Help with pacing/racing an Olympic triathlon
HI All,
I have one more Olympic triathlon this season and I would like some feedback/help on pacing each leg. I am one of the only triathletes in my town and by far the most dedicated so I am limited in who I can ask these questions to. Here are my questions.
Is the swim all out? I can swim the distance in a little under 22…but I am totally smoked when I get out of the water. Should I give a minute up in the swim to feel better leaving the water? I am usually in the top 3-5 in age out of the water and since I am not a good runner so I believe those 1-2 minutes matter some….is that a thinking error?
What is the bike % of FTP? I have read 95%. I have a hard time holding 95 percent on the bike after the swim. Again is the swim killing my bike. Can any of you hold 95% of FTP after a real hard swim? I am right around 4.0 watts per kg (140lbs at 255 watts).
Another bike question, what do you eat. Do I need infinit? Should I just stick to water or a little Gatorade? My best time is 2:16:xx on a moderately hilly course. Do I need calories for that amount of time?
Also, I have really mastered low VI for longer races. My question, should I hammer the hills at VO2 max efforts or should I cap it at threshold like I did on my last race?
Here is my last race. It was very hilly for the first 14 and then very flat the last 11 miles. My high HRs were all at the beginning.
Duration: 1:03:57
Work: 826 kJ
TSS: 88.6 (intensity factor 0.912)
Norm Power: 224
VI: 1.04
Distance: 24.618 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 385 215 watts
Heart Rate: 141 162 151 bpm
Cadence: 37 193 93 rpm
Speed: 8.3 35.2 23.1 mph
Finally I ran a low 46, I was unhappy with this run as I can run an open 43:00 10K. The course had one long hill (about a mile, we ran up and down it) and a head wind section. Is a low 46 about right for a person with a Vdot around 47-49? I had a sharp pain hit my knee on the downhill that caused me to slow but I ran through it. Also is the run all out or is it like longer distances where you pace the first miles before you hammer?
Any help or thoughts would be great.
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Comments
Sprint 100%
Oly 90-95%
HIM 80-85%
IM 70-75%
Of course this is based on testing, race rehearsals and excluding the fact if you're a little peep/big dood.
Personally, for a sprint or Oly, I stick to VERY diluted Infinit in a profile aero bottle; no bottles on the tubes (I even remove the cages).
I'm not the one to answer anything about the run, I'm a limping slow-ass turtle.
Nutrition is such a YMMV thing...
I'm in your performance neighborhood, maybe not quite as good on the bike and a little faster running. Yes, I think 46 is in the right neighborhood for a run time with a 43 min open 10K. I think you CAN do better (same for me; I have done a lot of 45s...), but around 5% off the open 10K time is very common for good performances overall from what I've observed. If you hit 10% slower, you probably burned it a bit too much.
On nutrition, you don't NEED any calories, but remember that you are burning a higher proportion of glycogen calories on the faster paces, so it's more important at those speeds than it would be for a 2.5 hour excursion at HIM/IM paces. That said, I like two bottles on my bike if there are no exchanges (between 1:00 and 1:15 can be a long time on one bottle if it's warm/hot!). I like something that tastes like it has calories (e.g., gatorade or infinit or your favorite) over something that doesn't (e.g., perpetuem), but that's probably psychological. I agree that around half strength is good if I'm putting the same thing in two bottles. That gives me ~150 calories, which is fine. ~100 would also be fine.
Again, maybe it's just psychological, but I like to grab a gel in T2 and down it right away; there's almost always an aid station just as you exit. That seems to "hit" at just the right spot - maybe 5-10 min into the run where you can decide to be feeling good that you're going fast or that this sucks that you have to go this fast. :-) Usually nothing but water after that.
Be advised - I'm not any faster than you, but this is my experience.
As far as nutrition, take a gel right before the race and you will need very little. One bottle of infinit (1 serving or gatoraide) on the bike and don't worry about finishing, take in what feels right. Just take make sure to take in as much water as you need, and then eat right after the race.
Good thread here, felt it deserved a bump. Very good pacing/nutrition discussion above.
I have my first Olympic race this Sunday, Black Bear in the Poconos. I'll try out the swimming ahead a bit at the start and then trying to draft, as I've been feeling pretty comfortable swimming lately.
Somewhat hilly bike course and then run is a two loop, flat, scenic course. The bike course for my race is here http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/30711240#climbs
Pacing wise, I am thinking I will stay in something that feels like Z3 and try to hold that or slightly higher until after the first climbing ends at about 8.6 miles. From there, assuming I am feeling good I'm going to try and turn it up a bit, maybe even give a little past Z4 on the second climb. Have two bottles on my bike, Infinit dilution in both (forecast says high of 80 for the day and my wave goes at 7:57, so not too hot hopefully).
Run, starting off at HMP seems to be the general consensus above. I'm gonna try to hold that for the first loop and then give what I have for the second.