IMLP RR M Smith
Here is my IMLP 2011 race report. Hope its not to long or too boring!
Just to add some context, I did IMLP in 2009, and although I finished I was not pleased with the result or proud of myself as I was shattered on the run and walked most of the marathon, finishing in 16:12. I was determined to do better this time. My goals were modest: A goal: Finish by sunset (8:30PM), 13:30 total time; B goal: finish before dark (9:00PM), 14:00 total time. My mantra and/or "one thing" going in was "no glo-stick! I knew that accomplishing either of these goals was going to come down to my performance on the run.
Arrived late Thursday, used travel day for off day. Friday AM swim, one loop, easy pace. Attended 4 keys talk given by Pat which was as great as I remembered it being two years ago. Really helps get your head in a good place and help you get settled down for the race. Reminded myself to keep my "one thing" in mind on run this time around... no glo-stick!
Saturday went for easy ride on the run course, put in about 15 easy miles from hotel to end of run course and back. No run, that's it for work-outs, this is it! Rack bike, settle in.
Got up at 3:30 after a remarkably good nights sleep, red machine smoothie, bagel/egg sandwich, coffee. Down to tranistion and swim start at 5:30. Really crowded, got a little anxious about maybe getting down to transition later than should have but got to swim start in plenty of time. Wetsuits optional, no Kona slot or awards if you wear one, not an issue for me!
Placed myself of to right side about 10 feet back of start line. Plan is to angle towards first turn buoy and hopefully avoid madness along the cable. As I am slow, figure first lap will be congested but will thin out for second lap.
So much for my swim plan. It was crazy for almost all the first lap, constantly getting cut-off, legs pulled on, whatever. 45 min. first lap, started second hoping would be better, and it was but not by much. Almost 3000 swimmers in a small lake means a rough swim for sure. Oh well, I'm always happy just to get swim done. I'd like to improve my swim but not sure if it is worth the time and effort.... lots more ROI working on run I think.
Swim- 1:31:xx (2:09/100 yd)
T1 10:23 Not sure why so long, tent wasn't too crowded.... one advantage of being a slow swimmer! Know it took me a while to get socks and road shoes on, decided to not use sockless tri shoes as wanted to be comfortable as possible on bike.
Bike
Followed EN advice, kept watts down first 25 miles, I think everyone passed me up ski jump hills. Told myself its ok, remenber, this whole day is going to come down to run. Have wattage goals taped to aero-bar, based on my FTP of 220W wanted to stay between 145 and 175 watts, mostly at 155W (.70 IF). Was hoping to break 7 hours but don't even have MPH on dislpay.... let watts dictate speed completely. Here's my data:
Entire workout (140 watts):
Duration: 6:58:02 (7:15:21)
Work: 3515 kJ
TSS: 398.9 (intensity factor 0.761)
Norm Power: 152
VI: 1.09
Pw:HR: -5.52%
Pa:HR: -2.76%
Distance: 111.453 mi
Elevation Gain: 8046 ft
Elevation Loss: 8048 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-0 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 1 329 140 watts
Heart Rate: 30 142 117 bpm
Cadence: 11 128 75 rpm
Speed: 0 43.4 16.0 mph
Pace 1:23 0:00 3:45 min/mi
Altitude: 608 4398 1318 ft
Crank Torque: 0 760 158 lb-in
I was pleased with NP of 152W, although it appears my TSS and IF are kinda high. I didn't think I had so much stop time, but the numbers don't lie! Have to try and improve on that. Anyway, I felt good on the ride, took in about 1900 calories (275/hr), just as I had in race rehersals. 3 clif bars, 12 shot-blocks, 2 bottles perpetum at 400 cal/bottle. And last clif bar 1 1/2 hour before run, so no solid food in stomach for run. Part of my problem in 2009 was too much nutrition on bike causing GI issues on run, so having a dialed in nutrition plan and following it was key for me.
Felt good off bike, legs a bit wobbly at first but took shoes off at dismount and used run to changing tent to loosen legs up for run.
T2: 8:03. Again too long, but goofed up and left Garmin in run bag, had to go back and chase volunteer down to get it. Anyway, felt pretty good, off to what I know is going to make or break my day.
Run
Was determined to follow EN advice to the letter. Really worked to slow my pace out of T2, kept 10:30 pace and felt like I could run this pace forever. Also walked aid stations, even tho didn't feel like I needed to. Finished first lap like this, didn't really increase my pace as I figured a 10:30 pace would put me in at 4:30 or so, or around 8:30 PM, which I would be very happy with. And I knew things would get tough on second lap.
Pace did slow on second lap. Was doing gels every six miles (like I had done on training long runs) but began not to sit well on second lap, so tried the coke they offered and seemed to go better, settled stomach thank goodness! About mile 20 or so really working, telling myself only 10K to go, can't remember pace but it wasn't 10:30 anymore! Tried the chicken broth, again seemed to help a bit. Stayed on coke, water, broth to finish.
Remember checking Garmin with only 5K left and thinking, look, even at your pace its only at most 35 minutes more to finish the whole day! Come on, keep it going! I needed every mental trick I could muster.
Hit wall at mile 25.... needed race to end here! Had to walk the big hill into town, picked it up again through town (don't want to let down the cheering crowds!), walked part of way to last turn around and part way back to finish. Figure walked about half of last 1.2 miles. Of course ran the last section around oval to finish.
Total 14:08:52. 1740/2502 overall, 120/209 50-54 AG
Missed my A goal by 38 min, B goal by 8. But no glo-stick! And took 2 hours off my previous 16:12 from 2 years ago. So overall very pleased not only with result but with effort. I can honestly say I left nothing on the course, I really did all I could do in terms of execution and effort.
Lessons learned: I don't have a dialed in nutrition plan for run, I do think I bonked at end. Need to work that out. Not even sure what would be a good goal in terms of cals/hr. Will have to take run nutrition plan more serious now that it appears I can actually RUN the distance!
Congrats to all my fellow EN peeps! And thanks to RnP, your advice is spot on. This is my third season with EN and I know I would never have been able to do an Ironman without EN coaching.
Comments
Thats awesome Merton. Great execution, great race !!!!
Two hours is HUGE! Congratulations.
One thought on the late bonk - your IF of 0.76 and a TSS of almost 400 are huge. Maybe you spiked your watts on some of the hills. But still, a 2 hr PR - well, thats just awesome. Love the one thing "no glow stick" - classic.