IM Louisville - Kona Qualifier but much room for improvement. Would love your feedback!
Will try to keep my race report fairly structured and minimal. Would love your feedback!
Goal
My goal was to qualify for Kona. This was my 2nd Ironman. Looking at the times from the previous years I thought that I would need a time around 9.30-9.40 to qualify in my AG. That seemed reasonable giving my training. I was aiming for a 60-65min swim, 5hr bike, and 3.25 marathon. I've hit these times in training comfortably so thought I should be able to make that time. During the course recon on Friday I started to worry a bit about the bike part. I knew it was hilly but it the parts that I biked were hard to get into a steady pace. Combined with the wind (I biked late afternoon) and heat I started to worry if I was able to hit 5hrs on the bike.
Swim
The time-trial start wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got in the water about 8min after the first AGer started. The first part till the turnaround was filled with slower swimmers and I literally swam over a couple of people. After the turnaround it was less crowded and I was able to get into a rhytm. During the swim I had the feeling that I was swimming pretty okay and efficient and was hoping to have a time around 60min. When I got out of the water in 65min I was a bit disappointed but nonetheless it was what I anticipated beforehand. So far so good
Bike
The bike started with me losing my spare tires in the first kilometer. I had them under my seatpost with velcrow, but after a bump both of them fell out. I quickly turned and picked them up from the ground and put them in the back of my jersey. Lost about a minute I guess, but didn't freak out. I was still going for 5hrs on the bike. The first part of the bike went pretty okay. I settled into a Z2 HR and rode with a small group. When the fist climbing started I started to overtake a lot of people. I felt good and at the turnaround point I was on pace for a 5.05 bike time. The second part of the course I felt awesome. My HR was in Z3 most of the time though and hitting Z4s on the climbs. My legs felt good and I was flying so just kept up the pace. Looking back, I probably (most likely…. I know I did) pushed too hard on the bike. The second lap was a bit harder to settle into a comfy position since I had to overtake so many people. The last part I even overtook 2 male pros and started to realize that I might have gone a bit too fast. I got off the bike in 5.01 and had the fastest bike split of all AG-ers.
Run
Transition went pretty smooth. I settled into a 8min/mile pace as trained for the first 6 miles. I was feeling pretty okay and started hydrating and throwing water over myself at every opportunity I could. I forgot my hat in transition and looking back that wasn't a wise thing to do. On the course I realized I was around the 12 position overall and the first guy in my AG. The first lap was brutal though since the out and back was so boring and there were only about 11 other runners on the course and no crowd to cheer us on. I realized after about 6 miles that I wasn't able to speed up to 7.35s and stayed at 8.00 min/miles. I was able to keep that up till about mile 12. Then I started to fade and started walking the aid stations. My walking breaks started to get longer and my pace slower. The last 14 miles I averaged 9.45 mile to finish my marathon in 3.55 and overall time of 10.08. I was relieved and disappointed when I croshed the line since I thought my time wouldn't be enough for a KQ. But I didn't see a lot of guys pass me so had some hopes. Back in the hotel I saw that I was 4th in my AG. I did some quick math on the number of slots for my AG and realized that it might be enough for Kona. The next morning at the post-race celebration I was so happy when I saw it was! The happiness didn't really counter my disappointment at my time though.
I would love your feedback on:
- Food: I was only able to take in 1 gel during the run. My stomach was just refusing any food. I think due to the heat. I was running out of energy on the run. It wasn't that I was in cramping up or aching, I just couldn't go any faster since I was out of energy. On the bike I had 2 Powerbar bars and 4 Powerbar gels. Think I had about 5-7 bottles of powerbar sportsdrinks and some water as well. Do you think I should eat more on the bike to frontload for the run? Also, do you think that I should try different stuff on the run and if so any suggestions? I have a pretty delicate stomach and can't handle a lot of food while racing, so that's the thing I'm figuring out….
- Pacing: I know I went to hard on the bike, but find it hard to hold myself back while feeling good. I don't have a powermeter so pace myself on heart rate. I've averaged a Z3 bike (3.0 according to my Garmin, but think it might be a bit higher). I know I should be in Z2. Any tips on how to pace the bike?
- Kona expectations: I very excited to go to Kona! I still want to break 10hours in an Ironman and am not sure if Kona is the right place to do it. Off course I know the stories about how rough it is out there, but just want to see if you feel how much harder it is than Louisville. I think that with the experience I have now, I would have been able to go sub 10 in Louisville. Want to check if you think it is realistic in Kona, or that I shouldn’t focus too much on a time there and just enjoy the experience.
Thanks a lot for your help!!!
Niels
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Comments
Niels - Conratulations on a successful race. FIrst, some general comments:
• The most important thing in your report is that, despite what almost all IM competitors would consider an outstanding result, you are burning with a desire to improve your performance. This is THE key first step to improvement.
• Second, you have identified all of the right questions, and all of the answers are here in EN, waiting to be applied by you. I'll just try to point you to a few key ideas.
I don't know what your overall goals are for your Ironman career, specifically, if you see this as a short-term thing, with Kona this year as an end in itself, or (more likely, given your wish to keep improving) if you are willing to make this a multi-year project which might take another 5-10 years to reach fruition. If the latter, you have time to build yourself into a killer IM athlete. If the former, enjoy your laurels and have fun in Hawaii! (More on that at the end of this post)
One of my favorite IM cliches is: "Pay attention to your nutrition and your pace; your time and place will take care of themselves." You correctly note that "food" and "Pace" are the areas which might need attention. As to food, I'd point you to the recent Race Fueling webinar in the wiki. My experience is that obsessive attention to the exact calories and hydration you are taking in can be helpful. So, 4 gels = 440 calories, 2 bars = 460 calories and 5 bottles Perform = 1050 calories. That's cartainly plenty (I assume you are about 160#), and mabe more than you really need. I would ditch the bars and go all liquid on the bike.
The fact that you were still running all the way to the end tell me your hydration was probably OK in terms of calories and fluids, and the big issue was pacing on the bike and the run.
So: Bike pacing for an HR athlete. Should be in Zone 2, not Zone 3 as you note. Going easier is all about humility and discipline.Now that you know what happens on the run if you overcook the bike, you should have more motivation to stay within yourlimits on the bike.
An equally significant pacing issue was not acounting for the heat on the day. Using a VDOT of 57 for you, and the recorded temps of 88-91, the EN heat pace calc says you probably should have been going 8:40-45 min/mile. You slowed down at the end because your internal control mechanisms were sensing you were becoming dehydrated, and slowed you down against your will to allow you absorb sufficient fluids so you could keep going. It's a "pay me now or pay me latter" thing - if you go too fast early on, your body WILL make you slow down to the point needed so your gut can absorb enough water to replace most of what you're losing to sweat.
Now, what about the future - what can you expect? With your current fitness levels in the three disciplines, you may have been able to go about 10-15 minutes faster on this day - a bike of 5:05-10, and a run of 3:45-50. Looking @ the IM Lou 30-34 results, that would have been good for 6th-8th place. To get up into the top 5, you'll need a higher VDOT, so run speed/fitness is the big limiter for you compared to competitors, at least for hot days. That's the task for the winter - get your 5K race time down close to 17 minutes, while maintaining your swim and bike fitness. You could also try to drop 5 minutes swimming, but that would probably require a lot more time in the pool.
There are tricks to racing and going for gold, but until you've convinced yourself that you've nailed IM execution perfectly, trying to actually "race" an IM is probably not on the radar screen yet.
What about Kona in six weeks, how would I aproach that? Just the way you said it: "...I shouldn’t focus too much on a time there and just enjoy the experience." You never know when you might get back there. The last thing you want to do is blow up on the run and leave feeling as if you failed. The first time I went, that's the approach I took, and I completely enjoyed myself - the most fun I ever had at an Ironman. The second time, I was full of myself; I'd won my AG 3 x @ CDA and AZ by that point, and thought I could "race" and get a top placing. I biked stupidly, got dehydrated on the run and ended up in the med tent after 10 miles. I qualified again the next yesar, but a bike crash kept me from going, and nearly ended my athletic career. So this year, back "one more time", I think I've learned my lesson. I'll take the experience as a gift, one not to be abused by trying for some specific time or place.
Very nice work. Big congrats.
Think about getting power on the bike - yes - costs a few bucks, but then if you want to keep going back to Kona - it will pay for itself.
Lastly - not sure how you missed your hat in transition, but a great way not to forget anything is to put it all in a bag that you take with you out at that start of the run and then put them on....hat, Garmin, fuelbelt, saltpills...whatever....
Also 2#'s on have fun in Kona - This is all for fun (unless you think you are good enough to make a living doing this).... so enjoy it!
I will watch race fueling podcast as well. When you say to go all liquid food on the bike, do you mean no gels as well? If so, I guess I should switch to a more concentrated energy drink that Perform. Any suggestions?
@ Robin: Thanks a lot!
@ JT: Thanks. I did run with a Nathan (and had my Powerbar gels in my race belt) but threw away the Nathan after 10 miles. Although I'd ran with it in training, I didn't really like the idea of it in the race. Maybe I'll get a fuel belt and use some more concentrated sports drink to carry during the run
@ Paul: Thanks.
Gels are a liquid.
Congrats on a great race Niels...I think you swam over me...lol...Al is a sharp tack...but he won't puncture your tire..definitely a bike pace issue for you...backing off a bit there might have meant 5:05 but a much faster run split...best of luck to you and congrats on Kona!
I used ot get ot Amsterdam on biz..enjoyed running the city!...great country to cycle too.
Sorry if I did swim over you... Was so focused ;-)
Amsterdam is a great city! The country is great for cycling (and running) but the weather just sucks big time.... Not a good place to prep for Kona
@ everyone: just a random question: how do I add/edit my signature below my post? The one where most guys have their races listed?
Have a look here