IMLP RR - I Killed the Volume Elephant
A huge thanks to Coach RnP and the best triathlon team on the planet that supported me throughout the year. IMLP was an incredible experience and EN rocks!
Short Version
My first ever Ironman and looking to just have a good time.
Swim - 1:11:35
Bike – 6:24:00
Run – 3:51:34
Total – 11:38:03
Long Version or How I Killed the Volume Elephant With My Bare Hands
This was my first Ironman and my goal was to have fun and cross the finish line before it got dark.
The biggest concern going into IMLP was the total amount of volume during the race preparation period. Total hourly weekly volume was between 8-10hrs (majority at 8 hrs) with 2 big weekends (IMLP Camp, RR#2) sprinkled on at weeks 6 and 9. Just didn’t feel like this was enough, especially since it was only a year ago that I didn’t think I could finish an Olympic distance race. Kept telling myself that I needed to just execute properly and I could cross before midnight. Took Al Truscott’s taper advice and kept it between 5-6hrs with shorts bursts of intensity during race week.
Got into town Thursday night and had dinner with the family at the Adirondack Brewing Company. We were all very excited especially my daughter.
Friday was a one loop swim in the lake, 45min bike ride to make sure everything was working properly, and a visit to the expo to check in. Weighed in at a massive 133lbs.
Saturday was a visit to the lake to just to keep the family busy and get my bike checked in. Big lunch, kind of big dinner, and in bed by 930pm. I was incredible relaxed knowing that I had a plan in place and it was just time to execute.
Pre-Race
Woke up at 330am on race morning and had a bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds chased down with a bottle of naked juice. Drove out to transition and got everything ready in 1.5 hours. Took a caffeine gel 15 minutes before start and put on the wetsuit. The moment had finally arrived and started to get nervous for the first time.
Swim – The Steel Cage Match
I started in the middle and a little back. There were only a few people around me because people were either right in front or still standing back on the shore. It seemed like there would be plenty of room to swim. WRONG! Gun goes off and it’s just an all out wresting match. 100 meters in get kicked in my left goggle, water fills, and contact falls out. No worries as I just let the water out and keep it going. A combination of breaststroke and freestyle gets me to the first turn and things start to clear up.
Start of the second loop and the wrestling match commences again. Never really able to get in a good rhythm for the whole swim but manage to escape in a decent time. I probably swam about 1x per week in the race prep so I didn’t really have any expectations for the swim. 1:11:XX and ranked 720.
Bike – Cyclops
Quick summary of the bike…lost my left contact on the descent to Keene. No worries as I just kept the good eye on the road and the bad one on the power meter. Speed sensor fell off on my way out of town and wasn’t able to record any of my data on the joule. Kept hitting the interval button to keep the damn thing on. No worries as I just wanted to see current power.
The rest was pretty uneventful as I tried my best to stay within my IM power. 145w through Ausable Forks and 155w from the turn into Wilmington. It felt like I negative split power wise but the second lap felt a little more windy so not sure if it happened on the time.
Nutrition was 1500 calories of Infinit and about 3/4 bottle of water at every aid station.
The most amazing part of the bike was to see everyone just flying by me on the hills especially the first climb of the day. I have a compact on the front and a 11/28 in the back. Sometimes I had to slow pedal at around 50-65 rpm to not spike my watts. Everyone else seemed to just keep spinning their pedals at a high cadence. On the first time around Papa Bear it was like my bike was moving in slow motion. A spectator even started running next to me, gave me a pat on the back, and told me to spin up the hill and push a little harder. I just smiled and kept on pedaling. 6:24:XX, lost 271 places, and ranked 991.
My wife running with my daughter and cheering for me on one of the climbs to Wilmington.
Run – This Stuff Really Works
Came off the bike feeling really good. Nutrition was perfect on the bike and couldn’t wait to start running. Put on a new set of contacts, shoes, and ran out of transition.
Plan was to hold a 8:30 pace for the first 6 miles and slowly move to a 7:50 pace. Nutrition plan was a flask of GU roctane.
After mile 6 I felt like it was best to just keep an 8:30 pace while walking all the aid stations. Around mile 10, I felt the wall coming and the wheels were starting to fall apart. Stopped at an aid station drank 3 cups of coke, water, and started to walk up the big hill. Best decision of the day as I felt fresh when I made it to the top of the hill. Ran the second loop a little faster (45 seconds) then the first loop and finished in 3:51:XX, moved up 473 places, and finished 518 OA.
EN rocks and this stuff really works. Thanks again to everyone in EN.
Comments
Awesome! Incredible run for first timer!
Passing 470 people on the run. Gotta wonder if that's an EN record! Absolutely incredible. I have NEVER heard of anyone approaching this amount of people passed in the run. EPIC!!
Great race Brandon and excellent execution.
Gordon
Great report and great execution for the first one! Awesome Run!
Brandon two parts of your report stand out for me: "... I just kept the good eye on the road and the bad one on the power meter. Speed sensor fell off on my way out of town and wasn’t able to record any of my data on the joule. Kept hitting the interval button to keep the damn thing on. No worries as I just wanted to see current power..." - This is the essence of staying within your box; the emotional calmness and centered mind required that hyou achiewved the first time out bodes well for any future long course race you attempt.
And, "...I felt the wall coming and the wheels were starting to fall apart. Stopped at an aid station drank 3 cups of coke, water, and started to walk up the big hill. Best decision of the day as I felt fresh when I made it to the top of the hill. Ran the second loop a little faster (45 seconds) then the first loop..."
Diagnosing and fixing the problem on the fly - great presence of mind and focus!