Simmons June 24th Buffalo Springs HIM report
It was as planned, brutally tough but nothing really prepares you for the last hour in the rising temps.
Leading up to this race I used http://www.thecorediet.com/services/mission/ and received a nutrition plan that begins two days before the race. I got a plan for Oly, HIM and IM distances.
I had a hard time eating all the calories and carbs the day before the race while also dropping the training volume.
We had bagels, peanut butter and honey about 4:30 a.m. and lots of water while driving down to the race site.
SWIM: 37:00
I took one caf power gel and water 10 minutes before the wave start per my nutrition plan
While slow by many standards, this was a swim PR for me. This swim was bit rougher than normal with more bodies fighting for position than I normally experience. I kept running into people which actually slowed me down a bit. Otherwise I was lucky enough to site well and swim straight. 25 minutes before start time, I swam out to the first buoy and back. As soon as I got out of the water upon my return, my watch fell off, the strap had broken……so lucky I did not lose it in the water! I began to panic
, ran over to the bike repair spot and asked the mechanic man to put a plastic tie down on the watch which resolved my issue. Came out of the water in exactly 37:00, 5 minutes faster than I had planned..
, ran over to the bike repair spot and asked the mechanic man to put a plastic tie down on the watch which resolved my issue. Came out of the water in exactly 37:00, 5 minutes faster than I had planned..T1: 03:18
Hard to get that damn wet suit off! 
Slow due to this being the first race of the year for me.
Slow due to this being the first race of the year for me.BIKE: 2:38:13
Two very steep, short climbs right out of T1. I got through those better than I expected staying seated for both watching my NP watts. 25 tog, first gear. Dropped my Power bar once I got to level ground, drank water and had a power gel instead. During the bike, I had 5 power gels and 1.5 of my 2 mixed bottles of nutrition with lots of water. I had to revert to water only at about the 2 hour mark because my stomach 
was beginning to have issues with processing all the calories between the IM Perform, sodium and the power gels.
was beginning to have issues with processing all the calories between the IM Perform, sodium and the power gels. The Core Diet plan recommends you practice this nutrition plan at least 3 times before racing with it.
At about the 30 mile mark I had to pee really badly
but did not want to pull over, so waited for a good time and successfully did it while on the bike. I was so proud of myself for getting that done without losing those minutes.
but did not want to pull over, so waited for a good time and successfully did it while on the bike. I was so proud of myself for getting that done without losing those minutes.I came in exactly at NP 239 watts for the 1st 30 minutes as planned and pretty much nailed the rest of the bike in terms of planned NP watts. Last 10 – 12 miles coming back we were into a 15 mph headwind and legs were beginning to feel the fatigue from the hills and the wind. I came into T2 well hydrated, a little behind on my sodium and calorie plan and 5 – 7 minutes faster than I had expected.
Looks like it was about 91 degrees when I entered T2.
Entire workout (242 watts):
Duration: 2:38:36
Work: 2305 kJ
TSS: 171.7 (intensity factor 0.807)
Norm Power: 250
VI: 1.03
Distance: 56.494 mi
Elevation Gain: 1210 ft
Elevation Loss: 1272 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-59 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 520 242 watts
Cadence: 32 141 83 rpm
Speed: 0 43 21.3 mph
Altitude: 2684 2983 2900 ft
Crank Torque: 0 892 251 lb-in
Temperature: 68 91.4 81.9 Fahrenheit
T2: 02:32
Drank 24 ounces of water and sodium – key action
RUN: 1:56:58
1st half of run was good for me. I ran low 8 min/mile paces, took in one cliff block every two miles, walked each aid station as planned, drank water at each, poured water on my white sleeves and put ice in my hat. I actually made it up the hill out of the canyon without walking it, for me a huge feat.
2nd half, brutal, hot temps. 
I was able to digest the remaining cliff blocks without stomach issues. Mile 11.5 I hit the line. My pace slowed but I was able to keep running through to the end.
I was able to digest the remaining cliff blocks without stomach issues. Mile 11.5 I hit the line. My pace slowed but I was able to keep running through to the end.I can’t really articulate how hard it was after the heat and the elevations changes broke you down, but it was tough.
With all the fluid I took in, including hydrating well on the bike, peeing, and drinking in T2, I still lost a lot more and ended up taking an IV in the medical tent near the end. This was called out in my nutrition plan due to my excessively high sweat rate.
I would have liked to see a better run time but cannot complain with a PR coming out of Buffalo Springs. 5:18 and 26 out of 102 in AG which is fairly good considering the crowd of global Kona qualifier hopefuls that come to this venue.
0:56:52 |
6.55 |
0:08:41 |
1:00:06 |
6.55 |
0:09:11 |
1:56:58 |
13.1 |
0:08:56 |
Things to focus on during 2012 2nd half leading up to IMCZ:
1)Nutrition: Purchase a race plan specific nutrition plan and practice race nutrition per plan more often.
2)Swim: keep doing what I am doing using a coach and a 50 meter pool .
3)Bike: Keep intensity plan of workouts but focus on building out the long distance base with Big Bike Weeks.
4)Run: Also need to focus on building out the distance base while keeping intensity plan.
5)Shave a minute off of each transition.
Very tough, well managed and unique HIM!
0
Comments
Sounds like a great race, oneyou can be proud of. The 30 sec drop off in the run, considering the heat, is probably nominal, although if you'd run the first 6 miles @ 8:50-55, who knows...?
I've still not done BS70.3, just never hits my schedule in the right timeframe. I've worked with the race director several times, and she owes me a slot...someday!
Thanks all for the HUGE support! Thanks to all of you for leading this year!
@ Doug - I have always planned to race between .80 - .81 IF per the HIM TSS tables..... Race Rehearsals can be a bit difficult considering the cumulative load you carry going in if you are following the schedule and hitting the marks vs. the race itself where you go in rested. Additionally, I do not take in caffiene when I train but I do when I race and that also makes a difference for me.
@Paul - so glad you are racing IMCZ with me. Will be only my second IM behind IMLV and guaranteed to be a lot different for many reasons!
SS