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Scott Imlay's IM Canada 2019 Race Plan

Scott ImlayScott Imlay
in Racing Forum 🏎

Bio

I’m 60 y/o (5’7” and 145 lbs) and this will be my Third IM start. The first, 2016 IM CdA, ended in a DNF after I badly messed up my nutrition on the bike. The second was 2018 IM Boulder which I finished in a time of 15:54 (Swim: 1:37, T1: 14:33, Bike: 7:11, T2: 15:09, Run: 6:37). Boulder was very hot but and I was feeling pretty sick for a couple hours on the run, but I managed to finish.

I have successfully completed six half IM’s in the last three years.

A non-triathlon stressor in my life this past year was the passing of my daughter in January.

Goals

  1. Finish the race!
  2. Follow the nutrition plan – especially on the bike!
  3. Maintain a steady pace/power
  4. Stay in my box

Race Morning

  • Kelli and I are staying in a condo in Whistler Village, just a short walk from T2 and the finish line. However, it is a two transition race and I'll have to take a but to T1 on race morning. I’d like to be on one of the early 4:30am busses so get up at 3am.
  • Put on race kit with chamois Butt'r and sunscreen already applied. Heart rate monitor on.
  • Eat my standard breakfast of overnight oats (steel-cut oats, raisins, tart cherries, almond milk)
  • Sip on a bottle of sports drink on the walk to the bus and the ride to Alta Lake.

Warm-up

  • Continue sipping on sports drink
  • Use restroom (usually more than once)
  • Short run to warm up the body
  • Get in wet-suit and do a short warm-up swim

Swim

  • Seed myself in the 1:35 group
  • Remain calm and avoid the craziness at the start
  • Use complete strokes – all the way to my thigh
  • Sight ever 10th stroke
  • Breath to my off-side occasionally to avoid neck strain
  • Swim buoy to buoy

T1

  • Googles on forehead 
  • Unzip wetsuit and peel down to waist
  • Find peeler to remove wetsuit
  • Jog to tent 
  • Have volunteer apply sunscreen

Bike

My FTP at sea level is 200 Watts, a few watts higher than in Boulder last year. I'm also 5 lbs lighter than last year. However, there is substantially more climbing here in Whistler so I expect a longer bike split than last year. It took 7hr 11min in Boulder - I wouldn't be surprised if I'm on the bike for 8 hours or more Sunday.

For nutrition I have an aero bottle between the bars and two bottles behind my seat.

Pacing

  • Go easy (125W to 130W) for the first 10 miles to get my heart-rate down. 
  • Ride at 70% FTP (140W) for the remainder of the ride.
  • Don’t spike the power on the climbs.

Nutrition

  • Start with 2 bottles of Nuun Hydration (570mg sodium and 90 calories per bottle) and one bottle of concentrated (6x) Nuun Hydration to dilute with aid-station water on the fly. Have a second bottle of concentrated Nuun Hydration in my bike special needs bag. This should get me through the bike, but if necessary switch to Base Performance Hydration (560mg sodium and 160 calories per bottle) from aid stations when those are empty. Drink one bottle per every 30-40 minutes.
  • Start with 3 packages of Honey Stinger blocks (opened) in pocket of my jersey and 3 Honey Stinger gels. Consume one package (100mg sodium and 200 calories) per hour. Add gels (GU Roctane) and/or bananas from the aid stations as needed

Other

  • Take it one lap at a time
  • Pee twice
  • Remember what happened in CdA! Don’t let it happen again!
  • Be patient on the hills

T2

  • Put on fresh socks
  • Put on shoes, hat, and sunglasses
  • Apply more chamois butt’r if chafing
  • More sunscreen
  • Grab go-bag and walk out

Run

I’ve been fighting a periodic runners-knee issue for the last 2 months, so I’ve adopted a run-walk strategy to keep the stress on my legs lower.

Pacing

  • Go easy for the first mile to get my legs stretched out and moving.
  • Miles 2-18: use a 9-to-1 run/walk strategy. I’ll shoot for 9’ of run (roughly a mile) and 1’ of walk. If I start hurting I’ll probably drop to 3’ of running/20” of walking. This strategy worked well on the 3-hour run day.
  • After mile 18, go faster if I’m feeling good.

Nutrition

  • Alternate Base Performance Hydration and water. If hot, most of the water is poured on my head.
  • Use Coach P's little red bag with ice to keep cool
  • Slowly consume gels obtained at aid stations. 
  • If my stomach starts complaining switch to Coke or broth (if they have it)

Other

  • You are in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Enjoy it!
  • This will be my second IM run. Enjoy the experience as long as you can! 
  • If the knee pain starts, adjust the run/walk strategy as I practiced (first go to 3’/20”, then reduce the run component if necessary). Don’t stop – this isn’t going to kill you!
  • Remember all the work you've put into getting here! 
  • Remember the pain and suffering that Andrea went through in her final months. What you are feeling is nothing compared to that! Celebrate your health!


Comments

  • Tony LeddenTony Ledden

    @Scott Imlay -- You are going to have a great race. IMO, the "lower carb" / enhanced fat burning and metabolically efficient protocols you've been following during training will set you up nicely for the race, especially if you know your nutrition and hydration needs and "race high" with CHO. The whole idea of train low / race high with CHO is controversial and people get all evangelical about it, but I hope you've found what works for you nutritionally.

    Here is a link to Triathlon Taren's train low/race high experience at Challenge Roth where he breaks down the amount of his hourly nutrition coming from stored muscle glycogen, taking in CHO, and fat oxidation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnDTNvqZ_dY

    Couple of observations:

    On the Swim:

    Maybe think about seeding yourself in the next faster group, line up near the back and off to the side so you can draft off quicker feet? Does sighting every 10th stroke work for you? I sight every 6th and my straight line swimming is still a work in progress.

    On the bike:

    "I wouldn't be surprised if I'm on the bike for 8 hours or more Sunday."

    IMO, with your body comp and call it a 3.0 watts/kg, you will definitely be under 8 hours and pushing close to 7, especially if you are able to pee on the bike.

    I assume you've downloaded the EN Nutrition calculator and have an idea of your calorie needs and therefore the calorie sources to replenish. Sorry, but I couldn't follow the math on your per hour calorie intake on the bike; is your total per hour calorie intake 200 calories/hour or is it 290? Matt Dixon says that if you get woozy and start to fade on the bike, take in more calories. Just wondering if you have a target per hour calorie/CHO intake on the bike.

    Run:

    I've been dealing with runners knee as well. I find that doing the 7 way hips exercise before runs (I know pictures are in the Wiki someplace) helps a lot, as does glute activation exercises.

    Same comment on nutrition for the run as for the bike -- do you have a per hour target consumption of calories that you've practiced with?

    At the end of the day, your "One Big Thing" will get you to the line. I'll make sure to be following you on the 30th.

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