IMCDA RR: DNF soul-searching/Troubleshooting
Read Al's report first, this one is a downer!
Wasn't my day yesterday. In hindsight, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. My 12 week build was spotty at best. While I have better VDOT (42 vs 39) and FTP (270 vs 250) than last year, I think the simple fact is that I just didn't have the endurance for the day.
Training: had really solid 16 weeks of OS (peaking at 44 5k VDOT and 285 ftp, which came down to 42 and 270 respectively by race day), but my downward decline in motivation started at about week 17. In the 12-week build, my run work-outs were generally done as written, but got only 75% of swim work done and literally got zero bike wkos done as written (and probably only 70% of those). I just couldn't get the higher zone work done during those longer rides. Also couldn't get the ABP Sunday rides done very often. After RR1, got slammed with work and life and missed RR2 bike and 1 long ride completely.
Point of fact, I struggled to even get the longer rides done. I can blame it on the weather (Seattle rain!) And a too busy schedule, but it was more than that.
First RR: got the 112 done on the course, but couldn't run at all after. Thought I had just targeted too high of watts. So I adjusted my ftp down to 270 based on Sprint race a few weeks later (taking 95% of best 20min)
Race: As Al said, swim was cold. I hit 1:11:XX which was spot-on to my T-Pace. Lots of body contact really throughout the whole thing, but did a pretty good job of staying in my box. Maybe I went a touch too hard (probably swam faster than T-pace given my lack of perfect straight lines). However, massive leg cramp after my wet suit got pulled off. Laid on the ground for 30 second, stretched and then went on my way. My legs didn't feel warm until about the 2nd loop of the bike... My left foot was still numb until about mile 70.
1st loop of bike I did in 3:09 of ride time (guess 3:15 of total time) at 176W (.65IF). Felt good and I'll bet my VI was quite low. RPE felt low, really thought I was executing perfectly and if anything, was being overly conservative (I was laser focused on setting up well for the run). Some thought about kicking it up to .68 for the 2nd loop and getting a positive split. Ran out of my 3 hour infinit bottle at 2:15. Thought I was taking too much calories in, so just drank water and then a gel off the course at 3 hour mark.
I was drinking water literally as much as I could. First loop was a pretty steady 3/4 to full 22 oz bottle every ten miles. Urine was fairly copious, but still not super clear.
2nd loop: stopped at special needs and had a few pretzels from my bag. I do this in training and no issues. The only thing different is that I had 2 chocolate covered blueberries. I know, nothing different in race, but 2 little chocolate blueberries? Could that be the issue? Doesn't seem likely.
Got second bottle of 3-hr Infinit but it was super warm. Wanted to ralph every time a tried it. Decided to switch to gels and the occasional sip of Infinit. Probably meant I was low on calories (only 1 gel per hour) and electrolytes (could this be the cause of my stomach shut down?)
From special needs on I had nothing. I was sub 160W (.59 IF) the whole way. Force-fed myself water continuously. Started getting light-headed at around mile 80. Zero pee stops. Stomach just said "enough"
Run: tried to run shuffle. Did that for about 4 miles. On the verge of throwing up the whole time. Started walking in the hopes that I could re-start my stomach. Kept getting worse. At mile 13, recognizing that I had only 16min miles in me and could sense a "in the bushes and then medical tent" event in my near future, I pulled the plug.
I had a very similar experience last year, but executed terribly (jamming, for my fitness level, the whole time on the bike). I walked 24 of the 26 miles. Maybe I could have walked it in physically this year, but psychologically? I was done. I had already walked one in, just couldn't get my head around walking in another one (and for a slower overall time).
So, where to go from here? I'm going to spend a little time and try and figure out if Full Ironman is really for me. Do I have the desire and the life schedule to really get appropriately ready for one of these? I'm leaning towards taking a year off (at minimum) from the full distance and have a half as my "A" race next year... And then see where the day takes me. Part of me wants to "rally" and give it another go, but noodling if that is really pigheadedness trumping reality.
End note: awesome to have so many EN peeps on the course. Made a really tough day better than words can describe. Thanks to all for your support on and off the course!
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Comments
Start the post race analysis in August.
Thank you for a good race report. It’s so hard to say what triggered the stomach issues on the second loop of the bike. You worked to find the switch to turn the system back on but with no luck. This has happened to many including the best of the best.
Recover well – enjoy some down time.
I think next time you get clear bottles where you can mark your hourly targets; maybe you pay more attention to temp changes in training and try to find a temp-appropriate feeding schedule for your next race! Good luck!
~ P
Thanks for sharing your story and I am very sorry your race turned out the way it did. The advice so far has been great. My gut reaction was that it was not a fitness issue but more a cold exposure and nutririon issue. Yes, maybe you swam the swim a bit hard and wore yourself out. Not sure there. I swim so easy that I have no experience in that area( the going to hard in the swim part
I love IM racing. I love the whole process. After your month of relaxation and wine drinking ask yourself that question. Do you love it? Figure out what you really want to do. I for one have never been able to follow the plans exactly or the intensity as prescribed. I get most of the work done but not all. That is why I think you were likely fit enough to do the distance but other factors got in the way.
Take care and be proud of yourself for the effort.
BTW- I would have pulled the plug too if I was that sick.
Carrie
@ Tom & Matt: I think that is exactly what I am going to do...
@ Paul: I think you nailed it on the head... and you're right, at minimum, not going to let the last one (should there be a "last one") be a DNF. A year of halfs might give me more race day confidence and focus
@ Coach P: funny how you "know" things and then somehow forget them. I have bottles marked for 3 hours, just didn't think to use them. I used them in training. Somehow didn't cross my mind to use them for the race. The effect of cold on calorie-processing was something I absolutely didn't know. I suppose one silver-lining is that at least I screwed up something different this time... now, as long as I don't keep making the same mistakes, eventually I will get this dialed in
@ Carrie: really appreciate your comments. I think that is the question I need to ultimately answer.
Hey Art. It was a weird day indeed. It was great to see you the course. When I was saw you, I was dying also. As everyone said, take as much time as you needs. Its always about fun for guys like us. Hope to see you again at a race in the future!
Art -- tough day -- I feel for you and would echo the sentiment already expressed about not making your decision too quickly.
Good luck in you R&R!
art:
the physiological response that coach P points out, pretty much covers it and it follows that your lack of intake in RR1, led to too much intake too soon and at the non-ideal time for race day. my RR2 really helped me to cement the true facts from the artifacts of RR1. you were not able to do RR2.
your swim was spot on, despite the cold conditions.
...in other words, the day's events make complete sense and you should not read too much into them.
we all have other priorities, so we tend to overlook some things now and then when it comes to racing. that's totally fine!!!
take the time you need to recover and to make sense of it all.
it was great to meet you. impressive to see you riding steady at RR1 over those hills. i was wishing i was you at the start of the swim! you DO have what it takes to race 140.6, i can see it.
be well.
GH
I read a post last night about someones question about adjusting his RR2 and one of the coaches stated that RR2 is THE MOST important workout of the entire year. I think he said...DO. NOT. MISS. THIS. That could have something to do with your experience this weekend. Take a break and get back on the saddle, it was a pleasure meeting you. Come do Lake Stevens with us...I hear Greg is even thinking about it.
Art what Tom said and thanks for posting this. most don't post their DNF RR. Glad you did.
Maybe I missed it in your report, but other than the chocolate covered blueberries do you have any idea what might have caused the issue?
think it was a combination of things that folks pointed out above with spotty training and too many calories in first two hours of bike (especially given cold body) being the likely biggest contributors... Didn't focus on calories intake like I should have... Had a "I can handle 200-350 per hour so I won't worry about it"... I was more focused on drinking enough water (problem from RR1 and last year's race).
Thanks, Art! Good review.
Again, it's easy to post a RR when all went well and we look like super stars. I am glad you were willing to post and share your mistakes so others can learn from them. You rock!
Enjoy the down time, brotha!
Hey Art - glad you did a RR - every race is not smashing success as we all find out in time. But we learn and we gain from the experience. I think the cold water affects everyone differently and probably had the most impact on you. I think one of the Leito brothers had similar issues just last yr at IMAZ - really ruined his race day. Rest up...there is never a rush to decide on IM.....your heart will tell you soon enough...
Art, while details and nutrition do matter, there really is no substitute for the training required in the 12-20 weeks before an IM. You and I both found out there is no short cut there, and no way to over come the deficit through superior execution. In fact, any little execution detail becomes magnified.
We had a good weekend there, nonetheless, thanks to all the EN crew surrounding us, eh?