Tim Cronk's IMFL 2011 Race Report
First here is the link to my Race Plan.
http://endurancenation.us.dnnmax.com/Training/TrainingForums/tabid/101/aft/7390/Default.aspx
Now the reality.
Swim --1:05:40
T1-- 7:40
Bike-- 5:21:00
T2-- 3:40
Run-- 3:59:52
Total -- 10:37:52 PR of 17 minutes 36 AG out of 321 and 230 overall
The Swim--- Lined up 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to the right thanks to EN suggestions and confirmed by right to left currents/ winds at the start. Stayed just a couple people back but pretty much up front. First mass start but due to the beach start I didnt find it any worse than a small wave start. Absolutely beautiful swim , pretty calm, crystal clear, lotsa jellyfish, rays, schools of small fish. Pretty good contact for 5 minutes or so then not so bad. Swam hard concentrating on form did my 2 loops . Had no idea of my split or total swim time. I wasnt wearing a watch and didnt see a clock posted. It is what it is and was thinking about T1 and cold air. Goal was 1:10 and ended up with a 4.5 minute swim PR but didnt know until end of day.
T1--Air temp was 50 with 10mph+ winds. I am a freeze baby and was worried about suffering for first couple hours on the bike. Took the time to put socks on (usually dont wear while biking) toe covers were already on the shoes (no brainer IMO), went with a windvest and arm warmers. I found these the easiest to put on while wet. Planned on riding with gloves but couldnt get them on by the time I got to bike. Left them there and rode without. Slower than what I hoped but considering the distance from the water and the cold weather prep 7:40 acceptable.
Bike---- IF .744 , TSS 297.4 , VI 1.024 , AP 161 on Joule and 163 on Garmin , NP 165 , HR 141 Zone 1 , wts/kg 3.0
NOTE: when I started EN 1 year ago my first 42 min FTP test was 174.5 w/kg 3.0 ........ just rode 5 hours 20 minutes at w/kg 3.0!
I was defintely cold for first hour then it was bearable and warm by end of second hour and hot by the third hour. First half of the bike was mostly headwinds. I rode a little bit hotter that I would have liked at the start trying to stay warm and into those winds. My IF's per hour starting at the end of hour 1 were .76 , .78 , .77 , .72 , .69. Second half of the bike was faster with mostly tailwinds with the exception of that last 8 miles which were like a cruel joke back into headwinds. Stayed focussed and aero specially in the winds. Course is flat and fast would love to ride that on a no wind day. Overall pretty happy with the numbers as I have had a hard time staying below .75 and have never done a ride over 5 hours with a TSS under 300. Goal was under 5:30 and pleased with 5:21 a 10 minute IM bike split PR.
T2--- much better but forgot to take off vest and had to run back to give it to volunteer just maybe a few seconds.
The Run--- This is where I was hoping to blow Al's reality and Matt's calculator out of the water. Ha LOL. Little did I know. I started out with my EP(8:52) minus 5-10 seconds and planned on holding this steady and if it felt good picking it up just a bit. Started to get my legs about a mile in and did a really good job of holding myself back for first 5 miles or so. The problem is by that point I didnt feel I could pick it up. HR was low infact average HR for entire run was 139 which is again ZONE 1. Worked on not slowing down as much as I could and keep moving. My goal was a lofty 3:45 which I still believe is possible. 3:59:52 is a 4:10minute PR for my IM marathon. So Matt's calculator and Al's experience win this round but I will be back to prove them wrong. The calc says my best IM marathon is 3:52 which is pretty much right again if you take out the 4 porta potty stops I did since I wast feeling it I figured I might as well stop.
The Nutrition---- Went exactly as planned. I stuck to everything as written in the race plan. 250 calories per hour on the bike and 200 calories per hour on the run. I did not have any cramps, sloshing, bloating etc but I did feel on the run somthing just wasnt quite right. Can't put my finger on it but stomach wasnt hundred percent. Too much sugar too much caffeine???
My overall goal was sub 10:30 and ended up with 10:37:52 a littlle short but a nice PR ......and PR's for all 3 events
What I learned . What I will change. Not really sure its a work in progress. Getting better thru training, education, and race execution experience. Will continue after 3 weeks off . Starting OS in Dec.
I can still defintely smooth out my bike more. Little easier at the start a little harder later but I am finding this very difficult to do. Also having kept my HR in ZONE 1 the entire bike and run tends to tell me I didnt overbike or overrun. My RPE was telling me something different. I am searching for a way to get myself up into Zone 2 at least on the run. But as long as I am still running the entire marathon and coming in close to my Vdot calculator time I am hesitant to start giving up time on the bike. Will also experiment a bit more with nutrition and caffiene in training next year and try to figure that out. Well I hope I can unlock this puzzle by IMMT next year.
Thats it thanks Tim,
Comments
Tim - STELLAR job! Take a few weeks just to bask in your success.
Some things to consider to move your run closer to your goal:
• Take a couple of weeks, say around 13-14 weeks before and 6- 7 weeks or so before IMMT for Big Bike/Tri weeks. Focus that time on longer rides aiming for rthe ability to maintain the same IF all the way to the end. (See the wiki - "Big Week" - for guidance.) A steadier IF may have given you a bit more reserve going into the last half of the run.
• You raced the bike to the absolute max of your FTP; to make that leg faster, you'll need a higher FTP. Pay attention especially to the VO2 max intervals in the OS.
• While you may get a few more minutes on the run by better bike execution and a slower start to the run, in the end, getting that VDOT over 50 is really what you'll need for a 3:45 split. Again, getting faster in the OS is your ticket here.
While the IMMT course may not be amenable to a PR compared to IMFL, you can certainly set a goal of a higher overall % finish and some process goals around starting the bike and run a bit easier and finishing stronger.
Congrats on a great race and execution! I think you will continue to improve with your training and achieve your goals! WTG!
@ Brenda----- thank you and welcome back!
@ Jeff ----- thanks and can't wait to see your times on that course next year should be smoking!
@ Matt --- thanks and will be following you in AZ shortly!
@ Ruth Krsiten and Nate thank you very much!
You and I have some crazy strange similarities.
My 3rd IM was also at IMFL in 2007. I went 10:37:53....the finisher picture says 10:37:52 I just looked at it.
I also swam a 1:10 at IMLOU and a 1:05 at IMFL in 2007.
I predict things coming together very well for you at IMMT next year. I think you squeezed every bit of time out of your fitness.
@Dan I'm all about listening to Al! Weird similarities between us, I believe in patterns so that should mean I will soon have a similar FTP and VDOT as you! Thanks.
Exactly! If you can place that well on a flat course like FL, you will CRUSH a hilier course with your 120 pounds. Great race man.