JW's 2018 Ironman Wisconsin - Race Plan
Only 2 outcomes for this race for me:
1) Success = Qualify for Kona (Through the Ironman Executive Challenge)
2) Failure = Not Qualify for Kona
Defining success of an Ironman race in the manner above is NOT compatible with Endurance Nations's core values and philosophies. I'm okay with that.
Why: This will be my 10th Ironman. Last one was a failed attempt in 2016 when my legs seized up halfway through the run in Vineman which stripped me bare emotionally and physically which if you care to read that RR, you can find it HERE. I raced IM Wisconsin on my Fat Bike in 2015 (probably my most fun IM) which you can read about HERE. After Vineman in 2016 I took a Brett Favre like "retirement" from Ironman, but got the bug again this year and decided to make another run at it. I have not entered ANY race since July of 2016. This being my 10th Ironman, I'm not racing to "finish", or to "PR". Been there, done that, many times over. This will be a race for me, but in a weird kind of way I won't have any idea if I "won" until well after I finish (which I'll explain later if you have the patience to read on).
Training background: I did not touch my bike a single time from July 2016 until ~October 2017. It was the "year of the run" for me, which led to a couple of minor injuries and a DNS for a marathon, but I did train "like a runner" for almost a yr. I also started a program ~16 months ago where I consistently saw a Personal Trainer 1x per week for ~1 hour and we focused exclusively on Glutes, Hammies, Core and rear chain stuff. I think I have put on a few pounds of muscle with this, so am not obsessing over the fact that my race weight looks like it will be ~5lbs heavier than previous yrs, but I am very "Race Weight Skinny" right now. I cleaned the dried gatorade off of my bike in October '17 and signed up for Zwift for the first time. My OS consisted of swimming on my Vasa, mostly continuing the "run training" I had gotten accustomed to the previous yr, and ONLY Zwift racing on my bike. ~2 weekdays per week I did a Zwift race plus a bit extra and most Saturdays I did multiple Zwift races or some of the longer races. I'd say Zwift coerced me to ride my bike harder and longer than any previous OS. I pretty much continued this as my only "structured" bike training until I could get outside on weekends for my long rides. I also did Al-T-Tude camp in early June where I logged a ton of bike miles and 1 epic mental sufferfest day in saddle for ~14 hours with @JeremyBehler for ~208 miles with ~12,000' of gain all at Altitude https://www.strava.com/activities/1620067337 I'm hoping it will have laid similar groundwork inside my head that it did in his, as shown in his heroic effort at Lake Placid.
Family Life: I have an AWESOME wife (Jess) and two growing boys (JT, 12 and Luke, 10). This training build seemed to have put a lot less strain on my family life than previous builds. Maybe it's because my kids are a bit older, but likely it's because I made a concerted effort to build my training around my "normal life". I do ALL of my weekday training very early in the morning where it doesn't effect any of them. I also get 8 hours sleep EVERY night, which is relatively easy since the entire Withrow clan goes down at 9PM almost without exception. But I built my weekends around our family so for the first half of the build did my longer rides early on Saturday mornings and did my long runs very early on Sunday mornings and always made it home in time to shower and take the whole family to our 9:00AM church service. The last month or so, my 12 yr old joined his Middle School Mountain Bike team (yes, that's actually a thing in MN). This meant every Tuesday and Thursday night I was on my Fat Bike for ~2 hrs riding with 7th-12th graders (free TSS). His Saturday practices are from 8:00-10:00AM, so I switched my days to do the first half of my long run very early Saturday morning, then take him to practice and ride my Fat bike for ~2hrs, then come home and immediately head out for another ~60-90 mins of a run in the summer heat. Then I did my long rides on Sunday mornings (always on tired legs). The only "down phase" came in early June as we as a family did a ~10 day mission trip to Haiti which meant no workouts at all for 10 days, then I was in a "funk" for ~2-3 weeks after returning either due to a virus, infection, or just general processing of the toxins and fatigue I experienced... But, once I got my crap back together, I feel stronger than ever and don't regret that family experience at all.
Numbers:
I set a lifetime high "5 Hour Power" number (by 11W) a few weeks ago when I did 269W for just over 6 hours with my first hour being the lowest and my last hour the highest. Avg HR for this 6 hrs was 127bpm (max 141).
FTP is swagged at ~335-340W with my weight at 183lbs for a W/Kg ~4.1 (first time ever over the magical 4.0)
No idea what my vDot is, but I'd guess ~48. This is no faster than in the past, but I feel like I can go longer at given paces.
HR: This yr I've seen a weird (but good) thing with my HR. It is EXTREMELY low compared to similar efforts in years past. Like ~15-20 bpm lower at almost every run pace or bike power. Also, I'm guessing it might be from all the Zwift races, but after any short spike (VO2 or higher), my HR drops like a stone immediately upon easing off.
I guess I'll attribute some of the above to simply changing up my training stimulus over the past couple of years, but I think some of it might just be finally getting the benefits of now having ~8 years of cumulative consistent training and fitness (even though I'm now 42 and ~8 yrs older than when I started this Endurance phase of my life).
I can honestly say that (mentally and physically) at age 42 I am the fittest that I have every been in my entire life.
Executive Challenge: This will be my 6th IMXC race (KQ'd once in IMMT in 2014 with a 10:21:xx). It's basically a full on VIP race experience for senior executives in their professional field to get to race against each other. For me, I do like the VIP experience, but the SOLE reason I do the races through them is to have a realistic path to Qualifying for Kona. I'm a dreamer and I aim high with my goals, but also a realist and know there is a 0.1% probability I could get a slot the "regular" way. I already know the other 5 people I am racing against for a Kona slot. If I have the baseline race that my current "training self" deserves, then I "should" get the Kona slot. Theoretically I "should" be the favorite of this group, but Ironman is a fickle mistress and I know than in my 9 previous Ironmans, only about half of them did I produce the race my "training self" deserved and in the other half, I screwed something up. And in only 1 out of 9 races was my result actually ideal! The confusing part about this "race" for me is that the slot goes to the competitor that finishes in the highest percentile of their actual IM AG. I'm in M40-44 as is one of the other people I'm "racing" against. One is M35-39, One is M45-49, One is F40-44 and one if F45-49. I "think" the F40-44 woman is my biggest competition, but I could theoretically beat her by ~1.5 hours overall and she could still place in a higher % of her AG. So, I need @Kori Martini to beat her as well as ~10 other women to also do so. And I need @Danielle Santucci to crush the woman I'm racing in F45-49. Come on EN chicas help me out!!! I've Athlinks stalked all of them and I "think " if I finish in the Top ~20 of M40-44 that I "should" get the slot, and that likely means a mid-high ~10-handle race if past years are any indication of my normal AG curve.
The Race:
I'll be driving to Madison Thursday night. Quick bike check spin on Friday, probably a short shake out run and a ~30-45min swim. Hope to see/meet EN'ers at our still TBD dinner Friday night. Will do bike check-in on Saturday and largely relax all day. I've raced IM so many times that this part is old hat.
Sunday: Up ~4:30AM, eat Sweet Potato with walnuts and maple syrup (yummy) and take my normal handful of supplements. I'll probably also be sipping on water and maybe gatorade or Infinit in the AM until the race.
Swim: I'll be shocked if my swim time isn't ~1:12 +/- ~2 mins (it almost always is). Ideally self-seed in the middle of the ~1:00-1:10 group. I don't mind contact in the water. I will stay relaxed the entire swim and try to find feet where possible.
T1: Get wetsuit stripped. Jog the helix. If we can keep shoes on the bike, grab my helmet from my bag, hand the wetsuit and bag to volunteer and run to my bike. Goal is to WIN T1.
Bike: My "ease in" period is substantially shorter than what I would recommend to others. I'll be shocked if my HR isn't down to ~120 within 1 mile (will adjust accordingly if not). Likely after eating and drinking and settling in for ~5 mins I plan to get to work. I'll have BBS on my Garmin and plan to ride to their (somewhat aggressive) formula targeting ~235-240W NP. This is ~10% below my validated 6 hr power and an IF of ~0.71. My guess is that puts my bike split in the ~5:15-5:35 range depending on the conditions of the day and my ability to stay aero and carry speed through all of the technical turns and rollers. I'll start with a BTA bottle of Infinit and then drinking GE off the course and planning to eat ~4-5 bars, roughly 1 per hour. Will supplement with Salt and with Essential Aminos every ~90 mins or so. Likely only 1 bottle on my bike, but "might" have a single rear cage on (depending on expected temps) for "just in case".
T2: Shoes stay on bike. Jog to bags while taking off helmet/glasses. Injinjis on (knowing this will cost me an extra ~20-30s). Pull on my magic Unicorn Tears and Pixie-dust infused Nike Vaporfly 4%, grab my go bag and Go Go Go... Let sun screeners hit my neck if sunny and they are on the way. Number belt on first, then grab race saver bag and start watch. Goal is to WIN T2.
Run: This is where all the dreams are made. Start easy and steady targeting ~8:30-8:45 for first ~6 miles. Focus on good form, solid core, run with my glutes, high turnover. Relax. Carrying gu for consumption every ~3 miles. Also carrying Salt, Aminos, and Biofreeze packets (thanks @Trish Marshall), just in case my quads or calves revolt like at Vineman. Take it easy-ish up Observatory hill and especially easy (but not braking) on the downhill side. After the turnaround near mile ~6, force myself to smile and relax and get to work. Run as many consecutive ~8:15-8:30 miles as I can. Keep that up to Observatory Hill on lap 2 then be smart up and down that hill. After the bottom of the hill is GO time. This is where I earn my keep. Turn of my brain. Ignore my tight quads and calves. Embrace the suck. But keep GOOD form. My core and glutes will keep me moving. After Mile ~22, find the dark dark place. Ignore all other life forms. RUN to the finish line. Cross the line. Collapse. I know the medical teams are good. Trust them. "If" the High temps are in the low 70's or below, I expect the effort described above executed flawlessly "could" result in a ~3:40 run split. Likely add ~5-10 mins for every 5 degrees above 70.
"If" I swim and bike per above AND have any 3 handle run, please remind me later that that result "should" constitute a successful race... BUT,
Only 2 outcomes for this race for me:
1) Success = Qualify for Kona
2) Failure = Not Qualify for Kona
1) Success = Qualify for Kona (Through the Ironman Executive Challenge)
2) Failure = Not Qualify for Kona
Defining success of an Ironman race in the manner above is NOT compatible with Endurance Nations's core values and philosophies. I'm okay with that.
Why: This will be my 10th Ironman. Last one was a failed attempt in 2016 when my legs seized up halfway through the run in Vineman which stripped me bare emotionally and physically which if you care to read that RR, you can find it HERE. I raced IM Wisconsin on my Fat Bike in 2015 (probably my most fun IM) which you can read about HERE. After Vineman in 2016 I took a Brett Favre like "retirement" from Ironman, but got the bug again this year and decided to make another run at it. I have not entered ANY race since July of 2016. This being my 10th Ironman, I'm not racing to "finish", or to "PR". Been there, done that, many times over. This will be a race for me, but in a weird kind of way I won't have any idea if I "won" until well after I finish (which I'll explain later if you have the patience to read on).
Training background: I did not touch my bike a single time from July 2016 until ~October 2017. It was the "year of the run" for me, which led to a couple of minor injuries and a DNS for a marathon, but I did train "like a runner" for almost a yr. I also started a program ~16 months ago where I consistently saw a Personal Trainer 1x per week for ~1 hour and we focused exclusively on Glutes, Hammies, Core and rear chain stuff. I think I have put on a few pounds of muscle with this, so am not obsessing over the fact that my race weight looks like it will be ~5lbs heavier than previous yrs, but I am very "Race Weight Skinny" right now. I cleaned the dried gatorade off of my bike in October '17 and signed up for Zwift for the first time. My OS consisted of swimming on my Vasa, mostly continuing the "run training" I had gotten accustomed to the previous yr, and ONLY Zwift racing on my bike. ~2 weekdays per week I did a Zwift race plus a bit extra and most Saturdays I did multiple Zwift races or some of the longer races. I'd say Zwift coerced me to ride my bike harder and longer than any previous OS. I pretty much continued this as my only "structured" bike training until I could get outside on weekends for my long rides. I also did Al-T-Tude camp in early June where I logged a ton of bike miles and 1 epic mental sufferfest day in saddle for ~14 hours with @JeremyBehler for ~208 miles with ~12,000' of gain all at Altitude https://www.strava.com/activities/1620067337 I'm hoping it will have laid similar groundwork inside my head that it did in his, as shown in his heroic effort at Lake Placid.
Family Life: I have an AWESOME wife (Jess) and two growing boys (JT, 12 and Luke, 10). This training build seemed to have put a lot less strain on my family life than previous builds. Maybe it's because my kids are a bit older, but likely it's because I made a concerted effort to build my training around my "normal life". I do ALL of my weekday training very early in the morning where it doesn't effect any of them. I also get 8 hours sleep EVERY night, which is relatively easy since the entire Withrow clan goes down at 9PM almost without exception. But I built my weekends around our family so for the first half of the build did my longer rides early on Saturday mornings and did my long runs very early on Sunday mornings and always made it home in time to shower and take the whole family to our 9:00AM church service. The last month or so, my 12 yr old joined his Middle School Mountain Bike team (yes, that's actually a thing in MN). This meant every Tuesday and Thursday night I was on my Fat Bike for ~2 hrs riding with 7th-12th graders (free TSS). His Saturday practices are from 8:00-10:00AM, so I switched my days to do the first half of my long run very early Saturday morning, then take him to practice and ride my Fat bike for ~2hrs, then come home and immediately head out for another ~60-90 mins of a run in the summer heat. Then I did my long rides on Sunday mornings (always on tired legs). The only "down phase" came in early June as we as a family did a ~10 day mission trip to Haiti which meant no workouts at all for 10 days, then I was in a "funk" for ~2-3 weeks after returning either due to a virus, infection, or just general processing of the toxins and fatigue I experienced... But, once I got my crap back together, I feel stronger than ever and don't regret that family experience at all.
Numbers:
I set a lifetime high "5 Hour Power" number (by 11W) a few weeks ago when I did 269W for just over 6 hours with my first hour being the lowest and my last hour the highest. Avg HR for this 6 hrs was 127bpm (max 141).
FTP is swagged at ~335-340W with my weight at 183lbs for a W/Kg ~4.1 (first time ever over the magical 4.0)
No idea what my vDot is, but I'd guess ~48. This is no faster than in the past, but I feel like I can go longer at given paces.
HR: This yr I've seen a weird (but good) thing with my HR. It is EXTREMELY low compared to similar efforts in years past. Like ~15-20 bpm lower at almost every run pace or bike power. Also, I'm guessing it might be from all the Zwift races, but after any short spike (VO2 or higher), my HR drops like a stone immediately upon easing off.
I guess I'll attribute some of the above to simply changing up my training stimulus over the past couple of years, but I think some of it might just be finally getting the benefits of now having ~8 years of cumulative consistent training and fitness (even though I'm now 42 and ~8 yrs older than when I started this Endurance phase of my life).
I can honestly say that (mentally and physically) at age 42 I am the fittest that I have every been in my entire life.
Executive Challenge: This will be my 6th IMXC race (KQ'd once in IMMT in 2014 with a 10:21:xx). It's basically a full on VIP race experience for senior executives in their professional field to get to race against each other. For me, I do like the VIP experience, but the SOLE reason I do the races through them is to have a realistic path to Qualifying for Kona. I'm a dreamer and I aim high with my goals, but also a realist and know there is a 0.1% probability I could get a slot the "regular" way. I already know the other 5 people I am racing against for a Kona slot. If I have the baseline race that my current "training self" deserves, then I "should" get the Kona slot. Theoretically I "should" be the favorite of this group, but Ironman is a fickle mistress and I know than in my 9 previous Ironmans, only about half of them did I produce the race my "training self" deserved and in the other half, I screwed something up. And in only 1 out of 9 races was my result actually ideal! The confusing part about this "race" for me is that the slot goes to the competitor that finishes in the highest percentile of their actual IM AG. I'm in M40-44 as is one of the other people I'm "racing" against. One is M35-39, One is M45-49, One is F40-44 and one if F45-49. I "think" the F40-44 woman is my biggest competition, but I could theoretically beat her by ~1.5 hours overall and she could still place in a higher % of her AG. So, I need @Kori Martini to beat her as well as ~10 other women to also do so. And I need @Danielle Santucci to crush the woman I'm racing in F45-49. Come on EN chicas help me out!!! I've Athlinks stalked all of them and I "think " if I finish in the Top ~20 of M40-44 that I "should" get the slot, and that likely means a mid-high ~10-handle race if past years are any indication of my normal AG curve.
The Race:
I'll be driving to Madison Thursday night. Quick bike check spin on Friday, probably a short shake out run and a ~30-45min swim. Hope to see/meet EN'ers at our still TBD dinner Friday night. Will do bike check-in on Saturday and largely relax all day. I've raced IM so many times that this part is old hat.
Sunday: Up ~4:30AM, eat Sweet Potato with walnuts and maple syrup (yummy) and take my normal handful of supplements. I'll probably also be sipping on water and maybe gatorade or Infinit in the AM until the race.
Swim: I'll be shocked if my swim time isn't ~1:12 +/- ~2 mins (it almost always is). Ideally self-seed in the middle of the ~1:00-1:10 group. I don't mind contact in the water. I will stay relaxed the entire swim and try to find feet where possible.
T1: Get wetsuit stripped. Jog the helix. If we can keep shoes on the bike, grab my helmet from my bag, hand the wetsuit and bag to volunteer and run to my bike. Goal is to WIN T1.
Bike: My "ease in" period is substantially shorter than what I would recommend to others. I'll be shocked if my HR isn't down to ~120 within 1 mile (will adjust accordingly if not). Likely after eating and drinking and settling in for ~5 mins I plan to get to work. I'll have BBS on my Garmin and plan to ride to their (somewhat aggressive) formula targeting ~235-240W NP. This is ~10% below my validated 6 hr power and an IF of ~0.71. My guess is that puts my bike split in the ~5:15-5:35 range depending on the conditions of the day and my ability to stay aero and carry speed through all of the technical turns and rollers. I'll start with a BTA bottle of Infinit and then drinking GE off the course and planning to eat ~4-5 bars, roughly 1 per hour. Will supplement with Salt and with Essential Aminos every ~90 mins or so. Likely only 1 bottle on my bike, but "might" have a single rear cage on (depending on expected temps) for "just in case".
T2: Shoes stay on bike. Jog to bags while taking off helmet/glasses. Injinjis on (knowing this will cost me an extra ~20-30s). Pull on my magic Unicorn Tears and Pixie-dust infused Nike Vaporfly 4%, grab my go bag and Go Go Go... Let sun screeners hit my neck if sunny and they are on the way. Number belt on first, then grab race saver bag and start watch. Goal is to WIN T2.
Run: This is where all the dreams are made. Start easy and steady targeting ~8:30-8:45 for first ~6 miles. Focus on good form, solid core, run with my glutes, high turnover. Relax. Carrying gu for consumption every ~3 miles. Also carrying Salt, Aminos, and Biofreeze packets (thanks @Trish Marshall), just in case my quads or calves revolt like at Vineman. Take it easy-ish up Observatory hill and especially easy (but not braking) on the downhill side. After the turnaround near mile ~6, force myself to smile and relax and get to work. Run as many consecutive ~8:15-8:30 miles as I can. Keep that up to Observatory Hill on lap 2 then be smart up and down that hill. After the bottom of the hill is GO time. This is where I earn my keep. Turn of my brain. Ignore my tight quads and calves. Embrace the suck. But keep GOOD form. My core and glutes will keep me moving. After Mile ~22, find the dark dark place. Ignore all other life forms. RUN to the finish line. Cross the line. Collapse. I know the medical teams are good. Trust them. "If" the High temps are in the low 70's or below, I expect the effort described above executed flawlessly "could" result in a ~3:40 run split. Likely add ~5-10 mins for every 5 degrees above 70.
"If" I swim and bike per above AND have any 3 handle run, please remind me later that that result "should" constitute a successful race... BUT,
Only 2 outcomes for this race for me:
1) Success = Qualify for Kona
2) Failure = Not Qualify for Kona
Tagged:
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Comments
I'm sure you know this already, but just wanted to mention that 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.
"Run: This is where all the dreams are made." Agreed, and I would add a nightmare run happens from overcooking the bike, which is way too easy to do on that course given the technical nature of the tight turns, etc. The old 2015 bike course is back, so that should help you experience wise. I rode that course 15x this summer (just the loops) and found some sections of the course are smooth and some not, and many sections have loose gravel and rocks that can easily derail your dream.
I would forgo the sun screen at the run out and use Bullfrog the morning of. Those few seconds could eventually make the difference.
Watch the VI. So easy to blow up on the bike and screw up the run but not keeping the effort steady on the bike.
I like your idea of limiting the weight on the bike by using 1 bottle BTA. Not sure if you will meet your hydration targets that way though.
Do you have a calorie goal/hour? Will the Infinit/GE/bar combo meet that? Can be very difficult to get down the required calories on those technical turns. Will you be breaking apart the bars into bite size pieces? I think @Shaughn Simmons wraps bite size pieces of bar in rice paper so he just pops them in his mouth.
Last year, we could leave bike shoes on the bike race morning. Keep in mind that concrete deck is not foot friendly though.
Finally, in order to avoid cramps in my legs and feet, especially during the swim, I rubbed Magnesium Lotion on my legs each night for 10 days before the race. I used Ancient Minerals Magnesium Lotion www.amazon.com/Ancient-Minerals-Magnesium-Lotion-OptiMSM/dp/B06XXR6PRD/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1535050203&sr=8-2&keywords=ancient+mineral+magnesium+lotion
and took a magnesium supplement from Thorne: www.amazon.com/Thorne-Research-Magnesium-Production-Metabolism/dp/B0012ZNGJO/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1535050440&sr=8-5&keywords=magnesium%2Bcitrate%2Bthorne&th=1
and ate more bananas than I usually do. I didn't have any cramps.
I'd expect a VI of ~1.05 +/- a couple... I think I'm fine with that. I was around ~1.06 or 1.07 this past weekend and usually smoother during the race with no slowing at intersections, etc..
I use that exact same lotion. Put some on this morning in fact. I've taken it in a ziplock and rubbed it on in T2 before. I hadn't thought of constantly loading for many days in advance. Thanks for the pointer. And I also take Magnesium supplements year round. I generally trust Thorne stuff, but I use the MgSport Magnesium. I also eat several bananas every day, year round. Will likely also have one of those in the morning of the race and forgot to put that in the original race plan.
I tend to eat a few solids up through about 2.5 - 3 hours of the bike, then go all liquid from there on in for calorie requirements. @tim cronk taught me to cut my bars into 3rds and wrap them in rice paper. Makes it so much easier to manage while on the bike. I hold off on any caffeine until about mile 80 of bike and then introduce. This becomes a reward to get to mile 80 and gives a great boost when most are beginning to lose focus. For many races, mile 80 is where the race begins and where alot of free speed can be lost.
JW is a veteran. Watch and learn......
As always, no matter what transpires, keep moving forward......
@Shaughn Simmons I usually only go to all liquids for the last ~30-45 mins of the bike. I like to have something solid in my belly, even while running... I can literally eat Clif bars while running without breaking stride (but don't do that for IM runs). But, I will certainly grab some fruit, pretzels or potato chips to supplement my gels during the run.
<code><a href="" title="Link: null">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FTC84YW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1</a>I raced in the EN kit and a hat on the run and my legs were pretty much tanned anyway and ears covered by aero helmet so really don't think I needed to use it.
I think Coach Rich used to say that on the last loop of the bike, you want to take a bottle at the Verona station and not at the last bike aid station on Whalen since they are so close together anyway, you can empty the bottle before the hill on Whalen and so don't have to lug it up with you if you take it at Verona, and when you cross the railroad tracks coming back in on the stick, the bottle may go flying out of the cage anyway.
It may be a bit late, but your calorie intake on the bike seems low...especially for a big guy. I've gradually increased my consumption on the bike with each race. The old EN approach was 'limit your consumption because there are limitless calories at the next aid station". I probably averaged 400-450 calories per hour on the bike in Lake Placid and over 400 in Kona two years ago and both of those set me up for run PRs. I do turn down the solid consumption about 45 minutes out and switch to liquids only.
Your plan is dialed in. And you've been on the stage enough to know that something will go wrong. Maybe it will be small, maybe it will be big, but keeping a cool head and making the best choice at each decision node will get you back to Kona. I wish you would have qualified last year as I'm still waiting for my chance to race there with you. I'll finally get a chance to race there with @Coach Patrick after 7 years.
But on the more serious side John, that has set you up nicely, along with all the other hard work, for a great race
What I'm most impressed with is your "efficiency". You've achieved the holy grail of triathlon training: going at the same speed with a lower HR. That efficiency is critical for success at Ironman distance
My only concern is that tracking you on race day is going to be really complicated with the XC formula ... we'll also have to keep an eye on the others in the group
BullFrog - I've used it for years. I put it on thick first thing in the AM, right after shower and before my kit and let it dry completely, then ignore sunscreen the rest of the day. If you are wearing a chest-strap HR monitor, take care to keep the BullFrog away from where it makes contact. I've had two HR monitor fail in races and (rightly or wrongly) believe the BullFrom was somehow connected.
Calories - Like @JeremyBehler, I upped bike calories last year from 300-350 to 400-450. I struggled with it a little at first (GI), but once my body adapted to it, I found myself having a ton more energy.
BBS Power File - I love this approach. One trick with BBS - when you plan your ride based on TSS, BBS can give yo some unreasonable power spikes. So, I use a two-step process to build my power file: 1. I build a plan based on TSS. 2. I take the Power from the TSS-based plan and plan a second time using the Normalized Power approach. This second step allows me to put hard caps for the peak wattage that gets planned. Doing this you end up with a power-based plan that gets you off the bike with the TSS you planned without the nutty (for an IM race) power spikes.
Two other things you can do. You can load the power file into your trainer and ride it pre race. You can also export the BBS plan as a TCX file, then load it into WKO4, Golden Cheetah, or whichever tool you use to do a kind of "Pre Mortem" on the race. Analyze the file as if you had already done the race and ask yourself "What went wrong?" I think that when you are pushing the envelope, it is probably worth taking this extra step.
I'll be cheering for you - good luck!
@Tony Ledden @Rich Stanbaugh Bullfrog has been ordered and like that as a low thinking option for the day.
@Rich Stanbaugh regarding the BBS, I already pre-road the course with the BBS loaded on my Garmin last week (on tired legs) and it pretty much matched how I ride during training anyways. I used the NP method and manually set the caps to ease them down a bit. I will NOT be a slave to these numbers, more of a reminder to where I can ease off a bit and where to push a bit harder on the approaches to the rollers, etc.
@Paul Curtin If you are bored on the Sunday of the race and want to actually track how I'm doing vs "MY" competition, here are the 5 other people I'm racing against in order of who I "guess" will be my biggest competition to the least. Again, you'd have to see their current place in AG, and also use the tracker to figure out how many people actually "started" the race in their AG (DNS are ignored). Divide those 2 numbers to get current % of AG and compare to how I'm doing on that same metric (lowest is best)... i.e. if I'm in 15th place out of 260 people in M40-44 who actually started the swim, then I'd be in 15/260=5.77%
Executive Challenge Division:
M40-44 John Withrow
F40-44 Julia Walter
M35-39 Todd Breuer
F45-49 Amy Shelly
M45-49 Anthony Giuffre
M40-44 Nick Rickun
In all my times being in Wisconsin I only can think of one where they let us keep our shoes on the bike before the ride. Might as well plan on what you are going to do if that is still the case.
Anyone who has ridden that course on a fat bike can handle doing it on a tribike. I will only add that an extra 5 min here or there on the bike can require a lot of work to gain and it only takes 1 mile in the run to lose it.
Looking forward to seeing you next week and hoping the area can recover from the flooding.
@John Withrow
Solid plan and I've seen how deep you go staring into your eyes on Mirror lake drive a few years ago.
my only comment is on sunscreen. Skip the bullfrog, if you never used it, it feels like another layer of skin to me. As you know, I had a former life racing sailboats. You get sprayed with salt water, have sun reflecting off sails & water, essentially spending all day in front of sun reflectors. My go to has always been Copportone sport. Get the lotion version, apply it to DRY skin early AM and you will not need to re-apply all day..
will be watching, cheering and waiting for you to do the math & tell us the results... I have zero doubt that @Kori Martini and @Danielle Santucci will carry their weight
@"John Withrow"
I'll second Scott on the Coppertone Sport vs. Bullfrog. Coppertone is the only brand I will use.
Also agree with your calorie intake. I usually stick to about 350/hour but will take in more first & last hour on the bike. Based on the input here I may try more (400ish/hour) this weekend as well.
Generally they don't let you have your shoes on the bike in transition (T1). I usually carry them all the way to the bike mount line before putting them on. just hand your bike to a volunteer. At T2 you can leave them on the bike. Rich's rubber band trick sounds good.
After watching you ride this past weekend I have no doubt that you will execute well.
Hey John, the first thing I noticed in your plan was the paragraph on HR. The lower HR for the same or greater result is indeed proof you are at your fittest ever. Your bike will be your nuclear arsenal - you will never have to reach for the button, but knowing it's there makes everything else so much easier, both on two wheels and on two feet.
When I saw you riding in CO, I was impressed by your rock solid aero position. Your butt did not move, much less your spine or shoulders. I hope you have kept that fit and ability during your longer rides. Again, a key advantage for you.
" Turn of[f] my brain. Ignore my tight quads and calves. Embrace the suck. But keep GOOD form. My core and glutes will keep me moving. After Mile ~22, find the dark dark place. Ignore all other life forms." This is the heart of the matter, isn't it? As Scott said, we've all seen your face when in this mode before - don't let anything deter you from your mission.
Now, about your binary approach to the race - despite what my sig line quote says, I as a long-time ENer fully endorse that approach. Every race I enter, I intend to win. I HATE second place, and fourth place almost as much. So: No Regrets, No Surrender. "Slowing down on the run is not an option."
@John Withrow I love 2 things about this race plan. 1. the all or nothing approach 2. the breakfast of sweet potato, walnuts, maple syrup (this is my go to lunch day prior).... I saw the Zombie John Withrow KQ at IMMT up front and personal, you freaking blew me away that day, I woulda lost money betting against you on that one, then I did lose money betting on your stupid Fat Bike Split. I will never bet against John Withrow ever again. @Jeremy Behler is right dont leave 1 second in those T's ( I researched all my IM's and I own 10 1st place transitions) win those and get a few extra minutes :-) Good Skill I will be following after SOS.
@John Withrow
Love it. Can't wait to watch this one. You've got the fitness and the right attitude. If I were you, I would try to shut down the internal racer, pocket it until race day, and focus until then on process. Don't worry about the other XC racers, as their relative performance in their AGs is totally out of your control. Nail your taper and - most important - no mistakes. You don't mention your nutrition in the 48 hours pre-race, but thousands screw this up each year (see Lionel @ IM Tremblant this year for one of the most catastrophic pre-race blunders ever). On the swim, stay smooth, don't ever let yourself get away from the buoy line, follow process. I like to think there are three times during the race where I can step away from process and really race with reckless abandon. The first is the last 1/4-1/3 of the swim. When you're on the long back half of the swim and you get your first glimpse of the big red turn buoy that takes you back towards the terrace, race! Great form and focus, pick people off, kick a bit. Don't red-line it, but finish strong. That "race" ends when you clip in your pedals. Imagine it's post race, you're soaking in the tub, Jess brings you a celebratory Scotch and you learn that you missed your KQ by 2 minutes because you sat and rested in T1. That's your motivation. If you plan to sit down in T1, that plan sucks. You've got the fitness to burn a few matches going up the helix. You'll get the HR down on the way out of town. The bike, on the other hand, should be all process. No mistakes on your pacing or nutrition. If your gut gets unhappy, stop with the solids and never go back to them. If you're gonna err on the bike, ride too easy, drink and pee too much, and eat too little. Have the confidence that this is a w/kg ride, you're well inside the top 5% of your AG, and that 95% simply have no chance . . . if you just follow process. If a bunch of guys pass you, they're over-riding. And over-riding on this course = glow sticks. Your second "race" is T2. Nail this in 2 minutes. Socks and shoes are the only two things that slow you down. Everything else is in the go-bag. On this day, all the bathrooms are mobile. At the front of the AG, XC and pro fields in IM, it's all about the run. And the run, once again, is mostly process the first half. Race too early, jack the HR up too early . . . well, you know what happens. Stay hydrated, feed and focus on your running form. Shelve the inner racer until Lap 2 when you become your biggest competition. You will not let your HR drop for any reason - stomach distress, cramps, etc. If you can walk, you can jog. And if you can jog, you can run. You can go into full race mode after you drop down onto State Street from Observatory on Lap Two. Now you can race others. If you know there are three guys in your AG just up the road, hunt them down. If there are three closing fast behind you, hold them off. This is where you go full beast. Finish medal isn't even a distant goal. If you get carted off the course at Mile 139, at least you'll go down swinging. Again, this is just how I would approach it if I were going all-in. Best of luck. Leave Madison with no regrets.
MR
I love this team! Seriously! I have read and reread many of these comments and am taking them ALL to heart. And you can be sure I’ll be reading them all again many times before I race.
Win Transitions. Check. It was already a focus, but all of the smartest and fastest guys in the room definitely cemented that in my mind!
@“Mike Roberts” I think you captured everything! But in such a thoughtful s will be easy to remember: “If you can walk, you can jog. And if you can jog, you can run.” Love it!
@“Tim Cronk” glad you finally came around to not betting against me! 😀 But, I have mad respect for you, so thanks for the motivation and confidence.
@“Al Truscott” you also have a way with words. Thanks! I will have you in my head reminding me that slowing down is not an option.
@“Mark Stahlkopf” Thanks buddy! It will be great to toe the line with you!
@“Scott Dinhofer” will be enjoying your vibes from afar. What is the EXACT Coppertone Sport you endorse?
@“Jeremy Behler”, agreed on the T’s. I will keep it simple and be dialed in for these. I’ll be channeling my inner Behler during the run! I took in a few more calories this weekend and did fine. It’ll be easier to achieve on race day with an aid station every 30-45 mins handing me more fluids.
@”Todd Glass”, Can’t wait to meet you!
@“Dave Tallo”, I’ll give you a few of my Watts if I can also give you a few of my lbs... and can trade you for some of your vDot... I’ve now watched a bunch of Rich’s old course stuff, great tip!
Again, serious thanks to everyone on this seriously awesome team!
@John Withrow I believe a little clarification is needed. Its not that I ever wanted to bet against you, I have off the charts expectations of you , but you have a history of blowing so far past those already high expectations, I have learned my lesson.... Come on the 2 performances I am referencing 6hr Fatbike split (still impossible) and a 3:43 Marathon @ IMMT when you looked like death warmed over at the beginning of that run , I'd be remiss not to mention that year in KONA if the run was just a couple miles longer I woulda seen you pass me... You are a master of mind over matter.... Mental Game is 100%
Can't wait to see you kill it @John Withrow ! Your training has been great and I've seen you get stronger In the Zwift races. I still can't believe you do those races on rollers. I love reading all these great comments as I learn so much from them. Not only does it sound like you have better fitness this year, you may also have upped your ability to suffer which is a huge advantage. This sounds strange but try to enjoy the suffering. Try to smile or laugh when it gets really hard. That may help get you rernergized. It works for me. Can't wait to follow you.
Always learning so thanks @John Withrow for being one of the most experienced here but still asking for input. Not only do you get awesome feedback, but WE all get to listen in! The car ride home from IMKY camp is gonna be exciting!!!
I am late to the party but love your approach all or nothing!
will be cheering for you - go get it @John Withrow !!
If anyone cares to track me vs my XC competition, here's a Google Doc with a tracking sheet. Highest place in actual IM AG as a % of "Starters" gets the Kona slot. (lowest % wins).