Linkus's IMOO Race Execution Plan - I'm going to milk this race for all it's worth!

jetskr

 

Hey all,

This is my second IM and while I'm not at the pointy end of anything I'd like to have the best day possible. My only real goal is to finish before it gets dark. Here's my plan. Please let me know your thoughts.

Race day Plan:

Pre-Race

Wake up at 2 AM and chug an Odwalla High Protein Smoothie and get back to sleep for another 2hrs. Up at 4 to shower/shave and eat a bowl of Cheerios w/whey and coffee.



Swim

Power on the Garmin before putting on the wetsuit. Get in the water and get used to to the temp and try to loosen up my arms some. I'm going to place myself middle of the pack a bit further from the ski jump and count the strokes. It's a 2 loop 2.4mi swim so just focus on form and let the distance take care of itself. Out of the water, hit the wetsuit strippers, and up the helix

T1

Grab my helmet, shoes, 2 sticks of Cliff Shot Blok Margarita, athlete tracker, and pop in a Starburst. Run to my bike with helmet on but shoes in hand. Once at the bike mount line stop and put on the shoes.

 

Bike

Bike is set up with the disk wheel on the back and an aero wheel on the front. Water bottle between the aero bars and 6.5hrs of Infinit Nutrition on the down tube. In the bento box is 2 CO2, 2 tubes, crack pipe, and tire levers. Take a gulp of Infinit every 5-10min for about 200 calories an hour, Bloks every now and again as feeling hits, and water as thirsty. Get a new water bottle at every aid station no matter how low the old one is. Dump the rest of the old one on my back and waist before pitching it. Follow the pacing from chart and to hell with what everyone else is doing!

 

Bike Pacing:

Gear	Ironman Wattage Guidance	Max
1st	0-.5hrs, slight downhills	GW - 5%	153
2nd	Goal Watts (GW)	GW	161
3rd	Long hills (>~3')	GW + 5%	170
4th	Short hills (<~1-2')</div>	GW + 10%	180

 

T2

Take off shoes immediately off the bike and run with them to the changing area. Take off helmet, put on running shoes, grab run bag, and eat a Starburst.

Run

Put on visor, put pill bag (2 enduralites, 1immodium) in jersey pocket, clip on water bottle belt while running out of T2. On the run drink a sip of perform and water at each aid station. Refill the carried water bottle with ice and water and eat an ice cube on the way out of the aid station while dumping some water on head/shoulders. Walk for just long enough to take in the nutrition. Follow the run pacing based on 5K and ½ marathon times and try to hold that pace at mile 18. The plan is to run a 10:30 pace for the first 3 miles. Evaluate how I’m feeling and the day is going and possibly increase to a 10:00 pace for the next 3 miles. Reevaluate condition and day and possibly increase pace to 9:30 per mile for the next 13 miles. Again reevaluation situation, nutrition, and mental standing and ask myself to give 10% more at each mile from mile 18 to the finish.

 

Run Pacing:

Miles	Half Ironman VDot Guidance	Pace
0-3	Recovery Pace + 90sec	10:30
3-6	Recovery Pace + 60sec	10:00
6-18	Recovery Pace + 30sec	9:30
18-26.2	Recovery Pace	9:00

jburbatt

I'd include some kind of a boot in your bento box (real one, dollar bill, whatever). Also a mini tool (real mini) and a spare chain master link.

Also, sunscreen? Salt/electrolyte supplement on the bike or not needed?

You got SN bags? What's in those bad boys? Come on, I expected more detail from you

Beth_S

What Jennifer said.

And is Garmin going on at beginning of race? I do remember Garmin's took forever to get a signal last year, and anybody who didn't turn theirs on to acquire signal took about a mile to acquire one. (And overcooked their first miles.)

Any thoughts on swim positioning? Are you walking aid stations?

jetskr

Good call on the multi-tool and patch kit. I'll make sure to pick those up next week. Odds are that I'll just carry one tube but 2 CO2 in the bento box and have extra tubes and CO2 in bike special needs. Other than that I'm not really planning on using it. For the most part I've only stopped for water and flats during training so hopefully I shouldnt' have to stop for anything else. If I run out of nutrition then I'll just use the Perform. It works much better than Gatorade for me.

Sunscreen will be applied the night before and the morning of. If needed then I'll get it again in T2 but am hesitant. I don't burn too badly and last time I ended up with a white glob under my nose in my race photo. Not going to have a repeat of that.

As for the salt, my mix of Infinit has a good about already in it and the Clif Bloks have 200mg for every 3 gummies. So that should be plenty on the bike and I'll take a couple enduralites on the run as needed. Cramping hasn’t been an issue for me so I’m not overly worried about it.

With the Garmin the plan is to power it on just before putting on the wetsuit. I’m going to wear it all day and not worried about it having a signal for the swim or the bike. As long as it gets one by the end of the bike we’re all good!

Positioning the swim will probably be determined race morning. I’ll look for the people who think they’re going to swim a 1:15 – 1:20. Yeah, I’m a bit slower than that but what’s the point in drafting off someone who’s my speed?

I’m planning on walking part of the aid stations on the run. Only long enough to splash water on me, refill my carried bottle with ice, and get a few sips of Perform. Then keep shuffling.

Dave Tallo

What stood out for me was that shower is costing you 5 minutes of sleep. Otherwise, sounds like you're ready to kick it!

jetskr

Thanks Dave! For me the act of showering and shaving kind of starts the waking up process. Nothing like scraping a razor across your face and neck to alert you and make you focus!