Jason Brandt IM Wisconsin Race Plan -- Please give me feedback, its' been 2.5 years since last IM
Race Itinerary & Race Plan for Jason Brandt, M44, this will be Ironman #5. Racing with EN teammate Kent Gavin
Fri 8/31—Borrow Bike Box from Eric & visually remind myself how to box my bike
Wed – Box my bike for flight. Expect TSA will open. No CO2. See if pump fits in bike box
Thur
Depart Airport 9:30AM
Fly SEA to MKE. Depart 12:15PMFlight
Arrive 6:09PM, rental car & drive to Madison check in at Sheraton
Fri
Hotel Breakfast
Early morning swim. No set time as to allow ample restful night sleep
Assemble Bike in hotel room
11AM Athlete Briefing Monona Terrace Ballroom A
12PM Athlete Check in Monona Terrace & Walk the Village/Store & buy CO2
1 PM ride the run course as best as possible. Confirming proper bike assembly
2:30 PM drive the Bike course
5:30PM Welcome Banquet if Kent wants otherwise offsite dinner
9 PM bedtime
Sat
8:00 Breakfast. Let’s find a big pancake breakfast
10:00-3:00 Mandatory Bike Check-in. Probably not right when they open, allow an hour for line to shorten.
Bike Check-In at Monona Terrace Parking Lot Level 4; Bike Gear Bag Check-In: Ballroom C & D; Run Gear Bag Check-In :Hall of Ideas Room G & J
Activity: TBD -- Maybe go see a movie. Talked about attending home badger game but only if it feels right
6:00 Dinner with my family? Something like a Panera, Greek food or something healthy
8:30 Lights out ½ of Ambien to bring on sleep
RACE DAY
Goals: Execute a Race that your Training Self would be proud of! Be Grateful for the opportunity to Race. Execute smartly. Finish your 5th full Ironman and do it in under 12 hours!
Narrative: Ironman Wisconsin will be my 5th full ironman having done 2013-IMAZ, 2014-IMCdA, 2015-IMC, 2015-IMAZ. So it will have been over 2 ½ years since my last full ironman as I needed a break from the long course racing to bring balance back into my life. I competed in 2017 Oceanside 70.3 and 2018 Victoria 70.3 and am now ready to tackle Ironman Wisconsin.
Why Ironman Wisconsin? I grew up in Wisconsin so it’s returning home for me plus I’ll have my parents get to watch me race. They’ve never seen me race and growing up I was a non-swimmer and doing Ironman was not anything I ever would have guessed I would do. It will be great to have family cheering me on during race day. Kerry and the kids are not making the trek as this is right when school starts and they’ve put in their time as Sherpas for the 4 prior long course races.
About 2 years ago, I introduced my very good friend Kent Gavin to triathlon and he’ll be racing with me in his first Ironman and also as member of Endurance Nation, our national triathlon club. In the last 2 years, I’ve been there alongside Kent as he has become a tri guy, we’ve spent many of hours training together. This will be his first long course race and he’s balanced the same busy schedule of work, family and for him a serious bike crash back in May that required repairing his clavicle.
I’m grateful to have the support of my family to race, I’m grateful to be healthy to race and I hope that I’ve properly balanced my pursuit of triathlon with my duties as husband/father and a very demanding work career with an intensive travel schedule. Triathlon can be a selfish sport so I hope that I don’t take for granted the support I’ve been given to race. I think it helps temper my energy level and pursuit of the next something…
Not sure what to expect for race goals. This certainly won’t be my fastest race given its reputation for a tough bike course and also my fitness that I’m coming into the race. I’ve gotten the key workouts in but not done a lot of the high intensity stuff that would have built additional speed. My goals are to enjoy the day and complete my 5th, shoot for under 12 hours and then try as hard as I can to race in the low 11 hour finish time.
Bags:
Morning Clothes: Wetsuit, Goggles x 2 (Tinted & Clear), ear plugs, cap, body glide, headlamp
T1 Bag: Socks, Bike Shoes, Helmet w/visor, Sunscreen (Cold weather gear if forecast dictates)
T2 Bag: Socks, Hoka Running Shoes, Race Belt, 1 gal Ziploc (hat, sunscreen, salt tabs in bag, sunscreen, 1 gel, Apple Watch as backup)
Bike Special Needs: Not Used
Run Special Needs: Not Used
RACE DAY Specifics
0330 Breakfast 3 cups applesauce, 1 scoop whey protein, 1 banana, 1 bottle sports drink
0430 Race Day Outfit: EN Tri Top & bottom, Timing Chip. Sunscreened. Light pants and long sleeves for wear before wetsuit and post race. 3 Gel and Sports Drink to take with.
0450 Leave Hotel (Check in advance if Sheraton Madison is offering athlete shuttle)
0530 Body Marking, Check Tires (crack pipe), Fill drink bottle, Put 2 gel on bike.
0600 Don wetsuit, drop morning clothes bag.
0615 Lined up for getting into the Water. Seed with the 65 minute athletes.
0640 Race Start
Swim: Plan 1:05-1:08 swim. Line up early (6:15AM)
as it will be hard to make my way up to the front if I don’t. If possible, find a place to sit down, if
not, just tune everything out and be grateful for the opportunity to toe the
starting line. Keep HR down. Line up with 1:05 group. Swim will feel anxious for first 200-400
yards, stay calm, big breaths, find your groove. Yes, I’ll get hit…it is all
part of the experience, just keep making strong progress and maintain
form. Will be looking for the right set
of feet to follow (ones that I can swim my planned effort with and don’t
constantly run into their feet) Sight
every 6-12 strokes depending on my perception of fellow swimmers swimming the
right direction and aiming for shortest line swim distances.
Mantra: Alternating breathing, no one
wins the race because of the swim, just keep pushing, Cadence to the beat of KP
Roar, you got this—you actually like swimming now
T1: Goggles, Cap come off and remain in wetsuit sleeve, find a stripper, jog the helix (take in the energy but don’t overdo it) to T1. Find volunteer, shout out bib number 546, assume I am retrieving my own bag.
Socks, Shoes, Helmet and Glasses. If volunteer assist have them lather sunscreen. Run with bike past mount line. Goal less than 7 minutes (such a big transition area at this race)
Bike: Focus on getting heart rate down, lots of folks will pass me. Aim for 170 watts until start of loop. Once on loop steady 180 (.71 IF validated in comparable race rehearsal) watts, no surges, no competing with others, let them pass me, eyes glued to road and watch. This is a course with lots of decisions; hills, turns, etc…try to smooth out the power file as much as possible. I’m watching 3sec average power and lap power (autolap every 7 miles) Aero the whole way except for turns and aid stations. Lap 2 can consider adjustment in target power but most likely it is about maintaining and holding late in the bike segment. Second lap is likely where I pass the most people given I’m riding steady and they are not.
Drink and drink often. Drink until I am about burping the Gatorade endurance back up. Two bottles in the first 30 minutes and then settle into 2 bottles per hour and no qualms about peeing while I bike. Watch will beep when it is time for my gel (every 45 minutes). 9 bottles minimum on bike and 8 gels. If hot, should be closer to 12 bottles. This means 2 bottles at some aid stations.
Mantra: Stay on target, Stay on Target, Don’t worry what those around me are doing. I am going to ride my race. No draft (except the legal kind), Try to find smooth asphalt.
At 108 miles, increase cadence and easier gear. I think I have to ride up the helix, once I’ve done that feet on top of shoes, be careful dismounting
T2 Hand off bike, jog to transition, sit down, change out socks, shoes on, helmet in bag, put on race belt and grab Ziploc with hat, 12 salt tabs, sunglasses, gel, sunscreen, and apple watch as run back up in case the Garmin 735 batter dies. Can I do this transition in under 3 minutes, it’s a big transition area but all I’m doing is changing footwear?
Run. 9:15/mile for 6 miles. Put on hat, take 3 salt tabs, and either sunscreen or chuck it. 4 ounces of sports drink or coke every aid station. Plan to be slower than 9:00 pace in my very first mile. Your Garmin really is working….it’s you that is running too fast out of the gates.
Mile 7-18 8:30-8:40/mile. Continue nutrition routine (gel every 30 min), add salt tabs 2 every 5 miles. Don’t refuse sponges or ice when offered.
Mile 19—Just don’t slow down. You worked way to hard walk it in. Visit your multiple One Thing about why you race. Reward your training self, you can do this. Sing your Ironman Fight Song. Be grateful that I am able to do this and have the loving support of my family. I will not be passed, I will be doing the passing.
Don’t sprint in the finish chute, enjoy the glory, be emotional, thank the volunteers and most importantly my family! I sure hope there is post-race Pizza at this race, maybe they’ll let me take the whole box. Sign up for the post-race massage and hang with family until they call my name. Figure out when Kent finished or will finish to cheer him on. Get changed as I tend to get cold after the race.
Comments
Just one thing, are you using HR on the run? I didn't see HR specifics listed. I see you are on the bike though.
Maybe a good idea to run through "Race day damage control"
-https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gJGIFrXZ4ruF1Aoq4LHsJMjuS_xxY-s7lR10Bee1-e4/edit#heading=h.mh0aw119ky54
Josh--thanks so much for taking the time to read and offer feedback. Its a very good point about HR on the run...I'm typically just by pace but I should go back and look at my prior races and my BRIC workouts and have a plan here.
I hadn't seen the "race day damage control" document. That's a great read and reminder of only so many things you can control. Monday prior to my last IM, I could barely walk with some sort of glute issue...two massage and a ton of foam roller and I was fine by race day.
Good luck in your training for CHOO
A couple of observations:
I would NOT go to the Badger game. Even if you think you'll just be sitting there watching, you'll be spending a lot more energy than you want to spend the day before an Ironman.
That sounds like a LOT of Gatorade on the bike... Have you ever tested drinking that much? Let's hope it's not hot, but still sounds like a ton of Gatorade...
Enjoy the Pizza!!!
Thank you Paul, John and Jeremy for your feedback. I especially appreciate the course specific feedback as this is a new venue for me. based on feedback will for sure not even consider the badger game, will do my shake out bike ride on a portion of the bike course and for sure drive the bike course (right now that is a Friday activity).
John--Thanks for the nutrition feedback. It's gross just how much I sweat and I've done liquid/gel/salt tabs as my only nutrition for the last 4 IM races. I train with Gatorade endurance and my gut seems to do just fine with it. I tend to pee much more than the 2x on the bike guidance but I figure I'd rather be peeing extra than to come up short and then play catch up.
This year will be the first year that IMWI goes to a rolling start, so you may want to make sure you give some thought as to where to seed and getting in that seed line early on, since I would expect some type of glitch this first year.
I guarantee you'll have a nightmare run if you overcook the bike on that course. Definitely watch your HR on the "3 bitches", go easy into the tight turns and ride as steady as possible. I rode that course a bunch of times this summer (just the loops) in preparation for IMMT and found some sections of the course are smooth and most are not (old farm roads), and many sections have loose gravel and rocks that can easily cause a flat or worse.
Tony--Great feedback. Thank you!
Jason - You've really thought things through. I just caution on slamming two bottles in the first 30 minutes. Have you tried this? Can your gut process 48 ounces in 30 minutes?
Have a great race!
Jason, As I re read your plan, I had the same question as Sheila. Can your stomach handle that? During my first Ironman, before EN, I got on my bike and since I figured this was as good as I would feel, I drank until I was full. I am not sure my stomach behaved the rest of the back. I think the fact that I walked most of the marathon finally gave it time to clear. AS always, do what works for you, just make sure it works first. See you soon.
Jason,
Best of luck out there. I would have my last real meal Friday lunch, with dinner (for me, usually chicken noodle soup), being light, salty, no fiber, and finished by 6pm. Heading out to a restaurant at 6 may = eating who-knows-what at 7:30. The day before is absolutely crucial. Get off your feet, out of the sun, and take care of your gut.
How much do you weigh? Once I started following Core Diet’s recommended 0.6 g of carbs/pounds of body weight/hr on the bike, I raced much better. At 150lbs, that’s 90 grams. If really hot and I really am consuming 2 bottles of GE/hr, that’s 88 grams of carbs and 1,200+ mg of sodium. So, I don’t eat even one bite of anything else. But if I slammed 2 bottles in the first 30 min, then another bottle and a gel the second half of that first hour, there’s no chance I can come close to digesting that. So, it’ll sit and start the bloat. Not bueno. For the run, I try to get in half the number of carbs per hour - for me, 40-45 every hour.
That’s just what I do, and I’ve left the GI issues behind since. You don’t need to follow my lead, of course, but please make sure you’ve done some nutritional planning. @Sheila Leard has forgotten more about this topic than I’ll ever know, so take advantage of that incredible resource while she’s on this string.
MR
Thanks Sheila, Todd and Mike for your feedback. I really appreciate this aspect of Endurance Nation. I weigh 175lb and am using the EN Nutrition Calculator. I recall Patrick suggesting focus was to drink GE until you are about to burp it back up and then settle into your routine. I've done this in my race rehearsals and with my last four IM and its seemed to work well for me albeit I do pee a lot on the bike leg. I'm targeting 423 cal & 1000 Na per hour according to the calculator. I like to use all on course nutrition except for 1-2 gels I'll start out with on the bike leg in case I miss them in aid station. I am going to go back and review the CD webinar again and think about your suggestions. Thanks again!
I have moved up Saturday dinner to 5PM and will scope out location and menu in advance. I've typically done a Panera or Corner Bakery the night prior.
Pre-race: +1 I'd suggest there's a lot more to be learned by riding 1-2 key sections of of the bike course rather than trying to bike the run...that run goes through busy downtown area, along bike paths, thru a football stadium, over a cool spiral pedestrian overpass, and finishes on the Capitol mall. Much better to pick one or two of the bike course hills (which are a *lot* like the ones we ride all over Puget Sound) to get a feel for the gradient and how things change from down to up. I can't remember where they are, as its been 12+ years since I was there, but others can point you in the right direction.
T1: I found a big advantage in walking *briskly* to strippers, slow easy jog to the helix, then a good trot up the *inside* of the helix. Amazing how many people were lengthening their run by going up the outside! I must have passed 100 people on that long transition coming out of the water in 1:06.
Environment: the weather can by ANYTHING...day I did it was 95F with Midwest humidity to match. Highest DNF rate in any IM to that date, 20%. People were literally lying all along the bike course. Point is, not that it will be hot, but it could just as easily rain and be cool, be pleasant Indian Summer, or be insane Midwest steam bath. Your nutrition/hydration/pacing strategy has to be prepared for all possibilities. I've found, e.g., that I need twice as much fluids on the bike @ 9-F as I do @ 60F.
Thus, the use of HR on the run becomes critical - that;s the only way to rationally maintain the proper pace depending on the conditions. On the day I raced, since the sun went down behind the trees about 5:30-6 PM, I managed to negative split the marathon by 19 minutes something lik
@Jason Brandt First of all I had no idea you lived in Seattle. I'm just down the road in Gig Harbor.
Seems you have a solid plan, and good comments so I'm not going to repeat them. One thing that I can add is regarding the special needs bag. It doesn't hurt to throw an extra tube and CO2 cartridge "just in case" in your bike special needs. If you don't use it great, but if shit happens, and it does from time to time, at least you have an option.
Good luck