Race Rehearsal Follow-Up Question
Background: EN noob who joined the team following the IM Texas rally. Training for first IM (Texas) in five weeks with a goal "to finish."
I recently completed a rehearsal workout using the heart rate and pace guidance in the EN race rehearsal protocol. Great opportunity to ride the course, dial in my nutrition and practice pacing. It was a hot, windy day (much like race day will be) and at the end of the run I felt quite fatigued and distressed by the heat. No digestion issues, however.
My condition at the end of the race rehearsal left me wondering whether I could actually finish the marathon on race day. I followed the workout with an ice bath and my normal recovery protocols, and responded well with minimal soreness and fatigue the next day.
My questions are:
1) Should you feel strong at the end of the race rehearsal workout? Or is it normal to feel pretty wrecked?
2) If I should have finished the race rehearsal feeling stronger, how should I adjust my pace (run v/ bike) to improve the outcome?
Thanks for the feedback. I have one more big day planned before the race, and will adjust as necessary.
Comments
It sounds like the recovery was okay and you weren't wrecked for a week or two. I think that's a good sign.
Trust me... just about everyone one of us were skeptical we could finish the IM run before doing our first IM. I questioned that as well. I'm sure you're thinking, "How am I going to run 26.2 miles when the longest I have gone in training was 2.5 hours." We all had the same thoughts. It worked out fine. It was actually easier than I thought it was going to be.
Since you're just looking to "finish," you'll have plenty of time. Don't worry too much about it.
Sounds about right, though "wrecked" is very subjective. I think that a lot of IM training and racing is redefining what fatigue is and then, frankly, not thinking too much about anything: you're tired, you're running, but you're not doing the math on how far you have to go. It's often best to not think about anything farther than about 10' into the future
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Another thing to remember is that you litterally can't run too slowly in the first ~6mi of the IM marathon. If you're "supposed" to run 9:30's but it's wicked hot, it's your first IM...run 10's. Run 10:30's. Spot your supposedtoself 3-6' in those first 6 miles. As a first-time IM athlete two things will stand out to you on race day (assuming you have enough space in your head to remain aware of it...I often don't :-)
Bottomline is that tens of thousands of people have successfully finished an IM over the years, the vast majority of whom weren't a fraction as dialed in as you will be regarding HOW to execute the race.
This is what the RR protocol is for. You can now go back and review the output from the HR monitor. Did you actually hit your target all the way through the workout or did you push too hard at one point that pushed you over the edge. Did you take down enough liquid over the course of the RR, or did you fall off. How did you feel at each stage of the RR? Were you strong off the bike and then had issues after the run?
I would suggest that you go out to the forum and look at a RR report that someone else has done and write up your results and post them to the forum for feedback. Without actual information about what and how you did, it is very difficult to know if there are changes that anyone would suggest.
Nate _ my guess is that your feelings of fatigue at the end of the run may have been a product of hydration/nutrition issues. It's easy to get behind in hot + windy conditions - the mositure just gets sucked right out of you and you don't even realise it as there's no time for sweat to collect befofre it's blown away (no a scientifically accurate description, but you get the idea.) Have you analyzed your fluid and calorie intake for that RR? Did you weigh yourself before and after?
Having said that, I'd go even further than John. The RR's I've done 3 weeks prior to the IM usually leave me feeling "done" but not "cooked" at the end - I do NOT want to continue after those six miles of running. Remember, on race day, you will have several advantages to get you thru the run:
• You won't be doing the race at the peak of your fatigue during training; just the opposite, you will be well rested.
• You'll have your nutrition and hydration plan nailed.
• You will listen to and follow the plan from RnP during the pre-race talk and from the 4 keys video. That gospel will get you thru the run exactly like Rich says.
• You will be surrounded by 100s of people on the race course and 1000s watching. You can draw energy from them, especially the runs you pass who are walking while you jog by.