Critique my Race Plan for IMKY
This is my first IM so have mercy - I may be forgetting something big! 
IM Louisville Race Plan
TI bag: Helmet, Sunglasses, Shoes, Socks, Glide, Clif bar, Gel bottle, race belt
Bike SNB: mini Chamois butter, 2hrs Infinit in baggie, Clif bar, Kind bar, Tums, tube
T2 bag: Sneakers, Socks, running shorts (may or may not use), EN hat, 2 gel packets
Run SNB: Glide, aspirin, Tums, Jolly Ranchers
Sat night
Big, early lunch, then Dinner by 6pm
Mix drinks – one 2-hour bottle, one 3-hour, put in fridge
Charge Garmin
Bed between 9-9:30 pm
Sunday morning
Up at 2 am – drink Odwalla and 1/2
Up at 4 am – two hard-boiled eggs, two packets of oatmeal, banana, coffee
Go to transition at 5 am, body marking
Bring: Morning bag
Garmin
3 water bottles
Goggles
Cap
Timing chip
Sunscreen
Clif bar/Gatorade to sip in line
Swim
Get in line as early as possible, but don’t panic about where I am in line.
Sip gatorade in line, chew ½ a clif bar. Apply sunscreen.
Swim smoothly, counting strokes, relax. Feel the power of the stroke. Grab onto a draft if it works out. Stay away from the middle. (Will have more details after Saturday practice swim).
T1
Glide on feet!!
Socks, Shoes, Helmet, Sunglasses
Do I need to wear a race belt on the bike?
Sunscreen
Stick in pockets: Clif bar, Pit Stop (maybe, have tools in bento), Gel bottle or packet
Bike
FTP: 170 @.70
|
1st |
113 |
|
2nd |
119 |
|
3rd |
125 |
|
4th |
131 |
The first section of the ride is pretty flat will keep it in 1st/2nd for 90 mins
From there hold a steady 2nd gear through the rolling hills. Hold wattage while climbing and over the crest EN style. If over 34 mph coast and stretch legs.
Nutrition: Have two hours of Infinit on front PD aero, two bottles on downtubes. One is water, one is a 3-hour concentrated Infinit that I will transfer to front as I go, mixed with water. Will take 1-2 salt tabs every hour. Will eat clif bar during first loop of course. Gel/water to combat Infinit boredom. Clif from SNB during 2nd loop.
Will pick up water at Mile 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 as needed.
Last 20 miles are flat, keep strong, make some time if feel it
Last 2 miles hit my Garmin, to find satellites for run
T2
Change socks
Race belt, if it’s not already on
Hat
Change shorts if my tri shorts are bugging
Start Garmin
Run
Miles 0-6: E-Pace + 30” = 10:29 = 5.7 mph
Walk each aid station, alternate water/Perform at each station, have gel when I get water as I need. Count 30 steps. Mix in Coke at later stations.
After reading Matt S.’s analysis of heat’s impact on IM marathon times (and the great commentary) I will not crush myself to keep that pace if my HR is going nuts.
Miles 7-18: E-Pace = 9:59 = 6.0 mph
Miles 18: check-in w/self, “Self, how r you doing? What is your one thing?” Can I get to 6.5 mph? For one mile? For two? Plan B: keep steady.
Mile 26: - Hit 4th Street Live! Soak it all in and grin widely
Comments
A couple of thoughts:
For the run SNB – toss in a set of socks – you may want to change into some dry socks.
I wear my race number on my race belt on the bike – flipped to the back and then for the run, I just turn it to the front.
On the bike when you get over 34 mph get as aero as possible. That is having the feet at 9 and 3 position and the knees in against the top tube. I find the best time to stretch the legs is on a hill to get out of the saddle (don’t spike the watts) and ride for 30 – 60 seconds. FO me this gets them out of the in the aero bars rut. The other place to stand and truly stretch the legs and back is when you are in a downhill and will have to break significantly to take a turn at the bottom. The standing up starching and blowing off some of that speed by not being aero would lose you much time.
I see your salt tab plan for the bike, did not see it for the run.
On the run, any hat or visor? – no real shade on the course and looks like we will have a sunny day. Also a hat is good for putting ice under and or cold water on. It will evaporate and cool your head.
See you at LOU.
Matt
Looks good! Only note I had was to include a Co2 with the spare tube in your BSN bag.
Drop old / warm water bottle in net.
Get cold one and rack it.
Get cold one and drink what you can, dump rest in aero, drop it.
Back to riding...
Thanks so much Matt & RnP
@Matt - I do have a white EN hat that I am planning on wearing on the run. You are right about the salt plan for the run, that is kind of lacking. Plastic bag in back pocket from T2? Like the aero advice
@rich - thx, yes, I have C02 and a pump and spare in the bento
@Patrick- ha, I'll probably still be up at 12 so that will be easy
I'd revise this to: Get cold one and drink what you can, dump the rest on head, arms, thighs, grab another for aero bottle, and dump the rest of it on head, arms, thighs...
Argument for visor over hat on warm day: if you have hair (the more the better) and are willing to soak it with ice/water, a visor allows more evaporative cooling than a hat, which might retain head heat under the sun. If you do wear a hat, make sure it's WHITE to reflect, not absorb radiation of sun.
As for tools in the bento: Yes! You can get a small multitool with a chain tool for about $30. Lezyne makes a super light one if you are a weight weenie.
Looks good, Aimee! You are nearly my athletic twin in numbers, so go get 'em and I'll be thinking of you when I'm out on Sunday. Am I FedExing a chica visor to KY? Let me know. --b