Race Rehearsal #2 for Racine 70.3 – Joe Matchette

Joe Matchette · July 5, 2012 1:59PM

After a number of false starts due to multiple flats, I was finally able to get RR#2 accomplished for Racine 70.3. I will spare all the details, but suffice it to say, I have changed more flats and tires in the past four days than I have in the past four YEARS…..

My main goal in this RR was to ride a flat course so as to get a better idea of just what my expected time will be for the bike at Racine. I ended up shooting for an IF of 0.84, expecting a ride time of 2:30 – 2:33. That should yield a TSS of roughly 174 per the Race Execution TSS Tables. The course I chose had minimal stoplights and no stop signs. For the two times I got stopped at lights, I did pause my Garmin. Total time stopped was probably less than a minute.

The first couple of attempts had me getting up at 0230ish to down a couple of Ensure Plusses. That is part of my “normal” race routine for 1/2s and Fulls. For this attempt, I did not get up at 0200. Sleep was more important. The itinerary for the day was as follows:

0500 – awake and eat. 1 cup of coffee, ½ bagel with peanut butter. 16ish oz of water with one serving of EFS.

0555 – start the ride. WX conditions were 72deg and 100% humidity, no wind

0700 – 77deg and 83% humidity

0800 – 81 deg 79% humidity (Heat Index 85)

0900 – 86deg and 70% humidity (Heat Index 95)

Nutrition during the ride was a triple serving of my Infinit mix -- total of 840 calories. Also, I had 4x26 oz water bottles on board the bike. Every bit was consumed prior to mile 54.

My overall info for the ride was:

50.1 miles, 2:28:02, 219W Avg Power, Avg speed 22.3. My current FTP is 270W.

My ride plan was to target 205W for the 1^st 5 miles, 215W for the second 5 miles, then 227 for the remainder. The course is super-flat, so gears 3 and 4 were not in my plan.

Lap	Time	Pwr	HR	Speed	1.01"NP"	1.02NP
1	14:20.5	205	135	20.91758	207.05	209.1
2	13:05.8	216	140	22.90653	218.16	220.32
3	13:07.1	225	141	22.86876	227.25	229.5
4	12:59.0	223	144	23.10655	225.23	227.46
5	13:04.8	227	145	22.93578	229.27	231.54
6	13:35.9	222	145	22.06153	224.22	226.44
7	13:18.2	225	146	22.55074	227.25	229.5
8	13:21.3	222	145	22.4635	224.22	226.44
9	13:37.4	222	143	22.0211	224.22	226.44
10	13:22.8	220	146	22.42152	222.2	224.4
11	13:52.9	215	145	21.61124	217.15	219.3

I do not have access to WKO right now, so all I have is my AvgPwr (with Zeros) and an assumption of a VI of 1.01. The course was exceptionally flat, so I think that is a reasonable assumption based on past history.

The ride felt good up to Mile 50. At that point I really ‘faded’….my RPE to keep the watts up just kept getting higher and higher. Also, I started to notice that my left adductors started to feel sore/fatigued. That is a first.

QUESTION 1: Was that due to inadequate fuel in the tank? Or is it just because I was shooting for a pretty aggressive IF of 0.84?

QUESTION 2: I ended up riding this without my ‘party dress’ on. Additionally, I had gatorskin tires mounted. Any ideas how much gain I can reasonably expect to get with an aero helmet, ‘aero’ tires and wheelcover? My thoughts are that I will expect NO BENEFIT, and therefore it will work out with slow-downs for all the turns on the course, plus three aid-station slowdowns.

I had a pretty quick T2 thanks to Gen meeting me downstairs of the hotel with my shoes and FuelBelt.

As I said, my left adductors were unusually tired/sore as I started out on the run, but I knew the main factor was going to be the heat and humidity.

My run info was: 6.0 miles, 50:56.5, current VDOT 50. Nutrition during the run was a single 8oz flask of INFINIT, and 3x8oz flasks of water.

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Coach Rich · July 5, 2012 3:17PM

Notes:

IMO, that's a lot of calories for a HIM bike ride, especially at the IF you're targetting
Looks like you may have needed to dial down the bike a bit to account for the heat
No telling how much speed the aero tools will add, but it can be a good bit.

Nice work!

morpheus · July 5, 2012 3:38PM

Hey Joe!

I'm trying to write this without sounding like I'm copying some coach or something....

however, subjectively speaking, I think the heat/humidity started getting to you by the end of the bike. Doesn't make me think that an IF .84 in a HIM is crazy for you, but these RR's are execution practice, not fitness testers, right? So, I wonder if similar heat/humidity conditions should caution you to 'goal' a .84 on race day. (I know, same as Rich's #2, but at least I must be on the right path!)

You're still gonna crush it, just give the heat & humidity the respect it will demand.

I mean, come on, just cuz you knocked out Kona doesn't mean your immune to those conditions, ya know?

Paul Hough · July 5, 2012 4:03PM

If your goal was to ride a "flat" course it sounds like you succeeded!

. That weather is brutal but will serve you well in Racine. I started my RR in South Georgia at 9am 2 wks ago and it was rough. I just got to Muncie this arternoon and it's 101 outside but so dry it doesn't even feel bad.

Bruce Thompson · July 5, 2012 9:31PM

Joe - Nice job on the RR. You're gonna have a great race. It has been brutally hot here in northern IL & Racine this week, so you can probably expect the same during the race. I think you are use to it so it may give you both a physical and mental advantage. I'm racing Racine too so I look forward to meeting you. Have a safe trip.

Oh one thing to note - while the Racine bike course is generally flat, these is a short very steep hill right past the mount line coming right out of T1. A suggestion is to put your chain on the small chainring when you rack it, and be sure to get your feet clipped in quickly past the mount line.

MattAaronson · July 8, 2012 2:40PM

Last 30 mins on the bike looks like some HR decoupling. My guess is that's a big contributing factor to the slower-than-predicted run. Targeting 0.84 at the end of the ride may have been too much. Racine will likely be hot (last year 96 with heat index 106), so this was a good replication of what it might be like. Dial down the bike IF or you will get utterly cooked on the run...by mile 6 of your run you were running +30 sec from your starting pace and already hitting your upper HR...good chance you'd have been walking of shuffling 10:00 miles by mile 10 or so. Better to taret a lower IF and start slower on the run to keep your HR in check.

matthewbward · July 9, 2012 3:46PM

Have you raced Racine before? If not, it might be worth digging into some old race reports.

From my experience: The swim is a phenomenal point-to-point. The bike is flat but kills your neck/shoulders with all the pavement seams. Make sure all your nutrition/flat kits/etc are buckled down. The run isn't as flat as you'd think. At the start of each loop, there is a really big hill that you'll find tons of people walking.

And it's going to be hot and crowded. Last year my wave went off like 1:45 after the pros putting me in the most intense heat of the day. I wasn't mentally prepared for this and it really bummed me out.

MattAaronson · July 10, 2012 11:02PM

My experience last year at Racine is similar to Matt W but not exactly the same. The roads are not perfect but based on race reports I was expecting MUCH worse. The hill at the beginning of the run is quite surprising if you aren't expecting it (I wasn't expecting it!). But my approach to that run in massive heat was to "jog" and just keep running and go really easy and conservative to ensure no implosion. It was my first-ever HIM and when I ran out of T2 I knew I could achieve my super-secret time goal if even if I jogged it all the way and just made sure not to implode and be forced to walk. So mentally I was in a great place...when I saw the hill I just jogged up it. No pressure. When the heat was crushing, time to slow down but keep jogging...no pressure, no problem.

This year I'm in the very last AG to start so it will be hot for sure. So I'll really have to force myself to take the conservative approach that is required when the heat of the day is beating everyone up. If you do the same it will help you for sure. If you get bummed out mentally in heat like that (as Matt W describes), then you're toast.

Race Rehearsal #2 for Racine 70.3 – Joe Matchette

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