IM Louisville RR--Jeff Braaten
Well, I am laying here in bed giving in to the the cold I had been holding off until after the race so figured this was the perfect time to write up my first race report. Beforehand though I want to reiterate how fun it was to meet everyone and be at an event like this where we are literally a team with a real pull for each other. Coach P--You are great!!! So here goes.....
I did IMTX earlier this year and at 54 didn't have many expectations other than get some more experience before aging up next year. this was my first full year of training with EN and my 5th IM..
The numbers: Swim-1:14:19 Best Ever. Bike-5:56:15 IF-.754 NP- 192 TSS- 334.7 VI- 1.12 Run 4:02:50 Best Ever Total 11:26:38
I got to the swim late since I forgot one of my bottles and had to run back. By then I was near the middle back of a long snake line waiting to go. After what seemed like forever the gun went off and the line began to move and just as I got to the last down ramp we all had to stop due to someone having medical trouble in the water. He died I later heard-a real tragedy. After 15 min or so we go going and into the water. I have never been without contact at the start before and this was great. Swam pretty straight although I did miss the last buoy that turned us back toward the island and swam an extra 50 yds or so till a kayak caught me.
T1 uneventful but slow.
My left shoulder and tricep had been bothering me for a couple of weeks from what I think is a nerve compression and is aches badly when I am aero. I was praying to just let me tolerate it without having to sit up to much and at 10 miles in it just stopped. Wow, much better. ( it is back now though ). Out here in West Tx we have few hills so I wasn't sure how I would handle them. I guess from the numbers above you might say not very well but at 185 lbs going into the race I either rode the watts I could or walked the bike up the hill. After the second loop through La Grange I hit the 33 mile point that Coach P had given as the go point. I looked at my TSS and was just hoping I hadn't cooked my run. I just stayed aero and pushed. Nutrition was spot on with Inifinit concentrated, water, and gels. I did have to pee but can do it on the bike and won't stop so I held it into transition.
T2 also uneventful but a long portapotty stop
Once on the run I felt really good. Based on Matts app and my vdot I should have been going about 10:15 to start and ease down to 9:50's. At the bridge turn around I noticed I was pacing 8:30ish and felt great. I know it is against advice but I started thinking about when I run at home at that pace it seems so slow so why not just stay here and see what happens. My heart rate stayed steady in the mid 120's until the last few miles. I was carrying full strength Red Bull in a fuel belt and put down 8oz every 4 miles along with Coke, water at every aid station and for the last 13.1 mixed in the powergels on the course. I had tried the Red Bull a week before on a short brick and so again figured why not. I feel the caffeine helped as well as the calories.
I am not sure what to make of the TSS, it is correct based on my Joule and 310XT, Maybe my run would have been faster but my VDOT wouldn't predict that and my FTP of 255 correct although I haven't tested in a couple of months.
This was not my fastest time ( Florida '09-10:54 ) but I feel this was my best overall race. Race Highlight was giving my wife a kiss on the run. Now, ready to rest, get this cold overwith, and age up to 55"s.
Comments
Holy crap is right Dr Thunderquads! VI 1.12? TSS 335? IF .75? And you blew the run pace calculations out of the water with your heart rate in the 120s? You my friend are one badass mofo!!
For comparison, I rode at an IF of .66, a VI of 1.04, and a TSS of 250 and ran 20 seconds slower per mile than my heat-predicted pace. What was your total calorie intake for the day? We are roughly the same weight so I'm curious. It sounds like Tim and I need to raid the Red Bull aisle.
Boost 240 (2am)
Banana 100
Peanut butter 190
Boost 240
Total 770
Pre race
Gel 90
Bike
Infinit 550 x2 =1100
Gels 5 x 100=500
Perform ( approx) 400
Bike Total 2000
Run
Red bull 6x100=600
Gels 4x110=440
Coke 8x70=560 estimated
Run Total 1800
Grand Total Cal 4660
Based on your run time, your FTP is off. No way you can do a TSS of 334 and follow it with a marathon running the whole way like that. Which, by the way, is awesome. And, getting your cold AFTER the race shows you did EVERYTHING perfectly. You pushed yourself to the max, andyour body now says, "No more, for a while, please."