Rob Sabo's IM Asia Pacific Race Plan
Rob’s Race Plan Asia Pacific Champs Cairns Australia 6-9-2019
GOAL: KQ; Top 3 AG; sub 10:10
Sunday leave USA
Tuesday
● Arrive in Australia
● Assemble bike
● Go for a run
● Shop to stock room
Wednesday
● Swim
● Expo for gels and suit
● 90' bike ride - test rear hydration reach.
Thursday
● Green Island 3k OW Swim
● Afternoon short run and meet up with Tri-Travel crew
Friday
· OWS
· Bike ride short and easy
· Registration and expo in afternoon
· Charge STRYD, DI2
Saturday
● Big Breakfast by 8am - Get Your Carb On
● Drop off Run Bag at T2 in AM
● Sip Electrolytes all Day
● Smart Lunch + Snacks -- SALT!
● Final Review of Bike / Bags to T1
● 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 2x landmarks and markers for bike rack position. Note row/column of t bags. // TAKE PICTURES!
○ Get outta there fast
● Back to Hotel to Chill, Stretch, Watch Movie, Etc.
● Charge 920XT
● Light Dinner by 6pm -- pasta + chicken.
● In Bed by 9pm -- Final review of Race Plan. Set alarm
Friday (ziplocs for these bags or no? In or out? Depends on weather rain? Are bags under tent?)
T1 Bag:
● Bike Shoes on Bottom
● Ziploc Mega Bag (between shoes):
● Salt for left hip pocket
● 1 gel
● Arm warmers, rolled ⅔ of way.
● Light gloves
● Helmet AEROHEAD with Visor
● Clear glasses if rain?
T2 Bag:
● 4 GU Gels, caffeinated in side pocket.
● Sun glasses
● Race number belt + number.
● Race saver bag
● EN Hat
● Base Salt
● Sun screen
● Newton Motion 8 and STRYD
● Socks with lube
Special Needs Bike:
● Extra tube
● 1 x CO2 rubber banded to tube above.
● Clif Bloks opened and extra gel
Special Needs Run:
● 3 x caffeinated gels
● Extra base salt
● Extra chamois cream?
● sunscreen
Morning Bag:
● Wetsuit
● Swim Cap with Goggles
● Back up Swim goggles.
● Bike Emergency Kit
● gloves
● lube/sunscreen
● HRM/920XT
● Chip
● Water and non-caf gel
RACE DAY Wake Up
1. Eat Breakfast:
a. 3 cups applesauce, 1 scoop protein powder, banana, bread and nut butter, bottle sportsdrink
2. Get Dressed:
a. Castelli EN aero top and shorts
b. Chamois Cream
c. HRM (Snug)
d. Tee shirt/Sweat shirt
e. Sunscreen
3. Head to transition to prep bike T1 open 5-7AM - SWIM START is 7:35AM
4. Then back to room
Transition Flight Check
1. Nutrition bottles on the bike
a. Two bottles of Gatorade Endurance (1 = BTA #2 = down tube.)
2. 1 bonk breaker in½ and 2 clif bar in 1/3 in bento box
a. wrapped in rice paper
b. 1 gel GU Roctane with caf
3. Left pedal at 9 oclock
4. Garmin mounted.
5. Tire pressure check.
6. 5:45am power bar
Final Suit Up
● Last chance chamois cream
● Body glide on bits,etc.
● Take out swim ziplock with: cap, goggles, spit anti-fog.
● Clothes into dry clothes bag.
● Phone into dry clothes bag in ziplock.
● Hand off bag / drop it off
PreSwim
● Goggles under cap!
● Water and Gel at 20 minutes.
● Easy warm up if possible with a few short efforts.
● 920XT and HRM tri
Race Pillars
● No Racing Until Mile 18.
● Steady Effort Wins the Day.
● No Highs, No Lows.
● Best Races After Slowest Starts -- You Are a Diesel Engine.
The Swim –
Wave 2 < 1:07
● Start strong and smooth - don't be shy - stay in control.
● Focus on: (1) rhythm and high cadence, (2) over the barrel / pulling with the forearms and firm wrist “Grip it and Rip it”, (3) frequent siting (4) Taut with good alignment
● Stick with a group -- no wandering off on your own -- especially return trip.
● You get faster as you warm up so finish the second half strong
● Never stop moving! Catch a wave on the way out of the ocean
T1
1. Into Tent, Hop first line for bag 191 (make sure you have the right one) and into back end of Change Tent.
a. Salt/Pill canister for left hip pocket
b. Arm Coolers over wrists
c. Take out shoes.
2. Hand wetsuit & T1 bag to nearest volunteer.
3. Find Bike - INSERT LOCATION,
4. Put on shoes.
5. Helmet On GIRO AEROHEAD with visor/ Buckled.
6. Jog bike to Mount Line & Power On Garmin
7. Execute clean, single-sided mount.
8. Roll up arm coolers if wearing. If less then 60 degrees for more then first hour
Bike // Pacing -- Steady + Aero Wins the Day
● Settle in, confirm everything is good and working.
● First few miles are admin to get out of Palm Cove and to the quick turn around – be aware of HIM athletes coming thru
● Target 180w (.72 IF) till second time out to Port Douglas ~mile 68 (a little over 3 hours). Have a caffeinated gel and then Ease up to T2 but stay aero always. 165W back to Palm Cove (~22miles) and then 160W in to Cairns T2 (~22 miles). Climbs - all short - up to 220w as needed. Use your gears.
● Adjust position as needed - Super Aero vs Choked up vs Climbing
● HR in less then 120s top should NOT be higher then 130
● Smooth cadence fixate on 90, don’t be greedy on flats with gearing.
● Ride your watts and stay on the gas.
● Super aero all day; Visuals: "I get small and punch through the wind" ... "Momentum is Speed"
● Best bike Split predicts 5:16 ( ithink more like 5:30) but time is NOT your worry. If it’s windy it will effect everyone the same - just stay AERO. mFTP250 VI 1.03 2.41 W/kg 251 TSS AP168 NP 172.6
Bike // First 30 Minutes:
● Start Garmin 520 recording.
● Note early HR and work to get it down.
● Start fueling with 1 piece of bar @ 15' mark. Bonk breaker then Clif then Clif with caf
● Fluid targets = 1 bottle in first 45 minutes and then 1 bottle per hour of GE or Pure Hydration
● 1 base salt lick an hour.
● Pee by Mile 30.
Bike // Outbound
● Ride super aero / turtle style when able.
● Ride choked up when on rollers, loose fingers!
● Ride tall / good gear / front of saddle when climbing -- loose fingers!
● Water on arm coolers for hills, etc.
● Fluid target = 1 bottles per hour.
● GE or PURE on downtube and in BTA, water behind.
Bike // Second turnaround in Port Douglas is landmark to refocus and recover.
Bike // Inbound:
● Ride your watts and let the speed/pace drop as needed.
● Your preparing for the run
● Get wet at aid stations and for hills as needed. Its rainy season so might be unnecessary
Bike // End:
● Make sure you stay cool by dumping water the last 40 miles of the ride.
● Stay on 165 to PC (37k) and 160W (28k) into T2 , nothing super special. Flatline that HR. No spikes
● Bloks and gels on the ride back to Cairns
● Super mental focus here.
● Banana and gel at last aide station
● Stretch as needed.
● unstrap shoes, drop watts, easy light spinning, get mind into t2 game
T2
1. Flying dismount / hand off bike.
2. Take off Helmet on the move.
3. Find bag, 191 (make sure you have the right one) head to tent.
4. Bag down & Open.
5. GO BAG
6. Race belt with number on.
7. Shoes (on top), single sock in each lube in socks.
8. Start walking out with GO Bag.
9. Race saver bag
10. Ice in hat on head. Sun glasses
11. Make sure 920 XT is on RUN and start
12. Spray sunscreen all over.
Run // Lap One of Four laps-- Diesel Engine Strong
● Toggle Garmin to right screen for HR.
● Keep HR low 120’s as possible for first 6 miles – 1 loop
● Watts 255
● Stay cool by dumping water the first 10 miles of the run.
● HR target is 120-125.
● Run smart: take tangents, follow shortest paths anywhere
● Great form -- shoulders before hips; shoulders relaxed/elbows down. Chin up
● Speed is Not Slowing Down - Easy miles in control
● Get in early calories. Two gels in first 6 miles. Hit every aid station and make sure you get what you need. No flying through with haste.
Run // Part Two -- Steady Eddie
● HR target is 120-130 thru mid lap 3.
● Maintain focus.
● Smart through aid stations. Self eval prior to aid station – liquid? Salt? Gel? Cola? Need ice?
Run // Part Three -- Empty the Tank
● Mile 18 move from "reserved, internal focus" to "gutsy, external focus." Pass people and steal their energy. Try to get pace to STRONG.
● Keep turnover, keep form, don't walk anywhere.
● Constantly be Passing someone
Run Nutrition:
● Feel good? Eat! Target is 3 gels in first half, then three more with last Caf Gel at Mile 18. [2,6,10,14,18]Then COLA but will need more salt. Base salt every ½ hour at the aid right after gel and more when on cola.
● 4oz PURE each aid station.
Aid Station Process -- Execute and Back to Running ASAP
● Sponge for face; squeeze over head.
● Water for head/neck cooler.
● Ice in hat race saver bag.
● Stop at PURE person for drink/walk. (If eating gel / salt do it before you get there.)
Run Troubleshoot:
● Take the HR out conservative the first 10 miles of the run! That's the deadly pocket.
● If you get tingling fingers on the run, replace a gel with a banana and pop a lick of base.
Finish strong – you want to feel the pain to know you worked hard. Expect it/accept it.
Comments
@Robert Sabo I see skill, experience, and preparation have come together for this race. I like you putting it out there in your goals. Those Aussie’s are fast, but you are faster, believe that, bring it with you to the start line and carry it with you all day. Your days leading into the race were a bit confusing , 2 consecutive days of 90 min rides? Good Skill!
thanks @tim cronk
edits made
I will have my eye on the Japanese and some guys from New Zealand.
To save several seconds in T1, consider putting your rolled up arm warmers on your bike's aero bars race morning. It's easy to slip them on your wrists and roll up a few minutes into your bike.
Its been motivating seeing your workouts on Strava these last several months and I know you've put in the work to hit your goals. Now, it's just time to execute with confidence and push above your comfort zone!
Race strong!
Fantastic plan, Robert. Beyond fantastic fitness, your mental game is really on, and I hope you'll take the time pretty much every day (as well as 20x during the flight over) to totally completely visualize that perfect race. You know where the pinch points are for a highly competitive outcome, and now it's just a case of getting to them, and through them, without mistakes.
I am SUPER psyched to watch this unfold and really excited for you. Your report channels energy and earned confidence.
The 3k OWS swim on Thursday ... will be light with just a few pickups, right? And you'll start at the back and out of the scrum, right? Play defence all week.
And your run is where the money is for your AG (and most others, for that matter). If you were time-pressed, you could just write a future RR as "I will do everything to make sure I can run to potential."
And, you forgot "set three alarms on right after the race to make sure I wake up on time for Awards to claim my slot."
Great job.
Oh - and your transitions are going to be FAST. Like, do every bit of recon, walkthrough, shortcut, on-the-fly, best-in-class work beforehand, do the visualizations of fast Ts a bunch of times in your mind, and make a serious effort to make these as quick as those posted by the fastest pros.
See Al's article on this from a few years ago for for more practical tips.
('cuz an intercontinental flight back to the US is a loooooong time to think about losing a spot by a few seconds because you lallygagged in T2 when the other guy didn't. )
I can’t wait to see you crush it @Robert Sabo! Well thought out plan with plenty of work put in to justify the expectations. Have a smart day!
Thanks @Derrek Sanks
@Dave Tallo definitely swift thru transitions. Thank you for the input. the 3k swim is over the great barrier reef so it's a sightseeing OWS "race".
Thanks @Scott Giljum
nothing to comment on, assuming you have done flying dismounts before.. I personally haven't so would rather lose a few seconds vs crashing!
watching and crossing fingers for you to have a great race, you've worked hard on your less strong disciplines to get this far.
FLy to T2 after dismounting. Note that I reminded myself to grab the correct bag #191.
@Robert Sabo You seem so ready for this. I am excited to see what happens. You have done all of this so many times and the planning seems thorough. Safe travels and have fun.
Hey @Robert Sabo
This is gonna be so fun to watch. Way to lay it all out there. I for one will be cheering loudly for you. You've done this for a quarter century, so you know your racing self better than anyone. You've had some ridiculously fast 70.3 results, and lots of blazing IM run splits. I'm anxious to see you put it all together and stand on the podium in an IM.
Instead of racing only the last 8 miles of the mary, I like to race the back half of the swim, both transitions, and then Miles 2-26 on the run. That's if I'm truly "racing" it. Even though it's a very long day, it still amazes me that the last KQ slots often come down to seconds.
I still contend that the two biggest mistakes made during each and every IM is over-eating and going too hard the first half of the bike. Which is why I would cut all of the solids from your plan if this were my plan. Again, you know yourself. But . . . if you experience any GI issues, please step away from the solids and rely exclusively on liquids/gels from thereon.
Same for the bike. Your plan is pretty aggressive the first half (72%), then easing off the second. I like to take things out at something closer to 65%, then increase power the second half if - and only if - I'm firing on all/most cylinders. At the top of the AG ranks, it almost always comes down to the run. So, I'll gladly give up 10 minutes on the bike to gain 20 on the run. It's not how you get to the finish line, it's who gets there first.
Your weapon is the run, and it's lethal. Unleash it. If you're going to be riding with a HR in the 120's, running the first 6 miles in the 120's may be too slow. That's time you almost certainly can't make up in the second half (I've negative split a few IM runs, and they were many minutes off my PRs). You probably have a pretty narrow HR range where you know you can run all day (10 beats above avg bike HR over last hour, the top of your proven Z2, or avg HR on your last several long runs?). I think you can move into that range after you get your legs under you (first mile or two). Going easy the first 6 miles is perfect advice for a newer IM athlete, but that recipe doesn't necessarily cook for a vet reaching for the podium. In my experience, I've never really been able to flip that "race" switch at Mile 18. My brain is barely working by then, and my body has no response to give even when I do try to flip it. So, I quickly return to IM Slog Mode and pray for the sight of the finish line. And that's just the physical aspect.
Again, for me, most of late-day IM racing is mental. We all put so much into these races (months of training and thousands of dollars) that we naturally play defense on race day. "I have to finish," "no med tent," "it's a long day so I can take extra time doing . . .," etc. But if you're 100% committed to racing, then race. Zero fear of not finishing. Move into Race Mode at Mile 2 of the run, when your mind and body are still operational. That doesn't mean doing something foolish like running 7:00 miles, but push the envelope just a little. Get mad. When things get tough (100% certainty), fight like Hell. If you can squeeze a little more out of yourself than even you thought possible (you can), that may be the needed minutes that = KQ. And if you cross that proverbial line, crack like an egg, and get carted away at Mile 135, that too is OK. Because you weren't there to finish.
Best pf luck. And enjoy Australia.
MR
I have always done solids on the bike with good success. I average just under 400 cal /hr. For the last 2-2.5 hours I switch to Bloks then gels and one banana. On the run its just gels, electrolyte drink and coke. My goal run pace average is 7:38 to try to go sub 3:20. KMs are going to drive me nuts. The first few miles will be paced very slightly slower with a more deliberate pass through aid stations to get in those early calories. I will hopefully be getting some splits from my daughter and this will also be motivating. I also don't like be blocked in and on the 4 lap run course I will be doing a little bobbing and weaving which will keep the turnover going. As far as the bike, Coach P and I devised this pacing strategy to go a little harder while it's still cool. I have practiced it in my second RR and it worked well. Thanks for your input @Mike Roberts
Have a great time.
will be following.
just be calm and enjoy the transitions.
i am sure you will represent our age well.
maybe a White House sub for special needs ?
@robin sarner a cheesesteak in T2 is my backup plan
@Robert Sabo Have a great race! Your plan is so well thought out. Good luck.
Great Plan @Robert Sabo ... CRUSH IT !!!
@Rob Sabo - you have have the training, speed, smarts, and experience to put all the little pieces together to realistically set those ambitious goals at this very competitive race. You're probably be in the air as I write this, so my first hope is that you manage to time and seasonal changes well.
Here's hoping you stay moment-to-moment on the day, observing and managing your progress dispassionately and humbly. Always work up to, not down from, your capability.
@Robert Sabo Your plan is perfect! I've run Cairns three times and qualified once in 2016. This year you have four athletes from Japan in your AG, who are regular members in Kona! Have fun and race strong! I'll be tracking you on race day.😀
@Akio Yamauchi I did it and now I get to meet you in KONA!!