nearest volunteer.
3. Find Bike - INSERT LOCATION, _________
4. Helmet On / Buckled.
6. Jog bike to Mount Line & Power On Garmin
7. Mount, keep left foot unclipped til you navigate down the hill and right onto 83.
8. Sunglasses on.
Bike // Pacing -- Steady Wins the Day
● Settle In, confirm everything is good and working.
● Enjoy ride out of town and once you pass ski jumps, get ready to climb.
● Adjust position as needed - Aero vs Choked up vs Climbing
● HR in 130s, building to mid-140s by end.
● Smooth cadence, don’t be greedy on flats with gearing.
● The early climb means take it easy, sit up and ride steady. Stay patient.
Bike // First 30 Minutes:
● Start Garmin 1000 recording.
● Note early HR and work to get it down.
● Start fueling with Infinit @ 10' mark. Watch the alert and DRINK regularly.
● Fluid targets = 1 bottle per hour of Infinit; 1-2 bottles electrolytes.
● Pee by Mile 50.
Bike // Outbound
● Ride aero when able.
● Ride tall / front of saddle when climbing -- loose fingers!
● Fluid target = 1 bottle per hour.
● Water on downtube, Infinit behind.
Bike // Wilmington Climb/Haselton Out and Back:
● Starts at Church
● Solid effort here in the 160-180W range (you will recover on downhill).
● Take your time at the Whiteface Ski Area and climb out of lot with confidence.
Bike // Inbound:
● Ride steady and let the speed/pace drop as needed.
● Don't let the ski area out and back impact you. Tell yourself you are going to get thru it. Just keep pedaling!
● Turn off to go around high school unstrap shoes, drop watts, easy light spinning, get mind into t2 game
T2
1. Dismount / hand off bike.
2. Take off Helmet on the move, find bag, head to tent.
3. Bag down & Open.
4. Rinse with mouthwash
5. Change shoes
6. Start walking out with GO Bag. Go Bag: Race belt with number on; hat, cooling towel, ice bag.
7. Fill handheld w/Nuun tab and wet cooling towel; put around neck at aid station inside transition.
8. Ice in hat on head.
9. Watch on wrist, turn it on.
10. Spray sunscreen all over.
Run // Lap One – Keep Moving Forward (KMF, my mantra)
● Using the Galloway Method Run 2/Walk 2. Start immediately and just keep moving forward
● Stay cool by wearing neck cooling towel and using ice bag.
● HR target is 140-145 thru River Rd, hard cap of 150.
● Take tangents, follow shortest paths anywhere. Stay positive, cheer teammates and keep moving forward; chin up.
Run // Part Two -- Steady Eddie
● HR target is 145-150 thru River Rd.
● Maintain focus on all hills.
● Smart through aid stations.
Run Nutrition:
● Feel good? Eat! Target is 6 blocks in first half (eat 3 each 10k).
● 4oz Skratch each aid station.
Aid Station Process -- Execute and Back to the Program --- KMF
Comments
- By your three "really" want to finish this race I'll assume you think you are bumping up against the midnight cut off. Make sure you do everything with purpose as the extra minutes in transition, stopping etc add up. Having said that if you need to stop and stretch, or need to cool down take the time to ensure you can keep the 'steady wins the day' bike and steady Eddie' run. Additionally every decision to push much be calculated, that is mile 18 on the run is very important and in my IM in 2017 I made it mile 20 or 22.
- Having a couple 16+ hour finishes and a 15:4X at LP I've felt the best day I've had was the 15:4X and I crashed a few weeks prior and missed some biking so under trained but race execution made it the best. On this day for me the bike did not start until the 2nd loop at the climb from Jay to Wilmington. If you are going to be on the bike for a long time 7-8 hours the effort (TSS) just adds up and you go beyond the norm of the EN protocols particularly if you extend your self. If it were me I'd save as much of the solid effort on the Wilmington climb for the 2nd loop unless you feel you will be bumping up against the bike cut off time. Keep the efforts out of Zn3 as much as possible, again if you are out on the bike for a long time
I use power but check my 2017 race report. I don't have enough gears for my weight at Lake Placid so know I need to keep the efforts in check for the Wilmington climb and back in to towm. https://endurancenation.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/23558/gordon-cherwoniaks-2017-im-lake-placid-race-report-very-long#latest
- On the cooling side check the Kona threads (i'll try to find it). On the bike pour some water on your head as you are coming in to an aid station then get a new one. Do this before it's an issue. Beyond the towel for the run and an ice pack others use arm coolers and pour water on them (race day don't do anything different so perhaps too late here). In one heat management thread I recall someone using or mentioning those single use cold pack. Put one of those in in your T2 and bike/run special needs bags for additional cooling help along the run course.
Have a great race.
i am a bit concerned about bumping up against midnight. If it gets hot on the bike I am not going to have the time I need for the run. Love the idea of checking the Kona threads for staying cool will look into cooling sleeves for future and read your report before I wrote this one good stuff!
This is not your first rodeo. I think @Gordon Cherwoniak gives good advice given he has familiarity specifically with this course and those time frames of 15+ hours.
The key here is to always make sure your are taking in the fluids and calories needed for that length/time. 15+ hrs is along time to be out there. Focus, patience, discipline, and rational thought processes can spiral out of control once calories, fluids, sodium become a deficit situation. Keep those items in check and your ability to maintain resolve, control and KMF to the end is greatly improved.
Your experience says you will have a great race! Wishing you all the best!
SS
- @Mary Russo since hydration was your limiter will you be able to put the amount of fluid you stated into your gut every hour? Just be thinking Infinite is not your hydration.
- On the last aid station on the bike be sure to get a plain water and get completely wet coming into T2
- On the run when you get that mouth crud feeling have some TicTac mints. Easy to carry.
Your finish is going to be extra special with all you've been thru.