IMLP race plan- Keith
Dinner the night before:
Nothing that I normally don’t eat and definitely not anything resembling Mexican. Probably just some pasta, eggplant and spinach. I may replace the pasta with a sweet potato.
If I wake up at 2:00 am:
Yogurt shake with peanut butter, strawberries and almond milk.
If not:
Short glass of yogurt shake with a peanut butter and jelly bagel.
Swim:
Overall goal is to be smooth as possible, breathing every 4 strokes. I can do this efficiently to both sides, so will base this on which way is easier in the mosh pit swim. I’ll probably line up on the outside and slowly make my way to the first buoy. No goal time, just want to come out feeling fresh. Estimate is about 1:20.
Bike:
Estimate around 6:50
Focus on watts of 160, which I think I can hold on most of the hills also, as I can climb in a pretty slow cadence which will save me some watts. This is based on FTP of 235, which is a swag from a 20’ last test and the WKO+ bins. Plan is for 30’ of water, then 2 concentrated bottles of Infinite with 3 servings per bottle (one will be in SN). Infinite will be in xlab. Still trying to figure out whether to use Speedfill for water or just put a regular bottle in the down tube cage. I’m not sure if I’m getting enough water using the Speedfill, but will I hit an aid station soon enough at 17 mph? How big are the water bottles? Calories per hour are 235 with about 500 mg sodium. Will also take 1 sCap each hour starting once I hit hour 1 on the bike. Will carry 3 gels, just in case the infinite starts to not taste right.
Will be in EN bike gear as I need bike shorts. Not sure whether to go old skool kit or new skool- either will work, just tuck in the bib straps.
Run: Definitely in the 5:00 range
Change shorts. I’m going to run in my mid-weights as I don’t think my feet can handle to lightweight racers over a full marathon yet. More sunscreen !!!! Unsure of a hat as I hate them, but my bald head might burn, which really hurts the next day. Will add some glide to certain parts of my feet before the run. Fresh socks will feel good. Vdot is currently 45, which makes LRP at 9:07. I’m not a real strong runner, although I’ve improved on holding pace over distance. I’m dialing the race pace back to 9:30, so the first 6 miles will be at 10:00. Then hold 9:30 until mile 18 and see how I feel.
Nutrition on the run will be coke or Perform at every other aid station (even numbers) and water at all aid stations----Do you think 3 cups per hour (about 9:30 pace) will put me over the calorie budget? Will add an sCap at the start of each hour (similar to the bike). Focus will be to not take in too many calories, so will use guidance of going to last possible stop in the aid station to get what I want.
While it may not be at mile 18, I remember this spot on a bend while at LP camp, where I said to myself, “If you want this to be over, you have to run faster”. This worked and I’m hoping it will get me through those last few miles at much lower than the 9:07 target---only time will tell.
Finishing line:
I’ll try to smile. I’m a bit worried here about tripping and ending up on a Utube video. My confidence right now is like the weather in Lake Placid- unpredictable and continually changing--
Comments
Overall, a good plan. To answer a couple of your questions, water bottles at the aid stations were 24 ounces, IIRC. to me, the course is easy to live off of, and just having enough for the first 6 miles is all that's really necessary. Last year, I had a Bontrager aero bottle filled about 1/3-1/2 in order to have some water, without carrying a ton of it up that hill, and then down the long hill.
Each cup is probably about 3 ozs, making it 9-10 ozs an hour. If perform has similar calories to gatorade, that would be about 140-150 calories per hour, probably not enough, though if you add a gel, then you're in the right range...
Have a great day out there!
---Ann.
Looks like a good plan! Coach P gave me a great tip at IMTX - wear a hat (I wasn't going to) and put ice in it - as well as holding some in my hands between aid stations. It got hot and stayed hot so I was very thankful! Not sure what the conditions will be like in LP but worth considering.
In terms of pacing, I'd also recommend checking out the WSM thread at if you haven't already seen it. Heat index can play havoc with run pacing. It turns out the table got my marathon pace almost exactly right given the conditions, which was over 2 min slower than my vDot EP!!
I'll be helping marshal the bike course and working the first water station on the run.... I'll be sure to hand you some ice as I'm cheering you all on!
Enjoy your taper.
P