Pat Milton's Williamsburg 70.3 Race Plan
Final Week
Sunday:
- Follow Training Plan – Long Run (60 min TRP effort) -
Monday:
- Pray - Thank God for giving me the ability to train and compete.
- Follow Training Plan – Bike: Threshold (60 min) and Brick Run (30 min)
- Review the Four Keys
- Execution not Fitness
- The Line
- The Box
- The One Thing
- Review Event Schedule
- Begin Travel back from Djibouti, Africa
Tuesday:
- Pray - Thank my wife and family for understanding and dealing with all my long training and time spent away from her.
- Follow Training Plan – Rest Day
- Review the Four Keys and the Race Execution strategies
- Pick up bike from Transition Triathlon
- Pick up any fuels needed for race day
Wednesday:
- Pray - Thank God for the US Military for giving me the freedom to train and compete
- Follow Training Plan – Bike: Threshold (60 min) and Brick Run (30 min)
- Review the Four Keys and the Race Execution strategies
- Review packing checklist
- Stretch and begin solid nutrition plan
Thursday:
- Pray - Thank God for all the blessings bestowed upon me that allowed me to get to this point
- Follow Training Plan –Run (30 min / 3 x 3’ (1’) Zone 2) and Swim Half Race Rehearsal
- Review the Four Keys and the Race Execution strategies
- Review packing checklist again
- Stretch and continue solid nutrition and rest plan
Friday:
- Pray – Pray for strength, confidence, and mental toughness…thank God for the ability to compete
- Follow Training Plan – Swim (30 min) and Bike (race route recon)
- Review the Four Keys and the Race Execution strategies
- Final review of checklist
- Pack and drive to Williamsburg, VA
- Review swim course
- Athlete Briefing at 5pm
- Stretch and continue solid nutrition and rest plan
Saturday:
- Pray – Pray for strength, confidence, and mental toughness…thank God for the ability to compete
- Follow Training Plan – Rest Day
- Review transition area and swim course – Know all avenues of approach / known landmarks in transition area for both transitions – Get my mind right!
- Bike Check-In
- Review the Four Keys and the Race Execution strategies
- Go through gear bag
- Charge all batteries
- Early Dinner / Early Bedtime
Race Day:
- 0330 wake up and drink 600-800 calorie shake.
- Pray – Pray for the ability to overcome all fear and anxieties. To apply the training, lessons learned and experience gained from Team EN and others and allow me to compete at a level equal to or better than my capabilities.
- Drink coffee and poop
- Race day gear – Triathlon singlet, HR strap, Garmin watch, etap batteries, etc.
- Depart to race venue @ 5am
- Race prep in transition area: bike - check tires, add nutrition, set up race gear in order of use
- Sip sports drinks until 1 hour to go then eat ½ to 1 full nutrition bar (calories)
- Poop one more time
- 15 min prior to race start, eat one gel + water
- Kiss my wife and head to swim start – if wetsuit legal put on suit, if optional swim without. Time to get my head right!
- Warm-up
- Watch the earlier wave starts determine where to line up- then line-up with my wave.
SWIM:
- Start slow and get into my rhythm - no rush - keep a steady pace and effort. Count strokes – focus on form. Don’t poop and JUST KEEP MOVING! Don’t bunch at the buoys,
T1:
SLOW IS SMOOTH – SMOOTH IS FAST!
- Helmet on and strapped, shoes on, glasses on; grab bike, run with bike past mount line. Smile you just finished the swim
- Keep your head and remember the 90% headed into the bike…
- Focus on the four keys and race execution strategy
BIKE:
- ON BIKE SET UP: 1 aerobottle, 2 water bottles mixed with Hammer products. Bento box with Hammer gels, one RX bar bars, sodium capsules and Hammer Fizz.
- Spare tube, Co2 cylinders (2ea), tools and valve stem extender tool in tool bag.
- Do what I can do on the bike – “on the bike” (cinch shoes, start electronics)
- Get settled on the bike and don’t eat/drink for at least 20/30 minutes until HR is reduced from swim and T1 excitement.
- Remember the following:
- No such thing as a good bike split followed by a bad run
- Ride the bike you should not the bike you could
- 90% rule
- Step One: Relatively flat course for the first 15 miles – use this time to set a good pace and get HR down to level of typical long ride. “BUCKET OF CHICKEN” pace.
- Step Two: Start my ride - at a “do no harm, go all day, just riding along (JRA) pace.
- Remember
- No such thing as a good bike split followed by a bad run
- Ride the bike you should not the bike you could
- 90% rule
- Mile 15-45 of course has some rolling hills – down shift as I enter the hill, maintain good cadence throughout the hill, shift as I crest and descend, no coasting until I reach 35MPH or better. Remember the Line and the 90% rule.
- Consume 1-2 bottles of sports drink (from course) per hour
- Never leave an aid station without topping off.
- Pee once on the ride – preferably not on the bike – Who am I kidding – I’m a Paratrooper, I going to pee while I ride and suck it up. Just don’t poop on the bike. Could upset other triathletes.
-Fuel with gel every 40 minutes. Sodium capsules every hour (as needed).
- Mike 46-56 of course is relatively downhill – maintain a mid – high zone 2 HR remembering that there is no such thing as a good bike split followed by a bad run.
- Fuel/hydrate prior to run
T2:
- Dismount at dismount line, unclip, unfasten helmet and get to my rack.
- Shoes, visor and dig deep. Just a short run to go!
RUN:
- Slight hill at the start of the run then relatively flat until 2nd turnaround – then repeat.
- Mile 1-3.5 maintain a steady pace at Bike Average HR. Multiple water stations on route. Drink
- Mile 3.5-10 smooth and steady pace.
- Mile 10-Finish line – Time to Race!
- Fuel/hydration plan – #1- sports drink, #2- sports drink, #3- sports drink, #4- gel, #5- sports drink, #6- sports drink, #7- sports drink, #8- gel, #9- sports drink, #10- sports drink, #11- sports drink, #12- sports drink or gel…..Finish Line – BEER!
- Walk 30 seconds, 45 steps or to an identified landmark at each water station. Go to end of each station to avoid group of runners. – Reward myself with a short walk.
- Fuel and hydration as needed at each stop.
- Enjoy the SUCK – Wish it could SUCK more – remember pain is weakness leaving the body – Repeat! Remember the “One Thing”
- Finish Strong – Pray – drink beer and celebrate a great race.
Checklists: Follow EN checklist and remember to bring a change of clothes.
Comments
Thank you for your service.
I'm a local to the area, and have done this race a few times when it was a Rev3 race. The course is pretty easy, we may have a little tide assist in the swim, just rollers on the bike, but the "small hill" at the beginning of the run is a bridge we have to cross 4X-hardest part of the run. This race was run in June/July(hot), but the weather looks really mild(70's) and the river is about 65 deg.
Good luck. Hope to see you there. I'll be in an EN kit so holler!
Thanks Mark
This being my first Ironman distance event, I am experiencing some overwhelming emotions leading up to the race. I am both pumped up and freaked-out. Looking forward to getting out of the water and on to the ride and run.....Do you have a recommendation for wetsuit? I raced last week at Lake Anna in a full wetsuit with water temps at 63 degrees....It was cold but not "holy crap cold". I have a sleeveless and thought about that with my tri-suit as a base layer - thoughts? I will be on the lookout for fellow EN team members....hope to see you there.
Pat
Couple thoughts; I like a sleeveless, but under 70 deg. I will wear full suit, I don't like cold water either. On the nerves, I've done 11 halves and 4 fulls and still get nervous, but if you have done an EN half training plan, then you have the fitness to do fine! Looking forward to meeting you. Any other questions-feel free to ask.
When I saw that the IM Williamsburg website said they could expect the water temps in the 70's. It didn't sound possible to me on May 5th, but hey, I'm the newbie...LOL They must have cited that from when they used to run it in Jun/Jul. Either way I will bring both but likely wear the full. I am racer #1933 - Look for me in the transition area. Thanks for all the input Mark - I will get it done!